I am so happy to have with me today a very dear friend and fellow author, Autumn Jordon! We’ve known each other for years and in addition to being my friend, Autumn is a RWA Golden Heart Finalist and debut author. Which just goes to show how hard work and determination are the keys to success in life.
Without further ado, here’s Autumn!
*****
“You are never given a wish without also being given the power to make it true.” Richard Bach
A friend gave me a plague with the above quote inscribed on it some twenty-five years ago. The plague still hangs on my office wall. That quote has inspired me to take steps in my life that I might not have taken otherwise.
One path I started on was to strive to write for publication and years later, I’m finally seeing my dreams come true. My first release, OBSSESED BY WILDFIRE, hits the cyber-shelf today! I’m so excited. My stomach clenches as I wonder if anyone will dish out cash for the story. If they decided to, I don’t think they’ll be disappointed.
OBSESSED BY WILDFIRE is not my first completed novel, it’s not even my second or third. It’s my fifth. Does its ranking, among my completed works, diminish the excitement which tingles my entire soul today? HE** NO.
OBSESSED BY WILDFIRE is rated HOT! I didn’t know I could write HOT. My editor thinks I could erotica. My answer to her is a topic for another blog.
The story, set in the Texas town of Wayback, is about a woman who meets a man who could stop her from her accomplishing her dreams. I love the banter Isabelle’s emotional conflict causes between her and the sexy fire marshal, Warner. The couple made me chuckle. By the end of the book, Isobel learns love can make dreams a whole lot sweeter.
Excerpt:
“Warner Keyson. You?” He folded his arms across his chest. His muscles bulged from beneath the rolled back sleeves of his white dress shirt. She’d seen bigger forearms—on a few NFL players.
“Isobel Trinidad.”
“Well, Ms. Trinidad, you could’ve caused some damage or killed someone the way you barreled in here.”
“The last time I heard, Raleigh was Wayback’s chief and you’re not one of his officers. Besides everyone’s inside.”
“There could be a couple or two in the backseat of those cars. You know, enjoying the night.”
Warner Keyson’s warm caramel gaze drifted over her and Isobel’s legs buckled a degree before she roped off her reaction. Refusing to look away, she wrestled the urge to step closer and touch the cute dark lock that curled behind Mr. Keyson’s right ear. “Were you peeking in windows?”
“Nah, not peeking.” His full lips pulled up the tiniest bit.
Looking pass him, she scanned the cars. Had he been in the backseat of one of them? Had one of the local girls already run him down and claimed him?
“So what do you have in mind with that whip?”
*****
If you’d like to read the entire story, and I hope you will, here is the link to The Wild Rose Press home page. http://www.thewildrosepress.com/
I’ve got a slightly different Guilty Pleasures Monday for you today – an interview with my friend and fellow author Catherine Bybee! Catherine writes a number of different paranormal romances that she is going to share with us in a very special way today – via a video guest blog! So sit back and enjoy this interview with Catherine.
For more information on Catherine, you can visit www.catherinebybee.com. Catherine will be popping in during the course of the day, so feel free to leave any questions or comments for her to answer.
Today we have with us a very special guest blogger, my friend and fellow author Jamieson Wolf. Jamieson has an excerpt for us from his new male/male novel HARD. I hope you’ll take the time to check it out down below.
As you can also see from the calendar, I’m a busy little bee today while my buddy Jamieson is here with you. Take a moment to visit me at one of the following blogs for some fun talk and possible giveaways:
Now without further ado, my good friend and fellow author, Jamieson Wolf!
***Excerpt – Warning PG 13***
More than anything, Owen remembered the taste of him.
You never forget the first one. Nineteen and horny, they did what guy friends did together. Daniel and him used look at porn in Owen’s bedroom. He could smell it even now: the scent of fresh paint, sweat and heat. He remembered the way Daniel smelled sitting beside him: spicy, as if his skin was burning.
Sometimes, after they were really turned on, they would lie next to each other, rub their crotches together. Sometimes, Daniel would even lie on top of him, pressing his crotch into Owen’s.
He remembered how good it felt to rub his body against Daniel’s. How flushed he got in his cheeks, his crotch so hot it felt as if it would go ablaze. He knew that it wasn’t right to get hard when fooling around with another boy.
But Owen wanted to, needed to, anyways.
It had been an eye opener. He had not been able to get an erection while thinking of girls, but one thought of his friend’s body pressed against his and he felt hard all over.
Daniel always said he was straight. “I don’t think I could ever sleep with a guy,” he’d say. “I wouldn’t know what to do.” But there would be a look in Daniel’s eyes that had made Owen wonder.
At night, after Daniel had gone home, Owen would lie on his bed and think of Daniel. He pictured Daniel’s straight brown hair that framed his face in crude spikes, the greenness of his best friend’s eyes.
These thoughts would take him into sleep. In his dreams, he was able to do what he knew could never happen; he was able to touch Daniel. He was able to run his hands all over Daniel’s hard body.
After the euphoria, a slight sadness would settle in. Owen knew that dreams could never be reality. Daniel would reject him if he knew how Owen felt. Owen knew Daniel would never talk to him again if he had any inkling of Owen’s feelings.
If Daniel found out, he would leave Owen and Owen would lose the man he loved. He had been friends with Daniel so long that the boy he had been was a thing of the past. Instead, all Owen could see was a gorgeous man.
But Daniel would never love him back.
All that Daniel worried about came into sharp focus on a hot summer afternoon. The windows were open and a light summer breeze filled the air. Owen’s parents were at the cottage and he had the house to himself.
Except for Daniel that is. Knowing that Owen had the house to himself, Daniel had rented some porn and was brining it over with a few stolen beers. Owen wondered if it was wise to drink something that would lower his inhibitions around Daniel.
He had enough of a hard time controlling himself around his friend as it was.
But Owen could never say no to Daniel. Not for anything.
***About the Author***
Jamieson has been writing since a young age when he realized he could be writing instead of paying attention in school. Since then, he has created many worlds in which to live his fantasies and live out his dreams.
He is the author of The Valentine Series, The Written Word Series, The Hunted Series, The Owen Diaries, The Gods of Love Series, The Wishing Star Series and The Queen of Egypt Series and more!
Jamieson is also an author of non-fiction including the best selling Letting the Mind Wander, Write Now and The Muse.
He currently writes book reviews for The Book Pedler and writes non fiction pieces for The American Chronicle.
Jamieson is also an accomplished artist. He works in mixed media, charcoal and pastels. He also runs a book trailer design company titled Night Wolf Design.
He currently lives in Ottawa Ontario Canada with his husband Robert and his cat, Mave, who thinks she’s people.
Learn more about Jamieson at www.jamiesonwolf.com or www.jamiesonwolf.blogspot.com.
We have with us today a wonderful guest blogger, but first I’d like to announce the winners of last week’s contests!
The winner of the Michele Hauf Giveaway is Teonda Tollison. The winner of the Mix It Up! Friday Contest is Linda Henderson! Please e-mail your postal addresses to me at cpsromance @ att dot net so that we can get your prizes to you!
As I mentioned, we are lucky to have with us Gale Laure, the international selling author of Evolution of a Sad Woman, a mystery, suspense, thriller and romance novel. Gale is a native Texan who resides in a small suburban town in the Houston area with her husband and family. Gail’s hobbies include genealogical research, movies, creating stories for the children around her, involvement in her church and people watching. She is busy at work editing her second novel, The Bunkhouse, and writing the sequel to Evolution of a Sad Woman. It is entitled Alana – Evolution of a Woman. As mysterious as her book, Gail writes under a pseudonym. Adamant about maintaining her privacy and the privacy of her family, she keeps her identity a mystery! For more information about Gale Laure or her novel, Evolution of a Sad Woman, please visit www.galelaure.com or her blog www.evolutionofasadwoman or do an Internet search.
Without further ado, here are Gail’s 10 Tuesday Tips to Survive a Disaster!
My novel, EVOLUTION OF A SAD WOMAN, had been published. I was elated about the progress of my novel. I had been through multiple medical disasters with my family including my husband’s battle with cancer. My husband had also been in three car accidents. From October of 2007 until September of 2008, life had been a roller-coaster ride. There were downs, but there were also ups. My book was my special light every day. Little did I know the biggest down of all was just on the horizon.
On September 13th, 2008, Hurricane Ike happened in our area. That night turned out to be the longest night of my life. My home was destroyed when a huge pine tree was dumped on top of my home. Water poured inside. The wind blew cabinets open. The huge trunk lay across my bed crushing it. If we had been in the bed, I would not be writing this to you today. The huge branches poked through the roof and through the ceilings in my home. We had to evacuate during the storm because the whole roof was literally coming down upon our heads. We waited for the eye and left crossing downed power lines. We were lucky. My husband knew electricity and knew when it was safe to cross. We went to a neighbor’s home nearby. We left with the clothes on our backs.
Several months later, my best friend’s home burned down when a faulty Christmas tree light ignited a fire. She was going through the same thing I was. I helped her all that I could. I was the only one who could understand. Two disasters had the same results.
These are the things that I learned about surviving a disaster.
Know that this to will pass.
It will be hard. Your home and your belongings are gone. If you are lucky, you will be staying in a furnished apartment that your insurance company has provided. You really learn what is necessary in life and what is not. Keep in mind it will get better. Some days you will feel that this will go on forever. It will not. It will pass, and life will go on. Say this to yourself daily.
Make lists, take notes and concentrate.
You must keep your mind busy. You must concentrate on the here and now. Keep lists of all the things you need to do each day. If you do not, you will forget. Your mind is under tremendous stress. Notes for every telephone call you make should be kept. Write down whom you spoke to, the phone number, the date, the time and the message. I used a large yellow notepad for this.
What you are feeling is natural.
I felt fear, stress, emotion and even physical pain after my home was destroyed. I had nights of sleeplessness and days of fatigue. You must know this is natural. Excessive crying can happen. Or you may be unable to cry hoping and praying that you could get the release. You may feel very angry and guilty for being angry. After all you escaped with your life. Anger occurs when you think over and over why this happened to you. All of this is normal. You must know that it is normal.
Do not neglect your health.
The night of the storm when we escaped, I only got out with a pair of flip-flop shoes. I was forced to wade through water. This water was full of bacteria. My toenails turned black. Next my toes started to discolor. I was so busy I did not have time to go to my doctor. When I finally did, she said I had a bad infection. I was given several medications. It took over a year for my nails to grow out and return to normal. I could have lost my toes. Take some time. Get checked out by your physician. If you do not, this could lead to more problems.
Be prepared.
I learned a lot about preparedness for any disaster. My second novel, THE BUNKHOUSE, was stored in my computer. My computer was destroyed by water and debris. I had backed up my book on a flash drive which was in the back of my desk drawer. So now I am able to edit my novel and not spend time rewriting it. I now make two flash drive backups of all my work. We are scanning all our important papers to a flash drive and storing it at a trusted person’s home. However, during a hurricane when the power is out, you will also need hardcopy of your papers. I made copies of all our important papers such as our insurance policies, deed, drivers license, with all the phone numbers to these places and sealed it in a plastic bag.
Some friends of ours put everything in their attic in large metal trashcans. I was not sure if this would protect from fire so I called the fire chief. He said they might offer some protection but that important papers need to be in a fire-safe container.
Know you are never fully prepared.
Do not drive yourself crazy. Know that you are never one hundred percent protected. Do not let the fear fill your entire life. Do what you can and let it go!
Keep some money in the bank.
Always keep some money in the bank and a little cash on hand. I know this is hard in this economy. We had a little cushion of money and it was definitely used. You have to have money to buy soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, clothes to wear . . . and the list goes on and on. The insurance company will reimburse you. But it will take time. You will need the money now. Remember. Your bills keep accruing. The house note and utility bills you will still owe. Now you have the utilities and deposit on the apartment to add to your monthly responsibilities. Life does go on.
Keep your closed purse with you at night.
I now sleep with my purse beside my bed every night. If I ever have to evacuate in the night again, I will have it ready to go. Inside are my cell phone and my keys. You do not have time to search for these things when you are running for your life. Oh, and keep your purse closed. You do not want rain getting inside your purse.
Keep a pair of good shoes by your bed.
I love flip-flops. However, I learned a valuable lesson. I now keep a pair of sneakers next to my bed. If I have to run in the middle of the night, I am ready.
Keep that cell phone charged and know where the charger is located.
The only form of communication we had after hurricane Ike was our cell phone. Thank goodness I had a charger in my car. We had to go and buy a charger for my husband’s phone. We used only our cell phones for eight solid months. You have to be able to talk with your insurance company, your contractor, apartment locators, family, and the bank. We went right away and raised our minutes on our cell phone service. We needed every minute.
Oh, there is something I forgot in the Tuesday Tips.
Time. You need a lot of it. Your regular life goes on. I was still promoting my book, editing and writing. My husband was still working full-time. We were both working with the insurance company, the contractor, photographing ruined items for the insurance company and documenting. You have to document everything! They need to know where you bought it, how much you paid for it, when you bought it, the color, the size, what brand it is . . . and it goes on and on.
Well I can report I am finally in my house. It is fresh, new and wonderful. I still do not have all my furniture, clothes or belongings replaced. But life is proceeding. I am back to promoting my novel.
For today’s Tuesday Tip we have with us Mary Patrick Kavanaugh, rejected writer turned self-published author (Family Plots: Love, Death and Tax Evasion) who is an expert at loss. Below Mary offers five simple steps to overcome dead dreams, dashed hopes and disappointments. For more information about how Mary transformed rejection into rejoicing, visit her website at www.MyDreamIsDeadButImNot.com.
Denial.
Pretend it never happened. You did not get the diagnosis. She did not break up with you. The sheriff isn’t going to escort you from your foreclosed home. If you read enough self-help, you learn that it’s not what is happening in your life that matters; it is what you believe about what is happening that makes it true. Simply choose to believe that, no matter what it looks like, all is well. This approach is not for the weak of mind or spirit. And it may lead to incarceration, institutionalization, and in extreme cases, premature death. But in the end, what difference does it make? It’s not like anyone gets out of this gig alive anyway, and your unwavering denial will spare you a whole lot of cumbersome worry and stress.
Grieve with gusto.
Publically and passionately revel in your pain. Stop trying to act normal, mature, or reasonable when, YOUR DREAM IS DEAD! YOUR HOPES ARE DASHED! Embrace the horror of your loss. Sob openly and uncontrollably whenever any song, billboard, or scent triggers a memory that leaves a nasty sting in your heart. Drive along dark, deserted highways and scream endlessly until your throat is as raw as hamburger. Whine to friends, complain to coworkers, and when the hostess at the restaurant asks, “How are you?” TELL HER THE TRUTH. Make sure everyone knows how devastated you are. Your obsessive love affair with your own despair will alienate you from anyone and everyone you come into contact with, including yourself. Like all of those whom you have repelled with your self-pity, you will grow so bored with it, you’ll decide to simply turn your attention elsewhere.
Blame others.
There is an alarming new trend that requires that we take responsibility for what we have made of our lives, when it is so clear that the true culprits of our failures often range from the toxic influences of large corporate, government and religious institutions, to the ineptitude of the insensitive, incompetent, and/or controlling individuals who prevent us from getting what we want and need. There is always time to take stock of how you might have participated in the demise of your cherished goal—but for now, make a list of all the people, places and circumstances that have undermined your success. Do not forget to include the impact of any negative astrological influences during the period of your profound disappointment. When the list is complete, make a promise to yourself that you will have NOTHING to do with any of the institutions, people, places, or planetary alignments that sabotaged your success EVER again—even if it means you have to live alone in a cave in Afganistan. Or. You can declare a new dream—one that will require that you work tirelessly to change the circumstances that led to your current demise. Which come to think of it, dammit, requires taking responsibility.
Seek revenge
Years ago, I had the pleasure of entertaining the young sons of a visiting friend of mine. Boys love snakes, rodents, and bugs, so I took them to the East Bay Vivarium, a place that sells such creatures. Set among the vast display of terrifying creepy-crawlers, there was an aquarium full of scorpions. I asked the pierced, tattooed, spiky-haired sales clerk if the staff ever worried that someone might purchase these poisonous pets to let loose in the house of a foe. Without missing a beat, she said, “Oh, there are much better ways to seek revenge.” She then suggested that I purchase their inventory of pregnant Madagascar hissing cockroaches and slip them through the mail slot of this person I wanted to torment, advising me that once the eggs were dropped, my unsuspecting rival would be forever deluged with both the bugs and their terrorizing hisses. Before I had a chance to explain that I had no victim in mind, she suggested I might also purchase a bag of frozen mice and shove them deep in the crevices of this person’s car windshield. “They’ll thaw and rot and put off stench that they’ll never get rid of,” she snickered. Later, when the boys and I met up with their mom, in a whisper, the little one asked her why I was such a mean person. Alas, why to I tell you this long story? (1) It contains some clever revenge suggestions that aren’t widely known, and (2) It’s an opportunity to WARN YOU to give serious consideration before launching any vicious attack campaign. Revenge may be sweet, but evil tactics such as those noted above may invoke this thing called “KARMA,” that could set something in motion that may come hissing its way back to you in some scary, smelly way.
MoveOn.now
We’ve all heard of Elizabeth Kubler Ross and her famous stages of grief, right? (If not, check Wikipedia or just trust that key aspects of these stages are mixed into this handy list.) The point being, when you have to get over something, you spend an exhaustive amount of time running on the hamster wheel of pain, repeating thoughts, ideas, complaints, and arguments against what already happened- WHAT ALREADY IS. That’s just nuts, right? At some point you must come to terms with the fact that this circular path gets you nowhere. Your only hope for escape is to leap off—take an entirely new direction. And this great leap is what will lead you to the easy-breezy tropical Island of Acceptance. We know it is nice there. It’s the place where we can shrug our shoulders, say the magic mantra (“Oh Well”) and be free. So why, oh why, do we keep crawling back onto the hamster wheel? If you do find yourself struggling to let go of dead dreams, dashed hopes, failed relationships, pain, or obsessive thoughts of the past, may I suggest a powerful ritual that will allow you to move on. Gather your friends for a formal funeral party to put it to rest. In fact, you are invited to attend one this New Year’s Eve. For more details, visit me at www.crapintocompost.com.
As you can see, we’ve got a whole new look to the site and a big thanks to the designer – MJ from Sizzle Designs. I absolutely love what she’s done and I hope you do as well. It’s clean, but its mood definitely reflects my romantic suspense and paranormals.
So there are a few little tweaks on things I didn’t think about immediately (sorry MJ!) and then there’s the reconstruction of the pages from the old website.
Why reconstruction? Well, I’ve learned a few things and also didn’t realize just how long it had been since I updated some of the pages. So little by little, I’ll be working on those, especially since I’ve got the second SINS book – STRONGER THAN SIN – due to be delivered later in the year.
Here’s what I’ve learned and will share with you in the hopes it will help you with your own website design.
Keep It Simple Stupid: Yep, I let my natural desire to bling just put way too much stuff on certain parts of the site. So to keep it looking clean and professional, I’m trying to unclutter.
Let the program do it for you: There’s a number of places where it would be way easier just to let programming bring in content. For example, on my Cook’s Treat page I’ve figured out how to feed in all the blog posts that had recipes. Much better than my remembering to code and add those blog posts every time. Now I’ve got to work on putting them in alphabetical order, but at least there’s no more recoding to do!
Forget about links to third party news articles: I’ve discovered that online newspapers, etc. don’t keep their articles up for long periods of time and the URLs no longer work. So, rather than having a lot of dead links (as I had on my Press Page), I’m going to just stick to mentioning the articles without a link. But if anyone knows of a good link checker, it would be greatly appreciated.
Don’t mention dates without a year!: I didn’t realize how many times I said, “this October” or similar and forgot to go back and update it later. So “this October” was actually like three Octobers ago! Be specific with dates or maybe better yet – if the date isn’t important, leave it out.
Using Categories Correctly: Remember that comment about letting the program do it. Well to do that you have to be consistent. Wordpress and many other programs let you create “categories” for your links and blog posts. Be consistent when you use those so that you can pull up just the content you want rather than a mish-mosh of unrelated posts. Also, create categories that will actually assist you in gathering data for your website visitors.
Thanks for dropping by! I hope this Tuesday Tip was helpful!
Also, please be sure to drop by tomorrow to share some time with a wonderful friend and fellow author – Amanda McIntyre. Amanda will be sharing some of her recent exploits with us and anyone who leaves a comment on tomorrow’s blog by midnight EST will be eligible to win a SINS OF THE FLESH t-shirt!
As the immigration crisis reaches the boiling point, once-peaceful Latino protests explode into rioting. Cities across the nation are in flames. Anglo vigilantes bent on revenge launch drive-by shootings in the barrios, wantonly killing young and old. Exploiting the turmoil, a congressional demagogue succeeds in passing legislation that transforms the nation’s teeming inner-city barrios into walled-off Quarantine Zones. In this chaotic landscape, Manolo Suarez is struggling to provide for his family. Under the spell of a beautiful Latina radical, the former U.S. Army Ranger eventually finds himself questioning his loyalty to his wife—and his country.
Please welcome Raul Ramos y Sanchez, the author of AMERICA LIBRE. Raul has been gracious enough to vist with us and answer some questions. Please also check out the excerpt from AMERICA LIBRE as well as the video trailer.
A chat with Raul:
My sources tell me AMERICA LIBRE started out with a different name. Tell us about that and the timeline of getting your first novel published.
You’re like James Lipton with these inside sources! Yes, AMERICA LIBRE began life as MANO A MANO. Thankfully my agent talked me out of that title. Like most authors, my path to publication was not easy – or quick. I finished the manuscript in the summer of 2004. AMERICA LIBRE was released by Grand Central Publishing July 29, 2009. That five year span is an indication of how difficult it can be just to find a publisher—and a lot of work remains. Getting published has been a very gratifying experience. Still, I see it as only the first leg of a longer race. I have a lot of work remaining to make sure AMERICA LIBRE is a marketplace success.
How many rejections did you receive?
Wheh! I lost count. What I remember most about my first attempts to find an agent or a publisher was that it seemed the stack of rejection letters was approaching the thickness of my manuscript. Amazingly, after months of mailing query letters without any luck, I went to a writers conference and got offers of representation from three agents in a single weekend. Even after finding an agent, though, a lot of hurdles remained.
What kept you writing?
I’ve always felt the height of a barrier is an indication of the reward on the other side. I knew going in, getting published would not be easy. Nothing worth attaining ever is. But I had an example that helped sustain my perseverance. My mother arrived in the Bronx from Cuba in 1957 with a few words of English, a seven-year-old son, and enough cash to get us through a couple of months. Few people would have bet on her chances of one day starting her own business, much less raising three children who would go to college and become successful entrepreneurs. My mother never gave up. She worked relentlessly to give her children a better life despite many setbacks and disappointments. Her example showed me that the willingness to overcome adversity is what divides those who reach their dreams from those who will always wonder what might have been.
Have you ever thought about doing a film about AMERICA LIBRE and if so, what did you do about it?
One the first reviews of my manuscript came from a professor who told me he could “see” the story even as he read it. Maybe it’s my background as a visual artist, but from the very beginning readers have commented that AMERICA LIBRE seems an ideal story for a film. I never did this consciously, but looking back, the novel has a lot of cinematic qualities: strong characters, romance, lots of action. We’ve already had an option offer from a small indy studio in Los Angeles, which my agent advised against, and a nibble from a major studio. (I should mention these experiences inspired me to post a poll on my author’s site asking visitors to vote on the star they’d like to see in the major roles. For anyone who’d like to vote, go to www.RaulRamos.com and scroll down a bit in the lower left side of the page.) In any case, I would love to see AMERICA LIBRE as a film. I’m hopeful the right deal will come along.
In conclusion, I’d like to thank you, Caridad, for inviting me as a guest on your blog. Hanging out with a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author is a rare privilege. I value your very generous support and wish you continued success with your wonderful work.
Thank you so much Raul for visiting. In chatting with you, I’ve learned what a positive role model you are for people everywhere. I’ve always believed that with hard work and determination you can overcome adversity and you are a true example of that belief in action. I wish you all the best with your writing career!
**Excerpt**
CHAPTER ONE
The origins of any political revolution parallel the beginnings of life on our planet. The amino acids and proteins lie inert in a volatile primordial brew until a random lightning strike suddenly brings them to life.
José Antonio Marcha, 1978
Translated by J. M. Herrera
The trouble had started two weeks earlier. Enraged at the fatal police shooting of a young Latina bystander during a drug bust, a late-night mob descended on a Texas Department of Public Safety complex and torched the empty buildings. By morning, a local newscast of the barrio’s law-and-order meltdown mushroomed into a major story, drawing the national media to San Antonio. Since then, the presence of network cameras had incited the south side’s bored and jobless teenagers into nightly rioting.
Seizing the national spotlight, the governor of Texas vowed looters would be shot on sight. Octavio Perez, a radical community leader, angrily announced that force would be met with force. He called on Mexican-Americans to arm themselves and resist if necessary.
Disdaining Perez’s warning, Edward Cole, a twenty-six-year-old National Guard Lieutenant, chose a provocative location for his downtown command post: the Alamo.
“This won’t be the first time this place has been surrounded by a shitload of angry Mexicans,” Cole told his platoon of weekend warriors outside the shutdown tourist site. A high school gym teacher for most of the year, Lieutenant Cole had been called up to lead a Texas National Guard detachment. Their orders were to keep San Antonio’s south side rioting from spreading downtown.
Now Cole was fielding yet another call over the radio.
“Lieutenant, we got some beaners tearing the hell out of a liquor store two blocks south of my position,” the sentry reported.
“How many?”
“I’d say fifty to a hundred.”
“Sit tight, Corporal. The cavalry is coming to the rescue,” Cole said, trying his best to sound cool and confident. From a two-day training session on crowd control, he’d learned that a rapid show of strength was essential in dispersing a mob. But the colonel who had briefed Cole for the mission had been very clear about the governor’s statement.
“Your men are authorized to fire their weapons only in self-defense,” the colonel had ordered. “And even then, it had damn well better be as a last resort, Lieutenant. The governor wants to deter violence, not provoke it.”
Lieutenant Cole had never seen combat. But he was sure he could deal with a small crowd of unruly Mexicans. After all, he had eight men armed with M-16A automatic rifles under his command. Cole put on his helmet, smoothed out his crisply ironed ascot, and ordered his men into the three reconditioned Humvees at his disposal.
“Let’s move out,” he said over the lead Humvee’s radio. With the convoy underway, Cole turned to his driver. “Step on it, Baker. We don’t want to let this thing get out of hand.” As the driver accelerated, the young lieutenant envisioned his dramatic entrance . . .
Bullhorn in hand, he’d emerge from the vehicle surrounded by a squad of armed troopers, the awed crowd quickly scattering as he ordered them to disperse . . .
Drifting back from his daydream, Cole noticed they were closing fast on the crowd outside the liquor store. Too fast.
“Stop, Baker! Stop!” Cole yelled.
The startled driver slammed on the brakes, triggering a chain collision with the vehicles trailing close behind. Shaken but unhurt, Cole looked through the window at the laughing faces outside. Instead of arriving like the 7th Cavalry, they’d wound up looking like the Keystone Kops.
Then a liquor bottle struck Cole’s Humvee. Like the opening drop of a summer downpour, it was soon followed by the deafening sound of glass bottles shattering against metal.
“Let’s open up on these bastards, Lieutenant! They’re gonna kill us!” the driver shouted.
Cole shook his head, realizing his plan had been a mistake. “Negative, Baker! We’re pulling out.”
But before the lieutenant could grab the radio transmitter to relay his order, the driver’s window shattered.
“I’m hit! I’m hit! Oh, my God. I’m hit!” the driver shrieked, clutching his head. A cascade of blood flowed down Baker’s nose and cheeks. He’d only suffered a gash on the forehead from the broken glass, but all the same, it was as shocking as a mortal wound. Never one to stomach the sight of blood, Baker passed out, slumping into his seat.
Cole couldn’t allow himself to panic; with no window and no driver he was far too vulnerable. Mind racing, he stared outside and soon noticed a group of shadowy figures crouching along the roof of the liquor store. Were they carrying weapons?
“Listen up, people. I think we might have snipers on the roof! I repeat, snipers on the roof!” Cole yelled into the radio. “Let’s lock and load! Have your weapons ready to return fire!”
On the verge of panic, the part-time soldiers fumbled nervously with their rifles as the drunken mob closed on the convoy, pounding against the vehicles.
The window on Cole’s side caved in with a terrifying crash. The rattled young lieutenant was certain he now faced a life or death decision—and he was determined to save his men. With the radio still in hand, Lieutenant Edward Cole gave an order he would forever regret.
“We’re under attack. Open fire!”
When it was over, twenty-three people lay dead on the black pavement beneath the neon sign of the Rio Grande Carryout.
*****
Take a moment to watch the exciting trailer for AMERICA LIBRE. Also, everyone who leaves a comment by midnight EST on Friday will be eligible to win a copy of Raul’s novel.
I have a very special sneak preview you tonight from my friend Jessica Andersen! Her latest release – SKYKEEPERS – is in stores now. Jessica is here to share some info on this amazing novel.
Leave a comment on this blog by midnight Friday EST and you could be the lucky winner of a SINS OF THE FLESH t-shirt!
*****
Ancient prophecy holds that 12/21/2012 will bring a global cataclysm. Mankind’s only hope lies with the Nightkeepers, modern magic-wielding warriors who must find their destined mates and fulfill the legends to defeat the rise of terrible Mayan demons.
In Skykeepers, Michael Stone is a man with a dark secret that has skewed his magical abilities dangerously toward the underworld. Seeking redemption, he sets out on a perilous mission to save the daughter of Ambrose Ledbetter, a renowned Mayanist who died before he could reveal the location of a hidden library. The Nightkeepers must find the library before their enemies gain access to its valuable cache of spells and prophecies.
Sasha Ledbetter grew up hearing heroic tales of an ancient group of powerful magi who were destined to save the world from destruction. She never expected that her bedtime stories would come to life in the form of Nightkeeper Michael Stone, or that she’d hold the key to the warrior’s survival. As Sasha and Michael join forces to prevent the imminent battle, sparks of attraction ignite between them, and they’re forced to confront the unexpected passion that brings them together … and also tears them apart.
**Excerpt**
He’d thought he’d steeled himself for the familiar kick of attraction, the lust that hadn’t faded with their becoming lovers. But need hit him hard the moment he saw her stretched on her tiptoes to return a bowl to a high shelf, her midriff-cropped tee riding up, yoga pants riding down, the two exposing a strip of her taut, strong abdomen, with the soft lines of muscle on either side of her navel, where a trio of freckles drew his eye.
She turned slowly, and when she met his eyes, he saw a reflection of the burning heat that churned in his gut. “Well?” she said softly.
His body moved almost without conscious volition around the pass-through and into the kitchen, where he stopped close enough to catch her light scent over the cooking smells, close enough to distinguish the heat of her body from that of the stove. “What’s cooking?”
She handed over the mug she’d been sipping from. “It’s something I’ve been playing with.”
He knew she had magic in the kitchen, knew she wielded flavors with the deftness of a trained chef and the inspiration of a mage, but still he was unprepared for what hit his taste buds the moment he took a sip. Sensations exploded across his neurons in a blaze of heat, texture, and taste that had him sucking in a breath. There was chocolate, yes, but it was more savory than sweet, taken away from the realm of dessert by a mix of peppers and salt, and things he wouldn’t even begin to match with chocolate, but that somehow matched perfectly. He sucked in a breath. “Holy crap.” Took another sip and rolled it around in his mouth, closing his eyes briefly as the flavors changed subtly, the peppers mellowing to something else. “Nice,” he said, and this time his tone was one of reverence. “Very nice.”
“That,” she said with evident satisfaction, “was exactly what I was going for.”
Eyes still closed, he felt her trying to take the mug back, and tightened his fingers on it. “Leave it,” he said. “I’m at your mercy. Anything you want. Just ask.”
He’d said it partly in play, but also because he remembered what she’d told him back in the beginning, on her first day at Skywatch. I cook when I’m happy or sad, when I’m celebrating with friends or all alone with my thoughts. Which of those things applied now?
He felt the air shift, felt her indrawn breath as his own, but instead of “we need to talk” or any of the female warning signs experience had taught him to expect, she surprised him by leaning in and touching her lips to his.
The kiss was as unexpected as the hint of pepper and spice he tasted amidst the chocolate on her lips, in her mouth. Setting aside his mug, he deepened the kiss, relieved to let it be easy even though a small part of him said it shouldn’t be so easy, that he was skimming the surface of something he needed to be diving into. But then she shifted her hands, sliding them up his chest to link behind his neck and tug him closer, pressing her body to his, and the vibe went true, singing inside his skull with the warm sparkle of red-gold magic.
“Come back to bed,” he said against her mouth. “We’ve got a few more hours to burn.”
**Reviewers are loving SKYKEEPERS:**
“… intricate and compelling … I can hear their voices, feel their thoughts, and yes, music plays. Seriously, there is a soundtrack going on in my mind and I see her world in Technicolor.” Romance Novel TV
“An exciting, romantic and imaginative tale … guaranteed to keep readers entertained
and turning the pages.” Romance Reviews Today
“… a compelling and passionate lovestory.” (4 1/2 stars) Romantic Times Magazine
I am so happy to have with me today a very dear friend and fellow author, Autumn Jordon! We’ve known each other for years and in addition to being my friend, Autumn is a RWA Golden Heart Finalist and debut author. Which just goes to show how hard work and determination are the keys to success in life.
I’ve got a slightly different Guilty Pleasures Monday for you today – an interview with my friend and fellow author Catherine Bybee! Catherine writes a number of different paranormal romances that she is going to share with us in a very special way today – via a video guest blog! So sit back and enjoy this interview with Catherine.
Today we have with us a very special guest blogger, my friend and fellow author Jamieson Wolf. Jamieson has an excerpt for us from his new male/male novel HARD. I hope you’ll take the time to check it out down below.
Jamieson has been writing since a young age when he realized he could be writing instead of paying attention in school. Since then, he has created many worlds in which to live his fantasies and live out his dreams.
As I mentioned, we are lucky to have with us Gale Laure, the international selling author of Evolution of a Sad Woman, a mystery, suspense, thriller and romance novel. Gale is a native Texan who resides in a small suburban town in the Houston area with her husband and family. Gail’s hobbies include genealogical research, movies, creating stories for the children around her, involvement in her church and people watching. She is busy at work editing her second novel, The Bunkhouse, and writing the sequel to Evolution of a Sad Woman. It is entitled Alana – Evolution of a Woman. As mysterious as her book, Gail writes under a pseudonym. Adamant about maintaining her privacy and the privacy of her family, she keeps her identity a mystery! For more information about Gale Laure or her novel, Evolution of a Sad Woman, please visit 
For today’s Tuesday Tip we have with us Mary Patrick Kavanaugh, rejected writer turned self-published author (Family Plots: Love, Death and Tax Evasion) who is an expert at loss. Below Mary offers five simple steps to overcome dead dreams, dashed hopes and disappointments. For more information about how Mary transformed rejection into rejoicing, visit her website at 
Time: the second decade of the 21st century
I have a very special sneak preview you tonight from my friend Jessica Andersen! Her latest release – SKYKEEPERS – is in stores now. Jessica is here to share some info on this amazing novel.
