Susan Hanniford Crowley's Blog: From Nights of Passion Blog, page 131

Cronwall, Crossroads, and Castles… An Author Interview by Ripley Proserpina

This week, I am featuring the paranormal romance author, RM Walker. RM’s series, The Seer, is about a young woman who learns about magic after moving with her artist mother to a new home. RM’s book also has a reverse harem twist, with four love interests, and is one of my favorites I’ve read so far. RM agreed to answer my very specific questions— satisfying my love of history, spooky stories, and England!! Enjoy!

You live in England-will you share the creepiest bit of history near where you live?

Oh gosh, there are loads to be honest. The market town I live in has a lot of old buildings that are haunted. There are remnants from the Benedictine Abbey that was first built in 961 AD, making it one of the oldest Abbey’s . There are plenty of tales of ghostly monks, murdered servants, and headless coachmen who ride through here.

But I think for me there are two favourites.

Kity Jay’s grave.

Ann Jay was a 18th century farmworker. The farmer’s son had his wicked way with her and then disowned her when she fell pregnant. In those days, suicides could not be buried on consecrated land and were, instead, buried at crossroads. The belief was that by burying them at crossroads the spirits would be too confused to find their way back to haunt the living. So, poor Kity was buried at crossroads on Dartmoor.

It’s a sad story, but the twist in it is that every day from when she was buried, right up to today, a fresh bunch of flowers are found on her grave every morning. No one knows who puts them there, but locals will tell you that sometimes, late at night, a hooded figure can be seen kneeling by the grave.

I’ve seen the flowers, but never had the courage to go up at night.

Are We Truly Wearing a Costume on Halloween? By Katie Salidas (Contest Included)

Nights of Passion is excited to welcome Katie Salidas!

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Halloween is my favorite holiday of the year. Costumes. Candy. Crazy parties that will no doubt end up leaving a trail of social media fodder for years to come.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve got a few blackmail photos floating around. And you know you do too….

It may be the night where the veil is thinnest allowing a peek into the otherworld, but truth be told, it’s a night to step out of your own skin and embrace your fantasy life. We all wear the mask of normalcy in our daily lives. In our interactions with others we have to maintain the appearance of what is expected. You wear the business suit when you’re heading into a meeting. You don the apron when you are cooking for a dinner party. You glam it up to the max when you’re about to paint the town red. But, on Halloween, you can throw caution to the wind and let the mask slip. Sure, they call it a costume, but really it’s just revealing your own secret alter ego. Living the fantasy if only for that one night. You can be whatever your imagination dreams up, or play as a character in your favorite story. Undercover agent. Deadly and mysterious vampire. Mistress of Enchantment. Dragon rider. Hey, maybe we you want to be a sexy nurse. It’s all good!

Dammit, I am the mother of freaking dragons. So, that’s the costume I’m wearing this [image error]year. Well, my own version of it. Try as I might, I just can’t seem to get my dark hair to go platinum blonde. But hey, they make wigs for that, right?

That’s the beauty of this holiday. And one of the many reasons I became a writer. Living in the fantasy. As an author, I’m allowed to exist (in my head) in fantastical realms on a daily basis. I can experience the magic and go on adventures with characters I wish I could be. In my Chronicles of the Uprising series, I lived the life of Mira, a Vampire Gladiator fighting for survival on a quest for freedom. In my Olde Town Pack series, I ran with the wolves of Massachusetts, uncovering secret plots to destroy the fragile peace between the supernatural races. And as my Author alter ego, Rozaline Sparks, I met a pair of sexy vampire twins at the Fantasy Fetish Halloween ball here in Las Vegas.

Daily life takes its toll, we all know that. And for that reason, I believe so many adults really latch on to this holiday. We can claim it is just a bit of fun, but the truth is, donning those costumes is as much therapy as it is fun. We all need that night to truly let loose.

Want to know a little about me?

Find all my books on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Katie-Salidas/e/B003APXXWO

Katie Salidas is a best-selling author known for her unique genre-blending style that led to the award-winning Paranormal Dystopian Thriller: Dissension.

Host of the Indie YouTube Talk show, “Spilling Ink”, nerd, Doctor Who fangirl, Las Vegas Native, and SuperMom to three awesome kids, Katie gives new meaning to the term sleep-deprived.

Since 2010 she’s penned four bestselling book series: the Immortalis, Olde Town Pack, Little Werewolf, and the RONE award-winning Chronicles of the Uprising. And as her not-so-secret alter ego, Rozlyn Sparks, she is a USA Today bestselling author of romance with a naughty side.

Find out more about Katie Salidas by visiting her website and signing up to be a VIP Reader with access to exclusive FREE books and sales.

http://www.katiesalidas.com

Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Katie-Salidas-Author/214780936916

Twitter

http://twitter.com/QuixoticKatie

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Katie-Salidas/e/B003APXXWO

Chronicles of the Uprising   (about each book in the series)

Dissension

Everyone joked about the end of the world, but when it finally happened no one was [image error]laughing.

In the dark, militant society that rose up in the aftermath of the apocalypse, vampires once thought to be mythical, have been discovered, assimilated, and enslaved. Used for blood sport in the gladiatorial arena, their immortal lives are allowed to continue only for the entertainment of the human masses.

Mira, a proven warrior with a blade as sharp as her fangs, has spent the last thirty years in the arena, where life and death are determined by the stroke of a sword. Finally she sees an opportunity to escape. But the path to freedom leads her straight to Lucian Stavros, the city’s regent, a human, and the man directly responsible for her people’s enslavement.

Mira’s survival depends on her ability to play the deadliest game of all: to earn the trust of her enemy.

Complication

Honor or freedom. Mira can only choose one.     [image error]

Narrowly escaping death at the hands of the Magistrate, and with the Iron Gate army close behind, Mira travels west, toward the coast with three human fugitives, searching for the mythical land of Sanctuary.

After encountering a pack of wolf shifters, headed by the charismatic-and brazen-Stryker, Mira learns that Sanctuary is real after all.

Caldera Grove: home of the Otherkin. Hidden in the mouth of a dormant volcano, it has protected its residents from humans since the early days following the great cataclysm.

For Mira- a vampire-Caldera is a land of peace; an escape from the relentless persecution of the humans who once enslaved her, and an end to the daily struggle and bloodshed of being a gladiator.

For the humans accompanying her, Caldera Grove means death. Trespassers are destroyed before they can penetrate its borders.

Follow Stryker toward freedom and peace, or honor the humans who risked everything to aid her escape, and stand and fight against the army of humans closing in on them?

A choice must be made, and Mira alone will have to shoulder the consequences.

Revolution

Peace is an illusion. Blood, violence, and death follow Mira like shadows.   [image error]

Battle lines have been drawn between human and Otherkin, and a bloody war is on the horizon: one that will end in either a shift in the world’s balance of power…or ultimate destruction.

In spite of their strength, powers, and a rage known only by the oppressed, the Otherkin are evenly matched by the superior numbers of the human army. To tip the balance in their favor, the Otherkin need more soldiers – and their only options are the Gladiators of New Haven city.

Mira is sent across enemy lines to recruit any able-bodied vampires to her cause. But what she discovers along the way will blur the lines between friends and enemies. Seeds of doubt weaken Mira’s allegiance, and she finds herself torn between the old masters who used her as entertainment and the new ones who consider her as nothing more than a weapon.

As the war draws near, Mira will have to decide what she is truly fighting for.

Transition

Peace is just a breath between battles for Mira. Hardened by slavery and war, she longs for [image error]the simpler life, knowing that it might never be hers to enjoy. There is always another battle waiting to be fought, another foe on the horizon. Peace between humans, vampires, and otherkin may be nothing more than a dream, but Mira holds out hope.

It is during this brief respite that Mira is gifted one of her greatest weapons. Though it brings with it memories of a time when she was not so jaded, it also comes with a reminder of terrible pain and loss. Awakening deeply hidden emotions within her, if Mira can use this to her advantage, she’ll have a new ally in the next battle to come.

Retribution

Immortality is never guaranteed…

As much as Mira dreams of a simpler existence, blood and violence are her way of life.   [image error]Former gladiator turned freedom fighter, she has carved a trail from New Haven to Caldera Grove and back, freeing her people, the vampires, from enslavement by the humans.

But with victory almost within reach, a new and powerful enemy emerges. One who’ll be satisfied with nothing less than complete subjugation–or destruction–of all supernatural beings.

With a secret army of his own, he’s more than prepared for any resistance Mira and her patchy rebel forces can offer, and demands their immediate surrender.

Never one to back away from a fight, Mira believes she’s ready for anything. But with the battle lines drawn she will be forced to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Kill or be killed.

Annihilation



Death is the easy way out.

Still clinging rabidly to power, the Elites spin lies of prejudice and hatred, stoking the [image error]flames of war.

The sole driving force toward peace, Mira, had sacrificed everything. But her strength alone was not enough.

It will take the strength of many to finish what she started. As the world lurches toward war, each party has much to lose. Human. Vampire. Otherkin. The only outcomes are peace… or death.

 

 

 Other Series and Books by Katie Salidas are:

 The Olde Town Pack: Mated, Moonlight, and Being Alpha

Characters in this book series also belong to the Immortalis Series and Little Werewolf series by Katie Salidas.

The Immortalis Series: Carpe Noctem, Hunters & Prey, Pandora’s Box, Soulstone, Dark Salvation

Little Werewolf Series: Pretty Little Werewolf, Curious Little Werewolf, Fearless Little Werewolf

(Contest! Contest! Contest!)

What are you going to be for Halloween?

Let me know by commenting and include your email, and you’ll be entered in my CHRONICLES OF THE UPRISING giveaway.

One winner will be selected to receive the entire Ebook collection of the CHRONICLES OF THE UPRISING!

(ebook formats: Kindle and Epub)

Books in the series: Dissension, Complication, Revolution, Transition, Retribution, and Annihilation

This contest is worldwide and ends at midnight Eastern time on Oct. 30th, 2017. Void where prohibited by law. Good luck!

Thanks, Susan, for having me on Nights of Passion!

Filed under: Chronicles of the Uprising Series, Genre-bending Paranormal Fantasy, K.A. Salidas, Katie Salidas

Just Released! by Stacy Hoff

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Yea! It’s here! The second book in my “Building Love” series! I’m breaking out the champaign, and breaking into my happy dance. I hope people love this second installment of my soap-opera drama series. (Each book can be read as a stand-alone novel.)

For those new to the “Building Love” series, here’s a bit about it.

HOTTER THAN THE CARIBBEAN – In the Caribbean, the secrets, sex, and scandals are hotter!

Book blurb  for HOTTER THAN THE CARIBBEAN (Building Love #2)

Luis Serrano, the unwanted love child of a hotel construction magnate, is determined to reach his father’s level of success. When Luis finds himself pitted against his half-brother for control over their ailing father’s company, sibling rivalry comes to a head. The stakes are high—the brother that best completes their portion of the Caribbean construction project will gain control over the entire company. To win, Luis hires an interior design firm. But the firm will have to perform difficult work under serious time constraints.

Melanie Merritt is used to sibling rivalry. She’s always been second best to her older sister, the “golden child” of their parent’s interior design firm. Melanie’s desire is to be an artist. She works for her family to appease them. Her newest task is to implement a complex project for Luis Serrano in an impossibly short deadline. If she fails, her family’s company may go bankrupt. But Melanie can’t keep her too-creative ideas away from her family, and the client.

Completing work on time won’t be easy. Especially when dual sibling rivalries threaten to destroy the project—and a passion hotter than the Caribbean.

Amazon buy link for HOTTER THAN THE CARIBBEAN: http://amzn.to/2xW3WtJ

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BETTING ON LOVE IN VEGAS – Love is the biggest gamble of all

Book blurb for BETTING ON LOVE IN VEGAS (Building Love #1)

Catherine “Cat” Warner has problems. The profits from her inns are down. The pressure from her parents is up. Her love life is non-existent. But Cat did manage to get the attention of tough, powerful, gorgeous hotel magnate Ty Orland. Unfortunately, his interest in her is for all the wrong reasons. Instead of wanting Cat, this debonair CEO only wants her land—a parcel he desperately needs for his next big development deal. Too bad, it’s not for sale. A people pleaser by nature, Cat knows to stand strong. If she caves in to the demands of this sexy, alluring man, it will be her own neck on the line.

Ty Orland has a lot of things going for him. Success. Power. Respect. Unfortunately, he’s also got an old chip on his shoulder and a new financial nightmare. His development deal is going down in flames—and fast. His only way out is if Cat sells him her strategically located parcel. But romancing the land from her is not easy when love gets in the way. The woman is as beautiful as she is beguiling. And Ty no longer knows which prize is more valuable.

BETTING ON LOVE IN VEGAS (BUILDING LOVE series, #1)

NOW AVAILABLE IN PRINT: https://www.amazon.com/Betting-Love-Vegas-Stacy-Hoff/dp/1682913422/

Kindle version: http://amzn.to/2kAgBvK

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SIGN UP FOR MY NEWSLETTER! http://eepurl.com/bG0HZD

WEBSITE & SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS FOR STACY HOFF:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorStacyHoff

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/authorStacyHoff

Web: http://www.stacyhoff.com

 

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JOCKEYING FOR YOU print version http://amzn.to/2eanq2o

JOCKEYING FOR YOU Kindle version http://amzn.to/2c8Hi5t

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DESIRE IN THE ARCTIC print version http://amzn.to/2cubwCf

DESIRE IN THE ARCTIC kindle version http://amzn.to/1KjfP9V

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DESIRE IN THE EVERGLADES print version http://amzn.to/2dXO1zV

DESIRE IN THE EVERGLADES Kindle version http://amzn.to/1YEseie

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LAWFULLY YOURS print version http://amzn.to/2e6Ug8k

LAWFULLY YOURS Kindle version http://amzn.to/1Ky5CZm 

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Filed under: A writer's life, New Release, Publications, romance, Stacy Hoff

Imagination Halloween

My neighborhood loves Halloween! So I know the Spooktacular actually starts next week but I’ve got another blog prepared for that. Besides, Halloween is just so much fun and year after year, it just seems to get bigger and bigger.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I’m into the commercial part of Halloween. Like any holiday, it sours me to think of it as purely a money making venture. What I love about Halloween really is the fact that it is the only holiday we celebrate a bit of the darker side. No cupids or pink fluffy bunnies. No smiling turkeys or jolly elves. I love all of those things too but Halloween is so unique in that we aim to spook each other.

The funny thing is that I’m an absolute wimp when it comes to the really scary movies. I won’t watch them and as for books, my imagination is worse than anything anyone can describe. I won’t even crack them open or read the back page summary!

So why am I so excited about Halloween if I’m such a wimp? Well, it really is just fun to see folks decorating their house, getting into the spirit, getting creative. We spend so much time bound by reality that most often than not, us Corporate America folks don’t necessarily let the imagination run wild. And why not? Don’t we deserve a bit of fun every now and then? Go on, have at it!

Happy writing this week!

Filed under: A writer's life, romance, Toni Kelly

Finishing My Second Audio Book by Mandy Rosko

Part of my mission with Patreon hasn’t been to just get books out there, but to also get audio books out. I’m not at the point yet where I can produce an audiobook every month, or even every other month, but in the year that I’ve done this I’ve just signed off on my second novella in audio format

Darkening Skies Paranormal-Scope

The wind blows and fallen leaves scurry down the street. Enjoy the moments! Special times are coming.

While I am not qualified in any way to read neither stars nor planets, I am intimately linked to the paranormal in the world in many ways. So are you.

The paranormal-scope is for entertainment purposes only and is not meant to guide your life by.

The week for:

Aries:

Pixies can be little devils. Try to stay out of their way.

Taurus:

Elves dance a lot. It’s good for them. It’s good exercise and lightens the heart. Dance more.

Gemini:

Werewolves get the dry itches this time of year. Are you taking care of your skin? See a doctor if you need to.

Cancer:

Shapeshifters like to squeeze their shapes into form flattering attire. Be careful. Breathing is important too. Get some clothes to relax in as well.

Leo:

A dragon is a terrible thing to waste. Don’t waste time. Spend it with someone precious to you that ignites your heart.

Virgo:

Vampires are preparing for a party. Make sure the food is plenty and the blood.. um… wine flows.

Libra:

Faeries are opening doors for you. Be watchful for new opportunities.

Scorpio:

The allure of a mermaid may misguide you. Be practical and check out all life-changing decisions carefully.

Sagittarius:

Sirens sing of a new project. All your hard work may bear fruit soon. Stay focused.

Capricorn:

Goblins are counting their money and putting a budget in place. Do the same.

Aquarius:

Zombies don’t always walk aimlessly. Sometimes they are following a dream. Follow your dream.

Pisces:

Aslan walks down your street. Time for inner reflection. Embrace that inner child of yours and play.

-Susan

Susan Hanniford Crowley, Amazon Kindle Bestselling Author of Vampire Romance

www.susanhannifordcrowley.com

Where love burns eternal and whispers in the dark!

NEW: Vampire Princess of New York, Arnhem Knights of New York, Book 2 available in Kindle! Available now in Barnes and Noble Print

Vampire King of New York, Arnhem Knights of New York, Book 1 available in Kindle and Print and  Barnes and Noble Print

Vampire in the Basement, Vampires in Manhattan, Book 4 available in Kindle.

Poseidon’s Catch (mythology romance) available in Kindle.

Mrs. Bright’s Tea Room (steampunk romance) available in Kindle.

A Vampire for Christmas,Vampires in Manhattan, Book 3 available in Kindle.

The Stormy Love Life of Laura Cordelais, Vampires in Manhattan, Book 2 available in Kindle and Print and Barnes and Noble Print

When Love , Vampires in Manhattan Book 1 available in Kindle and Print, Nook, Kobo and Smashwords.

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Filed under: A Vampire for Christmas, Max Vander Meer, Norse, paranormal, paranormal romance, romance, romance novels, Susan Hanniford Crowley, The Stormy Love Life of Laura Cordelais, vampire books, Vampire David Hilliard, Vampire King of New York, Vampire King of New York In Print, Vampire Maximillion Vander Meer, vampires, Viking, Weekly Paranormal-Scope, Yule

Darkness, Demons, and Devotion. An Author Interview…by Ripley Proserpina

This month I am featuring paranormal romance authors, and this week, I want to introduce you to Canadian writer, Marina Simcoe. Over the summer, I read her wonderful dark and moving romance, Demon Mine. She agreed to answer my questions, and share the artwork her story inspired. Enjoy!!!

Your first book, Demon Mine, released this year. How long have you been writing and how’d you make the leap to publishing? 

Demon Mine is my very first book, and I have been trilled by the response I have been getting from people who read it and loved it! Somebody told me once that your books are like your children: you spend so much time nurturing the idea and putting it down on the paper, but then you have to release the books into the world and hope that they make it out there on their own. I feel so good for Demon Mine because it had managed to find its readers, the people who love it.

It took me about four months to write it, and I’d had the idea brewing in my head for months before that. I wanted to write an out-of-this-world love story that starts in a very dark place, but thrives despite the circumstances. I’ve heard some positive responses on world-building in Demon Mine, but really it was meant to be a love story first and foremost.

I didn’t even think about publishing it at first. I just wanted to write a book that I would like to read myself. Once the story was complete, however, I thought that maybe others would like to read it as well and looked into publishing it then. I was amazed to find how straight-forward the self-publishing process has become. It brought so many new books directly to readers. There are books for everyone out there, in every niche and genre. Now, the main challenge for any book is to find its own readers. I am very glad that Demon Mine seems to be doing it.

You have a beautiful cover, and I’ve seen artwork associated with your book. Where did you get the beautiful portrait? 

With small exceptions here and there, all artwork for my books is done by the Canadian artist Marina Thompson. She considers herself a hobbyist and doesn’t work on commission right now. She’s just started to learn digital painting, and I was lucky enough to have her “practice” digital art by illustrating my books. Our vision on style and characters seem to be similar enough for it to work very well so far.

https://marinathompson.deviantart.com

Demon Mine is about an incubus who falls in love with a human. What interested you about this sort of creature? 

Incubus is a sex demon! He feeds on sexual energy and has only one way to obtain it – by providing pleasure to the person he is feeding off. This alone makes an incubus an intriguing hero for a romance story, doesn’t it? Far more exciting and much less intimidating than sucking blood from a woman he loves, like vampires tend to do, right? Yet, there are so many romance books about vampires. Surprisingly, there isn’t that many romance books with incubus as a main character. Incubi are mostly depicted as villains in horror and erotica books. I thought I could try to change that. Who doesn’t like a good redemption story where the bad guy finally sees the light?

One of my favorite things about this book is that your female MC, Alyssa, falls in love with her demon without ever seeing his face. This is such a unique idea, what prompted it? 

In Demon Mine, the conflict between demons and people effectively isolates both groups from one another. The main characters have to overcome many obstacles even before they can have a real conversation: Alyssa can’t see her demon’s face; he is not allowed to talk to her or to touch her skin without gloves. Personally, I love slow-burning romances, and this allowed me to focus on other things first – before any dialogue took place – on how their actions and behaviours towards each other ignited the first sparks of caring and attraction. Both, Alyssa and Sytrius are forced to appreciate what they are for each other before they get to meet face to face and have a talk.

Tell us about the world of Demon Mine. It’s pretty dark. 

It is, especially at the beginning. The main idea of the book is the light of love born from the darkness. My intention was to have the darkness at the beginning make the light shine that much brighter for the rest of the book. It also shows Alyssa’s perseverance under the circumstances. On the very first page, she is the closest to lose all hope. She’d given up and is ready to die. Her state of mind is what triggers the tiny flicker of compassion in Sytrius, the first glimpse of humanity in him. He gives her hope, and she holds on to it no matter how grim her situation is at the time. Hope and love are the light that conquers the darkness at the end.

Your next book, The Real Thing, is about a magician. What can you tell us about this story? 

The Real Thing is a love story as well. It is lighter than Demon Mine, but I hope it does have the same feel of love and acceptance as I was trying to convey in Demon Mine.

The Real Thing reads more like a contemporary romance with some paranormal elements. The characters, relationships and conflicts of the story come from our world. The theme of family love and support is also strong in this book, as well as the topic of being different from the norm.

However, like all my books, The Real Thing is first and foremost a larger-than-life love story. This one has a mysterious man, magical sex and an evil villain!

The Real Thing is to be released in November 2017. It is now on Goodreads. Here you can read the synopsis, see Ms. Thompson’s illustrations and add it to your TBR list:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36375796-the-real-thing

Finally, it’s October and Halloween is coming up. What would we find your demon and magician doing this Halloween? 

This one is easy! They both will spend Halloween with the women they love. Sytrius and Alyssa are travelling, so I’m not sure where Halloween would catch them exactly, maybe some very exotic place? Well, Marcus and Angela will most definitely have one of their stay-in dates at the ranch house. They’ll cuddle on the porch and watch the sunset.

Links

Demon Mine: www.amazon.com/dp/B071YRFQCZ

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36060680-demon-mine

The Real Thing: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36375796-the-real-thing

Follow:

https://www.facebook.com/MarinaSimcoeAuthor/

http://www.amazon.com/author/marinasimcoe

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16797219.Marina_Simcoe

Bio:

Marina Simcoe likes to write sweet and sexy love stories with characters that may or may not be entirely human. She firmly believes that our contemporary world could use a little bit of extraordinary!

She has lots of fun exploring how her out-of-this-world characters with their own set of beliefs, values and aspirations fit into our everyday life.

The Real Thing Excerpt!!!!

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“Move it, Angela, if you don’t want to get lost! I’m not going to spend New Year’s Eve searching for you in this city!”

We were in New York, almost in the middle of Times Square now. My brother Evan moved forward like an icebreaker, parting the crown with his wide shoulders and pulling Lily by her arm in his wake.

My best friend Emily and her fiancé Mikey were so far ahead of us already that I could no longer see them.

Evan was right; it was way too easy to get lost here in the crowd. It seemed it was just as easy to get crushed or trampled to death, especially if you were a girl of an average height with an average muscle tone. The four-inch heels of my fabulous boots weren’t helping my speed either.

“I’m coming! Just slow down a little!” I yelled out to Evan, ignoring the annoyed look Lily was giving me over her shoulder.

I didn’t want to remind her that I didn’t have a manly wide back parting the crowd in front of me and had to rely on my very own elbow power, which wasn’t much. I didn’t want to admit that I actually really missed Matt right now, for the first time since we broke up last month. I wasn’t even sure if I missed him specifically, or just the feeling of having someone by my side to share the moment.

I knew it wouldn’t be easy to go on this trip as the fifth wheel with two couples, but Evan and Emily had been my best friends and, lately, my only friends.  They, along with their significant others, were the only people I ever did anything with whenever I could squeeze any social life between my two jobs.

I wasn’t regretting coming along. I just couldn’t help feeling a little lonely surrounded by couples in love. I knew it would only get worse once the ball dropped and everyone started kissing…

Well, it could have been worse. I could have been sitting on the couch in my empty apartment with only Lannister, my cat, for company.

Finally, using my own shoulders and elbows and throwing a good cursing here and there, I made my way through the crowd and caught up with Evan and Lily in front of the Olive Garden building at 2 Times Square, right across from the huge bright billboards. Mikey and Emily were already there, waiting by the metal fence at the edge of the crowd of people, squeezed between the fence and the skyscrapers.

The crowd, the loud noise and the bright lights were a little overwhelming even for me. I lived, worked and studied in downtown Toronto and was used to living in a big city, dodging traffic and ignoring construction noise every day. What was happening here right now, though, equaled all my experiences multiplied by a hundred!

“There he is! Look!” shouted somebody in the crowd, and I cranked my neck up, following everyone else around me.

The biggest of the billboards across from us shimmered with dancing lights, and his masked face appeared on the screen.

Marcus the Magnificent, the up-and-coming magician – or illusionist as I heard they preferred to be called – the newest Internet sensation, according to my brother, who was generally easily influenced and liked everything new and shiny. I, on the other hand, believed that I inherited the more pragmatic mind from our father, the retired math teacher.

Marcus the Magnificent was the opening act of this year’s show in Times Squares, followed by the concert and the traditional ball drop.

Marcus was going to walk between the rooftops of two buildings on Times Square, on nothing but air.

I heard gasps in the crowd and realized that it had gotten significantly quieter. The noise had subdued. I squinted my eyes to see a dark figure standing on the edge of the roof, hundreds of feet up above us.

From down here, I could only see his dark silhouette backlit by several spotlights. I could just make out the long mane of his dark hair whipping in the wind and the outline of his long coat.

I could see him much more clearly on the screen above us, though. He was dressed in black: a long trench coat, leather pants and tall heavy boots. His straight jet-black hair was much longer than I had seen on any man in person. It must have reached his waist at least. His hair was unbound, and the long strands lashed in the wind across his face. A black half-mask covered the upper half of his face, from the top of his forehead down past the cheekbones.

He stood on the very edge of the roof, on the outer side of the railings, with the toes of his leather boots extending past the edge.

There was no introduction, not even a pre-show to create tension and build anticipation. He didn’t say anything and didn’t even care to wait until all attention was on him. He simply placed his foot forward and moved off the roof into the abyss.

The crowd gasped as one physical entity. The breath caught in my own throat, as I half expected him to fall over the edge and hit the ground in a bloody mess.

He didn’t fall, though. He remained where he was, suspended in the air, halfway between the sky and the earth.

He took another step forward, slowly but without hesitation. Then another step. And another.

In slow, measured steps he made his way across the sky between the two buildings, above the thousands of people below. The cold winter wind caught the ends of his trench coat and made them flap violently against his boots. The hair flew across his face, completely obstructing his eyes at times. Nothing seemed to faze him.  He kept taking slow, confident steps on nothing but air for support.

The crowd below seemed to have found its voice again. People shouted encouragements and offered their guesses on how the illusion was accomplished. Most snapped pictures and took bad videos with their cellphones.

“Isn’t it cool, dude!” I heard the excited voice of my brother shouting in my ear.

“He should have put his hair into a ponytail,” came the aloof voice of Lily. “It’s a mess. How can he see where he is going?”

“He is so hot! Angela, isn’t he hot?” Emily hugged me by the shoulders.

“It’s the mask,” boomed Mikey’s deep voice next to me. “Everyone looks hot in a black mask. Even I would look hot and mysterious if I wore one.”

“Sure you would, honey!” laughed Emily and got on her tiptoes to place a quick kiss on Mikey’s chin. It was as far as she could reach, even when standing on her tiptoes: well over six feet tall, Mikey towered over all of us.

I didn’t say anything. I kept watching Marcus as he walked on air. It was a perfectly done illusion. So perfect in fact that it didn’t even feel like an illusion at all. It felt real. I had an elated feeling of wonder and awe as if in the presence of real magic, and I was afraid to breathe, lest I scared it away.

I watched his face, trying to make out his expression behind the mask. What was he thinking at this moment? What would it feel like to create a miracle in front of thousands of people?

The camera zoomed in on his face then, and I got a clear view of his eyes through the slits of the mask.

Suddenly, I knew exactly what he was feeling. His eyes said it all: he was bored!

His head was tilted slightly to the side, and his eyes weren’t focused on anything in particular. He wasn’t looking at the edge of the opposite roof – his destination – nor was he looking down, watching his steps. His eyes had that vacant look, as if he was stuck in traffic or was standing in a grocery checkout line, waiting for the time to pass.

How could he not feel what everyone else was feeling at that moment? My own skin buzzed with excitement for him. He was literally on top of the world right now! He should be enjoying the highest high possible in his occupation! Surely, weeks or even months of planning were spent to bring him to this point. He was pulling off the perfect illusion in front of hundreds of thousands of live spectators and numerous TV cameras! Why did he look like he would rather be somewhere else?

Once the question entered my head, it refused to leave. Instead, it continued to buzz at the back of my mind all through the night – like an annoying fly – demanding to be answered.

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Filed under: Author Interviews, New Release, Ripley Proserpina, romance

Booksigning in Manchester, New Hampshire Today!

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I’ve been attending the Fall in Love with New England Romance Readers and Authors Conference. Today (Sat., Oct. 14, 2017)  is the Booksigning, which is open to the public!

Need some romance? Vampire Princess of New York will be there in print! I will be at:

The Best Western Plus Executive Court Inn

13500 South Willow Street

Manchester, New Hampshire

2 pm – 5 pm

-Susan

Susan Hanniford Crowley, Amazon Kindle Bestselling Author of Vampire Romance

www.susanhannifordcrowley.com

Where love burns eternal and whispers in the dark!

NEW: Vampire Princess of New York, Arnhem Knights of New York, Book 2 available in Kindle! Available now in Barnes and Noble Print

Vampire King of New York, Arnhem Knights of New York, Book 1 available in Kindle and Print and  Barnes and Noble Print

Vampire in the Basement, Vampires in Manhattan, Book 4 available in Kindle.

Poseidon’s Catch (mythology romance) available in Kindle.

Mrs. Bright’s Tea Room (steampunk romance) available in Kindle.

A Vampire for Christmas,Vampires in Manhattan, Book 3 available in Kindle.

The Stormy Love Life of Laura Cordelais, Vampires in Manhattan, Book 2 available in Kindle and Print and Barnes and Noble Print

When Love , Vampires in Manhattan Book 1 available in Kindle and Print, Nook, Kobo and Smashwords.

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Filed under: A Vampire for Christmas, Max Vander Meer, Norse, paranormal, paranormal romance, romance, romance novels, Susan Hanniford Crowley, The Stormy Love Life of Laura Cordelais, vampire books, Vampire David Hilliard, Vampire King of New York, Vampire King of New York In Print, Vampire Maximillion Vander Meer, vampires, Viking, Weekly Paranormal-Scope, Yule

Release Week Anticipation by Stacy Hoff

This coming Wednesday, October 18th, 2017, HOTTER THAN THE CARIBBEAN (Building Love #2), will be released! It’s already available on Amazon for pre-order. I’m beyond excited! This second book in the “Building Love” series will continue my sexy soap-opera drama, set in the resort construction industry. Each book can be read as a stand-alone novel.

The hook line I created for this captures the soap-opera style of the book: “In the Caribbean, the secrets, sex, and scandals are hotter.” 

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Just how much drama will ensue in HOTTER THAN THE CARIBBEAN? Hopefully, as much as in the first book of the “Building Love” series, BETTING ON LOVE IN VEGAS. Each of these novels involves lies, sex, and scandals. Or they wouldn’t be any fun for me to write. (I’ve almost finished writing book #3 in this series, and trust me when I say the lies, sex, and scandals definately continue.)

Book #3 in this series (still unnamed) is slated for release march, 2018. I’m glad people won’t have to wait that long for book #2 – HOTTER THAN THE CARIBBEAN.

Below is the book blurb for HOTTER THAN THE CARIBBEAN. I’d love to know what you think!

Book blurb  for HOTTER THAN THE CARIBBEAN (Building Love #2)

Luis Serrano, the unwanted love child of a hotel construction magnate, is determined to reach his father’s level of success. When Luis finds himself pitted against his half-brother for control over their ailing father’s company, sibling rivalry comes to a head. The stakes are high—the brother that best completes their portion of the Caribbean construction project will gain control over the entire company. To win, Luis hires an interior design firm. But the firm will have to perform difficult work under serious time constraints.

Melanie Merritt is used to sibling rivalry. She’s always been second best to her older sister, the “golden child” of their parent’s interior design firm. Melanie’s desire is to be an artist. She works for her family to appease them. Her newest task is to implement a complex project for Luis Serrano in an impossibly short deadline. If she fails, her family’s company may go bankrupt. But Melanie can’t keep her too-creative ideas away from her family, and the client.

Completing work on time won’t be easy. Especially when dual sibling rivalries threaten to destroy the project—and a passion hotter than the Caribbean.

AMAZON PRE-ORDER BUY LINK FOR HOTTER THAN THE CARIBBEAN:  http://amzn.to/2xW3WtJ

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BETTING ON LOVE IN VEGAS – Love is the biggest gamble of all

Book blurb for BETTING ON LOVE IN VEGAS (Building Love #1)

Catherine “Cat” Warner has problems. The profits from her inns are down. The pressure from her parents is up. Her love life is non-existent. But Cat did manage to get the attention of tough, powerful, gorgeous hotel magnate Ty Orland. Unfortunately, his interest in her is for all the wrong reasons. Instead of wanting Cat, this debonair CEO only wants her land—a parcel he desperately needs for his next big development deal. Too bad, it’s not for sale. A people pleaser by nature, Cat knows to stand strong. If she caves in to the demands of this sexy, alluring man, it will be her own neck on the line.

Ty Orland has a lot of things going for him. Success. Power. Respect. Unfortunately, he’s also got an old chip on his shoulder and a new financial nightmare. His development deal is going down in flames—and fast. His only way out is if Cat sells him her strategically located parcel. But romancing the land from her is not easy when love gets in the way. The woman is as beautiful as she is beguiling. And Ty no longer knows which prize is more valuable.

BETTING ON LOVE IN VEGAS (BUILDING LOVE series, #1)

NOW AVAILABLE IN PRINT: https://www.amazon.com/Betting-Love-Vegas-Stacy-Hoff/dp/1682913422/

Amazon buy link – Kindle version: http://amzn.to/2kAgBvK 

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WEBSITE & SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS FOR STACY HOFF:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorStacyHoff

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/authorStacyHoff

Web: http://www.stacyhoff.com

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JOCKEYING FOR YOU print version http://amzn.to/2eanq2o

JOCKEYING FOR YOU Kindle version http://amzn.to/2c8Hi5t

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DESIRE IN THE ARCTIC print version http://amzn.to/2cubwCf

DESIRE IN THE ARCTIC kindle version http://amzn.to/1KjfP9V

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DESIRE IN THE EVERGLADES print version http://amzn.to/2dXO1zV

DESIRE IN THE EVERGLADES Kindle version http://amzn.to/1YEseie

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LAWFULLY YOURS print version http://amzn.to/2e6Ug8k

LAWFULLY YOURS Kindle version http://amzn.to/1Ky5CZm 

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Filed under: A writer's life, New Release, Pre-Order, Publications, publishing, romance, romance novels, Stacy Hoff

NaNoing My Way Into 2018…A Reboot

I can’t believe it’s already October! Is it just me, or has this year flown by?

Well, November is coming up in a few weeks, which means I’ll have my fingers flying for NaNoWriMo. National Novel Writing Month is something I always try to participate in. It comes toward the end of the year, right before the Holiday grind and a fresh new year. I’m typically depleted of my writerly energies by then, and in desperate need for the camaraderie and sense of teamwork this month provides.

In case you haven’t heard of it, NaNoWriMo is where writers get together and commit to getting 50,000 words done toward a novel. For some that’ll finish an entire book in a month. Awesome, right?

My goal this year is 90,000. I’m doing this for a reboot. I’ve been dithering the past couple of months because I allowed others to take my mojo, to knock the happy right out of my muse. That’s unacceptable.

So, the next few weeks I am going to get my fingers warmed up and my planning done so I can get 3K a day done during November.

If you’re participating, I’d love to keep up with you and cheer you on. Friend me by clicking here. Let me know what you’re working on, what your goals are. I love, love, love to chat about WIPs.

How do you prepare for NaNoWriMo? Any tips or tricks that’ve helped?

Filed under: Cara Carnes, romance, Writing, writing life