Ranae Rose's Blog, page 22

Official True Alpha Release Date + A Live Radio Interview Tonight

Okay, I'm finally announcing the official release date for True Alpha. It is... *drumroll*


July 5th
Just around the corner! Thanks very much to all the readers who've patiently waited for me to announce this. I know it must've seemed like I was taking my sweet time. I spent a lot of time writing True Alpha and (of course) having it edited so that I could produce a story that will (hopefully!) live up to the expectations of Lonely Alpha readers. I can't wait to hear what you all think of the next step in Jack and Mandy's story.
On another note, today I'll be participating in a live radio interview courtesy of ParaYourNormal. We'll be talking about the paranormal, writing, and of course, my books. The live interview will take place today (6/27) at 6:30 PM EST, and you can listen in at:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/parayournormal
You can also call in to ask me questions during the interview. Please feel free to do so - I'd love to hear from you. :) 

Six Sentence Sunday - Haunted Passions

“Were it not for this horseman business, I’d much rather have you beneath me than this damned saddle.” One corner of his mouth curved in a suggestive smile. 


John sucked in a breath, surprised as much by the sudden desire Brom’s confession sparked within him as by his actual words. Brom rarely spoke to him that way – at least, not while they were riding down an oft-traveled road. The man had a wicked tongue at times, but he rarely said such things in a tone above a whisper, and only then when they were utterly alone. Now his words hung in the air along with his breath, and the novelty of it had John’s mind whirling with carnal imaginings, both rough and sensual. 




P.S. The first book in this series, Whiskey Dreams , is currently available for free in the kindle store (as well as most other venues). ;)

Happy Solstice & First Day of Summer! From me & this Chris Hemsworth bobblehead doll...

Today is the first day of summer, a time of year many might associate with long, warm days and leisurely activities. Well, it's definitely warm down here in the South, but I haven't managed to connect with that elusive thing called leisure, and I don't expect to anytime soon. But that's a good thing! I've been hammering away at my keyboard like a madwoman, as I've got a lot of exciting stuff on my plate for this summer, especially June and July...


As is pretty well-known to anyone who's so much as glimpsed at my blog / newsletter / twitter, etc... I'm currently working to get True Alpha ready for its upcoming publication. I expect to (finally!) announce the official release date within the next week. It'll be a July date. 


I've also got something else keeping me busy -- more news on that a bit later this summer. ;)


And then, it's birthday season around here... Today I'm celebrating the birthdays of two of my favorite people, and am squeezing in this hasty post before one of them arrives. Said birthday girl requested Chris Hemsworth for her birthday, and well, as a true friend, I did my best to fulfill her wish...



I hope she likes the Chris Hemsworth / Thor bobble head I found for her! LOL Now, I've got to go and wrap it in some silly shark wrapping paper...
So, happy solstice, and happy first day of summer, from me and the Chris Hemsworth doll! I hope today is the start of a wonderful season for all my readers & writer friends. :)

Six Sentence Sunday - Haunted Passions

“I thought we might walk to the field where we stopped on your second day in Sleepy Hollow.”


John’s eyes brightened at this, and Brom marveled at their extraordinary grey hue. He’d never seen a pair quite like them before. They were the color of rain clouds just about to burst. When Brom looked into them, dual bolts of sensation shot straight to his cock and his heart, leaving him feeling like a stormy sky – charged with a furious energy about to be unleashed, and yet, somehow melancholy.


“I’d like that,” John said, and rose from his seat.

Half Moon Shifters Series Updates & Plans

If you've read the blurb for True Alpha, or even just seen the cover, you already know that it's a continuation of Mandy and Jack's story as told in Lonely Alpha. I decided to write a second book about Jack and Mandy because Lonely Alpha was only the beginning of their relationship -- and in many ways, their struggles. There were also some things readers were left to wonder about that I wanted to bring to the surface and explore. I won't say exactly what, because I don't want to ruin any surprises. ;) But there was plenty to tell -- True Alpha is a novel, more than twice as long as Lonely Alpha.


After True Alpha, there will be other books in the series that focus on other characters falling in love, like Ronnie. I'm planning to release Ronnie's story as the third book in the series. I think Ronnie deserves a mate, don't you? I just don't think it would be right to let that poor guy go much longer without one! You'll get to meet his future mate in True Alpha. 


After that I do have some more books planned, but if I told you who / what they were about, it wouldn't make much sense at this point. Sometimes I have to remind myself that currently, the only book people have had a chance to read is Lonely Alpha, and it's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the Half Moon world. I can't wait for you all to find out what else has been going on in the Great Smoky Mountains.


Anyway, True Alpha is currently being readied for publication, and I'm looking forward to announcing the official release date soon; hopefully *fingers crossed* I'll know it by the end of the week. I'm waiting on some info from an editor before I commit to a date. 


Writing this series has been a pleasure, and I'm looking forward to continuing. Thanks very much to all the incredible readers who've been so supportive and asked for more of the Half Moon world. You guys are the best. :)


And in case anyone hasn't seen the new cover and / or read the blurb...


  With a baby on the way, Mandy and Jack are prepared for their pack of two to expand – or so they think, until Jack’s only remaining relatives return unexpectedly from Alaska, bringing others with them. Suddenly, the alpha couple has a lot more to worry about than what color to paint the nursery. But inter-pack dramas, baby shower plans and even a wedding can’t compare to the mayhem that ensues when a stranger from Mandy’s past shows up at the cabin’s doorstep, hiding a secret that could destroy the Half Moon Pack forever.
P.S. This week I'm helping a fellow romance writer, who's also a military wife, to spread the word about a fundraising drive to supply care packages to her husband's unit, which is currently deployed to Afghanistan. If you'd like to learn more about this awesome cause and possibly help, you can find Melissa McKinnon's call to arms here .


P.P.S. My paranormal romance Spirited Away finally came out in the kindle store this week. So if you've been waiting for it to appear there, here it is . ;)

Six Sentence Sunday - Haunted Passions

“Brom’s a good man, and so are you, John. I’ve dreamt of my wedding day many a time, and you were always there when I imagined it.” She paused, sucking in a breath, leaving John’s cheek cool and tingling. “Sometimes I think…” Her voice wavered, but she still managed to sound as melodious as ever. “Sometimes I think it’s a shame that one of you – you and Brom, I mean – must be at the pulpit, and the other in the pews.”

Remembering Ray Bradbury, One of My Favorite Writers

"Will we ever stop being afraid of nights and death?"
"When you reach the stars , boy, yes, and live there forever, all the fears will go, and Death himself will die."

-The Halloween Tree

When I was a kid, my parents used to take my brothers and me to the video rental store (you don't see so many of those anymore... but hey, it was the 90's) and let us pick out something to watch. I can't tell you how many times we chose The Halloween Tree.





My obsession with this movie adaptation of Ray Bradbury's book rivaled even my love of  the Peter Pan Disney movie -- and that's saying something!
On the surface, it probably looks like a silly kids' movie, but as an adult I still think this cartoon is amazing. Ray Bradbury, the author of The Halloween Tree, narrated this movie adaptation of his book himself (he had a great voice!), and it's full of actual lines from the book. Ray's writing is vivid and poetic, and I love the spooky, mysterious story he crafted about one of my favorite days of the year -- Halloween. Most of all, I love how Pipkin's friends sacrifice years from their own lives to bring him back to life.
My brothers and I still watch this movie together every Halloween (and sometimes in between) and quote parts of it at each other all the time.

And then there's the book. Probably needless to say, it's wonderful.

Ray Bradbury died today at age 91. He lived a long life; I hope it was a happy one. I'm so glad that he lived, gave the world Pipkin and made Halloween seem so magical for us (and many other children, I'm sure). 
I think the special thing about the death of a writer, any writer, is that even after they're gone, their books are still here and continue to capture people's imaginations and hearts.   I'm sure there are many people who will discover and enjoy Ray's work in the future. Well, I'm happy not only to have discovered his writing, but to have shared the world with such an amazing writer for a while. :) 


Here's another great quote of his:


"Everyone must leave something behind when he dies, my grandfather said. A child or a book or a painting or a house or a wall built or a pair of shoes made. Or a garden planted. Something your hand touched some way so your soul has somewhere to go when you die, and when people look at that tree or that flower you planted, you're there."


What are you remembering about Ray Bradbury today? Do you have a favorite from his works?

True Alpha Cover & Blurb Reveal

This past weekend, I revealed the cover and blurb for True Alpha, the second book in the Half Moon Shifters Series. For those who haven't seen it there or on my 'coming soon' site page, here it is!



With a baby on the way, Mandy and Jack are prepared for their pack of two to expand – or so they think, until Jack’s only remaining relatives return unexpectedly from Alaska, bringing others with them. Suddenly, the alpha couple has a lot more to worry about than what color to paint the nursery. But inter-pack dramas, baby shower plans and even a wedding can’t compare to the mayhem that ensues when a stranger from Mandy’s past shows up at the cabin’s doorstep, hiding a secret that could destroy the Half Moon Pack forever.
****
I'm so excited about the upcoming release of True Alpha! I know, I say that about every book . Because I get really, really excited about every book. (Naturally.) But I'm extra excited because the first book in the Half Moon Shifters Series, Lonely Alpha, was so well received by so many awesome readers, and I'm eager for you all to know about the twists and turns life takes for Jack and Mandy (not to mention a host of other shifters you'll meet) after they initially become mates. :)
I'll be announcing the official release date soon, and I can tell you now that it will be a June or July date. You can always find the latest updates at the 'coming soon' page at my site, not to mention here and via Twitter (@Ranae_Rose) or facebook. I'll share the date as soon as I've got it all set!

Six Sentence Sunday -- Haunted Passions

He traced the arch of John’s eyebrow with his thumb, then threaded his fingers through his hair, sending the ribbon that secured it fluttering to the floor. “Maybe it’s as you say, and there’s some spell on this place – on us. I’ve felt the magic of it tingling in my veins from the first moment I saw you, and I have no desire for it to stop.”


John exhaled slowly, reveling in the pinpricks of pleasure that raced down his spine as Brom’s fingers cupped the back of his skull. He could feel the man’s breath on his lips, hot and gloriously familiar. In that moment, there wasn’t a single fiber of his being that wanted it to stop, ever.

A Real-Life Peek Into the Half Moon Pack's World -- Photos From My Trip to the Great Smoky Mountains

Last week I returned from a trip to Half Moon Pack territory -- aka the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. 
While I was there I had big plans to take all these amazing photos to show you all the gorgeous real-life place that inspired me to write my best-selling Half Moon Shifters Series. Mission accomplished. Well, kinda...
My camera inexplicably stopped working while in the Smokies. So mostly, my husband and I ended up snapping photos with his dying cellphone while on a hike. While I don't expect to win any photography awards anytime soon, here are some photos from my time in the beautiful Smokies.

First of all, here's a snapshot from our drive through the Smoky Mountains (on our way to the cabin or something). I love driving on roads that are pretty much covered by the forest canopy, so it feels like you're going through a green tunnel.


A hiking trail through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which is actually the most visited national park in the United States -- for good reason!


It was a rainy day when we went on that hike, and pouring down most of the time, so I picked up an umbrella from the visitors' center before embarking on the hike. (You know, so that what it took my hair about 5 minutes to go absolutely crazy from the rain instead of 5 seconds.)
A peek into the forest.
A waterfall we encountered on our hike. It was actually bigger than it looks in this photo.

This has absolutely nothing to do with Jack and Mandy's world, and they're certainly not native to the Great  Smoky Mountains, but while at the aquarium I got to see an arapaima. I've sort of had a little bit of an obsession with this South American fish ever since I watched an episode of River Monsters about it (because yeah, I'm the kind of person who's seen every episode of River Monsters ever, lol). So I thought this was pretty cool!

Now, I know what you're wondering at this point -- where are all the pictures of the sexy werewolves? The shape-shifting park rangers? Well, I regret to inform you that werewolves are very stealthy and probably don't spend a lot of time hanging around the public trails where I was stomping around in the rain. I did encounter a park ranger in the woods, but he didn't show any signs of being able to transform into a black bear. Sadly. However, here's the Lonely Alpha cover, which affords a pretty lovely view of Jack, if I do say so myself:

 


So, those are the photos I actually took. If you want to see the sort of spectacular photography that captures the true splendor of the Smokies (like I wanted to show you), check out my Smoky Mountains pinterest board. You won't regret taking a look -- the images are simply breathtaking! Ah, if only my camera hadn't crapped out...
P.S. I'll be revealing the cover of True Alpha, the second book in the Half Moon Shifters Series, very soon. My newsletter subscribers will get to see it a day before everyone else, in the June edition of my newsletter. And the cover will be dropping a huge hint about what's in store for the Half Moon Pack! ;) If you'd like to subscribe so you can be among the first to know, you can do so here .