Cynthia Eden's Blog, page 97

Thank you!

I've found out that DEADLY LIES made the Bookscan Top 100 Bestsellers List! Thank you so much to everyone who has bought and read Sam's story!  I had such a great time writing her book.  Thank you!

eBook Release: Deadly Lies

Today is the release day for the eBook version of DEADLY LIES!  So if you were waiting to read the book on your e-reader, you should be good to go! I'll confess to being completely addicted to my e-reader. If I leave home without it, I just feel…lost.

I'm guest blogging today over at Ramblings of a Chaotic Mind.  I'm talking about just how far people would go to protect those they loved, and I'm giving away a copy of DEADLY LIES. If you get a chance, come on by!

Enjoy your Tuesday!

Guest Author: Beth Kery & Giveaway!

Hi, everyone! I am so excited to have my friend (and super talented author) Beth Kery guest posting today.  Beth can write some amazingly sensual stories that pack an incredible emotional punch.  Welcome, Beth!

***

Of Werewolves And Vampires

When it came time to do the research on my first vampire-themed novel, I went back to one of the original sources, Bram Stoker's Dracula. Velvet Cataclysm isn't a classic vampire story, by any means, but it does hold seeds of that fantastic novel. One of the first things that struck me about the novel, which was written in 1897, was just how downright lascivious it was. Apparently, vampirism possessed the thread of forbidden sexuality from day one.

The fair girl shook her head coquettishly, and the other two urged her on.

"Go on. You are first, and we shall follow; yours is the right to begin."

"He is young and strong; there are kisses for us all." I lay quiet, looking out under my eyelashes in an agony of delightful anticipation. The fair girl…went on her knees, simply gloating. There was a deliberate voluptuousness which was both thrilling and repulsive, and as she arched her heck, she actually liked her lips like an animal, till I could see….the moisture shining on the lips and on the red tongue." (Dracula, 1897)

No wonder the staunch, moral Victorians lapped up this story like a cat at its cream.

Velvet Cataclysm came out first in ebook, and I had several people express confusion as  to whether Saint, my hero, was a vampire OR a shapeshifter wolf. He's both. Once again, I used Stoker's Dracula for a reference here, only finding out after reading Dracula that werewolves and vampires have long been intertwined in myth. In Dracula, the Count not only shapeshifts into a wolf, he is the 'king' of the wolves.

I saw around us a ring of wolves with white teeth and lolling red tongues…All at once, the wolves began to howl as though the moonlight had some peculiar effect on them…How he came there, I know not, but I heard his voice raised in a tone of imperious command, and looking towards the sound, saw him stand in the roadway. As he swept his long arms, the wolves fell back and back further still. (Dracula, 1897).

Later, we learn that the Count took the form of a 'gray dog' or wolf aboard the ship to England. He later has a strange meeting with a local zoo-keeper in regard to his wolf, Berserker.

He was a "tall, thin chap…with a hard, cold look and red eyes…and a mouth full of white, sharp teeth. He had white kid gloves and he pointed out the animals and says: "Those wolves seem upset at something."

Then, the animals "laid down, and the man came over, and blessed, but he didn't put out his hand and stroke the old wolf's ears." (Dracula, 1897).

Velvet Cataclysm varies greatly from the original Dracula, even including a touch of science fiction within its plot, but I did include the vampire/wolf myth first penned to great-fame by Bram Stoker. Oh…and since it's an erotic romance, I definitely included the salacious sexual appetites inherent to the vampire.

Thanks very much to Cynthia Eden for generously inviting me to blog here today. I'll be giving away a print copy of Velvet Cataclysm to one commenter on this blog post!

Here's a bit about Velvet Cataclysm, the first book in the Princes of the Underground series.

In his battle to resist, he found the impossible. His soul.

Princes of the Underground, Book 1

Christina Astor's telepathic ability is an asset in her job as a psychiatric social worker. What's driving her crazy, though, is her elusive, gorgeous landlord. She senses that Saint Sevliss wants her with an all-consuming hunger that's somehow…different. Just how different becomes all too clear when his dangerous world collides with hers.

For centuries, Saint's kind have been called vampire and werewolf. Even soulless. But their true nature remains a mystery. Bound by a magical mandate to control his bloodthirsty clone, Teslar, at all costs, Saint will do anything to keep Christina away. She infuses his gray universe with life and color, but his world—and his need—would destroy her.

When an attack reveals the true power of Christina's gift, one thing is certain—Teslar won't rest in his underground labyrinth until he possesses her, body and soul…

5 Lips, I was enthralled. I'd recommend this book to anyone and everyone.

–Two Lips Reviews

5 Stars…a fast paced, action packed and emotional erotic paranormal romance that had my adrenaline pumping and heart twisting. –Lea Closetreader Blog

"Beth Kery just became an auto-buy!" Larissa Ione, USA Today and New York Times bestselling author

Velvet Cataclysm, print and ebook, Purchase: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1609280849

Criminals and Howls

I'm hopping around blog-land a bit today.   Over at Magical Musings, I'm asking commenters to Get Criminal as we chat about favorite crime shows. I'm also giving one commenter there an autographed Deadly book of her choice.

And at the Brava Authors Blog, I'm having a Howling Good Time (sorry!) talking about my upcoming werewolf romance, NEVER CRY WOLF.

Hope you have a fantastic Wednesday!

DEADLY LIES–Release Day

Hi, everyone!  Today, DEADLY LIES is out in the wild! DEADLY LIES is the third installment of my Deadly romantic suspense series, and this book focuses on SSD Agent Samantha Kennedy:

She wants to hide the past…

FBI Special Agent Samantha Kennedy is haunted by memories of the serial killer who abducted her. To keep the darkness at bay, she pretends to be a different, more confident woman. This Samantha doesn't fear every unknown face. So she throws caution to the wind and shares a night of unbridled passion with a handsome stranger.

He needs to uncover the truth…

One night isn't enough for successful entrepreneur Max Ridgeway. He wants more of the sexy, smart, mysterious woman who slipped away before dawn. When they meet again, their attraction is undeniable—until his stepbrother goes missing, and Max realizes that Samantha isn't who she seems. But they must trust each other to trap a ring of blood-thirsty kidnappers before the nightmares that terrorize Sam become irrevocably real.

As a merciless criminal spins a web of . . .DEADLY LIES

You can read an excerpt from DEADLY LIES here.

And here are a few review excerpts to try and tempt you so that you'll buy the book:

(Tempt, tempt!)

"The heart-pounding sequel to Deadly Fear and Deadly Heat offers surprise and sexy romance at every turn."–Publishers Weekly

"…sexual chemistry is fiery, their conflict strong and the plot turns twisted. Readers will race through the final pages to see if the characters—and love—can survive."–Bookpage

Have a great day! Happy reading!

DEADLY LIES Prologue

In just a few days (on February 22!), DEADLY LIES will be shipping from your favorite online book retailer or available in your local bookstore. (The e-version of the book will be available on the *official* release date of 3/1.)  So to get ready for the coming release, I thought I'd share the DEADLY LIES prologue with you. And,  yes, warning! There is adult language in this prologue.

Prologue

"I thought you'd be worth more."  The voice came to him, low and taunting.  "After all of your blustering and bullshit, I really thought you'd be worth more."

Jeremy Briar jerked in the chair, but there was nowhere for him to go. His hands were bound to the armrests, the duct tape was far too tight, cutting into his wrists, and his legs were taped to the legs of the chair.  A blindfold covered his eyes, casting him in darkness, and the scent of cigarettes burned his nose.

"L-let me go…" His voice rasped out. They hadn't given him anything to drink or to eat, in Christ, how many hours?  "M-my family…th-they'll pay any-anything…" Just to get me back.

Laughter. Dark and mean.  "No, they won't pay a fucking dime."

The ice in his chest froze his heart. "No!" The tape bit into him. "M-my father is—"

"An idiot." The voice was still low, drifting through the darkness.  "I gave him instructions, but the thing is, Jeremy boy, the asshole just couldn't follow them."

Bile rose in his throat. "N-no…"

"Not like I asked for that much.  Just four million for you. Four damn million." The shuffle of footsteps.  More than one set. Someone else was here. Wherever the hell here was.  He didn't know. The last thing he remembered was drinking at The Court, then he'd woken up in hell.

"The bastard has that much in change."  Anger simmered in that tense whisper.

Jeremy licked his lips and knew that the voice was right. His father owned half the city. He had that much money in the bank, easy.  What the fuck? Jeremy's mouth was so dry. He'd screamed and he'd screamed before, but no one had come for him.

No one had helped him.

"Your father thinks it's a joke."  Jeremy jerked when he felt a touch on his shoulder.  Sharp. Light. Fingernail?

The point pressed into his flesh.

Jesus. A knife. A whimper broke from his lips. "L-Let me talk to him…I'll make him see—"

No fucking joke.

"I told him what to do," the whisper blew against his ear, and Jeremy shuddered. "Told him when to make the drop.  Told him where to put the money. Told him everything, and if he'd just followed my instructions, you would've been home by now."

The blade sliced into his shoulder.

Jeremy pissed his pants.  "Pl-please…"

"Rich boy, is this the first time you've begged?"

His head jerked in a nod.  He knew tears streamed from beneath the blindfold. He couldn't stop them.  Fear ate at his gut, and he knew, he knew that his father had left him to die.

Always disappointing me, boy. Not going to dig your ass out of another mess.  You're on your own.

Those had been the last words that his father spoke to him. So he'd screwed up and gotten busted with pot.  Did he deserve this?

Don't let me die.

"Beg some more." The blade sank into his shoulder.

And Jeremy begged. Begged and pleaded and promised anything because he wanted the fire in his shoulder to ease. He wanted the pain to stop.  He wanted to go home.

Bad dream. Just a bad dream. I'll wake up, I'll—

The knife pulled from his flesh with a thick slush of sound.  Jeremy cried out, sagging back, but the blade followed him.  The tip grazed over his jaw, traveled up his cheek, and then slipped right under the edge of the blindfold.

"You're going to send your old man a message for me."

Hope shot through him.  Yes, yes! If he could just talk to his dad, he could make him understand. Not a joke. Hell, no. His dad would understand. The bastards would get their money, and Jeremy would be free. "I'll tell him anything, I'll say—"

The blade sliced the blindfold away.

He blinked against the flood of light.  So bright.

"You don't have to say a damn thing."

The voice, not a whisper anymore, stopped his heart.

The man crouched over him with the weapon. Jeremy could see the others, too, as they came forward into the light.

Jeremy shook his head, "Don't—"

The knife sank into his upper arm. It sliced down, and the bastard jerked the blade, cutting through flesh and muscle in one long stroke as he opened the arm from shoulder to wrist.

Jeremy screamed.

"Let's send him a message." The figure moved around him and stared down with a smile that twisted his lips and never touched his eyes.  "Let's see what the asshole has to say when he finds what's left of you."

My Deadly Valentine Prizes

Hi, everyone!  Today I will be going through all of the My Deadly Valentine posts–if any prizes have not been awarded, winners will be selected.  (I apologize for the delay–sickness hit my house this week–bah!)

Hope you have a great day!

Thank you!

Thank you all so much for participating in the My Deadly Valentine event. I hope you enjoyed the guest posts and author visits.  (I have now added so many books to my TBR pile!)

I also hope that you are getting ready to have a fabulous Valentine's Day event.  May your sweetie bring you lots of delicious chocolates! Oh, that chocolate goodness…

And if you happen to be looking for more giveaway fun, well, I've got the scoop for you.  Forever Romance will be sponsoring a fun Valentine's Day party on Twitter today. Giveaways, ahoy!

Happy Valentine's Day to you.  Take some today to relax. Pamper yourself. Read a good book. Eat some good chocolate.

Any Weird Thing

My last Deadly Valentine guest (where has the time gone?!) is the fabulous Margaret Rowe. Margaret writes sexy historical romances that you don't want to miss. Margaret, thank you for joining me and indulging in some Valentine's fun!

***

Thanks so much to Cynthia for including me in her Deadly Valentine line-up! As Margaret Rowe, I don't write romantic suspense, although I have had a few bodies turn up here and there in my erotic historicals that I carefully step over. My next release, Any Wicked Thing, has no dead people, but there was potential. You see, my hero and heroine like to fight each other. With swords. Yes, I've got a fencing heroine, Frederica Wells, who is fearsome and feisty. Smart, too, a medieval scholar. She writes history books and lives in a crumbling castle with a deliciously decadent duke and is one of my favorite heroines to date. And the hero Sebastian? Yum, if I do say so myself.

I worked in a library while I wrote the book. One of the things I found most difficult about the job was the yearly weeding process—we removed books from the collection that were outdated, years-untouched or sometimes downright disgusting with mold, mildew and other unsavory ingredients. But imagine my delight when Castello's The Theory and Practice of Fencing was destined for the discard pile. I had an arrangement with the head librarian to take what interested me before it went to Book Heaven, so I've wound up with some great old volumes. While they make me sneeze and itch, they've been invaluable for research, and have shown me how much books have changed. I've got a copy of A School History of England, c. 1904 that I know would put school kids in a coma if they were reading it today.

I discovered lots of interesting things as I wrote AWT. The weirdest? During a siege in France, some enterprising fellows decided to enter the castle through the garderobe. That's right, basically they climbed up a smelly sewer pipe. Yikes, talk about determination. Yes, I surrender. Now will you please take a bath?

For my last Margaret Rowe book, Tempting Eden (no relation to Cynthia, LOL), I discovered women shaved off their eyebrows and glued on mouse skin. Yikes again.

I've got a copy of Any Wicked Thing (Berkley Heat, March 2011) for one commenter who tells me the strangest fact they've come across in their reading. For excerpts, please visit my website and that of my alter ego Maggie Robinson. Thanks so much, and party on!

Diane Whiteside: Author Interview & ARC Giveaway

Today I'm thrilled to have author extraordinaire Diane Whiteside as my Deadly Valentine guest. I'm a huge fan of Diane's work (and if you haven't read her, you are totally missing out!). Diane was gracious enough to answer my interview questions AND to offer an ARC of THE SHADOW GUARD to one lucky commenter.

Hi, Diane!  Thanks so much for participating in "My Deadly Valentine."  I've included some interview questions below, but if there is anything else you want to add, please do!

1.   Do you have a favorite romance novel?  If so, what is it and why is it your favorite?

If I could only pick one, it'd be TELL ME NO LIES by Elizabeth Lowell for fabulous characters and plot.  I love the heroine's growth, from competent but socially shy to ferocious, all while remaining very ladylike.  The hero is one of my all-time favorites – he protects her at great cost from everything, even from himself.  (Who wouldn't want a guy like that?)  Their love story is interwoven into an incredible story of antique Chinese bronzes, with dynasties and international spies competing with each other in high-style Washington, DC and San Francisco.  Gorgeous!

2.  You've written such an amazing variety of books – is there a particular sub-genre of romance that you enjoy writing the most?

I love writing historical fantasy, where I can find a magical reason for a true historical event.  (Call it perverse of me but some occurrences were so weird that you've almost got to start suspecting magic.  And no, I'm not talking about crop circles or building the pyramids!) .  "Caught by the Tides" in BEYOND THE DARK is the only historical fantasy I've ever written.

I indulged myself by sneaking historical fantasy into THE SHADOW GUARD, since Astrid, my heroine, is a "government" sorceress who was born in the 1880's.

3.  In your upcoming release, THE SHADOW GUARD, you weave together both elements of suspense and the paranormal.  What was the biggest challenge for you in writing this book and blending those two aspects?

THE SHADOW GUARD is a mystery, where the problem is to figure out who killed the lady washed up by the river?  When you write a mystery, it's like writing backwards and forwards at the same time: my hero and heroine move forward to solve the mystery, while I, the author, move backward to the mystery and figure out which clues to give them.  All of those clues had to work in THE SHADOW GUARD's paranormal universe – crystal magic, anyone? – and also had to be good suspense.  Since this was my first mystery and paranormal with crystal magic, there were times when I thought I'd signed up to lose my mind.

4.  Now, in contrast…what was your favorite part about writing THE SHADOW GUARD?

I love my hero Jake.  He's one of those characters whose voice an author can always hear and who can always throw in a plot twist.  Sometimes writing scenes with him – never for him!  LOL – felt like dancing the tango – hot, dark, and a surprise a minute.

5.  Give me two words to describe your hero, Jake.

Protective workaholic.  He puts a lot of energy into being protective, which leaves him no time for anything – except for a little video gaming.  It's played havoc with his private life.

6.  Give me five words to describe your heroine, Astrid.

Widowed, brave, loyal, hot-tempered fashionista.  Jake's over-protective workaholic side pisses her off.  He's never been involved with a fashionista before – heck, he doesn't really know how to date.

7.   What can readers expect to find in the pages of THE SHADOW GUARD?

A rockin' paranormal mystery with a hot romance.

Thanks so much for answering my questions, Diane! I'm looking forward to reading THE SHADOW GUARD.  It certainly sounds like Jake will be one fantastic hero.  And speaking of heroes…readers, what qualities do you enjoy in romance novel heroes? One commenter will win that awesome ARC!