by Sarah | Oct 18, 2013 | Book Spotlight, Guest Authors, Saturday Spotlight, Writing
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Out just in time for Halloween, this ebook anthology of alpha male shifters is a compilation of three of my most popular M/F erotic stories. Within the first 48 hours, this bundle became an All Romance Ebooks top 20 best seller, and an Amazon top 50 best seller in anthologies. If bought separately, all of these books owuld cost $9.97. If you bought together, you’ll get one book for FREE.
Included in this series:
Cria – Aleta runs the ancient breeding race to gain her freedom, but when she runs into someone from her past deep within the Amazon rain forest, she must decide if freedom is truly what her heart desires.
Spyder’s Web – A tough cop tracks down a beautiful serial killer and discovers that things aren’t always what they seem.
Up on the Housetop – Chloe goes up to the rooftop of her childhood home to escape her controlling family and discovers an an erotic adventure she will never forget.
*~*
Below is an excerpt from one of of the shifter stories, Up on the Housetop:
This time her father had gone too far.
Chloe Bradford threw open the window, grabbed the open bottle of Cristal, and walked out onto her third-floor bedroom balcony. After a few minutes of pitiful acrobatics and a long string of curses, she managed to pull herself up onto the roof. For some reason, the climb had seemed much easier when she was sixteen.
“Damn, my glass.” Chloe carefully placed the bottle down and climbed back into her bedroom.
“Where did it go?” She scanned the pink and white walls in disgust. Chloe had loved the color scheme back when her mother had picked it out. Then again, she’d been only eight at the time. Now, at thirty-two, it made her think of a bottle of Pepto-Bismol. When she’d gone off to college, she thought she’d never see this place again. She’d been wrong. Funny how some things come full circle.
Frowning, she crossed her arms in front of her chest. No glass. Maybe she left it downstairs. Too bad. She’d much rather drink from the bottle than go back down there and subject herself to that humiliation again. It was a “drink from the bottle” type of night, anyway.
She shimmied back out to her champagne on the roof. The Spanish-style mansion was like a lot of the other houses in the area. The roof was very flat and a nightmare during times of rain, but it was perfect for a teenager or two to get away from their parents for a few hours.
Or for a middle-aged woman to hide from a marriage proposal.
Chloe took a seat and placed her almost-full bottle next to her. It had been a long time since she’d come out here to wish on the stars and dream of her future.
Now she just wanted to escape it.
She sighed and held up the bottle of Cristal to the full moon hanging low in the sky. She wasn’t much of a drinker and wasn’t exactly a fan of champagne, but desperate times called for desperate measures. After the huge fight, she just wanted to get out of there. She had grabbed the closest bottle and left her parents and boyfriend gaping in the dining room below.
She brought the champagne to her lips. The bubbly liquid tickled her throat as she gulped it down. What happened to her life?
When she was a little girl, she had dreamed of becoming a concert pianist. Her senior year in high school, she’d gotten accepted into a program at Juilliard. A few months later, she’d become engaged to her high school sweetheart. For a while it seemed like everything was going great.
Then, a semester before she was due to graduate, her life changed forever.
Chloe blinked back tears and took another sip of champagne.
Marcus, her older brother, and her fiancé, Zach, had gone backpacking in Montana. They never returned. A frenzied search turned up her brother’s body but not Zach’s. She shivered as she thought back to that day when they had heard the news. The autopsy revealed that Marcus was mauled by some large animal, a bear or a wolf or something. Zach’s body was never found.
Marcus had been groomed to take over the family business and control the bulk of their inheritance. Chloe would receive a small stipend from the family coffers to live on, but she could otherwise do as she pleased. After that day, she was the sole heir to the Bradford family fortune. Now it was now up to her, not Marcus, to keep the business going when her father retired.
That meant no more school.
No more friends.
No more life.
She should’ve told her father to shove the inheritance, but Chloe loved her parents and knew they were grieving. She’d only intended to stay in Texas for a short time, but somehow she had ended up being her father’s shadow for the past eleven years.
She took another sip of champagne and leaned back on her elbows. Clouds had moved in, hiding the stars and blanketing the moon. She remembered when she and Zach used to climb up here at night to have sex underneath the night sky. It had been so wonderful back then. Before her new responsibilities. Before Karl.
“Why did Karl have to propose tonight? On Christmas Eve?” she asked the moon.
It didn’t answer.
Her father was behind the proposal; she knew it. They were all expecting her to say yes, but the words caught in her throat. She just couldn’t.
She refused to spend the rest of her days as boring Mrs. Karl Radcliffe, heiress to the Bradford billions. Karl was nice enough, but there was no chemistry between them, at least not the type of chemistry she had shared with Zach. But Zach was gone, and it was her
Zach.
Get over it, Chloe. It’s time to move on.
Accepting Karl’s proposal was like giving up on the idea that Zach would return and free her from this miserable life. After a marriage to Karl, there would be no more going back. No more hope. No more dreaming of what could have been. The young, innocent, fun-loving Chloe would finally be dead.
“I wish I could escape this place.” She stood and swayed slightly. “Escape my family.” Tilting her head back and raising her arms, she shouted at the moon. “I don’t want this life anymore, do you hear me? Take it back.”
Silence.
“What’s wrong with me?” Chloe dropped her arms and pushed her curly mop of hair from her face. “Why can’t I just tell them to take the inheritance and shove it?”
She knew why. She was chicken. Her parents were the only family she had left. They’d been through so much with her brother’s death, and she didn’t want to add to their grief. “For once I wish I didn’t have to do what was expected of me,” she said to the moon. “I just want to be me.”
Who was she, anyway? At one time she thought she knew. She was a dreamer, an artist, a lover. Now…
Now she was just going through the motions. Sighing, she took one last slug from the champagne bottle and tossed it over the side of the house.
As the bottle left her hand, guilt immediately took hold. Good girls didn’t throw bottles of Cristal. Nor did they yell at the moon.
A giggle welled up in her throat, and she covered her mouth. She knew she would eventually have to marry boring Karl to appease her parents, but for tonight she’d pretend she was that hopeful teenager, and Zach was once again by her side.
Wait a minute.
Chloe frowned. No crash. If you throw a bottle of champagne over the edge of the house, you would expect it to crash when it hit the ground, right? She made her way over to the edge of the roof and peered down. It was so hard to see anything in the dark. Sinking to her hands and knees, she squinted into the darkness below.
There was movement, a shifting of shadow. Then…nothing.
“Who’s there?” And where’s my Cristal? She bent farther over the side of the house.
There it was again. Something was down there.
“Come out into the streetlight where I can see you.”
She counted to ten, or maybe it was three. It was hard to tell in her present state. Still nothing happened.
“I know someone is down there. Show yourself.”
The wind picked up, rustling the wind chimes on the front of the house. The unseasonably cool Texas night gave her a chill. She shivered and pulled the shawl her mother had made for her over her strapless blouse.
“Shouldn’t you be with your family?”
Chloe jumped up and whirled around. A large, muscular figure stood on the rooftop behind her, just a few feet away. His hair hung loose around his shoulders, and the bottom of his open trench coat lifted slightly in the breeze. Shadows fell over his face, masking his identity. He tilted his head to the side, as if to study her.
How did he get up here?
Her eyes shifted to the large tree, looming behind him. Okay, one question answered. Now for another one…
“Who are you?”
“I think a more relevant question is: why are you out here on Christmas Eve when your family is having dinner inside?” His low voice sounded gravelly, as if he had a cold or sore throat, yet it seemed strangely familiar. The stranger took a step closer to the tree and deeper into the shadows.
“How did you know…?” She crossed her arms in front of her chest. “What I do up here is my business. You’re intruding.”
“You asked me to come up here.”
Chloe snorted and put her hands on her hips. “I did not.”
“You did. You said ‘show yourself.’”
Oh yeah, she did say that, didn’t she? “What are you doing out here? A late-night stroll?”
He chuckled. “You could say that.”
Chloe shifted her gaze down to the long, winding driveway below them. It led from the front steps, down around a sculpture her father had commissioned long ago, between two thin rows of trees, and stopped at the gate leading into the property.
Late-night stroll, her ass. Nobody got on or off this property unless it was approved. How did he get past the guards? “You must have gotten lost, then. This is private property, you know.”
He laughed again, a deep, rich laugh that sent tingles over her skin. “I see you haven’t changed much.”
So, he knew her. The voice sounded familiar, but with the man’s face in shadow, Chloe couldn’t tell his identity.
He didn’t mean her harm; she knew it instinctively. There was something about the way he spoke, the way he moved, that didn’t seem threatening. Then again, maybe it was just the Cristal that made her less wary. She closed her eyes in concentration. That voice… It was rough and sensual, like silk sheets against bare skin. So familiar…
“Do you know my father?”
“You could say that, yes.” His voice caressed her ears, making her heart flutter. “I knew your whole family, once.”
“Ha! I knew it.” This man worked for her father. He’d probably been over to the house numerous times. It explained why he was in the driveway, how he knew her, and why the voice sounded so familiar. “So does my father know you are up on the roof with me?” She opened her eyes.
Where did he go?
A light breeze blew over her, ruffling her blonde curls. She spun around in a circle. “Is this some sort of joke?”
“No, Chloe. No joke.” The stranger’s warm breath brushed against the back of her neck. She shivered as the faint mix of sandalwood and spice reached her nose.
She knew that smell. Chloe started to turn, but firm hands grabbed her shoulders and faced her forward again.
“I never thought I’d see you again,” the stranger whispered.
No, he wasn’t a stranger. He knew her. That voice… If she could just clear the fog of Cristal in her brain, she just knew she’d be able to identify him.
“Who are you…?”
*~*
Bio:
A lifetime New Englander, Suzanne married her college sweetheart and has been with him for over twenty years. Every summer she drags her husband and two daughters to Maine on a quest for the perfect lobster dinner. Every fall she can be found down in Foxboro, Massachusetts cheering on her favorite football team. In between those trips, she’s a chauffeur, a maid, a chef, an event planner, a hairdresser, a wardrobe stylist, a tutor and a sometimes masseuse. To keep her sanity, she often drinks copious amounts of coffee and stares at the blank screen of her laptop, dreaming of great adventures. Sometimes she even writes them down for others to enjoy.
Suzanne also writes mainstream romances under the pen name Ava Conway (www.AvaConway.com).
Website: www.SuzanneRock.com
Blog: Romance on a Budget: www.suzannerock.wordpress.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/SuzanneRockAuthor
Twitter: www.twitter.com/Suzanne_Rock
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/Suzanne_Rock
Writing Workshops: http://suzannerock.com/workshops/
by Sarah | Oct 16, 2013 | Character Interview, Guest Authors, Thursday Tell All, Writing
I’m visiting with Nox in the cozy front room of his house in Ribeauville, a small town in Francia, where he and his wife, Salena work for the lord of the town. Nox is relaxing in a simple wooden chair by the circular hearth.
Did you have a happy childhood? “I did,” he says slowly. “I grew up on a tenant farm not far out of town. Although I had to work hard, it was a decent, simple life. I also had a good friend nearby. Grant and I managed to get into all sorts of mischief together.”
You seemed a little doubtful about the answer to that question. “My childhood ended abruptly at age 14 when my parents and little brother died of an illness that ravaged our whole community. Theophilus, the Lord of Ribeauville, brought me here to work as his houseboy, though the housekeeper seemed to want me to stay in the stables instead of interfering in her domain.” He smiles at the recollection, then sobers. “That was a difficult time.”
I can only imagine how hard that was. Do you think the loss affected you? He nods. “There is no doubt. I am very reluctant to get attached to people. Salena is the only person I’ve really taken a risk with and we had to reach a crisis to make me take that jump.”
How did you meet Salena? “On the one hand, I’ve known Salena all my life since she is Grant’s little sister. But, on the other hand, in a way it feels like I met her for the first time when she caught me in a moment of dejection at a spot overlooking my childhood home. When I saw her on the road, I knew almost immediately it was her, yet she was so cautious with me. I did not think I looked like an untrustworthy fellow and here was a pretty young woman acting as if I was going to murder her where she stood! Only later did I come learn that some of her neighbors considered her something of a witch, so she is understandably cautious around people in general.”
Why would they think she is a witch? “Mostly because of one hateful woman who twisted a series of coincidences to turn the community against Salena and her family.”
Were you immediately attracted to her once she realized you were a friend? “Of course. She is beautiful, with her golden eyes that other people see as a sign of evil in her. What nonsense!” he says dismissively. “The most touching thing she did that day was to remember my family.” His voice softens. “She told me a story about my brother Diem that I had not known. It was so wonderful after all these years to have someone talk about them, to be with someone who remembered.”
Have you renewed your friendship with Grant? “Absolutely. It was partly through him that Salena and I kept being thrown together, not that either of us minded.”
Did he mind? Nox laughs. “He was shocked. Like most men, he did not think of his sister as attractive or available, and he considered me part of the family, so to see the two of us together went against his grain for a while. His wife helped at a few critical times with keeping him out of the way.”
Did anyone else encourage you? “Theo gave me some good counsel. And his wife, Lily, also.” He laughs again. “I don’t think Lily could have planned all the little actions that fed my interest in Salena during a particular visit to town. If she did, she should plan battles for the emperor.”
What happens now? What does your future hold? “We are settling into married life, and Salena into her new work with the Lady of Ribeauville. We hope for children, though the idea of another precious person in my life makes me sweat. I just want Salena to be safe so we can enjoy decades of happiness together. Keeping her by my side is the only thing that worries me any more.”
*~*
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The night is dark. The moon is bright. She brings his heart into her light.
The fifth book in the Evolution Series and a 49,000 word historical romance novella.
A vicious neighbor uses a series of coincidences to label Salena as the local moon-charmer, making her an outcast in rural Francia. When Salena encounters her brother’s childhood friend, Nox, out on business for the Lord of Ribeauville, she fears he will accept the locals’ tales about her, especially since they relate to the death of his family a decade before. He is, instead, as charmed by her as she is by him.
Nox’s sympathy for Salena evolves into affection in spite of his strict rule against close ties with people. Afraid to risk another loss like that of his youth, he abruptly ends their relationship, unaware that Salena has already been downtrodden by her father denying her request to venture farther out into the world.
A threat to Salena’s family prompts her to run away in the hopes of protecting those she loves while forging a new path for her life. Too late, Nox discovers that she has also run away with his scarred heart.
The books in the Evolution Series in chronological order are Unbidden, Second Love: A Short Historical Romance Story, Redeemed, Vain, and Little Witch. The Evolution Series is set what we now know as France and Bavaria in the years after Charlemagne’s death.
*~*~*
EXCERPT from Little Witch: Historical Romance Novella
“I remember them,” Salena blurted.
Nox inhaled sharply but she could not stop her words now that the thought was in her head. “Your mother always took pity on me because you boys did not like playing with a girl. I remember Diem used to spit at me to try to make me go away. He could spit farther than you or Grant.” She gave a sad laugh. “He always wanted the two of you to himself. One day when you hid from him he was stuck with me and he taught me to spit. You should have seen his face when I spit all the way from the door to the side of the road.”
Nox’s face was still averted, his eyes trained on the house. “I can picture him.” His voice wavered.
She should not have spoken of his family. “It must be very difficult for you,” she said.
He cleared his throat. “What must be?”
“To, um, to have people to miss for the rest of your life.”
His head pivoted abruptly so he could look at her. For a brief, excruciating moment, all the shields a person carried against others dropped away from him. She saw him as he must have looked on the day his last family member died, leaving him devastated and terrified and alone.
“I am sorry,” she blurted. “I should not speak of those times. My memories must just make it harder.”
He lifted a hand to stop her. “No.” He cleared his throat again. “I liked your story. Diem really taught you to spit?” he asked cautiously.
“He did, though I have not practiced for years, I assure you.”
He chuckled. “It is nice to meet someone who remembers and, maybe, understands.”
“I can’t claim to understand,” she demurred. “I have been very lucky.”
His lips turned up in a thin suggestion of a smile. “I have been lucky, too, in a way,” he said, clearly hoping to put her at ease again. “Part of my luck has been my job with the Lord of Ribeauville. He would expect me to get on with it.” He brushed his hands together. “Do you know of the property in dispute?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Would you be able to take me to it? I mean, if you think your parents would not mind.”
*~*
If you want to keep in touch with Jill Hughey she blogs at http://jillhughey.blogspot.com, she is on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jillhugheyromance, and she tweets @jillhughey.
by Sarah | Oct 11, 2013 | Book Spotlight, Guest Authors, Saturday Spotlight, Writing
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Widow Noel Martin never breaks promises, and she promised her kids they’d have Christmas at her childhood home in Connecticut. But driving across country takes money. Noel is broke when a snowstorm blows them into a tiny Minnesota café owned by a man who can change her mind. She accepts his offer of a job. Despite her attraction to him, she makes it clear she is only temporary help.
Dan Longstreet isn’t adopting any more strays, but he needs a waitress. Dan works so hard to make his café a success, he doesn’t have time for love. Though Noel’s slender blonde beauty stuns him and her two adorable children tug at his heart, he denies how they threaten to change his life.
When tragedy strikes, their new-found love is the first victim. Noel can’t stay and Dan can’t leave. Will their journey be the gift that reunites them?
Excerpt:
Even with her knit hat pulled down over her ears, her high cheekbones and the up-tilted tip of her nose flamed as bright red as a cheap statue of a Christmas elf. She blinked in the bright light.
Dan’s pulse leaped like a startled deer. He knew everyone who frequented the Deer Run Lounge and Cafe. She was no local wife searching for an overdue husband or one of the three women who made a living, if you could call it that, picking up the lumberjacks and mill workers for an hour or two.
His blood heated but he managed to control his urges by slowly polishing a clean glass and setting it in the rack for the next day’s trade. Dan nodded hello.
Her over-sized man’s winter coat trailed to her ankles, but she visibly shook. He wanted to tell her to take off her coat and get warm. She removed her gloves, pulling the fingers off one by one until her white hands shone in the dim light. A pale circle around her ring finger marked the recent removal of a band.
She returned Dan’s stare. “Is that sign in the window still good? Do you need an experienced waitress?” Her flat, emotionless voice didn’t match the way her fingers twisted round and round her gloves. His palms itched to cover hers until she calmed.
“Yeah.” He nodded slowly, his mouth dry. Something in him yearned for her to be more than a passing stranger.
*~*
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by Sarah | Oct 10, 2013 | Friday Dialogues, Guest Authors, Guest Post, Writing
Here I am – a writer struggling to find a way to balance life, reality and dreams.
I know I can’t speak for others but I know for me, this seems like an impossible task some days. There is just too many things going on in life that something has to give. It’s finding that item that you can do without. That movie you don’t HAVE to see so you can stay home for two hours in quiet and write out a scene. It’s getting up early, churning out a few hundred words then hitting the streets and working on your day job.
I worry that I miss out on part of life to stay home and follow that dream I feel burning deep inside. Then when I do take moments to set the dream aside and experience life, I feel guilty that I’m letting myself down. It is a constant struggle I feel deep inside.
That’s why I have a rule, every three months I take one month off. That way, I know, at least for a quarter of the year I am guilt free in spending time basking in the sun, driving around town, chilling at the movies or simply cuddling on the couch reading a book.
I think that’s what is the hardest part about writing – it isn’t creating the characters or worlds, its balancing the world you live in. As a writer you have a few…Reality – your everyday life with family and friends, Your world when you’re writing – the world that blocks everything out and puts you into what I call a zone, nothing but extreme focus and concentration. And then the worlds you create in your mind and then deliver onto paper. These are the worlds that occupy your thoughts, your dreams and what sometimes you mistake for actual reality.
I’m hoping one day I’ll be able to quit the day job so I can focus on just my writing for eight hours and then live my life in the reality that everyone else exists in.
One day – that dream will come true.
*~*
The Art of Safkhet Presents – The Blood Series
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Blood Purple
In a world we think we know, live other races entirely hidden from the mortal perspective. Creatures of legend, of fable and myth, their very history and nature have allowed them to walk side by side with humans since time immemorial. They are warriors, they are hunters, and they are Algula. Vampire. And in their own midst, a battle is brewing for supremacy, for dominance, that can and will affect all around them. Old hatred never dies and vengeance is a fiery sword that cuts a bloody swath.
Will be Available in Print and E-book formats
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Blood Yellow
The lines are drawn, and Zayn and Nikole must face each other in a battle of forgiveness and power; each attempting to right their wrongs, each battling their own inner demons.
Haydar and Leigh prepare for war, rounding their men and setting into motion courses that cannot be undone.
The tales will fall in line as the four of them come face to face with each other, and they will watch loved ones perish.
When the dust settles and dawn breaks, who’s going to be left standing and who will be missing? Will Nikole forgive Zayn for his betrayal? Will Leigh and Haydar overcome their differences? Will Adara say yes?
Blood Yellow…Because the stories only just begun….
Will be Available in Print and E-book Formats
Excerpt:
Dominic pulled up to the house, looking up at the tall wall surrounding the mansion. The red brick cast a shadow over the car, making it unseen from the side of the road, the perfect place to hide. He opened the door and the cool evening breeze hit him hard. The smell of the mountains captivated him. Getting out, he started to walk along the wall, analyzing his options of entry. His leg still throbbed, the warm blood running down it. His mind couldn’t stop thinking about his omm. Had that really been her? He knew he was worthless as an ebn’, and he killed her after all. If he hadn’t been born, she would still be alive, and his abb wouldn’t have such hatred for him.
He heard something off in the distance, pausing to listen closely while inclining his head towards the tree line. He saw two animals a few feet away, a doe and her fawn. Lucky fucking animal to have an omm who tended to him, he thought. No one understood what it was like, killing their own omm. The failure of knowing you were letting everyone down didn’t matter the age, you still fucking failed. He walked for half a mile looking for a weakness in the wall, a place to set up his attack. He saw a foot hold up ahead. It looked like an old ladder was attached to the wall. Dominic ran his hand over the indentations on the wall, gripping his hands in them. Looking back over his shoulder at the deer, he let out a sigh. “Fuck you, Omm. You left me to rot at the hand of my abb. Now it’s time to fucking end this war.”
He started to scale the wall, right hand, left foot, left hand, right foot, over and over. Reaching the top he peered over the rim. He saw the lights shining on the grounds, the dogs walking the grass patrolling for intruders. He pulled himself up, supporting his weight on the wall.
“Dominic, this isn’t you, stop this. This is your abb’s, fight not yours.” Dominic hissed his fangs out toward the voice.
“What do you want now? I thought I told you to leave me the fuck alone, like you have my whole fucking life.” He pulled his lower half up onto the wall, looking down at the dogs walking in the grass. “You never cared about me. Why are you trying to stop me?”
Her translucent form grazed his hand then went up to his cheek, cupping it. He could feel the coolness from her form; his body yearned for love, for compassion. How could he take love and tenderness from someone who was the first to betray him?
“Dominic, I love you, never doubt that. My love for you started the moment you were conceived. I had your akh and okht for your abb but you, you were for me, someone I could love and claim as mine. You were all I wanted.”
“LIAR! All you do is lie!”
He felt the tears in his eyes form and then blinked as they started to roll down his cheek. He was such a coward, worthless and weak. Look at him, crying on a wall to his omm. What kind of man does this shit? He looked back to the mother doe, she was cleaning her fawn. Lucky son of a bitch. “Why are you just now showing up? Why can’t you just answer me?”
Sarah started to shake her head at him, trying to make him see. “Dominic, I am here to help you save yourself. I don’t want the only child I loved to die not knowing a parent’s love. Let me help you; let me show you what you mean to me.”
Dominic shook his head no with a flurry of anger. “It’s too late for me.”
*~*
Author Bio
Ashley is married and lives in Houston with her husband Tony. They have two dogs, Toto and Doogie. They have been together for over 8 and a 1/2 years and he brings her more joy than she could ever imagine as a child. She loves to read and has been hooked on the romance genre ever since her lifelong best friend Laura gave her “Ashes to Ashes’ by Tami Hoag to read when they were younger.
Ashley finds her strength through her family, especially her parents. They always support her in life; they push her to strive for greatness. There once was a motto that Ashley heard in her youth through her Taekwondo life ‘Reach for the Stars’ and that is what Ashley has always done. It was through her upbringing that the values Ashley has and displays come from. With her parents always cheering her on in life she was able to grow up having faith in herself and her ability to conquer the world.
Author Information: Ashley Nemer Website Facebook Twitter
by Sarah | Oct 9, 2013 | Author Interview, Guest Authors, Thursday Tell All, Writing
Today G.D. Ogan stopped by to talk a little about himself.
*~*
Personal
*
Can you tell us a little about yourself? As a youngster I loved to run long distance events up to marathon length (gets the endorphins really flowing) and I continued my running during the military, I’m a retired Air Force Major. I have a pair of graduate degrees unfortunately not in English or Literature. I’m also retired from a second “calling” as a psychologist with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice where I evaluated inmates for various treatment programs and in another area of work I wrote treatment programs for overcoming addictions.
* What do you like to read? What’s your favorite genre? Well Vampire Novels, as long as they’re not the “slasher” type novels. Like humans there would be good as well as bad vampires, at least in my novels there are many extremely good vampires! I also like steamy romance where humans care for each other enough to share passionate love and sometimes with a vampire and human or vampire and vampire, all of which are found in my books. I also like novels with action and political intrigue (also found in my own works), also some non-fiction, such as military hitory.
* What’s your favorite place, real or fictional? Why? I MUCH prefer being inside the world of my novels be it in Prague, The Czech Republic, or Cayuga, Canada, with Magdalena, Eviana and members of the coven or all of us fighting the Chinese Communist invaders in Siberia. It is world where people and vampires fight for what they believe in and let the passion flow!
* What piece of advice would you give your teenage self? This may seem weird: “Get better running shoes…that way you may not have the hip and knee problems in your later years!”
* What’s the best thing you’ve done in your life? From a personal perspective, having two wonderful children with my wife of 45 years (and counting). From a military perspective, serving as the Logistics Project Officer helping set up the first B-1 Bomber Base.
* Describe yourself in 5 words. Passionate about freedom and animals.
* Where can people find you on the web and read more about your books? Book 1: http://amzn.com/B006ZCBT6G Book 2:http://amzn.com/B00A4IEHL6 Book 3: Out in October. Web: http://immortalrelations.blogspot.com/ http://amazon.com/author/guyogan http://facebook.com/writervampire http://twitter.com/thecarphotoguy1
Your Novel
* What is your book about? Finding Love, passion and new reasons for “Living,” even when you had thought you were on life’s downhill slopes.
* What about your book might pique the reader’s interest? What started the series was when I found out that my late father had participated in a “tryst” while stationed overseas at the end of WW-II, it confirmed some things my mother had said those many, many, years ago, but which I was too young to understand. The photographic evidence and a discussion of that event are on the first two pages of the first book (you can see and read that in the “Look Inside” feature on Amazon and the facts are mentioned again in the second book).
* What inspired you to write this particular story? “Immortal Relations, Love and War” continues the characters in “Immortal Relations.” It is a story I felt compelled to write and as the love and passion between the characters grows, they will not be denied their existence, if only in print. They have become more than just friends and lovers, they are the breath of life itself! I could no more cut them off than cease loving my own children…maybe that is what the characters have become for me (I care for them that much)! IMHO the world would be a far, far, better place were my characters “alive” on the surface of the planet rather than locked up inside the covers of my novels. If I could wish it so…I’d be with them!
* How much of yourself is hidden in the characters in the book? Nothing hidden about Gary Logan, he is me with just a tweak of the name. His desire to save the dogs in books one and three are examples of our shared passion for animals.
* You’ve gotten the call, your book will be made into a series! What is your dream cast? OH WOW! How I would love that…not for the money but to see my “friends” animated on the movie or television screen! The male characters are not as important in my book as the female characters but if I could have anyone I wanted play the parts:
From the movie RED: Helen Mirren as Grandmother
From the Underworld Trilogy: Kate Beckensale as Magdalena (if she was unavailable, then from Lost Girl: Anna Silk)
From Lost Girl either Anna Silk as Eviana or Ksenia Solo (also from Lost Girl) If neither of them were available, then Candice Accola of Vampire Dairies (would need a dark wig or a dye job)
From Vampire Dairies Ian Somerhalder* as Gary (his eyes speak volumes!) If he wasn’t available then John Malkovich (the consummate actor)
From the movie RED
James Remar as Adam
*okay, I know, Ian Somerhalder is probably too good looking and too young but THOSE EYES!!! So we’d go with John Malkovich for Gary.
Writing
* Are you a pantser or a plotter? Pantser. Since I’ve had Attention Deficit Disorder all my life I have a million ideas bouncing around in my head all the time…writer’s block is not something I’ve ever had, just the opposite, I have to pick from among all the possible scenarios.
* Are there any occupational hazards to being an author? I can think of several, first I like to sequester myself alone in a quiet area, and my propensity to being a hermit can upset my wife. Second, unless you write like Fifty Shades of Grey author E. L. James; Harry Potter’s J. K. Rowling; The Vampire Diaries, L. J. Smith or the prolific action writer Tom Clancy, then it is doubtful you will make money writing novels. For me, as a storyteller, getting my unique stories out into the hands of those interested in reading them is my motivation.
* Where do you get your ideas? They really do just continually pop into my head and I have to use, modify or discard each one (I mostly use or modify, rarely discard).
* What is the most difficult part of the writing process? The easiest? I think you will hear the same thing from almost all indie authors on this one: “Writing the stories is the easiest, doing all the ‘commercial development’ (trying to sell the books) is the hardest.” Of course if you are like the authors mentioned in the previous question and answer, you’ll have minions to do all that ‘little stuff’ and your books will automatically make the best seller’s list even before they are available because of all the pre-paid orders! LOL
* What are you working on now? I’ve sent my third in the series, “Immortal Relations Coming Out” to the publisher (Create Space) and it should be on Amazon & Kindle in October.
* Have you written any other books? Yes, in addition to my “Immortal Relations” series, when I was working in the field of Psychology I wrote a book titled, “Can Anyone Help My Child” on assessment and potential treatments for Attention Deficit Disorder. The book has been out of print for many years but I still have some copies of it.
Fun (Crazy, odd questions just for fun)
* Any unusual or hidden talents? Don’t know if either qualifies; however, I used to have a pretty good singing voice (choir) and I loved to dance.
* Most frequently played song. Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lot of Love” (mentioned being Gary Logan’s often played song in book three).
*
If you could be any comic book character, which one would you be? Captain America
Quick Questions
* Sing in the rain or dance in the streets? At this stage of my life, I’d better stick with Singing in the Rain.
* Pen or pencil? Pen
* Summer or Winter? Winter. Here in my part of Texas it never gets all that cold but it does get SWELTERING HOT!
* Movies or TV? TV
* Theater or DVD? DVD
* Rural or Urban? Rural
* Facial hair or clean shaven? Facial hair
.
* Marvel or DC? Marvel
* Cowboy or Bad Boy? Cowboy
* Sunrise or Sunset? Sunset (I write at night)
* Fall leaves or Spring flowers? (I like Winter but love Spring Flowers)
* Peanut butter or jelly? Peanut butter
* Spender or Saver? Spender
*~*~*~*
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Blurb: In “Immortal Relations, Love and War,” in order to help those who haven’t read the first book, “Immortal Relations,” there is a conversation between Magdalena and Gary discussing a few major events in book one. It isn’t long before our guardian vampires discover that their old friend Field Marshal Kolukov was dying of cancer. He had been instrumental in ending the evil vampire gang when they sought to steal biological weapons to use on innocent populations. Our guardian vampires immediately made arrangements to travel in order to make him an offer they hoped he wouldn’t refuse. Not really having the time to even settle in, our vampires were surprised when a gang of terrorists effectively decapitates the government of the Russian Federation. This forces the dying Field Marshal into heading a wartime government as it is learned that the Chinese troops have invaded Siberia to gain control over not only the vast oil and gold reserves there, but other mineral wealth and room for a burgeoning population. The Marxist regime in Washington acts like they may have had prior knowledge of the pending invasion and rather than trying to stop it seem to be somehow supporting the take over of Russian resources by the Communist Chinese. If stopping a war between two nuclear powers isn’t frightening enough, there are ecological disasters poised to do ruinous things to Western Economies if not the outright destruction of mankind. There is an ancient Chinese Curse which says, “May You Live In Interesting Times” and times are highly interesting in this “fictional” novel. Still, with all the dangers of war and threats of ecological disasters,“life” goes on, Magdalena and Gary become wed and there are new little vampire feet heard in the halls of the Residency once again.
*~*
Excerpt:
Maggie laughed and said, “You know you’re an incurable romantic.”
Around you, how could I be anything other than that?”
Maggie laughed her musical laugh again and that made me smile and we kissed. I said, “Well, you certainly were dressed to the nines,’ as they say.”
Maggie replied, “It’d been years since I’d worn that dress to attend an opera or symphony. Several lady friends and I had spent all night in town, but we were about to head back to the Residency since the Sun was rising, not that it caused any concern, unlike Vampire lore. That is when Evy called me about seeing you.”
I said, “That was a beautiful dress you were wearing when I saw you, your appearance took my breath away, as it always does.”
She teased, “Since you no longer have to breath, that shouldn’t be a big thing anymore, but would you like me to put the dress back on and model it for you?”
“I don’t know if my wild, still beating heart, will withstand you looking more beautiful than you are now, but yes, I’d love to see you in that dress again.”
At a speed that would have made her invisible to faulty human eyes, Maggie flew to her closet and then into the bathroom. Within minutes, the bathroom door opened and she appeared in the doorway looking both sultry and sophisticated.
I jumped out of bed, arranging the top sheet around me like a Roman Senator going to the Forum. I carefully approached the vision of loveliness before me, and put out my hand to touch the dress. Maggie grabbed my hand and wagged the finger of her other hand saying, this dress was hand made for me decades ago and is too delicate.”
I backed up, dropping my hand, and asked Maggie to turn around for me. As she pivoted, I sucked in a ragged breath at her beauty, accentuated not only b the light blue, lacy, scalloped, and layered, haut-couture dress, but perfectly quaffed hair and makeup she’d done in only minutes. Vampire speed and accuracy certainly helped in many aspects of our existence.
Appraising me as I watched her, she saw my ardor rising. To protect her dress, she quickly retreated to the bathroom and changed. I was sitting on the edge of the bed when she next appeared wearing the sexist red lingerie I’d ever seen. I couldn’t hide my reaction and she giggled as she pounced on me.
An hour later she said, “What was that you were saying about even if we never had physical relations again you’d still feel the same way toward me?”
Spent, but feeling better than I had a right to, I merely smiled at her and shook my head in disbelief at the fabulous lover she was. “You know, I consider myself the luckiest man who has ever lived, human or immortal, because you love me.”
*~*
Author Bio: I’m a retired Air Force Major (if anyone would have told me I would someday be writing adult paranormal-romance novels I would have laughed at them). I have a pair of graduate degrees (none in English or Literature as my writing will clearly attest) and I also retired from a second “calling” as a psychologist with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, where I was mostly involved with developing treatment programs for inmates with addictions in addition to determining what mental health services they might need. I enjoy collector vehicles (anything from antiques to modern “muscle cars”). I was a marathon runner “back in the day” and enjoyed racing motorcycles and cars in my youth. I have always enjoyed writing and have had articles published in “The Long Distance Log” and other running publications, I had many articles published in Florida’s “Cruising Style Magazine” about car show activities in and around Texas. Of course I did a lot of technical writing while in the service as well as in my work for the State of Texas. In addition to my “Immortal Relations” series, I wrote a book on evaluation and treatment of ADHD many years ago titled, “Can Anyone Help My Child?’98
Additional (random) Information:
I offer a comment by one of those who bought the book. His name is Richard Rasmussen: “Being a bit of a vampire-phile, I find myself constantly searching for the next vampire series to reach out and grab, or, more appropriately, bite me. I believe I have found my holy grail of vampire novels. You see, the Vlad books are typically a bit gory for my tastes, while the Twilight series is campy, sophomoric, and I feel, is most appealing to teenage girls. Mr. Ogan has delivered a tale at breakneck speed, one that jumps out of the starting gate and never loses steam. A tale filled with life lessons, love, sex, action and adventure. Complete with new insights into the powers of the immortal vamps, and fresh takes on the complex inner workings of their existence. From page 1 until the very end, Immortal Relations promises to have you on the edge of your seat and begging for more…”
by Sarah | Oct 8, 2013 | Guest Authors, Top Ten Tuesday, Writing
It’s Top Ten Tuesday – and author Nicole Zoltack has stopped by with her novel Black Hellebore and took a moment to tell us her top ten Superheroes. Fitting for her superhero romance…make sure to click over to the rafflecopter giveaway!!
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Top Ten Superheroes
10. Batman – A billionaire playboy who spends his money on high-tech gadgets. A hero without having any powers.
9. Spiderman – The boy next door who truly does have powers and manages to save the day. I love how geeky Peter Parker is compared to how kickass Spiderman is.
8. Hercules – Some might not say he’s a superhero, but he’s definitely a hero and he definitely is the first superman. He’s also a demigod and considering who is next on the list, Hercules deserves a mention.
7. Thor – Another deity, Thor has the coolest weapon of all, mjolnir, a mighty hammer that can level mountains. Plus, Thor is the god of thunder. You don’t want to mess with him.
6. Captain America – Red, white, and blue, Captain America fights for both his values and his country. He’s a great guy in addition to be a superhero.
5. Wolverine – Now he’s not always a great guy, but if you get on his good side, Wolverine will pulverize or slice and dice anyone who gets in your way. I always wanted Wolverine to end up with Jean Grey.
4. Gambit – Love everything about him, from his accent to his coat to his ability to manipulate and control kinetic energy. He also used to be a thief. I tend to like superheroes who have more in them than just goodness.
3. Rogue – My all-time favorite X-Men character. Not in the movies though. They destroyed her character. Rogue can kick anyone’s butt and can absorb others’ powers. She could be the greatest mutant of all. Instead, she does what she can to save the world from evil mutants. And her white hair streak is awesome looking.
2. Iron Man – Robert Downey Junior is Iron Man. He plays him perfectly. Another billionaire playboy without true powers, Iron Man always has a funny quip to deliver and tended to steal the show during the Avengers movie.
1. Black Hellebore – You had to see that coming, didn’t you? J Black Hellebore is a combination of other superheroes in this list. He has a shady past and wears a trench coat, like Gambit. He does have true superpowers. Unlike Peter Parker, Nicholas Adams is not genius. He’s just an ordinary guy given a chance at a second life with some awesome powers at his command.
*~*
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Coming Soon:
Black Hellebore, first in a new superhero romance trilogy – Heroes of Falledge
Release in ebook format: October 21st 2013
Release in print: January 2014
Publisher: Desert Breeze Publishing
ISBN 10: 1-61252-363-3
ISBN 13: 978-1-61252-363-7
Blurb:
Once a year for the past decade, Nicholas Adams returns to Falledge and leaves a black hellebore on his girlfriend’s grave. While departing Falledge, he chases after a man sneaking into the laboratory and dies for his trouble. A witch brings him back to life, but Nicholas soon realizes he’s not the same man. Turns out, magic combined with a black hellebore in his pocket changed him into a kind of a super man.
His girlfriend’s twin, Julianna Paige, is Falledge’s deputy, struggling to solve several murders. Nicholas, and his alter ego the Black Hellebore, helps her, even as she helps him move on and even start to love again.
Unfortunately, Nicholas wasn’t the only one changed in the laboratory explosion, and now there’s a supervillain bent on destroying Falledge, and killing the Black Hellebore. But falling in love might prove more dangerous than any supervillain.
Woman of Honor (Kingdom of Arnhem trilogy, book 1)
Available formats: ebook and paperback
Publisher: Desert Breeze Publishing
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6370163-woman-of-honor
ISBN-10: 1-936000-03-2
ISBN 13: 978-1-936000-03-6
Blurb:
Aislinn of Bairbhe dreams of becoming a lady knight to honor the death of her fallen brother. To her mother’s horror, King Patrick grants Aislinn’s wish and she begins her long years of training.
Despite the mockery of the other pages, and the disdain of Prince Caelan who also trains to be a knight, Aislinn commits herself to her dreams and embarks on a journey of self-discovery and bravery. Through the years, Aislinn and Caelan grow from sparring classmates to good friends. They both know that someday Caelan will marry for the sake of the kingdom, but even that cannot keep them from falling in love.
The threat of war with the Speicans is a constant threat, and one that grows more frightening as she and Caelan train toward their eventual knighthood. Aislinn has committed herself to serving Arnhem, and has promised herself as King’s Champion when Caelan claims the throne. She is willing to give up everything… her childhood, her life, even her heart for Arnhem. No matter the pain it brings.
Purchase links for Woman of Honor:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Woman-Honor-Kingdom-Arnhem-ebook/dp/B0021L9YDK
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/kingdom-of-arnhem-book-one-nicole-zoltack/1111374792?ean=9781612529905
Knight of Glory (Kingdom of Arnhem trilogy, book 2)
Available formats: ebook and paperback
Publisher: Desert Breeze Publishing
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7801193-knight-of-glory
ISBN-10: 1-936000-49-0
ISBN 13: 978-1-936000-49-4
Blurb:
Ranulf, the Speican lord, is dead, and Arnhem is safe, or so the Arnhemians believe.
Sir Geoffrey and his companions have just completed a mission for Queen Aislinn when he receives word of the Speicans attacking Arnhem. Geoffrey and his party, which now includes exile Jenanna, split up and rush to different kingdoms to ask for aid. Even as he fights for his kingdom and his life, Geoffrey finds himself torn between his new friend Jenanna and the mysterious lady Celestia he left behind in Arnhem.
Enlisting help is infinitely more difficult than they anticipated and to make matters worse, rumors abound that the Speicans have enlisted a mage to work unspeakable, forbidden magic. The war between Speica and Arnhem has just begun. Will Geoffrey survive the battle to live another day and discover which woman he truly loves?
Purchase links for Knight of Glory:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Knight-Glory-Kingdom-Arnhem-ebook/dp/B003AKY5U8/
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/kingdom-of-arnhem-book-two-nicole-zoltack/1111929175?ean=9781612529745
Champion of Valor (Kingdom of Arnhem trilogy, book 3)
Available formats: ebook and paperback
Publisher: Desert Breeze Publishing
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11150044-champion-of-valor
ISBN-10: 1-61252-035-9
ISBN 13: 978-1-61252-035-3
Blurb:
The war between Specia and Arnhem now reaches the sea after the selkies discover the Mystical Conch Shell of the Sea has been stolen. Selliki the selkie sets out to find it, and Gabrael, the mage she loves. No union between a selkie and a human has ever had a happy ending, but neither can ignore their feelings. Each night, they experience terrible, real dreams that show how doomed their love is. Add the war, and their love is impossible. Only one kingdom will prevail; that is, if the world doesn’t end.
Purchase links for Champion of Valor:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Kingdom-Arnhem-Book-Three-ebook/dp/B004YTFGLQ
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/kingdom-of-arnhem-book-three-nicole-zoltack/1103130624?ean=2940012459756
*~*
Author Information:
Author website: http://www.nicolezoltack.com
Blog: http://nicolezoltack.blogspot.com/
Twitter @nicolezoltack: https://twitter.com/NicoleZoltack
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorNicoleZoltack
Google+: https://plus.google.com/112850281244279638997/posts
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2887586.Nicole_Zoltack
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolezoltack
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/nicolezoltack
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Nicole-Zoltack/e/B00304YARW/
Bio:
Nicole Zoltack loves to write fantasy/paranormal, romances, horror, historical, for adults and young adults, novels, short stories, and flash pieces. She doesn’t want to get boxed in by genre — she might be claustrophobic! She’s also an editor for MuseItUp Publishing and works as a freelance editor.
When she isn’t writing about girls wanting to be knights, talking unicorns, and zombies, she spends time with her loving family. She loves to ride horses (pretending they’re unicorns, of course!) and going to the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire, dressed in period garb. Her favorite current TV show is The Walking Dead.
To learn more about Nicole and her work, visit her website at www.NicoleZoltack.com or her blog at http://NicoleZoltack.blogspot.com.
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