Hooked On Romance

**UPDATE: CONGRATULATIONS, JODER! You just won an autographed book from Kate Pearce! She'll be emailing in regards to your win. Thanks for playing!**

I'm one of the lucky ones who got to know Kate before all these string of releases and--let me just say, she's an incredibly amazing and lovable person inside as she is on the outside. This past conference in Washington, I finally got a chance to hang out with her in person and she's a real inspiration! We have so much in common but beyond that--she's smart, witty, and full of life--which I can't wait to spend time with her again. I am so excited about the buzz she's getting, which is SO deserved, and I'm happy to have her visit us at HoR!

**For your chance to win an autographed book by Kate Pearce, all you need to do is comment to this post and leave your email address if it's not linked to your blogger account. A winner will be chosen at random and announced on Friday**


And now, let's get to the inteview...

You’re most known for your steamy erotic historical romances from Kensington and you have plenty of experiences writing in different genres. Was it a difficult transition for you and how do you get all the stories straight when your deadlines are close together?

When I did finally get published, I was published in 3 different erotic romance sub-genres within the first year, (Regency, Contemporary Western and Futuristic), so I never had to make a definite choice as to which single sub-genre I wanted to write and there was never any question of me having to stick with one. (I’m a great believer in not having all your eggs in one basket.) Now, of course, just to complicate matters, I’ve added paranormal historical romance to the mix with my NAL contract :)

I never have any problems keeping everything straight, because the characters are all so distinct in my head. I have written the wrong character name in occasionally, but I usually catch that before it is too late!

What have you learned most about the publishing industry since you began? How much has the economy impacted your career?

I’ve learned that in publishing things seem to happen either super-fast or super slow and that even when you make that coveted sale to NY, you just enter a whole new world of worrying and a level of paranoia that can destroy you. I’ve learned to focus on the things I can control, like writing an excellent book and turning it in on time and ignore the other stuff.

I’m not sure yet how the economy has affected my career. I’ve been lucky enough to be offered new contracts, although I know many excellent authors who haven’t. I should imagine that print runs and sales have been affected, but until I see my royalty statement in Nov/Dec I won’t be able to say precisely what the impact has been.

You recently landed a major deal to write a vampire series historical set in the Tudor period, can you tell us a little more about it? What inspired you to come up with this idea?

This was a weird one. My agent, Deidre Knight, was talking to NAL about me and was asked by the editor if I could write Tudor Vampires, because they would love some of those. So Deidre asked me. :) I thought about it while I was picking my daughter up from school and came up with an idea to base a series around King Henry VIII and his six wives. (I did Tudor politics as a minor in my history degree), the premise being, that the real reason Henry had so many wives was due to all that Vampire activity going on at his court. (of course!).

Deidre loved the idea and asked me to write up a 1 page proposal. I did that, and off it went to NAL who seemed to quite like the idea as well and asked me to send in a proposal for the first three books. I ended up doing this in three weeks…It was really tough going and I had to keep it to myself because it was all so new and we were hoping no one else was doing the same thing. :) After a couple of rewrites, to add more sex, (I think I’d gone too far the other way LOL) Deidre sent it in and gave them a couple of days to get back to us. Then we heard nothing…and we were just beginning to think we’d missed the mark, when they came back with an offer for the three books. Deidre took over the rest of the negotiations, while I went out and bought lots of non-fiction about the Tudors to refresh my memory! :)

How tumultuous was your writing journey and where do you hope to see your career going?

I wouldn’t say it’s been particularly tumultuous. Like most aspiring writers I’ve had terrible contest scores, horrible critiques, many many rejections, editors turning down fulls , editors leaving…the usual stuff that makes you want to just give up and cry. From the outset I saw it as a slow and steady progression and that’s how I still view it. I write the best book I can, and if someone wants to buy it, that’s great. If tastes change and I’m out of a job again, then I’ll just keep going and reinventing myself until I get it right again.

And of course, I’d like to be famous-did I forget to mention that?

Writers either work alone or with a group of other writers. Do you have a posse you write with and do they write in the same genre you do? Do you meet them for writer dates?

I have a great set of local critters, The Hot Writer Babes, whom I’ve worked with for several years now. We all met at a local writers group and have stuck together through a load of life experiences. Only one of them writes romance, but the four of us make a great all-round team. I also have several people who crit my work for me online-I write so many books I need them all--LOL--I don’t really brainstorm much I usually wait until I have something written down before I get any feedback on it.

Tell us about your latest release SIMPLY WICKED? Would you like to share an excerpt?

SIMPLY WICKED is book #4 of the Regency-set erotic romances set in The House of Pleasure. Here’s a quick blurb:

When Anthony Sokorvsky wakes up in the punishment corner of Madame Helen’s pleasure house, he questions where his desire for sexual punishment has led him. In an effort to change his life, he agrees to squire Madame Helene’s widowed daughter, Lady Marguerite Lockwood about town.

Marguerite has her own issues to deal with, her short marriage ended when her husband was killed in a duel with his best friend, ostensibly over her. In an effort to avoid the scandal, she’s tried to withdraw from society, but Anthony Sokorvsky proves impossible to resist.
Anthony’s nemesis, Lord Minshom refuses to give him up. To Anthony’s horror, even as he finds sexual compatibility with Marguerite, he’s still drawn to the darker side of pleasure. While the couple struggles to understand each other, Lord Minshom believes he holds all the cards to destroy their relationship. But Marguerite and Anthony discover than when it comes to love and acceptance, anything is possible.

****

Here’s a short excerpt from Chapter 1 when Anthony is invited to meet the mysterious Lady Lockwood by her half-brother, Christian Delornay.

“Would you like me to scrub your back?”

Anthony’s startled gaze flew to the doorway. Framed against the sunlight stood Christian Delornay, Helene’s son. A permanent fixture for the last year at the pleasure house, seeing as he now lived there and worked for his mother. In the past, Anthony had never paid much attention to him, being far too busy with his own pursuit of sexual excess to worry about another man’s.

“No, I thank you.”

Christian shrugged, the gesture eloquent of his French upbringing as was his slightly accented English. From his prone position in the bath, Anthony took Christian’s measure and reckoned they were of similar height, although as he understood it, Christian was only twenty.

“Are you sure?”

At Christian’s amused tone, a now familiar burning rage churned in Anthony’s gut.

“Absolutely, and you can get out as well.”

“I am perfectly within my rights to be here. This is my mother’s dressing room after all.”

Christian moved closer until Anthony was forced to look up at him.

“You often frequent your mother’s bedroom do you?”

Christian smiled. “Unworthy of you, Lord Anthony. Try again.”

Anthony closed his eyes. “Get out.”

“I will if you agree to have dinner with me and my sister tonight.”

“Why would I want to do that?”

Christian skimmed his fingers along the rim of the bath. Anthony couldn’t take his eyes away from the slow gliding motion.

“Because I asked? Because you wish me to go away so that you can finish your bath in peace?”

“All right.”

“You will come?”

Anthony glared up at his smiling companion. “I said I would, now get out and shut the door behind you.”

Christian bowed. “We will see you at seven then in the main salon.”

As soon as Christian left, Anthony got out of the bath and dressed hurriedly in the plain brown coat, black breeches and matching waistcoat Judd had left for him. If he caught a cab down to the shipping office by the docks he should still be able to meet Valentin. He paused to check his reflection in the mirror. His lips were a little bruised and swollen, but apart from that, he looked well enough. Lord Minshom was always very careful not to mark his lovers above the neck.

****

You’re originally from England but moved across the pond to California, do you ever see yourself moving back? What is the most exciting thing about where you live?

I’m not sure if I could take the weather over in England anymore. I like my sunshine too much :) But I do miss my family and friends over there, so maybe when I’m famous, I’ll have a house in London as well and a private jet to take me back there quickly!

I live in the Bay Area near San Francisco and it is a fabulous place to live. You can reach the beach, the mountains, the lakes, the snow and the beauties and sophistication of the city itself all within a few hours drive. What’s not to like?

What is the most extreme sport you’ve ever done, or adventure you’ve ever taken, and what did you learn about yourself?

I did a tandem sky-dive on my 40th birthday-is that extreme enough? I learned that I can scream really loudly with terror, and yet still feel more alive and more aware of being alive than I’d ever felt before.

If you were a nail polish, what would it be called and why?

I would be Pansy Pinkalicious Sparkles because, well-that name says it all, right? And my 7 year old daughter would love it so much.

Any advice for our writers or parting words for our readers?

Just keep writing and please keep reading!!


ABOUT KATE:

Kate Pearce was born into a large family of girls in England, and spent much of her childhood living very happily in a dream world. Despite being told that she really needed to ‘get with the program’, she graduated from the University College of Wales with an honors degree in history.

After graduation, real life did intervene and she ended up working in finance which was not the greatest career choice for a would-be writer!

A move to the USA finally allowed her to fulfill her dreams and sit down and write that novel. Along with being a voracious reader, Kate loves trail riding with her family, ‘western style’ in the regional parks of Northern California

Kate writes in several different romance sub-genres under different names. She is a member of RWA and is published by Kensington Aphrodisia, Ellora’s Cave and Virgin Black Lace/Cheek.

To find out more about Kate, visit her online at http://katepearce.com

Hello, Hooked on Romance readers!

I’m “Lunatic” Lucy Woodhull and am trés honored to be guest blogging for Jenius Jax this fine Monday. Please keep reading - I’m bribing you with a contest and everything!

If you’re anything like me on Mondays, you’re lucky to make it out of the house with your underpants on the inside of your clothes. So I thought I’d initiate the world’s easiest writing exercise - Romance Mad Libs! Yes, you, too can write a “quality” romance novel, using the handy-dandy form I’ve given below.

Meet Lady Chastity Quiverlips and the wicked man who wishes to capture her lush, throbbing… er… heart.

Give us your best mad lib in the comments! Special points for use of the word “mantitty” (with all honorifics to the Smart Bitches). I will be choosing the best terrible mad lib and offering a copy of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES to the winner! Huzzah!

***

Lady Chastity Quiverlips gasped at the sound of a _________ behind her. "By the _________s!" she exclaimed _________ly.

"All alone in the _________, eh Lady Quiverlips?" a familiar voice purred. Oh, no! That voice belonged to none other than Lord Guy Princely, the _________ Earl of _________. Heavens to Betsy, if she were caught _________ with him all alone in the _________ her reputation would be _________! Everyone knew of his _________ penchant for _________ing young, _________ maidens, and, also, of his love of _________ _________ _________ing them!

"N-no!" Chastity turned and gasped. As usual, the vision of his _________ _________ unnerved her. And something else as well... a _________ feeling of _________ pulsated through her _________s at the very sight of his well-muscled _________. "I am expecting my _________ to join me at any moment," she _________ed.

"Nonsense!" said Lord Princely, _________ly. With nary a by-your-leave, he pulled Chastity into his manly _________. "Finally, I have you _________ _________! Now, Chastity, I shall _________ _________ you as I have always dreamed of! And, also, I shall _________ you for good measure. You look like you could use a good _________ing."

Her head spun _________ly in three wild directions at once. It was true - she could use a good _________ing. But how did he know? The feel of his _________ on her _________ caused her _________ _________ to spasm _________ly. Never had her _________ spasmed so! Not even that one time, when a _________ had _________d her _________, last March.

"Lord Princely! You must stop this _________ing at once!" She pushed against his _________ frame to no avail. He was stronger than a _________ wrassling a _________ _________ and beefcakier than a _________ _________. "I shall never be your _________!"

He laughed, the dark _________ sound sending _________ down her _________. "It is pointless to _________, luscious Chastity. Never forget, I know all about the _________ you once _________ _________! I shall tell everyone your secret unless you let me _________ _________ your creamy _________. Haha! When I’m through _________ing you, you shan’t be called Chastity anymore, but will have to answer to the name of _________!”

Shucks and drat! How did he know her secret? Chastity _________d. Her poor, virginal _________ might never recover from the sexy onslaught of Lord Princely’s _________ _________.


ABOUT LUCY:

Lucy Woodhull has a background as an actress and producer, as well as writer. She loves to laugh and to make others laugh. Red lipstick and vintage clothing are amongst her favorite things, as well as a shameful enjoyment of the teenage angst show Gossip Girl. Her favorite non-shameful authors include Elizabeth Peters, Anne Perry and Alexander McCall Smith. In her spare time Lucy enjoys out-punning her friends and inspiring her wonderful husband to call her “weird”. She owns a cat. A very fat, rather bitchy, cat.

She is finishing edits, together with her writing partner Fellatia Langley, on her first complete novel, a romance parody called Love’s Bountiful Bulge. Recently she completed a sci-fi rom com novella, Ragnar and Juliet, which she would love to sell you. Learn more at www.lucywoodhull.com or her blog, http://www.yousayweird.blogspot.com/

**As a thank you, I'm giving away a copy of SECOND CHANCES. If you post a comment on this blog, I'll add your name to the drawing. Leave your email address if you want to be included. A winner will be chosen at the end of the day.**





SECOND CHANCES: A Ramos Brothers Story
Release Date: September 18th
Publisher: Cobblestone Press

When Elaina Matthews ran into Sebastian Ramos at his grandmother’s house, she never expected it would lead to another night of wild sex. Or a relationship.

Sebastian knows what he wants and that’s Elaina in his life and in his bed, forever. He moves full-steam ahead in getting her to agree to a relationship. But will his desire for Elaina overwhelm her and end their relationship before it really starts. And there is another problem on the horizon for the new couple – what will his family say when they discover he’s dating his brother’s ex?


One thing has always been consistent in my life – my writing. Or rather, my need to write. When I was a child if you asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up, the answer would have been a published author.

I write because I love it. But it is hard. Long hours spent in front of the computer, hours in isolation with little interaction outside of online forums and friends. Have I wanted to give up? Yes. But I still persevered, kept writing because I love it. The thrill of creating worlds, crafting characters, manipulating situations and plotting storylines.

On this path I have learned much, like don’t compare myself, my writing or my word count to others. There will be good days writing wise but a bad day is only one where I have not tried to write anything. And there have been a few of those along the way.

Learning how to balance real life with my writing life, balancing being a sister, daughter, caretaker, friend with promo, writing time and building an online persona. My real life is what helps to feed my creative juices and energy and provides story ideas and character insight.

Have I dropped some balls? Yes. But I just picked them up and got going on. I’m not done by a long shot. I have a harddrive full of stories and ideas that need to be finished and developed.

Today I am lucky enough to say that my dream has come true. I have had one novella published with Phaze Books titled TAKE ME AS I AM. And I have another short story coming out for with Cobblestone Press titled SECOND CHANCES. SECOND CHANCES is actually the first in a planned series centered around a group of brothers – The Ramos Brothers.

TAKE ME AS I AM started as an heterosexual romance based on a comment I heard on a radio show. It turned out to be a reunion story about the love two men share for each other. And the funny thing is that SECOND CHANCES is another reunion story. It started out as a story about a one night stand without a happily ever after. When the story evolved into what it is now which is a romance between friends who share a unique past.

ABOUT ANGELEQUE:

Angeleque was born and raised to be a “good girl”, she followed the rules until she graduated college. She decided to have fun and live by her own rules. Angeleque is the bad girl to her real life good girl who wants to have fun and live life to it's fullest. The practical side of Angeleque (who always has money saved up for bail) is one of the aspects of the real me which shines through.

She loves to travel, has a thirst and passion for life and love that shines through in her writing. She admits to liking sex (and is not afraid to admit it), motorcycles, leather and roller coasters. And can appreciate the sexiness and mystery of both genders.

To find out more about Angeleque, visit her at:

Webpage: http://angelequeford.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/angeleque
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/angelequeford
Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/angelequeford/

The kids are back in school and October 13th is rapidly approaching, so I settled in this last week to work. To kick things off I created a new To Do list and let me tell you...it's long. The good news is that I am getting to mark things off now that I have it written down to serve as a motivation.

The biggest thing I've tackled so far is a short story that will be a free read on a Samhain site in October. Ian and Kieralyn from SOUNDS TO DIE BY go to a party where we meet Eden Maverick and Breck Lawson. Eden is struggling with the possibility that the love of her life who vanished two years ago is about to reappear (or that she's somehow the brunt of a cruel joke) and Breck is realizing that as much as he wants a relationship with Eden she'll only ever be an honorary sister for him - he seems to be collecting sisters these days.

It was a challenge for me to write something so short, we were limited to 3-4 thousand words, but the few people who've read it for me have said that I've done well with it. It was fun to play with some characters that I've been "finished" with for awhile and explore a new hero a little more. Now I'm really chomping at the bit to settle in with that hero and finish his story.

While I do that, be sure you come back Thursday to visit with Rosemary Clement-Moore. She's a super lady and you don't want to miss her.

Also, I have a contest going on at my website. Check it out!

**CONGRATULATIONS CATHY M! You won Stephanie Adkin's eBook!**

Hello everyone! It's release day for my contemporary erotic romance suspense novella, RESISTING KANE, and I'm so happy to be celebrating it here at Hooked On Romance!

In honor of it's debut, I'll be giving away a free copy to one lucky person who leaves a comment on this post. To enter, all you have to do is answer this question: What's the hardest thing for YOU to resist? Is it chocolate? Jewelry? Your sexy next door neighbor? *wink* I'll be drawing a winner tonight, so get those comments rolling!

Now, here's a little peek at RESISTING KANE. I hope you enjoy it!


BLURB:

Past inequities are hard to forget … and harder still to forgive. After fifteen years, high school classmates Madison Carey and Terence Kane are forced to work together to stop a madman whose sole purpose is to seek revenge … with her life as the prize.


EXCERPT:

The weekend had dragged by in a monotonous way that had Madison almost excited to head back to work the next morning. At least she would be around other people. She’d had several calls from friends over the weekend to go out for drinks and such, but she turned them down, not wanting to risk anyone finding out the circumstances that surrounded her. She wasn’t used to being without her friends and having no one to pass the time with. Normally she was encompassed in a bustle of activity so the quietness made her two-story home feel even bigger … and emptier. Waking up early that morning, she had bounded out of bed, eager to get dressed and back to work just so she would have someone to talk to. Walking down the stairway, she rolled her eyes in distain the moment she saw Terry waiting for her in the foyer.

“Good morning, Madison.” He said cheerfully.

By placing her hands on her hips, she avoided the urge to slap the smugness off his face. It was bad enough for them to be thrown together against her wishes, but seeing how he was obviously enjoying her misery over the whole situation made it even worse.

“I really don’t see why it’s necessary for you to drive me. I have a chauffeur who can do the same thing with far less aggravation.” She said, walking past him and into the den.

As he followed her every move, she heard him chuckle under his breath. Choosing to ignore it rather than start a futile argument with him, she looked around the room for her purse. She vaguely remembered setting it down in the den when she returned from work Friday evening, but now it was nowhere to be seen. Maybe the housekeeper had moved it.

“Your chauffeur isn’t the one being paid to protect you.” He said, picking up her purse from a nearby table and handing it to her. “Look, Madison, I know you’re not thrilled with me being assigned to your case. That’s pretty obvious.”

Snatching it from his hand, she stormed past him and walked toward the kitchen.

“Good. Then I can stop pretending to be civil toward you.”

After pouring herself a cup of coffee, she fumbled with some paperwork on the countertop while Terry stood nearby and watched. In his black dress pants, long-sleeved blue shirt, and tie, she had to admit he looked quite handsome, but she immediately forced the thought from her mind as quickly as it had entered. She wouldn’t go there again if her life depended on it.

“Pretend all you want. I’m not going anywhere. It’s my job to watch over you and I’m going to do my job whether you like it or not.” He replied, arrogantly crossing his arms over his chest. “I see you haven’t changed any. You still want things done your way or no way.”

Swallowing hard, Madison glared at him, trying valiantly not to wail at him with her claws bared.

“You might have walked over me and everyone else you looked down upon in high school, but you won’t do it to me again, Terence Kane. I don’t need your protection. My Father hired you. I didn’t. I can take care of myself.”

Shaking his head in disbelief, he walked toward her and cornered her against the kitchen counter before she had time to escape. Undaunted, she looked up into his cold hazel eyes and never flinched. She had been up against far more intimidating men than him in her lifetime, and she wasn’t about to be bullied.

“You can stand here and act all high and mighty as long as you want to, Madison Carey. I can do this all day long.” He seethed. Placing his hands on either side of her against the counter, his glare was unwavering. “The fact that you’re rich and well-known in this shallow business you seem to love won’t stop Joseph Sinclair from killing you if he’s given the slightest opportunity.”

His breath was hot against her skin, and even though she knew she should try and step away from him, her feet felt permanently glued to the floor. She couldn’t remember a time she had ever been this close to him and it was unsettling to say the least. The scent of his cologne pervaded her senses and, as much as she tried, she couldn’t control her body from quivering.

“Terry, I know the thought of some helpless woman falling at your feet excites you, but I don’t need you. If he makes the mistake of getting near me, I’ll … I’ll just take care of it. I’ll kill him if I have to.”

“And how do you expect to do that?” He asked incredulously.

Shrugging her shoulders, Madison tore her gaze away from him and glanced out the window, refusing to look him in the eye. She had protected herself this long; she certainly didn’t need him to start doing it. What he didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him.

Jerking away from her, Terry inhaled sharply as if something had suddenly occurred to him. Then, before she had time to react, he grabbed her purse with both hands and poured all of its contents on the countertop. Bewildered, she tried to stop him, but he was much too strong.

“What the hell are you doing? You have no right going through my things! Stop it!” She yelled.

He opened every zipper and compartment as Madison looked on helplessly. With his jaws clenched tightly together, he franticly searched through her wallet, every lipstick case, and every other content scattered on top of the kitchen counter as if searching for buried treasure.

“What are you hiding, Madison? A knife? A gun? Where is it?” He demanded, turning to look at her. The severity behind his gaze was probably meant to alarm her, but instead she felt her knees weaken.

Grabbing her by the waist, he pushed her back against the counter. His lips were so close that she could feel each of his ragged breaths as they slid across her own. It was enough to make her heart race and her head spin.

Unsure of what to do next, she looked up at him and waited expectantly. For reasons she couldn’t explain, she desperately hoped he would kiss her, but instead he began frisking her. Confused and angry, she tried pushing him away as he patted her hips with both of his hands, making his way down her body.

“No! Stop it, Terry! I don’t have …”

Now on his knees in front of her, her pleading ended abruptly when she felt his hands grasp the pistol she had strapped to her right thigh. As he looked up at her, the shock was apparent in his gaze, and suddenly she was afraid to say anything else that might anger him even further.

“Madison …” He began, the disappointment evident in his tone of voice.

“I’ve been carrying it for protection. That’s all.” She said resolutely. “It’s mine, Terry. I own it legally. I have the documents to prove it.”

“It’s dangerous, Madison. You could hurt yourself or someone else accidentally.”

As he lifted her skirt to her thighs and his hands slipped beneath it, she closed her eyes and sighed deeply as his fingers grazed her skin.

“You forget who my Father is. I know how to use a gun.”

Deftly, he slid his fingers over her skin as he began removing the gun and holster while she clutched the side of the counter to keep from falling. It was maddening having him so close to where she wanted to be touched. Her defenses down, she relaxed against the kitchen counter and tried to keep her voice from shaking with emotion.

“I’m tired of looking over my shoulder all the time. I’m sick of worrying if today is going to be the day that Joseph gets his revenge. You don’t understand. I just wanted something to help me feel safe.”

After resting the gun and holster on the floor, he slid his hands up her legs once again where he clasped on to the hem of her skirt and pulled it back down, smoothing it into place. She expected him to let go, but instead he held on for several agonizing seconds. The warmth of his fingers made her dizzy. It was exhilarating almost to the point of being painful.

“That’s what I’m here for. You don’t need this anymore.”

The tenderness in his touch made her wince. She wanted to reach out and twine her fingers through his hair, but before she had the chance to, he abruptly picked up the gun and holster and stood up.

“I’ll keep these.” He said sharply, never once looking her in the eye. “We should go.”

As he turned and walked away, Madison held on to the counter and tried to catch her breath. Suddenly catapulted back to reality, she felt angry all over again. After all these years, she was still acting like a fool around him. She should have known he still had a heart of stone. Damn him! Throwing her belongings back into her purse, she cursed him under her breath and silently swore that it would never happen again. He wasn’t worth it. He never was.


ABOUT STEPHANIE:

Growing up in a household that consisted of four brothers and no sisters, Stephanie Adkins spent most of her childhood locked in her bedroom, escaping the testosterone by filling page after page of her diaries with short stories and poetry. Now, surrounded by even more men in her life – her husband of fifteen years and two sons – she still enjoys the “great escape” by turning her childhood dreams into reality … one story at a time.

Since August 2008, Stephanie has been published with Wild Child Publishing, Liquid Silver Books, Phaze Books, and Cobblestone Press.

You can visit her at:
http://www.stephanieadkins.com

**CONGRATULATIONS LESLIE DICKEN! You just won Kristen Painter's latest release ALL FIRED UP in eBook format. Please contact me to collect your prize at jaxcassidy @ gmail.com **


THE ART OF INSPIRATION

One thing Jax and I share is a love of great, interesting art, so it seemed a no brainer to me to blog about the topic of art as inspiration. Especially since my debut book, ALL FIRED UP, was solely inspired by a picture I found on Deviant Art called Mixed Ashes by Mahtaliel. If you haven’t been to Deviant Art, you’re really missing out. Some of the artists there are AMAZING!



The picture stayed with me so much that I returned over and over to look at it. Like most writers, the “what if” gene is strong and I started thinking…What if this guy were real? What if the Phoenix wasn’t a bird but a man? What if he had the power to change past mistakes? The questions kept coming and the story began to unfold like a scroll of possibilities.

And so, ALL FIRED UP was born. And Mahtaliel gave me permission to post the pic on my website as well so that readers can see what inspired the book. I even sent a copy of the pic to the cover artist who did my Samhain cover. I think you can see a little of it in there, don’t you?

What art has inspired you lately?

Mahtaliel’s Gallery: http://mahtaliel.deviantart.com/gallery/


ABOUT KRISTEN:

Kristen Painter is a former college English teacher, personal trainer, advertising exec, maitre d’, and runway model. When not building fantastical worlds, creating new characters or plotting herself out of a corner, she hangs out in the forum at Romancedivas.com, the award-winning site she co-founded with Jax Cassidy, blogs at www.kristenpainter.blogspot.com (except for Tuesday's when she's on deck at www.fictionistas.blogspot.com) or tweets at http://twitter.com/Kristen_Painter.

She’s represented by The Knight Agency.

I know that Mondays are normally my day but for the rest of September I'm having guest bloggers fill in for me while I'm off taking care of my mum in Florida. So today, please welcome my friend MG BRADEN who's kind enough to step in this first week of my hiatus....

Thanks, Jax, for having me on Hooked on Romance today.

My name is MG Braden, but you can call me Michelle. Or MG. Or Ms. Braden if you're nasty. :-) I am the author of five contemporary romances and one erotic paranormal in varying lengths. But, I'm not here to talk about my writing today, although I will be giving away an ebook of Snowbound to one lucky commenter.

I'm here as a candidate for the 2009/2010 RWA Board of Directors. I am running for Regional Director, Region 4. Even though I am running for Region 4, all voting members vote for all regions, so it is important you get to know every candidate in each region. This is a member organization, make sure you (if you are a member) have a say and an interest in who is representing you on the BOD.

I heard recently that it was considered distasteful for the candidates to campaign for office in the RWA. I'm not sure who started this rumour or even why, because we (and by that I mean myself and several other candidates that have discussed this) have never received any official word that this is not ok. Why would it be in bad form? Why distasteful? If you don't know the people you are voting for, how can you choose? Again, this is your organization, it will only be what you help to make it.

Therefore, so you can get to know me a little, I present you with my official RWA bio (as opposed to the more whimsical one on my website http://www.mgbraden.com):

Michelle (MG) Braden has been writing for over twenty years, but only decided to pursue publication in 2006. A RWA PRO member, Michelle is an epublished author who is presently seeking representation for a single title manuscript. She has volunteered at both the National conference and the Emerald City Writers' Conference. Michelle is the Vice-President of the ESPAN Chapter and also belongs to the GSRWA, Chick Lit and Kiss of Death (where she previously served as the Murder One Coordinator) chapters. A business owner and entrepreneur, she has spent a good number of years in business administration and management.

You can see my list of the official RWA Member Questions and Answers on my blog and you can go to the RWA National website and see how all of the candidates answered these questions.

So here's the thing. I am not any better or worse than my opponents. I just have a different perspective (as we all do). We all bring different things to the table, so what you need to do is review what you know, what you need to know, what you want to know and weigh it when you cast your vote. If you have questions, I urge you to email the candidate and ask.

Bottom line for me: I am not a politician and I am not good at playing games. What I am good at is working hard and persevering. I do not give up easily and I do not think that there is only one solution for any given problem. If elected I can promise you that I will work hard to address the needs of all members, to the very best of my abilities, within the context and constraints of the position.

I am actually out of town and away from the internet (unbelievable as that may sound, but I'm really going to try) as this posts, I am returning on September 7th and look forward to reading any and all responses upon my return. Every eligible comment (which means not spam and more than a Hello or hi or enter me) will be entered for a chance to win a copy of my ebook, Snowbound.

To find out more about MG BRADEN, visit:

www.mgbraden.com or her BLOG

I met Marcia the second time I attended the annual Moonlight & Magnolias conference put on each year by the lovely ladies of GRW. Her writing mirrors her personality...fresh and colorful. She is truly an amazing individual and a talented author. I'm so pleased to introduce her to you all and hope you enjoy getting to know her.



**Please comment for a chance to win a free ebook from Marcia. Winner will be chosen at random and announced on this blog Friday**

Where are you from?
Utica, NY

When and why did you begin writing?
I started in 2000 because I had finished reading everything associated with Laurel K. Hamilton and wanted another fix. Since there wasn't anything else out there I could find, I started writing my own.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
After I started putting in the hours and noticed that I didn't have much of a life because of it.

Do you have a specific writing style?
I'm a panster, mostly, although I will plot from time to time when I struggle with how a scene will play out.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing
Not really. I'm open to all styles or methods, but when it comes down to it, I always seem to go back to "old reliable" pansting.

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work? I LOVE Kelley Armstrong. She was the first author who made me wonder if werewolves could really exist in our world today.

What was the hardest part of writing UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT? The sex scenes. I'm usually not one for writing sex because I don't know where to put it in a book. Luckily, several opportunities came up during UE and I took advantage of them all. The last thing I want is two characters going at it while the killer is lurking outside the door.

Do you have any advice for other writers?
Always make time to write. Even if that means stealing a few minutes to plot out a scene. It'll keep you focus on your work and there might come a time when you push through the "I hate this book" phase to "I love this book!"

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
I hope I'm doing a good job and if I am, I'd love to hear about it. Don't be afraid because I love conversing with readers.

What can we expect to see next from you?
More on my werecheetahs and more urban fantasy. Hopefully, a paranormal YA in my future, too. ;-)

EXCERPT - UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT


Pummeling footfalls pounded around them. Sinclair clutched Nahla and hunkered down behind a tree.

Several cheetahs stampeded through the underbrush, heading straight for the cottage. Sinclair’s heart sank as one led the way, followed by two more on its heels.

When the cheetahs passed within a few feet of them, Sinclair leapt out of her hiding place and shouted, “Rio! Runnnnnnn!”

Growls lit up the area in front of them as they crashed through the forest, paws skidding across the gravel driveway.

She couldn’t stay there knowing Rio was in danger, nor could she leave her niece alone in the woods. Who knew what other horrors lurked out there? Hoisting Nahla onto her hip, she forged ahead, prepared to live with the cost of her decision.

Sinclair burst through the woods on the side of the cottage, a few feet from the Pathfinder’s open door. It waited for her like a free offering. Fleeing to the SUV, she shoved Nahla in the passenger seat and got in behind her. Unlike the women in the movies, she had no problem with slamming the key into the ignition and starting the engine.

“Sinclair!” Rio shouted.

She lifted her head. Rio and Kyle left the heavy-metal man curled into the fetal position on the ground and came to the driver’s side. It dawned on her for the first time that the buzz-cut man and the cheetahs had disappeared. Could they have been the ones in the woods?

Sinclair triggered her window. Before she could say a word, Rio reached inside and pulled her in for a kiss.

“Are you two okay?” he asked, glancing at a frightened Nahla in the other seat.

Breathing hard, she replied, “We’re fine. But they’re out there, Rio. There are real monsters out there. I’m talking men turning into cheetahs!”

“I know,” he said, scanning the area and wrinkling his nose with a whiff. “I want you and Nahla to stay inside until I say it’s safe, understand?”

He knows? Sinclair couldn’t answer him. How did he know about the monsters lurking around the house? Did he know they would be paying him a visit? Funny, how he showed up at just the right time too.

Sinclair watched her niece as she sat on her knees and rocked back and forth in the seat. But it was the smile and the way Nahla looked at Rio that bothered her. “What are you smiling at? Aren’t you scared of the monsters?”

She shook her head. “No. Wee-oh like ‘em. But he’s diff-went. He help us. Not hurt us. Uncle Kyle too.”

“What do you mean like them?” She glanced at Rio who pointed toward two cheetahs who began stalking the front of the cottage. Where did they come from?

“Both kitties too. But they friendly kitties. I smell it, Auntie Sin. Can’t you?”



ABOUT MARCIA:

Paranormal author Marcia Colette was born and raised in a single-parent household in upstate New York. She graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a bachelors degree in biomedical engineering and a masters degree in information technology from American Intercontinental University. After a couple of moves from north to south to north, she is now living in the south again in the lovely state of North Carolina.

Unlike many authors, Marcia hadn’t discovered her love for reading until her late twenties. As it turned out, her tastes were very selective and different than most of the stuff her English teachers tried to shove down her throat. She has been a lover of the paranormal from her first horror movie and has never looked back.

Marcia is a member of the Horror Writers Association, Paranormal Mystery Writers, and Romance Writers of America.

The best place to find her is on her blog where she loves connecting with readers and other writers.

Conferences/conventions where sci-fi, fantasy, and horror reign supreme are a good bet, too, along with the occasional romance conference. Her website is www.marciacolette.com

**UPDATED: And the winner is...BRENDA! Congratulations on winning Julie's (aka B.H. Dark) eBook. Please email me at jaxcassidy@gmail.com to claim your prize.

Thanks for participating!**


I had met Julie Cohen during RWA conference a while ago and I always thought she was pretty cool but never had the opportunity to spend time with her. This year, I had the pleasure of sitting across from her at the Literacy for Life Signing in Washington, DC. We smiled and waved at each other and she even tossed me some chocolates. With her cool fashion sense, bright red streaks and laid back attitude, we just had to become friends! So, I’m very happy to introduce her to you all. She’s currently residing in the UK but she’s already making a splash in the US.

Julie also writes sexy alien abduction stories for Samhain Publishing under her alter ego B.H. Dark with author Kathy Love. There’s never enough books about sexy, edgy men from outer space, that’s for sure!

**Here's your chance to win her eBook CLOSE ENCOUNTERS. All you need to do is post a comment and we'll pick a name at random. Winner will be announced on Friday.**

Now, let’s officially welcome Julie, my friend from the other side of the pond, to Hooked on Romance!

Thank you, Jax! It was great to catch up with you again in DC and I’m so pleased you invited me here to Hooked on Romance.

You’ve written quite a few books for Harlequin as well as some single titles that have a fun and unique, almost chick-lit style voice. Was it a difficult jump from the structured Harlequin romances to your current projects?

I’ve been making the transition from category romance to chick-lit/women’s fiction for a few years now, and to be honest it’s both exhilarating and scary. I love writing for Harlequin, but there were so many things I wanted to write about that just weren’t going to fit in a category romance novel. So I was lucky to have a single title romance accepted for a new romance imprint in the UK, Little Black Dress, when it was just starting out. And my editor there has been wonderful at encouraging me to spread my wings. My books have been getting longer and longer (and some might say, stranger and stranger) and I’ve been working on structuring more complex stories that have a lot of romance, sure, but also deal with friendship, family, career, and very important things like Star Trek and cardboard Wookies.

The B. H. Dark book, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS, on the other hand, is just a pure sex romp. That was enormous fun to write, pleasure from beginning to end. I especially loved using all those dirty words!

I am sure sci-fi fans are going to love your current release, GIRL FROM MARS. Can you tell us a little bit about the book and provide an excerpt for our readers?

Philomena Desdemona Brown (Fil for short) is an artist for the long-running comic book Girl from Mars. She’s a geek, a tomboy, and a misfit with blue hair. She spends the rare times when she’s not drawing with her only friends, three similarly misfittish men, watching Star Trek and X-Files reruns and arguing about who’s the best super hero ever.

One day, though, one of her friends falls in love, and suddenly isn’t around any more. Stung by the rejection, Fil and her remaining two friends take a vow (in Klingon) to forsake all romantic relationships and stick together.

But changes are afoot at Girl from Mars—including a handsome new writer who seems determined to make unwanted changes in the comic, and in Fil’s life.

It’s a fun, funny book about friendship, love and comics and I absolutely loved writing it.

Here’s an excerpt from when Fil meets an attractive stranger, by accidentally switching coffees with him in her favourite café:

“I‘m not sick or anything.”

It was an American accent, and it was right next to me again. I opened my eyes and he was standing beside my table.

“Uh,” I said. “What?”

“I thought you might be worried after drinking from my cup, that you might have caught something. So I thought I’d reassure you that I’m not sick.”

“Um. Well. Thank you.”

He stood there as if he were expecting me to say something else. But what would I say? Sorry I was staring at you, it’s just that you’re handsome and I can’t help drawing you, you know, just as an exercise?

So I was quiet. He cleared his throat a bit.

“I’m Dan.” He held out his hand to me. He had a broad palm, but not square or clumsy. A deep-grooved life line, and a broken love line. I looked at it.

“Like I said, I’m not contagious,” he said. “Not at the moment, anyway.”

“Oh.” I shook his hand, which was what he’d meant for me to do all along. I noticed how small and scrubby my hand looked, how untidy the nails, how smudged with pencil.

“What’s your name?” he prompted.

“Philomena.” Should I ask him to sit down, though I couldn’t imagine anything more embarrassing?

“That’s an unusual name.”

I nodded. My parents were both university lecturers in literature. I was lucky I wasn’t named Eustacia Vye.

“Do you live around here?” he asked.

“No, I work nearby.”

He nodded. I nodded back. Was it my turn to say something?

“Well, I’ve got to—” I began at the same time that he said, “Do you mind if I sit down?”

“—Be going,” I finished.

“Oh. All right. Nice meeting you, Philomena.”

“Um. Yeah.”

I pushed aside the rest of my coffee and stood up, even though I didn’t have to be going, even though I could really use that coffee, because Daniel’s smile made me all hot and twitchy, like a feverish hamster.

I should’ve drunk the decaf, because then he’d never have talked to me. He could have ignored me like every other attractive man in the world usually did, which was really for the best because I was such a fool when I felt this way.

“See you around,” he said as I left.

I hope not, I thought.

Where do you get your creative ideas? What inspired GIRL FROM MARS?

I got the idea for GIRL FROM MARS from reading comic books. I love them, but a lot of them seem to be very male-centred. I thought, what would it be like for a female comic book artist in a male world? I love writing about outsiders, so she appealed to me immediately. I pictured her, probably a bit of a tomboy, a lot of a geek. She’d have male friends, and she’d be uncertain of how to act like a “proper” woman. Then I thought of her name—Philomena Desdemona Brown—and suddenly, I had her. Because she feels like an alien herself, I had the title, too, GIRL FROM MARS, which is the title of one of my favourite songs, by Ash. It’s also a play on the title of the self-help book MEN ARE FROM MARS, WOMEN ARE FROM VENUS.

The rest of the book then wrote itself...er, I wish.

Your website announces this year is the year of the robots, can you tell us more about this? It sounds intriguing!

Ahh, well it’s because I’ve got two books that are vaguely science-fictiony out this year. GIRL FROM MARS has a Dalek in it, and I was lucky enough to have my photo taken next to a Dalek when I was visiting the BBC. (Note: Daleks are evil robots from the Dr Who television series.) Alas, there are no robots in CLOSE ENCOUNTERS, unless you count a big vibrator. Anyway, robots are cool. I think C3PO is hot.

Let’s have a little fun, after all, this blog is about being easily entertained….so, what is the most daring thing you’ve ever done and did you get caught?

I said the word “cunnilingus” on national television once. They edited it out.

Well, I won't edit you out because I should have known what I was getting into by asking that question! LOL

If you were a lipstick color, what would it be called and why?

Um...I know I should should come up with something like “Siren Temptation” or “Red Devil” or “Crimson Sin” but sadly I’m just not that clever or sexy. So how about “Funky Fuchsia” as that appears to be my hair colour at the moment?

What projects should we look out for in your future?

My next book is called NINA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF GLOOM. It’s the story of what happens when a typical shoe-obsessed chick-lit heroine suddenly loses everything and is forced to live in a run-down gothic mansion with spiders and a brooding, nocturnal upstairs neighbour. And no shoes. It should be out in 2010.

Any parting words for new authors? For our readers?

I think the best advice I heard recently was what Janet Evanovich said at the RWA National conference. She said “Don’t save anything for the next book. Put everything you’ve got into this one.”

I hold her personally responsible for the midnight stolen-horseradish-dealing, crop-circle-creating, airplane-flying scene in my latest manuscript.


ABOUT JULIE:

Growing up in small-town Maine, Julie Cohen dreamed of doing three things: moving to England, writing books, and marrying Paul McCartney. Well, the last one didn’t work out, but she’s accomplished the first two, and has become an international bestseller with her sexy Harlequin romances and her “funny, clever” romantic comedies from Headline (UK). HIS FOR THE TAKING was shortlisted for the UK Romantic Novelists’ Association 2008 Romance Prize, and HONEY TRAP took first place in the 2009 Romance Writers Ink’s More than Magic contest. She lives in England with her rock god husband, their small son, and about a million guitars. Her website is http://www.julie-cohen.com.

All sorts of great things are happening recently. The kids are going to visit grandparents for the week, the first round of edits are done and turned into my editor, school starts soon, I'm on the coming-soon page at www.SamhainPublishing.com, and I have an official release date for Sounds to Die By!

So mark your calendars for October 13th! I’m planning an online celebration because this is not only my release day, it’s my 15th wedding anniversary.

Also, be sure to swing by Long and Short Reviews today for the trivia question of hte day that will get you entered in a drawing for a Sony eReader! Here's the link (http://longandshortreviews.com/) and at least one of today's questions will lead you to my website.

Have a great week!

**UPDATED: First off, CONGRATULATIONS, JENNIFER LEELAND! You just won a copy of FLAWED. Please email me to claim your prize :)

EMBER CASE is an awesome writer and equally awesome in person! I’m happy to have her visit our blog today. Besides being a writer of HOT romance, she’s also taking on a proactive role by running for Region 3 representative as Karen Steele at the next RWA elections. I’m interested in what she has to say about taking that leap into romance politics as well as learning more about her current release!

And as a bonus, here's your chance to win an eBook of FLAWED. Just post a question or comment to be entered in a chance to win OR tell us what you'd be willing to give up to make your dreams come true. **A winner will be chosen at random and will be announced on this blog on Friday**


First off, what made you decide to run for Region 3 and why?

I believe very strongly in the principles and goals that RWA was founded with. The organization has a history of members who supported each other, working together to develop their writing and the genre they loved. The 37 original members of RWA came together and really blazed a new trail.

But publishing has gone through some amazing changes over the three decades since RWA was founded. Changes in how books are published have affected every publishing house. Advances, print runs, and marketing have all felt the impact. These changes are still coming, and the ripples they create are impacting every aspect of publication.

It’s going to take strong leadership to continue guiding RWA as the organization faces new challenges and explores developing opportunities. I believe the organization needs board members committed to educating themselves on where Romance Writers of America came from, and looking with sharp eyes at where insightful and balanced leadership can take us. My own enthusiasm for hard work, open mind to new approaches, and belief that RWA can continue to develop and grow have led me to run for office.

You’ve been really active in the online chapters including the Passionate Ink and ESPAN, what drives you and why is volunteering for these efforts so important to you?

I have to credit most of it to what one of my chapter mates and fellow officers calls “helium arm”. Some things I think I have a natural skill for – organization, and technical application especially. But when I see something that needs to be done and no one else is jumping in, I just can’t seem to stop my arm from floating up in the air to say “I’ll do it”. It doesn’t mean that I think I can do something better than anyone else, but that I believe something needs to be done, and I’d rather learn on my feet to make it happen than see it not get done at all.

Especially with Passionate Ink, I came into the chapter at a time when the chapter was just finding its feet, and deciding what type of organization it was going to be. It was really important to me that it be a place where authors found total support. There is absolutely no entitlement given to any author at Passionate Ink based on what she (or he) writes, or which publishers our authors write for. Just complete support, encouragement, and a willingness to share knowledge and industry tips. We have several hundred members who know that even if they can’t tell their own mother what they write, they can tell us! When you write in a market that is frowned on or even vocally scorned by others, the confidence that support gives you can make all the difference.

ESPAN is another amazing chapter that is finding its feet right when it is most needed. It has undergone refocusing in the past year as new, strongly focused board members have come in and refused to let the chapter be thought irrelevant. The current board members, especially President Kristen Painter and VP MG Braden (who is also running for a seat on the board – she’s running for Region 4) are amazing, strong willed women who aren’t afraid to shake things up if that’s what is needed to get the job done. Like with Passionate Ink, ESPAN’s members are all part of different “niches” in romance writing – in ESPAN, they’re all either published electronically or by a small press, or they’re someone who wants to support those writers. Some of the most knowledgeable minds in digital and small romance press are members in ESPAN, and I think the chapter can have a strong voice in educating writers looking for information in these markets.

I’m really excited about your new release, can you give us some details and an excerpt for our readers?

Oh wow, this has been an amazing summer! Flawed released from Samhain a few weeks ago, and I was amazed by the feedback from readers on this one who say they love the genre bending of high fantasy and erotic romance. There are elves and magic and danger and of course that happily ever after at the end. My heroine has been stripped of her birthright – the magic that would let her rule her kingdom. But two very special heroes come into her life just when she needs them most. I love this line from the end of the official blurb – “Nothing is as it seems in the Bright Court, and their one night of exquisite pleasure could trap them all in a web of mortal danger…”

Here’s an excerpt from the opening scene –

Flawed.

The word echoed in Emilia’s ears as she slipped unnoticed from the quiet hall outside the receiving room. Futile tears unexpectedly spilled from her eyes and she fled blindly down the palace halls. But she couldn’t outrun the venomous words she had overheard spilling from her stepmother’s lips.

“With no Stone of Power, she isn’t much use to her father here at court. That sliver of dead mineral on her forehead is every bit as useless as the time she wastes with the mages. King Vayle has agreed to send her away if the stone still has not awoken after her birthmoon has passed.” Satisfaction had been clearly evident in Gisa’s voice. Emilia had lingered in the hallway, unnoticed by the ladies gathered just inside the doorway.

“Where would the king send her?” The question came from one of the handful of women clustered around Gisa like so many vultures around a fresh carcass. Gossip was the currency of the court and word that the princess could soon effectively be banished was high coin indeed.

“Does it truly matter? To the deserts of the south likely. There are many clan lords that will gladly take a princess of the forest in handfast. Several of the clansmen we welcomed tonight have expressed an interest in such a union. Even with one so flawed.”

Her father’s consort had never hidden her distaste for Emilia. In the dozen years since Gisa had seduced her way into Vayle’s bed, she’d driven every wedge possible between the king and his daughter. What had begun as a somewhat-discreet power play had developed into a dislike for Emilia that her stepmother no longer tried to hide. Now her stepmother was openly reveling in the thought that soon, Emilia could be removed from the court for good. Gisa was not from Silverhaven herself, and could not claim the title of Queen to the Bright Elf people. But she hungered for every scrap of power she could claw from her marriage to the king.

Anger, humiliation and pain screamed in her heart for release. Her father was nearing the end of his mortal life. The man who had once carried her on his shoulders and taught her to love the forest he ruled had faded away to a shell of the striking figure he once had been. Even the Stone of Power that had once pulsed between his eyes had begun to dim. If Gisa succeeded in having Emilia removed from court, how long would it be before the king’s consort ruled the council, the palace fortress of Silverhaven, even the great forest of Silvertop, queen in all but name?

The noise of the court’s revelry was fading behind her as she rounded another twisting turn in the maze that formed the palace halls. With fumbling fingers, Emilia pushed open the next door she came to and slipped soundlessly into the shadow-filled room. Closing it behind her, she leaned her overheated face against the wood’s comforting coolness. Her escape may not have been elegant, but with any luck it had gone unnoticed. Taking a deep breath and holding it in, she listened for signs anyone had noticed her departure and followed her.

She heard nothing but the rapid pounding of her heart and the shallow breaths she forced into her burning lungs. The tears she refused to let fall were blinked away, and she swallowed against the bitter taste of defeat that lingered in their wake. Satisfied her escape from the court receiving line had not been seen, Emilia sagged against the door in relief.

Attempting to calm herself from the ugly scene she had fled, she rolled her flushed face against the coolness of the wood. First one side, then the other, before she let the warming surface press against the useless dark rock that rested in her forehead. There was a distant sensation of pressure where the stone met her flesh, an unwanted reminder of her most obvious shortcoming. The stone that should have been a source of great magical power was nothing more than a daily reminder that she was, indeed, as flawed as a princess could be.

A low moan from the room behind her jerked her from her thoughts. Spinning around to find the source, Emilia stared openmouthed in surprise at the scene before her.

Gods alive.

Firelight cast a dim light over a couple near the fireplace. A large male body reclined across the brocade cushions of a finely carved settee, one long leg propped against the back of the small sofa and one braced on the floor. His thighs were spread wide, giving her a clear view of the naked muscled chest that rose from a slender waist. A cream-colored shirt of the finest shadowsilk was unbuttoned across his skin, framing the sculpted muscles and smooth ebony skin in light.

His head was thrown back in abandoned pleasure, allowing shadows to flicker across the planes of his face. A rising flame threw him into light, and then his features were cast again into the shadows. Through the haze of shock she felt a stab of recognition. Rorek Northmark, Lord Magician of Darkknell, the visiting ambassador and blood cousin to King Torek of the Shadow Elf, was sprawled in lusty abandon as she had never seen him before.

On the floor by his side, a male Shadow Elf knelt in sensual service.

So, how tumultuous was your writing journey? Was your family supportive with this career choice?

I really see myself as just barely having taken the beginning steps on the road of this career, but I’ve been incredibly fortunate so far. My first romance was accepted by Samhain Publishing just over a year after I stared writing, and they have been an amazing publisher to work with. Heidi Moore, my editor, and Executive Editor Angela James are both the kind of smart, articulate, and educated women that make you sit up and listen when they tell you something. My family has been hugely supportive too. One of my sisters is my first reader on everything – Flawed was dedicated to her. And my husband is an amazing man. He believes in me, and never lets me down when I need him.

How many books do you write a year and what have you seen the most results in doing promotions?

My writing schedule has grown over the three years since I started writing, so I can’t say there’s been a “standard” year yet. My goal for this year is to finish 3 novellas and two novels. Since January I’ve finished 2 novellas and am well into the first novel, so I’m on track so far.

Promotion for novellas is a funny animal. Since electronic novellas are only sold online, there aren’t any book signings to set up (unless you end up in a print anthology). But interacting with readers is still the key. So I do a lot of online blogging, twittering, and reader loop type discussion. A lot of it I don’t even consider “promotion” while I’m doing it – I’m sure not out there saying “Buy my book!” every day. But I’m making friends, forming bonds with readers, and if that relationship makes someone more interested in my books when they release then it’s a happy bonus. If it doesn’t, I’ve still met some amazing people on the journey.

Do you have a posse you write with? Do you suggest critique partners or beta readers?

A posse! I want a posse. I really want to be the quirky sidekick though, the one standing off to the side making snarky comments and jumping in at the last minute to bail the lead out of trouble. I think I’ll get more writing time that way.

No, my schedule has kept me from finding an in-person writing posse, but that’s one thing I love about the internet. I can find an online group at any time of the day. There’s Romance Divas, which I joined even before I found RWA – the Divas are amazing! My RWA chapters run various writing challenges, which can really help with cranking out some pages. And I’ve got a half dozen close writer friends on my IM lists that live everywhere from Australia to Great Britain; they’re my kick in the ass when I need it.

I don’t like to submit chapters to critique partners as I’m still writing, because I’m enough of a pantser that by the time I write the last chapter I’ve always got huge structural changes that need to be made. I’d feel guilty for wasting someone’s time if I’d had them critique it, then those pages ended up in the trash bin. But once I’m at The End I can’t imagine submitting something without having it critiqued. Tunnel vision on a manuscript can really keep you blind to some big flaws that are obvious to fresh eyes.

Do you ever run out of ideas and are you ever afraid that you will?

I think, of all possible horrible things that could happen to a writer, this one would be way down there as far as how likely it is that it could happen to me. I’ve got a “plots” folder from just the last 3 years with over 30 developed ideas. There’s another folder with even more ideas that haven’t made it to plot status yet. I’ve got the usual writer’s tools of a notebook by the bed, another in the car, one by every seat I frequent in the house – I write down those “What if’s” as soon as they pop in my head. “What if” is the seed to everything for me. I can’t imagine those words never popping into my head again, but even if they stopped I’ve already got more ideas than I can ever write.

What is the most extreme sport you’ve ever done, or adventure you’ve ever taken, and what did you learn about yourself?

I love caving. Spelunking. Rappelling down over a hundred feet of rope into a dark, sometimes muddy crevice in the ground, and entering a world that relatively few human eyes have ever seen. Unfortunately, there aren’t a whole lot of caves in Florida. When I lived in Alabama, I was part of a group that went out almost every weekend and explored some amazing places. It’s been much too long since I strapped on a helmet and climbing boots, but I have amazing memories of those adventures and would jump at the chance to do it again. Having to work as a team, but at the same time having to depend on my own strength to get back up that rope at the end of a long day, was a powerful feeling.

Let’s have a little fun. If you were a nail polish, what would it be called and why?

Hidden spice. Because looking at me you would see a typical PTA mom, and you’d never know just how much spice there is under my surface. Dark coral color, like the sweet ripe flesh near the pit of a peach.

What’s can we look forward to seeing from you in the future?

I’ve got a holiday release titled My Christmas Wish coming from Samhain on December 1st! This is a first for me in a few ways – it’s my first Christmas theme story, first straight contemporary with no paranormal or fantasy elements, and first straight man/woman story. Also my first story set in the French Quarter of New Orleans, and my first Sexy Cajun hero, and my first… ok stop me now, I love this story and could go on from now until December 1st about it.

Any parting words for new authors? For our readers?

Not just authors, but everyone – whatever your dream is, don’t let it go. If you believe in yourself, have something that you want bad enough to sacrifice all the unimportant things (I’ve given up almost all my TV time, and sleeping in on the weekends) then stop sitting around wishing “if only” and go make it happen. Start with that first page, or that first brush stroke, or that first step on the track, whatever the beginning step is to making your dream happen. And then don’t let it go. Don’t look back. Believe in yourself, and surround yourself with people who believe in you as well. Hold your head up high and even if you can’t quite see your goal, tell yourself it’s right there over the horizon, and keep moving toward it until you can see it, until it’s really right there in your reach.

Just believe in yourself.


ABOUT EMBER:

Ember Case was born in Louisville, Kentucky, the second of five children. Life in a large family taught her that everyone is the hero in their own life story – lesson one for the writer.

After attending college in the deep south and doing time working in the IT department at a Fortune 500 corporation, she traded in her business suits and heels for jeans and bare feet. Today in addition to her writing career Ember is a graphic artist lucky enough to work from home, and has been a small business owner for over 15 years. She has spent most of her life in the south, from Kentucky to Alabama, and now lives with her husband and their two children near the sandy beaches in Florida.

Published in short length romance since 2007, Ember has 2 published romances with Samhain Publishing, and is currently under contract with them for more.

To learn more, visit www.embercase.com

I'm working on my edits for Sounds To Die By, and I need some help. It's going to have to be fast help (like today kind of fast). Here's what I'm thinking, if you can toss out some ideas on something bad that can happen to a woman in her college years, I'm not looking for horribly tragic or a mild bad breakup, it would be great. This would need to be something that she can get through with the help of an awesome friend who's there to pick her up and help her along. Something that would forge a really strong bond between two women.

If I use your idea in the story I will mention you in the dedication and you'll get an ARC of the book when it's ready. What do you say? Can you help me?

Post as many ideas as you can come up with by the end of the day and we'll go from there. Thank you in advance for helping me in my time of editing need. :)