Catherine Wolffe's Blog, page 20
January 13, 2013
Starting 2013 Off With a Bang
You know how the old saying in writing goes – Enjoy the small milestones? Well Saturday was filled with small milestones. The day began for me with a check of Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Amazon – the sites I usually update as part of my Indie Author “Booking” process. Yes, I have a marketing strategy – I call it “Booking”. Don’t laugh! Anyway, I got to Amazon and was checking my ranking in each category when I noticed something new at the bottom of the demographics for The Lady in the Mist, The Western Werewolf Legend. The caption read #38 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Fiction > Fantasy > Historical . Immediately I clicked on the link and held my breath. Sure enough at #38 my book’s cover appeared! I couldn’t believe my eyes! I had published The Lady in the Mist back in October, 2012. The first two chapters of the complete novel were offered free on Amazon. Apparently, patience paid off with this one, because the book finally made a list. Now you can visualize me dancing around my living room in a wild happy dance. I even got a high-five from the hubby!
That was the first thing good thing that occurred. Next came with an invitation I received from a Facebook friend to pitch to an editor at Samhain Publishing. Saturday, January 12th rolled around and I submitted my pitch.
Sunday, I opened my email to find a response from my Facebook friend telling me not one but two of my stories had been chosen to pitch to the editor. Whether the editor likes them or not is still up for grabs. I was just tickled to death to be selected to share my stories with her. My two stories were included in thirty out of 59 submissions. Again, we do the happy dance!
In 2013 my resolution with regard to my writing is to relish the small steps and be thankful. It’s so easy to brush them aside or make light of these steps when they are actually rungs on the ladder to success. The definition of the word success, in my opinion, will change as I strive to create and improve my writing. I look forward to the journey and the small steps in 2013 – how about you?
Click the image to read a FREE sample of my current series, the Western Werewolf Legend.
Thanks for sharing your small steps in comments following this blog post. I would love to hear from you! Here’s a little something free I’d like to share with you as my way of saying “Thanks for dropping by.” Best wishes to everyone in their 2013 journeys.
January 6, 2013
Congratulations!
The winner of the New Year’s blog hop is Ruby Swan. Congratulations! You win a copy of The Lady in the Mist, The Western Werewolf Legend. Please share your preferred reading platform – e reader, pdf, or other. Thanks for participating!
Join me for the February blog hop and have a chance at another great prize.
January 1, 2013
New Year’s Blog Hop (Enter to Win)
Happy New Year everyone! I’m starting off the new year with participating in a blog hop sponsored by Carrie Ann who is sensational at coordinating these events!
How Do I Enter to Win?
First things first! This blog hop has some outstanding prizes you may win, 3 prizes actually. So let’s talk about those and how you can enter to win first.
We have THREE grand prizes. You as a reader can go to EACH blog and comment with your email address and be entered to win. Yep, you can enter over 200 times!
Now what are those prizes?
1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet
2nd Grand Prize: A $300 Amazon or B&N Gift Card
3rd Grand Prize: A Swag Pack that contains paperbacks, ebooks, 50+ bookmarks, cover flats, magnets, pens, coffee cozies, and more!
(Please Note that Carrie has said some shipping cost on your end may apply for the above prizes.)
How Do I Win?
To enter to win one of these prizes, leave a comment on this blog article and include your email address. Carrie Ann and her volunteers will be stopping by to collect everyone’s entries.
Over 200 Blogs Participating
There will be over 200 Authors/Bloggers participating in this event. If you want to enter more than once you can do so. Actually you can enter over 200 times by posting a comment (with your email) on each blog that is participating in this blog hop. Go to Carrie Ann’s New Year’s Blog Hop page to see a list of ALL THE BLOGS and get started. But first, leave a comment here on my blog article please, after you read on.
Good Luck Everyone!
Happy New Year!
As we ring in 2013, what are some new year’s resolutions you have already made? Share a few with us in a comment below. Also be sure to include your email address so Carrie Anne can contact you if you win.
My freebie to you is a new excerpt from The Lady in the Mist, The Western Werewolf Legend. On New Year’s Day, one lucky commenter, picked at random, will receive an ebook copy of The Lady in the Mist. Leave your email address and ebook format you use. If you can’t wait, here’s the link to get your own copy - http://tinyurl.com/9ff6h4j Thanks for dropping by and enjoy.
***
Chapter 2
The sun shone brightly through the leaded glass in a jagged pattern. Reflecting in the quilt, the light shifted with each ripple in the fabric. Birds sang outside the window. Ty rolled to his side and moved to sit up on an elbow. When he did, a white-hot pain shot through his thigh before traveling down his leg. Fighting to take a breath, he collapsed on the pillow. When he tried to rise again, he used more caution. A new respect for his injury had him using more caution. Still the action had hot needles stabbing him through to the bone. Sweat beaded along his temple. Reaching up to wipe at the moisture he discovered a large bandage covered his eye and most of his scalp.
“This be a fine kettle of fish you’ve gone and gotten yourself into there, Boyo.” Maggie McVey’s Irish voice rang clear in the small confines of the room. The housekeeper’s colorful cliché held truth in every word, but Ty didn’t have to search the room to know the woman wasn’t there. The phenomenon wasn’t new either. Maggie’s voice would come to him at the strangest times. Perhaps she was his voice of reason in a world gone mad. “If you only knew, old girl, if you only knew,” he murmured to the empty room.
The sounds of pots rattling came from beyond the room’s only door. Ty struggled against the pain to sit up. Where were his clothes? His weapons? The room looked no bigger than a small porch. He wiped at the perspiration on his forehead. Trembling with the effort to remain upright, he lay back on the cool sheet. The noise stilled and he took another look around the tiny room. He lay naked down to his waist and when he raised the sheet to make sure both legs were still there, he found he was without clothing period. An oath left his mouth as he searched around the room again for any sign of his dirt-encrusted uniform. He spied his cavalry hat hanging over the back of the only other piece of furniture in the cubbyhole, a chair.
He had to admit, the situation proved better than he’d expected. The Great Spirit must’ve seen some benefit to keep him alive, seeing as how the last recollection he had before passing out was a young woman attempting to help a dying man. The pain in his thigh reminded him he still had a leg, yet his thigh felt cool to the touch. No infection! Ty breathed a sigh of relief. Besides his head wrap, a white bandage bound his ribs securely.
Fatigued with the simple chore of waking, Ty closed his eyes to consider what he would do now. Where he was and how he’d gotten there remained a mystery, but he still lived, which was as much of a surprise as he could stand at the moment.
Again the sounds of cooking came from the other room. Ty could hear one person moving about and the footsteps sounded light. A woman perhaps. The idea gave him some comfort. He doubted he could have defended himself against an attacker.
How long had he been out? What about his men? Were there survivors? He bore down on the memories as they came rushing back. He definitely had unfinished business with some Yankees. The enemy had laid in wait for the Rebels. How did they know his men would be coming through that particular spot? Responsibility weighed heavy as he went over the scene in his mind. His men were dead before any of them could retaliate. Deep in grief, Ty’s head came up when a soft squeak of the door hinges alerted him to an intruder.
Caught off guard, Ty flung the sheet back to meet his foe. Reaching for the tin basin on the nightstand, he drug himself up by the four poster’s simple wooden supports. He stood, though precariously on one foot. Brandishing the tin pan as a weapon, he readied for an attack.
A slender blonde-haired woman stood framed by the doorway. The petite woman stared wide-eyed at his actions.
Ty tried to square his stance, but his injured limb sang out with white-hot shards of pain. He sucked in air while reaching for anything to hold onto.
The soft female form rushed forward to support him. She was no bigger than a hummingbird, yet she managed to right him easily enough. Her warm flesh pressed against his, sent the scent of her rushing through his already battered senses. Unable to stop himself, Ty groaned aloud. He allowed her to ease him back onto the mattress, but found no words to use.
She was a vision. The first wave of lust eased enough, so he focused on the soft cap of her curls, which were the color of warm honey. Her scent reminded him of a wooded glade, all earthy and natural, yet all woman. He couldn’t help but breathe her in. The young nymph seated him on the edge of the bed once more before taking serious stock of the situation.
“You’re much too weak to be trying to get out of bed, sir. Here, let me see you settled. I have some broth that will help you get your strength back. I’ll fetch a bowl for you. But, you must lay back now.” Her tone brooked no argument. Her voice floated through his brain like an elixir.
She had the voice of an angel. Ty could only stare. Her eyes were the color of a doe’s with a lovely almond shape. They gravitated to his body. Her stare branded him with a heat the likes of which he’d never experienced. . He’d never been so undone. “Are you real?” The question came out stilted and broken.
The woman blinked at his question. “Of course I’m real.” She inclined her head in his direction. “So are you.”
Hypnotic and intoxicating in the same breath, he mused. The Great One did have a sense of humor — what a cruel trick to play on an injured man.
Naked before her, proved bad enough, but growing aroused in the presence of a lady did not a gentleman make. Ty chided his muddled brain to do something! Flicking a hesitant glance down, he said, “My apologies, ma’am. I’m not decent.” When he tried to right the situation, his injured arm balked and retaliated with more needles singing up his shoulder.
The young nymph stepped closer, deftly pushing him back onto the bed. With a practiced hand, she lifted his legs and gently settled him more comfortably on the mattress. She steered him further back into the pillows she plumped behind his shoulders. Soon, the errant sheet covered him to the waist with a blanket added for good measure. With practiced efficience, the golden-haired nymph continued to busy herself by tidying the room. She seemed unaffected by his naked body as if she’d seen a man before. Of course, with the war on, she’d most probably tended countless Yankees in an effort to do what she could. Had she tended him? He didn’t know whether to be encouraged or disappointed by her reaction. Because, he, on the other hand seemed lost in her mere presence with no desire for rescue.
“There.” Satisfied, she took a step back to survey her handiwork. Giving him a stern frown, she explained, “I won’t be able to help you if you continue to attempt to undo my work, sir. Lay back and let me take care of getting you back on your feet.” She continued to watch him with a studied eye. “You’ve had quite a blow to the head. There are several injuries, which required stitches. If I hadn’t happened along, you most certainly would’ve died from your leg wound.”
Ty’s good eye tracked the movement of her hand as her slender fingers shot out to stop him from reaching out to touch his injured shoulder. “Leave the wound alone. I understand they itch, but don’t pick at your stitches. The dressing is fresh, so if you continue to badger the area, you’ll have the wound bleeding again.”
“Who are you?” Ty’s question held fascinated curiosity.
“My name is Sonja.” The young woman’s hands dropped to her apron. In an absent gesture, she smoothed the fabric before adding politely but firmly. “Mrs. Sonja Brooks.” Without waiting for a reply, she headed for the door. “Give me a minute. I’ll bring you a bowl of broth.”
Watching her slim back disappear out the door, Ty relaxed back on the bed. “Mrs. Sonja Brooks.” He mumbled her name as he considered the fact she was married. Such a petite thing, slender in all the right places and round where a man’s hand could rest easy, Sonja Brooks could move a man to do dishonorable things. Ty found the idea disquieting, but to his liking.
The mounting questions as well as their answers stalled out though as she appeared once more with a tray containing the broth along with a tall glass filled with what looked to Ty like some sort of vegetable juice. Its dark red color resembled tomatoes. A basket filled with bread completed the offering. Ty’s mouth watered. For the life of him, he couldn’t find his tongue. Mumbling his thanks, he picked up the spoon. Intent on downing the meal in haste, he paused when she stopped just inside the door.
“Take your time, sir. There’s plenty. I’m glad to see you have an appetite.
How long had it been since he’d eaten? Vague memories of hardtack wafted through his head along with chicory coffee brewing over a low campfire. The taste of the broth and bread forced out all memories of his past hunger. The food surely tasted good! Ty couldn’t help the low groan which left his lips when he could see the bottom of the bowl.
With a swipe of his good arm across his mouth, he tried to voice his appreciation. “That was delicious, ma’am. Thank you for your generosity.” Hesitating, he glanced back at the empty glass before asking, “Did the juice come from your garden? I’ve never had any like that before.”
“Oxblood which will give you strength.”
“Oxblood?” Ty couldn’t help the quizzical expression, which crossed his face. Even his Choctaw mother had never offered him anything remotely similar.
Those doe eyes tracked his reaction with a slight quirk to the corner of her mouth. The hairs on his nape prickled with the reply she shared with him. When telltale color rose in her cheeks, Ty suspected the explanation held more than she acknowledged with words.
***
Enjoy the blog hop today! It runs through Jan. 6th and be sure to visit all the blogs participating and leave a comment on their article to enter to win!
December 30, 2012
2012 in review
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 2,900 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 5 years to get that many views.
Click here to see the complete report.
Get Ready to Blog Hop!
Starting January 1 until January 6th, I’ll be a part of a blog hop sponsored by Carrie Ann who is sensational at coordinating these events!
Each day you have a chance to win any of the following prizes:
1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet
2nd Grand Prize: A $300 Amazon or B&N Gift Card
3rd Grand Prize: A Swag Pack that contains paperbacks, ebooks, 50+ bookmarks, cover flats, magnets, pens, coffee cozies, and more!
How Do I Enter to Win?
You as a reader will want to go to EACH blog and comment with your email address to ensure your comment will be counted to win. Two hundred blogs are participating including yours truly. Yep, you can enter over 200 times! (One comment per blog please.)
Get ready to hop on January 1st when the blog hop begins.
December 28, 2012
Comanche Haven in Print!
Comanche Haven, my first novel is in paperback! As I went through the pages yet again, I couldn’t help but share a paragraph that I especially enjoyed. I’d like to share this small sample with you today.
First, I’ll set the stage with the
blurb for Comanche Haven. You’ll have a better idea of the temptations Seth faces as he confronts the woman from his past. Then, please, enjoy the paragraph from Comanche Haven, The Loflin Legacy, Book 1.
From the moment Celia, the emerald-eyed, Comanche half-breed, gets off the stage in Tyler, Texas, Seth Loflin realizes he is on a collision course with the past. She was his first love and now the Shooter Creek’s ranch boss can’t allow her to succumb to the danger that stalks her. Someone wants to kidnap her and sell her as a slave, but now that she’s in his protective arms, he intends to keep her safe.
Celia can’t run back to the safety of her former life in South Carolina. And if she stays at Shooter Creek with Seth, she’ll be putting the man she has always loved and his ranch in danger of harboring a Comanche. But Seth refuses to leave her side, and his vow to protect her gives Celia the hope and courage she needs. Now she’ll fight for her new life with Seth…or die trying.
***
Excerpt from Comanche Haven:
Seth’s eyes went to slits as he rode the first wave of lust. A small voice warned him it wouldn’t be wise. Neither of them needed to mix the trouble they faced with long ago emotions. She wasn’t the same girl anymore. Being someone he didn’t really know didn’t seem to matter, he mused. He wanted her. Seth wanted to know every inch of her all over again.
Thanks for leaving a comment and have a special day… http://tinyurl.com/clsjjp7
December 15, 2012
Alexandra Anthony & Awakening – Book 3
Click the image to view this book on Amazon.
Welcome Alexandra Anthony to my blog today! She’s a fellow Indie Author and I’m happy to help her support her books today. If you haven’t read the Vampire Destiny series, you should check it out. You’ll be glad you did!
Today’s Giveaway
Today is a special day because I found out this morning that Alexandra’s Awakening has reached Number 1 on one of Amazon’s list. Her street team and author friends including me have been promoting her 3rd book in the Vampire Destiny series all week and it has finally paid off. This book is the first to reach Number 1 on a list and I’m so happy for my friend! 
So let’s give something away!
The person who posts on this article as the 16th comment will receive a Signed copy of Awakening in paperback!
Please add your email address to the comment you post, so Alexandra knows where to send the gift. If you do not add your email address, you may not be counted as an entry. Good luck everyone!
Now for the interview with Alexandra…
Welcome Alexandra!
Alexandra: I’m pleased to be allowed the opportunity to guest blog about my 3rd installment in The Vampire Destiny Series, Awakening. It’s been quite a wild ride for me over the last year, so I thought I’d take the opportunity to answer some questions about writing, my characters and share an excerpt from Awakening with you. Thank you for having me on your blog today, Catherine.
What is your book about and what genre are you writing in?
My book series centers around Josephine Anderson, a half-vampire psychic and her mate, Stefan Lifsten. Their love was fated and has evolved to something much deeper as we enter the third book. There is much more to Josephine than we originally thought and it’s going to be interesting to see Josephine and Stefan explore their past together.
My series is spicy and I classify it as paranormal romantic erotica. I joke that it’s not for the faint of heart, but I’ve found that many readers that enjoy traditional romance novels are a little put off my the erotica elements of the book. Other people love reading the spicier storylines!
What were the challenges (research, literary, psychological and logistical) in bring the story to life?
There isn’t just one challenge in writing The Vampire Destiny Series-there are numerous! The story is about a millennia old vampire from Scandanavia. I had the challenge of writing and translating Swedish, researching history for Stefan and the other vampires in the story. I try to make their background stories as real as possible when I write. I also have to attempt to do my best to think how a 1,000 year old vampire would think-and how he would respond to my heroine, Josephine.
Click the image to view this book on Amazon.
Who is your most popular character? Why do your readers like the character?
I would have to say most of my readers are Team Stefan. He’s blond, gorgeous and totally smitten and committed to Josephine. Who wouldn’t want a fated love, a true soul mate?
I think his humor, charm and sometimes cocky ways are what wins over the readers who love him!
Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
Just write. See where the story takes you and if you enjoy it, never give up! It’s difficult to put yourself out there for possible criticism, but you have to remember that even some of the most beloved books have their critics too!
Can you share an excerpt of your current work?
I’d love to! Here is a brief excerpt from Awakening…
______________________________
“You can’t be serious, Stefan. You’re jealous of my book editor?” I pulled away and looked at him with narrowed eyes. “You were listening in on my phone call to Aidan?”
I wanted Stefan to at least pretend to appear a little guilty. Instead, a look of smug satisfaction spread over his handsome face. He was completely shameless.
“I heard the end of your conversation. He wants to meet with you?”
“Us,” I corrected. “He wants to meet with us.”
Stefan pressed a kiss to the tip of my nose. “Ah, I think he would be happier if you met him alone. I cannot blame him. You are beautiful, Josephine. Any man would love to have your undivided attention for even a moment.”
“You’re way too smooth you know. And completely biased,” I whispered, smacking at his chest with my hand.
“Perhaps I am biased. I also see how other men look at you. I am also cautious. Set up a meeting. Perhaps having a drink would be best for Aidan to meet your ‘boyfriend’.” Stefan accented his comment with air quotes.
“What am I supposed to call you? My vampire mate?” I asked pointedly. I impishly pushed him away, concentrating on the the computer screen long enough to press ‘send’ on the e-mail to Aidan.
“You can call me what you wish, vackra. I just wish to hear you call my name many times.” His eyebrows waggled and smiled crookedly, sitting down on the chair facing the couch. His mood instantly sobered as he focused on Anna, his intense stare analyzing her lifeless state. I joined in his silent observation, looking for any difference. She looked slightly paler, her hair more vibrant, but those were the only real changes I could notice with my mostly human eyes.
“Sit with me?” Stefan asked quietly. His question piqued my interest since Stefan rarely asked. His requests usually sounded more like statements, not requests.
Moving from my perch on the stool, I crossed the room and fell into the expanse of his lap. He held me close, his chin resting on the top of my head. His thoughts were heavy, as was his mood. Stefan had been troubled since we’d returned to New York from Bali. He was much more experienced at shielding his thoughts from me, but his emotions were more difficult for him to disguise due to our newly formed bond.
Letting my fingernails run over his muscular arms, I nuzzled my nose against his neck. “Please talk to me, Stefan. Tell me what’s been bothering you for two days.”
He released yet another sigh. His voice sounded detached and soft when he finally began to talk. “Changing Anna had made me remember the day I awoke as a vampire. My human memories and attachments were muddled, yet I clearly remembered dying at Solveig’s hands. The fear of feeling my life slip away was horrifying. It was the second time in my life I felt helpless.”
“I can’t imagine you ever being helpless,” I murmured. It was true. He was so strong and vital, imagining him weak and defenseless was difficult for me to fathom. It didn’t help hearing the mere mention of his maker’s name. Solveig been dead for more than 700 years, yet she was like an invisible wedge between us. Stefan had loved her once. More than likely, there was a part of him that always would.
He barked out a soft laugh, his cynical smile making his face look harsh. “I was dying and was no match for Solveig. I was angry at her. I felt as if I was supposed to die a human death. My own miscalculations cost me my life. As a warrior, I had been defeated and I was willing to accept death. I fought and I lost. Dying was my punishment for my mistakes. When Solveig found me, she quickly recognized my ability and chose a different kind of death for me.” Stefan paused, his deep voice becoming stronger. “Lukas lay dying when I offered this life to him. I was never able to offer Anna the choice, to give her the opportunity to decide if she wanted immortality. As a vampire, I made an oath to myself that I would never change a human without their consent. I vowed that I would never become like my maker. Yet here I sit with you, waiting for my unwilling child to rise. I am preparing for her anger, her confusion and pain once she realizes what she has lost because of our decisions. You must be ready for it as well, vackra. She may be angry and resentful. She will never have children. She will live a life in the shadows, pretending to fit in while watching the world pass by.”
“I didn’t think about how you would feel. I didn’t want Anna to die like that. She would have wanted to live,” I responded sheepishly. I had only thought of saving Anna in any way possible way during those hectic, frantic moments at my villa. Stefan could offer her an eternal life. I had no idea of his reservations or his own personal code as a vampire.
“How could you have known? I do not blame you, Josephine.” Stefan had read my mind. He monitored me closely, especially when the subject matter was tense. Part of him was always going to be afraid I’d run again. “Let me continue with my story. When I awoke, I was overwhelmed. I could hear the wind rustling through the leaves, able to discern the different type of tree by the sound the leaf made in the wind. I could scent human blood miles away. I could see colors that my human eyes could not. My strength had increased to amazing proportions. I could uproot a tree with one hand.”
My fingers kept tracing invisible patterns over his skin. “I can’t imagine what it must have been like for you. Even my small changes have been difficult to handle. Why are you telling all of this to me this now?”
His large hand cupped my chin and tilted my head upwards to stare into my eyes. His sea blue eyes were thoughtful, his Nordic face wise. “Seeing Anna like this has brought back many different memories. When I changed Lukas, I was alone and had been searching for you. I found you and have you at my side and I want you to know everything I can tell you about this life. I also tell you these things because you are changing as well. You need to understand what to expect with each change as it happens.”
Turning on his lap to face him, my eyes searched his curiously. I brushed his blond hair back from his face as he stared off into space, thinking and searching for my future. He momentarily envisioned me as a true immortal at his side. The picture faded away as quickly as it came…..
About Alexandra Anthony
Alexandra Anthony loves all things vampire and enjoys writing romantic/erotic stories combining vampires and the paranormal, the idea of good happily ever after story and the possibility that there could be a supernatural Prince Charming lurking out there.
Alexandra lives in the Midwest with her husband and daughter. She is currently writing the The Vampire Destiny Series in which Josephine Anderson, a Psychic Empath, meets the undead man of her dreams. She is also working on her newest series, The Dark Hart Chronicles. In this series, we meet Savannah Wood and up and coming rock star Nick Hart.
Alexandra’s books are for adults only. They contain sexy vampires, graphic language, romantic/erotic content and situations that aren’t for the faint of heart. Consider yourself warned.
Contact Alexandra Anthony:
The Vampire Destiny Facebook Page
Alexandra Anthony Author Facebook Page
Twitter @AlexAnthony80
E-mail: alexandraanthony80@gmail.com
Amazon Buy Links:
Fated (The Vampire Destiny Series Book 1)
Illusion (The Vampire Destiny Series Book 2)
Awakening (The Vampire Destiny Series Book 3)
Barnes & Noble Buy Links:
Fated (The Vampire Destiny Series Book 1)
Illusion (The Vampire Destiny Series Book 2)
Awakening (The Vampire Destiny Series Book 3)
I’d like to thank Alexandra for being on my blog today and I wish her the best with Awakening. Don’t forget to join us at the Launch Party on Facebook 6 pm central tonight. Here’s the link - http://www.facebook.com/events/567608166598926/
Please note all book covers for Alexandra’s The Vampire Destiny series were designed by Ally Thomas. Learn more – Cover Designs by Ally.
December 13, 2012
Holiday Gifts of Love Blog Hop
I decided to participate again in a blog hop sponsored by Carrie Ann who is fabulous at coordinating these events! This is my second one to do!
How Do I Enter to Win?
First things first! This blog hop has some outstanding prizes you may win, 3 prizes actually. So let’s talk about those and how you can enter to win first before I share a free excerpt from my latest release, The Lady in the Mist, The Western Werewolf Legend.
We have THREE grand prizes.
1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet
2nd Grand Prize: A $200 Amazon or B&N Gift Card
3rd Grand Prize: A Swag Pack that contains paperbacks, ebooks, 50+ bookmarks, cover flats, magnets, pens, coffee cozies, and more!
(Please Note that Carrie has said some shipping cost on your end may apply for the above prizes.)
How Do I Win?
To enter to win one of these prizes, leave a comment on this blog article and include your email address. Carrie Ann and her volunteers will be stopping by to collect everyone’s entries.
Over 200 Blogs Participating
There will be over 200 Authors/Bloggers participating in this event. If you want to enter more than once you can do so. Actually you can enter over 200 times by posting a comment (with your email) on each blog that is participating in this blog hop. Go to Carrie Ann’s Holiday Gifts of Love page to see a list of ALL THE BLOGS and get started. But first, leave a comment here on my blog article please, after you read on.
Good Luck Everyone!
Merry Christmas!
A Christmas Gone to the Dogs
Perfection is a relative term in our house. When you have six dogs, perfection can be something as simple as everyone well fed and bedded down. It can also take the form of a natural alarm system – when everyone decides to bark at the doorbell ringing. But at Christmas, perfection is enjoying my furry family when the presents Santa has brought are distributed – ah hum – ‘torn into’. The joy our four-legged family shares with their humans is the best present we could ask for. My wish for you this holiday season is a little warmth, peace and a furry paw to reach out and say, “I love you!”
I’d like to share an excerpt from The Lady in the Mist, The Western Werewolf Legend. Tyler Loflin finds himself in a strange room and must defend himself without the benefit of clothing. What follows is his first meeting with the woman who saved him since that horrible night…
The sun shone brightly through the leaded glass in a jagged pattern. Reflecting in the quilt, the light shifted with each ripple in the fabric. Birds sang outside the window. Ty rolled to his side and moved to sit up on an elbow. When he did, a white-hot pain shot through his thigh before traveling down his leg. Fighting to take a breath, he collapsed back on the pillow and let out a muffled groan. Again, he tried to rise, this time with more caution. Still the action had hot needles stabbing him through to the bone. Sweat immediately popped out on his forehead. Reaching up to wipe his temple, he discovered a large bandage covered his eye and most of his scalp.
“This be a fine kettle of fish you’ve gone and gotten yourself into there, Boyo.” Maggie McVey’s Irish voice rang clear in the small confines of the room. The housekeeper’s colorful cliche held truth in every word, but Ty didn’t have to search the room to know the woman wasn’t there. The phenomenon wasn’t new either. Maggie’s voice would come to him at the strangest times. Perhaps she was his voice of reason in a world gone mad. “If you only knew, old girl, if you only knew,” he murmured to the empty room.
The sounds of pots rattling came from beyond the room’s only door. Ty struggled against the pain to sit up. Where were his clothes? His weapons? The room looked no bigger than a small porch. He wiped at the perspiration on his forehead. Trembling with the effort to remain upright, he lay back on the cool sheet. The noise stilled and he took another look around the tiny room. He lay naked down to his waist and when he raised the sheet to make sure both legs were still there, he found he was without clothing period. An oath left his mouth as he searched around the room again for any sign of his dirt-encrusted uniform. He spied his cavalry hat hanging over the back of the only other piece of furniture in the cubbyhole, a chair.
He had to admit, the situation proved better than he’d expected. The Great Spirit must’ve seen some benefit to keep him alive, seeing as how the last recollection he had before passing out was a young woman attempting to help a dying man. The pain in his thigh reminded him he still had a leg and his thigh felt cool to the touch. No infection! Ty breathed a sigh of relief. Besides his head wrap, a white bandage bound his ribs securely.
Fatigued already, Ty closed his eyes to consider what he would do now. Where he was and how he’d gotten there remained a mystery, but he still lived, which was as much of a surprise as he could stand at the moment.
Again the sounds of cooking came from the other room. Ty could hear one person moving about and the footsteps sounded light. A woman perhaps. The idea gave him some comfort. He doubted he could have defended himself against an attacker.
How long had he been out? What about his men? Were there survivors? He bore down on the memories as they came rushing back. He definitely had unfinished business with some Yankees. The enemy had laid in wait for the Rebels. How did they know his men would be coming through that particular spot? Responsibility weighed heavy as he went over the scene in his mind. His men were dead before any of them could retaliate. Deep in grief, Ty’s head came up when a soft squeak of the door hinge alerted him to an intruder.
Caught off guard, Ty flung the sheet back to meet his foe. Reaching for the tin basin on the nightstand, he drug himself up by the four poster’s simple wooden support. He stood, though precariously on one foot. Brandishing the tin pan as a weapon, he readied for an attack.
A slender blonde-haired woman stood framed by the doorway. The petite woman stared wide-eyed at his actions.
Ty tried to square his stance, but his injured limb sang out with white-hot shards of pain. He sucked in air while reaching for anything to hold onto.
The soft female form rushed forward to support him. She was no bigger than a hummingbird, he mused, yet she managed to right him easily enough. Her warm flesh pressed against his, sending the scent of her rushing through his already battered senses. Unable to stop himself, Ty groaned aloud. He allowed her to ease him back onto the mattress, but found no words to use in appreciation.
Watching her, Ty considered he’d have been no more dumbstruck than if he’d been hit up beside the head with an iron skillet. She was a vision. The first wave of lust eased enough, so he focused on a soft cap of her curls the color of warm honey. Her scent reminded him of a wooded glade, all earthy and natural, yet all woman. He couldn’t help but breathe her in. The young nymph settled him on the edge of the bed once more before taking serious stock of the situation.
“You’re much too weak to be trying to get out of bed, sir. Here, let me see you settled. I have some broth that will help you get your strength back. I’ll fetch a bowl for you. But, you must lay back now.” Her tone brooked no argument. Her voice floated through his brain like an elixir.
She had the voice of an angel. Ty could only stare. Her eyes were the color of a doe’s with a lovely almond shape. They gravitated to his body. Her stare branded him with a heat the likes of which he’d never experienced. . He’d never been so undone. “Are you real?” The question came out stilted and broken.
The woman blinked at his question. “Of course I’m real.” She inclined her head in his direction. “So are you.”
Hypnotic and intoxicating in the same breath, he mused. The Great One did have a sense of humor — what a cruel trick to play on an injured man.
Naked before her proved bad enough, but growing aroused in the presence of a lady did not a gentleman make. Ty chided his muddled brain to do something! Flicking a hesitant glance down, he said, “My apologies, ma’am. I’m not decent.” When he tried to right the situation, his injured arm balked and retaliated with more needles singing up his shoulder.
The young nymph stepped closer, deftly pushing him back onto the bed. With a practiced hand, she lifted his legs and gently settled him more comfortably on the mattress. Ty watched as she steered him further back into the pillows she plumped behind his shoulders. Soon, the errant sheet covered him to the waist with a blanket added for good measure. The slender, golden-haired nymph continued to busy herself by tidying the room. She seemed unaffected by his naked body as if she’d seen a man before. Of course, with the war on, she’d most probably tended countless Yankees in an effort to do what she could. Had she tended him? He didn’t know whether to be encouraged or disappointed by her reaction. Because, he, on the other hand seemed lost in her mere presence with no desire for rescue.
“There.” Satisfied, she took a step back to survey her handiwork. Giving him a stern frown, she explained, “I won’t be able to help you if you continue to attempt to undo my work, sir. Lay back and let me take care of getting you back on your feet.” She continued to watch him with a studied eye. “ You’ve had quite a blow to the head. There are several injuries, which required stitches. If I hadn’t happened along, you most certainly would’ve died from your leg wound.”
Ty’s good eye tracked the movement of her hand as her slender fingers shot out to stop him from reaching out to touch his injured shoulder. “Leave the wound alone. I understand they itch, but don’t pick at your stitches. The dressing is fresh, so if you continue to badger the area, you’ll have the wound bleeding again.”
“Who are you?” Ty’s question held fascinated curiosity.
“My name is Sonja.” The young woman’s hands dropped to her apron. In an absent gesture, she smoothed the fabric before adding politely but firmly. “Mrs. Sonja Brooks.” Without waiting for a reply, she headed for the door. “Give me a minute. I’ll bring you a bowl of broth.”
Watching her slim back disappear out the door, Ty relaxed back on the bed. “Mrs. Sonja Brooks.” He mumbled her name as he considered the fact she was married. Such a petite thing, slender in all the right places and round where a man’s hand could rest easy, Sonja Brooks could move a man to do dishonorable things. Ty found the idea disquieting, but to his liking.
The mounting questions as well as their answers stalled out though as she appeared once more with a tray containing the broth along with a tall glass filled with what looked to Ty like some sort of vegetable juice. Its dark red color resembled tomatoes. A basket filled with bread completed the offering. Ty’s mouth watered. For the life of him, he couldn’t find his tongue. Mumbling his thanks, he picked up the spoon. Intent on downing the meal in haste, he paused when she stopped inside the door.
“Take your time, sir. There’s plenty. I’m glad to see you have an appetite.
How long had it been since he’d eaten? Vague memories of hardtack wafted through his head along with chickaree coffee brewing over a low campfire. The taste of the broth and bread forced out all memories of his past hunger. The food surely tasted good! Ty couldn’t help the low groan which left his lips when he could see the bottom of the bowl.
With a swipe of his good arm across his mouth, he tried to voice his appreciation. “That was delicious, ma’am. Thank you for your generosity.” Hesitating, he glanced back at the empty glass before asking, “Did the juice come from your garden? I’ve never had any like that before.”
“Ox blood which will give you strength.”
“Ox blood?” Ty couldn’t help the quizzical expression, which crossed his face. Even his Choctaw mother had never offered him anything remotely similar.
Those doe eyes tracked his reaction with a slight quirk to the corner of her mouth. The hairs on his nape prickled with the reply she shared with him. When telltale color rose in her cheeks, Ty suspected the explanation held more than she acknowledged with words.
***
If you enjoyed this excerpt, please check out my FREE sample. Click here to download it. Also The Lady in the Mist (The Western Werewolf’s Legend #1) contains more of Sonja and Ty’s story for you to enjoy.
Share a comment and be sure to include your email address.
Enjoy the blog hop today! It runs through Dec. 17th and be sure to visit all the blogs participating and leave a comment on their article to enter to win!
December 11, 2012
Conquest is #3 on Amazon!
Congratulations go out to my writing friend, Victoria Embers. Her short story, Conquest which will be part of her upcoming vampire erotica anthology, is number 3 on Amazon! I’ve read Conquest and found the story to be an intensely satisfying read and certainly an enticing beginning to what promises to be a pleasure filled novel.
Victoria will be my guest on December 22nd, just in time for Christmas. Drop by and enjoy a talk with a lady who enjoys writing vampire erotica as much as we love reading it.
Now, 
I saved the best part for last – Conquest is FREE on Amazon as well as Smashwords. So what are you waiting for? Check out this love story for yourself!
http://victoriaembers.wordpress.com/freebies/conquest/
December 8, 2012
Featured Author – Trish Marie Dawson
More Coming Soon!
