Tag: romance

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Discover the Undead Energies with HUNGER by Karen E. Taylor

I want to share with you today Karen E. Taylor who is a horror/paranormal author, with eight published novels to date and an eclectic assortment of short fiction which ranges from vampires to ghosts to telepathic, romantic dinosaurs. She claims she starts out to write a “normal” story, but then her characters turn spectral or grow fangs or fur or wings. So she writes what she loves and hopes her readers love it too. She started writing her first novel (Beauty Like the Night) in 1988. It was that novel, published in 1993 under the title of Blood Secrets, that started Karen’s career.

Thanks so much for visiting with us today and sharing the undead energy in your June 2011 release, HUNGER: THE VAMPIRE LEGACY from Kensington Publishing. Here’s a little teaser for you:

Deirdre Griffin didn’t choose to be a vampire. But she is. And she’s determined to make the most of her fate. For Deirdre that means surrendering to the raging hunger ignited by even the slightest whiff of blood a hunger that pulses through her body like a fever, demanding release. It means making friends in dark places and savouring every hot, salty, bitter, revitalizing drop of life force the night has to offer..

When did you publish your first book?

Blood Secrets was first published in December 1993. It’s been reprinted several times – most recently as the first half of the omnibus HUNGER.

What genre is your current release and what made you decide to write in this genre?

The publisher currently has HUNGER listed in the fiction/literature category. When the Vampire Legacy novels were first published they were included in Zebra’s horror line. They probably fit best in the fantasy/urban fantasy/paranormal area. I didn’t actually decide to write in any particular genre; in fact when I started writing that first novel , there was no paranormal romance classification. It was the publisher who sorted them into a genre. To be honest, I’m still not sure where they best fit – there is horror there, as well as romance and mystery.

Tell us a little something about your book.

HUNGER is an omnibus edition of the first two novels in the series – Blood Secrets and Bitter Blood. They tell the story of Deirdre Griffin, coming to terms with her vampiric existence and learning to balance her life of human emotion and monstrous appetite.

The heroine sounds interesting. What else can you tell us about Deirdre?

Deirdre is an unwilling vampire, who holds tightly to her human past, keeps her true nature as secret as possible, and tries to keep her human acquaintances at arm’s distance when possible. She’s not looking for love or a relationship of any sort, she’s just trying to stay alive.

I bet it would take a very special hero to handle her? What is he like?

Mitch Greer is a plain-clothes detective. He is strong, guarded and stubborn, burned by relationships in the past. And although he is drawn to Deirdre, he has a hard time believing in who and what she is, until confronted with the truth.

Where is your story set and does that influence the plot lines and characters in your stories?
The first novel is set in NYC. The second starts in London, moves to NYC, and ends in London again. I think that the places serve mostly as atmosphere, but don’t really dictate plotlines or character actions, except where navigating traffic, etc. is involved. And sometimes the places create hazards of their own – extended air travel is usually more complicated than it should be, as is living in places too far north where the summers don’t contain enough night-time.

Do you have any rituals that you do before starting to write?

I often turn off the lights in my office (which is actually half of my walk-in closet) and light candles. I also cue up music picked especially for the book/story I’m currently working on and make sure I have something warm to drink (coffee for morning/afternoon and tea for evenings.) Then, of course, I play a few rounds of solitaire to settle into the chair.

What are you working on now and what will readers have to look forward to in the future?

Currently I’m working on Eviction Notice, a novel about Lexi Trask, a half-breed elemental (demon) living in wildfire-stricken Santa Barbara. She’s outstayed her time on earth and must find a way to outsmart the devil, before being deported back to hell. It might be a series, depending on publisher interest. Before then, though, CRAVE will be released in October 2011, another omnibus edition that will contain the third and fourth Vampire Legacy novels. 2012 might also bring two more editions, finishing out the series.

Thank you so much for dropping by, Karen! If you want more information about Karen’s latest release, HUNGER: THE VAMPIRE LEGACY, you can visit http://www.karenetaylor.com or drop by Karen’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Karen-E-Taylor-Writer-of-Supernatural-Tales/125652237503799,

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Discover THE LOST Energies: Oozing Sexiness

How many times have you seen or met someone and thought, “They just ooze sexiness.” Have you ever heard someone say that a person has “animal magnetism”?

Does that possibly mean that an individual has more sexual energy than those around her? Does it mean that when two people are “attracted” to each other, they are literally drawn together because they possess complementary energies, kind of like the positive and negative ends of a magnet?

It’s kind of fun thinking about sex and attraction in terms of energy and it definitely would explain myths like those of the succubi who drain people of their life forces through sexual activity.

In THE LOST and then in THE CLAIMED (May 2012), you’re going to meet a Shadow Hunter whose affinity is sexual energy. Maya, a villain in the books, feeds off the arousal of others and can also create intense need in those around her because of the force of her sexual energy.

Today’s Guilty Pleasure could probably play a very sexy Maya because she’s totally hot. If you saw her in the first UNDERWORLD, I’m sure you would agree that Kate Beckinsale is a great choice for today’s Guilty Pleasure/Discover THE LOST energies discussion.

Have you ever met anyone who possesses that kind of sexiness/magnetism? What about movie stars? Many think Johnny Depp has that kind of sexiness. Who are some of your sexy favorites?

Speaking of sexy heroes, come hear about CIA Agent Bill from THE FIFTH KINGDOM at this wonderful book club blog!

Photo Credit: Mario Antonio Pena Zapaterí[email protected]

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Discover THE LOST Energies: Seeking Your Balance

Yesterday we started talking about the energies within us which most of us just don’t tap for a variety of reasons. Probably one of the first reasons is stress. We are always on the go, hung up on things in the past or worrying about things that might happen in the future. We are sometimes so worried about the past and the future that we forget about the most important thing: the NOW.

So today’s talk is about seeking balance in order to restore some of THE LOST energies within us. It’s about stopping to smell the roses.

Just one thing before you start: Make sure that you check with a physician before engaging in any form of activity or exercise and make sure that you undertake this balancing activity in a safe environment.

The first step involves a concept known as “Earthing”.

Go outside (somewhere safe) and take off your shoes and socks. Grass, earth, sand or the ocean are perfect places, but standing on concrete will work as well. Wood, not so much since it’s such a poor conductor. You can walk around or just stand there, but the important thing is to allow your naked feet to keep contact with the Earth. Those who practice Earthing believe it will help transfer natural electrical energies that have been lost back to your body.

Take it a step further. Stand there, legs slightly apart. Try to clear your mind of all thoughts about the past and future and just think of the NOW. The cold, crinkly feel of the grass beneath your feet. The slight damp. The grittiness of sand sifting between your toes. The screech of a seagull. The NOW.

Then take a slow deep breath while raising your hands above your head gently. This is not a stretch, just a simple raise your hands on the deep inhale. Then drop your hands and bend at the waist (until comfortable) while you exhale. Do this by bending toward your right leg, then the middle, then the left leg, then the middle, etc. Inhale/Raise, Exhale/Lower. Slowly and without pushing your physical boundaries. Not too long since this isn’t about endurance or exercise, it’s about finding balance.

If you can’t do the arm raise/bend, just do the deep breathing, slow and simple for a minute or two.

I actually do this bending/inhaling exercise during long stretches of writing. Why may you ask? Well first of all, sitting too long is never good.

Second, this Sympathetic Breathing exercise taps into your Autonomic Nervous System which in stressful lives is sometimes stuck in a “fight or flight” response to the detriment of the “rest and digest” portion of the system. Sympathetic breathing exercises help restore the balance to your ANS.

So on this Fun Friday, see if you can do these exercises and if you feel more peaceful, more in the NOW and more energized. If you do, you’ve taken the first step toward find THE LOST energies within you (or maybe join the ranks of the SIN HUNTERS by finding your natural affinity!).

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Wicked Wednesday – Sexy Alpha Heroes

There is something about alpha heroes that is so sexy, but of course, no one really wants a true alpha hero. I mean who could live with someone who always had to be on top, didn’t want emotional connections to anyone and equated physical strength with emotional strength. Just some of the not-so-nice traits of alpha heroes.

What we do love is strong men who are seemingly sure of themselves, but have that chink in their armor that allows for real relationships to develop. Physically strong men who are capable of being gentle as well as capable of showing emotional weakness. They can know to be strong by sharing the burdens of life with a significant other.

THE FIFTH KINGDOM Romantic suspenseWhen I started writing THE FIFTH KINGDOM, I knew CIA Agent Bill Santana was going to be that kind of sexy hero. One who was strong, but had a soft spot inside. A wounded spot, actually. I didn’t know that at first when I started writing, but as Bill met up with the prickly and equally alpha Dr. Deanna Vasquez, a lot of his pent up old emotions rose up to make him so much more of a real person.

That pain that he was carrying inside of him touched Deanna, who likewise had a similar wound in her psyche. I think that’s what made them so special together – that their love for each other healed the scars they both bore in their hearts.

Of course we need some action as well since it is a romantic suspense. In THE FIFTH KINGDOM, the action revolves around Bill’s search for an archeologist kidnapped by a Mexican terrorist group. The archeologist is Deanna’s mom, Dr. Miranda Adams, who abandoned Deanna nearly fifteen years earlier which is the source of her pain.

Miranda has discovered what may be Montezuma’s tomb and an ancient artifact within the resting place, but it is only as the story evolves that Deanna comes to realize that the relic has some very unusual powers.

I loosely based the relic on the Mexican sun stone (shown below). The sun stone is a calendar of sorts, but also a history of the Mexica people (whom we call the Aztecs). The original of the stone is in Mexico City and in the story, Deanna and Bill take a visit to the museum to see the stone and to also try and infiltrate the terrorist group.

In case you haven’t had a chance to check out an excerpt from THE FIFTH KINGDOM, here it is!

FIFTH KINGDOM Romantic Suspense by Caridad Pineiro and Carina press

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What Turns You On?

Now that I’ve got your attention this Monday morning, I’d like to hear from you about your Guilty Pleasures. You see, the three Nocturne Bites I was writing are now becoming Nocturne Cravings. Great name, Cravings. It speaks to what we desire. What we need. What turns us on.

Contrary to what some life coach said about romances ruining women, women can separate reality from fantasy. Reading romances is about being entertained and it’s also about believing in the happily-ever-after. That everyone will eventually find the person who is right for them and not necessarily a “perfect” man. I think we all know that there are no “perfect” people out there, but we hope to find someone who sustains us emotionally. That’s what romance is about.

But back to this discussion. What do you notice first in a man? Is there something that really attracts you, either physically or emotionally?

I have to confess that nice hands are something that catch my eye. Strong. Masculine. Well-kept but not manicure perfect. Real hands.

As for the emotional part: humor. A man who can make me laugh even when I am in my deepest dumpiest mood is golden.

How about you? Please take a moment to share and inspire me as I work on these upcoming novellas.

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Ghosts Amongst Us by Susan Kronick

I’m very excited to have with us today psychologist and medium Dr. Susan Kronick who has investigated countless ghostly encounters over the years. In her capacity as a paranormal investigator, blessed with the ability to see ghosts, Susan presents some surprising facts and words of wisdom about the spirit world you may not know.

Without further ado, here’s Susan as she discusses the ghosts amongst us!

You probably passed a ghost on the street, and didn’t even know it!

Most people don’t realize that ghosts are always walking among us! Contrary to the belief that they always appear transparent with an ethereal “Casper-like” white glow about them, a spirit can present itself however it chooses. A specter may appear solid and even be warm to the touch. The only way you may discover you had an encounter with a ghost, is if the spirit were to suddenly disappear before your eyes. If the ghost walks off into the sunset, you may remain clueless to your encounter with a supernatural being.

Sometimes what you’re seeing is NOT a real live dead guy!

This is known as a residual haunting, which does depict someone who did live at some point in the past. The image of the ghost does represent events from time gone by play repeatedly This type of haunting can represent either a replay of a person’s ordinary habits, such as seeing grandma at her usual spot in the kitchen baking cookies, or can depict a traumatic emotionally charged event. It would in fact appear similar to old movie reruns. The apparitions present in this type of haunting are telepathic or psychical induced hallucinations, not living spirits

All ghosts are NOT friendly like Casper!

The spirit realm has its share of unfriendly characters. Some are simply nasty earth bound spirits, who never crossed into the light. They feel cheated and resent their fate, what they consider was a premature death. Other negative entities are much more dangerous. That would include threats by demonic entities that never walked the earth in human form. They are the most maniacal, as they don’t want God’s blessing.

Not all ghosts have tales of woe!

Contrary to the popular belief that all ghosts are unhappy souls roaming the earth, many spirits choose to go into the light but return periodically to look after their loved ones, often referred to as a “protector ghost,” because of their good intentions. These spectral -guardians have been identified in at least 75% of the investigations I have done.

In closing, I quote from Dr. Karlis Osis, who had this to say about apparitions/ghosts: “To me, it is silly the way in which people are totally unprepared to handle apparition experiences. They run-even from their own mothers. This is cruel. We should prepare people for all life situations-not just driving a car or crossing the street, but having an apparition experience as well.”

About the Author:

Susan Kronick’s background is the perfect backdrop leading up to her latest paranormal novel, Sarah, They’re Coming for You. She has a Master of Science in Psychology from Nova Southeastern University and a Ph.D. in Paranormal Studies/Psychology from Union Institute and Graduate School, as well as being an adjunct psychology professor at Barry University and Palm Beach State College. A psychic and a medium, she has the gift of seeing the dead since she was a child. She also has taught parapsychology classes through the Palm Beach County School Board, as well as at Palm Beach State College. Susan has extensive experience in the area of investigations of haunting and the paranormal. She lives with her husband and her four spoiled rescue dogs in south Florida. You can visit her website at www.susankronick.webs.com. “Like” her page at Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/susan-kronick/156870670886.

Live Video Event Tonight!

Don’t forget to join me and my fellow Danger Woman Writing Donna Grant for a live video event tonight, May 18 at 9 p.m. EST. We’re going to preview the trailer for THE 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


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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


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