Friday Hot Seat - Sizzling Sloane!

Today’s guest is the ever Sizzling, Sloane Taylor.  If a scene calls for HOT, this woman will accommodate.  Make sure you have a glass of ice water handy when you read one of her books.  And I have to say, love this cover for Perfect Lie.  Says a lot on what the book is about without showing too much!!

 Hi Lizzie,

 Thanks for having me over today. It’s always fun being with you.

Your past career as a travel agent gave you the opportunity to see lots of places around the world that you incorporate in your work, but why did you decide to incorporate all the sex?

I swear it was not a conscious effort. I’m a free speaker, probably too much most times, and a firm believer that sex and humor are healthy aspects of our everyday lives. Those little facets of me led to writing sexually explicit romances that fling open the bedroom door. Or whatever room my characters happen to be in at the moment. Please know that only once have I researched a sexual position and that really was a lifestyle. All the sensuality is from experience or imagination. I’ll let you guess which one of those two is the most used. lol

You mention your partner Studs from time to time and refer to him as your life mate. That said, what hot celebrity has potential to help you stray if the opportunity to spend a night with him came about?

Oh my, this will either get me in tons of trouble or a hot date, if I’m lucky. Lol

Nathan Fillion is a hot devil I could…mmm.   Simon Baker has the greatest twinkling eyes… But, it has to be Liam Neeson. First saw him in High Spirits, a 1988 comedy fantasy movie with a cast of terrific actors, and I fell in love. I still think Liam Neeson is the sexiest man in movies.

 Now if you’ll excuse me, Lizzie, I think I need to go off and drool somewhere. lol

 

PERFECT LIE

BUY LINK http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=37&products_id=559

 TAGLINE:

A seedling of doubt will unravel even a perfect lie.

 BLURB:

After two ex-husbands and a con artist, Francine Daniels has had it with men. Her life is finally the way she wants it — successful and complete. At least she thinks so until a working vacation in Munich brings her face to face with a sexy German hotelier who sees right through her brash exterior and makes her sizzle with his every touch.

 Heicke Brewer enjoys his playboy image along with the collection of international beauties on his arm and in his bed. They are safer than another disastrous marriage. Until a chance encounter with a stubborn American pixie too hot not to handle threatens his hard won resolve.

As passion grows between Francine and Heicke, deception threatens to tear them apart, forcing them to fight their way through a perfect lie.

 EXCERPT:

Francine slipped out the side door of the dining room when Heicke turned his back.  Less than confident, she walked alone across the silent, black golf course.  Her imagination played tricks as the tree branches swayed in the cool breeze, casting spidery images of boogie men in front of her.  She looked up at the sky, praying the clouds would clear for the moon to give off more light.

 Dammit.  Her shoe caught, yet again, in the wet grass.  The damned expensive things were being ruined with every step she took.  She wiggled her ankle, only to sink further into the mud.  The only option left was to take off the shoe. Gathering her skirt so it wouldn’t get soaked, she bent over.

A twig snapped.

“Holy shitta.”

 A hand clamped over her mouth.  Jack the Ripper, Charles Manson, and every bloodcurdling creature Stephen King ever wrote about had joined together to attack her.  She’d never been so scared, even when she had lived in her old car and been dumb enough to park it overnight at a drug house.

She jerked around, flailing her arms.  Crack.  Teetering as the heel broke off her sandal, she smacked into a solid wall of muscle.

 “Shush Pixie.  It is me, Heicke.”  He wrapped his arms around her and she choked back a sob.

 “Are you crazy?”  Her heart pumped faster than a jet engine during takeoff.  “You scared the living hell out of me.”

“It was not my intention.”  He rubbed his hand rhythmically over her back, easing out her fear.  She snuggled into him, grateful for his warmth.  A spicy scent enveloped her as he pulled his coat around her shoulders.  “You were very beautiful in the mirror and I became curious as to why you would leave without me.”

“I figured you’d get around to that eventually.  After we were, ah, driving back from the shed, I forgot all about the charity donations.”  Even to her the truth sounded stupid.

“And you thought it best to come out here alone?”  She couldn’t see his face, but his suspicious tone said it all.  “In the middle of the night?”

“What?  You thought I came out here to lay some guy?”

Jerk.

He tapped a gentle finger on her lips.  “No, perhaps I do not understand because of the idiosyncrasies of other languages.  At least I hope that is my problem.  Please explain about this laying of the golfers and why you did not wait for me.”

“You have a problem, all right.”  She tried to pull away, but he tightened his grip and her heart skipped a couple of beats.  “And there’s no help needed, Pup.  I’m perfectly capable of surviving on my own.”

“So I see, and may I add you are making a fine job of it.”  Lucky for him, his tone held humor. 

My links:

Website http://www.sloanetaylor.com
Blog http://sloanetaylor.blogspot.com    
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/AuthorSloaneTaylor

Travel Wednesday - Where in the World is Lizzie Going?

A few weeks ago the husband handed me a flyer and said, "We're going here."  The location surprised me, but I'm game for anything when it comes to travel (okay, there is a few places I really don't have the desire to return, but think all of us have those) and will pack at a moment's notice.

The thing about this trip, I'd never heard of one of the locations and being the trusting soul I am, my response was, "Sure."

Now we're in the fun stage...the planning.  Invested in an international airline for tickets, set up some other reservations and have made a list of things we want to do.  There is no way we're going to accomplish all that's on the list and we just started adding.  Time (and money) does play into the picture and seriously, even if we had the money, the current tile allotted would not allow us to accomplish everything thing.

So, here's a picture I found of one of the places and I'd love to hear your thoughts on where.  And if you know, have you ever been there, and how did you like the experience?

Tuesday's Wench - Sam Cheever Does It HOT!

Welcome to the newest Wench!!  Sam Cheever writes for several publishers and also has plunged into the world of Indy publishing.  Here's her latest HOT addition to Changeling Press


ESTHER EGG HUNT

 Ebook BIN: 06268-02014

Publisher: Changeling Press

BUY LINK http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=2014

Genre: Erotic Paranormal Novella

 This Easter, Esther’s gonna resurrect some serious feelings in her sexy perdition guide.

 Esther Mills is caught in Hell’s version of Groundhog Day. Every year she’s resurrected on Easter and relives her death, only to be escorted to Hell again. The one thing that makes her life tolerable is being escorted back to Hell each time by Lucifer, her sexy perdition guide. Esther and Luc share a hot crush. But for some reason he won’t act on his feelings. So this Easter, Esther’s going to make sure Luc can’t ignore her any longer. She’s going to take her life back… and when she’s done with her sexy devil, he’s not gonna know what hit him!

Esther glanced at the clock again. Sixty seconds had passed since the last time she’d looked. Only three minutes until her past ended and her future began. Again.

She stood up and started to pace, her stomach twisting with nerves.

 Any minute now.

 Someone shrieked outside and she jumped, realizing too late they were just laughing. Esther tried to remember the last time she’d laughed like that. It had been at least three years. She started to pace again.

 The clock ticked down another minute. Only one more min –

 Esther opened her eyes, blinking as a big, black truck roared past. Two drunk guys screamed propositions out the window. She felt muzzy, her limbs heavy. Something niggled.

 The smell of blood had her turning her head. She made a small sound of despair. It was the deer she’d hit with her car. Poor thing. She’d stopped to see if she could save it.

A low rumble sounded in the distance. A storm must be coming. No. That wasn’t right. Esther realized she was supposed to do something. But she couldn’t quite… A horn blared and she jumped. Adrenaline surged and her mind cleared. She remembered. A small blue car was going to fly past.

There it was. The driver scowling at her.

Run!

Another rumble in the distance; this time the ground shook.

 Run!

Praying she wasn’t too late, Esther dug in and started running toward her car.

 Another rumble, followed by the crash and crackle of falling rock. Esther tripped on a fracture in the asphalt and started to fall. Hard hands grabbed her and she screamed, trying to shake off Luc’s grip. “No!” She sobbed as he dragged her sideways. But he didn’t take her through the portal. Instead he opened the passenger side door of her car and tried to push her inside.

“Get in!”

Esther sniffled. “What?”

 He ran around to the driver’s side. “Hurry, Esther. Get in the car.”

A large rock pinged off the hood, and she was startled into moving. As soon as her feet left the pavement, Luc had the car moving forward, tires screeching against the asphalt as rocks rained from the sky around them. Esther almost fell out of the car, but Luc reached over and grabbed her arm. “Close the door.”

She dragged at it, but the heavy door didn’t want to close. The car swerved as a huge boulder slammed into the asphalt ahead and Esther screamed, falling sideways. She grabbed for the seatbelt and managed to keep from tumbling all the way out, but her head and shoulders were hanging out the door, and the road spun past at a dizzying rate. Luc’s grip on her arm tightened.

A huge rock hit the windshield. The glass shattered, spraying her.

Esther screamed, and Luc yanked her backward as the door hit a guardrail and was torn away.

 “Hold on, Esther!” He slammed his foot to the floorboards and the engine of the battered car roared, the tires skidded for a second on the buckling asphalt, and the car shot forward, leaving the falling rocks behind.

Sam Cheever writes romantic paranormal/fantasy and mystery/suspense, creating stories that celebrate the joy of love in all its forms. Known for writing great characters, snappy dialogue, and unique and exhilarating stories, Sam is the award-winning author of 40+ books and has been writing for over a decade under several noms de plume.

 Website http://www.samcheever.com/

Blog http://samcheever.com/blog/

Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1812031.Sam_Cheever?auto_login_attempted=true

Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sam-Cheever-Author/102117321982

 Twitter https://twitter.com/samcheever

 

 

Monday Musings - Biting Off More Than I Can Chew?

Last week accomplished some goals and generated more.  Instead of hanging at Barnes and Noble most of Saturday, ended up home all day.  Snow storms do that, especially when one watches the weather and traffic happenings.  Was I glad when all the accident reports on the afternoon news showed lots of crashes!

Today, write. Tomorrow, write.  The next day, write.  Are you seeing a pattern here?  Yep, my focus is back and I have lots of catching up to do, in fact, working on a new DEAD story.  Of course, sandwiched in between the writing are other fun things…laundry, vacuuming, cooking…you get the picture.

And including in all the writing is the blog for Wednesday.  Trying to decide where in the world I want to go for Travel Wednesday.  That is going to require digging out pictures and see which stack has a cool one or two I can use.

So, I’ve decided to try the timer method.  Set the timer for each project and see where I am at the point the noise pulls me to the next project.  We’ll see where this experiment ends up. Am I biting off more than I can chew? Will let you know the verdict next week.

I’m curious to see how many have tried this and did it work for you?

Now in closing, if you want to help get the word out on my books and become a Naughty Vixen, here’s the link.   https://www.facebook.com/groups/391665424262524/

 

 

Friday Hot Seat - Gary K. Wolf isn't just Roger Rabbit!

Gary K. Wolf is known for his Roger Rabbit creations, but Gary writes more than RR books.  He has also transitioned into the world or ePublishing with two releases at Musa Publishing.  In addition, Musa will release Who Wacked Roger Rabbit in eBook this coming November.  But all you Gary fans can get your fix in the meantime with the two books available at Musa.

The book in today’s spotlight is The Late Great Show.  I’m currently reading this one and laughing my way through.  What a great spin on the godly realms.

So let's find out why Gary went ePub!  And remember, he loves to hear from readers!

There were a lot of years in between books after Who Sensored Roger Rabbit and then more again after the sequel. When you decided to venture back into publishing again, why did you decide e-Publishing is the way to go?

I could easily have published my books through a major print publishing house. Instead, I choose to publish them digitally.

That decision evolves directly from the way I work, from the core philosophy of what I write and why I write it. I always push the boundaries in my writing. I invent worlds that nobody else ever thought about. I create unique characters and situations. I try to always be at the forefront of my craft. That includes the way my writing is presented to my readers.

Digital publishing is clearly the way books are headed, so I’m heading that way, too. E-books make sense to me. E-books are less expensive to buy, easier to carry around -- kind of like that first paperback novel I bought when I was a kid -- and completely science fiction cool in the way they look and operate.

There’s another, more personal aspect to it. Sooner or later, most hardcover books go out of print. That happened with the first Roger Rabbit novel. Fans wanted to buy it and read it, but couldn’t because it wasn’t in print anymore. Well guess what? Now it’s back in digital format. It will stay back forever. That’s the beauty of the digital printing process. My works will never go out of print.

Digital publishing is the wave of the future, and I’ve always been a wave of the future kind of guy. For me, going digital wasn’t a last resort. It was a necessity.

You have two books, The Late Great Show and Typical Day, currently out at Musa Publishing and a third Roger Rabbit scheduled to release November 2013. Of all the eBook publishers available, how did you come to select Musa Publishing?

When it came to picking a specific electronic publisher, I chose to go with MUSA.

MUSA is a small and very well-run company. I know everybody who works there from the Directors on down. That would never happen at one of the big publishers.

The editors I’ve had at MUSA have been first rate, as good as any I’ve had at any regular print house. They don't just check my punctuation and spelling. They get me. They understand what I’m trying to do with my writing. They encourage me to go for it, to take chances, to take my creativity as far as I want. They give me good, sound structural and thematic advice. My writing is much improved because of their comments and suggestions.

I especially like the way MUSA has taken digital publishing into areas that I never thought of. Using proprietary software, I’m able to interact with them electronically in real time. My editor, the publicity department, the art department, and everybody else involved with my work all have instant access to everything I submit. And vice versa.

I even have a say in what the cover looks like. What a treat that is. That almost never happens to a writer working with a major print publisher.

Best of all, MUSA’s accounting and royalty information is made available to me on line. I can check my sales figures and count my moola any time I want, 24/7. That’s something I would never get from a regular publisher.

The Late Great Show

By Gary K. Wolf

Blurb:

Welcome back to the amazing fantasy world of Roger Rabbit creator Gary K. Wolf. This time it’s murder, intrigue, and godly shenanigans.

The Greek Gods, who have relocated to a glitzy mountaintop in Southern California, aren’t getting the pious veneration they feel they deserve. Big Ben Bolt, formerly called Zeus, has a foolproof way to reclaim his old glory. It all starts when Tilly Hunter comes to ornithology professor Jason with a strange request: She wants him to find her son’s father. A talking swan.

Jason knows birds. Swans don’t talk, nor do they seduce women. This is godly work.

Years ago, the gods ruined Jason’s life, destroying his family. He wants payback. Jason takes the case.

Jason’s ready to die to fulfill his quest. The Gods are more than willing to let him. Can Jason bring the Gods to their knees before they bring him to his grave?

Excerpt:

“Are you Jason? The professor who wrote the book?” She held up his lone foray into the popular press, Why the Caged Bird Sings. A Household Guide to Avian Psychology. The most charitable review dismissed it as “egghead on bird brains.”

He nodded.

“I’m Tilly Hunter.” She shifted a stack of professional journals to the rear of his rarely used second chair and sat on the forward edge. Her diamond-patterned, black nylon stockings produced a zipping sound as she crossed her legs. “I need your help. I want you to find my son’s father.”

“I’m an ornithologist. I study birds. You want one of those private fellows who track missing persons.”

“It’s you I need. You exactly. I met him a year ago. At the beach. I was feeding crackers to the sea gulls. He came over to me and dipped his face into my cracker box.” Her voice resonated with ardor. “He was so playful, so soft, so cuddly, so cute. I never believed in love at first sight. Until I met Ducky.”

“Ducky?”

“I never asked his name. He never volunteered it. I called him Ducky.” The edges of her mouth turned up slightly. “He called me his little chickadee. We spent one long, glorious afternoon together. Making love and eating saltines.” The memory of her amorous Ducky brought tears to her eyes.

She opened her handbag and removed a fine lace hanky. “A month later, I realized I was pregnant.” She dabbed droplets of moisture off her cheeks.

Jason eyed her plain gold ring. “You’re married?”

She nodded.

“I told Hunt, that’s my husband, that the child was his. He was tickled to death. We’d been trying for years without success.” Her shoulders slumped. “Then he discovered the truth.”

“You confessed?”

“I didn’t have to. The instant Hunt saw my newborn baby boy, he knew. There’s no way on the Gods’ green earth that Hunt Junior could be his.”

She handed Jason a baby picture, a three-for-one special marked Sears on the back. Pity the poor photographer. No camera angle in the world would make this tyke look good. Her son was covered with a layer of downy feathers. His back sported a pair of vestigial wings. In profile, he resembled a model airplane wearing an Indian head dress.

“My lover was a swan. A gorgeous, elegant, talking swan.”

“A swan.”

“That’s why I need you. You know everything about swans.”

Jason handed back the picture. “First and foremost, I know they don’t talk. Or seduce women.”

“My son’s living proof that one of them does.” She curled her lower lip inward. Her lipstick tinted her front teeth blood red. “Hunt’s insane with rage. He hired a private detective to find Ducky. Hunt’s vowed to kill him, stuff him, roast him, and eat him for dinner.”

She tapped her manicured fingernail forcefully on Jason’s desktop. “I love that bird more than I’ve ever loved any man. Don’t let my husband butcher my Ducky.”

http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6&products_id=408

And Check out both of Gary’s Musa books here:  http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=181

 Also, check out Gary's website for future news:  http://garywolf.com/

Thursday's Wench - Rita Monette on Bottle Trees

Southern Wench, Rita Monette shares bottle tree legends with us today.  She uses the trees in her delightful children’s novel, The Legend of Ghost Dog Island.

 

The Legend of the Bottle Tree

Have you ever driven through Louisiana, or some other southern state, and noticed a tree with colored bottles either hanging from it or stuck onto their branches? More than likely they were blue bottles. No, they are not a poor man’s stained glass display.  

It is said that this traditional practice was brought here by the Africans during the slave trade. In the Congo, Natives hung hand-blown glass on huts and trees to ward off evil spirits since the ninth century, and perhaps earlier.

 The Legend is told that the spirits are attracted to the sparkling color of the bottles, blue ones seemingly more enticing. The moaning sound made by the wind as it passes over the bottle openings are said to be proof that a spirit is trapped within. Whether you believe the legend or not, the trees are a sight to behold, displayed in various shapes, sizes, and forms, as beautiful yard and garden decorations.

 An excerpt from Eudora Welty’s short story Livvie, describes one such tree:

“…Then coming around up the path from the deep cut of the Natchez Trace below was a line of bare crape-myrtle trees with every branch of them ending in a colored bottle of green or blue.

There was no word that fell from Solomon’s lips to say what they were for, but Livvie knew that there could be a spell put in the trees, and she was familiar from the time she was born with the way bottle trees kept evil spirits from coming into the house – by luring them inside the colored bottles, where they cannot get out again.”

 A bottle tree is featured in the movie, Ray, a Ray Charles biopic. And again in the Princess and the Frog, a cartoon movie set in New Orleans, where bottle trees hang in the bayou.

 In my children’s Novel, The Legend of Ghost Dog Island, a bottle tree adorns the front entrance of a voodoo woman’s shack. Excerpt below:

 “What y’all want?” The yellow glow from a kerosene lamp cast the shadowy outline of scraggly hair and humped shoulders.

 I took my braid and twisted it between my fingers. “I’m looking for my dog, ma’am.”

“What kinda dog?” The face pushed closer to the small window and into view.

 Red paint decorated the porch and railing—or was it blood? Some sort of animal skin hung from nails.

 She was a witch all right. My hands felt sweaty. “A beagle, ma’am.” My voice cracked. “Do you have a beagle?” I remembered the three quarters, two dimes, and six pennies Patti and I got from her piggy bank in case we needed it to buy Snooper back. “I have money.”

The door creaked open. “Come on in.” A wrinkled eye peered through the crack.

 Spikes took a step forward.

 I followed close behind him. I didn’t want to go in that creepy shack, but I sure didn’t want to go back through the swamp alone. A slight breeze blew up, triggering a tinkling sound behind me. I turned to see colored bottles hanging from a nearby tree. The moonlight bounced off the deep-blue glass like fireflies dancing in the warm night air.

“Look at that.” I pointed to the display.

 “Yeah, it’s a bottle tree. Some folks ’round here make those to trap evil spirits, to keep them away,” Spikes whispered.

 “She wants to keep evil away?”

 For more on The Legend of Ghost Dog Island: 
http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=445

 

Travel Wednesday - Henged

A drive across the windswept Salisbury plains brings you to a cluster of rocks that have created speculation for centuries.  How did a civilization over five thousand years ago create Stonehenge?

Theories abound as to whom, why and how.  The when, thanks to today’s technology appears to be around 2300 BC.  Let me tell you, those were so big rocks to move to the middle of nowhere by grunt force.

The decision on ‘why’ continue though.  A calendar for the ancients? A burial site for the first royal dynasty? A place of worship and sacrifice?  The work of the Druids?  

I can’t say for sure either, but I do know when I visit Stonehenge there is energy.  Walking among the stones (there are limited, special tours that takes you into the circle), touching certain ones (which is now a no-no) as you once could, the sensations that flowed through my body left me light-headed with the sensation of almost floating.

But whether you feel something or just marvel at the amazing accomplishment of moving the massive stones for miles by a civilization that didn’t have today’s technology and tools, if you make it to England a trip to the Stonehenge is worth the time.

 

This is a shot of the Henge taken at sunrise close to the Winter Solstice.  The sun lineup is amazing! I was very lucky to catch this.

Monday Musing - Can You Put the Man in RoMANce

I attended a Heart of Denver Romance Writers meeting on Saturday and the guest speaker was the delightful Reid Rosenthal.  Yes, this cowboy writes Romance and has racked up a number of awards, including #1 Bestseller, doing so.  And he contends, real men do read romances if there is also some of the things that interest in them too, like action or suspense.

Reid’s books contain romance for sure, but they also fall into cowboy and historical genres.  In addition, he encompasses the philosophy that numerous points of views, if you give each character their own personality, will not confuse the reader as to who’s on first.

He also pointed out that men like to read sex scenes from the female POV…gain a little insight into what women like in the bedroom.  Whereas, women prefer their sex from the male POV, so a mixture of the two points of view can work to an author’s advantage.

Not a fan of the typical romance genre POV that goes only with the Hero and Heroine, Reid feels a writer can offer up various points of view.  The POV can be triggered by using key words to not only let the reader know ‘the who,’ but also the type of personality the character is.

Here are his four main personality traits.  For the purpose of the workshop the focus is on the male characters.

Commander:  No Bull…, wants to be in charge.  See a lot of this especially in your Alpha males.

Connector:  Wants to be liked.  Goes out of the way to create warm fuzzies.

Enthusiast:  Loves everything and everybody. A real cheerleader.     

Thinker:  Prefers their own company to that of large social gatherings.   

Real action and real estrogen in a book is Universal Energy and that can result in readers of both sexes.  Multiple points of views can make for a richer story.

QUESTION: What type of Romance do you prefer?  The tried and true with only two points of view, or the multiple POV story.

Hot Seat Friday - Editor, Sue Grimshaw

I met Sue Grimshaw several years ago before she became an editor at Random House.  She was then and continues to be warm and gracious…one of the nicest ladies I know (and no, she’s not my editor).  Today she’s answering a couple of questions that weren’t in her interview for the article with Night Owl Reviews Magazine (read the interview here http://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Magazine/NOR-Magazine-40)

 

What is the biggest mistake you see authors make on the internet?

I think in general we all need to be reminded (me included) that the internet is not forgiving . . . therefore, be careful what you say as it can be distorted and used in a manner you never would have thought of or intended. My mother used to say, 'if you can't say anything nice, don't,' which now I think is excellent advice. Treat people how you'd like to be treated and remember, you are an author, a brand and your customers are everywhere so you don't want to inadvertently offend anyone.

In your personal life, what do you consider romantic?

This is a fun question -- bottom line just being with my husband, skiing, biking, or watching the Red Wings on TV, we both enjoy each other’s company immensely so really anything we do together is romantic :)



Megan Frampton

Here are some of the new titles/authors at Random House and the link to more.

Taking Shots releases is the first of the Assassins series releasing soon

Ruthie Knox

http://www.randomhouse.com/book/search/search.php?title_subtitle_auth=loveswept&x=0&y=0

Travel Wednesday - Sistine Chapel - You Don't Have to be a Cardinal to Visit

The conclave of 115 Cardinals in the Sistine chapel have a lot more room to move around than most visitors to the room Michelangelo turned into an artistic wonder. 

Some days 20,000 visitors get kinks in their necks staring up at the ceiling.  Don’t be surprised when someone bumps into you in their attempts to walk and gawk upward.  Or you may get your toes stepped on by someone with the upward viewing affliction.

A view to mediate over if you don't have hundreds of near & dear friends stepping on your toes!

 

It is amazing the number of people who can’t read and/or are deaf, too.  Signs prohibiting pictures are everywhere and announcements of ‘no picture taking’ are made often.  The shocked expressions on the faces of violators can be pretty funny.  A big guard shouting at them for the sneaky shot they attempted may not be fun to them, but to those trying to abide by the rules, the guilty ones attitude of offense is pretty entertaining.

Still, having the opportunity to view this amazing work of art, even if not able to do so undisturbed, is wonderful, and yes, I’m glad to have accomplished the viewing.  If you end up in Rome, make the Sistine Chapel a must see on your list of places to visit.  But, the need to book in advance may become necessary.  There are rumors the Vatican is considering limiting the number of visitors and one critic is especially keen for this to be done.  Pietro Citati, an Italian literary critic contends all the humanity squeezed into the room at one time leads to damage to the frescos.

Limited access or not, the visit is worth the effort and cost to see the masterpieces.  But if your goal is peaceful meditation, forget about it…at least for now.  Unless you’re lucky enough to be a Cardinal locked in the room with 114 of your peers.

A Wenchy Tuesday with YA author, Samantha Combs

If you haven’t tried YA author Samantha Combs’ award winning Spellbound, now is the time to check it out!  In fact, check out all her books!  Here’s the link to her Amazon page to make view her list of books easy, plus you can click over to her author page and learn more about this talented lady.  http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_12?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=samantha+combs&sprefix=samantha+com%2Cdigital-text%2C298 

In addition to being a delightful Wench, Samantha is a Southern author who sets her stories anywhere the idea takes her.  And the gal loves shoes!  A woman I can relate to for sure! 

Spellbound

By Samantha Combs

 Logan Daniels has always led a sheltered life in sleepy, predictable Lancaster, New Hampshire. But when beautiful Serena suddenly appears at school one day, his comfortable existence becomes anything but as he finds himself falling in love with her. There’s something special about Serena Starr. He realizes what it is when he sees her unleash her spells. Soon, a mysterious and foreboding presence settles over his placid home.

Logan and Serena find themselves battling darkness and evil with an ominous mission: it wants Serena and will stop at nothing to have her. Tearing apart Logan’s town, threatening his friends, even causing harm to his family, the demon will spread its doom over every facet of Logan’s once placid life. Logan matures in ways he could never have imagined as he struggles to protect those he loves, including Serena. But he can't do it alone.

Serena hails from a long line of able and powerful women who will aide in the battle and perhaps settle a score of their own. The strength of the coven and Serena's love will be behind him, but ultimately this is Logan’s fight to win. But, will he?

http://www.amazon.com/Spellbound-ebook/dp/B0055T3D1E/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1363095640&sr=1-1&keywords=samantha+combs

 

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Monday Musings - Can a Hot Nord lead to Heated Nights? Maybe

Monday Peek

Set work aside for a few days to focus on family/house stuff.  Today I woke up with fingers itching to get back to writing.  Or at least finishing up the edits, revisions and expansion (adding content is writing) of a novel that I have the rights back on.  Now titled Nordic Heat, several scenes have been added through a new point of view. 

The thing I’ve discovered (other than the errors missed by novice author me and editors?) is I still love the characters.  Their names remain the same to protect prior readers who may miss the disclosure at the front of the book on the previously published information, but hopefully will remember the names.  Yes, Nordic Heat is set to end up in the hands of a new editor before continuing its journey to self-publishing.  And also the creation of a new hot cover.

Here is an excerpt where the hero and heroine meet for the first time.

 She was a sucker for a strong face, especially one with a cleft in the center of the chin.  The blue eyes reminded her of a pool of water, calm and deep, but the thing that made her fingers itch was the hair.  Barely brushing his ears on the side, the long blond top, shot with streaks of red and copper fell to one side of his forehead and over an eyebrow.  She wanted to reach out and brush it back just to see if it felt as silky as it looked.  Women paid good money for hair that color.

“Isabella?  Are you feeling okay?”  Sam looked at her with concern.

“Great.  Never better.”  She quickly recovered from the zone she’d drifted into while her eyes devoured the stud-muffin.

“Good.  I want to introduce you to your newest team member.  This is Galvin Haldor.”  The blond hunk stood and held out his hand.

Isabella reacted automatically, placing her hand in the one extended toward her. 

"Nice to meet you, Izzy.”  Galvin’s smile revealed a dimple in his right cheek.

The deep, rich voice combined with the lethal smile sent shivers down her spine.  “Me, too,” she mumbled.  Then it hit her.  He called her Izzy.  Who the hell did he think he was?  Nobody had called her Izzy since Gino tried when they were kids and she busted his nose. 

Friday Hot Seat - See Joanna Fay Squirm

The lovely Joanna Fay agreed to answer a couple of questions for us this Friday.  I must have been ill when I sent her the questions because obviously I didn't make her squirm enough.

 

What is the best and worst thing about writing in your opinion.

‘Best’ is easy. I’d call it the ‘shared experience’. For me, it starts when a character takes hold of the reins and starts to write him or herself. It’s feels like a state of pure magic when I stop consciously ‘thinking’ the character while still getting to the know them, to that point where they are so well understood that thoughts, words, emotions, actions and reactions flow from them organically. Then they really start to live and breathe on the page, and there is a two-way communication between character and mesmerized author! Even better than best is when, despite how well I know them, they surprise me with something unexpected, an act or word I did not realize was in their scope. Like a ‘real life’ person, they live, grow and expand in those moments.
The other really rewarding part of this ‘shared experience’ is when a character who means a lot to me finds their way into the heart and mind of a reader. Several reviewers of my first novel, Daughter of Hope, have expressed their love for the lead villain. He’s a nasty chap; I love him because I know his personal history, and if that comes across to readers, that is fantastic.

‘Worst’ is more difficult. I like all ends of the writing process, from first sketchy ideas to initial drafting, to revising and editing, to publication. The most challenging area by far for me is promotion and marketing, but I am (gradually) learning to enjoy it. So really, there’s no worst.

If a reporter or paparazzi followed you around for a week would they discover any dirt on you?

Hmm, where to start. Only joking. Luckily, I shower every day! The paparazzi would have to dig quite a way back to find anything juicy. I had my share of ‘youthful adventures’ (that’s another story), but these days I am happy living a quiet, slightly reclusive life. Pretty much the only dirt around here is the odd bunny dropping that didn’t make it into the litter tray! Then, of course, there’s the secret lover….

Visit Joanna's website: http://joannafay.me/

Links to Joanna's books:

Daughter of Hope: The Siaris Quartet Book One

http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6&products_id=302

http://www.amazon.com/Daughter-Hope-Siaris-Quartet-ebook/dp/B0089Y31ZU/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1362470746&sr=1-1&keywords=joanna+fay+daughter+of+hope

 

Reunion:   The Siaris Quartet Book Two

http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6&products_id=540