by Sarah | Nov 14, 2013 | Author Interview, Friday Dialogues, Guest Authors, Writing
Personal
- Can you tell us a little about yourself? I’m a mom of five, grandmother of nine, and I like to keep busy! But sometimes I’m so busy that I get very unorganized.
- What do you like to read? What’s your favorite genre? I love to read romance, either historical or contemporary.
- What’s your favorite place, real or fictional? I would love to be able to visit Robyn Carr’s Virgin River. It’s full of strong, honorable men and equally strong, resourceful women!
- What’s the best thing you’ve done in your life? I think my greatest achievement has been to raise two intelligent and talented daughters, guiding them into motivated, compassionate adults.
- What has changed for you personally since you wrote your first book? I used to wonder how I’d find story lines to write, but now I can’t find enough hours in the day to flesh out all the ideas that pop into my head!
- Where can people find you on the web? Where can they read more about your books? Readers can find out more about me and my books on my website, blog, facebook, and twitter @PatriciaKiyono
Your Novel
- What inspired you to write this particular story? I wanted to write a Christmas book and was mulling over ideas this past spring. My youngest daughter, aged twenty-six, announced she planned to quite her lucrative job as a technical writer for a very successful industrial firm and move to southern California and try her hand as a screenwriter. My husband and I don’t want her to go, but we can’t stop her from pursuing her dream. So I did the next best thing – I made her the main character in my story!
- Are the names of the characters in your novel important? Since the story is set in west Michigan, several characters as well as the names of the towns have Dutch names. That’s because immigrants from the Netherlands settled the area between Holland and Grand Rapids in the 19th century, and there are still several Dutch language churches and organizations.
- How much of yourself is hidden in the characters in the book? There is a LOT of me in Sophie – I directed many Christmas programs both as a music teacher and as a mom helping out in my kids’ Sunday School. I also toyed with the idea of trying to “make it big” in the big city, but decided I’m better suited for a quiet family life in the ‘burbs.
- You got the call – your novel is being made into a TV series or movie – who’s in your dream cast? I think Amanda Seyfried would make a good Sophie, and I’d love to see Jake Gyllenhaal as Mitch.
Writing
- Are you a pantser or a plotter? I guess I’m more of a plotter. When I try to write without a plan I tend to go off in too many unrelated directions. I need to have a clear idea of where the story is headed and an idea of how the characters will get there. Sometimes the characters surprise me, but for the most part I stay with my outline.
- Are there any occupational hazards to being an author? I suppose being sedentary is the worst hazard for me. In order to write I have to research, and then I have to brainstorm, research some more, and then I have to actually do the writing. All of this involves sitting. I’m not an active person anyway, so my doctor is continually telling me to get up and move.
- Where do you get your ideas? I start with the conflict – I know that’s not the route most authors take! I take a problem –external one, like the production of a church Christmas pageant. Then I create characters who are affected by that problem, and give them each an internal conflict, such as Mitch’s insecurity as a single parent and Sophie’s desire to “make it big”. Finding conflicts is not difficult – I just watch the news!
- Have you written any other books? I’ve published seven other romances. Three are historicals (The Samurai’s Garden, The Patridge and the Peartree, and Love’s Refrain) and four are contemporary (The Legacy, Aegean Intrigue, The Christmas Phoenix, and The Calico Heart, co-authored with Stephanie Michels).
Quick Questions
- Sing in the rain or dance in the streets? Neither. I’m totally an indoors kid.
- Pen or pencil? Pencil. I make too many mistakes.
- Summer or Winter? Summer!
- Movies or TV? TV. I can’t sit still long enough to watch a movie!
- Theater or DVD? Theater!
- Rural or Urban? Rural for living, Urban for entertainment. I guess the ‘burbs are a good fit.
- Facial hair or clean shaven? I’m not picky about that, as long as the facial hair is neat and trimmed.
- Marvel or DC? DC
- Cowboy or Bad Boy? Cowboy.
- Sunrise or Sunset? Sunrise
- Fall leaves or Spring flowers? Fall leaves
- Peanut butter or jelly? Peanut butter
- Spender or Saver? Saver
*~*~*~*
| [amazon_link id=”B00GGNA44C” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Amazon[/amazon_link] | BN |
Blurb:
Mitch Carson is tired of the big city. In his former life, he’d been a news photographer in Chicago, where the dangers are endless. But now, he just wants to settle down in this quiet town with his daughter, Angie. Here, his only fear is losing his daughter to his scheming mother-in-law.
Sophie Gardner wants to be a screenwriter. She’s ready to leave small town Zutphen, Michigan and go to Hollywood. With a theater degree under her belt, she’s busy writing scripts while helping out her sister Joanie, who’s bedridden with a difficult pregnancy. Unfortunately, Joanie has somehow coerced Sophie into directing the Christmas pageant at Zutphen Community Church.
When Sophie and Mitch meet, the attraction is instant and mutual. But each wants what the other is trying to get away from. Can they deny their feelings and pursue their dreams? Or will the holiday prove to them that their true wishes might not be what they’d thought?
Bio:
In a previous life, Patricia Kiyono taught elementary school students by day and changed diapers at night. Now she teaches college students part time and changes diapers only when she’s taking care of grandkids. She loves to do anything that doesn’t involve exercise. Right now her favorite activities, other than writing, include scrapbooking, sewing, and making music. She and her husband live in southwest Michigan, near their five children and nine grandchildren.
by Sarah | Nov 13, 2013 | Guest Authors, Thursday Tell All, Writing
I’m pleased to have Jace Shaw from Draven St. James latest book, Scent of a Wolf, stop by today.
*~*
- What is your story? “Well, one night while playing strip poker with Draven, Merek, Sean and Cory, Draven gave me way too much tequila. While in a happy place of no worries, Draven plied the story of how Merek and I met and fell in bed…I mean in love. It was a lot more complicated than boy meets boy while hanging out at the local coffee shop. The story involves me being on the run, and Merek being all alpha I’m going to solve your problems. Not that I didn’t have problems to solve. I mean wow. Wait…you’re suppose to read the book!”
- Who are you? “I suppose it wouldn’t be revealing too much to say my name is Jace Shaw. I love cold pizza and magic fingers. I’ve traveled a lot and it wasn’t until meeting Merek that I learned to enjoy it. I prefer being outdoors to being cooped up and I can get a little furry when necessary.”
- Do you embrace conflict? Jace laughed. “Umm…I wouldn’t say I embrace it. I think generally I have no choice but to catch it as it flies in my direction. But in the fray of conflict I do find I excel at resolving issues. At least, when I have Merek at my back. Well, when he isn’t trying to drag me into dark corners.”
- How do you see yourself? “I’m just me. An ordinary wolf shifter, who is mated to an alpha and part of a rare wolf pack.”
- How do your enemies see you? “I imagine they see me as a pain in the ass who never goes away. They’d never say it but given my abilities I’m stealth and intelligent, at least enough to get the drop on them.”
- What, if anything, haunts you? “Right now? That third cup of coffee I had about five minutes ago.” Jace grins and jogs out of the room.
- Who is your true love? “Easy. Merek is my true love. He is the only man I’ve ever said I love you too and the only one I ever will say it to.”
- What one word best describes you? “Unusual.”
- Who was your best friend when you were growing up? “My twin brother, Jacob. While he is frustrating and never misses an excuse to tell me he was born first, he’s a good man.”
- What kind of things embarrass you? Why? “Well, I’m not embarrassed by much. I’ve seen too many things in the world to be shy. I think occasionally tapping in while Jacob is having sex is pretty damned embarrassing. Or just grouse. Traumatizing might be a better word.”
- What is the perfect romantic date? Jace chucked and flushed. “Merek, the great outdoors and apple cinnamon scented candles.”
- What is more important – sex or intimacy? Why? “Now that is just a mean question! I love sex with Merek it is fantastic. However, I also love just being close to him. Even just in the same room when we share a glance. They are two completely different ways to connect with the man I love. I can’t choose.”
*~*~*~*
| [amazon_link id=”B00GMW1HL6″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Amazon[/amazon_link] | Loose-id |
Blurb
Jace Shaw is one of the few survivors of an extraordinary, rare wolf pack. He spends his days on the run and his nights in another world with a man he’s only dreamed about. To sleep is to feel his dream man’s hands on his body and hear his wicked whispered words. But when the sun rises reality crashes in: the evil that destroyed his birth pack hunts his kind down in search of a way to control their power.
Merek Wahya is an alpha dealing with all the issues of being newly appointed, but they all fall away when he closes his eyes at night. Then, a man with moonlit hair and mercury eyes crawls into bed with him. When he wakes it’s to a painful arousal no one can satisfy. When Merek’s wolf catches Jace’s scent he knows he’s found his mate, and he soon learns their nocturnal meetings were only foreplay. The joy of this discovery is shadowed by the trouble that follows Jace. Merek’s mate is embroiled in a battle between two ancient packs, a war Merek must now fight. If he fails he could lose Jace forever.
Excerpt
Merek’s face was almost always partially shaded by the long locks of black hair that flowed down to touch his broad shoulders. Hair so dark it refracted light in shades of blue—an eerie color reflected in his eyes. They were the palest blue Jace had ever seen. The eyes of a wolf, and he growled like one too.
Letting the primitive nature of their wolves loose in the magnificent embrace of the wilderness was instinctive. The smell of damp grass and pine trees wafted around them. But beneath that scent was Merek’s—rich, primal, and addictive.
Jace strove to stop his grin as he bucked his hips in an attempt to get Merek off him. The man was too strong for his own good. The move only resulted in Merek chuckling and adjusting to hold both of Jace’s wrists in one hand. The other he used to lightly caress Jace’s cheek and jawline. Merek brushed his thumb over Jace’s bottom lip, causing a shudder to flow through Jace. He knew just what those hands were capable of.
No matter how hard he fought himself, he couldn’t help but tilt his neck into the soft touch. Merek gave him a sensual smile.
Jace tried to twist away again, to get the upper hand, but to no avail. Merek trailed his hand lower, and Jace arched into the gentle touch. The man was doing his best to destroy Jace’s control, and it was so tempting to catapult to the carnal command.
“Just one word, Jace, and I’ll give you everything.”
Merek leisurely traced his fingertips down Jace’s naked chest, along the hard muscles of his stomach, and stopped at the waist of Jace’s low-riding jeans. Jace curved into the touch. Desperate for Merek to go lower.
“Submit to me.”
Bio:
Draven St. James is a born and raised Oregonian. She has traveled extensively in search of mischief and mayhem to fill her books. Her ventures have been quite successful in inspiring a wealth of stories. Of course at the end of the day, coffee within reach, laptop at the ready is where she finds her peace.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/draven.stjames
Blog: www.dravenstjames.wordpress.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/DravenStJames
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/dravenstjames
Email: Dravenstjames@gmail.com
by Sarah | Nov 12, 2013 | Guest Authors, Top Ten Tuesday, Writing
Top ten ways to prepare for Christmas.
I love Christmas. The bit I don´t like is the 3 months or so of tinny carols in shops, excessive advertising, and the supermarket being rearranged to make way for twenty aisles of seasonal produce. Given my occasional Scrooge-like tendencies, it can take me a while to get in the spirit of Christmas, which makes it all the more ironic that my first seasonal release is a Christmas story. This year, publishing my story The Santa Next Door with The Wild Rose Press has helped me get in the mood for Christmas a lot earlier than usual, so I thought I´d take this opportunity to share my top ten ways of getting into the spirit of the season and avoiding the last-minute panic. I wonder how many of these you share?
1. Wrapping gifts. While I can take or leave Christmas shopping, I love the process of disguising and beautifying items to sit under the tree. Maybe it´s my overactive writer´s imagination, but when battling with the sticky tape, I can almost see the joyous faces of my friends and family tearing the paper off.
2. Writing Christmas cards. It can feel like a chore, but writing cards is also a wonderful opportunity to connect with people I don´t see often, and show appreciation for those I do. Like choosing and wrapping gifts, finding the right card is another way to step away from the mass-produced and add a personal touch.
3. Making decorations. Of course you can buy decorations, and I often do, but some of the baubles and trinkets I love seeing most are the lop-sided, hand-made ones that carry personal memories with them.
4. Mince pies. This traditional British favourite is so much a part of Christmas, it ended up with a whole scene of its own in The Santa Next Door. I love all kinds of seasonal delicacies, but if I could only save one, it would be hot spiced pies.
5. Mulled wine. No Christmas party would be complete without steaming spiced wine, and I was over the moon when I discovered you could do the same thing with red grape juice for the drivers in the party.
6. Christmas music. I don´t mean the endless repeats of seasonal number ones that you hear in the shops, but traditional songs like a soaring Gloria never fail to lift the spirits.
7. Outdoor skating rinks. They might be even chillier than their indoor equivalents, but there´s a unique thrill to gliding about in the open air, huddled up in a scarf and gloves, feeling the chill just on the end of your nose
8. Scented candles. As Christmas approaches, the nights draw in, and the early dusk is a great excuse to light candles scented with pine or cinnamon. As a very wise lady once said, better to light a candle than curse the darkness.
9. Re-reading old favourites. Little Women never fails to remind me how lucky I am to be enjoying a Christmas with presents, and The Magic Christmas Tree is another seasonal must-read to encourage me to appreciate the season.
10. Watching Christmas movies. For many of my friends, Christmas is A Wonderful Life or Mary Poppins. I´m a little less conventional in my choices. My current favourite is Arthur Christmas, which has just narrowly surpassed my previous top pick, Olive the Other Reindeer. Both are adorable animations with a heartwarming message. What better way to feel the real Christmas spirit?
*~*
| [amazon_link id=”B00ES5JYLE” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Amazon[/amazon_link] |
Blurb
Sue Edmonds swore off men after her feckless husband left her struggling to care for their four-year-old daughter Trudi and maintain their ramshackle Victorian home. But her mysterious neighbour might tempt her to change her mind.
Bryn Thomas once found peace and happiness in music but that was before his heart was broken. Now it stirs up painful memories and provides little comfort. That is until he finds himself sharing Christmas carols with his young neighbor and her beautiful mother. As Sue sees Bryn playing Santa, she is touched to discover his gentler side. Can she hope for a Christmas miracle and the fulfilment of Trudi´s Christmas wish for a Dad?
*~*
Excerpt
“Mmmm.” A blissful murmur escaped Bryn’s lips. The pastry was crisp and warm and light, and the filling rich and spicy, bursting onto his tongue with the taste of childhood Christmases. “Thank you.” His thanks to Sue related to more than just the neighborly gesture of bringing pies. He only hoped the two weak words could hold the depth of gratitude he felt for the way she had awakened him, his energy, his hopes, and his senses. The warmth in her eyes as she responded with a simple, “You’re welcome,” suggested that she understood something of the depth of his feeling, though perhaps not the reason for his emotive response. He smiled across his coffee at her, and no words were needed as they shared a moment of perfect contentment. Of course, Trudi was not one to allow the silence to linger, and she bounced over to Bryn with her hand outstretched, displaying the coloring book she’d brought. Sue sat back in the corner of the sofa, and Bryn got a very appealing view of her shapely legs. She looked like a cat curled comfortably in the warm room, and she seemed happy to let Trudi, perched on Bryn’s chair arm, dominate the conversation. “I want a princess dress for Christmas,” Trudi announced. “I love princesses. I like the princess in Aladdin best, and I like the other princess, the one with red hair like mine.” Sue and Bryn exchanged an amused look as Trudi rattled on. “I like unicorns too. I’ve got a unicorn but it’s not a real one. It’s purple and furry.” Did all girls go through a fairy-tale phase? Something in Sue’s eyes told him that if she had ever believed in happy endings, she no longer had that faith. What had happened to change that feeling? He wasn’t ready to ask yet, but maybe one day he’d find out. He’d like to bring back her faith in the world.
by Sarah | Nov 8, 2013 | Friday Dialogues, Guest Authors, Writing
November marks the release of my third novel and the conclusion of my Chances trilogy, Last Chance. When I started writing Second Chance five years ago, a trilogy was the farthest thing from my mind. Moira and Paul’s story was originally part of that first novel. But as Lindsay and Brian’s adventure evolved, I realized there wasn’t room in the book to do Moira and Paul justice, not to mention the beauty of the Lake Tahoe winter. And since Delaney and Mike’s Chance Encounter was dancing relentlessly in my head, I put Moira and Paul on hold. Now it’s their turn for Happily Ever After. I hope you’re as excited to see them again as I am! What better way to conclude the Chances trilogy than to come full circle.
In Second Chance, star-crossed lovers Lindsay Foster and Brian Rembrandt get a second chance at love amid the brilliant blue waters of Lake Tahoe. In Chance Encounter, Delaney Richards and Mike Savoy’s quest for love takes them from Tahoe’s fawn-colored shores to the serpentine streets of San Francisco. But the heat in Last Chance comes not from the blazing summer sun and rugged, white-hot sand, but from the prurient, torrid fervor between lifelong friends Moira Brody and Paul Webster. And even the single-digit temperatures of the Lake Tahoe winter are no match for their long-bridled desire.
| [amazon_link id=”B00GD0JPF2″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Amazon[/amazon_link] |
Blurb:
Amid the blinding blue sky and snow-capped peaks of the Lake Tahoe winter, Paul Webster and Moira Brody will see one another through new eyes. But not everybody is on their side. Paul has some worthy competition and Moira’s survival instincts have kicked into high gear. Love and truth will be put to the ultimate test. Moira will have to take a leap of faith and Paul will have to take the ultimate risk–again. And sometimes discovering that what you’ve been searching for is right in front of you is more terrifying than not finding it at all. Their adventure will bring them full circle. But they’ll be plenty of collateral damage along the way.
Reader Alert! Moira Brody has been saving herself for Paul Webster without even knowing it. She is more than willing and eager to enroll in the Paul Webster School of love making. And she doesn’t want to be treated with kid gloves…
To My Readers: The veil between love and friendship can sometimes grow thin. And when both of you start to look at each other through different eyes, it all but disappears. What better way to conclude the Chances trilogy than to come full circle? Come with me as Moira Brody and Paul Webster take a chance at love. And discover it was worth waiting for.
About the Author: Martha O’Sullivan has loved reading romance novels for as long as she can remember. So much so she would often continue the story in her head long after the last chapter was read! Writing her own novels is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for this stay-at-home mom. She lives her own happy ending in Florida with her husband and two daughters.
*~*
Excerpt (sexy) from Last Chance
Paul laid Moira down on the rumpled bed, and standing above her, got out of his shirt and pants. She’d seen him shirtless countless times before. But it was as if she was seeing him through different eyes. His pecs were firm but not overbearing; his abs ripped but not enough to make him barrel-chested; his arms defined but not herculean. And every bit of that thoroughbred-like body was lowering itself on top of her.
Along with something else.
And it was throbbing against her thigh through form-fitting briefs.
Arrows of fear and excitement shot through her and she wondered if he could hear her heart beating outside her chest. He framed her head with his arms. “I’ve wanted you for so long,” he effused, “without even knowing it.”
Moira gulped. “Then take me.”
Her newfound initiative seemed to surprise, then intrigue him and began to indulge her.
She welcomed his mouth, his tongue, his bite. She loved the way he brushed his fingers across her cheeks, combed his hands through her hair and down the nape of her neck before cocooning her in his arms. He kissed her with his whole body, feasting on her throat and shoulders before scooting back and finding his way to the hem of her dress.
“I’ll go easy. I promise.”
“I’m not going to break.”
His sultry eyes fired with desire. “Be careful what you wish for.”
Lifting her arms above her head, she silently yielded to him.
Paul slipped his hands under the silk and began shimmying the dress up her thighs. He stopped appraisingly at her hips, then continued up her torso to the swell of her breasts. He tasted them impalpably, then slipped the dress over her shoulders.
He extended his arms in invitation and she raised herself on her knees to meet him. Cupping the back of her neck, he brought her to him. She surrendered to his mouth, his hands, and soon she knew, as a chord struck deep inside her, to his burgeoning erection.
Not a word passed between them, but her eyes granted him the permission he so desperately sought. His impatient hands unhooked the strapless bra with disturbing deft. He’d done this before, she reminded herself.
A lot.
His fingertips grazed her chest and throat as if looking for a place to start. He settled on her breasts, making concentric circles on her nipples with his thumbs before easing her back against the upholstered headboard.
His shaft was nudging at her as he began where he’d left off.
But with his teeth this time.
Nibble by tortuous nibble, he tugged, snagged, bit until her nipples stood on point. A lightning bolt of lust flashed in her bundle of nerves below as he licked his way down to her bellybutton. He paused to circle it with his tongue, then returned to her mouth, sampling her all the while.
His hands continued south to the strings resting below her hipbones. He waggled the panties down, then jettisoned them with a nimble kick.
“You are so beautiful,” he venerated, finding her. “Everywhere. I want to touch every inch of you.”
She reached for him more clumsily than she liked. He was as stiff as a board and globules of need were oozing through the black cotton. “I want to touch you first,” she ventured. “Show me what to do.”
He made quick work of all that separated them and lying next to her, placed her hand on his pulsating cock.
“You’ll know.”
She gripped him, and going on instinct, began to stroke. His breath instantly caught in his throat, encouraging her to quicken the pace. Head falling back in praise, he mumbled something indistinct as his body tensed and penis curved into the crook of her hand.
His moans filled the heavy air as she began to milk him with long, lazy titillations. She wondered if he could grow any more engorged without bursting.
The tip of him was seeping thick, heavy drops and she likened it to the hedonic wicking between her legs. She had never felt that kind of sweeping heat before. And the flame was spreading at an alarming rate. Her wetness was chasing the rush, only to ignite it again.
Just then he reached for her and felt it for himself.
“Oh God,” he droned, eyes rolling back in his head. “You’re dripping.” In one smooth move, he rolled on top of her. His erection rested on her damp nest of curls and he skirted his lips across hers. “I need to be inside you now.”
Bracing herself, she answered the prayer in his voice by spreading her thighs in wholehearted invitation.
She felt his hand between her legs, then his erection find her. She winced a little when the head of his manhood began inching into her center.
“It’s gonna hurt a little. I’ll go slow.”
He was right; it did hurt. But she bit back the pain and arched beneath him.
Working her into the gap between his thighs, he slid his hands up her back and pushed her breasts against his chest. His glistening eyes found hers. “I love you, Moira.”
She felt her heart swell along with his member. “I love you, too. So incredibly much.”
Interlacing their fingers and plumbing his elbows, he began to move inside her. “Oh, baby,” he cried out in a low, throaty growl. “You’re so wet, so warm, so tight.”
She wondered if he could also feel the fever scalding her from top to bottom. Or the barrier of resistance shattering in its wake. Her hips began to sway in sync with his. Each thrust brought less sting and more urgency.
Rising to his knees, he positioned himself between her legs, then began to rock above her.
He was tapping the very essence of her now, teasing her with climax. She felt aglow, like all the energy in her body had dovetailed into a cluster of ecstasy between her legs.
He broke pace only to grab her by the butt cheeks and draw her flush to him. “Put your legs up on my back,” he pleaded more than bid.
She obliged and Paul impelled himself deeper into her. And just as the ecstasy overtook her, he roared her name and claimed her.
*~*
Martha O’Sullivan has loved reading romance novels for as long as she can remember. So much so that she would continue the story in her head long after the last chapter was read. Writing her own novels is the realization of a lifelong dream for this stay-at-home mom. A native Chicagoan, she lives her own happy ending in Tampa with her husband and two daughters.
Martha is a member of Romance Writers of America and Tampa Area Romance Authors. She is a graduate of Illinois State University where she wrote for the school newspaper and was a proud member of Zeta Tau Alpha. Formerly, she was an Acquisitions Editor at Macmillan Computer Publishing. She writes contemporary and erotic romances with traditional couples and happy endings. She is the author of the Chances trilogy available now from Red Sage Publishing. Her current work-in-progress in a Christmas novel set in Florida.
My love affair with California began at the tender age of fifteen and continues today, three decades later. So it should come as no surprise that the book of my heart, which somehow turned into a trilogy, is set there.
Maybe it was the indescribable thrill of a Midwestern girl seeing the ocean for the first time (we have a lake in Chicago, but it’s not the same). Or the sight of unapologetically bronzed coeds with movie-star teeth driving silver metallic convertibles and playing volleyball in the sand. Perhaps the towering palm trees swaying against the impossibly blue sky? But that was in Southern Cal; my Chances trilogy takes place in Lake Tahoe and San Francisco, hundreds of miles north.
I was an unassuming only child of the 70’s, growing up in a place where a short, precious summer turned into a long, cold winter seemingly overnight. What else was I to do but read (thanks, Carolyn Keene)?
In high school, I often opted for the city bus because it stopped in front of the library. Just a branch, mind you, but they had loads of paperback books. And no matter the inventory du jour, I was drawn to the revolving wire rack of romance novels. Harlequin Presents, Danielle Steel and later on, Nora Roberts.
The books took me to places all over the world where effortlessly beautiful, wonderfully flawed heroines were swept off their feet by dynamic, irresistible heroes. I preferred the books to the afternoon soaps because I could imagine the characters in my mind’s eye. And if I found the ending disappointing or abrupt, I would simply continue the story in my head.
Writing such ideas down, however, took another thirty years.
In the interim, I went to college and met my own prince charming. And he took me to San Francisco on our honeymoon.
And, as cliché as it sounds, that’s where I left my heart. Well, part of it anyway. Because eight years and two babies later, he took me to Lake Tahoe for the very first time.
And my frisson with California moved even farther north.
I hope my books will take you there. And you’ll leave a little piece of yours behind too.
by Sarah | Nov 4, 2013 | Guest Authors, Top Ten Tuesday, Writing
Katya Armock has stopped by today to talk about the top ten songs she likes to listen to while writing – and how they tie into her novel, [amazon_link id=”B00FY3FN1O” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]To Growl or Groan[/amazon_link].
*~*

Here are ten songs that I like to listen to when I write. They have some relation to my current novel To Growl or to Groan.
- [amazon_link id=”B00150U8DS” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Mr. Self Destruct[/amazon_link] by Nine Inch Nails: Chloe feels like she is losing control of her psychic ability, and this song could be from the point of view of her ability when Chloe is viewing it as a threat.
- [amazon_link id=”B0017QJN8G” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Sour Cherry[/amazon_link] by The Kills: Chloe and Jorge’s relationship gets tested in this book, not necessarily in the way this song implies, but I like the song’s vibe.
- [amazon_link id=”B000W18LPI” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Right in Time[/amazon_link] by Lucinda Williams: This is such a great love/sex song.
- [amazon_link id=”B000WIPZ28″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Metal Heart[/amazon_link] by Garbage: Chloe has to face a lot of her inner demons in this book. A line from this song sums up her feelings in many ways: “I want to understand so I can forgive and be willing to love.”
- [amazon_link id=”B000004AT7″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Most Beautiful[/amazon_link] by Frente: “The most beautiful thing is when I hear your heartbeat.” The Happily Ever After moment in a nutshell.
- [amazon_link id=”B000UCEJDM” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]And Darling[/amazon_link] by Teagan and Sarah: A short song that always makes me think about the nature of relationships.
- [amazon_link id=”B00136O0AG” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Sweetest Decline[/amazon_link] by Beth Orton: Such a beautiful, haunting, hopeful song. “What’s the use in regrets? They’re just lesson we haven’t learned yet.” Kind of like the sun will come up tomorrow but a bit more my taste in music. J
- [amazon_link id=”B000EHQ7L0″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Turn Into[/amazon_link] by Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs: It’s so hard to open yourself up to someone.
- [amazon_link id=”B002B31B84″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]You Shook Me All Night Long[/amazon_link] by AC/DC: I don’t think I need to explain. This band is not known for its subtlety. 😉
- [amazon_link id=”B0092MKH82″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Demons[/amazon_link] by Imagine Dragons: Just to prove I do listen to some contemporary music. J Plus, this is a song I listen to over and over.
*~*
| [amazon_link id=”B00FY3FN1O” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Amazon[/amazon_link] | BN | ARe | Amazon UK | Amazon CA |
Blurb:
Her gift could save a missing girl…or destroy her relationship forever.
After receiving a troubling Tarot reading, Chloe just knows something big and bad is about to happen. Her ability to communicate with animals and shape-shifters is going awry, and her growing psychic abilities are beginning to scare her. Despite her unease, she won’t let anything interrupt her trip to Scotland to spend the holidays with her shape-shifter boyfriend’s family. Jorge is everything she’s always wanted, and the fire between Chloe and the passionate panther-shifter burns hot. But meeting his family has her nerves in knots.
When Jorge’s sister goes missing, Chloe’s psychic abilities might be the only thing that can help them find her. But things don’t go as planned, and with confusing psychic visions clouding her judgment, Chloe makes a mistake and an animal is injured. And Chloe fears she might hurt Jorge as well…
Excerpt:
“Which deck are you drawn to, Chloe?” The tarot reader lays out three decks before me and waves her hands over the decks. “Feel free to pick them up, look at the artwork.”
Her booth is toward the back of a new-age shop called The Abacus, not far from where I used to work. She wears jeans and a T-shirt that reads, “Tarot isn’t a matter of life or death. It’s more important than that.” I’d place her at about forty, wisps of gray intermingling in her near-black hair.
I look over the decks of cards. The first has Renaissance-type drawings. Boring. The second is purple and features whimsical faery creatures. It’s pretty and ethereal. The third is dark. On the back of each card, two serpents eating their own tails are entwined on a black background. I flip the deck, thumb through the cards. The pictures are raw and vivid; they suck me in.
“This one.” I hand the third deck back to her.
She nods. “Very good. What is your question? You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want.”
There is no reason for me not to tell her; she of all people should understand. “I want to know about my gift.”
There’s not an ounce of judgment or question in her eyes before she holds the cards to her chest for a moment and closes her eyes for a few deep breaths. I watch the rise and fall of her chest, trying to claim her calmness, but I remain fidgety and anxious.
She opens her eyes, looks at my hands tapping on the table. “It’s OK to be nervous, but there is nothing to fear. All is as it will be.”
Oh, platitudes. If I ever become a Zen master, hallelujah. In the meantime, I try to quell my inner cynic and smile at the card reader.
She laughs, as if she can read my mind. Perhaps she can. “I’m going to do a three-card reading for you. The first represents the past, the second the present, and the third the future.” She shuffles the deck, then lays it neatly on the table between us. “Cut the deck with your left hand.”
I do, and she lays out the first card. It’s The Devil, which can’t possibly be good. At least it’s my past card.
Her face is unhelpfully blank. “Tell me your impressions of this card. It can be the name, the artwork, whatever.”
I pick it up for a closer look. The drawing is in shades of purple. At the top, a face, featuring lazy yellow eyes and downturned lips, sprouts four horns. A web of string seems to be wound among the horns and crisscrosses to form a pentagram on the devil’s forehead. From the neck down, he appears to be submerged in water and wearing some sort of vest with intricately interlocking clasps. “It is a dark picture, but it almost appears as if the figure has an angelic halo. As though all is not lost.”
She tilts her head to the side, revealing a small black goddess tattoo under her ear. “That is interesting. The Devil represents the shadow side of things. It can be lies and illusion, but it can also remind us to focus on using our power for good—to make our fate.”
Well that certainly fits and is a whole lot better than my first impression that my past must be filled with evil. Until recently, I had repressed the little I knew of why my mother left my father and me when I was ten. Now I know she left to go back to her mother to get help. I am certain it had something to do with her having a gift, just as I can telepathically communicate with animals and shape-shifters. And that means that my gift was inherited. What I don’t know is how far back in the family tree the genes go or where these gifts come from. I’m not sure I want to know.
*~*
I like books that are funny and fun to read (and hot!) but also make me think or look at the world in a new way.
These days you’ll find me writing, pet sitting, juggling a number of freelance gigs, and reigning as my home’s domestic goddess. I live in the Midwestern U.S. with my husband, dog and cats. Alas, I have, as of yet, been unable to teach my husband how to purr.
Website: http://katyaarmock.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/katyaarmock
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/KatyaArmock
by Sarah | Oct 29, 2013 | Guest Authors, Top Ten Tuesday, Writing
My top ten reasons for writing and reading paranormal romance.
As a reader:
- I like to travel to new and magical places.
- I love such places as France in the Middle Ages, Scotland, and Ireland.
- I like stories that evoke ancient legends and tales.
- I like that tales that surprise and delight me.
- I love time travel.
As a paranormal romance writer:
- I like to write about professional women who learn to make room for true love in their lives.
- I write strong, sensitive, smart heroes.
- I’m inspired by the earth and ancient ways and weave those mysteries into my stories.
- I like to create sweet romance where the growing relationship is the focus.
- I love time travel.
*~*
| [amazon_link id=”B00DVNC9E8″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Amazon[/amazon_link] | BN | ARe |
ABOUT GARGOYLE: THREE ROMANCE NOVELLAS
The mysterious lives of gargoyles. They don’t just hang out on buildings. They right wrongs. They wreak havoc. And they change the lives of unsuspecting people who never see them coming.
ON A WING AND A PRAYER BY Kay Keppler (Humorous Contemporary)
The hero…
Craig knows that Bea is in trouble. But Craig can’t do anything about it—because he’s a garden gargoyle and Bea can’t hear his warnings. When unexpected visitors arrive to help, Craig finds the power he had all along. Now the neighborhood will never be the same.
TOUCHSTONE OF LOVE by Beth Barany (Time Travel)
The touchstone…
When a thunderstorm transports software expert Rose Waldman to thirteenth century France, she meets hunky stonemason Julien, who is secretly creating a gargoyle in defiance of his master mason. Can independent gadget loving Rose trust her life and heart to Julien, and can she really never go home again?
THE MILLER’S DAUGHTER BY Patricia Simpson (Historical)
And the freak just trying to get along…
Sentenced to burn at the stake for sorcery, Merofled volunteers to help jaded warrior Alaric kill a gargoyle that threatens her village. But Merofled soon discovers the gargoyle is not a monster at all. It’s a misfit just like her. Can she persuade Alaric to spare the gargoyle–and herself?
*~*
EXCERPT OF “TOUCHSTONE OF LOVE” BY BETH BARANY
Julien of Beauvais stomped through the edge of town, through the fields and the stormy dark. He didn’t care about the wet and wind. He needed to find peace, he needed to find inspiration. It was time that he showed Master Stonemason Bernard de Chantilly all of his skill and artistry and present his master work to the community and get his approval, even if the master stonemason said Julien could not present his work at Michaelmas in five days.
The master stonemason didn’t like him and had not allowed him to present the previous year. But this year would be his. It was time he showed Master Bernard that he was ready to become a master mason and travel as a free man. His training was complete. He’d become a journeyman and done a short trip to Paris with Master Bernard a few years ago. Yet, most men at his age of twenty-six years had already started their own houses and were busy at work on the new cathedrals sprouting all over France.
He wanted to travel to Amiens, or Rennes, and direct his own house, with a woman at his side, and his own apprentices, and a passel of children. The time was now. His time. Oblivious to the cold and the wet, Julien stomped through the field in anger.
Not only was Master Stonemason Bernard a barrier to his dreams, but so was also Marie-Jeanne, his intended. She’d betrayed him with that farm boy from the count’s household. How was he going to create a home when his betrothed was ready to run off with another?
That was why, in his anger, he’d messed up the day’s stone carving work and had been relegated to sorting and breaking granite blocks for the other apprentices.
The rain pelted his face as Julien stumbled over something. He lost his footing and slipped to his knees. He put out his hands to brace himself and felt something soft. Soft and warm.
As gently as he could, as if he were handling a new-born lamb back at his parents’ farm, he felt for the shape of the soft and warm, and unmistakably touched a breast. A woman fallen in the fields. In the cloudy night with no light of the moon or stars, he reached out to learn more about her. She was alive by the warmth of her, and by the strong pulse at her throat, and not long outdoors, as her skin wasn’t completely chilled. He couldn’t leave her, so he scooped up her unconscious, naked form and headed for his workshop hidden in a copse of chestnut trees outside the walls of the town.
Once inside his small workshop, he stoked the fire under the cook pot. He rushed to cover her with his blanket and rubbed the hands and feet of the woman, something he’d seen the old midwife do to women who sometimes fainted in the fields. The woman breathed deeply, but remained asleep.
She was naked, curved in all the right places. Clearly well fed, luscious, but quite improperly dressed for a fall night, as if she’d been bathing and wandered off from her task.
Maybe she was under some spell that made her sleep. While he was a god-fearing man, and worshipped Mother Mary, he knew magic was in the land. He felt it when he worked the stone every day, but never talked about it.
The woman appeared calm, even peaceful as she slept. Definitely a woman, not a girl. Her long golden locks had come loose from her tie. She had rosy cheeks, pink lips, an angular nose, and a long column of a throat. Her chest rose and fell with even breaths.
What color were her eyes? He pulled the wool blanket up under her chin, and tucked it around her body to keep her warm. A tiny waist, a warm shapely rump, long legs, strong feet—he noticed all that as he chastely tucked the blanket around her. He’d noticed that her palms were strong, with callused, long fingers, almost as big as his. She must be a farmhand from a neighboring village, but he didn’t recognize her.
She was almost angelic in how she slept. His troubles forgotten, he made for his worktable on the other side of the one-room shed and picked up his chisel.
He’d found the inspiration he needed to start his work of art.
“Touchstone of Love” is in the collection, Gargoyle: Three Enchanting Romance Novellas. Amazon (international): http://viewbook.at/Gargoyle. More at: http://author.bethbarany.com/books/gargoyle-three-enchanting-romance-novellas/
*~*
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Award-winning author, Beth Barany has been making up fantasy and adventure stories all her life. She writes magical tales of romance and adventure for women and girls to transport them to new worlds where anything is possible. To learn more about Beth and her fiction, visit her site: http://author.bethbarany.com. On Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/beth_barany. On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bethbarany.