L.A. Witt's Blog, page 19
October 9, 2011
Winding Down...and some pics.
I'm about halfway through my current work-in-progress, Where There's Smoke, and hopefully I'll have that wrapped up by the end of the month along with What This Woman Wants, a little side project I've been working on. Those of you who have expressed interest in some F/F stories from me might want to keep an eye out for updates about that one. ;) After that, I'm probably getting started on Naming His Price, which will be a sci-fi/romance.
Also, stay tuned for updates on my two upcoming releases, A Chip In His Shoulder from Riptide Publishing, and The Closer You Get from Samhain Publishing, both in mid-November. Finally, The Given & The Taken is now available for pre-order on Amazon.
With all of that out of the way, how's about some pictures?
My friend Elisa and I went up to the north end of the island in search of the elusive rail, an endangered flightless bird found only on Okinawa. We didn't find any, unfortunately, but we did see a lot of cool stuff.
We went to Cape Hedo, which is a place I've visited a bajillion times, but this time, we were on a mission. There's a statue visible from one of the cliffs, and try as we might, we've never been able to figure out how to get to said statue. This is what it looks like from Cape Hedo:
[image error] It's a giant rail. On a hilltop. This time, we were bound and determined to get to it. So, after making my final wander-through of the monuments and sights of Cape Hedo...
....we began our search for the rail statue.Ooh, butterfly!
Ooh! Staring bird!
*cough* Where was I? Oh, right. Long story short, we found it.But wait...that's not a bird statue, that's an observatory!
And it's freaking huge...
Of course, since it's an observatory, we had to...well...observe. So we went around to find the stairs...
I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried.Anyway, up into the observatory we went.
And for all the times I've viewed the statue/observatory from Cape Hedo, I finally got to view Cape Hedo from the statue/observatory:
My journey has come full circle.But I still don't want to leave Okinawa. *cries*
September 30, 2011
NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER: A Chip In His Shoulder
"Contract killer" is a fitting job for a vampire, and it suits Liam just fine. Cast down from the wealth and status of the Sky for taking a human lover, Liam lurks in the poor and pollution-choked Gutter, killing to survive. Between his natural strengths and his Cybernetix mods, no mark has ever escaped him.Liam's ex-lover Daniel is the heir to Cybernetix—and its greatest threat. Horrified by people less man than machine and the exploitation of Gutter factory workers, he'd rather destroy Cybernetix than inherit it . . . if his father doesn't destroy him first.
Years of anger and a heap of mods have kept Daniel and Liam apart. When Liam is hired to slaughter a man in his glass Sky tower, he walks right into a Daniel-shaped trap. Daniel's father has betrayed them both, and only by working together can Daniel and Liam survive the coming day. They have no reason to trust each other, but as the dawn looms, a bargain that began with the simple urge to live soon reminds them of the love they once shared. Can they find each other again, or will the Cybernetix assassins find them first?
Cover Art: The Given & The Taken
The Given & The Taken will be available from Samhain Publishing on January 3, 2012.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.
September 25, 2011
2012 EPIC Award Finalists!
A.J.'s Angel is a finalist in Contemporary Romance.
Reconstructing Meredith is a finalist in Erotica.
Now I'll just bite my nails for the next six months until the winners are announced - LOL!
NOW AVAILABLE From Lavender Ironside: THE SEKHMET BED
"In Lavender Ironside's ancient Egyptian historical, two sisters share a husband and a burning desire to be the mother of the next Pharaoh. With accessibly modern prose, vivid detail, and deadly sibling rivalry, The Sekhmet Bed is reminiscent of Michelle Moran's Nefertiti." ~Stephanie Dray, author of the critically acclaimed Lily of the Nile
Queen Ahmose knows her duty: to give the Pharaoh a son. But she is young, and has just watched her closest friend die in childbirth. If the Pharaoh plants his seed in her she will die the same way, in a pool of blood, surrounded by wailing women. She has her husband's love, but a king must have an heir…and even the Pharaoh's patience will run out. Meanwhile, a lesser queen – Ahmose's own sister – has given him three sweet, bright children, all of them boys. Ahmose knows her grasp on the Pharaoh's heart is loosening.
Desperate, she begs the gods for courage to become a mother. They give her more than courage: she is granted a vision of a shining prince, her son – a gift for Egypt who will bring glory to the land. He will be more than the son of a king. He will be the son of the god Amun.
But when the child arrives, it's a girl.
Ahmose knows the vision was not wrong. Her daughter Hatshepsut has a male soul, and Amun intends the girl to rule. But the Pharaoh will not scandalize Egypt by proclaiming a female successor. If she cannot convince the Pharaoh to accept Hatshepsut as his heir, everything Ahmose loves will be destroyed.
September 22, 2011
GUEST BLOGGER: Douglass Karr on Military Suicide Awareness Month
Though my blog mostly deals with writing and generally chronicles my adventures as a Navy wife, I am also deeply concerned about issues pertaining to military personnel and veterans. In light of that, I am handing my blog over to Mr. Douglas Karr as a guest blogger as he addresses some of those issues.
Military Suicide Awareness Month Brings Attention to Troubling Facts
In response to the high number of suicides in the military, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Ladies Auxiliary issued a press release setting aside the month of September as Military Suicide Awareness Month. To honor those who died as a result of suicide, to increase awareness, and to encourage prevention, the Ladies Auxiliary also introduced a new teardrop sticker. The auxiliary hopes the sticker will help to spread the word that there are websites and call centers available for those who need to reach out for assistance.
The high suicide rate is being discussed in other venues, as well. Dr. Craig Bryan is a psychologist who worked in Iraq with troops suffering from PTSD and head injuries. He now advises the Air Force and Department of Defense on combat-related stress and resiliency. In a 2010 interview with Terry Gross on National Public Radio's "Fresh Air," he discussed the alarming rate of suicides among American troops. Statistics released in 2006 showed that the number of soldiers who killed themselves at home and abroad during the first half of that year was almost equal to the number killed in Afghanistan during the same period of time.
According to Dr. Bryan, many service members fear asking for any kind of medical help because of the stigma attached. Seeking help for PTSD (Learn about the PTSD Coach mobile app), or depression is perceived as being even more detrimental to careers and reputations. As a result, soldiers frequently fail to get the care they need until they are seriously troubled or ill. For veterans, there is also the frustration of fighting long-term conditions, such as depression or rare aggressive diseases like mesothelioma cancer that is triggered from asbestos exposure, that stem from the battlefield.
Just as unsettling are statistics showing that three out of every four soldiers who commit suicide have not discussed their problems with professionals. Most of those who seek help want to complete their missions – leaving psychologists in the war zone with difficult decisions concerning the safety of individuals and troops as a whole.
In a step that could be a start in reducing the stigma of mental illness, President Obama announced in July that he will send condolence letters when soldiers abroad commit suicide. He also released a statement saying that "They didn't die because they are weak, and the fact that they didn't get the help they needed must change."
While this is good news, it does not address the soldiers who died in the United States or the veterans who die years after their military service.
The sources below were taken from the Ladies Auxiliary website and are services they wish to share:
National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-TALK (8255)
Veteran Combat Call Center (Talk to another combat veteran): 877-927-8387
September 20, 2011
NOW AVAILABLE: Changing Plans
After being stood up at the altar, compulsive over-planner Elliott Chandler decides to turn their honeymoon on Oahu into a vacation for one. Fate puts a hitch in his plans, however, when the airport is snowed in and his flight is delayed.
In the airport, the jilted groom catches the eye of another stranded traveler: the laidback and very sexy Derek Windsor. Derek breaks the ice and strikes up a conversation, and as the temperature drops outside, the heat between them rises. Pity they're both going to different islands, but if their flight doesn't leave soon, Mr. Calm-and-Cool may just tempt Mr. Play-It-Safe to do something reckless.
And that plane isn't going anywhere any time soon.
REVIEWS: Ex Equals, With the Band, Damaged Goods
Joan/Sarah F at Dear Author reviewed Ex Equals and gave it a B+ Grade:
I totally closed this book (on my phone) with a Happy Book Sigh (TM SB Sarah). And really, what more can you want than that?
Kalyko at BlackRaven's Reviews reviewed With the Band and gave it 4.5 out of 5 Ravens:With the Band by L.A. Witt held me spellbound for its 200 plus pages. It's sexy—is it ever!—and fun and a wonderful story that goes well beyond a romance.
And finally, Stefani and Just Erotic Romance Reviews reviewed Damaged Goods and gave it 3.5 out of 5 stars:Needless to say, this was a highly erotic story and these two don't have any problem warming it up. I wouldn't say it was orgasmic but it was certainly hot. I did enjoy Damaged Goods, and would recommend it.
September 18, 2011
NOW AVAILABLE: Ex Equals
On the first day of his new career as a community college math teacher, Chris Reuben gets an unexpected—and most unwelcome—blast from the past: one of his students is his former navy shipmate...and ex-boyfriend.Justin Hayes isn't after a second chance when he signs up for an algebra class taught by his ex. All he wants besides a passing grade is a chance to make amends with the man he loved and hurt while they were deployed together three years ago.
Pain, guilt, and bitterness aren't the only lingering feelings, though, and even if three years is enough to melt the ice between them, they've already risked their careers for each other once. Can Justin convince Chris that what they once had is worth putting careers and hearts on the line again?
September 17, 2011
REVIEW: Static
The emotional aspect of Static will have you reeling. It makes you think about how far you would go for the one you love.
Static is available from Amber Allure, Amazon, Mobipocket, and AllRomance.
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