Cate Masters's Blog, page 74

Booksigning event this Saturday

This Saturday at The Midtown Scholar Bookstore in Harrisburg, you can catch up with me, Susan Gourley and T.M. Crone. Grab a latte at the coffee counter and enjoy the unique environment of this store, named one of "America's Great Independent Bookstores." It's worth a visit anytime.

You can pick up some great books there, too. The Midtown has signed copies of several of our books on hand anytime, but it would be great to see some friendly faces. :)

Hope your Valentine's Day is magical!

And has plenty of love - and chocolate. :)


Don't wear Cupid out too much. He looks tired. 

To celebrate, I'm throwing a Romance Blurb Fest this Saturday at TBR.  Same as last time: just post your book title, blurb and buy link in the comments section.  Any and all subgenres of romance, and any heat level but the blurb must be suitable for general audiences. Hope you'll join in!



To add a little more magic to Valentine's Day, I picked up a copy of Arlene Webb's latest, Arrow to the Heart. I can't wait to read it. Arlene never fails to deliver a unique story, and this is exactly the kind of story I like - a little mythology and paranormal and romance:
Dr. Cu has no doubt that love at first sight happens only in fairytales. He knows intimately that it takes a unique blend of chemicals to force two hearts to beat as one. A world-renowned player, he's accepted his fate. As a God of Love, he's doomed to remain lonely. But when he opens his eyes and his gaze takes in a woman in need of assistance, he's shocked to find himself falling, exactly like his many victims.

Naturally, when an arrogant legend is smitten, happiness comes at a price. Cu must fight the powerful Goddess of Love, his controlling mother, in order to protect the mortal who's captured his fancy.

When his love betrays him, Cu learns how hard a God can hit rock bottom. If he can't put down the bow and wrap his hand around humility and forgiveness, his destined love will remain a myth.

And as a special treat this week - get Carrie James Haynes' Daughter of Deceit FREE on Amazon.
Here's a tasty tidbit from this historical with paranormal elements:
Someone wants Alyce Hythe dead…
Shunned from London society for being the daughter of England's most notorious spy, Alyce Hythe desires only to clear her father's name. For years, she has been hidden away from all prying eyes, given a new identity and told to forget who she was. But strange things have been happening causing old rumors to once more be whispered.
Long has Lord Julian Casvelyn lived with guilt brought on when his brother was murdered by England's most infamous traitor. But one eventful night has changed everything Lord Julian believed about his brother's death. Never did he suspect the woman he has just saved from certain harm is the daughter of that man. Now Julian is caught in midst of a conspiracy and desire for that woman.
Thrown together by fate, the two search for answers long denied them and along the way discover a love that can free them both.

Casting Call: A Hard Day's Knight

My fantasy romance, A Hard Day's Knight, is available from Decadent Publishing's 1NS now! Woot!

So you know what that means. Time to reveal the Casting Call. :)

Okay, so maybe it was the BBC production of Robin Hood that influenced me when I imagined Lance in A Hard Day's Knight. Somehow every time I saw him, it was the tall figure of Richard Armitage, and his soulful blue eyes.

He is one of those actors who can play contemporary and historical equally well, a perfect fit for a story with time travel elements and an Arthurian twist. Bet he'd look pretty good on a Harley, too. :)

The role of Gwyn required the same quality, though with more of a modern element.

This pic of Piper Perabo was the inspiration for Gwyn, who loves all things medieval in her job at Medieval Merriment in Vegas.

Morgan le Fay, or Morganna, is a witch who travels through time with ease as well. Sexy and gorgeous, with a wild flair, she's as menacing now as she was in Arthur's day.

Helena Bonham Carter can play Morgan anyday. I just love her.

Pick up your copy of A Hard Day's Knight at Decadent Publishing today!

SSS: Last peek at A Hard Day's Knight

I missed my SSS fix last week. But I added almost 7k to my WIP, so whew and yay! It's now 57k, and the first draft is finished.

Another big yay for A Hard Day's Knight, which released on Friday from Decadent as part of their 1NS series! Woot! Here's the last snippet from my Arthurian-themed fantasy:


Not even Kurt's babble dampened the evening. With Gwyn at his side, Lance felt strangely at home. His head warred with his heart, warning him not to get too comfortable, not to let the warmth of the evening lull him into complacency. Especially with the threat still lingering in the air, still buzzing along his nerve endings. He'd already stayed as long as possible in Las Vegas. Soon the buzz would sink into his veins like poison, and every part of him would scream for relief – only obtained when he took to the road.
I'll make the SSS rounds a bit later. Today I'm visiting with my sisters, who are venturing out to central PA to help me celebrate my birthday. I can't wait to see them. :)

Don't forget to check out all the amazing snippets at Six Sentence Sunday. Have a great week!

Bliss Kiss: Flashback

Here's a kiss from my dark paranormal, Clio's Choice:


He curled his arm behind her, drew her to him. "Ariadne." His voice, like the warm south wind, rushed through her."What did you call me?" Looking into his eyes, she could almost hear her blood pulsing, like drumbeats, insistent, beating faster and faster. A memory fought for recognition in her consciousness, then died away as his lips met hers, igniting a heat like a bonfire between them. She held his head and kissed him as if she were drowning.A bonfire. An image flashed in her head – dancing with Jon on a beach, then leading him to their room. Their wedding night.
I'm giving away an ebook of Clio's Choice to one commenter. Thanks for stopping by! Find more fantastic kisses at Bliss Kiss.

Release day for A Hard Day's Knight!

Hooray, my Arthurian-themed fantasy, A Hard Day's Knight, releases today from Decadent Publishing! I'm so excited they accepted it for their 1Night Stand series. I found it a little bit addicting, and wrote a second as soon as I finished this story. That one releases at the end of the month. :)

I'm over at the 1NS blog today, sharing a bit about A Hard Day's Knight. The title, as you can guess, pays homage to my love of The Beatles, and of King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table, which fascinated me since I was in my teens and read The Once and Future King.

I'm also part of Amber Leigh Williams' 14 Days of Romance event.

I hope to see you! :)

Calm before the storm

I've been preparing posts for lots of other blogs and sites, so have neglected my own blog this week. It's not that I haven't been busy, just busy behind the scenes. I'm gearing up for the release of my two 1NS stories this month, and the release of my dark paranormal, Dead to Rights next month. I love release days, but it means promo, promo and more promo. :)


Which, of course, means goodies for everyone else! So come back for the virtual party on Friday, when my fantasy, A Hard Day's Knight, will release from Decadent.


Any marketing tips to share? What's worked for you? What isn't worth your time?

Under pressure

Sometimes I feel like this as an author. So many other authors are out there, all vying for readers. Oh, I know there's room for plenty of authors to attain simultaneous success, but sometimes I feel like a raindrop in the ocean. All I can do is write the best story possible, and hope readers will love it as much as I do, and spread the word to other readers.

With sites such as Amazon and Smashwords offering downloads of samples of stories to read before they buy, the pressure's greater than ever to hook those readers in the first few pages. I'm very excited about the stories I'm working on now, but also nervous. I've revised the opening pages of my current WIP several times already, and I haven't even finished the first draft.

Here are a few tips I've picked up from writing books:

Start at the right spot. Determine what the inciting incident is, the event that sets everything in motion for your character. Start there. Not ten pages of building up to it. Kick your story off where your hero/ine's world turns upside down.
No backstory. Leave it for later in the book, and even then, keep it brief. Allude to it, make it part of the natural conversation, but never an info dump (my crit partners love that term!)
Give your reader a feel for the tone of the book. Whatever happens in the first pages should set the scene, so to speak, for the entire book. It should act as the jumping-off point, and the readers should get the sense of what the story will be about. It's a promise of what's to come, and you should hold true to that promise. 
Make your character someone readers care about. Even a kickass heroine has a soft spot. Show it. Illustrate whatever her particular strength is, and don't be afraid to let readers know she also has flaws and weaknesses.
Or if your character's more complex, one that readers might not like right away, give him a saving grace. Insert a Save the Cat moment in your story. Readers will eat it up.  Here's a post from last year about Save the Cat, providing more detail.
Most important, write the story you'd want to read. If it doesn't grab you, how will it grab your readers?
What tips do you have for hooking readers in the first few pages?

New contract with Decadent!

Woo hoo! Decadent Publishing will release my dark paranormal novella, Death Is A Bitch! I sent back the signed contract on Friday. Happy dance time!


I'm so psyched. I'd initially planned to self-publish it, but decided to go with Decadent. They're a really wonderful bunch, supportive and knowledgeable. And their covers are beautiful, too.


I've posted some snippets from Death Is A Bitch for Six Sentence Sunday, though the story line's changed somewhat since I shared those. Revisions, revisions! But it's an even better story now.


Here's the (unofficial) blurb:



Some say Death's a bitch. But only when she needs to be. Instead of a villainess, she'd love to be seen as a kickass heroine, with cool tools of her trade hidden in her silver charm bracelet.
Shedding the Grim Reaper rep would improve existence too. Not likely with Damien the daemon lurking, waiting to pounce on any poor soul seeking another chance.
As the patron angel of death and dying, Azrael's close work with Death makes him yearn for true intimacy. She's the only immortal who's ever riled such powerful emotions in him. When he finally gets the chance, one taste of her leaves him needing her like humans need air and food.
After centuries of hoping Death would wake up and see him for the prize he truly is, Damien the daemon tires of waiting. If he can't get her attention, then Damien will make sure Azrael can't either. Using Sisyphus as bait, Damien traps Death in her own charm bracelet, the only tool of her trade she uses. Downside, he now has to run. Upside, thanks to his plan, she doubts Azrael, the undeserving putz. Another plus, he leaves a trail of sexually sated females. None of them Death, and Damien won't be satisfied until he has her – one way or another.


I'm sitting out Six Sentence Sunday this week. Getting closer to finishing the first draft of Dancing With the Devil, book two in the Goddess Connection series. I'm almost at 50k, but I have much work left to do. I'll catch up with some Sixers hopefully later! [image error]

Today's Fantasy Blurb Fest at TBR

Fantasy authors, bring out your blurbs and post them in the comment section at TBR!

Everyone else, read and enjoy!