My 2012 in review

Hi everyone.  Well, I decided I should actually do a little bit of my 2012 in review because, well, all the cool kids are!

So, lets take a look at some of the things I had go on this both writing and not writing-wise

1. I continued to publish with some great publishers that I LOVE and I added one more to the bunch that I'd not been with before.

2. I moved across the country from New Jersey to Texas.  I miss New Jersey, NYC, and the people I left there. But,  I love Texas so far and the people here are amazing. 

3. I started a weight-loss program that I intend to keep up with in 2013

4. I read a ton of good books

5. I took my kids (and my husband) on a Nickelodeon Cruise. We had a great time. The kids still talk about wanting to go back all the time.

6. I tried to do a lot of things that scare me.  Even if they continue to scare me because I think thats what make me continue to move forward. By this, I mean fly, go to the doctor, and not rush from the room every time I see a spider. 

Plans for 2013

Who knows? I had no idea I'd be living in Texas now.  I hope to keep writing and see where things take me!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Make it a healthy and happy one. 

In my Mind's Eye

THe picture above is of the beach at The Buccaneer Hotel in St. Croix, which is an island in the USVI.  I love it there. We used to go every year when I was a little girl.  I can still picture that beach, that place when I close my eyes.

I guess you could say its my happy place.  For a long time, I've had a story brewing in my mind that would feature that place.  Oh, it'll be a long time until I can write it but its there.  In my Mind's Eye calling to me.  The perfect place.

Where is your perfect place? What do you picture in your Mind's Eye?

Why Can't I Just Finish This Book?

Have you ever had that happen with a book you're writing? Have you ever said to yourself, why can't I just finish this (insert expletive here) _____ book?

I didn't used to have this problem. I could plow out a book, edit it, submit it, and be on to the next one in the blink of an eye.  Why have I stopped being able to do it?

Well, because life became more complicated, my children's needs became more vast, and well I now have just about a million other things to distract me.

But I still really want to push out the stories with my hands shaking from the excitement of writing something really good. I don't want to have to start and stop.

So I'm going to have to readjust some things in my life and see what I can do.

If You Have A Story To Tell

How many people do you know who have written half a book? They get a great idea for a story and they sit down to write it. Over the course of several weeks they write when they feel like it, here and there, until they are about half-way done with the book.  Or until they come to a sticking place.  Then they stop writing.

They get distracted. Life gets complicated. Years pass and they still have not finished the book.  Even when they go to sit down and read the book they can't even recognize what they've written as their own.

They never finish the book. They are forever half way through the book that they never finish.

When people tell me they have an idea for a book I'm always thrilled. The world needs really good stories. And more of them. But I remind them that if they have a story to tell, a really good one, they are obligated to tell the story. They can't tell half of it. They have to sit down, regularly, until they've finished the story.

Because, really, who wants to read half a book?

To those of you doing NaNoWrimo, I salute you. I've never done it and I'm so impressed.  Finish your stories!

New Book Cover

My Post-Thanksgiving Brain

Hi everyone,

If you celebrated, did you have a nice Thanksgiving?

We did.  And I will admit that I am feeling a little bit blah this morning. No matter how much coffee I seem to ingest into my brain I can't seem to perk up. (Ha Ha, see how I used the word perk?)

Today will be filled with an eclectic grouping of activities that will involve a trip to the grocery store and dinner out with my parents and my brother and his girlfriend.  They all travelled down to be with us for the holidays and for that I feel truly lucky.

Maybe the brain slowness I'm enduring has something to do with the copious amounts of wine I ingested yesterday....Hmmmm

Hope you're all well.

RR

Happy Thanksgiving

From my family to yours...

If you're celebrating Thanksgiving I wish you a happy and healthy one. If you're not, I wish you a wonderful day doing whatever you are doing today!

Its been quite a year for me, a big cross country move took up most of my time but now we are settled and very happy here in Texas.  (Even if I still miss my friends and family a lot!)

I appreciate the letters you send me letting me know that you enjoy my writing. I'm grateful for every one.

Right now, I am working on 3 different projects.  The next in my YA series The Warrior, the last Westervelt book, and a story I'm writing for a multi-authored series that I've just started.

I'm a really lucky woman.

Hugs to all of you.


RR

Sorry its been so long since I blogged

But to make it up to you, I have a new pretty cover!

Before I was published

Before I was published, I used to be able to sit down and write for hours. Just write and write and write.  Oh sure, most of it was probably, if you'll excuse the word, crap.  I had an amazing critique group and they would take my work and show me how I could fix it. I learned so much and I would just type for hours. Broke a good lap-top typing so hard. The keyboard fell apart beneath my fingers. 

Now, I spend more time doing other 'writing' things than actually writing.  Promotion, which I know readers hear a lot about from authors, takes a lot of time. I don't mind it that much but every blog post I write is time spent not writing something new.  

My kids are older, which takes up more time, not less, since they need me in different ways and for different things.  

But my ability to go for hours at the keyboard has lessoned. I'm acutely aware of every word I write. If I don't like a sentence I don't keep going. I stop until its right. I can spend all day on one page.  I wondered today where the Rebecca I was on the keyboard had disappeared to.  I'm a better writer now, just not quite the producer I once was. 

That's okay. I'm going to stop here now and get back to doing it. I finished a chapter on my super secret project today.  Chapter two is calling my name. 

A Million Years

My middle son, out of the blue, asked me tonight if I could live to be a million years old so he and I (and then he quickly added Daddy too) could always be together.  I hugged him and told him a lie, which is that I will always be with him as long as he needs me.  It is the same story my own mother told me as a child and for which I got comfort during times when I worried about such things. And I worried a lot.  I had this idea that even though I knew and understood that no one could really know the time of their death, that she somehow did have some sort of foretold knowledge that she would be with me as long as I needed her and therefore would never leave, never die.  This had to hold true for my father as well because (and yes this is how my mind worked as a child and still does sometimes...) the fact that daddy lived in the house with us meant that a nuclear bomb could never go off in NYC when I was sleeping. He just seemed that tough. (We lived very close to NYC...)

My father's amazing ability to stop nuclear bombs and my mother's future telling abilities aside, I had to look away from my son tonight when he'd moved on from his questions because my eyes were filled with tears. I remembered what that felt like.  This tremendous wish that my parents should never leave me, should never die and leave me alone until I demanded of them a promise that I, now as an adult, know they could not truly make.  And yet they did and it helped me.  Sometimes, I still want to ask my mother never to die but as a grown-up mother of 3 I leave the question buried deep inside where it can haunt only me.

Because I know, having lost my father-in-law a little over a year ago, that we are all very very mortal.  And I wish I could make that promise to my middle guy--who is so tough on the outside and so soft in his core and the only one of my three children to ever ask me such a thing--that I will never leave him.  Because I want that, too. A million years. And always together.

Right now, I'm working on 3 different projects. One is super secret and I can't discuss it yet. But the other is a Warrior novel and I have to say I'm very pleased with it.  The third? I'm actually trying my hand at screen writing. Don't get too excited, I've only written 3 pages. I may throw the whole thing out.

I hope all is well with you and I promise to blog more now that I'm settled.

New Cover--New Series

More information soon...

Things I Regret

I've been thinking a lot lately about life. I think it comes with the amount of change I've been through, and still going through, regarding the move we've make.

But, its made me sort of pensive and, yes, I'll admit it, somewhat unavailable to my friends and family who want to speak to me or reach out to me.  I love all of them and their phone calls and e-mails force me to get my head out from under the covers and continue to stay connected to the world.

I digress.

I wanted to write about the things that I regret so I think I'll go ahead and do that. I know there are people who never regret anything they've done in their lives. They think every step led to another step and got them to where they are.  I don't live that way. I have deep regrets that carry with me like a backpack I will forever bring with me through the halls of my life.

1. I regret friendships that have either faded away or ended in an explosive fire.  I recently heard that a woman I had once been close with moved to Hong Kong with her family. We had not been speaking for a little over a year.  She'd done some things I could not support and ultimately driven me away from our friendship. When it had ended, I missed her acutely. We'd had lunch every week.  There were a lot of things that I admired about her.  I still feel the loss of her in my life.  I'll never forget that she had us over for dinner the night after we got back from my father-in-law's funeral.  I know that when things went askew they really went and there was no correcting it.  But, I regret that loss. I regret that there was nothing I could do to save it.

2. I regret that I didn't appreciate school more when I was in it.  Even graduate school. It always felt like it was just something I wanted to get through to get to the next spot. I think I didn't understand what a luxury it truly was to be able to learn with nothing else for me to do.

3. I regret all the times I haven't been the best mother I could be.  'Nuff said.

4.  I regret all the times I haven't been the best wife, daughter, sister, friend.

5. I regret missed opportunities and chances not taken.

What about all of you? Do you have regrets?

Books As Old Friends.

When I need distraction I tend to return to books that I know I've lost myself in before, rather than trying to find myself lost in a new story.  Too often, I start and stop ten new books before I find that place where I can be in another world for a while.

That would be, most likely, why I have reread all of Nalini Singh's Psy/Changeling books five times.  This last week, I returned to earlier books by Lora Leigh.  Specifically, Tanner's Scheme and Bengal's Heart.  I think I most enjoy her books where the heroine, or hero, gets into some kind of trouble towards the end and it brings the other mate into the realization that they'd really better shape up emotionally because life is short and they could lose their other half.

Maybe I'm just a sap that way.

My mother used to call certain books, for her the tales of Jane Austen, old friends.  If something terrible happened in the world, she could go visit her old friend for a while and feel better.

Do you have any old friends that you like to visit?

From NJ to Texas and a million tons of stuff to get done

So, I've moved! If you've been following me, then you know by now that I've been preparing for several months now to move my family from New Jersey to Texas.  Well, it's officially completed.

But, as most of you know if you've moved, things don't stop with the move.  They barely get started. And now I have to finish setting up our life in Texas. Maybe there will come a day when all the things I need to get done are actually done.

What do you think?

Lethal Beauty--Sara Brookes

Hey there! I’m Sara Brookes and I’m here to celebrate the release of my latest erotic romance, Lethal Beauty. It’s the latest installment in Decadent Publishing’s very special Elatia line. If you’re looking for fast-paced action with high stakes and one heck of a love story about two people who can’t escape one another, this is definitely the book for you.

Stop by my site (www.sarabrookes.com) before Friday, August 3^rd for a chance to win a $15.00 Starbucks gift certificate as I share some coffee love!

Decadent Publishing Buy Link: http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=596&osCsid=4496laki9fus2ovfcbgk9cutq0

As a covert operative in Elatia’s elite military, Sway Waybourne is used to fending for herself. But a powerful uprising means she’s now responsible for guarding the leader of a neighboring planet. Within seconds of meeting Dason Cavaletti, sparks fly and Sway realizes she’s gotten more than she bargained for.

Dason is curious about the arousal taking over his mind, body, and soul. When he can no longer stand the overwhelming desire, he confronts Sway. But the disturbing news she delivers isn’t at all what he expected. Mating with the gorgeous woman could kill him….

WARNING: Sarcasm galore from a fiery heroine who can take care of herself thank-you-very-much. She won’t take anyone’s guff—even from the leader of the free universe no matter how handsome he is. A unique genetic quirk leads to inventive foreplay, one blazing hot hands-on session in the bathtub and a gender bending encounter that signals this ain’t your father’s Star Trek. No redshirts were harmed while writing this novel.

~*~

“This is…quite the situation.”
She blew out a breath as she slumped onto the far side of the mattress. “You can say that again.”
Sensing her frustration—which matched his own—he reached over and clamped his hand around her ankle. She didn’t fight as he dragged her across the bed and into his arms. “It’s not as if it’s the end of the world.”
“No. It’s just…I’m used to being able to handle any situation.”
“And you don’t know how to handle this.”
“Not really.”
“I’m sure we can come up with ideas. In fact, I’m thinking of one right now.”
“You’re going to be the death of me.”
“Way I understand, it’s the other way around.” Her laughter rang out in the room, shattering the tension. He pulled her closer, content and sated for the moment. “You’re a remarkable woman. Strong, determined, not to mention sexy as sin.”
She squirmed against him and he took it as a signal she wasn’t used to hearing such things said about her. Her reaction made him decide to shower her with attention while they were trapped together.
He was both amused and terrified by her reactions. Her extraordinary skill set was evident and he found her tenacity admirable. She possessed a vulnerability, though she clearly did her best to hide that aspect of her personality. By his guess, she thought it would show a weakness if she let others know about any flaw in her perfection. A good covert operative couldn’t have any visible flaws. Otherwise, they weren’t very good at their job.
By the looks of things so far, she was very, very good at her job.
And, for reasons he didn’t completely understand, he had begun to fall in love with her.

~*~

Sara Brookes has always been fascinated by the strange, the unusual, the twisted and the lost (tortured heroes are her personal favorite). She is an action movie junkie, addicted to coffee and has been known to stay up until the wee hours of the morning playing RPG video games. Despite all this, she is a romantic at heart and is always a sucker for an excellent love story. Born and bred in Virginia, Sara still lives there with her husband and daughter. The entire family is owned by two cats, Galahad and Loki, who graciously allow the family to cater to their every desire.

Subversive Has Released~

Subversive, the third book in my Young Adult series The Warrior has released. Check it out here.

Paging Doctor Wolf has Released!

So excited to announce that Paging Doctor Wolf has released.  Its available wherever e-books are sold!


Best
Rebecca

Subversive...coming July 20

Submission Call From Liquid Silver Books

I Need a Hero When you think of classic romance, what stories stick in your mind? What do all the best-loved stories have in common? We think that special something is a Hero. Liquid Silver Books is looking for stories that feature Heroes. Whether these Heroes are on the nightly news, or unnoticed, or hidden as they go about their work, they all deserve that one person who’s not only their perfect partner, but who also brings them a very special “happily ever after.” These stories’ protagonists must be strong and capable, but should not be perfect – they should feel real, complex, with normal faults and problems, and they should learn important lessons about themselves as they fight to overcome the odds. There can be strong secondary characters, but the building relationship between the protagonists while they battle an intense and gripping conflict or villain must be the main thrust of the story. Heroes stories can fall within any heat level, fitting our Platinum, Sterling, Liquid, or Molten guidelines - see www.liquidsilverbooks.com/guidelines.htm for more information on our heat levels. But they are romance stories, not erotica - there must be a strong and compelling story linking everything together, not a series of sex scenes. They must be 15K or longer, and can take place in any setting, from small town America to the vast light years of outer space. They can include paranormal elements, such as shifters or alternate worlds, but the underlying Heroes theme must ring true. Do you have a larger-than-life Hero fighting against all odds in your latest manuscript? If so, we want to see it. We think strong ethics and leadership are in greater need today than ever, and we want to tell stories that showcase these qualities and entice our readers to add new books to their list of favorites. If you have any questions, drop me an email - Georgia at liquidsilverbooks.com . Oh, and feel free to distribute to your favorite author-ly gathering places. __________________

Moving

So. my house has been on the market for a little over a week now.  For Sale.  I hate it.  First of all, I have a certain amount of anxiety about making this move. I'm excited about it. Really excited. But, I'm comfortable here. I have friends and a routine. The children have doctors that I already trust.  I know all of these are not unsurmountable issues.  I'll work it all out. And all of the reasons to move are so wonderful that I really am excited to do so.

But the walking through my current house. And what the buyers think and want...its frustrating to me in a way that it shouldn't be.

You see I spent a lot of time working on this house. Getting it to where it is now and hearing that someone doesn't like something about it?  Its hard.  I have to get my kids and my dogs out every time a buyer wants to take a look.

I realize I'm whining.  Forgive me.  Soon this will all be behind me and, I know, it will all be worth it.  But in the mean time,  it turns out I'm not that good at selling a house.

Six Sentence Sunday

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Here are my 6 for this week...

“Alright, Joe. What do we have in common?” 

Now his cheeks burned. Maybe because her violet eyes seemed to pierce right into his soul, or perhaps it had been a really long time since he’d had sex, but Kaylee Post turned him on. In a major way. 

“Well, um…” 

Believe In Me

Believe In Me is releasing June 5th!!

Print Books

Back when I first started writing, in 2009, a lot of people used to ask me for my books in print. At first, I didn't have any and a lot of readers found that very weird. I don't know that its as strange now. I think that because of Kindle, Nook, and IPAD readers, a lot of people get digital publishing.

But, it is really exciting for me to have a book come out in print, even if sales of print books, for me, tend to be much lower.

So, I thought I'd let you know which books of mine are in print.  They are listed below.

Her Wolf
Summer's Wolf
Wolf Reborn (with Wolf's Valentine in the back of the book)

Eye Contact
Embraced

Initiation
Driven

Banging the Superhero

Love Beyond Time
Love Beyond Sanity
Love Beyond Loyalty
Love Beyond Sight

Holiday Anthology--I'll Be Mated For Christmas

If you're looking for print books of mine, these are the ones that are out there.

Interview with Natalie G. Owens

Hi Natalie, so glad to have you here today. 

Can you tell me about Something to Live For? 

Something to Live for is the first book in my Moonlight Dating Series. It’s the story of two people who find uncommon ground in the most unlikely of situations. It’s also explores the element of healing and overcoming trauma through physical intimacy. It’s short, emotional, sweet and hot, and ultimately, it’s a ‘feel good’ type of story :).

Here’s the blurb:

Fifteen years ago, one fateful day bound the lives of two perfect strangers…

Melita Saari-Quinn is living the consequences of a traumatizing psychic event that turned her adolescence upside down. Now, disillusioned with her job as a psychotherapist and desiring a change from her lackluster existence, she hopes that something out of her  ordinary sphere of existence - something totally uninhibited and spontaneous - will renew her zest for life.

Alex Moncado seems to have it all – good looks, a successful business, and a fun life in “party central” of the Mediterranean: the island of Malta. Except for one day in the year when he can’t help but remember a tragedy that never should have been. One day he’d rather forget, because if he doesn’t, the guilt will consume him.

Can one passionate night together banish the ghosts of the past and give two lost souls a second chance? 


Only Fate can tell…

You can read an excerpt here: http://www.nataliegowens.com/p/something-to-live-for.html

I'm so interested in the fact that the heroine has lived through a psychic event.  Can you give us a hint about what that is?

If I do, I’d have to shoot you :). All I can say is that it’s a psychic event that caused the heroine lasting physical and emotional trauma. There was also the added obstacle that she couldn’t open her heart with anyone about it for fear that people would think her mad.

What drew you to the Paranormal? 

I think there’s always a fascination with things that cannot be fully explained, especially things that link us to the possibility of a different world, such as an afterlife. I think that exploring these worlds may also give us the hope of thinking that life is not only about what we see – there are hidden dimensions waiting to be explored, however incredible they may seem to the human mind.

Is our hero actually reliving the day? Or just in his mind? Is there a difference in this world?

I think that both experience and perception play a part in everything we do and feel. There are the actual facts – the tragedy that affected the hero in great measure. Then, there is the idea of what occurred – the picture the hero built in his mind about the what, how, and why everything happened.

I noticed you capitalized the word Fate? Not an accident right?

Fate is capitalized because sometimes in life things happen that are beyond our grasp or understanding. In these circumstances fate becomes Fate – a consummate protagonist, a puppet master that forges paths for our lives to take. Fate with the upper case “F” cannot be ignored or silenced. It sneaks up on us and calls the shots :).

What made you want to be a writer?

I have always had a love of books. Words on a page are not just words to me – they are little messages that make my heart pump faster and dance to a different tune, depending on what I’m reading. I’ve always felt this way. When I was in my teens, I started writing stories, articles and poetry that got published and won a few awards. At that time, writing was part of a healing process for me. I always say that writing is one love affair that never waned – it flame burns strong in me and always will. I do it, quite simply, because it makes me happy.

What are you working on now?

Actually, I’m working on several projects, two of which are immediate.

The first - I’m working on polishing up and doing some rewrites on my novel, AN ETERNITY OF ROSES, that I hope will be released by end of year. It is a paranormal/fantasy romance involving immortals, witches and curses and in essence, is the tale of star-crossed lovers who are separated by an evil witch's curse (Think Romeo and Juliet meets Snow White meets Highlander). This story features a strong heroine who fights impossible odds to get back the man she loves - and most of all, to make him remember her! Because the curse has wiped out all memory of her in the hero's mind, except in the mysterious world of his dreams... 

Again, I used several different locations in this novel, although it starts and ends in England.

When thinking up An Eternity of Roses, I asked myself: what great love wants to be forgotten? I also weave in how the main characters' destiny also lies as part of a group of immortals called the Valthreans. (I posted the Valtrean legend on my site at http://www.nataliegowens.com/p/works-in-progress.html). But all is not well in the Valthrean world... danger lurks around every corner. This book will be the first in a series titled The Valthrean Legacy.

The second project is a fantasy series I’m planning to write and release with my bestie, the amazingly talented Zee Monodee.  I’m super excited about this and can’t wait to share more about it! Stay tuned!

Where can we find you and your books?

Here’s my website URL: www.nataliegowens.com

I also love to connect with people on:

Facebook profile page: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=563297082
Facebook author page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Natalie-G-Owens-Author/24911987111)
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/natalie_g_owens
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4527498-natalie-g-owens 

You can download Something to Live for from Amazon at:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007RWCK0W (US)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007RWCK0W (UK)

Thanks so much for coming!! 

Shifters and Bikers--The Edge

Take a Look....

Managing My Expectations

This is a picture of me with two of my children. We took it in Florida when I last visited my parents there.  My third son had awoken from a nap and was feeling really cranky. He wouldn't get in the shot so he's not there with us.  But he's cute and kind of a smaller version of his brothers.

There has been a lot going on in my life recently.  A ton, actually.  And its nice for me to look back at that picture and remember a quieter, peaceful time.  Funny to think it was only a month ago and it already feels so far away from where I am now.

If you haven't heard from somewhere on Social Media or my shouting it from the roof, my family has decided, for a number of reasons, to make a large move in the next three months.  We're going from our home in New Jersey to a new home in Austin, Texas.  For my husband, who lived in Austin for a while, this is really exciting.  I've visited Austin four times now.  Its beautiful and I love it there.  And I am terrified. And excited. And terrified.  And excited.  You get the gist.

I have to find a way to manage my expectations. I have to find a way be fine with the large variance of emotions that I am experiencing on a day-to-day basis.  I have to give myself a break and tell myself its okay if my word counts are down on because I am so stressed.  I need to sell my house up here. I need to find another one. I need to....

But I don't know if I'm really built for managing expectations. I tend to be a person who feels things very acutely and out loud.

Except these days I am the mother of 3 little boys.  That means I never let them see me sweat (or as little as possible.)

So I'll just share with all of you.  How does that sound??

Six Sentence Sunday

This is from the first book in my YA series The Warrior.

I knew that sound. It was him. The wolf that had grabbed me in the Outpost and dragged me outside into the wicked sun. The event rushed back into my throbbing head, and I wished I could fall back into blissful unconsciousness. I was trapped with Werewolves, and I had no idea what they wanted with me. 

I really, really wanted to go home. 

Six Sentence Sunday

No, she couldn't work here and think of him as a man. He was a Superhero and, by definition, not just a man. He was incredible, gifted, kind, fantastic, and so high above the realm of normal human females, he was safe for her to think about, occasionally. He was Draco Powers. 

"When was the last time you saw your doctor?" 

He smiled, the right half of his mouth tilting upward in an amused smirk. 

New Cover

No Six Sunday for me this week but I wanted to share my new cover! So excited. I LOVE it.  For those of you who read I'll Be Mated For Christmas, this is Jack's story, Bethany's younger brother.

Best
Rebecca

Out of Place Mate Released!

Sean Quaid’s brothers don’t think he is very shifter-friendly. He certainly does not seem happy that they have both married and haven’t been showing up to work. Victoria Bensen wants nothing more than to cool him down and get him to stop making such a scene at Gunther’s Bar. When she drags him to the staging room at the back of the bar, she doesn’t know that it will be Sean bringing down her barriers, not the other way around. Genre: Paranormal romance, contemporary, shapeshifters, erotic romance Heat level: 5 Word count – 3k Cover art by Fiona Jayde ~Excerpt~ “What do you mean you both got married? To women I’ve never met? Did it even occur to you that these women could have targeted you for your wallets?” The man wearing a too-elegant-for-a-bar tuxedo slammed his fist down on the table in front of Stark and Scott Quaid. His brothers. Victoria Bensen took another swig of her dark lager as she sniffed the room one more time. There could be no question—the newcomer in Gunther’s biker bar dressed like he’d just come from the opera—smelled like the third Quaid brother. Only better than the other two combined. His scent suggested he’d spent time in the Middle East, or at least that had been what she’d scented all the time when she’d lived there for a year. His body radiated sandalwood, always her favorite. Her panties got wet as she took more of his essence into her veins. He didn’t look bad either. Taller than the other two by at least several inches, his dark brown hair contrasted with sharp blue eyes. His long face had a five o’clock shadow that stood out against his neat appearance. The facial hair told her he had hidden depths past the boring tux. If he truly behaved like the neat, organized person he portrayed to the world, he’d have taken the time to shave, no matter what. Yvette, recently mated to one of Sean’s brothers, walked up to Victoria, holding her drink tray. She’d be leaving to travel with her new husband shortly, and Gunther had dragged Victoria, kicking and screaming, to take over her job until he could find a permanent replacement for the other woman. This would be their only night working together before Yvette left. “Don’t get too interested in that one. He’s the third brother. Not as open-minded as his younger siblings. Stark says he’s a real hard ass and not necessarily shifter-friendly. He doesn’t even ride.” Victoria raised her eyebrows. She didn’t know which part of that story Yvette objected to the most, the fact that he could be an anti-shifter, or that he didn’t ride a motorcycle. As for the hard ass part, Victoria could agree with that part. He did, indeed, possess a tight derriere. She wanted to squeeze it. “Thanks for the warning.”

Missing All The Fun!

Hey all my friends who went to RT12, I want to see pictures!!

Rebecca

Six Sentence Sunday

There it was, in all its bright, gold glory. Sprinkled with purple and blue. He hadn’t seen its like since Dorika left the world. Tears sprang to his eyes. The woman who held Dorika’s soul stared at him with wide eyes. “Are you okay?”

Rebirth has released!

Carly Penn is thrilled when her older brother, Joe, marries her dear friend, Kaylee, with the help of the 1Night Stand service. Now, looking for a final bout of passion to carry her through as terminal cancer steals her life, she’s turned to Madame Eve for herself. She doesn’t expect a happy ending, just a single night to remember as she faces the end of her days. Vampire Agoston Barabás was forced to watch his true love, Dorika, murdered two hundred earlier, and clings to her dying promise to return to him. He takes one night at a time, never loving or becoming involved with another as he waits for his lover to find him. When he meets his date from 1Night Stand, he’s shocked to discover she carries the soul of his Dorika and the heart of a woman he could love. As their fates collide in passionate lovemaking, Agoston offers Carly an unexpected option—live or die together. Dare she risk eternity with a vampire, even if his tender touch brings her a greater joy than she has ever known? Genre: Paranormal romance, vampires, erotic romance Heat level: 4 Word count – 9k Cover art by LFD Designs ~Excerpt~ His date hadn’t arrived on time. He sighed. No matter. He could go out and obtain a woman for the night if she truly stood him up, and Madame Eve most assuredly would refund his money. She ran a reputable business that had many positive reviews on the Internet. The door to the hotel room opened softly, and he turned to regard the female standing there. She smelled clean and sweet, like she’d recently showered with unscented soap. He preferred women to smell just as they were. Already, he thought highly of his unnamed date. Stepping forward, he bent his head to nod. A pretty girl—she stood about five-foot-five—with nearly black hair and dark brown eyes. Her skin tone appeared to be tinged with olive. Someone in her background had been Mediterranean. Curvaceous as a woman should be, she approached him with her head held high, confidence in her every step. He took her hand and bent over to kiss it, surprised by the little gasp she released. Her reaction told him she did not spend much time with old-fashioned men. Opening his eyes to the power he’d been given when he’d been made a vampire, he examined the woman’s soul. Humans didn’t realize that a light force surrounded their bodies—oh, some called them auras—but in reality, what he saw was a touch of their soul in that light. Everyone had one, even him, which was how he knew that although he no longer lived as a human, he still existed in the light of divine. He’d seen Dorika’s just once before she’d died. They’d had one night together before the vampire who’d changed him had taken her life in an episode so violent he’d never seen the like since—and he’d seen a lot of horror. With her last gasp of air, she’d whispered to him that she would be reborn. Now, in her honor, he checked the soul of every woman he came in contact with. That had proven to be a lot of people and not one of them Dorika. He checked his date’s so-called aura, expecting to glance quickly and get on with the night, when the air suddenly disappeared out of the room. There it was, in all its bright, gold glory. Sprinkled with purple and blue. He hadn’t seen its like since Dorika left the world. Tears sprang to his eyes. The woman who held Dorika’s soul stared at him with wide eyes. “Are you okay?” The sounds of New York City tinged her low, husky voice. “Yes.” He swallowed. “You’re here.”

Co-Writing by April Fifer and Danielle Hylton-Outland

Please help me welcome April Fifer and Danielle Hylton-Outland who have written a fascinating blog today on Co-Writing. I think a lot of people out there in the writing world will find this really interesting! (And Readers too)

Co-writing

We get a lot of questions about co-writing. How does the process work? Do we fight with one another? Who writes what? Hopefully today we can answer some of those questions. April and I simply work great together. I honestly think that it takes a certain type of personality to be able to co-write. We have very mellow personalities; we don’t sweat the small stuff. If we don’t agree on something 100%, then we do not move forward with the story until we do agree. We have never had any major fights, ever. When writing we of course plot chapter by chapter. We split the chapters up by calling out whichever chapter sounds most appealing to the person. Then each of us write the chapters, then swap and put our personal touch in them. We always love what the other writes but if we don’t then we talk about how we could change it to where we both love it. Then there are always final edits were we put our final thoughts in. Co-writing is definitely a give/receive type of relationship. You must love that partner as family because when writing a book with one another you pretty much birthed a child together. We can honestly say it is a lifetime friendship.

Blurb

Azaleigh's life is simple until, by chance, she meets Kale. Charming and handsome, Az is immediately drawn to him. But long kept secrets lurk in the hearts of those Az holds most dear, and dangerous plans are unfolding around her. As her life begins to crumble and Kale disappears, Gage, charismatic and striking, arrives, providing a calm port in an increasingly violent storm. But with every narrow escape from a far from human bounty hunter who's after her life, Az begins to unravel a secret with the power to change her forever. In an increasingly hostile world of Angel and Fallen, Azaleigh must navigate her own path, chose her own side, and ultimately protect her heart. Faced with two gorgeous men, an enemy she doesn’t know, and a future she cannot understand, Az must make a choice—the man she loves, or the man she cannot live without.

Author Bio’s

Danielle Hylton-Outland was raised in Virginia. She grew up having a huge appetite for daydreaming; always wanting to live in the spectacular worlds she created in her mind. She now lives with her husband and dog where she is pursuing a degree in literature. Danielle is a strong animal activist. She is currently co-writing the second book in the Flesh Series, "Flesh and Flames".

April Fifer grew up in a small town in Virginia, where it was common practice believing that dreams could only be found in stories. At the age of seven she was diagnosed with dyslexia. She was told that she would struggle through life and would never pick up a book to read for pleasure. Although school was hard, she was able to find her way with the help of two teachers who taught her self-discovery. Ignoring what she was taught growing up, she turned it around and found that your dreams could become stories.

Contact information:

http://www.fiferhylton.com/

https://twitter.com/#!/FiferHylton

http://fiferhylton.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Flesh-and-Feathers/149542115115597

Available for purchase

Silver Publishing https://spsilverpublishing.com/product_book_info/coming-soon-c-2/flesh-and-feathers-ebook-p-781

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Flesh-Feathers-The-Series-ebook/dp/B007RX0ACG/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1333935676&sr=1-1

Book Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Os6HvdUibrc

Six Sentence Sunday

He wanted her. “You’re going to be a problem. Aren’t you?” Her accent sounded British, but not upper crust and stuffy. No, the little woman spoke like she’d stepped right out the back alleys of London and had no problem with that whatsoever. Her eyes dared him to argue.

Mate By The Music Has Released!

You can buy it here.

A mission to find his brother sends Scott Quaid to Gunther’s Bar, but a storm has emptied the place of everyone except a beautiful shifter hot enough to dry his damp leathers. Nancy Elwood has faced the worst of humans and shifters alike and has no intention of ever letting her guard down again, until a handsome biker sweeps in with the rain.

As background music throbs around them, a different type of vibration urges two strong souls to mate with animalistic passion. Genre: Contemporary, shapeshifters, paranormal, erotic romance Heat level: 5 Word count – 3500 Cover art by Fiona Jayde

Excerpt contains graphic content~ Holy Shit. He wanted her. “You’re going to be a problem. Aren’t you?” Her accent sounded British, but not upper crust and stuffy. No, the little woman spoke like she’d stepped right out the back alleys of London and had no problem with that whatsoever. Her eyes dared him to argue. He didn’t intend to. “I’m searching for my brother.” She gazed right and left. “Doesn’t seem to be here. Sorry.” Scott rolled his eyes. “Obviously.” “I’m Nancy Elwood.” She stepped out from behind the bar. “Nancy.” He didn’t know why he felt the need to repeat her name. Maybe because, for some weird reason, it felt good on his tongue. Like her pussy would. He blinked at the thought. Wow. How long has it been since I’ve gone to bed with a woman? Weeks earlier. Not fabulous either. But not long enough to warrant such juvenile inner dialogue. “I’m Scott Quaid.” The bartender walked past him to an old-fashioned jukebox. She studied it for a moment, giving him a glance of her fine ass. After a second, she tuned it to a song he didn’t recognize. Something country-western, but with a club beat. He hadn’t known such music existed. I need to get out more. She approached until she stood directly below him. With his six feet of height, she stared up from a long way down. After a quick raise of her eyebrow, she grinned. “You’re tall. Are you big everywhere?” “Are you small everywhere? I like to explore tiny places.” All right. That seemed pretty fucking random. She licked her lips and threw her apron on the ground. His mouth dried again. “I’m trying to find my brother. He’s missing. Hasn’t turned up for work in a week. The last night I spoke to him, he planned on going here.” “Maybe he took a vacation. I hear it’s good for the soul.”

Six Sentence Sunday

Here are 6 Sentences from Darkest Wolf, the seventh book in the Westervelt Wolves series.

Fate has chosen and she is perfect. In another second his inner-canine might start growling at him. Rex couldn’t remember the last time he and his other half had been so at odds with one another. It had been decades at least.

He sighed. She’s a witch.

Darkest Wolf Has Released!

Darkest Wolf has released. You can find it here.

Rex Kane has always known he was different than his brothers, down to the fact that when he shifts into his wolf form, his coat is completely black. Always in trouble, he is given one more chance by his brother Tristan, the alpha of the Westervelt pack, to bring back to their island a witch who can stop some of the magical assault that has plagued their war-torn home. Rex knows he has one last chance to set things right. Everything depends on him and he cannot fail.

Elizabeth Willow has been cursed to look so repulsive no human eyes can bear to view her. Raised in a gentle coven of witches, she is ill prepared for the realities of the harsh world she now lives in.

Raised to mistrust wolf-shifters as witch-killers, she cannot seem to help being drawn to Rex. Even if she doesn't believe she is his so-called mate. He can see her as she really is and is the first person to look her in the eyes in years. Although she is not naturally devious, she sees no choice but to use Rex to gain her own freedom and her family’s safety.

Together, Rex and Elizabeth will see just how evil the people around them can be. If they can trust their hearts, perhaps they will survive another night. If not, both of their battles will never be won.