Sunday, October 31, 2010

Pretending by J. Hali Steele

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!
This is one of my favorite holidays. The whole idea of playing dress-up and pretending fascinates me. Fantasies, and playing them out, are one reason I write. In my mind I can pretend to be anyone…pretend to be anywhere. It allows me to open my mind to new people, places and things, in particular—paranormal beings and things.

I’ve strayed from the cats (for a little while!) My most recent stories have been based on german shepherd shifters. Three charismatic brothers who accept what they are…but must convince the women they fall for to do the same. All I can say is “must love dogs!

I’ll be giving a prize to one lucky person today. All you have to do is tell me what you plan to dress up as in the comment section. If you’re not donning a costume this year, what have you dressed up as in the past?

Below are blurbs about books 1 and 2 in the Shepherd’s Watch series available now, and keep your eyes open for PROTECTED, book 3, coming to Changeling Press 12/31/10:



Blurb-SERVICED: (Excerpt)
Ren Alsatian is no one's guide dog, but when forced to care for a blind woman, the last thing Ren expects is the straight-laced librarian who reads him like a book. She fills his dreams nightly with page after page of raw sex between the dusty aisles. He wants to show her how to smell, touch and taste again.

Marguerite Pinkston knows it isn't going to be easy living with the service animal assigned to her. She dislikes dogs and this one comes with a handler whose husky voice and wild, sexy scent enflame her with visions of entwined bodies. If only she could see...

Blurb-GUARDED: (Excerpt)
Wade Alsatian is stuck guarding the owner of the escort service he frequents. He doesn't count on the sexy as hell woman tying him in knots and driving him insane with her mouth and body

Jetta Volker still carries scars from a dog attack. Now she's left in the care of a huge shepherd, and afraid to move in her own home. But it's for other reasons she waits for her guard to return. His scent triggers a need she has ignored far too long. Jetta gave up on men -- but she wants this one.

Breaking through barriers and accepting the scars from their past may tear them apart.


 COMING SOON!

35 comments:

Jennifer Mathis said...

german shephard shifters how different .

meandi09@yahoo.com

J Hali Steele said...

lol, I grew up with them and they still hold a place in my heart...though my cats don't quite care for them!

Remember: tell me about your costumes, this year or last, to be eligible to win the prize pack of goodies-including books-from Cons I've attended this year.

Good luck!

Cathy M said...

No dress up this Halloween, but my favorite costume would have to be the year I dressed up as a butterfly. My bff put it together for me and it was beautiful and made me feel very sexy.


caity_mack at yahoo dot com

Happy Halloween

ladydi6497 said...

I dressed up as a witch this year. I had fun with the few kids that showed up for candy.

I cannot wait to read SHERPHERD'S WATCH series.

Thanks

dbarskey(at)hotmail(dot)com

Maria D. said...

No dress up this Halloween but when I was a kid I dressed up as a pirate one year and Robin Hood another year. As an adult I did dress up once for a Halloween contest at work and went as Pirot the clown (black/white with sad tear in the makeup).

junegirl63(at)gmail(dot)com

JeanMP said...

Not dressing up this year, but last year dressed as a witch, one year costume was a washer woman.

skpetal at hotmail dot com

elaing8 said...

Great blurbs. Sounds like an interesting series. Unique shifters stories.

I am not dressing up this year. But in the past I have dressed up as Beetlejuice.
elaing8(at)netscape(dot)net

J Hali Steele said...

ooh, Cathy, my first tat was a butterfly, love them! Bet that was beautiful...and sexy *wink*

Ladydi, the pointy hats are cool! Enjoy my puppy dogs...watch out-they bite.

Maria, that tear has always made me wonder why he was sad :( but I bet the costume was awesome!

J Hali Steele said...

Jean, witches are always fun...did you have a broom? Bet the washer woman was fun.

Elaing, LOVED Beetlejuice!

Lil said...

I am going to be a witch. Largely cause I have a cape and appropriate hat.

little lamb lst at yahoo dot com

Judy said...

Not dressing up this year. One year the whole family dressed up as ghosts. We had alot of fun with that!!!

Great series!!!

Judy
magnolias_1@msn.com

J Hali Steele said...

Lil, oh my, the things you could do with a cape! *smile*

Judy, bet that was fun! Thanks, they've been fun to write.

Wendi Zwaduk and Megan Slayer said...

I didn't dress up, per se, as I'm told I'm a devil, so I just got out my horns. Although, last year I went as a vampire. Dh said, honey, that is the best makeup. Where'd you get it to make you look so pale?

Um, dear, that's MY SKIN!

I hadn't worn any makeup except around my eyes. That was is. Sorry, I burn in the sun, and look not cool with a tan.

Great post JHS!

J Hali Steele said...

Thanks, Wendi, for sharing. I'm laughing picturing you rummaging around looking for your horns! Men are so observant - NOT!

Tabitha Blake said...

I have dressed up as a W@itch, Vampire, Dead Bride and many more. I love Halloween!

careydoucet@yahoo.com

J Hali Steele said...

Tabitha, I love Halloween, my 2nd fav holiday! Wow, a dead bride--that's different!!

Rae M. said...

Well I've been quite a few things over the years, but I'll go with one of the most unique ones. At one point I decided to go as a half goblin half vampire. Don't ask where I got it from because I have no idea! I was sort of a weird kid.

Of course when I was a baby apparently I didn't like masks, so my mother drew a little mustache and goatee on me. If anyone has seen it, sort of like Pubert from Addams Family Values. I'd say that was pretty unique too!

Happy Halloween!
rachaelgwen(at)yahoo(dot)com

J Hali Steele said...

OMG! Now that sounds awesome, Rae. I'd have given you the best costume prize *smile*...and I love those little mustaches!

Asylumgirl said...

I dressed up as a sexy goth girl to carry my kids trick or treating last night.

Deidre
deidre_durance at hotmail dot com

J Hali Steele said...

WTG! That's what it's all about, Deidre! Hope everyone had a grand time. Sexy Goth, huh! *wink*

The Scarf Princess said...

Since I'm obsessed with turtlenecks and it's super chilly out tonight, I'm currently dressed as Velma from the Scooby Doo gang. I'm feelin' pretty stylin' with my big orange turtleneck.

joderjo402 AT gmail DOT com

Linda Henderson said...

I don't dress up anymore, but when I was younger I dressed up as Elvira Mistress Of The Dark. Back then I had the cleavage to do it too. That was before reduction surgery.

seriousreader at live dot com

J Hali Steele said...

Joder, LMAO...the color works, and bet it's nice and toasty in there! *smile*

Linda, I watched Elvira! The female Dr. Shock...she was the bomb! Ummm, she did have cleavage--but so do I. Hope it went well for you.

chelea_girl said...

Didn't dress up this year, unfortunately. Last year I was a prison guard. I found the vintage uniform and it was so neat I had to wear it!

chelea_girl(at)yahoo(dot)com

annalisa said...

I usually don't dress up for Halloween - just give out the candy to the trick-or-treaters. A few years ago I decided to put on some makeup and fix my hair before handing out the candy. I have thick long hair and I just blow dried it so it would be really puffy looking. When a group of trick-or-treaters came to our house, one little kid didn't want to come near me to get any candy and he said to me, "Lady, your hair is scary looking". My husband thought it was hilarious! Our kids thought it was pretty funny too.

TOPSAIL246(at)aol(dot)com

sonya said...

I dressed up as a Luscious Leprechaun and it Rocked

Sonya
sonyalovesbooks@yahoo.com

*yadkny* said...

Not dressing up this year, but in the past I've gone as a school nerd:)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
yadkny@hotmail.com

Vicky CK said...

Not dressing up this year (staying home with sick hubby). But my best costume was Queen Elizabeth the first. Full historical get up too, since I was part of a re-enactment group at the time and knew all about the history behind her outfits (ok, modern stuff, historic looking & such). No, I did not die my hair! But great outfit!

vickykerr@sbcglobal.net

Carlie Angelus said...

I posted a comment to this last night but don't see it! Blogger has foiled me again!

Anyway, I just had to say that I love German shepherds and that I had one in high school and it was the best bodyguard every. That will make a great hero character.

I dressed up as a CSI analyst but did not encounter any real dead bodies. Thank goodness!

--Carlie
carlieangelus@gmail.com

Kim S. said...

Happy Halloween everyone!

I don't do the dress up thing. We don't get to go to parties and we have no trick or treaters here, so there's no point. But every year at least once I wished I would!

thewildtwo @ gmail [dot] com

Unknown said...

I didn't dress up this year either. I went as a witch last year. I was going to dress up as a "pot of honey", like you see on Winnie the Pooh. My daughter went as a bee and I thought it would be a cute compliment. Just didn't have time to do it.


sixboots(at)msn(dot)com

J Hali Steele said...

Chelea, vintage clothing can be such fun!

Annalisa, lmao!

Sonya, that put a picture in my mind! lol

Yadkny, that's different! Did you wear thick, horn-rimmed glasses? *smile*

Victoria, hope the hubby is feeling better! Was that costume hard to maneuver in?

Carlie, bad blogger *smack* that'll teach 'em! Now, the dead body--that would have been something else. Picturing the Walking Dead people from last nights premiere on AMC!!

Aww! Kim, I'm throwing a costume party for you next year...ummm, wait, how far would I have to travel? *smile* You've got to do it--once!!

Shellie, a pot of honey would have been an awesome outfit! Wow, that would take some work, but a brilliant idea that you can save for next year!

J Hali Steele said...

Shortly after 10 I'll throw all commenters to my individual blog into the random selection machine!

This will NOT BE FOR THE NOOK--that's the grand prize for which your answers should have been sent as requested in contest info.

I'll post the winner's name here, and send an email for other info to mail package.

Stay tuned...

Annie Nicholas said...

contest is closed

J Hali Steele said...

Asylumgirl (Deidre) you're the WINNER of my gift pack. I'll contact you at email addy you provided.

Thanks, everyone, for participating. It was so much fun!