Annie Nicholas's Blog, page 20

Halloween Blog Hop!

Happy Halloween! If you found this blog by accident and want to join the fun then click blog hop.

As a paranormal author this is a fun time for me. I decorate my home in a scary fashion, get the spooky music going, and frighten the local children. And of course, pass out awesome candy. I even dress up. This year I'm going as a zombie fairy. LOL


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To make this holiday even more special, we at Paranormal Romantics are throwing a Blog-a-thon this weekend. About thirty writers will be blogging and offering a prize with each blog and all you need to do is comment. As a GRAND PRIZE we at PR chipped in together and got a NOOK filled with books to give away. To enter that contest you'll need to do a little more work. I'll be posting five questions at our blog. The answers are hidden in the blog posts. You'll have to send these answers to paranormalromantics@yahoo.comSo come join the fun tomorrow and check in during the weekend to see what we're up to. You might go home with a NOOK!  http://www.paranormalromantics.blogspot.com/
Do you think I'm excited yet? I have even more to celebrate because I have a release on the best month of the year.


Blurb:
Caught between two vampires, Connie is torn between Rurik, the one she loves and Tane, the one she'd love to stake.


Hunger burns in Connie Bences' soul--she craves the blood of her vampire lover, Rurik, but it's not satisfying her needs anymore. It's driving her insane. Desperate to find help, Rurik brings her to Rio De Janeiro, where Tane rules the vampire nation.


The back-stabbing vampire almost killed her and Rurik when they'd first met, then used them to obtain his crown. She would rather stake him, but the small drop of Nosferatu blood he'd forced her to drink in Budapest is blooming into a bond, one which ties her life to his. One he won't hesitate to manipulate.

He admits to binding her so Rurik would have to remain at his side, but their timing couldn't be any worse. The betrayer finds himself betrayed. Tane's rule is in upheaval and he's forced to place his trust in two people who owe him no allegiance—her and Rurik. In the middle of a power struggle, Connie fights to keep her lover, but didn't plan on Tane slipping into her heart.

BUY NOW
 
 



The Excorist

Hot DAMN!!!  Does this movie scare me.




Just thinking about it makes my stomach turn. I can watch slasher movies and monster movies without nightmares. I still scream but then again, I'm screamed during Finding Nemo, so no big deal there. Anything to do with the spiritual world, demons, and possession has me clinging to my DH like a five year old for days.

I was about eight years old when I saw the Excorist. (Thanks Dad.)  It came on television, since there were no VCRs or DVDs in THOSE days. He saw the little girl with the movie star mom and thought it was a Disneyish movie. Low and behold, my life was changed and my parents couldn't kick me out of their bed for nights.

Years later when I was a new mother the director's cut came out. I didn't even need to see the movie. All it took to set me off was the commercial of the spider walk.


I was home alone with my new born. My DH worked evenings at the time. I phoned my older brother, it was about 10PM, and asked if he'd like to come over to hold my hand. LOL  Thank goodness for big brothers.

What movie makes you shake in your boots?

Catch is AVAILABLE

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Blurb: Caught between two vampires, Connie is torn between Rurik, the one she loves and Tane, the one she'd love to stake. Hunger burns in Connie Bences' soul--she craves the blood of her vampire lover, Rurik, but it's not satisfying her needs anymore. It's driving her insane. Desperate to find help, Rurik brings her to Rio De Janeiro, where Tane rules the vampire nation. The back-stabbing vampire almost killed her and Rurik when they'd first met, then used them to obtain his crown.  She would rather stake him, but the small drop of Nosferatu blood he'd forced her to drink in Budapest is blooming into a bond, one which ties her life to his. One he won't hesitate to manipulate. He admits to binding her so Rurik would have to remain at his side, but their timing couldn't be any worse.  The betrayer finds himself betrayed. Tane's rule is in upheaval and he's forced to place his trust in two people who owe him no allegiance—her and Rurik.  In the middle of a power struggle, Connie fights to keep her lover, but didn't plan on Tane slipping into her heart. BUY NOW 
Excerpt:
Vampire slayers mourned those of their ilk who got caught. While most died a true death, some of the very things they hunted lured them to cross over and they became creatures of the night. Or in my case, blood bound with one. Colby and Red, my former comrades-at-arms, treated me as if I was dead, but I never felt more alive.
Jardim Botanico was a botanical paradise famous for its peaceful landscapes. Minutes away from my hotel, it sat in the heart of the south side of Rio de Janeiro. I'd spent the night sneaking along its gardens, ponds and well-manicured lanes, desperate to escape the predator who stalked my trail. Every time I got close enough to make a run for the streets, he'd pop out from hiding, almost as if daring me to try.Bloodsucker.
An envelope of silence surrounded me as I hid under the dark green leaves of a tropical plant. The scents of nutmeg and cinnamon lay thick in the air, I hoped they covered mine. My heart raced and sweat made my curls stick to the nape of my neck, not only from the heat, but from anticipation of the chase. I'd been smart this time, wearing a black sleeveless t-shirt, sport-shorts and water bottle clipped to my hip so the Brazilian weather wouldn't sap my strength. My hair color, though, gave me away most of the time. So pale and yellow, sometimes it seemed like a neon sign saying 'here I am'.
I'd gotten pretty good at running away from vampires. Connie Bence, live bait extraordinaire, was my last job, but I quit and tonight wasn't a trap.
It was a game.
The night blanketed everything. I thought a city like Rio would be up at all hours, people partying in the streets, especially on New Year's Eve. I was right. They were. Just not around here. The Copacabana Beach probably swarmed with people. One nervous human and one lusty vampire were the only creatures roaming the botanical gardens tonight.
A humongous, lighted Christmas tree floated on the central lagoon as a landmark. From the hotel window, I could see it to the northwest. This meant I needed to go southeast. Or did I? Ah shit, I suck at this stuff. Don't throw me in the woods, no matter how manicured.
Laughter drew my attention and I peeked through the leaves. The street was ten yards in front of me through a small stone archway. The noise drifted closer.
I'd been waiting for a witness. It sounded like a group celebrating, probably heading to the beach where the fireworks would be going off in a few hours. If I could make it to them, my vampire wouldn't be able to finish the hunt.
He had to keep his people's existence a secret. If he broke that law, the big nasties would come and punish him.
Even vampires had nightmares—the Nosferatu.
I crouched under the foliage and did my best imitation of an Olympic sprinter waiting for the start pistol. My adversary strolled out from the shadows next to the archway.
Clenching my teeth, I swore under my breath. Dirty, freaking bastard knew what I was going to try.With his hands clasped behind his back, he whistled a little Hungarian ditty. He wouldn't kill me, this wasn't about life and death. It was about winning.
The small group of people, my would-be rescuers, appeared.
My vampire blocked the exit with his body, waved at them and called out something in Portuguese. They laughed. It appeared they found him hilarious.
I didn't find it funny.
The muscles in my legs trembled with the strain. They wanted to take off and run with all their might. It took some effort to make myself relax and slow my breathing. Rurik, the vampire, knew I was close, not my exact position or he would have taken me by now. How did he follow me? Maybe the blood bond we shared gave my location. If that were true, shouldn't I sense something about him, too?
For once, I'd like to win this game, just once. Make it to our hotel before he captured me. It would mean he'd finally submit to my whims, instead of the other way around. The irony that I couldn't dominate him without his consent wasn't lost on me, but I'd make do.
He now stood in the center of the exit, his arms extended to touch the stone walls of the archway. The dim light from the streetlamp outlined his lean muscled frame. "Run, Rabbit, run." The softly spoken words sent shivers down my spine. "Try to get away." He'd named me Rabbit when we'd first met in Budapest a little over a year ago. Only he could call me by that nickname, he had earned the privilege. No one else had my permission.
My options for escape narrowed. The garden contained more gates, but I didn't know where. We'd been playing since sunset and he already prevented my leaving three other times. If I gave up he would be disappointed. I understood his need to hunt, yet I grew tired of losing, too.
I eyed a wide Banyan tree by the fence. Long vines hung from the branches, waiting to root themselves one day. Before Rurik bound me to him, I wouldn't have considered the crazy plan formulating in my head. The blood we shared made me faster and stronger. I healed quicker and didn't get sick. Best of all, I stayed young. Worst of all, if he died, so did I.
Marriage vows seemed weak compared to that. So if he needed a little hide-and-seek in the dark, I played with him.



 Annie Nicholashttp://www.annienicholas.com/

NEW Website is up.

It's done. It's DONE!

After months of designing and brainstorming with midnight phone calls, my website is operational.

To celebrate I am having some mini fun here on my blog.

There are hidden things on my homepage. That's the only hint you'll get. At least for now.

The person who lists the most correct hidden things will win one of my backlist ebooks of their choice. I'll keep this contest open for one week. If there is a tie, I will place their names in a hat and chose.

Let the games begin, my lovelies.

The Ruts

Sometimes writers get stuck in a rut and don't even know it. Not like writer's block but doing something over and over again, not even noticing.

I reached an all time achievement of having the word 'but' in my manuscript 453 times. On some pages I used it ten times. Kind of made me proud that I could find so many uses for one word. There are times I read my favorite authors and find they have some sentences they use frequently, almost a trade mark.

LKH likes to use, "he leaned toward her face."
Ward likes, "Fuck you very much." and "Shitkickers."
Butcher uses, "Boomstick" and I'm sure there's more but I nothing comes to mind without my pulling all my books down.

I've noticed the phrase, "kissing with an expert's ease," creep into more than of my books.

What are some of the phrases you recall and by who?

Farwell Summer

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I'll miss your hot summer nights.
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Cooling off in the pool.

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Lazy afternoons in the shade.

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Steamy days at the beach.
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Farwell Summer. Until next year.
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Now, I need to find my rain gear.

I Have a New Pretty to Share

Caught between two vampires, Connie is torn between Rurik, the one she loves and Tane, the one she'd to love stake.
Hunger burns in Connie Bences' soul, she craves the blood of her vampire lover, Rurik, but it's not satisfying her needs anymore. It's driving her insane. Desperate to find help, Rurik brings her to Rio Des Janeiro where Tane rules the vampire nation.
The back stabbing vampire had almost killed her and Rurik when they'd first met, then used them to obtain his crown. She would...

New Addiction

Hello, my name is Annie Nicholas and I am a Black Dagger Brotherhood addict. It has been four hours since I've read anything from this series. LOL

Love finding new-to-me authors who have a wonderful line up of books for me to consume.

Anyone else enjoyed or enjoying these stories? What do you like about the series and who's your favorite?

Board Games

I have two little boys so playing board games comes with the territory, as does video games but I'll save that for another post.

We have some of the classics: Monopoly, Clue, Life, Sorry, and Battleship

Some of the newer ones: Apples to Apples, Whonu, Cadoo

[image error] But a game we've enjoyed that I've never heard of, which we recieved as a gift, is T-Rex. The premise of the game is similar to Sorry. You have four dinosaurs who need to get home BUT the similarities end there. When to dinos land on the sam...

A Delicate Philosophy

I've been pondering Happiy-Ever-Afters at the end of stories. With each book, I struggle to bring my characters to Happily-For-Nows let alone the HEAs.


Why? Because sometimes it feels like it's a lie. I think in modern society we are led to believe everyone should get a HEA but when it doesn't happen we struggle with depression and worse because we think we've failed our culture's expectation. I hear, "What's wrong with me?" from friends, co-workers, and family when things don't come together...