I have a cover for Stone of Cruento

I was really worried if they
would be able to come up with a
cover since a centaur vampiress
having a menage with an ogre, a
vampire, and a centaur was kind
of difficult to imagine. But they
did it! I am so jazzed!!!
Stone of Cruento is available at
Cerridwen Press
(http://www.cerridwenpress.com/) on May 1

Making Friends in Cyberspace

We live in such an electrnic age that we can do almost everything in our lifes-shop for clothes, food, books, make phone calls around the world, send messages without going to the post office and conduct and entire business without every leaving our homes. Or our computers! Think about it. At your computer you are connected to hundreds of people you never see who over time become closer than most people you know.

Wjhen my first book was published and I began my life according to Yahoo, I realized that out there on the loops I was meeting poeple from all over the world. Talking to them. Exhanging everything from ideas to recipes. The first time a reader in Hong Kong won an ebook from me in a contest, I thought, Wow! Hong Kong! I have editors in Australia, England, and the United States, and readers from, at last county, thirty three different countries.

And as I've lived in the Yahoo world, I've made friends who I've grown closer to with each year. We share out hopes, our dreams, or disappointments and our successes. We discuss our personal lives, jokes about the crises we all face, and in general become one extended family. All without seeing each other.

Two weeks ago I went to the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention in Pittsburgh and finally had the opportunity to meet many of them. What a wonderful, wonderful bunch of people. And we knew each other as if we'd been together for ages. My roommate was great-thank you Cindy Spencer Pape for being the terrific person you are-and all the rest of you-Anny (and the house hunk), Carol, Michele, Chrtistine, Claire, Lacey, Keanar, Kelly-I know I missed someone but please forgive me and chalk it up to my aging brain. All of you are wonderful and being with you was such a joy.

Now when I read my emails and the messages on the loops, I can put a face to the name. I hope you all come back next year when it's in Orlando, and those whomdidn;t get there this year, put it on your calendars. It's a wonderfl way to blend the syber-and real worlds together, and bask in the warmth iof friendshiops that have grown over time.

You rock, ladies.

Bare Love Book One: His Bare Obsession

I thought that I would start at the beginning and give you all a recap of the Bare Love books. The very first book in the series tells the story of Moira and Gil and introduces most of the rest of the characters. I love this series and am often asked when the next one will be out. Soon! I promise.
So here is a look at the book that started it all!

His Bare Obsession
Lacey Thorn

It was just another day in the small town of Legacy for sexy gym owner Moira Madigan and her best friend Cass until they investigated a noise and stumbled upon the body of the latest victim of the killer who was preying on the women in their town. Now being stalked by this madman Moira is put under the protective custody of Detective Gil Daniels. He’s tall, dark, handsome and just about the sexiest thing she’s ever seen. Good news is he’s crazy about her too. Bad news is so is the killer and he’ll use anyone to get to her. Can she trust the Detective to keep her body safe or only to bring her the ultimate pleasure a woman can have? Sex with Gil Daniels is better than anything she’s ever dreamed of and she just might be falling in love. Now she just has to survive meeting his family and avoid the obsession of a killer and she just might find that happily ever after.

And an excerpt to either reawaken your interest or wet it! Enjoy!

HIS BARE OBSESSION

LACEY THORN

Gil reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind Moira’s ear. She gasped at the flames that coursed through her at his touch. Gil zoned in on her softly parted lips. Before either of them realized what was happening Gil’s lips were hovering over Moira’s. He seemed to catch himself before he followed through on his instinctive need to kiss her. But Moira wasn’t to be denied. She leaned the rest of the way in and pressed her lips boldly to his. The flames engulfed her entire body. She felt his tongue on her lips and his hands curving over her hips to pull her close. She opened wide to his tongue play and tasted chocolate. She could feel every delicious hard inch of his body against her.
Gil backed Moira up until she was caught between him and the wall. He leaned into her until he could feel her full breasts pressed into his chest. Lord she had the most exquisite body that he had ever seen or felt. He was as hard as stone…At Moira’s moan Gil began to rock against her while he deepened his kiss. She felt like heaven. He had to get inside her before he exploded.
Moira moaned as Gil lifted her and pressed himself boldly between her thighs. She felt the moisture in her panties as he began to rock against her… She didn’t know if he would fit but she wanted him enough to try. She brought her legs up and wrapped them around his waist to hold him exactly where she wanted him. He leaned in closer, pinning her more firmly against the wall. He squeezed her ass and then began slowly moving his hands up under her shirt until they were at her breasts. He boldly cupped her full breasts in his palms and brushed his thumbs across the hard pebbles of her nipples. Moira moaned again as Gil’s lips left hers for the new territory of her throat. With one quick tug he had her shirt opened fully to his sultry gaze. She heard his groan as he pushed her breasts up over the cups of her bra.
He put his hands behind her back to force her to arc her breasts up toward his waiting lips. She had beautiful breasts with hard pink nipples that were begging him. Gil bent forward and sucked her nipple hard into his mouth. He heard Moira’s gasp of shock and pleasure and reached his hand back around to pluck at her other nipple. He couldn’t suck her nipple deep enough into his mouth. He had to get her on her back on the bed behind him. He had to be inside her soon or it would be too late.
Just then there was a knock at the door and he heard Ben ask if he was ready to go meet Jack downstairs.
Gil had to clear his throat twice before he could reply. “I’ll meet you down there in just a few minutes.” He felt Moira pulling away from him, but he was so close that it was doing her no good.
He glanced at her and saw the confusion and vulnerability in her eyes. “I’m sorry, Moira. I didn’t mean this to happen.”
Moira was embarrassed by her wanton behavior. If the other detective had not interrupted she would have let him take her right there against the wall, not a very dignified way to lose one’s virginity. She unclasped her legs from around his waist and moved her hands to readjust her clothing. Before she could Gil was there again. She felt his lips kiss both of her nipples before he put her back in her bra cups. He pulled her shirt back together and tied it deftly. With a deep breath he stepped back from her but kept his hands firmly on her waist.
“I’m sorry if I went too far. I can’t deny though that I want you very badly. I think that you want me to.”
Moira just gazed up at him with her wide green eyes. “I…I’m not sure what I want.”
“Yes you are, and if I didn’t have to head downstairs I would prove that to you. Soon, Moira, we will finish this.” With those words, Gil swooped in and gave her a hard kiss of possession before turning to leave the room. Once in the hall outside of the apartment Gil shook his head to bring his thoughts into focus. What the hell was he thinking? He was here to protect her. He prayed that he would remember that the next time he had that incredible body against his.

Imprint: Ellora’s Cave
His Bare Obsession by Lacey Thorn
Release date: 2/21/07
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Rating: S
ISBN: 9781419909252
Price: $5.95

Discover the little town of Legacy and the Daniels family that calls it home in the book that started it all.

Lacey Thorn
Your world...unlaced.

5 days until Stone of Cruento comes to Cerridwen Press

Here is another excerpt from Stone of Cruento available at Cerridwen Press on May 1, 2008.
The excerpt is rated PG-13.

The room was cleaned, the bed made with fresh linen and Claren was dressed. She waited in the main dining room with three vampires. Claren could smell the death on each of them. She wanted to go home and shower. She knew she had the smell of death on her. Jack’s death. Once she’d planned to marry him. Then while at the cemetery to visit her recently murdered parents her life changed forever.
She was attacked. Essentially killed when a monster of some kind ripped her throat out. When she recovered from having her throat ripped out, Claren discovered she was a vampire. Not in the real sense. She could still attend church. She attended night services. Not because she couldn’t stand the light but because daylight was uncomfortable giving her the equivalent of a nasty sunburn. However, after her first kill, Claren felt uncomfortable attending church with so many heartbeats around her. Heartbeats that pumped blood that called to her.
She contacted the human resources department at her corporate job and resigned. She also contacted Jack and told him that she was unable to continue seeing him. She didn’t give any reason. He assumed it was because she was fragile after her parent’s murder. It was because she didn’t want to kill him.
Like I did tonight. Claren shuddered. She watched as the bartender spoke quietly to each of the three vampires. Next would be her turn. She swallowed hard as he came up to her.
“You know the drill?”
Claren shook her head.
“King Geoffrey owns the club and several like it. We supply the venue for you to hunt safely. If you turn your mark that person is your responsibility. If you kill your mark…”
“Jack wasn’t a mark. He-he was a friend.”
The bartender shrugged. “Whatever. If you kill your mark we clean up the mess. We make it look like a death due to an accident. We show you the accident so you can approve it. You know, if your mark doesn’t swim then a shark attack would not be feasible. Because we take care of the mess you owe King Geoffrey a favor. Those three,” the bartender jerked his head at the vampires. “Will be doing night work. Since your mark was in a high profile position in government the king may want you to do several things. Right now, he needs some people taken out of the picture.”
“You want me to kill?” Claren asked, horrified.
“If you hadn’t already done it once, here in the club, you wouldn’t be obligated to the king, now would you?”
Claren sighed. She had to pay for her weakness. She vowed it would never happen again.
She nodded to the bartender to continue.
“Since you are able to withstand the sunlight, your assignment will take place this morning,” The bartender handed her a slip of paper. “Here is the address and the time you are to meet with your mark. Collateral damage is acceptable however you must kill the mark. If you fail, well, other vampires have failed and were ashed. I don’t know what the king would do to you.”
“Why do you associate with vampires?” Claren asked lightly.
“Why do you live as a vampire? It would be simple enough to end your life.”
“You’re right. My question was rude,” She looked at the slip of paper. It was a restaurant in her neighborhood. She looked up at the bartender.
“Normally I don’t give explanations to the suckers. But the king told me that if you had a question to tell you what you wanted to know. King Geoffrey knows you keep your neighborhood free of crime and of suckers, except for you, of course. There is a human criminal who is killing off vampires.”
“A vampire hunter? What is unusual about that?”
The bartender shook his head. “No, a normal vampire hunter the suckers could handle themselves. This is a man who is starting a gang—low end crime but moving into drugs, prostitution, extortion and the protection racket. He is killing male vampires and enslaving female suckers. He uses some kind of drug to control them. Then he keeps them practically starved. He gives them just enough blood to keep them from ashing. He is moving into your neighborhood. He plans to have lunch at that restaurant. Actually, he plans to set up his headquarters in that restaurant and take over your neighborhood. He seems to think your neighborhood is a nice safe neighborhood and that makes it easy prey.”
“Why can’t you just do something about it?”
The bartender hesitated, considering how much to tell her.
“They have a vampire with them. Like nothing you’ve seen. Some creature that feeds on human and vampire alike. The suckers can only go out at night when it is alive. Evidently the thing sleeps in the wine cellar. It wakes when humans try to kill it and devours them. Humans aren’t fast enough or strong enough. You are.”
Claren crumpled the slip of paper in her hand. “Thanks for the information. Collateral damage is acceptable you said?” The bartender nodded. “How did you get this information?”

Be sure and stop by Cerridwen Press on May 1, 2008 and get your copy of Stone of Cruento by Charlene Leatherman.

Toads

"Invite a toad to lunch." That's the heading onthe newsletter from Canadian Wildlife Federation and I decided to strike a blow on behalf on the much maligned little creatures. Why should frogs get all the attention? For instance, there's the fairytale about the princess who was playing with her gold ball and it fell down the well. A frog found it and made a bargain with the princess.

"I will return your ball if you promise to take me to your bed and kiss me." Yuck. Kiss a frog. But she did and he turned into a handsome prince who had been bewitched. Try that one on a modern princess and she'd spit in his eye. Frogs can be treacherous - but toads, never.

What about, "A frog he goes a wooing ho, High ho says ..." Another frog hogging the spotlight.

So here's what the CWF says about toads. "Despite their squat, warty appearance there is something appealing about these little creatures. Maybe it's the fact that they eat more unattractive visitors, such as cuw9rms and earwigs, in great numbers. So welcome them into your garden." (copyright Canadian Wildlife Federation)

I'd welcome a covey of toads in our garden but they require a handy little pond and we don't have one. Toads are in short supply on Vancouver Island. Don't know why. Our neighbours have a pond. Hmm. If I could buy some toads they could paddle in the neighbours' pond and come under the fence to eat cutworms and earwigs in our garden. I wish.

If you are longing to know more about toads you can go to the What's New section at www.wildaboutgardening.org

Aren't you glad I blogged about toads on the goddess blog? Let the little warty darlings bask in their moment of fame. Come by my web site, www.anitabirt.com and find out about me and my books. I write romance and I don't have a toad in any of them. Sigh.

Anita

Adventure

April 24
Adventure
Genreflecting.com defines Adventure in this way:

What Is Adventure/Suspense Fiction? Lusty spies; deadly plagues; courtroom intrigue; fanatical terrorists; murderous psychopaths; state-of-the-art
weaponry; destructive acts of nature; political conspiracies; evil Nazis; Russian crime kingpins, and international drug cartels are but a few examples of the elements that can be found in this genre. Oftentimes lumped under the catch-all label of thrillers, It is hard to precisely define adventure/suspense as authors often combine situations from other genres such as mystery, horror, science-fiction, and even romance. Although an eclectic mix, all adventure/suspense novels have a few basic commonalties.
The characters (and the reader) can always expect the worst - the main characters can,and usually do, have everything thrown at them. Action, action and more action are hallmarks of a good adventure/suspense book.
The entire read is a roller coaster ride of chills and excitement with the last stop (and page) not always ending in
happiness. And finally, there must be a villain, for without a foe…without an adversary, there can be no adventure…no suspense.

Know how I define it? Danger Zone Authors! Be sure to come for the Launch on May 11. You will meet authors who write the kind of books Genreflecting.com is talking about.

finally home!

First of all, thank you to Charlene for holding the fort while many of us were off playing--oops, I mean working--at the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh was a surprizingly attractive city--except for inside our hotel, which was under construction. I had a wonderful time, mostly meeting other authors, so many of whom I have known on-line, including several of my fellow goddesses. I came home with a big stack of books, some free and some purchased, and tons of other goodies and giveaways. I met the staff of both of my publishers and all were delightful. A couple of other publishers tried to recruit me. I even had my very first fan stop me in the elevator and ask for an autograph! What a huge thrill that was!

So now it's back to work. Stories to write, stories to edit, and submissions to prepare. Tonight I have a live chat at Coffee Time Romance to wrap up the fun and games. And just for fun, here's a picture of me from the Faery Ball, in my full dragon-lady regalia!