Catherine Bybee's Blog, page 19

Spotlight on Kayden McLeod

Hello Readers!
My latest release, Tarnished Halo, the first book in the Demon Queen series has released with XOXO Publishing. The second installment, Ascending Hell is coming soon. The story follows the path of Liwet, half angel, half demon, through her journey filled with political hurdles she must overcome. All the while, she tries to wade through a past with a man she once loved, to find a few surprises that change everything. 
To celebrate, I’ve permitted one of my muse’s many imaginary assistants in on a little secret she’s been dying to know, via Christina, a character in the Demon Queen series. Sarah, bless or damn her, is a human with demon blood. All but forgotten by the higher powers in this world. Her ignorance is a hardship, but perhaps it’s time for her find out a little about her heritage.
And what better guide than Liwet?
Follow the path of Sarah, as she delves into the demon in this series of blog interviews with different characters from Tarnished Halo and Ascending Hell during the Demon Queen Blog Tour with Bewitching Blog Tours!
Liwet is about the take her newfound friend, Sarah, into the lower hell realms, to meet some very interesting people. Who knows what else might await them there, if the demon lords ever allow them to pass from one dimension to another.
Liwet leads Sarah into a wooded area she’s never been to before. They trudge over broken branches and leaves, until power rents the air. They’re almost there. Nothing big and scary jumped out at them, thankfully. Liwet disappeared into thin air, and Sarah startles. She looks around wearily. Liwet’s arm reappears, yanking Sarah into a whole new world.
Sarah: *Looks around at the obsidian hallway with a tremor working up her spine* Where are we?Liwet: The executive level of hell. Most hell gates will bring you here, the others…well, you don’t want to fine them.Sarah: Why not?”A shrill scream bisects the strange stillness.  Liwet: That’s why. Anyway, to the first honored guest of the hour. *She stalks to an incredibly lifelike sculpture of a dog that had never seen the human world.* Sarah: Did you bring me to hell, to talk to the décor?The statue turned its head.Liwet: *Laughs* Caderyn, I have brought you a new friend.Caderyn: I can see that. And mostly human girl, I am not décor. I am insulted you made that assumption. I am a Cŵn Annwn, a feared and respected part of the Celtic Wild Hunt.Liwet: *Leans in and whispers* Otherwise known as a hellhound…Sarah: Ah, ah, I’m sorry! I thought…Caderyn: Make no mistake. Nothing in this world is quite what it seems. Do not be surprised if the floors themselves get angry with you for stepping on them, or say, a “statue” *hops down from his perch* decides you look a tad too tasty to pass up. *sighs with a wolfish smile that defies the smooth marble-like texture of his skin* Been far too long since I last have eaten a thing. Skin and bones I shall soon become.Liwet: You can’t eat her. I didn’t bring her for that. She is part demon, and I promised to give her the insider’s view.Caderyn: *Sends Liwet a droll look* Do you ever bring me humans I can eat?Liwet: No, but apparently I should.Sarah: *Shivers, but keeps her council* Caderyn: Yes, you should, my queen. Liwet: I told you not to call me that.Caderyn: Since when do I listen? Sarah: Wait, did he just call you’re his queen?Liwet: *Glares at Caderyn* See! *Turns back to Sarah* You remember when I said I’d run into some political trouble? That may or may not include me becoming the ruler of a pocket in hell called Shadowdyn, alongside this demon king named Oriax.Sarah: Who?Liwet: *Waves impatiently* You’ll meet him too, at some point. He is currently down there, mucking about, paving the way for our wedding.Sarah: Urg. So you’re marrying a demon, ruling a chunk of hell, within days of being an angel?Caderyn: My queen has never been an angel. Human, how dare you say such a thing. *Looks at Liwet* Does she insult everyone she meets? Are you sure I cannot persuade you to permit me just a bite?Liwet: She doesn’t mean to.Caderyn: You know what they say about the best of intentions.
***Thank you for following along on Sarah’s path to finding out more about where she came from. I hoped you enjoyed it as much as I had. Missed a part? Here are the dates and places where the rest of the story took place:September 11 http://read2review.comSeptember 13 http://catherinebybee.blogspot.com/September 14 http://justanotherrabidreader.infoSeptember 22
http://wowfromthescarfprincess.blogspot.com/October 2 http://fangswandsandfairydust.com/October 31http://lauriethoughts-reviews.blogspot.comBe sure to drop by Just Another Rabid Reader tomorrow, September 14th for what happens next!http://justanotherrabidreader.infoAnd leave a comment on today’s post, for your chance to win a copy of my latest release Tarnished Halo. http://www.kaydenmcleod.com/DemonQueenSeries.php
Happy Reading…Kayden McLeod
Tarnished Halo
Demon Queen #1
Fantasy
Novella
August 2012See more
Demon Queen BooksBuy NowKINDLE | ARe | BOOKSTRAND


Liwet is a less-than-lily-white angel, who has a chip on her shoulder just begging for someone to knock it off. She refuses to come to heel, yet the time for Liwet to play by her own rules has come to an end. Oriax comes back to his old flame, with a proposition he doesn’t want to pursue, and has no choice but to make. Dark, chilling forces beyond Liwet and Oriax’s control drag them back together and down into a rabbit hole so deep, escape is futile. The prince of the underworld wants them in his court; a request never to be taken lightly. Can the couple overcome their pasts, and find each other once more, before it’s too late to save either of them?


Excerpt From "Tarnished Halo"Ascream sounded from down one of the alleys I’d crossed, but paid no mind while I set my course to where I’d been bid.

Let the humans rot this night, I thought bitterly. Or any other.

What had they done for me? Nothing. Yet I had been borne to be their humble servant, directed by rules I’d never had a say in. Screw it. Screw them. Fuck the world.

I walked down the darkened streets of this forsaken town of lust, greed and sloth, an hour past the twilight settling upon the horizon. I had been a beautiful sunset this eve, with deep hues of violet, crushed orange and vivid blood red. Though I hadn’t enjoyed it.

I didn’t take such pleasures in simple things. I didn’t delight in much anymore—hadn’t in many a year.

The human screamed for help again, and my hand flew up in an unconscious rude gesture in the direction from where it’d come. Another, farther ahead—a painter no less—babbled about needing an idea for a new project.

I rolled my eyes. Fat chance.

That would be my department.

My name is Liwet, the “angel” of inventions, inspirations. A muse. However, I wasn’t pristine as most thought me. I’d been shunned from the normal crowds of my realms, who knew what I was on sight.

I am a demon and an angel, a dirty half-breed, to be pushed to the shadows and forgotten.

But I had long since come to terms with all of this. I tended to stay at the edges of all societies, and took part of none and looking in. Life shopping, I called it. Sort of like window shopping, but I didn’t get to gaze at things I wanted to buy. I just wished it went both ways.

The angels shunned me, but the demons…They wanted me, badly. The supreme notch on their bedposts, to be screwed and discarded, the perfect conquest compared like the women who trolled these streets, ignorant of us.

Most of them were arrogant assholes I could never stand to be near enough to talk to, let alone see naked. Though some were acceptable to be around for short periods of platonic time.

I headed into the darkened back entrance of the Red Corkscrew a bar that fronted the ocean cliffs. It had been named this, because this was the nickname of the Salix matsudana, trees imported from China and planted around the bar. The stems twisted at sharp angles, their color a vivid shade of orangey scarlet, a startling shade to the eye this far into winter. The owner had been quite insistent on these trees be planted everywhere on the one-acre property.

The man had always been strange like that. He was also my half brother.

The moment I’d passed the threshold into the building, I knew he was there, but not a second before he let me.

“Li,” Mastema greeted from the empty back of the kitchen. I could hear the sounds of food being cooked and clinking plates from around the corner, made by demon hands. We weren’t alone, and no doubt brother dear planned this meeting that way.

Mastema was a full demon, one who kept the underworld from interference of his life, by staying quiet. This surprised me, since his life’s purpose was to tempt men toward sin. Even more ironic, he rarely partook in any himself. Mastema denied his most basic principles and instincts, to stay out of hell. And unlike his dangers of damnation, I was exempt, unless I broke the sacred laws applied to being one of the Guides to humanity. Hadn’t happened yet, but I rode the line often, never actually crossing it. Always could, I supposed.

“Why have you called me here?”

“I need you to work tonight. We are unusually busy, and I do not like so many humans mixing with my people, without proper balance in case something happens.”

In other words; he needed someone to kick ass and take names if his brethren stepped out of line. Someone who wasn’t him. Great. Gotta love diplomacy.

“Why me, Mastema?” I asked, determined to be purposely “dumb.” Even though he didn’t let it show, it pissed him off. Good.

And I was just in that kind of mood. Thankfully, half of my status put me almost on his playing field—almost. He had a millennia or two on me. Did wonders for someone’s power.

I made up for it in the pure-pissed-off-bitch factor. I’d had to from square one. The higher powers had decided I wasn’t allowed to learn about certain capabilities I’d been born with, from either side. This, in effect made my best attributes dormant and useless to me. They wanted me this way. Couldn’t have an “angel” running about with demon super-powers. Or some crap like that.

Mastema took on my expression. “You’re being unreasonably pissy tonight.” He crossed his arms over the black material stretching over his wide chest. His thick, muscular body was covered in ritual blue-jeans and a t-shirt, just tight enough to show he was ripped. He’d once told me women liked it. I didn’t know. Being his sister didn’t allow me an opinion on it. “In fact, a lot lately.”

I didn’t reply to the statement. I wanted to turn and leave, though if I did, Mastema would only talk me into staying. Had I left in his time of need, one of my few sanctuaries would be lost to me, until my brother had unruffled his feathers. That could be decades. Immortality wrecked havoc one’s conception of time.

“What do you need?”

“You, on the bar,” Mastema muttered. “Nicor heard about a thunderstorm near to coast and…”

“Decided to go play in it?”

My brother nodded, but never with disgust. Full-blood demons that chose to stay on earth for long periods very rarely had the chance to act or be who they really were. When the chance presented itself, they took it.

“I allowed him to go—it has been too long for him to touch base with himself. Acting human so much does things to a demon’s mind.”

I winced. In a backward way, the barb had been intended for me, not Nicor.

“Of course,” I relented.

“I suspect the rush will only get worse the later it gets. But I do have to warn you… Oriax is here tonight, with his friends.”

My mind stilled from hearing that damned name! “What?” This time, I didn’t act stupid for any petty impulse. The sheer memory of the man did one of two things; froze me solid, or made my blood boil. “You expect me not to throw something at him in the course of an entire evening? Fifteen minutes is pushing it.”

Mastema rolled his eyes, then pushed off of the counter’s edge, with a sleek roll of threatening sinew. “Behave.”

The warning didn’t go unheeded, though my eyes darkened and burned when he turned from me and began walking further into the kitchen. I followed only somewhat dutifully. We cut around the corner, emerging into the timeless art and war of fast-paced cooking. Ten or so bodies moved with methodical energy and flow.

Not a human in the bunch.

None of the minor or half-blood demons looked up from what they were doing. Their movements would be blurry to an untrained eye, with too quick dexterity they didn’t bother to hide in the safety of the enclosed kitchen.

The smell of grilled beef and frying oil for the fries wafted to me, making my stomach rumble. Though I wouldn’t eat most of what these demons served. The demonic clientele didn’t care for their meat cooked. The staff would just barely sear it on the outside, so the humans who ventured in here couldn’t tell the difference at first glance. Happy mediums.

I snagged a fry as I passed, bringing it half-way to my mouth when Mastema whirled, with a nasty scowl on his face.

“What? Did you want me to put it back?”

Mastema shook his head. “You know you may eat anything you want.” He stared behind me so hard, I turned my head to see what was there. “But we have a problem.”

“You always have a problem—whatever could it be this time?”

He growled at my impertinence. “Have you fallen so low that you walk in this realm with your wings exposed, and making no move to hide them? Are you looking to get thrown into the hell realms?”

“Humans cannot see them whether I conceal my wings or not,” I replied coldly.

The fry cook looked up from his station with shining black eyes. Our gazes connected, and I knew then he approved of my refusal to act as if I were the other race.

“Those are the rules. You risk a great deal to break them. We are granted very limited access to this world, and you are part demon. You have the obligation to keep your nose clean—you never know when you just might mess it up for the rest of us.”

“I tire of living in secret,” I argued. “If I had the same benefits the rest of you do…”

Mastema snarled, raking a hand through his hair. “I might have more power and ability to use them, I will give you that. However, I am not permitted to do anything with them, anymore than you can. Just by being here on earth, we have to act like we don’t even exist. Every wrong move you make, tightens the collar around the necks of the rest of us.”

I hated it when he made sense! My stubborn nature reared its head nonetheless. “I will no longer be spurred under someone else’s terms. Only full-bloods can see these black-feathered contraptions and the otherworldly glow those angels gave me, the same combination that condemned me from birth. So now, I will be upfront about it. At least then I can see their sneers upfront, know what they think, before they even say a word.” My chin went up. “I am sorry if it causes you danger, I really am.” I spoke to the kitchen as a whole, who had stopped around me. Had my words been so very shocking? My brother’s eyes had softened, causing a similar reaction in the very small part of my heart holding affection for him. “I have to feel like I’ve done something to be an outcast. Mastema, don’t take that from me.”

“You risk much.”

“And you’re a coward,” I whispered. They all were. “Just because I cannot see your wings nor horns, does not mean they are not there. You have modified the color of your skin, so it looks more tanned than burnt red, but it is only a secondary appearance to what you really look like.”

“And your point?”

I swore every set of lungs around us stopped breathing, awaiting my answer. “This is what I look like.”

With a curt nod, Mastema’s falsely blue eyes hardened into ice-chips. Really, they were a pitiless black. The absence of color stretched from lid to lid—like the fry cook’s. My brother didn’t care for my assessment. He couldn’t deny it either.

“So be it, sister. But if the powers that be come down on your head…”

“It’s on me, Mastema. Promise.”

“Let’s go then. We have quite the crowd to keep happy tonight.”








About the Author:
Kayden McLeod lives in beautiful British Columbia, and is the author of the M/F Paranormal Romance and erotica series, The Coven Series, which consists of three Covens; The Foxworths, The Cornwalls and The Jerichos. She also dabbles in a multitude of other genres that are in the works, like BDSM, Ménage, M/M and Horror. As well, Kayden is a freelance Graphic and Cover artist, a Cover Artist for XOXO Publishing, and an owner of Otherworlds Publicity and Siren Book Reviews.
Connect with Kayden online:
Website: http://kaydenmcleod.com/
Blog: http://kaydenmcleod.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1848048830
Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kayden-McLeod-Author-of-the-Coven-Series/181298315224950
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/KaydenMcLeod
Deviant Art: http://kaydenmcleod.deviantart.com/

Hello Readers! My latest release, Tarnished Halo, the fir...

Hello Readers!
My latest release, Tarnished Halo, the first book in the Demon Queen series has released with XOXO Publishing. The second installment, Ascending Hell is coming soon. The story follows the path of Liwet, half angel, half demon, through her journey filled with political hurdles she must overcome. All the while, she tries to wade through a past with a man she once loved, to find a few surprises that change everything. 
To celebrate, I’ve permitted one of my muse’s many imaginary assistants in on a little secret she’s been dying to know, via Christina, a character in the Demon Queen series. Sarah, bless or damn her, is a human with demon blood. All but forgotten by the higher powers in this world. Her ignorance is a hardship, but perhaps it’s time for her find out a little about her heritage.
And what better guide than Liwet?
Follow the path of Sarah, as she delves into the demon in this series of blog interviews with different characters from Tarnished Halo and Ascending Hell during the Demon Queen Blog Tour with Bewitching Blog Tours!
Liwet is about the take her newfound friend, Sarah, into the lower hell realms, to meet some very interesting people. Who knows what else might await them there, if the demon lords ever allow them to pass from one dimension to another.
Liwet leads Sarah into a wooded area she’s never been to before. They trudge over broken branches and leaves, until power rents the air. They’re almost there. Nothing big and scary jumped out at them, thankfully. Liwet disappeared into thin air, and Sarah startles. She looks around wearily. Liwet’s arm reappears, yanking Sarah into a whole new world.
Sarah: *Looks around at the obsidian hallway with a tremor working up her spine* Where are we?Liwet: The executive level of hell. Most hell gates will bring you here, the others…well, you don’t want to fine them.Sarah: Why not?”A shrill scream bisects the strange stillness.  Liwet: That’s why. Anyway, to the first honored guest of the hour. *She stalks to an incredibly lifelike sculpture of a dog that had never seen the human world.* Sarah: Did you bring me to hell, to talk to the décor?The statue turned its head.Liwet: *Laughs* Caderyn, I have brought you a new friend.Caderyn: I can see that. And mostly human girl, I am not décor. I am insulted you made that assumption. I am a Cŵn Annwn, a feared and respected part of the Celtic Wild Hunt.Liwet: *Leans in and whispers* Otherwise known as a hellhound…Sarah: Ah, ah, I’m sorry! I thought…Caderyn: Make no mistake. Nothing in this world is quite what it seems. Do not be surprised if the floors themselves get angry with you for stepping on them, or say, a “statue” *hops down from his perch* decides you look a tad too tasty to pass up. *sighs with a wolfish smile that defies the smooth marble-like texture of his skin* Been far too long since I last have eaten a thing. Skin and bones I shall soon become.Liwet: You can’t eat her. I didn’t bring her for that. She is part demon, and I promised to give her the insider’s view.Caderyn: *Sends Liwet a droll look* Do you ever bring me humans I can eat?Liwet: No, but apparently I should.Sarah: *Shivers, but keeps her council* Caderyn: Yes, you should, my queen. Liwet: I told you not to call me that.Caderyn: Since when do I listen? Sarah: Wait, did he just call you’re his queen?Liwet: *Glares at Caderyn* See! *Turns back to Sarah* You remember when I said I’d run into some political trouble? That may or may not include me becoming the ruler of a pocket in hell called Shadowdyn, alongside this demon king named Oriax.Sarah: Who?Liwet: *Waves impatiently* You’ll meet him too, at some point. He is currently down there, mucking about, paving the way for our wedding.Sarah: Urg. So you’re marrying a demon, ruling a chunk of hell, within days of being an angel?Caderyn: My queen has never been an angel. Human, how dare you say such a thing. *Looks at Liwet* Does she insult everyone she meets? Are you sure I cannot persuade you to permit me just a bite?Liwet: She doesn’t mean to.Caderyn: You know what they say about the best of intentions.
***Thank you for following along on Sarah’s path to finding out more about where she came from. I hoped you enjoyed it as much as I had. Missed a part? Here are the dates and places where the rest of the story took place:September 11 http://read2review.comSeptember 13 http://catherinebybee.blogspot.com/September 14 http://justanotherrabidreader.infoSeptember 22
http://wowfromthescarfprincess.blogspot.com/October 2 http://fangswandsandfairydust.com/October 31http://lauriethoughts-reviews.blogspot.comBe sure to drop by Just Another Rabid Reader tomorrow, September 14th for what happens next!http://justanotherrabidreader.infoAnd leave a comment on today’s post, for your chance to win a copy of my latest release Tarnished Halo. http://www.kaydenmcleod.com/DemonQueenSeries.php
Happy Reading…Kayden McLeod
Tarnished Halo
Demon Queen #1
Fantasy
Novella
August 2012See more
Demon Queen BooksBuy NowKINDLE | ARe | BOOKSTRAND


Liwet is a less-than-lily-white angel, who has a chip on her shoulder just begging for someone to knock it off. She refuses to come to heel, yet the time for Liwet to play by her own rules has come to an end. Oriax comes back to his old flame, with a proposition he doesn’t want to pursue, and has no choice but to make. Dark, chilling forces beyond Liwet and Oriax’s control drag them back together and down into a rabbit hole so deep, escape is futile. The prince of the underworld wants them in his court; a request never to be taken lightly. Can the couple overcome their pasts, and find each other once more, before it’s too late to save either of them?


Excerpt From "Tarnished Halo"Ascream sounded from down one of the alleys I’d crossed, but paid no mind while I set my course to where I’d been bid.

Let the humans rot this night, I thought bitterly. Or any other.

What had they done for me? Nothing. Yet I had been borne to be their humble servant, directed by rules I’d never had a say in. Screw it. Screw them. Fuck the world.

I walked down the darkened streets of this forsaken town of lust, greed and sloth, an hour past the twilight settling upon the horizon. I had been a beautiful sunset this eve, with deep hues of violet, crushed orange and vivid blood red. Though I hadn’t enjoyed it.

I didn’t take such pleasures in simple things. I didn’t delight in much anymore—hadn’t in many a year.

The human screamed for help again, and my hand flew up in an unconscious rude gesture in the direction from where it’d come. Another, farther ahead—a painter no less—babbled about needing an idea for a new project.

I rolled my eyes. Fat chance.

That would be my department.

My name is Liwet, the “angel” of inventions, inspirations. A muse. However, I wasn’t pristine as most thought me. I’d been shunned from the normal crowds of my realms, who knew what I was on sight.

I am a demon and an angel, a dirty half-breed, to be pushed to the shadows and forgotten.

But I had long since come to terms with all of this. I tended to stay at the edges of all societies, and took part of none and looking in. Life shopping, I called it. Sort of like window shopping, but I didn’t get to gaze at things I wanted to buy. I just wished it went both ways.

The angels shunned me, but the demons…They wanted me, badly. The supreme notch on their bedposts, to be screwed and discarded, the perfect conquest compared like the women who trolled these streets, ignorant of us.

Most of them were arrogant assholes I could never stand to be near enough to talk to, let alone see naked. Though some were acceptable to be around for short periods of platonic time.

I headed into the darkened back entrance of the Red Corkscrew a bar that fronted the ocean cliffs. It had been named this, because this was the nickname of the Salix matsudana, trees imported from China and planted around the bar. The stems twisted at sharp angles, their color a vivid shade of orangey scarlet, a startling shade to the eye this far into winter. The owner had been quite insistent on these trees be planted everywhere on the one-acre property.

The man had always been strange like that. He was also my half brother.

The moment I’d passed the threshold into the building, I knew he was there, but not a second before he let me.

“Li,” Mastema greeted from the empty back of the kitchen. I could hear the sounds of food being cooked and clinking plates from around the corner, made by demon hands. We weren’t alone, and no doubt brother dear planned this meeting that way.

Mastema was a full demon, one who kept the underworld from interference of his life, by staying quiet. This surprised me, since his life’s purpose was to tempt men toward sin. Even more ironic, he rarely partook in any himself. Mastema denied his most basic principles and instincts, to stay out of hell. And unlike his dangers of damnation, I was exempt, unless I broke the sacred laws applied to being one of the Guides to humanity. Hadn’t happened yet, but I rode the line often, never actually crossing it. Always could, I supposed.

“Why have you called me here?”

“I need you to work tonight. We are unusually busy, and I do not like so many humans mixing with my people, without proper balance in case something happens.”

In other words; he needed someone to kick ass and take names if his brethren stepped out of line. Someone who wasn’t him. Great. Gotta love diplomacy.

“Why me, Mastema?” I asked, determined to be purposely “dumb.” Even though he didn’t let it show, it pissed him off. Good.

And I was just in that kind of mood. Thankfully, half of my status put me almost on his playing field—almost. He had a millennia or two on me. Did wonders for someone’s power.

I made up for it in the pure-pissed-off-bitch factor. I’d had to from square one. The higher powers had decided I wasn’t allowed to learn about certain capabilities I’d been born with, from either side. This, in effect made my best attributes dormant and useless to me. They wanted me this way. Couldn’t have an “angel” running about with demon super-powers. Or some crap like that.

Mastema took on my expression. “You’re being unreasonably pissy tonight.” He crossed his arms over the black material stretching over his wide chest. His thick, muscular body was covered in ritual blue-jeans and a t-shirt, just tight enough to show he was ripped. He’d once told me women liked it. I didn’t know. Being his sister didn’t allow me an opinion on it. “In fact, a lot lately.”

I didn’t reply to the statement. I wanted to turn and leave, though if I did, Mastema would only talk me into staying. Had I left in his time of need, one of my few sanctuaries would be lost to me, until my brother had unruffled his feathers. That could be decades. Immortality wrecked havoc one’s conception of time.

“What do you need?”

“You, on the bar,” Mastema muttered. “Nicor heard about a thunderstorm near to coast and…”

“Decided to go play in it?”

My brother nodded, but never with disgust. Full-blood demons that chose to stay on earth for long periods very rarely had the chance to act or be who they really were. When the chance presented itself, they took it.

“I allowed him to go—it has been too long for him to touch base with himself. Acting human so much does things to a demon’s mind.”

I winced. In a backward way, the barb had been intended for me, not Nicor.

“Of course,” I relented.

“I suspect the rush will only get worse the later it gets. But I do have to warn you… Oriax is here tonight, with his friends.”

My mind stilled from hearing that damned name! “What?” This time, I didn’t act stupid for any petty impulse. The sheer memory of the man did one of two things; froze me solid, or made my blood boil. “You expect me not to throw something at him in the course of an entire evening? Fifteen minutes is pushing it.”

Mastema rolled his eyes, then pushed off of the counter’s edge, with a sleek roll of threatening sinew. “Behave.”

The warning didn’t go unheeded, though my eyes darkened and burned when he turned from me and began walking further into the kitchen. I followed only somewhat dutifully. We cut around the corner, emerging into the timeless art and war of fast-paced cooking. Ten or so bodies moved with methodical energy and flow.

Not a human in the bunch.

None of the minor or half-blood demons looked up from what they were doing. Their movements would be blurry to an untrained eye, with too quick dexterity they didn’t bother to hide in the safety of the enclosed kitchen.

The smell of grilled beef and frying oil for the fries wafted to me, making my stomach rumble. Though I wouldn’t eat most of what these demons served. The demonic clientele didn’t care for their meat cooked. The staff would just barely sear it on the outside, so the humans who ventured in here couldn’t tell the difference at first glance. Happy mediums.

I snagged a fry as I passed, bringing it half-way to my mouth when Mastema whirled, with a nasty scowl on his face.

“What? Did you want me to put it back?”

Mastema shook his head. “You know you may eat anything you want.” He stared behind me so hard, I turned my head to see what was there. “But we have a problem.”

“You always have a problem—whatever could it be this time?”

He growled at my impertinence. “Have you fallen so low that you walk in this realm with your wings exposed, and making no move to hide them? Are you looking to get thrown into the hell realms?”

“Humans cannot see them whether I conceal my wings or not,” I replied coldly.

The fry cook looked up from his station with shining black eyes. Our gazes connected, and I knew then he approved of my refusal to act as if I were the other race.

“Those are the rules. You risk a great deal to break them. We are granted very limited access to this world, and you are part demon. You have the obligation to keep your nose clean—you never know when you just might mess it up for the rest of us.”

“I tire of living in secret,” I argued. “If I had the same benefits the rest of you do…”

Mastema snarled, raking a hand through his hair. “I might have more power and ability to use them, I will give you that. However, I am not permitted to do anything with them, anymore than you can. Just by being here on earth, we have to act like we don’t even exist. Every wrong move you make, tightens the collar around the necks of the rest of us.”

I hated it when he made sense! My stubborn nature reared its head nonetheless. “I will no longer be spurred under someone else’s terms. Only full-bloods can see these black-feathered contraptions and the otherworldly glow those angels gave me, the same combination that condemned me from birth. So now, I will be upfront about it. At least then I can see their sneers upfront, know what they think, before they even say a word.” My chin went up. “I am sorry if it causes you danger, I really am.” I spoke to the kitchen as a whole, who had stopped around me. Had my words been so very shocking? My brother’s eyes had softened, causing a similar reaction in the very small part of my heart holding affection for him. “I have to feel like I’ve done something to be an outcast. Mastema, don’t take that from me.”

“You risk much.”

“And you’re a coward,” I whispered. They all were. “Just because I cannot see your wings nor horns, does not mean they are not there. You have modified the color of your skin, so it looks more tanned than burnt red, but it is only a secondary appearance to what you really look like.”

“And your point?”

I swore every set of lungs around us stopped breathing, awaiting my answer. “This is what I look like.”

With a curt nod, Mastema’s falsely blue eyes hardened into ice-chips. Really, they were a pitiless black. The absence of color stretched from lid to lid—like the fry cook’s. My brother didn’t care for my assessment. He couldn’t deny it either.

“So be it, sister. But if the powers that be come down on your head…”

“It’s on me, Mastema. Promise.”

“Let’s go then. We have quite the crowd to keep happy tonight.”






About the Author:
Kayden McLeod lives in beautiful British Columbia, and is the author of the M/F Paranormal Romance and erotica series, The Coven Series, which consists of three Covens; The Foxworths, The Cornwalls and The Jerichos. She also dabbles in a multitude of other genres that are in the works, like BDSM, Ménage, M/M and Horror. As well, Kayden is a freelance Graphic and Cover artist, a Cover Artist for XOXO Publishing, and an owner of Otherworlds Publicity and Siren Book Reviews.
Connect with Kayden online:
Website: http://kaydenmcleod.com/
Blog: http://kaydenmcleod.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1848048830
Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kayden-McLeod-Author-of-the-Coven-Series/181298315224950
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/KaydenMcLeod
Deviant Art: http://kaydenmcleod.deviantart.com/

Make Welcome Delle Jacobs

Welcome to my corner of the blogging world.

·         How has Amazon Montlake been to work with?
I'm totally blown away! I thought their contract was great and could see a lot of advantages for me. But what is so astounding is the constant effort to work directly with the authors on all aspects of publishing and promoting the book. And Montlake is right. Even though it requires more effort on everyone's part, everything about publishing is better because of the team approach.

·         What do you think about self publishing?
I'm an indie author as well as an author with four publishing houses. But it was self-publishing that really made my mark on the publishing world, and what led Montlake to find me and offer me a contract. Self-publishing changes so rapidly, it’s hard to grasp what's happening. It's become an opportunity many authors would never have been given in mainstream publishing, and many of them have turned it into an astounding success. BUT it's very hard work. Many authors thought they'd just jump in and publish their own works, and have been disappointed. But I tend to think anybody who puts out a very sleek, well-prepared book with a great story will do reasonably well. And that sure beats a story in a box under the bed.
·         What do you love about being a writer?
Creating a really good story is always my goal and my first love. But I also love the validation of readers who tell me my stories have touched their hearts, and sometimes even changed their lives. And these days, I really love that I'm the one who gets to decide what story I will write.
·         What do you hate about being a writer?
Creating a really good story is also a real pain in the neck! The longer I write, the more difficult the creation becomes. All the things I didn't know before now keep me from being just a good writer. Now I have to be even better.
·         If there was one thing about the industry you could change, what would it be?
I think what I've always wanted is beginning to happen. I'm waiting to see the general publishing industry begin to treat authors fairly without starving the readers for good stories. Many large publishers are now looking at the innovators like Montlake and the Indie authors, and coming up with their own changes.
·         Nearly all romance novels have shhh, sex, in them. How do you answer the never ending question, Why do you write THAT kind of book? Or even better… How do you do your RESEARCH? ·          Oh, you mean stories with HAPPY ENDINGS? That have RELATIONSHIPS? Let's see, a 400 page book with maybe 10 pages of S-E-X in it gets labeled as being ALL about sex? Look, I was a social worker working with very troubled families and children for a number of years, and I'm well aware that happiness is in short supply in this world. I did my best to help people  then, but since I started writing romances, I think I've been far more successful at spreading laughter and helping the world find some happiness.
And let me add, I have consistently rejected all offers to help me with my research. Those who offer are almost never qualified.
What do you like better, Twitter or Facebook? Why?
Twitter is important to a lot of people in this fast-paced world to communicate, but I do it briefly. I generally feel unsatisfied with tweeting. I like more in-depth communication, and I get more of that with Face Book. I have a lot of contact with my family, friends and fans through Face Book now, so it's become the go-to place for me.
And the most important question ever... Do you roll your toilet paper over the roll or under the roll?
It's always been over the top for my family, but that's changing rapidly. As anyone who has a bratty cat can attest, under is the only way to keep the cat from unrolling the entire roll all over the house.
Tell us about your latest release and where we can find it. I've got three coming out in the next two months. Two of them, FIRE DANCE and LOKI'S DAUGHTERS  are released TODAY!
LOKI'S DAUGHTERS is a Viking Age story-except that the Vikings insist they aren't Vikings. http://www.amazon.com/Lokis-Daughters-ebook/dp/B007S0HMWY/ref=pd_sim_kstore_3
For as long as Arienh can remember, her Celtic people have feared the deadly Viking raids. She knows their brutality first hand, having lost the men from her own family and village to their swords. When she encounters and wounds a Viking warrior one stormy night, she has every right to want him dead. Instead, she allows him shelter in her cottage. Although she fears him, his confidence and teasing manner give her pause. He acts as if she belongs to him. As if he knows her. 
Ronan didn’t expect Arienh to recognize him. Why should she? They were both just children when his uncle forced him into a raid against her village. But Ronan risked his life to protect the young Arienh from his marauding kinsmen. Now that the time has come for Ronan and the other warriors to choose wives, he has returned to claim the beautiful girl who captured his heart so long ago.
But for men accustomed simply to taking what they want, wooing the courageous, headstrong Celtic women is easier said than done. And for Arienh, who always sacrificed her own happiness for the sake of her people, trusting—and loving—a Northman may be impossible. By turns poignant and humorous, Loki’s Daughters is a stirring tale of unlikely lovers, forged in dangerously opposite worlds yet bound together by sacrifice, strength, and undeniable passion.
I'm all about twitter and facebook, so can you be sure and add your handles and links here....            Face Book: Delle Jacobs     https://www.facebook.com/dellejacobs             Twitter @dellejacobs 


Check out my blog at http://dellejacobs.blogspot.comI'm going to be talking about my books, yes, but on this anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001, I want to talks about the external stories in two of them: the conflict between cultures. The same thing that led us to 9/11 and more than ten years of open war.
I'm planning to be at Wordstock in Portland, Oregon http://www.wordstockfestival.com/Convention Center, Portland,OR
And also Emerald City Writers Conference in the Seattle area, Oct. 26-28, 2012http://www.gsrwa.org/conference.phpWestin Hotel, Bellevue, WA

Spotlight on Jill James ~ Giveaway

Make Welcome Jill James to my blog. 
Is this a yummy cover or what? 
Jill is giving away a e-copy of her book, Dangerous Shift to one person per blog stop. 

So what I need you to do is leave a comment here on my blog, please add your email address so I can let Jill know who wins a copy of her book. 

And... Jill is doing a week long giveaway - 2 print copies of her book as well as one $25 dollar Amazon gift card. Just check the bottom of this blog for the Entry form. 


Dangerous Shift
By Jill James
Genre: paranormal romantic suspense
ISBN: 9781476499673ASIN: B008RDPN72
Number of pages: 222Word Count: 76,000
Cover Artist: Elaina Lee, For The Muse Designs
Amazon   Barnes & Noble    Smashwords   All Romance eBooks
Book Description:
HE IS MR. BY-THE-BOOK, WITH A SECRET...
Shapeshifters live among us but remain unknown to most people except for the highest echelons of law enforcement, the military, science, and medical fields—until now.
SHE IS A LOOSE CANNON WITH AN ATTITUDE PROBLEM...
When a fatal virus strikes Shapeshifters all over the West coast, including members of the Shapeshifter Task Force in San Laura, California, reinforcements are called in from around the United States.
TOGETHER, THEY JUST MIGHT CATCH A KILLER
Lt. Nikki Hill of Missouri comes to San Laura and is partnered up with Lt. Sean Evans. They quickly butt heads on everything from proper police procedures to the moral ethics of euthanasia. They can’t seem to get a lead on the serial killer even as members of their own families are stricken with the virus. In their grief they turn to each other and hope they have time to discover if their relationship stands a chance or if they might just be the next victims of the species extinction disease.


Author Bio:  Jill James didn’t start out wanting to be an author. Along the way she wanted to be an astronaut, President of the United States, a lawyer, and a doctor. Once married with children she realized she could be all those things in the pages of the stories she wrote.
She lives in Northern California with her husband, who is the inspiration for all her romance novel heroes.

http://www.jilljameswrites.com
http://www.twitter.com/jill_james
http://www.facebook.com/Jill.James.author
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4654661.Jill_James








Prologue



Fort San Laura Army BaseSan Laura, CaliforniaMay 2017
Sean Evans turned away as tears rolled down his ex-partner Colin Rodriguez’s face. The man sat by his fiancée’s bedside, her hand clasped in his, waiting for her to die. The sound of boot heels echoed up and down the hospital corridor. All marched past the closed door, none brave enough to stop at this room.
Sean stared at the dying woman. Paulette’s red hair was the only color in the monochrome-toned hospital room. Colin’s hand shook as he brushed the hair back from Paulette’s sweaty face. The virus wreaked havoc on the young woman.
Sean swallowed bile rising in his throat as the young Shapeshifter in the bed screamed. Her flesh boiled, roiling beneath the surface, and she screamed again. Her back arched off the bed. For months now, the Shapeshifter Task Force had been working to track down the cause of the virus and it struck close to home, killing two of their own. First, his own partner, Barry, and now, Paulette.
Her fingers turned into talons that dug into Colin’s hand. Blood dripped from the cuts onto the crisp, white sheet. Colin held her hand; the only sign of his pain was the grimace on his tanned face.
Sean rubbed his burning eyes, surprised to find tears on his own cheeks. He scrubbed the wetness away and raked his fingers through his hair. His tears wouldn’t help Paulette or Colin. Nothing could help them now. His hands clenched into fists at his side. He ached to punch a wall, anything to kill the tension in the room.
A scream built in his throat. Just last week he had sat here, forced to watch the young man, new to the task force, breathe his last. He stared into the ceiling lights, his eyes watered with the brightness. He repeated his personal mantra of calm and cool until his emotions mellowed, until they no longer threatened to overwhelm him.
He turned his head back as Paulette’s screams died down to whimpers. She had lost all control of her shifting. She grew fur and it disappeared. Her head changed shape as she shifted into a canine form, then a feline form, then back to her own. Her limbs flopped against the mattress as she convulsed. The shifting now happened every few seconds.
Colin threw himself across her body as if he could stop the tragedy from its conclusion.
“Noooo.” His voice ricocheted across the room and down the hall.
Sean rushed to his best friend’s side and ripped him up off of the dying Shifter. No one had discovered yet how the virus was transmitted. They didn’t need masks and gloves anymore, not in the last several months at least, but no one wanted to find out what full-body contact might do.
Colin struggled against Sean’s hold. Tears blurred Sean’s vision as Paulette struggled to breathe, and Colin’s cries became anguished sobs. His shoulders shook under Sean’s hands.
The monitor blared as Sean searched Paulette for any life signs and found none. Her chest didn’t move. She was gone. Just like Barry. Just like all the other Shifters in the past few months.
Sean turned away as Paulette’s flesh jellified and sank into the mattress, only a slight bump under the covers to show a living being had been there.
Colin’s anguish pierced his soul, and when Colin threw himself across the bed again.  Sean didn’t bother to stop him.  What did it matter when his friend had just lost his partner and the love of his life?
The sounds of harsh breaths and sobs still echoed in Sean’s ears when the door opened and the Captain of the Task Force rushed in. Sean turned to the man and shook his head.
Captain Connors motioned for Sean to talk to him outside. Sean shot a quick look to Colin and followed the captain outside to the hallway.
“Lieutenant Evans, with Robertson’s death today, added to the others, the task force is low on numbers. We will need to send word to the other task forces and ask for reinforcements.”
Sean’s hands formed into fists at his side. The human captain made no bones about his dislike of Shapeshifters, but Paulette’s body wasn’t even cold yet and he drudged up business decisions.
He took deep breaths and relaxed his hands. As the Lead Lieutenant in the task force, business took priority. Even over death.
“Will you send a request to the Southwest office in Las Vegas?” Their own task force office covered the Northwest—Northern California, part of Nevada, and all of Oregon, Washington state, and Idaho.
The captain shook his head. “A few cases have been reported in Los Angeles. We can’t risk it. I’ll request someone from the Midwest. No cases have been reported yet out there. There is a small task force in Columbia, Missouri, an hour outside St. Louis.”










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Welcome Trish McCallan & Norah Wilson

Today I have not one, but two lovely and talented Montlake authors, both of which have releases today. 
Welcome to my corner of the blogging world, Ladies. Thank you both for coming today. I love this two authors with one interview gig… I know you both have books launching today so let’s get started.

·          How has Amazon Montlake been to work with?
NORAH: Remarkable! The Montlake experience has blown me away with its author-centric approach. And there’s a whole author team behind me!
Trish: I couldn’t be happier with my Montlake team. I love being directly involved with my cover design, and having so much freedom during revisions. I was afraid I’d regret giving up control over the production of my Montlake titles, but so far I don’t feel like I’ve given up control over anything.
·          What do you think about self publishing?
NORAH: I love it! The control over the product, the speed, the dexterity … no waiting months or years for your story to reach readers. The big challenge for a self-pubbed author, of course, is discoverability. And it’s a lot of work!
Trish: There is so much in self-publishing to love. For me, however, I love it because of its challenges. I love analyzing what books are selling and trying to figure out why. I love watching how certain books perform after various promos. IMO- self-publishing is like a three dimensional chess game. And I enjoy watching and analyzing the vast board, and putting my pieces into play once I’ve noticed a trend.

·          What do you love about being a writer?
NORAH: Typing “The End” after wrestling a 90K or 100K story to the ground.
Trish: I love bringing the characters in my head to life and seeing the story come alive as I write it. I love those far too few moments where the story and words are flowing faster than my fingers can type, and I know that the scene is good. But like Norah, most of all, I love typing “The End.”
·          What do you hate about being a writer?
NORAH: Writing everything that comes before “The End”. Joking! Well, sort of. It’s the toughest work I’ve ever done. Also the most profoundly rewarding.
Trish: The thing I hate the most about being a writer, are those days where I know I need to write, but the creativity just isn’t there. So the words dribble out one frustrating letter at a time. I can sense the story and characters are still there, but they’re blocked behind a brick wall in my mind. So Frustrating!

·          If there was one thing about the industry you could change, what would it be?
                NORAH: The thing I would change is already changing. Authors are beginning to gain more control, earn more money for their toil, and gain access to readers. Self-publishing has helped create that change, as have progressive publishers like Montlake who pay higher digital royalties.                              Trish: Yes, I agree completely with what Norah said. What always bothered me about the publishing industry was how little control and how little respect authors seemed to receive. Considering there would be no books without writers, this always felt skewed to me. But this is changing. Writers can take control of their own destiny now, write what they want, how often they want and chart their own path.



·          Nearly all romance novels have shhh, sex, in them. How do you answer the never ending question, Why do you write THAT kind of book? Or even better… How do you do your RESEARCH?
NORAH: I tell them they should read one. Today’s romances feature heroines who are the central actors in their own lives. They aren’t waiting around to be chosen. And as for sex, it’s a fundamental part of the process of falling in love. It’s chemical. It’s spiritual. And IMO, absolutely necessary to bond the lovers for a believable HEA. And when I get that question about researching the sex, I laugh and say no special research required.  I’m not inventing anything new; I’m just choreographing the old stuff better.
Trish: When people ask me why I don’t write real books, like real thrillers (someone at a new writers group just asked me thisL) I ask them if they’ve ever read a romantic suspense. The answer, of course, is always no. So I encourage them to try one and tell them I write romances because I want to celebrate the human spirit, our resilience, our capacity to not just survive adversity but flourish because of it. But most of all I want to celebrate our capacity for love
·          What do you like better, Twitter or Facebook? Why?
NORAH: I know FB is reputed to be a better vehicle for authors, but I love Twitter! It’s fast, it’s fun, and you never know who you’re going to start a conversation with.
Trish: I like Twitter much better, maybe because it’s more fluid, you can share immediate interactions with other people. I even forget I have a Facebook account for long periods of time, sometimes months. L
·          And the most important question ever... Do you roll your toilet paper over the roll or under the roll?
                NORAH: Gotta be over! And since I’m the only one in my household possessed of the arcane TP-roll-changing knowledge, it’s always mounted properly.
               Trish:  Neither, I don’t use toilet paper—LOL—just kidding. I have no idea, I just grab and pull, and I never pay attention to how I install the roll.
Tell us about your latest release and were we can find it.
NORAH: Every Breath She Takes releases today! Previously published as Lauren’s Eyes, it’s set in Alberta’s foothills. My psychic heroine has visions of murders yet to happen, through the murderer’s eyes. Frustrated by her past failures to help, she follows clues from her latest vision to the Foothills Guest Ranch. The ranch, of course, is owned by our beleaguered hero Cal Taggart, who doesn’t need yet another complication in his life. But things are going to get complicated – not to mention hot and dangerous – as Lauren tries to solve the murder before it can happen.
Trish: I had the most excellent luck to share a release date with Norah, so Forged in Fire releases today too!  In this high-octane romantic thriller, an elite Navy SEAL and a beautiful stranger are brought together by premonitions of global disaster—but neither can predict the passion that fate will unleash. This book can be purchased through Amazon in Kindle, paper and Audio format and through Barnes and Noble in paper format.
I'm all about twitter and facebook, so can you be sure and add your handles and links here....

Norah’s Twitter: http://twitter.com/norah_wilson  (@norah_wilson)Norah’s Facebook Author Page:  http://www.facebook.com/NorahWilsonWritesNorah’s Website:  http://norahwilsonwrites.com
Trish’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/trishmccallanTrish’s Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/trish.mccallan Trish’s Website: http://trishmccallan.com/Trish’s Blog: http://trishmccallan.blogspot.com/ 


AMAZON LINK: Forged in Fire AMAZON LINK: Every Breath She Takes

iPad GIVEAWAY Norah and Trish are giving away an iPadHERE is the link for details. 

You Can Fix a Bad Page

One of my favorite quotes from Nora Roberts is "You can fix a bad page. You can't fix a blank one."

I remind myself this every time I think I'm not giving enough emotion or conflict or something to the pages of my work in progress. Not everyday will the perfect words manifest from my fingertips to the page. On those days, when I feel like I don't know what the hell I'm doing...or that I have the reading world fooled. That I SUCK! I say wait, Catherine...you can go back and fix a bad page. I can go back and add a missing scene.

If you've visited my blog before you know my #1 advice to all writers is to WRITE. It doesn't matter if it's a bad day, good day, the muse took a vacation... writers need to make a habit out of writing to get the job done.

I'm working through my first round of edits on a book I have a deadline on...and last night I went to bed thinking that I needed to fix a few things...things that just weren't singing for me mid book. This morning I went in, read where I thought there was a problem, and 'boom' I knew exactly what it was missing.

So I went in and fixed a bad page. I did that because I forced myself to write the day the original scene was written. But I didn't let the 'need for more' stop me from writing.

Writer's Block is something that keeps a writer from getting to the next page because they know something isn't right with the one they're on. But if a writer forces something, anything, down on the page they push past the problem and then can go back in and fix it.

You can fix a bad page!

Make Welcome, Laurin Wittig

Please make welcome, Laurin Wittig. This lovely and talented author was one of the first authors to publish her books with Amazon Montlake when they launched their imprint last year. I've asked her to tell us a few things about her experience with Montlake Romance and to give us some insight of her life as a writer. 

·         How has Amazon Montlake been to work with?

I admit I was skeptical when Montlake approached me about being part of their launch. My personal experience with traditional publishing was, shall we say, less than positive. My experience with indie publishing was the complete opposite so I wasn’t even thinking about ever working with a publisher again, but my conversations with Montlake and what I was hearing from other authors who were working with them or with other publishing imprints at Amazon, plus the lure of their amazing marketing muscle, convinced me to take a leap with them. My editor and the author team are great to work with. It’s remarkable to work with a publisher who truly sees the author as a partner in the publication process. The author-centric emphasis is unlike anything I’ve ever heard of for anything other than those perennial top 10 bestsellers. I’m thrilled with what they’ve accomplished with the two books they brought out in February - marketing is on-going - and I’m looking forward to seeing what they do with the three new books they’ve bought from me.

·         What do you think about self publishing?
I love it, but it is a lot of work. The total control over my work is a heady experience, but that also means I am responsible for both the things that work, and the things that don’t. In addition to creating the books, I had to learn marketing – something that I still have to keep up with for my indie title since what works for marketing indie books seems to change week to week and it’s not something that comes naturally to me. I do think it is incredibly important for anyone considering self-publishing to make sure that they spend the time to produce a quality product. That means not just a great story, well written and professionally edited/copyedited, but also a professional quality cover, web site, social networks presence, etc., etc., etc. Self-publishing is an incredible new opportunity that I often recommend to writers I meet. It very literally changed my life.
·         What do you love about being a writer?
I love those moments when I get so engrossed in the story and characters that I’m creating that I forget everything around me and get lost in the world I’m creating. Time stops and the words just flow. Yummy. I also love meeting/hearing from readers who love my books and ask for more. That’s just as yummy!

·         What do you hate about being a writer?
I hate those times where the words don’t want to come and my characters get balky, refusing to cooperate with my “perfect plot”. Usually it’s because the plot is not perfect or I’m asking the characters to do something out of character for them. But really, I created them. Shouldn’t they do as I wish? Clearly characters are like children – they have minds of their own which can be a great thing, except when it isn’t.
·         If there was one thing about the industry you could change, what would it be?
A few years ago I would have said that publishers should respect the creators of the stories and treat them as knowledgeable partners in the publishing process, paying them appropriately and fairly. Now I’ve found a publisher who does all of that (have I mentioned how much I love working with Montlake Romance?), plus I always have the option of publishing myself. So even though the entire industry hasn’t moved in that direction yet, those dragging their feet against the changes happening around them will have to figure out how to work fairly with authors soon or even more authors will jump ship into the self-publishing/new publishing (like Amazon) waters. The entire industry is in such a state of flux right now I’m excited to see how it continues to evolve, driven by empowered authors for a change!
·         Nearly all romance novels have shhh, sex, in them. How do you answer the never ending question, Why do you write THAT kind of book? Or even better… How do you do your RESEARCH?
My first experience with this sort of question was when my aunt called me to "complain" that I'd kept her up too late three nights in a row with my first book. Then she lowered her voice and said, "But how do you know about all that... you know?" My reply? "I'm 40 years old and have two children. How do you think I know about all that "you know?" Of course I'm older than that now and have received this question many more times so now I answer it this way: Sex is an important part of any committed relationship. How could I write a book about two people falling in love and not include sex? As for the "How do you do your research?" question, I find a wide grin and a twinkle in my eye suffices.
·         What do you like better, Twitter or Facebook? Why?
I like Twitter best because it’s quick and brief, but I’m finally beginning to see the power of Facebook as a way to connect with readers. Truly, though, I’m not very well versed in the finer points of either of them.
·         And the most important question ever... Do you roll your toilet paper over the roll or under the roll?
Definitely over! I’m bad about re-racking the roll if it’s on the wrong way.

                        Tell us about your latest release and were we can find it.
Charming the Shrew and Daring the Highlander (The Legacy of MacLeod series) were released on Valentine's Day this year from Montlake Romance. They are set in the medieval Scottish Highlands and are packed with a plot against the king, a race through the snowy Highlands, disguises, castles, family secrets, and of course wonderful, unexpected romances. Both books are now available in paperback, ebook and as audio books.

                 I'm all about twitter and facebook, so can you be sure and add your handles and links here....
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LaurinWittig (@LaurinWittig)Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LaurinWittigP... http://pinterest.com/laurinwittig/ Website: http://laurinwittig.com

Laurin will be appearing at the Fall for the Book Festival in Fairfax, Virginia, on Saturday, September 29th at noon with fellow Virginia Romance Writers authors. Information is available here: 

Pick up your copy of Charming the Shrew HERE Pick up your copy of Daring the Highlander HERE 

Six Sentence Sunday ~ Not Quite Dating

I'm taking a short break from my writing this morning to post a lil' tease for my Fall release:

In this scene Jessie is explaining to her 'friend' Jack that she is 'Not Quite Dating', about her list of desired qualities in a man.


“No bums, rich or not. A man has to make his own living. I don’t want someone who will drown if the stock market drops. The guy has to be able to dig himself back out.” Jessie glanced over the heads again. “So let me get this straight. Rich, not too fat, self made, young... did I leave anything out?” “He’s gotta like kids.” Jack blew out a long breath. “That’s a tall order, darlin’. You sure that kind of guy is out there?”             It was a lofty list. “I’m not sure of anything, Jack. This was your idea.” 



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Here's the Blurb:


Waitress and single mom Jessica “Jessie” Mann is practical to a fault. Even if she had time to date, which she doesn’t, she’d be determined to provide her son with a more secure upbringing than the one she had—and that would mean a husband with big bucks. When Jack Morrison—a sexy-as-sin, seemingly broke customer with a cowboy hat and a seductive grin—tries to flirt with her, she shoots him down. She doubts a carefree dreamer like Jack can provide the financial stability she needs. Yet with Christmas just weeks away, and Jessie not wanting to spend it alone, the charming Texan is proving hard to resist.
As the heir to the Morrison luxury hotel empire, Jack is used to being fawned over. But Jack needs someone who will fall in love with him—not his wealth. He’s set his sights on Jessie, though her hardened heart just might get in the way…To be sure, he conceals his true identity and offers to help Jessie find the rich husband she seeks. But Jack’s daring charade may rob him of the holiday wish he wants most of all…
Available Now for Pre-Order on Amazon & Barnes & Noble

I'm on a deadline!

Deadlines...love 'em or hate 'em?

I've just signed another contract, which I'll tell all of you about soon enough. But that means that I'm crazy busy with deadlines for books that you'll all be reading over the next year.

Having a deadline forces me to focus on the important things with my writing. And it tends to pull me away from the chatty side of life. For that I'm super sorry but I hope the pay off for all of us will work out.

For those authors out there I really want to know if you work better or worse with a deadline.

I'm liking it. When I sit down to write I have a goal each day. That doesn't mean I meet it, but I try...and even if I have to delete pages that aren't working I still manged to get something done.

With all the distractions life gives you it's easy to fall 'out of the habit' or writing.

Deadlines make you write.

Before the Moon Rises is FREE

That's right... I'm giving away free copies of Before the Moon Rises for a couple of weeks on Amazon and Smashwords and iBooks. I can't seem to get it up for free on B&N but I'm working on it.

So by all means, download this short werewolf novella and check out the paranormal side of Catherine Bybee. I have one you know...the side that goes bump in the night.


Of course if you enjoy Before the Moon Rises you can move on over to Embracing the Wolf. Richard and Kate's story is a little longer and a little sexier!