Susan Hanniford Crowley's Blog: From Nights of Passion Blog, page 204
October 12, 2015
Taming The Monster Antho is Out TODAY!! By Mandy Rosko
Woot! Pretty slick. I love that the release day is the same day as my blog post. By the time you all see this, Taming The Monster will officially be released. For those of you who pre-ordered it, it should arrive in your kindles or Kobos or Nooks.
Big THANK YOU to everyone who got it, and did I mention that I got my first review in for my story, Gonna Make You Howl?
No?
Well, here it is:
“If the rest of the Taming the Monster box set is anything like Gonna Make You Howl then it’s well worth a read.” -Scarlet Saturn at Thrift Shop Romance
Gonna Make You Howl is a side story in my Dangerous Creatures Universe, and can be read on it’s own without having to dig into the rest of the books.
For those of you who haven’t picked this up, I highly recommend doing it today. There’s alphas, shifters, demons, all sorts of awesome stuff inside written by other authors a thousand times more talented than me. Good stuff :D
#TTMonster
Filed under: romance
October 11, 2015
Autumn Falling Paranormal-Scope
The trees here wear gold, red and orange. The days are conflicted, unable to decide whether to stay warm or surrender to the cold. Change is coming. Prepare!
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:
Faeries with a lot of choices usually get more information before making any decisions. Take a hint from the faeries.
Taurus:
Werewolves know all about partnerships. Before entering one, make sure responsibilities
are clearly defined on paper.
Gemini:
Pegasus soars and so do you. More people will know about your work. Time to shine!
Cancer:
Wonderful things are coming your way. Don’t rush to a decision. Werewolves are wise in deciding the best options to pursue.
Leo:
Vampires have a ton of experience because they’ve been around so long. Find one you can trust for a consultant on an important matter.
Virgo:
Shapeshifters know the lay of the land when it comes to social events. Mingle more and make it work for your success.
Libra:
Adventure is on your horizon. Don’t be a stay at home gnome and miss out on all the fun. Be healthy and travel every chance you get.
Scorpio:
Dragons build their relationships and expand their friendships. Do the same. Listen and learn from others.
Sagittarius:
Unicorns love reflection and contemplation. Now is the time to explore your spiritual side. When you get a new idea, write it down. Revel in your moments of peaceful bliss.
Capricorn:
Hobbits are good at keeping their focus on the home. Don’t overextend yourself with too many activities. Choose quality over quantity.
Aquarius:
Goblins value doing well financially. Save. Buy only what you need. Don’t buy clutter just to buy something.
Pisces:
Zombies have an abundant source of energy without direction. Don’t let your direction be random. Channel your energy into your chosen projects.
-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 available at Amazon Kindle and print, Barnes and Noble Nook and print and in Kobo
A Vampire for Christmas in Kindle
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
October 10, 2015
Joys of Autumn
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!
I love the fall. Autumn and especially October is my favorite time of year. The air is crisp, the leaves are turning beautiful colors, pumpkin spice latte is back as are pumpkin ice cream (at my local handmade ice cream store) and pumpkin pie. I am a pumpkin addict, both for foods and decorations. So please indulge me and enjoy the following photo post about the awesomeness of autumn.
Brilliant Autumn Tree
Like a flame
Jack o’ Lantern Face-Off
Autumn leaves in St. James’ Park
Happy Halloween!
Halloween Themed Cupcakes
My favorite: Pumpkin Pie
What is your favorite autumn item?
Filed under: Holidays, Jenna Jaxon
October 9, 2015
Upcoming Contests, the Nights of Passion Spooktacular, and a Sneak Peek by Susan Hanniford Crowley
I’m very excited to announce the Nights of Passion Spooktacular coming up. Recently I was trying to teach my granddaughter the phrase “Trick or Treat.” She kept saying, “Treat.” At first I thought it was coming out wrong. Then I thought, the little girl is right. Only three years old, and she knows it’s all about the treats. So come to the Nights of Passion Spooktacular for a treat every day. “Remember it’s Treat!” I will be doing a giveaway too. Don’t miss it.
On those days, I will also be at The Romance Studio with a giveaway or two. It’s fun. You’ll meet a lot of authors besides me. It’s an opportunities to win some books for Halloween and after. Nothing beats keeping your winter warm. I will provide options.
Today I am also on Soul Mate Publishing’s blog with a sneak peek at my next book in the Arnhem Knights of New York series. https://smpauthors.wordpress.com/2015/10/10/a-sneak-peek-paris-means-love-plus-contests-by-susan-hanniford-crowley/
If you haven’t done it yet, please, subscribe to my private and very confidential occasional newsletter. You get keyed in on secrets, new events, and contests, and there are contests only for subscribers. Subscribe by emailing me at susan@susanhannifordcrowley.com Put “subscribe” in the subject line and your name and preferred email address in the body of the email.
-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 available at Amazon Kindle and print, Barnes and Noble Nook and print and in Kobo
A Vampire for Christmas in Kindle
Filed under: A Vampire for Christmas, blog party, Contests, Guest Blog, Norse, paranormal, paranormal romance, party, romance, romance novels, Susan Hanniford Crowley, the romance of life, vampire books, Vampire King of New York, Vampire King of New York In Print, Vampire Maximillion Vander Meer, vampires, Viking, When Love Survives, Yule
October 8, 2015
Let’s go to Provence! by Guest Author Jamie K. Schmidt
Hello Passionate Readers! Today I’m giving my Friday forum to USA TODAY best-selling author Jamie K. Schmidt. I’m glad to say I know Jamie personally. She is not only an active member in my Romance Writers of America (RWA) chapter, we are co-contributors to a New Adult box set, HOT SEDUCTION, SIX SIZZLING TALES (released this week, on Tuesday, October 6, 2015). Jamie has a great giveaway at the end of her post, so read away for a chance to win!
There was a time when I thought I would never go to Hawaii because it was too far away and too expensive. But I was fortunate enough to get a deal that allowed my family to go. And the world got bigger. Now that I’ve flown twelve hours successfully with a six-year-old, no travel seems impossible. However, when my son was still a baby, I went to Paris for my fortieth birthday—a lifelong dream. And I fell in love with France. The beauty, the people, the art, the food, everything was magical.
I know I will go back to France, but I never allowed myself to think outside of Paris. Like Hawaii, it was too far. And my French isn’t so good. But then I wrote Truth Reveals, the second book in my Truth and Lies series that’s featured in the box set Hot Seduction, Six Sizzling Tales.
The heroine, Maryanne, received a scholarship to a prestigious art college in France. I wanted her to stay in a medieval chateau that was a bed and breakfast. To do that, I’d have to set the story in the country. In my research, I discovered the beautiful city of Aix-en-Provence via the website Trip Advisor.
And the world got bigger still. I could take a virtual tour of this beautiful countryside without ever leaving home. This is the marketplace where Maryanne, Henri and his mother go to sell wine, goat’s milk soap and Maryanne’s paintings and sketches.
Trip Advisor has a place where members can upload their photos of a place to share. From there I was able to get a good picture of what I wanted Henri and his mother’s chateau to look like and what type of wine he was making. That area of Provence is known for their rosés, which are usually a blend of many different type of grapes. Unlike the American rosé wines, which tend to be very sweet—Maryanne’s only experience with pink wine was Boone’s Farm Snow Creek Berry.
While I researched everything Maryanne was going to experience as a freshman in college, I was mentally booking trips for myself. I knew that I was going to take the plane from JFK to get me into Marseilles and then I would take the bus to Aix en Provence, just like Maryanne did. But I needed a bed and breakfast that resembled a medieval chateau. I wound up loosely basing it on Château Gigognan in Sorgues that’s to the north of Aix en Provence.
At the end of my story, I was eager to book my trip to Provence. After writing it, I felt that I had been there and I wanted to revisit the gorgeous countryside. If you’d like to take a trip to Provence, you can have a staycation by reading all about Maryanne’s sexy adventures.
For a chance to win a copy of the first book in the Truth and Lies series, Truth Kills, please leave a comment telling me where you would like to travel if money and time were not a problem.
Buy Link for Truth Kills: http://amzn.to/1L4rtVn
Jamie’s Biography:
USA Today bestselling author, Jamie K. Schmidt, writes erotic contemporary love stories and paranormal romances. Her Club Inferno series from Random House’s Loveswept line has hit both the Amazon and Barnes & Noble top one hundred lists. She has two other series with Loveswept: Hawaii Heat, in which the first book Life’s A Beach will be out in January 2016, and The Sentinels of Babylon, about members of vigilante Motorcycle Club and their old ladies, which is scheduled for mid 2016. The Queen’s Wings, the first book in her paranormal romance series from Entangled Publishing has had excellent reviews on Goodreads and book two, The Queen’s Flight will be released November 15, 2015. Partnered with New York Times bestselling author and former porn actress, Jenna Jameson, Jamie’s hardcover debut, SPICE, continues Jenna’s FATE trilogy.
An avid knitter and jewelry maker, Jamie is never bored. She can often be found with a mug of tea on the computer flanked by her little dogs & fluffy white cat. You can follow her on twitter at @Jamiekswriter or on her author page on Facebook. When she’s not writing or crafting, Jamie loves playing games, everything from board games to strategy card games, console and online MMORPGs.
Jamie’s links:
Facebook URL
http://www.facebook.com/jamie.k.schmidt.1
Twitter URL
https://twitter.com/Jamiekswriter
Goodreads URL
http://www.goodreads.com/jamiekswriter
Website URL
http://www.jkschmidt.com/
Blog URL
http://jamiekswriter.livejournal.com/
Amazon Author Page
http://www.amazon.com/Jamie-K.-Schmidt/e/B00B7CKKO6
http://pinterest.com/jamiekswriter/
A big thanks to Jamie for being on Nights of Passion!
CONTEST RULES: This contest is open to everyone, eighteen and older. Truth Kills is an ebook and will be gifted via Amazon or Nook to a randomly chosen commenter. Jamie K. Schmidt announce the winner at 10:00 p.m. EST. The winner will need to send Jamie their email address at jamiekswriter@yahoo.com. Contest void where prohibited by law.
PREORDER LINK FOR HOT SEDUCTION (box set contributors: Jamie K. Schmidt, Stacy Hoff, Holly Roberts, Theresa Hissong, Susan Griscom & Leia Shaw):
WEBSITE & SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS FOR STACY HOFF:
http://www.facebook.com/authorStacyHoff
Twitter: twitter.com/authorStacyHoff Web: http://www.stacyhoff.com
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, Great Places, inspiration, romance, Romantic Places, Settings, Stacy Hoff, Travel, writing research
October 7, 2015
You’re the Inspiration! by Heather Novak
My hope is that at least one of you broke out into Chicago after reading that title. Anyone? Here, I’ll even give you the You Tube video so you can sing along.
Why am I running around the house singing (more than usual)? Because it’s time to face facts. Writers can’t afford to “wait for inspiration.” When you’re under deadline, you need to keep your fingers typing, even if your brain and heart aren’t on board.
It’s taken me a few years, but I’ve found ways to spark my inspiration enough to keep my daily word count fairly consistent. When my characters don’t give me their stories, I need to pry it out of their fictional, lifeless hands.
Over the last year, I have invested in Netflix, Spotify premium, and Scribd (basically Netflix for ebooks/audiobooks).
The packages I have with these three minefields of inspiration equals about $40 a month. Worth every penny. Here’s why — Watching, reading, or listening to something that speaks to you will spark your creativity. For an acceptable price, I have access to thousands of movies, television shows, songs, and books.
One of my favorite shows, So You think You Can Dance, just had its season finale. This show is one of the best for getting my creativity flowing. Most dances have a story behind them and the music never disappoints. I’ve found so many songs that have helped me write complete novels just by tuning in every Monday night. Here are some of my favorite contemporary dances from the last two seasons:
In this number, her guardian angel won’t let her die
In this moving piece, a woman deals with anxiety and depression
A couple must accept a terminal diagnosis
A young woman with Alzheimer’s struggles to remember her love
I literally could go on for like six blog posts about these dances — most of which are Emmy nominated or winning. There are group dances, hip hop numbers, Broadway, Bollywood, ballroom, jazz, tap…and they are brilliant.
Dance not doing it for you? Maybe an audiobook will. Scribd doesn’t have all my favorites, but they have quite the selection of audiobooks I can download for free to my device for easy listening. You don’t get to keep the books or audiobooks, but you get listen to them as long and as often as you want. They keep me sane while I’m stuck in traffic.
Music is another huge inspiration for me. I love Spotify Premium. I can listen to it with or without internet on my phone or computer. It’s commercial free and had 95% of the songs I want to write to (come on T. Swift, I could use your help right now!) My only dislike is how often it crashes on my phone. If your app fails, simply turn your phone on airplane mode, launch Spotify, and switch off airplane mode for streaming.
Don’t forget movies! I’m not just talking about the Notebook. Netflix (and Amazon Prime for that matter) has an amazing selection of film festival movies as well as television shows. The SyFy television show Haven really helps me get into the mood when I’m writing stories for my paranormal Lynch Brothers Series.
Still not there? Just start writing something, anything. Do a diary, a blog, a food journal, book reviews, anything! Between my day job as a ghostwriter and this blog, I am constantly writing. Even if I don’t get to my romance writing, I’m still strengthening my technique with every sentence.
Force yourself to find a reason why you can’t seem to write. If time is an issue, find a way to dedicate even ten minutes to writing. Wake up earlier or do it on lunch. These ten minutes will add up.
Are you afraid? Remember, no one needs to ever see draft 1. There’s a reason it’s called the “sloppy copy.” You can read my post all about writing drafts here.
If you still can’t get past your roadblocks, talk to someone. A friend, a licensed therapist, a writing coach. Take a few workshops. I promise, one day you’ll hear that one phrase, song, conversation, or see that one movie that will make your mind come alive again.
October 8 is known for:
American Touch Tag Day (aka Tag, you’re it!)
Wishing You Laughter & Good Books,
Heather Novak
Bold. Bewitching. Breathtaking.
Find me at:
Twitter: authorheathern
Facebook: authorheathernovak
Website: Heathernovak.net
Author of Hunting Witch Hazel featured in Falling Hard (A New Adult Anthology).
Available Now!
Amazon U.S.
http://amzn.to/1G0aCoQ
iBooks
http://apple.co/1Fb1Nrp
Amazon UK
http://amzn.to/1bKvOmc
Kobo
Filed under: romance
October 6, 2015
Have You Got What It Takes to Have It All?
If I were to write an overly long title, the second half of it would state “And Do You Really Want It All?” This past week, I listened to a recent Freakonomics podcast episode featuring Anne-Marie Slaughter, well-known foreign policy scholar who accidentally became a poster-girl for modern feminism when she wrote an article for The Atlantic called Why Woman Still Can’t Have it All.
I have to say in listening to this woman with her past, her views, education and ideas on ways to improve our world, I found her brilliant. Now this is just my personal opinion but her thoughts and suggestions were very logically thought out and I agreed with the basis of her reasoning. It’s also hard not to have admiration for a women who has taken risks, put her family first and yet is still seen by many as highly successful… which brings me to the second half of my title… do we really want it all?
Anne-Marie Slaughter made a choice that was right for her and her family and perhaps that meant walking away from her dream job at the time, but the truth of the matter is that in listening to her speak, you get the sense she doesn’t hold regret– she had what was sufficient for her. This really resonated with me as it seems lately that both my husband, myself and many of my friends seem to be in a position of pushing ourselves for more and more. Just when we think we’ve reached our goal, we determine that it wasn’t quite enough. I’m not simply talking about money here, but I’m more using a blanket statement of having it all. That “all” can be more money, a better position, a better performance review, a slimmer body, a nicer house, a greater contribution to those around us, more impact on this earth… you get the picture. The point I want to focus on is that not only do we seem to worry about having what it takes to have it all, but our “all” is at times a moving target that may simply never be enough because we always tend to look for more.
My thoughts? There is only one of you and only one of me. There are only 24 hours in a day. Most of us aren’t superhuman so just do what you can do and push yourself to achieve what is worth achieving (in your eyes).
That’s it for this week. Happy writing!
Filed under: A writer's life, romance, Toni Kelly
October 5, 2015
Almost Release Day! :D by Mandy Rosko
I’m still kind of stunned that release day is almost here for Taming The Monster. I’m about two weeks behind on my tweets thanks to a build up of stuff going on, but I need to get those out on Hootsuite @_@
All in all, while the last two weeks I’ve been behind on my tweets, I think I managed to do good considering my organic reach is pretty small. I had some friends put it in their newsletters, got onto some interviews, a great big Facebook ad. Now I’m getting antsy for the coming release :3 I was so happy to get onto this anthology and now I’m all twitchy because it’s almost here :D
I need to get out one more Newsletter and get those tweets up, still a lot of work to do, but all in all, I’m pretty happy with the way things have happened :)
Because I love all these pictures that Mandy Roth and Michelle Pillow had made up, I need to post another one here for you all to check out.
This is up for 75 cents right now on Amazon.com, here’s the link for anyone who wanted to check out all these cool alphas, shifters and demons: Taming the Monster
Big thank you to everyone who picked up their copy :D It’s gonna be awesome!
Cheers! Gotta pick out which Copics I want to buy with my coupons at Michaels tomorrow now :D
Cheers,
~Mandy
Filed under: romance
October 4, 2015
A Princess Bride Paranormal-Scope
The Princess Bride, both book and movie, are masterpieces. On this cold day, I find it warm and reassuring like comfort food.
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:
Rodents of Unusual Size (R.O.U.S) are running down your street. Focus on the home and make it cozy.
Taurus:
“Have fun stormin’ da castle.” Opportunities are coming your way. Shine at work and listen to colleagues.
Gemini:
You feel like you’ve fallen into the Pit of Despair. Don’t give up hope. Things are about to change.
Cancer:
“Get some rest. If you haven’t got your health, then you haven’t got anything.” It’s true you know.
Leo:
“There’s not a lot of money in revenge.” Forgive an old debt and move on. Better things are coming your way.
Virgo:
“As you wish!” Be careful what you wish for.
Libra:
“No more rhymes now.” Okay, maybe a few more. Laugh more. Embrace fun.
Scorpio:
“Death cannot stop true love. All it can do is delay it for a while.” Smile and remember.
Sagittarius:
“Inconceivable!” There are a lot of inconceivable things in life. Don’t worry about them.
Capricorn:
“What you got here that’s worth living for?” A lot. Count your blessings and enjoy those you love more.
Aquarius:
The Shrieking Eels pass you by. You are having a lucky week.
Pisces:
“Love is many things, none of them logical.” Spend more time with those that care about you.
-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 available at Amazon Kindle and print, Barnes and Noble Nook and print and in Kobo
A Vampire for Christmas in Kindle
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
October 3, 2015
Spooky Reads for October
October is my favorite month, always has been. The weather turns cooler, I can wear sweaters, which I love, the leaves here in Virginia are startlingly gorgeous in their brilliant reds, oranges, and golds. But most of all I love October because of Halloween, my favorite holiday.
So to start off a month of Halloween posts, I’m giving you some of my picks of Halloween/scary books some of which made me keep the lights on just a bit longer than usual. I’ll start out with a couple of classics and then get to more recent scariness.
Stephen King is one of my favorite authors, the King of Fright, and two of his books really did make me look around the room and over my shoulder as I sat reading them. One is, of course, The Shining. The end of the book actually scared me more than the movie. The one that I could not read more than once was Pet Sematary, truly bone-deep frightening. And my favorite King novel, It, scared the bejesus out of me, but I love it and have read it many times. It’s being re-made into two movies. I cannot wait!
If you like zombie apocalypse fun, check out Only Love 
Survives by Renee Charles. Fantastic, frightening and romantic read.
Then there’s Ghost Lover by Liza O’Connor, a romantic ghost story that I also love. I wouldn’t mind being haunted by her sexy 18th century ghost at all.
And if you want a little comedy with your spooky read, check out Patricia Preston’s just released Haints in Hollywood. I’m a little biased about this book, as I’m actually in the dedication (big smile!), but it’s the sequel to Patricia’s Laid to Rest, one of 
the most hilarious books I’ve ever read. That book’s heroine, Darlene, is back in this short story and headed for Hollywood to become a star just like Elvis and Marilyn Monroe. Unfortunately, she’s delayed by a trip to the ghost town of Hollywood, where she encounters sparkly vampires, zombies, and haints. But don’t worry, you’ll be shaking with laughter by the end of the book.
So there are my picks for this Halloween season. Thrills, chills, romance, and laughter. Hope you have a howling good week!
Filed under: Halloween, Holiday reads, Jenna Jaxon
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