Shannan Albright's Blog, page 36

Happy Thanksgiving, Now Let's Shop!

He can cook in my kitchen anytime he wants Lol!


With the Holiday in full swing,  our magnificent bird and fixings will soon be nothing but happy memories. And if your like me you feel as stuffed as the Turkey you prepared. Promises to get to the Gym and work off all those yummy calories is on top of your priority list and what better way to do that than to shop?

Black Friday is upon us once again, luring us in with promises of incredible deals and sometimes it's not just hype. Oh the joy of retail! I would rather cut off my arms myself than fight a crowd of determined ladies who can punch with the power of a prize fighter. I commend those of you brave enough to swim in those shark infested waters.

For me, I'll probably take in a movie, there is a good possibility I can get into Breaking Dawn since everyone will be shopping. I may even be able to get some fresh popcorn with extra butter. Yeah, I know more calories to burn but for me so worth it.

So for those about to shop, I applaud your courage and pray you get back in one piece. For me it's the movies and back to writing. After all, no matter how hard I try these stubborn  books refuse to write themselvesI'll chat with you again on Monday and until then be safe, get great buys and have a blast!


Here is one more pic for the holiday for you to enjoy.


Amen to that!

Drum Roll Please...Results from the Blog Tour

I am overwhelmed at the wonderful turn out and fantastic comments I received from so many of you. If I could I would have given each one of you a special something. Instead I used my random number program and came up with three winners.

Third Place
Jess the Romanceaholic - won PDF of Dark Passion Rising: A Dark Breed Novel

Second Place
imajicasnow - won PDF of Beloved Wizard: Knights of Excalibur One
Grand Prize
Michelle - won $25.00 Amazon Gift Card, PDF of Dark Passion Rising and PDF of Beloved Wizard


Congratulations to all the winners and thank you for your passion for the written word. Without you there would be no stories to write.

Monday Pick Me Up

                                                         Happy Monday!     Hope everyone is having a great start to there week. With Thanksgiving only days away we all are kicking things into high gear. I just wanted to let you all know how thankful I am to all of you who have followed my blog and read my books. Any success I have so far been blessed with is a direct result from you my readers.
I wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving filled with love, laughter and of course great food! I will be back next Monday with all the news of my new releases and what I'm working on. Plus all the great contests coming your way.

Take care and have a wonderful holiday.

Six Sentence Sunday






Heres another six from Passion's Flight: A Dark Breed Novel
Coming February 2012!




The air caught in Tegans lungs as he recognized the strong scent of unwashed bodies and rotten meat. Mixed along with it was a tang of the sea. What the hell? Something unknown added to the mix of were-bears, wolves and a lynx. One thing for certain, there were too many to fight in his present condition. They were so screwed.

               
                                                              See you next Sunday for another six!

Weekend Dirty Dozen

Happy Friday and welcome to another dozen!



Beloved Wizard: Knights of Excalibur One

Available Now through Extasy Books and Amazon Kindle

Author Spolights Shirley Kennedy

Welcome Shirley, pull up a chair and grab a cup of coffee. Thanks for finding the time in your busy day to chat with us. I am honored to have known Shirley for a few years. We are in the same Romance Writers of America Chapter and find her insights into the business very helpful to say the least.
Do you do anything to get you into the zone to write?
Not really.  Writing is what I do, so I don't have to get in the mood for it.  When I get up in the morning, I make the coffee, put the dishes away from the dishwasher, feed the cats, drink coffee and read the newspaper.  While I'm doing this, I'm mulling over what I'm going to write today, so by the time I get to my computer, I'm ready to go, no writer's block ever. 
 Which authors inspire  your writing?
Phillipa Gregory inspires me the most.  I admire her impeccable research and her outstanding ability to bring  historical figures to life.  John Grisham is second.
 What is your favorite book, character and why?
It's almost a cliché to say my favorite book is Gone with the Wind and favorite character is Scarlet O'Hara, but it's true.  A close second are Herman Wouk's Winds of War and War and Remembrance.  (By the way, he's 96 and still alive!)  Currently I'm re-reading Through A Glass Darkly by Karleen Koen, a gem of a historical which packs more emotion per page than anything I've ever read.  She has a new book out:  Before Versailles,  which I can hardly wait to read.
Do you prefer to write erotic or sweet?
Sweet, but times have changed.  In those little traditional Regencies I used to write, I could get away with a couple of kisses and maybe a quick feel.  Not any more.  When my agent told me I'd better "ramp it up,"  I took her word for it and started writing steamier stuff, although not what you'd call erotica.    
Which famous person, living or dead,  are you drawn to?
I admire  Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and the other brave women in the Suffragist movement who fought for women's right to vote. I'd like to think that if I lived back then, I'd be out there in my bonnet with my sign, marching, going on hunger strikes to get that precious right.  Can you imagine not being able to vote?  What's sad is, such is still the case in some parts of the world.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
     Doing what I'm doing now—selling my  books and counting the royalties (hopefully  ever-increasing).  Of course by then I would like to have sold a blockbuster best seller to Hollywood for a couple of million.  Chances aren't good, though.  Some upstart author named  Jane Austin has pretty much cornered the market for Regency movies.
Finish this sentence: I know I've made it when_______________?
That moment has come and gone.  It came when, after 7 years of trying, I got "The Call" from my agent telling me she'd sold my Regency to Ballantine.  Next to the births of my two children, that moment remains forever engraved in my memory.
What advice would you give aspiring writers?
Decide in which genre you want to write. Read every book you can lay your hands on in that genre.  Write your book, following  the editors' guidelines exactly.  Do not write "the book of your heart"  until you're an established author.
What do you see yourself writing in the future?
That's hard to say.  So far I've written in four different genres:  Regency romance, western romance, paranormal, and contemporary mystery.  I love writing in all of them, but my friends tell me Regency is my niche, so maybe I'll stick with that.
If you could have one superpower what would it be and why?
I would travel back in time so I could talk to my mother and tell her I finally sold a book.  Oops, I'm getting all teary-eyed, so I'd better move on.
What time of the day are you at your best to write?
Eight a.m., after coffee and the newspaper.
And now for something completely different…
What was the most defining moment in your life?
On Oct. 5, 2000, at 2:05 in the afternoon, a surgeon looked me in the eye and said, "You have breast cancer."  I was Stage IIIA and had a 7cm tumor.  After 8 chemos and 35 radiations,  I am now an 11-year cancer survivor and grateful every day that I'm still here.
  Thank the good Lord for that, you are an inspiration to so many who battle that disease everyday.
Explain your perfect day.
Doing some writing—surfing the Net—talking with a friend on the phone—taking a walk—watching a Netflix (the British series, The Tudors, is my all-time favorite.)
What is the most decadent desert you can't say no to?
The Carnival Cruise's "Warm Chocolate Melting Cake" is to die for.  I just found the recipe on-line.  OMG!  There goes the waistline!
What key words describe you best?
Survivor
To learn more about Shirley Kennedy and her books you can find her at :Shirley Kennedy
Here is her latest video on her new release Heartbreak Trail

Coming soon from Shirley Kennedy   The Last of Lady Lansdown  Published by Camel Press, Release Date June, 2012. 

Special Wicked Wednesday Update

            Thought I'd forget???                                                             No way, I'm just running behind with a Blog Hop running and my life gearing up for the impending holidays. I thought I'd offer up this beautiful man for your pleasure.                   
      I also have some great news to share. I have a tentative release date for Passion's Flight. Tegan's story will be out no later than February 2012. There is a chance it will release earlier than that and if so you darn well know I'll let you know all about it. This book has been quite a challenge to get done, but well worth it I think you will agree. There will be a lot of great contest's coming with this book plus a chance for you to meet the contrary were-panther and ask him some questions.
Until Monday have a fantastic week!
     

SAVE A TURKEY: GOBBLE A BOOK BLOG HOP!

Welcome to Save a Turkey: Gobble a Book Blog Hop!Starting from 11/14 to 11/21 hop your way through wonderful blogs all have chances for you to win!For entering my contest all you need do is follow my blog and leave a comment. Be sure to put your email address in the comments. What am I giving away? I'll be giving away 1 PDF of my Novella Beloved Wizard, 1 PDF Dark Passion Rising: A Dark Breed Novel, PLUS a $15.00 Amazon Gift Card! Good luck and happy hopping!

Six Sentence Sunday

Welcome to another Six from Passions Flight. This small bit is a bit on the hot side so fair warning to those who prefer their romance with less...um, spice.

Gods, you're so tight! This will hurt, but only for a moment and then, sweetling, I promise you only pleasure." He growled through clenched teeth, the muscle in his jaw jumping from the tension in his body to control his lust.He impaled her on a quick thrust, pain blossomed and she cried out at the suddenness of it. Goddess he was so big! She felt stretched to the point of bursting.

See you for another six next Sunday!

Weekend Dirty Dozen

I have a new release this November and here is a bit about it.


Arthur and his Knights are back and ready to kick ass!
Merci Tramaine is not happy to be called back into service by her old boss Arthur, especially when she is charged to find her missing ex lover. Drake Monroe is Merlin reincarnated, with his powers bound by the Goddess Nimue he has become a skilled fighter, but no match for Nimue who kidnapped him determined to destroy him forever.The bloodline of Morgan Le Fey taints Merci keeping her on the edge between light and dark, the Goddess's wicked trap springs shut leaving both Drake and Merci racing against the clock. Passions ignite once again, but are they too late to plan a future or will they be torn from each other? This time for eternity.
Available through:Extasy BooksAmazon Kindle
Here is my Dirty Dozen and enjoy!This is a colossally bad ideaMerci Tramaine entered the abandoned warehouse. Here she was sticking her neck out for a man who didn't give a damn about her. Talk about irony. The rays of the full moon came through the windows, bathing the large room in hues of silvery blue. The air, thick with the smell of dust, unwashed bodies and urine, assaulted her senses.
The homeless in these parts were known to make use of the old building as shelter. Old mattresses and discarded clothing lined the sides of the walls. Several large metal trashcans used to stave off the night's chill, their insides blackened and scorched, dotted the area.
Her low-heeled boots echoed hollowly in the eerie quiet of the warm May evening. She couldn't detect a single soul in the warehouse and that made her uneasy as hell. Her skin prickled at the nape of her neck and her pulse quickened, her built in warning system, telling her something preternatural was nearby.


Be sure to check out all the great tidbits at Weekend Dirty Dozen..