Nasty Tuesday

Thunder and lightening, everything is frightening . . .

Got soaked walking to the office this morning and now there is a wicked amount of rain, thunder and lightning going on!

I certainly hope your day is starting off better.

I’m over at my friend Ronnie’s blogspot later today. Drop by for a quick chat on blogging.

Don’t forget tomorrow is the big day for our next live video event!

Come join me and my fellow Danger Woman Writing Donna Grant for a live video event this Wednesday, May 18 at 9 p.m. EST. We’re going to preview the trailer forTHE LOST, the very first book in my new SIN HUNTER series and talk about writing paranormals, our favorite kinds of heroes and lots of other fun stuff.

I’ll be giving away a $10 gift card, an autographed copy of STRONGER THAN SIN and a couple of cool reusable grocery bags so that you can help to protect the environment. You can either click here to join this 30 minute live video event this Wednesday or click on the widget below. Feel free to share the widget with your friends and let them share in the fun and prizes. You can also tweet or share this link: http://t.wbx.me/eemp7


All About Obsession

So sorry to have missed you yesterday, but New Jersey Transit had other plans for me it seems. In addition to a one hour delay in the morning, my 40 minute train ride home turned into a two and a half hour journey. Luckily I met up with my friend and fellow author Nisha Sharma on the train and we turned that lemon into lemonade.

With today being Wicked Wednesday, why not talk about Obsession?

Obsession.
It’s a word bandied about in television commercials trying to sell you an assortment of items. People admit to being obsessed about everything from foods to movies to books, not really meaning or understanding the true meaning of obsession.
In its most extreme forms obsession becomes the master, overtaking heart, mind and soul with no thought to reason. It can enslave when there is no way to end the compulsion for someone or some thing or it can liberate when the obsession is satisfied and brings enlightenment.

Where is that coming from you may wonder? Well, I am so honored to have been asked to write the foreword for a new book of erotica for women edited by the wonderful Rachel Kramer Bussell.

OBSESSED is a sexy and eclectic collection of erotic romance stories for those who like a sexier read. It was quite interesting to see the diversity of the stories as the writers like Kayla Perrin and others explore an assortment of obsessions from a compelling attraction to a boss to rekindling married love in a story by Rachel.

Having enjoyed the stories so much, I think I’m going to try my hand at a sexy little story with a vampire and his female keeper. What do you think? Do you like sexier stories like this? Inquiring minds want to know.

Also, the Danger Women Writing blog-a-thon and contest continues today with Esi Sogah from Avon. Lave a comment at the Danger Women Writing Blog for a chance to win a $10 gift card. EVERY comment goes towards the drawing for the Sony e-reader on May 8th.

Wicked Wednesday – Guest Blog & Contest

TEMPTATION CALLS vampire romanceOur Danger Women Writing Guest Blogs and Contests continue today with my wonderful editor, Stacy Boyd! Stacy will be chatting about the Harlequin Desire line and one lucky commenter will win copies of some of the books in THE CALLING VAMPIRE novels that Stacy and I have worked on together, namely, DANGER CALLS, TEMPTATION CALLS and FURY CALLS!

Please stop by and say hello to Stacy, but before you go, here’s a little known piece of trivia about the cover for TEMPTATION CALLS. A decision was made for the heroine to have a tattoo on the cover even though I made no mention of it in the book. When asked what would be the most likely tattoo she would have, it occurred to me that since the heroine – Samantha Turner – runs a home for abused women called the Artemis Shelter, the tattoo should be a representation of the goddess Artemis (Diana in Roman mythology – yes like Diana Reyes). Artemis was the Goddess of the Hunt and often depicted with a bow and arrow and so voila – the tattoo on the heroine’s leg is that of a female archer.

Busy Monday Morning!

I’m taking a break today from our usual Guilty Pleasure Monday because it’s a very busy Monday morning.

Take a moment to visit the Danger Women Writing Blog where Cynthia Eden is chatting about sexy heroes and offering up an ARC of NEVER CRY WOLF, her June 28th release from Kensington Brava, to one lucky commenter.

Using Random.org, I’ve picked two winners for my Getting to Know You Blog: Cindy L. and Jane T. both win STRONGER THAN SIN T-shirts, copies of STRONGER THAN SIN, bath gels and other goodies!! Please e-mail me your postal addresses so I can send out your prizes.

THE LOST Paranormal RomanceBut the fun and prizes don’t stop there! This morning I am over at Attacking the Page discussing how to write a sexy love scene. Drop by and leave a comment for a chance to win an ARC for THE LOST, the first book in my new paranormal romance series from Forever Romance.

Chris Evans as Captain America

Counting down the minutes. Cannot wait to see this movie and the very sexy Chris Evans, this morning’s Guilty Pleasure! How about you? Is this on your must list of movies to see?

Wanted to announce the winners of last week’s giveaways!

Tammy Rammy is the winner from Rachel Firasek’s Guest Blog.

Margay is the winner of Kelly Moran’s Guest Blog.

Noreen Lace is the winner of Chritine Ashworth’s Guest Blog.

Please e-mail me so that I can forward your contact information to our fabulous guest bloggers.

Hope you all have a blessed Monday.

Fun Friday – Why Romance? with Christine Ashworth

We are continuing with the month long Birthday Bash with the wonderful Christine Ashworth! Christine is here to tell us a little bit about why she writes romance and her DEBUT novel, DEMON SOUL. Congrats, Christine. It is so exciting to see your first book come out.

Christine is also being kind enough to offer a giveaway of a copy of DEMON SOUL to one person who leaves a comment on this blog. Just post the comment by midnight EST tonight.

Why Romance?

First off, thanks so much to uber-talented Caridad Pineiro for hosting me on her blog! As a 2011 debut author, this is such a thrill for me to be here (more about my book later, lol).

When I tell people I write romance, most of them are polite, but some not so much. One guy actually asked me why I chose to write about romance when there were “so many more important things in the world to write about”.

We were sitting in my favorite coffee shop at the time. So I made him get me a refill before I explained my reasoning. I’ll cut the chatter, and get down to the nitty gritty for you all.

Why romance? Because I firmly believe that love, or lack of it, drives the world. That everyone, deep down inside, is looking for love and a place to belong, especially in the deepest dark of night when the world looks its bleakest and you just can’t get to sleep. As I write paranormal romance, even the “bad guys” are in search of love. And guess what? This need doesn’t go away as you age.

There is a certain power inherent in love both given and received that enhances each person, human or otherwise. That power can raise us to the heights, or cause us to take desperate measures. Love and the power it wields is far greater than any other force in the universe. Love shapes destinies and kingdoms and can destroy as easily as it builds. Its dark side is as dark as it gets; it’s light side, the lightest. Love is the greatest power in the world. The question shouldn’t be why do I write romance; it should be why WOULDN’T I write romance?

My debut release, DEMON SOUL, should be out from Crescent Moon Press by the end of March and I am SO excited!

…to retrieve his soul, she’ll become fire…Gabriel Caine stands on the edge of the abyss. A vampire has stolen his soul and if he doesn’t get it back soon, his next step will be into Hell.

Rose Walters has been sent back from the dead to complete one task – save Gabriel Caine. She’s drawn to Gabriel on the most basic level, but restoring his soul may cost Rose her life.

Rose has touched the whole of Gabriel, making him yearn for a love he believes he can never have. Her willingness to put her human life on the line for him forces him to bring all three parts of himself – demon, human, and Fae bloodlines, and the traps and strengths of each – into harmony, and into the fight that will decide their fate.

For more on upcoming books, check out my website at http://christine-ashworth.com, or follow me on Twitter @CCAshworth.

Happy reading!

Summer’s Road by Kelly Moran

We’re really honored to have Kelly Moran with us today! Kelly is a dear friend and a fellow author. I am so lucky to have just received a copy of her wonderful book, SUMMER’S ROAD and can’t wait to start reading it. Leave a comment to win a copy of Kelly’s book and also to win a copy of an ARC for THE LOST.

Without further ado, here’s Kelly!

First of all, a huge thanks to Caridad for letting me intrude on her blog today. I’ve enjoyed her books for a long time, so this is an honor. I’m going to let Caridad pick one commenter to win a FREE eBook copy of my upcoming release, Summer’s Road, due out March 25th wherever books are sold. Feel free to also ask any questions you have.

Blurb


After her father’s death, Summer Quinn realizes just how alone she feels in the world. With no family to fill her life now, she finds comfort among friends, but yearns for true love, contentment, and family. When her boyfriend, Matt, suggests they raise their relationship to a higher level, Summer jumps at the chance to get everything she’s always wanted. Only, she doesn’t expect the heat arising between her and her best friend, Ian – a man who never seems to settle down. A man the complete opposite of what she’s looking for. But when her estranged mother reappears after twenty-eight years, Summer’s world completely flips upside down. As secrets from her family’s past and Ian’s true feelings for her emerge, Summer’s now faced with choices she’s not sure she can make. The rest of her life’s happiness hinges on her confronting a past she’d rather deny and legitimately opening her heart to love, even if it’s not where she expected to find it.

Excerpt


Summer stepped onto the pier and gazed out over the ocean. Nighttime here was different than back home. There weren’t any city lights to disguise the stars. The ocean looked black, as dark as the sky above, so that across the horizon, she couldn’t tell where the sky ended and the water began. It was kind of like looking into heaven, like looking into the earth’s soul.

The drum of footsteps behind her broke her from her reverie. Turning, she saw Ian coming toward her. Shirtless, he hadn’t even bothered with the button on his jeans, he strode closer in bare feet with a bottle of wine in one hand and glasses in the other.


All she could think was how damn delicious he looked in the moonlight. Heat pooled in her belly and spread throughout her body like a wildfire. Ian Memmer. Not good.

“You shouldn’t be out here by yourself,” he said, pouring a glass of white wine and handing it to her, the look in his eyes saying it looks like you need this.

She took the glass from him and sipped before answering. “That’s the point, to be by myself.”

He raked a gaze over her. “And if you fell in?”

Maybe it was the moonlight. Maybe it was the call of the ocean. Whatever it was, something made her want to test the boundaries between them again. Matt or not. Friendship or not. Consequences be damned. “Then you’d save me. You always do.”

Again, a big thanks to Caridad for having me by. If interested, you can find trailers, reviews, my books, and more on my Web site at www.authorkellymoran.com, or my Blog at www.authorkellymoran.blogspot.com. I’m also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authorkellymoran, Myspace at www.myspace.com/authorkellymoran, Goodreads at www.goodreads.com/authorkellymoran, and Twitter at www.twitter.com/authorkmoran.