August 2020

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Sunday, August 30, 2020

WeWriWa: G vs E . . . RISE BY MOONLIGHT

Squee!! It never gets old no matter how many books you write!! 


Forgive that giddy moment. Now on to my post . . .

Good versus Evil. A plot device from the beginning of time – literally. This week I’m continuing to explore the villainous aspects of my latest release with this scene between our shapeshifter hero, Max Savoie and Carmen Blutafino, the criminal cornerstone in New Orleans now that Max’s mentor is no more. Manny Blu owns The Sweat Shop, a French Quarter strip club where high stakes gambling and dark deeds are done in the rooms upstairs. Above pudgy manicured hands and corpulence stuffed into a gaudy suit are a shark’s hard stare and a survivalist’s quick mind as Max grills him about his knowledge of an attack upon his mate, Detective Charlotte Caissie. 

“I’m supposed to just give you that information out of the goodness of my heart?” 

“If you want it to keep beating.” 

“Don’t insult me, Savoie. I’m not afraid of you.” 

Max bared his teeth, earning Manny’s rapid blink as if doubting the reality of those sharp points. “Yes, you are, because you’re not a fool, and you don’t want an until-the-end-of-timeshare out in the swamps with (your rival) Petitjohn’s bits and pieces.”

“That was you.” 

The booming laugh relaxed Max’s threatening pose. “Not me, personally, no,” he drawled, “but with you, it’d be personal.”

(and the rest of the scene)

Ergonomic leather groaned as Manny leaned back to contemplate his next words the way he would a poker hand. Music pounded up from the matinee show in the ensuing silence until finally he offered, “Were I a betting man, I’d put my money on Brady. He has an old friend in town he’s rather desperate to impress, and from what I gather, she’s no friend of yours.” 

Genevieve.

“A shame one can’t depend upon one’s friends . . . or family,” Max drawled, “but then you’d know that, wouldn’t you?” 

The cool jab at the mobster’s wife’s desertion earned a twitch of pressed lips. “No, you can’t,” Carmen gritted out, “but you can shut ′em up.” 

To me, a great villain is one who doesn’t quite look the threatening part . . . until he has a gun at your head . . . as one of our other nefarious characters will discover. From Hans Gruber and Hannibal Lecter to The Usual Suspects and Fight Club, misdirection enhances the danger once the truth is revealed. And I love a good surprise. RISE BY MOONLIGHT is filled with unexpected moments and reveals which is why I had so much fun writing it, and hope you’ll have just as much reading it! Who are the fictional villains who took YOU by surprise? 

I had all sorts of fun during my RISE BY MOONLIGHT blog tour. A BIG thank you to those who hosted, visited, and shared. The winner of my $20 Amazon gift card is . . . Rachel G! 


This summer has disappeared into a haze of isolation and anxiety. Thanks for helping me stay sane(ish), fellow Warriors! I, for one, am glad to get August behind us and to hopefully move on to more positive things!

Happy Writing!!


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, August 23, 2020

#WeWriWa: It’s All About the Villain . . . RISE BY MOONLIGHT #NewRelease


Any story is only as good as its villain, that dark threat that stands in the way of a HEA. I adore a good bad guy for the depth and immediacy they bring to the mix. The greater the obstacle, the more that’s demanded of those who must stand against him/her. How those heroes rise or fall when confronted by evil is the heart of my latest release, RISE BY MOONLIGHT, and none face a greater trial than those who stand against Bram the Beast.


The sons who’d rescued him were terrified in his presence, as they should be. They’d expected reward and position within the world he’d remake upon the ashes of Cale’s ruin but where were these sons when the pretender had him imprisoned? 

He paced the confinement of the strange hotel room while his son Stephen struggled to hide his fear. The old king could smell it, stronger now that Lee, his accomplice, weak link that he was, had been compromised and killed in some sleazy Vegas casino. His life wasn’t as big a loss as the funds he’d been funneling. 

After Cale proclaimed himself their king, they’d waited in spineless trepidation until outsiders—one a coward of no consequence and one a human policeman—approached to make that first overture. He’d listened to their plots and ambitions and waited to learn of his place within them, a king reduced to blunt instrument to be wielded at their will. They expected him to be grateful for his freedom, for their token favors, a compliant pawn in schemes for their betterment, not his. He smiled, baring sharp teeth. 

They didn’t know him. 

(and the rest of the scene . . .)

Their plans weren’t his plans. His began with freedom and now turned to vengeance that would end in his total control.

Of everything.

The deposed king of the House of Terriot clan is one of my favorite villains. Powerful, imposing, ruthless with both enemies and supporters, he ruled his kingdom the way he controlled his twelve sons – with fear and violent demonstration. After the brothers revolt against him and believe they’d locked him away forever, the return of Bram the Beast brings a whole new layer of danger to the “By Moonlight” world. He’s a true shiver-worthy antagonist and I can’t wait to showcase the others who blacken RISE BY MOONLIGHT.


Thanks to all who’ve given shout outs and endorsements for newly released RISE BY MOONLIGHT, the final book in my “By Moonlight” series!! It’s a jungle out there when it comes to getting a new work noticed and with your help, RISE BY MOONLIGHT has collected some pretty awesome reviews.



Looking forward to sharing more from the dark side of the “By Moonlight” world next week and to finding out what you’ve been working on, fellow Warriors! Write On!!



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, August 16, 2020

#WeWriWa: For the Good of All . . . RISE BY MOONLIGHT and Blog Tour!


All for one and one for all? Difficult concepts for one-time shapeshifter enemies looking to find a middle ground. It takes a greater threat to bring former rival clans together when survival demands an alliance in this scene from newly released paranormal RISE BY MOONLIGHT.


“We’ve our differences, Savoie. Always will. But we both want the same future for our families. We’re not strong enough to hold onto it alone, but we put our resources together behind Terriot teeth we stand a chance of protecting what we have.” 

“Holding on isn’t enough.” Giving time for that to sink in deep, Max added, “Even if we take out my aunt, another’ll replace her.” 

Black brows soared. “You want to take it to them. To destroy them?” 

“No. To join them for the good of all our kind.”
 
Grand expectations, but will they hold together when that shared evil comes calling or scatter to save themselves?

My RISE BY MOONLIGHT Blog Tour gets underway tomorrow! Join in the fun for a chance at some Amazon credit!



GIVEAWAY - $20 AMAZON GIFT CARD

August 17th
🔥 Romance Weekly Book Reviews ➤ Excerpt & Book Review

August 18th
🔥 Jenna's Journal ➤ Guest Post

August 19th
🔥 Diane's Book Blog ➤ Excerpt

August 20th
🔥 M.J. Schiller, Romance Author ➤ Interview
🔥 Diane Burton Adventure & Romance ➤ Guest Post
🔥 Dreamers, Lovers, and Star Voyagers ➤ Excerpt & Book Review

August 21st
🔥 Book Bling Blog ➤ Guest Post
🔥 Cross My Heart Reviews ➤ Excerpt & Book Review

August 22nd
🔥 Linda Nightingale, Author,,,,Musings ➤ Guest Post

August 24th
🔥 fundinmental ➤ Excerpt

I could still use a couple of Tour hosts for the end of next week if anyone is available to stick up a pre-made post. Let me know ASAP.

While promo-ing the final “By Moonlight” book, I’ve been chatting with a critique partner about what’s next. Hmmm, could be some exciting things on the horizon. Stay tuned. And stay safe, fellow Warriors!!



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, August 09, 2020

#WeWriWa: Just Like Me . . . RISE BY MOONLIGHT #NewRelease


Everyone just wants to fit in, to find their tribe, their place to belong. But when raised in hiding under the shadow of an unknown threat, a boy’s best and only friend is his mother. Even when she’s keeping secrets. 


“Mama, what’s wrong with me?” that small voice sobbed. 

The rocker continued to complain as she stroked the child’s black hair. Her tender gesture failed to calm either boy or the man he’d become. 

“Nothing’s wrong with you, Max. You’re perfect. They just don’t understand, so they fear you. That’s why you must be careful to never let them see the truth.” 

“What truth?” he’d pleaded. “Mama, tell me!” 

Low and soft, Max repeated from where he watched, decades away, “Mama, tell me.”
(and the rest of the scene . . .) 

She brushed a kiss across the top of the child’s flushed brow then slowly straightened, turning toward Max Savoie, a surreal voyeur from the future she’d never see. Her gaze swam with tears like liquid silver before flaring bright, then hot. 

Then red. 

“Max,” she crooned, “you’re just like me.”

Max Savoie may not grow up to be Norman Bates, but he knows he’s not quite normal. Saved from the swamps by a mobster after his mother’s death, he’s reared to silently serve . . . with deadly force, until the most unlikely influence steps into his life on high heels, with a gun and badge, introducing him not only to love but to a place where he belongs . . . with those like him. It’s taken over 14 books, but the Shifter King of New Orleans has finally come into his own. 


Max and Charlotte return for the explosive conclusion of the “By Moonlight” series . . .
and the stakes have never been higher!

He’s the Promised One
A Mobster’s attack dog turned legitimate business powerhouse, Max Savoie is the reluctant leader of New Orleans’ shapeshifter clan. They’ve kept to anonymous shadows, working and living unnoticed by the human world until their new Shifter King’s past draws dangerous outsiders who threaten all.

She’s the Protector
A fiercely determined NOPD detective, Charlotte Caissie has sworn to defend her beloved city and her unborn child from both criminals and otherworldly factions at war. While standing boldly at the side of her mate/husband, secrets from the past return to shake the foundation of her beliefs.

They have a Problem
Walking a marital tight rope between opposite worlds, Max and Cee Cee’s paths place truth and trust at odds when outside threats force enemies to become allies. The time to take a stand for their family and their future is at hand. Time to rise together for the survival of all they love!

“Every delicious word on the page exhilarates with a sensuous ferocity. Hopelessly addicted.” – NYT bestselling author, Darynda Jones

♚♚♚♚♚

I’ve been rushing about with the busyness of new book promotion but wanted to pause a minute to invite you to be hosts during my upcoming RISE BY MOONLIGHT blog tour. 


I’m a very tidy guest and pick up after myself . . . and happily reciprocate when I can.

Spirits mightily lifted after a Zoom meeting with my critique group, I’ve given them (and now, you!) my goal for the end of this month – to pick (or at least narrow down) my next project. Deep inhale. It’s like standing in front of the jewelry counter with all that Oh, Shiny dazzling the brain. But a choice must be made. Help hold me to it!

Off to enjoy in this string of surprising lovely days . . . right after I check in to see what you’re doing!

Soak up some sun (where available) and inspiration, fellow Warriors, and Happy Writing!!



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, August 05, 2020

IWSG: Writing that Shapeshifting Project . . . and New Release - RISE BY MOONLIGHT!


It’s always a pleasure to give back to a group that gives so much, so here’s me, stepping up to co-host this month’s Insecure Writers Support Group!! Welcome my IWSG cohorts:

Susan Baury RouchardJennifer HawesChemist KenJennifer LaneChrys Fey.

Together, we’re helping fearless leader, Alex J. Cavanaugh rock your neurotic writing world with this month’s August 5th question - Quote: "Although I have written a short story collection, the form found me and not the other way around. Don't write short stories, novels or poems. Just write your truth and your stories will mold into the shapes they need to be."

Have you ever written a piece that became a form, or even a genre, you hadn't planned on writing in? Or do you choose a form/genre in advance?

Back in 2008, my series contemporary romance editor was thrilled when I suggested submitting to their new paranormal line. My first attempt wasn’t quite “romancy” enough, so I started playing “what if” with characters and plotlines. I didn’t expect to fall in love. I sent the editor my synopsis and three chapters for a supposed “long” book and started writing. And couldn’t stop. By the time I heard back from her, I’d written the first two completes and was half way through the third in a series about a shapeshifter hero in servitude to a father figure mob boss and the female detective he’s protected from his boss without her knowledge since she was a teen. When the editor and I met at a conference in New York, she gushed about the first book and the writing and offered an amazingly good advance . . . for just the first book with no guarantee that the others would be picked up and with the codicil that I shorten it by about 20K and . . . change the hero so he never really does anything bad. An enforcer for the Mob who made his bones as a teenager? Jaw drop. I needed that money. I needed a sale. But I couldn’t gut those unexpected books of my heart.

So, I said no. And she didn’t blame me. Then, at that same conference mixer, I bumped into another former editor who asked what I was working on. I pitched, she said send and she bought – BIG – For all three!

Long story sorta short, that attempted contemporary romance became a decade-long project with the first six books at Pocket/Simon & Schuster and the next nine, self-pubbed. The fifteenth and final book of that “By Moonlight” series debuted Monday. Talk about an unexpected journey! Through it all, I learned how much I love being in control of my own writing and promotional ship (even though Pocket let me have a lot of input when I was with them learning from the best). That, I never expected after already enjoying a lengthy career working contented behind the scenes.

So, join me in celebrating the result of that learning curve. I love big books and I cannot lie!



Hope to see many of you in my guise as hall blog monitor this month. Looking forward to reading your inspiring posts!

Write on, fellow IWSG warriors! And stay safe out there!



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.The awesome co-hosts for the August 5th posting of the IWSG will be Susan Baury Rouchard, Nancy Gideon, Jennifer Lane, Jennifer Hawes, Chemist Ken, and Chrys Fey!

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

Twitter hashtag is #IWSG

Sunday, August 02, 2020

WeWriWa: Sweet Dreams . . . RISE BY MOONLIGHT


With RISE BY MOONLIGHT, the final book in my By Moonlight series, debuting tomorrow (SQUEEE!!), I’m featuring posts from its start . . . as dark, tortured hero Max Savoie goes back to where it begins and ends in his journey to discover who . . . and what he is.


Max hadn’t visited that dark portion of his past for a very long time. Why now? Because of the life his mate carried? Or were the dangerous shadows of unfinished business reaching out from a swampy grave, a reminder of things he’d rather forget?

A rocking chair’s familiar creak. He tensed and twisted anxiously in the throes of his dream. Icy fingers of caution and loss clutched his chest as eyes darted behind closed lids. Unable to deny his desire to look again upon the worn elegance of his mother’s features, he faced his dread the way he’d addressed his life, with a cautious, reluctant need to know the truth . . . of who and what he was. Shadows, like those long-ago secrets, hung thick, revealing little of the dark head bent over the child Marie Savorie held in arms both protective and comforting. Max wished she’d look up to feed time-starved memories, craving the gentle curve of her smile and loving warmth in her gaze but he settled for the steadying croon of a voice from the past. 
(and the rest of this beginning scene . . .)

“What is it, Max? Another bad dream? They can’t harm you.” 

As much as he loved her, then and now, he’d never quite believed that assurance. Bad things existed beyond the rusty gate imprisoning his youthful curiosity within their overgrown yard for the first five years of his life. He knew because he was one of them, a child of the unnatural world. All he’d wanted was to find his place within it. But his mother had hidden that knowledge from him, just as she’d kept the outside away for as long as she could.

Just as this is Max’s beginning, this is where my journey with him concludes, with this last book of 15, so I’ll be waxing sentimental for the next few months with favorite scenes while searching for that next project that gets me passionate about a return to the keyboard. Hope you’ll enjoy the snippets and better yet, that you’ll read along with me with your own copy, available TOMORROW!!



Max and Charlotte return for the explosive conclusion of the “By Moonlight” series . . .

and the stakes have never been higher!

He’s the Promised One
A Mobster’s attack dog turned legitimate business powerhouse, Max Savoie is the reluctant leader of New Orleans’ shapeshifter clan. They’ve kept to anonymous shadows, working and living unnoticed by the human world until their new Shifter King’s past draws dangerous outsiders who threaten all.

She’s the Protector
A fiercely determined NOPD detective, Charlotte Caissie has sworn to defend her beloved city and her unborn child from both criminals and otherworldly factions at war. While standing boldly at the side of her mate/husband, secrets from the past return to shake the foundation of her beliefs.

They have a Problem
Walking a marital tight rope between opposite worlds, Max and Cee Cee’s paths place truth and trust at odds when outside threats force enemies to become allies. The time to take a stand for their family and their future is at hand. Time to rise together for the survival of all they love!

“Every delicious word on the page exhilarates with a sensuous ferocity. Hopelessly addicted.” – NYT bestselling author, Darynda Jones


For those not of faint heart, here’s another interpretation of those not so sweet dreams...



Happy August, fellow Warriors and Happy Writing!!



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.