1. How did you get started writing?

As a child, I had a very overactive imagination.  I created an imaginary world for my dolls, sort of like the fictitious towns we see in soap operas.  Though my scripts weren’t nearly as colorful as the ones used in daytime TV, I worked constantly to keep my plots going, having no idea that I wasn’t merely playing, but actually writing.  Years later, when I was taking creative writing classes in college, I told my professors I was going to write soap operas after graduation.  I joined a critique group, and, knowing that romance was the genre of my passion, I attempted to “write a romance novel,” never having read one!  My gut telling me that what I’d put together wasn’t quite ready for an editor’s desk, I decided to crack open a real romance novel and “see how it was done.”  I was instantly hooked, and from that day forward I set out to pursue what would become my path to publication.

 2.    Tell us about your current series.

I am currently writing the Pinnacles of Power Series, which is a 5-book series that is centered around a secret diamond smuggling operation called Project Gemstone.  The heroes—Ryan, Alec, Colin, Lucas, and Jack—each play a part in Project Gemstone’s progression, whether they are taking down the bad guys, trying to escape conflicted pasts, or helping to shut the criminal expenditure down once and for all.  The heroines—Abigail, Lena, Julia, Lilah, and Corinne—are strong and independent women, each of which falls for a man who is involved with Project Gemstone.  Each heroine must help her hero to battle his inner demons, and decide whether the love, passion and desire they feel is worth the risk it poses to their hearts.

3.     What is your favorite part of writing?

I love the feeling I get when I write, where I escape into a secret world, in which I, the writer, am in total control of a story.  Heroine’s actions, hero’s actions, secrets of the past, even the outcome are all controlled by me.  I love creating premises, and I love working those premises out, smoothing out all the kinks in a story until it is ready for publication.  Long story short, (no pun intended!) I love many, many things about writing, most especially the fact that I get to do it every day!

4.    How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book?

I’ve had many people over the last several years come up to me and say, “Can you make me a character in a book?”  And the most common answer I give is “I’d love to, but you’re too nice of a person.”

But characters are nice.  Which is certainly true enough.  But it is rather difficult to gauge emotional conflict in people we meet in everyday life as people tend to keep their deepest darkest secrets–well—secret!  And emotional conflict is the key ingredient to creating dynamic characters, and consequently, to writing great stories.

Some people on the other hand will strike you as being just a little odd or unusual.  Which tends to beg the question, “why?”  For me, that is where the imaginative process begins.  If I meet someone who strikes me as unusual or different, I tend to spin my own story about them and yes, they will most likely become a character in a story.  Just not usually the very next story, as that’s probably already on its way.  But three stories past my current WIP is definitely fair game 😉

 5.    Tell us a little about yourself and your latest book.

In my first release, Dangerous Ally, Lucas Ramone, diamond smuggling kingpin, vows to destroy the man his father has hired to spy on him with the intention of stealing his smuggling operation, Project Gemstone…

Hardly a man Lilah Benson goes ahead with her venturous plan to take a job at the Ramone Mansion, for the chance to get the story of a lifetime…

But an unexpected attraction to her source makes it quite difficult for Lilah to get the information she seeks. She soon realizes that the true mystery will be figuring out how to keep from putting her heart into the hands of her eager adversary…

And here’s a little about Dangerous Proposal, my latest release coming this month from Siren BookStrand! 

At nineteen, Alec Westwood nearly committed the most horrific of crimes—murder in cold blood—and narrowly escaped the assigned task with his life.  When a stunning young woman crosses his path wearing the insignia for the organization that recruited him, Alec vows not to let fate get a second chance.  But when the enchantress gives him a kiss that leaves him spellbound, he realizes the power she holds is greater than all his strength and fortitude combined.

On the run from her psychotic fiancé, Lena Benson vows to forge a new life.  But when her new friend Jack tells her to stay away from Alec Westwood—the man she believes her fiancé hired to track her down—she takes matters into her own hands.  Alec may have the look and the charm, but she’s calling the shots this time, even if that means resisting a man who’s eyes and touch rob her, literally, of sense.

6) Tell us about your heroes.  Give us one of their strengths and one of their weaknesses.

Lucas Ramone, hero in Dangerous Ally, is a mysterious, yet, deeply troubled man.  Lucas lost his mother at a young age (rather, he believed she was dead) and he spent the majority of his young life being manipulated by his father, fighting for his father’s affection.  It is this need to fill the emptiness in his life that often drives Lucas to do the bad things he does.  On the flip side, Lucas is strong, brave and chivalrous and he would protect the people he loves to the death, something the heroine Lilah Benson becomes keenly aware of as Lucas comes to her rescue on a great number of occasions.

Alec Westwood, hero in Dangerous Proposal, would give anything to step out of his older brother Colin’s shadow.   In his typical frustration, he has a tendency to make bold moves without thinking, and this tends to get him into trouble.  Alec’s greatest strength is his strength of character.  This is what keeps him from crossing the line at times, like when he is nineteen years old, and, for the sake of proving a point, briefly contemplates committing murder.

7.    What are you currently working on?

I am currently working on the third story in the Pinnacles of Power Series, Dangerous Proposition.  (Which come after Dangerous Proposal, before Dangerous Ally) In this story, Julia Dyson (Lena Benson’s roommate in Dangerous Proposal) learns that her father has been abducted, and believes her teenage crush, Colin Westwood, may be responsible.  Colin, determined to keep Julia from learning his true involvement in her father’s abduction, makes the red-headed temptress an offer.  In exchange for helping her retrieve her missing father, he wants Julia to be his mistress.

8.    What do you have planned for the future?

I’d like to complete the five stories in the Pinnacles of Power series, then, write another romantic suspense series that centers around the Broadway stage.  After that, we’ll see where the wind takes me J

BIO

At two years old, Jessica became a devoted fan of both listening to and reciting the books her parents would read to her at night. When she was a little older (about four), she sought a greater challenge in her life, and began making up stories of her own, acting them out with her dolls. “When the dolls got “boyfriends,” she says, “I knew I was getting too old for dolls!”

As a romance novelist and a reader alike, Jessica is most intrigued by dark heroes, who have many demons to conquer…but little trouble enticing female companions into their beds! She feels that the best romances are those where the hero is already seducing the heroine from that first point of contact. “Isn’t it the hero’s job to seduce?” she says with a grin.

Jessica loves to see the sparks fly when a stubborn, domineering hero crosses paths with a bold, feisty heroine, and uses the combination frequently in her stories.

When she’s is not writing, Jessica enjoys listening to as much 80’s music as possible, watching the same re-runs of Smallville over and over, shopping for exceptionally unique cameos, and taking long walks in nature where she can daydream about anything romantic. Though she resides in Central New Jersey, her heart belongs to the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire.

Excerpt:

Dangerous Ally

Feeling the warmth of tears in her eyes, Lilah rose from the table. She never became so emotional over nothing. What in God’s name was wrong with her?
Lucas’s strong hand came against her shoulder. She didn’t pull away. In fact, she had the strangest urge to just lean into him. Like somehow, he would take away all of her doubts.

“Lena’s happy in her life with her children, and with Alec Westwood,” he said. “I’d never begrudge her that. All I ever wanted was her happiness.”

The way he said the words, she almost believed them. He seemed to care, or at least, maybe was trying to be a better person.

“You’re trembling,” he said, reaching in before she could stop him. His finger brushed her quivering lip.

Her instinct was to smack his hand. But the tingling sensation racing from mouth to spine kept her in place. Lucas’s touch was so soft. It made her crazy. She was consumed by the strongest desire for his lips to be where his finger was now.

He took her wine glass and held it out to her. “Here,” he said. “This’ll calm your nerves.”

Senses returning with a bang, Lilah held up two hands in protest. “Are you trying to get me drunk?” she snapped, not entirely sure whether it was him she was angrier at or herself.

“Am I that obvious?” He laughed as if the whole thing was funny, setting the glass back down.

She enjoyed being in the company of a monster—there was nothing lighthearted about it!

“I’m guessing you’ve probably been down this road too many times, hmm?” Lucas replaced his hand on her shoulder.

“What road would that be, exactly?”

His gray eyes looked deeply into hers. “I’m sure I’m not the first man who’s tried to get you into a relaxed state, Lilah.”

“Actually—” She hesitated, not wanting to get so personal yet feeling she could probably tell him anything and he’d somehow understand. “It’s been a long time, longer than you’d imagine. After I finished college, I had every intention of becoming a journalist. Meaning I’d be out most of the time chasing a story despite whatever danger came with it. It’s all I’ve ever wanted, for as long as I can remember.”
He nodded, coming closer. “You must have been very persistent. It takes a good deal of perseverance and sacrifice to become a success at such a young age.”

Lilah sure knew that. While her friends had been enjoying their last semester of college, she’d been frantically gathering writing samples, sending them out to every newspaper who would give her the time of day. But had her father noticed? Even when she became one of the youngest reporters at the New York Times, he’d barely raised a brow.
Deep down, she knew this was why she’d accepted Raphael’s offer, even in spite of the danger that came with it. A story about Raphael Ramone’s family laundry wasn’t going to impress Blake Benson. But exposing Lucas’s diamond smuggling operation would be a print-worthy unearthing that would win her father’s admiration as well as her first Pulitzer.

She lowered her gaze. “I haven’t given up anything so wonderful.”

Lucas lifted her chin. “But if it came to that, do you think you’d be willing to make that sacrifice? Give up something you want—maybe something you want more than anything—to attain some ultimate level of self-victory?”

A chill came over her at his words. Lilah came back a step, unsure of what had just happened but wanting desperately to pretend it hadn’t.

Lucas cleared his throat. “Let’s get some air, shall we?”

Something she needed desperately. She followed him to the balcony, welcoming the cool night breeze as it caressed her hot skin.

“It’s beautiful here,” she said, hoping very much to steer the conversation in a new direction.

“It is.” He nodded and came beside her, bracing the rail with one hand. He slipped an arm around her back.

His body was warm—like a furnace—and he felt strong, as if he spent his days loading lumber instead of dabbling away at a computer.

Lilah shivered, goose bumps forming along her bare arms. It felt so nice being close to Lucas. Too nice. Maybe she’d just stay there with him a few minutes longer. They weren’t exactly hurting anyone by being in each other’s company.

He leaned into her, speaking in a tone she could only describe as husky. “Those men you never met,” he said, “that was their loss.”

She blinked, keeping her eyes on the night sky. “Please. A man’s the last thing I need in my life.”

“Are you sure about that?” Lucas asked, his warm breath coming against her ear. “Or is it possible you’ve been hiding behind your work for so long, you don’t even know how things could be?” His palm brushed her bare shoulder as he turned her to face him. “No one knows what it’s like to be hidden from the world more than I do, Lilah. You can trust me on this. I think we’re more alike than you realize. And it’s possible we’re both missing out on something incredible.”

She didn’t push his hand away as it cupped her cheek. Or his arm as it encompassed her waist. No, she let him do what he wanted. She wanted him to touch her…

Dangerous Proposal

Trista’s sweet laughter filled the air as Lena opened the door. The little girl was pointing her finger up at the doctor. His back was turned in her direction, but he was tall and had wavy, black hair. There was something strangely familiar about him.

Lena had never been to Memorial Hospital before. How would she know anyone who worked there?

“I’m not a little monkey,” Trista said, laughing. She gave the doctor’s white coat a tug.

“Oh yes you are.” He pressed a finger to her little nose.

“No, I’m not.” She laughed, pushing him back. “You’re a monkey head.” Her eyes lit as she turned around. “Miss Lena!”

Fresh tears formed in Lena’s eyes. She raced to the bed, throwing her arms around Trista. Faintly, she heard the doctor’s clipboard hit the floor with a smack.

She must have bumped into him as she ran by. But there was plenty of time to apologize.

“Trista, I’m so glad you’re ok,” she said, holding the little girl tightly against her chest.

“I’m all better now, Miss Lena,” Trista said. “I bumped my head. But it’s ok now.”

Lena did her best to hide her watery eyes. Trista seemed completely unfazed by what had happened. It was as if a different child had cracked her head open on the playground.

“You scared me today,” she said softly. “We’re going to hold the handle bars every time we ride our bikes from now on, aren’t we?” She turned to the doctor. “My God, I don’t know how to thank—”

Lena gripped the bar surrounding the bed. She could hardly believe what she was seeing. Trista’s doctor was the man from Valley Tavern, the man from Julia’s backyard. He was none other than Alec himself!

A doctor—he was a doctor! Wearing a white coat and looking at her with eyes as wide as her own. With a professional ensemble to compliment his handsome exterior, he was the heartthrob of every woman’s fantasy for sure.

Suddenly, he began to look her over more slowly. With his deep blue eyes locked with hers, intensity transformed to pure, wicked deviltry. He wasn’t simply looking at her, as he had those other times. He was challenging her. Daring her to speak first. She swallowed, tightening her hold on the handle of the bed.

“Trista,” a soft voice called from the doorway.

Lena released the breath she’d been holding in. She’d almost forgotten about the little girl sitting beside them. Suddenly there were two other people in the room. A man, with curly blonde hair, like his daughter’s. And a woman with a long brunette mane.

Well, it was better late than never. She’d begun to think maybe Trista was an orphan. After a brief reintroduction, she decided to give the family a few minutes alone. She went to the door, assuring herself that she definitely needed some air.

Clutching the doorknob, she jolted as a hand touched down on her back.

“A moment of your time, Miss Gallagher.”

Alec was right behind her, their bodies practically touching. She didn’t dare turn around out of fear that she might fall straight into his arms—exactly where he wanted her. He placed his large, warm hand over hers and turned the doorknob, urging her into the hall. Moving steadily behind hers, his body forced her to either walk forward or risk bumping right up against him.

Moments later, Lena found herself in a dimly lit corridor—a place she was certain no one else in the hospital even knew existed. Though, the darkness didn’t make it any easier to hide her trembling hands. Her heart beat wildly as Alec circled her, caressing her body with his sinful blue eyes. She moved back a step, coming against the wall.

A mischievous smile formed on Alec’s lips. Putting his hand against the tile behind her, he barricaded her exit.

“Lena Gallagher.” He shook his head, making a tsking sound with his tongue. “Imagine that. Allowing an innocent child to fall from a tricycle. What sort of a negligent caregiver does a thing like that?”

Lena’s face burned. “Negligent caregiver? I—”

“It’s certainly a good thing I was there to come to the rescue. But then that’s just the kind of man I am, you see. Lucky for you. Otherwise”—he lowered his voice—“you’d be in an awful lot of trouble right now. Wouldn’t you?”

“Are we through here, Dr. Westwood? I wouldn’t want to be taking up anymore of your precious time.”

“Now, now, Miss Gallagher. That isn’t any way to speak to the man who just saved your little girl. Not to mention job, I’m sure. Correct me if I’m wrong. That makes the score two to zero. Does it not?”

“Is that what this is to you? Some sort of sick game? Trista could have died! No doctor with any true ethics would try to take advantage of something like that. Just how big of a jerk are you?”

He grinned. “Don’t you wish you knew?”

She put her hands against the front of his jacket, shoving him back as hard as she could. “I’m leaving.”

She started forward, but he caught her by the arm. Her eyes came wide open as she turned around. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Perhaps you ought to think more carefully before making bets you have no chance of winning. I let you walk away from me once. This time, I don’t intend to make it quite so…easy.”

“What do you want from me?” she asked in a whisper.

“You know what I want, Lena. And I know that you want this as much as I do.”

Please help me welcome Linn Henderson to my blog today.  Be sure and leave a comment to be entered into the book drawing.

How did you get started writing? 

I wrote my first piece when I was seven. It was a contest in Children’s Digest where you finish the story in so many words.  I didn’t win, but I was hooked.

What genre(s) do you write in and why?

I write across across SF, fantasy, horror, and romance.  I write what I am interested in and I have lots of interests.

Tell us about your current series. 

The Bee Lady’s Amulet is a time travel romance that takes place just before the eruption of Thera, or Santorini.  In this novel, Melinda, volunteering at a dig on Crete, walks through a doorway and finds herself face to face with a goddess who asks her to perform a small task.  She never says the task is to gather the people of Crete and save them from the eruption of the volcano, nor does she say she will fall in love with a magician she can never have.

What move best describes your life? 

Wow.  I never thought much about my life as a movie, except that it has been very melodramatic with ups and downs and set backs and victories.  I just keep plugging away at my dream and working to have as much of everything that I can.

What inspired your latest book? 

I love archaeology and ancient cultures.  Most anything Bronze Age or earlier in the Middle East.  One of the first books I read was an encyclopedia of Greek Myths.  I love Joseph Campbell’s work and have studied shaman mysticism practices from all around the world.

What is your favorite part of writing?

Mastering a new trick or seeing what I learned in a workshop show up in my writing. It means I am improving my craft.

What is your least favorite part of writing?

Eating the elephant, bite by bite.  But after each session I can see the progress I have made and know that I am doing what I enjoy.  It’s called BICFOK.  Butt in chair, fingers on keys.

What is your next project and when will it be released?

I am writing the next book in this series.  It features Ipoli, an African baka or shamaness, with a grandfather spirit, and several animal spirits who do her bidding, and Thomas, a seventeen year old young man American on vacation with his parents in Turkey. Thomas meets the same goddess Melinda met in the first book. The goddess tells him he is to learn as much as he can so he is ready when the time comes.  When he arrives into the past, he is immediately captured and sold into slavery aboard a ship that plies the wine dark Mediteranean waters.  He meets Ipoli and they fall in love, but events keep them being together.  She is captured by an evil magician and forced to do his bidding and he is trapped on an island, coerced into building a weapons several hundred years before they were invented.  They must come together before the volcano erupts, destroying Crete and killing thousands.

How much time do you spend promoting your books?

I don’t do a lot of promotion, except to put out the next, best book I can. What works best for you?  I don’t know how well it works, but I like guesting on other folks blogs, doing interviews, doing signings.  I enjoy the interaction with the readers, because it gets me out of the office.  Cats are great companions, but not so great on the meaningful conversation end.

How has your experience with self-publishing been?

Self publishing is an interesting business.  All writers must be business people.  Each writer is responsible for his or her own career.  Self publishing is in such flux, it forces me to be flexible and ready to turn on a dime, learn new technologies, and be prepared to commit to the long haul.  I am in the slow building, long tail crowd, and at some point, I will have reached critical mass and reap the benefits of those long hours at the keyboard.

Where do you get the ideas for your stories? 

Everywhere.  Things people say, TED lectures, mythology, archaeology, neuroscience, newspaper articles.  Where don’t I get them?

What advice do you have for other authors wanting to self-publish?

Write a book, make it the best book you can, get a critique group, get a beta reader, pay for professional editing, learn how to upload the book into different distribution points, tweak, tweak, tweak covers, blurbs, tags, and LEARN the BUSINESS by reading about the business, learning basic accounting, join a loop or group that can share their wisdom, and don’t give up.  You will fail if don’t write the book.  It is a numbers game and this is one of the few industries where you get paid to practice.

Do you have critique partners? 

I am blessed to have a fabulous critique group of award winning authors and working writers who are very supportive and candid.

What is your favorite dessert/food? 

How to narrow it down?  I love chocolate.  I love molten lava cakes, I love créme brule.  I love brownies.  But I love good food. I just wish I was a better cook.

How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book?

Sometimes.  I think definitely aspects of lots of people end up in the crucible that characters are formed in.

What is most difficult for you to write?  Characters, conflict or emotions? 

I am such a nice person. I have a hard time being mean to characters.  So the “Get ’em in a corner and thrown rocks at them” is hard.  I struggle with new ways to think about the conflict part of the structure all the time.

Was your road to publication fraught with peril or a walk in the park?

I wrote lots of stories in the 80s and 90s and got tons of rejections.  I had promised myself that when my daughter graduated high school, I would commit to my dream of publication.  That was in 2000.  I sold my first short story in 1999 and started focusing on craft after that. So, no walk in the park, but my belief has always been that if you practice consistently (writing is one of the few jobs you can have where you get paid to practice!), submitted regularly, you will succeed.  And I proved it to myself with that first sale. Then I had to prove I was not a one story pony.  And I did that, too.  I aim for improvement every time I sit down at the keyboard.

Give us an elevator pitch for your book.

Ipoli refuses to marry the man her father promised her to in ancient Africa and sets off to find a new teacher and her fortune in Crete.  Thomas, on vacation in Turkey in the 1980s, meets a goddess who give his life direction.  He just didn’t think it would be in Bronze Age Crete as an oar slave on a merchant ship.  Ipoli and Thomas find they are tied together by a magical cord, the circumstances, and their hearts and they must find out why before the volcano, Thera, blows its top, destroying the Mediteranean and its civilization.

Tell us about your hero.  Give us one of his strengths and one of his weaknesses.

Thomas is a typical teenage gamer nerd.  He has lots of potential, but has no idea what he wants to do.  When he is thrown back into the ancient past, he learns who is he and what he is capable of, physically, mentally, and ethically.

Tell us about your heroine.  Give us one of her strengths and one of her weaknesses.

Ipoli is a baka, a shamaness in training. She comes from a small village in Africa and is innocent of the ways of the larger world.  That innocence brings her down.  Her strength is her believe in herself, her powers, and her ancestors.

What genres are you drawn to as a reader?

Science fiction and fantasy, paranormal.

Do you prefer to read in the same genres you write in or do you avoid reading that genre?

I am an incessant reader. Put it in front of me and I will read it.

Has your muse always known what genre you would write and be published in? 

The muse takes great pleasure in pushing me across a wide and varied genre landscape and I am happy to oblige her.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I always wanted to be chosen by the gods, silly me.  It’s just as well that I never have been, although I have had my share of weird events.  I am a factotum to a very eclectic entrepreneur and an award winning event planner.

Do you write under a pen name?   Why or why not?

I write under several pen names for branding purposes.  I want readers to associate that name with a certain type of book.

What are you currently working on?

Heart Path: Choices.  It is the story of a Tarot deck from 17th Century Venice, which will show the path to a woman’s heart’s desire.  The deck has been passed for generations down through a family from woman to woman.  Carrie Alexander’s grandmother gives her the deck to help her decide what she wants. What she knows is that she doesn’t want to work in her father’s new hospital. What she can’t figure out is how she should be using her nursing skills to help the most people.

What do you have planned for the future?

Lots of books.  I have responsbilities to some large events this summer, which will eat up a lot of writing time, but this fall, I will finish Heart Path: Choices, start the third in a time travel romance series by Linn Henderson, and see what happens after that.

How far do you plan ahead?

I have plans for the year, but understand that Murphy may usurp those plans.  My goal is always to roll with the punches and keep the butt in the chair and the fingers on the keys as much as I can.

Do you have any words of inspiration for aspiring authors?

Write, read writing books that work for you, take workshops, find a critique group or partner that pushes you forward, apply what you learn, and practice, practice, practice.  Most people who succeed do because the are relentless.  You just have to keep doing it. Malcolm Gladwell says you reach mastery after 10,000 hours.  It really is a numbers game.  Find the calculation that works for you and then push a little harder.

What did you want to be when you were a child?

Did you always know you wanted to be a writer?  I wanted to be a writer always, but at one point I wanted to be the first woman president of the United States.  Now I am much smarter and concentrate on writing.

Do you or have you belonged to a writing organization? Yes.

Which one?

I belong to the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers.

Have they helped you with your writing?

Immensely. The Colorado Gold Conference is a treasure chest of classes, networking opportunities, friends, and resources.

Did you have several manuscripts finished before you sold?

Tons of short stories are in the drawer.  But I keep sending them out. Once had been circulating for five years old before it sold.

If so, did you send them out yourself?  Yes, I send them out myself.  I think the “agented submissions only” is a form of gatekeeping.  Editors are not going to throw away good stories. They are in the business of buying good stories.  The worst they will do is send it back — with or without a note.

Why have you become a published author? 

Because I never gave up.

Do you have any rejection stories to share?

This is my favorite and I never understood it until I took a workshop where we had to create an anthology out a couple of stories we had sent in prior to the workshop and work we created while we were there (we wrote A LOT!).  It was so hard to create a book  and stay inside the money, word, and pro/newbie constraints.  This is the rejection I received:  “I loved your story.  I held it out until the very end. Then I bought the other one.”  Until I edited an anthology for myself, I never understood the pain and honor this rejection entailed.  The choices editors make are hard, often heart-wrenching.  I am honored to have caused her so much difficulty in making choices. It means I was really good and the story was rejected not for quality, but theme or length, or goodness of fit.

Will you share some encouraging words for authors still struggling for that first contract?

Never give up. Keep getting better, learn how to get better, get helpful feedback.  Keep the butt in the chair and the fingers on the keys.

What’s next for you?

More of the same.

EXCERPT FROM THE BEE LADY’S AMULET

A bee flew by her face as she left the hall and turned into one of the cult rooms off the main sacral area.  She stepped inside it.  All that remained were the uprights of a doorway at the far end, leading to a sacred storage room, a kind of manifesting space for the divine.  The lights blinked.  Or rather, she must have. Or must be continuing to, since everything seemed to go on and off, like the sun was going on and off and shiny things were glinting and then it would bright daylight again and she was wondering if maybe she ought sit down when everything settled into a nice uniform gray and she was clearly in a great room, but it was much larger than the room she had been in, and there were rugs on the walls and a pleasant smoky odor, myrrh, she thought.

Before she could panic she became aware of a noise.  Shh Clack.  Shh Clack.  She looked down what appeared to be a great room, lit by burning brands.  At the far end, a woman sat at a great loom.

The woman looked up at her intently and Melinda blanched.  Not for the critical eye, no, that had no rancor, only simple appraisal.  It was just that for a moment Melinda could swear she saw stars, no, tiny galaxies pinwheeling in the woman’s eyes.  Then a torch popped and she wasn’t certain of anything.

“No edge, but some depth.  You’ll do.”

“Do for what?”

The woman went on weaving.  Melinda tried to get a hint of the pattern, but it was too large for the eye to capture, and the details, you could get lost in those.

“For a little side piece I’ve been wanting.”

“Blood?  Like my geneaology?  My lineage.  I know it well enough. Pearl?  I know that’s what my aunt Maggie’s name means in Greek.  So does that mean?  You know my aunt?”

The woman looked at her loom significantly.  Melinda looked a bit and looked away, uncomfortable with the pattern or … something.

“What’s a side piece?” she said to fill the space.

“A pocket.  I want a pocket.  And you are going to want to go home.  I’m certain of that.”

“Yes, I am going home.  Not, right away.  I’m taking a side trip first.”

The woman smiled hugely and Melinda had a sinking feeling that there was a very funny joke and she was the butt of it.  “Yes, you are.  But if you do something for me, you’ll be placed exactly where you need to be to get home.”

“Do what for you?”  Who was this woman and how was Melinda here having this conversation with her?

“I want you to get everyone to come together in a safe place, as many as you can.”

“Who, come together where?”

Had she just blinked?  It sure seemed that the light had just done something.  But when she looked all the torches were burning innocently in their brackets.

“You’ll know who when you get there.  They’ll know where to go.  You just tell them to get there and you will be exactly where you are supposed to be.”

“Where’s that and how do I know they’ll do the right thing if I don’t know what they know?”

“That’s okay, they know, so it will all work out.  Remember to unhook your ear and the words will make sense, but, remember there’s plenty more to it than just the words.  That goes for just about anything else too.”

“Like what?”  There was a weird smell in her nose, something spicy but burnt.

“Like living for starters and how you do it.  Makes all the difference and words won’t tell you enough of that.”

“So what do you do?”

Did the woman laugh?  Melinda blinked again, she saw the torch sputter either in slow motion or great clarity.

“The best you can, that’s all you can.  Now get along with you.”

Melinda wrinkled her nose, the myrrh was thick and the bee was back in her face.

She stepped away from the bee, turned to go back the way she’d come, and, when she looked back, the woman shrank, no slid backward, and Melinda was crossing through the doorway again, except that now there was something in the room and the suitcase hit it knocking it over with a crash, and then she realized the room was filled with light and people and they were all looking at her.  The bee buzzed off and she stood the suitcase up and looked around her.

Please help me welcome Jordan K. Rose to my blog today.  Jordan is giving away a $5 Starbucks card to one lucky commentor, so be sure and leave her a comment.

What is your favorite part of writing?

Believe it or not, I love editing. Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy writing the first draft, but the editing process is my favorite part. I like to add the little bits of detail that make the story come to life and add depth to the characters and the conflict. I love to re-write!

Do you have critique partners?

I do have a critique partner. The wonderful and talented Kat Duncan. We met at a meeting for the New England Chapter of RWA a couple years back and have been together ever since. She’s been a gift. I highly recommend getting a critique partner to any writer. Of course, the key to a good critiquing relationship is not being afraid to say something doesn’t work and not getting offended when you’re told something needs tweaking.

How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book?

Very unlikely. My characters are all organic and happily  grown in my imagination. To put someone I know in my book would be to force the story around a character and I just can’t do that. There are certainly traits from people I know in some characters or maybe a character acted exactly the same in a specific situation as someone I know, but that’s the extent of it.

What is most difficult for you to write?  Characters, conflict or emotions?  Why?

Wow. This is a good question. I think the answer varies. I write character-driven stories so I think I do fine with the character development piece. Sometimes I question if my conflict is working. (That’s where having Kat around helps loads.) But I recall my editor asking me lots of “how does s/he feel about this?” questions when we edited Perpetual Light. And sometimes I knew how to demonstrate that very easily. Other times I didn’t have the slightest idea and struggled to get it onto the screen!

Tell us about your hero.  Give us one of his strengths and one of his weaknesses.

Vittorio is a vampire who’s tormented by the idea that his wife’s soul has never been at rest because of him. He struggles to keep from slipping over the edge and losing his own humanity while he tries to find a way to help her rest. One of his greatest strengths is devotion. He is eternally devoted to Lucia. He will find her and help her rest. Devotion is also a weakness for him. He is blinded to the reality of what she is and what she has done to him.

Tell us about your heroine.  Give us one of her strengths and one of her weaknesses.

Lucia is a woman who is forced to realize she’s not just a human. She is a reincarnated vampire slayer who’s ordained to bring lost souls to The Light. She’s left with no choice but to kill her husband, Vittorio. One of her strengths is her ability to stand behind what she believes. She’s repeatedly reincarnated to get the job done. In this life, when she’s finally face to face with Vittorio, she actually accepts her fate and with his help begins to work toward an ending. Her weakness is her denial. She has not wanted to kill him. From the first moment she met him she no longer wanted to do the job she was tasked with and thus set her destiny to spin.

What genres are you drawn to as a reader?

Definitely paranormal, in particular vampire stories. I love to read in the genre I write. I love a good romance no matter what subgenre, but any vampire story will catch my eye.

Do you prefer to read in the same genres you write in or do you avoid reading that genre? Why?

I love to read in my genre because it makes me feel like I’m in the right place. That may sound odd, but when I read the stories of other writers, I feel like I’m part of a group, where I belong. Plus, I just love reading vampire stories.

Perpetual Light Back Cover Blurb

Fate is cruel. Especially when the one you’ve sworn to love for all eternity, the very soul who changed your destiny is the last person you should trust.

After more than three hundred years of running, Lucia Dicomano must make a choice.

Forced to take her place as a Pharo of Redemption, the divine slayer needs to master her forgotten powers. Lucia turns to Vittorio, the one vampire she’s failed to deliver from eternal damnation. But overcoming smoldering remnants of love, lust and anger aren’t their only obstacles.

Samuel, who may know Lucia better than she knows herself, hunts her with a fervor stoked by a thousand years of vengeful hatred. His plan—capture and enslave the weakened Pharo then take control of her elusive power.

Can Lucia trust Vittorio long enough to reclaim her powers? Or will she have no choice but to kill him and battle Samuel alone?

Hi! Thanks Cynthia for inviting me!

I write genie romances because I grew up in Bangladesh (in Asia) on spine-tingling stories involving ghosts and genies, from folktales to The Arabian Nights. So when I decided to write paranormal romances, I chose dashing djinns (pronounced “gin” it is what people in the East call genies) as heroes and sometimes heroines.

My most recent release, A Tale of Two Djinns, is an exotic Romeo & Juliet tale with warring genies, feminists, kick-ass action and sexy adult fun.

Akshay (Shay for short), warrior prince of the earth djinns, earns the title of Crown Prince at a high cost when he loses his best friend in a battle against ancient enemies, the water djinns. Heartsick, he escapes to Earth to mourn.

Nothing gets the biological clock ticking (and elders lecturing) like almost dying in battle, so Maya, princess of the water djinns, travels to Earth for some no-strings-attached sex to fulfill her duty and produce an heir. But the beautiful and tough warrior gets more than she bargained for when she meets Shay.

Their not-so-simple one-night stand is interrupted by assassins and the world, as they know it, is changed forever. As Maya and Shay pull together to survive, both are determined to have their happily-ever-after and bring peace to their worlds — warring families, shadow assassins, and nosy busybodies be damned.

My parents, the original lovebirds in my life, are the reason why I love writing romances and Happily-Ever-After endings. So, A Tale of Two Djinns is dedicated to my late dad and my mom, and to honor them I’m donating 50% of the proceeds to UNICEF for education. So I hope you’ll check it out. And if you’ve read it, please tell others about it!

A Tale of Two Djinns is available at: Amazon      B&N Smashwords

Meanwhile, here’s a sample for you:

Patthar had died protecting him, now the water djinns would pay.

Akshay threw back his head and released his anger into the wind. A raw, primal roar ripped out from deep inside, charged from his throat. He called the molewyrms with vengeance.

Thunder roared back in answer. Rain spattered his skin like tears. The ground beneath his feet shook. What started as a faint tremble broke into bone-shuddering quakes. The earth split its seams and spat out mud balls and stone.

The rhaksha lurched in place, eyes wide with fear. Akshay leapt forward, slicing down with his sword.

With an ear-piercing howl, the mountain of ugly fell backward, landed with a wet splat. The air around the creature wavered and reality hiccupped. Instead of an ungainly rhaksha, a most uncommon woman lay in the mud.

A female in the battlefield? What the hell? Breath rushed out of Akshay. He twisted his descending blade at the last second so that it sliced through the fleshy part of her right arm instead of her throat. A muted cry of pain escaped from between her full lips.

Silver armor, like glittering fish scales, covered her head and slim body and, damn, she had legs that just kept going. Double damn, he’d always been a leg man. His gaze jerked back up and met terrified whiskey-colored eyes set in an elfin face of the most delicate blue of a robin’s egg.

Tremors wracked the battlefield as more molewyrms tore out of the ground. One appeared so near that a shower of mud covered Akshay from head to toe. When he’d wiped the grime of his face, the woman had vanished.

Author Bio

Rashda/Mina Khan is a Texas-based writer and food enthusiast. She is Rashda the food columnist by day and Mina the romance author by night. She grew up in Bangladesh on stories of djinns/genies, ghosts and monsters. These childhood fancies now color her fiction. Her debut novella, THE DJINN’S DILEMMA was published November 2011. A second novella, A TALE OF TWO DJINNS, came out March 2012. Meanwhile, she’s busy working on a third story.

You can find her at:

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/Mina.Khan.Author

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5234352.Mina_Khan

Blog: http://minakhan.blogspot.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/SpiceBites

Now for the giveaway…drumroll please:

You can win a Kindle or Nook version of my first novella, an erotic paranormal romance published by Harlequin, THE DJINN’S DILEMMA, plus some cool genie swag — a signed postcard featuring the cover of A Tale of 2 Djinns, a genie lamp key chain and a packet of wildflower seeds.

To enter you can do one of several things or a combination for more chances:

1. Leave a comment with your email (earns you one entry).

2. Follow me on twitter (earns you one entry)…but tweet at me: “I’d love me some genie romance.”

3. Fan me on Goodreads and please leave me a message mentioning Genie Romance (earns you one entry).

4. Like my Facebook Author Page! (earns you two entries)

(If you do a combination, please mention all that you’ve done in a comment at the end of this post)

Please help me welcome Debora to my blog.  Be sure to leave a comment to be entered into the prize drawing.

Cynthia, thank so much for having me on your blog today! I’ve got my coffee and I brought you a chocolate doughnut…two of my favorite things to enjoy when I in being interviewed.

What genre to you write and why?

I write mostly time travel romance with the occasional contemporary tossed into the mix. My time travels jump through different periods of history, because I find it exciting always going to new places and times. I like to take my readers on adventures!

How has your experience with self-publishing been?

I have been thrilled so far with my self-publishing experience. I love being in total control of my cover and the content. Most of all, I love that I have the opportunity to write what calls to me as an author. Sometimes time travel romance is a tough sell in the traditional world of publishing, but with self-publishing I’m free to not only bring readers the time travels that I love, but I’m free to write in any time period I want, when I want.

Do you have critique partners?

Absolutely! I belong to an online group that I started 6 years ago, the Passionate Critters. We keep the group small and over the years we’ve evolved from strictly critiquing to a real writing support group. We share the ups and downs of the journey. Through them I’ve developed some pretty tough skin, which is a necessity when your books are out there getting reviews! They’ve also been wonderfully supportive of my decision to self-publish.

What is most difficult for you to write?

Hands down, my biggest challenge in each and every book is dialogue. I can hear the characters in my head, but when it comes to getting them talking on paper – I struggle. Normal speech, true to character and setting, is so important when you’re in another time and place. I find I spend a LOT of my revision time on adding dialogue and cleaning it up. Sometimes I find myself wishing my characters could just be telepathic…maybe someday.

Please tell the readers a little bit about your book.

 A Knight in Her Arms.

Hannah Falcon loves her job at the Natural History Museum in New York City. She doesn’t love her friends insisting she date more. When a man dressed as a medieval knight shows up in the museum, Hannah mistakes him as her latest blind date. She couldn’t be more wrong!

Do you have any words of inspiration for aspiring authors?

Just keep at it. Surround yourself with people that foster you dream and push the negativity of those that don’t away. Write everyday, even if it’s only a paragraph or two. Keep believing, keep learning the craft.

Thanks for having me today, Cynthia!

What inspired your latest book?

I have a fascination with mail order brides, and love to read their stories. I picked up a book on real mail order brides, and decided to write An Angel in the Mail.

What is your favorite part of writing?

Fleshing out my characters. I love to give them personalities, likes and dislikes. I give them little quirks, and characteristics that make them unique.

What is your least favorite part of writing?

Marketing. If I could just write, and let someone else do all of that stuff, I would be a very happy author.

What is your next project and when will it be released?

I have a contemporary short story being released from The Wild Rose Press in July, about a cursed doll. Then in October, the third in my Oklahoma Lovers series, A Prescription for Love will be released from Soul Mate Publishing.

How has your experience with self-publishing been?

I plan to delve into the self publishing world this summer. I started a short story set at the end of the Civil War earlier this year. I plan to finish that, and get it self published sometime this summer. I want to try my hand at it. I already have my cover picked out, and the name of a formatter I plan to use.

Where do you get the ideas for your stories?

Everywhere and anywhere. Sometimes a line from a song, sometimes a movie, another book I’m reading. Sometimes a conversation I overhear while out and about. I never know when an idea will hit me.

Do you have critique partners?

Yes. I belong to two critique groups. I owe a great deal to my crit partners. My growth as an author has a lot to do with their input.

How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book?

Not likely. I like to create my characters completely from my imagination.

Give us an elevator pitch for your book.

In 1861, newly penniless New York City society belle Angelina Hardwick is on her way to the wilds of Oregon to marry a stranger, while her husband-to-be, Nathan Hale, has been promised by the Bride Agency, a woman experienced enough to take over the chores, and deal with his five children.

Blurb:

An Angel in the Mail, set in 1861, unites newly penniless society belle Angel Hardwick and Nathan Hale, father of five, who is desperate for a wife to straighten his life out.  Nate’s looking for someone who loves children and can easily take over the cooking, cleaning and laundry.  Instead, he is getting Angel, whose culinary knowledge consists of weekly meetings with Cook to decide the family’s menu.

Angel is a strong-minded young woman, resigned to her fate, and determined to make the best of her situation.  But will her new husband allow for mistakes?  Or will he send her packing when she burns meals and misplaces his children?

Nate just wants a peaceful, well run household, without the distraction of an attractive wife.  However, his beautiful wife with a very distractible body is not giving him peace.  Somebody lied, because despite what he was told by the Bride Agency, this beauty knows nothing about running a home, but she sure sets him on fire at night.

Nate and Angel have to come to a working arrangement, overcoming problems between them. But will they be able to find a happily ever after with someone desperately working behind the scenes to destroy their relationship?

Buy Links

Links: http://bit.ly/KkLBra (Soul Mate); Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/JZghzM, and Amazon: http://amzn.to/MR3nnZ