R.E. Hargrave's Blog, page 413

GUEST AUTHOR: Jennifer Garcia

I'm excited about today's guest author; we all know her as "itlnbrt" or Jenn, and soon she will be making her publishing debut with Renaissance Romance Publishing! Please welcome her as she tells us a little about her upcoming projects, and of course, answers some of my random questions! 


Jennifer Garcia
What is your favorite daily wear attire?
I'm a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl. The beauty of jeans is you can dress them up with a nice shirt and heels or dress them down with a t-shirt and tennis shoes. My True Religion jeans are my favorite and most comfortable. 

How many pairs of shoes do you own?
I own a lot. I love shoes, but lately I haven't been wearing my heels. I broke my leg right above my ankle a few years ago and it still hurts when I'm on it a lot. So I stick with flats and a really good pair of tennis shoes when I walk a lot. 

Do you like dogs or cats?
Dogs! I was raised in a household full of cats, but realized as an adult I'm much happier with dogs.

Do you speak with your dog?
Yes, I have two very special dogs. I have an 80 lb. German Shepherd and a 165 lb. Cane Corso. They are like children to me. Since my Corso keeps me company all the time, while I do homework or write, we tend to have long conversations. Of course, I'm the one doing all the talking, but he's such a great listener. 

Which is the best vacation you've ever had?
A few years ago, my husband took us to Italy for about two weeks. We stopped in London for a day or two then made our way to Venice and traveled down until we got to Rome. It was the best vacation ever and one I know we'll never forget. 

Which is your most favorite book ever?
Last year, I found a book while browsing the New York Times Best Seller's List, The Shoemaker's Wife. It is a historical novel loosely based on the life of the author's grandparents. It was about their life from children in Italy, how they met, when they came to America, and how they fell in love. It was beautifully written and extremely emotional. 



Author Bio: Jennifer Garcia’s love of travel began when she traveled to the West Coast to visit her father at the age of three. Her home until she was sixteen was a small coastal town near Boston. She currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband, two sons, and two dogs.
Her lifelong love for reading and writing was put aside for many years while she made her way in the world and nurtured her young family. Even though she is older, and life never seems to settle, she’s finding her way while attending college full-time in pursuit of a B.A. in English Literature. She also runs a business, and is still caring for her family. Believing she can do it all, with the help of her family, she worked on her first novel during the late hours of the night while balancing the rest of her life during the day. Her hard work paid off, as her first novel, My Mr. Manny, will be published August 2013.
Find Jennifer on: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferGarciaAuthorhttp://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4771509-jennifer-garciahttps://twitter.com/itlnbrthttp://jenniferfgarcia.com

A note from the author: Stay tuned for my Beach Read, In My Mother's Footsteps, coming out July 2, 2013 and my novel, My Mr. Manny coming out in early August. 
Follow my blog and "Like" my Facebook page for updated info. 

REVIEW: Hunted by Lorenz Font

*I received an ARC copy of Hunted in exchange for an honest review.*


*****Huntedby Lorenz FontGenre: ParanormalLength: 392 pagesBUY IT NOW
Fanged, red-eyed creatures with a thirst for human blood? Check.

Sensitivity to sunlight and unknown to most humans? Check.

An intricately woven plot line that is sure to enthrall young and old, boys and girls alike? Check!

However, let me begin this review with one crucial warning: Don’t pull back the cover of Hunted until you are clearheaded, and will be left alone until you finish. Interruptions will not be welcome!

Hunted makes you think. This isn't a ‘sit back and enjoy the ride’ type of read; no, this is a ‘grab the reader and make them participate’ type of read. With a large ensemble of characters and multiple subplots the reader needs to have their wits about them to keep up, especially since the POV shifts throughout the book.

Font has created a new vampire world where the mythical creatures of old have been – revamped. (Excuse the pun, but you can read Font’s guest post on why her vampires are different HERE ). The predominant change is that her vamps are not immune to disease, and her male lead Harrow Gates is responsible. With this jumping point the author begins a gradual colliding and overlapping of four distinct paths: Harrow, Jordan, Demetrius and Goran, and the Tacks. There are a number of other characters, too, but for me these were the big ones.

Harrow lives with a certain degree of guilt, and is just trying to survive when we meet him. Jordan, on the other hand, is on a course of revenge for the wrongs done to her and her family and is willing to take down anyone that gets in her way – at first. Goran and his son Demetrius have their own silent issues with each other, but on a grander scale represent the bad guys. Goran has a fixation for red-heads, and what do you know, Jordan happens to be one! The Tacks are where the humans are introduced into the story when Pritchard Tack, billionaire, sets up a secret facility to try to help the diseased vampires of the world find a cure. Why? Because his daughter Allison is one of them.

Tack Enterprises becomes the central hub for the good guys, and where Jordan and Harrow get a chance to know each other. What follows is a humorous yet tumultuous budding romance. He’s diseased, she’s not – so until a cure is found any physical declaration of their feelings for each other is considered a bad idea. You’ll have to read the book to find out if they decide to through caution to the wind and risk it all for love.

"Yeah, I – have no idea how I got here in the first place." Jordan sighed again. Looking over the dark horizon in the moonlight, the shadow of the lit buildings cast an eerie glow, rendering the sight haunting – foreboding, even. Somewhere out there lived the man she was looking for, the one who had altered her life forever. Haste and impatient motivation would have to take a back seat if she wanted to find him and carry out her revenge. Careful planning was in order. Taking out a man as powerful as Goran without solid preparation was suicide at best.
. . . 
The thought of Harrow crept into her mind. The vision of his wounded expression never left her. It nibbled at the recesses of her subconscious, reminding her how hasty she had been and how far she had let her anger take her, when she'd dumped all her frustrations on him. She remembered with vivid clarity the wordless derision she'd felt and had manifested in her eyes; the timbre of her voice as she'd ordered him to stay away from her. Ignorance was bliss, and if she hadn't known what was wrong with him, she might still be able to keep herself aloof from the whole situation. Having learned from Allison and Pritchard what the disease was all about armed her with disgust for herself and took away the possibility of the detached approach she would rather have kept out of sheer self-preservation.


Hunted is only book one in The Gates Legacy, and so much is packed into it. I've touched just briefly on some of the many facets, but feel I should add that there’s something for everyone with this tale as long as the reader enjoys the paranormal: action packed fight scenes, tender romantic moments, bouts of humor that will leave you asking if that really just happened, questions answered and more created (it is a series after all), and for that final sweet awwww factor, there’s even an adorable, orphaned, little red-haired girl named Gail. She won the hearts of Harrow and Jordan, so I’ll bet she’ll win yours, too.

I'm a bit of a self-confessed vampire addict, and this book has trace elements that remind me of some of my favorites: Black Dagger Brotherhood, Anita Blake, and even a little Twilight. What are you waiting for? Get your copy of Hunted today (if you haven’t already!)

GUEST POST: Lorenz Font's HUNTED Blog Tour

I have two posts going up today as part of the Hunted Blog Tour, this one and my review of Font's debut novel which can be read HERE . I personally have a bit of a vampire fetish so when the opportunity presented itself to participate in this tour, I jumped on it and had to ask Font the question:

Vampire stories have been around for a long time. Can you tell us what drew you to write about them and have you created any new "legends" regarding the mythical creatures?


I’ve always been fascinated by vampire lore. I’ve read a few novels and seen some movies about them. I have to admit, there aren’t many new things we can write about vampires. It’s a monumental task to reinvent the wheel, so to speak. So what I have in Hunted are your typical vampires. They bleed, they feed from humans, they sport fangs and they are creatures of the dark. What sets Hunted apart in my humble opinion, is the plot, the story behind character’s struggles, their hopes and how they try to co-exist with humans. And I created a weapon unique to the story. If you would like to get a glimpse of the Kalimetal, please visit my blog or my website .

My take on these popular creatures spun from a conversation with a friend. He asked me what happens if a vampire has Aids.

I didn’t give an answer right away, but the question niggled at me. After a few days, I wrote the first chapter, but sat on it because I had other stories to write. After a few months, it got me thinking again. I’ve always fantasized about writing a novel, so I went ahead and took the first step in chasing my dream.

That’s when everything felt real and I began plotting the whole scenario about a diseased vampire. He is running from his own kind, who wants him dead.  Or should I say, deader? To make things easier for me, I went ahead and conceived a new disease. The excitement built up as soon as he partnered with a multi-billionaire who wanted to find the cure. The element of ‘new’ is captured in the weapons they used, the spread of the disease and the creation of a believable protagonist.

There’s more to Hunted that would make you yearn to read the next installment.  The ending will leave you wanting to find out about the characters’ efforts to gain freedom from a tyrannical leader. Then there’s the most important element in every story that I write—the romantic aspect that will keep you rooting for the hero and the heroine.

One thing is for certain, you won't be disappointed when you get your copy of Hunted and disappear into this new world of science and blood drinkers!  



Excerpt: 
   The loneliness gnawed at him hard. He had gone to visit his family several times over the course of the following years and had witnessed firsthand the sorrow in their faces when they thought they’d lost him. He watched his parents from the shadows and saw their hearts were broken, not knowing what had become of their son. Eventually, they passed away, and Harrow felt loneliness like a knife speared permanently in his heart.
   He was indeed a freak, as he’d been branded by Tor, but not for the reason Tor had concluded. Harrow was a vampire with a conscience, a disease, and a shaky future ahead of him. He was fucked — as fucked as he could get.





About the author:
Lorenz Font discovered her love of writing after reading a celebrated novel that inspired one idea after another. Hunted, the first book of The Gates Legacy trilogy, is her debut novel. Written in forty-five days, the grueling writing schedule was a personal challenge, even though she thought it was madness at first.

She enjoys dabbling in different genres with an intense focus on angst and the redemption of flawed characters. Her fascination with romantic twists is a mainstay in all her stories.

She currently lives in California with her husband, children, and two demanding dogs. Lorenz spends most of her free time writing while also working as a Business Office Manager for a skilled-rehabilitation hospital.

Where to find Lorenz Font:
Facebook Goodreads Blog Amazon Twitter

COVER REVEAL: The Journey of Champions

To Be Released by Renaissance Romance Publishing on April 9th!!
The Journey of Champions


Travis McCoy thought the journey home would be the hardest choice he ever had to make. It isn’t until he finds himself walking out the door and leaving his family behind that he realizes his journey is only just beginning. Now, with only a handful of weeks until Christmas, Travis tries to find his way back home. This time, he plans on staying forever.
The Journey of Champions is the second book in the Journey Collection. You can find the first book, The Journey Home, HERE


Lisa Bilbrey

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The Next Big Thing Blog Hop

The Next Big Thing ~ Blog Hop 06 March 13~ THE NEXT BIG THING – BLOG HOP

What’s a blog hop? It’s a great way readers can discover new authors! Here, I tell you all about my upcoming novella due to come out this July. You’ll also get links below to other authors I’d like you to check out. I’d like to thank fellow author Lisa Bilbrey for inviting me to participate.

You can find her HERE

In this particular hop I’ve answered 10 questions, giving you a few exclusives and sneak peeks … I hope you enjoy!

1. What’s the title of your book? Haunted Raine

2. Where did the idea come from? My publishing house announced an open call for "beach read" stories for their Summer Heat anthology which will be released this July. The beach is one of my favorite places to go, so I wanted to participate – but I like to think outside the box. Assuming that most of the submissions for this anthology would include tropical islands and fruity umbrella drinks, I asked myself what kind of beach story could I write that would be different. The answer I came up with: ghosts.

3. What genre does your book come under? I'd call this one a YA contemporary paranormal romance. 

4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition? Funny you should ask because I have a Pinterest story board for Haunted Raine with selections already made for three of my main characters: Raine, Rick, and Momma Faye.                                                                                            

5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? In an attempt to deal with a case of empty-nest syndrome, Rick and Raine Morrissey buy a beach house to flip; what they don't realize is that the house is haunted.

6. Is your book published by an independent publisher? Yes, all of my books are available through Renaissance Romance Publishing (retail links can be found HERE). 

7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? I spent several weeks working on this novella although it is shorter than my last one (Sugar & Spice). I needed to get it just right, and because of the different subject matters I opted to incorporate, more time had to be spent doing research in addition to finding "just the right words."

8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? I haven't read them, but I imagine it would be along the lines of R.L.Stine's Goosebumps series... because I've kept it at a YA level, the sensual bits are fade to black, and the spooky parts might make you look over your shoulder, but aren't going to horrify you!

9. Who or what inspired you to write this book? South Carolina has always held a special place in my heart, especially the beaches – I learned to swim at Myrtle Beach and Pawley's Island before I even knew how to walk. So when I knew I wanted to write a haunted beach story, one of the first things I thought of was all the ghost stories I used to read about the state, and I took it from there. 

10. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest? What started off as a ghost story turned into so much more: it became a story of family, history, and roots. What's more was that I found myself immersed in the Gullah culture so prevalent in the Carolina low-country it wasn't a big leap to find myself adding elements of the Vodun culture as well. I assure you, this isn't your usual sand and sun tale. Here's an unedited excerpt:


The view out of the window was blurred by the haziness of a pre-sunrise fog that I knew would burn off as the day warmed up. Despite the limited visibility I still found my gaze being drawn to a clump of trees off to the left – and a structure. There had been no mention of any outbuildings when we’d bought the property. I became dizzy, and for the briefest moment thought I heard whispering. Curious, I hurried back to the bedroom to get my shoes on, and then made my way outside, grabbing my purse as an afterthought while I rushed out the front door. Plotting a course toward the back of the lot, my feet carried me forward as my hand dipped into my purse to find my smokes. I came back empty-handed. Coming to a standstill I dug deeper in my purse, but to no avail. Just as I began to worry that either Rick had found them or they’d somehow fallen out when we were out the night before, a loon cried out in the distance and my head snapped up. Through the haze I could just make out a worn, yellow shack. Cigarettes forgotten I resumed walking, but the shack never got closer. By the time I reached the area where I could’ve sworn I’d seen it, I was standing in front of a charred foundation. A breeze picked up and the ends of my short ponytail blew across my neck. Wrapping my arms around my middle I shivered, and then gasped when my eyes landed on a red box poking up from between some bricks. With a shaky hand I leaned over and tugged on it. Marlboros. At the sound of a cackling laugh I turned and ran back toward the house, and the car. There had to be an explanation. Something along the lines of prankster teenagers were using the spot to sneak smokes, and the laugh, well, it was a bird or some other wildlife. My mind was just conjuring craziness because I hadn’t slept well, it was early, and I needed coffee. Lots of coffee. Hitting the edge of the house, I chanced a glance back over my shoulder and could make out the faint yellowed edges of the shack once again – this time a dark-skinned figure shrouded in white stood off to the side of it. Pain pierced my head. Once, twice I blinked, and they were gone.



Thank you so much for joining me. I hope you go on to read the authors listed below next Wednesday for their post. Please visit and "like" my Facebook page for additional teasers and updates.

Below are the authors joining me in the Blog Hop, next Wednesday. Do be sure to bookmark their sites and add them to your calendars for updates and New Releases! Happy Writing and Reading!

1. Allan Dubon

2. K.I. Lynn

3. N. Isabelle Blanco

4. Sarah Hart

5. Sapphire Kande

Thanks for stopping by and have a great Wednesday!

GUEST POST: Travis Simmons' The Mirror of the Moon Blog Tour

I'm excited to participate as a Blog Tour host with an official Jitterbug PR book release tour! Please welcome Travis Simmons as he tells us a little about his new book The Mirror of the Moon and I ask the question: What did you want to be when you grew up? Also, be sure to check out the rafflecopter giveaway at the end!





The Mirror of the Moon Blurb:With the death of one of the companions, Grace must answer for the secrets she’s kept. The path before them is ever lengthening in their quest for Amber. There are changes they all must face, and when Joya enters her trials of sorcery, danger lurks around every corner. The power within Angelica and Jovian is strengthening and with it comes confusion. What are they? It is painfully obvious nothing like them has ever existed before. Why is it at times they seem more one person than two separate people? With all the mystery surrounding their latent power, Angelica stumbles upon a passage in a book of sorcery indicating she is evil. Could she be the Mask prophecy speaks of? Is she destined to turn against her own flesh? To make matters worse, the Well of Wyrding (a giant well that controls all sorcery) has been breached and wyrd itself is spiraling into chaos.


What did you want to be when you grew up?
       There were many things I wanted to be when I grew up. In all honesty, writing never entered the picture until I was 14. At that point, reading all the fantasy I could get my hands on, I knew I had to write. I have folders and binders full of the stuff I wrote when I was a teenager that might make for some really good books in the future.
I went through the typical boy stuff: wanting to be a firefighter and/or a cop. After that phase, what I wanted to be always seemed to be swayed by what I was watching. When I was really young I wanted to be a witch (thank you Bewitched) or to live in Miami (thank you Golden Girls). Despite wanting to still live in Miami, I realize I can’t be the type of witch Samantha was.
There were some shows that really got me thinking about a career though. Judging Amy saw me wanting to be a lawyer. The show just made it look so fun, fighting crime using the law and then having a nice, supportive backdrop to come home to. Romance that was quirky, but yet not needed because of the fierce independent spirit I would show. But my interest in shows changed and with it my dream job changed too.
I started watching Chicago Hope, and I loved that show so much. I was addicted to Christine Lahti’s character. From then on, I wanted to be a heart surgeon. She was so fierce and independent and knew what she stood for. People respected her and she was in a position of power. Many people who watched the show didn’t like her because she was too outspoken I think, but that is what really made me like her.
Around the same time our home purchased their very first (and last) set of encyclopedias. I would sit there and read the short entry in the “H” book about the heart. I was convinced I was going to be a heart surgeon just like on Chicago Hope.
Looking back now, I kind of wonder if I really just didn’t want to be a strong willed, fiercely independent woman. Hmmmm.
I spent short mental stints as a chef. For some reasons mom loved the idea of my culinary dreams more than my medical aspirations. My greatest served meal was Ramen noodle soup. It was a delicacy you see, because so often we would have the non-soup variety. I would fold up the fruit print paper towel and serves sparkling water on the side and feast like a king. I think I even envisioned a talk show filming me when I entered my workspace and started up the water.
I could tell this was something of a calling for me. It all made perfect sense with the way my best friend and I used to make masterpieces with our play dough, or even in the gourmet mud pies we baked out back.
When I entered high school and hated most of my classes I realized being a lawyer or a doctor was out of the question. That didn’t really bother me because I had stopped watching all the shows that made me desire those fields. In fact, I hated English too. It wasn’t until our beast of an English teacher made us read any books we wanted and write reports about them that I stumbled upon the fantasy genre. It is odd to me now that I had never even known there were such books. I was reading books like Dragonlance and David Eddings and I had to stop myself because I kept thinking “Wow, I didn’t know they made books that were good!”
I think my mother was least impressed with my wanting to be an author. It is amazing the amount of people that don’t take that dream seriously. They try to bring you down, and they try to make you feel like you won’t be any good at it because you are just you and not destined for greatness so just fall into the fold already dammit! I must admit that writing wasn’t my first choice as a child. I wanted riches and power and an independent spirit (and maybe to be a woman), but I found in writing I have all of those things. In fact, I have all the independent spirits I want, they are called characters and my life is made so much richer for them.




Author Bio:
I have been writing since I was 14. I began writing a book called "The Calling of the Two" and while writing that on and off I started uncovering another idea.
"Yes, this is all well and good, but what about before? What happened in the world before these characters came into it?" I always knew there was a "before" and as I started wondering about it I got ideas. At first they were little ideas but as I discovered the names for my characters a whole story about them emerged.
I started working on The Revenant Wyrd Saga several years back and I am very happy I did because hearing and documenting Jovian and Angelica's story has been one wild ride.
I live in a remote part of upstate New York and honestly just hoofing around my neck of the woods gives me a ton of inspiration for my novels. I love research, and I love speculating on different ideas and theories.
Where you can find Travis Simmons:Website
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Enter below for your chance to win 1 of 5 print copies!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

GUEST AUTHOR: N. Wood

Today I get to welcome friend and fellow author N. Wood. Recently I reviewed her m/m novel My Bittersweet and today she's back with a new tale to share! So, without further ado:

N. Wood

Let's take a peek inside Ms. Wood's head and see how she handles some off the wall questions:
1. What is your favorite color of socks to wear?  Alternating pink and grey stripes.
2. Name one actor/actress you would love to get naughty with?  Jackson Rathbone of course :D
3. Which is the best vacation you've ever had?  Spent a week in Scotland with my best friend, we've been online buddies for thirteen years. I got to see Glasgow, went on a tour and we even saw a little of that new Tom Cruise  zombie movie being filmed there. The only downside was the distance, after 16 hours on a bus my butt was numb.
4. If given complete freedom to start afresh, what profession would you choose and why?  When I left school I wanted to be a paramedic, so I'd probably do that just to see what my life would have been like had I followed that ambition.
5. What is your idea of fun?  I like taking lengthy walks on the beach with my dogs and my boyfriend, and I enjoy swimming as well. On Mondays and Thursdays I do both so that's fun to me. Get up, have breakfast, walk the dogs, write or edit during the afternoon then swimming at night.
6. What is the craziest thing you've ever done? Well I once shoplifted a dog chew lol. I only had enough money for one and I had two dogs.
7. What is the funniest prank played on you or played by you? On April Fools Day a few years ago I made my boyfriend a big mug of coffee with salt in it and gave him two chocolate brownies as well. He ate the brownies and because they were a bit dry he took a massive swallow of coffee and choked it up everywhere. 
8. Which is your most favorite place in this earth? Scotland!
9. Do you suffer from sleepwalking?  No, but I sleeptalk. One time my boyfriend told me that he'd woken during the night and I was talking about soup. Another time apparently there were three things I needed to do for Peter Facinelli...mmmmmm
10. If I came to your home and looked inside the refrigerator, what would I find?  Lots of bottles of diet coke, milk, satsumas, apples, pears, bacon, cheese, butter, orange juice and my boyfriend's asthma medicine lol.
I love asking these questions, I always get the greatest answers! Great job, Nat ;)So, lovely readers, would you like to hear about her next book? Yeah, me too . . .
Following an accident that rendered him mute when he was fourteen, Alex Carter relocates to the small town of Blackwood with his dad for a fresh start. Having endured ridicule and bullying for the past five years, he isn't looking forward to starting at a new college. Enter Wesley Hunter, a fellow nineteen year old who has been assigned as his guide around campus and his personal translator. Affection can be just as sweet from an unspoken heart.

Excerpt:
“I take it you like history if you chose it as a subject.” Wes’s voice sounded further away and I turned to see he was leaning against a wall outside a closed door. I figured this to be our history room.
With a last glance to the display, I turned and walked over to join him, giving a small nod. *It’s one of my best subjects. I like learning about the past and our ancestors, things like that.*
“What’s your favorite era?” he asked.
I stopped beside him and leaned against the wall. He turned his head so he could see my response. *I’ve always found Ancient Egypt to be interesting, with all the pyramid building and their different Gods...and the death process.*
“Death process?” He raised his eyebrows in confusion to what I meant.
*Yes, you know, the…process…bandages and pulling brains out the nose,* I signed, trying to explain what I meant.
“Oh, you mean mummification?” I nodded with relief as he understood what I was getting at. He chuckled and shook his head, giving me a light punch to the arm. “Then why didn’t you just say that?”
*Because I don’t know how to sign…that word,* I replied.
Wes tilted his head back and let out a laugh. It didn’t last long as he remembered to be quiet since class was still in session on the other side of the door. I didn’t mind the laughing because it was him, but for good measure I playfully punched his arm like he had done mine. It set him off again and he had to cover his mouth.
*Well what’s our class currently studying?* I asked, changing the subject in an attempt to quieten him.He stilled his chuckles and lowered his hand from his mouth. “We’re studying the American Civil War.”
If I had the ability to groan I likely would have. As the smile dropped from my face, he tilted his head questioningly.
*I’m guessing there’s not much support for the Confederate side up here,* I signed, explaining the expression he must have seen on my face. *Everyone is going to take the piss when they find out I’m from Texas.*
Shrugging his shoulders, he leaned off the wall as the class ended and moved closer to me so the door wouldn’t swing out and hit him. “You’re a gay Texan, Alex. I highly doubt you’re anything like the Confederates. Besides…” He raised his hands towards my neck. Instinctively I pulled back as far as I could to the wall, but it didn’t faze him. His fingers met the red fabric of my scarf and lightly pulled it higher on my throat to cover the scars, his movements remaining gentle. “This is a new millennium. No one cares about what others believe anymore. They just care about their own beliefs and thoughts - oh, and the Confederates lost big time.”
He grinned wide and stepped back as I threw out my hand. Despite ducking it still connected with his shoulder and he laughed again. He rubbed his arm but I hadn’t hit him too hard. As the hallway became filled with students swarming out of rooms, he moved closer to avoid being swept away with the crowds.
His chuckle faded, overtaken by the sounds of students all around us, but somehow all noise was lost and we had focus only for each other’s eyes. For several seconds he looked as though he was going to lean in and kiss me again, which wouldn’t have been a good thing if we were spotted.
Wesley flicked his tongue out, licking his lips to moisten them and I took the advantage to drop my gaze. The moment was somewhat awkward between us yet seemed completely right at the same time, but here was not the time or place. As the hallway cleared enough, I playfully shoved him backwards and he stumbled two steps before managing to collect himself.
*Laugh it up, Hunter,* I signed, an attempt to break whatever it was that had come over us. *The south will rise again.*
He stroked a hand over the front of his shirt, smoothing the crease that my shoving him had caused. Wetting his lips again as he watched me, his eyes then slowly lowered down my body, stopping when it reached my jean clad crotch.
“Oh, I sure hope so.”
Where you can find N. Wood:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sound-Silence-Unspoken-Heart-ebook/dp/B00BLTIZCY/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_t_1_5MCGFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/NWoodstoriesTwitter: https://twitter.com/WhitlockWoodBlog: http://nwoodstories.blogspot.comGoodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17448898-the-sound-of-silence
It was a pleasure having you, Nat ~  Thanks so much for stopping by and best of luck on your new book!

Welcome, March!

Happy Friday to all of you sparing a moment to stop by! Lots of "housecleaning" things for today so let's get to it, shall we?

First, have you been able to get a copy of To Serve is Divine yet? No, well head over to:

Lyric James' blog 
I stopped for a visit and compliments of Renaissance Romance Publishing have a rafflecopter going THIS WEEKEND ONLY for a chance to win an e-book version!


Secondly, a couple of things with regards to Renaissance Romance Publishing:


Today is the deadline for the Summer Heat/Beach Reads OPEN CALL, but remember there are more calls in place so don't hesitate to go check them out!


Tuesday, March 5th is the release of Lorenz Font's Hunted: Book One of the Gates Legacy which means a blog tour (look for Ms. Font to be stopping by to visit me) and a twitter release party! 
Join Renaissance Romance Publishing and Lorenz Font as we celebrate her first release: Hunted, Book One of The Gates Legacy. Use Hashtag #HGLRRP and get your questions ready to win great prizes, including several ebooks and one signed paperback copy from Lorenz Font!March 5, 2013 at 5 PM, PST (or 6 CST and 7 EST)
For those of you who are new the twitter party idea, I hope you won't find it too difficult. I find that the easiest way to have a party on twitter is to use Tweetchat.com. Connect it to your Twitter account and use the #HGLRRP and follow all of our tweets.


Renaissance Romance is seeking bloggers for an upcoming blog tour for The Journey of Champions by Lisa Bilbrey. For more information or to sign up, CLICK HERE
Have a fantastic weekend!! 

To Serve is Divine on Erotic Notions

Erotic Notions: R.E. Hargrave and To Serve is Divine on Erotic Not...: To start let's all wish R.E. H a rgrave a Happy Birthday. And here's a birthday cake for everyone to enjoy. Now ...

What's up, Sunday?

Hope this finds everyone enjoying their weekend. Just wanted to stop by and give y'all a few updates of what's moving and shaking with myself, and my publishing house cohorts.



I completed my next novella which originally had the working title of The Beach House, however ended up being renamed Haunted Raine by the time I finished. I've submitted it to RenRom for inclusion in their Beach Reads anthology which will be released this July. For any interested writers out there, this is part of an open call and they are still taking submissions through March 1st: OPEN CALLS

For the record, there are multiple open calls going on so in case a week isn't enough time to put together a 5-18k word novella, you might want to take a look at their Fall Fires call which is for m/m novella's due July 1st. Also still open is their Standing on the Edge YA call due October 1st (15-30k word limit).

Now that Haunted Raine is off to start its journey, I'll be getting full swing back into finalizing A Divine Life (Book 2 of the Divine Trilogy). We've narrowed down a release date of August 2013! Probably the 6th, but I'll keep y'all posted.

One last thing before you go . . .

Join Renaissance Romance Publishing and Lorenz Font as we celebrate her first release: Hunted, Book One of The Gates Legacy. Use Hashtag #HGLRRP and get your questions ready to win great prizes, including several ebooks and one signed paperback copy from Lorenz Font!
March 5, 2013 at 5 PM, PST (or 6 CST and 7 EST)

Deep in the heart of New York City’s underworld, a horrible disease is ravaging the vampire community. The Vampire Council is on a crusade to obliterate those infected, and Harrow Gates is target Number One. The unwitting source of the plague, he suffers from the same nightmarish symptoms as his victims. The world he'd been thrust into was cold, cruel, and intent on eradicating him, and the legions of afflicted vampires he created with his bite. A bounty hanging over his head, satisfying his hunger has become an enormous challenge for Harrow. The less he feeds, the more hideous and painful his lesions become. Constantly running for his life and learning new tricks to survive, Harrow is in no position to refuse when Pritchard Tack offers him a unique opportunity. Pritchard not only gives Harrow a new beginning, but also a purpose and a chance to rectify the chaos he created in the vampire world. However, the multi-billionaire has an agenda of his own.Jordan is a reluctant new vampire and a woman on a mission. After the demise of her family and her own transformation at the hands of Goran, the ruthless leader of the Vampire Council, her only focus is revenge. Constantly faced with one frustrating dead-end after another, a stroke of luck leads her to an underground facility that she suspects is the lair of the monster for whom she is looking.   Upon learning more about the truth behind the secret bunker, Jordan must fight against her growing feelings of friendship and concern for the facility’s inhabitants. One man in particular threatens to pull her heart away from her sworn mission. There is something behind Harrow’s dark lenses that unsettles the hardened female. Once again, she trembles and hungers for something other than red-stained revenge. Is love strong enough to override her hate-fueled thirst for vengeance?