Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Hi Everyone!

My interview for Authors After Dark is live, check it out here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/BooksBeyondtheBoundaries/2009/09/24/Books-Beyond-the-Boundaries-AAD-Authors-Selena-Illyria

Now as for Authors After Dark, I’m putting together a large prize bag, the contents have to be cataloged first but I can tell you I’m giving away a purse/make-up bag filled with Ulta make-up.

The Reader Survey Contest winner will be announced on the 30th.

Now for my New Release:

Last Call Europe: Chocolate Shock, Out Now at Changeling Press!

Blurb:

All romanced out, Love Fairy Alastrina is tired of putting together happy couples. All she wants is a little bit of “me time” to forget her job for one night. She strides into Last Call: London looking for some action.

Chocolate Shock: Heat packed sexin’ — no baggage required or desired.

Rebellious leopard shifter Garrison Fredricks may be the answer to all her needs. Some sexy talk and a bit of action is just what the love fairy ordered. Only problem is he has a teensy-weensy little secret that may piss her off. And a Love Fairy pissed off is not a good thing.

Buy Link:

http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1237

Excerpt:

Last Call Europe: Chocolate Shock
Selena Illyria
All rights reserved.
Copyright ?2009 Selena Illyria

This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

Garrison’s beer arrived. He took a pull from it and slouched in his seat, still bored, still restless. The door opened and out of habit he glanced toward the entrance, only to have his breath catch in his throat. His heart skipped a beat and then sped up. Warmth flowed over him as his body tightened. His cock hardened and pressed against his jeans.

“Oh, fuck me,” he groaned, as he watched the woman in the tightest jeans he had ever seen stroll into the bar and wind her way gracefully through the crowd. She had a corset that showcased her high breasts and a small waist. Her ass made him want to bite his bottom lip to hold back the moan threatening to escape.

She was a tiny thing with riotous dark brown curls streaked with pink. When she turned around, he saw her face. Her features were delicate with a small pert nose. Her lips were full and tempting, slicked with shimmering pale pink gloss.

Blow job lips, he thought, and he wanted those lips on him, covering his body in sweet love bites before she sucked him off ’til he shot his load down her throat. His cock jumped as the fire burning within him became an inferno lapping at his veins.

His leopard scratched at the flesh bars of its prison, wanting to go up to the woman it desired and mark her with its scent. She made things worse by turning back toward the bar, giving him another glimpse of her perfectly rounded ass. The corset left a wide strip of skin exposed above the waistband. Her perfect mocha skin was adorned with a colorful tattoo done in glittering pink ink. He had to strain his eyes to make out the glyphs and symbols on her lower back.

“Lean over some more, love. Give daddy a good look at what it says,” he urged softly. As if she heard him, she stuck her ass out further and he sucked in a breath as his pulse pounded in his ears and need roared through him. He had to shake his head to clear the lust wrapping around his mind like a gossamer web.

He squinted to see better and read the tattoo.

“Fairy Alastrina, daughter of Elan, servant of Labhaoise.” He stroked his chin, his fingers slightly burned from the abrasion of his stubble. Half of his brain saw opportunity to bring a genuine Fairy to Eros, and the other half wanted to fuck the living daylights out of her.

“Alastrina.” He tested her name on his tongue. The sound of his voice came out husky with the edge of a purr. An image rose of him pounding into her pussy as she cried out in ecstasy before he came himself, spurting his seed deep inside of her as he called out her name, and he swore. Their sweat-slicked bodies moved and ground against one another as they started yet another round.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” he chanted. This was not what he needed. Tomorrow he would be going to see Eros. A meeting with him was draining. The love god liked to pick and poke at Garrison’s mental shields. It was a game of chicken because Garrison would be doing the same. Five hundred years of servitude to Eros had taught him all of the god’s weaknesses but no way to exploit them, although Eros knew all of Garrison’s weaknesses and abused them every opportunity he got.

One of his weaknesses was standing a few feet away. This night was either gonna be hell or heaven. He wouldn’t put it past Eros to send him a sexy little gift in the form of this Fairy. Whether it was a trap or not, he was going to fall into bed with her. The question was how. There were others who had noticed her arrival. One of the bolder admirers strode up to her. Before he could even open his mouth he was shot down and sent on his way, a deep red flush of embarrassment on his cheeks for his trouble.

“Mmmm, sassy, I like that.” Garrison sat back and watched as, one by one, men and even a few women went up to curry her favor. After the fourth person was sent away he couldn’t help but wonder why they all wanted a piece of her. She was gorgeous but there had to be something else. He decided to test a theory.

With great concentration he dropped his mental shields a sliver and tasted her power. It was like the sweetest, thickest honey. There was a hint of spice, an indefinable quality that made its potency richer, more seductive to the palate. Power rolled off of her in waves.

Understanding dawned on him all at once; she was a Love Fairy. Legend had it that to be touched or even come in contact with one could bring you good luck in the love department. They weren’t hitting on her. They were asking for her services. He felt bad for them but most of all he felt sad for her.?Must be tough never being off the clock to some people. Then again, he could understand how she felt. He was at Eros’ call night and day. Didn’t matter where he was, who he was with or what he was doing, if Eros summoned him Garrison had to go.

As he studied the woman, his desire burned through him. Instead of doing his usual saunter up and try his luck routine, he decided to wait and see what developed. If he played his cards right, there would be no need for him to do anything.

http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1237

Hi Everyone!

How are you? Sorry there haven?t been any updates. I?ve been very lax on the updates and blogging. I hope you did enjoy the weeks of guest blogging. I plan on doing more. I?m trying to decide what to do for September. I?m not sure whether to go with sci-fi or shifter as a theme. I know I October I?ll be doing an Urban Fantasy theme. . I already have a few people lined up for that week. Just have to find a few more. .? I hope to be blogging more, just have to figure out what to say. Lol

Right now I?m doing edits for my contribution to the Last Call Europe series. . I also just turned in a story for a series I did with Celia Kyle and Michelle Hasker, hopefully I?ll have more news about that soon. I?m working on the next Tartan book, Tartan Seduction. I?m not sure if I?ll be keeping that title as the story has evolved from the first time I thought of it. After that I plan on doing my contribution to the Sex and Chocolate series and Hades Helmet: Deception, the second part to Carnevale.

Then I have a few more stories on my plate that are percolating in my mind. *Grin* A sci-fi one to be particular. I?m really feeling the sci-fi genre at the moment which is really exciting to me. I can?t wait to write more stories in that genre. I?m also looking into cyberpunk and a bit more fantasy.

That?s pretty much about it on the writing front. On a personal front, I?ve been sick since Saturday so I?ve been slowed down on the writing front which is really frustration. Although I do need to get rest. Which in a way is a plus. I finally managed to see The Watchmen which I loved. The changes that were made didn?t jar me which was good. I also finished watching the Escaflowne anime series which was good, now if only I could get the chant out of my head. LOL

I plan on watching Taken and starting the Battlestar Galatica series. I didn?t really watch it when it was on, so now I have time to see it. I can?t wait to get my hands on Season 4 of Supernatural and watch all the episodes I missed.

On the reading front I got to read The Path of Razors which is a brilliant edition to the Vampire Babylon series. I highly recommend it. It makes me want to go explore the London that is painted in the books. (P.S. Check out Chris/Crystal?s newly designed site. Gorgeous!)

I also read Dreamfever by Karen Marie Moning and it was brilliant. I?m on pins and needles for the final installment to the series. I have so many ideas rolling around in my head. I just want to read the series again.

Has anyone seen District 9? I haven?t seen it. I?m one of those people, that although the quality is better in the theater, likes to wait until DVD gives me a chance to pause when I want and I don?t have to deal with people texting, possible cell phone interruptions, etc… That and I?m lazy. LOL. I?m sooo looking forward to this on DVD. I?ve heard mixed reviews but I trust the people who tell me it?s a great movie.

Speaking of DVDs. I?m thinking that this year?s Christmas giveaway should be a few of my DVD series. I gave away the first season of Chuck for my Birthday Bash. Sooo, how about the first year of Eureka (if you?re not watching, I have to ask whhhhhyyy? Lol), Leverage, The Closer, Supernatural and maybe something else. Not sure, maybe Being Human?

Has anyone seen Leverage? I highly recommend this show, brilliant cast.

Moving on. Here are few Se recommends since I?m running out of steam here. I hate being sick. When I want sleep I can?t get it and when I don?t want to sleep because I want? to write I have to. Blech. Okay, here we go:

Se recommends:

eBooks:

The Mate Marks Series by Kate Hill:

Hunger

Thirst

Breath

Pulse (Coming Soon)

Se says: SEXY! I want more please! Moooooore! LOL

The Screen Shots Series by Willa Okati:

Seduced

Smolder

Slinky (Coming Soon)

Submissive (Coming Soon)

Se says: HOT! *Fangirl squee* I just have to say and don?t tell my editors and publishers but, um, if these boys were real and that website had?okay, let?s just say I wouldn?t be getting any writing done. I?d be too busy drooling. LOL (www.twentysomethingtwinks.com)

On my eBook TBR pile:

The Empire Series by Cat Marsters

Eve of Destruction by Lizzie Lynn Lee

Masters of the Shadowlands series by Cherise Sinclair

Anyone But You by Amarinda Jones

Captured Rapture by Lexxie Couper

Finding Her Rhythm by Ciana Stone

Mari Carr (I have a few books from her on the pile so I figured I?d throw her on there, lol)

TV:

Being Human (BBC America)

So You Think You Can Dance (Coming Back to Fox 9/2/09)

Leverage (TNT)

Psych (USA Network)

Naruto

Websites:

P.L. Nunn Bishonen Works (I blame Jet Mykles for this. LOL. Warning adult content)

Se Note: The artwork is gorgeous and very inspiring. Hehe. I even found a print that inspired a new character for me. *Grin*

Ann Vremont (Her artwork is amazing. )*Fangirl Squee*

iStock.com (I can lose hours on there just looking for pics for inspiration or cover ideas)

Author’s Gal Friday.com (From one of my partners in crime Celia Kyle)

Music (The links are to You Tube videos):

Kevin Rudolf: Let it Rock

Breaking Benjamin: I Will Not Bow

Slipknot: Sulfur

Melody Gardot:? Baby I?m a Fool

Susie Suh: All I Want

Other odds and ends:

I?m thinking of another redesign for my website. I know, I know, another one? Not that I don?t adore the current one. For some reason I just want? a different look. The girl in the mask stays but the colors may change. That will be it. I?m thinking Burgundy or maybe blue. Not sure. Also, do you guys think if I start groveling now, my editors will buy my World Cup Fever excuse for not being able to write or edit for two months? I know it?s in June of 2010 but come on, how can a girl concentrate when all that hotness is there? Have you seen Fabio Canevarro? Just look at him and tell me you won?t get distracted.

‘Scuse me I have to go find ice.

Se

P.S. Changeling just contracted another book. More on that in a bit.

Vampires and Werewolves Unleashed!

Despite the melodrama of the title, I imagine it likely most werewolves would flat out refuse leashes, and the vamps wouldn?t allow it unless they were really into that kind of thing.

Let me pause to introduce myself. I?m Keith Melton, a degenerate author of Urban Fantasy-esque stories, and I was asked to be a part of Selena?s blog because she had an empty slot to fill on short notice (and I won?t tell you how I begged her desperately, promising never again to talk about how Siamese cats can really see ghosts, how good I look in a tinfoil hat, or how the mac and cheese diet changed my life). So now that?s out of the way and it?s time for the fun stuff! Werewolves and vampires in cage fights!

For a moment I?m going to indulge myself (why stop now, right?) and wax philosophical about vampires. They seem to have splintered into a few categories in recent decades, changing a bit from the fear-causing creature of Dracula and Stephen King?s?Salem?s Lot or the tormented creature of Anne Rice?s Lestat. Some authors keep them frightening and dangerous, and others play into the undercurrent of dark sexuality inherent in the myth. We have amusing tales, like?How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks, a whole legion of young fans for Twilight, and the sexy,?muy caliente vampires of our own Selena Illyria, whose Rysen and Kit light the pages on fire.?Warning! Blatant, self-serving plug dead ahead: We also have my own dark vampires in my novel?Blood Vice, far more dangerous than sexy. Vampire Karl Vance happens to be a hit man for the mafia, whacking wise guys so he doesn?t have to feed on the innocent. From there poor Karl?s life only gets more complicated when he meets Maria, a young woman who watched?Scarface and?The Godfather a few too many times and wants to make the entire city of Boston an offer they can?t refuse.

Astute readers will notice there was nothing particularly philosophical about the previous paragraph. However, if I start babbling in detail about the history of vampire characters in fiction we?ll be here all night, and the vending machine is out of Doritos. So, moving on?

Now I?ve always loved werewolves because wolves are such beautiful creatures, and quite frankly, having fur would save me big money on a winter wardrobe. Werewolves have also become more human, less ravenous monster since the days of?American Werewolf in London. Who wouldn?t want to be in tight with a pack alpha? They could probably score you great seats at the theater without even having to growl?much.?Warning! Blatant, self-serving plug ahead: In?Run, Wolf, my new and shiny werewolf novella, we have two non-alpha (in rank anyway) characters who defy the laws of the pack that seek to drive them apart. They risk everything for their love, planning to give the pack a collective thumb-in-the-eye on their flight to freedom. Will they escape to love another day when hostile wolves finally track them down?

As for vampire and werewolf cage fights, I think they?d be bigger than professional wrestling. I?d even pay for outrageously overpriced, watered-down soda and overcooked hotdogs to see that action.

If you?re interested in links for some of the stories mentioned here, I?d be more than happy to supply them. (Shocking, I know.)

RUN, WOLF by Keith Melton

http://www.mybookstoreandmore.com/shop/product.da/run-wolf

http://www.amazon.com/Run-Wolf-Nightfall-Clans-Book/dp/B002LLCI6K/

BLOOD VICE by Keith Melton

http://www.mybookstoreandmore.com/shop/product.da/blood-vice

http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Vice-Nightfall-Syndicate-ebook/dp/B001VA1O9Y/

TRAPPED by Selena Illyria

http://www.loose-id.com/prod-Trapped-853.aspx

http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Claim-Trapped/dp/B002BY7740

Somehow I don?t think Stephen King requires a link.

Things that Go Hump in the Night

By Marie Treanor

Yes, you guessed it, I?m talking about paranormal romance!

When Selena invited me to blog about this subject ? thank you, Selena! – I counted how long I?ve been writing in the genre.?Five years! My mind moved hastily on to how many humping things, or creatures, I?ve created in that time. And why!

I counted seven different species, and I suppose that?s the ?why? of it too. In this genre there are no limits to your imagination. From the traditional ghosts, vampires and werewolves to less traditional shifters like swans and water men and trees ? to say nothing about the most powerful race in the universe – I?ve pretty much gone where I liked, and it?s been fun. J

I do like putting a slightly different twist on the traditional, though. For example, I don?t see why vampires have to be the bad guys. Or the good guys. They make wonderful anti-heroes, like my Karoly inHunting Karoly. J And finding a rational (ish) explanation for why these creatures exist can be fun. In the?City of the Damned it was nuclear poisoning (or was it??). In?Dragul Rising, I looked for a reason as to why such myths as vampires and werewolves existed in the first place. And in my new werewolf trilogy?Wolf Hunt, I?ve used a completely different scenario of alien invaders and a frightened, oppressive government.

I?ve always loved a good ghost story, but writing them, especially within the romance genre, brings a whole new set of knotty problems: how can you have a Happy Ever After if one of your couple is materially insubstantial and ? er – dead?? I found a ?different? happy ending that I rather liked in?Ghost Unlaid (just released at TWRP!). And I suppose for my provoking but sexy Rab in?Requiem for Rab, it was a different beginning!? I confess I?m particularly fond of the mischievous ghosts in?Ariadne?s Thread ? they were great fun to write, and I did find peace for one of them, but at least it wasn?t my hero or heroine who was dead; this time the main characters were just the haunted.? Interesting to imagine the effect on someone of continual haunting, though ? it gave my hero a dark and brooding edge, made him just a little strange.

Another thing I like doing is infusing the paranormal into everyday objects. Like a chess piece (Queen?s Gambit) or a guitar or a crash test dummy. No, really ? I?have made a hero out of a crash test dummy, or at least out of the spirit which haunts it. It was a challenge, but it helped that when he was haunting it, he looked and felt like a sexy man and not a dummy. Check out?Killing Joe, and you?ll see what I mean.

And then there are fairy tales ? a wonderful source for paranormal romance. Magic and true love together ? who could resist? I?ve been playing around with those too, recently, in conjunction with the very talented Bonnie Dee, and the first of our?Fairytale Fantasies, Cinderella Unmasked, is just out at Samhain. In fact we?ve just completed a second one which, if anything, was even more fun – let me just say that Rumpelstiltskin is?not his name, and this hunk is no gnarled old goblin J

Of course you can have magic in any setting ? people with ESP, like Via in?The Devil and Via, sexy as sin medieval sorcerers like Drago in?Gothic Dragon… There?s no end to who or what you can write about, and I think that?s the secret of the success of paranormal romance. It?s the ultimate escapism.

Anyway, as I started off to say, I counted seven different species going hump in the night in my stories over the last five years: ghosts; cursed or enchanted objects; vampires; werewolves; non-traditional shifters like swans, trees, water etc; witches and sorcerers. And finally, that most mysterious of all creatures ? men. But I think I?ll leave someone else to blog about those?

Marie

Marie Treanor

Haunting Romance

www.MarieTreanor.com

Reasons to Like Paranormal Romances

I’ve always enjoyed reading paranormal romance and read it before the genre became really popular. This love of the genre continued when I started writing. In fact my first sale was a paranormal romance called Aislyn.

While I was pondering a topic for this blog I thought of lots of different topics, but I kept coming back to the same thing–my love of the genre. So I decided to do a list of the things I like about reading and writing paranormal romances.

1.? The alpha heroes. In most cases the heroes are strong alpha males who love their women and try to keep them safe to the best of their abilities.

2. The heroines are also strong. They’re strong enough to keep their alpha males in line and make them work for love and loyalty.

3. There’s a real variety of settings. The stories can be set in a large city or a small country town, under the sea or in the underworld to name a few.

4. Authors are very clever in their use of old myths and legends, giving them interesting twists and making them into fresh new stories.

5. The stories can be lighthearted and humorous or dark and gritty. There’s something for all my moods.

6. The world building is amazing.

7. The possibilities are endless when it comes to the type of paranormal creatures: vampires, werewolves, feline shifters, witches, fairies, dragons, demons? And the list goes on!

8. There are lots of series. I really enjoy catching up with characters I’ve read about in previous books.

9. Urban fantasy is a related genre with the stories often told in first person. These are some of my favorites.

10. Writing paranormal stories is exciting and interesting – the only limit is my imagination.

11. I get to research lots of fun stuff.

12. When I say I’m away with the fairies, it’s a reasonable excuse!

Why do you enjoy paranormal romances?

Shelley Munro lives in New Zealand with her husband and a geriatric dog. Her next release is CATNAP, a feline shapeshifter book featuring tigers. CatNap is due out on 2 September from Ellora’s Cave. You can visit Shelley at www.shelleymunro.com

Werewolves

I’ve always loved wolves. I grew up in Northern Ontario and on a cold winter night, the sound of the wolves howling carried across vast distances. There was a den in the forest beyond our house, and every year there would be new pups. If we were lucky, we could spy on them from a hill overlooking it, with binoculars. Although we knew they were there, we rarely saw them except at a distance. You learned to identify them by the way they moved. It’s hard to describe but a wolf does not run the same as a dog does. Their gait is different. They hold their heads different. And they are generally heading away from you. Wolves are very intelligent creatures, and they seem to know that people are trouble.

As a child I devoured Call of the Wild and all of Jack London’s books. I even attempted to write a book about a wolf when I was about twelve. That was my first taste of rejection. How I wish now, that I had kept that letter!

And where am I going with this, you wonder? Why, to my adult fascination with werewolves. Common sense tells me that no matter how much I love listening to the eerie howling of the wolves, or watching one loping away over the crisp crust of the new fallen snow, I am not and never will be a wolf. I’m stuck in this human body and will never know the exhilaration of stretching my legs in pursuit of dinner, half a dozen of my pack-mates running at my side.

And so, my imagination takes over. Somehow, I picture those wolves of my childhood crossed with mouthwatering Alpha males and my heart races. I read all the were-wolf sagas I can find, and I follow a number of authors in that genre. And yet, I’ve hesitated to write a werewolf story of my own, until now. So many authors have done it, and done it so well that frankly, I was intimidated. It was easier to come up with my very own bunch of shifters, such as the Imperial Were-Panthers, than to try to compete.

This summer, I finally decided I needed to try it. Or maybe I’m just feeling masochistic. Hard to tell, sometimes. LOL.

My werewolf story is part of the Sex and chocolate series at Changeling Press. It will be out on September 11^th and I’d like all of you to run over there and buy it the minute it hits the virtual shelf. (hey, you can’t fault a girl for trying!)

So, a sneak peak at my very first werewolf saga:

Series: Sex and Chocolate

Title: Seducing Destiny

ISBN (13): 978-1-60521-253-1

Genres:? Urban Fantasy, Paranormal

Themes: Werewolves

Release Date:? September 11, 2009

Author: Anne Kane

http://www.AnneKane.com

http://www.AnneKane.wordpress.com

http://twitter.com/annekane

Publisher Changeling Press – Erotic Fiction

BLURB:

Jack, the alpha of the North Rockies pack, knows Destiny needs some time to come to grips with her werewolf heritage before he springs the whole mated for life thing on her.

Destiny has no intention of buying into the whole pack mentality, howl at the full moon thing. Sure, she practically drools at the sight of red meat, but that’s no reason to give up her comfortable life. Besides, she already has a boyfriend, a slick up-and-coming lawyer.

But when a band of rogue werewolves move into the area, Jack can’t afford to have his attention divided. He needs to convince Destiny that she belongs both in his pack and in his bed so he can concentrate on the new threat.

EXCERPT:

?Destiny stared in dismay at the box in the middle of her kitchen table. Her stomach lurched, a ball of anxiety settling in the very middle of it. Small by most standards, gold gilt covered the entire box, giving it an exotic look. An artfully tied crimson bow surrounded by curls of white lace sat cheerfully atop it, adding to the air of decadent luxury.

She knew who’d put it there, and she knew why. Jack. The Alpha of the Northern Rockies werewolf pack. The man who made her knees feel weak whenever she glimpsed him walking down the main street, or lounging at a local coffee shop. The man who’d make it plain that he intended to be her mate.

The absolute last man on the face of the planet that she intended to get serious about.

She had a boyfriend, one carefully picked with the future in mind. A trial attorney she’d met when she attended a convention in Calgary, Quentin Karnes had everything she wanted in a mate. On the fast track to a partnership in his prestigious law firm, he was cultured, rich, and moved in the highest social circles. Their children would grow up attending private schools, vacationing at the most prestigious resorts, dressing in the latest fashions. They’d want for nothing.

She’d worked hard to carve out a niche for herself in Riverton. Her accounting office catered to farmers and small businessmen, and she’d slowly managed to gain a reputation of being the person you wanted on your side when the government called to audit your tax returns.

She steeled herself and reached for the box. It wasn’t much bigger than a deck of cards, and she held it in her hand, somehow hoping that wishing would make it go away. When she’d moved here two years ago, she’d made it clear to Jack and every other member of the pack that she didn’t intend to join their little social group. She preferred to run alone. She hadn’t grown up in a pack, and if she could, she’d ignore her inner wolf entirely. So what if the sight of a full moon awakened an overpowering urge for a steak with the blood oozing out the sides? A girl needed to curb her baser instincts and make plans for the future.

No point in putting this off. Her sensitive nose could smell Jack all over the damn thing. She caught the trailing lace between a thumb and forefinger and gently undid the bow, dropping the cheerful piece of ribbon on the table. Taking a deep breath, she plucked the lid off.

Her breath caught in her throat. An exquisitely detailed chocolate wolf nestled in a cushion of crushed white velvet. Every detail from the tip of its muzzle to the dominant curve of its tail was perfect. Jack had reproduced himself exactly. She knew if she turned the little wolf over, she’d find a jagged scar running along its left flank.

?I suppose I could always bite your head off.? Destiny felt a wry smile tug the sides of her mouth. Although she didn’t like the idea, being the Alpha meant Jack had complete authority over all the werewolves in the Northern Rockies. Even those that didn’t want to accept him. The fact he’d chosen not to force her to take him for her mate didn’t mean he’d agreed to let her leave the pack. He’d said he’d give her some time to settle in. She’d hoped he’d forgotten about her and settled down with some other female. One who liked her inner beast.

She sighed and looked at the dark chocolate confection. The full moon was less than a week away. She’d been ignoring her darker side for a long time now, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to avoid going into heat this month. What were the chances Jack’s timing was coincidental?

She jumped, startled by the sound of a loud knock on her front door. Quentin must have gotten out of court early. She hadn’t expected him to show up for at least another four hours. She quickly put the lid back on the box. Sweeping the ribbon up off the table, she stuffed the box and ribbon into a drawer and slammed it shut.

?Come on in, the door’s open.? She hoped Quentin couldn’t hear the guilt in her voice. Not that she had anything to feel guilty about. Damn Jack and his fancy little chocolate creatures! She smoothed her hands down her skirt and tried to look calm.

?I know, I was just being polite.? Jack strode into the room, a crooked smile on his rugged face. ?You’re not usually this happy to see me.?

Destiny’s heart did a little flip-flop. Taller than her five-foot eleven, Jack’s dark hair was tied at the nape of his neck with a strip of leather, and his sapphire blue eyes sparkled with mischief. Thickly roped muscles stretched the tight shirt and rippled with every step he took. He looked every bit as yummy as the chocolate creations he sold in his trendy boutique.

?I thought you were my boyfriend.? She looked pointedly behind him as if she expected Quentin to materialize any second. ?I’m expecting him to drop in after court today.?

Jack ignored her reference to Quentin and gave her a toothy grin. ?I intend to be a lot more than a friend, and it’s been a long time since anyone referred to me as a boy.? He advanced, his eyes sparkling. ?Glad to hear you finally think of me that way, though, because unless my nose is deceiving me, you’re going to be begging for my attention shortly.?

Destiny felt a surge of color flood her cheeks and she turned away so he couldn’t see her face. It mortified her to know he could smell her eagerness. ?You wish.? Now that was lame!

He took her by the shoulders and turned her around to face him, his touch surprisingly gentle for such a large man. ?No, I know. The full moon is on Saturday. You haven’t slept with that wimpy boyfriend of yours, and you’re not going to if you want him to live to see Monday. A human male can’t begin to satisfy your needs. I wouldn’t have to lift a paw; you’d tear him apart yourself. Your frustration level is about to escalate to hellish proportions.? A devilishly wicked smile curved the corner of his mouth. ?Fortunately, I can help you deal with that.?

http://www.crystal-green.com/
http://www.vampirebabylon.com/

Intro

Hi Shayla! Thank you so much for stopping by and blogging today. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and where readers can find out more about you and your work?

Thanks for having me! Here’s my official bio:

Shayla Black (aka Shelley Bradley) is the national bestselling author of 25+ sizzling contemporary, erotic, paranormal, and historical romances for multiple print and electronic publishers. She lives in Texas with her husband, munchkin, and one very spoiled cat. In her ?free? time, she enjoys reality TV, reading and listening to an eclectic blend of music.

Shayla has won or placed in over a dozen writing contests, including Passionate Ink’s Passionate Plume, Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence, and the National Reader’s Choice Awards. Romantic Times has awarded her Top Picks, a KISS Hero Award and a nomination for Best Erotic Romance of 2007.

A writing risk-taker, Shayla enjoys tackling writing challenges with every book.

Readers can find out more about me and my work at www.ShaylaBlack.com or www.DoomsdayBrethren.com.

Q& A

Please tell us about the Doomsday Brethren series.

In today’s world of technology, science and logic, few people realize that magic lives and breathes-and walks on two legs-among mortals. Or that magickind possesses a weapon that can hurt, heal, comfort, destroy, grant fantasies, bring peace. Or, in the hands of someone terrible and strong enough to call forth its power, the weapon can bring about doomsday.

Created during the days of the Round Table, it resurfaces in modern-day London and is sought by a wizard of evil brilliance with one goal: dominion over human and magical worlds alike. Only a band of wizards, enemies who must learn to become friends and accept love, can save the world from destruction.

To learn more about the wizard warriors who defend magickind from evil, Meet the Doomsday Brethren.

What was your inspiration?

No one thing inspired me to write this series. I’d had bits and pieces of this idea floating in my head for about 12 years. I didn’t know how it fit together or what to do with it. I knew it was bigger than me at that moment, so I tucked it away. In 2007, I read it off again–and suddenly, it was all there in my head. Overall, I’d say I was influenced by a lot of things, from music to movies to my grandmother telling me that she’d love to see me write a book a magic.

If you were casting actors to play the Brethren in a movie who would you pick?

Tough question. I’m not really visual that way. Marrok would be Gerard Butler, I think. Ice has a Vin Diesel sort of vibe, but with green eyes. More than that?I don’t know. I have pictures in my head, but they don’t necessarily look like anyone I’m familiar with.

If you had to put together a playlist to the series what songs/music would be on the list?

TEMPT ME WITH DARKNESS, the first in the series, I wrote largely to Celtic/New Age music. Marrok being fifteen hundred years old influenced my musical choices. SEDUCE ME IN SHADOW and POSSESS ME AT MIDNIGHT were both written to music I grabbed onto from the now-cancelled ?Moonlight? TV show, like ?Look After You? by The Fray, ?Drowning? by The Stereophonics, ?All Over You? by the Spill Canvass, ?Together? by The Kin, ?Love Remains The Same? by Gavin Rossdale, ?Your Guardian Angel? by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, plus some other faves like ?Bring Me To Life? by Evanescence and ?Broken? by Amy Lee and Seether. I’m not visual, but you can tell by this list probably that I’m very auditory.

Random question time: Aliens have landed and given you a suit that grants wishes. Would you use it? And if so what would you wish for?

Besides world peace and happiness for all? I might wish for everything fabulous for my friends and family, calorie-free chocolate and no writer’s block ever again. I’m sure there are other things, but those are off the top of my head.

Thank you so much for blogging with us. Please include any excerpts and buy links for your books. You can include as many as you like. J

The Doomsday Brethren series includes:

TEMPT ME WITH DARKNESS (Book 1) – August 26, 2008

Order: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Borders

Excerpt

?Fated? (FREE e-novella ) – August 15, 2009

Download: Simon & Schuster

Excerpt

SEDUCE ME IN SHADOW (Book 2) -? September 29, 2009

Pre-Order: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Borders

Excerpt

POSSESS ME AT MIDNIGHT (Book 3) – October 27, 2009

Pre-Order: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Borders

Excerpt coming soon!

Contest info:

I’m delighted to give away:

An Shayla Black/SJ Day tote bag

An autographed copy of TEMPT ME WITH DARKNESS

For more goodies, I’m currently running a contest at my site to win:

An Shayla Black/SJ Day tote bag

An autographed copy of TEMPT ME WITH DARKNESS

An ARC (advance reading copy) of SEDUCE ME IN SHADOW

A 3-chapter sneak peek of POSSESS ME AT MIDNIGHT

5 other random titles

Click here for details!

Thanks very much for having me here today!

http://www.lindathomas-sundstrom.com/

Favorite Aussie settings

While I was thinking about a topic for this post, I happened to be on a long weekend holiday with my son in Canberra. Of all our major Aussie cities, I have a particular love for our nation?s capital. It?s drivable (three hours away). It?s a good 10 degrees cooler than home ? always a bonus. And it?s elegant, picturesque and has less cars than any city I?ve ever seen. So what better subject to blog about than Australian setting?

When international readers think of Australia, the outback is probably one of the first things that comes to mind. But this wide, diverse country is so much more than that: from beach to bush, city to snow. Outback to island. And even those can vary ? urban Melbourne shopping versus Brisbane?s laid back coffee culture. Outback Northern Territory compared to Armidale, NSW. And the snow peaks of Jindabyne compared to Mt Hotham.

When I start on a new book, setting is one of the first ideas (besides character) that solidifies for my story. Yet paradoxically, scenery description is one of the last additions: my story is riddled with ?insert bit about scenery here? until the last few weeks of my deadline. Which doesn?t mean ?setting? isn?t something I don?t give deep thought to. Setting not only dictates where to put your characters, but it also defines who they are and how that will react. If they grew up in a small country town, did they love it… Or hate it? Were they born to wealthy city dwellers and live in a high rise? Impoverished trailer-park parents? An army or forces family? Did they have great childhood with good friends? Or did they want to escape the first chance they got?

When done right, setting should enliven and enrich your story, giving your reader an armchair experience they may not get from live cams or Google Earth. When I was a kid, I was part of a ?moving and vacationing family? – we lived in various places around Australia, in small country towns and big working cities . And when we finally settled in one town, we always vacationed interstate, giving us kids a broad exposure to other places and things. As you can imagine, I?ve seen some beautiful country, amazing beaches and unusual natives, so obviously, some of those have found their way into my books! Better yet, writing about places I?ve been, worked, seen or holidayed at means I don?t have to force the words. It also means I?m (hopefully) giving readers a true and accurate account of a place that?s meaningful to me. Here?s just a few of my favorite Aussie places that have seen their way into my books:

Opera House

The City
As an ex-Sydney worker for over 13 years, it seemed obvious to set my first book, Forgotten Marriage (Desire, September 2007), in places I know intimately: the historic The Rocks, Sydney CBD and Coogee Beach. With my second book, Boardrooms & A Billionaire Heir (Desire, May 2008), Sydney again became a major feature. And in The Magnate?s Baby Promise (Desire, July 2009), my hero?s apartment was smack-bang in Circular Quay, right next door to the Sydney Opera House. Not to ignore the other states, my current WIP (one of the ?Outback Billionaires and Babies? mini-series, June 2010) is partly set in Canberra.

The Beach
In particular, Surfers Paradise (Queensland). Family vacations wouldn?t have been complete without an annual trip up to Surfers, Currumbin Bird Sanctuary www.cws.org.au and Seaworld. http://seaworld.myfun.com.au/ In one of my WIPs, I have my hero, Zac Prescott (Cal?s step brother from The Magnate?s Baby Promise), living and working in Surfers Paradise with my heroine, Emily. For another WIP, my heroine resides in the very aptly named Runaway Bay; in another, my hero plans to seduce the heroine at his private Whitsundays island. And in yet another story, my heroine lives in the Central NSW coastal town of The Entrance.

Canberra from Telstra Tower

Dubbo Outback

Ayers Rock

The Bush
If I jump in the car, I can be in the bush in around 20 minutes or less. However, my local bush is much different to, say, Victoria?s. Or on the drive down to Canberra ? or across to Dubbo, in Sydney?s far west. So having my heroine in The Magnate?s Baby Promise own a B&B in a small outback country town meant I had to go on a research trip. (note to self: next time, DO NOT DRIVE if accompanied by small impatient child. Take a plane).

Eventually, I?m hoping to use all those other great places I?ve seen around the world, but for now, Australia is still (and probably will always be!) a great source of genuine authentic flavor. Which brings me to my question to you all ? do you have a favorite setting you like to read about? And authors, I?m curious ? have you ever written about a setting you haven?t actually visited?

BIO: British-born, Aussie bred, Paula?s thrilled to be a first-time finalist in RWA?s www.romanceaustralia.com Romantic Book of the Year Award with Boardrooms & A Billionaire Heir. Her latest, The Magnate?s Baby Promise is out now. You can visit her at www.paularoe.com