Livia Quinn's Blog, page 9

Bad day

The standard chunk of Lorem Ipsum used since the 1500s is reproduced below for those interested. Sections 1.10.32 and 1.10.33 from “de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum” by Cicero are also reproduced in their exact original form, accompanied by English versions from the 1914 translation by H. Rackham.There are many variations of passages of Lorem Ipsum […]

Release Day! Blame it on the Moon��

It's such a great feeling to be able to announce the release of Blame it on the Moon, book 4 in my Storm Lake: Destiny Paramortals series. I'd begun to wonder if it was ever going to happen.

There I was in December, pleased with the six books I'd been able to publish in the last half of 2014 and illogically expecting things would continue in a similar fashion in 2015. My work plan included publishing a book in February, April and June. (I laugh now at my expectations.) I had the plan formed, how many words I needed to write per day, when I would revise, when the covers needed to be finished to accomplish that schedule. (This is where you hear that buzzer sound the game shows play when a contestant gives the wrong answer.) Unnnh! Wrong.

Reality set in when I realized the additional job I took on in January and February was going to mean fewer hours to write due to six or seven day workweeks, long hours and a long commute, a very uncreative atmosphere, and then it would bleed into my seasonal business which is a seven day a week commitment. This meant my writing process which had become so wonderfully habitual was going to come to a halt. And not just for a short time-- for seven months.

Having worked eighty hour weeks or two jobs most of my life, I'd come to treasure those six off months to give to my stories, especially since all of a sudden my characters seemed to be speaking to me constantly--no, I've never had a problem with schizophrenia ;) so it's satisfying that I was able to persevere and devise a plan to keep going even though it wasn't at the pace I'd hoped. 

I felt I owed my readers this book more than the others, which gets Tempe and Jack to a place they've been headed to since Storm Crazy. So I postponed Dance of Desire, the prequel to Blood Opal, put the revisions on Storm Warning on hold, and devoted what little daily time I could to finishing Blame it on the Moon.

I discovered something wonderful in the process. Armed with my mini notebook and my favorite navy blue Sarasa pen for thirty minutes in the tub every morning , and another twenty on my long commute over country roads, I could get a good forty minutes worth of writing done. This amounted to around 600-1500 words per day, and that's how Blame it on the Moon got written. In the tub and on the road. 

Unfortunately, revising isn't possible in the tub, or while driving, so that took much longer, nearly two months. At the start of that revision process, I wondered if it would ever be a book I'd like. That's the thing about revising. Some people say you should just write the book and spend very little time revising it but for me, it's a necessary evil that transforms the rough jumbled boring mess into a cohesive piece of work that I'm not ashamed to offer to anyone.

I hope you enjoy Blame it on the Moon and all the other Storm Lake books. If you're new to the series, you might want to check out the Storm Lake pages to see the difference in the communities. Destiny is where the supernatural creatures live. The farther east you go, the more 'normal' people are. Though if you were to ask Jack, he'd be the first to say, "What's so great about 'normal'?" 

Here's the blurb: 
It’s the height of the Para-moon and Sheriff Jack Lang is up to his ‘6’ in alligators. Defending those weaker than himself is in his DNA which is what drove him to become a Navy pilot and a detective in Memphis. But who is he kidding? Alligators he could handle! Supernatural bad guys, well…

Ragtag doesn’t begin to describe his band of temporary ’heroes’. If he had to go to war with the supernatural with the group that showed up at dawn, he might as well start cutting up white sheets and attaching them to garden stakes.

With Tempe and the other Paramortals ill or incapacitated and the sudden appearance of beings he’s never heard of, will Jack be able to keep Destiny out of the hands of their enemies for the rest of the power down? After all, it’s only twenty-four hours. If he could find some real soldiers and get a strong defense together until the Paramortals get most of their power back, maybe they’d stand a chance. 

He’s been told this was the strongest and most unpredictable Chaos ever, which is why Tempe, Aurora and Dylan have been hit so hard, but also, ironically, the reason there’d been no coordinated attack by hordes of bad guys  - yet. 

He doesn’t have time to worry about the future he may not have with Tempe and his daughter because one crisis after another raises its head. They have to find a healer for Dylan, relocate a lost elemental, make a formal request for help from the Fae, figure out what the hell his crazy ex Georgeanne is up to, and - very important - keep the humans in the dark.

If worse comes to worse, he has a dragon on his side and a few surprises up his sleeve. “Yippe, ki, yi! Unfortunately a lot can happen in twenty four hours and things… don’t always go as planned.

ARC 2015 in New Orleans @AuthorReaderCon

Because of work and the Blame it on the Moon release tomorrow, I wasn't able to make the whole conference, but I will be going down to meet all these fabulous authors Saturday. 


If you're near New Orleans this weekend, why not check it out? Right there at the SuperDome, and then explore New Orleans.  
_

Storm Lake Boxset (Destiny) on Sale

Today and tomorrow, the boxset is on sale for $2.99, that's less the the price of one book for the first three in the series:
Storm Crazy
Cry Me a River
Eve of Chaos


This Friday Blame it on the Moon, book 4 is available.

Blame it on the Moon - Cover Reveal

I'm thrilled to reveal the cover for Blame it On the Moon which will release on July 31, 2015. My cover designer Linda Boulanger with Tell-Tale Cover Designs does all my covers. She's wonderful.

Until the 31st, watch for special prices on some of the Destiny books.

This Friday, pick up Storm Crazy free!! the first book in the series. 

To see more check out the Destiny Paramortals page and read an excerpt.

An awesome deal and a giveaway! Shades of Desire

Wow, some friends of mine have an awesome NEW RELEASE: 


Shades of Desire Box Set (10 Sweet & Spicy Romances) 

AND they are giving away a Kindle Fire HD. Check it out. What a great time to try a new author!

Shades of Desire Authors: J.A. Coffey, Wendy Ely, Dorothy Callahan, Diane Escalera, Lena Hart, Chanta Rand, Emma Leigh Reed, Cindy Stark, Valerie Twombly, Kristina Knight

 

BLURB:

Now available! Ten titillating tales from USA Today, bestselling and award-winning authors. Step into the world of some of the freshest voices in romance. From spicy secrets to sweet second chances. Come find your perfect shade of desire.

Only $.99 for a limited time only!

J.A. Coffey – Bestselling Author 
LIAR, LIAR
Divorced certified fraud examiner Jessica Barlow catches liars for a living. Sparks fly when she’s assigned to investigate a dating website owned by a man determined to guarantee she finds love—even if he has to pretend to be a client! 

Wendy Ely – USA Today Bestselling Author 
DANGEROUS FLAMES 
Sometimes good men are taught to do evil things and it takes the strength of a sheltered woman to make things right. When Gabi learns of her father, she is asked to leave for her own safety. Fine. She’ll go… but she is taking her secret love with her, even if it’s at gun-point.

Dorothy Callahan – Bestselling Author 
A DECADE FOR DARIUS 
Jess never forgot her first kiss, especially since it came from the guy who taught her everything she knows about antiques, her livelihood. But if she wins the priceless inheritance, Jess will risk losing Darius Covington all over again. 

Diane Escalera – Bestselling Author 
STILL HOT FOR YOU 
Shay LaCosta screwed up a damn good marriage. Now she's on a mission to get a little submission, and get her hunky husband back in her bed.

Lena Hart – Bestselling Author
HIS BEDPOST QUEEN 
Athena Lewis has a sharp mind and an even sharper attitude. Except when it comes to “Davie,” the only man who’s ever truly made her feel safe. Yet to protect the only family she has left, she must embark on a mission that goes against everything she believes in—and that includes using the last trick she has left. Her body.

Chanta Rand – Bestselling Author and Debut Author of the Year
RESISTING DESTINY 
Thrown together for ninety days by a spiteful judge, womanizing attorney, Cayson Sullivan and street-smart hustler, Destiny Jackson find the only thing they can agree on is their red-hot attraction for each other. 

Emma Leigh Reed 
TRUSTING LOVE 
Pregnant and running from her abusive boyfriend, Chloe Wilder takes refuge in the sleepy coastal town of Arden. Police chief, Jayden Peterson, thinks the worst crime that could happen in Arden is jaywalking. Could the real danger be the two of them falling for each other? 

Cindy Stark – Bestselling Author
WOUNDED 
Battle-worn soldier, Jerry returns home intending to avoid his ex-fiancée. The shrapnel that wounded him pales in comparison to the gash she left in his heart. Kimber lost everything when she broke off her engagement, and she’ll fight to win him back.

Valerie Twombly – Bestselling Author
SPANISH NIGHTS
Armand has lost everything. His magic and his freedom are taken when an evil curse is placed on the Jinn, but a newcomer to town may be his savior. When evil emerges from the shadows, Makayla learns she must choose between her mortality and Armand’s freedom.

Kristina Knight – Bestselling Author 
MR. RIGHT NOW 
Dumped by her celebrity boyfriend, unlucky-in-love author Casey Cash needs a break. But, between the male escort trying to get into her bed and the tabloid reporter intent on getting her story, Casey might have been smarter to stay in New York...

REVIEWS (optional):

LIAR, LIAR

“One of the most descriptive, steamiest foreplay scenes that I have ever encountered!”

 —Brittany, book blogger & Goodreads reviewer

DANGEROUS FLAMES

“It began quickly and almost immediately, the story had me in suspense. Whether I was hoping for Gabrielle’s safe escape to her father’s cabin, and for her and Mikolas to get together, I was on the edge of my seat.”

 —Isabella from Chick Lit Goddess Reviews

A DECADE FOR DARIUS

“I’ve never read a romance where the two main characters were more perfect for each other.”

 —Print and Film Fan

STILL HOT FOR YOU
“Diane Escalera cranks up the heat and gives a story sizzling with seduction and chemistry between her characters.”

 —Book Lovers, Inc.

HIS BEDPOST QUEEN

“The passion between the main characters is FIYAH, and they are relatable!”

 —Amazon Reviewer

RESISTING DESTINY

“The sexual tension in this book is incredible. These are real people, and it is as if they could walk right off the pages and into the real world!”

 —Rose, Amazon Reviewer

TRUSTING LOVE

“The book had me sharing emotions with the characters and had my heart racing the whole time. I called it “criminal minds in a book”.

WOUNDED

“Powerfully sweet story of love, hurt and forgiveness.”

 —Vo Pov, Amazon Reviewer

SPANISH NIGHTS

“This book was steamy, sexy, raw with a side of chocolate dipped cherries on top!  I finished reading this book in record time it was so damn juicy!”

 –Paranormaly Yours

 RIGHT NOW

“Mr. Right Now packs a lot of story into 50,000 words—it demands attention. Steaming sex scenes, humor and memorable characters.”

 —Reader review on Amazon & Goodreads

 

BUY LINKS

Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00VQYVU1M

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/shades-of-desire/id983263845?mt=11

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1121700462?ean=2940152217230

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/shades-of-desire-2

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-shadesofdesire-1777727-166.html

Google:https://play.google.com/store/books/details/J_A_Coffey_Shades_Of_Desire?id=parkBwAAQBAJ&hl=en

SHORT BUY LINKS (optional):

Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00VQYVU1M

iBooks: http://apple.co/1QrGLJR

B&N: http://bit.ly/1QrGGpz

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1QrGK8U

ARe: http://bit.ly/1QrGJlb

Google: http://bit.ly/1QrGDKy

SOCIAL MEDIA

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25330787-shades-of-desire

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shadesofdesirebook

Twitter: https://twitter.com/shadesbundle 

Mailing List: http://eepurl.com/bjdlP1

GIVEAWAY: Kindle Fire 7” HD

Link: http://www.lenahartsite.com/grand-prize.html




a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fever Dream by J.J. DiBenedetto is out

I'm thrilled to join J.J. DiBenedetto in his new release. Check out this fabulous book. Welcome James, and say hello to my hometown for me. I love this series!

What if you could see everyone else's dreams?Find out with the Dream Series by J.J. DiBenedetto! Book #9, FEVER DREAM, is out today! What's the story?

Dr. Sara Alderson isn’t used to her patients dying for no reason. When a young boy succumbs to a mysterious illness that defies all her efforts to treat it, she refuses to accept defeat. After two months of questions, Sara has attracted the attention of powerful people who don’t want their secrets uncovered, and will go to any lengths to make sure they stay hidden. Now, time is running out for Sara to unravel the mystery before anyone else falls victim to the illness. And before her career, her family and her freedom are taken from her by enemies she doesn’t even know she has.

Where can you buy it? Amazon (Kindle or Paperback) Smashwords Barnes & Noble (Nook or Paperback) Apple iBookstore Kobo AllRomanceEboo Want to know more? Here's an excerpt!

It’s one in the morning, and the last guests have gone. Other than the cleaning crew, Brian and I are the only ones left in the ballroom. I know we need to leave, but I can’t bear the thought of standing up and trying to walk out of the room, down to the garage and then to the car. I think my feet might literally fall off. “You’re going to have to carry me out of here,” I tell Brian, and he gives me a wicked grin in return. “I was planning on it,” he says, and he stands, takes a deep breath, and lifts me right out of my seat. I yelp and throw my arms around his neck as he carries me out of the room and over to the elevator, barely showing any strain at all. He has to put me down once we get to the elevator, though. “I need a free hand,” he says, hitting the “up” button. But the garage is – oh. I should have known. “You booked a room.” He nods. “And you told my parents we wouldn’t be home tonight.” Another nod. It’s all part of the fantasy, I guess. He’s been imagining that he’s James Bond all night, and after a glitzy evening at the casino, James Bond doesn’t hop into the minivan so he can get home, walk the dog and collapse into bed. No way. He takes his conquest for the evening up to the five-star hotel room, where the champagne is already waiting. On ice, no doubt. The bell dings, he ushers me into the empty elevator, and as the door closes, I feel my fatigue suddenly, instantly, drain away, and I’m all over him. I may not be a fan of those movies, but I know how they go, and it’s not as though I need much of an excuse to throw myself at my husband. By the time the door opens onto the third floor, I’m panting and extricating my hands from his tuxedo jacket. “You woke up in a hurry,” he says, panting himself, pulling his hand off the zipper of my dress, which is already halfway down my back. “Well, I know what you were thinking, and I also know that no girl can resist James Bond, right?” By way of an answer, he leads me down the hall, opens the door to our room, picks me up again and deposits me on the bed. In seconds, he’s finished the job of zipping me right out of my dress, and his tuxedo is in an undignified mess somewhere on the floor. After that – there’s no more thought, just feeling, just his hands and his lips and his – his everything.

Interested in the books that lead up to this one? The first five books in the series are collected in one Kindle Box Set, and it's on sale this weekend for just $0.99!

What if you could see everyone else’s dreams? Sara Barnes has just discovered that she can. And this gift – or curse – will lead her on an extraordinary journey. Follow Sara as her newfound ability leads her into adventures she never imagined. She will hunt down a serial killer, investigate a plot to murder one of her teachers, unravel a conspiracy between a mobster and a corrupt politician and face off against her nemesis: a woman who shares her talent, but uses it to destroy lives rather than save them. And Sara will have to manage all that while finishing college, becoming a doctor and falling in love, too. Here are the first five books of the Dream Series, along with bonus material created especially for this collection. Included in this set are DREAM STUDENT, DREAM DOCTOR, DREAM CHILD, DREAM FAMILY and WAKING DREAM. In addition, you’ll find the short story BETTY & HOWARD’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE starring Sara’s parents. But most of all, when you open this box of dreams, you’ll find romance, suspense, humor and plenty of heart…

Where do you buy it? Amazon Smashwords Barnes & Noble Apple iBookstore Kobo AllRomanceEbooks.com Google Play What about books #6, 7 and 8?   They're all on sale at Amazon! But I like to listen instead of read! What about audiobooks? The first five novels and a short story are all available on Audible! And you can hear samples from all of them right here! So who's the author? Well, technically, that's a picture of his cat, Danny. Danny is much more phorogenic than J.J. is. But J.J. (James, really) is a pretty nice guy. He's a native New Yorker, althoguh he's lived in the Washington, DC area for the last 20 years. He loves the opera, reading, photography, science fiction, fondue, travel and the New York Giants. Oh, and of course Danny, and also of course his lovely and talented wife. Where can I learn more about him? At his website, on Facebook, on Twitter and at his Amazon Author Page.  

Z is for Zenith #A2Zchallenge

Zenith is for height, the pinnacle, but in my little A2Z world it means today, the last day of the 30 day challenge, officially 26 days. At the beginning I honestly thought I was crazy to commit to even one blog post a week. After losing virtually all of the first quarter of 2015 to the day job, my writing schedule had really suffered. I was forced to suspend writing on Dance of Desire so I could finish Blame it On the Moon the fourth book in my Destiny Paramortals series. I hadn't expected the new job to hit my time or my creativity quite so hard. I got maybe 200 words in three months.

Now granted these posts aren't my best work, not that I'm a great blogger anyway, mostly because I spend too much time wanting it to be perfect awesome, meaningful or whatever. During the A-Z challenge I learned to have fun, to write a short blog on a theme, to make time to do it, though I didn't have as much as I wanted to visit some of the other blogs - time, the vast list of A2Zers, and slow internet kept that from happening but I did discover a few new authors, some cool travel blogs, and an extremely well researched, well-articulated and thought provoking blog, the brilly blog, by a courageous and impassioned lover of humanity, Angie Brill.  No matter if you agree with her or not, you have to respect these attributes.

I love the feeling of accomplishing something that stretched me out of my comfort zone. Until you try you don't know if you can, so just start. When I self published my first book, my mantra was "I can do this". And I did. Every single day of the 26.
Yay me!

Did you do the challenge? How did you do? 

(this post was late due to my satellite being down until after I went to work today.)