Catherine Wolffe's Blog, page 21

Featured Author – Greta van der Rol

Greta van der Rol recently released her book, “Black Tiger” and it has received great reviews! One Amazon reader said, “Black Tiger is magic. A vivid, affectionate portrait of India, and a passionate call to support the campaign to save the tigers. The romance is hot and believable, the writing assured. The complexities of family relationships aren’t resolved by magic. There is a solid reality to this story.”

I’m very excited to have her on my blog today as a featured author and can’t wait to pick up her book. It is available at Amazon by the way. Click here.

Click the image to view at Amazon.

What is “Black Tiger” About?

He haunts the jungle – and her dreams

When Dr. Sally Carter travels to India to regroup from a broken heart the last thing she wants is to fall in love. But Raja Asoka (Ash) Bhosle is entirely too attractive to ignore, even though she knows it can only end in tears. Hers.

Ash guards his forest and the precious creatures within it, protecting the rare tigers from mindless slaughter, and a secret that lives in legend. From the moment he sets eyes on the Australian doctor, he wants her, even over the objections of his mother and the unsuitability of her cultural heritage.

While Ash fights tiger poachers, Sally struggles against cultural prejudice. Can the Legend of the Black Tiger be the bond that brings them closer together, or will it be an impossible belief that rips them apart. The closer Sally comes to understanding what the legend means, the more frequent the nightmares become. Is she losing her sanity, or is there more to Sally than she herself knows? The answers lie buried in her past.

When the Black Tiger breaks free to stalk the night, only one thing will control the beast.

***

Catherine: Greta, thanks for joining me today.

Greta: It’s great to be here. Thank you for hosting me on this blog tour to introduce my new paranormal romance novel, Black Tiger.

How did you come up with the title?

I wanted something about tigers and something that came across as a bit spooky, since it’s a paranormal romance. My first thought was Shadow of the Tiger (a title that makes sense in the context of the book). But then I went with Black Tiger because that’s the name given to the legendary beast in the book. It’s also shorter, so easier to read on an e-book cover.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

First and foremost, I’ve written a paranormal romance intended to entertain readers. I very much hope that while they’re being entertained, a few facts might filter through. Wild tigers are under threat of extinction – because of us. We encroach on their habitats and (worse) we murder them for pointless traditional medicines. Trust me, soup made from tiger penis is much less effective in improving a man’s libido than Viagra. And sorry, but tincture of tiger whisker won’t cure toothache. However, those things are part of the story, mentioned in context. There’s nothing worse than being beaten over the head with a message. But I’ll add, for your readers, that all profits from Black Tiger will go to the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation to support tiger conservation.

What were the challenges (research, literary, psychological, and logistical) in bringing it to life?

There were a lot of challenges in creating Black Tiger. For a start, it’s set in India, Hong Kong and Melbourne (Australia). And in India, I move between a tiger reserve, a palace, and the slums of Mumbai. Having studied Indian history at university, I had some background in Indian culture. I’ve visited Hong Kong and lived for quite some time in Melbourne. But even so, I spent a lot of time using Google Earth and the internet to round out my settings. I also had an Indian friend read some early drafts and he helped me come up with things like correct character names. For depth on the tiger aspects I watched and re-watched several David Attenborough documentaries on tiger parks. I felt it was important to portray tigers correctly as savage, solitary hunters. They’re not cute, striped pussies like Tigger in Winnie the Pooh. Then I had to have sufficient understanding of the Indian were-tiger legend and weave that into my plot. And last but not least, I had to learn to write a romance – in as much as in this book, the romance is the major component of the plot. It wasn’t easy.

What books have most influenced your life most?

I don’t think any particular book has influenced my life, really. I had my nose in a book from the time I learnt to read and I have a very wide general knowledge as a result. I’m interested in… stuff. Astronomy, astrology, magic, physics, history, geography, animals. You find all that stuff in books.

What authors have influenced your life and writing?

I write mainly science fiction so my main choice of reading material has been SF. So people like Isaac Asimov, Jules Verne, Arthur C. Clarke, Jack McDevitt, Elizabeth Moon, Anne McCaffrey, Douglas Adams, Timothy Zahn et etc. In the SF romance genre Linnea Sinclair is a stand-out. (I do think I write a bit like her) Then there’s a whole raft of fantasy titles and rather a lot of crime books. Agatha Christie comes to mind. My very favorite author is Terry Pratchett. I have all his books. But I don’t write like him. Nor do I write like Tolkien, another all-time favorite.

Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?

Oh, lots. Toby Neal’s crime series are great. If you like thrillers, Fred Limberg won’t disappoint and I’d recommend N. Gemini Sasson’s historical fiction books. In the romance field, take a look at Nya Rawlins, who writes gritty, atmospheric stuff with real vampires (no sparkles).

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

This might surprise you. The romance. Most of my other books are science fiction romance – fast-paced space operas with romance as a sub-plot. I knew writing the romance part wasn’t my strongest suit, so I asked for, and received, help from a number of writing friends. It took a lot of hard work and many revisions, but I’m told I got it pretty right.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Readers, I hope you enjoy my books. If you don’t, that’s okay. There are lots of books, famous ones, that I don’t like for a variety of reasons and no-one can please all of the people, all of the time. My aim is always to entertain, to help you while away a few hours in another world.

Catherine: Thanks for sharing with us today.  We wish you the best of luck.

Greta: Thanks for having me.

About the Author

Greta van der Rol loves writing science fiction with a large dollop of good old, healthy romance. Black Tiger is a slight departure from her usual genre, because it’s contemporary and paranormal., but, like her other books, it’s fast-paced and action-packed. She lives not far from the coast in Queensland, Australia and enjoys photography and cooking when she isn’t bent over the computer. She has a degree in history and a background in building information systems, both of which go a long way toward helping her in her writing endeavors.

She also has a love for animals and nature, which is why all profits from the sales of Black Tiger will go to the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation to help tiger conservation.

Contact her at the following links:

Website: http://gretavanderrol.net

Twitter: http://twitter.com/GretavdR

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Author.Greta.vanderRol

Amazon Author Page

The Vampire from Hell – Review

 When you don’t want to go into the family business and bucking your father can get you killed, what do you do?

If you’re Rayea, daughter of Satan, you get the hell out of Hell!

Rayea discovers what life can truly be like with a trip to the House of G, earth and plans to return to hell to face her greatest fear – her family.

Ms. Thomas paints a vivid picture of a young woman’s trip in self-discovery while trying to do the right thing for those she’s come to care deeply for.  She chooses a different path from the one her father chose for her – will she survive?

The Vampire from Hell, Part 4 should answer the question.

I loved the concept of a fire shooting vampire who uses the internet to learn all she can about humans.  She wants desperately to be one, but living among them is a good second choice.  Her journey is fraught with conflict and puzzles she must solve because lives depend on her. Strong and smart mouthed, Rayea is a wonderful heroine.  I loved this fantasy paranormal book!

Learn more at http://www.allythomas.com or Download Part 1 for Free.

    

Featured Author – Lindsay Avalon

Today is a very special day on my blog because it starts off the first day of a blog tour for one of my writing friends. It’s a very exciting day!

Linsday Avalon begins her blog tour for her upcoming book, Breaking the Nexus which will be released on the 12th of the month. Linsday’s action-packed paranormal romance will be released on on Amazon in ebook and print!! To celebrate, Lindsay will be holding giveaways throughout the month and a release day party filled with games and plenty of prizes! I’m honored that she picked my blog today to start her tour.

The blog tour runs from Dec 1-31 and there are over 40 blogs participating! Join Linsday on each stop as she shares exclusive snippets from the book, answers interview questions, or guest posts. Be sure to leave a comment to enter for your chance to win prizes! Don’t forget to enter the rafflecopter grand prize giveaway while you’re at it! Prizes include Breaking the Nexus swag, ebooks, custom jewelry, and more!

For a complete list of blogs participating, dates of special giveaways, the grand prize rafflecopter, and a list of the amazing authors generously donating books and swag, check out the special page on Lindsay Avalon’s blog: http://lindsayavalon.blogspot.com/p/breaking-nexus-blog-tour.html or click the image below.

Enter Lindsay’s Rafflecopter Giveaway

Click the image to view Linsday’s blog tour.

Click the cover image to learn more about Lindsay’s blog schedule.

What is “Breaking the Nexus” about?

Throughout history, myths and legends of extraordinary creatures have been told and retold. Fantastic tales of demons and banshees, gryphons and dragons, and of course, magic. Stories that every child grows to learn are nothing more than fantasy…or are they?

Beyond the world you see lies a hidden realm, the Mythrian Realm, inhabited by all of the creatures you’ve been told are mere fiction. Only one thing lies between humans and the truth: the Nexus. A magical barrier erected millennia ago to separate the two realms, it has stood the test of time. Until now.

For Mythrian Sha Phoenix, magic is nothing new. But when she stumbles upon a portal on the verge of collapse, her fate will forever change. Pulled through the portal into the Human Realm, she lands in the middle of Detective Connor Flynn’s brutal murder scene. Soon it is obvious someone is using blood magic to try to bring down the Nexus. Together, Connor and Sha must work to unravel the secrets before the barrier falls and the realms collide.

The Nexus is breaking and all hell is about to unleash…literally.

Excerpt from “Breaking the Nexus” by Linsday Avalon

Sha floated, surrounded by a cold, dark abyss. This must be death.  It was rather peaceful in a way and at least she didn’t hurt. The thought hadn’t finished forming when jagged shards of pain radiated through her body. By the flame. This was almost as bad as mage fire. She clenched her teeth, pride the only thing keeping her scream of agony locked in her throat. She wasn’t dead, though whether that was a blessing or a curse remained to be seen.

Forcing herself to steady her breathing, the deafening roar in her ears subsided to a low howl as she worked to push aside the pain. Backlash was brutal; the Gate must have collapsed, sending out a wave of raw energy that her mind had attempted to absorb. Talk about sensory overload, it was a minor miracle she still had her wits about her.

Gradually she grew aware of her surroundings, the surface beneath her body cold, hard, and…sticky? What the hell? Maybe she’d been hasty in assuming she’d kept her wits. The last thing she remembered was walking into the forest clearing. Trepidation welled up inside her body. Inhaling, she barely stopped herself from expelling what little she’d had for breakfast that morning. The stench of blood and Goddess only knew what else sent her stomach roiling. She had a sneaking suspicion she wasn’t in Mythria anymore.

“Right, let’s just state the obvious, shall we? And now I’m talking to myself. I’m going insane, that’s it.” Since Luca hadn’t teased her for muttering to herself, nor had he asked if she was alright, she surmised he was either missing or unconscious. “Stop being a baby and just open your eyes. What’s there to be afraid of?”

Steeling herself, she pried open one lid. The dawning sun lanced into her brain, triggering a resurgence of her headache. Could this day get much worse? As her vision cleared, she wanted to kick her own ass for taunting the fates.

“Hey miss, you alright? Cops are on their way. Do you know what happened?” The voice was unfamiliar, the accent not quite like anything she’d ever heard before. Her eyes narrowed, trying to bring her surroundings into focus. Holy hell. She was in the Human Realm. Lying in an alley. In a pool of blood; a lot of blood, though not hers since she’d notice  losing important limbs or acquiring new holes. A commotion nearby drew her gaze to a crowd of strangers growing larger by the minute, all eyes fixated on Sha. Yup, she’d been an idiot to tempt fate.

Struggling to pull herself upright, she waved off the hands outstretched to help. “Fine, I’m fine. Just dazed, I think.”

A shrill scream amplified the pounding in her head. Why did some women have to sound like the infernal banshees that roamed the Enigma Forest?

“Oh my God! There’s a body over here! Oh my God, that woman’s covered in blood! She had to have done it! She could be armed!”

###

Learn more about Lindsay’s Blog Tour, click here.

Enter Lindsay’s Rafflecopter Giveaway

Visit Lindsay at these links Amazon Author page | Lindsay’s blog | Facebook | Twitter

Lindsay’s Bio

I am a wife, a programmer, and now an author. I have an adorable mini Schnauzer and more books than I have room for. I love reading romance because no matter what may be happening in my life, I can always count on my books to end happily ever after. The day I met my husband was the day I truly began believing in happily ever after. After hearing me complain a few too many times that I had “nothing” to read despite the hundreds of paperbacks scattered around the house, my husband began suggesting I write my own stories. When I finally took his advice I discovered that although I enjoy my day job as a software engineer, my true calling is to be an author.

My sister drilled into me an appreciation for fantasy and mythology, something I try to bring to my books. My debut novel, Breaking the Nexus started as a book written for NaNoWriMo and has grown to so much more. It was the conduit that introduced me to a fantastic group of independent authors who have changed my life in unimaginable ways.

When I’m not writing, I’ve found a passion for blogging and interviewing fellow authors. I also love reading (of course!), baking, crochet, sewing sock monkeys, playing video games, and all sorts of random crafts. I have an incurable love of rubber duckies and stuffed animals, and I believe nobody should have to grow up if they don’t want.

Once Upon a Twisted Time – Autographed copy to launch Breaking the Nexis Blog Tour with Lindsay Avalon

Lindsay Avalon’s latest release will be featured on my blog tomorrow as her blog tour kicks off.  She’s graciously agreed to provide an autographed copy of Once Upon a Twisted Time as a gift for one lucky blogger who leaves a comment on my blog!  Drop by and visit!  Leave a few words of support for this talented author and be automatically in the drawing for the autographed copy of the anthology, Once Upon a Twisted Time!  Here’s a link to Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/d7o3xqk            

Check it out and please follow my blog - 

I’ll be doing interviews with the following authors. Be sure to check back for their featured guest spot. If you’re an author and would like to be featured on my blog, go to Guest Author Guidelines for more information.

UPCOMING GUESTS

Dec. 1 – Lindsay Avalon

Dec. 8 – Greta van der Rol

Dec. 9 – Trish Marie Dawson

Dec. 16 – Alexandra Anthony

Coming in January – Dorothy Dreyer

Victoria Embers – Today’s Guest Author

Today our featured author is Victoria Embers and I’m very excited to have her on my blog today. She has recently released her first short story called “Conquest” and I can tell you it is one hot read! But I will have to admit it left me wanting more. At only 2,500 words, it’s a quick read!

I asked Victoria several questions in this interview for my blog. First let me tell you that Victoria has “Conquest” FREE on Smashwords. You can download the first short story in her series, My Vampire Lover. Click here for download options.

Show Your Love:

Please go to her book page on Amazon or her Author page and Like them by clicking the Like button. This really helps Indie Authors get their rankings up in the Amazon world.

Now on to the interview:

Catherine: Thanks for being on my blog, Victoria. I think you are the first author I’ve featured who writes about vampire erotica. So I need to ask you before we learn more about your series, what is an erotic short story series and why did you decide to release your stories separately and not in one full book?

Victoria: That’s a great question, Catherine and by the way, thanks so much for letting me be on your blog.  Yes, I’m writing my series, My Vampire Lover as a serialized series of short stories. I have the attention span of a ferret and I have heard other Indie authors say that it is very tough to write a full 80,000 or 100,000 offering of an ebook. I learned recently that an ebook that size is called an Epic. That was too scary for me and too much pressure and I am a very impatient person when it comes to getting tasks done. So with that in mind, I thought releasing each story separately would be something I could accomplish, start small and build on it. Does that make sense?

Catherine: It does actually. I haven’t thought of doing it that way before. So you’re confident in this approach then?

Victoria: To make a long story short…yes, I decided after a lot of soul searching to put myself out there in the sea of Amazon in a little boat, instead of a big boat. Lol! But seriously, I’m hoping to release a short story each month to readers, around the end of the month.

I think it’ll be a very exciting experience for both me, as a writer and the reader. I’m hoping if the reader is ready for my approach and that they will enjoy the anticipation of getting the next story, without having to wait too long. And I’ll get to learn more about what they think of the recently released story and get feedback. I like interacting with my friends on Facebook and other social networking sites, so I hope I get feedback from anyone who starts reading my series, My Vampire Lover. You know? It’s going to be fun.

Catherine: It does sound interesting. The interaction from readers is a really cool concept. Do you think you may shape the story depending on comments you get from readers?

Victoria: You know, why not? I think it may be a fun approach. I know I remember reading in school about how authors wrote for magazines and if the public liked a story or didn’t when it came out a month before, the author would re-shape or revamp, if I can use that word here, re-vamp the next story. I have no idea where this story of Caroline and Raphael is going, so I like that idea. Yes, readers can share their feedback with me.

Catherine: How long do you think each story will be? Who will tell the story? I know in this first story, Conquest your female lead is a werewolf. Will she tell the story?

Victoria: I plan for each story to be one scene or a few scenes, averaging around 2,500 to 5,000 words each. I’ve only written the first story so far of course, so we shall see. I’m working on the second one now. Originally I thought Caroline, my werewolf heroine who is kidnapped by her vampire captor who turns into her lover, would tell the story. It is called “My Vampire Lover,” but now I want to have each story go back and forth. I think that will be more fun. Caroline has told the first story from her point of view in “Conquest.” The next story will be told by her vampire lover. I like the name Raphael. He will tell the next story.

Catherine: Do you have a name for the second story yet? Or a cover?

Victoria: I think I like “Release” or “Redemption.” I’ll have to think more about it. Ally Thomas is doing all of my covers so I’ll have to talk to her. As long as I keep the title of each story short, I’m good to go. She gets fussy if I want a long title like Anticipation or Caroline’s Sensation.

Catherine: Redemption seems long, but I like it. I’m sure Ally won’t mind. She does all my covers and I love her work!

Victoria: I agree. I’m sure it’ll be fine. Lol!

Catherine: What is Conquest About?

Victoria: In the first short story, Caroline, a werewolf and golden guardian of the realm, has discovered a new love in her vampire captor. She’s willing to risk everything, even her life, to prove to him she loves him and has forsaken all others including her family and her pack.

Catherine: Do you have an excerpt you can share with my readers today?

Victoria: You bet! This is the final scene actually in the first story. Of course because I have an extreme love for vampires, Caroline gets bitten by her vampire lover straight away. It ends with the question of whether she makes it or not after he bites her.

WARNING! Please note explicit language and adult content is below. You must be 17 or older to view the following full sample.

I felt his warm, wet tongue dart in my mouth, sucklingly my bottom lip. A sting of pain surfaced.

I shrieked, quickly pulling away from him.

He held me fast in his arms. Our eyes locked.

Again I tasted the sweetness of blood, but this time it was my own. Carefully, I licked my bottom lip where he had bitten me.

Another gleam from the moon shone upon his face, his bright eyes sparkled with a savage knowledge beyond lust and desire, one of sheer hunger. He would be mine.

Before I could stop him, he slashed at his well-toned chest with his nails. Lines of blood formed across his muscles.

“Drink of me.”

Then he resumed fucking me fiercely, refusing to stop.

I stared at the streams of blood rolling down his chest as I rode him. The wolf in me instantly awoke. Warm rushes of power and hunger rose up in me. The wolf was coming for me and I wouldn’t be able to deny him.

“Let it go,” my vampire lover whispered into the night. “Drink of me. I’ll make you queen when Father dies and we’ll rule this kingdom together despite them.”

The moon bathed him in its lush glow and I couldn’t resist marveling at his naked form. He was exquisite. His thick, muscular chest glistened with blood and sweat and I held on to his shoulders as I drove my hips down upon his, feeling his magnificent cock serge deep inside me. Each stride I took sent me ever closer to him forever. I took his mouth with a savage intensity I had never known and then I lavished my kisses upon his chest, licking his blood and sweat in long, broad laps.

We will be together.

I leaned my head back, exposing my neck completely. “Do it. Do it now. He’s here!”

Answering my request, he pulled me into his embrace and sank his teeth into my neck.

I cried out, instantly thrusting myself upwards to meet his fanged kiss. A flood of raw, electrifying sensations exploded inside me and multiple orgasms rocketed through me.

He lifted me slightly off the bed and he drank from me, holding me gently in his arms the whole time.

I pressed my back into his firm hands and focused on meeting his tempo as I rode him. The room began to spin. Blood trickled down my chest, running past my belly button and along the inside of my thighs. A delightful shiver of fear passed through me as my vampire shuddered and came inside me. I will be his.

###

Catherine: Oh my god! That was wonderful! I loved it! Thanks again for being on my blog and I’d like to wish you the best of luck with your series.

Victoria: Thank you! I really appreciate it! Good luck with your books too. I picked up the sample of The Lady in the Mist yesterday.

Catherine: That’s great. Thank you. Let me know what you think.

Victoria: Absolutely. Thanks again!

Full Story is Free:

Remember you can read “Conquest (My Vampire Lover #1)” for Free on Smashwords. Click here.

Learn more about Victoria:

Victoria Embers splits her time between being a stay-at-home mom and reading vampire fiction. She believes good romance should make you purr while good erotic fiction should make you scream, but in a good way of course. Embracing her love of vampires and werewolves and the naughty situations they find themselves in, she’s currently writing an erotic short stories series called My Vampire Lover with a blend of paranormal romance and erotica featuring, you guessed it, vampires and werewolves.

Learn more about Victoria at these links Amazon Author page | Facebook | Twitter | My Vampire Lover series on Facebook | Victoria’s blog

Thrilled!

Some may say that reviews aren’t a true test of a writer’s skills.  Cynics give reasons like the review came from a friend or a professional reviewer.  I’m not here this morning to argue the point one way or the other.

Since I’m an Indie Author of e books and Amazon is my main platform for sales, I check my book pages out of habit several times a week.  Yesterday I came across this reader’s opinion of The Lady in The Mist, The Western Werewolf Legend.  Thanks in advance for allowing me to ‘toot my on horn’ this morning and bask in the warmth of writing for writing’s sake.

“This was the first time I’d read anything from this author. Add that this was also a new genre to me, I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by the talent of the author as well as the characters and plot. I can’t wait for the next book to be released!”

by Karen A. Huffman

Cover Reveal for Why Yellow Jackets Can’t Find the Hole by Jewels Moss

Why Yellow Jackets Can’t Find Hole

Jewels Moss

Midnight Fire Erotic Publishing

Cover art by Alexia Prudy

Release Date – December 15th

Please leave a comment and receive an excerpt from the book for your trouble.  Thanks for stopping by!

Confessions by Wendy Ely

Today I have the special pleasure of sitting down with the author of Confessions, Wendy Ely.  Thanks for stopping by, Wendy.

“Thanks for having me, Catherine.  I always love visiting with you and your readers.”

I know you have a lot to tell my readers today.  So let’s get started.

What motivates you to write?

This might sound weird but the need to write. I have to create the stories in my head or I’m not a happy girl.

How did you come up with the title for your novel?

For the Desert Secret books, I wanted all of the titles based on one theme: secrets. The first book in the series, Confessions, seemed appropriate because Chelsea returns to her hometown to confess her secret to Jordan.

What were the challenges (research, literary, psychological, and logistical) in bringing it to life?

The biggest challenge was life getting in the way of writing Confessions. I had a boyfriend totally disappear just as Chelsea did to Jordan. I had already written that part of the book when it had happened to me. I sat in my home and cried for a long time. I didn’t want to write the story anymore but knew I had to keep moving forward. I relived my pain while I revised the scene when Jordan confronts Chelsea about leaving all those years ago.

Who is your most popular character?

My most popular character is Chelsea because people can relate to her. People make bad choices in their life occasionally and not always get a second chance. Chelsea gets her second chance.

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Writing the difficult scenes. There are some gut-wrenching situations in the book and I had to feel every emotion along with the characters. It took me on a wild adventure.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

There isn’t an intended message in Confessions. I feel that reading is a personal journey and hopefully the reader will get something meaningful to them out of each of my stories.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Thank you so much for reading the books I write and I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to email me any time at authorwendyely@gmail.com.

Can you share a little of your book with us?

Set low to the floor, the bathroom vanity gave her a full view of her body in the mirror. She glanced down at the ink permanently marking her, above the soft dark red curls. Never allowing herself to look straight at the tattoo, she glanced away out of habit but decided this once she could look. After all, they were alone together in a hotel. If there was ever a good time for this, it was now. The fingers of her right hand slid over the ink as she walked closer to the mirror.

When they were sixteen Jordan had promised her his love forever. Instead of a removable, they felt it was more symbolic with something permanent.

The red ink of the heart stood out against her skin like blood on a white silk sheet. The handle of the knife sticking into the heart read “Jordan.” Did he still have his? Or had he visited the artist to have the knife handle colored in? She whirled around and turned on the hot water in the shower.

Confessions is available at Amazon. http://amzn.com/B00A3FVT84

Thanks again to Wendy Ely for coming by today.  Any questions or comments you have, please feel free to leave for Wendy or myself.  I appreciate all of you who enjoy my blog and look forward to hearing from you.

Black Friday’s Blog Hop

Click the image to view other blogs participating in this blog hop.

Today it’s time for another blog hop sponsored by Carrie Ann who is fabulous at coordinating these events!

Enter to Win

While the rest of the US is out handling the crowds, fighting for their holiday gifts, some of us like to stay in, shop online, or just ignore Black Friday all to together. This year, join us in our second annual Black Friday Blog Hop! It’s a ONE DAY hop where we’re giving away prizes, talking about books we love, and most likely eating left over turkey.

The hop is today, November 23rd and is ONE DAY only.

And while we do that, we are EACH doing a giveaway. Yep. There will be over 200 giveaways on each blog hosted by that Author or Blogger.

But that’s not all….

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 $75 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 the 3 prizes above, leave a comment on this blog article today Nov. 23rd. Be sure to include your email address. Carrie Ann and her volunteers will be stopping by to collect everyone’s entries. Carrie Ann will announce the winners on her blog a few days after the blog hop ends.

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 Black Friday page to see a list of ALL THE BLOGS and get started.

Black Friday

Tell us what you like about Black Friday or what you don’t like so much. Actually I haven’t participated in Black Friday, but I have shopped on Cyper Monday a few times. I love getting great deals without having to leave the house

Interesting Facts

Black Friday as a term has been used in multiple contexts, going back to the nineteenth century, where it was associated with a financial crisis in 1869 in the United States. The earliest known reference to “Black Friday” to refer to shopping on the day after Thanksgiving was made in a public relations newsletter from 1961 that is clear on the negative implications of the name and its origin in Philadelphia.


More recently, Black Friday has been exported to nations outside of North America such the United Kingdom by major online retailers like Amazon or Apple. In 2011, IBM reported online Black Friday sales were up 24.3% according to a study that included 500 retailers.


Cyber Monday is a marketing term for the Monday after Black Friday, the Friday following Thanksgiving in the United States, created by companies to persuade people to shop online. The term made its debut on November 28, 2005 in a Shop.org press release entitled “‘Cyber Monday’ Quickly Becoming One of the Biggest Online Shopping Days of the Year”.

All source on Black Friday is from www.wikipedia.org

Click the image to read a FREE sample of my current series, the Western Werewolf Legend.

Click the image to read a FREE sample of my current series, the Western Werewolf Legend.

Featured Author – Wendy Ely

I had the unique pleasure of sitting down with Noah, who is a character from the creative mind of today’s Featured Author Wendy Ely. Noah is Jesse’s brother and both brothers are interested in the beautiful, Samantha.

It was a great interview and I‘m really excited to read Wendy’s new book. Learn more below.

About Jesse’s Brother

*Reader’s Choice award winner! One woman, two men: a single summer to choose between them. Sacrificing a summer to fix her relationship with her mother and find out what’s troubling her father isn’t so bad…right? Wrong. Or so Samantha learns upon her return to Portland. As if family drama wasn’t bad enough, first comes Noah. Then comes Jesse. Samantha is torn between the way her heart skips a beat each time Noah looks at her, and the way Jesse’s touch makes her yearn for more.

Will Samantha be able to choose between the men before their secret crushes her?

Buy at Amazon. Buy as a paperback.

My Interview with Noah

Catherine: I read the book and loved it. I do have a question though. Why didn’t fight harder for Samantha?

Noah: It might seem like walking away from her was the easy way out. At the moment I figured that I had put my entire effort into our relationship. If that wasn’t enough then she didn’t really want me. No matter how much I loved her, I wanted her to be happy.

Catherine: You are the total opposite of Jesse. What is that like?

Noah: Hard growing up. Jesse seemed to always be my father’s mini. I tried to go along the same path but when I was older I realized that person wasn’t who I wanted to be. I’m down to earth and enjoy working with my hands. Jesse has always been the one who enjoys a fat wallet and expensive things over people. I would’ve been able to accept him for who he is truly if my family had done the same for me. They didn’t, so I can’t either.

Catherine: She spent a lot of time with both of you. How did the lack of time she spent on her farm escape your attention?

Noah: Easy. I work a lot and it isn’t a 9 to 5 job like Jesse has. I work with animals and there were times when I couldn’t get away. She could’ve slipped out to see my brother during that time. When I did notice that she was gone, she always slid around the topic and we caught up with each other later. Her disappearance was never really noticeable enough to be an issue.

Catherine: Noah, I really want to know about the sex. Do recent the fact that your relationship hadn’t been as erotic as it could’ve been?

Noah: I enjoyed the passion we shared, but I don’t think Samantha had it in her heart to make love with both of us. She had to work out her decision on who she wanted to be with first before she could take either of us to bed. I respect that decision.

Catherine: Have you ever found out the details of their side of the love triangle?

Noah: No and I won’t ever ask her. The relationship she had with Jesse belongs to them. It isn’t my business.

Catherine: Where is Jesse now?

Noah: I don’t know and I don’t care. I left my family for a reason and intend to stay gone.

Catherine: Thanks for visiting with me, Noah.

Noah: Any time.

Author Wendy Ely  is a contemporary romance author. She writes some romantic suspense, really hot stories, and the wonderful happily-ever-after.

Her latest book is entitled Dreaming of Him and is available on Amazon. She lives in Phoenix, Arizona with her own real-life hero and her two teenagers.

Visit Wendy at these links Amazon Author page | Facebook | Creative Manuscripts