L.A. Witt's Blog, page 17

NOW AVAILABLE: The Given and The Taken

The Given & The Taken is now available from Samhain Publishing! It's also on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and additional links will be added to my website as they're available.

Their bond could be the death of them all.

After pleading his case to his wolf clan's Elders, Levi is granted the right to bond with Ian, his male human lover, on one condition: they must spend one year apart. Then Ian must use only their spiritual connection to find Levi, or the deal is off.

Tracking down his lover is easy for Ian, but Levi isn't prepared for the changed man who finds him.

The agony of separation was too much for Ian. In a moment of weakness, he reached out—to a vampire. Now he's a vampire himself, and Levi's devastation—and rejection—is like a stake to his heart. But it's nothing compared to the fury of the clan that wants Ian brought to justice for desecrating their most sacred ritual.

Afraid for Ian's safety, Levi puts the pain aside and races to get to Ian first, but he faces unexpected competition: Darius, Ian's maker. When they come together, all hell breaks loose, Ian is on the run…and the only way Levi and Darius can save the man they love is to work together.

If they don't kill each other first.

Warning: Contains two vampires and a werewolf who really, really, really want to hate each other. Except when they want each other. And have violent, sweaty, angry sex with each other. But they still hate each other. Mostly.

NOW AVAILABLE: Noble Metals

Surprise! Noble Metals is available a couple of days early! Currently available at Carnal Passions, and third party sites will be added later this week. Additional links will be posted on my website.

Ever since he gambled away his chance to make it to Dawson City during the Klondike Gold Rush, Robert Belton has been stranded in Seattle working as a prostitute. When an attractive customer carrying a mysterious wooden box comes into the brothel in search of a bed for the night, Robert's more than willing to oblige. When he learns his customer is also looking for a crew to help him haul provisions to the gold fields in the frozen north, Robert jumps at the chance and volunteers.

Dr. John Fauth is only looking for one thing in Dawson City, and it isn't gold. He needs platinum for his semiconductor research, and if he doesn't find it in the Klondike, the university that employs him will be more than happy to redirect their funds to more profitable scientists. Just getting to the gold fields is a grueling, dangerous journey, especially when a competitor will stop at nothing to get his hands on an invaluable device in John's possession.

As they fall for each other out on the bitterly cold trail, John and Robert may just find themselves with more to lose than they could ever gain in the gold fields of the Yukon Territory.

I haz an OFFICE!

I know, it's terribly exciting for anyone who isn't me. But after over two months of moving, traveling, and working at my parents' dining room table, I am absurdly excited to be more or less settled into my new office. So, naturally, I have to share pictures.

It wasn't pretty when I started, let me tell you. I have, shall we say, a rather large library. Most of it has been in storage the last three years, and ALL of it needed to be sorted and shelved.

All of it.
After a few hours of toiling, I had made some progress...
I agree, Midget. That's enough for one day.
The next day, I had to add two more bookcases...
...which made a big enough dent that I could put my desk together!
You'll notice Midget looking very interested in something that isn't my office. That's because we have a bunch of fat gray squirrels in the backyard, and they fascinate her. (I'll get pictures of them eventually -- every time I break out the camera, they disappear)

Watching squirrels are srs bznz...
And here's some books that have a more or less permanent residence on my desk, though some may eventually move to a bookcase (when there's room):
After two years of being published, you'd think this would lose its novelty, but it doesn't:
I haven't done much decorating yet, but I do have a couple of signs on the door:
And finally, for all those who said Nebraska would be flat, boring, and tree-less, I give you...

The view from my window:
Why yes, I think I will do JUST fine here.

Road Trip - Days 2 & 3 Survived

Two more days on the road, survived! The cats behaved and weren't terribly traumatized by the ordeal. Sleeping for hours on end will do that to you, I suppose. Even if they were angry with me, a couple of chicken strips pretty much atoned for any crime I've ever committed against them. At least, if the purring was anything to go by.

I spent last night in the Bay Area, where I spent a few hours gabbing over coffee with the one and only Aislinn Kerry before we traipsed off to the theatre for the juicy slashy goodness that is Holmes 2. OMFG. Love that movie. RDJ...*swoon*...
*snerk* I can't help it, I love that pic.

Anyway, this morning, I continued in a southerly-easterly-kind-of-meandering-towards-the-midwest direction. The first few hours of that was spent looking at this:
And I thought the San Joaquin Valley was boring when it was clear.

Eventually, the weather cleared up, and I drove a few bazillion miles through farmland and scrubby scrubland. I didn't take any pictures, though, because FUCK farmland and scrubby scrubland.

I did, however, stop to take these pics:
Why? Because it's pretty.

The obligatory sunset:
Shortly before crossing from California into Arizona, I stopped for gas. And I can I just say, those of you living in that area...you are seriously getting ripped off for gas.

SERIOUSLY.
The only real downside to the day is this lovely sinus infection that seems to have set up shop in my upstairs breathing parts. I totally should have stayed in the Bay Area for another day with Aislinn, which I nearly did because of blizzardy conditions on I-40, but then there was a lovely window of clearness and sunshine that I wanted to make it through...without realizing I'd end up feeling like someone hit me in the face with a baseball bat by the end of the day. *sigh* So, since driving through the mountains is not fun during a sinus (and possibly ear) infection, I'm staying an extra day in Flagstaff, AZ, where I will engage in sloth (and likely writing) all day tomorrow before continuing to...um...Amarillo, I think. My notebook is on the other bed, and I'm too lazy to get up and get it (shut up, I'm sick), so we'll just call it Amarillo.

Also, I saw snow up close and personal for the first time in three years...in Arizona. There's something almost poetic about that.

Anyway. I've made it safely to Flagstaff, my debit card's been eviscerated by California gas robbery, I'm sick as a dog, and I totally should have listened to Aislinn and stayed in California for one more day. Live and learn...

Stay tuned for the Flagstaff-to-Amarillo-or-wherever-it-is-I'm-going installment of the road trip adventures!

Day One: Survived.

So today was the first day of the road trip to Nebraska, and so far, so good. No snow, no ice, no cops...knock on wood.

Those who have been following my blog for a while are likely familiar with the pair of sidekicks accompanying me on this trip. The infamous Annie (or Tubby):
(it should be noted she's sleeping on THREE pillows in that picture)

And of course Midget:
As per usual, they both went out to the truck in cages, and as soon as the doors were shut, I let Tubby loose. Midget can't be loose while I'm driving because she freaks out and gets into stuff (and tries to get down by my feet). Tubby, however, is a pretty chill passenger, and does considerably less bitching when she's loose.
Plus when Tubby is happy and quiet, so is Midget. On a lengthy car trip, anything that results in quiet cats is okay by me.

And just in case they try to tell anyone they're abused and mistreated, I'd like to point out that this was their lunch:
Abused and mistreated, my ass.

Also, for those who've never traveled with cats, hotels are sometimes prone to charging extra fees -- on top of their pet fees -- if you leave any "pet evidence" behind. Crumbs, food, litter...not to mention the other unsightly and gross things pets can leave behind. Mine are pretty good about not horking or peeing on anything, but crumbs...well...they happen.

PREVENTING MESSES LIKE A BOSS, YO:
So then of course I also put my comforter over the bed to prevent incriminating cat hair from materializing on the hotel's sheets. And what does Tubby do? Burrow under the comforter. *sigh*

Oh well. We're all safe and relaxing in this very nice little hotel in Medford, and my bacon-fed world-traveled cats seem to have forgotten about the day's trauma:
There is something to be said for pets with the memory of a goldfish, I'm telling you.

Tomorrow, on to California...

The New Journey Begins

My time in Seattle has drawn to a close, and tomorrow, it's time to hit the road to Nebraska. You can probably expect some more frequent updates, since road trips (especially with pets) always result in some craziness and shenanigans. With any luck, none of those updates will involve snowbanks, ice, or my truck getting stuck in some combination thereof.

And of course, long hours of driving by myself mean one thing and one thing only: lots of time for plot bunnies to appear. I'm sure a few new ones will show up, but the game plan is to spend the next few days plotting out my next two WIPs -- a contemporary SFF and the sequel to my upcoming release, The Given & The Taken. We'll see how well that plan survives first contact with the enemy.

Now it's off to spend some time with the family before I leave, finish the Tetris-style packing of my truck, and let my cats enjoy one more blissful day of not riding in cages.

Tomorrow...it begins.

Holy Ned!

The results of the Rainbow Awards came out yesterday (full results here), and I have to say I was completely floored. Three of my books came away with a total of four awards, and...yeah...color me stunned.

So, if you'll indulge me, I have to share...
Cover Me took 7th/Honorable Mention in the Thriller/Mystery category.
But then two titles came along and...
OMG. Seriously. O.O

With The Band took 3rd (1st-3rd is considered an award winner as opposed to honorable mention) in the Contemporary Gay Erotica category...
And to my complete and utter speechless disbelief, Static won the Bisexual/Transgender Paranormal/Science Fiction category and took 9th in the Best Bisexual/Transgender Novel category.
Thank you so much to Elisa for hosting the Rainbow Awards, and to all the judges!

Also, congrats to the other authors who came away with awards, including Aislinn Kerry, Marie Sexton, Sloan Parker, Heidi Cullinan, Aleksandr Voinov, and Amy Lane!

NOW AVAILABLE: Search Me

Search Me is now available from Carnal Passions! Additional links to be added as they're available.

"I really enjoyed this story and even when fighting, these guys are as hot as ever. [...] If you are a fan of the series, this is one you don't want to miss." -- Joyfully Jay Reviews, 4.5 Stars

In Cover Me, Detective Andrew Carmichael and paramedic Nick Swain barely escaped Nick's delusional stalker with their lives. Now, months later, the physical scars haven't quite healed, and neither have the emotional ones. Lingering guilt and resentment threaten to tear their relationship apart, but Andrew isn't ready to give up. He's nearly lost Nick once, and he's not giving him up this time without a fight.

In a last ditch effort to keep them together, Andrew suggests a weekend away, but is that enough time to find a reason to keep their relationship alive? Or is it time to let Nick walk away?

Reviews, Interviews, and Giveaways

All this "moving to Nebraska" nonsense has put me a little behind on updating my blog, but hopefully that will all be over very soon. My husband left this morning for Omaha, which means I'll be following within the next 10-14 days. By January, I expect to be back to my usual writing all day/blogging all the time schedule. Soon!!

In the meantime...

I've been interviewed over at Fallen Angel Reviews as well as Joyfully Jay Reviews. Comment on the latter to win your choice of books off my backlist!

And speaking of Joyfully Jay, they've reviewed A Chip In His Shoulder and given it 4.75 stars:

"First off, let me say this book kept me on the edge of my seat. The action starts almost right away and keeps going throughout the book. Not just physical action, but also the tension between Daniel and Liam as they confront each other for the first time in five years. The story was quite exciting and kept me frantically flipping pages." (Review)

That's all for now, but there should be more updates soon, especially now that I'm getting close to the last leg of this move. Omaha, here I come!

NOMINATION: Static

Static has been nominated for BEST GLBT PARANORMAL ROMANCE - MAGIC/FANTASY (2011) at The Romance Review!
If you enjoyed Static, please vote!