Sapphire Phelan's Passion Corner

Romancing on Friday: Life Lessons from Romance Books

2012-01-27T09:36:00.000-05:00

I know, how can anyone learn life lessons from reading a romance book? But I believe any book can teach you something, if you learn to read between the lines. There are those critics that say romance is nothing more than fluff, but the writers who wrote those novels, novellas, and anthologies, are selling you something more than an enjoyable read when at the beach or on a winter’s night when snuggling in bed or by the fire.

For anything that draws out emotional responses from you, you can benefit from it. First, it has been proven that when you cry or laugh or have any hormonal reaction, that it is good for you. Today, stress levels are going up, and the heart is affected and blood pressure increases. The Twentieth-First Century reader has a lot to handle these days. To me, a book is a good way to relax. I’m not ashamed to admit to reading romance. My stress levels go down when I read it. I cry over the heroine’s distress if the hero leaves her or treats her wrong, and cry again with happiness when he is back and admits his love for her.

Another lesson I have learned is I can travel to foreign places, step foot on an alien planet, travel back in time to a medieval castle, or find myself in fairyland or in a brooding Gothic world. Maybe in real life I may never get to Russia or Africa, but through a book I can. Shoot, will my footprints dot an alien landscape? Only through a science fiction romance, I get that bonus.

Another lesson from comes from reading erotic romance. Sex is good for you. You burn 150 calories per half hour during sex. Having sex is the same as doing exercise. You may be too tired to have sex, but if you do it, breathing deeply during intercourse can make the blood flow and develop energy. Sex helps the good cholesterol win over the bad version. Endorphins from sex helps diminish pain and causes a natural high, ridding that headache. But if you and your partner can not get it on, reading an erotic romance together will get you in the mood, and suddenly, you’re doing it.

There’s something about finding happiness and a happily ever after that reading romance gives you. It takes you away from the stress of everyday life and puts you in a better mood when earlier you were not. It can even get you in the mood for sex. Most of all, it brings something to the table for the writer of the story. The author feels good writing it. Not only that, it can make them feel proud that they are teaching readers life lessons. Even more, it weaves a connection between the readers and the writer. And that’s the greatest benefit and lesson of all.

I have a free paranormal romance short story as an eBook. It is To Teach An Ancient God. If want to find out my writing, plus get a free eread, go to Romance All eBooks

To Teach An Ancient God Blurb:
Hades had waited a thousand years for Jenna Krinard, or Persephone as she had once been known to him. The problem is, Jenna is a modern woman and she'll have to teach an old god new tricks in love. What she doesn't know is how much she'll learn about love herself.

WRITER’S WEDNESDAY: Guest Blogger Kathryn Scannell On Writing

2012-01-24T20:08:00.005-05:00

Welcome fantasy romance author Kathryn Scannell as she blogs about writing, and crafting a good story.

“Write what you know.” We’ve all heard the old adage. It makes sense. If you don’t know about a topic or an area, and you try to write about it, unless you’re very lucky you’ll make mistakes that will leave knowledgeable readers in fits of giggles in the bookstore. If you don’t have actual experience, you need to do your research, if you hope to avoid that situation.

However, there are also dangers in writing what you know too well. If you’ve lived the background to your story, your head is full of a million little facts and tidbits about the activity, or the profession, or even the setting. You can describe it in loving detail. If it’s your profession, you may be proud of it and want to share it, or are just sick of seeing it described unrealistically in other people’s fiction. It’s very tempting to overdo the background details.

It’s also often a mistake. I figured this one out last year, when I set out to write a little story called “Salvage Operation” for Torquere Books’ annual charity collection. This year the theme was “It Gets Better,” since we’re donating to the It Gets Better Project. That meant I wanted something contemporary, because what does it mean, really, to write a story about life getting better eventually for someone in a fantasy setting? It’s fantasy. It doesn’t offer much hope for real life. So I decided to try something I hadn’t done before—raiding my day job for ideas.

I work for an environmental emergency response contractor, so I borrowed elements from about a dozen situations in my experience, or that of my close co-workers, mixed them together, and came out with a fictitious disaster for my characters to respond to. I started happily chronicling that, until I got about 3000 words into the story and suddenly realized I was missing the point. I had gotten so focused on the disaster part of the plot that I was in danger of losing track of the real heart of the story – the relationship between my couple, and how they dealt with the strain the disaster put on it. It didn’t matter if my hero had a realistic conversation with his boss about deploying. It mattered that he said yes, without asking his husband, and wrecked their anniversary plans.

So I went back and cut about half of what I’d written at that point, trimmed down the background bits, and, I hope, left in enough for it to feel right without being boring.

The same phenomenon can rear its ugly head in a fantasy setting too. Everyone loves a detail-rich setting for a fantasy story. We spend tons of time on world building. It’s our creation, our baby, and we love it. And along comes that pernicious temptation to make sure we share every last bit of that world with our readers. After all, we love it, they will too, right?

Wrong. There are a thousand things you need to know about the world to make things in it consistent, but you probably don’t want to explain, or even explicitly mention more than about 5% of them in the book. You can toss in casual bits of description, and let the reader fill in the gaps, but unless the details are essential to the plot, you just can’t include too much information about how things work. Really. No matter how cool those details you’ve invented are.

My writing partner B A Collins and I have been adding layers of history and culture to the world of my novel, Embracing the Dragon, since the mid 1980’s. There are history timelines covering tens of thousands of years. There are thousands of little details—relationships between the main characters of the book and dozens of background characters; relationships and history among the background characters; theory about how magic and the gods work; races that don’t even come on stage. It’s just not possible to share them all, not if I wrote a dozen books, and she wrote a dozen more. It’s still tempting to let too many sneak in.

All those bits may really be of interest to your serious fans. But, first you have to have serious fans, and those come from telling a good story. Do that first, and then you can share those little lovingly crafted details with dedicated fans who are as excited about them as you are. But the story has to come first.

Kathryn Scannell

Embracing the Dragon: BUY AT TORQUERE BOOKS, KINDLE, NOOKBOOK

Two-Line blurb:
In the days of Atlantis, in other lives, Danny O’Riordan and Emperor Mordellir were lovers. Now, they’ve found each other again. But Danny already has other commitments. Can he afford to follow his heart and embrace the Dragon of Heaven in this lifetime?

Marketing Blurb:
Danny O’Riordan’s life was complicated before he had the vision of a past life that forced him to admit to himself that he was bisexual. There’s a war going on, and being Liegeman to Aran, the Elven King of Avalon puts Danny squarely in the middle of the politics of two worlds, Earth and Avalon. Adding a romantic relationship to the mix could be explosive.

His lover from that previous life has been reborn as Mordellir, the ruler of the Tengri Empire. The Dragon of Heaven is the most powerful person in his world. Will he want Danny back once he knows he’s been reborn? If he does, how far will he go to get his way?

Danny knows it isn’t smart to get involved with the Dragon of Heaven. Aran hates the Tengri. Following his heart and renewing that old relationship with Mordellir will leave him torn between his commitment to Aran and those old feelings which are still frighteningly strong. If he yields to temptation, can he balance his love for both men?

About Kathryn:
Kathryn Scannell makes her living doing database management, programming, and general IT support for an environmental consulting firm. She has a BA in German, a BS in Computer Science, and a head full of facts about odd things. She lives in NH with her wife, Beth, and their four cats. When not writing or reading, she participates in the Society for Creative Anachronism and a variety of role playing games.
You can find her on the web at http://www.kathrynscannell.com and http://kathryn-scannell.dreamwidth.org

Romancing of Friday: Benefits of Reading Romance During Winter Time

2012-01-20T07:54:00.000-05:00

It’s a cold winter. It maybe even snowing or icing outside. What does one do? Okay, you can do that 1,000 piece puzzle someone gave you for Christmas. Or you can do a complete cleaning, a sort of spring cleaning, except it’s a winter cleaning. Or maybe you can make lots of different homemade soup to store in the freezer. But when all that is done, you still need something to do when you’re not working, sleeping, and eating. That when reading works the best. Why not romance?

There’s a certain benefit with reading romance during the dark months of winter—like comfort food, but not fattening. A comfort about happily ever after. It warms you up, far more than what heat does for a chilled body.

It doesn’t matter if the hero and heroine are in a paranormal, suspense, contemporary, historical, fantasy, science fiction/futuristic, Young Adult, or inspirational, it’s about crying, laughing, fearing for, and feeling good over what happens to them—relieving anxiety of the moment and pressure that reality throws at you. Readers get the benefit of being taken away for a while. They like the adventure, and fun of the novel, and there is nothing like a good set of characters, and an occasional steamy love scene (or a lot more, like in the erotic ones).

Romance readers buy in volume and velocity. They are not about bodice-ripping anymore, or even just vampires, these days, the action is in shape-shifters (wolves, lions, and bears that take human form) and male-male (written for and usually by straight women). Romance readers tend to want to see it, and it's not always vanilla.

I know that there are people out there who would say, “What can one learn from a book that’s all about sex and fluff?” Well, I am here to tell you that romance is more than the degrading term of fluff; more then about sex. It’s about commitment; people can understand that two people will stand by each other no matter what, and all due to love (whether male/female, male/male or female/female). The characters have jobs and interests, just like in real life, to make the characters believable. Reading about what they do for a living (firefighting, police work, etc…) or what interests they pursue (like calligraphy, for example) might teach you something that you never knew before. If you read a Pennsylvania Dutch romance, you might find out about a way of life different than how you live yourself. Yes, romance can give you knowledge.

Romance is more than the total sum of its words. It is all about learning something, and it takes you away from the stress and humdrum of real life. It’s like taking a vacation without paying a lot of money. It’s comfort food without gaining any weight. Now, go get a good romance, go read, and get those benefits due you.

Writer's Wednesday: Writing Is Like Driving

2012-01-18T09:33:00.004-05:00

Writing can be tough sometimes, especially when you hit a pothole in middle of the roadway. Yes, writing can be like driving in real life. You know you have to take driving lessons to be able to take that driver’s test in order to get your driver’s license so you can drive a car. Same goes for those English classes in school and college, plus writer’s workshops you enroll in at conventions, conferences and writer’s festivals. It’s all about making you the best writer you can be, just like driving lessons will hopefully make you the best driver you can be.

And like all drivers should to become a better driver, so should you should write every day to become a better writer. Practice always makes perfect, or as close as you can get. Even if it’s not a manuscript you have due, or a book, story or poem that you’re working on, just writing anything for a few minutes, even what you might think is garbage, can be beneficial. Besides, that garbage one day may spark a story idea and then, it’s no longer garbage—right?

A good driver cares about his/her car. They change the oil when it’s needed, get it new tires, have it inspected, and get it repaired when it is required. You put gas in it, washer fluid, add oil when it’s needed, and whatever else you know the vehicle necessitates. Same goes for the tools of a writer’s trade. Your PC or laptop needs a virus and spysweeper program installed, especially if you use said computer to go online for research or to do promotions for your books. You clean it, set up programs that are needed for writing, do a virus scan weekly and whatever else you feel your computer needs. And not just the computer, but you must take care of yourself! You do this by a good diet, exercise, and proper amount of sleep each night. You make sure you don’t catch any diseases, for even a cold can befuddle the thinking processes. After all, those lovely stories are in your head and a foggy brain doesn’t function well getting them out and into a manuscript.

There’ll be times when you hit those potholes, or writer’s block. Even you need to get up out of that chair to go read a book, watch a movie, take a walk around the neighborhood or work on another manuscript or short story, when you just can’t continue writing on a particular day. It happens. No one is going to beat you over the head about it. The next day, just get back behind the wheel (or in front of the laptop/PC) and get back on track with what you were working on. After all, don’t you get tired of driving when you’ll been doing it for several hours on the road and need to pull over? Same goes for writing.

Next time you sit down in front of your screen and it’s opened to Microsoft Word, ready for you to type in some words, think of it like getting behind the wheel and heading down the road to unknown parts. Writing is like driving and your story is the world that flies by as you head down the highway of imagination.

Romancing on Friday: Writing from Gay Male’s Perspective of a Paranormal Romance

2012-01-11T22:38:00.003-05:00

Since I will be at a convention on Friday as a guest, I am posting my Romancing on Friday early. Enjoy.

I’ve written from mostly a woman’s POV and even a man’s in a Male/Female romance, but when I did an erotic Male/Male paranormal for the first time, it was a whole different ball of wax for me. That one was “The Dark Man,” included in the anthology, Forbidden Love: Sacred Bands, published by Under the Moon. I had started writing it out as male/female until Under the Moon sent out they were doing a male/male anthology and wanted submissions. I had two stories in their first two, so I found this story I started on and decided to use it.

That was easy. I just switched the female for a male. Okay, it wasn’t. I had to actually read sex scenes in male/male fiction to understand the differences in mechanics of sex between two men. So very out of the box for this heterosexual author. I had gay friends, but I couldn’t ask them how it all went, could I? LOL

But when I did the novella, Beast Magic, a world where shifters of all kinds lived among us. They had the Dreaming in order to find their destined mates. Like my werelion, Ramses, found his mate in a human woman named Shana Tory. Most found them this way, others did not. And sometimes the Dreaming brought up a mate one did not expect. Such as in Dark Leopard Magic, the second novella set in the Beast Magic world. This time I also changed it from third person to first person, with both guys telling from their povs in their own chapters.

Dev Tollen starts out the novella. He is half Indian (from India) and Caucasian—he is also half shifter and half human. His father was a Caucasian human from the United States, but was not Dev’s wereleopard mother’s destined mate sent by the Dreaming. Because of this and that she kills his father, Dev begins a dark past. Even more so, he finds he has a darker soul.

Dev can’t seem to make love with human females. But when a man (clown with a circus) takes him one night, Dev discovers he enjoys a man’s touch. So not only is he a wereleopard, but now gay. He has a double whammy in ‘coming out of the closet’ here. He’s never had the Dreaming either, and resigned to thinking he never would, that maybe being gay was the cause. Until one day it comes upon him and he sees Montsho, a black African wereleopard. Montsho first appeared as a secondary character in Beast Magic. So now I add interracial to the equation too.

With these two males, I got deep into their psyche. One does not deny his gay self, while the other never even dreamed that a male would be his destined mate. Montsho fights this attraction, as he is confused and upset that the Dreaming put this on him. But we all know how the romance will go—one can not deny their own true love, no matter the color, race, or even sexual preference.

I am proud of this novella. I become fond of the two guys and happy there is a HEA for them. Most of all, I am glad for the experience of writing from a different viewpoint and really getting to know and most of all understand what Dev and Montsho tick. Even though they’re characters from my mind, I can say that they’re become a lot more and are alive to me. Finally Dev gets to come out of the closet: not as a gay man, but as something even more meaningful to him: a wereleopard. But most of all, to have someone to love and who will love him, no matter his dark and troubled past.

Blurb:

Dev Tollen is a man with a dark past and an even darker soul. More than that, he's a gay wereleopard. He has never had the Dreaming and never met his true mate. But one night the Dreaming does come and reveals his lover, an African man named Montsho, also an alpha black wereleopard. Montsho will fight their love and their destiny. Dev will do all he can to win his beloved's heart and keep him by his side always.

Then the ghost of a human begs Dev to solve his wereleopard lover's murder. Both men will find that their new-found love tested and their lives in danger. Their idyllic time in paradise is about to be torn asunder when they discover who the murderer is.

Excerpt:

I sped up, dust rising behind me in a thick cloud.

I ran like that for several nights, sleeping during the day in my leopard body, hidden in caves and deep holes that I dug out beneath bushes. The Dreaming came upon me as I slept and saw him, as a black leopard and as a man, his naked, nubile body pleasing to me. I especially loved his cock. Not as large as mine in girth, still it was long, with a thick, dark bulbous head. Uncircumcised, too. My mouth watered to suck and taste his salty, warm staff, to swallow his liquid of need. I wanted to pleasure him, show him that love with another male would not be terrible. Desperate to make him want me, I corrupted one of my Dreamings and sent my beast magic out to seduce my lover.
He used his beast magic to fight back, but somehow, some way, mine was stronger. Pleased that my magic was the alpha, I was able to stalk up to him in our dreams. I grasped his rod in my hand and stroked it. He shuddered, unable to fight the luscious feeling of his cock being mastered. Like an instrument I played his lust like a love song until it filled him and he let me drag him into my arms.

“Come, is this so bad?” I whispered into his ear, flicking the tip of my tongue into it. “Let me show you even more sensation.”
I dropped to my knees. The head of his penis waved in front of me. Eager, I leaned over and kissed it. It shuddered as he shuddered. Sucking the head, then the rest of it into my mouth, I let my tongue slip and slide over the hot flesh.

It tasted so good, so right. I’d been waiting for this, for him for a long, long time. Grabbing each butt cheek, a finger nudging the rim of the hole between them, I worked on his cock. Unable to help it, he roared and shot his load down my throat. Ecstatic, I consumed his ambrosia.

Then I rose to my feet and reached down to take his hand in mine, letting it feel its way up my leg ’til it rested between my inner thighs, within fingertip length of my erection. "Do what you want to do, lover, not what you think you should." I bent over and whispered into his ear, licking it. “Your name, Montsho, what does it mean?”

He shivered, not answering me.

I laughed. “Come on,” I purred against his lips, kissing him with butterfly touches. “What does it mean?”

“Black, it means black.”

I nuzzled one of his nipples, hard as a pebble. “Yes, you are, and so eatable like fine, dark chocolate, too. A luscious taste, one can never be satisfied with just one nibble.”

I pulled away and looked into his eyes. “I’m coming for you. Don’t doubt that. I will find you. You’re the balm I have needed for my dark soul for a long time, Montsho. The other half I needed to connect with.”

He closed his eyes. “I know. When the Dreaming came upon me and I saw you, I thought that something went wrong. All my life I had waited to see the she-leopard of my dreams, one who had fur as black as mine. But no, it revealed a white man with spotted fur. I fought it fang and claw. But I can’t fight it anymore. I need you.” He opened his eyes. “I love you.”

He yanked me into his arms and kissed me. No, it wasn’t a kiss. That sounded too gentle, too refined. This was a taking, a hurricane-force need that was more than a meeting of tongues and lips. Passion erupted in every molecule and atom of our bodies, ready to gush out in explosion. I clawed at his back, digging into the flesh, flaying it in my need to get inside his skin. He, too, I could tell, needed to crawl inside me, becoming one.

He took his lips an inch away. “Halla.”

“Wha…what does that mean?”

“Unexpected gift.”

I smiled. “I like that. I’ve never been anyone’s gift before.”

He stepped back. “Find me.”

I threw out a hand. “Wait.”

“Goodbye…halla.”

Buy Dark Leopard Magic

Writer's Wednesday: Guest Blogger Brigit Aine

2012-01-10T20:41:00.003-05:00

Good morning everyone. First, thanks to Sapphire for letting me take over her blog today. I love to write and when she asked for a blog about writing I thought, oh that is for me. There are so many different types of writing. From the beautiful lines of poetry to the guttural language of a book on blue phrases to the many new books out on what grammar should be or the amazing prose of an erotic author. The language is different, and yet the words are the same. How is it that happens?

In my non-author role I am a teacher of High School English. This includes a lot of things, but my favorite, teaching the Freshman how to write. When they come in they know how to put words down on paper or computer. My job is to teach them how to write. To get them to understand that it is more than just words on paper. That the imagery brings pictures to the readers’ minds, that the figurative language, or the order of words helps evoke emotions and that within the words they are writing, there is a language to be brought out and a story to tell. Even with a persuasive essay or a narrative. The passion, the belief of the writer brings out the same in the reader.

As an author it is the same. When you sit down to get the story out of your head (yes, I hear voices), the words can simply go down on paper or you can caress, coax, and mold a story out of the same words. The verbiage choices, the use of synonyms, the idea that I could, "They stared at one another from across the room," or "Their eyes met through the crowd and the connection was instant, not allowing either to turn away." I said the same thing, just not the same way. That is what writing is about. To be able to say something in a way that brings about a picture, an emotion, some sort of response to the reader.

That isn’t to say it is that easy. You don’t always achieve the response you are looking for. Something I write and think is beautiful or gets across my point might seem cheesy or without meaning to someone else. Writing is a very personal process, but so is reading. As an author I often write one version for myself, and one that I send to the publisher. Usually I end up with a finished product that is somewhere in between.

Thanks for hanging out with me today. I appreciate the opportunity to talk about my passion (well both of them: teaching and writing). Below is a blurb from my latest project, a five story collection with some amazing authors. Feel free to follow me on the links below as well, as I have three or four projects in the works for this wonderful 2012.

Brigit

PRINCE OF SHADOWS by Brigit Aine

His wild hair, sections falling around his face, the blue tattoo continuously swirling in a geometric pattern on his shoulder, revealed by the black tank top he wore, as if to show the world he didn't care who saw that he was a faerie vampire, one of very few left. But he was not just any faerie vampire, he was the Prince of Shadows.

She was not just any faerie either. She is The Returner. One who has not ever failed in a task given to her. Skills beyond those of just the regular fae. Sent by the King and Queen, despite not wanting to do her task, she will not fail.

Together they would need to release her from a promise to bind and Return him so that they could focus on finding the killer, out to destroy those who are both human and non. Someone who is out to frame them both.

BLURB:

Brows furrowing Keri replied, “You do realize it is the middle of the night that I was asleep and having a very pleasant conversation with your mother and that starting tonight is almost counter-productive.” Keri knew her tone was a bit harsh, but she did not want him to think he was in charge.

“Well, he is a vampire, it is night time, and while you may need the sleep I certainly am at my strongest this time of the night. So,” pushing a foot in past her Draken invaded her space as he stepped into the room, deliberately brushing close to her, “I figured this was our best time.”

Keri had to take a deep breath to steady herself as he moved past her. Knowing he was just playing with her as he always did she shut the door and turned to see him making himself comfortable on the couch. “Well at least now you are acting true to form. While I will agree that both you and the murderer are stronger at night I am not sure that banging on my door while I am just finding out all the new rules is the most advantageous time to try and get me to help you.”

His head tilting towards one side Draken gave her a half smile. “To try and get your help? Weren’t you ordered to help?”

Keri laughed delightedly, her tension easing as she realized he didn’t know the depth of her friendship with his mother. “Well of course I wasn’t ordered to help. While I respect and love the Lady of the Shadows, she would never think to order me, a friend, to do something I wasn’t interested in. She did suggest I was now free to help you if I so wanted to do so, and that she would appreciate it if I did so. But order me? Oh no. The choice is entirely mine as to whether I return home or stay here.”

BUY

About Brigit:
Brigit Aine lives in Northern California with her boys and animals. She is a High School English teacher when she isn’t writing and loves her job. Writing is a passion and obsession (some would say hobby, but she doesn’t think so). She co-owns Sensual Treats, a free quarterly on-line magazine about the romance of life and Otherworlds Publicity, a publicity company for writers of paranormal.

You can find her on the web at:
Her Blog
FaceBook
Twitter

She has books published with:
Eternal Press

XOXO Publishing

MojoCastle Press

Decadent Publishing

Solstice at Night Publishing

She is the author of the Torrent’s Talents Series as well as several other books and anthologies.

New Review of A Familiar Tangle With Hell by Night Owl Reviews

2012-01-09T12:11:00.000-05:00

Night Owl Reviews has done a review of A Familiar Tangle With Hell, giving it four stars.

Some of what the reviewer posted:

"A Familiar Tangle With Hell was an interesting read...I loved how the author incorporated Greek mythology, portions of the Bible, erotica and romance to create the perfect combination...For anyone who enjoys stories of sex, demons, the Devil, the battle between Heaven and Hell, or just magic and sexy men in general, this could be a story you would enjoy devouring.

Read the rest of the review at http://is.gd/b0wBmM

Romancing on Friday: 12 Steps--No Not Those!

2012-01-05T20:18:00.000-05:00

Romance author Karin Shah is my guest for Romancing on Friday, blogging about the 12 steps of intimacy in a romance novel.

Have you ever been reading a book and found that something is bothering you about the budding relationship between the hero and heroine? Does it fail to ring true or do you think, "They'll have broken up in a week?" Maybe what's missing are some of the 12 steps of intimacy.

The 12 steps of intimacy are part of a theory by behaviorist Desmond Morris. He studied couples and discovered that those who followed certain steps while courting seemed to have better and longer lasting relationships.

The Steps:

Eye to Body - In real life this can be quite casual, but in a Romance we need that extra zing. In my own case, I can remember quite clearly looking at my now husband of almost fourteen years and thinking "Wow!"

Eye to Eye - Romance gets a lot of jokes about Heroes and Heroines and their "Silver," "Sapphire," "Emerald," etc. eyes, but if you're in deep POV, naturally the eyes of someone you're attracted to are going to seem special. Even if to the general population they're just "blue."

Voice to Voice - Especially saying our name.

Hand to Hand - That first clasp of the hand. I think we miss this step a lot in Romance these days. The scene in Romeo and Juliet when they dance and their hands touch is so full of delicious promise. Perhaps this step is why dancing has alway been so popular.

Arm to Shoulder - Remember the first time a boy sat down next to you on the couch and when your shoulders touched you didn't move away?

Arm to Waist - The tuck into the body. Sharing warmth, and touch, but also a statement of protection, and we women are hardwired to seek the best protectors.

Mouth to Mouth - Enough said.

Hand to Head - A giving and accepting of trust (especially if your hero or heroine can bite!)

Hand to Body - I think these last few steps are rarely skipped these days, and self-explanatory, but they are often rushed through to get to the last step.

Mouth to Breast

Hand to Genitals

Sexual Intercourse

I don't think we need to be a slave to any theory, but in Romance you never go wrong, when you take some extra time to build the core relationship. And if there's someone you have your eye on, and he/she is oblivious, maybe dipping a toe into one of the early steps will be the start of something special!

Thanks so much for having me!

Karin Shah

http://KarinShah.wordpress.com

Blurb:

It isn’t easy being the Witches’ Champion, especially when it’s a hereditary position and you’re hardly the most powerful witch of your line. Thalia Kent has managed to cope so far with wit and nerve and every ounce of magical ability she possesses, but now her cousin, who wasn’t a witch, is dead -- murdered by a rogue vampire -- and if she’s going to hunt him down and survive, she’s going to need all the help she can get. She needs Gideon Damek, immortal vampire, but vampires shun witches for good reason. Witch blood is poisonous.

Gideon Damek has fought his predatory nature for thousands of years and the last thing he wants is to team up with anyone, least of all a beautiful young witch. Still, something about Thalia compels him to agree.

Soon, Thalia must deal with a reluctant partner, a rebellious witch community, interfering police, a healthy dose of self-doubt, a raging passion for the forbidden Mr. Damek and an enemy who’s following an ancient prophecy that requires both their deaths, all without losing her neck, or her heart.

Excerpt:

Thalia glanced over her shoulder to see how Gideon was doing, but it was over. Their attacker lay motionless on the ground, his head tilted at an unnatural angle. She stood stunned for a moment, letting the rain soak her hair and fill her fallen hood, until a dribble of cold water down her neck shocked her back to business.

She walked over, legs rubbery from leftover adrenaline, and crouched by the body. “God, he looks young.”

She wasn’t aware she had spoken aloud until Gideon said, “There’s no age limit for pawns.”

She looked up at him, shoved a strand of hair from her eyes. “What do you mean?”

He scrutinized their surroundings, as if looking for something--or someone.

“You think there’s someone else out there?” Thalia stood.

Gideon nodded. “This is a revenant. Just a husk, really, with some limited intelligence. Someone’s puppet.”

Thalia noticed the knife lying next to the revenant for the first time. A chill that had nothing to do with the rain rolled over her. “He didn’t have a stake.”

“That’s because it wasn’t me he was gunning for.”

About Karin Shah:

Karin lives with her amazing husband Nikhil, brilliant children Natalie and Roman, a mischievous basenji, and an exuberant vizsla, in Westerville, Ohio. She belongs to RWA, Central Ohio Fiction Writers, the Futuristic, Fantasy and Paranormal special interest chapter of the RWA, and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Her first book, STARJACKED, is available now with Samhain Publishing. Her second book, BLOOD AND KISSES is also available now from Soul Mate Publishing.

Available now from Soul Mate Publishing: BUY BLOOD AND KISSES

Writer's Wednesday: Owner of Story Edits Interview

2012-01-04T08:22:00.002-05:00

Today, my guest is Pam Roller, who started up a business, Story Edits, where she can help those writers make their manuscripts be the best they can be. Check out her answers as I interview her. And do leave her a comment if you have a question.

Thanks for inviting me to be a guest, Sapphire.

1.) Why Story Edits?

With the changing publishing market, more and more authors are choosing to self-publish. The rush to get the book on the market without having to wait months or even years for a publisher to move along with it can be exhilarating. With self-publishing, the author takes complete control and a finished book can be put up for sale almost immediately.

However, the heady rush of seeing one’s book out there for sale can be overshadowed by writing that could be better. If a book is not edited well, it can get chewed up in reviews. Bad reviews can slow or even kill an author’s career. The author may lose readership, credibility, and money.

If the author is going the traditional publishing route, the manuscript needs to be in the same great shape as it would be if it is edited for self-publishing. All publishers, not just the “big six,” are extremely picky. Agents and publishers will look for any excuse to reject the work. Why not get the manuscript professionally edited before sending it out?

My main reason for launching Story Edits has to do with self-publishing, which is becoming the popular route for many romance authors. I want to see well-written books on the market. Authors who put up unedited, poor quality books bring down the reputation of all indie romance authors in general. On a side note, IndieRomanceInk on Yahoo.com is a wonderfully informative group for self-publishing authors.

2.) What are your qualifications?

Since I know romance, I edit romance. I’m published in romance fiction, have twenty years of experience as a writer, twelve years as an English teacher, and over two years as a former senior editor for a well-known, award-winning romance epublisher.

But if I’m a good writer, why should I have my work edited professionally?

Many authors are excellent wordsmiths or are leery of having their work edited by a stranger, but doing so welcomes a completely objective process. If I am reading an author’s work for the first time, I’ll catch things that the author missed. I have no interest in changing the author’s voice or intent, but instead I offer suggestions for continuity in plot, characterization, and structure as well as catch errors in grammar and punctuation.

While I cannot guarantee an author’s book will be a bestseller, I can help make it the best it can be. From an intense line edit to that final tweak and polish, I can help. And please note that Story Edits is not affiliated with any publishing house or agency. My only interest is the author and her manuscript.

I work with authors in all areas of romance: historical, erotica, contemporary, sweet, futuristic, fantasy, paranormal, time-travel, mystery, suspense, etc.

3.) How much does it cost?

I don’t charge by the hour because self-publishing romance authors need a tangible price in order to budget for editing, formatting, cover, promotion, etc. My price is 1½ cents per word (multiply word count by .015). This price includes two complete edits of your manuscript, before and after your revision.

All work is done electronically. The manuscript should be complete and ready for editing.

If anyone has questions, feel free to write me at storyedits@gmail.com or visit Story Edits.

Pamela, thanks again for having me guest on your blog.

Romancing on Friday: Guest Blogger Jordan K. Rose: What Makes that New Year’s Eve Kiss so Darn Important?

2011-12-29T20:17:00.003-05:00

Today, Jordan K. Rose is my guest and she’s blogging about what makes that New Year’s Eve kiss so important.

Hi there, Sapphire. Thanks for having me on the blog today. It’s great to be here, preparing to ring in 2012!

With New Year’s Eve just one day way I wonder what is it about that particular evening that makes everyone want to have a partner, lover, mate, or significant other. Why is having a date on New Year’s Eve so crucial? I’m no different from any other woman. I always wanted to have someone to kiss at midnight, too. But why? What makes the stroke of midnight on January 1 so significant? It can’t just be that we want to celebrate the fact that we were able to keep our eyes open and stay awake long enough to see the ball drop in Time’s Square. Can it?

A little “Google Research” suggests a number of possibilities for where the custom is derived, none of which seem important today. However, nearly every one of the links I reviewed indicated that the contact you have at the stroke of midnight sets the tone for the coming year. So, if you are only with acquaintances and not a lover you’re going to have a less favorable year than you would if you were with someone special and able to share a little bit of passion. That kiss at midnight is the barometer by which you can measure what you should expect for 2012.

A kiss with someone you love ensures a good year to come. A kiss with someone of lesser importance or no kiss at all means you’ll have a year of misfortune or loneliness.

I’ve rung in quite a few New Years, some have been with friends who meant the world to me. Those were decent years. I can’t really complain about them. However, by far my best years began with a bit of passion, a kiss or more with the man I love. So I guess I fully support the findings of my “research.”

I have to agree the New Year’s Eve kiss sets the tone for the coming year. My advice to you is make it a good one filled with lots of passion if you want to ensure a steamy, hot new year. You do want to have a fun 2012, don’t you?

Jordan K. Rose

Perpetual Light releasing Winter 2012

www.jordankrose.com

Perpetual Light Back Cover Blurb:

Fate is cruel. Especially when the one you’ve sworn to love for all eternity, the very soul who changed your destiny is the last person you should trust.

After more than three hundred years of running, Lucia Dicomano must make a choice.

Forced to take her place as a Pharo of Redemption, the divine slayer needs to master her forgotten powers. Lucia turns to Vittorio, the one vampire she’s failed to deliver from eternal damnation. But overcoming smoldering remnants of love, lust and anger aren’t their only obstacles.

Samuel, who may know Lucia better than she knows herself, hunts her with a fervor stoked by a thousand years of vengeful hatred. His plan—capture and enslave the weakened Pharo then take control of her elusive power.

Can Lucia trust Vittorio long enough to reclaim her powers? Or will she have no choice but to kill him and battle Samuel alone?

About Jordan:

After trying her hand at many, many things- from crafting and art classes to cooking and sewing classes to running her own handbag business, Jordan finally figured out how to channel her creativity. With an active imagination and a little encouragement from her husband she sat down and began to write, each night clicking away at the keys with her black Labrador, Dino curled up under the desk.

A few short years later she’s entered the publishing arena with no plans to ever turn back.

Jordan’s a member of Rhode Island Romance Writers, as well as RWA National, and the New England (NEC), Connecticut, and Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal (FFnP) Chapters.

Her first book, Perpetual Light, releases in February of 2012 from Crescent Moon Press. Here is link for the book on Crescent Moon's website: Perpetual Light

Find Jordan on her Website
Follow her tweets on Twitter
Friend her on FaceBook

HOT HUNK WEDNESDAY

2011-12-28T08:50:00.000-05:00

Last hunk for 2011, and last Hot Hunk Wednesday, as next week, this will become Writer's Wednesday. Since I have Romancing on Friday for my readers, I decided to write about writing and let other romance authors write about it too on Wednesdays. That's to say there won't be a hunk here or there for you to enjoy, but I want to do something different for Wednesdays as of 2012. So if you want to learn about writing, do chck back, starting January 4th.

But enjoy today's hot hunk, as he gets sweaty for you, working out.

My Guest Blog at Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest 6 PM 12/27—Giveaway

2011-12-27T12:39:00.001-05:00

I will be blogging at Whipped Cream Review's Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest, starting at 6:00 p.m. today through December 30th at midnight Eastern, talking about the mistletoe. I am giving away a download of A Familiar Tangle With Hell to one lucky commenter, who I will pick on December 31st. So please leave your email, so I can send it to you. While you're there, check out the other guest blogs and leave a comment for them as they are talking about the holidays for the Blogfest, plus doing giveaways too. http://is.gd/D3Dsff

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

2011-12-25T10:01:00.000-05:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Winner of Romancing on Friday: A Very Familiar Christmas

2011-12-24T17:03:00.000-05:00

The winner is (drum roll, please!). . . .Carolyn!

Congratulations, Carolyn, and Merry Christmas plus happy New Year. I will be emailing you shortly, to see what version of download you want your prize in.

Everyone, have a Merry Christmas!

Romancing on Friday: A Very Familiar Christmas

2011-12-22T16:45:00.001-05:00

A Very Familiar Christmas

THUMP! Thump, thump, thump.

Awoken from her nightmare by the sound of something landing on the roof, Tina unfurled herself from Charun’s arms.

What’s that? She thought, climbing off the mattress and after snatching her robe, slipped it on.

She shook Charun’s shoulder to awake him. The Familiar leaped out of bed and shifted to his demon form, falling into a fighting stance. He dropped his arms and blinked at Tina when he saw there was nothing but the two of them in the bedroom.

“What’s the matter?” he asked.

Tina pointed at the ceiling and whispered, “Something’s on the roof.”

Charun raised his nose and sniffed. Took another sniff, then another. He looked at her and shook his head. “I don’t smell a demon.”

BUMP!

He lowered back into his fighting stance, eyeing the ceiling.

Tina crossed her arms. “See. I did hear something.”

The noise on the roof moved to the chimney and they heard something coming down it. Both bolted out of the bedroom and to the living room, skidding to a halt in front of the fireplace. A bit of black dust fell, then another and another. The stockings that Charun had hung on the mantle danced and swayed as the fireplace wobbled and began to grow. Tina and Charun whipped their bodies into fighting mode, the static of magic crackling at their fingertips.

A heavy body dropped to the floor of the fireplace and backed out of it. It twirled around as the fireplace returned to its normal size.

Charun snarled, “What or who the fuck are you?”

The creature straightened its red coat and dusted off its pants. It dropped a very large red bag, tied securely with a green ribbon. When it turned around, Tina snd Charun saw a man. He raised a finger and shook it side to side.

“Potty mouth, Charun. Knock it off, or you go back on the naughty list that you’ve been on for eons before you became a Familiar." His bushy snow-white eyebrows knitted together as lines formed in his forehead. "The two of you are supposed to be asleep. No one ever sees Santa Claus, not even magical beings.” The man grinned. “At least, not on Christmas Eve. I agreed to that and my immortality when I signed the proper papers long ago when I became Santa Claus.”
Charun changed to his human shape, naked. With a snap of her fingers, Tina's magic formed a robe out of the air and slipped it on him. Slippers appeared next on his feet.

Tina inched closer. “You’re . . . Santa Claus? There really is a Santa Claus?”

Santa huffed, and placed both hands on his hips. “You’re sleeping with a demon, became a Witch with magical powers, and you have the gall to wonder if I am real?”

Tina nodded. “Yes, I guess that was a stupid question.”

Santa snapped his fingers and the bag untied and opened. Glittering green and red magic twinkled out of it and flew over to hover over Tina’s and Charun’s hands, becoming a big wrapped box for each of them.

The magic flew back into the bag and retied itself. The bag lifted up into Santa’s hand. With a quick nod and a bright twinkle in his eye, Santa turned as the fireplace widened again. Without any further word, he shot up the chimney in a sparkle of red and green glow. A warm fire appeared in the fireplace, cheerfully crackling and snapping.

Tina and Charun ran to the window and watched as a sleigh pulled by nine reindeer—one with a glowing red nose—rose up into the moonlit winter sky and sped out of sight.

Tina threw up the window. Cold air drifted in. Not only that, but a disembodied voice, too. “Ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas! See you next year if you survive New Year’s Eve.”

Charun drew down the window and frowned at Tina. “Now what did he mean by that?”

Buy the download of A Familiar Tangle in Hell to learn what Santa Claus meant. It's also for sale on Kindle.

Blurb for A Familiar Tangle With Hell:

Tina and Charun thought it was all over and that their life would be normal—well, as normal as it could be for an immortal Witch and her demon Familiar. Except there was another prophesy, one that laid claim that if Lucifer snatches Tina and mates with her before the last chime before midnight of the new year and gets her pregnant with his son, that the real Armageddon would begin, spelling the end of life as they knew it.
When Tina is stolen away, Charun, along with Jacokb the archangel, must race against time into the bowels of Hell to rescue her. But with demons, Lucifer, and a cute demon bunny with fangs out of a Monty Python nightmare, out to stop them and Heaven not lending a hand, will Tina become the mother of the Antichrist and the start of a new Hell on Earth?

HOT HUNK WEDNESDAY

2011-12-20T18:33:00.000-05:00

A crowd of hunks for your holiday pleasure. Wouldn't you love one of these Santas coming down your chimney Christmas Eve?

Congratulations to Winner of Diana Cosby's Guest Blog

2011-12-18T21:59:00.000-05:00

L. L. Muir is the winner, so congratulations! Contact me or Diana Cosby so we can get your email to be contacted by to get your address so Diana can mail you your prize.

For those who didn't win, thanks for commenting. And check back this upcoming Friday for my own post--I will be giving away a download of my erotic urban fantasy, A Familiar Tangle With Hell, sequel to Being Familiar With a Witch.

Romancing on Friday: "A New Year’s Guide To Success!"

2011-12-15T19:39:00.001-05:00

Welcome my guest today for Romancing on Friday: International Best-Selling romance author, Diana Cosby. She brings to life, those handsome Scottish heroes in her historical romances.

Dreams are visions of what we can become. But, dreams are also an invitation to doubt, to wonder if you’re good enough, or if you have what it takes. When I retired from the Navy, I decided to pursue my dream of becoming a published author. After 100 rejections, I quit counting as I figured I knew how to achieve a rejection. Then, after 9 ½ years, I’m humbled to share I finally sold. The journey taught me many things, which I’d like to share with you.

-Take yourself seriously: Until you take yourself seriously, no one else will.

-Associate with people who inspire you, and encourage you to achieve your dreams. Encourage and inspire others as you grow.

-Set a clear goal: Once you know exactly what you want, break down steps to achieve it. If you’re unsure how to start, read biographies of people who have achieved your dream. What steps did they take? Are there any similar avenues you can pursue?

-Each step forward is exactly that: Success is a compilation of small steps toward one focused goal.

-Affiliate yourself with professional organizations: Join groups where you can learn the craft you desire. In addition to net-working, you will have opportunities to learn from on-line or local sources about your area of interest.

-Self affirmation: Each morning reaffirm that you are good enough as well as clarify your goal of the day. Then, move forward with positive, focused steps.

-Inspirational quotes: I’m a huge fan of inspirational quotes as they remind me that each of us struggle as we pursue our dreams. Each day, I find a quote that touches me and post it on my Facebook pages and Twitter in hopes others find inspiration in the message as well.

-Permission to fail: Success is more than a moment, but a journey. As we grow within our craft, there will come times when we fail at a certain steps. Focus not on the failure, but on the lessons learned. What worked, what didn’t? Move forward and make wiser decisions with the knowledge learned.

-The way we act, talk about our goals reflects our commitment to them: What are you telling yourself? “I WILL do this!” Or, are you assuring yourself that one day you’ll really try?

-A gift of example: When you make the choice to follow your dream, you are doing more than commitment to self, but teaching your children an important life lesson — to dare to dream, and more, to dare to follow your dreams. So, be bold, believe in yourself.

I hope you’ve found inspiration from my comments. Remember as you make your New Year’s resolutions, there is no right path, but the steps right for you. Believe in yourself, YOU have what it takes! Have a wonderful holiday season, and may your New Year be the best yet!

When you leave a comment to this post today, you will be entered to win a signed copy of His Destiny. Please leave an email too, so that when the winner is drawn, I will be able to contact you to arrange to get your snail mail address to send the book to you.

Sincerely,

Diana Cosby, International Best-Selling Author

Website

His Captive-Alexander MacGruder/ His Woman-Duncan MacGruder/ His Conquest-Seathan MacGruder / His Destiny

*Upcoming news about the MacGruder brothers series soon!

Highland vampire anthology: Title/Release date TBA

Book Blurb:
As one of England's most capable mercenaries, Emma Astyn can charm an enemy and brandish a knife with unmatched finesse. Assigned to befriend Dubh Duer, an infamous Scottish rebel, she assumes the guise of innocent damsel Christina Moffat to intercept the writ he’s carrying to a traitorous bishop. But as she gains the dark hero’s confidence and realizes they share a tattered past, compassion—and passion—distract her from the task at hand.

Excerpt:
Guilt edged through Emma that in the end, she would betray Patrik. She shoved the emotion aside. A year had passed since King Balliol had abdicated his throne at Brechin and resigned his Kingdom of Scotland to King Edward. Regardless of any Scot’s wishes, the English king ruled their land. It was the rebel’s decision to continue this fruitless rebellion, not her guilt to bear.

If Patrik hated her when he learned her true identity, so be it. By then she would be gone, her mission long since completed. Nor would he ever find a Scottish woman named Cristina Moffat.

A shout echoed in the distance.

Patrik whirled, caught her hand and hauled her beneath the dense underbrush. “Stay!” he hissed. Keeping his body close to the ground, he inched up the embankment to the edge of the trail where they’d walked moments before. After a quick scan, he jumped to his feet and used a branch to erase any sign of their passage. Tossing the limb, he hurried beneath the shield of leaves, covered her body with his.

“Say naught,” he whispered.

As if with his body flush against hers it was possible to think? She scoured their surroundings for any sign of movement, tried to ignore the hard length of him, the feel of his entire body wrapped above hers.

And failed.

Wind rattled leaves overhead. A raven flitted in the tree above then flew away.

Footsteps sounded nearby.

A stick cracked - closer this time, followed by a muttered curse.

Patrik’s calloused hand covered hers with surprising gentleness.

She stared at the tangle of scars battering his skin, the muscled hand atop hers. She should pull away, not feed this delusion of his protecting her. Instead, Emma savored his touch, his protectiveness in a world that offered none.

Author Bio:
After retiring at 36 from her job as a Navy Chief Meteorologist/Oceanographer, Diana Cosby dove into her passion – writing romance novels. With 33 moves behind her, Diana was anxious to create characters who reflected the amazing cultures and people she have met throughout the world. Nine and a half years later, she received “The Call” from Kensington and sold the first two books in the MacGruder brother’s series.

Diana has many passions, but one that resonates most in her life is that of giving. She firmly believes that each person can make a positive difference in another person’s life. With each book she sells, Diana tithes 10% of her royalties to a charity of her choice. Diana is currently working on the next book in the award-winning MacGruder brother’s series, and looks forward to the years of writing ahead and meeting the amazing people who will share this journey.

BUY

Guest Blogging at Beyond Romance on Stress for Writers During the Holidays

2011-12-14T10:50:00.003-05:00

I am blogging about the stress writers go through during the holidays and how they can beat it at Beyond Romance. Even if you're not a writer, but a reader, many of my tips can help you, too. http://is.gd/eSZCIG

HOT HUNK WEDNESDAY

2011-12-14T10:24:00.001-05:00

With the bow on his hip, I am assuming he's the Christmas gift. Would you unwrapped this present?

Romancing on Friday: Romance During the Holidays

2011-12-09T15:07:00.004-05:00

The holidays are here. That means Chrsitmas, New Year's,

Chanukah, Kwanzaa, and Winter Solstice. But what can they have to do with romance? There's the mistletoe. The mistletoe is hung from the ceiling and when two people stand beneath it, a kiss can be stolen. Though not originally due to romance, but when the Norse Goddess, Frigga's son, Baldur who was killed by Loki throwing a mistletoe dart into his chest, was restored, she went all over to kiss all beneath the white berries and declared it would never be used for a weapon ever again. She said, "All who stand beneath the mistletoe must kiss in friendship and peace."

Maybe most of the stories concerning these holidays do not have much romance in them, still, it's a perfect season for loving as much as anything else. With a roaring fire, popped popcorn, cups of hot chocolate or glasses of wine, two lovers can cuddled and renew their love for each other while it snows outside. Even if you can not afford the pricest gift to give your true love, it doesn't matter, for the best gift given is love of the one you love.

And isn't that what the romance of Christmas should be truly about?

Talking of romance, the sequel to Being Familiar With a Witch, A Familiar Tangle With Hell is set during New Year's Eve, where once again Tina and her demon Familiar lover, Charun, work to stop Armageddon from happening again.

Book Blurb:

Tina and Charun thought it was all over and that their life would be normal—well, as normal as it could be for an immortal Witch and her demon Familiar. Except there was another prophesy, one that laid claim that if Lucifer snatches Tina and mates with her before the last chime before midnight of the new year and gets her pregnant with his son, that the real Armageddon would begin, spelling the end of life as they knew it.

Excerpt (18 and older only):

Charun paced the floor, worried. What the fuck was that bit about her freaking out at Anzu’s and Jeanine’s place earlier? He had contacted Tina when Jeanine’s Familiar told him how Tina had left his and Jeanine’s apartment looking scared.

Tina wouldn’t tell him what the matter was, just that everything was fine and she decided to go to the bookstore to work. But he detected the underlying current of nervousness in her voice in his head. No doubt she thought she had him fooled, but she didn’t understand that a Witch couldn’t hide anything from her Familiar once the connection happened. Supposedly it was vice versa, but being a demon it was easier to keep secrets. Except, he had only one secret he never divulged to her.

If he ever told it to her, he worried that she may think less of him. He could never have her think less of him, so he kept that secret locked away in a corner of his mind.

He stopped at the window and stared out. She thinks you were human once. That for some bad enough transgression you died and went to Hell. But we know the truth. You were an archangel once. And you blew it, being dumb enough to follow Lucifer.

He ignored that dig and tucked that away right back in his mind. Turning away from the window, he walked back into the living room.

When is Tina getting home? Why does she need to work at that bookstore anyway? She doesn’t need a paycheck to survive anymore. She’s a Witch, for Hell’s sake! She can conjure up anything she needs. His more practical side chided, pushing aside his more demonic bad boy one. Did you think she could give up her old life at the bookstore that easily?

He stopped by the coffee table and gave a snort. “Hell, yeah!”

She only gave in to become a Witch for the world…and you. Do you want her to change completely?

No, he’d fallen in love her just the way she was.

Buy A Familiar Tangle With Hell

A Familiar Tangle With Hell Is Reviewed by Siren Book Reviews

2011-12-08T19:24:00.000-05:00

A Familiar Tangle With Hell was reviewed by Siren Book Reviews, getting

Some of what the reviewer said: Imaginative and distinct, A Familiar Tangle With Hell stands apart from other Angels vs. Demons Armageddon stories.

Read more of the review at Siren Book Reviews

My Author Interview at Relaxing the Writer

2011-12-07T20:10:00.001-05:00

I was interviewed at Relaxing the Writer , both as Sapphire Phelan, and as Pamela K. Kinney.

HOT HUNK WEDNESDAY

2011-12-06T17:51:00.000-05:00

Though he's lacking a head, still, this hunk ready for Christmas.

Romancing on Friday: Guest Blogger Lynn Crain: The Lure of Vienna

2011-12-01T17:45:00.000-05:00

About six months ago, I moved to Vienna. No, not the one in Virginia, but the one in Austria. You know, Sound of Music country. Yup, that’s where I landed and I can’t say I’ve really been happy about it either. I was happy with our life in the States but with the economy and other things, the opportunity was too good to pass up. So my husband of thirty years and I packed up our home, said goodbye to our children, grandchildren and pets, moved to a foreign country.

My husband had been here many, many times but in all those years, I’d only came once and he brought me in February when it was cold and windy. Still, I thought I could handle it as it had been years since I’d lived anywhere there were seasons. Living in the southwest really only has two seasons, hot or cold. Here I have fall and apparently there is a spring to go along with it. I already know about the hot summer and was fortunate enough to get a flat with air conditioning. There’s no more I can say about winter except I’m glad it hasn’t snowed yet as it is very cold and it’s just the start of December.

But one of the best things about this place is the history and the sense of romance I feel on nearly every street corner. Every time I walk into a palace and see the majestic tall walls or ceiling frescos, I wonder about days gone by. The flat, or apartment, I live in was built in 1868 and every time I look out the window I look into a palace’s back yard.

I’ve visited Schonnbrun, seen the fake roman ruins and the magnificent gardens. It’s history started in 1569 when it was purchased by Maximillian II for a hunting ground. At that time it had a small home on it called Katterburg and over the years it was built upon until it has a grand total of 1441 rooms. It’s most recent incarnation has been as one of Austria’s national historic sites. It is the most recognized and well known of the palaces here. Still, can’t you just hear the soldiers in the barracks? Or the royal family at play in the personal rooms? Think of the mischief you can write about these halls as two lovers get trapped by an unforgiving society.

In contrast, Kaiservilla, in a place called Bad Ischl, is a small hunting lodge given to Franz Josef I as a wedding gift from his mother. His wife, Elizabeth, was known as the reluctant Empress and truly had a hard time of being a royal. The family would make summer sojourns to this area for a respite against all the royal duties at home. Here their simple home, with less than a hundred rooms, became their refuge against the world. Small gatherings were held here over the years as well as diplomatic ventures. It was here that the documents of war would be signed that would start the first of two world wars.

Yet with this history, both positive and negative, the area has an aura of romance. As I walked the grounds that are still owned today by Hapsburg descendents, all I could think of were the lavish balls of the day, of the court intrigue that went on constantly and how lovers could meet and then be torn apart by circumstances beyond their control. This is the stuff of great love stories.

Even with all the fantastic places this country has to offer, there is one without compare and that would be the castle in Salzburg. While I’ve not had the chance to visit the inside yet, the outside is the stuff fairy tales are made of with its white-washed walls, high promotory and history enough to make a girl’s head spin. I can think of a million ways to use this in a romance or even a fantasy story about warring nations brought together by marriage...can’t you?

For more about Austria, visit my blog, A Writer in Vienna, as I try to give all my impressions for living in a foreign country. Some days I revisit history, others I might be taking in a big ride or even a wild ride as my husband and I take to the streets driving here for the first time. Life is always interesting! Don’t hesitate to drop me a line if you need any information concerning the area. If you’re going to be in my neck of the woods, please let me know. I just love visitors!

You can find me at twitter (oddlynn3) or Facebook (oddlynn3) as well as my website, www.lynncrain.com and regular blog at www.lynncrain.blogspot.com. Please excuse the dust on both the website and blog as they are currently being revamped. Be ready for their unveiling in 2012. Look for my new short, A Lover for Rachel, from Shooting Star Books to arrive sometime in December for only $0.99 at all eBook outlets. I’ve included the draft cover art...who doesn’t love a Jimmy cover?

Also, if you have a great log line, you can submit them to me for The Log Line Blog and I’ll include you in the lineup. Go see the blog for submission guidelines!

Hope you all have a great weekend.

Lynn Crain

About Lynn:
Lynn Crain realized at an early age she wanted to write. She took the long way to being published by doing a variety of things like nursing, geologist, technical writer and computer manager all of which have added to her detail-oriented stories. Now she’s a full time storyteller and weaves fantasy, futuristic and paranormal tales as well as erotic stories for various publishers. She normally lives in the very hot southwest with her husband, son, two dogs, three cats and she’s gotten rid of her snakes. Don’t ask. Other members of her clan live nearby and include a son, daughter-in-law and two grandsons as well as various long-time friends. She is a past national board member of the RWA; founding president of Las Vegas Romance Writers Chapter of RWA; has held the positions of president, vice-president, secretary and contest chair of EPIC. Her latest adventure has taken her to Vienna, Austria with her husband as he works for a UN affiliated company. You can find her hanging out at A Writer In Vienna Blog (www.awriterinvienna.blogspot.com) and various other places on the net (www.theloglineblog.blogspot.com; www.twitter.com/oddlynn3). Still, the thing she loves most of all is hearing from her readers at lynncrain@cox.net

HOT HUNK WEDNESDAY

2011-11-29T21:59:00.000-05:00

Time to start shopping for those great gifts. Don't you think he has one great gift?

Lord of Illusion Coming Soon

2011-11-29T10:37:00.000-05:00

THE LORD OF ILLUSION is coming soon!

http://www.kathrynekennedy.com/

Romancing on Friday: Historical Romance Short Story: Old Friends

2011-11-25T11:03:00.001-05:00

This is an orginal historical romance short story of mine, "Old Friends," that was published in the e-magazine, Cobblestone Press, back in December 2007. The eread is copyrighted, so please do not copy it and put it up elsewhere. Just share the link with friends. This is my Black Friday gift to my readers to enjoy after a day of hustling and bustling, shopping.

Old Friends

Sapphire Phelan

Brigit giggled and crouched down, hiding behind a large bag of grain in the pantry. Her mother wouldn’t find her there. She grinned as she heard her mother’s voice calling her name. She settled down and began to eat one of the muffins she had pilfered from the table in the kitchen. Obvious to her mother’s voice growing fainter and farther away, added with the sounds of the snow storm as if the large door to the kitchen had been just opened, Brigit enjoyed the sticky sweet.

After eating every morsel of the muffin and becoming tired, the little girl fell asleep. She never knew that her mother had run out into the storm to search for her and became lost by the blinding snow and froze to death. She didn’t learn anything, not until the next morning when she woke up and Cook discovered her.

After that day, Brigit never played hide and seek again. Only one more time did she get to see her mother’s face, at the funeral service. It seem like her mother was only sleeping as she laid in the stone coffin, her dark lashes feathering cold, white cheeks.

One hand gripped by her nurse, Birdie’s, Brigit watched as her mother’s casket was lowered into the crypt under the stone floor of the village church. Afterwards, a stone effigy of her mother’s face and form covered the hole, marking where her coffin had been placed.

Her father, dressed from head to toe in black velvet, led everyone away from there, never acknowledging the tears of his daughter. He had rained blame upon his only child’s head for the death of the great love of his life. Only a handsome boy, about ten-years-old and was the friend of both her brother and her, took her other hand and with a gentle squeeze of friendship, walked back with Birdie and her to the castle.

****

Lady Brigit Clennan smoothed out the skirts of her forest green gown and sat down at the table. Next to her, her brother, Lord Michael Clennan, belched noisily. Wrinkling her button nose in distaste, she waved her hand as the odor of onions and rancid meat drifted over to her.

“Michael, you clod!” she said with a curled lip. "Can't you keep what you eat inside you?”

He turned a wine-dulled gaze on her and grinned, revealing dirty, yellow teeth, a few of them missing. “If you don’t like me or how my hall is, my dear sister, you can always return to that convent our father had you in.”

Her gaze focused downwards, as if suddenly examining the empty plate in front of her had grown suddenly fascinating. "No, you're right, you are fine and the castle is too.” Her voice dropped to a brow-beaten whisper. "I have no further complaints."

“I thought not. Now, be quiet, brat, and let me eat and drink in peace.”

Brigit's gaze remained down, as tears glistened in her eyes. How she hated being here, a charity case of her brother's! But it was better than that convent, where Abbess Thomasine held tight-fisted reign over the submissive nuns and mealy-mouthed girls sent there to be educated by their nobleman fathers.

Like her.

Except her father hadn’t just sent her there to be educated properly for a noblewoman’s life, but because he had hated the sight of her. He had blamed her for mother's death ten years ago.

She smiled. The old monster was dead. And now her brother held sway over the family and let her come back home. It was so that he could have someone to make sure that the castle was kept clean and warm food and good wine always on the table for his meals. That way he could do what all other lords of castles did in peace. But Brigit had not minded, for she was free of that convent.

Her smile faded.

Except that soon her brother would be married to the daughter of a lord to the north, thanks to the successful negotiations done by their father before he had died. It meant that some strange woman would take her place
as chatelaine of Clennan Castle. And Brigit would be most likely sent back to that convent, or even worse, married off to one of Michael’s friends. And most of her brother's friends were ugly, hulking brutes.

Though one of them did not seem unattractive and he used to be fun to be with too. But that was ten years ago, when they had been playmates. Since then, he had grown up and obviously forgotten her. He seemed more interested in being with his fellow knights and friends, carousing and flitting like bees pollinating among the more beautiful flowers of womanhood.

She glanced up when one of the servants plopped a slab of venison meat on her plate. A feeling of being watched came over her. She turned her head and caught Lord Hawk Rawls staring at her. Gimlet eyes of smoke bored straight at her and his cruel but sensual lips, surrounded by a five o’clock shadow, grew slowly into a 'I like to eat you' smile. And she noticed that unlike her brother, his teeth gleamed white, with all of them there.

Teeth to nip your flesh with, she thought, and shivered.

Her old friend had grown up into a very desirable man, willing to spend a moment using seduction on an old playmate.

Think of the games you and your old playmate could play nowadays.

She blushed, and glanced back down at the venison on her plate. She picked it up and bit into it, chewing the meat as if it was the most important thing to do. More important than how strikingly handsome Lord Hawk Rawls looked.

Brigit had only swallowed a few mouthfuls of the meat when she felt the heat of Hawk's gaze again. Drawn, she looked up and locked her gaze directly with his. His eyes gleamed like cold iron. Except they didn't seem chilly at all, but were blazing like an out-of-control fire. She fanned herself, feeling suddenly warm.

She noticed the rest of his features. A symmetrical face, both exotic and aristocratic. A sharp aquiline nose jutted out of his face. He also had high cheekbones and a square chin. A face of a devilish, handsome heartbreaker. A troubadour last night had sung tales about him, of how he had a score of women, all eager to lie with him. And many who did.

Brigit blushed, feeling the flush of heat fanning her cheeks. Why should she care how many women he bedded? It didn’t concern her at all.

Her stomach began to churn, so she stood up and rushed from the table. She bolted from the hall and ran up the stairs to the second floor. Finding the door to her room, she pushed it open and darted inside, whooshing past her former nurse and now maid, Birdie. Then seeing the dying light of the afternoon through the window, she flung herself on the wooden window seat underneath it. She fought to control her harsh breathing, slowing it back to normal. She looked over her shoulder at Birdie.

"My lady?" piped up Birdie, looking both unsure and questioning.

"It's all right, Birdie," said Brigit, turning back to stare straight out through the window. "You can go. When I need help to undress, I will call for you."

"Yes, my lady."

Brigit heard the rustle of material as her maid left the room. Seconds later the door opened and closed.

She stared down into the courtyard below, but nothing happening down there broke into her conscious thought. Hawk's face blotted everything out, leaving only his visage hovering before her. She closed her eyes, hoping
it would vanished, but even inside her mind's eye his face haunted her.

She opened her eyes when she heard the click of the chamber door opening and closing softly. She sighed.

"I told you, Birdie, when I need you to assist me with undressing I'll call you."

Rough-skinned hands cupped her shoulders and a deep, very masculine voice whispered into her ear. "I am not Birdie, but I would be glad to assist you, especially in the undressing part."

Brigit screamed and jumped up, twisting around to meet the amused gaze of Lord Rawls.

"My lord!"

"Call me Hawk. You used to, you know."

"You can not be in my room."

"Well, I am," he said with humor. He swept his gaze around the room, stopping at her bed. "A most enchanting room, Brigit. I haven't been in here since we were both children."

She stalked over to the door and flung it open. "Well, you saw it, been in it as an adult, and now you can leave!"

He leaned back against one of the posts of her bed. His eyes glinted dangerously. Seductively. A palomino lock from his long hair fell over his forehead, making him look even more attractive than he already seemed. Like a Fairy lord.

She stamped her foot. "If you don't leave, I'll scream loudly and bring my brother and the others up here. And I do not think you wished to be found up here, against my wishes."

He sat down on the edge of her bed and focused his gaze on his right hand, seeming intent on the nails. "Last night your brother accepted my suit for your hand in marriage." One side of his lips lifted up in a half smile as he brought his head up to stare at her. "Bring everyone up here and I will say that we were just anticipating our wedding night, that you had screamed out with lust from my touch."

Hawk stood up with fluid grace and advanced on her. He shoved the door shut and dragged her into his arms, his lips capturing hers. Gentle at first, he besieged her lips with a wild storm of passion. His hand cupped her breast and thumbed the nipple through the material of her gown, making it bead-hard.

Brigit whimpered into his mouth and edged closer, returning his kiss like a violent storm let loose. He withdrew and she opened her eyes, discovering that the gray of his eyes had darkened into the color of thunder clouds.

"Tell me that you did not feel the spark of attraction between us, Brigit," he pressed. "The spark that's always been there between us, since we were children."

"Children do not feel lust," stated Brigit.

"No," he agreed, "but friendship can turn into a passion of two lovers, when those friends finally grow up." His hand caressed the side of her cheek. "And we were such great friends. What happened to us?"

Brigit stirred, turning away. "I got sent away to a convent because my father blamed me for my mother's death." She found his gaze again. "And you grew up, having women desiring you. Beautiful, seductive women. You

discovered that plain little Brigit Clennan was not worth the trouble to seduce when she came back." Her lips twisted wryly.

A gentle look filled his eyes. "You are wrong. Why else would I ask Michael for your hand in marriage? Why else would I do this to you again?"

He leaned over and covered her lips, deepening the kiss as his tongue breached her mouth to dance erotically with hers.

Hawk lifted her up into his arms and carried her over to her bed. He sat down on the edge of the bed, holding her in his lap and without a break in the soul-draining kiss. Brigit moaned and circled her arms around his neck, straining closer to him, wanting to merge with him.

Finally after what seem for a long time of endless kissing he broke away, his breathing ragged.

"How could you think that I would have any other woman, when all the while you haunted my waking life and the dreams I had while I slept?" His hand tucked a loose strand of her hair behind an ear. "I admit I did not lead a life of priestly vows, but I can tell you with honest heart that all those tales about me are just that, made up tales." An expression of humor etched on his face. "I can tell you that if I had all the amorous adventures

attributed to me, I would be constantly bow-legged." He grasped her chin tightly and kept her immobile to all but his earnest gaze. "As for your father, he was crazy, blaming you for your mother's death. Just because your mother had rushed out into a snow storm, looking for you when all the time you had been hiding in the pantry, playing hide and seek with her, was not your fault. Nor her death out there in the cold after. You were only a small child."

Tears welled up in her eyes. "But Father never forgave me."

"He died asking for your forgiveness."

"What?"

"I was there, at his deathbed side with Michael when he managed his last words, telling your brother to bring you home. Told Michael that he said that he was an old fool, blaming a small child for a death she did not cause."

"Then why didn't my brother—"

"I told him I wanted to tell you myself when I asked him for your hand. I wanted to show you that I care about you and not the dowry you would bring me.” A cheeky grin lit up his face, turning him into more like a carefree boy than a man. “I love you. I always have, and always will."

Tears flowed down her cheeks. "Oh, Hawk. I do love you and always had, ever since I first met that eight-year old boy fostered here for training in knighthood."

Hawk laughed and lifted her off his lap. "I think we better head back downstairs before I do anticipate our wedding night."

He made as if to stand up, but Brigit placed her hand against his chest, stopping him. She slipped back into his lap and curled her arms around his neck.

"Do we really need to head back downstairs right away?" She pressed her lips against his, whispering, "I need to find out how well my old friend does think of me."

She felt his smile against her lips. Then those smiling lips gently took hers. The kiss of friendship grew, deepening with passion.

****

Birdie opened the door and caught a glimpse of two naked forms beneath the furs on the bed. With a smile, she walked back out, closing and locking the door behind her.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

2011-11-24T14:58:00.000-05:00

Whether in the United States, or eleswhere, I am thankfulfor you my readers.

Guest Blogging at Whipped Cream Reviews Today-Giveaway Too

2011-11-23T11:51:00.000-05:00

I am guest blogging at Whipped Cream Reviews today about "What Makes a Good Romance Novel?" Leave a comment to be entered in Whipped Cream's contest.

HOT HUNK WEDNESDAY

2011-11-22T20:22:00.000-05:00

This hunk is getting his laundry done. Really, I think he's fine without clothes, don't you?

I've been Interviewed by Charleston Paranormal Fiction Examiner

2011-11-21T10:13:00.000-05:00

I've been interviewed by the Charleston Paranormal Fiction Examiner. http://is.gd/ZGcmUp

Winner of Shara Lanel's Guest Blog

2011-11-21T10:12:00.000-05:00

Congratulations, Stacey, you are the winner of Shara Lanel's giveaway on her guest blog from Romancing on Friday! Since you also posted your email on your comment, I contacted Shara with it. So expect her to contact you to get your prize.

Romancing on Friday: Guest Blogger Shara Lanel: Why Do We Love Those Supernaturals?

2011-11-17T20:00:00.003-05:00

Walk through the romance aisle in any bookstore or Walmart and you’ll find every sort of supernatural creature you can think of: vampires (of course), werewolves, weredragons, wereleopards, witches and warlocks or hunters, gargoyles, demons, and Navy Seals. Okay, Seals may not be technically supernatural, but they’re superhot and able to do things most men could only dream of.

Obviously, we want ‘em, but why? Part of me thinks it’s all Disney’s fault. Movies full of magic, fairy godmothers, magic kisses, and flying carpets—what kid is going to be satisfied with ordinary? But Prince Charming was always you’re everyday ordinary…uh, prince. He didn’t turn sprout fur after dark or have the power to read your mind or suck your blood. Boring!

If you think about it, most supernatural beings came from nightmares, horror novels, and horror movies. Werewolves were not nice or sexy. I’m thinking of both books and the moves based on the books, Wolfen and The Howling. Dracula—okay, some of them have been sexy but certainly not Nosferatu. These creatures grew from superstitions and fear and fertile imaginations. No one expected the man-wolf to come back into town and sweep a maiden off her feet. No, he’d visit to chow down on some babies or farm animals. Hence the answer about his big teeth—“The better to eat you with, my dear!”

Many of these transformations were brought on by messing with black magic or as punishment for a wrong—in other words, a curse. Sometimes these mythic creatures were created to explain an occurrence in a world without science, like the dead coming back to life and digging out of their grave, the black plague, and genetic anomalies like too much hair. Yeah, none of these strike me as sexy. Sure as hell wouldn’t want to marry someone who started the plague or had hair in places only dogs were meant to have.

But the myths and legends that come down to us today were full of half-men half-beast heroes, because they used the beastie half to make them something more that the average Joe—the strength of a bear, the speed of a leopard, the fierceness of the wolf, and the ability to fly. What female wouldn’t be impressed by those extraordinary characteristics? A hero must be larger than life, whether a Navy Seal or a shapeshifter dragon. Making our romantic couple into vampire and vampire hunter adds some over-the-top conflict, and when we write about supes we’re not limited by the laws of physics and taxes.

Let us not forget that most supes have a stronger sex drive than your average male and of course they are more skilled, what with being a demon or gargoyle or something. But far more important is that they are stronger, faster, more skilled so that they can save the heroine, because nothing turns the ladies on more than being rescued by a hot male with a dark side.

And Guy Bastiaan of BLAME IT ON THE NIGHT is one of those hot males.

Leave a comment with your email today through Sunday, November 19th, midnight Eastern, and a winner will be picked to win a download of BLAME IT ON THE MOON, the first book in this series.

Shara Lanel

Website FaceBook

Blurb:

Human/werewolf relations were forbidden. Guy’s father had made that clear years ago, but Guy had come very close to disobeying with naïve, teenage Olivia. He’d barely kept his body under control, as he’d held her during her first shocking orgasm. Years later, on edge with anger, grief, and the pull of the moon, Guy knows she’s the last person he needs near him.

Olivia is overcome with humiliation at the mere thought of seeing Guy again, though he’s starred in all of her fantasies over the past several years, but she refuses to leave his doorstep until he answers her questions about her missing sister and the dead body found on his property. Problem is, he’s ordering her to leave while blocking the door, telling her to get lost while pinning her between his hard body and the table, saying he doesn’t know what he’s doing while his every touch takes Olivia closer to heaven.

Sometimes forbidden love is worth the risk, but sometimes it leads to revenge and murder.

EXCERPT:

John leaped, remaining in human form—mostly. His eyes shifted, and his claws grew. He flexed his fingers, then scraped his claws across Guy’s shoulder. He barely felt the cuts, and the skin healed immediately, unlike his shirt. Guy maneuvered the fight farther from Olivia and made one more jab at diplomacy. “Look, take me and say the human wasn’t with me. She’s flying home tonight, and we’ll never see her again. I’ll put her on the damn plane myself.”

John tapped his finger, with its long, curving nail, against his chin, leaving specks of Guy’s blood on his face. “Do you have something to offer me?”

“Whatever you want.”

“I want her.”

Guy shook his head. “The point of the deal is for her to go home safely.”

“I will agree to that if I can have her first. I have to admit, my view earlier gave me a raging hard-on.” He licked his lips and his chin and Guy’s blood, reminding Guy of a lizard. “Is she tight?”

Olivia had sawed through one strand of rope, which gave her hand more maneuverability but didn’t loosen the rest as she’d hoped. She was freaking out on every level possible, one of which kept telling her to wake the hell up from this nightmare. The languid feeling that came from having a strong orgasm had given way to surging adrenaline—she realized she was in the presence of monsters.

“What are you?” she whispered. Guy glanced at her, apology in his eyes, but John struck his stomach, and he bent forward. The fight was on, with each man—or whatever the hell they were—striking and evading at lightning-fast speed. They crossed the entire room in the space of one blink. She could ignore the “human” reference—maybe this guy was a Trekkie—but the eyes were too much. They hadn’t gone back to normal in an instant, the way she’d seen Guy’s do. Then his nails had grown, thickened, curved. Her imagination just wasn’t that good; this had to be real.

Which meant Guy was a monster too.

Chief? She’d bet Mr. Chelan filled that role, which explained why Guy and Nootau acted so oddly around him. She nearly dropped the knife—that meant Nootau was supernatural too! Was everyone she’d grown up with not what they seemed? She’d trusted Guy—for the most part—and thought he was helping her and Amy. What if he or someone he knew was committing these murders and had her sister?

Finally she cut through the strand that allowed the rest of the rope to loosen. By now Guy’s eyes were those of a feral animal. Light scratches on Guy’s cheek healed in seconds, but deep gashes on his shoulder and ribs oozed blood, soaking his shirt—enough blood that Olivia felt light-headed from the sight. Guy swiped John’s thigh with his nails, leaving four deep, red gashes. John howled, backed up, then leaped, arms forward. Guy fell to the concrete floor, on top of him, a wolf—a huge black wolf with its mouth open, fangs at the ready.

Guy’s sorrowful gaze met Olivia’s for one second before he too turned into a wolf. The animals were both graceful and savage. Guy’s fur was brown with a silver underlay, but dark slashes crossed his face, a bandit’s mask created by black fur. The eyes that had looked so scary in his human face—well, they still looked scary—were handsome and intelligent now. They reflected the dim lighting in the basement and seemed to glow.

Buy link for Blame It on the Night: http://www.loose-id.com/Blame-it-on-the-Night.aspx

About Shara:

At age 10, research to Shara Lanel meant hopping aboard the local steam engine and writing the equivalent of The Great Train Robbery. Nowadays, she gets hands-on research at her county’s Citizens’ Police Academy. Give her a gun and she might hit the target…or a pedestrian. She swears her characters are much better shots, hitting the bulls-eye with the villains and the heart.

Award-winning novel, BLAME IT ON THE MOON, delves into the life of a werewolf wanted for murder, while FINDING MR. RIGHT IS MURDER introduces you to the girl-next-door who, in the middle of an adult slumber party, finds a body in the freezer. Shara’s novels are always full of suspense and hot romance, whether set on the moon or in a Mexican jungle.

Shara resides in Richmond, VA with a clingy dog, an action-oriented son, and a handsome hubby. Don’t put her in the kitchen, unless you want to burn it down, and her green-thumb is hit-or-miss, but she excels as a bibliophile, hoping she never has to pack up and move, since her hubby might see just how many volumes she really has. Chat with Shara on Facebook and read excerpts from all her novels at www.SharaLanel.com.

Hot Hunk Wednesday

2011-11-15T15:34:00.000-05:00

This hunk is making us a treat for Thanksgiving. Isn't he wonderful?

Romancing on Friday: Guest Blogger Jeanne Guzman: What’s Love Got To Do With It?

2011-11-10T19:35:00.001-05:00

Today for Romancing on Friday, welcome author Jeanne Guzman as she talks "What's Love Got to Do With It?" Leave her a comment and be entered to win a donwload of her eBook, Dragon Lover.

If you’re a fan of romance, everything. In Dragon Lover, yes, there are dragons, there’s a world unknown to humans, there’s a fight between good and evil, but there’s also LOVE. After all, it wouldn’t be a romantic fantasy without it.

Kimball Crossley, the main character in this tail of creatures created in my imagination, is an orphan who is brought up with the belief that we are not alone on this planet. She trains by day, hunts by night the fire breathing monster who killed her parents eighteen years before. Her only comfort comes from her sister, her foster brother, and her spiritual guide. Until (you knew that was coming) she comes face to face with the one who holds the key to her heart.

It’s an instant attraction, however Dmitri is part of the race of creatures she’d been hunting, swearing to destroy any and all who are different from her.

Kimball is stubborn in her beliefs, but when she’s faced with the realities of her past, and what the future holds for her, she’s unable to resist the pull her Dragon Lover has on her heart.

I’ve written these characters with the belief that the heart has two parts, and can never be whole until the right match comes along. Sure, you can settle for close, but really, why would you when all consuming love is out there, around the corner, just waiting for you? A love that will fill your soul and make you complete. Not possessive. Not prideful. A love that knows no bounds.

Yes, Kimball and Dmitri have their hurtles, no relationship is perfect, but the love they share between them is so strong, it’s able to break down the barriers of their two worlds.

I have really enjoyed writing Kimball’s story, and hope you’ll enjoy reading it. Here’s a little blurb to get you in the mood.

Blurb:

For eighteen years Kimball Crossley trained for the day she’d come face-to-face with the creature who murdered her parents. Nothing could’ve prepared her for the dragon who would change her life forever.

Dmitri of the Langhier Clan is one of the elite Dragon Hunters. For eighteen years he’s stood against evil, believing he’ll forever be a warrior for his people. That was until the night he’s confronted with his future.

With whispers of war in the air, can Kimball learn to trust what she’s always hated and accept her love for the Dragon Hunter? Dmitri’s skills as a hunter are superior, but can he accept that women, particularly his woman, can be as strong in mind and body as any well trained hunter? Can they put aside their differences long enough to save both their worlds?

A little about Jeanne:

Born and raised in Maryland, Jeanne Guzman got to Texas as fast as she could. Mother of 4, Mimi to 9, and Keeper of the Zoo, Jeanne and her husband/best friend enjoy life to its fullest. When they’re not traveling around Texas in their motor coach, you can find Jeanne sitting in her home office typing away at her computer.

To find out more, visit her website at Romance in Flight and join her on FaceBook .
To purchase Dragon Lover in e-book format, go to http://www.gypsyshadow.com/JeanneGuzman.html#top

Leave a comment here and one lucky person will receive an e-copy of Dragon Lover.

HOT HUNK WEDNESDAY

2011-11-09T10:32:00.000-05:00

A couple of military hunks just in time for Veterans's Day.

Romancing on Friday: Benefits of Reading Romance

2011-11-04T10:45:00.000-04:00

It’s autumn, and with Thanksgiving and Christmas, plus winter not far behind, what does one do? With holiday stress and too cold to do anything outside, why read not romance books and eBooks! There’s a certain benefit with reading romance--something comforting about happily ever after. It doesn’t matter if the hero and heroine are in a paranormal, suspense, contemporary, historical, fantasy, science fiction/futuristic, Young Adult, or inspirational, it’s about crying, laughing, fearing for, and feeling good over what happens to them—relieving anxiety of the moment and pressure that reality throws at you. Readers get the benefit of being taken away for a while. They like the adventure, and fun of the novel, and there is nothing like a good set of characters, and an occasional steamy love scene (or a lot more, like in erotic ones).

Romance readers buy in volume and velocity. They are not about bodice-ripping anymore, or even just vampires, these days, the action is in shape-shifters (wolves, lions, and bears that take human form) and male-male (written for and usually by straight women). Romance readers tend to want to see it, and it's not always vanilla.

I know that there are people out there who would say, “What can one learn from a book that’s all about sex and fluff?” Well, I am here to tell you that romance is more than the degrading term of fluff; more then about sex. It’s about commitment; people can understand that two people will stand by each other no matter what, and all due to love (whether male/female, male/male or female/female). The characters have jobs and interests, just like in real life, to make the characters believable. Reading about what they do for a living (firefighting, police work, etc…) or what interests they pursue (like calligraphy, for example) might teach you something that you never knew before. If you read a Pennsylvania Dutch romance, you might find out about a way of life different than how you live yourself. Yes, romance can give you knowledge.
Romance is more than the total sum of its words. It is all about learning something, and it takes you away from the stress and humdrum of real life. It’s like taking a vacation without paying a lot of money. It’s comfort food without gaining any weight. Now, go get a good romance, go read, and get those benefits due you.

I have a free fantasy romance eread available--a short story. It's To Teach an Ancient God.

Blurb:
Hades had waited a thousand years for Jenna Krinard, or Persephone as she had once been known to him. The problem is, Jenna is a modern woman and she'll have to teach an old god new tricks in love. What she doesn't know is how much she'll learn about love herself.

Get it at All Romance eBooks

HOT HUNK WEDNESDAY

2011-11-02T09:18:00.000-04:00

Is he giving the come hither look?

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

2011-10-31T14:29:00.000-04:00

MAY YOUR HALLOWEEN/SAMHAIN BE A SPOOKY HOT ONE!

Romancing on Friday: It’s all About the Blood, Or Vamps, Shifters and Demons Make Great Lovers, Oh My!

2011-10-27T23:19:00.000-04:00

Tired of the sex you’re getting now? Is the loving just too safe in bed, or elsewhere? Do you need a lover not of this world, someone beyond the norm? Look no further: try a vampire or a shapeshifter or a demon today. After all, it’s all about the blood, or should we say the flesh? Maybe even your very soul. . .

With vampires, you get benefits. It’s all about eternal life; staying young forever. Like my hero from “His Girl” in the anthology, Just Another Paranormal Halloween, Evan McPhail, found out when his long lost love, Aimee, returned back into his life thirty years later, still eighteen years old. Oh, there are side effects! Like aversion to sunlight, wooden stakes can kill you easily when thrust into the heart, and blood is pretty much the food of choice. But the upside is there’s no threat of cancer from tanning, the vampire sex can last all night if need be, and eternity with the one you love is super.

Shifters can become the animal a lover always wanted in a relationship. Okay, literally they change into an animal. They’re just willing to claw their way into your heart. The sex is phenomenal. And they mate for life. Least they do in my world of beast magic. As wereleopards, Devon and Montsho in my erotic male/male interracial paranormal romance, Dark Leopard Magic, discovered, thanks to the Dreaming. Of course, there might be the usual angst and bad guys out to kill you, but still at the end, the HEA makes it all worth while in a shapeshifter romance.

Demons are the ultimate bad boys and gals. After all their souls are dammed and that’s why they’re in hell. Like the succubus, Elianta in Ain’t Nothin’ Like Succubus Lovin’ and the demon Familiar, Charun, in Being Familiar With a Witch. Except both proved that maybe they could be saved, all due to love.

Sex is great without love, but with love, it is like heaven on earth, no pun intended to the demons or vampires or even shifters. And that’s why maybe people read paranormals these days, not for the ultimate bad boys and girls, but that love can tame the inner demon or beast.

And the sex is not bad, either!

(No demons were exorcized or vampires staked or shapeshifters shot with silver in this article.)

Find Being Familiar With a Witch and A Familiar Tangle With Hell for your Halloween reading at Phaze Books The eBooks are also available on Kindle and allromanceeBooks.com.

Just Another Paranormal Halloween is available as eBook at Mojocastle Press and on Nook and Kindle, and in print TPB at Amazon.

HOT HUNK WEDNESDAY-Happy Halloween!

2011-10-26T08:34:00.000-04:00

This hunk is picking his pumpkin at the pumpkin patch. Isn't that a BIG pumpkin?

Romancing on Friday: Guest Blogger Stephanie Draven: Sometimes the Sex Comes First

2011-10-20T21:30:00.003-04:00

Welcome romance author Stephanie Draven today as she blogs about "Sometimes the sex comes first."

Usually, when I’m writing a story, the first thing that comes to me is a premise. For example, when I wrote Midnight Medusa, I knew I wanted to write a story about a modern day gorgon. Other times, I’ll get a character voice in my head and I want to know more about him. But sometimes, when it comes to writing paranormal romance novels, it’s the sex scene that comes to me first. That was certainly the case for Dark Sins & Desert Sands, in which I knew before I wrote a word of it, that the climax of the novel was going to happen in an explosive sex scene on a speeding train, at night.

This was important, because the way an intimate scene unfolds can tell me more about the people I’m going to write about than any character study might. The setting of the sex scene tells me if my characters are desperate people or hedonists, if they’re exhibitionists or very private. The position they choose often tells me who is sexually dominant and who is uninhibited. The way in which my characters will fall into bed reveals either a slow and steady seduction, the mark of self-control, or an animal hunger. If there’s any whiff of taboo about the love scene, anything subversive about it at all, I try to deconstruct what it says about my heroine’s deepest fears and desires. In short, a sex scene should never just be a sex scene. It’s another opportunity to give the reader insight and to develop your characters at their most raw.

Another reason to start with the love scene is to make sure that it’s something I can appreciate as an author. What turns my characters on doesn’t always have to be what turns me on--but it can’t be anything that bores me. And in a romance, it can’t be anything that repulses me, or else it will repulse the reader too.

To that end, I’m of the firm opinion that a love scene should be as hot as an author can make it within the confines of the genre, or else close the bedroom door. But the heat comes from the scenario--the set-up, if you will. Otherwise, it’s all about inserting tab A into tab B and that’s not very exciting, which is exactly why starting with the sex scene might actually be the best way to begin writing a romance novel.

So what about you? If you’re an author, when thinking of a novel, has the sex scene ever come to you before the rest of the story? If you’re a reader, do you think you could pick out the stories in which the sex scene occurred to the writer before the rest of the plot.

Blurb:

Wrongfully accused and broken by torture, an American soldier transforms into a mind-controlling minotaur bent on revenge…

Escaping a hellish Syrian prison, U.S. serviceman Ray Stavrakis emerges with uncanny powers and an eerie ability to morph into a mythical Minotaur, half-man, half-bull. Only one woman can prove his innocence and soothe the savage beast inside–the same woman who’d driven him to the brink of insanity with her cool-eyed interrogation and her hot-blooded sensuality.

But Vegas psychologist Layla Bahset has no memory of Ray or her past. Only a feeling of being stalked by a nonhuman predator. Is it Ray…whose eyes condemn her soul even as his hands ignite her body? Or is another evil force hunting her down like prey?

Now nothing can stop Layla from remembering what she really is…and what her evil creator has planned for her and her soldier lover…

Stephanie Draven

http://www.stephaniedraven.com/

Author Bio:

Stephanie Draven is currently a denizen of Baltimore, that city of ravens and purple night skies. She lives there with her favorite nocturnal creatures–three scheming cats and a deliciously wicked husband. And when she is not busy with dark domestic rituals, she writes her books.

Stephanie has always been a storyteller. In elementary school, she channeled Scheherazade, weaving a series of stories to charm children into sitting with her each day at the lunch table. When she was a little older, Stephanie scared all the girls at her sleepovers with ghost stories.

She should have known she was born to hold an audience in her thrall, but Stephanie resisted her writerly urges and graduated from college with a B.A. in Government. Then she went to Law School, where she learned how to convincingly tell the tallest tales of all!

A longtime lover of ancient lore, Stephanie enjoys re-imagining myths for the modern age. She doesn’t believe that true love is ever simple or without struggle so her work tends to explore the sacred within the profane, the light under the loss and the virtue hidden in vice. She counts it amongst her greatest pleasures when, from her books, her readers learn something new about the world or about themselves.

Stephanie also writes historical fiction as Stephanie Dray and has a series of forthcoming novels from Berkley Books featuring Cleopatra’s daughter.

Authors Doing a Fall Tailgate Party/Book Signing October 15th-Photos

2011-10-20T11:13:00.001-04:00

Last Saturday, October 15th, my husband and I drove to Keswick, Virginia, where some fellow authors of Virginia Romance Writers and I would be doing a tailgate party and book signing. Other authors that were not members of VRW joined us, too.

There was a tiny chill to the autumn wind, but the day was sunny. The cold wasn't daunting, but the wind was, as several times it blew stuff off my table and others', too. Some leaves were starting to change, and it appeared at a McDonald's that we stopped at for breakfast, many were traveling, maybe even heading to Skyline Drive to view peak colors.

When Bill and I arrived, we found one side of A&W Collectibles and Antiques held a yard sale in a field, while our tailgate party was to the right. Bill drove around to the back, following a driving path to a spot where he parked. We set up the table, decorating it and opening the trunk, also decorated that. All with Halloween, and even some fall things.

Luckily, the baseball cap I use when Bill and I do our walk, was in the car and I put it on as the wind made my hair fly every which way. Kathy Mix gave me a rubberband so I also put my hair into a ponytail. I didn't need to look scary--*chuckle*--myself.

The day was perfect, spending time with good friends and talking to those who ventured over to our side, to talk to us and look at our books. It was sad when we had to pack up.

HOT HUNK WEDNESDAY

2011-10-19T09:45:00.000-04:00

Couldn't you just get drunk on this guy?

Romancing on Friday: The Benefits of Paranormal Romance Writing

2011-10-14T09:01:00.001-04:00

I am writing about why I write erotic and non-erotic paranormal romances and what are the benefits to me. When I started writing paranormal romance, my males and females made love, but nothing that I would call racy, or blue. One of these first stories, “To Teach an Ancient God” was accepted for an anthology in 2005, but the publisher folded and gave back rights to all the authors. It now is a free eread at All Romance eBooks, and one of the best sellers on their science fiction/fantasy lists.

Then I wrote my first erotic story about a merman. It was not paranormal romance, actually it’s more horror. Now the blue words weren’t there and so it was still easy to write. I didn’t get red faced doing it. But it was erotic, with sentences like, That night he and I did things beyond all nature, at least I assumed they were. I became this creature of sensations and darkness, and I enjoyed it. When the dawn broke I lay alone on the hardwood floor, in a large puddle of sea water.

You can guess that this was the stepping stone to the next tale, right? I saw the guidelines for this emagazine looking for erotic romances. Paranormal romances were getting popular. I read them and loved them. So I wrote my first truly erotic story, with the hot and heavy sex.

The story was easy—a virgin sacrificed to a dragon to save her village and keep the monster from eating their cattle. A dragon who happened also to be a knight cursed to become a dragon at night. It was fantasy after all—I even wrote my first interspecies sex scene with the dragon and the woman.

Now, I’ve been married for years and have an adult son. But I found sex the hardest challenge to write. So I researched. I needed to see how others did it. When I wrote sex, it was clinical and not romantic. I read other books. I researched words for different parts of the body and sex—BLUE words. Then I returned to the WIP and wrote the dang thing. I submit and it was accepted!

Over the years it became easier and easier to write the intimate parts. I learned to get out of my comfort zone and challenge myself. The challenge; my heroes and heroines are not human men or women, but inhuman. To many, we would be food to them and not for passionate encounters.

If you have an alien, how does he make love to a human woman? Really, does a shapeshifter metamorphose when he’s/she’s in the throes of passion? Is the paranormal being stronger than humankind or more delicate and easily damaged? How does that affect the relationship when that creature makes love with a human? Is kissing dangerous for them, or do they even kiss? Do they kiss even in the normal way? My latest published paranormal romance was male/male, which made me research the mechanics of that kind of loving. Being heterosexual, that put me out of the comfort zone, and then since both are wereleopards, well, how does that change the love making?

Another benefit is I am learning something new each time I write a manuscript. I researched myths and legends from all different parts of the world when I look for my next paranormal lover. I find myself trying to get in the heads of my paranormal beings, to understand what makes them tick, and why they fall in love when they do. Though they may be vampires, werewolves, shifters, aliens, fairies, and demons, beneath the exterior they have feelings too. Because of my fantasy characters, I begin to emphasize with real people. It makes me begin to figure out why people do the things they do. That when it comes to it: we’re all the same beneath our skin.

Writing this is a stress reliever too. Day to day life can be stressful. I’m a big worrier. I found long ago that writing what I like to write is a great way to get the stress out of me. When I am upset, I think I write my scariest stuff. When life is sad, that’s when I do my best romance, for the happily ever after that dots the T of my story always makes me feel better when the story is finished. If my characters are happy, then I am happy!

And the last benefit? It makes me feel alive. It gives me purpose. It lets me free the stories in my head and put them to words. That’s the best benefit of all—sharing them.

Book Blurb for To Teach An Ancient God:
Hades had waited a thousand years for Jenna Krinard, or Persephone as she had once been known to him. The problem is, Jenna is a modern woman and she'll have to teach an old god new tricks in love. What she doesn't know is how much she'll learn about love herself.

Get free eread, "To Teach An Ancient God" at All Romance EBooks.

HOT HUNK WEDNESDAY

2011-10-11T20:19:00.000-04:00

A hunk dressed as a gladiator. Would you mind having him on your doorstep, trick-or-treating for Halloween?

Authors' Tailgate Party/Book Signing Saturday, Oct. 15th in Keswick, Virginia

2011-10-11T08:41:00.000-04:00

Join several of us authors at A&W Collectibles & Antiques Saturday, October 15 · 10:00am - 2:00pm as we set up a tailgate party and chat with visitors about their latest releases. Buy a book, or book-related items just in time for the holidays and enjoy the beautiful fall foliage of the area.

The event is free. Authors include Sapphire Phelan aka Pamela K. Kinney, Sofie Couch, Anita Clenney, Nancy Naigle, Leah St. James, Barbara Stremikis, Grace Greene, Kathryn Mix, Mary Montague Sikes and Harvey Taterbug.

We will be in the parking lot of the business. The address is 4886 Richmond Rd. (Route 250) Keswick, Va. Phone number for the business for directions, etc: 434-984-0820.

Romancing on Friday: Can Myths and Legends Be Translated to Paranormal Romance?

2011-10-07T09:45:00.001-04:00

With paranormal romances and urban fantasy so popular these days, the question is, can a writer take any myth or legend and revise it for a modern urban fantasy or paranormal romance storyline? Yes, it can be done. It has been said that there are only seven or eight storylines out there. It’s up to the author to make their story different enough for the readers to take notice.

As one who has read countless myths, legends and urban legends over the years, I find my best heroes, heroines, and villains from here. A good example is the Finmen myths from the Orkney Island. There were drowning deaths of local women in the sea and I think the people chose these stories to explain the reasons why these women were found drowned in the water. I twisted the drowning women angle and took it from Orkney Island to a beachfront in America, and the story became an erotic and dark male/male urban fantasy with romance at one point in my career. Yes, it did get published.

There are lots of weird and bizarre tales, all which had been told around campfires and hearths. Stories of ancient people’s gods and goddesses were mankind’s first fantasies and horror tales. Years later, writers took what they heard at their mother’s or father’s knee, and turned it into many great works of fiction that we still read today. Think of Dracula, Frankenstein, Edgar Allan Poe’s works, and H. P. Lovecraft’s stories, just to name a few.

But how does a writer of today take something that has already been told over and over and rebirth it? By twisting and tweaking the storyline here and there, new characters, updating it to a modern cityscape or even to another planet, and there you have it. What better backdrop for fantastical beings and situations than the mundane landscape we know every day of our lives? After all, how would a dragon or a unicorn or a vampire react if suddenly dropped into the middle of gang warfare, or a busy shopping day at Wal-Mart’s? What if some man standing in the checkout line at the supermarket has his body rip apart just before closing and some terrifying thing out of Lovecraftian mythos emerges? What would the ordinary cashier of that checkout do to save the customers and his fellow workers? See what I mean? Add romance to it, and a paranormal or fantasy romance is born. It can be sweet or erotic from light to heavy.

Urban fantasy is all about the odds. Mundane human beings becoming heroes or heroines, or maybe some unicorn must become the savior to save the virgin in distress. Especially if the unicorn is female and a shapeshifter and the virgin is a man. It’s all about how you play the urban legend and retool it for the fiction.

Any author searching for that new story they want to do should run and not walk to their local library or bookstore and check out the nonfiction section where books on ghost stories, myths, legends and urban legends are shelved. After all, there is no new tale, just how you update it for modern fiction.

HOT HUNK WEDNESDAY

2011-10-05T09:10:00.000-04:00

A Halloween hunk here.

Winner of How to Sex Down a Book By Using Math!

2011-10-03T10:47:00.000-04:00

Congratulations--it is Brenda! Brenda, contact me--my email is sapphirephelan (at) verizon (dot) net as I will need your email to give to Kerri Nelson to contact you to get you your giveaway.

Romancing on Friday: Guest Blogger Kerri Nelson: How to Sex Down a Book By Using Math!

2011-09-29T19:20:00.003-04:00

Welcome author Kerri Nelson today as she blogs for Romancing on Friday about "How to Sex Down a Book By Using Math!"

I’m sure you’ve heard of “sexing up” a book (or even your outfit) because after all “sex sells”, right? But what about “sexing down” a story?

What if you started out your publishing career writing spicier stuff and now you want to sort of switch gears? How do you do that?

Well, a couple of years ago, I published quite a few erotic novellas and I still enjoy writing the naughty stuff here and there but with this book I wanted the story to focus really on more of the humorous life journey of the character. And, frankly, not all roads in life end up in the bedroom.

I had a tricky situation here in that the character is still technically married throughout the story, as well. So, how can I make the book fun and sexy without all of the sex?

Now, for those of you who expect “the sex scene” in your books—I don’t disappoint. I won’t tell you who or what she has sex with (aren’t you intrigued by that statement?) but I will tell you that I have a scene in the book that I hope pleases the reader.

Still, though, when I wrote the scene it felt a little obligatory. Having worked with so many erotica editors in my background I could hear their advice echo between my ears as I typed the scene (which turned out to be the very last actual scene I wrote for the book—inserted after the fact). It was a tough one for me to write, despite the dozen or more other scenes I’d written with the same effort.

And when all was said and done, I had to “sex it down” a bit to make it work for the story. How did I do this, you may ask?

Here’s the simplest explanation I can give for my method—I practiced using my math. Yep, I used a lot less FOUR letter words and replacing them with a lot more of the FIVE senses instead.

I focused on how things tasted, smelled, sounded. I added in what the character was seeing and of course feeling but I tried to make it sensual versus just sexual. The two things are not necessarily one and the same.

So, let’s consider this book my experiment with “sexing it down” a notch. I hope you still find it hot even though it is not quite as graphic as my prior work. But I’m quite pleased with how it wraps up the story and who knew it would still be so fun to write?

Tell me, how sexy do you like your books? Can there ever be too much sex or not enough sex for you, as a reader? What’s your take on bringing the bedroom into your books?

Kerri Nelson

Blurb:

Paisley Barton was already having a bad day before she turned her husband into a rat.

First, she was fired by her boss and then came home to find hubby in the shower with a naked blonde chick. They say that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned but this break-up may just unleash hell on Earth when Paisley casts a spell of vengeance against her philandering husband.

After her spell casting inadvertently opens a portal between dimensions, Paisley finds her family home transformed into a nightly courtroom for settling disputes between demons of the underworld and she’s the judge! If that’s not enough, she’s got to deal with a charming, ancient demon named Camden who wants to be her personal bodyguard while trying to explain her husband’s sudden, mysterious disappearance to sexy police Detective Dalton Briggs.

But Paisley will show them all that an everyday working mom is better equipped than most to deal with the mystical mayhem…and with a tempting demon hottie and a flirtatious young detective vying for her affection, she soon learns that being single again isn’t so bad after all.

“When a wronged wife turns her cheating husband into a rat, you know you have to keep reading! Kerri Nelson offers up a lot of fun and wild magic in Courting Demons!” --Bestselling author, Linda Wisdom, Demons are a Girl’s Best Friend

Author Bio:

Kerri Nelson discovered her love of writing at an early age and soon became a columnist for her local newspaper winning the Outstanding Young Journalist of the Year Award for her efforts.

After a fifteen year career in the legal field, Kerri fulfilled her lifelong dream of publication and is now an award winning multi-published author of nearly every genre under the sun (and moon) and also writes young adult fiction under the penname K.G. Summers.

A true southern belle, she comes complete with a dashing southern gentleman and three adorable children for whom she often bakes many homemade treats.

Kerri is an active member of Sisters in Crime and Romance Writers of America as well as numerous chapters including Futuristic Fantasy & Paranormal Writers and her Presidency of Celtic Hearts Romance Writers.

Read more about Kerri’s books at her website: www.kerrinelson.com

Follow her on Twitter

Visit her industry Blog

Buy Links (print and e-book versions available 9/15 wherever books are sold but here’s the publisher link—free gift available with purchase of print copy—while supplies last): Jupiter Gardens.com

Also available at AMAZON

Giveaway for the day:
Leave a question or comment to be entered to win today’s prize: A Custom made Momwitch Bread Bag Clip and an autographed book from Kerri’s back list (winner’s choice)!

Then, enter to win my book tour Grand Prize Kindle by following me on tour and e-mailing me the answers to each question of the day at the end of tour. The more questions you answer, the more entries you gain.

Question of the Day: What does Paisley use to open the trunk in the attic?

Details on how to enter to win the GRAND PRIZE Kindle at the end of my “Dark Days of Demons Tour” located here:

http://kerribookwriter.blogspot.com/2011/09/courting-demons-blog-tour-win-kindle.html

Excerpt link for Courting Demons: http://www.jupitergardens.com/excerpts/kn_cd.html

Thanks for hosting me today, Sapphire. Oh, and if anyone is in the Atlanta/Decatur area on Saturday, October 1st between 4:00 and 5:30 p.m., please come on by the Decatur Hotel & Conference Center where the Georgia Romance Writers are hosting a Book Fair for Literacy. I’ll be there signing Courting Demons and if you come by and tell me you saw this announcement on my blog tour, I’ll give you a gift basket!

Joyfully Reviewed Review of "A Familiar Tangle With Hell"

2011-09-28T12:03:00.000-04:00

Jo wrote:

"I found the relationship between Tina and Charun not only erotic (after all it is a witch and her familiar) but also extremely loving..."A Familiar Tangle With Hell" is a magical tug of war between Tina, Charun and Lucifer with assistance from certain heavenly helpers and demons."

Read the entire review at http://www.joyfullyreviewed.com/new-reviews/a-familiar-tangle-with-hell-by-sapphire-phelan

HOT HUNK WEDNESDAY

2011-09-28T10:28:00.000-04:00

Today's hunk for Hot Hunk Wednesday is napping. 

Congratulations to the Two Winners of Sayde Grace's Guest Blog

2011-09-24T08:00:00.000-04:00

Regina and Alicia, you are both winners of the two prizes. Please contact me by my email, sapphirephelan (at) verizon (do) net with your emails so I can get them to Sayde Grace, so she cancontact you. Congratulations!

Sapphire Phelan