The New Old

I've spoken here before about receiving rights back to quite a few of my stories.  Today I'm going to talk about the Archangels in Love book 1, Hope in Love. What with my hand issues and resulting surgery, there's been a delay in getting Hope in Love and Repent in Love, book 2, back up for sale. This week, Hope in Love will be returning and Book 3, Death in Love, is in the works for release this year.

I like the new cover a lot and I'm sharing a favorite scene from the book -

Excerpt:

Ram arrived below and saw a man who stood on the wall of a rooftop with the business end of a revolver in his mouth. Shit! He began his mantra without much feeling. “You are a child of the Lord and your life is important to our Father.” Beings he assisted heard his voice deep in their subconscious mind. He infused his words with hope and fulfillment in life. It lifted their hearts. Most never saw him. Those who’d reached this point sometimes did see him but thought he was a figment of their warped imagination. They were harder to deal with.

The man’s head turned toward his voice. “Fuck off, whoever you are, I want to die.”

Okay, guess he sees me. Ram had had enough bullshit today. “Then finish it already. I could be buried deep in my woman. Instead your creepy ass pulled me here. Look, you got no hope and I have none for your sorry ass. I’m fresh out of hope. So, do us both a favor so I can get back to my bed.” The man squinted in an attempt to clear his vision. Leaning closer, Ram yelled, “Fucking jump already, or pull the trigger.”

Ram never saw it coming.

The bolt of lightning slammed into his body, dead center of his chest. It sizzled loudly as it flowed through him. He flew off the wall, careened through the air and hit the sidewalk ten stories below with a thud, breath knocked out of him. He watched feathers float around above him, some carried away on the breeze.

Bones were broken and fractured throughout his body. So many he didn’t want to count. Some protruded hideously through ripped and torn flesh. The walkway flooded with his blood. He hurt like hell. “Fuck me,” he croaked, blood dribbling across his cheek. He looked up and saw the guy with the gun now stood behind the wall and looked over at him. His mouth hung open in shock. Ram whispered in agony, “Guess there’s nothing like show and tell, huh, buddy?”

As soon as you can get up, I want to see you. Michael used his angel-of-death voice.

Really pissed you off this time.

Don’t push it, Ramiel.

You could help me up.

You must be kidding, right?

Okay then. I’ll be a while getting myself… back together.

I got all the time in the world.

Ram grumbled out loud, “God damn it to he—”

Go ahead. Say it. You know how I feel about taking our Father’s name in vain mixed with hell. You are working my last nerve. Get your ass up, NOW!

The now came accompanied by lightning which rode a boom of thunder across the sky. Ram knew he was bested.

When Michael cursed, things were really bad.

Growl and roar-it's okay to let the beast out. - J. Hali Steele

Thanksgiving and drugs

Odd title and, no, I'm not going to talk about tryptophan.

November, the month for Thanksgiving and, though I have Lupus and despise the drug I must take to keep tremors as well as stress at bay because it dulls every other sense - I have much to be thankful for! When I write I go off my medication to the consternation of many as I grow shaky, anxious, forgetful as hell, and my vocabulary exists of one or two phrases mostly starting with F... you and many variations thereof. Therefore, I’d like to skip forward. Every new year is heralded with singing Auld Lang Syne which can mean “old long since” or “times gone by” – whatever your translation, something undoubtedly will start anew.

I’m looking ahead to January, the return of seven stories, and I need to plan on how to get them back out there. First off, I have begun reading them with a fresh eye and will probably do minor rewrites. Do I keep their original covers (which I liked) or change them? That’s a huge expense that I hadn’t planned for! And then there is pricing?! Perhaps another publisher would be interested and that would be so much easier? Self-publishing is NOT easy; it takes dedication and lots of hard work. Where to start...

Don’t go dashing off yet to look for this title which currently has two books of the series completed, one in the works, and more in my head. Just loved this Les Byerley cover. It should be on his website too, damn it! (http://www.les3photo8.com/index.html). LOVED it!

I’m considering Kindle Unlimited. I’ve noticed many of my book sales have died off in their current markets. It doesn’t help I’m not good at promotion on my own: I hate promo! I’d just like to write, but see above about meds and dulled senses. So, I’m asking myself if there would be new life, maybe a new throng of readers who haven’t found my stories at traditional ebook publishers? Of course, I know I have to promote. *Sigh*

Readers, writers – do you KU?

Growl and roar – it’s okay to let the beast out. – J. Hali Steele

Baby, it's Cold Outside...

I live in the northeast and whatever the rest of the words are, I'm too cold to sing about it. I know there are people who like this stuff, but really -- this cold! I like heat, lots of it. (Just ask my energy provider, LOL) Can you ski in weather so brutal, maybe take a stroll through the park after you've shoveled out to get there? A few places are even colder, I'm talking about minus temps so I probably shouldn't complain. I don't know, let me just give you a few pics because I'm too cold to think. Hmm, growing fur would be good right now.

As I write this, it's 15 degrees and I hear next up is rain, ice, and even colder temperatures! I'm not looking for ice pics, I won't do it! Bundle up, drink hot coffee, hot tea, hot cocoa, have a hot toddy even, just stay warm!

Ooh, I've got an idea! Grab a good book -- one that'll keep you warm, and snuggle back under the covers. You'll find lots of great suggestions if you cruise down the side bar.

Growl and roar-it's okay to let the beast out.-J. Hali Steele

FATE IS A FICKLE...

something, she sure messed with me today.

HELLO! And super apologies for not having gotten here earlier…a comedy of error on my part.

Anyway I’m going to talk about Fate. As most of you know I’m doing a series of books on archangels. The first, HOPE IN LOVE, is available now at Ellora’s Cave. http://www.jasminejade.com/pc-7705-104-hope-in-love.aspx

I’ve integrated some mythology into these stories and I’m using the Fates – also known as the Moirae.

If you’re talking Greek (mythology, that is) their names are Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos. However, if you go Roman, their names are Nona (the Ninth), Decima (the Tenth) and Morta (Death). Maybe you can see from the names why I chose the Roman versions. Somehow the Greek pronunciations didn’t seem to fit an erotic romance to me.

Nona is responsible for spinning the threads of life on her spindle, Decima takes over from there and decides (or measures) how long you could live.

It is often said in Greek mythology they are the daughters of Zeus. Various myths circulate and other versions of them exist throughout European mythology. They are separate from the belief in Norse mythology of the Norns, spinning fate goddesses, or the goddess known as Laima and her two sisters.

The Fates are often painted as old, ugly, and cold, unforgiving women. They appear in all three of my stories as beautiful, sexual beings, not afraid to feel and give love.

I’m not known for very strong women. Well we won’t count Purple P Rose because she’s extraordinary. Oh, she appears in SCREWED AGAIN from Changeling Press on December 4th by the way. Anyway, these three ladies represent strength throughout myths – I wasn’t toying with that. You know what they say, Fate can be a fickle bedmate, or Fate is fickle…whatever, I’m not messing with them.

The one I’m dealing with in Repent in Love, Book 2 from the Angel in Love series, is Morta, also known as Death – the Fate responsible for cutting the strings of life. Ironically I’ve paired her in her duties with the Grim Reaper, Death himself. She cuts the threads, he harvests the souls.

Her love interest is none other than the archangel, Uriel, the angel of repentance. Uriel is also the holder of the key to Hell. No, Satan, Lucifer or the Devil, whatever you call him, does not have that honor.

So, needless to say, this lady is no one to mess with – unless you have a death wish. Everyone who looks for their heroine to have backbone, stay tuned. This is your girl.

Til next Friday, Growl and roar-it's okay to let the beast out.-© J. Hali Steele

I'm on a Plane!

By the time you read this, I’ll be on my way to RomantiCon – YAY!

But I’ve been busy all week preparing for two releases and a really big contest.

I’d like to see you there. Why? You’d look great in one of my t-shirts *grins*
Plus, we’re going to have fun…fun…fun.

Get ready. I’ll be back late Monday and turning up the heat! So, without further ado, here’s the information you’ll need to participate:

UPCOMING CONTEST

Celebrating the release of HOPE IN LOVE and A PANTHER’S FLIGHT --

I will be posting Contest information at my Yahoo Group site: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jhalisteele/

Stay tuned for more on October 13th (isn’t that a great date?) You’ll have an opportunity to win one of the following gifts: ARC of either book, t-shirt, or key chains with promo cards.

Only group MEMBERS are eligible to win!

Five questions will be answered in posts at the group beginning next Tuesday. Remember: you MUST be a member to participate.

1. Who scared Yael under the magnolia tree?
2. What is Edy’s father’s name?
3. What is the name of Yael’s partner in crime on the shopping trip?
4. What animal scares Edy?
5. Yael, in a jealous snit, does what in the lady’s room?

So, come on over and keep your EYES open!

Until next Friday: Growl and roar-it's okay to let the beast out.-© J. Hali Steele

OCTOBER ALREADY!?

How the heck did that happen? And I have two releases this month. First up on October 9th from Ellora's Cave is HOPE IN LOVE, Book 1 in the Angels In Love series. This story premiers on the same day of the first ever RomantiCon convention and I'm taking that as an omen for good things to come for me and Ellora's Cave/Jasmine Jade Enterprises.

There will be an announcement next week on a REALLY BIG contest for both releases so stay tuned for more information.

Back to the story.

BLURB:
The world is changing. Hope is fading. Darkness beckons. And one angel holds the answer.

Tired of death, destruction and mankind’s race to ruination, Ramiel, archangel of hope, finds it harder and harder to care about those he’s meant to help. Now, the Fates have decreed that Ramiel must mate with Yael, an exulted human. On his shoulders rides the universe’s only hope for survival, but the ties that bind him to Yael force him to face his own unexpected reckoning.

Yael, elevated to heaven to live out her days in peace, recoils from the sadness and shadows of death in Ramiel’s eyes. Yet the need to ease the despair haunting him is stronger. During nights of searing sensuality, Yael and Ramiel light an erotic fire between them that will not be extinguished.

As the combined forces of the heavens try to tear them apart, Ramiel must find a way to hold on to the love he finds with Yael, or an end will come, so devastating that Heaven will drop to its knees.

Next up is A PANTHER'S FLIGHT on October 16th from Eirelander Publishing. Here's a bit about it:

BLURB:
When a mate is worth waiting for.

Fane Baron is a Reign warrior—a sanctioned killer charged with hunting down the rogue vampyre cats of the Sovereign Kind. Haunted by memories of stalking his best friend and afraid the same contagious addiction will consume him, Fane makes a drastic decision; he’ll stop taking blood. He knows the consequences of his decision, the problem is, can he live with himself once he meets her…?

Edy Adair is in a predicament of her uncle's making. A few days from her first change to a panther, already dealing with the clawing emotional turmoil of being in heat, she’s headed on a short flight to Arizona with the vampyre cat of her dreams. Only problem, he isn’t the mate chosen for her by her parents. The fact is he killed her cousin!

Now for more news...

In case you haven't heard, Eirelander Publishing opened today. The site is not only nice to look at, there are two great books available and it is one of the easiest sites I've ever purchased from. Stop by and take a look and be the first to grab a copy of Light My World by Aasiyah Qamar and Blood Tapestry by Ishbel Moore. Both of these stories will make a great addition to your cyber shelves.

Until next Friday: Growl and roar-it's okay to let the beast out. - © J. Hali Steele