Mandy M. Roth's Blog, page 86
May 2, 2012
My Thoughts: About Last Night by Ruthie Knox
About Last Night by Ruthie Knox
Sure, opposites attract, but in this sexy, smart, eBook original romance from Ruthie Knox, they positively combust! When a buttoned-up banker falls for a bad girl, “about last night” is just the beginning.
Cath Talarico knows a mistake when she makes it, and God knows she’s made her share. So many, in fact, that this Chicago girl knows London is her last, best shot at starting over. But bad habits are hard to break, and soon Cath finds herself back where she has vowed never to go . . . in the bed of a man who is all kinds of wrong: too rich, too classy, too uptight for a free-spirited troublemaker like her.
Nev Chamberlain feels trapped and miserable in his family’s banking empire. But beneath his pinstripes is an artist and bohemian struggling to break free and lose control. Mary Catherine—even her name turns him on—with her tattoos, her secrets, and her gamine, sex-starved body, unleashes all kinds of fantasies.
When blue blood mixes with bad blood, can a couple that is definitely wrong for each other ever be perfectly right? And with a little luck and a lot of love, can they make last night last a lifetime?
My Two Cents:
Let me start off by saying. Sue Grimshaw made her twitter profile pic Ruthie’s About Last Night book cover and I think we can all agree–HOT. So there it was, taunting me, teasing me, just out of reach. I didn’t know Ruthie (still technically have never met her in person) and had not as of yet read anything by her. Fast forward, Ruthie and I began showing up on tweets together–twitter folks know how this can happen, you answer someone else, they respond to more than one of you at a time, and so on.
So, I start following Ruthie.
The more I follow her, the funnier I see she is. This is a biggie to me. I love authors with good senses of humor. It got me wondering if this translated over to Ruthie’s books. You all know I tend to shy away from reading Contemporary Romances. There have been very few that I devour. But, that damn sexy cover and Ruthie’s sense of humor just keep pulling at me. Fast forward some more…
I was lucky enough to get an ARC (advance reader copy) of About Last Night by Ruthie Knox. It did NOT disappoint. It had me laughing out loud more than once. I fell in love with Cath’s outlook on life, her desire to truly be a reformed bad girl but no matter what, she falls into old habits. And Nev, oh Nev… (excuse me, I need some alone time now) is written in a way that he just leaps off the page at you.
Ruthie has a witty way of writing and she pens a hot hero. I never wanted a banker more in my life.
Disclaimer (that makes me look like a douchebag): I went into this book assuming the sex scenes would be more suggested than actual or at the very least glossed over. I stand corrected. Wow. Penned beautifully AND sexy! If you’re looking for a great, funny, sexy, contemporary romance read, Ruthie’s About Last Night is it!
I just bought her other book Ride With Me and can’t wait to dig into it.
CONTEST: I will GIFT one lucky person with a Kindle copy of Ride With Me by Ruthie Knox . Winner will be selected from those who comment here on the blog post. You must have an amazon account. Sorry, only gifting a kindle copy.
Marketing with Mandy Author Spotlight: Sharon Cullen
Marketing with Mandy Author Spotlight: Sharon Cullen
Q: Tell us a little about your experience with Carina Press.
A: Carina Press and more specifically, Charlotte Herscher, have been a joy to work with. They’re very positive and very open to suggestions. I just love the energy they bring to my work.
Q: What tips/tricks do you use for marketing or promoting your own titles?
A: I use a lot of social media like Facebook, Twitter and guest blogging, to get the word out. I consider marketing and promoting a year round effort, whether I have a new release or not. I think in this day and age, it’s important for an author to be out there all the time. Plus, I’m a social media addict. I LOVE talking to everyone on Twitter and Facebook. The other day I posted a funny picture on my Facebook that said, “I love my computer. All my friends live in there.” LOL. That’s exactly how I feel. So while I’m promoting and marketing, I don’t FEEL like I’m promoting and marketing.
On the other hand, I think any author needs to strike a good balance. You don’t want to inundate your followers with “buy my book” tweets and posts. That just turns people away. So occasionally I will slip a “buy my book” tweet or post in there but not often.
Q: What is one thing you’d want to tell a newer author, just coming into the game?
A: Never, never, never give up. Keep writing, keep reading. As long as you have an open mind, are willing to learn and can handle critiques of your work, you WILL succeed. But you have to be willing to work hard. Writing isn’t easy, as much as some of my non-writing friends like to believe. Its hard and you have to be willing to put the blood, sweat and tears (lots of tears) into it.
Q: Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?
A: Her Dark Knight is a cross-genre romance. A little paranormal. A little historical, a little contemporary. It’s about Christien Chevalier, a Knight Templar given the job of protecting the Holy Grail and about Madelaine Alexander, his love from seven hundred years ago who has been reincarnated. Here’s a blurb:
Madelaine Alexander is on a mission. When her boss sends her to the hottest nightclub in town to meet with the owner, she won’t be deterred, even if that means standing in line for fifty-eight minutes in torturous heels while she’d rather be home in her pj’s with a bowl of popcorn.
A Knight of the Templar, Christien Chevalier was given immortality along with the responsibility of protecting the treasure of the Templars. He’s been unwavering in his task for centuries until his one true love—who died seven hundred years ago—shows up in his club, demanding his attention.
Christien couldn’t protect Madelaine when they first fell in love. She was married to a lord and he was simply a knight. Now, through some unknown miracle, she stands before him again and they have a second chance. But Christien fears that Madelaine is being used as a pawn in a dangerous game, a game of good versus evil that could affect all of mankind…
Q: Can you tell us a little about your current WIP’s?
A: I’m working on the second Knight Templar story. I’m also working on a romantic suspense, and the plot for my next historical is swirling around in my mind. It’s very crowded in my brain at the moment.
Q: How did you get into writing?
A: I started writing when I was ten years old. I’d read YA and, not liking the ending, would rewrite the entire story. Later, I joined my high school newspaper and knew I wanted writing to be a large part of my life. I graduated with a degree in journalism from Ohio University but writing jobs are hard to find. I worked several different jobs in several different areas. Then kids came along and, well, we all know how much time kids take. But ironically, it was when I was a stay-at-home mom that I had a little come-to-Jesus with myself. If I wanted to see my dream of writing a novel come true, then I had to start right then. That was eleven years ago and I haven’t looked back. I’m having the time of my life!
Q: How do balance family and writing?
A: Now that the kids are older it’s much easier. I have two teenagers and a tween. They aren’t nearly as needy as they used to be and tend to disappear in the evenings. I write while they’re in school, then take a few hours off when they get home from school. After dinner I’ll sit on the couch with the laptop and write some more while my husband reads or watches TV beside me.
LINKS:
April 28, 2012
Master of the Hunt
Paranormal Bird Shifter Romance
When the oracle warns Prince Aeson that his future mate is in the human realm and is in great danger, he wastes no time going in search of her. Problem is, he has no idea who he’s looking for. He’s never met her and the oracle couldn’t give him anything more than small clues as to who she is and where she might be.
Sent to one of his favorite hangouts—a sex club—Aeson is stunned when a beauty shows up on the arm of another man, a man void of emotion. He senses trouble surrounding her and something else—something that marks her as his. He doesn’t care if she is or isn’t the woman the oracle told him about, she’s the woman he wants. Anyone who dares to stand in his way will feel his wrath and, before the night is out, she’ll feel exactly what it’s like to be taken by a prince.
WARNING: This book contains hot, explicit sex and violence, dominant alpha bird shifting males who think they’re always right, even when they’re dead wrong and a woman who isn’t about to stand by and let them boss her around.
Snippet from Master of the Hunt (King of Prey Series) by Mandy M. Roth
Accipitridae Realm, Buteos Regalis main castle…
Aeson stepped back, allowing his nephews to run past him, each babbling about something he could not understand. Their father, the king and Aeson’s eldest brother, chased behind them, appearing winded. In the nearly four hundred years he’d known him, Aeson couldn’t recall a time when Kabril looked so unraveled. His duplicate in looks in every way, it was as though Aeson were seeing himself in such a situation.
The sight was sobering indeed.
“Kabril, you are showing your age,” Aeson said, enjoying goading his brother as often as he could.
“I am two minutes older than you,” Kabril replied. He motioned to his triplets, who were pushing the age of three. “I know naught how our father did it. Eight sons.” He looked horrified by the idea. “They are my heart and joy, but brother, they never tire. It is the equivalent to one laying siege to the castle nonstop.”
Chuckling, Aeson nodded. “So I see.”
“Brother, the moons hold great pull over them. When the moons are full, I swear my sons sleep not.”
Aeson laughed. Four moons orbited their planet. One of the moons was large enough to be seen during daylight hours. Often, the moons were attributed when madness, or in this case, too much energy came into play. “I do not believe for a moment they are subject to the moons’ pull. They are merely young boys—fledglings—Kabril. We are old. They are not. It stands to reason they would have more energy than us. It is good to hear the sounds of children in the kingdom. For too long it was void of such noises.”
Kabril motioned to the nanny charged with overseeing the boys before turning to face his brother. “No word of new births among our people has reached me. To date, only Rayna and I, and Sachin and his mate Paige have been successful. You know, Rayna believes we should consult the Oracle on the matter. She thinks it may provide valuable insight into what our next move should be.”
Aeson cringed at the mention of the prophecy giving globe. From an early age he’d learned to both fear and stand in awe of the oracle’s power. It was often consulted on matters associated with the gods or destiny. Kabril, unlike their father, wasn’t superstitious. It made him a better leader in Aeson’s opinion than their father had been, not that he’d been a bad one. “And I say you decree that all your loyal subjects must procreate like mad,” Aeson said.
Kabril rolled his eyes. “Still chasing skirts in the taverns throughout the realm?”
With a sly smile, Aeson rubbed his stubble-covered jaw. “Not in this realm, brother. I’m unsure a maiden exists here that I’ve not bedded. Earth is another matter altogether.”
That caused his brother to stumble over seemingly nothing. “You? The famed lover of women of our kind and hater of all things human, now seeks out the beds of human women?”
“No. Not beds. But I do enjoy chaining them to walls and having my way with them,” he replied. His cock hardened at the very thought of it. He did so enjoy women of all sizes and shapes. And he very much enjoyed taking them in different ways. “Did you know they have taverns or rather sex clubs, as they call them, devoted to that very thing? They rival our torture chambers and the women there line up for it, wanting to be punished by a man’s hand before being thoroughly pleasured.” He motioned with his hands, framing an invisible woman with exaggerated measurements. He then pumped his hips in midair, simulating fucking said woman.
“If my wife hears you speak of such things,” Kabril leaned in, “and of demeaning human women in such a way, she will skin you alive. She may be human but she is something to be feared, brother.”
Aeson tossed his head back and laughed. Rayna certainly was a fiery woman. She kept his brother in line nicely and brought out the best in him. He clasped his brother’s shoulder. “Should I find one such as she, mayhap I would wish to chain her to my bed for I am not foolish enough to think I am immune to all women’s charms.”
“Do you not wish for a family, Aeson?” There was something off in Kabril’s voice. “Do you not wish for love and happiness?”
He glanced in the direction his nephews had run off in. “I do not wish for such a thing.” It was a bold faced lie. One he was sure his brother saw through with ease.
“Because you have no desire for one or because you desire one so much that you fear it might not come true?”
His brother knew him well. Not only did they look much alike—nearly identical to those who didn’t know them well—they tended to think on the same terms too. Though, Kabril had always taken things more seriously than Aeson had. Mainly because Kabril, as firstborn son, had to. Second to the throne in a family that was close-kkknit, Aeson saw no point in worrying over kingly matters when the odds of him ever having the throne were slim. Even Keonae, the youngest of the triplets, saw no need to trouble himself with the day-to-day trials and tribulations of running a kingdom. For reasons too dark to dwell upon, Keonae now resided permanently within the human realm—a place Aeson found himself drawn to more and more as of late.
Kabril entered the Great Hall and Aeson followed closely behind. Chains of gold hung suspended from the high ceilings. Open saucers with floating wicks were upon the ends of each, illuminating the vast room.
Aeson’s brother took a seat on his throne. There was a reflective mixture in a bowl sitting to the left of the throne. Aeson knew it was used to help divine the future, something Kabril rarely did on his own, leaving the seers to do so for him.
Kabril eased back in his chair, his fingers skimming over the carved hawks in the dark wood. “Brother, it was not that long ago I found myself in your position. Wanting to deny what the Oracle had set forth for me.”
“Good thing we have yet to consult it for me then, yes?” A nervous chortle broke free of him.
Pressing his mouth in a thin line, Kabril motioned for one of the attendants. “Bring the Oracle.”
“What?” Aeson paled. “Kabril, no.”
The attendants hurried off, nearly knocking over one of the suspended oil lamps in their haste to please the king.
His brother smiled. “Ah, it would appear you are too late.”
Grunting, Aeson gave his brother a pensive look. “I have no wish to hear talk of things that may not come to pass. Worse yet, it tell me I’m to wed a woman with a hunched back or who is missing her teeth.”
“Think it likely?” Kabril questioned. “We have such an abundance of them? We may not have many females in our realm but none are as you described.”
He took in a deep breath, wanting very much to strangle his eldest brother. As the attendant returned with two of the priests and the globe of the oracle, Aeson crossed his arms over his chest.
The priest on the left bowed first. “Your majesty, you seek the Oracle’s guidance?”
“No, follower of the path of the Epopisdeus,” Kabril said. “My brother seeks its wisdom in regards to a mate.”
The other priest gasped. “Such advice is frowned upon, my lord.”
“Yet none of you hesitated to force my hand in finding a mate in that very fashion,” Kabril reminded them. “You will do so for my brother.”
“But, your majesty, what if the Oracle says he has no mate or that she once was but has perished?”
Aeson stiffened, his gaze locked on the white globe. He steeled his nerves and nodded. “Ask it. I wish to know regardless the outcome.”
“Brother, you are certain?”
“Yes, Kabril. I am certain.”
“Very well.” His brother waved his hand dramatically in the air. “Priest, ask the Oracle.”
The priests bent their heads, each humming and putting their hands over the globe. Aeson had seen it consulted enough to know no actual words were spoken. It was more a telepathic thing. The priests were seers—men able to connect with the oracle mystically.
The priest to the right turned his head towards Aeson. “It is most odd, my lord. The oracle tells us your mate is alive, but she will not be for long should you not find her.”
His breath caught.
Kabril came up and off his throne, the smirk gone from his face. “What else does it say? Where is she? In what village does she reside? What does she look like? Her name?”
The priest to the left slumped his shoulders. “Your majesty, the Oracle responds in much the same way as when we ask it of other seers. It is vague. It is giving us only hints of it all, images, feelings, but they are short and incomplete.”
“But that cannot be,” Kabril said. “There are no female seers within our realm.”
“Yes, there are none within our realm, your majesty, but legend speaks of seers born unto the human realm who are female.”
Aeson still couldn’t pull his mind from the knowledge his mate was alive but not for long.
His brother ran a hand through his hair, a nervous habit of his. “Aeson’s mate is human?”
“Yes. It would appear so,” a priest answered.
The other tipped his head, as if listening to the Oracle. “Sparrow? It is showing us the image of a sparrow. This means something important. It is representative of her.”
“But how is it she can be a shifter and born unto the humans?”
“Your majesty, it does not present the image in that of a shifter form. It is simply a sparrow. No more. No less.”
Aeson grabbed for the priest. “Where do I find her? She needs me.”
“My lord,” the priest said, trying to free himself from Aeson’s clutches. “Please, we know not.”
“Brother.” Kabril broke Aeson’s hold on the priest. “Priests, is there anything more you can offer him?”
“It is strange. The Oracle wishes for him to go to where he has been drawn to so much as of late. We cannot say why.”
Aeson’s eyes widened. “It wishes me to go to the sex dungeon, erm, club in the human realm?”
Kabril rubbed the bridge of his nose and the priests looked horrified at the idea of such a thing existing. “That is all. You may go.”
They rushed off, taking the oracle with them.
“Brother, they are men who have dedicated themselves to the bird gods and who have forsaken carnal pleasures,” Kabril said. “To talk of such a thing before them is unwise and cruel.”
“And my mate is about to die,” he answered. “I’ll take the time to give a damn about the priests’ celibacy when I know she is safe and well.”
“I will gather men to accompany you,” Kabril said.
Aeson shook his head. “This task is for me and me alone. Should I require assistance, I will send for it.”
Kabril knew better than to argue the point. “Be well, brother, and may you find her healthy and eager to accept you.”
More Authors:
Megan Hart:Read in bed!
Rhian Cahill
Eliza Gayle
Mandy M Roth
Mari Carr
McKenna Jeffries
Myla Jackson
Taige Crenshaw
Delilah Devlin
HelenKay Dimon
Shiloh Walker
Lauren Dane
Shelli Stevens
Jody Wallace
Lissa Matthews
Zoë Archer
April 25, 2012
MwM Spotlight on Self-Publishing: T. M. Hunter
Marketing with Mandy Spotlight on Self-Publishing: T. M. Hunter
Q: Please take a minute to tell us a little about yourself.
A: Not much to say. I’ve had short stories and novels published for the past four years (give or take), and started into self-publishing for just over the past year or so. I mainly stick to space opera, featuring my space pirate Aston West and the various characters of his universe. Even my latest sci-fi thriller The Cure blends into his universe later in life (shhhh, don’t tell!). I have had some success with small press titles, including my first two Aston West novels Heroes Die Young and Friends in Deed. My short stories have been published all over the web, including over at Ray Gun Revival, Residential Aliens, Golden Visions Magazine and Lorelei Signal. And as mentioned, over this past year-plus, I’ve been self-publishing various titles, including my novella Seeker, The Cure, and the first in a series of three-story bundles (Aston West Triple-Shots) featuring my new story “Dead Man’s Forge” and others.
Q: What prompted you to self-publish your book(s)?
A: Like many, I’ve followed several blogs where the idea of self-publishing books has been bantered about as a viable option for all authors. I’d had a poor experience with one publisher around a decade ago, which soured me on all publishers (and writing) for some time. I finally came around, got back into writing Aston’s tales, and ended up with small press Champagne Books publishing two of my Aston West novels, and another (ResAliens Press) who contacted me about putting together a short story collection (Dead or Alive). Self-publishing started becoming something of a “cool” thing to do around that time, and I started pondering the idea. I’d actually been sitting on an Aston West novella called Seeker, not knowing where to send it after an anthology call (which had been the catalyst for me writing the story) fell apart. I decided to dip my toes in the pool and self-published Seeker over on Smashwords and Amazon. I’d originally thought about submitting my next novel (The Cure) to agents, but after noticing that sales for Seeker were running about the same as with my small press titles, went ahead and self-published it as well. I’d been bitten by the bug now, and decided to conduct an experiment, bundling up three short stories (referred to as Aston West Triple-Shots) every quarter or so. All in all, I’d say I’m hooked.
Q: How has the experience been to date?
A: So far, I haven’t seen the stellar success some folks online have apparently had (no $100,000 months for me). I do have to say that sales have still been about on par with the sales from my small press titles. I’ve found quite a number of benefits through this brief stint in self-publishing. I earn more by doing it alone. I can get (almost) immediate indication of sales, and can match it up to promotional efforts I do. I get full control over things like editing, cover art, and pricing (if I want to drop the price of my titles to 99 cents, like I have, I can do it at will). It’s been a great experience, even if I’m not close to making enough to give up the day job. And of course, I have two more Aston novels in the pipeline, and unless circumstances somehow change, I’m more than likely going to bring out the next one on my own as well.
Q: What do you know now that you wished you knew when you started?
A: I’d highly recommend getting an e-reader, and also finding honest friends who own a variety of e-readers (and let you buy them free copies to test out). Trying out the files from Amazon, B&N.com and Smashwords has been an eye-opening experience on what the end-user is getting. Sometimes you end up scratching your head over how the converters ended up doing what they did.
Q: What tips/tricks do you use for marketing or promoting your own titles?
A: I use most of the standard fare, promoting through my social networks (Twitter and Facebook, mostly) various online forums, and my website and blog. But as far as “tricks” I think the biggest promotional effort out there has to be pricing. All of my self-published titles are currently at 99 cents. My small press titles are around $2.99-$4.99, depending on title and location. “Bestseller” titles are running with inflated prices, to the point of being absolutely insane. I recently checked out the first in Patricia Cornwell’s Scarpetta series, and was astonished that the e-book (for Nook) was $9.99 while the paperback version was also $9.99 (this book has been out for well over a decade, and possibly around fifteen years now). Marketing is all about taking advantage of, and sharing your benefits. If the idea that you can buy all of my self-published novels for a third of what a “bestseller” costs doesn’t get people excited, then…
Q: What is one thing you’d want to tell a newer author, just coming into the game?
A: (Assuming they want to start self-publishing) I’d recommend doing an honest evaluation of your own writing skills, including spelling, grammar, character development and plotting. This doesn’t mean asking your friends and family what they think, but hinges on whether your writing is getting accepted in the marketplace on its own merits. I’ve been getting short stories published online for years, as well as the small press titles I mentioned, all before I ventured into self-publishing. All of that was an indicator that my writing had what it takes.
Q: Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?
A: The Cure is my latest novel. In a nutshell, scientist Mila Groso has lost her husband and daughter, and in her unbearable grief, she’s decided to bring them back, so researches a cure for death. Unfortunately, she’s not the only one who wants to get her hands on such a miracle drug. Religious agents threaten her, trying to stop her work from negating their belief in an afterlife. The government sends a mercenary in, trying to acquire the technology for their own nefarious purposes. Fighting to stay alive, Mila discovers her cure may end up being a greater curse than she ever imagined.
Q: Can you tell us a little about your current WIP’s (works in progress)?
A: Well, other than trying to figure out the next three stories to go into another installment of the Aston West Triple-Shots, I’m also working on the third and fourth novels in the Aston West universe. Death Brings the Victory is currently in final (hopefully) edits, and features Aston returning to a war zone to escape his past, only to discover how far bloodlust will take him and those he loves.
Resurrection is still in first draft form, but the plot is set and it’s going to be a great one as well. Aston is presented with a unique opportunity to reverse the past mistakes he’s made, but to do so means going against everything that’s good and decent in his life.
LINKS:
April 23, 2012
Jess Granger, Interview by Michelle M. Pillow
Jess Granger, Interview
By Michelle M. Pillow, www.michellepillow.com
An adventurer at heart, Jess Granger has done everything from working as a balloon artist, brewing her own beer, traveling through Europe, and working to rehabilitate injured birds. When she isn’t writing like a mad fiend, you can find her pondering the complexity of ecosystems while tending her massive butterfly gardens. She’s a national bestselling, science fiction romance author with her series, Realms Beyond. Her latest work, Beyond the Shadows, arrives in bookstores May 4, 2010.
* * * * *
Q: In your book, both your hero and heroine are aliens. What inspired you to create such characters?
Jess:Part of the fun of Science Fiction, especially on the Space Opera end, is creating new worlds out in the vastness of space with new rules. I love world building from scratch. The universe is endless and full of possibility for wonder, adventure and excitement. In the case of my hero and heroine from Beyond the Shadows, it was fun to portray a matriarchy that isn’t all good, or all bad for that matter. It was also interesting to play with male/female dynamics when both characters come from a completely alien culture that has very different rules from ours. It led to some pretty entertaining fireworks. It was also a challenge to create a world and a culture that developed into a matriarchy through a natural state of cultural evolution dictated by the nature of their planet and the needs of war in an arboreal realm.
Q: Why do you think readers, and society in general, are fascinated by the paranormal?
Jess:I think people are excited by possibility. I think it is fun to ponder what is out there. Who knows what is really out there? It gives us the thrill of fear, but that lingering excitement that what we know as truth may not be truth, and in fact we are small in the face of true wonder.
Q: Do you believe in the supernatural? Or are you a skeptic?
Jess:I like to believe in possibility. When faced with something that might be possible but seems impossible, I err on the side of, well maybe, who knows?
Q: How would you react if you came face to face with an alien?
Jess:I’d freak out. Hands down, I’d freak out. I’m really a skeerdy cat. After the freak out, I’d freak out in a different way. If they didn’t intend us harm, wow, could you even imagine the nature of a feat of exploration like that?
Q: Have you ever been abducted by aliens?
Jess:Um, barring some entertaining shenanigans in college, I’m pretty sure that no, I have not been abducted by aliens. I fell out of my body once and landed on the ceiling while sleeping, and I’ve dated a couple of guys that I believe might have been aliens, but no, in the grand scheme of things, I have not seen any little green men, nor have any tried to kidnap me because Mars needed women. I guess the night is still young.
Thanks for joining us, Jess!
You can learn more about Jess and her books at her website, www.jessgranger.com. Interview by Michelle M. Pillow, www.michellepillow.com
April 22, 2012
Just Released
The much anticipated next book in the Project Exorcism Series is now for sale! This is a brand new original book, never before released!
Civil Twilight (Project Exorcism)
Stegian is a man held prisoner in his own body by a demon. A demon hell bent on ridding the planet of all Janelles. He rules by fear and he rules well. But, when a mysterious, gorgeous woman arrives late one night, tempting him, claiming to want to save him from himself, everything changes. He longs for her and wants to believe her words are true—that she can separate him from the vampire he carries within. Dare he hope? Dare he believe?
Jacquelyn Janelle is no longer held to the same rules that apply to her people. She’s ascended and gained valuable insight into the universe and its plans for one thought lost to evil. More than that, she’s fully aware who he is to her—her true mate. She’ll stop at nothing to assure she saves him, even if it’s from himself.
Warning: This novella contains explicit sex and violence. It is a story about redemption against all hope and about how love can transcend time and space. Plus, it has hot sex scenes for those unconcerned with the frilly stuff.
And, because so many of you emailed asking when I was going to re-release it, Misfit in Middle America is now for sale with BONUS word count! That’s right. It had been 10k words. I expanded it out to 16k, adding in Beth’s POV!
Misfit in Middle America
Police Chief Adam Sisel has problems. He’s got three dead bodies, a murderer on the loose, a teenage son who’s as Goth as they come, an estranged wife, and the hots for a woman who doesn’t seem to know he exists. At some point, something has to give, and when it does, he finds out there is more to the tiny town of North Maple Ridge than meets the eye.
Warning: This short story was previously published at another house. It has been expanded by 6k words and now contains Beth’s POV. This short story contains graphic violence, explicit sex, adult situations, extreme gore, and is not for the faint of heart.
April 21, 2012
Saturday Snippet- Radar Deception
Paranormal Shifter Military Special Ops Romance
Snippet from Radar Deception: Immortal Ops 3 by Mandy M. Roth
Dr. Thaddeus Green survived a werepanther attack long ago, leaving him immortal and a member of the I-Ops team. He’s dedicated his life to genetics and to serving his country. After his mutated DNA led to the death of his loved ones, he vowed to never let anyone close to his heart again. Try as he might, Green is unable to stop the mystical pull to the tall, leggy blonde with a sharp tongue and an even worse bite. Thinking Melanie is suffering from mating withdraw, Green is prepared to do what he must to assure her survival, even if it means claiming her for himself, regardless of his need to protect his heart. Little does Green know that fate has been preparing him for Melanie Daly all his unnaturally long life.
When ghosts from the past resurface, in ways he never dreamt possible, the normally mild-mannered scientist finds himself drawing on his inner beast and rage to assure his mate and their future are protected. But even Green can’t fight all of Melanie’s battles for her. Some she has no choice but to face on her own. Can their bond stand the test of time?
Rating: Contains graphic violence, explicit sex and strong language.
Melanie woke to the soft sounds of someone playing a piano. She glanced around the large, white room in awe. It was beautiful. The ceiling was vaulted and the windows along the left wall went from the floor up. The bed was bigger than any she’d ever been in and considering the number of beds Melanie had woke to find herself in that was saying a lot. It was still dark out and she wasn’t sure how much time had passed.
She glanced down to find herself wearing one of her favorite nightgowns. The light pink silk gown was slit up the side and had spaghetti straps. It was like wearing nothing and she loved it.
Climbing out of the bed, Melanie listened to the sound of the music playing and smiled. She didn’t need to be told whose bedroom she was in. She vividly remembered Eadan threatening to put a sleep spell on her. She also remembered his threat—she’d wake up married to Green. The thought had terrified her when he said it. Now, as she headed for the door, all she could think about was being near Green.
She opened the door and stepped out into the large hallway. The sound of music filtered in from the other end so she headed in that direction. The hallway seemed to go on forever, making her wonder how many people lived in the house. The sound of the piano being played grew louder as she approached a large, half-circular staircase. As she headed down it, she spotted Green in what looked to be a formal living room, sitting with his back to her while he played. The room was amazing but nothing compared to the sight of him.
Her breath caught as she stared at him. It was the first time she’d seen him without a shirt on and it hit her just how muscular he was. He looked as though he were chiseled from the same marble of the floor beneath the area he sat in. Perfection. Plain and simple. The dark black wood of the piano he sat at only added to the sleek, streamlined, sensual look Green put out.
The black silk pajama bottoms he wore, rode low in the back, showing that he had dimples just above his ass cheeks. The urge to rush forward and run her hands over him was great. She managed to control it, only slightly as she walked slowly toward him. His head dipped slightly as he played, indicating just how into it he was.
She wasn’t familiar with the piece he was playing but she knew enough to know it was full of emotion. Raw. Powerful, like him. Melanie slid her hands over his shoulders and rubbed gently. The feel of his warm skin beneath her fingertips left her drawing in a deep breath, fighting to keep her breathing even.
Green stopped playing and stiffened. “I didn’t mean to wake you. I’ll….”
Her nipples hardened to pebble-like peaks as they grazed against his back. Melanie put her lips to his ear and kissed it. The urge to bite it was great so she gave in and nipped playfully at it. “Don’t stop, please.”
His breathing grew shallow and he refused to look at her. “I can’t be by you if you’re in that and I’m only in….”
Run away. Don’t fall for him.
Ignoring her inner voice, Melanie slipped the straps of her nightgown down her shoulders and let it fall to the floor in a silken puddle. She lifted it with her foot and plucked it from her toe. She let out a sultry laugh as she dropped it in Green’s lap.
“There. Problem one out of the way. You take yours off and we’ll have everything worked out.”
Green stared down at the nightgown and put his hands out on the piano top. He bowed his head and it was easy to see him straining. The fact his knuckles were turning white only added to the matter. “Melanie, I can’t fight the beast in me forever. It wants to claim you for its own. I want to claim you, too.”
“Well, I’ve never heard a man refer to the urge to fuck me quite that way but I’m game if you are, Thad.”
He shook his head. “No. You don’t understand. Hell, I don’t even understand it. I controlled the beast easily when we were together before. Never once did I have to push you away to keep from marking you, from sinking my teeth into your smooth skin as I sank my cock deep within you. I was able to keep that side of myself from you. Why now? Why can’t I control it around you now?”
Her brow furrowed as she slid her hands into his dark red hair. “Honey, I think the sight of you makes my brain fuzzy because you’re not making any sense to me. I keep fighting this nagging voice in my head that’s telling me to run. To avoid you at all costs. You scare me, yet when I woke to find myself in your bedroom, I was upset you weren’t there with me.”
“Melanie, I won’t tie you to me. You don’t really want that. There is no way I can be with you and keep the beast caged. Please put your clothes back on and give me some time to be alone.”
“How long was I asleep?” she asked, biting back tears as he rejected her.
“About two hours, why?”
Two hours? That meant it was still technically her birthday. Barely, but it counted. The irony wasn’t lost on her. “You were my bright spot on this day, too,” she whispered, low enough a human couldn’t hear her. “Okay, I’m going to go lay back down for awhile. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Reaching out, she went to grab the nightgown and yelped when Green caught her wrist. He drew her into his arms and onto his lap before she could even blink. “Thad?”
His eye seemed to flicker with varying shades of emerald. “Don’t be afraid of me, Melanie. I can’t control it around you.”
She knew she should be terrified of what she was seeing but the feel of his hands on her body left her hissing out as she tipped her head back. “I want you inside me.”
“Melanie.”
She shifted on his lap, and swung one leg around so she was left straddling him. The feel of his hard erection just beneath the surface of his pajama bottoms spurred her onward. Green closed his eyes and moved his hands off her.
“I can’t do this. I can’t be gentle with you. It’s been over fifty years since I’ve had sex and even then I didn’t have to fight the urge to claim you on a supernatural level.”
Fifty years? Supernatural level?
Megan Hart:Read in bed!
Rhian Cahill
Eliza Gayle
Mandy M Roth
Mari Carr
McKenna Jeffries
Myla Jackson
Taige Crenshaw
HelenKay Dimon
Shiloh Walker
TJ Michaels
Lauren Dane
Lissa Matthews
Zoë Archer
April 18, 2012
Need a break from taxes? FREE ebooks
Take a break from tax worries: Our GIFT to you. TODAY only (April 18, 2012) Gypsy Nights by Mandy M. Roth is FREE on Amazon Kindle. Kindle apps are available for pcs, macs, and varying cells phones, ipads, and readers. Sorry, this is only offered through Amazon Kindle. We’ve signed a contract with them allowing us to reach the most possible readers. Thanks for your understanding! We hope you enjoy the book(s). Please pay close attention to assure the book is in fact being offered for free and that the offer has not expired.
Fighting Lady Jayne (April 18 ONLY)
MwM Author Spotlight: NJ Walters
Marketing with Mandy Author Spotlight: NJ Walters
Q: Tell us a little about your experience with Samhain Publishing and Ellora’s Cave.
A: My first ebook was released back in October of 2004 and, since that time, I’ve had 56 books published and have more under contract. My experience has been an incredible one. I’ve worked with many different editors, all whom have all made me a much better writer. The production staff at both companies has been extremely professional and wonderful to work with. The authors I’ve met and worked are the kindest and most generous people I’ve ever known. I’ve seen my readership grow and I am very grateful to all the people who have paid their hard-earned money to purchase my books. It’s been an incredible journey and I feel as though I’m only getting started.
Q: What tips/tricks do you use for marketing or promoting your own titles?
A: I’m not very comfortable with technology and I’ve had to step way beyond my comfort zone the past six years or so, learning skills I never dreamed I’d need. Time is precious to a writer, so I try to focus on venues where I know readers will be. Social media has opened up many new opportunities for writers and I enjoy chatting to readers at Yahoo groups and on Facebook. Blogging is fun too and I also have a newsletter. There are always lots of opportunities for networking with other authors or with romance review websites. I’ve done interviews, guest blogs and been part of group contests as well.
Q: What is one thing you’d want to tell a newer author, just coming into the game?
A: Don’t be afraid if you aren’t the most techno savvy person out there. It can be very overwhelming, believe me I do understand. Start simple with a website and blog. When I started you had to pay someone to build your website for you unless you were a computer geek. Now there are many sites that offer easy website building software as part of the packages they offer. They’re easy for you to use and update. I know this only because my hubby recently got his own website. I’ve taught myself to update my original website and have made some changes over the years.
And Blogger is great place for a beginner. If I can build my own blog there, so can you!
Q: Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?
A: My latest book is Quinn’s Quest (February 21, 2012) and it’s part of my Legacy werewolf series being released by Samhain Publishing.
BLURB:
Kidnapped and held in a crazy doctor’s underground laboratory, Bethany Morris only manages to escape because Chrissten, one of her fellow abductees, creates an opportunity—by shifting into a werewolf.
Bethany’s desperate for help, but who’ll believe her story? The police? That’ll just buy her a one-way ticket to a padded room—because here’s the kicker: she’s discovered she’s a half-breed werewolf. Her only hope is to find Chrissten’s brother.
Quinn Lawton’s long, grinding search for his missing twin has turned up nothing…until Bethany rekindles his hope. Something else catches flame too—her heat cycle and a searing attraction branded with the word mate. Yet with so much blood on his hands, any future he might offer is already tainted beyond redemption.
Desperate for Quinn’s touch alone, Bethany has no choice but to take Quinn up on his offer to quell her terrifying need, no strings attached. And hope that as the search for Chrissten intensifies, the battle with their personal demons doesn’t destroy their razor-thin chance at forever.
Q: Can you tell us a little about your current WIP’s?
A: I’m currently working on another Awakening Desires book for Ellora’s Cave. This one features one of the remaining Jewel sisters that readers met in Jackson’s Jewel, an earlier book in the series. Take one hunky bodyguard, one very independent woman and put them in a secluded cabin for two days and what you get is a whole lot of sexual tension that eventually boils over.
After this book I’ll be working on a brand new paranormal quartet, which I’m very excited about. But don’t worry Legacy fans, the next two books in the series have already been written and contracted.
Q: How did you get into writing?
A: Like many writers, I was a reader first. Back in the mid-nineties, I had some time off and, with my husband’s encouragement, decided to try my hand at writing my own book. Of course, it was a romance. That’s what I read.
That original manuscript was turned down by an early epublisher, but the editor took the time to give me some good advice. Many, many rewrites later, that book became my very first Samhain Publishing release—Discovering Dani—which came out in 2006, more than ten years after I first wrote it. It’s amazing how much I’ve changed as a writer since that first book, but I still love that story!
Q: How do balance family and writing?
A: That’s a trick question and one I struggle to find the answer to almost daily. I honestly don’t know how women with kids manage to balance everything. I find it difficult enough with my husband and the rest of my family.
I love writing but there is no nine-to-five as there used to be with set days off. I write in the mornings because that’s what works best for me. The afternoons are reserved for the myriad other tasks that come with being a published writer. I try to take weekends off but even then I check my emails, Facebook and various groups I belong to. But if I have edits from my editor then I’m working weekends too.
I think this is something most writers struggle with. When you love what you do the tendency is to always be doing it. That’s the way it’s been for me the past seven years. My goals this year are to develop some other interests away from reading and writing and to focus on my health.
LINKS:
April 16, 2012
Frank Joseph, Interview by Michelle M. Pillow
Frank Joseph, Interview
By Michelle M. Pillow, www.michellepillow.com
When people think of US history, they often talk about the Civil War or the Old West, but what about that time before recorded history? The mysterious people and cultures that populated the earth before Columbus sailed the ocean blue? Unearthing Ancient America: The Lost Sagas of Conquerors, Castaways, and Scoundrels explores the lives of these people, and the ancient mysteries that surrounds them.
Unearthing Ancient America: The Lost Sagas of Conquerors, Castaways, and Scoundrels author, Frank Joseph, has published several novels on lost civilizations, including more books about the lost civilization of Atlantis than any other author in history. His twenty-four published titles about ancient history, sacred sites and synchronicity have been released in as many foreign language editions around the world.
*****
Q: You’ve written several books, The Atlantis Encyclopedia, Discovering the Mysteries of Ancient America, Opening the Ark of the Covenant. What inspired you to write about these topics?
Frank:I always wanted to know the truth behind these enigmas, and feel there may be some subconscious past-life energies at work.
Q: Have you always had a fascination with history and unsolved mysteries?
Frank:As long as I can remember.
Q: What myths or legends inspired you?
Frank:All of them, because myth is the higher, metaphysical language of mankind.
Q: Specifically in Unearthing Ancient America you tackle a broad variety of archaeological enigmas. What are some of these enigmas?
Frank:How did an ancient Egyptian statuette find its way into an prehistoric burial mound in Illinois? Is Minnesota’s Norse rune stone an authentic 15th Century artifact? Did the Romans operate ships capable of making transatlantic crossings to America?
Q: How and why are they shunned as too heretical for consideration by conventional scholars?
Frank: Mainstream archaeologists are indoctrinated with the academic commandment, “Tho shalt not have any overseas’ visitors to America before Columbus!”
Q: Is Archaeology a science?
Frank:Archaeology is a “humanity” that its practitioners are supposed to apply scientific methods. Archaeological conclusions are cultural interpretations, not scientific facts.
Q: Why is this important when studying Ancient America?
Frank:It requires us to keep an open mind, as opposed to conventional archaeologists.
Q: In history classes, students are often taught that Columbus was the first European to “discover” America, but I’ve heard evidence has been found that in fact Vikings were the first. Which, if either, is true?
Frank:Both. The Viking discovery of America was lost by Columbus’s time.
Q: What are some of the significant events missing from most school history books?
Frank:Upper Michigan’s 5,000 year-old copper mining industry; the Viking exploration of North America; the Keltic contribution to pre-Columbian America; etc., etc.
Q: How did those pre-Columbian explorers reach the new world?
Frank:In purpose-built ships.
Q: For what purpose?
Frank:Numerous purposes: to escape persecution, for minerals (especially raw copper), on missionary quests, exploration, colonization, etc., etc.
Q: What secrets have the Giants of the California Desert preserved for a thousand years?
Frank: California’s “giants” are colossal line-drawings of anthropomorphic and animal figures created by a sophisticated people some 900 years ago.
Q: Has a Smithsonian photographer discovered an ancient city in the Grand Canyon?
Frank:Yes, Mr. Kincaid.
Q: Moving on to another of you books, Opening the Ark of the Covenant. Now I know many people automatically associate the ark with the Indiana Jones movie. Is this a true representation of the Ark?
Frank:The movie, like all Spielberg films, has as much bearing on the truth as Walt Disney’s “Dumbo” has on zoology.
Q: What exactly was the Ark of the Covenant?
Frank: A vessel containing a large quartz crystal capable of transmuting mechanical energy into electrical energy.
Q: Is it a real object, or just a mythical construct?
Frank: Real.
Q: Does it still exist?
Frank:Several versions still exist in various parts of the world.
Q: When and where was the Ark of the Covenant last seen?
Frank:The most recent sightings were in Germany, 1945, and Tennessee, 1964.
Q: Where is the Ark of the Covenant today?
Frank:Quebec, Japan, Bavaria, Tibet, etc.
Q: What significance does the Ark of the Covenant have for our 21st Century world?
Frank:Presently, it is only a myth, because it (they) is (are) concealed. If made known and its function disclosed, it could alter the entire course of modern history for good or evil, depending upon the intentions of its 21st Century users, not a good prospect, given humanity’s present savagery.
Q: What powers was the Ark of the Covenant supposed to possess?
Frank:Transformational.
Q: Who were the Knights Templars?
Frank:12th and 13th Century followers of St. Bernard.
Q: What was the relationship between the Ark of the Covenant and the Knights Templars?
Frank:They were its discoverers and guardians.
Why do you think readers, and society in general, are fascinated by the paranormal and the unexplained?
Frank:1. Because institutionalized religion has failed (the true meaning behind Nietzsche’s declaration, “God is dead”), and 2. all human beings are born with a spiritual instinct that is still seeking fulfillment.
Q: Do you believe in the supernatural?
Frank:”Supernatural” refers to anything narrow-minded persons are unable to comprehend outside the strict limitations of their immediate, physical existence; things are either natural or un-natural; that is all.
Q: Or are you a skeptic?
Frank:I strive for a genuine scientific approach; namely, always keeping an open kind, refraining from absolute judgments, but endeavoring to make conditional conclusions.
Q: What are your favorite paranormal shows, movies and books?
Frank:The books of Robert E. Howard and Edgar Allan Poe; cable tv’s “Psychic Detectives”.
Q: Do you have any pet projects?
Frank:My life is my pet project.
Q: What does the future hold for your work?
Frank:Oblivion.
Q: Any new books?
Frank:”Gods of the Runes” released in fall.
Thank you for joining us!
Frank Joseph’s titles Unearthing Ancient America and Atlantis and 2012 are available online and in bookstores.Interview by Michelle M. Pillow, www.michellepillow.com
