Thursday, February 28, 2013

#ThursThreads - The Challenge That Ties Tales Together - Week 60


Welcome back to the Weird, the Wild, & the Wicked, and a second year of #ThursThreads flash fiction. So let's get started. It's Thursday again, so what should you be doing? Writing #FlashFiction, that's what! Welcome to Week 60 of #ThursThreads, the challenge that ties tales together. Need the rules? Read on!

Here's how it works:
  • The prompt is a line from the previous week's winning tale.
  • The prompt can appear ANYWHERE in your story and is included in your word count.
Rules to the Game:
  • This is a Flash Fiction challenge, which means your story must be a minimum of 100 words, maximum of 250.
  • Incorporate the prompt as written anywhere into your story (included in your word count).
  • Post your story in the comments section of this post
  • Include your word count (or be excluded from judging)
  • Include your Twitter handle or email (so we know how to find you)
  • The challenge is open 7 AM to 7 PM Pacific Time
  • The winner will be announced on Friday, depending on how early the judge gets up. ;)
How it benefits you:
  • You get a nifty cool badge to display on your blog or site (because we're all about promotion - you know you are!)
  • You get instant recognition of your writing prowess on this blog!
  • Your writing colleagues shall announce and proclaim your greatness on Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus

Our Judge for Week 60:


The exacting word mistress and military erotic romance author, Bella Juarez.


So now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together.

The Prompt:


“We should fix that.”

All stories written herein are the property (both intellectual and physical) of the authors. Now, away with you, Flash Fiction Fanatics, and show us your #ThursThreads. Good luck! :)

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Weekend Writing Warriors - A Hell Hound's Fire - Distraction

Welcome to the Weekend Writing Warriors, a list of authors showcasing their work for all and sundry, on Sundays. Thank you so much for visiting and if you choose to comment, I really appreciate it. Most of these snippets are unedited, works in progress, and while my snippets aren't consecutive, they are in order within the story. You can read last week's snippet HERE.

Today, I'm offering a snippet from a new work in progress, a paranormal romance which will be a free read available at the end of March, entitled A Hell Hound's Fire. Alex MacLaren is a special kind of werewolf, and the cops often call him for 'special' jobs. This is from the opening of the story, and Lisa was his mate who died eight years earlier.

    “What can I do for the Copper Creek PD, Lieutenant Fitzroy?”
    “I need a favor, MacLaren, can you get down here?”
    “Yeah, I’ll be there in twenty.”
    Alex hung up the phone and trotted into the River House he’d built with Lisa, trying to take comfort in the warm, orange glow coming from the large windows. The light gilded the ground and trees around the house, but it didn’t bring the solace he sought. No time to turn off the lights, he locked up and headed for his Jeep.
    If Fitzroy called, there had to be something interesting going on. And Alex sorely needed a distraction from this painful anniversary.

And boy, is there something interesting going on. But you'll have to wait for it. ;) There are several great authors on the Weekend Writing Warrior list and a few of my favorites are Sarah Ballance, Charmaine Gordon, Goran Zidar, Karla Doyle, and Monica Enderle PierceThank you all for stopping by and don't forget to check out my publishing anniversary party! You have the opportunity to win free books. Just click on the link and fill out the rafflecopter, and you're golden! :) First Publishing Anniversary Party

Friday, February 22, 2013

HAPPY PUBLISHING ANNIVERSARY PARTY!


Woot! It's my first anniversary as a published author! *Throws confetti and pours champagne*

One year ago Her Devoted Vampire erupted on the publishing scene and has thrilled readers ever since. It's the introduction to my whole world of vampires, werewolves, dragons, goblins, and the Morukai, who you'll meet soon. ;)

I wrote it on a dare. My husband, Mr. SM, said romance was bunk, so I said I'd try to write one. He has graciously admitted I convinced him it's not bunk. :)

To that end, I'm offering a little excerpt of one of my favorite parts in the story, and a giveaway, since there are always gifts and goodies at anniversary parties. First the excerpt:

Bridget immediately recognized the handsome man from Snickerdoodles and her heart fluttered with excitement. He was here in her bedroom. Wait, what was he doing in her bedroom? Her eyes snapped to the bedspread again. This wasn’t her bedroom!
            “Where am I?” she asked as she struggled to sit up, but aborted the effort when pain shot through her side.
“Just rest for now. You aren’t ready yet.” His familiar voice settled some of her uncertainty and fright.
            “Why do I hurt? What’s wrong with me?”
The pain felt like she’d literally been hit by a baseball bat beneath her ribs on the left side. What was wrong with her? She hadn’t felt this bad, even after the British had come to the farm in her dream. She slid her hand down to test her injury, but she couldn’t feel anything.
            “Do you remember me, Bridget? I met you at Snickerdoodles.”
            Oh, she remembered, all right. She remembered the scent of his skin and the warmth of his body beside her. At least, she thought she did. He’d wrapped his cloak around her, hadn’t he?
            She closed her eyes and shook her head to clear the cobwebs of mixed memories.
            “I returned your book and tried to hail a cab for you. Do you remember that?”
            No. Wait. Yes, she remembered the terrible kidnapping scene in the book and how she’d left it on the table in the coffee shop. Her memories played out in a reel until it ended with red eyes and searing pain.
            Bridget’s eyes flew open and she stared at her companion with dawning unease. His expression filled with concern and compassion, his eyes a deep chocolate brown. No sign of red anywhere. They weren’t even bloodshot.
            “You’re Fredrick MacGregor.”
            “That’s right.” A smile flitted over his lips.
            “And you smell like spiced apples and vanilla.”
            His black eyebrows disappeared into his hairline, one tendril falling across an eye. It looked soft and smooth and she wanted to push it behind his ear for him, but his smug look banished any tender feelings that might have developed.
            “You were stabbed in the side and I brought you to my home here in Gloucester to take care of you.”
            Stabbed? She’d been stabbed? Gasping, she wrenched the bedclothes away from her body and scanned the skin of her belly. The bruised pain she felt directed her eyes to her left side but there was nothing there, not even discoloration. If she’d been stabbed, where was the scar, the scab?
Is he just teasing me? What kind of a jerk does that? Then the rest of his words sank in.
            “Gloucester?”
            “Yes. It was the safest place I could think to take you.”
            Bridget narrowed her eyes as she raised her gaze to meet his again, her hands still holding the bedclothes up.
            Safe for whom, you chocolate-eyed kidnapper?
“Normally you take injured people, like those with stab wounds, to the hospital. Or at least call the paramedics.” What was she doing in Gloucester in a richly decorated bedroom? Was it his bedroom?
There are worse places to be, a traitorous voice remarked.
“There was no time and I knew I could care for you as well or better than any hospital,” Fredrick replied to her unasked questions.
Riiiiggghhhtt, that’s what all the sociopaths say to their victims.
            “I have to go,” she croaked out as she tried to sit up again. She’d make it home come hell or high water. Goosebumps zinged along her leg when it appeared out of the covers.
“Whoa!” She jerked her legs back under the bedclothes and stared incredulously at the man sitting next to her on the bed. “Where are my clothes?”
            “I haven’t had time to get any from your apartment,” he explained, his eyes never dropping from hers. “I’ll send someone presently.”
            She raised her eyebrows. “Presently? Who uses words like ‘presently’? And how do you know where I live–” She groaned, frowning. “You looked in my wallet from my coat.”
            “That seemed to be the most logical place to look for your name and home address.”
            “That’s just great. A perfect ending to a perfect day,” she growled, slumping back in the bed. “Stabbed, kidnapped, and naked in a stranger’s bed. It just doesn’t get much worse.”
            “Except, perhaps, being kidnapped by a vampire with a house full of werewolves,” he suggested, a half-smile curling his kissable lips.
            She snorted. “Thank God there’s no such thing as vampires or werewolves.”
           He stilled as if the life within him bled away, leaving nothing but a quiet, waxen shell, and his face lost the humor in it. Unease crept through her as she stared hard at him, clutching the covers so tightly her knuckles turned white. The scent of spiced apples shifted to a dirt smell, like moist earth or the desert after the rain, and her stomach cramped with visceral fear.

Oh, poor Bridget. She has no idea what world she's stumbled across. So now it's time for goodies. I'm offering a Print copy of Her Devoted Vampire and an e-copy of Queen Bitch of the Callowwood Pack to two lucky commenters who fill out the rafflecopter below and leave me a comment with your email address or Twitter handle. The giveaway will run from Feb. 22 2013 until midnight Thursday, Feb. 28th 2013. It is open internationally, but you must be 18 years or older to win and please void where prohibited.

Don't forget to tweet and share the giveaway! Let's celebrate the stories getting out there and more to come - one at the end of March and another in May! Woot. :D Thanks for visiting and happy reading. :)


a Rafflecopter giveaway  

#ThursThreads - Week 59 - Winners


Week 59 of #ThursThreads had some terrific tales! Thanks to all who came to write in the second year of the challenge. I'm honored to see all of the returning and read your stories. Thank you for coming back again and again to write. And it was also great to see some new 'faces' joining us. Great thanks go to Mellanie Szereto for reading the stories.

Entries:
  • John Gregory Hancock | @Grokdad
  • Jeffrey Hollar | @klingorengi
  • Kayla West | @bookwormattack
  • Theresa Breaux | @theresabreaux
  • Rebecca Brennan | @bexbrennan
  • Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil
  • Lizzie Koch | @Lizzie_Loodles
  • Susan Hayes | @capricia13
  • Robin Abess | @Angelique_Rider
  • J. Whitworth Hazzard | @zombiemechanics
  • Rosalind Nazilli | @vixenfiction
  • Cara Michaels | @caramichaels
  • Kelly Heinen | @Aightball
  • Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir
  • David A Ludwig | @DavidALudwig

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions
 
Theresa Breaux | @theresabreaux
Mellanie says: Good use of senses put me in the scene, although I would've preferred third-person POV to mostly omniscient. I liked use of fire to show characterization of King Jayson. The unexpected twist with the prompt was a nice surprise, drawing the king and queen together in a mutual love of destruction.

Susan Hayes | @capricia13
Mellanie says: Excellent use of dialogue pulled me into the scene and into the action. Ellen's reaction to watching the virus spread makes her active and realistic. Jeff sees that she's strong and enlists her help instead of acting like he can tackle the problem on his own. This is a really good opening for a story.

J. Whitworth Hazzard | @zombiemechanics
Mellanie says: Very good use of prompt and word count. The setting is vivid, putting me in the casino with all the lights and sounds. Dan's last lines of dialogue make a great ending hook and make me want to read more.

David A Ludwig | @DavidALudwig
Mellanie says: Good opening action to pull me into the scene. I love strong female characters who can think on their feet and rescue themselves. They're active characters. The dialogue is effective and realistic. Very good use of word count.

Week 59 Winner


Mellanie says: Excellent use of word count and incorporation of the prompt! The writing is tight and concise. I was pulled right into the scene with great dialogue and terrific characterization. Dionysus shows himself to be a typical selfish Greek god, and the first-person narrator is likeable and sympathetic. I want to read more of this story!

“Exiled from seven countries. They—they were small countries!” Dionysus jerked upright, shouting the last words as he woke. “I mean—Macedonia, for Zeus’ sake.” His head bobbed twice before his forehead hit the table with a resounding crack, the impact enough to have him sitting straight and blinking at me. He patted the bar, then reached into the ether and summoned more wine. “Well, maybe not Macedonia. As I recall that one got a little big for its britches. And Alexander—pfffft. War, war, war. Conquer this and that and—oh, oh, remember how he used to say he was Zeus’ son?”

“Hard to forget that one,” I said.

Dio cocked his head at me, any trace of drunken revelry gone. I licked my lips before I caught the nervous reaction.

“Who was she?” he asked.

“Who?”

“I only play the fool, Eros,” he said. “Tell me about the girl you couldn’t unglue your eyes from. Seriously, if she’d seen you instead of my god-induced shenanigans, she’d have been calling 9-1-1 about a stalker.”

“Your speech.” I frowned at Dio. “How long have you been among the humans now?”

“You need to face facts, my primordial friend.” Dio chugged the bottle of wine. “The glory days of Mount Olympus are long gone. Earth is where it’s happening now.” He slammed the bottle down. “You’re too tense. When did you last get laid?”

Pursing my lips no doubt provided answer enough.

“Well,” he said.

“Yeah.”

“We should fix that.”

Congratulations EIGHT TIME WINNER Cara, Theresa, Susan, J. Whitworth, and David! Claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! :)

Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the stories here. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! :)

Thursday, February 21, 2013

#ThursThreads - The Challenge That Ties Tales Together - Week 59


Welcome back to the Weird, the Wild, & the Wicked, and a second year of #ThursThreads flash fiction. So let's get started. It's Thursday again, so what should you be doing? Writing #FlashFiction, that's what! Welcome to Week 59 of #ThursThreads, the challenge that ties tales together. Need the rules? Read on!

Here's how it works:
  • The prompt is a line from the previous week's winning tale.
  • The prompt can appear ANYWHERE in your story and is included in your word count.
Rules to the Game:
  • This is a Flash Fiction challenge, which means your story must be a minimum of 100 words, maximum of 250.
  • Incorporate the prompt as written anywhere into your story (included in your word count).
  • Post your story in the comments section of this post
  • Include your word count (or be excluded from judging)
  • Include your Twitter handle or email (so we know how to find you)
  • The challenge is open 7 AM to 7 PM Pacific Time
  • The winner will be announced on Friday, depending on how early the judge gets up. ;)
How it benefits you:
  • You get a nifty cool badge to display on your blog or site (because we're all about promotion - you know you are!)
  • You get instant recognition of your writing prowess on this blog!
  • Your writing colleagues shall announce and proclaim your greatness on Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus

Our Judge for Week 59:


The rocknerd lover, avid hiker, recipe tester, and erotic romance author, Mellanie Szereto.


So now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together.

The Prompt:


“They were small countries.”

All stories written herein are the property (both intellectual and physical) of the authors. Now, away with you, Flash Fiction Fanatics, and show us your #ThursThreads. Good luck! :)

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

5 Questions of a Contemporary Erotic Romance Author - Sandra Bunino

Welcome back to the Weird, the Wild, and the Wicked. Today I have the honor of hosting romantic suspense author Sandra Bunino with a new release through Evernight Publishing, The Submission of a Mafia Princess. I met Sandra at Six Sentence Sunday and now work with her at Evernight. She writes a great BDSM themed series, The Satin Rose Experience, and she’s graciously offering an excerpt and a copy of either Mia’s Submission or Brooke’s Wish to one lucky commenter. Understand this is a BDSM themed erotic romance, if that is not your cup of tea, please exit stage left now. :)

Welcome, Sandra. Thank you for being with me today.

Thanks for having me! I’ll admit it - I’m a stalker of the Weird, the Wild, and the Wicked. LOL

Nice! :D What started you on the path to becoming an erotic romance author?

Believe it or not, it just happened. First, I wrote a mainstream romance novel. It was in the submission process when a sexy story about two strangers stranded at an old South Beach hotel popped into my head and I wrote it on a whim. The erotic romance bug bit me and I haven’t looked back.

Congratulations on your recent release on The Submission of a Mafia Princess with Evernight Publishing. Introduce us to the main characters and premise of your story.

Thank you! The Submission of a Mafia Princess is book 3 in my Satin Rose Experience series. The Satin Rose Experience (SRE) is New York’s elite BDSM club residing on the twentieth floor of Rosebud Resorts. It contains ten uniquely themed suites, each with its own story to tell. Each book features a different hero and heroine and can be enjoyed as stand alone stories.

The hero of Mafia Princess is Braxton Malone, the Harley riding new member at the Satin Rose Experience. Wall Street commodities trader by day and Dom of choice by night, Brax is still haunted by visions of the woman from his past.

Antoniette Azzari “Toni”, is the only child of notorious mob leader Tony “The Chief” Azzari. Tony’s looking to marry his daughter off to a fellow mobster but she has other ideas like graduate school and a future far away from the life she’s forced to lead.

Brax and Toni met three years before the story began. They spent a steamy summer together and their romance was cut short when Toni’s family intervened. Lies, time and misunderstanding stand between them when Brax finds Toni at the Satin Rose Experience.


Did anything in particular inspire this story?

I like to think of Mafia Princess as Sex in the City meets The Soprano’s, two classic, long running HBO series.

BDSM seems to be a hot ticket item these days. What gave you the idea for The Satin Rose Experience club?

There are many degrees of BDSM and the Satin Rose Experience series definitely swims in the shallow end of that pool. I wrote this “BDSM-lite” series because I enjoy reading and writing about the sensuality of the D/s (Dominance and submission) dynamic. I’m also proud to write strong heroines with careers, education and opinions. These women know what they want and SRE is there to deliver.

What other projects are on the horizon for you that we’re likely to see?

I have a few different WIPs in various stages right now. The one that’s clamoring for my attention these days is an f/f contemporary erotic romance which I’ll submit under and new pen name. Of course, there’s also an SRE #4 in the works.

Thank you for joining me today, Sandra, and we look forward to all your upcoming releases!

Thanks again for having me, Siobhan!

Sandra is offering an ecopy of either Mia's Submission or Brooke's Wish to one commenter who tells her what qualities you like best in a hero. Please leave an valid email address or Twitter handle with your comment. You must be 18 or older to win and please void where prohibited. The giveaway will run until 8:00 pm Pacific time, Thursday, February 21 2013. The winner will be announced on the blog.

If can't wait that long and you’d like a copy of The Submission of a Mafia Princess, you can find it at:
Evernight Publishing / AmazonAllRomance eBooks / Bookstrand
If you’d like a copy of Mia’s Submission (The Satin Rose Experience 1), you can find it at:
Evernight Publishing / AllRomance eBooks / BookStrand / Amazon

If you’d like a copy of Brooke’s Wish (The Satin Rose Experience 1), you can find it at:
Evernight Publisher / AllRomance eBooks /BookStrand / Amazon

You can find Sandra at:Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads / Pinterest


EXCERPT

            Toni lay in darkness, left alone with her thoughts and listening to the air flowing in through her nose and out through her mouth as Mia had instructed. Candles were one of Toni’s demands, especially when she discovered the submissive pose would push her ass high in the air. She couldn’t handle a harsh spotlight on her full cheeks. Even though she didn’t want to admit it, the dim lights also served the purpose of keeping her Dom of choice, Mick, as anonymous as possible. Not that she needed candles for that; his last minute demand was to blindfold her. Something that they hadn’t talked about while reviewing her soft and hard limits.
            Toni wasn’t sure how much time had passed since Mia left the room after preparing her for the scene. She tested the restraints connected to her wrist bindings. Only an inch or two of slack allowed her to shift slightly on the sumptuous bed. Crisp linens cradled her shins, which were spread slightly. Deep breaths pushed her leather-covered breasts into the soft mattress. Her position of submission caused the leather strap between her backside cheeks to tighten against her sensitized folds.
            The click of the lock and slide of the door caused every nerve ending to stand at attention. Heavy footfalls sounded on the suite’s plush carpeting. Concentrating on her breathing, Toni willed her heart to stay within the confines of her chest.
            Inhale through her nose. Fingers caressed the back of her calf and eased her shoe off her right foot.
            Exhale through her mouth. Her other shoe slid from her foot and a single finger drew a slow line down the bottom of her foot.
            Inhale. The ticking of a zipper filled her ears.
            Exhale. Shit, the breathing thing wasn’t working.
            Inhale and hold. She squeezed her eyes shut. I can do this. I can do this.
            The floodgates opened with a sobbing exhale. “Fire! Fire. I’m sorry. I can’t. I just...can’t. I thought I could. I thought it would be like before. But it’s not.”
            “Before?” a low voice whispered. There was something about that voice.
            “Yes, before. With Brax. I’m sorry. I just can’t, not like this." A sob wracked her chest and tears soaked her blindfold.
            “Shh, it’s okay,” Hands stroked her hair enveloping her into a comforting sensation that was as familiar as breathing. She picked her head up and perked her ears toward the source.
            “Brax?”
            “It’s me, Antonietta. You’re safe.”
            The bed dipped next to her and the blindfold slipped off her head. She blinked a few times to focus her eyes.
            “Hello, sunshine.”
            “What are you doing here?”
            “Come on, you know me a little better than to think I’d sit back idly and allow some random man have his way with you.”
            Toni sat up on her heels causing her tethered hands to rise awkwardly.
            “Here. Let’s get you out of these.” Brax unhooked the restraints from her bindings and took her hands into his. He untied the satin cords and slowly uncoiled them from her wrists. Rubbing them in between his hands, memories came flooding back. Back when she was his.
            “You look beautiful,” he said, surveying her body.
            She focused on his face, attempting to sear every feature of him into her memory: the planes and light stubble of his cheeks, his tousled hair, and his eyes that had always been able to read her like a book from the first day they met.
            There was so much she wanted to say, but it was pointless. “One night is all we have.”
            Brax took her chin between his thumb and index finger and pulled her close. “I know. Get up and get dressed.”
            “Where are we going?”
            “Your fantasy of submission starts now. No questions,” he said and playfully slapped her ass. Grabbed his jacket from the chair, he strode to the door before turning around.
            “You have ten minutes. Wear a dress and these.” He pulled a flash of red and lace from the jacket’s pocket and tossed it to Toni.

Thank you for stopping by, good luck in the giveaway, and happy reading! :)

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

5 Questions for a Romantic Suspense Author - Nichole Severn

Welcome back to the Weird, the Wild, and the Wicked. Today I have the honor of hosting romantic suspense author Nichole Severn with a new release through The Wild Rose Press, Sour Cherry. Nichole holds a degree in psychology, which fuels her interest in serial killers and suspense, and she’s been my friend for several years now. What does that say about me? Eep! Now she offers a new contemporary romantic suspense to entice you. She is also graciously offering an excerpt and a copy of her ebook to one lucky commenter.

Welcome, Nichole. Thank you for being with me today. What started you on the path to becoming an author?

It’s a little embarrassing, but I have to say Stephanie Meyer inspired me to sit down and write my first book. Not just with the Twilight series, but with The Host too. She made it look easy (it’s not) and I took a chance. From there, my passion grew until I realized, at age twenty-one, once the inspiration is used, it never stops! I’ve been writing for over five years now and can’t see myself quitting. Add some great friends, some serious research and a lot of tears, and I finally made it into “authorship”.

Congratulations on your recent release on Sour Cherry with The Wild Rose Press. Introduce us to the main characters and premise of your story.

Thank you! This is one of my favorite stories I’ve written so far. My heroine made me laugh practically the entire time with her sarcasm and banter and my hero turned out to be one hunky guy. Here’s the little snippet my editor wrote about the characters and premise.

Cherish "Cherry" Williams has been betrayed by her own motorcycle club. After a late night package delivery goes bad, her club president wants her head. With every member of the club out looking for her, she seeks help from the last place they'd suspect to find her: behind enemy lines.

Cooper Nolan was supposed to be a one-night stand. Now he's her only hope of survival. But the Vice President of Cherry’s rival club has secrets of his own, and war between their clubs is inevitable if he doesn't turn Cherry over to her president.

As connection after connection unravels, Cooper and Cherry's days—and lust-fueled nights—become a race against time. Will she and her hot, sexy bartender choose love and trust over duty and image or will murder, corruption, and lies turn Cherry and the best night of her life into nothing more than a memory?

Did anything in particular inspire this story?

So many things, one of which I’ll answer in the next question.
I’ve fallen into the habit of choosing a theme song for each book I write. It’ll depict the tone, perhaps even a character or two, and help me along the way in tough spots. For this particular story, Sour Cherry by The Kills played a huge role. The beat and odd lyrics gave me the tone—and the title—I needed to get the story right. As you can see, it also gave me my heroine’s nickname.
Alongside that, Vegas has always been a part of my life. Being born and raised here, then coming back in adulthood, I think the city provides an unlimited amount of opportunities to explore. And it did just that when researching gang activity and boundaries.

What made you choose motorcycle gangs as your stage set?

Sons of Anarchy! Haven’t missed an episode.

Living in such a dangerous world, amazing things are bound to happen. I love the complicated situations and relationships that can arise out of such hazardous situations involving guns, drugs and blood. By setting my characters within rival motorcycle gangs, I explore the “opposites attract” idea, but give my characters common ground as well. From there, I’m able to tap into a whole world of fictitious villainy.

What other projects are on the horizon for you that we’re likely to see?

I’m excited to announce my self-published suspense, Let Me Out, is being released through Beyond the Page Publishing in the next couple months! Should be available everywhere by Spring 2013.
I also have the sequel, Die For Me, coming from Beyond the Page Publishing right around the same time! We’re in the middle of edits right now, but I’m so looking forward to sharing this amazing story with you. I’ll keep you updated!

Thank you for joining me today, Nichole, and we look forward to all your upcoming releases!

If you’d like a copy of Sour Cherry, you can find it at:

Kindle Direct Program until official release date May 29, 2013 here.

If you can't wait that long, Nichole is giving away a free ecopy of Sour Cherry to one commenter who tells Nichole who’s your favorite badass character (television or novel) and why. Please leave your email address or Twitter handle in your comment to have a chance to win. The giveaway is open until 8:00 pm Pacific time Thursday, February 21, 2013. The winner will be announced on the blog on Friday. Please void where prohibited and you must be 18 years old to win.

You can find Nichole at:

Excerpt:

Some people are cursed with the ability to remember every object and scent in their surroundings for the rest of their lives. Sherlock Holmes, Sean Spencer from Psych, and even Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory share this predicament. They possess something called Eidetic Memory.

I, however, do not.

Which would explain why I couldn't remember how I'd ended up with a broken nose on Las Vegas Boulevard at eight in the morning.

Oh, wait. Yes, I could.

The bitch standing in front of me had just hit me in the face. With a skateboard.

My name is Cherish Williams, Cherry for embarrassment's sake, and right now, I looked at a whole lot of woman. Blonde, to be exact, with tattoos, and a set of Double Ds. Complete opposite of my five-foot-six gangly frame. Along with the fact that I've never been the kind of person to hit someone in the face with a skateboard as they walked down the Las Vegas Strip. I tried to inhale the hot, dry air through my now-broken nose, but the sounds of passing cars reverberated too loudly in my head to concentrate on one simple task. Breathe in. Breathe out.

All I could see was Blondie. The amount of pain coursing through my head wouldn't be anything compared to how much it would hurt for me to deflate that chest of hers, but if anger management had taught me anything, it was to evaluate first then react. I coddled my nose, wincing when waves of pain filled my skull. "What the hell is wrong with you? Do you just randomly hit people in the face with skateboards?"

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Weekend Writing Warriors - Second Chance Succubus - Playtime

Welcome to the Weekend Writing Warriors, a list of authors showcasing their work for all and sundry, on Sundays. Thank you so much for visiting and if you choose to comment, I really appreciate it. Most of these snippets are unedited, works in progress, and while my snippets aren't consecutive, they are in order within the story. You can read last week's snippet HERE.

Today, I'm offering a snippet from my work in progress, a cross-over paranormal romantic suspense with BDSM elements, entitled Second Chance Succubus. CSI Chayse Wolffe and his twin Nik have followed Lady Aislynn down into her club. They've walked into a 'playroom' and are watching a scene.

The cowboy sauntered around the bound woman, cracking the whip, and watching her intently. Chayse wanted to pounce on him and hold him while his brother freed her, but Nik appeared to be as fascinated with the scene as the cowboy was.
Each clap of the leather against the air made the woman squirm against her restraints and moan loader. At first, she seemed to be in pain, fear twisting her features, but Chayse scented her arousal, and watched her nipples harden against her sheer t-shirt.
The cowboy snapped the whip once more, cocking his head as he studied his partner. He ran the hard handle of the whip down her arm and she jerked in surprise, squeaking a little as she opened her eyes.
“Did I give you permission to open your eyes, pet?”
She immediately snapped them shut and whispered, “No, Sir.”

Chayse has been pretty vanilla (for a werewolf). He just got a whole new education. ;) There are several great authors on the Weekend Writing Warrior list and a few of my favorites are Sarah Ballance, Charmaine Gordon, Goran Zidar, Karla Doyle, and Monica Enderle PierceThank you all for stopping by and happy reading! :)

Friday, February 15, 2013

#ThursThreads - Valentine's Day Week 58 - Winners


Week 58 of #ThursThreads had some terrific tales and some very special prizes! Thanks to all who came to write on the day dedicated to Love. I'm honored to see all of the returning folks and read your stories. Thank you for coming back again and again to write. And it was also great to see some new 'faces' joining us. Great thanks go to Sandra Bunino for reading the stories and thanks so much for participating in the Valentine's Day spectacular. :)

Entries:
  • Kimberly Gould | @Kimmydonn
  • Theresa Breaux | @theresabreaux
  • Rosalind Nazilli | @vixenfiction
  • Kayla West | @bookwormattack
  • Rebecca Brennan | @bexbrennan
  • Carissa Harwood | @xbluestockingx
  • Mark Ethridge | @LurchMunster
  • Susan Hayes | @capricia13
  • Sheilagh Lee | @SweetShiel
  • Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir
  • Veronica Jordan | @RevolutionaryVJ
  • SJ Maylee | @SJMaylee
  • Cara Michaels | @caramichaels
  • NL Walsh | @NL_Walsh
  • Dori Callahan | @dori_callahan_
  • Dr. Magoo | @drmagoo
  • Nellie Batz | @solimond
  • David A Ludwig | @DavidALudwig

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions
 
Rebecca Brennan | @bexbrennan
Sandra says: What a tender and sweet scene. I love Domnu's concern for Jyslen and how he enlists the owls help. Thanks to the author's descriptive voice, the scene playing out beautifully. Well done.

David A Ludwig | @DavidALudwig
Sandra says: This story had me intrigued in a big way. It takes place in a science lab, only it smells like a burrito. I felt Dale's frustration and his willingness to swallow his pride to get his hands on the perfect diamond for his love. The author leaves us wondering about those "stones of power" and why they're not for sale. I'd love to know more about geeky scientist!
 
Most Romantic Story

SJ Maylee | @SJMaylee
Sandra says: Wow! I was really in this scene. I loved the romantic ocean setting and the emotional struggle between the couple. Carlo is my favorite type of hero - possessive, take charge and knows what he wants. Pure Alpha-yum.
 
Funniest Story

Susan Hayes | @capricia13
Sandra says: I giggled at the first line: "Be vwery quiet, we're hunting wabbits," Trish lisped. It was so unexpected! Add in a little known fact that zombies have excellent hearing even though their ears have rotten off and I couldn't wait to find out where this little story was going. Where did it go? Rabbit hunting in an adult toy store. My favorite kind of rabbit! LOL

Week 58 Winner


Sandra says: How could I not get sucked in by the first sentence: "Only Dionysus could turn an upscale wine bar into a rave with half naked humans dancing on the tables." And this story just got better! The author used every single one of her 250 words to carry the tale forward. I loved the smart dialogue and descriptors used to make me feel as though I were right there with a glass of Merlot in my hand. I'd love to read this story in its entirety.

Rave of the Gods

Only Dionysus could turn an upscale wine bar into a rave with half naked humans dancing on the tables. Dio, with his waist length red hair pulled into a high ponytail, tugged off his shirt. A flushed, round woman and a stately septuagenarian gentleman couldn’t ignore the buffet of revealed flesh.

Dio spotted me and I rolled my eyes.

“Eros, you lusty devil.” He broke free and greeted me with a quick, hard kiss. “You know Zeus still frowns upon us co-hosting revelries. Go back far enough in the histories and we’re still exiled from seven countries.”

“They were small countries.”

“Ha! Right you are.” He produced a bottle of wine, taking a long pull before passing it to me.

“You drink like a frat boy,” I said. I sniffed the vintage and commandeered a glass.

“And yet I taste every grape, every spice, the hand of Gaia herself. My taste buds are a veritable embarrassment of riches, darling.” He relieved me of the bottle and drained the contents as I sipped from my glass. “Tell me, Eros—what good does it do to ban a god in this godless time? It was different when they worshipped us.”

“They were far more likely to catch us being naughty then, eh?”

He grinned and rambled on, fading as a woman in the corner caught my attention.

Alone. Unaffected by the human circus.

She didn’t see me—thank Zeus—didn’t see my shock, my moment of realization.

“I know you,” I whispered.

Congratulations SEVEN TIME WINNER Cara, Rebecca, David, SJ, and Susan! Claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! :)
 
Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the stories here. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! :)


Thursday, February 14, 2013

#ThursThreads - Tying Tales Together for Valentine's Day - Week 58


Welcome back to the Weird, the Wild, & the Wicked, and Happy Valentine's Day! Since I'm a romance author it seems appropriate to do something special for the day of Love. So in addition to writing an overall winner, there will be prizes this time for Most Romantic Story, Funniest Story, as well as Honorable Mention. So let's get started. Welcome to Week 58 of #ThursThreads, the challenge that ties tales together. Need the rules? Read on!

Here's how it works:
  • The prompt is a line from the previous week's winning tale.
  • The prompt can appear ANYWHERE in your story and is included in your word count.
Rules to the Game:
  • This is a Flash Fiction challenge, which means your story must be a minimum of 100 words, maximum of 250.
  • Incorporate the prompt as written anywhere into your story (included in your word count).
  • Post your story in the comments section of this post
  • Include your word count (or be excluded from judging)
  • Include your Twitter handle or email (so we know how to find you)
  • The challenge is open 7 AM to 7 PM Pacific Time
  • The winner will be announced on Friday, depending on how early the judge gets up. ;)
How it benefits you:
  • You get a nifty cool badge to display on your blog or site (because we're all about promotion - you know you are!)
  • You get instant recognition of your writing prowess on this blog!
  • Your writing colleagues shall announce and proclaim your greatness on Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus

Our Judge for Week 58:


The erotic romance author who loves roses, and has a new release out, Sandra Bunino.


So now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together.

The Prompt:


“What good does it do?”

All stories written herein are the property (both intellectual and physical) of the authors. Now, away with you, Flash Fiction Fanatics, and show us your #ThursThreads. And remember, there are prizes for Most Romantic and Funniest Stories this week. Good luck! :)

Monday, February 11, 2013

5 Questions of a Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Author - D.C. Stone

Welcome back to the Weird, the Wild, and the Wicked. Today I have the honor of hosting paranormal romantic suspense author D.C. Stone with a new release through EvernightPublishing, Feral Craving. D.C. is a full time lead fraud investigator and knows the world of deviousness and suspense very well in her line of work. Now she offers a new paranormal romantic suspense to entice you. She is also graciously offering an excerpt and a copy of her ebook to one lucky commenter.

Welcome, D.C. Thank you for being with me today. What started you on the path to becoming a romance author?

Thank you for the welcome!  Wow, I don’t think I have answered that question before and it does take some thinking.  You know, I used to dabble in small scenes, short stories, and what not with friends.  One day I had a close friend, who is also an editor, ask me to take the extra step and write out an entire novel as she enjoyed the small tid-bits of what I would create.  The task was daunting at first, but once I fell into it, I could not get enough and now you will be hard pressed to find me putting my laptop down. 

Congratulations on your recent release on Feral Craving with Evernight Publishing. Introduce us to the main characters and premise of your story.

*laughs* Well, if you are looking for something a bit different and some men who are a bit “real,” then this book is for you.  The book centers around a team of Special Force Members who turn about to be something more than just human.  These men were created years ago by the Goddess Themis, but it’s only at certain points in ones “life” that you find out just who you are.

Bari, who is our hero, discovers this.  As I’m sure you can imagine, it is hard for someone who’s thought himself something else all along, finds out he is something more.

Bari comes home after an incident in Iraq to find his childhood best friend and holder of his heart has returned home.  In addition, she has not returned alone…

How does he deal with not only the changes in his body … but also that in his heart?

Did anything in particular inspire this story?

I would say my background pulled a lot of this story into play. It is no secret that I served in our nation’s military for eight years and now, work as a Fraud Investigator in my full time job. I like to build stories around the military or law enforcement life that surrounds me, and that all had a big part in the background of this story. I wanted to also give the readers something different, and outside from shifters, vampires, and ghosts.

Your idea of “Justice Demons” is really interesting. It seems like an oxymoron. Why use demons to protect humankind?

Ah, now here is the question I have been waiting for. You are the first to bring it up! *winks* One would think the two do seem like an oxymoron, right? Well, it’s all about perception. Who’s to say that a vampire can’t live in peace that a werewolf can’t kill? In our world, building up a new creation is something that does need to be handled delicately. Larissa Ione does a perfect job with this, especially with her series that has drawn thousands. Demons aren’t necessarily evil, unless you make them such.  In this, my “boys” are not your normal demons, nor are they altogether on the side of “good.” *grins* Now … are you intrigued yet?

What other projects are on the horizon for you that we’re likely to see?

I’m actually shifting my focus from Paranormal into more of a Thriller or Suspense base. I still will finish out the Justice Demon series, as it will always have a place in my heart, but I’ve also started a series involving a group of different law enforcement officers and their quests to solve crimes, while trying to not let love get in the way. Unfortunately, love has other plans.

I’ve also been recently signed on with Decadent Publishing and will be contributing to their One Night Stand series. I am really excited about this venture as Jennifer Probst, an author I adore, also took part in this series. And yes, as you guessed, it also has a law enforcement base to it. 

Thank you for joining me today, D.C., and we look forward to all your upcoming releases!

D.C. is offering a copy of Feral Craving to a lucky commenter who can tell her their favorite oxymoron. Which one is your favorite? The contest runs until 8:00 pm Pacific time on Wednesday, Feb. 13th 2013. You must be over 18 years old to win and please void where prohibited.

If you can't wait that long and you’d like a copy of Feral Craving, you can find it at:
You can find D.C. at www.authordcstone.com, on Twitter, or on Facebook.

Thanks so much for stopping by, good luck, and happy reading. :)