Ellie Potts's Blog, page 74

Writing routine

I usually unless I forget like I did today take my notebook with the book I am writing to work so I can write during breaks and lunch. I also try to sit at my desk every night after work so I can get something done. I have the dragon software so when my laptop is fixed I can start yelling at my computer to move my written word over to the computer. I have been lacking on the writing routine and it is no ones fault but mine.

How are the new years goals coming along?

I am running a bit behind. My mom got me Dragon software for Christmas which is amazing, but the computer that could run it died. :o( Our house computer is not doing very good and my super old laptop is very temperamental I am convinced it blacks out just to spite me! But no more excuses.

A month of blogs.

I said I was doing this blogging 365 brought up by Kharisma Rhayne and now month one is down. I stuck to the schedule and did the best I think I could. I am hoping to pick up my blogging skills. I have to spend the evening updating my calendar  But look forward to a top ten, wild animals, some flash, celebrity talks, and much more.

Blood Rose series Blitz-Samantha Drane!

[image error] Meet Samantha Drane! Check out her vampire books and you can get a chance to win one this Sunday at The Twist of Fate Birthday Party on Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/events/418965141513207/ Read more about Twist of Fate and Crimson Moon here!
Samantha Drane
Book 1 of the Blood Rose Series – Twist of Fate
[image error] Alex Brightmore thought he had it all. 

A wonderful family as well as a beautiful woman who just agreed to marry him. Everything was perfect, until it all came grinding to a halt. After the mysterious disappearance of his bride-to-be and the gruesome deaths of his mother and twin sister, Alex was offered a chance to gain the ultimate gift. 

Immortality was the gift. 

The Catch? Spend eternity as a Vampire. 

Now, as he shielded his heart and swore that he would never let himself fall in love again, he leaves the safety of London to start anew. But Fate had other plans for him. "Fate" came in the form of museum researcher Jade Stevens. They meet at a party and neither can deny the growing attraction between them. She realizes though, that to love him she must know all of him. 

No matter what the cost may be. 

However, hidden secrets and Jade's link to Alex's past haunt the pair, and a former lover from Jade's past puts her life in serious danger. To save the woman that he has fallen in love with, can he truly ignore this Twist of Fate? 

Buy Links:  Publisher /  Amazon  /  All Romance Ebooks /NovelNook



Book 2 of the Blood Rose Series – Crimson Rose

[image error] Legend states that a Crimson Moon only appears when a new vampire is created. Jade Stevens never thought that this legend would ever apply to her. 

Six months after losing Alex, she's trying to get her life back on track. Now in charge of the museum's research and acquisition department, she comes face to face with Caleb Stone. She can't deny the raw energy burning between them, but doesn't want to disrespect the memory of the man she loved. 

As they grow closer both in and out of the office, a long-thought dead figure from Caleb's past re-emerges looking for revenge. Now Jade is caught in a tug of war, where she is the prize. 

Now, in the wake of a daring attack on Jade that leaves her hovering between life and a miserable undead existence, Caleb risks it all in a last ditch effort to save the woman he's grown to love. 

Will a Crimson Moon rise tonight? 

Buy Links:  Publisher  /  Amazon  /  NovelNook  /  All Romance Ebooks

About the Author:
Samantha Drane is a paranormal romance author that was born in Victoria, BC, spent most of her young adult life on the Canadian Prairies and now currently resides in Halifax, Nova Scotia with her husband of nearly 7 years, their two daughters and three cats. When she's not writing, she's spending quality time with her young family, taking photos with her 35mm film camera, or watching her Edmonton Oilers and Edmonton Eskimos on television.

When she was younger, her best friends had always told her that she had so much untapped creativity and it would drive her crazy if she couldn't find an outlet for it. She admitted that 

the inspiration for Twist of Fate came from a month's worth of dreams. 

Her first two books in the Blood Rose Series, Twist of Fate and Crimson Moon are being published through No Boundaries Press. Twist of Fate (Part 1) was released in February 2012 and Crimson Moon (Part 2) was released in April 2012. Currently she's working on three new projects.

Website  /  Blog

Excerpt for Twist of Fate:
He dropped my wrist, and turned around to face the downtown skyline. Seconds later, I heard a small growl come from Alex. I felt my breath catch in my throat as he turned back to face me. It was like the person in front of me now was a totally different person then who was standing in front of me not less than 30 seconds ago. Everything about him now had an air of dark masculine power. The biggest difference was his eyes. I looked into his eyes and was mesmerized. Alex trapped me in his gaze and held me there. His eyes were a dark violet, with an outer ring of light grey, almost silvery. He had this smirk on his lips, that if I didn’t know any better, was almost predatory in nature. This was all before he opened his mouth to speak. Good God, that voice! I swear if I wasn’t already enthralled by his eyes, then his voice would do me in. I suddenly fought the urge to swoon. 

His voice had dropped at least two octaves and was raspy, rough, almost like coarse sand. 

“Is this what you wanted, Jade? Take a good look because this is the true me; the hunter, the predator, hell, I’m the top of the food chain.” As he was talking, he moved around behind me, whispering in one ear then in the other. He now had this bold swagger about his walk that wasn’t there before. It was almost like he owned the place. While I was listening to him, I could feel him sliding one arm around my waist and his other hand trailing down my cheek, burning my skin along the way. I knew at that point, if he didn’t have his arm wrapped around me, my legs would have given out from under me for sure. There was only one word to describe what was going on. 

It was torture. 

Specifically; slow, erotic and predatory torture. Thing was, I was helpless to stop it. Everything about him at that moment had me rooted in place, powerless. Yet I still wasn’t scared of him. Even seeing his true nature up close and personal didn’t frighten me. He stepped from behind to face me once again. As Alex faced me, within a blink of an eye, he had pulled me to him, crushing my soft body to his steel chest and pulling my right arm up to his lips. 

“If you’re trying to scare me, Alex, it’s not working.” He just smiled and brushed his nose against the back of my wrist. “Oh, I know it’s not working, Jade, darling. Actually, it’s doing quite the opposite. But, if I wanted to have you, there would be nothing that could stop me from taking you. You forget, Jade, I can sense emotions and right now, I have you completely defenseless. I could take you into that cozy bedroom of yours and after a very satisfying night…” 


Excerpt for Crimson:
Getting up and smiling at Jade, Kalieigh took her leave. I turned back to Jade and could think of nothing else but kissing her senseless, so I indulged and did just that. I think Jade knew what I was going to do because as soon as my lips slanted over hers, she pulled me down on top of her as she laid down on the couch. I grinned into her lips and tried to keep most of my weight off her by propping myself up on my arms. She growled and pulled me down hard. I sunk into her and pretty much all was lost. 

I felt her arms slide up and around my neck and her nails scraping the back of my neck as I moved from her swollen red lips to her neck. I found her pulse point and attacked it softly. I felt her nails sink into my back, right between my shoulder blades, and drag across. The little minx was pushing at my self-control and she knew exactly what she was doing. I pulled up and looked, to find she was smiling wickedly at me. I smirked right back at her. 

I pulled her arms from around my neck and stretched them out over the top of her head. I felt her struggle, but the more she did, the more I kept her where she was. 

“So this is how we’re going to play it, hmm? Have it your way, angel…” was all I said to her. Her eyes had darkened to nearly black by this point. 

“Caleb, for the love of mercy, shut up and kiss me!” 

I could hear the faint tone of desperation in her voice. The knowledge that I caused this sent a surge of smug pride through me. Releasing her arms, I bent my head and kissed her again, sliding my tongue across her pursed lips, demanding entrance. Jade relented and opened her lips, allowing me access to the blissful warmth inside. I could feel a rumble between us, but, surprisingly, it came from Jade’s throat. I ran my hand slowly up the side of her torso, and up the side of her neck, feeling the muscles tense up. As my hand went back down, I slowed down enough so that my fingers were just skimming her skin. She twisted from side to side to get me to relent, but I wasn’t done with her yet. I leaned in and ran my tongue across the outer rim of her ear. That elicited a moan from Jade that sent sparks down my spine. Suddenly, the noble part of me decided to rear its head. I pulled myself up from a flushed and panting Jade, who was looking up at me with a mixture of heat, confusion and a hint of murderous intent. I closed my eyes, trying to gain a small semblance of control. 

“If you are having any second thoughts, stop me now because this is the last chance. I want you to be sure Jade.” 

Jade sat up, grabbed the front of my shirt and jerked me towards her. I could feel the heat of her glare, so I opened my eyes to find her eyes had darkened with desire. Her response came out as a hiss. 

“The only thought I am having right this second is that if you do not take me upstairs and finish what we started the night of the party, I will personally STAKE you with a silver spike.” The next thing I knew, she had ripped my shirt completely open and was running her hands over my now exposed chest. 

I hauled her up, slamming my lips on hers and flew us both up to my master bedroom. I pretty much tossed her on the bed, and as I stalked towards her, step by step, we were both losing clothes at a very rapid pace. When I reached the edge of the bed, Jade beckoned with a crook of her finger and a sexy smirk on her face. I crawled up the bed and as I hovered over her body, I thanked every god that would listen for giving me such a beautiful creature to love. Sentiments aside, I leaned down and chuckled hotly in her ear. 

“I hope you know I have wanted this to happen for a while. Are you ready for a workout? I know I am.” I spent the rest of the night and following day making good on my promise.

Be an author.

I never really planned on be a writer. I just liked to make up stories. As a little girl I had an overactive imagination. No dolls or toys, no problem, I could make them up with paper. I lived in fantasy worlds, I created space stations, and endless love stories. I loved telling a story and everyone being captivated in the story. I just turned that making stories up and put them on paper. In 8th grade out English teacher had us create our own short story and mine was the Tell of the Baby Snatcher. It was about a young girl who was babysitting and a monster came and tried to steal the toy boys she was watching. She had to put up a fight but she saved the boys. I received an A+ on the story. My first real A that I hadn't have to work on extra credit. It made me so happy. Before high school I wrote my first fan fiction based on Newsies. :o) Yes that was fun. In high school I started to use the trusty type writer and I created Ellie's book of Evolution. I angered some people with this, only because of their closed mindedness. I covered different theories from aliens to different believes to general aliens. Soon enough by the end of high school I had already had a three ring binder full of short stories. Halfway through my first year in college I had two, and had started on my first novel. Why because me and my friend Author Toy Davis were hanging about writing talking about how we should write novels and bam we started that night and began writing. Her's a vampire novel and me a witch novel. I never really thought about publishing or anything like that. I just wanted to tell my stories. Great therapy because you can do whatever you want in your worlds and be whoever you want.

Today I am supposed to talk about my blog readers...

I know there are some out there because I do have hits coming in daily. Other then that I have don't really know much about anyone. So let me change that. For those who are silently reading or popping by every so often where are you from? And tell me something totally random about yourself :o) And since this is about the readers. Thank you so much for stopping in a reading my posts.

Writers Block

For those who have dealt with it you know what it is and for those who haven't writers block is that evil feeling when you are trying to do a project and for some reason the instructions were printed upside down or in another language. There are many things that cause writers block some of them are our own doing while the other things are just normal life. Now knowing some of it is my own doing I have steps to overcoming it mostly. 1. Write every day no matter what. Even if you can't work on your current project look out the window and write the scene you see. Create a flash fiction. 2. There are other creative things around to learn pick up a new hobby or restart an old one. I like to knit. It clears my head. 3. Stop over thinking  I worried no one would like what I write, but no negativity has been said so no more worry. I might never hit the New York Times Bestsellers but at least I get to see something I poured myself into out there to be shared.

I have the best friends in the world and Snippet Sunday

[image error] Today we were supposed to talk about our Muse's and mine would have to be my friends. Author Toy Davis and I would sit around writing as we watched horror/classic/b-rated movies. It came down to why don't you write a book. I draw inspiration from all my friends. My friend John he gave me 3 wonderful story ideas, all three are in Flights of Delusion. The Job came from the line. After that it just came to me.


The Job
                May you walk through the raining pools of blood and dance on the guts of your victims.
                The words floated to the top of her head. She had been given a job, a good job, a job she knew she could really do. A job she had been dreaming for since she could remember. Remember since when? Lucifer had explained her duties, and she planned on doing her very best. To show not only Lucifer, but his other head-honchos, that he chose well.
                Raining pools of blood.
    Cestoda came while we were celebrating John's birthday at the very first Mayhem Fest. My sister and our friend Jason had to tolerate us two drunks and that evening sitting on the green out at the Shoreline Amphitheater half people watching and waiting on Slipknot to come out we crafted the major B-rated horror series that had us in tears. Cestoda is just one. There are still two more stories to be written.Cestoda
                Bobbie found himself hiding in the dark, noises and screams all around him. His heart hammered in his chest. Think, you idiot, he thought. He moved the plastic aside for a small peek under the table he hid under. The sun started to set about half an hour ago. The sight of everyone tripping or jumping over the dead bodies was unnerving. He was so glad the acid trip was over.
                Two other people slipped under the table. He moved to the very edge, scared. They too were frightened by the sight of him. No one said anything for some time. They just stared at each other while the screams and the scuffing of shoes passed by. A loud shriek filled the air, which made him think of Sky. Bobbie tried to think back to how he had gotten here. Fucking weird day.

The next one was Wicked Game. Well let me say after getting out of a bad relationship there are worse out there. After some a few hours of heart to heart ranting :o) It's good for your soul Wicked Game was born.
Wicked Game
                Mark stood there, face drawn in shock, his large brown eyes staring straight ahead. The barrel of the gun stared at him like a giant eye. Grey smoke rolled, twisting out of it, moving to the ceiling reminding him of his own cigarette smoke. He felt numb as the smell of gunpowder stung his nostrils. She stared at him, eyes filled with madness. Why had she done this? What had he done to deserve this? Slowly, like a dream, his body became heavy. He leaned against the wall, his legs unable to hold the weight. His hand went to the spreading wetness on his shirt.
On Live Journal me and my friend Robbie were in a horror icon group as well as weekly horror short story contests. One was to write your friends in and Robbie of course had to be in this one because I was doing fears and Robbie's Well here you go on that.
VR
She looked at him with blank, black eyes, which made him take a step back. The skin on her face started to peel, and he caught sight of something else in her body. Something alien, yet familiar. He took another step back as her body started to break open like a cocoon. Giant, wet, brown wings unfurled as the two pieces of Kellie’s body fell to the floor. The wingspan had to be at least six feet. The brown, hairy body was supported by thin legs. Humongous, black, alien eyes stared at him; the very same Kellie had looked at him with. His heart raced, and a huge lump formed in the pit of his stomach. His mouth went dry. He backed away from the gargantuan moth as it came closer.  
I have a great bunch of Muses who let me abuse them :oD But without them I don't think I would have made it as far as I have. Flights of Delusion is dedicated to all my friends John Lara, Robbie Dorman, James Gibbs, Valeria Baker, Renee Foster, Destiny Howard, Charles Byrd, Kris Hernandez, Greg Ruelas, Jim Bennett, Rebecca, and all the rest of you out there. Just because I didn’t name you doesn’t mean I don’t love you too! Thanks for being my muses, my editors, and the most awesome people in the world! :o)

Worst writing habit.

There is this point when I am writing that seems I dislike a small plot twist or a character's action and I want to stop. I get mad at myself sometimes because it also feels like I am not getting what I see in my head on the screen. Usually these draw backs make me take a step back and cause me to walk away from the project for a while. I can tell you it is much easier to come up with story ideas then it is to actually write them out and continue writing them. When it comes to that I tend to spend some time doing something like writing or extra reading. Sometimes I need to take a break and come back when it is all fresh in my mind. I usually do this for editing as well. Start on something else so I can come back and see it with fresh eyes. So what is your worst writing habit?

My Worst Habit? Easy...

I try not to but I can't help it sometimes. It's just the way I am. But there are a few steps I do to calm my over thinking mind one is knitting. I loom knit. Some people think it is super boring  But it actually puts my brain to sleep. That and reading. I go into a coma when I read. There is nothing around me I am one with the book LOL.