Cate Masters's Blog, page 23

Cover Reveal: Alien Attachments by Sabine Priestley

Congrats to Sabine Priestley on her upcoming release of Alien Attachments! Please show Sabine some cover love. :)



Alien AttachmentsBook One
Finding one’s psi-mate is something every Sandarian dreams of. Too bad Ian’s family and society would never allow him to bond with a human. And even if he could, Dani would never let some alien voodoo tell her who she was going to spend the rest of her life with. No matter how hot he is.
Learn more at:  http://www.sabinepriestley.com
ExcerptBio Sabine grew up in Phoenix, but has lived in Arizona, California, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Texas, Massachusetts and Florida. She has a BS in Electrical Engineering Technologies and did everything but her thesis for a Masters degree in Cultural Anthropology, looking at the nexus of culture and technology. She was a Project Manager flying back and forth between Tucson and Boston when she met her very own alien. She spent a year running the QA department for a seriously cool and under appreciated computer telephony system then moved to California where she ran a small tech support group for a company making DSL routers before anyone knew what DSL was. A life long fan of Science Fiction and Romance novels, Alien Attachments naturally gelled in her imagination. Sabine lives in Florida with her husband, kids, cats and whole mess of characters in her head. 
LinksEmail: SabinePriestley@gmail.comWebsite: http://www.sabinepriestley.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/sabinepriestleyFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sabine-Priestley/144605875630586?ref=hl

What's that smell?

Ouch! It's me! Getting roasted! And toasted :)

I'm at Authors Roast and Toast today! If you've never visited the site, you should. These ladies know how to throw a cyber party! And as a bonus, there's Oliver... you'll have to visit to experience him first hand!

I hope you'll pop over for the party. And to enter my giveaway - more Treat Yourself Like a Goddess gifts. :)

Come on over and party like a goddess!

Quitting

I must do it a hundred times a year. Writing a story is bliss. The industry is hell. I suppose that's true for most artists these days, sadly.

It saddens me more to read about authors quitting for good. Last weekend, another one gave up for the reason above. She couldn't take all the promo.

It can be exhausting. And for someone so behind the times as me, nearly impossible to navigate. I have a Twitter account but am a dunce at it - my tweets generally come from my FB page. I know I should take the time to learn to use it, but I don't use my phone for online tasks, and I already use too much computer time on marketing stuff. I did a rough tally of time I spend online versus writing, and writing time has taken a huge hit. Something I can barely afford because life interrupts too often.

Then there's the turmoil within the publishing industry itself. Amazon's letter asking writers to plead with Hachette was almost laughable. It brought to mind the dialogue in the movie Red, when the CIA held the girl in custody and said if she wanted to save the guy, she had to help the CIA. Her response: "You're asking me for help? That is so lame. He's going to eat you alive."

Yeah. Something like that, Amazon.

But enough about their drama. I disconnect from all that when I write. My laptop has no Internet connection and I can focus on the story alone (except when I need to do research, then I have to switch to the desktop).

Apparently, the state of the publishing industry has gotten to many writers. It's becoming more frequent to read about writers who quit. These writers are a good example of the frustrations we all go through. And also the reasons we keep writing.

Lately, it's felt as if the universe is pushing me toward something else. I don't put a lot of stock in horoscopes, but if I did, I'd note the increasing trend of them telling me to switch occupations if I want to make money.

That's the real issue. Compensation. People in third world countries earn higher salaries than many writers. In fact, my hubby's helping me with a side project related to my photography that I may share later on if it actually develops (no pun intended. Well, a little maybe).

So am I quitting? No more than usual. Maybe after I finish the dozen WIPs I've started. Oh, and I had a few more killer story ideas...

Goddess or feminist - why must we choose?

A funny thing happened during the release party for Goddess, Awakened. At first, we were having fun, discussing mythological goddesses and favorite authors and books.

Then someone asked if my book promoted feminism. The question confused me at the time. Here was my answer:

“Not at all. The theme encourages women to empower themselves by accepting who they truly are and strengthening their unique talents. All things positive.”

Maybe I should explain why I began writing this series, The Goddess Connection, which will all be paranormals/fantasies based in mythology, all stand-alones, each based on a different goddess.
I love empowering women. Celebrating their uniqueness. Each of us have talents or skills we might view as quirks, and maybe we even dislike ourselves because of them. Or maybe we simply ignore them to fit into a more standardized life where we go through the motions but don’t really feel fulfilled.
In each of these books, the heroine will have lifelong quirks that she sees as detrimental, but by the end, she’ll learn that these quirks are actually strengths. They help define her as an individual, and that’s not a bad thing.
So it saddened me that, when I read the answers to one of the questions I posed at the party, “Do you think women should be treated like goddesses?” and some said no. Some argued women shouldn’t be put on a pedestal – and I agreed:

“that’s definitely not the message I want to send. As I mentioned above, the idea is *not* to put women on a pedestal or treat them as divas, but to value who they are in all their flaws, unique beauty, and talents. The theme of the Goddess Connection is for women to nurture that in themselves, too, and not let others devalue us. I hope that makes sense.”

And then I saw this article on HuffPost: “Women Against Feminism is athing. And We’re Confused.”
I’m definitely confused too. Obviously, these young women have the wrong idea about feminism. Maybe they picture a militant society where females are barely distinguishable from males, some sci-fi interpretation that skews the real meaning. To me, feminism honors the struggle and hardships women endured to receive basic rights that should be afforded any human. To vote. To have an education. To choose for themselves how to live their lives. To better themselves in whatever way that appeals to them.
Lately, I’ve been seeing the term thrown around pretty freely, and it’s disturbing. Another article claimed the Starz series based on Diana Gabaldon’s work was the “feminist” answer to Game of Thrones. Why do journalists feel the need to pit one show against another? One gender against another? (Yes, I know – to boost ratings)
The HuffPost article put the question about a feminist label for my books in perspective, and if someone asks again, I’ll have to better qualify my answer.
Yes, to be a goddess means to embrace your best self. The only way to do that is by freeing yourself from restraints, either from outside or originating in yourself.
In my mind, the same definition applies to feminism.
And if you’re interested in The Goddess Connection, the first book is now available from Kensington Publishing’s Lyrical Press imprint.

Goddess, Awakened The Goddess Connection, Book 1Fantasy/paranormal romance novelAbout 89,700 words Amazon | Barnes and Noble | All Romance eBooks | Kensington  

Spotlight: Silver Wolf Clan by Tera Shanley

Please help me welcome Tera Shanley! Congrats on your release, Tera! Such a beautiful cover. Wishing you tons of sales!

Silver Wolf Clan
By Tera Shanley
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Lyrical Press/Kensington Publishing Corp.
Length: 129 pages
Book 1 in the Silver Wolf Clan saga

Blurb
What happens when monsters turn out to be real? One summer night while camping in the woods, Morgan Carter finds out in a big way. A tall mysterious stranger, Greyson Crawford, risks his life to try and save her sister from the vicious wolf attacking their camp. When he’s bitten and disappears into the night, Morgan can only assume the worst.Greyson shows up a year later, and he’s a different animal altogether. His eye color shifts constantly and the rumble in his throat sounds more animal than human. She hasn’t any idea where he’s been all this time, but a good guess as to what he’s become. 
Grey is determined not to let the darkness of his new existence affect Morgan and the little girl in her care. He hasn’t been able to stop thinking about Morgan but knows he should stay away and let her live a normal life. That’s easier said than done, though. A new danger pulls him from the shadows to keep her safe, and he’s no wolf in sheep’s clothing. 
Can she accept what lurks just below his surface? More importantly, can she survive him?


Buy Links
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Silver-Wolf-Clan-Tera-Shanley-ebook/dp/B00KYUNENG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403281510&sr=8-1&keywords=Silver+Wolf+Clan Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/silver-wolf-clan-tera-shanley/1119847720?ean=9781616505424   
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/silver-wolf-clan 
Kensington Books: http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/book.aspx/30513


Author Bio
Tera Shanley writes in sub-genres that stretch from Paranormal Romance, to Historic Western Romance, to Apocalyptic (zombie) Romance. The common theme? She loves love. A self-proclaimed bookworm, she was raised in small town Texas and could often be found decorating a table at the local library. She currently lives in Dallas with her husband and two young children and when she isn’t busy running around after her family, she’s writing a new story or devouring a good book. Any spare time is dedicated to chocolate licking, rifle slinging, friend hugging, and the great outdoors. For more information about Tera and her work, visit www.terashanley.com.


Author Links 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/terashanley.author
Blog: http://www.terashanley.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/terashanley
Website: http://terashanley.wordpress.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7212904.Tera_Shanley
Excerpt
Grey’s arms and legs were on fire, burning from his very veins, blistering every nerve ending on the way out. Why was the pain tearing through his chest? He tried to hail the woman but nothing came out except a quiet groan. Was he dying? He arched his neck toward her sister. Her body was so mangled it was all but unrecognizable as human. The girl’s eyes were open, fixed, staring back at him. She was dead. Would he die, too? What was that thing? That monster?
Maybe this was all a dream. Maybe he still slept, back in his campsite a quarter of a mile away. He’d been sleeping there only a few minutes ago. Maybe he was just having a vivid night terror and he’d wake at any moment to the relief that this wasn’t real. The girl slid over to him, but he was already panting in pain. Fire in his blood burned him up.
Her mouth moved, but he couldn’t hear anything over the roaring in his ears. Like helicopter blades, the sound drowned out everything. Her lips were full, and when his vision blurred, he tried to focus on her face. She was beautiful. Tiny. Delicate like a hummingbird. Even through spilling tears, the moss green color of her eyes was clear and compelling.
Her voice overcame the screeching in his ears. “What’s your name?”
“Greyson,” he rasped. “Greyson Crawford.” Someone should know who he was. Notify Dad what had happened there in the woods of Enchanted Rock. “What’s yours?” It was getting so hard to breathe. He had to know. He’d leave the world on her name.
“Morgan. My name’s Morgan.”

Ends and beginnings

As the old saying goes, all good things must come to an end. Today's the last stop on the Goddess, Awakened, tour. Thanks to Harlie's Books for featuring my story.

Which means... the giveaway's ending soon! If you haven't already entered, hurry over there and click on the Rafflecopter. Or just click here! :) Then you can have a chance to win the Treat Yourself Like A Goddess gift basket.

Thanks also to tour hosts Guilty Indulgence and to The Avid Reader for the lovely review of Goddess, Awakened!

Today, my post should be up (soon I hope) at Decadent Publishing's 1Night Stand blog. Hope you'll pop over and say hey.

And speaking of Decadent Publishing... they're throwing a Facebook party to celebrate the launch of their Beyond Fairytales line. There'll be plenty of goodies given away, so join in the fun!

Tomorrow, I'm having a special guest here on the blog, and then I may take a break until next Friday, August 15, when I'll be properly roasted at Author Roast and Toast. Plus, oldest grandboy's Kindergarten orientation is next Thursday and we have much to prepare! A huge beginning, for sure. Wish us both luck :)

Escape with Good Faith

A few months ago, I saw that Liz Crowe's Good Faith was a 99 cent download on Amazon. I snapped up that bargain! And I'm really glad I did.

Though I hadn't read any of the previous books in the Stewart Realty series, and Good Faith was my first read by Liz Crowe. Definitely not my last though. She bills her stories as "romance for real life" and this story, at least, hit a bullseye in that target. More than once I was struck with the sense of 'been there, done that' as far as marriage and raising kids.

But this story encompasses so much more than that. Good Faith follows the lives of parents and their children as they come of age. All face a myriad of challenges.

I admit I wished I had begun with the first in the Stewart Realty series, as the number of characters was hard to follow at first.

But Ms. Crowe is adept at reaching deep into each character's thoughts and heart, and revealing them thoroughly so that readers likewise get to know them thoroughly. Her characters are so well drawn out that you are intimately acquainted with their hopes, desires and dreams, as well as their flaws. There are no Pollyanna portrayals here. You might come to see them as people who possibly are neighbors or coworkers, maybe you recognize them in your own family. Like real people, they try their best but at times, stumble. For some characters, their conflicting desires clash, making life choices difficult.

Ms. Crowe wrote with such heart and tender care of these characters. Readers can't help but love them too. This is less a romance than a mainstream novel, fraught with heartbreak, loss - and redemption, my favorite kind of story.

Take the time to read and savor this novel. You will be glad you did.

About Liz Crowe
Microbrewery owner, best-selling author, beer blogger and journalist, mom of three teenagers, and soccer fan, Liz lives in the great Midwest, in a major college town.  Years of experience in sales and fund raising, plus an eight-year stint as an ex-pat trailing spouse, plus making her way in a world of men (i.e. the beer industry), has prepped her for life as erotic romance author.
When she isn’t sweating inventory and sales figures for the brewery, she can be found writing, editing or sweating promotional efforts for her latest publications.
Her groundbreaking romance subgenre, “Romance for Real Life,” has gained thousands of fans and followers who are interested less in the “HEA” and more in the “WHA” (“What Happens After?”)
Her beer blog a2beerwench.com is nationally recognized for its insider yet outsider views on the craft beer industry. Her books are set in the not-so-common worlds of breweries, on the soccer pitch and in high-powered real estate offices.  Don’t ask her for anything “like” a Budweiser or risk painful injury.

Find out more about Liz on her site or her blog.

New release: Summer's Enchantment by Kathleen Ann Gallagher

Congrats to Kathleen on another release! Please show her some love with a comment - you might win an ebook copy!

A Summer's Enchantment


Cassandra Wales, an independent and determined registered nurse finds her plans for the future shattered when her boyfriend dumps her.  Her witchcraft made him squirm and she wasn’t changing for him. The move into her new home keeps her distracted, but she’ll be sure to keep an eye out for red flags next time.  When an elderly woman shows up at her doorstep and makes an odd request, she comes face to face the woman’s hot and sexy grandson.  He convinces her to come to see his band play. Will she be able to trust a man who has women begging for his attention? Jake Hill is an ambitious, up and coming lead singer in a rock band. When his grandmother asks him to take her over to her first home, he doesn’t question her motives. Instead, he meets the woman of his dreams. Will she stick around while he climbs the ladder in the exciting world of a rock star?  How will Jake find the time to nurture a relationship when his music takes top billing? Can the passion between them be enough to lead the way,Excerpt
As Cassandra traced the outline of his full lips with her eyes, her hands trembled. A thick head of, shaggy, blonde hair held a sheen in the sunlight. There was a sense of familiarity in his voice, and it brought her comfort. As he bent down to get his grandmother’s bag, she stole a glimpse at his tight-fitting jeans. It was difficult to keep a thought in her head.He placed the bag on the floor, stood and placed his hand on the roof of the car, giving her a peek at his tattooed bicep. His tight fitted, short sleeved shirt lifted giving her a clear view of his six-pack. He’s hot, but he’ a real show off. Probably has girls lining up at his doorstep. It wasn’t like her to gawk at a guy. The array of emotions she was feeling made her lightheaded. All thoughts of her decorating project took a back seat to her raging hormones. Her focus was supposed to be on her new home, not a hot, sexy dude in a great pair of jeans. She took a deep breath in an attempt to get it together. He inched closer, and she got a whiff of his sensual cologne. Jake oozed sex appeal. Steadying herself, a silly thought cane to her. Is he about to kiss me? Wishful thinking on her part, but she’d never admit it.Jake didn’t have to make a move to pique her interest. The intensity of his stare, sent shivers down her spine.“Look, I know this is sudden, but how’d you like to meet me this Friday at Shark’s, on Willow Drive? We’re heading the bill and I’d love for you to hear us jam.” He tilted his head and reached out to touch her arm. “Say you’ll come. Please? No pressure, but my grandmother is waiting.” He gave a boyish grin.His sensuous full lips tempted her to imagine a romantic interlude. I must be losing it. Never in her life had she found a man so tantalizing. She offered a playful grin, feeling the butterflies in her stomach grow. “I’d love to hear you play again.” A real date might be better, but a slow start sounded good for now. She didn’t expect to be so attracted to a man she’d just met. No formal introduction was needed. The chemistry spoke for itself. “Can you make it this Friday night? I promise to spend breaks with you.” He kept his eyes on her, making his invitation hard to resist.“I think I can make it.”“You think? Try to be there. I’ll sing a song especially for you.”She felt the heat on her face. “Okay, I’ll do my best to make it. It’s nice of you to invite me.”Her heart pounded in her chest. She couldn’t believe she had made a date with a man she met briefly, right in front of her house. “Thanks,” she said.“I’m stoked you’re coming.” Jake smiled and jumped into his car, buckled up and waved as he pulled away.


Links Buy link http://bit.ly/1mV4VKu
Blog http://kathleensplacetoreflect.blogspot.com/?zx=a7245435c3267ac9 Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kathleen.a.gallagher Website http://www.kathleenanngallagher.net/ Twitter https://twitter.com/Kathleenwrites Author page https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKathleenAnnGallagher Google https://plus.google.com/u/0/117606070036565136137/posts
BIO Kathleen lives in New Jersey with her husband and their two dogs. She’s a registered nurse who works in an emergency room. Writing has been her passion since she was a young girl. Contemporary and paranormal romance are her favorites. She has three adult children and three lovable grandsons. Her favorite romantic getaway is Cape May, New Jersey. You might find Kathleen on a beach down the Jersey Shore, wearing a straw hat, sipping on an iced tea, dreaming up her next romance novel.

Cover Reveal: Ascension by A.S. Fenichel

Coming October 6, 2014 from A.S. Fenichel and Lyrical Press
AscensionThe Demon Hunters, #1
When demons threaten London, Lady Belinda answers the call. 
Lord Gabriel Thurston returns home from war to find his fiancée is not the sweet young girl he left behind. She’s grown into a mysterious woman who guards her dark secrets well. When he sees her sneaking away from a ball, he’s convinced it’s for a lover’s rendezvous. Following her to London’s slums, Gabriel watches in horror as his fiancée ruthlessly slays a man. 
Lady Belinda Carlisle’s only concern was her dress for the next ball—until demons nearly killed her and changed everything. A lady by day, and a demon hunter by night, she knows where her duty lies. Ending her betrothal is the best way to protect Gabriel from death by a demon’s hand. 
Gabriel soon realizes, like him, Belinda has been fighting for her country. He joins in the fight, determined to show her that their love can endure, stronger than ever.  About A.S. Fenichel A.S. Fenichel gave up a successful career in New York City to follow her husband to Texas and pursue her lifelong dream of being a professional writer. She’s never looked back. A.S. adores writing stories filled with love, passion, desire, magic and maybe a little mayhem tossed in for good measure. Books have always been her perfect escape and she still relishes diving into one and staying up all night to finish a good story. Multi-published in erotic, contemporary and historical romance, A.S. is the author of the Mayan Destiny series, Christmas Bliss and many more. With several books currently contracted to multiple publishers, A.S. will be brining you her brand of romance for many years to come. Originally from New York, she grew up in New Jersey, and now lives in the East Texas with her real life hero, her wonderful husband. When not reading or writing she enjoys cooking, travel, history, and puttering in her garden.Visit A.S. at her website at http://www.asfenichel.net/

New release! Long Haul by Thomas Olbert

Congrats to Tom on his latest release! Help him celebrate by joining in the party.  Very cool cover, Tom! Wishing you many sales!

 
Long Haul Science Fiction Action-Adventure novella
Musa Publishing http://www.musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=801 







This trucker's haul takes him to the end of time and space, and beyond...


Take the wildest ride of your life!
In the near future, physicists have stumbled on a way to open rifts into other universes, making it possible to transport goods and people anywhere in the world in nothing flat.  The unscrupulous corporation that owns the new technology uses it to monopolize shipping worldwide.
Thrill-seeking, death-defying truckers like veteran army driver Garth Jenkins and his gun-toting trucking partner Sally Drake earn hazardous duty pay by hauling rigs through perilous alien universes often infested with deadly alien monsters and many other dangers besides.
Garth and Sally accept a shady corporate contract to deliver some unknown cargo to an alien universe, no questions asked.  It looks like an easy way to score big money.  But, things go south fast when their truck is hijacked by the beautiful and mysterious Keira Takahashi, and they find themselves pursued by hideous alien parasites in undead human bodies.
On the run and in danger, Garth and Sally find themselves on a crooked cosmic road leading to bizarre other worlds and exotic time periods.  They have one chance to unravel the company's twisted plot and save themselves.  Whether they succeed or fail may decide the fate of a universe...

***
Garth Jenkins is the kind of guy who just can’t stay out of trouble, as both his ex-wives will testify.  But, when trouble comes (and, to him, it always does BIG TIME) there’s no one you’d rather have in your corner.  Sally Drake has her hands full trying to keep Garth on the straight and narrow.  They fight over everything (including women.)  But together, they are an unbeatable team.  To hear Garth tell it in his own words:Excerpt:
Three suns burned brightly in the sky, the Earth was breaking apart, and giant moths were attacking us. For most guys, that would describe a bad dream after a bender, but when you’re trucking a load on the long haul, that’s business as usual.
A big mama moth was comin’ straight at me, and she looked pretty damn pissed. Wing spread of about fifteen feet, jaws bigger than my head. Yeah, that’s how big they grow in the crazy gravity in this parallel ’verse.
I squeezed the trigger of my flamethrower. A long, twisting stream of fire snaked out and nailed that sucker right between its foot-wide sparklin’ silver eyes. The shrieking noise those mothers make when they burst into flames cuts to the marrow and curdles the blood. Kinda like my ex-wife when I’m late with a payment.
It was still coming straight for me. I felt the fire on my face as it swooped in. Those things go up like freakin’ gas balloons, y’know. As it passed over, I held onto the rearview side mirror, crouched down on the running board, and nudged that big flaming bug with the muzzle of the flamethrower. It passed on over, stinking, singed pieces of it falling onto my hair and coveralls.
“Damn!” I yelled at the top of my lungs as the truck hit the guard rail, sparks flying, metal screeching. My feet slipped off the running board, and the rearview started coming loose in my hand. I looked down. My feet dangled over a damn long drop into a kind of island floating in mid-air, a jungle landscape splitting apart, volcanoes erupting and lava bubbling up.
There was nothing but sky all around, filled with other floating islands, and swarms of those moth things were taking off from them. Behind that, the moon filled half the sky. It looked close enough to touch. I held on for dear life as the rubber screeched over the tar. My trucking partner, Sally Drake, was spinning that wheel blind, trying to keep the damn rig on the highway. A highway that was built in mid-air, stretching out from one floating island to the next. Don’t ask me how. Our road crews just paved over old highways that were already there. Built by aliens from another ’verse, maybe. Or by humans from our future. I just drive. I don’t ask questions.