Cover Reveal - Bound by Her Ring, by Nicole Flockton

Welcome back Lords and Ladies! I do hope the holidays were all you ever wished for. But alas, tis time to get down to business and bring in 2013 with a bang. The first post of the new year has me extremely excited. My dear friend Nicole Flockton has allowed me to share with you all the unveiling of the cover for her next book, BOUND BY HER RING, to be released February 1st, 2013 with Harlequin Escape.

Check out the gorgeous cover and put this one on your to be read list, it's going to be fabulous! Check back in February for my review of the book!

Luciano Morelli has perfected a plan to get revenge on his runaway wife; confronting her at the opening gala for her father’s hotel. What he didn’t plan on was the flaring of emotions the moment he sees her again.

Jasmine Anderson has no memories of her husband. Her only link to him are the wedding rings she wears. Luciano storms back into her life announcing he is her husband, demanding she join him on a business trip or see her father’s livelihood crumble.

Passion reignites as they rediscover what first drew them together. But more than just memories are lost. Can their bond be rebuilt or will secrets infect their already shattered trust? 

For more information about Nicole and her books check out her website!

Vigilante of Shadows - Release Day!

 

Hello lads and lasses! I'm so excited because today is the official release of Vigilante of Shadows! The beginning of a new series from my most awesome and talented friend Miranda Stork. The action begins fast and hard with a murder, an immortal murderer, and a bright young police officer caught in the action. Oh, and shadowpeople and a demon. Did I not mention those? Vigilante of Shadows sets the series off on a path that will be humourous, horrifying, and just a little bit steamy. A path where this time…the whole of humanity hangs in the balance.

Aodhan clutched uselessly at his head, groaning. He knew it was useless, because the voice was not inside his head. It followed him, skimming across buildings and land. It had followed him since he was sixteen, and it still followed him today, like a memory too horrific to be forgotten…

Aodhan is a shadow-demon, hardened and cold after years of being alone, after his love, his Entwined, was cruelly taken away from him. He has closed his heart to the world, and now spends his life ridding the world of men like those who took his beloved away, an immortal hit-man…

Arianwen Harris is a young DCI, working for York City Police. When a known criminal is found viciously killed, she finds herself trailing a hit-man who has seemed to escape clutches again and again…but she begins to find herself drawn to his dark charms and roguish good looks…

As their two worlds collide, Aodhan and Arianwen find themselves coming together to escape a far greater enemy, one that threatens to create a world far worse than the one they live in. As they battle to hold back the oncoming forces, fate has another plan; one to draw them together and heal their broken pasts together…

Here's an excerpt to tantilize your taste buds:

He paced along speedily, hands shoved deep in the pockets of his jeans. The sounds of the night surrounded him--distant cat song, the steady hum of far-off cars, the soft sound of wind whistling underneath people’s windows. He loved being out at night, not because it was a time when his ‘kind’ were more active, but simply because it was so much quieter than the day. The sounds of people rushing around disappeared, and left a peaceful calm with the soothing darkness.

Of course, there were the voices in his head, but that was another story.

He shrugged his shoulders up, cutting off the wind whistling around his neck. He wasn’t particularly cold, but the noise was annoying when your ears were so sensitive that a pin dropping could sound like a two-ton weight.

Aodhan’s mind went back to the girl from the bar. He hadn’t meant to be so brisk with her, but it was really best that no-one got that close. He…didn’t do well with people any more. They always brought back memories of simpler times, of her. And besides that…he killed people. People who wouldn’t die if they hadn’t found out about them…

Aodhan was a demon.

A rare demon, as well, a shadow demon. He had been born to a Scottish clan just over eight-hundred years ago, to humans. Contrary to what he saw people believed in the media and books, demons were actually born to humans. There was no line of them, like vampires or werewolves. They were simply…random.

When he had been born, there were no noticeable signs of what he was. He just looked like any of the other babies born to them, strong and healthy, but definitely human.

As he grew older, he had shown great proficiency with all weapons, learning faster than any of the other boys in the clan. Even some of the boys older than him had a hard time keeping up. He was never big-headed about it though, simply trying to fit in with everyone else. However, the clan talked about how the strange-eyed boy was so much quicker and stronger than others twice his age, and whispered about ancient gods coming back to the earth. His looks weren’t too odd for his clan, everyone having black, brown, or auburn hair. But his eyes were odd. All others in his clan had mostly blue eyes; some of them had brown eyes. But he had startling clear green ones, more like a cat than a human.

When he was thirteen, he suddenly began developing strange growths near his temples. After going to see the clan’s wise woman about it, she simply cackled, and whispered, “Those who are given the gift of darkness, should not fear the unknown.” He had shaken off the wise woman’s words, telling himself that she had finally gone crazy.

The growths had developed further, until they started to look like small dark horns, about the length of his thumb. They curled close to the curve of his head, smooth with small ridges forming at each stage of their growth. Luckily, Aodhan’s hair grew wild and long, allowing him to cover them up as much as he could.

By the time his twentieth year was reached, he was a well-loved member of his clan. He was kind and helpful to all, and helped to fight off their enemies more times than he could count on both hands. But he was holding a dreadful secret from his clan. Since his horns had grown, he had also noticed many other things.

He had begun to...see things. Shadows.

When he was out hunting in the forest near to their home, he would think that he had seen someone moving in the trees behind him. But when he swung around to face them…nothing. Then he would hear a soft chuckle, his name being called on the wind. At night, in his bed as he tried to sleep, he would see black figures running around the walls.

He had tried to tell the wise woman of the village again, thinking them to be spirits sent to drive him mad, or something worse. She simply shook her head at him, and chuckled, rocking herself to and fro. He had got used to the shadows by now, drawing the blanket up over his head so that he couldn’t hear their taunting murmurs....

Aodhan suddenly stopped walking, snapping out of his daydream. He was sure he had seen one of...them. Looking all around, he scanned the buildings with his vivid eyes. The problem with them was that they could hide anywhere they chose--walls, buildings, floors, anywhere--especially at night.

The red brick buildings around him looked empty, the few alleyways just leading alongside the backs of houses, a small number of bins scattered about. No-one else was walking near him on the pavement, no sound anywhere.

Just as he was about to turn around and carry on walking, pulling his jacket up again, he heard something behind him. Something whispery and cold.

“Aodhan...”

All images and writing related to Vigilante of Shadows is copyright and property of Moon Rose Publishing, and may not be copied, reproduced, or used in any form, digital or print, without the express written permission of Moon Rose Publishing

Vigilante of Shadows Release Day Giveaway

Miranda was born in Guisborough, North Yorkshire in 1987 and has lived in various places around Britain, including Newcastle and Glasgow.

Her writing is inspired by various writers, including the vivid characters of Charles Dickens, the imagination of Stephen King, and the gothic imagery of Anne Rice.

Her love of horror began at an early age, when she was only three or four. She could read proficiently at the age of three, and devoured fairy-stories, but she always had a bent towards the darker stories, such as the Brother's Grimm's tales...Red Riding Hood was always a firm favourite, although she always felt sorry for the wolf, despite him having tried to eat everyone!

What can I write to inspire you? A few thoughts: from Jane Myers Perrine

Today I have the esteemed pleasure of presenting a guest blog post by Jane Myers Perrine. 

 Award-winning writer Jane Myers Perrine has worked as a Spanish teacher, minister, cook, rifle instructor, program director in a state hospital, and been an active volunteer but she always wanted to write.   Finally, she found time and has published books with  Avalon Books, Steeple Hill Love Inspired, and FaithWords, a division of Hachette Book Group.  Her short pieces have appeared in the Houston Chronicle and Woman’s World magazine.   

Jane’s Butternut Creek series is about a young minister serving in the beautiful Hill Country of Texas and is filled with affection and humor.  The Welcome Committee of Butternut Creek, the first book in the series, was published in April, 2012.  The Matchmakers of Butternut Creek is available today November 20, 2012.  The third book, The Wedding Planners of Butternut Creek will be available in late 2013.

With her minister husband George, Jane lives north of Austin where their lives are controlled by two incredibly spoiled tuxedo cats. 

Jane has graciously stopped by my blog to give us a few inspiring words for those of us still "aspiring", those of us who aspired and made it but need some new inspiration, and those among us who need a reminder on what this is really all about.

 I wrote for nearly twenty years—yes TWENTY years--before I sold.   I still have a rejection letter dated 1981. 

Often, I was so close to selling.  Then publishing line closed or the senior editor didn’t approve or the book just “wasn’t right for our line.”   In the years between 1981 and 1999, it wasn’t easy to keep up my self-esteem or conviction that I could write, that I had even an iota of talent.

Have you been there?

So how did I go from that to a place I never hoped to reach even in my most optimistic dreams?   I have a three-book contract with Hachette Book Group which came with a lovely advance and is about a place—Butternut Creek—I love to visit.

First, I had to become serious about writing.  Fifteen years after that first rejection letter, I realized I liked being able to say I was a writer even though I was really a Spanish teacher who liked to write.   During that time, I hadn’t grown as an author.  I  approached writing casually, thinking that, because I wrote, I might publish.    The turning point for me was the realization one summer that everyone in my RWA chapter was at the national conference in New York City—but I wasn’t.  Why not?

I had to become more intentional.  What did I want and how would I get it?

The goal?  to publish.  To do that, I needed to work on it deliberately.

After making the decision to change, I started going to workshops.  I bought tapes of national workshops and listening to them while I drove to work and back.  There are some I can still recite for you.  I learned by osmosis, sucking in the information. 

Second, I had to risk.  I joined a critique group and entered contests.  I showed myself naked and vulnerable to others and allowed them to rip me apart.   I even welcomed the humiliation and pain.  Ususally.  Taking in all the comments, I learned and grew.  Took a while, but four years after my decision, I finaled in a contest for the first time.  A year later, I was a Golden Heart Finalist.  Before I sold that book, I’d either won or finaled in nearly thirty contest with seven different books.  I’ve sold three of those since.

The path hasn’t always been easy.  I thought I’d arrived when I sold my sixth and seventh books—the third and fourth Love Inspired—on a two-book contract at a time companies weren’t offering two-book contracts.  However, my third editor hated—yes, I do mean hated—my writing and wouldn’t buy anything else.

So I started over.

Which is point number three:   be willing to start over, to re-invent yourself.  I fired my agent, hired another, and, three years later after submitting to several publishers with all kinds of books, signed the contract with FaithWords.  I now write women’s fiction of 100,000 words instead of genre at 55,000 words.  I’ve published in traditional Regency, contemporary, Western historical, inspirational, and women’s fiction—inventing myself over and over, writing many types and lengths of books.  All that paid off.

My career has not been the most prolific:  ten books in eleven years.  It’s been a series of jumps and stops, of elation and defeat but I’m writing books I love and am proud of.  I’ve met wonderful people along the way but the best part is when people tell me, “I love your books.  They make me laugh.”  There truly is nothing better than that.

There are other tips I could give but I’ll stop and share the most important advice and the only real and eternal truth about publishing:   if you keep writing, you may publish.  If you stop writing, you will never publish.   No editor from a big-six publishing company is going to call and ask you to write for them.   No top agent is going to knock on your door and say she can get you a six-figure advance if you’ll just send her your WIP. 

            No, there is only one way to publish and that is to stay active.  Keep writing, keep improving, keep submitting, keep learning and risking  Aspire to publish.  Stay positive.   But, most important:  Keep writing!  

Undaunted, the Widows of Butternut Creek continue their search to find a bride for Pastor Adam in The Matchmakers of Butternut Creek, the second of the Butternut Creek series.

For once, Adam and the Widows—the elderly ladies who run the church Adam serves--agree on something.  Gussie Milton is the perfect woman for him.  But Gussie is skittish after a traumatic experience in college.  Oh, sure, she'd like a relationship but has trouble trusting and throws herself into caring for her aging parents, running her photography business, and serving the church.   As Adam court Gussie, the Widows push and Gussie shies away.   Can the Widows' meddling change the couple's lives forever?  Here’s a hint:  the third book in the series has the title The Wedding Planners of Butternut Creek.

 For more information on Jane and her books please stop by her website!

Every Word is a Step on our Journey - by Author Nicole Flockton

Today I have the privilage of having author Nicole Flockton stopping by to do a guest blog post. She shares with us a brief look into her journey to publication. Her debut novel, MASQUERADE, released October 22nd. Congratulations Nicki and thanks for stopping by!

 As writers we embark on a journey with our characters. Every word we type, every thought we have is always about our characters. How to get them from the very beginning to the amazing end where they will live in blissful harmony. 

 It’s exactly the same for us, writers, on our road to publication.

 My journey started somewhat differently I think than others – or maybe my beginning has been the same as some others. I remember in fourth grade writing a story “My Trip Down the Plug Hole”. It was probably my first foray into creative writing that I can remember. Was that the story that started the bug to write in me? I’m not sure. Maybe.

 Let’s fast forward quite a few years and I’d read any number of romance books. I dabbled with the odd start every now and then. Something about a particular story struck me and I thought maybe I could do this. I gave them creative titles so no one looking at my computer would know I was trying to write a novel, for instance one title was “Black Cat”.

 The writing bug fully hit me when I lucked upon the “Rec Room” and “Alternate Realties” threads of the eharlequin.com community forum. There I met a great group of girls and we started writing an adventure. A time travel, historical, modern day story where we were saved by hunky men who would do anything for us.

 My first manuscript came from an idea of a woman standing at a party surrounded by people but being all alone at the same time. I completed that manuscript after I had my daughter and it kind of languished on my computer for a while. I wasn’t sure what to do with it. How to edit it. But all I knew was one day I would like to get that story published.

 This is where finding help became important. That help came in the form of Romance Writers of Australia. I joined that organisation in 2003. But didn’t really start working on my craft until 2006 when I joined a critique group. That was when my learning started. That first manuscript was picked over, analysed, commented and in the end, the whole story got a re-write. I remember scraping everything after the fourth chapter and starting over – falling in love with my characters again and writing the story that I was meant to write. I just had to unlock it fully from my brain.

 Now three years after I gutted that story, I’ve sold. Not that story – not yet. But my second story – which is Masquerade.

 So what have I learned on my journey? Well I’ve learned that whatever road you travel, like your characters, you’ll take the odd wrong turn. You’ll have deleted 30,000 words that had taken 30,000 minutes to get. But in the end it will be worth it when you see your name on the cover of a book, be it print or e-book. You’ve done it. You’ve got your ending like your characters.

 BUT it’s only the beginning because you’ll have more characters you want to take on that journey and THAT is the greatest thing about being a writer/author. The adventures and romance will never end.

 

For just one vote a day, you can help a starving writer win a contest...

It's been a while since I threw up a non-Aspire and Inspire type blog post. This one's with a twist. I'm asking for some help from the 3 of you who follow this blog. For some ridiculous reason, more than likely insanity, I entered a writing contest online with Harlequin called "So You Think You Can Write".

The voting is open as of 6pm CDT October 1, 2012 and runs through October 11, 2012. The general public can place a vote for their favorite entry once a day through the run of the contest.

The first round of judging is done by the public. The top 25 entries with the most votes move on to the next round where full manuscripts get requested.

So if you wouldn't mind helping a gal out by tossing a vote my way, I'd heart you forever. If I make it to the next round I will post a "Gangnam Style" video of my celebration for your viewing pleasure.

If I don't make it to the next round, a "Gangnam Style" video of my disappointment will be put on loop for your punishment.

I may even Kermit Flail or Lambeau Leap for you if I win!

Here's the link, off with you now and set your timers for 6pm tonight (well those of you in the US Central Time zone anyway).

http://www.soyouthinkyoucanwrite.com/manuscripts/bound/