Cate Masters's Blog, page 91

Re-release of Picture This

Finally, after spending months revising the previously published version, I've finished Picture This. It's now available on Smashwords and Amazon Kindle.

I was so proud that Picture This had been a 2011 EPIC finalist! It received some great reviews too, although some said it would have been better with both the hero and heroine's POV.

I heard you. The new release now shows Ben's point of view. When I began rewrites, Ben was more than ready to step out of the shadows and tell his side of the story. And it's a rather compelling story too. 

I hope you'll check it out! :)

Of the previous version, reviewers have said: "The author grabs you from the first chapter and takes you on a great ride" and "It mixes a little humor and romance together into a snappy and readable package that will leave the reader with a smile as well as a renewed belief in happily ever after" and "The heroine is intelligent and resilient. The hero is sexy and charming. And the political background made for an exciting source of external conflict."

Here's the revised trailer:






Tomorrow, I'll show you the Casting Call for Picture This too. Can't believe I didn't already! Ben especially embodies the mannerisms of the person who occupied my head while I wrote it.

You can find more about Picture This here.

Another giveaway!

This summer, I'm part of the Romance Junkies Summer Splash Contest. Once again, there are lots of goodies to be had! 
You can enter to win an ebook of The Magic of Lavender - just click here and answer the trivia question. I'm giving away a handmade beaded book thong too!
The contest runs throughout August, but be sure to get your entry in now!

Good luck!

Signs that your life has irreversibly changed

Have you ever experienced one of those A Ha moments?
Come share at Candace's Book Blog. Your comment earns a chance to win an ebook of The Magic of Lavender.

Blogfest winners!

First, a huge thank you to all who stopped by! I'm very grateful to those who elected to follow my blog, and connect on FB and Goodreads. Much appreciated! And don't be a stranger. :)
Now.. to the announcement...
After the final tally, I separated entries into three bowls, and my daughter did the honor of selecting names. Congrats to the following, who've won:
The Magic of Lavender -  Darlene
Rock Bottom - BK Walker
San Francisco Dreams - Stella (Ex Libris)
If I haven't already, I'll email you soon with your PDF. I hope you love reading them as much as I loved writing them! 
Happy reading! 
And as I mentioned, I'll be holding more giveaways in the coming weeks, so please check back for more info if you're interested.

Rock climbing for SSS

Thanks to everyone who stops by each week, and especially for your comments! 
Here's another scene from Rock Bottom, my contemporary from Lyrical Press. It will be the last peek at Rock Bottom for SSS.

Reporter Billie Prescott lets rocker Jet Trently talk her into rock climbing - an exercise in trust, he says. She's not so sure, especially when she loses her hold, though he tells her she's doing great:



It didn't feel that way. Swinging from shadow into sunlight, she dangled like a spider with vertigo, but somehow, it was fine. Jet wouldn't let her fall. Oh yeah, she was supposed to yell that. "Falling," she sing-songed, but not in the way others meant it. No, she was falling in a much more dangerous way.

Follow the links at Six Sentence Sunday to read all the amazing snippets!

It's Blogfest!

Welcome to Blogfest!
Hope you're having a blast today following all the participating blogs. There's a ton of goodies to be had! 
My giveaway's in three parts:

- An ebook of Rock Bottom, my contemporary just released from Lyrical Press


- An ebook of The Magic of Lavender, my paranormal romance


- An ebook of San Francisco Dreams, my historical romance novella set during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake


To Enter
1. Leave a comment on this post, and indicate which ebook you'd like to win
2. Leave your email address so I can contact you should you win
3. It would be great if you would follow my blog, but it's not necessary

It would also be wonderful to connect with you on Facebook or Goodreads!

Easy peasy! :)

My blog's #30 in the list, and here are the next ten blogs to hop to:31
32
33 Christmas TV History34
35 36
37 Colloquium38 Confessions of a Bookaholic
39 40

I have more giveaways coming up, so be sure to check back.

Thanks for visiting!  I

Casting Call: Clio's Choice

I can't believe I didn't already do a Casting Call for this story! Formerly published by Freya's Bower as The Lure of the Vine, Clio's Choice is now available on Smashwords and Amazon - for just 99 cents! :)
Clio, the heroine, is strong and very much in love with her new husband, Jon. Her mom used to read Greek myths to her as bedtime stories, and named her for the Muse of History. So Clio's familiar with these ancient mythological figures.
Clio's intelligent and sexy - a dead ringer for Kate Beckinsale. :)
Her new hubby, Jon, is head over heels in love with her (and who can blame him?) But he's also trying to launch a new wine distributorship and his new client, Dion, insists on more and more of his time. Time away from Clio. 
An investment in their future - so he thinks. He doesn't realize how it places their future in jeopardy.
Ben Affleck was always Jon in my head.
Ah, now Dion... my favorite. He's a conflicted character. He enjoys power too much, but he's so suave and smooth, he can win over just about anyone.
Just about. :)
His voice is like a delicious wine - delicious and intoxicating. He can melt you with one purr of his accented tone.
Antonio Banderas is perfect as Dionysus. Yum! I'll drink a case of him anyday!
Finally, The Maenads. They're all perfect - and perfectly creepy. Strong, passionate but at the same time, they have an aloof air about them. 
I mostly imagined them as the backup singers in Robert Palmer's Addicted to Love.
Thanks for checking out this Casting Call! I hope you enjoyed it.

New re-release - Clio's Choice

While I researched Greek mythology for my fantasy romance, The Duende and the Muse, I came across some interesting info about Dionysus, God of the Vine, and his followers, the Maenads. 

Dionysus was madly in love with his mortal wife, Ariadne. One of the few gods to remain faithful to any woman, he mourned her for eternity.

In ancient times, Dionysus became a master marketer to push his product: wine. He enticed people to drink by any means, and could be either friend or foe to humans. Sometimes both. 

The Maenads worshipped Dionysus, but also lived in complete freedom. They slept beneath the stars, sang and danced in the forests. And, oh yeah, ripped to shreds animals or humans they happened upon, and feasted on their flesh. 

As an immortal, Dionysus would, theoretically, still be in existence today. Still promoting his product. And still yearning for Ariadne. Or someone very like her...

The story intertwines these legends in a tale of present day. I hope you'll read it and let me know what you think! Read a fun interview with Dionysus here.
Formerly published as The Lure of the Vine (I know, a terrible title, I still cringe every time I see it!) Clio's Choice is now available on Smashwords and Amazon.
Here's the blurb: Clio's honeymoon with Jon is paradise – until they return home, and Jon's new client, Dion, usurps his time. Michelangelo's David has nothing on godlike Dion, who charms Clio with his old-world ways. The more she's near him, the more she forgets who she is. What – and who – she really wants. When Jon disappears, she learns Dion's true identity, and must make the most difficult choice – a decision pending for centuries. Can she stay true to Jon, and to herself?

Read an excerpt, reviews, and more at: http://catemasters.blogspot.com/2007/12/lure-of-vine-contemporary-paranormal.html
Tomorrow, I'll post the Casting Call for Clio's Choice. I hope you'll check it out!  

At Rachel Brimble's today

I hope you'll pop over to Rachel Brimble's beautiful blog to visit me today! She's a wonderful author and fun hostess. I'm grateful she's letting me talk about The Magic of Lavender! Come find out more about this magical flower. :)

Would love your vote!

I tried to post this link to Facebook, but it prevented me with a warning it was Spam. On my own page? It's gotten a bit ridiculous.Anyway, Alternative-Read.com notified me that they chose to include the cover for The Magic of Lavender in its July cover contest. Hooray! Now I just need some votes.Come on - it's a beautiful cover! :) I was going to post it again, but you can see it in the post just below this one.I'd be grateful if you'd give it a click. Thanks!