I’m going to Romcon, come join me.
Are you going to Romcon this year from June 22 through June 24th? I am and I look forward to meeting my fans. There are so many things to do at Romcon. I myself will be part of the Titanic Tea. There will be games and we’ll actually learn how to make and enjoy a high tea.
I am going to attend the “Build A Hero” workshop where we get to dress a gorgeous male model from the bottom up. Now, now ladies get your mind out of the gutter. He’ll have briefs on but we get to add the rest.
I’m attending a Monte Carlo night. Hopefully I’ll do better with play money than I do with the real stuff. And I can dress up to the nines if I want to though it is not required by any means.
There are intimate chats with some of your favorite authors. Just you the author and 12-14 other people. Very small and a great way to get to know that author you’ve always wanted to meet.
Then there is speed dating, the author signing and so many other things to do that I can’t remember. All of them related to the readers in all of us. Do you think I go only as an author? Heck no! I’m a reader first and I’ll be as crazy to meet my favorite authors as you are.
I hope you’ll join me in Denver, June 22 – 24, for Romcon 2012. See you there.
Memorial Day by Michele Drier
This Memorial Day, my youngest niece will be in Washington, D.C. getting an orientation to NOAA. She’s thrilled to have won NOAA scholarships and internships for her last two years of college.
Her mom suggested that she go to Arlington Cemetery on Memorial Day itself, to watch the ceremonies.
We’re a pacifist family, but all of us support and relate to the individuals, and their families, who have fought and lost their lives in the military.
My niece is 20, so she’s spent half her life hearing about the wars we’re fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
As an early Baby Boomer, I saw the Korean War in newsreels before the Saturday movie matinee. Then, I watched the Vietnam War unfold on my television while eating dinner. And when I saw the memorial wall on a visit toWashington, I was overcome.
I’m not sure most people actually remember that these were individual young men. Many of them weren’t old enough to legally drink when they were killed.
But when I think of the military, I think of the 19- and 20- and 21-year olds—boys, really—who fought in the Second World War.
I don’t remember it first-hand, but I learned about it second-hand, from a man I married who was a Holocaust survivor. He was older than me, a German Jew who’d been sent to an orphanage in France by his parents after Kristallnacht. Because of this, he was the only member of his family to survive.
And through him, I met people in the U.S.and Europe who had also survived, many of them with numbers still tattooed on their arms. They were from Germany, Poland, Hungary, France, Belgium and had one thing in common; they were Jewish.
That’s when I began to realize that the Second World War, or any war, wasn’t an abstract idea of troop movements and weaponry, but a massive fear and displacement of individuals.
On June 5, 1998, I was driving along the coast of Normandy with my daughter, headed for Amsterdam, when we saw a convoy of Army jeeps. We pulled over and realized we were standing on the French coastline above one of theNormandybeaches. The German bunkers were still entrenched, overlooking the Channel. Miles and miles of rusting fortifications and ships poked up from the shallow waves. Standing at the cliff’s edge in a fine drizzle, we tried to imagine what it must have been like more than 50 years ago when the landing force of young men looked up at those cliffs.
The survivors of that force, plus hundreds of thousands more young men, fought their way through France and into Germany over the next 10 months and the fate of European Jews and the fate of hundreds of young GIs came together with stunning clarity at Dachau Concentration Camp on April 29, 1945. That day, the American troops liberated their first German concentration camp and saw the horror the Nazis had inflicted on innocent people.
My mystery, Edited for Death, is contemporary, but World War II is the backdrop for three murders in a small town in California’s Sierra Nevada foothills in 2006. And the liberation of Dachau plays a pivotal role when a young and drifting American soldier finds himself facing the true definition of war.
I hope my niece makes it to Arlington Cemetery on Memorial Day. And I know she’ll remember the individual young men her age who were never able to get any older.
For me, I’ll remember the generation of 20-year-olds, and the millions of innocents, who met in spring of 1945 and changed the world for the better.
BIO
Michele Drier was born in Santa Cruz and is a fifth generation Californian. She’s lived and worked all over the state, calling both Southern and Northern California home. During her career in journalism — as a reporter and editor at daily newspapers – she won awards for producing investigative series.
Her mystery Edited for Death, called “Riveting and much recommended” by the Midwest Book Review and a Memorable Book for 2011 on Dorothy L, is available in paperback at Amazon and B&N.
Her paranormal romance series, SNAP: The Kandesky vampire chronicles, is available in ebook at Amazon. The first book, SNAP: The World Unfolds, received a 4-star rating from the Paranormal Romance Guild. The second book, SNAP: New Talent, is now published and also available from Amazon
Visit her website: www.micheledrier.com
A Visit with Robin Helm
Please help me welcome Robin Helm to my blog. Also, be sure and leave a comment for the prize drawing.
Do you write under a pen name? Why or why not?
I use my own name when I write because I have a large family and acquaintances strewn over several states and countries. I want them to be able to find my work easily. In addition, I intend never to write anything that I would not want people to know I authored. The knowledge that former students, friends, and family will know that I wrote the material holds me to a certain standard. I very much doubt that I will ever reach the level of fame which would make it dangerous for people to know my real name.
What are you currently working on?
I am nearly finished writing Legacy, the third book in The Guardian Trilogy. Chapters 12 through 18 are in the rewriting stage, though most of that work is done, and I am presently writing chapter 19. I plan to have 20 chapters in the book, unless my betas (editors) keep telling me I am finishing the book in too much of a hurry. I don’t want the ending to drag, but I also don’t want to disappoint my readers by rushing the story.
What do you have planned for the future?
I will begin to outline and write my next book, Darcy’s Wish, as soon as I finish Legacy. It will be a relief to start writing the story, as it is presently fighting to get out of my head. The Guardian Trilogy is romance fantasy fiction, and the next book will be as well. Darcy’s Wish will take place in modern and Regency times simultaneously. My premise is that Jane Austen’s characters in Pride and Prejudice were actual people.
BIO
Robin Helm has published the first two volumes of a trilogy (The Guardian Trilogy), Guardian and SoulFire, and is presently writing Legacy, the third and final volume, posting as a work in progress on four different forums. She has also published three Regency short stories.
She and her husband have two daughters, the elder a Navy nurse stationed in Guam, and the younger a university senior. They live in South Carolina with their Yorkie-Poo, Tobey.
Ms. Helm graduated with a BA from Piedmont International University. She is a member of the Delta Epsilon Chi honor society, the American Legion Auxiliary, and the scholarship faculty of the United States Achievement Academy.
Blurb for Guardian, Volume I of The Guardian Trilogy
In Guardian, a religious fantasy fiction, the powerful and imposing Xander/Darcy, Chief of Guardian Angels, has protected exceptional humans from demonic forces over the course of ten millennia without losing a single battle. In 1989, he receives an unusual assignment which will forever change his ordered existence and alter the course of human history. Will he lose the battle for his own heart while guarding supernaturally gifted Elizabeth Bennet from the evil which surrounds her? Will he be strong enough to resist her as she grows from a precocious child into a beautiful, intelligent woman? The veil dividing the physical and spiritual planes is drawn aside to reveal warfare on an unprecedented scale as Elizabeth develops her gifts and her guardian discovers his emotions.
Synopsis
Guardian begins with a prologue, the fall of Lucifer from heaven. The main body of the work concentrates on the years beginning just prior to Elizabeth’s conception in 1989 and ends in the fall of 2007 as she begins her junior year in college and Xander is summoned before God to make a momentous decision.
Blurb for SoulFire, Volume II of The Guardian Trilogy
In the second volume of The Guardian Trilogy, Fitzwilliam Alexander Darcy, powerful Chief of all guardian angels, adjusts to life with a dual nature. An angel/human, Darcy seeks to win the love of his beautiful partner in SoulFire Ministries, Elizabeth Bennet, as they travel together across the globe. While keeping his true identity hidden, Darcy joins archangels Michael and Gabriel in defending and protecting Elizabeth from the schemes and trickery of Gregory, the Dark Prince, and Lucifer, his father.
Though the supernaturally gifted team of Darcy and Elizabeth is tremendously successful in their joint mission as they partner with evangelist Jonathan Edwards, the question remains, will Elizabeth find the strength within herself to forgive Darcy for his secrecy after she accidentally discovers the truth, that he was her guardian angel, or will Gregory be ultimately successful in separating this match made in heaven?
Synopsis
SoulFire, Volume II of the trilogy, continues the story, picking up January, 2008 and ending in August of the same year. Xander is in human form, using the name Fitzwilliam Darcy. SoulFire develops the actual meeting, ministry, and romance of Elizabeth and Darcy.
The Guardian Trilogy is a Christian fantasy fiction which loosely incorporates elements of Jane Austen’s masterpiece, Pride and Prejudice, into a Christian story line. Mrs. Helm is presently writing the third book in the series, Legacy.
An Interview with Lori Dillon
Please help me welcome Lori Dillon to the blog today. Lori will be giving away an electronic copy of her book to one lucky commenter so be sure and leave a comment or question for Lori.
How did you get started writing?
I wasn’t one of those people born with a pen in my hand. Well, not a writing pen, but maybe a drawing pencil. I’ve always been an art geek. I have a BFA in Graphic Design and Illustration. Before doing the stay at home mom thing, I worked for 14 years as a graphic designer.
To be honest, I came pretty late to the romance novel fan club. As a teen, I read mostly horror. Stephen King, John Saul, and that staple of adolescent girls at the time, the Flowers in the Attic series. I didn’t discover romance novels until I was 28, when I was newly engaged and enthralled with all things romantic. So when I found one of my roommate’s romance novels lying around, I picked it up and read it cover to cover in one day. Needless to say, I was officially hooked!
Of course, we all know there are good books, keeper books, and wall-banger books out there. After one too many paperbacks hit the drywall, my husband dared me to write a book myself. So I did, and I amazed myself that I actually finished it. (Completing projects is not my strong suit.) I entered the novel in several writing contests and it finaled a few times. Hey, what do ya know? I didn’t totally suck as a writer. Although now that I know better, that book will forever remain under the bed keeping the lonely dust bunnies company. So I wrote another book, which ended up being OUT OF THE ASHES. That novel landed me an agent and came really, really close to selling to a New York publisher.
What genre(s) do you write in and why?
I pretty much stick to paranormal historicals. I love being transported to another time and place. And when you throw a little magic in the mix, how can you not love it? For now, my paranormals are not what’s all the rage—you know, the dark, sexy immortal brotherhood, each warrior in search of their soul mates. I love to read those books (love me some Kresley Cole and Gena Showalter), but I have yet to write one of them. Try as I might, my inner comic comes out and can’t help but dribble humor all over my books. I’m not saying I never will write the dark, tortured immortal warrior series. I just have too many out-of-the-box paranormals that are clamoring around in my head to be written first. I’ve got a gothic time travel (it’s a spoof on Jane Eyre) and a medieval series (they’re a mix of shape shifters and time travels) that I hope to have out later this year.
What inspired your latest book?
David and Sera’s story started out with the idea that if a cat could have 9 lives, why not people? My initial thought was to write short vignettes of their first eight lives, starting from when they meet each time until their untimely deaths, then end the book with their 9th life where they finally get it right. Unfortunately, a book like that would’ve ended up being a War and Peace behemoth. So I decided to focus on their first and last lives, and just hint at the tragedy of their other lives that came in between.
While I was doing research for possible time periods and settings, I came across a National Geographic photograph of a plaster cast of a couple from Pompeii. The man and woman died in each other’s arms as they tried to flee the city, forever frozen in time, his hand shielding her face in a vain attempt to protect her. The cast is beautiful, touching, and heartbreaking. In fact, I use a photo of that exact cast from the Pompeii Exhibit taken by photographer Ken Thomas on the back cover of the print book. (You can see his original photo here.) I began to wonder what their story might have been, and the tragic couple eventually evolved into a young Pompeian girl and the slave gladiator she loved. Then I wondered what might have happened if they were given a second chance.
What is your favorite part of writing?
Hearing from readers that they’ve enjoyed the book is the best thing evva! I used to be a contest diva back in my pre-published days. A few weeks ago, a contest judge blogged about how she’d judged the first few chapters of ASHES in the Golden Heart Contest years ago and has been waiting ever since for it to be published so she could finish reading it (http://tinyurl.com/blh92ty). I swear, I cried like a baby when I read her post. Being able to touch a reader like this is why I do what I do.
What is your least favorite part of writing?
Keeping the word count down. I’m a wordy writer. I find it hard to keep a book under 120,000 words. ASHES originally clocked in at 124,000 words. I managed to trim it down to 110,000. DRAGON weighed in at a whopping 137,000 words. I’ve got it down to 120,000 now and I’m still cutting. Ugh.
Where do you get the ideas for your stories?
They come from all difference things. I already talked about where the idea for ASHES came from. I can’t remember how GOTHIC came to life (most likely it was while I was watching a BBC version of Jane Eyre?), but I can definitely recall the moment DRAGON (the first in my medieval time travel series) came to me. My daughter was having her 6th birthday party and she was so sick of going to princess parties that she insisted on having a dragon party. After hand making dragon hand puppets, a pin the flame on the dragon poster, and 3D a dragon cake (complete with blue tortilla chips down the back for its spines—it was actually quite cool looking), I was on dragon overload. While I was up to my elbows in suds doing dishes one night, the idea of a modern woman being send back in time and sacrificed to the local dragon came to mind. Then I thought it would be a lot of fun if the dragon was actually a dragon slaying knight cursed to be the creature he once hunted. The story took on a life of its own from that moment on.
What advice do you have for other authors wanting to self-publish?
Hire a good professional editor (not your mom, your sister, or the English teacher down the street). I’m a firm believer that no author, even those who’ve been published for years by NY, should edit their own work. At some point, you’re just too close to it and can’t see the mistakes staring you in the face. I thought I had a decent grasp of the English language, but after having two editors go over ASHES, I’ve discovered I have comma issues. *G* Oh, and if you don’t have an artistic bone in your body, hire a good cover artist, too. Unfortunately, people do judge a book by its cover. Your novel may be the next Gone With the Wind, but if your cover looks like a 4 year old slapped it together with magazine cutouts and a glue stick, they’ll never see beyond the bad artwork to find out.
Do you have critique partners?
I used to be in a critique group. But I’m not a linear writer. I tend to jump around, working on the scenes that are screaming in my head to be written as opposed to writing chapter 1, then chapter 2, then chapter 3. I might work on the cute-meet today, the black moment tomorrow, and then the love scene the next day. It’s a process that works for me, but it makes it nearly impossible to critique my work until it’s pretty much done. I’ve decided at this point in my career, beta readers will serve me better. BTW, I’m on the hunt for a few good beta readers, so if anyone’s interested, shoot me an email!
What is your favorite dessert/food?
Snow crab legs. Any time there’s a birthday or special occasion, it’s always celebrated with all you can eat crab legs in our family. Pass the butter, please.
Was your road to publication fraught with peril or a walk in the park?
Definitely no walk in the park. After I wrote my first book (the aforementioned dust bunny babysitter), I wrote ASHES. One of the first agents I queried signed me, so in that aspect, I did hop on the fast train. I thought, “Sweet! I made it to the big time with my second book.” Not so fast. Although my agent loved it, NY had ‘issues’ with the WWII time period. Apparently it has cooties as far as they’re concerned. The book made its way up the editorial ladder at one NY publishing house and they asked me to reset the WWII part as a contemporary.
After a lot of soul searching, I had to say no. It would have changed the characters and the story too much. So I put ASHES away and waited for NY to come around. They never did, so I self-published it. It was the best decision I ever made. I love the control, the ability to say THIS is how this story needs to be told. And being able to design my own book covers really appeals to the graphics geek in me.
Do you have a view in your writing space? What does your space look like?
Oh, yes. Once my kids were old enough to no longer require my attention 24/7, I turned the sunroom—which was their playroom until about 6 years ago—back into a sunroom. It’s on the 2nd story and has huge windows on 3 sides with views of the woods behind our house and the babbling creek that cuts through our backyard. I’ve had deer, fox, hawks, and a wild turkey traipse by while I’m writing. You’d never know we live in a suburban neighborhood. I have a lounging couch by one of the windows that I pretty much live in, with my laptop on—what else?—my lap.
Tell us about your hero. Give us one of his strengths and one of his weaknesses.
David is a closet beta forced to be an alpha. He abhors the idea of taking another person’s life. Unfortunately, being born a slave gladiator and then again as a soldier in WWII, he’s had little choice but to kill others if he wants to live. I’ll let you in on a little secret—he’s much braver than he thinks he is.
Tell us about your heroine. Give us one of her strengths and one of her weaknesses.
Sera is a head-strong woman in a man’s world. All her life, she’s had to fight for respect and recognition as an archeologist. But behind the strong façade, she’s still the lost and lonely girl from her past life—until David comes along to rock her world.
EXCERPT:
David must have sensed her presence. Turning, he leaned a broad shoulder against the crumbling wall and gazed down on her from his high perch, casually sticking a blade of dry grass in the corner of his mouth.
“I wasn’t sure if I’d be welcome here this morning.”
She was struck by how fluent his Italian was. His voice sounded so calm, so relaxed. Did he feel half as uneasy as she did? If he did, he hid it well.
“And I wasn’t sure if you’d be here at all,” she replied.
He shrugged and rolled the piece of grass from one side of his mouth to the other.
“I almost didn’t come. I figured instead of you, I’d have the Italian guard waiting with a complimentary blindfold and cigarette.”
“Don’t think I didn’t consider turning you in a half a dozen times last night.”
David jumped down from the wall, startling her, and she took an involuntary step back. Just how dedicated was he to this mission? Did he see her as the threat she saw him? Would he kill her if she got in the way? Was he even now planning a way to silence her forever?
Closing the gap between them in four quick strides, he stood so close she swore he could feel her heart pounding even though he wasn’t touching a single inch of her.
“So, why didn’t you?”
Why did he have to stand so close? She glanced down at his hands hanging loose at his sides. Strong hands that could easily wrap around her neck and squeeze the life out of her before she could utter a sound.
“I promised you I wouldn’t.”
“People break promises all the time.”
Her eyes shot back to his face. Whether he knew it or not, he’d hit a nerve. She tried to pretend telling Maria didn’t count.
“Not me.”
For a long time he just stared at her. She wondered what secrets he saw, what vulnerability he might sense deep inside and use against her. Regardless, Sera refused to retreat.
“I know.” He spoke in English, his voice so low it was almost a whisper. “That’s why I trusted you enough to come back.”
Now it was her turn to look into his face and search for the truth. His soft brown eyes showed nothing but trust, full and complete. But then again, she’d been wrong about men before.
He tilted his head to the side, and the slight movement blocked out the morning sun in the sky behind him, creating the effect of a glowing halo around his handsome face. But she reminded herself that he was no angel. He was a spy.
She stepped back, needing to put some space between them, and tripped over the forgotten shovel David had thrown in anger yesterday. Her arms spun around, grasping for balance in the air as she felt herself falling. He reached out to grab her, but her feet tangled with his, and they both crashed to the ground.
David raised himself up on his arms above her, concern evident as his eyes flicked over her face.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, except for the fact that I have a shovel digging into my back, and you weigh a ton on top of me.”
A slow grin crept across his face, the boyish charm he flashed sending her heartbeat into double-time. He reached beneath her and eased the shovel handle out from under the small of her back. After tossing it to the side, he looked back down at her, his upper body hovering over her with his arms braced on either side of her face.
“Better?”
“You’re still on top of me.”
The grin slowly faded. “So I noticed.”
BIO
In a previous life, Lori worked as a graphic designer for fourteen years for the power company, occasionally venturing into nuclear power plants for her job (yes, nuclear plants need graphic designers, too). In her current existence, she weaves tales of the past, the present, and some places only magic can take you.
Lori lives in Virginia with her engineering geek/hero husband, two kids who test her sanity on a daily basis, a dog named Hokie (named after the Virginia Tech Hokies, of course), and various other critters of the furred and finned variety.
Sneak Peek – Coming Soon – The Swords of Gregara – RIZA
This is a Sneak Peek of book 2 in The Swords of Gregara series, RIZA. The first book was The Swords of Gregara – JENALA. I hope you enjoy this little peek into my newest book. If you leave me a comment I’ll put your name in a drawing for a paperback copy of Centauri Dawn. The first book in my Centauri Series – Cynthia Woolf
CHAPTER 1
“Ow! Are you trying to kill me, Doc?”
The man was understandably nervous, but he had to allow her to set his leg. She knew he was in a lot of pain. The bone stuck out through the skin and he had lost a lot of blood, but he needed to relax so she could set the leg.
“I haven’t even started yet. Stop being a baby. Here we go. You’ll feel a little pinch in your neck, then count backwards from one hundred.”
“Ouch! Little pinch!”
“Count, now!”
“One hundred, ninety-nine, ninety-eight, ninety-seven, ninety….”
“Finally.” Riza worked quickly, not sure just how long he would stay out. She opened his leg, surgically implanted two kalcion rods and several screws to secure them to the bones. It would have been so much easier with a med-tech unit. But there were none on Gregara. They weren’t allowed. There were many things on the other civilized planets that weren’t allowed here, like blasters, but for some reason blasters always seemed to make it through the customs process. In Ruciem it seemed that as many people carried blasters as carried the traditional kalcion sword.
Most of the planet preferred to keep their customs, barbaric as they were. They used swords, not blasters and preferred the body to heal itself without help from technology. It made her work much more difficult. A broken leg like this one could have been healed in a few hours in a med-tech unit.
She stitched everything closed. Doing surgeries like this one allowed her to keep her skills sharp. It may not be necessary, but this man would have the smallest stitches ever put on a leg repair. Her skills as a plastic surgeon might not be usable here, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t keep her stitching up to par.
With her patient now awake and groggy, Riza went to talk to the next of kin. There was only one man in the waiting room. An extremely attractive man, if you liked handsome in a rugged sort of way. He hadn’t shaved recently and his inky black hair was on the long side, tied back with a leather strap. It suited him.
He stood as she approached. Well over six feet tall, he towered over her own five feet, ten inch height.
“Mr. Remaul?” she said holding out her hand.
“Yes.” His hand engulfed hers.
“I’m Riza Lamrona.”
“Doctor. How is Tarin?”
“He’ll be fine, but he’s going to have to stay in bed for a week or so before he’s ready to travel. I want to make sure the bones start to mend properly. Can you arrange that?”
“Of course. We have rooms at Wardson’s Bedstay.”
She nodded. “I wish there was a hospital here. A med-tech unit would be even better but….”
“I guess they don’t think they need one.”
“Well, he will heal fine, but it could be so much faster and better. You’re not from around here, are you?”
“No. I came from Alerkan a couple of years ago. And you, where are you from?”
“I’m from many places. Alerkan is one of them.” Riza retreated to her work. She didn’t want to make small talk. Her secrets were too dangerous. “Here are some pills to help with the pain. Have Tarin take them. Don’t let him try to ‘tough’ it out. Sarina Wardson is used to my sending her patients to care for. I’ll check on him in the morning.”
“What time do you want him here?”
“Oh, I’m staying with Sarina myself until I find a place of my own. I’ll come by before I head to work.”
“Good.”
“Yes. Um. Well. It was nice to meet you.” Riza wasn’t usually tongue-tied but she seemed to be with this man.
“You, too. Perhaps, since you are staying at Wardson’s, I’ll see you at dinner tonight.”
“Unless I get an emergency call, you can count on it.”
Darick was struck with the seemingly plain woman with the amazing blue eyes. The little doctor thought she could hide behind her tight braid and glasses. She was wrong. There was no hiding her soft brown hair or clear blue eyes. Eyes so pale a blue you could see the black rim around the iris. Hair with natural blond and red highlights, so it looked like a flash of fire running through it.
Or her sexy body. He shouldn’t be interested. Should let her keep her secrets. He had secrets of his own, but his past kicked in and suddenly he was the Star Patrol lead detective again, digging into the past of a suspect.
There was something about the doctor that was familiar, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. Dr. Riza Lamrona was in hiding. And not doing a very good job at it. Perhaps at dinner, the picture would become clearer.
*****
Riza took extra care before going down to dinner. Extra care to make sure she looked as plain as possible. She pulled her hair back into a tight bun. Put on zero makeup, leaving her complexion pale with no lip color.
She wore her shirt buttoned to the top, with a short brown jacket and baggy brown pants. It was nothing like the beautiful soft jewel toned jumpsuits and short, skin tight dresses she wore in her previous life. These baggy nondescript clothes would never have been worn by Dr. Meriza Lonettala. But she wasn’t that person anymore.
She went to dinner hoping to see Mr. Remaul and at the same time terrified she would. If Sarina didn’t made such a fuss when she missed dinner, she might have skipped. Then again, her curiosity was in high gear. She didn’t want to miss the opportunity to assuage it.
Darick Remaul was the most attractive man she’d met in years and that was saying something. He was nothing like the men she’d known on Centauri or Alerkan and he was as different as night and day to those she’d met since coming to Gregara a year ago.
He was strong, manly but not oppressive. It was clear, at least to her, that he was a protector. It didn’t really matter. When his friend was cleared for travel, Darick would be gone and she’d never see him again.
Wardson’s was full. There were ten rooms so it was small enough that Sarina could run it with only two employees. A maid and the finest chef in all of Ruciem.
Riza arrived downstairs before the rest of the guests.
“Can I help with anything?” she asked Sarina.
Sarina Wardson had become Riza’s friend, not just her landlady. Riza was her only long term guest and after nearly a year there, Riza didn’t feel like a guest anymore. This felt more like home than any place she’d been. Safer.
There were a couple of new guests tonight. In addition to Darick, Tarin and herself, guests included a couple traveling through on their way to Sepiwa. and Santro and Jenala Baltin with their baby Kreston. It was time for his six month check-up. Lastly, there were two single men, who said they were miners looking for work.
Darick might be able to help them. Santro and Jenala elected to keep the Delasa Mine a small operation. They didn’t want their valley over-run with fortune hunters, trespassers or miners looking for work. The strike at the mine was kept as quiet as possible, no thanks to Zlaten Vandalar. Not only did he try to kill Jenala, twice, wounding her both times, but he talked to anyone who would listen and told them anything and everything he knew about the mine.
Fortunately, the only ones he could tell were the other inmates and the jailers on the prison planet, Solara, where he was incarcerated. Unfortunately for Santro and Jenala, some of those guards believed him and came looking for the mine. They’d had to post guards of their own at the top of the pass to keep people out of the valley. Those that got through, ran screaming back home as soon as they ran into Lottie, the snarlot. She was Jenala’s pet and struck fear into everyone, friend and foe alike.
Lottie was eleven feet of snarling, chirping beast. Dark brown fur covered her from her pointy, tiny eared, beaked head to her hoofed feet. She had a whip of a tail covered with hair interspersed with quills. Get too close and she’d shoot a quill, closer still and she’d snap her tail and take a hand off without having to let loose a single quill.
If her tail wasn’t dangerous enough, her beak was filled with razor sharp teeth that could rip an arm off with one bite. And to top this all off, the damn thing purred. Very few people knew that a snarlot purrs because very few people cared to make friends with one. Lottie was an exception. Snarlots don’t generally make good pets.
Riza still couldn’t get near her. And the first time she saw Santro and Jenala leave Kreston alone with Lottie, it had scared Riza half to death, but it was the only time she’d heard Lottie purr. The snarlot doted on little Kreston like he was her own baby. She’d been ‘parked’ outside Riza’s office while Santro and Jenala unloaded the kalcion bags from her to take to the exchange next door.
The large dinner table they sat at seated twenty, though there weren’t that many tonight. The miners at the table didn’t know one another. One was very anxious to find work. “I have a wife and three children to support. The last mine I worked at closed down. If I find work, I can send for them.”
“I’m sorry you’ve had to be separated from your family. It can’t be easy,” said Riza.
“Thank you. Hopefully it’s a short separation.”
Riza nodded then turned to the second man. He was looking, no, staring, at her and she didn’t like it at all. Uncomfortable, she put her brave face on and started to say something. He beat her to it.
“What do you do?” he asked of Riza.
“I’m the town doctor. Actually, I’m the province doctor.” She said, glad of her disguise.
“No specialty?”
Riza shook her head. “General medicine. That’s the only specialty I need out here.”
“Surely there is something you excel at. Surgery, maybe?”
“There wasn’t much call for surgical specialties when I was in school. Not with the med-tech units available.”
“So you aren’t from here?”
He knew. He knew who Riza was. She’d have to leave again. Run again. “No, I’m from Sepiwa originally.”
Darick noticed Riza’s color rise when the second miner started grilling her. He was not a miner, of that Darick was sure. He had no calluses on his hands and was too clean. Real kalcion miners always had a bit of kalcion under their nails. It was nearly impossible to get out. He could see it in Santro’s and Jenala’s nails and in those of the other miner at the table, but not in this man’s. Whether he was law enforcement or private investigator he didn’t know, but he would bet he was a malitin hunter. Someone had put a malitin on Riza’s head. The lady doctor was in trouble. All his instincts went on high alert.
He should stay out of it but he knew he wouldn’t She tried to hide her fear as well as she hid her beauty–not at all successfully, yet she thought she was doing a great job, with her plain clothes and pulled back hair and glasses.
“You ask a lot of questions, stranger,” said Darick, coming to her rescue. “How about answering a few?”
The miner narrowed his eyes. “What do you want to know?”
*****
Riza went directly from the dining hall to her bedroom. She packed enough clothes to last a week, including her wheebee fur coat. It was the softest, warmest thing she owned. The only remnant of her previous life. The only necessary item she’d owned. It would keep her warm in the snow and cold.
She was amazed at how much stuff she’d amassed in such a short time. From the small things like the earrings from Santro and Jenala, in gratitude for the successful birth of Kreston, to the new wave vision she’d bought just two days ago. She slid her hand across the top of it. She’d enjoyed it for the short time she’d owned it. It was nice to be able to relax in her own room and watch for news on herself.
She’d take the earrings, but the other stuff would be left for Sarina to do with as she wanted. Maybe her next guests would enjoy it.
She wrote a note to Sarina, thanking her for everything but that her family on Alerkan needed her and she must leave right away. She left by the back door.
“Going somewhere?” said a deep voice from the shadows.
Riza jumped before she recognized the voice. “You scared me. Do you always skulk in the dark waiting for unsuspecting women?”
“No, and you should be scared. Ragnar Bengat has a 25 million beras malitin on your head. Why?”
“I don’t know what you are talking about.”
Darick grabbed her by the shoulders forcing her to look at him. “Do you really think you can escape Bengat without help? Why is he looking for you? Were you lovers?”
She pulled away from him. His touched seared her, as if he’d left actual marks on her skin. It still radiated through her body. “No. We were most certainly not lovers.”
“Then why? You’re not leaving until you tell me, so you might as well start or we’ll be here all night and I know that isn’t what you want.”
Riza backed away from him. He followed her, not giving her any distance between them. She briefly wondered if he felt the attraction that she did. “It’s really none of your business Mr. Remaul. Now, if you’d please let me go, I’ll be on my way.”
“I told you doctor. I know who you are. I remember seeing you on the wave. Even under all your baggy clothes and glasses I remember what you looked like.”
“No. That’s not possible.”
“Not for the average person, no it isn’t. But I’m not your average person. My background in law enforcement taught me to look below the surface. So now,” he backed away a little, giving her some room. “Do you want to tell me what this is all about?”
Riza held back a sob. It had been so long since she’d been able to confide in anyone and now was as good a time as any. With malatin hunters right here, Darick Remaul might be her only hope of escape. “All right I’ll tell you what you want to know. It doesn’t matter now. If you turn me in or the other man does. Bengat will have what he wants. Me.”
An Interview with Lynda Scott
Thank you for joining me today, Lynda. Readers don’t forget to leave a comment with your email address in the comment. Lynda will be picking a winner from those who leave their email address only
How did you get started writing?
I’m not sure. I started writing stories when I first picked up a pencil. Of course most of those stories featured talking animals, ie dogs or horses.
What genre(s) do you write in and why?
I write Science Fantasy Romance. When I was a child visiting my uncle, I found an Isaac Asimov book, The Foundation and Empire, that just captivated me. There was adventure, science and romance all of which just spoke to my soul. That book gave me the desire to write similar stories and so I have.
Tell us about your current series.
Right now, I’m working with Linda Wisdom on an erotic paranormal series under the subtitle: Great Escapes. This series is an interactive series from Colilolquy where the reader can customize certain factors in the story. This is a bit different for me as an author but it’s so much fun!
What inspired your latest book?
I’m working on a futuristic series that features a symbiotic life form pairing with human beings. The first book, Rider, is actively seeking a home while I work on the second book.
What is your favorite part of writing?
I have two favorite parts: research and character development. I love research and find myself lost for hours at a time finding fascinating tidbits that might or might not end up in the book. Character development, well, that introduces me to a new set of friends. Yes, these characters are my friends. I end up knowing them better than almost anyone in the real world. The neat thing is that, like ‘real’ people, different facets of their personality comes out as the story progresses or situations change. Learning about these characters is just as fascinating as creating the world they live in.
What is your least favorite part of writing?
Mmm, writing the synopsis so you can sell your finished book. I either make it so long, it’s pretty much a mini book or so short the reader just scratches her head and says, huh? I’m not much of a salesperson.
What is your next project and when will it be released?
Linda Wisdom and I are working on Great Escapes: Summer Solstice for Coliloquy right now. Then we might work on a July 4 or Veteran’s Day themed Great Escapes.
What is your typical day like?
LOL, it’s pretty boring. Get up, feed the alien kitten, housework-exercise-email, prep posts if any for my blog Star-Crossed Romance, prep any guest posts for myself, review current edits or new material to prepare for the day’s writing, actually WRITE, give alien kitten lunch, WRITE, feed alien kitten, relax by petting or playing with alien kitten, watch tv while checking email. Prepare for bed, feed alien kitten (she has to have small amounts because she gorges then vomits it back up which is definitely an eeewwww moment we try to avoid. The stuff smells bad going in but even worse coming out!)
How much time do you spend promoting your books? What works best for you?
I try to do guest blogs on a regular basis but haven’t really counted up the amount of time. I like to have giveaways so readers can get introduced to my books which I think works best.
How has your experience with self-publishing been?
I’ve only self-published one book, Altered Destiny, and it’s done almost as well as my Heartstone published by Mundania Press.
Where do you get the ideas for your stories?
Dreams. I have strange and unusual dreams that have spurred ideas and scenes and characters. It’s as if I have a doorway to all the alternate universes I write about and the ideas come pouring out. Yep, I’m a bit odd, lol.
What advice do you have for other authors wanting to self-publish?
Prepare to self-promote as often as you can but first make sure you’ve edited your book so that typos and other assorted errors don’t live on every page. Nothing is as distracting as misspelled or misplaced words or grammar.
Do you have critique partners?
No.
What is your favorite dessert/food?
I’m a simple girl. I like chocolate in any form. Dark chocolate is the best but any chocolate will do.
How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book?
If they totally tick me off, they might end up in a chalk outline on page 12 (I have a coffee cup that says that, lol) but generally most people won’t make an appearance.
What is most difficult for you to write? Characters, conflict or emotions? Why?
I have a harder time writing conflict since I’m a peace loving person. But I always try to make it a case of defending the innocent or righting a wrong. That seems to make it a little easier for me.
Was your road to publication fraught with peril or a walk in the park?
I’m not sure if was fraught with peril but it wasn’t a walk in the park either. I’d won or finaled in a number of contests and got some nibbles but it took a while to actually make a sale.
Give us an elevator pitch for your book.
Great Escapes pitch – The heartbroken and lovelorn come to Great Escapes B&B in search of a relaxing getaway, only to embark on a weekend of sexual self-discovery, courtesy of the inn’s resident ghosts, who bring to life each guest’s deepest desires.
Do you have a view in your writing space? What does your space look like?
Right now my office is a disaster. I’ve been trying to clean my files so I have papers stacked and scattered everywhere. Then there are the piles of books. Luckily I firmly believe you can never have too many books…though I seem to be pushing that concept, lol. I have a south-east exposure but no real view. I like the amount of morning light I get since it energizes me. I sure wouldn’t mind a view of a lake or woods though.
What genres are you drawn to as a reader?
I read what I write – science fiction, fantasy, paranormal. Luckily I also get to review a number of fine books in these genres so it’s win-win for me…and explains the stacks of books mentioned earlier, lol
What do you have planned for the future?
In addition to the futuristic books, I have an End-of-the-World book that I’m seriously thinking about. I’m still fleshing out the story and the hero, who won’t be exactly human, but it’s a story that’s becoming more beguiling to me as it grows.
How far do you plan ahead?
Five minutes?
Do you have any words of inspiration for aspiring authors?
Read, then write. Then read some more. Craft books are fine but books by authors you admire are even better. Re-read them. Study how that author has developed the plot or the characters. Compare a book you liked to one you didn’t care as much for, discover why you didn’t like the one and preferred the other. Then read more books, write some more. Never stop writing. Never stop reading.
Do you or have you belonged to a writing organization? Which one? Have the helped you with your writing? How?
I’ve been in SFFA, HWA and currently in RWA. I belong to several fine chapters that provide research possibilities to help me create background or worlds.
Do you have any rejection stories to share?
I started writing short fiction and one of the rejections I got actually said – we don’t want our readers to lose their lunch! Now…that really irked me because there was nothing in the story that was gory. Not. One. Thing. There was conflict, there was potential conflict. There were romantic elements. There was no gore. But that magazine publisher went belly up about six months later. I hate to see publishers of any sort go belly up, but that time I did the Happy-Dance-of-Revenge, heheheh.
I’d like to offer one person who leaves a comment WITH their email address a pdf copy of my book, Altered Destiny. The time limit will be three days from the post date.
Thanks for having me here!
Lynda
Where to find me on the web:
Website http://www.lyndakscott.com.
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Twitter: http://twitter.com/LyndaKScott
Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lynda-K-Scott/201599553208653
Heartstone
By Lynda K. Scott
Mundania Press
Science Fantasy Romance
Eric d’Ebrur is out of time. He must fine the legendary Heartstone and fulfill the ancient Gar’Ja bond he shares with the Stonebearer. But when he finds her, he discovers that love can be more dangerous than the Gawan threat. Eric can defeat the mind-controlling Gawan but will it cost him the woman he loves?
After terrifying episodes of hypersensitivity, Keriam Norton thinks she’s losing her mind. When handsome shapeshifter Eric d’Ebrur saves her from the monstrous Gawan, she’s sure of it. But insane or not, she’ll find the Heartstone and, if she’s lucky, a love to last a lifetime.
Available in print and ebook format
Buy Links: Mundania Press (use MP10 at checkout for 10% discount)
http://www.mundania.com/book.php?title=Heartstone
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Heartstone-Lynda-K-Scott/dp/1606592335/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_3
Altered Destiny
By Lynda K Scott
Science Fantasy Romance
Available in ebook formats
Stranded on an alternate Earth, architect and Jill-of-all-trades, Liane Gautier-MacGregor must find her way back to her homeworld before she’s enslaved…or falls in love with a man who is the exact duplicate of her ex-husband.
Devyn MacGregor’s alter ego as the Reiver Lord is the only way he can fight the Qui’arel and their nefarious Bride Bounty, a tax paid with human females…until he meets the oddly familiar woman who claims he is her husband. And who sets in motion the rebellion that will either free his countrymen or destroy them.
Buy Links:
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Altered-Destiny-ebook/dp/B00579FKFO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1308920443&sr=8-1
Nook http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Altered-Destiny/Lynda-K-Scott/e/2940012882417
Great Escapes – Valentine’s Day
By Lynda K. Scott and Linda Wisdom
Coliloquy
Interactive Adult Paranormal Fiction
The heartbroken and lovelorn come to Great Escapes B&B in search of a relaxing getaway, only to embark on a weekend of sexual self-discovery, courtesy of the inn’s resident ghosts, who bring to life each guest’s deepest desires.
Just as the ghosts transform to meet the needs of each guest, Great Escapes leverages the Kindle platform to deliver what each reader wants. Do you like your erotica steamy or romantic? Your hero to have blue or brown eyes? Anonymously fill out your preferences, and we’ll deliver the best version of hundreds of combinations prepared by the authors.
In Great Escapes: Valentine’s Day, Rose’s best friend gives her a weekend stay, where an invisible lover helps her to rediscover her sexuality. But will she open her eyes enough to see who is right next door?
Buy Link
http://www.amazon.com/Great-Escapes/dp/B007P4365K/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1332913900&sr=8-6
An Interview with Jennette Marie Powell
Help me welcome Jennette Marie Powell to my blog today. Be sure and leave a comment to be entered in the drawing for a prize.
What is your typical day like?
I work a full-time paycheck job, so that takes up a lot of my day. When I get home, I get on the treadmill, and get some fun reading in. It’s the first exercise habit I’ve been able to keep for more than a few months!
After that, I read and answer email and check in on Twitter and Facebook. By the time I’m done with that, it’s usually dinner time.
I’m blessed to have a husband who cooks, and our teenage daughter cleans up. That gives me time to write, work on a little promo, and get in some relaxation (usually in the form of computer games) before it’s time for bed.
What advice do you have for other authors wanting to self-publish?
Get the craft down first! Odds are, your first book won’t be ready for publication, even if you think it is. I know mine wasn’t, even though it was contracted by an e-publisher! I wrote five more books before I published myself. The sixth was actually a complete rewrite of that first book, so even though the first one may not be publishable when you first write it, that’s not to say it won’t be later. But either way, always keep learning and improving your craft!
What is most difficult for you to write? Characters, conflict or emotions? Why?
Definitely emotions. Characters are fun – that’s what gets the story started. Conflict is easy – all I have to do is ask myself, how can things get worse? What’s the worst that can happen? Then figure out how to get my characters out of the fixes I get them into. Emotions are tricky for me, I think, because I’m not a particularly sentimental person. The other reason they’re tricky is it’s a challenge to come up with ways to show them (as opposed to “telling”) that are fresh and not overused.
When did you start writing toward publication?
I’ve always wanted to write, and started a number of novels while I was in high school and college, but never finished anything. Then I got busy getting a life, and only came back to writing a couple years after my daughter was born. In the late nineties, I read a really bland romantic suspense, and thought “I can do better.” At first, I just wanted to see if I could. So I bought a book – How to Write Romance by Vanessa Grant, and by the end of 1999, had written my first complete novel. To my surprise, it didn’t totally suck!
Has your muse always known what genre you would write and be published in?
Yes, even though I didn’t! When I was in high school and college, I read almost nothing but fantasy, and that’s also what I wrote. Only my stories always ended up being as much about the characters’ relationship as about the other stuff going on. What I thought was a fantasy was actually a fantasy romance – I just didn’t know it at the time because there was no such thing being published. And now, I can’t imagine writing something without romance in it, or without a speculative element, because that’s what I love.
Please tell my readers a little bit about your book.
In Time’s Fugitive, my American time-travel romance, Violet Sinclair remembers nothing of her past, but she’s certain she loved Tony Solomon… and did something terrible to him. Time-traveler Tony Solomon is sure he never met Violet, yet she bears an uncanny resemblance to the woman he loved and lost decades before he was born. After an impulse encounter leaves Violet pregnant with his child and targeted by killers from the future, their only escape is to jump into the past, something Tony swore he’d never do again. But when they jump back much further than planned – to prehistoric times – their troubles are only beginning—and secrets can get them killed.
Time’s Fugitive is Book #2 of the Saturn Society series, which is about a secret society of time travelers. Book #1 is Time’s Enemy. Although they’re probably better read in order, it’s not a necessity.
What’s next for you?
Hangar 18: Legacy is a science fiction romance about a psychic AF researcher, and a skeptical developer of mind-control software, who must team up to rescue an imprisoned extraterrestrial thought dead for decades. I’m planning to release it sometime this summer. Readers can subscribe to my newsletter on the home page of my website (www.jenpowell.com) to be notified when it’s out!
An Excerpt from Time’s Fugitive
Violet’s head stopped spinning to leave her with a prickly, scratchy sensation beneath her hands and her fanny. She opened her eyes and looked down.
Weeds and brush, bathed in ghostly white moonlight.
Everything was deathly still. No traffic buzzing by outside. No TV. No sirens blaring from the nearby hospital.
From a few feet away, a cricket chirped. Not one hundred percent quiet, then.
The hospital wasn’t there. Nor was the House. No street or traffic. The Society House’s parlor had disappeared, replaced by forestland and budding trees stretching up in the moonlight.
As if to confirm her conclusion, a tree frog croaked.
Like on television. A chill rushed down her throat.
A breeze ruffled her sleeve, her arm cold when Tony withdrew his hand. Her chills turned to quivers at the realization he’d been touching her. An ache swelled beneath her breast. She longed to lean into him, soak in his warmth, but she didn’t dare.
He gazed around with a wide-eyed, open-mouthed stare.
“Where on earth are we?” Violet asked. The crisp tang of recent rain hung in the air. In the distance, the frog croaked again.
“Hell if I know,” Tony said. Something rustled in the underbrush. Probably a squirrel or some other woodland creature.
“We jumped, didn’t we?” As the ground’s coldness seeped into her skin, Violet pushed herself up. Undergrowth crackled beneath her. She took a few tentative steps, her legs and arms growing heavier with each motion. “Only we must have jumped in space, too.”
“I’ve never heard of it working that way.” Tony rose beside her. “All I know is, recovery’s already hitting me. We need to find somewhere to crash, fast.”
Heavens, he was right. She needed to lie down. Now. “Yes, but where?”
They surveyed their surroundings again, as if wishing would make a Paradise Motel magically appear.
Tony took another wobbly step. “Doesn’t look like we have much choice, I’m…” He yawned.
Violet’s eyes fell closed. Her knees buckled, and she started to collapse, but Tony caught her.
He helped her to a pile of undergrowth at the base of a gigantic tree, one that had to have been over eight feet in diameter, with a little hollow formed by the roots. As soon as he released her, she sank into it. A breeze lifted a few dry leaves, and she shivered. Underbrush crackled as Tony lowered himself to the ground and squeezed in beside her. “We’ll need to keep warm, okay?” She mumbled an assent as he wrapped his arm over her and pressed against her back. He’s only being practical.
She wouldn’t think about how good he felt, or the heat rising inside her that had nothing to do with physical warmth. Necessity. Nothing more. Her worries about the baby, the killers, and what Tony thought of her slipped away. There was only now, cold, and recovery.
A shiver drove down her. Not from the wind, but something she remembered Mr. Pippin saying: You jump in time, never in space.
They’d gone back indeed, much further than intended.
Not decades. Centuries.
Visit Jennette Marie Powell at: http://www.jenpowell.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jenmariepowell
Twitter: @jenmariepowell
An Interview with Tori Scott
Please help me welcome Tori Scott to my blog today. Tori will be giving away a prize to one lucky commenter so be sure and leave a question or comment for her.
Tell us about your current series.
I’m currently working on the sequel to Blame it on Texas, tentatively titled Blue Moon over Texas. It should be ready for release sometime in mid-to-late May. Blame it on Texas starts off the series, set in Morris Springs, Texas–West Texas cotton and ranching country. Life in West Texas isn’t easy. There are lots of challenges to deal with, especially weather. The weather plays a big role in both stories, but small communities in isolated areas pull together and help each other during hard times. The community becomes an extension of the family. That’s what I’ve tried to bring to life in both books.
What is your favorite part of writing?
I love getting to know my characters. They become real people to me. They are people I’d like to have as friends or family. I barely know anything about them when I first get started, but they pretty much drive the story, revealing more about themselves as they go along. People often ask which is my favorite book or character, but I can’t choose. I love them all and enjoy going back to visit them on occasion. That’s one reason I like sequels.
What is your least favorite part of writing?
Having to get off of Facebook and Twitter and concentrate. I’m a social media junkie. I end up writing late at night after my online friends have gone to bed, and often write until 4 AM. I suspect I also have a bit of ADD, so I have to shut off everything–internet, television, phone–so I can get those words down. I’ll allow myself a 15 minute break every hour to do a quick check on Facebook and Twitter before I settle back down for the next round.
How has your experience with self-publishing been?
It’s been a roller coaster ride. There was the steady uphill climb from July to February, a freefall from March through April, and now we’re back on the uphill climb. But it’s allowed my husband and I to quit a thankless, dead-end job and let me pay off my credit card bills, so I’m way ahead of where I was this time last year. From this point, all I can do is wait and see. But I love, love, love the control self-publishing gives me, the fans I’ve gained, and the friends I’ve made. I wouldn’t trade it.
What advice do you have for other authors wanting to self-publish?
Like Nike says…Just Do It! The biggest mistake I made was not doing it sooner. The optimum time would have been the fall of 2010, but I was working 70 hours a week and just didn’t take the time to check it out. It wasn’t until the spring of 2011 that I really started listening to my friends talking about sales numbers. They got my attention then, and I finally jumped in and learned to format my manuscripts, and to get them up on the various sites. I wish I hadn’t waited so long, but I’m glad to be here now.
What do you have planned for the future?
Once I finish the Blame it on Texas sequel, I’ll release another sexy novella and then I’ll be working hard on the next book in the Superstition series. After that I want to write another romantic suspense along the lines of Lone Star Justice. And maybe a Christmas novellas for the holiday season. That’s for this year. Next year? I have no idea yet. My fans usually tell me what they want to see–or demand to see–next. LOL.
Twitter: @ToriScott
EXCERPTMegan had just curled up on the navy and gray striped couch when the doorbell rang. Nancy was in the shower and Jean was in her room with the door closed, so she pulled herself to her feet with a weary sigh and opened the door. A pretty, raven-haired girl about twelve years old stared at her, one small hand clenched tightly around the strap of a bulging backpack.
“Where’s my dad?” The girl’s voice teetered on the edge of hysteria. She looked like she’d been drug through a wringer washer–backwards, at that.
“Well, I don’t know honey. Who’s your dad?”
“Logan Tanner. He lives here.” The child made a valiant attempt to look cool and composed, but her quivering chin revealed her exhaustion and fear.
“Logan Tanner’s your father? That makes you Carol’s niece.” Megan stuck her hand out. “I’m Megan, one of Carol’s friends from college. But your Dad’s not here. I’m subleasing the apartment from him.”
“What do you mean, subleasing the apartment? He doesn’t live here anymore?” The girl bit her bottom lip and clenched the backpack tighter with a trembling hand.
Megan could see the panic in her eyes. The poor child’s face lost all color and she swayed on her feet. Not sure what else to do, she grabbed the girl’s hand and pulled her inside. With an arm around her shoulder, Megan led her to the couch and gently pushed her into a sitting position. “You stay right there. I’m going to get you something to drink.”
The oversized, double door refrigerator was still almost empty and she’d finished off the last of the tea, but she found a soft drink hidden behind a six-pack of beer. Nancy’s, but it couldn’t be helped. This was an emergency. She filled a glass with ice, then carried both back to the living room. “Now, why don’t you know where your father is? Didn’t he tell you he was moving away for a while?”
Fat tears welled up in the child’s eyes. “I haven’t heard from him in months. Mom says he’s forgotten about me and that I should forget about him, too. But I want to hear him say he doesn’t want me anymore.” A lone tear spilled over and made a watery track down her grimy cheek. She wiped it away, leaving a streak of dirt in its wake. “Maybe Mom’s right, if he didn’t even tell me he was moving.”
“Hush now. Fathers don’t forget their children. What’s your name?” Megan sat cross-legged on the oak coffee table, poured the soft drink into the glass, and handed it to the distraught child.
“Katherine Elizabeth Tanner. My dad calls me Katie. Or Katydid, when he’s teasing me.”
“You see? That proves it. Fathers don’t give their daughters nicknames if they don’t care about them.”
Hers hadn’t, anyway. She’d always been Megan Colleen, no matter what tone of voice her father had used. “Where do you live?”
“Baton Rouge. I live with my mom, but I need to find my dad.” She looked up with pleading storm-gray eyes. Do you know where he is?”
Baton Rouge! That was more than four hundred miles away. “Where’s your mom? Did she come with you?”
Katie shook her head. “I took a bus. I told Mom I was going camping with a friend’s family. It’ll take her a few days to figure out what happened.”
Oh, good Lord. She was harboring a runaway. “Look, Katie. You need to call your mother and let her know where you are. I have your father’s phone number around here somewhere. As soon as you let your mother know you’re safe, we’ll call your dad.”
“No! I can’t let her know where I am until I find my father. She’ll make me go back home without seeing him. And I doubt she’s home, anyway.” She grabbed Megan’s hand and squeezed it tightly. “Please. Will you take me to him?”
“Katie, I can’t…”
“Fine. I’ll find him myself.” Katie flung Megan’s hand aside, jumped up from the couch, and ran for the door. Megan caught her before she could get it open.
“Wait. You can’t go wandering around by yourself. You could get kidnapped.”
Katie snorted. “Who would want me? I’m just in everybody’s way.”
Megan’s heart wrenched at the casual way Katie dismissed her own worth. She knew exactly how the child felt. “Honey, that’s not true. I’m sure your parents love you. There has to be some reason you haven’t heard from your dad.”
Platitudes, but what else could she offer? “Look, you go sit back down and I’ll find that number. We’ll call your father and he can come get you. We’ll let him work things out with your mother.”
Katie’s young face lit up with a brilliant smile. She threw her arms around Megan’s neck and hugged her. “Thank you!” Then she skipped off to sit back on the couch, leaving Megan staring after her.
Jean’s door opened just as Nancy reappeared in the living room, Chanel No. 5 preceding her in a cloud of overpowering scent. Katie wrinkled her nose and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “Who’s that?”
Nancy held her freshly polished nails in front of her. “Who’s the kid? And what did you do to her to make her squeal like that?”
Katie drew herself up to her full five-foot height. “I don’t squeal.”
“Really?” Nancy made a production out of blowing on her nails. “Could’ve fooled me.”
Megan stepped in between them. “Stop it. This is Katie, and she’s looking for her dad–our landlord. Katie, this is Nancy, and that’s Jean.” She waved toward the bedroom doorway.
Nancy and Katie sized each other up, then Nancy grinned and said, “You need a bath, kiddo. The shower is all yours.”
Katie rolled her eyes and turned back to Megan. “Could you find Dad’s phone number? Please?”
Megan went to the roll-top desk in the corner and rifled through the drawers, looking for Logan’s number. “Hang on. I know it’s in here somewhere.”
Katie walked over to the window and looked outside, then turned to Megan. “Do you have his new address?”
Megan found the elusive piece of paper and turned around, waving it in the air. “Found it. And the address is a post office box in Morris Springs.”
Katie’s face lit up. “Morris Springs! That’s where my Grandpa lives.” A crease formed between her brows as they scrunched together. “But why would my dad be there? He hates it.”
Megan reached out and took Katie’s hand. She hated to be the one to break the bad news. “Your grandfather’s had a stroke, and your father and Carol are taking care of the farm.” At Katie’s stricken look, she rushed to add, “He’s doing better, I think. Your dad is planning to move back here at the end of the summer.”
Katie looked up with an expectant expression. “Would you drive me out there?”
Interview with J. Paulette Forshey
1. How did you get started writing?My senior year in high school, I asked a guidance counselor about a writing career. His advice: “Find a good man, get married and forget writing.” I took his recommendation to heart and married my high school sweetheart at the tender age of nineteen. Nearly twenty years, and two children later, I took another man’s advice — my husband’s — and went back to the writing I’d given up. My husband is my biggest supporter, and I’m grateful for all he does so I can continue to write full-time.2. What genre(s) do you write in and why?
I write in paranormal, fantasy, contemporary, and erotica. The erotica is kind of a fluke. What I thought was good, old-fashion, hot, loving, turns out to be erotica in the industry. The world in my mind, consist of vampires, angels, fairies, wizard, and elves, so it’s natural to write about them. The contemporary comes about because I feel even the normal people need Happily Ever Afters.
3. What is your favorite part of writing?
The thrill you receive when you start a new book. Meeting the characters and finding out about their lives.
4. What is your least favorite part of writing?
Editing, having your editor send the first round back to you for corrections after I worked so hard to make it perfect.
5. What is your next project and when will it be released?
“The Estate”, a horror story, release date is Friday July 13, 2012, yep that’s why its scary. I had a lot of fun writing it, and meeting the quintet of southern ladies who help the hero Cuilean Keeley.
6. What are you currently working on?
That would be the next in my Tarczal series, “The Archway”, and a Ménage à trios for Whispers Publishing, titled “A Tango Trinity”. Hope to have both out by the end of the year.
7. What do you have planned for the future?
I’ve in mind several books continuing my Tarczal vampires, total of eight in all. I just love these powerful Alpha blood-drinking males that crumble when that special woman comes into their lives, and how they deal with her.
BIOJ. Paulette lives in a small Ohio town with her husband, a Basset Hound, and a Jack Russell who thinks she owns the place. Her mornings belong to her writing, her days are spent loving her five grandbabies, and her nights belong to her husband, the inspiration for her heroes. An award winning author, she is a member of Romance Writers of America, Central Ohio Fiction Writers, Southeastern Ohio Novel Writing Group, Northeast Ohio Romance Writers of America, and the Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal Chapter of RWA. She also writes under the name of Genevieve Delacroix.
SPECIAL SNEAK PEEK
EXCERPT FROM SAVAGE BOND – A FALLEN NOVELLA
Thank you so much to RomCon for having me by today! I’ve had lots of fun before with the Reader’s Crown readers, sharing excerpts from my first two Fallen novels: Bond with Me and His Dark Bond. Both of these books feature bad boy fallen angels; stripped of their wings, they were kicked out of the Heavens and exiled to Earth… but with a promise of redemption. Each of the Fallen has one pre-destined mate. Find her and love her—and his soul will be redeemed and his wings restored. Of course, these guys are sensual alphas and warriors… and after three thousand years of failing to find their mates, they’re pretty jaded.
Savage Bond is a novella and part of my Fallen series, although it can certainly be read alone. The novella’s hero is Vkhin, who appears in both of the earlier books. He’s one of the oldest of the Fallen, a cold, merciless warrior-angel who’s perfectly okay with having lost his emotions and his soul when he was exiled from the Heavens. He’s always intrigued me because he’s so cold and emotionless—what would it take to stir him up and get him going? What kind of woman could help him rediscover his lost soul? How about a woman who is lost and running for her life with a set of photos Vkhin desperately needs to get his hands on? (What can I say—I’m a sucker for a good hunt!)
Ria Morgan jumps out of a helicopter and finds herself in the middle of a battlefield—and Vkhin is her only way out… but his help comes with a very sensual price tag.
Vkhin’s headset crackled, coming alive, as the slim figure ejected in slow motion from the open chopper bay. Ten thousand feet up, but his view from the helo was still ringside. The gloved hand hitting the small of the jumper’s back had him growling. That hand had touched her. He knew the body falling free of the chopper. Not as well as he wanted, but he’d been watching her for the last month and Fallen intel said she’d gone up in the plane. One pilot. One ride-along MVD agent. And Ria Morgan.
Ria’s body cleared the chopper and he fought his instinctive reaction. That bird was going down and he didn’t want her anywhere near the wreck. He’d warned Zer and the other Fallen that MVD was getting too bold, making moves that would take the human police division right into Fallen territory. Looked like he was going to have the proof he needed. Unfortunately, his professional responsibilities here were at war with something more feral. Possessive. Ria Morgan was his.
She might be a card-carrying member of MVD and an enemy hostile in his territory, but he wanted her. A rogue dropped away from others going after the chopper, circling back around the protective fire Ria’s human companion was laying down. The gunner laid in counter-fire and the rogue dropped. If Ria was lucky and the other MVD agent was a good shot, Ria just might make it to the ground.
Good. He commed in on his headset. “I’ve got a visual. One jumper. Rest of the crew is staying put. I’m going closer.”
Punching in his new coordinates, he drove the helo towards the chopper without waiting for confirmation from base.
His response to Ria was irrational. She was a backroom operative, a desk jockey. Smart as a whip—he wouldn’t make the mistake of underestimating her brain—but she pulled her nine-to-five and left the dirty stuff to MVD’s field agents. She went into that office building every morning, real punctual. She stopped briefly to pick up a mocha—guilty weakness—and a doughnut, while he knew the same untouched energy bar banged around in the bottom of her over-sized purse every morning. She favored slim pencil skirts and buttoned up white blouses in real soft syn-cotton that clung to her breasts beneath the oversized cardigans she wrapped around herself because she was always cold. A sexy skirt and blouse like that just begged for four-inch heels, but, no, she paired the ensemble with an endless series of black ballerina flats. That mismatch intrigued him. Because, if she wore the flats because they were comfortable or she enjoyed them, what did that say about her taste in skirts? Those skirts cupped her ass, were made from soft fabrics that rubbed against her skin with every step she took, slid temptingly upward when she sat down at that desk of hers, crossed her legs, and leaned forward, going for the joystick controlling her drone. Those skirts were a sensual treat.
He just wanted to know who she was treating.
He, on the other hand, was a warrior, a hand-to-hand fighter who’d climbed into far too many trenches and done whatever killing needed to be done. He didn’t need to be jonesing after a woman who clearly not only didn’t know the meaning of down and dirty, but had no intentio
Excerpt: The Tarczal Alliance
“You disagree the painting is showy?” He turned the subject back to the painting, and with practiced ease, he returned what he surmised was a compliment from the flush blooming on her cheeks. He indulged himself by allowing his gaze to rake over her. A whine like a mosquito’s settled in his ears.
“The artist captured Kandinsky’s style completely,” she sputtered. Logan didn’t give a damn about the painting or the artist. He wondered if the large, dark purple sweater that hung mid-thigh on her was an attempt to hide her body. If that was her goal, the tight black stretch pants, and thigh-high ebony suede boots were a poor choice. Any movement pulled the sweater tight like a second skin over her compact, lithe body.
“Absolutely. He copied a style. You wouldn’t have, Ms?” She fidgeted, and the movement caused the sweater to pull snug over her breasts making them stand out like ripened fruit and accented her flat stomach. Nice. Bet that stomach quivers when a tongue is run over it. Wonder what she’d do with a tongue in her belly button? She’s probably a giggler. He licked his lips. And a squirmer. It was apparent she had no idea what she did to him. He didn’t mind. Several parts of his anatomy were already stirring in response. Her front equaled the heart-shaped derriere he’d seen earlier while she browsed the competition.
“Weston. Allyson Weston. How did you know I paint?” The tiny frown across her brow made him want to laugh. So this was the estranged wife of his latest hire, Michael Weston. During the job interview Michael had constantly moaned and bitched about his soon-to-be-ex-wife. Guess Michael didn’t grasp he’d let go of an extraordinary woman. Logan let his gaze travel down to her legs, dancer’s legs, long and well-defined. Legs any man would enjoy wrapped around him.
Smoothly, Logan reached down, slipping his hand under hers bringing both up to eye level. “You have paint under your nails.” His thumb brushed the skin of her knuckles.
“Oh.”
Quickly, she withdrew her hand from his. Next, she folded her arms across her mid-section, lifting the orbs and tucking her hands safely under her arms.
Logan’s smile widened. “Do you have family in town?” His attention wandered back to the boots she wore. The way they encased her legs from toe to over the knee were a wonderful enticement, and his imagination flared to a deliciously wicked conclusion when she interrupted his assessment of her intriguing appendages by blurting out. “An STB.”
How fresh, honest, and naive she was. Logan bit back a chuckle. Heroes and bartenders: everyone trusted them, confiding intimate details of their lives they’d never reveal to anyone else, an interesting quirk of human nature. He arched an eyebrow in query, and she clarified. “Soon-to-be-ex-husband.”
He stopped himself before he could lick his lips. At the same time the essence of her blood rose from beneath her skin to mingle with the pungent leather of her boots. He inhaled more deeply, drawing it inside him, and swirled his tongue in his mouth to better experience the bouquet. Sweet, delicate, and exotic. Fit for the gods. He stopped his feeder teeth from slipping into place. A taste of her blood would never be enough, and an ocean too little for a man to quench his thirst. Stunned, he wondered where that thought come from, while trying to wish away the growing arousal in his groin. The whirr in his ears grew a little louder.n of ever leaving the pristine confines of her office. He respected MVD’s field agents because those men and women put it on the line every day. Every weapon they strapped on, every fight they broke up or started—those were acts he could respect. Coffee and a doughnut were a whole different world.
So he shouldn’t have wanted to slide the zipper on her skirt down, peel that the soft fabric away from her even softer skin. She wasn’t his type. She was human. And she was off-limits.
To learn more about the Fallen series, come visit me at http://www.anne-marsh.com/ or on Twitter and Facebook.
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The Swords of Gregara – Jenala SNEAK PEEK
One lucky commenter will win a coupon from Smashwords for a free copy of The Swords of Gregara – Jenala. Be sure and leave a comment or question.
Swords clashed. Jenala Delasa fought savagely for her life against the man who would dare try to get her kalcion mine. And claim her. The bastard Zlaten Vandalar. The man she believed murdered her father five months ago. He attacked her with the intention of kidnapping and raping her, giving her no choice but to be claimed under the law. She’d fall on her own sword before she’d allow him to claim her.
A passerby, heard the gray metal swords clanging off of each other, sparks flying, and her shouts of rage, as he rushed to watch the spectacle. Jenala dared him a quick glance when he yelled and ran toward them. Momentarily startled, she missed her jab. Zlaten sidestepped, turned and flayed open her back from the left shoulder to the bottom of her ribcage on the right side. Jenala fell to the ground. Zlaten looked up at the stranger approaching and visibly paled. He sneered at her as he ran a finger through her blood as it dripped from the tip of his sword. “You’re not fit now. I’ll come when you’re healed then you’ll be mine.” He looked up at the stranger getting closer, turned and ran.
The stranger came to her, her sword still tightly gripped in her right hand. She’d dropped to her knees, but never released her sword. She wouldn’t go down without a fight.
The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth from where she’d bitten her tongue. She looked up with pain bleary eyes, expecting to see reproach or perhaps opportunity. If this man decided to claim her as Zlaten had, she could not fight him off but she would try. Instead she saw compassion. He removed his shirt and took great care to wrap her back to staunch the flow of blood. Jenala hissed at the contact, white flashing light blurred her vision. She knew he tried his best to cause her as little pain as possible. But it didn’t matter Jenala didn’t know if she could handle the searing pain another moment. He picked her up and carried her toward town.
“Owww.” She couldn’t help the moan of pain. “Take me to the nupenian,” she said, her voice little more than a croak. The only person who could help was Brenton, the town nupenian, who cared for animals. The quack they had for a doctor would surely kill her and she wasn’t taking the chance. Brenton could sew her up as well as the doctor could.
There hadn’t been a decent doctor in Rucem, since she was born twenty-seven years ago. Dr. Nort had retired after delivering every baby, treating every illness and wound in the entire province for the previous forty years. Rucem was the capital and the largest outpost in the Golong province. It was a months hard travel to get to the nearest large town with a decent doctor. The distance was so far, she’d only done it once with her father.
*****
She was laying on her stomach on an examination table looking at someone’s shoes. Her face was in a cradle and her arms were hanging loose on either side of the narrow table. The pain was gone. Brenton must have provided her a pain blocker, thank Krios! She heard the stranger leave instructions that she was to be taken to the Wardson’s Bed Stay after the wound was fully sealed, though how he knew her accommodations she had no idea. After the stranger left, Jenala wet her lips and finally asked. “Well? How does it look?” She wiped at her mouth, the blood she tasted dripped on to the floor leaving a small crimson puddle
