Cate Masters's Blog, page 19
October 29, 2014
Nerine Dorman's South African style Halloween



A sought-after dancer in the upmarket Moonlit Garden, Isabeau Letier, has not given her future much thought. All that matters is the art of dance, and charming wealthy patrons into parting with a few extra coins. She has her exotic good looks and her youth. What could possibly go wrong?
When a mysterious nobleman pays her undue attention, Isabeau’s darker, bloodthirsty nature awakens and she kills him with her bare hands after he follows her home. Even worse, she drinks and enjoys his blood. Her brother, Eric, returns home to this disturbing tableau yet remains calm even as the corpse sifts to ash in the morning sun. Isabeau has no choice but to follow her sibling’s lead.
Not many people know that Michel Roux, owner of a slightly down-at-heel theatre in the District of Paper Lanterns, is a vampire. He prefers to keep things that way and steer clear of the petty politicking of the city's vampiric subculture. When his estranged sire, Tomas, goes missing, and his grandsire sets him the task of solving the mystery, Michel is unwillingly dragged into all of the very dangerous games he thought he’d left behind him.
Isabeau and Michel become unlikely allies as they try to wriggle their way out of being the pawns in a game where they don’t know the rules. Isabeau’s ancient heritage is a danger, not only to herself, but to the established hierarchies at odds with one another in the city of Ysul, and the elders are desperate to either control her–or kill her.
As events unwind, it becomes increasingly difficult to separate friend from foe, and as the two flee for their lives they must also explore the true nature of the bond that they've forged and uncover the ages-old secrets that have pushed them onto this path. Warring factions are about to overturn centuries of custom, and two young people are marked to pay the price—in blood.

Cate: Nerine has a fantastic giveaway for you guys!
Nerine: I’m giving away a digital copy of Dawn’s Bright Talons to the first three people to sign up for my newsletter.
Cate: Wow, three ebooks. Thanks Nerine! And thanks for helping us celebrate Halloween!

Published on October 29, 2014 21:30
October 28, 2014
Anastasia Vitsky puts a spin on Grimm!

Cate: Anastasia's here to party with us!Anastasia, please tell us a little bit about yourself. Anastasia: Hello! I’m Anastasia Vitsky, called Ana by those who know me. I also go by Cookie Queen, Wooden Spoon Lady, and occasionally answer to “Yes, my queen.” It’s a long story! I write erotic F/F fiction, although I am branching out to sweeter and non-erotic F/F fiction.
Cate: Yes, my queen! Lol Love it. What do you love most about Halloween? Anastasia: Spank or Treat! This year, I hosted the third annual gathering of authors who share mini stories or excerpts of upcoming works. We offer free reads, invite readers for fun and games, and offer a slew of prizes. While Spank or Treat fun is over, readers can join the next event for Ana’s Advent Calendar. Visit my blog for more details.
Cate: Fun! Do you have a favorite memory of a Halloween past? Anastasia: Trying to sit down for dinner on Halloween and having to get up every five minutes to answer the door for trick-or-treaters. Why don’t kids come around these days? I miss handing out candy.
Cate: None come to my house either, but we live in the boonies. Have you ever had an unusual experience you couldn’t explain? Anastasia: Probably when I was sleep deprived! As to paranormal experiences, not so much.
Cate: What frightens you the most? Anastasia: Disney movies. Scary movies. Dr. Who. What can I say? I’m a scaredy cat.
Cate: Me too. Ever gone on a ghost tour? Or ghost hunting on your own? Anastasia: shivers See above answer.
Cate: Any favorite Halloween recipes you’d care to share? Anastasia: Strangely, I don’t! I love to cook and bake (hence the nickname “Cookie Queen,” but I don’t have any special Halloween recipes. I’ll have to ponder that. I will be making chocolate chip cookies to hand out to friend’s children, though.
Cate: Tell us about your latest release, and where readers can find it online. Anastasia: Taliasman is a retelling of the Grimm fairy tale “Our Lady’s Child.” No, I had never heard of it, either. The original is a crazy combination of Bluebeard, Rapunzel, and other assorted stories. The Virgin Mary (no, I’m not kidding) brings a baby (in some versions, a three-year-old child) to heaven to raise. In my version, Queen Vina rescues the nineteen-year-old Talia, daughter of a construction worker who has never been wanted by anyone before. If you like stories of love, longing, and happily ever after, you’ll enjoy Taliasman.
Cate: Care to share a blurb or excerpt? Anastasia: Taliasman blurb:

Far away in the heavenly palace, Queen Vina receives a mysterious coin necklace from Nicodemus, teller of stories. Compelled by the throbbing heartbeat, she scours the earth to come across Talia, enslaved to a family who never wanted her. Rather than admit her motives, Vina purchases the girl with a sack full of gold. Furious, betrayed, and homesick, Talia endeavors to share her misery with the entire palace. Vina, afraid to confess her love, allows herself to become trapped in the role of brutal slave owner.
Talia, bred to expect nothing but misery, faces the first choice of her life. Will she accept love, even if it comes from an unlikely source? Or will she reject the one who offers her everything?
A Beyond Fairytales Adaptation of Our Lady’s Child
Taliasman excerpt: If I had been born a boy, I would have followed in my father’s footsteps to become a tradesman. Because I was a girl, he sold me instead. “No,” Vina corrects me when I bring up the story, which is not often. She doesn’t like the facts, and I dislike her pretty lies. “Your mother agonized whether to let you go, but she knew you would be better off here. She wanted to give you a better life.” I would call Vina on her mistruths, but she claims I still reason as a child. All of my protests to the contrary serve to prove her right, at least in her mind. Only when I agree with her does she admit I am a full-grown adult. “You’re happy with me, aren’t you?” Vina makes me sit next to her at the formal dinners she hosts most nights, and she dresses me in rich silks with real lace. If I tell her “no,” she sends me to my room as punishment for my petulance. If I resist, she gives me one of her lessons in obedience. Some are painful, some pleasurable, and all serve to narrow my world and make me focus on her. How could I not, when she owns me? “No,” Vina corrects me when I call her my owner. “I set you free, and I gave you the life you never could have had otherwise.” When I turned nineteen, no one wanted to marry me. My mother fussed with my “hope chest,” if it could be called that, and arranged the one cotton handkerchief as if it could attract a suitor. “Let me stay with you,” I entreated, and I won. I always did. The house needed new walls, and I wielded the power tools. “You’ve turned her into such a tomboy no one will want her,” Mother chided Father, and the truth stung. I could have cared for my parents into their old age, but they wanted me gone.
Where to buy Taliasman: Decadent Publishing store Amazon US Amazon UK Amazon Japan Amazon Germany Amazon AustraliaBarnes and Noble All Romance Ebooks Kobo
Cate: What inspired you to write about the theme? Anastasia: I gave an interview to Decadent, my publisher, that says it best. We need stories about women and girls that teach us about our own worth.
Cate: Anastasia has a giveaway for you lucky peeps! Anastasia: I will select one random commenter OR the best comment to win an Anastasia Vitsky goody bag. If you live outside the US, I will substitute a comparable gift certificate to your local online bookstore.
Author bio: Cookie queen, wooden spoon lady, and champion of carbs, Anastasia Vitsky specializes in F/F erotic fiction. She hates shoes and is allergic to leather. When not writing about women who live spankily ever after, she coordinates reader and author events such as Spank or Treat, Love Spanks, and Sci Spanks. Her favorite event is Ana’s Advent Calendar, a month-long celebration of books, community, and making a difference. She is too afraid to watch Dr. Who, but she adores The Good Wife and anything with Audrey Hepburn. In her next life, she will learn how to make the perfect pie crust.
Where to find out more about Anastasia Vitsky and her books: Blog (Governing Ana) Twitter: @AnastasiaVitsky Facebook page Authorgraph
Cate: Thanks for partying with us, Anastasia! Happy Halloween!

Published on October 28, 2014 22:00
October 27, 2014
Delphina Henley's here with her unicorn!

Cate: Delphina’s here to party with us! Delphina, what do you love most about Halloween? Delphina: Until I had children, my answer would have been the pumpkins and Indian Corn. Now that I have kids, it is listening to them trying to figure out who or what they want to dress up as. There is something magical about a child’s imagination.
Cate: Definitely! Do you have a favorite memory of a Halloween past? Delphina: I was at the first Keene Pumpkin Festival where they broke the world’s record for most jack-o-lanterns. Seeing the thousands and thousands of pumpkins lit at the same time was so beautiful.
Cate: Wow, that must have been so cool! Have you ever had an unusual experience you couldn’t explain? Delphina: I don’t think so, but I am always on the lookout. That kind of thing fascinates me.
Cate: Me too. What frightens you the most? Delphina: Something happening to one of my children.
Cate: Ever gone on a ghost tour? Or ghost hunting on your own? Delphina: I did go on a ghost tour in Nashville and it was beyond interesting hearing all of the stories and seeing all of the places that were reported to have ghosts. Sadly, we did not see any ourselves.
Cate: Any favorite Halloween recipes you’d care to share? Delphina: I am not an overly creative cook and generally don’t have holiday specific recipes. I am known, however, to over cinnamon everything this time of year.
Cate: Tell us about your latest release, and where readers can find it online. Delphina: My latest release is Unless You Can Be A Unicorn and can be found on http://amzn.to/ZzoZxT .
Cate: Care to share a blurb or excerpt? Delphina: Always be yourself

Cate: What inspired you to write about the theme? Delphina: I always wondered why in all of the unicorn stories, their downfall seemed to be an innocent young virgin and asked myself : “What if they got it all wrong? What if it was a paranormal ability and had nothing to do with being innocent? What if those young girls were actually evil?” and from there my brain exploded with ideas including unicorns actually being people.
Cate: Anything else you’d like to share? Delphina: Thank you so much for having me over. It has been amazingly fun to read all of these posts.
Cate: Delphina has a giveaway for you lucky peeps! Delphina: For a proof copy of Unless You Can Be A Unicorn (US ONLY International winners will get a substitute prize), please comment your answer: Have you ever seen a ghost?
Cate: Can't wait to read the responses *shudders* Thanks for joining the Halloween fun, Delphina!

Published on October 27, 2014 22:00
October 26, 2014
C.C. Koen makes Halloween intense!

Cate: Woot, it’s C.C. Koen joining the Halloween bash today. C.C., please tell us a little bit about yourself.
C.C.: Thank you Cate and readers. I’m excited to participate in the CM author spotlight and holiday celebration. I’ve been an educator for over twenty years and spent most of it reading children’s books. Now I use my free time to read romance, mystery, and suspense. Writing romance is a new venture and an immense challenge for me. I get to apply the writing experience I gained in education with my love of romance stories. Who would have thought teaching and romance would make such a great combination.
Cate: What do you love most about Halloween?
C.C.: Halloween has to be the coolest time of the year ever. There’s no stress associated with it like other holidays or celebrations. Except I guess if you forget to buy candy or don’t have enough, then that can be cause for panic.
I have always loved Halloween and seeing the costumes evolve over time. You can always tell which movies are popular and which have long-standing impact. The other great thing about Halloween is that adults can dress up too, have just as much fun as the kids, and no one looks at you funny. Ha! I guess that depends on what you chose for your costume.
Cate: Do you have a favorite memory of a Halloween past?
C.C.: Well…this is going to sound so awful. Readers will think I was a juvenile delinquent, but I’ll share the story any way. I have an older brother and sister, by five and seven years, and we used to go trick or treating together. In the 70’s (also dating myself), making homemade candles was a huge fad. My sister loved it. BUT, we use to take the large wax blocks from the kits she had and WAX neighbors’ car windows. Yeah, I know, total delinquent.
No, we were never caught, but we came close a few times. The things kids do, right?
Cate: Have you ever had an unusual experience you couldn’t explain?
C.C.: Yes, there have been several throughout my childhood. Again, as kids we (my brother, sister and I) were pretty superstitious. When I was younger I recall an instance where we were sitting in the living room talking about spirits and ghosts. While we were sharing scary stories, beliefs about spirits/ghosts, etc. the clock on the wall came crashing down onto the end table, shattering into pieces. The clock had been nailed to that same spot for probably ten years and there’d never been an issue before. So yeah, that freaked us out.
Cate: What frightens you the most?
C.C.: I’d probably need to rank order, because I have two:
1. Fire
2. Water, specifically drowning.
Then of course there are all the creepy crawlies like bugs, reptiles, etc. J
Cate: Ever gone on a ghost tour? Or ghost hunting on your own?
C.C.: Yes, when I was in Gettysburg on vacation they hosted ghost tours. Very interesting. I have also been on a tour in New Orleans, but it was more a gripe session than anything else. I go on ghost tours for the historical value, not because I believe in ghosts.
Cate: Any favorite Halloween recipes you’d care to share?
C.C.: I absolutely love POPCORN BALLS. I couldn’t wait for Halloween each year so I could get them in my trick or treat bag. The other great thing about having siblings was that we often swapped our treats for items we liked the most. So, I always had the best popcorn ball stash. I found a recipe for them online at allrecipes.com. No, I have not tested it, so beware!
Popcorn Balls
Prep time: 10 minutes
Ready in: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Servings: 20
INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup margarine
2 teaspoons cold water
2 5/8 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup marshmallows
5 quarts plain popped popcorn
DIRECTIONS
1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the corn syrup, margarine, cold water, confectioners' sugar and marshmallows. Heat and stir until the mixture comes to a boil. Carefully combine the hot mixture with the popcorn, coating each kernel.
2. Grease hands with vegetable shortening and quickly shape the coated popcorn into balls before it cools. Wrap with cellophane or plastic wrap and store at room temperature.
Cate: Tell us about your latest release, and where readers can find it online.
C.C.: My debut novel is: INTENSITY
Available at Amazon and other retailers.
Cate: Care to share a blurb or excerpt?
C.C.: Blurb:
What would you do to improve your life?

Lincoln (aka: Linc) Jefferson has an unusual life. He established The Lounge, an exclusive escort club for very personal reasons. A place where the women say who, when, and what type of sex they’re willing to have. The escorts possess all the power and the money. It’s a business Linc guards at all costs. Trying to maintain the secrecy is a constant challenge and one that’s tested when he enters into a relationship with Serena. She tempts him unlike any woman, even though he’s surrounded by beauty on a daily basis. The more time they spend together the harder it is for him to keep his secrets. Will Serena stand by his side or will she abandon him?
Sparks and passion fly, taking these two on a journey neither could have expected.
INTENSITY BUY LINKS
INTENSITY AMAZON PREORDER LINKhttp://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NZC1RTS
INTENSITY AMAZON AUTHOR CENTRAL PAGEhttps://www.amazon.com/author/cckoenhttp://bit.ly/cckoenpreorder
INTENSITY AMAZON UK PREORDER BUY LINKhttp://www.amazon.co.uk/Intensity-C-C-Koen-ebook/dp/B00NZC1RTS/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411912920&sr=1-1&keywords=c.c.+koen
INTENSITY BARNES & NOBLE PREORDER LINKhttp://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/intensity-cc-koen/1120408591?ean=2940046195835
INTENSITY KOBO PREORDER LINKhttp://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/intensity-11
INTENSITY SMASHWORDS PREORDER LINK:https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/479688
Cate: What inspired you to write about the theme?
C.C.: Actually, the story originated from a fantasy that came to me as I was driving to work. The story kept evolving to the point I couldn’t sleep or eat, so I sat down and typed, and typed, and typed. Three weeks later I had a complete manuscript, or at least what I thought was complete. Over the next year and a half the story went through countless revisions and changed immensely from the original, but the overall theme ‘letting go of the past’ remained. It’s a story near and dear to my heart and one I’m very proud of. Not only because I wrote it, but because I was able to achieve a goal I never thought I could. *Fingers crossed* I hope readers love the story as much as I do.
Cate: Anything else you’d like to share?
C.C.: I’d love to connect with readers. You can reach me at the following links below. I have a Romance Blog that I’d really like to have readers contribute to. The theme gives everyone an opportunity to share their own love stories, book crushes, etc. I have monthly topics posted for discussion along with my own experiences. It will give everyone a chance to get to know me better too. Feel free to contribute as often as you like. I’m a sucker for romance and since we all have stories to tell, please share them. One of the topics you’ll find, First Kiss. We can all relate to that, right?
WEBSITE: WWW.CCKOEN.COM
ROMANCE BLOG: C.C.CCKOEN.COM
FACEBOOK: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/CCKOENBOOKS
TWITTER: @AUTHORCCKOEN
GOODREADS: WWW.GOODREADS.COM/AUTHORCCKOEN
Cate: C.C. has a giveaway for you guys!
C.C.: I'll give away a signed paperback to a random commenter. Don't forget to leave your email address!
Cate: Thanks for being part of the party, C.C.! Hope you have a spooktacular Halloween.

Published on October 26, 2014 22:00
October 25, 2014
M.L. Guida brings demons and vamps to the Halloween party!

Cate: Please welcome M.L. to my special Halloween celebration. M.L., please tell us a little bit about yourself.M.L.: Thanks for inviting me to your blog. I write both historical and contemporary paranormal books. I'm published with Kensington, Passion in Print, and self published. I write about both demons and vampires with a dusting of witches and dragons.
Cate: What do you love most about Halloween?M.L.: I love the scary shows. I'm stuck on the old Halloween movies with Jamie Curtis, Stephen King movies, and John Carpenter.
Cate: Do you have a favorite memory of a Halloween past?M.L.: My favorite memory is the eating candy after Halloween. My mother bought us a huge plastic pumpkin to fill up with treats. My brother and sister and I would sit in front of the television on Saturday mornings watching cartoons and indulging in chocolate. When I was a kid, cartoons were always on Saturday mornings.
Cate: Have you ever had an unusual experience you couldn’t explain?M.L.: When I was in Scotland, I stayed in a haunted castle. The little girl who haunted the castle wore a yellow dress. In the middle of the night, I woke up and someone wearing yellow passed my nightstand. I closed my eyes. Something sat next to me. Still didn't open my eyes. My friend wore yellow pajamas, but to this day, swears it wasn't her.
Cate: What frightens you the most?M.L.: Real demons. I only saw the Exorcist once and once was too many.
Cate: I hear you *shudders* Ever gone on a ghost tour? Or ghost hunting on your own?M.L.: I love going on ghost tours. The best one I went on was in London: Jack the Ripper tour.
Cate: Any favorite Halloween recipes you’d care to share?M.L.: Does sticking a chocolate bar in peanut butter count?
Cate: Counts for me! Lol Tell us about your latest release, and where readers can find it online.M.L.: I have two new releases. One of them is with Passion in Print, Punishment, Angels of Death, and the second is A Vampire's Fallen Christmas Star. They are both available at Amazon.
Cate: Care to share a blurb or excerpt?M.L.: Punishment, Angels of Death:Chapter One


Cate: Anything else you’d like to share?M.L.: I'd just like to wish everyone a Happy Halloween!
Cate: Woot! M.L. has a giveaway for you guys!M.L.: An ebook copy of Punishment, Angels of Death.
Cate: Thanks for joining the Halloween party, M.L.! Happy Halloween!

Published on October 25, 2014 22:00
October 24, 2014
Amy Burgess gets Beneath The Skin this Halloween!

Cate: Please welcome Amy Burgess to my special Halloween celebration. Amy, please tell us a little bit about yourself. Amy: Hi, my name is Amy Lee Burgess and I write paranormal romance. I love the supernatural element in novels. I live in Houston, Texas with three dachshunds. I’ve published eight books so far – six novels in my wolf shifter series, the Wolf Within, and two in my vampire series, The Circle. I can speak French (badly), love to travel, and autumn is my favorite season.
Cate: Mine too! What do you love most about Halloween? Amy: Carving my jack o lantern on Halloween night surrounded by candles and incense and Halloween decorations. I love the idea of Halloween – people dressing up in costumes and going out into the darkness!
Cate: Do you have a favorite memory of a Halloween past? Amy: I’m glad you asked this! My father loves Halloween too and for years he dressed up as Frankenstein and helped out at a local haunted house run by a couple I’ll call Mr. and Mrs. M. For Halloween they opened their house to neighborhood children to tour. They even had owl wallpaper in the living room. When I was little I would go to the haunted house and brave the stairs to go visit the wicked witch, but when I got older I actually got to help haunt the house. I was always a vampire in a long white nightgown with blood dripping down my chin. I’d hide in a real coffin in the dining room and when kids would knock on the wood, I’d knock back from the inside and they’d scream!
After everyone was gone, we always had doughnuts and cider in the kitchen. I still want to have doughnuts and cider on Halloween night in honor of the M’s and their haunted house.
Cate: Have you ever had an unusual experience you couldn’t explain? Amy: One time I was visiting a supposedly haunted plantation in Louisiana. As I walked around the grounds waiting for my tour to start, I looked up at one of the windows and saw a little boy waving at me. He was standing between the window shade and the glass and I wondered why his mom was letting him touch the shade. I figured he was on the tour before mine.
During the tour we found out about how a slave woman had poisoned a birthday cake that the lady of the home and three of her children ate. She wanted them to get sick so she could nurse them to health again and be in good favor with the plantation master. Only the lady and two of her children, little boys, died, and the slave woman was hanged. Her ghost supposedly haunted the plantation.
The tour went through most of the house, but we didn’t go into that area of the house where I’d seen the little boy. When the tour ended I asked the guide why we didn’t go that area. She told me it was the B&B part of the plantation and people stayed in those rooms. “Ah,” I said. “That explains why the little boy could touch the shade and not get in trouble.” The guide asked, “What little boy?” I told her what I’d seen and she said, “There are no children staying here this weekend. Can you tell me which window he was in?” I told her and she said that was the nursery window where the two little boys died. Had I seen a ghost?
The best part of this story is that three years later I was back in that little town staying at a B&B near the plantation. At breakfast I was talking with a mother and her daughter who had just visited this plantation the day before. And the daughter said, “We think we saw a ghost! There was a little boy waving out the window of what was once the nursery!”
I had not told them my story, but when I did tell them, the whole table got very silent and I know a shiver went down my spine!
Cate: What frightens you the most? Amy: The dentist. Ugh.
Cate: Ever gone on a ghost tour? Or ghost hunting on your own? Amy: I lived in New Orleans and I went on a lot of ghost tours. I never saw a ghost though, except for the little boy at the plantation house.
Cate: Any favorite Halloween recipes you’d care to share? Amy: I love pumpkin seeds, so here’s a recipe I use:
Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Seed your pumpkin and put the seeds into a colander and rinse under cold water. Shake them dry and spread them on an oiled baking sheet and roast them for 30 minutes. This will dry them out. Next, toss them olive oil and salt (sometimes I toss them with cinnamon and sugar instead for sweet seeds) and return to the oven and bake for about twenty minutes or until they turn crisp and golden.
Cate: Tell us about your latest release, and where readers can find it online. Amy: I’m going to talk about my first book in the Wolf Within series because the series is going to print this month and I’m excited. I hope to interest some new readers!
Beneath the Skin is about a wolf shifter named Stanzie Newcastle. She’s gone to a Great Pack Gathering in Paris to find a new bond mate after living on her own for two years. Her former bond mates, Grey and Elena, were killed in a car crash and Stanzie was driving the car. She’s been away from the Pack and wants to reconnect.
In Paris she meets the mysterious and haunted, Liam Murphy. His bond mate died three years previously when she fell down the stairs and broke her neck. He’s also been living away from his pack in exile. His pack convinced him to come to the Gathering. They want him to find a new bond mate but he is SO not interested.
Then he and Stanzie are thrown together by a murder at the Gathering. Stanzie’s a suspect, but Liam is convinced she’s innocent.
Buy links are here: Beneath the Skin
Cate: Care to share a blurb or excerpt? Amy: Here’s the scene where Stanzie reacts to the death of the murder victim. ***

Cate: What inspired you to write about the theme? Amy: Beneath the Skin was a NaNoWriMo novel. I didn’t know what I was going to write about, just that I wanted to write about a wolf shifter named Stanzie. So this novel was completely and utterly pantsed and any themes it contains were not planned!
Cate: Anything else you’d like to share? Amy: You can find me on Twitter @amyleeburgess. I’m also on Facebook
Cate: Yay, Amy has a giveaway for you guys! Be sure to leave your email address with your comment. Amy: I’d love to give away an electronic copy of Beneath the Skin to someone who tells me why they like wolf shifters in the comments.
Cate: Thanks for joining the party, Amy! Happy Halloween!

Published on October 24, 2014 22:00
October 23, 2014
Desiree Holt's here to make your Halloween wild and wicked!

Cate: Woot! Desiree Holt's here to add some spice to our Halloween celebration. Desiree, please tell us a little bit about yourself.
Desiree: I’ve ben published since 2006 and I have to say, writing is my passion. I did a lot of different things before I became an author, everything from higher education to the music business. I enjoyed them all and they provide background for many of my books. My children are all grown and on their own and in different ways participate in my career so it’s kind of a family activity (although they don’t read what I write! Wink) I live in Texas, love it, and most of my books are set here.
Cate: What do you love most about Halloween?
Desiree: I think all the legends and stories that are built around it. Everything from ghosts to goblins to vampires to shifters and stuff in between. I’m a big paranormal fan so of course Halloween is one of my favorite days.
Cate: Do you have a favorite memory of a Halloween past?
Desiree: Before we moved to Texas my late husband and I lived in Florida and we always decorated for Halloween. He loved holidays. Anyway he created a big stuffed dummy that looked like a corpse and put it on our front lawn in a rocking chair. We had a little portable stereo that we set up and whenever kids came up the driveway he would play spooky music and pull the strings so the dummy sat up. It was hysterical.
Cate: What frightens you the most?
Desiree: The specter of death, although I write about it a lot. Go figure.
Cate: Ever gone on a ghost tour? Or ghost hunting on your own?
Desiree: Went on a ghost tour in downtown San Antonio. The Menger Hotel, where five other authors and I hold our Wild Wicked Weekend every February is haunted and sometimes you can see a piece of furniture move. One person said she saw the floor moving gin a wave and we even had people tell us someone touched them in a room when they were alone. On the ghost tour I got to see a lot of those spots.
Cate: Oh, I so want to go to the Wild Wicked Weekend! I'm going to start saving. :) Any favorite Halloween recipes you’d care to share?
Desiree: Iced pumpkin cookies, hands down. I give them to my neighbors now that I live alone or I’d eat all three dozen myself!

1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt; set aside.
In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter and white sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool cookies, then drizzle glaze with fork.
To Make Glaze: Combine confectioners' sugar, milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add milk as needed, to achieve drizzling consistency.
Cate: Yum! I'll have to try these out on the grandboys. Tell us about your latest release, and where readers can find it online.
Desiree: Eyes of the Wolf is just out and part of the Red Hot Teats collective. Link to follow
Cate: Care to share a blurb or excerpt?
Desiree: Absolutely. Meet your neighborhood shifter.
When Jamie Dalton moved into the mouse her grandparents left her she was just looking to reconnect with her past and settle in familiar surroundings. Digging through the attic for treasures, she found a nearly life-sized statue of a wolf and a very old, very strange book, Legends of the Werewolf. Each night after returning home from her job as the town's head librarian, she curled up in a big chair with her little black cat, Mischief, fascinated by what she read. She was shocked when her new neighbor, Mike Volka, introduced himself and the eyes watching her looked just like the wolf in the book.
Mike Volka's ancestors once owned Jamie's house and the book that is his heritage as a wolf shifter, the one that will guide his future, is hidden somewhere inside. He sure didn't expect the intense sexual heat the erupted between them. When he sneaks into her house and sees her asleep in the big chair, the book open on her lap, the temptation to have her is too great for him. Using the hypnotic power of the shifter, he draws her into his web and they have sex so hot it nearly burns down the house.
But can a union born in stealth survive? Is she the human mate his family had told him might be waiting for him? Will Jamie succumb to his hot alpha impact and can she believe what others dismiss as a fanciful legend? On Halloween night it will come to an explosive conclusion but will the heat consume them or bind them closer together.
Cate: Also very yummy! :) What inspired you to write about the theme?
Desiree: I love shifter stories. I’ve done some cats but wolves are my favorites. The legend of the Chupacabra is very big in Texas and my daughter suggested I build a series about the hunt for it, which I did. And of course, most of the Night Seekers are … wolf shifters. I think the wolf is such a noble, romantic animal I love to write about it.
Cate: Anything else you’d like to share?
Desiree: I hope everyone will follow me on FB and Twitter where you camn get all the news ofmy latest releases and activities and ask me any questions you’d like t. I love “chatting” with readers.
Cate: You lucky peeps! Desiree has a fantastic giveaway!
Desiree: Yes. One lucky person will win all four copies of NIGHT SEEKERS. I’ll choose from comments about Halloween.
Cate: Thanks so much for partying with us, Desiree! Happy Halloween!

Published on October 23, 2014 22:00
October 22, 2014
Eva Lefoy puts some bite in your Halloween!

Vampires bite to drink the blood of their victims, not just for biting’s sake. But in some Urban Fantasy works, bites of say a werewolf or a vampire or a demon might turn you into one of them, through some sort of viral infection. After all, their immune system and their bodies are totally different from normal humans so who’s to say what kinds of damage their bite can cause? Or what about the opposite? What good could a vampire’s bite do you?
Well, if you’re willing to suspend belief for a while, how about a bite that heals? After all, they’re often depicted as having super-human powers. Agile, speedy, and dangerous, their senses and their reactions are quick and deadly. Usually, they also heal at a rapid speed – usually after a nice rich dose of blood! What if healings is a nice little perk of a vampire’s bite? Would you take the risk?
In Darkest Flowers, botanist Henri Muller is scarred in a forest wildfire. When he arrives at the vampire’s door, he has no idea the gorgeous naked man can heal him with his bite. After the first one, he has a mind to risk another even though he’s fearful it will lead to his death. Will he accept the vampire as his lover or run away, back to his empty life?
Ah heck, what’s a little nibble between the boys?
Darkest Flowers is a M/M romance from MLR Press.
Thanks to Cate for having me here during the Halloween month. Cate, I hope you get all the goodies you desire this Halloween and if you’ve been very bad…. Well… you know!
Eva
DARKEST FLOWERS
Botanist Henri Muller will do almost anything for a flower—even brave a forest fire. Scarred and heartbroken, he journeys to a greenhouse run by a reclusive proprietor with a mysterious green thumb and a potent sexuality. Henri’s startled by their passionate encounter, but when he discovers the vampire’s bite soothes his tormented body and soul he longs to stay though the cure is deadly.
Ambrose is a shy monster with a lonely heart. Will Henri choose to become his mate or will he let Ambrose wilt and die like a neglected flower? With each passing day, Ambrose grows weaker...
EXCERPT

Henri clicked the laptop closed and checked his watch. The sun had already slid to the western horizon. Damn it, I’ve stayed too late. I should have paid closer attention. He rejected the idea that secretly, he’d wanted to stay, because if he had, that meant… No. I didn’t do it on purpose. I don’t have a death wish. The greenhouse door opened. Ambrose appeared, wearing nothing at all, and began to water his plants. He seemed to hover over one in particular, using his soft low voice to talk to it like a lover. What is he saying? Henri watched the graceful movements, struck anew by Ambrose’s suppleness. How old was he? How long had he lived here, alone? More questions tumbled through his mind as Ambrose spied him and sent him a shy smile. He set the watering can down. “You’re still here. I’m glad.” “I’m finished with my work. At least as much as I can get done for now. I’ll complete the paper back at the college.” Henri stood and stretched. After sitting for hours in the same position, his legs ached. But oddly, the right one didn’t hurt any worse than the left. Ambrose’s bite had almost completely cured his pain. And earlier, when he’d looked in the rearview mirror, he’d seen his real face for the first time in forever. No ugly scarring. No need for the netting. He was whole. The idea he could have his old body back tugged at him. Ask him. Ask him if he can cure me for good.
BUY LINKS All Romance Ebooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-darkestflower-1551186-351.html MLR Press: http://www.mlrbooks.com/ShowBook.php?book=ELDRKFLR Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Darkest-Flower-Eva-Lefoy-ebook/dp/B00KXZ1XYE Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk./Darkest-Flower-Eva-Lefoy-ebook/dp/B00KXZ1XYE Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/darkest-flowers
Author Bio and Contact
Eva Lefoy writes and reads all kinds of romance, and is a certified Trekkie. She’s also terribly addicted to chocolate, tea, and hiking. One of these days, she’ll figure out the meaning of life, quit her job, and go travel the galaxy. Until then, she’s writing down all her dirty thoughts for the sake of future explorers. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Eva-Lefoy/344907072265234 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Eva_Lefoy Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/elefoy/ Blog: http://writery.wordpress.com/
Thanks so much for joining the party, Eva! Hope your Halloween is spooktacular!

Published on October 22, 2014 22:00
October 21, 2014
Taryn Kincaid will bring you In From the Cold for Halloween!

Cate: Please welcome Taryn Kincaid to my special Halloween celebration. Taryn, please tell us a little bit about yourself. Taryn: I’m creepy and I’m kooky, mysterious and spooky. I’m altogether ooky. Oh. Wait. That’s the Addams Family. I may or may not be a scream, though. And my house may or may not be a museum. Actually, I may or may not be hoarder. Currently, I have many, many six-packs and bottles of Gatorade, in colors that do not precisely occur in nature, arrayed on my dining room table. Do not ask me why. I really can’t stand Gatorade.
Cate: lol Maybe the colors are festive? What do you love most about Halloween? Taryn: It is crisp. Sometimes the Yankees play in the world series. Apples are particularly great. You do not have to buy pumpkin puree in cans. And there’s crap tons of candy wherever you look. Also Christmas decorations. But we may be getting ahead of ourselves.
Cate: Earlier every year! Do you have a favorite memory of a Halloween past? Taryn: Here is me as a hobo with strategically-placed five o’clock shadow. And here is me and one of my brothers as Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy. My mom apparently liked the scruffy look, back in the day, when she did not work outside the home and needed a creative outlet aside from making curler bags out of empty Clorox bottles and papier mache bangle bracelets. We went to a store to get our picture taken as Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Ann and won a TV!


Cate: Worth dressing scruffy for the day! You guys don't look very happy, though :( Have you ever had an unusual experience you couldn’t explain? Taryn: I had a very spooky dream premonition once. It involved relatives, and floating to the ceiling of the elevator. The floater banged his head on the roof of the elevator. And the next day passed away. (From advanced age, though, not from an elevator mishap.) It was totally freaky-deaky, though.
Cate: *shivers* What frightens you the most? Taryn: Aside from a bad review, you mean?
Cate: Ha, I hear you. Ever gone on a ghost tour? Or ghost hunting on your own? Taryn: Last spring I went to my top bucket city, New Orleans, for the first (but definitely not the last!) time, for the Romantic Times convention. One night a group of us went on one of the many ghost tours. Ghosts are actually a selling point in NOLA real estate. As you walk through the French Quarter, there are tons of apartment-for-rent signs that say “Haunted” or “Not Haunted.” Not too many other places I can think of where they’d have to tell you that! Well, maybe Sleepy Hollow!
Cate: Someday I need to go to N'awlins. Any favorite Halloween recipes you’d care to share? Taryn: Here’s a link to my Pinterest Happy Halloween board. Tons of recipes (and pictures there). Will definitely be trying out those spider peanut cookies with Lindt truffle heads and googly eyes one day soon!
Cate: Tell us about your latest release, and where readers can find it online. Taryn: It’s IN FROM THE COLD, and it’s the story of a demon spy named Spook, and a demon-hunting will o’the wisp. Spook doesn’t know he’s a demon or that he’s got demon relatives in Sleepy Hollow! They are combustible together, even before Madame Eve fixes them up for a 1Night Stand. And the morning after brings them down into the bowels of Demon Central, where they learn a thing or two about their pasts. It’s 99 cents on Amazon. It’s also available at the Decadent Publishing site, All Romance, Barnes & Noble, and every place else you’d expect! (Psst: And also? It’s part of the Box of 1Night Stands anthology of 21 1Night Stands by some super awesome bestselling authors, like Jennifer Probst. Which is also 99 cents! So you do the math!)
Cate: Sounds cool! I love your Spooky Hollow stories. Care to share a blurb or excerpt? Taryn:

Cate: Anything else you’d like to share? Taryn: Yeppers! Look for my wolfie paranormal romance, WOLF’S SONG in early 2015, when Decadent Publishing’s brand new Black Hills Wolves shift line debuts. And IF YOU CAN’T STAND THE HEAT, a contemporary foodie romance releasing on February 24, 2015, as part of Fated Desires Publishing’s special “Give Me a Taste” line.
Cate: You guys are in for a treat! Taryn has a giveaway. :) Taryn: Will send a random commenter the ebook of your choice from my back list! (Or some random swag.) But you have to leave a comment!
Cate: And be sure to leave your email address, guys. Thanks for partying with us, Taryn!

Published on October 21, 2014 22:00
October 20, 2014
V.S. Morgan creates shifters to die for!

Cate: Please welcome V.S. Morgan to my special Halloween celebration. V, please tell us a little bit about yourself. V.S. Morgan: I grew up in Oregon but have lived in Minnesota for the last 16 years. I’m married, and we celebrate our 20th anniversary next June. With hubby, son, and pets who are all male, I’m the queen of my home. I enjoy nature, reading, and music. I work full-time as a Project Manager.
Cate: What do you love most about Halloween? V.S. Morgan: Halloween is magical. As a kid, it was the only time I could out and about after dark and for one night I could be anyone or anything I wanted. As an adult, I love decorating and seeing all the kids’ costumes as they trick-or-treat and checking out the houses that are majorly done-up. Halloween always makes me happy.
Cate: I completely agree :) Do you have a favorite memory of a Halloween past? V.S. Morgan: There isn’t one that stands out in particular. Loved them all for different reasons.
Cate: Have you ever had an unusual experience you couldn’t explain? V.S. Morgan: The night my great-grandfather died, I saw a shimmery image of him in my bedroom doorway. I didn’t even know he’d died until the next morning. To this day I believe he was saying goodbye.
Cate: So sweet, and sad. What frightens you the most? V.S. Morgan: Clowns freak me out.
Cate: *shivers* Ever gone on a ghost tour? Or ghost hunting on your own? V.S. Morgan: I visited the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse in Oregon which had a ghost story associated with it. A teenager was murdered by pirates. Her body was never found because there was a secret passage but a long blood smear on the floor had been found. We went on the tour, and I bought a small book and read it over and over. Gave me the chills. I believe that story has been debunked but was still fun. Would love to visit more spooky places.
Cate: Very spooky! Tell us about your latest release, and where readers can find it online. V.S. Morgan: Hunter’s Mark is an interracial paranormal (shifter) story about an assassin who realizes his latest assignment violates his rules, so the hunter becomes the protector. It was a really fun story to write.
Cate: Care to share a blurb or excerpt? V.S. Morgan: Blurb:

Excerpt: He stepped closer to Casey’s stall but stumbled over something small and furry. The toe of one Birkenstock caught on a clump of grass as he attempted not to trample the little beast, and he ass-planted with said beast jumping onto his chest to give him a broad doggie smile. His buddy laughed piss-your-pants-hard in his ear. F**k a duck. “Miss Priscilla!” The target he’d worked so hard to observe remotely sank to the ground between his sprawled-out legs, peeling the tiny hairball off his chest and setting it on the ground. “I’m so sorry! Are you okay?” Big blue eyes fringed with long, pale lashes scanned his body while strong yet gentle hands moved over his ankles and legs, searching for an injury. Oh, a toucher. His wolf basked in the tactile attention. His breath hitched as those hands glided past his knees and skimmed his thighs. Damn, he needed to get laid after this assignment. “Oh, my, what a li’l sweetie. Look at those freckles! I wonder if he’s got them everywhere. I’d like to lick them,” Rex crowed in his ear. He growled. The other man chortled. “Possessive, much?” He inhaled deeply, only to be slammed with the force of a Mack truck. Strawberries on a warm summer’s day and fresh-cut grass—s**t, his target smelled delicious. He took another breath, and his brain reeled. He’s a wolf shifter, too? F**k. Casey’s brows furrowed. “Where are you hurt?” He forced a smile. “I’m fine. No worries.” Casey returned the smile, his wide and high beam combined with sparkling eyes. Hunter stared as warmth wrapped around him like a blanket. He had no ammo against such a happy, open expression. The guy freaking glowed.
Cate: I love reimagined fairy tales. :) What inspired you to write about the theme? V.S. Morgan: Decadent Publishing had an open call for re-tellings of fairytales. In order to avoid a hundred Cinderella stories, they randomly assigned stories. My assignment was Grimm’s “The Skillful Huntsman.” It was a blast to twist it into my own version.
Cate: Woot! V.S. has a fantastic giveaway for you guys! V.S. Morgan: I have a Rafflecopter giveaway $20 Amazon Gift Card
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Cate: Thanks so much for partying with us, V.S.! Hope your Halloween is spooktacular!

Published on October 20, 2014 22:00