2016

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Sunday, December 25, 2016

WeWriWa: Happy Holidays!


Happy Holidays to and from all my friends at
Weekend Writing Warriors!

Sunday, December 18, 2016

WeWri Wa: A Heartache Tonight . . .


With PRINCE OF HONOR available for consumption and PRINCE OF POWER in the hands of my Beta reader, you’d think I’d take a breather . . . and maybe finish my Christmas decorating. But no. The minute I close one book, scenes from the next start dancing like those annoying Sugar Plum Fairies. Sigh. I surrender to the muse and open a file for PRINCE OF FOOLS, Book 3 in my “House of Terriot” foursome.

If Turow is the silent, stalwart prince and Colin the rock of cynical pragmatism, Frederick “Rico” Terriot is the impulsive, reckless, wildcard who follows his emotions . . . which are unfortunately fixated on his brother Colin’s new mate, overlooking the tender-hearted Amber, his sensible bartender sounding board who is always there to pick up the pieces. Here’s a peek at one of my new scenes from PRINCE OF FOOLS:


Amber stepped inside, immediately turning on the welcoming glow of the kitchen overhead, illuminating an image that burned from widening eyes to the pit of her belly, and below. 


Frederick Terriot stood on her doorstep, hair plastered to his skull, raindrops hanging from his obscenely long lashes, the rain turning his white dress shirt all but transparent as it clung in graphic definition to his divinely sculpted torso. Her mouth went dry, probably from hanging open like a gawking teen-age girl, but another part of her came awake as if from a long winter slumber. 

Rico Terriot was the stuff of dreams . . . lately, all of hers. 

“I shouldn’t,” he began, wary now and worried about her, about taking advantage of a situation she’d been trying to push on him like a frontend loader since the first day she’d seen his lovelorn features on the other side of the bar. 

“Don’t be silly,” she coaxed with a smile. “You’re drenched and more than a little drunk, so come in to dry off and get some coffee for the road.” 

“Evie—” 

“I figured this would be a late night so she’s at the sitter until morning.” She didn’t confess she’d hoped it would be a night she didn’t spend alone, and because of the friendship she used to artfully disguise a rather desperate seduction, Rico shrugged and stepped in from the cold.


In the words of the Eagles, there’s gonna be a heartache tonight!


Hope you’re all geared up for the holidays and find an enthusiastic muse in your stockings!


Weekend Writing Warriors is a weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet of your writing on Sunday. Visit other participants on the list and read, critique, and comment on their 8sunday posts.


Spread the word, share the love, warriors - Hashtag #8sunday.

Sunday, December 11, 2016

WeWriWa: Money Can’t Buy Me Love



Back in the ‘90s, I had a year of great fortune, contracting 11 books (2 of them novellas), and writing 7 of them! Four of the books were for Zebra/Kensington under my pen name Dana Ransom, writing for their new “Lucky In Love” imprint, a clever premise of what happens to ordinary lives and loves when an unexpected windfall drops in. LOVE’S OWN REWARD was book three in their launch featuring a conservative researcher with a sorta boyfriend/colleague who rescues a boy from a burning car and is given a half million by the grateful grandparents. Let the good times roll, right? Not so much as Charley’s staid life is turned upside down by those wanting a piece of the money pie. Enter a jaded journalist who witnessed her bravery and sees a cynical story in her act of heroism. Today, I’m sharing a peek . . . (creatively edited)

It was the bravest damn thing he’d ever seen. She was only a little bit of a thing, so delicate she might have been confused with a girl as she’d dashed in front of his stopped car. While others watched, himself included, she’d scrambled into that compact, heedless of the danger, to bring out the little boy, and if that wasn’t enough, she’d gone back toward certain death to save the kid’s parents, which she couldn’t, of course—Jess had known that the moment he saw the fuel ignite, but it hadn’t stopped her from trying. She’d fought him like a madwoman when he’d pulled her away, barely seconds before she’d have been engulfed in the same fiery ball that consumed the car, fought with such an amazing strength in such a tiny package, that he’d been awed by her. Until this event had played out before his disbelieving eyes, he’d shunned stories of heroism, and then he’d felt the frantic beat of her big, big heart against his chest, felt the helpless trembling of her despair as he held her in his arms, and never had anything touched him so strongly, so powerfully, so tenderly as that moment, as that woman. 

Why had she taken the money? 

He saw so much ugliness, so much greed, he’d wanted to believe unselfish goodness was possible, to believe the tears he saw on her face were genuine, in her anguish over others instead of her own pain, and he’d wanted to hold on to the emotions that filled his soul with such possessiveness as he’d cradled her close and tried to give her comfort. In that brief slice of time she’d reached inside him and torn out his heart . . . and then broke it by proving all his illusions false. Charlene Carter wasn’t a saint willing to throw down her life to save another’s. When she’d been quick to snap up the fee for her bravery, in his jaded eyes that made Miss Carter a mercenary, not a Samaritan, and Jess hated her for it . . . because he’d wanted to believe.


Fortune follows the bold. Twenty years later, BelleBooks/Bell Bridge Books purchased all four books for reissue, and LOVE’S OWN REWARD was back on the shelves, both in print and e-formats with an updated cover! I’m sharing that good fortune through Dec. 15 with a special price for LOVE’S OWN REWARD at only $1.99!! (MIDNIGHT ENCHANTMENT is also still available at $0.99!)



Charlene “Charley” Carter risked her life to rescue a child from a burning car. Suddenly, the quiet research assistant becomes a media darling—and a half-million dollars richer, thanks to the boy’s grateful grandparents. But big money brings big moochers and bigger betrayals. Charley retreats, wounded and suspicious about the motives of even those dearest to her.

He doesn’t trust that she’s for real . . .

Jess McMasters exposes frauds for a living, and if it means using his charms as well as his tough skills as a journalist, no problem. What’s Charlene Carter trying to gain by refusing to be interviewed by the press? Is she angling for more money—or is she hiding secrets that prove she’s nobody’s hero?

Jess goes undercover to get close to her, but the closer he gets, the less he understands. Except this: the cost for his deception could be his own heart.

Happy Holidays!



Weekend Writing Warriors is a weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet of your writing on Sunday. Visit other participants on the list and read, critique, and comment on their Sunday posts.

Spread the word, share the love, warriors - Hashtag #8sunday.

Wednesday, December 07, 2016

IWSG: Still Alive In Five!


In five years, I’ll be retired. Wow. A lot of that depends on the fate of things outside of my control i.e. the government’s TLC of Social Security and Medicare. I’ll have money coming in to (supposedly) feed and house me and insurance (hopefully) to keep me up and running. And, the best, I’ll have all day to do what I love . . . write!

I had the luxury for 15 years of being a stay-at-home mom between age two and high school for my older son. I spent those years (besides doing Scouts, helping with homework and sundry school functions) actively building my writing career, publishing 40 books with Harlequin/Silhouette, Zebra, Avon and ImaJinn. Life was good. My writing life was great. I had no plan other than to write, sell and publish, which I accomplished in volume. Then, as it always does, the publishing market changed, I reentered the work force, still writing, still publishing another 20 books, some traditionally and a few self-pubbed, for the next 15 years. Now, in 5 more, I’ll have gone full circle, back to stay at home (finances willing!) with time to concentrate on career.

What will publishing be like in 5 years? Who knows the way it seems to change by the minute. But one thing I do know is I’ll still have stories to tell – hopefully to an audience. I’ve always thought of writing as my retirement plan, topping off my guaranteed income. To make that viable, I need to stay on top of the market, the tech and more importantly the audience to keep my work relevant and competitive. I’ve made it 30 years by adapting, learning, networking and just plain working. Heck, I’ve got enough back list to fill the next five with reissues! My plan – continue to love what I do. Period. That love has sustained me through the ups and downs of this crazy business and as long as it’s alive, I’ll be at the keyboard at 4:30 a.m. until I retire. Then I get to sleep in . . . probably until 6:30! Now that’s a retirement perk I’m looking forward to!!

Want to help fund that retirement plan? Here’s what’s currently on my shelves . . . a new release and two great bargains!

NEW: PRINCE OF HONOR, Book 1, “House of Terriot”



The hunter becomes the prey, a prisoner to his own desire . . .

Turow . . .

Strong, silent man of integrity content to serve his new king as a prince in the turbulent shape-shifter House of Terriot. A tracker and relentless hunter, he’s used to running trails alone until charged with returning a traitor to their mountain top home to face the unforgiving judgment of their clan. On the run with the bad girl he’s loved forever, the choice between duty and desire has never been more difficult . . . or deadly.

Could the bargain made to save their lives become reality?

Sylvia . . .

Manipulative schemer or victim caught between a mother’s ambition and a rogue prince’s lust for power? Trust is almost as foreign as the idea of love, but to save herself from certain death, she must risk both on the good man who deserves them . . . from someone worthy. Trapped by the only one who believes in her goodness, will she betray him and run for her life . . . or stay and destroy him with a long hidden truth?


Deadly, Damaged, and Delicious!
Brothers too H.o.T. to Handle!

ON SALE: MIDNIGHT ENCHANTMENT $0.99! LOVE’S OWN REWARD $1.99 (until 12-15)








Where will your writing be in 2021?

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time.

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!


Twitter hashtag is #IWSG 

IWSG awesome co-hosts for the December 7th posting will be Jennifer Hawes, Jen Chandler, Nick Wilford, Juneta Key, JH Moncrieff, Diane Burton, and MJ Fifield!

Sunday, December 04, 2016

WeWriWa: A Deal with the Devil . . . and a Devil of a Deal!


As the holidays approach, I’m always on the hunt for a bargain and was thrilled when BelleBooks/ImaJinn announced that MIDNIGHT ENCHANTMENT was being discounted from Dec 1-15. Bargains aren’t always made with the best interests of others at heart, as our greedy solicitor discovers in this excerpt from the fourth book in my “Touched by Midnight” series when he tries to manipulate his “eccentric” client . . . Sink your teeth into this week’s 8-10 lines of (creatively edited) creepy goodness . . .


“Now, I may not be able to convince anyone that you are a . . . a vampire, sir, but, if I give this information to the newspapers, they will hound you unmercifully, and without access to your monies, you’ll have no means to flee the city.” 

Silence as the dark night creature pondered this, unperturbed, and that alarmed Percy, as did the words that followed. 

“And if I were to just tear out your throat before you could give that information to anyone?” 

The casual way he presented Percy’s death made the lawyer’s blood run icy because it was no idle threat when dealing with a dangerous being who’d survived centuries by preying upon human lives, and would snatch his soul without a moment’s remorse. But prepared for that, too, the solicitor told him, “The original papers are in a safe place with instructions to turn them over to the authorities should anything happen to me, and be assured, they might not believe what you are, sir, but they take murder very seriously.” 

A frustration of rage pulsed from Gerardo Pasquale in palpable waves. Suddenly, Percy knew an instant of true terror as the solidity of Pasquale’s figure seemed to flicker before his eyes, becoming so faint as to be transparent, edges shifting, transforming into something else, something horrible, alien and monstrous, but exactly what was not quite clear. Standing frozen, Percy feared he’d made an irrevocable error in believing himself safe. 

Then, to his relief, Pasquale assumed his human shape once again and with a deadly quiet, asked, “What do you want?” 

“I want you to marry my sister.”


Hmmm, doesn’t sound like a marriage made in heaven to me. Perhaps our vampire friend will be the one surprised when he gets to know his new bride . . . MIDNIGHT ENCHANTMENT offers two of my favorite things, returning smooth and snarky vampire villain, Gerard Pascal in his turn as reluctant hero and pre-Turn of the Century New Orleans as a moody and mysterious setting with voodoo and witchcraft tossed into the mix. And, it’s just $0.99!!



Hunt or be hunted . . A centuries old obsession stalks a noble family fighting to hide their dark secret from an ever-changing world. Sink your teeth into Nancy Gideon's Touched by Midnight series.

A deal with the devil. . .

After a 400 year existence as a vampire, Gerard Pasquale wants only to be left alone to shadow the midnight streets of turn of the century New Orleans . . . until blackmail binds him to a mortal bride who throws his dark world into an upheaval. Certain he can escape the unwanted bargain through the treacherous terms he makes, Gerard discovers his new wife may not be as helpless to resist his will as he at first believes.

. . . that might save them both!

Haunted by a whispered past of witchcraft and voodoo, Laure Cristobel became a bride out of necessity to protect herself and the unborn child she carries. Though alarmed to find herself wed to a monster, she's dangerously close to falling in love with the man he once was—the man she hopes she can make him once again . . . .

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Like the other books in the series, MIDNIGHT ENCHANTMENT easily stands alone as a dark paranormal historical read, but beware, the rest of the books might start calling to you.

And if dark broody vampires aren’t your thing, my publisher also reduced the price of my Dana Ransom contemporary romance, LOVE’S OWN REWARD, to $1.99. I’ll pull from that next week as I finish up the edits of my current W-I-P.



If you haven’t been following my PRINCE OF HONOR blog tour or taken advantage of the chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card, hop back to last week’s post for a list of stops and the giveaway’s main Rafflecopter.

Happy Holidays and Happy Reading!!


Weekend Writing Warriors is a weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet of your writing on Sunday. Visit other participants on the list and read, critique, and comment on their 8sunday posts.


Spread the word, share the love, warriors - Hashtag #8sunday.

Sunday, November 27, 2016

WeWriWa: Save that Scene! (and a Blog Tour Giveaway!)


Hard pressed to trim at least 3,000 words from my W-I-P, PRINCE OF POWER (even after my first edit pass!), I’m reminded of a very important lesson learned – Never delete anything!! While editing an earlier book, I was busily tossing away unneeded scenes when I had an epiphany – Words should never be wasted! The material I was deleting could have been used as extra content, recycled into a different book or, duh, sequel. Now, with every project, I have a “Deleted Scenes” file to tuck away those gone but don’t want forgotten bits and pieces. I’m dipping into my PRINCE OF HONOR file today as I sit still in a tryptophan coma after Turkey Day Two with the family to share an excerpt with Black Friday in mind (and thankfully in the rearview) that wasn’t used in the book.

“Aren’t you carrying your princely House of Terriot gold card?” Sylvia asked, turning to him with a cat-in-tasty-cream smile and the sizzling double entendre, “Remember, you get what you pay for.” 

What was he thinking? What was he thinking with? Sylvia Terriot had been entrusted into his care by his king, his only duty getting her safely and securely to their mountain compound, not horizontal in the closest hotel room. 

As if unaware of his moral dilemma, Sylvia passed the clerk her choice of drool-worthy undergarments, a pair of slim black jeans and a stretchy red top that took no imagination at all to envision hugging her tempting curves. “I’d like to try these on.” 

Seeing the clerk’s gaze widened as it followed the chain from her cuffed wrist to his, Sylvia laughed, unconcerned, then leaned close to whisper, “Consider it like one of those bungie cord things that parents use to keep track of their children in crowds.” She winked, letting a sultry glance slide up Turow’s inseam and torso to flirt with his round-eyed stare as she added, “Only for consenting adults.” 

Forget the hotel—the dressing room would do!


How ‘bout you? Do you recycle, repurpose, reuse your words?

Tomorrow PRINCE OF HONOR is hitting the road on a Blog Tour, including a rafflecopter giveaway of a $10 Amazon gift card. I might be dipping back into that Deleted Scenes file for one of my posts. Follow along. I’ve got fun interviews, blog posts and reviews share.



November 28, 2016
T's Stuff - Spotlight
Books, Dreams, Life - Spotlight


November 29, 2016
The Silver Dagger Scriptorium - Spotlight
Booklover Sue - Spotlight

November 30, 2016
Supernatural Central - Spotlight
Ramblings of a Book Nerd - Spotlight

December 1, 2016
Share My Destiny - Spotlight
Houston Havens - Spotlight

December 2, 2016
Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer - Interview
3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, and Sissy, Too! - Spotlight

December 5, 2016
The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom - Guest Blog
Ali - The Dragon Slayer - Spotlight

December 6, 2016
Sylv all about books and films - Spotlight
Lisa’s World of Books - Spotlight

December 7, 2016
Books and Tales - Guest Blog
Ogitchida Kwe's Book Blog - Spotlight

December 8, 2016
I Smell Sheep - Review
Mello and June, It's a Book Thang! - Spotlight

December 9, 2016
Lisa's Loves (Books of Course) - Spotlight
The Cubicle Escapee - Spotlight

December 12, 2016
Hart's Romance Pulse - Guest Blog
Fantatical Paranormal Romantical - Review
Sapphyria's Book Reviews - Spotlight


a Rafflecopter giveaway



Weekend Writing Warriors is a weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet of your writing on Sunday. Visit other participants on the list and read, critique, and comment on their 8sunday posts.

Spread the word, share the love, warriors - Hashtag #8sunday.

Sunday, November 20, 2016

WWW: You’ve Got the Power!


With PRINCE OF HONOR, the first book in my “House of Terriot” dark paranormal shapeshifter series, just launched and barely out of the promotional blocks, I managed to FINALLY finish the second book, PRINCE OF POWER. Since it was actually the book I started first (until some pesky plot points insisted the next planned book needed to go before it), I’d previously shared some excerpts from earlier chapters. To bring you up to speed, as the strength behind the crown, Colin Terriot has come down from his family’s mountaintop fortress at Lake Tahoe to begin truce talks with the other clans in New Orleans where his involvement with a rival negotiator and an unprovoked attack that nearly takes his life has his king questioning his effectiveness . . . and his loyalty.


“If you were thinking of bringing Wes here to finish my job and send me home in shame, you might as well finish me right here, right now, because if I leave, they’ll think we’re weak and all talk. They won’t respect any of us if we’re that easily broken. I’m a Terriot: We don’t bend; we don’t break; and, we don’t run, not from anything! It’d be kinder for you to just put me down right here than to ask me not to act like a prince in our House. I’m not afraid of them, and next time, I’ll be ready to bring hell down on their doorstep. Don’t you do this to me, Cale. Don’t you sideline me while I can still stand on my own hind legs and howl . . . unless you don’t trust me to take care of things, and then that’s something else altogether.” 

The long beat of silence brought Colin’s worst fear home as he felt something from his king he’d never experienced before - doubt. 

“You’re my brother, Colin,” Cale began carefully, “and if you say you can handle it, I believe you.” 

Belief and trust weren’t quite the same thing.


You think Colin is in a tough spot . . . I’ve got a 102K manuscript I’ve got to trim down to fighting weight and am still at that point where I’m in love with every word, adjective and turn of phrase. Maybe a little distance while I stump for PRINCE OF HONOR will give me the proper perspective. If nothing else, I’ll have a heck of a lot of extra content to offer!!

While I’m pondering, here’s another look at Book 1 . . . cuz I can’t get enough of that cover, especially now that it’s been in my hot little hands in trade paperback!!



The hunter becomes the prey, a prisoner to his own desire . . .

Turow . . .

Strong, silent man of integrity content to serve his new king as a prince in the turbulent shape-shifter House of Terriot. A tracker and relentless hunter, he’s used to running trails alone until charged with returning a traitor to their mountain top home to face the unforgiving judgment of their clan. On the run with the bad girl he’s loved forever, the choice between duty and desire has never been more difficult . . . or deadly.

Could the bargain made to save their lives become reality?

Sylvia . . .

Manipulative schemer or victim caught between a mother’s ambition and a rogue prince’s lust for power? Trust is almost as foreign as the idea of love, but to save herself from certain death, she must risk both on the good man who deserves them . . . from someone worthy. Trapped by the only one who believes in her goodness, will she betray him and run for her life . . . or stay and destroy him with a long hidden truth?

Deadly, Damaged, and Delicious!
Brothers too H.o.T. to Handle!


Reviews

"This is how you start a series! A prince. A traitor. A blood feud. Mix them all together with healthy doses of drama, intrigue, and action, and you have the beginnings of an edge of your seat, roller-coaster of a book. Turow is everything you want in a hero and Sylvia's journey from villain to heroine is brilliantly crafted. 5-Stars" - Susan, Goodreads

"An intriguing, sexy, sometimes dark read. A tightly woven plot will have you burning through the pages. The intense, sizzlin' chemistry between Turow & Sylvia is lethal and flammable as both as both fight to maintain control of the situation - and their own heart. A Must Read! 5-Stars!." - Cross My Heart Reviews

"Gideon tears this series open with a bang . . . Max and Cee Cee ignited your appetite, but these Terriot brothers are so exclusively delicious they're not even on the menu! The fast-paced action and emotional banquet laid out here is a paranormal romance lover's feast! Better get comfortable, because you won't be leaving until you finish dessert! 5-Stars!" - Book Bling

"Excellent Book! The author did not disappoint. I fell in love with the story line. Max will always be my favorite . . . but Turow is a close second now. 5-Stars" - reader, Amazon

"The Terriot Princes....... Holy Hotness. There is so much deliciousness between all them it's hard not to drool." - Sara Kate, Goodreads

How’s the week treating the rest of you here at WeWriWa . . .



Weekend Writing Warriors is a weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet of your writing on Sunday. Visit other participants on the list and read, critique, and comment on their 8sunday posts.

Spread the word, share the love, warriors - Hashtag #8sunday.

Saturday, November 12, 2016

WWW: NOW PLAYING - “House of Terriot” Book Video Premiere!


Don’t you love a premiere? The celebrities, the buzz, the drama. My favorite debuts – aside from an anticipated book release! – were on the newly created MTV when I was a stay-at-home mom back in those gorgeous ‘80s days of early music videos. I remember the excitement of waiting for that first stunning visual glimpse (Duran Duran, Sting, Wham! . . . sigh!) that gave a whole new and exciting depth to the songs and bands. As an author, the idea of capturing the essence of a book in that sensory style held an irresistible appeal, the chance to add a new layer to the reading experience. They’ve become something I can’t wait to put together with a new title.

With PRINCE OF HONOR newly released in e-format and about to drop in trade paper (as in any minute!), and three more books in the “House of Terriot” series on the way, there's a lot happening this weekend! To kick off the celebration that ends in a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card, allow me to present the premiere of my “House of Terriot” book video. Enjoy this tease of all the yumminess to come with my four princely brothers in the warrior shapeshifter clan, followed by my Weekend Writing Warriors 

8-10 line excerpt.



“There’s nothing I can do to change this; I wish I could.”

“I don’t want you to, Cale.”

His answer surprised them both, but once he’d put it out there, Turow realized the truth in his own heart. He had no doubts or regrets over what he’d done, and wasn’t ashamed to admit it.

“I chose her, Cale, I want her, I have since the first time I saw her and I haven’t been able to think about anyone else. I don’t want to be with anyone else.”

Cale palmed the back of Row’s head, clenching fingers in his hair to give him a hard shake. “You blind sonuvabitch, she’s going to eat your heart and crush your soul, and it’s my fault. Kendra warned me that you had feelings for her but I didn’t want to believe her.”

“I’m sorry, my king, not for how I feel, but because I’ve failed you.”


Fanning self. While we’re catching our breath, my sexy princes and I would love to invite you to a Facebook “Show It Off Saturday” event with my friends at Coffee Time Romance. Join me for tidbits and teasers and the opportunity to get to know each other better!



 Show It Off Saturday - Coffee Time Romance

Also happening today, Magic of Books Promotions is hosting a PRINCE OF HONOR blog blitz and offering a chance to win that $10 Amazon gift card via the Rafflecopter below!




a Rafflecopter giveaway
Help share the excitement, support fellow bloggers and grab at a great giveaway! And of course, enjoy a drool-worthy look at PRINCE OF HONOR and the “House of Terriot.”



The hunter becomes the prey, a prisoner to his own desire . . .

Turow . . .

Strong, silent man of integrity content to serve his new king as a prince in the turbulent shape-shifter House of Terriot. A tracker and relentless hunter, he’s used to running trails alone until charged with returning a traitor to their mountain top home to face the unforgiving judgment of their clan. On the run with the bad girl he’s loved forever, the choice between duty and desire has never been more difficult . . . or deadly.

Could the bargain made to save their lives become reality?

Sylvia . . .

Manipulative schemer or victim caught between a mother’s ambition and a rogue prince’s lust for power? Trust is almost as foreign as the idea of love, but to save herself from certain death, she must risk both on the good man who deserves them . . . from someone worthy. Trapped by the only one who believes in her goodness, will she betray him and run for her life . . . or stay and destroy him with a long hidden truth?

Deadly, Damaged, and Delicious!
Brothers too H.o.T. to Handle!


Weekend Writing Warriors is a weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet of your writing on Sunday. Visit other participants on the list and read, critique, and comment on their 8sunday posts.

Spread the word, share the love, warriors - Hashtag #8sunday.

Sunday, November 06, 2016

WeWriWa: Truth or Dare?


Trust. That key that locks a relationship up tight and secure. It’s a powerful pivot point I like to use to establish tension and secure that Happily-Ever-After. Until it’s resolved, the one can’t become the other. That’s where my characters Turow and Sylvia are in this snibblet from my new release PRINCE OF HONOR. Take a look . . .

“When I asked you about James and Las Vegas, did you tell me absolutely everything?” 

The cooling of her gaze frostbit his hopes. “Oh, you mean like am I here on Jamie’s behalf to assassinate our king, is that what you want to know? Have I been playing a game with you, becoming your mate, bending under Cale’s rules just to lull you into complaisance so I could exact some terrible plan I cooked up with James?” 

It sounded even worse when she accused him out loud, because that was what Cale suspected. 

“Please, Syl . . . it’s not that I don’t believe you.” 

Very deliberately, she withdrew her hands from his to slowly and precisely go through everything again, in excruciating detail, never once looking away from his hopeful stare, until subtly, her eyes canted down. 

She was lying to him. 

He’d disappointed her, and she was hiding something from him. What couldn’t she trust him with and how could he pursue it without damaging their fragile relationship farther?


Syl, you’ve got some ‘splaining to do, but how’s poor Row going to coax it out of her now? While they work on that, let your eyes dine on this first book in my “House of Terriot” foursome.



The hunter becomes the prey, a prisoner to his own desire . . .

Turow . . .

Strong, silent man of integrity content to serve his new king as a prince in the turbulent shape-shifter House of Terriot. A tracker and relentless hunter, he’s used to running trails alone until charged with returning a traitor to their mountain top home to face the unforgiving judgment of their clan. On the run with the bad girl he’s loved forever, the choice between duty and desire has never been more difficult . . . or deadly.

Could the bargain made to save their lives become reality?

Sylvia . . .

Manipulative schemer or victim caught between a mother’s ambition and a rogue prince’s lust for power? Trust is almost as foreign as the idea of love, but to save herself from certain death, she must risk both on the good man who deserves them . . . from someone worthy. Trapped by the only one who believes in her goodness, will she betray him and run for her life . . . or stay and destroy him with a long hidden truth?

Deadly, Damaged, and Delicious!
Brothers too H.o.T. to Handle!

Reviews (those things we both dread and anticipate!) are starting to come in from Amazon and Goodreads. “Fives” across the board. Whew.

"Intriguing, sexy, sizzling chemistry. A must-read!"

"A prince. A traitor. A blood feud. An edge of your seat, rollercoaster."

“The fast-paced action and emotional banquet is a paranormal romance lover’s feast you won’t be leaving until you finish dessert!”

“Excellent book! Fell in love with the storyline. The author did not disappoint.”


Diving into promotional stuff, including a H.o.T. book trailer that I’ll be premiering next weekend, but still barreling toward the end of PRINCE OF POWER, book 2. Lot’s to be thankful for this month . . . How ‘bout you?



Weekend Writing Warriors is a weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet of your writing on Sunday. Visit other participants on the list and read, critique, and comment on their 8sunday posts.

Spread the word, share the love, warriors - Hashtag #8sunday.

Wednesday, November 02, 2016

IWSG: It’s All About Getting Down and Dirty


Our monthly IWSG topic concerns our favorite aspect of being a writer. The glamour? The pay? The hours? Working in yoga pants (Okay, that one I do love!). Getting up at 4:30 a.m. while normal people are still sleeping? There are tons of things I like about writing, but the one I love is simple . . . the writing.

I love telling a story. I get so excited as the plot unfolds, I can hardly type fast enough to contain it. I love listening to the banter my characters have while I’m driving to work. I love the scenes that play out behind my eyeballs while I’m trying to sleep at night. I love the urgency that hurries me to my home office after a long day at my work office so the images and words can be captured on my hard drive before they escape me.

I love writing.

The rest is gravy.

I’d write if my words were never read by another soul (and many of them never will be!). I write without a deadline to push me or the promise of a royalty check. I write because a well-crafted phrase can be so dang sexy!

I write because I’m a writer. Period.

The rest is just business. The writing is personal.

Now, on to business. What follows the simple joy of building a book is the task of launching it. Hello World! My latest has just hit e-reader screens and will be out in trade paper soon. Here’s what I’ve been doing – on the floor in front of the TV, on Post-It notes in the car, in quickie segments during my lunch hour . . . PRINCE OF HONOR, first book in my new “By Moonlight” spinoff shapeshifter series. Welcome to the “House of Terriot.”



The hunter becomes the prey, a prisoner to his own desire . . .

Turow . . .

Strong, silent man of integrity content to serve his new king as a prince in the turbulent shape-shifter House of Terriot. A tracker and relentless hunter, he’s used to running trails alone until charged with returning a traitor to their mountain top home to face the unforgiving judgment of their clan. On the run with the bad girl he’s loved forever, the choice between duty and desire has never been more difficult . . . or deadly.

Could the bargain made to save their lives become reality?

Sylvia . . .

Manipulative schemer or victim caught between a mother’s ambition and a rogue prince’s lust for power? Trust is almost as foreign as the idea of love, but to save herself from certain death, she must risk both on the good man who deserves them . . . from someone worthy. Trapped by the only one who believes in her goodness, will she betray him and run for her life . . . or stay and destroy him with a long hidden truth?


Deadly, Damaged, and Delicious!
Brothers too H.o.T. to Handle!

While I finish the leftover Halloween candy hoping the sugar will rush see me through the last few chapters of PRINCE OF POWER, Book 2, I’ll be interested in seeing what you consider the best part of this crazy thing we do.


Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time.

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!


Twitter hashtag is #IWSG 

IWSG awesome co-hosts for the November 2nd posting will be Joylene Nowell Butler, Jen Chandler, Mary Aalgaard, Lisa Buie Collard, Tamara Narayan, Tyrean Martinson, and Christine Rains!

Sunday, October 30, 2016

WeWriWa: It’s Here! Finally!


After much angsting, trial and error, and sleeplessness, PRINCE OF HONOR is a tasty treat now ready for consumption! Still working on the trade paperback, but the first book in my “House of Terriot” series is up in all e-formats! Here’s one last peek . . .


Waking to sunlight slanting across his face and the crawly feel of someone staring at him, Turow quickly straightened, nearly falling off his chair to the cool amusement of the female eyeballing him from the edge of the bed.

She wore the same crumpled clothing from the day before, her glorious hair bound loosely back, her face scrubbed clean of any make-up, and for a moment, he forgot how to breathe, until he caught the undercurrent of her temper.

“Is it your plan to starve me into submission? I haven’t had so much as a sip of water since yesterday afternoon except out of the bathroom faucet, but I’m sure the thought of me safely tucked away under lock and key never crossed your mind while kowtowing to our king. You at least owed me the courtesy of letting me know he didn’t have you murdered!”

She’d been worried about him? 

Before a silly smile could escape, she skewered him with her glare, demanding, “Am I a prisoner in this room?”

He considered it then said, “For a while it would be best for you to only go out with me.”

“And what part of that doesn’t say prisoner . . . or am I in danger?”

“Did you think you wouldn’t be?”



The hunter becomes the prey, a prisoner to his own desire . . .

Turow . . .

Strong, silent man of integrity content to serve his new king as a prince in the turbulent shape-shifter House of Terriot. A tracker and relentless hunter, he’s used to running trails alone until charged with returning a traitor to their mountain top home to face the unforgiving judgment of their clan. On the run with the bad girl he’s loved forever, the choice between duty and desire has never been more difficult . . . or deadly.

Could the bargain made to save their lives become reality?

Sylvia . . .

Manipulative schemer or victim caught between a mother’s ambition and a rogue prince’s lust for power? Trust is almost as foreign as the idea of love, but to save herself from certain death, she must risk both on the good man who deserves them . . . from someone worthy. Trapped by the only one who believes in her goodness, will she betray him and run for her life . . . or stay and destroy him with a long hidden truth?


Deadly, Damaged, and Delicious!
Brothers too H.o.T. to Handle!

Ahhhh! Sounds like mated bliss to me! I’ll give them their privacy while I move on to the ending of the next book in the series. Here’s what’s in store . . .




Sorry I missed you all last week. My post was up, but I didn’t get added to the linky list in time. Scroll down to check it out. Unfortunately, the only contemporary book deal that’s still available is for my first one, FOR MERCY’S SAKE which is still on SALE at just $1.99.




For an extra TREAT, All Romance E-Books is offering a 50% rebate off my titles on the 30th and 31st! Buy the book, get something SWEET back!

I’m off to enjoy some happy haunting at a Zoo Boo with the grandguy. Wishing you a Spooktacular Halloween!




Weekend Writing Warriors is a weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet of your writing on Sunday. Visit other participants on the list and read, critique, and comment on their 8sunday posts.

Spread the word, share the love, warriors - Hashtag #8sunday.

Sunday, October 23, 2016

WeWriWa: Tick, Tock. Counting Down to Tomorrow’s Release Day!



There’s something about running against the clock that fuels all the senses, making things crisp, clear, and alive on an adrenaline high. There’s only so much time to pack everything in before the window of opportunity is gone. That’s where I am, frantically putting all the final pieces in place before PRINCE OF HONOR goes live tomorrow. That’s where my heroine is in today’s excerpt as she spends one last night with what could have been.


Turow Terriot, who would have thought? 

For now, she happily held that secret close. For the moment, he was hers to hold and enjoy like there was no tomorrow, because for her there probably wouldn’t be. 

She’d let him rest and recover, but not for long, too aware of the clock ever ticking. She’d cushion his heavy form for now, then demand as much as she could from it throughout the hours of the night. She’d let him fill body and mind with delirious pleasures, selfishly taking everything he could give, because his strength and confidence fueled hers, and she’d need every ounce of it to get through what was to come, leaving him behind, again, as her restless life’s ambitions drove her to greet her fate without a whimper. 

She felt him stir, gradually, inexorably, forcing her from grim thoughts to heady anticipations. She accepted and returned his kiss, his touch, his hurried demands, becoming aggressive challenger and responsive lover beneath his increasingly urgent claim. Lost to what once could have been, but would never be. Except for this night.

Would I trade places with my heroine, leaving her to deal with my last minute details while I enjoyed her farewell tour? Let me think . . .

. . . Still thinking. Hmmm, that’s a tough one.

While I follow that lost train of thought, here’s another look at PRINCE OF HONOR before this first book in the House of Terriot series goes live.



The hunter becomes the prey, a prisoner to his own desire . . .

Turow . . .

Strong, silent man of integrity content to serve his new king as a prince in the turbulent shape-shifter House of Terriot. A tracker and relentless hunter, he’s used to running trails alone until charged with returning a traitor to their mountain top home to face the unforgiving judgment of their clan. On the run with the bad girl he’s loved forever, the choice between duty and desire has never been more difficult . . . or deadly.

Could the bargain made to save their lives become reality?

Sylvia . . .

Manipulative schemer or victim caught between a mother’s ambition and a rogue prince’s lust for power? Trust is almost as foreign as the idea of love, but to save herself from certain death, she must risk both on the good man who deserves them . . . from someone worthy. Trapped by the only one who believes in her goodness, will she betray him and run for her life . . . or stay and destroy him with a long hidden truth?


Deadly, Damaged, and Delicious!
Brothers too H.o.T. to Handle!


And if this wasn’t sweet enough, here are some other goodies just in time for Halloween. All my Harlequin romantic suspense titles are on SALE through 10/25 for only $1.99!! Take a look . . .


    


    


I’m off to see what everyone else in our group is doing before doubling down on the last few promo tweaks and final pages of Book 2, PRINCE OF POWER. Happy Reading!


Weekend Writing Warriors is a weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet of your writing on Sunday. Visit other participants on the list and read, critique, and comment on their 8sunday posts.

Spread the word, share the love, warriors - Hashtag #8sunday.