Where's your favourite place to go?

For me it's bookstores. I love bookstores. I could spend hours in a bookstore, perhaps the whole day. It could take me an afternoon just to peruse one aisle in my favourite genre.

(This is the Selexyz Bookstore in Maastricht, Holland, installed in an old Dominican church.)




(Borderlands Science Fiction Bookstore in San Francisco is home to this hairless Sphynx cat.)

On Thursday evenings when hubby goes off to play hockey, kiddo and I head out to the bookstore after dinner. We'll take turns. First we go to the children's section. We'll play with the dress up costumes for a while, then take a turn on the train set with Thomas before settling into a corner to read a few of the new releases. If it's close to Halloween, Christmas, or Easter, then that's even better because we'll find all of the themed books and read them out loud. Usually, before we're done we've gotten the attention of a few other kids as well and I have a circle of chubby, rapt little faces staring up at me. It's hard at that point to call a halt to storytime, and I'll read "just one more".

(Shakespeare & Co. Antiquarian Books, Paris. Probably the most photographed bookstore of the world.)

Life in a bookstore is like a wonderful melding of cultures. I liken it to walking through Kensington Market in Toronto and drinking in all of the colours and scents, the people talking and shopping. No matter your likes or dislikes, everyone can find something to interest them. I'll look around and always see five or six people in the magazine section, picking up everything from home reno mags to magazines about fashion, crafts, pets, photography and sports. Then there are those who are hanging out with the comics and Manga books (I loved the graphics in To Terra, by Keiko Takemiya). And whether you're looking for a treatise on Catholic dogma, a history of the Mennonite faith, or a copy of the Talmud...they could be sharing the same shelf space.

(A view from inside the bookstore Shakespeare & Co)

You might find popular fiction next to the biographies, or science fiction next to a grouping of inspirational self-motivators. People come to sit quietly, curled up in a window with something new, or they come with friends and laugh at the happenings of the day over coffee. Whatever it is, bookstores seem to have a life of their own that encompasses wonder and excitement, laughter, tears and learning.

(A very cramped bookstore in Calcutta, India.)

For kiddo and I, after we've spent some time with Dr. Seuss and Harold and the Purple Crayon, we head over to the sci-fi and horror sections. While I'm picking up this book and that one off the shelves to read the first pages, my amazing child will sit on the floor and every once in a while he'll show me a picture or laugh over a word that he sounded out all on his own. And then we'll do the same over in the romance aisle before heading back downstairs to pay for our treasures. Finally, when the sun has long gone down and it's way past bedtime, we'll run through the cafe to grab a cookie for the ride home. As I'm driving, I'll look in the rearview mirror to find him passed out in his seat with his new book clutched in those little hands and it makes my heart melt.

This was a very unproductive weekend for writing. I went visiting, shopping, had dinner at the in-laws, watched a movie...oh and I went to a sex toy home party.

It's like Tupperware, um...but not.

I've been to one before. It was a "boy/girl" party a few years ago when we were all newly married. But I'm thinking that was the wrong time for a party like this. Now that we've all got our noses to the grindstones and a couple of kids under our belt, now that the mortgage is a firmly-entrenched part of our lives and we haven't had a real vacation since that honeymoon, might be a better time to have a party like this. And I like the boy/girl idea. The party I went to this weekend was "just the girls" which was fun but it lacked that extra hit of testosterone that the guys would have brought with them.

Anyway, I wish I could provide you with something witty and/or interesting this Monday morning. But I'm about as brain dead as a fried zucchini, so that's all I've got.

How was your weekend?

Hop on over to the Vauxhall Vixens for my blog today! I'm talking about crazy feats of daring and the lengths we go to immortalize ourselves.

Sick of all those motivational posters they insist on putting up in the office?

Here are some de-motivational words of wisdom you won't find on the lunch room wall...

PICTURES!!

My first booksigning at Chapters this past Friday went very well! Thanks to everyone who came out!

Signing books.
I wasn't the one taking the pictures folks, but you didn't really want to see my face anyway did you?...oh, and yes that is a HUGE Twilight display right behind me LOL

Yay, a fan!

More crazy fans...
actually this is my husband and a friend of mine with her sister...but they're still fans I swear it!

FRIDAY FUNNY is postponed for this week...but I have a good reason, honestly.

Today is my very first scheduled Book Signing!

Details: I'll be at the Chapters book store in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada this evening at 7:00 p.m. EST signing the first two books in my Immortals Series--My Immortal and Immortal Kiss.

For those of you not too far away, I'd LOVE to see you there, it's going to be a blast...although you'll probably meet my mother. She'll be the one with the camera that just won't quit :)

Now, if you can't make it and you're really dying to get a signed copy of one of my books (and who could blame you!), I will also be attending some other events before the end of the year, including a few in the USA. But here's to hoping that my first event is a successful one!

For today, another book review!!

One of my favourite authors blew away the whole scene with the first in her Psy/Changeling series in 2006. Since then the books have just gotten better...and better.

Nalini Singh's newest installment Hostage to Pleasure is the sixth book in a fabulous series. With every word Ms. Singh has created a rich, compelling world. An alternate earth, a world of the future. Not one of peace and vision but one where a dangerous war is brewing between the species. Changeling, Psy and Human...

Dorian is a sentinel for the DarkRiver clan, a Changeling leopard without the ability to change. Ashaya is one of his sworn enemies, a scientist for the Psy Council--the very same council ultimately responsible for the brutal killing of his baby sister. But is Ashaya as cold and emotionless as she so perfectly portrays? The caged beast inside Dorian doesn't think so, and is determined to break through Ashaya's walls to find out the truth, and to find out what she's hiding...even if it means inciting the rage of a brilliant sociopath and bringing the Psy down on them both.

I seriously recommend this book--but definitely read the prior books first. This is a series that builds a larger story that should be read in succession to truly appreciate the awesome world-building this author excels at.

All right...

I've had about enough of the warm fuzzies. Should last me right through to Christmas.

So where were we then?

Right...big, bad, totally hot immortal warriors who kick demon ass. Strong, sexy, amazing women who don't take shit from anyone, especially not said warriors...
He he, I love this job...

Having finished Dark Immortal, let me give you a little taste:



Alric lifted a hand to her face, lightly trailing a curled finger down her cheek. Callused and rough, but warm on her skin.

She started, her gaze jerking back up to his. His hand was too large, like the rest of him. She knew very well there was little she could do if he decided to use that size and strength against her.

And so did he.

It should scare the crap out of her, but even so, she didn’t pull back from him.

He touched her with such gentle care, almost trepidation. As if he were more afraid of her, of what she might do, than she was of him. Curiosity rode her. If by some fantastical twist of fate this man was telling her the truth, then she would know from his kiss.

Won’t I?

More to the point, if he kissed her and she felt nothing, then they would both know it. She would be able to put aside the ridiculous uncertainty that continued to torment her once and for all, and maybe he would even let her go.

His gaze shifted to her mouth before he closed the distance. Warm, firm...but light. He was giving her all the time in the world to reject his touch and pull away. When she didn’t do so immediately, he groaned and leaned in closer. There was nothing demanding in his kiss, and yet she felt as if she were being marked, as if this one kiss could break down all of her walls and leave her shivering and vulnerable.

"Diana." He murmured her name as if it were made to be uttered in his deep voice, his breath stealing between her slightly parted lips. His hand curved around the back of her head, holding her to him with the gentlest of tethers as he slid his tongue across her lips.

The kiss changed. From soft and unthreatening, to one that hungered—and dared her to feed the hunger. Accept it. Crave it.

Oh God.

So as you know, I've been very busy trying to make my deadline for Dark Immortal, and I did it!

But it was a grueling process. This book was very hard to write, and I found myself locked away with my laptop for many, many...many hours while it seemed as if the rest of the world was enjoying the summer.

I hate to say it, but my family suffered. And my friends. And my job. When I wasn't writing, I was distracted, irritable, and clearly my mind was still in another world with my characters.

And so I want today to say THANK YOU to everyone for riding this deadline along with me with patience and understanding, which I appreciate from the bottom of my heart.

I LOVE YOU

For this week's FRIDAY FUNNY!!

I can remember doing way too many of these dances starting somewhere around Billie Jean and Thriller!

What do you remember about those times?

Sorry, everyone. I'm in massive deadline mode.

I will check in periodically, but no new blog for a little while.

I'll leave you with some inspiration from some of my fellow bloggers:

Maria Zannini always has great market advice on Mondays, so be sure to drop in on her.

My crit partner Ely will have some delicious Labor Day leftovers at the Vauxhall Vixens on Tuesday that you won't want to miss! (Trust me on this one ) CORRECTION: Sorry everyone. Ely's Labor Day goodies were for Monday--but come on by anyway because she's taken on the Unleash Your Story Challenge for Cystic Fibrosis and needs your support!

If you have nothing planned for Wednesday, then swing on over to Shelley Munro's blog. She's still on vacation, but she's been posting fabulous pictures and stories from her travels. Then maybe stop by my website if you haven't had a chance lately, because I just got through adding some new links to interviews and other guest spots, some great reviews for Immortal Kiss, and more!

On Thursday, I'll be blogging at the Vauxhall Vixens (hopefully about how relieved I feel to have finished my book!)

And for the end of the first week back at school, I'll have another FRIDAY FUNNY right here! (This one's a good one, don't miss it!)

As always, leave me a message before you go. I want to hear that you all, at least, have a life!

First, let me announce the winner of a copy of Teresa D'Amario's book, Tigress by the Tail:


ANA

Send me an email at jkcoi(AT)rogers.com, and I'll make sure to pass it along to Teresa so that she can get you your prize! Thanks so much for commenting. And thank you again to Teresa for visiting.

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Second, I just finished reading two books of vastly different styles and genres, but I'm giving my recommendations to you all for the both of them today!



Christine D'Abo writes sexy futuristic romances from Ellora's Cave that sizzle and fog up your ereader. Primal Elements is the story of Ben and Jenna, two strong, lonely colonists on Mars who get set up by a computer dating service. Ben has been betrayed before and finds it hard to trust again, while Jenna has focused on her career for so long that she hasn't had any time for romance. Trouble is, although the computer says they are a perfect match, these two have met before and while the heat between them was scorching back then, things didn't go so well. Their primal, irresistable attraction has just gotten more intense since last they butted heads, but what makes either of them think that that they'll do any better this time?










Kimberly Killion's debut novel, Her One Desire is the historical story of one woman's curse and one man's destiny. Lizbeth Ives grew up roaming the halls of the Tower of London as her father meted out justice to England's enemies as the Lord High Executioner. Broderick Maxwell is one of those enemies, a Scot Lizbeth--now a woman on the run from a very dangerous enemy--rescues from torture one night in return for his protection. Broderick agrees to take her to safety, but fleeing England becomes a voyage of forbidden discovery as the two find it harder and harder to deny the flames of passion rising between them. A beautiful tale of torture, treason, and trial that shouldn't be missed.

So in traditional J.K. style, I went out and begged people to agree to be guests on my blog. It’s getting harder now and I had to use bribes. I think I’ll be investing in Ghirardelli stocks very soon.

But it worked this time!

Today I bring you the fabulous Teresa D’Amario! In 2007, she won the award for best paranormal romance and was nominated for best debut author by Ecataromance for her book She Wolf. She was also nominated as best debut author by All About Romance. Honestly, the woman has no shame—all this stuff is blatantly posted right on her website, but of course there’s no real juicy stuff there—and I scoured that site from top to bottom for some good dirt!

So without further ado, let’s start the inquisition—er the interview!

Teresa, so wonderful to have you here. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? No no, we don’t want to hear the practised speech about how long you’ve been writing and it was always your life long dream to be an author, blah blah blah. Give us something exciting! Tell us about your life in the Air Force!

First, I’m glad to be here! Inquisition and all! Wow, ok, well, the best part about being in the Air Force was I got to meet my husband there. The instant I saw him I thought "better get to know that guy since we’re going to get married." Still not sure why that thought happened, but it has affected my writing more than a little. And we even got stationed together our entire marriage! That in itself is a miracle.

So you're saying it was love at first sight. That’s so sweet...except for the part where you stalked him and beat him over the head with your combat boots until he noticed you too...Oh, you didn’t actually say that? No worries, I can read between the lines.

So what does a meteorologist do in the Air Force? You ever been to Area 51?

No, not area 51, but I can tell ya I met some really AWESOME people in Egypt, right there at the pyramids. One day I’ll introduce my readership to these wonderful people and their magick. No, I don’t mean Egyptians! These guys are a powerful race from another world. And they swear they didn’t build the pyramids! *right, I believe THAT*

What was I doing in Egypt you ask? Well uhm… I could tell ya but then I’d have to kill ya. *cackles crazily*

Gee, and I was going to ask why you left the Air Force. Never mind, I think I got it.

So why is it that with such a background, you haven’t decided to write military romances, or nail biting military thrillers? Instead you chose to write about shifters (hot, hunky shifters)

LOL oh yeah...but I prefer to incorporate military and my shifters, and already have a few ideas to do that, so don’t "go away". Makes you wonder, guys, when you’re deployed and sleeping in your tent, the guy next to you shaved this morning. You know he did, you saw it! Yet he already has 2 inches of hair on his face…Is he man? Or beast?

Oh, very interesting. I can’t wait for that one! So then, I guess this is the point where you’ll get to interject about your latest book, Tigress By The Tail. Go for it while I go check and see if there's anyone actually here reading this.

Tigress by the Tail is the story of Lance and Cassie. Cassie’s a shifter, a tigress (bet the title didn’t give that away!) Lance though, he’s a wizard. Or at least he thinks he is. His relationship with Cassie makes him re-evaluate everything he ever thought he was. His magick takes turns even he isn’t expecting.

Cassie always thought wizards looked like Harry Potter or Merlin, and is kind of thrown for a loop when she sees this handsome man saving her life. Doesn’t matter that she’s able to save her own life.

I toss in a few really evil people, dust it with government intrigue, mix with a little lightning, and I have the recipe for an explosive story! I loved adding in the features of the Moon card into the story – It definitely worked well. So if you like Tarot cards, and you like the paranormal, this is the story for you. If you like intrigue, and mystery, jump right on in folks, you’ll love it.

Sounds wonderful. I think I will love it...but remind me never to ask you to bake me a cake.

Oh, hey you even have fans! And they send you presents! I saw a wonderful trailer on your website. I’m so jealous! How does it feel knowing that people are reading your books? What’s the best/worst/most interesting/weird sort of feedback you’ve gotten from a reader?

Isn’t that awesome? I think I cried when I saw that trailer. I don’t know, I was too busy watching it to be sure, but I think one or two scenes blurring were not the way it was supposed to be. *grin* That kid has a huge future in videography, and is planning to start school for it next year. Everyone should check out her profile, she’s got tons of great animal videos she’s pieced together into awesome presentations.

Ok, back to the question. Now you have to remember I’m a new author, and this idea of fandom is just so weird to me. It’s one thing to write a book, but for people to write me and say they love it? That’s strange to me. (Luckily nobody has written to say they hate it). I actually cried when the night my first book came out, someone emailed me to say they’d already read it and LOVED it.

I guess the one thing that blew me away was when another budding author was so excited about my books she started a fan club! Really! She’s even working up a cafepress store! http://www.cafepress.com/teresadamario (proceeds go to the setting up of the fan club and giving presents to members!) It’s not finished yet and mostly just shows stuff for SheWolf, but for me, that’s the oddest feeling. I really expected the neighbours to be banging on my door, torches in hand, evicting the neighbourhood freak, but not yet! LOL.

Don't worry, Teresa. I'm sure that will come too. But I’m so glad that you’ve had such wonderful experiences, and I’ll be sure to visit the cafepress store. Do you have a t-shirt that says “I go wild for shifters”?

Okay, now for the personal stuff: I hear you’re like the dog whisperer or something. I love dogs! (And that’s not a lie, even though I have a cat, and my pet before this was a cat, and the one before that was a cat...)

Oh I love dogs. And cats. Ok, I just love animals in general. I really think that’s why I like shifters – I get to use all that awesome info I know by instinct in books. But hubby won’t let me have any kitty cats *pout*. Ok, I’ll be honest, one of my dogs is a cat chaser, so I can now start blaming him. I’ve trained dogs for more than 20 years, and have taught beginning obedience in three states and two countries.

Also, how does one “dance” with dogs? Do you choreograph your numbers? How do you know what music your dogs like best?

LOL So many questions! Canine Musical Freestyle is the name, and yeah, dancing with dogs is the game. The first thing you do is find music. I choose music based on the way the dog moves, and yeah, some dogs are very particular about their music. I’ve heard horror stories of “Fido” howling all the way through a number because he didn’t like the song! In fact, once I was playing with the idea of the song “Pretty little angel eyes”, and my dog came growling and barking from the other room every time I played it. Guess he didn’t like that one.

When I first started, I sat a player next to my dog and played a bunch of different songs. Their body language during the piece can tell you a lot. My lab likes songs with a heavy beat, which is good, cause he moves with strength and power and is very heavy footed. My other dog doesn’t seem to have much of a preference one way or the other.

Then yeah, I choreograph. I find what moves the dogs like (spinning, weaving through the legs, walking backwards, etc), and put it to music. I’ve not seen a single dog not like dancing, though I do see some who get tired very quickly, because it’s a challenge. We’ve used all kinds of nice rock n roll music. Right now my one dog is between songs, (I’m leaning toward the song Bad to the Bone) but the lab is dancing to “It’s my life” by Bon Jovi, and it fits him to the T.

Let me add, I’m one of the FEW canine freestylers who uses hard rock in their presentations. What can I say – we all knew I was weird from the get go!

Well, yes, but I wasn’t going to say anything (at least not until you were gone).

Finally, the important questions: What’s your favourite colour? Food? Television show? Place to visit?

Color – green! Not spring green but that deep, rich emerald green

Food – Hmmm potatoes. Any way, any how!

Television show – I really don’t watch TV as much as I used to. I do like American Idol, and I can tell you I’m really looking forward to “My own Worst Enemy” which starts in September. I like action, adventure, romantic, comedic, and of course the “weird”. LOL.

Place to visit – That is so tough, I’ve been so many places. I could say the fairy-like castle of Neuschwanstein (the one Disney liked so much he built his own) or the dark mystery of the pyramids of Giza. Both are important parts of my psyche. Hmm, should I write a book about fairies in Egypt? JUST KIDDING folks!

Okay, was there anything else you wanted to tell my five readers? (*whisper* this is your only chance, better make it good)

Uh oh, what do I say? Put on the spot! Yikes! Can’t think! Oh wait, I know something. Thanks so much for coming to meet me.  I’ve had so much fun with this interview. The scary part? Why it’s all true of course! Check out my webpage at http://teresadamario.com

And, for being so nice as to read all the way to the bottom, I’ll give one responder a copy of The Moon: Tigress by the Tail!


Whoo hoo, prizes! Thank you Teresa, I'm so glad you agreed to come by. You're a very brave woman--but I guess that goes with the territory when you write the kinds of books that you do and have the background that you do. Congratulations on your new book, and all the best!

I'm a guest today at the Romance Roundtable and I'd love to see you over there!
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Also, check out my newest review for Immortal Kiss from Coffee Time Romance:

Ms. Coi is an expert at creating a masterful work of extreme emotion and high drama. Her work is the perfect combination of passion and adventure. The characters are intense, strong willed, and unquestionably sexy. Their story reverberates with barely controlled emotions that leave the reader breathless with anticipation. While this book is part of a series, it stands alone as an incredible read. I will certainly recommend adding this, and the rest of the series, as must reads to your list.

Lototy, Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance

Exciting news! I have another author to interrogate--I mean interview.

Teresa DAmario, award winning author of SheWolf and most recently Tigress by the Tail, will be on the blog this Tuesday, August 26 and she says she's even going to give a copy of her book to one lucky poster!

I have a new review for Immortal Kiss from the wonderful ladies at Romance Roundtable.

Join me there on Monday, August 25 when I'll be blogging a little bit about making room in your life for childhood dreams.

Also on the topic of reviews, a few others have come in for Immortal Kiss since its release, and I'm very pleased with the response thus far!

From Kimber Chin, author of Breach of Trust:
"Wow. The passion between Maxine and Baron sizzles! Their strong personalities started me reading, their depth of character forced me to continue, and their rapport made me wish Immortal Kiss was longer. This novel has turned a historical reader into a paranormal convert. Excellent!"

From Robyn at Manic Readers:
"Immortal Kiss is [an] entertaining read that has two equally strong characters going head to head. I loved that the characters were unpredictable, you never knew what to expect...Immortal Kiss is a book that draws you in and keeps you reading until the end."

From Brianna at Bitten by Books:
"Immortal Kiss [is] a must read paranormal romance. The characters are torn by family ties, and a love that both want but are afraid to take. This is an excellent read."

LOL

It does seem that we've all become a little too familiar with the rampant acronyms that have become commonplace on the internet. As a writer, I can't help but cringe when I see them, and yet I still find myself using them, especially the most popular "LOL". But my husband teaches high school and I've seen some of the texting that goes on with the younger crowd (feel old yet?). It looks more like secret code from NASA than a conversation between sixteen year olds about where to meet for lunch...It's amazing that they can remember what all these terms mean, when these are the same kids who can't remember what they learned in history class from one day to the next.

What drives you nuts about life in this growing online community?

Come on over and join me today at Jennifer Y's blog for an exclusive personal interview with Baron, the hero from Immortal Kiss!

Who knows, we might just make a party of it and invite the whole gang. *wink wink*



Also, I've been fascinated by photos of different cities taken at night (as you may have noticed given the theme I've been going with on the blog and my website and myspace...), so since I found some new ones, I thought I'd put them up. It really has nothing to do with my blog though. :)

 

(By Paulo Barcellos Jr. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulobar/230134559/) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons)

more cat pictures

Well, I thought since I'm not ambitious enough to get in on the "THURSDAY THIRTEEN", I could maybe start a FRIDAY FUNNIES...check it out.

Have a good weekend!

Since we had so much fun with Deborah Cooke yesterday, I'm over on her blog today, so come on by and pay me a visit!

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Also, the winner of an autographed copy of KISS OF FURY is...

Tetewa!

Please email me at jkcoi(AT)rogers.com with your pertinent info and I'll forward it along to Deborah!

Thanks again.


PS Don't miss my next guest. On August 26, 2008 I'll be interviewing Teresa DAmario, author of SheWolf and Tigress By The Tail!

About Those Dragons...
by Deborah Cooke

People seem to be intrigued with the fact that I decided to write about dragons, although I'm hardly the first to do so. My own fascination with dragons started with Smaug in THE LORD OF THE RINGS - which I read obsessively and repeatedly as a teenager - because I thought Smaug was gorgeous. I halfway thought that Smaug should have gotten the better of Frodo, not the other way around, because I enjoyed his riddle games so much. For a number of years, I also collected the LOTR calendars showcasing illustrations by the Brothers Hildebrandt - you can guess which ones were my favourites! One of them is on the index page of their website: http://www.brothershildebrandt.com/

I think it's the mark of writers to play "what if?" games with stories and story elements that they enjoy. (I, for example, rewrote LOTR as a romance, focussing on all those untold scenes between Aragon and Arwen that Tolkein didn't write. This was a big clue as to what kind of stories I was destined to ultimately write!) Readers, in contrast, seek out more stories showcasing the same elements. So, I read no stories about dragons after LOTR - in fact, I deliberately avoided them - because I was more interested in my own vision of fictional dragons. I have sketchbooks filled with dragons somewhere, although my drawing abilities never approached that of the Brothers Hildebrandt. NO doubt about it - those dragons had hold of my imagination. It was only a matter of time before they found their way to my fingertips.

Dragons are one of the oldest story elements used by humans - they star in stories from all over the world, showing all sorts of different abilities and affinities. The one trait they have in any culture's stories is a terrifying and beautiful power. But it's kind of odd, when you think about it, that so many cultures would invent a creature so similar. That led me to wonder - what if dragons are real? What if storytellers weren't inventing dragons but sharing tales of seeing them? What if there are times in which dragons reveal their powers but the rest of the time they're just like us?

Enter the Pyr, my dragon shape shifter heroes. From this germ of an idea, everything pretty much fell together.

Pyr is the Greek root for "fire", the element with which dragons have the strongest affinity. Classical Greek myth also includes one of the oldest recorded dragon stories, probably the oldest one in the west, as you'll learn in KISS OF FURY. I liked the idea of the Pyr being an ancient species and also of them being a primal force in their own right - it made sense to me to name them from the Greek root.

In Chinese culture, dragons are protrayed more sympathetically than in the west. They're more organic than destructive. They govern the four elements, which linked perfectly to my notion of the Pyr being ancient and natural. I tied that idea into my worldbuilding by giving each Pyr hero an affinity for one element in addition to fire, then having his mate "complete" him by having affinities for the other two. True love should complete both parties, don't you think? I like when the whole of their relationship is greater than the sum of the parts. The four elements - earth, fire, water, air - in union is often believed to create a union of spirit. Perfect. (N.B. Actually, in book #4, the heroine has the affinity with fire, not the hero. It's a neat part of their relationship, but no more spoilers on that yet.)

I also liked the concept that dragons had a bond with the earth that was stronger than ours, so I gave them an ancient responsibility. They usually defend a hoard of treasure - what better treasure for my dragons to be charged to protect that Gaia herself?

And that gave me the conflict between my good dragons - the Pyr, or the true Pyr - and their enemies - the Slayers. The Pyr believe that humans are among the treasures of the earth to be defended, while the Slayers believe that humans are destroying the earth and must be eliminated to protect Gaia.

Just to complicate things more - and make the stakes more personal - I decided that my Pyr must mate with human women to make more Pyr. I gave each Pyr a destined mate, and a period of potential conception marked by the "firestorm", a feeling of intense heat and heightened desire. Firestorms of huge importance to the Pyr are marked by eclipses, and often a prophecy from the only female Pyr - the Wyvern - who has the power to see the future but no obligation to share what she knows.

The final piece of the puzzle fell into place when I was chatting with my friend who is a brilliant astrologer. She commented that we were entering a period of karmic balancing, and that we could expect a bunch of natural disasters as Gaia tried to correct her own balances. This period is one of the nodes of the moon and is called - are you ready? - the Dragon's Tail. How about that? It's happening right now and asts 8 or 9 years, which made right now the perfect setting for an enormous battle between my Pyr and Slayers over control of the earth.

All of this structure was great fun to pull together, but the best part was getting to know the Pyr themselves. I love that they have tasks or specialities within their group - Quinn, in KISS OF FIRE, has the hereditary role of the Smith, for example. He has the power to heal his fellows, at least once he decides to use it. Donovan in KISS OF FURY might be the prophecied Warrior who can lead the Pyr to victory - if he can accept the advice of his mate, the Wizard, and begin his transformation himself. Erik in KISS OF FATE is the leader of the Pyr who has to balance not only his responsibilities to the whole against his own desires, but has to come to terms and make amends for his past mistakes. The Pyr have forgotten a bunch of stuff, through disorganization and lowered population numbers - Erik explains that to us in KISS OF FATE - which means the Slayers are ahead of them on that. It's more fun when the heroes have to play catch-up to win.

My Pyr heroes aren't immortal, but they age slowly until they have a firestorm and create a son - that gives me a wider variety of responses to that first twinge of the firestorm, depending on the character of the Pyr in question. Quinn, the romantic, wanted to have both his firestorm and his mate, but not deal with the other Pyr. Donovan, the bad boy, wanted to have his firestorm but not create a child - he gets caught between his own reservations and his loyalty to the team. Erik -- well, we'll talk about Erik in February. Many of you know that Rafferty has been yearning for his firestorm for a long time, and will be glad to hear that he'll get it in book #6. Of course, I have a few tricks up my sleeve for that - it won't be quite the leisurely courtship he's been hoping to savour.

I could go on and on because I'm having a lot of fun with the Dragonfire series - instead, why don't you ask me a question?

We'll have a doorprize today, a signed copy of Dragonfire book #2, KISS OF FURY, to be awarded off to someone who asks a question. Since we're at J.K.'s blog, she can pick the winner.

Visit Dragonfire online at http://www.deborahcooke.com
Visit Château Delacroix at http://www.delacroix.net
Visit Claire Cross online at http://www.clairecross.com
Blogging weekdays at http://www.delacroix.net/blog

THANKS SO MUCH TO DEBORAH FOR VISITING TODAY! Leave lots of comments for her because I can tell you right now you're going to want a copy of KISS OF FURY! I've already devoured mine and can't wait for book 3!

Writing the Alpha Hero

Who doesn’t love an alpha? Really, it’s like...damn. Breathe woman.

Big. Brawny. Dark. Broody. The alpha hero’s got baggage up the wazoo and a big “Keep Out” sign across that broad chest in bold letters that we can’t possibly miss. He’s forbidden fruit because he’s so emotionally unavailable. A challenge. We want to know which woman will be strong enough and brave enough—and maybe stupid enough—to lift up the gauntlet and be the one to conquer that massive ego, to get under this guy’s skin and make him admit that he feels something...something like love.

But while the allure for this archetype never fades, it seems that alpha heroes in novels are a dime a dozen. So what do we do to keep this character compelling, true, believable—and keep him from turning into an asshole? Here are the three main things I’ve learned in writing alpha heroes:

1. He’s got to have a fatal flaw. Those chiseled abs and bulging muscles are wonderful, and a take charge attitude and flare for handling precision weaponry is all good. But he can’t be perfect. That would pretty much be the opposite of an alpha anyway. Give him some real depth, give him more than just a standoffish attitude and leather pants. One of my favourite heroes in all the books I’ve ever read was one who found himself blind—of course it was the heroine who helped him learn to deal with this—and it didn’t take away from the character, simply added a deeper level of humanity to him.

2. He can’t be all bad. Though we love our alpha bad boys, the heroine shouldn’t end up wanting to shoot him with his own gun. Make sure that behind that gruff exterior and shuttered past, we get a real glimpse of some redeeming qualities. Whether it’s a weakness for kittens or maybe he teaches women’s self-defence classes in his spare time—you know, when he’s not flying helicopters into enemy territory or taking out a terrorist with a sniper rifle.

3. Motivate the man. Give him purpose with flair. It’s not enough that your alpha has had some tough breaks that have turned him into a hard man. Past events are never enough of a motivator. Your hero’s actions should be a reflection of what he’s striving for, not running from. What does he want? What does he need? Then make it impossible for him to get it—maybe it’s even the heroine who is standing in his way—so we see exactly how strong and determined he is when he finally achieves his goal—and manages to keep the girl.

So, any other tips you’d give for writing those uber-sexy alphas?

Besides writing, I love to read (of course). Authors of every genre. Historicals, contemporaries, science fiction, even YA and horror. But my favourites are, of course, paranormals (if you haven't guessed by now). And along this journey to my own career as a writer, there have been a number of authors I've met who give me valuable lessons, inspiration and hope--one of those is the fabulous Deborah Cooke, who not only inspires but leaves me stuttering in awe...

So it gives me the greatest pleasure to be able to welcome her to my blog this Wednesday, August 13! to talk about her awesome Dragonfire series!

The first book in this series, Kiss of Fire, blew me away. These dragons are hot, hot, hot. Their world is kept simple and thoroughly understandable, so you can get lost in the action of the story without trying to keep track of the technicalities, and the concept is beautifully thought out and researched. I fell for it completely...and then had to tap my fingers all through the Spring and early Summer while I waited for Kiss of Fury!

Well, it's finally here and I got my copy. Did you get yours?

If you haven't yet heard of this series or picked up Kiss of Fury, stop by here on Wednesday to talk with Deborah Cooke and be entered in a draw for a free autographed copy.

On the heels of Immortal Kiss's release (which you can purchase here!), I'm excited to say that today is my BIRTHDAY! Now now, let's not annoy the birthday girl by asking her how old she is...'kay?

Since it's my birthday, and since I'm probably in a car this very moment doing the four-hour drive north to Algonquin Park where we'll be camping for the rest of this week (pray it doesn't rain), I think I deserve presents!

So I want everyone to post a joke for me in the comments section, which I'll read and laugh over when I get back.



See you soon!

Not a lot of people know this, but if you've read my books, you'll see it...I'm a speed whore.

I love it when things go fast. I love a loud, roaring engine. The wind zipping past, whipping at my hair, and the smell and feel of a gently worn in leather jacket against my cheek. And most of all, I love it when you combine chrome and steel with 3000 cc's and 147 lbs-ft of torque.

I've been writing about this in my latest book, wanting to get it just right, because for me there's not too many things like the exhileration of riding on a bike.

Tell me, what's that thing that you write directly from the heart? The thing you know you could describe with such precision and detail, bring to life so completely, because it lives inside you?

(By Monster1000 at fr.wikipedia [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], from Wikimedia Commons)

Today I'm glad to be blogging at author Shelley Munro's little corner of the internet. She was lucky enough to take off on vacation (with a detour through San Francisco), so I'm hijacking her blog! Come on over--bring your silly string and toilet paper rolls!

IT'S RELEASE DAY!!

Just a reminder that I'm blogging at a few different places today, so come on over and say hello!

At the Pleasure Garden, I've set out Five Ways to Celebrate Release Day!

At Simply Romance Reviews, I'm talking about what it's like Living With Immortals :)

Also, I'm being featured at Manic Readers, so go on over and have a look at my author page, read my new interview and watch my trailer for the Immortals series.

Finally, the fabulous Kimber Chin, author of Breach of Trust, has done a wonderful little review of Immortal Kiss which I've posted on my website here. Pop on over to Romancing the Blog and tell her I sent you to say hello!

RELEASE DAY IS ALMOST HERE!!

Immortal Kiss is finally available...TOMORROW!

I will be blogging at a few different places tomorrow and I hope you'll join me there to help me celebrate release day!

Drop by the Pleasure Garden, of course, for our release day party!

But I'll also be over at Simply Romance Reviews, talking about what it's like Living With Immortals :)

Also, I'm the featured author at Manic Readers, so go have a look at my author page, read my new interview and watch my trailer for the Immortals series.

Hopefully I'll see you around! I'm so excited and I want to share it with you. But before you go, let me leave you with a little teaser for Immortal Kiss with a never-before-seen excerpt:

This second book in the Immortals series is Baron’s story. In Book 1, he was a newly-turned Immortal, but by the time we get to his story, he’s completely embraced his new life, and left the old one behind without a second thought. That is until the only woman who's ever really gotten under his skin is dumped on his doorstep one night by the vampire he's been hunting.

She put a hand to his chest in a lame effort to push him back and put distance between them, which he wholly ignored, stepping even closer into her personal space. Baron had always been a very physical person. He had played sports constantly, his body always in motion—almost as if he’d been given an extra dose of energy to make up for what his brother lacked.

Now all of that physical presence was concentrated on her, transformed into blistering, crackling, hot sexual energy. Her fingers curled around the soft cotton of his shirt. “Baron—”

“Max—” he mimicked, his voice deep and husky and so damn sexy.

He was close. So close.

She was going to push him away now. Wasn’t she?

Apparently not soon enough to avoid being kissed. Her body tensed with the initial contact of his mouth against hers. It was a sizzling, wet kiss that ignited a fever in her blood, but he was gentle, almost careful with her as if he half expected to get kneed in the groin.

Which was exactly what she should do.

When it came to this man, though, Max had never operated on “should”. Baron had always been her one and worst weakness, the addiction she may never kick no matter how long and hard she tried.

Her lips were opening of their own accord under his gentle but insistent pressure. Damn, this was dangerous.

So freaking dangerous.

From Linden Bay Romance!

Thank you so much to everyone who came out and chatted with me tonight. I had a BLAST!

If you missed it and you're dying to know...the link for it is here.

____________________________________

I made this myself, my first foray into movie-making, LOL. And since I've updated it recently, I'm taking the opportunity to post it for your viewing pleasure!

P.S. Please don't forget to come chat with me at Romance at Heart on Monday, July 28 at 8:oo p.m. EST

Hey everyone! I'll be chatting at Romance at Heart on Monday, July 28th at 8pm Eastern Standard Time about Immortal Kiss, book 2 in my Immortals series, but I'll also be available to answer any questions you might have about the Immortals series in general and any of my upcoming books! I really hope to see you there. One chatter will win a free copy of the book.

The chat room link is: Romance at Heart




I hope to see lots of people there and look forward to chatting with you. (crossing my fingers that it works this time)

EVERYTHING I KNOW I LEARNED FROM BUFFY

I was a child of the...well, I was young enough to get totally hooked on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Not when the 1992 Kristy Swanson movie came out (possibly the worst movie ever), but with the first television episode starring Sarah Michelle Gellar in 1997. At that moment I, and millions of other fans worldwide, very happily became slaves to the vast brilliance of the Whedonverse.

What was it exactly that made this show so special? Was it inspirational to young teens? Did it try and impart some cosmic wisdom? Did it leave the watcher with a message of hope and love? Yes, it did all of that and more...

Take away the empowered superstrong girl who totally kicks ass and takes names, even without the vampires and the drool-worthy heroes, cool lesbian wiccas, the snarky, brilliant writing, the great shoes and boots (her wardrobe people rocked), and you were still left with a fabulous show that spoke to young people about the trials of growing up, in a way that was fresh, exciting and that broke ground for female heroes in television.

What's even more amazing is the sheer volume of academic study and writing which has been done on and around the Buffy phenomenon, and which continues even today, long after the show itself has been relegated to our dusty DVD shelves. (For example: Why Buffy Matters, Sex And The Slayer: A Gender Studies Primer For The Buffy Fan; Blood Relations: Chosen Families In Buffy The Vampire Slayer; Philosophy and BtVS: Fear and Trembling in Sunnydale...and my favourite; The Comic Anti-hero in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, or Silly Villain: Spike is for Kicks.)

So what did I learn from Buffy?

1. That it is possible to run in heels.

2. That it's important to have a solid group of scoobies to watch your back.

3. Teen sex is a bad idea. Even if you don't get pregnant, your boyfriend might turn evil and try to bite you. Then try and shoot you. Then blow you up...

4. David Boreanaz is hot.

5. If you think your roommate's a demon, it could just mean she's really annoying...but she could actually be a demon.

6. Every difficult situation can be made better with a healthy dose of sarcasm and a witty comeback.

7. High school students have no clue about what goes on in their library, and in fact have probably never been there.

8. David Boreanaz is hot...wait I said that already...James Marsters is hot.

9. There can only ever be one Slayer in the world at a time. Unless there's two.

10. If you're going to save the world, someone should go for donuts.

What did you like about it? What other shows made an impact on your youth?



Oh, and some of my favourite quotes, just for fun!

Buffy: Spike, I just saw you taste your own nose blood. You know what? I'm too grossed out to hear anything you have to say. Go home.
Spike: It's blood. It's what I do!

Buffy: [pulls a glowing orb out of her bag] What the hell is it?
Giles: It appears to be paranormal in origin.
Willow: How can you tell?
Giles: Well, it's so shiny.

Oz: Well, I sorta test well. Y'know, which is cool. Except that it leads to jobs.

Willow: Oh, I don't know, though. He is a senior.
Buffy: You think he's too old 'cause he's a senior? Please. My boyfriend had a bicentennial.

Xander: Yep. Vampires are real, a lot of 'em live in Sunnydale, Willow will fill you in.
Willow: I know it's hard to accept at first.
Oz: Actually, it explains a lot.

Spike: No more of this 'I've got a soul' crap?
Angelus: What can I say, hmm? I was going through a phase.

Spike: You've really got a yen to hurt this girl, haven't you?
Angelus: She made me feel like a human being. That's not the kind of thing you just forgive.

Angelus: Dear Buffy. I'm still trying to decide the best way to send my regards.
Spike: Why don't you rip her lungs out? It might make an impression.
Angelus: Lacks... poetry.
Spike: It doesn't have to. What rhymes with lungs?

Buffy: You know, it’s not even that he’s acting that suspicious. It’s just - there he is. On the hell mouth. All day, every day. That’s got to be like being showered with evil. Only from underneath.
Willow: Not really a shower.
Buffy: A bidet. Like a bidet of evil.

I'm blogging today at the Vauxhall Vixens about the heroine who is TSTL (Too Stupid To Live). Come on over and tell us your experience with books you wanted to throw against the wall because of a character who acted like the dumbest dumb blonde from a scary B-rated horror movie.

ACHERON

Since reading my first Dark Hunter book roughly two years ago, I have waited patiently for news that this book was coming. Now, finally, after what seems like forever and a day it's almost here...

I'm very excited to be able to bring you this exclusive preview of what promises to be Ms. Kenyon's best, most explosive, intense book yet in a fantastic series. If you're a fan, you won't be disappointed.

ENJOY!

THE WORLD'S SHORTEST FAIRY TALE!

Once upon a time, a guy asked a girl 'Will you marry me?' The girl said:'NO!' And then she lived happily ever after and went shopping and dancing, she drank martinis, went shopping (did I say that already?). She always had a clean house, never had to cook, did whatever the hell she wanted, never argued, didn't get fat, traveled more, had many lovers, didn't save any money, never worried about the toilet seat, and had all the hot water to herself. She went to the theater, never watched sports, never wore friggin' lacy lingerie that went up her ass, had high self esteem, never cried or yelled, felt and looked fabulous in sweat pants and was pleasant all the time.

The End.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not single. Very happily married. I found this in my junk mail folder this morning and had to share. It's hilarious.


But that's not all.........

STAY TUNED!!

All you Dark Hunter fans who have been waiting so patiently for August 5...make sure you make a stop right here at 9:00 p.m. (PST) on Sunday, July 20, 2008 for a very special sneak preview...Something you definitely won't want to miss!

Famous People Meme — (sorry, I forget who challenged me on this)

Which famous person in each of the following categories would you like to meet?

Author — Stephen King. My writing and reading idol since I picked up my first "adult" book at the tender age of 12.

Movie Actor — Gerard Butler. Man, he's hot.

TV Actor — Steve Carell. Man, he's funny.

Musician/Singer — Ella Fitzgerald. The first lady of song. One of the most influential jazz vocalists ever.

Historical Figure — Alexandra David-Neel. Female explorer/ adventurer/ author. No other western woman ever traveled to and explored so many places.

Fictional Book Character(s) — Rhage and Mary from Lover Eternal, or maybe Acheron and Simi from Kenyon's Dark Hunter books, or Anita Blake from LK Hamilton's series, or...I could really go on and on here.

Fictional Movie or TV Character — Blade. You gotta love a badass half-vampire with a shiny sword and a hero complex. I never liked the short-lived television show, but the movies rocked. And definitely, of the three, Blade: Trinity is my favorite since I get to see Wesley Snipes AND Ryan Reynolds.

Okay, tell me your picks.

CONTEST!! PRIZES!!

I have fabulous news about an amazing contest!

My chapter group, Toronto Romance Writers is running a contest to give away a fantastic prize of books from all of our published authors—Lots and lots of books!—Besides me (yay!), participating authors include: Kelley Armstrong, Deborah Cooke, Claire Delacroix, Michelle Rowen, Eve Silver, Michele Ann Young, Margaret Moore, Molly O’Keefe, and lots more!

Click here to enter now!

The Reasons Why We Love

Have you wondered why romance novels are so popular? Think about it, in a world where our celebrities are rarely known for their lasting relationships, where the next big blow-em up action movie almost always gets top billing, and when the news stories are all about sensationalism, murder and violence...is it any wonder that we have a need to find ways to enjoy the softer side of life?

Even in our own relationships, as happy and healthy and fulfilling as they hopefully are...the hectic pace of our everyday jobs and commitments means that romance and love often gets pushed back for later-but later only brings more and more stuff to lay on top of the ever growing pile of responsibilities.

But at the same time, why does romance get such a bad rep? Why are people so loathe to admit that they need to feel good every once in a while? Have we become so inured to the harsh realities that we stopped believing that there's more to lfie? Even though it's damn hard, things can work out for the best if you really try and want it badly enough, I think many of us do believe that. So why is it that we can't accept that love and sex and wanting a happy ever after are not things we should be embarassed about? They are after all, important to who we are as human beings.

Now I must admit, I have noticed that the way people see romance has been changing slowly. The stigma against romance authors and readers isn't anywhere near what it was when I first started reading, or even when I started writing. Great. At the same time though, the stigmas might change focus, but they seem to never go away completely. Just switch gears a little bit, which is too bad.

I say thank God for romance, for its popularity and its unapologetic celebration of love. With romance books flying off the shelves, authors to keep the genres alive for us, and readers who keep wanting more, we're more likely to stay true to our innate human nature to nurture and share ourselves with each other.

In the grand scheme of things, our world revolves around love. It's true. It has to be. If it didn't, what would we be reduced to? Imagine a world where money or ambition, progress and selfishness were of utmost importance to everyone (some might say we're almost there, but thankfully I don't think we are, although I'm pretty naive). Imagine if love was spit upon, if marriage did not exist as a binding of two hearts and souls. If love didn't enter the picture, what would happen to our children, ourselves?

(Photo: Pierre Auguste Cot [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons )

I'm at Maria Zannini's blog today talking about summertime distractions and my August 1 release, Immortal Kiss. I'm offering up a copy of Book 1 in the series, My Immortal. Come join in our summer bbq, I'd love to see you!




My husband and son at our favorite lake in Algonquin Park, possibly one of the most beautiful and tranquil places on earth.

I'm still mostly MIA, but since I just got a new cover for Dark Immortal, I wanted to share...

DARK IMMORTAL

This intense third book in the Immortals Series features the norse warrior Alric and his wife; beautiful and strong and human Diana.

Their path has never been smooth, their love has always been tested. But now Alric and Diana will face the ultimate trial...

...And they might not come back from it.

How do you know the woman of your dreams would still love you if all the circumstances which brought you together no longer existed? How do you know she would still want you if the memory of your love were wiped away and the only thing left was fear and pain. How could you ask her to stay if all she could see was the monster inside of you, the monster that gets harder and harder to contain?

Check out my website soon for more details and an excerpt of Dark Immortal, being released by Linden Bay Romance in January, 2009.

And in the meantime, don't miss books 1 and 2: My Immortal and Immortal Kiss (Aug. 1/08). Get yours here and find out why these are Immortals to die for.

I'm in need of a little break. I hope you'll all keep in touch and I'll see you real soon (I'm betting I hold out a week). Hopefully I'll return with a new sense of karmic balance and a finished book!

Take care, and let me recommend some great reading material for you while I'm gone :)

Fox's Bride

Being married to a woman halfway around the world has its advantages — except when that woman is a pirate.

Lord William Foxton wants his wife and will do anything to protect her from those who want to see her hanged for piracy and those who want the plantation in Montego Bay and his wife for their own.

Lady Madeline Foxton, the Dread Pirate Captain Meg, will do anything to save as many slaves as she can, constantly putting her life at risk. She decides she's had enough, but the Commodore of the King's Navy decides Captain Meg will not be allowed to simply disappear. He will see Madeline Middleton hanged for piracy, no matter who he has to kill to get her there.

Breach of Trust

When a business secret is shared, can love survive?

When You Play With The Best…

For years, Anne James has played a dangerous game, secretly manipulating venture capitalist Philippe Lamont into financing her clients. She knew there would be a price to pay for her arrogance. That price, she thought, was three months of negotiated torture as his sexy Girl Friday.

…The Stakes Are High

Anne was wrong. In Philippe’s fast paced world of start up investing, the lines between business and personal blur. One misstep, one misplaced confidence, and Anne could lose her heart, her business, and her life.

Law of Averages

Megan Frost, an up-and-coming restaurateur, knows everything there is to know about the culinary arts, but when it comes to pop culture, she's been living under a rock. During a vacation to the sunny island of Bermuda, the yummiest dish she's ever laid eyes on rolls that rock right off her.

British musician Gabriel Law, the famous Dark Angel of Rock, regrets putting his songwriting on the back burner. Tired and creatively simmered out, he retreats to the peace and solitude of Bermuda in order to cook up some original sounds for his new album. But when he finds a naked girl in his holiday cottage, he happily exchanges solitude for a sizzling duet.

The ingredients for a sexy, scorching relationship are in place, but the mix isn't complete without a romantic legend, a mysterious taxi driver and a surprise symbol of destiny from the aquamarine sea…

My Immortal

Evil lurks in the darkest of shadows, but a band of warriors stands ready to defend humanity against hell’s own monsters—Immortal men hand-picked by destiny and taken out of time hold the fate of the world in their hands.

One of the oldest of his kind, Immortal warrior Rhys Morgan spends his nights on the streets of Chandler protecting the city’s innocents from the demons that hunt them. Unyielding in purpose and uncompromising in battle, Rhys thought he’d never meet his match, until he met Amy Bennett.

Rash and impetuous, Amy dashes into a fight, taking Rhys by surprise. He can’t decide whether she’s incredibly brave or incredibly stupid. But when the fight is over and Rhys is unable to get the beautiful human out of his head or his dreams, he knows his life is about to get complicated.

The barriers between the unlikely pair may be as thick and strong as the evil that threatens them, but some things can’t be denied…and dark, mysterious, sexy Rhys Morgan is one of them.

MY WRITER STORY

So what is this really? My friend Maria Zannini has challenged me to tell my story and I'm not quite sure what to say. I mean, I've always been a writer, from the first words I learned to shape with the pencil clutched awkwardly in my chubby little palm.

All right, realistically, I wasn't "a writer" when I was four, but the seed was there already, and instead of having my parents read me books at night before bed, I'd already been making my own tales up in my head and telling my parents bedtime stories instead of the other way around.

But I guess my first real writer story is from grade 10 English class. I wrote this short piece called "Martians in the Kitchen", which was really about an fm radio that turns on all by itself every day just in time for one of those old school serial radio shows a la "War of the Worlds". Really, the radio is possessed with the spirit of a young girl's high school sweetheart, a jealous dead boyfriend who doesn't like that Charlene has gotten herself a new guy. Needless to say I was a HUGE reader of Stephen King, and horror ensues in bloody, graphic detail for the rest of the story.

I won a contest with that one.

Now I'm challenging everyone else to tell me their writer stories, and if you're not a writer, tell me the story of how you came to do the thing that you love doing best (I know what you're thinking, and no sex stories)

In honor of the Canadian and US holidays, over at the Pleasure Gardens we thought we'd each share a little bit about the heroines from our works in progress and what makes them our first ladies of romance. Because, as they say, behind every good man is a great woman.

So stop by and share your own favourite romantic heroines, from your own work, a movie, or your favourite author.



And I hope you had a happy Canada Day, and will enjoy a wonderful Independence Day!

Sorry about the absenteeism this week. It's been very busy with this and that, and it's only getting worse for the next little while. So as cheap as it is on my part, I'm going to send you away to visit some way more interesting blogs:

My friend Maria Zannini has an interesting discussion about linking on her blog that you should definitely check out.

The Three Wicked Writers (Regina Carlysle, Kelley Nyrae and Anne Rainey) have put together a new spot that's worth visiting just because it's so pretty, but they're also chatting about great stuff.

Six Degrees of Sexy has a great interview up with author AJ Hampton, and she's talking about her new book Tempting Sin.

Shelley Munro also has an interview up, with author Selena Illyria (say that 3 times fast, lol) to talk about her book Tartan Surprise.

And the fabulous women at A Place for Originals have done a review of YA novel The Goose Girl, by Shannon Hale.

So have a great weekend everyone, and if you're still here, let me leave you with a VIDEO to watch!

When Romance Writers Compete!

Music To Soothe The Savage Beast

I write in silence.

Sometimes I can have the television on in the background, but that’s rare, and only if it is something that I am utterly uninterested in watching. Even then, I’m usually distracted by flashy lights and Swiffer commercials.

I love music, and I’ve tried to write to music. I even went so far as to put together a wicked playlist of songs that I thought would speak to my muse, the inner bad ass Immortal warrior-a lot of Kanye and MIMS, and my fave, Fifty. But it turns out that I got distracted by the rap music as well. Too much singing, and not enough typing. And that of course, proved that I have no bad ass warrior in me. Because you truly don’t want the visual of me movin’ to the beat.

So then I thought maybe I should try something a little less booming, and a little more calming, something that would blend into the background and simply act as a way to relieve the stress and tension, and allow me to focus on the writing. I picked out some Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart and Beethoven; classical compositions that both moved me, and yet seemed soft and soothing. It didn’t really work either.

You see, I move to the beat of the music—doesn’t matter what kind (except maybe country; with country I just want to cry). Music penetrates to my soul and I’m lost in it. And that’s nice, I appreciate the gift that I’ve been given (especially since I don’t actually have the gift of making music of any kind—at least not that you would want to hear), but it doesn’t help me when what I need is to be lost in my story and my characters.

And so, I write in silence, listening only to the voices inside my head.

*creepy, huh?*

What is it you do to keep the ideas flowing? Are you helped or hindered by a rockin’ playlist?

BOOK ROAST

There's a new blog in the echoing halls of cyberdom, Book Roast, a fun new forum to showcase authors and their books. But they're doing it a little differently, and you'll never know quite what to expect--as is usually the case with a good old fashioned roast.

Stop by to check things out on June 23, 2008 for the Grand Opening.