Dani Collins's Blog, page 57

Goodreads Giveaway – An Heir To Bind Them

I’m giving away three signed copies of my June book over on Goodreads. You can enter here:

    Goodreads Book Giveaway
       

          An Heir to Bind Them
          by Dani Collins

            Giveaway ends May 19, 2014.

See the giveaway details

at Goodreads.

Enter to win

This post is short – I’m *this* close to launching my new website and wrapping up a few other things, then I’ll post more reliably, I promise.

But I hate that I’ve been such a scoff-law about blogging lately so here’s a teaser for An Heir To Bind Them. Jaya’s half in love with Theo and has gone into his suite at the hotel he owns. It’s her last day of work and she wants to say goodbye. She finds him on the sofa, arm over his eyes, seeming upset.

~ * ~

Blinking at the mess, Jaya told herself to back out. Men in a temper could be dangerous. She knew that.

But there was something so distraught in his body language, in the air even. She immediately hurt for him and she didn’t know why.

“Did something happen?” she queried with subdued shock.

“Jaya?” His feet rose in surprise. At the same time he lifted his arm off his eyes. “Did I call you?” Spinning his feet to the floor in a startling snap to attention, he picked up his phone and thumbed across the screen. “I was trying not to.”

The apology sounded odd, but sometimes English phrasing sounded funny to her, with its foreign syntax and slang. How could you try not to call someone?

“I don’t mind finding whatever paperwork you need,” she murmured, compelled to rescue the laptop and hearing the door pull itself closed behind her. “Especially if you’re dismayed about the way something was handled.”

“Dismayed. Yeah, that’s what I am.” He pressed his mouth flat for a moment, elbows braced on his wide-spread thighs. His focus moved through her to a place far in the distance. With a little shudder, he skimmed his hands up to ruffle his hair before staring at her with heartrending bleakness. “You’ve caught me at a bad time.”

For some reason her mouth went dry. She didn’t react to men, especially the dark, powerfully built, good-looking ones. Theo was all of those things, his complexion not as dark as her countrymen, but he had Greek swarthiness and dark brown hair and brows. With his short hair on end, he looked younger than his near thirty. For a second, he reminded her of the poorest children in India, the ones old enough to have lost hope.

Her hand twitched to smooth his disheveled hair, instinctively aware he wouldn’t like anyone seeing him at less than his most buttoned-down.

He was still incredible. His stubbled jaw was just wide enough to evenly frame his gravely drawn mouth while his cheekbones stood out in a way that hollowed his cheeks. His brows were winged, not too thick, lending a striking intelligence to his keen brown eyes.

They seemed to expand as she looked into them. The world around her receded….

“We’ll do this tomorrow. Now’s not a good time.” The quiet words carried a husky edge that caused a shiver of something visceral to brush over her.

She didn’t understand her reaction, certainly didn’t know why she was unable to stop staring into his eyes even when a flush of heat washed through her.

“I can’t take advantage of your work ethic,” he added. “It could undermine our employer-employee relationship.”

Appalled, she jerked her gaze to the floor, blushing anew as she processed that she’d been in the throes of a moment and hadn’t even properly recognized it as one until her mooning became so obvious he had to shut her down.

How? In the past few years, any sort of sexual aggression on a man’s part had stopped her heart. Terror was her reaction and escape her primary instinct. Wistful thoughts like, I wonder how his stubble would feel against my lips, had never happened to her, but for a few seconds she’d gone completely dreamy.

Her body flamed like it was on fire, but not only from mortification. There was something else, a curiosity she barely remembered from a million years ago when she’d been a girl talking to a nice boy at school.

If she had the smarts she always claimed to, she’d let his remark stand. She’d excuse herself to Marseille and never be seen again.

At the same time, as discomfited as she was, her ability to have a moment was so heartening she couldn’t help standing in place like someone testing cold waters, trying to decide whether to wade farther in.

~ * ~

Proper #SampleSundays will return with the launch of the new site. Seeya soon.

The post Goodreads Giveaway – An Heir To Bind Them appeared first on Dani Collins.

Winner!

I have exciting news! Proof Of Their Sin won the 2013 Reviewer’s Choice Award from RT Book Reviews for Best First Series.



I’ll be going to New Orleans to pick up the plaque and I’m taking my daughter. We’re pretty stoked. I’ll take photos

Also, I just received the cover for my August book. This is part of the series I wrote with Maya Blake and Victoria Parker, set in the notorious 21st Century Gentlemen’s Club, QVirtus.

Note: they don’t always act like gentlemen there. *wink*

I’m super stoked on this cover. Seems kind of retro and erotic, quite racy which is perfect for the story. And also for the contest I’ll be launching for my August books (yes, plural. There will be three.)

I have to keep this short, but more details on the contest will be here one the new website by (I think!) May 1st. The goal is sooner, actually, but I like to build wiggle room into my deadlines. Waiting for the new site is why I haven’t started my #SampleSunday excerpts for An Heir To Bind them yet.

Now I really have to run. I have an appointment shortly and I have to drop my son on the way. Poor MrC is going to wake up to an empty house and think it’s a weekday. He’s been working afternoon shift lately, getting home very late, and will start making his lunch and coffee while wondering if Friday will EVER get here.

I should leave a note, shouldn’t I?

More soon.

The post Winner! appeared first on Dani Collins.

Under Renovation

My website is undergoing a facelift and it’s causing my blog posts to disappear among other things. Hopefully this one shows up so you know I’m alive and am deeply sorry for any links that aren’t working.

Everything should be back to normal (better even!) by late April.

 

The post Under Renovation appeared first on Dani Collins.

More Stuff Behind The Scenes

This is the quickest fly-by to let you know that I’m making some changes to this website so if links aren’t working or other annoying stuff, feel free to let me know, but I expect it will all get worked out in the next few weeks.

I am alive, merely unplugging to write and catch up on some other stuff. (Like taxes, barf.)

Have a great week.

The post More Stuff Behind The Scenes appeared first on Dani Collins.

Behind The Scenes

I missed posting last Sunday, I know and I’m sorry. I had a blog from the week before walk out on me, probably in retaliation. I don’t know what happened, but I had a host of technology problems for over a week and I was so disgusted by the time I’d figured out most-but-not-all of it, that I went on strike when my blog post was due.

But stuff is happening here, even though you aren’t seeing much evidence of it. Not unlike how this pair of cougars keep sidling by my house, leaving footprints without being visible to the (mildly nearsighted) human eye.

Actually, these cats are one of the things keeping me busy along with updating software and restoring my mobile phone. I have about a million photos of these prints. MrC is like, “Yes, you’re right. Yes, they’re cat prints. Yes, they’re big. Yes, that’s another one. Put the camera down.”

I’ve also been booking some travel. (Shout out to Erica and Leslie!) Given I have three books out in August I feel it behooves me to attend both RWA and RW Australia (plus visit my half-Canadian, half-Aussie niece and nephew and teach them to pronounce their ‘r’s. My parents are there at the moment, but this is the sort of thing that needs constant  reinforcement.)

I’m working on revisions for my second erotica for Harlequin Digital First. You’ll see both come out as a boxed set in August under the titles:

Playing The Master
Mastering Her Role

Soon as I have covers and blurbs I’ll let you know.

I’m also planning a contest in conjunction with the August books. They all have a hidden identity, masquerade-ish theme so I’m working on tying into that. I’ve never organized a major contest and have enlisted help with it (hi Mel & Jen!). Watch for details once we’ve worked everything out.

What else? Hmm, I judged some books for a contest. We’re not supposed to give details, but I think it’s within boundaries to say that I was delighted to have an excuse to make reading a priority. I especially appreciate that I was pressed into trying some genres I wouldn’t typically gravitate toward. That’s pretty much all I can say, except to add that all entries were certainly professional and cleanly written, but two leapt off the page and grabbed my throat. I have set aside those books for further study.

Oh, something MrC helped me with has really cleared my head. I’ve been wanting to do a proper business plan and found some templates online. I talked through the various points with him which amassed into a crazy To Do list. He helped me sort the tasks into Critical and Nice To Have. WOW. May I recommend these two categories to everyone with too much to do? I still have a ridiculously long list, but I was getting pretty bogged down adding things that weren’t necessarily necessary.

I also had another Presents accepted so you can now watch for:

June: An Heir To Bind Them (#3 Makricostas, Theo’s story)
August: The Ultimate Seduction (21st Century Gentlemen’s Club)
November: The Russian’s Acquisition

My summer will be very busy, I know! I saw this today and wistfully wished myself into hot weather, but I have so much to do before the thaw that I’m probably better off as is. I’m working on Demitri’s story, these revisions are due in a few days, and I have all this promo to plan: adhesive notes and contests and bookmarks, Oh My! Let’s not even mention the website updates. It makes me sob a little to think of it.

So yes, the quiet blanket of snow is blessing, but a sign of Spring would be nice. And not that Spring Forward nonsense. Seriously, does losing an hour of sleep make sense to anyone anymore?

I’ll get back to work. (Actually, I’m going to cook supper. One of my Critical To Do’s is to rebalance my life so I’m not at this computer quite so much.) But I’ll see if I can scare up a decent sign of winter’s end before I go. How about a screenshot of the temperatures projected for this week. Double digits!! That will definitely help.

The post Behind The Scenes appeared first on Dani Collins.

State Of The Reunion

So I just cleared my spam and found this comment from a random website that is not owned by any of my family members:

Hi my family member! I want to say that this article is amazing, nice written and include approximately all vital infos. I’d like to see more posts like this

I know it’s not from family because I’m the bossy one and I’ll tell the rest of them what to post, especially what constitutes vital infos.

But it made me snort and also works with the nature of this gossipy post I’m about to write. No #SampleSunday today. I’m tapped out, which would make you think I’d rather post an excerpt, but I’d have to make some decisions about which book and whether it will be another Read Aloud excerpt from The Healer, like last week’s.

Plus, since I’ve had a number of reunions lately, it seems apropos to talk about them. In this photo, I’m with some of my wonderful author friends from RWA-Greater Vancouver Chapter. I’m in the middle with Kate Austin, Susan Lyons Fox on the left, Jennifer McKenzie and Nora Snowden on the right.

My daughter came home for Reading Week, which is another wonderful reunion. We drove with my sister to our old stomping grounds and stayed with friends I hadn’t seen since last summer. I caught up with my in-laws and a friend from high school I’d recently found through Facebook and we finally connected in person. She, as it happens, is organizing our thirtieth high school reunion. Yes, that makes me feel old.

There are probably more I should mention, but my brain really is tapped out. It was a very quick trip, but a decidedly blissful one. I’ve been going at such a pace lately and this was the first getaway I had where I wasn’t hyper-ventilating because I wasn’t writing every spare second. Don’t get me wrong, I have deadlines looming, but none with dementor-like ominousness. This is me breathing normally for the first time in months.

Although, I will admit there’s an element of denial and procrastination at play. I have a ton of travel arrangements to make for later in the year and really can’t face it yet.

The truth is, I’m looking forward to reconnecting with my husband and son now that I am returning to the land of the living. I was recently featured in a Spotlight at Harlequin Junkies where I was asked if I’d rather be invisible or be able to read minds. I said my family would likely say I’d been invisible for the last six months. (Proving that I already possess both qualities.)

Speaking of recent features, this week I had a great chat with Renee Bernard at Canned Laughter & Coffee. She’s lovely and so easy to talk to. I had a great time. Listen in and tell me what you think.

That interview wrapped up my promo commitments for A Debt Paid In Passion. I may have a Temptation Thursday on Caribbean Accents Book Review, but I haven’t heard back yet on a date.

Frankly, I’m relieved to have a fairly loose schedule over the next few weeks. You’ll probably see some posts here on Hustled To The Altar and The Healer, maybe some FreakyFridays, and definitely #SampleSundays on the June Presents, An Heir To Bind Them, starting mid-April.

Job One, of course, will be to build the page for this book which kind of sounds like work so I may procrastinate that, too. Apparently I have no work ethic without a deadline.

Oh! You know what I just remembered? I still have a copy of  my 2in1 with Jennifer Hayward (signed by both authors!) to give away. I’ll be drawing for that on Feb 28th from my newsletter subscribers. Click here to join if you’re not already a member.

So I’m not completely finished with promo, but that’s just a walk to the post office. I think I can handle it.

I usually close with buy links and all that blather, but hey, you deserve a break, too. Have a great weekend.

The post State Of The Reunion appeared first on Dani Collins.

#SampleSunday - The Healer Read Aloud

First, a big congratulations to the winners in the Love-Struck Valentine's Blog Hop. Lori won the loaded Kindle Paperwhite. Here on my site, I drew three names for digital copies of The Healer and notified the winners.

Don't despair if you weren't one of them! I will draw for a  second copy of that Mills & Boon 2in1 signed by both myself and Jennifer Hayward. (I have three. I'm considering my options for giveaways with that last one.) In any case, you have a chance on Feb 28th when I draw for that second copy.

And, remember that I always draw from my subscriber list when a book launches so you have a chance in June, with An Heir To Bind Them, and again in August, when I'll have THREE titles launching. More on that in another post.

In other news, I had a fabulous signing at Chapters in Kelowna last weekend. Big thank you to my sister for being on hand to take photos.

I've learned that when it comes to signing, it's quality not quantity, so a huge shout out to Tricia and Kristie for making the drive special to see me. Another big hug to the lovely senior who had never met an author before, but reads all the Harlequins. She was so tickled, she came back to tell me about her plans to make a cross-stitch banner for her bookshelf with my name on it. That is why you make a three hour drive to sell a handful of books, people.

That is why I'm motivated to make an eight hour drive (six if I let my sister take the wheel) to Vancouver this week. I'm really looking forward to the Reader/Writer Event at the Vancouver Public Library on Feb 19th. I won't be the only author and several writing pals I haven't seen in way too long will be there as well. I'm looking forward to catching up with everyone. Please come if you're in Vancouver.

If you can't make it, you can always listen to my radio interview on Feb 18th with Renee Bernard at Canned Laughter And Coffee. It will come on at 8:30 Eastern/5:30 Pacific.

This entire post seems to be a lot of talk about talking about books, which wasn't intentional, but it segues nicely into something new I wanted to try--a read aloud excerpt.

I’ve been wanting to do one for a while. I used to read novels to my kids quite often. The Tale Of Despereaux was one of our favourites (Dear Reader.) Since I've already posted six excerpts for A Debt Paid in Passion, my February Harlequin Presents, I decided to switch gears.

The Healer seemed the best choice for a few reasons. I've been looking for ways to bring it into focus for my fans. I wondered if some readers dismissed it when they see it labeled a Medieval Fantasy, thinking it's like Lord Of The Rings with fairies and elves and trolls. It's not. It reads more like a historical romance.

In fact, I nearly wrote it as a Scottish Highlander story, but that sounded like research (i.e. work), especially when I had this one magical/light paranormal element of a race of people able to heal. But if you love Jamie Fraser from Outlander, I think you'll fall for Vaun. He's somewhere between a Viking and a Highlander, incredibly protective with a wonderful code of honour.

The other reason The Healer makes a nice choice for read aloud is the scope of its story. I love offering sexy excerpts from my Presents, but I don't know that I want to read those aloud, even on tape in the isolation of my attic writing room! The Healer is a much bigger book (120,000 words as compared to 50,000 for a Presents.) The cast is extensive enough that I made a list of characters for readers to print (contains spoilers!) I even drew a map (then paid someone to make it pretty.) Print from The Healer page. The story itself is quite complex--epic even--so it seemed the best choice.

It's about four minutes long, two and a half pages (26-28.) Setup: Vaun is marching his men through enemy (Shote) territory when he discovers a camp of men. They appear to have one of his (Kerf) women enslaved, but after they battle to free her, she turns out to be Alvian, the race of healers his people fear. Since the rest of the march home will be treacherous, he keeps her with them.

This is my first try with audio and I know zilch about how to make it work. I tried it in Preview and it looks like you just have to hit the triangular play button and wait a moment while it loads. I recorded it on my Voice Memo on my iPhone so if the format doesn't work for you, please tell me so I can look into it.

[audio m4a="http://www.danicollins.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Healerp26-28.m4a"][/audio]

Have a great week!

 

#SampleSunday – The Healer Read Aloud

First, a big congratulations to the winners in the Love-Struck Valentine’s Blog Hop. Lori won the loaded Kindle Paperwhite. Here on my site, I drew three names for digital copies of The Healer and notified the winners.

Don’t despair if you weren’t one of them! I will draw for a  second copy of that Mills & Boon 2in1 signed by both myself and Jennifer Hayward. (I have three. I’m considering my options for giveaways with that last one.) In any case, you have a chance on Feb 28th when I draw for that second copy.

And, remember that I always draw from my subscriber list when a book launches so you have a chance in June, with An Heir To Bind Them, and again in August, when I’ll have THREE titles launching. More on that in another post.

In other news, I had a fabulous signing at Chapters in Kelowna last weekend. Big thank you to my sister for being on hand to take photos.

I’ve learned that when it comes to signing, it’s quality not quantity, so a huge shout out to Tricia and Kristie for making the drive special to see me. Another big hug to the lovely senior who had never met an author before, but reads all the Harlequins. She was so tickled, she came back to tell me about her plans to make a cross-stitch banner for her bookshelf with my name on it. That is why you make a three hour drive to sell a handful of books, people.

That is why I’m motivated to make an eight hour drive (six if I let my sister take the wheel) to Vancouver this week. I’m really looking forward to the Reader/Writer Event at the Vancouver Public Library on Feb 19th. I won’t be the only author and several writing pals I haven’t seen in way too long will be there as well. I’m looking forward to catching up with everyone. Please come if you’re in Vancouver.

If you can’t make it, you can always listen to my radio interview on Feb 18th with Renee Bernard at Canned Laughter And Coffee. It will come on at 8:30 Eastern/5:30 Pacific.

This entire post seems to be a lot of talk about talking about books, which wasn’t intentional, but it segues nicely into something new I wanted to try–a read aloud excerpt.

I’ve been wanting to do one for a while. I used to read novels to my kids quite often. The Tale Of Despereaux was one of our favourites (Dear Reader.) Since I’ve already posted six excerpts for A Debt Paid in Passion, my February Harlequin Presents, I decided to switch gears.

The Healer seemed the best choice for a few reasons. I’ve been looking for ways to bring it into focus for my fans. I wondered if some readers dismissed it when they see it labeled a Medieval Fantasy, thinking it’s like Lord Of The Rings with fairies and elves and trolls. It’s not. It reads more like a historical romance.

In fact, I nearly wrote it as a Scottish Highlander story, but that sounded like research (i.e. work), especially when I had this one magical/light paranormal element of a race of people able to heal. But if you love Jamie Fraser from Outlander, I think you’ll fall for Vaun. He’s somewhere between a Viking and a Highlander, incredibly protective with a wonderful code of honour.

The other reason The Healer makes a nice choice for read aloud is the scope of its story. I love offering sexy excerpts from my Presents, but I don’t know that I want to read those aloud, even on tape in the isolation of my attic writing room! The Healer is a much bigger book (120,000 words as compared to 50,000 for a Presents.) The cast is extensive enough that I made a list of characters for readers to print (contains spoilers!) I even drew a map (then paid someone to make it pretty.) Print from The Healer page. The story itself is quite complex–epic even–so it seemed the best choice.

It’s about four minutes long, two and a half pages (26-28.) Setup: Vaun is marching his men through enemy (Shote) territory when he discovers a camp of men. They appear to have one of his (Kerf) women enslaved, but after they battle to free her, she turns out to be Alvian, the race of healers his people fear. Since the rest of the march home will be treacherous, he keeps her with them.

This is my first try with audio and I know zilch about how to make it work. I tried it in Preview and it looks like you just have to hit the triangular play button and wait a moment while it loads. I recorded it on my Voice Memo on my iPhone so if the format doesn’t work for you, please tell me so I can look into it.

http://www.danicollins.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Healerp26-28.m4a

Have a great week!

 

The post #SampleSunday – The Healer Read Aloud appeared first on Dani Collins.

Valentines Day Blog Hop

Feb 10-14, 2014, Winner announced Feb 15th, 2014

Grand Prize: Kindle Paperwhite loaded with 43 ebooks

To Enter for the Grand Prize, visit J.A. Garland Books

Plus, you could also win a digital copy of The Healer. Join my newsletter to enter!

 

 

Hop Along to these Participating Authors

Celia Breslin

Pippa Jay

Mimi Sebastian

Cecilia Dominic

Jude Johnson

Isabella Norse

Dani Harper

Rita Bay

Allison Knight

Joyce Proell

Holly Hunt

Ceci Giltenan

Ute Carbone

Cassiel Knight

Audra Middleton

Angela Kay Austin

Morgan Wyatt

Liz Crowe

Susan Frances

January Bain

Linda Rettstatt

Kelly Martin

Pauline Creeden

Christina Cole

Graeme Brown

The post Valentines Day Blog Hop appeared first on Dani Collins.

Love-struck Valentine’s Day Blog Hop!

No #SampleSunday this week, just a quick catch up on a few things. First, I’m participating in the Love-Struck Valentines Day Blog Hop this week with over forty other authors. Details are below or check back here anytime this week.

Grand Prize is a Kindle Paperwhite loaded with 43 ebooks. You can also join my newsletter to enter for an ecopy of The Healer.

In other news, I had a wonderful signing at Chapters in Kelowna yesterday. (Thanks Michelle and Morgan!) The focus was A Debt Paid In Passion, but a few walked away with the 2in1 More Than A Convenient Marriage? too. Shout outs to Sherrie & Kristie and Tricia for making the long drive special to see me!

I have one more event on Feb 19th at the Vancouver Public Library, then I’ll be hibernating and writing solid for a couple of months. I have some fun ideas for #SampleSunday, however, so please keep checking back if you’re a fan.

I have my sister in house this weekend, so I’m keeping this short, but there are a lot of books and other prizes to win on this blog hop, so be sure to check it out. (Note: Most of the links won’t work until tomorrow, Feb 10th, but I wanted to give you a taste of what’s in store.)

Feb 10-14, 2014, Winner announced Feb 15th, 2014

Grand Prize: Kindle Paperwhite loaded with 43 ebooks

To Enter for the Grand Prize, visit J.A. Garland Books

Join my newsletter to enter for an ecopy of The Healer!

Hop Along to these Participating Authors

Celia Breslin

Pippa Jay

Mimi Sebastian

Cecilia Dominic

Jude Johnson

Isabella Norse

Dani Harper

Rita Bay

Allison Knight

Joyce Proell

Holly Hunt

Ceci Giltenan

Ute Carbone

Cassiel Knight

Audra Middleton

Angela Kay Austin

Morgan Wyatt

Liz Crowe

Susan Frances

January Bain

Linda Rettstatt

Kelly Martin

Pauline Creeden

Christina Cole: Donating e-book only

Graeme Brown: Donating e-book only

The post Love-struck Valentine’s Day Blog Hop! appeared first on Dani Collins.