Renee Field

Reclaiming that Book you Wrote & Loved

2011-11-20T07:32:00.000-08:00

I wrote my first paranormal romance book about four years ago. I have no idea where the time went. Rapture, was the first novel in a six book mermaid/Siren series I mapped out. I loved writing Rapture. I poured my heart and soul and my love of the sea into this book. I was lucky that book secured me an agent (okay, I fired my agent after this) but the book also got me a publisher, Cerridwen Press (CP). I didn’t know a whole lot about CP but I had heard of Ellora’s Cave which was their sister company and a much bigger erotic e-publisher. Now, my book Rapture is not erotic. I would classify it as highly sensual. So excited newbie author I signed a contract with CP and that awoke my own passion to write more erotic stories for Ellora’s Cave.

Fast-forward two years later. My sales at EC were climbing but my book Rapture was not doing well at CP. Why? I always felt a key part of what happened was that my books from EC did not link to my CP profile page so it was hard for readers to discover my sensual writings. This book was my baby. I wanted it back. What did I do? I waited for CP to close and they did and EC gave authors the option of getting our rights back to our books or merging into their new line. I got my rights back and thought what now? I couldn’t very well send it off to another publisher because it had already been published, so I thought I’m going to try the Indie route. At this point I had nothing to lose.

I knew in my heart that Rapture was a good solid story. It won an EPPIE in 2008 for Best Fantasy/Paranormal Romance and all the reviewers who had read it ranked it 5-stars. Last year I hired a cover artist who did an amazing job on the redesign of the cover and this month I launched Rapture as an Indie publication on Smashwords and Amazon.com. I know building my market for this is going to be a slow climb but I’m approaching this like any new mother setting her child off into the world—one day at a time. Today I’m off to set it up on All Romance E-books (http://www.allromanceebooks.com) and I’m off to Createspace to upload it as a print book. I figure the more markets I can get Rapture into the better exposure overall for my books in general.

What has this also inspired? Well, book two Bliss is already 86,000 words written so I’m planning to finish that book within a few months so I can launch that. In the meantime, I’ve got a few more short erotic novellas centered on Titans and Sirens that I also plan to launch. And, HQN Spice Briefs in October 2012 will be launching Claiming Poseidon’s Daughter, which is a spicy, contemporary paranormal novella. Overall, I’m feeling excited that I’m back in the driver seat and helping my baby, Rapture see the world.

Rapture – modern mermaid tale with a twist
http://amzn.com/B0068OWVZE
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/105558

Jockey and Jewels by Bev Pettersen - A Book U Can't Put Down

2011-10-06T07:30:00.000-07:00

Jaw dropping, oh my god amazingly a great read. Honestly, I did not want Bev Pettersen’s book Jockeys and Jewels to end. If you don’t love horses and know anything about them you will come to love them by the end of this story. I confess to being an avid horse lover and one thing that stood out for me if how obvious it is that Pettersen knows her way around horses, barns, tracks and the horse industry.

The reader is introduced from the get go to Kurt MacKinnon, who is smart, wary and a harden cop—he’s basically seen all the bad in the world but what totally grabbed me was how Pettersen makes you come to love this undercover guy. We learn more about his character through the treatment of his horses and that weaves its own magic in the story. Julie West is a struggling apprentice jockey and longs to be taken serious in a field dominated by men. When Kurt’s ex-partner gets killed this sets Kurt and Julie on a collision course. Let’s just say sparks fly once they meet.

The character development in this book was a real page turner. I loved the sexual tension which came off as totally real between Kurt and Julie and I hated the bad guy, Otto, who I was supposed to hate. I kept waiting for a horse to kick him where it counts.

The mystery layered in this book kept me turning pages because I too wanted to find out why Kurt’s friend got killed. I’m not going to spoil the book for readers because this mystery is unique with a fresh perspective on smuggling and I loved it. Set in Canada that grabbed me and I can’t wait to get my hands on Pettersen’s other book Color of My Horse. I loved that this is an Indie publication but honestly have no idea why a BIG publishing house didn’t swoop this book up. Pettersen is a three time Rita finalist – no easy feat – and anyone who read the first three chapters of this book had to be hooked! My gut feeling is those publishing houses that said no are crying now. Can’t wait to read more of Pettersen’s work.

Bev Pettersen
www.BevPettersen.com
Jockey and Jewels
http://www.amazon.com/Jockeys-and-Jewels-ebook/dp/B0055OHXN8
"Color My Horse"
http://amzn.com/B005HFZZN0

Two HQN Authors Stole My Heart - Donna Alward & Sarah Mayberry

2011-09-22T13:27:00.000-07:00

In a week I’ve read two HQN’s books that I have truly connected with me. First I had the pleasure of reading Sarah Mayberry’s The Best Laid Plans and Donna Alward’s How a Cowboy Stole Her Heart. To say I loved both would be an understatement.Sarah Mayberry’s The Best Laid Plans is a contemporary story with a twist. You have the successful woman lawyer, Alexander Knight, and I will admit all women secretly what to hate these women who seem to juggle it all, but Alex isn’t juggling things well at all. Introduce sexy co-worker Ethan Stone and immediately you think sparks are going to fly off the page. They don’t. Oh, don’t get me wrong they certainly do later on but that’s the buildup, or should I say foreplay that was so real in this book. Alex’s dilemma is her biological clock is ticking loudly and she desperately wants a baby, which is the last thing Ethan wants, or is it? They work well together and are great friends but can these two educated overachievers get over themselves to get what they both really want – yes! I loved the emotional play with this story and felt like I wanted to kill both Alex and Ethan at one point for trying to best plot out how to conceive with the use of medical intervention. Bless you Mayberry for allowing the characters to find themselves and their own weaknesses so they could come together and go at baby-making the old fashion way. This truly was a page turner and I read it in two sittings. Sarah Mayberry books can be found at http://www.sarahmayberry.com.Donna Alward’s How A Cowboy Stole Her Heart captured me from page one. Talk about building strong characters. I immediately loved Megan Briggs, who is a strong willed woman who has suffered her share of medical problems including breast cancer. Now, I know what you’re thinking here—how can a romance about a breast cancer survivor be sexy? Well, read this book because not only does Alward touch on the physical limitations Megan has to overcome like rediscovering her own body but she has to allow herself to love. Clay Gregory doesn’t want to deal with death, especially the word “cancer” which took his father’s life and caused his mother to abandoned him, but he quickly discovers he can’t live without Megan. They start out as friends and I think that’s why I connected with this book. The characters were believable, honest about their wants and desires and fears, and they still struggled to believe in each other. I read this book in one night and couldn’t put it down! By the end I felt like Megan was my friend and Clay was the brother I wanted to throttle. LOL Check out her website at: http://www.donnaalward.com for more on Alward and her books.

Mind Games - A Read that will make you question your own reality

2011-06-05T06:12:00.000-07:00

Mind Games by Taylor Keating

Page after page of twists and sub plots will keep you up all night reading
When the real world is worse than a virtual world, it has River Weston almost wishing she was trapped with the evil soulless Dark Lord once again. However, since River seems to attract nothing but trouble in either world she’s a gal who learns to cope. Getting pinned for murderous crimes on her home planet means she’s once again on the run, with Guardian, lover and Fey teacher Chase Hawkins, commonly called Hawk.

Hawk isn’t Fey but he’s had more experience with them than River, so she has no choice but to trust him. Back on his home planet, Hawk’s body, still trapped in a cryogenic state because he volunteered for the extended mission, starts to falter. And that has the Guardian Council wanting to pull the plug on him. At least one of Hawks’ friends believes in fighting for his life, but even he might not save Hawk in the end.

To top that off, Nick, River’s ex-boyfriend is trapped with the Dark Lord and he’s able to invade Hawk’s dreams. Making matters more personal, River feels obligated to free the Fey souls trapped in the strange graveyard. Her journey enables her to learn more about her combined Fey-Guardian heritage and trust in her own powers.

The pace Taylor Keating creates for the reader will leave you breathless and wanting more. Page after page something new, consuming and imagination-filled grabs you. Thank goodness Hawk and River finally have sex because this reader was going to kill the writer if the almost but not quite tantalizing sexual tension between them didn’t get fulfilled.

I loved the twists, turns and sub-plots of this story, and the ending will make you twitch to get your fingers on the third book in this series. This is the sequel to Keating’s first Game Over, TOR publication and I can’t wait to read more. To learn more about Keating check out www.taylorkeating.com.

In celebration of my birthday - things I’ve learned so far in my 42 years

2011-05-26T03:53:00.000-07:00

1. The first thing I read in the paper every morning is my horoscope and that’s it
2. The last thing I usually watch at night is CBC’s The National – seems I can handle the news at night but not in the morning
3. Baby unscented wet wipes work great as make-up removers and they cost a fraction of the price
4. Clear nail polish dapped on a run in your nylon will stop the run – why then can’t they coat nylons in the stuff?
5. Kraft Dinner is disgusting reheated the next day
6. There is nothing like peanut butter toast late at night as comfort food
7. When people ask how you are they don’t really want to know – really, just say, “Good,” even when you feel like crap
8. The older I get the more I want a dog – even though the thought of cleaning up after them makes me want to puke
9. Patience – I’m still learning it
10. I will never be as tech-savvy as my kids
11. I have no sense of direction and get lost when I’m in the mall
12. I love watching reruns of the Jerry Seinfeld show because for me they are mostly new
13. The older I get the more my roots show – not talking about hair – think heritage
14. After twelve years watching children shows with my kids I’m warped – I like Arthur, Franklin and Little Bear
15. There is nothing more annoying than going to butter your toast and opening the butter jar to find none in it! Seriously once empty how hard is it to refill?
16. I have to stop comparing what I have with what other people have – it just depresses me and in this past year I’ve learned the heart is where the home is, even if said home is in serious need of work
17. I get excited watching the birds eat from my feeder
18. I tell my best friend everything – more than I tell my hubby
19. I wish I had more time in the day to spend with my children, visit my grandmother who is 99, chat with my mom
20. I miss my youngest sister, who is very talented – I hope one day we can reconcile before it’s too late

Wanted:Mail-Order Mistress - A Must Summer Read!

2011-03-24T05:47:00.000-07:00

Wanting to jump dive into the heat of summer than I highly recommend reading Deborah Hale’s latest book, Wanted: Mail-Order Mistress published by Harlequin. I devoured this book and it was one story I didn’t want to end.

Immediately I fell in love with Bethan Conway, who has the gumption to set out from her Welsh country to venture to Singapore to find her lost brother. The fact her naivety plays a key role in her current predicament once she lands in the sweltering exotic heat of a foreign country is somewhat comical, but truly believable. Bethan believes she’s a mail order bride. The truth couldn’t be further from Simon Grimshaw’s desires. All Simon wants is a mistress. He doesn’t trust women, and while he likes to play at saving damsels in distress he’s okay with getting physical – and let me just insert here the high sexual tension in this book rocks! – but forming a real relationship with a woman is out of the picture. Spurned more than once he’s not looking for his heart to get involved. What I found especially appealing with this story is Simon’s daughter. She made this story unique and personally, made all of the interactions between Bethan and Simon believable.

I loved the development of Simon and Bethan’s relationship and when Simon finally came undone and found that his heart did love Bethan I especially liked how Bethan kept to her original principle – finding her brother. In the end both hearts prevailed.

Hale’s world building blew me away. I wanted to set sail to Singapore. This is Hale’s third book in the Gentleman of Fortune series. I will be purchasing the other two because I’m dying to read about the other two business men who worked with Simon. I just bet their stories are just as delightful.

I don’t have a rating system but let me just say with my two glasses of wine I read this book within one night and stayed up until 2am to finish it – couldn’t put it down!

Check out Deborah Hale's website at http://www.deborahhale.com

Elemental Love - FREE Read

2011-02-28T07:47:00.000-08:00

Yes, Elemental Love my shifter book is out as a FREE Read. Hope many of you enjoy.
http://www.jasminejade.com/p-5332-elemental-love.aspx

Renee Field
www.reneefield.com
twitter @Pararomance

Here’s an excerpt:

“You thought to capture me.”
It was a mocking statement, not a question, but the sound of his voice roared of thunder, vibrating along the sensitive hairs in her ears that tingled for just another word from him. And it was a him. The masculine deep cedar woods scent of him filled the air where she lay.
“You cannot ensnare me, waikta.”
Waikta. It was a word she knew. It was the language her mother spoke and a long time ago it was a word her mother had used to softly chastise Ashanti. Now there were a dozen harsher words her mother used to remind Ashanti of what she was. Other. Beast. Demon. Unclean. Unworthy. Freak. The last word manifested itself only a dozen years ago after her mother finally secured a television.
Finally regaining all her senses, it was then Ashanti realized she was naked and collared. It wasn’t an electrical collar and she was thankful for that. Instead a wide black leather fastening was tightly clasped around her neck. Attached to the collar was a black leash.
I am not a dog. Her anger flared to life as she attempted to stand. She couldn’t. She fell to her knees, bracing her body’s weight with her hands.
“This I like.”
Then Ashanti felt the man’s large hands on her and she fought the tremor of lust that ripped like a lightning rod through her entire mind and body. She twisted her head around, trying to see him, but there was no one there. Her senses and the voice told her otherwise.
“You want me to fuck you. I can smell your wet arousal.”
Crude words that should make her despise him. They did the opposite. Before she could bark a forced reply, the man’s tongue lightly flicked over her exposed rump. She sucked in her breath sharply. Pleasurable goose bumps formed along her skin. Without words he widened her stance, forcing her knees to open more as he licked and nipped at her ass cheeks. It was the most erotic sensation Ashanti had ever had. To simply experience the sensations but not see the man pleasuring her was a powerful feeling. So intense was the want of what he was doing to her body that she fought the pleasure…fought the craving…fought the wicked licks and nips from his mouth that moved from her ass to her now wet pussy.

Proud Rancher, Precious Bundle by Donna Alward - Made my day

2011-02-13T13:46:00.000-08:00

Reading a Donna Alward novel is like meeting a new best friend and curling up on the sofa to dish all the heartache. I devoured Proud Rancher, Precious Bundle in a day and honestly couldn’t put it down. I have no idea how Alward manages to gather so much character depth in her novels. Proud Rancher, Precious Bundle is all about the twists life throws your way and how you handle them.

The book begins with a twist – think baby dropped off on the veranda of a hunky rancher. Yes. That’s how it starts. The reader instantly gathers the type of character of Wyatt Black, who is facing his own personal demons, but he’s so tender with the crying infant who he doesn’t know that one can’t help feel sympathy for a man used to tending cows more so than babies. When Black, who is desperate within hours to get the baby to stop crying, bangs on his neighbours door, we meet Elli Marchuk. It took me a while to get into Elli because I found her a bit all over the place but once you learn she gave birth to a baby after carrying it almost to full-term, I did feel more sympathy for her.

I have to say I wanted more passion, more kissing but Harlequin Romance doesn’t do that and Alward left you feeling like the heat and smoldering passion was within reach for both Black and Marchuk. I enjoyed the characters journeys and this book read with such truth and honesty I felt like Black and Marchuk were real people who I met over a cup of coffee, willing to share their life story and how they met.

This truly was a satisfying read and I can’t wait to finish Sold to the Highest Bidder also by Alward.

Check out Alward's website at http://www.donnaalward.com

Beastly Passion Up for Sirens Book Reviews Book of January

2011-02-05T06:06:00.001-08:00

Hi everyone:
I just found out that my latest erotic paranormal Beastly Passion is up for Book Of The Month for January:
http://sirenbookreviews.weebly.com/book-of-the-month-january.html

This totally made my day and week because let me tell you I had a terrible week. First sick kids and then my hot water heater broke which flooded my basement (think destroyed here) and then I got sick with the flu and then hubby. Now I'm dealing with my insurance (thank god I had house insurance) but this is not fun. My 15 year-old is now sleeping on a mattress in my 9 year-old's bedroom and my house looks like a disaster, but it could be worse.

Agai, just had to blog that this made my day. Your votes would be greatly appreciated.

Siren Book Reviews: Renee Field, Beastly Passion

2011-02-01T11:57:00.000-08:00

Siren Book Reviews: Renee Field, Beastly Passion

Beastly Passion Debuts Today at Ellora's Cave

2011-01-14T07:08:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone:
I'm so excited. My first dragon/shifter erotic story debuts today with Ellora's Cave. I loved writing about dragons, especially a strong queen dragon who believes duty and honor are the way to rule while giving up passion. She must learn to embrace her passion if she hopes to save her planet. I know I'm going to write another dragon/shifter story because it was such fun taking on the form of a dragon and researching them delighted my 12 year-old. Below is a pg excerpt for Beastly Passion and I hope you enjoy.

Shards of ice nestled into her heart, followed by a torrential flush of melting heat. She gasped. Her body quaked with desire.

The lightweight silk sheet brushed her skin…a tangle of unfocused thirst and mind-numbing want caused her legs to involuntarily buck off the covering. Her hand slid down her throat, a sensual sweep as foreboding and significant as the rising temperature of her skin. Light fingertips skimmed over breasts, playing with the rose-colored peaks of her nipples until she answered the throb—the call and pulse that heated and thrummed through her entire body. Her fingers delved into her wet, soft folds of inviting flesh.

Honey-warm nectar lubricated her fingers. She used them like drumsticks…focused to the call of the song her body recognized at the molecular level. The rhythm and intensity of an ancient, inherent part of her evolution that yearned for her body to change, fly and soar through the realms of her tightly controlled consciousness. Her breath quickened to a fiery puff of soft, gray smoke. A singe of torrid heat caused her to move her fingers out of her sheath to tweak her hard-as-polished-stone nub. Her body, spirit and mind fractured—levitating her to that other plane of existence she fought daily to avoid.

The shift, instant. White-hot fire engulfed her spirit, mind and body. The flame morphed to solidify into what she truly was—dragon. Gone was the woman—discarded and chained away—so that the dragon beast with the long, golden-hued leathery wings stretched. She sought the heat of her thoughts. Clarity. Large, clawed talons pivoted on the marble floor. Her spiked tail slid into position behind her, but when her head swiveled to the front with the mirrors blanketing her gaze she froze. The vision of her new reality snared her like a cage of old. She caught dragon thoughts that yearned for the feel of sky and the need for the moisture-drenched orange clouds that radiated warmth from the moons.

She leashed those traitorous thoughts and screamed, squelching fire that threatened to spew forth. Instantly, she chastised her body for the lust of desire while her rational mind absorbed the impact of what had dared to happen. Shaking, she shifted back into a woman, and grasped the sheet that had fallen to the floor. The cool silk material was exactly what she needed to ground her. Anchor her.
The large, wide iron-fitted door to the chamber gave a mighty creak as it was forced open. Geirsson, her captain-at-arms, stormed in, armed and ready, followed by her maidservant.

“Get out!” Maeja didn’t care that her manner was totally uncharacteristic. She had mastered the art of being in control, as serene as polished steel. Maeja was born with beastly emotions, but they would not control her. She would not allow that to happen. No one knew what a struggle that had become of late. Evidence this morning. She hated what she had dared let slip. Shifting into dragon was forbidden. She had been the one to issue that decree. While some of her people objected, the majority saw her reason. Her world, her people were prospering and if they had to hide their true identity then so be it.

Maeja had worked centuries to ensure others saw her the way she wanted them to. It had become such a part of her skin that sometimes she questioned her own identity. Lately, the haunting, wild animalistic urge to shift had become a steady ache. Often she fled to the safety of her chamber. That was exactly what she had done last night after that horrible scene at her annual Harvest Ball.

Geirsson’s eyes darted warrior swift around the room. “You screamed.”

“I did not. Get out.” At least this time I did not yell at them. Maeja regally enveloped the sheet around her and stood. “My clothes, prepare them…but first a bath. And ensure it’s cold, ice cold,” she directed the maid, trying to ignore Geirsson.

The thought of even lukewarm water caressing her skin left her feeling slightly breathless and flushed. She struggled to regain her composure. Pursing her lips together, she hugged her arms. Her maidservant nodded, bowed low and left to do her bidding. Geirsson remained.

“You may leave, Geirsson.”

“I may…may I?”

She fought against the urge to clamp her hands over her ears. His rumbling voice always reminded her of churning stones being teased to become bright, polished gems, something her beast loved. This morning its intensity was doubled, leaving her with the oddest urge to rub her body up against his. I did not succumb to his charms years ago and I most certainly will not now.

Geirsson looked down at the floor. Two long gouges bore evidence to her swift transformation. She said a silent prayer of thanks when he simply walked over them. Then he edged forward to where she stood. She blinked. What was he doing?

“Fare thee well, my lady?”

He knows. Her nostrils flared, inhaling and tasting his scent. Woodsy smoke mixed with salt, sand and the metallic taste of jewels and minerals sailed into her. She knew he caught the slight, ever so infinitesimal inhalation on her part. Her anger instantly sparked. The spurt of that churning emotion spewed forth within Maeja and she had to close her eyes against the heat enveloping her rational senses, again. She bowed her head, hoping he would give her a moment to collect her thoughts and clamp down hard on the pebble of desire that threatened to break free. What by the Jewels was happening to her?

Purchase today at http://www.jasminejade.com/p-9004-beastly-passion.aspx

Beastly Passion - first dragon story debuts soon

2011-01-03T08:18:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited. Two major reasons. One, my new erotic futuristic dragon story debuts Jan 14 from Ellora's Cave and I had such fun writing this that honestly it felt effortless. That never happens for me. Secondly, I've got the rights back to the first book I've ever written, a sensual paranormal story called Rapture which features Sirens and Titans and is set in Atlantic Canada. I'm seriously thinking of self-publishing Rapture on my own and the second book in the series is almost finished. I love writing paranormal and having the opportunity to write about Atlantic Canada thrills me - trust me it is an exotic place to live. Below is an excerpt from Beastly Passion and you can check out the coming soon page at Ellora's Cave at http://www.jasminejade.com/ps-9004-50-beastly-passion.aspx.

Beastly Passion Excerpt:
Shards of ice nestled into her heart, followed by a torrential flush of melting heat. She gasped. Her body quaked with desire.

The lightweight silk sheet brushed her skin…a tangle of unfocused thirst and mind-numbing want caused her legs to involuntarily buck off the covering. Her hand slid down her throat, a sensual sweep as foreboding and significant as the rising temperature of her skin. Light fingertips skimmed over breasts, playing with the rose-colored peaks of her nipples until she answered the throb—the call and pulse that heated and thrummed through her entire body. Her fingers delved into her wet, soft folds of inviting flesh.

Honey-warm nectar lubricated her fingers. She used them like drumsticks…focused to the call of the song her body recognized at the molecular level. The rhythm and intensity of an ancient, inherent part of her evolution that yearned for her body to change, fly and soar through the realms of her tightly controlled consciousness. Her breath quickened to a fiery puff of soft, gray smoke. A singe of torrid heat caused her to move her fingers out of her sheath to tweak her hard-as-polished-stone nub. Her body, spirit and mind fractured—levitating her to that other plane of existence she fought daily to avoid.

The shift, instant. White-hot fire engulfed her spirit, mind and body. The flame morphed to solidify into what she truly was—dragon. Gone was the woman—discarded and chained away—so that the dragon beast with the long, golden-hued leathery wings stretched. She sought the heat of her thoughts. Clarity. Large, clawed talons pivoted on the marble floor. Her spiked tail slid into position behind her, but when her head swiveled to the front with the mirrors blanketing her gaze she froze. The vision of her new reality snared her like a cage of old. She caught dragon thoughts that yearned for the feel of sky and the need for the moisture-drenched orange clouds that radiated warmth from the moons.

She leashed those traitorous thoughts and screamed, squelching fire that threatened to spew forth. Instantly, she chastised her body for the lust of desire while her rational mind absorbed the impact of what had dared to happen. Shaking, she shifted back into a woman, and grasped the sheet that had fallen to the floor. The cool silk material was exactly what she needed to ground her. Anchor her.

The large, wide iron-fitted door to the chamber gave a mighty creak as it was forced open. Geirsson, her Captain-at-Arms, stormed in, armed and ready, followed by her maidservant.

“Get out!” Maeja didn’t care that her manner was totally uncharacteristic. She had mastered the art of being in control, as serene as polished steel. Born with beastly emotions, they would not control her. She would not allow that to happen. No one knew what a struggle that had become of late. Evidence this morning. She hated what she had dared let slip. Shifting into dragon was forbidden. She had been the one to issue that decree. While some of her people objected, the majority saw her reason. Her world, her people were prospering and if they had to hide their true identity then so be it.

Maeja had worked centuries to ensure others saw her the way she wanted them to. It had become such a part of her skin that sometimes she questioned her own identity. Lately, the haunting, wild animalistic urge to shift had become a steady ache. Often she fled to the safety of her chamber. That is exactly what she had done last night after that horrible scene at her annual Harvest Ball.

Geirsson’s eyes darted warrior swift around the room. “You screamed.”

“I did not. Get out.” At least this time I did not yell at them. Maeja regally enveloped the sheet around her and stood. “My clothes, prepare them…but first a bath. And ensure its cold, ice cold.” She directed herself to the maid, trying to ignore Geirsson.

The thought of even lukewarm water caressing her skin left her feeling slightly breathless and flushed. She struggled to regain her composure. Pursing her lips together, she hugged her arms. Her maidservant nodded, bowed low and left to do her bidding. Geirsson remained.

“You may leave, Geirsson.”

“I may…may I?”

She fought against the urge to clamp her hands over her ears. His rumbling voice always reminded her of churning stones being teased to become bright polished gems, something her beast loved. This morning its intensity was doubled, leaving her with the oddest urge to rub her body up against his. I did not succumb to his charms years ago and I most certainly will not now.

Geirsson looked down at the floor. Two long gouges bore evidence to her swift transformation. She said a silent prayer of thanks when he simply walked over them. Then he edged forward to where she stood. She blinked. What was he doing?

“Fare thee well, my lady?”

He knows. Her nostrils flared, inhaling and tasting his scent. Woodsy smoke mixed with salt, sand and the metallic taste of jewels and minerals sailed into her. She knew he caught the slight, ever so infinitesimal inhalation on her part. Her anger instantly sparked. The spurt of that churning emotion spewed forth within Maeja and she had to close her eyes against the heat enveloping her rational senses, again. She bowed her head, hoping he would give her a moment to collect her thoughts and clamp down hard on the pebble of desire that threatened to break free. What by the Jewels was happening to her?

“I am fine. No need to concern yourself.” She turned, needing the space to breathe, fearful of the animalistic urge that told her to simply push Geirsson to the floor and straddle him. Take what she knew he could skillfully offer. As always, she denied herself.

She was Maeja III. A royal Queen of Castra, descendant from a dynasty of dragon queens. And she was the last of her line.

That sad, hard rock of reality as always robbed her of breath. She had tried everything—a hundred or so draconic men through the long passage of time—and about a century ago when she had ushered her planet into the computer age, she had even resorted to in-vitro fertilization. But nothing worked. She was a good queen, and maybe the Blessed Jeweled Scribe scholars would record her reign as the best but she was barren. All my work will not be for naught. It was a recitation that had become her own dreaded motto.

Maeja didn’t have anyone she could leave her dynasty to and she wanted to be able to do that. She wanted a child of her own to nurture with the understanding of what her race needed. A firm hand.

Again, the image of what had transpired last night flashed through her. Note to self, check on the witch in the dungeon and find out which faction sent her to infiltrate my royal palace.

“I questioned the witch.”

Lost in her own turmoil of thoughts, Maeja was astonished when Geirsson spoke. She had assumed since she had turned her back to him that he had left. She should have known better. Lately Geirsson seemed always to be under foot.

He crossed his arms and she tried hard to ignore the play of muscles on his forearms. Maeja felt her throat constrict with longing and her heart accelerate. She pivoted and moved farther away from him, not wanting Geirsson to assess her reaction. Both were beasts to the core and he was not blind. To pretend he knew nothing of her desire for him would not benefit her rational mind.

“She claims she was not sent by any factions. I’m not one hundred percent sure. She claims she came of her own free will. She also…”

Geirsson’s long pause forced Maeja to turn and face him. “Yes, what?”

“She wants to speak with you alone.”

Maeja tugged the sheet around her tighter. “Alone. I don’t think so.”

Geirsson paced her bedroom. It was so uncharacteristic of her stoic guard that his movements caused her to examine him again. The thought she should replace him with someone else flashed hotly through her. She was beginning to admire his strong, muscular physique far too much for her own good. Often during the day she found herself fantasizing about him and it was beginning to annoy her.

“Stop that. Why are you doing that?”

Women Unite - Next year Lovember All the Way

2010-11-22T08:47:00.000-08:00

I have hit the halfway mark for Movember and it’s not looking any better. Both the moustache on my hubby and my growing itch (all puns intended). So today as I’m flicking through the Globe and Mail in my two minute break between writing, editing, emptying the dishwasher, shoving another load of laundry in the washer and thinking already what am I going to feed the horde of kids, there’s an article on the Movember campaign.

Actually it’s a good article because I did wonder what sick person came up with a fundraiser for this – and yes, it was a man drinking beer. Or in this case a bunch of men drinking beer in 2003 in Melbourne, Australia. Duh, I had no idea someone came up with idea without liquor! Note to self: buy more liquor to get through the rest of the month.

Really though the marketing genius of Movember should be applauded. But like the author of the G&M article points out, “…does the campaign’s emphasis on mustache culture, risqué jokes and gentleman’s lifestyle risk undermining its goals? Oh my god I will so kill my husband if he doesn’t raise money for this charity.

Note to self for next year: pay hubby not to grow a moustache! Yes, that’s the idea women. Let’s take back the month of November and celebrate those cozy cuddles with our partners without that annoying-not-so-soft tickle of hair getting between you and love. Let’s change the name to Lovember. I seriously think I’m on to something here! Next year it’s totally Lovember – what more do I need to say. Those guys in Melbourne got it all wrong. First off they were obviously drinking because they don’t have girlfriends, wives or significant others and to come up with Movember I bet them a drink that’s not what they first came up with. I say Lovember all the way – how you want to raise money with cuddles, kisses and lots of more loving, and all for a great cause, is up to you but I’ve had 23 days to seriously think what I’ve been missing so I’m planning on Lovember for 2011. I challenge all you men out there to join my bandwagon for next year. Be a stud for Lovember!

Oh, I had to share the latest thing hubby said while wistfully playing with his moustache. “I have no idea how to manage this thing. What do guys do?” I told him to comb it….see pic for a good laugh.

I might get a Movorce for Movember

2010-11-15T08:52:00.000-08:00

Okay, we are well into November and I've been getting lots of criticism (ugh..cough...cough/advice) for not loving my hubby's moustache. Really, all I have to say to people is "I hate it!" Today is the 15th of November and I honestly thought of getting a movorce for the month of November when he suggested he's do this again next year. Are you kidding me? Even our kids yowled in outrage. It would be different if he looked okay with it, or if it all came in, but alas it doesn't. See pic for varification.

Brian is enjoying this experience and really happy to be getting donations for prostrate cancer (see previous blogs to see how you can donate to his file for research) but November has become a very slow month for me. I think it's the no kisses thing that's driving me insane. Since I write romance/erotica for a living, no kisses is soooo not fun...and it's coming out in my characters which is not sexy. I'll probably end up ditching half my writing this month and guess what, I'm blaming it on hubby and that damn moustache.

Week 1 Nano and the growing Moustache

2010-11-06T09:14:00.001-07:00

Okay, it’s well into week one of Nano and I’ve written over 5,000 words so far. I was aiming for 7,000 so I’m hoping to plug out another 2,000 over the weekend. But I keep getting distracted by hubby’s growing moustache. As promised his pic for week two of this test. Did I mention he’s raising money for prostate cancer and I seriously hope the headache of this damn moustache he’s growing earns lots of money for research because it is seriously cramping my style?

My style is lots of kisses, which soooooo are noooooot happening. When I look at him I think of a rat now. That is not a good thing to think of one’s hubby. I’m counting my days until one, it further fills in, which I have my doubts about and two; he shaves the scraggly thing off.

Oh, and when I did kiss him, because I was desperate (yes, I will admit that) I had to close my eyes and he started laughing when he felt me cringing – sad, so sad. Well, that ended the romance for the evening let me tell you. He’s even admitted he’s not liking it. That makes me wonder if he’s not liking getting no kisses from me, or the moustache….he hasn’t admitted which one.
To stress again this is for a good cause so please donate or else I’m going to feel like my entire no-kisses month of November didn’t count for boo!
To help, you can either:
Click this link http://ca.movember.com/mospace/724590/ and donate online using your credit card or PayPal account

Write a cheque payable to 'Prostate Cancer Canada', referencing my name or Registration Number 724590 and mailing it to: Prostate Cancer Canada, Suite 306 145 Front Street East, Toronto, ON M5A 1E3, Canada.

All donations are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law.

For more details on how the funds raised from previous campaigns have been used and the impact Movember is having please visit: http://ca.movemberfoundation.com/research-and-programs.

Libertine's Kiss - Historical Sensual Must Read

2010-10-31T15:15:00.000-07:00

Judith James latest release Libertine’s Kiss left me breathless. Rich with poetry, which she wove delicately throughout the book and textured with historical details only James can fish out, this book is a stimulating, evocative must read.

William de Veres is a rake but readers will forgive him that failing because of his youth, his honor, his passion and almost bohemian-like poetry, which at times titillates while other times makes the heart weep for its blunt honesty. Add the puritan woman, Elizabeth Walters, who was his only childhood friend, who secretly wooed him with her sense of adventure, and pure spirit and the test of wills between Lord Rivers, as William becomes known, and Lizzy…well you won’t be able to stop turning pages.

Cast during the time of King Charles, whose court was notoriously filled with wanton women seeking something from the king in return for favors, Lizzy gets thrown into the mix. It’s either court or starvation because she’s fled her first husband and saving William doomed her. However, William’s plan to teach Lizzy how to use her innocence and refreshing charms at Court begins to backfire on him.

It’s here that James powerful sense of dialogue shines. I loved the banter, the use of poetry and the dramatic sense that Lizzy’s true love for William might not make for a happy ending. That’s the thing with James, she’s a master with leaving the reader wondering. Honestly, it wasn’t until the last two pages I was able to breathe easier. Thank you James for your gift of words, fanciful tale of two lovers who might not get to love and your powerful sensual scenes. I would willingly become a pupil of Lord Rivers.

To read more about Judith James’s Libertine Kiss published by HQN check out James site at http://www.judithjamesauthor.com

Help my Hubby is Attempting to Grow a Moustache

2010-10-30T12:56:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone.
This blog today is dedicated to my hubby, who plans to drive me "NUTS" for the entire month of November. Now, it's here I should preference, one, I'm proud of him for stepping up to fundraise for a good cause because he's painfully shy and never does stuff like this so that makes me very happy, but really did he have to pick growing a Moustache? Yes, according to him he did. Now, it's here I should write that I hate facial hair on men. Hence, why I'm married to one who can not grow it - which you will all see as I take weekly pics of his "growing moustache" to prove my case. I asked him if I should support him and grow my armpit hair and he almost died - case in point, that's exactly how I feel about him growing any facial hair. So, let me stress again this is all for a very good cause but here is what I will be giving up for the entire month of November - KISSES from hubby. I think it's me that deserves a reward at the end of this. Our teenagers by the way have already started teasing him and yes, he's jumped the line here and started to grow one this week because as you will see in the coming weeks, he really can't.

Here is a sample of the weird things he's said to me already concerning the moustache.
"If I conditioned it, would you kiss me?", asked Hubby. Besides laughing with a vision of him getting a mouthful of conditioner, my answer was NO.
"It will make me look older," he said. No, I said, it will only make you look like a convict.

More to come in the weeks ahead, I'm sure.

So to tell it in his words, here is hubby's cause. Hope you get the NUTS joke now.

Hubby:
This Movember, the month formerly known as November I've decided to donate my face to raising awareness about prostate cancer. My donation and commitment is the growth of a moustache for the entire month of Movember.

I'm doing this because 4,400 men die of prostate cancer in Canada each year and one in six men will be diagnosed during his lifetime.

I am a part of the “Men in Trucking” group, which is the male members of the NS Trucking Safety Association’s Board of Directors.

I am not a very skilled moustache grower, and I firmly believe my moustache will look more like a 14 year-old’s than most. Feel free to point that out when you see me.

This is a cause that I feel passionately about and I'm asking you to support my efforts by making a donation to Prostate Cancer Canada.

To help, you can either:
Click this link http://ca.movember.com/mospace/724590/ and donate online using your credit card or PayPal account

Write a cheque payable to 'Prostate Cancer Canada', referencing my name or Registration Number 724590 and mailing it to: Prostate Cancer Canada, Suite 306 145 Front Street East, Toronto, ON M5A 1E3, Canada.

All donations are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law.

For more details on how the funds raised from previous campaigns have been used and the impact Movember is having please visit: http://ca.movemberfoundation.com/research-and-programs.

Thank you in advance for helping me to support men's health.

Game Over - WOW

2010-09-21T04:49:00.000-07:00

Okay, I have to gush about Game Over. A friend of mine wrote the book and I made sure not to learn to much about the book until I got my hands on it. WOW. Read my review.

First off let me say straight off that I am not a gamer. I have no interest in it but reading Game Over by Taylor Keating has changed that. If only gaming could be like reading this sci-fi, edged with fantasy tinged with romantic elements that leave one breathless – well then, I’d be the first person to become addicted to gaming. I certainly loved Keating’s hard ass heroine, River. The mix of Fae elements and Guardian qualities she possess add that extra element of intrigue to the book. What I loved overall were the layers of plot twisting through this book. For those of you who haven’t had the pleasure of reading it, get your hands on it fast.
Game Over is about a video game programmer, that would be the lovely, minx of a character River – think sort of GI Joe Jane here and you get the idea of her personality. River’s world is post-acloptic. I will admit I’m not sure if this took place on Earth but the place honestly doesn’t matter. The texture of the land River equates with home is what makes it intriguing. She gets trapped in her own game because she has unknowingly tapped into her Fae powers and has given the Dark Lord, who was imprisoned on a planet by the Guardians – they are the Fae protectors – a chance to use her powers to escape his technologically advanced prison. In the game she meets Chase, a Guardian, who she thinks at first is the character Sever who she created. Good thing for her it’s not. Chase is much more than a mere code. His body is somewhere else in the known galaxy and his mission was to use his ability to project his soul to service the Fae. He and River work well together in the game. It’s a race of time, levels, and credits. It’s up to River to defeat the Dark Lord without selling her soul but giving up Chase is not an option. I don’t want to tell the ending because it left me gasping and dying to read the sequel but let’s just say it’s a very nice surprise…the sort I don’t often read anymore in sci-fi books.
The visual imagery is amazing. The dialogue between River, Chase and Nick, her secondary hero, works great. Game Over gets all my votes as a must read. Oh, did I mention the otherworldly hot sex – yeah that worked very nicely into a Tor book – I honestly can’t remember reading a Tor book with good sex in it before…things are a changing for good. For more information on Game Over visit http://www.taylorkeating.com.

Be My Werecat Tonight

2010-08-30T18:28:00.000-07:00

Wow time flies. I was away in PEI enjoying all those farmers with muscles (lol) and whammo my 2nd book in my Darklander Lovers series hits the shelf. Sorry I'm late in posting a blog...but here it is. Warning it's a hot excerpt

Be My Werecat Tonight
Renee Field

Book two in the Darklander Lovers series

As a surgeon, Hank is used to working with his hands. Good thing, because those skillful fingers are needed to release the passionate wild cats lying dormant in one tigress of a redheaded woman.

Naughty nurse Nora’s passionate response to her blind date unleashes something untamed within her. The only problem is she doesn’t appreciate her newfound gift. It’s up to Hank to teach her how to embrace her wilder side or they’ll both end up as housecats—a curse worse than death for a proud Darklander werecat.

Purchase today at
http://www.jasminejade.com/pm-8545-405-be-my-werecat-tonight.aspx

Excerpt:
The night had taken an unusual direction after the blind date auction. Having heard a man cry for help from the alley, Hank allowed his werecat to take over and it had been then he’d snagged her scent. All woman. Sensual, alluring healing heat radiated in bright hues of sparkling orange and red around her. She hadn’t been terrified of him. Instead, spellbound, Hank had watched her inch forward, forcing her own fear to heel so she could save the victim’s life with her hands. Witnessing her healing the man had almost knocked him over. If he hadn’t been watching her so intently he would have missed the flicker of the cat within her who screamed, “Let me out…release me!”

Tonight that’s exactly what Hank planned, to let the wild cat roaming within her free. He’d used his feline telepathy to discern who she was and quickly read the sexual fantasy she longed for. Discovering she was the woman who had won him as her blind date caused him to preen with satisfaction. Knowing her sexual fantasy was wanting to play doctor with him, his beast of a cat purred in ecstasy. So here Hank was—playing doctor when he really was one.

“All right, nurse.” Hank lowered himself to his knees, purposefully using his wide shoulders to part her legs. Again a moment’s hesitation met his attempt but then he felt her relax, parting her legs more on the stool so he could move his body between her thighs. The advantage was hers now. On his knees he had to look up at her while she sat poised on the tall stool. She was like a Goddess and he planned to worship her.

Hank moved lower. She had a doctor fixation, but his mind thrust had also revealed she felt her body was inadequate. Inadequate my ass.

“Lovely curls. Nothing I admire more than a true redhead.” He was glad he had insisted
she remove her panties earlier. He blew a hot breath across her pussy, aching to dip his finger in to see if she was wet for him.

She harrumphed at him and a brief smile flew across her face.

Her immediate response to his praise confirmed what he felt. She judged herself too harshly. “Naughty, nurse…are you questioning my taste?”

She giggled, causing her breasts to jiggle. Hank stilled his hands that wanted to rip open the small black hooks keeping her tits from his view. He used the opportunity to leverage his body up so his mouth could latch onto her right breast through the bra. She gasped. Hank flicked his tongue back and forth over her sensitive nipple and then moved his mouth to her other breast to reward it also. Two large wet stains appeared on her bra. Her entire body quivered from his ministrations. The cats within him purred. He could see all her reactions perfectly even though the room was only lit with two flickering red candles that smelled of strawberries.

“Oh my. I forgot what that feels like.”

“I’m just getting started. When I’m done with my exam I want that pussy cream of yours to be sliding out of that warm cunt. Then I’m going to give you your annual checkup…you naughty little kitty.”

“Did you just call me kitty?”

Hank gave the insides of her thighs a lick, tasting her heat and unique scent, reminding him of fresh flowers.

“Yes, I did. Let’s unleash that kitty of yours.” To emphasize his point he moved his tongue higher, giving a rough scrape along her wet folds. Her body melted into his touch, her legs instinctively opening to him, allowing him to take her passion-induced scent into his body.

Hank’s rock-hard erection created a tent as it pushed painfully up against the zipper of his dress pants. He growled. His cats felt too constricted in the suit. Forcing himself to behave, he used his fingertips to outline her heaving breasts. She unhooked the lower portion of the uniform, parting the fabric in a slow tease. Her tiny exposed bellybutton teased him. “No laughing,” he cautioned, lowering his body once again so he could swivel his tongue inside her round bellybutton. She stifled a giggle.

“Nurse, I do believe I said no laughing. Your naughtiness will not go unpunished. Spread your legs wider for me.”

Another Contract - it's all about the dragons

2010-08-15T18:25:00.000-07:00

Very busy over the summer with my new job, which I love and my new stories I've been working on. Ellora's Cave just gave me a new contract for my dragon erotic novella, called Beastly Passion, which I confess to writing about a year ago and finally got around to polish. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed this story until I started doing those pre-edits for my publisher. I must say it's refreshing to enjoy your own work for a change.

At the end of July my first book in my new paranormal erotic Darklander Lovers series launched. Be My Vampire Tonight is the first in this three book series and I can't wait for my readers to read the 2nd book, Be My Werecat Tonight, which launches at the end of August - which is just around the corner. Funny thing I discovered when writing the vampire story - I really had to work at writing about a vampire. The entire blood/sex thing does not work for me so I confess to struggling to get the character right. Now, when it came to my werecat guy - bingo! I loved him from the get-go.

So tonight after 8hrs watching my son in a paddling regatta, running to see another one play baseball (and missing that), I made myself get down to figuring out my new netbook comptuer. Small, yes, but I'm getting it. I really don't like the new version of word -ugh - so far hate that, but finally feel like my fingers are adapting to the universal keyboard.

That's it in my oh so exciting life folks!

Be My Vampire Excerpt

2010-08-04T18:09:00.000-07:00

Okay my latest book is out with Ellora's Cave and I'm thrilled because this is book one in a three book series called Darklander Lovers. The first book is Be My Vampire Tonight and it features my cop guy Mitch (must admit I've got a thing for a guy in a uniform - scratch that, because if he's wearing a janitor uniform that might not work -lol) and Tina, my shy but powerful lawyer. I wrote this series because I've honestly never been on a blind date, but often thought I'd like it. Would I go all wild like my characters? Well, maybe, or at least in my mind that's a maybe. I'd love to hear from you. Let me know the crazies blind date you went on and you could win a free e-copy of Be My Vampire Tonight.

Purchase link:
http://www.jasminejade.com/ps-8529-138-be-my-vampire-tonight.aspx

In his one hundred and twenty years as a vampire Mitch had never done anything remotely like this. Part of him thought entering a bachelor auction was crude while his baser macho instinct automatically preened before the crowd of oohing and ahhing women, madly raising their hands shouting out his number. Thankfully he was masked.

“They like you,” taunted Lance.

Mitch didn’t say anything. He lengthened his stride to ensure he almost floated behind Hank and did a slow turn just like his werecat friend. Then he flexed his forearms, moving them to rest behind his head in a casual pose and decided he’d finally gone barking mad.

Then her scent snagged him. Hot, lust-filled blood, ripe for the taking. More than that, he felt her mind push. That tingling awareness that said the woman, filled with thoughts of sex, was a psychic—a powerful one at that. He turned, his gaze catching on the long chestnut mane of curls streaked with hues of auburn and corn yellow colors, noting how it trailed past her pale, bare shoulders. She shuddered, turning her gaze from him.

For the first time in years Mitch’s cock hardened with mind-blowing lust, pouring like thick, warm blood through his veins. Physically he had to resist the urge to leap off the stage, grab the woman who had attracted his attention and bite into her veins, taking her precious desire-inducing life force. The sensation, so strong, caused Mitch’s cock and balls to tighten, the need for release a hot pulsing beacon that said she was his. Take her. Claim her. To hell with the consequences. And there would be consequences because she was a blasted human. A psychic but human none the less.
Another mind push from her caused his steps to falter. Basically she told him to back off. He growled, the sound a low vibration laced with dangerous intent. I don’t think so. Mine. You. Are. Mine. You just don’t know it yet. But tonight you will.
For the first time that evening Mitch truly grinned, ensuring no fangs revealed themselves. With his cock rock hard for the tantalizing taste of O-negative blood, he couldn’t wait to escape the theater and get his just reward for the night.
When the endless marching around the stage ceased and they were finally able to exit, Sasha rushed up to them.

“Thank you…thank you. You guys were a huge hit. I just knew it.”

“Only for you, Sasha,” said Mitch, giving her an elegant old-fashioned bow.

Shoving an envelope and red rose into Mitch’s hand, Sasha continued. “Okay here, this is your date, Mitch. And yes, it’s the one you want. The instructions are outlined in the letter. This is for you, Hank.” She handed the werecat a tiger lily and an envelope. “And voilà, brother dear.” Sasha held a yellow daisy out for Lance with a similar envelope. “Be nice. They paid a small fortune for you and don’t forget this is a date. Have fun. See you tomorrow night.”

All three men groaned loudly but Mitch’s growl tugged a smile from Sasha’s retreating form.

* * * * *

“I got him. Number twenty-one!” squealed Nora, pleased when the owner of the establishment held up the number for her to see.

“That’s because you outbid me,” snapped Cindy. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter. I’ve got the one I really wanted. Number twenty-three. Who did you get, Tina?”
Tina gulped. “I think I got number twenty-two but that’s not who I wanted. I was trying to bid for the guy across from him…number thirty-three.” Tina did not like the fact the owner flashed the number twenty-two at her. The number was taped to a ping-pong paddle to match the models on stage and the owner seemed oblivious to the fact that Tina had been bidding on the other man.

“Twenty-two…wasn’t that the spooky one?” asked Cindy.

“Wasn’t that the guy who looked as if he were floating on the stage?” asked Nora. “It doesn’t matter. It’s just a date, don’t worry about it.”

“Yeah, it’s a date…you do remember what that is, right?” teased Cindy.

Tina took another drink of the pink liquor her friends had bought her. She twirled the tiny matching fuchsia umbrella with her fingers. Before she could say anything a beautiful woman with long, straight black hair wearing a gorgeous short black dress approached the table. The only thing out of place was the bold purple witch’s hat she wore. Then again this was a theater charity auction.

“Ladies, I’m Madam Sasha. I can’t thank you enough for your generous bids. Here are your envelopes. The men you each picked are very, very special.

“Just how special?” Cindy grinned, giving the woman a bold wink.

“You will not be disappointed.”

“Actually, I tried to bid on thirty-three.” Tina seriously hoped to rearrange her date. While there was nothing wrong with the gorgeous man decked out in the kill-me-now tuxedo, his haunting good looks and deep chocolate brown eyes had evoked a dangerous twittering in her that she felt straight from her hot core to her now curling toes.

Madam Sasha pinned her with an intense stare. “Thirty-three will not fulfill you. Trust me, it’s twenty-two you really need. And as much as he might be gruff and all macho-like, just keep in mind that one is never too old to learn new tricks.”

“Tricks?” asked Tina, clearly confused.

“Yes, tricks,” snickered her friends in unison.

Tina shushed them. Why did I agree to this? Tina thought there was a lot left unsaid by the woman’s cryptic remark but she had vowed to have fun and let her hair down, and that’s exactly what she planned to do. Maybe another drink would be a good idea.

In 30 day Be My Vampire Tonight hits the e-shelves

2010-06-30T16:58:00.000-07:00

Book one in the Darklander Lovers series.

Hi everyone:
I'm totally thrilled that the release of my first paranormal erotic novella in my new series is July 30 with my publisher Ellora's Cave. I'm lining up a contest and will be posting excerpts throughout the month. Below is the book blurb.

Be My Vampire Tonight
Bidding on a masked man at an auction is all for a good cause, but what happens when he turns out to be a vampire who has the power to unleash the wild woman lying dormant inside you?

As a Darklander vampire, Mitch has spent a century living in a bleak world, but all that changes when he sees Tina. The beast living within Mitch wants to stake his claim. Mitch knows taking Tina’s virginity will change her forever, but try explaining that to a woman whose passion cannot be denied. Tina holds the key to his freedom, but Mitch will be damned forever before he turns her over as a slave for his Master.

10 Things About Me

2010-06-10T08:03:00.000-07:00

My life is not exciting. I spend most of my days at home, typing away, or emailing people. I don't interact a lot with adults and confess to missing that. I love writing stories and at the end of the day if I've written at least one good scene I'm okay. But, I thought I'd let the world following me (insert laugh here) discover a few things about me. Again - not that exciting, but my reality.

On your left is my Abyssinian almost 10 year-old cat called Paloma and on the deck, looking like he is the king of the place is my son's 1 year-old gray tabby called Tick-Tack (I call him Tack-Tack-Toes) - he's not very bright but playful.

1. I love bugs - I think they're fascinating, sometimes gross, but honestly when I was growing up I could spend hours watching one ant hill. Sad, but true.
2. My favorite animal - cats (see pics and you'll understand why).
3. I love to make my own jams.
4. I dye my hair - and it depends on my mood and how cheap the hair color is.
5. I shop a lot at Guy's Frenchy's and most times no one knows.
6. I hate painting my toe nails but do it anyway, especially in the summer.
7. I get totally overwhelmed with my life, my 4 kids, my writing and make runs to the store for chocolate.
8. I hate cleaning my oven so much I do it only when things start to burn (that's inside the stove).
9. I am a community activists and believe it takes a village to raise a child.
10. If I won a million dollars I would do 10 seperate draws for families in my community to each get $100,000!

Inspiration

2010-06-06T11:58:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I spent the day at my local romance writer's all-day workshop. It was great. While I didn't plot out a new romance, I have three I've got to finish editing, I did get once again inspired to write. And that says a lot. I find with editing I get pulled out of writing so even getting 2,000 words written in a week, with me juggling my kids, is an accomplishment. And speaking of accomplishments I wanted to highlight the fact that on Thursday I attended my friend, Pam Callow's debut launch of her romanctic suspence, legal thriller called Damaged. I have to say the place was jammed with well wishers, which Pam deserves. Pam, a mother of two and a lawyer by trade used her smarts to create the Kate Lange character. What I love about Damaged is that it's set in Halifax - our home town. Her publisher, MIRA, got behind her and I have to say they made one smart move. I came home Thursday night and started Pam's book and now I'm trying to find time in-between edits, and those pesky kids to read it. I can't wait until I can snuggle with hubby in bed (he likes to read beside me) and read more. My time for reading is at night, in the bathroom, or in the bath and I confess that I usually have four books on the go. Reading is essential if you're a writer, it helps you keep up with your market and in my case it helps keep my sanity.

Starting next week I'll be posting excerpts from my Fairy Curses: Kissed sensual paranormal romance I've been working on. I'll be looking for feedback and showing you before and after scenes with my editing process. Plus I might publish pics of my son's pesky cat who likes to snuggle next to my laptop - how annyoing!

2010-05-10T09:20:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged in a while. I know I should but what can I say - life is busy. So let me sum up what I'm doing.

Finished edits of my dragon erotic novella and added another 5,000 to it - I know editing usually means cutting but I felt I needed to add to this one.
Working on cutting more out of Fairy Curses: Kissed, that's my mainstream sensual romance.
Mapped out my new sci-fi erotic novella set on Jupiter called "Red Lust" and totally loving it.
Working on revamping my 2nd Titan romance novel for my publisher, Ellora's Cave, as a stand alone.
And, I just started a totally new writing project - 1st person narrative, mainstream fiction with a Mr. & Mrs. Smith feel to it. I'm psyched to get into this but need to focus and finish edits on Fairy Curses which will take me another week and I'd like to finish 4 more chapters in my sci-fi story...so waiting is good, because by then I'll have figured out the middle of my new writing project.

That's it for me folks.

March Break

2010-03-15T04:49:00.000-07:00

March! Yes, that means only three more months until summer. Can't wait. That said, the days are brighter, all thanks to the new day light savings time now taking place in March and the weather is teasing us with warmth. I've stashed all the snow pants, scarves and mitts away and it felt great. I don't dare put away the shovel away yet or it will snow so I'll wait until the end of March for that treat.

Speaking of treat, I'm almost done edits on my new Darklander Lovers series coming out from Ellora's Cave. This is three erotic novellas linked with a common theme. The first is "Be My Vampire Tonight" and then it's "Be My Werecat Tonight," and finally "Be My Warlock Tonight." It centres around three very unique women who go to a charity auction to bid on men who are their blind dates for the night. But these aren't your average men -lol. I'm working on my tag line - let me know what you think of this.

- In a world that exists in shades of gray she brought sizzling color to his life.
-He only new shades of gray until her passion brought color to his life.
- In a world of gray she brought color

Okay, help would be greatly appreciated. What else is new? I'm reworking my sequel to Rapture, which I've called Bliss to become a single-title so it will fit with Ellora's Cave's line. I've got a few more "tweaks" to work on for my dragon erotic and I just plotted out my new sci-fi erotic, which I can't wait to write as I totally love my theme, my strong-willed business women and the world on Saturn I've created.

I'd love to hear from you. What are you working on? What are you reading? Basically, I'm lonely. Drop me a line.

What do you do for a sexy night with your mate?

2010-02-22T16:58:00.000-08:00

Okay, I confess to reading lots of Red Book and Cosmopolitan in the bath – my favorite place to unwind and I’ve noticed a trend. These mags hype what we as women are supposed to do for our mate. Hey, I’m not knocking it but seriously, what do men do to sex-up the love life? I’d like to know.

And, all I think of when I read about the chocolate sauce to paint all over your mate is what a god awful mess on the sheets and you just know who is going to be doing the laundry the next day – the woman.

So that got me thinking. What would I like my mate to do to sex-up our love life? Hum, well for starters take things slow. I love the foreplay, the slow tease of what’s about to be offered up to me. I admit to loving public displays of affections and a great meal out, because that would be without any children and it means I haven’t had to think of what to cook for dinner. And those PDAs can all take place under the table or in the back row of a dark movie theater. Hmm, what else? Music. Nothing makes the night sexier than really good “sex” music to add atmosphere to the room.

What would you like your mate to do? I’d like to know. This is all part of my latest research for my new erotic sci-fi I’m working so please share your secrets with me. I won’t use names, just want your ideas.

Tech Blind

2010-01-20T06:54:00.000-08:00

I admit I'm not techie - I can barely log into blog, but I'm trying. So today I signed on to my Facebook page and have added a new "Fan Page". Sign up please - it makes me feel like I have friends and that's sad. Lately, I've been huddled over my computer, stuck in my house working on my stories. Don't get me wrong, I love writing, but mold has started to grow on me. I need to escape. So I signed up for a new dance class - it got cancelled, so now I need to find a new one. I did pole dancing (loved it) but want to try something new. As a writer I need to add something to my creative outlet but it's hard for me to jugggle my kids, their activities, deadlines etc....guess that's life. I'm going to attempt Twitter - wish me luck.

On a happy note - Ellora's Cave signed on for my new Darklander Lovers series. Stay tuned for Be My Vampire Tonight, Be My Werecat Tonight and Be My Warlock Tonight - three erotic paranormal novellas...featuring very hunky men!

Hello Winter

2008-11-24T05:40:00.000-08:00

Mother Nature got confused. She hit us (good old Nova Scotia, Canada) with 30cm of snow on Saturday and it’s not even winter. While I’ve been grumping about it my kids have journeyed to the Arctic, built an igloo, traveled to Santa’s workshop to see if he needs any help with his toys and saved a polar bear from drowning on the ever depleting Arctic ice. Yes, that’s exactly what they did and a lot more. The three younger ones journeyed outside by 8am on Sat morning to wade through the snow. They are so excited; I will admit it’s infectious. The almost teenager, who didn’t want the winter boots I made him get on Friday night about six hours before the storm was about to hit, wore them with glee and his snow pants on Sat so he could go sledding in the park. He even said a thank you – will wonders never cease. So, while I’m not overly pleased that the cold (and it’s -6 here) has hit and the white stuff looks like it’s going to stay for a bit longer than anticipated we will endure.

What I did learn is that I too need to journey to the Arctic, save a polar bear or better yet figure out a way to let my dragon escape her ice cavern. Yeah, imagination is the best toy any child can have or develop. Since I’m just a big kid at heart I’ve never lost mine and it’s nice to see at least one of my four children let their creative mind take over so he too can have fun. We could have been inside all day, but they spent most of it sledding, and building snow forts...and that’s exactly what winter’s all about. Now, I just have to embrace my Kodiak boots, fur coat and became a dragon so I can regulate my own body temperature—no laughing, one never knows. Can you tell I’m working on a dragon story? Yeah, hot and cold, fire and ice and it’s diamond sharp. Hope to finish the first draft by the end of January...I’ll keep you all posted.

In the meantime, if you're looking to add heat to your day check out my latest erotic novella, Elemental Love from Ellora's Cave at http://www.ellorascave.com/productpage.asp?ISBN=9781419919114

Rapture - 2008 EPPIE Winner for Best Fantasy/Paranormal Romance

2008-03-14T12:26:00.001-07:00

I won! I won! I’m still trembling with joy over my first book’s major win. Rapture, which was my baby for three years, just won for Best EPPIE Fantasy/Paranormal Romance. According to the EPIC website - The EPPIE Awards have been given annually since the first EPIC conference to recognize outstanding achievement in e-publishing. The categories are judged by members of EPIC, all published authors. After the first round of judging, the works of the finalists are sent to another panel of judges, and winners in all eighteen categories are selected. I want to say a huge thank you to the organizers of this award contest, to the many authors out there who donated their time to read and judge all the books in each category and to my fans who continue to tell me they love Rapture.

So what has winning the award meant to me? It’s helped to reaffirm that I’m on the right track. I thoroughly enjoy writing paranormal and I love soul-defining romance. I love creating new worlds, hard-edged characters that we want to love even though we know they are beyond human. And it’s spurred me on complete book two in my Titan series, which will feature Darius (Seth’s twin brother) and he’s not a happy Titan. This book is more than half-way written (and was so last year) but I started another series, The Ungodlies – in between, so had to put it on hold. I can’t have too many characters talking in my head or I would go insane. Yes, my characters do talk to me and usually by the time I’m ready to open my laptop their voice is dying to be released on the computer.

Winning an EPPIE I’m also hoping will provide me with some leverage in my search for a new agent. I fired mine over a year ago and having since recovered from that ordeal I am once again putting myself on the block. This time though I’m going to do my homework.

Thank you once again to the EPIC organizers and readers who love Rapture. I know I loved writing and re-writing it and my fingers are crossed that when the sequel comes out it will be even better.

2008-02-21T05:18:00.001-08:00

Adolescence. Really they should give parents a drug so we can cope through this stage. My eldest, a 12 year-old, know-it-all boy is on this lovely rollercoaster of a ride and I’m left barely hanging on. We go from having a great time together, sitting on the sofa to him becoming demanding, like mom cut me up an apple. Okay, you’re 12 cut up your own apple or wash it and eat it. Voila a fight develops. I become the worst mom ever.

I’m the only mom he tells me that makes their children do chores. What? All the rest of those moms are nuts, I tell him. You are more than half-way to becoming a man and I’m teaching you life skills. So, yes part of that is learning how to do your own laundry, how to put soap in the washing machine, turn on the dryer and fold your clothes and better yet placed them in those things called drawers. Ughhh!

Someone help me. When I tell him all the things I had to do at his age he says that was the old days. Old days? Honey, I ain’t that old, but dealing with him is certainly aging me. I don’t want my son to go through life with everything handed on a platter for him, I want him to work. I want him to appreciate the things I do for him. How many moms stay home, sacrifice their careers so I can take him to and pick him up from school, come home to home baked cookies or brownies and a hot meal on the table. Yeah, buddy list those off! So we do drive a rusty 12 year-old van. We don’t have an X-box or the latest gadgets of toys and we are scraping by month after month. But we do it. For him, and his other three siblings. And, yes I tell him when they reach his age they too will start doing chores. The ten year old is totally responsible for his pets and thank god does that and has started putting his own clothes away after I fold them, so progress is being made. But the 12 year-old thinks I’m his servant. I’ve had enough. I told him starting tonight he’ll be making his own lunches. You would have thought the world had ended with how he carried on and I part of me was immediately reminded that he may be 12 but he’s still young, still my baby boy at heart, but then I thought “tough love” he’ll be better in the end with this one chore because he’ll learn more about self-reliance.

Plus, I needed at least two more cups of tea to truly deal with him and soooo wasn’t in the mood for theatrics.

Anyone else out there coping with those lovely adolescent years. Feel free to rant. I know it always makes me feel better. And, just because you might rant I’m going to randomly pick a winner today and the lucky person will receive a free electronic copy of Love Me Tender, my second erotic novella published by Ellora’s Cave. So drop me a line and make my day!

Throw all those excuses out the window - set a goal

2008-02-05T08:12:00.001-08:00

Goals. Okay now that I wrote that don’t go running and screaming from the screen. I am the first to admit that setting a goal does two things for me. One, it makes me slightly panicky and secondly it gives me a clear idea of what I’m striving for. Now, for those that don’t know me (many of you) I am a serious writer. What???? Yup, you heard me. I write every day. Now, I write most of my stuff on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday’s because that’s when my three-year old is in daycare. Did I mention I have four children – three of whom are in school? So, I’ve learned to organize and juggle but only two years ago did I learn that I had to set goals for ME!!!

I’m going to capitalize ME because as a MOM I always put my wants, needs and goals on the back burner. Why? Don’t know. But two years ago I realized that wasn’t fair to ME and my family. I am happier when I write. I am also happier when I make my goals.

So as a writer you might wonder how many pages do I write? Well, it can vary but on average I set a goal of 10,000 words a week. If you break that down it’s only 2,000 words, five days a week. For me I have to usually double that number because I only get three full days to write. And for me my full day ends at 2pm when I have to pick up my other children from school. The other trick that works for me is that I try not to watch a lot of TV. Now, lately that hasn’t been a problem because of the writers strike but if I watch TV all night I usually hate myself in the morning for being unproductive. So I try to write at least 1,000 words at night or edit what I wrote during the day.

My other goal for ME this year was to become more physically active. Now that I confess I’m having a harder time with. I’d rather be writing then running, which is the only exercise I like to do, but I decided this week that I’m going to sign up for an exercise course I haven’t tried before in the evening once a week to accomplish this goal. I did join LA Weightless and that has been great for me. Nothing like being accountable for what you eat and I’ve lost 12lbs all ready....very happy about that. I’m not going to worry that it’s taking me a long time to lose the 12lbs because I set a yearly goal of losing 20lbs and I will make it.

I do post my writing goals on my local romance chapter goals loop and I do write my goals down in my computer and print off all the books I plan to write this year. For me having a visual (book title and concept) works for me.

Now, what works for you? Are you able to set goals for YOU this year? Share the tricks of what you’ve found helpful and what hasn’t worked for you. We can all use an inspirational story.

Is it the cover or the words that draw you in?

2008-01-17T05:45:00.000-08:00

We’ve all grabbed lots of books because the cover drew us in only to be disappointed with the opening paragraph. Usually I’ll give a new book one entire chapter before I decide my time is better spent reading something else. Sometimes though I only give a new book one page, especially if I’m in a buying mood.

You might ask yourself how, in one page, can you grab the reader? I will be the first to admit that’s hard, but as a reader isn’t that our goal? Recently I strolled through my local Chapters bookstore and picked up six new books. Of those six books, two were new authors for me. Candidly, I will admit that the covers of all six books drew me in but after reading the opening paragraph I only walked away with two. Now, this is also subjective. What I like to read is different from the next person. Still though, I walked away thinking…a writer really only has 30 seconds to grab a new reader.

Here’s what I read:
Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost, published by Avon. (http://www.jeanienefrost.com/)

I stiffened at the red and blue lights flashing behind me, because there was no way I could explain what was in the back of my truck. I pulled over, holding my breath as the sheriff came to my window.

“Hi. Something wrong?” My tone was all innocence while I prayed there was nothing unusual about my eyes. Control yourself. You know what happens when you get upset.

“Yeah, you’ve got a busted taillight. License and registration, please.”

Crap. That must have happened when I was loading up the truck bed. Speed had been of the essence then, not daintiness.

These nine sentences hooked me. Last night I started to read it and today I’d like nothing more than to shut out the rest of the world, curl up with this amazing book and finish it. My gut instinct that this would be a good read so far holds true. I’m half-way through and so it keeps getting better.

The other book I walked away with is Atlantis Awakening by Alyssa Day, published by Berkley Sensation. (www.alyssaday.com)

Now, I will admit that I’ve read another book by Day and I think it was in this series. What annoyed me as a buyer was that she didn’t list her other books in the front of this one so I’m left wondering, did I already read this and have forgotten it? Ahh, who cares? I bought it because again, the opener grabbed me.

Here’s what I read:
Atlantis Awakening: The Warriors of Poseidon by Alyssa Day.

“These are my kind of odds,” Ven said, drawing his sword with his right hand and one of the seven daggers strapped to various parts of his body with his left. “Not even gonna brother with my Glock and its nifty new silver bullets for this mangy crew.”

The vamp leading the gang—flock? herd? What the hells did you call a group of vamps this big?—of vamps that had cornered them in the alley hissed, making sure to show a mouthful of fangs. “Prepare to die, human. You are vathhhtly outnumbered,” it threatened, with that peculiar lisp so characteristic of the recently undead. They hadn’t quite yet gotten the hang of talking with a mouthful of tooth.

Again, this worked for me. It made me smile because I sense she’s given her main character humor while making him immediately warrior ready for battle.

I’d love to hear from you. Drop me a comment and find the opening paragraph or first few sentences that had you hooked in your favorite book. What made you buy? Was it the cover or the words inside?

Winter Solstice - Let the Light Shine Through

2007-12-21T06:28:00.000-08:00

Solstice! Yup today is the beginning of the days of days. That’s what I call it. When the darkness of the night weakens to the full light of the sun. I’m a light person. I admit to being totally affected by the dark, dreary days of winter. I need the sun to make me happy, just ask my family!

Here’s a little tidbit of fact: Since the time when the 25th was established as the solstice in Europe the difference between the Julian calendar year (365.2500 days) and the tropical year (365.2422 days) moved the day associated with the actual astronomical solstice forward approximately three days every four centuries until 1582 when Pope Gregory XIII changed the calendar bringing the northern winter solstice to around December 21st. In the Gregorian calendar the solstice still moves around a bit, but only about one day in 3000 years.

Okay, enough of that. What I want is to hear from you readers. I know there’s books out there centered around the theme of solstice, isn’t that the hot time of the year when the pull for sex is felt by all (yeah, that’s it). Anyway, I’m looking for a list of books that have this theme. I’m also feeling generous. You need to have a list of five books that either you know of or have read. Leave your list in the comment section. At the end of the day I will randomly pick a winner (exclusdes you SdoS gals) to win an e-book of your choice, a copy of either one of my Ellora’s Cave publications: Sweet and Spicy Spells (co-authored with the great Christine d’Abo), Love Me Wild, or Love Me Tender, or an e-copy of my sensual mainstream book, Rapture published with Cerridwen Press. So get your list in!!!

Creating Fictional Beasts

2007-11-20T07:11:00.001-08:00

I love creating fictional beasts. Littered around my house are books on Celtic myths, Gods and Goddess, Irish Folklore, and lots more. And I use them. I use them when I’m stuck working on a story that just begs for a fictional beast, one that can sprout wings, breathe fire or trot on all four legs. But as a writer I take liberties. I like to weave a bit of that and a bit of this into my own new one-of-kind beast. For me that’s when they really come alive, develop special attributes and get named.

Take for instance my Ellora's Cave novellas, Love Me Wild and Love Me Tender (and yes I’m working on the third). In those stories I built a new futuristic world and with the construction of that world I really wanted to add something shocking. Hence the development of my Mage Pegcentaurs. I called them Mage because only a Mage Pegcentaur can shift into any creature and I added wings giving the centaur (horse-like creature) the ability to fly. I needed this character to morph into any other beast in my Love Me Tender story because I didn’t want my main character finding him immediately. Let the chase begin, that was my theory behind it.

I’m working on a new novella that will feature Elementals. These are creatures that can become anything, air, fire, and any other living creature. But with all creatures something needs to bind them in place, or work as a poison. I truly feel that no creature should be omniscient, really where’s the fun in that.

I want to hear from you. What creatures have you created? What names do you give them? Do they have any special features? Share, share, share…you never know when it could be used by a writer in a story.

Speaking of sharing – here’s an excerpt from my Cerridwen Press book Rapture that features yet again one of my made up creatures, I named Tartahounds.

Twice in two days an undersea rupture from the bowels of the Earth had spewed forth a dozen of Hades’ legionnaires and their demonic Tartahounds. Close to four centuries ago, Hades had tried to overtake the undersea kingdom, believing it was his right to overthrow Oceanus’ children. It had taken a massive counterattack with all the Titan leaders from the seven seas working together to finally defeat Hades. However the toll had been enormous.

Thousands of Titans and Sirens had lost their souls to Hades. Nothing could be done for them. Every once in a while Hades liked to test their power, and he would send his legionnaires out to try to break through. Hades’ legionnaires had only tried to overtake the North Seas, where his family lived—that was strange. His father had contacted the other leaders and nothing unusual was happening elsewhere.

Like my mardom needs another problem to deal with. Besides trying to find a cure for the illness affecting his people they were also forced to deal with Hades’ tricks, which were always underhanded.

Seth knew it was a puzzle that warranted more attention. He was sure that was why his father wanted to speak with him at half-tide. Today, he made the decision that extra Titan warriors were needed to patrol all the surrounding shields. They were all on high alert.

This morning it had taken him and two other Titan warriors a good hour to destroy the dozen legionnaires and their Tartahounds who had broken through one of the far perimeter shields. The legionnaires were deadly with their vapor assaults, but the Tartahounds were even more lethal. With a body the shape of an electric eel and its three canine heads, Tartahounds were blind and relied on their ability to scent their prey. One bite and their poisonous venom could render a Titan warrior unconscious.

Mikhail, a friend of Seth’s, had come very close to being contaminated by one of the Tartahounds. The fact the beast had attacked Mikhail on his own, without a legionnaire holding him to a vapor leash, unnerved Seth. Never in his years of dealing with Hades’ legionnaires had he seen a Tartahound unleashed. An off-leash Tartahound could just as easily attack its master. The only thing that controlled them was the vapor leash. Quick thinking on Seth’s part had decapitated the beast, and saved Mikhail from a slow, torturous death.

Rapture can be bought directly from Cerridwen Press at http://www.cerridwenpress.com/productpage.asp?ISBN=9781419910760

Love Me Wild can be bought directly from Ellora's Cave at http://www.ellorascave.com/productpage.asp?ISBN=9781419910104

Love Me Tender can be bought directly from Ellora's Cave at http://www.ellorascave.com/productpage.asp?ISBN=9781419912665

Jokes - Why They Are Worth It For Me!

2007-11-14T08:08:00.000-08:00

Jokes. I wish I could say I’m sick of them but I’m not. Even when there are four voices competing in my van so the loudest can tell me another one, and another one and another…ahh, you get the picture. So my six year-old son asks me this morning if I can look up even more jokes, this time Holiday jokes, so he can be the “hot” kid on the playground and spout them off. Sure, why not. I’ve got nothing better to do. No need to work on my latest book and novella that are harping at me to finish, no need to do laundry (we can survive, I think) and no need to get my house in shape for a meeting being held at said house tonight. Nay, what the heck. Jokes, jokes and more jokes.

Now, as I was researching Holiday jokes I also found a nice Dr. Seuss (sort of) Passover joke, which is now my ultimate fave. The Q&A’s will make my six year-old giggle for miles in the van, while my almost 12 year-old will absorb the reindeer in the bar joke (secretly tell his friends later on) and it will be my nine year-old son who will learn in a heartbeat the Dr. Seuss rhyme, all to the tune of our three year-old saying “my turn, my turn.” Ahh, the joys of my daily morning routine.

The first reindeer seen in a bar
One evening, in a busy lounge in the deep south, a reindeer walked in the door, bellied up to the bar and ordered a martini. Without batting an eye, the bartender mixed and poured the drink, set it in front of the reindeer, and accepted the twenty-dollar bill from the reindeer's hoof. As he handed the reindeer some coins in change, he said, "You know, I think you're the first reindeer I've ever seen in here." The reindeer looked hard at the hoofful of change and said, "Hmmmpf. Let me tell you something, buddy. At these prices, I'm the last reindeer you'll see in here."\

Question and Answer Christmas Jokes
Q: What do elves learn in school?A: The Elf-abet!
Q: What's the most popular wine at Christmas?A: "I don't like sprouts" !
Q: If athletes get athletes foot, what do astronauts get? A: Missletoe!
Q: What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire? A: Frostbite.
Q: Why was Santa's little helper depressed? A: Because he had low elf esteem.
Q: Why does Santa have 3 gardens? A: So he can ho-ho-ho.
Q: Where do polar bears vote?A: The North Poll.
Q: What do you get when you cross an archer with a gift-wrapper? A: Ribbon hood.
Q: Why do birds fly south for the winter ?A: Because it's to far to walk.
Q: What kind of bird can write?A: A PENguin.
Q: What do you call a cat on the beach at Christmas time? A: Sandy Claus!
Q: How do sheep in Mexico say Merry Christmas? A: Fleece Navidad!
Q: What nationality is Santa Claus?A: North Polish.
Q: Why does Santa's sled get such good mileage?A: Because it has long-distance runners on each side.Q: What do you call a bunch of grandmasters of chess bragging about their games in a hotel lobby? A: Chess nuts boasting in an open foyer!
Q: What do you get if you deep fry Santa Claus?A: Crisp Cringle.

Passover Dr. Suess Style
Sam! Will you never see? They are not KOSHER, So let me be! I will not eat green eggs and ham. I will not eat them Sam-I-am. But I'll eat green eggs with a biscuit. Or I will try them with some brisket. I'll eat green eggs in a box. If you serve them with some lox. And those green eggs are worth a try Scrambled up inside some matzoh brie! And in a boat upon the river, I'll eat green eggs with chopped liver! So if you're a Jewish Dr. Seuss fan, But troubled by green eggs and ham. Let your friends in on the scoop: Green eggs taste best with chicken soup!

Special thanks to http://humormatters.com/holidays/passover.htm and http://www.ahajokes.com/christmas_jokes.html

Strange Things That Make Me Write Better

2007-11-09T13:36:00.001-08:00

As a writer I have a few weird habits that I use to help me write better or actually simply to make me write. About three years ago I stopped wearing a watch. Why? I didn’t like that constant reminder that time was ticking away, or I had to be somewhere, pick up someone and all that jazz.

What have I learned about not wearing a watch you might ask? A lot. I actually have more human to human contact on a daily basis now all because there are times that I really do need to know what time it is and I usually ask that simple question. “Excuse me, do you have the time?” Now I often thought I’d love to use that line on a gorgeous hunk of a guy, hoping he’d say, “For you baby I’ve got all the time in the world,” but alas that hasn’t happened so far. It’s only been three years, give me another few and we shall see if that fantasy comes true.

What I have discovered is that people love to talk and they want to be heard and listened to. I have learned so much about human behavior and the angst of what’s going on in a complete stranger’s life (sometimes it does get thrown into the story I’m working on) but I’ve also discovered people crave to talk to other people. Asking that simple time question has made me more patient. I do take the time to listen when the people I’ve asked start to talk and I usually walk away with a smile. Why? Because simply by discarding my watch I learn something new every day about someone I don’t know and that thrills me.

I also don’t own a cell phone. Now, I admit that sometimes I do use hubby’s but I hate it and most cases I never remember to even turn the blasted thing on. I’m a bit of a computer nut (not in a good sense) and I find when I’m off trying to write I’m aware that that blasted cell phone is on and I keep getting distracted by it. My fingers ache to type in a friend’s number and invite them to join me when I really should be writing. And I’m one of those people who hate listening in to other people’s cell phone conversations they’re having while waiting in line, because while I try not to listen…I admit I do. And later I’m rehashing a partial conversation in my mind with someone I don’t even know. So when I’m really pressed for a writing deadline, no cell phone for me.

I’d love to hear what tricks of the trade other writers use when they sit down to write, and I’d love to hear what “odd” things you’ve either adopted or dropped in your life. Personally, I think if we all got rid of our watches life would be a lot sweeter and much more relaxed.

What Makes Halloween Sexy? How About Sweet & Spicy Spells

2007-10-31T10:45:00.000-07:00

Today is the day! I'm thrilled to showcase that my co-authored EC book with Christine d'Abo, Sweet and Spicy Spells is out today - who couldn't ask for a better candy than that. Check it out at EC and wouldn't you love to squeeze those buns - lol.

Seriously, what could be sexier than Halloween? Lots you’re thinking, but I love Halloween for the obvious reasons – I get to act like a b(w)itch all day and eat candy. Now I could blab all day about the joys of Halloween, that is after I usually have at least two drinks of wine while finishing up the face paint on all my kids, lugging cart loads of candy to my front door, mucking out the dozen pumpkins, but why bother – you get the picture. In all seriousness Halloween makes me feel sexy. I love the whole idea that I can wear a sexy vamped-witch costume to the grocery store and not get arrested – who wouldn’t love that?

Here’s some other Halloween trivia I found on the Internet that I think is neat, courtesy of http://www.funatiparty.com/halloween/halloween_fun_facts.asp.

But before I leave, let me know what’s your favorite part of Halloween? How many of you wait up until midnight (that would be last night) to howl at the moon, how many of you eat your children’s candy (that would be me) and how many of you run around the neighborhood smashing all those happy, smiling pumpkins when no one’s looking – come on I know you’re out there!
The first Halloween celebration in America took place in Anoka, Minnesota in 1921.
More than 93% of children, under the age of 12, will go out trick-or-treating
About 50% of adults dress up for Halloween, while 67% take part in the activities, such as parties, decorating the house and trick-or-treating with their children
86% of Americans decorate their house for Halloween
Halloween candy sales average about $2 billion annually in the United States. It is the largest candy-purchasing holiday, bigger than Christmas, Easter and Valentine's Day!
The first Halloween card was made in the early 1920's. These days, over 28 million Halloween cards are sent each year. U.S. consumers spend about $50 million on Halloween greetings
Over $1.5 billion is spent on costumes each year and more than $2.5 billion on other Halloween paraphernalia
About 99% of pumpkins that are marketed domestically are turned into jack-o-lanterns
90% of parents admit to sneaking goodies from their kids' Halloween trick-or-treat bags
Over 10% of pet owners dress their pets in Halloween costumes
The biggest pumpkin in the world tipped the scales at a whopping 1,446 pounds. This gigantic gourd was weighed in October 2004 at a pumpkin festival in Port Elgin, Ontario, Canada.
More than 35 million pounds of candy corn will be produced this year. That equates to nearly 9 billion pieces - enough to circle the moon nearly 4 times if laid end-to-end.

Pitching Your Life Away

2007-10-10T09:41:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago I got back from the New Jersey “Put Your Heart into a Book” conference and I have two things to say. First a huge thank you to the New Jersey Romance Writers for organizing such a great, well-run conference and for bringing in such wonderfully inspired writers like Karen Robards and Sherrilyn Kenyon – they truly do inspire you to keep on writing. Second I pitched and scored. Well, I should reference that by saying I’ve at least past first base. I have a number of publishers interested in reading the partial for my new dark, paranormal I’ve called The Ungodlies: The Damned Fairy.

Now I’m fairly new at pitching and I confess that I didn’t have my pitch written or nailed down. So immediately I went to a workshop called “How to pitch” where I almost died on the spot. One line or three – that’s it. That’s all the time before an editor will tune out. I went back upstairs to my room, stared at a blank wall for a good ten minutes and then bang it came to me, so I wrote it down on my index cards before I forgot it. I also made sure to bring my index cards with me because it’s very nerve wracking to pitch to an editor.

Here’s my pitch for The Ungodlies: The Damned Fairy: Vile creatures called the Decies once set free will suck the life-force out of every being on Earth and in Tir Nan Og. But not if Einion, the damned fairy, gets his way. It’s a shame too because all he really wanted to do was die for good. Exiled, cursed and damned to Earth by his Tuatha Dé Danann Queen, Einion knows the real meaning of bitch. Women like the Decies can’t be reasoned with. Try telling that to a half-Tuatha, half-Druid woman when she’s on her knees begging for it. The Ungodlies is a dark, paranormal at 93,000 words.

Since I also had time I decided to pitch my new book I’m working on. Hell Bent: The Angel of Fire: Fallen angels are being recruited to join Lucifer’s Apostles army. Will Nathaniel, the Angel of Fire, become unlucky thirteen? After all The Almighty just ripped his wings off to teach him a lesson in humanity. Still though can Nathaniel keep his virginity in tact when the tempting hands of passion cause his wings to grow back? Either way he’s damned. Hell Bent is a dark, paranormal about 60,000 words.

Since I’ve come home I’ve been reviewing my work like mad, and re-reading everything out loud – amazing all the things you catch when you hear yourself speak. I’m very excited about the opportunity to share my work with publishers and my fingers are crossed that one will like my voice. Again, a huge thank you to the NJ romance writers.

World Building and Why It’s Important for all Genres(plus a writing exercise for the keen)

2007-09-24T05:57:00.000-07:00

Phase I: Everyone builds worlds
It doesn’t matter if you write contemporary, historical, chick-lit, suspense, mystery, or paranormal, world building is key to your book. It sets the date, time, place, and scene usually within the first few chapters. Why? Because you want to draw the reader into the world you are creating.

Example: A Love So Fierce, by Joanna McGauran, published by Dell Books (historical)
Opening chapter 1: Picardy, October 1349
Adam Dunbarton, second son of the Baron Bruce Dunbarton of Castle on Tyne in Northumbria, had journeyed down to London to cross the English Channel to claim his betrothed bride, and now, some days past the middle of October, he had landed in the English-held port of Calais.
At another time, the city of Calais, with its pretty girls and the gaiety of its entertainments, was well worth a day’s visit, even for a man on such a mission. But for the second summer and fall, the terrible plague known as the Black Death had raged through its crowded waterfront and cobbled streets…..

Well what did we learn as a reader? The place (Picardy) the date (October 1349) and we know it’s historical by the description of the port, Black Death, cobbled streets. We also know his mission – to get his betrothed bride. You also get the feeling that by the use of the words “English-held port of Calais” that a war either just took place or is still taking place.

Example: Rapture by Renee Field, published by Cerridwen Press, release date September 27, 2007.
Chapter 1 – mid-way
Not once had Seth touched the offered whiskey after his first taste of it a decade ago. Not that the old man minded. Said he didn’t like to drink alone and it was simply bad manners not to offer up a drink to a friend. Seth left it at that.
Later when Jack would waddle bow-legged down to the shore and haul his old bones into his beloved dory, Seth would pour the drink down the sink and wash out the cup. If he still followed the old ways, he’d have offered the drink to one of the gods. Not anymore.
The fact that old Jack was the only one Seth allowed on his property to somewhat befriend him gave the old man something to do. Not that Seth thought he could actually get rid of the old geezer, unless he resorted to his old tricks. No, Seth knew Jack’s days were lonely and for the past ten years that was something he came to understand all too well. That, more than anything, was why he had allowed the old man his customary monthly visit.
Today, knowing Jack had rowed across the bay to make sure he was okay gave him pause. A gust of wind told Seth that wasn’t wise.
Forcing his body to move three more steps, he watched as Jack got up to test the wind.
“She’s gonna be a big one. You remember the last big one we had around here. Felt as if old Poseidon was stirring up the water with one of those fork thingys…”
Seth choked on that image. Fork thingy isn’t what I’d call it. He tried hard not to give in to a chuckle.
“We lost some fifteen boats that year. Wait a sec…wasn’t that about the same time you came here?” The not-so-innocent look wasn’t missed by Seth.
As always, he said nothing. He remembered that night well. His fury had matched the seas, acting like a blanket, comforting him with the knowledge that it too was mad with the decision that had been forced upon him.
Rolling his shoulders to get a knot out, he strained again under the weight of the rope, thinking he should have built a smaller vessel. Two more feet and she should be safe.
Seth knew he was in for a long night. It wasn’t the coming hurricane that would keep him awake. It was the pull of the sea he’d have to fight with every ounce of his willpower. It was times like this he cursed himself.
“You’d think after a decade with us, Seth, you’d learn to communicate a bit more,” said old Jack, standing on shaky legs. “Anyway, just came to see ya. Oh yeah, there’s some rich dude docked at the government wharf asking about you. You know he’s the spittin’ image of you, almost,” said Jack, spitting out a wad of the tobacco he’d stuffed in his mouth.
Seth knew what the almost referred to. A scar like his wasn’t easy to hide, not that he cared or even tried.

What did we learn? Immediately the reader senses this is a paranormal romance. The reference Seth makes to the gods and Poseidon help to alert the reader to their significant. Also, the reader learns that Seth has been banished to the land for a decade and that he’s scared. These are questions that will help to entice the reader to continue reading. The reader also knows for the language that it’s a contemporary novel.

Two very different examples, but each set the time, date and place right off the bat. They came out swinging. They wanted to grip the reader and immediately make them realize what type of world they would be reading.

Strange writing exercise that makes you go “what the*@*@” but works:
I want you to use your horoscope sign. If you’re a Gemini use that and if you’re a Sagittarius use that. Now, it’s up to you to determine how to use your sign. You can ascribe your sign to be a place/person/moon etc. You have ten minutes to write your opening scene, at least two paragraphs and I would like you to add at least one character’s name (you get to make that up) and place them in that scene. From this you will set the tone, so keep that in mind.

Phase II: Paying Attention to Detail
Okay, you’ve established your world – you’ve set the time, place and now what you’re asking yourself, well, what makes it stand out. It’s the small things. It’s the paying attention to detail that will make your world, again whether it’s contemporary, historical, chick-lit, suspense, mystery or paranormal – small things matter when you build your world.

Example: Animal Farm by George Orwell, published by Penguin Books
Moses, who was Mr. Jones especial pet, was a spy and a tale-bearer, but he was also a clever talker. He claimed to know of the existence of a mysterious country called Sugarcandy Mountain, to which all animals went when they died. It was situated somewhere up in the sky, a little distance beyond the clouds, Moses said. In Sugarcandy Mountain it was Sunday seven days a week, clover was in season all the year round, and lump sugar and linseed cake grew on the hedges.

What are the small details that Moses, the spy talks about? Sugarcandy Mountain – which is paradise/heaven to the animals is what makes this believable. Orwell takes two sentences to aptly describe this make-believe place. Why? Because the reader needs to visualize it and believe it. If the reader can’t believe the lure of Sugarcandy Mountain, they will either stop reading or get frustrated.

Example: The Dream-Hunter by Sherrilyn Kenyon, published by St. Martin’s Paperback.
There were two items. One appeared to be a komboloi – a string of worry beads similar in style to a small rosary that some Greeks used when stressed, only she’d never seen anything like this before. The age and design of it appeared to predate any form of komboloi she’d ever heard of. It had fifteen iridescent green beads made of some unknown stone that had been carved with tiny intricate family scenes of people wearing clothes unlike any she’d seen before in her research. The carvings were interspersed with five gold beads that were engraved with three lightning bolts piercing a sun.
(later on…)
Her heart pounding, she turned the largest coin over to look at the back. There was the same foreign symbol that marked the komboloi. A sun pierced by three lightning bolts. And with it were the unknown words on top of the Greek: May Apollymi protect us.

What did we learn? We learned that the komboloi is different enough to make us wonder is there more to this artifact. We learned that the symbolism on the komboloi is also used on the large coin our character finds, which starts her heart to accelerate. Why? There is never such thing as a coincidence in a book, it’s there for a purpose – the reader has to keep reading (hence the mystery is set) to figure out the why of things.

When building worlds things have to work. If our above author had used the word komboloi to describe a modern watch, we wouldn’t get it. If Orwell used the phrase Sugarcandy Mountain to mean the slaughter house, the tone would be something else entirely. These are the small points to consider when building your world.

Phase III: Making up words in your world.
Now, if you’re writing contemporary or historical this might be difficult but not impossible. Think back to our first example when the author referenced the Black Death. Your character could decide to call it something that is both made-up but personal. Even paranormal authors who make up words need to explain them. You might understand your word but your reader won’t unless you place it in context.

Example: In Rapture I made up a number of words so the reader knew it was paranormal. I created canine-sea creatures called Tartahounds.

Twice in two days an undersea rupture from the bowels of the Earth had spewed forth a dozen of Hades’ legionnaires and their demonic Tartahounds. Close to four centuries ago, Hades had tried to overtake the undersea kingdom, believing it was his right to overthrow Oceanus’ children. It had taken a massive counterattack with all the Titan leaders from the seven seas working together to finally defeat Hades. However the toll had been enormous.
The legionnaires were deadly with their vapor assaults, but the Tartahounds were even more lethal. With a body the shape of an electric eel and its three canine heads, Tartahounds were blind and relied on their ability to scent their prey. One bite and their poisonous venom could render a Titan warrior unconscious.

And throughout I used the word mardom to refer to his people—the Titans and Sirens of the North Seas.

Example: Throughout Christine Feehan’s Dark anthology she uses the word Carpathian.
In Dark Gold, her character very early on recounts the following. “Without his mate, a Carpathian male lost all wants, needs, emotions after two hundred years. He lived in an abyss, void, and from that moment on he was at risk of turning vampire. The longer he survived, as the centuries passed, the Carpathian distanced himself more and more from his community and all it stood for. Only two things could save him from his empty, desperate fate. He could choose to meet the dawn and end his life, or a miracle might happen and he would find his lifemate.”
We learn immediately that Carpathians are another species. We also learn they have a problem—they need to find a lifemate to feel emotions, or they chance turning into a vampire. Thus the premise of all her Dark books.

Writing exercise II: Grab hold of the nearest item/object. I want you to make up a name for that item and going back to your first writing exercise now create a scene using your item. Don’t forget you will need to explain what it is, the relevance to the story/character it portrays. You have 10 minutes. Then I want you to keep that piece of paper.

Writing exercise III: Adding scent/texture to your scene. The first scent I want you to add to a new scene is sulphur – and keep in mind, depending on the world you’ve created sulphur could be a pretty smell with aphrodisiac, medicinal, hallucinogenic properties or stink to the heavens. Then give that scent texture.

Example:The metallic sulphur smell radiated out toward the town, distilling orange pebbled rain the size of golf balls. Everyone ran for cover.

Conclusion:
Everyone world builds to create a novel. And writers need to pay attention to the small details to make the world believable. Using made up words can add a new dimension to your world but always clarify what the word means and the context to the story. Giving texture to your world gives it layers and can conjure up immediate happy memories or dark painful ones depending on what the writer wants to achieve.

I always map out my worlds because I either write paranormal or fantasy, but even if you have a modern setting you need to do research. For me, I keep a list of index cards with made up words, their meaning and relevance to the story or characters I’ve created. That’s my little trick to keep things organized and straight in my head.

Check out: “Fantasy World building Questions” prepared by Patricia C. Wrede, copyright 1996 (www.sfwa.org/writing/worldbuilding2.htm) She provides a comprehensive list of questions one should consider when making up worlds. The World Builder Project page (www.hiddenaway.tripod.com/world) will link you with more research material. Good luck!

For the Love of September

2007-09-05T09:02:00.001-07:00

September! I know many of you (including me) are doing a happy dance that school has once again started. I have mixed emotions. On the one hand I’m thrilled to have some quiet time to get my writing done without having to pull those dreadful all-nighters, but on the other hand I hate the fact that with the onslaught of September fall is around the corner and here in the Maritimes we go quickly from fall to winter and that I really don’t like. But let me tell you what I truly love about September.

I find September to be the most romantic time of the year. Why? Maybe it has to do with those crisp, cool days. Think of lovers walking hand-in-hand, snuggling up close to get warm in the evenings, lighting the fireplace and all those special moments cuddled under a blanket while watching all those great new TV shows that air in September. And, yes I am officially counting down for my show – Heroes!!! Can’t wait!

So what else about September makes it romantic? I think it’s the light. When I wake up in the morning the sunlight is fresh and crisp and filters off the ground with this very powerful feeling that the Earth is moving with the season. Okay, enough of me trying to be poetic.

So what else makes September special? For me I like to get out those cookbooks that collect dust on my bookshelf and flip through them with a vow to try some new recipes for the fall. I especially love that with September comes October and who couldn’t love Halloween.

Oh, and who couldn’t love my new sensual mainstream romance book debuts this September 27. Rapture, a Titan myth comes true debuts with Cerridwen Press very, very soon.

So what makes September special for you? I’d love to hear from you. Let me know what you “really” think about September.

Sneak Peek at Love Me Tender

2007-08-15T07:01:00.001-07:00

“I told you that I like them feisty,” snarled Tyrana. She eyed the four men lying on the plush red velvet pillows that encompassed the pleasure room. “Do they look feisty to you?”
“I told you before, Tyrana, none of them are feisty. We can’t even make them pretend to behave that way. What do you want me to do?” asked Sarah, with an exaggerated sigh of frustration.
Sarah was her most trusted friend. She engaged in all of Tyrana’s wicked sexual romps, but none of it was fun anymore. None of it held any meaning to her. She had rutted with close to a hundred Maida men, only once though. That was her cardinal rule that she held firm to. Not that it mattered anymore.
Her life felt empty, without purpose, and she was weary to death of it all.
Learning that her sister, Rowena, was fertile had left her feeling hollow. It was as if her very own little sister had kicked her in the gut. The white-hot envy that had sprung to the surface scared Tyrana. Why her? It was a thought she couldn’t discard.
Why is it my sister, the favorite one, the self-described workaholic, is the one who ends up fertile? That question circled in Tyrana’s mind like a repeating loop, making her feel slightly ill.
A loud groan from one of the men caused Tyrana to turn her attention back to the four men. All of the men were either stroking their shafts to entice her gaze or rubbing their stones. She rolled her eyes. Bored at the very sight, she turned and sauntered out of the room.
“You’re not going to fuck them?” asked Sarah, clearly amazed Tyrana had, for once, passed up the chance to fornicate.
In truth, so was she. Why bother. Why, by the Saints, should I when it no longer pleasures me. Maybe I’m coming down with that Castima flu. Tyrana tried hard to ascribe her strange feelings to something. Anything was better than realizing the lure of sex had lost its appeal to her.
Her sister would have laughed at that one. Sex no longer brought her the temporary relief she longed for. Striding down the long corridor, she vowed to stop her little self-pity act.
What exactly is the purpose of my life? It was a question she asked herself for the umpteenth time that day. It was a day like any other. The sun shone brightly. The sky was as blue and crystal clear as the still waters that surrounded All Saints Lake, but Tyrana felt unsettled. She yearned to lash out at something…anything, but she couldn’t.
“Just where do you think you’re going?” asked her mother, stepping out into the corridor.
Her mother wore the long, purple traditional Council robe, reminding Tyrana that her mother was Her Majesty, ruler of the Supreme High Fertility Council. It was a slap in the face that she’d never be offered a seat because, yet again, she didn’t measure up.
Brushing past her mother, she mouthed the word, “Out.”
“No, you are not. This is for you,” said her mother, handing her an envelope that had her name embossed in a bold fancy gold script.
When Tyrana made no move to take it, her mother tried another tactic.
“It’s from your sister. Be courteous, take it, read it and write to her,” she demanded, attempting to forcibly open Tyrana’s hand.
“I’m not interested,” she replied, letting the yellow-stained envelope fall like a rose petal to the floor. She resisted the urge to stomp on it. That would be too childish. She walked away as her mother swept down, picked up the envelope and gathered her flowing robe around her in a huff, but not before jabbing her with her usual parting words.
“Why can’t you be good for once, like your sister?” she snapped, opening the Council Chamber door to disappear inside.
There it was again. That good word. Tyrana had long ago taken that word out of her vocabulary. It had never fit her. It was never what the Blessed Mother Saint had in mind for her.
So the word good had been ditched and replaced with wicked, bad and naughty. Those were the words people used to describe her. Those were the words of comfort that kept her warm, cocooned like a fluffy blanket in the dark of the night. After all, on Maida, if you didn’t get the curse and become fertile, you weren’t “good” enough.
The funny thing was, she had always assumed that it would be Rowena, her science loving sister who would end up infertile—not her. But that was the crux of the problem facing all Maida women. The fertility curse chose women randomly.
The choice of motherhood wasn’t theirs. It had been taken away from them a long time ago by the men who had almost destroyed their world. It had been their radioactive weapons that had released the poisonous ions into the atmosphere, into the water, into the soil and, worse, into their genetic DNA —the material that made them what they were. Those were the words her sister spoke in passion. All Tyrana had cared about at one time in her life was pleasing her mother, having a child of her own and taking a seat on the Supreme High Fertility Council.
She huffed loudly. Not anymore. That dream had dissipated over five years ago when she finally mustered the courage to take the fertility test. There had always been a part of her that had held out hope over the accumulation of years that eventually she’d be hit with the curse. Turning twenty-eight years of age had been her awakening. Even though many Maida women went through the curse late in life, Tyrana knew on that blessed day that marked her birth that it wasn’t going to happen to her. To finally put an end to that kernel of hope, she’d undertaken the test. The red stain of the liquid inside the test tube had told her what her heart dreaded. She was infertile.
From that moment on, her life had changed. Her dreams had ended. She’d learned to live day to day, not expecting much. The devastation and keen knowledge that she was barren, that her womb would never nourish a baby, was a deep ache within her, which she kept to herself.
She wished she could have confided in her sister, but she hadn’t. Instead, she let the years wash by them, moving them emotionally further away from each other. At one time, she and Rowena had shared every secret together. But all that changed when Tyrana learned she was the infertile one. And then her sister became wrapped up in her own passion to find a cure for the fertility curse. Tyrana laughed. She had never viewed fertility as the dreadful curse. What was worse was being infertile, barren and unable to procreate to further the Maida race.
Knowing that her sister was about to be married and had probably already conceived a child carved a deep wide gulf through Tyrana’s heart. That baby should have been mine. Rowena never wanted a baby. Tyrana couldn’t cope with seeing Rowena at the moment. It was just too much to bear. That was why Tyrana ignored her sister’s letters.
Tyrana shook her head, clearing the useless emotional thoughts that threatened her control. With no destination in mind, she strode out the palace doors and walked across the well-manicured, vibrant green lawn. Looking back at the palace that was her childhood home, she was hit with a realization—she hated everything about it.
It was a sterile environment that had become her own prison—filled with no expectations of what she could do with her life, except live irresponsibly. It was a trap she felt she’d never escape from. Her heart thundered with that realization. Her sister would think she, Tyrana, known as the infertile one, had more freedom than her. Sadly, that wasn’t the case. There is no freedom when choice is taken from you.
Deep in thought, she continued to walk briskly away from the palace. A shout from behind stilled her.
“Get back! Get back! Look out!” shouted a Maida guard just as a man ran at lightning speed past her, almost toppling her to the ground.
Tyrana twirled around to maintain her balance. She saw out of the corner of her eye that the man had turned almost in slow motion to watch her. Then the guard grasped her arm.
“Get back, he’s not safe,” said the guard.
But Tyrana didn’t care what the guard had to say. She was interested in the man who had the nerve to grin mischievously at her and the audacity to boldly wink at her. What is he thinking?
What am I thinking? She studied his physique quickly, her eyes drawn to his mid-waist in the half a minute it took for him to run straight into the Dark Forest. He was at least two heads taller than her. He was broad of shoulder, with straight rust-colored hair that fell to his mid-back, a back that rippled with muscles gleaming from the high noon sun. And his ass. By the Saints, it had her salivating on the spot. Her pussy juices started to flow just with the image of his long shaft she had eyed with longing as he raced past her naked as the day he was born. Thoughts of his coppery, molten-looking skin left her feeling a hunger she couldn’t describe.
“He’s the man who’s been dropping off your sister’s letters. Your mother told us to capture him for more information as to her whereabouts. So far, we’ve had no luck. And there is no way I’m going into the Dark Forest,” said the Maida guardswoman, finally releasing her hold on Tyrana’s arm.
“He’s too fast for us, but what a chase,” she cackled. “Nothing like running in the hot noon sun with that ass in front of you.”
Again the guard chortled, trying to get Tyrana to share in the joke about the man’s ass gleaming in the sun. However, Tyrana was in no mood to play nice, especially if that meant sharing anything at all that had to do with the man who had sparked an intense heat in her throbbing core.
Then what the guardswoman said penetrated Tyrana’s brain. This man, this oh-so yummy want to fuck me ‘til I die man, has been in contact with my sister. By the Saints, Tyrana wanted him and meant to have him.
Brushing off the guardswoman, Tyrana strode forward for once taking her own future into her hands. While the warnings from the guardswoman were loud, Tyrana ignored them.
After all, she had heard them all before. Anyone who entered the Dark Forest never came out. Well, that myth was no longer true. Her sister had ventured into the forest and fallen in love with a man she was about to marry.
Then it will be babies and all that stuff. Tyrana hated that jealous ache that pitted itself deep within her when she thought of the life her sister got to live. It was a life she would never know. It was a part of being a woman she’d never discover.
It’s a burden anyway, she told herself, wishing that the yearning to have a baby of her own flesh would leave her. That desire was like a scab that painfully itched and blistered under her skin.
But here, Tyrana thought, was the perfect distraction—that man! A daring plan formed in her mind. She would track that man who knew where her sister was for her own purposes. She wanted him.
A fever the likes of which she had never experienced before caused her body to flush with desire simply thinking about that fine specimen of a man who had gamely winked at her. She wanted…no, needed to have that cock of his lodged deep within her wet pussy. Maybe if I fuck long and hard enough, I’ll forget about everything else.
That’s it! This man will be my cure. Just the thought of that feisty all-too-male coppery body at her beck and call, on his knees in front of her, caused her to grin in sweet anticipation. Tyrana vowed to all the Saints that she would get what she wanted this time, no matter what.

Love Me Tender - 2 days and counting

2007-08-13T13:21:00.001-07:00

Two days until Love Me Tender debuts with Ellora’s Cave (http://www.ellorascave.com/) and I can’t wait. Of course I did write it but Tyrana (that’s the heroine) was just screaming to tell her story after I wrote about her younger sibling Rowena in Love Me Wild. So, I finally decided to let her come out and play. I was able to contact her very briefly and here’s a bit of our interview.

Tyrana: Thanks so much Renee it’s such a joy to tell my tale. Especially after you decided to tell Rowena’s story first. Really, what were you thinking? Mine is much more interesting.
The women on your planet should consider themselves lucky. They don’t suffer from the fertility curse that afflicts us Maida women, all thanks to the men who thoughtlessly tried to destroy our planet, Alvaron with their weapons of mass destruction. Then again, I thought I heard that terminology being used in your media when I was researching your planet. Must be a coincidence.
First off let me say that had Rowena not taken off (oops, been kidnapped) I probably would have continued on with my dreary life, but when she became fertile things changed for me.

Renee: How did things change for you Tyrana, and how does the fertility curse work for Madia women?
Tyrana: Let me explain that fertility can be a curse and a blessing. If you become fertile you have days before you go insane unless you have sex and it’s the semen from the fertile men that’s the cure. However there’s a deadly catch to this quick fix for women. Once they have sex with a fertile Maida man the man is then passed the dreaded disease and yup, you guessed it, he dies. So far there’s no cure for the dreaded fertility curse. But the flip side of this is that if you don’t become fertile your status as a Maida woman changes. In my case when I realized I wasn’t going to be fertile it meant that I could never belong to the Supreme High Fertility Council which oversees Maida’s way of life. And then well let’s just say I had sex simply for the sex.

Renee: So, how did things change for you?
Tyrana: Honestly, I never thought things would change for me but then one day a man I had never seen before ran past me and it was like there was this instant change. I knew if I was going to change the path of my life this was it. I entered the forbidden Dark Forest and followed him. But he wasn’t easy to track and I’m sure if someone told me what I’d encounter, well I would have thought them crazy.

Renee: Can you tell us a little bit of what you encountered?
Tyrana: I think the best thing is for people to read the story, Renee. They say truth is stranger than fiction and in my case they are correct. Ohh, I’m going to have to go, Rusty’s got that look in his eyes again and I wouldn’t want to disappoint him.

Renee: Thank you so much Tyrana for providing us with a small glimpse into your life.

Tyrana: Not a problem. I certainly hope you have more Madia tales to tell in the future, Renee.

Renee: One never knows, Tyrana. Take care.

It’s Hard Writing Erotica

2007-08-07T08:11:00.001-07:00

It’s hard writing erotica romance. Okay, everyone has permission to laugh out loud with that little tidbit. But in all seriousness, writing erotica means using sharp words (some would call crude or dirty words) that are essential to the story. The joy of reading erotica is that it should get you all hot and bothered in a good way. When I started writing erotica I found this great book by Susie Bright called, How to Write a Dirty Story.

Bright’s book made me laugh and take pride in the honesty behind those “dirty” words we all like to say, hear and even read.“You might be able to fake an orgasm, but you will never be able to fake your way through writing a sex scene. Every reader will know you’re a fraud. The biggest hurdle as an erotic writer is to write believably,” writes Bright, adding, “Erotica is harder than usual in this regard, because sex is such a touchy subject, and we have to overcome so much cynicism and consumer-oriented titillation.” Bingo! she’s dead on.

I honestly believe that to be a successful erotic writer, you personally need to thoroughly enjoy sex and the mechanics of how it works for both men and women. As a writer, you need to know when it’s suitable to use the word penis, cock, shaft, vagina, cunt or pussy. Do I get all hot and bothered with the word penis? Probably not, but sometimes even in an erotic story, that might not be the authors intent in the beginning.While vagina and penis conjure up a more medical description of that particular anatomy, write cock and cunt and you’ve probably snagged the reader's attention. More important than those hard “c” words, you need to have all the fundamental elements to a good story.

If you don’t have developed characters, plot, and tension between the hero and heroine, and use timing in your story to develop those luscious sex scenes, it simply won’t work, or it won’t read honestly. And sometimes that means making your sex scene rough, sweet or juicy. The key factor in erotica writing is the intensity of sex, the use of those “naughty” words to further one's imagination and how sex relates to the plot.

Writing a sex scene just for the sex won’t snag your reader. And that’s where we encounter the “hard” part of erotica writing.As an author you always need to ask yourself, “How does this sex scene relate to the story? Is it essential? Does it enable the reader to learn another aspect of a character? Does it leave the reader with an emotional-impact?" And if you can’t read your erotica writing out loud, then don’t write it. Or better yet, teach yourself the power of those naughty words. That was one lesson I took to heart from reading Bright’s book.

Bright writes that the goal of an erotica writer is, “To discover the sexual and aural power of speaking erotic prose, to test literature you’re unsure of. If it doesn’t work out loud, it’s not going to be successful for silent readers, either." To become as fluent speaking erotic language as you are writing it—one enhances the other. And after you finish, she writes, you’ll never believe again… “That erotica is meant to be private, that speaking verse and prose is a dull exercise, that reading aloud is only for actors, and that words can’t be sex.”

I Got A Writing Grant!

2007-08-06T08:49:00.000-07:00

The OMG thing happened to me the other day. I got a writing grant! I got a writing grant! I got a writing grant! I’m still chanting that happy reality over and over in my head. This fall from the sky money couldn’t have come up a better time – ahh, well it could have, but I’ll live. I’m thrilled and so excited and I can’t stop smiling, which is a good thing because if I’m happy so is my family.

For the past year I’ve been working on my new dark paranormal romance book I’ve called The Ungodlies:The Damned Fairy. It’s been a year writing a hard-ass guy with a chip on his shoulder who just wants to end his life, but can’t because the Queen of the Tuatha Dé Danann’s (that’s the fairy queen for those of you not into the Celtic language) cursed him to Earth to live as a human. However every time he dies he gets painfully resurrected. And after a thousand years living on Earth he really just wants to die for good. Okay, that’s the premise of my book and I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve finally completed my final round of second edits – so Christine and Dave heads up (those are my critique partners) it’s coming your way. I’m feeling really excited about this new series I’m working on, so much so that I booked myself to attend the New Jersey’s romance conference in October where I plan to pitch my new series to three big US publishers. So, once again the money will certainly help.

Within days my second erotic novella Love Me Tender debuts with Ellora’s Cave (http://www.ellorascave.com/). This is the sequel to Love Me Wild and features Rowena’s sister Tyrana, that’s the one with the bad-girl attitude which makes for a sizzling hot read. I love my new cover, the most risqué by far for me – cause the guy has buns of steel – me snickering with glee on that one. And, just this morning I received my first edits for the co-authored book I wrote with Christine d’Abo called Sweet and Spicy Spells, which will be an Ellora’s Cave Halloween 2007 release. So things are moving along.

Ohh, I almost forgot that the group I joined called 6 Degrees of Sexy has it’s own official website (http://www.sixdegreesofsexy.com/) which will link you to our latest blogs. This has been a wonderful opportunity for me to join five other, very talented romance writers. We put on our thinking caps and we’ve decided to take a huge jump into the unknown. We’re going to each write a novella length story and tie it into one theme so we can launch our first 6SDoS anthology. Our goal is to have the stories finished by Dec 2007 so we’ll be sure to keep you posted on what they are and just how hot they get.

That’s it for now, folks. Please drop me a line. I love to hear from anyone.

Renee Field
www.reneefield.com

Quiet But Steady

2007-07-22T17:37:00.000-07:00

I know I haven’t been blogging for quite a while, but what can I say, except I have been writing a ton and juggling my hectic family life. So what’s new with me? I’m happy to say a lot. While I confess to not reading The Secret, (why read it when I live it) I know this is going to be my year!! I’m half-way through my second edits in my new hot, dark paranormal I’m calling The Ungodlies: The Damned Fairy.

It’s got fairies (they prefer to be called the Tuatha Dé Danann), a hunky damned Tuatha who simply wants to end his miserable human-like existence, a spunky woman who hails from Pleasant Bay, Cape Breton (gotta add those Canadian connections) who happens to be anything but normal, an evil fairy Queen, deadly vile creatures I’ve named the Decies who suck the life-force out of everything living and lots of other stuff. Ohh, did I mention hot, steamy and oftentimes brutal sex, with no asking if you please. I’m loving it and I’m off to New York to pitch to, cause I know some publisher is just dying for it!lol

My sequel to my fantasy, futuristic erotic novella, Love Me Tender, debuts in weeks and I can’t wait to see my cover art (the Ellora’s Cave graphic artists are gods/ddess) and my first sensual, paranormal romance, Rapture debuts within two months with Cerridwen Press. I’m also working on a quickie that’s titillating hot and I’m working on another book I’m calling The Damned Angel. Think I’ve got a “damned” theme going on for the next while. But, what can I say except I love my bad boys.

Ohh, and did I mention I’m working on my first screen play ever – again I admit it’s got an end of the world theme going on and sad to say it’s not romance. It’s full of caustic humor, lots of religious things happening and it’s thoroughly enjoyable to write for a change.
And the other really fun thing, cause us writers tend to write in solitude (or cafés with our heads down) is that I’ve joined a romance writers blog group with five other hot, romance writers – check us out: http://sixdegreesofsexy.blogspot.com/

And my romance writer friend Christine d’Abo’s debut novel, The Bond that Ties Us, with Ellora’s Cave came out on Friday. I’ve had her cover magnet on my fridge for months – it’s been quite the topic of conversation for the ladies who come into my kitchen, which is where my main door is. The cover is very provocative and I can’t wait to read it...plan to order my copy later tonight from EC.

What else in my life? Paddling, paddling and more paddling with swimming. Yup that’s my life. We belong to a paddling club all summer and my eldest paddles three times a day so I’m basically at the beach from 9:30am-4pm and then back to pick him up when he’s completed his last paddle at 5:30pm. What can I say, except that I’m a firm believer that keeping kids busy keeps them out of trouble and since my first three were boys (yup our last wee one turned out to be a girlie-girl) I’m becoming a beach bum (in more ways in one). So hence me starting my diet yet again and vow to get my ass on the treadmill three times a wk – so that’s what’s new in my life.

Drop me a line...I’m always wondering if anyone reads my rants!

Renee Field
www.reneefield.com
Love Me Tender, debuts Aug. 15 with Ellora's Cave (www.ellorascave.com)
Love Me Wild, availalbe now with EC
Rapture, debuts September 27 with Cerridwen Press (www.cerridwenpress.com)

Trying To Write With Summer/Heat & Four Kids At Home - ugh!

2007-07-17T10:17:00.000-07:00

For all those other writers attempting like me to write, hat's off to you! Truthfully, I'm feeling itchy, not enough time in the day or places without my kids - lol. Now, I love summer, relish it in fact. I dream of hot, sweaty days and come March here in Canada with our wet, cold snowy days I'm just about achy for those days of summer. However, once summer gets here I start counting down until September. Maybe it's just me. I seem to be more organized when my kids are in school and can actually buckle down to write my ass off. For the past few weeks I've been attempting to write on my dining room table and well, it's mom this, or mom that and it's very hard writing hot scenes with your kids calling after you every five seconds. Okay, I'm breathing deep and my rant is over. On another happy note, I'm half-way through my second draft of my new series, The Ungodlies: The Damned Fairy and I'm loving my screen play I'm working on, which is not romance related at all and my second novella, Love Me Tender is less than three weeks away from debuting On that note, what is everyone else doing?

Renee Field

http://www.reneefield.com/

Applauding Writers!

2007-05-15T18:01:00.000-07:00

I won! Okay, now I need to back that statement up. My debut erotica novella, Love Me Wild won the 2007 Night Owl Romance Award for Best Shapeshifter story (http://www.nightowlromance.com/nightowlromance/NORAwards.asp)

Now this might not seem like a lot upon first glance but second place went to one of my favorite authors, Christine Feehan, so I’m taking this award and running with it. After all if I can’t applaud myself who will. And that’s the state of being a writer.

We often write in our own fantasy world, head down to shield out the rest of the universe, or we’re pounding away on our laptops huddled away in a corner at a café. Or we’re still wearing our pj’s determined to make our deadline as we type away at home, while ignoring the phone, the delivery person and the mess of our house.

If someone told me when I was going to undertake this career that the only person to congratulate me would be myself, I probably would have laughed at them. But it’s true. So true that after one year of writing, with only one good writing friend (and Karen Bagnell you know that’s you girl!) I decided I had to join a writer’s group or I’d go crazy. I joined not so much to gain recognition but to be with like-minded people who understood what I meant when I said, “I was a writer”.

What I discovered was my own local RWA chapter—the only one in Atlantic Canada. It’s a diverse group of people and the really weird thing is from day one I felt welcomed. I’m also now really proud of all of them. I never feel like I can’t tell someone in the group what I’m working on for fear they “might steal my idea,” because I’ve learned there are enough ideas out there for everyone. The talent in this group blows my mind. Recently the president in our group, Kelly Boyce, emailed everyone on the loop informing them her book, Desire and Brimstone won in the Windy City’s RWA contest for best historical and the double whammy was that her hero, Devlin made the cut for a new category “Hero-guaranteed to Blow You Away!” I wanted to take her out and celebrate with her. I just know this time next year she’ll be doing another happy dance to celebrate either the release of her book or a major publishing contract. Way to go, Kelly! Then there’s Judith who just signed on with Medallion Press for her book which I can’t wait to buy and I could go on about the others but I will save them each for a special occasion. But you get my meaning. They are all talented.

So back to my win! I won! I won! I won! I’m holding on to that for as long as my bubble allows and when it starts to deflate I’m going to write some more and then pat myself on the back.

Sunshine Through the Rain

2007-04-17T16:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday it poured buckets of rain and I felt like it was tears falling from heaven. I tried not to watch the TV but at times was glued to every sound bite and picture that showed what had happened at Virginia Tech, over and over again. For me, it brought memories of Ecole Polytechnic in Montreal, where all day I tried desperately to reach a close friend only to finally get a hold of her the next day, with that feeling of relief pouring into me. Thousands of questions, none with answers streamed through my consciousness. Why? Why? Why? And will it ever end?

So, what did I do? I went to Starbucks in the morning for the normality of it and poured myself into my edits. Last week I did my happy dance. I finished my new dark paranormal romance and I’m now working on a first thorough read-through. Then I will print it off, place it aside for a good two weeks, which will give me time to work on my third erotic novella (can’t wait to do that) and then get out my red pen and do first edits – something I’m not looking forward to at all. My goal, to have ready for a publisher by May…any publisher out there wanting a sneak peek, drop me an email at renee@reneefield.com

Late in the afternoon I got an email from Night Owl Romance informing me that my first erotic novella, Love Me Wild, was nominated for their new Night Owl Romance Award (me shouting with glee and joy). After I checked out the site and of course emailed as many people as I could, I settled down to absorb this tidbit. The breath quite literally left my lungs. My work in the category for best shape shifter was listed with amazing romance authors leaving me with that shaky feeling for the rest of the day. So, here is a blatant plug – check this site out and cast a vote my way - http://pub48.bravenet.com/vote/vote.php?usernum=4115228275

I can’t tell you how much fun I had writing my first erotic novella, which really enabled me to push the boundaries. Ellora’s Cave also signed on for the second novella, Love Me Tender, and yes, I had lots of fun with building my sexy fantasy world and hunk of a man, with that extra special ability (wink, wink, nudge, nudge). I’m working on the third and final in the series, in between my two-week break from my main work this year. And then I plan to finish my second Titan book in the series, which has an Alpha male, a sea dragon, a feisty female librarian who is not one bit bookish, a deadly undersea plague and much more.

So, even with the pouring rain that quite literally had my hair frizzy like you wouldn’t believe I grabbed onto that slice of sunshine Night Owl Romance sent my way and smiled, smiled and smiled some more. The TV channel has been switched to the entertainment shows because I’m going to hold onto my fantasy for as long as I can for the rest of the day.

Drop me a line. I’d love to hear from you. Tell me what boundaries you’ve pushed in your writing career (I promise, I can keep a secret). Email me at renee@reneefield.com or check out my website at www.reneefield.com

Everything You Write Matters!

2007-03-28T15:28:00.001-07:00

I write every day. And it’s hard. It’s hard to make time to write or write to the timeframe you’re given. No matter, they are one and the same. And sometimes what I write can be prolific, inspiring, emotional, or a simple grocery list. Yes, you read that last line and I know you just thought, schmuck, that’s not writing. But, you’re wrong, and I’d bet you’ve never seen my grocery lists.

Sometimes next to that list of eggs, milk and bread flows a thought-provoking poem, or a rant that has to do with shopping, commercialism, material objects – ah, well, you get the picture. Some of those lists I’ve kept—tucked them neatly into my poetry journal to be re-read at another poignant juncture in my life.

Why do I write every day? Well, if I don’t I get cranky. I have many muses rambling around in my head and there are times I honestly feel if I don’t let those voices out, I will go crazy.
I also write every day because when I was in university studying my first literally passion, poetry, a dear professor called Irving Layton gave me permission to do just that. And while I have many delightful stories I could tell about the joys and angst of having every word you write examined by one of Canada’s top-notch poets, those I will share for another time. However, Layton was the first adult in my life who really encouraged me to let those muses free and I’m not sure I’d be the same/sane person I am today without his blessing.

So, I do write every day. I travel with a bulky black purse another writer friend gave me who knew I needed a bag large enough for all my favorite pens (yes I do confess to having a bit of a fetish where pens are concerned) and at least one notebook or journal. I view life as opportunities and lo and behold I should miss any simply because I didn’t have paper or pen at my disposal.

Some of my best poems, short stories and even my latest dark paranormal I am working on began as scribbled notes or outlines either at Starbucks or waiting in the van for the light to turn green.

I also thoroughly enjoy writing rants. Those I tend to write so fast I am quite certain no one could decipher my unique shorthand codes and scribblings. You’re probably asking yourself how is that productive? Well, let me tell you, writing rants has to be the best thing I have discovered in the last five years. Productive? One hundred per cent. First off, no one is judging me but myself and I long ago learned to listen to my inner-ear, smile and tune out the rest. No one is reading my rant and checking all my grammatical mistakes or reading it for content to see if it does make sense. Probably not! But ranting gets all that emotional junk out of the way so that I can really write. Ranting lets me vent my frustration, and then crumple it up and throw it away. I’ve discovered it’s the throwing away part that is key to this liberation. If I kept that rant, I know I’d take it out and try to make sense of it, but that would defeat the purpose. Ranting for me is telling a best friend all your dirty little secrets knowing that person would never betray you.

My best friend is a blank piece of paper. To me there is almost nothing as sacred as the crisp clean feel of a blank page or opening that first page to a new journal. So I write every day. Be it small, medium or large, I write simply because I’ve given myself permission to do so.

Write & Rant away! let me know what you thought of my blog. Check out my website at www.reneefield.com.