Nancy Gideon's Blog, page 54

“Take Five” with Lora Lee and her BRINGING IN THE THIEVES Blog Tour!

I’m excited to be one of the stops in author Lora Lee’s blog tour for the first book in her “Joyful Noise” cozy mystery series! I was fortunate to get an early read and I’d be lying if I didn’t confess that I devoured every sassy phrase and endearingly quirky character like a honeyed biscuit and tall glass of sweet tea. BRINGING IN THE THIEVES is a laugh-out-loud delight. The Southern twang of its prose, the heart-tugging hijinks when a cast of angel-voiced misfits collide with holier than Moses town leaders, and the tender grit of a heroine trying to solve a crime before she takes the blame had me at the back cover blurb and held me through every enjoyable page. I can’t wait for book two!

I’ve wrangled these answers to my “Take Five” questions from Lora Lee herself, so sit a spell and enjoy.


Lora Lee
I want to thank Nancy for making time in her busy week to participate in my blog tour. She is always an enthusiastic support of her fellow authors and generously shares her expertise as a writer when she can. I’m happy to be here today. Nancy has asked me some great questions, so here goes.

Take 5: What’s it like to begin a career at 60?

LL: Definitely shocking! Almost as exciting and scary as reaching the big 6-0! And I’m way beyond that now. When I was a kid I viewed people as OLD if they were over 50. How wrong I was. Age is a state of mind, right? I haven’t even decided what I want to be when I grow up. I’m leaning toward being a writer, though. (wink, wink)

Take 5: How important is it to hold onto your unique writing voice?
LL: I think it’s important as long as it is genuine. A false affectation to sound like someone else will never ring true in your writing. And you’ll never go wrong with correct grammar.

Take 5: What’s your favorite slice of heaven place you’d love to return to?

LL: Oh my! That’s a toss-up between my home state of Texas and Ireland, which holds a special place in my heart.

Take 5: Where do you go to get a kick start of inspiration?

LL: Music plays a big part in inspiring me. I have play lists for all my books. But there’s nothing like a good brainstorming session with my critique group, the best of the best, to give me that kick start.

Take 5: You can take the gal outta Texas, but can you take Texas outta the gal?

LL: Hmmm. I’ll always be a Texan, so No, I don’ t think you can take Texas outta me totally. You might could take some of my twang away. (I think most of it is already gone.) But when I talk with anyone from south of the Mason-Dixon line, it’s easy to slip back into the slower pace of speaking. A few of the colloquialisms are so much a part of me I don’t even realize I use them.



Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo Books
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release Date: December 9, 2014
Length: 168 Pages
Published by: Bell Bridge Books

Frankie Lou’s back and Poppy’s madder than a wet hen.Create a church choir filled with teenage misfits?Over Poppy’s dead body.
Minister’s daughter Frankie Lou McMasters has come back to Ruby Springs, Texas with her daughter, Betsy, eleven years after running off to marry the town bad boy. Her mild notoriety as a bad girl is prime gossip for her childhood enemy, Poppy Fremont, now choir director of Faith Community Church–where Frankie Lou’s daddy, now retired to Florida, was the preacher.
When Frankie Lou comes to the deacons with a request to add a youth choir of at-risk teens she’s been coaching, Poppy throws a fit. A few hours later, Frankie Lou finds her dead in the baptistery pool. And Poppy’s not playing possum.
Frankie Lou sets out to clear her name as the main suspect, and tries to locate the real killer. Could he be sexy Joe Camps, the father of one of her teen singers? In the meantime, her momma shows up from Florida to take charge of Frankie Lou’s life. Bless her heart.
The Book Excerpt
About Lora LeeWebsite | Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | Pinterest | Goodreads | Amazon
You can’t be a preacher’s kid and raise a little hob without some serious repercussions. Yes, ma’am, that’s the gospel truth. Lora Lee’s JOYFUL NOISE mystery series for Bell Bridge Books, sheds a little light on just how serious those consequences can be when Frankie Lou Birmingham McMasters returns to her hometown of Ruby Springs, Texas after ten years in hopes of putting some shine on her tarnished reputation, but finds herself in the middle of murder and mayhem instead.
Though author Lora Lee insists the series isn’t about her in any way, shape or form, she does admit to being a real-life P.K. (that’s preacher’s kid, in case you didn’t know.) She was born in Texas and her Southern blood runs deep. Her daddy told her any place below the Mason-Dixon line was part of the South, including the Lone Star State.

Since living in West Michigan most of her married life, she’s lost some of her Texas twang, but once in awhile, a might could and a y’all or two slips into her conversation with her critique partners. They love her, anyway. So does her husband of fifty-plus years and their children. With a current family count of twenty-three, get-togethers often resemble an old time revival when they all gather for fun and food.

Lora Lee is a member of Romance Writer’s of America, Mid-Michigan RWA, Sisters-in-Crime, RWA’s specialty chapter Kiss of Death and is currently published in contemporary romance. She is also a proud graduate of the Grand Rapids Citizens Police Academy.

When not writing or trying to keep up with her ever-growing family, she enjoys reading, music and travel.
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The Nancy Horror Novelization Tour for IN THE WOODS!

You don’t need umbrellas or raincoats or funny props to follow this Horror show on the road (but I’d love to have you sing along!).


Buy The Book Tours has assembled 21 sites to host IN THE WOODS during this first week of March 2-7. I wrote the monster/knights-of-old/sorcery/serial killer/suspense novelization from an original horror screenplay by writer/director Lynn Drzick. Having just celebrated its 15-year anniversary as a little Indie film that wouldn’t die, we’ve breathed new life back into the book, now available on Kindle, to coincide with the Spring 2015 Blu-ray and Video-on-Demand versions of the film, complete with voice over commentaries by director Lynn Drzick, leading man DJ Perry and . . . me! Here’s a peek at IN THE WOODS . . .



Amazon
Hundreds of years ago their battle began . . .

In an age of knights and sorcery, a good king must raise a monster to protect his people from the demon unleashed by a dark-hearted enemy determined to claim his kingdom. But once called forth upon blood-drenched fields, can such evil ever be truly laid to rest?

To a present day community held hostage by fear, a serial killer will soon be the least of its worries after two off-duty firefighters enter a forest and find a grave. What they dig up isn’t a victim or family pet. When they race from the woods, they bring a timeless hell with them . . .

Based upon the original horror screenplay IN THE WOODS by Lynn Drzick, now an independent motion picture.

Excerpt:

And it came on, mowing down everything in its way in its eagerness to latch onto him with those gaping jaws.

Alex burst out into the clearing, falling hard over the tangle of his own feet. His outstretched hand furrowed into freshly turned earth as he found himself staring down into an empty grave. There, he saw the sack he’d torn open. The bones were gone. He knew where they were. They’d taken on meat and sinew and flesh and fur. And the all of it was right at the edge of the circle, a massive compilation of death and drool and crisped dog hair.

He was going to die. 

Be still my heart!

What’s a celebration without a prize? Visit each site for a chance to win an e-copy of IN THE WOODS and a $5 Amazon gift card.
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FOLLOW ALONG!
Monday, March 2, 2015
M.J. Schiller, Romance Author
Simply Ali
Mythical Books
3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too!

Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Authors’ Cafe
Romance Me
Paranormal Dimensions

Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Literary Musings
Finding Fantastical Books
What Readers Want
Paranormal Realms

Thursday, March 5, 2015
Romance That’s ‘Out Of This World’ – Review
The Word at My Fingertips – Review
Diane Burton Adventure and Romance in this world and beyond
Cross My Heart Writings & Reviews – Review

Friday, March 6, 2015
Creative Hodgepodge
Deal Sharing Aunt
FUONLYKNEW – Review
Nancy’s Novels

Saturday, March 7, 2015
fundinmental – Review
Kristy Centeno

IWSG: Which Door to Choose . . .

This new year presents with a problem I’ve never had before – not a lack of choices, but rather too many of them. I’ve always been bound to the contractual desires of my publishers so options were limited. But not so in 2015 . . .


Though I am still working with small press BelleBooks/Bell Bridge/ImaJinn who reissued my Dana Ransom contemporaries last year and will do so with my Nancy Gideon vampire romance series starting next month, and I’m still waiting to hear on a YA paranormal series proposal that’s been languishing at one of my NY publishers, I’m spinning my wheels on where to turn my immediate attention: to the next book in my “By Moonlight” shape-shifter series, to reissues of my historical backlist along with new volumes in each, self-pubbing a romantic suspense that’s completely written or shopping it with publishers, or fleshing out the outlines for a historical YA paranormal series? Or watching Netflix and taking a nap . . . Unfortunately Netflix and nap is winning.
I’ve been resting on my creative laurels with the January reissue of IN THE WOODS, the horror novelization I wrote years ago as a precursor to the Indie film of that same name. The film’s 15 Year Anniversary screening and upcoming release on VOD and Blu-ray (for which I just recorded a commentary track with the director/screenwriter and hunky leading man!) stirred up a renewed passion for the movies. So maybe that IN THE WOODS 2 screenplay may be in the works soon . . . Here’s a look at IN THE WOODS, now available on Kindle.
AMAZON
Hundreds of years ago their battle began . . .

In an age of knights and sorcery, a good king must raise a monster to protect his people from the demon unleashed by a dark-hearted enemy determined to claim his kingdom. But once called forth upon blood-drenched fields, can such evil ever be truly laid to rest?

To a present day community held hostage by fear, a serial killer will soon be the least of its worries after two off-duty firefighters enter a forest and find a grave. What they dig up isn’t a victim or family pet. When they race from the woods, they bring a timeless hell with them . . .

Based upon the original horror screenplay IN THE WOODS by Lynn Drzick, now an independent motion picture. 

So many choices, so little time and it’s time to pick one and move forward. I’m presenting a program on DEADLINES: MAKING THEM, USING THEM, KEEPING THEM to my local RWA chapter mid-month so I’d better start practicing what I preach.

How do you kick yourself into gear when it comes time to pick your next project?



The Insecure Writer’s Support Group
Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time.

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

Twitter hashtag is #IWSG

IWSG awesome co-hosts for the February 4 posting of the IWSG will be Gwen Gardner,Dolorah, Sarah Foster, and M. Pax!

It’s a Fright Fest!

Welcome to my nightmare with my two favorite things: a book and a movie!

Back on October 17, 2014 old friends reunited at the 15 Year Anniversary screening of Indie horror film IN THE WOODS. Director Lynn Drzick, leading man DJ Perry and I hadn’t seen each other for years, but the creative spark was immediately rekindled due to our shared love of film. Here’s a bit of our history . . .


In the ‘90s, based on the recommendation of a local bookstore owner who loved my vampire romances, ambitious young filmmaker Lynn Drzick approached me to write a novelization from the screenplay for his first motion picture IN THE WOODS so he could include it in a package to get financing for the film. This expanded into my first acting role as “Bar Extra”, a chance to write the ADR (dubbing) script, and to book signings complete with director, cast and props in New Age and Comic Book stores, and even at a haunted house. A total geekfest for this moveaholic! Many enthusiastic discussions later between Lynn, DJ and I, our collaboration spun into several other screenplays, one becoming SAVAGE which was optioned and produced by another Indie company.

No one expected IN THE WOODS to become the little film that wouldn’t die. From limited screenings to VHS to DVD, it went into rotation on the Chiller cable channel and was packaged with other Indie horror films. A drinking game was spawned from the mention of furry rodents. Foreign markets snapped it up. And now VOD (video-on-demand) and Blu-ray releases, complete with a commentary track recorded by Lynn, DJ and I in Lynn’s home theatre, are scheduled for this spring. And now there’s talk of a sequel . . .

So that naturally led to lunch with Lynn and talk of resurrecting IN THE WOODS, the novelization.
Amazon
Hundreds of years ago their battle began . . .

In an age of knights and sorcery, a good king must raise a monster to protect his people from the demon unleashed by a dark-hearted enemy determined to claim his kingdom. But once called forth upon blood-drenched fields, can such evil ever be truly laid to rest?

To a present day community held hostage by fear, a serial killer will soon be the least of its worries after two off-duty firefighters enter a forest and find a grave. What they dig up isn’t a victim or family pet. When they race from the woods, they bring a timeless hell with them . . .

Reviews:

"Horror and mystery combine to delight readers with a work reminiscent of early King." -- The Mystery Zone

"Horror at its finest and most eerie!" -- Midwest Book Review

"Horror fans be on the look-out for this terrifyingly delicious novel!" -- Vampyres

IN THE WOODS is now available on Kindle and will expand to other formats and paperback this spring.

DJ Perry, now a successful leading man and producer (see my post of December 9, 2014 for more on DJ and a review of his film ASHES OF EDEN), knowing how much I enjoy a good jump scare, has sent me a sneak peek of his latest film DONORS which will also debut this spring.



Here’s my take on DONORS: 

Donors is a tautly filmed locked door thriller that grabs you from the first claustrophobic minutes and doesn’t let go. The compelling cast of three and intimate tight shots that never reveal the whole picture quicken a sense of isolation and threat that keeps you guessing how seemingly separate pieces are going to come together as our party girl heroine (7th Heaven’s Niki Saletta)wakes to find herself a prisoner with only her cell phone to communicate. Unfortunately for her, she’s cried wolf one too many times for those she reaches out to, from her weary of her dramatics friends to jaded authorities, to believe her. Her escalating panic is cut between scenes of a radio talk show host (wonderfully portrayed by golden-voiced Russ Clark) whose call-in topic of kidnapping chillingly segues from ransom to much worse scenarios . Aside from a menacing masked figure (DJ Perry) moving about in a separate unidentified room, the rest of the players are disembodied voices, which pumps up the disconnect and tension. 

In Donors, it’s the suggestion of what you don’t see that supplies the real scare. Though disappointed by the device that pulls the plot of Donors together (probably because I’m a writer), it didn’t lessen my overall edge-of-the-seat experience as a viewer and appreciation for the abrupt shock of the ending to this satisfying cautionary tale. Nicely done. - Bestselling paranormal romance and horror author, Nancy Gideon

So as you can see, the shivers around here aren’t just from the Michigan winter!
Happy viewing and Happy Reading. May the Fright be with you!

IWSG: Let It Go! … Starting 2015 Without the Baggage

Over the holidays I finally watched Frozen (I think I was one of the last holdouts!). Cute movie, great animation, heavy rotation songs, but the message resonated: Carrying around the pain, perceived failures and wrongs of the past snowballs into a crushing weight that becomes impossible to carry. We place this burden upon our own shoulders by allowing it to overshadow our dreams, our self-talk and motivation. This year, my resolutions don’t revolve around what I plan to obtain, but rather, what I plan to leave behind (over and above those pesky holiday pounds!). This right-on-the-money motivator will be hanging above my laptop:


I’ve felt burdened by all seven at one time or another, but last year, in particular, I found myself bemoaning missed opportunities that brought others success. I didn’t follow through, I failed to catch the boat in time, I was too late to ride the first big wave, etc. etc. In 2015, instead of beating myself up about the coulda, shoulda, wouldas, I’m focusing on making the most of what’s in MY career path . . . that hefty backlist to be mined, doors to the Big 5 still open, the just tested waters of self-pubbing. 2015 will be a year of looking ahead, not back. My year of letting go.


So, which of the Seven Deadly Sins have you suffered from, and how do you plan to let them go?

One of the very unique and cool things I did do in 2014 was to participate in the Insecure Writers Support Group Guide to Publishing and Beyond project with an article on career steps. If you haven’t downloaded this free (let me say that again, FREE!) collection of inspiration and advice from over 100 authors regarding writing at every level, give it to yourself as a primer for a great 2015.
Amazon

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time.

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

Twitter hashtag is #IWSG

Getting to Know Your Favorite (or new favorite!) Author: 20 Questions with Lora Lee

It seems like I’ve been waiting just about FOREVER for a new release from one of my favorite authors (it’s always so much loooonger when it’s anticipated!). I’m so excited to raise the roof over BRINGING IN THE THIEVES , the first book (of hopefully MANY!) in Lora Lee’s “Joyful Noise” cozy mystery series. You might already know Lora Lee as Loralee Lillibridge, and realize you’re in for a great curl up in a chair, turn off the phone and shoo away the family read. If not, it’s my pleasure to introduce you to both the book and the author – one of my fabulous critique partners and role model (I want to be LL when I grow up!) who can’t help but tote around a ray of Texas sunshine wherever she goes, and knows how to eat grits the right way, just like I was taught!

Give a big “Yee Haw” welcome to Lora Lee as she shares a bit about herself . . .


Getting to Know You:

Party dress or blue jeans? Definitely blue jeans at home, but I’m all for a party dress once in a while.

Night owl or early bird? Early bird, simply because I wake up early. I’d love to sleep late some morning.

Five words your friends use to describe you? Really? I have no idea. Majestic? Regal? Wise? Wonderful? Her Highness?

Five words you use to describe yourself? Stubborn, adventurous, curious, loving, family-oriented.

Other creative outlets? Travel and reading. 

Things that make you go “EEEEEEK!” Definitely spiders and snakes!

Favorite books from childhood? Black Beauty, Little Women, all Nancy Drew books.

Three favorite movies? The Quiet Man – African Queen – National Velvet.

What’s on your Bucket List? Another trip to Ireland.

Something quirky about you that no one knows (we won’t tell anyone!)? I don’t like coconut in any form except for flavoring for pina coladas.

Favorite comfort food? Chicken-fried steak with white gravy and biscuits. Also grits with butter, salt and pepper –NO sugar or milk ever!

The Written Word:

Favorite type of hero (Type A bad boy or Type B good guy) (Which would you rather live with?) Hmmm. Good question, Nancy. I’d rather live with a good guy who had just enough bad boy in him to be interesting. Very interesting!

Favorite genre to read? I don’t write in any of these genres, but I do love a good Western like Lonesome Dove. Also enjoy a riveting Romantic Suspense by Donnell Bell or C. Hope Clark. Always a Nora Roberts fan.

What are you reading right now? In Bed With a Spy by Alyssa Alexander and Blood Magic by Nora Roberts.

Favorite books you can read over and over? The Born In trilogy by Nora Roberts, The Last True Cowboy by Kathleen Eagle and Jackson Rule by Sharon Sala.

A Writer’s Life:

OCD plotter or free range pantser? Well, I wish I could claim to be a plotter of any kind, but I free range write for several chapters until I get the feel of my characters and the direction they’re leading me. Sometimes the story changes and I go with the flow to see where it goes.

Do you have a set writing schedule? No, I wish I did. I would be more productive with one. I get most of my writing done in the wee hours of the morning because I’m usually awake before anyone and I do need quiet time to concentrate.

Biggest hurdle to getting words on the page and how you overcome it? Turning off my internal editor has always been my downfall. When I finally realized that, I’m able to recognize it and keep striving to write straight through a first, very ugly, first draft.

What’s on your desk? Oh, my! It’s chaos right now as we’ve been rearranging rooms while recovering from some water damage in part of the house. My desk is temporarily the dining room table or any flat surface near me. A calendar, pens and pencils, sticky notes, spiral notebook for my daily to-do lists, coffee cup usually needing a refill, and my over-worked laptop.

When can we get your next book and what’s it all about? There is no release date for book #2 in the Joyful Noise Mysteries series and no definite title, but rest assured there will be more escapades with Frankie Lou and the Joyful Noise teens when they take a road trip to a Texas dude ranch and wind up singing for their lives.

Serving up her own batch of deep-fried sass by the page full, Lora Lee’s first mystery Bringing In The Thieves , Book #1 of the Joyful Noise Mysteries, is set in the type of Southern small-town the author knows so well. Revolving around the world of choirs, glee clubs and the well-intentioned shenanigans of a close-knit church community (Bless their hearts!), the series stars single mom, Frankie Lou McMasters—a preacher’s kid who fell from grace—and her misfit group of teenage singers who form the Joyful Noise. Mix in a body in the baptistery and a wrongfully-convicted ex-con with a golden voice, and it adds up to a heap of sour notes in Ruby Springs, Texas, with Frankie Lou fixin’ to find out what’s what before she gets the blame, like always. Bringing In The Thieves is a December 2014 release from Bell Bridge Books available in ebook and print versions.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo Books | Books a Million
Here’s a sample of what’s happening in the fictional town of Ruby Springs, Texas, when Frankie Lou McMasters – a preacher’s daughter with a tarnished halo – returns to her home town to put the shine back on her reputation. Add a band of misfit teenage singers, a wrongly-convicted ex-con, a body in the baptistery and suddenly Frankie Lou is vocalizing deep in the heart of murder.

Short excerpt: 
Now, I’m almost thirty years old, but truth is, I’ve never been hauled off to any police headquarters until tonight. My very first ride in a squad car might’ve been exciting if I’d needed the research to write an article on the county’s crime-fighting system. Unfortunately, that wasn’t even close to the reason why I was being driven downtown by two serious-looking RSPD officers. Did you know the back seat of a squad car is wooden and uncomfortably narrow? I tugged to straighten the bulky robe around me and scrunched down on the narrow seat as best I could, hoping no one in town would see me. That was a picture I wouldn’t want to see on the news.

Keep in tune with Lora Lee and Joyful Noise at . . .

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | Goodreads
About Lora Lee

Born in a small town in the Texas Hill Country, Lora Lee discovered the magic of reading at an early age and began inventing stories before she could write down the words. Her preacher daddy, as well as her mama, encouraged her love of books by making certain she always had a library card each time they moved to a new town. Known to her supportive critique group as LL or Tex, author Lora Lee is Mom to her four children and Grandma to her nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. With hubby by her side, she enjoys their exuberant family gatherings when all twenty-six members join them for good food and noisy ball games in the back yard.

Lora Lee also writes as Loralee Lillibridge. Learn more about her contemporary romances at her Blogging Across the Back Fence and her Loralee Lillibridge Website.

Ashes of Eden Review

I’m all about giving a shout out when one of my friends’ done good. I met

Back then, he was a young, ambitious actor with a mega-watt smile and boundless enthusiasm for his craft. That energy has helped him build a career as one of the hardest working professionals out there. A sought after leading man who has starred alongside some of my favorite actors, DJ’s also stepped behind the camera as a screenwriter and an independent producer, forming Collective Development, Inc. where he’s helmed or assisted on over thirty feature films ranging from horror and historicals to Christian genres. I’ve been following his international achievements via FaceBook and his fabulous blog “Clawing My Way to the Middle” until we were able to get back together at the 15 year anniversary screening of IN THE WOODS. It was like getting the band back together!

I’m beyond proud of ASHES OF EDEN, DJ’s latest endeavor as both actor and producer. This crime vs Christianity family drama started out small with screenings around our native Michigan and, after a positive response and reviews for the powerhouse talent in my home state, is about to break out in a big way. Here’s a look at ASHES OF EDEN . . .

Review of Ashes of Eden

Ashes of Eden had me at the trailer! I loved the look, the music and the idea of blending gritty street life with faith struggles, so I pounced on the invitation to do a review. 
Shane Hagedorn’s film supplies fresh, uncompromising entertainment as it follows high school senior Red, played with an appealing vulnerability by Steven Sutherland, as his attempt to overcome one mistake spirals into a series of bad choices, including stealing from a drug dealer (BAD idea!) to save his single mom and younger brother from eviction. The themes of hope, regrets, failure and forgiveness threading through the film’s often harsh reality are brought home by the wonderfully nuanced performance of Melissa Anschutz as Red’s mother Dana, a small community police officer whose son’s clash with the law pulls her between guilt, protectiveness, belief and duty, and are further enhanced by a superb soundtrack that balances the flow from raw conflict and despair to the uplifting power of self-acceptance and emotional healing. 
For a small budget film made in my home state of Michigan, Ashes of Eden delivers big screen appeal. Minor issues of occasional sound quality (okay, I know how hard it is to make gunshots realistic) are easily overshadowed by the strength of the cast. Their tightly meshed acting ability carries the story quickly and compellingly without stereotypes. I especially enjoyed Bello Pizzimenti as Red’s likable yet clueless best-friend-you-don’t-ever-want-to-have Vargas, Mayra Leal as his toughly tender girlfriend Angela, DJ Perry as Donnie, the menacing, cold-eyed dealer, Josh Carrizales, whose affable Ponch provides comic relief, and Michael Joiner as Dana’s solid, supportive love interest. 
Encouraging without being preachy, a cautionary tale that’s not predictable, Ashes of Eden walks those fine lines comfortably to offer an honest message that’s thoughtfully and thoroughly satisfying. Marketed as a Christian film, it plays easily to all adult audiences who enjoy taut family drama.

Hats off and happy viewing!

The Gifts From Door-to-Door with The Christmas Wonder Giveaway Hop!

As a child, one of the things I loved about the holidays was Christmas caroling. My sisters and I would join the neighbor kids and go from house to house along our block singing our favorite songs of the season (my favorite was “Oh, Come All Ye Faithful” because I did the harmony). We’d be invited inside to warm our noses and our insides with hot chocolate and cookies. In the same spirit, the Christmas Wonder Giveaway Hop invites you to go blog-to-blog from December 1 to December 31 to hear what we love most about the season, and which books have made our Christmas wish lists! There's a giveaway at each stop so be sure to visit them all!


The other thing I anticipated at Christmas time was that visit to Santa Claus. Our local Gilmore’s Department Store had the true Santa, of course, where I waited, clinging to my mom’s hand, for that chance to say what I wanted for Christmas. But first came that dreaded question: Had I been naughty or nice that year? Truthfully, like all kids, I’d been a bit of both, but I didn’t dare tell Santa that (or my mom!). What a dilemma for a child to be in?

Not to worry. I won’t ask “Naughty or Nice.” I have a bit of both to offer this season.

On the “Naughty” side (as paranormals tend to be) is REMEMBERED BY MOONLIGHT with its deliciously dark and wicked sexy shape-shifter hero.

Because the road to Happily-Ever-After . . .

Clever, cool and preternaturally lethal, Max Savoie is leader of a secretive shape-shifter clan, heir to a mobster’s legacy, and the love of New Orleans’ top cop . . . but he can’t remember any of them. The only way to recover his memories, and his rightful place with the woman who risked all to save him, is to surrender to a mysterious visitor who holds the key to his tortuous past. 

. . . Is Never Smooth.

After rescuing her mate from his ruthless captors in the North, hard-hitting Detective Charlotte Caissie is now painfully vulnerable—a stranger in his eyes—and in his bed. But the cost of saving their treasured future may mean sacrificing his past, while exposing the secret Cee Cee carries. Because the enemy they pursue . . . might be Max, himself.

Yummy . . . I’m warming up already!

But if you prefer “Nice” (well, Nice, but with more sizzle than sweetness), there’s my Dana Ransom contemporary FROM THIS DAY FORWARD where a pair of broken hearts try to piece together their belief in love and happiness.

 

Can two broken hearts make a perfect match? 

Widowed on her honeymoon, Robyn Lee pours all her unfulfilled dreams of a happily-ever-after into her wedding planner business, hiding her own heartbreak by making perfect memories for couples beginning the loving future she was denied. The last thing she needs is the brother of her dream client—whose endorsement will guarantee Robyn’s success—to rock the boat…and her regimented world.

Through the lens of his camera, photojournalist Kyle Travers has witnessed all the ugliness life can offer. Still reeling from the death of his news partner in the field, he sees the frilly job of photographer at his sister’s wedding as an annoyance—until he meets the steely organizer who protects her broken spirit almost as fiercely as he does his own—making him wonder if two fractured halves can make a stronger whole.

So you don’t have to choose right now (and you don’t have to tell if you’re more imp or angel!) I’m providing a $10 Amazon gift card as my part of the Giveaway so you can get both in e-book or one in print.


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Oh, come on. I want to know. Naughty or Nice? Which are you?

Happy Holidays and Happy Reading as you follow along the Hop! I’ll have my nose in Lora Lee’s sassy cozy mystery BRINGING IN THE THIEVES and, after the first of the year, Kresley Cole’s YA paranormal, DEAD OF WINTER. So I guess I’m still a bit of both!

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Black Friday Comes to the Booklover in Bewitching Book Tours’ Hot Holiday Giveaway!

If you’re like me and love a good deal . . . especially one you don’t have to leave home for, the Hot Holiday Giveaway is just the gift you’ve been looking for . . . to give to yourself!


I’m joining with a holiday crush of authors all eager to present you with great reading for the holiday season. From Black Friday to December 15, browse the bookcase below for the items being given away. See anything you like? How could you NOT!? 

And the best part, you don’t have to brave crowds. The Rafflecopter below contains all the prizes . . . including a Kindle Fire! . . .and ways to enter within it. I’m giving away a $10 Amazon gift card so you can pick up anything you might have missed (though I’d suggest you try REMEMBERED BY MOONLIGHT, of course!).


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Which books are you just dying to see in your stocking?

Happy Holidays and Happy Reading!!

New Contemporary Release: FROM THIS DAY FORWARD

One of the worst feelings for an author is to sell a book then never have it see the light of day. When Zebra closed the doors on its imaginative Lucky In Love line back in the ‘90s—just months before my contemporary FROM THIS DAY FORWARD was supposed to be released—I was left with a gorgeous cover and that empty sense of loss. I never expected to have the satisfaction of placing my story in readers’ hands until Deb Dixon met with me at a conference in NYC decades later and asked about my backlist. Yes! Did I ever have backlist!
       
I’ve been thrilled to see the reissues of my first three Dana Ransom contemporary romances, LOVE’S OWN REWARD, TOTALLY YOURS and LIFETIME INVESTMENT, with their shiny new covers. But it’s the release of FROM THIS DAY FORWARD that I’ve been anticipating, giving this emotional book of the heart its first chance at the limelight. Revised to meet the expectations of today’s readers, and wrapped in a gorgeous cover, I’m proud to present . . . FROM THIS DAY FORWARD.

Dana Ransom aka Nancy Gideon BelleBooks/BellBridge / November 20, 2014 
Can two broken hearts make a perfect match? 
Widowed on her honeymoon, Robyn Lee pours all her unfulfilled dreams of a happily-ever-after into her wedding planner business, hiding her own heartbreak by making perfect memories for couples beginning the loving future she was denied. The last thing she needs is the brother of her dream client—whose endorsement will guarantee Robyn’s success—to rock the boat…and her regimented world.

Through the lens of his camera, photojournalist Kyle Travers has witnessed all the ugliness life can offer. Still reeling from the death of his news partner in the field, he sees the frilly job of photographer at his sister’s wedding as an annoyance—until he meets the steely organizer who protects her broken spirit almost as fiercely as he does his own—making him wonder if two fractured halves can make a stronger whole.

To entice you, here’s a peek at Robyn and Kyle’s tumultuous road to romance . . .

Excerpt

“You’re wrong!” 
“Am I? I don’t think so. And I don’t think you think so either. And I can prove it to you.” 
As he took a quick step forward, he could see her sway, part of her wanting to yield, part of her wanting to run. He’d never seen so much panic in another’s eyes. It gave his conscience a nasty yank, but it didn’t stop him. He was, after all, no saint. 
The moment his head dipped down, hers ducked too, causing his nose to collide with the top of her head. The sudden swimming pain of it caused him to hesitate, but not to retreat. His grip on her tightened even as her palms were levering against his chest. Her hands pushing. Her fingers clinging. 
“Kyle, don’t.” There was so much anguish in her tone. A gentleman would have relented but she already knew he wasn’t a gentleman. 
“Robyn, don’t be afraid,” he said into the soft spill of her hair. “Don’t be ashamed of what you’re feeling.” 
“Kyle, please . . .” 
“He’s gone, Robyn. You can’t bring him back. You can’t keep hanging on.” 
“I don’t want to let go.” And at that moment, she did just that, releasing all the pent up emotions, all the festering grief. She leaned into the soft, faded fleece of his Pistons sweatshirt and sobbed like a baby with a broken heart. 
Instantly, his arms were around her, all thoughts of passion overwhelmed by those of care. It was then it hit him and hit him hard. When had he fallen in love with the grieving Robyn Lee? As if he needed any more complications in his life! 
“It’s all right, honey. Cry it out.” 
“I don’t want to cry it out. I don’t want to get over it. I don’t want to let it go. Don’t you understand? He was all I had, all I ever wanted! What have I got now? An empty house. Empty dreams that will never come true; his children I’ll never have, a future with him that we’ll never share. I don’t have anything of my own. Even my business, even the dream I always had for myself, he gave to me. There’s nothing for me except Gene. There never will be.” 
His hands began a firm massage of her tight shoulders. She felt good, fragile but good. And very quietly, he told her, “You have me.” 
“You?” If she hadn’t been so lost to her own pain, she might have felt the way her harshness shocked through him. 
“Hey, I’m not perfect, Robyn, but I’m here for you.”
She wrestled back out of his embrace, her eyes drenched with sorrow and a savage anger. “You’re not here for me. You’re here for you.” 
“You’re wrong,” he argued. “If you’d just for one minute climb out of that hole in the ground you’ve pulled in after yourself, you’d see how wrong you are.” 
“Am I? How big of you to come here preaching to me about leaving the past behind. What a prime example you are. Maybe you should check the position of your own glass house before you start pitching stones in my direction.” 
He went still as she ranted on, provoked beyond rational thought or compassionate considerations. 
“If you’re so noble and so perfect, why are you hiding behind a camera at your sister’s wedding? Huh? If you’re so big and brave and ready to give advice on how to take on the world, why can’t you take care of yourself? I can’t depend on you, Kyle. You don’t even trust yourself.” 
She couldn’t have done more damage if she’d crammed his soul down into a Cuisinart and flipped it to puree. She took all the tender sentiments that had been growing, wooing and warm, and froze them solid. Instinct and self-preservation saved him from suffering at her hands, from betraying how horribly her words hurt him. He was lucky. He wasn’t so far gone that he couldn’t pull out of it. He might be singed, but at least he wouldn’t crash and burn. Not over this hard and hopelessly angry woman. What had he ever seen in her that he’d wanted, anyway? And he switched from compassion to a chill attack in his own defense. 
“Well, excuse me, Ms. Lee. I should have guessed that you wouldn’t want my help. You’re doing just fine wallowing around in your pathetic little dreams. Forgive me for pointing out that there just might be something in life out there that could equal your husband’s perfect memory. Go ahead and suck your satisfaction off other people’s happiness if that’s what you want to do. Me, I’m just a cameraman. I see things through a lens, but at least I know how to bring it into focus. You seem to like your world in fuzzy fantasy. I’ll let you get back to whatever you were doing, Cinderella. Call me after midnight sometime when the ball’s over.” 
He grabbed up his coat and stalked out, leaving her behind with her huge tear-bruised eyes and pale face. To her foolish dreams and hopes that he could never fulfill. 
Because under all his bitter bite and bluster, he knew she was right.
He wasn’t the kind of man she could depend upon.

More of that back list to come when BelleBook’s ImaJinn imprint rereleases my “Midnight” vampire romance series—complete with the first three books which have loooong been out-of-print—beginning in March of 2015, one per month. I can’t wait!
For those who’ve been following along on my REMEMBERED BY MOONLIGHT blog tour, Monday, November 24’s stop at host Buy The Book Tours is your last chance to win the Amazon gift card giveaway. Stop by for my impressions of being a first time self-pubbed author.