In the Author Spotlight & Contest

Pauline Holyoak

CONTEST: Please leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Pauline's book (in e-book format). Winner to be announce on April 4^th.

AL: Hi Pauline! Thanks for being in the “Author Spotlight” this week.

Pauline: Thank you for inviting me.

AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you.

Pauline: This is an exciting year for me. I’ve almost finished the second book of my trilogy and hope to have it to my publisher by the middle of May. I’m going to England in July for three weeks. I will be attending my first gay wedding there. We are renovating our sixties style home and interior decorating is one of my favorite hobbies. My son is getting married in the fall, to a wonderful young woman. She’s the type of daughter-in-law I have always dreamed of having.

AL: Please share with us about a current or upcoming release.

Pauline: My current novel is called Merryweather Lodge – Ancient Revenge. It is the first of a trilogy. This is what inspired me to write this story?…Every summer, when I was a child, we would visit my aunt and uncle at their quaint little cottage on Salisbury Plain. It was called Scotland Lodge and was situated not far from the historical Stonehenge. My uncle worked as a farm hand for the local squire. My aunt tended the manor house. It was there as I roamed free, deep within the English countryside, that I experienced joy, enchantment and some very strange and frightening occurrences. It was like a fairytale kingdom with a sinister twist. The memories of my summers at Scotland Lodge stayed with me, as a sort of nagging unsolved mystery all my life. A few years ago I revisited my childhood wonderland (the old place still emanates a strange and eerie essence) and was lead by some mysterious force into concocting this story and writing this book. It is from my mystifying experiences at Scotland Lodge that this trilogy has emerged.

AL: What other works are you deep into?

Pauline: I’m working on the second book of my trilogy, Merryweather Lodge – Malevolent Spirit. I’m also in the process of revising some of my short stories and articles.

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?

Pauline: ?”...The most difficult part for me is the marketing. Years ago you would write a book, get it published then sit back and collect the royalties. But it’s not that way any more. Most authors are not salesmen, public speakers or comfortable being in the limelight but we are expected to promote ourselves, as well as our books, even by the big publishing houses. In the past few months I have participated in three book singing events, been interviewed by a newspaper reporter and was a guest speaker at our local library. It’s all a little nerve wracking, for an introvert like me. But I know I must come out of my shell and face the world, if I want to promote my book. I write long hand in my purple room, at my antique desk, under a large picture window. Then I type it into the cold inanimate piece of equipment I call my computer and edit as I go. Young people think this is weird, but the blank screen does not inspire me to write, the view outside my picture window does. I tend to compare my writing routine to my eating habits. Sometimes I graze, jotting down tasty morsels throughout the day. Other times I binge, feasting greedily, at my desk, for a long period of time, on something scrumptious, devouring every delicious word that comes to mind. Then, I find myself looking down at my work or my waist line and having to edit and revise.

AL: You also write children’s books—is it hard to turn off one genre mode to delve into another that is completely different?

Pauline: No, not really. I’m a professional nanny and I’ve worked with preschool children in one capacity or another most of my adult life. Children’s books come easy to me. Paranormal Suspense is a little more challenging but both genres fulfill my lust for storytelling.

AL: What is your advice for aspiring writers?

Pauline: Learn to live with rejections. Rejections are part of the writing life, learn how to cope with them and how to move on. For me, at first, they were like nagging little gremlins, suggesting that I didn’t measure up. I had to learn how to distinguish myself from my work, to set up boundaries between myself and my creation. My writing was like a child to me, but like my own children, I had to send it out into the world to succeed or fail on its own merit. We all get rejections, JK Rowling’s received 14 rejections before finding a publisher for Harry Potter. I wonder what ‘their’ thinking now? Steven King first book Carrie was tuned down 31 times, it took him ten years to get it published. And look at him now. Perseverance, patience, and bold determination are what most published authors have in common.

AL: It’s time to get personal! Tell us what you were like as a kid.

Pauline: I was a shy, reclusive child. I lived in a world of fantasy and make-believe, preferred the company of animals and Mother Nature to people, and I still do at times. My teachers would say, “you’ll never amount to anything if you don’t get your head out of the clouds.” Obviously they had never heard this quote – “Imagination is more important than Knowledge.” Albert Einstein.

AL: Spring is here! What’s your favorite part of the season?

Pauline: Oh Ann, spring is not here. I live in Western Canada and there’s still a foot of snow in my back yard. We’ve had record braking snow falls and it’s been an exceptionally long winter. Sigh. But you’re right, technically it is spring. It is my favorite time of year. I love everything about spring; the new life emerging mysteriously from a recent frozen ground, the fresh earthy smell of new ploughed soil, baby birds, the fragrance of blossom, especially lilac. Did you know that you can get lilac bushes that bloom all year round?

AL: What’s your favorite comfort food?

Pauline: I love this question; because I love to eat. Comfort foods? Hmmm, I have so many; scones, covered in cream and strawberry jam – rice pudding – sweet potato fries – dark chocolate, with a glass of red wine and oatmeal cookies. Yummy!

AL: You have just won five thousand dollars! But...you have to spend it all today. What will you buy?

Pauline: That ones easy, as we are renovating our home. I’d race to the nearest department store and spend, spend, spend!

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?

Pauline: I hope to have my Merryweather Lodge trilogy finished and ‘out there’ within a year. I would like to have my two children’s books published and all the revisions to my short stories and articles finished. My goal is to have my trilogy on the New York Times bestsellers list and to see it on the big screen. I like to dream BIG!

AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.

Pauline: “Whenever the student is ready the teacher will appear.”…”Intuition is a spiritual faculty. It does not explain but simply points the way.”…”Refuse to put others either above you or below you, but instead see them as you.”…”Where there is love there are always miracles.”

AL: Thanks so much for sharing with us, Pauline.

Pauline: Thank you so much for having me. I look forward to hearing from your readers. Please join me on facebook.

AL: If you’d like to find out more about Pauline please visit:

www.paulineholyoak.com

FEATURED TITLE: MERRYWEATHER LODGE - ANCIENT REVENGE

Blurb:

When Emily Fletcher meets the gorgeous Jonathan McArthur she is infatuated and consumed with lust. Will he go with her to the dreaded wood-lot, to remove the bloody ancient curse, before it’s too late? In the first half of my story Emily is fourteen years old. In the second half she is forced to return to the cottage, at the age of twenty. My novel contains elements of horror, humor, fantasy, romance and sex. I have created a world into which my readers can escape and an atmosphere that will evoke their imagination, stir their emotions and engage their senses. This book was inspired by my own experiences in a remote little cottage near Stonehenge.

Excerpt:

“Let’s go somewhere privet.” She said, grabbing my arm. She guided me to the passage and plunked me down on the bottom step of the attic stairs. My back straightened. Panic rose within me as an icy shiver ran down my spine. It was as if I had been lead to an old cemetery, sat on a grave and left among the tomb stones.

“That was her room you know.” She said as she pointed up the stairs.


“Who’s?”


“Mary Eliss.”


I turned my head ever so slowly and drew eyes up to the portal at the top of the stairs. I shivered and quickly looked way. “I know it was.”


In a low voice she whispered. “Do you suppose she’s still up there?” Then she grinned mischievously.


I looked into her strange glassy eyes. “She was, the last time I was here and I have a feeling she hasn’t left.”

REMEMBER: Please leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Pauline's book (in e-book format). Winner to be announce on April 4th.

In the Author Spotlight

LISA FOX

AL: Hi Lisa! Thanks for being in the “Author Spotlight” this week.

Lisa: Thank you so much for having me over Ann! It’s a real pleasure to be here!

AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you.

Lisa: Spring is here and that makes me really happy. I hate the winter. I totally despise it, so I am just overjoyed right now to see the sun again and actually be able to open the windows in my home.

AL: Tell us what you have on the bookshelf for us to read.

Lisa: Well, I have Sculpting a Demon, a sexy paranormal romance featuring a fallen angel and lonely artist. It was great fun to write and I have to admit, even after all this time, I’m still in love with Arien.

I also have a very sexy Christmas erotic romance called Santa’s Sleeping Beauty. It is a Quickie so it is very short, but I promise you it does not lack for hotness!

AL: What other works are you deep into?

Lisa: I have a couple of projects in the works. I’m almost finished with the erotic retelling of an ancient Irish myth that I hope to submit soon. I also have a short vampire story in mind that I put aside, but would like to get back to work on.

AL: How do you decide upon your settings? What about the names of characters? Do you ever change either mid-stream into a story?

Lisa: Settings usually come to me right along with the story idea. It’s kinda like a package deal. Names are a little bit harder for me. I get a sense of the type of name I want – for example, what the first letter should be – but it does take me a while to settle on one. And, yes, I have changed the names midway through before.

AL: What is the strangest source of writing inspiration you’ve ever had?

Lisa: I was walking home one day and for some reason my mailbox caught my eye. That closed mailbox, and all the million billion possibilities it contained, totally captured my imagination that day.

AL: Do you believe a person has to have a special type of personality to write erotic romance?

Lisa: I’d have to go with no. I mean, I’m total horror junky who never quite grew out of her Goth phase and I LOVE to write erotic romance.

AL: It’s time to get personal! I see Hugh Jackman tops your list as a few of your favorite things. Mine too! Who are your top five?

Lisa: My top five favorite men? Wow, that is a very difficult decision to make. There are so many awesome men out there, I would hate to unintentionally leave one off my list. But if I absolutely had to choose, I guess I’d have to say, in no particular order: David Duchovny, Ian Somerhalder, Fernando Torres, Derek Jeter and, umm… Hugh Jackman!

AL: Spring is on its way…what’s your favorite part of the season?

Lisa: The smell. I love the smell of Spring.

AL: What would people be surprised to know about you?

Lisa: I really love bunny rabbits.

AL: What favorite movie; or T.V. show makes you hunker down on the sofa and settle in for the night?

Lisa: Would it be shocking if I said anything with Hugh Jackman in it?

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?

Lisa: New York Times Bestseller List baby! That is the ultimate goal.

AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.

Lisa: My favorites change with my mood. For today, I’ll go with the one I keep on my blog: “When my brain begins to reel from my literary labors, I make an occasional cheese dip.”– Ignatius J. Reilly (Confederacy of Dunces)

AL: Thanks so much for sharing with us, Lisa.

Lisa: Ann, thank you so much for having me! This was incredibly fun!

AL: If you’d like to find out more about Lisa please visit:

Website: www.LisaFoxRomance.com
Blog: http://lisafoxromance.wordpress.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/lisafoxromance

FEATURED TITLE: SCUPLPTING A DEMON

Blurb:

Lila Callahan lives a subdued life, devoting all her time and energy to her sculpting. When her best friend coerces her into performing a love spell, the last thing she expects is to wake up the next day with an outrageously sexy demon in her bed.

Arien is a fallen angel with a penchant for mischievousness and a talent for all the most decadent delights. He promptly turns Lila’s quiet, controlled world upside down and sparks fly between them, both inside her bedroom and out.

Arien shows her sides of herself she never knew existed, and Lila finds the love and passion she has always secretly longed for. But when Arien learns the true nature of her spell, he knows there is trouble ahead. The denizens of hell are only supposed to answer calls for greedy, lustful, malicious desires—and her little love spell was none of those things. There’s a way for Lila to have him for her own, but only if she’s willing to take a risk.

Excerpt:

Chapter One

“Nice,” Lila said aloud in her silent loft as she examined the phoenix sculpture she had been carving all afternoon. She shifted her weight, trying to get the feeling back in her lower regions and winced as the pins and needles prickled her legs.

She rotated the stand, carefully checking the phoenix from every angle, and zeroed in on a tiny flaw in the carving. Well, almost nice. Bending back over the sculpture, she carefully enhanced the wing detail, happily losing herself once again in the creative bliss bubble that always enveloped her whenever the work was going exceptionally well.

When the doorbell rang, Lila almost shattered the delicate wing she jumped so hard. She shot a frown toward the door, wondering who it could be. She wasn’t expecting anyone.

The bell rang again, an obnoxious, persistent series of buzzes. Groaning aloud, she stood up and brushed the shavings from her jeans. Obviously whoever was out there was not going to go away, however much she wished they would. She gave the sculpture one last longing look, and then answered the door.

“Surprise!” a high-pitched female voice screamed as a body barreled into hers. “Lila!” the woman screeched, and Lila smiled while she tried to untangle herself from her visitor, her very best friend from New York, Angelique Durand.

“What are you doing in Pittsburgh?” Lila asked. While it was wonderfully surprising to see Angie, it really wasn’t all that shocking. Angie always had a habit of popping up in the most unusual places. Lila held her at arm’s length so she could get a good look at her. “You look fantastic,” she added, more than a little jealous of the slinky black Versace dress her friend wore.

“Torque is here this weekend and I got the short straw,” Angie said, breezing by Lila into the loft.

“What’s a Torque?” Lila asked, closing the door.

“Torque is not an ‘a’. Torque is a he,” Angie said, heading for the kitchen space. She placed the bag she had been carrying on the counter and rummaged inside. “And he’s the very most hottest, hippest designer in the entire northern hemisphere.” She glanced over her shoulder at Lila. “For the moment.”

Lila balked. “If he’s so hot, what’s he doing here?”

“He’s from here,” Angie said, pulling a bottle of very nice red wine out of the bag. She held it up for Lila to see. “Wants to make his first major debut at home, as it were. Put Pittsburgh on the map or some such nonsense.”

“And you’re, what? Going to interview him?” Angie wrote for one of New York’s top glossy magazines. The kind of magazine that didn’t deign to give precious ad space to just anyone. If they sent her here after him, he really must be the current god of the fashion scene.

“No, I’m here for the full-on schmooze,” Angie said, struggling with the corkscrew. “Cocktails, dinner, nights on the town, you know how it goes. And I get the absolute pleasure of listening to him go on for hours and hours on what I’m sure is his very favorite subject, his very own fabulous self.” The cork came free with a loud, pleasant pop. “Where do you keep your glasses?”

“You sound excited,” Lila said, and retrieved two glasses from the cabinet over the sink.

“Oh yes,” Angie replied, matching Lila’s sarcastic tone. “Should be a blast.” She handed Lila a glass. “Let’s have a toast.”

“To what?” Lila asked, raising her glass.

“To fashion! Beauty! Art!” Angie said, touching her glass to Lila’s. “And most importantly, to amour!”

“Right.” Lila laughed, and then took a sip of wine. “So, how are things in The City?” she asked. “I miss it.”

“I still don’t see why you ever left,” Angie muttered.

Lila shook her head. They had been through this too many times to count. For Angie, New York was the only place worth living. “Because I, unlike you, do not have a trust fund. At least here I can actually afford rent and food.”

“Overrated,” Angie said, her high heels clicking against the hardwood floor as she strolled through Lila’s loft. “Who needs to eat when there’s so much to do?”

“I’d rather eat,” Lila said. “Besides, I’ve done more shows in the year I’ve been here than I did in all the years I lived in New York.”

“Yes, yes, I get it,” Angie said, the wine swishing dangerously in her glass as she moved. “Big fish, small pond and all that.”

“Something like that,” Lila said under her breath. Mostly it was that Pittsburgh offered her opportunities New York never would, not unless she somehow became an heiress or transformed into Rodin. Though she doubted even Rodin would catch a break in the New York art scene without the right connections or finances.

“Oooo,” Angie said, stopping in front of the six-foot-plus sculpture in Lila’s workspace. “What’s this?”

“It’s not finished,” Lila said, refilling her glass of wine.

“Well, obviously,” Angie said. “He’s got no face.” Her eyes trailed down the stone statue. “And not even a proper package, poor boy. But I do like it. It has definite promise,” she said, her fingertips tracing the abs Lila had painstakingly chiseled into the block of alabaster.

“I guess,” Lila said, coming to stand beside Angie. “I started out trying to do a modern take on the David, but it’s not really working. There’s something…” She frowned, frustrated with her inability to put what was wrong into words. “Missing,” she finished with a shrug.

“What you need is inspiration, girlfriend,” Angie declared. “How long has it been since you’ve even seen a real, live, naked man, hmmm?” When Lila didn’t answer, Angie nodded her head. “Just as I thought. For your own good and continued sanity we clearly have to go out and find you some stimulation.” She shimmied her shoulders. “Get those creative juices flowing.”

“No way,” Lila said. When Angie got that gleam in her eyes, it meant something outrageous and probably illegal in most states was brewing in her devious little mind. “I refuse to let you loose on the unsuspecting people of Pittsburgh.”

“You’re no fun,” Angie pouted. “Don’t worry,” she said, waving her hand dismissively. “I’ve seen that look on your face too many times not to know that no matter what I say you’re not going to budge. Not even for a hot night of gloriously anonymous, earth-shattering sex.” She began to pace the loft, tapping her finger against her lips. “Well, if we can’t go out…” She let her voice trail off and then a bright smile bloomed on her face. “Then we’ll make him come to us!”

“What?” Lila asked, blinking hard at Angie’s sudden burst of enthusiasm. This couldn’t be good. “Who—?”

“Candles,” Angie said, cutting her off. “I need some candles and a pink scarf or cloth or something and some red chalk.”

“What are you talking about, Angie?”

“We,” Angie said, spinning on her Manolo Blahnik heel to face Lila, “are going to perform the most stupendously powerful love spell ever. We’re going to conjure you a man!”

“We’re going to what?” Lila gaped. “Are you kidding?”

“No joke,” Angie said. “I did a four-page spread on love spells last month. Four pages, Lila. This wasn’t some front-of-the-book filler fluff. I interviewed oodles of witches, warlocks, shamans and santeros. For the most part it was all utter drivel, but this spell,” she said, ransacking Lila’s kitchen drawers and cabinets. “This is The One. They all said so.”

“You’re crazy. You know that, don’t you?”

“Positively mad.”

In the Author Spotlight & Contest

Elaine Cantrell

CONTEST: Leave a comment for a chance to win an ecopy of Elaine's book, The Welcome Inn.  To win you must leave an email address so she can contact you.

AL: Hi Elaine! Thanks for being in the “Author Spotlight” this week.


Elaine: It’s a pleasure to be here, Ann. Thanks so much for inviting me.

AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you.

Elaine: At the moment I’m struggling with our new dog. He was a rescue dog so he’s difficult to say the least. He’s coming along, though. He hides his rawhide bones all over the house. I sat on the sofa the other day and found a bone he’d hidden under a throw pillow, and last night I found another one in a pile of sheets I was collecting for the wash. He’s learned how to dig too. He’s a white dog, but his paws are usually orange because we live in an area where the soil is red. My son said he looks like a Creamsicle. Needless to say, I spend a lot of time bathing him.

AL: Tell us what you have on the bookshelf for us to read.

Elaine: It’s called Return Engagement, and even though I wrote it, I fell in love with my own hero. This guy, Richard, is a compilation of all my heroes. He’s sexy, handsome, smart, passionate, romantic, impulsive, and just a tiny bit dangerous. My heroine gets an adrenalin rush every single time she’s around him. I liked him so much I have a sequel written and have started on a third book. May I have one minute to brag? Return Engagement is number 5 on the Whiskey Creek Press best seller list.

AL: What other works are you deep into?

Elaine: Truthfully, I’m almost out of my mind with edits. I have a book that was supposed to be out March 8, but the date was pushed back a few weeks. It’s called A New Dream and is about a pro-football player. I also have a book coming at the end of May. The title is still up in the air. Every waking minute that I’m not at work I’ve been editing these books. One is finished, but the other isn’t.

AL: Out of all your stories do you have one that is more near and dear your heart?

Elaine: Yes, Return Engagement.

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'?

Elaine: I always know my starting point and where I want to end, and maybe have a general idea of how to do it, but mostly I create it as I go along.

AL: Is there an author(s) out there that you’d love to do an anthology with?

Elaine: That’s an interesting thought. I’ve never considered doing an anthology. I have a lot of favorite authors so nobody in particular comes to mind. Maybe Maggi Andersen, Kim Bowman, Stephanie Burkhart, or Ruth Hartman. They’ve all been to my blog recently, and I like their excerpts.

AL: It’s time to get personal! I love that you’re a teacher. Can you tell us one of your favorite memories over the years? It must be very rewarding to help shape a young person’s life.

Elaine: Two things that warm my heart happened recently. One of my students begged to read the sci/fi novel I was writing. I had to edit some parts, but he devoured the book and asked for more. Another one of my students asked me to help her write a story, a little summer romance thing. I did help her, and I plan to feature her story on my blog.

AL: How do you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? I’m a shame to my ancestors. I wear green, but I leave the drinking to others. I’m a terrible lightweight.

Elaine: You sound like me! I’m Irish too, but I usually have to work on St. Patrick’s Day, so I wear shamrock earrings and just do my regular routine.

AL: What annoys you enough to be considered a pet peeve?

Elaine: Not wiping the crumbs off the kitchen counters after the dishes are done. It totally drives me bonkers!

AL: If you were a cartoon, which character would you be?

Elaine: I’d like to be Wonder Woman, but I’m probably like Mr. Frederickson from the movie Up.

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?

Elaine: I’d like to release a few more books of course, and my goal that I have yet to achieve is to be number one on my publisher’s bestseller list. Right now I’m number five.

AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us

Elaine: I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody. Bill Cosby. Profound when you think about it.

AL: Thanks so much for sharing with us, Elaine.

Elaine: Thanks for having me, Ann. I enjoyed talking to you and your readers.

AL: If you’d like to find out more about Elaine please visit:

www.elainecantrell.com
www.elainepcantrell.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/elainepcantrell

FEATURED TITLE: RETURN ENGAGEMENT

Blurb:

Elizabeth Lane is one lucky woman. She has it all-money, fame, a satisfying career and a devoted fiancé. Her humble beginnings are all but obscured, but she isn’t the kind of woman Senator Henry Lovinggood wants for his son, Richard. Senator Lovinggood plans to make Richard the President of the United States; he’ll need a woman from a wealthy, powerful family by his side. Ten years ago the senator broke Richard and Elizabeth up, but this time it won’t be so easy, for Elizabeth wants to know what might have been. This time she’ll fight back, a struggle which ultimately leads to kidnapping and attempted murder and alienates her from the man of her dreams.

Excerpt:

“Hurry up, Elizabeth. Jay’s almost finished talking, and he goes ballistic if anyone holds up the shoot.” Cathy Craig, Elizabeth Lane’s best friend and honorary sister, stood in the doorway of the trailer to wait for her.

“I’ll be right there, Cathy. Just let me adjust this belt.” She groaned as she tried to get the belt to rest in the right place. “I hate this costume. Oh, why do I have to be so curvy?”

“Who cares? It works for the public, right?”

Elizabeth giggled. “I guess so. Are there many people watching?”

“Yeah, a good many. Jay told them you were in the movie, so most of them are probably waiting to see you.”

“Oh, I don’t mind,” Elizabeth answered. “If they didn’t want to see me and get my autograph, I guess I’d have to find other work.”

The two friends laughed together and made their way to the set on the beach. “It’s Elizabeth!” a shrill female voice cried. The crowd buzzed with excited chatter as the spectators pressed forward to get a good luck at the big star. Elizabeth smiled and cheerfully waved to her fans. She knew some of them followed her life religiously. She could guess why, too. She represented the glamour and excitement they craved but lacked in their daily lives. She knew a lot about dreams, so yes, she’d gladly smile and wave to them. Pausing for one moment, she signed a couple of autographs before moving on.

A tall, blond man standing near the back of the crowd caught her eye. She faltered and stumbled, catching hold of Cathy’s arm to stay upright in the sand. No, it couldn’t be! Richard! They hadn’t seen each other in ten years, but yes, it was Richard. She’d know him anywhere. His blue eyes still mesmerized her as he watched her progress across the beach. Irrelevantly, she remembered that when he was aroused his eyes always darkened.

Her heart took off in a wild gallop. He had matured since she last saw him. His shoulders had broadened, and the well defined muscles in his chest rippled under his tee shirt. His stomach appeared flat and hard, and his legs looked shapely and well formed. The expression on his face spoke of a fiery, passionate nature. Her face flushed as it occurred to her that if she faced him across a bed today as she had done ten years ago, the outcome might be very different. He didn’t look like a man she’d want to turn down.

Uh oh. She had started to shake. Would she be able to do her scene or not? She hoped so, but seeing Richard had brought the past vividly to life.

A dull ache, long familiar, reminded her how much it hurt to break up with him. He really was too young for me, but somehow it didn’t matter at all. We were compatible in every way.

No wonder I fell head over heels in love with him.

Her lips tightened. She had never told him what happened right before their final date, but she remembered it as well as if it had happened only yesterday.

“Hello, Miss Lane. May I come in?”

“Of course, Senator Lovinggood. It’s nice to see you. Please, come in and have a seat.”

“That’s all right. I won’t be staying long. I stopped by to tell you that I don’t want you to see my son anymore.”

“Senator…”

“Please, hear me out, Miss Lane.”

“Go on.”

The senator’s cold eyes bored into hers. “Richard is only seventeen, but you are twenty-two. Presumably, you are more experienced than he is. Truthfully, I blame his infatuation for you on his inexperience.

Don’t take advantage of an impressionable boy, Miss Lane. Richard isn’t a toy to be used for your pleasure and then discarded. He’s being groomed for important work in the future, but if he keeps seeing you he has very little chance of winning any political office. If you care about him let him go.”

Even now she swallowed against the anger that still burned her. I was so angry I thought I might have a stroke, she thought. How dare he come to my home and try to intimidate me!

Her eyes took on a faraway expression. I decided on the spot I’d never agree to the senator’s demands. I thought that seeing me wouldn’t ruin Richard’s future career. The senator only wanted to frighten me away.

She and Cathy had reached the set now. Elizabeth pasted a brilliant smile on her face, but inside where it counted she was bleeding. I changed my mind when Richard and I ended up in my bedroom kissing, touching, and undressing. I knew then that Senator Lovinggood was right. If Richard and I continued our relationship, the press would crucify both of us. While it would probably help my career, it would only hurt him. Scandal titillates the public and enhances a star’s reputation, but it’s the kiss of death for a politician.

“Psst, Elizabeth! Aren’t you listening to me?” Cathy sounded cross.

“Sorry,” Elizabeth apologized. “What did you say?”

Cathy shrugged. “It wasn’t important. What were you thinking so hard about?”

I…ah…I was..thinking about someone I used to know.”

“Who?” Kathy asked.

Elizabeth sighed. “An old boyfriend if you really want to know. I let him go, but it almost killed me. I…don’t know if I…ever really got over it.”

“Oh, I guess everyone remembers the one who got away,” Cathy lightly answered. “You’ve got Alex now, and you guys are happy, right?”

“Yes, very happy.” And they were, but come hell or high water she intended to talk to Richard the minute this scene ended. She’d like to know what he’d done with his life.

Hmm. Wonder if Senator Lovinggood still tried to control him? He didn’t look like a man who’d take kindly to his father interfering in his business.

She squared her shoulders, a look of determination on her face. After ten years she deserved a sense of closure, and she intended to get it. Then maybe she could finally close the door on the past and Richard Lovinggood.

CONTEST: Leave a comment for a chance to win an ecopy of Elaine's book, The Welcome Inn. To win you must leave an email address so she can contact you.

In the Author Spotlight & Contest

KALLYSTEN

CONTEST: Kally has two contests to offer today.

FIRST CONTEST:
Prize: A paperback copy of the winner’s choice of CheckMate or the Men in Space anthology.
How to enter: Comment on this interview or ask a question (make sure you leave your e-mail or a link you can be reached through your profile in case you win).
Deadline: March 16th

SECOND CONTEST:
Prize: Winners’ choice of one of Kally's $0.99 reads – She has 20 short stories to choose from!
How to enter: Become Kally's friend on Facebook. That’s it. Here’s the fun part: there will be one winner for every 5 participants. So if 5 people become her friends, there will be one winner. If 10 do, 2 winners. 50 friends, 10 winners and so forth. If you already are her friend there, enter the contest by making a post linking to this interview.
Deadline: March 20th

AL: Hi Kallysten! Thanks for being in the “Author Spotlight” this week.
 
Kallysten: I’m excited to be here! Thank you so much for having me!

AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you.

Kallysten: My big project right now is to get ready for spring planting. We are lucky enough to have a small vegetable garden, and this year will be the second time we grow our own veggies. The hubby will prepare the soil once it unfreezes (!) but before that I’ll start all my plants from seed. Last year I started some plants too late and didn’t get to harvest some things; this year I’m trying to learn from my mistakes! On my list so far are cherry tomatoes, green beans, peas, broccoli, carrots, kale, eggplant, cauliflower… and anything else I can fit in my small square of earth!

AL: Would you like to tell us about a current or upcoming release?

Kallysten: My latest release a couple of weeks ago was Fangs and Lullabies. I’ll admit I was more nervous than usual about this story because it’s not a traditional plot as it follows a very extraordinary little boy and his two vampire fathers other the course of seventeen years. The response from readers has been overwhelmingly positive though so I’m glad I stretched my writing wings a little with this one.

AL: What other works are you deep into?

Kallysten: Do you want an alphabetical list? *GRIN* I’ve got a dozen projects in my WIP folder, most to be released by the end of the year. The story that takes most of my time right now is Living Out of the Box, a sequel to my Out of the Box series. I’m deep into edits and finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I’m also preparing for the release of Seventh Vision of Destiny at the end of the month; the series this belongs to is fun to write, because each installment contains an independent short story within a longer story that spans all ten books. One other thing I’m working on is a freebie I post in monthly installments on my site. The title is Losing His Wings and it mixes vampires, angels and demons.

AL: What is the strangest source of writing inspiration you’ve ever had?

Kallysten: I think it’s got to be a NASA picture of a galaxy, with beautiful colors. I use those as background on my computer and one of them just looked like magic to me. I started daydreaming about what kind of magic might make such a show, and that’s how I’ll Be Home For Christmas came to be.

AL: What do you feel is the most important thing that a first-time author should know?

Kallysten: Writing ‘the end’ on the page is actually only the beginning. Then start the edits, the submissions, the promo and so forth… Being an author is about more than writing, it’s a lesson I’m still learning.

AL: Do you have a mentor or critique partner that you work with consistently?

Kallysten: I do, and I am lucky enough to have found someone who doesn’t let our friendship prevent her from being ruthless! She has no problem hitting me over the head when I need it – or murdering my darlings – and I thank her as often as I can for that.

AL: It’s time to get personal! Where would you like to travel if you had the chance?

Kallysten: I’m dreaming of a sandy beach and deep blue lagoon. Hawaii, or maybe Tahiti? Then again, I might just be tired of all the snow we had this winter!

AL: What were you like as a kid?

Kallysten: Shy, always either reading or scribbling stories… wait… that sounds like me today… I guess I am still the same!

AL: What decadent delight must you have no matter what?

Kallysten: Thick bubbles in my bath. A hubby in there is pretty nice, too.

AL: Can you share some of your plans for 2011 and beyond?

Kallysten: My plans this year involve finishing two of my series, the Visions of Destiny and the Blurred Trilogy. I also plan to add to each of my other series, The Pacts, On The Edge, Special Enforcers and The Demons Age. I also hope I can finish my monthly freebie within the year. And then there’s this YA idea that has been tickling my muse for a while already…

AL: You’re the actress in a must see blockbuster movie that everyone’s been waiting all summer for. 1 - What’s the movie about? 2 - Who’s your character? 3 - And who’s your leading man?

Kallysten: Oh it has to be some superhero flick with a romance to die for. I’m the superhero(ine) (*GRIN*) and I do have a cape (it looks pretty when I fly) but definitely no spandex costume. The leading man, for a change, is totally normal, no superpower of his own except for the ability to make me melt. And since the hubby can’t act, I’ll have to settle for Hugh Jackman or Robert Downer Jr…

AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.

Kallysten: “You can, you should, and if you’re brave enough to start, you will." (Stephen King)

AL: Thanks so much for sharing with us, Kallysten.

Kallysten: My pleasure! It was fun!

AL: If you’d like to find out more about Kallysten please visit:

http://original.kallysten.net
http://www.facebook.com/kallysten.author

FEATURED TITLE: FANGS AND LULLABIES

Blurb:

A child’s birth. His first teeth and first steps. School friends and bullies, recess, school plays and science projects. A girl, a crush and a broken heart. These childhood experiences are shared by countless little boys from different horizons.

And yet… Jacob is anything but average. For as long as he has been able to understand, a secret has shaped his life, kept even from his closest friends: his father, Andrew, is a vampire. And so is his other father, Nicholas.

In a strange era when demons are beginning to appear all over the world and threaten humans and vampires alike, the three of them form quite an extraordinary family. And yet, at the same time, they could hardly be more normal.

Two fathers raising a son neither of them ever thought he would have. A Sire and Childe resuming their relationship after years of estrangement. Through snapshots covering Jacob’s life from birth to adulthood, discover this unusual family, and how, in the end, all it takes is love.

Excerpt:

And there they go again.

It was all Andrew could do not to repeatedly bang his forehead against his desk. Just outside his office, Craig and Nicholas were arguing. Again. Something about crossbows, personal property, grabby hands, and oversensitive Special Enforcers. Any second now, Craig would make some threat involving stakes and ashes, and Nicholas would reply with a flippant comment that would only escalate things and Andrew was tired of Nicholas goading Craig at any occasion that presented itself and tired of Craig falling for it every time. Andrew had been hoping for the past month that they’d start acting like grown-ups, but apparently that was expecting too much.

“Nicholas!” Andrew shouted. “Get in here!”

Through the open door, Andrew could see both Nicholas and Craig become very still, both of them suddenly silent as they looked into the office. If Craig had said even a word, mocked Nicholas somehow, Andrew would have called Craig in as well, and chastised them both. But of the two of them, Craig must have had at least a little more sense, and he turned away while Nicholas came into the office.

“Close the door,” Andrew demanded, glaring.

Nicholas did so, then turned to Andrew, an eyebrow raised questioningly, as though Nicholas hadn’t known exactly why he had been called in.

Andrew waited for a few seconds before he asked, “Do we need new rules?”

“New rules?” Nicholas scoffed and pushed his hands deep inside his jean pockets. “Like what? Let the humans walk all over me? How about I give you rules for a change?”

Andrew stared, thoroughly unimpressed. “Rules for me, Childe? I think you might want to reword that.”

As much as Nicholas enjoyed teasing everyone, he did know there were things his Sire would not tolerate. The slip seemed accidental, judging by how quickly Nicholas amended his words. “Maybe not rules,” he said as he slinked into the chair on the other side of Andrew’s desk. “Just… requests.”

“Requests,” Andrew repeated, rolling the word in his mouth. “I like that much better than rules.” Leaning back in his chair, he placed his elbows on the armrests and steepled his fingers in front of him, considering Nicholas over them. “Go ahead, I’m listening.”

A look of calculation fluttered over Nicholas’ face, and after a few seconds he leaned back in his chair as well, observing Andrew very closely. “First, I need money,” Nicholas said, determination filling his words.

It wasn’t anything Andrew had expected. Swallowing a laugh, he tried to keep a straight face as he asked, “How is that a rule?”

Nicholas shrugged. “You just said they’re not rules.”

Inclining his head, Andrew granted that much, but he still wasn’t convinced. “I’m already paying for your food and lodging,” he pointed out. “Why should I give you my hard earned money on top of that?”

“I’m taking care of the baby,” Nicholas said, so quickly it sounded like he had prepared his arguments for just such an opportunity. “And helping with chores and things. That deserves a reward.”

Andrew refrained from asking what chores exactly they were talking about, because Andrew’s own workload certainly didn’t seem to have lessened since Nicholas’ arrival. Nicholas was, for the most part, cleaning up after himself, but he had yet to offer to do anything more—not that Andrew had expected anything different. Andrew didn’t point that out, however, and instead, he said, a faint smile tugging at his lips, “So what you’re saying is, you want to be treated like nothing more than a servant. Is that it?”

Nicholas’ reaction was exactly as expected. He sat up in his chair, sputtering in indignation. He had grown up in the house of wealthy merchants, as close to nobility as the American nation had known, but not as a favored heir destined to inherit riches. Instead, he had been the son of domestics, trained into service before his tenth birthday, and while he had never said as much, Andrew knew Nicholas had hated it and wanted more from his life. Maybe that was why he had asked Andrew to turn him, although Andrew liked to think it had been about more than that.

“I’m not a servant,” Nicholas protested. “I’m your Childe, and I deserve—”

Knowing full well that Nicholas could spend hours listing all the things he thought he deserved if only given the chance, Andrew waved his hand. “Fine. Money. Sure. You need new clothes anyway.”

Nicholas looked vaguely affronted. He glanced down at himself, a hand running over the skull and bones printed on his t-shirt, then frowned up at Andrew. “What’s wrong with my clothes?” Nicholas asked. “This t-shirt’s vintage!”

Vintage would have not been Andrew’s first choice to describe that particular piece of clothing, but he managed to hold back his laugh. “I’m tired of the black-on-black look. You used to dress much better than that. You’re like a caricature of a vampire.”

“Fine.” Nicholas snickered and passed a hand through his jet-black hair. “I’ll dye my hair blue. Will that be colorful enough for you?”

“Can’t wait to see that,” Andrew deadpanned. “Is money all you want?”

“I want…” Nicholas was quick to catch himself and flashed Andrew a grin. “That is, I would like you to tell Craig to stop looking at me like he’s about to stake me.”

Andrew shrugged. “He’s a Special Enforcer. It’s his job to be wary of vampires.”

“Is it?” For all that Nicholas tried to appear nonchalant, there was a glint in his eyes, a little something that spoke of suspicions and jealousy. “Then why does he look at you like you’re the second coming? If he wasn’t making eyes at Julie, I’d start thinking he wants to get in your bed.”

“Craig is making eyes at Julie?” Andrew repeated, certain he must have misunderstood.

Nicholas looked at Andrew as though he had sprouted a second head. “Of course he is,” Nicholas scoffed. “What are you, blind?”

Frowning and very aware that Julie was in the room next door, Andrew lowered his voice. “Really? And is she making eyes in return?”

Now, Nicholas snickered. “You are blind. How could you miss that? It’s happening right under your nose.”

Still a little confused, Andrew thought back about the past few months. Before making his own decision, Craig had waited for Julie to decide whether she would leave town and follow Andrew. Also, a few months earlier, Julie had been so upset when a vampire had hurt Craig that she hadn’t been able to perform magic to help heal him. It was all starting to make sense.

“Huh. Okay.”

“So you’ll tell him?” Nicholas asked. “Because if I tell him, I’m going to make my point with my fists, and I don’t think that’d convince him all that much.”

Andrew let out a deep sigh. Craig and Nicholas were just as stubborn, and just as unlikely to admit they were wrong. “I’ll tell him I trust you. Again. But I can’t force him to like you.”

Nicholas’ fingers linked behind his head, and he affected indifference, but he didn’t fool Andrew. If Craig’s attitude, just a shade shy of openly hostile, hadn’t bothered Nicholas, he wouldn’t have mentioned it in the first place.

“I don’t care if he likes me. I just don’t want to feel threatened in my own home.”

“My home. And maybe if you stopped badgering him—” Pinching the bridge of his nose, Andrew let out a deep sigh. “He wouldn’t touch you. Not unless he caught you red-fanged. Same as me. Anything else?”

Nicholas shifted slightly in his chair; at any other time, the movement might have been meaningless. With the scent that wafted from him, however, full of wariness and expectation, that same movement felt like nervous fidgeting.

Nicholas took a deep breath and said very fast, “Speaking of red fangs… I want to visit blood bars to—”

Without waiting for Nicholas to finish, Andrew shook his head. All he said was, “No,” but every ounce of authority he possessed weighted that word.

“Wait, let me explain—”

Andrew interrupted Nicholas again. The faster Nicholas understood this was not up for discussion, the better. “There’s nothing you can say that will make me change my mind.”

“But it’s legal!” Nicholas snapped. “And the humans are willing, so—”

“No,” Andrew said again, just as sternly as before. His voice was even colder when he added, “That’s where you started killing. Maybe they weren’t called blood bars at the time, but that’s what those places were, and you know it.”

A wounded expression crossed Nicholas’ face, as though he had just been slapped without warning or cause. “You think I want to kill again?”

“No,” Andrew said immediately, truthfully. “I think accidents happen. I think they happen fast. You told me the first time you killed you didn’t mean to. I don’t want you to get in a situation where it could happen again.”

I don’t want to be in a situation where I would have to kill you, was what Andrew really meant, but he couldn’t say it. He didn’t want Nicholas to ask if Andrew could really kill him. Andrew didn’t know how he would answer that.

“Besides,” Andrew added after a moment, “I told you when you first moved in you’d have to keep a low profile. Blood bars aren’t exactly discreet.”

Nicholas gave Andrew a sullen look and all but growled, “I miss biting.”

A flash of surprise left Andrew momentarily speechless. He would never have imagined that this was why Nicholas wanted to go to a blood bar, not with his history. But now that Nicholas had laid it out in words, Andrew could understand it all too well. It didn’t even occur to him to question it.

“Come here,” Andrew demanded, the gentleness in his voice softening the order. When Nicholas didn’t immediately move, Andrew held out his hand toward him, wrist up, bare, offered.

Something flashed in Nicholas’ eyes, gold like lust and need. He took slow steps around the desk to Andrew’s side, but rather than taking Andrew’s wrist, Nicholas only looked at it, and traced the visible vein with a fingertip. His expression was one of hunger, so why wasn’t he biting already?

The flicker of Nicholas’ eyes clued Andrew in. It was so quick that Andrew could have missed it, but it was also unmistakably directed at his neck. Understanding, Andrew sighed. “You’re too greedy for your own good,” he muttered, and grabbed Nicholas’ hand.

Andrew tugged until Nicholas climbed onto his lap, knees wedged against the sides of the chair on either side of him. As Andrew tilted his head to one side, Nicholas started to lean forward, a glimpse of fangs just peeking through his parted lips. Nicholas stopped before his mouth touched skin, however, and he gave Andrew a questioning look.

“Go ahead,” Andrew whispered. “Neatly now, boy. Don’t stain my shirt.”

REMEMBER: Get in on the contests mentioned above.

In the Author Spotlight & Contest

ANNA del C. DYE

CONTEST: Anna will give away The Elf and the Princess (e-book format) to on lucky commenter. To enter they would need to leave a comment on this blog. On Sunday March 13^th she will award the the first book in The Silent Warrior Trilogy. Make sure you include your contact information in case you win. Good luck!

AL: Hi Anna! Thanks for being in the “Author Spotlight” this week.

Anna: It is my pleasure to be here.

AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you.

Anna: My life has been quite busy lately. My only daughter just gave birth to a little girl and I get to take care of her while mom and dad work. My daughter tried for five years to bring this little one here and now she is finally with us.

AL: Would you like to tell us about a current or upcoming release?

Anna: After the great success of “The Silent Warrior Trilogy,” I have created four more books in the Elf series. No, they have nothing to do with the seven books in Harry Potter, just a coincidence. The first stand-alone book after the trilogy “The Curse of the Elfs,” should be released in April 2011.

AL: What other fantasy tale are you weaving for us?

Anna: At this time I am working on “The Royal Elf of Abalon” another stand-alone book that will debut April 2012.

AL: What fantasy bug bit you and got you started writing these mystical tales?

Anna: It was a great masterful bug and it bit me hard a few years ago—J. R. R. Tolkien. I love Lord of the Rings.

AL: What’s the first rule in building a fantasy world?

Anna: To stay true to the rules. If you say beings in that world don’t do something, don’t have them doing it later without explaining what changed so that now they can do what you said they couldn’t.

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?

Anna: Your characters are the most important parts of your book. So, if they want to go left you go left, even if you wanted to go right. If you don’t, it will be quite hard to make them change and your tale will feel forced. I want my tale to go smoothly so I don’t fight the characters, they do know better than me.

AL: It’s time to get personal! 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?

Anna: I would go to the medieval era. Sword fights, knights in shining armor, castles and maidens is what I am all about. I wouldn’t mind some elfs sprinkled here and there.

I’m a professional seamstress so I see myself working on their clothes. Coloring the cloth, cutting, sewing, and seeing those gorgeous dresses being worn would be manna to my soul.

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?

Anna: Burp a baby and change dirty diapers. I did love it though.

AL: If your muse were to talk behind your back, what secrets would he/she tell?

Anna: They would say that in my closet all my hangers hang the same direction and that I fall asleep holding hands with my hubby.

AL: What's your favorite music?

Anna: Romantic, hands down. Soft rock, a lot of oldies… The Platters, The Stylistics, Nat King Cole, Johnny Mathis ; more recent artists: Il Divo, Julio Iglesias, Celine Dion, etc.

AL: Can you share some of your plans for 2011 and beyond?

Anna: Well I have a Writer’s Festival in Tooele, Utah at the end of March. I will be doing five 30-minute presentations about writing, and a book signing that afternoon. The “Curse of the Elfs” launch should be the first week of April, with a book signing at the Taylorsville Curves. I will be at an all day Fools Day Faire on April 9th with a book signing. The first three weekends of May I will be at the Fantasy and Renascence Faire, at Clark-Slattersville, Utah. More of the same activities are planned after May. The biggest highlight would be the September, the yearly League of Utah Writer’s Convention where I am in charge of the Published Books Award. And the yearly book drive to benefit local Utah Elementary Schools in October.

AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.

Anna: Do unto others as you will want them do unto you. I am a big believer of paying it forward.

AL: Thanks so much for sharing with us, Anna.

Anna: Thank you for inviting me to come. I had a wonderful time visiting with you.

AL: If you’d like to find out more about Anna please visit:
http://www.annadelc.com
And to read reviews of Anna’s books visit:
http://ning.it/dIqC6n
Barnes & Noble:
http://ning.it/evrfne

FEATURED TITLE: THE CURSE OF THE ELFS

Blurb:

When an Immortal race ceases to be immortal woe to the land.

Ancient legend tells of elfs crossing paths with a dying wizard named Zoltan. The Old Sorcerer’s unrepentant deeds had caused the wizarding school to chastise him severely. On his deathbed Zoltan asked the unsuspecting elfs for help. Losing patience in his delirium, he cursed them. Now, the immortal elfin race is slowly, but surely dying.

Their only hope lies in a servant of kings who must learn to love the elfs before he will attempt to save them. But no one, elf or mankind, has ever heard of this man. Can the healer be found before their race is gone forever?

Inspired by Tolkien’s masterpiece, Anna del C. has created a brilliant unique medieval tale. Curse of the Elfs is full of high adventure, romance and battles that will leave you awed from beginning to end.


Excerpt:

I am worried sick about my wife Katelynn; she is great with child, and is with me, here in Altair, where a perilous battle will erupt at any moment. My name is Lathenyl, and I was unable to make her stay safely in Rolarin, the mankind city, where we live. She was adamant about being with me when our baby was born. So, unknown to me, she followed after I left to battle our old enemies here in the south.

Not many mixed marriages like ours are blessed with descendants; in fact not many elf couples in this land are thus blessed either. The surprising prospect of a baby almost overwhelmed us with joy… but now…

“My dearest love… What have you done?” I am deeply saddened as I watch her sleep—so precious and in so much danger.

I sense that the next battle might be our last, and the mere thought of her presence here causes me to tremble.

“Elfs are meant to protect and defend their women, son,” my father’s voice came from my memory. “It is our charge to do so with our lives.”

“I know… I tried and failed...” my frustration burst out through clenched teeth. “I left her days away from this frightful place… But, now she is here in the midst of a city that holds no hope for us."

REMEMBER: Anna will give away The Elf and the Princess (e-book format) to on lucky commenter. To enter they would need to leave a comment on this blog. On Sunday March 13th she will award the the first book in The Silent Warrior Trilogy. Make sure you include your contact information in case you win. Good luck!