Category Archives: guest blogger

Lex Valentine joins me on my blog today, talking about her series, Tales of the Darkworld…

I recently blogged about how the coming year will have me writing the last four books in my Tales of the Darkworld series and how tough it will be to write “The End” when I get to the end of the tenth and last book. I know many of you probably think it’s pretty dumb of me to start thinking of the end when it’s a whole year and four books away. But it’s hard for me not to think of it. And it will be hard for me to let go when the time comes.

My series encompasses many different kinds of relationships from friendships to family to mates and to one’s own understanding of self. I try to draw each relationship as carefully as possible so that they ring true to the reader. I want them to know why Marius is furious when he thinks his best friend is being judgmental about his relationship with his mate. I want them to understand just how ticked off Eden could be at her oldest brother for treating her like a black sheep just because she didn’t want to work in the family business. I want them to feel Emily’s pain at being spurned by her mate for three long years. I want them to understand Holden’s confused emotions at discovering his mate is a man. And I want them to weep tears of joy as each couple in each book finds happiness.

The newest book in the series in Sunstroked, set for release on October 7. Sunstroked is book 6 of 10, which is why it’s spurred my feelings that the series is drawing to a close. Suntroked is the story of Seth Dylan, a werewolf who’s been in the closet his entire life because he’s lived under the rule of his cousin, the McCallan pack Alpha who won’t abide a gay man in his family. When Seth leaves the pack, he struggles to find himself and while still in denial meets his mate, a fae named Corey Green. Corey is bright and sunny and cheerful and happy…everything Seth is not. When Corey takes Seth’s virginity, both men’s lives are changed.

The book is a gay romance, but it’s also a tale of finding yourself and facing reality. Seth had lied to himself about his sexuality for most of his life. He had to dig deep inside himself and reconcile what he found with what he truly wanted. Corey believed that happiness was a choice and that finding your mate made everything perfect in life. What Corey discovers is that there’s a bit more to happiness than just choosing to feel that way and that sometimes finding your mate is complicated and heart breaking. Meanwhile, Seth acknowledges that he’s gay and tries to build a life for himself. When the two meet again nearly two years after Corey took Seth’s virginity, emotions flare and they’re forced to face their shared past in order to build a life together.

Sunstroked is the only fully gay romance in the series. Fire Season (a 2009 Rainbow Awards finalist) is a gay for you story about a het dragon whose mate is a bi-sexual dragon. The rest of the books are M/F romances with some kink. Common Ground contains a chapter long ménage a quatre with F/F, M/M elements as well as more traditional ménage. Ride the Lightning (a Lories Best Published Finalist) has light BDSM. Shifting Winds has a pegging scene. And Hot Water is all about the vanilla!

In the final four books of the series, I revisit Holden and Garret from Fire Season in Fire Storm which has a secondary love story entwined with Holden and Garret’s, I redeem werewolf Ruan McCallan in Thunder and Myth, I explain why Alfred Stone must ensure his friends and family are happily mated in Rain of Tears, and in the final book, Force Majeure, I give readers the story of the most powerful character in all ten books, black dragon Sean Antaeus. The coming year will be intense as I take readers to the end of this series. Hopefully, I will do these characters and the series justice in bringing it to its conclusion. If you haven’t read any of these yet, I invite you join our journey and check out the current six books of the Tales of the Darkworld as we embark on the final four epic stories of love and friendship.

Thanks very much for having me on your blog today, Felicity. I hope your readers enjoyed this look into my series. Wishing you all a wonderful day!

Lex Valentine

Find out more about Lex’s great series at http://www.talesofthedarkworld.com and http://www.sunlightsucks.com

I have the pleasure of welcoming Mary Alice Pritchard to my blog today…

Price: $6.00
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length: 232 pages

Ghostly Mistakes
Mary Alice Pritchard

Lizzy planned to make this mission short and sweet, but thanks to her client, Carl Taylor’s inability to provide details, it looks as if she was in for an extended adventure. A dangerous farmer with buried secrets, and the zealous accusations of a lady’s church group keep her on her toes. If all this isn’t enough to complicate her task, her growing attraction to the highway patrolman who caught her speeding, adds spice to the brew. If she doesn’t solve the puzzle left in her hands, she could find herself stuck with Carl for life. Oh, did I mention he isn’t a paying customer? Well, being a ghost does limit your financial abilities.

Tell us a little about your story.
Ghostly Mistakes is a paranormal romantic suspense with elements of comedy. Yes, it has it all. Lizzy is a channel for spirits. Once one of them attaches to her, she can’t get rid of them until she helps them resolve their unfinished business. Jacob is a highway patrolman who stops her from speeding and then can’t get her out of his head. They are thrown together to solve more than a pesky ghost problem. There is something going on in the small town of Belzoni that doesn’t include Lizzy’s ghostly hitchhiker.

What is it you relate to most with your heroine or hero? What do you like about them most?
Lizzy is all the things I would like to be in a woman, spunky, witty, and willing to take chances. I tend to ask a dozen questions before I leap.

Jacob is the tall dark handsome stranger I’d love to meet other than in my dreams. I’m sure we all have a few of them lurking in our subconscious minds.

How did you get started in writing?
I’ve written short stories off and on all my life. I used them as an escape from the world around me. I officially began writing about four years ago. I went to a Romantic Times Book Lovers Convention and fell in love with writing by talking with so many of the talented authors there.

What’s your schedule like, and what do you enjoy doing in your time off?
I work full time so I write whenever I can. Mostly it is on the weekends as it is about the only free time I have. As for my “off” time. I write, read and watch my feline muses who entertain me. Next to writing, reading is my one true love.

Where can readers find out more about your stories?
They can go to either www.thewildrosepress.com or to www.thedarkcastlelords.com for my short stories. My website is www.maryalicepritchard.com Don’t forget to check out my blog where the felines like to hang out.

Sneak peek into Ghostly Mistakes:
Lizzy Gordon risked another look behind her as she ran the last few yards to her car.

“Nothing…there…nothing there!” She repeated the words, not to convince herself, but to keep her mind occupied until she was safe behind glass and

steel. There was something there, all right. If she didn’t get into her car now, that something would have her for a quick snack. She pressed her remote as she neared the car; blinking headlights reassured her the doors were unlocked. She slammed the car door closed just seconds ahead of the presence bearing down on her and slid towards the center of the car, jerking as a malevolent ghost crashed into the door.

“That was much too close!” Realizing they were squeezed shut, she opened her eyes and made an attempt to slow her breathing before she hyperventilated. The presence outside the car was furious and pushing hard against the metal of the door.

“Sliding home on your ass again, I see.” The amused southern drawl drew a startled yelp from Lizzy before she could stop it.

“Damnation, Carl! Don’t do that to me again!”

Scooting back into the driver’s seat and jamming the key into the ignition, she peeled out of the cemetery, leaving a dust cloud boiling behind her. “And why are you here? I told you to keep out of my way!”

“Aw, Lizzy baby, is that any way to treat your back-up?” His smooth southern drawl raised her hackles instead of calming her down as he probably intended.

“Carl, I’m not your baby and you are most definitely not my back-up! I’m only in this mess because you can’t keep your promises!” Growling in frustration, she risked a look in the rear view mirror at her passenger. Oh, man, he was just as hard to look at as the last time she’d seen him.

Driving faster than was safe on a gravel road, Lizzy willed her pounding heart to settle down.

Gravel turned to concrete a mile from the cemetery as she sped back to the highway, only slowing down enough to make the turn without rolling the car. She headed towards Indianola, Mississippi, the closest decent sized city near Belzoni on her map. She’d reserved a room at a Day’s Inn once she arrived in Belzoni, before going to the first cemetery. It was only a thirty-minute drive between the two towns and she preferred larger rather than smaller, rationalizing she stood a better chance at locating a decent place to eat. Lizzy finally slowed down to just over the speed limit once she was in sight of the Producers Feed Mill lights that signaled the even smaller community of Isola. Taking a deep breath, Lizzy glared at her passenger using the rear view mirror.

Two weeks ago, she was living a fairly normal life in Jackson, Mississippi, managing a small emergency medical clinic. Yes, she had the odd deadbeat to deal with, but nothing dramatic or dangerous. She liked it that way—boring. Instead, here she was sneaking around in the middle of the night in backwoods Belzoni, Mississippi, an angry spirit on her tail and the meddlesome ghost who started the whole fiasco in her back seat. Lizzy felt like she was jinxed when it came to men and considering her track record, most people would probably agree. Gripping the steering wheel, she fumed over the situation. It never failed—when she found herself metaphysically bound to a ghost it turned out to be a whopper of an adventure. Oh, for a simple haunting or displaced body.

Staring into the rear view mirror at her latest male attachment, Lizzie planned to look for a new career as soon as she managed to rid herself of Carl.

Something where there would be less chance of hitchhiking ghosts. She could manage a dry cleaners or maybe a bookstore. She loved to read. Anything that paid the bills would do, if it would keep her chances of hooking up with dead dudes to the bare minimum.

I have the pleasure of welcoming Christina Phillips to my blog today…

Price: $2.00
Genre: Erotic Romance with Paranormal Elements
Length: 40 pages

Foretaste of Forever
Christina Phillips

Elyesha, last surviving descendant of a line of powerful witches, finally finds the only man she’s ever loved, the man who deserted her countless years before. But Ben is torn between desire and despair when Elyesha, his only love, eventually penetrates his protective retreat. He knows what she wants, but the price of their love is too high. At midnight, on the beach, a battle of wills and erotic seduction ensues as each confronts the other’s darkest fears.

Thanks for having me on your blog, Felicity. I’m thrilled to be here!

Tell us a little about your story.
Foretaste of Forever is a dark erotic romance with paranormal elements about a witch and her emotionally tortured lover.

This story came to me in a dream. And it was a perfectly gorgeous dream, in vivid color and with sound effects. Midnight, on a storm tossed beach with the moon casting silver threads across the chilly sand. And the hero was breathtaking. Dark, dangerous. Powerful. And an utter mystery.

I loved everything about this recurring dream. But after a while – like, four years – it began to drive me mad. Because this couple never got any further! All I knew was the heroine would do anything to be with the man she loved, and the hero was too blinded by his sense of honor to see his destiny when she was standing right in front of him.

What is it you relate to most with your heroine or hero? What do you like about them most?
My heroine, Elyesha, is a strong, independent woman, which I love. But despite her powerful heritage and the destiny laid out for her by her foremothers, she’s willing to give up everything and do absolutely anything in order to be with the man she loves. And I love that about her too!

As for my hero, Ben, I love the fact that he’s willing to give up the only woman he’s ever loved, the woman who is, essentially, his salvation, because he believes she needs her foretold destiny in order to survive.

How did you get started in writing?
I’ve always loved to write. As a child I’d write rambling plays, as a teenager I penned long, angst filled poems and stories set in space or alternate realities (which now I think about them, always ended badly!!!) It wasn’t until my family and I moved to Australia from the UK ten years ago that I decided to get serious about my writing with a view to publication.

What’s your schedule like, and what do you enjoy doing in your time off?
I’m horribly disorganised, and think my New Year’s Resolution this year should be to get my butt in gear! I do try and write something every day, and do my best not to cheat by calling blogging or emails *writing*. On a good day I can manage about ten pages. On a bad day… well, let’s not go there!!

In my time off I go to the gym (a necessity rather than for pleasure, I’m afraid!), chat on MSN with my CPs (who live in New Zealand and the UK), read and spend time with my husband and three children. I’m also currently obsessed with the whole Battlestar Galactica universe and re-watch the DVDs way too many times for sanity!

Where can readers find out more about your stories?
I have a website http://www.christinaphillips.com

And my blog, which I try to keep updated several times a week http://christinaphillips.blogspot.com

MySpace http://www.myspace.com/christinaphillips1

Sneak peek into Foretaste of Forever:
Elyesha hooked her ankles around Ben’s waist as he strode through the castle’s crumbling entrance. For a fleeting moment, she wished it had retained its former glory, but her ancestors had allowed the magnificent stronghold to fall into ruins centuries ago.

Besides, it didn’t matter where she had Ben. So long as she had him. And soon – she would have him forever.

In the Great Hall, with its soaring arches and remnants of ancient grandeur in the carved four poster bed, he paused and she slowly slithered from his grasp. “What shall we do now?” she said, tilting her head to one side and allowing her long hair to tumble provocatively over her shoulder. She traced one finger over the hard ridge of his erection and hid a smile as Ben clenched his jaw.

“No suggestions?” She raised one eyebrow and trailed her finger over his groin and toward his chest. She didn’t know why he fought against her some nights. What did he hope to achieve? Sooner or later, she’d get her way and then he would see how foolish all his protestations had been. “Perhaps I’ll strip you naked,” she suggested, loosening the ties on his scarlet linen shirt.

He didn’t reply, except to give the merest grunt of a laugh. She tugged his open shirt from his britches and admired his perfectly sculpted chest, before sliding the shirt over his shoulders and along his finely muscled arms.

“Enjoying yourself?” There was a rasp to his voice, as if he tried to deny the rising desire between them.

She shot him an exasperated glance. “I intend to enjoy myself far more before this night’s over.” She tugged at the fastenings at his crotch, deliberately prolonging the procedure as she massaged his rigid shaft. Occasionally she found Ben’s inhuman self-control infuriating, but even that didn’t matter. Because, in the end, he always succumbed.

But sometimes, she wished for the early years. Before Ben had rebelled against their relationship. Before his misguided sense of honor had risen its unwelcome head and corroded their perfect world.

Impatiently she thrust the thought aside. She admired his honor, but had no intention of destroying what they had at its altar.

“So long as you’re enjoying yourself.” Ben’s sardonic comment penetrated her thoughts, and wet heat flared deep in her pussy at the look on his face. He was no longer rigid with self-control but lust, and his eyes glowed with rising desire. “I exist for your amusement, Elyesha.”

She ripped the last fastening free and dragged his pants down his muscled legs. “Never forget that.” Her voice was uneven, her heart hammering against her breast. How could he do this to her, after so many years? She had only to think of him to want him, had only to see him to desire him. And when he teased her, she knew in her heart she would willingly die for him.

If she was only given the chance.

He hauled her to her feet. “And now it’s your turn to entertain me.” There was no hint of reluctance in his eyes now. Only love. For her. She wrapped the knowledge around her heart and knew it wouldn’t be long before Ben made the final commitment to her.

I have the pleasure of welcoming Eve Summers to my blog today…

Price: $1.99
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Length: 65 pages

A Slave of My Own Desire
Eve Summers

Can hot steamy chocolate and warm vanilla mix?

Clare’s ex-fiancé treated her like a queen: he was kind, attentive to her needs in bed and b-o-r-i-n-g. He never made her do what she wanted him to make her do.

From the moment Clare sets eyes on David at a Halloween party, her hormones go wild with desire. His arrogant smile promises something darker, deeper and more intense. He is Trouble – with a big, big T. And yet, the mistake of letting him would be even bigger.

David believes love is not worth the pain it brings, no matter how divine Clare looks in her goddess costume. To him, she is just a rich white girl bored of vanilla sex, and he is happy to show her a good time.

So why does he melt inside every time their eyes meet?

Tell us a little about your story.
“A slave of my own desire” is about a modern woman who is trying hard to fit in. She dates nice boring men her parents approve of, yet what she wants is a man who will play with her mind, see through her cool exterior into the dark fantasies sizzling inside, and force her to embrace her sexuality.

“A slave of my own desire” was published by Red Rose Publishing in October 2008 as an e-book (it will go to print in 6 months’ time provided the sales are good).

What is it you relate to most with your heroine or hero? What do you like about them most?
David, the hero of “A slave of my own desire” is hot, hot, hot. Smart, handsome, sexy. He is confident enough to be a good lover and caring enough to want to be one. But for Clare, he only means one thing: Danger. She knows that David will tempt her to abandon her Good WASP Girl act forever….

How did you get started in writing?
My dad was a great story teller who never had enough time to sit down and write. He always told me I inherited his talent. It took me years and years, but eventually I believed him. 🙂

What’s your schedule like, and what do you enjoy doing in your time off?
Schedule: gruelling. Time off: not applicable. LOL. With two small children, one (not small) husband and a day job, writing has to happen when everybody else is in bed. Sometimes I wish for an early night (going to bed at 1 in the morning would be an early night for me), but most nights I want to write more than I want to sleep.

In the good old days when I did have time off, I used to like reading, watching mindless TV (LOST – I love Josh Holloway), playing cards, walking, scuba diving, gourmet cooking….

I still like chocolate. And the best thing about it is: you can eat it while writing!

Where can readers find out more about your stories?
Please visit Yvonne’s books here: http://yewalus.kiwiwebhost.net.nz/ You can buy them on www.amazon.com, www.fictionwise.com and www.redrosepublishing.com.

Sneak peek into A Slave of My Own Desire:

I keep assuring her I’m fine. We’re still standing in the hallway, I in my flimsy dressing gown, my sister in her party finery, and it’s beginning to dawn on Gina that I’m not going to ask her to make herself at home the way I usually do.

“Look,” she says. “The reason I came…. I’m not sure how to say this. It’s just that there was somebody else asking about you when you left, somebody totally unsuitable. Your phone is off so I thought I’d come by to warn you. He’s not the sort -”

Suddenly I hear a sound from the bedroom. He’s switched on the DVD!

I’m going to kill him, I think.

Gina’s cheeks color slightly.

“I’m so sorry,” she says. “I didn’t realize you were… entertaining.”

I smirk as I think back to the last few hours.

“I’m not. Entertaining, that is,” I say truthfully.

Even in her unease, Gina is all prim and proper. My perfect parents’ perfect daughter, with perfect manners and perfect composure. I can bet anything that she didn’t used to sneak around behind their backs sucking off lodgers. And when was the last time anybody drank champagne out of her pussy?

Suddenly I feel almost sorry for her. Poor perfect Gina. She doesn’t know what she’s missing.

“Well,” she says, “I think I’ll be -”

Just at that point, he opens the bedroom door and joins us in the hallway. His chest is bare, but, thank goodness, he’s put on his jeans.

His very tight, very black jeans.

Gina gasps. I wonder whether she too has spotted the tell-tale swelling behind the zipper.

He flashes me a cheeky grin. “Is there a fire yet?” he asks. “You said I could come out if there was one.”

I have the pleasure of welcoming Hywela Lyn to my blog today…

Price: $6.00
Genre: Futuristic Romance
Length: 90,000 words

Starquest
Hywela Lyn

When Jestine Darnell is rescued from her sabotaged starship by the crew of the Destiny her only objective is to complete her mission and keep her promise to save a world from slavery. Love is the last thing on her mind. However, she has not counted on losing her heart to Kerry Marchant the ship’s second in command, who makes his distrust of her painfully obvious, despite the chemistry between them. The completion of her mission has consequences that neither of them could have foreseen.

Enter Dahll Tarron, who becomes involved in a long and dangerous quest to find the Destiny. Fates become intertwined, perils shared, culminating in the realization that sometimes love may be so close that there is a danger it will not be recognized until it is too late…

Tell us a little about your story.
Starquest is a futuristic adventure, which I hope readers will find exciting. I also hope they will be able to identify with my heroine as she searches for the man she loves with a resolve that sometimes borders on obsession. The main theme of the story is of love and determination. That sometimes what we seek can be so close to us we do not recognise it, and that true love, although it may change, is the most powerful force in the Universe.

What is it you relate to most with your heroine or hero? What do you like about them most?
The character I relate most to is the heroine herself She grew and developed in my mind until she actually told me how the story progressed – in fact we had an argument about the ending which she won. I like her courage and steadfastness, and the fact she is willing to make sacrifices for the people she cares about. I was also pleased to find that she was capable of the occasional lack of patience and of sometimes making the wrong decision – just like the rest of us!

How did you get started in writing?
I got started in writing while I was at school. If asked to write an essay, I invariably embroidered it so that it was more like a story. I’ve always made up stories in my head and imagined myself in imaginary situations. For several years I put writing to one side as real life and my love of horses and endurance riding took over, but I still wrote the odd article or story for magazines, and there were always characters in my subconscious waiting to be resurrected. Then I had a bad fall which resulted in major surgery and wasn’t able to ride for a while. So I brought out ‘Starquest’ from where it had been languishing in a drawer, blew away the ‘dust bunnies’ and completely revised it before having it accepted by The Wild Rose Press.

What’s your schedule like, and what do you enjoy doing in your time off?
I’m not a particularly organised person and my writing schedule revolves around ‘real life’ and my animals. I’ve always been crazy about horses and although I don’t unfortunately have land of my own, I do have two much loved horses. Because they live quite a long way from my home, it takes several hours out of the day to care for them. I also have a little rescued dog who tries to tempt me away from my computer if he thinks I’m ignoring him. I am fortunate in that I no longer go out to the ‘day job’ but run a small Western saddlery job from home. I try to divide my time in the morning between the business and my writing and when I’ve tended to my animals in the afternoon, I usually have some more time to devote to my writing and updating my websites, promotion etc. I am one of those people for whom the day is never long enough. On occasions I have been known to stay up until four or five in the morning if I’m writing a story. I’m a ‘night owl’ so I find it much easier to write late at night rather than early in the morning.

As for my spare time – er, what’s ‘spare time’? LOL As I said, I love horses and riding. Since I moved from my native Wales I no longer have the opportunity to do endurance riding, which is probably just as well because it is very time consuming to keep a horse fit enough to do long distances at speed, over challenging terrain, which is what endurance riding is all about. I certainly don’t ride as much as I used to, or as much as I would if the horses were closer, but there is nothing to compare with being out on a horse in the open countryside, with all the sites and sounds of nature and a fast, responsive animal as your companion. I also enjoy walking with my dog, and, of course,reading. Although I love a good film, I hardly watch any television these days – I just don’t have time!

Where can readers find out more about your stories?
I love to hear from readers and other authors and can be contacted at Hywelalyn@hywelalyn.co.uk
My website, which has all the latest news of my books is http://www.hywelalyn.co.uk
My blog is www.hywelalyn.blogspot.com
I have three My Spaces – one for me, one for Starquest and one for my story in ‘Song Of The Muses’:
www.myspace.com/hywelalyn
www.myspace.com/jestine_darnell
www.myspace.com/terpsichoremuseofdance

Sneak peek into Starquest:

Very gently, he stroked her face with the back of his fingers, before placing his hands on her shoulders, drawing her even closer to him, “If I appeared to be…hostile…before,” he said, seeming almost uncertain of himself, for the first time since she’d known him, “it was because I had no intention of allowing myself to become involved with someone who might be a threat to the Destiny. So I tried to keep a distance between us, to convince myself you meant nothing to me.”

She opened her eyes, no longer afraid to meet his gaze.

“You said I needed no one and nothing except myself,” he went on slowly, taking both her hands in his. “I thought it was true, but you were wrong, Jess, although I did not realise it until now.”

“It seems,” she said, her voice unsteady, “we’ve both been guilty of trying to hide our true feelings—”

“Then…perhaps we’d better make a fresh start.”

He wrapped his arms around her and she clung to him, finally surrendering to the strange, sweet emotion she had tried to deny. He kissed her, a lingering kiss that sent shock waves through her body, awakening the feelings she had tried to conceal for so long. Her lips responded to his with a fierceness that surprised them both.

Several minutes later, with obvious reluctance, he released her, his eyes still not leaving hers.
“I only came to make sure you were all right. I should leave now. I have heard of the strictness of the Sisterhood. I do not wish to risk compromising any sacred vows or beliefs—”

She smiled, touched by his consideration in giving her the chance to back away, while she still could. “I’m a missionary, Kerry, not a nun! The Sisterhood only condemns casual liaisons, not genuine relationships.” She lowered her eyes. “I…I’ve never been in love before, not…not like this, but I know nothing that feels this way could be wrong.”

I have the pleasure of welcoming Jeanne Barrack to my blog today…

Price: $5.50
Genre: Paranormal Erotic Romance
Length: 37,000 words

A Song of the Sidhe
Jeanne Barrack

The place: Ireland, a long, long time ago when the Sidhe walked among mortals

Donal Bawn was the most handsome man in all of Tipperary with a voice that could lure the birds from the trees. But that all changed when he angered Ogma, High King of the Tipperary Sidhe. Doomed to wander as a hunchback with a voice as thin as a reed, Donal keeps to the forests away from human companionship until one day he hears a melodious female voice singing a fragmented tune over and over.

Ceoleen, a beautiful female of the Galway Sidhe has also been cursed for her vanity and foolhardiness. Blinded and exiled to a fairy ring deep in the woods, she can only repeat a broken phrase of music until that fated day when Donal finishes the song for her.
But their curses are only partially broken. It will take a great deal more than music to decide their fate.

Will their love be strong enough to finally free them?

Tell us a little about your story.
The story was inspired by an old Gaelic folksong. In the song, the sidhe, like Ceoleen, can only sing the same phrase which translates into “Monday, Tuesday” over and over until a hunchback, hearing them, completes the song by singing “and Wednesday”. As a reward they remove his hump. In my story, I concentrated on the concept of seeing and hearing with your heart and not being swayed by outer beauty. I’ve always loved Ireland and the myths and legends associated with it. As a teenager in NYC, I learned Gaelic and sang Irish music in English and Irish. Both my titles from Liquid Silver Books – “The Shimmering Flame” and “A Song of the Sidhe” – evolved out of my love for all things Irish.

What is it you relate to most with your heroine or hero? What do you like about them most?
Their mutual love of music. Throughout the story, you can see the power of music. For me, the ability to convey my thoughts and feelings via the written word is matched by my talent and ability to communicate through the music I sing. Like Ceoleen and Donal, being able to share their musical gifts gave them a purpose in life. When that was taken from them, it plunged them into despair that could only be conquered through love.

I like the fact that they continued to grow. They learned to see with their hearts. It was a slightly longer road for Ceoleen, but perhaps being a sidhe had something to do with that.

How did you get started in writing?
I’ve always written, but it wasn’t until the sudden, unexpected passing of my mother late in 1997 that I actually began a novel. I finished it in 1998, submitted it in 2004 after years of tweaking and contests and it was published in December of that year. I haven’t stopped writing since. I write primarily in paranormal and other similar genres.

What’s your schedule like, and what do you enjoy doing in your time off?
I write every day because I am self-employed as a music therapist and can control my schedule. In my down time from writing I love to cook foreign food, play guitar, listen to music from folk music to opera with detours into Country Western, and read.

Where can readers find out more about your stories?
At my website:
http://www.jeannebarrack.com

My blogs:
http://jeanneworldsnewsletter.blogspot.com/
http://thesweetflagmenlove.blogspot.com/
http://jeannebarrack1.wordpress.com/

And my titles at my publishers:
“A Song of the Sidhe” and “The Shimmering Flame”
Available at: http://tinyurl.com/JeannesLSBwork
“The Sweet Flag” and Jeanne’s Loose Id titles
Available at: http://tinyurl.com/JeannesLIwork

Sneak peek into A Song of the Sidhe:

Ceoleen stumbled on a small grassy divot. She knew it was nightfall only because of the slight change in temperature. She sat down on the soft lawn and bent her head in her hands. Only one day, and already she regretted her impetuous words. She felt the thin claws of the bullfinch upon her shoulder and heard its cheerful tones.

She couldn’t even speak to it to thank it for its company. With a delicate touch, she caressed its downy head, hoping it would understand her gratitude. The bird darted its beak at her cheek and rubbed its head against her jaw, then flew off. Ceoleen smiled. She yearned to break into song to thank her tiny comforter.

Tears fell as she opened her mouth, and all that came forth was her beautiful voice singing the same damned phrase. She sank to the ground and let her grief overwhelm her. High in the ash tree, the bullfinch sang a sad song for its fairy companion.

* * * *

Three hundred years later

Ceoleen raised her head to the warmth of the sun and held out her hand, palm up. Her cheerful companion lit gracefully on her soft flesh. Ceoleen made the gesture for food, and the winged creature pecked once for “yes.”

Moving six paces forward from her bed of feathers gathered into a bag woven from the silken strands of hundreds of cobwebs, Ceoleen knelt and picked up the meal of nuts and berries placed on a lily pad leaf.

Still as young and beautiful as on the day she was cursed so many years ago, Ceoleen had learned over the centuries to communicate with gestures with her feathered friend.

Each day she would sing the unfinished song, hoping that someone would hear it and complete the tune. Though she knew it not, no mortal or Sidhe had come near her ring in all those years. It was an extra little gift from Lorcan, who had found her a hundred years after she’d been banished. Her heart at that time was still cursed by vanity, and each day she bemoaned her inability to gaze upon her perfect features. Taking advantage of this, Lorcan added his own mallacht.

“No one shall hear, no one shall see. For two hundred more years, alone you shall be.”

’Twas a feeble curse, but all he had the power to do.

And over those two hundred more years, Ceoleen had changed. Not being able to see her face, she began to see with her heart. She learned to share what she could with her little friend, and since it had not been forbidden, other forest creatures visited her tiny world.

She found she could change a few things about the magical notes—the tempo and rhythm, how softly and how loudly she could sing the phrase. Often she would entertain the denizens of the woods who ventured close.

But she ached for a companion—mortal or Sidhe—who could give her comfort that her animal friends couldn’t.

Now as she finished breaking her fast, she sang her phrase with a longing that broke the hearts of all the forest creatures that heard her.

She rose, raised her hands to the gods, closed her eyes and sang over and over the same broken phrase.

“Dé Luain, Dé Máirt, Dé Lauain, Dé Máirt, Dé Luain, Dé Máirt…”

“Dé Céadaoin!”

Today I have the pleasure of welcoming Sheila Stewart to my blog…

Price: $6.99
Genre: Paranormal Dark Fantasy
Length: 56,694 words

Embracing The Darkness
Sheila Stewart

One upon a time Jonah Moore had it all. Then his wife and unborn child were taken from him, leaving his life darker than when Chaos and his evil vamps stole the sun. Now, Jonahs lost the will to face another day, which could be a problem, considering he’s just been turned into a vampire and is now destined to live for eternity.

As a nurse, Raven Moony was used to tending to the needs of others. Until an accident changes everything… When she is abducted and forced to tend to Chaos’ needs, she is more than ready to give in and willingly accepts her role as his slave.

Then Jonah enters the picture and she finds herself fighting for his safety and freedom as well as her own. Can she convince Jonah he should go on despite her own doubts? Can they open their hearts to love and learn that there is indeed life after death?

Shiela Stewart’s third novel in The Darkness series continues the heart stopping, action packed battle of light against dark. Enter a world where light shines from within and love always triumphs…even in the face of pure evil.

Tell us a little about your story.
Embracing the Darkness is the third book in my Darkness series and takes place after the sun has been blotted out over Jacob’s Cove. In this third installment, Trinity, Basil, Dante and Gypsy are not only in search of their nemesis, Chaos, but trying to find out where he’s taken one of their friends, Jonah Moore. Each book in the series is a continuation of the first book, Seducing the Darkness. You really do need to read them in the order they’ve been written to get the whole story. But for now, I’ll give you the summary of what Embracing the Darkness is about.

One upon a time Jonah Moore had it all. Then his wife and unborn child were taken from him, leaving his life darker than when Chaos and his evil vamps stole the sun. Now, Jonahs lost the will to face another day, which could be a problem, considering he’s just been turned into a vampire and is now destined to live for eternity.

As a nurse, Raven Moony was used to tending to the needs of others. Until an accident changes everything… When she is abducted and forced to tend to Chaos’ needs, she is more than ready to give in and willingly accepts her role as his slave.

Then Jonah enters the picture and she finds herself fighting for his safety and freedom as well as her own. Can she convince Jonah he should go on despite her own doubts? Can they open their hearts to love and learn that there is indeed life after death?

Shiela Stewart’s third novel in The Darkness series continues the heart stopping, action packed battle of light against dark. Enter a world where light shines from within and love always triumphs…even in the face of pure evil.

What is it you relate to most with your heroine or hero? What do you like about them most?
Hmmm….good question. I guess the one thing I relate to the most with my hero would be his disability. While on a drive into the city, Jonah, his wife, Ariel, Dante and Gypsy are attacked and run off the road which leaves Jonah paralyzed from waist down.

When I was thirteen I was involved in an accident that damaged my neck. Lucky for me I wasn’t paralyzed, but because I wasn’t given the proper treatment after sustaining the neck injury I’ve spent the rest of my life in pain. I am unable to lift or move heavy objects and as time goes on, the injury gets worse and I find even simple tasks like vacuuming to be painful. On top of that I suffer from migraines which anyone who suffers from this debilitating disease knows is a big challenge. The constant pain from my shoulder and the weekly migraines are a challenge, but being a stubborn woman, I persevere.

What do I like most about my heroine, Gypsy Dawn? Her attitude towards life and her joy of it. She’s had some hardships in her life, but she hasn’t let them get her down. She is a carefree woman and she doesn’t care what others think about her. I think more of us need to have that sort of attitude, including myself. It’s all too easy to let things get us down but it’s our choice to let it win, or to fight back.

How did you get started in writing?
I was born a writer. So many authors say that, I know, but it’s the truth for me. As far back as I can remember I loved to tell tales. I would regale my friends and cousins at as early an age as five with stories I would make up inside my head. As I grew older, the stories became more elaborate and I would sit for hours in my bedroom jotting them down. Poetry was also one of my loves as a youth and teenager. In them I could pour my heart out and express what I was feeling. My nickname in elementary school was The Dreamer because I would be immersed in the stories inside my head more often than I would pay attention in school. Plus, I would confide in my friends, dreams I would have that often involved them.

Once my children came around I found my time very limited so my writing took a backseat. But I didn’t stop dreaming about stories, or telling them. When my children were young I would tell them bedtime stories that I would make up on the spur of the moment. When my oldest son found one story especially entertaining, and asked me to tell it to him night after night, I decided to write it down in a book form complete with illustrations for him to learn to read from. It’s unfortunate that that little booklet got destroyed and even more unfortunate that I didn’t have another copy.

After one particularly gruesome dream I had, my husband encouraged me to write it down. What should have been a simple few sentences turned into a 80,000 word story. The moment I sat down and put pen to paper, the story from my dream just began to flow. From that day on, I continued to write. I now have eight books published. So…I would have to say it pays to daydream. J

What’s your schedule like, and what do you enjoy doing in your time off?
Time off?? What’s that? Seriously. I don’t have time off, well, not much of it at least. I am in serious need of a vacation and I think the only way that is going to happen is if my husband knocks me out and drags me off somewhere. LOL

My schedule is crazy and I really need to figure out a way to compartmentalize it all. On top of my writing I maintain my own website and blogs, plus I run websites and blogs for other organizations and authors. I also critique other authors work which gives me an inside look into some really great stories which also inspires me to keep writing. While doing all these jobs I also have three children, ages 13, 16 and 20 who keep me hoping. But I’m fortunate enough to be able to write all day long, which not a lot of authors can do.

Right now I have two books on the go with deadlines quickly approaching.

What I do when I finally have some time off is spend it with my hubby and kids. I love walks in the evening with my husband or just sitting and watching a movie together. I also enjoy drawing, painting and knitting as well as playing with my black lab dog, Bella and my five cats.

Where can readers find out more about your stories?
Readers can learn all there is about Shiela Stewart (or at least most of who I am) and my books on my website at www.shielabooks.ca as well as on my blog at http://darkcravings.blogspot.com/ All my books are available in both eBook and in Print. To place and order for my books the readers can go to www.lindenbayromance.com
I also have a Newsletter that anyone is welcome to join and to do so simply email me at shielas@shaw.ca with Newsletter in the subject line.

Sneak peek:
There was blood, all around him, pools of it, teasing him, calling to him, and all he wanted was to drink it. Yet the closer he got to it, the further it was away. The scent of it, like strong copper, filled his nostrils and tantalized his tastebuds.

He wanted it more than life itself.

Bolting awake, Jonah stared wide eyed into the room. Every part of him hurt.

“Jonah? Are you okay?”

He could smell her as if she were beside him. Her scent, her blood, called to him. “Stay away from me!” He felt his teeth ache and the urge to take grew tenfold.

“What’s the matter? Do you have another cramp?”

“No! Please, stay away from me.” Then she stepped up beside him and all he could think was take. He could hear her blood rushing through her veins, her heart as it pounded in her chest. With each whoosh his body responded.

“Please, just stay away from me.”

She clicked the light on over his bed and it was all he could do not to lunge at her and bite that supple vein at the side of her neck. “For God’s sake, Raven. Get lost!”

She stopped, tilted her head, then laid her hand on his head. “You need to feed.”

“Just leave me alone. Please. I beg of you.” If he could run away from her right now, he would.

“This won’t get any better unless you give your body what it wants. Here, drink.” She thrust her wrist out to him.

He slapped it away. “No!”

“What you’re feeling right now will only become more intense the longer you wait. Just take my vein and drink. I’ll be fine. I’ve done this before.”

He pushed her aside, then rolled himself off the bed. He fell with a thud onto the cold tiled floor but the pain was nothing compared to what he felt inside. It was more intense than anything he’d ever felt before. It felt like fire ants were clawing through his veins, his mouth was so dry his lips stuck to his teeth and his head…all he heard in his head was the whooshing of her blood pumping through her veins.

It was going to drive him insane.

“Take it, Jonah,” she demanded, falling down beside him on the floor.

“I won’t drink from you.” He’d rather die.

“If you don’t drink now, Jonah, you’ll go insane and I refuse to let that happen.” She jumped up onto the bed and when she came back down, she had the knife in her hands.

“Now, drink.” She slid it across her arm by her elbow then thrust it out at him.

“Stop it! What have you done?” But the blood, so red, so thick, so…juicy, called to him.

“I can stitch myself up after. Just drink.”

“Please don’t make me do this,” he pleaded.

“I have to.” She grabbed his head and thrust her arm to his mouth.

Today I have the pleasure of welcoming Danielle Ackley-McPhail to my blog…

Price: $15.95
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Length: 169,000 words

Tomorrow’s Memories: Book Two in The Eternal Cycle Series
Danielle Ackley-McPhail

Havoc… Destruction… Revenge…
With triumph heavy on their hearts, Kara O’Keefe and the survivors from the battle atop Yesterday’s Dreams rush to Ireland and Tír na nÓg, carrying with them a weapon feared by gods and men. There they seek solace and healing for their warriors, and a miracle for Patrick, Kara’s father, mortally wounded in the battle.

What they find is a siege of ancient enemies. Carmán’s children have returned, united with a foe from the very dawn of the Tuatha de Danaan. Their combined forces threaten to be more than the immortal Sidhe and their human allies can combat.

Still coming to grips with her magical heritage, Kara must once more face ultimate evil and help to save the immortal bloodline from which she is descended.

Tell us a little about your story.
Tomorrow’s Memories is a continuation of the story arc from Yesterday’s Dreams, my first novel. An ancient evil from Ireland’s past resurfaces. Once again it strikes out to destroy the Sidhe and Kara O’Keefe, a first generation Irish-American, comes to the attention of both the good and evil forces in this battle. She is gifted, but untried. In Tomorrow’s Memories she is on a journey of self-discovery. She will be tested, and be stronger for it, but good doesn’t always win…sometimes it just holds its own.

What is it you relate to most with your heroine or hero?
What do you like about them most? Kara O’Keefe is a fighter; she never gives up and is always trying to figure out how to make things work even when it looks impossible that they ever will. That is the trait that is most like an aspect of myself. Other than that, she’s pretty much her own person.

How did you get started in writing?
I’ve always had way too much imagination for my own good. In school it just naturally seemed to gravitate toward the written word. Not surprising, actually, as I’ve always been a voracious reader, and usually found myself dissatisfied when the stories ended before I was ready for them to. I did a lot of continuations in my head. The original authors probably would have been either amused or horrified by some of what their characters went through when they were done with them.

What’s your schedule like, and what do you enjoy doing in your time off?
Goodness, between work, writing, and promoting books…I don’t have much time off, really. I like to watch movies with my husband on the rare occasion I’m not working on a project, and sometimes I do crafts while I hold a DVD marathon.

Where can readers find out more about your stories?
http://www.sidhenadaire.com

Sneak peek:
Quicksilver wailed and trilled, the notes spiraling up and around until Kara felt herself in the midst of a whirlwind. She was the calm at the eye of the storm, unfeeling, distant, pushed so far by the evening’s events that she needed to stand apart, by herself for this one moment. There was only her, the music, and the vibrant energy building, charging the air itself as she played. And yet, some part of her felt a deep, constant tug, as the strands of what she called to her were gathered up by another and harnessed to their intended purpose. The air on the rooftop grew misty, softening the signs of battle that were everywhere. Something akin to a breeze delicately caressed the skin of her cheek; a gentle, accepting touch at odds with the barely controlled tempest she knew surrounded her.

“Enough, Kara,” The words were distant, foreign; they had nothing to do with her. The concept of Kara was becoming more and more disassociated from the musical lightning rod that stood on top of Yesterday’s Dreams. A stinging slap drew her sharply back into herself, anchoring her once again to her humanity. Anger replaced languor as her eyes remembered the art of focusing. She had not wanted to return to the restrictive envelope of her skin, let alone in so harsh a way.

Glaring into unfamiliar eyes filled with such an ancient understanding that they could only be Sidhe, it was a good thing that Kara’s clenched fists were severely occupied, one hand being still locked around the neck of Quicksilver and the other clutching her bow.

“Enough, leanbh, else the power ye draw t’ye will shred the very clouds we seek to call…an’ ye with them.” She didn’t know his name, but, despite his spiked, metallic blue hair, this strange Sidhe vaguely reminded her of Grandda…and Papa.

As his words reached her buried awareness, the trembling started. It quickly built up from the tiniest muscle quiver beneath the surface of her skin, to seismic proportions reaching down to her very depths, nearly akin to a seizure. Kara’s knees buckled, and she could not convince even herself that it was the late hour that dimmed her vision, and not some flood of reality. If not for the obsessive grip she had on her instrument, it would have been dashed upon the roof as she crumbled.

“Shhhhh…shhh…’tis well ye’ve done, lass. Time to rest.”

Kara found herself–Quicksilver and all–scooped up like a sleepy child being carried off to bed. She twitched in the elf’s arms, and feebly protested his officiousness, but he continued on without even tightening his grip. As he slowed to a stop, Kara muttered and moaned, so weary she ached. In her entire life, had she ever felt this drained? She did even not have time to wonder if the phrase “dead tired” applied, before some other hand reached out and smoothed her hair away from her forehead. Kara was too far gone to even wonder who it was, but as a familiar hum calmed her tremors and beckoned her to sleep, she felt she knew.

This is the first of many guest bloggers on my, er, blog. I have the pleasure of welcoming Raine Delight to my blog today…

Price: $2.00
Genre: Paranormal Erotic Romance
Length: 10,000 words

Fairy Kisses and Magical Dreams
Raine Delight

Prince Aryan has searched his world for the one woman that is his destined mate but has just about given up when he is led to the human world. Even though it is forbidden to fall in love with a human, he finds Skye Andrews completely delectable and wonders if she is his chosen love.

Skye Andrews has had it with men. After another disastrous date, her aunt gives her a love potion to try. With a magic spell and a mysterious face haunting her waking days, will Skye find the love she is looking for?

Tell us a little about your story.
Raine says: Fairy Kisses & Magical Dreams is my foray into the world of Fairies and humans. I love Fairies and think they are magical beings that deliver countless hours of fun and excitement. Add in a Fae Prince searching for his mate , a meddling mother and a cynical woman just about to give up on finding her own love….well you got the makings for Fairy Kisses and Magical Dreams.

Fairy Kisses & Magical Dreams introduces the readers’ to Skye Andrews. A woman who has searched for love, never finding it and is just about to give up ever having that Happily ever after when her aunt decides to aid her in her one last shot at love with a magic potion. Fae Prince Aryan has three weeks to find his mate or else he will have an arranged marriage from his mother, the Queen of all fairies. When he is directed by fate to the human world, he finds Skye utterly delectable. Can a human and Fae live in harmony in both worlds? Will Skye finally get her Happily Ever After? You will have to check it out to see if these two people find a love worth fighting for.

What is it you relate to most with your heroine or hero? What do you like about them most?
Raine says: I think Skye has a little bit of my attitude several years ago. She has given up on finding the “perfect man”, if there is ever such a one. Skye finds herself lost, watching her friends and family find their loves and she is saddened that she can never find that love of her own. A bit cynical, she is alittle bit like I was a few years ago before i met my honey of three years and found the “perfect” man for me. She is strong, Vulnerable yet willing to try just one more thing to get the love she longs for.

How did you get started in writing?
Raine Says: I am an avid reader and I read one book not long ago that just had me throwing up my hands, screaming I can do better, that I let the door in my imagination open and I found a place that had characters, stories and HEA’s waiting for me to tell people.

What’s your schedule like, and what do you enjoy doing in your time off?
Raine says: I write while kids are inschool during the day. I prefer to be off the computer at night unless I am scheduled for a chat or other commitments. On my time off, which I try to do on the weekends to recharge and spend time with family, I l ike to read for pleasure, watch movies, play video games and take walks with the kids and honey if the weather is nice.

Where can readers find out more about your stories?
Raine says: You can check out my websitte for excerpts, news, contests, etc at http://authorrainedelight.com I am also at my Sinful Seductions loop as well. To join click here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rainedelight

I love hearing from readers and hope you enjoy Fairy Kisses & Magical Dreams as well as my Devon Falls books at Aspen Mountain Press.

Sneak peek into Fairy Kisses & Magical Dreams:

Skye sat with her hands fisted in her shirttails so she wouldn’t throttle her well-meaning yet clueless Aunt Mary. The smoking cauldron on the stove erupted into another hiss, and the smell made her stomach curdle.

Aunt Mary muttered to herself as she gathered the necessary ingredients for the love spell from various places in the ancient farmhouse.

Skye tried not to cringe when her aunt walked too close to a knife sitting on the edge of the table. Clearing her throat, Skye mustered enough courage to ask, “Is this thing supposed to turn black and smell like rotten eggs?”

”Oh my, yes dearie.” Aunt Mary said as she bustled around the kitchen.

Skye blew out a deep breath and tried to keep calm as she watched her aunt stir something that looked suspiciously like toad legs in the cauldron. Yuck. I swear, some days it’s almost too much to bear, with Mary’s new found interest in new age-isms and spells that do everything but what they’re supposed to. Skye looked at the clock and sighed, knowing she wasn’t going to get on the road back to Dayton any sooner than when her aunt deemed worthy.

Skye tried not to sound dejected but after her disastrous Valentine date where her date just talked and talked about his life and career; she felt like she was going nowhere fast. Her friends found their own true loves, got married and had their own happily ever after. Where was hers? Her aunt was determined to get the sparkle back in her eyes, or so she said the first night she visited Topeka . It was enough to make Skye cringe in horror but she couldn’t say anything mean to the one person who loved her more than anything. Flipping her hair off her face, she breathed a sigh of relief as she watched her aunt finish whatever she was doing to the brew until Mary turned around with a cup of the foul smelling stuff.

“Here you go dear. All finished and ready to be drunk by you! All you need to do is say three times: ` I wish for my true love to find me΄ and then within seven days, according to the spell book I got from a used book store, your true love will find you and steal your heart away.” Aunt Mary gazed fondly at Skye, who tried to look happy but couldn’t conceal the sadness in her eyes.

She took the cup and peered at it grimacing with distaste. It was blackish-blue in color, with something that looked like lightening bugs flashing in it. For a moment, Skye watched the kaleidoscope of colors; it was enough to make her cross eyed. Skye tried to shield her expression from Mary though if she was honest with herself, she was willing to try anything to get her happily ever after, even drink a foul looking potion to get what she desired.