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Guest Blogger: Vivi Anna
Saturday, July 3rd, 2010

Here’s me, bleary-eyed. The red-headed hellion was here until midnight looking for help with her math homework. She’ll be back for more help today. Guess who won’t be writing much?

My friend, Vivi Anna, has a new book and you should check it out! Hey, it’s 5:53 AM in the morning (the dogs got me up so they could go bark at the geese). No one’s meant to be eloquent at this time of the morning. It’s a good thing Vivi is.

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Olena Petrovich had seen more than enough death and destruction in her three hundred years. Now the vampiress fought as a CSI agent. But nothing about this crime scene seemed right—including the arrogant outsider from Interpol who challenged her authority. Sexy and cocky, the human was downright irresistible…even to a vampiress who should know better.

Though Cale Braxton was out of his league facing the vampires, lycans and witches of Nouveau Monde, he matched Olena in the one way that mattered—passion. Olena had sworn she’d never love—and lose—again, especially a human with his own demons. She and Cale lived in two different worlds, but after only one kiss, Olena wondered how she could ever spend eternity without him….

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Olena Petrovich had had close to three hundred years to perfect sin to an art form. In the past, she’d used her vampiric charms to get whatever she wanted in life—money, sex, power. It helped, she supposed, that she was curvy and possessed a mouth some men had said was made for sin. But it had always proven to be too easy.
She didn’t want easy any longer. She liked working for the things she received. Like this case.

This was Olena’s first time as lead investigator and she was excited about it. She didn’t want to make one mistake. It wasn’t often that Inspector Gabriel Bellmonte let go of the reins. But he had for her. Or it could’ve been because she had begged him for the past three months.

The crime scene at the National Bank of Nouveau Monde wasn’t typical for a bank robbery. Usually the robbers took the money, but instead these guys—four armed, masked men—had herded everyone in the bank into the vault, then blasted apart the safety-deposit boxes.

Olena and her team wouldn’t be able to get a clear view of the situation until they’d pieced together all the boxes that had been destroyed. And by the looks of the mess, that was going to take considerable time.

The odor of smoke still hung oppressively in the air as Olena eyed the wall of boxes, taking in the destruction. Charred residue marred an array of the shiny metal squares in a circular pattern. The explosion had caused a lot of damage.

“I wonder what they were looking for.” She glanced over her shoulder at her investigative partner, Sophie St. Clair, who was busy taking pictures of the metal and plastic shrapnel scattered all over the black-and-white-tiled floor.

“I guess someone must’ve lost his key.” After snapping her last photo, Sophie stood beside Olena and surveyed the destroyed wall. “Kellen called. He said he’d be on scene in about fifteen minutes,” Sophie informed her.

Olena nodded. “Good. He can figure out this blast pattern on the remaining safety-deposit boxes.”

Kellen, a recent addition to their crime-scene team, was a damn good ballistics expert. He had come from America to France for treatment for a rare blood disease and had ended up completely cured, with a new job on the team and an engagement to Sophie.

Fate had a grand sense of humor.
Read the rest of this entry »

Couldn't think of a title for this one
Friday, July 2nd, 2010

I’m at the lake. My friends leave later this morning, and last night we took their pontoon boat and crossed the lake to hit a popular burger and pizza joint. I took pics, but frankly, I’m too lazy this morning to load ’em up. 😀

I’m up earlier than usual because I have to take my car in for repair. I got a check engine light yesterday when I drove here. Nothing wrong with the oil, so I’m guessing it’s just a sensor. I made sure the dealership has a place for me to plug in when I go so I don’t lose any of my retreat time.

Tomorrow, I promise I’ll be more interesting. Yawn.

In the meantime, have you taken a look around my website lately? I do refresh the content often. There are new books listed on the Coming Soon page with excerpts meant to tempt you into walking your fingers over the to the pre-order button.

For all of you traveling this weekend, stay safe and have fun!

A New Book to Lust Over!
Thursday, July 1st, 2010

I’ll be housesitting for a friend over the long weekend. Fireworks over water—yeah, that will be rough duty. I’m babysitting two dogs and a parrot on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs. I’m using the weekend as a personal writing retreat. I want to get several projects started for July, and I figure without the telephone or anyone else around me I have no excuses. E-mail will be sporadic, only because I want it that way.

I hope you all have fun plans for the weekend. I’d love to hear about them.

In the meantime, I do have a new release to tell you about. If you’re in the mood for a collection of short stories, something you can enjoy while you wait in the doctor’s office, or something short for just before you go to sleep…here it is! Click on the cover for the buy link.

Award-winning novelist and top erotica writer Kristina Wright goes over the river and through the woods to find the sexiest fairy tales ever written. Playfully seductive, supernaturally sensual, and darkly erotic, Fairy Tale Lust showcases clever twists to classic tales and introduces new stories inspired by the ever-popular genre. Here, a walk in the forest is likely to lead to an erotic encounter with a mysterious stranger and the silver light of a full moon might illuminate an orgy of sensual delights! Highly imaginative and downright stimulating, these stories take fairy tale erotica to the next level. Top erotica contributors deliver sizzling work, including Janine Ashbless, Rachel Kramer Bussel, Delilah Devlin, Shanna Germaine, and Saskia Walker.

One Lusty Collection
Thursday, July 1st, 2010

Award-winning novelist and top erotica writer Kristina Wright goes over the river and through the woods to find the sexiest fairy tales ever written. Playfully seductive, supernaturally sensual, and darkly erotic, Fairy Tale Lust showcases clever twists to classic tales and introduces new stories inspired by the ever-popular genre. Here, a walk in the forest is likely to lead to an erotic encounter with a mysterious stranger and the silver light of a full moon might illuminate an orgy of sensual delights! Highly imaginative and downright stimulating, these stories take fairy tale erotica to the next level. Top erotica contributors deliver sizzling work, including Janine Ashbless, Rachel Kramer Bussel, Delilah Devlin, Shanna Germaine, and Saskia Walker.

Read an excerpt from Delilah’s story, The Obedient Wife, here: Excerpt

Charmed
Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

I’m not a girlie-girl. I don’t think I’ve worn a dress in over fifteen years. Most days I wear sweats or baggie Capri pants and a t-shirt. My shoes are most often rubber thongs. I like my makeup and hair non-fussy. However, the one feminine decoration I do indulge in is jewelry. I like shiny, sparkly things. I never met a ruby I didn’t drool over, or a sapphire that didn’t make my heart melt. It’s a recent obsession; one my local jeweler indulges by letting me know when some particularly unusual piece comes in. I always have something on lay-away. I love estate jewelry and love it when it’s inscribed with a message. It makes me wonder about the story of the person who wore it.

I also have charm bracelets. Yeah, not just one. One holds charms from my travels. Another has charms that inspire stories; this one is the bracelet for my publishing credits. My sister gave me the bracelet with only the “A” on it when I sold to Avon. Last night, I ordered a “B”, “K”, “E” and “S” for my other major publishers and took a picture so you could see where I am with it.

So far, from the top, right of the clasp, I have an Irish Claddagh—that one was compulsory because my ex is pure and my children are blended Irish.

The enameled lips and lipstick charm was given to me by the Omaha RWA chapter when sis and I taught a weekend bootcamp there.

The cathedral was given to me as a remembrance by Betty Hanawa. It’s St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square, New Orleans. It figures in the first scene of the first Dark Realm book.

The “A” is for Avon, given to me by Elle James, my sister, when I sold to Avon.

The handcuffs? They do double duty. I write lots of cops and kinky stuff.

The wolf is for my werewolves.

The Knight on the Horse, also a gift, I think from Betty too, is a for the My Immortal Knight series.

And lastly, the little bat is from Bev Zinn for all the vampires I write.

Now, I have to find something Viking, something demon-y, and something Texas and cowboy.

I’m an acquisitive creature, aren’t I? Do you have any jewelry that means something to you? Are you crazy for those charm bracelets too?

Guest Blogger: Jane Beckenham
Tuesday, June 29th, 2010

Thanks to everyone for all the birthday love, yesterday! XOXO
Please welcome my guest, author Jane Beckenham!

PROCRASTINATION IS A WONDERFUL THING…really, believe me.

If you’re a writer, or have specific tasks to achieve by deadline, you’ll think that that comment is absolutely NUTS! Yes, it probably is, but let’s stop a moment and see what procrastination is…

The dictionary says…
Procrastination.
1. The act or habit of procrastinating, or putting off to a future time; delay; dilatoriness.
2. The act of procrastinating; putting off or delaying or deferring an action to a later time

Now there are two specific things that stand out here…. PUTTING OFF, DEFERRING.

It doesn’t say you’re not going to do it, just a bit later. That’s all. And that’s not so bad, is it. Okay, so you have a deadline looming. But what about refilling the well so that you can top up those creative juices. Giving life some balance.

Several years ago I was writing up a storm. Night and day, weeks, months, without a break, then finally all the editing was done, the deadline met. The manuscript sent off. Then I stopped.

And for five minutes I just stared at the computer.

“What next?”

I had no clue. My life for soooo long had simply been writing. Words. Words and more words. Right at that moment, I was OVER words. Over thinking of them, finding them, creating wonderful pictures with them.

But the creative spirit takes a lot to kick it to the curb and I discovered scrap booking. Something pretty, creative, and with VERY FEW words – none if I chose. I was addicted.

But while the next deadline loomed, this new creative outlet gave me a chance to not just refill the well, it filled my life with beauty and color and memories as I scavenged through the shoe boxes of photos that had been waiting for years for their perfect home in an album.

Someone once asked me what I did for me. Just me. Of course I answered, that I was a writer, and I wrote. No she said, that’s your job – oooh doesn’t that sound fab! – then she asked again, what do you do – just for you. I couldn’t think of one thing, and in the scheme of our lives, that really probably is quite sad.

I’d forgotten about balance. I recently saw an Oprah Winfrey tape where she revealed that she’d put on all the weight again. And do you know what… she realised that she’d lost the balance in her life. That her life had revolved around doing, being, helping, fixing – things for others, but not for herself.

So the answer here is … find something that isn’t ‘work/passion’ related, something you can just do FOR YOU.
The thing I found was that I wanted to have a bath. Every day (yes I do shower, but I’m talking about a soaking, bubble affair). I remember how excited I was when I raced to the market to get some bubble bath, realising that this was something I was going to do JUST FOR ME. My time. Alone. Well as a romance writer I could always imagine sharing the bath with a hunk!

It was so wonderful, finding something I wanted to do. I realised I had forgotten myself. I was writing for me, but it had all become tied up with deadlines, editors, publishers, and promotion, not about the wonderful journey of creating a story, fulfilling the dreams of two characters who had come to life for me.

So at the end of today, ask yourself, what are you doing that is JUST for you. Is it a walk, time to read, a bath, or perhaps, it’s just time to sit and talk to a friend or family.

But the important thing here is to remember to do it. Because this life isn’t a game, there’s no rewind and replay, this is it. So enjoy.

The moral of this story…. Do what you love, but love what you do.

Happy reading and writing everyone,
Jane Beckenham

Bio
In books Author Jane Beckenham discovered dreams and hope, stories that inspired in her a love of romance and happy ever after. Years later, after a blind date, Jane found her own true love and married him eleven months later.
Life has been a series of ‘dreams’ for Jane. Dreaming of learning to walk again after spending years in hospital. Dreaming of raising a family and subsequently flying to Russia to bring home her two adopted daughters. And of course, dreaming of writing.

Writing has become Jane’s addiction – and it sure beats housework.
You can contact Jane via her website or email her at neiljane@ihug.co.nz.

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In Love With The Sheikh
Desert Rose Anthology
Mainstream Romance: Contemporary, Interracial/ Multicultural
ISBN: 978-1-60435-723-3
Cover Artist: Missy Lyons
Editor: Zena Gainer
Word Count: 49,380
Release Date: June 17, 2010

Desperate to discover her past, Lilly Duprés outbids Sheikh Kalim Raschid for an antique brooch. Her triumph is short lived. She can’t honor that bid. Accepting an offer to solve her financial embarrassment, Lilly discovers Kalim has every material thing yet spurns what she most desires. Love. Family. To belong.

After a lifetime spent watching his father hurt his mother, Kalim has vowed he would never imitate his father. But Lilly breaches his defenses leaving him vulnerable.

Faced with something he never wanted, Kalim must choose his future, and Lilly must accept her past, until life and love can come full-circle.

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leftHe’s the One
Genre: Contemporary Romance
ISBN: 978-1-60928-040-6
Length: Category
Price: 4.50
Publication Date: May 25, 2010

Debuted on Publisher’s Best Seller List

Taylor Sullivan doesn’t trust Cupid.
Cade Harper doesn’t do commitment, and marriage is a dirty word.
Taylor wants to lose her virginity.
Cade knows two things about women. They either abandon him, or use him as a walking bank.
Taylor doesn’t buy anything sight unseen and wants to test the waters with a kiss.

Virginity is definitely overrated.

Happy reading,
Jane Beckenham

I'm having a birthday!
Monday, June 28th, 2010

And I’m not gonna tell you which one. Oh well, yes I will, because I really don’t care. I look good for my age. I’m 52 today! Two years past the half a century mark. Two years into menopause (halleluiah!). Two years into “I-don’t-give-a-shit about a wrinkle or a gray hair. I bleach to maintain my youthful blonde anyway! I opened my email today and found a ton of good wishes coming my way from my facebook page. Thanks everyone!

I’ll spend the day the way I want to—swimming a couple of times in my nice warm, clean pool, and writing my stubby little fingers off.

Yesterday, I finished the first round of edits on Pleasing Sir, my straight-to-kindle project, and shipped them back to the editor I hired. It’s so painful reading a book, line by line, for all those unnecessary commas and inconsistencies. I mean, you can’t pull down a zipper on a guy’s pants twice in one scene? Huh. I do a lot of misplaced modifiers (at least I think that’s what they’re called). I do, He pulled his hand away. Rather than, He pulled away his hand. It’s the way I talk. Who’s gonna notice? I change them anyway. I like things being perfect.

Remember when I asked for you to send me pictures of your art to post because I enjoyed sharing my treasures with you? These are from Brandy W of B Renae Reads. She took these pictures herself. I wish I had an eye. You’ve seen my blurry mushroom pics.

Her daughter took this one!

Anyway, thanks, Brandy, for sharing. And thanks to everyone who has sent me a note today to wish me happy birthday! Big hugs! ~DD