Cover Art - Thoughts?

I was looking at cover art the other day, trying to decide which book I wanted to spend my hard earned dollars on. Now, I am a self-avowed cover whore. I love me some pretty bodies in sexy positions. I got so excited when I saw the new Lust Bite covers and decided I wanted one. I know, goofy. Meh.

Then I was helping Megan with a cover. She wanted the thing to look just right and was in the process of filling out the form. And seeing her in action made me wonder. When we get the honor of inputting on cover art, what info is the right info and how do we make sure we're giving the poor cover artist the proper info to make the cover exactly what we thought it should be?

Now I am no expert on cover art creation. I do my best on my self pubbed free reads with picasa and a lot of trial and error. I give all the cover artists out there a lot of credit. It's HARD to create a pretty, eye-catching cover.

But when are we driving the cover artist crazy or just inputting the right ideas to make the cover pop?

I had one friend tell me the cover artist was thrilled when she sent along links for what she thought the characters should look like. Thrilled. Another said she'd done the same thing and the artist was mighty irked. Another friend had the cover done, but objected to the colors (ancient Greeks NEVER wore THAT color). Or there's the angel debate. How do you make the angle not look like he's got turkey wings on his back?

Now, before I go any further, I've seen my share of objectionable cover art. I realize that said, those covers are in the eye of the beholder. What I may not like might be the apple of the author's eye. Then again, what I think is beautiful might disgust other authors.

I just wonder sometimes if I'm being too pushy by saying I want this and this, but absolutely not this. Does that help the artist or hinder creativity? The guy can be built, but no furry chests. Does that really make a huge difference?

I still don't know the answer, so I'll go on wondering. Thoughts?

SQUEE!! Somewhere I Belong is Out TODAY!!!

I've been waiting on this book to come out, well, because I wrote it, but also because it's been a long, strange trip. Not all bad, lots of it great.

So what is it?
Somewhere I Belong
Contemp, molten, m/f, novella
Liquid Silver Books

Sullavan Tanner walked away from Jarvis, Ohio, afraid to give his heart to the woman he loved. He lived the rock and roll lifestyle, but never quite made it to the big time. Fifteen years later, he’s back and ready to claim what’s his—if she’ll accept his help.

Marley Lockwood’s done asking for help. The family farm is more than she can handle, but if she can survive a cancer scare, the loss of her parents, the abandonment by her first love, and a messy divorce, she can handle anything.

Until Sully shows up.

Although she’s not interested in rekindling the love affair, she’s not above accepting Sully’s hands on the farm. What’s the worst that could happen? They get the farm out of the red and into the black? That’s her plan. They actually fall in love? The past says it won’t work, so she’s not hedging her bets.

Too bad Sully’s not giving up this time.

Get your copy here from Liquid Silver Books!

I'm taking the book on tour in January, so grab a copy from Liquid Silver Books and keep your eyes peeled for the tour! Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Minnette Meador's The Belle Stalker

Today on Romance to Make Your Heart Race, I'd like to welcome Minnette Meador and her new book, The Belle Stalker! I'm excited to have her here! Check out the interview. Oh and this is pretty cool - Minnette will be giving away a small Kindle ($79) plus a Portland Tote filled with goodies to one randomly drawn commenter. Today's special prize, for those who comment, is a copy of The Belle Stalker. Want to win? Comment early and often!!

The fine print: The Kindle and tote bag are limited to US and Canada only; if an international winner, an Amazon GC will be substituted; ALSO: PLEASE NOTE: Any reader who sends their name and address to Minnette will be sent a stack of signed swag. Just drop her a note at : mmeador@minnettemeador.com)

But let's get the interview started!!!
What was your favorite scene to write in THE BELLE STALKER?

That’s a really tough question. I LOVE the first kiss in a romance. It is the toughest and best scene for me. I also like the climax of the story. There is nothing more fun than bringing everything together with a big bang toward the end!

What was the inspiration behind THE BELLE STALKER?
I have always loved mysteries and thrillers ever since I read my first Sherlock Holmes story when I was ten. However, I also love urban fantasy, so I decided to write one asking this question: What would happen if you stranded a mythical being on earth for 2000 years? What fun this was to write! :o)

What is the most interesting thing you’ve done in the name of research?
I was able to spend a day with a local cop on a ride along, being arrested, and exposed to some real crime in the city. In addition, I was also able to spend hours with the head of the Portland Police Bureau Homicide Division and pick his brain about how they went about investigating a murder. I wrote a five-part blog post on my experience with them. Readers can find them here:

http://minnettemeador.blogspot.com/2009/04/in-shadow-of-heroesprologue.html
http://minnettemeador.blogspot.com/2009/07/inteview-with-homicide-behind-plot.html
http://minnettemeador.blogspot.com/2009/08/inteview-with-homicide-behind-plot-part.html
http://minnettemeador.blogspot.com/2009/08/inteview-with-homicide-behind-plot-part_04.html
http://minnettemeador.blogspot.com/2009/08/inteview-with-homicide-behind-plot.html

What do you consider as the most frustrating side of becoming a published author and what has been the most rewarding?
I’d say promotion is probably my least favorite part of writing, not because I don’t love my fans (and believe me I do – they rock!), but because I have to spend so much time on it and away from actually writing. I think that’s a common issue with authors. My favorite part is putting a book together, i.e. developing the plot, sketching out the characters, figuring out twists, turns, and surprises, finding humor where you don’t expect it. I LOVE to write more than eating…which is saying something!

What accent inspires you to do naughty things?
LOL There is nothing sexier than an Italian accent, but I love an English one too, and French! It’s too hard to decide. They all make me crazy.

Name something readers would be surprised to learn about you?
I get asked this question a lot… I’m running out of surprises. Let’s see… When I was growing up I wasn’t very popular in school. I spent a lot to time on my own making up stories to amuse myself. I would act them out on my walks home from school.

If you could ask the readers one question what would it be?
What kinds of book do you absolutely love, even if you hide it?

What can readers expect next from you?
I have been contracted for three more books by Resplendence Publishing, two in the Ghost series, and another one in the Centurion series. I am also taking time out to write a sci-fi that I am going to try to sell to New York. Here’s some sneak peeks (ALL SUBJECT TO CHANGE):

The Egyptian Pirate - Hasani has a reputation to uphold as the world's greatest pirate; but that's hard to do when you're wasting away in a Syrian jail for making love to one of the Parthian king's daughters. For the first time in his life, his luck has run out and he faces a very real possibility of losing his head for good this time. When a mysterious woman shows up and helps him escape, he falls in love for the first time. The problem is... she is taken prisoner and swept away to Egypt, the last place he wants to be. Will he risk his life and riches to save her or follow old habits and simply walk away. There is something about this girl...

*Haunted Hearts - Book II in the Ghost Series. Dyna is having a bad day... a really bad day. Her house is now filled with ghosts, the neighborhood association is trying to get her evicted, a coven of witches won’t leave her alone, and she just found out she's pregnant with a demon child. To top everything off, a handsome cop thinks he can make it go away, but all he is doing is making it worse! What's a girl to do?

*Phantom Hearts - Book III in the Ghost Series. He's suave, he's debonair, he can say or do no wrong, the ladies love him, and life couldn't be any sweeter. That is until he finds out he's the devil's love child and strange things start happening around him. Enter a sexy, snoopy female reporter who not only seems immune to his charms but does everything she can to double his trouble. He simply can't resist her and that's where the fun begins. Will he fight the evil deeds blooming in his head or will he finally succumb to his father's wishes and "join" the family business. Only a crazy girl knows... and she's not talking.

*Arpeggios In The Darkness - Sci-Fi - It's hard being the first half-Alien/half-Human hybrid... Your mom and dad are gone all the time, the paparazzi follow you everywhere and you find out your voice can kill. Her only solution, hide in a derelict space freighter until it all goes away. But when the rusting bucket of space debris takes off, her life changes forever…and so does the universe.

What is your method of breaking through writer’s block?
I don’t have too much trouble with that (she whispers very quietly and crosses her fingers). When I do, I usually just practice GYBIC… get your butt in the chair and write something… anything to get going. It usually works. I’m a marathon writer, which means I write 10-20K at a sprint, but then I take a lot of days off in between to “think” things through. I also edit as I go along when I don’t feel like writing. That usually does it.

What fuels you as an author to continue to write?
Talking or brain storming with other writers, reading excellent books, finding something I wrote long ago that isn’t half bad, kicks in the butt by my fellow writers and my dear husband.

Can you tell us a bit about what book(s) you have coming out next and what you’re working on now?
The next book will probably be Haunted Hearts, the second book in the Ghost series (see A GHOST OF A CHANCE). I’m getting information and research together for this book right now which includes visiting a Palm Reader, interviewing several modern day witches, gathering information on neighborhood associations, and studying gothic character models. If anyone is one of these, please contact me at mmeador@minnettemeador.com . I’d love to interview you.

When you get a chance to read, what books do you love to read?
I’m as diverse in my reading as I am in my writing. I just finished Dan Brown’s newest, am reading The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, A Fine Likeness by Sean McLachlan (a story about raising the dead during the civil war, which is absolutely fascinating), Haunted America, and I just finished the entire Nero Wolf series by Rex Stout. Oh, I’m reading a couple of Terry Pratchett’s newest as well. He’s a very funny guy! And I have Stephen King’s newest on my nightstand.

What bores you as a reader?
Very little, believe it or not. I will tell you that I didn’t finish Dan Brown’s because the last 30 pages his character was preaching on and on about the God theory. It was interesting for the first couple of pages but then it just went on and on. The first 100 pages of The Girl w/the Dragon Tattoo is also mostly back-story and can be tedious. It’s worth the wait however. The book really is amazing beyond that. I like a fiction to move along; if I wanted lots of back-story I’d read a history book (also one of my favorites).

What is your favorite feature on a person?
Hands down, their eyes.

What is your favorite time of day?
Late at night.

What music gets you dancing?
I butt dance to techno and funk. That’s where you sit in your chair and your butt just starts dancing!

Aliens have landed on the planet. What are the three things you would tell them that are great about this planet?
Sunsets, forests, and Margaritas. Not necessarily in that order.

You have been locked in a mall and told you can get anything you want and when they open in the morning you won’t have to pay a single cent. What stores would you hit? Better question how would you haul away all your loot?
The bookstore and the Apple store. I’m pretty strong and can carry it all.

If you could share one major writing tip, to help other writers in their quest for publication, what would it be?
Don’t quit. That the first reason people don’t get published, they give up. To help you, join a local writing association. If you write romance (hell, even if you don’t write romance) join your local or an on-line romance writers association. The best thing you could ever do. Writers may write alone, but they don’t create in a vacuum. Meet and talk to other writers, as many as you can. I can’t begin to tell you how invaluable those resources have been to me. And trust me: I am a complete hermit from the word go. I had to force myself, so you can do it too.

If you could write in any other genre what would it be, and why?
I think I’ve said this before, but I would love to write straight mystery, the classic whodunit. One of my favorite genres to read! One day. I’d also love to write books about history and wish I had the time to study more. I LOVE ancient history.

Where can we find out more about you and your work? To name a few…
Minnette's Web Site
Contact: mmeador@minnettemeador.com
Amazon Author Page
Facebook
Twitter
Blog
Coffeetime Romance

And finally, have you got a sneak peek excerpt from your current work in progress you can share with my readers and me? The hotter the better!

(CAUTION: ADULT CONTENT – HOT ~ HOT ~ HOT)
His cock rested gently on her belly, and her ensuing quiver went through him like a drug. The beat of her heart pulsed against the muscle, and Cranston had to find a deep reserve of discipline to control his urges.

Slowly, deliberately, he leaned forward and began to kiss her face, lick her neck and shoulders. With each new application of pressure, Belle squirmed under him. The skin touching his lips was hot and yielding, velvety against his rough tongue.

When he reached her breasts, he stopped, admiring the granite hard brown nipples and dark areolas. Belle’s chest rose, obviously frantic for his mouth, but he didn’t touch her. Instead, he looked into her eyes and smiled.

“Greedy girl.”

“You bastard,” she said good-naturedly.

In reply, Cranston pursed his lips and began to blow on her right nipple. The creamy areola immediately broke out in large bumps, the rough dark nipple grew in size, and Belle let out a startled gasp. This was something new, and a wave of satisfaction plowed through Cranston. He knew Belle would love it.

Moving to the other side, Cranston repeated the motion and Belle’s hips bucked under him, burying his cock into the skin of her stomach. He lifted it from her, and she groaned.

“Patience, princess.”

She hissed angrily through her teeth, and Cranston laughed. Letting go of her hands, he bent down again and licked the soft skin around her nipple, careful not to touch it. Then, without warning, he pulled the tiny bud into his mouth and bit it gently.

Belle exploded beneath him. Her body jumped involuntarily, and Cranston could feel the earthquake of her need ripple through him. He decided to torture her further.

THE BELLE STALKER – CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
~ ~
THE BELLE STALKER
An Urban Fantasy Thriller
by Minnette Meador

The police have done all they can, but it isn’t enough. When Belle finds the mutilated body of her lover strewn across the furniture she knows only her ex-husband, Homicide Detective Mike Cranston can stop the maniac who has been dogging her steps for over a year. The only problem is the man who stalks her...is not a man at all. Belle plays a dangerous game and only hopes that Cranston can stop the monster before it’s too late.

And here's the linkys:
http://youtu.be/avY8W6i0rw4 Audio Excerpt

http://minnettemeador.blogspot.com/p/books-by-minnette.html Written Excerpt

http://minnettemeador.blogspot.com/ Blog URL


RESPLENDENCE PUBLISHING (all eFormats except Kindle & Nook):
http://www.resplendencepublishing.com/m8/381-200-103-422-5--the-belle-stalker-by-minnette-meador.html

AMAZON BUY LINK: (Kindle)


AMAZON DIRECT LINK:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Belle-Stalker-ebook/dp/B0064PA6LI/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1321749531&sr=1-8

BARNES & NOBEL DIRECT (Nook):
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-belle-stalker-minnette-meador/1107087599?ean=2940013589698&itm=1&usri=the+belle+stalker

All Romance eBooks:
http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thebellestalker-625303-140.html

Minnette Meador Stops by Tomorrow!

Tomorrow I am welcoming Minnette Meador right here to Romance to Make Your Heart Race as part of her tour for The Belle Stalker. And you know, you very much want to comment. Why? Minnette will be giving away a small Kindle ($79) plus a Portland Tote filled with goodies to one randomly drawn commenter.

The fine print: The Kindle and tote bag are limited to US and Canada only; if an international winner, an Amazon GC will be substituted; ALSO: PLEASE NOTE: Any reader who sends their name and address to Minnette will be sent a stack of signed swag. Just drop her a note at : mmeador@minnettemeador.com)

Come back tomorrow to read the interview!!!

THE BELLE STALKER
An Urban Fantasy Thriller
by Minnette Meador

The police have done all they can, but it isn’t enough. When Belle finds the mutilated body of her lover strewn across the furniture she knows only her ex-husband, Homicide Detective Mike Cranston can stop the maniac who has been dogging her steps for over a year. The only problem is the man who stalks her...is not a man at all. Belle plays a dangerous game and only hopes that Cranston can stop the monster before it’s too late.

And here's an excerpt:

A faint laugh echoed against the steel I-beamed ceilings—a man’s laugh.

Or was it?

Belle pirouetted on the hard asphalt. Her hips warmed when they hit the hot side of her car. She squinted at the blinking fluorescent lights. They stuttered against the garage in fitful illumination.

“Hello?” The word echoed back to her unaccompanied, sending pins and needles through her hand as it tightened on the strap of her purse.

Belle’s senses sharpened almost painfully: the metal keys biting into the flesh of her palm, the blood slamming against her eardrums. A gust of fear rushed through her spine, setting her ears ringing, preparing her to fight—or maybe run.

Instincts. The word pulsed through her thoughts quickly.

She pushed her head forward, straining to listen, trying to penetrate the shadows to locate that chilling laugh. Instead, all she heard was the tick-tick-tick of her engine cooling and the muted hiss of silence.

Was it real?

A moment of doubt made her step away from the car. She stared at the oily surface of the garage floor, mesmerized. The scuffed blacktop triggered a memory.

A pale hand coiled around her face, clamped hard against her lips and nose, cutting off her oxygen. She desperately bit, clawed and fought, but nothing loosened that unnatural grip. It clung to her face like an iron mask.

Belle squeezed her eyes tight, willing the memory to go away. She knew the deeply masculine violation had permanently infected her confidence. There was nothing she could do about it. Uncertainty was her constant confidante. She had to pull strength from a deep will to fight the trembling.

It’s just a memory. A memory can’t hurt you. The mantra lost juice in the silence.

Even with a year of therapy and all her martial arts training, a cold chill still ran through Belle in this eerie-ass garage. The attack was a year ago today, wasn’t it? She knew anniversaries sometimes triggered memories, but knowing that didn’t help.

Broken lights deposited black shadows in one corner. Peering into the darkness, Belle fancied she saw two beaming pins of white, like eyes. Another blaze of recall weakened her knees.

Sliding backwards on broken heels into the shadows, she was a rag doll in his arms.

Belle shook her head violently to dislodge the flashback and deliberately rushed toward an elevator that seemed to fall away from her as she moved. Frozen bumps formed on her neck.

Ripples of static tingled against her face, electrifying her hair until it danced. A sweet smoky smell enveloped her senses. His smell. She couldn’t move—wouldn’t move—a kind of desire pushed through her, forcing her to comply. Her body went limp in his embrace, as if he had opened her soul and thrust himself inside her—

Pulling in a shaking breath, she scanned the solid concrete pillars as she moved and found the exact spot where John had stood that night, hoping that memory would expel the others.

Her ears rang with the sound of a stranger’s voice bouncing across the concrete. “Hey! You! What the hell do you think you’re…”

The monster dropped her. Her tailbone snapped sending waves of nausea through her bowels. She threw up and curled into a ball of shock. Everything fizzled like an ailing balloon into black.

From out of the shadows around her, another sound eclipsed the laugh.

Belle.

Her feet and heart stopped simultaneously. Fire rose in her cheeks and the back of her hands. The whispered word was soft, haunting—close. Ice wrapped around her spine.

“Who’s there?” she demanded, but only silence answered.

Brahms’s Fifth Symphony suddenly buzzed like a hornet’s nest from her purse, impelling her into the air. Pinpricks like fireworks traveled up her arms. “Shit!”

Belle pulled the cell phone out of the side pouch and flipped it open. The neon green JOHN IAN on the screen fortified her enough to get her legs moving again.

“Hello?” She scurried toward the elevator, the jarring click-click-click of her heels against the asphalt vibrating up her naked legs.

“Are you all right?” John’s voice sounded strange, far away and full of static. She barely recognized it.

“John?”

“Who else would it be? Are you all right?”

“Yeah, fine.” Belle hit the up button next to the elevator door hard then turned around and bit her lower lip. “Thought I heard something. I’m sure it’s nothing.”

“Do you want me to come over?”

“All right.”

The elevator slid down to meet her and the doors whisked open.

“I—surprise—you.” The words broke into pieces.

“What?”

“—soon.” There was a strange lilt to John’s voice, but the phone went dead. She looked at the screen, and the call was gone. Probably just the connection. She’d call him when she got upstairs.

Putting the phone away, she backed into the metal box and jabbed the first floor button, a buzz of fear forcing her finger to hit it several times.

When the door closed, she blew out a breath and slumped against the cold metal wall.

The clang of steel on steel as the little room hummed its way up the cables was somehow comforting. Smells of cooking garlic mingled with flowery air freshener and the greasy mechanics of the old lift. Twisting her neck from side to side eased her muscles but not the persistent rapid beating of her heart.

Belle hated herself for being so paranoid. It was why she had let John talk her into his tae kwon do classes to begin with. It was also why she had allowed him into her life when she wasn’t looking for anyone. He did rescue you from that maniac, sister. She would have done just about anything he asked.

And I did…

A shot of guilt tensed her shoulders. She liked John, was grateful to him for everything, but she didn’t love him. They had become friends over the past year, but she knew John wanted something more significant from her. To make matters worse, in a moment of weakness spurred by his warm caring nature and a few glasses of wine, Belle had slept with him. That hadn’t helped at all. Another pang of guilt joined the first making it unanimous. Her roommate Cary asked her on a daily basis why she didn’t just dump John, but it was complicated. She didn’t want to hurt him.

A daily calendar taped to the elevator wall reminded her it was Wednesday; Cary would be out with his boyfriend tonight, so she’d have the apartment to herself.

The thought of spending the night alone in her little sanctuary helped to slow her breathing. Her wonderful office/bedroom was the only place in the world Belle felt safe. Smiling, she could almost hear her therapist saying in the background, Now, Belle, you need to expand beyond your little world into the bigger one. Go out. Have fun. Don’t stay cooped up so much. Belle couldn’t help it; her books, her research, her life was tucked into that four hundred square feet of security, and she wasn’t about to leave it for anything.

It suddenly dawned on her that she had just told John to come over. After spending several hours in high heels lecturing at Portland State, she just wanted to fall into bed with a book and a glass of wine. Her new graduate students were a lively bunch; they had questioned her raw. Belle thanked her stars that the adjunct professorship would end in the spring when she would leave for a Celtic dig in England.

The elevator eased to a stop on the first floor, and the familiar creak calmed her heart as the doors whisked open. By the time Belle stepped out, the voice in the dark seemed distant, almost silly. Maybe I should start parking on the street.

The lobby was deserted. She could make out O’Donnell’s back through the glass double doors, his uniform as wrinkled as ever. He rocked on his heels watching the street, cigarette smoke circling his head, a stolen break from the security desk that gleamed in one corner of the lobby.

Belle really liked the rugged Irish guard. He was friendly, funny and had developed an almost fatherly devotion to her. Why, she didn’t know, but she didn’t mind. Despite her deeply rooted, almost radical independence, secretly she thought it was nice having someone looking out for her. Pride had kept her from asking him to escort her from the garage each night, though he had offered many times. She knew the demons she had to confront were her own, and she had to face them that way.

She was tempted to linger and chat, but her eyes were already drooping. Maybe tomorrow.

Crossing to the bank of golden mail boxes, she pulled a small key from the bunch. It slid easily into the worn keyhole, and the little door popped open under the stress of mail behind it. Belle pulled out the bundle and sorted it above the recycle box next to the panel of little doors, throwing most of it away.

Junk. Junk. Junk. Bill. Junk. Bill.

She froze at a small white envelope with her name printed neatly in the middle and no return address. Her heart caught in her chest.

It was from him.

As the police had instructed, she was careful not to handle it much. She wrapped a small flyer around the menacing post and tucked it under her arm, wiping her hand on her hip when she was done.

Belle imagined the stacks of little white envelopes tucked away somewhere inside police headquarters. There must be almost a hundred now. Each typed on plain white paper, folded exactly alike and stuffed into a common envelope. Every single one of them containing the same four words:

Just so you know.

She always turned the letters into the cops, and they always gave her the same answer: no fingerprints, no clues, no step closer to catching the son of a bitch who had taken away her independence—her innocence.

The night of her father’s murder snapped into her head unexpectedly, sparked by those four words, reminding her of what she had hidden from the police—from her therapist—from herself.

Those eyes—

In a panic, Belle pushed that memory as far down as she could manage, but it was getting harder all the time.

The world is deadly… there is no safe place…

With an audible, “Stop it!” Belle got herself under control by biting down on the inside of her cheek. “You’re not going to let him do this to you!” she whispered to herself. The top of the white post gleamed at her, and, in a frantic move, she stuffed it further into the flyer. She didn’t open the letters anymore. Her therapist had insisted.

Searching for anything to appease the anxiety, her mind took her to the one thought that always instantly trumped the rest.

Cranston could have solved this case in a heartbeat. She had almost called him more than once, but each time she managed to control the impulse, knowing it was a bad idea.

Cranston was the only man she knew who could drag the best and the worst from her. He was arrogant, irreverent, completely maddening and one of the most exciting men she had ever known. Is that why you married him? The question made her tighten her lips.

Since their divorce, she had seen him maybe a dozen times: police fund raisers, weddings of mutual friends and even a chance meeting once or twice. Every single time he had managed, with no effort at all, to anger her to the point of violence while at the same time reminding her deeply of emotional and physical needs that hadn’t been satisfied since their break up. It was infuriating that he could still touch her like that. She had moved on, made something of her life without him—hadn’t she? The thought of her ex-husband back in her life, in whatever capacity, sent a quick shiver down her arms. Belle wasn’t sure if it was pain or pleasure.

Let’s not go down that road, girl! Forcing her thoughts to behave, she couldn’t suppress a little smile. Belle had to admit, it was a lot more pleasant thinking about Cranston than it was about the asshole who had ruined her self-confidence.

Turning toward the elevator, she caught O’Donnell’s eye as he held the door open for a group of laughing, obviously drunk, tenants. He winked at her, which animated the kind old face, and tipped his hat. The worn uniform was dull gray against the dark night behind him.

Belle sent a quick smile his way and stepped inside before the noisy group crowded into the elevator. Tucking herself in the back, she leaned against the wall, tilted her head and closed her eyes. God, she was tired. The group stumbled out on the seventh floor, leaving her alone for the journey to the tenth.

When she reached the door to her apartment, she slipped the mail under her arm and searched for the key from the bundle. Glancing to her right, the lights from downtown Portland dazzled her for a second. The city was lit up like Christmas.

She found the right key and shoved it into the lock.

That’s odd. The door was unlocked.

A bolt of shock turned her knees to rubber and another flashback triggered. There was something about his touch…

Belle squared her shoulders and tightened her jaw at the door. “You’re not going to run my life. Cary probably just left it unlocked. Piss!” she whispered to the hallway. Cary was a dear friend, but he had the responsibility of a herring sometimes. Just Cary being an idiot.

But that didn’t stop a murky premonition that started as a pain in her left temple. Maybe she should call O’Donnell. And tell him what? That you’re afraid to go into your own apartment. Belle, you’re tougher than this!

She turned the knob and pushed the door open with deliberation.

The apartment was dark. Closing the door, she eased into the little hallway off a large sunken living room. Her instincts blazed like cannon fire, but Belle knew to ignore them; PTSD playing Russian roulette with her nerves, that’s all. She could defend herself. Hell! She had earned her brown belt in less than a year.

Setting her purse and the mail on a small table, she flipped the wall switch.

The kitchen lights flooded through the half-open wall and blinded Belle. Making her way down the two steps into the living room, she rubbed her eyes.

When they cleared, a jolt of cold wrapped around her head. She stopped.

There was something there. Something big.

It covered the sable couch, spilled over the white carpet, broke the black marble table under it into two sections. It was dripping syrupy pools of liquid onto the floor.

A gasping sound started in her chest, and she took a step back. Her mind couldn’t wrap itself around what she saw. Shock choked her throat. Her hands went numb. Everything faded from her vision except the tunnel that formed around the incongruity in front of her.

Spread over her furniture lay John Ian’s mutilated body.

Belle screamed.

Romancing Christmas Blog Hop!!

The Romancing Christmas Giveaway Hop is being hosted by Reading Romances!

What you can win here:

a $5 gift certificate to Changeling Press!!

How to enter:

Become a follower and comment about your favorite part of the Holidays!

Open to:

Everyone who is a follower or becomes a follower!

White Hot Christmas: Stranded - A Review!

I love to read the seasonal collections with Changeling Press. It's fun and I always manage to find at least one new to me author.

Here's one of the White Hot Christmas books out this week and what I thought.

White Hot Christmas - Stranded
S Michael
contemp, m/f, m/m/f, anal sex, spanking, fetish, toys, bdsm, holiday
novella
Changeling Press
Available here: http://changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1735

Stranded in Vegas was not how Gretchen had planned to spend her Christmas, but that's exactly what's happened to her and hubby Russ. Just when she thinks it couldn't get worse, a stranger trips over their luggage and sends its contents flying. It turns out their stranger, Dave, is in Vegas for the holiday and he has a suite he's willing to share.

Can this threesome turn a Christmas disaster into a Christmas delight?

So what did I think?

Grab a fan and a cool drink or two...This story is what the name says, white hot. Heck, grab the one you love for a little private time when you're done.

Why was it so hot? S Michael writes scenes that literally melt the computer screen. And this is a short enough read that you can read it over and over, soaking in the details.

I have to admit, I thought it moved really fast, especially for the circumstances the characters are in. As the story unfolds, it's clear why and that's what added to my enjoyment.

The writing is snappy and kept me right in my seat. I needed to know what would happen next. If you want a story that's got plenty of heat, and the mighty whack of a crop involved then this is the short story for you!

Lori Toland's Soul Seduction!

You should comment early and often. Why? The winner's choice of a $25 GC to either Amazon, AllRomanceEbooks or Loose Id for one randomly drawn commenter during the tour is up for grabs. How cool is that?

You can follow the tour here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2011/10/virtual-book-review-tour-soul-seduction.html I'm telling you, you want to comment. This is a great prize and a fun tour. Plus, the more you comment, the better your chances to win.

But let's get down to brass tacks and start this interview! Hi Lori, so glad you could be here.
What was your favorite scene to write in Soul Seduction?

I love writing the scene that introduced Terry, Ashlee’s slayer’s mentor. He’s a spunky, quirky character and I love him. That whole scene from beginning to end was a joy.

What was the inspiration behind Soul Seduction?

I’ve always loved demons and supernatural hunters but the truth is anime and gaming. And the enemies in those games just randomly respawn. So I built a world around something I love *puts on her geek hat*

What is the most interesting thing you’ve done in the name of research?

Sword browsing. I have some really great ideas for how the sword Ashlee carries looks like. I also had to research catacombs all over the world.

What do you consider as the most frustrating side of becoming a published author and what has been the most rewarding?

The most frustrating side is trying to get it just right. I’m a perfectionist and I would tinker with a manuscript for forever. I just have to let it go into the world. The most rewarding is meeting fans. :D It’s awesome!

What accent inspires you to do naughty things?

Apparently British ones. Just ask my husband. (He’s British)

Name something readers would be surprised to learn about you?

I was born in Hollywood, California.

If you could ask the readers one question what would it be?

Just one? Okay, I would ask about books, but this is much more interesting. Do I annoy you with all my talk about my cats?

What’s your writing process like?

Coffee+quiet+laptop=book. Very talented math going on there :D

What can readers expect next from you?

For my m/m you’re going to be excited! The next in the hopper at Loose Id is “The Long Con” (title subject to change)

As far as m/f, probably the sequel to Soul Seduction. I’m also working on a standalone erotic romance about a sex club as well.

What is the best thing about being a writer? The worst?

The best? Seeing the finished product. When you open your book and the words are there, it hits you that you worked on this with an editor.

The worst? My fear that my book will disappoint you. And that you will hate me for that. (Don’t hate me please!)

What is your method of breaking through writer’s block?

If I’m having trouble writing a certain book, I’ll go back and look at where my plot jumped the tracks, roll it back and viciously delete where I need to.

What fuels you as an author to continue to write?

My characters nagging me. I would stop writing if I could. My hands hurt, I have arthritis in most of my joints but the characters don’t listen.

Can you tell us a bit about what book(s) you have coming out next and what you’re working on now?

My next book should be “The Long Con” (title subject to change) and right now, I’m working on several books. 1. Sequel to Soul Seduction, tentatively titled Soul Salvation. Going very well too! 2. Replacement Guitarist 2 – because I’m almost done with it. It will be in Blaze (1st half) and Jason’s (2nd half) 1st person perspectives. 3. Save Me – a gay romance about a minister.

When you get a chance to read, what books do you love to read?

Anything romance. I have no boundaries. But I tend to gravitate toward shorter stories.

What bores you as a reader?

Pages of tiny details about some interest the character has. If your character is a podiatrist, I don’t need a manual on how he works on feet. Focus on the romance between your characters.

What is your favorite feature on a person?

On a guy, his butt. I do love eyes though on anyone.

What is your favorite time of day?

Early morning. I love dawn and the quiet.

What music gets you dancing?

Anything with a beat! Even if it’s bad, although I tend to want to make people laugh with my dancing.

Aliens have landed on the planet. What are the three things you would tell them that are great about this planet?

We all just want to be loved, deep down. Cats are awesome. Finally, before you go, you should really try In-And-Out burgers.

You have been locked in a mall and told you can get anything you want and when they open in the morning you won’t have to pay a single cent. What stores would you hit? Better question how would you haul away all your loot?

Well, at Millennia Mall, they have a Louis Vuitton and Coach so I would load up there. They also have a Tiffany’s and I could so some serious damage there. I would leave Juicy Couture alone :P and Jimmy Choo’s as well because I can’t wear heels. But I would also pick out stuff for my husband and my CP at the Apple store. Since LV has luggage, I would just create a massive luggage train straight out the door!


If you could share one major writing tip, to help other writers in their quest for publication, what would it be?

Never stop! Never give up, never say die. I made that mistake back in 2001 when m/m romance was NOT accepted anywhere. Of course I stopped writing altogether to start a business that is successful today but I shouldn’t have stopped. I should have kept going.

If you could write in any other genre what would it be, and why?

Steampunk. I’m currently developing a Sci-Fi Fantasy series with space pirates. But I love the idea of Steampunk. Who knows how it will all end?

Where can we find out more about you and your work?

http://www.loritoland.net

And finally, have you got a sneak peek excerpt from your current work in progress you can share with my readers and me? The hotter the better!

He looked as good as he did every time I saw him, except now he wore a green polo shirt. His grin held little apology as he said, “Sorry.”

He wasn’t being insincere, just mischievous. It reminded me of grade school when Bobby used to pull my hair and then apologize when I cried. “It’s all right,” I said, spying what was inside his bag. “Went grocery shopping?”

“I picked up a few things,” he said amicably, but then a silence stretched out between us. I got my key out, wanting to say so much more but not knowing where to start. “I see you did too.”

Oh my God. I covered up the side of my bag, even though I knew he’d already seen the big yellow rooster with Cocks-A-Lot emblazoned on the side. I really had to have a word with Terry about his packaging. “Uh, yeah.” Way to go. You’re really wowing him with the witty commentary.

He shifted his bag to dig for his house key. “So what’s in the bag?”

“I don’t really know,” I said slowly as my cheeks heated. Luke raised his eyebrow. “My friend owns the shop, and he was just getting rid of some stuff.”

“That’s great,” he said. “Would you like to try those out with me?”

Here's the blurb for Soul Seduction. Looks like a book you'll want to read. I do!

Ashlee Bennett has her priorities straight. Fighting demons is at the top of the list until she meets her sexy neighbor, Luke Byrne. Even though he is human, she can't stop dreaming about his buff body and sexy grin, until her dreams turn to nightmares.

Her world is turned upside down when Luke follows her one night but instead of being afraid, he is only more determined to stand beside her and fight. Ashlee knows she needs to keep her distance from Luke, not just to protect her virginity but her heart as well. But Luke may be the only one who can save her from the night, and her dreams.

Want to know more about Lori? Here's a bio!

CEO by day, erotic romance writer by night, Lori Toland lives in Orlando where the summers are hot but the romance between her characters is even hotter. Writing since the tender age of 13, Lori somehow finds time to play video games and watch movies while taking care of her beloved cats and a husband who will forever be her hero.

http://loritoland.com/
http://loritoland.livejournal.com/

Lori Toland Stops By Tomorrow!

You should comment early and often. Why? The winner's choice of a $25 GC to either Amazon, AllRomanceEbooks or Loose Id for one randomly drawn commenter during the tour is up for grabs. How cool is that?

You can follow the tour here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2011/10/virtual-book-review-tour-soul-seduction.html I'm telling you, you want to comment. This is a great prize and a fun tour. Plus, the more you comment, the better your chances to win.

Here's the blurb for Soul Seduction. Looks like a book you'll want to read. I do!

Ashlee Bennett has her priorities straight. Fighting demons is at the top of the list until she meets her sexy neighbor, Luke Byrne. Even though he is human, she can't stop dreaming about his buff body and sexy grin, until her dreams turn to nightmares.

Her world is turned upside down when Luke follows her one night but instead of being afraid, he is only more determined to stand beside her and fight. Ashlee knows she needs to keep her distance from Luke, not just to protect her virginity but her heart as well. But Luke may be the only one who can save her from the night, and her dreams.

Want to know more about Lori? Here's a bio!

CEO by day, erotic romance writer by night, Lori Toland lives in Orlando where the summers are hot but the romance between her characters is even hotter. Writing since the tender age of 13, Lori somehow finds time to play video games and watch movies while taking care of her beloved cats and a husband who will forever be her hero.

http://loritoland.com/
http://loritoland.livejournal.com/

Want to Heat Up the Holidays?

8 Chances to Win
FREE Books for a Year!

One book a month (four winners)
Two books a month (two winners)
Two books a week (two winners) all year,
readers’ choice of titles

12 Chances to Win Gift Certificates!

In addition, our Twelve Days of Christmas winners will receive
Changeling Gift Certificates for $5, $10, and $25 -- one random
winner for each title on release day!

HOW TO ENTER:

Buy any White Hot Christmas (WHC) story during the month of December
and you're automatically entered to win. Every purchase of a WHC counts
as a contest entry.

Winners for the FREE Books for a Year will be announced December 31st at
the Changeling New Year’s Eve Party, held on our Changeling Press Readers’ Loop.

Purchases cannot be made until Release Date

(The small print.)
Get your entries in before the CONTEST is over!
First Round winners and Finalists are eligible to win more than one prize .Winners
will be chosen from purchasers of books in the Changeling Press White Hot Christmas
Series; each WHC e-book purchase made in the month of December 2011 before
the final prizes are announced, counts as an entry. Prizes are available as Changeling Press E-books, to be downloaded from ChangelingPress.com only. Free e-book
download links do not accumulate, and will expire if not used.

Pretty cool, eh? Enter now!!!

Liz Crowe's Turkish Delights!

Liz Crowe is here talking about her new books, but you want to comment. Why? She's giving away three Turkish themed prize packages to randomly drawn commenters which may include, but aren't limited to:
* a holiday stocking made from authentic Turkish kilim rug
* a mug with the Turkish "evil eye", meant to ward off said evil
* a pewter dish, that is traditionally used to hold "lokum" or the actual Turkish delight confection/candy
* a box of traditional lokum
* a small Turkish kilim rug (reversible--authentic)

Now I don't know about you, but that's really cool. Want to follow the rest of her tour? Click here!

But let's start this interview! What was your favorite scene to write in Turkish Delights?
The massage scene of course but followed closely by the HEA epilogue. This is a very sweet story. The other, more difficult and tragic ones come later in the series. I loved bringing my heroine Elle into the “light” as she realizes just who those hands belong to!

In Blue Cruise: Caleb and Tarkan’s first time together---in his memory just before he finds out….oh, never mind.
In Tulip Princess: When Lale meets Andreas at the bar before they realize they are supposed to go out on a date the next night. Fun.

What was the inspiration behind The Turkish Delights Trilogy?

Living in Istanbul is inspirational on many levels. The sheer weight of history, beauty, and the contrasts of metropolitan Istanbul with the rest of the country is mind bending. In spite of several one could call VERY negative experiences there I still loved it and would go back in a New York Minute. Oh, by the way, an “Istanbul minute” is even shorter. Talk about an aggressive driving country!

What is the most interesting thing you’ve done in the name of research?
Living overseas. I am pondering several stories already set as an ex-pat in Japan and England, which I was.

What do you consider as the most frustrating side of becoming a published author and what has been the most rewarding?
Frankly, it’s beyond frustrating to watch authors who are better at promotion than actual writing get those stupid “best selling” notices as soon as they put up (yet another) story. It’s a pet peeve. I respect the hell out of good marketing, when it supports good writing. But hey, they are obviously doing something right so I should just shut up and write.

The most rewarding thing? Getting paid to do what you love. I am lucky in that I also own a craft microbrewery and do all the marketing and sales for it. We are killing it and will actually make a profit in the first year. So I’m doubly blessed (albeit a skosh sleep deprived).

What accent inspires you to do naughty things?
Turkish. Followed closely by Welsh/Irish then third would be soft American Southern. I’m a southern girl at heart.

Name something readers would be surprised to learn about you?
I love to suffer 3-4 times a week in a 105 degree room contorting my body into 26 different yoga postures, twice for 90 minutes. Bikram rocks! Although I have to drag myself there every single time. I’m totally addicted. Keeps the pounds off too.

If you could ask the readers one question what would it be?
What makes you choose a “new” writer? Facebook? Twitter? Reviews on the usual sites? Friend’s recommendations? If that, do you ask where THEY found out about the new writer? Blog posts?

What’s your writing process like?
I’m a head writer big time. I get an idea, spend about a week or more (depending on how busy I am with brewery stuff) wrapping my head around the characters (literally—I don’t write any of it down at first). Then I write the First scene—which sometimes ends up at the beginning, many times the middle and in one case at the very end of the final story. After I am well into it I will do a little “middle” plot outlining so I don’t get bogged down.

I write until it’s finished. I’m obsessive that way. I’ll go without sleep and everything just for the sake of that elusive First Draft.

Then I pummel it with a round of self editing and revision. Then send to 2 very trusted CP’s. If it’s going to one of my regular publishers I sub it then. If I’m subbing cold I’ll pay an editor to clean it up for me.

What can readers expect next from you?
Once the Turkish Delights series is out, I will be waiting and wondering and hoping for responses from other publishers on a couple of long novels (one another trilogy). Fingers crossed! I also have a new WIP: a time travel adventure set in Germany in the days of the early brewers—one in particular is VERY hot and my heroine will fall hard for him.

What is your method of breaking through writer’s block?
You know, I don’t get it—writer’s block. Truly I don’t. I’m in a unique position whereby I still write as a “hobby” so am not compelled by deadlines other than those for promotional blogging or those of my own design. So when I don’t feel it, I just walk away from it. I can’t imagine a worse feeling: having to sit and stare at a blinking cursor trying to force words onto the screen.


What fuels you as an author to continue to write?
The utter compulsion to be a best selling author. Honestly. I don’t do anything half-assed and while I’m still “hobby writing” now I feel like I’m hitting my stride with it and enjoying it more and more. I get the promotions part (it’s what I do all day long) and am loving using my social networking skills honed as a brewery owner for my writing career.

Can you tell us a bit about what book(s) you have coming out next and what you’re working on now?
The Turkish Delights series is part of the 1NightStand series with Decadent Publishing. It’s hugely popular and has many readers and some outstanding authors as part of it. The overarching premise is that of a dating service, run by the mysterious Madam Evangeline. Many “dates” are held at the exclusive Castillo’s resorts around the world, but based in Las Vegas (my personal favorite city in America). Many others are arranged in far away lands, back in time or even out space. My first 2 in this series are in Turkey. The first one with Emre Deniz, one of a set of very attractive (naturally) twins who is in madly in love with an American woman 15 years older than he. The 2nd one is on a Turkish Blue Cruise in the Mediterranean between Caleb Blessing, a one-time partner of Emre’s Twin, Tarkan who has, um, exited the picture I’ll say and a new guy. Very hot m/m and extremely emotional.

The final book in the series, Tulip Princess, is about Lale (pronounced “Lah-Lay” which means “Beautiful Tulip” in Turkish). She’s the younger sister of Emre and Tarkan and is spinning out of control. Her date sort of happens in Las Vegas. This is the longest and most emotional of all three stories and contains a BDSM element.

My WIP is that time travel brewery thing that I started noodling back in late October. I got the idea from a fellow writer who said to me (literally) “Hey Liz, what about….” I was off and running. Not sure where I will send it yet. I’m still waiting word from three very Big Dogs in our little Romance publishing world. If I get a thumbs up from at least one of them I might send it there but then again my hang onto it for one of my smaller publishers all three of which are amazing.

When you get a chance to read, what books do you love to read?
I became utterly obsessed by JR Ward this fall…utterly and embarrassingly so. Her straightforward, no nonsense style matches mine. I love it.

But alternatively I do love a nice mainstream fiction book. I can’t wait for Jonathan Franzen’s new one!

What bores you as a reader?
Steam Punk---can’t tolerate it. And I’m not a huge fan of SciFi either but will give it a whirl on occasion.

What is your favorite feature on a person?
Man: eyes. And a smoking hot body. You know, I like ‘em flashy, and larger than life.

Woman: even temper and solid sense of self. Women who are constantly self-deprecating fishing for compliments make me want to scratch out eyeballs.

What is your favorite time of day?
Whatever time I’m writing. OR whenever I’m done with my Bikram Yoga session.

What music gets you dancing?
Cake. Foo Fighters. Nirvana. K’naan. Avett Bros. Abba if I’m really drunk (I’ll sing all the lyrics, so watch out). B-52s. Stones.

Aliens have landed on the planet. What are the three things you would tell them that are great about this planet?
Craft Beer
Red Wine
The smell of a baby’s head.

You have been locked in a mall and told you can get anything you want and when they open in the morning you won’t have to pay a single cent. What stores would you hit? Better question how would you haul away all your loot?
Shoes—big time! And I’d buy everything in my size at the Ann Taylor store, all the Coach bags in the world and several pairs of Ray Bans. Oh and a shit ton of those pretzels. I’d call a cab or 2 for the getaway.

If you could share one major writing tip, to help other writers in their quest for publication, what would it be?
Persevere. Get good Critique Partners and do NOT get defensive with they actually critique you. Your first draft is always shit. Don’t kid youself.

If you could write in any other genre what would it be, and why?
Mainstream fiction. Just because.

Where can we find out more about you and your work?
www.lizcrowe.com
www.brewingpassion.com (blog)
If you want to know more about my beer work:
www.a2beerwench.com
www.wolverinebeer.com

About Liz Crowe:
Microbrewery owner, beer blogger and journalist, mom of three teenagers, and soccer fan, Liz lives in the great middle west, in a Major College Town. Years of experience in sales and fund raising, plus an eight-year stint as an ex-pat trailing spouse plus making her way in a world of men (i.e. the beer industry) has prepped her for life as erotic romance author. When she isn't sweating beer inventory, sales figures or promotional efforts for her latest publication, doing pounds of laundry for her sweaty athletic children, watching La Liga on the Fox Soccer Channel, or trying to figure out what to order in for dinner, she can be found walking her standard poodles or doing Bikram Yoga. Liz loves her Foo Fighters Pandora station, and watching reruns of Deadwood, when there isn't any decent European football on the telly. If you want a beer education follow her: www.a2beerwench.com. For writing related stuff, including her backlist, go to: www.brewingpassion.com.