Oh There's No Place Like Home For The Holidays

Sorry for the ear worm.  But I've had that song in my head all day. Oh, There's No Place Like Home For The Holidays and as it is the beginning of January, I couldn't think of a better time to think back about the holiday season that just passed.

How was yours?

Mine? Well, it was hectic.  In my household, we celebrate multiple holidays. Both Hanukkah and Christmas.  By the time we get to Jan 1, my children are addicted to presents.  Every year its like we have to put them in present rehab.  But it was really fun to see the kids getting the things they wanted and my four year old really got into things this year, which was great.  We had a lot of family visiting, which is really fun, but also makes things busy busy busy. To say I was glad to see Jan 1 around the corner wouldn't be an understatement.

When I was a kid, we always went away at the end of the year.  Some of my best memories, and now places that feature in my books, were from that time.  I don't think I appreciated the simplicity of not being home this time of year.  (I'm sure, however, that my mother appreciated it.)

But, now it is January and that means I have a new (old) book coming out. Fated Desires is re-releasing my book Adrenaline Rush. It is part of my Superhero series and I hope you will check it out.  Ace was inspired by my love for the Superheroes and Alice from Rachel Ray (although she is absolutely not Rachel Ray, Rachel Ray seems much nicer than my character) but from the idea that the celebrity chefs lead such interesting lives.. 

Happy New Year Paranormal Romantics. I can't wait to see everything we have to share!

Dragon Joined

I am so excited to announce my new release, Dragon Joined.  I should not have been writing it, I had lots of other things to work on, but this story would not leave me alone so I did what we authors do in that situation: I wrote it. And I love it and, I think, its one of the best worlds I've ever visited in my own head.  As the cover suggests, it is a futuristic, post-apocalyptic story.  And it features dragons. 

Here is the blurb

Dean Andrews watched in horror when sixteen-year-old Amanda Sugar was carried away by the dragons. He swore to destroy the beasts before anyone else could be taken. Six years later, he leads his people in a war against the dragons and finds someone he never expected to see again-Amanda, who has grown into a passionately desirable woman.

Amanda has spent the last six years as a prisoner of the most monstrous dragon imaginable. When she lays eyes on Dean she can't believe he is there-she has dreamed of him since she was a teenager. Together they will discover a way to finally end the dragons' rule over humanity, or die trying.

A Romantica® futuristic erotic romance from Ellora's Cave

Excerpt:

Chapter One

Above Amanda, the sky appeared so blue. It seemed a terrible day to be executed for stealing. Especially since she hadn't even delivered the bread she'd taken for her starving brother and sister. At least if she'd been caught after feeding them she might feel better about the whole mess.
Made for a woman twice her size, her dark clothes hung from her body. They were all she'd been able to find the last time she'd scrounged around abandoned farmhouses for discarded garments. She knew she looked scruffy compared to the tight-fitting, tucked-in collared shirts and khaki pants the members of the township wore.
The hot sand of the desert burned her feet through the holes in her sneakers. Years of calluses did nothing to protect her from the onslaught of the ground's heat. If she lived through the day, she'd have to find a new pair of shoes. Compared to other places where she and the kids roamed, New Strauss constituted a downright hospitable environment. There were even forests in the distance and a lake on the outskirts of town. If her feet couldn't survive her current environment, she'd never make it anywhere else.
Surrounded by men with guns and restrained by the hard grip of an oversized Enforcer, she couldn't take her eyes from the man who stood directly in front of her. Dean Andrews.
This day-the sixth of the seventh solstice-happened to be her seventeenth birthday. Not that she'd had any kind of a celebration.
Rubbing her nose, she stared up at the face of the person who would be her executioner and prayed to a god she didn't believe in for one more day on the planet to make things right. Not for her. But for her little sister and brother. They were hidden away in a barn miles away from New Strauss and would starve to death if she never returned with the food. Unless the Wanderers found them. If that happened, Lily would be sold into slavery and any number of horrific, unthinkable things could happen to Steven. Starving to death would be a blessing in comparison to abuse by the Wanderers.
Dean stared down at her, his curly brown hair blowing in the warm wind. Mama had always said that Dean Andrews had been born with steel in his spine and a temper that could shatter the stars. Right now, his blue eyes showed none of the anger she knew he must feel. No one robbed the leader of New Strauss. Even the Wanderers understood what would happen if they crossed Dean.
I'm such a giant idiot.
"Amanda Sugar."
She blinked rapidly as his words penetrated her constant inner dialogue. With no one to talk to except two six-year-olds, she'd long ago given up expecting adult conversation. Being on the run didn't let her meet too many other sixteen-year-olds. And she never spoke to respectable adults if she could help it. That just led to more questions and interference in things that were none of their damn business.
"You know me?" She rubbed at her nose. It seemed to be itchy today. Her knees weakened. At least if she passed out from starvation, she wouldn't be awake when Dean chopped off her head.


I hope you'll check it out and Happy December everyone! Let's make it a great one!

The Wiccan Haus

Please join me in welcoming Dominique Eastwick who is here today to tell us all about the Wiccan Haus. (Well, all of you, I knew about it already. LOL)--RR

The Wiccan Haus is a shared world series, meaning the series is written by a handful of different authors. All bringing their own touch and characters into the Wiccan Haus world but always using at least one of the main Characters from the series and the island setting.

The Wiccan Haus is a Resort and Spa located off the coast of Maine, a place of spiritual and emotional healing for both Humans and Paras. Sort of Fantasy Island meets todays Paranormal romance.

Meet the Rowan Siblings owners of the Spa and resort...

Sarka (the eldest)

Sarka Rowan is the Alchemist. She creates potions and practices transmutation. Her skill with transmutation is unparalleled in the paranormal world. Although her gift is most effective with a para, she has been known to assist the rare human. She refuses to make a love potion or to bring back someone from the dead. Neither ever works out well. A powerful witch she has few friends and most give her a wide birth.

Cyrus (the second eldest)

Cyrus Rowan is the Retrocog - when he touches an item, he is able to see the past of the current owner and in most cases past owners. Very handy when they find an item and do not know who it belongs to. He is uncomfortable with his gift and rarely uses it. He wears gloves so he isn’t overwhelmed with information from items he touches. He is the reason the Wiccan Haus exists, the secrets he knows and the power he holds puts everyone he loves in danger.

Cemil (the middle child)

Cemil Rowan is the Empath – although he can sense a person’s feelings from a great distance (even through the telephone when taking reservations), his true powers come when he can physically hold the hands of the person he is trying to heal. Cemil is more whimsical than the others. Cemil is the kindest soul of the group. Cemil is the one who heals the rifts when they occur on the island. Don’t let his whimsical appearance fool you—he is quite capable of taking down a were-wolf if need be.

Sage (the youngest)

Sage Rowan is the Herbalist. She has the ability to know just what materials (herbs, spices and flowers) are needed to help a client—human or para—heal. She creates the shakes, food, candles, and soaps required for each individual client’s needs during their stay on the island. She is of the earth and like Cemil is intent on healing. Although she comes across as pure, this lady has hidden depths.

And two important Residents of the Island... (For the Rowan’s these two are as good as family)

Rekkus is the head of Security for the Haus. He is the were-tiger, hero of Shifting Hearts and mated to Dana. When in Tiger form he is a 700-pound Black tiger with silver stripes. He is officially bodyguard to Cyrus. Rekkus is known throughout the Para world for his super para strength and agility. Even for a Para his abilities are unmatched. No one would dare attack the Rowans if there is a chance of Rekkus being there to stop them. Surly to the point of being unsociable, Rekkus will do all it takes to keep those he loves safe. Never again will someone he loves be hurt, not if he can help it.

Myron is the Romney receptionist and is a card reader. She works the front desk and has what appears to be a standard set of playing cards.  Her ability to read the cards and know what the guest need makes her invaluable to the Wiccan haus. She is also the only one brave enough to call Rekkus “Puss in Combat boots’ If you come to the Wiccan Haus and the name tag reads another name it’s a safe bet Myron has lost hers and has borrowed someone else’s.

The books are stand alones and can be read in any order but it is encouraged to read Shifting Hearts first as it will introduce the readers to the world of the Wiccan Haus and its residents.

Shifting Hearts by Dominique Eastwick

A Man Worth Fighting For by Sara Daniel

An Apple Away by Kate Richards

Siren's Serenade by Dominique Eastwick

Psychic Lies by Sara Daniel

Shifter's Dance By Vanessa North

Unveil My Heart by Nya Rayne

Shifter's Song By Vanessa North

And Coming soon

Lifebound by Leigh Daley

Finding Her A-Muse-Ment by Rebecca Royce

Books can be purchased at www.Musapublishing.com

For more information about the Wiccan Haus follow our blog http://thewiccanhaus.blogspot.com

My favorite part....

There's no doubt that every author loves release day for their books. Well, loves might not be the right word.  In some ways, its terrifying.  The book is out there. People are going to read it, to review it, and they might not like it. They might find something lacking.  So, as much as we LOVE release day (and we do) it comes with a bit of trepidation. How could it not?

But there is a moment in the process where we can revel in what is happening without having to be terrified of negative reviews.  It is the day the cover arrives.  I love love love it.  I've been so lucky to have worked with some really fantastic authors who have absolutely captured my stories.

Above are two new examples.  They made my week.  I LOVE them.  And aside from release day, my favorite part of publishing.  

Celebrating 1 Year of being published!

Hey everyone!

It's an exciting time for me right now, because as of July 1, 2012, I will have been published for one year. My debut novella, Celestial Seduction released last year as part of Decadent Publishing's 1Night Stand line. It was the first scifi romance in the line, and the beginning of a dream come true.

It was fellow Paranormal Romantics author, Rebecca Royce who encouraged me to write a story for this line. Her story, One Night With A Wolf had been contracted, and she thought it would be a good fit for me. And the journey began.

So, I thought I'd share with you an excerpt from Celestial Seduction:

“Remember how I said I needed an open-minded partner?” She nodded, her eyes catching a quick glance from his before returning to her stomach. Just a couple more minutes and he’d be finished. 

He prepared to hold her down should she freak out when he told her he came from space. “I’m not exactly like you and most of the people on Earth. I’m….different.”

“Like a demon or a guardian angel?”

He laughed. It sounded forced, but he needed to stay focused on healing Carrie rather than mating with her. “No, you’re thinking paranormal. Try science fiction.”

She began to squirm under him, but he didn’t need to restrain her. “A….clone? Artificial intelligence?”

He finished healing her and lay down beside her. His thumb ran across her lips, wanting to taste them again, but knowing he probably wouldn’t. “Try alien.”


Her mouth curved into a smile. “Alien. I don’t think so. You’re missing the big head and eyes, the green skin, the willowy limbs.”

He touched his fingertips to the side of her head. “Like this?” He flashed an image of the alien Earthlings always expected to arrive from space.“

Yeah, but how’d you do that?” Fear shone in her eyes.

Leaving the bed, he sat on one of the loveseats. The night was over. In a second, she’d dress as quickly as possible and rush out of the room. “I told you, I’m an alien from outer space.” Perhaps he shouldn’t have told her. He would spend the rest of the night alone.

BUY LINKS:

Decadent Publishing / Amazon / B&N / AllRomanceEbooks / more

All the best!

What the heck am I supposed to do about promotion?

Yay! New Format!!

Hello everyone, as one of the original Paranormal Romantics people, I am very pleased to welcome all of the amazing new authors to our little blog.  It’s been such a pleasure blogging here all of these years and I am so excited to see what you will be sharing with all of us. 

In fact, can I admit?, that I’m having a fan-girl moment about being on the same blog with some of you.  SQUEE.

But, okay, I’ll control myself. 

For today, I thought I would talk about book promotion.  This has been on my mind lately because I’ve been very involved with several blog tours and I’m almost re-evaluating what works and what does not work in terms of selling books.

The author today does so much more than just write a book and let the readers read it.  Even the top-selling New York Times authors are out there engaged in promotion of their books. 

But how much is too much? How much is too little? What works? What doesn’t?

Here is the short answer: I don’t know and I’ve tried it all.  I can do exactly the same kinds of tours for 3-4 different books and have entirely different experiences each time. 

Is it the blog topics that draw the readers to check out the blog and then, maybe, make a purchase? Is it the blogs themselves? The giveaways? Name recognition? Reviews? The cover? The title? The publisher? Amazon?

I haven’t a clue. 

 I just know that sometimes books sell extraordinarily well and sometimes they don’t sell at all.

My advice on this subject, and I’m asked for it a lot, is do your best.  Do some promotion. It can’t hurt.  Do as much as you can.  And then wait and see.   Write something else.  Its really a mystery.  To all of us. 

Time Warped-A Review

For the record, while I read books CONSTANTLY, I almost never review them publically. Why? Well, because as a writer I find it goes against my instincts to want to support other writers if I say anything at all that could be construed as unflattering about their work. Also, I am always worried about hurting someone’s feeling since I was once asked to review a book, I did, honestly, because I don’t see the point of un-truthful reviews, and that person got angry wit me.

But, Tracey L Pacelli contacted me on Facebook and asked me to review her book entitled Time Warped and I agreed to do it, as long as she understood that I would give the book my fairest review and that might not be glowing. She said she wanted truthful reviews and we agreed that I’d post my review here.

So, now that you have background as to why Rebecca Royce is reviewing a book.

Now for a blurb:

In her Bible-thumping town, Lanie Landry is a teen misfit without a cause. After a tragic accident that kills her adopted mother, Lanie escapes from the hospital where she was admitted for psychological observation. At a service station she accepts shelter from a kindly old woman.

The next morning she awakens to find herself in the violent ward of an insane asylum in 1969. How can she escape this horrible nightmare? Remarkably, in the most awful of all places, Lanie finds her biological mother and falls in love with a mysterious inmate.

My review:

I really enjoyed this book. I think overall Ms. Pacelli created a unique world with a character I enjoyed spending time with.

The beginning of the book particularly shined for me. I loved the descriptions of her mother, the principal, and ultimately her too-perky psychiatrist. I loved how she described Satan calling to her from the box to pull the fire alarm.

She’s a quirky character, quick to judge and fast with a snarky remark. I could feel that she was a misfit in her home and the level of desperation she had to be enduring.

The scenes do jump from one to the next without a lot of warning that we are changing locations. I sometimes had a hard time figuring out where we were in relation to time and space. But, the book is called Time Warped. I came to believe that some of the disjointed feelings the book gave me where purposeful. That’s how the main character is feeling as well.

I think that snarky has been somewhat over done in UF and YA in general but while I felt that Lanie sometimes approached that line, for me she never crossed it.

I highly recommend this book and I expect to see great things from this author. Thanks for asking me to review it.

Happy Halloween…or Bah Humbug—oh wait is that chocolate? by Rebecca Royce

In our household, I am definitely the parent who gets less enthusiastic about holidays.  My husband can’t get enough of them. He loves the prep work (even the cooking), he loves the decorating, and he loves the whole experience of the day. If he can, he takes off Halloween from work and goes trick or treating with the children. 

The whole thing makes me feel exhausted.  The kids have to get into their costumes. They have to  go to school—sometimes in their costumes. I have to drive to 3 different classes to see them all parade or party or sing or…..

But then we get out there and they do look cute in their costumes.  And they love to pose and to smile. I get the best family pictures on Halloween. And they’re so happy. And I get to see my best friends who are also trick or treating.

That sort of inspires me to get more into it. 

Then the kids come home. They’re exhausted. Cranky. Difficult. They get to bed.  And my Halloween starts.

Oooh. Look at the chocolate.

What inspires you to get into the holiday?

Comment to win your choice from my backlist.

Rebecca Royce

Love Beyond Sanity

Hello everyone! In the last week since I've been with you, I've had a book release. Its called Love Beyond Sanity and it is the second in a series of books called The Outsiders. The first book in the series is Love Beyond Time.

Here is a blurb:

Eighteen years earlier, Charma lost her destined soul mate. Convinced he must be dead, she kept her fears to herself so as not to destroy the morale of the Outsiders who already live with a shaky prophecy as their only guide.

Dr. Jason Randall is a man used to getting what he wants. There has never been a problem he couldn't out think or a situation he wasn't capable of handling.

Now they are both hunted by not one but two demons as they lead the slowly forming group of Outsiders out of the darkness and back into the light. The two strong souls will have to decide if prophecy alone is enough reason to stay together through insane odds...or if love is their true fate.

Excerpt:

She had to protect her daughter. Larissa Monroe knew her life was coming to an end. Truthfully, she and her husband had signed their own death warrants the day they'd silently watched and not objected to the summoning ceremony that had brought this demon into their midst.

Rounding the corner in the cave Morgan and the others had created as a hiding place for them, she heard Charma's cries in the distance. Morgan was not as good at comforting their daughter as she was. This wasn't surprising, Larissa was more than just a healer; she was a telempath. Charma was not yet able to speak--being only months old--but Larissa was still able to know exactly what she needed and what to do to comfort her most precious gift. It was good for Morgan to bond with Charma--even if the child ended up screaming twice as long when she was with him. Their time was short, whatever happened to Charma now, the most likely scenarios were that Larissa and Morgan would not be with her.

They had been hiding in this forsaken place for months. It was damp, mold ridden, filled with vermin, and all around horribly uncomfortable. However, since they'd had to run from the hills that housed them safely and kept them hidden for millennium, this place had seemed like blessed haven. All in all, she'd never been so grateful to live in what basically amounted to a cave in the whole of her two-hundred-year existence.

Balling her hands into fists at her side, she narrowed her gaze. Her husband would be useless; he'd all but frozen under the strain of these last few months. If she was a mindmelder, he was a true healer of the soul. The very idea of the amount of death and destruction had all but rendered him useless. Men, who had run the Outsider society for generations and all but destroyed it with ego and competition, were decidedly lacking in ideas for getting them out of this mess. It was going to be the women who helped it survive. Let's face it, she mused, sometimes you just couldn't beat a prophesized destiny, no matter how hard you tried.

The Great One, the unofficial leader of the Outsiders, had prophesized eighteen children would be born together--they had, all of the children born on that fateful night were proof of that--and one born far away. The lone child would destroy the Outsiders and after that the entire world, if the eighteen could not be taught to stop him.

Somehow, these children had to grow up. It was imperative. Even more importantly, it seemed, the eighteen born to the Outsiders each came with a soul mate within the group. Someone else they were connected to, whose power would enhance their own.

Larissa wasn't a prophet--she left that to the Great One and his ilk--but she'd be hugely surprised if Charma and Melster were not meant to be together. Beyond the fact that they were so strikingly similar physically, Larissa had seen into each of their minds. She'd taken a peek, and somehow they were the same. The energy that was generated from their brains that resonated into their souls was strikingly similar. Both of them would be healers, although if Melster took after his family, it would be of the physical nature rather than emotional or mental healing. It was likely they would also share a tendency towards self-evaluation that both families possessed. Even more so, however, she'd seen a 'sameness' about their auras. Something that told her they were meant to be together.

She suspected that Melster's mother thought the same thing, which was why the other woman had suggested they journey together. Larissa was going to need Tatiana now. They'd have to be strong together, especially since she was going to suggest to one of her oldest friends that it was time to send their children away. As full blown 'healers', and even Larissa's telempathic abilities fell under this Outsider heading, she and her husband Morgan had no offensive powers to speak of. If it came to violence, she could use her hands and feet to fight but had no magical abilities that could cause another pain. Because of this, she was used to having to flee.

She tapped lightly on the makeshift door that had been made in the cave to give the illusion of privacy. Illusion was really what it was. If anyone sneezed, you heard it.

"Come in," Tatiana answered, her voice strained in a manner that told Larissa her friend was stressed but trying to appear calm.

Larissa pushed forward and although the door was light, it felt like she had the weight of the world in her hands, making the simple task next to impossible. Finally moving into the room, she immediately recognized the comfy surroundings Tatiana had created for her small family.

A full size bed sat in the corner, not as luxurious as the one her friend had left back home, but functional and, Larissa imagined never having sat on it, comfortable. Next to it, a few feet away, was the wooden crib Troy, Tatiana's husband, had constructed for the baby when he'd found out she was pregnant. He'd had to use it much sooner than he'd thought as the baby had come a full two months early. They'd been terrified that the child would be ill and not live long in the world and yet he'd been born full sized and perfectly healthy. Just another oddity that revealed the truth of the prophecy.

Tatiana stood up from the wooden chair she'd been sitting on while holding the baby. She held up a hand that indicated she wanted quiet and crossed with her sleeping son to the crib. Placing him down gently, she took a few seconds to adjust the blankets over the cherub-looking baby before moving to where Larissa waited.

"I know what you're going to say, and I just can't face it."

Larissa shook her head. "I doubt very much you know what I'm going to say unless you've suddenly developed a prophetic power I know nothing about."

Tatiana laughed, which had been the purpose of the wild statement Larissa had made. "No, of course not. Tell me then, did you not come to suggest we need to run again? They might have just been wolves last night, not necessarily carriers of His message." The other woman sighed. "I can't face running again."

Nodding, Larissa sat down in the chair Tatiana had vacated. She fiddled with her skirt to give herself a moment to ground herself. What she was going to suggest was the hardest thing she'd ever said aloud.

"I can't run anymore either. It goes against every Outsider instinct I have. We may look human, but we are not. Even humans get tired of running after a while; we lose patience with it much faster."

"So what do you suggest?"

Larissa almost laughed. Tatiana had always had a way of cutting through hidden agendas and messages to get to the truth within. She wasn't going to give Larissa a break, even now.

"I think we need to send the children away from us."

There, she'd said it. She'd put that thought out to the universe. Now they would have to see what would happen.

Tatiana scoffed, her eyes narrowing. Larissa could see her friend's objections all over her face and in her brown eyes. "That's ridiculous. Where would we put them? Who could protect them if not us? Well, in your case..." Her friend trailed off, realizing what she was about to say. Larissa didn't need her to finish her thought; she knew exactly what she would have said.

"Well in our case we can't save our daughter even if we wanted to. Was that what you would have said?" Even though she knew it to be true, she wanted Tatiana to admit to it. Larissa rose from her seat to be the same height as Tatiana, eye contact was important.

Tatiana sighed, her shoulders slumping, and Larissa lost some of her anger. They were all under an enormous amount of stress. Tatiana finally spoke. "You don't have any offensive powers. You know that's true. We all dance around the subject, but let's just face facts. Neither you nor Morgan can wield magic that can even wound, let alone kill."

"That's true." Larissa nodded. "Remember, Tatiana, even the most gentle creatures can kill when provoked to save their young." Clasping her hands in front of her, she tried to move on from this subject. "I would beat with a bat someone who came at Charma, until they were broken and bloody like the most meager human, if I had to. Besides, Morgan and I have always thought it was just as important to outthink our enemies as to win in a physical battle."

Larissa had seen enough of what stupid brawn and pride could do. It was what had gotten them into this mess to begin with.

The Great One had prophesized that eighteen children would be born together and one apart. The eighteen were the world's saviors. Each having a soul mate, they would battle the child born apart. He was, this lonely baby, evil personified. It was also said he was a demon from another dimension. Larissa sighed. They'd seen so much death, so much destruction. They didn't want to see it happen to their children--even if it seemed ridiculous to think that eighteen children could be born together. There weren't that many women pregnant. So they had tried to thwart destiny and in the end they had made it come true. Without the knowledge of the Great One or Abraxas, their elected leader kept separate from the religious overtones of the Great One, they'd called forth earth magic. The idea had been to bring the evil to earth and trap it within magical means that would prevent it from ever being born.

If you are interested in purchasing Love Beyond Sanity, it can be found here and with all 3rd party sellers.

Best

RR

Behind The Scenes by Rebecca Royce Contest

The one book I've ever written that was purely contemporary--meaning without any paranormal elements--released this last week with Decadent Publishing.

Blurb:

Kyra Soloman has been a successful actress in Hollywood since she was fifteen years old. Now, about to turn thirty, she's had enough of the scene. She wants to move to New York City and rediscover her love of acting.

Brent Hallow is the new 'it' guy in town. He's recently starred as a vampire in a teenage angst movie. He's also twenty-four years old and the fact that Kyra is attracted to him makes her feel very old.

But one hot night at a Hollywood house party will show them both that share more than the love of acting but the real desire for rough sex as well.

I think this will be my one foray into the non-paranormal/non-fantasy world.I loved writing it but my muse tends to make everything a little 'out there.' Warning: This book is HOT.

Comment today to enter for a chance to win a copy!

Things That Go Bump In The Night

Thanks to Rebecca for letting me do a guest post today.

Since I was a little kid, I've loved all things paranormal. I love it all - ghosts, hauntings, possession, demons, angels, vampires, banshees, succubi, incubi, fairies, elves, goblins, dragons, gnomes and, of course, aliens. While some terrify me, others intrigue me, I can't help but love them and want to research them further.



Ghosts both scare and intrigue me.
I've seen some photos and video which I don't doubt are big hoaxes, but every now and then I come across one that just chills me to the bone. While I know a lot of ghost hunting shows are just too ridiculous to believe, I've found Ghost Adventures very intriguing. I don't know if it's the guys (because they're not typical loopy looking ghost hunters) or just the fact that they have some fascinating footage, but I love their show.




I think the real reason I believe in ghosts and am so intrigued and frightened by them is because I have had a few experiences with them. A couple were just weird and one was absolutely terrifying (I still think it was a demon I saw, not a ghost).

What is your favourite thing that 'bumps in the night'?
Please, feel free to share your experiences, I LOVE hearing of people's accounts of hauntings, seeing strange things or beings and encounters.


Have a great Tuesday everyone!! ;-)

Liia

Elora's Match

First things first – HUGE thanks to Rebecca for allowing me to be here today.

For those who don’t know me, my name’s Liia and I’m a newbie *waves*. This past Saturday, my debut novel Elora’s Match released with Silver Publishing. It’s a paranormal romance, the first of (hopefully) many books in The Different Saga, a series based on a supernatural race I created. Filled with supernatural abilities, violence, romance, a strong heroine, sexy hero and, of course, hot sex; is there anything more a woman could want in a book?

Here’s the blurb:

Elora’s parents mysteriously disappeared when she was fifteen. She vowed to find answers – discover what really happened to them. But after twenty-five years of travelling the world she has come up empty handed. Feeling tired and lonely, she settles down in the city her best friend, Caleb, calls home. To lead a regular human existence for a while; like he does.

One problem; they’re not human. They’re Different – a rare supernatural race known for their beauty, strength and supernatural abilities.

Elora is lead to a man by a series of visions. Cue Kadin; powerful, sexy and also Different. He is her match – her soul-mate. Her life has never felt so complete.

But it’s not all good news. Elora must now deal with a rogue demon Elder hell-bent on taking over Lucifer’s reign over Hell. To succeed she needs to steal Elora’s power. When she’s facing the fight of her life, can Elora really trust Kadin?

To celebrate my first release, I’m giving away a copy of Elora’s Match. All you have to do is leave a comment, how easy is that?

Thanks for stopping by!

Liia :-)

Happy Halloween to all of you out there!

How are you?

I’m doing well here in the blog universe as I create today’s post.  Unlink some authors who I adore, I don’t actually have a book that takes place at Halloween time. I guess I feel like I can’t do Halloween justice so I don’t try BUT having said that Her Wolf: The Westervelt Wolves Book 1 takes place right around Halloween time, which means that I get to play today too.

So here is the deal…in order to win a copy of any one book from my backlist, comment today with the order of my Westervelt books and what the first names of each couple in the books are. 

Easy enough. 

Make sure you leave your e-mail address so I can get back to you.

BOOO!!!

Happy Halloween!!

RR 

Wolf's Magic--RELEASED

Hey everyone!! I am so pleased to report that Wolf's Magic has released with Liquid Silver Books!

This is Az's story and the 4th in the series about the magical royal Kane brothers--the wolf shifters of Westervelt island.

Here is a blurb:

Wolf’s Magic is the story of Azriel Kane, fifth brother in the royal Westervelt wolf pack. Always different from his siblings, Azriel prefers to spend his time underground in a lab than out fighting battles to save the pack from destruction. In his own way, he feels he is contributing to the pack’s success. However, when fate plants his destined mate in a cage where he can’t ignore her, Az will be forced to face up the demons that have plagued him since childhood and be the shifter she needs him to be.

Leah St. James has no idea who she is or how she came to be trapped in a cage in Azriel’s lab. The only thing she is certain about is that she is not a wolf and that she wants out of her false wolf body as soon as possible. Counting on Az to save her from the same doomed fate as the other wolves Az is given to study, from the distance of her cage she can see Az for who he really is and not the false front he presents to the world.

But Kendrick Kane is not done with Westervelt and when he steps up his game to eliminate the Kanes from Westervelt, Az and Leah will need each other to discover the truth behind his evil plans, that is if Azriel can finally reveal the secret he has been keeping since he was a child.

With Leah’s help, can Azriel finally take his place in the pack hierarchy or will they fail and lose Westervelt forever?

I loved writing Az's book and I LOVE writing the Westervelt series. In honor of the newest Westervelt release, one lucky commentator will win a copy of Wolf's Magic today. So please comment and let me know why you'd like to win a copy. I will let my husband decide who wins tonight (and that might just be him picking a number between 1 and...)

Best to all of you

Rebecca Royce

Alert the Media! Screw Superman has Released!

Hi everyone,

Before I go any further, I have two announcements to make. The first is that TODAY is my oldest son's fifth birthday. I'm not sure how he got so big so fast but there it is. He won't be reading this post, well maybe in perpetuity, but let me just say HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Mommy loves you. Sigh. I'd better stop before I get completely nostalgic and start talking about his birth. All our male followers will run for the hills and I'll scare off any women considering ever having a baby.

Next, one year ago TODAY, my very first book released. It was Her Wolf: The Westervelt Wolves Book 1. Thank you Liquid Silver Books for taking a chance on me.

But that's not what I'm talking about today. Today, I am talking about Screw Superman, which released yesterday with Noble Romance Publishing.

Here is a blurb:

Wendy Warner is a bit of an oddball. Raised in an orphanage, she has found solace and friendship by watching the television show, Space Adventures, and participating in fan clubs related to the show. Every month, on the second and third Friday, Wendy comes to work dressed in a costume from the show that she wears to charity events. This has earned her the disdain of many of her coworkers but not from her boss, the president of the company, Draco Powers, who rather likes the way the uniform hugs all her curves in the just the right places.

Draco Powers is a real-life Superhero who told the world that, yes, Superheroes do exist, but, no, we won't work for free or without health insurance. Some people refer to him with derision as the "Capitalist Superman." Draco is being hunted by an organization called the Organization, whose motives are unclear and yet still cause death and destruction wherever they go.

The Organization has decided that Draco's biggest weakness is the way he cares about his employees and has picked Wendy out as their next target. To save her, Draco will have to come to terms with his real feelings for Wendy and why it is that he has so long resisted complicated relationships. But he's running out of time . . . .

And an Excerpt

Draco Powers sat, feeling incredibly uncomfortable, in his client's too-small-for-him flowery fabric lounge chair as he turned down her offer of tea for the third time. What gave with the tea? He didn't drink the stuff. Why push it on him? The whole living room, from ceiling to floor and everything in between, looked like a floral shop had thrown up.

The ceiling boasted badly stenciled roses. Daisies exploded on the carpet, and a different flower print covered each of the couches. Even his client, who looked to be around fifty years of age with graying brown hair and unremarkably dull grey eyes, wore lilacs on her housedress. If he spent too much time in this room, he was going to get hay fever.

Forcing himself to pay attention, he listened to the smooth rhythm of Wendy's voice as she asked the requisite questions of the woman who wanted to hire him. He knew, having worked with and counted on Wendy for years, she had done some version of this questioning over the phone when the case was first sent upstairs after the online request for services had been filtered and approved. It was unusual to have Wendy so thoroughly ask the questions again.

She'd expressed her concern that something felt askew with this woman's story, so he was inclined to let his little Handler have at the flower-wearing lady until Wendy was satisfied with the answers.

Little Handler? Where had his thought come from?

"Tell me again why you aren't using the police to investigate this issue, Mrs. Marckham?"

"I tried the police. For the first six months after Lael was taken, I waited and waited for the police to recover my son. Now, I'm pursuing other means."

Clearly, or they wouldn't be there. Draco looked at his watch. They'd shown up half-an-hour early so Wendy could do this, and then, assuming she let him take the job, he could find the child and still get home on time to go on his date.

"I guess I'm confused, Mrs. Marckham. Why do you think the Superhero route is your only option?"

Color rose in the woman's cheeks. Draco wanted to sink into the chair as her gaze met his and he realized what was bothering Wendy. Their potential client fancied herself in love with him. It wasn't the first time he'd run into this problem. All Superheroes did on a regular basis. But when this woman met his gaze, and her dull eyes lit up like stars, she made the 'crazy alarm' go off in his head.

Especially when she said, "The Superheroes can do anything."

Something about this woman was off . . . .

He would still find her son. Not the teenager's fault his mama was a whack job.

Wendy started to speak and he interrupted. "That's unfortunately not true, ma'am. If we could do anything then I wouldn't have a career. We would have long ago eliminated poverty, destruction, illness, and violence from the world." Making eye contact with Wendy, he nodded to let her know that while he was fully aware of what she sensed from their client, he intended to take the job anyway. The great thing about Wendy Warner was she understood unspoken signals. She nodded back.

He might even be able to use Mrs. Markham's Superhero infatuation to his advantage. "Why don't you tell me who you think has your son?"

"It's obvious."

"Not to me, I'm afraid."

He gritted his teeth. Years ago, when he and Ace had opened Powers, Inc., he'd been naïve in thinking he should feel a tremendous amount of satisfaction helping people. Now, all they did was annoy him. If the identity of her son's kidnapper had been obvious, would he have asked her the damned question?

"Aliens took him, of course." The older woman took a sip of her tea.

He closed his mouth, opting not to speak. This turn of events was almost too delicious to be real. He sat back in the chair and crossed his arms over his chest. This was why he had a Handler. So Wendy could speak at this moment and he could pretend he was a statue and stop communicating all together.

Wendy straightened in her chair. He could see she'd bit down for a second on her bottom lip. His super sight revealed two minute teeth marks left on the lower part of her lip. His cock stirred to attention, as it always did when Wendy was concerned. He wouldn't act on it. No, he'd resisted her appeal for years. Nothing had to change now.

"Why do you think aliens took your son, ma'am?" Wendy's Upstate New York accent slipped out. She was usually so careful not to show it but when she got really bothered, it flew out of her like they were sitting in Buffalo or Rochester instead of Allentown, Pennsylvania. At least he thought they were in Allentown. He flew all day, every day. Sometimes, he had a hard time remembering where he was . . . .

"Who else would take him?"

Wendy sighed. "Any number of people, I would imagine. Did your son have any enemies?"

"Enemies?" Sylvia Markham laughed. "No, of course not. Everyone loves Lael. Except for the Aliens, of course."

Wendy shot him a pleading look. He wanted to smile at her exasperation. She didn't really expect him to speak, did she? He paid her to handle types of situations.

She turned back to their Alien-obsessed client. "Let's all pretend it was not aliens who took Lael. Let's come up with some other ideas."

Maybe he should let Wendy off the hook and just drop Sylvia Markham. If she really thought aliens had Lael then she needed to find herself some alien hunters, if such people existed. And they might. Superheroes existed. Maybe alien hunters did too.

"I would think, Ms. Warner, considering your attire, you, of all people wouldn't object to the well documented facts stating aliens walk among us."

Wendy went very still. He had to give her credit; she could get control of her emotions faster than anyone he'd ever known.

"While I am obviously a staunch fan of Space Adventures, ma'am, with a great love for the ideals expressed on the show and the culture of charity and responsibility, I do not, as a rule, feel there are aliens walking around on our planet right now as we speak." She set down her cup.

"Then why are you wearing that ridiculous costume?"

Wendy clenched her hands at her side. "When I leave work today, I am doing work with my fan group at the local soup kitchen near my home. As a rule, we wear uniforms so people recognize us. A lot of locals in my area are not comfortable with strangers they don't know and will refuse help out of speculation of their motives. But, if they see us coming in our regalia, then they know we're safe. Since we had your appointment today, so late in the day, I will have to ask Mr. Powers to drop me directly at the soup kitchen, as he has done before, and I won't have any time to change."

She'd never explained her reasons for wearing the uniform before. Of course, most people just stared and whispered. She might never have had the chance to come right out and explain it. Something odd panged in his chest and he rubbed over the uncomfortable feeling, wondering what it could be. He'd never cared why she wore it. Wendy was everything he could have asked for in a Handler and then some.

Not to mention she looked hot in the outfit, and anyone who couldn't see that was blind.

Her brown hair fell just past her chin, and displayed next to the red of theSpace Adventures' uniform, it looked almost golden. The high collar of the costume accentuated her long, pale neck and slightly pointed features. Her stubborn chin matched the nature of its owner. It said to the world, I'm not a push over and I don't care what you think. Her nose was small and turned up a little at the end, in a way his mother would have referred to as 'pixie-like', and spoke of a Nordic heritage in her background. It wasn't hard to picture her ancestors as Vikings. Wendy would have stood on the mast of the ship, giving orders and being revered as a goddess.

The rest of her face was heart shaped, but her brilliant brown eyes held his attention. With them, she'd held his gaze when he'd interviewed her for the position four years earlier. Only twenty-two years old then, she'd been working for one of the Associates for three months. It had been gutsy for her to think she could get a job with him so soon after signing on with the company. Yet, here she was, his most valued asset.

He'd do anything to keep her.

Dressed in the uniform, the shirt pulled at her thin waist, showing her lush curves. Her breasts were more than a handful. They were maybe two or three handfuls, and he had big hands. Tailored to fit snugly, the pants showed off a rear end made for grabbing. More than once, he'd been tempted to reach out and squeeze.

Of course, he hadn't. He didn't date—or screw around with—Handlers. That was how you got into trouble. That's why Ace no longer showed his face in the office. He'd broken his Handler's heart. Of course, the woman should have known better. His brother had a reputation for using them and then losing them. Now, however, Ace's Handler was distraught and the man couldn't come near the office without her screaming and crying. The situation was incredibly awkward.

Relegated to working from home, Ace received no help from his Handler. You couldn't fire a woman you'd just dumped. Doing so meant a lawsuit, or a payoff, and horrible publicity. His brother wanted him to switch Handlers with him. Draco rubbed his chin as he thought about the suggestion for a second. His answer wasn't going to change. No way, no how was Ace taking Wendy from him.

"Well." Sylvia Markham was still discussing Wendy's attire. "It seems ridiculous to me."

He stood and the room fell silent. Even Wendy, who could usually read him well, looked at him questioningly.

"What Ms. Warner wears to work is nobody's business except hers and mine. I'll ask you to comment on it no further." He stretched his arms over his head and felt the fabric on his black Egyptian cotton turtleneck tear. Wearing clothes was an occupational hazard for him. At least once a week, he had to replace what he wore in the middle of the day after he'd made some simple movement and ripped another seam.

"Now, let's go and see the young man's room. I think it's best if you stay here, ma'am, while Ms. Warner and I check it out. Think about the aliens. Specifically, we're going to need a description of the creatures. How many heads, limbs, etcetera."

Without another word, he walked to the back of the house. They could both follow him—or not—but it was time to get this show on the road. He was bored. They'd been here too long, and he hadn't had enough action for the day to warrant sitting still.

The morning's job had resolved nicely without him having to exert himself. As soon as he'd walked into the room, the husband had decided to stop hiding the wife's inheritance and give over the bank information she needed.

The troublesome man had restrained himself but Draco still wanted to kick his ass. What kind of man abandoned his family and ran away with their money?

Draco could have laughed at the thought if it wasn't so familiar. He didn't have to look far for an answer; his father had been the kind of man to take off. In fact, if Draco went back through all his traceable relatives, men abandoning their families formed a long history. Maybe it was in the genes. The same biological, evolutionary circumstances making them Superheroes made them bad parents.

This was exactly why he would never have children.

Opening the door to Lael's room only added to his thoughts. If his mother's living room was a bad tribute to all things floral, then Lael's room was a shrine to fake Superheroes. Superman, Batman, the Green Lantern . . . .

He knew their fictitious stories, had read the comic books as a boy. They'd represented everything he'd hoped to be as a small child, and everything he'd resented as a teenager.

Life didn't work like fiction. No one was going to let him spend days working as a mild-mannered reporter, as he rushed around occasionally saving the world from mad men. It was an all or nothing deal, and, whether his critics liked it or not, Superheroes had to live under the same constraints as everyone else. The only way to do anything worthwhile with his so-called gifts was to charge money for them.

And fuck anyone who didn't like it.

Thanks for stopping by Paranormal Romantics today and best to all of you!