Susan Hanniford Crowley's Blog: From Nights of Passion Blog, page 176
July 19, 2016
Putting Stuff Together for My Alpha Team by Mandy Rosko
So I’m finally putting together a quickie little drawing, mascot, whatever you might want to call it, for my Alpha Team.
It’s not so great so far, but I’m hoping that with a few more layers and by messing around with it a little more, I can make it look decent enough to put on some thank you cards, bags, or other types of cool swag as presents, not just for the alpha team, but maybe for my subscribers in general.
I’ve posted my progress on Instagram so far, but it’s far from done. I still need to fix the ears, put in the tail, and add the highlights. I think I have several hours more of messing around with my little chibi alpha girl before she can even be close to finished, so be gentle ;_;
I want my lovely cover artist to put together the Alpha font that would be beneath her. Or above her. Not sure. I just need to color her in more. I have the background ready, but I didn’t take a picture of it yet.
I can’t wait to get her tail in there and to smooth out those ears though. The ears look funny right now on her head since they don’t match her hair. Lol, I was briefly thinking about making her legs hairy since she’s supposed to be an alpha wolf shifter, but I think the ears and tail (when I get it in there) will be enough
Cheers!
~Mandy
Want a free paranormal starter library? Hop on over to mandyrosko.com and join the reader group, and I will send you three free books from my back list right to your inbox!
Filed under: romance
July 18, 2016
The Villain Paranormal-Scope
Summer sizzles! For some people that means barbecues. For others, well…
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:
Frankenstein was conflicted. Doubting your dream can throw additional obstacles in your way. No one said following your bliss was easy. But it’s worth it.
Taurus:
Zombies are running down your street. Time to lay low and let trouble pass you by. Focus on work and reap the benefits.
Gemini:
Dracula was a great communicator just not in the usual ways. New ways of communication will come into your life. You’ll love it, after you learn it.
Cancer:
Darth Vader was a heavy breather. Remember he wasn’t always bad just disappointed in life. Someone is coming back into your life. Be prepared.
Leo:
The Joker knows it’s not a joke to feel sluggish and out of shape. Re-evaluate your fitness routine.
Virgo:
The Wicked Witch of the West did not check out her facts and see what happened to her. New opportunities are coming your way. Check out the facts first.
Libra:
The Green Goblin can’t touch you. A long term project is about to reap rewards. When you celebrate, remember those who are close to you.
Scorpio:
Loki is the trickster. Your choices are many, but take a few days to consider before making a life change.
Sagittarius:
Lex Luther was an evil genius. He knew how to pace himself. Learning this will make your life easier. Pacing yourself. Not the evil genius part.
Capricorn:
Medusa can freeze you in tracks. Don’t let fear paralyze you. Research new technology and get moving again.
Aquarius:
Griffons aren’t really evil. It all depends on your approach. Build time to relax into your schedule. At the same time a formal event on your horizon can be good for your career. Remember it is all in the approach.
Pisces:
Flying monkeys are carrying mail today. Keep up with your contacts. A distant friend may become more important in your life.
-Susan
Susan Hanniford Crowley, Amazon Kindle Bestselling Author of Vampire Romance
www.susanhannifordcrowley.com
Where love burns eternal and whispers in the dark!
Vampire King of New York, Arnhem Knights of New York, Book 1 available in Kindle and Print and Nook and 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.
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
July 16, 2016
A Farewell Letter by Jenna Jaxon
Dear Nights of Passion Family,
Goodbyes are always difficult. I prefer to think of it as goodbye for now because the romance world is a small one. We’ll see each other again.
Still, I am sad to announce that I am leaving Nights of Passion after two and a half wonderful years.
If you’ve seen my post last week for my summer plans, you’ll know the reason I’m having to say goodbye. I’ve recently had the great good fortune to be offered contracts with Kensington Publishing for two more of my House of Pleasure series e-books. And immediately following that joyful email, I received an offer from them of a print contract for the first three books in a Regency series to be called The Widow’s Club.
Even bigger news arrived Thursday. The Widow’s Club series will help launch Kensington’s Lyrical Press print line in January 2018. I and two other authors have currently digital-only series with Lyrical, but Kensington will begin publishing their Lyical authors in print as well, beginning with the three of us. It’s all very exciting and I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of industry coverage of this as the time draws near in just eighteen months.
Meanwhile, I have two of the five contracted books written, but I still have three to write, plus several novellas promised to boxed sets and a novella series of my own not to mention edits for all of them that I will need to finish. This all comes out to a whole lot of writing, which leads to my very hard decision to leave Nights of Passion. I’m setting aside as much time as possible for writing and with that comes the sacrifice of this blog and a reduction in posting on my own blog as well.
I have enjoyed my time at Nights of Passion immensely and I thank Susan Hanniford Crowley for this great opportunity. I hope to visit here more often than not. I also hope to see the patrons of NOP out in the romance world, both authors and readers, sharing our passion for books and reading and romance.
My best to you all and I’ll be seeing you!
Jenna
Filed under: Jenna Jaxon, Writer's life
July 15, 2016
What is Your Favorite Place?
I’ve traveled some and though there are remarkable places that could spar for the title of my favorite place, there is only one that has stayed in my heart since I was a little kid.
This is Gillette Castle in Hadlyme, Connecticut. It’s a state park. This castle was built by William Gillette, an eminent actor, playwright and director in his day. The castle and grounds are breathtaking. I loved it when I was seven, and I still love it.
If you’re from Connecticut you may know what William Gillette was famous for.
He portrayed “Sherlock Holmes” on the stage and became world famous. According to a letter under glass, the author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle credits him with reviving the world’s interest in his stories of the detective. Gillette added the Inverness cape, the pipe, the magnifying glass to the character. Though the deerstalker hat was first drawn in an illustration accompanying an installment of “Sherlock Holmes” by a Strand artist, William Gillette was first to wear it on the stage.
This is the bed of William Gillette.
Even though Gillette was a playwright, he only wrote one novel. A mystery, of course.
Here is part of the main living room in the castle, which has many rooms and even more doors. No two doors are alike. Each is carved in wood and has an intricate and different locking system. The home really has to be seen to be appreciated as the unique Connecticut treasure that it is.
This is a view of the Connecticut River from the castle’s back porch. Of course, this porch is all in stone.
If you want to visit the castle, please, check the website: http://www.ct.gov/deep/cwp/view.asp?a=2716&q=325204&depNav_GID=1650
Its days and hours have changed so checked the website before visiting. The picnic areas on the grounds are beautiful and so are the hiking trails.
I’ve shared the place that always brings a smile to my face. What is your favorite place? I’d love you to share it with us in the comment box.
-Susan
Susan Hanniford Crowley, Amazon Kindle Bestselling Author of Vampire Romance
www.susanhannifordcrowley.com
Where love burns eternal and whispers in the dark!
Vampire King of New York, Arnhem Knights of New York, Book 1 available in Kindle and Print and Nook and 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.
Filed under: A Vampire for Christmas, Max Vander Meer, Norse, paranormal, paranormal romance, romance, romance novels, steampunk romance, Susan Hanniford Crowley, The Stormy Love Life of Laura Cordelais, vampire books, Vampire David Hilliard, Vampire in the Basement, Vampire King of New York, Vampire King of New York In Print, Vampire Maximillion Vander Meer, vampires, Viking, Weekly Paranormal-Scope, When Love Survives, Where do you find inspiration?, Writer Workshops, Yule
July 14, 2016
Writer Relaxation by Stacy Hoff
I’ve been riding a crazy treadmill lately, constantly moving from:
my attorney day job (enough said); and,
2. my chauffeur job, where I drive my kids’ around to all their summer activities (I swear, it’s worse than the school year!); and,
3. my night job as an author (because I’m too masochistic to slow down my publishing schedule).
Geez, it’s hard for me to keep up some times. All right—all of the time. But I do manage to balance. Usually.
Sometimes though, the treadmill is one I have to hop off. If I don’t, I’ll trip up. Or worse, fall down.
The solution? An annual girls’ retreat. And it’s today. I’m headed off to the shoreline for one glorious day with friends. To sip fruity drinks and forget I have any schedule to deal with. I will bask in sunshine and blissful amnesia.
Tomorrow I will return fresh, focused, and ready to perform. But for today, please pass the sunscreen.
WEBSITE & SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS FOR STACY HOFF:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorStacyHoff
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/authorStacyHoff
AMAZON LINK FOR DESIRE IN THE ARCTIC by Stacy Hoff:
AMAZON LINK FOR DESIRE IN THE EVERGLADES by Stacy Hoff:
AMAZON LINK FOR LAWFULLY YOURS by Stacy Hoff:
AMAZON LINK FOR SEASON OF LOVE (Box set with Stacy Hoff):
Filed under: A writer's life, Author's Wild Life, Stacy Hoff
July 13, 2016
Surviving the (Book) Breakup by Heather Novak
I’m suffering from a breakup, friends…a book breakup. It’s particularly bad this time because I’ve spent over six years thinking about this book, trying to figure out how to bring it to life. (Meanwhile, I wrote several other books, some that will never see the light of day, even over my dead body…)
Now that the book has been edited, proofread, and sent to agents, I am in a state of discontent. For six years, I have held these characters in my heart, learning about them, learning how to craft each line of their journey. Now, it’s time to let them go and make their way into the world. Empty-nest syndrome for my characters. I feel like a parent, waiting to see if they are going to make it on their own or if I’ll need to pick up the pieces and glue them back together in a different way.
It’s the wait that will get you. One moment you’re flying high, so proud that you’ve written the book you’ve been dying to write; knowing that you’ve written the book the way it was always meant to be done. Then you’re crashing down into the dark moments, when you worry that the book isn’t enough. When you wait for the rejection emails that may or may not come (since silence is also a form of rejection.)
Usually, I’d just jump into another book, but I am currently on a writing break until mid-October. So, how do I pull myself out of this terrible funk?
Friend dates. I’ve been on a few of these over the last week and they honestly give me life. From watching bad YouTube to making food for friends, it keeps me busy and helps me reconnect with friends I’ve neglected because of deadlines.
Silly music. Turning on my book’s playlist isn’t going to help the separation. Remember, a breakup is a breakup. I pop on my favorites like Hanson (YES they are still making music. YES I saw them on ABC and watched it like 8 times.), One Direction (no shame), and Louisa Wendorff (my current obsession).
Dance lessons. Fiance and I decided to take a dance class before our wedding. Having scheduled time together, especially exercise, will keep us healthy and happy.
Creative projects. I did a storyboard for my engagement shoot, I’m working on a picture book for my nieces and nephews, and I admit I did an outline for a modern fairytale I’m working on. Not the whole outline or even a synopsis, but just making notes on the storyline to ease the pain in my chest (which happens when I feel the desperate desire to write.)
Eloisa James. I just wrapped up her fairytale series and am moving down the list, grabbing ebooks with audible narration for a few dollars more.
Sure, I could clean my bathroom, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves!!!
What do you do after a bad book breakup?
On this day in 1993 – The U.S. Postal Service released 29-cent stamps that honored four Broadway musicals. The featured scenes were from “My Fair Lady,” “Porgy and Bess,” “Show Boat,” and “Oklahoma!”
Wishing You Laughter & Good Books,
Heather Novak
Find me at:
Twitter: authorheathern
Instagram: authorheathern
Facebook: authorheathernovak
Hunting Witch Hazel: Now available
Threat of Raine: 2016
Rosemary for Remembrance: 2016
Filed under: romance
July 12, 2016
Shades of Perception
For those of you who have read my posts before, you may know that I enjo podcasts. Not a surprise to me as many of the podcasts I enjo provide me information in a story-like form and I love a good story. Most recently, I listened to a podcast called Invisibilia. I find the episodes fascinating and definitely recommend it if you haven’t had a listen.
The last couple episodes centered around mental illness and our need to “cure” it versus the thought of accepting it as a norm. What I found most interesting as the told stories of varying experiences were the different perceptions we could all have.
They told of a small town in Belgium that takes a different approach in interacting with the mentally ill-the families there provide them a home. These “boarders” as the mentally I’ll are called are accepted and while many in the United States might perceive this as abnormal, the folks in this town clearly have a different view. Why? Because that is the way it has always been is the explanation townsfolk give.
In a bonus podcast that follows, we meet a Mr. William Kitt. Amongst many things, Mr. Kitt confesses he hears voices. What I find very interesting here is that he associates the bad voices he hears with illness, while he associates the good voice with God and/or his angels.
So why do we do this? Mostly, I be we do it without much thought. Our perception is an accumulation of life experiences and beliefs. I know many of us know this, but somehow along the way, we forget this. That clouds how we perceive others and our ability to perceive their true intentions-good or bad. Something to think about next time you jump to a conclusion about a situation or person. Are your right or wrong or should you just ask?
Happy writing this week!
Filed under: A writer's life, romance
Pokemon Go is Going to Cut into my Writing Time
There’s already no question this is going to happen, even though I just found out that my brand new Sony phone doesn’t have a gyroscope
July 10, 2016
A Summer’s Rain Paranormal-Scope
It’s raining. Rain makes life grow. Rain washes away dirt. Think about it.
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:
Leprechauns favor you with new beginnings. Pay particular attention to those closest to you.
Taurus:
Dragons make good mentors. Be conscious of your allies at work and work as a team.
Gemini:
Griffins soar above problems. Don’t be afraid to step inside a stone circle for a new adventure.
Cancer:
A will-o’-wisp is a ghost light that misleads travels. Be cautious. Things are not always want they seem.
Leo:
A vampire is following you. It can be good to hide in shadows and let the drama pass you by.
Virgo:
Elves can’t help themselves but dance. Enjoy life. It’s a dance.
Libra:
A basilisk came freeze one with a stare. Avoid negative people this week as much as possible. Bring flowers into your home. They are positive.
Scorpio:
Faeries gift you with joy this week. Enjoy the gift.
Sagittarius:
Unicorns purify water. Try to eat only fresh foods this week.
Capricorn:
A dragon rests his head in your lap. A lot of people depend on you. Be strong. It will get easier but not right now.
Aquarius:
Werewolves are partying. Plan a get-together with friends.
Pisces:
Werebunnies are frolicking. A surprise is coming your way. Remember good things come in small packages.
-Susan
Susan Hanniford Crowley, Amazon Kindle Bestselling Author of Vampire Romance
www.susanhannifordcrowley.com
Where love burns eternal and whispers in the dark!
Vampire King of New York, Arnhem Knights of New York, Book 1 available in Kindle and Print and Nook and 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.
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
July 9, 2016
Summer Writing Plans by Jenna Jaxon
The past few weeks have been full of writing for me. I’m off from school for the summer, technically, although I am teaching two morning classes. But I have my afternoons and evenings for writing time and my writing plans for the rest of the summer are quite busy.
At the moment I’m finishing up book two of my Handful of Hearts novella series. They’re sweet Regencies that follow the adventures of several couples who meet one another at a particular ball in Regency London. The first book, A Kiss Beneath the Mistletoe, was published last December, and it’s actually a prequel to the series and introduces some of its recurring characters. Book two is Heart of Desire, a sort of take-off on The Taming of the Shrew. The third book is almost completed as well. It’s Heart of Delight, and it’s a re-telling of the Cinderella story—with a few twists. These books will release this summer.
I’m also working on book three of the House of Pleasure series at Kensington. I should be
getting edits back this week, so I’m honing my revision skills. That book, Only A Mistress Will Do, should release in April 2017. This book is anything but sweet: it begins in a brothel, includes lots of sensual encounters, and involves a reluctant courtesan and an almost-married man.
I’ve also just gotten a contract for a Regency series from Kensington. It’s my Widow’s Club series that was just picked up. Book one, To Woo A Wicked Widow, will release in January 2018 and I’ll be working this summer on book number two, which currently doesn’t have a title.
And very shortly I’ll be writing a contemporary romance for a military boxed set my RWA local chapter is putting together. The set will benefit a military charity to be chosen by the chapter and hopefully will release in November. My contribution will be a short novella, 10-15 thousand words called When Daylight Comes, inspired by Maroon 5’s song, Daylight.
So as you can see, I have a lot of writing to do with the remaining weeks of summer. I’m very excited to get these books out there and in the hands of my readers. The Kensington books will be a little while in the future, but my self-published works will be available very soon this summer and through the fall. Right now I’m not certain how many books will be in the Handful of Hearts series—four at least and probably six total.
Happy writing to all romance writers. May your summer be as fruitful as I hope mine is!
Filed under: A Kiss Beneath the Mistletoe, Handful of Hearts, Heart of Delight, Heart of Desire, Jenna Jaxon
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