Caroline Hanson's Blog, page 3

Love is Mortal is out on Amazon!

It's out! Here is the link for Amazon. Barnes and other retailers will follow within the week.

Love is Mortal on Amazon

LIM Excerpt Part 3-- Thursday is the day!! Book 3! yeah!

Marion looked back towards Lucas, but he was not paying any attention to her. He was turned, candlelight flickering off his black silk jacket. His hands were behind his back, and he looked very casual—if one ignored the fact that his fists were clenched, and his expression was too blank. As if he were working very hard to give nothing away. He set his feet, as though he wanted to back up but was determined not to. She felt the change in the air, as if it were charged before a storm, Fey power slithering through the room. Cerdewellyn. Marion felt a tug at her dress, like a small hand grabbing at her waist. Her body froze. Do not look down. Do not.Another gentle pull at her waist…just like her Margaret used to do. Heart pounding, mouth suddenly dry, she looked down, hoping to see Margaret one last time. It was an illusion; of course she knew that it was an illusion. But that was what made the Fey so powerful. They knew one’s darkest heart, one’s most secret desires, and even though it wasn't reality, one would sacrifice all just for the chance to believe. It made one's mind a traitor, a willing accomplice to living a lie and inviting death. Marion knew there was no child at her side, no little girl with beautiful big eyes looking up at her with adoration. But dear God she wanted it.

LIM Excerpt part 2

Annika blinked up at her, her long, light brown lashes reminding Marion of a doe. “Did you get the book? And I very much hope the answer is yes,” Marion said.Annika swallowed nervously, and Marion tried not to frown. Damn the woman. “No, Cerdewellyn is watching me. He is suspicious.” This was not good news. “What did you tell him?” “Nothing. He does not know a thing,” she said sincerely.               Lucas was leaning against the wall, the fingers of one hand drumming against his lips, a sign of his impatience. She hated the drumming. The man needed sex or an empath. He’d been dry for a while now. 10 years? Maybe 20? It made him an unpleasant bastard.                     Annika touched her arm, hand slightly damp from nerves. Or fear. Both were a turn-on. “I would need a promise, Marion.”“My heart,” Marion said, knowing she was the picture of desire and concern. “I will promise you anything in the world. You know that.”Annika frowned. “No, from Lucas. I need a promise from him that he will let me live, and stay with you if I steal the book from Cer.”

Love is Mortal excerpt- page 1

To celebrate the fact that November 15 is almost here I thought I'd post an excerpt from Love is Mortal. My plan is to add a bit more everyday until D day. Hope you like it!


PrologueLondon, 1530                                                                                                    

The Blurb for Love is Mortal is ready! November 15 is almost here!

A determination to survive….       Betrayed by everyone she loves, Valerie Dearborn will do anything to get out of Fey and avoid becoming Cerdwellyn’s queen. Even if it means she has to rely upon Lucas, the monster who betrayed her.
A bid for redemption….Lucas felt nothing for hundreds of years, but Valerie’s blood has changed everything. Forced to confront his sins, he’ll do what he can to help Valerie survive. Even if it costs him his life.
A destiny cut short….Cerdwellyn, King of the Fey lost his true queen centuries ago. He’s determined to make Valerie her replacement, but ghosts from his past have other plans.
The end of the story.As Valerie struggles to survive she must choose between reality and illusion, between sacrifice and love, all in hopes of figuring out the truth: that if you love someone you must be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Love is Mortal- November 15, 2012

Love  is Mortal will be out November 15!

If, and only if you entered the contest to win a free copy of LIM by tweeting, facebooking, goodreading or any other pimping platform, please email me and I'll get you a free copy of the book when it comes out!

I decided not to just choose three people to win, but to give everyone who entered the contest a copy as a way of saying thanks and celebrating my one year publishing anniversary.


This book does finish up the main trilogy, but there will be a spinoff book to wrap up some of the other characters BS but that probably won't come out until 2014.

I am already working on something else that is unlike anything I have read before, but which should be pretty dang awesome. It took my critique partner (Lauren Stewart) a while to fall in love with Lucas (the croissant scene apparently did it) but she's already in love with my new hero at 5% of the way into the book.

So what do you guys think, are you excited about Love is Mortal? I am!

Lauren Stewart- Friend, Quizzer and Author

Bad Girl, Bad Girl, Whatcha Gonna Do?
Today I am beyond happy. My amazing critique partner and dear friend, Caroline Hanson, has invited me here to let me promote my new book! She may be cruel to her characters, but she’s always good to her friends. J
Using the theme of good versus evil in my new novel, so aptly named HYDE, an Urban Fantasy, I wanted my main characters, Mitch and Eden, and readers to explore what defines a ‘bad’ person or a ‘good’ person. Is it the words we use? The words we think but would never verbalize? Or is it simply what we do? How do each of us define ‘goodness’? Now it’s your turn. Answer these questions to find out where you fall on the scale. Note: This quiz is for fun and laughs, not to bring up things best forgotten. I don’t wanna hear about anyone crying by the end of it. Got it? So feel free to skip any questions that give you goosebumps.Give yourself a point for every “yes” answer, you naughty thing. J
Have you ever…
…played with a Ouija Board? If you answered “yes”, were you one of those people who pushed the little triangle to spell the name of the boy you hoped you’d marry? Shame on you. Give yourself an additional point.…accidentally shouted a filthy word in front of your parent or boss?…been accused of either being intimidating or being a bitch? Good for you, most of the time that simply means you are a strong woman who doesn’t take any crap, but give yourself a point anyway because it could also mean that you’re just a bitch. ;)…gotten caught in a lie? BTW, it doesn’t matter if the lie was about taking the last cookie, calling in sick to work when you weren’t, or cheating—a lie is a lie is a lie, unless you’ve……said, “No, that outfit does not make you look fat,” to your BFF. Us girls gotta stick together, so white lies don’t count. Deduct a point from your total if you are the friend people go to for this kind of support.…had sex somewhere you shouldn’t have? A few examples of this are: in public, an airplane restroom, or your ex-boyfriend’s apartment (but not withyour ex-boyfriend).…used a fake ID?…snuck out of your parent’s house, or the house you share with your significant other and your kids?…fulfilled your naughtiest sexual fantasy?…‘cut off your nose to spite your face’ (metaphorically speaking, of course) to get back at someone?…worn booty shorts, a micro-mini, or a neckline that would horrify your mother? Give your mom the point if she picked it out for you.…had sex with someone even though you knew you shouldn’t?…dated a bad boy? Give yourself an extra point if you married him.…trespassed, T.P.ed someone’s house, or crashed a party you weren’t invited to? And no, it doesn’t matter if you were peer-pressured into it—you made a choice, accept it. And then move on.…read a novel just for the sex scenes?…stood up a date?…broken up with someone via text, email , or letter? Now, that’s just mean.…blamed someone else for something you did?…gotten drunk or smoked a cigarette before you were of legal age?…gotten drunk or smoked a cigarette after you were of legal age? It all counts, sista.…gone skinny-dipping? And yes, it still counts even if you aren’t skinny.…had beads given to you for the traditional reason at a Mardi Gras celebration?…secretly wished you could be more like Lindsey Lohan, Britney Spears or Paris Hilton (and not just because they’re rich)?…read my novel, Hyde, an Urban Fantasy? Give yourself a point for each star you’d give it in a review.
And lastly…Do you follow Caroline Hanson’s blog? That should count for two points, because she is not the kind of girl your mother would approve of.
Time to Score No one is crying, are they? Good. Now, after you’ve apologized to all the people you’ve wronged, add up all of your points. If you lied about any of your answers, give yourself two additional points, because lying to yourself is oh-so-very-very wrong. And, yes, I numbered the results the way I did deliberately.
1-2 points: Gee whiz and golly, you’re a good girl. Are you sure you aren’t lying? Pat yourself on the back, or better yet, have anothernun pat your back for you. But, like Eden, the heroine in Hyde, are you sure you aren’t trying so hard to do the ‘right’ thing, that you end up doing nothing at all? Life is to be lived, not to be lived perfectly. I’m not saying go out and do something (or someone) dangerous, but it is okay not to be good all the time. 3-7 points: Everything in moderation, including moderation, right? You’ve taken risks, maybe gotten hurt a bit in the process, but it was worth it for that surge of adrenaline you felt and the lessons you’ve learned. Nice work, my friend. Have a good girl give you a pat on the back, because you should never give a bad girl permission to touch you.7-35 points: Holy !#$J&%*! Are you sure you should be allowed in public? You’re a bad girl and probably proud of it. But you need to be careful out there, cuz the world ain’t always forgiving of bad girls. I’m not saying don’t be who you are, but maybe you can be a more careful version of who you are. Or you’ll end up handcuffed in a cage like Mitch, the very bad-boy of Hyde. But perhaps that sounds appealing to you. J
What you do with your life is up to you, as long as you don’t hurt anyone else. There are no do-overs, so the trick is to find that sweet spot, the ‘you’ who takes risks and enjoys every moment without hurting anyone in the process, including yourself. Good luck out there, ladies. And happy reading! Oh, and please leave your final score in a comment box below and, if you dare, tell us one of the questions you answered ‘yes’ to.  Who knows, your story may end up in one of Caroline or my next books!Thanks for having me on your blog, Caroline. It was a pleasure. Though I take no responsibility for the frightening replies you may receive in the comment section. J
Hyde, an Urban Fantasy
To survive, they must embrace what they most despise . . . in themselves and each other.Mitch Turner is everything women want most in a man—charismatic, successful, drop-dead gorgeous. Except he’s not a man—he’s a monster.The only way Mitch can protect others from his monstrous side is to stop them from getting too close…that and a 7x7 foot cage. Isolated by his genetic curse, he spends his life hurting people emotionally, driving them away before Hyde can harm them physically. But, after a night of the best sex Mitch has ever had, he realizes that might be impossible. Except the woman he wakes up with claims she doesn’t remember any of it.Eden Colfax is everything men want most, men other than Mitch, that is. She’s kind, honest to a fault and sickeningly sweet. To rid herself of the monsters that haunted her broken childhood, Eden doesn’t lie, doesn’t curse, and definitely never wakes up naked in strangers’ beds…until the day she does. Then the flashbacks start—places she’s never been, people she’s never met, blood she’s never spilled. She discovers she’s split into two parts—the woman she thought she knew and another who is capable of anything. And the only person with any answers is the one man she never wants to see again. What neither of them know is that someone is watching them both, manipulating them, determined to see just how evil the two of them really are. And when the truth begins to seep through the cracks, leaving them nowhere to turn but each other, they will be forced into a partnership neither had expected.Because in life, who you trust is as important as who you are. And when you can’t even trust yourself, sometimes the only person you can rely on is the last person on Earth you should be falling for.*** This novel is intended for adults only, as it includes lots of cursing, descriptive sex, biting sarcasm, and themes similar to those in Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, from which this story was inspired.




Links:www.ReadLaurenS.com@ReadLaurenSwww.facebook.com/readlaurenswww.goodreads.com/author/LaurenStewart
Buy Link:http://amzn.com/B008IVT0W2

Love is...The Beginning (Jack's story)

Exciting news in my world... the Jack Novella is out! Loud and proud! So to speak. and as I mentioned on my Facebook page if you entered the contest to win a copy of LIM by promoting the series and posting the link then congratulations-- you win! love is darkness came out a year ago and it has been more successful and received more positive reviews than I ever thought possible. As a way to say thank you to my most loyal fans a wanted to give everyone a copy of the book that entered. The problem? E-mail addresses. So e-mail me with your address, telling me you entered the contest and referencing where you posted ( blog or Facebook) here is the blurb for Jack's novella titled Love is... The Beginning. The link is below. PS- from what I've heard, if you're pissed off at Jack this will help ;)





Dear Reader, 

If you have not read my Valerie Dearborn Series (Love is Darkness and Love is Fear), please do so before reading Love is…The Beginning – because it won't make any sense otherwise. 

This was the beginning to Love is Darkness until the eleventh hour. For me, this scene has always been where the book started and how I envisioned the characters being introduced.

So why did it get taken out? Because it is Jack's story, and the Valerie Dearborn Series is about Valerie. It’s the story of her life and her journey, with Jack and Co. along for the ride. This scene confused that. 

But everyone who read this first beginning loved it. They loved knowing how Valerie and Jack met. They wanted to see his first tragic encounter with Marion and liked understanding what makes him tick. 

This is a short read, a bit longer than Bewitching the Werewolf and will probably take you an hour to read. Enjoy! And as always, please feel free to email me or facebook me and tell me what you think  

Happy Reading, 

Caroline
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0091ZA0O6

It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's a Jack Novella!

It's a Jack Novella! And the reasoning is this: When I first wrote LID the beginning was different. It was Jack and his parents. What his life was like before Val and then what happened with Marion and how we wound up with Val and her dad.

Anyway, that was the beginning of the book since day one up until a few weeks before the book came out. But LID was Val's book. So this beginning really didn't fit in. As much as I wanted it to. But every time someone read it, they really liked it and kept asking if it was ever going to come out. And it is! I'm excited.

It's going to be 99c on Amazon and should come out in the next few weeks depending upon how long my editor takes. Rereading it and tweaking it was odd. How much what happens in the next book relates to this scene written all that time ago. I'll keep you posted!

GIVEAWAY!

Giveaway time! Who likes a contest? Who likes a contest where they can win an advanced copy of Love is Mortal? Here are the deets: if you pimp out the books (ie on goodreads, listmania, twitter, facebook any damn place you can think of that will make vamp lovers aware of the series and want to read them, I will be grateful and cry. 

And if you post a link in the comments section, here or on my blog, a few lucky winners will get a copy. The first draft is DONE, I am having to make changes, add in stuff, etc. over the next two months and then it will be ready for a few people to read.

In case you have forgotten: Valerie Dearborn is a spunky, slightly confused, everyday gal who has just been shoved over a cliff by a hot, manipulative Fey King who wants her for his own nefarious purposes.

Jack and Rachel were making out and swapping blood much to everyone's horror. (How much do you wanna bet he isn't ready to pick out a china pattern when he wakes up the next morning?) And he may be her bey-otch now that they are all connected.

That's everyone, right? Hmm, Nate's dead, Marion is in a box, yeah, that covers it....And yet, I feel like I'm forgetting someone.... Oh wait. Some guy. Blond, hot, vampire. Dead inside and hung like a horse, Lucas was last seen on the floor, a tiny tear sliding down his chiseled cheek. I'm sure he's going to be a ball of laughs when he wakes up.

So there you go. The contest starts now so feel free to post away! Any creative way you can think of to let people know about the Valerie Dearborn Series. Thank you to anyone who participates, anyone who reads this and even, anybody who just clicked here by mistake ;)