Margo Bond Collins's Blog, page 157

A Vampire’s Christmas Carol

A Vampire’s Christmas Carol 

by

Cynthia Eden




Blurb




This holiday season has bite.

Ben Prescott hates Christmas—he’s a vampire, and to him, there’s certainly nothing jolly about the holiday season.  While the humans are running around being merry, he’s hunting in the shadows.  Ben plans to spend the holidays his way…by stalking deadly prey. 

But fate has other plans for Ben.

Three visitors are coming Ben’s way…A demon who will force  Ben to face his past, a ghost who will show Ben the present he could have, and a shifter  who will reveal the darkness that waits in Ben’s future. Unless Ben can change his ways, he may just turn into a real monster, one who can’t be saved by anyone or anything.




‘Tis the season…to be undead.

Ben’s redemption rests in the hands of the one woman he loved and lost—Simone Laurent.  If Ben is going to have a chance at being more than just the beast in the darkness, he has to prove himself to the lovely Simone.  A very hard task, considering that, once upon a Christmas Eve, Simone died in Ben’s arms…  




Warning: 

This book features one very tortured vampire, a sexy ghost from his past, and hot scenes designed to melt the winter snow. Plenty of action, adult situations, and steamy times are ahead. Happy holidays!    

Available for purchase at 



           

Excerpt




The fire flared again, and in the next

instant, William was right in front of Ben. 

The demon was fast. “You

should be more grateful. You’re immortal. One of the most powerful vampires

I’ve ever come across. But you’re going down a dark and dangerous path, a path

you don’t want to take.”

Ben offered him a grim smile. “It’s the

only path for me.” Blood and death and demons. Yeah, that all seemed

right.  

“Once you wanted more.”  William grabbed Ben’s hand. The demon’s touch

burned, and smoke rose from Ben’s skin. “You just need to remember that.

Remember who you were before.” 

Ben twisted his wrist, but, even with his

vamp strength, he couldn’t break free from William’s hold.  “Let. Me. Go.” Or he’d be ripping the demon’s

head off in the next five seconds.

“I’m the first visitor of the night.”

The

first?

“There will be three, and in the end, the

choice will be yours.”  William glared at

him. “But I’m telling you, asshole, make

the right choice.”

Ben flashed his fangs and went for the

demon’s throat. He braced himself for the acid burn to come. He’d drunk from a

demon before, and he knew that taste would be a real bitch. 

Before his fangs could slice into William,

flames erupted around them. Surrounded

them. And Ben knew he was about to die. His last thought…

About the Author




USA Today Best-selling author Cynthia Eden has written over twenty-five novels and novellas. She was named as a 2013 RITA® finalist for her paranormal romance, ANGEL IN CHAINS, and, in 2011, Cynthia Eden was a RITA finalist for her romantic suspense, DEADLY FEAR.

Cynthia is a southern girl who loves horror movies, chocolate, and happy endings.  She has always wanted to write (don’t most authors say that?), and particularly enjoys creating stories about monsters–vampires, werewolves, and even the real-life monsters that populate her romantic suspense stories.




Cynthia’s foreign sales for her books include translations to Japan, Germany, Thailand, Greece, and Brazil.



(Back in the day…) Cynthia graduated summa cum laude from the University of South Alabama where she studied Sociology (because people interest her) and Communication (because she likes to write about said people).  Cynthia has worked as a college admissions counselor, a teacher, and as an editor. But now, Cynthia is thrilled to be spending her days making up stories.

            

Presented By

Spotlight On: The Spike (short story collection)

____________________________

The Spike Collection

Ten random short stories ranging from tales of suburbia, life changing moments, superstardom, and what to do if you do not fancy door-to-door selling for the day. Ten shorts that are written to amuse, delight, and distract, all in bite-size form.

In the first short, the Spike, Sam is flying through life getting fired at every job he gets, until one day he finally realises what his major talent is, this is Sam’s journey until he reaches his realisation that defines his whole life.

If you enjoy short stories that take you through a rollercoaster ride of emotions then this is for you. Ten thought provoking and random short stories that truly entertain.

____________________________

Excerpt:

Below is an extract from the short story ‘The Spike’ (from the Spike Collection).

(c) 2013 Martin Skate

Below is an extract from the short story ‘The Spike’ (from the Spike Collection).

(c) 2013 Martin Skate

I have never ran as fast as I did on that day.

Fastest I have ever run.

Until that moment, I never knew I could run that fast.

I guess when you are older there is not really an occasion when you have to test how fast you can run.

When you were a kid sure, that kind of thing was important. Everyone in my class knew who could run the fastest, they knew who the second fastest was, the third, hell, I bet every kid in the class could rank everyone from the fastest to the slowest, and we tested our speeds regularly. We had running races in the schoolyard all the time.

I am nearly Forty: nearly, and my body was not made for running. I am not huge, but I am not thin either. I like my food, I like my food big too, and I like to enjoy it, take my time with it. I don’t drink, I don’t know why not exactly, only that I do not enjoy it, I am not sure I even understand the need for it. No one really seems to notice that I am not a drinker anyway. Not a big deal. Nor do I smoke, but that doesn’t seem at all a thing anymore. Smoking is stupid, we all know it, I am glad it is being outlawed, it is a waste of time, a waste of energy, why smoke when you could be having a conversation; why did you wear that today? Why do you have a beard? Why don’t you have a beard? How many times have you laughed out loud today? How many times have you laughed out loud ever? Shall we get a coffee, or shall we literally go to the shop right now, get some paint and draw a picture of our faces, put them up on a wall at work and everyone’s got to guess who the pictures are of? What is the point of smoking if all of those questions are bubbling up inside of you? By smoking you have already lost out on a hundred opportunities and none of those questions will ever get asked or answered, all that opportunity literally disappearing in a puff of smoke. Pffffffffff.

Anyway, stop reading the above paragraph, you have anyway, and listen to this, ok, three words; Enjoy your work. That is it.

Enjoy your work.

It is important you do so, and here is why:

This is my story, and it not only encapsulates why it is important to enjoy your work, but it also explains (although am not sure why it is anywhere near anything important) why I ran so fast that day.

My background is in newspapers. My first job was removing pages from a printing press and stacking them neatly. I did it daily for twelve hours and I did it amazing. The foreman said he had never seen someone do that job the way I did it so unfathomably neatly, so methodically, and (this is the thing he liked the most) without complaining.

Because of some union rules nonsense you were not allowed to do the work listening to a personal stereo, so it was truly the most banal mind-numbing soul-destroying job to the outsider, but to me it was heaven; it was freedom. It was the first time I think I ever knew where I had total silence to think my own thoughts ever (I grew up with 3 brothers, 2 cats, 2 opera singing parents, 1 dog, and 1 very noisy parrot). It was at the printers therefore that I worked out what I wanted to do with my life, it was literally spelt out in front of me.

The printers were printing a magazine that nobody read called (without any irony) Read. In it were pages and pages of glossy adverts that no one would read, and some of the messages in those ads were, what appears now to be hilarious, yet at the time were taken very seriously….

Hard day? Long day? Every day the same? Not any more…

That was an ad slogan for toilet paper. Yes. Somehow toilet paper, or rather, the right kind, the right brand of toilet paper, could really change your whole life. How very amazing. Up until then I did not give toilet paper any consideration, from then on I would ask people ‘What toilet paper do you use?’ trust me when I say there began some fascinating conversations.

This is my all-time favourite, and in all my years since, I have never seen this bettered anywhere…

Looking for a hobby? Try the flute.

That actually happened, there was the ad without a hint of humour or explanation or anything in fact, it was complete with a pencil drawing of a young man playing a flute like he was it, he was not just a flutist, he was the daddy of the flutists, he was playing that flute like it made him a worldwide superstar.

I thought, you know what, I can write better adverts than those. Those adverts are so stupid, how hard can it be to come up with something more engaging, something more than just random words slovenly thrown together? I can do this. I wrote to the magazine Read, told them that I read their magazine not only weekly, but that I read it literally cover to cover over and over again, and that if they employed me that their readership and advertising revenues would double within three months. Here is the letter I got back in return:

Dear Mr Beacon,

I sincerely thank you for your most astute and kind letter of the 7th that you sent to Read Magazine. Permit me to be uncharacteristically blunt, sir, by stating that in my 37 years of being in the print business, no one has ever complimented a publication of mine in such a manner. To inform me of your dedication and passion for the magazine was a very courteous thing to do, and I have no qualms about having you as an employee of the magazine. Indeed I can think of no higher qualification to work for Read magazine than by reading it so methodically, and so regularly.

Please accept this letter as a confirmation of your role here as Commercial Executive, and I look forward to hearing from you again with a starting date (but no later than June 1st please).

Yours sincerely,

C.D. Burnstrom

Burnstrom Publications, MD.

I showed this letter to everyone I knew, in my mind, and I hoped in their minds too, I had made it. Even before I even showed up for work I already felt that I had made it in the world. My whole future mapped out before I had even shown up on day one. I would join the company, in two months (not even three) I would turn that bucket of a magazine around, it would be the most profitable magazine in the whole of America, the world in fact, and then after a year I would have shares in the company, I would be a partner, there would be me and all the important people in high society giving me cigars and slapping me on the back congratulating me for this and that, and I could hear myself saying to them whilst crunching down on my cigar: “It was all so easy, learn the flute? How crazy was that?” to the sound of appreciative laughter.

On my first day at Burnstrom’s they gave me a desk and a phone. Me! My own desk, my own phone, with my own actual telephone number. There was a computer too, but no-one knew how to use it, so it was never switched on. I called my Ma.

“Ma, I’ve got my own telephone here things are great,” I said.

“Great Samuel, we’re real proud of you son, how many drawers in the desk?” said Ma.

“Hold on,” I checked. “Three, three drawers and one of them has a key so I can lock it”.

Ma was so excited. That night I remember we had special beef burgers that she had been making all day long, I can still taste them even now; they tasted like success. To be honest I don’t think I have ever had a burger to this day that tasted like that, I have often wondered if I ever will.

After three weeks at Burnstrom’s I was fired. I was the salesman with the worst sales figures, the worst reputation (I literally didn’t know what I was talking about) and the worst kept desk. Old man Burnstrom said in his 37 years of being in the business it was the most stupid thing he had ever done; to employ someone off the back of a letter he had received complimenting his magazine. I was fine with that. Two months after that Read magazine folded (presumably a big blow to the flute business, and possibly my losing a couple of important advertising clients may have also been a factor, who knows really how these things go).

The day prior to getting fired, my confidence must have gone into overload because I asked Clementine out on a date. I would never have asked her before. I was not a shy guy, far from it, but I was the kind of guy who only liked to go for something if I knew I had a strong chance of cracking it. Clementine lived next door; she was literally the girl next door. She was pretty, she was lovely, she had a laugh that would not get annoying after a hundred years, and she wore little yellow skirts, sometimes green. Ultimately she was exciting. Here was my pitch:

“Clementine, we’ve known each other a long time, and the thing is that even though I pretty much know I am in love with you already, I am worried that you don’t know me, the real me, and the real me is fantastic, the real me is puppy dogs and fireworks all year round, and if you go out on a date with me I promise that you will never have another date like it for the rest of your life.”

I rehearsed this line three times in the mirror then went round and said it out loud verbatim, in front of her mum, her sisters and her dog, in fact there was a whole bunch of people there, I could feel the whole audience behind me really cheering me on.

Clem did not even reply. Her mom did.

“Pick her up at 6 o clock Samuel, thank you.”

And I did.

I had no idea what we would do on the date, but I knew I had to fulfil the promise that I had made to her and in front of all those people. At work the next day (which of course turned out to be my last day) I sneaked an ad into the print run…

A Clementine a day will never lead you astray.

I added a pencil drawing of a happy lady eating an orange and billed it to the grocery store on the next block. I have often wondered if they paid for that. The advert sure enough was there in the magazine the next week. Clementine cut it out and placed it in a frame next to her bedside table, and now it is there next to our bedside table today.

____________________________

About the Author

Martin Skate clearly doesn’t like to waste time, and when one morning on his commute to work his Kindle battery ran out he began to write his own collection of short stories, within one journey he had sketched out the first story, within one week he had written one entire short, and then in the space of a few months he had completed ten short stories.

Working in the travel industry and having covered half of the globe on cruise ships, Martin Skate always left a trail of creative writing, either in blogs or within travel articles. This is Skate’s first publication, a collection of short stories entitled ‘The Spike Collection’.

Martin lives just outside of London, he has held a variety of roles including working at sea, on land, antique furniture removal man (for one day), creator, singer, marathon runner, and most recently avid dog-walker. This is his first attempt of writing something that does not involve monkeys, superheroes, or monkey superheroes. Martin also writes a blog at http://www.martinskate.com

____________________________

The Spike Story Summaries

The Spike: Sam is flying through life getting fired at every job he gets, until one day he finally realises where his major talents lie. This is Sam’s journey up until he reaches his realisation that defines his whole life.

The Siren: All the boys turned to jelly when they were around Tina, so what happened when Brad was the only one to get close to the Siren?

Rocco: It is tough being galaxy-wide famous, follow Rocco on his life of fame, adulation, and on meeting the love of his life, Eve.

Twenty Pence Pieces: During the summer holidays Ted and Dee have a simple plan to buy something super cool, and they have a fun and enterprising method on how to get the money to do it.

The Bridge: Helen, Stefano, Roland, they all have their hobbies and goals which ultimately drive them to a meeting-crescendo of devastating circumstance.

Time Travel Tim: A little boy’s wish comes true when his fictional television hero suddenly appears in his bedroom and takes him on a quick adventure.

Snapshot: Being away at sea for long periods of time can be fatal on a relationship, as this account of a returning sailor tells us.

Nine Coffees: Russ worked in a boring office, he needed more, but what to do? He found what he was looking for one morning in a coffee shop, Luka was the shot of caffeine he needed.

Chelmsford: During a day of door-to-door selling Jason has the great fortune to be joined by someone who decides to play this would-be humdrum day ever so slightly different.

Hear-dunnit: Retired and widowed Pat awakes to plan his final hurrah, and looks back on some fond memories.

____________________________

U.S. Amazon

U.K. Amazon

____________________________

Contact the Author

Blog: http://www.martinskate.com

Fb: http://www.facebook.com/martinskateauthor

Twitter: @martinskate9

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/martinskate9/

Waking Up Dead is Free on Amazon!

FREE through 11/11:

When Callie Taylor died, she expected heaven or hell. She got Alabama.

Paranormal mystery #WakingUpDead is free this weekend!

Get your copy here: http://ow.ly/qCo4G

Waking Up Dead

When Vampires Came to England

(reposted from my guest blog at World Weaver Press: http://worldweaverpress.com/2013/10/14/when-vampires-came-to-england/)

Much has been written lately about the sudden explosion of vampires onto the literary and popular-culture scene, from Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Saga, to Charlaine Harris’s Southern Vampire Mysteries and their HBO television version True Blood, to the hundreds of paranormal romances and urban fantasies with fanged heroes and villains. With this resurgence of vampires has come a renewed interest in older vampire tales, as well. And there are many of them to be found!

The most commonly known of these earlier vampire stories is Bram Stoker’s Dracula, of course. Dracula has become the model for countless vampires since its publication in 1897. One of the most striking elements of Dracula, and one that a number of scholars have touched upon, is the vampire’s journey to England, often interpreted as a xenophobic British attitude toward Eastern Europeans and Jews. When Dracula comes to England, he threatens the very heart of the Empire.

But Dracula was not the first vampire in England.

In March 1732, several London newspapers—including the London Journal, which seems to have first published the news—carried the story of Arnold Paole (rendered “Paul” in most English reports), a Hungarian who had apparently become a “vampire” after his death. Other newspapers quickly picked up the report and all included the same salient points: Arnold Paul had been attacked by a vampire during his lifetime and had returned after his death to haunt and murder his loved ones. Determined to exterminate the menace, local officials dug up Paul’s body, staked it through the heart, and burned it to ashes. These reports led to what has been termed the “Eighteenth-Century Vampire Controversy,” a debate over the existence of vampires that would eventually engross a number of clergymen; cause the exhumation, staking, and burning of bodies from countless eastern European gravesites; and end with the Empress Maria Theresa of Austria sending her personal physician, Gerhard van Swieten, to investigate. He concluded that vampires did not exist, and the Empress passed laws prohibiting the opening of graves and desecration of bodies.

Those 1732 reports probably constituted the earliest uses of the word “vampire” in English, despite the Oxford English Dictionary’s claim that the word actually appeared two years later. By 1734, vampires had already been much discussed in England as in the rest of Europe, and by 1740, at least one French clergyman—Dom Augustin Calmet—had written a treatise speculating about the possibility of the reality of vampires; this treatise was translated into English, then reprinted and often quoted.

Thus vampires were haunting England long before the Count appeared. Those of us who write about vampires owe much to Bram Stoker, but Dracula was only the latest in a long line of vampires to appear in English print.

I’m including a snippet below from one of those early vampire news stories. Enjoy!

_____________________________________________

From “Foreign Advices” in The Gentleman’s Magazine, March, 1732.

From Medreyga in Hungary, That certain dead Bodies called Vampyres, had kill’d several Persons by sucking out all their Blood. The Commander in Chief, and Magistrates of the Place were severally examin’d and unanimously declared, that about 5 years ago, a certain Heyduke[2] named Arnold Paul, in his Life Time was heard to say, he had been tormented by a Vampyre, and that for a Remedy he had eaten some of the Earth of the Vampyre’s Grave, and rubbed himself with their Blood. That 20 or 30 Days after the Death of the said Arnold Paul, several Persons complained that they were tormented; and that he had taken away the Lives of 4 Persons. To put a Stop to such a Calamity, the Inhabitants having consulted their Hadnagi[2] took up his Body, 40 Days after he had been dead, and found it fresh and free from Corruption; that he bled at the Nose, Mouth and Ears, pure and florid Blood; that his Shroud and Winding Sheet were all over Bloody; and that his Finger and Toe Nails were fallen off, and new ones grown in their room. By these Circumstances they were perswaded that he was a Vampyre, and, according to Custom, drove a Stake thro’ his Heart; at which he gave a horrid Groan. They burnt his Body to Ashes, and threw them into his Grave. ’Twas added, that those who have been tormented or killed by the Vampyres become Vampyres when they are dead. Upon which Account they served several other dead Bodies in the same manner.

Notes:

1. A term meaning originally “robber, marauder, brigand” (a sense still retained in Serbia and adjacent countries), which in Hungary became the name of a special body of foot-soldiers (to whom the rank of nobility and a territory were given in 1605), and in Poland of the liveried personal followers or attendants of the nobles. (OED)

2. Generally translated in the eighteenth century as “bailiff”; clearly a public official.

Guest Author: Jodi McIsaac

Welcome today to Jodi McIsaac, today’s guest author! She has graciously offered to stop by and tell us about her experience of becoming a writer!

Hi, Jodi! Could you tell us: When did you start writing? Have you always wanted to be an author? What was Plan B?

___________________________________

I started writing when I was a very small child, pretty much around the same time I started reading! I wrote poems and short stories and a 13-page “novel” about a foster child named Ethel. Being a writer is pretty much the only thing I have ever consistently wanted to do, though I wanted to be a humanitarian aid worker for a few years. (I eventually compromised by getting a job in which I wrote fundraising and marketing materials for a humanitarian aid organization.)

Sadly, I neglected my dream of becoming an author for far too many years. I got two university degrees, started a great career, got married, and had two children, all the while thinking, “When things get less busy, then I’ll write that book.” I read books about writing, I dreamed about writing, I attended conferences about writing … but I never actually found the time—or the nerve—to write. Not only was I busy, I was paralyzed by the fear of failure, and overwhelmed by the seeming impossibility of it all. I was always in awe of people who could write books—and was quite sure I would never be one of them.

It was only four years ago when it hit me—I’d always wanted to be a writer; I still wanted to be a writer, and yet I hadn’t written anything since high school—over a decade ago. And if I didn’t do something about it, I would be on my deathbed, still wishing I had been a writer. And so—finally—I grit my teeth, faced my fears and insecurities, put away all excuses, and sat down to write. The result was Through the Door, which became an Amazon bestseller and led to a three-book publishing contract (the second of which is Into the Fire).

What was Plan B? Well, when I started Through the Door I was also working as a freelance copywriter, which I’ve now expanded into a boutique agency. It’s still my day job, and I love it because most of my clients are non-profit organizations—so I get to do what I love and help amazing organizations at the same time. A pretty good Plan B, if you ask me. But my first love is fiction, and I’m so, so glad I finally conquered my fears and took the plunge.

___________________________________

Jodi McIsaac is the author of the Thin Veil contemporary fantasy series, where Celtic mythology and the modern world collide. INTO THE FIRE, the second book in the series, is being released on November 12. You can pre-order it here.

___________________________________

Links:

THROUGH THE DOOR (book 1): http://www.amazon.com/Through-Door-The-Thin-Veil-ebook/dp/B00AJXXA4G/

INTO THE FIRE (book 2): http://www.amazon.com/Into-Fire-The-Thin-Veil-ebook/dp/B00C1IPQTY/

http://www.jodimcisaac.com

http://www.facebook.com/jodimcisaac

http://www.twitter.com/jodimcisaac

Excerpt: My Date from Hell, by Tellulah Darling

______________________

Title: My Date From Hell (The Blooming Goddess Trilogy Book Two)

Author: Tellulah Darling

Release date: Oct 31

Publisher: Te Da Media

Age Group: Young Adult

Genre: Romantic comedy/Greek mythology

______________________

Buy Links

AMAZON-My Ex From Hell:

My Ex From Hell (The Blooming Goddess Trilogy)

B&N-My Ex From Hell:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/my-ex-from-hell-tellulah-darling/1114850809?ean=9780988054035

______________________

Book Description:

Sophie Bloom’s junior year has been a bit of a train wreck. After the world’s greatest kiss re-awakened Sophie’s true identity as Persephone (Goddess of Spring and Savior of Humanity), she fought her dragon-lady guidance counselor to the death, navigated mean girl Bethany’s bitchy troublemaking, and dealt with the betrayal of her backstabbing ex, Kai (sexy Prince of Darkness). You’d think a girl could catch a break.

Yeah, right.

With Zeus stepping things up, it’s vital that Sophie retrieve Persephone’s memories and discover the location of the ritual to stop Zeus and Hades. So when Aphrodite strikes a deal that can unlock Sophie’s pre-mortal past, what choice does the teen goddess have but to accept?

The mission: stop media mogul Hermes from turning Bethany into a global mega-celebrity. The catch? Aphrodite partners Sophie and Kai to work together … and treat this suicide mission as a date. Which could work out for Sophie’s plan to force Kai to admit his feelings for her–if she doesn’t kill him first.

Add to that the fact that BFF Theo’s love life and other BFF Hannah’s actual life are in Sophie’s hands, and suddenly being a teenager—even a godlike one—seems a bit like … well, hell. Whatever happened to dinner and a movie?

The YA romantic comedy/Greek mythology fireworks continue to fly in My Date From Hell. Love meets comedy with a whole lot of sass in book two of this teen fantasy romance series. Breaking up is easy; dating is deadly.

______________________

GIVEAWAY:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/NGE1MDEyNTkzNmEzMjcwYWY1N2NlODA1YWVlMmE3OjI3NA==/

______________________

ALSO:

The author is hosting a contest on her site to give Sophie’s power (her vines of light) a cool name because everything she’s come up with sucks. The winner will get a signed copy of My Date From Hell, a t-shirt featuring a design of one of Kai’s tattoos and will have their power name featured in the final book of the trilogy. Contest runs Oct 21-Nov 7. Details and entry is here: http://bit.ly/1evuIp0

______________________

About the Author

Tellulah Darling

noun

1. YA romantic comedy author because her first kiss sucked and she’s compensating.

2. Alter ego of former screenwriter.

3. Sassy minx.

Geeks out over: cool tech.

Squees for: great storytelling.

Delights in: fabulous conversation.

Writes about: where love meets comedy. Awkwardness ensues.

Sassy girls. Swoony boys. What could go wrong?

______________________

Author Social Media Links:

Website: http://www.tellulahdarling.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tellulahdarling

FB: https://www.facebook.com/TellulahDarling

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6429243.Tellulah_Darling

______________________

Excerpt:

The tigers herded me along for about fifteen minutes over soft, spongy ground with the occasional tree root to stumble over. Nothing slithered or skittered over my feet, for which I was profoundly grateful.

We stepped into a clearing in front of a large, clear pond with a waterfall. It was beautiful here. I almost forgot about my keepers until one of them pawed at me gently. I jumped at the slight rasp of its claws on my skirt and glared at it.

“You prefer lunch with a view?” I asked the tigers, pleased with my bravado. They sat down, hemming me in along the shore of the pond.

A woman began to sing. Not in Greek. Not a hymn or a chant or a lullaby. Nope. She sang of how her loneliness was killing her. Which sounds poetic, but was actually Britney Spears.

Another woman joined her. And another.

It was the best unplugged cover of “Hit Me Baby One More Time” that I’d ever heard.

Three young women swam out from behind the waterfall. They looked like triplets, with dusky olive skin, and long black hair all threaded through with silvery flowers that glinted as they caught the sunlight. Their voices soared as they entreated the object of their song to give them a sign.

My toes were tapping. And yeah, I hummed along. Whatever. It didn’t get to be a massive hit without being catchy.

The Diana Ross of the group swam forward and held out her hand. As if. I wasn’t jumping in.

One of my feline jailers nudged me hard enough to push me in.

Instead of being wet, I found myself floating underwater but in the air. The women continued to sing, starting their song again as they somehow plucked orchids which did usually not grow underwater to weave in my hair.

By the time they had finished adorning me, I was singing, too.

I rose out of the waves. Light caught the spray of droplets, creating a thousand tiny prisms of color. Crooning my heart out with eternal angst, I was consumed with emotion. I had to sing.

This was the most poignant song ever written and I was the keeper of all the anguish.

Kai stepped out into the clearing and I sang to him. Sang this ageless story.

Spotlight On: Crossroads (The Wanderlust Series, #1), by Glory Rabenaugh

Check out Glory Rabenaugh’s Crossroads, and be sure to sign up for the giveaway below!

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

______________________________

Trailer

Link: https://plus.google.com/111116915519854666539/posts/KAvVQxEQXvr

______________________________

Book Info:

Title: Crossroads (The Wanderlust Series, #1)

Author: Glory Rabenaugh

Blurb:

As High Priestess of the most up & coming Coven in the world, Reece Crawford figures that her future has already been mapped out for her. Unfortunately, being High Priestess with incredible power can be too tempting for other supernaturals. Sexy witches, warlocks, vampires, and werewolves all play a part in this exciting and intriguing series.

______________________________

Excerpt

Reece closed up her altar room just as she heard a knock on her bedroom door. Nathan stuck his head in cautiously. “Is it all clear?” he asked.

Reece gave him a tired smile and waved him in. She sank down into her bed, still wearing the beautiful gown and fell back into her pillows. She was always so drained after doing a spell. After her Kindling, it would be different. The power she would have would be welcome. She turned her head in Nate’s direction and blew out a breath. “Earlier today, I felt someone using black magic. Piers ‘fessed up to it. I’ve not asked specifics, and I don’t want to. He’s changing now, I’m sure you see it as well. His temper is out of control and I’m afraid of what he’s planning on doing to you, to anyone that upsets him in any way,” she told Nate is a somber tone.

“Black magic? Are you sure?” Nathan asked not able to believe it himself.

Reece nodded soberly and his eyes met hers in a wide gaze. “I just performed a binding spell on Piers. He will hate me for it I’m sure…but I had no other option. If I had the power, I would have bound Piers from hurting anyone but I won’t have that type of power until my Kindling.”

Nate plopped down on the bed beside her and took her hand in his. He opened his mouth to say something but the bedroom door flew open and Piers strode in. Reece gasped and stood up quickly. Nathan also rose and faced Piers.

“I had to warn him. You know I had to,” Reece said as she walked over to him slowly. Piers glared at her, the anger directed towards her now.

“You had to huh? You tell me not to be jealous yet you have him in your bedroom…on your bed. This is between me and him, my so called friend,” Piers snarled.

“Piers,” she began but Piers interrupted.

“I warned you not to make me jealous again. It ends now Reece,” he cried angrily.

Piers grabbed Reece’s wrist roughly and pulled her towards him. She gasped at his roughness and it killed that one soft spot left in his heart to make her hurt. But damn it, the image of the two of them lying in bed, hand in hand, about to do what the gods only knew was burning a hole right through the middle of him. When these blinding rages had started to take him over, Piers had initially fought them. He didn’t want Reece to see that side of him and he definitely didn’t want her to see the internal battle he was going through just to keep the rages at bay. But Piers had decided to stop fighting the urge to hurt. Hurting others felt good, felt delicious. It satisfied a part of him even Reece couldn’t touch. And he was starting to get greedy with that feeling. Holding his tiny woman close enough to him to run his nose along her jaw if he wanted, he held those tiny wrists of hers and squeezed, liking the whimper that escaped her lips. Piers knew it was only a matter of seconds until he goaded Nate enough to react and he was right. Nate rushed in between them and shoved Piers back, wrenching Reece out of his grasp. Now’s the time, he told the inner beast inside of himself. Piers charged Nate ready to relish in the ass kicking that Nate had been asking for this whole time. Piers raised his fist and then it was as if he ran head on into a brick wall. He bounced back and tried again but couldn’t move another inch forward.

Reece watched wide-eyed as her spell came to fruition. Piers looked shocked, and then confused. His eyebrows drew close together. He stepped back a step and then tried again. His coal black eyes flew to Reece knowingly.

“You didn’t!” he shouted in disbelief.

“You gave me no choice,” she said folding her arms in front of her chest. His face crumpled and Reece had to bite her tongue to stop her from going to him.

“You…I can’t believe it. You betrayed me Reece.” Tears filled his eyes and spilled onto his cheeks.

“I didn’t Piers. Please listen,” she began.

“No!” he shouted. “You’ve chosen whose side you want to be on.” Then, he practically ran out of the room

______________________________

About the Author

Glory Rabenaugh is a mother of two wonderful children, a soccer coach, an entrepreneur, and a business woman. She can easily read two hundred books in a matter of months, whip up traditional Japanese stir fry while listening to “Holy Grail” by Justin Timberlake/Jay Z, run around with the youngsters for two hours at soccer practice, and still manage to take an hour out for herself each week to get her lashes done. Glory was born, raised, and currently resides in St. Louis, Missouri. She has a bachelors degree in Business Administration and works in the healthcare industry.

______________________________



Buy Links

Amazon

Scribd

iBookstore

Barnes & Noble

______________________________

You can find Glory on:

Facebook

Facebook (Fan Page)

Twitter

Goodreads

______________________________

Marie Lavender on The Elements of Writing Romance

Welcome today to guest author Marie Lavender, who has kindly agreed to stop by and talk about writing romance novels!

The Elements of Romance Writing

If you’re reading this, you’re probably an aspiring romance writer. Perhaps you’ve already tackled a few stories or novels in the genre. Maybe you’ve only written fiction, but not romance. I imagine you’ve read every self-help article you could find. So, I’m going to tell you something shocking.

There is no clear-cut method for writing romance. Most of us use the guidelines for the industry in some way, but we also pick up our own techniques. Every writer approaches a new work differently. Some plan in advance, map out every plot detail and do their research until they’re ready to tackle the writing of it. Some start writing right away and worry about the finer details later. I imagine most of us flounder a bit. That’s the fun thing about fiction though, the moment a character surprises you. It happens to writers too. We don’t handle the reins entirely, do we? Sometime a character has a mind of his own. Or hers.

In characterization, we will always term the main characters as the hero and heroine. Isn’t the point of a good romance to have two people who fall in love despite the odds? Now, I’m not going to get into sexual preferences here. There are certainly LGBT romances. You may see M/M or F/M/M or even F/F/M listed somewhere. For the purposes of this article, I will stick with the traditional male-female scenario in a romance. What I am going to approach are the elements of a good romance, and the decisions you make in the process of writing it.

1) Sub-genre. In recent years, the industry has branched out a lot, and has welcomed cross-genres. You will, of course, see the trusty contemporary romances or historical romances. With the growing popularity of supernatural themes, you may see paranormal romances climbing to the top. This is one of my favorites, but I also read others. There really is no limit to what you might combine with romance these days. Western romance, fantasy romance, time travel romance, the list really goes on. And each sub-genre has its own expectations.

For a more detailed list, I would recommend reading On Writing Romance by Leigh Michaels. That, among others, was a great help to me when I was first starting out. It goes into a lot of details about each sub-genre. It also has tips for constructing a good romance and what to expect in the submissions process.

2) Heat Level. If you’ve read any romance novels, you may have been exposed to love scenes. As we’re all adults here, that’s not surprising. It’s a part of life. In romance, there are different heat levels. You will find books that are graphic in description while others are mild. There are closed door romances that only allude to something happening between the hero and heroine. There is also erotic romance, but that’s an entirely different subject.

Whatever you feel comfortable with is what you should write. Some beginning writers may be concerned that their families or friends will read their work, and they may take that into account. I wouldn’t recommend letting such a notion dictate your decision, but to each his own. I won’t go into how to write the perfect love scene. Every scene is different. All I can suggest is to write a love scene as naturally as possible. It shouldn’t feel forced.

3) Likeable characters. Readers want to read about real people with real problems, people they can relate with. In certain sub-genres, you may see a prevalence of alpha males for heroes. I’m sure that will never change. If you decide to use an alpha male, avoid stereotypes if you can. Make the hero tough if necessary, but human too. I don’t know about you, but Rhett Butler doesn’t do much for me now. Obviously, my tastes have changed. And you can assume that the tastes of readers, primarily women, will change too.

I read a paranormal romance recently where the hero was not the typical alpha male. He was a gentleman, a wonderful man really. But, he also had supernatural abilities, abilities that threatened his happiness with the heroine. I found the character a refreshing change and was so enthralled with the story that I couldn’t help but give it a great review.

The point I’m trying to make is that real people are sometimes easier to connect with than aggressive, uncaring creatures. So, if you write about an alpha male, make sure he has a redeeming quality or two. Write about characters you can connect with as a writer. If you get bored with them, that will come out on the page. When writing about a heroine, a strong, capable woman is more appealing than one that can’t handle herself. It is certainly okay, though, if she has vulnerable moments. We are all human after all.

4) Plot and Tension. In fiction, you need a good plot. Well, in romance, you need the same. No one is going to read about a character who is experiencing nothing. Some authors may purposely throw in danger to make things exciting and while that does work in some cases, it doesn’t work for every story. Are you writing a romantic suspense? Then that is certainly a good technique to use. My point here is that the danger is external. Readers are going to be focused on the developing relationship between the hero and heroine. So, while danger is a great tool, it is simply a backdrop for romance.

Maybe you choose to write a contemporary romance about a young woman who, even though she struggles with anxiety, decides to conquer her fears by going on a two week cruise voyage. Yes, that’s one work in progress I have. Well, she immediately starts to regret her decision as she is suddenly assailed by the same fears as before. She eventually meets a man who makes her question her anxieties. Perhaps life isn’t so scary after all. No, her worry now is falling for a man she can’t have a future with. So, you see. There didn’t need to be unnecessary danger. The danger was internal, part of the heroine’s psyche.

A good plot can move a story forward and keep the reader from tossing your book. I will mention tension here as well. Tension between two characters, whether it’s sexual or emotional, can also move a story along.

5) Antagonist. If you’re familiar with writing fiction, then you know any good story needs an antagonist. We learn early on as writers about the antagonist, or the force keeping the main character or characters from resolving things. In the case of romance, the antagonist keeps the hero and heroine apart. At best, the antagonist keeps them from achieving true happiness.

An antagonist can certainly be a ruthless criminal or some kind of enemy. Some antagonists are less obvious. Maybe they come in the form of a gossiping biddy. Finally, the antagonist can be intangible. We are our own worst critics, right? As with my earlier example, an antagonist can be the hero or heroine’s own mind, their fears or beliefs about something. But, any great story will have this thing that keeps the couple apart.

6) HEA, or Happily Ever After. After things are resolved and the antagonist is banished, so to speak, a happy ending is required. You may remember seeing this on Disney movies when you were younger or on things that seem a little cheesy now. “And they all lived happily ever after…” Okay, so we don’t really go as far as to say that these days. You certainly don’t have to. But, in order for a story or novel to even qualify as a romance, happiness must be achieved. So do what you can to button up the loose ends and get the couple on their way to a fairytale ending.

But, let’s be realistic. Life doesn’t work that way, does it? Do you really hear music playing and freeze in a moment of pure bliss? Probably not. And yet, that “happy ending” or HEA as we romance writers like to call it, is a necessary component. I like closure just as much as everyone else. And believe me, endings are hard to write. It is challenging to come up with a new way to say the couple is happy. However you do it, this is the most important stage of a romance novel or story.

Some writers may decide that a wedding makes a good ending. It doesn’t have to be so obvious. Sometimes a gesture is enough. A simple declaration of feeling is good too. That gives the reader the idea that the couple is content and the relationship will progress in a natural direction, most likely in the form of matrimony. If you’re writing a series, you may be lucky enough to officially convey that. Do what you can to bring the story to a natural conclusion, a happy ending. Make your characters happy, and you will make your readers happy too.

I hope I have helped with your foray into the world of romance writing. It’s a long journey, at least it has been for me, but I wouldn’t have changed anything.

Don’t forget to select a sub-genre, a heat level for your romance, make good characters, create a good plot and tension between your characters, throw in an antagonist and give the hero and heroine a happy ending. These are the elements of a good romance. Now…start writing!

__________________________

__________________________

Author Bio

Marie Lavender lives in the Midwest with her family and three cats. She has been writing for over twenty years. She has more works in progress than she can count on two hands.

At the tender age of nine, she began writing stories. Her imagination fueled a lot of her early child’s play. Even growing up, she entered writing contests and received a certificate for achieving the second round in one. She majored in Creative Writing in college because that was all she ever wanted – to be a writer. While there, she published two works in a university publication, and was a copy editor on the staff of an online student journal. After graduating from college, she sought out her dream to publish a book.

Since then, Marie has published sixteen books. Marie Lavender’s real love is writing romances, but she has also written mysteries, literary fiction and dabbled a little in paranormal stories. Most of her works have a romantic element involved in them. Upon Your Return is her first historical romance novel. Feel free to visit her website at http://marielavender.webs.com/ for further information about her books and her life. Marie is also on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

A list of her books and pen names are as follows:

Marie Lavender: Upon Your Return

Erica Sutherhome: Hard to Get; Memories; A Hint of Scandal; Without You; Strange Heat; Terror in the Night; Haunted; Pursuit; Perfect Game; A Touch of Dawn; Ransom

Kathryn Layne: A Misplaced Life

Heather Crouse: Express Café and Other Ramblings; Ramblings, Musings and Other Things; Soulful Ramblings and Other Worldly Things

Guest Author, Deborah Melanie: What I Love About Winter

Winter’s Spirit

by Deborah Melanie

_________________________________

I’m sure that you can guess by the title, Winter’s Spirit is set during the Winter months. I love this time of year. However, I do feel it comes with more cons than pros. Practically speaking, it’s a real pain in the bottom. When the snow does eventually come, getting around can be a logistical nightmare. I’m a pedestrian, so a real must for me is a pair of wellingtons. And though the first day of snow is lovely to stomp in, I have to admit that by the time the ice arrives, the pavement is a pretty dangerous place to be. At least once a year, you’ll find me lying on the path of my local village. Fortunately for me, my only trip to the hospital was the result of a fall at an ice skating rink. Needless to say, I have never returned to the scene of the crime.

So, apart from the injuries, cold and extra time on my journey, I am still fond of the winter. One of my favourite things to see is the children’s reactions to snow. The younger ones are happy to build with it, whilst the older ones love to throw the stuff. As a child, I remember my Granddad making me a sledge from wood. It was a great sledge and I remember many happy times, spent playing on it.

Above all these things, what I love about the winter time is the cosy feeling I get from being inside and watching the snow and the frost. There’s nothing better than seeing winter arrive with a cup of hot chocolate in my hand and a hearty casserole warming in the oven. It was this feeling of contentment that I wanted to convey in Winter’s Spirit. I wanted to warm the hearts of my readers, by sharing this time of year with them. By including all the ingredients that I enjoy about this time of year, I hoped to bring them not only a love story between two people, but a love for nature and the seasons.

So tell me readers, what do you love or dislike most about the winter months?

_________________________________

Winter McAndrew is on the brink of divorcing her philandering husband, Philip, when he dies in a car crash. One year later and with unfinished business; Philip is still earth bound and interfering in his wife’s love life. Trying to make amends isn’t always easy when you’re dead. Not only has Winter fallen for her old crush, Jack Tobin, but he also happens to be Philip’s cousin. With more complications than a woman needs at Christmas, Winter tries to find peace at her holiday home in The Lake District. However, when she finds herself snowed in with Jack; ghosts, old and new cause quite a stir. Will Winter get her man, or will ghostly Philip put an end to all her festive fantasies?

_________________________________

Excerpt

Did she hear them correctly? Did they really say…dead? Dead, as in door nail? Dead, as in never coming back?

Turning her eyes away from the thick gold band on her wedding finger, Winter looked around the sterile white corridor; old magazines littered a nearby coffee table, a late night cleaner erratically distributed disinfectant onto the tiled floor with a well-worn mop; the stench felt overwhelming. Hushed voices spoke in the reception area, adding a stark contrast to the wailing of a distant siren. Despite the time, she felt surprised to see the hospital in such a hive of activity.

The phone had woken her just after three; the journey to her destination taking well over an hour. Thick, falling, snow hampered each mile, drawing out her distress and sense of fear. A lack of information and worry about the unknown added to the already crushing sense of fear. After drinking two cups of weak coffee, she watched the morning sunrise through a nearby window, feeling the apprehension dawn upon a new chapter of her life.

_________________________________

Buy links

UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Winters-Spirit-ebook/dp/B004M18NW0

US: http://www.amazon.com/Winters-Spirit-Deborah-Melanie-ebook/dp/B004M18NW0/

_________________________________

Contact Deborah

Author’s Blog: http://deborahmelanie.blogspot.co.uk/

Author’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deborah.melanie

Author’s Website: http://shoegal2010.wix.com/deborahmelanie

Author’s Twitter Page: https://twitter.com/deborah_melanie

_________________________________

About the Author

Deborah Melanie writes romantic stories, is the wife of a retired semi-professional footballer and lives in the historical town of Northampton.

Spotlight On: A.L. Davroe’s For Your Heart

_____________________

FOR YOUR HEART: Experience THE BALLAD OF TAM LIN like you’ve never read it before…

It has been seven years since Jeanette Sauderheim followed her best friend into Carver Hall Park…and came out alone. Jeanette has never gotten over his mysterious disappearance nor has she gone back into the park. While that traumatic night still haunts her, Jeanette distracts herself by balancing her time between trying to pass Spanish, hanging out with her friends, and reading the latest manga.

But, when a promise to a friend drives her back into the park, she’s forced to re-live the memories of that night. Lost and confused, Jeanette crosses paths with Tamrin, whose violent reaction to her provides yet another reason to avoid the park.

Tamrin, a knight of the Summer Court, has been sent to Earth to guard a garden of roses that hold special meaning to the queen of the Summer faeries. When his distraction at meeting Jeanette leads to her picking one of the Summer Queen’s roses, Tamrin vows to right his failure to do his duty.

However, the equivalent of one of the queen’s roses is a human heart and Tamrin’s reluctance to readily exact the sum from Jeanette sets in motion a spiral of love, betrayal, and magic that could mean damnation for them both.

*This is an Upper YA paranormal romance novel with NA and contemporary fantasy appeal.

_____________________

Excerpt

I slip down the oak and kneel behind the trunk of a white pine. She has stopped spinning and is now pacing forward, her eyes scanning the ground like she’s looking for something. Then she stops and I see what she sees. Everything inside me freezes solid. I fight to breathe, I fight to stop her, but I can’t move. She steps forward and crouches in front of one of Roxel’s precious jewels.

No, don’t touch the roses.

She reaches out and her fingers delicately trace the deep red petals of the tallest, most beautiful rose. A delicious shiver dances up my spine. The look on her face is enough to electrocute my heart back into beating and I draw in an awed breath. She’s so beatific and enrapt that I’m entranced by her pleasure. I never knew a woman could look at something with such innocent, unbridled pleasure. Her eyes go liquid and her cheeks flush a shade pinker, her warmth spreads through my veins like a summer’s breeze. Her lips part ever so slightly, like she’s expecting a kiss – one I’m more than willing to give. Then I hear it:

Snap

I blink and my eyes trace the smooth length of her arm. She’s got the rose’s stem in her hand, but the stem no longer reaches into the ground. Inch by inch, the space between the flower and dirt grows until Lovely has the petals against her soft lips and, eyes closed, is savoring the scent of the faerie queen’s sacred bloom.

For a moment, the simple act sends a primal ripple of pleasure slithering over my skin. But then my mind takes hold and my heart gallops wild, fear eating my intestines like a rabid wolf. What is Roxel going to do to me? I’m to protect her roses, that’s why she sent me to patrol Carver Hall Park. What will I do? She’s going to kill me.

Suddenly, I’m filled with hatred for this tantalizing but destructive human girl. She couldn’t appreciate the beauty before her, she had to destroy it. Why should I die on account of her folly?

Before I realize what I’m doing, I let out a roar and leap through the underbrush. I grasp her by her treacherous hand, throw her to the ground, and hold her there.

“What have you done!?” I demand, knowing full well the implications of what I’m asking. “How dare you come to this place! How dare you pick a rose! How dare you break its stem! Do you not understand that you must ask leave of me!?”

Lovely’s fingers loosen around the rose as terror slackens her muscles. Those fae green eyes chase her crimson sin as it falls to the ground. Then she stares at me, as if she can’t believe I am real.

I tighten my grasp, drawing her attention to my hand shackled around her wrist, reassuring her that I am no dream. “Speak up.”

_____________________

About the Author

A.L. Davroe writes both YA and adult speculative fiction. Her debut YA paranormal romance novel, FOR YOUR HEART, releases October 31, 2013. By day, she lives in Connecticut her two feline hench-creatures. She’s a terrible blusher, has a weak spot for cuddly animals, loves Laffy Taffy and Cadbury MiniEggs, and she’s a huge advocate of alternative healing methods. She also wears Vibram five-finger toe shoes and corsets…Though not always in the same ensemble. She’s a Capricorn, a Hufflepuff, and a few nuggets short of a Happy Meal.

_____________________