My Newest Guest: Jan Meredith!

I want to welcome Jan Meredith. First I’d love you to introduce yourself.

Thank you so much for having me here today! Hey, everyone! My name is Jan Meredith. I’m married to my high school sweet heart, have two grown sons, both of whom chose the same original career as me—registered nurse. I’m a true Southern gal and live eight miles from Mammoth Cave National Park, in Kentucky. And now, I’m an author!

Tell us about your latest release.

PLAYING DOCTOR is my debut release with Entangled Publishing’s super sexy imprint, Brazen, about Dr. Gabe North, who has spent the past two years dealing with over his wife’s death and is now ready to move on and Beth Roberts, RN, a survivor of domestic violence. After meeting at a wedding, they have a one-night-stand which turns into so much more.

I’m happy to say that the book has been the recipient of the 2014 HOLT Medallion Award of Merit for Best First Book and Best Romance Novella.

Now I have a few questions for you – I have found readers do like to know fun things about us writers.

1.) Who is your favorite villain – it can be from a book (even one of yours), movie or TV show. And why

Loki, because you never know what he’s going to do, and you can’t help but love him no matter what he does.

2.) Who is your favorite character out of your books? Why?

While I totally love Dr. Gabriel North from PLAYING DOCTOR, I have to say that Eve, from the follow up book, EDUCATING EVE is my favorite at the moment. First there’s her personality—she’s a bit eccentric, but that’s because she’s a writer. She’s very straight forward, has an awesome sense of humor that tends to drive the hero, Ian, a bit nuts, but doesn’t stop him from coming back for more. She’s loyal to the bone and has absolutely no time for drama.

3.) What genre do you write? What made you pick that one?

I write sexy contemporary romance. While I love reading paranormal and historical romance, I find that writing in present time works best for me.

4.) What are you working on now?

I’m working on the follow up book after PLAYING DOCTOR, a friends-to-lovers romance about the secondary characters, Eve Winters and Ian Montgomery, titled, EDUCATING EVE. Ian is a Navy SEAL home on leave to attend his brother’s wedding and let his injuries heal from his last mission while deciding where he wants to go with his military career. Eve is an erotic romance author, but due to her less than satisfying love life, is having problems penning her love scenes. I think you can see where things go from here!

5.) What got you to start writing?

I’ve been a lover of romance novels since my teens, but I didn’t really get into them until the 80’s with the introduction of the sexier Silhouette Desire and Loveswept imprints. I couldn’t stop reading them and one day decided to try my hand at writing one. It’s tucked away in a boot box with a whole bunch of red mark-ups from my “unofficial” agent at the time. One day, I plan to pull it out, dust it off and give it a rewrite and make it a part of a series I plan to write.

6.) Where do you get your ideas from?

Oh, gosh, so many places. I love music and have written entire scenes based on a song. I’m very visual, also, and a photograph can inspire anything from a scene to an idea for an entire book.

7.) What would people who read your work be surprised to find out about you?

That I met and fell in love with my husband when I was in the second grade when I saw him laughing on the school bus. We were high school sweethearts with an on-again/off-again/on-again romance that lasted through his stint in the Army…and is still going.

8.) Do you have any special talents?

I’m a total right brain person and constantly look for creative outlets. I quilt, not just by the block, but with all those pretty swirly designs. I decorate cakes, sew and make my own beaded shepherd’s hook and thong bookmarkers. I love my Photoshop Elements software, and totally enjoy making book teasers and covers.

9.) What was the one piece of advice you received when you were an aspiring author that has stuck with you? Why?

When I first began writing, I had this awesome story in mind, but struggled with trying to bend it to fit a particular publisher’s guidelines—very strict ones, and spent the majority of my time between constantly referring back to the list of “dos and don’ts” and staring at the blinking cursor in fear that what I wanted to write wouldn’t fit into their mold. It drove me crazy.

I received very valuable advice from several writers, both aspiring and published that really helped, but still found myself unable to get my story down. Finally, my eldest son stepped up and said, “Stop writing for a faceless publisher, forget the guidelines and tell your story the way you need to tell it, then work it out with your editor after you sell the book. The main thing is to write it.” He was absolutely right. Yes, the edits were extensive, but between myself, Heather Howland, Tahra Seplowin and Kerri-Leigh Grady, we did it, and came away with an award winning book.

10.) If you could talk to any famous figure (present, past or fictional) who would it be and what would you talk about?

I would love to sit down with the late John F. Kennedy, to see what he has to say about the state of the world now and how he would attempt to make it better.

11.) What song would you say describes your life?

Wow, tough question. As a lover of pop, rock and metal, there are too many choices to settle on just one. I do have a habit of greeting the mid-shift doctor in the ER with, “Follow me into the jungle,” so I guess it would be, Jamie N. Commons and X Ambassadors, JUNGLE. Plus, I just like the song!

12.) If you could come back as any animal – what would it be?

A bird. They’re free, depend on no one and best of all, they can fly.

Blurb:

One night with a sexy stranger is just what the doctor ordered...

When a fellow RN predicts Beth Roberts will meet a tall, ripped, and totally lick-o-licious stranger who will fulfill her deepest desires, she laughs it off. Given her tragic love life, Beth has no desire to become involved again. But who could have predicted the doctor with the mischievous smile she meets at a wedding, or the chemistry sparking between them that threatens to break through her defenses?

Dr. Gabriel North spent two years blaming himself for his wife’s death. Having finally battled through the guilt and overcome his demons, he’s ready to move on. When he meets a sexy nurse at his friend’s wedding, the attraction is swift and strong, and he wastes no time in pressing his advantage. One night with the woman who makes him feel alive again isn’t enough, but gaining Beth’s trust is going to take more than seduction…

Excerpt: PLAYING DOCTOR

Taking advantage of the quiet moment and the opportunity to get off her feet, Beth chose a table under one of the huge white reception tents and took a seat, then immediately wished she had stopped at the bar for a bottle of water. She pulled the band from her ponytail and gave her hair a quick finger-comb as she glanced around, hoping to catch one of the wait staff. Instead, she saw Dr. North, his long legs quickly eating up the distance between them with a sexy, loose-hipped stride that made her mouth water and start up a whole different kind of thirst.

He had a drink in each hand and an expression of pure male determination on a face that was melt-your-thong handsome, and yes, a faint cleft bisected his chin, as if his maker had reached out and gently tapped him with a let him be a hottie finger.

He stopped at her table and grinned, the same sex-you-up grin he’d given her earlier that shifted her hormones into high gear all over again.

Beth bit back a groan. Ground, just open up and swallow me whole. What in the world had she been thinking, doing that eye flirty-thingy with him? It was just a game, payback for the sizzling once-over he’d given her earlier. He wasn’t supposed to follow up on it for crying out loud, and he definitely had a follow up on it look in his eye. There had been no time for embarrassment while working on Albert, but now here he stood, larger than life and twice as sexy.

Without waiting for an invitation, Gabe dropped onto the chair beside Beth and slid one of the tall, sweating glasses in front of her. “Now that we have Albert squared away and his family reassured, let’s say we start over? Hi, I’m Gabriel North.”

Gabriel, huh? Earlier, while working over Albert, it had been Gabe. Now it was Gabriel. Bet he used that on all the girls, and ten-to-one, it worked every time. Beth managed to tear her gaze away from the most gorgeous pair of brown eyes she’d ever seen and looked down at the hand he held out to her. She slid her palm over his, totally unprepared for the frisson of heat that moved over her skin when his fingers closed around hers.

“Beth Roberts,” she replied around what felt like a bale of cotton in her mouth. She pulled her hand from his and reached for her glass, the condensation a cool shock against fingers still sizzling from his touch.

Beneath the table, his thigh brushed hers and then lingered, igniting a shimmer of warmth under her skin. A flicker of apprehension coursed through her, then quickly faded and she relaxed. In the four years since being subjected to Jamie’s abuse, she’d gotten past shying away from men in general. She no longer flinched at a sudden move or expected to be shoved out of the way during times of unexpected close proximity. She didn’t know Gabriel, but felt oddly at ease with him, sensing nothing threatening or presumptuous in his actions. It was as though he simply…belonged. Working alongside someone, fighting to pull life back into another human formed a common bond between people—even if those people had been heavily eye-flirting only moments before, she thought grimly.

“Thank you for the drink.” She picked up the glass, took a cautious sip.

“Water and lemon. I didn’t know your preference, and it seemed the safest choice.”

Beth watched as he lifted his glass to his mouth and drank deeply. She swallowed as if the cool liquid was sluicing down her own suddenly parched throat and wondered how the simple act of water sliding past his lips could appear so erotic. And the way he licked it from his lips—not a regular old dart-and-swish, mind you, but a leisurely swipe of his tongue, and she could almost feel the rasp of it along the seam of her…

Heat, dark and rich, infused her sex. She shifted in her chair and tipped her hips down in attempt to relieve the ache building there, only to find it heightened the sensation.

“It’s not very comfortable, is it?”

Blinking, Beth watched Gabe’s mouth curl into a slight smile. When she looked up, a glint of amused hunger brightened his eyes.

He knows. He knows what he’s doing to me. How freaking embarrassing! And how incredibly hot.

She cleared her throat. “I’m sorry?” Was that her voice, all breathy and sultry?

He paused, studied her for a moment, and then said, “The chair…it’s not very comfortable.”

Relief washed over her, quickly followed by a touch of disappointment. Had she misread him? “No, no it isn’t.” To prove it, Beth shifted again and crossed her legs. She groaned inwardly when the change of position rubbed her thighs and the needy territory between them together, intensifying her little problem.

“Sometimes,” Gabe started thoughtfully, turning his glass in small half circles on the tabletop and drawing her attention there. His broad thumb streaked the condensation on the glass and then paused to slowly circle one small area. Beth scrunched down a little and squeezed her thighs together. 
“Sometimes, you have to find just the right…spot.”

Clench!

“Yes, well,” Beth clamped her fingers around her glass. Her toes curled inside her shoes. She shifted slightly, dragging her gaze up from the motion of his thumb on the glass. Warm, observant eyes looked back at her, full of promise and possibilities. Well. Maybe she hadn’t misread him after all. “Fortunately, I won’t be sitting on it for long.”

“Fortunately,” he agreed solemnly.

Beth’s eyes narrowed. Were his lips twitching? Frowning, she willed her body to behave. Easier said than done, with that hard length of muscled thigh pressing against hers each time either of them moved. “You were saying?”

Web page: http://www.janmeredithauthor.com/  [has buy links]

FB Author page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jan-Meredith-Author/180907778724775

FB Time Line: https://www.facebook.com/jan.meredith.121

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JanMeredith21

TSU: https://www.tsu.co/JanMeredith

Please Welcome My Newest Guest: G. D. Ogan!

I want to welcome G.D. Ogan. First I’d love you to introduce yourself.

While now a "senior citizen," I'm somewhat of a novice when it comes to writing fiction. However, I wrote a good deal during my 20+ years in the service on military procedures, and during a second career in the field of psychology, as well as writing for automotive and running magazines (for fun).

Tell us about your latest release.

"Immortal Relations Coming Out" is the third in my paranormal romance "Immortal Relations" series. While each book stands alone, I think it's best to read the second to get the most out of the third, since there is so much action in the second book that relates to the third. My guardian vampires, having saved mankind from nuclear war as well as two potential ecological disasters in the second book, are discussing "coming out" to the human population (telling them that vampires really do exist and its been these good vampires who have saved mankind). Being sworn to protect innocent humans from the blood-thirsty type of vampires as well as criminals and evil politicians, our good vampires set up a new coven in Southern Canada to monitor an evil regime that appears dedicated to destroying America. This same regime, has reason to believe that this group setting up shop in Canada was involved in defeating the Communist Chinese invasion of Siberia, so they are showing signs of being willing to attack the group in Canada. Things get "fast and furious" from this point forward, yet there is time for a good deal of love.

Now I have a few questions for you – I have found readers do like to know fun things about us writers.

1.) Who is your favorite villain – it can be from a book (even one of yours), movie or TV show. And why?

Vlad Dracula is normally portrayed as the ultimate villain in vampire books; however, in my novels he has been reformed (by his lovely wife of course) and is now a champion of the vampires seeking to safeguard innocent humans.

2.) Who is your favorite character out of your books? Why?

That is a close one! I love Vladimir Kolukov, who in the first book is the leading General Officer in the Russian Federation and later becomes a Field Marshal. In the second book, he is suffering from terminal cancer but accepts the offer tendered by our good vampires to "change" him in order to save Russian Siberia from a Chinese invasion. He quickly becomes the President of Russia when terrorists wipe out the Russian government. To watch him in action is to grow to love him! However, I have a vested interest in Gary Logan, the human who fell in love with a lady vampire and thus volunteered to become one himself in order to stay with her throughout eternity. Quirky and with thinking that is definitely "outside the box," Gary is often laughable in his efforts to please the two ladies who changed him. He considers his masters  much to their consternation. Yet when the proverbial poop hits the fan it is Gary's extensive military knowledge and out of-the-box thinking that allows the cavalry to arrive in time to save the day! Were it not for the fact that Gary's character is actually that of the author (myself) I think Kolukov might win out on favorite character.

3.) What do genre do you write? What made you pick that one?

When I was...what shall we call it..."transcribing" the first book (my muse was busy dictating the storyline and telling me all about each of the characters), I considered it a "kick-ass" action story. It was an editor who told me what I had was a "paranormal romance" (who knew?!). I bowed to his judgement so I call it paranormal action or his choice, paranormal romance (since that is one of the more normal categories).

4.) What are you working on now?

I've been toying with the idea for a book to be read to children about time-travel back to the age of dinosaurs. My six-year-old granddaughter is crazy about dinosaurs so I have a portion of a book drafted that puts her (and myself) in the action of helping a paleontologist friend design and construct a time-machine. Lots of action in this, even before an unexpected event causes the machine to whisk the three of us back in time. (that is as far as I've gotten to date). I have a good amount of research already done on which epoch we will visit and what proto-dinosaurs we will see before we move forward in time into the Jurassic...then there will be more action of the running and screaming kind I feel sure! (-:

5.) What got you to start writing?

I'm sure you've heard of "Writer's Block." I have the opposite problem, an over-active imagination (along with that "out-of-the-box-thinking") so I've always been day-dreaming and started writing down some of my thoughts fairly early. Being involved in long-distance running, I would submit articles about the events and these were routinely published in magazines like "The Long Distance Log" and my interest in automobiles had me writing for "Cruisin' Style Magazine"...I'd rather WRITE than speak, so I've gravitated to jobs that allowed me to do a lot of writing. Procedural writing in the military, including what to do in various emergency situations. I wrote treatment programs and then performed psychological intakes in a couple of my jobs with the Texas Prison System.  

6.) Where do you get your ideas from?

As mentioned above, my overactive imagination forces me to filter out the MANY ideas and scenarios fighting for attention and inclusion in my writings. With my military background as well as what is happening in this country and around the world, ideas are always popping into my consciousness, plus I do a lot of reading in diverse scientific and technical areas, as well as historical books to go along with my love of the paranormal genre. I'm just finishing up reading "Berlin Diary, The Journal of a Foreign Correspondent..." Being a student of history, with a love of reading about the causes of the madness of World War Two, this book helps fill in some of the missing events, glossed over by the large historical tomes. Granted, it is just one man's opinions of what went on; however, since he was working as a correspondent in the various capitals of Europe as the war-clouds gathered, the book provides an almost daily view of where the failures occurred and whose fault it was.  

7.) What would people who read your work be surprised to find out about you?

I think my strong feelings of patriotism come out in my writing; however, I'm very libertarian in many areas, especially in what I call "explicit togetherness," which I feel is a nicer term for "sex." I consider my series to be for "Open-Minded-Adults" (especially the first book, "Immortal Relations". http://amzn.com/B006ZCBT6G

8.) Do you have any special talents?

 Well, I used to be a fairly good long-distance-runner; however, too many miles on the legs forced me to give that up in my advancing age. I also was a fair shot with rifle and handgun, but my eyesight isn't what it used to be, although I can still cover seven shots on a target shot at 21 feet using my Custom1911 Colt .45 with a silver-dollar, using bullets I've loaded myself.

9.) What was the one piece of advice you received when you were an aspiring author that has stuck with you? Why?

Well I'll leave out the expletive, but I was told "Write what you like and don't let the b       's get you down!"

10.) If you could talk to any famous figure (present, past or fictional) who would it be and what would you talk about?

Sir Winston Churchill, I'd love to listen to him talk in detail about his part of WW-II. I firmly believe without his "bulldog" like tenacity and leadership, England and perhaps most, if not all of the civilized world would have fallen to the dictators in Germany, Japan and Italy. Dictators are on the rise around the world (and close to home) again and I'd certainly talk to him about that as well!

11.) What song would you say describes your life?

 While I think everyone goes through hard-times at some points in their lives (I know I have) but overall I would think Debussy's "Ode to Joy" is mine!

12.) If you could come back as any animal – what would it be?

One of our Pomeranians, we have loved those dogs like they were our own children and they have given us equal if not greater love in return!

Immortal Relations Coming Out continues the Immortal Relations series. After saving mankind from a war with the potential of going nuclear, as well as other potential disasters, the guardian vampires consider the positives and negatives of "coming out" to humans. But unforseen events make the discussion moot and threaten the existance of the guardians from several quarters. Just when all seems lost, a greater threat presents itself, providing our good vampires an opportunity to prove their worth once again to possibly change peoples views that vampires might not all be an evil threat.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&field-author=G.%20D.%20%20Ogan&search-alias=digital-text&sort=relevancerank

Cold Nights and Hot Reads Blog Hop

Oh my! It snowed here in so east VA and I was so caught up in the beauty I forgot to set this up last night! How bad is that?

I'm also excited to let everyone know that my book Honorbound is also on sale at ARe during the blog hop! Here's the link.https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-honorbound-566009-143.html

So here's the excerpt I promised...the chance to win will be below it.

Hidden Desire:

Heather and Storm have had their looks altered and are trying out for a Elite security team.

Excerpt:

She sensed him before she saw him. He must have sensed her too, because she saw him looking around. A smile spread across his face when he spotted her. Great, he was going to give her location away. It surprised her when he disappeared from sight. Then she felt his breath on the back of her neck.

“I see you have waited for me.” He slipped his arms around her.

“Not for you, Luprin, but for my partner.”

He pressed a kiss against her mark. She sucked in her breath as her body tightened. “I see you also learned my name.”

“Those handhelds have all kinds of information if you know where to look for it.” She turned in his arms. “They also seem to know everything we’re doing.”

“You mean things like this?” He captured her lips with his, pulling her up against him as he deepened the kiss. His tongue dipped into her mouth, caressing and searching for hers. They got lost in the sensations for a moment. He broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers. “I wish I could take advantage of this, but we have jobs to do.”

“So I need to be careful of being alone or you might take advantage?” She looked up at him and smiled. “I guess I’m going to have to find spots like this more often. How many times can I push before you come through on your promise?”

He grinned. His fingers slid along the seals of her uniform, opening the upper section enough for him to slip his fingers inside. “Oh, my heart, if you want to challenge me you know I’ll take that challenge.”

She felt his caresses all along her upper torso and knew where he was headed. She stepped back, trying to get him to pull his hand out. “Okay! Time to get to the task at hand.”

“I am.” He captured her lips with his once more while his fingers slipped into her folds. Her breath shortened as those caresses caused her heart to beat faster and her desire to spike. “This is just a taste of what I want to do to you, but I want to take my time with you, find out what you like, get to know you as intimately as possible.”

“You aren’t fighting fair.” Her voice came out soft as his hand continued to work its magic.

“I know.” His voice deep because he was as affected as she was. “They will give us a safe place to sleep tonight. Wait for me and I’ll give you so much more.” Storm captured her lips once more before he released her so she could pull her uniform back together.

Heather took a moment to compose herself. “I will pay you back for that.”

“I sure hope so.” He grinned devilishly. He looked over her head for a moment. “Looks like your partner has arrived.”

Heather turned to look. Loki was standing in the center of the area searching for her. When she turned back to Storm, he was gone. A sigh escaped her as she caught Loli’s attention. The young woman joined her in her hiding place.

“Um, you didn’t seal your uniform right.”

Heather looked down and grinned. Her mate was the only one who could break through her control, and he was having a little too much fun with this. “Right.”

So I have two things I'm asking one is easy - Heather's is now known as Nusi - who is Luprin? 

The second one is I'm asking all entrants to follow my blog. 

See? Both are easy. The Prize? How about an electronic copy of one of the books in my series? That way if you have several you can choose the next one in the series you don't have?

Barb:)

contest is now over

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

Brr...with all the snow and cold temperatures out there it's great to have a hot book to warm up with!

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1f1a4a0822/

Comming up this weekend - Cold Nights...Hot Reads

Hi All!

I am participating in another Blog Hop through RHACafe, It starts on Thursday and runs through the first of March! We have some great prizes and wonderful authors participating. I'm still trying to figure out what I'm going to give away but I promise it will be good!

Hope to see you at the hop!

I will be giving a sneak peek of my new release...Hidden Desire

Meet my Latest Guest - Connie Vines!

I want to welcome Connie Vines. First, I'd love for you to introduce yourself.

Barbara, I’d like to thank both you and your blog followers and visitors for inviting me here today.

I reside deep in the quirky suburbs of Southern California in a butter-yellow house shaded by mimosa and magnolia trees with my husband.  I’ve published over one hundred fiction and nonfiction articles, eight genre novels and educational student activity books.  I have also worked as a ghostwriter of literary fiction and one screenplay.  I am a member of the Orange County Chapter of Romance Writers. I’ve served on the executive board of the International Chapter of Romance Writers, and I am currently the president of the Gothic (GothRom) Chapter of Romance Writers.

Tell us about your latest release.

"Here Today, Zombie Tomorrow,” Book 1 of my Sassy & Fun Fantasy Series.

Blurb: Alive, Steampunk novelist Meredith Misso worked hard at living the perfect SoCal celeb life. Now that she is a Zombie, it’s all about the make-up, non-vegan lifestyle, and her soon-to-be ex, who somehow managed to Velcro himself back into her life.

Now I have a few questions for you – I have found readers do like to know fun things about us writers.

1.) Who is your favorite villain – it can be from a book (even one of yours), movie or TV show. And why?

My favorite villain is the wicked witch of the west from "The Wizard of Oz".

Why is she my favorite villain? She covets (a vice both adults, and children, can identify and understand). She wants Dorothy’s ruby slippers and she will whatever she must. She is a real threat to everyone in Oz. The Wizard believes the Witch’s magic is so powerful that she could kill him if he goes near her.

The Wizard finally offers Dorothy a trip home if she will kill the Witch. That shows how loathsome she is to the embodiment of good in Oz. The Witch actively tries to kill Dorothy and Company several times, with wolves, bees, the winged monkeys, crows. She captures the Cowardly Lion and tries to starve him to death. She tries to burn the Scarecrow to death. She does all of this to force Dorothy to give up the ruby slippers. She steals one of Dorothy’s slippers, by tripping her over an invisible bar. Dorothy finally has enough and throws a bucket of water on her. Why does it kill her? Because water is pure. The Witch is corruption in all respects, and thus the embodiment of impurity.  

2.) Who is your favorite character out of your books? Why?

This is such a difficult decision.  All of my characters are my favorite.  I had such a great time with Meredith, of “Here Today, Zombie Tomorrow”—she is so sassy and seems to make the best of all life tosses at her.  I must confess that Lynx Maddox, my hero in “Lynx” Rodeo Romance, Book 1 is my favorite.  A Texas rodeo cowboy who. . .well, the French say it best: “Un si beau Texan!”

3.) What genre do you write?  What made you pick that one?

I write in multiple genres. I began writing my career writing fiction and nonfiction in children’s and young adult magazines.  However, romance (women’s and YA) is my main genre.

4.) What are you working on now?

As a rule, I work on two books and a novella/YA novel at a time.  My next release is an anthology titled: “Gumbo Ya Ya -- for women who like romance Cajun & men Hot & Spicy”.

  

5.) What got you to start writing?

 My family tree is dotted with novelists, playwrights, professional musicians and composers.  Therefore, it would have been odd for me not to have an interest in a creative form of expression. 

6.) Where do you get your ideas from?

I have a sense of time and place (when I am on vacation, a photo may trigger something), then I hear a conversation in my head.  Like when you walk past a table at a coffee shop and catch bits and pieces of a conversation.  I was visiting my youngest son and family in Yucaipa, CA when I spotted a bag of “Zombie Popcorn” inside an organic roadside produce store.  Then, several weeks later, when I was at the dentist’s office (coincidence, it had nothing to do with the popcorn, promise), the x-ray tech was sharing her experience at the Long Beach Zombie Walk.  Then, ZAP, I had the nucleus of my story.

7.) What would people who read your work be surprised to find out about you?

 My readers wouldn’t be surprise if I divulged that I collected “Monster High Dolls” but they might be surprised to learn of my gingerbread collection.  In fact, one of my Pinterest boards is Gingerbread Boys Love Gingerbread Girls.

8.) Do you have any special talents?

I have freelanced many a time as a writer.  At one point, I worked as a fragrance consultant at a perfumery.  I tested women’s PH levels by touching a wand (not magical) to her wrist and developed a list of compatible fragrances. To learn more, you will need to read my next release.

9.) What was the one piece of advice you received when you were an aspiring author that has stuck with you? Why?

Never give up.  Never miss a chance to improve your craft.  Write, Write, Write!  Why do I remember these words of wisdom?  Because there are no short cuts in life.

10.) If you could talk to any famous figure (present, past or fictional) who would it be and what would you talk about?

I know I should select a Plato. . .or Jonas Salk. 

However, I’m going to name Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel (Coco Chanel) a French fashion designer as my person of choice.  After all, she was the designer and founder of the Chanel brand. She is the only fashion designer listed on Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century.

11.) What song would you say describes your life?

"Walking on Sunshine" and on some occasions, possibly, “Weird Science”.

12.) If you could come back as any animal – what would it be?

A Spotted Saddle horse. I was toying with the idea of returning as a black Gypsy Horse with a flowing white mane and feathering on my legs—until I remembered these horses are on the chunky-side.  I’d prefer not to live another life worrying about the size of my ‘behind’.

Excerpt, "HERE TODAY, ZOMBIE TOMORROW".

“You and Elvis have done a great job on this house,” Meredith said as her older sister led the way downstairs toward the kitchen where the tour began. “Sorry I couldn’t get over, until now, but I’ve been sort of… well, busy.” Slipping her Juicy Couture tortoise-shell framed sunglasses into a bright pink case, Meredith crammed them into her black Coach handbag. She hoped her sister didn’t ask her to define busy. Becoming a zombie, and dealing with the entire raised from the dead issue over the past six months, was not a topic easily plunked into casual conversation. 

Pippa waved the comment aside. “I’m glad you like it. We had such fun decorating. Of course, we couldn’t do it all at once, but it’s more satisfying putting it together treasure by treasure.” 

Meredith glanced from Pippa’s impish features and short spiky black hair to the perimeter of the room. Taking in every detail and nuance of Pippa’s decorating talent, she let her gaze rest on a collection of figurines by fantasy artist Jasmine Beckett-Griffith crouching at the top of the ebony stained cabinets. A black arch-top fireplace mounted against the wall, flames flowing from a bed of clear river stones, and HOME SWEET HOME embroidered on a sampler with a tiny vine of blood-red roses tangling though out the letters completed the focal point of the room.

Even though Meredith was on the best relations with her sister, she couldn’t help but feel a sharp nip of jealousy. It hadn’t been so long ago that she’d had her own happy home. Unfortunately, she’d filed for divorce from Viktor and then there’d been that bizarre little accident where she’d ended up dead, and then undead. 

While Pippa’s two kids, Ethan and Emma, played in the living room, to the accompaniment of 1960s rock-and-roll musical on TV, Meredith sat in the kitchen with her sister, fiddling with the end of the tea bag that dangled from the rim of her China cup.

Since her sister was contemplating the contents of a tin filled with Danish cookies, Meredith found herself cataloging the events that led up her ‘accident’.

A charter member of the SoCal Arts Association, she’d been participating in the annual Zombie Walk Festival in Long Beach when it ‘happened’. Crowds always made her uncomfortable, but this particular event was to raise money, so she was obligated to attend. And, it only went to reason; this year’s participation broke all past records. 

Twelve-thousand gleeful ghouls stormed Long Beach’s renovated Promenade. The crowd became so large that it spilled out over Pine Avenue for an all-out downtown invasion. Meredith didn’t recall much about the accident, nor who or what, reanimated her. She remembered over-hearing a security officer informing a pungent-smelling zombie that he couldn’t purchase an alcoholic beverage (apparently he didn’t match up with his photo ID). Within moments, a shoving match between the two men ensured, quickly escalating into zombie chaos: shouting, running and chomping.

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Writing Down the Bones: The 10 Commandments of Fiction Writing - Session 2

Sorry I missed last week - but I'm back and have the next two commandments for you:

3.) Write your passion: Most of us do, but the key here is to write what moves you. Don’t chase the trends. Unless you have the book already written and just sitting there waiting for the perfect moment, you run the risk of cutting corners and compromising your work by pushing to get the book done. Instead stick to what you do best. Writing from your heart.

4.) Love the Process: Writers are a different breed. We think far too much and about things that don’t exist. There are days when you sit down in front of your computer and nothing comes out. There are days when it’s flowing so fast you can’t write quick enough. Whether it is feast or famine you do it every day. You have to or your characters will haunt you.

Meet My Latest Guest - Diane Burton!

I want to welcome Diane Burton. First I’d love you to introduce yourself.

Thanks for having me here, Barbara. I’m a wife, mom, grandmother, and a writer. Not necessarily in that order. Apologies to my grown children and husband, but Nana duties come first. <g> I write science fiction romance and romantic suspense. The commonality between my books is adventure. I love action/adventure movies, especially if a relationship develops between the main characters. Romantic comedy movies is another favorite, so I try to incorporate humor in the stories I write. I live in West Michigan and can never get enough watching Lake Michigan sunsets.

Tell us about your latest release.

The Case of the Bygone Brother is a PI mystery. It’s the first in what I plan as a series of adventures featuring Alexandra (Alex) O’Hara as a private investigator carrying on her retired father’s business. You won’t believe the scrapes she gets into trying to find a missing man.

Now I have a few questions for you – I have found readers do like to know fun things about us writers.

1.) Who is your favorite villain – it can be from a book (even one of yours), movie or TV show. And why?

Professor Snape in the Harry Potter books. I know he isn’t really a villain, but he acts like one until the end of the series. He is so skillfully written that the reader doesn’t know his intent.

2.) Who is your favorite character out of your books? Why?

Oh, gee. That’s like asking me my favorite child. I always love the heroine in the book I’m writing. Jessie in Switched has a special place in my heart. Her story was my first published book.

3.) What do genre do you write? What made you pick that one?

As I mentioned above, I write sci-fi romance. I fell in love with Star Wars. Action, adventure, and romance all in one. That’s the kind of science fiction I love to read—not weighty tomes with so much technical data that I’m put to sleep. (I know others love that. Just not me.)

I also write romantic suspense, which I love to read. My PI mystery, The Case of the Bygone Brother, has a little romance, but it’s more mystery oriented. Again, I write what I like to read.

4.) What are you working on now?

I’m working on the 3rd book in my Outer Rim series—stand-alone stories connected by the locale and recurring characters—about strong women on the frontier of space. In this one (no title yet), the heroine tries to take down a slave ring that dares to come into her colony.

5.) What got you to start writing?

The prospect of an empty nest. My children were in their last years of high school and would be going off to college. I was fortunate to be a stay-at-home mom and was a volunteer in sports, scouts, school, and church activities. I kept the family together through all the moves with my husband’s job. I figured it was my turn to do something for me. I loved to read so how hard could it be to write a book? LOL I found out.

6.) Where do you get your ideas from?

I don’t know. I used to clip newspaper articles that I thought would make a great story. I never used them. I think my Muse must work overtime, whispering in my ear while I sleep.

7.) What would people who read your work be surprised to find out about you?

That I hated science in high school. And now I write science fiction romance. Go figure.

8.) Do you have any special talents?

Besides being able to quote movie lines? LOL I love to garden. I always took small sections of plants from my garden at one house to the next. I still have plants that originated in my grandmother’s garden (lilies of the valley) and my mother’s (irises, tiger lilies, and Shasta daisies). Arthritis in my knees and back make gardening difficult, though, so Hubs does the work while I “supervise”. I also like to quilt and hope to get back to it soon.

9.) What was the one piece of advice you received when you were an aspiring author that has stuck with you? Why?

Don’t give up. We all hit bad times, either in our writing careers or personal life. Persistence will win. Friends from my writers’ group (Mid-Michigan RWA) had to remind me of that advice when I was going through a bad personal time a few years ago.

10.) If you could talk to any famous figure (present, past or fictional) who would it be and what would you talk about?

Madeline L’Engle. I read A Wrinkle in Time to whatever elementary class I was teaching when it came out. I would ask her what inspired her to write that series. It was so far ahead of anything I’d read at the time.

11.) What song would you say describes your life?

You Don’t Always Get What You Want.

12.) If you could come back as any animal – what would it be?

A family dog. Faithful, loyal, and fetches slippers. LOL At least I wouldn’t have to cook.

The Case of the Bygone Brother Blurb:

After taking over O’Hara & Palzetti, Confidential Investigations from her dad and his partner, Alex O’Hara’s bottom line has taken a plunge. So when a femme fatale offers her the case of a lifetime along with a huge advance, Alex sees her finances on a definite upswing. But someone doesn’t want her to find the long-lost brother. Complicating matters is the return of Alex’s old heartthrob, Nick Palzetti. Is he really there just to see her or does he have an ulterior motive? The Lake Michigan resort town of Fair Haven is abuzz with the news that O’Hara & Palzetti are together again.

Excerpt:

“Hello, gorgeous.”

I whacked my head on the display shelf.

Well, what would you do if you were lying across the top of a four-drawer lateral file cabinet, and your arm—yardstick attached—was wedged between the wall and the cabinet, trying to retrieve the license renewal application that if you mangled, crushed or couldn’t get would mean the end of your business, and the ex-love-of-your-life stood in the doorway looking at your butt?

The shelf shook on its braces from contact with my head. Never mind that the encounter didn’t do much for the aforementioned body part. The Fair Haven Chamber of Commerce awards rattled, and signed Detroit Tigers baseballs pelted my head, shoulders, and the back of my thigh. I dropped the yardstick and swore.

“I thought you promised your mother you wouldn’t swear anymore.” He would remind me of that vow.

“Relapse,” I muttered as I looked over my shoulder.

In that loose-limbed, cocky manner I once thought scary, sexy, and so cool, Nick Palzetti stood in the doorway to the spare office. He even dressed the same in a black leather jacket, black knit shirt, and jeans that molded his hips. Lordy, he could still make my mouth go dry.

As I wiggled back and sideways across the long cabinet, I felt my skirt ride up. Of all days to wear a skirt. With my foot, I searched for the desk chair I’d climbed to get on top of the cabinet. I’d kicked off my high heels before standing on the chair, probably the only smart thing I’d done so far.

“Red panties, you naughty girl.”

Buy links:

Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00P1GPR0Q

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/489085

Bio:

Diane Burton combines her love of mystery, adventure, science fiction and romance into writing romantic fiction. Besides the science fiction romance Switched and Outer Rim series, she is the author of One Red Shoe, a romantic suspense, and The Case of the Bygone Brother, a PI mystery. She is also a contributor to the anthology How I Met My Husband. Diane and her husband live in Michigan. They have two children and two grandchildren.

For more info and excerpts from her books, visit Diane’s website: http://www.dianeburton.com

Connect with Diane Burton online

Blog:  http://dianeburton.blogspot.com/

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/dmburton72

Facebook:  http://facebook.com/dianeburtonauthor

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Hidden Desire Cover Reveal

I am so excited! I've been waiting to reveal the cover for my next release Hidden Desire! It is gorgeous! And I finally got the final copy of my cover today!

Here's the blurb:

Heather wants to fight beside her people, not watch from a safe distance. So when her brother comes up with a way to disguise her she jumps at the chance. Now she can try out for an elite team to help defeat Reasta, who has a stronghold on their planet. No one knows who she is, including her mate, who has also been disguised. They must find each other, qualify for the team and help rescue the elders without being found out.

And here's the cover...

Meet My Newest Guest Kathryn Jane!

I want to welcome Kathryn Jane. First I’d love you to introduce yourself.

Tell us about your latest release.

Voices is Quinn and Rachel’s story. Rachel has a few quirks—like she hears voices, and she also had a healing gift she doesn’t quite understand. Quinn is a psychologist who works with people suffering from PTSD. When his wife, who’d disappeared two years earlier, shows up needing his help, he’s determined to hang on to her this time, but she’s determined to get him and his family’s security firm involved in solving a bizarre string of accidents with racehorses that’s left their handlers dead. They begin with an adventure, and discover there’s much about each other they didn’t know. Details that may prevent them from ever having a life together.

Now I have a few questions for you – I have found readers do like to know fun things about us writers.

1.) Who is your favorite villain – it can be from a book (even one of yours), movie or TV show. And why?

I don’t like villains, so this is a hard question for me. Hmm. Ah, I’ve got it, Sylvester the cat who’s always trying to capture Tweety-bird.

2.) Who is your favorite character out of your books? Why?

Oh but I love them all! I suppose Cass, from Do Not Tell Me No, because she has so darned much gumption, and she’s funny. But then there’s…Rachel, Grace, and Liz, and I can’t wait to write Angie’s story…But wait! There’s the men. And well, what’s not to love J

3.) What genre do you write? What made you pick that one?

Romantic suspense/adventure/paranormal/humor. I always sat down to write a mystery, but a romance would creep in. So now, I celebrate both by writing romantic suspense with side dishes of ESP and humor.

4.) What are you working on now?

One of the first full length books I wrote. I absolutely adored the story so it deserves a rewrite for publishing.

5.) What got you to start writing?

I’ve always written to purge pent up emotions. A few years ago I dug some of it out to see what it looked like and oh my, the sad and dark writings of a teenager should never see the light of day!

As for books, well, I confess, I was about to turn fifty and thought, my goodness, what have I got to show for fifty years? I’d always said that one day I’d write a book, so I sat down at the computer, and in less than two months, I’d done it—felt like I’d just scaled Everest and I wanted that feeling again so I wrote another book. And another, and so on. I’d written six before a friend read them and asked why I wasn’t getting them published. That’s when the next adventure began.

6.) Where do you get your ideas from?

I have no idea. My stories always begin in my head with a character. I see and opening scene and begin to write so I can find out what happens next.

7.) What would people who read your work be surprised to find out about you?

I don’t like to be the center of attention. Unless I’m teaching, that’s different.

8.) Do you have any special talents?

For over fifteen years I made my living training racehorses. I had an affinity for, and great success with the ones others had given up on.

9.) What was the one piece of advice you received when you were an aspiring author that has stuck with you? Why?

You can’t fix a blank page, so just write…it’s true. As long as you put words on the page, you can always fix them later.

10.) If you could talk to any famous figure (present, past or fictional) who would it be and what would you talk about?

Oprah, and I’d ask her what she knows for sure.

11.) What song would you say describes your life?

If you’re goin’ through hell, keep on moving, don’t slow down, if you’re scared don’t show it…

12.) If you could come back as any animal – what would it be?

A cat – I adore cats, their attitudes, their supple bodies, their freedom, their confident ability to seek attention, or shun it as they please.

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