#WriteWed What to do next? & #HumpDay #ManWars

STRONGER THAN SIN Romantic SuspenseI have a dilemma. I just got the rights back to SINS OF THE FLESH and STRONGER THAN SIN.

For those of you who read the books, you may recall that these were more romantic suspense with paranormal elements than paranormal with romantic suspense.

Because they didn’t really fit into the paranormal genre, my editors asked me to ramp up that part of the story line and the Sin Hunters were born in THE LOST and THE CLAIMED.

Now here’s my dilemma: I was plotting out the next book in the series – THE SHATTERED. It was really leaning toward paranormal sci fi with the introduction of Hunters from an alternate universe.

Now that I have these rights back, I’ve been toying with the idea of directing the books and the Hunters back toward being more romantic suspense. My idea was to have humans discovering more about the Hunters and somehow posing a threat to the existence of the Hunter clans. I’d also still have to deal with Christopher’s psycho father, but that could be handled as part of the romantic suspense.

So what do you think? Alternate universe and heavy on the paranormal elements or romantic suspense with lighter paranormal elements.

This is your chance to decide how the series will continue and I’d love to have your thoughts on it!

While you’re pondering my dilemma, how about some #ManWars to help you past #Humpday. For those of you who don’t use Facebook, just leave a comment here for a chance to win the print copy of IMMORTAL TEMPTATION.

Dark Obsession with Terri Molina

Dark ObsessionWe’ve got a visiting kind of day today as I take a moment to guest blog with my friend and fellow author, Laura Kaye! Come check out some behind the scenes info on THE CLAIMED at Laura’s blog.

But that’s not the only visiting going on today. I’m lucky to have with me my friend and fellow author Terri Molina. Terri is a native Texan, born and raised in Southeast Texas. She is an active member of the Romance Writers of America, including the Northwest Houston Chapter and Desert Rose Chapter in Phoenix, Arizona. She writes multicultural romantic suspense, blending in the flavor of the Southwest with her Mexican heritage. After years of living a nomadic life with her Coast Guard husband, she now resides in Southeast Arizona with her husband, four children and two dogs. When she’s not writing she enjoys reading, singing karaoke with the kids, and spending time with family and friends.

Terri is here to share some tidbits with us about her new paranormal release DARK OBSESSION. Doesn’t that title just give you goosebumps?

So without further ado, here’s Terri with a little bit more about DARK OBSESSION!

Blurb

Ramon (Ray) Chavez, a 33 year old farmer from the Rio Grande Valley, doesn’t believe in visions or omens or the mysticism of his Mexican/Indian heritage. When he’s awakened by the spirit of his great-grandmother with a message that something is coming, Ray passes it off as a bad dream. But he may just reconsider his position when he finds Lexie stranded on the edge of town, in search of a new life. Ray feels an instant attraction, as well as a connection to the skittish young woman, and he pursues a relationship with her. But what Lexie doesn’t tell Ray or his family is that she is on the run from an abusive ex-boyfriend who may be more powerful than even she wants to believe. When Lexie is assaulted by an unseen force, they learn that the man she is hiding from is a master of the dark arts and his obsession with Lexie goes beyond his need to control her; he wants to possess her soul as well. As their past lives parallel, Lexie’s only hope for salvation is in Ray’s hands. But can he accept his destiny in time to save the woman he loves as well as his own life?

Excerpt

Sylvia dropped onto the kitchen chair and scowled at her brother. She’d rushed straight from work after her grandmother called and told her about their new visitor. She couldn’t help but wonder if it were the same visitor her cards had been warning her about for the past week and even after she voiced this concern Ray still had the nerve to patronize her.

“She’s not some stray puppy you picked up from the side of the road, Ray,” she said. “I’m just saying you don’t know anything about her.”

Ray leaned against the counter, crossing his legs at the ankles, and sent her a crooked grin. “Damn. And I was really looking forward to teaching her a few tricks.”

“Stop thinking with your glands and think with your head, Big Brother,” Sylvia snapped.

“I’ve been thinking with my glands since I was fourteen. It’s a hard habit to break.”

Sylvia curled her lip at him and turned to her grandmother for support. She had sensed a mal puesta in the young woman and performed a limpia to heal her. It was a ritual they often worked for the families in town who came to see them about their curses. The inflicted would lie on a small cot and her grandmother would wave an egg over them, chanting a series of novenas.

She did this same cleansing on the young woman in Ray’s old bedroom. When she finished she took the egg and cracked it into a glass of salt water. The egg sizzled and cooked, curling its way to the surface like a snake trying to escape the flames of hell.

Second Excerpt

The sky had darkened throughout the night,the glimmer of stars now concealed by an overcast sky. Although rain hadn’t been forecasted, a thick electrical charge hung in the air, bringing the foreboding feeling of a storm.

The music from the street dance faded as they moved farther away from the festival.

The streetlights hummed and flickered, casting long, daunting shadows in front of them. The breeze picked up, rustling the leaves in the trees.

“I didn’t mean to make you leave the festival so early,” Lexie said to break the awkward silence.

“You didn’t. I was getting a little tired myself,” Ray said. The warmth of her hand kindled a spark inside him that shimmered throughout his body.It was becoming an all too familiar sensation lately. He wondered if she could feel it vibrating through him.

“Besides,” he said as they reached his truck parked behind the Hidalgo Savings and Loan. “I’m more interested in spending time with you.” He circled his arm around her waist and edged her closer to him as he unlocked the passenger door.

She looked up at him and blinked. “You are?”

The husky whisper of her voice was like fuel to his fire. He swallowed hard against the knot in his throat, transfixed by the dark glint of Lexie’s eyes. Desire and need blazed so quickly through him, it was a wonder he didn’t melt from the heat. He didn’t notice he’d moved and was surprised to discover his hand on the curve of her cheek.She exhaled a shuddering breath. He drew his eyes down to her lips. Full and inviting. He curved his hand around her neck and urged her closer. His body tensed as her eyes fluttered closed. The anticipation of her taste pulsed through him. He lowered his mouth to hers and a low feral growl from behind broke the spell Ray had been positive he was falling under.

WOW! What a teaser! Thanks for sharing that Terri! If you want to find out more about Terri and check out her other releases, you can visit her at www.terrimolina.com.

Adventures with Spottie & #Giveaway

On this Fun Friday, take a moment to visit with me at the Romance Author Hotspot! I’ll be sharing some fun stuff with you and we’ll pick someone from all the comments to win copies of NOCTURNAL WHISPERS and A VAMPIRE’S CONSORT erotic paranormal romance novella e-books!

But first . . . The winner of the Tuesday’s What’s Hot and What’s Not Giveaway is: Fannie! Please drop me a line and let me know which e-novella you’d like to receive.

Adventures with Spottie

My dear friend Michele knows that when I get good news I do the “Happy Dance” and so when I got the RITA Nomination for THE LOST, she got me this adorable beagle! It seems apropos not only because of the Happy Dance, but because the hero’s dog in THE LOST is named Spottie. Why Spottie? Well, my hubby’s childhood dog was a beagle named Spotty. Of course, by the time I got to know Spotty, he looked more like a big ol’ bassett hound than a beagle. LOL! Anyway, my new Spottie is going to accompany me for the next two months until the night of the RITA ceremony! Look for some fun posts and things with Spottie in the coming months.

Actually, look for Spottie Does Bamboozle in the next few days!

Spottie Beagle

My husband dug out a photo of Spotty and I scanned it. It’s a little grainy due to age. You can see Spotty’s a beagle even though he’d put on some weight. He was a funny dog. Spotty ate pasta every night and would rub his ears in it if you did not put parmesan cheese on the pasta.

Spotty the Beagle

May you all have a blessed Memorial Day weekend and to all our miltary men, women and families, thank you for your service and your sacrifices.

Behind the Scenes of THE CLAIMED in Asbury Park

I had to make a choice of location for the final battle scenes in THE CLAIMED. As I thought about it, it occurred to me I needed a place that spoke to the past that the Light and Shadow Hunters had to embrace, but also had to speak to the future that was possible for them. I also needed a place that was in the public eye, but could be made “private” with the use of Hunter power. Add to that the fact that it had to be somewhere that would be a logical place for one of the characters – Samantha aka Sammie – to be as she would be pivotal in that scene.

As all those needs came together, I realized there was only one place where that very important scene could be located – the Casino in Asbury Park.
Casino in Asbury Park New Jersey

There is no doubt in mind that the Casino is a link to the past glory that was Asbury Park, much like the past of the Hunters. But the Casino also stands poised at the edge of the future for Asbury Park. A future that can be seen in the wonderfully renovated Paramount Theater, the Convention Center (where the early roller derby scenes in and THE CLAIMED take place), and the boardwalk that is once again brimming with life!

The Casino is a very public place for sure. It’s the gateway between Ocean Grove and Asbury Park and people pass through the shell on a daily basis. Surely Sammie would on her way to her shop on the Asbury Park boardwalk. Here’s a picture of what it looked like in its heydey!


Photo Credit: National Park Service

Here’s another photo of the Casino from afar. The Casino was built in 1929 and designed by the same architects that designed Grand Central Terminal.

Asbury Park Casino

In this shot you can see more of the buildings. In the past, those to the left as well as the middle section hosted a series of amusement park games and a carousel. At one time there was another piece to the building that jutted out to the right on stilts onto the beach. This section had a skating rink inside. Sadly that part of the building suffered major damage and was torn down in 2006, but the rest of the Casino remains, now used for a variety of things like flea markets and a theater company.

The Casino was therefore the perfect place for my Hunters to have a final battle and also be the kickoff to the next book in the series, THE SHATTERED, but I won’t spill about that right now.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this little peek into Asbury Park and the Casino. It’s one of my favorite sites along the boardwalk. As I mentioned before, there used to be a carousel in one section of the building and here’s a video clip shot on October 28, 1990, the last day the carousel was open for business. Thanks to cflynn1979 for this clip.

If you can’t see the clip of the carousel below, you can click here!

You can also read more about the Casino by clicking here.

THE CLAIMED #Paranormal #Romance Release Day!

As an author it seems as if you wait forever and ever for a release and then BAM – It’s release day!

Today is the release day for THE CLAIMED, the second book in the Sin Hunter Paranormal Romance series. This is the follow-up to my RITA® nominated book, THE LOST.

Here is a little teaser for THE CLAIMED:

Victoria Johnson loves her life. She’s her own boss in a quaint beachside town, and has great friends who keep her grounded. If only they knew who she really is: an heiress to an ancient race who possesses astonishing superhuman powers. It’s Victoria’s duty to restore her clan of Light Hunters to their former glory by choosing the perfect mate. In Christopher Sombrosa, she just may have found him. Strong, smart, and successful, Christopher exudes a powerful energy. Their connection is sensual, irresistible-and forbidden.


A member of the Shadow Hunter clan, Christopher has defied his own father to lead his people away from affliction and violence. Yet he cannot ignore his duty to carry on his ancient bloodline. Stunningly beautiful and brimming with an erotic life force, Victoria is everything Christopher ever hoped for in a mate . . . but as a Light Hunter, she’s his mortal enemy. Together, they could unite their warring tribes. But murderous factions on both sides don’t want peace-and they’ll stop at nothing to keep light and darkness apart forever . . .



Also sharing some reviews and a little excerpt for you. If you can’t see the excerpt below, you can click here to read it.

The CLAIMED Paranormal Romance

#ManCandyMonday Jeffrey Dean Morgan & a Guest Blog & #giveaway

Every time I see the ads for MAGIC CITY and Jeffrey Dean Morgan walks out in that cream-colored dinner jacket and shades, my heart goes pitter patter! LOL! He is ALL sexy beast in that 1950s attire.

Yes, I know many of you have loved him since SUPERNATURAL, but there is just something about him now. WOW!

If you’ve had a chance to watch MAGIC CITY, I’d love to hear what you think about it. If you haven’t you can click here to watch the first three episodes online!

I hope you enjoyed today’s Man Candy Monday and I also hope you’ll drop by and visit my guest blogs at Literal Addiction and Book Monster Reviews where I am chatting about THE CLAIMED which releases TOMORROW! OMG! I can’t believe the release day is finally here! There is also a little giveaway going on at the sites, so please drop by.

Photo Credit: Ian Smith from London, England