Monday, December 19, 2011

Guest: Liz Flaherty

Today my guest is Liz Flaherty.  Welcome Liz.

Thank you for having me here today, Marie. I’m having a great time traveling around looking for a warm place to light.


Tell us a little about yourself.


I’m a country girl, married 40 years to my true-life hero, grandmother to the Magnificent Seven. I sew—not well, by any means, but a lot; I’m on a mission to make a bed-size quilt for each of the Seven. I’m on Number Five right now and he’s champing at the bit. Unfortunately for him, I chose now to learn how to do triangles and I’m doing them rather…badly. And slowly.

I’m on a fitness binge right now, hoping to lose to a healthy weight. I’ve gotten there  before, but maintaining it has always been beyond me. I’m feeling so wonderful now that I hope this is my time. 



What do like the most and the least about writing?

What I like most is the doing of it. I just love words and how they can be transformed into such beautiful things. 

What I like least, hands down, is promotion. I feel as though I’m constantly asking people to like me and annoying them in the process.


Give us a peek into your latest published work? 




ONE MORE SUMMER will be out from Carina Press on January 2—what a way to start the new year! Here’s what it’s about.

Grace has taken care of her widowed father her entire adult life and the ornery old goat has finally died. She has no job, no skills and very little money, and has heard her father’s prediction that no decent man would ever want her so often she accepts it as fact.
 
But she does have a big old house on Lawyers Row in Peacock, Tennessee. She opens a rooming house and quickly gathers a motley crew of tenants – Promise, Grace’s best friend since kindergarten, who’s fighting cancer; Maxie, an aging soap opera actress who hasn’t lost her flair for the dramatic; Jonah, a sweet gullible old man with a crush on Maxie.

And Dillon, Grace’s brother’s best friend, who stood her up on the night of her senior prom and has regretted it ever since. Dillon rents Grace’s guest house for the summer and hopes to make up for lost time and past hurts – but first, he’ll have to convince Grace that she’s worth loving…




What’s next on the writing horizon for you?

It’s the holidays, so I’m not being terribly productive, but I have started—though I’m still at the stage of writing a page and promptly deleting two—a sequel to ONE MORE SUMMER. It’s a new avenue for me, so we’ll see how it pans out.

Is there anything you want to tell readers?


Merry Christmas! I hope you have a most joyous holiday season and the best year imaginable in 2012. Thank you for stopping to visit.

Here's an excerpt from One More Summer:

Beautiful? Grace stood in front of the mirror and stared curiously at herself. No, not by any means. But—she reached up to fluff the hair drying into soft curls on top of her head—better. Undeniably better.

Lights were on in the cottage in the trees, and she wondered what Dillon was doing. Then her gaze fell on the gazebo with its torn screens and rotting floor and her stomach twisted into a knot that felt like a fist pushing its way to the outside. A shudder rippled through her and she clutched the windowsill for support.

He said beautiful. Put that in your pipe and smoke it, Papa. She stroked her arms firmly with the palms of her hands, as though brushing away the bruises Robert had left there more times than she could count. Less often after he’d cut her face with his ring, but often enough she still expected to see dark spots on her skin.

She was restless. Enlivened. Part of it was the adrenaline fed by her fear for Promise. But another part was the attractive haircut, the memory of Dillon’s thumb stroking her cheek and his voice saying softly, “Beautiful.”

The echo of that voice still fell on her ears when she reached for the oversize T-shirt she wore to bed. She immediately put it back down and donned a dress Faith had given her. No more than a slip of thin cotton knit in a dark cranberry color, its neckline scooping low both front and back, it fell to her ankles without binding anywhere. Not only was it comfortable, it made her feel sort of…sexy.

Grace’s cheeks burned at the turn her thoughts had taken, then she got mad for blushing and wondered if she had any nail polish around. She’d just paint her toenails, so there. It wasn’t like there was anything wrong with sexy, was there?

Downstairs, she poured a glass of wine, even though it was only Monday night, and slipped quietly through the kitchen and porch doors into the backyard. She stood for a moment, undecided what to do now that she was out here, and frowned in disappointment when the first drops of rain began to fall.

Unwilling to relinquish the freedom of being outside alone in the dark, she walked around the side of the house to the seldom-used front porch. Her mother’s beloved rattan furniture was still there, but she settled into the padded swing that faced Lawyers Row. She sat sideways, dropped one foot to set the swing in motion, then drew her knees up.

Dillon’s soft whistle preceded him around the house. He stepped onto the porch, carrying a wine bottle and a glass, and sat uninvited on the other end of the swing. His thigh brushed her bare toes and she made to draw away, but his hand clasping her foot stopped her retreat.

“How’s Maxie’s headache?” he asked, kneading the foot with a rhythmic motion. His thumb found the nail of her big toe and stroked over the polished surface. Again and again. Slowly.

Grace’s entire body turned to gooseflesh. “Better. She went to sleep early. Jonah sat with her, massaging her temples. Promise tried to tell me he was crazy about her, but I didn’t think so. Maybe I was wrong.”

“Love takes back roads sometimes.” His voice sounded hollow, and when she tried to meet his eyes, she couldn’t. What back roads had he traveled? And how had he been hurt on those travels?

They sat in silence that was both companionable and fraught with awareness, sipping wine and—once—clinking their glasses in an unspoken toast
.
“Tell me about where you’ve been,” she said suddenly. “What you’ve seen.”

“No.” He softened the refusal with a tickle on the arch of one of her feet, then reached to refill her glass. “You tell me. Tell me what’s happened to Grace Elliot since her date for the prom didn’t show up.”

“Nothing. I’m the same as I was then.” She was, mostly. The damage had been done long before prom night. “And I haven’t been anywhere, so I like to hear about where other people have gone.” And I like to hear your voice. It makes me feel…

Even in her thoughts, she couldn’t put into words how the sound of his voice touched her. How it stroked over her skin like tenderness. How it strengthened her spirit to the point that facing another day was something to be anticipated instead of dreaded. Her tongue loosened by the wine, she said, “Please.”

He told her about England and Ireland , making her see thatched roofs and pubs in narrow lanes and more shades of green than she could imagine. He skipped over France because he said he hadn’t liked it there and spoke with admiration of free-spirited Australians, adopting horrendous accents in the telling that made her smile.

The wine bottle was nearly empty when he said, “That’s the end of the travelogue.”

“No, it’s not.” She reached, turning his face so he could no longer avoid her eyes. “You haven’t mentioned Iraq .”

He hesitated. “Didn’t you see enough of war living with Robert Elliot all those years?”

“That was cold war, and it’s over.” Though she shivered as she said it.

“War’s over for me too.”

“No, it’s not.” It’s back there in the guesthouse in that book you’re writing—I’d bet my big toe on it.

“The soldiers were so bored most of the time,” he began, “and yet the fear was something you could taste. Fear and sand and strangeness. You could sense courage, and a feeling of rightness. I stayed longer, dug deeper, listened harder. I saw more than I had ever seen before.” He lifted his glass to his lips and drained it.

The pain was thick in his voice, even in the grip of his fingers on her foot. Without taking the time to think about it, she laid her hand on his.

When he clasped her wrist to pull her to him and fold her into his arms, she didn’t pull away, nor did she stiffen. His heart beat strong and steady under the hand she rested on his chest, and she stroked with light, hesitant touches. She wanted to give comfort, but didn’t know how.

He held her so tightly it hurt, but at the same time sensation flowed blissfully through muscles and into places she’d known she had but hadn’t given all that much thought to recently. It was like a salve on the omnipresent worry over Promise’s illness. Grace sat quiet in Dillon’s arms and realized for the first time in her life that sometimes the giving of comfort leads to ease for the comforter.

She realized something more too. That there was heat wherever he touched her. With the heat, came longing. It started in her toes, still warm from the touch of his fingers, and rumbled through her body to rest low in her abdomen. Even as she settled more comfortably into his embrace, she blamed the sensations on the dress, the unaccustomed varnish on her toenails, the haircut.

But it was more. It was more.

Email lizkflaherty@yahoo.com
Twitter @LizFlaherty1 or look me up on Facebook! 




Thanks for being here today, Liz.













Monday, December 12, 2011

New Sale

I can't remember if I announced it or not, I've sold my 4th book, His For The Weekend, to The Wild Rose Press.

This book has a special place in my heart, it was only the 2nd erotic romance I'd written, but once it was done I'd put it away. After I sold my 1st book, In Plain Sight, to The Wild Rose Press. I wrote two Cowboy Kink books for them, Quick Silver Ranch: Roped & Ready; and Quick Silver Ranch: Saddle Up.

After Saddle Up was released, I pulled His For The Weekend out and began editing. It was still a good book, had some issues, but I worked on fixing the plot holes and a few other things and submitted it to my editor. And she bought it.

I don't have a release date for the book yet or the cover, but will post when I do.

Have a great week.

Monday, November 28, 2011

Monday Eye Candy


Today I thought I'd just leave you with a picture for your week. Enjoy





Monday, November 21, 2011

Guest Blogger: Tony-Paul de Vissage


Today my guest is Tony-Paul de Vissage who brings a little bite to your Monday.


Tell us a little about yourself:

About moi? I like to fall back on the “Official Authorized Biography” for that question, delivered with tongue in cheek. Voila!:

A writer of French Huguenot extraction, one of Tony-Paul de Vissage’s first movie memories is of being six years old, viewing the old Universal horror flick, Dracula's Daughter on television, and being scared sleepless--and that may explain a lifelong interest in vampires.

This was further inspired when the author was kidnapped by a band of transplanted Romanian vampires who were sightseeing in the South. He was returned to his parents with the offer of paying his way through college if he would become a writer and pen positive stories about vampires. His parents, (grateful for the tuition offer since it let them off the hook) agreed.

Though the promise made to his supernatural mentors survived a liberal arts' education and the scorn of friends and family, marriage, parenthood, divorce, and a variety of occupations ranging from stage work to doctor's assistant took precedent over writing for several years, as did moving from one United States coast to another.

Eventually that first story--a short story about the hapless vampire Clan Andriescu--was published. A voracious reader whose personal library has been shipped more than 3,000 miles, Tony-Paul has read hundreds of vampire tales and viewed more than as many movies.

Whew! That’s a lot, isn’t it?


What do like the most and the least about writing?

What I like most? Seeing that book listed as being released and having someone ask me to tell them about it (Guess that’s two things, isn’t it?)

What I like least? The time it takes to write a novel. I used to be able to get one done in three weeks, edited, proofed, and ready to go. Now, it takes a team of horses to get me to sit at the computer long enough to write, though I may have the story all plotted out and ready to go in my head. Apparently I’m getting lazy with each passing day or something like that.

Give us a peek into your latest published work?

My latest published work is an anthology of short stories, Sweet Sips of Blood, published by Vamptasy Publishing, UK. Here’s the blurb:

Some vampires want to have their cake and eat it, too…

Sweet Sips of Blood…a collection of vampire tales written with a pen dipped in crimson icing… After the Apocalypse of 2012, humans and vampires unite to face an assault from a mutual foe… A famous writer of vampire novels goes too far with her latest literary effort… A vampire with a toothache seeks out an unusual dentist…

Blood will Freeze…Working-class Vampires…the Best Dentist in Orange County… and seven other short stories, some whimsical, some sad, a couple horrific, but all designed to titillate, amuse, and chill…

Sometimes the vampire gets his “cake”; in others, he’s still outside, staring in through the bakery window. Like the sweet sips of blood sustaining the vampire’s existence, these stories are sweet sips of vampires’ secret souls…

What’s next on the writing horizon for you?

I just finished my fourth novel, The Last Vampire Standing, which is a contemporary, vampire story set in the South. It’s not a romance, however, but a more “traditional” vampire story with some very unusual sex involved. I’m also currently working on getting Dark God Descending (originally published in 2008 and not out of print) re-issued. Then, I have a 7-book series to tackle, the Second Species.

Is there anything you want to tell readers?

Vampires aren’t just for Hallowe’en anymore!

EXCERPT from Sweet Sips of Blood

“The Best Dentist in Orange County”:

The pain jerked him out of Unsleep like a fish being hooked from a lake.

What the Hell? For several seconds, he didn’t recognize what was happening. Then, the sharp burning stab again shot through his right upper canine. I have a toothache! It was a new sensation but not one he’d care to have for very long, Domingo decided. Since pain was little more than a vague memory, he had no idea what to do or how to stop it, so, as always, as he’d done when he was alive, he turned to the one person he was certain could help him. His sister, Liseta.

He was out of the black-sheeted bed and through the door, quite literally—Domingo never bothered with the inconvenience of opening a door—before he realized he was still naked. Materializing back to the bed, he found the robe at its foot, hastily shrugged it on, belted it, and appeared again outside in the hall.

Liseta was in the sitting room, knitting just as she had through the centuries no matter where they resided. She’d begun the habit while they were still in Spain, fashioning warm sweater-like garments for the children of the servios who lived on their father’s grounds. After their hasty escape from their beloved birthplace, she had continued the practice. When they settled in Orange County, following a slow progression across the United States, Dom had informed her that now that they were in California, no one needed heavy-weight bulky-knit pullovers. Adaptable as ever, Liseta switched to a lighter yarn and now knitted tank tops instead.

Good Will Industries seemed particularly grateful.

As he stumbled through the door, one hand against his right jaw, she looked up and smiled brightly. That always annoyed him. How could anyone be so cheerful this early in the evening? He himself was a midnight-owl, didn’t really get his fangs out until just before the witching hour! Well, they were definitely out now, and aching savagely.

“Good evening, hermanocito. You’re up early,” was her statement of the obvious. She nodded disapprovingly at his loosely belted robe and tousled hair. “—and not dressed, either.”

Brushing his hair out of his face, Dom dropped onto one of the Queen Anne chairs and sprawled languidly. “Don’t start, Lisi. I-I think I’m ill!”

That startled her. The clicking needles stopped their motion. “Ill? What do you mean?”

It should be apparent, he thought. Did I always walk around with one hand clamped to my face? “M-my fangs hurt. I think I have a toothache.”

Now, she looked worried. “How could that happen? Have you bitten anything tough lately?”

“No...” He thought a moment, grimacing as the upper eye-tooth again sent out a vicious throb and a memory of the night before returned. “...wait...yes!”

“When? Where?”

“Well…” He hedged a moment.

“Where did you go last night?” she demanded, expecting the worse.

Domingo had a habit of lurking in the most disreputable places, outside bars and pool halls. Lately, he’d started hanging out near escort agency entrances. He shrugged, trying to look nonchalant. “Over to Laguna Beach. They were supposed to be filming a movie there and I thought it would be easy to find some prey.”

“And did you?” She didn’t try to hide the exasperation in her voice.

He shook his head. “Not really. I got my dates wrong. The filming’s not until tonight, so the beach was nearly deserted. There were only a couple of late-night surfers available.” He looked a little sheepish. “I waylaid one of them. Guess that’s when I broke my fang.”

The surfer had been a muscle-bound, bull-necked oaf whose jugular was iron-tough. He had almost gnawed through it to get a single drop. And the bastard had the effrontery to actually put up a fight!

“Dom!” Her expression as well as her voice held irritation. As if he were five instead of five hundred, he thought resentfully. “I wish you wouldn’t go to the beach. Who knows what the ocean could do to you? All that moving water, and salt and...”

“...the sad crying of the gulls...the whisper of the waves...the silver of the moonlight on the billows...” he added, softly. “You know how I like to watch the fog roll off the water and creep slowly across the PCH. And the cold, seeping into my bones, making them ache with longing... Doesn’t that give you una tembladera deliciosa?” He shivered with intense exaggeration.

“Such pretty sentiments, chico,” she agreed. “You always did have the heart of a poet.”

“Not any longer,” he corrected, shaking his head sadly.

She looked surprised. “But of course, you do! It’s in that little carved teak chest in your bedroom—” She stopped as Domingo continued to shake his head.

“It was getting rancid. I fed it to one of the wolves on my last trip to the San Diego Zoo.”

Liseta looked sympathetic. “That’s too bad. It took you so long to find just the right one.” She reached out and patted his shoulder comfortingly. “But you’ll get another, I’m certain.”


BUY LINK for Sweet Sips of Blood click here


Thank you for being my guest today Tony-Paul.


















Monday, November 14, 2011

Running Behind

There are weeks I feel I'm running behind and this last week was one of them.

It seemed no matter what I did, I didn't seem to catch up. But that is a writers life. Right now I'm juggling several different projects.

I'm working on edits for His For The Weekend, which is under contract to The Wild Rose Press. Then I'm getting ready to pitch a book to another editor this upcoming weekend, I have another book out to another editor and my WIP is my head wanting to be written now.

Oh and did I mention I'm also taking two on-line classes.

It's now always easy to plan the writing out, I don't always know when edits will show up or when an editor will get back to me on a submission. Plus with the day job, I don't always have the time to deal with the day to day stuff of being a writer.

It's hard to fit everything in, with family, day job and writing, there are days I feel like I'm being pulled in twelve different directions.

Things will get better, I'm taking things one step at at time so I don't feel so overwhelmed.

Have a great week.

Monday, November 7, 2011

Cowboy Spanking

Did that get your attention?

I’ve started my new WIP and I’m having a little trouble so I figured I’d come to my blog readers for help.

This is the first committed ménage book I’ve written, while I’ve written menage’s before this is the first one where all three will be a committed threesome.

My two hero’s who of course are both dominate, Ry is my Sheriff and Jed is my Rancher/Cowboy. Now these two play off each other really well, but what I discovered in talking to my characters. Yes, I talk to them but that’s a different story. Jed likes to be spanked, he gets off on it.

Would it turn you off as a reader to have one of the hero’s like to be spanked, and want to be spanked by the heroine?

I’m walking a fine line here and I want everyone’s opinion on how they would feel about this. I want to know if you’d read it or not.


I’m looking forward to your answers on my new WIP.

Monday, October 31, 2011

Happy Halloween


I want to wish everyone a Happy Halloween.

If you have time today, come visit Short Story Seduction to see the finish of the story Unmasked, just click here.













And Here's a little eye candy too



Monday, October 24, 2011

Where is Time Going

Where does the time go?

I have to ask myself this question almost daily. As a writer, I spend as much time as I can on my writing, yet it seems like the day is spent on other things.

I know a lot of writers struggle with time management, I include myself in that group. Some days I'm very good at it and other days I'm not.

Some ways to help:

  1. Figure out where your time goes. I've done a pie chart, draw a pie and put it into 24 pieces then write on those pieces what you do - each piece represents 1 hour
  2. Write down everything you do as you do it, this will show you how much time you're spending on specific tasks
  3. Delegate where you can. Can someone else do the dishes? Cook dinner? Do laundry? This isn't always possible, but delegate what you can
  4. Don't over commit yourself. I'm very bad at this, I over commit all the time. It's hard to say no, but writing is your job so sometimes you have to
  5. If you have issues with the internet or twitter, I handle this two ways. Set a time and when the timer goes off you must closed down the internet or get off twitter. Or you can allow yourself 15 minutes after you've written for 45 minutes.

I'm sure there are more ways, but these are some I use to help myself stay in control of my time.

If you have some time management tips please share them, I'd love to hear them.

Monday, October 17, 2011

Guest: Jennifer Jakes


Today is my guest Jennifer Jakes who is taking about her current release Rafe's Redemption.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I’m married and we have two daughters. I’ve been a Jack of all Trades – everything from a hairdresser to a dump truck driver. And it’s all been fun. I’ve been able to mark several things off my “bucket list”. We live in the Midwest where the long summer of 100 degrees temps is over and the gorgeous fall colors are making an appearance.

What do like the most and the least about writing?

I hate writing the first 3 chapters! These are the ones that I always end up deleting all, or at least part of, time and time again. I think it’s because I’m still learning about my characters and trying to let them lead me.

Give us a peek into your latest published work?

RAFE’S REDEMPTION

He rode into town to buy supplies, not a woman.

For hunted recluse Rafe McBride, the raven-haired beauty on the auction block is exactly what he doesn't need. A dependant woman will be another clue his vengeful stepbrother can use to find and kill him. But Rafe's conscience won't let him leave another innocent's virginity to the riff-raff bidding. He buys her, promising to return her to St. Louis untouched. He only prays the impending blizzard holds off before her sultry beauty breaks his willpower.

She wanted freedom, not a lover.

Whisked to the auction block by her devious, gambling cousin, and then sold into the arms of a gorgeous stranger, outspoken artist Maggie Monroe isn't about to go meekly. Especially when the rugged mountain man looks like sin and danger rolled into one. But a blizzard and temptation thrust them together, and Maggie yearns to explore her smoldering passion for Rafe.

But when the snow clears, will the danger and secrets that surround Rafe and Maggie tear them apart?

What’s next on the writing horizon for you?

I’m almost finished with edits for a novella, TWICE IN A LIFETIME. (Watch my website for details for the release)

Is there anything you want to tell readers?

I’d like to ask them a questionJ What is your favorite time of year? And why? (OK, that’s two questions.)

Here's an excerpt of Rafe's Redemption:

Oh, Lord. He was going to kiss her. She shouldn’t want this. She was confused enough. Respectable women didn’t kiss men they barely knew, certainly not men who made them have wild, exotic dreams.

It was crazy. He was making her want crazy things. Making her not give a damn about her reputation or her virginity. Or her long-awaited freedom. All she could think about was that dream, and the way his sinful mouth had felt. The table was only a step away, and honey was just as sweet as peach juice…

She swallowed hard and looked up into his hooded eyes.

“Maggie,” he groaned. “Don’t be scared. I’d never hurt you.”

Her mouth parted to object, but firm lips covered hers, hungry, demanding. She gasped, shocked at his hunger, but even more at the illicit response coursing through her. An aching heat unfurled low in her stomach, pulsed between her legs. Oh, yes. It started just like in the dream.

He deepened the kiss, coaxed her lips with his warm tongue. Long, languid strokes teased the inside of her mouth, encouraging, tempting before he pulled back to nibble the corners of her lips.

Oh, God. Is this what all kisses felt like? Hot, lethargic? Melting her like molasses over warm bread?

“Kiss me, Maggie,” he breathed.

Thanks for being here today, Jennifer.

Monday, October 10, 2011

The Book That Almost Wasn't

Last week I talked about how I got my idea of Quick Silver Ranch: Roped & Ready.

This week I want to talk about Quick Silver Ranch: Saddle Up the book that almost wasn't.

I mentioned my original title was Quick Silver Ranch, well after my editor wanted to go to contract for the book, they asked that I change the title. I really liked my title, but came up with alternatives including Roped & Ready and sent them off to my editor.

It was a Friday evening, I was checking my email and had an email from my editor. After talking with the senior editor, if I was willing to write Jared and Angie's book we could go ahead and make it a 2 book series with Quick Silver Ranch in the title.

I sat there staring at the email and sent off an email saying "of course, I'll write it." My head hit the desk. I wasn't planning on writing Jared and Angie's story at least not now. I had no plot, no conflict, I didn't even know who these characters were. After a call to one of my critique partners, she met me for lunch

We did some brainstorming and the next day I started writing. Four days later I had 14,000 words, all of which I had to toss out. Because when I got to the 14,000 word mark I realized Jared was more complex than I realized. So I tossed out those words and started all over again.

I will say, I was pleased with the results. 6 weeks later I had a rough draft of Saddle Up, sent it to my editor who read it gave me some corrections, I did those corrections and sent it back and Saddle Up sold.

I had a blast writing these two book and look forward to writing more book that readers love.

Monday, October 3, 2011

Ideas Come In Strange Ways

Funny how this year seems to be moving at warp speed.

While this year has been good to me with the release of two books:


I love these two books, so far they hold a special place in my heart. Roped & Ready was born in my head in December 2009, it was right after I'd turned in my first book In Plain Sight and had my release date.

The Wild Rose Press put out a call for a new series called Cowboy Kink. Since I had some time on my hands (for those who know me please don't laugh), I started thinking about writing a book for the series. But I wanted something different than a typical cowboy book.

I started thinking about a ranch for adults, a place where adults in a committed relationship can explore their kinky side without fear. So I shot an email off the the senior editor who was acquiring for the line with the idea asking her if she thought it would work. She told me to go for it.

After 6 months, I had a book that was ready for an editor to read it and off it went. And I started thinking about the next book I wanted to write. Imagine my surprise when just a short time later my editor emailed me telling me the wanted to buy it.

I was thrilled beyond believe, but the title had to change. My original title was Quick Silver Ranch. I'm not married to my titles, but I really liked this one, but after a brain storming session with my critique partners, we came up with several titles and I sent them to my editor.

Come back next week to find out how the Quick Silver Ranch series actually happened.


Monday, September 26, 2011

End of Summer

It's the end of September which means the end of summer and the beginning of fall.

Of course, where I live, it's hard to tell the changing of the seasons. The San Francisco Bay Area has so many different micro climates it allows a person to drive 20 miles and the temp can change anywhere from 10-30 degrees. I always dress in layers for this reason. But I don't mind.

With the passing of summer also comes football season, it's one of my favorite times of year. I love watching NFL games on Sunday, Monday and later in the season Thursdays. I also occasionally watch college football on Saturdays.

So do you have a favorite season of the year?


Monday, September 19, 2011

Guest Today: Katherine Grey


Today my guest is Katherine Grey. Welcome Katherine, glad to have you here.

Tell us a little about yourself:

I was born and have lived in upstate NY my entire life, though as the years go by, I hate the NY winters that seem to last eight months out of the year more and more. I’ve always had a vivid imagination and loved books from a very early age. As I grew older, I found myself reimagining books and movies with endings I wanted, rather than they way they really were. These daydreams soon led me to start putting pen to paper and writing my own stories. Please come and learn more about me at my blog. http://katherinegrey.blogspot.com


What do you like the most and the least about writing?

I love the heady feeling of getting those initial first pages down of a new story. I also love when the characters start taking on lives of their own, taking me down paths I hadn’t originally intended for them. (Okay, sometimes I hate this too.) What I like least is revision even though I do at least two revisions per manuscript. Sometimes, I can get too caught up in rewriting a scene, trying to follow all those “rules” that are drilled in your head when you’re first starting out and end up feeling like I’ve revised the life right out of it.

Give us a peek into your latest published work:

Impetuous is a historical romance set in the Regency period. It’s my debut novel and was released through The Wild Rose Press on August 26th.

Here’s the blurb:

Mateo de Montayas, an impoverished Spanish count, comes to England to recover a stolen family heirloom and to satisfy his hunger for revenge against the man who destroyed his family. Arriving in London, he learns his hated enemy died three years before but has left behind a daughter. What better way to retrieve the heirloom and exact revenge than to use her to his advantage?

Teresa Darlington will do anything to keep scandal away from her frail mother and prove her father wasn't a thief, even risk her reputation in a race to find the missing heirloom before the Count does. But she didn't count on falling in love with the man determined to ruin her family. Can she find the heirloom before he does and protect her family, or will her heart lead her in a different direction?

What’s next on the writing horizon for you?

I currently have a novella involving a secondary character from Impetuous under consideration with The Wild Rose Press. I’m working on two separate writing projects right now. One is another historical romance and the other set in the present day so it’s easy to switch from one manuscript to the other.

Is there anything you want to tell readers?

I try to encourage readers to give new authors a try (and not just because I am one.) I’ve read some really great books written by first time authors who have gone on to achieve great things. I’d also like to thank everyone for their support.

Excerpt:

This is a short scene from the beginning of the book.

With hatred running hot and molten through his veins, Mateo de Montayas stared at the stately mansion across the street. The windows were aglow with light. Laughter and music spilled out to fill the night air. He shifted position under the shadowy oak tree hoping to catch sight of his quarry. The high and mighty English baronet who celebrated inside had destroyed his family.

Mateo slipped the miniature portrait from his breast pocket. A thin leather cord wrapped around his fingers as he gazed into the eyes of the laughing beauty pictured there.

“I couldn’t help you then...” The pain of failure threatened to overwhelm him. He shoved it down, deep down into a dark place in his soul. He took a deep breath, fighting the anger that rose within. “I will make him pay for your death.” His fingers closed around the small oval. “I swear it, Madre. I swear it.”

Links:

Here are the links to purchase Impetuous.

The Wild Rose Press click here

Amazon click here

Barnes & Noble click here

Thank you, Marie for having me. It’s been a pleasure visiting with you.


Monday, September 12, 2011

Guest Blogger Jannine Corti Petska

Today my guest is Jannine Corti Petska and she's talking about her current release.

Tell us a little about yourself:

I’m a typical Italian mother and grandmother who dotes on her family and protects them fiercely. I’m half Sicilian and have a devilish temper, which no one in the writing community knows about or has seen. There’s always a charge there, and I believe it’s the reason my heroes are terribly stubborn, ornery and downright irascible. But they all have a good heart. My heroines are fairly high strung and temperamental as well.

If you’d like to read more about me, my bio can be found on my website: www.jcortipetska.com.

What do like the most and the least about writing?

I’d have to say I like the aloneness. I like being home, working on a book, playing with my three Rat Terriers, puttering around in my garden. The solitude helps me concentrate better.

What I don’t like is the aloneness. Dogs can’t hold a conversation. I can only do so much in the garden. And when I hit a road block in my current book, I can take just so much of losing myself in housework or something else that might stimulate my brain. Usually, I’ll go window-shopping for a change of scenery. I’ll grab a Starbucks now and then.

Give us a peek into your latest published work?

THE LILY AND THE FALCON is the first book in my four-book Italian medieval series. It’s set in 15th century Florence and delves into the tug-of-war between two powerful families for control over Florence. It was first published by Kensington in 2000.

When Cristiano de' Medici asks for Bianca degli Albizzi's hand in marriage, she is outraged. Cristiano's family has long been a sworn enemy, and her father's blessing confuses her. Wed only to end the war between Florence's two powerful families, headstrong Bianca vows she will teach her handsome husband her loyalty cannot be bought...even by someone so seductive.

Cristiano, a well-known warrior with the wealth of a king, could have any woman he desires. But for the sake of peace, he ends up with a defiant bride who awakens his deepest passion. Her vengeful scheming puts them both in peril, but is he willing to sacrifice his life to safeguard the woman he loves?

What’s next on the writing horizon for you?

I’m researching book 4 of my Italian medieval series, after which I’ll research and write book 3 of my medieval psychic sisters trilogy. After that, I haven’t decided yet. There is a notebook filled with notes on over 20 different stories I’d like to write. And I have a shelf of plastic file bins with about 7 other stories I had started researching and abandoned. Then there’s the 8 or so manuscripts I’d like to rewrite. So there’s no shortage of work. However, after I’m finished with my medieval trilogy next year, I will then decide whether or not I want to continue writing. It’s a tough decision to make, but at this point in my life, it’s something that must be considered.

Is there anything you want to tell readers?

I’d love to hear from you. My contact information is on my website.

Excerpt from The Lilly and the Falcon

This short scene is from an outing Cristiano de’ Medici and his betrothed, Bianca degli Albizzi, take. Prior, their conversation had drifted to his previous lovers.

“May I see your hand?”

When he hesitated, she took it anyway and turned it palm up.

“What fetish is this?” he demanded, uncertain of the puzzling grooves that suddenly invaded her features.

“I am reading your lines.” He tried to take his hand away, but she held fast. “You are mischievous by nature, a knave and a thief.”

“I am not a thief,” he objected.

She gave him a coy look. “Mayhap not of property or belongings, but of hearts, I propose.”

He scowled. “Are we back to my lovers again?”

“No, my sensitive lord.” She brushed the underside of his fingers, causing a shiver to race recklessly up and down his spine. “Your long fingers and broad palm reveal much of your character.”

“Explain this witchery,” he commanded, taking back his hand.

“Reading the palm is a science,” she told him with a slight frown. “Many Florentines seek the advice of seers and palm readers, though none would readily admit to it. Know this, my lord. Were I a witch, I would cast a spell on you.”

Then witch she was. What other explanation had he for his obsession with Bianca degli Albizzi?

Buy links:

Digital click here

Paperback click here

Thanks for being here today Jannine.