-- Night Owl Romance - Meet the Authors

-

Sara Trimble - Following that Dream... + Contest

1 comments
Enter to win one of 3 eBook copies of Heart Over Mind!

***
Following that Dream...
Despite the World's Expectations
by Sara Trimble

I've had the same ambitions in life since I was five years old. I guess I never was the average modern day feminist thinker. I never wanted to be an independent, successful career woman whose job was her life. Instead, I dreamed of having a love and husband that's romance novel worthy, a few children, and to be a writer. For years, people humored me when I told them I'd be a published author one day. But as I got older, they begin to get irritated. What are you really going to do with your life? Surely you don't think a person like you could ever become famous.

Little do they know that I don't care if I ever become a celebrity. In fact, I hope I don't. I just want to write books; to entertain readers. If they never become best-sellers, I can live with that. As long as I know there are some people out there who enjoy delving into my books and escaping the problems that plague their everyday lives. To me, reading a book is like being able to live the life of someone else. You can forget about the late rent, the rattling furnace and just watch someone else struggle for a change. And then, at the end of that book, when the characters are able to, despite all opposing forces, achieve their goals, you are able to think that maybe succeeding is possible.

All you have to do is believe in yourself.

I have the drive, the determination, to work as hard as necessary to get what I want. I have the wonderful husband, the great kids, and one published book. To me, this isn't enough. I still hear those same discouraging things, even from people who should be behind me no matter what. Stereotypes are everywhere, and to the people who have known me all my life, I'm one of them. A small town white trash girl from a poor family. They expect me to follow the same path as my other relatives. Get pregnant early on, drop out of school, stay at home and struggle with day-to-day living because that's what everyone else did.

To them, there is no way to escape the cycle. If you want to be someone important, you have to be born that way.

It has taken me years to get my life on course. I've taken some wrong paths that did lead me towards becoming that woman. However, the faith I have in my dream, the faith my husband and children have in me, has helped me get over my fear of failing. I know what I want, and I do everything I can to get it. I may not be living a life of glitz and glamor, but I am happy with the cards I'm holding.

I'm making my dream come true, which I can prove just by telling anyone who ever makes a snide comment about my lifestyle, “Check Amazon.com. I bet you won't find your name on a book title there.” Then of course, their comment is always, “Writing a book isn't hard. I could do it.”

Well, good luck. Just because you can, doesn't mean you will. That's the difference in someone who has had a rough life and someone who's given everything at birth. I'm not afraid to work hard, to do whatever it takes to get what I want. I don't do this to prove them wrong about what they think of me. Truthfully, I could care less. I do this because I love it. It's what I've always wanted and it's what I hope to do for the rest of my life. Being able to rub it in people's faces, well that's just the cherry on the hot fudge sunday that has become my life.

If you want something bad enough, don't give up just because people tell you it can't be done. Work hard, set goals, and believe in yourself. When your dream does come true, be proud of yourself. And if you happen to get to put people in their place about doubting you, enjoy that as well. But never forget your struggle. And always try to support other people, no matter how unrealistic their hopes may seem. Who knows-maybe they'll be just as successful as you.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sara Trimble is a romance author with one romance novel published andanother novel, and erotica short novella in the final revisions process. This year for NaNoWriMo, she's venturing out of her comfort zone of romance totry her hand at a mystery/suspense novel. She also has a collection of overeighty short stories stored away. She works as a columnist with Night OwlReviews, conducting interviews with best selling authors and reviewing theirbooks. She is also a reviewer for Night Owl Reviews magazine, as well as FallenAngel Reviews group. You can find Sara at: http://www.saratrimble.com

ENTER THE CONTEST

Just comment on the post below and leave the first bit of your email address. You do need to be a NOR Newsletter / Fan Club subscriber to enter. USA Postage Only on shipped items. Ends - 2/10/2012

Gwenan Haines - Indie vs. Traditional Publishing + Contest

4 comments
Enter to win one of four ebook copies. Two of Risking Eternity: A Vampire Romance Novella and two of Rescued by a Rake: historical e-novella.

***
Indie vs. Traditional Publishing
by Gwenan Haines

I’ve always wanted to be a writer.

Wow, bet that line caught your attention, right? If you rolled your eyes, don’t worry about it. I get it. You’ve read that a thousand times before and will likely read it a few more times before the week is out. Maybe, like me and millions of other aspiring authors, you’ve always wanted to be a writer too.

In case you hadn’t noticed, the odds aren’t exactly in our favor. Or they haven’t been—until recently. Over the past couple of years publishing has begun to change radically. I feel a little foolish admitting that I didn’t catch onto this fact until fairly recently. Until fairly recently I’ve been the sort of reader who will meander into a used bookstore or the basement of her local library, buy dozens of books, and head home to spend a blissful afternoon by the fire. Or I’ll pick up the latest romantic suspense novel at Wal-Mart on way to the wrinkle-cream aisle. On occasion I’ve even been known to pay full price for a hardback at Barnes & Noble (I must confess I mainly drink the coffee, but I did spring for The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest because I absolutely had to find out what was to become of Lisbeth Salander). And of course there was my own writing—my unpublished writing—which I had put on hold for many years.

Kindles? Nooks? E-publishing? Indie publishing? I had no clue.

Welcome to my very dated world. If it weren’t for two things I could’ve happily continued on in this state forever. But then my 11-year-old daughter received a Nook as a present from her father. And like many indie writers, I read an article about Amanda Hocking, the 26-year-old who’s made millions selling books no publishers would buy.

Hello, epiphany.

So this summer I dusted off some of my old ideas and started typing. By drinking gallons of coffee and working diligently, I managed to complete several projects: a longish gothic story, an urban fantasy novella, a full-length romantic suspense novel and a smattering of stories. Now that I’d finished these projects I still wasn’t sure which path to take: should I indie pub them or pursue the “traditional route”? In the past I would have NEVER considered “vanity publishing.” To self-publish meant you were an amateur, a wannabe writer with no real talent. You’d be lucky not to lose money, nevermind make any.

But things seemed different. People on the internet – quite a few of them – were bandying about terms like “kindle millionaires.” That sounded good. I wanted to be a kindle millionaire too. But I also felt I wasn’t quite ready to go it alone.

In the end I decided not to decide. Yep. I’ve always had a real talent for committing to not committing.

So I did. I sent out Vertigo, my full-length manuscript, to The Wild Rose Press and hunkered down for a long wait. In mid-October I published Rescued by a Rake, my racy 50-page gothic story, on Amazon. About a month later I also published Risking Eternity, my urban fantasy novella.

Nothing turned out the way I expected and I couldn’t be happier about that. At least so far. The first thing that surprised me was how quickly things moved with Wild Rose Press. On August 15 I read a blog by Ally Robertson, an editor for Wild Rose’s Crimson Line, on their website. I knew right away that Ally was the type of editor I wanted to submit to. So I worked up my courage and sent in a synopsis on August 22. Within four days I received a confirmation that my manuscript had been received and the following day I got a personal email from Ally requesting the first three chapters. Exactly one month later I was thrilled to learn she wanted to read the full manuscript, which I sent in mid-October.

In the meantime, partly to keep my mind off Vertigo, I published my racy novelette. Well, if I was surprised by how quickly TWRP had responded to my manuscript, I was shocked by what happened with Rescued by a Rake. I priced it low—at 99 cents—and I did send out a few review copies. I joined some great indie email loops, where I learned a lot about self-publishing. I also did my first guest blog. But that was it. I never paid for ads or publicity or blog tours; in fact, the only money I shelled out was 50 bucks for a cover from Jimmy Thomas’s wonderful website.

To date, I’ve sold more than 7,000 copies of that story. Now in terms of cash, we’re not talking big numbers. Certainly not Amanda-Hocking numbers. But in less than four months I’ve made more money and sold more copies than I ever imagined I would. I remember when I hit 100 copies I had a glass of champagne. I was thrilled. Risking Eternity, my second indie publication, has not sold nearly as well but sales continue to steadily increase. The reviews so far have been good and I’ve gotten emails from people who want to know when the sequel is due out (sometime this summer –or even sooner). All in all, publishing independently has been a great experience. I love the control I have over my work, the direct contact with readers, and the potential to make some decent money. And I never had to deal with multiple rejection slips.

What about my full length? On Christmas Eve – yes, Christmas EVE – I got an email from Ally. Even though TWRP was closed for the holidays, she wanted to wrap up a few things before she took her break. She told me she loved my manuscript and wanted it for her line, but had a few suggestions. On Friday the 13th, the day I got my 666th twitter follower (really), I resent the manuscript. On Monday (really) she let me know she’d read the changes and had passed on Vertigo for final contract approval.

Have I heard back yet?

No. And yes, I am stalking my email. But even if I don’t receive a contract offer, I am still a huge fan of TWRP. Throughout the process, they’ve been lightning fast and unbelievably helpful. I have no doubt I’m a better writer after seeing Ally’s suggestions and using them to improve my manuscript. That give-and-take process is something I didn’t get from indie publishing. But it is something I’ve used when writing the follow-up to Risking Eternity.

So which is best: indie or traditional? I have to commit to not committing.

EXCERPT / Risking Eternity

A moment earlier, when Valentin had handed her his card Hayden had felt his hatred in an almost pure form as it passed from his hand to the card to her fingertips. The small square of paper had burned as she took it. She had forced herself not to let go of the card, felt the pain travel up the length of her arm, all the way to her chest. For a moment she’d felt as if she couldn’t breathe, as if her lungs were filled with fire instead of air.

Now she wasn’t quite so sure. Yes, there was the animosity. But there was also a trace of a smile in his voice, though his expression remained frozen.

Hayden steadied herself before she spoke, wondering what could possibly drive her to defy Valentin when she sensed—knew—he was the most dangerous man she had ever met. “I’m not coming, you know,” she said, taking a step toward him. “You can fool yourself about yourself if you want, but please don’t indulge your illusions when it comes to me.”

Valentin said nothing at first, then bowed ever so slightly. His face was only inches away from hers and Hayden didn’t need to read his thoughts to know her noncompliance truly frightened him. “You must come,” he stated simply, after a short pause. “Everything depends upon it.”

Yes, it was there. She was sure of it now. The fear and the emotion. Whatever its source, it was the key to his vulnerability. Hayden pressed her advantage. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I’ve got a case to solve.”

“Precisely.”

“I can’t waste my time chasing—”

“Vampires?” he finished for her and let the word ring out across the twilight as if it were a source of immense amusement for him.

“Or whatever it is you’re trying to pass yourself off as,” Hayden shot back, forcing a note of cruelty into her voice. She was really laughing at him now and she wanted him to know it. She focused her mind on the vulnerability she had felt as if she were standing in full sunlight holding glass over a piece of paper. Otherwise she would have no chance against him.

It didn’t work.

Valentin had already adjusted his tactics, steeling himself so that she might as well have been beating her fists against his chest, like a child having a tantrum. Hayden felt him pushing back against her mind and for a second she was overwhelmed by it. As much as she wanted to break the connection, to be free of him for good, there was an infuriating part of her that wanted it to continue or even to deepen. The link, or whatever it was that joined them, was strong but it broke off at a certain point. Hayden guessed that it would be possible to go further into his mind and for a split second she wanted the completion more than she had ever wanted anything in her life.

He stood gazing down at her, then lifted a hand and traced the outline of her cheek with his fingertip. Behind him, the row of skyscrapers that dotted the horizon had turned from crimson to the palest of pinks. “I shall expect you tomorrow night at 10 p.m.,” he said as if he hadn’t heard what she had told him.

Hayden said nothing and the distance between them spun out. If the lightening sky concerned him, he gave no sign of it.

After it became clear she had no intention of responding, he cupped her chin in his palm and leaned his face toward hers. The touch of his lips was hot to the point of burning. As she responded to the sensation, meeting his kisses with an ardor that was almost painful, Hayden tried not to think about what was happening between them. She didn’t want to think at all, wanted only the dark, brutal melody of his tongue twining itself with hers, the crush of his full lips pressing against her own. Hayden barely registered that his hands were in her hair, caressing her shoulders, running down her back. She was no longer a woman but something utterly different, a being without a body, pure sensation.

At the exact moment when Hayden thought she would die of the exquisite fire of his touch, Valentin broke off the kiss and stepped away from her. “I nearly forgot,” he said, removing the Glock from his coat and placing it into her open palm. “I believe you’ll be needing this. It wouldn’t do, to let down your guard.”

Purchase on Amazon

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I'm a writer obsessed with all things gothic. RESCUED BY A RAKE is the first novella in a series set in England during the 19th century (Rake's Revenge, the next installment, is forthcoming in 2012). RISKING ETERNITY: A VAMPIRE NOVELLA is the prequel to my Timeshifters trilogy, which is forthcoming in 2012.

You can follow me at http://twitter.com/#!/GwenanHaines or visit my blog at http://www.gwenanhaines.blogspot.com. I love to hear from readers.

Gwen's Night Owl Author Page

ENTER THE CONTEST

Just comment on the post below and leave the first bit of your email address. You do need to be a NOR Newsletter / Fan Club subscriber to enter. Ends - 2/10/2012

Donna Grant - Darkest Highlander + Contest

7 comments
Enter to win a Print copy of SHADOW HIGHLANDER!

***
Today we have an awesome book to present you with. This title was reviewed by Kari and she couldn't put this one down. Here is Kari's review and more information on The Darkest Highlander by Donna Grant.

4.5 Star Review

Donna Grant continues her intriguing Dark Sword Series with the sixth book: "The Darkest Highlander". This one is Broc's and Sonya's love story. Broc, cursed by a Hell God, is one of the trio brothers living in Castle McLeod. He has watched over and protected, and loved-from-afar Druidess Sonya, always believing they could never be together. When the evil Deirdre kidnaps Broc and enslaves him, Sonya has to try and rescue him. But Sonya fears she's lost her magic; she's afraid she can't defeat Deirdre or save Broc.

Through a fast paced story that is full of vivid Scottish history and ambiance, this is a deep romance with an endearing love that's strong enough to face the dark, evil machinations of black magic and a not-so-kind fate. Broc and Sonya are very memorable characters and their love is incredibly strong.

I loved re-visiting Ms. Grant's fantasy world and sexy warrior heroes. I could barely put the book down until I had finished reading it. A definite recommend to readers who not only love Fantasy Romance but also love the adventure and intrigue of the ancient Scottish highlanders and their lives.

BLURB / THE DARKEST HIGHLANDER

In the acclaimed Dark Sword series, the darkest, fiercest warriors of Scottish legend finally meet their match—in the brave, fiery hearts of the women they cherish…

HE IS HER SALVATION

For years, Broc has watched over her, protected her—and hidden his love for her. But when his beautiful Sonya finds herself in a hopeless situation, the Highlander flies to her side to save her. Unfortunately, before the Druidess can thank him, Broc is captured by his enemy and destined for eternal pain…

SHE IS HIS DESTINY

Sonya vows to help her noble warrior, though he is imprisoned in a mountain of pure evil—bound in chains of the darkest magic. With Sonya’s own magic fading, she must summon the greatest power of all to save the man she loves. But even if these two hearts are united, will they be strong enough to defeat the heart of darkness? Or will their undying love doom them for all eternity…?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Donna Grant is the award winning author of more than twenty novels spanning multiple genres of romance – Scottish Medieval, historical, dark fantasy, time travel, erotic, and paranormal.

http://www.donnagrant.com

ENTER THE CONTEST

Just comment on the post below and leave the first bit of your email address. You do need to be a NOR Newsletter / Fan Club subscriber to enter. USA Postage Only on shipped items. Ends - 2/10/2012

Keta Diablo - Dark Night of the Moon + Contest

14 comments
Enter to win an eBooks from Keta Diablo! 
Leave a comment and tell me what paranormal genre you read most.

Purchase Dark Night of the Moon on Amazon

***
Dark Night of the Moon
by Keta Diablo

Hello everyone,

Thanks so much for stopping by today. I'm really excited about the release of Dark Night of the Moon. Did you know one of the characters in the novel is a wolf shape shifter? Why do you think we're so fascinated by shape shifting -- the ability of man (woman) to turn into animals? I'm really intrigued with wolf-shifters and that's one of the reasons I included Native American mythology about the wolf in Dark Night of the Moon.

The wolf in this story is a gray wolf. I spent considerable time learning about this species and dug out some interesting facts you might enjoy. The gray wolf (Canis lupus) is also known as the Arctic wolf, common wolf, Mexican wolf, Plains wolf, timber wolf, and Tundra wolf. At one time, they were the world's most widely distributed mammal, but they've become extinct now in much of Western Europe, Mexico and the US. Their packs have been reduced by almost one-third over the years because we've been led to believe they prey on livestock and humans. In actuality, it's very rare for humans to be attacked by a wolf.

Native Americans have profound respect for the wolf. To several tribes the wolf was known as a protective spirit or totem. They viewed the wolf as a wise fellow hunter to be respected and admired. Those who could shift into the wolf were known as limmikin (or yenaloosi) in many tribes. The Navajo are best known for their shifter beliefs. They called men who could morph into wolves skinwalkers, or yennadlooshi which means "He goes on all fours."

According to Navajo tradition skinwalkers look physically different from normal people – the main difference is their eyes—large and glowing, even in daylight. It’s believed if someone looks a skinwalker in the eyes, the creature can absorb a person and steal their skin. They could also read minds and lure people from their homes and into the woods by imitating the voices and cries of loved ones.

Examples of the wolf appearing throughout Native American mythology include the following.

* The Eskimos spoke of an old woman, Qisaruatsiaq, who was abandoned and forced to live by herself. Eventually, she turned into a wolf.

* The Sioux called the wolf shunk manitu tanka, meaning animal that looks like a dog but is a powerful spirit.

* Cheyenne medicine men rubbed warrior arrows against wolf fur to bring better luck in hunting.

* The Nootka celebrated spiritual ties to the wolf. When someone died, they thought they could bring a person back to life by wearing wolf clothing.

* The Cherokee would not kill a wolf, believing the dead wolf's siblings would exact revenge. They learned to walk like a wolf to ward off frostbite to their feet.

* The Crow dressed in wolf skins to hunt.

* The Mandan displayed wolf tails on their moccasins, signs of success in battle.

* Women of the Hidatsa tribe rubbed their bellies with wolf skin to alleviate difficult childbirth.

* The Cree believed divine wolves visited earth when the northern lights shone during winter.

* The Ahtena would prop dead wolves up, sometimes feeding them ceremonial meals.

* Chippewa myths tell of wolves supplying humans with food and hides.

* The Delaware tribe thought a change in weather might be announced through a wolf's howl.

Lakota Woman (Sioux) Myth

A woman was hurt and left behind by her people. She ran out of food and nearly starved, but came upon a wolf den and crawled inside. At first the members of the pack were suspicious and afraid of her, but eventually they grew to like her. When they brought food to their pups they shared it with her.

Eventually she was strong enough to snare rabbits and help with the hunting. She stayed with the pack for many years.

One day the oldest wolf smelled humans coming, and strangely the woman did too. They were her own people and she realized she must return to them.

She reunited herself with the village very slowly and brought with her the skills of the wolf. She knew wolf talk and developed a keen sense of smell, allowing her to predict bad weather far in advance. She could also alert the village when game or other humans came around.

* * *

Don't forget to enter the contest by leaving a comment below. Be sure to leave your e-mail too in case you win. If you read Dark Night of the Moon or Holding On To Heaven, please leave a review on Amazon. A few short sentences would be great!

Again, my sincere thanks for stopping by, and good luck everyone!







ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Keta is a multi-published author of paranormal and historical romance and gay fiction. In 2009, her erotic romance Decadent Deceptions was a finalist in the RWA Molly contest. In 2010, Keta's entry Phoenix Rising finaled in the Scarlet Boa contest and in 2011 Keta's acclaimed paranormal shifter, Where The Rain is Made, was nominated by Authors After Dark for a Bookie Award and by Deep In The Heart of Romance for Best Romance of the Year.

Many of her books, including her gay fiction series CROSSROADS, have won numerous awards: Top Reviewer's Pick, Recommended Read and Best Book of the Month.

If you'd like to know more about Keta and her latest releases, she haunts the Net here:

Keta's Keep Blog, http://ketaskeep.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ketadiablo
Facebook Fan page: http://www.facebook.com/KetaDiablo.Author
Gay Fiction Blog: http://thestuffofmythandmen.blogspot.com

ENTER THE CONTEST

Just comment on the post below and leave the first bit of your email address. You do need to be a NOR Newsletter / Fan Club subscriber to enter. Ends - 2/10/2012

Kat Martin - Is On-line Dating Destroying Romance? + Contest

19 comments
Enter to win a print copy of Hot Rain!

***
Is On-line Dating Destroying Romance?
by Kat Martin

Back when I was first dating, men and women talked, went to dinner, went to a show. We took our time getting to know each other. Then the trend began to change and the whole objective of dating became for the guy to get the woman in bed.

Conquest was everything. And sometimes women played the same game. Romance seemed to be fading, the chance to know someone’s inner thoughts and dreams before hoping into bed was drifting away.

Today the dating scene has changed again and oddly enough, computer dating may actually be the salvation of romance. People meet on-line, chat on line, text on their cell phones. Sometimes they “date” for months without actually meeting.

There are pros and cons to this new way of meeting people, but personally, I think getting to know someone slowly, savoring those little secrets you discover about each other over the weeks and months, can lead to a far more lasting relationship. The percentage of people meeting through on-line dating is growing and so is the number of marriages between people who have met via the computer.

So even though I’m a strong supporter of old-fashioned romance, I think there’s a place for on-line dating. The most important thing is finding out what the person is really like, developing a trust that is enduring.

Still, drinking champagne together, dancing till dawn, walking hand-in-hand on the beach, those things are the fun, heart-fluttering part of dating. Of course, there may also be the chance meeting that leads to falling in love.

In HOT RAIN, one of my favorites, just being re-issued in January, Allie Parker is abducted by drug smugglers, who hold her prison aboard their yacht headed for Mexico. Fortunately for Allie, gorgeous and sexy Jake Dawson is also aboard, and Jake is one of the good guys--an undercover ATF agent. The problem is Allie doesn’t know it and Jake can’t break his cover or both of them are likely to wind up dead.

It’s a fun book with plenty of action and romance--none of which takes place behind a computer! If you haven’t read HOT RAIN, I hope you’ll give it a try and that you enjoy. Warmest wishes, Kat

Purchase Hot Rain on Amazon

Read an Excerpt



ABOUT THE AUTHOR / WEBSITE

Currently living in Missoula, Montana, Kat is the New York Times bestselling author of over fifty Historical and Contemporary Romance Suspense novels. Before she started writing in 1985, Kat was a real estate broker. During that time, she met her husband, Larry Jay Martin, author of more than twenty books, both westerns and mysteries. Kat is a graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara, where she majored in Anthropology and also studied History.

"I've always loved books. I was an avid reader, with any number of my own stories rolling around in my head. Writing them down seemed a logical step."

"I love anything old," Kat says. "I love to travel and especially like to visit the places where my books are set. My husband and I often stay in out-of-the-way inns and houses built in times past. It's fun and it gives a wonderful sense of a by-gone era."

Kat began with historical romance and is currently writing romantic suspense. She is published in twenty foreign countries.

ENTER THE CONTEST

Just comment on the post below and leave the first bit of your email address. You do need to be a NOR Newsletter / Fan Club subscriber to enter. USA Postage Only on shipped items. Ends - 2/10/2012

Beverly Rae - What Happens is Your Choice + Contest

13 comments
Enter to win a pdf copy of Magical Sex (Magical Sisters, Bk 1).

***
What Happens is Your Choice
by Beverly Rae - www.beverlyrae.com

It's 2012 and another year has started. So what are you expecting the New Year to bring? A new job? A new member of the family? A move across country? The end of the world?

Let's hope it's not the last one. Personally, I'm hoping for more. More work for me, more sales of my books, my young adult continuing college, and my husband moving up in the company. By a lot of standards, including mine, we're doing well. So, yeah, I'm hoping for more of the same.

But I wonder as authors often do. What would I make the world like if I had the power to change anything I wanted? Would I wiggle my nose and cast a spell giving my family everything we desire? Probably. But what else would I change?

If given the chance, I'd like everyone in the world to have the same respect, advantages and opportunities that I have. Sure, I sound like a Miss America contestant, but that's what I hope for. The only problem is that I've watched way too many movies where someone changes the events of history, thinking they're making things better, only to find out they've actually made things worse.

For instance, what if I wished for children everywhere to live a long life? Sounds great, right? But what if one of those children was supposed to die, but lived because of my wish, and turned out to be another Hitler. Makes you think, huh?

So what's a girl to do? Make a wish for change? Or appreciate what you have and hope for the best?

What choices will you make for the New Year?

ABOUT MAGIC SISTERS , BOOK 2

It’s all in good, dirty fun…until the heart raises the stakes.

Meg Tristan is spontaneous, spirited, outspoken and beautiful—and she enjoys every second of it. She can have any man she wants, with or without casting a spell. Too bad she hasn’t found one who can keep up with her non-magical sex drive, much less handle her hexual prowess.

When he’s not caring for his patients, Dr. Chance Dannigan spends his off hours getting acquainted with as many women as he can in his new town. None hold his attention—until he catches Meg’s flirtatious glance across the bar. One drink later, he’s sure he’s found the one woman who can stimulate both his heads.

Sensing a kindred spirit, he challenges Meg to a daring competition. Each must choose a random partner for the other, and the one who fails to seduce the target, loses. And to keep it honest? The opponent must witness the act.

Winning each round proves almost too easy. The ultimate challenge is figuring out how to handle their unexpected attraction to each other…and how to end the game without both of them coming out losers.

BUY LINKS:

MAGICAL SEX (Kindle) - BOOK 1

SEX WITH A HEX (Kindle) - BOOK 2
SEX WITH A HEX (Nook) - BOOK 2

EXCERPT: SEX WITH A HEX (Magical Sisters, Book 2)

Meg took another sip of her drink. What was it about this man that had her so mixed-up inside? So ready to take him on in any way she could? She glanced at Chance out of the corner of her eye. Granted, he'd give a younger George Clooney a run for his money, but she'd known lots of handsome men. No, this one had an extra appeal. An extra appeal that was exciting yet familiar. One minute she wanted to lean into him and pull his mouth to hers. Then in the next second, she wanted to tease him and show him she could resist his charms.

“Flattery is wasted on me, Doc.” Truthfully, she enjoyed adulation in any form, but he didn't have to know, did he?

“Really? I'd think a woman like you would welcome all the attention she could get.”

The sip she'd taken almost choked her, but she managed to cover well enough. Did he think she hungered for male attention? Sure, she enjoyed having men fawn over her, but what woman didn't? Or did he think she had a difficult time garnering her fair share of admirers? Had he not seen the group of men competing for a single word from her?

“What does that mean?”

He lifted his palms, warding off any ill feelings. Yet she didn't think the gesture was sincere.

“Oh, don't get me wrong. You're a beautiful woman and I'm sure plenty of men fall all over you. It's just that--”

“It's just that what?” Interest skyrocketed into irritation in record time. Who the hell did he think he was? God's gift to women? If he was, then surely she was God's gift to men. Meg struggled to keep her composure, determined not to let him see how much he flustered her.

“You don't assume every man will want you, do you?”

“Actually, I--” Meg slammed her mouth shut, the word “do” effectively caught behind clenched teeth. What the hell? How had the discussion gone so terribly wrong? Maybe he was right, but how rude to say so. Anger surged and she balled her fists, resisting the impulse to cast a spell on his sorry ass. So much for a fun night with this guy. “Did I just hear you say what I think you said?”

Meg did a quick search of the area, hoping to find one of her sisters delighting in how well her prank was going. Yeah, this had to be a joke. Too bad she couldn't scope out the culprit who'd talked the doc into playing his thoroughly infuriating part.

“Look, I can understand how a country girl like you would think she's God's gift to men--”

She blanched. Had he heard her thoughts? Maybe this wasn't a joke. Was he a warlock or a sorcerer? She checked his aura for any signs of magic and found none.

“--but I've known women who were, shall we say, more.”

“More? What do you mean by 'more'?” Meg pushed back her drink and crossed her arms. Forget the spell, she might haul off and slap him instead.

“More as in able to attract any man they want.”

At first, she wasn't sure what to think. Had he just insulted her again? What was the matter with this guy? Was he blind? Whatever the reason, she wanted him to know just how wrong he was. “Are you saying I can't get any man I want? Which, by the way, sure as hell isn't you.”

He feigned an insincere surprise. “Hey, I didn't mean to offend you. Like I said, you're beautiful and I'm sure you can find a guy every night. Especially if you're not too picky.”

For one of the few times in her life, Meg was flummoxed. He obviously wasn't as enamored with her as she'd thought he was. But even so, she hadn't expected him say such rude--not to mention incorrect--things about her. “Not choosy? Me? Listen, you jerk--” she stabbed a finger into the middle of his chest and enjoyed his responding move backward, “--I can have any man I want. Anytime, anywhere, any way. And I'm damned selective in who I take to my bed.”

“I'm sure you are.” Chance took a sip and looked away.

Oh, my stars and moon. Is he placating me?

“I am,” she protested, then cringed at the whine in her tone. She was off balance, disturbed and…damn it all, curious as hell.

He turned toward her again, the challenge written on his face. “Right. So, have you taken any of these guys to bed?” He tipped his head toward the crowd.

Meg scanned the people dancing, drinking and having a whole lot more fun than she was having. Yes, she'd had sex with a couple of them. Okay, more than a couple. And, she had to admit, not all of them were winners. But a girl with needs had to do what she had to do, right?

“Not that it's any of your business, but I know a couple of them and they're all very nice men.” Ugh, did that sound as lame as she thought it did?

“Right.”

“Will you stop saying that? What point are you trying to make, anyway?” She thought about pushing him off the seat and storming away, but knew it wouldn't prove anything. Like a spectator drawn to a car crash, she had to see where the conversation led.

“Right. Oops, sorry. There's that word again. My point is that you can have any man you want.” He cleared his throat, then continued, “As long as that man isn't too much man for you.”

“Too much man?” Meg scowled, her mind reeling with confusion and disbelief. Did he mean in the bedroom? Was such a thing even possible? Especially if she used magic?

“You know. As in…out of your league.”

“Out of my league?”

“Do you always repeat what people say? Or is what I'm saying upsetting you?” His concerned expression seemed as fake as a three-dollar bill. “I'm sorry if it is, but sometimes the truth is hard to hear.”

A trickle of perspiration crawled down her spine. Had Tom turned off the air conditioning in the club? Or was Chance's assessment of her--his so off-the-mark assessment--making her sweat? “Are you frickin' kidding me? Hell, yeah, you're upsetting me. But not in the way you think.”

The twinkle in his eyes beckoned to her, teasing her, thrilling her against her wishes. “Oh? Then I'm upsetting you in some other way?” His smile grew bright. “Perhaps in a more basic way?” His gaze dropped to her lips.

She sucked in a breath and fought against the sudden desire to pull his mouth to hers. In no way would she let him get the better of her. “Don't flatter yourself.”

His smile faded, replaced by a brief moment of indecision flickering across his features. “I wouldn't dare. But I stand by what I said. Still, I apologize. I tend to be blunt even when I shouldn't.”

Anger, more intense than ever, flared, taking her past the edge of reason. She lost control, no longer caring about anything other than proving him wrong.

Almost as quickly as the argument had started, Chance leaned back, his voice taking on a more conciliatory tone. “Hey, I'm sorry I've upset you. I certainly didn't mean to.”

Meg unclenched her hands, noticed how they shook, then fisted them again. Maybe she should cut him a little slack since he was new in town. Just this once. “Yeah, well--”

“Listen, there's no shame in going home alone. I mean if you strike out, you strike out.”

Then again, maybe she shouldn't. “Let's get this straight, Doc. I never strike out. And no one is out of my league.” She threw back her shoulders and tossed her hair, ready to take the discussion to whatever length she had to. Anything to get him to admit he was wrong.

For a few blessed moments, they sat in silence. How had she ever found this guy appealing? He was one of those men who looked great on the outside but was awful on the inside. Like the mud-filled pies she used to trick her sisters with when they were kids. So why was she letting him get to her?

“You know what? Never mind. Just move over and let me out. I don't know why I agreed to sit with you in the first place.” Meg shoved him, giving him no choice but to do as she demanded. She scooted out of the booth as fast as she could.

“Oh, I see. So you're afraid.”

She'd already started to fast track away from him but had no alternative but to turn and face him again. “Me? Afraid? Of what?”

“Of the truth, of course. Of finding out that you can't get any man you want.”

She stomped back to him and wagged a finger in front of his face. “Is that so? Well, what about you? Can you say the same, Mr. Sweet-Talker? Can you get a smokin' hot woman every night? I don't think so. Not with your mouth.”

“Well, I don't want to brag, but I've never been turned down.” Chance flashed his pearly whites at her again.

“Really? Never?” She scoffed, narrowed her eyes and aimed for the jugular. “Prove it.”

“I will if you will.”

Chance leaned away from her with a confident expression that sent a shiver down her spine. Suddenly, she really was afraid. Of him? Definitely not. Afraid of having bitten off more than she could chew? Maybe.

And yet she couldn't deny what was happening inside her. She hated it, but there it was. She was more turned on than she'd been in years. Hell, in forever.

She shook off the feeling and concentrated on studying him. He'd dared her, but was that really what he wanted? Or was he baiting her for a different reason? Still, she'd never backed down from a challenge and she wasn't about to start now.

“You're on, Doc.” A tickle of excitement at the idea of a competition with the handsome doctor filtered into Meg's irritation, defraying a small part of her anger. Someone needed to bring him down a peg and she was just the woman to do it. Yet when his cat-ate-the-canary smile grew into a wide grin, she couldn't help but think she'd gotten cornered.

“Great. Game on. Of course, we're going to need a few rules.”

She crossed her arms and glared at him. “Of course. And why do I get the impression that you already know what those rules are?”

He lifted his drink to her in a toast. “You're not only beautiful, but smart. And, if my judgment serves me, also very clever.”

“Well, at least your judgment isn't always out of whack.”

He laughed, the sound drawing the attention of the few women in the room who weren't already drooling over him. “Okay, here are the rules for our little game. I choose the men you have to bed and you choose the women I have the pleasure of seducing. The first one who fails to get the selected subject in bed loses.”

“Wait. You're going to choose the men I take to my bed?”

Those dark, soulful eyes glittered at her, sucking her in. “And you'll choose the women I take to mine. That's fair, isn't it? How else can I be satisfied that your sex partner is up to snuff and not just some pushover you've already slept with?”

Now he's calling me a cheater. Meg drew in two slow breaths, resolved to maintain control. Of course, if she slipped and accidentally kicked his shin she couldn't be held responsible, could she? Instead, she gritted her teeth, grinding out her words. “And I choose the women so you don't slip in an old girlfriend or a partner-for-pay.”

He flattened his hand over his heart. “Would I do such a thing?”

She arched an “oh wouldn't you?” eyebrow. “And no matter who I choose, you have to get her to have sex with you. Have I got this right?”

“You do. Of course, you'll want to select gorgeous subjects just as I'll choose men I consider to be not only handsome but--hmm, how should I put this?--discerning. Then, as I mentioned, the first person who fails to seduce the chosen subject loses the challenge. Simple really.”

Meg narrowed her eyes at him, unable to shake the feeling that she'd gotten trapped into his game. A game he knew all too well. Yet, from her perspective, he was the poor schmuck who didn't know what he'd walked into. She didn't doubt her charms, but she could always use magic--if she had to. “Okay. But one thing. What do I get when I win?”

She had to admit she liked his laugh. Even when he was laughing at her.

“You're that sure of yourself, huh?”

“I'm sure of myself for good reason. So how about this? When I win, you have to come back to the club, climb up on top of the bar and announce to everyone that I am the sexiest woman in the world who can get any man she wants. Plus, you have to tell everyone that you're brokenhearted--” she paused for full effect, “--because I don't want you.”

He chuckled, giving her a taste of his compelling laugh again. “Done. And when I win, you have to cook and serve me dinner at my place. Dressed in a French maid's uniform.”

Meg grimaced at the image. “I don't have a maid's uniform.”

“Then I suggest you'd better buy one.”

“Now who's sure of himself?” But why should she worry? She had this competition all sewn up, hands down. “Never mind. I don't have to worry about losing. Is that everything or are you planning on bringing in referees?”

His chuckle was low, throaty and as sexy as they come. “No need for refs. But there is one other condition.”

Ignoring the signals of desire her body insisted on sending her, Meg fisted her hands on her hips and put on her best evil smile. He had a trick up his sleeve, no doubt. “I should have known. What now?”

“You can't simply say you had sex, you have to prove it.”

A wave of heat swept through her, almost melting her knees and bringing her to the floor. Down, girl. He may be hot as hell, but he threw down the gauntlet and you have no intention of losing. Remember: He's the competition. “And how do you suggest we prove it to each other?”

“Easy. We get to watch.”

ENTER THE CONTEST

Just comment on the post below and leave the first bit of your email address. You do need to be a NOR Newsletter / Fan Club subscriber to enter. USA Postage Only on shipped items. Ends - 2/10/2012

Chellesie B. Dancer - What Makes a Hot Night? + Contest

19 comments
Enter to win an eBook from Chellesie B. Dancer.

***
What Makes a Hot Night?
by Chellesie B. Dancer

Is it hotter to have a fast and furious can’t-wait-a-second-longer quickie, or a slow sensual seduction? I’m sure everyone has their preferences, but I think the best is... both! Some couples always have super-intense encounters, a roller-coaster ride of need and desire. Others enjoy luxuriating in the slow build up to soaring heights. But if we’re having sexual interludes on different occasions, why not have a variety of experiences?

That’s how “Power Play” ended up as a novella. A friend had said how hot it would be to sneak in a quickie at work. I took that idea and wrote a short story about a sexy woman who gets a guy so crazy for her that he risks a shot at a partnership to be with her. I had fun writing that, but then I got to thinking.

I enjoy creating balance in a relationship, and this became a story about the balance of power between them. So then I had to write what happened later that night, when he got his ‘payback.’ That was the perfect opportunity for him to take his time and seduce her slowly, driving her crazy with anticipation. So he arrived at her home on one page, stripped her naked on the next, then spent more than twenty pages seducing her through every room of her house, and outdoors too. And no matter how much she wanted him, her hands were tied, so there was nothing she could do but give in to the sensations. She was bound to enjoy it, wouldn’t you?

EXCERPT

No way he'd fail this time, Sergio thought as he pulled into the parking garage an hour early. After years of honing his competitive edge, he wouldn't go soft again. He locked his burgundy Civic, flipped the keys into his pocket and slung his suit coat over a shoulder. With his other accounts sacrificed to his coworkers, nothing could distract him from nailing this presentation and finally making partner, just in time.

Heading to the elevator, he saw a profile in the dim light–the silhouette of her flirty dress, her Grecian nose, and her high cheek bones set against the harsh light behind her. Poetic.

She turned and caught him staring. "Did I forget to put on clothes?"

The amusement in her voice stirred him back into motion. As he neared, he saw long strawberry-blond hair and caught his breath. A gorgeous figure and a red-head too? Damn! "Sorry, didn't mean to stare. I was just captivated by the classic lines of your face… and, uh, dress. It's just–your silhouette was so lovely against the glare of that bulb."

She smiled. "You're an artist."

He shrugged. "Well, a graphic artist."

"An artist nonetheless." Her tone suggested she was accustomed to being correct. "Art is art."

"I'd like to make art with you." Damn, he didn't mean that. Well he meant it, just didn't mean to say it.

Something about her made him to want to strip her nude and pose her in a hundred classic poses. And take her in every one of them.

"Really?" She couldn't contain her wickedly sexy smile. "Let me guess, you paint nudes?"

Damn, was he that obvious? She watched him in anticipation. Was she flirting with him?

"No, I don't paint nudes." A flicker of disappointment in her eyes. "But now that you've suggested it, I think it's a great idea. When are you available?"

An eyebrow raised, then her mouth tightened. "I'm a very busy woman. I'll have to check my schedule."

Busy how? A gorgeous woman like that, how many men did she have in her life? Brushing aside that unsettling thought, he forged ahead. He'd never met a woman who intrigued him like this, and he wasn't gonna let her run away. "We're all busy. Let me know when you have an opening and I'll clear my schedule to fit you in." After he'd said it he noticed the double entendre.

She must have gotten it, because she looked away. "It might be a while till I can find the time." So she wanted to play coy. That's all right, he was determined, he'd persist till she gave in. He approached her, instinctively summoning his most authoritative voice.

"Make the time."

Her eyes widened for a split second before hardening into slits. "Oh, do you think I do anything that a man tells me to do?"

Her scathing tone was meant to put him in his place. Instead it made him bolder. He stepped closer–too close–and that felt good. "No, of course not." He moved again. An inch from her breasts. The electrical charge from invading her space zinged through his body. "Just anything I tell you to do."

Her mouth fell open and her eyes got steamy. It felt as though that electrical charge from his body had surrounded her and drawn her in. She was his.

The elevator doors rumbled open behind her. As she stumbled back, he stepped forward and held them for her. She nodded her thanks, and turned. The soft turquoise fabric draped like silk over her curvy hips as she passed him, and he wanted to slide his hand along those curves. As she tapped the button, he darted a quick glance at her fingers–no ring. This was his lucky day.

She fled to the far corner, almost against the wall. He envisioned himself pressing her against that wall, lifting her skirt and taking her right here in the elevator. His cock was flooded and hard, ready to take control. He shook his head slightly, trying to get blood flow back to his brain. Think. Gotta do something. Appropriate.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chellesie B. Dancer enjoys writing contemporary, historical, and erotic love stories with a sprinkling of comedy. The women in her books dare to ask for their desires, so they truly will be satisfied ever after. Chellesie lives on top of a hill overlooking the smog of sunny Southern California. Other than writing, she entertains at parties as an M.C., a paleontologist’s assistant, and occasionally a dancing gorilla. She’s the mother of three beautiful boys and an assortment of other critters. Luckily her husband cooks! Her motto: Be careful what you wish for... you just might get it!

Buy “Power Play” via Chellesie’s web site www.ChellesieBDancer.com or her blog: www.GetLoveHelp.com, and connect with her on Facebook www.facebook.com/chellesieb or Twitter @chellesieb.

ENTER THE CONTEST

Just comment on the post below and leave the first bit of your email address. You do need to be a NOR Newsletter / Fan Club subscriber to enter.  Ends - 2/10/2012

Genevieve Graham - Psychicivity + Contest

25 comments
Enter to win a signed print copy of Under the Same Sky!

***
Psychicivity
by Genevieve Graham

I’ve been asked a few times where I got the idea for the strange and wonderful communication that exists between Maggie and Andrew in Under the Same Sky. The couple know each other so well they are able to sense each other’s moods, hear unspoken words, identify strangers’ faces … yet they are an ocean apart.

About twenty years ago, my husband and I coined the term “Psychicivity” after we’d both repeatedly said the same thing as the other was thinking. Every time it happened, we’d jokingly claim we were psychic. When we wondered how we did that, we came up with “Well, that’s obvious. We have psychicivity.”

Where does this intangible link come from? How is it possible for us to know what’s in someone else’s mind? There are many theories on that, but I’m going with my favourite.

He’s my soulmate. From the first moment, we connected. Within two days, I knew we were completely right for each other. We shared a “knowing”, an awareness that not only did we love each other, but we were made for each other. Maybe finding your soulmate opens some avenues of psychic possibilities.

That is what made this book possible for me to write. I found my soulmate, and I felt complete. Thoughts I’d had on my own became shared without my saying a word, and I loved the feeling of oneness I had with him. When Maggie and Andrew started talking to me, I realized I needed to use this phenomenon in their book.

Maggie senses Andrew from childhood. He’s a presence in her mind, in her heart, a warmth and reassurance she clings to in a life not altogether happy. He is hope. In the beginning he might be nothing more than a feeling, but as they both mature, he takes on the physical features of a man. This is where her gifts become more powerful than our own fantasies. We may dream of the “perfect man”, but she’s always known Andrew is exactly that for her. He becomes more than just an invisible friend. He is her other half, her soulmate, and they grow closer with every dream.

But they are separated by the ocean, by cultures, by situations impossible to fathom. How can two people, destined to be together, connected by psychic messages, exist without one another? They can’t. So, because it’s impossible for them to stay apart, their thoughts, their hopes, and their fears channel through their dreams.

Just last night I was snooping over my husband’s shoulder as he typed out an e-mail. He stopped mid-sentence, searching for the right word, and I said it aloud at the very same moment as he typed it. The funniest thing was that neither of us has—as far as we can remember—ever said that word before: “she-bang”. You know, like you want to buy the whole she-bang?

The point is that twenty years later, we still have psychicivity.

Do you believe in soulmates? Do you believe in psychicivity?

I hope you enjoy this excerpt from Under the Same Sky:

EXCERPT

He always dreamed, but some nights the dreams were more vivid than others. This time he'd seen the girl again. She was in a meadow, her long brown hair falling in a veil over her face as she reached down and plucked a handful of wildflowers. When she rose he could see how she was growing, how the oft-mended dress she wore was beginning to pull tighter around her chest and hips, though she was still slender. As if she could feel his gaze, she glanced at him and smiled. It was a gentle smile of contentment, and he wished he could have taken the flowers she held out for him. He'd seen her in his dreams for as long as he could remember, felt as if he knew her, but he'd never seen her as clearly as he had that night.

“I've things to do,” he called to the boys, thinking only that he wanted to lie in the heather and catch up on his sleep. “Tomorrow, aye?”

The boys nodded and ran off, cheerfully tossing insults back and forth between them. Andrew turned in the other direction, knowing exactly where he wanted to go. He'd gone there before, when he'd wanted to be alone. Beyond the castle wall, down the windy slope, then past a jagged wall of rocks. Once he'd scrabbled over them, he found himself in a clearing and stepped into waist-high grass, dotted with small patches of heather. It was a beautiful place, alive with butterflies.

In the centre of the meadow Andrew sank into purple blooms, sitting so the flowers were even with the top of his cap. He felt safe, hidden away from prying eyes. With a sigh, he lay back, linking his fingers behind his head for a pillow.

The sky was so blue Andrew didn't want to close his eyes. A solitary cloud puffed into view, wispy and disintegrating as he watched. He wondered what it might feel like to touch it. Would it be soft to sleep in? Would it be warm? He blinked, then let his heavy eyelids close, still seeing the sun's red glow. He rolled to his side and curled into a ball. The soft, sweet scent of heather tickled his nose and he fell asleep.

His sleep wasn't deep. It rose and fell with the motion of his dreams. The girl materialised while he slept, one moment distant, the next an arms-length away.

“Who are you?” he asked, wondering if she could hear him. The girl said nothing, only curled her lips into a smile. A little girl's smile, like that of any other little girl he'd ever seen. Except this smile was only for Andrew, and he knew it. He grinned back, and his hand felt warm, as if she entwined her fingers with his. In the way that dreams are, they walked through the meadow, though it wasn't thick with heather anymore. She led him through a place where there were no purple blooms, only a sun-baked yellow grass.

The sound of a bird calling from nearby startled him awake and he sat up, rubbing his fists over his eyes. How long had he slept? Maybe an hour? The sun hadn't moved far. Long enough that he felt refreshed. He always felt more energised after he'd seen her. He pushed to his feet, suddenly hungry, and waded out of the meadow, disappearing into the trees on his way home. The dream had ended, but he held her face in his memory. He carried her smile along the path to his home, smiling as he kicked pebbles aside and hopped over sprawling oak roots. Who was she? Did it matter? She was his secret, and that was the most important thing.

Next Blog Stop: http://darlenesbooknook.blogspot.com/p/blog-tours.html on Jan 21



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Genevieve Graham graduated from the University of Toronto in 1986 with a Bachelor of Music in Performance (playing the oboe). While on a ski vacation in Alberta, she met her future husband in a chairlift lineup and subsequently moved to Calgary to be with him. They have recently settled in a small, peaceful town in Nova Scotia with their two beautiful daughters. Writing became an essential part of Genevieve’s life a few years ago, when she began to write her debut novel, Under the Same Sky.

CONNECT ONLINE

www.genevievegraham.com

www.facebook.com/GenevieveGrahamAuthor

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4505583.Genevieve_Graham

twitter.com/GenGrahamAuthor

Available online in trade paperback and Kindle at:
http://www.amazon.com/Under-Same-Sky-Genevieve-Graham/dp/0425245233/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1323457506&sr=8-2

ENTER THE CONTEST

Just comment on the post below and leave the first bit of your email address. You do need to be a NOR Newsletter / Fan Club subscriber to enter. USA Postage Only on shipped items. Ends - 2/10/2012

Patricia Rice - MAGIC historicals + Contest

20 comments
Enter to win one of two print copies of The Lure of Song and Magic!

***
MAGIC historicals
by Patricia Rice

Thanks so much for having me here today! I’m Patricia Rice, author of over fifty romances in historical, contemporary, and paranormal genres. I think I’m supposed to tell you that I’ve been nominated for four RITA awards, been nominated and won dozens of RT Book Review awards, and been on all those bestseller lists that don’t mean much anymore, but I’d rather talk about books, if you don’t mind.

I don’t know about you, but I got sucked into reading series books when I was a kid in elementary school reading Nancy Drew, Cherry Ames, and Trixie Belden. I would haunt the drugstore with my allowance money, waiting for the next book to arrive. It’s not as if there weren’t other books to read—I bought PRIDE AND PREJUDICE and as many other English classics as Scholastic Books carried. But once I met the series characters, I wanted to know more about them. I wanted to learn about their lives and their friends and that really nifty roadster.

So I guess it’s easy to see why I fell into writing books as a series. Back when I first wanted to write my historical MAGIC books, series weren’t as popular as they are now. I had to convince my editor it would work. Apparently readers were as eager to read about my eccentric Malcolm witches and logical Ives men as I was to write about them, and the series was allowed to grow. Being able to combine my love of historical research with my fascination with the psychic in a series where I could watch the couples have children and interfere in family love affairs and help each other out was one of the most exhilarating episodes of my writing career. (Okay, maybe spending two weeks on tour with the Topaz Man, racing for airplanes and doing talk radio at dawn could be called exhilarating, but not in the same way!)

But all good things have to end, preferably before they run dry and burn out. So I ended the historical MAGIC series with Aidan’s literally explosive story in MAGIC MAN (Sourcebooks will be reissuing this series) and went on to other things. But readers kept asking me about the children of these mixed matches between thoroughly scientific men and genuinely psychic women. What happens when science meets magic?

I’m happy to tell you that we now have a chance to find out. THE LURE OF SONG AND MAGIC, set in contemporary California, is out this month. In the centuries since my Georgian couples got together, the scientific, Ives-oriented descendants, being of an exploratory nature, haven’t set down many roots. The descendants with Malcolm gifts, on the contrary, tend to stick together in one place. They understand that learning about their magic is as important as learning about science, and who better to teach them how to use abilities like telekinesis and siren voices than family?

But the unfortunate Malcolm heroine of LURE was abandoned on the roadside at the age of four and has utterly no idea how special she is, until she starts causing death and destruction with her passionate siren voice. With no family to teach her how to control her magical gift, she’s forced to conceal it, until Dylan Ives Oswin, a Hollywood producer with an Oz-like magic of his own, insists he needs her help to find his kidnapped son. Science, meet magic....

Have you read any of the MAGIC historicals? What do you expect of their descendants? And if you haven’t read the historicals, can you suspend disbelief and embrace a contemporary siren? Two commenters will be selected for copies of the book!

You can read an excerpt, sign up for my newsletter, follow me on Twitter and Facebook or connect with my blog (http://www.patriciarice.blogspot.com) by stopping by my website at http://patriciarice.com . A list of all my books, including e-book reissues is available there. I love hearing from readers, so please feel free to stop by your favorite watering hole and say hi.

THE LURE OF SONG AND MAGIC BY PATRICIA RICE – IN STORES JANUARY 2012

Her voice was a curse…

When Dylan “Oz” Oswin’s son is kidnapped, the high-powered producer will do anything to get him back. Desperately following an anonymous tip, he seeks help from a former child singing sensation called Syrene, only to find she’s vowed never to sing again. Immune to her voice but not her charm, Oz is convinced she holds the key to his son’s disappearance—and he’ll stop at nothing to make her break her vow.

Only he can make her sing…

She knows the devastation her talent can bring. There’s more than a child’s life at stake, but Syrene cannot unleash her dangerous siren’s voice upon the world, even for a man who is impossible to deny…

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

With five million books in print and New York Times and USA Today’s bestseller lists under her belt, Patricia Rice’s emotionally-charged contemporary and historical romances have won RT Book Reviews Reviewers Choice and Career Achievement Awards and have been honored as Romance Writers of America RITA finalists in the historical, regency and contemporary categories. A former CPA, Patricia Rice currently resides in St. Louis, Missouri. For more information, please visit http://www.patriciarice.blogspot.com or follow her on Twitter, @Patricia_Rice.

ENTER THE CONTEST

Just comment on the post below and leave the first bit of your email address. You do need to be a NOR Newsletter / Fan Club subscriber to enter. USA Postage Only on shipped items. Ends - 2/10/2012

Casey Crow Debut + Contest

27 comments
Enter to win an eBook copy of Can't Fake This!

***
Hi Readers,

Today we are presenting you with Casey Crow and giving you a chance to win her debut title CAN’T FAKE THIS. This is what Casey has to say about her first release.

Thank you so much for having me today and featuring CAN’T FAKE THIS. I'm so excited to announce my debut is out through Loose, Id to rave reviews. It’s been nominated for 2011 Best Contemporary at Love Romances Café and received a Gold Star from Just Erotic Romance Reviews!

It's funny how things work out. CAN'T FAKE THIS started out on a whim. At the last minute, I decided to enter this 10,000 word contest. I’d written spicy mainstream, but this was my first dive into erotic waters. I didn’t win the contest, but after having what I thought was a good start, I added some more words and low and behold, this erotic became the first manuscript I sold.

CAN’T FAKE THIS is about a divorcee ready to reenter the dating world. Anna Ryan is determined to be the best “product on the market,” which requires a lot more experience so she propositions sexy police officer Chase Harris to teach her how to make hot, passionate love as opposed to just having sex. He takes it a step further, instructing each lesson based on The Twelve Days of Christmas.

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me…temptation in a hot package.


The story definitely has my “Sexy, Sassy & Southern” trademark. Here’s a sneak peek.

EXCERPT

My zipper slid down with a hiss, exposing my bare flesh to the cool air of the room. “Do you know what today is?” I was breathless as the material spilled below my hips.

Chase pushed my hair aside, his tongue sweeping every vertebra until he knelt on his knees kissing the small indention of my lower back. “Sunday.”

“December fourteenth.” I needed to be the one on my knees. My legs had turned all Jell-Oy. Yeah, I wasn’t an expert in the chemistry department, but even I could sense the spark between us, the hot, electric pull. As his teeth pulled at the peach bow of my G-string, I could already imagine his cock sliding into me. He yanked the dress down and turned me around. My crotch was now at his eye level. I rubbed his shaved head, debating whether I should pull his face to my panties or hike a leg over his shoulder. Or both. I settled for the latter before my weak knees collapsed.

“It’s twelve days till Christmas,” I said. The figure eights he licked along my inner thigh made it rather difficult to carry on a coherent conversation.

“Consider tonight an early present.” He swooped in for a taste, or so I thought, as hot air breezed my pussy. Before I knew it, Chase slipped my leg off his shoulder and stood to scoop me into his arms. He lowered me onto the cold leather of the sofa, but the chill disintegrated the moment his warm body stretched over me. His large, dark pupils filled with lust -- and dare I say, need? -- as his dick throbbed between my legs. I squeezed my thighs, putting pressure on his cock. He let out a low groan while my body strained for more than a tease. I lifted my hips to rub up and down on his shaft.

We ground our bodies together, my gaze trapped by his own for a deliciously suspended moment. It never occurred to me this kind of intimacy was odd. I mean, most folks would be kissing and getting it on by now, but after all the exciting tension that had built all night, we suddenly slowed down…to savor. Damn, it was sexy.

Zero doubt played in my mind. I wanted this guy to help execute my plan.

“I’m thinking I deserve one every day for the next twelve days,” I said as he moved in for a kiss.

The grinding of his hips against mine stopped. Chase pushed up on his elbows and stared at me, lifting a curious brow.

“Hear me out.” My fingers examined his rib cage, stopping to pay homage to his thick, oblique muscles. “I need someone like you to…” My throat closed. When had my palms become this sweaty? I took my hands off his body so he wouldn’t notice, and prayed the cool air would dry them.

“Like me?”

“Experienced…not looking for attachments.” I threw in the last bit to remind us both Chase fulfilled the role of Frog number one.

He grinned. “What do you need?”

“I want you to spend the next twelve days teaching…showing me how to make love.”

He winced, and sucked a hiss through his teeth. “You write sex for a living.”

“Writing about it and really living it are two different things.” I squirmed out of his hold. He pulled away as I sat Indian style across from him.

“Look, here’s the deal. It’s been eight long years since I’ve been single, and now that I’m back on the market, I intend to be the best product out there.”

His lips twitched as his gaze roamed my body. “You’re pretty damn good as you are.”

I blushed and grabbed a red throw pillow to cover my nakedness. “Thanks, but

I need, shall we say, tutoring in the fine art of love making.”

“Let me get this straight.” He barely contained the laughter in his voice.

“You’re asking me to instruct you on how to have sex?”

“No dummy. I know how to have sex. Anybody can pump and hump.” The image of my ex flashed in my mind. “I want passion, chemistry and hot, sweaty multiple orgasms.” I tossed the pillow on the floor and rose, knee walking across the sofa toward him. My fingers teased the hem of his T-shirt. They finagled their way underneath the soft material and behind the waistband of his jeans. I pulled him close. “I want to make love.”

“For twelve days? Then I’m off the hook?” He looked so relieved I almost giggled.

I pushed my pelvis against his cock and smiled when it twitched back to life. “Yes.” I grabbed his ass and gave it a tight squeeze. Then, I ran my mouth up the side of his neck to his ear, nibbling the lobe. “You interested?”

Visit Casey at http://www.caseycrow.com. On Facebook at Casey Crow and Twitter at caseyecrow.

 Buy all versions from Loose, Id., or Kindle version on Amazon.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Casey Crow is a Summa Cum Laude graduate from the University of Alabama with degrees in Business Management and Dance. She received her Master of Business Administration from the University of Mobile. Casey resides in south Alabama where she stays busy running her two young children to way too many activities. She also works as a dance choreographer, pageant coach of twenty years, professional emcee and model, and certified Miss America preliminary judge. In fact, she is a former Miss University of Alabama and NASCAR spokesmodel. She is addicted to CASTLE & REVENGE and works out constantly to compensate for her addiction to Barq's root beer. She enjoys playing pool, tennis & golf, but never has the time and is therefore, pitiful at all three. Casey is an award wining author of erotic and spicy contemporary romances with the tagline “Sexy, Southern & Sassy.” Her debut CAN’T FAKE THIS was nominated for 2011 Best Contemporary at Love Romances Café. Visit her at www.caseycrow.com. Follow her on Twitter - caseyecrow and Facebook - Casey Crow.

ENTER THE CONTEST

Just comment on the post below and leave the first bit of your email address. You do need to be a NOR Newsletter / Fan Club subscriber to enter. USA Postage Only on shipped items. Ends - 1/27/2012

Naomi Bellina - What Would You Do for Money? + Contest

17 comments
Enter to win an eBook from Naomi Bellina!

***
What Would You Do for Money?
by Naomi Bellina

Ah, January, the month that for some people, can be more frightening than Halloween. Why? Because this is the month the enormous credit card bills start rolling in!

Many folks charge their way through Christmas, literally. They start early and keep going, whipping out those magic pieces of plastic until the raised numbers are flat and the security code on the back is worn off. With online shopping, it's especially easy to make purchases, since we can do it in the comfort of our own little home, twenty-four hours a day, wearing our pajamas and slippers. Or with a glass of wine. Or two. That's when Internet shopping gets really fun! One for you, one for me, another one for me...

But now, come January, it's time to pay the piper. Maybe even with interest. Problem is, there's no extra money to take care of an additional bill. And so the question arises, if given the opportunity, what would you do for money?

How far would you go? Would you do something a tad shady, or venture all the way to the dark side? In my own little money fantasies, I imagine inheriting from a wealthy relative, but I don't think I have any of those. Or, a lawyer tracks me down, and a total stranger, someone I once showed a bit of kindness, has left me their estate. (Note to self, be nicer to strangers.)

Or maybe someone offers me large sums of money to do…something, but I can't quite come up with a reason they would do so. Chances are, if someone is going to give me a lot of cash, it will be to do something illegal or creepy.

How much money would have to be dangled in front of me before I would do something that takes me out of my comfort zone? What if it was an act I could morally justify, that wouldn’t really hurt anyone else? A victimless crime. For Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson in the movie Indecent Proposal, a million dollars was sufficient payment for her to sleep with Robert Redford. George Segal and Jane Fonda in Fun with Dick and Jane had trouble robbing the neighborhood drugstore but no qualms about stealing from the telephone company.

My problem is, after doing something wrong, I can't sleep. I generally nod off quite easily, but if I have a guilty conscience, sleep won't come. I may try to justify my actions, but deep down, my inner guide knows I did wrong. What I value most in life is peace of mind, so if I ever have the opportunity to score a large sum of money, I have to make sure whatever I do, I can look myself in the mirror and be happy with what I see.

In my story Demons and Angels, the heroine is deep in debt, so she reluctantly agrees to serve drinks at a party with questionable guests. In my upcoming book Seducing the Stone, Max is working at a lousy job to keep the house he loves and send himself to school in hopes of a career change. Both characters do things for money that they'd rather not, but of course, since this is romance fiction, everything turns out well for them. I like to think my own money choices will have the same happy consequences!

Visit my website at http://www.naomibellina.com to read excerpts, and go to my About Me page to leave a comment. Tell me something odd you've done for money and you will be entered to win an e-copy of Demons and Angels. Okay, I'll go first. I dressed as an elf and worked with Santa at the mall…when I was in my late twenties! I was the oldest elf there. What a hoot!

Thank you Night Owl Romance and readers for allowing me to share my thoughts and my books with you. Happy reading!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Naomi lives in beautiful sunny Florida with the love of her life and a magical black cat. She writes for various fiction and non-fiction markets, but finds she is drawn to romance because her characters insist on canoodling, and sometimes even falling madly in love. So she lets them. Occasionally, however, they go to dark and strange places. She lets them do this also. Most of her stories will surprise readers with unexpected twists and turns, because isn't that what makes life exciting?

Her interests include dancing, hula-hooping, drumming, and creating healthy meals. She takes the opportunity to play, have fun, and indulge in the pursuit of passion whenever possible. She hopes you enjoy her stories and would love to hear from you.

Her motto: Never pass up the opportunity to have an adventure!

Visit Naomi at http://www.naomibellina.com

Email her at: naomibellina(AT)live(DOT)com

ENTER THE CONTEST

Just comment on the post below and leave the first bit of your email address. You do need to be a NOR Newsletter / Fan Club subscriber to enter. Ends - 1/27/2011

Jeanette Grey - When Friends Become Lovers + Contest

19 comments
Enter to win and eBook copy of Unacceptable Risk!

***
When Friends Become Lovers
by Jeanette Grey

I'll admit it: I'm a huge sucker for friends-to-lovers stories. Two of the most important relationships of my life started that way, including my real-life happily-ever-after. It seems so natural to me that the intimacy and love that come with years of friendship would translate easily into an even more intimate, more loving relationship.

But it so rarely seems to work out that way, does it?

There's so much at stake when you decide to push a friendship into something more, and so we hem and haw and dance around each other, looking for a sign. More often than not, something has to push us into finally taking the plunge. It could be an unusual circumstance that enables us to see the other person in a new light, or maybe some new threat that puts the whole relationship into peril.

Think Monica and Chandler from Friends, who first considered each other as more than friends when they were in a different country, divorced from their normal routine. Or Ron and Hermione from Harry Potter who shared their first kiss mere minutes before they were about to be (potentially) slaughtered by Voldemort.

In my own personal love story, there were two moments. First, after four years of friendship, I finally noticed the man who would one day become my husband romantically when he grew a beard, forcing me to look at him differently. Even after that, it took ages for us to get our act together; we only gave in and decided to try for more in September 2001, when the whole world seemed to be falling apart.

My new futuristic romance, Unacceptable Risk, features a twist on a friends-to-lovers theme. The heroine, Plix, is a woman bent on vengeance, looking to bring the people she holds responsible for poisoning her city and killing her parents to justice. She relies on her best friend, Edison, to help her in her quest, but she holds him at a distance, in spite of her feelings for him. All the standard fears about changing their relationship are compounded by the dangerous nature of her work. Risking his friendship would be one thing; risking his life would another thing entirely.

Like any good friends-to-lovers story, there are a couple of defining moments when everything changes. The first of those moments happens when Plix not only decides to undertake her most dangerous mission yet, but – terrified that she has already led danger to his doorstep – resolves to cut Edison out of her plans completely. Unable to bear to let her go, Edison finally makes the first move…


EXCERPT / Unacceptable Risk

Plix was just finishing when she heard the sound she’d been waiting for this entire time, footsteps coming down the hall with that familiar echo and that long, loping gait. She swallowed hard and clenched her eyes shut, steeling herself for the goodbyes that had been growing more and more difficult for years now. This one would be the most difficult of all.

With a silent prayer, Plix wiped the display and slipped the cable from her neck, turning quickly and forcing as neutral of an expression as she could muster. As she did, the door behind her swung open, knuckles rapping gently against plastic in a small warning.

The sight of Edison’s face, broadly expectant, smiling and open, was nearly enough to crack her resolve and shatter all her plans.

It only took a moment for everything to shift, though.

“Hey, sleepyhead, I—” The words had barely left Edison’s mouth before his expression was falling, his features betraying how quickly he understood exactly what was happening.

Plix could only hope he didn’t grasp the full extent of it. If he did, he would never let her go.

“What—?” The hurt in his eyes was paralyzing, the sudden defensiveness in his posture striking so stark a contrast to the lazy smile he’d entered with.

She always hurt him.

Every single time.

There wasn’t any point to pretending. “I’m sorry,” she started.

“No.” Edison shook his head fiercely, his arms crossing as he straightened up to his full height. “You’re not sorry. You’re not sorry at all. If you were, you wouldn’t—” “I have to.” Plix couldn’t meet his eyes anymore. She couldn’t even hold her unaltered hand in front of her, it was shaking so badly.

“You don’t. You don’t have to,” he said, pleading. “Whatever it is you think you need to do, it can wait.”

As sh

e fought back the tears that wanted to overflow, she tried to shake her head, tried to move, tried to leave. But she couldn’t. And then there were hands on her shoulders, one rising up to touch her cheek, seeking roughly to tip her head back. When she held firm, her eyes trained intently on the floor, he gave up and simply wrapped his arms around her, pressing her face against his chest.

He smelled so good.

“Please, Plix. Please. Just a few more days.”

She’d already stayed too long. “No,” she said. The sound was muffled by his shirt, every breath and every word pulling more of his scent toward her lungs.

He pushed her back, and in her surprise, she let her eyes meet his. “Then let me go with you. Let me watch out for you. If you have to do this, we can do it together.”

She closed her eyes and her fists. “No.” “Please—”

“No.” Sucking in a deep breath, she summoned all her strength to open her eyes and meet his gaze. “You know I have to…that I can’t…”

When he lifted his hands to cup the sides of her face, she wasn’t prepared for how powerfully that unexpected tenderness would affect her. Usually, he screamed.

Sometimes he broke things.

He never touched her. Not quite like this.

Maybe he knew after all.

“Plix, I can’t…I can’t keep doing this.”

She felt her expression fall, the truth of what she was saying making the words echo with the pain she wanted so desperately to hide. “You won’t have to.”

For a long moment, their eyes held, and she was left with no doubt as to whether he grasped her meaning.

“Please.” Plix didn’t know how their faces had gotten so close, his breath warm on her face as he whispered, “For me.”

Her eyes fell closed again, the lashes brushing his cheek, and as she parted her lips to speak, she could feel the warmth of his skin.

For the first time in all these years, she felt his mouth.

His kiss.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

After brief, unsatisfying careers in advertising, teaching, computers, and homemaking, Jeanette Grey has returned to her two first loves: romance and writing. When she isn’t writing, Jeanette enjoys making pottery, playing board games, and spending time with her husband and her pet frog. She lives, loves, and writes in North Carolina. Find her online at http://www.jeanettegrey.com

ENTER THE CONTEST

Just comment on the post below and leave the first bit of your email address. You do need to be a NOR Newsletter / Fan Club subscriber to enter. USA Postage Only on shipped items. Ends - 1/27/2012