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Saturday, May 25, 2013

Cat-urday! - Coffee & Tea

 Yes, it's...



For all the coffee addicts out there!!!


 

 

And one for the tea drinkers!


Thursday, May 23, 2013

GUEST AUTHOR: Rowena May O'Sullivan

I first met Rowena May O'Sullivan several years ago at a Romance Writers of New Zealand conference. We were finalists together in the Clendon Award, a full length manuscript contest for unpublished writers.

To my utter delight I discovered we shared a love for paranormal romance, and I was so thrilled when I heard that Crimson Romance was going to publish one of Rowena's PR manuscripts...but I'll let her tell you more about it and the love she has for this genre.

Please welcome Rowena to my blog!

Rowena May O’Sullivan is a writer of paranormal romance and romantic comedy. My first memory of wanting to become a writer was as a child after reading my very first full-length book, Heidi. From there came the Famous Five series. After that it was a wonderful journey as I made my way through all the books on the library shelves, all the while thinking, I’d love to be able write books. At night I would lie in bed with the lights off making up stories and telling them to my sister before drifting off to sleep. Eventually I discovered romance. I love romantic comedy and paranormal romance. I love a great relationship story. I love magic and humor. I love anything quirky. So it only seemed natural to pen these types of books.

One night I dreamed the first book in my paranormal Greenwood Witches series, which eventually became The Silver Rose. From there, The Jade Dragon, Alanna and Gregori’s story was born. I hope you enjoy reading their story as much as I enjoyed writing it.

I’m currently working on Book 3 in my Greenwood Witches trilogy, Beth and Goran’s story.

About your book:
Title: The Jade Dragon
Release Date: 20 May 2013
Publisher: Crimson Romance
Hero: Gregori Rousseau
Heroine:  Alanna Greenwood
Setting: Raven's Creek and Cabasson (South of France)

Ensorcelled in a jade dragon, Warlock Gregori has a secret that could destroy his future with the one woman who could save him from turning rogue.
Charged with guarding the jade dragon, Alanna is shocked when Gregori shatters not only the stone imprisoning him, but also the invisible barriers she has placed around herself to hide a secret far greater than his.
A secret that could destroy not only her close relationship with her sisters, but also her life as a witch and most of all, any hope of a future with Gregori.
Sensuality Level: Sensual 

Rowena, what is it about the paranormal romance genre that intrigues you the most?
I believe that if the imagination can create something then surely, it exists.  My father read a lot about extra-terrestial visitations and practiced hypnotism in my younger years and this definitely had an influence, but it wasn’t until I took a book out of the library in my early 20’s that I became hooked on reading paranormal books (I don’t think it was called that).  It’s also freeing to write about worlds where the only boundaries are those you create yourself.

What challenges did you face publishing in this genre?
The biggest challenge, apart from actually writing those books, which is not easy – it can be like drawing blood from a stone – is getting a publisher, editor or agent to actually read your work.  They receive thousands of manuscripts from writers the world over and you need to be able to stand out or present the best manuscript you can in order to be read.

A good way, and this worked for me, is to enter competitions.  If you final, you’ll end up on an editor or agent’s desk.  Finalling also gives you confidence. You begin to think, “someone actually liked it enough to mark it high enough to final.”  That in itself provides validation for all those lonely hours sitting at the desk lost in your own world as you piece your story together.

Which authors have inspired you in your own writing? Or which ones do you enjoy reading?
I was inspired very early on. The first book I ever received as a gift was Heidi.  It was the very first full book I ever read.  Then came The Famous Five and that’s when I started trying to write my own adventures when I was approximately eight, nine, ten.

 I began to pester my parents for a typewriter and I actually saved for one and bought a very decrepit one when I was twelve.  I loved that typewriter and kept writing little stories, mostly children’s stories (I don’t know where they are now) until that typewriter died.

The kernel was born there, but it wasn’t until my son was about seven that I really put pen to paper and wrote a couple of short romances that finalled in Women’s Day competitions and I discovered Romance Writers of New Zealand around the same time.  I attended a meeting and “hey presto” I found a niche where I felt I belonged.

There are so many authors that inspire me that it’s difficult to name anyone as every book I’ve ever read has influenced me in some way.

When you get a chance to relax, what do you like to do?
 I often go to see my son, daughter-in-law and wee grandson, who has just turned one, as he learns to swim. Family is the most important thing in my world. Family, friends and reading a really good book!  Heaven! 

Five Minutes with Rowena 
I do a lot of staring out the window. I love to read, to disappear into other worlds. I wander off mid-thought often! I think life should be more like a musical. Quiet, introspective and yet strangely noisy and annoying. I’m prone to break out into song, even at work. My workmates are ecstatic I only know the first lines of songs. 

Fav.must-read author/s: There are too many to mention! Suffice to say I’ll read just about anything.
On my bookshelves at home I have: Jill Barnett, Janet Evanovich, Rachel Gibson, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Kristan Higgins, Nalini Singh, Kim Harrison, Charlaine Harris, Kylie Griffin and Liann Hearn, plus so many more! 

For relaxation you like to: Zone out with a good book or watch television. I love stories! Sleeping on the couch seems to be a favourite as well! 

Fav.colour: That amazing colour blue the sky goes at sunset.

Dream holiday destination: Greek Islands – I went there when I was 21 and fell in love.  I’m still waiting to return. Sigh. 


Hunkiest Actor: Joe Manganiello who plays Alcide in True Blood!


 

 





(Rowena says - This is taken from Chapter Four.  Gregori has just broken free of the Jade Dragon and Alanna doesn’t know what to do with him.)

She spread out a sheet on the cobblestones and rolled him, with a lot of shoving and pulling and pushing, onto it. Then she gathered the ends of the material at one end between her fists and dragged him across the courtyard, kicking shards of jade out of the way with her slippers. Even with the sheet protecting his body, he was sure to have grazes over his behind and legs.
“It’s just as well I lug stone around for a living,” Alanna huffed as she lugged Gregori towards the Gallery. Even more so now that she couldn’t use her powers to levitate an object at will. “You’re a dead weight!” she grunted, finally making it to the French doors. “I don’t know what you did,” she sputtered as she pulled with all her might, taking small backward steps through the Gallery, avoiding precious work by both her sisters and other artists, towards the office. “But I’m not taking any chances. Witches’ Oath be damned! Once you’re out of the cold and I’ve got your privates covered—and they’re the best bits I’ve ever seen—I’m going to get hold of Rosa, Beth, Goran, whoever, and spill the beans big time.”
She could do with some magic right now. She’d conjure up a replica dragon, perch it outside and fix those damned courtyard walls. Those without magic wouldn’t have a clue. Only Rosa, Beth, Aden, and Goran would notice the difference. At least she needed a way to make Gregori invisible while she came up with a plan.
She tugged steadily towards the small office tucked away out of sight where the sisters could rest, make a drink and take care of administrative matters. The daybed had come in handy on many an occasion. Lugging him upstairs was not an option. She had visions of losing hold and of him tumbling down the stairs, head over ass, to lie in a broken heap at the bottom.
“No. Not a good picture,” she mumbled as she heaved a final time into the office. She studied the daybed and then Gregori. “Not going to happen either,” she mumbled and let the sheet drop and Gregori’s head connected with a loud thud on the floor.
Alanna cringed and gnashed her teeth. “Witches’ Warts with knobs on!”
 
*
Gregori heard muttering. Disgruntled muttering.
“Damn stupid warlock! What the hell did you have to go and do that for?”
“Damn” and “stupid” in the same sentence didn’t sit well in his foggy head. He ought to protest he was neither. He attempted to open his eyes, but they refused to obey. He willed his arm to move. It resisted. He tried to speak. Nothing. Unfortunately, his ears were working. The grunting and swearing continued. If he could talk, he would have been far more explicit in his choice of words, especially the moment his head connected with something hard and unresisting.
“How the hell am I going to explain you to my sisters?”
He likely had a concussion as well as the odd paralysis that prevented him from moving or responding.
“Sorry,” Alanna said. He knew her voice. Her scent.
He would have laughed if he could have. Her apology was belated and only half-hearted. Don’t ever apologize. Never reveal your weaknesses.
A mere bump on the head was the least of his concerns. His physical body wasn’t working, and—he checked momentarily—neither was his magic. Clearly, his mind was intact. He could hear and feel everything that was happening. Not unlike his imprisonment in the dragon. The cynic in him was both amused and irritated. It was fitting, he supposed, that his final prison should take the form of a small, lethal dragon of Marylebone. 

You can find out more about Rowena on her website & by subscribing to her newsletter, or follow her on Facebook, Twitter or Goodreads. 

 

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

NEW AUTHOR SERIES: Alissa Callen

Time for a new series, and what an exciting one it is - New Authors!

All the featured authors are from the Romance Writers of Australia or Romance Writers of New Zealand, and have just been or are newly published with the digital imprints of Australian publishing houses like - Random House, Harlequin, Penguin and Pan Macmillan.

This week, please welcome Alissa Callen.

When Alissa Callen isn’t writing she plays traffic controller to four children, three dogs, two horses and one renegade cow who really does believe the grass is greener on the other side of the fence.

Once a teacher and a counsellor, she remains interested in the life journeys that people take. She also is partial to historic homesteads and country gardens and has been known to drive hours to see an open garden.

She currently lives on a small slice of rural Australia in central western New South Wales.

Title – BENEATH OUTBACK SKIES
Release Date – 1/2/13
Publisher – Random House Australia

Call Story - For a long time I wrote as an isolated writer before discovering Romance Writers of Australia. Via such a fabulous organization I’ve made lifelong friends as well as honed my craft.

At the 2012 Gold Coast Conference Harlequin announced Escape Publishing and Random House their digital-first romance list. So post-conference I sent out stories like they were Christmas cards and since then have been lucky enough for all my submission-stars to align.

WHAT LOVE SOUNDS LIKE came out with Escape Publishing (Harlequin) 10th January, 2013; and BENEATH OUTBACK SKIES as a launch title for the Random Romance (Random House) list soon after.

About your book: 
Hero - Tait Cavanaugh 
Heroine - Paige Quinn 
Setting - Outback, NSW, Australia 


BENEATH OUTBACK SKIES excerpt

Chapter One
‘Unless this city-boy is on a first-name basis with the rain gods, I’m not showing him around Banora Downs.’
    Paige Quinn’s quiet, measured words fell like much needed rain into the silence of her father’s study.
    ‘I know how hard you work, how busy you are, but I’ve given my word this man can stay.’ Lines of tension mapped Connor Quinn’s creased features. His strong shoulders were braced beneath the red-checked cotton of his best shirt. ‘Possum ... I’m sorry.’
    Her Akubra crumpled beneath her tight grip. She’d been out droving hungry cattle in the long paddock for a fortnight. In such a time it looked as though her father had aged a decade.
    ‘It’s okay, Dad. You can’t control fate. Can’t make life fair.’
    Her gentle tone failed to return colour to her father’s hollowed cheeks. They both knew she wasn’t talking about the endless blistering Australian summer.
    ‘We can do this. We can survive.’ Conviction echoed in her words like her footsteps upon the floorboards as she approached her father’s desk. ‘Just as we’ve always done. Just the two of us.’ She placed her hat upon the time-worn mahogany. ‘We don’t need some paying guest’s cash.’
    She may as well have been talking to one of the garden statues that now presided over old tools in the shed instead of lush lawns and fragrant flower beds. The only movement in her father’s expression was his eyes as they glanced from her face to her hat. She shifted on her feet. The sun-bleached felt would look pristine compared to her own torn-around-the-edges appearance. Her faded emerald-green shirt was caked in ochre dust, her jeans so stiff they could walk by themselves to the laundry.
    Her father lowered his hands and the sinews of his forearms flexed as he manoeuvred his wheelchair out from behind the desk. He rolled to a stop before her.
    ‘Yes, we do. We haven’t had a wheat crop for five years. We’ve few cattle left to sell.’ She steeled herself so the reality of how much they did have left wouldn’t show on her face. ‘This drought has hit us hard. We need money to eat ... to live.’
    She swallowed down her hunger. The meagre slice of toast she’d eaten around her dawn campfire was little more than a memory.
    ‘We’ll make do. You know what happened with the last city-slicker. He had three showers a day and drained the tank. Not to mention our phone bill because his mobile didn’t have reception. Then as for the time he went for a walk and we had to organize a bloody search party…’ She knelt to grasp her father’s hands. ‘This man will be just the same. He’ll be nothing but trouble. We don’t have the diesel to drive him to town. We don’t have the cash for his lobster and caviar.’
    ‘If it helps,’ a deep-timbered voice sounded from the doorway behind her, ‘I’m allergic to seafood.’

Any upcoming releases? I'm currently working on a small town series based around a country town that holds an annual Elvis festival. Fingers crossed the first book in this series will hit cyber-shelves before the end of 2013. I also am working on another full length rural novel.

Thank you, Kylie, so much for having me.
It's been a pleasure, Alissa!

You can find out more about Alissa on her website, or follow her on Facebook.

Sunday, May 19, 2013

GUEST BLOGGING over at Totes Bags 'n' Blogs!

Procrastination or Research - come find out how an art department, an author (me), an editor and cover artist create a fantasy romance book cover.

There's a special giveaway too!


Just a reminder!

Don't forget this week Karly Lane, Cathryn Hein and I will be trekking to Taree (NSW, Australia) to take part in an author panel at Taree Regional Library!

Hope to see you there!




Saturday, May 18, 2013

Saturday Seven! (Wild Encounter)

It's Saturday Seven!

WILD ENCOUNTER by Nikki Logan is a gritty, tension filled romantic suspense set in Africa. Anyone who enjoys a kidnap/strong heroine/mystery hero story line this is for you!

Clare and her precious cargo of wild dogs have just been kidnapped by poachers and they've reached their final destination. She's identified the leader as Alpha and he's imprisoned her in a room to keep her safe from the others...
A dangerous smile curved his lips. "I know you speak English, because you swear like an Irish gaurd. Again, what's your name?"
Clare doubted even her Da would have used the word she spat back at him.
The smile chilled. "Tell me your name."
An old joke from vet school fought its way into her mind. "Ana."
"Ana what?"
Her chin went up defiantly. "Phalaxis."
The smile disappeared along with all the aitr in the room as he stepped father into it. She couldn't help but stumble back.

WILD ENCOUNTER
In the wild, even love takes its chances.
A wildlife release mission in Africa turns deadly when the convoy is hijacked by smugglers, and veterinarian Clare Delaney is taken hostage. Terrified for her life and her animals, the intrepid Clare establishes a rapport with the man she believes is the criminals’ leader, and reluctantly finds herself under his protection…and falling hard for the enigmatic man.
Alpha-to-the-max Simon deVries sees right through his sexy captive’s attempt to seduce her way to freedom. So when their simmering attraction flares into true passion, it takes them both by surprise. Now he’s torn between completing his secret mission and letting her escape without telling her his true identity. He knows if he lets her go, he will be risking his career, his life…and his heart.

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Booksellers Best Award finalist!



Some great news to share - an email arrived from the Greater Detroit RWA Booksellers Best Award  organiser to inform me VENGEANCE BORN is a finalist in the Paranormal/Time Travel/Futuristic section AS WELL AS the Best First Book section. Woohoo!!!

Results announced at the BBA Reception on July 17 following the RWAmerica Literacy Signing.