Cat Flash is out now!

The final story in my Stray Cats series is out now. The final chapter! I'm both excited and sad. Excited because I love this series. Who doesn't like black cats? I've got one and he's a real piece of work. He's a pistol but so loving and snuggly. At the same time, I'm sad. I knew this series had to end because it needed closure. But I didn't want to let the kitties go.

So when I set out to write the final story, I knew I had to give the series the proper send off. Adrian doesn't get to come into his shifting powers right away. He's got to wait an extra year--not that he minds. He likes being a cat. Meliana isn't the average human. Nope. She's exactly what Adrian needs, although he doesn't realize that at first. She's a witch.

The weather is getting cooler and it's nearing Halloween. Why not curl up with a black cat, his witch and a fun short story? If that sounds good to you, then why not try Cat Flash and the others in the Stray Cats series? :-)

Cat Flash by Megan Slayer 

Stray Cats, book 4

BIN: 07116-02292

Word Count: 18K

Page Count: 59

Price: $3.99

Release Date: September 26, 2014

Editor: Katriena Knights

Cover Artist: Bryan Keller

Genres: Erotic Romance, Paranormal

Themes:  Shapeshifters, Magic

She's got the flash and he's the cat. Together they'll create magic.

Meliana has denied her powers as a witch because she'd rather fit into society. She doesn't want to stand out, but a woman with blue hair and the power to work magic doesn't necessarily blend in. She got the cat in an attempt to be normal, but this kitty has a secret and it's guaranteed to surprise.

EXCERPT:

©2014 Megan Slayer, all rights reserved

As she blinked and shifted on the bed, an arm curled tighter around her.

She froze. An arm? What the fuck? She lived with a cat. A thick cock slid between her ass cheeks. She screamed. A cock of any sorts was not supposed to be in her bed.

“Meli, it’s fine. No one broke in.”

She had no idea who the hell just said that, but the fact they’d used her name freaked her out even more. She opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out. She tried to thrash, but couldn’t move.

Her body warred with her brain. Normally, having a cock between her ass cheeks made her happy -- when she knew who the cock belonged to and how he knew her name… like her ex-boyfriend Lane, but he wasn’t there. He’d left her for another woman. He’d told her to go to hell when she’d called, so no doubt he wasn’t there.

Her pussy throbbed. No sex in more than four months made the lady parts not so happy and apparently extremely responsive to crazy-ass people who’d climbed into her bed.

Screw it. She’d give this stranger a piece of her mind before he took a piece of her ass. She rolled over and stared into a set of yellow-green eyes. The man, stubble sprinkled on his cheeks and his inky black hair mussed from sleep, grinned. He had a dimple. She was a sucker for dimples. No, no, she had to get back to the point and get the jackass out of her bed.

“Who are you and why are you in my bed?” There. She’d asked the questions. “Get out of here.”

“I’ve been in your bed for the two years, sweetheart.” The smile faded and he shrank back from her. “Meli? It’s me, Chaos… er… Adrian.”

She slumped back onto the bed and her jaw slackened. Her cat was a hunky human-looking male named Adrian? Holy shit.

Adrian crawled off the bed, taking the sheet with him. He barely covered his toned body with the bedding. His nipples beaded. A thin trail of black hair led just below his belly button and disappeared beneath the sheet. She pressed her lips together. She shouldn’t be gawking at him, but the man was sexy. She could never attract someone like him.

“Then tell me, if you’re Chaos, how you got here and why you’re a guy now.” She folded her arms. “How’d I end up with a cat shifter? I was supposed to have a plain old black cat.”

“I’m a shifter.” He shrugged. “I took a little longer to mature than the others, I suppose. Your grandmother rescued me and my three brothers. The others were adopted out. I’m assuming they found good homes. Hildy wouldn’t just hand them over to anyone. She knew you and I would suit each other and made sure she brought us together. I’ve been with you for the last two years, babe. I know what you are and what you can do.”

Realization washed over her. If he was truly her cat, then he had seen everything. He could do one hell of a lot of damage.

Adrian crept to the side of the bed and sat next to her. “I know this is a lot to take in. I’m not totally used to this either.” He gestured down his body. “I have to figure out what all to do with me -- although I’ve got some definite ideas.”

“It’s the mind control spell.” She was grasping at straws. Her cat could not be a shifter. The idea wasn’t even possible. She’d picked out a perfectly normal kitten who’d grown into an overly hyper but normal cat… who happened to be missing. “Where is Chaos? I want my cat back.”

* * * * * *

When she's not writing the stories in her head, Megan Slayer can be found luxuriating in her hot tub with her two vampire Cabana boys, Luke and Jeremy. She has the tendency to run a tad too far with her muse, so she has to hide in the head of her alter ego, but the boys don't seem to mind.

When she’s not obsessing over her whip collection, she can be found picking up her kidlet from school. She enjoys writing in all genres, but writing about men in love suits her fancy best. The cabana boys are willing to serve, unless she needs them. She always need them. So be nice to Javier or he will bite--on command.

She also masquerades under the name Wendi Zwaduk and is published through Ellora’s Cave, Changeling Press, Decadent Publishing , Liquid Silver Books, MLR Press, Resplendence Publishing, and Total-E-Bound Publishing.

Megan’s site: http://wendizwaduk.com/indexMegan.htm

Megan’s blog: http://theauthormeganslayer.blogspot.com

Megan’s Fan page! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wendi-Zwaduk-Megan-Slayer/195277927167481

Megan on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/meganslayer

Megan on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5330530.Megan_Slayer

Megan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/MeganSlayer

AuthorGraph: http://www.authorgraph.com/authors/MeganSlayer

Newsletter sign up:  http://ymlp.com/xgjmjumygmgj 

Guest Author Linda Thomas-Sundstrom

Today’s it’s our pleasure at Paranormal Romantics to have Linda Thomas-Sundstrom as our guest, talking about her new release Immortal Obsession.  A little about Linda (courtesy of the author):

An award-winning author of contemporary and paranormal romance novels and novellas, with books published by Kensington Brava, Amazon Montlake, Harlequin Nocturne and Harlequin Desire. Linda lives in the west, and is a teacher by day and a writer by night. She loves more than anything to write, and hopes you will come along on the wild, wonderful ride with her.

Veronica: What prompted you to start writing?

Linda: DNA…. Writing has always been in my blood. My first book was at age 8. I still have it!

Veronica: Which five people (real, fictional, historical) would you invite to dinner?

Linda:  J.R.R Tolkien, Ayn Rand, Gandalf, Optimus Prime,  Joseph Campbell.

Veronica: Well that would be quite the conversation! You’d need a big table for Optimus Prime LOL. Which word or phrase do you most overuse in a manuscript? (I confess to “that” being my own worst word)

Linda:  “Something.”  I have to go back and change some of those in each manuscript.

Quickfire Questions (pick a few):

Must watch  TV Show: Orphan Black - BBCA

Cats or Dogs? Horses! Love horses!

Tea or coffee:  tea – English breakfast, strong and unsweetened.

Morning person or evening person:  evening, for sure.

Last meal on Earth would be: scones and real clotted cream from Cornwall, UK.

Favorite Perfume: Euphoria – Calvin Klein

Book or books I reread most often (up to 3, any genre):  The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Fountainhead, The Power of Myth.

Veronica: How do you celebrate when you finish writing a book?

Linda:  Champagne, each and every time!

Veronica: I like your style! What are you working on next?

Linda:  I have three more books in my Wolf Moons series for Nocturne done turned in … and am doing copyedits on those now. “Wolf Born” (Feb 2015), “Wolf Hunter” (May 2015)

Where can your Readers find you online? Web site: http://www.lindathomas-sundstrom.com    Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LindaThomasSundstrom

The story:

As her Protector, he was bound to oblige her every desire.

A rogue group of human-hating vampires have overtaken London. But the elite immortals who own much of the city may have found the key to protecting their territory: Madison Chase, an American newscaster investigating a story about missing teenagers. If she can convince someone to help her infiltrate the dangerous faction, she just might stem the bloodletting and find her brother in time….

St. John can't escape his dark family legacy. But the instincts that keep him from being fully human also make him the rogues' worst enemy. His desire for the ethereal redhead is immediate, all-consuming—and forbidden. And as the investigation escalates, Madison must discover if St. John is her trusted Protector—or if she's being seduced by a monster.

Here’s the excerpt from Immortal Obsession:

IMMORTAL OBSESSION – Excerpt 1 – Meet Christopher St. John
St. John stood on the rooftop of Space, looking down at the dark street, waiting. Would Madison’s rebellious streak get the better of her? Would she show up when she had been warned to stay away?
He was dressed in black, his usual choice, not only as a metaphor for the loss of his soul, but because black was perfect camouflage for slipping in and out of darker places.
He and his brethren, called the Seven, had chosen ebony for the background of their crest, highlighted by a golden cup centered between two parallel stripes of crimson. One red stripe to represent the blood of the mortality they had left behind, and one for the first drink of the new blood that changed them so radically and forever.
They had painted this design on their shields with fluid from their veins, and etched the same design into the skin of their upper backs with the tip of a heated knife.
The tattoos were there now, between his shoulder blades; an ever-present reminder of what he had become and the goal he served—all of those things so much bigger than anyone knew.
He remembered, as he stared down at the crowd gathered by the club’s entrance, how people had once flocked to him and his brethren for aid. And how, over time, those same people had run from the sight of the fated knights who never aged.
Times had changed, but his goals hadn’t. Presently, he was more or less in disguise as just another immortal amid the world of London’s immortals, playing a part, acting less than he was after a long, self-imposed exile.

Buy Link for book:

http://www.amazon.com/Immortal-Obsession-Linda-Thomas-Sundstrom-ebook/dp/B00JIHAU06/ref=la_B002BMBNS8_1_11_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411495360&

Tooting Horn for Upcoming Release!

The closer it gets to a new release, the more excited – and terrified – an author becomes. Readers will be snatching up your book. Reviews will come pouring in – the good, the bad and the ugly. But what if they don’t? It’s like putting all your time, effort and money into planning the party of the year then worrying if anyone will show up. It’s not the planning, it’s the showing up that’s the hard part. How do you get your new baby into the hands (or onto the e-devices) of as many readers as possible?

Spread the word. Amplify your reach.

REMEMBERED BY MOONLIGHT

“By Moonlight” Book 9

By Nancy Gideon

October 13, 2014

Because the road to . . .

Clever, cool and preternaturally lethal, Max Savoie is leader of a secretive shape-shifter clan, heir to a mobster’s legacy, and the love of New Orleans’ top cop . . . but he can’t remember any of them. The only way to recover his past, and his rightful place in the arms of the woman who risked all to save him, is to surrender to a mysterious visitor who could use him as a weapon against all he’d loved.

Happily-Ever-After . . .

After rescuing her mate from his ruthless captors in the North, hard-hitting Detective Charlotte Caissie is now painfully vulnerable—a stranger in his eyes . . . and in his bed. The key to his memories is locked in a tortuous past. To reclaim the strength of their passionate bond, Max must learn to trust her enough to face that darkness at her side before the threat it hides exposes the secret Cee Cee carries.

Is never smooth.

When an investigation into grisly deaths in an underground Shifter fight club points to more than just dangerous clan rivalries, Cee Cee enlists Max’s help to find a traitor in their midst while there’s still time to turn a deadly invading tide. But the cost of saving their treasured future may mean sacrificing his past. Especially when the enemy they pursue . . . might be Max, himself.

“Every delicious word Nancy Gideon puts on the page exhilarates with a sensuous ferocity. Hopelessly addicted.” — Darynda Jones, NY Times Bestselling Author

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Because REMEMBERED BY MOONLIGHT, my October 13, 2014 dark paranormal shape-shifter release is my first self-published book and doesn’t have the power of a Big Five or even a small press behind it, it’s up to me to shout loud and far with the help of others. Besides setting up a fairly substantial number of blog stops on my own, I’ve also opted for the assistance of two successful blog tour companies that I’ve worked with in the past. Both reach different audiences and are taking a different approach.

Buy the Book Blog Tours is handling REMEMBERED BY MOONLIGHT for long haul exposure with blogs posts, interviews, and reviews – for eight weeks and over twenty-five stops beginning October 6 under this attractive banner:

For a quick, out-of-the-blocks push, Bewitching Blog Tours is hosting a “Release Day Blitz” on October 13, the first day REMEMBERED BY MOONLIGHT is available to readers, also with posts, interviews and reviews, but with one loud boom instead of continuous fire.

Both sites are still accepting hosts for their tours so, if you want to help me make some noise, jump on board. Or stop in and comment once the stops are listed. Here’s a peek at what you’d be promoting:

Excerpt
Where was Max?

Had she expected it to be easy having him here so close and yet so agonizingly far away? Bad enough watching him in that antiseptic clinic cell, a prisoner of his own panicked madness, raving, raging, out of control. Worse was having him here in the lush, sexy surroundings he’d built for them to share, temptingly near yet impossible to reach.

A bargain made in heartbreak hell.

Though she might be tortured by cherished memories, he was not. She was nothing to him but a protective port in his emotional storm. And that knowledge was driven home like a stake through the heart every time they were together. Every time he stared at her through those cool green eyes without the slightest flicker of response. Every time he took that distancing step back to evade the casual graze of her hand. Every time he lay next to her in the night and silence created a force field of discomfort.

Tripping over him every minute of the damned day only emphasized how much she wanted, needed him back.

And underlined how far away he was.

Praise from Publisher’s Weekly for the “By Moonlight” series:

“A paranormal romance series with intriguing characters and zippy action . . . Gideon masters the tension required to keep her complex and engaging story moving.”

“Vivid writing, plot twists and a satisfying ending will keep readers coming back to Gideon’s magical NOLA.”

“Rich and complex. Enticing new dimensions to the Shifter world keep things fresh. Gideon delivers well-crafted prose and page-turning tension.”

If you’ve had tours or been a tour host, what have your experiences been?

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads | Amazon

Goodreads “Nancy Gideon by Moonlight” group

Follow @NancyGideon

Launch yourself IN THE VOID!

We're only a few days away from the release of IN THE VOID, the sequel to the successful first book in the Tales from the Edge series, IN THE BLACK!

When you're preparing to be boarded by pirates you take every bit of help you can get - and if that includes a short teaching session by April Osano, the resident self-defense/BDSM expert, you take it.

Especially when Sean Harrison is the unfortunate target...

***

April strutted around a half-naked Sean as the courtesan studied his bare torso.

Studied the marks Catherine had left there only a few hours ago.

“Fighting dirty isn’t something women tend to do. We’re told to play nice, don’t hit below the belt and don’t pull hair.” April twisted her fingers in Sean’s short black hair and yanked his head back, hard.

His lips pulled back to expose his teeth but he stayed silent.

“I find pulling hair quite acceptable under certain circumstances.” She released him and continued her circling. “Your teachers didn’t allow you to think outside of the box where anything goes.”

Her hand flew to the inside of Sean’s right arm, just below the shoulder. “For example, pinching. A sharp pinch in the right place—” She twisted and snapped her fingers away. “Can distract even the most determined opponent.”

Catherine watched the purple welt rise.

Sean didn’t flinch, didn’t pull away.

“Fighting dirty tends to have you thinking about smacking a guy in the balls. A great target if you can get to it.”

April brought up her right knee and stopped less than an inch from Sean’s crotch.

He instinctively moved to cover with both hands.

She smiled and dropped her knee down. “Most men know that and protect the family jewels automatically.” April patted Sean’s cheek. “Understandable reaction. That’s the problem when you’re told to go for the balls—it’s more likely than not an attack will be thwarted.”

Sean exhaled slowly and returned his hands to his sides.

“But there’re other areas that can be attacked to inflict almost as much pain. When it comes to vital areas, both sexes have the same vulnerabilities. The arms, the legs, the nipples.” Her fingers landed on Sean’s left breast, pinching the delicate skin between her thumb and forefinger.

He rose up on his feet, grimacing, but he kept his eyes closed.

“Same for us, dear.” April looked at her directly. “Giving control, having control and using it. Knowing when to do what is important and not only in the middle of a fight.” She cocked her head to one side. “There are always going to be situations that are totally, utterly out of your control. How you react to them will decide your future.”

Sean whimpered.

“Enough.” Catherine found her voice. “Enough.”

****

Book two of Tales from the Edge

Catherine Rodgers doesn't like Mercy spaceships, or the courtesans who work on them--not after her husband left her for a Mercy woman. But after her luxurious transport ship gets blown up to prevent her from cracking the lid off a corporate scam that's left hundreds dead and a few people very rich, the only vessel around to save her is theBonnie Belle.

Sean Harrison has worked as one of the Belle's courtesans for years, bringing happiness to countless women along the space lanes. When he's asked to look after Catherine while the Belle brings her to safety, it should be just another job. Somehow it's anything but.

Sean is captivated by Catherine's sense of justice and responsibility. And Catherine finds a softer, more emotionally intelligent man in Sean than she expected. Drawn together in darkness under the threat of death, they find the beginning of something lasting. But with pirates after the Belle and a price on Catherine's head, that beginning might be all they get.

IN THE VOID comes out in only a few days - have you pre-ordered a copy yet? 

Drop on by Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Google Play, iBooks, Kobo and Carina Press to hop on board the Bonnie Belle for another fateful adventure!

Also on Goodreads!

My Heart is Flying

By Stephanie Beck


I'm having a great day. Like, one of those, super duper uper days where you're happy without any real reason, just feeling the great. I'm feeling the great (let's hope it doesn't lead me to doing anything too silly-ah heck, it probably will and that's aokay too!).


One thing that really has me flying high, is finishing a series I've been writing the past year. Yes, my superhero series is finished and I couldn't be happier with it. Fallen Love joined Super Love and Crypto Love, finishing out the Justice Fraternity Chronicles. There really is nothing like finishing something that puts me in a great mood.





Fallen Love
A fallen superhero finds new love, but can he keep it?

After the love of his life turned evil, Sparrow throws himself into making the world better. Between battles, the extraordinary superhero is also the sole caretaker for his toddler daughter. Without the ability to speak, Sparrow worries about how he can effectively parent, so he turns to renowned scientist Dr. Erica Simons for help.

Erica succeeds in giving Sparrow his voice, but her research is highly controversial. When she becomes a target for a nefarious scheme, Erica will have to rely on Sparrow and the Justice Fraternity for protection.

As the bad guys close in, Sparrow and Erica draw together, finding kindred spirits in one another. An evil from Sparrow's past returns and will do everything it can to destroy all Sparrow loves, with Erica and the Justice Fraternity at the top of the list.


Buy Now at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fallen-Love-Justice-Fraternity-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B00NJ02GU0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411323876&sr=8-1&keywords=Fallen+Love+by+stephanie+beck


Buy Now at Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fallen-love-stephanie-beck/1120339993?ean=2940150458147


Buy Now at All Romance Ebooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-fallenlove-1623790-143.html








Ah, superheroes. I love them so much. Again, with the happy. I hope you'll pick up your copy of Fallen Love, and the rest of the Justice Fraternity Chronicles, and get a shot of happy in your day too.


All the best,
Stephanie Beck
www.stephaniebeck.net
www.facebook.com/StephanieBeckAuthor
www.twitter.com/StephBeck123

A whole new world...

...just like the old world?

It's a new school year! For some of my students, this means an entirely new school. For others, it means their last year (hopefully) in high school. Even for those without any changes recent or forthcoming, it means a new schedule, new teachers, and a new set of subjects.

For the past few years, I've been on the other end of that. For me, the 'new' doesn't come from subject, or from schedule, or classroom, but from students and administrators. Oddly enough, the sheer volume of students, combined with the fact that I run clubs, means that the students aren't the big change.

This year we've got an entirely new administrative staff. Over the course of six years, I've seen that happen three times now. For those of you in the wonderland of Corporate America; I know exactly what you mean by Bungee Boss.

On the other hand, with each new administrator comes a chance to reinvent the school, to make it a better place. New rules, new rewards, and new methods all combine to make each year a new place. Overall, I suppose it's just as new for us as it is for the kids just arriving from Junior High.

Sorry about the short update, but one thing that never changes; a new school year means making up new folders, grade books, and all the other paraphernalia associated with a new crop of students. Exhaustion, thy name is September.

So... see you next month!

Geeky Analysis of Rogue's Descriptors for Gwynn in A Covenant of Thorns

Rogue's Paradise, the long-anticipated third book in my Covenant of Thorns trilogy, released on September 8. That means readers are finally getting their paws on it and - best of all - sending me messages about how much they love it.

Fortunately they're loving it!

There were some pretty high expectations built up there...) At any rate, one reader asked me if anyone had counted Rogue's endearments/descriptors for Gwynn over the three books. What a fun question! And no, no one to my knowledge had. So I decided to.

See, the premise is that Gwynn is a scientist and university professor who is accidentally transported to Faerie. Once there, she meets a fae noble named Rogue. They naturally don't speak the same language, but a version of mental telepathy allows her to understand the intent behind what people are saying to her and vice-versa. So, his name isn't actually "Rogue," but that's the meaning she understands from what he tells her it is. Likewise, she's actually Jennifer, but he hears the name meaning and calls her Gwynn, an affectionate shortening of Gwynhwyvar (or Guinevere), which is the Celtic root of the name Jennifer. Most of the time, however, when he talks to her, he's essentially saying "you," but shaded with however he's feeling about her.

Thus he calls her lovely Gwynn. Or foolish Gwynn. Or stubborn Gwynn. Or clever Gwynn.

And so on.

So, to begin, here's a table of all the descriptors over the three books, Rogue's Pawn, Rogue's Possession and Rogue's Paradise, in order of first occurrence:

You can see from the table that both the number of different descriptors, as well as the number of descriptors overall (which counts repeat uses), increases significantly over the three books. Here's a pretty chart illustrating that.

Some of this reflects the amount of time they're together over the course of the books, but also a growing familiarity. Which descriptor is used most changes, too.

In Rogue's Pawn, he calls her "lovely" more than anything else, followed by "beautiful." This reflects his ongoing attempts to flatter and seduce her, which continue into Rogue's Possession. Most interesting, his use of the simple "my" as a descriptor increases over the course of the series. Here's all of the descriptors and how their incidence changes.

That's kind of an overwhelming chart. This is better, a list of the descriptors he uses only in the second two books:

brilliant
delicious
fierce
magical
serious
silly
succulent
sweet

And only in the third book:

ferocious
luscious
my dear
my forever
noble
precious
resourceful
skittish
soft-hearted
spirited
studious
suspicious
valiant

I love how the progression of these words reflects both his changing regard for her and the deepening of their relationship. Finally, this is my favorite chart of all:

She gets more powerful over time. Something Rogue recognizes and values.

Doesn't get better than that.

Let Me In

A bullied young boy befriends a young female vampire who lives in secrecy with her guardian.

It's no secret that I love to read, write, and watch vampires. So it surprised me that I missed this film. I hadn't even known it existed. Someone from Canada was chatting with me about this movie (It's on the Canadian Netflix.) The movie came out in 2010.


Here's the Trailer

The movie appealed to me. It's old school vampire, which I'm a huge fan. I like it when the vampire actually acts like a monster and not a human with a blood fetish. The actress who played the vampire did a beautiful balancing act of innocence and cunning.

I highly recommend this movie to vampire fans who want a new spin on the genre.

Annie Nicholas

www.annienicholas.com
author of the ANGLER series

A new world

Recently I wrapped up the Magic Born series after three years of working on it. The last book of the trilogy, Firewall, won't be out until December, but all of the writing and editing is completed. All that's left is promo for that final book when it's released. So it's been a while since I started something completely new. It feels like starting all over again, in more ways than one.

After twelve novels and novellas, I've learned some things about my writing process. There are certain things that seem to be part of the process every time. For instance, at around the ten thousand word mark I always wind up stopping briefly to work up a detailed outline. Then around the twenty thousand word mark, I have to stop or at least slow way down and work all the doubt out of my system. There's always plenty of doubt. Doubt about the story, the plot and characters. Doubt about my ability as a writer and that I'll be able to do justice to my ideas and my hopes for the story. Doubt that anyone will want to publish and read it. When I say I have to work all that doubt out of my system, what I really mean is I have to push past it, because the doubts never really go away. By the time I get to thirty thousand words, I've got a book on my hands and it takes a lot to slow me down past that point.

What I've also learned is that every book is different in some ways. Starting a new manuscript can feel like learning to write all over again. Immersing yourself in a new world can be a lot of fun, but there can be a lot of wrong turns, too. That initial period of discovery and exploration, as you map out the plot and develop the characters and dive into research, is both exhilarating and a little scary. Sometimes it takes some heavy focus to fully get your head out of the old world of a previous series and into the new. Just getting back into the routine of daily word count can be tough at first. I'll have weeks of managing only 500 words one day, then 1500 the next, only to not get any other day. It takes time for the story to get rolling and to settle back into a routine. Once things gel, I tend to get between 1200 and 1700 words a day.

Mostly I'm having fun as I work on something totally new. My head was primarily in the Magic Born world for three years. Learning my way around a new world is exciting. Right now I'm at that twenty thousand words and all the doubt stage. Even so, it feels really good to be developing a new world for a new story, with new characters and different rules for the paranormal aspects. For me personally, it’s the best time of year to be starting a new manuscript. Autumn is my favorite time of year. Everything about it is inspiring to me. As the temperature cools and the nights lengthen, I can feel my creative energy on the rise and my excitement about this new story begins to trump all the doubts and fears.

Add a little pumpkin spice to my coffee, and I should have a brand new book in no time!

*

Learn more about Sonya Clark as www.sonyaclark.net. 

New Beginnings

For the first thirty-one years of my life, September meant back to school—first as a student, then as a teacher. September always meant a new teacher or a new class of students. It was a time to begin again. A starting over, as it were. Learning from the past, trying something new.

We need opportunities to begin again. In my writing career, I took a chance to begin again when I self-published my out-of-print book, Switched. Definitely a challenge. My learning curve was a lot steeper that first time. After five books, the curve has flattened a little, although each time I feel like I’m starting from scratch.

A new beginning is the theme of The Chameleon, the second book in my Outer Rim series. It is a stand-alone book, as are (will be) all the books in the series, connected by location and recurring characters. In The Chameleon, the heroine is fed up with playing the role of a ditz in order to help her father. She desperately wants to run the family business. She’ll do anything to prove to him that she’s capable. The hero has his own dream and is steadily working toward the day when he can leave behind his current job to start his own business.

Two dreams, two new beginnings.

Blurb:

Legally Blond meets Mata Hari

Socialite Jileena Winslott has perfected the image of the spoiled, rich, bubble-headed daughter of an industrial magnate. In reality, she’s a smart, savvy aide to her father in social situations where she is his eyes and ears. She yearns to be her true self and run the family business. When her father sends her on a covert mission to the Outer Rim, she has the chance to prove herself. Big problem. He insists she take along a fake fiancé—the man she’s secretly loved for years.

Security Officer Laning Servary has better things to do than babysit a spoiled rich girl on a tour of the Frontier. If he refuses, he can kiss his career good-by. Then Jileena’s father sweetens the pot. If Laning keeps her safe, his family will receive the land they share-crop. He can’t refuse.

In the close quarters of her ship, Laning and Jileena discover they aren’t who they seem. Pirates, weather, and her recklessness threaten to derail the mission. As Laning and Jileena revise their impressions of each other, they’ll have to make hard choices about their goals. Can their budding love survive?

The Chameleon is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, iTunes, and Smashwords.

Settings

I was thinking about settings recently, because I hate flying and reading can sometimes take me to new locations. I really reading books set in different locations, but as I looked back on some of my favorite reads that I read over and over again I find I buy more books set in Montana, Wyoming, Alaska, Alberta.

Pretty much anywhere west and north.

I also like reading about Washington State.

Probably because I love out west.

I went out west in the summer of 2012 and absolutely fell in love with South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming and Alberta.

This picture is a picture just outside of Broadus, Montana at a rest stop on Highway 212. Right before hitting Big Horn country which is where Custer met his last stand.

There's something rugged and wild about the great plains, badlands and mountains.

I've started to set books in my favorite places.

Pregnant with the Soldier's Son is set in South Dakota
Mounted Release is set the in the Yukon
Private Release is set in Winnipeg, Manitoba
Wild Release is set in Jasper, Alberta
Building Bridges (In the Brought to His Knees Boxed Set) is set in Alberta

So, what are some of your favorite settings? Have you thought about settings before? Do you find you buy more books or write more books with particular settings?

"A Visit to Ancient Egypt" - New Book Trailer for Magic of the Gods!

Today I'm sharing my USA Today/Happily Ever After -recommended book trailer for my latest novel set in ancient Egypt: MAGIC OF THE NILE.



I have such a good time collaborating with Theresa McClinton of MakingItReel on these book trailers. We go back and forth on the music choice first and then try to settle on good stock photos for establishing the ancient Egyptian atmosphere. This time around she found one that was perfect - until we noticed the electric light hanging in the foreground LOL. Oops!

It's a bit more tricky to find the right images for the main characters, since often the actual cover models on the book itself may not have other suitable poses we can use. Someday hopefully I'll have the budget to do my own photo shoots in full Egyptian costume and commission actual mini movie trailers but in the meantime I think we've managed to do a good job of conveying the feeling of the book itself.

I hope you'll enjoy!

The story:

After a childhood spent scorned and ignored by her family because of her crippled foot, Tyema was magically healed then installed as the High Priestess of his temple by Sobek the Crocodile God. But Tyema is still haunted by her memories, scarred by the abuse she endured. Despite Sobek’s protection, as an adult she’s become a near recluse inside the temple grounds…

 Until Captain Sahure arrives in her remote town, sent from Thebes on an urgent mission for Pharaoh, requiring High Priestess Tyema’s help. From that moment on, her quiet, safe life is upended in ways she never could have expected.

 But after a whirlwind romance with Sahure, the two part as Pharaoh orders him to undertake another assignment on Egypt’s dangerous frontier, far from Tyema’s remote town.

 Heart-broken, Tyema is ready to return to her life of loneliness, official duties and, now, regret. But the Crocodile God has other plans for his priestess: she must uncover the sorcerer who threatens Pharaoh’s life with black magic. Soon enough, Tyema finds herself thrown into the chaos of Pharoah’s court, neck deep in intrigue and danger. Just when she thinks she can’t take the pressures of a very public court life and her secret investigation for the Crocodile God any longer, Sahure re-enters the scene.

 But is her former love there to help or to hinder? Can they resolve their differences and work together to find the dark sorcerer who threatens Pharaoh and Egypt? Will the love between a proud warrior and a shy priestess lead them to a future together?

Novel Available Now at Amazon   Barnes & Noble  All Romance eBooks  iTunes   Google Play Books Kobo