Friday, July 29, 2022

Coming Soon - Kaine by @meganslayer from @changelingpress #SummonaBadBoy #series #romance #hot #hotread #comingsoon

 Out Very Soon and Ready for Your Reading Pleasure....



Kaine (Summon a Bad Boy 4) by Megan Slayer 

$4.99 /Sale Price: $4.24

I call on the fates to bring my love to me. As I will it, so mote it be…

Nikki Sinclair isn’t interested in love. She’s happy as a model and doing her own thing. Besides, keeping people at bay means she won’t get hurt again. Then she runs into Kaine. He’s nothing like she expects and exactly what she never realized she needed. But he’s got a past. It’s up to her to decide if she’s willing to summon this bad-boy mechanic or keep going on as a solo act.

Love can be a tricky thing. What if fate has its own idea for Nikki? She’s not willing to argue, especially if it means having her bad boy.

Time to do some summoning.

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Copyright ©2022 Megan Slayer

“If I can make her listen this time…” Nikki Sinclair drove to her best friend’s house, then parked in the driveway. She loved her friend, Sarah, like a sister, but Sarah could be controlling and pushy. Sarah wanted to use her magic spell to pair up the various members of their friend group with eligible bachelors. Until now, Sarah’s use of the spell had been harmless. Now, she’d set her sights on setting up Nikki with the right man.

Sure, their friend Karey had found Jimmy. They’d be married in a few months. Swell. Then Mandy met Jack. They were talking about getting married and when to set the date. Fantastic. Natalie had forged a relationship with one of baseball’s bad boys, Bentley. Good for her. Had they all found love on account of the spell?

Nikki doubted it.

Magic wasn’t real, and it hadn’t brought the couples together. Their mutual interests and attractions had done it. They had things in common, and that familiarity helped the desires grow. It wasn’t rocket science.

But Sarah insisted it was magic.

Not hardly.

What didn’t help matters much was Sarah’s need to troll for dates at the same damn bar. One More Round was nice enough as a hangout, but besides Jack, there weren’t any decent guys there.

Sarah might think she could find a date for Nikki there, but Nikki still had her doubts.

Tonight, she had other plans, too. Nikki strode up to the front door. If she didn’t tell Sarah now about her job and not wanting to go to the bar, she’d wuss out. She knocked and waited for Sarah’s reply.

Sarah opened the door. “Hey. You’re not dressed to go out. What gives?”

“I have a show tonight.”

“Tonight? Where?”

Ah, Sarah. The girl needed to know everything. “At the art museum. I’m part of the Gowns Through Time moving exhibit.”

Sarah crinkled her nose. “So no One More Round tonight? How about after?”

“I can’t. When I’m done modeling the dress, I’m expected to solo at the after-party.” She had to emphasize the solo part or Sarah would try to tag along.

“Solo?” Sarah frowned. “I’m your best friend. You can’t go alone -- take me with you. What about stranger danger? I should be there.”

“You mean you don’t want me going out on my own?”

“Yes. We should be in pairs. It’s safest.”

“And also gets you into an exclusive after-party with rich men.”

“Yes.” Sarah’s eyes lit up. “Exactly.”

“Wrong.”

Sarah frowned again. “You’re twenty-five, the most beautiful woman I know, guys would kill to be with you and you’re not scared to go solo?”

“Not when I’m with the other models.”

“Oh.” Sarah folded her arms. “What if some rich man sweeps you off your feet?”

“Unlikely.” She had one chasing her, and if she could avoid him, she’d be golden.

“Why?”

“I’m not dating a guy who is twenty years older than me.” She’d done it once and hated it. “We have nothing in common. When I did try to date a man that much older than me, he griped, I got bored and everyone was miserable. Look, I need to go. I’m due at the makeup stands at seven, and it’s six-forty-five now.”

“When is the show?”

“Arrivals start at eight-forty-five. We do our part starting at nine-thirty and the after-party is some time after eleven.” She checked her watch. “I’ve got texts from Laura, my boss. I need to go. See you.”

“Yeah, be safe.”

“Call Kurt. He’ll keep you company.” She rushed down the steps to her car.

Mentioning Kurt was a tricky proposition. Sarah wouldn’t admit it she loved him, but she did. If Kurt had the audacity to start seeing someone else, Sarah would flip out, but she had too much pride to admit she still cared about him. She wasn’t ready to try again, no matter how much she seemed to love him.

Nikki drove to the museum complex. She parked in the staff lot, then rushed into the building to the cafeteria. Getting dressed in the huge room wasn’t ideal for the models, but it wasn’t the worst place she’d prepped for a show. At least she could dress on site and not be driven to the location.

She left her purse and phone in the assigned area, then waited for her turn with the makeup artists.

Forty-five minutes later, she was dressed in a flame-red strapless evening gown that left little to the imagination. At least she had the figure for it. She adjusted the bodice as the dresser laced the corset and the hair stylist finished the last touches on her hairdo.

“You look smashing,” Carol, the dresser, said. “I’d love to wear this.”

“Why don’t you?” She wasn’t being catty. She believed every woman should be able to wear whatever made them feel sexy. Besides, Carol had the curves Nikki never got.

“I’m too short for dresses like this.” Carol beamed. “I’ll live vicariously through you.”

“You should wear this. It’d be killer on your frame. Those rich donors wouldn’t know what to do with themselves. They’d fawn all over you.” She grunted as Carol tugged harder on the corset strings. “Good?”

“Yep.” Carol stepped around her. “I don’t have your confidence, either. I’d be too worried the guys would laugh.”

“They don’t deserve you if they’d laugh. I’m serious.” Nikki stepped off the pedestal. “Don’t let them rule you. Be you and be bold. Don’t let them win. You win.” That’s what she told herself before every show.

 


Monday, July 25, 2022

When Life Gets Too Busy . . . Step Back! by Nancy Gideon

I’m in a creative slump. There sits my W-I-P, a romantic suspense I’ve been working on for far too long, just across my office on my laptop, file dormant and unopened, for WEEKS. It’s reached 68K . . . and holding. And holding. The initial idea, begun while on vacay in Ireland last fall, quickly consumed my imagination as page after page of storyline gushed out without one paragraph of preconceived plot . . . suddenly stalled out. It’s got great characters, deep subplots, compelling romance, and edge of your seat suspense . . . but what it doesn’t have is a notion of how to get from page now to page end. I know HOW it ends, when it ends and how it sets up the next book in the projected series. What I don’t know is how to carry my currently cooling their heels characters to that HEA.

Then I glance at my desk calendar and see that 16 out of the last 25 days have been filled with “Events” from doctor/dentist/vet appts for me, my sister, and my cat (who has dental surgery tomorrow!), a son who is back to work in the afternoons that has him up in the morning wanting to “talk” during my sacred time to commune with my characters, to sundry unplanned things that required time and attention and me leaving the house (ewww!) that pulled me from my writing schedule. I am NOT a fan of busyness. I am an isolationist hermit who would be happy living on a deserted island as long as it had Netflix, good Internet, Amazon delivery, and plenty of cat litter (for the cats!). I need to escape on a writing vacation!!


Three years ago when I got to the deadline last straw, I rented a suite at a hotel across the state near my other son’s family with the intention of pounding out pages during the day, then relaxing in the onsite pool/hot tub and going out to eat and visiting in the evening. But when family found out I was nearby, I ended up being the before/after school drop off/pick up cite for my grandguy. Fun, but non-productive. I know, I’m a mush! I’m just a Grammy who can’t say no . . . or keep a secret. Still, I DID get words!

I’ve missed going to writing events, write-ins, or just face-to-faces with my critique group and other active writers that get the creative juices flowing. While complaining about their absence in this post, I suddenly realized that the desire to open that laptop and add pages to my W-I-P has become a priority again! The next chapter is whispering to me. Before it starts yelling, I’ll give this post a quick spell check and send it out. Because . . . I’ve got words to do!

Friday, July 22, 2022

Me Time - We All Need It by Tena Stetler

 

Me time is defined as time spent relaxing on one’s own as opposed to working or doing things for others, seen as an opportunity to reduce stress and/or restore energy.

What do you do for me time?  What? You don’t have me time? It's Friday, schedule some me time this weekend. Me time is as important as breathing less you succumb to a stroke, heart attack, mental shutdown or meltdown. A writer block can be the result of unreleased stress.

Believe me, I’ve been there, as have most of you. In recent months, two acquaintances have succumbed to strokes. They were not authors, but worked in a high stress, time demanding industry. They’ll survive, but--learned the hard way about the necessity of me time. Take a deep breath and insist on me time. Tell everyone in your life, you’re taking an hour, a day, a weekend  or longer for me time. Don’t feel guilty! It’s not selfish, it’s necessary. Nothing is worth your health, mental or physical.

Publishing is a tough, ever-changing industry. It can be rewarding, but it’s not for the faint of heart. Between promo, signings (these are fun, the prep isn’t), deadlines, manuscripts, reviews, edits, and creativity, melt down is inevitable, at the least, if you don’t stop, take breath and break out of the vicious cycle the profession entails.


For me, it’s camping trips (see out most recent view from our campsite on the 4th of July above) with hubby and pets. Also I enjoy time in my sunroom with Taco, our parrot, and Mystic our dog where we discuss what's wrong with the world. They listen intently, but offer no opposition. Long walks around the neighborhood with Mystic, if I can’t get out and do a little hiking in the mountains. Even just sitting outside our fifth wheel trailer parked in the mountains working a word scramble, reading a good book, or enjoying the sights and sounds of a babbling brook, roaring river, wind through the aspens, or wild life frolicking near our camp site. During the Spring, Summer and Fall this is how my me time is spent. Okay, I admit that sometimes a story concept comes to mind and must be written down in the middle of my me time. During the winter, I make time for a great read, curled up by a crackling fire in the fireplace, a bowl of hot buttered popcorn, and a HUGH mug of cocoa.


Well, that’s about all I have for you this month. It doesn't matter what industry you're in, remember to schedule ME TIME. I'd love to hear what you do for me time. To help you with that, let this heart-warming book, A WITCH’S JOURNEY, whisk you away from your ordinary world with tales of redemption, magic, wildlife rescue, true love & paying it forward that will leave you breathless.  A stress reducer for your pocketbook with my Christmas in July sale e[book only 99cents. Download a copy today! Pssst...it's also available in audiobook.

A little more about A WITCH'S JOURNEY part of the series by the same name. Pepper McKay comes from a long line of powerful witches. Unfortunately, magic brings her nothing but trouble. She learned the love of wildlife rescue and rehab from her Aunt Ashling. After graduating from college, Pepper works for Salem Wildlife Sanctuary and lives from paycheck to paycheck until she inherits the McKay property in Lobster Cove. With the family land and resources, she dares to dream of starting her own wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center.

Lathen Quartz, a former Navy SEAL turned handyman maintains the enchanted McKay property for the McKay estate. But someone is trying to steal the McKay magic. Lathen offers to help Pepper achieve her life-long dream of building a wildlife center. During the long hours spent together on the project, their mutual attraction can’t be denied. But each harbors a deep, dark secret. Will they overcome their demons and give love a chance?

See you next month. Can you believe it will be August already? Where does time go?

Saturday, July 16, 2022

The Valkyrie Initiative & What's Next

 

Tis the season of anthologies for this writer! I've got another short story coming out in September in The Valkyries Initiative (available on Amazon).

Mostly, my protagonists have the same kind of vibes, which is great news if you like my main characters (and hopefully you do!). They are women who are learning to depend on themselves in various situations for the first time. Jade is no different.

She has just graduated from college with a degree in art history and is mere days away from starting her dream job. Sound fabulous, right?

It wouldn't be fiction if we left it there. Well, at least it wouldn't be an exciting piece of fiction if we did.

Jade gets all dressed up to attend her graduation ceremony, but when everyone tosses their caps into the air and she catches someone else's, everything she's worked so hard for is suddenly threatened because she sees something she's not supposed to. She sees a vision of a woman being murdered.

Could it be that she's going crazy like her Grandma Jane?

I suppose you'll just have to find out :) Especially if you like tough women who don't follow boring tropes.

Like I said earlier, this seems to be the season of anthologies for me, and I'm not complaining. If you remember from my previous posts, I love to genre jump and this is a great way for me to do just that. Previously, I wrote a paranormal romance, this time it's an urban fantasy thriller, and later this year I'll be back with the third installment of a dystopian survival story.

If you love writing short stories, and I totally do, anthologies are a fantastic way to get your stories out there. I love having a deadline (it's more of a love-hate relationship seeing as I'm notorious for saying yes to way too many projects) as well as getting to know more writers. It's so fun to go to a convention and meet a new writing friend only to realize you've been in the same anthology.

Either way, I hope that you'll keep telling the stories you'd want to read. 

Until next month, happy writing!



Friday, July 15, 2022

Rimrider Free Days


The First Book in the Rimrider Adventure Series is Free on Amazon July 14, 15, 16, 17, 18


Orphan, pirate, spy.

Jane Benedict’s father orders her to memorize a mysterious code. Hours later, he’s murdered and Jane and her brother, Will, become wards of United Earth Corporation. To evade the company’s brutal clutches and uncover the meaning of her father’s last message, Jane leads Will on a desperate escape across the galaxy aboard the Freetrader smuggler ship, Solar Vortex. After swearing allegiance and joining the crew’s fight for freedom, Jane saves the life of young smuggler, Mac Sawyer, and learns her father’s code identifies a secret cargo shipment. The trail leads to the planet Rimrock and the massive prison complex of Golgotha. Undercover as a spy, Jane stumbles into a conspiracy that can spell doom for the entire Freetrader cause and the extinction of an alien race. Can she escape the prison confines and deliver a warning before it’s too late?

Piracy, intrigue, romance, space battles, and a daring rebellion from Earth wait on the galactic rim. Will Jane answer the call to adventure or is death for high treason her fate?

Excerpt

“We’re trapped in cargo bay Delta-120 with a sweeper. Do you read?” The only response was a hiss of static. Jane peered at them with anxious eyes. “My line is dead. Anyone have a signal?” Neither Mac nor Will’s com had reception.

Jane swallowed. “I don’t know if Doc got the message.”

Mac scowled. “We’re out maneuvered and outgunned and can’t wait around to find out. The smoke is getting thicker by the second.”

Hack emitted a muted tinny whine. “What’s his problem now?” hissed Jane.

Will yanked off the tarp and checked the readouts. “The weird signal’s back, stronger this time. Hack has a lock. It’s definitely coming from that thing on the catwalk with the sweeper.”

Mac’s gaze narrowed. “His rifle beats the cutter for long-range shooting. If the sweeper were at ground level, the odds would be more to my liking. I can sneak up on him.” He blew out his cheeks in frustration. “How to draw him out without getting shot is the problem.” He turned to Jane and Will. “You two wait here. When the shooting starts, make for the hatch.”

Jane grabbed his arm. “Mac, this is crazy. You’ll never get close enough. We need a better plan.”

Mac shook off her grip. “There’s no time. One of us has to make it out of here and go for help. Now run!” He broke from cover and darted around a loader.

The sweeper instantly spotted him. Jane watched in horror as the laser rifle fired a spread of explosive charges. A direct hit to the loader’s engine mushroomed debris into the air. Mac dove behind a cargo container abutting a rack of mech suits. He was unharmed for now, but had no safe way to advance any farther.

“What do we do?” said Will. “Run for help?”

Jane’s focus returned to the sweeper. With his laser rifle at the ready, he used his other hand to hurriedly work on the object at his feet, acting as if time weighed hard against him. Jane’s gaze narrowed. A person so consumed by a task would hate to be interrupted. As a matter of fact, the right interruption might make him boiling mad. Mad enough to drop his guard and take his attention off Mac.

Her expression hardened. “Will, I have a plan.” She explained in a rush.

Will chuckled. “I like it.”

“How much time will you need to get into position?”

“Thirty seconds ought to do it.”

“I’ll keep the sweeper busy.” Jane drew the cutter from her holster. With shaking fingers, she reset the controls for a tight beam. At this distance, hitting the sweeper would be a miracle, but the glow from the cutter made her a fine target for him in the dark. “Ready?”

Will’s face turned pale. “Are you positive Mac will be in position?”

“He’ll understand as soon as I start running. He knows how to shoot.”

“Yeah, but you don’t. Be careful, Jane. Promise.”

“I’ll make it back, Will. I swear. On three…one, two, go!” Jane dashed from cover aiming straight for the sweeper’s position.

Jane fired wildly, mentally counting the seconds. Her shots went way out of range. Although none landed anywhere near the catwalk, they drew the sweeper’s immediate attention.

Crackles of lightning ripped through the air as he returned fire. An energy blast hit near her feet, bubbling the metal deck plate. Jane dodged in panic, adrenaline pumping through her veins.

Close—too close. Don’t think! Run! Run! Run! Twenty more seconds

Jane tore across the bay, darting through smoke, dodging flames. She veered toward the bulkhead aiming for the safety of a storage container. The back of her neck burned as if she could feel the laser sight zero in on her. A beam sliced the dark to her left. Jane sidestepped in a panic. She was in the open, no place to hide. The sweeper had her in his sights. A red dot centered on the middle of her chest. She looked into the face of death.

“Now, Will!” Jane shouted.

So intent on Jane, the sweeper didn’t notice a dark blob shoot up behind him. Hack’s claws clamped on the device at the sweeper’s feet.

Bllllleeeeeehhhhhh!

Will had raised Hack’s alarm to full volume, and an ear-splitting shriek echoed in the air. Startled, the sweeper spun in a half-circle in time to watch Hack disappear with the unit, diving into the smoky haze of the cargo bay.

Jane rammed the cutter into the holster and sprinted toward the rack of mech suits where Mac hid. Heavy footsteps ran across the catwalk and then pounded down the stairs. With a soft whir and an urgent bleh-bleh, Hack flew over her head and then dropped the device into Jane’s outstretched hands. She grunted with the sudden weight and struggled to hold on. It was much heavier than she expected. Within a few meters, her breath came in ragged gasps as she stumbled across the deck.

Footsteps drew closer as Jane cleared the last of the storage containers. An agonizing ache shot though her side. Her legs moved as if strung by lead weights. Muscles in her arms burned with the effort to carry the device. Dead ahead was the rack of mech suits.

Mac was gone.


Amazon Link




Thursday, July 14, 2022

A Question for Writers, Published or Not

 

He's only here to get your attention.  :-)

I have been working on another western romance—and working, and working…It seems endless, and I’m only shooting for 50,000 words.  Why do you persist (other than sheer stubbornness, you mean?)? I’m under contract to write this book.  I use every excuse not to work on it.  Yesterday, I found an old story I’d written back in the dark ages, and happily, joyfully even, worked on it until late at night.  You know that feeling when you’re writing for the joy of writing? I had this yesterday with my little vampire story.

And it struck me.

I’ve always, by and large, written paranormal stories.  The one I worked on yesterday was a vampire ditty. My western romance doesn’t have even one preternatural being. (I borrowed preternatural from Anne Rice; she probably borrowed it from the Thesaurus. I mean who says “preternatural”?)

I had to be dragged away from the computer and that story had a vampire as the hero. I was back in my element and happy writing. That hasn’t happened often lately. And this story dates back to when I thought GMC was an SUV. I don’t remember where I was going in my ramblings. CRS.

I put it to you, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, if you are a writer, should you take any topic and write well or do you prefer to stick with those things you love?

That little story has become a new KindleVella offering. I called it The Pariah. You can read the first 3 episodes free. But as of this writing there are only 2. Get all your preternatural friends onboard, read my vampire tale, and if they like what they’ve read, I’d appreciate a Thumbs-up at the conclusion of the 3rd episode.*


https://www.amazon.com/The-Pariah/dp/B0B6CX46ZW/

*Light Bulb – if not the moral to this post, it was at least a message.

Happy Thursday, July 14th,

 Linda Nightingale

 

Wednesday, July 13, 2022

The Gold Is Inside You – Promise! By Marilyn Barr

 

When I say “dowsing,” what image comes to mind? Is it an older cowboy holding two bent sticks while wandering the prairie? Is he looking for gold, water, or an ancient artifact? If so, you are not alone. Dowsing was in its heyday in the late 1880s but is making a comeback. However, dowsers aren’t searching for treasures under the ground, they are using the technique to read their intuition. Some dowsers still use the rods (made of hazel, willow, or metal) but the pendulum has passed it in popularity.

How old is this “new age” technique? According to the American Society of Dowsers, dowsing rods and pendulum setups have been found in gravesites on the island of Crete dating back before 400 AD. Pendulum use has been depicted in older Chinese and Egyptian art. The use of dowsing was banned by the Catholic church and reinforced by Martin Luther during the Reformation as the use of false idols. This made dowsing a taboo, paranormal, and forgotten art. Nevermind, that Moses’ son Aaron uses dowsing rods to find water in the Old Testament. Are you speaking to Satan when you swing a pendulum, or does he cross the rods when you are looking for water? Why would the dark lord of cruelty help someone find water in the desert?

(Dowsing pictographs from Atlas Mtn of North Africa from dowsers dot org)

 Where there isn’t understanding superstition and magical supposition reign so we can’t blame the churches of the 1500s for not understanding magnetic fields or background radiation. Gauss didn’t invent the magnetometer for another 300 years and Geiger didn’t invent the Geiger Count to measure radiation for another 400 years. There’s no way they could explain the movement of physical items without a visible force without the inclusion of spirits. Even today, people deem dowsing as an occultist pseudoscience because they doubt the sensitivity of the rods and pendula ability to detect these forces.

Thanks to science we can measure forces with instruments more sensitive than our human eyes and explain the relationship between the rods and water or precious metals. Large changes in the composition under the earth will cause a minute change in background radiation or magnetic field from the surrounding area. This is because every substance on earth (and beyond) has a unique chemical composition of protons, electrons, and empty space. This composition gives off a signature in radiation, electronic charge, and magnetic field. All these signatures are related to one another. With my advanced degree in particle physics, I could bore you to tears with the beautiful force diagrams, calculus, and energetic interactions…but I will spare you.

(Mr. Gold dowsing on Discovery Channel's "Bering Sea Gold")

When looking for water, the dowsing instrument will move with the change in signature because of the change in environment. But what about using the pendulum or rods to make choices? Modern dowsers aren’t looking for water (we can see facets) or gold (we are bombarded with jeweler’s commercials every December and February.) They are using dowsing to reach inside themselves and measure their intuition. While water under the ground has a chemical signature, so does the water within us.

 How paranormal is that? We give off magnetic, electrical, and radiation energies with our thoughts. Skeptical? Get an EEG (electroencephalogram) which measures our electrical impulses in brain waves. Evidence of alpha, beta, and gamma waves’ correlation to different mental states is well documented. What we truly want can be hidden by the societal norms rooted in our conscious, but our chemical signatures can’t lie. Dowsing rods and pendula are just cheaper instruments for measuring these signatures. I, for one, can’t afford to set up an EEG in my living room.

(Types of brain waves from the neurofeedbackalliance.org)

For dowsing, I prefer a pendulum without a mat. I have purchased a pendulum through a crystals dealer because I like the bling. Any object suspended from a cord, string, or chain, can be a pendulum. I use a necklace in a pinch but have witnessed the bobbin at the end of a window blind’s cord work for someone else (while still attached to the window). The key is not to change instruments mid-session because substances all act differently based on their composition’s electrical charge. Commercial mats are available for interpreting the pendulum’s movement with ‘yes’. ‘no’, numbers, and letters written on them. This is the same principle behind Ouija boards. Sorry for the spoiler!


(My pendulum from Energetically in Harmony https://eih111.com/collections/pendulums)

Since I don’t use a mat, I ask my pendulum questions to learn its reactions to my impulses. Think of it as calibrating an instrument. I ask my pendulum to “show me yes,” “show me no.” and “show me I don’t know yet.” The pendulum will swing horizontally, vertically, spin clockwise, or spin counterclockwise. My next step is to test my interpretation by asking about a truth and a lie. If I ask, “am I asking in Kentucky,” I should get a “yes” response. I follow this with “am I asking in Siberia” to get the “no” response. If I get these questions wrong, I meditate to reacquaint myself with my intuition or grab another cup of coffee.

Where most new dowsers get tripped up is firing questions at their instrument like a fuselage. Just like dumping five blood samples into a hematology analyzer will give you mixed results that light up the panel like a Christmas tree, your impulses will bleed over one another. Be sure to wave your hand between the instrument and your body between questions to clear it. By disrupting the flow of electromagnetic waves, you can influence the pattern as it reorganizes. Also, it is best to dowse in a quiet place, I can’t tell you the number of times I was dowsing and my son asking for a snack registered with my pendulum because my thoughts wandered.

(Me with my pendulum)

Dowsing takes practice, so don’t be discouraged if you get the “I don’t know yet” response or no response at all. I recently asked if I should restart my retailer ads for Walk the Plank. My pendulum vibrated at me while my frustration boiled over. In a follow-up meditation, I remembered seeing an ad for a challenge in creating this same type of ad. That’s why my pendulum was confused by my response! I do want to restart them but only after learning from this 5-day course…a conditional yes. The problem wasn’t my intuition or dowsing, but my question. I find wording the questions the most difficult part of dowsing.

What’s old is now new with our increased understanding of science and what was deemed occultist magic is easily explained. Could spirits, aliens, or ghosts influence our chemical signatures too? I’ll let you be the judge, but I find the physical evidence of my mental acuity on physical objects empowering. If you could reach into the chemical basis of your deepest desires, what would you ask? Talk about getting to know yourself!


Do I have dowsing in my paranormal romance books or just my paranormal life? Chevelle the Hoodoo Priestess in Walk the Night: A Vampire, Pirate Romance dowses over her herbs to create her spells. Meet Chevelle here - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09TYJ49Q9

Here's the back of the Book Blurb:

Magda’s second chance at marriage promises to be a dream come true—if she survives her mysterious nightmare illness. She has been married for a week and is desperate for a much longer happily ever after.

Branko would trade places with Magda in a heartbeat, but the sickness plaguing Nassau prefers European hosts and spares the natives of the Caribbean. While he believes Mother Nature is punishing those who destroy her beautiful islands, he refuses to accept that Magda deserves to be on the list for retaliation

The civilized world hasn’t a cure for Magda, but Branko will try anything to save her—including reuniting with a ghost from his past. He requests the help of a Hoodoo priestess but magic always comes with a price… She’s asking for Leaf, the young wildcrafter and ship’s cook, in exchange. Will Captain Branko repeat the betrayal of Blackbeard and sell a deckhand for treatment, or say goodbye to the love of his life?

Sunday, July 10, 2022

5 Most Popular Paranormal Creatures in Romance by Keri Kruspe

 

Okay, I confess. I’m a voracious reader who enjoys a good romantic romp full of extra, um, flair. Que in paranormal romances. While trends come and go in the romance genre overall, I’m happy to say that I don’t see any sign of the paranormal theme slowing down anytime soon. Which means I’m not the only one who loves the blend of two distinct genres—romance laced with fantasy or science fiction elements.

Why, you may ask, is this type of romance so popular? I adore the way Emily Sinclair Montage explained the type of folks who devore the genre in her article titled The Golden Age of Paranormal Romance Novels, We're rule breakers. Rebels. The wild-haired and electric-eyed eccentrics of the Romance genre who won't accept society's stifling and conservative demands! We want sex, we want hot, superhuman beings to have it with, and we want a LOT of it.

Not only that, but she also clarifies, “… all we're asking for is a supernaturally beautiful man who is powerful beyond mortal means and will protect and (consensually) ravish us to a degree no merely human man could conceive of.” 


*Sigh* I couldn't say it better myself.

Other Reasons to Love Paranormal Romances

Throughout human history, we’ve woven tales of gods seducing humans, who in turn seduce gods who in turn seduce anything in between. Sometimes when the protagonist hooks up with “otherworldly creatures”, they have a good chance of turning into that type of creature (vampires, werewolves, anyone?). Thus… dropping the boring mantel of mortal man and becoming something extraordinary! 

Some Perks in Reading This Type of Romance

  • Escape from real life
  • Unlimited imagination that introduces you to a new world
  • Epic scop and scale that delves deeply into the human emotion of romance
  • Legitimizes the subculture (fantasy is not just for children)

A List of the Most Attractive Paranormal Creatures

In no particular order, here are the five types of beings… species… creatures… I believe are the top paranormal creatures we love to ah, love:


Vampires



I get all shivery with whenever I read about these seductive creatures. In most romance novels, they are uncommonly beautiful, and you find yourself falling in love with them at one glance. Without lifting a finger (or eyebrow), they can thrall a human to their bidding. These are the classic “bad boys”, who break every rule and live outside society’s norms. Most of them have a troubled past — cursed, afflicted, striving to regain any part of their humanity they can.

Best of all, they’re never boring.


Shapeshifters


I know what you’re thinking. Why have a picture of a dragon when I talk about “Shapeshifters”? Shapeshifters nowadays encompass all sorts of forms—from mermaids to werewolves to bears, big cats and any type of mythological creature (gargoyle anyone?) you can think of.

A main attraction of the shifter culture is the whole dominating alpha looking for their ever-mate—the one female who completes them. The one mate that will hold the dark forces pulling them to inhabit their animal side and forfeit their humanity. There are so many diverse characters to choose from, it's hard to settle on just one!

Wizards/Magic Welders


What’s not to love about a man with an unlimited power that puts the “ab” in “abracadabra(thanks Gavin Pitt)? They’re mysterious, aloof, and intelligent beyond belief. Because of their immense powers, they willingly put themselves in harm’s way for the greater good.

But a good wizard is not omnipotent. They have enough flaws to fill a cauldron. Most bite off more than they can chew and then have to pay for it. And who doesn’t want one to be the one to gain his love to uncover the struggling little boy he hides from everyone else?



Angels



The mere thought of a heavenly creature falling in love with a mortal woman is as old as time. One of the best things about angels is they’re universal. Almost every religion/mythology has some type of angel associated with it. They are divine supernatural creatures that watch over us, made to protect us from our own stupidity.

In other words… forbidden fruit.

Aliens

You didn’t think I’d leave these guys out… did ya?

Alien romances (aka SciFi Romance/Science Fiction Romance) have it all. You love supernatural creatures to fall in love with? Our aliens have that and more. From mostly human looking to some extremes that highlight we are different species. The world-building here is exciting and unique. I do promise you not all of these stories are the cookie-cutter of girl-gets-abducted-by-hunky-aliens-desperate-for-females-misunderstands-abound-everlasting-love-found. While that might have been true a couple of years ago (the main reason I wrote my An Alien Exchange series), now diversity has entered the trope. These stories are full of adventure, love, and dare I say it… luscious, sensual, hot sex. 

Recommendations

For your enjoyment I’ve included some of my favorite authors for each paranormal type. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my latest Alien Legacy series is a mesh of most of these tropes. 

In the comment section, list any a suggestion you feel should be added for everyone to enjoy!

Vampires: Christine Feehan, Sherrilyn Kenyon, I.T. Lucas

Shapeshifters: Lora Leigh, Lauranne Dohner, Ava Ross, Cara Bristol

Magic Welders/Wizards: Michelle M Pillow, Robin D Owens, K.F. Breene

Angels: Nalini Singh, Michelle Bardsley, Loki Renard, Merri Bright

Aliens: Tracy St. John, Evangeline Anderson, Susan Grant, S.E. Smith

Let's not forget the great authors listed on this blog. A virtual cornucopia to choose from!

Thursday, July 7, 2022

Submit and Send... Now What? Post by Jessica E. Subject

 


In my post from April, I talked about how I'd almost finished writing RET, the last book in my Kaddim Brothers series. Well, I've finished. And I'm currently in the final stages of editing. As I write this, I'm currently on stage 6 of my self-editing process, as I detailed in this post from November 2021. That means, I'm almost ready to submit it to my publisher.

But, what comes next?

There are so many possibilities of things to do when an author finishes writing a book and/or series. I'm going to talk about some of them, but feel free to add your own ideas in the comments.

1. CELEBRATE

It's a huge accomplishment to have finished writing a book and get it to the point where you're ready to share it with others. Many people have dreams to have a book published, but never start. If they do, they don't finish. So, celebrate this accomplishment.


2. READ

Some authors don't read in their genre when they're writing. These breaks in writing are a chance to read in your genre and see what's popular. It's also good to read outside your genre, to read wide and gain new perspectives. This can really help with your future writing. Reading non-fiction can also help with research and ideas for upcoming stories.

3. WATCH TV / MOVIES

This is the time to watch those movies and shows you've been putting off to finish your story. Enjoy! And maybe find some inspiration. I've been inspired by so many shows and movies over the years.


4. HEALTH CHECK

This is important. One's health can be another thing authors put on hold when finishing a story. Schedule appointments for this time to see to your physical and mental health. Go to the gym, or even just for a walk. Get a massage. Just be sure to take care of yourself.


5. BOOK PROMOTION

This is a good time to work on a promotion plan for your upcoming book if you're self-publishing or already have this series with a publisher. If you have backlist titles, you can also work on promo material for them, to remind readers that you already have other books out there.


6. START PLANNING OR WRITING THE NEXT STORY

I'm not an intense plotter, but I do spend a lot of time playing out my story in my head and then jotting notes down so I can remember it all. I use a basic 8-point romance outline that was shared by Stephanie Bond in a Romance 101 course I took several years ago. It works for me, and I know many authors have different systems to plot out stories that work for them. If you're you're a pantser, just go ahead and write that new story!

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT!
Be sure to back everything up! You don't want to invest all that work into something only to find it suddenly gone.

As I finish up edits for RET, and am closer and closer to submitting, I am also intensely plotting the first book in my next series. There's been a few glitches I've been trying to figure out how to get them to work, but it seems to be coming together now. I look forward to the day I can share more about this book and series with you!

Wishing you all a wonderful July!






Monday, July 4, 2022

Empty Your Mind & Fill Up Your Trello Board

By Maureen Bonatch


Clutter causes me stress. This often includes the clutter that I can’t see, which is the rapidly-filling email box and the endless to-do list on various sticky notes. Some hastily written and illegible when I refer to them later…or the to-do list  in my mind that tends to start scrolling when I’m trying to go to sleep at night

Empty that Email Box


I, like most people, have a never-ending number of emails and feel compelled to continuously check, and reduce that bulging inbox. But like that weed overtaking my front lawn, it's often hard to wrangle those emails into submission. 

Spending a little time organizing my email means more time for what I want to do (like read books!), and less mental stress.

Get Rid of the Clutter

I love many of the newsletters that I get. But some no longer interest me, or I can’t remember why  I subscribed. 

  • Unsubscribe, or use Unroll me, to eliminate newsletters that no longer interest you

Organize the Clutter

Often I have emails that I want to read but don’t have time now, or they are time-limited like coupons I want to save, or upcoming events.

  • Organize your emails with folders to get your inbox to zero

  • If your email box is really full, try alternating sorting emails by starred, sender, subject etc. to quickly reduce and prioritize emails

I did this for years and have many, many folders. Which means this might not be the only plan for people like me who like to save a lot of things to look at later, or need quick reference for some pages ongoing. That’s why I started using Trello.

Taking it Outside the Email Box

Trello is one of many organizational tools, which are often referred to as task managers. A few  others include Asana, Airtable, Calendly and more. Many of them have free plans, which is what I currently use with Trello.


Here’s how I organized my emails for easy reference later and empty out my email box.


  1. Determine if the email needs to go into one of my email folders for reference.

  2. If it’s a link to an article, a tool, podcast blog or site that I may use frequently or read later then go to my Trello board.


My Boards

  • My Kanban (or To Do) List

    • What I need to Do (in a defined timeframe or this list would be endless)

    • What I’m Doing this Week

    • What’s Done

    •  Upcoming or future tasks

  • Courses and Education where I link:

    • Online Courses I’ve bought and have done, or am doing 

    • Educational or reference Books I’ve read, or am reading (because my Kindle is also overwhelmed with info)

    • Podcasts: I want to listen to or have listened to


  • Writing Resources where I link:

    • Resources

    • Author Tools 

    • Website information

    • And more on creating my newsletter, book prep etc.





I have a few other Boards for my books, and author brand, but those don’t necessarily relate to my email box.

I’d Rather Be Reading 

Because who wants to spend their free time going through emails, or obsessing over their To-Do list? Not me! Organizing your emails and to-do lists can give you more time for things you really want to do, like reading.


Here are some books to fill your TBR.


Free Cozy Mysteries

Right here: https://books.bookfunnel.com/cozymysterylover/j5upp0cbs6





Get Cozy This Summer

Check them out right here: https://books.bookfunnel.com/getcozymysteries/5az8utgjp0




How Do You Stay Organized?


Just a small-town girl, Maureen Bonatch leads a double life. She lives in a magical world as a novelist, and as a nurse leader in reality. Maureen’s first novella was a paranormal romance published when blogs were a new-fangled thing. She’s since changed her focus to writing paranormal cozy mysteries as M.L. Bonatch and urban fantasy as Maureen Bonatch. 


While she’s not busy writing or doing nurse-things, she’s a mom to her twin daughters, bicycling in the beautiful woods of PA with her hubby, doing the bidding of a feisty Shih Tzu, and dancing as much as possible. She believes music can be paired with every mood, laughter is contagious, and that caffeine and wine are essential for survival.


 Follow M.L. Bonatch all through cyberspace! 

 Amazon page    BookBub Facebook Goodreads Newsletter https://www.maureenbonatch.com/free-book/



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