Thursday, January 28, 2010

13 Favorite TV Shows

My thirteen favorite TV shows, and they're pretty much in the order of favorite to least favorite.

1. Gilmore Girls
2. Weeds
3. Stargate: SG1
4. Stargate: Atlantis
5. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
6. That 70's Show
7. Supernatural
8. Two and a Half Men
9. Dead Zone
10. M*A*S*H
11. I Dream of Jeannie
12. America's Next Top Model
13. Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles



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Wednesday, January 27, 2010

A Random Wednesday Post

Monday's guest blogger had to re-schedule so I figured I'd post something. The only problem is I'm totally out of back up blogs, so I'm just going to wing it and tell you what's been up with me.

I started my spring semester at school on the 19th. I have to second half of US History and World History. I actually have a friend from high school in my US History class, and she wants to be a writer, so I've been talking to her a lot.

I've started a FaceBook and a Twitter for my characters. Specifically Nyx, and the other people who work in his vampire bar.

Here are the links:

Twitter - Of the Night Bar
FaceBook - Of the Night

Also, I have plenty of character profiles up on my website. They're really fun to do and I hope you'll check them out.

Shapeshifters
Vampires

And tomorrow (January 28th) I'm going to be interviewed on Fang-tastic Books.

I've been writing almost everyday for the past few weeks. The WIP is going so well! I'm happy. And speaking of writing, I've got to get to it.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Marie Tuhart Interview

1.What are you currently working on?

I'm currently working on two books, both erotic romance book titled.
The first one is: His For the Weekend. Cassie Adams makes a deal with Marcus De Luca, she'll spend one weekend with him on his terms, but then it's over. Opening herself to her sensual side and giving up control is not easy for Cassie, is she repeating history and headed for a fall or could Marcus be the right man for her. Marcus has made his intentions toward Cassie quite clear, this weekend is the first step in showing her they belong together forever, but can he get past her issues around control to make both their dreams come true.

The second is: Cowboy Up – Becca Dalton needs time to recuperate after finding her fiancé in bed with another woman. Her best friend has given Becca an all expensed paid trip to Quick Silver Ranch, a dude ranch. Becca escapes to the ranch only to come face to face with temptation in the body of cowboy Jack Carson. And what a temptation he is, especially when Becca realizes that her ex didn't break her heart, only her pride. Having a good time with Jack seems perfect, after all its only for eight nights, how much trouble could she get into?

Jack Carson is one of the co-owners of Quick Silver Ranch. When he meets Becca, Jack realizes this is a different woman than he's used to. Over dinner he finds that Becca is alone, he knows that could be an issue. Quick Silver Ranch is a dude ranch, but it is also an adult fantasy ranch, that usually only caters to couples, and apparently Becca didn't know this. Escorting her back to her room, Jack tells her she really needs to read the brochure and if she wants to stay that's fine, if not they'll fully refund her money. What he doesn't expect is Becca tells him she wants to stay and if he'll be her partner, they can have some fun. Jack agrees even though he's breaking his own rules in getting involved with a guest, besides its only for eight nights, it's not like he's going to fall in love.


2.I noticed your bio says you like to travel. What countries have you been to? Which was your favorite?
I've been to Germany, Holland, England, France, Mexico, Panama, Canada, Curacao, and at least 30 of the 50 US states. My favorite so far is England.

3.When did you attempt your first novel? What's become of it?
I attempted my first novel when I was 19, I knew I wanted to write a romance novel, so I started one. I received a form rejection letter for that book. It is currently filed away in my file cabinet.

4.How many novels did you complete before you sold your first?
I finished ten novels before I sold. In Plain Sight was actually the seventh novel I'd written.

5.What’s the worst piece of writing advice you ever got?
Persistence. Never give up on your dream.

6.What inspired you to become a writer?
I'd had an active imagination as a child, and I would make up plays in my head and act them out with my stuffed animals for my family. Then I would start to re-write books they way I wanted to read them. When I discovered romance novels, I liked what I read and realized I also wanted to write them.

7.What kind of activities do you do to clear your head?
Sometimes I'll walk, play on-line computer games, go do the dishes piling up in the sink, or pick up a book and read for a while.

8.What books would you recommend on writing?
Anything by Donald Maass

9.What is your favorite "comfort food"?
Pizza

10.What are you reading, if anything, at the moment?
I have just finished Christine Feehan's Dark Slayer

11.It’s plug time. Where can people find out more about your books? Got an excerpt you’d like to share?

You can find out more about me and my books at my website: www.marietuhart.com Feel free to stop by and enter my contest.
You can also find me on my blog: www.escapetoaneroticfantasy.com
And on Facebook: www.facebook.com/marietuhart

Here's blurb for In Plain Sight on-sale today at www.thewilderroses.com


Bad boy businessman Joe Bradshaw has achieved almost everything he’s wanted in life, but his strait-laced colleague Victoria Collins is proving an elusive challenge. A steamy encounter in the elevator begins a wild journey of sensual discovery. Joe’s determined to break through Vicki’s barriers to reveal the red-hot woman hiding inside. But Vicki is stalked by her past—her ex-fiancé will stop at nothing to get her back. Falling in love and keeping Vicki safe could be the biggest challenges of Joe’s life.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

My Muse


*Gasp* A rare post from the woman who owns this blog!

Not long ago I blogged about my characters yelling at me (read Rude Characters), but this week I’m talking about my muse. She introduces me to my characters and does her own fair share of shouting.

My muse is everything I’m not. Blonde, thin, leggy, and a royal bitch. She looks like you’d think a muse would look. Hair up in a chignon, sporting the whole white toga thing.

Not all of us have a muse. Some just have imaginations. There’s no problem with either, though I imagine not having a muse would make writing rather lonely. At least if you don’t have one it makes you seem less crazy. You won’t wake up at five in the morning, muttering “Not now…I was asleep.”

Between her and my shouting characters I'm surprised people don't think I'm a nut. I'm also surprised that I get any sleep.

I wonder if any other writers don’t get along with their muses. I know I don’t. She picks the most inopportune moments to want me to write. She’ll take off on long vacations when we have a spat, or she doesn’t want to work on a project anymore. She’ll leave me all alone to finish a project by myself. She skipped off to Bora Bora for SIX MONTHS to work on her tan. B*tch...

So, do you have a muse? What does he/she/it look like? Do you get along with your muse?

Monday, January 18, 2010

The Quest for the Divine: ancient and modern myth revisited

Today I’m not going to talk about sex or erotica. Too much has already been said in other blogs so I’m going to concentrate on another of my favourite themes, the search of the Divine.

First a word of warning. I’m not going to get into sterile discussions regarding the existence of God. He may or may not be, but that’s a very personal matter between a person and his or her beliefs. And if to me something exists, which you might call God, Brahma, Allah, Zeus or whatever other name one chooses, that again is my personal conviction and means to influence no one.

What I do like to explore however, and have frequently done in my writing, is the search for this Divine in whatever form one perceives it. And the questions, often unanswerable, the doubts, the curiosity have prompted a variety of solutions, not just in religions, but in writing, too. Let’s not forget that the most ancient written text is the Indian Mahabharata, which tells of a spiritual journey.

In my own small way, I’ve contributed to raise questions, make comparisons, challenge conventional religious beliefs in order to get to a greater truth, which is never self-evident, as you can see from my little story below.

The Quest

“So how does the story begin?”

“Once upon a time—“

“Come on! That’s for fairytales not epics.”

“What do you think an epic is if not a fairytale with a lot more sex, blood and violence? Not to mention word count. Just Homer’s Iliad weighs 1.8 pounds while a fairytale is roughly— “

“OK, I’m convincing. Let’s move on.”

“Once upon a time, there was a king who had a beautiful daughter—“

“They all do!”

“Of course, if they didn’t, it wouldn’t be an epic, would it?”

“I suppose not.”

“Glad you agree. Can I continue?”

“Please do.”

“In face of all human sufferings, our king wondered whether god existed at all so he offered his daughter’s hand to whoever would bring proof either way.”

“I doubt many met the challenge.”

“You’re right. The only one was a brave and handsome knight—“

“What’s his name?”

“Uh…let’s see. I’d call him…Devlin. And the king, before you ask, is…Roy. Devlin went to Roy and said he had no interest for his daughter, he rather liked men, but—“

“I knew you’d include your gay tendencies!”

“Give me a break, will you? I’m gay and so are my characters.”

“I’ve never heard of a gay knight.”

“Think again! Achilles and the Greek soldiers were ambivalent at best. As for the English knights…who can really tell?“

“If Devlin was gay, why would he take on the challenge? And what did the king have to say to that?”

“Devlin—who wasn’t just gay but a smart fellow, too—had also wondered about gods, not to mention he liked the king…a lot and asked to spend a night with him as a reward. Roy was flattered naturally. A good-looking widower with a powerful body that wouldn’t quit, he had spent the last five years alone, looking only after his daughter. He figured she was beautiful, and high-ranking, enough to find a husband on her own while Devlin was handsome enough to give it a try, even if he’d never been with a man. So he accepted and our knight started on his quest, traveling around aimlessly at first until he came upon a lonely castle. The count was glad to welcome him and when he heard of Devlin’s strange quest, he offered to give proof the next day that god didn’t exist. After a sleepless night, the nobleman took him to a battlefield. Without time for thinking, Devlin chose to support the weaker side and took arms against an unknown enemy to defend a nameless territory. The battle raged on all day, massacring men, sweat and dust clogging his nose and throat, pouring down his forehead to sting his eyes. His arm felt heavy from swinging heavy blows, but he never stopped until a thousand bodies littered the soil.

* * * *

“See?” the count asked when it ended. “This should prove god doesn’t exist for if he did, why would he allow wars? They’re a waste of time, energy and precious lives.”
Sure, Devlin thought, but is it proof enough? Too tired to answer, the knight nodded not entirely convinced. Continuing on his journey, he arrived at a small town where the Chief welcomed him warmly.

“If you’d like, tomorrow I’ll give you proof god exists,” he offered on learning of the mission.

* * * *

Readily agreeing, Devlin was brought to the local brothel. After asking what was his pleasure, the Chief installed him in the best room of the house and sent him a steady stream of handsome young men to have sex with—“

“You wish!”

“Yeeah, gotta admit it’s one of my fantasies. But my knight really had the best time of his life, at least until his energy lasted. According to the Chief that was proof God existed or men wouldn’t feel so much pleasure. Too exhausted to reply, Devlin nodded, but again he wasn’t convinced. Resuming his travel, he met a Druid who claimed he could summon Higher Beings if Devlin had sex with him. Intrigued, Devlin complied also because the Druid had a long, thick—“

“Hey, I’m not interested in details.”

“OK, bit the sex felt different from the start, more powerful, and what do you know? Brahma, Odin, Zeus, Buddha, Yahweh, Allah and whoever else you care to add, all appeared before him.”

“Wow! Talk about sexual energy.”

“Devlin was impressed, too.”

* * * *

“You exist!” he exclaimed.

They shifted their feet nervously. “We do, but only because humans make us real,” Allah finally confessed.

“You mean…without us, you’d be nothing?” Devlin asked incredulously.

“Well, maybe we would anyway,” Yahweh argued, “only in a different form. We’re really One—“

“But I see six of you.”

“We take different names and shapes according to the humans inventing us,” Zeus explained. “When they thought of me, men were enjoying sensual pleasures.”
“They were more interested in wars and power when they created me,” Odin jumped in.
“So you represent our vices?”

“We embody your worst fears and noblest aspirations,” Buddha argued. “But don’t get us wrong. Although we’re a product of religion, we express what’s holiest in humans. Everyone has the potential to rise above hatred, violence, pettiness and selfishness, but some used this knowledge to create religion.”

“Which is not necessarily a bad thing,” Brahma continued, “only it needed images and myths to make people believe in that higher spirit. And that’s where we come from.”

“With time though, religion became more important than what it strove to accomplish,” they all considered. “Not only does it portray us as separate entities, but even enemies when in fact, we’re One and the Same.”

* * * *

“Seems to me, there’s no clear answer. What did Devlin tell Roy?

“The truth. Human-shaped gods didn’t exist except as figments of religious creativity. What did exist was a Higher Spirit, but men didn’t need religious symbols to make it real because it’s in every soul.”

“But was the king satisfied? I mean enough to give Devlin his prize?”
The malicious smile left no doubt as to the answer.

On a more serious note, my book Divinitas takes a spiritual journey, using reincarnation to egg the characters into a quest through various religious beliefs until they come to a turning point and the discussion rages. What is Divinitas? It’s a conventional name to indicate the Divine Spirit in all its forms and transformations. What my characters they discover in the end is religious beliefs tend to be alike in their basic teachings, so much that one takes from the other, varying only the figure head to fit the changing time.

This is an excerpt from a conversation between Halifax, an ardent missionary, trying to spread the Word in 1st Century AD Celtic Britain, and Shaun, a Druid, a believer in the old faith.


Excerpt PG

“But Divinitas did not exist until the Savior walked the Earth,” Halifax stated.

“Divinitas has always existed, though He has been called different names throughout time and space. He has also taken many forms and faces, but He’s never changed His nature for He is the One.”

“If that were true, why did He need so many changes?”

Shaun shrugged. “Humans are fickle creatures. What they believe the day before is no longer true the day after. They need continuous reminders to keep their faith alive.”

“My Savior is sure to keep their faith. His teachings are unique,” Halifax objected.

“Are you sure, devil?”

“Of course, I am. Why, our Savior—“

“Stole his birth date from an ancient Persian god named Mitra.”

“Never heard of him,” Halifax scoffed. “Besides, He died and came back to life after three days.”

“The Persian god did the same and so did an Egyptian god before him, Us-Yri also known as Osiris. People considered them gods of rebirth for they defeated death after having sacrificed their lives to cleanse humanity of its sins. And they sat in judgment of the dead souls. Unfortunately, after centuries of worship, people didn’t believe in them anymore and those ancient gods ceased to be Divinitas.” He gazed at the fire’s bright flames for a moment as if searching for inspiration. “Or perhaps those Divinitas didn’t appeal to the people anymore…who knows?” Shaun shrugged. “Either way, He was forgotten, just like Osiris and Mitra before Him.”
Halifax opened his mouth to protest again, then closed it. Something in Shaun’s words rang true.

“Humans adored the ancient Divinitas,” the Druid continued, “at least for the first few centuries. Just think of how powerful they became. When the Romans learned of Mitra after their conquest of the Persian Empire, not only did they adopt him as a divinity, but also turned him into an invincible Sun god. Sol Invictus they called him, to symbolize its power. Both the Egyptian and the Persian Divinitas had a male oriented religion, where women were not considered worthy disciples.”

“My Savior values women—“

Shaun raised an eyebrow. “As disciples? Can they bring His Word to the farthest reaches of the world like you’re doing?”

“Well—“

“Can they act as priests?”

Angry at Shaun’s relentless prodding, the missionary spat, “You Celts aren’t much better in the way you value your women. I believe only men can become Druid.”

“True, but the women handle the higher mysteries, the ones no man can understand because he’s unable to give life.”

“So, our religion will find a way to integrate women in—“

“Only as second class believers. To us, the Goddess is at the top of the hierarchy and men only play to Her greater awareness.”

“Well,” Halifax said uncomfortably, “our Savior’s mother is an integral part of our faith.”

Shaun grinned. “Your believers borrowed this as well. Did you know Mitra had a virgin mother, too?”

TITLE: Divinitas
AUTHOR: Laura Tolomei
GENRE: Gay, M/M, Lesbian, Ménage, Paranormal, Deities, Historical, Dark Fantasy, god, gods**
HEAT LEVEL: 5 flames
ISBN: 978-1-55487-215-2
RELEASEE DATE: January 1st, 2009
PUBLISHER: eXtasy Books
BUY LINK


Laura Tolomei
Website

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Pat McDermott Interview


1.What are you working on now?

I’m finishing up the third book in my alternate history trilogy, which supposes that if a key battle in Ireland’s past had a different outcome, kings and queens would still rule the Emerald Isle. In the first book, A Band of Roses, the present king’s daughter, Princess Talty, joins a military mission that explores parallel worlds in which she finds danger and romance. Her “otherworld” adventures continue in Fiery Roses, just released by Red Rose Publishing. I’m polishing the third book now. Salty Roses is a rollicking good pirate story, one I’ve had a fabulous time creating.

2.What inspired you to be a writer?

Hearing and reading fairy tales and poetry as a child. Falling under the spell of a story made me want to be a magician who could create similar spells for others. I’ve been writing short stories for as long as I can remember. One of my tales received an honorable mention for children’s fiction, an award that gave me the boost I needed to write and finish my first novel.

3.How many rejection letters did you get before you got an acceptance? What advice do you give the writers about dealing with rejection letters?

I have a drawer full of rejection letters from agents and publishers. A writing teacher warned me to expect them, though I still found the initial batch of barely legible form letters discouraging. The nicer rejections, more personal and actually signed, stated that my book wasn’t for them but encouraged perseverance.

Authors shouldn’t take rejections personally. Perhaps that particular agent/publisher has met their monthly quota for new submissions when a new query arrives, or the agent is going on leave. Keep at it, attend writing classes and workshops to hone your craft, never stop reading, and read a wide variety of books to learn what makes good writing. Above all, persevere in your quest to become a published author.

4.How did you celebrate your first contract?

I opened a good French burgundy and shared it with my writers’ group.

5.What's your favorite way to advertise?

Through blogs, online interviews, and any internet sites that allow interaction with readers. The whole promotional aspect of writing befuddles me, I’m afraid. I’m still learning about it. While I realize marketing is important, I’m happier creating stories. I’ve attended book marketing seminars and did a couple of book signings, and I loved that a local readers’ group chose A Band of Roses as their book-of-the-month and invited me to be their guest author. Great fun. I wish I could say the same for the rest of the marketing process.

6.What do you do to amuse yourself when not working?

Cooking is one of my favorite pastimes, and I enjoy exploring various ethnic cuisines. I’ve recently mastered some delicious Turkish, Spanish, and Irish dishes, and I make a mean risotto. I also love to travel, especially to Ireland.

7.Where do you see your writing going in five years? In ten?

That depends on how well readers receive my stories. I’ll always write, even as a hobby, and I’d love to live in Ireland doing it, at least for a while.

8.What is your favorite "comfort food"?

In the middle of winter in frigid New Hampshire, Guinness Beef Stew and Mashed Potatoes.

9.You've been to Ireland many times. What is your favorite place there?

If I’m going over to write, the Beara Peninsula. I visit a gorgeous writing retreat where all you can hear are cows mooing and the roar of ocean waves. Otherwise, I’m a city kid who loves Dublin. It’s a great base of operations. I’ve also spent time in County Mayo’s Westport, a pretty little market town on Ireland’s west coast. Oh wait, you only asked for one favorite place . . .

10.Who are your favorite authors?

That’s a tough one. With so many wonderful authors out there, how can anyone have a favorite? Simon Winchester conveys facts in an easygoing manner that seems more like fiction that nonfiction, very helpful for research. For fiction, Edward Rutherford and Diana Gabaldon draw me into their historical worlds, John Sanford and John Connolly into their modern day crime scenes. I admire William Trevor’s ability to create vivid images and complex characters from succinct phrases. Overall, I read a wide range of genres, from Dean Koontz to Roddy Doyle to Norah Roberts and Sarah Addison Allen, and I’m not done finding “new” authors yet.

11.It’s plug time. Where can people find out more about your books? Got an excerpt you’d like to share?

I’d be happy to share an excerpt. Before I do, I want to thank you, Honoria, for your gracious hospitality today. Good luck to you and your own writing!

The best to learn about me and my books is my website, www.patmcdermott.net. I also have a blog called Put the Kettle On, at http://www.patmcdermott.net/blog/blog.html

See the Fiery Roses Trailer.

Buy links:

A Band of Roses

A Band of Roses On Kindle

Fiery Roses

The Mammoth Book of Irish Romance (Anthology Featuring my Novella “By the Light of My Heart” - Release Date January 26, 2010)


In this excerpt, Irish Princess Talty Boru and her husband, Neil, have unexpectedly arrived in a place called Velavesnia. They've accepted the hospitality of Baron Anza Lucini, who thinks Talty is Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of fire and volcanoes. We join her, as will Neil, in a luxurious outdoor bath heated by volcanic springs.

EXCERPT

Water rushed over the ledge to the bathing pool below. Rainbows danced in and out of the spray, adding a magical feel to the hot, sultry springs. A serving woman had left clothing and towels nearby, though Talty was in no hurry to use them.
The cascade's gentle roar blocked all sound. She forgot the Peregrine Portal—and her disturbing anger toward Neil—and luxuriated in the refreshing shower pouring from the shadowy rocks above her. Wearing only her wedding and engagement rings, she worked a third lathering of rosemary-scented soap over her hair and skin to remove the last traces of sticky soot.

When Talty lived in Japan, her then husband, Eric Yamada, took her to bathe in onsen, volcanic hot springs that soothed both body and spirit. The bubbling mineral waters behind Anza Lucini's hunting lodge were similar: steamy, salty and mildly sulphuric. Anza had said his ancestors discovered the springs generations earlier.

Today, a wall of hewn black stone and cypress trees surrounded the thigh-deep pool. Beyond it stood a terra cotta hunting lodge, Anza's base while he and his men scoured the forest to supply his small domain with meat.

Squeaky clean and dry at last, Talty wiggled her way into the Velavesnian garments. The woolen top, a knee-length tunic embroidered with colorful designs, was more finely woven than those Anza's two serving women wore.

"It belonged to the baroness," Renen, the younger of the women, had said. "Her clothing is still here. I think it will fit you well, ma'am."

The tunic fit incredibly well, as did the soft leather boots. Renen had also left a bronze comb wrought with leaves and tiny horse-drawn chariots. Dressed and rejuvenated, Talty sat on a seat carved from stone and worked the tangles from her hair. Suspecting that the comb, too, had belonged to the baroness, she wondered who the woman was and what had happened to her.

"I was afraid you'd melted away, you were out here so long."

Smiling at the sound of Neil's gentle baritone, Talty twisted her head. He stood at the arched entrance to the baths looking delicious in his Velavesnian attire. The well-cut wool and leather emphasized his brawny arms and shoulders. Her approving gaze trailed downward, lingering over his trim waist and the muscular thighs stretching his gray leggings. Waves of pleasure rippled through her. How could she have been angry with him?

She glanced up at his handsome face. His raven hair, still damp from his bath, set off his fair skin. His familiar smile was absent, however. Uncertainty clouded his keen blue eyes.

Some reconciliation seemed in order. "I don't believe I've ever been so filthy."
He circled the pool and sat beside her. The pleasant scent of rosemary soap hovered between them. "Why didn't you let the women help you? They seemed miffed when you sent them away."

"There are only two of them, and they had enough to do to prepare the meal. Besides, I didn't know how to explain why a goddess would have such awful scars."

His fingers brushed the top of her tunic. "Nick is helping them fix the food. Richard told Anza that Nick is sworn to feed your mortal body, while I'm sworn to see to that mortal body's more amorous requirements."

Smothering a grin, Talty cocked her head. "Oh?"

A corner of Neil's mouth turned up in the tiniest smile. "I thought it was ingenious of him. Nick will see that we're fed well, and I am your husband." He tugged her tangled hair. "Even if you are angry with me."

"I am not!"

"Come on, Tal. I know you too well. I suspect we're about to have our first real quarrel."

She opened her mouth to deny it; the truth in his eyes drew a sigh of resignation from her lips instead. "I don't want to argue, but you can't keep being so protective of me. At home I try to ignore it, but in a place like this, your interference could get someone hurt, or even killed."

"I'm your Shivail, Tal. All my life I've learned it's my duty to protect you." He reached for her left hand and rubbed his thumb over her rings. "Even if I weren't in love with you, I'd still be your Shivail. I try not to be overbearing about it, but I can't forget how badly you were hurt. I never want to see that again."

Neither did Talty. The memory of Roger Wessex's assault put an edge in her voice not meant for Neil. "That was a long time ago. I'm a warrior now. Don't treat me like some useless prima donna. We all have to do our share if we're to survive here, and I can do my share very well. You know that. You're my training partner, and you've read those reports."

Sighing silently, he took the comb from her and studied its intricate design. "A pretty thing," he said, and shifted to sit behind her. He ran the comb and the fingers of his free hand through her hair, a very unfair tactic during an argument, she thought. His gentle strokes were wonderfully soothing—and distracting.

So was his intimate tone: "I was just getting used to you being Crown Princess again. Now you're a goddess—and a fierce one at that. I've had a bad day, Tal. I've gone from crossing Ireland in the Morrigan to crossing your portal into who knows where. I thought we were all going to die in that lab, and then I thought I'd die from being sick. You and Richard and Nick have done this before. I haven't. I don't know the rules."

He was right. While they were alone together, she should give him a crash course, teach him how the Peregrine Team worked . . . but his stroking fingers felt so good.

"We should talk about the rules, Neily."

He set the comb down and pushed her hair away to kiss the spot where her neck and shoulders met. Taking his time, he embedded a string of nuzzling kisses up to her ear. "Don't be angry with me, Tal. I can't bear it."

Her eyes closed. She savored the thrills shooting down her back. The strange clothing she'd just put on suddenly grew warm. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be angry.

But you—"

He seized her chin and twisted her head to his. The intimacy of his kiss cut short any further lecturing. Sorry for the rift between them, she kissed him back, an utmost kiss that sought to reassure and reconcile.

When at last they broke apart, the confidence had returned to his eyes. "I'll let you go round trouncing whoever you like if it'll get me kisses like that. I'm sorry, Tal. I'll try my best not to be such a ninny-hammer." He stood and pulled her to her feet.

She squeezed his hands. "You're no such thing. You're a fine man, and I love you well. I only wish we were in a more private place just now."

"So do I. First chance we have, I'm going to give you a proper bedding. Right now we'd best get back to the house."

Monday, January 11, 2010

Belinda McBride Interview

1.What are you currently working on?
I’m currently juggling a couple of projects, most notably the final book in the Bad Angels trilogy. I’m also working on Belle Starr: The Nameless, which the second book in the Belle Starr series.

2.When did you attempt your first novel? What's become of it?
My first novel attempt was Soul Keeper, which I began about 3 years ago. It’s an urban fantasy/romance about mythical creatures living in today’s world. It’s available at New Concepts Publishing.

3.How many novels did you complete before you sold your first?
I was actually pretty lucky, almost everything I’ve written and submitted has sold. Imperative: Missing You was initially rejected because I missed the deadline that it was supposed to be submitted by. I expanded it and sold it to Changeling Press.

4.What’s the worst piece of writing advice you ever got?
This goes back a ways, I was an English major in college, and when I went to meet my advisor the first time, I told her I wanted to be a writer. She laughed at me and said, “Everyone wants to be a writer.” Not advice, but hugely discouraging. Since I sat down and really started writing seriously, I don’t think I’ve received any bad advice. Of course, not everything works for everyone, so you just have to take it for what it’s worth.

5.What inspired you to become a writer?
I was a voracious and precocious reader from the time I was little, and my grandma once said, “Honey, you love to read so much, you really should be a writer.” That’s always lived in the back of my mind. The event that inspired me to really take it seriously was when I bought and read some truly atrocious books. I thought, “I can do better than that,” and figured it couldn’t hurt to at least try.

6.What kind of activities do you do to clear your head?
When my brain is really whirling around, I’ll take a hot shower or a bath. I’ll also lie down not to sleep, but to let my mind just go where it wants. A walk or work-out is good, it helps to get out of the house.

7.What books would you recommend on writing?
I really liked Morgan Hawke’s ‘Cheater’s Guide to Writing Erotic Romance. There’s also a load of good writing information on her website. Beyond that, I don’t really have too many books on writing. Oh…the Chicago Manual of Style. That’s pretty important. I also like the Snowflake Method.

8.What is your favorite "comfort food"?
Ah, that would be chocolate. LOL!

9.What are you reading, if anything, at the moment?
I am currently reading Nalini Singh’s Blaze of Memory. I really enjoy her Psy/Changeling series. I’m eagerly anticipating Laurell K Hamilton’s Divine Misdemeanors. And I just finished Patricia Brigg’s Cry Wolf. I loved that one.

10.If you could live in any time or place–where and when would you choose?
Well, I’m a historian, so knowing what I do, I’m pretty happy with the here and now. However, Imperial Rome and Golden Age Greece would be pretty amazing to visit.

11.It’s plug time. Where can people find out more about your books? Got an excerpt you’d like to share?

The best place to find out about my books is at my website.

And my blog.

And here’s an excerpt from An Uncommon Whore, a m/m space opera which releases at Loose Id on January 26:



Buy Link

I continued to evaluate the room, when my attention was caught by a long, lean figure sprawled negligently at a table near the back exit. Even seated, it was plain that he was taller than the average humanoid. He was hard muscled and battle worn. His black hair was overlong and tumbled in a wavy mass down his neck. The profile he gave me was hard as a blade. An arched nose accentuated cruel, sensuous lips. He wore a black leather patch over one eye, and a scar bisected his high, hard cheekbone. Since he was blind on my side, I took the occasion to watch him openly. He couldn’t possibly see me behind the veil, but I was certain that he felt my stare.

He surveyed the room slowly, stopping to watch a whore take position between a gambler’s knees. After a few moments, the pirate reached down and readjusted his cock, and then turned his attention elsewhere. He might be interested, but he was here for a reason other than sex.

But God! His head turned slowly in our direction, and my mouth grew dry. My head spun at the impact of that gaze. His remaining eye was black as night and as fierce as flame. I felt the weight of his gaze from behind the veil, where my eyes were covered by a mesh panel. He looked at me for a few heartbeats and then moved on.

I shifted uncomfortably; my cock had grown long and heavy beneath the sheer gauzy robes that covered me from head to foot. Pain lanced through me as it reached the limits allowed by the chastity ring that shackled me. Every instinct urged me to cross the room, to take his arms and look into that dark face…to make him see me.

Sadly I could only go where summoned, and not far from the dark man, a nervous-looking human was gesturing to U’shma. My chest went tight as my owner rose to begin negotiations with the john. They whispered and they argued, and finally U’shma signaled defeat. Not really defeat; the twitch of his blunt fingers told me that he’d negotiated a higher-than-expected price.

Rising smoothly to my feet, I carefully manipulated the folds of fabric that shrouded my body and face. There were perhaps three seconds for me to decide on a course of action. An erupting fight in my path held me steady in place, buying a few more seconds and ultimately, the opportunity to act. I’d paused within a few paces of the dark man when a body inevitably slammed into mine, throwing me in his direction. My hand lashed out, knocking over the goblet of sweet wine that sat on the table.

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered as the bloodred fluid soaked into his shirt and beaded off the battered black leather of his pants. He growled in annoyance and stood, hands brushing at the wet stains. I was tall, but he towered over me. His shoulders were nearly as wide as U’shma’s blockish form, and the black eye was as fierce as I’d imagined it would be.

Once again my lust surged, my heart pounded, and I knew that this man could not be allowed to walk away.

Monday, January 4, 2010

Raine Delight's Interview


1.What are you working on now?
Raine says: I am currently working on a short novella set in the Devon Falls world called Moonlight & Magic. It is around the annual bachelor auction, a young woman giving up on finding love and a rare white tiger shifter. Let’s just say some Chocolate and scarves were not harmed in the writing of this story. *grins* I hope to get into my editor by 12/15 and release is tentative for February 2010.

Next will be anew series called Club Fantasy. It is my paranormal BDSM series centered around three fantasy rooms. In book 1, Desires Unleashed, we meet the owners of Club Fantasy, a half demon of lust and his lover/partner and the woman they find is their mate. In Book 2 and 3 we continue to explore Club Fantasy with these two stories centered on some really kinky rooms. J I hope to have book 1 in to my editor in March 2010.

2.How many rejection letters did you get before you got an acceptance? And what advice do you have for writers about rejection letters?
Raine says: I think I got three and that was good according to some authors I talked to. I got lucky with a few places interested in my work and asking for more.
I think to deal with the rejection I got I made sure to see if they had any constructive criticism and work with it to make the manuscript better. Each time I got one of these letters, I would work on what they told me.

3.What's your idea of the "perfect" hero?
Rane says: I love flawed heroes. I think they have the most interest to me. The ones who are wounded in some way emotionally, the ones who keep you rooting for them even as they play the bad guy. Those guys are always a turn on for me because the reader is drawn to the imperfect ones over the perfect heroes.

4.Who are your favorite authors?
Raine says: I have so many I would literally be here for days on end just mentioning them. LOL

Bertrice Small, JD Robb/Nora Roberts, Maggie Shayne, Sherrilyn Kenyon, JK Rawling, JR Ward, Celina Summers, Selena Illyria, Kate Hill, Michelle Hasker, Cynnara Tregarth, and so many more.

5.What books do you recommend on writing?
Raine says: I actually have two. One is for writing M/M fiction by Josh Lanyon. It is a really good help guide especially if you never wrote this before. It’s called “Man, Oh Man” Writing M/M Fiction for kinks & cash”.

The other is called “The First Five Pages” by Noel Lukeman. This has helped me immensely as I struggled with some problem areas and it helped me identify what I need to do to fix them. Both of these are very informative and I highly recommend them to any writer.

6.What's your favorite thing about writing? Least favorite thing?
Raine says: I love creating new characters and storylines. I find I love creating a twist to things like if a gamma ray blast hits Earth. What would happen to us and end up creating something very new.

Least favorite thing- I hate editing…maybe because I am so close to the project that I sometimes have to force myself to see what my editor is saying through their eyes and not my own.

7.Do you talk to your characters, your muse, or both?
Raine says: If I did that, my family would drop me off at the nearest mental hospital. *laughs*

I do sit here and mumble under my breath and pray the gods of writing keep the muse in line…though lately it has been quite a chore in that department. *sighs*

8.How did you celebrate your first contract?
Raine says: I screamed then called everyone or emailed everyone I knew and danced my happy snoopy dance then got to work writing the next book. J

9.Where do you see your writing going in five years? In ten?
Raine says: I hope to be at a few more publishers and creating more stories and possibly within ten years, be with a NY house.

10.If you could meet any paranormal creature, what would it be and why?
Raine says: ooohhh right now I would love to meet a tiger shifter….maybe because I am writing one right now. LOL Besides I love the big cats. So graceful and full of strength.

11.Okay, it's plug time. Where can people find out more about your books? Got an excerpt you'd like to share?
Raine says: Oh man…I just had my fourth Devon Falls book, Haunting Magic, release from Aspen Mountain Press. It is my best selling to date in the entire series which has me dancing on air. You can find it at the following places along with my book trailer I had done for it:

Devon Falls 4: Haunting Magic

Raine’s website

Publisher: Aspen Mountain Press

Click here to purchase at AMP.

Purchase at Amazon Kindle here.

Purchase at All Romance E-books here.

Purchase at 1romance e-books here.

Watch the Trailer Here.

Blazing Trailers- click here

Rodrick Dracon is the twin heir to the Dragon Inn. When he finds himself longing for a mate after being footloose and fancy free, he finds himself drawn to the most obnoxious, brassy woman he has ever met: Jaxon Sinclair. She is the one woman who doesn't melt when he goes by or hangs on his every word. She is just aggravating and down right sexy as sin! Soon the sparks fly, passion goes into boiling and Halloween approaches. Can a wolf shifter get this woman to heel before the full moon? Or can Jax turn the tables on this ladies man and tame the wolf?

Excerpt:

Jax was stunned by the clenching of her pussy as he traced his finger down her nose. If she didn’t know better, she could have sworn there was a flare of interest in his eyes; though it could have been that she was moon mazed or something. Jax tried to still the weak kneed response to him touching her as she tried to form an annoying response.

“You can boil water? Oh My God!” Jax looked up at the darkening sky then back at Rod. “Wow the sky hasn’t fallen yet. Did you pay off Heaven or something? Has Hell frozen over and no one told the Devil?”

The smile that played on her lips had him growling low in his throat. Jax didn’t know what to think when Rod yanked her to him and said, “You have a death wish don’t you Jax? You really don’t want me to show you that I can do that and so much more.” The last was said so low and as he nipped her ear, Jax felt her bones turn to mush. He turned her on, no two ways about it and damn it, why him? He has to be the most annoying man on this planet yet he also was sexy as sin and damn it to hell and back, he made her want him with every inch of her being. Trying to shove away from him was like trying to hit a rock with an open palm. He was an immovable object and his eyes, she could have sworn, glowed faintly.

“Will you please let me go, you ass?” Jax tried to keep her voice strong and pissed off but dang it, he was making her stomach do flips every time he nipped her ear. “If you really want to prove to me you can cook, fine. I swear it is like your male ego got in a snit or something.” She huffed and blew her breath out when nothing else seemed to make him let go, though if she was honest with herself, she liked his hands on her body, not like she was going to tell this idiot that. No telling what else he would do with that information.

“Is it possible that I can go grab some food before I die of starvation? I swear if that was your goal tonight, Rod, you are not doing a very good job.” Jax said as she felt his hands glide down her arms then let go, the lack of his touch almost had her keening for more. This attraction she had for him was getting out of hand, especially as she and Rod rub against each other like oil and water.

Her treacherous body leaned into him before she caught herself and as she glared at him, she didn’t know what the hell was going on tonight but for some reason tonight he was determined to drive her insane.

“Go get your take out, Jax, but tomorrow, make no plans for the evening. I got something to prove and frankly, I am more than happy to show you what else I can do besides what you may perceive all I can do.”

More information can be found at my website (http://authorrainedelight.com) plus other excerpts and news from me.

Friday, January 1, 2010

Friday's Feature: Fallen Star by Morgan Hawke

Series: Interstellar Service & Discipline; Previous Book: Victorious Star
Genre: Science Fiction; BDSM; Nontraditional Sexualities
Length: Novel


Isabeau Fallon, the Fallen Star is one of the finest thieves on Dyson’s Ring station – until she’s caught by the Skeldhi hunter, Sobehk, who captures her and makes her a sex-pet. Trapped and altered into a skeldhi-human hybrid known as a rehkyt, her past is a closed door – until it literally comes back to haunt her in the form of a E’sey Khan. E'sey is a Skeldhi Lord Officer intent on taking Fallon, the Moribund Company’s prize code-cracker, away from Sobehk, the one man he ever loved, and making her his very own.

Seemingly random accidents and hidden programs converge to prove that there is more going on than the capture of a not-so-simple thief. There is a conspiracy afoot...and the small thief from Dyson’s Ring station is in it up to her collared throat.

Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: Anal play/intercourse, BDSM (including bondage, domination/submission, whipping), menage (m/m/f), and homoerotic sexual situations (m/m, f/f).

Excerpt:

A low, masculine chuckle echoed in the alley. “Dead-end, thief.”

Her heart slammed in her throat. Blood and Fate, not again? She turned sharply to look behind her. Her pursuer was little more than a silhouette of broad-shouldered moving blackness, yet he filled the alley with his intimidating presence.

Damn it! She'd known he was close, but she hadn't thought he was that close! How, by burning fury, was he finding her so fast? The stupid, stubborn brute ... She turned her back on him and set her gloved hands on the steel wall, but it was too slippery with night condensation to climb. Shit, shit, shit!

“You are out of options, thief.” His chuckle echoed at her back. “Yield, and save yourself some grief.”

She backed up against the steel wall and dropped into a fighter's crouch with her fists raised. “I'm not down yet!”

“But you will be.” He stepped across a small beam of light that cut through the misty darkness to caress his sculpted, overlapping black body armor. It shimmered with oily iridescence, as though made of midnight rainbows. Silver gleamed in the frost white of his hair. Shadows deepened the pale and brutally handsome lines of his high cheekbones and strong jaw. Pairs of silver rings glittered in the lobes of his pointed ears, accentuating the decorative cuts along the lower arches. The long tail of his severe braid fell well past his broad shoulders and swung at his narrow waist as he approached. “You will go down, and you will yield.”

Fallon felt her pulse beat in her throat. He was fully armored, and all she had was a thin layer of battered leather. Fate and damnation, she didn't want to fight him again, but she didn't have a whole lot of choice. “You haven't caught me yet.”

“Oh, no?” His white brows rose over bright, amused sapphire-blue eyes. Feline green-gold reflected in their depths. His full lips curved into a cruel smile. “Have it your way.” The points of his canines gleamed. “But there's only one way out ...” He opened his arms, his hands pointedly empty of the weapons she knew he carried, daring her to get past him.

She took the dare in a flurry of fists and feet.

The exchange of fists, kicks, and curses was vicious and short. He trapped her arm and grappled her into a chokehold with both of her wrists wedged up to the center of her back, wrapped in one large paw.

She was just too damned tired.

“This hunt is over, thief.” His breath was harsh and hot against her ear. “You lose.”

Fallon sucked a breath past the armored arm jammed across her windpipe. Bloody Fate, he has a tight grip. Smart move on his part; she was very limber. If he gave her the smallest increment, she would wiggle free. She arched her spine, coming up on her toes to relieve the ache. Not that it did much good. He was more than a head and a half taller, and his shoulders were twice hers in width. He didn't look nearly this big when he introduced himself in the bar. But then, he hadn't been wearing pointy black armor, either.

She sucked air past his chokehold. “Sobehk, you are cutting off the circulation in my arms.”

“Oh, really?” Sobehk's chuckle made the hair on her arms rise. “That's too bad, Fallon. Or should I say, Isabeau Torne Fallon?”

Fallon froze. He knew her whole name? Where, by fury, had he heard that? Not even her boss knew more than her handle!

“Do you yield?” His voice was a sinister purr in her ear. “Or do I need to break something?”

Damn it, she couldn't afford the time off to heal a broken arm. “All right, fine, I yield. So now what?”

“Now, you go down.” His foot hooked hers and she fell to her knees. He dropped down on one knee with her, keeping her wrists jammed tight up against her spine, with his arm snug around her throat. “And you stay down.”

Fallon hissed to keep from yelping and arched back sharply. The uneven pavement dug into her knees, and both shoulders were painfully close to dislocation. “Take it easy on the arms, you big brute. I'm not a marine cyborg!” She was robotically augmented for agility, not power.

“No, but you are one slippery thief.” His hand tightened on her wrists. “I'm not taking any chances with losing you again.”

She bit back an escaping whimper. “Yeah, I'm a thief. What did you expect? This is a smuggling outpost -- everybody's a thief.” She wriggled her fingers, but all she could feel was his damned body armor. It had to be some kind of titanium alloy; he moved like it didn't weigh more than paper, but there wasn't a drop of give to it. She hadn't been able to land a single effective blow. Her foot was still bruised from that last kick she'd aimed at his kidneys. This really sucks ...

Damn it! She didn't have time for this shit. She set her teeth. “Look, whatever you intend to do to me -- beat me, fuck me, or whatever ... Can you hurry up and get it over with? I have shit to get done.”

His arm tightened on her throat. “What? Do you have a quota or something, thief?”

She turned her head slightly and sucked in a small breath past his chokehold. “Or something ...” Blood and Fate, yeah, she had a quota; everyone on this blasted outpost had some kind of quota to fill. She was lucky that she was damned good at filling hers, because this stupid game of hide-and-seek had taken far too much of her productive time. “Just do it, all right?”

“I'll get to it when I'm damned good and ready.” Sobehk's voice rumbled in a deep growl. “If you wanted a quick end to this, you should have yielded two days ago when I caught you the first time.”

Fallon snorted. “You could have given up two days ago when I got away the first time.”

“Too bad for you.” Sobehk actually chuckled. “Once I start a hunt, I finish it.” His long teeth caught the lobe of her ear in a tender bite. “You shouldn't have picked me for a target.”

Fallon tilted her head away from his mouth. “You shouldn't have pissed me off!”

He nipped at her exposed throat. “What? Don't you like sex?” He made a sound that might have been a growl, but it sounded a lot closer to an actual feline purr.

Fallon shivered in spite of herself. “Sure, I like sex -- with guys that aren't assholes!” She tried to twist, even a little, but his grip on her arms was far too tight. “Look, grabbing people and kissing them within seconds of stating your name is not the way to pick up women.”

“Is that so?” He purred right into the curve of her ear. “Then why did you kiss me back?”

Fallon felt her face heat. She had kissed him back; Sobehk was a damned good kisser. “So I kissed you, big fat hairy deal. That didn't mean I wanted to have sex in the middle of a crowded bar.”

“Are you sure?” His deep chuckle curled straight down into her gut. “I didn't hear any complaints until after I had your bare tit in one hand and you were ready to cum on my other.”

“Of course not!” Fallon scowled as her cheeks flushed with more heat. “I was flat down on the table with your tongue shoved down my throat. I had to bite you to get your mouth off mine so I could tell you to stop.”

“I thought you were just being affectionate.” His voice practically purred ... then the sound drifted into a growl. “Until you took off on me.”

Fallon pitched her voice as sweet as sugar. “And I thought you were just being a perverted asshole, which is why I took off on you.”

Sobehk stiffened and his voice rumbled deep in his chest. “Is that why you took my turbo glider?”

“Well, yeah.” She winced under the increased pressure. If he gripped her any tighter, he was going to break her arm. “You pissed me off!”

Sobehk relaxed slightly and barked out a laugh. “You were pissed because I almost made you cum right there in front of everybody.”

Fallon ground her teeth. She remembered only too well exactly how close -- and how fast -- he had brought her to the trembling edge of orgasm. He was damned attractive, in a big, scary kind of way, and he was really good with his hands and his mouth. She had spent over an hour with her fingers in her wet flesh, trying to ease the burning hunger he had stirred in her before she had fled. The smug bastard ... “And you're pissed now because it took you three days to catch me.”

“Fuck, yeah, I'm pissed! Because of you, I'm way behind schedule. But I've got you now, and you're gonna pay for holding me up -- with your ass.” The brute was grinning; she could tell by his voice.

She scowled. “What, do you have a quota to fill?”

“Not anymore.” Sobehk's voice purred with innuendo. “Your nipples are hard. I think you like being caught.”

Her nipples were hard, and it pissed her off even more. “I think you like being a bastard.”

“Oh, I do. I love being a bastard to slippery little thieves who really need to have their asses smacked for taking things that don't belong to them.”

“I don't know why you bothered chasing me; you got your glider back the next day!” Damn it, she couldn't reach anything with her fingers ...

“I'm bothering because I've been rock hard since that night in the bar -- and I fully intend to do something about it.” He dropped his arm, releasing her throat, and slammed a hand between her shoulder blades, shoving her face down onto the pavement. “And your tight little ass is gonna feel really sweet around my dick as I empty my balls in it.”

Fallon had to turn her head or breathe concrete. What? Does he plan to ass-fuck me? Bloody Fate, I hope not! When he'd had her lying flat down on the bar's table she had felt one monster of an erection pressing against her stomach. She honestly didn't think she could fit something that big up her butt. “Hey, I have a perfectly good pussy!”

“Don't worry, I'll get that, too.”

Read an extended excerpt here. Or buy it here.