Did You Get Your DIAMONDS Yet?

My first book with Cerridwen Press, TOUGHER THAN DIAMONDS, releases today. You can see it on the home page at CerridwenPress.com

Of all the things Jake lost - job, self-respect, six-figure income - he misses his red sports car most of all. Washed up and burned out, he manages to scratch out a living taking pictures of cheating spouses for a divorce lawyer. Then along comes a leggy blonde with a diamond obsession. The last thing he wants or needs is to get involved with this doll. But she really needs his help.

The Kendicott Diamond has been in Rebecca's family for generations. She knows where it is, and she wants it back. But she'll need Jake's help to get the job done. But is it really the diamond she's after, or revenge for her mother's untimely death? The chase takes them from Tampa to Miami to the Islands, and along the way she learns that the treasure may just be the man. The one who is Tougher Than Diamonds.

Get your Bling today at CerridwenPress.com!

Free-For-All...Dreams

Hi all,

This is the second free-for-all day here at the Goddesses blog. And today's topic is DREAMS.

Hmm...I know we're supposed to share something about our dreams with you but, uh...er...well, hmmph! No, that wasn't a hairball, I was merely clearing my throat. *G* I haven't had tea yet this morning and it's a bit...dry. Because, well...all right, I'm just going to spit it out and be done with it. My dreams? Well goodness, they're hardly fit for sharing, not even with you, dear friends. Some nights they have me tossing and turning, all sweaty and tangled up in the sheets. I hear that sometimes my dreams even make me moan, so how on earth could I share them with--um, what? What was that? Excuse me? You mean...dreams...like hopes and dreams, that sort of thing?

Oh. Ahem. Of course.

No, I'm not blushing. Not hairballing, not blushing.

So, dreams... I would have to say that I am living my dream. I have the love of a good man, a healthy, happy family and friends that will take my secrets to their graves. (I hope.) And honestly I'm living my dream. I have always wanted to be a writer. A real, honest-to-goodness, paycheck-cashing-from-my-words writer. And thanks to all of you, my dreams have come true.

I hope some of the other goddesses share their dreams today. Should I clue them in on what sort of dreams we're discussing so they don't inadvertantly share something wild and racy with us? No, I didn't think so, either. Let's just sit back and see what happens next. ;)

Until next time,
Nina

THE WOUNDED HERO

Richard, Lord Glenmore, in my historical romance, A Very Difficult Man, was seriously wounded in body and soul during the Crimean War while serving with the 17th Hussars. His horse was shot out from under him, shrapnel from an exploding shell ripped his right leg below the knee and blood from a trooper whose head was blown apart spurted into Richard's eyes.

He spent months in a field hospital before returning home. He wants to be left alone. Nightmares plague him. He withdraws from society and remains in his darkened rooms in the family mansion. Concerned about his emotional health, his mother, the Dowager, Lady Glenmore, engages a young lady, Catherine Thurston, as his companion to read to him.

Richard does not want a companion, male or female, and vows to get rid of the obnoxious female by fair means or foul.

That's the set-up! Visit my website at, www.anitabirt.com to read an excerpt from A Very Difficult Man, and find out more about me. Happy Reading everyone.

Something you should know...

Today is the first Goddess Free-for-all Day and the topic is *drum roll please* Something you should know...

Hmm...I'm sitting here wondering what exactly it would be about me that's so insanely interesting that you should know about it? Or honestly, something that you would want to know about me? Because I've got to tell you, I've got quirks. Major quirks. Things I just don't share with anyone...but of course you're not just anyone, are you? Regardless, we won't discuss my penchant for wearing mismatched socks while I write. The way I can't eat broccoli last--it's always got to be consumed immediately, while still piping hot. (Mickey just can't understand that concept and we've nearly come to-well, not blows, exactly- over it. Let's just say there was a plate of pasta that nearly flew through the air one evening when we discussed this cuisine issue. I'll also say that neither the broccoli nor the pasta was eaten that night...we did something infinitely more interesting, then called for pizza delivery.) And don't even get me started on the plethora of cleaning quirks I've got. My house is one of those everything-in-it's-place places, and I live with Mr. Drop-My-Socks-Anywhere. Quirks? I've got quirks...but you don't need to hear those.

So back to Something you should know... I guess the most pressing 'something' is that I love being here with all of you. Love being an Ellora's Cave writer, being part of the Goddesses and especially love having the opportunity to chat with all of you.

Now we'll just have to see what secrets the other goddesses decide to share. I'll bet they've got some juicy ones!

Until next time,
Nina

Violet Moons and First Blog!

Hi all,

This is my first post at the Goddesses of Storytelling blog and I've got to tell you, I am just tickled to be here! Surrounded by the other goddesses, the women who love to tell stories as much as I do, is just such a heady experience. The writers who kindly share this blog are all talented, fun and intelligent women and it is a priviledge to be here with them, and with you, our readers. What a wonderful way to begin a Sunday!

I've been a bit out of the loop recently, recovering from a tumble I took in late February. Lesson learned--ice is slipperier than it looks...or maybe I'm not as sure-footed as I thought I was, LOL! Anyhow, it feels great to be here with all of you! I'm looking forward to feeling better and hopefully to returning to my pre-fall life.

Violet Moons, my next title with Ellora's Cave, will be released on March 28th. This book is one of my personal favorites. It was so much fun to write and I love the cover that has been created for it. It is a story of one woman's journey through the unknown in search of a better life for those she holds dearest. Although set in an imaginary world, it is, I think, a tale that is consistent with the lives so many of us lead. After all, most of us put the welfare of those we love above our own needs, don't we?

The blurb for Violet Moons:

The land of Vestia is forced to replenish its life force from a circlet of power that is kept in a distant kingdom. Wathalia, one of the Vestian princesses, must make a swift, secret journey to retrieve the circlet. Along the way she meets all manner of odd creatures as well as one very handsome man. A man whom she has seen many times before—in her dreams.

It appears that Wathalia’s mission is leading her to something other than the circlet and she realizes that her destiny may include more than a trip to the kingdom of the North. Meeting Priam makes her wonder if all moments in her life have been leading purposefully to the instant of their coupling. She wonders, too, if the man from her dreams is all he seems to be. Could he, too, have secrets? And will his secrets interfere with her ability to save the people of Vestia?

To celebrate my new release, I'm holding a little contest. If you've visited my website, or even if you just look at the title and cover of Violet Moons, you can probably guess what my favorite color is. So my contest is an easy one to enter...just go to my website, head to the link page and drop me an email with your guess about what my favorite color is. In the email, tell me what your favorite color is, too. Because really, I love to hear from readers and I love to learn about all of you. Tomorrow morning I'll put all the names of those who emailed me in a hat and I'll let Mickey choose one lucky winner. The prize? A download of your choice of any of my Ellora's Cave releases. Good luck to all and in case you don't know where to find me, my internet home is:

http://ninanashromance.com/

The site is under construction so please bear that in mind when you visit. When I fell I was in the middle of an update but it's had to wait to be completed. As I said, hopefully I'll be back to normal soon, so I hope you'll check back in sometime in the future.

Until next time, good luck with the Violet Moons send-off contest! And happy reading!

Nina

Anita Birt

March 23, at 3:40 p.m PCT
I'm touching base late in the day to bring the Goddesses up to date on Isabelle's Diary, a contemporary romance with paranormal elements! Readers will have fun trying to get their tongues around the Welsh names. The lovely old Spa town of Llandrindod Wells and the farming area, Llanafan Fawr, both are featured in my novel.

My heroine, Sally Carter has been on a walking holiday in Wales and stops for coffee in a cafe in Llandrindod Wells.

Who is the young woman dressed in somber Victorian black who sits alone at a window table weeping over a diary?

When the girl disappears and the waitress insists that no one had sat at the table all morning, Sally is compelled to track down the mysterious stranger whose grief-stricken tears had tugged at Sally's heart. And that is how Isabelle's Story begins. My book will be released on September sixth by Cerridwen Press. As release time approaches I will drop in bits and pieces of the story to encourage reader interest especially those who love Wales as I do.

My next post will feature my historical romance, A Very Difficult Man. It was released on February first by Cerridwen Press. Don't we all love a wounded hero?

Magic on Friday

Hi Folks. I'm Sandra Cox. Stories of magic fascinate me, don't they you? The wonder, the possibilities. I think it brings out the wide-eyed child in all of us. Even if we know better we want to believe. That's why I wrote The Crystal. I want the magic:)

The premise of the book is based on a young woman who really does see a mysterious stranger in a crystal ball. Gabriella Bell is a rookie reporter out to make a name for herself and the man she sees in the crystal ball is Christopher Saint aka The Tiger, a notorious cat burglar.

Please have a cup of coffee or your beverage of choice and join me in reading a short excerpt where Gabriella Bell discovers that the unbelievable is real.

Gabby reached for the crystal ball and felt heat.
Drawn, she splayed her fingers until her palms nestled around it. A delicious wave of warmth spread through her, like sitting in front of a crackling fire on a cold winter night. Ecstasy coursed through her body.
But the pleasurable sensation dissipated like smoke, leaving fear in its wake, as the crystal began to pulse beneath her hand. Transfixed, she watched the crystal glow, the colors changing from green to blue, as the hues danced like waves on the ocean.
Her breath hitched in her throat as the coloration fell away and a face began to form. Its blurred outline moved back and forth, wraithlike, and then sprang into sharp focus.
Her nerveless fingers dropped from the ball. The face in the globe belonged to the hard-eyed stranger she'd bumped into outside the shop, only moments before.

Thanks for stopping by folks. Have a wonderful day.
Sandra

Characters Have Minds of their Own

One of the thing a lot of writers will tell you is that their characters seem to have minds of their own, taking over the story and refusing to do what the author wants them to. I don't know if this is because we're trying to make our characters do something...out of character or if it's some fault of our own, but it is both exhilarating and frustrating at the same time.

This just happened to me the other day with my current work in progress. It's a romantic fantasy with two brothers who each have different magical abilities, inherited from their nature-spirit ancestor. Aeran, whose supposed "gift" is the ability to know and affect what others are feeling, who is normally sensitive and cautious and careful with other people's feelings, reacted to the heroine with knee-jerk hatefulness.

His behavior shocked me--and his brother. But when I went back and thought about it, his past, his occasional difficulty with his temper, and his mood and situation at the moment, I realized it made sense. I'd been trying to force him into an unnatural equanimity, an even-temperedness no one would be able to maintain.

I think things will be tense in that house for a little while, even though he's properly repentant and she's quick to forgive him. Old grudges are hard to shed. If enough people clamor for it, I'll post an excerpt next time it's my turn.

Countdown to Speechless (my forthcoming book from Cerridwen Press): 2 months and 2 days

Meet Desiree Holt

Hi there! I'm Desiree Holt, the goddess of everything hot. I write about women who are strong yet feminine and the sexy alpha heroes that help them live out their fantasies. I currently have three novellas out that I'd like to tell you about. In CUPID'S SHAFT, released by Ellora's Cave, Jessie Rawlins is bummed about Valentine's Day. Her jerk of a boyfriend has dumped her for a size 2 leggy blonde and she's snowbound in a vavcation cabin in Maine with all the equipment for a sexy Valentine's celebrqation and no one to enjoy it with. Then the storm dumps Riley Malone on her doorstep, a man oozing rough sex appeal who discovers he wants nothing more than to make Jessie's Valentine's fantasy come true.

In GIVE IT TO ME, from Triskelion Publishing, CAroline "Callie" Michaels is another disappointed heroine who can't seem to find the right man to help her celebrate her birthday the way she wants. Then she invites hunky Sam Winthrop, the cop next door who's been lusting after her for months, to join her and Sam can't say yes fast enough. When he discoveres the bag of sex toys Callie had pourchased for her special biorthday his sex drive goes into overdrive.He is only teo happy to help Callie live out her erotic fantasies - and keep living them out as long as they're with him.

CALL ME PETE, also from Triskelion, finds Tracie Hill bemoaning the fact that her longtime boss has retired and sold the company to a much larger pone. Tomorrow she'll meet her new boss, known as 'the tyrant' but tonight she's out to drown her troubles with friends. Too bad she snags her last pair of pantyhose on the desk drawer, but that's nothing when a good-looking, sexy stranger walks in while she's doing a striptease to get them off. If that isn't bad enough, the power suddenly goes off trapping them in the office. And what does one do when trapped with a sexy stranger? A litle bondage? A lot of sex? Some erotiv adventures?

I hope you enjoy Desiree's "Taste of Love" and will visit me at www.desireeholt.com. And watch for my contests!

It's my day to blog . . . .

. . . but my book does not come out until April 4. Also, unfortunately, I have not been given the go ahead to post my cover, blurb or excerpt, but you can bet I will as soon as EC says "GO."

I can give you some hints, though. My book is called Anchor and Storm, but it has nothing to do with sailing. The premise of the book is, what if Lord Chatterley not only encouraged his wife to take a lover but . . . participated??? Woo-hoo! Well, if Connie Chatterley had the men I have in A&S, she would be one happy lady. Is that enough to wet your appetite for now? If not, just wait until you see the cover of A&S -- in the words of everyone who has seen it, it is HOT!

I have been writing for about 12 years, and like most authors, I guess, I have many unfinished manuscripts lying around that I want to finish someday, along with other stories rambling around in my head. My WIP now is set in Scotland in the time of the Romans and in Rome itself. If you check out my interview in the April issue of the Lady Jaided newsletter, you will learn not to expect laughter and light from most of my stories, and this WIP is probably my darkest. But those were not especially cheerful times for most of the citizens and life was tough. I am really excited about this one and I hope, if it gets published, you will be moved by it, too.

I can be reached at katepoole06@comcast.net, if you have any questions or comments. I will be working on a website when I get the final word from EC, and I'll post that on the blog site, too.

'Til next time,
Kate Poole

Muses, Faeries and Husbands

A few days ago, one of the other Goddesses mentioned her muse and it got me thinking about mine. Her name is Myfanwy and she's delightful, if somewhat temperamental. I picture her as a small red-haired faery with tattered green wings. She also has a couple of nicknames - The Shower Faery and The Receptionist Faery. This is a watercolor I did of her.

She has a bad habit of appearing at inopportune times - namely the shower and right as I'm drifting off to sleep. Myfanwy hates to be kept waiting, so I can't tell you how many times I've had to call my husband into the bathroom to take notes for me. Luckily, I'm married to a great guy who honestly doesn't mind helping out in that capacity.

At night, she's particularly persnickety. As I'm drifting off to sleep, she'll whisper the next plot point in my ear or point out the flaws with a character's goals, motivations and conflicts. Then, she'll try to convince me to drift off, assuring me that she'll take a message and remind me in the morning. I don't know if she's just forgetful or if she actually likes messing with me, but she never takes a message and in the morning, I never remember what bit of brilliance she gifted me with the night before. Now I know to keep a notebook and pen under my pillow for those flashes of brilliance.

Several nights ago, inspiration struck right as I was dozing off. I sat straight up in bed with a gasp and startled my poor husband awake. The resulting conversation went like this:

DH: What's the matter? Are you okay?

Me: I'm fine. I just figured out what was wrong with my heroine's motivation in my story.

DH: Oh. (long pause) Is it the story where the hero actually gets to sleep through the night?

Needless to say, I giggled for the rest of the night.

Well, I hope you're all having a lovely St. Patrick's Day. I'm enjoying some Celtic music and the company of my family. Today is my mom's birthday and tomorrow my baby boy turns 10 - I'm so not ready for that!

So... a couple questions for everyone. . . What did you do for St. Patrick's Day? and Do you have a muse? If so, what is he or she like?

~~Bronwyn Green~~

Let Me Introduce Myself

Hi everyone, I am Charlene Leatherman. I am writing for Cerridwen Press. My novel is coming out in August. I would love to let you see the cover of my novel, but I haven't seen it yet myself.

Unlike my wonderful friends here, I really don't have much to say about my life. I'm pretty boring, you see. My exciting world is in my imagination.

In my imagination there is:

Morgan Taj Zephyrain from Sonij. She is the heroine of Prophecy of Vithan, the novel that is coming out in August. She is a hard hitting, battle hardened brothel slave that wants nothing to do with men. They however want everything to do with her.

Carella Maxwell from Earth. She is the heroine of Stone of Cruento. She was bitten by a vampire, rescued by an ogre, and wooed by a centaur.

There's others too. Jaden, a mermaid. Magnys, a rogue that is decended from a winged woman.Janusa, a shape-shifter. Duce, a succubus that hates men. On and on. The list never seems to end. Just when I am ready to say okay, there are no more heroines, another pops up.

Complete with hero, villian and impossible situation.

So starting next month, I will introduce you to a heroine and her man. Maybe I will even get permission from one of my characters to write a cliff-hanger on this blog. At least until August when I can finally show you my cover.

Search For the Great Escape

Why do you read? Me? I read for the great escape from the mundane everyday things. Many shudder when they find out that I would rather have my nose buried in a book instead of watch a television show or movie. I say that my imagination is usually better. Besides when have you ever seen a movie that was based on a book that was anywhere near as good?
I have been an avid reader since a young age because of my grandmother. I can remember staying with her because my mom worked and grandma always had bags of books. I read my first Harlequin at the age of nine. Of course back then they were very tame with a little bit of hand holding and maybe a kiss or two if I was lucky! LOL Boy am I glad that things have changed.
I write erotic romance because we all need passion in our lives. I refuse to use the purple prose to describe what is a natural act between two consenting adults. Or maybe more than two. LOL All I know is that sex is a beautiful way to communicate the love between two characters. We learn more when we see them at their most vulnerable state. And who isn't vulnerable when they are stripped naked.
Some of my favorite authors are Linda Lael Miller, Catherine Coulter, Linda Howard, Johanna Lindsey, Diana Palmer, Janet Evanovich, Leigh Greenwood, Heather Graham, Susan Andersen, Karen Rose, Lori Foster, Shannon McKenna, Lucy Monroe, Ana Leigh, Janelle Denison, and of course there are the more erotic authors that hooked me on a whole new genre of steamy romance. Jaid Black, Lora Leigh, J. W. McKenna, Shiloh Walker, Sherri L. King, Jory Strong, Cheyenne McCray, Mary Wine, Rhyannon Byrd, Sarah McCarty, Emma Holly, Nicole Austin, Elizabeth Lapthorne, Jacci Burton, Lorie O'Clare, Jan Springer, Annie Windsor, Reese Gabriel, Titania Ladley, and Lauren Dane. What can I say? LOL I read a lot!!!!
So who are some of your favorite authors? Someday I hope to see my name on the top of someone's list, be the reason they write! That is my goal!

Lacey Thorn

Anita Birt

Hello Goddesses, I'm checking in for my first blog with my Goddess friends. Since I have never done this before I have much to learn about blogging. Sending my cover for A Very Difficult Man is the next step. My book was released on February First and has had two wonderful reviews. My second book with Cerridwen Press, Isabelle's Diary will be released on September Sixth. And another book is on the way. This is a bit like being pregnant!

Top o' the Mornin' To You!

The leprechauns are dancing and the faerie rings are aglow with light this morning because they've just seen that BRIANNA'S MAGIC is available now at Loose-Id.com. This is what happens when an editor asks an Irish girl if she will write a book for St. Patrick's Day. Erin go bragh! O' course I will, lassie! And whip up some soda bread while I'm whistlin' "Danny Boy!"

Brianna O'Shea is a witch living on the bottom coast of Ireland in the tiny village of Torin. She loves her family and her connection to her ancestors. And she loves the magic that's been in her blood for century after century. Nothing symbolizes this rich heritage to her more than the ruins of Castle Torin. So you can well imagine her dilemma when along comes American businessman Michael Gallagher and buys the entire parcel right out from under her nose.

To say sparks fly would be an understatement, even for an Irish tongue. Michael Gallagher is intrigued by the Irish lass, but he's not giving up his plans. Not for her or anyone. Converting prime property into five-star resorts is what he does. And does very well. His family found their particular pot of gold by moving from the Emerald Isle to America three generations ago. Now that he's back on the auld sod, however, what is it that he feels stirring in his blood? Is it his reaction to the sexy witch? Or does he have the magic as well?

Maybe it's both. These two may have just met their matches on a windswept cliff on the very edge of Ireland. Check out BRIANNA'S MAGIC as your St. Patrick's Day gift to yourself. After all, everyone is a little bit Irish this time of year.

Technical limitations and other stuff that gets in the way of life...

Uh oh...I think today is my day to post. And like the kid who 'forgot' to study for a math test, I'm caught off guard and scrambling now! LOL. No matter, I can always come up with something to blog about. I'm a writer, afterall. Never at a loss for words.

Hi, my name is Rita Sable and I write erotic contemporary romantic suspense and paranormal stories. And right now, as much as I'd love to post a copy of my beautiful *hot* cover from FAMILY JEWELS, I can't. That's because I'm forced to use a public computer since my keyboard recently committed suicide. So that leaves me technically challenged right now. Thanks to our blog mistress, Taige, the cover is in our rotation on the left hand side. You can also read an excerpt on my website, http://www.freewebs.com/rita_sable

I'm really proud of my current book with Ellora's Cave. Family Jewels was a labor intensive book and demanded a lot of research into the diamond industry, and into the history the Nazi invasion of Russia. I learned about how the holocaust affected not only the people, but the diamond industry as well. I've always had a fascination with gems and the research for Family Jewels fueled that fascination. I felt a much deeper connection to the story and all of the characters after my research. I like to think that connection comes through in my writing and in the story.

What am I working on now? A few things, of course! #1 is a contemporary erotic 'adventure' suspense called "Jungle Fever" that involves the hunt for Colombian emeralds; #2 is a contemporary erotic paranormal titled "Heaven's Warrior". I have an excerpt on my website for that one that you can read. #3 is "Mustang" a contemporary erotic western along the same lines as my first book, "Evening Star". This one concerns saving the wild mustang herds in the great American southwest. And #4 is something new I'm trying - a SciFi titled "Rush". That one is really fun and exciting, and I'm really hoping for it to be novella length - as in under 80k words!

I work on as many as three of these different stories every day. I like my smorgasbord and the different plots keep my brain energized and flexible. I'll be posting more excerpts from all of these different stories as they progress, so be sure to stop by my website and check.

Have a great Monday night, all!

A Spin On Things

You’re probably wondering what the top I used in this blog is all about. I like to think of it as my talisman when I write. I don’t have a real one yet but I look at the picture of the top that I have posted in my office and wonder about all the possibilities. Then I break all those possibilities and push the boundaries.

Just like a top I like to add my spin on things and let them land where fate deems fit. As a writer I strive to be different. When I sit down and write a story I write not just as a writer but also as a reader. I want to be entertained and want to entertain, thrill, entice and make you come back for more. Many say there is power with free speech. I say there is power in the way you write the words in your free speech. It is amazing what the human brain can come up with and I am asked many times how I come up with my ideas and I always find there is not really a way to articulate how I come up with ideas. I just simply say I put my spin on it.

Yet it is so much more. One of my greatest ideas places lately is the Subway. Yes you heard me right the Subway. As I ride to and from work and people are rushing to get to work or get the heck home I sit and dream of the next adventure I will take. I laugh, cry and curse as the plot plays in my head like it is happening to me at that moment. Yes as you can imagine I get strange looks but I don’t care I am too deep in my story for it to even register. Well unless someone actually asks me what is wrong then they wish they didn’t as I bring them into my story to. LOL. If the mood strikes me I’ve been know to pull out paper and if that’s not available tissue/napkins and write. I scribble furiously and get my ideas down and even chapters. You can imagine how my desk looks with papers when I get ready to write. LOL.

Now back to the spin on things. Differences are what make us and I like to explore that then smash it to push it to the extreme. I have found that this works for me. The trick is you have to let go and let the muse take you where it will. Me and Mikayla - my muse (yes she has a name because she is very demanding and opinionated) have a good working relationship. Meaning I let her have free rein and when I do it works in both our favors. We push each other to do more and give more. With each book I sit to write I wonder what will make this different and memorable then I realize that no matter what you write as long as you put your spin on it you already have the battle of a great story won.

I try and create novels that are unrestrained by reality. Hell I build worlds that defy definition and enjoy each and every improbable part of it. I love fulfilling anything I think is needed in a great story. Of course that means an engaging plot, lots of sex, fantasy and escape. An escape from the normal everyday and into the pages of a wonderful tale. I revel in the forays of the alpha male hero type and the kick butt heroine whether they be human, vampire, shape shifter, witch or anything else. There is freedom when you let go the restrictions and let the imagination free. Step outside what is expected. I love, fight and live with all those characters I create. Isn’t this really what it is all about? Taking a spin and letting it flow.

Novels are an adventure just waiting for you to open the pages and take a whirl. It is all about imagination and using it to escape. So take a spin and see where you end up and let your mind escape…

So, what does the spin on things mean to you or what novels have you read that had a spin on things that made you long for more….

Taige

Bronwyn Blogs...

Hi Everyone. My name is Bronwyn Green and I write erotica for Ellora's Cave and romantic suspense for Cerridwen Press.

In a world filled with so much negativity, we sometimes have to remind ourselves to look for the positive. I guess that's why I've always loved romance novels and why I enjoy writing them so much. No matter what kinds of hell the characters have to go through during the course of the story, they come through it stronger, wiser, happier etc.

That said, love doesn't have to be all teddy bears and daffodils - it certainly isn't in my stories! Sometimes love is hard, gritty and downright uncomfortable - emotionally, anyway. ;) Above all, I think love is healing - and if the healing happens to take place in the context of a sizzling hot story - so much the better!

My first book will be released on March 30th from Ellora's Cave - here's the blurb:

Elizabeth Louden has been chosen to provide Micah Bleddyn, the Overlord of Maelgwn, with an heir. However, she’s not interested in the honor. In a land where only men are allowed to use magic, women found to possess supernatural abilities are punished - often by death. She knows it’s only a matter of time before her secret is revealed.

Micah has no desire to rule his father’s empire, but after his older brother vanishes, he has no choice. Faced with invading forces, treachery among his own people, and now, a mate hell-bent on escape, he’s had enough. Realizing they have no allies but each other, Micah and Elizabeth reach a reluctant truce in their bid to stay alive and keep Maelgwn safe.

I also have a romantic suspense coming out on August 16th from Cerridwen Press, called Best Laid Plans and several works in progress that I'll be submitting to Ellora's Cave in the very near future - including the sequel to Overlord's Vessel - the story of two of the secondary characters.

You can read excerpts on my web site http://www.bronwyngreen.com/ as well as snippets from the writing life and articles of interest to writers on my blog http://www.xanga.com/Bronwyn_Green_Book_Blog Currently, you can find my presentation on Using Archetypes in Character Development.

I hope you'll stop by and maybe drop me a note - I love to hear from readers.

Getting to Know a Little About Lacey Thorn

I am Lacey Thorn. I write erotic romance for Ellora's Cave. I love it! For me there is nothing worse in a book than when you just get to the really good part and the chapter ends and when you go on to the next one the leads are already finished. I guess that makes me a voyeur. I'm okay with that. I just started writing last summer and was lucky in that my very first attempt to have my work was published. Since then I have sold five more works to Ellora's Cave that will be coming out in 2007. You can view my website at www.lacythorn.com and take a look at what I have coming. I have my own chat group at yahoo which is a great place to cathch up on the latest releases and read some great blurbs and excerpts from me and friends. Join us at

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/laceythornfans Then there is my own personal blog located on the web at : http://360.yahoo.com/lcy_thrn

Like every woman I know just how chaotic life can be and how appealing that great escape can look. So I invite you to toss aside the stress and tension of the never ending to do list. For now sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride with myself and the other goddesses as we help you to unlace and revel in the woman inside.

I'll be back on the fourteenth of March to talk more with you. Any burning questions that you really want me to answer for you? Send them my way at lcy_thrn1@lacythorn.com and I will do my best to deliver the answers. I'd love to hear from you! See you on March 14!

Writing a Mystery Novel

In my day job, I help write and compile indexes for the state statutes of eight different states. My group is constantly reading the the acts that are produced by the different state legislatures--from 200 to 2000 acts per year from each state. Because of this job, I've developed an interest in the law, which I've used in various novels.

I'd written in many other genres before I tackled a mystery novel. But when I wrote All Creatures, I felt like I'd found my writer's voice.



One problem I'd had when younger was building the all-important "goal/motivation/conflict" into my novels. The beauty of a mystery is that the goal is usually self-evident: find the murderer. My amateur-sleuth hero, Travis, is a small-town veterinarian. He has important motivation--not only is the murdered woman his stepmother, but his father is arrested for the crime. Travis believes his father is innocent, but he also wants to prove himself. His father has always favored Travis's brilliant older brother.


I've never written a book without a romance, and this one is no exception. Right in the middle of the greatest challenge of his life, Travis falls in love with lively newcomer to town, JayBee. She's one of my favorite heroines--gutsy, opinionated, and athletic (not much like me, who was always chosen last in games at school!)


Several lucky things happened while I wrote this book. Just when I'd written the first few chapters, I was able to take a 6-week class called "How to Write a Novel" with Cleveland mystery writer Les Roberts. He was a wonderful teacher and I know the book would not be the same if I hadn't taken the class. He spent a whole class talking about "antagonists," which made me rethink the role of the police chief in my book (who has been Travis's lifelong enemy). Les Roberts was also kind enough to read the first 35 pages of the students' manuscripts. He was encouraging about mine, which gave me the impetus to go on with it.


I am also fortunate to work with a man who was a former assistant prosecutor. He was able to help me with many of the procedural details in the novel, for instance, everything that occurs after a body is found.

The book has had several different titles, including The Vet Investigates and Death and the D.V.M. A friend suggested All Creatures Great and...Dead because it brings in the veterinarian idea, recalling the famous books and TV series about a British veterinarian.


The book will be available on May 17th.

The Quiet One

While all the other Goddesses are paryting, I'm the one in the corner watching it all happen (and taking notes, of course, for later fun and profit) or sneaking off to my magic mirror to see what's going on with my creations. But like all the quiet ones, when I have something to say, you'd better listen.

TV Reporter: Ma'am, tell me about your neighbor who turned out to be a serial killer.
Woman in house dress, her hair in curlers: Oh, she was very quiet. Kept to herself a lot. Never caused trouble.

You see what I mean.

My first book, Speechless, doesn't come out until the end of May, from Cerridwen Press, so expect me to start ki- I mean talking in a couple months. For now, here's a blurb:

Stone is lying low in a mountain cabin while authorities work to capture the corrupt government agents he helped expose. When a hiker gets caught in a small landslide and breaks her leg, he can't keep himself from helping her, despite the danger to them both.

Eva knows Stone is lying to her about who he is--"international consultant" indeed!--and why he's in that cabin, but she also knows he'd never hurt her. And though he declares that the instant attraction between them has to end as soon as she's safely home, neither one can resist the other. Because Eva is mute, and Stone can hear the voice she doesn't have.

Will their passion and connection doom them or save them?

Find an excerpt on my Web site: www.elissaabbott.com.

My current work-in-progress is a fantasy about a lost woman seeking freedom and healing, and the two men who help her find them. For updates on this book and Speechless, come join my Friends on MySpace: www.myspace.com/elissaabbott.

Who am I?

Somebody suggested we introduce ourselves and list our new & upcoming releases, so I guess I'll take the plunge...

I'm Cindy Spencer Pape (C. S. Pape, no hyphen or anything!) and this month I get to be schizophrenic. (Or more so than usual, anyway...) I have **2** new books coming out with 2 differnet pubs--and they're very different styles.

Curses is a paranormal with a bit of suspense, set in Michigan's gorgeous Upper Peninsula. It will be available from Triskelion Publishing as soon as their new website is up and running (any day now!). Check it out at www.triskelionpublishing.com

Here's a blurb: Some people really are cursed when it comes to love! For innkeeper and witch Melissa MacRae, a family curse means that falling in love is the ultimate bad idea. Author Jonas Pierce is a werewolf, who has seen too much evil to even consider passing on his curse to another generation. So why does a hot summer fling have them both thinking about happily ever after?

Crazy for the Cowboy is a contemporary western romance, (okay, so there's a tiny bit of paranormal, I couldn't help it!) and the second book in my series Love at the Crazy H. It comes out March 16 from The Wild Rose Press: www.thewildrosepress.com

Blurb: Tough-as-nails Sheriff Fitz Hall has learned the hard way that transplanted city girls are not to be trusted, so he plans to steer clear of the new arrival in town. Rhiannon Jakobowski has lived a staid, regimented life. Inheriting a bookstore in Wyoming, is her first chance at independence, and she’s determined to make the most of it. Within days she wakes up to find the handsome sheriff in her bed. Pretty soon she’s talking to ghosts. Is she losing her mind? Or is she just crazy for the cowboy?

And, just in case you want to catch the beginnings of Love at the Crazy H, and get acquainted with the hot & hunky Hall brothers, The Cowboy's Christmas Bride, the first book is currently available in electronic and print formats from The Wild Rose Press. It got 5 Hearts from the Romance Studio, & 4.5 Blue Ribbons from Romance Junkies, as well as 4 Angels from Fallen Angels Reviews.

Blurb: Running from a wedding gone wrong, Allison finds herself snowbound with a sexy rancher. CJ has been left at the altar once, so he’s leery of getting involved with a runaway bride, while Allison is afraid to love at all. Can the magic of the holidays and CJ’s big crazy family help them overcome the past and make this the best Christmas ever?

Finally, I have a paranormal romance mixed with suspense, coming June 21, 2007 from Cerridwen Press: www.cerridwenpress.com I'll wait to talk more about Dragon in the System, a little later!

So that's what I've been up to. Excerpts from all the books and more info about me are available on my website, www.cindyspencerpape. I'm also constantly playing on MySpace, so look me up there at www.myspace.com/cindyspencerpape and don't forget to check out my yahoo newsgroup: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cspapenewsgroup/?yguid=287008033

Have a great weekend!

Invitations to the Party

If handsome Scotsmen are coming to the party, can we invite Ewan McGregor? I don't care if he looks like Obi-wan or Christian in Moulin Rouge, he's always welcome as far as I'm concerned!

Let's get this party started!

Hi, everyone. Hmmm, mango margharitas! Yummm. And Mozart? A little hard to dance to, but he is one of my favorite composers.

Hope you don't mind that I brought a guest -- a gorgeous, strapping man in a kilt, of course. So, as you might have guessed, I write Scottish historicals. Check back on March 20 when I will tell you about my book.

Later! Angus and I have to do a slow dance to the 2nd movement of Mozart's Clarinet Concerto.

Kate Poole

I'm here and I brought champagne

Welcome to the Goddesses of Storytelling kickoff party. I'm Desiree Holt, the goddess of hot, hot, hot. If you like your sex lustful, a little kinky - oh, okay, a lot kinky - and your hunks badass, I'm your woman. All of us goddesses are here to tell you about ourselves, our books, fun stories and little tidbits. We hope you'll post your comments here, also, and tell us what you'd like to hear about from us We're ready to party any time and hope you'll join us. Stay tuned for news about us and our books.

Let's talk about COFFEE

Now that most of you have drunk yourselves silly and slid under the tables, I'm going to the kitchen to make a pot of my favorite coffee. Hmm...Starbucks Hazelnut special roast. Anyone want a cup?

Seriously, what is it about coffee and writers and our desperate need to snuggle up to a cup o'joe? Java? Brew? whatever! Generally, we love the stuff and claim we can't function without it. I know I can't...not for long anyway. My husband claims I have a serious caffeine addiction. He may be right. I tried switching to decaf one time. I heard on TV sometime that caffeine ups your blood pressure and your bad cholesterol...yada yada yada. By about my third cup I was one cranky girl. I had a headache the size of Montana. Being deprived of my necessary caffeine jolt was enough to raise my blood pressure. LOL!! I'll never do that again.

How do you like your coffee? I take mine with 1/2 tsp of sugar (the real stuff, keep that artificial crap out of my sight!) and 2% milk. If forced to, I will drink it black. I grind my own beans and make coffee with a French press that my mom gave me for Christmas one year (she gave me this coffee addiction too, ya' know?)

What the brew does for me? It frees my mind, by God! Sipping hot coffee in the morning is like seeing the windows of my imagination being opened. It powers my adrenaline for action scenes and all those lusty sex scenes. Woo-hoo!

By about 3pm in the afternoon, I stop drinking coffee and usually switch to Blackberry tea. It's got plenty of caffein in it too, but doesn't keep me awake at night if I need to get some sleep. But if I really need to stay awake to write out a scene, I make a fresh pot of COFFEE and enjoy it without guilt.

So, lay it on, ladies! Here's our first topic. :-D

Bartender Goddess

Why am I always the one in the kitchen mixing drinks? (hiccup) I made more margarita's. These are Mango. Hope you all enjoy! The rest of the goodies are on the table in the kitchen. Well, what I haven't eaten! What is a party without food and drinks? Now time for the gossip girls! Did you hear the one about...

Party Time

Party!

Where? Here? Cool!

Well, I'm giving away a gift box of Mackinac Island Fudge this month, if anybody wants chocolate. Details are on the website, www.cindyspencerpape.com. Goin' crazy because I have 2 new releases, with 2 different publishers.

Now somebody tell me where you got those margaritas!

Where's the champagne?

The key was under the mat, so I came on in. That was okay, right? I turned on the lights and put a rousing Mozart symphony on the stereo. I notice the fridge is a wee bit bare. I'm making a run to the gourmet store. See you later!
Dee

I just found the place. Sorry I'm late.

Just parked my space shuttle. Sorry I was caught in traffic. Since they changed Pluto from a planet to an unknown you just can't get around. Anyone else here for the party?

I'm here, I'm here!

Umm...and where is everyone else? Darn. It's like jumping into a party only to find the room is empty.

I guess I'll just go make myself happy at the bar while I wait for all of you to join me here.