Mice...

I can't live without one. Writing, typing or just sitting at my computer, the right hand has the grip of death on the poor thing. I scoot it around, roll that little button thingy in the middle - you know, all the mousy things. I go through two or three a year. Is that a lot?

Yesterday saw the purchase of yet another one. Had an in depth conversation with the gentleman that worked at the local office supply store, and it wasn't EASY! (hint) He asked if I drop them. Let me say here that in the last year I've dropped one - it worked for another 4 or 5 months after it's unfortunate tumble through the wild blue yonder. The other two who met their demise this year never left the launching pad.

We discussed price, color (I had to have red) and design. I like them to have the little scoop for my index finger to rest in. I'm going to use names. The flying mouse was a Kensington. It was a tough bird, bruised and battered, it continued to function. But still, only 6, maybe seven, months of life. The Logitech was very short lived - 3 months at the most. HP, let's not go there!

Back to buying one. After much discussion, some prodding in its direction - it was the prettiest red - I left the store with my new mouse. Crafted with precision by Microsoft (the most expensive one in the store based on "you get what you pay for") and according to the guy I got advice from - the lion of the mouse world. Had 4 buttons, did this, did that, christsakes, it did everything, and may help me type! I'm impressed and grinning ear to ear. On my drive home, I'm smiling at everyone I pass, sitting on top of the world. I've got in my possession the mouse of all mice.

Anxious to get the nifty little contraption out of the package and take it for a test run, I grab my this-is-going-to-be-tough scissors. What is up with those plastic cartons? Opening the damn thing took major effort. Anyway, I'm all ready to go. Oh, wait, it needed a battery. Guess what? It came with one. Yippee! Because I was fresh out of double A size.

I located the little button underneath that unlocks the battery cover, I push, and there was the clicking sound of release. I'm almost there. I unsnap the cover to insert the battery.

The guts fell out.

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

Bring it Back! Thursday Presents: Blood Ties

Full run - 1 season - 22 Episodes

Show lifespan - March 11, 2007 – December 7, 2007
Visit the Official CTV Website
Currently on the air? Yep, in Canada.
Sundays 7pm ET / 8 CT
Tuesdays 9pm PT
Thursdays 8pm MT

Oh Blood Ties, how we miss thee. You need your own country song to express all the wrongs the Lifetime Network did to you. From yanking your Sunday night slot to shoving you to Friday's at 10 pm, 11 pm...1 pm. And then proclaiming the ratings were low (um, dur). From the lack of the level of promotion given to their other shows like Army Wives and now Drop Dead Diva. To the chopping of a whole season to sell it as two stateside (more on this later). To the ever so quiet DVD release and the cut out opening credits. I wonder how you would have done if you were on the Chiller channel or maybe USA (SF Channel would have probably given it the same treatment). Alas we may never know.

Blood Ties, for those who have yet to check it out (come to the dark side, it's fun!), is an urban fantasy series that aired in 2007 during the height of Television's fascination with everything paranormal. Moonlight, that lil NBC show, and Blood Ties were synonymous when talking about the current crop of UF and PR genres moving to the small and silver screen.

The show was based on Tanya Huff's Blood Books featuring former police officer and current Private Investigator Victoria "Victory" Nelson. Vicky has seen her share of crazy things on the streets alongside her former partner and sometimes lover Mike Celluci. But none of that compares to the rash of slayings taking over Toronto. In comes the ever so sexy Henry Fitzroy, the illegitimate son of Henry VIII, now a vampire who soon joins up with Vicki to find out who's been encroaching on his territory (as Huff's vampires are more solitary than communal types). So begins a friendship and some really hot sexual tension between the love triangle as they battle and solve crimes dealing with shapeshifters, mummies, evil demonic creatures, succubi and even telekinetic children.

I loved the way Blood Ties mixed in the possibility of romance with some awesome mysteries. Finding out how the story would end was just as enticing as seeing Henry put the moves on Vicki and strut his stuff. Lestat was always my favorite vampire but now he has a match in Henry Fitzroy (played by Kyle Schmid). While most vampires sulk a bit about their awesome powers and immortality, Henry basked in it with a confidence of centuries of seduction and sexy confidence. I loved Henry so much that he was an inspiration for my character Jace Archane in my Ashen Twilight Series.

Vicki is as strong a heroine as they come. While I felt book Vicki came off a little too masculine for my taste, I enjoyed the complexities of Christina Cox's version of Vicki. She was strong minded but you can tell there was a vulnerability about her whenever she felt she couldn't do something to help her friends or those in need. She didn't try to one up people just because she could, there was always a method to her plans and she always got down to the truth one way or another.

Coreen was not just an assistant but a partner with a love of all things paranormal. And her perkiness wasn't annoying like some characters (cough Relic Hunter) who helped out the main heroine. Mike was a good foil for Vicki and Henry, always serving as a grounding although he could be a bit testy when he simply refused to believe what he saw right in front of him. In the book Mike and Vicki were constantly at odds so I'm glad the story toned down their constant arguing.

I've also found some great musical talent on the show from ambient, electronica to rock and new age rap that I have never heard of before. Many are local Canadian artists but I've sure started following them after I found their names here. One website has a list of the artists here. TransientWorld and FNDMNTL are my new favorites just to name a few.

Now, as I mentioned before the DVD has come out stateside but unfortunately it's billed as Season 1 with only episodes 1-12 while Season 2 is supposed to come later. Buyer Beware! In truth, Season 1 is the entire episodes from 1-22 but Lifetime decided to break it up to give it a feel of a longer show. The series remains as a whole in the UK DVD version which also includes the spiffy opening scene song by Tamora Rhodes. Check it out:




If you have a region free DVD player, (hit me up if you want to know where you can get a cheap but awesome one that plays almost anything you throw at it) by all means get the UK version. Amazon UK has them for more than half the price of the US DVDs at 5.78 pounds (roughly $8.30 w/ out shipping which is like $3.00 Airmail) while Amazon US has it for $24.99.

There are a good amount of revival efforts trying to bring back the show from Podcasts, Blogsites and websites/forums but unfortunately most of the cast has moved on (Christina Cox, for instance is on the new ABC show Defying Gravity). So the chances of the show continuing are sadly diminishing as the days go on. A shame because this was one of the most well written and imaginative shows that premiered in recent time. It's sad to see good shows die so young. But we shall always have our DVDs (even if they do get worn out). ;-)

Watch Vicki and Henry's first meeting from Blood Price Part 2

Life...and other incomprehensible puzzles

“My momma always said, "Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get." – Forrest Gump

Truer words have never been spoken.

My life—well at least my writing life—is very much like a box of assorted chocolates. Most days, it’s the chocolate-covered nutty ones that are full of the ups and downs of writing: no character motivation, plot holes, never ending chapters going nowhere. Some days are the smooth, soft caramel ones where the writing flows free and easy and nothing’s wrong with the world, and still others are the really nasty ones I liken to cherry cordials—gross, oozing with questionable internals with a stale cherry staring back at you that represent the Big Dark Moment you’ve written your characters into but can’t find a way to get them out.


“My father used to say that if we ever had the money you have, we would eat steak and ice cream three times everyday!” -- Pollyanna Whittier from Pollyanna

Wouldn’t that be nice? As writers, I think we’re consumed at the beginning, about making money—the big bucks—and when we sign that first contract, optimism runs rampant. “I’ve written a book and everyone will love it and come running to my door to offer me fame and fortune.” It’s only after that first, fourth, twentieth book is released that we take a step back and face up to reality, who’s been standing in the corner rolling his eyes. The money might be there, but unless you’re Nora Roberts or J.K. Rowling, writers aren’t exactly buried in piles of it. And that’s okay—most days—because writers have found their passion in life. Writing, and really, that’s priceless. Most days…


“The start is not nearly as important as the finish.” -- Chef Didier in the Last Holiday

This is my favorite quote of recent time. Seems like every time I’ve hit the skids with my writing, this movie comes on and Queen Latifah’s jamming in the hotel kitchen with the chef and he tells her character this. Then I pull up my big girl panties and get over whatever it is that’s cuffed me on the chin. It’s how we finish—in writing, in relationships, in life. How do we want to be remembered as a writer? By a figure in a bank account or by the thought provoking, sweet, sensual, unique stories that we weave to entertain others? I’d rather write a book that someone will read more than once because it’s a favorite.

Ask me in twenty years how that’s going LOL

And my all time go to quote:


“

Maybe I’ve got Disney on the brain because I’m going on vacation to the House of Mouse in under two weeks, but seriously, Walt Disney has been a role model since I had to do a book report on him in the fifth grade. Ironically, that’s when I caught the writing bug…but I digress.

Being a published author has been my dream (besides being a cake decorator, but all the cakes I make lean or crumble—long story) And finally, blathering on and on in notebooks and on scraps of paper begin to make sense.

There was a quote from Sister Act 2 that I really wanted to find for today’s blog, but I couldn’t and I should know it by heart since I’ve seen it so many times, but I’m tired right now and I wish I could remember the book title and author. Anyway, it’s paraphrased here:

Sister Mary Clarence gives her student Rita a book and tells her to read it and says “This guy’s real good. He knows a thing or two about life. If you wake up in the morning and the only thing you can think about is singing, you’re destined to become a singer.”

That’s how I feel about writing. It’s the first thing I think about when I wake up (besides from my hubby) and it’s the last thing I think about before I go to sleep at night (besides my hubby). Writing’s my life. Good, bad, or indifferent, it’s me. I pour out a little piece of my soul into my current project.

This week has been excellent--or at least way better than last week. Sure, it started out with a mediocre review. I bitched to my girlfriends about it and moved on. Then this weekend, I fell flat on my writing face as doubts stacked up to the ceiling because I couldn’t get a new novel started. Once again, my girlfriends swooped in, smacked me around, and told me to pretty much get over it, I was a good writer. I believe them. I believe in my work. I believe my husband, God love him, when he says, “why do you let these things get to you?” I can’t help it. Remember that tiny piece of the soul in the writing? Yup, that’s why writers feel so deeply. We can’t help it.

Today, a publisher requested a partial of one of my novels and another one…well, I can’t really say much about that one yet until it's been confirmed...

My point is, once you find the one thing you believe in with your whole heart in life: cooking, writing, singing, cement mixing, toilet plunging, whatever—once you find that passion, do everything in your power to pursue it. Knock on a few doors, okay pound on them until someone will listen and give you advice. Do everything you can to live that dream, make it yours, put your stamp on the world. The payoff may not be in obscene amounts of cold, hard cash, but in the end, when someone at the grocery, hair salon, and doctor’s office asks: “What do you do for a living?”

You can proudly say, “I’m an author.”

Need I say more?

Until next week, write on.

The Paranormal in my Real Life

So, two days from now I will be having another ultrasound.  Currently, for those of you who know NOTHING about me (and really how dare you? I jest in case sarcasm isn’t my strongest suit right now.) I am 32 weeks pregnant. 

 

As I’ve talked of in other places, I do have Gestational Diabetes, which makes the end of every pregnancy a little tricky.  Before anyone worries about this too much, I do everything they say to do to handle it and my first two children are healthy, beautiful boys.

 

I tell you this not to talk about my pregnancy—actually I’m finding with the third pregnancy that my desire to talk about it almost zilch—but as a means to explain to you why I have ultrasounds every two weeks. 

 

I don’t think there could be anything more amazing, but let’s also face it, bizarre than watching my quickly growing third son on the Ultrasound machine.  The first thing they do is find the heartbeat.  I hold my breath until it shows, although I have every reason to believe the heartbeat is fine as I feel him jumping around inside of me like my internal organs are his playground. 

 

Every week, somehow, my body knows exactly how to grow the baby, how much weight to put on him, which one of his organs should develop and which ones will come in the next few weeks until ultimately we reach the end of gestation where only the lungs wait for fulfillment. 

 

If women didn’t do this every day, we would call it science fiction. 

 

Last week, Her Wolf released from Liquid Silver Books.  I didn’t have to have any ultrasounds to make sure it was healthy nor did I experience any labor pains.  But I have to admit, I worry about it—all of the time.  Do people like it?  Is anyone reading it?  Did I take good enough care of it when it was just mine to make? 

 

Hopefully, both my works in progress will continue to grow as they have been and some day I can tell baby number 3 about how he helped me publish my first novel. 

 

Best to all of you. 

 

RR

The Void

What is the void? A little deep for Monday, you may wonder. Pull up a chair, sip your coffee, and contemplate this question. It’s an empty place. Be it in your heart, soul, or life. It affects everyone at some point or another. Sad but true, there is a silver lining. Without the void we wouldn’t appreciate the things that fill our existence.

Why am I writing on such a dark topic?

1. This is Paranormal Romantics. LOL
2. I’m in a void.

What??

That spot writers find themselves between books. Not a block, I know what I’m going to write next. The dead space between when you’ve finished one work and stretch and say, “Am I ready to start again? “ I’m not. My brain hurts and needs to sit back to relax for a few days. The last time I went through this, it took me a month before I could commit to a character and her story. My next manuscript will be long and soul searching so I hide in my void. Once my courage has gathered enough I will venture into a new place and get sucked back into writing again. Then the sleepless nights of typing will start but truly, I’ll be happy.

Am I the only nut on this crazy train?

Book Trailers - Do they help sell?

Has a study been done on this? And does it really matter? Not to me.

I love to write and I have a damn good imagination. However, when it comes to celluloid I don't consider myself very creative, but it gives me the opportunity to be a different kind of artist, and I try to improve each time. You know what I’ve discovered? It’s another of those ‘subjective’ areas. Some people like them, some don’t. You Tube has capitalized on the fact someone likes homemade videos.

I've heard various ideas about trailers: keep them short because people lose interest, don't be too wordy, make them exciting as possible - all things I try to consider and I hope I've done well.

I spend most of my time on selecting music. It has to be just right (in my mind anyway). I use http://www.incompetech.com/ which is Kevin McLeod's site for music. If you haven't checked it out yet, he has some good stuff there. I've donated to him, and will again.

Once the sound is set, I begin to select photos used to represent the hero and heroine. Another long process for me. Where, oh where, are all the men with below-shoulder length, blond or black, hair? Hell, I’ll take any color so long as it’s LONG! And where are the men – you know, those who have a little body hair? I dislike the hairless, boyish looking models. Oh well, that’s another blog completely. Anyway, I use Dreamstime or iStockphoto. Both seem the same to me, so I dash back and forth searching to get the photos that capture my characters (again, in my mind *grins*).

Then there's the process of getting them in order and writing the narrative, which has gotten less and less wordy for me each time. The saying goes: a picture tells a thousand words. I’m testing that theory on my very latest.

The first trailer below, Hope in Love, was completed last weekend amidst a family running wild. It’s for the first book in my angel series and it’s being viewed across the internet. LOL. My latest, Rhythm in Love, is a piece that's been contracted to Ellora's Cave for their Dance of Desire theme which will release in February 2010. It’s making its debut here at Paranormal Romantics today. It has 3 lines of dialogue and closing credits. I’m not sure whether I consider it done or not. I like the music and the various photos, but does it tell enough of my story? Does it grab attention…and ultimately, will it help sell the book?

I don’t have the answer to those questions. I had a damn good time creating both trailers and if one person enjoys them – I did my job.

Have a look at both. Take a minute to let me know what you think about video book trailers, and if you have one, two, or three, leave the link(s) in your comment, I’d like to check it out. Remember: Growl and roar-it’s okay to let the beast out.-J. Hali Steele

Science Fiction =/= Paranormal

Please allow me a mini rant and a wall of text as I become a bit of a stick in the mud. :-)

I'm not quite sure where it began but I notice a change in publishing industry genre labels. Of course, it's to be expected with the rise of urban fantasy and paranormal romance selling like hotcakes. And naturally the industry would want to label it best so the readers can find it more. But I notice a lot of mislabeling in doing so which has lead to a bit of confusion for books that are normally "out of the ordinary".

Science Fiction fans have been a bit miffed that the section in the bookstore has lessened over the years with the amount of fantasy and "romance" crowding the shelves. I would imagine romance readers would feel the same if the romance section was taken over by straight fantasy. The genres have blended so much that it's lead to the overall umbrella to be called 'speculative' fiction encompassing paranormal romance, sci-fi, fantasy and horror since books usually have elements of one or all. Unfortunately, I've seen some folks call things sci-fi when it wasn't. This is like the debacle that went down when Juno Books' former Best Paranormal Romance anthologies originally translated romance as adventure rather than a love story between a hero and heroine with an HEA. PR fans were in an uproar and went crazy because they went in expecting a paranormal romance: a love story with an HEA centered around supernatural characters and/or happenings.

Although I understand both sides, the popular fiction industry has changed much of the old time definitions to fit a new mold. Sci-fi fans are going through something similar as romance fans did in that situation, especially with SF romance still finding it's grounding. I sometimes hear readers recommend sci-fi and/or fantasy books. I'm all jazzed getting my list ready to take down some good reads when I notice they aren't sci-fi but urban fantasy or paranormals. Hmph. When I sit down and want some sci-fi I'm expecting some futuristic elements, dystopia goodies, social commentary to mirror our own and some high techie goodness amidst awesome world building. Sure there may be some things that are possible in that world rather than ours, but instead of the magic that is shown in fantasy and it's subgenres, this is happening through science. Of course you get a little bit of both if say, you get a vampire via genetics or a wizard uses "magic" with advanced nanotechnology but that's when it gets all sketchy.

Basically, it's all about reader expectations. Readers, no matter what they enjoy, expect a certain book when they grab some titles. Sometimes they're in the mood for one genre over another and if you go in expecting one to get another, that can be pretty disappointing right out the gate. Which is a bummer for the author because the story doesn't even get a chance. But in this crazy, pressed for time world you often get that one shot to grab the reader.

I know there are tons of sites out there chatting about the difference between paranormal romance and urban fantasy but I'll go ahead and reiterate the two along with adding some descriptions of science fiction and fantasy.

While writing my world building chapter for the upcoming Complete Guide to Writing Paranormal (plug, plug), I had to explore what exactly "Paranormal' was genre wise. After all world building in paranormals have a different approach than it does in Fantasy and SF. Here's a snippet:

The Paranormal genre can lie in reality with a hint of the extraordinary. Science fiction usually employs science and technology as a reason for the ‘what if’ whereas fantasy often uses magic to explain everything, the paranormal creates a world that makes use of our world while adding elements of the supernatural. This can be explained with science or magic, yet it takes the story beyond these realms to make a genre of its own.

The genre usually includes such creatures as ghosts, witches, shape-shifters, vampires, or werewolves among others. These beings can also be found in straight fantasy; however, most fantasy worlds take place in ancient times such as the medieval period or lands far off that mirror our own world in the past.

The April 2008 issue of Writer's Digest is one that's fascinating in that it talks about the rise of paranormal in current trends. But it also shows a great Genre Tree.

Check it out:

Click to enlarge

The Writer's Digest website even has a wonderful subgenre list to match the tree, complete with extensive definitions under each main genre umbrella. You can check that out here.

As more stories explore various aspects of each genre in one single story, I can feel it's going to get more complicated to label the books. For instance, steampunk is a niche that's gaining popularity as we speak and, as mentioned before, Sci-Fi Romance is still tapping the line between paranormal fiction, romance and futuristic sci-fi.

Just Gotta Write

This week I had intended to put up an encore of the interview I did with Rebecca, but the call to actually blog captured my attention, and since I’m a writer, I had to obey. After a few weeks of not talking about what was on my mind, I find I actually miss it. You can still read Rebecca’s interview regarding her recent release of her first book HER WOLF over on my blog http://sandrasookoo.wordpress.com/


I figure writing is a lot like life. I go through ups and downs, joys and sorrows, but in the end, it always comes back to what’s at the core of importance: writing. It’s the constant in my life, keeps me grounded, focused, sane. People come and go, there are family dramas to content with, trends fade, housework occupies my attention at times, but I always come back to writing. No matter if it’s 200 words a day or 4,000, I must write. Even when I plan to take a day off, swearing I won’t touch the keyboard for a full 24 hours, I just can’t stay away. It calls to me like a siren song and I can’t resist. (I type so much the decal on the “m” key on my keyboard has rubbed away.)

My point? This week started on a bit of a stressful note. I needed to start a new short story and had absolutely no idea where it was going—and it’s under contract before being completed, which is a first for me. Wicked awesome. After plotting for awhile, an idea took shape and now I’m smack in the middle of the tale with a whole different format than what I’ve tried before. Will it take off? I have no idea, but I’m hopeful.

So, of course, while the writing is going well, fate chucks a wrench into the works by hurling a cold, empty, form rejection my way yesterday on a book that’s rapidly becoming difficult to place. Yes, rejections are annoying and thank goodness this one didn’t upset me. I read it and moved on, and sent the book out to new potential publishers—and I didn’t even need chocolate to get me through.

Being back to square one is becoming quite a comfortable scene. I’m thinking of building a modest house there…

And sometimes that’s okay. It gives me a new perspective occasionally, gives me an opportunity to catch a few things I might have missed when I travelled the path the first time because lately I’ve felt like a hamster in a wheel, running, running, always going without a clear picture of where I’m running to.

Now I feel like I have a goal in mind, for the next two years anyway, and that’s a great feeling.

This week has been busy and it’s already Wednesday. Scheduling interviews, sending out questions, writing newsletter content, promoting two books that are out now and one that will be released in September, and doing edits for a Valentine’s Day story has commanded my attention, but my first love is always the writing. The rest of the month will be full of family visiting, a vacation to Disney World, travelling and generally trying to decompress from a jam-packed year since I signed my first contract back in November. Yeah, I desperately need the down time, but I just know I’ll want to write on my time off.

I can’t help it. Writing’s my life and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

That’s all for now. Make it a great day, folks, and try to find your passion. Once you do, life will make sense. Trust me.

We Got An Award

I'm delighted to announce that Paranormal Romantics has earned its first award granted by the wonderful Chiron O'Keefe .



This small endeavor has turned into a great adventure. In the last few weeks there have been many interesting conversations, new book releases, interviews, and best of all FUN.



We've made friends across the globe, had vampires and weres visit us, and a free read poll (which I am currently working on.) Bet you can't wait to see what we have in store for the coming season.



Here are the rules of this award:

1) Accept the award, and don’t forget to post a link back to the awarding person.

2) Pass the award on.

3) Notify the award winners.



After some deliberations amongst ourselves we decided to offer this award in return to:

Marta Acosta a fellow paranormal romance writer of the Casa Dracula Novels.

Nights of Passion a great supporter of up and coming authors.

Royal Blush Authors for keeping the romance.

SciFiGuy for keeping us updated.

Trampy Vamps for keeping it sexy.

What would you like us to keep doing or add to this blog? Guest speakers? Cross genres topics? More for writers or for readers? Fun stuff? Personal stuff? Contests? Tell us.

Her Wolf: The Westervelt Wolves Book 1 Releases

Well, it has finally happened.  The day I have been so anxiously awaiting and also nervously chewing my fingernails about has arrived.  Her Wolf: The Westervelt Wolves Book 1 releases today.  For the record, this is my very first book release ever. Up until now, it's just been a dream--something I thought and dreamt about--but didn't really believe could happen except now it is here.  

For the record, it is available today from Liquid Silver Books

From day one, I have received so much support both from the publisher and also from all of my friends and family, some of which I have never met face-to-face but without who's support I would not be doing this now.  (Ahem..Sandi, Annie, J. Hali, and Rae as well as too many others to name)  

So please let me say, thank you.  A million thank yous.  

Now let's talk about Her Wolf.   

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ashlee Morrison has a secret obsession—with a dark and mysterious male. The only problem is that he’s a wolf and she’s becoming convinced that she’s insane for thinking about him. But Ashlee’s wolf is no ordinary canine, he is Tristan Kane, third son in the royal family of the Westervelt Wolf pack. 

Trapped in his wolf form by his evil father’s men, he has desperately sought a way out of predicament and is shocked to find that the beautiful, sad red head who has come to the wolf cage cannot only hear him, but awakens in him the knowledge that she is his mate, the other half of his soul who he has sought for thirty years. 

Ashlee is unaware that she is half wolf-shifter but agrees to accompany Tristan back to his pack to seek answers to her past and understand her future. But as Tristan and Ashlee grow closer, familial betrayals will threaten to destroy the fragile love they have started to build. 
With the odds stacked against them, Ashlee and Tristan will either embrace their love to save the Westervelt Wolves or be lost forever to despair.

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Here is an excerpt from Her Wolf:

“Do you think there are monsters, Ash?” 

Ashlee hadn’t known what to say. Something about her mother’s tone had made her more nervous than the monster movie with the chainsaw-wielding psycho killer. What was it? Thinking with her adult mind and not that of her younger self, Ashlee realized her mother had sounded anxious. Fourteen years later, Ashlee couldn’t remember ever hearing Victoria sound quite like that again. Summer had interrupted then; she was never satisfied until she had every answer she needed. 

“Do you, Mom? Do you believe?” 

Ashlee thought she knew what her mom would say. It was the job of grownups to reassure you, to tell you that nothing scary was real. 

“I do believe, girls. Some of the things that go bump in the night are real and we must always be on guard for them. But don’t worry, nothing will ever harm you here while I am with you.” 

The memory, like dust in the sky, floated out of her mind and Ashlee was back in the present with her decision already made for her. Why wasn’t it possible that Tristan could speak to her, even if he was a wolf? It wasn’t any more unreasonable than anything else. People believed in ghosts and no one called them crazy. Hell, she’d had a friend whose mother attended conferences about aliens. Declaring herself a lunatic hadn’t worked out so well, maybe it was time to try a different approach.

Just for tonight, she would believe. 

Tristan was a talking wolf and she was going to save him from the men who were out to get him.

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I hope I've given you enough of a taste that you are now interested in reading Her Wolf and the subsequent Westervelt Wolf books to follow.  

Thank you, everyone, for your love and support.  This day couldn't have happened without you.  

Rebecca Royce.  

Also, Happy Fourth Birthday, my darling. Mommy loves you more than you'll ever know.  Daddy and I can't believe how grown up you are.