Beth D. Carter's Blog, page 79

Humorous Hump Day Hook! March 20th

Thanks to everyone who visited with me on my Lucky in Love Blog Hop!  I had some great responses on what makes a hero yummy!  I wish I could have everyone be a winner but alas, I could only pick one…So congrats to Book Attict! 
Please stop back next month for The Tortured Hero Blog Hop!  My newest book, Otherworldly, will be released April 11th (see below for the blurb), and the winner will get a chance to win it!
For this week’s Hump Day Hook, I wanted to spotlight some of the humor that I’ve incorporated into the McKnight, Perth & Daire stories.++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Charlotte slipped into the bathroom, checked to make sure she was alone, and then went into a stall and locked the door. Then she pulled out her cell phone and called her sister.“Hey,” Holly greeted. “Are you on your way home?”“No, new development,” Charlotte whispered.“Why are you whispering?” Holly whispered back.“I’m in a bathroom stall,” Charlotte said. “Why are you whispering?”There was a slight pause. “I don’t know,” she finally said in her normal voice. “Why did you call me from the bathroom, or do I want to know?”++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Charlotte Perth is all about sass because her job is reminds her all too well the limits of human life.  She’s clairvoyant but her gift is unique.  She can only summon murdered souls and interprets the visions they send her.  When she’s hired by a wealthy woman to determine the fate of her great nephew, little does Charlotterealize this is one ghost that refuses to cross over.
Detective Jonas Daire feels Charlotteis a fake, out to swindle money from his rich aunt.  When Charlotteproclaims the nephew is not only dead but has been murdered, Jonas feels especially disgusted at Charlotte’s “profession”.  But when his cousin’s body is discovered in the place that she said it would be, with detailed accounts of how he died, he places her under suspicion. 
Jonas and Charlotte work together to find the killer.  As the two grow closer together, another malevolent force won’t stop until the truth is buried…until Charlotte’s ghostly visions are her own.
Otherworldly (Book 1 in the McKnight, Perth & Daire trilogy) comes out April 11th! 
Make sure to check out the other Hump Day Hook paragraphs at: http://humpdayhook.blogspot.co.uk/

What Makes a Yummy Hero?

How can some authors write a handsome hero character that doesn’t push our Oh-la-la buttons and others write heroes that make us wish we were the heroine, pulsing and panting after the drop-dead-gorgeous hunk coming to life through pages?  I’ve read hundreds, thousands, of romances and yet there are only a handful of books I’ve kept because I want to lose myself within the pages time and time again.

"Ladies: An intelligent man will open your mind, a handsome man will open your eyes, and a gentleman will open your heart."  -Unknown

You can ask fifty different women what brand shampoo they use and you’ll get fifty different answers.  Heroes are no different.  I had an epiphany the other day about what makes a hero yummy…for myself.  
"I am as I am; whether hideous, or handsome, depends upon who is made to judge." -Herman Melville
The Bad Boy. Yes, that’s what I like.  A playboy, a man whore, a player…all who falls so in love with the girl that they are “reformed”.  Clichéd, I know, but what can I say?  My first bad boy love was Jason (#2) from the cartoon/anime Battle of the Planets when I was six years old.  I wanted Han Solo over Luke Skywalker because I loved every time he said something snarky to Princess Leia.  I love reading from the perspective of the man, going through his thoughts as he segues from self-depreciation to overwhelming need for his lady.  He’s still a bad boy…but just a fiercely devoted bad boy.
"Girls like bad boys because they think they can 'fix them', but they're not a broken car and you're no mechanic."    -Unknown

I’m still a relatively new author, one who really hasn’t found her niche.  But a nice yummy hero is what every author strives to present, one that grabs the read and makes some hearts swoon.  An unforgettable hero, heart stopping adventure…Yum. 
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Thanks for visiting me this weekend!  For a chance to win a free PDF ebook, winner's choice, of any of my titles, just leave a comment about what makes a hero yummy for you!  My trusty assistant (AKA: son) will pick a winner on Tuesday the 19th, so make sure to leave a way to contact you!  Also, please visit the others in the blog hop for a chance to win some great prizes!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 

Book Review – Wallbanger by Alice Clayton

Print books can cost a helluva lot of money so when I buy one, I’m very careful to read all the reviews.  When I came across Wallbanger the premise intrigued me (so did the cover!) so I took a chance and bought it.  Published by Omnific, the book is 302 pages of roughly 490 words a page.  Yes, it’s a firmly condensed book, heavy but very worth the $19.99 price tag.

I want to point out that I really loved this book.  But to give a book review, I have to be fair, so I need to point out the bad and the good.  For me, the first forty-six pages of this book left me bored.  I would read a page or two and the crassness of the main character, Caroline, didn’t click with me.  But once Caroline and Simon finally met THEN I got invested and it was a hilarious ride.  So, let me go back and give a brief summery of what this book is about:
Caroline, an interior designer, moves into a new apartment, sublet from her boss.  She doesn’t know how very thin the walls are until that night and moans and thumps come from her neighbor.  She hears everything.  In fact, the wall is banging so hard it knocks her pictures off the wall.  This happens for three nights with three different girls.  By this time, Caroline is pissed because she hasn’t had any sleep (the banging goes on all night long).  So, dressed in a little pink nightie, she marches over to his place, bangs on his door and is confronted by a still turned on gorgeous man named Simon Parker.  Needless to say, this confrontation does start out too well and the war is on.

Wallbanger is written in first person, mainly from Caroline’s POV, although there are a few instances where we get some other head input.  This is my first Alice Clayton novel and I have to admit I loved her writing style, most of it I was laughing out loud.  I’m a sucker for dry humor and the wit and banter portrayed is a page turner.  I consumed the book in two nights!  Here are some of my favorite lines:
p.213  He was wooing me.  And I was letting him woo.  I wanted the woo.  I deserved the woo.  I needed the wow that would surely follow the woo, but for now, the woo?  It was whoa.
p.225 Could I spend a little more time trying to come up with a more clever name for Simon’s penis?  Probably.  It deserved it.  Mammoth Male Member?  No.  Pulsating Pillar of Passion?  No.  Back Door Bandit?  Hell no.  Wang?  Sounded like the noise those doorstopper things made when you flicked ‘em…            I said it out loud to myself a few times, cracking myself up a little.  “Wang.  Wang.  Waaaang,” I muttered.
The texting between them is fantastic.  I was laughing so hard I was almost crying.  Chapter Nine is almost nothing but texting and Alice Clayton is brilliant with the dialogue.  The secondary characters are brilliantly written and really support the relationship that is building between Simon and Caroline.  There is so much in this book, so many little nuances, and yet everything flows very well together. 
Of course, with all stories of two strong headed misjudged people, they get into a fight and I found the fight that split Caroline and Simon apart for a time not quite believable.  I understood it, but I think it could have been written a little more strongly.  And the end dragged a little for me.  I kept waiting for that moment when I’m swept away but I didn’t really get it.  Through the whole book Caroline was missing her O (orgasm) and when the moment finally came for her and Simon to get it on, she ended up faking it.  Then, when he really gives it to her (and I mean in a very good way, this way and that) I expected to be swept into the O just like Caroline, but that moment sorta fell flat to me.  It was more comedic because she was baking and flour, honey, sugar, raisins, dough, go everywhere.  Everywhere! 
But I got my happy ending, as did Caroline (finally!) and I loved it.  This book is definitely going into my library as a keeper. 

Hump Day Hook- March 6th

I’ve been working hard on edits for Otherworldly, my new novel coming from Siren Publishing on April 11th.  I’m so excited!  My editor has been fantastic and I think the book is really polished now. 
I decided for this Hump Day Hook to highlight a paragraph from Otherworldly.  I know I’ve posted excerpts before but I wanted to post from one of the edits.  Next week I’ll be participating in the Lucky in Love Blog Hop and I’ll be blogging about what makes a hero yummy.  So I wanted to give the hero of this book, Jonas Daire, a chance to shine. 
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
She lay half draped over his waist which allowed his one good hand to run down her back.  She’d worn a tank top and tiny, frilly panties to sleep in.  His fingers were just able to stroke the soft skin where her ass cheeks played peek-a-boo with the elastic and her body shivered against him and it wasn’t because she was cold.  Knowing she was awake and knowing he had the power to make her shiver sent his libido into overdrive.  Heat flooded through him, causing his dick to spring to life.  He wanted her.  Holy Christ, he wanted her.  Would there ever be a time when he didn’t want her?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Make sure to check out the others in the Hump Day Hook at: http://kerriannecoombes.wordpress.com/
Don’t forget to come back to my blog site for a chance to win one of my ebook novels during the Lucky in Love Blog Hop.  Plus my new novel, Otherworldly (McKnight, Perth & Daire 1), coming out April 11th.
Blurb:  Charlotte Perth is all about sass because her job is reminds her all too well the limits of human life.  She’s clairvoyant but her gift is unique.  She can only summon murdered souls and interprets the visions they send her.  When she’s hired by a wealthy woman to determine the fate of her great nephew, little does Charlotterealize this is one ghost that refuses to cross over.
Detective Jonas Daire feels Charlotteis a fake, out to swindle money from his rich aunt.  When Charlotteproclaims the nephew is not only dead but has been murdered, Jonas feels especially disgusted at Charlotte’s “profession”.  But when his cousin’s body is discovered in the place that she said it would be, with detailed accounts of how he died, he places her under suspicion. 
Jonas and Charlotte work together to find the killer.  As the two grow closer together, another malevolent force won’t stop until the truth is buried…until Charlotte’s ghostly visions are her own.

Otherworldly Blurb

Today, Friday the 1st of March, I have nothing to bitch about! 
I discovered two new authors and I can’t wait until I have enough money to devour all their books.  I just read Breathe and Fallen Too Far from Abbi Glines and The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden by Jessica Sorensen…and love their style of writing!  I love angst!  The books have sequels, of course, but I like following characters I’ve come to love.

I saw a poll on Jessica Sorensen’s blog site that asked readers which paranormal creature they like reading about the most.  Vampires were the number one, followed by Witches, Fairies, and Ghosts.  I was surprised werewolves weren’t in there.  I’m hoping that people like ghost stories because I’m busy editing my first ghost story titled “Otherworldly”.  It’s book one in a trilogy titled McKnight, Perth & Daire.
Here’s the blurb:
Charlotte Perth is all about sass because her job is reminds her all too well the limits of human life.  She’s clairvoyant but her gift is unique.  She can only summon murdered souls and interprets the visions they send her.  When she’s hired by a wealthy woman to determine the fate of her great nephew, little does Charlotte realize this is one ghost that refuses to cross over.
Detective Jonas Daire feels Charlotte is a fake, out to swindle money from his rich aunt.  When Charlotte proclaims the nephew is not only dead but has been murdered, Jonas feels especially disgusted at Charlotte’s “profession”.  But when his cousin’s body is discovered in the place that she said it would be, with detailed accounts of how he died, he places her under suspicion. 
Jonas and Charlotte work together to find the killer.  As the two grow closer together, another malevolent force won’t stop until the truth is buried…until Charlotte’s ghostly visions are her own.++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The release date is April 11th!  Look for a give-a-way!  And on that note, stop by on March 15thfor the Lucky In Love Blog Hop! 

Friday Foible

It’s Friday.  I’ve survived another week. 
Sometimes this sentiment blares all too brightly.  This week was especially daunting since my mother was coming home from the convalescent home.  Now it becomes blatantly clear why we have kids…so they can do our grocery shopping and wash clothes for us when we’re invalids.
Anyway, I’ve decided on this Friday bitch session, I needed to air some things that are really REALLY annoying, things that have happened to me this week.  Perhaps some of you can sympathize, or I’m very sorry to say, relate. 
1)      Stepping into an elevator and realizing that the previous rider had deposited a rather odious cloud of gas, thus letting you breathe in a whiff of it before hiding your nose in your shirt.  Is a shirt a good enough blocker of poisonous gas?  O.M.G!  Seriously, fart before you get into a confined space!!!
2)      Having that annoying person honking behind you to go, no caring in the least if you get creamed by oncoming traffic simply because they have no patience to wait a few minutes!  Come on, it’s LA traffic.  As soon as you pull into it you’re gonna be going at a snails pace anyway!  Its times like that I wish I had a big neon sign on my bumper that I could program with different messages like: Chill out, A**hole!
3)       People who volunteer their services for either a donation or their time to a particular project and then just vamooshing, leaving the ball hanging.  Its rude, its disrespectful and its…its rude!!! 
4)      Having no money.  Well, I think that’s pretty self-explanatory.
But it’s Friday and I have a Mojito in my hand.  I may have started my exercise program back up but I prefer to drink my calories in any case.  Here’s to a fabulous weekend!

Helluva Day!

Let me give you a mental picture of how my son’s school is laid out.  It’s a small community elementary school nestled amid a nice development of older single homes.  Several streets are one way and so narrow that if a car is parked the least bit sideways then it makes it extremely difficult to drive down it.  So this morning, I turn down the street and get to this large delivery truck parked as far to the side as it can get and another car parked smack-dab in the center of the road, effectively blocking it.  And the car is turned off.  So I honk my horn.  Nothing.  I honk my horn again and this man saunters from in front of the delivery truck yelling “Stop honking lady.  It’s not gonna make me move my car any faster”.  And he proceeds to take his own sweet time to start and go. 
About five minutes later I think about what I should have said: “Well, since you’re so near a school why don’t I call the officer that’s on patrol over and tell him what a disturbance you’re creating?”
Why do I always think of what to say minutes too late?
Afterwards I went to visit my mom in the convalescent home.  As I was coming home, I hit something large and heavy on the ramp driving onto the 405.  Immediately, my low tire pressure light came on.  CRAP!!  If there hadn’t been a major accident on the 405, I might have made it back before my tire totally deflated…unfortunately, I only made it to a little past LAX.  Now, for those of you who don’t know or can’t visualize the 405, think about having a sprained ankle and having to run across the Indy 500….with all cars racing.  Not fun!!!
Called Brian and he raced over, helped me put on the spare.  My tire was FLAT.  Flatter than Keira Knightly’s chest. (See below)  Hurried to pick up Hadrian.  Then raced to the tire place only to be told they don’t have my tire in, they have to order it.  They put on a temporary tire so I don’t have to drive around on a spare and I go back tomorrow AM to get my tire.
Then I have to go to Ralph’s and pick up groceries and some prescriptions.  In the check out line, this old white-haired woman behind me (who crowds me) says snidely “That’s a lot of soda”.  Bitch, what???  I bought two 8 pk of the small size Pepsi bottles, you the ones you drink in two gulps?  Why the fuck do you care how much soda I buy???  Yes, I give my kid soda and candy. And sometimes I throw in a cookie or two.  Deal with it.
Exactly seven minutes after that woman is when I thought of a good response.  “Well, seeing that you’re older than dirt, it’s probably too late to learn the concepts of personal spaceand none of your fucking business.”
I am home and I’m not going anywhere for the rest of the evening!  I’ve stocked up on steaks and mojitos…now I’m set.

Hump Day Hook – 13 February 2013

First of all, I want to say thanks to everyone who visited with me for my Heartbreaker Blog Hop!  I really appreciated it!  The winner of my contest was StrawberryRose!  She’s been emailed with the news.
Second, please join me next month for the St. Patrick’s Day blog hop! 
Last week, I posted an excerpt form the first book in my McKnight, Perth & Daire series, titled Otherworldly, in which a romantic dinner with Detective Daire doesn’t go quite as planned.  But what about the other man in this story, the one who gets his share in book 2, titled Hereafter?  Well, all I can say is that it’s no bed of roses for Agent Nash McKnight when he goes after the woman who got away…
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
“Charlotte,” Nash warned and ran a hand through his carefully coiffed hair.            “By the way, you are looking very dapper,” Charlotte told him, trying to change the subject.  “Did you lose weight?  No?  Add another mountain of muscle to those arms?  How do you run and chase the bad guys looking all Terminator-on-steroids?”            Instead of answering he tossed the towel onto the table and pulled out his phone.              “Wait,” she said.  “Who are you calling?”            He ignored her, pushed a button, and put his phone to his ear.  “I found her.  She’s alive for now unless I kill her.  All right.”            Nash held out the phone for her.              “I hate you,” Charlotte said to him calmly and took the phone.  “Hello?”+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
All I’ll say is Nash was delicious to write!  A real…Heartbreaker? 
Make sure to check out the others in this weeks Hump Day Hook at: http://kerriannecoombes.wordpress.com/

The Heartbreaker...Blog Hop!

Last month I sat in my orthodontics office and read People’s Sexiest Man Alive.  I love me some Channing Tatum.  I think he’s a smart man who can play a dumb man with muscles very convincingly and I’m very happy for him and his wife.  There was a section where they broke down age groups of celebrities and listed men in their 20s, 30s, 40s, & 50s.  I kept looking at the 20-somethings thinking they were babies!  It really hit home with me that I’ve just turned forty when all the men I thought were sexy were aged from late thirties to mid-fifties.
Although Heartbreakers can be male or female, for me, they are men with tremendous hearts, larger-than-life presence, a sense of ruthlessness, and enough love to fill heaven.  They are rough, tough, and yet tender and compassionate.  Whether they are self-made men or born to wealth, Heartbreakers have a core of strength that is unshakable. 
I grew up reading Harlequin Presents, where the story was written from the POV of the heroine.  I was constantly on the edge of my seat, trying to figure out the stoic hero, knowing he was in love with the girl but unable, for one reason or another, to tell her until the end of the book.  Carole Mortimer was a master at writing stories like this.  The first book I wrote, Black Leather Pants, had this POV because of my love of second-guessing the hero.
Whether the heartbreaker is a bad-ass, a nerd, a romantic or something supernatural, the one fact is that they can enrapture the reader.  They linger with us long after the words THE END.  It is every author’s dream to create such a hero or heroine. 
When writing for ménage, many authors pick an Alpha and Beta Heartbreaker.  In my stories, I like to write two Alphas who complete something the other lacks.  (The main exception is my story The Song Bird)  For my upcoming trilogy (McKnight, Perth & Daire), I used the first book to establish the first Heartbreaker, Jonas Daire.  The second book highlights Nash McKnight.  And the third book tries to find a common ground between these two hardheaded men.
Have a Happy Valentine’s Day and make sure you hug that Heartbreaker in you life!  +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
To win a free PDF ebook of any of my titles, just leave a comment!  You’ll not only be entered for my contest but you’ll be entered in the Heartbreaker Blog Hop contest with some fabulous prizes...just follow the links below!  Just make sure to leave a way to contact you!  Thanks…and good luck!

Hump Day Hook – 6th February

Coming up soon is Valentine’s Day, a romance writers magical holiday.  I’m taking my mother tomorrow to see the movie “Warm Bodies”, a zombie romance, before she goes into the hospital Friday to have a hip replacement. 
Also starting Friday I’ll be participating in the Heartbreaker Hop, with a free ebook give-away, winner’s choice!  So please stop by this weekend and leave a comment to be entered to win.  You’ll also be entered into the grand prize give-away… What are the grand prizes?
The prizes are:
1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet2nd Grand Prize: A $100 Amazon or B&N Gift Card3rd Grand Prize: A Swag Pack that contains paperbacks, ebooks, 50+ bookmarks, cover flats, magnets, pens, coffee cozies, and more!
As for my Hump Day Hook paragraph, I’ve decided to go with another paragraph from my newest story, Otherworldly.  So, the set up is my heroine, Charlotte, wants to prepare a romantic dinner for Jonas but it doesn’t go as planned.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Perplexed, she pulled on a tank top before opening the bathroom door and heard a loud voice saying “FIRE” over and over.  Eyes widening, she rushed downstairs to see the kitchen filled with smoke.              “Holy hell!” she cried and rushed to the back door, throwing it open to allow some fresh air in.            “FIRE!  FIRE!  FIRE!” the alarm kept saying in a very loud, very annoying tone.            “Shut up!” she cried and grabbed a dishtowel to start fanning the smoke away from the detector.  She spotted a reset button and hurried to find a broom.  Thankfully, the smoke was starting to dissipate.  She found an ordinary broom in the pantry and grabbed it, trying to line up the reset button with the handle, but the handle was too wide and couldn’t fit in the small button slot.            In the meantime, the detector kept yelling “FIRE” at her and Charlotte was contemplating smashing the damn thing with the broom when the front door opened.            “What the hell is going on?” Jonas yelled over the alarm.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ok, so it’s a little more than a paragraph…hope you liked it!  Be sure to check out the other paragraphs at: http://kerriannecoombes.wordpress.com/