So Many Choices... A Series ReVAMPed with Megan Slayer

There are so many choices out there when it comes to what to read. Not that Amazon hasn't made it almost impossible to choose but go there. I mean, goodness. There are SOOOO many books. So many. I get overwhelmed when the suggestions show up on my kindle.

So what makes an author want to revamp and refine a series that was already out there for public consumption? There are a ton of books out there. If these have already been out, then what's to say someone will want the same book, but improved?

I asked myself that very set of questions. You see, I had a publisher - a very wonderful one at that - close down. I liked working with them. They were the first publisher to accept a pitch from me after I'd signed a contract with another house. Sounds complicated, but you can pitch a hundred times and hear the word no, but there's something special about pitching to a publishing house and having a little experience under your belt. I don't mean a sitting at the bar and just tossing ideas around kind of pitch session, but a real one with a panel of people deciding if your story is right for that house. It was rather daunting and scary. One of these days I'll write the experience into a book.

Anyway, that house closed. Yeah, went out of business, broke my heart and closed. I said I liked working with them. Not only that, but I'd just had a paranormal series come out with them. I'd pulled other books from that house because they weren't performing. Was it my marketing? The theme of the book? I don't know, but they weren't doing so hot. So, I decided to yank them and try to improve them on my own. Now some people live for self-publishing. They love it. Me? I'm still in the overwhelmed, oh my god what am I doing phase. Yeah, I'm not quite ready yet.  But that's those stories.

I had this series. We'd polished it, edited to within what seemed like an inch of it's life and put them out there. I loved those covers. I did. Maddy James did a fab job. But the house went out of business.

So what was I to do with these books? They hadn't been out that long and were a labor of love for me. I pondered my options. They'd been edited, so I could self-pub them. But I knew nothing about self-pubbing. Not that I know tons now, but that's besides the point. I could shelve them. Okay, but that seemed like a waste of my efforts, the editors time and all of that. I could sell them to another publishing house. Hmm... That idea had merit.

First of all, I wouldn't have to pay to have them edited--hey, you can never be too careful about editing. Second, I wouldn't have to buy more art. I was gifted the cover art and love it, but I wanted a fresh start for the books. Third, if they weren't that good or another house didn't bite, then I wasn't out much.

What'd I do? I revamped them with a whole lot of help from my editor at Loose Id. I was proud of the series before, but now I'm even prouder.

What book and series am I talking about? The Battle Scarred series and book 1, You Have Me. Check it out and see if you like the fruits of our labors.

You Have Me

Battle Scarred, Book 1

Megan Slayer

Contemporary, Paranormal Romance

M/F, BDSM, Spanking, Anal Sex, Toys

Vampires, Supernatural Creatures

When the rest of the world crumbles and fails, you have me.

Kynan Laing gave up his mortal soul to the will of the Sources, the ancient beings in charge of the universe. With the sensual grace and speed in his vampire form, he serves in his role as a Protector for the Supernatural world. But the impending war between the Supers and Hunters is heating up. The woman he’s charged to protect is all grown up and the perfect submissive partner he wants. Can he keep his heart under wraps while keeping her safe?

Alexa Mercury doesn’t know why she’s supposed to trust the vampire, but she does. Even when she pushed him away, Kynan watches over her. She craves him like no other and wants to submit body and soul to him, even if he is a Supernatural creature of the night. When circumstances beyond her control force them together, Lexa will have to decide whether to offer her heart to the vampire or risk her very soul. 

This book was previously released by another publisher and has been reedited and revamped for this edition.

Available from:

Loose Id: http://www.loose-id.com/battle-scarred-1-you-have-me.html

AllRomance Ebooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-youhaveme-1970191-143.html

 http://wendizwaduk.com/indexMegan.htm

Megan Slayer - It's Always Fun to Squirm

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Take the Gamble!

by Nancy Gideon

I don’t gamble. I like as close to a sure thing as I can get before I invest. That goes for my money, my time, my fashion choices (such as they are!) and my reading material. These days when said time and cash are sparse, I’ll devote my reading time to authors I know and topics I enjoy. But every once in a while, I’ll be lured out to try something new – a genre, a debut author, and sometimes, a new hair color. And I don’t regret it.

The re-issue/re-packaging of my Touch of Midnight vampire romance series is the best kind of gamble – a new look with a proven book. The nine titles are being re-vamped (snicker) by ImaJinn Books, and this month offers one of my favorites – MIDNIGHT GAMBLE. It combines history and the paranormal. The Roaring ‘20s backdrop was such fun to research and my characters kick up their heels to its decadence while following a darker undercurrent of mystery. The new cover – LOVE IT! Revisiting the text to do some tweaking – another plus. I’d forgotten how much I liked the steely heroine and enigmatic hero in their cagy dance around a forbidden romance. And then there are the returning characters!

Here’s a taste . . .

AMAZON

Will the hunter . . .

Against the uninhibited decadence of 1920’s New York, where bootleg liquor flows until dawn to the sound of hot jazz and rolling dice, day-walking vampire, Frederica Lavoy stalks those of her kind to bring them to her father’s court for crimes against humankind. A series of careless murders leads her to an exclusive club where patrons drink more than champagne from unsuspecting guests. Drawn to the club’s owner, the enigmatic Darcy Edwards, Rica’s loyalty is torn when she suspects he’s the man her father has sent her to find.

. . . become the hunted?

Tricked into embracing the night during the time of Pharaohs, Eduard D’Arcy struggles to bring peace to those who are damned by what they must do to survive. Yet he’s found no forgiveness for himself - until he’s captivated by the unique and spirited Rica. But in this game of cat and mouse they’re playing, the stakes are not just heart and soul, but life and death itself . . .

"4 1/2 Star Top Pick: Readers will want to sink their teeth into this hypnotic and compelling tale." — Kathe Robin, Romantic Times

"Nancy Gideon is one of the best supernatural writers on the market today." — BookBrowser

"Fun, entertaining vampire romance that makes the supernatural seem natural." — Under the Covers Book Review

Excerpt

SHE WAS BACK AGAIN.

Eduard drifted toward the special glass, allowing him to observe his company without being observed himself.

Frederica Lavoy. Who was she? A mystery. An unknown. In his world, unknowns were dangerous, and this compelling woman had already led him to realize his first mistake.

He’d considered her as a peer among the day’s loveliest women. Looking at her now, he conceded his error. She wasn’t equal to the day’s beauties. She far surpassed them, eclipsing them as one of this era’s electric lights was put to shame by the purity of an evening star. She dazzled. She glowed. She was poise, perfection and power. An irresistible combination of all he admired. He’d been able to think of nothing else. How had he so underrated her the night before, when on this night, her rarity, her magnificence cast all others into pale shadow.

What omnipotent force spawned her? Heaven or hell? Nothing quite so unique existed without the touch of divine intervention. And she was divine, a celestial body unfairly tethered upon a mortal plane.

He moved closer to the glass, unaware of his own gravitational response. His fingertips pressed to the cool surface between them as if it were the only barrier keeping them apart.

He watched her, mesmerized by the way she crossed the crowded room, a smooth ripple of motion disturbing nothing in her wake. As if she moved through a world separate from theirs. But was it foreign to his?

The inviting shimmer of her dress captured him completely, as if he were one with that heavily beaded fabric as it caressed the length of her body. As if his mouth sighed along the inner curve of her bosom where the neckline hung open in a daring plunge. As if his hands brushed the soft curve of her thighs with each advancing step. It was an unusual shift, as unique as the creature who wore it. A simple drape of celadon silk patterned with delicate lilies like some rare Chinese watercolor. The clear beadwork picked up flickering accents of light, making the design stir as if by a gentle breeze, coming alive against the contours of her figure in a beckoning breath he wished could be his own. He wondered what, if anything, she wore beneath it. The movement seemed too natural for artificial restraints. Just as she did herself.

He’d forgotten to continue his pretended breathing. A stillness settled over him, a deep, preternatural calm that could go on undisturbed as centuries swirled by unnoticed. Time, which had lost all meaning within the realm of his existence, ceased altogether as she came up to the glass. There, she stopped, and stared through eyes as green and precious as that valuable Korean porcelain.

Of course, she couldn’t see him. It was just a coincidence that she appeared to meet his stare with an unwavering, all-knowing directness.

And then she lifted her hand.

He thought at first she would touch the tousled crop of hair to rearrange some errant strand as she looked into her own reflection. But she reached out toward the glass, instead, her own fingertips finding his, matching their spread upon the opaque mirror.

Gasping, he pulled his hand back as if he’d felt her touch. At the same moment, hers drew away as if sensing the contact had been broken.

He was breathing now in quick agitated snatches though he required no air to sustain him.

MIDNIGHT GAMBLE is up for Kindle with its new look, and will soon appear across all formats in trade paperback and e-book. Sink your teeth in!

Happy Reading and Happy New Year!

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New SF Movies in 2016

Each year (or half-year), my science fiction writer friend Jessica E. Subject posts a list of movies to see. This year’s selection made my ears perk up. What a great bunch of movies to look forward to. Many I haven’t heard of or didn’t realize the movie had been made.

Here’s my take on some of Jessica’s list.

400 Hundred Days: 4 astronauts locked away in a simulation of deep space travel to test their mental state. But is it a simulation? That reminds me of the Syfy Channel movie, Ascension, in reverse. This sounds interesting from a writer’s point of view. What are the psychological effects of long-term space travel? How would this affect the characters in our stories?

Allegiant (The Divergent series): Like Harry Potter and Hunger Games, the last book is made into two movies. I’ll definitely see this one, if only to see how the end is handled. I didn’t like the end of the book.

Independence Day: Resurgence: It’s 20 years after the aliens are defeated and now they’re ba-ack. This is one sequel I didn’t realize was being made. Loved the first movie. Any time it’s on TV, I’ll watch it. Too bad Will Smith isn’t in the sequel. But with Roland Emmerich directing, it’s got to be good.

Star Trek Beyond: Of course, I’ll see this one. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the series reboot. The cast is back, but with a new director.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story: This should be interesting. The story takes place between Episodes III and IV, closer to IV. The cast looks interesting. Another Christmas release. My Star Wars fanatic grandson will love this.

Speaking of Star Wars, on Monday I wrote about the newest Star Wars movie on my own blog.

Will you watch any of the above? If you’ve read, Jessica’s post, which of her movies (that I didn’t list) will you see?

Diane Burton writes science fiction romance, romantic suspense, and mysteries. Her latest release is a PI mystery, The Case of the Fabulous Fiance. She blogs here on the 13th of the month and on her own blog on Mondays

Murder in Los Lobos Kick off the #NewYear with a #Wolf Mystery

The new year begins with a bang in Los Lobos. Join authors Cara Carnes, Cam Cassidy and series creators Rebecca Royce and Heather Long as they present the epic four part sub-series Murder in Los Lobos.

Nothing will ever be the same again.

Scent of Murder  AVAILABLE TODAY!

A murderer strikes Los Lobos… 

Heartbreak and hardship have returned to the Taos pack. Even though survival is a rote course for Dani, a woman can only handle so much. Her brother’s mate has been murdered and he’s missing. The pack Alpha was left for dead at the scene. Oh, and her ex-lover has been tasked with finding her brother. 

Thane returned to make things right with the healing pack and the female he left behind. Leaving had been the only option that kept Dani safe. Now he’s back and not about to let her or the pack down again. Despite the tense situation, his wolf refuses to ignore the woman determined to “help” find her estranged brother. One way or another, she’d be his. 

Amazon | Kobo | All Romance 

Scent of the Hunt  Pre-Order Now! 

Brogan James came to Los Lobos for a quick, simple meeting with Ryker, but things get complicated when the town is rocked by their Alpha being shot and the human mate of one of their pack members murdered. One of three wolves cleared of the crime, with Ryker at the time of the murder, Brogan sets out using his skills as a tracker to catch the killer. 

Natalie Gabbin accepted her destiny when her one true mate chose to walk away years ago. Now that he’s back in town, will she have the strength to turn away from him or give in to the desires of one more night in his arms? 

With Brogan close by, a murderer on the loose, and tensions in the pack rising, will Brogan forget the past and claim the other half of his soul? 

Amazon | iBooks | Kobo | All Romance

Scent of His Woman Pre-Order Now!

Magnolia Holden fled the Black Hills Wolves with her family during the reign of Magnum, terrified for her life and for that of her older sister Betty, who she had to leave behind. She has never wanted to go back to Los Lobos and face her terror of the enforcer, Ryker. Instead she lives happily in Sioux Falls helping her parents run their dress shop and dreaming of Clayton Davies, the human mystery writer who she loves but believes she can never have. 

But there is murder happening in the Black Hills and when Betty’s mate, the Alpha Drew, lies at death’s door, Mags will have to return and face her worst nightmares over and over again. 

Only this time she won’t be alone. Clayton loves Mags, and he is a man who knows how to look into the darkness and come out the other side. Together, they will help Ryker seek a killer who wants humans dead. If they can both live through the night... 

Amazon | iBooks | Kobo | All Romance

Scent of Madness Pre-Order Now!

While their Alpha fights to survive, an elusive killer hunts among their pack, slaying humans and the wolves who mated them. The Enforcer’s rigid rule and terse attitude have everyone uneasy. On the hunt for madness, he may lose everything… 

Ryker continues to hunt for the elusive murderer. The others have eliminated several suspects, but tensions in the Black Hills have never been higher. For all of his experience in hunting and dealing with the wolves, Ryker has never found himself torn between two loves before—to be the killer he is, means he has to turn off the softer side Saja awoke in him. 

Saja’s life with the wolves is nothing she would ever have imagined. Being the center of Ryker’s attention is both a blessing and a curse, but her mate’s gentle, indulgent nature seems to be a thing of the past. While she understands his remoteness comes from a place where caring and fear collide, she doesn’t want to lose Ryker to the madness creeping through the pack. 

Clashes with Colt and several other dominants heighten the danger, and Ryker refuses to allow her out of his sight unless she is with Gee. When the killer sets his sights on her, will the Enforcer drive his mate away rather than lose her? 

Amazon | iBooks | Kobo | All Romance 

Book Promotion with Pinning-not as painful as you'd think

by Maureen L. Bonatch

So...I have a new book coming out January 6th...

Being an introverted, book marketing inept person, saying these words often made me cringe. They'd come out almost as an apology as the person took a step back to insert distance between them and the desperate aura swirling around me attempting to cling to anyone nearby. They'd avert their gaze as I'd babble about my book and all the places they could buy my book...

...or at least that's how I envisioned their response. 

But with this not being 'my first rodeo'...err...my fourth book published, I've learned a few things.
                                           

Promotion doesn't have to be painful. 

Gasp! Yes. I said it!

Here's how I came to that conclusion. Face it, for someone to be interested in a book/product the person wants to know 'what's in it for me?' For some reason the promise of eternal, undying gratitude isn't always enough for complete strangers...it might even freak them out a little.
Forget Me Not, my newest release, is a Candy Hearts Romance. These are Fun, Flirty novellas which focus on Valentine's Day and falling in love.

I've been with my Valentine for a long time, but I still try to think of cute, fun things to make Valentine's special for my hubby, and my kids. Last year I spent an inordinate amount of time trying to make something cute for the hubby, so I turned to Pinterest, and made a 'man bouquet.' Composed of little liquor bottles, candy, lottery tickets and some sweet nothings, something like one of these. 

What better way to promote Forget Me Not, and all of the cute Candy Heart Stories while discovering cute ways to celebrate Valentine's Day! I've made a Pinterest board with all of the novellas in the Candy Hearts Romance series— because who doesn't want to immerse themselves in stories of love that make them feel all warm and fuzzy around Valentine's Day— plus I've included pins with ideas for gifts, inexpensive & fun dates, desserts and everything to make the most of the holiday that focuses on romance. 

I hesitate to say it, but making the Pinterest Board with all the Valentine ideas has been kind of...fun promo for Forget Me Not. Plus I can surely find a good idea for the hubby for Valentine's Day this year.

Check out my Candy Hearts Valentine Board right here. 

Don't forget to enter The Wild Rose Press rafflecopter for your chance to win a 

Kindle Fire.

I'd love to hear about your best Valentine's gift, or date.

                                                                    What if your memories hadn't been made yet?

                                                                                                     The car accident totaled Sabrina Post’s convertible and reinvented her memories. She can't recall dumping Cole Dawson ten years ago. What her new clairvoyant visions tell Sabrina is he’s her husband. Any practical girl would question her sanity. But if Sabrina wants to make this imaginary future a reality, she'll have to regain Cole’s trust and eliminate her rival, the coffee shop waitress who’s pegged Cole as husband #4. 

To prove she’s foreseen their destiny, Sabrina stirs Cole’s interest by revealing specifics about him she couldn’t have otherwise known. Unfortunately, the one detail he vividly remembers is the pain when she left him and their "rinky-dink" town in her rearview mirror.

If Cole can't believe she's a changed woman, can Sabrina accept the only second chance she has at love exists in her memories?

    Amazon           The Wild Rose Press         Barnes and Noble

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About the Author:

Maureen writes stories in the beautiful state of Pennsylvania that boast laughter, light suspense and something magical in the hope of sharing her love of finding the extraordinary in the ordinary world. She writes Paranormal Romance and Fantasy.

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