Paranormal Inspiration: Chinese Mythology

Chinese New Year is close—February 10 this year—and is a reminder that things are sometimes similar and yet very different in other parts of the world. Other cultures have their own paranormal creatures and legends, some of which are familiar to us and some of which are quite unique. It’s a change of pace to look beyond the borders of our own cultures.

The huli jing is the legendary Chinese fox, able to transform into human shape when it becomes very old. In China, the fox was a part of certain folk religions and had a far more prominent profile in paranormal tales than it does in most Western cultures. The vampire makes an appearance in Chinese culture, as the jiangshi. The ways to ward off a jiangshi are very different those used on vampires of the Bram Stoker variety. Stories of ghosts, spirits, and possession abound throughout Chinese mythology.

It’s a great deal of fun for us to delve into the wealth of tales to be found in other cultures and discover how things have been imagined differently there. Whether its the tragedy of a lover’s spirit haunting another body to deliver a message to their beloved or the sly romance of a fox-shifter wooing an unwitting prince, there are many stories for us to find if we stop and look outside what is familiar to us.

Reading about the huli jing has certainly given us some ideas...

About Us

Anah Crow and Dianne Fox write sci-fi, paranormal, and contemporary queer romance for Carina Press, Samhain Publishing, and Amber Allure. They’ve been writing together for more than 10 years. You can find them on the web at anahcrowdiannefox.com and on Twitter at @anahcrow and @diannefox.

Reviving a Trunk Novel

That’s what I’ve been doing for the past few weeks.

For those not familiar with the term, “trunk novels,” are the books authors write and maybe try to get published, but eventually put away in a trunk because they were early writing efforts that just weren’t ready for prime time. I’ve even heard it’s what writers must do. The common wisdom is that no one’s early writing efforts can be any good. (Except all those authors you’ve heard of who just decided one day to write a book and blammo, within less than a year, they were published. And even multi-published. These authors are not chimeras. I’ve met them.)

At any rate, I’ve always been pigheadedly stubborn, and I love this book, so despite the fact that it’s been through at least three previous incarnations, I’m giving it another go.

One of the things I’ve been finding surprisingly enjoyable is ripping the guts out of it. I’ve tried rewriting the beginning of this book more times than I can count, and despite the fact that it opens with the reincarnation of a naked woman in the snow who can conjure with a word, the subsequent pages were just…boring, frankly. And I couldn’t figure out why.

Until I outlined it. Even though the rest of the story is full of danger and violence, romance and mystery, lots of heartache, and some shocking surprises, I discovered the first seven chapters were spent with characters meeting one another and thinking. Seriously. I was gobsmacked and more than a little embarrassed.

So I tore out every scene that involved introductions and ruminations. And surprise, things happened. I still have a ways to go to tie everything together, but I think the trunk novel may be coming around.

Here's a little snippet of some of the new material, a scene between two characters from my novella, The Devil's Garden, which is actually a prequel to this story. I'd never intended for them to reappear, but characters often have other ideas.

Cree lay sleeping. Ume curled around her, forming a protective cocoon with the warmth of her body. It was the only time Cree would accept such comfort. Working the docks of In’La had made her tough and self-sufficient, her brusque exterior reinforcing the assumption encouraged by her dress that she was male. That toughness—with a touch of tenderness underneath that Cree tried to cover—was what Ume had fallen hopelessly in love with. The shell of brittle amber had come later.

What's in an opening?

 
I think one of the things I look for most in a new to me author, when I pick up their book, is the ability to hook me into the story, and then when I’m there, keep me wanting more. Hooks and hangers in every chapter are so important, but it's that all important opening, many authors sweat over.

One of my favorite authors who’s got great hooks, is Jim Butcher, and my personal favorite opening is in his novel, Dead Beat.

But what of my own. I always strive to have engaging openings. Here are a few of my favorites, in no particular order.

Blown Away/Happy Trails:

Happy trail: That sexy little strip of hair that runs from a man’s belly button to his—towel. Jenna stared at the fluffy white barrier that blocked her gaze from traveling any further south. She’d enjoyed the scenic route, visually devoured the hard ridges of his six pack abs and the way the water trickled over his flesh while it took the path of least resistance. She knew she shouldn’t stare. It was inappropriate to ogle the higher-ranking beefcake, but she couldn’t stop. What woman in her right mind would be able to?

This Endris Night/1Night Stand series:

The cold kissed Shiya’s cheeks as the sled raced through the night, gliding across the snow in the Alaskan wilderness. Yeah, she could have arrived like the other guests, by bush plane, but the siren’s call of the icy world had been great, and she needed access to the wilds to put her plan in motion.

It had been too long since she’d last come home. Northern lights danced across the horizon, playing off icicles that gleamed on bent pine boughs—nature’s Christmas trees. Overhead the stars glittered, something she’d rarely seen because of the city lights.

Finding Mercy/A Prepper novel:

If he didn’t know better, he’d think the end of the world had arrived. Will Evans tightened his grip on Bear’s and Sadie’s leashes and tuned in for any cries for help. The fresh smell of rain mixed with the industrial stink of spilled fuel and the ozone from a nearby lightning strike pounded reality home.

Even though they’d merely begun, his bones ached. Fifteen years before, he would’ve torn through the wreckage and pulled out survivors without hesitation. Now, he could only survey the destruction and fight the tears that tugged on his eyes. The scene brought back another time he couldn’t stomach, when he’d seen the Grim Reaper rip a hole between life and death, as he’d done this day.

My Boogie Woogie Bugle Guy/1Night Stand:

Grace lay on her belly, her cheek pressed into the lush grass, staring at a shot-glass of liquid. It sat at the base of her brother’s tombstone, as if someone waited for him to take a drink.

George Daniels, born June 18, 1987, Died August 8, 2011. Hero, Son, Brother.

Whoever left the whiskey, had set it on an ace of spades. Probably one of the Green Berets Geordie had served with. They’d liked to play that game. She smiled, remembering the stories her brother had told her about his downtime while deployed, the heated spades matches, the stomach churning dares to eat creepy crawlers, the roach races, anything to keep them entertained between patrols.

“I miss you.” She sniffed and wiped a tear from her cheek. It had been a year since she’d lost him, and the hole still gaped open, raw, unbearable.

She wouldn’t be off shift for another thirty minutes, but on the anniversary of his death, she hadn’t been able to stay away. She'd needed to talk to him. So, she’d sprawled over his grave in her uniform, getting grass stains on her elbows from the freshly cut lawn, telling him about how much her life sucked without him.

“For my next number, I’m gonna play something a little more laid back.” A slurry voice rang out over the headstones, echoing through what was supposed to be a closed graveyard. A trumpet began to play. Dah, dah, dum. Dah, dah, squawk.

So tell me, what are some of your favorite hooks, the ones you loved writing or reading.

D L Jackson

www.authordljackson.com

 

Groundhog Day… and the Super Bowl

 

Both have come and gone!

Please, please be right Punxsutawney Phil because I’ve had my fill of winter. Football, well I never got into it and, no, I do not watch the super bowl or any of the games leading to it. But who doesn’t know Matthew Terry by now or that a team with a coach named Harbaugh won or…wait, maybe that was lost!

I wanted the important information – what’s the name of the Clydesdale baby, and who was that man with the little lady. They stole my heart. After surfing the web for tidbits, I read in one article that only 43 of these horses are bred by Anheuser Busch every year. The Clydesdale ad showed a man with the horse from birth, raising him (time lapse of course!) to turning him over to be one of those that tow the iconic wagons. Note, the baby in the commercial was a girl but they only use males to do the heavy work. It was so beautifully done and was the winning Super Bowl ad. You can watch it here: http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2013/02/04/clydesdale-ad-wins-by-a-nose/1889979/

And, the little lady, her name is Hope.

Now, who was that guy?

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

In Your Face Promotion

It's that time of year where authors are frantically ordering promotional items to get ready for conventions. So, continuing my post last month about promotion online - this time I'm talking about physical promotion. Bookmarks, free books, shot glasses, cozies, t-shirts, coffee mugs, lip balm, pen, etc... I know I have a personal preference about what kind of promotion that I like as a reader. During a convention, I like bookmarks and coverflats because I can snag them to look into the book when I have time to sit down at my computer. I can back from the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention in Chicago last year with a stack of paper promotional items that I set on my desk so I could go through them at my leisure.

During the Ellora's Cave Romanticon in Akron last year, I handed out cozies and shot glasses. Once I put the cozies out on the promo table, they were going faster than I could re-stock. As far as the shot glasses, I was skeptical about how they would be received because, while I've seen authors give out the cozies, the shot glasses were something new But I was pleasantly surprised to find they went like hot cakes! The fact I only gave them out during the book signing (meaning someone had to actually come SEE me in order to get one) made them "special".

I won't be carting shotglasses to the RT convention in Kansas City this year because I'm flying, so I'm trying to figure out something else "special" to give out during the book signings. I have a few ideas, but I can't seem to settle on one particular thing that I can carry with me.

What kind of promotional items would like to see authors give out during conventions, or even during special promotions?

Contract High

I signed the contract for the third novel in the Araneae Nation series, A Time of Dying, about two weeks ago. Yay! The first and second round edits have been done, and I'm on to writing book four.

It's not a new impulse for me to want to write a spinoff series based in a world I have created. I have ideas for the Askara universe as well. But it has surprised me how excited I am for the opportunity to write a spinoff in the Araneae world. So much of the main series focuses on the plague and it's effect on individual clans, that some of the finer nuances within each clan are lost.

I'm considering rectifying that with at least one clan--the Deinopidae. In book three we meet six Deinopidae warriors. In book four we learn they're siblings and that four of the brothers have committed a heinous crime--and then lied about it--for which the punishment is banishment and a vow of silence.

It could be fun, but it depends on how well the first five novels are received whether I can invest time in another five books. I have my fingers crossed, though. There is so much potential in this world, and I would hate to leave it untapped.

I think my favorite example of a series spinoff is the Alpha and Omega series by Patricia Briggs. It spins off Mercy Thompson, which I adore. It's great how the series share the same universe and in parts the same timeline, giving us more perspective on the main series while creating depth of its own.

How about you? Is there a spinoff series you enjoy reading? Or is there a series you wish the author would spin new books from?

Koishi

The Gatekeeper series  launches next week on Monday with my book Koishi.

This is the dream child of the owner of Lyrical Press, Renee Rocco. She came up with the concept of gates guard on Earth to prevent the parallel magical world, Outremer, from spilling into ours. Each book is written by a different Lyrical author.

I never collaborated in such a grand scale adventure with other writers and enjoyed the process. My dragon fit in perfectly at a gatekeeper. I'd been searching for a home for him a long time.

Never make a deal with a dragon.

Sandra’s sister is dying. Doctors say nothing can be done, but she refuses to give up hope. She has depleted all their resources searching for a cure, when a little bird whispers in Sandra’s ear about secret worlds, gates, and the keepers who protect them. A dragon gatekeeper, who hoards magical treasure within his volcano home in Japan, possibly owns an item capable of curing her sister.

Gates choose their keepers, and Koishi thinks his did an excellent job in picking him. Not many dare to cross, and none who try survive. However, one tiny human female with either the courage of an army or the intelligence of a gnat has arrived on the island asking for him. Curious, he waits for the locals to steer her to his human servant—actually him, in man form.

Let the games begin…

CONTENT WARNING: Goblins, mayhem, and sushi await you with hot dragon sex and Koishi’s odd sense of humor.

Excerpt


The book, Kalindra, will release on May 6th.


 
 
 

Want a chance to win a copy of Koishi? Leave a comment with a way for me to contact you. I'll pick a winner on Feb 9th!

 

Want more chances to win? I'm giving away three copies on my facebook fanpage.

 

Or follow my blog tour. Tour schedule.

 

 

 

Annie Nicholas

www.annienicholas.com



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Doing Something New with Wendi Zwaduk and Megan Slayer

When I do interviews, there is always a question that comes up.

What have you wanted to write but haven't done so yet? And which genre do you want to write in but haven't?

It would seem pretty simple. I haven't written in __________. But it's not.  There are a lot of things I'd like to do, worlds I'd love to write in and places I'd like to visit. Some are good Wendi ideas and some fit better with my Megan titles. And that's cool. But to keep them straight, I keep a list. It goes something like this:

* Write a merman
(I'd love to, but I know nothing about them save for the Little Mermaid and I don't think that cuts it)
* Write a wolf shifter
(Now this I did as Megan finally. I wasn't really aiming to do it, but he just sort of showed up. I couldn't tell him no)
* Write a story set somewhere exotic
(To be honest, I tend to write about places I've actually been. I figure it makes the scene feel that much more realistic. But hey, I'd love to visit London)
* I'd love to try my hand at a purely SFF romance.
(Would help if I knew something about SFF and didn't have to fall back on my knowledge of Star Trek the Next Generation as my sole SFF experience)

The list isn't too long at the moment. Give me time and a chance to talk with the muses and my BFF and I'll come up with more, I"m sure.

What are some things you'd like to do? Things you haven't done before or genres you haven't written in? I'd love to know. Come on over and share! I won't bite. Much.



~

Want to know more about Wendi Zwaduk? Here you go:

I always dreamt of writing the stories in my head. Tall, dark, and handsome heroes are my favorites, as long as he has an independent woman keeping him in line. I earned a BA in education at Kent State University and currently hold a Masters in Education with Nova Southeastern University.

I love NASCAR, romance, books in general, Ohio farmland, dirt racing, and my menagerie of animals. I also write under the pen name of Megan Slayer. I’m published with Total-E-Bound, Changeling Press, Liquid Silver Books, Turquoise Morning Press, Decadent Publishing and The Wild Rose Press. Come join me for this fantastic journey!

If you like my work, tell your friends and email me. I love hearing from readers!

Site, Blog, Twitter, Facebook Fan Page, Amazon 

~

Now here's a little bit more about my take on The Phantom of the Opera: The Phantom of the Opera

Gaston Leroux and Wendi Zwaduk
Total-E-Bound
Novel
historical
m/f, bdsm, spanking, multiple partners
Available here!

The Classics Exposed…

A chance sighting at the Opera, fated love, and three lives in turmoil.

One man pledges to own her, while another wants her heart. The Opera sets the stage for romance and intrigue. In the catacombs below the building lives a man rife with sorrow and passion. The Phantom. But he’s not content to live alone. He wants to possess the one woman who can set him free.

His Christine.

Viscount Raoul de Chagny doesn’t believe the rumours of a Ghost living below the Opera. He only has eyes for Christine, his childhood friend and first love. Together they embark on a sensual journey of discovery and fiery desire.

But she can only have one man. Will love raise her up or tear their world apart?

A Hero Ménage

Good day! It's close to the end of the month, and I'm coming down off the buzz of having two releases this month. Two on the same day. Accidental Romance is a new adult contemporary western romance that is part of Decadent Publishing's new The Challenge series, and Made For Her is a science fiction military erotic romance. The two stories couldn't be more opposite. And the same goes for the heroes. Here's a bit about them:

Made For Her


Character Name - D32
Nickname / Alias - Dare
Place of Birth - clone labs in Geneva

Role in the Story - hero
Key Relationships - None. Clones aren't allowed to have "relationships" with anyone
Education - Everything he learned was transferred in terabytes per second at the clone labs.
Work History - Training to be a space pilot for the military
Phobias / Fears - That he is like every other "Daniel clone". That there is nothing different about him.
Quirks - He taps his foot when he's impatient.
Best Quality - His determination.
Worst Quality - When he wants something, he will stop at nothing to get it. (Determination.)

After terrorists murder the love of her life, Colonel Mikayla Jones trains squadron after squadron of the clones he brought to life, to take to the skies. When she discovers a young clone of her husband in her newest class, her world spins out of control. How can she command the look-a-like when she can’t help but yearn for him to fill an ache in her heart?

Dare was created to be the best. As the first Daniel clone to leave Onatria labs, he needs to prove he is more than just a DNA copy. To do that, he must rely on the wife of the man who donated his genes. But when she refuses to train him, Dare faces discharge and returning to the labs. Can he convince Colonel Jones to finish his training and find a way into her bed? Or will long kept secrets unhinge the entire clone project?

Buy Links: 

Amazon (Canada/US/UK) | Decadent Publishing | All Romance | Barnes&Noble | more

Accidental Romance

Character Name - Jake
Nickname / Alias - Ass, Jake-a-roo
Age - 22

Role in the Story - hero
Key Relationships - Brother to four older sisters. Son to parents who are good friends with Leanne's parents. Farmhand at Leanne's parents's farm. Has never had a steady girlfriend as he's always had his sights on Leanne.
Work History - Continues to work as a farmhand.
Phobias / Fears - That the one he wants will never see him as more than a friend.
Goals and Motivations - Plans to stay on as farmhand when Leanne takes over the farm, so he can continue to work side-by-side with her.
Best Quality - A hard worker.
Worst Quality - Can't always voice how he feels.

At twenty-two, Leanne Declan has graduated from college and hopes to take over the family farm until a tragic accident changes her life forever. Unable to do the simplest everyday chores, she must depend on her family and friends as she learns to face life’s challenges. But when her fears threaten to destroy her future, can an unexpected love be strong enough to help her dreams come true?

Buy Links:

Amazon (Canada/US/UK) | Decadent Publishing | All Romance | Barnes&Noble | more

Jessica Subject started writing to encourage her daughter to read. Now she writes to keep herself grounded. Although she reads many genres, she enjoys writing Science Fiction Romance the most and believes everyone in the universe deserves a happily ever after. She lives Southwestern Ontario, Canada with her husband and two kids and loves to hear from her readers.

Website/Blog | Newsletter | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | Authorgraph

Bunnysmacked

Funny thing about being a writer. Sometimes you can be sitting there, minding your own business, and out of nowhere, a plot bunny comes up and smacks you silly. No, seriously. You don't have to think or strain or plot, because that furry little mofo knocks you over the head so hard you can't do anything but write what it tells you.

I was attacked by a rogue rabbit just before Christmas. It was vicious. It was historical. It was lesbians.

I'd been in the middle of another book, so I really didn't want to touch it, but it was tiny and cute, so I bent down for a closer look and ...

WHAM!

That little sucker got me. I was mortally wounded. I'd fight to get away and it would coo at me, say things like, "I already have the perfect title."

WHAM!

It got me again. I'd pull away only to have it suck me back in with beautiful promises. All the while, it was beating me to a bloody pulp.

And then, all those beautiful promises were fulfilled. The damn story was written. It was nothing I'd ever really planned on writing and everything I never thought I could manage. Selling her Sin is almost ready for a publisher.

So now, I'm putting the final touches on my first historical and my first F/F. It's a wonderful bunny, and  I hope you all like it. Just be careful. It bites.