C.A. Szarek's Blog, page 8
January 10, 2014
Friday Feature: Jorja Lovett on "Translation!"
I am super excited to welcome back my good IRISH friend, Jorja Lovett!
And I ADORE this post!
Check it out!
From Irish to English?
We all know that US/UK English differs in translation. I mean we find the whole fanny pack thing hilarious! (Fanny here means front bottom) I didn't realise how much my Britishisms came across in my writing until my first editor pulled me up for saying my hero was dressed up like a dog's dinner.
Now I'm with a UK publisher I've been allowed to run wild and I've had reviews saying some of my language is 'odd to the American ear'. If I actually used the local dialect here in Northern Ireland in a novel you probably wouldn't understand what the hell was going on.
Following a conversation I had with the lovely C.A., I thought I should do a guide to Norn Iron(Northern Ireland) speak for future reference.
Feck – Our version of the 'F' word which won't get you into trouble.
Eejit – Idiot. Please note the spelling. Can be preceded by the word 'Buck'. Eg he's a buck eejit.
Tube/Tool/Muppet/Spoon/Goat – Really stupid idiot.
Craic – Pronounced 'Crack'. Means a good laugh/good atmosphere. E.g. 'The crack was mighty'.
Wick – Not very good.
Geg – Funny.
Poke – Ice cream cone. (Leads to very odd conversations outside of Ireland)
Skitter/Hallion – Someone up to no good.
Wee dote – Lovely child.
Banjaxed – Broken.
Blootered/Pished/Half-cut – Drunk.
Scundered – Embarrassed.
Messages – Grocery Shopping.
Fierce/Wild – Can replace the word 'very'. As in, that handbag is fierce/wild expensive.
Foundered – Means 'I'm freezing cold.' Used a lot here!
'Bout ye? – How are you?
Wee buns – That's easy.
Haven't a baldy – I don't know the answer.
Get yer finger out – Start working.
Horse it into ye – Eat it quickly.
Wind yer neck in – Back off.
Dead on – Okay.
The gravy's runnin' outta me – It's very hot.
Wise the bap/Catch yerself on – Have some sense.
I could go wan, go wan, go wan…
If you really want to sound authentic simply add 'So it is', at the end of every sentence.
Don't worry, I don't think I use any of these phrases in my books so you should be able to understand them without this handy guide!
Just to let you know the first book in The Department Store series, Ground Floor: Toys & Games, is now available, so it is J
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Blurb:
Jen is the new girl in the toy store but it's not long before the boss' son Jamie teaches her how to play.
Recently bereaved, Jen White hopes her new job in the toy shop at Kelsey's Department Store is a fresh start. One ripped pair of stockings later, she catches the eye of the boss' son, Jamie.
Jamie Kelsey's a screw up. Well his father still thinks so, even after he's tried to make amends for losing the family's fortune. The store's in trouble but with his father still stuck in the dark ages and refusing his help, he's worried it's too late. With a little help from their newest employee, he starts to make his mark on the store. He's sworn off women to concentrate on his career but when Jen comes to him looking to further her sexual education, it's an offer he can't refuse.
BUY IT! ARe Totally BoundAmazon
About Jorja:
Jorja Lovett is a British author with both Irish and Scottish roots, which makes for a very dry sense of humour. Writing since she was old enough to wield a pen, it wasn't until she joined her crit group, UCW, that she pursued her passion seriously.
Now, with Joe Manganiello as her permanent muse, if she can leave the pause button on her Magic Mike dvd long enough, she hopes to spend the rest of her days writing steamy romances.
Twitter Blog Website
January 7, 2014
Tell Me About it Tuesday: Sword's Call Makeover!
So I am stealing the spot light a little bit today cuz I have news to share!
Sword's Call (King's Riders Book One) My FIRST book got a bit of a makeover!
A slight cover overhaul, and new paperbacks! It turned out AWESOME!
Very soon I can say, "Want one?" LOL!
Check it out!
They just turned out AWESOME!
I will be announcing a new Virtual Signing in a Few Weeks. Sign up for my Newsletter to stay tuned to my latest news!
And see my website for my list of upcoming Appearances! Gosh this year is going to keep me BUSY!
HAPPY TUESDAY!
Sword's Call (King's Riders Book One) My FIRST book got a bit of a makeover!
A slight cover overhaul, and new paperbacks! It turned out AWESOME!
Very soon I can say, "Want one?" LOL!
Check it out!
They just turned out AWESOME!
I will be announcing a new Virtual Signing in a Few Weeks. Sign up for my Newsletter to stay tuned to my latest news!
And see my website for my list of upcoming Appearances! Gosh this year is going to keep me BUSY!
HAPPY TUESDAY!
January 4, 2014
Sunday Snog: Chance Collision Again!
So in honor of Pete being available NOW! I decided to play Sunday Snog again!
FUN!!!!!
Chance Collision (Crossing Forces Book Two) IS available for early download NOW! Don't wait to READ PETE!
GET HIM NOW! (General release at all the other retailers is 1/31/14!)
Here's the link!
And be SURE to visit BlissKiss for ALL the HOT Sunday Snogs!!!!!!!
I thought I would share one of my fave Pete and Nikki kisses. This one is from Chapter Twelve.
It's pretty hot!
Nikki narrowed her eyes, irritation flaring. “You’re hot and cold. Frankly, it’s driving me crazy.” There. She’d said it. Now what?
Her heart thundered in her ears as she waited for her detective to speak.
He didn’t.
Pete took a step forward. She didn’t move away.
Nikki looked up into his handsome face. His cheeks were ruddy and his eyes carried the same intensity he’d regarded her with only moments before.
A groan tore from his lips then she was against the hard wall of his chest. Her breath was forced out as her breasts flattened into his pecs and he wrapped his arms around her.
Her hip hit the edge of the sink as Pete’s mouth came down on hers, but Nikki didn’t care. He was kissing her again, and it was heaven. She snaked her arms around his neck and pushed closer, opening her mouth as he slanted his for a deeper kiss.
Proof that Pete wanted her—at least physically—pressed into her belly, so she rocked into him and kissed him harder.
In a tangle of lips and limbs, they stumbled into the living room without breaking the seal of their mouths. They landed on the couch.
Pete’s weight on top of her stole her breath all over again, but she didn’t care. She kept kissing him, winding her tongue around his as he cupped her breasts through her favourite printed T-shirt.
Her nipples peaked and she arched into him, needing more. The warmth of his big hands seeped through the cotton material, but it wasn’t enough.
Nikki wanted his hands on her bare flesh. Wanted his lips on her. Needed him to suck her into his hot mouth.
Everywhere.
She moaned his name when finally he yanked the front of her shirt up and brushed her belly. Wiggling to help him free the rest of it from her jeans, her thigh rubbed the erection straining against his own denim.
Pete groaned. “Darlin’…”
Nikki closed her eyes and sighed. The endearment was a caress that slid across her skin. Making her as hot as his hands.
Her sex throbbed and he hadn’t even touched her there yet.
Blurb:
Vowing to protect her had nothing to do with feelings.
Detective Pete Crane catches a new shooting case and considers it business-as-usual. But when the lead witness is the Chief of Police’s fiery assistant, he never anticipated she’d challenge him—personally and professionally. Especially while under his protection.
Little do they know, the shooting she and her grandmother witnessed was anything but random.
Thrown together, their attraction sizzles, even though she’s squarely in the no-fly zone. She makes him break every rule in his little black book.
Nikki Harper has been attracted to Pete since they met two years ago. Witnessing a brutal shooting throws her into a stigma that’s always been her greatest fear—a victim. She has no choice but to accept his protective custody and let him help save her and her beloved grandmother.
Can Pete protect his witness and solve the case, while fighting the intense heat with Nikki?
DOWNLOAD IT NOW!
Need to get caught up on Crossing Forces Series books?
Get Collision Force (Crossing Forces Book One) here!
Cole in Her Stocking is FREE!
Get it here!
And be SURE to visit BlissKiss for ALL the HOT Sunday Snogs!!!!!!!
FUN!!!!!
Chance Collision (Crossing Forces Book Two) IS available for early download NOW! Don't wait to READ PETE!
GET HIM NOW! (General release at all the other retailers is 1/31/14!)
Here's the link!
And be SURE to visit BlissKiss for ALL the HOT Sunday Snogs!!!!!!!
I thought I would share one of my fave Pete and Nikki kisses. This one is from Chapter Twelve.
It's pretty hot!
Nikki narrowed her eyes, irritation flaring. “You’re hot and cold. Frankly, it’s driving me crazy.” There. She’d said it. Now what?
Her heart thundered in her ears as she waited for her detective to speak.
He didn’t.
Pete took a step forward. She didn’t move away.
Nikki looked up into his handsome face. His cheeks were ruddy and his eyes carried the same intensity he’d regarded her with only moments before.
A groan tore from his lips then she was against the hard wall of his chest. Her breath was forced out as her breasts flattened into his pecs and he wrapped his arms around her.
Her hip hit the edge of the sink as Pete’s mouth came down on hers, but Nikki didn’t care. He was kissing her again, and it was heaven. She snaked her arms around his neck and pushed closer, opening her mouth as he slanted his for a deeper kiss.
Proof that Pete wanted her—at least physically—pressed into her belly, so she rocked into him and kissed him harder.
In a tangle of lips and limbs, they stumbled into the living room without breaking the seal of their mouths. They landed on the couch.
Pete’s weight on top of her stole her breath all over again, but she didn’t care. She kept kissing him, winding her tongue around his as he cupped her breasts through her favourite printed T-shirt.
Her nipples peaked and she arched into him, needing more. The warmth of his big hands seeped through the cotton material, but it wasn’t enough.
Nikki wanted his hands on her bare flesh. Wanted his lips on her. Needed him to suck her into his hot mouth.
Everywhere.
She moaned his name when finally he yanked the front of her shirt up and brushed her belly. Wiggling to help him free the rest of it from her jeans, her thigh rubbed the erection straining against his own denim.
Pete groaned. “Darlin’…”
Nikki closed her eyes and sighed. The endearment was a caress that slid across her skin. Making her as hot as his hands.
Her sex throbbed and he hadn’t even touched her there yet.
Blurb:
Vowing to protect her had nothing to do with feelings.
Detective Pete Crane catches a new shooting case and considers it business-as-usual. But when the lead witness is the Chief of Police’s fiery assistant, he never anticipated she’d challenge him—personally and professionally. Especially while under his protection.
Little do they know, the shooting she and her grandmother witnessed was anything but random.
Thrown together, their attraction sizzles, even though she’s squarely in the no-fly zone. She makes him break every rule in his little black book.
Nikki Harper has been attracted to Pete since they met two years ago. Witnessing a brutal shooting throws her into a stigma that’s always been her greatest fear—a victim. She has no choice but to accept his protective custody and let him help save her and her beloved grandmother.
Can Pete protect his witness and solve the case, while fighting the intense heat with Nikki?
DOWNLOAD IT NOW!
Need to get caught up on Crossing Forces Series books?
Get Collision Force (Crossing Forces Book One) here!
Cole in Her Stocking is FREE!
Get it here!
And be SURE to visit BlissKiss for ALL the HOT Sunday Snogs!!!!!!!
January 3, 2014
Friday Feature: Morticia Knight on Clandestine Classics!
This week I'm welcoming back fellow Totally Bound author, Morticia Knight!
About Morticia:
Erotic Romance author Morticia Knight enjoys a good saucy tale, whether it is contemporary, paranormal, historical, ménage, M/M or BDSM - she loves it all! One of her passions is bringing people's fantasies to life on the page, because life is too short for even one boring moment. Her stories are volcanic in heat, deep in emotion, and sprinkled with doses of humor.
When not indulging in her passion for books, she loves the outdoors, film and music. Once upon a time she was the singer in an indie rock band that toured the West Coast and charted on U.S. college radio. She currently resides on the northern coast of Oregon, where the constant rain and fog remind her of visits to her family in England and Scotland when she was a child.
How Clandestine Are Your Classics?
Many of you know that Totally Bound has a line of books called Clandestine Classics. What makes these books so much more interesting than typical classic tale re-tellings (in my opinion), is that the new author cannot change any of the original prose that the classic author wrote. It’s like a disjointed Round Robin in a way. All you can do is add your own prose. And since the classic wouldn’t be considered clandestine without both hanky and panky, the romance needs to have some genuine heat.
Heat levels vary in romance – especially in erotic romance. Some readers like a little extra sizzle, whereas others want a four alarm fire. What ended up being different for me as I worked on Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher, is that not only did I find myself writing an MF (All of my erotic romance is MM or MMF), but in order to stay true to the sensibilities and tone of the era, the sex wasn’t off the charts raunchy the way I usually write. A virgin was deflowered, but her suitor Edward is a very concerned and kind lover. To give you an idea what the sweet lady Madeline and her brother’s boyhood chum are like together, here is an excerpt:
Excerpt from The Fall of the House of Usher By Edgar Allen Poe & Morticia Knight
I was greeted with the most stunning vision. Madeline stood before me in just her chemise, the firelight silhouetting her naked form. The lush waves of her hair tumbled about her shoulders and fell down her back. The candlelight glittered in her emerald eyes, and her full red lips were slightly parted. She was exquisite.
“Oh, Madeline, you are…” I could not even finish my words, all I could do was drink in her beauty. The pull in my cock, the aching want consumed me. No more would I be able to wait for her. I needed to squeeze her soft flesh, twine my fingers in her luxurious hair, bury my face in her quim, then ravish her until we were both spent.
“Please, Edward, come inside quick.”
I could barely get my legs to move, I was so awestruck by her. Once she closed the door behind us, she slowly walked towards me and extended her arms. All thoughts of worry and anything that had occurred earlier were whisked from my mind as I swept her into my arms and gently laid her upon the large canopied bed. I had never even dared to go near it prior to that night, the promise of what we hoped would happen too much to resist.
At last I found my voice. “You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Sweet Madeline, know that I truly love you.” She smiled up at me as I lay on my side next to her. “Are you afraid, my love?” I asked.
“I will never be afraid again, as long as you are with me.”
Then I kissed her with a hunger I had not known I possessed. I invaded her mouth, made her mine with my tongue alone. I held her face with one hand, and embraced her to me with the other. She grasped my hair and clutched at my shoulder. I could feel the intensity of her need as it mirrored my own, and all I could think of was how I wanted to see her naked before me.
Breaking our kiss, I ripped her chemise down the centre and tore it from her body. She gasped, but did not protest. At last I could view her completely, and she was even lovelier than I had imagined. She had full, ripe breasts with tiny rosebud-coloured nipples that were tantalising to me. Her frame, while still on the thin side, was shapely at the hips, and I knew with better nourishment she would fill out even more. Between her legs she had a small patch of dark curls hiding her quim, and I brushed my fingertips lightly through them.
“Do I please you, Edward?”
It was the first time I had heard any real nervousness in her voice since the day we had first met.
“You are more than any man could ever wish for, be assured of that, my love. Will you let me do as I will? Other than when I first enter you—which will be quick—I promise I will not hurt you.”
“You know how I have longed for this, Edward. Do anything you like. Do not hold back in any way out of concern for my virginal state. I want to experience the most that physical love can offer. Show me, Edward, I am ready for you.”
Never had I received such a splendid invitation in my life. With her words she freed me from the small fears I had in how I should handle her. It was a joy to know that she was mine to teach, as I had so many acts of love to perform on her body.
I gently caressed every part of her. I had already teased her curls, and so I travelled with my hands higher up to cup her breasts as I had dreamt before. Her nipples responded just as I had hoped they would, and she closed her eyes and arched her head back against the pillow. I pulled on each pebbled point, and as my thumb brushed across one, then the other, her lips parted and she moaned.
My erection pressed painfully against my pants, and I longed to discard my clothing so as to lie next to Madeline, skin to skin. I stopped my ministrations and sat up from the bed. Her eyes flew open, and she furrowed her brow. “Do not worry, I merely want to shed my clothes so that we may lie naked together.”
She smiled in such a heavenly way that I fumbled with my brass buttons, now wishing I had not stayed dressed so formally. Once my clothing was removed, I stood next to the bed with my staff fully erect and practically pointing to the ceiling. She tried to be demure as she viewed me, but I could see her primary interest was in my cock. That gave me a strange sort of satisfaction, as if I had passed an inspection somehow.
She rolled up on her side and reached one graceful hand towards me.
“Come closer to the bed, Edward, but stay standing.”
I was dreadfully curious as to what she intended, so I did as she had asked. As I neared the edge, she grasped my shaft, and I inhaled sharply. It had been a while since I had felt a woman’s touch on my member, and never had I longed for it from anyone more than I did with Madeline.
“So soft, and yet so hard at the same time. Is it uncomfortable?”
She used her fingers to continue to stroke lightly up and down my cock, underneath, around the tip, then back across the top. There was a tightening in my bollocks that warned my release was imminent.
“Not in the way you might commonly think. But I am aching for you, my lady, in a most urgent way. Please, let me lie next to you.”
Buy it!
Totally Bound| All Romance
***more retailer to follow, this is a new release as of 1/3/2014!***
HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY MORTICIA!
More Morticia!Blog Facebook Twitter
About Morticia:
Erotic Romance author Morticia Knight enjoys a good saucy tale, whether it is contemporary, paranormal, historical, ménage, M/M or BDSM - she loves it all! One of her passions is bringing people's fantasies to life on the page, because life is too short for even one boring moment. Her stories are volcanic in heat, deep in emotion, and sprinkled with doses of humor.When not indulging in her passion for books, she loves the outdoors, film and music. Once upon a time she was the singer in an indie rock band that toured the West Coast and charted on U.S. college radio. She currently resides on the northern coast of Oregon, where the constant rain and fog remind her of visits to her family in England and Scotland when she was a child.
How Clandestine Are Your Classics?
Many of you know that Totally Bound has a line of books called Clandestine Classics. What makes these books so much more interesting than typical classic tale re-tellings (in my opinion), is that the new author cannot change any of the original prose that the classic author wrote. It’s like a disjointed Round Robin in a way. All you can do is add your own prose. And since the classic wouldn’t be considered clandestine without both hanky and panky, the romance needs to have some genuine heat.
Heat levels vary in romance – especially in erotic romance. Some readers like a little extra sizzle, whereas others want a four alarm fire. What ended up being different for me as I worked on Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher, is that not only did I find myself writing an MF (All of my erotic romance is MM or MMF), but in order to stay true to the sensibilities and tone of the era, the sex wasn’t off the charts raunchy the way I usually write. A virgin was deflowered, but her suitor Edward is a very concerned and kind lover. To give you an idea what the sweet lady Madeline and her brother’s boyhood chum are like together, here is an excerpt:
Excerpt from The Fall of the House of Usher By Edgar Allen Poe & Morticia Knight I was greeted with the most stunning vision. Madeline stood before me in just her chemise, the firelight silhouetting her naked form. The lush waves of her hair tumbled about her shoulders and fell down her back. The candlelight glittered in her emerald eyes, and her full red lips were slightly parted. She was exquisite.
“Oh, Madeline, you are…” I could not even finish my words, all I could do was drink in her beauty. The pull in my cock, the aching want consumed me. No more would I be able to wait for her. I needed to squeeze her soft flesh, twine my fingers in her luxurious hair, bury my face in her quim, then ravish her until we were both spent.
“Please, Edward, come inside quick.”
I could barely get my legs to move, I was so awestruck by her. Once she closed the door behind us, she slowly walked towards me and extended her arms. All thoughts of worry and anything that had occurred earlier were whisked from my mind as I swept her into my arms and gently laid her upon the large canopied bed. I had never even dared to go near it prior to that night, the promise of what we hoped would happen too much to resist.
At last I found my voice. “You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Sweet Madeline, know that I truly love you.” She smiled up at me as I lay on my side next to her. “Are you afraid, my love?” I asked.
“I will never be afraid again, as long as you are with me.”
Then I kissed her with a hunger I had not known I possessed. I invaded her mouth, made her mine with my tongue alone. I held her face with one hand, and embraced her to me with the other. She grasped my hair and clutched at my shoulder. I could feel the intensity of her need as it mirrored my own, and all I could think of was how I wanted to see her naked before me.
Breaking our kiss, I ripped her chemise down the centre and tore it from her body. She gasped, but did not protest. At last I could view her completely, and she was even lovelier than I had imagined. She had full, ripe breasts with tiny rosebud-coloured nipples that were tantalising to me. Her frame, while still on the thin side, was shapely at the hips, and I knew with better nourishment she would fill out even more. Between her legs she had a small patch of dark curls hiding her quim, and I brushed my fingertips lightly through them.
“Do I please you, Edward?”
It was the first time I had heard any real nervousness in her voice since the day we had first met.
“You are more than any man could ever wish for, be assured of that, my love. Will you let me do as I will? Other than when I first enter you—which will be quick—I promise I will not hurt you.”
“You know how I have longed for this, Edward. Do anything you like. Do not hold back in any way out of concern for my virginal state. I want to experience the most that physical love can offer. Show me, Edward, I am ready for you.”
Never had I received such a splendid invitation in my life. With her words she freed me from the small fears I had in how I should handle her. It was a joy to know that she was mine to teach, as I had so many acts of love to perform on her body.
I gently caressed every part of her. I had already teased her curls, and so I travelled with my hands higher up to cup her breasts as I had dreamt before. Her nipples responded just as I had hoped they would, and she closed her eyes and arched her head back against the pillow. I pulled on each pebbled point, and as my thumb brushed across one, then the other, her lips parted and she moaned.
My erection pressed painfully against my pants, and I longed to discard my clothing so as to lie next to Madeline, skin to skin. I stopped my ministrations and sat up from the bed. Her eyes flew open, and she furrowed her brow. “Do not worry, I merely want to shed my clothes so that we may lie naked together.”
She smiled in such a heavenly way that I fumbled with my brass buttons, now wishing I had not stayed dressed so formally. Once my clothing was removed, I stood next to the bed with my staff fully erect and practically pointing to the ceiling. She tried to be demure as she viewed me, but I could see her primary interest was in my cock. That gave me a strange sort of satisfaction, as if I had passed an inspection somehow.
She rolled up on her side and reached one graceful hand towards me.
“Come closer to the bed, Edward, but stay standing.”
I was dreadfully curious as to what she intended, so I did as she had asked. As I neared the edge, she grasped my shaft, and I inhaled sharply. It had been a while since I had felt a woman’s touch on my member, and never had I longed for it from anyone more than I did with Madeline.
“So soft, and yet so hard at the same time. Is it uncomfortable?”
She used her fingers to continue to stroke lightly up and down my cock, underneath, around the tip, then back across the top. There was a tightening in my bollocks that warned my release was imminent.
“Not in the way you might commonly think. But I am aching for you, my lady, in a most urgent way. Please, let me lie next to you.”
Buy it!
Totally Bound| All Romance
***more retailer to follow, this is a new release as of 1/3/2014!***
HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY MORTICIA!
More Morticia!Blog Facebook Twitter
December 31, 2013
Tell Me About it Tuesday Welcomes Ayla Ruse AND GIVEAWAY!!
REALLY excited to welcome Ayla Ruse, a fellow Totally Bound author on this LOVELY New Years Eve!!!!!
Thanks so much for having me, C.A.! Happy New Year’s Eve. What a great time to brush off the old and get ready for the new. I don’t hit the parties like I used to, but I still love to stay up and cheer in the New Year!
THANK YOU! And Happy New Year's to you, too! Come back ANY TIME!
****Bonus: A New Year’s Eve Contest****
Everyone who comments on this post, on this day (12/31/13) only, will be entered to win a $14 e-Gift Certificate to their choice of amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com. Why $14? To celebrate the upcoming New Year, of course! Please be sure to leave an email (with spaces) so I can contact you. I will choose the winner the EST afternoon on Jan. 1, by using Random.org, and I’ll make the announcement in the comments on this post.
About Ayla:
Before we get to the Q and A, let me tell you a little about myself. I’m a hardworking, stay-at-home mom and teacher to three precocious and wonderful boys. I knew my whole life I wanted to be a published author, but it took me the better part of 40 years to get there. Now that I’m here, I can’t imagine doing anything else.
I write erotic romance (currently) for two publishers: Totally Bound and Changeling Press. I see my future holding so much more in store for me, which is a boon to my readers as there is still so much more romance to come!
Q. How has your journey in publishing been? Anything you would or wouldn’t do again?
I like your statement that publishing is a journey. I’ve never heard it referred to as such, yet it defines this career most accurately. I’ve been published for nearly three years now, and it’s been a fantastic ride so far. I have two fabulous publishers, I’ve written more than a dozen books, and I don’t look to stop anytime soon. I’m lucky in that I had a great mentor—a best friend who was already e-published, who helped me navigate the waters, so to speak.
Q. What advice do you have f To write. Start to finish. Then let someone read it over. Let several someone’s read it. Hear their criticisms…both good and bad, and make your work better than it was before. Submit, submit, submit. Rewrite. Edit. Write more. Submit more. In a nutshell, don’t ever give up. Perseverance. If you want it enough, you’ll make the time to make it happen.
Q. What other interests or hobbies do you have outside of writing?
I home school my three children and take care of my parents, so I’m endlessly busy. When I do have bits of free time for me, I love to read (of course), go for walks, and cook. Nothing too fancy, but home-made dishes that take time and love to make delicious.
Q. Do you have a favorite story of the ones you’ve written, either published or not? Why?
My favorite story is always the latest one I finish. Deep in my heart, though, I would have to say my ultimate favorite is my first one—The Deciding Factor. I put so much into that tale and speaking of journeys, this story brings back memories of trial and error, nervousness and excitement, and tears of both frustration and joy.
Okay...enough with the business questions! How about some fun stuff?
Yay! I love fun stuff. Wha’cha got?
Q. If you won the lottery, what is the FIRST thing you’d do? What would you buy and why?
Oh, this is boring, but I’d pay off the bills. With those stresses off my mind, I’d be able to then have fun with the money left. Things like buying a new car, a new house, a new wardrobe, a grand vacation…for starters. lol
Q. When YOU read, what do you like to pick up?
My go-to favorites are historical romances, then great suspense/adventure stories.
Q. Tell us one thing about you that might surprise us...it can be a secret...we won't tell. :)
Yeah, right. A surprise-secret…ah, okay. I once dated a hacker (and this was before the internet was what we know today), who took and submitted a rather decadent picture of myself to an underground European hackers magazine. Ah, those were the days…
***Insert FAVE part! LOL!***
Tell us about that new book!
Absolutely! My latest release with Totally Bound is Five Courses. Originally published in the anthology, Whip It Up!, it is a decadent tale of two chefs who teach valuable lessons to the one who breaks the rules. Here’s a little more…
Blurb:
Paying the price for breaking the rules has never been so delicious. Trent and Mike rule their kitchen like they do their subs—with firm command and guiding strokes. Only they haven't enjoyed a sub in months, not since Melissa moved in with them. She's getting over a broken heart and seems so fragile that they don't want to scare her away.
When the men come home from their club early one night, they catch her breaking just about every rule they have in their kitchen. Now the gloves are off.
Melissa, trembling under their gaze, is given ten seconds to decide her fate—she can walk away and lose any hope of growing her relationship with these men, or she can stay and submit to their creative punishment for her misdeeds…
Reader Advisory: This book contains minor food play, spankings, an erotic version of red-light/green-light, and interesting consequences involving cookies.
Excerpt:
Mike sank onto the couch with an audible sigh.
“Nothing catching your eye tonight, either?” Trent asked.
Mike turned his head and studied his best friend and business partner. He didn’t answer. He didn’t have to. They both suffered from the same problem. Wanting a woman they couldn’t have.
The music pumped loud through their favourite club, the lights dim except for the stations. Mike crossed his arms over his chest and watched one sub being spanked, another being flogged and still another kneeling before her Dom.
“This sucks,” Trent commented without heat. “I’ve never had it this bad for a woman. I look around and all I see is Melissa.”
Mike nodded his head in agreement. “I don’t know whether to thank you or punch you for talking me into having her rent the middle loft.”
“I didn’t have to talk you into shit, Mike. She had nowhere to go. You would have offered her the loft by the end of that night if I hadn’t mentioned it first.”
Mike grunted at the truth in Trent’s words. That impulsive decision to give temporary aid to a woman in need had led to their four-storey building being infused with the sights, sounds and scents of a woman they couldn’t touch. Amend that—wouldn’t touch. In the months she’d been living with them, she’d shown herself to be trustworthy, fun, spontaneous, dependable and of course, sexy as hell. Even when she raided the industrial-size refrigerator in the middle of the night sporting that ratty-ass robe of hers that covered every inch of skin, all he wanted to do was strip it off and feast on her delectable body.
Mike set his hands on his thighs. He liked control. Savoured it. Commanded it. But the constant thoughts of the woman out of their reach made him antsy, which irritated him to no end.
Trent interrupted Mike’s thoughts. “She seemed happy to see us go tonight. Makes me wonder what she’s up to?”
BUY IT!ARe Barnes &Noble|Amazon|Totally Bound
****Bonus: A New Year’s Eve Contest**** Everyone who comments on this post, on this day (12/31/13) only, will be entered to win a $14 e-Gift Certificate to their choice of amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com. Why $14? To celebrate the upcoming New Year, of course! Please be sure to leave an email (with spaces) so I can contact you. I will choose the winner the EST afternoon on Jan. 1, by using Random.org, and I’ll make the announcement in the comments on this post.
Thanks so much for having me, C.A.! Happy New Year’s Eve. What a great time to brush off the old and get ready for the new. I don’t hit the parties like I used to, but I still love to stay up and cheer in the New Year!
THANK YOU! And Happy New Year's to you, too! Come back ANY TIME!
****Bonus: A New Year’s Eve Contest****
Everyone who comments on this post, on this day (12/31/13) only, will be entered to win a $14 e-Gift Certificate to their choice of amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com. Why $14? To celebrate the upcoming New Year, of course! Please be sure to leave an email (with spaces) so I can contact you. I will choose the winner the EST afternoon on Jan. 1, by using Random.org, and I’ll make the announcement in the comments on this post.
About Ayla:
Before we get to the Q and A, let me tell you a little about myself. I’m a hardworking, stay-at-home mom and teacher to three precocious and wonderful boys. I knew my whole life I wanted to be a published author, but it took me the better part of 40 years to get there. Now that I’m here, I can’t imagine doing anything else.
I write erotic romance (currently) for two publishers: Totally Bound and Changeling Press. I see my future holding so much more in store for me, which is a boon to my readers as there is still so much more romance to come!
Q. How has your journey in publishing been? Anything you would or wouldn’t do again?
I like your statement that publishing is a journey. I’ve never heard it referred to as such, yet it defines this career most accurately. I’ve been published for nearly three years now, and it’s been a fantastic ride so far. I have two fabulous publishers, I’ve written more than a dozen books, and I don’t look to stop anytime soon. I’m lucky in that I had a great mentor—a best friend who was already e-published, who helped me navigate the waters, so to speak.
Q. What advice do you have f To write. Start to finish. Then let someone read it over. Let several someone’s read it. Hear their criticisms…both good and bad, and make your work better than it was before. Submit, submit, submit. Rewrite. Edit. Write more. Submit more. In a nutshell, don’t ever give up. Perseverance. If you want it enough, you’ll make the time to make it happen.
Q. What other interests or hobbies do you have outside of writing?
I home school my three children and take care of my parents, so I’m endlessly busy. When I do have bits of free time for me, I love to read (of course), go for walks, and cook. Nothing too fancy, but home-made dishes that take time and love to make delicious.
Q. Do you have a favorite story of the ones you’ve written, either published or not? Why?
My favorite story is always the latest one I finish. Deep in my heart, though, I would have to say my ultimate favorite is my first one—The Deciding Factor. I put so much into that tale and speaking of journeys, this story brings back memories of trial and error, nervousness and excitement, and tears of both frustration and joy.
Okay...enough with the business questions! How about some fun stuff?
Yay! I love fun stuff. Wha’cha got?
Q. If you won the lottery, what is the FIRST thing you’d do? What would you buy and why?
Oh, this is boring, but I’d pay off the bills. With those stresses off my mind, I’d be able to then have fun with the money left. Things like buying a new car, a new house, a new wardrobe, a grand vacation…for starters. lol
Q. When YOU read, what do you like to pick up?
My go-to favorites are historical romances, then great suspense/adventure stories.
Q. Tell us one thing about you that might surprise us...it can be a secret...we won't tell. :)
Yeah, right. A surprise-secret…ah, okay. I once dated a hacker (and this was before the internet was what we know today), who took and submitted a rather decadent picture of myself to an underground European hackers magazine. Ah, those were the days…
***Insert FAVE part! LOL!***
Tell us about that new book!
Absolutely! My latest release with Totally Bound is Five Courses. Originally published in the anthology, Whip It Up!, it is a decadent tale of two chefs who teach valuable lessons to the one who breaks the rules. Here’s a little more…
Blurb:
Paying the price for breaking the rules has never been so delicious. Trent and Mike rule their kitchen like they do their subs—with firm command and guiding strokes. Only they haven't enjoyed a sub in months, not since Melissa moved in with them. She's getting over a broken heart and seems so fragile that they don't want to scare her away.
When the men come home from their club early one night, they catch her breaking just about every rule they have in their kitchen. Now the gloves are off.
Melissa, trembling under their gaze, is given ten seconds to decide her fate—she can walk away and lose any hope of growing her relationship with these men, or she can stay and submit to their creative punishment for her misdeeds…
Reader Advisory: This book contains minor food play, spankings, an erotic version of red-light/green-light, and interesting consequences involving cookies.
Excerpt:
Mike sank onto the couch with an audible sigh.
“Nothing catching your eye tonight, either?” Trent asked.
Mike turned his head and studied his best friend and business partner. He didn’t answer. He didn’t have to. They both suffered from the same problem. Wanting a woman they couldn’t have.
The music pumped loud through their favourite club, the lights dim except for the stations. Mike crossed his arms over his chest and watched one sub being spanked, another being flogged and still another kneeling before her Dom.
“This sucks,” Trent commented without heat. “I’ve never had it this bad for a woman. I look around and all I see is Melissa.”
Mike nodded his head in agreement. “I don’t know whether to thank you or punch you for talking me into having her rent the middle loft.”
“I didn’t have to talk you into shit, Mike. She had nowhere to go. You would have offered her the loft by the end of that night if I hadn’t mentioned it first.”
Mike grunted at the truth in Trent’s words. That impulsive decision to give temporary aid to a woman in need had led to their four-storey building being infused with the sights, sounds and scents of a woman they couldn’t touch. Amend that—wouldn’t touch. In the months she’d been living with them, she’d shown herself to be trustworthy, fun, spontaneous, dependable and of course, sexy as hell. Even when she raided the industrial-size refrigerator in the middle of the night sporting that ratty-ass robe of hers that covered every inch of skin, all he wanted to do was strip it off and feast on her delectable body.
Mike set his hands on his thighs. He liked control. Savoured it. Commanded it. But the constant thoughts of the woman out of their reach made him antsy, which irritated him to no end.
Trent interrupted Mike’s thoughts. “She seemed happy to see us go tonight. Makes me wonder what she’s up to?”
BUY IT!ARe Barnes &Noble|Amazon|Totally Bound
****Bonus: A New Year’s Eve Contest**** Everyone who comments on this post, on this day (12/31/13) only, will be entered to win a $14 e-Gift Certificate to their choice of amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com. Why $14? To celebrate the upcoming New Year, of course! Please be sure to leave an email (with spaces) so I can contact you. I will choose the winner the EST afternoon on Jan. 1, by using Random.org, and I’ll make the announcement in the comments on this post. December 29, 2013
Sunday Snog: Chance Collision's First Kiss!
So I don't play this very often, but I totally should! It's a blast!
Chance Collision (Crossing Forces Book Two) will be available for early download in a matter of days!!!!!! January 3!!!!!! So excited! Here's the link!
And be SURE to visit BlissKiss for ALL the HOT Sunday Snogs!!!!!!!
I thought I would share Pete and Nikki's first kiss!
It's pretty hot!
Pete’s heart dropped to his stomach and he squatted in front of her, taking both her hands in his just as her first tear coursed down her cheek. “Don’t cry. Nikki, it’ll be all right,” he whispered.
Before he realised what he was doing, Pete straightened, pulling her to her feet and into his arms. Fitting her against him was natural—even if only for comfort.
Nikki wrapped her arms around him without hesitation and buried her face against his neck. She sniffled. Her warm breath tickled the skin above the collar of his button-down and a tremor shot down his spine.
He rubbed her back in large circles. Warning bells went off in his head, but he ignored them, even though he was holding her more like a lover than a witness. Close. Inappropriate. She lifted her head and their gazes locked.
Pete promptly slipped into her wide brown eyes. Liquid mocha. She swallowed and he wanted to kiss her throat.
His eyes slid to her mouth. Plump. Inviting.
Pete needed to taste her. Right. Now.
He bent his head down.
Nikki’s lips parted, that pink tongue making another appearance. But she didn’t pull away. If anything, she tilted her face up.
Moved closer.
Pete’s warning bells blared into full-blown tornado sirens, but when Nikki closed her eyes and brushed her mouth against his, he soundproofed his conscience and took her mouth.
Sweet. Damn, she was sweet. Ripe raspberries or something sugary. More. Deepening the kiss, he pulled her even closer, aware of the tightening in his jeans and how his cock throbbed as her pelvis rubbed his. He rocked on his heels as Nikki wove her arms around his neck and kissed him harder. Their tongues duelled and danced, both of them pushing and pulling, giving and taking control. Sliding his hands down her back, he followed the curve of her shapely firm bottom, squeezing and kneading.
“Pete, we’re pretty much wrapped up. Neil said you can expect his report—”
Jared’s voice jolted him and Pete tore his mouth off Nikki’s. He met the guy’s dark eyes. The younger detective’s brows were arched as high as they could go. He froze in the doorway, one hand on the frame as if he had to brace himself.
It took all Pete was made of not to shove her away from him. Like they’d been caught doing something wrong.
Blurb:
Vowing to protect her had nothing to do with feelings.
Detective Pete Crane catches a new shooting case and considers it business-as-usual. But when the lead witness is the Chief of Police’s fiery assistant, he never anticipated she’d challenge him—personally and professionally. Especially while under his protection.
Little do they know, the shooting she and her grandmother witnessed was anything but random.
Thrown together, their attraction sizzles, even though she’s squarely in the no-fly zone. She makes him break every rule in his little black book.
Nikki Harper has been attracted to Pete since they met two years ago. Witnessing a brutal shooting throws her into a stigma that’s always been her greatest fear—a victim. She has no choice but to accept his protective custody and let him help save her and her beloved grandmother.
Can Pete protect his witness and solve the case, while fighting the intense heat with Nikki?
Pre-order now!
Need to get caught up on Crossing Forces Series books?
Get Collision Force (Crossing Forces Book One) here!
Cole in Her Stocking is FREE!
Get it here!
And be SURE to visit BlissKiss for ALL the HOT Sunday Snogs!!!!!!!
Chance Collision (Crossing Forces Book Two) will be available for early download in a matter of days!!!!!! January 3!!!!!! So excited! Here's the link!
And be SURE to visit BlissKiss for ALL the HOT Sunday Snogs!!!!!!!
I thought I would share Pete and Nikki's first kiss!
It's pretty hot!
Pete’s heart dropped to his stomach and he squatted in front of her, taking both her hands in his just as her first tear coursed down her cheek. “Don’t cry. Nikki, it’ll be all right,” he whispered.
Before he realised what he was doing, Pete straightened, pulling her to her feet and into his arms. Fitting her against him was natural—even if only for comfort.
Nikki wrapped her arms around him without hesitation and buried her face against his neck. She sniffled. Her warm breath tickled the skin above the collar of his button-down and a tremor shot down his spine.
He rubbed her back in large circles. Warning bells went off in his head, but he ignored them, even though he was holding her more like a lover than a witness. Close. Inappropriate. She lifted her head and their gazes locked.
Pete promptly slipped into her wide brown eyes. Liquid mocha. She swallowed and he wanted to kiss her throat.
His eyes slid to her mouth. Plump. Inviting.
Pete needed to taste her. Right. Now.
He bent his head down.
Nikki’s lips parted, that pink tongue making another appearance. But she didn’t pull away. If anything, she tilted her face up.
Moved closer.
Pete’s warning bells blared into full-blown tornado sirens, but when Nikki closed her eyes and brushed her mouth against his, he soundproofed his conscience and took her mouth.
Sweet. Damn, she was sweet. Ripe raspberries or something sugary. More. Deepening the kiss, he pulled her even closer, aware of the tightening in his jeans and how his cock throbbed as her pelvis rubbed his. He rocked on his heels as Nikki wove her arms around his neck and kissed him harder. Their tongues duelled and danced, both of them pushing and pulling, giving and taking control. Sliding his hands down her back, he followed the curve of her shapely firm bottom, squeezing and kneading.
“Pete, we’re pretty much wrapped up. Neil said you can expect his report—”
Jared’s voice jolted him and Pete tore his mouth off Nikki’s. He met the guy’s dark eyes. The younger detective’s brows were arched as high as they could go. He froze in the doorway, one hand on the frame as if he had to brace himself.
It took all Pete was made of not to shove her away from him. Like they’d been caught doing something wrong.
Blurb:
Vowing to protect her had nothing to do with feelings.
Detective Pete Crane catches a new shooting case and considers it business-as-usual. But when the lead witness is the Chief of Police’s fiery assistant, he never anticipated she’d challenge him—personally and professionally. Especially while under his protection.
Little do they know, the shooting she and her grandmother witnessed was anything but random.
Thrown together, their attraction sizzles, even though she’s squarely in the no-fly zone. She makes him break every rule in his little black book.
Nikki Harper has been attracted to Pete since they met two years ago. Witnessing a brutal shooting throws her into a stigma that’s always been her greatest fear—a victim. She has no choice but to accept his protective custody and let him help save her and her beloved grandmother.
Can Pete protect his witness and solve the case, while fighting the intense heat with Nikki?
Pre-order now!
Need to get caught up on Crossing Forces Series books?
Get Collision Force (Crossing Forces Book One) here!
Cole in Her Stocking is FREE!
Get it here!
And be SURE to visit BlissKiss for ALL the HOT Sunday Snogs!!!!!!!
December 17, 2013
Tell Me About it Tuesday welcomes Mariana Thorn!
Today I have something fun! I am welcoming Mariana Thorn, and I got to INTERVIEW a VAMPIRE! (No, his name isn't Louis)
FUN FUN FUN!
Check this out!
Mariana Thorn
If you look in the local Starbuck’s or Barnes and Noble you might just find Mariana Thorn. She can usually be found with headphones in and deep into the worlds she has created. There is this thing about her pens if you touch them you might receive a smack to the hand and the well-known glare of destruction. As a child all her stories involved horses, horses and more horses. There might have been a slight obsession. Writing became more serious in her early twenties but she never dreamed of publishing until much later. Mariana participates yearly in the international event called NANOWRIMO. She has even been known as a Municipal Liaison for that crazy event. There is nothing like the feeling of encouraging other writers, she would say. Outside of writing one of her favorite places to sit and read are the sunny beaches of Florida. At home in Washington State her favorite activity is riding horses up on the mountain trails. She has an awesome group of family and friends that keep her in coffee and encouragement. Then there is her best buddy Tony, her little dog. She suspects he will try and take over the world someday.
Meet Dante!
C.A.: Good morning Dante. Thank you for stopping by before you retire for the day. Let’s start off with you telling us a little about yourself?
Dante: What do you want to know. I’m a vampire. I don’t sparkle and I feed on humans. I don’t do it by choice but by need. I don’t kill them. I’ve come to terms with what I have become but it isn’t easy. I work for a weretiger named Val at the Paranormal Investigation Bureau. I have worked there since its creation. Right now my partner is a weretiger named Natalya. She isn’t bad for a were. She has a strange addiction to coffee though. Of course we work nights and we get thrown the most interesting cases. I’ve seen a lot and experienced a lot in my lifetime.
C.A: Your life sounds rather fascinating. Here’s a fun one. What was the first thought you had when you woke up today?
Dante: I was thinking about our current case. Agents are turning up dead. I was also thinking about how to restore Natalya’s memories. She doesn’t remember before a year ago. I think we are going to need to know what she knows before this is over.
C.A.: It must be frustrating. What did your calendar for the past two weeks look like?
Dante: Running down leads, examining bodies. It is not something that is fit for civilized conversation.
C.A.: Who was the last person you spoke to?
Dante: My boss Val.
C.A.: What did you talk about?
Dante: I was giving him a report on the situation and he was giving me his directions.
C.A.: That’s rather cryptic but I guess you can’t reveal too much when in the middle of an investigation. What would a typical evening, well in your case morning, look like to you?
Dante: Sometimes Natalya and I will go to the nonhuman club the Gamut. I’m usually there to keep her out of trouble. If I am in the middle of an investigation then I’m doing paperwork or following leads.
C.A.: What was your last nightmare?
Dante: I’m an old vampire. Do you really want to know what can scare someone like me? Fine, it involves a lot of blood and that is all you will get from me.
C.A.: You’re right it might be best not to delve too deep into your mind. What do you do to relax after a bad day?
Dante: I’ve seen so much in my lifetime that nothing really phases me these days. But I guess I would be with those I consider my family.
C.A.: If you could have two whole weeks for vacation and go and do anything you wanted money not a problem what would it be where would you go and why?
Dante: I’ve never really thought about it. I like my job, I feel it’s important to keep the nonhumans and humans living peacefully. There is always something stirring.
C.A.: Where would you go to hang out if you wanted to feel comfortable?
Dante: You would think it would be with the vampires but it’s not. Anywhere that those I trust are is where I feel comfortable.
C.A.: In an emergency who is the first person you call? Dante: It would be one of four people depending on the situation. C.A.: Your house is on fire, you have less than a minute to grab 5 things what are they? Dante: I would just make sure every person and creature is out. I’ve lived long enough to know that all possessions can be replaced but those you care about cannot.
C.A.: If you could bring one person back to life it's been a full day with him or who would it be and what would you do?
Dante: I’ve lost many people over the years I couldn’t pick just one.
So, Dante, tell me about your book, too!
Blurb:
With her past distant and forgotten Natalya has built herself a nice life. She has a job she finds rewarding as a special agent with the Paranormal Investigation Bureau. Her partner, Dante, isn’t too bad for a bloodsucking vampire. Val, her boss, is like a father to her. Her favorite part is that she lives near the Cascade Mountains. Whenever she needs a little vacation, she can shift into a tiger and go running in the woods. Life is good.
That is until recently. Agents are turning up dead and she can’t pin down what is going on. Little does she know that her past is about to come back and bite her in the tail. With no memories before the last year she is a little behind the curve in finding out what is going on. The investigation turns dangerous as the attack turn personal. Lives are on the line, including her own. Will Natalya find out what is going on before it’s too late?
And don't miss...
Blurb:
What does dozens of missing manhole covers, a completely unhinged witch and a werewolf suicide have in common?
That it is just another night at the office for Agent Natalya Ignatiev of the PIB or the Paranormal Investigation Bureau.
In this short collection of case files, we are taken behind the scenes on some of the craziest calls the agents of the PIB deal with on a daily basis. Just a little insight into one of the most bizarre jobs out there because when the supernatural are involved anything is possible.
BUY THEM NOW!
FUN FUN FUN!
Check this out!
Mariana Thorn
If you look in the local Starbuck’s or Barnes and Noble you might just find Mariana Thorn. She can usually be found with headphones in and deep into the worlds she has created. There is this thing about her pens if you touch them you might receive a smack to the hand and the well-known glare of destruction. As a child all her stories involved horses, horses and more horses. There might have been a slight obsession. Writing became more serious in her early twenties but she never dreamed of publishing until much later. Mariana participates yearly in the international event called NANOWRIMO. She has even been known as a Municipal Liaison for that crazy event. There is nothing like the feeling of encouraging other writers, she would say. Outside of writing one of her favorite places to sit and read are the sunny beaches of Florida. At home in Washington State her favorite activity is riding horses up on the mountain trails. She has an awesome group of family and friends that keep her in coffee and encouragement. Then there is her best buddy Tony, her little dog. She suspects he will try and take over the world someday.
Meet Dante!
C.A.: Good morning Dante. Thank you for stopping by before you retire for the day. Let’s start off with you telling us a little about yourself?
Dante: What do you want to know. I’m a vampire. I don’t sparkle and I feed on humans. I don’t do it by choice but by need. I don’t kill them. I’ve come to terms with what I have become but it isn’t easy. I work for a weretiger named Val at the Paranormal Investigation Bureau. I have worked there since its creation. Right now my partner is a weretiger named Natalya. She isn’t bad for a were. She has a strange addiction to coffee though. Of course we work nights and we get thrown the most interesting cases. I’ve seen a lot and experienced a lot in my lifetime.
C.A: Your life sounds rather fascinating. Here’s a fun one. What was the first thought you had when you woke up today?
Dante: I was thinking about our current case. Agents are turning up dead. I was also thinking about how to restore Natalya’s memories. She doesn’t remember before a year ago. I think we are going to need to know what she knows before this is over.
C.A.: It must be frustrating. What did your calendar for the past two weeks look like?
Dante: Running down leads, examining bodies. It is not something that is fit for civilized conversation.
C.A.: Who was the last person you spoke to?
Dante: My boss Val.
C.A.: What did you talk about?
Dante: I was giving him a report on the situation and he was giving me his directions.
C.A.: That’s rather cryptic but I guess you can’t reveal too much when in the middle of an investigation. What would a typical evening, well in your case morning, look like to you?
Dante: Sometimes Natalya and I will go to the nonhuman club the Gamut. I’m usually there to keep her out of trouble. If I am in the middle of an investigation then I’m doing paperwork or following leads.
C.A.: What was your last nightmare?
Dante: I’m an old vampire. Do you really want to know what can scare someone like me? Fine, it involves a lot of blood and that is all you will get from me.
C.A.: You’re right it might be best not to delve too deep into your mind. What do you do to relax after a bad day?
Dante: I’ve seen so much in my lifetime that nothing really phases me these days. But I guess I would be with those I consider my family.
C.A.: If you could have two whole weeks for vacation and go and do anything you wanted money not a problem what would it be where would you go and why?
Dante: I’ve never really thought about it. I like my job, I feel it’s important to keep the nonhumans and humans living peacefully. There is always something stirring.
C.A.: Where would you go to hang out if you wanted to feel comfortable?
Dante: You would think it would be with the vampires but it’s not. Anywhere that those I trust are is where I feel comfortable.
C.A.: In an emergency who is the first person you call? Dante: It would be one of four people depending on the situation. C.A.: Your house is on fire, you have less than a minute to grab 5 things what are they? Dante: I would just make sure every person and creature is out. I’ve lived long enough to know that all possessions can be replaced but those you care about cannot.
C.A.: If you could bring one person back to life it's been a full day with him or who would it be and what would you do?
Dante: I’ve lost many people over the years I couldn’t pick just one.
So, Dante, tell me about your book, too!
Blurb:
With her past distant and forgotten Natalya has built herself a nice life. She has a job she finds rewarding as a special agent with the Paranormal Investigation Bureau. Her partner, Dante, isn’t too bad for a bloodsucking vampire. Val, her boss, is like a father to her. Her favorite part is that she lives near the Cascade Mountains. Whenever she needs a little vacation, she can shift into a tiger and go running in the woods. Life is good.
That is until recently. Agents are turning up dead and she can’t pin down what is going on. Little does she know that her past is about to come back and bite her in the tail. With no memories before the last year she is a little behind the curve in finding out what is going on. The investigation turns dangerous as the attack turn personal. Lives are on the line, including her own. Will Natalya find out what is going on before it’s too late?
And don't miss...
Blurb:What does dozens of missing manhole covers, a completely unhinged witch and a werewolf suicide have in common?
That it is just another night at the office for Agent Natalya Ignatiev of the PIB or the Paranormal Investigation Bureau.
In this short collection of case files, we are taken behind the scenes on some of the craziest calls the agents of the PIB deal with on a daily basis. Just a little insight into one of the most bizarre jobs out there because when the supernatural are involved anything is possible.
BUY THEM NOW!
December 13, 2013
Friday Feature welcomes Lisbet Sarai on Plans AND GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!!!
Today I have fellow TB author, Lisabet Sarai! She's a multipublished author of some awesome reads!
She's blogging about planning and organization. I could TOTALLY learn something here, I'm not all that organized. Or...not at all. Haha!
***Make sure to scroll down and answer Lisabet's question. You will be entered to win a copy of one of her books!***
Meet Lisabet!
Lisabet Sarai became addicted to words at an early age. She began reading when she was four. She wrote her first story at five years old and her first poem at seven. Since then, she has written plays, tutorials, scholarly articles, marketing brochures, software specifications, self-help books, press releases, a five-hundred page dissertation, and
lots
of erotica and erotic romance – more than fifty single author titles, plus dozens of short stories in various erotic anthologies, including the Lambda winner Where the Girls Are and the IPPIE Best Erotic Book of 2011, Carnal Machines. Her gay scifi erotic romance Quarantine won a Rainbow Awards 2012 Honorable Mention.
Lisabet has more degrees than anyone would ever need, from prestigious educational institutions who would no doubt be deeply embarrassed by her chosen genre. She has traveled widely and currently lives in Southeast Asia with her indulgent husband and two exceptional felines, where she pursues an alternative career that is completely unrelated to her creative writing.
The Best Laid Plans
I've always been the organized type. I make lists. I make outlines. I make plans. I divide up my week into time slots, each one allocated to a different task. That's the only way I'd every get anything done, and I have to say, it has worked for me for most of my life. In all my years of education, I never once pulled an all-nighter. I've almost never missed a deadline. I'm a firm believer in starting things early and working steadily, partly because I can't stand the stress of frantic last minute scrambles to get something done.
I try to be equally organized about my writing, but you really never know what's going to happen. Sometimes the Muse strikes. Sometimes a publisher makes a request that up-ends all your plans, but which is too tempting to refuse.
During September I had planned to write a story about pirates, for the Totally Bound anthology “Jolly Rogered”. Then I intended to finally start work on the sequel to my Rainbow Award-winning M/M science fiction novel Quarantine.
Instead, I was invited to contribute a story for the new Totally Bound imprint What's Her Secret? My editor told me they were looking for light, sexy, almost frothy, erotic romance, with a touch of humor if possible. M/F/M was okay, perhaps a bit of BDSM, but no angst and definitely no M/M interaction. (These specifications came in response to my first proposal, a M/M/F tale about a woman who likes to cross dress...)
Not my usual style at all! Still, I took the challenge, partly because the publisher planned all sorts of special marketing efforts (which believe me, I really need!).
The result was Her Secret Ingredient, the tale of an ambitious and resourceful woman who discovers that, indeed, plans often go awry.
When the Tastes of France food channel offers Mei Lee “Emily” Wong a series of guest spots, she jumps at the opportunity to take her culinary career to a whole new level. Ultimately, she wants a show of her own, but first she has to prove herself to Michelin-starred network founder and effective dictator, Etienne Duvalier. A legend in the world of classic French cuisine as well as a domineering perfectionist, Etienne is sceptical about the culinary abilities of a woman from Hong Kong. To make things more difficult, the master chef is also so gorgeous that Emily can't help being attracted to him.
Emily tries to solve both problems by spiking her luscious profiteroles with an ancient Oriental aphrodisiac. Unfortunately, Harry Sanborne, the low-key, bespectacled producer for Emily's show, samples the delicacies she intends for Etienne's consumption. His powerful reaction to her secret ingredient comes as a pleasant surprise to them both. Harry turns out to be far more impressive in bed than on the set. However, he can't do nearly as much to advance her ambitions as Etienne. Emily tries once more to tempt the exacting M. Duvalier with her special cooking as well as her feminine charms. The outrageous results threaten to end her TV career forever - until Harry steps in to save her reputation and claim her heart.
Once I turned in the story, I tried to get my writing back on the planned track, only to be approached once more by my editor. Would I be interested in writing a novel featuring the same characters? But I already have a novel in the works, I wanted to protest. I couldn't help turning over some ideas, though, and before long I had an outline. So I had to say yes, even though writing Her Secret Weapon is definitely not what I'd planned to be doing over the holidays! I hope it will be done by January and published sometime during the spring of 2014. At least, that's my plan!
Blurb:
Stir in a pinch to stir up his passion…
When the Tastes of France food channel offers Mei Lee “Emily” Wong a series of guest spots, she jumps at the opportunity to take her culinary career to a whole new level. Ultimately, she wants a show of her own, but first she has to prove herself to Michelin-starred network founder and effective dictator, Etienne Duvalier. A legend in the world of classic French cuisine as well as a domineering perfectionist, Etienne is sceptical about the culinary abilities of a woman from Hong Kong. To make things more difficult, the master chef is also so gorgeous that Emily can't help being attracted to him.
Emily tries to solve both problems by spiking her luscious profiteroles with an ancient Oriental aphrodisiac. Unfortunately, Harry Sanborne, the low-key, bespectacled producer for Emily's show, samples the delicacies she intends for Etienne's consumption. His powerful reaction to her secret ingredient comes as a pleasant surprise to them both. Harry turns out to be far more impressive in bed than on the set. However, he can't do nearly as much to advance her ambitions as Etienne. Emily tries once more to tempt the exacting M. Duvalier with her special cooking as well as her feminine charms. The outrageous results threaten to end her TV career forever—until Harry steps in to save her reputation and claim her heart.
BUY IT:Totally Bound|Amazon|Amazon UKARe
I want to thank Chrissy for having me as her guest. It's been fun! And now I want to hear from all of you who are reading this.
((You're welcome!))
Are you a planner? Ever had one of your plans go terribly wrong? Tell me about it in a comment and I'll enter you into a drawing for your choice of my contemporary ménage Wild About That Thingor my sci fi ménage Bodies of Light (an LASR Best Book). (Don't forget to include your email in the comment so I can find you.)
She's blogging about planning and organization. I could TOTALLY learn something here, I'm not all that organized. Or...not at all. Haha!
***Make sure to scroll down and answer Lisabet's question. You will be entered to win a copy of one of her books!***
Meet Lisabet!
Lisabet Sarai became addicted to words at an early age. She began reading when she was four. She wrote her first story at five years old and her first poem at seven. Since then, she has written plays, tutorials, scholarly articles, marketing brochures, software specifications, self-help books, press releases, a five-hundred page dissertation, and
lots
of erotica and erotic romance – more than fifty single author titles, plus dozens of short stories in various erotic anthologies, including the Lambda winner Where the Girls Are and the IPPIE Best Erotic Book of 2011, Carnal Machines. Her gay scifi erotic romance Quarantine won a Rainbow Awards 2012 Honorable Mention. Lisabet has more degrees than anyone would ever need, from prestigious educational institutions who would no doubt be deeply embarrassed by her chosen genre. She has traveled widely and currently lives in Southeast Asia with her indulgent husband and two exceptional felines, where she pursues an alternative career that is completely unrelated to her creative writing.
The Best Laid Plans
I've always been the organized type. I make lists. I make outlines. I make plans. I divide up my week into time slots, each one allocated to a different task. That's the only way I'd every get anything done, and I have to say, it has worked for me for most of my life. In all my years of education, I never once pulled an all-nighter. I've almost never missed a deadline. I'm a firm believer in starting things early and working steadily, partly because I can't stand the stress of frantic last minute scrambles to get something done.
I try to be equally organized about my writing, but you really never know what's going to happen. Sometimes the Muse strikes. Sometimes a publisher makes a request that up-ends all your plans, but which is too tempting to refuse.
During September I had planned to write a story about pirates, for the Totally Bound anthology “Jolly Rogered”. Then I intended to finally start work on the sequel to my Rainbow Award-winning M/M science fiction novel Quarantine.
Instead, I was invited to contribute a story for the new Totally Bound imprint What's Her Secret? My editor told me they were looking for light, sexy, almost frothy, erotic romance, with a touch of humor if possible. M/F/M was okay, perhaps a bit of BDSM, but no angst and definitely no M/M interaction. (These specifications came in response to my first proposal, a M/M/F tale about a woman who likes to cross dress...)
Not my usual style at all! Still, I took the challenge, partly because the publisher planned all sorts of special marketing efforts (which believe me, I really need!).
The result was Her Secret Ingredient, the tale of an ambitious and resourceful woman who discovers that, indeed, plans often go awry.
When the Tastes of France food channel offers Mei Lee “Emily” Wong a series of guest spots, she jumps at the opportunity to take her culinary career to a whole new level. Ultimately, she wants a show of her own, but first she has to prove herself to Michelin-starred network founder and effective dictator, Etienne Duvalier. A legend in the world of classic French cuisine as well as a domineering perfectionist, Etienne is sceptical about the culinary abilities of a woman from Hong Kong. To make things more difficult, the master chef is also so gorgeous that Emily can't help being attracted to him.
Emily tries to solve both problems by spiking her luscious profiteroles with an ancient Oriental aphrodisiac. Unfortunately, Harry Sanborne, the low-key, bespectacled producer for Emily's show, samples the delicacies she intends for Etienne's consumption. His powerful reaction to her secret ingredient comes as a pleasant surprise to them both. Harry turns out to be far more impressive in bed than on the set. However, he can't do nearly as much to advance her ambitions as Etienne. Emily tries once more to tempt the exacting M. Duvalier with her special cooking as well as her feminine charms. The outrageous results threaten to end her TV career forever - until Harry steps in to save her reputation and claim her heart.
Once I turned in the story, I tried to get my writing back on the planned track, only to be approached once more by my editor. Would I be interested in writing a novel featuring the same characters? But I already have a novel in the works, I wanted to protest. I couldn't help turning over some ideas, though, and before long I had an outline. So I had to say yes, even though writing Her Secret Weapon is definitely not what I'd planned to be doing over the holidays! I hope it will be done by January and published sometime during the spring of 2014. At least, that's my plan!
Blurb:
Stir in a pinch to stir up his passion…
When the Tastes of France food channel offers Mei Lee “Emily” Wong a series of guest spots, she jumps at the opportunity to take her culinary career to a whole new level. Ultimately, she wants a show of her own, but first she has to prove herself to Michelin-starred network founder and effective dictator, Etienne Duvalier. A legend in the world of classic French cuisine as well as a domineering perfectionist, Etienne is sceptical about the culinary abilities of a woman from Hong Kong. To make things more difficult, the master chef is also so gorgeous that Emily can't help being attracted to him.
Emily tries to solve both problems by spiking her luscious profiteroles with an ancient Oriental aphrodisiac. Unfortunately, Harry Sanborne, the low-key, bespectacled producer for Emily's show, samples the delicacies she intends for Etienne's consumption. His powerful reaction to her secret ingredient comes as a pleasant surprise to them both. Harry turns out to be far more impressive in bed than on the set. However, he can't do nearly as much to advance her ambitions as Etienne. Emily tries once more to tempt the exacting M. Duvalier with her special cooking as well as her feminine charms. The outrageous results threaten to end her TV career forever—until Harry steps in to save her reputation and claim her heart.
BUY IT:Totally Bound|Amazon|Amazon UKARe
I want to thank Chrissy for having me as her guest. It's been fun! And now I want to hear from all of you who are reading this.
((You're welcome!))
Are you a planner? Ever had one of your plans go terribly wrong? Tell me about it in a comment and I'll enter you into a drawing for your choice of my contemporary ménage Wild About That Thingor my sci fi ménage Bodies of Light (an LASR Best Book). (Don't forget to include your email in the comment so I can find you.)
December 10, 2013
Tell Me About it Tuesday Welcomes Patrick Van Slyke AND GIVEAWAY!
This week I'm welcoming Patrick Van Slyke!
I don't often read Horror, but this looks like a good one.
Meet Patrick!
Patrick Van Slyke grew up in the shadows of the Big Horn Mountains in the small town of Sheridan Wyoming. An avid reader, as a child he was drawn to fantasy and science fiction. He attended the University of Wyoming and it was here that his love of Horror began.
Patrick now lives in sunny southern California with his daughter and fiancé. His day job is owner of Assisted Living Placements, helping seniors find assisted living. He hopes to one day support his family solely as an author.
To that end, Patrick has published numerous short stories and has finished the Forsaken Trilogy. This 300,000 word work is set in Patrick’s home town and tells the tale of a teenager on the brink of manhood who learns that the barrier between the living and the dead has begun to collapse, forcing him into a conflict that could lead to insanity, death, or the betrayal of everything he holds dear. The Forsaken Trilogy is made up of THE DEAD WALL, THE BETRAYAL GATE, and THE FINAL SACRIFICE.
Q. Do you do any special research for your novels?
On my first novel I did not because it was based on my hometown so I had all the knowledge I needed but in my 4th novel, THE QUANTUM GATE, I had to spend hours trying to wrap my head around quantum mechanics and computing. I got the idea for the book from a science magazine so I knew nothing when I started. I know a lot know but the concepts are so difficult to grasp. It hurts my brain to think about them.
Q. What’s your favorite genre to read? Do you write it?
Right now I am reading “the classics” just because I think I should. You know, GREAT EXPECTATIONS, WAR AND PEACE, A TALE OF TWO CITIES, etc. But my two genres are horror which is primarily what I write and historical fiction which I do not write because I don’t want to do all that research!
Q. What are you working on right now? Can you tell us about it?
I am about ½ of the way done with my 5th novel but there is very little I can tell about it because even the name of the book might give away the concept and I am very excited about this one. Let’s just say that in this novel I am being forced to research genetics as well as Ethiopia.
Q. Did you ever write a character you didn’t like? Or one that gave you problems, going against your intentions for them or your story?
I’ve written tons of characters I didn’t like, especially in short stories but they were usually on purpose and they usually got what they deserved. I have had characters that I really liked but then as the story progressed they became bad. That makes me mad. It’s like a betrayal. But I don’t take it that seriously.
Okay...enough with the business questions! How about some fun stuff. You know, just between the two of us.
Q. The opportunity to go on a surprise vacation arises. You have 90 minutes to pack and get to the airport. Where will you go and what will you pack?
Probably Japan and I would just take a couple shorts and a couple tank tops since that I all I ever wear. I would Love to go there because one time, a LONG time ago I was tripping on acid and was sure I was a reincarnated samurai.
Q. When YOU read, what do you like to pick up?
Horror. I love horror and I’m not sure why. I guess I like the fear induced high in a safe environment. Either that or I’m a sociopath. Maybe both.
Q. If they make a movie about your life, who do you want to play your part?
Hmmm. Probably Micky Rourke – I think we probably have a lot in common (except he is rich and I am poor.)
Q. Tell us one thing about you that might surprise us...it can be a secret...we won't tell. :)
Okay, I’ve been in jail… more than once. It is not a pleasant experience and I do not recommend it.
*DRRRRRRRRRRRRUMMMROLL!*
Tell us about that book!
Blurb:
On a stormy Friday summer night in the small town of Sheridan Wyoming, sixteen year old, Nick Davis has nothing more on his mind that hanging out with his friends and chasing girls . Life becomes much more terrifying, however, when a close friend becomes the victim of a demonic possession during an innocent teenage party. As Nick helplessly witnesses more and more horrifying, supernatural events, he is must confront the possibility that God has finally lost patience with his creation, and left the world defenseless.
Nick and beautiful, young Beth Tellie are thrown together as demonic forces attempt to cohere their cooperation in the enslavement of humanity. As the small town falls apart, the couple seeks safety in the Catholic Church and end up with an unlikely ally in the new priest, Father Marco. Together they search for a miracle that can save mankind.
BUY IT: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Patrick is generously going to give away ONE EBOOK copy of The Dead Wall to one lucky Commenter!!!!!!
Tell me what your favorite genre is (doesn't have to be horror) and why!
I don't often read Horror, but this looks like a good one.
Meet Patrick!
Patrick Van Slyke grew up in the shadows of the Big Horn Mountains in the small town of Sheridan Wyoming. An avid reader, as a child he was drawn to fantasy and science fiction. He attended the University of Wyoming and it was here that his love of Horror began. Patrick now lives in sunny southern California with his daughter and fiancé. His day job is owner of Assisted Living Placements, helping seniors find assisted living. He hopes to one day support his family solely as an author.
To that end, Patrick has published numerous short stories and has finished the Forsaken Trilogy. This 300,000 word work is set in Patrick’s home town and tells the tale of a teenager on the brink of manhood who learns that the barrier between the living and the dead has begun to collapse, forcing him into a conflict that could lead to insanity, death, or the betrayal of everything he holds dear. The Forsaken Trilogy is made up of THE DEAD WALL, THE BETRAYAL GATE, and THE FINAL SACRIFICE.
Q. Do you do any special research for your novels?
On my first novel I did not because it was based on my hometown so I had all the knowledge I needed but in my 4th novel, THE QUANTUM GATE, I had to spend hours trying to wrap my head around quantum mechanics and computing. I got the idea for the book from a science magazine so I knew nothing when I started. I know a lot know but the concepts are so difficult to grasp. It hurts my brain to think about them.
Q. What’s your favorite genre to read? Do you write it?
Right now I am reading “the classics” just because I think I should. You know, GREAT EXPECTATIONS, WAR AND PEACE, A TALE OF TWO CITIES, etc. But my two genres are horror which is primarily what I write and historical fiction which I do not write because I don’t want to do all that research!
Q. What are you working on right now? Can you tell us about it?
I am about ½ of the way done with my 5th novel but there is very little I can tell about it because even the name of the book might give away the concept and I am very excited about this one. Let’s just say that in this novel I am being forced to research genetics as well as Ethiopia.
Q. Did you ever write a character you didn’t like? Or one that gave you problems, going against your intentions for them or your story?
I’ve written tons of characters I didn’t like, especially in short stories but they were usually on purpose and they usually got what they deserved. I have had characters that I really liked but then as the story progressed they became bad. That makes me mad. It’s like a betrayal. But I don’t take it that seriously.
Okay...enough with the business questions! How about some fun stuff. You know, just between the two of us.
Q. The opportunity to go on a surprise vacation arises. You have 90 minutes to pack and get to the airport. Where will you go and what will you pack?
Probably Japan and I would just take a couple shorts and a couple tank tops since that I all I ever wear. I would Love to go there because one time, a LONG time ago I was tripping on acid and was sure I was a reincarnated samurai.
Q. When YOU read, what do you like to pick up?
Horror. I love horror and I’m not sure why. I guess I like the fear induced high in a safe environment. Either that or I’m a sociopath. Maybe both.
Q. If they make a movie about your life, who do you want to play your part?
Hmmm. Probably Micky Rourke – I think we probably have a lot in common (except he is rich and I am poor.)
Q. Tell us one thing about you that might surprise us...it can be a secret...we won't tell. :)
Okay, I’ve been in jail… more than once. It is not a pleasant experience and I do not recommend it.
*DRRRRRRRRRRRRUMMMROLL!*
Tell us about that book!
Blurb:
On a stormy Friday summer night in the small town of Sheridan Wyoming, sixteen year old, Nick Davis has nothing more on his mind that hanging out with his friends and chasing girls . Life becomes much more terrifying, however, when a close friend becomes the victim of a demonic possession during an innocent teenage party. As Nick helplessly witnesses more and more horrifying, supernatural events, he is must confront the possibility that God has finally lost patience with his creation, and left the world defenseless.
Nick and beautiful, young Beth Tellie are thrown together as demonic forces attempt to cohere their cooperation in the enslavement of humanity. As the small town falls apart, the couple seeks safety in the Catholic Church and end up with an unlikely ally in the new priest, Father Marco. Together they search for a miracle that can save mankind.
BUY IT: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Patrick is generously going to give away ONE EBOOK copy of The Dead Wall to one lucky Commenter!!!!!!
Tell me what your favorite genre is (doesn't have to be horror) and why!
December 6, 2013
Friday Feature: Sheila Deeth on Genre Inspiration
I'm excited to welcome back fellow Gypsy Shadow Author, Sheila Deeth! She's going to talk about how genre inspired her new release!
Here's Sheila!
Sheila Deeth grew up in the UK and has a Bachelors and Masters in mathematics from Cambridge University, England. Now living in the States near Portland Oregon, she enjoys reading, writing, drawing, telling stories and meeting her neighbors' dogs on the green.
How Fantasy inspired the Five Minute Bible Story Series
I didn’t like reading fantasy when I was a kid. I’m not sure why. I wasn’t keen on fairy stories either—too much like scary stories with all their poisonings and dangers and death. I loathed The Snow Queen with such a deep dire hatred that, when my brother told me I had to read it before I could touch his bookshelf—his beautiful, tempting, shelf full of hard-bound classics with softly textured covers—I volunteered to clean his room instead (and read while cleaning). But at college I discovered Lewis Carroll, J.R.R. Tolkien, Ursula Le Guin, and Isaac Asimov. I lost myself in sci-fi and fantasy worlds, eventually rereading those long-loathed fairytales with appropriate delight. I grew up, I suppose, though my only-reads-for-information big brother, whose bookshelf still bore, unsullied and scarcely opened, those glorious tomes, suggested instead I’d grown down.
Years later I have three grown-up sons, one of whom only reads for information, one who writes, and one who devours anything scary. They weren’t wild about fairytales as kids either, but I used to tell them stories of my own, writing them down because oldest son didn’t believe it was worth listening if the words didn’t come from a book. And now…
Well, now it’s December 2013 and the kids have all moved out. Christmas comes soon, with fantasy lands full of elves and fairies, with haunting sci fi tales of supernovas and dead civilizations, with Santa and Saint Nick, Christmas trees cut down from forests, fairylights like stars… and a book of children’s five-minute Bible stories by yours truly, called Bethlehem’s Baby. Some of my friends will say this is fantasy. It’s surely not fact, though I’ll claim it’s based on fact. I’ve researched the history and cultures of the time because I want my written worlds to feel as real as Ursula Le Guin’s. I’ve checked up on science and distance and time because I want my facts as believable as Asimov’s. I’ve tried to keep a sense of music and the unfamiliar because Tolkein’s The Silmarillion was my first inspiration for this project. And my characters are children, with a child’s sense of logic and fun inspired by Lewis Carroll. So fantasy, faith, history, science, geography and fun inspired my writing. I hope they might inspire my readers too.
And thank you Chrissy for letting me visit your blog.
***Editor's note. Sheila, you're a delight. Come back anytime!***
Blurb:
Meet the Emperor Augustus’s advisors, the quiet research student helping wise men study stars, the shepherd whose granddad keeps complaining, an Egyptian fisherboy, a Roman soldier, and more in this set of 40 5-minute read-aloud stories based around the events of the Christ Child’s birth in Bethlehem.
BUY IT:Amazon|Capeargopress
More Sheila:Sheila's Blog Sheila's Website Twitter Facebook
Here's Sheila!
Sheila Deeth grew up in the UK and has a Bachelors and Masters in mathematics from Cambridge University, England. Now living in the States near Portland Oregon, she enjoys reading, writing, drawing, telling stories and meeting her neighbors' dogs on the green.
How Fantasy inspired the Five Minute Bible Story Series
I didn’t like reading fantasy when I was a kid. I’m not sure why. I wasn’t keen on fairy stories either—too much like scary stories with all their poisonings and dangers and death. I loathed The Snow Queen with such a deep dire hatred that, when my brother told me I had to read it before I could touch his bookshelf—his beautiful, tempting, shelf full of hard-bound classics with softly textured covers—I volunteered to clean his room instead (and read while cleaning). But at college I discovered Lewis Carroll, J.R.R. Tolkien, Ursula Le Guin, and Isaac Asimov. I lost myself in sci-fi and fantasy worlds, eventually rereading those long-loathed fairytales with appropriate delight. I grew up, I suppose, though my only-reads-for-information big brother, whose bookshelf still bore, unsullied and scarcely opened, those glorious tomes, suggested instead I’d grown down.
Years later I have three grown-up sons, one of whom only reads for information, one who writes, and one who devours anything scary. They weren’t wild about fairytales as kids either, but I used to tell them stories of my own, writing them down because oldest son didn’t believe it was worth listening if the words didn’t come from a book. And now…
Well, now it’s December 2013 and the kids have all moved out. Christmas comes soon, with fantasy lands full of elves and fairies, with haunting sci fi tales of supernovas and dead civilizations, with Santa and Saint Nick, Christmas trees cut down from forests, fairylights like stars… and a book of children’s five-minute Bible stories by yours truly, called Bethlehem’s Baby. Some of my friends will say this is fantasy. It’s surely not fact, though I’ll claim it’s based on fact. I’ve researched the history and cultures of the time because I want my written worlds to feel as real as Ursula Le Guin’s. I’ve checked up on science and distance and time because I want my facts as believable as Asimov’s. I’ve tried to keep a sense of music and the unfamiliar because Tolkein’s The Silmarillion was my first inspiration for this project. And my characters are children, with a child’s sense of logic and fun inspired by Lewis Carroll. So fantasy, faith, history, science, geography and fun inspired my writing. I hope they might inspire my readers too.
And thank you Chrissy for letting me visit your blog.
***Editor's note. Sheila, you're a delight. Come back anytime!***
Blurb:
Meet the Emperor Augustus’s advisors, the quiet research student helping wise men study stars, the shepherd whose granddad keeps complaining, an Egyptian fisherboy, a Roman soldier, and more in this set of 40 5-minute read-aloud stories based around the events of the Christ Child’s birth in Bethlehem.
BUY IT:Amazon|Capeargopress
More Sheila:Sheila's Blog Sheila's Website Twitter Facebook
