Megan Morgan's Blog, page 40

Happy Independence Day!

To all my American followers! Get out today and see some fireworks!

Filed under: Holidays

Next Week Update

Just a note that things will be a bit out of whack here on the blog next week, as The Burning City will be released on Tuesday and I’ll be focusing a lot on that.

As an update, unfortunately I’ve decided to cancel the Facebook party for release day due to lack of interest–however, I will be doing a giveaway here on the blog instead and there will be multiple giveaways on other blogs where I’m doing guest spots, as well. I’ll make sure to link to those on Tuesday so you have lots of chances to win!

Hope to see you on Tuesday for release day, and if you live in the U.S., have a great holiday weekend!

Filed under: Giveaways, Promotion, Siren Song, The Burning City Tagged: appearances, blogging, release date, updates

Hitting A Milestone

With one week left until The Burning City, the third book in my Siren Song series, is released, I thought I would share a little milestone I recently discovered I’d reached.

I received my royalty report for the first quarter of 2016, and as it turns out, the first book in the Siren Song series, The Wicked City, sold over a thousand copies as of the end of March! It was released in March 2015, so that means it has sold a thousand copies in its first year. Mind you, this report only went to the end of the first quarter, so I don’t know how many I’ve sold since March. In May, The Wicked City was free and ended up in the top five of several bestseller lists on Amazon, so there’s that as well. Of course, I don’t make money on free copies, but they still contribute to the total sold.

I know that a thousand copies is really small beans in the publishing world. A ‘successful’ novel is somewhere in the neighborhood of 5,000 copies sold and bestsellers are in the tens and even hundreds of thousands. I probably wouldn’t impress anyone important with my 1,000 figure (1,059 to be exact) but darn it, I’m impressed and so are my co-workers and friends. I was hoping even 100 people would bother to buy it and I’ve managed ten times that!

So here’s to a thousand copies, and to the third book coming out in a week. I’m happy with my accomplishments!

By the way, I was at Reading Addiction yesterday with a free, exclusive excerpt for The Burning City. Be sure to go check it out!

Filed under: Publications, Siren Song, The Burning City, The Wicked City Tagged: books, urban fantasy, writing

The Burning City Exclusive Teaser and Promo Tour

Tomorrow I will be at Reading Addiction Virtual Book Tours with a sneak peek of The Burning City, which will be released on July 5th. Stop by their blog tomorrow for a free exclusive excerpt from the third novel in the Siren Song series! I will be posting about it on Twitter/FB tomorrow as a reminder.

I will also be doing a promo blast with Reading Addiction on July 5th when the book is released. Below is a list of places The Burning City will be featured that day. You can enter to win a $10 Amazon gift card at any of the stops!

1. Fictional Real World
2. For Love of Books4
3. Book Junkies Book Blog
4. Literary Musings
5. Us Girls and a Book
6. Annette Gisby
7. Tea Time and Books
8. Randomly Me and You
9. Book Junkiez
10. Mello and June
11. Secret Cravings
12. Musings From an Addicted Reader
13. Fantastic Feathers
14. Stephanie’s Book Reviews
15. Saphyria’s Book Reviews
16. Hockey Makeup Book Reviews
17. The Dragon Slayer
18. Counter, Culture, Critic
19. The Avid Reader
20. A Godoury Reads
21. Just Us Book Blog
22. Book Huntress World
23. My Creatively Random Life
24. YA Book Guru
25. Silver Dagger Scriptorium
26. Library Mistress
27. Twinkle Twilight
28. Cover2Cover
29. Satin’s Bookish Corner
30. Astrid Nicholls
31. Evermore Books
32. Bound 2 Escape
33. Nerdy, Dirty, and Flirty
34. J Bronder Book Reviews
35. Queen of All She Reads

Hope to see you over at Reading Addiction tomorrow!

Filed under: Promotion, Siren Song, The Burning City Tagged: appearances, kensington, lyrical press, paranormal, release date, urban fantasy

What Makes a Writer?

I think most writers knew early in life that they had the ‘writing gene’ or whatever magical thing it is that makes us writers. I’ve heard a lot of writers say they started writing when they were young, or they knew they were destined to write at some early point in their lives.

For me, I ‘knew’ my freshman year in high school, when I was around 13-14. I was an avid reader through middle school and high school, sometimes reading two books a week. But that year, I started writing my own stories in spiral notebooks. I was fortunate a fellow classmate who also liked writing ended up reading my stuff and gave me a lot of support and encouragement. I dedicated my first book to him! Without that early boost I might have doubted myself and given up.

I ended up taking creative writing classes in high school, a course you had to prove your writing chops for to be accepted into, and my love of writing and reading continued on into adult life.

But really, it started way before that. In second grade, we had to draw pictures of houseboats and write a paragraph about the imaginary family who lived on our houseboat. I ended up writing an entire page about my family. I can’t remember the story at all, but I remember it happened because my teacher made a huge fuss about it and the story won some sort of second grade writing contest and got tacked up on the wall for everyone to look at on Parent’s Night. Was I actually born a writer and it was manifesting itself even then? Perhaps.

Creativity is such a mysterious force. What makes one person creative and another person not? And even amongst creative people, there’s different types of creativity: some write, while others paint, act, sing, play instruments, or dance. Some can do many creative things while others can only do one or a few (I can barely draw a stick figure and you certainly don’t want to hear me sing). What makes this happen? Is it genetics? Your upbringing? Something you saw when you were young and impressionable? Is it just the way your brain is wired?

Creativity is a powerful force that seems to have some sort of magic to it. At least, I think it feels that way to creative people. It’s something we just have and know about ourselves, like some people have red hair or blue eyes. It’s essential to who we are. I don’t want to know the science of it, not really, because I love the magic of it.

When did you know you were a writer? Did it come to you when you were young?

Filed under: About Me, Behind The Scenes Tagged: books, creativity, inspiration, me, writing

Paranormal Romances from Lyrical Press

Today I’m hosting four paranormal romances from my very own publisher, Lyrical Press! Lyrical is an imprint of Kensington Books and these authors are all giving away copies of each of their books to one lucky winner, so make sure to comment, check out the other stops on the tour, and enter the Rafflecopter giveaway!

Enter to win digital copies of all four books

Leave a comment and check out the other stops on the tour for more chances to win!

Amid the lore of 19th century England, even a woman of science isn’t immune to the charms of a wickedly handsome, dangerously sexy vampire…

The devilishly seductive, irresistibly rakish Mr. Macane is ravishing all the ladies of the ton—despite the fact that he is penniless, untitled—and believed to be a vampire. Hired to disprove such an absurd claim, the skeptical Miss Elspeth Ramsay does not expect to tremble in his presence—until the graze of his teeth on her neck ignites an appetite of her own, and she finds herself biting him back! Surely this sudden bloodlust can only mean danger for her family and her heart—or a love for eternity…

EXCERPT:

A slow smile curved his lips, gapping just long enough to flash a sliver of white teeth. Not fangs, Ellie told herself. Just teeth. As normal as hers. She took a deep breath and shivered as she inhaled the scent of cologne and clean linen.

Everything had an explanation. Macane was an accomplished rake, not a vampire. He happened to be brilliant at the art of illusion. With his absent cravat and his close-lipped smiles, he lent just the right touch of mystery and illicit adventure to woo the golden flock. Genius, actually. If she’d thought of it first, perhaps she’d be the celebrated Original of the ton, rather than the spinster who investigated frivolous claims for the rich.

She glanced up at him again. His mouth was no longer curved in a smile, but it was still wide and firm. The swooning ladies could keep their macabre fantasies. She’d much rather have that sensual mouth kissing her than biting her. If there weren’t such a crush of people . . .

As if they shared one mind, his next artful spin took them from the sparkling dance floor to a spot behind a hand-painted Chinese folding screen—which hid the entrance to the gardens. Before she could object (presuming she would have objected) Ellie was out the door and beneath the moonlit sky, still cradled in Macane’s arms.

A frisson of trepidation caused her to catch her breath. She stared up at him in a panic. Might he actually kiss her? As far as she could remember, no one had ever tried. No gentleman had ever noticed her long enough to think of it. And now—what if she did it wrong? What if she did it right? What would be expected of her then?

“You’re beautiful,” he murmured. “You dazzled me even as you tried to hide.”

Well, that was laying it on a bit thick. Ellie wasn’t ugly, but nor were artists dueling for the honor of painting her portrait. She was plain. Worse than plain: She was nondescript. Wracking her brain for an appropriate setdown to such ridiculous flattery, she narrowed her eyes at him . . . and nearly swooned at his expression.

He was sincere. Or if not, he gave a bloody good impression of it.

His eyes were rapt on her face, as if he had been searching for her all his life. His gaze had softened, making his features less harsh and more open. His arms cradled her gently, his hands splayed at the curve between waist and hips. He was being far more familiar than anyone of her acquaintance—far more familiar than any right-minded young lady should allow—but Ellie was so enamored by the idea of having entranced him that she couldn’t bring herself to pull away.

His lips parted. Hers did too, mostly because she was having trouble remembering to breathe. Her lips suddenly felt too dry. She edged out the tip of her tongue to lick them and gasped when his hold tightened painfully. She felt strangely powerful, as if she truly were beautiful.

He lowered his face to hers. His eyes were no longer the crystal green of the sea, but rather a shimmering black. Rather than try to process the transformation, Ellie cleared her mind and let her own eyes flutter closed. She was going to be kissed for the first time. And she was going to enjoy it. Her brow creased when the delicious pressure of his parted lips brushed the base of her throat rather than her waiting mouth. The sharp edge of bared teeth grazed the tender skin at the curve of her neck. He wasn’t going to kiss her—he was going to bite her! Instinct forced her to react at lightning speed. But instead of shoving him away as she could’ve sworn she had instructed her limbs to do, Ellie returned the favor and sank her own teeth into his cravat-free neck.

Mutual shock held them immobile for an interminable moment. Realizing the ignominy of what she’d just done, Ellie pulled away in horror before he could thrust her from him bodily. To label him thunderstruck would be the understatement of the century.

He touched his neck with the tip of a finger. The pad of his white glove came away pink with blood.

“Good Lord,” he growled, his expression fierce. “Did you just bite me?”

BUY LINKS:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/?field-keywords=9781516101061

iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781516101061

Google: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=9781516101061&c=books

Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=9781516101061

Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/9781516101061

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

New York Times bestselling author Erica Ridley learned to read when she was four, which was about the same time she decided to be a writer when she grew up. Now, Erica writes Regency-set historical romances. Since becoming active in the writing community, all of her manuscripts have finaled in or won various RWA chapter contests. Erica is also the webmistress of her local writing chapter. When not reading or writing romances, Erica can be found riding camels in Africa, zip-lining through rainforests in Costa Rica, or getting hopelessly lost in the middle of Budapest. Readers can visit her website at ericaridley.com.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EricaRidley

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

1879, Tennessee. A farmhand on the vast Rollins estate, handsome young Colby Kinsley makes the mistake of his life when he becomes briefly entangled with conniving Grace Rollins, the plantation owner’s beautiful but unstable daughter. Yet matters become even more complicated when he finds himself falling truly in love with Grace’s clever younger sister, Annabeth…

Intent on escaping her darkly troubled father and her melancholy home, Annabeth is also determined to avoid Colby. Yet she is still drawn to his quick wit and many talents. And when he performs an act of astounding courage, she can no longer deny her true feelings for him…just as her sister cannot hide her jealous rage. Grace will do anything to destroy the blossoming romance—even invoke dark, powerful supernatural forces. And as her dangerous machinations begin, the passions of all three are set on a tragic course—with a conclusion that will echo across lifetimes…

EXCERPT:

After Mama made a supper fit for kings and queens, I walked out the back door of our cottage full and happy. It wasn’t dark yet, so maybe I could get some fishing in. A small rut worn in the middle of a long path led down to a pond set far away from the main house.

“Colby? What’s your middle name?” a girl asked from behind me.

Not again.

For three long years, since the day we arrived at the Rollins Plantation, I’d dealt with Grace Rollins’ tiresome advances. No matter how many times I rejected her, she became more insistent. I could never have a moment’s peace without her searching me out. Other than her sister, Annabeth, who was buried in her studies and the arts, we were the only young people. That left me with no one to become acquainted with. Which was just as well. Time to myself had become scarce, since lately, I could never find any.

“Well?” She eyed me with the gaze of an interested mountain lion.

“Kendall. Colby Kendall Kinsley.”

“Hmm. It’ll do.” She twirled a black tendril of hair about her finger as her gaze intensified. “Colby Kendall Kinsley, have you ever kissed a girl?”

I spit into the pond. “I beg your pardon?”

“Have you ever kissed a girl? It’s a simple question with a simple answer.” She examined her fingernails the way a cat would before she clawed your face. She tapped her chin, then pointed at me. “You’re scared of me.”

I put my pole and worms beside the water’s edge. There was no sense in bothering to fish. She’d scare them all off with her incessant rambling. But I would figure out a way to run her off before dark. Just before the sun set over the tall trees south of the property, they really started biting.

“You keep darting away from me when I try to kiss you. You haven’t kissed a girl before.”

“I kiss my mom all the time. She’s plenty enough female in my life.” I took out a medium-sized hook and ran the line through it. “I don’t think this is an appropriate subject.”

She giggled and stood. “You know by now that ‘proper’ isn’t exactly a concern of mine.”

“Don’t you have lessons to attend or some knitting to do?”

Pressing her dress down, she walked toward me. “I’m a big girl. I do what I want, when I want.”

“I’m going to have to insist you bring along a chaperone if we are to be in each other’s company.” I jabbed a hook right through the biggest, juiciest night crawler I had, hoping to send her retching.

“If you’re asking for a chaperone, that makes me believe you would like to call on me in the near future.” She slinked closer.

I almost tripped on my bowl of worms and took a tumble into the pond. “I used to wonder why you came out here with all the bugs and frogs and slimy creatures, but it’s quiet. I might accompany you while you fish more often. It would get me away from Annabeth and all her goody-goody college talk. I swear, she’ll never find a decent husband.”

Just as I gained my balance and looked up, Grace was nose to nose with me. I slid out of her clutches before she could lean in to put her lips on my face.

“Colby,” Mama called from the back of our house.

Relieved, I slipped around her and scooped up my fishing supplies. “I have to go.” “We’ll meet tomorrow night.” Her demand followed me as I fled.

BUY LINKS:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/?field-keywords=9781601839305

iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781601839305

Google: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=9781601839305&c=books

Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=9781601839305

Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/9781601839305

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Odessa Gillespie Black lives in the beautiful North Carolina foothills with her husband, four children, Chihuahuas Little Bit and Rico, and rescued Lab and Pit mix, Mo. When not chasing dogs around the backyard and tackling the daily duties of mother-and-wife-hood, she enjoys watching horror movies, and reading and writing paranormal romance. Readers can visit Odessa’s website: odessablack.wordpress.com.

Author page: http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/author.aspx/31686

Website: https://odessablack.wordpress.com/

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

The Great Extinction, the prophesied war between the humans and the Supernaturals, has begun.

Born a Supernatural, Juliet Sawyer has the ability to save the world from disaster. But after barely escaping the underground, power-sucking prison known as the Void, she finds herself on the brink of death and in the middle of a vengeful war. To survive, she’ll have to make a deal with her human captors. But the stakes are raised when she learns the government is holding her sister hostage. To rescue her, Juliet must become a weapon for humanity, fighting against her own kind—including Riley West, the boy she fell deeply in love with—and by whom she was abandoned.

Forced to desert Juliet, Riley is on a mission to capture the human’s president and bring her to the Supernatural’s king. But if he fails, there will be no stopping the Night of Grief, which will unleash horrors capable of destroying humans and Supernaturals alike. With battle lines drawn, amid a flurry of secrets and betrayals, can Juliet and Riley rescue their love as well as all life on Earth? Or will someone get caught in the crossfire?

EXCERPT:

I’d forgotten the execution of revenge always brings a reckoning. Revenge was the reason for my predicament. I’d told myself I was following my destiny to save the humans, but that was a lie. In truth, I’d wanted to get even with the leaders of our world for murdering my father.

I choked back a sob as I fought the despair threatening to overwhelm me. I needed to save my little sister, Maisy, but I was trapped, unable to get to her. She and the other mixed-blood children with her depended on me to protect them from the humans and the Supernaturals and instead I was deep in the bowels of the Void. It was a triple D place to be. Dark. Dank. Dangerous.

The cold, dark, stone walls of this Supernatural prison were designed to absorb our power. Robbed of our abilities, we were as weak as the humans.

Careful to avoid the loose rocks dotting the ground all around me, I struggled to my feet, worry over my sister’s safety driving me to move my aching body. Shut down the fear. Shut down the pain. Do whatever it takes to get out.

A noise to the left caught my ear.

Riley moved haltingly toward me. Even in blue jeans and a T-shirt, his royal bearing was unmistakable. He drew his arm tight against his body as he favored his ribs. Failure and guilt struck again, smacking me in the face. He’d had to save me and I hated that. Hated leaning on him when I knew what I would be called on to do to him. Falling in love with Riley wasn’t logical, but when does the heart ever listen to logic? It simply looks into the eyes of the other person, into their soul, and falls. The idea that once he knew my secret he might not ever forgive me, much less love me back, chilled me to the bone. Could I handle seeing the love disappear from his eyes?

The tip of his black Converse caught on a rock and he pitched forward, throwing his hands out to catch himself. The muscles in his arms flexed and he rested his forehead against the wall for a second, shaking his head as if dazed, which I didn’t doubt he was. The fall into the opening from the castle above us was a neck breaker. We’d been lucky to live through it.

Riley had risked his life and given up his freedom for me. By jumping into the Void with me in his arms, he’d found a way to stop my own power from killing me.

I made a sound that was half laugh, half sob as a conversation with my late father popped into my thoughts. Use your power for good. Remember your purpose, Juliet.

Sure, Dad, but what good is having power when it comes with a nasty side effect like death? I didn’t have an autonomic fail-safe to govern the temperature of my power like all the other Supernaturals did. Every time I used my power, I risked being barbecued from the inside out. When my last manmade fail-safe blew, I’d almost died and Riley had saved me then too.

I blinked back tears and smiled when Riley reached me. Putting my hand on his side, I checked the area he’d favored, and my hand trembled as I remembered the intimacies we’d shared.

“I’m okay,” he said. I knew the words for the lie they were. He was far from okay physically and emotionally. His handsome face was covered in bruises, his skin scraped raw in places. Wounds caused when his own father had tried to kill him. Riley reached for my hand, faking a smile. Even in his battered state, he was still incredibly hold-my-breath hot, making me forget everything I wanted to say at that moment.

BUY LINKS:

Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/s/?field-keywords=9781601837295

iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781601837295

Google: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=9781601837295&c=books

Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=9781601837295

Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/9781601837295

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sonya Weiss is a freelance writer, ghostwriter, and author, including the Stealing the Heart series with Entangled Publishing. She’s addicted to great books, good movies, and Italian chocolates. She’s passionate about causes that support abused animals and children. Her parents always supported her bringing stray animals home, although the Great Dane rescue was a surprise. Visit her site at sonyaweiss.com.

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SonyaWeiss

Simone Brightston knows she can beat the rap her enemies are pinning on her. An Irish witch is nobody’s fool, and she didn’t get to her position on the high council without serious power. But her cousins want her to hide out—and they somehow convinced her arch nemesis to play getaway driver.

Of all the men she’s known, Nikolaj Veis is the hardest to intimidate. With his demon-dark eyes and his inscrutable beauty, he’s as desirable as he is dangerous. And he knows better than to underestimate Simone. So when he pulls up on a roaring bike and tells her to climb on or fight it out, she grabs a handful of jacket and holds on tight. Running from the law may not be the smartest plan. But when it comes to Nick, hot pursuit and a blazing fast ride are exactly what Simone’s looking for.

EXCERPT:

The helicopter maneuvered gracefully through the buildings, keeping above him, tracking easily.

Honking cars and screeching brakes pierced the day behind him as the SUVs kept pace.

“Pull over,” Simone hissed into his ear. “We can’t outrun them.” No, but perhaps they could get to safety of a sort. Even the Guard wouldn’t risk a full immortal fight with human witnesses. So he kept driving, avoiding a wreck, knowing full well the risk he took. The skyscrapers turned to three-story buildings. Then homes. Finally, trees began lining both sides of the road and filling the air with the scent of pine.

“Where are you going?” Simone whispered against his ear, her breath hot.

A shiver wound through his body to his groin. Jesus. He was about to take on a cadre of witches, and his cock wanted to play? Simone Brightston had always destroyed his system. It was a relief to know that she still could. In his darkest moments, he’d wondered whether he’d ever find his way back to warmth. “I have a cabin prepared for you.” At least then, they’d have a chance. The roar of pipes echoed through the trees, and within seconds, men on careening Harleys and dirt bikes surrounded them. Nick hunched over the bike. “Hold on,” he yelled.

Her thighs tightened on his, and she slipped both arms around his waist to hug tight.

Two men moved in on either side of them, and he smelled shifter. What the hell? Turning, he eyed the closest threat. Lucas Bryant? A grizzly bear lieutenant? What the fuck?

Lucas narrowed his dark eyes and jerked his head toward the rider on the other side.

Nick glanced the other way to see another man draw a gun from his jeans. The shifter smiled.

Nick shook his head.

The shifter lowered the gun toward Nick’s front tire. Damn it. Nick leaned to the left and kicked out with his right leg, hitting the guy in the ribs. The male’s eyes widened, and he flew off his bike with an animalistic bellow, his bike dropping and spinning around in his wake.

Nick yanked to the side, swerved to avoid the shifter’s head, and drove straight into the forest.

Simone screamed and tucked her face against his neck, her hold tightening until his ribs protested.

Branches whipped into them, and the bike skidded on wet pine needles. Instinct guided him as much as his enhanced senses, but he didn’t know these woods. The bear shifters careening through the trees in his wake certainly did.

His only hope was to outrun them and find shelter. The Guard’s helicopter was visible through the treetops, but at least he’d lost the SUVs.

The bike hit a patch of tree roots and shot up in the air. He held tight and corrected when they came down, jerking the handlebars before opening the throttle again. The trees thickened, providing cover but less visibility.

“Where are you going?” Simone yelled into his neck.

There were more weapons at his cabin, if he could just outrun the shifters. He turned right, barely missing a sapling, and then snapped around another tree. Branches scraped his cheek, and his left eye watered, so he used his right.

Lucas Bryant flew out of a bunch of cottonwoods, his bike in the air and his gun already firing.

Nick tried to jerk away, but a bullet sliced into his front tire. The explosion was deafening.

Panic swept him. They pitched into the air. He turned, enfolded Simone, and wrapped himself around her as much as possible, protecting her head with his arms. They flew through the forest, hitting trees and branches.

Pain exploded through his back.

His head impacted with a tree, and stars flashed behind his closed lids.

Something shattered in his shoulder a second before agony ripped through his neck. Simone’s screams echoed in his head, gravity took over, and his skull cracked.

Unconsciousness took him before he felt the ground.

BUY LINKS:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/?field-keywords=9781601835154

iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781601835154

Google: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=9781601835154&c=books

Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=9781601835154

Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/9781601835154

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Rebecca Zanetti has worked as an art curator, Senate aide, lawyer, college professor, and a hearing examiner – only to culminate it all in stories about Alpha males and the women who claim them. She writes contemporary romances, dark paranormal romances, and romantic suspense novels.

Growing up amid the glorious backdrops and winter wonderlands of the Pacific Northwest has given Rebecca fantastic scenery and adventures to weave into her stories. She resides in the wild north with her husband, children, and extended family who inspire her every day—or at the very least give her plenty of characters to write about.

Website: http://rebeccazanetti.com/

Author page: http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/author.aspx/26032

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RebeccaZanetti

Faceboook: https://www.facebook.com/RebeccaZanetti.Author.FanPage

Enter to win digital copies of all four books

Leave a comment and visit the other stops on the tour for more chances to win!

Filed under: Contests, Giveaways, Guest Posts, Promotion Tagged: guests, kensington, lyrical press, paranormal, romance

Cover Reveal for It Takes A Thief

I have the cover for It Takes a Thief, my paranormal erotic romance coming this August from Siren Bookstrand!

Audra Yates is immortal, a being of a nameless race that has been around since the beginning of time. But there’s still one way for an immortal to die—if you find your soul mate, you’ll start to age. For this reason, Audra has been killing her soul mate for over a century, every time he reincarnates and seeks her out.

Now, Audra is bored with her long life, and she needs a reason to keep going.

This time around, her soul mate comes in the form of Eamon Ashe, a beautiful criminal who steals her purse one beautiful spring morning. When Audra confronts him, she finds herself unnaturally weak to his charms. Audra gives in to the pull that’s been tugging at her for ages, a lust and love that ultimately can’t be contained. Opening herself up to her soul mate gives her the purpose she’s been seeking…but at what cost? Will she choose love over living forever?

As of yet, I don’t have a definite release date or any pre-order links. As soon as I know more, I will share the information. Have a great Monday!

Filed under: Cover Reveal, It Takes a Thief, Publications, Works Tagged: book covers, erotica, paranormal, romance, siren bookstrand

When You Lose Your Trail

I’m working on a new story, and, at about 15,000 words in I’ve begun to realize it isn’t exactly what I had in mind. This has happened to me before, and I’m sure if you’ve been writing for any length of time it has probably happened to you too. You start a story, full of creative fire and ambition, and then at some point you begin to lose the thread. I haven’t quite lost it yet, but it’s definitely thinning and I see a great big wall looming ahead.

It’s frustrating.

However, I like the characters I’ve created, I just think maybe I’ve got them in the wrong story. There are some new concepts I wanted to dip my toes into, but maybe I don’t understand those concepts enough right now so it’s time to bring these characters into the territory I do know well. I’m going to have to step back and examine the story from all angles and figure out how I can better tackle it. I really want to keep writing, I just think I’m writing the wrong thing.

Why does this happen? Why do we sometimes start a story and then wreck it right into a mountain, or drive it off a cliff? I think there’s a number of reasons:

It hasn’t simmered enough. Sometimes we dive in before we’re actually ready to start writing and end up not knowing which way to swim. You haven’t worked out the concept or details enough to know what you need to write about. In this case just waiting until you’ve fleshed the premise out a bit more might help.
You haven’t done enough research. Maybe the story focuses on something you need to learn more about and understand better. You might begin and find out you don’t have enough knowledge to write this story with any kind of confidence. Back to Google!
The characters are flat. The people you created aren’t carrying the concept you created. They’re not the right fit, or they need to be different in some way in order to bring the story to life. They need a little fine-tuning before you can really use them to pilot the story. Or maybe, as in my case, they belong in a different story altogether, where they can really shine.
You’re not actually in love with the idea. I know for me to write something and do it justice, I have to love the concept and be eager to rush to the page and see what happens next. Not every idea that falls out of our brains is a great one, unfortunately. Or at least, it’s not something that will necessarily hold our attention.
The idea doesn’t make sense. Sometimes you think something is a solid, coherent idea until you start working with it, then you realize it’s a big old mess and tab A doesn’t fit into slot B. Lots of logistic issues arise that send the concept into unbelievable territory if you try to push it forward. It’s time to reassess.

I think my problem is a mixture of these things, and I’m just going to have to sort it out and figure out what to do next. Have you ever started a story only to lose control of it and have it go careening off into the wilderness?

Filed under: Behind The Scenes Tagged: advice, creativity, inspiration, writing

Upcoming Promo For The Burning City

The third novel in my Siren Song urban fantasy series, The Burning City, will be released on July 5th from Kensington Books/Lyrical Press. There’s lots of fun stuff going on for the release, including multiple chances to win prizes!

Here’s a list of events and places I’ll be:

The main event is a Facebook party for release day! Prizes will include:

* Two $10 Amazon gift cards (e-mail delivery only)

* The complete Siren Song series in e-format

* An autographed paperback copy of The Burning City

Never been to a Facebook party? It’s easy to participate. All you need to do is show up during the party (3-6pm EST), chat, and have fun! Use your FB account to click the +Going button at the top of the page, and FB will even remind you when the event is coming up so you don’t miss it. Hope to see you there!

On June 28th, The Burning City will be featured in a Teaser Tuesday at Reading Addiction Virtual Book Tours–stop by for an exclusive excerpt!
On July 4th, The Burning City will be featured at Cover Reveals.
I will be doing a promo blitz on July 5th through Reading Addiction Virtual Book Tours. 20-30 blogs will feature The Burning City that day. I will post more information when I get the list of participating blogs. This blitz will feature a $10 Amazon gift card giveaway!
On July 5th I will be visiting author Suzanne Johnson to talk about The Burning City. I will be doing a surprise giveaway there, as well!

I may end up doing other promo as well. I’ll keep you updated!

Filed under: Giveaways, Promotion, Publications, Siren Song, The Burning City Tagged: appearances, facebook, information, kensington, lyrical press, release date, updates

Summer Star by D.J. Davis

Today I’m hosting D.J. Davis and her paranormal romantic suspense Summer Star. D.J. is giving away a $25 Amazon or B&N gift card, so make sure to comment, check out the other stops on the tour, and enter the Rafflecopter giveaway! D.J. is also here today to talk to us about blending ghostly elements with an Old West theme.

Enter to win a $25 Amazon/B&N Gift Card

Leave a comment and check out the other stops on the tour for more chances to win!

BLENDING GHOSTLY ELEMENTS WITH AN OLD WEST THEME

by

D.J. Davis

The old west and ghostly elements go hand in hand because history is about the ghosts. Whether they are actual disembodied spirits or nothing more than memories and leftover energy is always up for debate, but I don’t think you can spend any amount of time in a lonely, forgotten cabin and not feel something, even if it’s just wondering what life was like back then.

For many, the old west means cowboys and Indians, and that certainly was a huge part of it. But so were the trappers, prospectors, railroaders, homesteaders, surveyors, and the townsfolk, just to name a few. And let’s not forget the plight of the Native Americans and what manifest destiny meant for them.

Where I live, high in the mountains of Colorado, the old west can be found around almost every corner. There are many places to visit where the historical districts have been preserved. All you have to do is take a stroll up Harrison Avenue in Leadville to walk in Doc Holiday’s footsteps. Or visit the Jackson Hotel in Poncha Springs where Jesse James slept. A ride on the Silverton train is like stepping back in time. The old west and ghosts? Well, mention the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park and ghosts are often the first thing that come to mind. For a writer who likes suspense, history and a touch of romance, these places are pure gold.

These are just a few examples of the many places one can experience the old west—to a point. For me, the best way to connect with the history of the old west is to get away from the tourist areas, away from the famous names that bring people to visit, away from the pavement. Join me, won’t you? We’ll take a scenic drive through the mountains, bumping and bouncing along a winding dirt road. Then a refreshing hike through the timber, up a trail clinging to the steep slope. Our destination: the spot where a miner bet everything he owned that the mountain would give up her riches.

Here’s our cabin. Notice the sod roof is gone and wildflowers are growing on the dirt floor. Chipmunks chase each other over streaked, crumbling logs. A few rusted cans with soldered seams are hidden under the willows. Here and there sunlight glints on broken glass. A stream gurgles past our feet. On the other side, beneath a towering spruce, is a depression in the ground. A weathered slab of rock that might be a headstone leans in the shade of the tree.

Sit here for a moment. Stretch your legs out in the grass, rest your back against the logs. Logs that were cut, notched, and chinked with mud by a miner whose name history has forgotten. Maybe this cabin was later used by claim jumpers, robbers, or horse thieves.

Listen to the sounds of the wilderness: birds, insects, the breeze in the trees (or was that a whisper?). Smell the tang of pine and sagebrush. Imagine if you will, the clink of a miner’s pick hacking at the rocks. Or maybe it’s horses and the creak of saddle leather. Perhaps it’s the sound of a banjo on a long summer’s night.

The memories are here, waiting for us. It’s easy to imagine the laughter and tears. Sorrow and joy. Fortunes made and fortunes lost. Life snuffed out too soon by greed, illness, accidents or the elements. These ghosts have stories to tell, but what if there is no one to listen? For decades they wait, through the brief high altitude summers and the long, silent winters. Then one comes along who can hear them. But what happens if he chooses not to listen?

And that is how I wrote the premise for SUMMER STAR. I sat on a sun-warmed log in front of this old cabin and let the history I knew combine with the things I felt. It was just me and the mountain—and the ghosts.

Loner and history buff Troy Hart gets more than he bargained for when his psychic connection to the past leads him to the mountains of Colorado. The legend of buried treasure is nothing new, but falling in love is—and that’s the last thing Troy wants.

Troy’s visions of the old west are all fun and games, until the ghost of an outlaw forces Troy to fulfill his dying wish. To save his own life, and the life of the woman he loves, Troy must follow the trail of greed, betrayal and revenge on a treasure hunt for lost Civil War gold.

Now the fun is over and the game is survival as Troy battles the elements, a dead man, and his own heart deep in the remote high country.

EXCERPT:

As the last light crept out of the sky Troy asked the truck for a little more. It skidded over rocks, jolted over roots. He rammed it through the creek and parked in front of the cabin. The hissing radiator and antifreeze pouring on the ground confirmed it. They’d be hoofing it from here on out.

Troy sprinted to the cabin. He threw his canteen, a few bottles of water, beef jerky, and candy bars into his pack. He added two flashlights, batteries, and Eric’s hardhat. He rushed to the tipi for a denim jacket and the map. The piece of oiled canvas, made to be laced over a sleeping bag in bad weather, caught his eye. He pushed it down on top of everything else.

He shined the light into the trees, hoping beyond hope to see Eric’s tent. It was gone, all that remained was a smooth spot on the ground. Troy put a hand on Dean’s shoulder. “Wait here.”

“Screw that. I love her, too.” Dean put his own hand on Troy’s shoulder and squeezed it hard. “Let’s go get her, bro.”

Troy gave Dean the second flashlight and set off at a grueling pace. It wasn’t long before he could no longer hear Dean behind him or see Dean’s light bobbing in the dark timber. His jaw hurt and a stitch nagged in his ribs. His bear-bit hip joined the chorus. He thought of Summer in crazy Charlotte’s jealous clutches and pushed himself harder. Troy Hart ran for her life.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

DJ Davis is a Colorado native and the rugged high country sets the scene for her stories. When she’s not writing, she can be found hiking with her dogs, photographing the wildlife, or camping with her husband. A Great Dane runs her life.

A portion of each sale of her novel “Courageous Cain” will be donated to Big Bones Canine Rescue in Windsor, Colorado. Help us help big dogs in need.

LINKS:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14255452.D_J_Davis

Twitter: https://twitter.com/djdavisauthor

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/DJ-Davis/e/B014E0OZE8/

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

Enter to win a $25 Amazon/B&N Gift Card

Leave a comment and visit the other stops on the tour for more chances to win!

Filed under: Giveaways, Guest Posts Tagged: guests, paranormal, romance