Live to Love on the Edge Blog

It’s going to be a fun and crazy Friday and Saturday as I head to the Baltimore Book Festival! It’ll be so much fun to meet some of you face-to-face, hang with some author buddies and talk about some really fun and sexy topics.

If you’re in the area, come by for this great event. Here’s a schedule of where I’ll be at the Maryland Romance Writers Stage during the Festival.

Friday:

5 pm – Trends and Readings In Romantic Suspense
Authors discuss what romantic suspense is what trends define the genre, and share readings from their latest works. Giveaways/Raffles Authors include: Natalie Damschroder, Joya Fields, Caridad Pineiro and Rebecca York.

6 pm – Blood and Chocolate
Indulge your chocolate cravings with dark and delicious chocolate samples from MRW, while authors talk about why vampire fiction remains hot and share readings from their latest works. Giveaways/Raffles Authors include: Debra Anastasia, Laura Kaye, Janet Mullany, Caridad Pineiro, and Amy Villalba.

7 pm – Debating the Erotic and Readings
Authors talk about the differences between erotic romance, erotic fiction, and erotica and offer readings from their latest works. Giveaways/Raffles Authors include: Laura Kaye, Janet Mullany, Caridad Pineiro and Kate Poole.

Saturday:

6:30 pm – Fifty Shades of Hot!: Erotic Taboos in Fiction and Readings
Authors offer readings from their latest works and talk about writing the forbidden, including identifying and pushing their erotic boundaries, where the line crosses into pornography, and how to enjoy the risks and the payoffs of writing and reading erotic taboos. Giveaways/Raffles Authors include: Stephanie Draven, Megan Hart, Eliza Knight, Caridad Pineiro and Pam Rosenthal/Molly Weatherfield.

Hoping you can make it there to enjoy what promises to be a great event!

Have a great weekend. See you all on Monday.

I’m a bundle of nerves as I make my way to the Time Warner Building in Columbus Circle for my interview on Cafe CNN. If you’ve got CNN EN ESPANOL and can tape it, I’ll be on around 8:45 am! So nervous.

To help me get over my nerves, I’ve got the wonderful Aubrie Dionne with me today who is sharing the inspiration for her latest release, HAVEN 6, a space opera from Entangled Publishing.

What I Pictured for the Planet Haven 6

I wanted my space opera trilogy to mirror the Star Wars trilogy in that the first setting was a desert planet, the second setting an ice world, and the third setting, a forest/jungle. So, Haven 6’s setting was largely inspired by that ideal. I wanted a jungle planet, with mountains, forests, meadows, and swamps- something primordial and dangerous, but also lush with resources and gorgeous with undiscovered territory at the same time. You see a glimpse of this planet at the end of Paradise 21, but this is the primary setting for Haven 6.

To create this world, I searched on Dreamstime.com for different jungle pictures, and the one below is the closest I found that reflects the sci fi element as well as the primitive feel. It was too dark for the cover of the book, so I used it for inspiration for my writing.

Although there aren’t any dinosaurs on Haven 6, there is a big beast lurking in the swamps that gets in the way of the protagonists’ journey. Without giving too much away, I tried to go for a realistic animal that would evolve in such an environment.

The inhabitants on Haven 6 have chosen to forgo technology because it was the ultimate downfall of Old Earth. Therefore, they live in tree huts and use the natural world to make their clothes and tools. I worked very hard to describe the type of things they’d make using Haven 6’s resources. They have buckets made of reeds and crude leather and cotton clothes. They hunt with bows and arrows, living a lifestyle alike to the Native Americans on Earth.

The external conflict of the story comes from the technology of the colonists from the Heritage clashing with the natural existence of the inhabitants of Haven 6. This issue was fun to explore while writing Haven 6, and I hope you’ll enjoy the arguments of both sides while reading!

*****

Thank you so much Aubrie for sharing your inspiration. As I mentioned before, HAVEN 6 is available from Entangled Publishing. Look for it on Amazon or at B&N by clicking here.

If you’re a Goodreads member, take a moment to check it out by clicking here.

It was very exciting to find out that in honor of my RITA nomination and an upcoming appearance on Cafe CNN (September 24, 6 to 9 am) my publisher is celebrating by offering a special price on THE LOST e-book. Snap up the e-book for only $1.99.

Yeah! You can click on these links to order the $1.99 e-book:

Amazon: http://awe.sm/f5azi
B&N: http://awe.sm/e5Quf

Many of you have been asking if there will be more in the series and the answer is a big YES! The next book in the series is titled THE SHATTERED and will be out in Summer 2013. I can’t wait to write this next story and bring back characters with whom you’ve fallen in love. Many of you have asked for more of Bobbie and Adam as well as the Carrera family and I’m happy to say you will get your wish in THE SHATTERED.

Thank you all for your support and kind words about the SIN HUNTERS series. It is truly appreciated.

I’m sharing with you today an excerpt and also the cool trailer by Book Candy Studios for THE LOST. Enjoy!

If you can’t see the excerpt below, you can click here to read.

THE LOST Paranormal Romance Free Read

It’s been a really hectic time for me. Hubby and I have been busy helping our daughter get her new shop up and running. Still lots to do as we prepare for a grand reopening, although the shop is open right now. But work is planned to give the shop a new look and get it very spiffy.

I’ve been busy painting and cleaning. There will be more painting and cleaning at the start of October when we do our big renovation push. We’re all very excited about this new venture and I know my daughter will work hard to make this a successful operation.

In the meantime, I’ve been working on BORN TO LOVE, the second book in the revamp (big pun intended) of THE CALLING vampires into THE REBORN vampire novels.

In the midst of all that, I’ve been wondering what it is you would like to see more of in the future on this blog. Do you want more free reads? Contests? Videos?

Please let me know what you would like!