Mariposa's Musings

In the Town I Love

2012-02-04T05:00:00.000-08:00

Candace Bushnell did it with New York City in One Fifth Avenue. Pat Conroy did it with Charleston in South of Broad. Both novels are love letters to their respective cities. Though extremely different in style, both authors convey a sense of place so strong that the setting becomes another character. Their readers can wander the streets like a native even if they never set foot within the city limits.

I fell in love with my adopted hometown while listening to a cowboy ballad under an Old West sunset. As the final guitar chords faded, this lifelong California girl realized Reno could also be home.

How can you make readers fall in love with your beloved places?

Author Interview-Meggan Connors

2011-12-18T05:00:00.000-08:00

I’m pleased to have a fellow, Sierra Romance Writer, Meggan Connors join us today. What inspired you to become a writer?

I've always told stories to myself to help me get to sleep at night. Sometimes, my brain just didn't want to shut off, and so I'd dream of far away places, of handsome men and the women who loved them. I wrote for years—a scene here, a scene there—before finally trying my hand at writing a novel. But then graduate school came along, along with the requisite thesis and the follow-up academic articles, and the writing for pleasure took a backseat for a while. About two and a half years ago, I woke up and told my husband, "You know, I think I'll write a romance novel."

Who are your favorite romance characters (besides your own?)

Let's see. I like Colt Thunder in Johanna Lindsey's Savage Thunder. I also loved, loved, loved Dageus in Karen Moning's Dark Highlander. I love Mr. Rochester from Jane Eyre (Michael Fassbender playing him was a dream-come-true), and Mr. Darcy (as played for Colin Firth) from Pride and Prejudice.

Tell me what inspired this story.

The Marker is the story of a man who wins a woman in a poker game. The inspiration literally came from my husband. A friend of mine suggested I try my hand at writing something light and funny. The husband and I were watching the World Series of Poker (actually, he was watching it; I was doing dishes), and all of a sudden, the idea came to me. I really enjoyed writing this story, too.

How do you balance your day-to-day commitments with your writing life?

I'd like to say that I have some magic answer to this. But I don't. The truth of the matter is, I find the time to write by not doing the dishes, or forgetting about laundry until everyone is out of socks. When the muse is really active, I rarely sleep more than four or five hours a night. I somehow manage to get everything done, but it's insane.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

I love to hear from people who've read my books! Readers can find me on my blog at www.megganconnors.com and on Facebook. We'll be having some fun giveaways, and Facebook is the best way to find out about them!

Here is the back cover copy of my book:

When her father loses her in a poker game, Lexie Markland is sent to work in the household of Nicholas Wetherby for one year to pay off the debt. Innocent but not naïve, she is savvy enough to know she must maintain her distance from this man who frustrates her with his relentless teasing but whose kisses bring her to her knees. Because although she may be just another conquest to him, the marker he won at the card table, it’s not just her heart in jeopardy should she succumb to Nicholas’s considerable charms.

Since his brother’s death almost a year before, nothing has held Nicholas’s attention for long–not women, not booze, not even an excellent hand at cards. Nothing, that is, until he meets the woman he won in a drunken night of poker. Intrigued by his prize and her chilly reserve, he makes it his mission to crack Lexie’s cool demeanor. But even as passion explodes between them, the question remains: will Nicholas be able to take the ultimate risk… and gamble on love?

You can purchase my book from Soulmate publishing (www.soulmatepublishing.com) and from Amazon and Barnes and Noble any time after it comes out on December 14!

Thanks for having me, Mariposa! It's been such fun!

Chapter One

Sacramento, California

Summer 1874

Nicholas Wetherby threw back his whiskey in a single swallow. He hadn’t touched his cards since he had first looked at them, casually raising bets as other players placed them. Recognizing Nicholas’s betting patterns as those of a man with a remarkable hand, the other players at the table folded, one after the other. All except one.

Idly twirling a silver dollar between his fingers, Nicholas leaned back in his chair, hooked his arm over the back and studied the last remaining a player, John Markland. Markland was a man who had been perpetually down on his luck since the death of his wife, and any good sense he may have once had must have died with her. Only an improbable run of good fortune brought Markland to this particular table, and he played like a man possessed. Nicholas had once heard he lived more or less hand-to-mouth in a seedy part of town with his daughter, and the stack of cash in front of him would keep him in food and booze for a good month. If the man had any common sense left, he wouldn’t push his luck—he would fold this hand, gather his winnings, and count both his cash and his blessings.

“How much you got, Markland?” he asked.

Tobacco smoke clung to the air as Markland mashed the end of his cigar between his teeth. Making a show of counting his money, he said, “Ninety.”

Still not looking back at his cards, Nicholas tossed in a hundred dollars. A part of him expected Markland to fold over the casual way he placed his bet, as if he didn’t care about the sum of money being wagered. And, in fact, he didn’t.

“Well, that ought to cover it.”

The desperate greed lighting his eyes poorly disguised, Markland stared at the cash in front of him. The problem with Markland was that he lacked both the fortitude and the skill to earn his money, so he had to win it. Pity he wasn’t even very good at that.

Nicholas despised men like him. But then, Nicholas despised just about everyone these days.

“I’ll sign over the house to you if you go all in, Wetherby.”

Nicholas chuckled, but it felt hollow in his gut. “I’m sure it’s mortgaged for more than it’s worth. I think not.”

He didn’t want anything Markland had to offer, but at least the betting was getting interesting. The familiar rush accompanying a big win caught his attention and pierced through the languor that had been dogging him for months. Ever since the death of his brother almost a year before, no amount of drink or women seemed to be able to fill the void in his life, though a big win at poker at least piqued his interest for a time.

“I’ll give you my watch,” Markland said, fishing into his pocket. “It’s pure gold.”

Nicholas eyed the banged-up trinket his opponent dangled in front of him, acting like a street vendor hawking ‘genuine diamonds’ or some cure-all elixir. As if he would want such a piece of junk. Nicholas almost wished the man had more pride.

Almost.

“I have a pocket watch, and I don’t need another,” Nicholas replied, swiftly losing interest in the betting and wanting to move on to the next hand. “Just call with the ninety and let’s be done with this. Except for the cash in front of you, you have nothing I want.”

Markland fidgeted in his seat and tapped his index finger nervously on the worn, green felt of the card table. His eyes shifted from Nicholas to Nicholas’s money, and over at the bar. “A moment, Wetherby,” he said, holding up his hand. “Barkeep!” he shouted to the man standing behind the gleaming mahogany bar. When he turned in their direction, Markland said, “Bourbon whiskey, for me and my new friend here. The ‘48, if you would.”

“Going for the good stuff, I see.”

“Nothing but the best for me and my friends,” Markland said, raising a glass in a toast.

Never one to turn down a free drink—especially not one as good as the ‘48—Nicholas nodded his thanks, replied, “Indeed,” and drained his glass. He placed it on the table with heavy thud and said, “Just call.”

“No, wait!” Markland cried. “My daughter! If I lose, I’ll give you my daughter!”

An audible gasp went up around the table. Nicholas leaned back in his seat and laughed, thinking Markland must be jesting. “You would wager your daughter?”

“She’s a rare beauty. She’d even please a man such as yourself. A goodly, moral woman.”

It took Nicholas a moment to realize Markland was serious, willing to wager his daughter over a hand of poker. Astonishment and raw excitement pulsed in his veins, and he laughed, enjoying the thrill and secretly expecting Markland to withdraw his bet.

“I’m not overly interested in goodly, moral women. They have very little to offer me,” Nicholas returned, laughing at his own joke. Calling the older man’s obvious bluff, he asked, “What precisely are you proposing?”

Markland wiped sweat from his brow and suggested, “She could work in your household. I’m telling you, she’s a rare prize.”

The nervous voice, the perspiration, and the desperate betting all told Nicholas he had his opponent exactly where he wanted him. “Smacks of desperation to me, Markland,” he said with a smirk. “I’d bet this ‘rare prize’ looks and acts like a harpy. Thank you, no. Let’s just finish this. I bet, and you have nothing left to raise my wager. Show me your hand.”

“No!” Markland insisted. “I’m telling you, she has skin like porcelain, the temperament of an angel, and a voice to match. She is a beauty, I tell you.”

Nicholas was just drunk enough to enjoy the desperation, and this was by far the most interesting thing he had been involved in for months. He almost pitied the poor girl. It was bad enough being the daughter of John Markland, a man who clearly lived above his means despite the recession gripping California, but now her father offered her up as a marker in a card game. Markland would leave the girl destitute.

Nicholas leaned forward in his seat and regarded the older man for long moments. With a sigh, he finally checked his cards and pondered his options. He should never accept Markland’s offer—if he were an honorable sort, he wouldn’t—but he couldn’t help the rush of excitement that accompanied the thought of accepting. He would win the girl, keep her for a short while, and return her unscathed to her father. Hopefully, in that space of time, Markland would learn his lesson and would give up the game at least for a time. Sure, if Nicholas took her, scandal would result, but he never been one to shy away from gossip. Nicholas didn’t want the girl—he had plenty of female companionship and the last thing he needed was a hysterical woman in his household.

But watching Markland fall would at least be entertaining.

The shadow under which he had lived for the past year lifted a little as he considered Markland’s offer. Why not see how far Markland would take this? It wasn’t like Nicholas was responsible for the girl—or the actions of her father.

So why did he have this strange tightness in his chest and an odd twinge of pity for a girl he’d never met? What Markland proposed was preposterous. Insane. Unfortunately, Nicholas was just drunk enough, and reckless enough, to accept.

“Fine, but I want a contract drawn up.”

Low murmurs went around the table as men spoke of the wager in shocked, hushed tones. Markland glanced at them uneasily, and Nicholas thought he would back down at the mention of a contract. Instead, after a moment’s trepidation, his eyes rested on the stack of cash in front of Nicholas and his face lit up. The man obviously believed he had this game won.

“Of course,” he answered, his voice reedy with anticipation. “I expect no less.”

Oh, this was going to be fun. “So, what, precisely, are your terms?”
Markland shrugged and chewed thoughtfully on the end of a cigar that would be nothing but pulp by the end of the hand. “She’d be yours, of course.”

“Slavery isn’t legal here, and I don’t want to be responsible for some woman for the rest of her life. Sounds too much like marriage. I like my life just fine, thank you.” Drunken laughter rang out as the men surrounding him laughed at his joke.

Markland eyed Nicholas’s money. “How much you got?”

Nicholas counted. And then he had to recount because somewhere in the middle he’d lost track. “Enough to cover the wages of a maid for about a year. I guess your daughter could serve in my household for that length of time.”

“She comes back untouched?”

“I don’t beat my staff, if that’s what you’re asking.”

Markland regarded him for a moment with troubled eyes. He caught Nicholas watching him and glanced meaningfully at the men gathered around him. Leaning forward in his seat, he said in a voice so soft Nicholas had to strain to hear the words, “That’s not what I’m asking.”

“No, I’m sure it’s not,” Nicholas responded with an amused smirk. Anyone who frequented the taverns and gambling halls in Sacramento had heard of Nicholas’s reputation as a notorious rake. Nicholas enjoyed the fairer sex, and he had recently ended an entanglement with a beautiful, wealthy widow. Soon, he would be on the hunt for female companionship, but he didn’t make it a practice to bed virgins. Never had. Virgins always seemed like far more trouble than they were worth, and while he didn’t mind scandals, he’d never been one to drag the innocent or naïve into them. He wasn’t an honorable sort, but even he had a line he wouldn’t cross.

He preferred his women savvy to the ways of men, anyway.

“I’m not in the habit of bedding my staff,” Nicholas responded with a shrug. “I am not wanting for companionship.” He glanced over toward the parlor and saw a prostitute loitering in the doorway. He didn’t want her either, but he winked and blew her a kiss. Just to make Markland daft.

“Untouched.” Following Nicholas’s gaze, he said with a scowl, “I want her back untouched.”

Nicholas smiled, enjoying himself. “I make no guarantees,” he said, just to be difficult. “If you’re so worried, call with your ninety and take the pot. And, if she’s as honorable as you say she is, I guess you’ve got nothing to worry about, do you?”

Markland fidgeted, drumming his fingers on the table again. “All right, I’m in.”

Nicholas gave a breath of wry laughter and sat back in his chair. He had thought, by making his reputation clear and giving Markland no assurances, he would back down, his honor overcoming his greed. Secretly, Nicholas hoped his opponent would back down—not only was there a certain delight in having everyone wonder if he had won the hand on a bluff, but a part of him long since silent didn’t care for the direction the betting had taken.

With a shrug, Nicholas pushed his uneasiness aside and said, “All right.”

Twenty minutes later, the contract had been drafted and signed. James Campbell, Nicholas’s business partner and a frequent companion on his trips to the gambling hall, had written it, and the intent of the agreement was clear: should John Markland lose, his daughter would pay his debt by working as a servant in Nicholas’s household. Once she earned enough to pay back what her father owed him, she would be free to go.

“You don’t need to do this, Nicholas,” James said in confidence. “Your reputation will be ruined if you claim her. So will hers. This isn’t a good idea.”

Nicholas shrugged and glanced up at the gentlemen who, drawn by the drama unfolding, had come to stand around the table. James’s disapproval of the arrangement did give him pause. A notorious womanizer like Nicholas, James wasn’t known for his strict adherence to conventional morals. While everyone liked James, he claimed few people as friends—and fewer still did he hold had any allegiance to. What others did on their own time was none of his business. For James to actually voice censure was something of a novelty. Nicholas frowned. He wanted to win this hand, but even he recognized the bad form in allowing Markland to go through with this wager. The tatters of his honor rose up in angry protest. Did he really want to destroy a girl in exchange for his own, short-lived pleasure?

Nicholas focused on the sound of the jaunty tune being played on the piano, using it to drown out both his long-ignored conscience and the low voices of the men who had come to witness the bargain being struck for the fate of a woman. He raked his hands through his hair, considering James’s words. If her father were willing to do go through with the wager, why should Nicholas have any qualms? He owed neither the girl nor her father any allegiance.

With a sigh, Nicholas said, “Her reputation’s her father’s problem, not mine, and mine’s not going to suffer. I know what I am. I’m not folding my hand.”

“You’re drunk,” James told him. “You know you’ll regret this in the morning.”

“Probably,” Nicholas responded with a reckless grin.

“The girl doesn’t deserve this. Doesn’t matter who she is or who her father is. She doesn’t deserve this. You’re better than this, Nick.”

“No, I’m not.”

James sighed. “Why don’t you just go home and sleep it off?”

“Because he bet. You really want me to fold and lose my money—our money—because you don’t approve of the other man’s wager? It’s not my fault he wagered what he did and is gonna lose.”

“Not his daughter’s either.”

“Maybe not, but that’s not my problem.” The odd twinge of guilt intensified, but Nicholas wasn’t going to let James ruin the glow of good booze and a great hand of poker. Besides, embroiling himself in a good scandal might serve as an interesting diversion.

“You’re really going to do this?”

“Yup.”

James shook his head and warned, “This is stupid.”

“Yup.” He threw back another shot of whiskey, ran his hand through his hair and asked, “You gonna stop me?”

“No,” James said.

“Then put the contract in the pot and let’s be done with this.” He glanced at Markland, who stared at the cash at the center of the table with greed lighting his eyes. Disgust rolled through him for this man who was willing to risk his own daughter for the sake of the game, a man so weak he didn’t recognize when he had been bested. “You can still just call the hundred,” Nicholas urged, carefully enunciating his words to keep them from slurring. “There is no dishonor in betting only what belongs to you.”

“Scared, Wetherby?” Markland asked, his lips curving into a smug sneer, and Nicholas fought the sudden inclination to punch him in the face. “I’ve placed my bet. You can call or fold.”

Nicholas shrugged and leaned forward to push the remainder of his cash into the center of the table to join the rest of the goods in the pot, and he heard James’s wry breath of laughter. Under his breath, James muttered, “You’re right. He does deserve it.”

If anything had sealed the girl’s fate, it had been her father’s words.

“Fine,” Nicholas retorted. “I call.”

Flipping over his hand, Markland said, “Four eights! Beat that Wetherby!”

Nicholas whistled, stunned to find the Markland had a far better hand than he had thought. “That’s a...a good hand,” he said, and the older man leaned forward to eagerly begin collecting his winnings. With a wave, Nicholas stopped him. “Not so fast, my friend.”

Markland stared up at him in bewildered surprise. “You know I have you beat. You said so yourself. I have a good hand.”

“It’s a good hand, but I never said it was the best.”

With the back of his hand, Markland wiped away the sweat dotting his brow as he backed away from the pot. “The jacks and queens are out, so I know you don’t have those,” he said, and Nicholas could almost smell the desperation leeching from his pores, much like the cheap tobacco and equally cheap alcohol already did. “You can’t have the kings or aces—I think Campbell had at least one of those. I have the best hand.”

With a smile, Nicholas said, “I don’t have four of anything, that’s true.”

“Then what?” But even as he said the words, Nicholas watched Markland’s face fall as the older man finally realized which hand he hadn’t taken into account. Nicholas leaned forward, and to Markland’s dismay and Nicholas’s everlasting delight, he turned over the best hand in poker: the royal flush. Without another word, Nicholas collected his winnings and the contract. The crowd gathered around the table dispersed, seeking out the next big drama. Looking back at Markland, who sat at the poker table with his head in his hands, Nicholas said, “I’ll be by tomorrow to pick up the marker. Make sure she’s ready.”

With those parting words, Nicholas left the hall.

Author Interview-Regina Duke

2011-12-11T05:00:00.000-08:00

I’m pleased Regina Duke, good friend and a fellow writer from Sierra Romance Writers, could join us today. What advice do you have for writers who are considering indie publishing?

This sounds contradictory, but I would say, “Jump in! Then slow down!” By that I mean that there is a lot of non-writing stuff to learn about the publishing end. I had to figure out the various web sites, set up my accounts, create web sites (still learning there), find indie lists and support groups, and all of that was happening at the same time I was re-editing the novel I decided to publish first. Some people are gifted at web-related tasks. I didn’t even have Twitter or Facebook! So if you are in that boat, jump in as soon as possible and get busy with those areas. Then, once you have a book ready to publish, slow down and proofread it again. (Personal experience speaking, she blushed.) And once it is published, slow down your expectations a bit. We read about authors who are selling thousands of books their first year and our pulse races. But those ladies (and gents) are doing all of the web chores and more behind the scenes. So if your initial sales are slow, don’t worry. Pat yourself on the back for everything you had to learn and do to get that first book on-line!

What was the inspiration for North Rim Delight?

Several years ago, I took a vacation with my brother and his wife to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. They were reminiscing the entire time about all their previous trips to the Canyon and how romantic it was for them in their youth. And I thought, “What a great place for romantic suspense!” Almost every day there was some kind of accident or mishap, so those incidents are not outside the realm of possibility. A helicopter with tourists even crashed while we were there! When I got home, I started working on North Rim Delight.

Cast the movie—who would play Terri and Russ?

This is a great question! OMG. Let’s see… Keanu Reeves isn’t buff enough, but he’s a hunk! George Clooney is 20 years older than my hero, but hey, he’s George Clooney. Oh, oh, I know! Can I have David Boreanaz? And for Terri… hmmm. Strange. The women don’t pop immediately into my head. LOL! Someone slender but realistically so, slightly athletic because she’s so active, with a big dose of girl-next-door. Any suggestions?

What are your other passions outside of writing?

Oh, dear, I hope you’re not sorry you asked! I am passionate about dogs. Dog training, dog rescue, dog shows (eventing, not the beauty pageant), trick dogs, therapy dogs, dogs, dogs, dogs. That’s why there are so many in my books. They play such a huge role in my life, it’s hard for me to conceive of characters who do not have dogs in their lives. (I like cats, too.)

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

I’ve recently begun a workout program to make sure I get some exercise every day. When I write, I go into a “zone” where time seems to stand still. Unfortunately, so does my derriere. If only I could rig a platform for my computer, something I could carry over my shoulders that would allow me to write while walking! LOL! And you would not believe the laughter when I try to determine on my living room floor whether a character (like Russ) could actually physically perform a move in a book. I’ve decided I should hire a stunt man to proof these moves, because if my body has to do them, poor Russ is in a lot of trouble.

Blurb:

Terri Baker is through with men! But her abusive ex-boyfriend Gavin has other ideas. Meanwhile, she is grieving for her beloved German shepherd. She heads for the Grand Canyon to get away from it all. But three men are chasing her. One wants her money. One wants her heart. And one wants her life.

Russ Camino is a bounty hunter with a haunted past. He made a promise that he must keep, and he has no time for women. Not even when he meets one who makes his pulse race. When he discovers that the hit man he is following is after Terri, he knows that he must protect her at all costs.

Excerpt (Russ's "girls" are German shepherds):

Russ spoke again. "I'd love for you to come to my place in Reno and meet my girls.”

Terri's heart leaped in her chest.

"I think they'd really love you," he added as they reached the porch of their cabin. He paused with his hand on the door knob. "I'm a pretty good judge of who they'll like," he said, "and I think they'd cover you with kisses."

Terri looked into Russ's eyes and wished he would cover her with kisses. Then she blushed at the thought of it. But as if he'd read her mind, Russ pulled her close and kissed her softly on the mouth.

A moment later Terri's arms were around his neck. He smelled so good, like sunshine and good health and something slightly tangy that she couldn't put her finger on. Then she remembered the gun in her hand the night before and knew it was the firearm and its holster adding to the montage of scent. She felt a yearning deep inside, and the desire to satisfy it pressed her closer to him, until they were thigh to thigh, chest to bosom, and the kiss grew warmer and more insistent.

At last they had to break off the kiss in order to breathe.

Terri was suddenly aware of a pair of tourists walking by on the path. "Maybe we should go inside," she murmured.

"Good idea." Russ's voice was now a sexy baritone, husky with arousal.

"One of us should open the door," said Terri, mesmerized by his brown eyes.

"Another good idea," murmured Russ. He fumbled behind himself for the door knob, but had to half turn to use the key. They moved indoors without separating. Terri let her tote slide off her arm to the floor. The heat of their embrace made the cabin feel overly warm. Russ pushed the door shut and turned the lock with one hand while the other pulled Terri into a deep kiss. She began to moan, and the sound made Russ’s blood pound in his ears. He felt like a teenager again. The excitement of her touch was overwhelming. He marveled at the scent of her, the sensuous sweetness of her mouth.

They turned their faces to the side for a breath of air.

“Oh, Russ, you feel so good,” whispered Terri.

Russ wanted to reply but only managed an affirmative mumble.

Then Terri’s cell phone rang.

Terri groaned in disappointment.

Russ whispered, “Ignore it.”

But it kept ringing.

“I can’t,” said Terri. “I’ll wonder who it was until I look.”

Russ pulled away. “I know. I understand. Go ahead.”

She reached down into her bag and pulled the phone out. The tiny screen told her the caller was Gavin. Russ saw it, too. Suddenly he was more alert. He nodded at her to answer.

Out of habit, Terri answered in speaker mode. “Hello?”

The anger in Gavin’s voice chilled her.

“You slut!”

From North Rim Delight

And the novella sequel, Woof in the Wedding Plans,

My websites: http://www.reginaduke.com and http://www.lindalouwrites.com

Twitter: Follow me at @ReginaDuke1

Cover Art for Roar

2011-12-09T22:38:00.000-08:00

No release date yet, but just got the cover art for Roar! and couldn't wait to share!

Focused on the bottom line, corporate paralegal Linda Underwood answers to no one. Linda’s world is torn apart when a bear shifter turns her romantic weekend rendezvous into a desperate struggle to stay alive. Now a recently-turned shifter herself, she is determined to beat the affliction by ignoring her newly awakened beastly impulses.

After the accidental death of his wife, shifter Flynn Cromwell finds solace immersed in his computer network security work in a remote mountain cabin. When he discovers Linda’s ravaged body near the brink of death, he’s compelled to protect her.

Can Flynn save Linda from her own stubborn nature and defend her from a vicious shifter with a taste for her blood?

If you like Kate and Jack, they also make an appearance in Roar!

Raine Delight-Sat Shifters

2011-11-12T05:00:00.001-08:00

What inspires your stories?
You know that is the one question I dread answering as an author. Ask me on my characters, stories, upcoming attractions but ask me what inspires something and I am at a loss. Well I take that back…not exactly a loss but it is hard for me to get the right words to explain what inspires me.
Everything inspires me…a news article, passing snatch of a song on a radio, heck something that may have happened in my life. All is up for fodder for ideas and yes, I do use creative license to make them a tad bit more interesting *grins*.
I think writing a new story is like making a new recipe. You have a dash of this, a dash of that…stir it all up and add in some yummy bits to make something so decadent, you want more.
For my Devon Falls series, I used a combination of my home town and my former places of employment to create the town of paranormals. Each time I wrote a Devon Falls book, it grew and more characters popped up to clamor for a story. For example, my hometown has a candy shop where I actually knew the owner and his family who made and sold these yummy treats. That was the basis of Sticky Magic and then it grew. I seem to add to it each time I go back to Devon Falls and frankly I like adding to it but dang if it isn’t hard to keep up. At this time I have five books written and currently available (fifth book comes out in December 2011) and the final five books will be out late-2012/2013.
*laughs*
For my Space Pirates Series, I read a science article online on what would happen to the Earth if there was a freak Gamma Explosion that hit us and of course, it helped I was watching Johnny Depp play Captain Jack *grins*, that my Space Pirates were born. Creating a new series where the skies the limit has been exciting yet I research constantly to make sure I get the science right.
Another series is based on my fascination of the BDSM world and the many stories I read about it lately. Club Fantasy series is a paranormal, of course, with two very hot co-owners and lovers. This series is pure imagination but the question of “What if you stepped in this club and found a side of you that you never knew existed?” fascinated me and had me thinking ideas. This was intriguing and the basis of Desires Unleashed was born with a heroine who finds her falling for two very different men that leave her panting for more.
Then there is a brand new series coming that I call Destined Mates. It takes the questions “What happens when fate decides who your mate is and it’s not the person you expect?” and I turn it on its ear with a paranormal angle. The first book, Bewitched by Destiny, is about a cranky were-panther who finds his life turned upside down when the mating mark hits him and his fated mate is none other the witch next door…the aggravating woman who loves to spell his mailbox to explode each week over so me imagined slight. I love playing with this series because the ideas are endless.
My muse is a nut that likes to leave me hanging and keeps me jumping with ideas. With each story a little bit of me goes in there and frankly that is how I like it.
So what inspires me? Why everything and anything, dear reader. I hope to continue entertaining you in the future with more books and steamy fun.
**~~**
Raine Delight loves to be pampered by her harem of men that exist solely for her pleasure. Wait…..that was in a movie she saw. Hey, she can dream. J Raine loves to fight with her muse, attack her manuscripts and find a way to silence the many voices in her head. Inspiration hits at odd times and for Raine, a blank word document page gives her many possibilities on story ideas. Living with her two kids, a significant other who supports her every move in writing and doesn’t seem to mind she gets up at 2 am to type away on the computer. With a love for Johnny Depp, movies and 80’s hair bands, Raine finds a way to bring all her chaotic thoughts into a story that tells her readers about love and romance.

Raine, thanks for visiting today. Devon Falls sounds intriguing! For more about Raine—check out her sites.

Website: http://authorrainedelight.com

Raine’s Blog: http://authorrainedelight.wordpress.com

Author/Reader Loop: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Author_Raine_Delight

Email me: rainedelight@yahoo.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorRaine-Delight

Secret Cravings Publishing: www.secretcravingspublishing.com

~~**~~
Newest release~ Haunting Magic (Devon Falls 4)
Available at Secret Cravings Publishing
Coming soon to Amazon Kindle, B&N Nook and Are
Paranormal/Wolf Shifter, Contemporary Erotic Romance
Buy at www.secretcravingspublishing.com
Check out the sexy book trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvmFxgLQtx4

A wolf shifter finds that falling in love is the least of his problems when the woman he is destined to be with is none other the one woman who won’t melt when he pulls out the charm. Can he show Jaxon that falling in love with him is the best part of living?

Rodrick Dracon is the twin heir to the Dragon Inn. When he finds himself longing for a mate after being footloose and fancy free, he finds himself drawn to the most obnoxious, brassy woman he has ever met: Jaxon Sinclair. She is the one woman who doesn't melt when he goes by or hangs on his every word. Jaxon is just aggravating and downright sexy as sin! Soon the sparks fly, passion goes into boiling and Halloween approaches. Can this wolf shifter get this woman to heel before the full moon? Will Jax turn the tables on this ladies man and tame the wolf?

Excerpt
He looked even better close up though she damn well wasn’t going to tell him that. He had a swelled head as it was, considering all the honeybees that swarmed all over him. She mentally gathered her defenses. If she didn’t know better, she would have thought she was in lust with Rodrick, impossible as seemed from the way they sniped at each other. Shaking her head slightly, she felt his gaze move to her and heard his startled breath as she walked up to the porch.
“Hey, Rod, slow night?” Jax asked. Her eyes drank in the way his muscles bunched under his t-shirt. She felt her stomach clench, though it could have been the anticipation of food that waited inside the dark mahogany doors. The way he was watching her had her nerves on edge. She didn’t know what the hell his problem was, but Jax was determined to get in and out with her order before Rod pushed her buttons. She just was not up to dealing with him tonight.
“Yeah, seems everyone is getting ready for the Halloween costume dance tomorrow. What are you up to tonight? Got a dinner date?” Rod growled at her, his eyes shining with a glow that almost made Jax take a step back before she caught herself. Shaking her head, she said, “What the hell is wrong with you tonight? I was going to have dinner with Grady, but he got short-staffed and had to cover tonight. I just wanted to see if I can grab a take out from your mom.” Jax marveled at how normal it was between them. Though she thought the hair on his arms bristled at the thought of her on a date, it probably was her imagination. Rod wasn’t interested in her, just the ones who wanted a good time and an easy lay.
“I am sure my mom would love to give you something since everyone knows you can burn water without even trying.” The smile that tugged at his lips had her eyes go wide then narrow in annoyance.
“What the hell would you know about cooking, you jackass? I bet you couldn’t make something if your life depended on it,” she sneered. Her hands closed into fists and she was tempted to smack him for being so damn annoying. If she didn’t know better, she would have thought there was a smile lingering on his smug face.
“Oh, are you challenging me, Jax? Can’t take the fact that I may actually know something you don’t? Want to take that to a test?” Rod leaned forward, stroked a finger down her nose, and said softly, “Afraid that maybe I can do something that will make you readjust your opinion of me?”

Author Interview Barbara Edwards

2011-10-08T05:00:00.000-07:00

Thank you for having me as your guest. I’m Barbara Edwards, a native New Englander with a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Hartford.

I’m a past president of the Central Florida Romance Writers and a member of Romance Writers of America. I founded the Charter Oak Romance Writers in Hartford, CT a Chapter of Romance Writers of America, along with several close friends.

I’m married to a retired Police Sergeant. I love Civil War re-enacting, visiting museums, art galleries and battle sites. I taught Romance Writing at Manchester Community college for three years. I write historical romance, romantic suspense and paranormal romance.

What inspired you to become a writer?

My biggest influence was my father. He read to my sister and I every night. We heard Robinson Crusoe, Tom Sawyer, Tarzan, Huckleberry Finn, Little Women, and many more a chapter at a time. It was magical and I wanted to tell stories of my own.

Who are your favorite romance characters (besides your own?)

I love Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler, and always dreamed of ways to make their story end happily. Roarke and Dallas from JD Robb give me so much pleasure I look forward to every book. I have a hundred others, but don’t want to offend any of my friends by not mentioning their work.

Tell me what inspired this story.

The Finding Rhodes End Series and this story started with a nightmare. I grew up next to an old cemetery in New England and there were nights I couldn’t sleep because I was afraid something creepy would appear. To this day I remember that fear and have new nightmares.

How do you balance your day-to-day commitments with your writing life?

Not easily. My husband and I are civil war re-enactors and participate in a number of events. I love traveling and never turn down the chance to see somewhere new. We’re also restoring a Gothic Victorian house built in 1875 and planting a garden with antique perennials. So where do I fit in my writing? I have an Alpha-smart that goes in the front seat and I write as my husband drives. When we’re home I plan my day so I write early when I’m more focused, but have learned to just do it.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

I hope everyone has an ebook reader and checks out the wonderful authors at my publisher’s website. I’ve found some of the best reading material there.

Ancient Blood by Barbara Edwards

Lily Alban escapes a murderous stalker, but his vicious attack leaves her with the ability to see auras. She finds safety in the tiny hamlet of Rhodes End where a stranger stands out like a red light. Try as she might to deny her growing desire for Cole, she seeks his help but soon discovers the man she loves is not a man at all.

Werewolf Cole Benedict resists his attraction to Lily. A botanist researching the healing herbs to find a cure for Lycanthropy, he’s determined to protect Lily from her stalker as well as himself even in human form, but instinct takes over when he changes to his inner beast.

Together they must use their extraordinary gifts to catch Lily’s stalker before he attacks again, but revealing their secrets to one another could destroy their growing love or save them both.

Excerpt:

“What makes you so important? Or is this another secret?”

Cole’s eyes darkened. “Lily. I’m pushing the line with you. Give me some slack.”

“I want answers, Cole.” She grabbed his arm as he turned and pulled him to a halt.

He gently, carefully drew her fierce grip into his grasp. His golden eyes heated as he lifted her hand to his lips. “I already told you, Lily. You’d have to mate with me to learn all my secrets.”

Urgent need raced from his lips to her center. His scorching gaze melted her from the inside out. All her being longed to step into his arms, to become one in a way she’d never known. She trembled as she recognized the danger.

Thanks for joining us today Barbara! You can find out more about Barbara at the following sites:

Author Website: http://barbaraedwards.net

Blog Site: http://barbaraedwardscomments.wordpress.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/BarbaraEdwards

Ancient Blood http://on.fb.me/naHRY5

Twitter: http://twitter.com/barb_ed

Authors Den: http://authorsden.com/barbaraedwards

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003F6ZK1A

Buy link for Ancient Blood: http://tinyurl.com/3f627vh

www.barbaraedwards.net

Meet the Frankensteins

2011-10-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

"When I was 9 I played the demon king in Cinderella and it launched me on a long happy life playing a monster.” Boris Karloff

Like Lon Chaney, Karloff started his film career in the silent film industry. After nearly 20 years and 80 films, Karloff became an overnight sensation at age 44 with his portrayal of Frankenstein’s monster, even though the opening credits simply listed Karloff as “?”. A slim man standing 5’11”, Karloff wore lifts and padding to portray the monster. Karloff also played the monster in the sequels Bride of Frankenstein (1935) and Son of Frankenstein (1939).

A founding member of the Screen Actors Guild, Karloff’s diverse career included stage, films, radio, television and recordings. Much later he would give the Grinch his voice and narrated the tale ultimately winning a spoken word Grammy for the recording.

“There is no such thing as a person that nothing has happened to and each person is as different as his fingertips.” Elsa Lanchester

Though she played a variety of roles throughout her long career including, Peter Pan at London’s Palladium and a match-making witch in “Bell, Book and Candle”, Elsa Lanchester is most recognized as the Bride of Frankenstein. Lanchester played dual roles in the film, author Mary Shelley and the monster’s bride. While she was named in the credits as Mary Shelley, consistent with the previous movie, as the monster’s bride Lanchester was simply listed as “?”. Despite the “anonymous” billing, Lanchester had a successful film career including two Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress.

Author Interview-Ramona Butler

2011-09-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

I met Ramona Butler through the Sierra Romance Writers Group and I’m excited to have her visit today.

What inspired you to become a writer?

I can’t remember NOT being a writer, so I think I was born one. In fact, I was barely old enough to read when I wrote a letter to the editor of a large, metropolitan newspaper complaining about a pitifully ugly comic strip character -- and my letter was published.

After that, I was always writing something, primarily for my own entertainment. Yet it wasn’t until I retired that I decided to try for publication, thinking I’d like travel writing. So I enrolled in a class at the junior college and soon found myself writing restaurant reviews, a periodic public opinion column, and nostalgia pieces. I even became a stringer for a small newspaper. And yes, I sold a couple of travel articles, but then I decided to try fiction -- and was hooked.

Who are your favorite romance characters (besides your own?)

That’s a tough question, because I’m a voracious reader, and I usually fall in love with the heroine and hero of whatever book I’m reading at the time. But I will say that I’m a big fan of Suzanne Brockman’s Navy SEALs.

Tell me what inspired Sabrina Says.

I had begun writing fiction while I lived in the Sacramento area. After moving to Nevada, a friend from my California critique group contacted me about our writing together, and I jumped at the chance. She would drive up here and we’d hash out characters and a storyline. Then, she would go home to Sacramento and we would begin our back-and-forth, long distance collaboration

Almost immediately, one of our books became a finalist in the notable Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart competition. So, of course, we went to the National Conference, which was in Dallas that year. And even though we didn’t win, we enjoyed our fifteen minutes in the spotlight. Returning home, I discovered that while we were away, four “lonesome cowboys” had erected a huge billboard alongside highway 395, south of Reno -- advertising for lady friends. When I saw the newspaper story about that billboard, I just knew we had the basis of our next book, Sabrina Says, which was out first sale. Sabrina Says was published in paperback by a New York publisher, then published in the Netherlands, and then in the US again in hardcover. And I’m thrilled to report that Sabrina Says is now available on the Internet as an ebook, via Amazon’s Kindle ebookstore. It is also available for the Barnes and Noble ereader (the Nook), and will soon be available for several other ereaders.

Other books that I co-authored with Louise Crawford: Jaded Hearts (Romantic Suspense), Trouble in 3-D, Sagebrush Cinderella, Dance with Destiny, and High Flying Love. All, except for Jaded Hearts, are lighthearted, contemporary romances.

My newest book, Border Heat, I wrote alone. It, too, is a Romantic Suspense.

Sabrina Says-Amazon buy link:

Sabrina Says-Champagne Books buy link:

Border Heat excerpt

A gunshot shattered the silence. And from out of nowhere, a large form, blacker than the black night, slammed her to the ground, covered her. Air swooshed from her lungs. She gasped for breath, twisting, thrashing, fighting the hulk that had landed on top of her. When her knee struck soft tissue, she was rewarded with a oath, then a hoarse, low-pitched, "For God's sake, stop your squirming. I'm trying to save your unappreciative hide!"

Stunned by recognition of that husky rumble, she stilled. "Jess?" Lord, he was heavy. Solid muscle.

"Shhh, don't talk." Words breathed against her temple.

"Get off me, you--"

His callused hand covered her mouth and shut off her words. She twisted again, writhing, bucking--with no success whatsoever.

Author Interview-Regina Duke

2011-09-03T05:00:00.000-07:00

I had the good fortune to meet Regina Duke at a gathering of local romance writers and I’m thrilled to have her as a guest today. Regina Duke also writes dog books as Linda White.

What inspired you to become a writer?

As a child I read constantly. I have a memory dating back before kindergarten of copying the print off a page onto a piece of paper. I did not know what the page said at that time, but I felt compelled to write those symbols on paper. I was writing!

My first trip to the library at five years old was memorable because they would only allow us to check out four children’s books at a time, and I read all four in the car on the way home. There were never enough stories! So I began writing my own as soon as I had access to pens and paper. I shared with girl friends at school. Ironically, although my writing skills always earned As in school, my male English teachers never enjoyed my creative efforts! Not masculine enough, I guess.

Who are your favorite romance characters (besides your own?)

Wow, there are so many! But I love Varene in Cate Rowan’s Kismet’s Kiss, and I want to -be- the kickass heroine in Sandra Edwards’ Staked.

Tell me what inspired this story.

The Woof in the Wedding Plans is about my romance characters Terri and Russ after they return from their adventure at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. They fell in love while Russ was saving Terri’s life, but now it’s October and they have to deal with matters closer to home. I love my characters and it’s very difficult to drop them after writing about their romance. So I was inspired to spend more time with Terri and Russ and see if they could make a go of things in the real world, away from the Canyon.

Since dogs are an inspiration for much of my life, I weave them into my stories as well. Terri and Russ are dog people. I wanted to follow them beyond the original romance and see what happens in their lives as they head toward marriage.

How do you balance your day-to-day commitments with your writing life?

I’m giving away my age here, but I am retired from my “day job.” My current commitments involve dog training, dog shows, and writing in different genres. I have gone “indie” as they say, after spending decades submitting manuscripts to the gatekeepers of the publishing houses. I kept getting wonderful rejection letters, but my work never fit anyone’s “line.”

I get up in the morning and write or edit or do my email and marketing. Evenings are spent in dog classes. And believe me, almost every canine scenario in my stories has happened to me or someone I know!

Now that I’ve said that, I realize that I am finally living the life I dreamed of living. I am writing and sharing my stories, and I am playing with my dogs and my friends. Happy camper!

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

I’m working hard and fast to make my other books available and to write new ones. I hope that those who enjoy my characters and my style will check back periodically and see what other worlds I’m playing in at the moment.

Find out more about Regina at the following links:

www.reginaduke.com and www.lindalouwrites.com

Regina Duke’s The Woof in the Wedding Plans, www.amzn.com/B005JSPBV6

Regina Duke’s North Rim Delight, www.amzn.com/B0050Q57SY

Paperback: www.amazon.com/North-Rim-Delight-Regina-Duke/dp/1461198208

Linda White’s Loving the Sensitive Dog, http://www.amzn.com/B0055KXLJW

www.lindalouwrites.com

Book blurb:

Wedding plans are well along, but Terri hates the plans and hates the planner! She has adopted a German shepherd, but he thinks he belongs to Russ, her future husband, and Russ’s two shepherds are not happy about it. Although Russ is the man of Terri’s dreams, her future father-in-law is turning into the man of her nightmares. Her job is also in danger. And now a phone call has thrown her life into turmoil. Something has happened to Russ!

Come along for the ride as Terri tries to salvage her marriage plans and save her man!

Chatting about The Wolf Man

2011-08-15T06:27:00.000-07:00

I'm visiting Karen Michelle Nutt's blog today chatting about that horror classic, The Wolf Man.

Hope to see you there!

Sat Shifters-Karen Michelle Nutt

2011-08-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

Karen Michelle Nutt was my debut guest for my blog and I’m thrilled to have her visit again. Tell me about yourself.

My name is Karen Michelle Nutt. As a multi-published author, I spin tales for Tease Publishing LLC, The Wild Rose Press, Highland Press, RJV Publishing, Victory Tales Press and Western Trail Blazers.

Time Travels have been a passion of mine. I have always been intrigued with the possibility of being able to reach back in time and change the past. Common sense says influencing the past is impossible, but I can't help but wonder: What if I can?

Fallen Angels, vampires and shape shifters embrace my darker side where their worlds intertwine with ours.

Whether your reading fancy is paranormal, historical or time travel, all my stories capture the rich array of emotions that accompany the most fabulous human phenomena—falling in love.

On a more personal level, I share my life with a wonderful man, three lovely children and house full of pets.

My new passion is the wonders of Photoshop. My header for my website and blog were my first projects. I've since created book covers for Victory Tales Press and Western Trail Blazers.

Did you know…

I will never have enough books to read.

I enjoy going to tea with my friends.

I love to travel and I’ve taken a ghost tour in every city I’ve visited.

How long have you been writing?

I’ve been writing as long as I can remember, but I’ve been a published author since 2006 with my debut book, Lost in the Mist of Time.

Where did the inspiration for your Angel Shifter story come from? I’ve been fascinated with the Book of Enoch since I had the opportunity to see the Black Sea Scrolls at an exhibit in San Diego. The Fallen Angels passages intrigued me and I wanted to know more about these angelic visitors that fell from grace.

My fallen angels series is about the Nephilim. They are the offspring of the legendary Fallen Angels and their human mates. For my story, I wanted the Nephilim to share both the angelic world and the human world as well? The Nephilim or the Gregori/Watchers are here on earth to observe the human race and record history.

I thought it would be a little strange if they walked among humans with wings. Face it, not only would they stand out, but they’d end up knocking things over with their over six-feet wingspan attached to their backs. But what if they could use glamour? They could walk among us unnoticed if they could use their glamour and shift from one reality to the other. My angel shifter is born.

Who is your favorite shifter character from TV or the movies? Good question. Hmm… I’m intrigued with the characters Alcide on True Blood and Derek Hale on Teen Wolf. I also loved the short-lived Wolf Lake characters. The series was about a pack of werewolves living in Seattle.

Ahhh Derek Hale, he can do the smoldering glare like no other. What is your writing space like? It’s a desk in the kitchen, which is an organized cluttered mess with research books, books-to-read, pens, pencils, paper, calendar and notepads. I also have printer and phone there for easy access.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

Visit the author at: http://www.kmnbooks.com

Stop by her blog for Monday interviews, chats and contests at:

http://kmnbooks.blogspot.com

To buy links Amazon Author Page with my books:

Other Books at All Romance E-books including Moon Shifter (Werewolves) with the Wild Rose Press:

Blurb for Lucca: Warriors for the Light (Book Two)

Lucca Marlowe is half human, half angel, one of the Nephilim. Banished for crimes against one of his fellow brethren, the elders bind his glamour and wings, casting him to the human's realm. He'll either learn to respect his human side of existence or live out eternity trying.

Lucca does not live a mundane life. Angels and demons demand he do their bidding. His estrange father resurfaces after centuries of being absent and he's brought a friend from Hell.

To make his life more complicated, he fears he found his soul mate in a human female. Only Juliet Romeo has a secret that will bring the wrath of Heaven down upon their heads.

It's a race against time to find out who will end up with his soul.

Blurb for Eli: Warriors for the Light (Book One): At a very young age the Rules of Conduct for the Fallen Angels were drummed into Eli Grigori’s head. Rule number one: Do not befriend a human. Rule number two: Do not interfere in their lives. Rule number three: Do not have relations with a human. Rule number four: Under no circumstances will you ever reveal your true self. He managed to break all of the above.

Ol’ Hallow’s Eve is the day the veil between worlds are thin. It’s the only day out of the year the preternatural beings are allowed to walk among the humans as their true selves. With Eli’s wings bound and his glamour stripped, the Elders send him back in time before Ryden O’Sullivan knew the truth about him. If she is truly his soul mate, then her heart should recognize him.

There are those among the Watchers who are afraid Eli might succeed in his quest for love. If he does, everything will change within the brethren. Hashasheen demons, assassins for hire are sent to take out Eli and Ryden. Eli is a warrior and will fight to keep Ryden safe, but time may be his biggest enemy. The Elders gave him until the end of Ol’ Hallow’s Eve. Ryden must fall in love with him by then or his life will be forfeited.

Sat Shifters-MTV's Teen Wolf

2011-07-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

As a mother of two, I get enough teen drama without watching it on the small screen. While my daughter, a devotee fan of teenage serial drama, claims she is not keen on the supernatural. However, when MTV’s Teen Wolf is on, we grab the popcorn and head straight for the couch.

The MTV series has a darker, edgier tone than the 1985 Michael J. Fox movie According to director, Russell Mulcahy, the mantra during filming revolved around 3 s-words “scary, sexy and surprising”.

As if the daily trauma of high school wasn’t enough, Scott McCall, has to contend with the savage inclinations of his beastly self. Complicating matters is the fact his beloved Allison’s father is a hunter sworn to kill werewolves and his fellow werewolf and mentor, Derek Hale, is glowering loner driven to avenge his family (though I admit I wouldn’t mind basking in his smoldering glare). While cloaked with the mysterious aura of the paranormal, the actions of the characters are realistic. When Scott protests that his grades are slipping due to his nightly excursions, Derek snarls, "Do you want to do homework or do you want to stay alive?"

Teen Wolf Tidbits:

Though set in the fictional town of Beacon, California, the show was actually shot in Atlanta, GA.

Well-known as a music video director, Mulcahy directed Duran Duran’s “Hungry Like a Wolf”

Teen Wolf debuted to an audience of 2.2 million viewers.

Well fellow shifter fans, what do you think of the new beast on the block?

Spotlight on Howl

2011-07-06T06:37:00.000-07:00

I'm visiting Jennifer Jakes' blog today. Hope to see you there!

On the Road Again

2011-06-17T06:19:00.000-07:00

I'm chatting about Howl today at Romance Under Moonlight. Don't you love that title? Steph Burkhart was a guest on Saturday Shifters last week and she graciously invited me to visit her blog. Hope to see you there!

Interview with Stephanie Burkhart

2011-06-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

MARIPOSA: I'd like to welcome author Stephanie Burkhart to the blog. Tell me a little about yourself. How long have you been writing?

STEPH: Thanks for having me here today, Mariposa. Growing up I was a young girl in the 1970's hooked on the Electric Company. Nothing beat visiting my grandmother's house in the spring and hanging out with the lilacs. I grew up in New Hampshire and when I turned 18 I decided I wanted a great adventure and joined the Army. I served a total of 11 years and 7 in Germany with the Military Police. Now, I'm settled in California with my husband of 19 years and I've been a 911 dispatcher for LAPD for 11 years.

I got into seriously writing when I left the military in 1997. My first book, written under my pen name SG Cardin, was called "Destination: Berlin. It was set in Germany in 1988 and is a sweet romance. It's been well received, but lacks sales I think because the setting has a military backdrop. That was in 2001. I worked hard to hone my craft over the next couple of years. Since 2009, I've been working with small presses which I enjoy. It's very rewarding to work with an editor one-on-one. I like the personal attention given by a small press. I'm published with 4RV Publishing, Victory Tales Press, and Desert Breeze.

MARIPOSA: What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

STEPH: Be patient. It took me several years to develop my writing. You can always learn. Be open-minded and have a nice Internet presence. That will take you a long way.

MARIPOSA: Excellent advice! Who is your favorite shifter character (other than your own)?

STEPH: I love J. Morgan's "Were Love Blooms" Madison Lee. His stories are so fun because he infuses his brand of unique humor into them. Madison gets her hair done, her nails polished, and uses duct tape to take off the excess fur.

MARIPOSA: How do you balance your day-to-day commitments with your writing life?

STEPH: I actually have a good plan that works well for me. In the morning I catch up on emails and my social networks. I work from 2-10 pm and being a 911 dispatcher can be very stressful so I do the bulk of my writing on downtime, writing it out long hand on pen and paper. On days off, I type it up. The afternoons on my days off are generally for the kids and housework. As for my reading, I use the Kindle's text to speech feature and it reads to me on my way to work.

MARPOSA: Is there anything else you'd like to share with our readers?

STEPH: Sure. My latest release is "The Wolf's Torment." Set in Romania in 1865, Mihai has a secret – he's a witch. Can his love for Theresa give him the courage he needs to save his family from the werewolf that haunts them?

REVIEWS FOR THE WOLF'S TORMENT

From The Pen & Muse:

A complete werewolf story through and through, Burkhart does it again with an amazing cast of characters, entertaining dialogue and plot. Lovers of historical paranormal romance will enjoy this read, the first in the Moldavian Moon series.

From Reader's Favorites

5 Stars - The Wolf’s Torment has it all, witches, werewolves, a vampire, a princess and a prince. This is paranormal romance at its finest.

Enjoy this Excerpt:

Mihai gestured toward the door and they both walked out. Mihai parted from Beatrice to move down the hall to the servants' quarters and entered the secret stairway to the tower. What could Theresa want? Was she sick? No, Beatrice would have scolded him if she was. Theresa had been very firm about sticking to their rules and he'd honored them, which, on occasion had been a severe test of his willpower. He wanted Theresa in his bed. Their wedding was only a month away, but that was far too long for him. Mihai wanted her naked, underneath him, wrapped in his embrace. He wanted to brand her, possess her, and tell the whole world she was his. Was that love? Is that what Beatrice was getting at? Did Theresa love him?

He clenched his fists, pushing down his lustful thoughts, and opened the door to the tower.

A fire burned in the fireplace. Theresa sat in front of the flames, looking at his star charts. "Theresa?"

She looked up, smiling tentatively. "Hello, Mihai. Come. Sit."

He feathered his eyes over her. Her aura was shining, much like it had after their...lovemaking.

"What brings you up here?" He joined her on the rug.

"You," she replied.

"Oh?"

He sensed her nervousness. She held up a chart. "It's very accurate. You know your night sky."

"I suspect you must be just as talented if you're impressed with my charts."

"My brother, Edward, loved the stars. I'd go stargazing with him. He was very patient considering he was eight years older than me."

"Beatrice wasn't a stargazer?"

"No. It bored her to tears. Victoria was interested in it, but she didn't have patience for it."

"Ah."

He spied a bottle of wine on the table next to the door. "Do you want me to open it?"

"If you want some. Wine makes my stomach queasy these days."

"Why? Are you ill? I have to confess, I didn't think we'd be back to the tower until after we married."

"No, I'm not ill, but I might get ill."

"Might get ill? What's wrong, Theresa?"

She threaded her fingers through his. "I think I'm with child."

His mouth dropped open in surprise. He quickly closed it, not wanting to startle her. Joy and happiness blasted through him and he wrapped her into his arms. This was wonderful! Their night together had given them a child! It was quick, but it didn't matter. He wanted her to be the mother of his children. She was kind and gentle and the children at the orphanage adored it when she read them stories on her visits -- especially the little ones. They would sit next to her vying for the precious space with winsome smiles and affectionate hugs. Alexandra would have made a poor queen. He stiffened at the thought of Alexandra. How could he think of her at a time like this when Theresa had just given him the happiest news of his life?

Theresa swallowed, betraying her apprehension. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm thrilled with the news."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, but I want the doctor to examine you tomorrow."

"All right." She glanced at the fire.

He pushed his uneasy thoughts away from his mind and focused on his joy, then smiled at her. "I'll reschedule my morning appointments and we'll have the doctor look at you after breakfast."

"That's fine."

He cupped her chin with his fingers, using a gentle touch. "Are you happy?"

She bit her lower lip with her teeth. Confusion danced in her eyes. The sensation of being overwhelmed skimmed over the pulse of her emotions, yet a small current of happiness flowed underneath.

"Theresa, are you happy?" he asked again.

"Yes."

"You don't sound very convincing."

"This is very sudden, Mihai. I didn't think it would happen our first time. I wanted to be married -- and secure before--"

"We will be married and I promise you security. You are the only woman I want in my life. You must believe that."

Visit the Book Trailer on You Tube and give it a 'like' at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzHE2spBeeU

The Wolf's Torment is available as an ebook only on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, and Sony Ereader. Formats include: PDF, html, and epub which can be found on Desert Breeze Publishing

Kindle:

Nook:

All Romance ebooks:

About the Author: Stephanie Burkhart is a 911 dispatcher for LAPD. She also served as an MP in the US Army. Multi-published, she has a children's book, "The Giving Meadow" with 4RV Publishing. She's an avid reader , loves coffee in the morning, and her favorite movie "werewolf" is David Thewlis, Lupin from Harry Potter.

You can find me at:

Website:

http://www.stephanieburkhart.com

Blog:

http://sgcardin.blogspot.com

Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stephanie-Burkhart-Author/149938795021166

Chatting with C.R. Moss

2011-04-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of meeting C.R. Moss in person at the TWRP's Writer's Retreat last year. She's from Vegas, I'm from Reno and we met in Bandera, TX. Go figure. I'm visiting her blog today and chatting about Howl. Hope to see you there.

2011 TMCC Writer's Conference

2011-04-16T06:59:00.000-07:00

This is my 4^th year attending the TMCC Writer’s Conference and I’m always amazed at what the conference delivers for the price ($99) and this year was no exception. Like many community colleges, TMCC has been hit hard by the economy, the fact that the college ran the conference with its highest attendance ever is a miracle.

Writer and KUNR Broadcaster, David Stipech, opened with a discussion on the writer’s journey. He noted a couple of key points to a writer’s reality check.

· Do you know what you want out of writing?

· Are your setbacks motivating you or stopping you? “No” should be a street sign not a stop sign.

I especially liked his comment that it is okay to feel frustration-people without ambition seldom feel frustrated.

Editor for Writer’s Digest books, Chuck Sambuchino advised writers to approach markets and agents that are small, new or local. He urged writers write to articles for magazines and local papers to establish credentials and to make contacts.

This year the conference featured a book store where attendees could purchase books by the speakers and on the writer’s craft. I scored a copy of Susan Palwick’s The Fate of Mice and she signed it for me prior to her session.

Susan Palwick is a rock star to me. Not only is she a sci-fi novelist and an UNR professor, she also knits socks. Her discussion on the use of setting to advance the story was insightful. Writers should consider how setting rules or limits the characters. Palwick noted that the setting should be as essential as the other elements of the story.

The conference packed plenty of content into a single day, including mini sessions on marketing and screenwriting. Can communities provide artistic endeavors on a tight budget? For TMCC the answer is a resounding Yes!

Interview with Susan Hanniford Crowley

2011-04-09T04:30:00.000-07:00

Be sure to leave a comment for a chance to win!

Please join me in welcoming Susan Hanniford Crowley. Tell me about yourself. How long have you been writing?

I’m married and have grown children. I have a dog named Pete and two cats Bella and Buffy. I’ve been writing since I was eight years old, published a poem in a local newspaper when I was 16, and in 1989 published my first novella “Ladyknight.” I was in science fiction and fantasy for a long time, until a friend brought it to my attention that I should write romance. When I started reading paranormal romance, I completely fell in love with the genre. I’ve been published in romance since 2009.

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

Read a lot. Be bold. Attend a writer’s conference put on by a chapter of the Romance Writers of America, because the practical educational benefit is astounding. Their workshops are not only for romance writers. If you’ve in Connecticut, register for Fiction Fest (May 14th) at http://www.ctrwa.org. It’s the best thing you could do for your career.

Who is your favorite shifter character (besides your own)?

In the VOLSONGS (Norse sagas), there is a family of shifters. Every brother shifts to a different animal. I don’t really have a favorite, but I loved the shifters in the VOLSONGS. They inspired me to write the shifter family in VAMPIRE IN THE BASEMENT as different animals. I also adore Sam in True Blood who shifts into a dog.

Sam is one of my favorite shifters. How do you balance your day-to-day commitments with your writing life?

That’s still difficult and quite a balancing act. I write every spare moment I get. I make a lot of lists and check things off, so I don’t forget something. I keep journals and notebooks in my purse and type out the story later.

You can never have too many notebooks! Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

My Vampires in Manhattan series is not limited to vampires but includes a larger supernatural community. My books WHEN LOVE SURVIVES and VAMPIRE IN THE BASEMENT features shapeshifters in particular.

WHEN LOVE SURVIVES is about a shapeshifter/financial advisor and a young woman who is half leprechaun and half elf.

They meet and fall in love on the worst day in New York history as they struggle to rescue others.

Blurb:

MAGIC
Regina O’Malley is a college student who’s just discovered she’s magic. Today is the first day of her internship at a prominent brokerage house at the World Center, and she’s late. She doesn’t know disaster is right around the corner.

LOVE
Gregor Vasiliev is a financial advisor at the World Trade Center. This shapeshifter hates the office coffee, and while on a donut run he gazes out the window of his favorite coffee shop. There in the street stands the lifemate he’s been searching for. If he doesn’t act now, he’ll lose her forever.

IT’S SEPTEMBER 11, 2001.

Excerpt:

The cab stopped and it wasn't for a light. They were in Manhattan. Reggie looked around to see if she could figure out her location. The World Trade Center was only four blocks around that corner at the most. After paying the man, she leaped out of the cab.

She was almost there, pausing only to catch her breath in front of the coffee shop before the corner. A tall man opened the door, pulled her inside, and shut the door behind her.

"What the . . ." Reggie stared up into the bluest eyes she'd ever seen. His handsome, sculpted face was framed by thick, dark hair. She was dazed and confused.

Then everything shook. Coffee cups jingled. The customers in line fell into each other. Donuts and pastries slid on the rack. People screamed in the streets. Fire trucks maneuvered through traffic.

Reggie turned to go out, but the man put his hand on her shoulder. "Don't go outside. Please." It was the way he said it that captivated her.

A man covered with soot ran into the shop. "The World Trade Center's on fire!"

Some people hurried out to look. Others rushed out the doors in the opposite direction. Reggie collapsed into the seat of an empty booth. Her head ached, then throbbed, then changed to a pain past describing. She raced for the restroom and upon entering fell on her knees in the first stall to violently puke. Hundreds of screaming voices filled her head. She'd been in the city for two years and had never heard the thoughts of New Yorkers, but now their horror crashed down on her in deafening, unceasing, agonizing waves.

Someone held her hair, which had fallen out of the bun. Then Reggie puked again. Totally devastated, the physical and emotional pain held her captive. She collapsed on the floor and curled into a ball. When Reggie looked up through tear-filled eyes, the same man reached for her. She couldn't stop shaking. The very instant his hand touched hers, the voices stopped. Oh, what sweet relief.

He helped her sit in a small chair beside the sink. "What happened to you?"

"I don't know." Reggie blinked back tears. "What's happening to the world?"

VAMPIRE IN THE BASEMENT features that shifter, his beloved, and his family as well as elves, a leprechaun, and vampires. When the wedding party is cursed, saving them depends on a half leprechaun/half elf unsure of her powers and a bunny shifter sister-in-law who is sure of her powers but not of her heart.

Both ebooks were published by Tease Publishing LLC and are available at All Romance Ebooks and can be purchased at the links below:

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-whenlovesurvives-362921-143.html

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-vampireinthebasement-448370-139.html

In celebration of my shifters and their supernatural friends, I am giving away one pdf copy of either WHEN LOVE SURVIVES or VAMPIRE IN THE BASEMENT to a lucky commenter. All they have to do is say what they would like to shift into and why. The contest is worldwide and ends on Sunday, April 10^th at midnight EST.

To discover all my books, visit http://www.susanhannifordcrowley.com Drop by anytime. I’m Susan Hanniford Crowley on Facebook and SHCrowley on Twitter.

I’ll be at Connecticut’s Fiction Fest’s booksigning on May 14^th, North Haven Holiday Inn Conference Center, next signing my vampires/supernatural romance THE STORMY LOVE LIFE OF LAURA CORDELAIS.

I’ll also be at Authors After Dark in Philadelphia in August on panels and booksignings. It is the ultimate romance readers conference with tons of fun—panels, parties, freebies, parties, booksignings, parties. Did I forget to mention parties? LOL

Now the contest begins. Hoooowwwwwlllll. Tell me what would you like to shift into and be convincing. LOL.

Thanks so much for having me here.

Susan

Interview with Marie Beau

2011-03-12T05:00:00.000-08:00

I was fortunate to meet Marie when she hosted an amazing shifter's tour last October and I'm thrilled to have her chat about Wolf!

Hi Mariposa,

How nice to be here! I’ve been off in my own little world, writing away (not to mention busy with everyday life like digging out from the plethora of snow). So thanks for having me and remembering my furry friends in Wolf!

Marie

How did the inspiration for this work come to you? I have always loved shape shifters, and I think wolves are absolutely gorgeous creatures so the two just seemed to come together. As far as where my ideas come from – your guess is as good as mine. But I love the freedom that comes with a shifter character, human at heart, but the instincts of an animal. Kind of the best of both worlds, don’t you think? Inspiration is an amazing thing. Fuel for my imagination can come from anywhere and I generally don’t have a clue where my ideas come from.

How do you balance your day-to-day commitments with your writing life? Balance? (She takes a deep breath.) Yes, I occasionally have balance in my life...but not very often. LOL I work full time, have a teenage daughter that I cart around to and fro as she needs, I play guitar and sing and occasionally perform, I am very active in my church, and I’m the typical housewife, wife, mother, and jack of all trades. But in the evening hours, once darkness sets in and my chores are all done, I slip into my cave and it’s just me and my words. Sometimes they flow fast and furious and sometimes there’s just a page or so, but the end of my day is MINE and that’s where my stories are born.

What shapeshifter character do you like best besides your own? Rachel Vincent has a whole series about packs of shifter cats. I’ve gobbled my way through all of those. Also, Christine Warren’s Wolf at the Door is a favorite.

What are your other passions outside of writing? Music! As I mentioned before, I also play guitar and sing, and yes, I write songs, too. And my taste in music is pretty eclectic. Everything from classical (I love cellos!) to pan flutes – but the thing I love most is listening to voices wrap around each other in harmonies. Check out Celtic Women on Youtube and you’ll see what I mean.

Thanks for joining us today. Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers? Writing is such a joy for me, I just hope that my readers enjoy my stories. I’d love to see more comments or reviews on Amazon to let me know what they think!

Here’s a little snippet from Wolf!

Lyssa Merrick has no intention of ever being involved with a wolf, but when Wolfe Reardon seeks her wildlife services she realizes choosing a mate is not always a conscious decision.

Excerpt:

“Such small, soft hands for an outdoors woman.” He leaned across the counter and breathed deeply. His eyes closed for a moment, and opened mere inches from hers. “You do lead all the expeditions, don't you?”

His other hand lifted to her face, brushing back her hair. His gaze followed every movement of his hand, steeping her in his aura.

“Who are you?” She whispered and tilted her head away from his hand. If he kept touching her, she wouldn‟t be accountable for her actions. She didn‟t know if she wanted to scratch, bite…or purr.

I’ll be over at Long And Short Reviews on Monday if anyone would care to stop by and see a little more!

Thanks for stopping by!

Marie Beau

Wolf!

Release date: 10/1/2010

Whispers Publishing

http://whispershome.com/erotic/romance/wolf/

For more about Lyssa and Wolfe, visit me at:

http://www.authormariebeau.blogspot.com/

Interview with Keta Diablo

2011-02-12T05:00:00.000-08:00

Please join me in welcoming Keta Diablo. Leave a comment for an opportunity to win a copy of Where the Rain is Made!

Where do you get the inspirations for your books?

Keta: This is such a great question and once I’m asked often. Many of my ideas come from dreams, vivid dreams. And the others come from surfing the Net or research I’ve done in the past.

I’m here today to talk about Where The Rain Is Made, a time-travel/shapeshifter themed around the Cheyenne Dog Soldiers. When my youngest son was 12, he took a sudden and intense interested in Native American history. I have no idea why. One tribe he seemed particularly drawn to was the Cheyenne Dog Soldiers. We spent endless hours at the library searching for books about this fierce tribe of the plains and together we read many articles about them.

The Dog Soldiers had a very colorful past and a very tragic ending, as did most of the Native American tribes in US history. Dylan’s obsession with the Dog Soldiers lasted several years and I became as fascinated as him. Several years later, I wrote Where The Rain Is Made and dedicated the novel to Dylan. I hope like me, you love reading about history. Myth and lore abound in WTRIM, but most of what you’ll read is true about this great tribe.

(More about Where The Rain Is Made here: http://www.decadentpublishing.com)

What is your favorite book from the books you have written so far? Who are your favorite hero and heroine, and why?

Keta: Where The Rain Is Made, of course, because of the special connection to my youngest son. Another novel I loved writing is Decadent Deceptions, an erotic historical that finaled in the 2008 RWA Molly Contest. DD is not a shapeshifter, but has an element of a serial killer, mystery, suspense and of course, an abundance of eroticism. (More about Decadent Deceptions here: https://www.nobleromance.com/ItemDisplay.aspx?i=20)

Tell us a bit about your new release.

Keta: Thanks so much for asking. I think I did above (another laugh). Give me a chance to talk about Where The Rain Is Made and I could go on for hours.

Here’s the blurb:

A decadent-looking savage has captured Francesca DuVall and her brother, Marsh. Now she must spend every waking moment planning an escape. However, she never counted on the powerful draw of desire interfering with her scheme in the camp of the brutal Cheyenne dog soldiers.

Ethan Gray is a curator at a national museum . . . most of the time, but when he travels through time to help his beloved People he becomes Meko, leader of the most revered and feared tribe of the plains. Although their worlds are decades apart Meko can’t resist the dark beauty he kidnapped during a raid. He has many battles to fight but none he wants to win more than the one that will capture Cesca’s heart forever.

From the windswept plains of Colorado and the harsh life of a Dog Soldier to the placid life of a curator their love was fueled by passion and kindled by destiny.

How do you balance your day-to-day commitments with your writing life?

Fortunately, I don't work outside the home anymore so the days are mine. I tip my hat to those who work a full-time job and still manage to put out a number of books every year. My children are grown now too so that helps too. There are days I'm not as productive as I'd like to be when it comes to writing, but I answer a large number of e-mails everyday and try to spend several hours promoting my writing. If a family event arises, that always come first.

What shapeshifter character do you like best besides your own?

I really like stories about dragons, so I guess I would have to say shapeshifting into a dragon would be awesome. Maybe one day I'll have to write about that.

Keta, thanks for joining us today. Readers don’t forget to leave a comment!

You can find Keta Diablo on the Net at the following links:

Keta’s Haunt, Author Home, http://www.ketadiablo.com

(sign up for my newsletter here to be eligible to win FREE books every month)

Keta’s Keep, Erotic Romance Blog, http://ketaskeep.blogspot.com

The Stuff of Myth and Men, Gay Fiction Blog, http://thestuffofmythandmen.blogspot.com

Keta on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ketadiablo

Getting Cozy for Valentines Day!

2011-02-01T06:54:00.001-08:00

Come visit me at The Cozy Page today as I start off Amber Leigh Williams' 20 Questions Valentine Event. Hope to see you there!

Kiki Howell Interview

2010-12-11T10:12:00.000-08:00

Tell me about yourself. How long have you been writing?

I have been composing stories in my head ever since I was young and read a story I wanted to go another way. LOL I remember writing them down even as a kid all the way through college. My goal at the time was to become an English teacher and write in my off time. Life however changes things. I got married, had kids, and I became a stay-at-home mom who didn’t write again for over a decade. In 2007, with my kids older, in school all day, I knew I had to start writing again. I missed it so much. So, it was at that time I started writing my first stories which got sent out for possible publication.

How do you find ideas for your books?

I think they find me somehow. Usually, I am reading, researching I guess you could call it. I read a lot of non-fiction books, mostly pagan or Wiccan in nature. Somewhere along the line something triggers my imagination, and a paranormal story is born. Although there are the odd instances where I am reading a fiction book or watching a movie when a story just comes to me out of nowhere. Last week for example, I saw a blog post on Yule, and from the explanation of one of the customs a holiday story popped into my head. Not sure I will have time to write that one now, but I’ve filed it away for later.

Tell me about your experience with Etsy. Have you paired your books and crafts in other venues?

I just love Etsy. The creativity that shows up in beauty there astounds me. So, when my first print release, Mystic Stones came out, I wanted to do a giveaway. I came up with the idea of putting gemstones on wire to create book thongs. Since the giveaway was so well-received, I decided to pair my print releases with book-related and book-inspired items to sell on Etsy. I have sold my books and matching book thongs, as well as matching mug cozies and book cozies, on Ebay and at a local event we have for crafters. I love to knit, so combining it with my books is a lot of fun.

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

My simple advice is to write the story that is in their heart, to stay true to their original vision. Do not let that voice in your head that questions how the story will be received change anything. Writing your story, your way, I think shows in the finished product. I got this advice myself early on from a call for submissions page, and I have taken it to heart, tried hard to apply it in my own writing. What’s next for you? Right now, I’m looking forward to the release of my first full-length novel, Torn Asunder, in January 2011. I have a blog tour as well as public venues in the works. Also, I am working on another novel write now that is my first mainstream work.

How do you balance your day-to-day commitments with your writing life?

It is all in the scheduling. The time my boys are in school is my writing time, and I rarely let anything interfere with that time unless something comes up with my kids. After school, I become mom and wife, doing what my family needs. Of course, as I said, there are extenuating circumstances that do change that like a chat scheduled at night or a school function I need to attend during the day, but my family is very supportive of my dreams, and it all balances out in the end.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers? You can find out more about me and my stories at http://www.kikihowell.com/ My Etsy Store is at http://www.etsy.com/shop/KikiHowell You can friend or follow me in Facebook and Twitter at the following links: http://www.facebook.com/kikihowell, http://twitter.com/KikiHowell

Kiki Howell-Update

2010-12-11T08:24:00.000-08:00

I'm having technical difficulties with Blogger this morning, the text from Kiki's interview just refuses to publish. I'll take another crack at it later. My apologies to Kiki and all who stopped by.

I hope to get the interview up soon!

Getting Naughty in the Backseat!

2010-11-27T06:00:00.000-08:00

Today, I'm chatting about the music that inspired Howl at Naughty in the Backseat .

Come visit me and find out why sometimes love bites.

Enter The Wolfman-We Have a Winner!

2010-10-30T18:51:00.003-07:00

I'm pleased to announce Brandy B as the winner of a free copy of Howl. There's still a chance to win a copy of Howl through the LASR Scavenger Hunt.

Interview with Beth Caudill

2010-10-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

Please join with me in welcoming Beth Caudill. Tell me about yourself. How long have you been writing?

I’m a stay-at-home mom of two boys living in central North Carolina with my husband. I’ve been writing fantasy and paranormal short stories since 2005 when I discovered Kelley Armstrong’s Online Writing Group Forum. Writers could get chapter critiques and there were challenges to get the creative juices flowing. I no longer have time to keep up with the group but I really enjoyed my time there. I serve on the Board of my local RWA chapter Heart of Carolina Romance Writers.
I currently have three short stories available at The Wild Rose Press and a novella from Whispers Publishing. You can read excerpts and reviews of my stories at my website.

You've been really busy. How did the inspiration for Healer’s Fate come to you?
Most of my stories start from a single scene I’ve imagined or dreamed. For Healer’s Fate, I started thinking about how werewolves would throw a wedding. I knew it would be outside but beyond that I had to play with it. An entire culture could be built around something like a wedding. The story expanded from the consequences of what happened at the mating ceremony. Initially I’d titled the story A Wolf’s Wedding, but by the time I’d submitted the story it had grown and my editor asked me to change the title to something that could encompass the whole story.

Sounds intriguing, tell us more.

Corliss Rumdone hides behind her status as Healer to avoid the normal wolf pack hierarchical challenges. A forced mating changes the course of her life. Instead of Raymond, the beta wolf selected for her, she mates with Liam—her best friend and heir to the Alpha pair.

Liam whisks them away to a shifter retreat so they can allow the mating bond to settle in private. But interference from those seeking power and two terminal children arouse past hurts and challenge their new relationship. Even their home is not the haven it should be as Liam must watch Corliss fight for the right to stay his mate. For one healer, death becomes a weapon to balance life.

How do you balance your day-to-day commitments with your writing life?

Badly. Seriously, even as a stay-at-home mom it is hard. There are school field trips or personal friends I eat lunch with occasionally – usually when I haven’t seen them in over a month. And then there are some lunches with writer friends where we talk about what we are working on or new publishing news. It doesn’t happen every day but can mess with the schedule.
I’m trying to carve out 4 hours during the day to write. Some things like the grocery store shopping, which I used to do in the mornings after the kids went to school, are now done by my husband at night.
Another big time suck are the social networking sites. Creating blogs is still writing but won’t get your story finished. Also reading other authors blogs, keeping up with Facebook and Twitter will suck you in and the next thing you know an hour has gone by. I’m setting a schedule now where I can only check Facebook/Twitter first thing when I logon and after I’m finished with my word count for the day.

What shapeshifter character do you like best besides your own?

Wolves are still my favorite characters, even if they aren’t mine. I’m anxiously waiting for next year when Hawke (the wolf Alpha) from Nalini Singh’s Psi/Changeling series gets his story. I love Curran, a lion shifter, from the Kate Daniels urban fantasy series by Ilona Andrews. I don’t usually get attached to just one type of paranormal. I like authors that can develop an entire world, like Deborah Cooke’s dragons in the Dragonfire series or Virginia Kantra’s selkies in her Children of the Sea series.

What is on your nightstand right now?

A lamp, telephone, 7 books [two I’m actively reading (Atlantis Betrayed by Alyssa Day and The Darkest Edge of Dawn by Kelly Gay) and the rest have been there for a few years. Guess I should do something with them], 5 remote controls (3 TV, 1 Cable, and 1 DVD), cough drops, tissues, scissors, coaster with a drink on it, and two stuffed animals (a snow leopard and mini white tiger).Pretty much like the rest of my room – lots of books and stuff lying around.

What are your other passions outside of writing?

I spend a lot of time reading. I also grow roses and cross stitch.

There's nothing quite as fragarant as a home-grown rose. Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

I’m running a Halloween contest on my website for a few $10 gift certificates to Amazon. I’ll select two people from among my newsletter subscribers (you can sign up here) and one person from the followers of my author blog.
I have a flash fiction free read available here.
You can find at the following places:
Website – http://www.BethCaudill.net/

Author Blog - http://bethcaudill.blogspot.com/

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/beth.caudill

Twitter - http://twitter.com/beth_caudill

Enter The Wolf Man

2010-10-28T01:00:00.000-07:00

“…his hideous howl a dirge of death.” Tagline from The Wolf Man (1941)

Even with its debut following the attack on Pearl Harbor, The Wolf Man became Universal Picutres’ largest grossing movies of the season. The script had the working title of Destiny. While fate was key to the plot, audiences were captivated by romantic tension between the nobleman, Larry Talbot and Gwen Conliffe, an antique dealer’s daughter

The Wolf Man established much of the werewolf lore that would appear in later novels and movies such as:

· Transformation triggered by the full moon
· A werewolf bite dooms the victim to become a werewolf
· Werewolves can only be killed by silver
· Werewolves revert to human form upon death

Due to the popularity of the Wolf Man, Universal had Lon Chaney Jr. portray Larry Talbot in four more films, including Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein (1943)

Fun Facts

The “wolf” Larry Talbot fights was Lon Chaney Jr.’s own German Shepherd.

Chaney Jr. liked to sneak up on his leading lady, Evelyn Ankers, in full make-up and startle her.

Shooting for The Wolf Man lasted from October 27 to November 25, 1941. The movie was released December 12, 1941.

Estimated budget was $180,000.

I‘ve had fun chatting about these classic horror actors. I believe their performances helped establish horror as a genre in its own right. For a chance to win a copy of Howl, leave a comment by October 29^th 8:00 PST about your favorite shifter movie.

Check out the next howlworthy author, Aeryn Traxx, on the tour.

On Tour

2010-10-25T20:27:00.000-07:00

I'm chatting about Howl this week with the Chicks of Characterization .

Come by and see me!

Lon Chaney Jr.

2010-10-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

In 1906 Creighton Chaney arrived in the world nearly stillborn after a difficult delivery. His father, Lon Chaney, revived him by plunging him into the frigid waters of Belle Isle Lake. Young Chaney later made his debut at the age of six months as a prop in his father’s stage act.

Chaney worked as a stunt man and extra under his given name. When he realized studios were more receptive to him as the son of Lon Chaney, he used the name Lon Chaney Jr. professionally. As the Wolf Man, Chaney Jr.’s transformation was an arduous four-hour process while the gradual changes in his make-up were made and filmed. The removal of the layers of yak hair and make-up took a painful 45 minutes.

Though Chaney Jr.’s character perishes at the end of The Wolf Man, the popularity of the character caused Universal to resurrect the werewolf to live again in four more movies. With a career that spanned nearly four decades and included more than 150 film credits, Chaney Jr. was the only actor to portray, the Wolf Man, Dracula, Frankenstein’s monster and the Mummy.

Author's Spotlight

2010-10-16T07:55:00.000-07:00

I'm in the spotlight at Pam Thibodeaux's blog today http://pamswildroseblog.blogspot.com/ I met Pam at The Wild Rose Press Writers Conference in Bandera, TX. She is a gracious author on-line and in person. Stop by and visit!

Bela Lugosi-The Man Behind the Cape

2010-10-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

“Listen to them, children of the night. What music they make.” Bela Lugosi as Dracula (1931)

Long before Robert Pattinson appeared in Twilight, audiences were captivated by Bela Lugosi’s portrayal of Dracula. Known for his versatility as an actor, Lugosi toured with the National Theater of Budapest until political unrest forced him to flee the country in 1919. Learning his lines phonetically, the Hungarian actor honed his characterization of the legendary count during 500 performances in the 1927 Broadway production of Dracula.

Due to the death of Lon Chaney, Lugosi was selected for the role of Dracula. Lugosi did his own make-up for the 1931 film. Audiences were entranced by Lugosi’s European accent and aristocratic presence. At one point, he reportedly received as much fan mail from the ladies as Clark Gable.

Lugosi would appear in more than 100 films primarily in the roles of vampires, werewolves, ghouls and mad scientists. He was one of the charter members of the Screen Actors Guild. He died in the summer of 1956 at the age 73 and was buried in one of his Dracula capes.

Interview at Naughty Novelists

2010-10-09T07:44:00.000-07:00

This week I'm thrilled to be chatting about Howl at Naughty Novelists http://www.cheriedesues2.com/naughty-novelists.html I love the title of her site, don't you?

Leave a comment for the chance to win a copy of Howl.

Hope to see you there!

Lon Chaney-Man of 1,000 Faces

2010-10-09T07:00:00.000-07:00

The silent film start began his career in 1913 as an extra at Universal Studios earning $3.00 per day. Chaney faithfully brought his leather make-up kit each day so he could play any character the studio needed. Chaney played over 150 different roles from 1913 to 1930. He later wrote the article on move make-up featured in the 1929 Encyclopedia Britannica.

Chaney said of his diverse roles, "The parts I play point out a moral. They show individuals might have been different if they had been given a different chance."

Chaney often took incredible measures to create his characters. For his sole vampire role in London After Midnight (1927) he inserted fish hooks in his cheeks and used wire around his eyes to achieve a corpse-like leer. Chaney pulled back his eyes and nose with spirit gum and used cotton and collodian to broaden his cheeks in order to create the Phantom's skeletal appearance for Phantom of the Opera (1925). Chaney wore a 50 pound hump to portray Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Norte Dame.

His friend, Boris Karloff said of Chaney, "No one suffered as much as he did to bring a tragic, poignant quality to his roles."

Interview With C.R. Moss

2010-08-26T21:20:00.000-07:00

I'm pleased to have a fellow Nevada author, C.R. Moss, visiting today. Tell me about yourself. My current bio is: C.R. Moss, resident of the hot, high desert in the southwest, knew she wanted to write at a young age, as early as she learned to read, cooking up stories to entertain herself in the rural, non-kid-laden area she had lived in. But she took a round about way to settle down as a fiction writer, having worked in the corporate and real estate realms writing newspaper articles, press releases, corporate newsletters, etc. Now that she’s settled into the health care industry, she has returned to her first love: creative writing. I’ve been working toward a career in writing for as long as I can remember. I had been creating stories since I started to read, but the thought of writing for a living solidified when I was in middle school and received an A in English. I looked at the grade and that’s when my life was defined. I realized I could do it.

How did the inspiration for this series come to you? The first two books for my latest series, Look What the Cat Dragged, are available at Devine Destinies. The Look What the Cat Dragged In series was supposed to be one story following secondary character, Philip, from my novel Concealed Affairs, but my characters had different ideas. So the one story morphed into three and they center around a cat named Myrddin who believes he’s a matchmaker. In For Evelyn, the first story, the ghost who haunts Raritan Manor is brought forward with the help of Myrddin. Evelyn is able to experience love with the man of her dreams who happens to be the resident ghost. In For Julie, there’s time travel. A Native American gets brought forward during a ritual. Cassandra’s story will have a blast from her past. Philip will be Cassandra’s love interest and readers will see how her familiar, Myrddin, came into her life. The original story idea came to me in the 90’s. If I remember correctly, there was an old house in my neighborhood and I said to myself “I wonder if it’s haunted” and the ideas took off from there.

What was different about writing this series from other projects? The ‘Cat’ books are mainstream stories and are a bit on the lighter side of life, whereas my other titles tend to be darker and are written for the erotic market.

You also have a 3^rd book in the series “For Cassandra” coming out. Will there be more adventures ahead for your feline matchmaker? Yep. There are two more books planned. One will follow the three ladies of the ‘Bridge Club’ and the other will be Aunt Mae’s story.

What advice do you have for aspiring writers? Learn the craft! This means grammar, characterization, plot, etc., all the good things that go into a story. You might be able to ‘tell’ a good story, but, if you can’t write it by showing what the characters are doing/feeling, your writing career won’t go anywhere. Get involved in a critique partnership/group. Learn the non-creative side of the business as well. Be prepared.

What are your current projects and works in progress? I have an erotic romance cowboy story looking for a home. Then there’s Cassandra’s story and the other two as I’ve mentioned. I also have a couple more stories in the works for my Dirty Little series at eXtasy Books.

Who are your writing role models? All my English teachers from middle school through college, including my literature and creative writing professors, along with Anne Rice and Stephen King

How do you balance your day-to-day commitments with your writing life? Writing is pretty much my sole focus now so it’s like balancing life with any kind of job, designate certain hours to work and make sure to devote time for myself and family.

What is on your nightstand right now? Ken Follett’s The Pillars of the Earth and its sequel World Without End

That’s an amazing series! What are your other passions outside of writing? Reading. Astronomy/Astrology.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers? More about me and my books can be found at: www.crmoss.net and my blog: http://crmoss.wordpress.com/ Thanks for having me here today!

Excerpt for Look What the Cat Dragged in for Evelyn

A deep, warm laugh rumbled from him.

“You think it’s funny I’m going nuts?” She placed her hands on her hips and glared at him over the horse’s back.
Quinn moved around the horse. “You are not going insane.”
As Quinn took another step toward her, she took a step back. “That’s what Julie says. I’m not convinced though.”
With every step she took, Quinn matched it. In a deep, sultry voice he uttered, “My beautiful, intelligent Evelyn, your mind is very sound.”
Her butt hit the building. Standing in a pile of broken hay stalks, her gaze fixed on Quinn’s eyes and her breaths came in short rasps. Her mind didn’t feel sound at all, neither did her body. Pulse racing, heart pounding against her chest, she was in the midst of losing control. All her senses heightened until colors were brighter. She looked past Quinn at the dark green grass and pine trees and the deep blue sky.
He stood an inch before her. She breathed in his musky, masculine scent. Her clothes tightened and scratched against her sensitive skin. A shiver raked her body though the sun was warm. How could a man rob her of control, of her senses?
Quinn placed his hands on the building, trapping her between his arms. “Tell me,” his husky voice whispered in her ear. “What has gotten you so bothered you think you are going crazy?”
The heat radiating between their close bodies sent ripples of desire through her. She shuddered.
“Well?”
“You,” she whispered in return, not meeting his gaze.

We Have a Winner!!

2010-07-18T18:58:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Stacey for being the winning commenter! Stacey, contact Sky at skypurington@live.com to claim your copy of Darkest Memory. Thanks to Sky for an intriguing interview and thanks to all of you for stopping by.

Sky Purington Chats About Darkest Memory. Comment to Win!

2010-07-17T06:59:00.000-07:00

Please join me in welcoming Sky Purington. Here’s a taste of her vampire tale, Darkest Memory.

Could she remember, did she? Gabriel ran his hands the length of Calah, cupped her buttocks, and pulled her lower half against him, let her feel his arousal, his need. This was Heaven. His one light in eternal darkness. Teeth, lips, blood mixed, her blood, like molten silver and sugared wine. Like a slap in the face. He pulled back, shook his head and searched for air. Lust reddened his vision. She breathed rapidly and pushed her hands against his chest while simultaneously clenching the material of his shirt, her voice a strained whisper. “I shouldn’t have done that Gabriel, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have. I don’t know what came over me. I just met you! ” He closed his eyes and tried to tune out her rapid heartbeat. She thought she’d been the one to instigate? He gazed into her face, swollen lips and glazed eyes. So beautiful. Her long, straight platinum hair blew in the wind. Her wide, golden eyes shone bright within his supernatural vision. Her frame, as it had been before, willowy and tall with legs that went on forever. She appeared an angel. Calah looked the same, delicately beautiful and innocent as no other could be. But she wasn’t that way anymore, not according to Alex, not according to her life. He had watched and relished the person she’d become, so strong, vibrant and independent. Calah, still herself yet different―evolved. He saw the way she acted around him, understood the complexities of it though she did not. Her heart beat rapidly beneath his palm. “I kissed you, Calah.” A warm smile came naturally, the first in centuries. “You merely kissed back.” Her full lips curled in at the corners, she released his shirt and dropped her eyes. “This is inappropriate, Gabriel.” As though she awakened from a dream, she glanced around frantically. “Where is Alex?” He pulled back and ran a hand through his hair. Then he thought twice, drove his hand into her hair and tilted her head back until her eyes met his. He let his long repressed emotions overtake. Saw no reason to take this slowly. “I desire you for more than your writing abilities, Calah, do you not realize that?” Calah spoke but no words came out. She behaved as all females did with him. Did she not feel this, know this? He felt his incisors grow again, for the fourth time since he had laid eyes on her. He growled in frustration and pushed away. He was too old for this, knew better. He had done nothing but practice self-restraint for far too long. Touching her once had snapped his self-restraint in half.

Tell me about yourself. How long have you been writing?
Though born in Massachusetts, I grew up in New Hampshire. At age seven, I wrote my first story. Suffice it to say, I won the Young Authors Award. After that, I didn’t start writing again until my late twenties. I haven’t stopped since!
How do you find ideas for your books?
History! Thus far, I’ve primarily focused on The United Kingdom, Italy and New England but intend to branch out. All it takes is 10 minutes on the history channel and multiple story ideas spark to life!

Tell me about Darkest Memory.
Darkest Memory is my first vampire tale. Set in modern day Maine, it revolves around Gabriel, a medieval-born English vampire and Calah, a modern day American. Expect a little trip back to the night of King Richard’s coronation. A night of upheaval and vengeful vampires─a night of forgotten passion. Enjoy the concept of reincarnation? This might be for you.

How did the inspiration for this work come to you?
Interestingly enough, I was searching the internet for information on medieval England and came across an article about King Richard. It seems a bat flew around his head as they placed the crown. The people thought this an ill omen. I thought this bit of history a perfect event for vampires to be in the midst!

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?
Write first. Edit later. Let that creative juice flow before becoming self-critical. Set reasonable writing goals and stick to them. Find a dependable, honest critique team!

Sound advice, what are your current projects and works in progress?
Heart of Vesuvius (Sequel to Darkest Memory) is currently in edits. While Gabriel and Calah make an appearance, this romantic tale follows Gabriel’s sister, Alex and ancient Italian vampire, Salvator. With a vicious enemy on their tail, these two embark on a high-stakes adventure deep into the heart of Mt. Vesuvius. Think ancient Pompeii, Roman soldiers and gladiators this time!

Who are your writing role models?
Any writer who pens a story that I would read over and over. Off the cuff─Lisa Kleypas, Christina Dodd, Teresa Medeiros and Faith V. Smith.

How do you balance your day-to-day commitments with your writing life?
With a lot of patience! My son is four and very active. Therefore, I’m a complete night owl when it comes to writing and all that goes with it. I devote a certain amount of time to various things. Usually, 1-2 hours for promo (loops, newsletter, updating sites, you name it), 1-2 hours for email correspondence and at least 3-4 hours for writing. Naturally this varies when other writing related projects come up. But I’ve found if I set a schedule and stick to it, everything goes fairly smooth!

What vampire character do you like best besides your own?
While I’ve always been partial to Anne Rice’s, Vampire Armand, I’d have to say right now…Charlaine Harris’, Vampire Eric Northman. Sighs. Swoons. Gimme a tall, Viking, blood-thirsty hottie any day of the week!

Eric Northman is irresistible! What is on your nightstand right now?
Dunbar’s Curse by Faith V. Smith

What are your other passions outside of writing?
There are other passions besides writing? LOL. Just kidding! I love gardening and home-improvement. In fact, I write lifestyle articles for online magazines under a different pen name. J
What is your favorite romantic locale?
I have two!
Venice, Italy. You haven’t experienced the crux of romance until you’ve taken an evening ride in a gondola between all those ancient buildings. Ah, and the beautiful voice singing in Italian helps some too.
Second spot─which I have to mention as it’s my home away from home─Aruba’s, Eagle Beach late at night with a full moon overhead, the palms swaying in the breeze and the waves quietly lapping at the shore.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Yep, a few things. I’m all about contests! In fact, I’ve three to tell you about.
~Enjoy blogging? Right now, my Sizzlin’ Hot Heroes of Scotland, Ireland, England & Wales blog event is full throttle. Each week, a romance author with a hero out of The United Kingdom will be popping in to chat about her latest release. Leave a comment for a chance to win an Ecopy of the story being discussed as well as a $6 gift certificate to The Wild Rose Press. Swing into my blog http://www.skypuringtonwrites.blogspot.com/ anytime Monday-Friday through the beginning of September and join the fun!
~Keep up to date on the latest. Join my Yahoo Group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/skyromance/ before October 1st and be entered for a chance to win a $10 gift certificate to The Wild Rose Press.
~Familiar with Coffee Time Romance? Simply post a reply to any thread at my CTR coffee cornerhttp://www.coffeetimeromance.com/board/forumdisplay.php?=1409 today through October 1st and be entered for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to Coffee Time Romance!

Don’t forget for a chance to win an Ecopy of Darkest Memory be sure to leave a comment by Sunday July 18th at 2:00PST

Visit Sky at her Website http://www.skypurington.com/ or Blog. http://www.skypuringtonwrites.blogspot.com/ Follow Sky at Facebook and Twitter.
Watch a book trailer for Darkest Memory.http://www.youtube.com/watch?y=bKWkXQD0Qks
DARKEST MEMORY by Sky Purington available now from The Wild Rose Press http://www,thewildrosepress.com/darkest-memory-p3939.html or Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Darkest-Memory-ebook/dp/B003E360BI/ref=sr%201%203?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=books&qid=1279064379&sr=8-3 You can also buy the Ebook from most online Ebook sellers.

Howl Scores a 4 Book Rating at LASR!

2010-06-22T19:48:00.000-07:00

To quote the reviewer:

"I love a good werewolf/vampire/shape-shifter story and this one doesn’t disappoint. Ms. Cruz spins a story that kept me right in my seat throughout. The characters are rich with detail and I felt like I was part of the tale, right alongside them. "

Spring Has Sprung

2010-06-07T11:41:00.000-07:00

I'm chatting about Howl's hero and heroine at Sky Purington's blog http://www.skypuringtonwrites.blogspot.com this week as part of her Spring has Sprung series. Stop by and comment for a chance to win a free e-copy of Howl.

Interview at Practical Paralegalism

2010-05-25T21:00:00.001-07:00

Today I chat about balancing writing and my day job at Lynne Devenny's blog, Practical Paralegalism, http://www.practicalparalegalism.com/. Lynne does a fantastic job of reporting all aspects of the paralegal community and I'm thrilled to be her guest!

Cate Masters Interview

2010-05-14T19:55:00.000-07:00

Today Cate Masters talks about her May 7th release, Fever Dreams. Welcome Cate!

Tell us about yourself. How long have you been writing?

Poetry was an early passion, from about age ten, because I had a somewhat solitary upbringing. We lived in the country, and though I had three brothers and three sisters (I was lucky number seven), they were all older and considered me a pest. :) Although I didn’t realize at the time how lucky I was, I grew up in a very artsy community, and my friends were all artists and poets. From grade school on, we nurtured each other and are still close friends. In my twenties, I mostly set writing aside while my kids were young but once they needed me less, went back to it.
Who are your writing role models?

Wow. So many. For their incredible imagination and excellent writing, T.C. Boyle, Margaret Atwood and Michael Chabon are definitely my top three. Neil Gaiman and Alice Hoffman follow close on their heels. For jaw-dropping writing, Charles D’Ambrosio and Richard Russo. I’m also trying to catch up on a slew of fellow authors, too many to name.
What genre do you like to write best in and why?

The one I’m writing in at the time. :) Honestly, I don’t have a favorite. I love writing what I also love to read –fantasy/dark fantasy/urban fantasy, humorous and serious, historical and contemporary.
How do you find ideas for your books?

I love Neil Gaiman’s answer to this: The Idea Shop. Jennie Crusie calls them something like the “Girls in the Basement” who surface sometimes without being summoned. Anything can spark the initial idea. Inspiration’s a tricky, sometimes elusive thing.
Tell us about your latest book, Fever Dreams. http://www.eternalpress.biz/book.php?isbn=9781615720910releases from Eternal Press on May 7. The novel contains many fantasy dream sequences that allowed me to delve into the subconscious of the heroine, Diana, in a unique way. Through her dreams, she recognizes her feelings for Cal overwhelm her reason and better judgment. She knows the relationship has wonderful elements, but in almost a sensory overload way. I hope readers will enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! A blurb, excerpt and the trailer appear on my blog: http://catemasters.blogspot.com/2010/03/fever-dreams-to-release-on-may-7.html
How did the inspiration for this work come to you? For Fever Dreams, it was a caption beneath a Valentine’s Day photo in The New York Times. Can’t remember what it said exactly, but whatever it was, I’m thankful I read the newspaper that day!
What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

The old joke about how to get to Carnegie Hall comes to mind: practice! I once asked bestselling author Ian McEwan the same thing at a booksigning, and he said: keep writing. At the time I thought it was his way of disposing of me to move the line along, but it’s true. The more you write, the better writer you will be. Workshops help, and critique partners are essential.
What are your current projects and works in progress? I just finished revising (again) a contemporary novel, Rock Bottom. I’m about 62k into a fantasy romance novel, and have started about a dozen other stories.
I have a few other releases coming up: Angels, Sinners, and Madmen, a historical novel from Freya’s Bower. Whiskey Creek Press will release Surfacing, a contemporary fantasy novel, and The Bridge Between, a contemporary women’s fiction novel. In addition to Fever Dreams, Eternal Press will release Winning, a short story with magical realism elements, and Follow the Stars Home, the historical novel about the Carlisle Indian Industrial School. A speculative short called Love and War will be included in an XOXO Publishing charity anthology.

That's wonderful! How do you balance your day-to-day commitments with your writing life? Lately, the balance tips in favor of writing! For so many years, I put off writing to raise my kids, or concentrate on the day job. Now I’m making up for lost time, housework be damned.

I agree with you. My grandmother always said "I'd rather have cobwebs in my house than in my mind."
Of your published work which one is your mom’s favorite?

Unfortunately, my mom passed away several years before I was published. I would have loved for her to read my work because she was also an artist and writer, and years before I was born, won an award in a writing contest. Because she was a bit of a bohemian herself, I’m guessing she’d have best liked my upcoming novel, Angels Sinners and Madmen, set in 1850s Key West, Florida. Maybe some of the fantasy stories too. I try to include little tidbits about her in stories as an homage.
Did you have a playlist in mind while writing your book?

Although I consider music essential to my sanity, I don’t listen to any while writing. I save it for car rides, and other times I can sing along without fear of being heard. :)
What is on your nightstand right now?

About 20 books about to topple over! My husband, smart and wonderful man that he is, actually made me a bookcase for beside the bed, and it’s stuffed with books, magazines and DVDs. Among them, Neil Gaiman’s American Gods, and Neverwhere; Natasha Mostert’s Season of the Witch, and Keeper of Light and Dust; Alice Hoffman’s Probable Future; Linda Robertson’s Vicious Circle and Hallowed Circle, and Black and White by Jackie Kessler and Caitlyn Kittredge. Some reference books too, for some stories I’m writing.
What are your other passions outside of writing?My family, photography, music, reading, gardening. I used to paint, make jewelry and play really awful piano, but stopped, the latter at my family’s request (just kidding).
Where can readers find you?
Web site: http://www.catemasters.com/
Blog: http://catemasters.blogspot.com/
Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cate-Masters/89969413736?ref=ts
Ning: http://catemasters.ning.com/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/CateMasters

Cate, thanks for joining us today!

Longhorns, Cowboys & Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-05-08T16:51:00.000-07:00

April 28th to May 1st, the publishers, editors, authors and friends of The Wild Rose Press gathered at the Silver Spur Ranch www.silverspur-ranch.com in Bandera, TX for TWRP's first Writer's Conference. The staff was friendly and attentive (and kept the jar filled with chocolate chip cookies).

The retreat provided the right mix of workshops and field trips (including a visit to the Bandera Gun Club and the local rodeo). The keynote speaker, Jo-Ann Power http://www.jo-annpower.com/ shared her expertise on author promotion.

The conference brought together writers from British Columbia to New Hampshire and it was a wonderful experience. Kudos to Rhonda Penders & RJ Morris!

Highlights from TMCC Writers' Conference

2010-04-19T19:26:00.000-07:00

TMCC Writers’ Conference Highlights
This is third year I’ve attended the Truckee Meadows Community College Writers’ Conference(http://wdce.tmcc.edu . In its 20th year, the TMCC Writers’ Conference once again delivered the right blend of market perspective, writing tools and inspiration. The 1-day conference featured 8 speakers including 3 literary agents and 1 E-publisher and had a turnout of about 150 participants.
Smashwords founder, Mark Coker noted 3.6 million people have downloaded Stanza, a free e-book app for the iTouch. He declared “Mobile phones are the unsung heroes of the e-book revolution. http://www.smashwords.com.
I was fortunate to chat with TWRP author, Leigh Bale, www.LeighBale.com during one of the breaks. A gracious lady in person and on stage, Leigh delivered an intriguing presentation on the use of an intangible villain such as a character’s inner conflict or external forces such as natural disasters, war or time.
Mystery novelist and POD specialist, Don Meyer recommended editing chapters out-of-sequence www.dpmeyer.com . By reading your work in chronological order it is easy to get caught up in the story and miss something.
Literary agent and author, Sheree Bykofsky http://www.sheree.bee.com recommended writers learn the industry with a field trip to the local bookstore –find out which books are in the prime real estate sections (front of store and end caps) which ones are buried in the back. Check the titles on the shelf where your book would reside. What distinguishes your book from the competition?
Even more amazing about this conference was the price, $99.00 for a whole-day seminar. One-on-one appointments with individual speakers were available for an additional cost. With such an abundance of information it was tough to narrow it down to a few key tips for this post. For writers who live within driving distance to Reno, I would highly recommend this conference.

Monster Leading Men

2010-04-08T07:55:00.000-07:00

Today I'm talking about the original monster leading men (Bela Lugosi and Lon Chaney Jr.) at Rachel Brimble's blog http://rachelbrimble.blogspot.com. Stop by and find out how their performances shaped an emerging genre.

On the Road Again

2010-03-25T18:56:00.001-07:00

Today I'm visiting Rachel Gattuso's blog http://gattusovarietal.blogspot.com/ chatting about writing role models. Check it out.

On the Road Again

2010-03-25T18:49:00.000-07:00

Today I'm at Rachel Gattuso's blog http://gattusovarietal.blogspot.com/ talking about writing role models and what's on my nightstand.
Check it out.

On Tour

2010-03-19T11:38:00.000-07:00

Today I'm visiting Cate Masters' blog chatting about Howl and some of my favorite reads.

http://catemasters.blogspot.com. Hope to see you there!

On Tour

2010-03-15T06:16:00.000-07:00

Today I'm chatting with Karen Michelle Nutt on her blog about Howl's shapeshifters. Stop by and say hello.
http://kmnbooks.blogspot.com/

The Law of the Jungle

2010-03-09T21:57:00.000-08:00

"As the creeper that girdles the tree-trunk, the Law runneth forward and back--
For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack"

I read Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book, while doing research for Howl. I loved the eloquence of the jungle citizens and decided my wolves would live by Kipling's The Law of the Jungle.

Imagine my surprise when I heard the above lines revently recited by the entire audience prior to a UNR Men's basketball game. http://www.nevadawolfpack.com Go Wolf Pack!

I'm thrilled to announce Howl is now available from The Wild Rose Press. http://http://www.thewildrosepress.com/howl-p-3921.html

On the Road Again

2010-03-09T18:10:00.000-08:00

Come visit me at Sandra Sookoo's blog for my first interview for Howl
http://sandrasookoo.wordpress.com/

Hope to see you there!

Howl Release

2010-03-06T14:02:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited. Howl is going to be released this Wednesday, March 10th!

As if Kate Owens doesn't have enough problems as a struggling single mom and paralegal, a brutal animal attack outside her office plunges her into turmoil. At work, she is attracted to her rescuer, Jack Walker, an attorney wary of commitment. Every morning after the attack she awakes drenched in blood beside the body of a mangled stray. Kate's days become a battle to maintain control while her nights are a disturbing blur of dreams. Will Kate's nightly madness harm her young daughter?
Lone wolf attorney, Jack Walker understands the reason for his paralegal's exhaustion and haunted demeanor. Jack has pursued the beast since law school graduation and he knows the creature's relentless thirst for revenge. Can Jack save Kate from her attacker and her own savage nature?

http://www.thewildrosepress.com/

Working with Less Distractions

2010-01-16T07:35:00.000-08:00

If you tell your kids to only interrupt you for emergencies while you’re working, then every problem from lost socks to stubbed toes escalates into a crisis requiring a platoon of Marines and your full attention.
Sometimes you’re better off hearing the latest grievance than explaining that you’re busy. However, after the 5th interruption calmly remind them that since they are taking away from your time, you will take time away from them-less time with a favorite video game or an earlier bedtime.
Most kid-related problems arise out of boredom. The next time Junior appears eager to tattle on little sister ask if he has cleaned the cat box or picked up after the dog. You can also suggest cleaning the toilet or catching up on homework if you don’t have a pet. This technique also works well if you are plagued with calls from home at your day job. The interruptions should slow down once the kids figure out that interrupting you results in more chores for them.

Interview with Karen Michelle Nutt

2009-12-10T05:00:00.000-08:00

I'm pleased to introduce intrepid writer and traveler, Karen Michelle Nutt. Her Moon Shifter was released this week by The Wild Rose Press http://www.thewildrosepress.com/

Which literary shapeshifter (besides your moon shifters) do you like best?

Lucien Andrakkar, a dragon shapeshifter with violet eyes and a fiery temper that you don’t want to provoke. He’s a character in Kendra Leigh Castle’s books. In Dark Highland Fire you meet his character for the first time. He’s actually the evil character they want to defeat, but something happens and you learn more about Lucien and why he’s acting out they way he is.
When the reader can actually feel empathy for the bad guy, that’s great writing. In Wild Highland Castle, he is back and has the chance to redeem himself. Lucien was one of the secondary characters, but I fell in love with the shapeshifter and found myself rooting for him to find happiness.

What was your inspiration for the Mac Tire clan?
I read about the intriguing werewolf tales from Ireland. The werewolves weren’t man-eating creatures, but rather protectors. The wolves protected children, guarded the wounded and also guided a lost person to safety. There are tales about wolf-men tribes that lived in County Tipperary. When threaten by war, the ancient kings of Ireland would ask these wolf-men for their help, knowing they were fierce warriors. There are other tales about half-men, half-wolves living in the mountain regions, too.
Wolves no longer exist in Ireland due to they were hunted and killed during the sixteenth century. The forests had been depleted and the wolves moved closer to the farms and hunted livestock. The farmers did what they had to do to survive. Later, Oliver Cromwell issued an order to have wolves exterminated. As of today, they no longer exist in Ireland.
In Ireland, the wolf is often referred to as the Mac Tíre, which loosely translated means ‘son of the country’. I thought since my werewolf clan, or moon shifters as they call themselves, fled from Ireland that the clan as a whole should be called the Mac Tíre. I intertwined behavior of the gray wolf with the moon shifter’s attributes to give an authentic feel to the Mac Tíre world. Wolves are fascinating animals with their own social structure, including an alpha male and an alpha female to manage the pack. It isn’t uncommon for a female to run the pack. If the wolf chooses a mate, they stay mated for life. It is very rare they have multiple partners.

Where is your favorite spot in Ireland? (Am I right in guessing that Moon Shifter is set in Ireland?)
Actually my werewolves are from Ireland, but they escaped persecution by leaving Ireland and starting over in other parts of the world. I do love Ireland though. Counties Dublin, Cork, Galway were among my favorites. I also enjoyed Co. Sligo where W.B. Yeats resided and wrote his wonderful poems. Moon Shifter takes place in Lake Tahoe. When I was young, my family and I vacationed there. I have many happy memories there where we hiked and camped. I knew my wolves could hide easily in the remote areas of the forest and upper lakes where few people would venture and discover them.

What is your greatest writing challenge and how do you deal with it?
Time. Like most who love to write, I also have a day job and a family. Writing is whenever I can squeeze in the time to sit down. Luckily, Mondays are my day off and I dedicate my serious writing to that day. I tend to write better in the early morning. By the end of the day my muse and I are spent.

Is there anything that you'd like to add?

I want to thank Mariposa for having me here today. It’s been a pleasure.
If anyone would like to learn more about my books, please visit me at my website: KMN Books and at KMN Blogsite. Of course, I’m known to frequent Facebook and Twitter.

Website: http://www.kmnbooks/
Blog: http://kmnbooks.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Karen-Michelle-Nutt/90291526546?sid=bf3f82400451c25132a9450149b3f370&ref=search
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KMNbooks

What's Cooking

2009-11-19T21:04:00.000-08:00

Though the release date is TBD on Howl (I'm working on the final round of edits), check out my Tuxedo Chili recipe in the 2009 Garden Gourmet. http://www.thewildrosepress.com/2009-garden-gourmet-p-3758.html The cookbook features recipes from authors of The Wild Rose Press and is available spiralbound or as a download.

So whip up a batch of chili and free up your autumn afternoons to curl up with a good book (or wrap up your next round of edits!)

Enlightenment for 19.95 or Less

2009-11-10T14:42:00.000-08:00

While writers agree that classes are a valuable source of professional development, for many spending hundreds of dollars to attend a writing retreat is too high a price for inspiration. Also there's the challenge of explaining to your significant other that you're leaving him/her with the kids, chores and pets for the entire weekend while you commune with the muse.
Much of the value in seminars is the opportunity to learn tips of the trade from published writers. Through attending book signings, I’ve found much insight can be gained in about an hour’s time for less than $20.00. I’ve even attended book signings with a child in tow which ups the initial investment at the cost of another book or a post-book store milkshake. Have a few key questions in mind as you hand over your book for signing. If you happen to stop by during a lull, you can extend the interview.
Avoid the multiple question approach with a well-known author, particularly if there is a long line behind you. Monopolizing his/her time won't endear you to your favorite author and causing a riot at Borders could derail your career.
If you have the opportunity to attend a writing seminar, go for it. Learning from others is essential to any art. However, if you are strapped for cash or time, consider book signings as an interim option.

Time & Space

2009-10-23T23:21:00.000-07:00

Usually when I tell people I write, they ask, “Where do you find time?” With two busy teens and a fulltime job, I have had to resort to stealing, grabbing a few stolen minutes while my loved-ones are otherwise preoccupied. My prime writing time is on weekend mornings, not because I’m an early bird but because the rest of the household is either asleep or taking their morning shower.
With all due respect to Virginia Woolf if I waited for a room of my own I would be stuck with a mind full of stories and a ream of blank paper. Lacking my own private study, I have written on the bus, in my car (parked of course) and in any vacant room in my house. You might not have the luxury of “seizing the day” but you are certainly entitled to every moment you can grab.