Cate Masters's Blog, page 47

Spilling the Beans with Kathleen Ann Gallagher

Hi Kathleen! 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)?
I’ve got my mocha cappuccino and it’s delicious. Thanks, Cate!


Fur or feathers, petwise?
I’m really a cat person, but we have an adorable dog named Chaz. One of these days, we’ll surprise him with a little playmate.  


Any pet peeves? One thing that really burns your biscuits?
I’m pretty easygoing, but I have to admit the one thing that really annoys me is when I’m strolling through the mall and a vendor steps out in front of me with a freebie in an attempt to sell me their products. Don’t bother me when I’m shopping.


I'm with you on that one. What’s your guilty pleasure?
I admit to eating whipped cream daily. I can’t eat my single serving of ice cream without it. Lol


Yum! Favorite quote?
My favorite quote is from Helen Keller. The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched, they must be felt with the heart.


I love that. If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
I’d love to be able to wave a wand and stop violence in the world.


Yes, that would be wonderful! If you could live out any fantasy, what would you do?
It would be fun to be part of a Broadway show. If only I could sing.


Ha, I have that fantasy with a girl rock band! Which is a nice segue to the next question… Beethoven, Beatles, Foo Fighters or Keith Urban (what type(s) of music makes you rock out)?
I’m from New Jersey and I’m a huge Bon Jovi fan.  I love their music and plan to see them on tour this summer. I can’t wait.


Yay, another Jersey girl! Does music influence your writing? Do you have a music playlist for your book?
I listen to all types of music when I write. It depends on the scene I’m working on. The soundtrack for Out of Africa always inspires me. Sometimes I listen to old rock and roll by Pink Floyd. It’s good mood music. 


Which of your characters would you most/least want to hang out with, and why?
I’d love to hang out with Savannah Mason from my new release, A Summer’s Journey.  She’s an ambitious journalist with some family issues, but overall she’s a fun gal, with an exciting job.  I might not want to hang out with her father, Stuart Mason. Not until he loosens up, anyway.  


While creating your books, what was one of the most surprising things you learned?When I took a close look at my heroes, I realized I write the kind of hero’s that I love.


Where can readers find out more about you?
Here’s where you can find me.
https://twitter.com/Kathleenwrites
https://www.facebook.com/kathleen.a.gallagher?ref=tn_tnmn
http://www.kathleenanngallagher.net/
http://www.kathleenanngallagher.net/
I love to meet new friend.


Please share a book blurb and/or excerpt.


A Summer’s Journey by Kathleen Ann Gallagher

Blurb 

Savannah Mason fought for independence since she was a young girl, smothered by a controlling father who insisted she take over his medical practice one day.  Now, at the age of thirty, alienated from her father, the career minded journalist spends long hours at her job, hoping to take the spot as anchor. On her darkest day twelve years ago, Savannah agreed to give her child up for adoption. She never even had the chance to hold her.  On her daughter’s birthday, a chance encounter gives Savannah an opportunity to explore a corner of her heart she thought was lost forever.The last thing Savannah wants is a relationship, especially one with a doctor who happens to have two young children.Rob Sinclair, a cardiothoracic surgeon and NY Times best-selling author, needs a promo spot on the television show The News Stop.  When Savannah gets the interview over a senior reporter, a door opens to her future.  However, first she must face the sorrow of her past and cast away the agony of guilt before she’s free to accept love.Rob’s commitment to climb the ladder of success and provide a good life for his two small children keeps him on the road.  He’s determined to push forward despite the heartache of a broken marriage.  His deepest fear is being an absent parent.  When he meets Savannah Mason, desire and passion awaken his broken spirit.  Will he ever be able to trust another woman?Savannah and Rob’s strong attraction to one another is undeniable as they follow the path to a place where honesty, love and forgiveness, can bring them both home.When a man who seems totally wrong for Savannah slowly weaves his way into her heart, will he accept her when he learns about her past?Savannah and Rob’s attraction to one another is undeniable.  As they follow the path to a place where honesty and forgiveness can bring them both home, will it be enough to heal the scars of the past and allow them another chance at love?


Excerpt 

Savannah stood and slowly moved toward him. Her chest tightened with each step. As she approached him and admired his broad shoulders, it dawned on her he could be a candidate for People’s sexiest man alive. Control yourself.    “I’m happy here.”  Savannah admitted. “I love it when the morning light shines on the water and it mimics fine pieces of crystal.”  Rob slowly approached her. The look in his eyes told her he had more than the view on his mind. Savannah turned away, afraid of what might happen next. Before she could stop him, they were too close for comfort. An electric energy surged between them. With one swift movement, Rob reached for her and gently placed his lips on hers. He cradled her head in his hands as if she was a precious jewel. The warmth of his touch sent shivers down her spine and the world stood still. When Rob’s hands moved slowly across her back, her body went limp and it took her to a level of arousal she never expected. It all happened so quickly, she didn’t have time to react. She found herself spellbound by the feel of his rock hard body pressed up against her chest. All of the emotions she’d kept inside emerged when Rob held her tight. When they finally parted, Savannah stood frozen in shock with her heart pounding and her ears ringing. Rob’s expression made him look as if he broke the law. He quickly took a step back. “I don’t know what to say. I’m so sorry for my rude behavior.”  “You weren’t rude. I didn’t stop you.”  “I don’t know what got into me. You’re an amazing woman and I find you terribly attractive.” He stared deep into her eyes.   “Thank you.” Savannah looked down, still shocked, but flattered.    “I’d like to take you on a real date. Would that be possible? Is it against your ethics to date someone you’re working with?” “There’s no rule against dating a guest on the show. I make my own rules.” Savannah could not believe her own words. “That’s what I like about you. You’re not afraid of taking a risk. I could tell from the moment I met you, you were a strong, independent woman.”  Unanswered questions twirled around in Savannah’s mind. Whatam I doing making a date witha doctor and one with a family, no less. I must be crazy. Her mind told her to run from a relationship with a client, however, her body told her something completely different.  


GIVEAWAY!


I’m giving away A Summer’s Journey, two-toned canvas tote. Make a comment to be considered.  Don’t forget to leave your email address. 


I enjoyed being here today. It was lots of fun. Thanks so much, Cate!


Thanks for spilling the beans today, Kathleen! Happy release day! Hope you have tons of sales.

More about Kathleen

Kathleen Ann Gallagher writes contemporary, paranormal, and erotic romance.
Although writing is my passion, nursing is my vocation.  I work in an emergency room, and it’s been challenging, and rewarding, to be such an integral part of so many other’s daily struggles.  I have a wonderful husband who always offers his support, and never complains about my crazy schedule. One of our favorite romantic getaways is Cape May, New Jersey, an old historic beach town where we take a step into the past, and enjoy life’s simple pleasures.  Although my children are all grown with busy lives of their own, Chaz, our Shepherd mix, still dutifully stands guard at the house.  We are also blessed with three adorable grandsons.
Other interests of mine include cooking, reading, and the theater.  However, spending time with my family is most important to me.  Even though my life is filled with work, family, etc., my mind continues to ponder the next story or concept for a new novel.

Enter to win a $25 gift card

Today at Bitten by Books, I'm celebrating the release of Cursed! Visit the release party at http://bittenbybooks.com/64261/author-cate-masters-release-party-and-25-00-amazon-gift-card-contest-live-here/ and enter to win a $25 gift card.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


I'm also still over at the Decadent Tease blog, and would love some visitors there. :) Pop over and say hi, and learn a little more about how Cursed came together.

Casting Call: Cursed, The Vitruvian Man book 1

I gave a sneak peek to those who joined in my Author Spotlight on Decadent Publishing's Book Club on Facebook, but here's a more complete cast.

Cursed is a paranormal romance set in Venice during the 10-day festival called Carnevale, so for much of the story, the hero is in full costume. For good reason -- Bruno diCesare is mysterious because he's hiding a secret. By the end of the story, you understand why he only mingles with people during the masquerade festival.

Bruno diCesare is cultured, intelligent, and honorable. But he's also lonely, a bit bitter, and thinks himself unworthy of lasting love. Why? He's an alpha male plus some. I can't say much more or it would be a spoiler. :) When he first sees Melina, he's mesmerized by her fire dance. Later, after he gets to know her, he's smitten by her wit, beauty, charm and innocence. He's also fearful of what he might do to her.

Goran Visnjic is Bruno. He first charmed me with his bad boy role in Practical Magic. If you haven't seen it, go grab a copy. This photo's a great portrayal of his intensity and general smolder, lol.

Melina Weaver's a bit of a geek, the girl who always had her nose in a book and was more interested in going to a museum than a party. Her curious nature is what led her to become a genetic scientist, but it's also what might ultimately put her in harm's way. Long hours at the lab mean little socializing. To counter her dull existence, she takes up fire dancing. Carnevale seems the perfect place to show off her skill.

When she meets Bruno, she senses the alpha male hiding in the masquerade costume. His full-face mask allows her only to see his eyes - eyes that alternately reveal pain, and desire. She has little experience with men, but takes a chance and invites him back to her room. Once she enters his world, there's no going back.

Amanda Seyfried is the perfect Melina.

Elda McVickar was a fun character to write. A sorceress in love with Bruno, she has a seedy side as well. Her hunger for power overshadows her love for Bruno, but she's not above throwing a few twists into the mix.

What's that? You say she resembles Melina? Hm, interesting.... :)
It does play into the story near the end. And the resemblance is only on the surface. Eldie doesn't mind using her manicured nails to claw her way to the top, or digging them into a competitor's flawless face.

Kate Hudson is Elda McVickar.

Philip Wellington, Melina's supervisor at the lab, has a small but important role. Melina once considered him attractive but his professional demeanor changed her mind. Cold and calculating, he focuses only on profit. He cares nothing about his employees' feelings, only on results.

Jude Law has played such characters very well, and was always Philip in my mind.

There you have it - the cast of Cursed.  There are a few other minor players, of course, and in the second book, Charmed, the cast will expand. I can't wait to reveal it! :)

Cursed is available from Decadent Publishing’s new Tease linehttp://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=767&osCsid=55spbi1c1g6m9c5lo8rdo7jd17
Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Cursed-The-Vitruvian-Man-ebook/dp/B00CGM8ARA/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1366571454&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=Cate+Masters%2C+cursed
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cursed-cate-masters/1046524638?ean=2940016637204
Coffee Time Romance: http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/BookStore/pubs_product_book_info/decadent-publishing-c-93/cursed-p-9911
All Romance: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-cursed-1169369-140.html
Thanks for checking out my casting call for Cursed!

Cursed in the Spotlight!

I am so lucky to have so many wonderful friends who are willing to help spread the news of this week's release of Cursed!

Today, I'm a guest at Lucy Felthouse's site, talking about playing with fire. I hope you'll pop in and say hi!

And Cursed is in the spotlight this week at GraveTells too. It almost looks like it belongs there - the colors are a perfect match. :)

You can also check it out at Spice Erotic Reviews,  Tigris Eden's site, and Tigris Eden's beautiful blog.

I'm so grateful for my great friends Arlene Webb and Alex J. Cavanaugh for helping to get word out about Cursed too. You guys are amazing.

Get Cursed!

Today was the official release day for Cursed, but I'm so happy it's been out in the world for a few days already! A preemie, lol. Even more exciting, it launched Decadent's new Tease line! Cursed is under the Allure paranormal line. Look for more releases under Decadent's contemporary line, and its historical line. Coming soon! :)

As you might have guessed, today's jam packed with guest spots. And giveaway goodies!
Grave Tells kindly gave me a release day spot - hop on over and say hi: www.gravetells.com
I'm also at Harlie Williams' site: http://www.harliewilliams.com/ giving away some book swag (bookmarks and magnets)
and I'd love for you to check out my post at Daily Dose of Decadence:  http://decadentpublishing.blogspot.com/
Tonight, I'm in the Author Spotlight at Decadent's FB Book Club group! Join in at 9:00 p.m. EST at https://www.facebook.com/groups/276166495812484/
And till the end of the week, I'll still be over at the Decadent Tease blog at http://decadenttease.blogspot.com/2013/04/get-cursed.htmlwith a giveaway of any backlist Decadent book. And still pouring champagne. :)

Early release day! Cursed is now available!

Cursed is here! *tosses confetti* 
It's now available on Decadent's site: http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=767&osCsid=55spbi1c1g6m9c5lo8rdo7jd17
Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Cursed-The-Vitruvian-Man-ebook/dp/B00CGM8ARA/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1366571454&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=Cate+Masters%2C+cursed
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cursed-cate-masters/1046524638?ean=2940016637204
All Romance Ebooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-cursed-1169369-140.html
And at Coffee Time Romance (for half price!): http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/BookStore/pubs_product_book_info/decadent-publishing-c-93/cursed-p-9911 Because this is officially Release Week (yes, it gets capitalized, lol), the blitz has begun!
Today I'm at Harlie's Books: http://harliebooks.blogspot.com/  talking about why you should be careful what you wish for (how many times did I hear *that* growing up? lol)
On Tuesday, I'm at Love, Laughter and Friendship http://maw25.wordpress.com/ with a fun post about geeky girls.
And Tuesday night, I'm one of the Decadent Tease authors participating in the Passionate Internet Voices Talk Radio station from 8:30 PM to 9:30 PM at  http://www.pwrtalk.com/
I hope you'll come join in the parties and general merriment!

Cursed - The Vitruvian Man, book 1 - Paranormal romance

Cursed The Vitruvian Man, book 1Paranormal romance (sensual)

Blurb
Ten days of freedom. That’s all Fate had allotted me each year. In the streets of Venice, I could walk among them. Mingle. Belong.
During Carnevale, they had no idea who I was. What I was.
For ten days, it didn’t matter.
Until I met her.
Bruno diCesare lives alone by necessity, not choice. An experiment performed by Leonardo da Vinci, who believed having a dual DNA would grant a person immortality, used magic to render Bruno a chimera – the head of a lion, body of a dragon. The only time he can mingle with people is during Carnevale, ten glorious days of masked anonymity, frivolity and intimacy.
Melina Weaver learned fire dancing to enliven her dull existence. A scientist, her long hours at the lab leave no time for a social life. For ten days at Carnevale, she can pretend to be someone else. Someone sexy and daring, who lives on the edge.
Once she meets Bruno, her wish comes true, but everything goes terribly wrong. Beneath Bruno’s costume lurks an alpha male, but is he dangerous? Worse, can she return to an employer who sells her research to the military to make an army of efficient killers? Her only hope may lie with the man she’s just met and never seen.
Available atDecadent Publishing: http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=767&osCsid=55spbi1c1g6m9c5lo8rdo7jd17
All Romance Ebooks:  https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-cursed-1169369-140.html




Reviews (coming soon)

Casting Call (coming soon)

Excerpt


Light danced in his dark eyes. “I must admit, your fire dancing fascinated me. What made you choose such a dangerous skill to master?”
“The thrill of the challenge, I suppose.” It balanced the rest of her mundane life, to a degree. Mastering each new level gave her a sense of achievement, where work couldn’t.
Something flashed through his dark eyes. “Mistakes must be very painful.”
“I practiced a long time before I worked up the nerve to actually light the wands. I found the fire great incentive to focus, however.” God, her grin must be goofy, the way he stared. Such gorgeous eyes, such a deep brown they almost appeared black. He probably had rugged features, if his large hands provided any indication. Too bad he wore gloves, another barrier between them.
“Yes,” he said, “I imagine so.”
“What about you? What other magic do you know?” Oh please, can you get any more ridiculous? It sounded like a line from a bad chick flick.
The crinkle around his eyes was the only evidence of his smile, but enough to charm her.
“Lifetimes of studying the dark arts have provided me with many tricks.”
“Lifetimes?” she blurted.
He stiffened in her arms. “Pardon?”
She watched him carefully. “You said ‘lifetimes’. Plural.” And what the hell did he mean by ‘dark arts’?
Rigidity masked the grace of his movements. “I’m sure you’re mistaken.” He stared over her head as they whirled to the song’s rhythm.
Mistaken my ass. How very strange. More strange that the question upset him. He’d clammed up, and his muscles were so tense, she expected him to bolt. Better to drop it. For now. “Must have been a slip of the tongue.”
“Yes.” Relief sounded in his tone, though guarded.
This man had something to hide. How intriguing.

Sharing my Cursed cover again

The wonderful Jackie Burris generously allowed me to visit her very cool blog, House Wife Blues and Chihuahua Stories, to share my new cover! I hope you'll pop over and say hello. :)

My Decadent Journey

Wow, it’s hard to believe I celebrated my first year with Decadent in February. It’s been the most amazing time!
Decadent had been on my radar since they opened their doors. A smaller, newer publisher than most, but it consistently produced beautiful, eye-catching covers. I admired the work of its authors. I was somewhat reluctant to add another publisher to the mix, but its 1NS series hooked my muse. I wrote two and submitted them. And Decadent accepted them!
Once I began working with Decadent’s wonderful team, I was so glad I took a chance on them. In this unstable publishing climate, authors must be careful about choosing publishers. But Decadent is a wonderful fit. They don’t sign you, then shuffle you through their system and forget about you. Each one you interact with treats you like a person, one they value. That’s the most wonderful part about Decadent – it’s like a family. A supportive and enthusiastic family that cheers you on, constantly looks for ways to get out word of your stories. I couldn’t be happier.
So now I have three 1NS stories, and three more coming soon. Last year, Decadent also published two of my paranormals, Dead to Rights and Death Is A Bitch. This year, I’m so thrilled that my paranormal novella Cursed will launch their new Tease line! And the second book, Charmed, will follow. Also look for a historical novella, Betting It All, from Decadent this year, too.
Quite a whirlwind, but the best kind of busy an author can hope for! I hope I do Decadent proud.
Here are my Decadent babies! These two are coming soon... and below are the titles already released.
 
 

Freebie for National Library Week

Happy National Library Week! To celebrate, I'm making my short fantasy, The Duende and the Muse, available for free from Smashwords. Just enter the coupon code LW85J at checkout. Hurry - it expires April 19!

Happy reading! Reviews are greatly appreciated. :)