November 2016

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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!