Cate Masters's Blog, page 37

Yolanda Renee Spills the Beans

Hi, Yolanda! So glad to have you at Spilling the Beans, where we can learn a little bit about you, and your book. Grab a cappuccino and let’s chat. Unless you have another favorite drink (alcoholic or otherwise)?Thanks for having me over today, Cate, I'd love a cup of green tea it's my go to drink.
Coming right up! Fur or feathers, petwise?Patches, my Boston terrier is my love and constant companion, but years ago, I had a blue parakeet named Peppermint Patty. I loved her chatter.
Aw, we used to love our 'keets too. Any pet peeves? One thing that really burns your biscuits?Politicians – the snake oil salesmen we elect but who fail to do the job they're elected to do. Instead, they line their pockets and the pockets of their friends on the backs of the people who've elected them. But the worst, even when they are exposed for who and what they are – we keep electing them! Makes you wonder who the real idiots are!
Many feel the same as you these days, I’m sure. :( What’s your guilty pleasure?Food – Coconut CakeMovie – The Phantom of the OperaMusic – Anything Josh GrobanWhen not writing – A long, long walk
Favorite quote?The secret to happiness in your work is to find a job in which your neurosis is constructive. ~Jeanne LaMont, MD
Ha, love it. What’s your ideal day like?5:00 AM a beautiful quiet morning, a cup of green tea, two hours of non-stop writing, and then a one-hour walk, breakfast and two more hours of non-stop writing. The rest of the day spent with family, and friends, and the day ends with more writing.
If you could live out any fantasy, what would you do?I would go to Alaska to finish my third book. I'd love to travel the journey that Detective Quaid takes to solve his next mystery. From the Brooks Range to Prudhoe Bay and to the Aleutian Islands, I would recapture the sense of place, atmosphere, and most importantly the adventure.
Beethoven, Beatles, Foo Fighters or Keith Urban (what type(s) of music makes you rock out)?I enjoy listening to Josh Groban, Adele, James Blunt, Alison Krause, and even Patsy Cline. I guess I'm a quiet rocker!
Yay, another eclectic music lover. Does music influence your writing? Do you have a music playlist for your book?I do listen to music when writing, but honestly, I shut out the world when in the zone – including all sound. But yes, it does help to get me in the creative mood, and my playlist includes all of the above!
Which of your characters would you most/least want to hang out with, and why?I would love to hang out with Leeann Thomas, she's Sarah Palmer's best friend. Leeann travels to Hawaii several times a year and is married to a man who gives her everything. (My hubby gives me everything – well almost!)I would not want to hang out with any of the criminals in my books; their evil is too well hidden behind a smile and a kind word.
While creating your books, what was one of the most surprising things you learned?I was surprised by my ability to kill the victims in my stories. They are innocent people who die in brutally horrid ways, and then I was surprised by how hard it was to kill 'my darlings'!
Where can readers find out more about you? You can find me here:  Defending the Pen ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest~ Goodreads
Thanks for spilling the beans today, Yolanda!Thanks Cate, for allowing me to discuss Murder, Madness & Love, re-released on August 19, 2013 and Memoires of Murder released on October 4, 2013. You make a mean cup of green tea – never had it with brandy before!

Memories of Murder
Blurb
Decades ago, the seeds were planted …Today, dark, fathomless eyes rake the image before him. One final task and the transformation is complete. Steady fingers screw intricately carved horns on each side of a stiff brow, and a gargoyle suitable for Notre Dame scowls from the smokey mirror in satisfaction. A jagged smile rips through his smooth, hairless face, and inked, reptilian scales caress his naked body. A laugh of hideous resonance emanates from his gut as the demons of hell welcome Lucifer into their fold.In a dungeon-like chamber, his Lilith awaits. The kidnapped daughter of a nun, groomed to fit the final piece in the complex puzzle for world domination. Will Lucifer marry his bride, on the summer solstice? Only two things stand in his way ...His greed ...And ...Detective Steven Quaid.
Read an Excerpt HERE!Buy Memories of Murder here! Amazon Kindle Kobo B & N  

PA Halloween Horrors: Seven Gates of Hell

It’s not one of the things I’d love Pennsylvania to be recognized for! But the Commonwealth I call home made the list of top 13 places around the world that contain portals toHell.
If you do a little digging, you’ll find conflicting stories. HauntedUSA says:  “It is a story of death. It is story of despair. It is a story about attempting to breach the very boundries of hell itself. It is the story of Toad Road.” 
Many would argue that it’s just a story. Period. But who knows? I’m certainly not going to find out. York is about an hour from my home. That’s not nearly far enough from a portal to Hell!
As far as the claims that it’s the former site of an asylum, apparently there’s no record of an asylum at that location. Unless it was some supernatural one, I suppose. Maybe storytellers are mixing it up with the Pennsylvania
Wikipedia  allows for two separate tales about the Seven Gates, the second sounding more likely but every bit as tragic – a man murdering his family in the 1950s. And no, it’s not called Hellam Township because it’s a portal to Hell – that’s an urban legend.
But it doesn’t stop Hellam Township from including the story on their website. Not to drum up tourism, though – the land is privately owned, and trespassers aren’t welcome. Especially satanic cults, though they’ve reportedly used the site for rituals *shudders*
If you’re curious what the first gate looks like, watch this video.

Pretty ordinary-looking, huh? Bet it’s not at midnight!

Forced downtime and October plans

It's the only upside of being sick. All of us, for a week.

It made for a quiet house. And you know what quiet is good for -- writing, and writing-related work. For two of the four stories for which the rights were returned to me this year, I've added about 4k to each.

I also created new covers for both. Here's a peek at the new Ground Rules, my Christmas fantasy.



And Romancing the Hero, another fantasy.


I hope you like them!

Both stories had been published by The Wild Rose Press, and I'm very grateful to them. As I hear more horror stories from authors having to fight for their story rights, I'm doubly grateful. The Wild Rose Press always acted with the greatest professionalism.

Hope you've been healthy - and stay that way!

Be my Halloween guest!

I'm catching up slowly on planning October activities. There are plenty of spooky occurrences all over Pennsylvania, so I'll be sharing some of those.

After the Decadent 1NS celebration, which begins on Oct. 14 and ends on Oct. 20, I'd love to host some Halloween guests. If you're the author of a paranormal, that would work best, but everyone's welcome! Just shoot me an email at cate.masters AT gmail.com.

Katherine Givens Spills the Beans

Hi Katherine! So glad to have you at Spilling the Beans, where we can learn a little bit about you, and your book. Grab a cappuccino and let’s chat. Unless you have another favorite drink (alcoholic or otherwise)?
Thanks for having me, Cate. I'm in the minority here, but I don't drink alcohol or coffee. I actually prefer hot chocolate, because of my chocolate addiction.

lol Chocolate of any kind is great. Fur or feathers, petwise?
I prefer the furry critters. My attachment to my kitten, Bucky, has pretty much decided that!

Any pet peeves? One thing that really burns your biscuits?
I cannot stand when someone bites and picks at their fingernails. Firstly, it is unsanitary. Secondly, it is disgusting.

What’s your guilty pleasure?
Ooh. I think I already answered this question. I love chocolate in any form. Whether it is the melt-in-your-mouth Ghirardelli chocolate or warm, moist chocolate cake, I need my daily dose of chocolate. 

Now I'm hungry! :) Favorite quote?
"A blank piece of paper is God's way of telling us how hard it is to be God." -Sidney Sheldon

What’s your ideal day like?
The best day is any day where I can write for hours without any distraction, and the words just flow naturally. My answer might sound typical and boring, but it is the truth. I prefer a productive day over fantasies like bumping into Johnny Depp at the grocery store or funding one hundred dollars in the laundromat.

If you could live out any fantasy, what would you do?
I would board the next plane at the closest airport to any place on the globe, and from there begin an international traveling venture. I'd visit a plethora of countries and tour all the historical sites, from Westminster Abbey in London to Karnak in Egypt. I'd go and see anything and everything.

Beethoven, Beatles, Foo Fighters or Keith Urban (what type(s) of music makes you rock out)?
Mumford and Sons and Adele are my go-to music. I also enjoy Graffiti6, the Goo Goo Dolls, and Maroon 5. I also love to listen to music from Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera, and Moulin Rouge.
Which of your characters would you most/least want to hang out with, and why?
 Can I choose two? I love the sisters from my debut novella, In Her Dreams. Evangeline and Angela Vernon are polar opposites. Evangeline is headstrong and opinionated. I could see myself debating religion and politics with her in a Starbucks. Angela is shy and timid, someone I could peruse a library with. With all three of us together, I could see us being the best of friends going out for dinners or meeting for coffee. It'd be a great entourage.
Where can readers find out more about you? I can be found in several places online. There is my website at http://katherinegivens1.wordpress.com/. I am also on Facebook and Twitter. I love to hear from readers, so don't be shy! Drop me a line. 

In Her Dreams

A flirty, fun, mix-and-match romance about two sisters who are betrothed to the wrong men… Evangeline Vernon is a woman on the verge of spinsterhood — until the prim and proper Duke of Manchester steps in. Her family is pleased with the match, but the duke is not the passionate man Evangeline craves. Her heart belongs to an alluring, golden-haired gentleman, perfect in every way…except one: he doesn’t exist.Angela Vernon is everything a proper, well-brought-up woman should be. She knows her place and understands society’s expectations — which include not being jealous of her sister and not coveting her sister’s suitor. But how can she bear the heartache of watching the only man she loves marry not only her sister, but a woman who doesn’t see past his exterior to the man he is beneath?
Excerpt:She was lost in the depths of his emerald eyes, amber drops floating in the seductive pools. The man reclined in a wingback chair, surrounded by shelved books. His head was tilted slightly downwards, his gaze piercing her where she stood. Hair the colour of antique gold shimmered in the dim candlelight. His skin was bronzed like the helmet of an Ancient Greek warrior.  His harsh features seemed to be chiselled from stone, but laugh lines encircled a passionate mouth. A navy blue coat and white waistcoat hid what could only be a perfectly sculpted chest. A white cravat covered his neck. Pearl grey breeches accentuated muscular legs.      The man reminded her of a golden lion, the king of a pride. His soul must’ve been older than time itself, for he seemed to hold the secrets of the universe in his mind. This man was temptation embodied.     ‘Back again, my dear?’ he inquired, his voice like velvet.      Although confidence rang in his tone, his emerald eyes revealed the humanity of this divine creature. At the bottom of those depths lay an expanse of loneliness. Blessed with beauty, he was lacking in companionship and love. It was as if he were a traveller lost in a desert with only mirages to keep him company.      ‘I could not stay away,’ she declared, her voice quaking as the man rose from his chair and stalked across the room.     Evangeline took a sharp intake of breath, for the full sight of his robust body was more than a woman could take. He was tall, over six feet. His build was as formidable as the strongest castle wall, built to protect from the worst of sieges. That handsome face of his, a face Adonis would’ve fought for, matched the masculine beauty of his body.      Settling beside her, he said, ‘Nor could I. Not now. Not ever.’     The two studied one another. Both seemed to find it hard to believe the other was there. The silence that shrouded the room as they studied one another deepened the strength of this ethereal spell.     ‘Is it because I am a diversion?’     ‘Nay.’ He raised her hand to his lips. ‘Life would be meaningless without your visits.’     ‘I could not endure my own existence without you,’ she replied, a bit breathless.      ‘As a man without friends or comrades, I would be the most lonesome wretch wandering the earth.’ Pain entered his expression, the pain of one who had suffered years of isolation. His voice cracking, he continued, ‘I would be completely alone.’     Her heart nearly split in two upon witnessing his agony. She lifted a hand and caressed his cheek. ‘You never shall be.’     ‘You have been vital to my life, my dreams, for these past few months.’ Turning his head, he kissed the palm of her hand. He exhaled, his breath tickling her skin. ‘Without you I I fear I would not know how to live.’     ‘Do not say such things.’ Framing his face, she forced him to gaze into her eyes. ‘I shall always be with you.’     ‘And I with you.’ Desperation was threaded throughout the statement. ‘I am entirely yours,’ he murmured as he angled his head, preparing to taste the sweetness of her lips…

Available from:
Amazon  
Barnes & Noble 
Kobo  
iTunes  
Harlequin Escape
 About Katherine
In Her Dreams is Katherine Givens' debut novella, which is published with Harlequin Australia's imprint Escape Publishing. She is working on a number of other projects and always has ideas flooding her head. In her spare time, Katherine loves to read about history, craft jewellery, and play with her ornery kitten named Bucky. To learn more about Katherine and her writing, please visit the following sites. She loves to hear from readers.

Class is dismissed and more congrats!

September is over, which means so is my class, Margie Lawson's Story Structure Safari.

Story structure can be daunting to map out. Maybe because I'm more of a visual learner, maybe because it's a little too much like math (and I have a math phobia) or maybe geometry?

But the Story Structure Safari class was very helpful, and included a few worksheets for mapping out story and character, so I'll use those for new stories.

If you Google "story structure worksheets" you can find plenty available online. Jami Gold has some good ones. Larry Brooks always has excellent pointers, and Jeremy Brown offers printable worksheets based on Brooks' advice. Blake Snyder offers tools for his Save the Cat system.

I had bought Larry Brooks' Story Engineering awhile back, and am about one third through that. Plus, I recently picked up Les Edgerton's Hooked, which focuses on grabbing readers and not letting them go.

As always, learning never stops. There's always room for improvement, so it's a lifelong journey.

It's tough to squeeze it in between life and writing and all the rest. But as Amelia Earhart says, "The more one does, the more one can do."

That's such a fantastic picture of her, isn't it? Supposedly a self-portrait. I see such determination in her eyes. And a bit of a challenge. She never let the impossible stand in her way.

We shouldn't, either.

Congrats to two more winners!



For the Sunset on Summer Fun blog hop, Nay Nay won my giveaway of the ebook of Cinderella Dreams







For Banned Books Week, the print copy of Kite Runner is on its merry way to Bronwyn Haynes



Happy reading! And thanks for visiting my blog.

Catching up

I think I have promo fatigue. I'm sure you do too! My gratitude to those who have followed along the Cursed book tour and various interviews. It's been so intense, I honestly haven't written in more than a month. Am I ready to spontaneously combust? Possibly. I definitely need a date with my laptop.

October's going to be crazy-busy and I wish I could have another monthlong Halloween celebration with guests, but I think if I tried at this point, it might be too much. I'll try to make up for it over the December holidays!

I'll be taking my historical, Betting It All, on a blog tour in October. A shorter tour than Cursed. :) And I need to plan some blog swaps with Decadent 1NS authors to help celebrate their 200th 1Night Stand story - yet to be announced! - in October, the 14th through 20th.

Lots more good stuff coming up in October, including a local event where I'll be signing books, juggling fire wands and making balloon animals, so stay tuned.

But I wanted to share some non-writing stuff as well. Occasionally, I do leave the house and do other things, lol.

I shared some of this on Facebook, but bear with me - it gets better. :)

In July, hubby and I visited Gettysburg for the 150th anniversary of the battle. We stopped by the Farnsworth Inn to have a drink on their outside patio, and I couldn't help but notice the shots in the bricks near the roof:


I've taken a few photography classes and know it's best to bracket your shots (take a few in a row just in case you screw up one or two), so I zoomed in on the window:


And then I noticed the faces. I see two. When I shared these on Facebook, some people said they saw as many as five. The most prominent is the shadowy figure in the upper right hand corner of the window, a man wearing a floppy hat.

Here's a closer look:



A little freaky? Oh yeah. But it gets freakier. Weeks later, I came across this flyer for the Farnsworth House that I'd stashed away from a visit a few years ago:


Getting chills yet? Let me enlarge the top of that flyer for you:


I don't know if you can see the same image, but minus the rifle, that's who I see in the window.

Is it possible my subconscious remembered the flyer from years ago and imposed that image on the window? Maybe. It's one of those things we can never know for sure.

But I'm going back soon for a ghost tour. Maybe I'll run into him again!

Casting Call: Sweet Revenge

Casting Calls are so much fun. I love showing you who played in the in-my-head movie versions of stories while I wrote.

This one's short but sweet. Only two characters - the heroine and the hero.

First, Zoe Golden. The 'Golden Girl' in high school, always in with the popular cliques, a little too much of a party girl. Back then, she began to have glimpses that her life was too shallow, glimpses afforded her by one guy. Not one of the popular kids, and a bit overweight, but he teased her like he saw right through her. To the real Zoe.

Zoe herself wouldn't find her true self until life dealt her some harsh lessons. But she could never forget the boy who first magnetized her moral compass.

Natalie Goldman's beautiful, talented, intelligent and certainly able to portray a multilayered character like Zoe.

Ty Hardin built a successful chain of fitness centers fed by one burning desire: revenge. Years ago, he'd fallen for a cheerleader, a girl who had much potential but squandered it. Despite being overweight, he took a chance - and she betrayed him.

After that night, he no longer made excuses for himself. He made fitness a priority, and now in his gyms, he tolerates no negativity among clients. So when Zoe applies for an opening as a yoga instructor, he sees his chance to finally get payback.

Madame Eve sets them up on a 1Night Stand date, and the games begin. :)

Chris Hemsworth is Ty. (They made a cute couple in Thor, and seemed a natural fit here.)

That's it, the Casting Call for Sweet Revenge.

Check out more about Sweet Revenge here.

Sweet Revenge releases today!

The only thing that makes Friday even sweeter is when it's a release day. Sweet Revenge releases today from Decadent Publishing as part of its 1Night Stand series! Let the happy dance begin...

Actually, it released on Amazon on Wednesday night. Woot!

The Casting Call will be coming soon. Possibly this weekend, if I can manage it. :)

Also today, it's back to business - an interview at Love Romance and More: http://loveromancesandmore.blogspot.com/2013/09/meet-cate-masters-today.html

And a post at the Decadent 1NS blog too.

I hope to see you there!

Sweet Revenge, contemporary 1Night Stand

Sweet RevengeContemporary erotic romance shortDecadent Publishing's 1NS series
 Humbled by life and hungry for love…
From cheerleader to news anchor to…yoga instructor? After Zoe Golden lost everything she thought was important, she found the inner strength to pursue real happiness. The simple life provides everything she needs—except love. Once, long ago, she met a real man, but her insecurities made her deny her heart’s desires. Can Madame Eve find her a guy like the one who got away?
Bruised by rejection and determined to exact revenge…
The sculpted, successful owner of a chain of fitness studios, Ty Hardin can have any woman he wants. Fifteen years and 150 pound weight loss, has changed him beyond recognition. Now the girl who crushed his heart teaches yoga in one of his facilities. Not for long. Before he fires her, he wants one night with her. Wants her to know what she missed out on. But will revenge still be as sweet the morning after, or will it leave a bitter aftertaste?
Zoe and Ty might just be the best thing that ever happened to each other—if they can avoid doing their worst…
Available from Decadent Publishing:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Revenge-Night-Stand-ebook/dp/B00FFDVOMU/ref=la_B002OBQ98A_1_35?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1380144832&sr=1-35
Barnes and Noble:
All Romance:
Coffee Time:
Smashwords:


Reviews (coming soon)

Casting Call (coming soon)

Excerpt “Anything look good to you?” He winked and signaled the server. Seriously? Did his ego know no bounds? She fought a laugh. Oh yeah, you look good enough to eat, Ty. And waitress, could you ask the manager to widen the exit to accommodate Mr. Hardin’s extraordinarily large head? He glanced over as if he’d rehearsed the move. “I meant on the menu.” She froze. Of course, you idiot. She fingered her hair, and then folded her arms and rested her elbows on the table to force herself to stop fidgeting. “I, uh, haven’t seen one yet.” “I thought maybe you’d eaten here before.” “No.” At this rate, she might not eat here tonight, either. Her insides had twisted into a knot, killing her appetite. As if on cue, the waitress carried two menus to their table. “Can I get you two something to drink?” “White wine,” he said. “Bring your best bottle.” Um, I’d looked forward to a margarita—or five, to get through this night. When he turned his calculating smile on her, it sent ice down her spine. God, had she ever bashed him on the evening news? If so, her story hadn’t hurt his business. So what was the deal with the attitude? Why did she feel like a mouse in a hawk’s predatorial sights? He closed the menu with a slap. “Might I recommend the crab special?” Her stomach clenched tighter. Did it mean something? He made everything sound a tad sinister. Or was this just his normal sunny disposition? If so, she’d stick to being his employee. “It does sound good.” The waitress returned as if he’d summoned her. He said, “Two crab specials please.” What the hell, she hadn’t even scanned the menu. “But—” He held up a finger. “And some garlic sticks. They’re so tasty.” Quickly gathering the menus, the waitress disappeared. Zoe closed her gaping mouth. So rude. Was he testing her? Or just throwing his perfect weight around? Playing more games, perhaps? Something told her the latter—like his smug smile. The way he poured wine into her glass like he wished it were poison. Fine. If that’s the way tonight had to go, bring it on. “Thank you.” Keeping him in her sights, she drained half the glass and set it down. Let the games begin.

Fall is here!

I love the changing of the seasons, but I'm always especially excited when Fall arrives. I love everything about it - the vivid colors, the last hurrah of the lush flowers, the cheery decorations, pumpkin-flavored drinks and ice creams and breads, yum. Halloween is second only to Christmas and it's been hard to resist getting those decorations out yet.

Okay, so spiders, I'm not so crazy about. Maybe it's just my area, but they are everywhere this year. And they're speedy web builders - the back deck will be clear one night, and the next day, sunlight will glint off many silky threads. They are pretty when the light catches them, especially after a rain, like this one:



But the actual architect of the webs, I can live without. This guy must have a large family, because I'm seeing them more and more:


He has the kind of face that spawn nightmares, doesn't he? If you think he's bad, you should meet our wood spiders. They might be from the film Arachnaphobia, the way they follow your movements when loading logs into the wheelbarrow. Creepy!

Despite the creep factor, you have to admire their work. They create strong, beautiful webs strand by strand. A little like a story...

You knew there was a lead-in...

Today I'm at You Gotta Read Reviews, where I'm discussing (yep) a story or two in an interview. I hope you'll pop over.

And congrats to the winners!

To say it's been a crazy month would be an understatement. More contests are still underway, but congrats to these winners:

Mary Preston won the Cursed book tour giveaway - a $15 gift card

Eva Minaskanian won the TRS 10th Anniversary Celebration giveaway - an ebook of my historical, Betting It All

The Falling Into Romance blog hop had two winners!
Josie Hink won the ebook of Strawberry Kisses by Dominique Eastwick
Judith Cauthan won the ebook of Sweet Cravings by Eva LeFoy

Congrats everyone! Enjoy. :)

Happy Autumn to all!