Jeaniene Frost's Blog, page 11
August 31, 2018
New SHADES OF WICKED chapter and Arcs

"I'm seeing reviewers post about receiving their Arc of SHADES OF WICKED. Over 17 books later, it still warms my heart to see people say they're excited to read one of my books. It also still makes me nervous enough to puke, so if there's a happy/warmhearted-but-puking emoji, that's me ;)."
A little more about Arcs: they're not the final copy of a book. They're the copy before the final copy, so they still contain some missing and/or additional words, some spelling/grammar errors, some duplicate sentences and/or missing sentences, and sometimes, at least one plot-point screw up. Now, with every book, I strive to make sure that all the above is kept to a minimum. And, with every single book, I miss things because I know what the text is SUPPOSED to say, so my brain literally skips over errors without processing them. Sigh.
However, with Shades, I was pretty confident after read my galley pages (the things Arcs are made from) that I'd at least avoided the dreaded plot-point screw up. Sure, there were some of the other errors listed above, but THIS time, there wouldn't be something that made me smack my head and say "D'oh!" in a Homer Simpson roar. In fact, I was so confident of this...well, here's my Tweet from July 25:
"Me yesterday to myself: Just turned in the galley pages for Shades of Wicked & there wasn't a single plot error that needed fixing. I rule!"
*grins* And here is the rest of the Tweet, when I realized I had patted myself on the back WAY too early:
"Me to my editor today: 'STOP! I suck! I need to add these sentences to the galley pages or I have majorly screwed up *censored* plot point!'"
Thankfully, the sentences were added in time to be included in the published copy, but, they're not in the Arcs. So, if you received an Arc, it's missing these two very important sentences on page 285 that are plot-pertinent. I'm posting them here because they're not spoiler-y on their own. They only make sense when you read them in context. This is Ian speaking to Veritas in the middle of a Big Reveal, and the missing sentences are: "I had every intention of getting away from you when you ambushed me at the bordello, too, though I was curious to see what you intended with your 'surprise prostitute' act. Yes, I recognized you straightaway, not that I let on until you arrogantly announced that we were leaving."
Why is it plot-pertinent that Ian immediately recognized Veritas when he saw her in Chapter One? I can't tell you or that would spoiler. But, Arc recipients, please bear the above in mind while you're reading. Speaking of Arcs, I will be doing the first of a few contests giving some away on my blog next week. So, if you're interested in a chance at winning one, don't forget to check my blog for details.
All of the above aside, let's get to the new scene from SHADES OF WICKED! Because you've waited for a while, I'm giving you the entire second chapter. If you missed the first one, or if you just want to refresh your memory of it, go here. (link: http://jeanienefrost.com/night-rebel-...). And now, let's get to the chapter!
Chapter 2
I didn’t jump down through the hole above him, which was what he would have expected. Instead, I made a new hole in the floor on the other side of the room. Ian leapt back to avoid my instant grab, then kicked me during the split second my back was turned. I sprawled forward, but even as he pounced, I spun away, leaving him to hit the floor instead of me. Then I jumped onto his back and clamped my legs around him to hold on.
He began to buck at once. I tightened my grip until his ribs broke. He didn’t slow. I began to whack the back of his head, using strength I normally kept dormant.
His head rocked from the blows, though he still bucked hard enough to throw us both around the room. Those demon brands might not be the source of his bewildering strength, but they must be causing him to heal even faster than a vampire’s normal swift regeneration. Soon, I was gripping him just to keep from being thrown off. Then he began to fly, smashing me against the walls, the ceiling, and the floor, all while bucking like a crazed, rabid bronco.
My bones began to break and my head rang after being repeatedly bashed against various hard surfaces. If he were anyone else, I would kill him, but I needed Ian alive. And cooperative. Maybe his brains hitting the floor would help with that last part.
I whacked his skull even harder to force him to the ground and hold him there. It took a lot of effort, which was why I kept punching his head while shoving his body against the carpet. I couldn’t allow him to get enough leverage to start flying again. If he did, I might have to reveal powers I’d rather he not know about and . . . wait. What was that sound?
I stopped hitting Ian to listen more closely. It almost sounded like . . . no. He couldn’t be.
“Are you laughing at me?”
He was, and now his chuckles sounded louder since they were no longer competing with the noise from our fight. I also realized that the long, hard object I’d felt near my foot was not a concealed weapon. He wasn’t just amused by my attempts to beat his skull open—he was aroused by them!
“Your bouncing up and down on my back plus all this rough chafing is really doing the trick,” Ian said, still chuckling. “Soon, I’ll have to pay you along with the rest of the whores. In fact, if you take requests, a bit more effort on your downstroke, luv—”
I threw a punch that should have sent my fist all the way through his head. His neck bent at the last second while the back of his body surged up. Too late, I realized the trap. My fist ended up flying past his head while the rest of me was catapulted off him.
Before I could regroup, he leapt on top of me. In the next instant, he was holding me down, and I felt the distinct burn of silver stabbing me between the ribs.
Damn him! He’d managed to goad me into recklessly acting without thinking again. If my legs hadn’t been pinned by his, I might have kicked myself for being so stupid.
“Don’t move,” Ian said in a conversational tone. “I don’t want to kill you, but I will if you force me.”
“Where did you get that knife?” I hadn’t been so distracted before that I’d forgotten to frisk him.
“From my jacket.”
“Liar. I felt you for weapons when I was on top of you.”
“Was that what you were doing?” His lips twitched. “Thought you were feeling around for something more interesting.”
At my contemptuous look, he shrugged and said, “You didn’t feel the knife before because it was only a small silver ball a few moments ago.”
My eyes widened. “You’re admitting to a Law Guardian that you used magic to transform a silver ball into a knife?”
“Did I forget that using magic is a death sentence for vampires?” Ian used his free hand to mime clutching a strand of pearls. “And so is striking a Law Guardian. Dear me, I’ve condemned myself twice! Please, have mercy!”
“Now you’re begging?” I let out a soft snort. “Don’t bother. I’m still going to punish you for what you’ve done.”
He laughed. “I have a knife in your heart and you’re still threatening me? I don’t know whether to keep laughing at you for your delusion or applaud you for your optimism.”
“If you’d listen instead, you could learn how to prevent Dagon from taking possession of your soul in two years.”
Nothing in his expression changed, though suddenly, I felt as if I were staring at a different person. A hard, dangerous one that I’d vastly underestimated. Then Ian flashed another carefree smile at me - and shoved that silver knife deeper.
I gasped when it pierced my heart. Ian tutted as if I was a child who’d merely stubbed my toe. “I warned you not to test me. Now, tell me what you know about my deal with Dagon.”
Silver twisting through the heart was one of the few ways to kill a vampire. It felt as if hot lava was being poured into me. Ian hadn’t twisted the blade, but the majority of my physical strength left me. Despite that, I kept my reply steady.
“I know I’m your only chance of escaping the deal you made with Dagon. If he’s dead, he can’t collect your soul.”
Ian let out a scoff. “If Dagon could be killed, I’d have done it myself decades ago.”
“I can kill him,” I replied, and though it might be a long shot, it was still the truth.
He rolled his eyes. “Hate to be rude—actually, that’s not true, I love being rude—but I’m far less powerful than Dagon and I bested you inside of five minutes.”
“You didn’t best me. I stopped beating on you when I realized you liked it.”
“Most enjoyable part of our time together,” he agreed. “But now I’m bored, so let me simplify things. I’m going to bash your brains in. Try to stop me, and I’ll twist this knife. Cooperate, and by the time your head heals, I’ll be gone and you can go back to scaring young vampires into obeying the ridiculous restrictions you call laws.”
Bashing my brains in would indeed work to incapacitate me. It was the same thing I’d been intending to do with him. His fist clenched. Before it could connect, I released an ability only one other person in the world knew I had.
Power flashed out, filling the basement in a blink. Ian’s expression showed the beginnings of disbelief before it, his fist, and everything else suddenly froze. Even the countless dust particles in the air now hung in suspended animation instead of floating in lazy, aimless circles.
I was the only one unaffected as time itself paused within the confines of the basement. That was the upside. The downside was the power that kept boomeranging back into me, hitting my body with invisible, painful waves before arcing out to fill the room again. Between that and the silver in my heart, my nerve endings felt like they were being hit with a blow torch. I couldn’t maintain this for long, so I had to make it count.
With Ian frozen, I used his hand to pull the knife free from my heart. Then I uncurled his fingers from its hilt and tucked the blade into my back pocket. Finally, I shoved him off me.
“That’s better,” I muttered once I felt my heart heal. Then I flipped Ian over and got to my feet. When I unfroze him from this moment, I wanted my face to be the first thing he saw.
It was tricky unfreezing a person from time without dropping my hold over the entire room. That’s why I started slow and only released Ian’s head. His eyes widened when he realized he was now in a completely different position than he’d been before, then narrowed when he tried to move the rest of his body and couldn’t. When he glanced around and saw the whole basement trapped in a state of suspended animation, they widened again.
“Bugger me blind,” he said softly. “Aren’t you full of surprises?”
He had no idea. “As I said, I’m your only hope of keeping your soul. Dagon might be able to freeze time, but I have that ability, too. That means his power won’t work on me, and I can also use my power to free anyone he’s caught in his time web.”
I left out the part where Dagon’s abilities were far more advanced than mine. I could freeze time in small spaces, but I couldn’t hold it for very long. Dagon could freeze time for days, and I’d heard he had once done it to an entire town.
Ian didn’t have to know that. All he had to know was that he needed me. I could imagine the wheels in his mind turning as he processed that. Once again, he didn’t let his real emotions show. They were hidden behind his half smile. The most real emotion I’d gotten out of him was his eyes widening. And his erection, I supposed.
“If I release the rest of you, will you listen, or attempt to fight me again?” I continued.
“Listen,” he said, with a new, impish smile, as if he found the prospect amusing.
“As I was saying, we have something in common, Ian . . . what is your last name?” I hadn’t been able to discover it, and I normally had extensive dossiers on the people I hunted.
“No need for formalities. They’re only for people impressed by the superficial and that’s neither of us.”
He was right, which surprised me. I hadn’t expected us to have anything in common except a hatred for Dagon.
“Then as I was saying, you want Dagon dead because that’s the only way out of your deal with him. I want Dagon dead for reasons that don’t concern you. I propose a temporary alliance so both of us can achieve our goal, but let me be clear: You would have to follow my lead and my rules. Do you agree?”
His impish smile never slipped. “Before I answer, tell me, how did you get this amazing ability? I searched for decades looking for someone of our kind with a hint of it, yet found nothing.”
You don’t want to know how I can do this, I thought grimly. And if you ever find out, I’ll have to kill you.
“That’s not important. What is important is that I can use it to counter Dagon’s time-freezing on both of us, and that means we can kill him. Do we have an agreement or not?”
“Of course,” Ian replied, as if there was never any doubt.
His tone was sincere and his bright turquoise gaze never wavered, but all my instincts told me he was lying. Even if I didn’t have those, everything I’d learned about Ian said he’d never give another person this much control over him. He must be intending to double-cross me the first chance he got.
Well, I had plans I wasn’t telling him about, too.
“Good,” I said, and released the power, which felt like it had been frying my every nerve ending. At once, heat blew from the vents again, dust particles swirled, and that oppressive pain left me.
Ian stood up and stretched as if relieving a kink. The motion almost concealed him taking in a deep breath, but I noticed because I’d been expecting him to do that.
I hid my smile. No, you don’t smell sulfur or anything else that would indicate another demon’s presence. I really am the one who stopped time the same way that Dagon can.
When he turned back to me, his cocky half smile had returned. “Now that we have an accord, where do you want to begin?”
“By leaving,” I said promptly.
Ian swept out both arms, drawing the jacket back to fully display his naked body. “Fine by me, but most people prefer that I wear trousers out in public.”
I found my gaze drawn downward, then quickly diverted it back to his face. He was smirking, which was the same as saying, Ha! Made you look.
It was nothing to look at a naked man. To do so and then glance away guiltily? What was the matter with me?
Maybe it was my circumstances. The brands Ian carried were my ticket to trapping Dagon—a feat that had eluded me for millennia. Now that it was within my grasp, I was feeling emotions I hadn’t allowed myself to feel for a long time. That must be it. In any event, I needed to get them back under control.
That’s why I crossed my arms and gave Ian a deliberate look from the top of his head down to his toes. Then, I met his eyes so that he could see he had no effect on me this time.
“By all means, get dressed, but only after you take a shower. I don’t need to tell you what you smell like.”
“Over two dozen whores?” he supplied.
“Exactly, so use plenty of soap.”
He winked. “Looking for an excuse to watch? Just ask, and I might let you.”
I was about to tell him I’d rather watch paint dry. Then, I caught myself. Clever. I’d been about to insist that Ian shower as far away from me as possible, giving him an excellent opportunity to escape or to conjure up more magic against me.
“In fact, I would like to watch,” I said, arching my brow. “Unless you’re going to claim that you’re suddenly shy?”
His gaze narrowed. Icy fingers skittered up my spine. In all my years, I’d never felt that unless I was in the presence of someone truly dangerous. Everything on paper said that Ian shouldn’t be, yet right then, I knew I could never drop my guard around him. If I did, I might not live long enough to regret it.
Then Ian smiled. It was so flirtatious and relaxed, I almost believed I’d imagined his hidden dangerousness. Almost.
“Shyness is a virtue, and you’ll be glad to know I have none of those.”
With that, he swept me a bow that managed to look elegant despite his being clothed only in a circus ringleader jacket. We might both be pretending that this was a real agreement instead of a race to see who could use the other person first, but I knew better. For now, though, I’d keep up the pretense.
And since I was currently pretending that I wanted to watch Ian shower . . . “After you,” I said, and followed him up the stairs.
***
Hope you enjoyed Chapter Two! If you want to pre-order SHADES OF WICKED, here are some links: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound, iBooks, BooksAMillion, Kobo
Published on August 31, 2018 06:33
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Tags:
ian-s-book, night-rebel, shades-of-wicked
August 28, 2018
Magic Triumphs
I couldn't let today pass without saying happy book birthday to my longtime BFF, Ilona Andrews, for MAGIC TRIUMPHS, the 10th and final Kate Daniels novel! *throws confetti* *dances*

Mercenary Kate Daniels must risk all to protect everything she holds dear in this epic, can't-miss entry in the thrilling #1 New York Times bestselling urban fantasy series.
Kate has come a long way from her origins as a loner taking care of paranormal problems in post-Shift Atlanta. She's made friends and enemies. She's found love and started a family with Curran Lennart, the former Beast Lord. But her magic is too strong for the power players of the world to let her be.
Kate and her father, Roland, currently have an uneasy truce, but when he starts testing her defenses again, she knows that sooner or later, a confrontation is inevitable. The Witch Oracle has begun seeing visions of blood, fire, and human bones. And when a mysterious box is delivered to Kate's doorstep, a threat of war from the ancient enemy who nearly destroyed her family, she knows their time is up.
Kate Daniels sees no other choice but to combine forces with the unlikeliest of allies. She knows betrayal is inevitable. She knows she may not survive the coming battle. But she has to try.
For her child. For Atlanta. For the world.
Read the Excerpt.
Get yours: Amazon | Amazon United Kingdom | B & N | Google Play | Kobo | iBooks | IndieBound | Powells
New to the Kate Daniels series? DEN OF GEEK did a really cool write-up here. (link: http://www.denofgeek.com/us/books/boo...)

Mercenary Kate Daniels must risk all to protect everything she holds dear in this epic, can't-miss entry in the thrilling #1 New York Times bestselling urban fantasy series.
Kate has come a long way from her origins as a loner taking care of paranormal problems in post-Shift Atlanta. She's made friends and enemies. She's found love and started a family with Curran Lennart, the former Beast Lord. But her magic is too strong for the power players of the world to let her be.
Kate and her father, Roland, currently have an uneasy truce, but when he starts testing her defenses again, she knows that sooner or later, a confrontation is inevitable. The Witch Oracle has begun seeing visions of blood, fire, and human bones. And when a mysterious box is delivered to Kate's doorstep, a threat of war from the ancient enemy who nearly destroyed her family, she knows their time is up.
Kate Daniels sees no other choice but to combine forces with the unlikeliest of allies. She knows betrayal is inevitable. She knows she may not survive the coming battle. But she has to try.
For her child. For Atlanta. For the world.
Read the Excerpt.
Get yours: Amazon | Amazon United Kingdom | B & N | Google Play | Kobo | iBooks | IndieBound | Powells
New to the Kate Daniels series? DEN OF GEEK did a really cool write-up here. (link: http://www.denofgeek.com/us/books/boo...)
Published on August 28, 2018 07:12
August 21, 2018
Goodreads and surreality
Last week, I did a series of Tweets in response to the #ShareYourRejection hashtag. In it, I talked about how I was rejected by over 50 agents before one signed me. Then, my book was rejected by every single editor in its first round of submissions. In its second round of submissions, only one editor wanted it. That editor was Erika Tsang from Avon/HarperCollins, and the book was Halfway to the Grave. Yesterday, my agent emailed me with the subject line of "Goodreads Top 50!" Of course, I clicked the link as fast as I could.
So yesterday, Goodreads posted a list of their top 50 Fantasy books, their requirements being a 4-star minimum rating plus an unspecified minimum number of reviews. I saw many iconic names in the list, such as J.R.R. Tolkien (The Lord of the Rings), C.S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia), Stephen King (The Stand, Green Mile), George R.R. Martin (Game of Thrones), Neil Gaiman (Neverwhere, Sandman), as well as some of my current favorites (hi, BFF Ilona Andrews for the Kate Daniels series!), Patricia Briggs for the Mercy Thompson series, and Kim Harrison for the Hollows series. I also saw two of my all-time childhood favorites, Watership Down by Richard Adams and The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle. I cannot tell you what those stories meant to me as a child and pre-teen. In fact, Winston the alcoholic ghost in Halfway to the Grave was inspired by the skeleton in The Last Unicorn that demanded an empty bottle of liquor so he could "remember" the taste before he'd tell the unicorn the fate of her people.
I mention all this so you can appreciate what I felt when I saw Halfway to the Grave listed among these books. I won't lie - I started to tear up a little. Then I hit "refresh" on the page a few times because I half expected to see my title disappear due to its listing being a mistake. It didn't (as of writing this, it's still there. Yes - I kept checking, heh.) Somehow, it not only has the required 4+ stars, it also has over 120K ratings from readers *faints.* Do I think it belongs among these iconic titles, some of which helped foster my love of fantasy and reading as a child? Of course not! Am I so, so thrilled that it's there anyway? YOU BETCHA.
Thank you, everyone who had a hand in this. You truly make dreams come true :). For the complete Top 50 Goodreads Fantasy list, go HERE .
So yesterday, Goodreads posted a list of their top 50 Fantasy books, their requirements being a 4-star minimum rating plus an unspecified minimum number of reviews. I saw many iconic names in the list, such as J.R.R. Tolkien (The Lord of the Rings), C.S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia), Stephen King (The Stand, Green Mile), George R.R. Martin (Game of Thrones), Neil Gaiman (Neverwhere, Sandman), as well as some of my current favorites (hi, BFF Ilona Andrews for the Kate Daniels series!), Patricia Briggs for the Mercy Thompson series, and Kim Harrison for the Hollows series. I also saw two of my all-time childhood favorites, Watership Down by Richard Adams and The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle. I cannot tell you what those stories meant to me as a child and pre-teen. In fact, Winston the alcoholic ghost in Halfway to the Grave was inspired by the skeleton in The Last Unicorn that demanded an empty bottle of liquor so he could "remember" the taste before he'd tell the unicorn the fate of her people.
I mention all this so you can appreciate what I felt when I saw Halfway to the Grave listed among these books. I won't lie - I started to tear up a little. Then I hit "refresh" on the page a few times because I half expected to see my title disappear due to its listing being a mistake. It didn't (as of writing this, it's still there. Yes - I kept checking, heh.) Somehow, it not only has the required 4+ stars, it also has over 120K ratings from readers *faints.* Do I think it belongs among these iconic titles, some of which helped foster my love of fantasy and reading as a child? Of course not! Am I so, so thrilled that it's there anyway? YOU BETCHA.
Thank you, everyone who had a hand in this. You truly make dreams come true :). For the complete Top 50 Goodreads Fantasy list, go HERE .
Published on August 21, 2018 07:52
August 13, 2018
Avon KissCon fun for free!
Earlier last month, I had blogged about the VIP ticket for the upcoming Avon KissCon on October 20th in Woodstock, GA. Now, I have more news: the FREE public event has just been granted a larger venue, so it can hold even more readers! Here's the info, copied from Avon's KissCon site:
For Atlanta's most passionate book lovers, Avon Books is bringing its super popular KissCon reader event to Woodstock, Georgia! Featured Authors: Tessa Dare, Jeaniene Frost, Brenda Jackson, Eloisa James, Beverly Jenkins, Maya Rodale, Cat Sebastian and Maisey Yates. Readers love KissCon's interactive format: after we introduce each author, and talk about their latest book, the emcee engages the authors in a spate of leading questions that will break the ice...and have the audience howling in laughter! Then there's romance trivia, gift cards and prizes to be won, and a chance to visit individually with each author and have them sign their latest books.
FoxTale BookShop is graciously helping us host this event in Atlanta, and will be on-hand to sell stock; we request that readers bring no more than two books from home, because we want to support this vibrant local bookstore, and encourage romance readers to shop at the wonderful local indie! The free/general public event will be followed by a ticketed VIP author reception later in the day. The public event will take place at 1pm on October 20th, and will be hosted at the Elm Street Theater, 8534 Main St, Woodstock, GA 30188 (The VIP event will still take place at 4 pm, directly across the street at FoxTale BookShoppe – 105 East Main Street.)"
IMPORTANT: Even though the public event is free, you still have to register to reserve your space. You can do that HERE (direct link: http://events.eventzilla.net/e/avon-k... )
Last I heard, there were only a couple tickets left for the paid VIP event, so if that's what you're interested in, that link is HERE, but again, it might be sold out (direct link: http://events.eventzilla.net/e/avon-k... )
I know I'm looking forward to this, and yes, SHADES OF WICKED will be sold 10 days prior to its official release date of October 30th, so you can get your hands on it before everyone else. Hope to see some on you there!
For Atlanta's most passionate book lovers, Avon Books is bringing its super popular KissCon reader event to Woodstock, Georgia! Featured Authors: Tessa Dare, Jeaniene Frost, Brenda Jackson, Eloisa James, Beverly Jenkins, Maya Rodale, Cat Sebastian and Maisey Yates. Readers love KissCon's interactive format: after we introduce each author, and talk about their latest book, the emcee engages the authors in a spate of leading questions that will break the ice...and have the audience howling in laughter! Then there's romance trivia, gift cards and prizes to be won, and a chance to visit individually with each author and have them sign their latest books.
FoxTale BookShop is graciously helping us host this event in Atlanta, and will be on-hand to sell stock; we request that readers bring no more than two books from home, because we want to support this vibrant local bookstore, and encourage romance readers to shop at the wonderful local indie! The free/general public event will be followed by a ticketed VIP author reception later in the day. The public event will take place at 1pm on October 20th, and will be hosted at the Elm Street Theater, 8534 Main St, Woodstock, GA 30188 (The VIP event will still take place at 4 pm, directly across the street at FoxTale BookShoppe – 105 East Main Street.)"
IMPORTANT: Even though the public event is free, you still have to register to reserve your space. You can do that HERE (direct link: http://events.eventzilla.net/e/avon-k... )
Last I heard, there were only a couple tickets left for the paid VIP event, so if that's what you're interested in, that link is HERE, but again, it might be sold out (direct link: http://events.eventzilla.net/e/avon-k... )
I know I'm looking forward to this, and yes, SHADES OF WICKED will be sold 10 days prior to its official release date of October 30th, so you can get your hands on it before everyone else. Hope to see some on you there!
Published on August 13, 2018 12:00
August 7, 2018
50 shades of sinuses and family surprises
You think you know your elderly relatives, then this happens. I'll elaborate: I just got back from a week-long visit with my 92-year-old great-aunt in Tennessee. My sister, Jinger, came along, too, and we drove because I hate to fly (don't bother quoting safety stats to me; phobias know no logic.) Anyway, when I saw my aunt last year, she'd expressed a desire to see the Fifty Shades of Grey movie because she'd heard so much about it. So, last year, I bought the movie at Amazon and tried to stream it when I visited her, but the senior center she lives at has terrible internet, so the movie wouldn't play. This trip, my sister and I were determined not to disappoint her, so I bought the movie on iTunes and downloaded it so that no streaming would be required to play it. My aunt was delighted to hear that we had the movie ready for her, and after a nice day together, we got ready to watch it. My aunt was so nervous about being "caught" by one of her friends in the senior center that she made us lock the doors on her unit. Then, we hooked up my laptop to her TV via a DMI cord and hit "play."
Nothing but a blank screen. My aunt's face fell.
We tried rebooting iTunes, rebooting my computer, etc. Nothing worked. We weren't sure if there was an incompatibility issue with her TV (older version) and the HD movie, so we drove her back to the hotel we were staying at to attempt to play the movie there. However, it still wouldn't play, and the hotel's WiFi connection was so weak, we still couldn't stream it there, either.
"It's okay," my aunt said, trying and failing to hide her disappointment. "It's only a movie."
No, it wasn't. Not anymore. It was now a quest to fulfill the wish of a woman in her nineties who'd lost her husband a few years ago, lost her only child decades before that, and rarely complained or asked for anything. My sister and I were NOT going to give up. We promised her that we would be back the next day with a version of the movie that would work. So, early in the morning, we went to the local Target. I bought the movie in DVD format (now my third copy of the movie, for anyone counting) and my sister bought an adapter that would link her phone to any TV, in the event that there was something wrong with the DVD.
Purchases made, cue our going back to the senior center, determined to make this viewing happen. After another day of activities with my aunt and her friends, we were finally alone in her unit. She made us lock the doors again and I hit "play" on the DVD in my laptop.
Nothing AGAIN. I'll skip over the half hour of cursing and troubleshooting to arrive at the conclusion - I'd apparently never loaded video drivers (or whatever they're called) onto my laptop so that it can play DVD movies. My laptop is also several years old so they didn't come standard. How could I not know of this deficiency? Because I only type and internet surf on the damn thing. Now, my sister's cell phone adapter cord was our only hope. She tried to play the iTunes version I'd purchased from it onto my aunt's TV. It didn't work. My aunt was practically begging us to not bother by this point, but we were laser focused. This movie showing WOULD happen even if I had to borrow the senior center's DVD player they used for their Sit-Er-Cise videos to play the thing!
We ended up buying the Standard Definition version of the movie from Amazon because we were worried about the HD version not being compatible with her TV again. Now we had purchased FOUR copies of the movie. My sister hooked her cell phone adapter to the TV and hit "play." I won't lie - I was praying at this point ;).
Cue the movie filling the screen. My sister and I let out a cheer. My aunt said "Finally!" with a laugh. We settled in to watch. I've never seen the movie before, and I'd also not finished the book. I put it down when I got to the "no snacking allowed" clause of the infamous contract (and no, I don't care what that says about me, heh.) Anyway, I'm not going to tell you my thoughts about the movie because my aunt's thoughts were much, much funnier.
Her comment at the beginning of the first sex scene: Doesn't much believe in foreplay, does he?
Her comment halfway through the first sex scene: They're showing EVERYTHING on her, but they're hiding his naughty bits. If we see hers, we should see his. Otherwise, it's not fair.
Her comment after the first sex scene: That's it? *pause* That's not kinky. I thought this movie was supposed to be kinky?
Her comment during the second sex scene: Still hardly any foreplay. Hmmph.
Her comment during the third (or fourth?) sex scene: WHEN is this movie going to get kinky? I thought this movie was really going to show me something, but I can see this sort of stuff on regular TV!
*cue my sister and I bursting out laughing* What sort of TV do you watch?
Her *demurring.* Well, you know. Sometimes I can't sleep and I watch the stuff on the pay channels late at night.
*Me, still cracking up.* No wonder this isn't showing you anything new, then. At some point, I hear the hero gives the heroine Ben Wa balls to use during a masked dance or something.
My aunt: What're those?
Me: *explains*
Her: *perking up* Is that in this movie?
Me: No, the next one.
Her: *open disappointment* Oh. Well. We'll keep watching this one, I suppose.
Reader, at one point, she actually fell asleep. We had to poke her to wake her. When it was over, she said, "Well, that was disappointing. I thought I was going to learn something from this movie, but this only showed all the usual stuff."
My sister and I just looked at each other and laughed. My whole life, I'd thought she was very strait-laced. Now, I know that I was dead wrong ;). Family revelations aside, our visit was great, but I caught what I later found out was a nasty sinus infection. Oddly enough, my sinuses don't hurt. It does, however, feel like someone beat me along the right side of my head, neck and jaw, with an annoying low-grade fever to boot. I went to the doctor and got antibiotics yesterday, and I'm told they'll make me feel better soon. I hope so because I am not the strong, stoic type when it comes to being sick. I am the whiny, I-have-a-man-cold type. But, in better news, the thing I also got while I was out of town was Arcs (advance reading copies) of SHADES OF WICKED, so I'll be hosting a giveaway on my blog soon. Stay tuned for details on that.
That's it from me. Hope you have a good week, everyone!
Nothing but a blank screen. My aunt's face fell.
We tried rebooting iTunes, rebooting my computer, etc. Nothing worked. We weren't sure if there was an incompatibility issue with her TV (older version) and the HD movie, so we drove her back to the hotel we were staying at to attempt to play the movie there. However, it still wouldn't play, and the hotel's WiFi connection was so weak, we still couldn't stream it there, either.
"It's okay," my aunt said, trying and failing to hide her disappointment. "It's only a movie."
No, it wasn't. Not anymore. It was now a quest to fulfill the wish of a woman in her nineties who'd lost her husband a few years ago, lost her only child decades before that, and rarely complained or asked for anything. My sister and I were NOT going to give up. We promised her that we would be back the next day with a version of the movie that would work. So, early in the morning, we went to the local Target. I bought the movie in DVD format (now my third copy of the movie, for anyone counting) and my sister bought an adapter that would link her phone to any TV, in the event that there was something wrong with the DVD.
Purchases made, cue our going back to the senior center, determined to make this viewing happen. After another day of activities with my aunt and her friends, we were finally alone in her unit. She made us lock the doors again and I hit "play" on the DVD in my laptop.
Nothing AGAIN. I'll skip over the half hour of cursing and troubleshooting to arrive at the conclusion - I'd apparently never loaded video drivers (or whatever they're called) onto my laptop so that it can play DVD movies. My laptop is also several years old so they didn't come standard. How could I not know of this deficiency? Because I only type and internet surf on the damn thing. Now, my sister's cell phone adapter cord was our only hope. She tried to play the iTunes version I'd purchased from it onto my aunt's TV. It didn't work. My aunt was practically begging us to not bother by this point, but we were laser focused. This movie showing WOULD happen even if I had to borrow the senior center's DVD player they used for their Sit-Er-Cise videos to play the thing!
We ended up buying the Standard Definition version of the movie from Amazon because we were worried about the HD version not being compatible with her TV again. Now we had purchased FOUR copies of the movie. My sister hooked her cell phone adapter to the TV and hit "play." I won't lie - I was praying at this point ;).
Cue the movie filling the screen. My sister and I let out a cheer. My aunt said "Finally!" with a laugh. We settled in to watch. I've never seen the movie before, and I'd also not finished the book. I put it down when I got to the "no snacking allowed" clause of the infamous contract (and no, I don't care what that says about me, heh.) Anyway, I'm not going to tell you my thoughts about the movie because my aunt's thoughts were much, much funnier.
Her comment at the beginning of the first sex scene: Doesn't much believe in foreplay, does he?
Her comment halfway through the first sex scene: They're showing EVERYTHING on her, but they're hiding his naughty bits. If we see hers, we should see his. Otherwise, it's not fair.
Her comment after the first sex scene: That's it? *pause* That's not kinky. I thought this movie was supposed to be kinky?
Her comment during the second sex scene: Still hardly any foreplay. Hmmph.
Her comment during the third (or fourth?) sex scene: WHEN is this movie going to get kinky? I thought this movie was really going to show me something, but I can see this sort of stuff on regular TV!
*cue my sister and I bursting out laughing* What sort of TV do you watch?
Her *demurring.* Well, you know. Sometimes I can't sleep and I watch the stuff on the pay channels late at night.
*Me, still cracking up.* No wonder this isn't showing you anything new, then. At some point, I hear the hero gives the heroine Ben Wa balls to use during a masked dance or something.
My aunt: What're those?
Me: *explains*
Her: *perking up* Is that in this movie?
Me: No, the next one.
Her: *open disappointment* Oh. Well. We'll keep watching this one, I suppose.
Reader, at one point, she actually fell asleep. We had to poke her to wake her. When it was over, she said, "Well, that was disappointing. I thought I was going to learn something from this movie, but this only showed all the usual stuff."
My sister and I just looked at each other and laughed. My whole life, I'd thought she was very strait-laced. Now, I know that I was dead wrong ;). Family revelations aside, our visit was great, but I caught what I later found out was a nasty sinus infection. Oddly enough, my sinuses don't hurt. It does, however, feel like someone beat me along the right side of my head, neck and jaw, with an annoying low-grade fever to boot. I went to the doctor and got antibiotics yesterday, and I'm told they'll make me feel better soon. I hope so because I am not the strong, stoic type when it comes to being sick. I am the whiny, I-have-a-man-cold type. But, in better news, the thing I also got while I was out of town was Arcs (advance reading copies) of SHADES OF WICKED, so I'll be hosting a giveaway on my blog soon. Stay tuned for details on that.
That's it from me. Hope you have a good week, everyone!
Published on August 07, 2018 08:45
July 21, 2018
Vampire Author card revoked
Let me start off by saying that if vampires are real, (1) I apologize for whatever I got wrong about you in my books, and (2) I know, I don't deserve to write about you anymore.
I'll explain. Few people enjoy getting their blood drawn - and of course I'm taking about via syringe since to my knowledge, vampires AREN'T real - but yesterday, I took it to the next level. In my defense, most times when I have to have blood drawn, I just grit my teeth, look away, and then sigh in relief when it's over. But that's not what happened yesterday. Before I get to the details, I'm going to blame some of my reaction on not having any coffee beforehand. Anyone who knows me knows that I am ridiculously addicted to my morning cup of java (side note: Don't bother telling me how I shouldn't drink coffee because Reasons. I literally don't care what those Reasons are. I'll give up coffee only after you pry it from my cold, dead hands :)). However, I was supposed to get "fasting" blood work and I like my coffee with lots of cream and fake sugar, so I knew I had to forego it before the blood draw.
The blood work wasn't for anything serious, by the way. I'm in my forties, so my doctor orders yearly blood work on me to make sure everything under the hood is running smoothly. Now, as mentioned, I don't particularly like getting my blood drawn, so I've been known to sometimes "lose" my script for blood work. I might have done that last year. My doctor, being a oh-no-you-didn't sort of woman, also might have scolded me for skipping a year, and added a few extra tests to make sure that I didn't skyrocket my cholesterol levels or whatever else since my last blood draw.
So, picture me yesterday, shambling into the lab with my husband while bleary-eyed from no coffee. Then, after verifying all my insurance information, I went to the Stick Room (I'm sure there's another name for the little cubicle where they draw your blood, but it's the Stick Room to me.) Once there, the tech pulled out not one, not two, not three, but four - FOUR!! - of those clear little plastic tubes to collect my blood in.
At this point, my palms started to sweat, but I told myself that I am an adult and this is no big deal. I did, however, warn the technician that I would cringe and look away while he drew my blood. He assured me that that wasn't unusual. So, that's what I was doing when the tech got started. As soon as I felt that needle stick, I tried to think about something else. The nursery rhyme "One, two, buckle your shoe" popped into my mind, so I started to mentally hum it. Of course, being me, I didn't remember anything after that first verse, so I found myself mentally humming the Nightmare on Elm Street version of "One, two, Freddy's coming for you...three, four, better lock your door..."
Despite this, I heard little clicks and pops when a tube was filled and a new one was added to the back of the syringe. This started to gross me out, and my mental humming wasn't enough to detract from that. I started looking around the room for something else to distract me. That didn't help. My gaze only landed on other patient's tubes filled with their blood. My palms started to really sweat. I closed my eyes, thinking that would help. It didn't. I only started imagining my blood pumping into those tubes, and I began to feel a little dizzy.
After what felt like a long time, but was probably only a minute or two, the tech told me he was done. I opened my eyes, thanked him, and then gratefully busied myself with signing the final insurance forms because doing so meant that I didn't have to stand up right away. I was still feeling dizzy, but I was also scolding myself for it. Here's a snapshot of that mental back-and-forth:
Rational Jeaniene: You're fine! Now, quit acting like a child and get moving.
Actual Jeaniene: If you don't shut up and give me a minute, I'm going to fall when I stand up.
Rational Jeaniene: No you're not! It's over! Start walking or the tech will realize you're stalling!
Actual Jeaniene: Who cares? I'm sure I'm not the first person to act this way.
Rational Jeaniene: You're probably the first who's not a child, so get up and get moving!
Actual Jeaniene: Fine. Whatever happens next is on you.
I walked out of the lab, glad that I didn't trip, slip, or otherwise sprawl onto the floor. Thankfully, my husband was done with his tests, so I didn't have to worry about driving. While I followed him to the car, I continued to have the same mental back-and-forth with Rational Jeaniene insisting I was fine while Actual Jeaniene was starting to chuckle evilly. As soon as I got into our car and shut the door, I broke out in a full-body sweat, the kind that you can literally feel rolling off you. Then, a dull ringing started in my ears, followed by my vision getting really bright and really dark at the same time. I closed my eyes, Rational Jeaniene and Actual Jeaniene thinking the same thing: Oh, shit.
Reader, for a few seconds, I actually fainted. FAINTED, over a simple blood draw. If any of my vampire characters were real, they would have been laughing their asses off at me.
Since I was reclined in my chair, hubby didn't realize I'd briefly blacked out, and like I said, it only lasted a couple seconds. By this time, Rational Jeaniene and Actual Jeaniene were in full agreement that I should just lay there quietly until I felt better. Hubby and I had already had plans to have breakfast at our favorite diner after our lab work, so he drove straight there. In the ten minutes it took, I was feeling much better. After some caffeine and food at breakfast, I was all the way better, and moving into the embarrassed stage of the experience. I mean, what kind of vampire author briefly faints after only getting a few tubes of her blood drawn? I was a disgrace to my entire profession!
That's why I'm so glad that I've never seen any proof that vampires exist. If they did, I'd feel like I had no choice now except to turn in my Vampire Author card, or have it immediately revoked for cowardice in the line of bloodletting duty. But hey, if you know any real vampires, you won't tell on me, will you? *wink*
I'll explain. Few people enjoy getting their blood drawn - and of course I'm taking about via syringe since to my knowledge, vampires AREN'T real - but yesterday, I took it to the next level. In my defense, most times when I have to have blood drawn, I just grit my teeth, look away, and then sigh in relief when it's over. But that's not what happened yesterday. Before I get to the details, I'm going to blame some of my reaction on not having any coffee beforehand. Anyone who knows me knows that I am ridiculously addicted to my morning cup of java (side note: Don't bother telling me how I shouldn't drink coffee because Reasons. I literally don't care what those Reasons are. I'll give up coffee only after you pry it from my cold, dead hands :)). However, I was supposed to get "fasting" blood work and I like my coffee with lots of cream and fake sugar, so I knew I had to forego it before the blood draw.
The blood work wasn't for anything serious, by the way. I'm in my forties, so my doctor orders yearly blood work on me to make sure everything under the hood is running smoothly. Now, as mentioned, I don't particularly like getting my blood drawn, so I've been known to sometimes "lose" my script for blood work. I might have done that last year. My doctor, being a oh-no-you-didn't sort of woman, also might have scolded me for skipping a year, and added a few extra tests to make sure that I didn't skyrocket my cholesterol levels or whatever else since my last blood draw.
So, picture me yesterday, shambling into the lab with my husband while bleary-eyed from no coffee. Then, after verifying all my insurance information, I went to the Stick Room (I'm sure there's another name for the little cubicle where they draw your blood, but it's the Stick Room to me.) Once there, the tech pulled out not one, not two, not three, but four - FOUR!! - of those clear little plastic tubes to collect my blood in.
At this point, my palms started to sweat, but I told myself that I am an adult and this is no big deal. I did, however, warn the technician that I would cringe and look away while he drew my blood. He assured me that that wasn't unusual. So, that's what I was doing when the tech got started. As soon as I felt that needle stick, I tried to think about something else. The nursery rhyme "One, two, buckle your shoe" popped into my mind, so I started to mentally hum it. Of course, being me, I didn't remember anything after that first verse, so I found myself mentally humming the Nightmare on Elm Street version of "One, two, Freddy's coming for you...three, four, better lock your door..."
Despite this, I heard little clicks and pops when a tube was filled and a new one was added to the back of the syringe. This started to gross me out, and my mental humming wasn't enough to detract from that. I started looking around the room for something else to distract me. That didn't help. My gaze only landed on other patient's tubes filled with their blood. My palms started to really sweat. I closed my eyes, thinking that would help. It didn't. I only started imagining my blood pumping into those tubes, and I began to feel a little dizzy.
After what felt like a long time, but was probably only a minute or two, the tech told me he was done. I opened my eyes, thanked him, and then gratefully busied myself with signing the final insurance forms because doing so meant that I didn't have to stand up right away. I was still feeling dizzy, but I was also scolding myself for it. Here's a snapshot of that mental back-and-forth:
Rational Jeaniene: You're fine! Now, quit acting like a child and get moving.
Actual Jeaniene: If you don't shut up and give me a minute, I'm going to fall when I stand up.
Rational Jeaniene: No you're not! It's over! Start walking or the tech will realize you're stalling!
Actual Jeaniene: Who cares? I'm sure I'm not the first person to act this way.
Rational Jeaniene: You're probably the first who's not a child, so get up and get moving!
Actual Jeaniene: Fine. Whatever happens next is on you.
I walked out of the lab, glad that I didn't trip, slip, or otherwise sprawl onto the floor. Thankfully, my husband was done with his tests, so I didn't have to worry about driving. While I followed him to the car, I continued to have the same mental back-and-forth with Rational Jeaniene insisting I was fine while Actual Jeaniene was starting to chuckle evilly. As soon as I got into our car and shut the door, I broke out in a full-body sweat, the kind that you can literally feel rolling off you. Then, a dull ringing started in my ears, followed by my vision getting really bright and really dark at the same time. I closed my eyes, Rational Jeaniene and Actual Jeaniene thinking the same thing: Oh, shit.
Reader, for a few seconds, I actually fainted. FAINTED, over a simple blood draw. If any of my vampire characters were real, they would have been laughing their asses off at me.
Since I was reclined in my chair, hubby didn't realize I'd briefly blacked out, and like I said, it only lasted a couple seconds. By this time, Rational Jeaniene and Actual Jeaniene were in full agreement that I should just lay there quietly until I felt better. Hubby and I had already had plans to have breakfast at our favorite diner after our lab work, so he drove straight there. In the ten minutes it took, I was feeling much better. After some caffeine and food at breakfast, I was all the way better, and moving into the embarrassed stage of the experience. I mean, what kind of vampire author briefly faints after only getting a few tubes of her blood drawn? I was a disgrace to my entire profession!
That's why I'm so glad that I've never seen any proof that vampires exist. If they did, I'd feel like I had no choice now except to turn in my Vampire Author card, or have it immediately revoked for cowardice in the line of bloodletting duty. But hey, if you know any real vampires, you won't tell on me, will you? *wink*
Published on July 21, 2018 09:24
July 9, 2018
Vacay, book & movie rec, and flattered

I really liked Savannah and I would have enjoyed exploring it more, but dear Lord, it was HOT, and I say that as a longtime Floridian. It was so hot, I actually wore shorts. I sent a pic of this phenomenon to BFF Ilona Andrews with a note that said, "Here's something you will never see in public again - my bare legs. Careful, the whiteness might blind you."

Also in Ilona's reply: A cartoon where one friend assures her pale friend of the same thing, all the while thinking "The beacons are lit! GONDOR CALLS FOR AID."
*grins* Once again, see for yourself, though you might need to put on shades first. Don't say I didn't warn you ;).
Right before I went out of town, I got an email saying that the Night Huntress series had been included in Ezvid Wiki's "13 Dark and Delightful Paranormal Romance series." I was flattered to be included, of course, and doubly flattered by the company I was in because I'm a fan of many of the other series that were chosen. Be sure to check it out if you're looking for new book recs.


That's it for now. Onward to checking the galley pages of SHADE OF WICKED, which is my last chance to spot errors, make small changes, and generally second-guess every word I've written, heh. Once I've done this, I'll probably post another snippet, so stay tuned!
Published on July 09, 2018 06:59
June 25, 2018
Construction, my dog acts like a vampire, and book rec
I keep meaning to blog more regularly, but stuff keeps happening. Example: during the past two weeks, we had a construction crew at our house for nine straight days. Why? Last summer, pipes burst and flooded our family room. We dried everything and repaired the pipes right away, but that meant holes were cut into our walls and ceiling in the family room, with other holes in the upstairs bathroom. Why didn't we fix it last year? To sum up, a bunch of stuff happened that caused us to push it off. Then, I was deep in Must Write Book mode. Since I work out of my house, I didn't want to lose almost two weeks of work because I know from past experience that I can't concentrate enough to write during an active construction site. So, with Ian's book finished and the first set of revisions completed, we finally got our house put back in order. I will NOT miss the holes in the walls & ceiling, although I joked to visitors that the plastic taped over them was very nouveau chic (no one thought that was funny.)
That topic covered, onto my dog, which - from the subject line - is probably why most of you are bothering to read this post ;). His name is Loki, and we got him back in 2012 when he was only 10 weeks old. On the left is a pic of Loki when we first brought him home. He's the sweetest little guy, but right off, we knew Loki had some issues. For starters, he was inordinately afraid of people. This wasn't normal puppy shyness - both my husband and I grew up with dogs, so we're very familiar with them. Plus, Loki is our second dog as a married couple. Gypsy, our first, feels that every human she meets has been put on earth solely to pet her, but I digress (although I can't resist showing you a pic of Gypsy on her last birthday. Isn't she cute?!)
Needless to say, we were concerned about Loki's excessive fear, so at the advice of a dog trainer, we sat with him in front of public places and asked strangers to give him dog treats we provided. This resulted in more than a few awkward conversations with store managers where we had to explain that no, we weren't panhandling - we were just trying to socialize our puppy. This did help Loki, by the way. He stopped seeing new people as potential threats, but in a variety of ways, he showed that he still had anxiety issues.
I'm not going to list all the remedies we tried over the next four years because that would take too long. Suffice it to say that if you've heard of it, we probably tried it. We took him to different doctors and specialists in two different states. His final diagnosis, after ruling out LOTS of things, was that he has chronic anxiety from a probable biochemical imbalance. He's now on medication that greatly reduces his anxiety. His hair is no longer patchy (yes, his hair had been literally falling out in paces, poor guy) and he no longer jumps at every sound. He does, however, have a remaining distinctive trait - he only likes to come out at night.
Don't get me wrong; Loki loves to go on walks, and to state the obvious, there is sunshine outside. However, he has a marked dislike of being out and about in our house during the day. Seriously. He will spend most of the day in his favorite covered cubby (see pic after I've lifted the blanket up) coming out only to eat, get a quick walk, get a scratch, or briefly play. But as soon as the sun goes down, Loki comes out and STAYS out. No, he doesn't have an eye sensitivity or other optical condition (remember all the vet visits I mentioned?) He just far, far prefers the night. *grins* Maybe I should have named him Vlad instead of Loki.
Finally, I have a book rec for you. If you follow my Twitter account, you've already heard me raving about it, but I'm repeating my raves here because IRON AND MAGIC, Iron Covenant book one, releases tomorrow. In short, I loved loved loved this book. The romance is slow build, snarky and sizzling, and the action is nonstop and epic. Since this is the first book in a new series, you don't have to have read Ilona Andrews' other books to enjoy this, but I can't recommend those enough, either. From the back cover:
Hugh d’Ambray, Preceptor of the Iron Dogs, Warlord of the Builder of Towers, served only one man. Now his immortal, nearly omnipotent master has cast him aside. Hugh is a shadow of the warrior he was, but when he learns that the Iron Dogs, soldiers who would follow him anywhere, are being hunted down and murdered, he must make a choice: to fade away or to be the leader he was born to be. Hugh knows he must carve a new place for himself and his people, but they have no money, no shelter, and no food, and the necromancers are coming. Fast.
Elara Harper is a creature who should not exist. Her enemies call her Abomination; her people call her White Lady. Tasked with their protection, she's trapped between the magical heavyweights about to collide and plunge the state of Kentucky into a war that humans have no power to stop. Desperate to shield her people and their simple way of life, she would accept help from the devil himself—and Hugh d’Ambray might qualify.
Hugh needs a base, Elara needs soldiers. Both are infamous for betraying their allies, so how can they create a believable alliance to meet the challenge of their enemies?
As the prophet says: “It is better to marry than to burn.”
Hugh and Elara may do both. Preorder link: Amazon | Amazon Paperback | BN | iTunes | Kobo
Read the first three chapters.


I'm not going to list all the remedies we tried over the next four years because that would take too long. Suffice it to say that if you've heard of it, we probably tried it. We took him to different doctors and specialists in two different states. His final diagnosis, after ruling out LOTS of things, was that he has chronic anxiety from a probable biochemical imbalance. He's now on medication that greatly reduces his anxiety. His hair is no longer patchy (yes, his hair had been literally falling out in paces, poor guy) and he no longer jumps at every sound. He does, however, have a remaining distinctive trait - he only likes to come out at night.

Finally, I have a book rec for you. If you follow my Twitter account, you've already heard me raving about it, but I'm repeating my raves here because IRON AND MAGIC, Iron Covenant book one, releases tomorrow. In short, I loved loved loved this book. The romance is slow build, snarky and sizzling, and the action is nonstop and epic. Since this is the first book in a new series, you don't have to have read Ilona Andrews' other books to enjoy this, but I can't recommend those enough, either. From the back cover:

Elara Harper is a creature who should not exist. Her enemies call her Abomination; her people call her White Lady. Tasked with their protection, she's trapped between the magical heavyweights about to collide and plunge the state of Kentucky into a war that humans have no power to stop. Desperate to shield her people and their simple way of life, she would accept help from the devil himself—and Hugh d’Ambray might qualify.
Hugh needs a base, Elara needs soldiers. Both are infamous for betraying their allies, so how can they create a believable alliance to meet the challenge of their enemies?
As the prophet says: “It is better to marry than to burn.”
Hugh and Elara may do both. Preorder link: Amazon | Amazon Paperback | BN | iTunes | Kobo
Read the first three chapters.
Published on June 25, 2018 10:00
June 14, 2018
Atlanta KissCon tickets live!
Jeaniene FrostHi, everyone! As promised, here is the ticket link and information for the Avon KissCon event in Atlanta, Georgia on Saturday, October 20th that I and several other authors will be attending. From Avon Books:
As a reminder, there WILL be early copies of SHADES OF WICKED, Night Rebel book one, at this event, so readers who attend can get the book ten days before it's official release.
Hope to see some of you there!
Order your tickets here:
http://events.eventzilla.net/e/avon-kisscon-atlanta-vip-event-2138959170
Tickets are $40 and include Sweets and small bites, bubbly wine compliments of Babe Rose, and a chance to mix and mingle with beloved romance authors Tessa Dare, Jeaniene Frost, Brenda Jackson, Eloisa James, Beverly Jenkins, Maya Rodale, Cat Sebastian and Maisey Yates! Add in a KissCon exclusive tote, filled with Avon and Harlequin swag, as well as two must-have advance review copies and a certificate towards the purchase of a mass market paperback at FoxTale BookShoppe. There is a limited quantity of tickets, so act fast!
As a reminder, there WILL be early copies of SHADES OF WICKED, Night Rebel book one, at this event, so readers who attend can get the book ten days before it's official release.
Hope to see some of you there!
Published on June 14, 2018 07:12
June 7, 2018
New SHADES OF WICKED snippet!
Shades of Wicked
As promised, here is the latest SHADES OF WICKED snippet. In case you missed the other ones, they are HERE and HERE. Each snippet is in linear order as far as the book goes, by the way. Haven't visited my blog in a while and don't know what book I'm talking about? Here's the cover and back cover description.
The Rule Breaker
Master vampire Ian is unrepentant, shameless…and every shade of wicked. He’s made one too many enemies in his two centuries of existence, including Dagon, a demon who now lays claim to his soul. Ian’s only chance to escape Dagon is to join forces with a Law Guardian, but he’s never been able to abide by the rules for long.
The Law Maker
Veritas’ normal role is police, judge and jury to reprobates like Ian. But she has her own ax to grind with Dagon, so if she can use Ian as bait…well, all’s fair in law and war. As they scour supernatural hotspots to perfect their trap, Veritas soon realizes Ian’s devil-may-care, roguish image hides something much more powerful. And Ian discovers that Veritas has shocking secrets of her own. As they’re drawn to each other with a passion as intense as their peril, either love or justice will prevail. But each will have devastating consequences…
Usual disclaimer: Copyright Jeaniene Frost. This is pre-copyedits, so you might find spelling and/or grammar errors, plus I might add or delete a line or two between now and the published version. Disclaimers aside, hope you enjoy!
***
Ian led me past the fountain room to a different one that could double as an erotic version of Eden. Vines, branches, and flowers covered the walls and ceiling and made up the furniture, too. Many of the people lounging here had decided to copy the garden theme by wearing only leaves and petals as clothing. So much for Ian saying tonight was black-tie formal.
Moans drew my attention upward. Long, thick clusters of white and lavender wisteria hung from the high ceiling. A few of the wider clusters had arms, legs, and other body parts protruding from them. Some mage or witch must have bespelled the wisteria bunches so that whoever was inside them could float. People had taken advantage of that perk and were making love with a fervor that made me hope none of them were human. If they strayed too far from the gravity-defying clusters, they’d harm themselves from the fall.
“Keep going,” Ian said, though his brow flicked suggestively as we passed another wisteria cluster with at least three people writhing inside it. “Unless you’re slowing down because you want us to join them?”
I glared at him as I quickened my pace. “No.”
He gave me a speculative look as we continued through the room. “What do you do for erotic recreation? Mencheres said you almost never shag vampires, which for the life of me I can’t understand. Ghouls are vigorous lovers, yes, but they don’t have fangs, so you’re missing half the fun. Humans are tasty and enjoyable, but they tire so easily, plus someone with your strength would likely break one during orgasm-”
“Would you shut up?” I snapped. He’d hit too close to home with that last remark.
He pulled me back when I attempted to stride ahead of him. “What, then?” he went on as if I hadn’t spoken. “A combination of ghouls, the occasional vampire, and battery-operated devices?”
Once again, he was closer to the truth than I was comfortable with. That’s why my tone was even sharper. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
His turquoise eyes began to fill with emerald. Then he began to propel me toward the nearest wall. “Perhaps I would.”
I didn’t know what had caused his abrupt change in behavior, but I dug my heels in to stop his progress. Faster than a blink, he picked me up. I debated punching a dent into his head for his impertinence, then decided to see where he was going with this. He might only be acting out the “fighting” part of our “fighting couple” ruse, though I had a feeling this was more serious.
“If I’m wrong about my other guesses, what then?” he murmured, moving so close the full length of our bodies touched. Then he leaned down until his forehead rested against mine. “Demons? They are, as the saying goes, a hell of a ride.”
I wasn’t a fan of being swept off my feet and backed against a wall. If anyone else had manhandled me this way, I’d be slamming my head against theirs hard enough to split their skull. But for reasons that had nothing to do with maintaining our ruse, I didn’t smash Ian’s head, stomp on his feet hard enough to break them, punch a hole through his ribs or do anything else violent. Instead, filled with an urge I couldn’t explain, I trailed my fingers down Ian’s chest with taunting flicks.
“Why do you care who or what I have sex with? You’re not tempting enough for it to ever be you, so how is the rest of it your concern?”
As soon as I said it, I regretted it. It was a blatant dare – and Ian loved dares. His eyes lit with emerald flames and his arms hardened around me. I squirmed, but not nearly as much as I could if I truly wanted to get away. Instead, my efforts only pressed me against him in more suggestive ways.
His nostrils flared. Oh yes, he knew the difference between what I was doing now and what I did when I was serious about breaking his hold. It’s not as if our first fight had left Ian any doubt as to how I acted when I really wanted to get free.
Soon, only scant bits of air separated the most intimate part of our bodies. Another centimeter would have those parts touching. I found myself taking in a breath just to inhale his scent. He glanced down as if wanting me to know that he was thinking about closing that space between us, but he didn’t. Instead, his eyes glowed a brighter shade of green as his mouth slid down until it touched my ear.
“What if I told you I had every intention of changing your mind about taking me for a lover?”
The breath from his words felt like feathers brushing my skin. His hands were on my arms, lightly kneading the pressure points in the softer areas of my flesh. I wouldn’t have considered arms to be an erogenous zone, yet each touch elicited shivers of pleasure that traveled far beyond my limbs.
I should tell him to get away from me. Right now. But what came out was a breathy, “Aren’t you supposed to fighting with me instead of trying to seduce me?”
His low laugh ticked my ear in all the right places. “Who says I can’t do both?”
I didn’t trust my body’s reaction to that. It didn’t help that his light touches and the brushes of his mouth was heightening an ever-growing need. Soon, it was all I could do to keep my hands at my sides instead of sliding them up his back to pull him closer.
“Quit playing.”
I’d intended my tone to be sharp, but once again, it failed. What came out was almost a purr instead. Gods, had it be so long since I’d indulged in a little pleasure that I was about to surrender to the most dangerous supplier of it?
“If you want me to stop, then stop me,” he murmured before I felt the brush of his fangs on my throat. If my heart had still been capable of beating, it would have started to race. I could not be in a more treacherous situation. So why did a reckless part of me wanted to tilt my head back to give him better access?
“Say no,” he went on. “Or shove me away, and I’ll stop.” Then his tone turned darkly promising. “But if you do neither, I absolutely won’t stop.”
His lips brushed against my skin with each word. I shivered and his breath hit me in a sharp exhale as he felt it. His scent changed, deepening into a more luxuriant mix of caramel and cognac. I found myself breathing it in until my chest swelled against his. A lower, rougher sound escaped him and he closed the last space between us.
SHADES OF WICKED releases on October 30th in print, ebook and audio. Pre-order: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound, iBooks, BooksAMillion, Kobo

The Rule Breaker
Master vampire Ian is unrepentant, shameless…and every shade of wicked. He’s made one too many enemies in his two centuries of existence, including Dagon, a demon who now lays claim to his soul. Ian’s only chance to escape Dagon is to join forces with a Law Guardian, but he’s never been able to abide by the rules for long.
The Law Maker
Veritas’ normal role is police, judge and jury to reprobates like Ian. But she has her own ax to grind with Dagon, so if she can use Ian as bait…well, all’s fair in law and war. As they scour supernatural hotspots to perfect their trap, Veritas soon realizes Ian’s devil-may-care, roguish image hides something much more powerful. And Ian discovers that Veritas has shocking secrets of her own. As they’re drawn to each other with a passion as intense as their peril, either love or justice will prevail. But each will have devastating consequences…
Usual disclaimer: Copyright Jeaniene Frost. This is pre-copyedits, so you might find spelling and/or grammar errors, plus I might add or delete a line or two between now and the published version. Disclaimers aside, hope you enjoy!
***
Ian led me past the fountain room to a different one that could double as an erotic version of Eden. Vines, branches, and flowers covered the walls and ceiling and made up the furniture, too. Many of the people lounging here had decided to copy the garden theme by wearing only leaves and petals as clothing. So much for Ian saying tonight was black-tie formal.
Moans drew my attention upward. Long, thick clusters of white and lavender wisteria hung from the high ceiling. A few of the wider clusters had arms, legs, and other body parts protruding from them. Some mage or witch must have bespelled the wisteria bunches so that whoever was inside them could float. People had taken advantage of that perk and were making love with a fervor that made me hope none of them were human. If they strayed too far from the gravity-defying clusters, they’d harm themselves from the fall.
“Keep going,” Ian said, though his brow flicked suggestively as we passed another wisteria cluster with at least three people writhing inside it. “Unless you’re slowing down because you want us to join them?”
I glared at him as I quickened my pace. “No.”
He gave me a speculative look as we continued through the room. “What do you do for erotic recreation? Mencheres said you almost never shag vampires, which for the life of me I can’t understand. Ghouls are vigorous lovers, yes, but they don’t have fangs, so you’re missing half the fun. Humans are tasty and enjoyable, but they tire so easily, plus someone with your strength would likely break one during orgasm-”
“Would you shut up?” I snapped. He’d hit too close to home with that last remark.
He pulled me back when I attempted to stride ahead of him. “What, then?” he went on as if I hadn’t spoken. “A combination of ghouls, the occasional vampire, and battery-operated devices?”
Once again, he was closer to the truth than I was comfortable with. That’s why my tone was even sharper. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
His turquoise eyes began to fill with emerald. Then he began to propel me toward the nearest wall. “Perhaps I would.”
I didn’t know what had caused his abrupt change in behavior, but I dug my heels in to stop his progress. Faster than a blink, he picked me up. I debated punching a dent into his head for his impertinence, then decided to see where he was going with this. He might only be acting out the “fighting” part of our “fighting couple” ruse, though I had a feeling this was more serious.
“If I’m wrong about my other guesses, what then?” he murmured, moving so close the full length of our bodies touched. Then he leaned down until his forehead rested against mine. “Demons? They are, as the saying goes, a hell of a ride.”
I wasn’t a fan of being swept off my feet and backed against a wall. If anyone else had manhandled me this way, I’d be slamming my head against theirs hard enough to split their skull. But for reasons that had nothing to do with maintaining our ruse, I didn’t smash Ian’s head, stomp on his feet hard enough to break them, punch a hole through his ribs or do anything else violent. Instead, filled with an urge I couldn’t explain, I trailed my fingers down Ian’s chest with taunting flicks.
“Why do you care who or what I have sex with? You’re not tempting enough for it to ever be you, so how is the rest of it your concern?”
As soon as I said it, I regretted it. It was a blatant dare – and Ian loved dares. His eyes lit with emerald flames and his arms hardened around me. I squirmed, but not nearly as much as I could if I truly wanted to get away. Instead, my efforts only pressed me against him in more suggestive ways.
His nostrils flared. Oh yes, he knew the difference between what I was doing now and what I did when I was serious about breaking his hold. It’s not as if our first fight had left Ian any doubt as to how I acted when I really wanted to get free.
Soon, only scant bits of air separated the most intimate part of our bodies. Another centimeter would have those parts touching. I found myself taking in a breath just to inhale his scent. He glanced down as if wanting me to know that he was thinking about closing that space between us, but he didn’t. Instead, his eyes glowed a brighter shade of green as his mouth slid down until it touched my ear.
“What if I told you I had every intention of changing your mind about taking me for a lover?”
The breath from his words felt like feathers brushing my skin. His hands were on my arms, lightly kneading the pressure points in the softer areas of my flesh. I wouldn’t have considered arms to be an erogenous zone, yet each touch elicited shivers of pleasure that traveled far beyond my limbs.
I should tell him to get away from me. Right now. But what came out was a breathy, “Aren’t you supposed to fighting with me instead of trying to seduce me?”
His low laugh ticked my ear in all the right places. “Who says I can’t do both?”
I didn’t trust my body’s reaction to that. It didn’t help that his light touches and the brushes of his mouth was heightening an ever-growing need. Soon, it was all I could do to keep my hands at my sides instead of sliding them up his back to pull him closer.
“Quit playing.”
I’d intended my tone to be sharp, but once again, it failed. What came out was almost a purr instead. Gods, had it be so long since I’d indulged in a little pleasure that I was about to surrender to the most dangerous supplier of it?
“If you want me to stop, then stop me,” he murmured before I felt the brush of his fangs on my throat. If my heart had still been capable of beating, it would have started to race. I could not be in a more treacherous situation. So why did a reckless part of me wanted to tilt my head back to give him better access?
“Say no,” he went on. “Or shove me away, and I’ll stop.” Then his tone turned darkly promising. “But if you do neither, I absolutely won’t stop.”
His lips brushed against my skin with each word. I shivered and his breath hit me in a sharp exhale as he felt it. His scent changed, deepening into a more luxuriant mix of caramel and cognac. I found myself breathing it in until my chest swelled against his. A lower, rougher sound escaped him and he closed the last space between us.
SHADES OF WICKED releases on October 30th in print, ebook and audio. Pre-order: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound, iBooks, BooksAMillion, Kobo
Published on June 07, 2018 10:36
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Tags:
night-rebel, shades-of-wicked