HAVE YOURSELF A PARANORMAL CHRISTMAS

This Christmas season I'm joining fellow authors Dani Harper, Catherine Stang, Karen Wiesner, Sam Cheever, Diana Castilleja, Cheryl Dragon, Selena Illyria, Deborah Macgillivray and many more in an amazing giveaway. And it's so easy!

Go to http://www.romancingthewolf.com/contests.html for details on how you can enter our Romance Authors Web Hunt for three chances to win a terrific prize package of books, ebooks, coffee mugs, goodies, and more!

Today I'm being featured at the Raven Blog, home of the awesome authors Michelle Pillow and Mandy Roth! Make sure you leave me a comment to be entered into the contest for a free print copy of The Trouble With Destiny!

LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE LEMURS!!

I'm off to the movies this weekend with my son. He LOVED Madagascar when he saw it in 2005 and now the sequel has been the only thing he can talk about since it came out. I'm looking forward to seeing it myself, although I do wonder when I'll actually get out to see an "adult" movie again. *sigh*

So what are your weekend plans?

Today is my first blog over at Happy Endings. I'll be a regular there every third Tuesday of the month.

This is a great community of writers, and it's going to be a lot of fun. Come on out and join us!!

Make sure to check out the Forum while you're there. It's still under development, but our authors have posted great excerpts from their books, as well as reviews of the books we've been reading and other fun stuff.

GUEST AUTHOR: Ashley Ladd

Hello! I'm so happy to be able to bring another guest to the blog today. Ashley is one of those authors that I come across in many of the groups I belong to and after seeing her name so often, I just had to get her over here so I could pick her brain. I hope she's ready for it. :)

Please welcome her to the blog!

Some days are easier than others to get into the zone to write romance. Some days the stars align and romance just flows from my fingertips. The characters behave, they do what they’re told without argument, and my emotions run rampant onto the pages. I love these days.

Unfortunately, I don’t wake up on the right side of the bed every morning. Or if I do, something happens to destroy my mood, much less the ability to feel so much romance as to make two other (sometimes three) fall in love. Today, for instance, I received a rejection – a big one. I thought this particular book was one of my best in a long time. I had big hopes for it. And then, my dreams are dashed.

Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), I have two edits on contracted stories I have to work on. I have other stories to work on I’ve promised to turn in. I obviously have to fix the rejected book.

So what do I do when this happens?

Okay, to be honest, sometimes my fingers get busy on my cell phone and I order expensive Chinese food or I join the daughter in a chocolate fest. Or I soak in the tub, scented with lilac, while I drown my sorrows.

Honestly, I can’t afford to wallow in self-pity long. Sometimes I can’t afford to give up any time for the pity-me bit.

Since this is my job as well as my passion, I have to hurry up and eat the Chinese, brush my teeth, and get back to work. Unfortunately, it’s not good enough to merely get back to work. I have to perform quality work and since I’m a romance writer, quality means being more than being technically good but I have to spin magic and weave emotions enough to snarl readers in my romantic web.

I think all writers have their own methods to get in the mood, and so do I.

My number one tool in my romance writing arsenal is music. I pop my headphones into my ears, turn on my favorite romantic music, and drown out the rest of the world. My favorite songs change with time and also with the type of story I’m writing. Presently, I’m on a David Cook and Chris Daughtry kick. But I also have a lot of eclectic songs I have programmed into my MP3 player.

Ashley Ladd
http://www.ashleyladd.blogspot.com
http://www.ashleyladd.com

P.S. Ashhley also had an awesome excerpt that she asked me to post, but it was a little too good for this blog...if you know what I mean. But you're definitely going to want to read it, so click on over to her website.

I made art with my WIP (with the help of Wordle)!
Well, one paragraph of it anyway...but it's a really good paragraph.
Maybe the only one that I managed to get written this weekend with all the distractions I made for myself.



It's small here, but if you click the pretty picture, you'll magically be taken to a fascinating full page version. Oh, um...don't choke on the naughty words.

Wylie Kinson has so graciously awarded me this Great Attitude/Gratitude Award because of my support of other authors! Thank you, sweetie!!



So, these are the rules for passing it along:
*Put the logo on your blog or post
*Nominate at least 10 blogs which show Great Attitude and/or Gratitude!
*Be sure to link to your nominees within your post
*Let them know they have received this award by commenting on their blog
*Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award

And the award goes to (in no particular order):

1. Amy Ruttan, because she's always sharing little pieces of her life with us.
2. Maggie Robinson, because she always has some sage words of wisdom.
3. Maria Zannini, for her awesome market advice.
4. Melanie Anderson, for her fun and quirky interviews.
5. Shiela Stewart, for hosting her awesome monthly blog parties.
6. Three Wicked Writers, for their socially conscious discussions.
7. A Place for Originals, for the relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
8. Cathy Stang, for hosting fellow authors.
9. Love is an Exploding Cigar, for keeping things fun and fresh.
10. Bitten by Books, for always having awesome guests and cool contests for readers.

GUEST AUTHOR: Bobby Ozuna

I first met Bobby while I was blog-jumping over at Melanie Anderson's little slice of internet and saw that she had another guest for one of her wacky interviews. Intrigued, I searched for his book, Proud Souls, and was even more intrigued by the blurb and the great reviews. So when Bobby contacted me and asked if I had some space on my blog for another guest, I jumped at the chance to have him visit so that I could hear more about his book -- and 'cause he's such a cutie!

Please welcome Bobby Ozuna:

In the summer of 2003 I visited a small west Texas town called Seymour. And just north of the town whose population was just over 2,900 people, sat the beautiful still waters of Lake Kemp. I had my family with me-—my wife Michele, my daughter Elizabeth and my son Dominic who was just a baby at the time. And there to greet me was my special friend and his family, Ralph Ponce of Abernathy, TX. By 2003 I had seen my friend every year since we departed our lives as US Marines at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. We would share a cabin between our two families and “rough it” for an extended weekend, without running water, cell phone usage and the plagues of city life, we spent a wonderful time together talking beneath the stars of the west Texas sky. At night I sat on their porch swing overlooking Lake Kemp and listened until the calmness of the night's sky was all I could hear. It was truly magical. It was a time with my friend and his family I will never forget. I came home that weekend and after my wife and children fell to sleep, I wrote fourteen pages of descriptive material for nothing more than fulfilling my necessity to write. Below is a sample from my journal, written in 2003.

Journal Entry, 2003:
“The sun was winding down behind him and shadows danced before him on the ground—shadows of the blackbirds that gathered on the roof of his cabin. They gathered every evening in small bands, feasting on left-over bread he tossed upon the roof. He sat still in that porch swing, as if he was nailed to the wood on his back and thighs. He watched the shadow of his porch extend further and further away until it finally reached the water's edge.”

Within a year of that moment I was divorced from my wife and acclimating to lonely nights in a bed without her or my children to kiss goodnight. The rage that comes natural with being Bobby Ozuna was amplified and the hate I tried to put to sleep every night since leaving the US Marines became personified in my attitude and my perception of life. In essence, a part of me had died and in exchange, I allowed a darker more vindictive side of my persona to take hold. In October 2003, I began adding more detail to my journal.

10.13.2003
“There were only a handful of things left in the world that he cared for anymore, and none of which was himself. He just as soon let God strike him dead where he stood; but God doesn't work that way and that was something he had to learn...The only evidence to prove he was alive came from the steady breeze that slapped his face at intervals as the porch swing rocked back and forth. He sat in the same position overlooking the same settings as he had for the past six years.”

I put the journal away for two more years before attempting (or even considering) to write a novel. Before this time I only produced short-stories, completely fictional, with traces and hints of my own personal life. Like my hero Justin, my journal sat in a corner of my life like his Holy Bible sat in the corner of his cabin off Lake Kemp. It would stay dusty and untouched until May 16th of 2005 where I began extending the storyline and working on what would become my debut literary novel. The story of Justin Bower is not a story of my own life. It is the story of many lives. By October 29th of 2005 I would change the title from The Cabin to Proud Souls.

Those years of my life tested my faith in a higher power and my trust in relationships. No matter how much I smiled or who I was able to charm with my wit and romanticism, still inside I wrestled with the notion of a life full of hope. At the recommendation of a very good friend named Ladd Holder, I scrounged enough courage to start working on telling the story of Justin Olerude Bower. On May 16th, I wrote the following lines:

5.16.2005
“Most people were obliged to stay away from the hobbling, broken-spirit who trotted through the bar like a pirate, slant-eyed and bitter, carrying not a parrot on his shoulder but the burdens of a past life and the hatred of those patrons who clung desperately to hope.”

This theme written in the late Spring of 2005 became the driving force behind my novel, Proud Souls. And as much as I would like to say I had a plan for how the story would turn out, I did not. Using mythological archetypes I created a supporting cast in the life of Justin Bower. To challenge his cause to die I created the character Tessa Jameson, who in her fear of being alone and unloved became the epitome of the lonely damsel in distress. With her sexual aggression she would help me find my place as an independent author and publisher by scaring away my first print press. In early 2007 the manger of the print shop clapped his hands to me and said, “We wash our hands of you and this book.” But in a relentless pursuit to see my book in print, Ozuna Publications was created and my book hit an online storefront and gained immediate recognition.

I took the feelings of being without my children and gave them to Justin. Instead of three children like myself he had only one. A son he lost along side his wife in an accident outside the town of Seymour, Texas. I allowed myself to trust a scattered few for advice and guidance and in the essence of their spirit, the Reverend Hillard Ray Polk was created. He would represent the spiritual guidance Justin would need to make his decision to end his life or move forward with what life he had yet to live. And like any chapter of our lives, there stood for Justin the living symbol of guilt and regret. It came in the form of a lonely grocery store manger named Ralph Winslow Parison. These characters and the stories of their lives within their metaphorical prisons would become the binding force in my novel Proud Souls.

I put a lot of myself into this story. For many who have read it, it seemed to “hit home” and it jostled the nerves of many past scars for many readers. I have been asked about the details within the pain of this story and whether I lost a family member or contemplated suicide or even dammed God Almighty for my adversities. All I can say today is this: All fiction stems from some form of truth within the author...and...with my characters I thereby confess my sins.

I have never read my own book, cover to cover. I lived many of the emotions in simply writing the tale of the broken soul within Justin Bower, the sexual prowess of Tessa Jameson, the spiritual confusion of Reverend Polk and the agonizing guilt of Ralph Parison. I know the story inside and out because each of them became real within my imagination and my daily routine of life. It has been two years since finishing the book and walking away from that chapter of my life. And although I know I have grown far from the man I was when I created this story, it's ironic how much has stayed the same. It took some time to find the perfect opening quote to establish the theme for this story but I found it. Below is a sample from the completed published version of Proud Souls, opening with a quote from W. Somerset Maugham.

***

“How the gods must have chuckled when they added Hope to the evil's with which they filled Pandora's box, for they knew very well that this was the cruelest evil of them all, since it is Hope that lures mankind to endure its misery to the end.”

Six years had passed since their accident and with each day spent without his wife and son Justin deteriorated, shrinking into a dismal world, a prison he created within his mind. And now there were only a handful of things left in the world that Justin Olerude Bower truly cared for anymore, and not one of those particulars included his own soul. He had become a bitter man who would just as soon let God strike him dead where he stood. The sun was setting behind him and he stared out towards the lake in front of him.

The only evidence to prove he was alive came from the steady squeaking of the rusted chain that held his porch swing firmly in place and the intermittent breeze that slapped his face as the weight of his body carried him back and forth in a slow and steady rocking motion. He sat in the same position overlooking the same settings as he had every evening for the past four years of his life. And like the June beetle that fluttered aimlessly, slamming itself carelessly from wood to concrete and then finally resting into the fowl remains of leftover food in the dirt, he too was lost in a drunken stupor somewhere between the memories of his past life and the realities of a certain death.

***

I cannot say anything more about the story without giving it away. I will say this much. In the story the reader will face many human emotions, some that will anger them and others that will arouse them. In a nutshell, Proud Souls is a roller-coaster of emotions and feelings, with insights into the human struggle to survive. I can't say it is dark and I wouldn't call it a story of light. I will say this...it is merely a story common to all of us, the author and its audience. And looking back some five years after the opening lines were written...here at home with my wife Michele and my children...well...there is always hope, isn't there?

Sincerely,
~Bobby Ozuna

Today I'm visiting Cathy Stang's blog, talking about how we authors balance our everyday and our writing lives, and I'd love to have you drop by.

Also, make sure to click over to the Vauxhall Vixens blog today for our super special guest...Eloisa James!! Having been lucky enough to meet Ms. James while I was in New Jersey last month, I can say with all honesty that she is one of the nicest authors in the business and I've been looking forward to her new book, When the Duke Returns, which is being released November 25. She's joining us today to talk about characters. You know, the ones you don't plan on, who aren't supposed to be there, but pop in out of the blue.

And don't forget that my special guest here tomorrow is author Bobby Ozuna!

Also, some more great news from All Romance eBooks!!
All Romance eBooks is now available through Lexcycle Stanza for download directly onto your iPhone and iPod Touch! Time magazine featured the Stanza reader in their 'Top 11 iPhone Applications' article and the New York Times recently included it in their list of 'Seven Must-Have Offline Apps For Your iPhone/iPod Touch'. With a reading interface, which is unprecedented in its clarity and ease of use, Stanza is bringing the eBook revolution to the pockets of over half a million readers worldwide. And that number is growing daily. Through a seamless integration, All Romance eBooks' on-line library can be accessed through Stanza's custom catalog by adding the following url: http://allromanceebooks.com/epub-feed.xml. This groundbreaking endeavor will provide readers instant access to thousands of romance novels written by today's hottest authors.

I've got some great new reviews. This one for Immortal Kiss from Rita of the gottawritenetwork.com:

This book, very well written, is filled with fast action and deep drama as Maxine struggles to survive. It was a real page turner and I found dawn fast approaching as I read deep into the night. The characters living and undead will tug at your heart. It is part of a series, but stands well alone. I highly recommend this book and give it five bites out of five.

And my first review for The Trouble With Destiny from Crazy Lady of Readin' Something Crazy Book Reviews:

In true Buffy fashion, Sarah McInnes attacks her destiny with strength, skill and a quick wit. This lighthearted, yet very sexy story captured me from the first sentence and had me laughing and sighing ever after. Well-written and well-executed, J.K. Coi leaves you wondering at the end, hoping for just a hint at the future.

Thank you so much, Rita and Crazy Lady!

Also, I'd like to say thank you to Matthew Cory for visiting yesterday and telling us about himself.

And don't go away because this week is jam-packed with great stuff here on the blog...

I have a great interview up on Debra Parmley's Make-Believe Mondays, and I'm being interviewed on Michelle Pillow's blog today, so if you've always wanted to know what kind of superhero I would be, or what laws I'd enact if I were Queen of the World, then this is the day to find out.

I'm also blogging with my fellow Vixens at the Pleasure Gardens today.

I'm also blogging at Cathy Stang's little slice of internet on Thursday. The title of her blog, My Not So Secret Life is what gave me my inspiration for this particular topic.

And last, but certainly not least, author Bobby Ozuna will be visiting on Friday to talk with us tell us about his book, Proud Souls.

Guest Author: Matt Cory

J.K. Coi: First off, you can check out my brief review of Matt's book here.
So now, without further ado, please welcome Matthew Cory to the blog:


There are two questions I'm asked quite frequently, both dealing with aspects of the main character of Like Glass, Rob Jackson. The first question is, based on Rob's musical abilities, did I ever play piano?

That one's easy: yes, and still do on occasion. In fact, throughout high school I figured I'd be playing Carnegie Hall by now -- and, by some measures (namely my father) I probably would be if I'd kept at it. I received a partial scholarship to Texas Tech university for it as well (which I subsequently gave up to pursue software development and the almighty dollar, but that's a story for a different time). I wasn't as good as Rob is in the story, but I knew what I was doing, for the most part. Put it this way: Rob plays Chopin's Ballade in G minor, and plays it quite well; I started learning it, but could never get past the first couple of pages.

The second question I normally get asked is how much of "Rob" is really you?

That's a tough one. Honestly, quite a bit, in some form or another. In fact, when I was writing it -- before I even really took the idea that I'd finish a novel seriously -- I'd simply pictured myself in his place, with a couple of tweaks here and there. Mostly, I tried to make him a little more of a jerk than I considered myself, hopefully with some success.

Aside from that, I simply put him in a few different situations and asked myself "What would I do there? What would I wish that I could do there? What am I afraid that I'd do there?" Which ever answer seemed the most interesting, I used. Of course, eventually Rob got tired of me making these decisions and started making up his own mind. Characters will do that if you're not careful with them; then again, that's one of the joys in writing, when your characters start to write the story for you.

Now, there's a reason I'm answering these questions here, and it's not just that I really think everyone's so curious about what I have to say. Another question that every author gets asked is where do you come up with your ideas? Even authors worry about that -- they'll get stuck and spin their wheels trying to figure out where to go next. From my own experience, "writing" is the easiest thing in the world. Figuring out what to write is a different story.

With Like Glass, I did two things. First, I built off of my own personal experiences. Rob was a pianist, and that led to a fair amount of story line to build off of -- a concert, practicing, stuff like that. A few other events in there are also built from my own experience, but I won't get into those. Regardless, no matter what you might think to the contrary, your own life can give you some great starting points at least, if not a full novel.

The second thing I did was I put myself in Rob's shoes whenever he didn't want to take the reigns himself. It's really easy to do with any character, too. Ask yourself the same questions I asked myself, but if your character is obviously different from you, switch it up. What would you not do in a particular situation? What would you not say to someone? Your own choices will, believe it or not, write your story -- sometimes you realize it, other times you think it's the character themselves. If you're stuck, make it a conscious effort and don't just wait and see what happens.

If you're not an author, this probably doesn't seem that interesting. But remember, life is made of the same choices characters in stories make all the time. Granted, we don't all get to chose between two gorgeous members of the opposite sex every night, nor do our choices regularly save (or destroy) the world. But, as mundane as real life may seem at times, it's still more exciting than any novel -- we just don't realize it most of the time.

And the choices we make are much more important than what any character does, because at the end of the day, our choices matter. Rob makes a lot of choices himself -- some good, some bad -- but no matter what, when you close that book his choices disappear until you open it again.

So how does this apply to real life? Simple. We still get the chance to answer the same questions every day: what would you do? What do you wish you would do? What are you afraid you would do? And sometimes you got to mix it up, just to keep life interesting. Sometimes you need to do what you'd be afraid you'd do, just to find out if it was worth being afraid of. Sometimes you need to do what you wished you could do, just to let yourself live a little. And, of course, sometimes you need to do what you otherwise wouldn't do, just to keep everyone else on their toes ;)

Matt Cory
http://chocolatefordogs.com

MOVIE PREVIEW

With Quantum of Solace now in theatres (squee for Daniel Craig!!!), I thought I'd do a little preview of the 10 Best Bond Films:

10) Thunderball (1965): With the awesome and supremely sexy Sean Connery, this Bond movie was an Oscar winner for Best Special Effects.

9) Live and Let Die (1973): Introducing Roger Moore as Bond, this Bond movie was nominated for another Oscar, and had the most awesome theme song there ever was.

8) Moonraker (1979): Designed to chime with the second coming of the Space Age, this Bond film reaped close to the highest box-office dollars of any entry in the series.

7) Octupussy (1983): And this one's on the list just so we can say "Octopussy".

6) For Your Eyes Only (1981): A return to a harder-edged Bond, with Roger Moore giving probably his best performance in the role.

5) From Russia with Love (1963): Considered one of the best films in the series by Sean Connery himself, it was also named the ninth-greatest British film of all time by Total Film magazine.

4) Goldfinger (1964): Another Oscar winner, this Bond film was also the first to use a pop star to sing the theme song during the titles (Shirley Bassey), and the first Bond blockbuster, it made cinematic history by recouping its production costs in record-setting time.

3) GoldenEye (1995): The first to star Pierce Brosnan and we all love that. But unlike previous Bond films, it is unrelated to the works of novelist Ian Fleming.

2) On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969): Even with George Lazenby as Bond, this is one of the best, with some scenes on par with a Hitchcock thriller. The Bond girl is a real character instead of just an extra, there is a compelling love story, and the ending packs an emotional punch not often seen in Bond films.

1) Casino Royal (2006): The twenty-first in the Bond series, this was the third adaptation of the Casino Royale novel, which was previously produced as a 1954 television episode and a 1967 satirical film. But it was the first Bond film to star Daniel Craig. Meant as a reboot of the Bond franchise, it established a new timeline and narrative framework not meant to precede any previous film, which not only freeed the Bond franchise from more than forty years of continuity, but allowed the movie to show a less experienced and more vulnerable Bond.








Ah, but now there is Quantum of Solace, and I have a feeling I'll have a new number 1 for my list.



What's your favourite Bond?

GUEST AUTHOR: MIMA

You know those days when you need to call a friend and say, "Remind me I am a good person. Tell me again that you love me?" Writers would call these sorts of episodes the "character arc crisis" or the "black moment." As an author, whenever I get down about writing, I go to my webpage, www.mimawithin.com, and read the lovely reviews. That is my celebration list, my proof that people read my work and like it so I should park my ass and edit through the grind of polishing a book. Do you have a celebration scrapbook? Everyone should have one!

I'm a reader, too. I was wondering how others felt about authors putting review notices out. As a reader, they do catch my eye if I know and like the reviewing site. Plus, I sometimes click through to a review site just to see if it's a new place to check for ideas. There are so many books out there, I use a couple review sites to help me find "treasures" from publishers I might not usually go to. I wonder, though, if readers care about reviews and stick strictly to covers and blurbs for selling points.

If anyone is interested, here's the KICK ASS review I was delighted by at Sensual: 5 Stars for my scifi menage In Service: http://sensual.ecataromance.com/index.php?p=1001

About the Author: Mima is an erotic romance writer from Western NY. She has a guy, a black cat, and really busy brain. Her first series, the Bonded fantasies, is a bestseller at Liquid Silver Books.

Like Glass by Matt Cory

When Matt asked me to read his book and do a review for him before he comes to visit the blog next week, at first I was skeptical, I'll admit. He describes the book as a romance at the core, and it's not everyday that I read a romance written by a man. Having said that, I was also intrigued. What would a romance sound like from the man's point of view?

Now that I've read it, I have to say that in reality, I wouldn't term this book a romance. Matt was right, at the core, there is a lasting love story between Rob and Janet, but Like Glass is more about Rob's own journey. As a promising pianist in college, Rob Jackson meets Janet and instantly falls in love. They have only four days together, although it is enough for them both to realize that they could have something very special.

But when a drunk Janet betrays Rob by sleeping with his brother Bill, Rob writes them both out of his life for good. He thinks that he's moved on...until one day years later he gets a call telling him Bill is dead. Not even sure why, Rob feels compelled to go to the funeral, and meeting Janet again turns his whole world upside down. Anger, jealousy, bitterness and regret torment him, but after so many years spent holding onto all of that pain, he finds himself finally wanting to let it go. But then the death of Rob's father triggers a downward spiral that leaves him shaken, battered and broken. And yet one person has stayed by his side--Janet. Can Rob pick himself back up and find a way to forgive? Can they be together after all that has happened, and after all the pain they have caused each other?

Like Glass is about learning to forgive, learning to deal with the hardships, betrayals and disappointment that life throws at us and still finding a way to see beauty and meaning in it all. Like walking through the dingiest, rundown old neighbourhood and taking note of that one house that has a pretty curtain in the window, or a flower pot on the porch.

I very much enjoyed reading Like Glass, and I'll be looking for Matt's next book.

Find Like Glass on Amazon here

And join me on November 17, 2008 as I welcome author Matthew Cory to the blog!

So I DO have a blog today...really. Just click over to the Wild on Books blog. I'm talking about how hard it can be to start a new project, and how different my current WIP is for me, even though my characters are familiar and the world of my Immortals has become like my second home.

But wait! Even more exciting is...

The All Romance eBooks Charity Calendar
Now available here. Go forth and purchase for the good of all hottie kind!
(And it's for charity, what could be better?)

Here Comes Santa Claus...

(By Pujanak (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons)

 I know it seems really early, but I've been thinking of Christmas already this year. I started making a list, planning what I would buy for the kiddies and thinking about some of the other things I want to do for the holidays.

It's been a few years since I really went all out. I used to make lots of glass ornaments, bake a ton of different kinds of cookies, decorate the house and hang lights outside. One year, I even started stitching a stocking for my son (and never finished it).

I don't quite know why I've caught the bug already this year (I actually went shopping and bought three gifts already). Maybe I'm just looking for ways to procrastinate when I know I should be writing. But I think it's more than that. This was a very very busy year for me and I spent most of it alone in my writer's cave. I need this holiday. As a way to rejuvenate and reconnect with my family. I want to make the holiday a bright and cheerful one to get ready for another busy year in 2009.

So I will be starting by setting aside one evening a week to go out in the garage and cut glass for ornaments. I think Mondays because I won't feel too guilty since I write all day. As Christmas gets closer too, I look forward to choosing a few quiet Sunday afternoons to bake cookies with my son, which we will then package into individually-sized baggies for giving to our friends.

Have you started to make Christmas plans too then? What are some of your favourite traditions?

GUEST AUTHOR: Stormy Glenn

Let me welcome author Stormy Glenn to the blog today!

I've asked Ms. Glenn a few questions about her new release, Secret Desires and here's what she had to say:

Why did you decide to write Secret Desires?

When I started writing Secret Desires, it was simply entitled Leyland. I just love that name. I basically started the story around that. Then different ideas started popping into the chaos that is my creative streak, the "what ifs".

What if Leyland was a cute neurotic guy from the city that got lost or something and met this really hot rancher? Oh… what if the rancher was a werewolf and the alpha of his pack? Okay, then, what if Jake, the alpha rancher werewolf already had a lover? How could I bring the three of them together? Oh, and… you get the idea.

I didn’t get the idea for the werewolf part until like the third chapter. I had to go back and do a bunch of rewrites. At one point, I was almost done with the book but didn’t like the way it was going so I deleted over 30 pages and started those chapters over. I think it came out better with the new chapters.

Why do you write the kind of romances that you do?

I write pretty much anything and everything. You should see the mess that is in my head. I have an entire file on my computer that is nothing but ideas. I don’t think, as a writer, we should be tied down to one genre. I think it makes a better story to just write it, then figure out where it fits.

I am a very firm believe in love at first sight, true love, soul mates, and happy endings. All of my books have happy endings, somehow! But true love doesn't come easy. You have to work for it and it takes constant maintenance. I try to convey that in my stories. Never take what you have been given for granted. Appreciate it, savor it, and never let it die.

Before you go, tell us a little bit more about you.

I believe the only thing sexier than a man in cowboy boots is two or three men in cowboy boots. I also believe in love at first sight, soul mates, true love, and happy endings.

When I’m not being a mother to my six teenagers or cleaning up after my two 70 pound lap puppies, you can usually find me cuddled in bed with a book in my hand and a puppy in my lap. Or on my laptop, creating the next sexy characters for my stories.

I welcome comments from readers. You can find me at www.stormyglenn.com or contact me at stormyglenn@hotmail.com or on my author bio page at Siren Publishing.

Secret Desires:
Secret Desires is due for release on Monday, October 20, 2008 through Siren Publishing’s Menage Amour line. You can find it here. For more information on this book and more, come visit me at www.stormyglenn.com

• Title: Secret Desires
• Author: Stormy Glenn
• ISBN: 1-60601-287-8
• Publisher: Siren Publishing
• Publication Date: October 20, 2008
• Heat Level: Scorching
• Excerpts here: www.stormyglenn.com

Blurb [Erotic Paranormal, Werewolves, M/M/M, Male Ménage a Trois Romance]

How do you answer a handsome cowboy when he asks if you want to take a ride on his horse, especially when he guarantees that it will be a wild ride? For Leyland the answer is simple… hell yes! But what if his cowboy already has a lover?

Ask away people. Stormy Glenn will be visiting throughout the day to answer any questions you might have about her character Leyland, her book Secret Desires, anything you may have wanted to know about rancher werewolve menages...

GUEST AUTHOR: Jenny Gilliam

Writing and the Other Woman

Writing is my first love.

It has been a constant in my life even when I spurned it. Which I did. Often. It was waiting patiently in the recesses of my mind, knowing that one day, I would come to my senses and sit back down at the computer. Which I did. And spurned it again. I won't bore you with this seemingly endless process that has marked my twenties. Let's just say the last time I sat back down, I kept my butt on the chair and finished something for the first time in my life. Well, like four somethings. In less than a year.

Before I had a chance to enjoy the success, however, reality intruded. Or rather, reality in the form of: "MOMMY!!!!!" Need I say more? How about: "Where are my socks? Can you wash my work jacket? When are you going grocery shopping? I need to go out into the shop for the next five years. See you when I'm forty." And then there's: "Why haven't you been returning my calls? I e-mailed you three times? Are you dead? All you ever do is write!"Once I overcame the dilemma of my own neuroses (i.e. laziness, fear of success/failure, an underwater basketweaving class to take), I realized that I had a whole slew of others to contend with.

For the last ten years, I have devoted myself to my family and friends. This has, by no means, been a hardship. I love my family. I love my friends. That goes without saying. But, now, my first love, that other woman, has come back into my life, this time to stay (I hope). How in the world do I juggle this? I spent the first two weeks of November 2006 hunched over my keyboard, pounding out the last 160 pages of my first novel. I finished it in a fervor; red-eyed and hissing at my family when approached for things like OJ, snacks, and dinner. I resented every moment that took me away from my computer.

When the dust settled and I came up for air, I realized that this approach doesn't work. Not for me and certainly not for my family. I came up with a pretty good working plan: I will write every morning for two hours while my daughter is in school (provided that my three-year-old son isn't scaling the walls and/or poking his stubby little fingers into the fish’s eye sockets) and when I have dead time at work (I have a very good boss).

It's all good in theory. But, as I walk by my desk, a laundry basket glued to my hip, I stare longingly at the square, flat screen. At the boxy keys that sound like heaven as I run my fingers over them, tapping out a melody my heart and soul recognizes. I begin to pant. A flush creeps its way up my throat. I can literally feel the power that sings through my fingers as I pour my soul out onto the page.

“Come on,” it taunts. “Just for a minute. Nobody will notice. Barney is on. The boy is fine. You know you want to.” I have no self-control. I smoke, I eat things that I know I'm not supposed to. I drink too much coffee. How can I possibly resist the power of this machine who holds me captive? I sit down, running my fingers lasciviously across the screen. Stop! a part of me screams. Once you start, the world will cease to exist!

And this is a bad thing?

In the end, the temptation passes. Why? One word: REVISIONS.

J.K.: Everyone say thank you to Jenny for joining us today. That was an awesome blog! Before she goes, she's going to share a teaser of her new release, The Truth About Roxy, available November 7 from the Wild Rose Press, and she'll be back and forth to reply to any comments. Thanks Jenny!

BLURB:

Roxy Palmer is a walking, breathing cliché. And darned tired of it.

Working as the assistant librarian in her small, Southern home town, Roxy also anonymously pens the local love column, Ask Paula Rockwell— Thorton , Georgia 's answer to Dear Abby.

But when the door leading to Roxy's lifetime dream is slammed in her face by one of the good ol' boys, Roxy brings out the big guns--and turns the genteel town upside down with her racier, feminist, home-wrecking new format.

Paula Rockwell is making Sheriff Noah Kennedy's life crazy. He's got angry husbands lined around the block, demanding the cancellation of the column, fights breaking out and women catching their boyfriends' trucks on fire. If he ever gets his hands on that woman…

But he's got his hands full of Roxy at the moment, and if he ever discovers the truth about Roxy, all hell will break loose.

EXCERPT:

In the course of one weekend, women had become the bane of Noah’s existence.

He was beyond pissed; he was downright fuming. Between Roxy and Mary Lou’s little excursion to Atlanta and his conversation with Joe this morning, he wanted to rip something, anything apart. With his goddamn bare hands. And teeth.

To compound matters, he had just gotten out of a meeting with Merle Granger, who wanted to know if Noah could do anything about The Gazette and the Paula Rockwell column. Never mind Bobbie Townsend had the First Amendment backing her civil liberties.

He had a nasty headache and a raging case of lust that a twelve-pack of beer and two hundred miles hadn’t been able to put a dent in. He couldn’t yell at Mary Lou, because one look at her face this morning had sent him back the way he’d come.

Well, he would damn well deal with one of them. Noah stormed through the glass doors of the library. His manners abandoned him, a testament to his state of mind, as he failed to remove his Stetson. He scanned the circulation desk for the librarian who was causing mutiny in his body and…heart—no, mind.

“Can I help you, Sheriff?” Alice Monroe asked.

“I’m looking for Roxy.”

“She’s re-shelving books in non-fiction.”

He didn’t have a clue where non-fiction was, but damned if he’d ask. In his current mood, he might unload on the head librarian and get himself banned, Sheriff or no.

It took him under a minute to find her. She stood at the end of the 800’s, a book in her hand, her eyes on the top shelf.

She wore one of those God-awful jumpers, and she had done something to her hair. It floated down her back in sable and crimson waves, and the sides were clipped back by some metal contraption. He felt a wave of unwelcome lust punch him square in the groin. He tried to focus on the shapeless dress she wore, but now he knew what she hid under it.

Soft, pink skin, gorgeous curves and one amazingly perfect ass.

His groin tightened again, irritating him further. He wasn’t supposed to have these feelings for Roxy. Damn it, he wanted things back the way they were. As if she had put some sort of spell on him, bewitching him with her sexy body, he charged forward, ready to give her hell. She’d caused this. If she hadn’t…

What, Kennedy? Taken a shower in her own house? Hell, he was more pissed off at himself. For his reaction to her, and her lack of reaction to him. He’d never been in this place before. Women always chased him. All he’d ever had to do was sit back and wait to be caught.

It was unsettling to be the pursuer this time.

Roxy looked up as he approached, her lush mouth forming a little “O” of surprise. He swore she flushed just a little before looking back down at the cart of books she was shelving.

Satisfied he affected her on some level, he stalked toward her. “I need to talk to you.”

“Really?” she asked. “Well, it’s a good thing you caught me then. I’m awful hard to track down.”

Noah narrowed his eyes. Was she making fun of him? He closed the distance between them, looking hard into her wide green eyes. “You’re damned lucky I’m the law ‘round here, Roxanne.”

In a purely female move, she tilted her head back and fluttered her eyelashes. “Why, Sheriff, I had no idea.”

With frustration and lust dueling inside him, he grabbed her arm and pulled her body flush against him. Her soft, heavy breasts pushed against his chest, and he went from semi to full salute instantly. “I ought to haul your ass into lockup to teach you a lesson.”

All teasing fled. The shallow breaths she dragged into her lungs, and the flush that worked up her pretty neck were all Roxy. Unable to control himself, he pushed her against the metal bookshelf, widening his thighs to cradle hers.

“Noah,” she whispered.

She’d have to be dead from the waist down not feel how she affected him. While the rational part of his brain screamed This is Roxy!, the wild beast straining to break free looked down into her face, into eyes gone emerald with lust, and smiled.

This is Roxy.

Jenny began writing at the age of twelve, when she realized the voices talking in her head were characters, not a result of pre-teen induced psychosis. She’s been writing on and off for almost twenty years, but actively pursuing publication for the last three. She lives in Oregon with her husband and two children. She is the author of four novels. Jenny loves to hear from her readers. You can visit her at www.jennygilliam.com

Have a break, have a Kit Kat

I admit it. I've been taking a break. Enter the large bowl of leftover Halloween candy.

Since finishing Dark Immortal in September I haven't written a word on any new wip, although I have done some promotional things like blog posts, interviews etc., and I prepared a proposal for a new book and started to flesh out ideas for another. I also had New Jersey to keep me busy for a while (both before and after). Then I needed sleep and lots of it. Halloween came and went, a few family functions, and before you know it a whole month has passed without me doing any real writing.

Huh, go figure.

It hasn't been until this week that I really began to think I should start to get a move on. Gideon has started talking to me late at night. Ever since book 1, he's been one of my favourite characters. A scientist at the core, he's methodical and deliberate, but also sweet and protective with a great sense of humour (Gideon is the one I based most closely on my husband, if you want to know). Becoming an Immortal really threw him for a loop, made him question everything that he was and all that he'd planned for himself and his life. He left Chandler at the end of book 1 in order to try and find out where he fit in this new world of Immortal and Demon...and found himself in L.A. where his journey became one of pain and loss.

But it's not only Gideon who has been talking, Lyssa is also eager to get a few words in. A very determined woman. One I'm still getting to know, but I'm already impressed by her strength and her determination, by her spunk and ability to see humour in everyday things, even after all that has happened to her. I can't wait to get more deeply into her head.

So I'm writing again, and I'm very excited about it! What have you all been up to? Are you doing NaNo? Have you challenged yourself in other ways to get something done?

This Week:
Drop by Allie Boniface's blog today to read my new interview.

Thank you to my friend and fellow author Shiela Stewart for dropping by on Monday, I had a great time with her, and if you want to find Shiela's books, visit http://www.lindenbayromance.com

I have another special guest here tomorrow, author Jenny Gilliam, who will be talking about keeping balance between life and muse, and giving us a peak at her new book, The Truth About Roxy.

Then on Friday, don't miss my guest Stormy Glenn, who will be telling us a little bit about herself and her new book, Secret Desires.

Oh, and don't forget that if you signed up as a member of All Romance eBooks before November 1, 2008, then you're eligible for their free book giveaway in celebration of their birthday. What are you waiting for? Go and get my book for free!

GUEST AUTHOR: Shiela Stewart

Everyone please welcome Shiela Stewart to the blog. A fellow Linden Bay author and fellow Canadian, we have now entered phase two of our secret takeover of the romance world. (he he)

Thank you J.K. for having me on your blog today and allowing me to talk about my Darkness series.

What started out as a single book, Seducing the Darkness, has now spiraled out into a eight book series with the possibility of more. I never say I’m finished with a book when I write the final words because there is always the possibility of it coming back in some other form such as side-line characters demanding their own story. As is the case with the Darkness series.

Originally I had written the book so that the sun return at the end of Seducing, but when the idea for a second book came to mind, I decided to leave my characters in the dark…so to speak. So for the rest of the series with the exception of the last two, the sun is absent. Why is it absent, you may ask. Well let me explain.

A ritual was performed to bring back the basest of all bads, the king of vampires, Avadur. Without going into much detail and ruining book one I will tell you that sacrifices had to be made in order for Avadur to return and to have a cloak of darkness surrounding the city of Jacob’s Cove so the Vampires could rule.

Throughout the series, my heroes and heroines fight to protect the city from the vampires now attempting to take over the city and take out the last man standing who was involved in the ritual, Chaos.

The Darkness in my titles and the books have a few meanings. One is the most obvious. The sun has been blotted out and therefore the city is cast in darkness. The other is the epitome of what everyone thinks vampires stand for. Dark, dangerous blood thirsty night dwellers. The third is the darker side that is inside every human being, every creature. We all have dark thoughts sometimes, though we may not admit them or even act on them, they are there. The characters in my books deal with some of that as they fight to save their lives and their city.

The first two books have already been released, but instead of sharing them with you today, I thought I would share the latest release instead. Yes, maybe I’m a little cruel giving you a glimpse into the third book when you need to read the first two to truly understand the third book, but hey, life can be cruel sometimes.

I give you now, Embracing the Darkness, book three in the Darkness series:

Summary:

One upon a time Jonah Moore had it all. Then his wife and unborn child were taken from him, leaving his life darker than when Chaos and his evil vamps stole the sun. Now, Jonahs lost the will to face another day, which could be a problem, considering he’s just been turned into a vampire and is now destined to live for eternity.

As a nurse, Raven Moony was used to tending to the needs of others. Until an accident changes everything… When she is abducted and forced to tend to Chaos’ needs, she is more than ready to give in and willingly accepts her role as his slave.

Then Jonah enters the picture and she finds herself fighting for his safety and freedom as well as her own. Can she convince Jonah he should go on despite her own doubts? Can they open their hearts to love and learn that there is indeed life after death?

Shiela Stewart’s third novel in The Darkness series continues the heart stopping, action packed battle of light against dark. Enter a world where light shines from within and love always triumphs…even in the face of pure evil.

Excerpt:

There was blood, all around him, pools of it, teasing him, calling to him, and all he wanted was to drink it. Yet the closer he got to it, the further it was away. The scent of it, like strong copper, filled his nostrils and tantalized his taste buds.

He wanted it more than life itself.

Bolting awake, Jonah stared wide eyed into the room. Every part of him hurt.

“Jonah? Are you okay?”

He could smell her as if she were beside him. Her scent, her blood, called to him. “Stay away from me!” He felt his teeth ache and the urge to take grew tenfold.

“What’s the matter? Do you have another cramp?”

“No! Please, stay away from me.” Then she stepped up beside him and all he could think was take. He could hear her blood rushing through her veins, her heart as it pounded in her chest. With each whoosh, his body responded. “Please, just stay away from me.”

She clicked the light on over his bed and it was all he could take not to lunge at her and bite that supple vein at the side of her neck. “For God’s sake, Raven. Get lost!”

She stopped, tilted her head, then laid her hand on his head. “You need to feed.”

“Just leave me alone. Please. I beg of you.” If he could run away from her right now, he would.

“This won’t get any better unless you give your body what it wants. Here, drink.” She thrust her wrist out to him.

He slapped it away. “No!”

“What you’re feeling right now will only become more intense the longer you wait. Just take my vein and drink. I’ll be fine. I’ve done this before.”

He pushed her aside then rolled himself off the bed. He fell with a thud onto the cold tiled floor but the pain was nothing compared to what he felt inside. It was more intense than anything he’d ever felt before. It felt like fire ants were clawing through his veins, his mouth was so dry his lips stuck to his teeth and his head…all he heard in his head was the whooshing of her blood pumping through her veins.

It was going to drive him insane.

“Take it, Jonah,” she demanded, falling down beside him on the floor.

“I won’t drink from you.” He’d rather die.

“If you don’t drink now, Jonah, you’ll go insane and I refuse to let that happen.” She jumped up onto the bed and when she came back down, she had the knife in her hands. “Now, drink.” She slid it across her arm by her elbow then thrust it out at him.

“Stop it! What have you done?” But the blood, so red, so thick, so…juicy, called to him.

“I can stitch myself up after. Just drink.”

“Please don’t make me do this,” he pleaded.

“I have to.” She grabbed his head and thrust her arm to his mouth.

The instant the blood touched his lips he was compelled to take it in. He couldn’t help himself. She was delicious, so smooth, so gloriously sweet that he wanted to drink her up. And as he sucked on her arm, drawing in her blood, the ache began to subside.

“Good, that’s it, drink from me.”

Her voice was soft and soothing so similar to her blood. She was nectar and he was parched. Then he felt her go limp and when he looked up, he saw her beginning to sway.

Check out the entire Darkness series at: www.shielasbooks.ca or http://www.shielasbooks.ca/TheDarknessSeries.htm

Blogs: Dark Cravings
Join my Newsletter and find out when my latest releases are due. shiela.stewart@lindenbayromance.com