Get to know Lisa Beth Darling

Can you tell us a little about how you started writing; was it something you have always wanted to do?

It's something I've always done, ever since early on in elementary school, I showed an aptitude for writing and knew it was what I was going to do.

What do you consider to be the key elements of a great story?

Conflict creates Drama, for me those two are always first.  The Romance isn't 'second', I wouldn't like to say that, but the romance doesn't bubble and come to fruition if it's never tested. It just sort of lays flat on the page.

Could you tell us a little about how you develop your characters? Who has been your favorite character to write? The most challenging?

I'm one of those lucky writers who lives here life with a Muse (day in and day out).  We have a mutually beneficial partnership.  He throws out orders, I tear them apart, we bounce ideas off each other, constantly try to one-up each other, and in the middle of all of that chaos the 'magick' happens. 

Ares is the character I have lived and worked with the longest—16 years now—so he's my favorite and the most challenging because of his nature.  I tend to be the peace lover and he's the butt-kicker.  Together we balance each other out although it's quite maddening at times.

Have you ever found that you didn’t like your Hero or your Heroine? If so, what did you do to change that?

When we first meet Ares he's a pretty unlikeable guy, he's very grumpy, he's arrogant, he's a bit spoiled.  Then again, he's a god so…what do you expect? LOL

He grows and evolves throughout the story, he learns about himself as he learns about his love-interest, Alena and realizes that being a god is awesome but it's good to have a heart too.

If you were to start again, with the knowledge you have now, what would be the first thing you do?

Again, I'm one of those lucky people, I wouldn't change a thing or do anything differently.

Can you tell me a bit about your most recent/upcoming release?

This series will continue with the second novel "Child of War" on December 31, 2011.  Ares and Alena will bring their son, Raven, into the world and he's going to upset the status quo on Olympus.

Is there a genre you haven’t done that you would like to explore in the future?

I've always wanted to write a vampire story but I think I'll stick with the Olympians for now.

If you could throw a party with any five people (living or dead) who would you pick and why?

Stephen King, John Lennon, Kevin T. Smith, Janis Joplin, and Jacqueline Susann.  I want to talk writing with Stephen and Jacqueline, philosophy with John and Janis, and Kevin…well, he gets to stay until long after the party's over. ;-)

Do you listen to music when writing? Do you feel like some stories write themselves a soundtrack with specific music? If so, what book and what kind of music influenced it?

Music is a huge influence on my life, I'm always listening to my iTunes…or Pandora, I really like Pandora. I also have the strange habit of listening to my local radio station while I write.  I think the songs help on many levels, and yes, often they provide much needed inspiration.  I just chalk those times up to the Muse making his opinion known.

What are your thoughts on love scenes in romance novels, do you find them difficult to write?

They're the best!  I often find myself chomping at the bit to get one when I know it's coming up.  Love scenes are the scenes where the Muse and I are freest to do anything and everything we want.  We often get quite lost in them.

What are some of your favorite things or hobbies to do?

I like to cook, nothing fancy, just good old American Yankee cooking.  I try to garden, I love to grow things, we have a lot of deer and other critters which makes it difficult.  I also take photographs of the sea and old abandoned buildings.

Who are some of your favorite authors, and if we were to visit your home, what books would we find on your bookshelf, end table, floor or e-reader?

I have a 5 shelf glass and wood book case that holds nothing but Stephen King, just about every single hard cover he's ever written and some rare paperbacks. A few of them are even signed.

If you could be any character of any book or movie, who would you be?

This is going to sound so horribly cliché and romantic but….'Vivian' in "Pretty Woman".

Where can readers find you on the web?

FaceBook http://facebook.com/lisabeth1
Blog: http://lbdarling.wordpress.com
Website: http://www.moonsmusings.com/lbdarling

 Sneak Peek into The Heart of War

Now available at Moonsmusings.com

Blurb: Inside the Heart of every Warrior breathes the Soul of a Hero--even within The Heart of War.

Meet Ares God of War, the greatest Warrior the world has ever known. He's moody, grumpy, dominant, ravenously sexual, and above all, built like a Greek God.

Suspected of killing his Daughter in-Law, Psyche, and long in exile from Olympus, the solitude of Ares' secluded Greek Isle is interrupted when Magdalena MacLeod a plucky little Fey washes up on his shore after believing she's been shipwrecked. It's not mere fate that has brought the unlikely couple together yet it may be what tears them apart.

Branded with a golden chastity belt bearing the mark of Cernunnos, Celtic God of the Forest and Death, Alena has been on the run from her husband the Great Horned God for 200 years.

When the Olympians discover her presence on Ares' island, they send Apollo to the island while Ares is away with orders to bring her to Olympus. With nowhere to run and strikes a bargain with the God of War--her virginity for his protection.

Ares sees a sweeter deal; her in his bed and himself back in his rightful place on Olympus among the Gods. If it means turning Alena over to Zeus afterward, well that's of no consequence to him...is it?

After Alena proves herself to the God of War in battle and in his bed, the Ares must choose between his Divinely Dysfunctional Family, his pride, and Alena.

Get lost in this sweeping dark saga of lust, rage, revenge, and redemption. Battle Ancient Gods while falling in love with Ares God of War and Alena MacLeod. They share a love that will rock the world from the heights of Olympus to the Celtic moors, but will it be enough? Will love triumph, or will revenge and rage win the battle for the Heart of War? 

EXCERPT:

Ares stood there listening and watching.  He did not believe she was telling the truth but at least in her own mind, the story she was concocting was not a lie.  She had been in Africa at a refugee camp but after that, behind those stormy eyes, her brain was scrambling to fill in the rather large and important missing piece of her life.  Why was it missing?  Who stole it?

"…people were shouting…there was a crash…then an explosion…."

"And who bound your hands?  Why?"

Maggie looked down at her bandaged wrists and then her eyes began to dart around from the ocean to Ares to the bandages and the flora and fauna around her.  She swam and it was hard with her hands bound.  So very hard.  Several times, she had gone under certain she was going to drown.  "I don't know."  She confessed in a hushed whisper.  "Please, just let me off this island."

Ares shook his dark head with a small amount of sympathy as he stared down at her.  "I can't do that, Alena.  I can't let you leave."

"Alena?"

"I don't like 'Maggie' and 'Magdalena' doesn't roll off my tongue.  Since you're going to be here for, well, the rest of your life, I think I will call you Alena."

"You must have a boat."

"No boat," Ares grinned.  "I don't require one."

"Oh, yeah, right, you think you're a God." She muttered.

Ares was not sure what it was going to take before she believed him.  "Thirsty, Alena?"  He asked snidely and held his empty hands in front of her eyes.  "Nothing up my sleeve--oh, that's right; I'm not wearing a shirt."  He said cheerily as he gazed down at his own torso.  "Ready?  Look closely now, I don't want you to miss anything."

Before her bewildered eyes, in one of his hands, from thin air, appeared a crystal goblet, sweat running down the glass indicating the coldness of the contents within.  "How did you do that?" She looked up at him with wide wonder as he held the cup out to her.

"I am Ares. This is my home. You are my guest for a long time to come."  He watched her take the cup from his hand and hold it to her lips. She drank deeply of the water inside.  "You can wander around here all you like, if I were you I'd stay away from the south end of the island.  Dangerous and wild creatures reside there.  When you're ready, you come back to my cave, when you're satisfied that this is all real, we will talk further."

Right in front of her he simply disappeared.  Maggie dropped the crystal goblet in her hand; it crashed to the rock at her feet shattering to bits and pieces of sharp glass.  "I am crazy."  She muttered and then began to cackle wildly until the sound filled her ears and her heart with dread.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH6KtA5tIw0&feature=player_embedded

Buy Links: The best deals (including signed paperbacks and hard covers) are always available through www.moonsmusings.com
Book also available on:
Amazon.com-- http://www.amazon.com/Heart-War-Lisa-Beth-Darling/dp/0615424686/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1293629750&sr=1-4
Kindle--http://www.amazon.com/The-Heart-of-War-ebook/dp/B004DCB3CA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1299078563&sr=1-1
Nook--http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Heart-of-War/Lisa-Beth-Darling/e/2940011870002/?itm=4

Meet author Delaney Diamond

Can you tell us a little about how you started writing; was it something you have always wanted to do?

Actually, no. I wrote my first romance novel at the age of fourteen (which I only shared with my friends), and I won a few short story contests throughout high school. Once I got to college, I didn’t write fiction any more. For years I never thought about fiction writing again. For some reason, a trip to Rome made me consider it, and in 2009 I decided to try. I joined the Romance Writers of America in January of 2010, and in November 2010 my debut novel, The Arrangement, was released by Amira Press.

What do you consider to be the key elements of a great story?

I think there are three key elements to a great story: 1) interesting main characters, 2) a compelling plot with good, well-defined conflict that keeps you turning the pages, and 3) a knockout ending.

Can you tell me a bit about your most recent/upcoming release?

I grew up watching wrestling with my father, and when I decided I wanted to write a romance novel with an athlete as a hero, I made him a wrestler. Fight for Love is the second book in my Hot Latin Men series. It’s a story about Rafael Lopez, a former professional wrestler, and Rebekah Jamison, a conservative science teacher.

I admire the athleticism and skill of wrestlers, and even though I don’t watch it like I used to, I still get a kick out of their showmanship. More than anything, the story is about how love can survive and stand the test of time.

Rebekah and Rafael met when she was seventeen and he was twenty. Her parents didn’t approve of him, and they eloped after she graduated from high school. About a year later, a tabloid scandal caused Rebekah to end her marriage to Rafael.  When the story opens, nine years have passed, and Rafael shows up unannounced at Rebekah’s door. He finds out he has an eight-year-old son, and that’s when the fireworks begin.

Is there a genre you haven’t done that you would like to explore in the future? 

I like reading historicals, and I’ve toyed with the idea of writing in that genre. I have to admit the research necessary to ensure the historical accuracy of the clothes, culture, language, etc. is daunting. At the moment, I don’t have any specific story ideas. I have plenty to keep me busy in the contemporary arena.

Do you listen to music when writing? 

No, I don’t. It’s too distracting. I need absolute quiet when I write.

What are your thoughts on love scenes in romance novels, do you find them difficult to write?

I don’t find them as difficult as I used to, but they are still difficult to write. There are only so many ways you can make it interesting and describe the act while making sure the scene flows smoothly and has the right amount of sexual charge you’d like your readers to feel. If it weren’t for a thesaurus, I’d really be in trouble. Love scenes are more fun to read than write!

What are some of your favorite things or hobbies to do?

I looooooooove to travel. If money were no object, that’s what I would spend most of my time doing. I like to learn about the customs and history of other cultures. I’m planning a couple of trips now. One will be a trip to Asia next year, which I’m very excited about. I haven’t decided which countries yet, but I hope to take at least three weeks off and visit three or four countries.

I also enjoy cooking and like trying new recipes. I have a radio mounted in the kitchen and listen to music while I cook. It’s very relaxing.

What do you have coming up next for you? Care to share any details with us?

Thank you for asking. Here’s what I’m working on:

1) The third free read for the Free Reads section of my website.

2) The third book in the Hot Latin Men series. The heroine is Samirah Jamison, Rebekah’s younger sister, who makes a brief appearance in Fight for Love.

3) An African-American romance tentatively titled The Temptation of a Good Man. It’s about Dr. Roarke Hawthorne, who’s shocked to see the woman he spent a passionate night with show up at his sister’s wedding on the arm of his brother.

Who are some of your favorite authors, and if we were to visit your home, what books would we find on your bookshelf, end table, floor or e-reader? 

I mostly read romance and mystery/thrillers. I have books on true crime, politics, and business, a small library of cookbooks, and books on the craft of writing.

Regarding favorite authors, how much time do you have? I’ll give you a short list of favorites: Dean Koontz, Tami Hoag, Beverly Jenkins, Maureen Smith, Rochelle Alers, Kate Walker, Trish Morey, Abby Green, Sarah Morgan, Adrienne Byrd, James Patterson, Agatha Christie, Lynne Graham, and Sandra Marton.

Where can readers find you on the web?

Website and blog: www.delaneydiamond.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/DelaneyDiamond

Once per month I blog here: http://sweetnsexydivas.blogspot.com

Thank you for having me. I enjoyed it! 

 Sneak Peek into Fight for Love

Blurb:

Science teacher Rebekah Jamison lives a quiet life in the suburbs of Atlanta. Devastated by a tabloid scandal nine years ago, she ended her marriage to the man her parents never approved of.

Rafael Lopez, former professional wrestler and “Sexiest Athlete Alive,”regrets the lapse in judgment that caused him to lose his wife. He shows up unannounced one day with some startling news, but he gets a surprise of his own. He finds out he’s a father. To get to know his son, he whisks him and Rebekah off to his home in the Hollywood Hills for the summer.

Warning: Get ready for a sensual battle of wills as a conservative teacher lowers her inhibitions and is reminded of why she fell in love with a sexy bad boy wrestler in the first place. 

Excerpt:

This scene takes place after Rafael shows up at Rebekah’s house and sees Ricardo for the first time. Rebekah sends him upstairs so she and Rafael can talk.

“Are we going to have this conversation in the middle of your foyer? Is your southern hospitality only reserved for people you’re expecting?”

Without waiting for a response, he brushed past her toward the kitchen, and she caught a whiff of an unfamiliar cologne. She followed him on unsteady legs, conscious of the fact she looked as bad as he did good. While he was dressed comfortably in a fine linen shirt and crisply pressed dark slacks, she was self-conscious about her unattractive gardening attire and pink cotton headscarf. She wasn’t wearing a stitch of makeup, and she was certain she must smell sweaty after working in the yard.

In the kitchen, Rafael leaned against the counter, staring at her as she leaned against the counter across the room. His arms hung loosely at his sides, but she could sense the leashed tension in him.

“Well?” she said to break the uneasy silence.

She was never good at remaining quiet, and he was the complete opposite. He was the quintessential strong, silent type.

“Is he mine?”

She hadn’t expected him to ask that question first, but it was inevitable. “Yes.”

Rafael’s hands clenched into fists, and he pushed away from the counter and took two long strides toward her. Rebekah brought her hands up in a defensive motion, drawing in a sharp breath. His steps came to an abrupt halt.

“I wasn’t going to hit you,” he rasped.

“You’re not exactly known for your long fuse.” Her rapid heartbeat began to slow down.

“I would never hit a woman, no matter how much she infuriates me.” His cold, angry eyes stared into hers. “How could you do that?” he demanded in a rough voice. “How could you keep him a secret from me?”

Now came the hard part—the inadequate explanation she couldn’t even justify to herself. “I did try to contact you, but you were always traveling. It was impossible to get in touch with you.”

 “You didn’t try hard enough.” He found her guilty and delivered a cutting indictment. His eyes were filled with accusation. He swiveled on his heel and stalked over to the door. He stared out the window at the backyard, his shoulders rigid and his neck muscles taut. “Dios, Rebekah, how could you not tell me?”

Buy lnks: Amira Press, Amazon, ARe, B&N

Getting to know Marshall Thornton

So let’s get this party started. Please tell us about yourself. What got you interested in being an author?

I was about sixteen and we’d just read The Great Gatsby in English. I was so taken with it that I decided to be a writer and started to write a novel. I showed bits of it to a student teacher and she liked it. That hooked me. In junior college I began writing plays, which were much easier to finish than a novel (these was back in the days of typewriters and whiteout. After spending about a decade working in the theatre – mostly for free. I began writing screenplays and eventually was accepted in UCLA’s prestigious screenwriting program. After completing my MFA, I began to get frustrated by the always “unfinished” aspect of film writing. It’s never done until it’s a movie, and if it’s not a movie it’s not really anything. So, I returned to fiction writing in 2008 and have been publishing regularly since.

Can you tell me a bit about your most recent/upcoming release?

My latest book is Boystown 3: Two Nick Nowak Novellas. With the publication of this book, the two previous Nick Nowak Mysteries will be released in paperback. Previously, the were ebook only.

The series is set in Chicago during the early ‘80s and follows the professional and personal adventures of private eye Nick Nowak.

For any readers who may not have read any of your books, can you just give us a little sneak peak into world (i.e. the type of genre you write, type of stories you like to write....etc)?

Most of my published work is in the mystery/suspense genre with the exception of my comedic novel The Perils of Praline, or the Amorous Adventures of a Southern Gentleman in Hollywood. I like to flip back and forth between the genres. I used to think this was kind of weird, but a writing friend of mine pointed out that comedy and suspense are usually both about some kind of obsession and I think there’s some truth to that.

How much of yourself, if any, do you put into your characters?

Writers really only write about themselves. That sounds like narcassicism, but really it’s impossible to write characters you don’t connect with. That said, I am surprsied at how different some of my characters are from me.

Is there a genre you haven’t done that you would like to explore in the future?

I’m tempted to try a comedic paranormal. I’ve been noodling around with it and may pop it out one of these days.

If you could throw a party with any five people (living or dead) who would you pick and why?

My Dad and my friend Vinc, they’re both gone and I miss them. Rock Hudson because I’d like to know if he was as sexy in person as he was on film. Dashiell Hammet since you can never get too much writing advice. And, Joe Orton because I think his plays are ridiculously funny.

What are at least five things you have on your bucket list and have you done any of them?

Gee, I tend not to think in terms those terms. If I want to do something I tend to make it happen. I’d some day like to go to England, since that’s my ethnic background. I’d like to go on a cruise – but I’m planning that for next year. I’d like to move to Palm Springs some day, but I’m no hurry. There are a couple of things on the sexual frontier I’d like to try… but, we barely know each other, so I won’t mention them here.

Is there one series/author you feel is a must read for readers to explore (can be e book authors or print NY house authors)?

Just one? Eek. I don’t think I can do it. As a mystery writer, I my two biggest influences are Joseph Hansen and Sue Grafton. I’d also have to say my early reading of James Kirkwood’s work (in the early 80s) still influences me. I heartly recommend all three.

Do you listen to music when writing? Do you feel like some stories write themselves a soundtrack with specific music? If so, what book and what kind of music influenced it?

I’ve been making playlists for my projects for several years now. With the Boystown Series I put together a list of ‘80s music, particularly music I listened to at the time. Nick is also a jazz buff – which I’m not, really – so I’ve put together a little of that to listen to.

What is coming up for you in 2011?

Things are going to be quiet for a while. Boystown 3 is the fifth book I’ve put out in a year. Yikes, I’ve been busy. Mostly I’ve been doing a lot of editing. Of course, I’m currently working on Boystown 4 which is going to be the first complete novel in the series. Beyond that, I have several projects waiting but haven’t quite decided what I want to work on first.

Are any of your characters just like you or have personality quirks/traits of you or someone you know?

Well, just like Nick Nowak I have a violent streak that occasionally gets out of control. Actually, I don’t. Nick has punched many more people than I have. You know, I think all detective characters are like their writers in at least one respect. Solving a mystery is somewhat like writing a story. You figure it out one piece at a time. And, so on one level, all mysteries are about the process of storytelling.

Where can readers find you on the web?

http://marshallthornton.wordpress.com/

http://www.mlrbooks.com/ShowAuthorBooks.php?list=_ABKLIST56&author=Marshall!Thornton

http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&keyword=marshall+thornton&x=33&y=4

http://www.amazon.com/s/qid=1307045976/ref=sr_st?page=1&rh=n%3A133140011%2Cn%3A%21133141011%2Cp_27%3AMarshall+Thornton&sort=-price

Set in Chicago during the early 1980s, the Boystown series follows private Investigator Nick Nowak as he works challenging cases and grapples with an even more challenging personal life.

In Little Boy Boom, Nick’s car explodes when a thief attempts to steal it. Realizing the bomb was meant for him, Nick sets out to discover who wants him dead only to find that the list of possible suspects is longer than he’d like. When he begins to run out of suspects he wonders if the bomb was truly meant for him.

Little Boy Tenor finds Nick investigating the murderer of a church choir’s star tenor, while at the same time his friend Ross asks him to discover the truth behind his lover, Earl Silver’s mysterious death. As he juggles the two cases, he becomes increasingly disturbed by what he learns.

Sneak Peek into Little Boy Tenor in Boystown 3
Available at Torquere Press

Everyone lies. They lie to the people they love; they lie to themselves. Once you admit it, it’s not such a hard thing to live with. What is hard to live with is how far people will go to keep their lies alive.

Reverend Edward Pepper was a fussy little man. He sat uncomfortably in the guest chair across from my desk, looking around my office as though he wanted to take a rag to it and wipe up all the dust. Of course, I wouldn’t allow that. I was fond of the dust.

He was dressed in a black shirt with a clerical collar. Over that, he wore a short woolen jacket that was now making him sweat. It was May and the weather was hot one day, cold the next. That day had begun cold and quickly heated up. I’d asked if he wanted to hang the coat on the hook behind my door but he’d declined. He was a small man, wiry and tight. He seemed on the verge of shaking. With his white blond hair and his anxious blood-shot eyes he reminded me of a rabbit. A pretty rabbit, maybe, but a rabbit all the same. Even his nose was pink. He’d been in my office for ten minutes and I hadn’t been able to find out why he was there.

“How did you find me, Reverend Pepper?” I asked.

“We have a choir. They’re good. Quite good. They perform every Sunday morning on The Towering Hour. Have you seen it?”

“The Towering Hour? No, I generally sleep in on Sunday mornings.”

“Oh. Of course,” he said. He’d already identified me as a heathen. I hoped he wouldn’t try to change that. I liked being a heathen.

He hadn’t answered my question, so I asked it in a different way. “Did someone in the choir recommend me?”

“Yes, I mean, no. I mean they called around until they found someone who could recommend some like you.”

“Someone like me?” I suspected I knew what he meant but I wanted him to say it. “Why were you looking for someone like me?”

“Gregory was shot, you see. Gregory Dane. Outside his apartment building. About a month ago.” I kept an expectant look on my face, hoping he’d give me more details. It worked. He went on, “Gregory had the most beautiful voice. When he sang it was like listening to an angel. Everyone liked him. We can’t figure out why--”

“I still don’t understand why you came to me.”

“You’re uniquely qualified to find Gregory’s killer.”

I took pity on him finally and guessed, “Gregory was gay.”

“Yes,” he said, sitting back in his chair as though relieved he wasn’t going to have to use the word himself.

“And you think something about Gregory’s being gay is what got him killed?”

“It must have.”

There was something about the good Reverend I didn’t like. It might have been his nervous little rabbit ways. Or, his unwillingness to come out and say what he meant. Or, his assumption that being gay got Gregory Dane killed, I don’t know. But I didn’t like him so I said something that was a little on the untruthful side, “I’m sure the Chicago police can handle the case.”

“I don’t think so,” the Reverend said. “They’re already making mistakes.”

“Yeah? What mistakes have they made?” I asked.

“They found a gun in a trash bin about three blocks from where Gregory lived. They say it’s the gun that killed him. The gun is registered to me.”

“Gregory was killed with a gun you own?”

“No, that’s not what I said. It’s not what I said at all.”

It certainly sounded like what he’d said.

“You see what I mean?” he went on. “The police aren’t doing a good job.”

“I’m afraid, I don’t see,” I said honestly.

“I’ve never owned a gun in my life.”

Talking with Author Shiela Stewart

Is the world coming to an end?

For those experience it, this year’s storms have been horrendous. From Earthquakes causing Tsunami’s to tornadoes and flooding, it’s been a crazy time. And the summer has just begun. I live on one of the Canadian prairies where our weather can be stormy during the summer, but it’s rare to get anything massive and destructive. Don’t get me wrong, there are parts of the province that have had tornadoes, and a few years ago we had a storm roll in with plow winds of a 109 km/h that caused a huge amount of damage. I remember this storm well as I was on the phone with my sister when I noticed the huge tree in my front yard was touching the ground. As I hung up I saw the black sky and the strong winds.

Storms terrify me beyond belief. They always have. Here I was, alone with my three young children and sacred shitless.  The storm lasted for hours causing hail, high winds, lightening and heavy rain. When the sun finally came up, I saw the damage. I was in disbelief. It wasn't the first massive storm I’d experienced in my life but like the others, I was terrified.

But what I experienced was nothing in comparison to what has been happening all over the world these past several months. I sit in my safe little piece of the world watching, as parts of the world is flooded, homes demolished, lives shattered. Donations seem so little yet it’s all I can do to help. I was glued to the TV when China was suffering the aftermath of earthquakes and tsunami. Watching as homes were swept away, helpless as people ran for their lives. My heart ached for them, for the families who now had nothing, whose lives would be forever changed.  And it brightened my heart to see how they all came together, worked together, to comfort each other in their most trying time. 

Now, the tornadoes are ripping apart parts of the States leaving behind death and mayhem and again, I watch helplessly. I watch as a woman is interviewed on TV and spots her cherished pet whom she assumed had perished in the storm, wander up to her looking more than a little rough. Through all the destruction, a tiny bit of light pears through the darkness to bring a moment of joy.  

 

Floods are sweeping homes and businesses away, soaking land. Whole communities are gone because of heavy rains flooding an already heavily soaked ground. My province has not been spared by floods. There have been plenty of communities washed away by rising waters.  The South Saskatchewan river that flows through my city is rapidly rising as well.  It seems more and more, lives are being affected by these strange and massive storms and weather related disasters.

And through all this death and destruction I hear people saying that it’s a sign of the end of the world. Is it?  They claimed May 21^st would be Judgment Day, yet here we are into June and so far none of the predictions have occurred.  I don’t see the apocalypse happening any time soon…then again…All these storms and strange phenomena might just be a sign. What do you think?

Shiela Stewart is pleased to announce the release of book one of her new demon series. You can find more informaiton HERE or at her website HERE

Awaken the Demon
Book 1 in Demon Series
Decadent Publishing
Paranormal/Fantasy Contemporary Romance

Abused for years by a sadistic fiancé, Missy Green has finally had enough. Running away is her only recourse. Wanting a new life, she takes refuge with a group known as the Stargazers. Taken in by the illustrious Draco Starr, Missy is elated to finally find peace. Yet, something doesn’t seem right about her host.

Born in the pits of hell, Draco Starr was once a fearsome Demon. For centuries, he collected soul s for Satan. Having done his time, Draco sets out to start a new life. Even with more wealth and prestige than anyone could ever want, something is missing in his life.

Love.

Missy is about to have her world turned upside down. Discovering Draco is a demon is terrifying enough, but finding out she too is a demon is more than she can handle.

Can Missy deal with her new life, and the affection she is beginning to feel for Draco, or will her past come back to haunt her?

Guest Author Day with Arlene Webb

Why don't you start with telling us a little about yourself? What genre do you write in and why?

I run a flower shop and write every free second I can manage, dipping into whatever genres the characters take me. So far, urban fantasy, urban sci-fi, paranormal suspense, historical, all with layers of spicy to sweet romance.

Tell us a bit about your latest book, and what inspired you to write such a story.

Ashes came about on a hot summer day. Words popped out of nowhere concerning a man who’d been murdered. I started to wonder who was this guy, who’d miss him, and what type of idiot kills off main character in the opening paragraph?

Dead guy’s brother came along, and wow, was he pissed. Then I’d started to care about the unfortunate, who became more and more of a sweetie the further I wrote. It took 80K to make things right, and I had to dip into the paranormal to do so. But, I swear, no vamps or zombies where used in the making of Ashes.

Basically, Ashes is about the love between brothers, how far a man will go for his twin. My inspiration was based on guilt for murdering a guy before I even knew him.

Did your book require a lot of research?

Yep. I love Google. Did you know there are shrubs that contain myrrh in the desert of Nevada? That’s the reason for the setting of Las Vegas. 

If you could have any vice without repercussions, what would it be?

I’d love to be able to eat, drink and be merry without any physical consequence.

If you could have been the servant to any famous person in history, who would that be and why?

Not sure about living in the distant past, so Bill Watterson, Christopher Moore, Lisa Gardner, Kurt Vonnegut, I’d have to flip a coin because I’d love to spend time with so many authors. But, assuming I could return to occasionally check my email, I’d debate over Leonardo De Vinci, Socrates, Gandhi.  Just fascinating people, and ones not apt to strangle me when I burn the meal. I mean, live without a microwave? Shudder.

What so you see for the future of publishing and e-books?

E-books are outselling paperback, how cool is that?  I think this is an incredible time to be an author and the future is electric!

Which of your characters do you love/hate/fear/pity the most and why?

I don’t hate any and I pity them all. Myles Logan comes to mind as a guy I care for, just because he’s so loveable. He’s the star of Ashes, along with his twin, Lyle. I fear Malcolm, a non-human who refuses to cooperate unless I remain true to his personality, and that calls for demise in my current work that won’t be easy for me to write.

                                           

Do you get along with your muse? What do you do to placate her if needed?

I don’t have many ideas, and those I do have are usually stubborn and difficult to begin. I worry at it, until the scene clicks. No matter how strange, I’ve learned the best way to placate is to not let go until it flows. So, I bang my head a lot.

Do you have another book in the works? Would you like to tell readers about your current or future projects?

I have a series coming out this year. Book one, Splintered Energy, the end of this month. In a nutshell, I’ve brought seven, complex and flawed personalities (byproduct of a splintered particle of light) to life in adult human bodies. Trapped on Earth and wanting to go home, without memory of where that even is. Splintered Energy concerns their journey to reunite, and survive each other and mankind.

Have you ever experience weird cravings while you write? If so, what kind?

No, unless the desire to bash in my head or strangle someone is considered weird.

What is the most ridiculous thing that you have thought about doing to any of your characters but never did?

I did consider not reaching that HEA for a guy, but no. It seems a rule I won’t easily break.

 If you had to write yourself as a heroine/hero, what kind of heroine/hero would you be? What would you be named?

Guess I’d be an immortal that doesn’t eat brains or blood, and with wings. Be cool to fly. I’d be flawed, but capable of growth, and my name would be simple. The lower case letter, a, comes to mind. Not that I have low self esteem, but I’m lazy. How easy is it to sign a message…a.

 

If your muse were to talk behind your back, what secrets would he/she tell?

That she’d kill me if I babbled secrets without even being tortured.

 

If someone hasn't read any of your work, what book would you recommend that they start with and why?

Of my published works, I’d say Ashes. I consider Myles Logan to be my greatest achievement as a writer to date.

If there was a soundtrack to your latest novel, what genre/songs would be included?

The flight of the bumblebees worked great in the trailer for Ashes.

When you're not writing, what do you like to do to just kick back and have fun?

Read, movies, drive someplace fun without a zillion people or cops on the road, hang with my son/family/friends.

If we peeked at your bookcase(s)/e-reader, what kind of books/authors would we find there?

My kindle is filled with authors I know. Some reads are published and wanting reviews, others want my thoughts on works in progress.  As to print books, the classics of course. Barbara Elsborg, DJ Jackson, JK Rowling, TC Boyle, Christopher Moore, Harlan Corben, and way too many to list.

Where can we find you on the web?

http://www.arlenewebb.com/

http://www.arlenewebb.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/arleneannwebb

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

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3448136.Arlene_Webb

Sneak Peek into Ashes by Arlene Webb

Paranormal Romantic Suspsense

MuseItHot

Blurb:  Ashes is a paranormal suspense novel with romance as well.

Not happening. Four hours pass while Lyle Logan holds his brother's corpse and pretends he’s the one not breathing.

Those responsible are dead. Only one reason to live now—vengeance.

Please. Lyle will do anything to alter reality. But he can’t. Instead he fills his stomach with ashes and unwittingly devours a myth.

I want to die. Guilt holds hands with grief. Lyle doesn’t care when authorities conclude that he committed the crime of Cain.

Acceptance. Lyle has no choice but to acknowledge the entity burning within.

When five stages lead to a precipice, Lyle takes the next step. So what he’ll lose his humanity and hold a miraculous creature hostage.

Resolution. Ashes to life, he will find a way to his brother.

Excerpt:

An imaginary hand stroked his head, the firm touch of male flesh soothed the tears on his cheek and his dead brother’s voice whispered in his ear, “Sorry, Lyle. Permanently separated—how weird is that? You mustn’t follow me. Move your butt. Find them instead. Avenge me.”

“Sure.” Lyle spat blood through his cracked lips. “I’ll get right on it.” Impetuous and irrational, Myles had always been the weaker. But Lyle, older by three minutes, managed to rescue his younger bro from every sociopath that befell him.

Not this time. Myles headed for a pine box.

Lyle headed toward damnation as soon as he stopped pretending he was Myles. The chain didn’t hold his leg tight, no sharp object had opened his veins, and not a bone in his body had been smashed. Lyle lay facedown in the dirt, alongside his twin, imagining over and over what it must have felt like to die like this.

How much guilt can a heart take before it goes quiet? And who dared to approach, interrupting his snuggle with the dead? A ripple of dust and a fluttering irritated Lyle. Hot air and cinnamon hit his face. He snapped open his eyes and jerked to his feet.

A dying buzzard? More like a deathly ill, midget flamingo. The creature that landed in front of Lyle appeared deader than Myles.

He lowered his hands and hunched down. Three feet tall at most, a foot of height added by its scrawny neck, the bird angled its head as if it were blind, wobbling on decrepit legs. Two feathers—faded crimson and gold—clung to its hairless, grey form. It looked like it should be hanging from the fist of a voodoo queen. The thin twig dangling from its cracked beak smelled like the crappy shrubs circling them.

“Thirsty, little guy?” Lyle snorted. “So am I. Go away.” If it dared to peck at Myles, he’d wring its neck.

The creature opened its beak and the twig tumbled down. Pencil legs cracked and it collapsed. Its head whacked into the branch, and a sharp burst of resin saturated the air.

Lyle swallowed hard. He knew what the saintly dead would do. His canteen lay beside Myles. Dumping it into Myles’ mouth had been as futile as performing CPR.

A feeble chirp from the bird suggested the thing still breathed. Lyle grabbed the canteen, shook it, and a few drops fell into his cupped hand. He held his palm out to the creature.

Buy link for Ashes: http://tiny.cc/9akrv

Trailer for Ashes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKyagcOSJw8      

Meet debut author, Katie Alexander

Please give a warm welcome to my friend and new author, Katie Alexandre. She, along with her writing partner, Kelli Lee Mosley, created a wonderful story called Another Chance. Let's get to know Katie and see who the person is behind the author name.

Katie, welcome to Dawn's Reading Nook Blog. Please take a seat and let Sinn and Damon pamper you.

Why don't you start us off by telling us how you discovered/decided you wanted to become a writer?

I think it started when I was a kid and my grandma would call me a day dreamer.  Maybe I was just thinking of stories I wanted to write someday.

Do you have a favorite TV show you can't miss?

I don’t watch that much TV anymore but if I did the show I couldn’t miss would have to have been Dirty Jobs or Deadliest Catch. I used to watch them religiously.

What is your writing process? Do you outline, fly by the seat of your pants or a combination of both?

I think that it might be a combination of both.  In the beginning I tried to write everything in order but my characters didn’t want to work that way. Instead I write what they tell me and when.  Plus, having a writing partner meant that we could work on certain areas of the book that each of us excelled in.

So what is your latest or upcoming book about? Give us all the details behind this masterpiece.

Masterpiece, huh?  I hope so. Lol Our latest release which is also our very first is about a woman named Megan that dreamt of having a family but her husband saw things differently and the marriage ended.  Now she is home again trying to heal and get on with her life but life being life, it sends her a curve ball aka Grayson. Love him!

What are your thoughts on love scenes in romance novels, do you find them difficult to write? Considering that my first ever love scene was in this book, I would have to say it was hard at first.  That was the one thing that kept me at a loss.  I finally bit the bullet and wrote the first one but ended up editing it a few times but it did get easier.  I think that love scenes are really important in romance because that is the point where your two main characters are truly connecting on not just a physical level but also on a spiritual level.

Who are some of your favorite authors, and if we were to visit your home, what books would we find on your bookshelf, end table, floor or e-reader?

My taste in stories and authors is very eclectic to say the least. I like Susan Elizabeth Phillips and her football series, Cherise Sinclair and her Shadowlands series. I am reading Cherise Sinclair’s latest right now. My bookshelf is crammed of books that I still need to read that range from sweet romance to erotica.  I like them both and everything in between.  I think it just depends on what kind of mood I am in. *Gasp* books are never found on the floor here.

If you could date any character from any book, who would it be and why?

Is this from my book or any other book? If it is mine that would be an easy answer, Grayson. I love love him and would grab him in a heartbeat. Lol If it is from another book than it would have to be Kyrian from the Dark Hunters series. He is sexy, wears leather, drives fast cars and has fangs.  What’s not to love?

Could you tell us about any work-in-progress, current projects, what we can expect from you in the future?

Kelli and I are trying to work on book two that follows Another Chance.  Dylan has his turn in this book and to say it is interesting is an understatement. I am also working on something on my own but it is on pause right now. It will be a paranormal romance when I finish my hero keeps arguing with me on what he should be.

A biography has been written about you. What do you think the title would be?

Well, it’s about time…

Have you ever found that you didn’t like your Hero or your Heroine? If so, what did you do to change that?

Well, that would be a BIG yes. Grayson kept coming up either too stalkerish (if that is a word) or was a wus.  It was hard to get that combination right.  I think I finally did with him and Kelli finally liked him and stopped telling me to give him a set.

What do you do to unwind and relax?  

I like to unwind with a book after the kids are in bed. I also like beading now. I have made a few pieces of earrings and necklaces and have really enjoyed it. You can just shut everything off while you adding beads to a piece of string. 

 Is there a genre you haven’t done that you would like to explore in the future?

I love paranormal so that is my next genre to try. I have something in the works but the hero isn’t cooperating.  I hope I can do it justice.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

It surprised me to find out how much went into making the actual book. You don’t think of edits and the cover when you are writing it.  You just think of the characters and nothing more.  We were lucky that we found a great publisher that took care of us and walked us through. 

What is your favorite candy bar?

Snickers

When you looked in the mirror this morning, what was the first thing you thought?

Should I color my roots?

What is your favorite pizza?

I like pizza with everything.

What genres and authors would we find you reading when taking a break from your own writing?

I like all types of genres but it has to be in romance at least. My taste in authors varies also and I am always trying new ones or getting recommendations from my friends and family.

If I was a first time reader of your books, which one would you recommend I start with and why?

Another Chance because it is my one and only. lol

What else would you like readers to know about you or your work?

That I am just a girl who had a dream of writing and made it come true with a little help from a great friend.

 Another Chance

Katie Alexander and Kelli  Lee Mosley

Rebel Ink Press

Buy at ARe, Amazon, Bookstrand, B&N, Coffeetime

Megan Mason had a fabulous family, a wonderful husband, amazing friends, a great job and a beautiful home. All she needed was a baby to make her life complete. Little did she know, however, that asking her husband for a child would end her marriage. Suffering the ultimate betrayal, Megan returns to her childhood home to rebuild her life.

Grayson Burke had it all. His family’s construction company was financially sound business was booming. He loved his job and better yet, he worked with two of his best friends.  To an outsider looking in, Grayson's life probably seemed perfect.  But in reality, Grayson's dream woman wasn't only married to someone else, she was his buddies little sister which meant she was untouchable in every sense of the word. 

When Grayson learns that Megan is headed home, everything in his world seems to flip upside down.  There's no way he could ever approach a woman whose life has been destroyed.  Right?  And besides, his friends would kill him.  Wouldn't they?
PG-13 excerpt:  

Megan closed the last of the suitcases she'd strewn every which way all over the bedroom floor.  Looking around the empty room, it was easy to remember what once had been.  The bed sat on the right facing the French doors, and curtains in the same matching sage and purple hues as the bedding dressed the doors and the windows.  On her dresser, a collection of perfume bottles sat upon  a silver framed mirror along with a matching hairbrush and comb.  Everything in the room had been perfect.  Now everything Megan owned was in boxes, all of which were on their way to their new home.   Most of the bedroom furniture belonged to her Megan's grandmother.  After the older woman passed, her furniture, along with many other sentimental belongings in the house in Idaho, were left to Megan.  Things that meant so little to anyone else meant the world to Megan.  Her ex husband, Alan, certainly never liked any of them and he never bothered to keep his opinions about it to himself either.  He was always saying her old things were never as good as anything brand new and why would she want that old crap anyway.  Calling Megan's sentimental mementos crap upset her greatly, but what could she do?  Alan was her husband.  She tried to understand that he wanted to create a new life and her antique family treasures weren't part of the image he wanted for himself or his wife.

Megan walked to the French doors and stepped out onto the patio.  The impatients and roses that lined the iron balcony were still there and their petals were almost too bright in the morning sun.  Pinks, purples and yellows bloomed all around her and the fragrance in the air made her breathe in deeply.  The smell would always remind her of working in the garden with her grandmother. Since the flowers wouldn't make the trip across the country, Megan decided to leave them behind.  Looking out at the backyard one more time, Megan felt a bit lost.  The garden is where she's always found peace.  It was where she hid from her problems.  And Lord knew her marriage seemed to be littered with more problems than she could've escaped in a lifetime. Megan's grandma always said that if you needed to think out a problem, it was better to do it elbow deep in dirt.  Maybe that was why the garden always looked so good.  Getting dirty didn't solve everything, but it gave her an escape from reality through the troubled years.  When the tears threatened to fall, she turned and went back inside.  Megan closed the doors and turned the lock.  Too bad there wasn't a way to lock the memories away too.

It was easy to think that back then life was solid and calm.  But who was she kidding?  Life then had been hell and Megan needed to keep reminding herself of that each time she felt like giving up.  If she didn't, she'd never follow through with her plans to start over.

Megan's marriage had been rocky from the beginning.  She'd just finished college in Boise when she had met Alan Mason.  The man was too beautiful--blond hair and baby blue eyes that had the power to mesmerize Megan.  He was tall and had a lean runner's body.  He was sophisticated and knew exactly what to say to Megan to get her to drop her guard. It didn't even take him a week to get her into bed.  That alone should have been a red flag but Megan ignored it along with all the other signs that seem to point to the fact that trouble seemed to follow Alan Mason.

 
Want to know more about Katie...find her at the following places:

Blog ~ http://katiealexander1.blogspot.com

Web Site ~ http://members.cox.net/katie_alexander/Index.shtml

Facebook Page ~ http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/profile.php?id=100001957442121

Publisher ~ http://www.rebelinkpress.com/

Twitter ~ @katie1alexander