#WriteWed Inspiration for the Sin Hunters Series

AlphaImmortalsWow! I can’t believe that it’s been five years since the first release in the SIN HUNTER series and now I’ve re-released both SINS OF THE FLESH and STRONGER THAN SIN.

Not to mention that THE LOST will be part of the fabulous ALPHA IMMORTALS box set which will be available in early October.

So what inspired the series? For starters, my love of science. I was, and still am, a science nerd. I love watching all those shows on the Discovery Channel and reading about what’s happening, especially with genetics. It’s what led me to use genetic engineering gone wrong as the basis for the first two books.

My love of history combined with my love of science inspired the next two books, THE LOST and THE CLAIMED.

As a kid I avidly read all kinds of history books, especially ones dealing with the history of the Americas. It’s how I got the idea to incorporate Mayan practices and the Quechan language to create the otherwordly Hunters like Adam and Christopher.

What’s going to inspire the next one, THE SHATTERED? Yes, I do plan on writing another one. So many of you have been writing to ask about what happens to Sammie and Ryan and they will get their story. Plus, you’ll get to see more of the Carrera clan and find out how they are all doing.

Back to what will inspire it: I don’t know. It’ll definitely be a meld of the first two in the series with the last two. Genetic engineering meets Hunters with special powers. I’ve just got to figure out how who is going to be the ultimate villain and what they want with the Carreras and the Hunters!

#ManCandyMonday, The Pen is Mightier than the Storm and The End of the World!

So much to do today and so little time so let’s start with the Man Candy! Today’s choice is Justin Tuck, defensive end for the New Jersey Giants (sorry NY. They play in JERSEY!!).

Justin is a fabulous ball player and also involved in a number of charities. This picture has him in serious mode, but he’s got a great smile. You may recognize him from the Subway television commercials. I love watching him chase after the quarterbacks and it’s no wonder he’s been selected to the Pro-Bowl for his feats on the field!

Photo Credit: Daniela [email protected]

Next up! Thank you to my lovely friend Steph and everyone else at Fangs, Wands and Fairy Dust for letting me visit with them today. I’m sharing my thoughts on Hurricane Sandy and the damage to the Jersey Shore. We’re also having a giveaway of a copy of THE FIFTH KINGDOM (one of my favorites!) for one lucky participant.

Last, but not least, the end of the world is almost upon us! Visit with me and Bianca D’Arc at the International Heat blog as we chat about what we’d love to do and whether or not our alien overlords will arrive on December 21. Follow the instructions on the blog for a chance to win one of the many prizes being offered as part of the End of the World party!

Sneak Preview! SKYKEEPERS by Jessica Andersen

SKYKEEPERS by Jessica AndersenI 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