Megan Morgan's Blog, page 53

Hello, Autumn!

Here in the northern hemisphere, we just celebrated the first day of autumn, or fall, or whatever you like to call it. It’s my favorite season of the year. I’m not a big fan of cold weather, so I guess it’s more accurate to say I’m a fan of early autumn–when there’s still warm days, the nights aren’t freezing cold, and there’s no frost or snow on the ground yet. Just crunchy leaves and bright colors. And of course, Halloween! My favorite holiday! I live in the northern part of the U.S., where we have very pronounced seasons, and fall is the most vivid. It’s a nice little segue into suffering endless gray months of ice and snow.

And yes, before you ask, I’ve already had a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks.

I love candles, too. Scented candles! I have tons of them. My favorite are the fall scents–pumpkin, apple, cinnamon, vanilla, spices–and it’s finally the time of year I can use them (without seeming weird, anyway).

To celebrate the first day of fall, I lit up my mantle with them:

Do you love fall, or do you have another favorite season? Do you even have fall in your part of the world? I think that’s one of the only reasons I could never live somewhere tropical…I love fall too much!

Filed under: About Me, Behind The Scenes Tagged: me, personal life, pictures

Dance With the Devil by Angela Dennis

Today I’m hosting Angela Dennis and her novel Dance With the Devil, a paranormal romance from Samhain Publishing. Angela is giving away a $20 Amazon or B&N gift card as well as a print or digital copy of the book (US only, international winners will receive an eBook substitution in the format of their choice). Make sure to comment, follow the tour, and enter the Rafflecopter giveaway!

Angela is also here today to talk about why she writes paranormal romance, one of my favorite genres. Take it away, Angela!

Why I Write Paranormal Romance

I love genre fiction. Romance, science fiction, horror, fantasy, I love it all. I think that is primarily what draws me to paranormal romance. Although at its core it is romance, it draws from several other genres as well. When you write a paranormal romance, you aren’t just telling a love story. You are creating an alternative reality, fleshing out a new mythology for whatever paranormal creature you choose to utilize. The whole idea is glorious because you can take a joy ride through your imagination. The sky is the limit. You can create whatever you want, as long as the rules and structure of your world make sense. But the best part is still the romance. And what a romance!

Romance can never be too easy. It’s all about flawed characters combined with internal and external conflict. In paranormal romance the writer has the opportunity to really amp up the conflict. The heroine isn’t just a woman struggling to find herself and overcome past hurts so she can love the hero. On top of all the other normal baggage, she shifts into an animal, has magical powers, or needs to drink blood. In the case of shifters, what does she do if her hero isn’t a shifter? She has to decide how much to tell him. If he is a shifter, he may be a different kind of shifter. What if she’s an Alpha and he’s a Beta, or they’re both Alphas? The options are limitless.

But, despite all this, I write paranormal romance because I love it. Pick up my Kindle and you’ll find it’s about 60 percent paranormal romance, 30 percent urban fantasy, and 10 percent everything else. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark was my favorite book as a kid. Supernatural is my favorite television show.  I’ve always been fascinated by the paranormal, and probably always will be.  Writing in this genre lets me create new stories and put my own spin on existing mythologies. And what could possibly be better than that?

 

After killing one of her father’s enforcers, half-blood lion shifter Jillian Winters ran for her life, landing in an upscale bar halfway across the country. Her boss, Carrick—a pure-blood shifter—has no idea his barmaid is a fugitive.

When her father’s recklessness puts the Pride at risk, Jillian must return home and assume his place as Alpha. But not before she indulges in a taste of the attraction that’s been building for years between her and Carrick.

Carrick Granger has had a soft spot for Jillian from the moment she stepped into his bar, soaking wet and afraid of her own shadow. He knows she has secrets. So does he. He’s also the outcast son of an Alpha—and now that his father is dead, he, too, has been summoned home.

Thinking they’ll never see each other again, the simmering heat between them ignites like a match to gunpowder. But then the bullets start flying, forcing them to choose—duty to their Prides, or the one person they can’t live without.

Warning: This book contains deception, lies, betrayal, a sexy lion who is determined to claim his mate, and a mating bond that will change the landscape of the Prides forever.

 

EXCERPT:

Her attraction to him was beyond dangerous. But, thankfully, that attraction wasn’t mutual. If it had been, it would have been impossible to turn him away. A smarter person would have left town the second they realized Carrick was a shifter. But, like an idiot, she had stayed, unable to resist being around him during her short stint of freedom.

Even now, the call of the Pride echoed in her mind like the beginnings of a migraine. She massaged her aching temples. Carrick was so close that her hand brushed his shoulder as she reached for her head. Although it was an innocent touch, the heat of his body seared her skin.

Damn it. Fate had a twisted sense of humor. No other man had ever affected her like this.

When he turned, the intention in his green eyes was unmistakable. She stepped back, stunned, heart pounding. With a nervous swallow, she licked her dry lips. He moved closer, eyes focused on her mouth. Torn between flight and surrender, she froze.

Their bodies brushing, Carrick ran his hands down the length of her arms. “How many layers do you have under there?” He squeezed her shoulders gently. “Take them off. I’ll make a fire.” He grasped her hand, tugging her toward the fireplace.

Jillian didn’t move. She couldn’t do this. “Thought you didn’t want to talk?”

“I changed my mind.” He released her hand and moved across the room, crouching before the hearth to kindle the flames.

She couldn’t make herself move, either forward or away. This was her last chance. Once she walked out that door, she was gone forever.

BUY LINKS:

Amazon US:   http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Devil-Souls-Harbor-Pride-ebook/dp/B012CEIPLC/

Amazon UK:   http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dance-Devil-Souls-Harbor-Pride-ebook/dp/B012CEIPLC/

Amazon CA:    http://www.amazon.ca/Dance-Devil-Souls-Harbor-Pride-ebook/dp/B012CEIPLC/

Amazon AU:    http://www.amazon.com.au/Dance-Devil-Souls-Harbor-Pride-ebook/dp/B012CEIPLC/

Barnes & Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dance-with-the-devil-angela-dennis/1122377521

Kobo:  https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/dance-with-the-devil-16

All Romance eBooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html?searchBy=author&qString=Angela+Dennis

Apple/iTunes:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/dance-with-the-devil/id1022248316?mt=11

Google Books: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Angela_Dennis_Dance_with_the_Devil?id=N447CgAAQBAJ

Samhain:  https://www.samhainpublishing.com/book/5574/dance-with-the-devil

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Angela Dennis lives outside Cincinnati, Ohio, with her husband, son and a sheltie with a hero complex. When she is not at her computer crafting stories, she can be found feeding her coffee addiction, playing peek-a-boo, or teaching her son about the great adventures found only in books.

You can visit Angela at her website www.angeladennisbooks.com or her blog www.angeladennisauthor.blogspot.com. She loves to hear from her readers, so don’t forget to find her on Twitter to chat.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/angela.dennis.7798

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/angeladennis779/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/26267274-angela-dennis

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AngelaDennis

Enter to win a $20 Amazon/B&N gift card OR a copy of Dance With the Devil

Leave a comment and follow the tour for more chances to win!

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

Writing a little, writing a lot.

I’ve seen a lot of talk lately about how much writers should write. People have been giving advice on how much you should write in a day/week/month/year in order to be successful and to improve your craft. I thought I’d throw my two cents in, too.

Of course the only steadfast rule of writing is if you want to be a writer, you have to write. How much and how long aren’t important but you do need to produce things. Many writers set goals for themselves. Some like to write a little bit at a time over a long period and some like to write huge chunks over a short period and take more days off. No way is right or wrong. You should pick what feels right for you and try to more or less stick to it–especially if you’re new to writing, you don’t want to overwhelm yourself. Nothing makes you give up faster than setting the bar way too high and collapsing in a heap when you try to jump for it.

I’ve been writing for a long time and my ability to write has gotten stronger over that time. Nowadays I sort of work around my day job: I try to get in a thousand words on days I work and two-thousand on my off days. Of course this only applies if I’m actually writing something new. Editing and rewriting are different beasts and I may do them at a time when I’m not writing anything or do them alongside my writing. Do I always make my goal? No. Somedays I’m lazy and don’t even try.

The thing is I write very fast, so those 1,000 and 2,000 word dashes of writing don’t take me very long at all. I spend more time not writing than writing. But when I started out, there was no way I could write that much in a single session. It was an ability that came to me with time and practice. I’ve also experienced long, barren stretches where I couldn’t get any words out, and times I ‘ve written double or triple my words in a feverish creative frenzy. The muse is fickle.

Don’t beat yourself up about how much you do or don’t write. Write what you can, when you can, and rest assured when you at least show up at the page and try, you’re working on getting better. The only bad thing is never writing at all.

—

On a personal note, The Wicked City only needs a few more nominations to make it to the actual voting round of The Romance Reviews Readers’ Choice awards! Signing up to nominate is super easy–you can even sign in with Facebook or various other social media accounts here. If you do nominate me, let me know so I can thank you personally!

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

Making progress

For all my adult life (and many of my immature teenage) years, I wanted to be a writer. Not just a writer, a published writer, one with multiple books on the shelves and readers and professional contacts and editors and an agent and oh, let’s not forget, people asking for my autograph. You know, the big dream.

It took a very long time for any of this to happen. I still don’t have an agent (I’ve got a few prospects) but I have signed a few autographs! For friends, really…but they count, right? The rest I’ve also got, though it doesn’t always fit the glamorous picture I created in my head when I was younger. I’ve grown up a lot since then. The reason it took me so long to get here is because I was simply lazy, uneducated, and unwilling to put in the time and effort it takes to be where I am now. When I say ‘lazy and uneducated,’ I mean I didn’t choose back then to understand or study the industry, I didn’t care enough to learn every in and out of the mechanics of writing, and I wasn’t trying to make connections and contacts. I wanted the big dream so much but I didn’t know exactly how to achieve it and I didn’t get off my butt to find out.  I also hadn’t honed my writing to the point it’s at now–and I’m quite willing to admit it needs to be sharper yet.

Life got in the way, many times over, and so did my own self-doubt and fear of being a failure. It’s funny that I was so afraid of going nowhere I just sat still. I don’t know what exactly happened to give me a kick in the pants finally, but I did change a great deal as a person over a singular, extended period of my life and I think my revamped way of living during that time gave me a new perspective. I was ready to learn, to work hard, to figure stuff out. I was finally willing to accept you don’t just slap words down, send them off to an agent, and become a millionaire. At least, most people don’t.

I think the key point is now I not only work hard, but I’m much more willing to learn than when I was young and delusional. I ask questions, seek answers, talk to other people, listen to my editors, watch what successful authors do, and listen in on what readers are saying. I try to take it all back to the page and make some sense of it.  This is what I want to do with my life after all, and sometimes the reality is much more strange and awesome than the dream.

I have an old journal post that I wrote during one of the periods in my inexperienced, young maudlin life when I was flinging myself around in despair convinced that I’d never be a ‘real writer.’ I’m thinking about printing it out and framing it next to my first book cover. Looking at it would not only make me chuckle, but nod sagely.

Filed under: About Me, Behind The Scenes Tagged: advice, creativity, inspiration, me, personal life, tirgearr publishing, writing

Writing a series–forever!

My urban fantasy series is contracted with Kensington Books. The second one comes out in November, the third is in the hands of my editor. I’m only contracted for three books, because my plan was to write three books, wrap the universe up with a nice tidy bow, and move on to something else. Of course, the publisher has the first right of refusal, so they get to look at any further works in this universe should I write them. That’s all well and good, and certainly fair, but it was totally my intention to be like “that’s all, guys!”

So why am I currently writing a fourth book?

Because when I got to the end of the third book, I found I couldn’t wrap it up as neatly as I’d hoped. Also, my characters are still bouncing around in my head like hyperactive toddlers yelling MORE! MOOOORE!

When you write more than one book–and certainly when you write multiple books–about the same people, they start to come alive inside your head. You find out more and more about them as you follow them around, and you want to tell people about the things they do. My protagonist, June Coffin, is written so that she has a huge character arc where she grows and becomes more mature through her experiences and becomes less of a caustic brat. The thing is, now that I’ve turned her into a nice sensible lady (hahaha don’t tell her I said that) I’m more interested in her than ever before and I want to keep writing about her.

I may frame the fourth (and subsequent, dear God) book(s) as a different leg of the series. The main components of the conflict in the first three books are wrapped up by the end of the third book, so beyond that is sort of a new story. There’s also side characters I’d love to write more about and maybe one I’d love to give his own book. Sigh. Now I know why Anne Rice can’t stop writing about her vampires.

Don’t start a series folks, you’ll never stop.

Filed under: Behind The Scenes, Siren Song, The Bloody City, The Wicked City, Works Tagged: creativity, kensington, lyrical press, publishers, urban fantasy, writing

I need nominations!

I’m happy to announce that The Wicked City is up for nomination at The Romance Reviews Readers’ Choice awards! There’s a whole process that must unfold before the winners can be picked, so I’ll explain.

How It Works

There are multiple categories with many books in each. Right now until September 30th is the nomination process. Each book must recieve 50 nominations to go on to the next round. You can nominate multiple books in the same category. This isn’t really the ‘competition’ part, just the nomination process to get into the competition. I’m halfway there right now, according to my stats!

The finals will be held from October 3rd to the 31st, where the nominated books will then be going head to head. I’ve got my fingers crossed I get in there.

If you would like to nominate The Wicked City, here’s how:

– If you’re already a TRR member, just log in and on my book’s page there’s a blue button above the book cover that says URBAN FANTASY – NOMINATE THIS BOOK. Just click it!

– If you’re not a member (unfortunately you need to be to vote) it’s free and easy to sign up. Just go to this page. As you can see, there’s additional benefits to being a member like being allowed to participate in contests and chat with authors. After making a username and password (you don’t need to check any of the boxes, unless you are an author or do want to be a book reviewer), you’re in. Tah dah! Now you can go to my book and nominate it! You can also go here to sign up for the site with your Google+ account, Facebook, Yahoo!, or Microsoft account.

And of course, you can nominate anyone else you’d like, too.

If you do nominate me, THANK YOU! Let me know so I can thank you personally. Also, if one of your books is on there, let me know and I’ll be happy to nominate you back–even if it’s urban fantasy.

Filed under: Contests, The Wicked City Tagged: contest entry, urban fantasy

Fear For Hire by Natalie S. Ellis

Today I’m hosting Natalie S. Ellis and her novel Fear For Hire, a contemporary romance from HarperCollins Impulse. Natalie is giving away three eCopies of her novel to three lucky readers, so make sure to comment, follow the tour, and enter the Rafflecopter giveaway!

 

Jack Wylie is tall, dark, handsome and brave – he’s everything you’d want in a kidnapper.

Ex-cop Jack Wylie is a born protector, tormented by the day he misjudged a criminal and his life took a tragic turn. Now he’s on a mission to kidnap a woman to help her overcome a fear of being tied up.

He’s been told by his psychologist brother to keep up the game until the woman gives him the sign. But there has been a big mistake. Jack has accidentally abducted the feisty and beautiful Molly Rhoades – a newly arrived local TV reporter who has secrets of her own. And she doesn’t know the sign.

After a dangerous and unlikely meeting, Jack and Molly find themselves consumed by sexual tension, but things get even more complicated when Molly finds out that Jack is engaged to the local Councilwoman Amanda Everett, a ruthless career climber determined to succeed no matter what the cost.

But why did Jack kidnap Molly in the first place? Who is pulling the strings in this perverted puppet show? Jack vows to protect Molly until he finds out the truth, but the layers of deception and vengeance run deeper than he could have ever imagined.

EXCERPT:

She was ready for him when he came back.

After several frantic tries, she arranged the comforter on the bed, hoping it looked like she was lying beneath it. Now, she waited behind the door. The only weapons she had were her legs, but with five years of kickboxing under her belt, she knew the vulnerable areas to target on a man to overpower him. Groin. Throat. Nose. Finding those areas blindfolded would be the real kicker.

She inhaled a slow breath. The key jingled in the lock. She tensed, preparing her body to deliver swift, precise hits. Bending one knee, she kept the other resting against the side of the door to feel it open. Without her hands for balance, it’d be difficult to stay on her feet after landing. If she didn’t connect with solid flesh, she’d fall. She tried not to sweat the fact she’d never kicked a person before. He wasn’t a person — he was a monster.

By slow degrees the door brushed against her foot and she held a second, waiting for his first step into the room. Bounding to the left, she kicked up and out, hoping to catch him offguard and bean him under the nose, or at least the side of his face. Instead, her toes clattered against something hard, and warm chunks spattered her throat. Her lunch? Determined to do some damage, she leaped again and threw her entire body behind a kick in the same vicinity as the last. This time she connected with flesh.

A calloused hand wrapped around her foot and she tottered, one-legged, on the slippery floor. He released her before she toppled over, only to grab her by the tank. A rip sounded and the fabric over her breasts gave way.

He hauled her against his solid chest. “You’re becoming a real pain in the ass, Laura.” He spoke the words inches from her face, his breath hot on her lips. A hard hand clamped around her jaw, then gentled, stroking up the side of her cheek.

He was going to kiss her.

“My name isn’t Laura!”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Natalie S. Ellis worked behind the scenes in TV news for sixteen years and will always miss the rush of a breaking story. But the seduction of writing a fiery romance with twisty suspense is even harder to resist, especially when she has a new curveball for the plot. Natalie enjoys living in her hometown of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and attributes her cheerful attitude to empty nesting, a supportive family, and way too many lattés.

https://twitter.com/fearforhire

https://www.facebook.com/NatalieSEllisNovels

http://fearforhire.com/

 

Enter to win an eCopy of Fear For Hire

Leave a comment and follow the tour for more chances to win!

Filed under: Giveaways, Guest Posts Tagged: guests

My dark side is my best side

Though I sometimes write contemporary romance and a little bit of erotica on the side, I’m largely an author of paranormal romance and urban fantasy. I like spooky things. I also used to write erotic horror for a now defunct small press, which might seem strange but it’s an actual genre!

Growing up, I was the kid who loved horror movies and scary TV shows (though my mother wouldn’t always let me watch them) and when I got to high school I was the girl reading Stephen King, Clive Barker, and Anne Rice. In my high school (waaay back in the day) we’d carry whatever novel we were currently reading on top the textbooks we toted from class to class, and believe me, everyone was judging each other on their choice of reading material. High school kids are like that. While the other girls were reading VC Andrews and Danielle Steele, I was the freak with the unabridged version of The Stand, which is the size of the ‘S’ encyclopedia and unholy heavy to carry around.

I started writing in high school, largely because I wanted to be like Stephen King. I wanted to be a horror writer, someone who could ‘humanize’ the scary and make the story as much about the characters as the monster lurking under the bed. Obviously, what I write has changed over the years–I like writing about sex now too–but the horror element still creeps in to my work. Urban fantasy is one of the best genres for me to play in, because it often combines both the fantastical and the sexy.

Of course I write non-scary romance and erotica too, but if you like things that go bump in the night, I’m the author to come to. Pull up a seat, we’ll chat about werewolves and the women who love them…

Did you like spooky things? Do you like a little shiver down your spine for multiple reasons?

—

I also have a few announcements to make:

Right now you can enter to win a copy of my upcoming urban fantasy The Bloody City on Goodreads! You have until September 30th to enter:

Also, if you’re a reviewer, you can request The Bloody City for review on NetGalley. If you are a serious reviewer and would like the direct invite link to download it without having to request it, please contact me.

Filed under: About Me, Behind The Scenes, Giveaways, Promotion, The Bloody City Tagged: inspiration, me, paranormal, reviews, romance, urban fantasy, writing

What’s on your bucket list?

I was discussing bucket lists with a friend the other day. If you’re unaware, a ‘bucket list’ is essentially a list of things you want to do before you kick the bucket. You can have anything you want on the list–keep it attainable or go for far-reaching adventures, or a mix of both. The name comes from the movie The Bucket List, though I’ve never seen it myself. I think it’s a fun idea and gives you goals.

I’ve never made a full detailed bucket list, but I’m thinking of doing one now. I was also thinking about the fun things I’ve already done in my life that would have been scratched off my list by now.Those being:

– Spend a day walking around Manhattan

– Go to the top of the Sears (now Willis) Tower

– Visit the French Quarter

– ‘Earn’ beads in New Orleans

– See Niagara Falls

– Visit Memphis

– Publish a book

– Visit Las Vegas

– Get tattooed

– See my favorite band live

– Work in an airport

On days I think my life is boring, I try to remember all the amazing things I’ve done already–so maybe I need to make a ‘filled bucket list’ too, to look at when I’m feeling down. It would be a great reminder for me that life is full of adventure.

My ‘to do’ bucket list would be longer, but here’s a few things I would put on there:

– Visit London and Paris

– Go on an expedition in Africa

– Visit Australia

– Visit Alaska

– See Antarctica

– Go on a cruise

– Learn to speak another language fluently

– Have an international bestseller

Hey, a girl can dream can’t she?

So, what would be on your bucket list? And what’s on your filled bucket list? Tell me in the comments!

Filed under: About Me, Monday Funday Tagged: inspiration, me, personal life

I have a shameful confession to make…

It started in my early twenties. I was married, but life could get stressful, tedious, and dull at times. I needed something more. Something to wake me up. That little spark that was missing.

I wasn’t looking for it when I found it the first time. I thought myself a moderate and temperate person. I thought I could get by without anything extra. But I was weaker than I thought, and once I got that first taste, I couldn’t get enough. Suddenly, the thing I didn’t even know I’d been looking for entered my life and things brightened considerably. I was hooked from the moment I dipped into that dark hot well of vibrant stimulation.

At first, it was only in the mornings. My husband left for work early, so he didn’t know about it. Most of the time, I’m ashamed to say, I partook at home. We lived in a small town and it was difficult to just go out and find it. It wasn’t like in big cities, where you find it on every corner, offered up with wanton abandon. I didn’t know where to go looking for it, so I brought it into our house, and drank deeply, wildly, without care or guilt.

Years passed. Sometimes I found myself indulging my illicit addiction at odd hours of the day, at times you wouldn’t expect it. I was playing a risky game, a dangerous one, but it got my blood pumping and my heart pounding. It woke my senses. I should have felt guilty, but I didn’t. Sometimes I’d trawl public places, salivating, looking for it, needing it desperately.

These days I’m divorced, though I don’t blame my extracurricular activities because frankly, we never discussed it. I’m still at it, harder than ever. Now I indulge at all times, whenever I feel like it–morning, noon, night. Sometimes right before bed, which makes it hard to sleep. I live in a big city now and it’s everywhere, all around me. All kinds of ways to indulge. I never thought about all the different ways you could do it before. I keep trying it, never satisfied with sticking to one thing. And it still gives me a rush. A heady, wonderful, tingling rush that lights up my limbs and makes the world a decadent feast for the senses.

It’s been nearly two decades now and me and coffee are still going strong. I’m not afraid to admit it. I just hope you’ll understand and try not to judge me too harshly.

Filed under: About Me, Behind The Scenes Tagged: funny, me, personal life