Life is a first draft

FRIDAY FIRSTS with Sharon Hamilton

2012-02-24T14:19:00.001-08:00

The first five sentences of...

HONEYMOON BITE

Anne looked down on the sleeping form of her new husband and, God help her, he looked like the first man she would murder. Nestled into his arms was the naked body of her maid of honor.

This made the second time today the bride had caught them together. First was at the reception. In the bathroom.

Amazon|Barnes & Noble

Available now!

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FUN FIRST FACTS ABOUT SHARON

1. What’s the first thing you do when you start writing a new story?

Block out the chapters, the scenes that have to be written. Get a general path of the story first, so I can find the Turning Points, the Black Moments and make sure there is a strong character arc for both the hero and the heroine. Often one of the two of them will want dominance. Not always the same each both, either.

2. Tell me about your very first date (ever).

A bunch of Stanford guys wanted to date several of us in high school. They went through the yearbook, and each of them picked one. I got picked by a nerdy boy from Brooklyn. He probably became the head of some huge investment firm, but we were a bit mismatched...LOL. I was scared to death!

3. What was your first date with your significant other?

We went to a jazz concert at Sonoma State University. I had been the night before with another guy, but didn't tell my husband that. I was thrilled he'd asked me. I'd wanted him to ever since I met him at school.

MORE ABOUT SHARON: Sharon Hamilton lives on 60 acres in beautiful Sonoma County with her chickens and other assorted wild life, including her husband of 40 years. When not pouring over a laptop, or reading, she can be found in the garden, dead-heading flowers and planting vegetables. She works out many of her story lines while covered in dirt.

FIND SHARON ONLINE:
http://sharonhamiltonauthor.blogspot.com/
http://www.sharonhamiltonauthor.com/
http://www.sharonhamiltonauthor.com/books.html

Six Sentence Sunday

2012-02-19T00:01:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my Sunday six, from my newest release, Her One-Night Prince.

She wrapped her arms around herself despite the warm air and strode down the alley. If a sinkhole opened up in front of her, she’d gladly fall into it.

He jogged up beside her as they reached the sidewalk. “I don’t know about the clothing and hair stuff,” he said, “but I could certainly give you advice on men.” He cleared his throat and coughed. “I mean, since I’m a, ah, man.”

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Available now!

Amazon|Barnes & Noble|Bookstrand

Check out more Sunday 6 excerpts here.

2012-02-17T00:01:00.000-08:00

The first five sentences of... DEADLY OBSESSION

Don’t forget Nic—you belong to me. If you stray, she’ll pay.

The darkened theater closed around Nic Lamoureux like a cave, filled with unknown, unseen dangers. Clenching the cell phone in his fist, he glanced at his Bad Days co-star, Jane Carver, sitting on his right, then at his agent, Vivian Carmichael, on his left. How had the stalker gotten his private number and which woman was the message targeting?

Publisher: Self-published

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Amazon|Barnes & Noble|Smashwords

Available Now!

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FUN FIRST FACTS ABOUT KRISTINE

1. What was the first Rated R movie you ever saw?

The first Rated R movie I ever saw was Risky Business starring Tom Cruise. It was my birthday, a group of girlfriends were sleeping over, and we pretty much had the run of the house. And for those of you on the younger side, let me tell you, Tom Cruise was hot stuff at that time. Two scenes I'll never forget: when Tom sings "Old Time Rock and Roll" in his pink shirt and tighty-whities, and the train scene. I've loved Phil Collin's "In the Air Tonight" ever since!

2. What’s the first thing you notice on an attractive member of the opposite sex?

To test this out, I first had to go look at some photos of hot guys. I figured out that the first thing I see is how tall and broad they are. Okay, that's more than one thing, but it goes together. I like men who "look" tall, which doesn't mean they have to be 6'5" or something like that. A man can be 5'9" or 5'10" and still look tall. It's a matter of proportion. In addition, I like men who have a broad chest and shoulders. No skinny model boys for me. LOL.

3. If you had a free afternoon, what’s the first thing you’d do?

My favorite thing to do on a free afternoon, weather permitting (which is quite a rare thing here in "sunny" Seattle), is to sit in my rocking bench on my backyard deck, with a cold glass of ice tea and some strawberries. Once I have all that and I'm well-settled, I dive into a steamy romantic suspense or paranormal romance and spend a couple hours reading in the sunshine. Ah, paradise :)

MORE ABOUT KRISTINE:

Kristine Cayne is fascinated by the mysteries of human psychology—twisted secrets, deep-seated beliefs, out-of-control desires. Add in high-stakes scenarios and real-world villains, and you have a story worth writing, and reading.

The heroes and heroines of her Deadly Vices series, beginning with Deadly Obsession, are pitted against each other by their radically opposing life experiences. By overcoming their differences and finding common ground, they triumph over their enemies and find true happiness in each other’s arms.

Today she lives in the Pacific Northwest, thriving on the mix of cultures, languages, religions and ideologies. When she’s not writing, she’s people-watching, imagining entire life stories, and inventing all sorts of danger for the unsuspecting heroes and heroines who cross her path.

Readers can learn more about Kristine and her writing on her website/blog, Facebook and Twitter.

Six Sentence Sunday

2012-02-12T08:51:00.000-08:00

Cinderella had a fairy godmother. Lydia had no such thing. She held up Mr. Rex, stared at him a moment, then tossed him onto the pillows. No one was going to wave a magic wand and transform her into a beautiful princess--fairies didn’t exist.

She straightened suddenly, her mouth curving into a slight smile.

Or did they?

Genre: Romantic comedy
Publisher: Bookstrand

Her One-Night Prince is available now.

Amazon|Barnes & Noble|Bookstrand

For more Sunday Six fun, go here.

FRIDAY FIRSTS with Jami Gray

2012-02-10T00:01:00.000-08:00

First five sentences of...SHADOW'S EDGE

With a quick twist of her wrist, Raine slipped the blade between Quinn’s ribs. His heart gave one last desperate beat then fell silent. He slid slowly down her body to his knees, ending up in a strange, lover-like tableau.

Wrenching out her blade with a soft grunt, she held him in a gentle grasp, carefully lowering his lifeless body to the cracked concrete floor of the deserted warehouse. She closed his now dull brown eyes, knowing they would join the handful of others haunting her dreams.

Publisher: Black Opal Books

Amazon|Barnes & Noble|Black Opal Books

Available Now!

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FUN FIRST FACTS ABOUT JAMI

1. What was your first date with your significant other?
A little history first. My hubby and I first met when I played violin at his eighth grade graduation ceremony. Who knew that my future knight-in-muddy-armor and ruthless hunter of multi-legged creepy crawlies would be found during a lovely rendition of Pomp and Circumstances? Certainly not my pre-pubescent self.

For the next five years we were best friends who flirted outrageously, but never really followed through. Graduation came and we began our separate tours of the college adventure route only to reconnect years later by chance. This time, the outrageous flirtation definitely went places!

Our first date was dinner and movie. He picked me up at work, but when we were halfway to the restaurant, we had to go back. Unfortunately my nerves had promptly replaced my normal OCD tendencies and I left my house keys at the office. Finally we were off to dinner, traipsed around town for a bit and then wandering into the riveting flick known as Broken Arrow. I don’t really remember much of the movie, but I do remember my first date!

2. What was the first meal your significant other made you?
Of the two of us, he’s the cook. Even our boys will tell you, mom’s great as long as pushing buttons is involved, but anything more complicated and you best take evasive maneuvers.

Keep in mind my knight-in-slightly-muddy-armor is half German and half Hispanic and the one meal he can create without fail is lasagna. It’s a mouth watering testament to cheese, pasta, spices and meat. Not only was the meal great, but so was the laughter when klutz that I am, I decorated my shirt with red sauce. Plus watching him in my rarely used kitchen was a treat. I think I even got him to put on some girly apron over his jeans and t-shirt.

3. What was the first meal you made your significant other?
Again, remember I don’t cook, but sometimes I can even surprise myself. Before he could figure out that cooking was not my forte and head for the hills, I decided to lure him in with handmade eggrolls. I had actually figured out how to make the dish a couple weeks before, so little did he know, it was about the only thing I had been eating for the last week or so. Plus that lasagna was a bit intimidating, so I had to come back with something equally impressive. Every now and then he’ll fondly reminisce about those eggrolls with some comment along the line of “Do you remember when you cooked?”

More about Jami:
Growing up on the Arizona-Mexico border, Jami Gray was adopted at the age of 14 and suddenly became the fifth eldest of 37 children. She graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor’s in Journalism and three minors-History, English, and Theater. Shortly after marrying her techie-geek hubby (who moonlighted as her best friend in high school) she completed a Masters in Organizational Management from University of Phoenix Oregon.

Now, years later, she’s back in the Southwest where she’s outnumbered in her own home by two Star Wars obsessed boys, one Star Wars obsessed husband, and an overly-friendly, 105-pound male lab. Writing is what saves her sanity.

Find Jami on the web:

Website: http://www.jamigray.com/

Blogs: http://www.7evildwarves.wordpress.com/ or http://www.jamigray.wordpress.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jamigray.author

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/JamiGrayAuthor

Six Sentence Sunday

2012-02-05T00:01:00.000-08:00

Last week, you met my hero, Mitch. This week, meet Lydia.

What the heck was she doing? She should have just gone home.

Her expectations hadn’t been overly high today, due to the other responses she’d gotten to her ad. She hadn’t expected Mitch to be a prince, but charming would be nice. He was charming. He just wasn’t available to be her prince.

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Her One-Night Prince is available now.

Amazon|Barnes & Noble|Bookstrand

For other Six Sentence Sunday blogs, click here.

FRIDAY FIRSTS with Terry Odell

2012-02-03T13:41:00.000-08:00

The First Five Sentences of... HIDDEN FIRE

Under the table, Sarah’s toes found the cuff of Randy’s pants and inched their way up his calf, the coarse hair tickling her foot. His eyes widened, his eyebrows arched and the standard restaurant candle-in-a-jar caught the hazel flecks in his otherwise brown eyes. He brushed a lock of hair from his forehead, but it flopped back the way it always did.

She smiled at the hovering waiter, placed her hand over her empty coffee cup, and shook her head. “No more, Tony. Thanks.”

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Available now

Amazon|Barnes & Noble|Smashwords

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FUN FIRST FACTS ABOUT TERRY

1. What was the first romance you ever read?

Son of the Morning, by Linda Howard. My mother had been visiting and she left it behind. Since I'd been writing Highlander Fan Fiction at the time, the time-travel and Scottish setting intrigued me. Of course, I was also shocked that my mother read books with the word "penis." Then again, when I finished it, I gave it to my daughter. So I guess it wasn't that big a deal.

2. What’s the first thing you do when you sit down each day to write?

I look at the dreck I wrote the day before. When I finish a scene, I print it out and read it in bed. Then, the next morning I look at the notes I've made on that scene and fix it, which gives me a running start back into the manuscript.

3. What was your first date with your significant other?

I was taking a Biology class at UCLA, and the lab TA wanted to do a "dry run" of a field trip to the tide pools before the actual event. He invited me and one other girl from the lab section to go along. He dropped her off first, and because I didn't scoot over to the window after she got out of his pickup truck, he figured there might be some interest. We had dinner afterward, but we didn't officially 'date' until after the quarter was over, since it wouldn't have been appropriate. So, our first real 'date' was dinner on New Year's Eve at the Pirate's Cove Restaurant in Marina Del Rey. Have no clue if it's still there.

More about Terry: Terry Odell was born in Los Angeles, moved to Florida, and now makes her home in Colorado. An avid reader (her parents tell everyone they had to move from their first home because she finished the local library), she always wanted to "fix" stories so the characters did what she wanted. Once she began writing, she found this wasn't always possible, as evidenced when the mystery she intended to write rapidly became a romance. When she thought about it, she realized that her favorite mysteries were series where she could follow the developing relationships of the protagonist—to the point where she'd read the book twice; once for the relationship and again to follow the crime and its solution. So, she started reading romance, and found there was a genre that included mystery themes as well as a relationship.

Although her genre is labeled "romantic suspense", Terry prefers to think of her romantic suspense books as "Mysteries With Relationships." HIDDEN FIRE is the second book in her Pine Hills Police series, a sequel to FINDING SARAH.

You can find more about her at her website, http://www.terryodell.com.

Blog url: http://terryodell.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/terry.odell

Twitter: @authorterryo

Six Sentence Sunday

2012-01-29T00:01:00.000-08:00

Available now at most online bookstores!

If you're a regular reader of my blog, you know that every Friday I have a FRIDAY FIRSTS guest, and I post the first five sentences of his/her book, plus some interesting first facts about them.

But now I'm adding something new. Every Sunday, a bunch of writers post six sentences from their books on their blogs. I've decided to join them. For the next few week, I'll post sentences from my newest release, HER ONE-NIGHT PRINCE.

Here are the first six sentences of the book:

All Mitch knew about her was her first name. Lydia.

He wondered for the umpteenth time how he’d let himself be talked into this nonsense. She might as well have used the age-old description for a less than attractive blind date by telling him she had a good personality.

But this was no blind date. Just a bad idea.

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You can order your digital or paperback copy here:

Amazon|Barnes & Noble|Bookstrand

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To check out Six Sunday excerpts from other authors, click here.

FRIDAY FIRSTS with author Lynn Crain

2012-01-27T00:01:00.000-08:00

First Five Sentences of... A LOVER FOR RACHEL

“Come on, we’re going to be late! You’re the one who wanted to go to this thing. Besides, it’s the dead of night, so who’s going to see us?”

Rachel frowned at her best friend, Samantha Andrews, again. Yes, she was the one who wanted to go to the summer solstice celebration at Stonehenge.

Genre: Paranormal erotic romance

Publisher: Self-published

Smashwords|Amazon

Available now!

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FUN FIRST FACTS ABOUT LYNN

1. What was the first Rated R movie you ever saw? Wow...are you trying to get me in trouble? LOL! In the little town we lived in they never checked IDs at the door. We got into tons of movies that we’d have been kicked out of today. My first R-rated flick was High Plains Drifter. I thought Clint Eastwood was so hot that I tried to write a book with a similar character. No, I didn’t succeed. LOL!

2. What was the first romance you ever read?

Now, this will be a three part question for me. The first book I read that could be considered a romance had to be Gone With The Wind. At the time, I didn’t consider it to be one but an epic Civil War novel. The first ‘bodice-ripper’ romance I ever read was The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen Woodiwiss. Boy was that one hot...LOL! The first Harlequin Romance I ever read, about the same time as The Flame and the Flower, was called Castles in Spain. It was really sweet but still the HEA pulled me in. I have each and every one of those original books.

3. What’s the first thing you do when you start reading a new book?

Well, with ebooks I can’t do this so much any more...but...what I used to do was this: I’d look at the cover, I’d read the back blurb, I’d read the inside cover and usually a page at the beginning, middle and end. If I liked those, I’d buy the book. Now, I just look at the blurb, look at the cover and if they show a portion for a ‘look inside’ moment, I’ll read it.

More about Lynn: Lynn Crain realized at an early age she wanted to write. Taking the long way to being published, sha has done a variety of things like nursing, geologist, technical writer and computer manager all of which have added to her detail-oriented stories. She’s a full time storyteller and weaves fantasy, futuristic and paranormal tales as well as erotic stories for various publishers. She normally lives in the very hot southwest with her husband, son, two dogs, three cats and she’s gotten rid of her snakes. Don’t ask. Other members of her clan live nearby and include a son, daughter-in-law and two grandsons as well as various long-time friends. She is a past national board member of the RWA; founding president of Las Vegas Romance Writers Chapter of RWA; has held the positions of president, vice-president, secretary and contest chair of EPIC. Her latest adventure has taken her to Vienna, Austria with her husband as he works for a UN affiliated organization. You can find her hanging out at A Writer In Vienna Blog and various other places on the net (www.theloglineblog.blogspot.com; www.twitter.com/oddlynn3). Still, the thing she loves most of all is hearing from her readers at lynncrain@cox.net.

FRIDAY FIRSTS with Carla Angela

2012-01-20T08:37:00.000-08:00

First Five Sentences of... FULL EXPOSURE

"Ridiculous! I mean, how does a guy think he’s going to attract a woman by giving her VIP access to his nostrils?"

Lake spun her laptop around on the glossy, white countertop to show the offending on-screen image to her friend, and business partner, Fenella. A determined flick of Lake’s chestnut plait over her shoulder served to emphasize her point.

Fenella, carrying a tray of freshly baked chocolate brownies, emitting an intoxicating aroma, peered at the screen from behind.

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Bookstrand

Amazon|Bookstrand|Barnes & Noble

Available Now!

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FUN FIRST FACTS ABOUT CARLA

1.Tell me about your very first kiss.

Oh gosh, I wish it was more like the smooches I love to write about - knee-trembling, mind-blowing, head-spinning sort of kisses! But I didn’t see any stars when it came to my first time puckering up. No siree! My left foot didn’t kick up like in the movies nor did the Earth move beneath my feet...

It was New Year’s Eve. I was 16 and out on the town with my feisty cousin, who’d always push me to be a little more rebellious than usual. I got talking to a random guy and he asked if I’d kiss him. I accepted, because I was keen to get my first kiss over and done with – not because I was particularly attracted to him. All I remember was too much saliva and tongue. Then, a few minutes later, I saw the guy kissing another girl! Ick. Wish I’d waited for a better debut kiss.

2. What’s the first thing you do when you start reading a new book?

I like to check how many pages the thing is! I don’t know if it’s a sort of goal-oriented thing, so I can work out how long it will take me to read it first up, but it just makes me feel comfy knowing. I also love to read about the author, from the dedication at the front of the book to their notes at the end. I guess I’m just curious to find out what compelled them to write the actual tome and if real-life in any way inspired their scribblings! Sometimes though it can give away a little of what’s going to happen between the pages – a word of warning.

3. What’s the first thing you notice on an attractive member of the opposite sex?

I’m a sucker for a cheeky gleam in the eye, which can be a tell-tale sign of a sense of humour and an overall playful character! I like to know that a fella doesn’t take himself too seriously and that he’s an all-round nice guy. Showiness or superficiality definitely doesn’t do it for me. I also love the tall, dark, handsome stereotype (and, hence, married such a breed!)

More about Carla: Carla Angela is a freelance writer by day and erotic fiction author by night. Watching telemovies and obsessing over her star sign are guilty pleasures. More on Carla Angela can be found at www.carlaangela.com.

*Lips graphic from happinessseries.com.jpg

FRIDAY FIRSTS with Cathy Perkins

2012-01-13T00:01:00.000-08:00

The first five sentences of... THE PROFESSOR

The body lay in dappled shade. Patches of light caught pale flesh—an ankle here, a hip there. Resurrection ferns spread lacy fronds, partially concealing the limbs. Mick wondered if the irony was deliberate.

Publisher: Carina Press

Genre: Romantic suspense/mystery

Available Now

Carina Press|Amazon|Barnes & Noble

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FUN FIRST FACTS ABOUT CATHY

1. Who was your first love?

My first love was Philip C. As long as I can remember, I’ve been a sucker for dark hair and blue eyes—and he had both. I don’t think we ever kissed, but it was True Love. We in first grade and were going to get married. I think it lasted a month. Which is an eternity when you’re six.

2. What’s the first thing you do when you start writing a new story?

My stories seem to grow out of day dreams, the snippet of an idea, a what-if. For example, my husband and I were hiking in a game refuge near our house. While pushing through dense undergrowth beside the Snake River, I glanced over my shoulder and said, “Wouldn’t this be a great place to find a body?” My current WIP grew from that What-if.

Once an idea takes hold, the plot and character evolve together. But – don’t throw things, Becky – I’m a plotter, so the first thing I do when I think the idea has possibilities is sketch an outline of the plot. That outline grows and evolves as my characters’ personalities and motivations flesh out. Things that of course they’d do add layers or subplots as the story unfolds.

3. What was the first meal you made for your significant other?

I went to college on the combination of a scholarship and a part-time job, so I had no money. Seriously. None. My last year, I moved off campus into a tiny apartment and lived off things like peanut butter sandwiches and Ramen Noodles. My husband (who has dark hair and blue eyes, by the way) and I had just started dating when he brought over a bag of mushrooms. I had no idea what to do with them, but I had one, count ‘em, one cookbook. I thumbed through the index – the recipe had to be easy and couldn’t use a bunch of ingredients. And voila, stuffed mushrooms. Clearly, I’d never made this dish before, but apparently I did a bang up job because he still talks about those mushrooms. J

More about Cathy: Cathy Perkins’ suspense writing lurks behind a financial geek day-job, where she learned firsthand the camouflage, hide in plain sight, skills employed by her villains. Born and raised in South Carolina, the setting for THE PROFESSOR, she now lives in the Pacific Northwest with her work-a-holic husband and a 75-pound Lab who thinks she’s still a lap-puppy.

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Thanks so much for having me here today to talk about some of the “firsts” in my life. You can find me here online:

www.cperkinswrites.com

http://facebook.com/CathyPerkinsAuthor

http://twitter.com/cperkinswrites

FRIDAY FIRSTS with Diana Ballew

2012-01-06T00:01:00.000-08:00

First Five Sentences of...THORNS OF EDEN

“Oh, Father. If we’d only known,” Eden Blair whispered. A stiff poke gouged the small of her back. She turned around and glared at her stepmother, Ann. “Ouch! What did you do that for?"

“Father? Oh, do move on, Eden. It’s been a whole year, for heaven's sake.”

Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Amazon|Barnes & Noble|The Wild Rose Press

Available now

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FUN FIRST FACTS ABOUT DIANA

1. What was the first romance you ever read?

Geez. We’re going way back. I was thirteen. I think I was feeling particularly rebellious that day because I checked out two books from the public library: The Exorcist (scared me silly!) and Coffee, Tea, or Me, a book about lusty “stewardesses,” as they were called back then. I kept both books stashed under my bed so nobody would find them. It didn’t take me long to discover Kathleen Woodiwiss, Rosemary Rogers, and one of my all-time favorite books, The Proud Breed by Celeste De Blasis. I loved that book so much I recently bought a used hardback copy on Amazon for my personal library.

2. Tell me about the first novel you ever wrote? What ever happened to it?

Thorns of Eden is the very first full-length manuscript I wrote. I actually started writing that book about twenty years ago (titled Heart’s Besieged back then) and stashed it away. In 2010 I plucked the manuscript from a dusty file in the back of my closet, read it, and realized it was a damn good start to a story. I finished the book, edited it, and sold it to The Wild Rose Press in 2011.

3.What’s the first thing you do after you wake up in the morning (other than using the restroom LOL)?

First thing: I have to have my coffee in the morning. No way around it—I’m worthless without that early jolt of java to my brain. While drinking my coffee, I check e-mails, Facebook, Twitter and then play some FarmVille and CastleVille. Yep, I love playing some early morning games to get my mind going. I play the same games in the evening, too. I find it very relaxing. Last year I gave up the online games for three months, thinking they had to be a waste of my time. I was surprised when I realized they actually helped me budget my time more wisely. I was more productive with my writing when I had online games in my life than without them. Go figure! I also love the social aspect of the Zynga games. Most of the people I play with are other writers.

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More About Diana: Her writing combines her active imagination with her love of history and research to create vibrant characters in sizzling tales blending vintage vixens with haunting heroes. Her debut novel, Thorns of Eden, is a steamy and suspenseful tale set in the American Civil War during the Peninsula Campaign of 1862.

Diana is an actively engaged member of Romance Writers of America and a member in the local chapters in Seattle, Washington, and Tucson, Arizona. Additionally, she is a founding member and vice president of Evergreen RWA, located in Everett, Washington. You can find out even more about Diana on her website.

THE NEW YEAR BLOG HOP

2012-01-04T00:01:00.000-08:00

1st Grand Prize is a Kindle Fire

2nd Prize (to a second winner) is an $80 Amazon GC

Everyone who comments on THIS blog is also entered into a drawing to win a $10 Starbucks gift card. (Make sure you leave your email addy so I can contact you if you win!)

Over 60 authors are participating in this blog hop. Each blog will offer a prize. And everyone who leaves a comment on any of the blogs will be entered to win one of the grand prizes. If you comment on each blog, that's 60+ entries into the grand prize drawing. See the links at the end to travel to the other blog sites.

What do I like best about ringing in a new year? A new year brings so many exciting possibilities. It’s a time to start over, to begin anew. January 1 is like opening the page of the next book on my TBR pile. I’ve read the back cover blurb, I’ve admired the cover, maybe I’ve read some reviews. I can’t wait to start reading. I start every new book hoping it’ll end up on my keeper shelf.

That’s how I like to begin my new year. I don’t really make resolutions, but I do journal and daydream about what I want to accomplish in the coming year.

Is every book I start reading my favorite? No. Sometimes, I don’t even finish. So it stands to reason that not every year is going to be as grand as I expect. But that doesn’t stop me from dreaming big.

My favorite quote: “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars.” ~Les Brown

You can learn more about Rebecca at her website and her other blog, Once Written, Twice Shy.

Rebecca's available books are:

Her One-Night Prince

Amazon|Barnes & Noble|Bookstrand

Borrowed Stilettos

Amazon|Barnes & Noble|The Wild Rose Press

FRIDAY FIRSTS with Maya DeLeina

2011-12-30T00:01:00.000-08:00

The first five sentences of...FLESH FANTASY

Iwas thirty-five years old. Correctthat. Thirty-seven years old.

Iseemed to forget just how old I really was then, my mind firing thirty-fiveas a knee-jerk reaction anytime I was asked. Itwas nothing intentional, like trying to shield my real age or anything. Ijust truly lost track of dates.

Genre: Erotic Romance
Publisher: Siren Bookstrand
Available now

Bookstrand|Amazon|Barnes & Noble

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Fun First Facts About Maya

1.What’s the first thing you do when you sitdown each day to write?

I work to set the mood in my writing area,encompassing every sensory angle. Theright mood has a lot to do with conjuring up the imagery I am after in mybooks.

I love to write at night.

I light candles, typically something witha heavy spice. I layer that with Satya Sai Baba incense. The lights are turneddown low. I have one writing/reading lamp on. The rest of the lights areambient, set to highlight Buddha painting and sculptures I have around mywriting room. If it’s winter, I turn down the heat or turn up the AC if in thesummer. I like the room to have a definite crispness to it. Now, my dogs don’tlike that much, but hey, that is what fur is for right? Plus, it gives me thechance to wrap myself in soft throw blankets that I spray with a mixture ofmineral water and lavender oil. Last, Iset the Pandora channel to one of three channels: Within Temptation, LacunaCoil or Sleepthief or I turn on the XM Zen channel.

With that, I’m transported deep into myvampire world. The storylines drift their way into my mind, travelling down tomy fingers and firmly making their mark on the page. And I can be completelyabsorbed in this for hours…until one of my dogs has to pee!

2. Tell me about your very first date (ever).

The first date that comes to mind was witha rather interesting man I met years ago. Not a man that you could really lookat having a serious relationship with (as you will soon find out why), butcertainly an experience you didn’t want to pass on. His life could play out in the movies!

Sirhc was the bodyguard of a sultan thatvisited Hawaiion a regular basis. He was at always planted at his employer’s side, alwaysjetting off to somewhere. Most times, he left without notice. In addition to his chiseled features,mesmerizing accent and a body that made you mentally remind yourself not to drool,Sirhc had a small aircraft pilot license.

The first official date we went on was forlunch. I met Sirhc at a restaurant and prepared for a nice meal with amazingcompany. I just imagined the stories hecould tell me— the adventures and sights he had experienced.

As I stepped out of my car, he asked me tohop into his employer’s car service--a limo. He explained that we were going somewhere else for lunch. I jumped rightin without hesitation.

The car drove directly to the Honolulu International Airport.Within minutes, I boarded a Cessna piloted by Sirhc. He flew us to Kauai and had lunch a secluded resort. After our meal, he arranged for us to havewine and chocolates on a section of the resort’s private beach to watch thesunset.

*Sigh*

3. If you won the lottery, what’s the firstthing you’d buy?

Plane tickets to Thailand, Bali, India, Egypt,Greece, Venice,Tuscany, Irelandand Romania.

Ithas been my dream to see ruins, temples, landmarks, architectural marvels aswell as have a taste of the food in each culture. I can just imagine the scentslofting in the air from fresh cut flowers while gliding along the floatingmarket in Thailand, the sightof earth-toned spices mixing together at an open bazaar in India and the feel of moss covered stones of castlesin Irelandunder my fingers.

And I being a vampire author, I wouldn’tpass up the chance to visit the grounds of Castle Poenari.

More about Maya: Maya DeLeinawas born and raised on the beautiful and romantic beaches of Oahu, Hawaii.Relocating to Colorado,Maya’s crystal blue oceansand powdery white sands were traded for enchanting forests,mystic mountains and golden plains of promise.

Living juston the outskirts of Manitou Springs, the town’s history of spiritualhealing, eclectic flare, fabled underground tunnels and rumored loreof wizardry and witchcraft rekindled Maya’s love for theparanormal, metaphysical and most of all, vampires.

One bite andshe was hooked.

With a hintof incense lofting in the air and the majestic Pikes Peak sittingin picture perfect view from her windows, Maya can be foundrelaxing in the recesses of her comfy couch, sinking her teeth intocrafting and weaving seducing and erotic tales of vampires that may or maynot roam her beloved town.

One read andyou’ll be hooked.

You can learn more about Maya on her website and Facebook.

FRIDAY FIRSTS with K.R. Bailey

2011-12-23T07:50:00.000-08:00

First Five Sentences of...MURDER AND LIES
Vienna was dead.

Maggie’s hands shook as she reached for the door handle of the sheriff’s car. Disbelief overcame her.

Sheriff Mike Anderson put his hand on her arm and asked, “Are you sure you’re all right?”

Maggie Benson shuddered at the absurdity of the question, but she forced herself to answer, “Yes,” her voice high and almost hysterical.

Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Bookstrand

BOOKSTRAND

Murder and Lies will be available on Amazon and

Barnes & Noble after the first of the year.

* * * * *

FUN FIRST FACTS ABOUT K.R.

1.Tell me about your very first kiss?

It was on my 16th birthday. I went to the drive-in with a guy I was totally head over heels for. We were in the backseat of the car. His brother and girlfriend were in the front. He teased me about being sweet sixteen and never been kissed. When he kissed me, I was so nervous I started hiccupping and couldn’t stop. I was so embarrassed and could have crawled in a hole if there had been one available. Didn’t even get to enjoy the experience.

2. What was your first date with your significant other?

My good friend called and asked if I wanted to meet his uncle, and I agreed. It was the first weekend in December, and we met at my friend’s house. The first time I saw my husband, I thought how good looking he was. We went to see the Christmas Village at the Ogden Municipal Park. That’s an amazing park full of twinkling lights, little Christmas houses all decorated with animated figures and even Santa Claus is there. Hand in hand we strolled through the Christmas Lights and even though he was pretty shy, we seemed to hit it right off. It was a cold evening, but clear and crisp, and perfect for a stroll and of course some cuddling. The lights were bright. We watched the little kids and their families go talk to Santa Claus. We talked and things just clicked. Afterwards we went to dinner at a little Mexican restaurant. It was a great evening, and Mexican food is still our favorite.

3. If you had a free afternoon, what’s the first thing you’d do?

If I’m by myself, I love to curl up with a good book. I can spend the entire day just reading, being lazy, letting myself be taken to a place I’ve never been. When I was younger, I’d drive my mother crazy by reading all day. I’d ignore the world and lose myself in a good book. If I’m spending it with my husband, I love to take long drives up into the mountains looking at the wildlife. That seems to be one of the really special times we spend together, laughing and talking and enjoying each other. And for some reason, I always get new ideas for my stories.

More about K.R.--K. R. Bailey is a Utah girl who loves reading, romance and long drives in the mountains. She’s married to her best friend and together they enjoy a little cabin nestled high in the mountains where deer live under the deck and hummingbirds flit around all day.

Writing has become her passion since retiring from a full-time job, and she’s always got a new story full of interesting characters bouncing around in her head.

“Life is good,” she’s known to say with a big smile on her face and a pen in her hand.

You can find out more about K. R. Bailey at:
Herwebsite: http://KRBailey.com
Her blog: http://KRBailey.blogspot.com

FRIDAY FIRSTS with Avon author Candis Terry

2011-12-16T00:01:00.000-08:00

The first five sentences of...ANY GIVEN CHRISTMAS

Game time.

Nothing in NFL quarterback Dean Silverthorne’s career of media blitzes, celebrity propaganda, and general mayhem had prepared him for the wedding-day brouhaha in which he found himself immersed.

His formula for a happy marriage?

Stay single.

Not that he didn’t believe marriage worked.

Publisher: Avon Impulse

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Amazon|Barnes & Noble|Avon Impulse

* * * * * * * *

FUN FIRST FACTS ABOUT CANDIS

1. Who was your first love?

My first love was Little Joe (Michael Landon) on the TV show Bonanza. I was totally into cowboys and I still remember how, even at that early age, my heart would beat faster when he’d show up on that pretty paint horse in his cowboy gear and flash that cocky grin. And of course he always got the girl. Poor Hoss, he never got the girl. I think it might have had something to do with the big dumb hat he wore. In real life my first love (third grade) was a boy named Matt. So I guess it’s no surprise that I named the hero in my first book after him.

2. Tell me about the first novel you ever wrote? What ever happened to it?

The first novel I ever wrote was a historical titled Winter’s Rose. It took me 4 years to complete and I had no idea what I was doing. I finally discovered Romance Writer’s of America and was fortunate enough to get into a critique group with some really nice published authors who politely pointed out that I did not have a historical voice. I still have that manuscript in a binder--stuffed in a closet. The binder includes all the notations of where I thought I could “fix it.” Fortunately I agreed with my critique group that my voice didn’t fit and I moved on to contemporary romance. Every once in awhile I pull it out and look at it again. And I laugh.

3. What’s the first thing you do when you start writing a new story?

The first thing I have to do when starting a new story is to calm the heck down! I often get so excited about delving right into the meat of things that I forget a whole bunch of other stuff needs to be dealt with first. You know, important things like goal, motivation and conflict. The first question I ask myself about these new characters is “What do they want and why can’t they have it?” Without this simple question, it’s easy to start a story that ends up going nowhere. After that I always imagine the first meet. In the case of my heroes and heroines, the first meet isn’t always pretty.

For instance, in my first book, Second Chance at the Sugar Shack, Kate, the heroine, has come home for the first time in ten years after leaving her then boyfriend Matt in the lurch as to why she left without a word. When they meet up again he’s still ticked off. Or in my second book Any Given Christmas, when the hero, Dean, meets up with the heroine, Emma, he thinks she’s going to be just like any other football groupie and fall all over him. But Emma, well, she’s just not all that impressed with the superstar quarterback. I just love those kinds of first meets!

More about Candis:

For those who don’t know me, here’s a brief rundown of what planet I come from. I was born and raised near the sunny beaches of Southern California and now make my home on an Idaho farm. I’ve experienced life in such diverse ways as working in a Hollywood recording studio to wiping sheep noses to working as a graphic designer. Only one thing has remained constant: my passion for writing stories about relationships, the push and pull in the search for love, and the security one finds in their own happily ever after. Though my stories are set in small towns, my wish is to give each of my characters a great big memorable love story rich with quirky characters, tons of fun, and a happy ending.

In February 2011, after 22 years of working at becoming a published author I sold my first contemporary romance, Second Chance at the Sugar Shack, to Avon Impulse.

Thanks so much for having me here today to talk about some of the “firsts” in my life. I’m really glad you didn’t ask the obvious “first” question! Yeah, and we know right where my mind goes, don’t we?

Happy holidays!

You can learn more about Candis here:

Website: www.candisterry.com

Twitter: @CandisTerry

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Candis-Terry/131817443567853

FRIDAY FIRSTS with Tammy Dennings Maggy

2011-12-09T00:01:00.000-08:00

The First Five Sentences of...FOR THE LOVE OF QUINN

This conversation between Quinn and her receptionist, Jillian sets up the scene to show how busy Quinn is with her career and how she really needs to get away for the vacation with her sister.

“Dr. Hollis?”

“Yes, Jillian.” Quinn closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable.

“It’s Mrs. Green again. Sorry.”

__________________

Genre: Erotic Romance

Publisher: Siren-Bookstrand

Amazon|Barnes & Noble|Bookstrand

__________________

FUN FIRST FACTS ABOUT TAMMY

1. What’s the first thing you notice on an attractive member of the opposite sex?

I always notice the eyes first on a man or a woman. The old saying that the eyes are windows into the soul is so very true for me. If the man is smiling and it’s not in his eyes, I am immediately on guard, like he’s hiding something. You can also tell if they are interested in you by their eyes. I’m not talking about that look you up and down sort of leer, but how he holds your gaze and keeps eye contact when he’s talking to you or when you are speaking.

2. What was the first meal you made for your significant other?

One of my specialties is lasagna and as luck would have it, a favorite of my boyfriend as well. I use my mother’s recipe for the sauce and instead of using ricotta, I use cottage cheese. That was the surprise for him since he didn’t usually eat cottage cheese, but he was very happy with how the whole thing turned out. What he was even more excited about was the fact that I made enough to freeze too. He was able to have lasagna for a few more times and be reminded of me when he ate it.

I think that’s what clinched it for him. He never had anyone who would cook for him like this and make sure that he was taken care of when they weren’t around. He loves everything I make and it’s a big ego boost when he takes a bite, closes his eyes and smiles.

3. What’s the first thing you do when you start reading a new book? (ie: read the back cover blurb again or the inside front cover, the acknowledgments, the last page, etc)

After I get through the first chapter or so, I turn to the end and scan it quickly. I know, I know! I shouldn’t do that because it might ruin the story for me, but I don’t think that’s the case. I end up knowing how it ends, but the fun for me is the journey leading up to that. There still are a lot of twists and turns to go through and the “why” the book ended the way it does is the best part. If it’s a part of a series, then skipping ahead to the end sort of puts me in the mindset that another book is coming to hopefully answer any questions and tie up loose ends.

More about Tammy: After nearly 19 years as a veterinarian, I decided to finally follow my dream of being a published writer. Creating the characters and story lines has opened up a whole new world for me that I hope to delve into for many years to come!

I am a Midwestern girl who lives in California. I feel like a fish out of water most of the time out here, but I have met a lot of people who help to make me feel a little less homesick for Michigan. I hope to explore more of the Pacific Northwest over the next few years and enjoy all that it has to offer. Who knows, maybe I will write another series set in this area!

Tammy's Links:

My webpage/blog Behind Closed Doors http://authortammydenningsmaggy.wordpress.com/

My second blog, Not Enough Time in the Day

http://tammydenningsmaggy.blogspot.com/

Facebook Fan Page

http://www.facebook.com/Author.TammyDenningsMaggy

Follow me on Twitter

https://twitter.com/#!/dochappycamper

Yahoo Group for Writers and Readers No Longer Behind Closed Doors

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nolongerbehindcloseddoors/

FRIDAY FIRSTS with Zenobia Renquist

2011-11-25T00:23:00.001-08:00

The first five sentences of... FORGOTTEN LOVER
Medusa didn’t react as her thick dreadlocks rained down around her ankles, shorn from her head by the grinning mage across the room. In fact, she couldn’t react. The mage had locked her mind under the powerful spell of a docility charm.

She gave the charm more credit now that she could feel the power of it firsthand. Even though she fought it with all her might, she couldn’t break its hold.

***

Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Erotic Paranormal, Vampire, Magic, Interracial
Buy Link -- available in ebook only

FUN FIRST QUESTIONS ABOUT ZENOBIA

1. Who was your first love?
He-Man. I am so not joking. I was in love with that man. Not so much Prince Adam, but I totally loved He-Man… which might explain why I had a serious hate on for Teela. Despite everyone and their mother telling me He-Man was for boys, I watched that show religiously and got as many of the toys as my parents would buy me, which was quite a lot. I still have Castle Greyskull.
After He-Man was Nemesis Enforcer from the GI Joe movie (the animated one from 1987). If you're talking about real people, then I would have to say this one kid in sixth grade who I thought was so hot and so cool (funny how those two descriptions can exist side by side) but now I can't even remember his name and I barely remember what he looks like.

2. Tell me about the first novel you ever wrote? What ever happened to it?
The first novel I ever wrote was my debut title with Samhain Publishing under my other name, D. Renee Bagby. Yup, I got lucky on my first try. However, the first story I ever wrote (which would be categorized as a short story by the length definitions I know now) was for a writing competition back in my high school days that I wanted to enter. I didn't make the deadline, but I did finish the story.

At the moment, that story is sitting on my hard drive waiting for me to revisit it, flesh it out, make it a whole lot longer, and then get it published. It has a great plot and some fun characters, so I do plan to return to it one day in the future.

3. What’s the first thing you do when you start writing a new story?

I listen to my characters argue. The majority of my stories start with my characters yelling at each other in my head. It's my job to figure out what they are arguing about, what started the argument, how they met, and where they are going when the argument finishes. The majority of the time, I can't answer any of those questions until after I've written the story. I'm a total panster that way.

More about Renee: Renee is a military brat turned military wife who is currently stationed in Hawaii with her husband and two cats.

Whether writing as D. Renee Bagby or Zenobia Renquist, she is a world-builder. She loves inventing new cultures and shaping their histories and laws because it beats researching the existing ones.
Her stories span the fantasy gamut but she dabbles in sci-fi and contemporary from time to time. While her main characters tend to be of different races, she doesn't let skin color rule or limit her stories. For her, it's all about how much she can torture her characters so they earn their happily-ever-after ending.

The rules are all new and pre-conceived notions will only slow you down, so when reading Renee's stories, she asks only one thing -- Leave Your Reality Behind.

Where you can find Renee online:
Web - http://zenobiarenquist.com/
Twitter - http://twitter.com/dreneebagby
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/Author.DRBagby.ZRenquist
Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/zenobiarenquist
Yahoo Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dreneebagby_multiverse/
Newsletter - http://ymlp.com/signup.php?id=geusujygmgj
Blog - http://dreneebagby.blogspot.com/

FRIDAY FIRSTS...with D. Renee Bagby

2011-11-18T00:01:00.000-08:00

The first five sentences of...ERIS (Eternal Truths, Book 1)

Ranulf stared at the spacious, climate-controlled room in a thoughtful manner. Beside him, Lucien looked through the contents of a nearby box.

“We need to stop putting this off,” Ranulf said. “Every year we say we’ll get our collection surveyed and every year we find an excuse to avoid it.”

“Why do you want strangers tromping through our home? Where does this whim come from?”

GENRE: Time Travel, Menage (m/f/m), Interracial

Available in print and ebook

_____________________________________

Amazon - Siren-Bookstrand - Barnes & Noble

* * *

FUN FIRST FACTS ABOUT D. RENEE

1. What’s the first thing you notice on an attractive member of the opposite sex?

Height. I love tall men. Their height alone makes them attractive to me. That's probably why the majority of my heroes are taller than the heroines. Taller men make me feel dainty, something that doesn't happen that often, so it feels good to be around them. The second thing I notice is eye color. I'm a fan of blues and greys.

2. If you won the lottery, what’s the first thing you’d buy?

If I won the lottery, the first thing I would buy AFTER paying all my bills (hey, the practical part of me wants to be debt free) is the Lego Taj Mahal. It's 5400+ pieces and about $300. I would also buy a display case to keep it in once I had finished putting it together. I love assembling things since my parents got me hooked on Legos at an early age. After those two things, I would probably spend a huge chunk of money tracking down and buying every book I ever wanted and a house filled with built-in bookcases in which to keep them.

3. If you could live your life over again, what’s the first thing you’d do differently or change?

While there are a bunch of things I would love to change about my life, I'm happy that I don't have the ability. If I altered anything, I wouldn't be where I am now nor have any of the experiences that got me here. I've learned a lot of things the hard way and those lessons that taught me the most in a lasting way. I wouldn't trade that knowledge for anything.

More about D. Renee: Whether as D. Reneé Bagby or Zenobia Renquist, Reneé lives in her imagination. When not traveling through her fantasy worlds, she can be found in Hawaii living with her husband and two cats.

She is an Air Force brat turned Air Force wife, which means she’s accustomed to travel and does it whenever possible (so long as she doesn’t have to fly). Her favorite pastime is torturing her characters on their way to happily-ever-after for the enjoyment of her readers.

On the few occasions her muse flees the scene of the crime, Reneé likes to read (comics, manga, and romance), go to the movies, play a few levels of whichever puzzle game has hijacked her interest or experiment with a new chain maille weave.

You can find D. Renee on the web:

Web - http://dreneebagby.com/

Twitter - http://twitter.com/dreneebagby

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/Author.DRBagby.ZRenquist

Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/dreneebagby

Yahoo Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dreneebagby_multiverse/

FRIDAY FIRSTS with Rachel Firasek

2011-11-11T00:01:00.000-08:00

The first five sentences of...THE LAST RISING
Heat licked along the wing of the plane, flickering like tiny fingers waving good-bye. Ironically, the thought of dying didn’t hurt, but rising again increased her heart rate and caused a damp drizzle at her temple.

The torture of passing through the portal and waking with no memory didn’t appeal to Ice any more than learning to live a new life—damn Osiris and his punishments.

Ice didn’t want to think about her ex. The last time she’d truly seen Osiris, he’d been in pieces—literally.

THE LAST RISING, an Entangled Publishing release, is available now at many online bookstores, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble and All Romance eBooks.

FUN FIRST Q&A ABOUT RACHEL

1. Tell me about your very first kiss?

I was fourteen and my parents had let my fifteen year old boyfriend come over to watch movies. I'd sat through four hours of action with my knees pressed together trying to curb the urge to "go". I finally couldn't take it anymore and rushed to our small half-bath. I'd just finished washing my hands and opened the door to my bf looming in the doorway. Thinking back on it now, "How creepy?" but then, I thought it was uber sweet that he couldn't wait. Next thing I know, he's forced his fat, wet tongue down my throat and over the slurpy mess I could hear the toilet bowl finishing its gurgle. Yeah, I remember it like it was yesterday.

2. What’s the first thing you notice on an attractive member of the opposite sex?

I had to pick this one! OMG. In my day job, I work with almost all men. So, the first thing I notice is his crotch. No, I'm not a perv--not mostly. But, normally, I get the guys seeing my chest first, so.... yeah, I do a crotch check to make sure they are paying attention to what I'm saying to them and not what "the girls" are doing while I'm talking.

3. If you could live your life over again, what’s the first thing you’d do differently or change?

Uh, yeah, I'd have ditched that first bf with that lame kiss...it would have saved me from a year+ of misery.

About the author: Rachel Firasek grew up in the south and despite the gentle pace, she harassed life at full steam. Her curiosity about mythology, human nature, and the chemical imbalance we call love led her to writing. Her stories began with macabre war poems and shifted to enchanted fairytales, before she settled on a blending of the two. Today you’ll find her tucked on a small parcel of land, surrounded by bleating sheep and barking dogs, with her husband and children. She entertains them all with her wacky sense of humor or animated reenactments of bad 80’s dance moves. She’s intrigued by anything unexplained and seeks the answers to this crazy thing we call life. You can find her where the heart twists the soul and lights the shadows… or at rachelfirasek.com

FRIDAY FIRSTS with Rose Anderson

2011-11-04T00:01:00.000-07:00

First five sentences of...DREAMSCAPE

“I’m so excited, Ben, look!” Lanie held out her trembling hand. “I’m shaking all over. I’ve never been inside the gate before.”

Looking up at the massive house with its several boarded windows and shutters barely attached, Ben Danowski turned to her in surprise. “Lanie, are you sayin’ you bought this place without looking inside?”

(Becky here: Actually, this is six sentences, but who's counting...)

Dreamscape is available now from Siren-Bookstrand, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other fine online stores.

FUN FIRST FACTS ABOUT ROSE

1. Tell me about the first novel you ever wrote? Whatever happened to it?

My very first novel was a labor of love written approximately fifteen years ago. My husband and I were involved in the restoration of a pre-Civil War house. It was a plain little structure. As far as the history in our area goes, this type of structure was what was built after log cabins. The humble little building was filled with curiosities, namely a trap door in the floor and a hidden room in the cellar. Needless to say it took my fancy.

I love history, so does my husband. We already had a lot to go on when we started working on the restoration project. We knew who the families were when the house was built, we even knew who the builder was. Together we researched and learned all we could about the various farm family neighbors living nearby when the house was newly built. Communities were tight back then. If you were to drive down the back country roads here, you’d find roads and cemeteries with blended names – the many families related to one another through marriages that took place in the 1800’s.

My story took the original family, a few of their children and several neighbors and coupled this information with known abolitionist happenings in the area. In my mind, the mysterious room and the trap door to get into it became a haven for a family of run-away slaves. And for all we know, my little work of fiction is based in fact. The oldest residents in the area remember hearing about a secret room and they called it a hidey hole. This term will get some notice in places of high abolitionist activity.

My story centers on the original family and the dangerous steps they took to see another family to freedom. In this tale, a modern brother and sister discover their family’s role on the Underground Railroad through a journal hidden in a secret room discovered by accident. The two stories entwine as greed battles with good.

I submitted it all over the place using an entire tree’s worth of paper because this was the time before electronic submissions. I never heard a peep. That was disheartening. I tried again this year with a single submission and the courteous publisher actually sent me an email saying it was a wonderful little story but unfortunately the market now was looking for the next Harry Potter. He said I might consider e-publishing or self publishing because it was unlikely to be picked up in this market at this time. It was nowhere near the scope or imagery of Harry Potter. My little story was a Youth story along the lines of Little House on the Prairie. He added another useful bit. He said with Kindles coming down in price, the industry would be seeing them in the hands of children soon. It might do well in that format. His comment was invaluable. I’ll be doing exactly that soon. Not as Rose Anderson though. :) It wouldn’t do to mix my writing.

2. What was the first Rated R movie you ever saw?

The first movie I snuck into acting older than I really was, was the Exorcist. Scared the bejeezus out of me too. The first legitimate R-rated movie was Roman Polanski’s MacBeth. Marvelous movie that. I love Shakespeare. All these years later, I found MacBeth online and watched it again. It’s still a very cool, true to the story rendition of the Bard’s work.

3. What’s the first thing you do when you start writing a new story?

The very first thing, I build the world in my mind. For Dreamscape I’ve been in enough terrific old houses to be able to draw from it visually. I could see the gingerbread, those intricate over-embellished bits of molding and trim the Victorians were so fond of. Having rehabbed old houses, I can envision the jagged panes of glass on the broken windows, the smell in the musty old cellar, the view from the high cupola at the top of the house.

Once the world is set, characters will come walking into it. Before long they tell me their problems or conflicts. I soon discover their likes and dislikes and they’ll eventually tell me where they want to go and who they want to meet. I’ve been told this is writing by the seat of my pants. I’ve found that no matter how hard I try to use an outline, my characters will hijack my best attempt and have their way anyway! I surrender to them and hope they do well by me. :)

You can learn more about Rose on her blog, Google+, or follow her on Twitter @RoseAnderson_.

FRIDAY FIRSTS with Cynthia MacGregor

2011-10-28T00:01:00.000-07:00

The first five sentences of... LOST LOVES REUNITED

Star-crossed lovers, separated by time, by fate, by their families, by circumstances … only to be reunited years later. It’s the stuff of Hollywood tear-jerkers.

It’s also the stuff of real life … as this book proves.

All the stories in here are true to the best of my knowledge. They were sent to me by people responding to requests I disseminated in online publications, in old-fashioned “snail mail” mailings, and by word of mouth.

Readers can purchase Cynthia's book here.

FUN FIRST FACTS ABOUT CYNTHIA

1. What’s the first thing you do after you wake up in the morning (other than using the restroom LOL)?

My days all begin the same: I get out of bed by or before 5 AM—sometimes very much before—and after a quick “pit stop” in the bathroom, where I also put on my clothes (because I don’t want to get dressed in the dark of the bedroom, and the light would waken my sleeping S.O., who does not keep my hours!), I grab a cup of iced coffee (black, no sugar) and head to the computer. Email takes the better part of an hour, by which time the newspaper has arrived, and that takes another hour. Then there are certain websites I check each morning, and after that I’m ready to start work.

Depending on what I have going on, “work” might mean a paying writing or editing assignment for a client, working on a book I’m writing, reading an edited copy of one of my books or what I still think of as “galleys,” though they aren’t called that anymore, doing publicity for one of my books, editing the ezine that I publish every Friday, lining up guests for my TV show, or some other task.

2. What was your first date with your significant other?

My first date with my S.O. was pretty much standard for me: I cooked him dinner. We’d been talking after services at church, where he’d been the guest speaker, and he said he wanted to sit down with me and talk about writing. Intrigued with him and hoping the evening would evolve into something more than a professional discussion, I offered to cook dinner for him one evening. (I love to cook—it’s my hobby.) Well, needless to say (since we’re living together now), the evening didn’t remain on a professional plane, though the convo ranged far and wide before it became personal.

3. What’s the first thing you notice on an attractive member of the opposite sex?

Voice and personality. Though I’ve been turned off by looks, I’ve never been turned on by looks. But then, I’m not a visual person. A wise friend explained this about myself to me decades ago: Just as most people are right-handed but a few are lefties, most people are visual but a few are audial (or aural). Those of us in this minority relate more to what we hear than what we see, learn more by hearing than reading, remember better what we heard than what we saw, and so on.

Because I am not a visual person, I have never been attracted to a man based on his looks. On the other hand, being an audial person, it just figures that a guy’s voice can do a serious number on me.

And personality? Definitely!

But looks? Nah-ah. In fact, a long time ago, when I was married, I was filling out some kind of form or another that asked the color of my husband’s eyes and I had to ask him. I honestly did not know! (He told me they were brown.) I had never noticed. But I bet that if hypothetically he were to call me up today, I’d recognize his voice!

More About Cynthia:

“There’s no one in the world I’d want to trade lives with.” So says Cynthia MacGregor, prolific author of 54 conventionally published books and over 50 e-books…and that’s not counting the books she’s ghostwritten for others. When she’s not crafting another self-help book, cookbook, novel, general non-fiction work, or children’s book, she offers her writing and editing services to “anyone who needs me…and will pay me.” Besides ghostwriting books and blogs, she’s written web copy, catalog copy, two scripts for promotional videos, press releases and flyers, and “just about anything else…except for grant proposals and college papers. I won’t do either of those.” Cynthia has edited both books and magazines, as well as web copy, and loves editing almost as much as she loves writing.

For the last year and a half, she has also hosted and produced Solo Parenting, a weekly TV show that airs in South Florida, and as of this writing she is waiting with bated breath to see whether the show will be renewed for another season, a decision that supposedly is imminent. As well, she is siteowner of www.TheSoloParent.com. Her professional website is www.cynthiamacgregor.com.

Cynthia has lived in South Florida since 1984, before which she was a New Yorker. You can reach her at Cynthia@cynthiamacgregor.com.

FRIDAY FIRSTS with Laurie London

2011-10-21T00:01:00.000-07:00

First five sentences of...

Enchanted By Blood
from the anthology A Vampire for Christmas

“So who are you planning to kill?”

Trace Westfalen didn’t glance over at the sound of his friend’s voice. Instead, he shoved his phone into an inner pocket of his suit, strode to the wet bar in the corner of the conference room and poured himself a straight shot of Jack. Without waiting for his fangs to retract, he drained it in one swallow.

“I wish,” he said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “That would improve my mood substantially.”

(Becky here: Okay, so that's six sentences, but I liked that sixth one... )

Laurie will give away a signed copy of her book to one lucky commenter this weekend! We will draw a name on Sunday.

FUN FIRST QUESTIONS ABOUT LAURIE

Q: What was the first Rated R movie you saw?

My first R rated movie was Saturday Night Fever. I saw it with a bunch of my horse-riding friends and our instructor. But the one I remember the most was seeing Body Heat with my dad. OMG, I was mortified watching all those sex scenes with him right next to me.

Q: What was the first romance novel you read?

I don’t remember the title or many of the details, only that I loved it! It was a Harlequin (I think) and the cover had a woman wearing a beautiful, flowing purple dress and the man had an unbuttoned, ruffled white shirt. He was a pirate ship captain who was secretly an aristocrat, and she was a woman who’d stowed aboard his ship. My sister (yes, Becky, you!) thinks I got it from my boyfriend’s mom, but I think a shirttail relative who lived with us for a couple of weeks left it at our house a few years earlier. (I was 15 when I was “going with” that boy, but I think I started reading romance before that.) Every month, Becky and I would buy several romances and swap them. I liked the daring ones about pirates and women in danger, while Becky liked family stories. It’s funny, because our reading tastes are the same as they were back then.

Q: What’s the first thing you do when you start reading a new book?

I’m pretty methodical when I’m considering reading a new book. First, the cover and title need to catch my eye either online or in the bookstore. An uninspiring title is a turn off to me. Next, I read the back cover blurb to see if it sounds interesting. Then I read the first page of the book and then a random page inside to see if I like the writer’s style. And finally, I read the dedication and acknowledgments to see what the author has to say in his/her own voice. In fact, my love for reading this often overlooked part a book prompted me to create a weekly feature on my blog called Thank You Thursday, where authors talk about their book’s dedications and acknowledgments.

LINKS:
You can buy A Vampire For Christmas at Amazon, B&N, most online bookstores and on the shelves of your favorite stores.

www.LaurieLondonBooks.com

www.facebook.com/LaurieLondonAuthor

www.twitter.com/LaurieBLondon

www.laurielondon.tumblr.com

About Laurie: A graduate of Western Washington University with a BA in Business Administration and a former tester/programmer for a Fortune 500 company, Laurie London writes from her home near Seattle where she lives with her husband and two children.

When not writing, she can be found running, reading, or riding and showing her horse. Someday she hopes to qualify for the Quarter Horse World Show – that is, if her horse doesn’t get hurt again.

FRIDAY FIRSTS with Nicki Greenwood

2011-10-14T00:01:00.000-07:00

The first five sentences of...WATER

“Son of a...” Trent Williams dropped his wallet and cell phone in front of the paneled door of the Seaglass Inn’s Clipper Room. By some miracle, he managed to save his bottle of Dom Pérignon from crashing to the floor beside them. He breathed a sigh of relief. The ancient owner of the inn wouldn’t appreciate him staining her immaculately polished hardwood flooring.

FUN FIRST QUESTIONS about NICKI

1. What was your first date with your significant other?

We went to an amusement park. It was a blind date (well, I had seen a picture of him ... in a kilt, which is what got my attention *g*). I spent most of the day staring at him and trying not to stare at him. At the end of the night, we got to ride the roller coaster three times in a row. He was so psyched up with adrenaline afterward that he lifted the back end of my friend’s four-door sedan, just because he could. That got my attention again. Eventually, I married him!

2. What’s the first thing you notice on an attractive member of the opposite sex?

Definitely the eyes. A person’s eyes tell a lot about him, and while the whole package is important, it all starts there for me.

3. If you won the lottery, what’s the first thing you’d buy?

A horse! My first love was horses, and I keep telling myself that someday, I’ll have one of my own. The world just looks right from horseback, no matter what kind of mood you were in before you got up there.

About Nicki:

Nicki Greenwood graduated SUNY Morrisville with a degree in Natural Resources. She found her passion in writing stories of romantic adventure, and combines that with her love of the environment. Her works have won several awards, including the Rebecca Eddy Memorial Contest. Her first book, “Earth,” debuted in 2010 through The Wild Rose Press.

Nicki lives in upstate New York with her husband, son, and assorted pets. When she's not writing, she enjoys the arts, gardening, interior decorating, and trips to the local Renaissance Faire.

To order your own copy of WATER, visit The Wild Rose Press. Visit Nicki at http://www.nickigreenwood.com/ for news, reviews, excerpts, contests, and book trailers!

FRIDAY FIRSTS with Melissa Jarvis

2011-10-07T00:01:00.000-07:00

First five sentences of...PAST HER TIME

Paris, 1793

Alex sprawled on the ground, her breath escaping in a rush, skirts tangled around her as the man landed on top of her with a grunt. One of his large hands groped at her bodice, the other fumbled with his breeches. She arched her back, drew up one leg and shoved her knee against his groin.

“S’en aller,” she hissed in French, her meaning clear.

The man rolled off her with a loud curse and lay on the dirt road, holding tight to his treasured privates.

FUN FIRST QUESTIONS

1. What was the first Rated R movie you ever saw?

House. You know, the one that starred William Katt as a novelist who moves into a haunted house? It was from the eighties, and my parents had a party going on, so they agreed to rent a movie for me. I was only 13 and chose that one—they didn’t know it was rated R! Great fodder for the imagination though. I suppose that’s why my first published short story was a twist on the Headless Horseman legend. Alas, my house is not haunted.

2. What’s the first thing you do when you sit down each day to write?

Sit? What do you mean sit? Half the time I don’t sit down to write; I’ve got the laptop on the table while trying to keep my five year old from chasing the dogs, creating art with his juice, tearing apart his legos which then need fixing…I do a lot of writing standing up. In five minute increments. I find it especially hard to write love scenes when my child informs me proudly he’s going poopy in the potty. I just pray none of this winds up in a scene, can you imagine? The soiree was already in full swing, with gowns rustling and wary glances at the Committee Agents. The guests weren’t worried about losing their heads to champagne, but rather to Madame La Guillotine. Gabriel turned to Alex. “May I get you a sippy cup of apple juice?”

3. What was your first date with your significant other?

It was so romantic. The lights were low, the stars were shining, he held my hand tightly… and then snorted Coke out of his nose at Jim Carrey’s elephant butt scene in Ace Ventura Pet Detective When Nature Calls. I suppose that should have warned me about what was to come—but we’re still married 11 years later.

About Melissa: A mild-mannered Public Relations executive by day, and action-packed writer by night, Melissa Jarvis lives in celebrity-friendly Southern California with her husband and son. For over 14 years, she has worked in the public relations industry, doing press releases, bios, newsletters, media campaigns and more for clients ranging from the Playboy Jazz Festival to the Los Angeles Mission to JVS. And she’s survived with most of her mind intact! An active member of RWA, she writes both paranormal romance and urban fantasy, as well as spicy paranormal under the name Melissa L. Robert. She is currently working on the sequel to Past Her Time, featuring agent Banderan’s story.

URLs:

Website

Amazon buy link

Bookstrand buy link

Barnes & Noble buy link

FRIDAY FIRSTS with Catherine Bybee

2011-09-30T00:01:00.000-07:00

First five sentences of...Wife By Wednesday

“I need a wife, Carter, and I needed her yesterday.” Riding in the back of the town car en route to a Starbucks, of all places, Blake Harrison glanced at his watch for the tenth time that hour.

Carter’s startled laugh rode on Blake’s last nerve. “Then pick one of the masses and walk the aisle.”

His best friend’s offhand advice might have held merit, if Blake could trust the women in his life.

Wife By Wednesday will release in early October. You can learn more about this and Catherine's other books on her website.

FUN FIRST QUESTIONS

1. What was the first Rated R movie you ever saw?

OMG... Remember the the movie Porkys? Talk about a 'B' coming of age movie that was all about teenagers, drinking and sex! I was waaaay to young to be watching it and remember thinking... "What are they doing in the closet making all that noise?" I think my BFF had to tell me. She was a year older than me.

2. Tell me about your very first kiss?

His name was Kurt. He lived a few doors up from me growing up. We'd flirted around all summer long, held hands a couple of times then one night while we sat around talking about absoutely nothing he kissed me. Because I used to babysit his next door neighbors, he'd come over and stand outside the sliding glass doors and kiss me there. I wouldn't let him in the house. It was a summer of kissing and big fat grins all over my face.

3. What’s the first thing you do after you wake up in the morning (other than using the restroom LOL)?

I tell Bittermen to fire up the Lear so I can go to the spa in San Francisco for my workout and message from Sven. Oh, wait... you want to know what happens 'after' I wake up. Oh, okay... Make my kids lunches, get them off to school: One takes the bus, the other I car pool with another mom. I usually check my email via my smart phone then have a cup of coffee while watching the news with my hubby. By eight I'm at my computer doing stupid stuff until I get in the shower and really start my day.

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Catherine loves hearing from her readers and encourages everyone who enjoys her books to follow/friend or even annoy her on:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/catherinebybee

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Catherine-Bybee-Romance-Author/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2905789.Catherine_Bybee

Catherine's Blog: http://catherinebybee.blogspot.com/

Visit Catherine at www.catherinebybee.com

FRIDAY FIRSTS with Sarah Grimm

2011-09-23T00:01:00.000-07:00

The first five sentences of... AFTER MIDNIGHT

Isabeau Montgomery sat in the dimly lit bar and shook like an amateur before her first recital. Her gaze, blurred by the sudden threat of tears, settled on the keys before her. Her stomach cramped painfully, yet the need was too great to ignore.

With ability as natural to her as the color of her skin, she began to play. The waterfall of music filled the air, washed over her, completed her in a way nothing or no one else ever had.

FUN "FIRST" QUESTIONS ABOUT SARAH

1. Tell me about the first book you ever wrote. What ever happened to it?

I always say that Not Without Risk was the first story I wrote from start to finish, but after being asked recently to put something together about my road to publication, I realize that it wasn’t. My first book wasn’t even a romance, it was the true story of my best friend: My cat. I don’t recall whether I was in third or fourth grade when I wrote My Cat Sneaker, but I can still recite the poem I wrote to go along with it. I still have that story, packed away with a few momentos from my youth. One memento being the Young Authors Award the book earned.

2. What’s the first thing you do when you start writing a new story?

Brainstorm a title. Odd, but true. I can’t get very far into a story without it having a title. The title doesn’t always stay, I may change it when I get a little deeper into the story, but I can’t do much more than scribble notes without one. ‘That book I’m writing’ doesn’t work for me. Honestly, neither does my WIP, or my work in progress.

The second thing I do—you’re going to find this one even nuttier—is write the back cover blurb. There’s never any question about whether the blurb will change before the book is finished, as I’m a pantser, which means I never know what’s going to happen until my characters tell me. But again, it’s something I need to do before I can really get my head into a story and write.

3. What’s the first thing you notice on an attractive member of the opposite sex?

Their smile. I’m a sucker for a great smile. To me a great smile is more than just a curving of the lips. It’s an expression that uses all of the face—especially the eyes. If I can’t see that spark of joy in his eyes, then the attraction just isn’t there for me. A man doesn’t even have to be that overtly attractive for me to be drawn to him. Not if he has an incredible smile.

Website: http://www.sarahgrimm.com

Blog: http://www.authorsarahgrimm.blogspot.com

Group Blog: http://www.smutwriterssoapbox.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SarahGrimm.Author

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/SGrimmAuthor

FRIDAY FIRSTS: K. Victoria Smith

2011-09-16T00:01:00.000-07:00

The first five sentences from: Ogham Court

Symbols are the Ogham,
first form of writing in Ireland.

“I’m so sorry for your loss, Nora. I will miss your Aunt Aine terribly. So gifted, so important to the community, a blessing from the Goddess.” Another hand to hold. Faces I would never remember once things were settled with the shop and I was back in Philadelphia.

FUN "FIRST" QUESTIONS

1. What’s the first thing you do when you start writing a new story?

That has changed over time. My first novel, Dark Dealings, also expected in 2012, started as the main character’s voice. She was demanding to be heard. A Wall Street banker, she found in me a kindred spirit--a person who had tried to be what she wanted to be and not she really is. So that book was written in flashes of scenes and characters. I learned a lot from that and from Chris Vogler’s book The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers.

Since then, I start brainstorming about plot and characters on my 4x3 whiteboard at night and in notebooks as I go through the day. Ideas are loosely transferred to notecards that represent the touch-points of the Hero’s Journey. It’s not exactly outlining, but I’m not a pantser either.

2. When standing in front of a buffet line, what’s the first food that catches your eye?

Dessert, especially chocolate! Like my novels, I need to have a good idea of the ending and the sweeter and gooier the better. One of the things on my bucket list is to go the Hershey Spa for a chocolate body wrap. I don’t think they supply the hunk to help “remove” it so I may to bring my own. Hey, I can dream…I’m a fiction writer.

3. What was your first date with your significant other?

To begin with, we met at a bar in Tribeca that formed the basis for the Salmon Run Inn. It was not a fix-up but a get-together of a group of people engineered by a bond trader I worked with who also happened to have gone to high school with him. We spent the evening together (only the evening). The next morning I called my best friend and told her I had just met the man I was going to marry. Over a week later, he finally called and we decided to have dinner in a cute Mexican restaurant south of Washington Square Park. During dinner, I found out he was over three years younger than me. Back then that was cougar territory. He was very nervous. At the end of the meal, he reached into his pocket. The color drained from his face and he started to stammer. He had left his wallet on the dashboard of his car which was parked down by Canal Street. So I paid for dinner. Miraculously the car and the wallet were still there.

This December we will be together 28 years.

4. If you won the lottery, what’s the first thing you’d buy?

I would buy the farm in Ireland, outside Galway, that belonged to my maternal grandfather’s family. It was sold off during the days of the Celtic Tiger economy for development. Fortunately for me, although unfortunately for the developer, the real estate market there is as bad or worse than the US market and no development has taken place. When last visited by family members, the original farmhouse with thatched roof and center hearth was still intact. What a wonderful place to write my stories and hold writing retreats with whiskey around the hearth.

About K.Victoria Smith: She learned storytelling at the feet of her Roscommon-born grandmother. For years, K.Victoria lived in an imaginary world peopled by magical and horrifying creatures and the humans who loved them. Then one day, these characters demanded to be let out. So during the day, K.Victoria is a mild mannered banker while at night she writes paranormal romance and urban fantasy. The magic of Ogham Court will see the light of day in 2012.

Visit her author page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/K.VictoriaSmith

On her blog: Storyteller’s Grove: http://kvictoriasmith.blogspot.com/

On Twitter as @kvictoriasmith: http://twitter.com/KVictoriaSmith where she has been known to hang out at #pubwrite.

FRIDAY FIRSTS: Greta van der Rol

2011-09-09T00:01:00.000-07:00

The first five sentences from... The Iron Admiral: Conspiracy

Ullnish Space Port, a spectacular confection of multi-colored domes and turrets in the best ptorix architectural style, glowed a welcome. Allysha traded a look with Sean as the driver guided his taxi around the concourse to join a line of vehicles, all depositing passengers.

“Looks like we made it,” she murmured.

“So far. But they’ll be after us.” Sean stared along the road to Shernish, where lights were starting to hold their own in the gathering dusk.

FUN "FIRST" QUESTIONS

1.What was the first romance novel you read?

I think that would be the 'Angelique' series. It spanned quite a few books as I recall – six or seven – following the life of Angelique, a minor nobleman's daughter during the times of Louis XIV in France. I enjoyed the realism of the settings and the hints of sex (I was in my early teens at the time). In the first book, she was married off to a scarred nobleman she'd never met. He went to lots of lengths to win her heart and seduce her instead of just having his way with her. Then after they've had two sons, Joffre de Peyrac is arrested by Louis' police and killed and she has to make her own way in the world – which she does, with a succession of men in her life. Ah, me. Great stuff.

2. What was the first Rated R movie you ever saw?

It was 'The Exorcist'. I took my mother, who enjoyed horror stuff, to the movies. I went up to the ticket window, asked for two tickets and fumbled in my purse for the money. The girl said, “First, how old are you?” (Since it was R rated, you had to be over eighteen). I think the look on my face told her she'd made a mistake. “Twenty. Three,” I said. These days I'd be delighted to be mistaken for six or seven years younger than I am.

3. What is the first thing you do when you sit down each day to write?

I suppose that means after I've checked Facebook, gone through Twitter and emails and all that.

Right. Now it's writing time. Blank page is the worst. If I'm past that, I'll make a copy of yesterday's work and file it in my backup folder. I have a file for every day I write so I can always go back if I decide to take out an edit I've made. Then I'll catch up on and edit what I wrote yesterday. Then I'll carry on from there.

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Bio
Greta van der Rol loves writing science fiction with a large dollop of good old, healthy romance. She lives not far from the coast in Queensland, Australia, and enjoys photography and cooking when she isn’t bent over the computer. She has a degree in history and a background in building information systems, both of which go a long way toward helping her in her writing endeavours.

Facebook: Author – Greta van der Rol
Twitter: @GretavdR
Email: gretavdr at gmail dot com
Website: http://gretavanderrol.net/

Buy the book from Smashwords for Kindle, ePub and more as well as print
Amazon US for Kindle and print
Omnilit
Barnes & Noble for your Nook

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FRIDAY FIRSTS: Maris Soule

2011-09-02T00:01:00.000-07:00

Please welcome author Maris Soule to the blog today.

FIRST FIVE SENTENCES OF...THE CROWS

The crows cawed a warning. Then came the gunshots. Three in succession, a pause, then two more. The sound was close—too close—and a shiver of fear slid down my spine. Those shots had come from somewhere in my woods.

http://marissoule.com

The Crows is available now!

Fun FIRST facts about Maris:

1. What was the first romance you ever read?

The title was Bold Venture, but I don't remember the author. It was a YA romance (although I don't remember them being classified as that back then) about a girl, a horse, and a riding instructor. The big, exciting moment was when he kissed her.

The romance that had the biggest initial impact on me was written by Kathleen Woodiweiss. The Flame and the Flower. What wasn't there to like? Even years later, when I started writing, I'd go back to that book to see how she did something. I always planned to only read a paragraph or two, but soon I'd find myself turning pages, once again caught up in the story.

2. What was the very first piece of fiction you ever wrote?

It was was when I was 12. If I recall correctly, it was a bit of a romance, but mostly a horse story. I thought it was so great, but no one else did, so I threw it away and decided writing wasn't for me. Many years later, I gave writing another try. That first attempt was really, really bad, but I didn't give up this time. That story never went anywhere, but I took parts of it and used them in several of the 25 romances that I wrote and had published after that story.

3. What's the first thing you do when starting a new story?

For me a book usually starts with an idea or a character. Generally I start by playing with the idea in my head, asking myself questions: What would happen next? Why? How can I make this more complicated? For example, in THE CROWS, which opens with the 5 sentences here, the idea came from an actual shooting that took place in the woods about 6 miles from where I lived. Two men were found dead and it took several years before they discovered who shot them. In my mind, I began playing with the idea. I wanted my main character to be female and for her to have a dog (a Rhodesian Ridgeback) like the one I had. I needed to decide why she would be walking in the woods and how to create a situation where she would have to be involved in solving the crime. I didn't want her to be in law enforcement, but I knew I would need someone in law enforcement to help her, so why not also create a romance between those two? And that's how things progressed. I'm working on the third book in my "Crow" series and right now, in my head, I have a boat blowing up on Lake Michigan. It's the whys and hows that have me stumped, but I'm getting there.

Thanks so much, Maris! Your book sounds awesome.

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FRIDAY FIRSTS

2011-08-26T00:01:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the first Friday Firsts posting. Normally, I'll have guest posters who will post the first five lines of their most recent release, plus answer some fun "first" questions.

Today, I'm posting. It would be weird to ask myself questions, so I'm just going to post the first five lines of my book, Borrowed Stilettos.

If you're an author and would like to be my guest in the future, let me know in the comments or email me. My email addy should be in the column on the right.

FIRST FIVE SENTENCES: Audrey Thompson pushed aside her nerves as she slammed the car door, and strode across the cobblestone driveway toward the Banister family mansion. Her ankles wobbled in the borrowed heels and she stumbled, flailing her arms for balance. Her gaze darted around the Sun Valley estate. She was alone, thank goodness. Unfortunately, the movement had dislodged one of her fake boobs.

Borrowed Stilettos is available at online bookstores, including here, here and here.

New Cover!

2011-08-24T15:28:00.000-07:00

I just got the cover for my next release, Her One-Night Prince. The artist perfectly captured the feeling of the book--sweet and romantic. It comes out sometime in October. As soon as I know the exact date, I'll let you know.