Nancy J. Cohen's Blog: Nancy's Notes from Florida, page 101
September 11, 2012
Warrior Prince Excerpt Part 6
Warrior Prince
Excerpt: Part 6
Copyright 2012 by Nancy J. Cohen
Wriggling against the strap holding her down, she cursed when it wouldn’t give way. Now what? Was she a prize to be claimed by their leader? She cringed when he stroked her cheek.
“Who are you, little one?” His gentle tone surprised her. “And how did you resist the Confounding?” 
“Untie me.” She attempted to twist away, but he gripped her shoulder, holding her down. Flat on her back, she gazed into his intense turquoise eyes. She couldn’t see the rest of his face, hidden behind a hooded mask that covered his head. He smelled like pine trees and peat smoke. Calm trickled through her, quieting the buzz in her mind.
Strange that she didn’t abhor this man’s touch as she had Jek’s. Far from it. She squirmed under his scrutiny, aware that her situation wasn’t much better and yet she felt no fear. The stranger in black continued to study her, his eyes narrowed as though he contemplated a decision.
Banging noises sounded from outside as his men searched the building as per his orders. A single lightbulb glared overhead, casting the room into a surreal light. Dust motes floated in the air.
“I will release you, but you must come with us.”
Ice water sluiced through her veins. She didn’t want to go anywhere with these fierce looking men. “Look, I won’t tell anyone what’s happened here if you let me go home.”
“I understand you are frightened. Be assured no further harm will come to you.” He spoke soothingly, as though to a child. “I promise to keep you safe.”
“Please, just set me free.” She hated the way her voice quavered.
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Would you trust this man?
This is a series of excerpts from my upcoming release, WARRIOR PRINCE: Book One in the Drift Lords Series. All commenters will be entered into a drawing for one of my backlist romance ebooks. Two lucky winners will be announced at the conclusion of this series. Go to my Contest page for more opportunities.
September 10, 2012
Warrior Prince Excerpt Part 5
This is a series of excerpts from my upcoming release, WARRIOR PRINCE: Book One in the Drift Lords Series. All commenters will be entered into a drawing for one of my romance backlist ebook titles. Two lucky winners will be announced at the conclusion of this series. Go to my Contest page to see more opportunities.
Warrior Prince
Excerpt: Part 5
Copyright 2012 by Nancy J. Cohen
The brute thrust Nira against the hard metal table and pressed her in place with his thighs.
“You’re different.” Algie’s smooth tone belied the enmity in her eyes. “You can block my spell. We haven’t met any humans like you before. It could be a danger to us.”
Nira swallowed against rising alarm. These people must belong to some cult. Get out while you can.
She stomped on Jek’s instep, hoping to dislodge his grip. He merely chuckled and dumped her supine on the table. When he reached for restraints, she screamed.
“Help! Someone help me!”
Jek had secured one wrist in a leather strap when a crash sounded from outside in the corridor, followed by shouts and loud blasts. The door burst open, and black-clad masked figures poured inside. They aimed weapons at Algie, who repelled their fire by dodging aside in a blur of speed and then vanishing. Air rushed by Nira’s ear. Then Jek was gone as well, leaving her at the mercy of these formidable men.
They stood in a huddle, murmuring in low voices. One of the terrorists slid his gaze her way and pointed.
“I’ll take care of the woman,” he said in a commanding tone. “Algie and her troops have probably vectored out by now, but search the place anyway and see what you can find.” As the others scrambled to obey, he strode over to where Nira lay helpless on the table.
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Are these black-clad men good guys or bad guys?
September 9, 2012
Warrior Prince Excerpt Part 4
This is a series of excerpts from my upcoming release, WARRIOR PRINCE: Book One in the Drift Lords Series. All commenters will be entered into a drawing for one of my romance backlist titles in ebook format. Two lucky winners will be announced at the conclusion of this series. Go to my Contest page for more opportunities. 
Warrior Prince
Excerpt: Part 4
Copyright 2012 by Nancy J. Cohen
Algie’s eyes blazed. “How are you resisting me?”
“What?”
“Never mind, just do as I said. Fix Jek to look more human.”
Human? She shook her head. That annoying buzzing sound must be affecting her brain.
However, it didn’t affect her instincts. An inner voice hammered at her to leave. She backed away, but at a simple nod from Algie, the door slammed shut from an invisible force.
“You’re not going anywhere until I find out how you’re blocking me. Jek, seize her.”
The big man’s beefy hand clamped onto her arm.
“Let me go.” Nira fought to elbow him in the gut, but his strength overwhelmed her. He hauled her toward the treatment table. “Stop, or I’ll scream.” Panic laced her voice.
The woman’s sinister chuckle chilled her blood. “Go ahead. No one will hear you.”
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Does Nira have reason to panic under these circumstances?
September 8, 2012
Warrior Prince Excerpt Part 3
This is a series of excerpts from my upcoming release, WARRIOR PRINCE: Book One in the Drift Lords Series. All commenters will be entered into a drawing for one of my backlist romance ebook titles. Two lucky winners will be announced at the conclusion of this series. Go to my Contest page to see more opportunities.
Warrior Prince
Excerpt: Part 3
Copyright 2012 by Nancy J. Cohen
“Jek is a test subject to see if you suit us for employment.” Algie’s brow wrinkled. “See if you can make him look more normal.”
Nira stifled a nervous cough. Aren’t those huge cauliflower ears prosthetics? “Uh, I’m not sure I—”
“Just use those makeup supplies.” Algie pointed to the counter. “Shadowing, for example, can de-emphasize certain features. You’ll know what to do.”
The blonde sauntered closer. Her porcelain features were so refined, she could have been a model. She leaned inward, her ocean blue eyes shining brightly, her rosy lips parting as though about to confide a secret. Nira couldn’t drag her gaze away. Her nostrils picked up a floral scent that held her spellbound.
It seemed so natural when Algie placed a palm on her arm like an old friend.
No. Nira sprang back, the buzzing sound in her head increasing to painful decibels.
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Should Nira flee this place as quickly as possible?
September 7, 2012
Cooking Class
My husband and I have attended various cooking classes throughout our time together. We started in Gainesville where he had a fellowship and we had an infant. Taking these courses together gave us something fun to do. We took a series on French cooking and then another on Chinese cuisine. Sporadically thereafter, we’d sign up for adult education classes learning everything from chicken recipes to cake decorating (he didn’t attend that one).
Recently, we’ve been rediscovering this interest since Publix opened a cooking school here.
The classrooms are on the second floor of a newly remodeled store. Last night we attended our third class there. I’d hoped to learn some meat recipes since the only beef I can cook is brisket.
On the menu first was grilled five spiced salmon with coconut crostini. This was a large slab of salmon steak (although it looked like a filet?) grilled lightly to just cook through, served on a toasted crostini with coconut flakes. It was delicious and my favorite dish of the evening. Accompanying white wine blend was Hot to Trot by 14 Hands. I liked this a lot.
Next came a good company dish—mushroom, spinach, and smoked Gouda stuffed flank steak. I liked the stuffing more than the meat that could have been cooked a bit more. A red wine was served with this portion. We’ve had Chateau St. Jean cabernet before and still enjoy it.
If you like spicy foods, you’d like the cocoa and three pepper dusted beef tenderloin with grilled fingerling potatoes. This called for three kinds of chili powder along with garlic and onion powders to make a blend and rub on the tenderloin. The potatoes were boiled then halved and placed on the grill for just a few minutes. They were good, but I prefer my own roasted red potatoes with garlic and rosemary.
The menu was crowned with balsamic strawberry shortcake napoleons. This was an easy fix with balsamic vinegar dribbled over fresh sliced strawberries mixed with a bit of confectionary sugar. Whip some heavy cream into a froth and then put this into individual puff pastry cups you can buy in the freezer section. Top the whipped cream with strawberries and you have a fresh fruit dessert. The wine here was a sauvignon blanc from Simi winery in Sonoma.
We had pleasant conversation with the chefs and other attendees while sampling all the foods and sipping wines—a pleasant evening to be had by all.
Warrior Prince Excerpt: Part 2
This is a series of excerpts from my upcoming release, WARRIOR PRINCE: Book One in the Drift Lords Series. All commenters will be entered into a drawing for one of my ebook romance backlist titles. Two lucky winners will be announced at the conclusion of this series. Go to my Contest page for more opportunities. 
Warrior Prince
Excerpt: Part 2
Copyright 2012 by Nancy J. Cohen
Her thoughts scattered when the inner door burst open, and an attractive blonde smiled at her. “Come in, Miss Larsen. My name is Algie Morar. I understand you’re applying for a position as a makeup artist?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Nira followed her into a corridor marked by closed doors on either side. At the far end, the hallway opened into a large room from which low male voices rumbled in a strange guttural tongue. A curtain made of fabric strips obstructed the view.
The woman halted and opened a door, gesturing silently for Nira to enter. But instead of facing a desk and chairs as she expected for an interview, she spied a treatment table, a sink, and a console like in a doctor’s office. A supply of cosmetics laid spread out on the counter: brushes, eye pencils, powders, and other familiar tools.
“Wait here.” Algie turned on her heel and left Nira alone. A moment later, she returned with a burly man in tow.
Nira’s mouth fell open. The stocky fellow had oversized ears, a long bulbous nose, and abnormally large hands and feet. His small beady eyes glared at her from beneath bushy brows. He wore a workman’s clothes, stained trousers and a plaid shirt.
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Would you feel safe under these circumstances?
September 6, 2012
Warrior Prince Excerpt: Part 1
Today begins a series of excerpts from my upcoming release, WARRIOR PRINCE: Book One in the Drift Lords Series. I hope you’ll follow along and leave a comment. All commenters will be entered into a drawing for one of my ebook backlist titles. Two lucky winners will be announced at the conclusion of this series. September also offers you a chance to win more prizes. Go to my Contest page to see all your opportunities.
Warrior Prince
Excerpt: Part 1
Copyright 2012 by Nancy J. Cohen
“Hi, I’m Nira Larsen, here for an interview,” she told the receptionist, whose solemn stare and black attire would have suited the funeral home she’d visited earlier.
“Please be seated until you are summoned.” The woman’s blunt-cut dark hair swung as she pressed a button on her console to announce Nira’s arrival.
Nira glanced at the small waiting area with its threadbare carpet, row of vinyl seats, and musty odor. Why was no one else here? And why did this place appear so seedy, with peeling paint and grime-coated windows? Maybe she didn’t want to work for people who treated their applicants with such disrespect.
Nonetheless, she’d like to land a position at Drift World. On her budget, she couldn’t afford a ticket to the role-playing adult theme park, but getting a job there would solve that problem. Plus she needed the money for other reasons.
She took a seat, an odd buzzing in her ears. It had started when she walked into the place. But even weirder had been the way the theme park’s temporary employment office appeared to materialize out of thin air.
The address specified on the classified ad had taken her next to a popular café on Orlando’s International Drive. Maybe she was just tired after her last two disastrous interviews, but she could have sworn this log cabin hadn’t been in the parking lot when she’d arrived.
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What would you think if you were applying for a job at this place?
Question: Would you like to see pictures of the characters with these excerpts or use your imagination?
September 5, 2012
Pardon Me, But I Misspoke (Or Miswrote)
Pardon Me, But I Misspoke (Or Miswrote…Whatever!)
By Joanna Campbell Slan
“In cases of legitimate rape…” 
By now, you’re probably sick of hearing that phrase by Todd Akin, the State Representative from Missouri who’s running for Senator. As many commentators observed, “Exactly what constitutes ‘legitimate’ rape? How does that differ from any other kind of rape?”
Just one little misbegotten adjective and kaboom! A career goes up in smoke. It can hardly seem fair. But it happens. At the very least, a misplaced word or phrase can both misleading and occasionally hilarious. For example, there’s the classic: “The girl jumped into the swimming pool with the red hair.”
I’ve never seen a swimming pool with red hair. Have you?
Or the sign on the bus in Decatur, Illinois. The letter “L” had fallen off the sign and wasn’t replaced. Riders in that city availed themselves of the “Decatur Pubic Transit System.”
Those of us who write for a living are not impervious to silly mistakes. In fact, the sheer number of words we plop down practically guarantees we’ll create more than our share of guffaws.
One author friend complained about her new editor. “That woman is driving me nuts! She keeps circling what she calls ‘redundancies.’ When I wrote, ‘She clapped her hands,’ that stupid editor said, ‘What else would she clap?’”
Frankly, I think the editor had a point. Unless you’re penning a book about Flipper, the trained porpoise, your protagonist can only clap her hands, so why mention her appendages at all?
On occasion, dear Brutus, the fault actually starts with our fingers. The fourth and pink fingers are notoriously weaker than their counterparts. The position of frequently used letters on the keyboard can confound even the most seasoned writer. Here’s a list of words often misspelled as a result of ergonomic challenges: http://www.mit.edu/~jcb/Dvorak/demons.html All I can say is, thank goodness for the self-correcting function. Otherwise, I would be stuck with “t-e-h” rather than “t-h-e.”
Sometimes we commit mental slip ups. I recently inserted the word “intact” while referencing an “intake” form. I also confess to writing “meddle” instead of “mettle,” as in “testing one’s mettle.” (Boy, is my face red as I admit that!)
Since I’m from the South, I also fall victim to “Southernisms,” phrases I’ve misheard or misunderstood since childhood. Thus, “widder woman” is a mispronunciation of the redundancy “widow woman.” And “conniption fit” is another doubly unnecessary phrase, because anyone who has a “conniption” has by definition had a “fit.” Whereas the oft lamented “a hard row to tow” was actually not what it seemed at all! What people intended to say was, “A hard row to hoe.” Who knew?
Beyond all these goofs, there lurks another type of problem: woeful ignorance. No matter how hard you work to perfect your writing, mistakes will happen. Especially when there’s research involved. Let’s face it, you can’t know what you don’t know! That explains why I erred by putting a “mockingbird” in England while writing my new book, Death of a Schoolgirl. You see, I lived in England for a year and I could have sworn on a stack of Bibles that while I was there I had heard the song of a mockingbird. Turns out, I must have been wrong.
After a sharp-eyed reader spotted my mistake, I confessed my error to a friend. She winked at me and said, “Oh, no, Joanna. I’m sure you were right. It must have been one of those rare imported American birds, don’t you think?”
Hmm. I bet it was. In fact, I’m sure of it!
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DEATH OF A SCHOOLGIRL (The Jane Eyre Chronicles)
Jane can’t help but fret when a letter arrives from Adèle Varens—Rochester’s ward, currently at boarding school—warning that the girl’s life is in jeopardy. Although it means leaving her young son and invalid husband, and despite never having been to a city of any size, Jane feels strongly compelled to go to London to ensure Adèle’s safety. But almost from the beginning, Jane’s travels don’t go as planned—she is knocked about and robbed, and no one believes that the plain, unassuming Jane could indeed be the wife of a gentleman; even the school superintendent takes her for an errant new teacher. But most shocking to Jane is the discovery that Adèle’s schoolmate has recently passed away under very suspicious circumstances, yet no one appears overly concerned. Taking advantage of the situation, Jane decides to pose as the missing instructor—and soon uncovers several unsavory secrets, which may very well make her the killer’s next target…
BUY at Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/ckgs2cn or Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/death-of-a-schoolgirl-joanna-campbell-slan/1104878528?ean=9780425247747
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Joanna Campbell Slan is the author of more than twenty books. (Maybe. She’s worse at counting than she is at identifying birds.) Her most recent work—Death of a Schoolgirl—features Jane Eyre as an amateur detective. Visit Joanna at http://www.JoannaSlan.com or on Facebook http://tinyurl.com/JCSlan
September 4, 2012
Nancy J. Cohen News Update
Warrior Prince: Book One in the Drift Lords Series is nearing its release date of Sept. 21, 2012. That means all sorts of exciting things are happening this month. I talk about my new book in The Big Thrill and have giveaways at Coffee Time Romance and Night Owl Reviews.
Author Interview in The Big Thrill: http://bit.ly/NFmsvJ
Coffee Time Romance: Enter to win a Warrior Prince T-shirt and magnet, a deck of tropical drink playing cards, and a pdf copy of Warrior Prince: http://bit.ly/bGEqXD
Night Owl Reviews Halloween Hunt: My prize is a $15 gift card to The Wild Rose Press. Go to http://bit.ly/PXn9MQ
On Sept. 5th, mystery author Joanna Campbell Slan guest blogs here. She discusses correct word choices. Do you as a reader get annoyed when the same phrase keeps popping up in someone’s book? Or do you as a writer often not realize you’re using a word repetitively? If so, this article is for you. I hope you’ll visit and leave a comment.
Between Sept. 6-19, I will be posting short excerpts from Warrior Prince. Leave a comment and be entered into a drawing for your ebook choice from my romance backlist titles. Two winners!
When these excerpts are finished, it’s time for my Release Party and Blog Tour.
I hope you’ll bear with me through all this news. I’ll resume my regular blog posts sometime next month. Meanwhile, I am working on edits for Warrior Rogue: Book Two in the Drift Lords Series, which is already in production.
On a personal note, I took a break before all this frenzy and went to Disney World. We visited Magic Kingdom where we glimpsed the new attractions coming to Fantasyland. We bought fresh produce at the Farmer’s Market in Winter Garden and ate dinner at Le Coq Au Vin, a recommended French restaurant in downtown Orlando. I had the onion tart (heavenly!), beef tournedo (tender!) with mashed potatoes and apple tart (just right; not too sweet).
September is Magical Dining Month in the Orlando area and many expensive restaurants participate. You can get a fixed three course meal for $30. Another favorite dining spot was Thai Blossom in the historic Edgewater Hotel in Winter Garden. Tasty choices and reasonable prices year round.
See you tomorrow for Joanna Slan’s post!
September 3, 2012
August Reads
If you’re looking for some new reads, or are just curious about what I’m reading these days, take a look below. Usually I read more than one book at a time. Currently I’m reading the next C.S. Harris historical mystery, another Alex Rider installment, and a historical romance. How many books do you have going at one time?
SCORPIA by Anthony Horowitz (Teen Spy Fiction)
Fourteen-year-old British agent Alex Rider is ostensibly on vacation in Italy but he’s really following a clue as to how his father died. When he learns the truth, he joins the criminal organization known as Scorpia. He knows they’re trained assassins, but he’s unaware of their terrifying plan to murder millions of London schoolchildren with a secret weapon. 
Bent on personal revenge, Alex returns to England with only one mission: kill the person who shot his father. It’s none other than his former MI6 boss, Mrs. Jones. But then his plans start to go awry, and he ends up fighting for his home turf once again. Scorpia isn’t an organization to be thwarted, though, and they’ve made contingencies in case he betrays them.
This story is another exciting adventure in the rousing Alex Rider series, who’s like a junior James Bond fighting evil on a global scale. The fast-paced action will have you turning pages and rushing out to get the sequel. Pure escapist entertainment!
HOW TO PROPOSE TO A PRINCE by Kathryn Caskie (Historical Romance)
Elizabeth Royle is convinced she’s destined to marry a prince, so when she meets a man claiming to be Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg, she knows it’s Fate. Little does she realize that her handsome prince is a decoy. His cousin, Lord Whitevale, is actually the prince, and Sumner—the real Marquess of Whitevale—is posing as the royal to draw assassins away.
Elizabeth falls in love with a man whose duty supposedly dictates he wed Princess Charlotte, possibly her half-sister. She despairs when Sumner seems to care for her but keeps getting pulled away for affairs of state. Should she believe her senses or what others are telling her about his need for a political match? She can’t compete against a royal princess. 
Her association with the prince proves dangerous when a sniper shoots at them. But even though he isn’t meant for her, Elizabeth seeks to protect him. She has to have faith that he’ll find a way back to her as promised.
Secret identity stories are always engaging. Although the reader knows what’s going on, the anticipation is high for when Elizabeth learns the truth. Will she feel betrayed, or will she believe Sumner’s declarations when he says she’s the one who captured his heart?
LOUISA AND THE COUNTRY BACHELOR by Anna Maclean (Historical Mystery)
This is the second Louisa May Alcott mystery where we read about Louisa’s life as a young woman before she became a famous author. Louisa and her family are vacationing with cousins in New Hampshire. Their rural village suffers a tragedy when a young laborer is found dead, pushed down a ravine. His sister believes one of the shopkeepers killed him so as to buy their piece of land by the railroad track, but Louisa isn’t so easily convinced. Their neighbors harbor secrets, and all isn’t what it seems in this sleepy little town. The questions build as she investigates, especially when the local sheriff suspects her close friend of being the murderer. To prove his innocence, Louisa probes into people’s lives, not realizing she’s putting her own safety at stake. Another delightful installment in a charming series.
NORWAY TO HIDE by Maddy Hunter (Mystery)
This entry in Maddy Hunter’s Passport to Peril series is just as amusing as the other stories in her repertoire. You’ll smile as you read about the antics of tour 
guide Emily Andrews and her senior citizens on their trip to Scandinavia. The Iowan group is dismayed to be thrown in with a bunch of Floridians, even more so when a guest turns up dead. What secrets is this troupe hiding that they’d kill to keep quiet? Norway to Hide is a humorous tale that will have you chuckling and guessing until the final clue.
WHAT ANGELS FEAR by C.S. Harris (Historical Mystery)
This first title in the Sebastian St. Cyr mystery series will hook you and reel you in. Accused of a heinous rape/murder, Viscount Devlin flees the authorities and takes refuge in 1811 London where he seeks to clear his name. With various allies to help him, he unravels a scheme involving French spies, political intrigue, blackmail, and greed. Evocative setting details will have you believing you’re in fog-shrouded London as you follow the hero’s adventures into disreputable alleyways and slummy inns as he searches for the killer before the man strikes again. Devlin can’t even trust his own family who harbors damaging secrets. At stake is the life of a woman he once loved and who loves him still. Can he unmask the villain, save the Regency, and avoid the hangman’s noose? Once you read this book, you’ll want to find more stories in Harris’s engaging series.
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