tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367043302024-02-08T09:26:31.095-06:00Blog BitesGET BITTEN!Ann Loryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487429252659919567noreply@blogger.comBlogger245125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36704330.post-68258150558034702912012-04-12T10:21:00.000-05:002012-04-12T10:21:50.869-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CQXkvTbXk8I/T4byWRVXo8I/AAAAAAAAArk/fByzU0gxPXs/s1600/EternalSurrender_500x750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" qda="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CQXkvTbXk8I/T4byWRVXo8I/AAAAAAAAArk/fByzU0gxPXs/s320/EternalSurrender_500x750.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">OUT NOW!</span></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><em><span style="font-size: x-large;">ETERNAL SURRENDER</span></em></strong><br />
<br />
<a href="http://champagnebooks.com/shop/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=569" target="_blank">Champagne Books</a><br />
<a href="http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-eternalsurrender-770265-139.html" target="_blank">All Romance Ebooks</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Eternal-Surrender-series-ebook/dp/B007QXWCLO/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1334243712&sr=8-4" target="_blank">Amazon - Kindle </a><br />
<br />
<br />
Although she stood several feet away from him, she noted the stranger’s fitted black T-shirt, which revealed sinewy muscle, and snug leather pants that emphasized a lean waist and long, brawny legs. His frame towered in front of her so she had to crane her neck to look up at him. His raven-black hair touched the tops of his shoulders, strands pushed behind his ears, but a single dark lock lay along his striking face. He was the most handsome man she had ever seen. His nose was long and straight as an arrow, centered between high, smooth cheekbones, and he had a wide slash for a mouth…which was curled now in a vicious grin, baring gleaming white fangs for her view. For a second, she looked into his eyes. Pitch-black orbs,<br />
cold as death, stared back at her and attempted to seize her mind, to pull her into their swirling depths. She immediately averted her gaze.<br />
<br />
Summoning her best malicious smile, Alyssa readied her body to strike. “Why, the pleasure is all mine.” Before her words ended, she flipped into the air, kicking and spinning at the same time—and connected across his shoulder with a wicked slash of the stake. She landed before him in a crouch.<br />
The smell of burned flesh filled the air.<br />
<br />
In a flash, she struck out with her weapon again, intent on ending his life, but<br />
he brought his hands up. Without touching her, he somehow sent her body<br />
hurtling through the air. She tried to scream, but the breath was knocked<br />
from her body when she crashed against a dumpster and fell hard to the <br />
ground. The stake slipped from her fingers and rolled away down the slight<br />
<br />
incline in the pavement. Groaning at the impacts from the dumpster and<br />
ground, Alyssa looked up to see the vampire approach her and rose warily to<br />
her feet.<br />
<br />
Her eyes narrowed at the trickle of blood staining his black shirt; she snarled<br />
at him, pleased at the sight of the bubbling, searing wound she’d scored.<br />
“You bleed just as humans do. Vampire.” She couldn’t help but taunt him,<br />
feeling a victorious satisfaction, although her hands were now bare.<br />
<br />
Touching his fingers to the wound, he looked at her, his eyes beginning to<br />
glow. She moved sideways along the wall while he smiled and brought the<br />
long digits to his lips, licking the dark liquid from their tips. She sneered in<br />
disgust.<br />
“I imagine yours tastes much sweeter.” His voice was a seductive murmur,<br />
<br />
sending chills down her spine.<br />
<br />
Enraged, Alyssa lunged toward him. Her fist shot into his jaw, whipping his<br />
head to the side. She lashed out her foot and hit his chest, slamming his body<br />
into the wall behind him. Before she could follow up on her surprising<br />
success and tear him to pieces, his hand snaked out, grabbed her wrist,<br />
twisted her body around, and yanked her to him. Her back was now pressed<br />
against his chest, his arms wrapped around her, binding her in the iron cage<br />
of his arms.<br />
<br />
She fought his hold with everything she had, but he laughed. At that, Alyssa<br />
stopped struggling, held her head high. If this were to be it, she wouldn’t go<br />
down like a coward. Refused to. She’d make her family proud!<br />
<br />
Lowering his head toward her, Damian whispered against her ear. “You’ve<br />
killed too many of D’Angel’s offspring, thus, you’ve ended your own life.”<br />
He held her tightly against him for a moment before continuing. “Did you<br />
not know when you began this murderous spree, you would die?” He kissed<br />
her earlobe, pulled it into his mouth with a slight suction. She trembled as<br />
waves of warmth rushed through her at the rasp of his breath, the deep<br />
baritone of his voice, and yet, chills raced up her spine at his softly spoken<br />
words. “How is it you found out about vampire kind? Watch too much Buffy<br />
and Angel?” His mouth moved below, and pure fire sizzled along her flesh<br />
as his tongue caressed its way to her rapidly beating pulse.<br />
Alyssa was mortified that her body reacted this way, betraying her every <br />
<br />
instinct. Her mind screamed at him to stop, but she seemed to melt against<br />
his hard, sinewy length.<br />
<br />
“Your death does not bring me joy, but I must do it just the same.”<br />
<br />
Her eyes closed and she gave a small cry; her body jerked in his embrace as<br />
his fangs pierced her flesh. White heat seared her, then, shockingly, she<br />
surrendered to him, despite the warnings clamoring in the back of her head.<br />
<br />
She moaned as pleasure swept her away, drowning her in waves of foreign<br />
sensations. His lips were unexpectedly gentle as they caressed and suckled at<br />
her flesh. Alyssa wanted him to take her, to give her what seemed just out of<br />
reach. The needy intensity grew in the pit of her stomach, and her breasts<br />
tingled as though they might burst into flames at any moment. Instead, the<br />
ache traveled south, settled between her legs, throbbing, begging for release.<br />
<br />
It felt as if she’d been waiting her whole life for his touch.<br />
<br />
<strong>Want to read the first three chapters? Visit my website at:</strong> <a href="http://annlory.com/Eternal_Surrender.html" target="_blank">ETERNAL SURRENDER</a>Ann Loryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487429252659919567noreply@blogger.com184tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36704330.post-22965538943247054562012-03-19T09:24:00.000-05:002012-03-19T09:24:40.951-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rL3bVjKePQM/T2dBTj1pFZI/AAAAAAAAArU/_TdxQEbzwNI/s1600/ForeverKindOfGuy72sm.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rL3bVjKePQM/T2dBTj1pFZI/AAAAAAAAArU/_TdxQEbzwNI/s400/ForeverKindOfGuy72sm.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">In the Author Spotlight & Contest</span></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: x-large;"><em>BARBARA MEYERS</em></span></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: purple;">CONTEST: Barbara<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> will give away an eBook version of her most recent book with Samhain Publishing, <em>A Forever Kind of Guy</em>. (The second in The Braddock Brotherhood series.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Winner will be drawn from all readers who post a comment in the following week.</span></span></strong><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><strong>AL: Hi Barbara! Welcome to Blog Bites.</strong></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Barbara: Thanks for inviting me, Ann. It’s fun to be here.</span><br />
<br />
<strong>AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you. </strong><br />
<br />
Barbara: I stay busy working as a shift supervisor at Starbucks and keeping up with family and friends. I have two grown children, a long-time husband and a black lab mix named Pepper. My daughter got married recently which was a wonderful, fun-filled event. I like to bicycle, walk the beach, and read. I’ve also begun a fledgling career as a song lyricist. <br />
<br />
<strong>AL: Tell us about a current or upcoming release. </strong><br />
<br />
Barbara: I independently published a book called Scattered Moments which straddles the line between womens’ fiction and romantic suspense. Didn’t seem to fit any publisher’s guidelines, but readers love it.<br />
<br />
<strong>AL: What other stories are you deep into?</strong><br />
<br />
Barbara: The third in The Braddock Brotherhood series, on which I’m currently doing editor-suggested revisions; The second in the Grinding Reality contemporary fantasy series written under my pen name, AJ Tillock. (The first one is The Forbidden Bean. They’re loosely based on my work experience for a large coffee company.) Another womens’ fiction/romance entitled mis•con•ceive, which I will probably publish independently later this year.<br />
<br />
<strong>AL: What was the defining moment when you realized you wanted to be a writer?</strong><br />
<br />
Barbara: Many years ago after reading a poorly written romance novel, I threw it across the room when I finished it and declared, “I can write better than that!”<br />
<br />
<strong>AL: Do you have a mentor or critique partner that you work with consistently?</strong><br />
<br />
Barbara: I have a wonderful reader who was a fan of my first Samhain book, A Month From Miami. She won my first “Be A Character In My Next Book Contest” and later we became Facebook friends. I asked her if she’d read an unpublished manuscript for me and tell me what she thought. She’s done that a couple of times. I find that readers look for different things than editors do and Tara reads A LOT and A LOT of romance. She knows what works and what doesn’t and promises if she hates something I’ve written she will tell me. So far, she hasn’t hated anything I’ve given her! My daughter also writes and she is a brutal critiquer which I need. Also, my best friend who reads quite a bit sometimes reads for me and tells me if something works. I have also asked the Novelists, Inc., critique group for a cold read and feedback on occasion. They are all wonderful, multi-published authors and a huge help. I have also benefited greatly from my long-time friendship with author Tina Wainscott who now writes as Jaime Rush.<br />
<br />
<strong>AL: What is the most difficult part of being a writer and do you write whenever the mood strikes, or do you have a specific routine?</strong><br />
<br />
Barbara: The most difficult part of being a writer is 1) getting published and 2) marketing my work. As for the actual writing, I write when I can. There’s no routine. I always have multiple projects going so I often flit from one to the other when I get stalled. Writing fantasy is a particular challenge for me. I’d never written in that genre and with the second book, I have to think a lot about it before I write. I am definitely flying by the seat of my pants.<br />
<br />
<strong>AL: It’s time to get personal! You’re snowed in for a week in the Swiss Alps. You’ve enough firewood and food to get you through the blizzard waging outside. What are three things that you would have to have with you?</strong><br />
<br />
Barbara: My laptop. My Kindle with several good books on it that I’m dying to read. Two to three bottles of Beringer white zin.<br />
<br />
<strong>AL: What's your favorite music? Do you listen to that when you write?</strong><br />
<br />
Barbara: I don’t listen to music when I write. My favorite is Top 40/pop and classic rock which is what I grew up listening to.<br />
<br />
<strong>AL: Sometimes people envision an author’s life as being really glamorous. I like to set them straight, so tell us what’s the most unglamorous thing you’ve done in the past week?</strong><br />
<br />
Barbara: Probably taking out the trash at work or digging wet coffee grounds out of a French press.<br />
<br />
<strong>AL: What annoys you enough to be considered a pet peeve</strong>?<br />
<br />
Barbara: When I find that dishes have been put away when they’re still wet I see red. This happens a lot at work and it drives me crazy!!<br />
<br />
<strong>AL: Can you share some of your plans for 2012 and beyond?</strong><br />
<br />
Barbara: Write, write, write! I’d like to continue my relationship with Samhain and certainly hope to with a third and fourth (possibly a fifth) book in The Braddock Brotherhood series. But so much of what I write is non-genre specific, so whatever I can’t place elsewhere, I’ll independently publish and also do print versions of those books. But be patient. I am very slow!<br />
<br />
<strong>AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.</strong><br />
<br />
Barbara: This is something my Dad always used to say and I’ve found like many of his words of wisdom, it’s true: <em>At any point in your life you’ll be able to count your true friends on the fingers of one hand and you probably won’t need all the fingers.</em><br />
<br />
AL: Thanks so much for sharing, Barbara.<br />
<br />
<strong>Barbara: Thanks for having me, Ann. I love doing interviews.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: If you’d like to find out more about Barbara please visit:<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.barbmeyers.com/"><strong><span style="color: blue;">www.barbmeyers.com</span></strong></a></span><br />
Readers can also follow me on Twitter @barbmeyers and @AJTillock<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rL3bVjKePQM/T2dBTj1pFZI/AAAAAAAAArU/_TdxQEbzwNI/s1600/ForeverKindOfGuy72sm.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rL3bVjKePQM/T2dBTj1pFZI/AAAAAAAAArU/_TdxQEbzwNI/s200/ForeverKindOfGuy72sm.JPG" width="133" /></a></div><strong>FEATURED TITLE: <em>A FOREVER KIND OF GUY</em></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><em><u>Blurb:</u></em></strong><br />
<br />
First on Hayley Christopher’s list to get her train-wreck life back on track: stay away from men. Especially the ones who cause a ripple effect of bad decisions.<br />
<br />
Still reeling from a high-profile divorce, the college dropout and former pro cheerleader is stumbling through yet another challenge—temporary custody of her nephew, Fletcher. No one knows better than Hayley that she’s not mother material. When she opens the door to her new landlord and old flame, she wonders just how many more past mistakes she is destined to pay for.<br />
<br />
After the death of his wife, Ray Braddock is still putting the pieces back together. Hayley—and the silent little boy at her side—both bristle with emotional barriers so high, it appears no one but him can see that together, three broken people just might make a whole family.<br />
<br />
As she watches Fletcher respond to Ray’s patient care, Hayley’s determination to hold on to her heart begins to soften. But just when she begins to think that Ray is one opportunity she shouldn’t let slip by, Fletcher’s gang-connected father threatens to make her pay for the one good choice she ever made…<br />
<br />
<strong><em><u>Excerpt:</u></em></strong><br />
<br />
Hayley Christopher swiped gloss across her lips and stared at herself in the bathroom mirror.<br />
<br />
Why do I bother? she silently asked her reflection.<br />
<br />
Her plan for the future dangled just out of reach like a rabbit in front of a greyhound. She wanted to race forward, shake the Florida sand off her feet and arrive in Los Angeles ready to start her life over, but something always held her back. Ten years ago it had been a man. Though she’d vowed never to sacrifice her dreams for a man again, she hadn’t counted on a little boy getting in the way of her second chance.<br />
<br />
Just a few short months ago she’d been ready to escape Jacksonville and the life she’d once had with Trey. Her bags were packed. An airline ticket awaited her. She’d planned to step off the plane in L.A. and never look back.<br />
<br />
Marriage to Trey derailed her plans the first time. Now she’d allowed her semi-orphaned, stepnephew Fletcher to block her path. But she hadn’t had a choice, had she? With his mother OD’ing on heroin, dying in her arms, begging her to take care of him, to protect him from his violent father, what was she supposed to say? “No, Steffie, sorry, I’ve got a new life in L.A. waiting for me”? Everyone else had turned their backs on Stef and for good reason. Hayley couldn’t. She’d made a promise to watch over Fletcher without realizing what it would mean.<br />
<br />
The other options were to leave Fletcher with strangers, or worse, at the mercy of his father Carlos, should he ever get out of jail. She shuddered at the thought that Carlos might make good on his threats against her. That he’d hurt his own son in the process. The poor kid had been traumatized enough in his young life. While she knew she wasn’t the ideal candidate to take custody, at least Fletcher knew who she was, though they’d hardly bonded in the few months she’d had him. They probably never would.<br />
<br />
As long as he was with her, Hayley knew Fletcher wouldn’t be mistreated and he’d be kept away from his father. With any luck at all, he’d be adopted by the kind of family Hayley herself had always dreamed of. A mother and father. Siblings. There’d be a big backyard with a swing set. Dinner on the table at six every night. Maybe even a dog.<br />
<br />
Sure it was a dream. It hadn’t come true for her, but maybe she could make it come true for her stepsister’s son. If Carlos ever came looking for Fletcher, he’d be long gone, absorbed into the system with a new name, a new family and tightly sealed records. Somehow she’d make that happen. And afterward she’d move forward with her own plans. She and Fletcher would both be free of their pasts.<br />
<br />
She stowed the lip gloss and mascara in her makeup case and stared at her reflection once more. What was the point in wearing makeup or making an attempt with her hair? Why did she bother putting cute workout clothes on?<br />
<br />
“L.A. Someday. Soon,” she promised herself as she did every morning.<br />
<br />
She sat down on the closed toilet lid to wrap the Ace bandage around her swollen ankle. Giving in to a burst of exuberance after teaching one of her aerobics classes yesterday had been a mistake. Her professional cheerleading days were several years behind her, and she was getting too old to do back flips. She should have known better.<br />
<br />
Life as she’d known it was over, she reminded herself. Some days there seemed no point to anything.<br />
<br />
The doorbell rang. She heard Fletcher move away from where she’d left him on the sofa watching cartoons.<br />
<br />
“Don’t open the door, Fletch,” she called. “I’ll be right there.”<br />
<br />
Quickly she finished wrapping her ankle, making sure the self-securing bandage would stay in place. Who could be ringing her doorbell? She knew virtually no one in tiny Perrish, Florida. Oh God, she hoped it wasn’t more bad news. Bad news had been following her for too long, showing up when she least expected it. Maybe the ringing of the doorbell heralded a change in that pattern.<br />
<br />
She grabbed the despised crutches and maneuvered her way out of the bathroom, wincing when she bumped her injured ankle with the tip of the crutch. She’d needed the crutches for less than a day but it was long enough to know she hated them.<br />
<br />
Four-year-old Fletcher stood to the left of the front door, his attention focused on whatever was on the other side of the slender pane of sidelight glass. Hayley moved closer to see a man hunkered on the other side making funny faces at Fletcher. She glanced down to see Fletcher’s reaction. His expression was the one he usually wore of serious concentration, but a ghost of a smile played around his lips. At least Hayley wanted to think he might be close to a smile. It’d been a long time since he had.<br />
<br />
There was no chain on the door, so Hayley debated for a moment about whether to open the door to a strange man. It was broad daylight and he looked harmless enough. He straightened when he heard the deadbolt slide back.<br />
<br />
They stared at each other for what was probably a split second but felt like a lifetime. Hayley felt the ripple run through her. She’d experienced the ripple effect twice in her life. Once with her ex-husband and the first time with—<br />
<br />
“Hi, I’m Ray Braddock,” he began.<br />
<br />
—Ray Braddock when she was fourteen. She’d been a brand new student, a freshman at Jannings High School. He and his twin brother Rick had been the hottest boys in the junior class. She’d worshiped Ray from afar, though she’d never actually met him. But every time she saw him, the ripple effect slammed her full force.<br />
<br />
Okay, she told herself. You can do this. You are not attracted to him. The last thing you need is a man in your life. Men are bad news. Men cause pain. Men mess up your plans. The ripple effect means nothing. The ripple effect is evil.<br />
<br />
“Hayley Christopher.” Good. That’s good. She remembered her manners. She remembered her name. Now if that excitement fluttering in the pit of her stomach would cease and desist, she’d be fine.<br />
<br />
“I know.”<br />
<br />
Her radar shot out a warning. “You know? What do you mean, you know? How would you know my name?”<br />
<br />
“From the property management company. I—”<br />
<br />
“Oh? I can’t believe they gave out my name. They have no right. Who I am and where I live is my business and no one else’s. There must be some kind of law—”<br />
<br />
“Whoa. Slow down there. I hired the property manager. I’m the owner of the property. I live in the other unit.” He nodded toward the other half of the duplex.<br />
<br />
“You—own—wait a minute. What?” The other half of the duplex had been vacant during the short time she’d lived there. Or so she thought.<br />
<br />
As if sensing her distress, Fletcher moved closer to her, wedging himself between her leg and her crutch and clutching her thigh. He sent out one of his trademark, almost inaudible whimpers of inquiry. Awkwardly, she patted his shoulder. “It’s okay, sweetie.”<br />
<br />
Ray rescued her from her confusion. “I was out of town for a while. So I hired the property manager. But I’m back. Starting next month, you can pay your rent directly to me.”<br />
<br />
“Oh. Okay.”<br />
<br />
“What happened to you? Do you need to sit down?” Ray gestured at the crutches and Fletcher hanging onto her. “Want me to come in for a minute?”<br />
<br />
Hayley couldn’t take her gaze off her landlord. He’d been good looking as a teenager and he still was. But his handsome face had more character now. Tiny lines radiated from the corners of his eyes. As she recalled, he’d been leaner than his brother, and that hadn’t changed. He looked tanned and strong and capable. But he also looked sad. And a bit lost.<br />
<br />
Maybe that’s what I look like too. It was certainly how she felt most days. Giving herself a mental shake, she tried to regroup and say something reasonably intelligent.<br />
<br />
Inviting him into her personal space was out of the question. “No. That’s okay. I’ll make the rent checks to you from now on. Was there anything else?”<br />
<br />
“Is everything all right with the place? Appliances? Plumbing? Air conditioning?”<br />
<br />
“Everything works. I’m not crazy about some of the decorating choices, but it’s nothing critical.” Except the bathroom wallpaper, she added silently. It’s hideous. She’d seriously considered doing the next tenant a favor by ripping down the wallpaper in the bathroom. Bare drywall would be an improvement over the garish flowered foil.<br />
<br />
“All right, then. Here’s my phone number.” He handed her a plain white business card on which he’d written his name and the number. “Let me know if you have any problems.”<br />
<br />
She took the card. Her fingertips touched his. She ignored her reaction.<br />
<br />
Not.<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: purple;">REMEMBER: Barbara will give away an eBook version of her most recent book with Samhain Publishing, A Forever Kind of Guy. (The second in The Braddock Brotherhood series.) Winner will be drawn from all readers who post a comment in the following week.</span></strong>Ann Loryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487429252659919567noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36704330.post-65078043447616879442012-03-15T11:23:00.002-05:002012-03-15T11:25:24.137-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-89VF9vr4Bb0/T2IX3XL3XeI/AAAAAAAAArI/PEak9ySwEUg/s1600/KillerMovesV1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-89VF9vr4Bb0/T2IX3XL3XeI/AAAAAAAAArI/PEak9ySwEUg/s400/KillerMovesV1.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">In the Author Spotlight</span></strong><br />
<strong><br /><span style="font-size: large;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: x-large;"><em>Mary Eason</em></span></strong><br />
<br />
Thanks for joining us. Mary is talking to us today about...<br />
<br />
<strong><em>Regrets…</em></strong><br />
<br />
Regrets. We all have them. Some are just minor irritations in our day, such as a wrong shoe choice. A bad hairstyle. A decision to eat that extra large slice of chocolate when you (and more importantly your hips) didn't need it. I call them minor irritations because for the most part, they don't alter our life too drastically. <br />
<br />
Yet, some regrets can turn into major heartaches. These are the ones that send your life spinning into a different direction. Sometimes for the better. Often for the worse. It could be a decision to change careers. Move to another city. Walk away from someone you love. All have the ability to radically alter your life and you. If they don't work out, either they can leave you broken and full of regret, or they can make you stronger. <br />
<br />
I think most of us have experienced both types of regrets. I certainly have.<br />
<br />
In my book, KILLER MOVES, that is the premise of the story.<br />
<br />
Six years ago, Kara Bryant tapped into the mind of a serial killer—and nearly became his last victim. Her FBI colleague and lover, Davis Martin, put the murderer behind bars, then devastated her with his abrupt rejection. Worse, the vivid nightmares that followed her to her desert retreat have recently taken a fresh, frightening turn.<br />
<br />
She should have foreseen that Davis would turn up. She’s just not sure her still-broken heart can take the strain.<br />
<br />
Davis thought he’d made the right decision for everyone involved in a case that almost ended in disaster, thanks to his mistakes. But with a new string of killings that one by one is taking out the women of his past, suddenly he wonders if he let the real Death Angel get away. Kara is the only one who can help him nail the bastard for good this time—if she can forgive him.<br />
<br />
He wasn’t expecting the woman he never stopped loving to love him back. Nor is he prepared to come face-to-face with Kara’s secret. One that raises the stakes impossibly high.<br />
<br />
Sometimes regrets have the ability to knock us off course. And sometimes they send up in just the right direction we need to go.<br />
<br />
All the best…<br />
Mary Eason <br />
<br />
<strong><a href="http://www.maryeason.com/"><span style="color: blue;">www.maryeason.com</span></a></strong><br />
<a href="http://store.samhainpublishing.com/killer-moves-p-6651.html"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>http://store.samhainpublishing.com/killer-moves-p-6651.html</strong></span></a><br />
<br />
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<strong>FEATURED TITLE: <em>KILLER MOVES</em></strong><br />
Available now at Samhain Publishing<br />
<br />
<strong><em><u>Blurb:</u></em></strong>They’re a match made in the hallowed halls of Quantico. Until Death comes knocking…<br />
<br />
<strong><em><u>Excerpt:</u></em></strong><br />
<br />
Kara's head throbbed with pain. Had since Ryan arrived in her life yesterday bringing unwelcome news that seem to confirm what she already knew in her heart. The Angel had returned. <br />
<br />
The voices of the dead called out to her from their resting place in her closet where she’d tossed the photos after Ryan had left the day before. It had taken all her willpower to pick them up and put them away. Although Ryan didn’t initially say as much, Kara knew there were others. Two others to be exact. Rachel would just be his latest. But they all cried out to her, along with Rachel, the ex-wife of the man she both hated and loved. Kara had no idea how long she’d been sitting like that. <br />
<br />
She wasn’t sure why she’d kept the folder in the first place. She should burn it before Ava got home from school, be done with it once and for all but she couldn’t bear to touch it. If she touched them, she would feel their pain. And in experiencing their pain, they would become real to her. She’d want to do something to help them. She couldn’t. She’d left that part of her life behind in DC. She was a mother now—a boutique owner. She was no longer a psychic.<br />
<br />
As much as Kara tried to block out the voices of the dead, she tried even harder to break the link between her grandmother and herself. She couldn’t talk to Maggie about this and not fall apart. And she couldn’t fall apart for Ava’s sake. When the phone rang once more, Kara didn’t need to look at the caller ID to know it would be her grandmother. She ignored the phone and listened as the answering machine picked up. Maggie never left messages. She detested modern technology. <br />
<br />
Silently, Kara promised to call her back later. It felt as if hours had passed, but in fact it was barely noon and she didn’t know what to do with herself. Too much empty time for thinking. <br />
<br />
Kara’s thoughts went to Davis. If she picked up the phone, would she be able to reach him? Would he even want to hear from her? Slowly she dialed the familiar number to the VCIRD headquarters and waited. “Good afternoon, VCIRD’s DC Division. How may I direct your call?” the pleasant voice of the receptionist inquired politely. <br />
<br />
“Agent Davis Martin, please.” The silence following her request lengthened along with Kara’s fears. <br />
<br />
One click, followed by another then another before the receptionist questioned, “May I ask who is calling, please?” It took Kara longer than it should to realize what the clicking noise represented, but when she did, she slammed the receiver down. Idiot! She’d been out of the game far too long. She’d grown rusty. Davis’s ex-wife had just been murdered. Of course they’d monitor his calls for clues.<br />
<br />
Kara still stood with the cordless handset in her hand when it rang again, and she feared the worst. Surely not enough time had passed to trace the call. Still, she couldn’t pick up. The answering machine clicked on and her grandmother’s frantic voice came into her living room. “Kara, it’s your grandmother. Kara, if you’re there, pick up. Child, don’t do it. Don’t take the case. Don’t go back to the past with—” <br />
<br />
“Gran, I’m here.” Kara answered the call, wanting only to reassure her grandmother. “Don’t take the case. It’s too dangerous for you.” Of course Kara knew what her grandmother meant. After all, they both shared the bond of vision. <br />
<br />
“I’m not. I’m not taking the case, Gran.” Kara paused for the moment before asking slowly, “What have you seen?” <br />
<br />
“It doesn’t matter.” This meant it had been bad. Whenever her grandmother refused to share something, it was bad. <br />
<br />
“Tell me, Gran.” She remained silent. “Is Ava in danger?” Dear God…no.<br />
<br />
“I don’t know, but you are.” Kara drew much-needed air into her lungs. She couldn’t go through this again. She’d almost died the last time. <br />
<br />
“Not like that, child. It’s far worse than that. Don’t go there, Kara.” She wanted to press for answers but she knew Maggie wouldn’t reveal them to her.<br />
<br />
“I’m not taking the case, Gran,” she said instead. <br />
<br />
“Thank God.” Maggie paused for a moment before asking, “You’ve seen him again, haven’t you? He isn’t dead.”<br />
<br />
“Gran, Frankie Shepard is dead. He died that night. That’s over. Whoever is doing this now is just a copycat. They’ll catch him.” <br />
<br />
“You don’t believe that. I can tell it in your voice. You always believed they framed the wrong man.” <br />
<br />
“They’ll catch him,” Kara repeated once more, and really tried this time to mean it. <br />
<br />
“Without your help?” <br />
<br />
“Yes, without my help.”Ann Loryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487429252659919567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36704330.post-38169649934055947462012-03-13T09:22:00.001-05:002012-03-13T09:22:19.379-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">In the Author Spotlight & Contest</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span><strong><em><span style="font-size: x-large;">N.J. WALTERS</span></em></strong><br />
<br />
<strong>AL: Hi N.J.! Welcome to Blog Bites. </strong><br />
<br />
N.J.: Thank you so much, Ann. It’s great to be here.<br />
<br />
<strong>AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you.</strong><br />
<br />
N.J.: Right now, I’m trying to get through the rest of winter. lol It’s been extremely cold where I live and I can’t wait for spring. The upside is I’m inside more so I’m getting a lot of writing done.<br />
<br />
<strong>AL: Tell us about a current or upcoming release. </strong><br />
<br />
N.J.: Quinn’s Quest is my latest release from Samhain Publishing. It’s part of my Legacy werewolf series and tells the tale of Quinn Lawton, who is searching for his missing sister. The last thing he expects to find, or wants, is a woman who makes him think about all the things that are missing in his life. He can’t allow any attraction to distract him from his hunt. But fate has other ideas.<br />
<br />
<strong>AL: What other steamy stories are you whipping up for readers?</strong><br />
<br />
N.J.: I’ve got two more Legacy books releasing this year and I just submitted another Awakening Desires book to my editor at Ellora’s Cave. Right now, I’m working on an entirely new paranormal series. It’s very different for me and I’m having a blast working on it.<br />
<br />
<strong>AL: Out of all your stories do you have one that is more near and dear your heart?</strong><br />
<br />
N.J.: That is so tough. I love all my books for different reasons. Annabelle Lee is my first published book so that one is special. Discovering Dani was the first book I ever wrote so that book will always hold a place in my heart. The Seduction of Shamus O’Rourke is also a personal favorite, simply because I love Shamus so much. I could go on and on and on…<br />
<br />
<strong>AL: When you write do you do a detailed outline before you get started or do you have the idea then just 'fly by the seat of your pants'? :-)</strong><br />
<br />
N.J.: The characters are the starting point for me. I have to know them before I can start thinking about the story. Once I know who they are (or at least as much as they’re showing me at the moment) I start thinking about their story. I may jot down a few notes, but I’m not a plotter. Once I have the first scene worked out in my head, I start writing. The rest of the story flows from there.<br />
<br />
<strong>AL: What do you like best about writing? What is your least favorite thing?</strong><br />
<br />
N.J.: I love being able to get inside the heads of my characters and experience something totally different from my own life. The creation aspect is quite addicting. I’m not sure there’s anything to dislike, but I find that I spend more time now promoting and doing writer-related things than writing sometimes. It can get frustrating, but it’s part of the job.<br />
<br />
<strong>AL: It’s time to get personal! St. Patrick’s Day is around the corner. Do you get rip-roarin’ drunk drinking green beer while dressed head to toe in green, or are you lucky to find green in your closet and leave the drinking to others?</strong><br />
<br />
N.J.: LOL Hubby is the one with the Irish heritage. He even played in an band for a few years back in the early ‘90s. We’re pretty low-key around our house. If we’re drinking beer, it’s probably at home.<br />
<br />
<strong>AL: Best movie you've seen recently? I want to see The Vow and have not had the opportunity yet. </strong><br />
<br />
N.J.: The best one I’ve seen recently is This Means War. It’s action-packed and funny. A great date movie.<br />
<br />
<strong>AL: If you were a Superheroine, would you wear tights and a cape?</strong><br />
<br />
N.J.: No cape, but probably tights. Those suckers help keep things in place. <br />
<br />
<strong>AL: If you could meet someone famous in either history, or present day…who would you like to meet and why?</strong><br />
<br />
N.J.: I’d love to meet the Dali Lama. I think it would be amazing to sit and talk with him for an afternoon.<br />
<br />
<strong>AL: Can you share some of your plans for 2012 and beyond?</strong><br />
<br />
N.J.: Hubby and I will be celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary this year. Not sure what we’ll be doing yet, but something special. I have no idea where the years have gone. Beyond that, I’ll be writing and enjoying myself as much as possible.<br />
<br />
<strong>AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.</strong><br />
<br />
N.J.: <em>"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." (Lao Tzu)</em><br />
<br />
<strong>AL: Thanks so much for sharing, N.J.</strong><br />
<br />
N.J.: It’s my pleasure, Ann. Thank you so much for having me here. <br />
<br />
AL: If you’d like to find out more about N.J. please visit:<br />
<br />
Website: <a href="http://www.njwalters.com/">http://www.njwalters.com/</a><br />
Blog: <a href="http://www.njwalters.blogspot.com/">http://www.njwalters.blogspot.com/</a><br />
Newsletter Group: <a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakeningdesires/">http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakeningdesires/</a><br />
Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/people/Nj-Walters/714113604">http://www.facebook.com/people/Nj-Walters/714113604</a><br />
<br />
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<strong>FEATURED TITLE: <em>QUINN'S QUEST</em></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><em><u>Blurb:</u></em></strong><br />
<br />
He can give her anything and everything she needs—except a future.<br />
<br />
<em>Legacy, Book 4</em><br />
<br />
Kidnapped and held in a crazy doctor’s underground laboratory, Bethany Morris only manages to escape because Chrissten, one of her fellow abductees, creates an opportunity—by shifting into a werewolf.<br />
<br />
Bethany’s desperate for help, but who’ll believe her story? The police? That’ll just buy her a one-way ticket to a padded room—because here’s the kicker: she’s discovered she’s a half-breed werewolf. Her only hope is to find Chrissten’s brother.<br />
<br />
Quinn Lawton’s long, grinding search for his missing twin has turned up nothing…until Bethany rekindles his hope. Something else catches flame too—her heat cycle and a searing attraction branded with the word mate. Yet with so much blood on his hands, any future he might offer is already tainted beyond redemption.<br />
<br />
Desperate for Quinn’s touch alone, Bethany has no choice but to take Quinn up on his offer to quell her terrifying need, no strings attached. And hope that as the search for Chrissten intensifies, the battle with their personal demons doesn’t destroy their razor-thin chance at forever. <br />
<br />
<em>Product Warnings</em><br />
<em>This book contains heartbreak and love found, a crazy scientist and his werewolf flunky and a tortured werewolf hero. Plus lots and lots of steamy hot sex! </em><br />
<br />
<strong><em><u>Excerpt:</u></em></strong><br />
<br />
The phone rang twice before it occurred to Bethany that the middle of the night might not be the best time to call anyone asking for help, especially not with the crazy story she had to tell. “Damn.” She thought about hanging up but she was committed now. She tightened her hand around the receiver.<br />
<br />
<br />
“Yeah.” The voice was male and hoarse with sleep.<br />
<br />
She cleared her throat. “Is this Quinn Lawton?” She prayed she’d remembered the number right. She didn’t know what she’d do next if this wasn’t Chrissten’s brother.<br />
<br />
There was some rustling in the background and the voice was more alert this time. “No.” Bethany’s heart sunk. Maybe she’d dialed the number wrong. Before she could apologize and hang up, the man was speaking again. “Just give me a second and I’ll get him.”<br />
<br />
Hope surged inside her. She hadn’t failed. The phone number was the right one. Her knees threatened to buckle so she sank into the chair that Margaret had vacated. Her stomach felt queasy and she was still very weak. She could still hang up the phone and let the police handle this. All she’d have to do is tell them she was kidnapped. No need to tell them about the rest of it. Quinn Lawton would never be able to find her. There was no way to trace the call back to the shelter.<br />
<br />
She clutched the receiver in her hand and took a deep breath, knowing she could never do that. She was committed now. No turning back. Footsteps sounded through the receiver and she knew the man who’d answered was taking the phone to Chrissten’s brother, who was a half-breed werewolf just like Chrissten. Just like she was.<br />
<br />
Bethany still couldn’t quite wrap her head around that one, but she was trying to understand it. She hoped Quinn had answers for her.<br />
<br />
“Yeah.” The voice was low and gruff and masculine. Every cell in Bethany’s body reacted to the sound. The fine hair on the back of her neck stood on end. Her nipples contracted. Her breath caught in her throat.<br />
<br />
“Who is this?” The voice was more demanding now, all trace of sleepiness gone.<br />
<br />
Bethany forced herself to speak. “Is this Quinn Lawton?”<br />
<br />
“Who wants to know?” She almost hung up on him. His impatience and arrogance bled through the phone line. But she’d promised her friend.<br />
<br />
“Do you have a sister named Chrissten?”<br />
<br />
“Where is she? Who are you? Where are you?”<br />
<br />
Bethany was so startled by the angry outburst she dropped the receiver. She could hear Quinn yelling at her through the line. She grabbed the phone and hung up, panting hard for breath. He was one scary man.<br />
<br />
She sat there for about thirty seconds before she grabbed the phone and punched in the number again.<br />
<br />
“Hello. Are you there?” he demanded.<br />
<br />
“I’m here.” This was for Chrissten, she reminded herself. And for yourself, a little voice in the back of her head said. You want to know more about who you are. What you are.<br />
<br />
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell at you.” His low tones made her shiver and she wasn’t sure she believed him. Even his apology was short. A voice in the background was urging him to stay calm. She recognized it as the man who’d originally answered the phone. She was beginning to wish she’d talked to him instead.<br />
<br />
“Umm, I need to talk to you about your sister.” She had to do this face-to-face. This wasn’t something you talked about over the phone. “Where are you?”<br />
<br />
“I’m in Chicago. Where are you?”<br />
<br />
Bethany was shocked to find out that help was close at hand. She hadn’t expected that, but would take it as a good sign that maybe her luck was changing. “Where in Chicago? I want to meet you.”<br />
<br />
“Tell me about my sister.” His frustration was palpable and she almost blurted out everything she knew. But she had to meet him in person. She’d promised Chrissten she’d get help and that meant more than simply making a phone call. Plus, she was curious about him, about what he was. What she was.<br />
<br />
“Where shall I meet you?” Bethany could be just as stubborn as he was.<br />
<br />
“There’s a bar in Wicker Park. It’s called Haven. Meet me there.”<br />
<br />
“When?” Bethany glanced at the clock over Margaret’s desk. It was half past four in the morning.<br />
<br />
“Now. I’ll be waiting for you.”<br />
<br />
“I don’t have any money to pay for a cab.” It was demoralizing to admit she needed him to pay for her to get there. She couldn’t walk, as she had no idea where she was going. Even if she wanted to take public transit she still had no idea where to find this particular bar.<br />
<br />
“Just get here. I’ll take care of the cab fare.”<br />
<br />
She sucked in a breath and said, “Okay,” as she exhaled. The quicker she did this the better for her peace of mind.<br />
<br />
“What’s your name?” The urgency in his tone brought home just how desperate he was for news of his sister.<br />
<br />
“Bethany. My name is Bethany. As of less than a day ago your sister was alive. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”</strong>Ann Loryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487429252659919567noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36704330.post-62936551439819331932012-03-08T09:38:00.001-06:002012-03-08T09:38:52.862-06:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2JFNHwZ6Cmo/T1jR_IYfK0I/AAAAAAAAAq4/MjZYsY_3loo/s1600/The_Yearning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2JFNHwZ6Cmo/T1jR_IYfK0I/AAAAAAAAAq4/MjZYsY_3loo/s400/The_Yearning.jpg" width="266" yda="true" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">In the Author Spotlight</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span><strong><span style="font-size: x-large;"><em>TINA DONAHUE</em></span></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: purple;">CONTEST: Tina will be offering a contest. She’ll offer one commenter (chosen at random), her (or his) choice of one of my backlist ebooks, including:</span></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: purple;">1. Adored – RWA award-winning; EPIC 2011 Finalist 4 Stars RT</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: black;">2. Deep, Dark, Delicious – EPIC 2011 Finalist; Holt Medallion Award of Merit</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: purple;">3. Lush Velvet Nights – EPIC 2011 Finalist; Golden Nib Award</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: black;">4. In His Arms – SIX 5 Star Reviews; 4 Stars RT</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: purple;">5. Sensual Stranger – 2010 Book of the Year (erotic); 4 Stars RT</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: black;">6. The Yearning – Top Ten Bestseller</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: purple;">7. Take Me Away - #1 Pick, Miz Love Loves Books</span></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: purple;">GOOD LUCK!</span></strong><br />
<br />
AL: Hi Tina! Welcome to Blog Bites. <br />
<br />
<strong>Tina: Thanks for having me at Blog Bites – I’m thrilled to be here.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you. <br />
<br />
<strong>Tina: It’s getting really beautiful in Palm Springs where I live. Not that it isn’t always beautiful, but instead of 60 degree days, we’re now having 75 and up. Wow. The mountains are covered with snow and the valley – where I live – has these soft, caressing breezes scented with flowers. Paradise.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Tell us about a current or upcoming release. <br />
<br />
Tina: The Yearning, my first paranormal and my first title with Samhain has just come out in print – March 6, to be exact. It’s been a Top Ten Bestseller at Samhain and received so many wonderful reviews, including being nominated for Book of the Week at Whipped Cream Reviews (LASR). <br />
<br />
AL: What other works are you deep into?<br />
<br />
<strong>Tina: I’m about to go into edits for Illicit Desire, Book Two of my Outlawed Realm series (paranormal). Outlawed Realm is my first series, BTW. Illicit Desire is set to be pubbed in September. Unending Desire, Book One, just received the Best Book rating at LASR erotic.</strong> <br />
<br />
AL: Who is the author(s) that inspired you to write?<br />
<br />
<strong>Tina: Wow. There were so many. I was reading Dickens in the fourth grade. I love the work of Lawrence Sanders, Dean Koontz, Hilma Wolitzer, Sol Stein, Kathleen Woodiwiss and too many others to mention.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Of your books, whose your favorite hero and heroine?<br />
<br />
<strong>Tina: Hmmm. I’ve had many erotic contemporary romances pubbed by Ellora’s Cave. Two of my favs are Sensual Stranger, which was named Book of the Year at Blue Moon Reviews. Toni and Zach made me laugh, cry, sigh, you name it. Another of my works for EC, In His Arms, is probably my most dramatic, exploring white slavery. RJ’s love for Summer stole my breath. Even after reading it countless times, I still cry at the end. They moved me that much.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Have you ever wanted to write your book in one direction but your characters wanted to go in another direction. What did you do in such a situation?<br />
<br />
<strong>Tina: Actually yes. When I was plotting SiNN, my most recent Ellora’s Cave release, I at first thought it would be a one man-one woman plot between Jake and Lea. But then, Toby, Jake’s partner in the US Marshals Service kept barging into my thoughts. It led to my first ever ménage and lots of new fans.</strong> <br />
<br />
AL: It’s time to get personal! Do you have a favorite sport, &/or team that you follow?<br />
<br />
<strong>Tina: I confess, sports aren’t my fav thing. I do like figure skating and watch it during the Olympics.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Can you describe yourself in 3 sentences or less?<br />
<br />
<strong>Tina: How about three words? Passionate. Persistent. Irreverent.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: If you weren't writing, what do you suppose you'd be doing?<br />
<br />
<strong>Tina: OMG, I can’t imagine myself not writing. Honestly, it’s like oxygen to me. I come alive when I’m with my characters. No matter how cruddy my day has been, they make it all worthwhile. </strong><br />
<br />
AL: Where would you like to travel if you had the chance?<br />
<br />
<strong>Tina: Spain, especially Andalusia. One of my earliest romances was Just One Kiss that took place there in the 1400’s. I had to do a lot of research and I simply fell in love with the country.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Can you share some of your plans for 2012 and beyond?<br />
<br />
<strong>Tina: I just contracted Sinfully Wicked, my next ménage, with Ellora’s Cave and received the edits the other day. I’m finishing up my next paranormal, which is also the beginning of a new series for me. And, once I’m through with it, I have another idea for an erotic contemporary. In between all of that, you’ll find me at Macy’s shopping their many sales!</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.<br />
<br />
<strong>Tina: Years ago, I read this quote - if I’m remembering correctly, it was by Sidney Sheldon on writing: “You think it, you feel it, you see it, and then you write it.” So true. </strong><br />
<br />
AL: Thanks so much for sharing, Tina.<br />
<br />
<strong>Tina: My pleasure.</strong> <br />
<br />
AL: If you’d like to find out more about Tina please visit:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.tinadonahue.com/"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>http://www.tinadonahue.com/</strong></span></a><br />
<a href="http://sweetnsexydivas.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>http://sweetnsexydivas.blogspot.com/</strong></span></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2JFNHwZ6Cmo/T1jR_IYfK0I/AAAAAAAAAq4/MjZYsY_3loo/s1600/The_Yearning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2JFNHwZ6Cmo/T1jR_IYfK0I/AAAAAAAAAq4/MjZYsY_3loo/s200/The_Yearning.jpg" width="133" yda="true" /></a></div>
<strong>FEATURED TITLE: <em>THE YEARNING</em></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><em><u>Blurb: </u></em></strong><br />
<br />
<em>To break this curse, they’ll have to turn the heat up. Way up.</em><br />
<br />
Jasmine Dante prowls Key West’s nightlife, fighting a losing battle against a jealous rival’s curse that forces her to seek carnal pleasure, no matter the danger. Weakened from lack of sleep, driven by insatiable lust, she spots a man who stirs her desperate craving, and begins yet another dance of seduction.<br />
<br />
Except the dark stranger who returns her direct stare is no ordinary lover. Inside his powerful body lies a raw sexuality that just might be enough to break her curse. There’s only one way to find out: imprison him in her bed and feed on his passion.<br />
<br />
Former U.S. Marshal Mike Stearn is many things, but he’s no woman’s sex slave. The deadly telekinetic power he ruthlessly suppresses comes alive again at Jasmine’s touch. Beneath her bold, potent sensuality he senses vulnerability and desperation. He may be in handcuffs, but she’s the one who’s enslaved.<br />
<br />
As Mike resurrects his power to free himself so he can find the curse’s source and defeat it, Jasmine revels in his masterful rule. Her ravenous yearning evolves into rapture as she surrenders to his hunger, her darkest needs—and the emotional connection that lies beyond. Unless the curse takes her life first…<br />
<br />
<em>Warning: Tons of steamy sex, smoldering passion and a to-die-for love story with a hot Alpha hero who finds himself imprisoned by one sultry and desperate babe.</em><br />
<br />
<strong><em><u>Excerpt:</u></em></strong><br />
<br />
<em>You will want as I want. You will know insatiable lust, but no peace. </em><br />
<br />
<em>—Desiree Zazou</em><br />
<br />
Despite the danger, unending desire drove Jasmine Dante through the Blue Bliss Club, a hangout for locals in Key West. Slow-dancing couples clung to each other in the intimate atmosphere. Turquoise lighting gave the place a dreamy underwater feel, while tiny azure bulbs sparkled like Christmas decorations on the palms flanking the bar.<br />
<br />
A man Jasmine had just noticed sat on the last stool. No more than mid-thirties, he wore his long, black hair tied back. Sharp, masculine features, dark eyes and a coppery complexion revealed his Native American heritage. Unlike many of the other men, he didn’t wear the ubiquitous flowered shirt, shorts and flip-flops. Black mocs hugged his large feet. Jeans and a T-shirt the color of midnight clothed his lean, muscular frame. Beneath his right sleeve, she spotted a bold tattoo of what looked to be an eagle.<br />
<br />
She pictured her mouth on the strong design, her tongue roaming his slightly salty flesh, her fingers travelling over his hard abdominal muscles and beneath his jeans’ waistband, seeking the thick, fragrant curls below. Unendurable yearning sliced through her, quickening her heart. She moved closer.<br />
<br />
His attention didn’t stray from tonight’s band, a new group named Engaged. Their R&B throbbed soulfully, evoking the seductive richness of Alicia Keys, Jennifer Hudson and Toni Braxton. The lead singer, a slight young woman with heartache in her eyes, seemed to perform solely for him.<br />
<br />
Were they together? Was he waiting for her set to end? Panic flared, pushing Jasmine to do something. What? her mind cried. Fight another woman over a man she didn’t know? Months ago, she would have found the notion ludicrous and daunting. Since crossing paths with Desiree Zazou, everything paled beneath Jasmine’s consuming lust.<br />
<br />
The woman’s mocking voice echoed in her mind: “You will want as I want.”<br />
<br />
A bead of sweat slithered from Jasmine’s temple to her cheek, intensifying the fragile, dewy scent she wore. Her steps slowed as she regarded the singer.<br />
<br />
The girl dipped her head in a gesture of farewell to the man, then sang with equal passion to another guy who leaned against the satiny blue wall.<br />
<br />
She’s playing to her audience, Jasmine thought, it’s a part of her act. She probably doesn’t even know him. Though relieved, she remained shaky inside and stopped at the end of the dance floor.<br />
<br />
Someone bumped into her. She stepped aside and froze as a young redhead in a scarlet Band-Aid dress tottered toward the man, her gait unsteady from drugs or too many drinks. He noted her blurry smile and offered a guarded expression in return. Twisting her hair and holding it back with one hand, the redhead pressed close, her ample breasts snuggled into his sculpted biceps, her mouth to his ear. Whatever she said made his dark brows lift.<br />
<br />
Heart pounding, Jasmine glanced over and captured the server’s wrist as the twenty-something girl—Sara, by her nametag—tried to move past. Jasmine kept her voice raised just enough so the music and singer wouldn’t drown her out. “See that man at the bar on the last stool?”<br />
<br />
Server Sara put her voice at the same pitch. “You kidding? Me and about a dozen other women got him in our sights, including the one who’s with him now. You thinking about sending him a drink?”<br />
<br />
“Whatever he’s having.” Afraid to use a credit card the police could trace back to her if anyone reported him missing, she took a twenty out of her evening bag.<br />
<br />
The bill went into the front pocket of Sara’s cobalt blue apron. “What’s your name? So I can tell him.”<br />
<br />
No. She couldn’t chance the girl putting any name to her face. “Have the bartender point me out. And keep the change. Please.”<br />
<br />
“You got it.” With a savvy wink, Server Sara turned and wove through the crowd.<br />
<br />
One of the bouncers, an older guy with a shaved head and goatee, watched the redhead as she clung to the man and continued to speak. Jasmine saw the building annoyance in the man’s twilight eyes. Before he had to do anything about it, a trio of giggling young women joined the redhead. All wore skimpy, skin-tight dresses in a rainbow of shades: bright yellow, grass green, purple as deep as a bruise. They tried to coax their friend back to the dance floor.<br />
<br />
She flung out her hand to shoo them away. The bouncer stepped forward and said something the young woman didn’t like. Head whipped to the side, she gave him a frown. A tense moment passed during which the other girls convinced her to leave.<br />
<br />
Jasmine feared the man would do the same, fed up with aggressive females. What would she do then? Follow him outside and pretend she wanted to know the time? Ask for directions to another bar, maybe one on touristy Duval Street? Invite him to join her? And if he didn’t, would she be able to find someone else to ease her ravenous yearning or would he stay in her blood the entire time, making her lust even worse?<br />
<br />
Seconds crept by. The air hissed with uncertainty.<br />
<br />
He settled back on his stool, absorbed by the smooth tenor sax and the songstress’s smoky vocals.<br />
<br />
Jasmine remembered to breathe. Closing her eyes briefly, she wondered if he was a musician, given his interest in the band. He certainly seemed to be a gentleman, considering his restraint with the redhead. However, this was a public place. What would he do when he thought they were alone? Travis, the last man she chose, would have harmed her, if not for her sisters’ intervention.<br />
<br />
Recalling that night, her insides rolled, though it didn’t stop her. She watched the female bartender accept her twenty. To the left, Jasmine’s younger sisters, Violet and Lily, sat at a corner table, their apprehension palpable. When she made eye contact with Lily, her youngest sibling rose to join her. Violet grabbed Lily’s arm, a reminder to sit. Worried they might argue and ruin everything, Jasmine shook her head, warning them not to be obvious. To the casual observer and especially to the man, they shouldn’t appear to know each other. Thankfully, they didn’t look like sisters. Violet, with her light brown hair, hazel eyes and pale complexion, resembled their late mom. So did Lily, even though she’d dyed her brown hair platinum and wore it in a close-cropped boyish style. Jasmine, on the other hand, had her late dad’s olive coloring, dark brown hair and blue-green eyes.<br />
<br />
Violet inclined her head toward the man. Jasmine looked. The bartender had already slid a bottle of Dos Equis to him. They exchanged comments, and then the woman lifted a slender forefinger and pointed to Jasmine.<br />
<br />
He turned.<br />
<br />
Heat surged to Jasmine’s cheeks. Crushing need prevented her from taking a full breath.<br />
<br />
In his hooded eyes, she saw fulfillment, no matter how fleeting…his confining weight trapping her, the ends of his untied hair skimming her bare shoulders, his mouth hard and ruthless. A virile male she wouldn’t have dared approach before Desiree changed her destiny, falsely accusing her of taking Connor Rolands, the man Desiree wanted.<br />
<br />
Now, the curse drew Jasmine to this man as the road to Hell seduces a born sinner. She walked in time to the music’s sensual beats. Inwardly, a part of her cowered. For him and what would soon come, she offered a welcoming smile.<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: purple;">REMEMBER: Tina will be offering a contest. She’ll offer one commenter (chosen at random), her (or his) choice of one of my backlist ebooks. Pick from one of those listed above. Good luck!</span></strong><br />
<br />
</strong>Ann Loryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487429252659919567noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36704330.post-17336700062362774992011-12-05T14:06:00.000-06:002011-12-05T14:06:39.884-06:00BLOG BITES ON BREAK FOR REMAINDER OF YEAR<br />
<br />
Due to personal commitments (nothing bad) just life and other<br />
outside activites I will be unable to resume the blog until after<br />
the New Year.<br />
<br />
Please check back in January.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! <br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZzKA07ALczo/Tt0kAOtwLaI/AAAAAAAAAm0/zM59y_3N_xg/s1600/Ann%2527s+Signature.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="197" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZzKA07ALczo/Tt0kAOtwLaI/AAAAAAAAAm0/zM59y_3N_xg/s200/Ann%2527s+Signature.JPG" width="200" /></a>Ann Loryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487429252659919567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36704330.post-31057331793734287852011-11-07T09:33:00.001-06:002011-11-07T10:05:50.233-06:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tD-ncrPR7Bo/Trf5ldrJ6XI/AAAAAAAAAms/4HyT6yqA4vQ/s1600/LSB_MagicalReturn_550x800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ida="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tD-ncrPR7Bo/Trf5ldrJ6XI/AAAAAAAAAms/4HyT6yqA4vQ/s400/LSB_MagicalReturn_550x800.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">In the Author Spotlight & Contest</span></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><em><span style="font-size: x-large;">SERENA SHAY</span></em></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: purple;">CONTEST: <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">One lucky commenter will be chosen on Thursday, Nov. 10<sup>th</sup> to receive a copy of Serena's recent release, A Magical Return. Good luck!</span></span></strong><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">AL: Hi Serena! Welcome to Blog Bites. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><strong>Serena: Hi Ann! Thanks so much for having me here for the next few days, I can’t wait to check the place out…you know peek around corners, meander down forbidden hallways, burst through closed doors. I’ve read your Eternal Series, so I just know there must be some sexy vamps here somewhere… ~wink~</strong></span><br />
<br />
AL: Naughty girl, but true...I'm sure you'll find a vamp or two in a shadowed corner waiting to nibble on someone. So, tell us what’s happening with you. <br />
<br />
<strong>Serena: Well, the hubby and I just celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary this year…and I’m happy to report that we both looked at each other that morning and said, “lookin’ good, how about another 15?” My eleven year old, Darling Diva, has decided that rather than a jewelry designer, she would like to be an actor/singer (Man those were the days, weren’t they? Every kiddo must want to perform at one point…I sure did.) And I am, hopefully, going to be rid of my yearly bout of bronchitis. Yep, a writers dream…let’s write some sex today, hack, cough, hack. LOL </strong><br />
<br />
AL: Tell us about a current or upcoming release. <br />
<br />
<strong>Serena: My current release is entitled A Magical Return. It’s a story of somewhat human lovers, who have an affinity to the elements and a special ability to carry inside themselves another being. An Other, or a magical essence, here to help protect humans from evil.</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Unfortunately, as is the case in romance, all hell breaks loose (literally) and tears our couple apart. But, as the title implies, they get a second chance at love; if they can get over all the bumps in the magical road home. </strong><br />
<br />
AL: Sounds like another great read. You know this reader will be checking it out. What other works are you deep into?<br />
<br />
<strong>Serena: Well, right now I’m nearly finished with my second Jaguar shifter story, The Submission. This time it’s all about Marina’s (heroine from The Challenge) sister LeAnn and her mate’s, Rick and Trent. I had originally thought to have The Submission out quite a while ago, but the characters threw me for a loop the first time I was close to the end. I found myself dismantling the entire story and starting over… Frustrating, for sure, but the characters are always right though, and now the story is that much better.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: I have a couple that's like that. You've me them. Christian and Alynn. Who is the author(s) that inspired you to write?<br />
<br />
<strong>Serena: Wow, you know, I have so many authors I just love to read and find inspiring so it’s hard to pick just one. I will say that while I’ve always had the writing bug, it was my first paranormal romance that made me say, “Oh yeah, I am so going to do this one day.” And the author I was reading at the time…Christine Feehan.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Of your books, whose your favorite hero and heroine?<br />
<br />
<strong>Serena: Gasp, but I love all my characters!! Currently, though, it is not a character from one of my published works or WIP who I find the most fun to scribe for. I’ve been writing flashes on my group blog Shapeshifter Seductions http://shapeshifterseductions.blogspot.com/ that take place in a fictitious town by the name of Talbot’s Peak. This is a wicked fun town, with a cast of characters as long as my…leg. ~wink~</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>My favorite to write about is Ziva and Nick. Alpha werewolves who put out the town paper and still find time to torment each other.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Have you ever wanted to write your book in one direction but your characters wanted to go in another direction. What did you do in such a situation?<br />
<br />
<strong>Serena: All the free-wheeling time! LOL I swear I must have the mouthiest, and orneriest, characters around. All the time with what they want and how they want it, never mind what the actual author wants to do… BUT ~I have to whisper this so as to keep the hooting and hollering inside my poor brain to a minimum~ much the same as good customer service, the character is always right. Yep, I said it; I let my characters get away with anything and everything they want, because in the end, they are always right.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: It’s time to get personal! Do you have a favorite sport, &/or team that you follow?<br />
<br />
<strong>Serena: Oh my, when you said personal I thought for sure we were gonna talk sex! Ooooh wait, can we include sex as a sport?? No…Okay, but, what if… No again… You’re killing me here, Ann ~wink~</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Now, where was I? Oh yes, sports. See, I’m not much for sports, unless we’re talking the Olympics. Baseball, Football, Hockey…I can take them or leave them, but The Olympics are a must watch for me. Summer or winter, doesn’t matter I like them equally. In the summer I can watch them swim and dive, in the winter bobsledding and skeleton. How awesome is that!</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Come on, Serena. A man in a football uniform. Now that's a sexy-sport on a stick. Yum! All those hits, and running and more hits, all that male verility on display. Wait....fanning myself. Now, can you describe yourself in 3 sentences or less?<br />
<br />
<strong>Serena: How about 3 words…Sexy, Sassy and Sensual!</strong><br />
<br />
AL: If you weren't writing, what do you suppose you'd be doing?<br />
<br />
<strong>Serena: Beating back the voices in my head! And probably working an office job where I’d drink too much coffee and gossip incessantly! So, for the safety of others, I’d best continue to write. Heh heh</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Where would you like to travel if you had the chance?<br />
<br />
<strong>Serena: Everywhere! I was bitten by the travel bug at a young age and the need to see everything has yet to wear off. I would love to take to my car, with my hubby and Darling Diva, and see every one of the states in this here country…top to bottom, side to side and with a slow boat to Hawaii at the end. When it’s all over…we’d be off to Europe!</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Can you share some of your plans for 2012 and beyond?<br />
<br />
<strong>Serena: Writing, writing and more writing! I have such a back log of idea that need to be written and new ones jumping in everyday, that I could be busy for the rest of my days! I’ve also given some thought to getting my toes wet in the indie publishing market with a few of my Talbot’s Peak shorts, but I’m still trying to decide on that end.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.<br />
<br />
<strong>Serena: Here are a couple of my favorites. Wise words I try to remember every day. </strong><br />
<br />
<strong><em>The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.</em> ~Eleanor Roosevelt</strong><br />
<br />
<strong><em>You can’t have a light without a dark to stick it in.</em> ~Arlo Guthrie</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>And lastly, the quote that speaks to the reader, the writer and the dreamer in me…</strong><br />
<br />
<strong><em>If you are a dreamer, come in. If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar, a hoper, a prayer, a magic-bean-buyer. If you're a pretender, come sit by my fire, for we have some flax-golden tales to spin. Come in! Come in! </em>~Shel Silverstein</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Thanks so much for sharing with us, Serena.<br />
<br />
<strong>Serena: Thanks for having me here, Ann! I always feel so incredibly welcomed in your lovely writer’s cave. Plus, this time I found the room you keep your naughty night dwellers in, so I may never leave! ~wink~</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Have fun, Serena! If you’d like to find out more about Serena please visit:<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://serenashay.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: blue;">http://serenashay.blogspot.com/</span></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shapeshifter Seductions-grp blog- <a href="http://shapeshifterseductions.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: blue;">http://shapeshifterseductions.blogspot.com/</span></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Serena Shay’s Fan Page- <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Serena-Shays-Fan-Page/267531343271739"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.facebook.com/pages/Serena-Shays-Fan-Page/267531343271739</span></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Goodreads- </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/serenashay"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">http://www.goodreads.com/serenashay</span></a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tD-ncrPR7Bo/Trf5ldrJ6XI/AAAAAAAAAms/4HyT6yqA4vQ/s1600/LSB_MagicalReturn_550x800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" ida="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tD-ncrPR7Bo/Trf5ldrJ6XI/AAAAAAAAAms/4HyT6yqA4vQ/s200/LSB_MagicalReturn_550x800.jpg" width="137" /></a></div><strong>FEATURED TITLE: <em>A MAGICAL RETURN </em></strong><br />
<br />
<em><strong><u>Blurb:</u></strong></em><br />
<br />
<em>The Loss</em><br />
<br />
Conleth “Cole” Douglas, warlock and vessel, needs a miracle. A destructive force has taken hold of his town and it will take more than just he and his magical Other, Cole, to eradicate the Evil. When an attempt to open his lover, Emterra, to their shared destiny fails, Conleth and Cole take extreme measures to stop the rising darkness. Their only option: take it, and themselves, into another realm.<br />
<br />
Emterra “Irene” Azzurra, untapped witch and vessel, has given up on finding her own happy-ever-after. Devastated by the loss of her one and only love she becomes disinterested and remote, closed off from a life without Conleth. Even her job as the mayor of the dying town of Douglasville, MO, fails to sustain her, until she gets a blast from the past…<br />
<br />
<em>The Return</em><br />
<br />
He’s back, alive and whole, but he didn’t come alone. The evil they’d hoped to contain in a distant realm has returned with him and is out to finish the job it started. There can be no failure this time, the now middle-aged, Emterra must accept her Other or doom the town to an agonizing death.<br />
<br />
Skeptical of his sudden homecoming, Emterra is afraid to hope that his return could be true. She balks at the idea of opening her heart to him again. Especially when he looks like the same young Goth from ten years ago and tries to convince her she’s sharing skin with a magical being.<br />
<br />
Can Conleth prove his claims of magic and the Others to be true? Can Emterra allow herself to believe in love and his wild claims? Or will the returning Evil finally swallow this town and all its inhabitants into the deepest realms of hell.<br />
<br />
<strong><u><em>Excerpt:</em></u></strong><br />
<br />
<strong>April 1st, 10 years ago</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Northern Missouri, outside of Douglasville, in a barren tobacco field</strong><br />
<br />
Giant plumes of fire shot into the air, bracketing both the stage and Conleth ‘Cole’ Douglas within their heated embrace. The pyrotechnic display filled the night sky with showers of crackling flames. <br />
<br />
An unknown force had let loose a demon within the town of Douglasville. Malevolent was too nice a word for this beast. This evil was a promise maker, a soul sucker, a bloody life taker, and now it was Conleth’s job to send it back to Hell. The only problem—he wasn’t nearly strong enough on his own. For this, he needed Em. <br />
<br />
Emterra Azzurra was many things to him, his friend and lover, his soul mate—but right now what he needed the most was the thing inside her. Deep within the body, he knew quite intimately, was a being of magic, a source of goodness, an Other—one who had the ability to work with his own Other to defeat the evil bearing down on them now. <br />
<br />
“Terra quod ventus nos queso ye, adeo nos, reperio vestri populous.” ‘Earth and wind we beseech ye, come to us, find your host’. <br />
<br />
Together Conleth and his Other called the wind and summoned the earth. The task put a strain on their waning energy, as neither power was theirs to wield. Yet, they could only hope there was enough force to release Emterra’s powers, link her to the earth and air around them, and free her Other. <br />
<br />
Magic spiraled through the crowd, seeping into pores and burrowing under skin, looking for its host, looking for Emterra. She was here. He could feel her; his Other had scented her life force as she’d entered the field of battle. <br />
<br />
Con knew Emterra had the power to control the wind and a body to embrace the being she carried inside. With practice, she would hone the skill to become truly powerful, a force to be reckoned with, but time was an indulgence neither could afford. He had to encourage her to try, right here and right now. A gentle introduction to her new life was something he could not give her this time as he had in the past. <br />
<br />
He prayed she would forgive him. <br />
<br />
“Em,” he whispered inside her head. Her thoughts were a confused jumble of fears and questions. She didn’t yet believe in psychic links as Conleth did, but this was the only way he could find her in the mass of humanity about to be used as food. <br />
<br />
“How can I…in my head…Con.” Her emotions were scattered, but in her newly cop-like way, she’d locked them deep down inside. “What are you doing?” <br />
<br />
“Something good, my love, nothing that can hurt you.” He hoped. “But I need you to trust me.” <br />
<br />
“Con, I’ve always trusted you, but…but this time, you’ve gone too far…please stop.” <br />
<br />
“Do you remember our last concert, Em?” <br />
<br />
He flashed a vision of them into her mind, taking her to a past where they soared into the eclectic world of musical freedoms and expressions, while around them, drugs and liquor flowed freely. Amid the rabid throng, they too screamed and beat their hands in the air to the squeal of the electric guitar and each bang on the skins of the drum. <br />
<br />
“Don’t, please don’t make me remember this, Con.” <br />
<br />
Her mental plea broke his heart. A heart that had always and would always beat for her and her alone. Unfortunately, his love and devotion to her were not enough to keep him from what he had to do, no matter how painful it may be. <br />
<br />
“I’m sorry, my love, but you must remember. I need, no—we—need you to remember.”. <br />
<br />
He sent her another vision. This time it was a memory of those magically successful moments when she had relaxed and let go enough for her Other to come close. She stood in the past, her hands high above her head as he’d cupped her breasts from behind. They swayed to the ballad screeching from the massive speakers. Nipples hardened to painful points between his fingers and thumbs as he squeezed them. He held her tight as she shook, he knew, from the shocking power filling her body. <br />
<br />
“Say it, Em,” he’d whispered. “Say the words.” <br />
<br />
“Vicis congelo,” she screamed into the sky above them. The Latin words for ‘time freeze’ rang clearly through the air. <br />
<br />
Everything slowed. The band, being further away from them, moved as if they were stuck in a muddy bog, starting and stopping, their sounds low and slurred. The fans surrounding them, however, froze in pre-and post-head-banging modes. They stood amidst the previous chaos, enthralled by the strength of this new gift. <br />
<br />
“No!” <br />
<br />
A steel door ended the vision with a finality that worried him. They were back in the present, with evil all around them, and again she squashed the emotions and thoughts inside her. “Em, please…” <br />
<br />
“No Con, that vision is nothing more than a drug-induced nightmare of a time best forgotten. It wasn’t real…” <br />
<br />
Conleth’s Other began demanding release. “It was very real, Em, and what you did then, controlling time, is what we need now.” <br />
<br />
“Stop it, Con, just stop this. The time for foolish pranks and pretending to be magical are over—it’s time to grow up!” <br />
<br />
Goddess, he thought as he was pushed back into the background of his mind, exchanging consciousness with his Other—they were screwed. <br />
<br />
* <br />
<br />
Yep, clearly, Emterra had taken too many hits, swallows, and pills that crazy night, but youthful stupidity in the past did not explain the weirdness of tonight. First up on the loony list, Con “speaking” to her, inside her own head. That was just not possible, right… <br />
<br />
“It has to be a drug flashback or a bad trip.” Of course, she no longer took the short road to psychedelic bliss. Self-preservation and a career in law enforcement had curtailed that activity long ago. What was it then, did she just long to hear Con’s voice in her head? Did she miss their youthful hijinx enough to imagine the gothy, witchy phase was real? <br />
<br />
“Am I going crazy?” If talking to one’s self and hearing voices was any indication, she’d jumped on the crazy train the moment she stepped foot on this barren tobacco field. <br />
<br />
Hordes of people writhed under the oppressive heat of the flames bursting into the air on stage. The energy was similar to what it had been like at the concerts of her youth, yet the mood was vastly different. The power, drawn from every soul she passed, beat at her with excitement, arousal, and agony. She yearned for more of their pain, but cringed at the cruelty inside her. These people were hurting and she was enjoying it on some level. <br />
<br />
Tonight, she didn’t even have mind-altering drugs to blame. <br />
<br />
Bodies writhed in the dirt of the farm field, screaming for release. Children sobbed next to adults who begged for it to be over. Wisps of red smoke swept over the crowd, a bloody evil probing for a way inside each soul it passed. <br />
<br />
The leader of this invisible raping, pillaging mess of hellish torment, it seemed, was Conleth. Arms lifted skyward, he chanted words she’d never heard before, sounds that pulled at her. His words fed life into the columns of fire beside him. Higher they climbed, releasing the bloody red wisps, or possibly pulling them back in—she couldn’t tell. Her heart beat faster, pounding to the rhythm of his words. She had to get to him, stop him before it was too late. <br />
<br />
She ran full out, palming her Taser as she made a beeline toward the man she loved. Electrified air charged the hair flying around her face. She never faltered; it was as if she were running on the wind. <br />
<br />
“Conleth, stop,” she screamed at him from the dirt in front of the stage. “Please.” <br />
<br />
“Malum phasmatis, reverto volo.” <br />
<br />
Emma shook. He was speaking in Latin, and again she understood. ‘Evil spirits, return to me’. Oh Con, what have you done? <br />
<br />
“Conleth Cole Douglas, cease and desist. Now!” She used her best cop voice in an attempt to take control of the situation, though she had no idea what the situation was. This night was to have been a magic show to support the families hit hardest by last season’s crop failures. The invite extended to the entire town with a request that everyone dig deep and give what they could—food, time, money. Anything would help. <br />
<br />
Rumor had it, Martin and Wilhemina Douglas sponsored this worthy cause; but suspiciously, their son Conleth had been the only one to show. He’d promised big name magicians, bands, as well as a plethora of rich and famous people, ready to lend a financial helping hand. <br />
<br />
Again, Con was the only one here. He was looking guiltier by the second, but of what? Mass hypnosis? Con was a master at hypnotism, but more one-on-one than a crowd this big. One look at the Labradorite stone he wore around his neck and she was a goner. The grayish-blue gem, with its green and blue flashes could pull her under in less time than it took an arsonist to flick his bic. <br />
<br />
But that was one small gem; there were hundreds if not thousands of people gathered in this field. No way was he putting all these folks under, unless it was really the chanting doing the work. <br />
<br />
Still he went on. “Malum phasmatis, reverto volo.” Over and over again, but that didn’t make sense. How could ‘evil spirits, return to me’ be used as a focus? <br />
<br />
“Ut is est, sic vadum is exsisto.” A Latin phrase forced its way past her lips, ‘as it is, so shall it be’. The words seemed random to her, but to Con, they appeared to make sense. His head turned to her and the blood red eyes staring back at her climbed inside her skin and stilled her heart. <br />
<br />
“Emterra Irene Azzurra, finish it,” the man she loved said in a voice not his own. “Please.” <br />
<br />
“Con, get down. Now!” <br />
<br />
“Finish it!” He screeched into the night sky. <br />
<br />
“NO!” <br />
<br />
“Finish it!” <br />
<br />
“I can’t, I don’t know what you mean.” Fear seeped under Emma’s skin while bugs skittered around her brain. The pain was unbearable. <br />
<br />
Tendrils of fire weaved through her body, meeting the air pushing its way in through her pores. A bright star burst to life beneath her skin. The light was more brilliant and loving than anything she’d felt in her entire life. The presence filled her, touching every lonely spot inside her with calm and well-being. There was safety within the light, protection. Yet she struggled to get away from the nexus of peace. <br />
<br />
As quickly as it had come, the presence departed—torn from her with the subtlety of a rusty axe. The pain of it dropped Emma to her knees. She writhed upon the ground with fellow town members, praying for death, wondering how and why Con would do this. <br />
<br />
Briefly, Latin words whispered through her brain, perfectus, per meus mos– ‘finished, by my will’, but the pain swept the words away, leaving only Conleth’s voice to fill the void in that dying field with a Latin rhyme. <br />
<br />
“Per meus mos–‘By my will’, may this adnihilo, ‘demon’, return to me, cling to me. Take me, leave them be. Alive, but ten years more before we settle thy wicked score. Per meus mos,” he screamed, before disappearing in a flash of flame, miles high. <br />
<br />
The blessed darkness overtook her.<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: purple;">REMEMBER: One lucky commenter will be chosen on Thursday, Nov. 10th to receive a copy of Serena's recent release, A Magical Return. Good luck!</span></strong>Ann Loryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487429252659919567noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36704330.post-1324450211251332782011-07-25T15:51:00.000-05:002011-07-25T15:51:05.213-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yzUhXg6mQKs/Ti3XEJzi3fI/AAAAAAAAAmo/ZzZk5rMGc2I/s1600/SV_SeductionoftheCaptainlg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yzUhXg6mQKs/Ti3XEJzi3fI/AAAAAAAAAmo/ZzZk5rMGc2I/s400/SV_SeductionoftheCaptainlg.jpg" t$="true" width="266" /></a></div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">In the Author Spotlight & Contest</span></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: x-large;"><em>SILVIA VIOLET</em></span></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: purple;">CONTEST: Silvia will give away one download copy of Seduction of the Captain. How do you enter for a chance to win? Simply leave a comment for Silvia. Best wishes!</span></strong><br />
<br />
AL: Hi Silvia! Welcome to Blog Bites.<br />
<br />
<strong>Silvia: Thanks for having me here, Ann.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you.<br />
<br />
<strong>Silvia: I’m enjoying soaking up summer – going to the pool with my kids, wading in creeks, taking hikes, and spending several long weekends to visit friends</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Tell us about a current or upcoming release. <br />
<br />
<strong>Silvia: My most recent release is Seduction of the Captain, a BDSM sci fi story set on a mercenary ship. I enjoyed examining the power dynamics of my characters’ relationship. Kajinek is a Dominant pilot must who follow his Captain’s commands when he’s on the bridge, but when they’re in private, she submits to him. </strong><br />
<br />
AL: What other works are you deep into?<br />
<br />
<strong>Silvia: I’m working on two m/m stories now, one is sci fi story featuring intergalactic spies and the other is set on an underwater research station.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: How do you decide upon your settings? What about the names of characters? Do you ever change either mid-stream into a story? <br />
<br />
<strong>Silvia: I typically meet my characters first and they give me the setting but sometimes they are reluctant to reveal their names. I have changed a characters name after getting a few chapters into the story and getting to know the character better.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Do you ever have certain music you listen to when you write? Does it vary from book to book?<br />
<br />
<strong>Silvia: I often write in silence (or the closest thing to it in a house with little kids). But when I write the steamier scenes I often listen to dance music like Pitbull, Flo Rida, or Enrique. Occasionally a song will seem perfect for the feel of a story. One of the characters in the sci fi story I’m working on now has chosen Shontelle’s Impossible as his theme song.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: You write submissive/dominate story lines. How do you when you know when you’ve crossed the line between romance/erotica to something else all together?<br />
<br />
<strong>Silvia: My stories range from light play with power dynamics (the hero holding the heroines hands down while they have sex) to BDSM books where the interactions between the characters gets very intense (literal whips and chains). In these more intense stories, I spend some time examining the psychology of dominance and submission, but to me they are all still romance/erotica stories because they focus on the developing relationship between the characters. The BDSM scenes advance and deepen the characters relationship and by the end they have fallen in love with each other.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: It’s time to get personal! What is your favorite coffee drink?<br />
<br />
<strong>Silvia: a local coffee shop has a drink called a Mayan Mocha – it has cayenne and cinnamon in it and is delightfully spicy and oh so good</strong><br />
<br />
AL: What annoys you enough to be considered a pet peeve?<br />
<br />
<strong>Silvia: People who expect you to do all the work on a “group” project</strong><br />
<br />
AL: You are the heroine and you have the hero(s) on the island in the middle of your kitchen. What food would you be feeding…nibbling off each other?<br />
<br />
<strong>Silvia: chocolate frosting and bacon</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Here it is: Torchwood or Doctor Who? Does it upset you as much as it did the hubby and I when they stopped Torchwood so early in its series? Or could you care less – just give you more John eye-candy? <br />
<br />
<strong>Silvia: Torchwood. I can’t get enough of Captain Jack. I would watch endless episodes of Torchwood, and I wish I had Starz so I could watch Miracle Day without having to wait until it’s available streaming. In the meantime, I’ll take all the John eye candy I can get. :-)</strong><br />
<br />
AL: What do you hope for your writing career in the next few years? Any goals that you have yet to obtain that you have set for yourself?<br />
<br />
<strong>Silvia: My muse is leading me to explore the m/m genre right now. I’d like to find homes for the m/m stories I’m working on now. I took a long hiatus from publishing and I’m still getting back in the swing of things. My primary goals now are to continue to push myself to write daily and to get my name out to readers. </strong><br />
<br />
AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.<br />
<br />
<strong>Silvia: <em>Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragements, and impossibilities: It is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak.</em> -Thomas Carlyle</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Thanks so much for sharing with us, Silvia.<br />
<br />
<strong>Silvia: Thanks for talking with me, Ann.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: If you’d like to find out more about Silvia please visit:<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://silviaviolet.com/"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>http://silviaviolet.com</strong></span></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://facebook.com/silvia.violet"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>http://facebook.com/silvia.violet</strong></span></a></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yzUhXg6mQKs/Ti3XEJzi3fI/AAAAAAAAAmo/ZzZk5rMGc2I/s1600/SV_SeductionoftheCaptainlg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yzUhXg6mQKs/Ti3XEJzi3fI/AAAAAAAAAmo/ZzZk5rMGc2I/s200/SV_SeductionoftheCaptainlg.jpg" t$="true" width="133" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><strong>FEATURED TITLE: <em>SEDUCTION OF THE CAPTAIN</em></strong></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><strong><u>Blurb:</u></strong></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Kajinek is a Lalatian Dominant who must feed on fear, pain, and sex for survival. Since leaving his homeworld, he hasn’t met a woman who could truly satisfy his needs.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Mercenary captain Saida Alexander needs a pilot for the most dangerous mission she’s ever undertaken. She chooses Kajinek, because he’s reputed to be the very best. She never suspects that he’ll awaken the submissive desires she’s ignored for years.</span><br />
<br />
When Saida knocks on Kajinek’s door, he senses that she’s the partner he’s been looking for. He agrees to fly her ship under one condition; she must personally feed his darkest desires. Can Saida give in to what her body wants or will submitting sexually shatter the careful control she wields over the rest of her life?<br />
<br />
<strong><u>Excerpt:</u></strong> <br />
<br />
Kaj opened the door of his resort-class suite and nearly stumbled as a heady female scent hit him with tangible force. He’d yet to probe the mind of the woman who’d interrupted his quiet afternoon, but her submissive needs screamed at him, begging him to take notice. His cock hardened instantly. <br />
<br />
Her long blonde hair was pulled back in a braid that reached her waist. He fought the urge wrap it around his hand and crush her against him. Her skintight flight suit left little of her body to his imagination. Her muscles tensed under his gaze, and her green-gold eyes studied him suspiciously. She reminded him of a feline preparing to spring. He could smell her desire. Apparently he was affecting her as much as she affected him. <br />
<br />
“Kajinek of Lalatia?”<br />
<br />
He nodded, not sure he could keep the predatory growl out of his voice.<br />
<br />
“I’m Captain Saida Alexander of the Allied Mercenary Corporation ship the Ascendant. I’ve come to offer you a job.”<br />
<br />
Kaj smiled. He’d heard of Captain Alexander. She was well respected as a hard-ass leader who always accomplished her mission objective. For a captain of her standing to show up unannounced at his personal quarters, she must be desperate for his help. This must be his lucky day. “Do come in.”<br />
<br />
He pressed at the edges of her impressive mental shields and gleaned just enough information to confirm what was already clear to him. While he doubted anyone else realized it, Captain Alexander longed to find a man strong enough to dominate her. She was desperate for the release she could never find with a partner who refused to test the limits of her strong will.<br />
<br />
He’d not met a woman this compatible for his needs since leaving Lalatia. And he wasn’t about to let her get away. Before this day ended, she would be his.<br />
<br />
“Have a seat, Captain.” He gestured toward the plush chairs in the small seating area near the window, which overlooked the station garden. “I’ll order us some refreshments.”<br />
<br />
The sexy captain moved through his quarters with silent, controlled grace. He suppressed a shudder of anticipation as he imagined how she would move under him as he thrust deep in her body. If he didn’t watch it, he wasn’t going to be able to focus on the business at hand. He’d take whatever job she was offering, but he doubted she’d like his terms.<br />
<br />
He knew his smile must be particularly predatory when her eyes widened. By Varin, she was going to be a feast. “Would you like some coffee?”<br />
<br />
She still looked wary, but now he saw a hint of a smile. “Real, honest-to-God coffee?”<br />
<br />
He laughed. “Of course.”<br />
<br />
“Yes, please.”<br />
<br />
He walked to his comm unit and pressed down the button that connected him with the resort concierge. “Please send up coffee and an assortment of pastries immediately.”<br />
<br />
“Yes, sir.”<br />
<br />
Captain Alexander smiled, briefly losing her controlled exterior and looking almost girlish. “You needn’t go to the trouble, but I do appreciate it. I haven’t tasted real coffee in months.”<br />
<br />
Her joy at this simple gesture stirred something in him even stronger and more potent than lust. Hearing her cry out his name as he whipped her ass would be delicious. But satisfying her enough to bring that smile to her face might feed something more than physical hunger in him. The thought unnerved him but made him no less determined to have her.<br />
<br />
He sat in the chair facing hers. “So you’re in need of a pilot?”<br />
<br />
The captain nodded. “The last pilot I hired proved unsatisfactory. We have a job in three days. I’d like you in the pilot’s chair.”<br />
<br />
“What is this job?” His sensitive ears heard her pulse accelerate. What was she up to?<br />
<br />
“We will act as escort for three ships intent on sailing through the Rebel-controlled sector of Quadrant 16. They’ll appear to be private cargo ships, but they’ll be manned by Imperial Intelligence agents.”<br />
<br />
Kaj snarled. “I don’t do Imperial jobs.”<br />
<br />
Captain Alexander arched a brow and held his gaze. The delicious smell of her fear belied her confidence. “I’ve heard you’ll take any job as long as the price is right.”<br />
<br />
He gestured at the opulent room. “Does it look like I’m in need of work?”<br />
<br />
“Lovely as all this is, you don’t strike me as a man who likes to sit on his ass. I think you need to fly. I think you need the rush of danger.”<br />
<br />
He smiled, knowing she could see the swirl of orange and yellow flames in his eyes, a sure sign of a Lalatian’s anger or lust. “I do enjoy a thrill, but I can get that right here. You seem like a rather dangerous woman.”<br />
<br />
Anger flashed in her eyes. The scent of fear deepened.<br />
<br />
The doorbell rang, signaling the arrival of coffee. Kaj was thankful for the distraction. His cock was harder than a steel rod, and he was close to pinning Captain Alexander to the wall and taking exactly what he wanted. His lack of control was appalling, but she was doing things to his libido that made him feel like a boy with his first trainer.<br />
<br />
He took the tray from the delivery bot and poured coffee for the captain. As he handed her the mug, he let his fingers brush hers. He was rewarded by her sharp intake of breath.<br />
<br />
The contact distracted her, and he felt her fear ease, supplanted in part by lust. He couldn’t help but smile as he sat down, taking a sip of the delicious, strong coffee he’d grown addicted to. “What’s Allied Merc doing working for the empire?”<br />
<br />
She stared at him, her face revealing nothing of the emotions he could smell swirling around her. “Making money.”<br />
<br />
He arched a brow. Something felt off. He tasted apprehension, and he was certain she wasn’t a woman to be unnerved easily. She would never have been made captain otherwise.<br />
<br />
“We have no allegiance. We go where the money is. They want the best, and they’re willing to pay for it.”<br />
<br />
Allied Merc might not owe anyone allegiance, but he damn well bet Captain Alexander did, and it wouldn’t be the empire. “Why?”<br />
<br />
The captain shrugged. “That information is classified. But whatever will be on those ships is worth a hell of a lot to them.”<br />
<br />
Kaj shook his head. “You can’t expect me to believe you’re guarding a ship without any idea what’s on board.”<br />
<br />
“I don’t give a fuck what you believe as long as you do your job.” She handed him a nano tablet. “This contract should answer further questions. If you would like to contact me after you’ve had a chance to peruse it, I --”<br />
<br />
“No. Stay. I would rather settle our business now.” He sensed that she was disturbed by the lust he stirred in her. No way in hell was he going to let her run away.<br />
<br />
He read through the details of the contract, impressed by the sum she was offering him and more than satisfied with the level of responsibility he would have in the pilot’s chair. Now it was time to see how she would react to what he really wanted.<br />
<br />
He passed the contract back to her. “A nice offer, but there’s only one thing that would tempt me to take an Imperial job.”<br />
<br />
Captain Alexander raised her brow. “What might that be?”<br />
<br />
“First, tell me what you know of my people.”<br />
<br />
“Lalatians are born dominant or submissive, and you must feed on the energy of others.”<br />
<br />
He nodded. “As a dominant, I feed on fear and pain and sex.” He paused a moment to drink in the torrent of lust and unease pouring off her. “Are you prepared to feed me?”<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: purple;">REMEMBER: Silvia will give away one download copy of Seduction of the Captain. How do you enter for a chance to win? Simply leave a comment for Silvia. Best wishes!</span></strong>Ann Loryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487429252659919567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36704330.post-87139316822705728422011-07-21T14:01:00.000-05:002011-07-21T14:01:18.537-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MsHWoNrdSzw/Tih3FrUBzNI/AAAAAAAAAmk/4P9y2Hz9wio/s1600/A_FAMILIAR_EVIL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MsHWoNrdSzw/Tih3FrUBzNI/AAAAAAAAAmk/4P9y2Hz9wio/s400/A_FAMILIAR_EVIL.jpg" t$="true" width="263" /></a></div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">In the Author Spotlight</span></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: x-large;"><em>ANNE PATRICK</em></span></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: purple;">CONTEST: Anne will give away a PDF copy of A Familiar Evil to one lucky winner and will draw the name Sunday. To enter for a chance to win simply leave a comment for Anne. Best wishes!</span></strong><br />
<br />
AL: Hi Anne! Welcome to Blog Bites. <br />
<br />
<strong>Anne: Thanks for having me Ann!</strong><br />
<br />
AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you. <br />
<br />
<strong>Anne: Well I recently returned from visiting family and friends in Oklahoma. I try to make it back a couple of times a year but summertime is my favorite because of the cookouts and outdoor games.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Tell us about a current or upcoming release. <br />
<br />
<strong>Anne: My latest release is A Familiar Evil. I also have one coming out in August called Journey to Redemption.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: What other works are you deep into?<br />
<br />
<strong>Anne: I'm presently working on the second book in my Wounded Heroes Series. Kill Shot: Book One releases in November.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: When you write do you do a detailed outline before you get started or do you have the idea then just 'fly by the seat of your pants'? :-)<br />
<br />
<strong>Anne: I'm a panster. I love not knowing what my characters will do next.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: What do you feel is the most important thing that a first-time author should know?<br />
<br />
<strong>Anne: Don't be discouraged by rejections. We all get them. Stick with it, believe in yourself and what you've written, and never give up.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Have you ever wanted to write your book in one direction but your characters wanted to go in another direction. What did you do in such a situation? <br />
<br />
<strong>Anne: Oh yeah. I let them take the lead and see where it goes. All of my books are character driven so usually I'm just along for the ride.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: It’s time to get personal! You do a lot of traveling around the world. Where is your favorite place to visit and why?<br />
<br />
<strong>Anne: I've been to both El Salvador and Honduras in Central America and fell in love with both the countries and the people. They're so genuine and down to earth, and I loved their beaches! </strong><br />
<br />
AL: Summer is here! What will the readers find you in; a bikini, one piece, or a full body wet suit diving into the waves?<br />
<br />
<strong>Anne: Definitely a one piece</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Is there an author out there that you’d love to do an anthology with?<br />
<br />
<strong>Anne: There are so many wonderfully talented writers out there it would be hard to choose. I have had the honor of appearing in two anthologies with Victory Tales Press and loved the experience.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: What’s your biggest regret in life?<br />
<br />
<strong>Anne: That I didn't start my writing career sooner.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Can you share some of your plans for 2011 and beyond?<br />
<br />
<strong>Anne: I plan to keep writing and hopefully land on the NY Times bestseller list. Hey when I dream I dream big :).</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.<br />
<br />
<strong>Anne: <em>"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them."</em> ~ Walt Disney</strong><br />
<br />
<strong><em>"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go, instead, where there is no path and leave a trail."</em> ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Thanks so much for sharing with us, Anne.<br />
<br />
<strong>Anne: Thanks for having me on your lovely blog, Ann. It's been fun!</strong><br />
<br />
AL: If you’d like to find out more about Anne please visit:<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.annepatrick.weebly.com/"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>http://www.annepatrick.weebly.com</strong></span></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.suspensebyanne.blogspot.com/"><strong></strong></a><a href="http://www.suspensebyanne.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.suspensebyanne.blogspot.com</span></a></a></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MsHWoNrdSzw/Tih3FrUBzNI/AAAAAAAAAmk/4P9y2Hz9wio/s1600/A_FAMILIAR_EVIL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MsHWoNrdSzw/Tih3FrUBzNI/AAAAAAAAAmk/4P9y2Hz9wio/s200/A_FAMILIAR_EVIL.jpg" t$="true" width="131" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><strong>FEATURED TITLE: <em>A FAMILIAR EVIL</em></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><u>Blurb:</u></strong><br />
<br />
Jordan Russell had the perfect life until the brutal monster from her childhood resurfaced, opening up scars she thought were healed. With the hope of finally finding closure Jordan leaves her cheating husband, and her career in the FBI, and returns to where her nightmare began. But what awaits her in Thorny Creek will push her to the very edge of sanity and bring her face to face with her abductor.<br />
<br />
<strong><u>Excerpt:</u></strong> <br />
<br />
Excuse me. I’m looking for Chief Russell.” <br />
<br />
Jordan’s stomach did a nosedive at the familiar voice of her soon-to-be-ex-husband. <br />
<br />
“You found her,” Frank answered.<br />
<br />
Jordan looked up just as Sam smiled. “Indeed I have.” He started toward her desk.<br />
<br />
Colleen barged through the opened door. “Chief, there’s an Agent Russell here to see…oh, I guess you found her.”<br />
<br />
“Agent Russell,” Frank repeated. He turned back to Jordan, “Isn’t Russell your married name?” He then shifted his gaze back to Sam, “That must mean you’re her husband.”<br />
<br />
“Not for much longer.” Jordan hurried around her desk and ushered Frank out the door. “You’ll be hearing from me.” She closed the door and looked at Sam. “What are you doing here?”<br />
<br />
“I’m here at your request.”<br />
<br />
“I specifically requested someone from the Charlotte field office.” Anyone but him.<br />
<br />
He looked at her with the gorgeous smile that used to make her go weak in the knees. “And they forwarded that request to Agent Haines, who assigned me.”<br />
<br />
“We’ll see about that.” Jordan marched back to her desk, and was four digits into Haines’ cell phone number when Sam pressed his finger down on the button and disconnected the call. Eighteen and a half months of built-up rage boiled to the surface. She doubled her right fist and spun around with lighting fury.<br />
<br />
Sam, just as quick, stopped the fist within inches of his jaw. With his free hand, he took the phone from her left hand and placed it back in its cradle. Jordan felt his hot breath on her face as he peered down at her, and was keenly aware of the heat generating from his body through the hand which tightened around her wrist.<br />
<br />
“Let me help you, Jordan…please.”<br />
<br />
She swallowed hard, summoned all her courage, and met his smoldering gaze. “I need a profiler who can tell me exactly what I’m up against here.”<br />
<br />
“Don’t tell me you’ve lost your touch.”<br />
<br />
She ignored his smirk. “I need a fresh pair of eyes who can look at this guy objectively.”<br />
<br />
“Who hasn’t allowed themselves to get too personal?”<br />
<br />
“I just need someone other than you,” she spat.<br />
<br />
“Too bad, you’re stuck with me. Now, what do you say I release your hand and you don’t take my head off? Or we can continue to provide the day’s entertainment for your co-workers.”<br />
<br />
Jordan shifted her gaze to the glass separating her office from the command center. A half dozen familiar faces scattered like rats. She twisted free from his grip, grabbed her cap from her desk and shoved it down over her head. “Fine!” She was already halfway out the door before she realized he wasn’t with her. She turned back and found him smiling at her. “Are you coming or not?”<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: purple;">REMEMBER: Anne will give away a PDF copy of A Familiar Evil to one lucky winner and will draw the name Sunday. To enter for a chance to win simply leave a comment for Anne. Best wishes!</span></strong>Ann Loryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487429252659919567noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36704330.post-19413821130400559852011-07-18T12:31:00.000-05:002011-07-18T12:31:35.648-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0qsbuz9ZN7A/TiRt1bVeIHI/AAAAAAAAAmg/hXEl9E-H1_Y/s1600/AG_KhyberRun_coverin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" m$="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0qsbuz9ZN7A/TiRt1bVeIHI/AAAAAAAAAmg/hXEl9E-H1_Y/s400/AG_KhyberRun_coverin.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">In the Author Spotlight & Contest</span></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: x-large;"><em>AMBER GREEN</em></span></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: purple;">CONTEST: Amber has a Khyber Run T-shirt to give away. She will draw her winner at the end of the week. To be entered simply leave a comment for Amber. Thanks and good luck!</span></strong><br />
<br />
AL: Hi Amber! Welcome to Blog Bites.<br />
<br />
<strong>Amber: Thanks for inviting me back!</strong><br />
<br />
AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you.<br />
<br />
<strong>Amber: Well, my older son is home from the Marines and looking to start college. My younger son is at tech school learning to repair aircraft. We're up to nine cats, having collected an abandoned little gentleman named Merlin. About two weeks ago, I found out that the US Marshals have a Violent Fugitive Task Force! As it turned out, the marshals who came in search of a former housemate were all Marines, and one of the first things they saw was my son's boot camp portrait. They spent a while chatting, probably trying to figure us out. They might also have been disarmed by my Clifford-sized pit bull; Baron is certain that the only reason anyone comes to our door is to play ball. Meanwhile I'm not bringing in enough royalties (yet) to replace my wardrobe with floaty stuff from The Pyramid Collection, I'm ticked off at Wal-Mart for discontinuing a line of shoes wide enough to fit my feet, and Governor Voldemort is messing with my day job.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Tell us about a current or upcoming release. <br />
<br />
<strong>Amber: My newest release is Khyber Run, a contemporary military romance, now available at Loose Id and at the Sony Reader Store. Zarak abandoned that Warrior Code crap long ago. Oscar personifies it. In a war-scarred land, two men fight for justice, honor, and who gets top.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: What other works are you deep into?<br />
<br />
<strong>Amber: Right now I'm working on a contemporary and a fantasy, both of which persist in ignoring my attempts to plot them out.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: If someone hasn't read any of your work, what book would you recommend that they start with and why?<br />
<br />
<strong>Amber: For m/m, probably Golden Boys. It's loosely tied to the Turner & Turner series but not part of it. It's also my best approximation of a fluffy dick-lit beach read, even if both heroes do get shot.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: You write m/m and m/m/f in paranormal, contemporary, etc. Do you ever find it hard to move from one genre to another?<br />
<br />
<strong>Amber: Not at all. Changing genres is a great way to circumvent writer's block.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Do you have a mentor or critique partner that you work with consistently?<br />
<br />
<strong>Amber: I have a crit group, ERA, which keeps me going when everything outside says stop and give up. I also belong to a group called WeWriteStuff, which focuses more on creativity than production. I call on other people here and there when I need to.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: It’s time to get personal! Who is a great example to you and how you live your life?<br />
<br />
<strong>Amber: I wouldn't want to hang the blame on anybody for the way I live my life.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: When you have time just for you (if only) what do you do?<br />
<br />
<strong>Amber: If that ever occurred, I'd probably spend it trying to remember my to-do list. Seriously, I hang out with my writing buddies and brainstorm or do Power Hour writing sprints. Or I throw a ball for the dogs and let them wrestle over which one gets to bring it back.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: If you had to write yourself as a villain, what kind of villain would you be? What would you be named?<br />
<br />
<strong>Amber: How about an evil T'Pau, from the Spock-with-beard universe?</strong><br />
<br />
AL: If you could go anywhere in the world and in any time…where would you go? What would you do? And why that time-period?<br />
<br />
<strong>Amber: It depends on how long I'd be there. If you're talking about a permanent relocation instead of a visit, how about Tahiti in the 1400s? It's isolated enough to decrease risks of plagues and invading armies, there's no snow to shovel, and it didn't get wiped out by a drought, volcano, earthquake, or tsunami.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Can you share some of your plans for 2011 and beyond?<br />
<br />
<strong>Amber: Well, we're halfway through 2011 now, and very little has gone according to plan--sort of like my plotlines. My Man of Mystery story is simmering on a back burner, with only one chapter written, instead of being a complete draft ready to go through revisions. I've only learned to cook a handful of Pakistani dishes, and somehow my kitchen and pantry have failed to rearrange themselves according to plan. I hope to revamp my website pretty soon.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.<br />
<br />
<strong>Amber: <em>"We cannot defend freedom abroad by deserting it at home."</em> Edward R. Murrow (1908-1965)</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Thanks so much for sharing with us, Amber.<br />
<br />
<strong>Amber: Thank you so much for asking. It's always fun to spend a few days at Blog Bites. </strong><br />
AL: If you’d like to find out more about Amber please visit:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.shapeshiftersinlust.com/"><strong><span style="color: blue;">www.shapeshiftersinlust.com</span></strong></a><br />
<a href="http://www.loose-id.com/Khyber-Run.aspx"><strong><span style="color: blue;">http://www.loose-id.com/Khyber-Run.aspx</span></strong></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0qsbuz9ZN7A/TiRt1bVeIHI/AAAAAAAAAmg/hXEl9E-H1_Y/s1600/AG_KhyberRun_coverin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" m$="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0qsbuz9ZN7A/TiRt1bVeIHI/AAAAAAAAAmg/hXEl9E-H1_Y/s200/AG_KhyberRun_coverin.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><strong>FEATURED TITLE: <em>KHYBER RUN</em></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><u>Blurb: </u></strong><br />
<br />
After being transplanted from an Afghani battleground to a Florida playground, Zarak Momand grew up trying to instill in his younger brothers the ancient Pakhtun Way. A generation later, he’s a burned-out US Navy hospital corpsman who has lost touch with his brothers and his heritage alike.<br />
<br />
Then he’s kidnapped by USMC scout-snipers hell-bent on recapturing a deserter who murdered a brother Marine. Z uses Pakhtunwali to navigate the ambiguities of fourth generation warfare, where there are no front lines and where the moral high ground shifts from situation to situation. At his back stands Oscar, who is every bit the seasoned warrior young Zarak had once hoped to be.<br />
<br />
Secretly crossing the border into Pakistan, Oscar and Z take help where they find it, and become more of a couple than either man has ever known. But is Oscar’s rough passion a betrayal between brothers? And what happens when the deserter would rather die than go back?<br />
<br />
<strong><u>Excerpt:</u></strong><br />
<br />
I woke muddled, thinking the ship’s engines sounded wrong. Red light glared on my eyelids. Breathing meant gagging on the seagull-shit taste of a hangover. And that sound was not my ship’s engines. More like a sardine can’s engines or…a plane?<br />
<br />
Opening my eyes took effort. A plane. From the rear of the fuselage, I faced up an aisle between rows of knees hugging sea bags. Not sea bags: MOLLE-packs. Red lights in strips overhead barely illuminated a couple hundred hunched forms in desert camo, a row of males in body armor along each bulkhead, facing inward, and two rows of females jammed into back-to-back seats in the center. Male or female, each of them clutched one of those carbines the sponges called an assault rifle.<br />
<br />
What am I doing in a plane packed with camo-assed bullet-sponges?<br />
<br />
The plane’s deck angled down sharply. Screams rang in my ears, going dull. My ears cleared, painfully, and the shrieks sharpened.<br />
<br />
Crashing. That’s what we’re doing.<br />
<br />
The deck roller-coastered up, then yawed faster than physics should allow. Whiplash. I saw stars. The stench of vomit wrung my empty guts.<br />
<br />
A dive and another yaw brought more screams ringing off the bulkhead, prayer in Spanish close by, retching farther away.<br />
<br />
How did I stay in my seat, with gravity halving and doubling and snatching me starboard to port? When the plane steadied long enough to let me look down, I saw bands of dull silver duct tape strapping my thighs to my seat, and another red-streaked silver band over my belt.<br />
<br />
Something hung on my lower face. I had some kind of mask. No. Somebody had duct-taped a puke bag to my face. It sagged obscenely against my chin, like a giant used condom.<br />
<br />
Pulling it off hurt. The stench blasted from it.<br />
<br />
Where do I put this? I looked around, blinking, trying to make sense. The screamers in the middle seats were mostly army. The hundred or so men squatting in the seats lining the bulkhead were marines. Some laughed at the women. Others hunkered down, as if waiting for shrapnel to find them. A few threw curious glances at me, the only squid in sight.<br />
<br />
A cluster of pops rapped at the bulkhead, like popcorn in my mother’s big pot. One of the sponges grinned at me. “Small arms fire. Welcome to Bagram.”<br />
<br />
Bagram? A map of the giant air base flashed in my eyes, then a dim memory of riding my father’s shoulder, hiding my face in his turban while a trio of Shuravi—Soviets—stomped an ominously silent laborer. Couldn’t be…<br />
<br />
“He means hold on,” added another sponge.<br />
<br />
I dropped the puke bag to grab my seat. The plane tilted, again nose-diving but this time braking hard. Instead of falling to the deck, the bag shot forward, splatting against a female’s ear.<br />
<br />
“I’m hit! Aaah!”<br />
<br />
“God! Brains! Oh, God!”<br />
<br />
“Aaaaaaaaaaaah!”<br />
<br />
The plane swerved and jinked, each jerk redoubling the shrieks. The smell of fear, sharp and sour, fought with the smell of vomit.<br />
<br />
One of the marines chuckled, despite the sweat beading on his face, and pitched his voice low enough to hear under the shrieks. “You know you’re going to have to police that up, Squidward.”<br />
<br />
“No-go, sir. The doc’s our volunteer.”<br />
<br />
Volunteer? WTF? I twisted to see who’d called me a volunteer, but his rifle caught my attention first. A bolt-action rifle. A sniper’s weapon.<br />
<br />
Behind the rifle, teeth flashed in a grin. He didn’t seem to exist, except as a rifle, a hint of helmet, and a grin. Then the grin vanished.<br />
<br />
The deck flipped overhead. The unsecured marines bounced, sending bellows among the screams. I hung from my seat, still taped in place.<br />
<br />
The deck flipped again, then slammed up at us. A marine fell across my lap. I caught his weapon before it could bean him. The cool metal slapped into my hand, rousing memories like an old lover’s name.<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: purple;">REMEMBER: Amber has a Khyber Run T-shirt to give away. She will draw her winner at the end of the week. To be entered simply leave a comment for Amber. Thanks and good luck!</span></strong>Ann Loryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487429252659919567noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36704330.post-17147201470920394312011-07-11T09:28:00.000-05:002011-07-11T09:28:53.470-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WI511l0X8-M/ThsIdjwtZ5I/AAAAAAAAAmc/FCpMI9FPA7s/s1600/JD_FourthandGoal432.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" m$="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WI511l0X8-M/ThsIdjwtZ5I/AAAAAAAAAmc/FCpMI9FPA7s/s400/JD_FourthandGoal432.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">In the Author Spotlight & Contest</span></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><em><span style="font-size: x-large;">JAMI DAVENPORT</span></em></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: purple;">CONTEST: Jami will give away <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">an electronic copy of one of her</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> older books to one lucky winner. Just leave a comment to be entered into the drawing. Best of luck!</span></span></strong><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">AL: Hi Jami! Welcome to Blog Bites.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><strong>Jami: Thanks so much for having me here, Ann</strong>.</span><br />
<br />
AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you.<br />
<br />
<strong>Jami: I’m enjoying the summer on our beautiful little farm in the Pacific Northwest. I’m an avid horsewoman, but my horse is no longer rideable. This is the first time in over 25 years that I haven’t had a horse to ride. I’m adjusting slowly.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Tell us about a current or upcoming release. <br />
<br />
<strong>Jami: My most current release is Fourth and Goal, a football hero romance I’m really excited about. If I have a book of my heart, this is the book. I’m a big football fan, and I wanted to write a different kind of football romance—not one where the heroine doesn’t like football or know anything about it and the football is just background stuff. I wanted to write a football romance that would appeal to female football fans as well as fans of romance.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: What other works are you deep into? <br />
<br />
<strong>Jami: I also write hotter, shorter works under another pen name. I just finished two books under that pen name and am almost done with the third. After that I’ll be finishing the sequel to Fourth and Goal, followed by a small-town romance I’ve been dying to write.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: When you write do you do a detailed outline before you get started or do you have the idea then just 'fly by the seat of your pants'? :-)<br />
<br />
<strong>Jami: Mostly, I start with an idea and fly. That being said, I am doing a little more plotting than I used to because plotting is my weak point, while characters are my strong point.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: What do you feel is the most important thing that a first-time author should know? <br />
<br />
<strong>Jami: Don’t polish your voice out of a story. I did that a lot when I first started writing.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Do you have a mentor or critique partner that you work with consistently?<br />
<br />
<strong>Jami: Yes, I have a couple. Dawn Calvert and Jodi Lynn Copeland. They’ve both been invaluable to me. Allie K. Adams and I plot together.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: It’s time to get personal! You love horse riding. Do you own horses? If so, what are their names and whose your favorite?<br />
<br />
<strong>Jami: I have one horse named Gailey. Gailey is a very nice Hanoverian mare that I used to show in dressage. I bought her as an unbroke three year old. She’s now 16 and is going to be a mama for the first time next year. Due to some suspensory issues in her hind legs, I can no longer ride her. I’m hoping to buy another show horse next year. </strong><br />
<br />
AL: Your first book was named after a Garth Brooks song…Are you a big Garth Brooks fan? What other music do you like?<br />
<br />
<strong>Jami: When I get an idea for a book, it’s as simple as hearing a song and thinking that would make a great book. The Dance was one of those books. I do like Garth, but mostly his older stuff. I love country, jazz, and rock. </strong><br />
<br />
AL: Is there an author out there that you’d love to do an anthology with?<br />
<br />
<strong>Jami: Susan Elizabeth Phillips for the tamer stuff and Bella Andre or Jaci Burton for the naughtier stuff.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Sometimes people envision an author’s life as being really glamorous. I like to set them straight, so tell us what’s the most unglamorous thing you’ve done in the past week?<br />
<br />
<strong>Jami: Do you really want to know? I had to clean up cat vomit. I also scrubbed the refrigerator.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Can you share some of your plans for 2011 and beyond?<br />
<br />
<strong>Jami: I’m working on Tyler’s story, Forward Passes, which is a hoot to write. After that, I’m starting my Small Town Saturday Night series, set in the small town in Eastern Washington that I grew up in. The first book will be based on a true incident a bartender told me about. It’ll give you chills to hear it. </strong><br />
<br />
AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.<br />
<br />
<strong>Jami: <em>A good friend will bail you out of jail, but a true friend will be sitting right next to you saying, “Wow, that was fun.”</em></strong><br />
<br />
AL: Thanks so much for sharing with us, Jami.<br />
<br />
<strong>Jami: Thanks so much for having me, Ann. It’s been fun!!!</strong><br />
<br />
AL: If you’d like to find out more about Jami please visit:<br />
<br />
<strong>Website: </strong><a href="http://www.jamidavenport.com/"><strong><span style="color: blue;">http://www.jamidavenport.com</span></strong></a><br />
<strong>Facebook: </strong><a href="http://www.facebook.com/jamidavenport"><strong><span style="color: blue;">http://www.facebook.com/jamidavenport</span></strong></a><br />
<strong>Twitter: </strong><a href="http://www.twitter.com/jamidavenport"><strong><span style="color: blue;">http://www.twitter.com/jamidavenport</span></strong></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WI511l0X8-M/ThsIdjwtZ5I/AAAAAAAAAmc/FCpMI9FPA7s/s1600/JD_FourthandGoal432.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" m$="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WI511l0X8-M/ThsIdjwtZ5I/AAAAAAAAAmc/FCpMI9FPA7s/s200/JD_FourthandGoal432.jpg" width="137" /></a></div><strong>FEATURED TITLE: <em>FOURTH AND GOAL</em></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><u>Blurb: </u></strong><br />
<br />
<em>In a game played on and off the field, only one of them will emerge the winner.</em><br />
<br />
Armed with an uncanny ability for evaluating football talent, a dogged determination to succeed in a man’s world, and an empty bank account, Rachel McCormick agrees to help struggling wide receiver Derek Ramsey get his game back. Rachel believes Derek, her former best friend and lover, knows the truth behind the points-shaving scandal which ruined her father. She vows to expose the secret even if it destroys Derek in the process.<br />
<br />
When Derek’s coach suggests sex as an excellent tension reliever the night before a game, Rachel takes one for the team. The next day, Derek has the best performance of his not-so illustrious pro football career.<br />
<br />
As Derek and Rachel rack up nights in bed and other places, the team racks up wins on the field. Rachel is torn between her loyalty to her father and her growing affection for Derek. Now it’s fourth and goal, one second left on the clock. Their hearts are on the line. Do they trust each other enough to go for the long bomb or do they get dropped for a loss?<br />
<br />
<strong><u>Excerpt:</u></strong><br />
<br />
Hiring the one woman he could never forget was a dumb-assed idea and the wrong play to run, but Derek Ramsey took the ball and ran with it anyway. Five years ago, his one-weekend affair with Rachel McCormick had tackled him for an emotional loss. She’d been his best female buddy, and he’d fucked up a good thing by following his dick instead of his brain. After battling a half decade of guilt and coulda-shouldas, he dreaded and anticipated this reunion.<br />
<br />
She’d been employed as his caretaker and living in the little house next to his barn for a few days. He’d managed to avoid contact by taking an impromptu weekend visit to his dad and stepmom a few hundred miles away. But he couldn’t stay away forever.<br />
<br />
Weary of postponing the inevitable, Derek walked down the driveway from his ranch house to the barn and small caretaker’s house. Pausing halfway down the hill, he whistled for backup. Consider him a coward, but his chocolate Lab would serve as a diversion if this reunion didn’t go well. Oddly, Simon didn’t come running. Derek shrugged. He must be chasing rabbits in the woods or something. <br />
<br />
He’d have to go it alone. As he rounded the last bend in his driveway, Rachel McCormick stomped up the hill toward him.<br />
<br />
Oh fuck. He knew females. He’d endured growing up with an older sister. Rachel had that close-fisted, furious carriage to her stride that meant only one thing: someone was going to die. Please, God, don’t let it be him.<br />
<br />
Even as he planned possible escape routes, his male head perused her body and responded with a resounding thumbs-up, though it wasn’t really his thumb that was up. <br />
<br />
The woman marching toward him with murder in her eyes barely resembled his tomboy buddy from his high school and college days. This Rachel wore a navy blue blazer with matching skirt and shoes, complete with manicured nails and makeup. The suit hugged her tall, lean body and accentuated her curves and straight-to-heaven legs. Long reddish brown hair was pulled back into a tidy ponytail. While he preferred the blue jeans and T-shirt version, this one was just as gorgeous and way more unapproachable. Don’t mess with me radiated from every pore in her body. Not a glimpse of the shy, sweet Rachel he had once known.<br />
<br />
“Rachel, good to see you again.” Derek spoke calmly -- hoping to defuse the bomb -- and halted a few steps from her.<br />
<br />
She didn’t return his small talk. Green eyes blazing, she scowled, as dangerous as a hand grenade with the pin pulled in the hands of a chimpanzee.<br />
<br />
“Problem?” he asked conversationally and forced a pleasant smile on his face. <br />
<br />
“Do you own a demon chocolate Lab?”<br />
<br />
Derek barked a laugh and sealed his death sentence. Her expression went beyond homicidal. “I have a Lab named Simon. He’s opinionated and untrainable. It sounds like you’ve met him.”<br />
<br />
“How long has he engaged in a life of crime?”<br />
<br />
“Oh shit. What did he steal now?”<br />
<br />
“My truck keys. My only set.”<br />
<br />
“Oh.”<br />
<br />
“Where is the little delinquent?” She glanced up and down the driveway.<br />
<br />
“I called for him earlier. He didn’t come. I suspect he’s busy burying the evidence.”<br />
<br />
“I missed a job interview because of that hoodlum.” Her laser-tight glare sliced through his defenses.<br />
<br />
“I’m sorry. I could get you a cab.”<br />
<br />
“It’s too late now.” She spoke through gritted teeth and visibly drew in a long, calming breath. A split second of uncertainty flashed across her face, peppered with a vulnerability that brought memories flooding back to him of the girl he had once known. Sweet Rachel with a passion for football and a kind word for even the most unworthy person.<br />
<br />
He watched as she gathered her composure and hid behind an emotionless mask. “I still need my keys.”<br />
<br />
“I doubt we’ll find them. He’s very good. A serial digger.”<br />
<br />
“What do you expect when you name a dog Simon? It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.” She stared up the dirt road. “My keys could be anywhere.”<br />
<br />
Derek didn’t hold out much hope. Dense woods surrounded the driveway on both sides. At the end of the woods was a large field, cross-fenced into several smaller grassy paddocks. It’d take an act of God to find her keys. He truly doubted the Big Guy considered such a trivial matter worthy of his attention.<br />
<br />
“So Simon’s on your hit list along with me.”<br />
<br />
“Right up there at the top.” No denial of his place on the list.<br />
<br />
“Are you a member of AAA?”<br />
<br />
She pointed down the driveway. “That’s my truck. What do you think?” <br />
<br />
He knew what he thought. He thought her lips looked pretty kissable, even without lipstick or gloss. He thought she was the sexiest thing he’d seen in a long time. And he thought -- oh damn, every thought bordered on dangerous and impossible and stupid.<br />
<br />
“Derek.” She stared at him as if she expected an answer, but he’d be damned if he could remember the question.<br />
<br />
“Yeah?”<br />
<br />
“I said I’ve scaled back on material goods and choose to live life simply.”<br />
<br />
He raised one eyebrow, not buying that one. “Judging by the dents in the thing, you might want to part with a few bucks…for your own safety.”<br />
<br />
“Harvey has character.” Her anger still simmered below the surface, and a stranger stared back at him with frosty green eyes. Still beautiful, but formal and cold. He liked her better mad.<br />
<br />
Derek snorted. “Harvey looks like he escaped a life sentence in a wrecking yard.”<br />
<br />
“He runs great.” Rachel squared her shoulders and stood up straighter. She gave him her most charming smile, as if she didn’t have a care in the world. “Look, champ, I’d love to stand out here and shoot the breeze with you, but I’m a busy woman. Your agent already discussed the particulars of the position with me.”<br />
<br />
He imagined all sorts of particular positions he’d prefer to do with her. She’d feel pretty good in his arms right about now, all soft and warm. And then he’d take her to bed and bury his cock deep inside her. She’d scream and beg for more, just like one weekend so long ago. Derek shook his head. This line of thinking headed nowhere but trouble and stopped now.<br />
<br />
“I’ll get you a locksmith.”<br />
<br />
“Don’t bother. I’ll call one.”<br />
<br />
Derek wiped sweat off his brow and shoved his hair off his forehead. Damn. Was she so oblivious to him that she wasn’t picking up on his thoughts? He hoped so. As far as money, he knew better than to offer any. She had her pride. He’d let her keep it. He knew how valuable pride was. Since college, his none too lustrous pro career had severely dented his.<br />
<br />
A joyous bark caught his attention. Simon trotted down the road toward them. A stick hung from his mouth, and his tail wagged with enthusiasm. No sign of stolen goods. On his best doggy behavior, the felonious Lab sat down next to Derek, grinning for all he was worth and incredibly pleased with himself.<br />
<br />
“Simon, meet Rachel. Rachel, meet Simon.” Simon thumped his tail on the ground and gazed up at her.<br />
<br />
“We’ve met.” Rachel glared at the dog. Undaunted, Simon took it as a compliment and drooled on her foot.<br />
<br />
“Rae, I’m sorry. He’s my dog. I’ll take care of this.”<br />
<br />
“A dog-skin rug in front of my fireplace would be payment enough.”<br />
<br />
“You don’t have a fireplace.”<br />
<br />
“One small detail. I’ll build a campfire on the porch.”<br />
<br />
“You’re a heartless woman.”<br />
<br />
“Don’t you forget it.”Ann Loryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487429252659919567noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36704330.post-40815630621283083952011-07-07T09:20:00.000-05:002011-07-07T09:20:46.965-05:00<strong><span style="font-size: large;">In the Author Spotlight</span></strong><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;"><strong><span style="font-size: x-large;"><em>Deirdra Eden Coppel</em></span></strong></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">AL: Hi Deirdra! Welcome to Blog Bites.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong>Deirdra: Hi! Thank you so much for inviting me.</strong></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you.</span><br />
<br />
<strong>Deirdra: Well, this summer my hubby is being a stay at home dad so I can work on my books. I have a private office at a secret location. My goal is to get five books written by September. I have three done so ahead of schedule.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Tell us about a current or upcoming release. <br />
<br />
<strong>Deirdra: I just had an article accepted in an international magazine. It was fun getting that acceptance letter and signing the contract. I was also asked to be a presenter at a large writer’s conference next spring. </strong><br />
<br />
AL: What other works are you deep into?<br />
<br />
<strong>Deirdra: I’m also a graphic designer, illustrator and writing coach. I’ve been presenting at workshops for writers and staying super busy with my illustrating and book cover business. My main project right now is getting those five books finished by summer’s end. Editing and querying take months, so I write another book while I’m waiting to hear back from editors and beta readers. I keep sending stuff out in waves to keep the progress flow constant.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: What is one glaringly/specific personality trait that you put into your hero/heroine that is all Deirdra? One that a family member or friend stops and says, “Hey, this is so you!" <br />
<strong>Deirdra: She is a cat lover. LOL. My character is driven and determined. Hopefully that doesn’t sound too much like bragging, but I think all successful authors need to be driven and determined.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: How do you decide upon your settings? What about the names of characters? Do you ever change either mid-stream into a story?<br />
<br />
<strong>Deirdra: My books are historical in nature. I usually research something in history until I find something that sparks a bunch of ‘what if’ questions. I research names and find out what they mean or pull something from history.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: What got you jumping feet first into writing fantasy?<br />
<br />
<strong>Deirdra: Fantasy is a powerful way of teaching metaphors without being preachy. It was also one of the ways I escaped from reality when I was a child. </strong><br />
<br />
AL: It’s time to get personal! What’s your favorite comfort food?<br />
<br />
<strong>Deirdra: Chocolate doughnuts, chocolate mint ice cream with hot fudge, cream puffs, Friday’s Brownie Obsession, strawberry cheesecake, carrot cake with extra frosting, ripe raspberries and black berries, truffles. Oh boy, you and your readers are going to think I’m a junkie. I hardly ever eat that stuff, really, I haven’t had a cavity in years. (knock-on-wood)</strong><br />
<br />
AL: What favorite movie; or T.V. show makes you hunker down on the sofa and settle in for the night?<br />
<br />
<strong>Deirdra: Lately my family and I are watching old re-runs of ALF. I love a good Lord of the Rings and I get teary eyed while watching Princess Bride and Chronicles of Narnia.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: What is the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?<br />
<br />
<strong>Deirdra: I jousted – yep, on horseback. I wasn’t even wearing armor. I also hunted down a few zombies in the mountains. I had a baby, that was pretty rough, but I got a cute little boy out of the deal. I’ve written nine books, how crazy is that?</strong><br />
<br />
AL: If you could go anywhere in the world and in any time…where would you go? What would you do? And why that time-period?<br />
<br />
<strong>Deirdra: Okay, I fantasize about this all the time. I wish I had a huge semi-truck and can take it back in time when the pioneers were crossing the plains to give them all a lift. </strong><br />
<br />
AL: Can you share some of your plans for 2011 and beyond?<br />
<br />
<strong>Deirdra: I’m getting an agent this year. I’m not sure who it is yet, but I’m getting one.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.<br />
<br />
<strong>Deirdra: “We are what we believe we are.” C.S. Lewis</strong><br />
<br />
AL: Thanks so much for sharing with us, Deirdra.<br />
<br />
<strong>Deirdra: Thanks for a fun interview. You asked some really great questions. </strong><br />
<br />
AL: If you’d like to find out more about Deirdra please visit:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.knightess.com/"><strong><span style="color: blue;">www.Knightess.com</span></strong></a><strong><span style="color: blue;"> </span></strong><br />
<a href="http://www.astorybookworld.blogspot.com/"><strong><span style="color: blue;">http://www.astorybookworld.blogspot.com/</span></strong></a>Ann Loryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487429252659919567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36704330.post-60183583389911160752011-07-05T09:29:00.000-05:002011-07-05T09:29:51.315-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zYVWfAe0Zc0/ThMfHWoZcQI/AAAAAAAAAmY/X6Phl__RSSE/s1600/RestrainingTheReceptionist72LG-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" i$="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zYVWfAe0Zc0/ThMfHWoZcQI/AAAAAAAAAmY/X6Phl__RSSE/s400/RestrainingTheReceptionist72LG-1.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">In the Author Spotlight & Contest</span></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><em><span style="font-size: x-large;">JUNIPER BELL</span></em></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: purple;">CONTEST: <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Since I just came back from RWA, I’ll give away a gift pack of fabulous books, hardcover and paperback, including books by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Madeline Hunter, and Meg Cabot. I’ll throw in a few other goodies from the conference too. All you have to do is leave me a comment! </span></span></strong><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">AL: Hi Juniper! Welcome to Blog Bites. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><strong>Juniper: Hi Ann, it’s great to be here, thanks so much for having me!</strong></span><br />
<br />
AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you. <br />
<br />
<strong>Juniper: At the moment I’m roaming the East Coast visiting family. I just attended the RWA conference in New York, which involved meeting tons of amazing authors, drinking gallons of coffee and getting no sleep. So now I’m catching up with family in Rhode Island and Maine, trying to squeeze in a nap here and there. I’m calling it the Sleep Deprivation Tour. It’s been lots of fun, but I’ll be glad to get home to Alaska. </strong><br />
<br />
AL: Tell us about a current or upcoming release. <br />
<br />
<strong>Juniper: My current release is Restraining the Receptionist, which came out on June 14 from Samhain. It’s a follow-up to Training the Receptionist, which began the adventures of Dana Arthur and her two sexy bosses. This book takes their steamy three-way relationship even further, but you can enjoy the second book without having read the first. </strong><br />
<br />
AL: What other works are you deep into?<br />
<br />
<strong>Juniper: My next book, ironically, is called Go Deep. It’s set during a winter festival in Alaska with the motto, “Anything goes, nothing counts.” An amateur hockey coach and his wife seize the opportunity to break through some barriers into a much deeper intimacy. And once they do, they find out all sorts of things about each other. Go Deep is coming out from Ellora’s Cave, but I’m not sure when. </strong><br />
<br />
AL: When was the defining moment when you realized you wanted to be a writer?<br />
<br />
<strong>Juniper: I’ve always expressed myself best through writing, but I didn’t try to be a fiction writer until about four years ago. I was going through a terrible time in my personal life and, as always during stressful moments, I turned to romance novels. In the middle of a Susan Elizabeth Phillips book it clicked that if I loved romance so much, I should try writing one. Shortly thereafter I realized it’s not as easy as she makes it look. </strong><br />
<br />
AL: What do you like best about writing? What is your least favorite thing?<br />
<br />
<strong>Juniper: What I like best about writing is the writing. The real world so rarely matches what I think it should be. But when I’m at the computer writing, I can do something about that! I love creating a different world to spend time in for a while. And I love my characters. My least favorite thing is the worry about whether other people are going to like my creations. </strong><br />
<br />
AL: Who is your strongest/sexiest/most lovable/hottest - hero/heroine? Why?<br />
<br />
<strong>Juniper: My favorite heroine is Dana Arthur from my Receptionist books. She’s a street-smart survivor who relies on her sense of humor to get her through life. She’s also deeply vulnerable, though she’s learned to hide it and rely only on herself. She has to learn to let down her barriers in order to find pleasure and joy. </strong><br />
<br />
AL: It’s time to get personal! Do you have a favorite sport, &/or team that you follow? I love football and my Missouri Tigers. <br />
<br />
<strong>Juniper: I have an obsessive personality, and after an especially intense season of following the New York Mets baseball team, I quit cold turkey. I decided that my blood pressure couldn’t take it. I transferred all that obsession to the Olympics because it only comes around every couple years and only lasts two weeks. That’s my sports fix now. I tune out everything else. Does that sound crazy? </strong><br />
<br />
AL: Best movie you've seen recently?<br />
<br />
<strong>Juniper: I loved Easy A. I loved her attitude, in fact she reminded me of a younger version of Dana. I put that movie in the same category as another of my favorites – Clueless. Easy A is a light, contemporary retelling of the Scarlet Letter, Clueless of Jane Austen’s Emma. Putting classic novels in the context of modern-day high school is a genius idea. I’ve found that high school keeps repeating itself over and over again, no matter how old I get. </strong><br />
<br />
AL: Where would you like to travel if you had the chance?<br />
<br />
<strong>Juniper: Just about anywhere. I live in Alaska where the quiet and isolation is great for writing, but it can turn you into a hermit. I’m pretty much willing to go any place that isn’t cold and buried under six feet of snow. The tropics are at the top of the list. </strong><br />
<br />
AL: Do you have a top 5 actors list? You know that list of men that make you go yum, yum that would be inevitable, if only….<br />
<br />
<strong>Juniper: In no particular order, Daniel Craig. LL Cool J. Bradley Cooper. Ewen MacGregor. George Clooney. George Clooney is on the bubble. His confirmed bachelor act is getting old – I’m ready to see him settle down. On the other hand, Daniel Craig broke my heart when he got married recently. Bradley Cooper is new to the list. But I don’t think I’ll ever let Daniel or LL Cool J go. They just do it for me. </strong><br />
<br />
AL: If you could have any car in the world; would it be a slow rider, or one that the wind has to hurry just to keep up with you?<br />
<br />
<strong>Juniper: It would have wings so it could fly over traffic, and a paddle wheel for crossing water. It would be Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, in other words. I also really like the idea of jet packs for getting around town. </strong><br />
<br />
AL: What do you hope for your writing career in the next few years? Any goals that you have yet to obtain that you have set for yourself?<br />
<br />
<strong>Juniper: I’m a big believer in the saying, “it’s not the destination, it’s the journey”. I want to keep having fun with my stories. I want to keep getting better at writing, keep finding more things to explore and try. I hope that readers will keep enjoying what I offer up. </strong><br />
<br />
AL: Thanks so much for sharing with us, Juniper.<br />
<br />
<strong>Juniper: It’s been a blast, thank you so much for the opportunity!</strong><br />
<br />
AL: If you’d like to find out more about Juniper please visit:<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://juniperbell.com/"><strong><span style="color: blue;">http://JuniperBell.com</span></strong></a><strong><span style="color: blue;"> </span></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://authorjuniperbell.blogspot.com/"><strong><span style="color: blue;">http://AuthorJuniperBell.blogspot.com</span></strong></a></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zYVWfAe0Zc0/ThMfHWoZcQI/AAAAAAAAAmY/X6Phl__RSSE/s1600/RestrainingTheReceptionist72LG-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" i$="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zYVWfAe0Zc0/ThMfHWoZcQI/AAAAAAAAAmY/X6Phl__RSSE/s200/RestrainingTheReceptionist72LG-1.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong>FEATURED TITLE: <em>RESTRAINING THE RECEPTIONIST</em></strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong><u>Blurb:</u></strong></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><em>Every deal has a loophole </em>…the Receptionist, Book 2</span><br />
<br />
Dana Arthur’s new job with the firm of Cowell & Dirk is going well. Translation: the occasionally kinky ménage with her two bosses, Ethan and Simon, has been several months of politically incorrect bliss.<br />
<br />
Except the relationship feels unbalanced. While Ethan is the undisputed master, the partners’ iron-clad agreement stipulates that Simon must be present as she performs her “duties”. And she senses there’s a subtle, powerful tug-of-war developing for more than just her body.<br />
<br />
Simon had agreed to share the firm’s fiery, sensually daring receptionist…to a point. With Simon out of town, Ethan plans a feast of erotic temptations designed to have Dana begging him to break the deal. He didn’t realize his heart would be a casualty.<br />
<br />
Once she surrenders to his wicked demands, Dana realizes there’s no going back. It’s time for a three-way renegotiation…this time, all or nothing. <br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: red;">Product Warnings</span></strong><br />
<span style="color: red;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: red;">NSFW!! Do Not Try This at Your Job. Contains highly inappropriate workplace behavior including m/f/m, m/m, bondage, creative use of office space and a high-stakes trip to Atlantic City.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;"><strong><u>Excerpt: WARNING - NAUGHTY READ COMING UP! </u></strong></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">My unpredictable number one boss showed up in a new mood the next day. I’d never seen him light-hearted before. Now that I had an idea about his history, not a big surprise. But that’s exactly how he seemed when he breezed into the office. He wore casual clothes, blue jeans and a light blue open-collared shirt that made his eyes look like summer without the smog.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">“I’ve got no pesky clients today, luv,” he told me, without pausing by my desk to check my outfit, which he usually did. “I’d like you to order us a picnic lunch.”</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">“Huh?”</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">“Picnic. You have those in America, right? Or are they banned in the great state of New York?”</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">“We have them, but you can’t even spread out a blanket without kicking aside a stray used needle or two.” As soon as I said it I remembered the heroin. “I…I’m sorry,” I stammered.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">But my thoughtless reference didn’t make him miss a beat. “A little local color will add to the experience, I’m sure. Handle the details and we’ll go around noon.”</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">Did a picnic violate the terms of our deal? Ethan and I would be doing something outside of work, just the two of us, something intimate. Almost like a date. But he hadn’t suggested anything physical. It was lunch. We both had to eat, right? It seemed perfectly harmless.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">Since I was working from the company petty cash fund, I called up the neighborhood yuppie café where they served giant organic sandwiches. On my budget, I would have gone for a Subway footlong. But Ethan would no doubt demand something better.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">We held our picnic on a concrete bench in a sweltering park a few blocks away from the office. Dog walkers and stroller-pushers, listless from the heat, wandered by now and then, but otherwise we were alone. The humid heat pressed on us like a steam iron. My hair stuck to my cheeks as I bit into my upscale sandwich.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">Ethan didn’t comment on the slabs of free-range chicken that had probably been hand-raised and read bedtime stories before being slaughtered and inserted into a sandwich. He did remove the unruly mound of bean sprouts and toss it to a nearby pigeon. The pigeon pecked at the stuff, clucked scornfully and waddled the other direction.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">I couldn’t help giggling at Ethan’s wounded expression. “I wouldn’t take it personally,” I told him. “He’s a New York pigeon. He’s used to eating dog crap.”</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">He chuckled. “Have you lived here your whole life, Dana?”</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">The sheer ordinariness of the question unnerved me. “Well, except for that semester abroad in Paris, and the year I spent in Fiji with the Peace Corps. I’m joking,” I added, when he didn’t laugh.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">“Oh. Well, I’m certainly familiar with your sense of humor, but I confess I don’t understand the joke. You could have done those things.”</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">I let out a spurt of laughter that startled the pigeon. “I had other things to do.”</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">“Like what?”</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">“Like dodge my father’s fists after a drinking binge.”</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">“Ah.” Ethan didn’t show sympathy or disapproval or anything else. He chewed on his stack of multi-grain goodness. “And your mother?”</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">“No clue. My father always said she ran away, but for all I know he has her body dismembered in a freezer somewhere.”</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">That earned me a sharp taste of Blue Fury.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">“I’m kidding. I have a dark sense of humor. My father’s not that bad. And my stepmother would have gone for poison instead.”</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">A crack of laughter from Ethan. “You really are something, you know that? You fascinate me.”</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">I filled my mouth with sandwich so I didn’t have to answer that. I was very much afraid the fascination was mutual. We settled into a munching, digesting kind of silence. He had one ankle crossed over the opposite knee, and occasionally his bent leg would brush against mine. Every time it happened, a little jolt of awareness zinged straight to my groin. Did he know it was happening? Was he doing it deliberately?</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">“Your knee keeps touching me.”</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">“Does it?” He didn’t move away.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">“That’s against the rules.”</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">“So sorry.” But he didn’t look sorry. He looked entirely unconcerned, even though he moved his knee away. “One of these days we must write these rules down. For instance, is all physical contact forbidden while Simon is away, or only that of a sexual nature?”</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">Lord, why did he have to say “sexual” with that spark in his eyes and that slant of his eyebrow? It wasn’t fair, damn it.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">“Another example. I’ve been longing to tell you how delicious you look today and how the shadow of your nipples through the fabric of your blouse keeps drawing my eyes. But is verbal praise also off-limits, since I’d be unable to keep it G-rated, I’m afraid?”</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">“You can’t see my nipples through my blouse!” I looked down to make sure.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">“Oh, yes, I can. I know what they’re doing right now. They’re just beginning to stir to life. You’re probably feeling a pleasant prickling as they become engorged. I’ve realized something about you, you know. The sound of my voice has a powerful effect on you.”</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">So right he was. I tried to block out his voice. Might as well try to stop the Hudson River.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">“In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if I could bring you to orgasm just with my voice. I wouldn’t have to touch you at all. All I’d have to do is tell you what I wanted to do to you. I’d tell you how much I want to bend you over this bench and take you in the open air. Or how much I’d like to tie you to that birch tree over there, open your blouse and bring you to orgasm with my fist up your cunt. Sure, someone might see. For instance, those three fellows playing Frisbee over there. It’s entirely possible they’d start to notice when I tied your hands behind the tree and ripped off your blouse. Maybe they’d even come running to your rescue.”</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">His gravelly voice hypnotized me so I could practically picture the scene. My body melted into a shivery puddle of craving.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">“And then, of course, I’d have no choice but to invite them to join us, either as witnesses or participants. They look like red-blooded, able-bodied, clean-cut gentlemen, nothing to fear. I’d have to convince them you were willing. More than willing. Eager. I’d have to show them how wet you already were, just from having your breasts exposed. You like being exposed, don’t you?”</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">“Stop,” I murmured. This was going into an area we’d never touched. Other men had had no place in our games so far.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">As soon as I told him to stop, he did. And as soon as he did, I wanted him to start again. After all, what was the harm? He was going there in imagination only.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">“Well…” I cleared my throat. “Would you let them touch my breasts?”</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">“I’d give them a chance, see how they behaved. Not just anyone gets to touch my Dana. Our Dana, I should say.”</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">I winced at the reminder of the absent Simon. But I was too caught up in Ethan’s hypothetical scenario to be bothered for long.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">“Our Dana’s luscious nipples deserve nothing other than sweet tender care. Long, lingering suckles. Perhaps a man to each nipple, and one to jerk himself off as he watches. That should get you started, I’d say. You’d be making those adorable little whimpering sounds. But perhaps I’d begin to sense that you want more, that you need the grip of cold metal on your flesh.”</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">The image made my belly clench with need. My nipples were as hard as the bench we sat on. I thought I would suffocate if this went on much longer. I turned a pleading look on him. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of nipple clamps.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">This was way over the line, totally against our rules, but I banished that thought from my mind. I nodded, biting my lip. I didn’t care who watched as he reached inside my blouse and fastened the silver clips to my nipples. The sweet pain of it made me sag against him and sigh. Exquisite relief flooded me. I leaned against him as if he were a boulder. When I looked down, the clips were clearly visible through my blouse. But I didn’t care. Ethan would take care of me.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><strong><span style="color: purple;">REMEMBER: Since I just came back from RWA, I’ll give away a gift pack of fabulous books, hardcover and paperback, including books by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Madeline Hunter, and Meg Cabot. I’ll throw in a few other goodies from the conference too. All you have to do is leave me a comment! </span></strong></span></span>Ann Loryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487429252659919567noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36704330.post-58990845853523543382011-06-22T09:48:00.002-05:002011-06-22T09:48:58.608-05:00<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Wednesday's Witty Words</span></strong> <br />
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<strong>"You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough."</strong><br />
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- Mae WestAnn Loryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487429252659919567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36704330.post-68347860226907938852011-06-15T08:18:00.000-05:002011-06-15T08:18:54.125-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3CRRwTlm4Cg/Tfiw6KsX6PI/AAAAAAAAAmA/aaTZztzBkB0/s1600/iStock_000011678217Large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3CRRwTlm4Cg/Tfiw6KsX6PI/AAAAAAAAAmA/aaTZztzBkB0/s200/iStock_000011678217Large.jpg" t8="true" width="200" /></a></div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Wednesday's Witty Words</span></strong><br />
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<strong><em>"Well-behaved women seldom make history."</em></strong><br />
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- Laurel Thatcher UlrichAnn Loryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487429252659919567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36704330.post-10436273054877488222011-06-10T09:05:00.000-05:002011-06-10T09:05:34.149-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X2eiartxZPA/TfIkgTcGc7I/AAAAAAAAAl8/XFTom9mUUFk/s1600/movie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X2eiartxZPA/TfIkgTcGc7I/AAAAAAAAAl8/XFTom9mUUFk/s200/movie.jpg" t8="true" width="200" /></a></div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Movie Phrase Friday</span></strong><br />
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<em><strong>"I've always liked you Byron, but you never know when to shut up. Even bad men love their mommas."</strong></em><br />
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Name that movie!Ann Loryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487429252659919567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36704330.post-89970588801681054532011-06-08T09:28:00.000-05:002011-06-08T09:28:10.041-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kicOqKIx6Ng/Te-G5bXBnVI/AAAAAAAAAl4/c8p6Lyxj1Tw/s1600/cbsntype-main_Full.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kicOqKIx6Ng/Te-G5bXBnVI/AAAAAAAAAl4/c8p6Lyxj1Tw/s320/cbsntype-main_Full.jpg" t8="true" width="244" /></a></div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Wednesday's Witty Words</span></strong><br />
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<em><strong>"Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia."</strong></em><br />
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- E. L. DoctorowAnn Loryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487429252659919567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36704330.post-70605329234716883912011-06-02T09:05:00.000-05:002011-06-02T09:05:39.033-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-08ccRPY1hFA/TeeYl_zn2lI/AAAAAAAAAl0/RGLIlm754Ug/s1600/Funny_Calvin_and_Hobbes_Wallpaper.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-08ccRPY1hFA/TeeYl_zn2lI/AAAAAAAAAl0/RGLIlm754Ug/s320/Funny_Calvin_and_Hobbes_Wallpaper.gif" t8="true" width="260" /></a></div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Wednesday's Witty Words...on Thursday?</span></strong><br />
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<strong><em>"You know what's weird? Day by day, nothing changes, but pretty soon...everything's different."</em></strong><br />
<br />
- Calvin from Calvin and HobbesAnn Loryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487429252659919567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36704330.post-41325233070061680892011-05-31T09:28:00.000-05:002011-05-31T09:28:10.630-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bs28QctXR8I/TeT6Jn1PBRI/AAAAAAAAAlw/vsS4pDt-has/s1600/Crimson_Vengeance_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bs28QctXR8I/TeT6Jn1PBRI/AAAAAAAAAlw/vsS4pDt-has/s400/Crimson_Vengeance_cover.jpg" t8="true" width="258" /></a></div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">In the Author Spotlight</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: x-large;"><em>SHERI LEWIS WOHL</em></span></strong><br />
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<em>A walk on the wild side...</em><br />
<br />
People often ask me why I write paranormal fiction. I have a career in federal finance and I go to the office every day. I belong to a triathlon club and participate in running, swimming, and biking events. Yesterday, I even did my very first half marathon and had a fantastic time. Yet, getting time in to write books seems like an awful lot of work and that’s what everyone asks me about. Sure, it seems like simply carving time out to write would be a chore. Except, it isn’t. Why? Because it’s fun! <br />
<br />
Imagination is a wonderful thing and it takes me to places I’d never have the courage to go in life. It lets me see my world in new and creative—albeit admittedly weird—ways. It combines my activities with my imagination. For instance, I like to ride my bicycle home from work and as I ride, stories evolve in my head. My route home from the office is ten miles, the majority of which is through a beautiful state park. The plot for my upcoming novel, Burgundy Betrayal (number two in the Spiritus Chronicles), was born as I rode along the river through the hills lined with evergreens. As I a pedaled, what-if scenarios rolled through my mind until the book came together. Filled with werewolves, witches, and vampires, the park is a key element in Burgundy Betrayal.<br />
<br />
Book one in the Spiritus Chronicles, Crimson Vengeance, came about after meeting a medical examiner. Of course, if you’ve read any of my books, you know I have a love of all things paranormal and so in Crimson Vengeance, the medical examiner is also a vampire! Again, it was the everyday world around me that provided the inspiration and let me take a walk on the wild side even if it was only through my imagination. How can I not find time for that kind of fun? <br />
<br />
So, if you want to take a walk that wild side with me, pick up Crimson Vengeance, and we’ll make the journey together. Cheers!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.sherilewiswohl.com/"><strong><span style="color: blue;">www.sherilewiswohl.com</span></strong></a><br />
<a href="http://www.sherilewiswohl.wordpress.com/"><strong><span style="color: blue;">www.sherilewiswohl.wordpress.com</span></strong></a><br />
<a href="http://www.sheri26.blogspot.com/"><strong><span style="color: blue;">www.sheri26.blogspot.com</span></strong></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bs28QctXR8I/TeT6Jn1PBRI/AAAAAAAAAlw/vsS4pDt-has/s1600/Crimson_Vengeance_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bs28QctXR8I/TeT6Jn1PBRI/AAAAAAAAAlw/vsS4pDt-has/s200/Crimson_Vengeance_cover.jpg" t8="true" width="129" /></a></div><strong>FEATURED TITLE: <em>CRIMSON VENGEANCE</em></strong> <br />
<strong><u><em></em></u></strong> <br />
<strong><u><em>Blurb:</em></u></strong> <br />
<br />
Love, desire, and secrets—a trail littered with murder and the choice one vampire will have to make that will seal her fate or set her free… <br />
<br />
Spokane County Medical Examiner Riah Preston has a job to do and a secret to keep. Riah is a vampire and she’s on a mission to discover a cure for the very thing that has kept her a prisoner of darkness for over five hundred years. With the help of Moses Lake Coroner Ivy Hernandez and genetic scientist Adriana James, they are on the verge of a breakthrough. When victims of a rogue vampire begin to show up along the I-90 corridor, things get complicated. The appearance of vampire hunter Colin Jamison complicates the situation even further. Will they be strong enough to stop this vampire killer cutting a wide path of death and destruction? Or will the secrets Riah holds in her heart destroy them all?Ann Loryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487429252659919567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36704330.post-3203283915676772952011-05-27T11:02:00.000-05:002011-05-27T11:02:14.688-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uvcyAHqworY/Td_K9UYEg1I/AAAAAAAAAls/og-w4YOIscA/s1600/movie_screen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uvcyAHqworY/Td_K9UYEg1I/AAAAAAAAAls/og-w4YOIscA/s200/movie_screen.jpg" t8="true" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Movie Phrase Friday!</strong></span><br />
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<br />
Okay you all! I looked hard for something that might be tougher to figure out. <br />
<br />
<strong><em>Dad: Now, what have we learned today? </em></strong><br />
<strong><em>Daughter: I learned to never, never ask my dad a question he doesn't have the guts to answer. </em></strong><br />
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Name that movie!Ann Loryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487429252659919567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36704330.post-79037458553981258632011-05-25T09:10:00.000-05:002011-05-25T09:10:45.930-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nCB5Arft8Jg/Td0NzwrxbpI/AAAAAAAAAlo/iMuEbhdseJ0/s1600/killer-funny-dog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nCB5Arft8Jg/Td0NzwrxbpI/AAAAAAAAAlo/iMuEbhdseJ0/s200/killer-funny-dog.jpg" t8="true" width="200" /></a></div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Wednesday's Witty Words</span></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><em>"It's a dog eat dog world and I'm wearing Milk Bone underwear." </em></strong><br />
<br />
- Norm from TV series CheersAnn Loryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487429252659919567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36704330.post-72520168596776945612011-05-23T08:34:00.000-05:002011-05-23T08:34:51.957-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dboCSRiDm_U/TdpiQiPqbUI/AAAAAAAAAlk/luwzqKqqjz0/s1600/SMS_Front_Text_Thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" j8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dboCSRiDm_U/TdpiQiPqbUI/AAAAAAAAAlk/luwzqKqqjz0/s400/SMS_Front_Text_Thumb.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>In the Author Spotlight</strong></span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: x-large;"><em>ZOE WINTERS</em></span></strong><br />
<br />
AL: Hi Zoe! Welcome to Blog Bites. <br />
<br />
<strong>Zoe: Thanks for having me!</strong><br />
<br />
AL: What work are you deep into right now?<br />
<br />
<strong>Zoe: Right now I’m working on book 3 of my Preternaturals series, which sadly doesn’t have a name yet. This is the longest I’ve gone without a title for a book. I might have to make it an open contest to name it if I can’t come up with something soon.</strong><br />
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AL: What is one glaringly/specific personality trait that you put into your hero/heroine that is all Zoe? One that a family member or friend stops and says, “Hey, this is so you! <br />
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<strong>Zoe: The smart-assery. Most definitely. And if that’s not a word, I just made it a word. :P</strong><br />
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AL: How do you decide upon your settings? What about the names of characters? Do you ever change either mid-stream into a story?<br />
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<strong>Zoe: I like smaller towns; they feel easier to manage, and they often have weird quirks which are fun to play with. I also like to write totally made-up places because I don’t want people who live in a place to go: “Hey there’s no coffee shop on that street corner!” </strong><br />
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<strong>I’m awful about character names. Sometimes they just come to me, but usually I ask Twitter, lol. People on Twitter helped me name Zane (Z) and Fiona, the main characters in my next book. Z has to go by an initial because I’ve got too many rhyming names for major characters: Jane, Zane, Cain, Dayne. You can see where I need an intervention. And I try not to change those things, mid-stream. It’s too jarring for me.</strong><br />
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AL: What got you jumping feet first into writing paranormals?<br />
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<strong>Zoe: The Buffy and Spike relationship on BtVS.</strong><br />
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AL: It’s time to get personal! What’s your favorite comfort food?<br />
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<strong>Zoe: shepherd’s pie. It’s seriously the most perfect food ever created.</strong><br />
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AL: What favorite movie; or T.V. show makes you hunker down on the sofa and settle in for the night?<br />
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<strong>Zoe: I really don’t have a TV. If I watch something it’s on Netflix Streaming or Hulu. And generally I watch in 15 minute increments. I just don’t have the attention span to sit and watch a full show, plus I’ve got too much to do. Though I will sometimes sit and watch a movie which completely contradicts my above statement. I’m wacky that way.</strong><br />
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AL: What is the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?<br />
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<strong>Zoe: I’ll let you know when I do it. :)</strong><br />
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AL: If you could go anywhere in the world and in any time…where would you go? What would you do? And why that time-period?<br />
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<strong>Zoe: Far into the future. And anywhere, really. I just want to see if we’re still here and if we became really really stupid like in the movie Idiocracy (scariest movie I’ve ever seen) or if smart people started procreating again.</strong><br />
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AL: Can you share some of your plans for 2011 and beyond?<br />
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<strong>Zoe: Well, I’m on a ten-yr-plan and the plan is basically... write a lot of books. Keep making a living. Maybe get rich because that would be nice, and then I could write purely for passion exactly what I wanted instead of having to worry about if it would sell.</strong><br />
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AL: Thanks so much for sharing with us, Zoe.<br />
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<strong>Zoe: My pleasure!</strong><br />
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AL: If you’d like to find out more about Zoe please visit:<br />
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<a href="http://www.zoewinters.org/"><strong><span style="color: blue;">http://www.zoewinters.org</span></strong></a><br />
<a href="http://zoewinters.wordpress.com/"><strong><span style="color: blue;">http://zoewinters.wordpress.com</span></strong></a><br />
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/zoewinters"><strong><span style="color: blue;">http://www.twitter.com/zoewinters</span></strong></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dboCSRiDm_U/TdpiQiPqbUI/AAAAAAAAAlk/luwzqKqqjz0/s1600/SMS_Front_Text_Thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" j8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dboCSRiDm_U/TdpiQiPqbUI/AAAAAAAAAlk/luwzqKqqjz0/s200/SMS_Front_Text_Thumb.jpg" width="125" /></a></div><strong>FEATURED TITLE: <em>SAVE MY SOUL</em></strong> <br />
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<strong><em><u>Blurb:</u></em></strong> <br />
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<em>All he’s asking for is her soul.</em> <br />
<br />
After buying the antebellum home she’s fantasized about since childhood, Anna Worthington discovers Luc, a dangerously seductive incubus who has been trapped in the house by a fifty-year-old curse. To rid herself of her problem house guest she’ll call on a priest, gypsies, ghost hunters, and the coven of witches from lust bunny hell. All she has to do is resist him long enough to break the spell so they can go their separate ways. If she doesn’t, she could die. And that would be the best case scenario. <br />
<br />
<strong><em><u>Excerpt:</u></em></strong> <br />
<br />
Instead of Beatrice, it was about the best looking man Anna had ever laid eyes on––airbrushed magazine spreads notwithstanding. Dark hair fell around his face, framing an olive complexion and cold, bright green eyes that appeared to burn with a light of their own. <br />
<br />
They seemed to pull her in, hypnotize her. They were eyes that had known violence. Whether as the victim or the perpetrator, it was too hard to tell, but she suspected the latter. <br />
<br />
His lips were as full as any man’s had a right to be, and Anna had to stop herself from imagining nibbling on his lower lip. He had the kind of cheekbones sculptors spent a lifetime learning to chisel into stone. Rather than sitting in the chair, he seemed to drape. Casually. Sinfully.<br />
<br />
Shirtlessly.<br />
<br />
She closed her eyes and raised a hand to her head, feeling for bumps. After what she’d just experienced the last thing that seemed normal was lusting after a hot stranger in her bedroom. Maybe she was dreaming again.<br />
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The next words to fly from her mouth were so stupid she would later blame a mild concussion. “You should know this house is haunted, and the last guy who tried anything got beaten bloody for his trouble. So you should ask yourself if it’s worth losing your good looks over.”<br />
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His deep, familiar chuckle slid into her, too fluid to be human. Anna vaulted out of the bed, taking the sheets with her, wrapping them around her frame as she went.<br />
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“I’ve seen it all,” he said waving a hand away as if he could never be moved by such banal things as nudity.<br />
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Not while I was conscious, Anna thought. She backed farther away as he stood and advanced on her. “Um . . . so Beatrice isn’t here?” Diversionary tactics weren’t her strong suit.<br />
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There never was a Beatrice. It was him. Her throat tightened again as that thought slammed fully into her brain. She tried to shut out the memories of all the times she’d been a little too naked in the house, either ignoring the ghost or thinking it was a woman.<br />
<br />
A slow smile spread over his face. “I’m the thing that killed her.” Fear pulsed through her at his words, and he seemed to savor it like wine. “Beatrice went to Heaven where all good girls with intact souls go when they die. Tell me, my dear, do you think your soul will be intact when I’m finished with you?”Ann Loryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487429252659919567noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36704330.post-20111695732991639642011-05-20T08:26:00.000-05:002011-05-20T08:26:41.312-05:00<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xiIGgyhYu-k/TdZr8JzkvGI/AAAAAAAAAlg/08FR1PP7eGY/s1600/600x400_gallery_sc_movie_theater_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" j8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xiIGgyhYu-k/TdZr8JzkvGI/AAAAAAAAAlg/08FR1PP7eGY/s200/600x400_gallery_sc_movie_theater_1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add caption</td></tr>
</tbody></table><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Movie Phrase Friday!</span></strong><br />
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<strong><em>"In my world, everyone's a pony and they eat rainbows, and poop butterflies!"</em></strong><br />
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Name that movie!Ann Loryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487429252659919567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36704330.post-40967120778931588472011-05-18T09:08:00.000-05:002011-05-18T09:08:03.914-05:00<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Wednesday's Witty Words</span></strong><br />
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<em>"My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure."</em><br />
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- Abraham LincolnAnn Loryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487429252659919567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36704330.post-29062201945294823352011-05-16T08:37:00.000-05:002011-05-16T08:37:29.550-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2bkQg7DrZoY/TdEoUG45G_I/AAAAAAAAAlc/xhjAEl0vyl0/s1600/barbary-copy3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2bkQg7DrZoY/TdEoUG45G_I/AAAAAAAAAlc/xhjAEl0vyl0/s320/barbary-copy3.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">In the Author Spotlight & Contest</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: x-large;"><em>ALAN NAYES</em></span></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: purple;">CONTEST: Alan Nayes will be giving away a<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> free copy of his biomedical thriller THE UNNATURAL to one lucky commenter. Good luck!</span></span></strong><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">AL: Hi Alan! Welcome to Blog Bites.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><strong>Alan: Hi, Ann, thank you so much for having me. It’s a pleasure to be here.</strong></span><br />
<br />
AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you.<br />
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<strong>Alan: I’ve recently purchased some land in rural Texas and I’m working on renovating an old ranch house. It’s taking some time but it’s fun to see the progress and who knows—one day I may just spend a month or two there and write a book. A month or two? I only wish I could write a novel that fast.</strong><br />
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AL: Tell us about a current or upcoming release. <br />
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<strong>Alan: BARBARY POINT is my current release and the story is now available on the Amazon and Barnesandnoble websites. BARBARY POINT is a love story that involves a woman who flies back to Wisconsin to close out her father’s estate and ends up falling in love with a fishing guide. Even for those who aren’t keen on fishing, I think the story will “hook” you. I know—not funny.</strong><br />
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AL: What other works are you deep into?<br />
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<strong>Alan: HEMLOCK POND. I jump genres here away from romance directly into the realm of horror. HEMLOCK POND is about a woman and her young son who move into an old farmhouse with a haunted pond on the property. Um…sounds a little like my property. Uh-oh.</strong><br />
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AL: When was the defining moment when you realized you wanted to be a writer?<br />
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<strong>Alan: No defining moment for me, Ann. But more a bunch of small moments—a creative writing class years ago, writing some music in college, and then some screenplays later and finally the eventual publication of my first novel GARGOYLES. </strong><br />
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AL: What do you like best about writing? What is your least favorite thing?<br />
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<strong>Alan: Best—editing. Worst—trying to hammer out that first draft. Some days I’d rather go to the dentist than try to fill up a blank page with words. Not really, but it doesn’t always come easy. Wish it did.</strong><br />
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AL: What is the strangest source of writing inspiration you’ve ever had?<br />
<br />
<strong>Alan: That’s a tough one. I wish I could come up with something really bizarre but it would all be fiction. I must be boring because most of my inspiration comes from simple things I experience in everyday life—newspaper articles, books, dealings with people. My inspiration for BARBARY POINT came from a cottage my family owns on Lake Winnebago in Wisconsin. I travel up there several times a year and have always thought this would be an ideal locale for a love story. Or if no love showed up, at least relax and fish!</strong><br />
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AL: It’s time to get personal! Do you have a favorite sport, &/or team that you follow? I love football and my Missouri Tigers. <br />
<br />
<strong>Alan: Easy, easy, easy. The Superbowl champs—Green Bay Packers. Have always loved them ever since the days of Bart Starr, Ray Nitschke, Willie Wood, Paul Hornung, Jim Taylor, all of ‘em. Aaron Rodgers will be another great one.</strong><br />
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AL: Best movie you've seen recently?<br />
<br />
<strong>Alan: I don’t see many movies but one I did watch in the theaters was Avatar—pretty impressive. </strong><br />
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AL: Where would you like to travel if you had the chance?<br />
<br />
<strong>Alan: Three places I want to see—Antarctica, Hawaii—can’t believe I haven’t been there yet, and some island in the South Pacific—still deciding which one. Have been to my first two choices—the Amazon and the Galapagos Islands. One day I’d like to climb Kilimanjaro. Better train some first.</strong><br />
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AL: If I asked your best friend what type of person you are, what would he or she tell me?<br />
<br />
<strong>Alan: Hardworking, honest, dedicated, great sense of humor, did I say intelligent, witty—oh, you wanted her opinion, not mine. Sorry. “He spends too much time at his computer.” Hey, I swear that one big story’s in me somewhere.</strong><br />
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AL: What do you hope for your writing career in the next few years? Any goals that you have yet to obtain that you have set for yourself?<br />
<br />
<strong>Alan: Big goal—land one of my stories on the New York Times bestseller’s list. </strong><br />
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AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.<br />
<br />
<strong>Alan: My favorite movie quote is from The Flight of the Phoenix<em>—“Mr. Townes, you behave as if stupidity were a virtue.”</em> Sometimes I feel that way when I’m staring at that half finished paragraph.</strong><br />
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AL: Thanks so much for sharing with us, Alan.<br />
<br />
<strong>Alan: Thank you, Ann. It really was a pleasure.</strong><br />
<br />
AL: If you’d like to find out more about Alan please visit: <br />
<br />
Website: <a href="http://anayes.com/"><strong><span style="color: blue;">http://anayes.com/</span></strong></a><br />
Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Alan-Nayes/125860424139928"><strong><span style="color: blue;">http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Alan-Nayes/125860424139928</span></strong></a><br />
Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/alannayes"><strong><span style="color: blue;">http://twitter.com/#!/alannayes</span></strong></a><br />
Alan Nayes Blog: <a href="http://www.alannayes.blogspot.com/"><strong><span style="color: blue;">http://www.alannayes.blogspot.com/</span></strong></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2bkQg7DrZoY/TdEoUG45G_I/AAAAAAAAAlc/xhjAEl0vyl0/s1600/barbary-copy3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" j8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2bkQg7DrZoY/TdEoUG45G_I/AAAAAAAAAlc/xhjAEl0vyl0/s200/barbary-copy3.jpg" width="156" /></a></div><strong>FEATURED TITLE: <em>BARBARY POINT</em></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><em><u>Blurb:</u></em></strong><br />
<br />
When Kelly English flies back to Oshkosh,Wisconsin, to close out her father’s estate, the last thing on her mind is falling in love. Again. Kelly is twenty-eight and engaged to an older man who is quite wealthy. She’s happy, and only desires to make the trip back brief, sell her deceased father’s place, and return to her stable life in Los Angeles. However, while taking care of business in Oshkosh, Kelly meets a fishing guide.<br />
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<em>BARBARY POINT is Kelly’s story of what happened that one magical week in May on the shores of Lake Winnebago when the ducklings hatch and the walleye run.</em><br />
<br />
<em><strong><u>Exerpt:</u></strong></em><br />
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Mother always reminded me, Kelly, love from the mind is nothing more than a pleasurable arrangement, whereas love from the heart lasts forever.<br />
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I had listened to these same exact words beginning in junior high, again in high school, and throughout college. And it always worried me I might not be able to tell the difference.<br />
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A man I deeply loved once told me that a fish lunges after an artificial lure solely on instinct. He sees it, wants it, and zappo, he‘s hooked. <br />
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Love is a lot like that. You see someone you want, the chemistry is there, and zappo, you‘re hooked.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: purple;">REMEMBER: Alan Nayes will be giving away a free copy of his biomedical thriller THE UNNATURAL to one lucky commenter. Good luck!</span></strong>Ann Loryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487429252659919567noreply@blogger.com5