Blog Hop: Life In Death

Happy Wednesday!

Today, I'm hosting a spotlight for Life in Death, part of the Kari Merchant Series. This one is by the awesome Harlow Coban, so enjoy!

Blurb:


When a girl that social worker Kari Marchant places in foster care is brutally murdered, she’s compelled to learn why. Her quest for the truth pits her against friends and coworkers. As Kari works to solve the horrific plot, more people die.  How far should she go to learn the truth—even if it threatens her life?


When homicide detective Rance Nicolet meets Kari, his attraction to her is powerful—and the feeling is mutual. But things between them go terribly wrong when Kari’s old lover is found murdered with a letter from her in his pocket. The evidence against Kari is damning. Rance’s personal and professional lives collide. Does he blindly believe the woman he’s falling in love with or follow the evidence no matter where it leads?


Excerpt:


“Frost. Call on line one.” The voice boomed overhead and interrupted Scott Frost mid-climb. He jumped off his truck, pushed up the sleeves on his dingy green work shirt and walked to the phone mounted on the wall, his face a scowl of irritation.


He grabbed the receiver. “Hello.”


“They found Patience,” his wife, Andrea, whispered. 


Mammoth garbage trucks rumbled and shook the walls as they rolled out into the street for the day’s work, their giant bellies hungry for trash. Scott strained to hear his wife over the noise.


“I told you never to call me here.” 


“Do you know what they did to her?” Her voice rose an octave. 


"Hold it together.” He clenched his fist and resisted the impulse to smash it through the wall. “She’s the one who ran off.” 


“She didn’t deserve that. Nobody deserves that.” 


The phone slipped a bit in his sweaty hand. Tolerance had never been one of Scott's virtues, and what little he did have waned with each whiny word his wife uttered. “It’ll all be over soon, you know that.” 


“They won’t let us out.” 


He gnashed his teeth together until the noise in his head drowned out the roar of garbage trucks. The pumping of his heart escalated and Scott imagined he could feel his blood pressure rising.


“Damn it, Andrea, take a valium. These people are dangerous. They’ll kill us if we flake out.”


Ooooh, enticing! And for the second excerpt:

"Where is she?" Luke Dolo, Patience’s father, pounded a fist on the table. His face had contorted into an ugly mask. His smooth, dark skin had a reddish tinge to it, either from alcohol, anger or both.


For the first time ever, Kari thought about alerting security. She weighed her options. 


“Mr. Dolo, please calm down. As I said before, you need to speak to the police.” She slid Detective Nicolet’s card over to him. 


He stared at it, eyes dull.


“Just tell me what happened to her?” The veins in his neck bulged and pulsed. 


She didn’t respond. She couldn’t respond. It wasn’t her place to tell him his daughter was dead.


He leaped across the table, hands closing around Kari’s throat like a vise. She struggled against his strength and they tumbled to the ground. He landed on top of her. The weight of his body coupled with the fall knocked the breath out of her, but she continued to struggle. She scratched and clawed at him to get free. His fetid breath nauseated her as she fought to take a gulp of air. Soon dots danced in front of her eyes and she felt dizzy.


Buy Links:


Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007B4S9JW


About The Author:


Author Harlow Coban was born in Kansas City, MO, but grew up in Denver, CO. She relocated to North Carolina five years ago with her husband, two dogs, and 16-year old twins.

She shares a birthday with the notorious Napoleon Bonaparte. In keeping with his legacy, she is currently working on taking over the world. Harlow’s positive attitude and fresh take on life are her tools and conquest is certain.


She spends her free time writing, dancing, traveling and defending mailboxes from her 16-year-old twins’ driving.


Her debut novel, LIFE IN DEATH (February 2012), is a murder mystery which pulls from real-life situations from her own family history. She felt compelled to share her story with the world while offering a thrilling, entertaining, and amusing escape for readers.


In keeping with her commitment to improving the lives of children, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of her book will be donated to the Boys and Girls Club in her home state of North Carolina.

Twitter: @HarlowCoban

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Harlow-Coban/174596219285270

Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5345608.Harlow_Coban

Blog:  http://www.harlowcoban.com/?page_id=53

Release Day!

It's the big day! Delila #2 is out, and she's a ton of feisty and fun! Here's the opening excerpt:


The impatient drumming of my fingertips on the cool wooden tabletop echoed around the chamber of nervous men as they shifted uncomfortably under my glare. Flickering light from the candles set in odd intervals on the wall created a quite unnecessary theatrical effect, and one which only served to make my irritation that much worse.

"Gentlemen," I said suddenly, making the entire room start in surprise, "surely your leader knows I have much better things to do with my time than sit here and stare at you, lovely as you all are."

A man to my right stood and bowed deeply. "Of course, Delila. Please excuse me. I'll seek him out immediately." He left with a swoosh of his robe and the room fell silent once more.

I glanced around the room again, taking in the vampires who were staring at me. "Would anyone care to give me an inkling of what's so important here?" No response came. "I receive a cryptic letter in the mail, imploring me to come see you in the middle of the frozen tundra, and no one can speak?" Irritation gnawed at me. I had much more important things to deal with back home, namely helping my adopted daughter, Ana, bring her werewolf pack under control.

My cell phone vibrated in my pocket, making a man nearby leap from his seat. His chair tumbled backward, the crash echoing off the cavernous ceiling.

I stared at him with aplomb. "Really, Lucius. It's just a cell phone." Shaking my head, I pressed a button and spoke into the mouthpiece. "Hello?"

"Hello, Delila," said Ana, the very werewolf I was just thinking of. I stood and walked out of the room to talk privately.

"Hello, darling. To what do I owe the pleasure of this call?"

"Not a pleasure, I'm afraid. My pack has found a dead wolf on my land. It appears he was the victim of a vampire attack."

My anger flared as I stared at a hole in the cement wall across from me. Attacks on werewolves unless provoked were expressly forbidden under my rule, and this was on Ana's estate in Texas. "I see," I replied. "I'm out of the country right now, but I'll be back tomorrow, I anticipate. We'll talk then."

"All right. You should know the pack isn't happy with this. And when they're not happy, neither am I." The line went dead before I could say anything else, and I stared at the phone as though it had sprouted tendrils. What was that all about? I returned to the room to find the men talking nervously in low tones. They immediately stopped and sat up when I entered.

"Don't stop on account of me," I said, smiling.

No sooner had I sat down than the vampire who'd left came sweeping back in with a tall man in tow. His hair, spiked and standing on end, brushed the top of the archway as he entered, and dark green eyes shone out from his pale skin. I rose and extended my hand, which he took and kissed my knuckles while bowing deeply. "Delila," he said in a reverent tone. "It is an honor to be in your presence."

I rolled my eyes before he glanced up. "You must be Otto."

"Yes, I am Otto. Shall we?" He indicated the chair I had just been occupying, so I settled into it and watched him closely. He reminded me of the former Elder vampire Micah, and that was not a good thing. Micah was a cheat and a liar, and left me with a hot, sticky mess.

"For what purpose am I sitting in this dank dungeon?"

"I am afraid," he said, shaking his head, "that someone has been creating vampires in the villages on our outskirts."

This vampire was no more than two hundred years old. Why he was speaking as though he were from the dark ages was beyond my understanding, and thoroughly annoyed me. "Pardon? You summoned me all the way from the United States on a regional concern?" He sputtered for a moment, sensing the mistake. "Do I not have enough responsibility on my shoulders, Otto? Is this a matter you could not have handled on your own?"

"My lady," interjected Lucius, an old friend of mine. "This is not an average vampire. We believe him to be a half breed."

I looked at Lucius from under my eyelashes. "What exactly do you mean by half breed?" The atmosphere changed as the vampires glanced between each other, nervous and hesitant. "Would anyone care to tell me what this half breed vampire is so I can kill it?" I slammed my hand on the table with the last phrase, bringing their attention back to me.

"We--We're not sure," Otto murmured.

I rubbed my eyes on a sigh. "You're not sure. Have you seen it?" I received a chorus of shaking heads. "So all you have are newborn vampires rampaging through your villages."

"They're not rampaging. They're making new vampires," Lucius told the floor. Obviously, he didn't want to look at me.

My chair flipped backward and the candles behind me snuffed out with the wind as I launched out of my seat. "What did you just say?" I asked in a controlled voice. My fists were balled on the table. "How long has this been going on right under your nose?" No one answered.

A muscle in my jaw clenched as I grabbed Otto by the throat and slammed him against the wall. His feet were dangling from the ground as he kicked and struggled. My nails dug into his flesh, drawing blood and a gasp of pain from him. "How long?"

"Three months," he managed before I sent him flying across the room and into a rack of wine bottles, my fangs down and a thirst for blood surging through my veins.


To buy, you can find her here with all the e-book options you could possibly hope for.


Thanks for all the support, dear readers, and I hope you enjoy!

Blog Hop: Forsaken

Happy Tuesday!

Tuesday's a good day, right? One step closer to the weekend, anyway. Today I'm hosting an interview with Elise Whyles, author of the Forsaken series. Enjoy!

Please tell the readers a little about yourself:

Lol, a little about myself? Hmm where do I start? Well, my name’s Elise Whyles and I love writing outside of  the box. I’ve never studied formally to write, but have spent time in the industry. Currently, I live in British Columbia with two dogs, a leopard gecko, four fish and my family.

How about your latest release?

Forsaken Heart is the first book in the series The Forsaken. It features a sexy, alpha vampire virgin who finds himself on the edge of a war and facing a woman with more than meets the eye.

What was your primary inspiration for this book?

When I started the series idea I was thinking there were somethings in this world we don’t know or see. Things we take for granted – like forgiveness. So, what better way to share those lessons about love, forgiveness, justice, and acceptance – than to write a series with sexy bad boys and hot tempered heroines.

Do you have any muses?

Oh do I? I rely on a lot of things as my muses – dreams, visions, inspiration from a scene in a movie or  book, a word.

Do you control your characters or do they flog you into shape?

I start off with control but by about page four they’ve taken the reins as well as a big whip to  beat me into submission with. Not always the easiest thing when you have a character who decides they want to tell their story – not have you dictate it.

When you write, is there a special routine you follow?

No. I  write when, where, and however I can. There is one thing I require and that’s my  music…it helps me to  keep focused.

If you could be one animal, person, or at a place for a day what/who/where would it be?

Horse – because they’re majestic, untamed, beautiful, and have the ability to have an edge not controlled by others.

Five random facts about you:

I love to bake

Hate sorting socks

Wanted to learn Spanish

Live near an airport

Love cats

Are you working on any new releases later this year?

Yes, I am. I’m working on Forsaken Paradise – book three in the series, with Ciara Lake working on the even numbered books. As well, I’m currently plotting out A Real Good Man – the first in my Canadian Heros books. I’m not sure if I’ll make it a series or just a trilogy – but as I learn more I’ll keep my readers updated.

Anything else you’d like to say?

Thank you for  having me. I love sharing details of my writing and how it affects me and others.

Contact info (Facebook, Twitter, website, blog):

You can find me at www.elisewhyles.com

http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=170882592966738&id=100000234734015#!/pages/Elise-Whylse/262181553834633

http://www.elisewhyles.blogspot.com

Blog Hop: The Philip Dolly Affair

Welcome, welcome, welcome! Guess what? It's Wednesday, and while that usually means flash fiction I've scheduled a guest or two for the good ole blog today. Their names are Jeffrey Ross and Jann Contento, and they're here to entertain with an interview, excerpt and fun prize!

That's right: He'll be giving away a fantastic and unique prize to one lucky commenter. I'm talking a character from the Philip Dolly Affair reading poetry, just for you! Comment away, and don't forget to check the event page for the next stop here. Enjoy!

Interview:

Welcome aboard! Tell us a little about yourself, please.

Jeff: I’m older than you think. Much of my life has been spent riding motorcycles or fishing. I play bass guitar in a rockabilly band and also in a blues project. I enjoy solitude very much and have tried to ignore much of the noise generated by daily American life. I would rather be known for my poetry than my fiction and essays, but I don’t have an MFA in Creative Writing so . . .

What about your latest release?

We have had some success writing Op Eds about community college and Higher Education issues for Insidehighered.com, Times Higher Education, Academic Leader, and The Axis of Logic. Our novel, College Leadership Crisis:  The Phil Dolly Affair (CLC: PDA), is an attempt to fictionalize many of our ideas and concerns.

Certainly we would like to reach a larger audience. There is a novel genre known as the Campus Novel or Academic Novel—some of the classics include  Absalom Absalom , Brideshead Revisited , Zulieka Dobson, Campus Novel , Gaudy Night , Jude The Obscure , Lucky Jim , Portrait Of The Artist As a Young Man , The Secret History , This Side Of Paradise , College News , Faculty Towers, and the recent Fight For Your Long Day [the adjunct’s novel]. But we really think CLC: PDA is the first community college Campus Novel ever written.

So much of American life has been commoditized and scripted—we see clearly predictable and repetitious behavior in the work place everywhere—and our novel is a chance to provide some comic relief about the whispered truths everyone recognizes but represses day to day. What is the final desired outcome of American daily life?

Ok, let’s get down to the fun stuff. If you were stranded on a lush tropical island, and all of your basic needs 

were met, what two items would you have with you? What person would be with you? Remember, you’re stuck there for an indefinite period with only each other to occupy the time.

Jeff: I would have a guitar and a laptop. Hopefully I could be alone.

Jann: The first item would be John Wiseman’s SAS Survival Handbook: For Any Climate, in Any Situation, the second, a case of 16 year old scotch. I would probably be with the fictional TV character MacGyver, (not the real life actor Richard Dean Anderson).

If you could play opposite any of your lead characters, which one would it be and why?

Jeff: I would like to be Jack Frost—he struggles so much with his love for Julia Flowers and then finds redemption. I suppose I am still waiting for some sort of redemption, some separation from the puppet show, as well.

Jann: I’d like to play opposite the lyrical philosophizing custodian, “Guitar” Bob Zontarg. I’d like to talk with him about his music, the band, his poetry, his stint with Buzz Clocker and Dr. Emmie Seemy. Maybe Bob would allow me to sit in with his band sometime?

If you could lead any of your secondary characters, which one would it be and why?

Jeff: This is a little rougher. I really like Father John—his commitment to his students and his cause (the Food Bank) is very commendable to me. We use quite a bit of religious images in the book, hopefully seen in a playful way, to work on our redemption themes.

Jann: Mr. Allworthy, Professor of Philosophy seems like a pleasant chap, a bit delusional maybe, but hard working middle class hero. His notion of community college motivational mores interest me, and his lovely wife Alice, well, I’d like to taste her meatloaf. I also wonder whether she uses real butter in her baking.

You’re locked in a closet with Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, three paperclips and a string. How do you get out?

Jeff: I’d probably enjoy the lock up with Kate. I can’t imagine being near the other two. Most actors frighten me. Who are they really? Sometimes I marvel that Hollywood has become such an integral part of American life.   Hah. I would probably begin discussing my concerns with Pirates of the Caribbean movies, my fascination with Edward Scissor Hands, and my general lazy attitude about movies in general. That might get the two fellows to throw me out. [I don’t really know who Colin is]. But Kate— Oh lad, she’s a looker--with that red hair, sure she’s from the Scootland, I thought I saw her once walking near Bowness-on-Solway near Hadian’s Wall--ach she is a beauty—oops, wait, I am quoting McDougal, the overtly socialist bartender, a major player in the Phil Dolly Affair. ACH! Now what could I do with that string and paperclip? Go fishing!

Jann: Well, if Johnny Depp is alive and well, and what he knows he’ll never tell, I’d start up a brand new band, with lead guitar by scissors hand…then I’d take a paperclip and see if Colin has a grip, and with the string I’d try once, maybe twice, to see whether Kate is really nice. Naaaa, I’d attempt to configure a paperclip in the door handle area to jar open the door for a safe escape.

Name five things you can do with a pencil.

 Jeff: Write poems, sign debit card receipts, sharpen their points, tap on a table, stick behind my ear….

Jann: Write, wrestle, whittle, twirl, and poke

Who’s your favorite character from your book(s)? Why? Don’t worry, we won’t tell.

Jeff: I really like Elena Vasquez. She is a bright, beautiful, strong, student-centered, articulate woman who is not comfortable always expressing her values and beliefs within the repressive culture of Copperfield Community College. Many of our characters are victims of the system. Her situation, her two apparent romances (one with the married Dean, the other with Dashika (!) seem troubling and difficult for her. She is smart, vibrant, intellectual, and lovely. Each time I read her chapter I am more taken with the richness of her life and the chaos of her journey….

Jann: Jack Frost, the Anglo Espanol Professor from The Philip Dolly Affair. He’s a deep, complex, curious powerful poet, and surviving romantic. He’s also quite troubled; he suffers, smokes too much, he rides a Harley Davidson, and committed himself to lifetime fitness. What’s not to like?

Where can we find you around the vast interwebs?

Jeff: I maintain a blog on Open Salon and Writers Network—mostly for my poems and developing essays. We have established a BlogSpot blog for the Characters of Copperfield Community College. If you Google Jeffrey Ross College Leadership—you’ll probably find a few references to me (or the Comedian Jeff Ross.) Oh—we are also experimenting with talking avatar movies—here is a sample, “Discussing the Philip Dolly Affair.” (you tube).

Jann: Mostly high, dry and tangled.

What about your books? Where are they being sold at? 

Our books are available at the Rogue Phoenix Press website, Book Rack book stores, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble on line.  

Thanks for dropping in! Any last words?  

Jeff: This novel is a satire, a spoof, but it has a great deal of verisimilitude. We write about a community college, because this is what we know. But hopefully the book has more general, more expansive, meaning, than just what goes on at the college down the street.

If any of you have ever worked or gone to a meeting, you will recognize our characters—both those that are secondary and flat, or primary and developed. It seems like everyone in our society calls himself/herself a leader these days— in actuality, so few can be followed. We offer a different model, we think, and enjoy using hyperbole and exaggeration to entertain our readers. PS—we are  working at being artists rather than craftsmen in this book. I suppose our readers will let us know if we have succeeded. Thank you.

Jann: While community colleges are currently receiving heightened attention, this novel provides a behind-the-scenes analysis of many whispered truths, those simmering but unspoken workplace behaviors, issues, and machinations every worker (Everyman!) will recognize.

A humorous and biting read with a clever mix of satire, political intrigue, failed romances, and tragic-comedy, this novel will open your eyes to the truth about community colleges …

Blurb:

While community colleges are currently receiving heightened attention, this novel provides a behind-the-scenes analysis of many whispered truths, those simmering but unspoken workplace behaviors, issues, and machinations every worker (Everyman!) will recognize. A humorous and biting read with a clever mix of satire, political intrigue, failed romances, and tragic-comedy, this novel will open your eyes to the truth about community colleges …

Excerpt:

JB O Connor, Student

JB had just left the Student Success Center [housed in the Teaching Learn-ed Center] at Copperfield Main.

He had taken a battery of academic placement, career guidance, political party proclivity, student government group and organization interest inventories, and TB tests….

He had spent about 20 minutes with a lady counselor [d--- she’s hot!] making course selections and was now walking over to the Business Center Complex to pay his registration fees.

JB had come to this venerable institution of higher learning for various reasons. [But mostly because his dad told him to go back to school or else.] About two days ago, he quit his job at the Sticky Mart and thought he might like to lounge around the house for a while. That same afternoon, while he was home watching the TV and drinking an ice cold beer, his dad, John, strode into the house and told him he had to get another job, or join the military, or go to college, or get out of the !%$^@! house.

Basically lazy and not suited for menial labor, JB had been out of high school for two years now, and had never really thought about going on to school. But, none of the armed services wanted him because of his inability to read... so college seemed like a good possibility.

Assorted Links:

College Leadership Crisis: The Philip Dolly Affair

By Jann M. Contento and Jeffrey Ross

Biographies

Jann M. Contento has a broad range of experiences in higher education including student affairs administration, athletics, and institutional research. He is currently working in a community college setting and has co-authored several articles on leadership and college culture.

Jeffrey Ross, who resides in Gilbert, Arizona with his wife and son, is a writer, rockabilly musician, and former full-time community college teacher. He has had four "Views" pieces published on InsidehigherEd.com since 2007, has authored and co-authored several op-ed articles on community college identity, purpose, and culture, and has recently had several pieces published on the Cronk News  higher education satire website.

Online Presence and

Social Media Links

Face book Info Page

 http://www.facebook.com/pages/College-Leadership-Crisis-The-Philip-Dolly-Affair/109780632466832?sk=info

Getting to Know Phil Dolly Blog

http://copperfieldcommunitycollege.blogspot.com/

Twitter Account @SalinasChick

https://twitter.com/#!/salinaschick

Jeffrey Ross Creative Efforts  Home Page on Web Eden (Music and More)

http://jeffreyross.webeden.co.uk/

Jeffrey Ross Open Salon Blog—other poetry and essays

http://open.salon.com/blog/slipdoc/popularity

Blog Hop: Melissa Kendall!

Happy Tuesday! Today's guest is Melissa Kendall. Enjoy!

Please tell the readers a little about yourself:

I am a 36-year-old stay home Aussie mum. I have one son who is 3. When I’m not writing I work part-time as a Software Support Consultant and I also do some book cover design work.

How about your latest release?

My latest release is a short story called ‘Life in Suitcases’ and it is include as part of Ruby Lioness Press’s Love Again Anthology

What was your primary inspiration for this book?

It was just an idea my mind came up it with. What would the story be like if two characters had to find their way back one another? Within a day or two I had 7000 plus words written.

Do you have any muses?

Not really for the most part all of my story ideas just come to me at random completely inopportune times. But if am going to be inspired by something it is usually a picture and occasionally a song.

Do you control your characters or do they flog you into shape?

I think they flog me into shape my stories usually play like a movie in my mind and I just write what is happening.

When you write, is there a special routine you follow?

No particular routine but I write best when I am alone and it is completely quiet. This usually only occurs after midnight.

If you could be one animal, person, or at a place for a day what/who/where would it be?

I would love to be an elephant just loping around some wide open plain.

Five random facts about you:

I live in Perth Western Australia

My grammar and punctuation usually suck unless I am writing smut then it seems to be perfect for some reason.

I have visited more than half of the US states.

If I could live anywhere in the world I would live in Hawaii.

I want to visit all Disneyland’s in the world, before I die. So far I have been to all the LA parks, all the Florida parks and the Hong Kong park.

Are you working on any new releases later this year?

Yes I have a novel coming out in the second half of 2012 called Matronly Duties. It is a dystopian romance set one hundred years in the future.

Anything else you’d like to say?

Just that I hope people enjoy my writing and I would love them to come say hi on twitter.

Contact info (Facebook, Twitter, website, blog):

Blog: http://mkendallauthor.blogspot.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/MKendallAuthor

Flash Fiction:

As I turn the news off, I look out the window worried about the locust plague that is supposedly heading our way.

The last two years crops have been measly at best, due to the drought, and now we have these flying pests to deal with.

Sitting on the front porch, gun on my lap, I wait. I know it isn’t going to actually help me fight of this latest threat to my lively hood. It is a comfort though and worse comes to worst I could always use it on myself.

It is a morbid thought I know, but if I lose this year’s crop, my life will be over anyway.

Blog Hop: Ella Jade!

Happy Monday! Am I allowed to say that? Today I'm hosting Ella Jade, another author from the Love Again anthology. Enjoy!

Please tell the readers a little about yourself:

Hi! My name is Ella Jade. I'm a multi-published Contemporary Romance author. I've been writing for as long as I can remember. The stories and plots have always played out in my head but I never knew what to do with them. That all changed when I discovered the eBooks industry. Now I'm writing novels at a rapid pace and I can't be stopped.

How about your latest release?

Home is part of the Ruby Lioness Press Love, Again Anthology. Here's a little blurb…

Dr. Chase Avery has worked hard to give his high school sweetheart and the love of his life Elyse Jacobs the life she deserves. But in working toward their happily ever after, he may have gotten sidetracked and missed out on the important things in life. He's constantly moving toward the next step in making their future perfect that he forgot to live in the moment. He's stunned when Elyse walks out. She can't deal with being second and now Chase has to live with his mistakes.

Chase finds himself alone and overworked on Valentine's Day. He tries hard to fight the memories of his lost love. What happens when she shows up at his house unexpectedly? Can an old flame be rekindled or is it nothing more than one last night of passion?

What was your primary inspiration for this book?

When I saw the theme for the anthology I wanted to come up with a way for the hero to not only get a second chance at a love lost, but I wanted him to have redemption too.

Do you have any muses?

The characters inspire me. I love coming up with new and creative ways of bring them together and having them realize they truly belong with one another.

Do you control your characters or do they flog you into shape?

I let them take me where they want to go. They talk, I listen. And luckily for me, they talk often.

When you write, is there a special routine you follow?

As soon as I put my last one on the bus, I head to the gym and then to Starbucks for an Iced Tea and then my writing day begins. I try write for a good five hours. When I'm really caught up in a plot, I pick it back up after the kids are in bed.

If you could be one animal, person, or at a place for a day what/who/where would it be?

In my house we're true Disney fans. We love going to Disney World and we're headed there again this summer. But there isn't a day that I don't wish I'm amongst all that magic. So, I'd say I wish I were at Hollywood Studios right now riding the Tower of Terror!

Are you working on any new releases later this year?

Yes, I'm in edits for Crossfire of Love scheduled to release on 3/19/12. I've recently signed a contract for a novel called Passion's Pain. And I've just finished a Novella called Make Me Stay. I'm in the submission process for that one.

Anything else you’d like to say?

I'd just like to thank the readers and friends I've made in the past year. You guys have been amazing and I hope you'll continue to get lost in my words.

Contact info (Facebook, Twitter, website, blog):

http://ellajadeauthor.blogspot.com

FB Page - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ella-Jade-Author/186959391390708

Twitter - https://twitter.com/#!/ellajade1

Thanks for having me.

Blog Hop: Love Again

Welcome to Saturday, folks! Since I missed this one on Monday, I'm going to give Tamaria Soana the whole weekend to herself. She's another fabulous author from the Love Again anthology. Enjoy, and welcome to the blog, Tamaria!

Please tell the readers a little about yourself:

I'm forty years old, live in Western New York, been married for twelve years,we have two daughters three and seven. I'm just a stay-at-home mom with a very active imagination. For as long as I can remember I've loved to read and would imagine scenes and stories in my head.

How about your latest release?

Love, Again is a Valentine's Day Authors Anthology.

Here is a short summary of my story Vows:

Addison Klein finally realizes how unfulfilled she is being marriage to Tyler. She is contemplating whether she should fight to keep her family together or walk away from her marriage.  The death of her best Peyton, cause her to sit back and rethink her life. After a fight with Tyler, and a scary episode at work Addison knows she needs to finally decide her future. Just when she thinks she is all alone in making this life altering decision, she gets a little guidance from her guardian angel. Addison comes to terms with the fact that she needs to deal with her past before you can move on and focus on the future. With the help of her therapist Addison rediscover herself and realizes that the vows she said on her wedding day meant something to her... for as long as we both shall live. Wanting to be a better example to her two little girls, she makes a decision that will change their lives forever when she sets out to seduce her husband.

What was your primary inspiration for this book?

I wanted to tell a story about a woman who has lost her way both in her life and her marriage. Just when she is about to call it quits a tragic event happens and changes things. Sometimes we have to go on a journey and discover ourselves before we can change anything in our lives.

I've always been drawn to angels, so the idea of writing a guardian angel fascinated me. As much as I love Addison, Peyton stole my heart as I wrote Vows.

Do you have any muses?

No, I really just let my characters take over and lead me through their story.

Do you control your characters or do they flog you into shape?

I wish I had control of them, but sadly they own me.

When you write, is there a special routine you follow?

As a stay-at-home mom of a three year old, it's sometimes hard to get in the groove.  I write in spurts mostly. At night or weekends when my husband is home, I love to go into the rec-room where I have an office area and put headphones on and get lost in my characters.

If you could be one animal, person, or at a place for a day what/who/where would it be?

LOL...wow. I guess an eagle. They seem to be smart birds, and to be able to soar in the sky and be free would be amazing.

Five random facts about you:

I'm a very upbeat, positive person.

I love to scrap-book and cook.

I love old shows and watch the re-runs of Friends, Everybody Loves Raymond, and The King of Queens over and over again.

I love Raman Noddles! They aren't just for college kids!

Oh, and yes I'm one of those crazy Twilight people!

Are you working on any new releases later this year?

Obsession my debut romance/suspense novella is releasing March 19^th 

Anything else you’d like to say?

I would like to thank you for hosting me on your blog.

Contact info (Facebook, Twitter, website, blog):

Twitter   Facebook   My blog

And a Flash Fiction!

Here we go. I have no idea where this little story came from.

Luann is outside in the barn looking through the drawers of her husband, Kent's, work bench for a hammer, when she hears a screeching sound from behind her. Luann jumps and on instinct, grabs a gun off of the rack that hangs over the workbench. She turns slowly to find that it is only two huge rats fighting in the corner. She lets out the breath she is holding as she remembers hearing on the news that the town is overrun with rats. She hates any kind of furry little creatures, especially if they are in her barn. She holds the gun out and aims at the first little pest and pulls the trigger. Without hesitating, she cocks the gun and aims at the one running away and pulls the trigger again.

Luann drops the gun and wipes the sweat from her forehead. She looks at the two dead bodies and sighs. She grabs a shovel, disposes of the bodies, cleans up with some bleach, and places the gun back on the rack. She finally finds the hammer she was looking for and heads back toward the house. Luann smiles, feeling pretty proud of herself. She can’t wait for Kent to come home so she can share what happened. She places the hammer down on the counter forgetting why she even needed it, grabs a beer, walks onto the deck and sits down in her favorite chair, looking out over the ranch. “There is nothing better than country living,” she whispers into the cool air before she takes a swig of the beer.

Spotlight: Courageous Dare

Welcome to Thursday! And thank goodness. This week couldn't have been stranger. Today, I'm spotlighting Courageous dare by Lacie Nation. Enjoy!

Blurb:

Baylee Crawford thought she had her whole life figured out, right up until she accepts a scandalous little dare involving a mysterious man that makes her throw caution to the wind. When she falls completely in love with her mystery man, how will she cope when she has to say goodbye to him as he leaves for war? When a tragedy threatens to tear her world apart, Baylee is left feeling lost and has no idea how to help her family in the midst of this loss. Follow Baylee and Nash through a tale of love, passion, longing, war, and tragedy.

Excerpt:

Teeth hitting, tongues warring, and their breath mingling together, desperate and needy, she couldn’t stop it.

“I need to feel you,” he begged against her lips.

 She could have cried from the desperation thick in his voice. Wrapping her legs around his waist and pulling his hips into her, she clung to his body in every way she could. In less than four hours he’d be gone. She molded her body to his, keeping every sliver of skin she could connected to him. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she broke the kiss, and hid her face in the crook of his neck. She breathed him in, sun, mint, and the tiniest hint of cigarette smoke. She always hated the smell of smoke, but on him, mixed with the smell of mint and a scent inherently him, it was mouth watering.

Their bodies moved together as one. Her hands roamed over his back, memorizing every muscle and curve of him. His forehead rested against hers, and she noticed moisture on his cheek, although she didn’t know if it came from her eyes or his.

Baylee pushed on his chest. When he moved back, she moved as well, shifting them, him sitting and her perched in his lap. With her legs around his waist, she writhed against him. She wanted to look into his eyes, fearing if she did, she’d never stop crying. His head rested on her shoulder as she whispered soft words of love in his ear.

When she had an orgasm, it rocked her soul, right down to the very core of her. Her body shook against his. She pulled back slightly, she wanted to see his face when she brought him to bliss. When she looked at him, she couldn’t stop the sob from leaving her. His eyes, bright all the time, shimmered. His chin quivered, but the look of absolute terror there in the depths of his gaze broke her.

“Nash…” She couldn’t say anything else, couldn’t speak past the emotion lodged in her throat.

“Baylee, please tell me you know how much I love you…please.”

She put her hands on both sides of his face, using her left thumb to wipe away the tear slipping from his eye.

“I know, Nash, I know it with everything inside. You love me.”

They still moved together, still worshiped the other’s body until his pace became erratic. When he came, he gripped her hips too tightly. She didn’t give a word of complaint. She held onto him, running her fingers through his hair, trying to hold him together with all the strength she had.

“I love you, baby girl. Don’t ever forget.”

“I love you too.”

Nash carried her to the shower where she washed his body, and he washed hers. She stopped crying, but it took all of her strength to do it. They finished showering, and she went to the kitchen to make breakfast while he finished getting ready. At a sound behind her, she turned and saw him standing there. She gasped and nearly fell down. Standing in the doorway in his combat uniform, her husband, the most amazing thing she had ever seen. She wanted to have her way with him. At the same time, she wanted to hide him away and never let him leave.

Baylee ran across the room and threw herself into his arms, unable to stop the flow of tears from falling. She tried hard to be strong for him, to be as calm as she could, knowing it’d be hard enough for him to leave. She couldn’t stand the thought of him being in a war zone, being in the blistering dessert, being shot at, or anything else along those lines.

“Promise me you will come back. Lie if you have to. Right now, I need you to say the words,” she begged against his neck.

She could feel him choking back his emotion. She could feel his pain radiating off of him in waves.

“I promise,” he whispered into her ear, as if unable to say anymore.

They ate breakfast, neither of them able to say much. Ethan, Jolie, and Jamie went with them on the silent drive to the airport. Once parked, Nash grabbed his duffle bag from the trunk of Jolie’s car, and they all walked inside.

Baylee wanted there to be a line, wanted it to be crowded to give her more time with him. Back to holding it all in, she fought to be strong for him. Her strength ebbed away with ever step they took towards security. Her grip of his hand must have been painful, but she couldn’t loosen it though.

She looked at her watch, seeing he had to go. Looking around, she noticed many of the people watching them, some with smiles and looks of understanding, while others wore looks of appreciation toward Nash. Being proud of him, proud to be his wife, didn’t make it easier to let go of his hand.

When they reached the security gates, she could go no further. The time had come where she would say goodbye to him. Not see him, touch him, or feel him for the next seven months. Baylee stopped, took a deep breath, and turned to face him.

He put his hands on her face looking deep into her eyes and spoke in a soft voice. “I’m coming home to you, baby girl. Seven months, we can do this.”

She nodded, wrapping her arms around his neck. When he hugged her, he stood up straight, lifting her feet from the ground. She wrapped her legs around him, not caring in the least who saw. She kissed his cheeks, both his eyes, and finally his lips, letting her tongue slip into his mouth. The kiss was heated and completely inappropriate for public. She didn’t care.

“I love you, Nash Jenson.”

Excerpt 2:

Without fear or uncertainty in Baylee’s voice, she spoke in her way of challenging Jamie. “Dare.”

Jamie’s smile spread even wider, and she nodded slowly. She took a shot before saying, “I dare you to have sex with a stranger.”

A collective gasp swept around the room. Suddenly, this game had taken a turn from the occasional strip tease and random kiss to something else entirely. Baylee laughed and thought for a moment. She hadn’t been with a man in a very long time, not since her relationship ended a year ago. She never thought she’d sleep with some random man, but when her gaze fell upon the man sitting next to her, she made her decision. 

She smiled at Jamie, stood up, and extended her hand to the delicious looking man sitting to her right. Shock passed over his face. He shook his head slightly, grabbed her hand, and followed her lead. Baylee looked over her shoulder to her best friend. She had to laugh a little at the look of total astonishment on Jamie’s face.

Baylee’s heart pounded harder in her chest the closer she got to her bedroom. Stopping at the door, she took a deep breath before turning the knob. Walking in, she took another deep breath and turned.

He leaned back against the door, causing it to latch with a soft click. Head down, the fedora covered his whole face, with the exception of his lips in a slightly dark, sexy smile. When Baylee heard the lock click, she clenched her thighs together in anticipation.

Taking a step toward her, he asked softly, “What should I call you?”

The deep timber of his voice sent chills down her spine and when she said “Baylee,” her voice sounded breathy. She never realized her voice could sound sultry.

“What should I call you?”

“Nash.”

His name, the only thing he said before he pressed his lips to hers gently. She didn’t think. Instead she deepened the kiss, tracing her tongue along his bottom lip. He opened his mouth sliding his tongue into hers. She moaned at his taste, whiskey, mint, and the slightest hint of cigarette smoke. A strange combination she found mouth watering.

“Tell me you’re sure about this. Tell me you want me.”

Desperation. The only word she could use to describe the way he sounded.

“Yes,” she gasped as he nipped the place where her shoulder met her neck.

Her answer seemed to be the only encouragement he needed. His hands moved down her body, stopping at the hem of her dress. When he pulled back to look at her once more, she gave him a nod of permission.

One sweep of his arms left her standing in nothing more than her panties, gloves, and heels. Swaying her hips in her best exotic dancer impression, she rolled her gloves off, letting them drop to the ground. She sauntered the three steps he had put between them when he removed her dress. She slowly lifted the hat off his head, revealing his deep auburn colored hair, cut really short on the sides and slightly longer on top.

Her hands ghosted down the back of his neck, over his shoulders, and across his chest to the buttons on his vest. As she worked the buttons, he put his hands on both sides of her face and kissed her so passionately, her knees nearly buckled. Once she got the vest off, she had no patients for the shirt buttons. She ripped them open with both of them groaning in delight at the sounds of buttons hitting the wall and hardwood floor. With their hands working together, his clothes quickly became a pile on the floor next to hers.

She moved to take her shoes off, but he stopped her, shaking his head slowly with a devious grin on his face. The way his eyes seemed to drink her in made her lightheaded.

“I want to taste you.”

Where can you buy this fabulous book, you ask? I'll tell you:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Secret Cravings Publishing

About The Author:

Lacie lives in Ga with her boyfriend of five years and their dog, Libby.  She spends most of her time reading and writing.  She writes from a very personal place and finds that creating a story based off of things she has been through is very cleansing.  She is extremely close to her family so she tends to use little quirks that she loves from her family members to create characters that are realistic.

Website - http://www.lacienation.weebly.com

Blog - http://soulshakinromance.blogspot.com/
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/AuthorLacieNation