Susan Hanniford Crowley's Blog: From Nights of Passion Blog, page 220

Love and a Whole Lot More

Love, sex, desire, want, need, crave, hunger, happiness, lightness…there are so many words, so many different meanings but in many cases they are related to some degree. Okay, I’ll just come out with it… my household is a watcher of soap operas–not just any soap operas, but specifically novelas, mostly the Mexican variety of mini-soap operas we can find on Univision or Telemundo. I have to admit that even though I may catch an episode or two here and there, I never really get our thirst for these shows.

What is it? Is it the great looking actors or the somewhat predictable storylines? My mother-in-law would be a millionaire if she received a dollar for every time she accurately predicted what would happen next. Even as I write this blog, I find my eyes drifting up every so often to see a couple tear-streaked faces and a deep embrace–not to mention the music, the music to these novelas��is great. It kills me that I get so sucked in but honestly,��romance novels at times��aren’t any different. And if I ask my self what appeals so much about them, I have a lot to say.

I love looking forward to that first kiss, to the romance itself, even the sex at times if written well and set up in a way that pulls us in. Lastly, I can’t wait to see how it will all work out with the happy ending.

So are these romance novels and novellas really that similar? I guess in the way they are and they aren’t. I definitely feel that novels have a bit more opportunity to add depth but the surface love, sex and passion can definitely be felt in both. And as long as we as a species continue to search for these, all forms be it TV soap operas, movies, novels, whatever it may be, will thrive.

Happy writing this week!

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

Late Post and More Books! by Mandy Rosko

All right! So, I forgot last night was Monday, so this one’s coming in a little late.

But that’s all right because there’s a little something I’m having a crisis with, and it’ll be good to share :)

Okay, first world problems here, but I have too many books to bring to RT O.o I know, horrifying, right?

Here’s the picture:

Now, some of those are incredibly thick, especially the Lux Series and the After Series. And this isn’t even all of them! Two of the books in the After Series are missing from that picture. I’m thinking about bringing them, but then the pile would look a little more like this:

The stack on the right just got a lot thicker and heavier. And this still isn’t all of them. I have more Claudia Gray books, and the first three books in Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies series. Not gonna pull those off my shelf and take pics of them in this pile because I think you get the point. I had to remove all the added books because it was getting to be too much. I would have seriously had to ship them back to myself, and even then, I’m also not sure on the etiquette of bringing four or more books to sign by the same author. I’ve heard that authors who have big backlists, like Nora Roberts, can’t be having readers bringing huge stacks of books to sign because that just slows everything down.

So anyway, this is a legit question for those who have gone to book signings. What’s the max number of books you can bring per author? As you can see, I’ve got the special editions of the Lux Series, so that’s five books and a novella all rolled into three, so I’m pretty sure I can get away with wanting only three books signed.

The Anna Todd books worry me a little though, since I have all four.

The Winner’s Curse shouldn’t be a problem, since that’s a trilogy (I think) and only the first two books are out right now. I can’t see asking an author to sign two as being a huge thing. I also have more books by Marie Lu, but she’s been on my TBR pile for a while and even though I have her other series, I haven’t started it yet. Is that weird?

Anyway, enough rambling, back to prepping for RT ;)

Cheers!

Mandy Rosko

————————–

Burns Like Fire (Dangerous Creatures Book One) is Available Now!

The Princess’ Dragon Lord is Now Available at Amazon and B&N

Connect with me online:

Facebook

www.goodreads.com/Mandyrosko

Twitter: @rizzorosko

Mandyrosko.com

Want the latest on hot guys, erotic romance, and sizzling action? Add your super cool name to my Newsletter list and I’ll make sure you’re the first to hear about new releases the day they come out:��http://rizzorosko.com/contact.html
Filed under: romance

Moonlight Weekly Paranormal-Scope

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:

An orc of your acquaintance may have fallen on hard times. A loan between friends usually ends badly. Find a different way to help.

Taurus:

Werewolves are not very patient. To accomplish things this week you will be tested in your patience with others. It will be worth it.

Gemini:

Dragons have wanderlust. Plan that getaway now.�� Focus on work to get as much done as possible before your vacation.

Cancer:

Goblins love to get work done and this week is work heavy for you. Focus. Finish one thing at a time, and enjoy your weekend to the fullest.

Leo:

Hobbits have trouble organizing their bills. Sit down and work out a system and then it won’t be a burden on your mind.

Virgo:

Shapeshifters sometimes find the world a bit overwhelming. Regroup with family or friends. Focus on those that love you.

Libra:

Elves invest in the future. That’s why they always have gold hidden for a rainy day.

Scorpio:

Faeries will help you unleash your creative side. Enjoy a new hobby or revive an old one.

Sagittarius:

Vampires have mastered the balance between work and fun and when to rest. Look at your time management and make sure you’re not short-changing yourself on fun or sleep.

Capricorn:

Merfolk are hidden and you try to be. Stop it. Shine and let your colleagues see you.

Aquarius:

Wererabbits are fuzzy all over. Stop being a workaholic! Build in some time with friends for fun. Take a vacation to somewhere new.

Pisces:

Werewolves like to howl their success. Step back and let others do that. Be modest and others will admire you for it.

-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, When Love Survives, Yule

L is for Lovers

I’m back with the ABCs of Romance this week, picking back up with the letter L.

Any romance by definition, has to have a hero and a heroine who become lovers or a couple by the end of the book. I thought I���d give you some famous pairs of lovers to illustrate the timelessness of love.

And since I just watched the latest episode of Outlander, here are

Jamie and Claire Fraser:

One of the most romantic couples of the Regency period from Pride and Prejudice:

Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy:

A fiery couple from the South in Gone with the Wind:

Scarlett O���Hara and Rhett Butler:

The most poignant couple from Love Story:

Jenny Cavalleri and Oliver Barrett IV:

And the tear-jerker couple from The Notebook:

Allie Hamilton and Noah Calhoun:��

Who is your favorite pair of��lovers?

Filed under: Jenna Jaxon

Free Comic Book Day!!! By Susan Hanniford Crowley

With the coming of Spring, there are the usual sights such as tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths. How do I know when it’s really Spring? The first Saturday of May is Free Comic Book Day in the United States!!! YAY! This video gives you some idea of the fun to be had.

So I will join with one of my daughters and visit our favorite comic book store, AJ’s. �� Yes, we really love going.�� I will be looking for the latest installment of Rachel Rising, a horror graphic novel so riveting and so horrifying that you’ll read it in one sitting and then sit in horror that the next installment is not out yet. This is one graphic novel someone should make into a movie. It will be one of the few times (other than for Lord of the Rings) that I would pre-buy movie tickets.

They have comic books and graphic novels for all tastes. Yes, I will get one of the free comic books too, which are put out specifically by the comic book companies to give away on these days.�� I also have my comic book mad money that I’ve saved to splurge on vampire comics. I will also be looking for Dark Shadows and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Here’s the link all about Free Comic Book Day:�� http://www.freecomicbookday.com/Home/1/1/27/992

What comic books or graphic novels would you be looking for?�� What fun have you planned this Saturday?

-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: Characters, Emotions, Free Comic Book Day, Max Vander Meer, Norse, paranormal, paranormal romance, Plot, romance, romance novels, Settings, 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, What Are You Reading?, Writer's Life, Yule

Seasons of . . . By Marian Lanouette

It’s another exciting time with the release of the second book in the “Season of” anthology series, and what I find most exciting is looking at the covers side-by-side. The beauty and the difference of the excites me. Both state love and romance. Although I write mystery, I love reading romance. When I came up with the idea for the Season of series I realized I always had Chase and Noelle in my mind. I never thought it to be a full story, so a novella was perfect for them. But after writing Season of Magic I��realized that I really liked this couple and wanted to continue there story. Season of Love is that story.

Season of Magic �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� Season of Love

����

If you enjoyed reading about Chase and Noelle in Season of Magic, I invite you to continue the journey with them in Season of Love.

Please leave a comment and pick which is your favorite cover. One winner will be selected to receive a free e-book copy of Season of Love.

Marian Lanouette �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� Merry Holly

Filed under: romance

Tears for Nepal By Susan Hanniford Crowley

The last few days has been horrifying for those of us who have had to watch events unfold from a distance. I work for a college and one of our professors has family in Nepal. Fortunately they are okay, when so many around them are homeless after the earthquake. So many injured. So many dead. And so many dying because of lack of food, water, medicine, a place to sleep.

Watching the avalanche over Base Camp on Mt. Everest was another nightmare. I’ve followed every expedition since I was a little girl. To me, in my mind, Base Camp was the safe place to start from and hopefully return to. The desolation of the camp struck me speechless.

Tonight I’m going to follow the example of that professor, who has started a fund at the college where I work. ��His fund is going on the American Red Cross with a notation for “Nepal Earthquake Victims”.

I got this list of charities from the Weather Channel. Please, if you feel it, donate to one or another that you’re comfortable with. You may be helping more than people on the other side of the world. You may be help a co-worker, a friend, or distant family. We are all the same human family.

American Red Cross
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
UNICEF
AmeriCares
OXFAM America
Handicap International
Save the Children
CARE
World Vision
Samaritan’s Purse
International Medical Corps

-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: romance, Susan Hanniford Crowley

The Breadth of Hollywood

This past weekend I watched Ex Machina, a sci-fi, fantasy drama that focused on what I���d term the near future. A few nights later, I watched The Hobbit: the Battle of the Five Armies (have I mentioned I���ve been on a bit of a movie kick lately)? This too was a fantasy but just due to the lack of modern day technology, I���m going to say it was clearly meant to be in some sort of past time and place.

So why am I bringing these movies up. Not because they are both good although they were pretty good. And not because of similar plots as that certainly wasn���t the case. Really, I am just amazed at the range of movies that come out of Hollywood (and beyond). It shouldn���t surprise me so much as the same happens with all the books���endless books and words���that flood our lives. Thoughts, words, ideas, emotions, choices���they all make us so uniquely human. Even in watching Ex Machina, I couldn���t help but wonder (spoiler alert just a bit) if what made Eva not human in my mind was her coldness in making the decision she did at the end, but then considering her situation, could that really make her cold? Not to mention, there are many of us who are equally as cold and it has nothing to do with wrong or right, but simply we are being selfish or we don���t care. Then again, the fact that I am even debating her choices, probably makes her human enough, huh? Congratulations, Hollywood, you have me convinced, again!

Happy writing this week!

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

A (Scattered) Day In The Life by Mandy Rosko

Okay, wow, I’m beat. Lol

I fell majorly behind in my writing schedule this month, and since I write under two different pen names, that’s something of a problem. Now I find that I’m being forced to play catch up. This involves putting off some work so that I can really grind on others.

Not always fun, and it can make for some long nights, but when I go on long writing benders like this, even when I have no idea where the story is going, it’s a nice reminder to myself that I can do this, and that I’ve trained myself pretty well to get a lot of writing done in a fairly short amount of time so long as I have some small idea of what I want to happen next.

My goal is to get 35,000 words written before the end of the month. That goal started on Sunday. Usually I can crank out 5,000 words a day without much of a problem unless there are other things going on, but, yeah, with only five days, that 5,000 words a day wasn’t going to cut it.

So yesterday I decided to take the 10k challenge to help me catch up. The problem was that I started writing late. Like, after 5pm late. I missed hitting my goal by a little over 300 words, but that’s still an insane amount of words to get written in about 6 hours of writing.

But, I do have to play catch up. Even with the nearly 10k words I got written yesterday, and the close to 8,400 words that I wrote today, I’m still technically 2,000 words behind schedule, so I still need to catch up. Which makes this extra fun is that, as of this writing, tomorrow is my birthday. I wish it wasn’t. I’m counting down the hours and clinging to them, saying that I’m still this age until the exact moment I was born, but really, I need to just let it go, go to bed, and wake up tomorrow with a different number attached to me and get over it so I can get working.

I’ll celebrate my birthday in May ;)

Anyway, I just thought that I’d give a quick Day in the Life. Sort of. What I tend to do when I’m on writing binges for those of you who are writing to compare your own styles, or for those of you who are strictly readers to sit back and laugh at my stupidity.

I am extremely flaky when it comes to this. I would do well to do more planning, but I can hardly stick to any one thing long enough for it to become a habit. I still sleep like a teenager, wake up late, start work late, and then complain when there’s not enough time for videogames.

Because of my lack of a decent schedule, it’s a little difficult to give a proper Day in the Life because each day is so different. I woke up at 10:30 am this morning and was still as tired as though I’d set my alarm for dawn.

Anyway, I had to get up. Responsibilities and all that. For real. I told my brother I’d meet him at the bank, and luckily for me he was pretty good about it when I showed up late.

Anyway, yeah, that tends to be the start of my day. I wake up hopefully not after 11 am, putter around, put the dog out, come inside, get changed, maybe shower and then watch youtube videos while I get in the mood to work for my living.

Pretty sweet, right?

Anyway, on a good day, I’ll start working at noon. On an even better day, I’ll start work at 11 am. That makes it even better because when I get at least a thousand or more words written before noon, that’s when I start to feel like Superman. For real. I’m invincibly when that happens.

When it doesn’t, well, I tend to feel like the day was wasted and that leads to more distractions because, why bother working hard when I already wasted good opportunity?

Dumb, I know, but I can’t seem to help it.

Anyway, my main writing buddy is Write Or Die. Or, failing that, a timer and maybe a little bit of music to set the mood. I can listen to the same song a couple hundred times over and forget I’m listening to it when I get in the zone. It’s awesome.

Anyway, I’ll try to get at least a thousand or two words written before taking the dog out for his real walk at the dog park. This is about a five minute drive away, and the walk lasts about an hour in that park. It’s�� huge. Good for me to get some actual sunshine once in a while. I swear, if it weren’t for my animal, I’d be all pale and pasty. He gets me my vitamin D. He’s a pest sometimes, but most of the time he’s the best.

This tends to tucker him out so that he’s not always sitting beside my writing chair, staring longingly at me or nudging my wrist with his nose.

Cats aren’t the only enemy of writers. A begging dog that knows how to look cute and pathetic can be a time suck. Best to take him to the park so that he only wants to nap when we’re home :)

Sometimes I skip both breakfast and lunch, so my only meal comes at 5 or so, and I feel guilty for eating it unless I’ve finished writing. Eating takes time, and I can’t comfortably write and eat at the same time, so I’m usually watching Youtube when that happens.

For this reason, my dinners tend to be at 7 or 8 O’Clock at night, when I usually finish work, depending on when I started. I should be so much skinnier than I am now.

Getting 10k words in one day isn’t normal for me. I know I can do it, and even if I can’t, I always come close enough that the challenge was well worth it. Sometimes I love giving myself challenges like those, too, just to make me feel like a powerhouse of writing.

So it’s weird when I give myself a lower challenge, how it can sometimes take just as long, or longer to write 5k words than it can to write 10k. I think it’s a mental thing.

I take tiny breaks between writing sprints to check my email, look up some favorite webcomics to see if there’s been any updates, or play Clash of Clans. The new game I’m getting into is Hearthstone, Heroes of Warcraft :3 Liking that one so far. This can also be a time suck I get stuck into if I’m not careful.

Nights usually end up like tonight. I’m at the keyboard until almost one in the morning, clacking away, trying to finish so I can hop into bed and read to make sure I stay caught up on my Goodreads Challenge. Luckily I’m still ahead, but that’s only with reading mangas and some short stories as well.

I apologize if this day in the life seems kind of scattered, but that’s literally how almost every day is. I seriously need to check my emails and soon. They’re piling up in my inbox right now, and not in a good way. I also have some edits to get done, as well as a cover questionnaire, but I totally need to put that off until tomorrow, otherwise I think I might just keel over and sleep on my keyboard.

So for you aspiring writers, don’t do what I made a bad habit of doing. Not having a daily schedule. Get one. It’s super important.

Cheers,

Mandy Rosko

————————–

Burns Like Fire (Dangerous Creatures Book One) is Available Now!

The Princess’ Dragon Lord is Now Available at Amazon and B&N

Connect with me online:

Facebook

www.goodreads.com/Mandyrosko

Twitter: @rizzorosko

Mandyrosko.com

Want the latest on hot guys, erotic romance, and sizzling action? Add your super cool name to my Newsletter list and I’ll make sure you’re the first to hear about new releases the day they come out:��http://rizzorosko.com/contact.html
Filed under: romance

Night Blooming Jasmine Paranormal-Scope

With the approach of summer, creatures of the night are becoming more active.

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:

Plan a party for your werewolf friends and have a howling good time.

Taurus:

Mermaids call to us. Find an excuse to visit a lake or a beach. Being near water is restorative.

Gemini:

Goblins are counting their money, and so should you before planning a big expenditure.

Cancer:

Wereducks are waddling your way. Unexpected fun is coming.

Leo:

Did you know that vampires are clothes divas? Time to look over your closet and buy a few new stylish items.

Virgo:

Werewolves love to chew on old shoes. Are you holding onto some old shoe, boots, or sandals that have seen better days? Toss them and buy new.

Libra:

Dragons are good at unraveling puzzles and solutions. Think like a dragon and get that project at work done.

Scorpio:

Faeries take time to restore to go to natural places. Breathe the air of life, the air of centuries, and feel the Earth force in you.

Sagittarius:

Zombies are roaming. Keep an eye out at work and stay focused.

Capricorn:

Elves are taking long walks in the woods. Your goals are in reach. Balance your work and rest so you can enjoy your accomplishments.

Aquarius:

Werewolves love to run. Take exercise seriously. Your health is paramount.

Pisces:

Shapeshifters have a lot in common with you. They wear many hats in life. Revel in your time.

-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 romance, party, Susan Hanniford Crowley, vampire books, Vampire David Hilliard, Vampire King of New York, Vampire King of New York In Print, Vampire Maximillion Vander Meer, vampire movies, vampires, Viking, Weekly Paranormal-Scope, Yule, ZOMBIE