Cynthia Eden's Blog, page 88

Author Interview: Rebecca Zanetti (With FATED Giveaway)

Now it's time for me to interview one of my Brava author buddies.  This is one special lady–so special, that she receive the dedication in my upcoming book, ANGEL OF DARKNESS (okay, so I lost a bet and *had* to give her the dedication but she's still awesome!) Rebecca Zanetti, thanks for coming by the blog–and thank you for generously offering to giveaway 2 signed copies of your sexy vampire romance, FATED!! (And the next book in Rebecca's series, CLAIMED, will be out soon–can't wait!)

Cynthia: Rebecca, thanks so much for joining us!  Can you begin by telling us…why vampires?  What made you want to create your awesome vampire heroes?

Rebecca: Hi Cynthia !  Thank you so much for having me during this hour, and CONGRATS on the release of ENTANGLED and BOUND IN DARKNESS!!  I can't wait to read.   Also, I'm not sure if people know that Cynthia provided the cover quote for CLAIMED.  I was both humbled and thrilled!

So…about those vampire heroes.  I think the contrast in a vampire is intriguing.  I mean, on one hand, they're very primal.  Dark, brutal, basic…but in a sexy way.  On the other hand, they've lived long enough that they have a leg up—they know how to act civilized.  Maybe even be civilized.  But the inner struggle between their animalistic nature and their centuries of living is fascinating to me.  And during a novel, when that mask of civilization slips…

Cynthia: What do you like most about Dage, the hero from CLAIMED?

Rebecca: Oh wow, that's a good question.  Dage is the king of the supernatural world—the most powerful being in existence.  So that's hot.  But he has tempered his power through diplomacy and design…because he's the leader. He knows it's better to negotiate than destroy.  What I liked most about him was that he not only let that mask slip when dealing with his mate, but that he was entirely comfortable doing so.

I also liked that he appreciated the heroine's intelligence as much as her face and spirit.  Dage understands that smart girls are sexy.

Cynthia: Do you have a favorite scene from CLAIMED that you would like to share with us?

Rebecca: Hmmmm.  Well, I loved those scenes where Dage was yanked out of his 'king' role.  In fact, at one point, he told the heroine that she'd never met the king, it was the man who held her.  Also, there's a scene toward the back of the book, during the black moment, when he thinks all is lost.  I love that scene.  But, it is the dark moment, so I'll find another to share.  Here's a quick blurb at the beginning of the book when Dage has been shot.

He shook his head without opening his eyes.  "No.  I don't sense evil anywhere near us.  We're probably safe for a couple of hours, then we should move again."

A couple of hours?  Damn.  She needed him in fighting shape.  "Will drinking my blood help heal you?"

His lids flipped open, revealing those silver eyes that had haunted her dreams for fifteen years.  Hunger, raw and pure filled them.  "Yes."

Emma gulped in air. The husky timber of his voice caressed nerves she didn't want to own. "I won't become a vampire?"

His dimples winked at her.  "No.  Vampires are born, not made."

Fear and her damn curiosity blended until she could only whisper.  "Okay."  She held out her wrist and shut her eyes.  And waited.  The breeze picked up outside the cave, rustling pine needles and leaves inside the small entrance, and she shivered.  Finally, she opened her eyes in exasperation.  "What?"

Reaching out with his good arm, he lifted her chin with one knuckle, waiting until her gaze met his.  "I want your neck."

***

Cynthia: What's the best part of being a writer? The worst part?

Rebecca: Well, one of the best parts is becoming friends with people like you, Cynthia.  Writers are a close group who are willing to help each other.  Plus, we all fully understand that it's okay to have a bunch of voices bellowing in our heads—that's normal to us.  :)   The other thing I love is the blank page, before I've written a single word on a new book.  Anything goes at that point.

The worst part would probably have to be a brutal review.  Sure, we're all going to get bad reviews.  In fact, the person who hates your book usually hates the same part that a person who loves your book really loves.  So, it's a grain of salt situation.  But these days, anyone can put a harsh review up on Goodreads or amazon…and it's out there.

Cynthia: What can readers expect next from you?  (Share, share!)

Rebecca: Awww, thanks for asking!  CLAIMED will be released on November 1st of this year.  Then TEMPTED, an e-novella that features Max (Janie's bodyguard) will be released in April of 2012, and HUNTED will be released in May of 2012.  HUNTED features Connlan Kayrs and a witch he mated a century ago from Ireland.  He gave her a hundred years to train for her calling—time's up.

Thanks again for having me!  You can find me on the web at:  http://rebeccazanetti.com/

Also, to celebrate Cynthia's release day, I'd love to give away two signed copies of FATED, which is book 1 in the Dark Protector Series.  To enter, tell me which characteristics (physical, mental, or emotional) make for a sexy hero.  Thanks!!

Edie Ramer–Anthology Mastermind, Cattitude & A Galaxy Giveaway!

I was thrilled to be asked to participate in the ENTANGLED anthology. When I found out all of the proceeds were going to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, I couldn't wait to sign up!  But there is one author that I just have to thank for my involvement in ENTANGLED–Edie Ramer. She (and the great Misty Evans) worked tirelessly on this anthology.  Edie invited me to participate, she organized the donation material–she got all of the authors busy! So, Edie, thank you…and welcome to the blog party!

***

Characters with Attitude

by Edie Ramer

Thanks so much to Cynthia for inviting me to her release day party. I'm so happy that she's part of the anthology. Her story rocks!

One of the best things about being an indie author is I get to write about what interests me – ghosts, aliens, dragons, cats, witches. All of them with attitude. My short story in ENTANGLED has two of these, and a hint of a new one. You can tell by the title that The Fat Cat has a cat in it. The heroine is a witch, and though a goddess is mentioned in a minor way, she helps do major goddess damage.

The witch heroine was a secondary character in CATTITUDE, my fist self-published book. Other characters from CATTITUDE appear in The Fat Cat. I still love that book. Though I've published four other books since, counting ENTANGLED, I thought it would be fun to post an excerpt from it. The heroine from The Fat Cat doesn't appear, but she's mentioned. Here goes:

***

Belle's brain ached from talking. Meowing was so much easier. Humans made everything difficult, even communication. So few words, so many meanings.

"You want to tell me about yourself?" Max asked.

She put a hand on the bruise on her forehead, just like Annette in today's TV show. "Amnesia." She'd practiced saying it while watching the show, the mmm sound easier than the nnn. "I have amnesia."

"Amnesia?" He looked at her with disbelief. "The only people I've heard of with amnesia are actors in bad TV shows. If you're afraid of someone, tell me. I'll protect you." His gaze shifted to her ring. "No matter what. You have my promise."

She nodded. Of course he'd protect her. She'd never thought anything different.

"Do you want to tell me?" He moved closer, bending, the same concentration in his blue eyes as when he was reading one of his travel books.

"Pretty eyes," she said.

He snapped back. "You don't need to flirt with me. I already told you I'll protect you."

"You have pretty eyes," she repeated. He also had a pretty face and body, but she decided not to say that.

What had she done wrong? Max told her all the time how pretty she was. "Pretty Belle." "Beautiful Belle." "Pretty kitty." She always liked it. Didn't humans like to be called nice things?

"Well, thanks." He shoved his hands in his pockets and backed up. "I'll order the pizza. You like garlic bread?"

She shook her head. She liked meat. Lots of meat.

"We'll probably eat in about a half hour." One corner of his mouth flicked up. "Don't go anywhere."

She shook her head. Where would she go? This was her home.

As soon as he left, she stretched, holding the position for a long moment. Then she rubbed her cheek against the pillow. It was soft and smelled of Max. Now her smells mingled with his, her cat body and her human body.

A knock rattled the door. A mewl came out of her mouth, the unfamiliar words forgotten for a second. The door opened before she remembered how to purse her lips and where to stick her tongue to tell whoever it was to come in. Unless it was Caroline. Her she would tell not to come in.

"You're decent? Too bad." Ted strolled inside, clothes draped over his arm. "Max said you're eating with us tonight. I thought you'd like a change of clothes." He tossed his armload of garments on the foot of the bed. "They're my sister's exercise clothes. They should stretch or shrink to fit you. Tory won't mind if you wear them."

Belle nodded. Tory liked her. Tory had wanted to take her to New York, but of course Belle couldn't go. This was her home. Why would she want to live anywhere else?

"I'll leave now." Ted glanced at his watch. "You have enough time to take a quick bath or a shower and change."

Watching him leave, Belle felt sick inside her stomach.

Bath? Shower?

No, no and no!

She wasn't going to do it. She refused to do it.

But if she didn't, they'd smell her. Cats groomed themselves all the time, but they didn't wash away their scents. Any animal knew scents were good. Water was for drinking. Inside the body, not outside.

Her mouth set. She threw back the covers, rolled out of bed, marched into the bathroom, knelt by the bathtub and turned on the faucets the way she'd seen Max do so often. Anything a human could do, a cat could do—no matter how disgusting and unnatural.

But she'd better find Sorcha and get her body back. Fast.

How many more indignities could she stand?

***

I have two giveaways! Two commenters will win either an e-copy of CATTITUDE or my latest book, GALAXY GIRLS, which is my homage to the Gilmore Girls – if they came from another planet and used pheromones as weapons. To enter the giveaway, just answer this question:

If you can be an animal, what kind would you be?

Thanks!

Edie Ramer

Joyce Lamb, E-Pubbing & Some TRUEly Good Prizes

Thanks so much for coming to the release party today. I hope you've had fun reading the posts and entering the giveaways. And there are more posts & giveaways to come!  Right now, we've got the spotlight on Joyce Lamb. She's going to tell us about some great books she's got, and she's also offering up two fantastic romantic suspense novels as prizes.  Thank you, Joyce!!

***

Hi, everyone and congratulations to Cynthia on her new e-book releases! I can't wait to read them.

Speaking of e-books, I've recently given e-book publishing a try (smooth transition, huh?). My three earliest romantic suspense titles were published by Five Star in the early 2000s and have long been out of print, so I was thrilled when e-pubbing became so easy – and inexpensive. When these three were first released, they were a whopping $27.95 each. Can you believe that? As e-books, they're only 99 cents, so this time there's no second mortgage required to check them out. Here's the rundown:

CAUGHT IN THE ACT (a 2004 Rita and Daphne finalist): Jessie Rhoades moved to Florida to start a new, simple life. But things get very complicated when the newspaper where she is an editor publishes a huge story that turns out to be a hoax. On top of that, freelance reporter Clay Christopher is snooping around her professional and personal lives. When two of the bogus story's main sources turn up dead, everything is on the line — hearts, lives and careers — as Jessie and Clay race to uncover the truth before anyone else dies. (Kindle; Nook; Smashwords)

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FOUND WANTING (a 2005 Daphne finalist): Detective Mitch Kane is hired by millionaire Layton Keller to find his son and the woman who took the boy fourteen years ago. But Mitch soon discovers that Alaina Chancellor isn't anything like he expected. Before he knows it, the boy has been kidnapped and Mitch is protecting Alaina from hit men while trying to help her get Jonah back. But Alaina has been hurt before, and she doesn't trust anyone easily, especially a detective hired by her son's father. Unfortunately, she has no choice but to rely on Mitch, and as they race to save Jonah, they discover that both their lives have been found wanting. (Kindle; Nook; Smashwords)

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RELATIVE STRANGERS: When Meg Grant moves to Florida, all she wants is a fresh start and to find the family she never knew. Ryan Kama wants justice for his murdered brother. And Margot Rhinehart wants to escape her life as a jewel thief. All three lives collide when Margot goes on the run, and Meg, who looks remarkably like her, ends up being stalked by a host of bad guys. Her only salvation is Ryan, who doesn't know what to believe as the woman he thinks helped get his brother killed proclaims her innocence. Suspense and romance ensue. (Kindle; Nook; Smashwords)

Did I mention that all three are only 99 cents each? You can read excerpts of these and my Berkley paperbacks at JoyceWrites.com.

Speaking of my Berkley paperbacks (another smooth transition!): In honor of Cynthia's releases, I'm giving a random commenter here the first two books in my True trilogy (as a set): TRUE VISION (a 2010 Daphne winner) and TRUE COLORS. The Trues follow three sisters who end up in deep trouble when their latent – and powerful – empathic psychic abilities are awakened. More info and excerpts at JoyceWrites.com. (Don't forget to leave your e-mail address!)

Nancy Haddock & Entangled Giveaway

I'm so glad that awesome author Nancy Haddock is able to join us now!  (Nancy is in the ENTANGLED charity anthology with me, and she contributed one fabulous tale.) Nancy, thank you for coming to the party!

***

Me and My Big Fat Spanish Character

Helllloooo, Cynthia and Cynthia Eden fans!

It's Monday morning, and Entangled is officially on sale in e-formats everywhere. Okay, maybe not everywhere, but at B&N for Nook, at Amazon for Kindle, and at Smashwords for those with Sonys, iPads, etc.

I'm thrilled to be in the stellar company of Cynthia, Allison Brennan, Jennifer Estep, and all the other amazing authors who contributed to Entangled. My own short story for the anthology is entitled "Medium Rare," and it features the city of St. Augustine, Florida. It also showcases a slice of St. Augustine history, and a sampling of its ghost legends.

I fell in love with St. Augustine years before I was finally fortunate enough to move here. In fact, I credit the move to re-energizing my writing, so it's no surprise that the city has become a strong secondary character in my work.

Ponce de Leon landed just north of the current Historic Old Town area in 1513 in the location that is now the Fountain of Youth complex. Why he didn't stick around to drink a boat load of spring water, I don't know, but then I don't cheerfully chug sulfur water every day either. The actual founding of the Ancient City took place when Pedro Menendez de Aviles dropped anchor off the coast on August 28, 1565, the Feast Day of St. Augustine. In early September, Menendez and 600 soldiers and settlers came ashore with banners waving and trumpets sounding. I doubt the Timucuan Indians applauded the Spanish tromping through their village of Seloy, but thus is the pageantry that marked the birth of the city.

In 2015 St. Augustine will celebrate its 450th birthday. That's not a long life by European standards, but it's good and long enough that a sense of history permeates the entire downtown and uptown areas. And long enough to generate a heck of a lot of ghosts, too!

I sincerely hope you'll enjoy reading Entangled, and I hope you'll remember these tidbits about St. Augustine when you read "Medium Rare."

Best,

Nancy Haddock

***

Thanks, Nancy!  Loved the post.

Now, to celebrate both the anthology release & Nancy's visit, three commenters will be selected to receive Kindle versions of ENTANGLED.  (I'll be buying the copies so the Breast Cancer Research Foundation will still get the donation–and you can have some reading fun!)

Inspiration (and some Angel fun)

Inspiration can come from any place. (And it usually does.)  For my novella, BOUND IN DARKNESS, inspiration came from a fairy tale.

I've always loved the Snow White tale but I'll confess…I wanted a slightly different ending for Snow White. Sure, gallant princes are all well and good, but I'd rather have Snow White wind up with a bad boy.  And from that one idea–well, BOUND IN DARKNESS was born.

Remember how sweet little Snow White was supposed to be taken in the woods and murdered?  That's the beginning of my novella. My heroine, Allison, follows the wrong man into the woods. His job is to kill her but…

He doesn't. Just like in the Snow White tale, our heroine doesn't die at that moment, and in that moment, well, things get interesting.  The assassin sent after my heroine is soon the one who is protecting her from every evil that comes her way.  No, he's definitely not a gallant prince. In fact, he's a werewolf.

But then, my heroine isn't exactly lily pure, either…she's a vampire.  And the lady is getting the urge to bite.

What favorite fairy tales do you have? Which tales would you like to see with a new twist?  Leave me a comment and let me know. One winner will be selected to win an ANGEL OF DARKNESS prize pack that will include: an early copy of ANGEL OF DARKNESS (as soon as I get my author copies, you get the very first one!), an ANGEL OF DARKNESS t-shirt (size large), an ANGEL OF DARKNESS mug, and an ANGEL OF DARKNESS tote bag.

And don't forget…you can buy BOUND IN DARKNESS at Amazon, B&N, All Romance eBooks, or Smashwords for .99! Thanks!!!

BOUND IN DARKNESS & ENTANGLED–Both Available Now!!

My new ebooks, BOUND IN DARKNESS and ENTANGLED are available now! (Though the official release day is tomorrow, the books are available now at Amazon, B&N, All Romance EBooks, and Smashwords, so I thought I'd go ahead and spread the word.)

But…I am planning to have my release day party tomorrow (9/12/11), so I hope you will come back by for the fun!!  The party will kick off at 8:00 am tomorrow (Central Time) and last until 10:00 pm.  Each hour, a different author will be joining the party.  Many of my writing friends from the ENTANGLED anthology will be at the party(like Edie Ramer, Michelle Diener, Dale Adams, and Nancy Haddock), plus great folks like Donna Grant, Jennifer Haymore, Lisa Renee Jones, and Caridad Pineiro.  There will be tons of contests (and all contests will stay open until noon–again, Central Time–on 9/13/11 so that people in different time zones will have a chance to participate.  It will be a great time, and I hope you can join us!

Now, back to those releases!  :)

Here's the blurb for BOUND IN DARKNESS:

Hunter…

When it comes to killing vampires, werewolf Cade Thain is the best slayer in the Northwest. So when a witch hires him to take out a pureblood vamp, the assassin thinks it will be just business as usual. One less vicious vamp on the streets…one more undead parasite gone from the earth. Then he meets her.

Protector…

Allison Gray isn't the prey that Cade expects. Beautiful, innocent, she stirs a dark desire within him. Allison hasn't transformed fully into a vampire, not yet, and it's Cade's job to make sure that she never does. Allison thinks that he's at her side to keep her safe, but Cade is supposed to pick the right moment—and kill her.

Lover…

Killing Allison is soon the last thing that Cade plans. As she begins the transformation that will turn her into a vampire, her bloodlust and their desire merge in an explosion of need that neither can control. But Allison's enemies are closing in, and the coming battle will take Cade and Allison beyond life, beyond love…and into a deadly darkness that waits to claim them both.

Bound in Darkness.

***

You can find BOUND IN DARKNESS at Amazon, at B&N, at Smashwords, and at All Romance eBooks (I know–I said this before, but this time, I'm providing links!) Also, did I mention that BOUND IN DARKNESS is just .99?  Cause it is!  This is a novella story, with a word count clocking in at just over 21,000.  It's a sexy story about one hot werewolf with a very dark side.  Tomorrow, I'll be talking about how I got the inspiration for this tale (Snow White helped a lot!)

And for my second release:

ENTANGLED is a paranormal romance anthology (all of the stories are linked to Halloween).  The anthology is priced at $2.99, and ALL of the proceeds from this book will be going to the Breast Cancer Research Fund.  So you can get a great read, and help out a great cause at the same time.  It's a double win.

My contribution to ENTANGLED is an 11,000 word short story called, "A Bit of Bite." (Most of the stories are between 10-11k. but with 11 authors participating, that means you are getting a book with over 100k words for just $2.99.  Deal! This price will last for the months of September and October. )

ENTANGLED is available at Amazon, B&N, Smashwords, and All Romance eBooks.

Both of these books are ebooks, but if you don't have an ereader, you can still read the tales.  You can download a free program like Kindle for PC or Nook for PC and read the books right on your computer (I use these programs all the time. Very handy).

Here's the blurb for ENTANGLED:

Ghosts, vampires, demons, and more! Entangled includes ten suspense-filled paranormal short stories from authors Cynthia Eden, Jennifer Estep, Edie Ramer, Lori Brighton, Michelle Diener, Misty Evans, Nancy Haddock, Liz Kreger, Dale Mayer, and Michelle Miles, plus a Seven Deadly Sins novella by Allison Brennan.

***

I hope you enjoy a terrific Sunday, and don't forget to come back tomorrow for the release day fun!

Release Day Party!!

.99 Paranormal Novella

Scroll down…new contest posts are below!

Welcome to the party!!! I'm celebrating double releases today, and so I've got some great guests who are coming by to keep us all entertained & happy! Scroll down to see their posts, to enter the giveaways, and to join the conversations. Thanks for coming by!

The party will kick-off today at 8 AM (Central Time) and last until 10 PM (again, Central Time). Each hour, a new author will be here–and there will be new prizes listed. All giveaways will stay open until noon on 9/13/11. Have fun!!

Paranormal Charity Anthology, $2.99

Vampires…

Werewolves….

Forbidden Romance….

Let's have ourselves a howling good time!

Lucianne Rivers is here to THRILL You

Saturday, Saturday, Saturday…I hope this weekend you get to curl up with a good book. And speaking of books…author Lucianne Rivers is here to chat with us about her new story, THRILL ME (and warning–giveaway ahead!)

***

Thanks for having me at your blog, Cynthia. I don't know how the weather is where you are, but here in Santa Fe, New Mexico, fall has arrived. Overnight, it seems. On August 31 it was summer, and the following morning autumn had come. It rained and there was a decided chill in the air.

Now, for a drought-ridden state, rain is a good thing, but I come from Ireland, where it rains practically all year around. Grey skies and me don't go well together. It's the kind of winter's-a-comin' atmosphere that makes we want to hibernate with a good book and a bottle of wine…preferably followed by a snuggle with a beautiful man. If any of the latter are missing, I get lonesome.

Although, I have found a suitable alternative to at least one of the above…It's called EXERCISE. Now that the evenings are getting darker, I have to make an extra-special effort to leave the house for my gym. However, once I'm there (I do Olympic weightlifting, Crossfit and Jiu Jitsu), and get those endorphins going, I feel a little bit of summer come back to my system.

Margo, the heroine in THRILL ME–my new release in the Caldwell Sisters Trilogy from Entangled Publishing–is an Olympic lifter, also.

Having just been made detective at the Santa Fe Police Department, she has to make one final trip before she gets her first case. In the Virgin Islands, she searches for her long-lost father, Zach, with a little help from the hunky Captain Adrian Prince, but finds more than she bargained for in the form of gunrunners, drug-dealers and dangerous, open water.

Very few grey skies in THRILL ME, but plenty of potential for wine and snuggles for Margo and Adrian. After the danger has passed, that is.

I hope you enjoy it, and the prequel and sequel, HOLD ME & ENTICE ME.

Lucy

Want to read THRILL ME?  Then tell us what you're looking forward to this Fall–or leave a question for Lucianne. I'll pick one winner to receive a Kindle ebook copy of THRILL ME. (And remember…no Kindle? No problem! You can still read the tale with the free Kindle for PC program.)

Here's the blurb for THRILL ME:

Santa Fe Police Detective Margo Caldwell needs a vacation, but the wild goose chase her mother's death triggers isn't quite what she had in mind. Margo and her sisters must locate their father, or the Caldwell estate will remain unsettled—and they'll never know why their father didn't return from the Gulf War.

Pursuing a lead, Margo heads to the Virgin Islands in search of Zach Caldwell. To navigate the waters of the Caribbean, she needs a boat and a captain. Too bad Captain Adrian Prince, with his mesmerizing muscles and wicked grin, may be gunrunner.

Adrian takes Margo on his delivery route to small islands near St. Thomas that hide more than wildlife, booze, and sexy boaters. On a remote, mangrove-ridden patch of sand, they find gun-toting Zach Caldwell. When their mission turns deadly, Margo must save Adrian's life—and her own—even if she loses her heart in the process.

Title: Thrill Me (Caldwell Sisters, #2)

Author: Lucianne Rivers

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Length: Novella

Launch Date: September 2011

ISBN: 978-1-937044-22-0

Guest Author Kaylea Cross takes you on a Deadly Descent…

Happy Friday, everyone!! I hope you are all gearing up for a great weekend. And, speaking of the weekend, author Kaylea Cross is here to kick things off in style for us. She's sharing a great guest post & offering one lucky commenter a copy of her book, DEADLY DESCENT.  Welcome, Kaylea!

All In the Name of Research

Thanks to Cynthia for having me here on her blog today!

One of the things I love best about writing military romance is the research I get to do. Having never served in the military (because I'm a wimp) or experienced combat (thank God), I have to rely on other sources for my information. Books, mostly, and some info provided by the good old Internet. But sometimes I get to do something really cool that makes my inner geek cackle with glee.

While researching Deadly Descent, I had such an experience. An old softball buddy put me in contact with an Air Force Pararescue Jumper (PJ), which is no mean feat considering there are only 300-400 of them around. This same friend also hooked me up with a National Guard Black Hawk medevac pilot. I was beside myself with excitement. One simple e-mail, and I wound up with the two contacts I desperately needed for my book.

That was the fun part. The rest…not so much.

Since I was writing a book about a Black Hawk pilot, I felt it was my duty to bite the bullet and get on a helicopter to see what it was like. Problem is, I'm freaking terrified of flying. (I know! My characters would be so ashamed of me. *hangs head*)

Ever since a girl in my high school grad class was the sole survivor of a plane crash, I've been traumatized about getting on an aircraft of any kind. To me it seems about as risky as Russian roulette, and every time I have to fly it's sheer agony for me and anyone unfortunate enough to be near me the day of the flight. I'm always shocked and relieved when I land safely, but still feel like I've dodged a bullet. And then I'm always aware that I still have to get back on a plane to get home again. But I digress.

No self respecting author of military romantic suspense can laud the accomplishments of their military heroes and heroines book after book, yet still be afraid of boarding a freaking aircraft. Since I write about Spec Ops guys fastroping from helos, and in Deadly Descent I wrote about a Black Hawk medevac pilot heroine, I had to put on my big girl panties and face my demons. I just couldn't look myself in the mirror otherwise.

I should add that my father got his rotary wing licence last year and flies his helicopters every chance he gets, so I had ample opportunity to go up in a helo if I wanted to. Funny enough, I was always suddenly "busy" whenever he called to invite me to go up with him.

About two chapters into Deadly Descent, I'd had enough of my cowardly ways. I went up with dad's instructor, who gleefully took me on a flight to "mimic inserting a group of SEALs on the beach". Yee haw. I can't even guess how many calories I burned on that two hour long flight. My heart slammed so hard during his dives and other scary aeronautical manuevers that I could feel it rattling away against my ribs, but I didn't want to look like a total wimp so I bore it in silence and tried to pretend I wasn't nervous in the least. From the pilot's evil smirk, I'd have to say I didn't quite pull it off.

To distract myself from the fear of falling out of the sky at any moment, I asked a continual string of questions about the helo, instrumentation, the scenarios in my book and everything I'd ever wanted to know about Black Hawks. Having survived that inaugural flight, I braved several more research flights (aren't you so proud of me for my dedication to my craft?). After that I interviewed that Black Hawk medevac pilot I mentioned earlier, clearing up all my final questions about my plot, etc. Oh, and I interviewed a Canadian Navy pilot that survived a Sea King helo crash as pilot commander.

Thankfully I interviewed him after I'd finished my flights.

I want my writing to reflect the reality of what our soldiers do in the field, and I'm happy to say the PJ that helped me actually read Deadly Descent and e-mailed to say he thought I'd done a great job of portraying what goes on in the field. I'll take that as a compliment.

I'm giving away a digital copy of Deadly Descent today, so please leave me a comment to enter the contest. Have any of you had to face your worst fears or phobias sometime in your life? Did anything help you overcome your fear? I'm never going to enjoy flying again, but hey, at least I got the details right in the book!

Kaylea Cross

Deadly Descent

Reviewers wanted please—Bound In Darkness

Hi, everyone! In just a few days (on 9/12/11), my latest paranormal e-novella, BOUND IN DARKNESS, will officially be available.   This book is an ebook only story, but if you don't have an e-reader, you can still read the tale. You can download free programs like KINDLE FOR PC or NOOK FOR PC and read right on your computer. (I love these free programs.)

Here's the blurb for the story:

Hunter…

When it comes to killing vampires, werewolf Cade Thain is the best slayer in the Northwest. So when a witch hires him to take out a pureblood vamp, the assassin thinks it will be just business as usual. One less vicious vamp on the streets…one more undead parasite gone from the earth. Then he meets her.

Protector…

Allison Gray isn't the prey that Cade expects. Beautiful, innocent, she stirs a dark desire within him. Allison hasn't transformed fully into a vampire, not yet, and it's Cade's job to make sure that she never does. Allison thinks that he's at her side to keep her safe, but Cade is supposed to pick the right moment—and kill her.

Lover…

Killing Allison is soon the last thing that Cade plans. As she begins the transformation that will turn her into a vampire, her bloodlust and their desire merge in an explosion of need that neither can control. But Allison's enemies are closing in, and the coming battle will take Cade and Allison beyond life, beyond love…and into a deadly darkness that waits to claim them both.

Bound in Darkness.

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Right now, I'm hoping to find a few folks who might be interested in reviewing the story.  You can post the review any place you'd like–your blog, Facebook, Twitter, B&N, Amazon, etc.  I'll give the first 25 reviewers who respond a coupon code so that you can receive a free copy of BOUND IN DARKNESS from Smashwords (you can choose the format).  When you post, please just give an honest review. (And there is no timetable on the review. I know people have busy lives–just post when it is convenient for you.)

Thanks so much!!  Hope you all have a great day!