Amelia Grey - Why I Love to Write

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Enter to win one of two copies of A Gentleman Never Tells.

***

Why I Love to Write by Amelia Grey

Good Morning! Thank you for having me at Night Owl Reviews to talk about my latest Regency Romance A Gentleman Never Tells, and to talk about why I love to write.

My first book was published in 1990 and, even though that was a few years ago, my love for writing hasn’t changed. I still have the same enthusiasm to write that I had when I sat down to pen my first romance. Over the past two decades, I've steadily published books in a business that is ever changing--maybe more so in the last few years than in all previous years because of the eBook phenomenon that has made publishing, buying, and reading easier than ever. Why do I continue to write--because I love it! I have a passion for romance stories and all the good things women enjoy reading about; that glance across the crowded room, the first kiss, the tender caress, that scowling look that tells other men, “She’s mine, don’t touch her.” And of course, I love that happy-ever-after ending.

I think it must be the art of romance that I find so fascinating. Take a little realism, mix it with a strong, handsome man who makes my heart melt, and I’m ready to start a brand new book. I enjoy going to my office to dream up the stories my readers can't wait to read. I look forward to working and creating characters that come to life. I love the plotting, the sitting back to look out the window, all while thinking, "What if?"

All this comes naturally to me and I embrace it. Sometimes late in the afternoons, I will get up and go sit on my balcony and watch the water and the boats go by. I find it quite relaxing and it frees my mind after a long morning of writing. At the end of the day, I'm happy to have made page progress, and even more excited when the following day's scenes come to me, and I can't wait to write them. I want to write books I love so my readers will love them.

So with that idea in mind, the first thing I did in A Gentleman Never Tells with Lady Gabrielle and Lord Brentwood was place them in a situation they didn’t want to be in and then watch them cleverly worm their way out. Lord Brentwood is caught in Hyde Park at daybreak kissing Lady Gabrielle, who happens to be another man’s fiancé, and the daughter of a powerful duke. And if that wasn’t enough trouble for the Viscount to be in the middle of, he lost his mother’s dog, too.

Lady Gabrielle is dependable, sensible, and obedient. That’s why she had accepted the practical, unemotional marriage her formidable father had arranged for her. That’s what those of her kind did—or so she had always believed until early one morning, when her defenses were down, she threw all of her upbringing away for the chance to spend a few passionate moments in the arms of a handsome stranger.

But kissing the stranger didn’t free Lady Gabrielle. She only thwarted the shackles of one arranged betrothal to immediately find herself stuck in yet another forced engagement. But, the strong-willed lady isn’t going to give up her freedom so easily. She has plans that her father and Lord Brentwood don’t know about and scandal and mishaps becomes the order of the day as they search for London’s notorious dog thief.

I’m ready to start a new book, and I’m going to ask for a little help from you to help me get started. What kind of romances do you enjoy the best? The ones where the hero sweeps the heroine off her feet? Or the ones where he's got to work a bit to get the feisty heroine to yield to his charms? Let me know for a chance to win one of two copies of A Gentleman Never Tells.

Please visit my website at www.ameliagrey.com or email me at ameliagrey@comcast.net for more information about me and my books. I’d love to hear from you.

A GENTLEMAN NEVER TELLS BY AMELIA GREY—IN STORES JULY 2011

A stolen kiss from a stranger…

As if from a dream, Lady Gabrielle walked from the mist and into Viscount Brentwood’s arms. Within moments, he’s embroiled in more scandal than he ever thought possible… Can sink even a perfect gentleman…

Beautiful, clever, and courageous, Lady Gabrielle needs Brent’s help to get out of a seriously bad situation. But the more she gets to know him, the worse she feels about ruining his life…

Enter the unforgettable world of Amelia Grey’s sparkling Regency London, where a single encounter may have devastating consequences for a gentleman and a lady…

--------ABOUT THE AUTHOR--------

Winner of the Booksellers Best Award and the Romantic Times Award for Love and Laughter, Amelia Grey’s books have sold in Europe, Russia and China. Married for twenty-five years to her high school sweetheart, she has lived in Alabama, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and now calls Panama City Beach, Florida, home. For more information, please visit www.ameliagrey.com.

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Annie Nicholas - A Reluctant Mating

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Enter to win an eBook copy of Irresistible!

***
A Reluctant Mating
by Annie Nicholas

One of the biggest trends in romance books is shifters and soul mates.

There is something about these creatures who don’t live by our society’s rules. Killing when it is necessary since they are part animal and animals will kill to defend their territory. Tempered by their human side and always struggling to maintain a balance within their torn spirit, they need love.

Their true love—their mate.

Who wouldn’t want to have such a potentially dangerous and powerful male to desire them? A male who is a risk to everyone but them, because for their mate, they’d be willing die.

Yet…

What if a shifter didn’t want to fall into this trap? What if he’d witnessed all his packmates turn into pussies and give up the good life for a single female?

Irresistible Blurb:

Werewolves believe in soul mates. Sirens eat theirs.

Sirens, a mutation of mermaids, need sexual energy to survive. Marie Laframboise lost her only food source when her strip club burned down. Not wanting to kill any of her victims, she’d learned to glean the lust off her clients, and now she is starving. She can’t resist the temptation to invite herself to the singles shifter party held by local werewolf stud, Maxwell Cox, and feed.

Max doesn’t want a soul mate, but to his dismay, she shows up at his party. Just as Marie can’t resist the temptation to feed, Max can’t resist the instinctual urge to claim her. Marie has never wanted a relationship, but she can’t shake off Max’s pursuit. He offers her things she has only dreamed of, but she fears the hunger will turn those dreams into nightmares. Her appetite is not one to mess with. Max thinks he’s found the perfect mate, but Marie may have found the perfect prey.

Graphic sexual content, hot shifters, and one scary-ass siren.

Excerpt:

Max Cox picked at the food on his plate. Nothing interested him. He lifted his head and gazed around the party. Nothing there either. Shifters of every kind surrounded him, but no one caught his notice. This yearly party had become legendary among his local pack and grown to include others who shared their bodies with animal spirits.

What a bust. Hell, he didn’t even know most of these people. None of his friends attended anymore. All them were at home curled up with their soul mates. He snorted and crossed his arm over his bare chest. Not every shifter got subjugated to a mate, or as he thought of it, life in prison. The idea of being with only one woman never sat well in his stomach. Experience had taught him that most women couldn’t satisfy his needs, or at least, on their own they couldn’t. He grinned and checked out his prospects.

A pretty, young brunette stepped into his line of sight. She gave him a come-hither smile before untying her bathing suit top and letting it slip to the ground.

He leaned back into his chair and waited. She had a nice set of tits, if a little too big. Nice bounce to them, with perky nipples, but his cock didn’t even twitch. Been there, done that. He wanted someone with more--just more.

Most saw him as shallow or hedonistic. They were right. He took life by the balls and got what he wanted from it. Nobody offered him a free ride, he worked for his accomplishments. He didn’t have time for religion, family, or worse--love. Stuck in the mud, his life spun its wheels and was going nowhere fast lately.

He glanced into his empty whisky glass and swirled the ice around. Maybe he should quit while he was ahead. Setting it on the table, he rose from his chair and shook his head at the brunette. Nobody would notice if he turned in early.

She frowned, but he passed by before she could say anything.

“Hey, Max,” a familiar voice called him.

He twisted around to find Chad, his best friend’s oldest son, walking toward him with a girl on each arm. An empty pit grew in Max’s stomach.

Chad extended his hand. “Great party.”

Max took his hand and shook it. “Does your dad know you’re here?” He glanced over his shoulder, expecting the big alpha to loom over them and possibly pound them both to the ground. As soon as the question left his mouth, he regretted it.

The boy--well, man now--scowled at him. “Of course. You think I have a death wish?”

Damn, where did the time go? “Sorry, you surprised me.” Felt like last week he’d carried Chad on his back, giving him a piggyback ride.

Chad slapped him on the arm. “Don’t get all weird about it.” He grinned, wrapped his arms around the girls and winked while he led them away.

Proud of the young shifter, Max watched the threesome stroll to a darker, more secluded part of his property. There was a time he’d dominated those areas during his past parties. He chuckled. Guess he needed to pass the torch to a new generation.

A woman wearing a barely-there red bikini trailed behind the threesome. Her long blond hair reached her cute heart shaped ass. She twisted and glanced at Max.

Instinct raced through his body and stunned him as if struck by a cow prod. He blinked and watched her slip behind some trees. The beast who shared his body awoke and made him sniff the air. What the hell?

It happened. Damn. Damn. Damn.

His mate was here? Fuck, and on top of it, she had the nerve to turn her back on him and follow Chad.

The urge to pack his bags and run struggled with his DNA makeup to go claim her. His beast growled inside when he stepped toward the house. He’d never get a moment’s peace now that the animal part of his soul knew she existed. Most shifters were one with their animal spirit. He did not see eye-to-eye with his wolf when it came to the soul mate policy.

She looked straight into our eyes and turned her back on us. Let her go. We’re better off alone. Always have been.

He took a step away from her direction and the beast lurched back toward her, causing all kinds of havoc with his muscles. Gasping, Max spun around to face the woods. Losing control and exploding into his werewolf form in the middle of his party could have disastrous effects. Too many in attendance were young and would follow suit instinctually.

Crap. He stormed to the woods to face his worst nightmare in the flesh.

Available at all ebook retailers and here: http://www.lyricalpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_9&products_id=412&zenid=g8ij2rqq9jdnejq6lb9sqr70j6

Annie Nicholas

www.annienicholas.com

www.annienicholas.blogspot.com

www.paranormalromantics.blogspot.com

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Stephanie Rowe - Taking the Leap

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Enter to win one of two copies of Touch If You Dare!

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Taking the Leap
by Stephanie Rowe

I'm going to be really upfront here from the start: I am a very risk averse person. I don't like conflict. I don't like riding my bike too fast. I don't like high dives. What I like is to be hunkered down and comfy, with everyone and everything around me giving me warm fuzzies.

So then, how on earth did I ever have the courage to abandon my successful, enviable career and leap off a proverbial cliff with no parachute, no padded mat below, and no plan except a dream? When I quit my job in 2004 to write books, it was scary. Really scary.

But I did it anyway.

See, here's the thing. We are raised and socialized to adhere to certain standards. We are taught we have a duty to live life in a certain way. We are supposed to go to school and obey the rules. We are supposed to get a job that will take care of our family and ourselves. We are supposed keep the house clean and prioritize the welfare of those around us. We are supposed to behave in a way that will keep others happy, in a way that they will approve of. And we are taught that we are supposed to find a way to be at peace with that. We aren't supposed to get mad. We aren't supposed to abdicate. We, as humans, are taught that this is life, this is your duty, to be happy and stop whining about it. Your life is pretty darn good, so there must be something wrong with you if you can't be happy in that life.

I disagree.

I believe that we are given a soul and a spirit and dreams for a reason. We are supposed to find the passion that is ours. We are supposed to look for that light that makes our heart sing. And then, scary and selfish and irresponsible as it may seem to others, we are supposed to find a way to bring that dream into our lives. If we suppress our desires and our dreams and our wants, we kill off a piece of our soul, bit by bit, until there is nothing left. And when our soul shrivels, we have nothing left to give those we love.

I know, because I lived that life for a long, long time. I had to hit rock bottom before I finally woke up and realized that being the good girl was going to break my soul. The truth is that we, as humans, are passionate and sensitive, and if we try to ignore that, it doesn't work. We must listen to that inner voice that is trying to guide us to our dreams. Give that voice wings, allow it to fly, and give yourself permission to take that step off the cliff, leap into the air and feel the richness of your dreams come to life. When your heart sings, you bright light and life into your life, and to those you love, and there is no greater gift you can give. What good is money if your heart is broken? How pretty are flowers when you feel like crying? But how beautiful can a glass of lemonade on a park bench be, when your spirit is happy? When I announced that I was quitting my job, so many of my colleagues came up to me and said that they were so envious that I'd figured out what I wanted to do, and that I was doing it. Several of them shared their dreams with me, told me their secret yearnings, what they would rather be doing as a career. And you know what? Ten years later, all those people are still at that same job they were in when I left. They never took the risk. They shut down their hearts and found a way to live a life that didn't fulfill them.

Yes, they have a steady paycheck, and I don't. Yes, it's been a tough road for me. But you know what? I wouldn't trade it for all the world, that feeling of getting up in the morning and knowing that I am following my dreams. And when my daughter looks at me with those big, brown five-year-old eyes and tells me it's very important that people follow their hearts, I smile, because I know that my daughter has learned the lesson early. She will find her path, the one that makes her heart sing, and that is the greatest gift of all.

In my book, Touch if You Dare, my hero, Jarvis Swain, has lived a life of duty and obligation. As the Guardian of Hate, his duty is to safeguard the world from the darkness within him. Long ago, he learned to suppress his need for love, to be loved, for the softness of a human touch and the warmth of a tender smile. And then he meets Reina Fleming, a courageous and loving woman who has given her whole being to the mission of saving her sister's life. She's breaking rules, she's taking risks, but it's all worth it to Reina if she can save the life of someone she loves. Reina's warmth and love begin to penetrate Jarvis's protective shell, and for the first time in almost two centuries, his heart begins to beat, truly beat. Through her warmth and her passion, Reina bring love into Jarvis's life, and he finally begins to understand what really matters in life, and what really matters to him. Through Reina, Jarvis learns that obligation and duty are fine, but when they are enriched with the beauty of one's soul, that is when life truly becomes worth living.

What makes your heart sing?

TOUCH IF YOU DARE BY STEPHANIE ROWE—IN STORES JULY 2011

He’s just about the hottest warrior she’s ever seen…

Reina Fleming really appreciates a man who’s on a mission—especially when he’s a badass warrior doing his best to impress her. And Jarvis is charmed byt eh way Reina’s magic touch can soothe his dark side.

But when Jarvis’s attention puts her job, her home, and her family in danger, Reina has to decide whether love is worth the price…

Enter the nonstop, action-packed world of Stephanie Rowe’s love stories—you’ll never think of the manly arts in the same way again.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Four-time RITA Award nominee and Golden Heart Award winner Stephanie Rowe is an award-winning and national bestselling author of paranormal romance, and has written more than twenty-five novels. Stephanie has charmed reviewers with her unique blend of humor and otherworldly magic. She lives outside Boston, Massachusetts, where she is working on Book 3 in the Soulfire Series, Hold Me If You Can (January 2012). For more information, please visit www.stephanierowe.com.

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Lydia Dare - In the Heat of the Bite

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Enter to win one of two copies of "In the Heat of the Bite"!


***Lydia Dare***
Writing Team

Upon arriving in London during the height of the season, Rhiannon Sinclair, the magical heroine of In the Heat of the Bite, is a bit like a fish out of water. In one of the few moments when she isn’t besieged by English vampyres or Lycans, she sends a letter home to her dear friend and coven sister still in Edinburgh. (Never before seen until now!) Little does Rhiannon know the vampyre who has most plagued her existence since her arrival in London is destined to cross her path more than once during her visit…

Dearest Sorcha,

You will never believe what has happened in London. Your presence is sorely missed and I wish you, of all people, could be here. You are probably the only one of us who might appreciate a real knight in shining armor. I happened to meet him in Hyde Park a few nights ago when I was throwing a bit of a temper tantrum. He actually attempted to save me from the storm. Can you believe it? Saving me from myself? I wasn’t impressed with his heroism. And I was even less impressed when I saw the color of his eyes.

The knight in shining armor bit might make one swoon, if not for the fact that he is one of them. A dark-eyed monster, he is, and he just happens to be the one who turned Alec into what he is.

Here’s the amusing part … well, it’s amusing today, but not terribly amusing last night… Cait forced me to attend the Pickerings’ ball and Alec presented himself to me. It was a relief to see that he’s still the same person. Well, almost. He still likes to take long walks in the daylight and he still is just as charming as he was. That was a relief. But when I saw him, he introduced me to his mentor, who just happened to be the knight in tarnished armor – the Earl of Blodswell.

When I realized who he was, I did the most unsightly thing – I slapped him. Yes, I know, it was a ridiculous course of events. But my emotions got the better of me. You know how the lightning bolts are a little uncontrollable when I get all emotional. Well, evidently, my hand is the same way. He took it like the gentleman he’s not.

But then the weather went awry. It was mortifying. A bolt of lightning hit the punch bowl. Thunder crashed. Rain came down in torrents. And I couldn’t control the icicle that dropped into the Duchess of Hythe’s cleavage. She screamed loudly enough to bring down the rafters. Luckily, it was mostly drowned out by the storm.

Since I slapped the knight, Eynsford has invited him to pay a call on me tomorrow at his home. I can’t, for the life of me, imagine why he feels the need to heed Eynsford’s edict. Blodswell is the very last person I’d like to see.

To recap the night’s activities -- Cait made me wear a most scandalous gown. I slapped a peer of the realm. I broke a punchbowl. Oh, and I did get to see Ginny last night, thank heavens. She has assured me that no one attributed the weather to me. But the slap, that will say in their minds for a very long time.

Wish you were here,

Rhiannon

We hope you’ll check out the rest of the story of Rhiannon and her knight, Matthew Halkett, Earl of Blodswell! We know you can’t control the weather like Rhiannon (Or can you?), so what’s the craziest thing you’ve done to get someone’s attention? Tell us in the comments!

© Lydia Dare, 2011

We hope you’ll check out the rest of the story of Rhiannon and her knight, Matthew Halkett, Earl of Blodswell! We know you can’t control the weather like Rhiannon (Or can you?), so what’s the craziest thing you’ve done to get someone’s attention? Tell us in the comments!

IN THE HEAT OF THE BITE BY LYDIA DARE—IN STORES IN JULY 2011

Chivalry is far from undead…

Matthew Halkett, Earl of Blodswell, is one of the few men in the ton who can claim to be a knight in shining armor— because that’s precisely what he was before being turned into a vampyre. When he spies a damsel in distress in the midst of a storm in Hyde Park, his natural instinct is to rush to her aid… But not every woman needs to be rescued…

Weather-controlling witch Rhiannon Sinclair isn’t caught in a storm—she’s the cause of it. She’s mortified to have been caught making trouble by the imposing earl, but she doesn’t need any man—never has, and is sure she never will… But when Rhiannon encounters Matthew again, her powers go awry and his supernatural abilities run amok. Between the two of them, the ton is thrown into an uproar. There’s never been a more tempestuous scandal…

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lydia Dare is the writing team of Tammy Falkner and Jodie Pearson. Both Tammy and Jodie are active members of the Heart of Carolina Romance Writers and live near Raleigh, North Carolina. They are the authors of It Happened One Bite, In the Heat of the Bite, Never Been Bit (September 2011), and the Westfield Brothers Series, four books about gentleman werewolves. A brand new Regency werewolf series will be published in 2012! For more information, please visit http://www.lydiadare.com.

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Leigh Michaels - Just One Season in London

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Enter to win one of two print copies of Just One Season in London!

***

What is one of your favorite scenes in Just One Season in London, and why?
by Leigh Michaels

Thanks for allowing me to visit Night Owl Reviews – it’s a pleasure to be here!

It’s tough to pick a favorite scene from a book that actually has 66 scenes in all. (Yes, I went through and counted. I’m a bit OCD.) And when there are several main characters, it’s even more difficult to single out just one. So I’m going to cheat and choose one scene for each of my three main characters.

Rye: My favorite is when Rye comes home from striking a deal which will take the family to London and announces the great news, fully expecting that his mother and sister will fall on him with grateful tears and hosannas. But when the reaction isn’t at all what he expects, Rye, in typically clueless-male mode, has no idea at all how things went wrong – and he makes all the wrong assumptions. He’s such a guy in that scene, and truly, guys haven’t changed all that much in 200 years.

Miranda: No contest; it’s the scene where Miranda gathers up her nerve and offers to become Marcus’s mistress if he will fund her daughter’s London Season – and then he turns her down. I love that scene because Miranda is completely gobsmacked for all the wrong reasons – mostly because she should be feeling relieved at preserving her virtue, but in fact she’s got her feathers all ruffled because he doesn’t seem to want her. And after that she cannot stop thinking about him no matter how busy she keeps herself.

Sophie: I loved writing Sophie’s last scene, where she hijacks her brother’s horse, climbs onto a trunk to reach the saddle, rips out the skirt of her traveling dress so she can ride astride, and takes off madly across the park, chasing down the man she loves. Sophie’s a determined young woman, so determined that sometimes common sense takes a back seat. Would he really drive away forever without seeing her again? Doubtful – but Sophie doesn’t stop to think; she just goes after what she wants.

The truth is, I loved writing all 66 scenes of Just One Season in London. Mostly that’s because the characters honestly care about each other and want what’s best, not what is most convenient for the family. Even when Rye and Sophie snipe at each other, it’s clear that this brother and sister are really very fond siblings.

Rye and Sophie and Miranda aren’t trying to marry money for their own sakes but in order to make life easier for the other two – and that makes all three of them heroes in the best sense of the word, each one worthy of a truly happy-ever-after ending!

JUST ONE SEASON IN LONDON BY LEIGH MICHAELS—IN STORES JULY 2011

A family that courts together…

Viscount Ryecroft has a beautiful sister he needs to marry off… if only he had the money for her Season in London.

His family is in financial ruins, and his mother is willing to do anything to help her children, including sell herself to the highest bidder… Finds passion on their own…

Sophie Ryecroft will sacrifice love to marry for the good of her family… but instead finds passion and solace in an attractive alternative.

With so much riding on their one and only Season in London, Rye, Sophie, and Miranda can’t help but get hopelessly entangled with all the wrong people… Celebrated author Leigh Michaels effortlessly weaves three tales of unexpected romance with surprising twists you won’t soon forget.

--------ABOUT THE AUTHOR--------

Leigh Michaels is the author of nearly 100 books, including 80 contemporary novels and more than a dozen non-fiction books. More than 35 million copies of her romance novels have been published by Harlequin. A 6 time RITA finalist, she has also received two Reviewer's Choice awards from RT Book Reviews, and was the 2003 recipient of the Johnson Brigham Award. She is the author of On Writing Romance, published in January 2007 by Writers Digest Books. Leigh also teaches romance writing on the Internet at Gotham Writers’ Workshop. She lives in Des Moines, Iowa, where she is working on her third book from Sourcebooks, The Wedding Affair, which will be in stores in September. For more information, please visit www.leighmichaels.com.

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Stephanie Julian - As a writer, I can be anyone I want

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Enter to win one of two copies of Stephanie Julian's "What a Goddess Wants"!

***

As a writer, I can be anyone I want.

Today, I was a 30-year-old male werewolf. Tomorrow I’ll be a goddess who’s been around since ancient Etruscan times. The day after that, I may be a 30-year-old male Yeti.

When you’re a writer, the possibilities are infinite. Too bad those exploits are only on paper.

But what if they weren’t? Who would I be if I could be anyone I wanted for a day?

What if I could be a goddess?

First, I’d have to pick what I wanted to be goddess of. All of the ancient pantheons have all sorts of goddesses. The Etruscan pantheon alone has more than thirty.

In WHAT A GODDESS WANTS, Tessa is the Goddess of the Dawn. She used to lead the sun into the sky every morning until Aurora, that Roman bitch, stole her job. In the upcoming (December 2011) HOW TO WORSHIP A GODDESS, Lucy is the Goddess of the Moon. Many centuries ago, Lucy granted the people of a small village in ancient Italy the ability to harness the power of the moon to change into wolves and protect themselves from invasion. She now serves as their patron goddess.

Then there’s Amity the Goddess of Health, Nortia the Goddess of Fate, Culsu the Goddess of the Gate to the Etruscan Underworld. In their heyday, they all held great power and hundreds of thousands of people worshipped them in ornate temples. Occasionally those grateful worshippers offered sacrifices.

If I could be a goddess for one day, I think I would enjoy tossing thunderbolts. All the cool deities got to do that. The Greek’s Zeus, the Roman’s Jupiter and the Etruscan’s Tinia. There are a few people whose rear end would be in my sights if I had the ability to throw thunderbolts.

I’d also like to be able to shapeshift. I would love to be a wolf, slinking around a forest, chasing rabbits (Yes, I’m totally ignoring the fact that wolves eat rabbits. I would not eat those adorable little Thumpers. Or Bambi. Totally out of the question.)

I definitely wouldn’t want any blood sacrifices, although there is evidence to support the fact that the ancient Etruscans had a blood-thirsty streak. However, I wouldn’t be opposed to having my way with a few of the more hunky male sacrifices. (Yes, I’m happily married. This is just conjecture, after all.)

I would love to be able to harness the power of the moon or the sun, be the envy of queens and the object of desire of kings.

But you know what I’d really like? I’d like to have the power to heal. I would wave my finger and my father would no longer suffer from Parkinson’s Disease. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?

Unfortunately, in the real world, I don’t get to heal or shapeshift or play with lightning.

Which is why I write romance. Because I get to do all those things and more.

I love my job.

If you had the chance, what goddess would you be?

WHAT A GODDESS WANTS BY STEPHANIE JULIAN – IN STORES JULY 2011

In his arms, her magic powers are on the rise…

Tessa, Etruscan Goddess of the Dawn, is desperately fighting off a malicious god, but her powers are weakening. She needs a hero and fast, because only sexual energy can give her strength. So she seeks out Caligo, whose sexual prowess is legendary…

And she’s the only one who can bring him into the light…

Caligo is a fabled Cimmerian warrior determined to stay away from spoiled goddesses who trample heart after they’ve had their fun. But there’s something irresistibly hot and inviting about Tessa, and he knows he’s her only chance to escape the encroaching darkness…

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephanie Julian is the author of three erotic romance series with Ellora’s Cave. She is a member of RWA and Valley Forge Romance Writers and is a freelance entertainment and lifestyle feature writer. Stephanie lives in eastern Pennsylvania, where she is working on the next two books in the Forgotten Goddesses Series: How to Worship a Goddess (December 2011) and Goddess in the Middle (July 2012). For more information, please visit www.stephaniejulian.com.

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Mary Abshire - My Soul Catcher Series

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Enter to win an eBook copy of Fighting Evil!

***

My Soul Catcher Series
by Mary Abshire

Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy are my favorite genres. I love the supernatural elements and the fantastical worlds. Add romance, suspense, action, mystery, and I'm hooked. And what I read opens up my mind and inspires me to write.

My Soul Catcher series is about a half-demon with the ability to send souls to hell. Not just any soul, evil ones. Before I started the series, I hadn't read books about demons or supernatural creatures who caught souls. The idea seemed fresh to me. I wanted to write something different, so I went with the idea. You can guess what the plot is in each book. Simple, right? Well, achieving the goal of sending souls to hell is not simple, especially when my protagonist wants to lead a normal life, falls in love with a vampire, has a lusting demon after her, and has trust issues with everyone. Ah, the joys of writing a story… In the first book, Claiming the Evil Dead, Jessie, my half-demon soul catcher, agrees to help a vampire, Drake, track down another vampire who's one bad SOB. Though she distrusts the vamp she's helping, she somehow falls in love with him. What? Even Jeremy, the hot demon she bumps into at club can't stop her, and boy, does he try.

In the second book, Catching an Evil Tail, Jessie agrees to help Jeremy with a werewolf problem. Uh-oh. By the end of the book, her relationship with Drake is rocky and she's in the midst of a bigger problem. Oh, what to do? Write another book…

In Fighting Evil, Jessie has to face that big problem. (I'm trying not to divulge too much information.) Her own life is on the line. What's a girl to do? Survive anyway possible. And who can help her? Drake, the noble vampire? Jeremy, the hot, bad-ass demon with heart? Which should she choose?

And there is a fourth book coming soon. Life can never be normal for a half-demon soul catcher. It certainly will never be easy. Is anyones?

Thank you Night Owl Romance for having me as a guest! Thank you to all who stopped by and read my post!

http://www.maryabshire.com
http://www.goodreads.com/maryabshire
http://twitter.com/maryabshire
http://www.linkedin.com/in/maryabshire

A few buy links to the series: 
Noble Romance
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

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Catherine Mann - Lick-And-Taste Heroes!

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Enter to win one of two copies of Cover Me!

***

Lick-And-Taste Heroes!
By Catherine Mann

While I was at an NYC book signing for the Romance Writers of America annual conference, a reader scooped up a copy of COVER ME and declared, “This hero is so hot, they should make this a lick-and-taste cover!” Everyone gathered at the signing table seemed to agree, perhaps with some variations.

Could we cover the hero Wade Rocha in chocolate? Or perhaps opt for a scratch-and-sniff cover with a delightful mix of aftershave and raw manly musk? And then we discussed the option of being able to feel the bristle of his five-o-clock shadow… The possibilities are endless!

Of course the discussion was all in good fun. However, the chitchat also brought home to me how very important an eye catching cover is for the marketability of a book.

I’m eternally grateful to the Sourcebooks art department for providing COVER ME with such a stellar cover. It sums up the book perfectly on so many levels – from the steam factor, to the snowy local with a splash of military swooping in from the upper right corner. And certainly a very eye catching hero.

For those of you who haven’t heard about the heroes in COVER ME yet, here’s a quick recap. COVER ME features Air Force pararescue jumpers (PJs), the most elite force in the U.S. military, trained in high-risk rescues. There are only approximately 350 of these specially trained forces. They operate in both military and civilian rescues anywhere in the world: land, water, sea, mountain. They’re even trained medics.

As Night Owl Reviews said it in their review of COVER ME: “I Love, Love, Loved this. Catherine Mann takes military romance to the next level by bringing us the branch of the Pararescue Jumpers. This is like extreme sports meet military for heroes.”

So welcome to my “Elite Force” series, with more books to come where we’ll meet:

Wade “Brick” Rocha

Hugh “Slow Hand” Franco

Liam “Walker” McCabe

Jose “Cuervo” Jones

Marcus “FANG” Dupre

Gavin “Bubbles” Novak.

Any idea what “FANG” stands for? You’ll find out this and more in COVER ME, a story packed full of heroes!

What are some of your favorite book covers? Do you prefer a cover with or without the hero pictured?

COVER ME BY CATHERINE MANN—IN STORES JULY 2011

It should have been a simple mission…

Pararescuman Wade Rocha fast ropes from the back of a helicopter into a blizzard to save a climber stranded on an Aleutian Island, but Sunny Foster insists she can take care of herself just fine…

But when it comes to passion, nothing is ever simple…

With the snowstorm kicking into overdrive, Sunny and Wade hunker down in a cave and barely resist the urge to keep each other warm… until they discover the frozen remains of a horrific crime…

Unable to trust the local police force, Sunny and Wade investigate, while their irresistible passion for each other gets them more and more dangerously entangled…

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

USA Today bestseller Catherine Mann has over two million books in print in more than twenty-five countries. A RITA Award winner, she resides in the Florida panhandle with her military flyboy husband, their four children, and an ever growing menagerie of pets. Find Catherine on Facebook at Catherine Mann (Author) and Twitter @CatherineMann1. Or check out her website at: http://www.catherinemann.com.

To view a video book trailer of COVER ME: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4i35LHkTypM

--------To 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. Ends - 7/29/2011

Leslie Parrish - The Little Man In The Attic

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Enter to win a Leslie Parrish print book!

***
The Little Man In The Attic
Leslie Parrish

Like every other writer I know, I’m often asked, “Where do you get your ideas?”

In the old days, I sometimes snapped off a silly reply like, “Target.” Now I’d probably be more likely to respond, “From the psychotic little man locked in my attic.”

That’s probably a pretty good illustration of the way my career has changed over the years.

You see, I started out writing light, sexy romantic comedies. Oh, there was always a bit of snark (that’s just how I roll) but very few dead bodies. And when those bodies did fall, it was often in some oddball way. (Like the real estate agent stabbed through his heart with his own “For Sale” sign.) But while I was having fun writing stories about sexy realtors with Big Bad Wolf tattoos on their butts, (uh, no, not the same realtor) and landscapers who liked to dance in the rain, my real reading tastes ran to much darker fare.

I guess I should stand up at the twelve-step meeting and say, “Hello, my name is Leslie, and I’m a Stephen King addict.” It’s probably almost a cliché these days to admit being a King fangirl, but I truly am. Yes, I’ve gone through phases where I loved romances, especially romantic comedies like those by Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Jennifer Crusie. But my reading tastes always eventually go back to dark tales of murder and psychotic criminals and vampires.

So I suppose it was only natural that sooner or later, that idea bank to which I always turned when writing came up with a big “zero” balance in the light-and-sexy account while this new, dark-and-twisted one had a huge bank error in my favor. Eventually, I had to tap into that fortune and start withdrawing.

Once I started making those withdrawals, I realized that not only was there a jackpot, I appeared to have hit the Mega-Ball lottery of writing inspiration. Because I discovered a nearly limitless cash flow when it came to imagining victims and killers, crimes and plots, heroes and heroines, and all sorts of good vs. evil. I’d written more than thirty books before I ever wrote my first romantic thriller, and I can honestly say I’ve never been happier in my writing than I’ve been these past few years.

That’s not to say those fun-and-flirty Target ideas don’t still hit me. After writing a book as dark, twisted and emotionally disturbing as COLD TOUCH, it’s nice to go back and pen something fun and a bit silly like my last Harlequin Blaze novel (published under my real name, Leslie Kelly.) But as fun as it was, before I even typed “The End” on that book, a part of me was already turning the tarnished knob, pulling open the squeaky door, lifting my foot onto that first dusty, warped step…ready to make that climb up the stairs to visit that psychotic little man who fills my dreams with dark possibility.

Leslie Parrish
Website

--------To Enter the Contest--------

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Felicity Heaton - Vampire Venators Series

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Enter to win and eBook copy of Forbidden Blood!

***

Vampire Venators Series – One species to rule them all
by Felicity Heaton

Firstly, thanks to the lovely Tammie for asking me to come here today as part of my Paranormal Pandemonium 2011 Blog Tour promoting my eight paranormal romance releases. I’ve been fortunate enough to have written for the Night Owl Reviews blog twice already, but here’s a little information about me for those of you unfamiliar with my name. I write paranormal romances with passion as Felicity Heaton and F E Heaton, featuring vampires, dark angels, werewolves, witches and demons, amongst other species. I was first published in 2005, and have written and put out over forty stories since then, around thirty of which are still available now.

Today I’m here to talk about my latest release, FORBIDDEN BLOOD, which is the first novel in my Vampire Venators paranormal romance series.

The central focus of the series are the Venators, the men and women who carry out the death sentences on those judged to have broken the laws of their species. These Venators are chosen by the Sovereignty, a group of mystical beings who govern the nine species of demon to ensure that their worlds remain separate from ours. It’s the Sovereignty that I want to talk about today. When I was dreaming up the world of the Vampire Venators, I came up with the idea to have them reporting to a higher power. That’s right, the vampires aren’t the top of the food chain in this series, although they are more powerful than some of the nine species of demon featured in it. The Sovereigns are nine beings from an ancient and powerful species, and are the last of their kind. They govern the nine species of demon, one Sovereign for each, and watch over them, ensuring that any law breakers are dealt with. They are mysterious, from their appearance to their power to the fact that their fortress exists in a separate plane between the mortal and demon realms.

I wanted the Sovereignty to have an air of mysticism about them so I came up with the idea of a group of females who are the last of their kind and whose forms are always shrouded in white veils, hidden from all eyes, including their hunters—the Venators. They had to be powerful too, so I gave hints of what they’re capable of as they watch over everyone, able to see and hear, and even feel what their Venators are. They have the power to teleport people to them or away, and it’s their power channelled through the weapons given to the Venators that sentences souls to the torment of the endless dark. These are women not to be messed with and they prove it on more than one occasion in the series, but they aren’t heartless or cold to the core, although any feeling they show could be construed as a ploy to keep their Venators in line and on their side.

The Sovereignty never leave their fortress, and no one outside their extensive list of Venators can enter it, so they rely on these hunters to track and sentence any who break the law, giving them the location and information needed by them to complete their missions. The power they grant their Venators is always the same—a link to the endless dark—and because of that link and the promise made to the nine species of demon, the Sovereignty can’t sentence anyone themselves. They are reliant on their Venators.

The form that the power takes varies from species to species. I wanted each to be different in the eyes of the Sovereignty, and treated differently, so every species has a unique “weapon” given to them, and it’s always something that binds the Venator to the endless dark so they feel everything as their victim passes into it.

The vampire Venators, which the series focuses on, have their weapon in the form of silver markings on their strongest arm. The tribal design covers them from fingertip to shoulder, and through it they can feel the power of the endless dark. When faced with someone who the Sovereignty has judged to have broken vampire law, the markings glow bright blue, and the Venator can feel the hunger of the endless dark and feels compelled to do as it bids and feed it the soul of the law breaker. The voice of the endless dark is strong and powerful, a glimpse of what the Sovereignty is capable. No Venator dares to question the Sovereignty either, or go against them. Any who do are sentenced to the endless dark to experience it for themselves.

The Sovereignty are, in essence, the most dangerous and powerful species in the series. A wolf in lamb’s clothing. They affect an air of gentility, grace, and peace that most believe as they never meet them, only hear of their legend and see the work of their Venators. It’s their Venators that see them and know from using their power that underneath it all they’re not as nice as they appear, and that they’re darker than even the blackest demon in the series, and that given the right circumstances, they might just cast aside their agreement with the nine species of demons and seize the power of the endless dark themselves and seek to rule rather than merely govern them.

Bad guys or good guys, you’ll have to read the series and decide for yourselves. The first book, Forbidden Blood, is available now, and I’m working on the second book in the series as well as the official website. Forbidden Blood is available now in e-book formats direct from my site, on Amazon Kindle, Smashwords, Barnes and Noble Nook, Apple iBookstore and will soon be available at Sony Reader Store and other retailers. It will also shortly be available in paperback from Amazon.

Forbidden Blood

Felicity Heaton

In a dark world where vampires exist and where Source Blood, a rare human blood type, can bestow godlike powers upon them, the vampire Venators of the Sovereignty fight to protect the humans by banishing those who drink it to the endless dark.

Exiled from his family and with only his duty to sustain him, Kearn has been on the trail of an elusive Source Blood abuser for three years. When he saves a beautiful human female from the vampire’s grasp, it turns out she’s the lead he’s been waiting for. Amber is a Source Blood and the perfect bait, but for who?

As they race to catch the vampire and survive the cruel games he plays, Amber is pulled deeper into Kearn’s world and discovers the painful secrets he hides behind his handsome but emotionless exterior—hurt that she has the power to heal if she is brave enough.

Read an excerpt: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/ebooks.php?title=Forbidden%20Blood

Available in e-book for $3.99 from: Author's website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/ebooks.php?title=Forbidden%20Blood

Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0055I1LNW/

Amazon Kindle Germany: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B0055I1LNW/

Amazon Kindle UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0055I1LNW/

Barnes and Noble Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forbidden-blood-felicity-heaton/1103572024

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/66030

Biography: Felicity Heaton is a romance author writing as both Felicity Heaton and F E Heaton. She is passionate about penning paranormal tales full of vampires, witches, werewolves, angels and shape-shifters, and has been interested in all things preternatural and fantastical since she was just a child. Her other passion is science-fiction and she likes nothing more than to immerse herself in a whole new universe and the amazing species therein. She used to while away days at school and college dreaming of vampires, werewolves and witches, or being lost in space, and used to while away evenings watching movies about them or reading gothic horror stories, science-fiction and romances. Having tried her hand at various romance genres, it was only natural for her to turn her focus back to the paranormal, fantasy and science-fiction worlds she enjoys so much. She loves to write seductive, sexy and strong vampires, werewolves, witches, angels and alien species. The worlds she often dreams up for them are vicious, dark and dangerous, reflecting aspects of the heroines and heroes, but her characters also love deeply, laugh, cry and feel every emotion as keenly as anyone does. She makes no excuses for the darkness surrounding them, especially the paranormal creatures, and says that this is their world. She’s just honoured to write down their adventures.

If you want to know more about me, or want to get in touch, you can find me at the following places:

My website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk

My blog: http://www.indieparanormalromancebooks.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/feheaton

Twitter: http://twitter.com/felicityheaton

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/felicityheaton

--------To Enter the Contest--------

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Laura Kaye - Forever Freed’s Romantic Meet

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Enter to win an eBook copy of FOREVER FREED!

***
Forever Freed’s Romantic Meet, by Laura Kaye

The first time a hero and heroine meet is a key moment in any romance novel. Those initial reactions are often transformative and mark the moment when the plot and the characters set off on the developmental arcs that carry them through the highs and lows of a story.

In my debut paranormal romance, Forever Freed, there are actually several first meets, which means you’re in for a double excerpt treat today! At the first meet, Lucien sees Samantha but she doesn’t notice him in return. Nonetheless, the moment grabs Lucien by his vampiric instincts. You see, Lucien, wracked with guilt and grief over a long-ago tragedy, has a particularly strong empathic gift, and Samantha has a little something he really needs. Here’s that moment:

I wound my way through the hospital corridors towards a side exit.

I gasped as I walked into a haze of pure bliss.

A young woman approached the same exit, wearing the green scrubs of a doctor or nurse. Her golden blonde hair hung in a thick braid well past her shoulders. Her arms were tanned and, as I caught up with her, I could see where the sun brought out a light freckling across her upper cheekbones and nose. The color of her eyes was striking—a dazzling blue-green with nearly black edges around the iris. She was young and vital and pretty in a girl-next-door kind of way.

As beautiful as she was, her most remarkable quality had captured my attention in the first place: the extraordinary feelings of joy, affection, gratitude, and contentment washing off her. Her emotions tasted sweet and gripped every part of my body in warmth and pleasure. My borrowed euphoria left me dumbstruck as she hurried through the door and around the hospital drive. The intensity of the feeling diminished in direct correlation to her growing distance from me.

I gasped for more. Having lived without such feelings for so long, this reminder of true unqualified happiness beckoned to me. So I followed her. I stalked her emotions, grateful for the cloud-covered evening, and learned the location of her residence.

And then an unbidden thought entered my brain: If her emotions felt this good, what would it be like to consume her blood?

Certainly I’d feel her regret. But what came out of her would also be life-giving, humanity-restoring, beautiful, and sweet.

The thought of it was intoxicating. She was a temptation of such magnitude, I lost all capacity for reason or rationality. I simply had to have her, had to have that one fleeting feeling of light in the darkness, that one richly sweet moment free from pain and grief.

In that instant, I was so far gone it never occurred to me that my efforts to avoid the blood of bad humans led me to plan to kill a good one.

_____

Their second meet is actually Samantha’s first meet, and the first time they interact. How does getting to know her a bit impact Lucien? Read on…

How ironic I’d been stalking her for days and now encountered her out in the open—though the comings and goings of patients, staff, and visitors continued to protect her. I swallowed thickly, acknowledging my rather dire undernourishment. Nearly six weeks had passed since I’d fed on a trio of wolves on the shores of Black Lake north of the city.

I scoffed. I’d gone this long before without feeding, and now she had me doubting my control as if I were a neophyte. I was used to the clench of hunger in my gut, had forced myself to endure it for much of my existence--I usually didn’t tempt myself by intermingling with humans, though, let alone with one who was so appealing, but I was eager to taste and feel her happiness again.

So I resumed walking. Her feelings intensified within me as I approached. Forty feet, then thirty. By the time I was within ten feet, my mouth was so alive with the rich sweetness of her joy, I was salivating and struggling to keep my fangs retracted.

Her emotions provided such exquisite relief I couldn’t force myself to pass her by. Without a conscious decision, I stopped in front of her, her allure locking me into place as surely as if I were shackled. She looked up and smiled. Her teal eyes settled on me like a caress. In that instant, I needed to be in her presence. I hadn’t intended to, but I was going to have to talk to her now.

“Would you mind if I asked you a question?” I finally asked, working hard to make my voice relaxed, casual—the exact opposite of the tense anticipation that shivered over my skin.

Her brow dropped and her expression became a little guarded, but she smiled. “Sure.” Her eyes widened and her heart rate increased as she took me in.

I walked over to the bench and hesitated as my nineteenth-century manners resurfaced. “May I?”

She nodded uncertainly, her pose less relaxed.

So close to her for the first time, it took everything I had not to reach out and cup my hand behind her neck and pull her into me, particularly as her pounding heart pumped blood into a blush that spread from her face down her throat.

Touch her. Feel her. Taste her. I shook the urges away.

“I’ve noticed you once before when I was here visiting a friend. Please feel free to tell me to mind my own business, but both times I’ve been struck by how incredibly happy you…look. Such happiness seems a rare quality.”

Her blue-green eyes sparkled, reflecting the inner light I could feel. Her smile was reserved at first but more open as she spoke. “Uh, well, a lot of times working at a hospital can be emotionally draining. The hours, the pace, the stress, and especially losing patients can all take it out of you. But on occasion working here can be the best thing ever.” She paused in thought.

I found myself having to concentrate to keep my breathing normal. The strong mixture of her joy and love was arousing—a sensation I hadn’t experienced in far too long. The tingling around my canines intensified.

“Do you mind if I ask what happened to make it feel like the best thing recently?” I smiled and searched her eyes. With effort, I restrained myself from charming her.

Her surprise at my interest rang through my gut as she shrugged. “Well, I’ve been doing a rotation in the pediatric oncology department, and one of my favorite patients found out recently she’s in remission. It’s been such a wondrous week, because her family has been through so much. She’s always reminded me of my daughter Olivia—I couldn’t imagine something threatening to take her away. So, I’ve just been riding on cloud nine ever since. I’ve never seen anyone more appreciative of life than this girl and her family. It’s just really been…great to know they won’t lose each other, you know?” For a brief second, a sharp torrent of loneliness underscored her words. I frowned and studied her thoughtful expression, but as quick as the bitter-tasting sadness came, it was gone. Her joyfulness returned, immersing me once more.

I listened and nodded in the right places, but was overcome with the certainty her happiness was my irresistible siren song. Like the mariners of old, I would be wrecked in my pursuit of her.

_____

Just to be fair, let’s see this first meet from Samantha’s point of view, too (it’s a three-for! LOL)! From her diary:

I met a guy at the hospital tonight named Lucien, I think. I say “I think” because when he shook my hand my brain seemed to stop working. I’m not sure if I heard him right. He was so gorgeous. I mean, just unreal. He was tall and had the best hair—brown and a little long and wavy. I felt like I could get lost in his eyes. They were the most interesting shade of gray. I made a complete idiot of myself in front of him, although he didn’t seem to notice. I really hope I get the chance to run into him again.

_____

So, I gave you a good taste, but I hope you’ll give more of Lucien and Samantha a try! Thanks to NOR for hosting me!

Thanks for reading!

Laura Kaye

Website: http://www.LauraKayeAuthor.com
Blog: http://laurakayeauthor.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/laurakayeauthor

Twitter: @laurakayeauthor

Sign up for Laura’s Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/d9ruD

Buy Forever Freed everywhere books are sold online, or use this DigiBooks Café code for a 20% discount: e3d9d10a3c - http://tiny.cc/iydy4

A multi-published author of paranormal, contemporary, and erotic romance with four books releasing in 2011, Laura Kaye’s hot, heartfelt stories are all about the universal desire for a place to belong. Laura grew up amidst family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses, cementing her life-long fascination with the supernatural. Though an avid fiction writer as a teenager, a career as a historian took her in other directions until recently. Now that Laura’s inner muse has awakened, she’s constantly creating new story ideas! Laura lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

--------To 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 - 7/15/2011

Break Into Fiction® Writing Workshop - September 17-18, 2011

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Break Into Fiction Workshop with Award Winning author Mary Buckham & NYT Best seller Dianna Love

Dates: September 17-18, 2011

Location: Portland Community College - Sylvania Campus, ST 101 - Oregon

Cost: $75.00

More Details and Registration: http://www.rosecityromancewriters.com/special-events.html

Mary and Dianna are the co-creators of the highly successful Break Into Fiction® Novel Writing series. They are coming to Portland Oregon to teach aspiring authors their POWER WRITING DAY, a new hands-on program on Power Openings, Scene Survival Test Analysis, Active Settings and How Many Hooks Are Enough, where students bring their pages to work on during class. On the second day, Mary Buckham will go deeper into the Structure of Story and focus on Character Analysis; Conflict, Twist Points and What a Bigger Book is. These are high energy ALL DAY workshops meant to ratchet up the power in stories and to send writers home chomping to type those pages.

Each registered participants will receive:

A free raffle slip for a chance to win copies of Break Into Fiction® and critiques during the workshop.

A notebook full of worksheets on “their own story” to move their story to the next level.

Bonus information in all workbooks Brainstorming with Mary and Dianna while they cruise the room during breaks to answer questions and help on stories.

Light breakfast and boxed lunches on Saturday and Sunday.

Mary Buckham is an award-winning romantic-suspense author who, before becoming published in book-length fiction was a freelance article writer, selling hundreds of articles to local, regional, and national publications as well as being an editor of a regional magazine. Mary is also co-founder of WriterU, an online educational resource for writers and a sought-after speaker and writing craft teacher for both online and in live presentations throughout the United States and Canada. For more on Mary go to www.MaryBuckham.com

New York Times best seller Dianna Love always liked to do things big…and still does. After spending many years traveling across country to create unusual marketing projects for Fortune 500 company, she’s now released her energetic muse on creating high-octane thrillers and urban fantasy. Her first book won the prestigious RITA® Award (as Dianna Love Snell) and she now co-writes he best selling Bureau of American Defense series with #1 NYT best seller Sherrilyn Kenyon. On October 19, 2010, Dianna and Sherrilyn Kenyon will launch a new paranormal thriller series with BLOOD TRINITY (Pocket), a high octane urban fantasy about set in Atlanta, GA. For more on Dianna visit www.AuthorDiannaLove.com

For questions about this event, please contact Jessie Smith, BIF Event Coordinator, at jessicasmithportland@gmail.com or by phone at 503.260.0720

For more information about Break into Fiction, please visit www.BreakIntoFiction.com

SCHEDULE:

1st Half of morning

HOW MANY HOOKS ARE ENOUGH?

BLURB: Whether you’re a plotter or seat-of-the-pants writer, the simplest way to avoid a sagging middle is to understand how to continually build hooks into your story. So how many hooks are enough? Knowing the answer to that question can be the difference between a compelling story and one that drags.

Each Attendee Brings to Workshop: Ten pages of their manuscript to analyze for hooks.

2nd Half of morning

SUPER POWER OPENINGS

Can you sell your book based on your opening alone? Agents, editors and thousands of readers are going to decide to choose your book based on your opening. Is yours ready? Each Attendee Brings to Workshop: TWO copies of their opening [up to 150 words max] with only 3 initials and a zip code in the header [no full names on pages].

~ LUNCH ~

1st Half afternoon

ANALYZE THIS: SCENE SURVIVAL TEST: Test the Strength of Your Scene

BLURB: Submissions live or die by the strength of scenes. Are your scenes loaded with key elements or bloated with filler?

Each Attendee Brings to Workshop: Any scene from your manuscript to analyze [name on pages is fine]. Any length is fine since you will be working on your own page, but if you want a suggestion then choose a scene with 5-12 pages so you can easily locate the elements we will be going over.

2nd Half afternoon

ACTIVE SETTINGS

BLURB: Setting can bog down pacing. Give your setting an active role in your story. Use Deep POV to spin boring descriptions into engaging prose.

Each Attendee Brings to Workshop: One excerpt/passage of setting from their manuscript of approximately 100 words at the most to analyze.