Blog Tour for To Tempt the Wolf!

August 29, 2009 at 1:00 am (General) (, , , , , , , , , , , )

Three more days and To Tempt the Wolf is OFFICIALLY released!!! Chance at free copy of book for commenting at Casablanca: Where Werewolves are the Bad Guys! And the Good Guys, too! through Monday! Extra chances for tweeting, posting this on blogs, and reviews of any of the wolf books! 🙂
Every girl ought to have a werewolf hunk to call her own. Don’t you think?

Here are some great reviews that have come in for To Tempt the Wolf!

To Tempt the Wolf is packed with action, mystery and romance, all woven together to make it a thrilling read. The story really moves, with each scene adding to the suspense and building to the climax. It is as packed with characters as the earlier novels, but this one has far more going on, so it grabbed my attention at the start and made me reluctant to put it down. Because he is an alpha, Hunter postures very often and is almost constantly heading off to save someone. Tessa is headstrong but also has a touch of insecurity when it comes to Hunter. They really click as a couple and add just the right zing to the erotic scenes. This one is my favorite so far, but be sure to read the others, Heart of the Wolf and Destiny of the Wolf, and watch for more in this sizzling series. –Shirley, Reviewer for Bitten by Books!

http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=10390

And:

 I didn’t realize that this was the third in the book right away and that really didn’t make a difference in the book for me. It can be read as a stand alone. I do know that I will be ordering the other two previous books.

I really enjoyed the book and I have to admit that I managed to read this in a day. The story line just grabbed be from the beginning. Mind you the cover wasn’t bad to loo at either.

This is the first time I have read anything by Terry Spears and I was not disappointed. She left me wanting more which any great book should do.There was alot of action that kept you on the edge of your seat and a little passion as well. I really suggest that when this book comes out on Sept 1 that you pick up a copy you won’t be disappointed.

Cindy of Cindy’s Love of Books!

http://cindysloveofbooks.blogspot.com/2009/08/to-tempt-wolf-tour-and-review.html

And: 

I enjoyed the werewolf lore that Spear has created for her books. I know that this is not the only one, although I haven’t read the others. Her werewolves live in packs, oftentimes related by family, but not always, and the alpha male (Hunter, for example) rules absolutely, along with his mate, if he has one. As with other werewolf romances the werewolves mate for life, which I always find a nice change from many other romances. It was actually kind of amusing how many werewolves kept popping up in this book – not just the main good guys and bad guys, but also nurses at the hospital, cops, judges, you name it. They’re everywhere. The romance was good, and overall the book was a good read. –Jessica, Curious Readers

http://jeskareads.blogspot.com/2009/08/to-tempt-wolf-by-terry-spear.html

I’m on a blog tour now, and giving free books all over the place. This week I’m at:

Night Owl Romance: Becoming One with the Story
And if you comment at Casablanca through Monday, you’ll get a chance at a free copy of your choice of an autographed book!

Drey’s Library: Expectations
8/27: Cindy’s Love of Books
8/31: Rhi Reading
9/2: Scribe Vibe
9/3: Yankee Romance Reviewers
9/4: Horror and Fantasy Book Review
9/7: Love Romance Passion
9/8: Fang-tastic Books
9/9: Books and Needlepoint
9/10: A Journey of Books

9/14: Morbid Romantic

9/17: Romance Reader at Heart’s Novel Thoughts Blog
If you believe werewolves can be a girl’s best friend, just comment! 🙂
Terry Spear
“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male.”
http://www.terryspear.com/

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BOM: Amazon Ink, Lori Devoti

August 28, 2009 at 5:00 am (Book of the Month Club, General, New Releases, Reviews) (, , , , )

amazonink250webPublisher: Pocket Books
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: May 26, 2009
ISBN: 978-1439154274

It’s been ten years since Melanippe Saka left the Amazon tribe in order to create a normal life for her daughter, Harmony. True, running a tattoo parlor in Madison, Wisconsin, while living with your Amazon warrior mother and priestess grandmother is not everyone’s idea of normal, but Mel thinks she’s succeeded at blending in as human.

Turns out she’s wrong. Someone knows all about her, someone who’s targeting young Amazon girls, and no way is Mel going to let Harmony become tangled in this deadly web. With her mother love in overdrive, Ms. Melanippe Saka is quite a force…even when she’s facing a barrage of distractions — including a persistent detective whose interest in Mel goes beyond professional, a sexy tattoo artist with secrets of his own, and a seriously angry Amazon queen who views Mel as a prime suspect. To find answers, Mel will have to do the one thing she swore she’d never do: embrace her powers and admit that you can take the girl out of the tribe…but you can’t take the tribe out of the girl.

Hi everyone! I sincerely hope that you’ve been enjoying the summer as I have. Playing taxi to my increasingly busy teenagers, working, and still trying to get in the occasional barbeque, I barely found time to read Lori’s latest. Barely was the key word so you know I did and here it is!

I really wasn’t sure how I’d appreciate such a strong female character, but Mel kinda grew on me. It was quite entertaining to watch her struggles as a Mom with a teen, since I can so relate to that! I reflected back on my own family frequently throughout the novel. Isn’t it true that all families have skeletons in their closet and as our children mature, we decide when and if to reveal them. Mel I think it’s time to explain the Amazons in the front yard even if you have a clever cover story. Children these days are a lot smarter than we give them credit for. If you think you know when your child is lying, look at it from their eyes as well. Your child more than likely knows she is being lied to. I found this book to be very hip, up to date, and dead on,  repeatedly a typical day in the life of a teenage girl. Drama, drama, drama! Lori brings alluring mystique, and non stop excitement to a basic who dunnit, with a very interesting history lesson of an extinct and mythical culture. I even liked the who dunnit part, I usually don’t read mysteries well, but this one kept me turning pages and guessing until the end.  So if you want  an intriguing mystery that’s written for today’s mom with a little SciFi thrown in for good measure. Read Lori Devoti’s new book, Amazon Ink! You’ll have a great time and maybe gain a little insight as to which battles you should pick.

∞ Penelope Fitzgerald
Don’t forget! Post your comments for your chance to win a book from next month’s featured author, Deborah Cooke

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Werewolves in Minnesota…

August 27, 2009 at 9:17 am (General)

septmoonhauf
The second book in my Wicked Games trilogy is out in stores now! Moon Kissed is my first full-length werewolf story. It’s got werewolves, vampires, a brownie (of the faery persuasion not the chocolate kind), swimming-pool sex, nature sex, flamenco dancing, Elvira, wooden bullets (the vampire-maiming kind), silver stakes, unrequited love, fickle love, dangerous love, and most of all, true love.

Any of that interest you? You can read the first chapter at my website. And at my DUSTED blog I’ve currently got a list of ‘fun facts’ about the story, along with pictures of the hero and heroine.

So this is what I want to know: Have your book buying habits changed as the economy has taken a dive? Do you find yourself pinching pennies in the bookstores? Or are you buying more books now, in lieu of other more expensive entertainments such as movies or amusement parks or a fancy dinner out?
Michele

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Guest Author, Pamela Palmer

August 25, 2009 at 5:42 am (Author Interviews, General, Guest Bloggers)

Pamela Palmer

Pamela Palmer

Edited to add the rest of Pamela’s awesome book covers!

Hello everyone!  Shout out a great big SSR welcome to our guest, Pamela Palmer, who writes for both Nocturne and Avon, as well as writes under the name Pamela Montgomerie.  Today we’re here to talk about Pamela’s exciting and heart pounding Feral Warrior series and to celebrate the release of her exciting newest book, Passion Untamed!

Thanks for having me, Teresa!

Now Pamela, I first heard of you at the RWA National conference.  I saw one of your cards in the goodie room and remember thinking “Now this is my kind of author.”  So of course the instant I got home, I hit the internet to learn more about you.  After reading your books, I thought it would be great to introduce you to our readers.  So start off by telling us a little bit about yourself.

I sold my first book, THE DARK GATE, to Silhouette Nocturne in May 2006 through Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart Contest and have since sold a total of twelve books and a novella to three different publishers. I write the dark paranormal Esri series for Nocturne and the Feral Warriors shape-shifter series for Avon, both as Pamela Palmer, but I took the pseudonym Pamela Montgomerie for my time travel series for Berkley. My first four single titles hit stores this summer – SAPPHIRE DREAM from Berkley and the first three books in my Feral Warriors series, DESIRE UNTAMED, OBSESSEION UNTAMED, and PASSION UNTAMED, which hits shelves today.

Paranormal is considered a relatively new subgenre of romance, despite a history of it tucked away in many non-romance books (Dark Shadows is the ultimate paranormal romance way back when.)  Have you always been drawn toward the paranormal?

In one way or another, definitely. When I was five, my favorite book was about dinosaurs. I know that’s science rather than fiction, but you can’t get much ‘bigger-than-life’. It wasn’t much of a stretch from imagining dinosaurs roaming the earth to imagining shape-shifters, vampires, elves, etc. I started watching Star Trek re-runs when I was ten and fell in love with the idea of fascinating worlds beyond our own. These days I can’t get enough of it. LOST, True Blood, Buffy, Lord of the Rings, Terminator – you name it, I can’t get enough of it! I love seeing (and putting) ordinary people into extraordinary circumstances, then watching as they discover they’re not as ordinary as they thought they were.

Why do think this genre is so enormously popular right now?

Personally, I think it’s because it takes one of the elements I’ve always loved about historicals (that delicious imbalance of physical power between the sexes) and brings it into our world. In modern society, power comes from job title, money, military rank, etc. In ancient times, power was much more about physical strength. There’s something incredibly sexy about a physically powerful, dangerous male who finds himself unable to be anything but tender with the woman he loves. A sexy doctor is fun, sure, but given the choice, I’ll take a dangerous vampire or a powerful, bare-chested, shape-shifter any day.

I”m with you, and you do have some powerfully sexy bare-chested shapeshifters.  I had to wipe the drool from my kindle. I”m always up for some strong, sexy men who don’t seem to understand the concept of “Politically correct.”

While checking out some of your reviews, one of the reviewers commented on the violence in your books. I think the reason for the comment was not that you depict violence, for most paranormal books do, but you depict violence toward innocent humans as opposed to other paranormal creatures. Do you think this is a fair statement?

There are a lot of ways to do fantasy. My way is to create a fantastical world, then make it as real as I can. No sugar-coating. No pulling punches. If I have a shape-shifter who can’t keep his clothes on when he shifts, he’s going to be naked a lot. If I have a villain who feeds on emotions like pain and fear, and he has no conscience, logic tells me he’s going after humans. Not only are we easy prey, but the immortals are the ones trying to catch him, so his own survival demands he avoid them. My aim isn’t to make my books violent, but rather to make the stakes sky-high, not only for the immortals, but for the reader. The threat to humanity isn’t theoretical, it’s already happening right there on the page. If my heroes fail, we’re all in trouble.

So we pray those wonderfully sexy heroes never fail!  You are so right though.  The more realistic the danger, the higher the stakes for the reader.  I can guarantee I didn’t want to put either of your books down because of that danger and fear.  My heart was pounding as I shouted “NO!  Don’t let it happen.”  And for those who haven’t read her books yet, I won’t tell you what that was.  You’ll just have to read it yourself to find out.

So, Pamela, tell us about this new Feral Warrior shape-shifter series of yours!

Ah, so glad you asked. : ) The premise behind the Feral Warriors is that eons ago, before the rise of human civilization, two immortal races battled the Daemons for control of the earth — the Mage, or magic ones, and the Therians, the mighty shape-shifters. Though traditional enemies, the Mage and Therians banded together to overcome the High Daemon, Satanan, ending his reign of terror and destroying his armies. But to win that ultimate battle, both races were forced to mortgage nearly all their power. Only one Therian among each of the ancient lines of shape-shifters was left with the power of his animal. Nine remain. They’re called the Feral Warriors. But dark forces are gathering, determined to raise Satanan and his horde once more, and the nine are the only ones who stand between us and destruction.

These books are romances, each featuring a different couple in the lead roles, but they’re also high-action, high-adventure paranormal thrillers, each book another chapter of the greater story.

In book 3, PASSION UNTAMED, Paenther is faced with his worst nightmare when he falls for the seduction of a passionuntamedmmcsweet beauty and finds himself chained in a Mage lair, the captive of the witch and her evil companions.

Though the Mage witch Skye has a gentle heart, demonic forces have enslaved her, forcing her to kidnap Paenther, a powerful and dangerous Feral Warrior. Even chained and naked, Paenther is a cunning prisoner who seduces her, body and soul, turning captive into captor. Paenther’s pride demands revenge against the enchantress who emerged from the deep woods like a sensual vision and enthralled him, even as she makes his body burn with passion. Despite his fury over her treachery, Skye’s gentle beauty calls to his soul, calming the wild chaos within him, and stealing his heart. But when evil threatens, Paenther and Skye’s only chance at survival is to trust in one another…and the power of love.

Passion Untamed is Book 3 in the Feral Warriors series.

Excerpt:

His muscles corded as he fought the chains with every ounce of strength he possessed until his skin was damp with sweat. But the chains didn’t budge. He was pinned fast, his arms trapped above his head, his legs spread and tethered.

Ah, goddess. If only you’d stopped me. There was no fate worse. He’d have sold his soul to have escaped this.

Heaven help him. His soul was probably the very thing the witch wanted. To finish what the Mage had started all those years ago – tearing him loose from his animal once and for all.

He caught her scent, that delicate, damning smell of violets. She stepped into the doorway, the ethereal beauty who’d shown him heaven between her thighs then captured him in her net of bewitchment. Lust slammed into him all over again.

Even as hatred seared its way through his blood, his gaze drank in the sight of her. She was slender, with few curves revealing themselves beneath the soft, shapeless blue dress. But her short hair accentuated a long, graceful neck and features that were too fine, too delicate for a cold-hearted witch.

Mage or not, she stole his breath.

She watched him, her eyes wary, as she gently stroked the rabbit in her arms. At her side, a doe pressed her head against the witch’s hip while several excited squirrels chased one another around her ankles.

He’d thought she was human.

Closing his eyes against the sight of her, he prayed that grave error didn’t turn out to be the last mistake he ever made.

It’s wonderful visiting with the Shapeshifter Romance Blog group!

Pamela also is available at the following sites:

http://www.facebook.com/PamelaPalmer

http://pamelapalmer.net/index.htm

Obsession Untamed

Obsession Untamed

Now that we’ve teased you, Pamela has offered to give away ONE copy of Passion Untamed!  This is a time I wish I was eligible for it, cause hubby has stolen my Kindle and doesn’t wanna give it back.  The brat.  Guess I’ll have to wait to read Passion Untamed this weekend.  So, one person who comments between now and next Tuesday will win a copy of Passion Untamed.  Ask your questions and have a little fun.  While you’re at it, why not tell us, if you have read one of Pamela’s previous books, which has your favorite character?  For me, I’m really looking forward to Paenther, the teaser in Obsession Untamed was enough to really peak my curiosity!

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From Noah Fielding

August 24, 2009 at 2:00 am (General, Rebecca York) (, , , , )

MoreThanAMan-244There’s a scene in my August Harlequin Intrigue, MORE THAN A MAN, where Noah Fielding wakes up weak and confused.  He’s survived a near-death experience, but he doesn’t know where he is–or what time period he’s in.  I don’t have room in the book to go into his thoughts in depth.  But I’ve written them here, from his POV in first person present tense.

Captivity.  Again.  But where and when?

Disjointed thoughts swirl through my head, and I can capture none of them.  I hear a woman crying.  Who is she?  Does she weep for me?   I try to grab a memory, but it slips away, and I want to scream in frustration.  But I cannot speak.  Cannot move.  Cannot even open my eyes.  And my body is on fire.

I fight the agonizing pain in every cell of my body, praying for death.  But death eludes me–again.

Where am I?   Do the Franciscans have me in the cellars below the abbey, confined because they think I’m in league with the devil?  No, that can’t be true.  I escaped from the monks long ago.

Has the Doge of Venice arrested me for shipping treasures out of his city-state?  But didn’t I bribe my way out of his prison?

Am I in the clutches of the Nazis–because they think I’m spying for the Allied forces?  No, I remember escaping from their transport van in a hail of bullets.  They left me for dead by the side of the road.

I lie in the dark, trying to clear my head as  jumbled images dance like scenes from a nightmare behind my closed lids.  So many centuries.  So many lives.  And always I must hide my identity.  I was born in a small village in England.  Centuries ago.  But I am always apart, separated by my long life and the need to hide my true identity.  That was easier centuries ago.  I could pretend to die and disappear into the mist.  Today computers keep track of everything.

Computers.  Ah.  Finally I have a reference point.  This must be late in the 20th century–or the 21st.

A woman’s cries bring another stab of pain.  I have longed for love, yet over the lonely centuries each woman in my life has left me.  Some have run from me in horror when they learned my secret.  Some have tried to kill me in their anger when they learned my secret.  But the worst is when they grow old and die, while I stay the same.  Always the same.  Year after year.  I look like a man in my early thirties with a full head of hair, a vigorous body and a sharp mind.  Yet I am centuries old.

Finally, I know where I am and that Olivia, the woman I love, is with me.

My throat constricts as I think of the anguish I have brought her.  My eyes flutter open, and I try to speak.  But my throat is still too raw.

Oh Lord, Olivia.  I didn’t have the courage to tell you my secret for fear you would leave me.  You think I’ve sacrificed myself for you.  But now I’m coming back to life before your eyes.  I see the joy on your face.  The wonder.  But also the shock and the knowledge of my betrayal.  I couldn’t tell you the truth about myself, and now you’ve found out in the most horrible way imaginable.

Fear claws at me.  A monster of a man named Jarred Bainbridge holds us both captive.  Can I save you from him–or is it already too late?

Noah Fielding.

So would you like to live forever?  What are the disadvantages, do you think?

Rebecca

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To Tempt the Wolf Won! Free Books!

August 23, 2009 at 10:05 am (General)

Update: To Tempt the Wolf won the Long and Short Reviews Contest!
Also, 3-book giveaway for commenters is available at Drey’s Library where I’m talking about “Expectations” today!! Aug 24! 
http://dreyslibrary.blogspot.com/2009/08/tour-giveaway-137-to-tempt-wolf-by.html
http://www.longandshortreviews.com/LASR/recentrev.htm
And Eleni of La Femme Readers interviewed me today at:
 http://lafemmereaders.blogspot.com/2009/08/mondays-question-of-day-author.html
Did you ever play in the mud when you were a kid? Well, he’s not exactly a kid, but he looks like he needs a helping hand. 🙂 All the hands raised to help clean him up?

And if you can take your eyes off the Blond Muddy Guy for a minute, here’s a new review for To Tempt the Wolf!!!…

The third werewolf romance (see DESTINY OF THE WOLF and HEART OF THE WOLF) is an enjoyable action-packed thriller from the fiery onset to the mystery of what is going on in Coastal Oregon. Fans of the series will enjoy the tale of the Gray Pack forced to relocate near a Red Pack (in Portland) as werewolves are territorial. Tessa is an intrepid human female who is not afraid of the big bad wolf while Hunter has found his soul mate ironically as he has tried for almost two centuries to find Meara’s alpha mate. Terry Spear provides an engaging paranormal romantic suspense as gold is the greedy lowest common denominator and love the highest common denominator. Harriet Klausner
http://genregoroundreviews.blogspot.com/2009/08/to-tempt-wolf-terry-spear.html
And for anyone who hasn’t voted, who wants to, this is the last day to vote! I know, I know, you all are ready to vote for the Blond Muddy Guy…but he’s probably already taken. LOL
http://www.longandshortreviews.com/LASR/recentrev.htm
Thanks!
Terry
“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male.”
www.terryspear.com

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The Book I Don’t Want to be a Shapeshifter

August 21, 2009 at 9:54 am (Larissa Ione)

Starting a new book is always exciting. Usually I’ve been thinking about it for months, and I know exactly how it’s going to start. It’s all fresh and shiny, and usually the first chapter flows really well and really fast. I love that.

And I’m happy to say that my newest project, my 5th Demonica book, is still flowing like that in chapter 5. YAY! I am absolutely loving this book. I think it’s going to end up being a favorite — a very, very close second to Passion Unleashed.

Someone asked me the other day which books (of mine and the Croft novels) were my favorites, and which were the least favorites. And you know, when it comes to the books you’ve written, it’s easy to pick favorites (though maybe not the #1 favorite,) but picking ones you don’t like so much? Much harder.

Because in the process of writing the books, you do have ones that behave well, and you have others that fight you every step of the way. You just have to hope that the books that fought you, the ones who were the rotten kids, turn out to be upstanding adults. And by the time you’re done with copyedits and galleys, you sit back and look at your monster child, smile, and think, wow…we did it. That book is a shapeshifter of the oddest kind, going from unruly brat to a perfectly behaved gentleman.

So anyway, the point of this rather rambling post is that the new book is so far not a shapeshifter — even though there are several of them IN the book. *g*

Authors, have you written any shapeshifter books? Books that started out well but then kicked your butt, or books that kicked your butt but turned out decent?

Readers? Have you read books that started well turned into something awful? Or that you didn’t think you’d get through, but somehow, the book redeemed itself?

Have a great weekend, everyone!

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What happens when the Big Bad Wolf runs into his True Mate?

August 19, 2009 at 3:43 pm (General)

By Teresa D’Amario

Yes, it’s finally on the horizon.  The Big Bad Wolf, otherwise known as Ryland in my Freya’s Bower release, SheWolf, at long last is forced into a confrontation with his True Mate.  This is the book so many have asked for – Ryland, the scary half way villain of my first release, who turned out to have something akin to a heart in his chest.  I’m hoping for release to be near the end of the year.

For those reading the Maxey wizard/shifter series, don’t worry, I have something on the horizon there, and once I get more news, I’ll let you know.

I thought, in honor of Ryland’s new, and most awesome cover, (Ok, Thank you cover gods!  Great job!) I’d give you guys a little taste of Ryland from SheWolf to give you just  a tease about this rather volatile male.

So without further ado, I provide you from chapter 4, a taste of Ryland.

SHEWOLF

By Teresa D’Amario
Freya’s Bower Publishing
EBook:  AllRomanceEbooks or Freyasbower.com

He grimaced. “I came to apologize.” He sounded sincere and human. No, that wasn’t the right term—civilized.

“Apologize? Ok, apology accepted. You can leave now.”

Anger hardened his gaze, and she watched while he regained control. This man wasn’t used to being dismissed. He’s wolven, not a man. She really needed to change her way of looking at life.

“We need to talk.” He finally gained control. He moved out from behind her desk. She could see in his eyes he had a hair trigger on his temper. It took less than a minute for her to push his buttons.

Interesting. Not only could Kieran gather his temper much faster, but it took more to push him to his limits. As of yet, she’d barely brushed the edge of his control.

Her mind struggled to catch up with her instincts. She’d never expected to want a man like Kieran, much less find herself comparing him to another, more violent man. At least Kieran came out the winner.

She strode to her desk, brushing past the big male. Determined to hide her discomfort, she refused to put the desk between them. Instead, she turned to face him and leaned against the hard wood, ankles crossed, revealing her calves and knees below her skirt.

“I don’t see what we have to talk about, Ryland. You wanted to kidnap me, to rape me, and make me bear your children. Somehow your apology falls short.”

One hand moved into her pocket and fingered the keypad of her cell phone. She should call Kieran. It would be easy, just a quick press of a button, number two on her speed dial.

She turned and met his eyes. They flashed yellow.

“That was not my doing,” he said softly.

“Oh, I don’t know, Ryland. Those were your arms holding me in place. Your hands grabbing my body without permission. So yes, I’d say it was all you there.”

“I was following orders.”

“Ahh, the catch-all, end-all phrase. Just like the Nazis in World War II. They were all following orders.”

“It is our way. We follow our pack leader’s directives. But no more.” The last words ended on a growl.

She arched a brow in surprise. “Oh, and what changed?”

“Kieran killed my pack leader. I am leader now.”

The simple reminder of the battle a few nights before was all it took. A flash of heat, a flush of moisture, and she was uncomfortably aroused. The image of Kieran fighting…so powerful…so strong.

“And you will be my mate.”

Her mouth dropped open. “You’ve got to be kidding!”

He approached, his steps sure, his head lowered. He watched her from beneath heavy lidded eyes. That damn stalking again. Did wolven males practice it as children? She should have put the desk between them after all. Too late now. Her heart thudded against her chest. But she didn’t feel fear. Kieran must be right. Only someone half-wolven would find Ryland’s approach exciting.

“No, Anna.” His voice lowered, rumbled sexily. Her body responded against all common sense. He inhaled and smiled. “You will be mine.”

“No, I won’t. Besides, it seems to me if Kieran killed your pack leader, doesn’t that make Kieran your pack leader now?”

He chuckled. Like warm honey, the sound rolled down her spine. Not as erotic as Kieran’s, but arousing all the same. He stood just inches away, his head bent close to her neck. “He didn’t claim his place, therefore it’s mine. And you want me. Your body says so.”

“It’s not you I’m thinking about.”

That soft laughter from his chest, so deep, so masculine. He inched close, and the breath whooshed from her lungs, his heat causing havoc on her already rampant body.

Then, inside, it was like a switch that flipped in her head. Her mind and body now in sync. It wasn’t him she was responding to, but the chase. She put her hand on his chest, impressed by the powerful feel of steel muscles beneath the flesh.

“And here I thought the bitch chose her mate.”

“But you are no wolf.” He whispered the words as his head dipped to hers; his lips found her neck instead of her mouth.

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It’s Gotta Have A Twist

August 12, 2009 at 1:00 am (General)

twist_mainThe tried and true vampires and werewolves are very popular. One would cringe to wonder if they might currently be TOO popular. Surely this glut of paranormal romance has to end soon? (Not that I want it to, mind you.) But it makes a reader nervous. I mean look at historicals. Years back they were the hot thing. Now, they’re still out there, but they’re just not getting the attention they deserve.

Trends come and go in the romance genre. I have a feeling paranormal is here to stay. But it won’t stick around for long in the form of the same-old/same-old. In order to stay, it has to evolve and change a bit, give the reader a new twist on an old classic.

I just read about an author who at the RWA conference was chatting with friends about what it would have been like if vampires were around during Shakespeare’s time. She went home, dashed out a proposal, and sold the book less than a week later—because she put a twist on the classic vampire. How cool is that?

We’re seeing lots of interesting twists lately. Steampunk vampires. Military werewolves. Demons who work in ERs. I’m sure the list is remarkable. And I’d like to hear about some of the current trendy twists in the paranormal genre.

What’s the coolest paranormal romance you’ve read lately? What twist did the story have that made it different from the classics? Is that what attracted you to the book? Or do you prefer the classic mythology for your paranormal romances, such as vampires who shy of garlic?

I’ve started yet another blog (I’m a bit addicted to blogging). It’s all about vampires all the time. Check it out here: http://vampchix.blogspot.com

Michele

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I’VE GOT YOU COVERED

August 10, 2009 at 1:00 am (General, Rebecca York) (, , , , , , , , , )

I’VE GOT YOU COVERED
Sometimes just the author’s name is enough to make a reader reach for the book.  Or it can be the cover art.
I can control the content of my book–by writing the best story I can.  But contrary to what many people think, the writer has little influence over the cover.  Usually I love mine or I hate them.
Here’s my cover for WITCHING MOON, the third book in my Berkley Moon Series.  I’m always looking for suitable occupations for werewolves.  In this story, Adam Marshall has taken a job as the head ranger at a nature park on the edge of a Georgia swamp.  He finds out quickly that the nearby town harbors dark secrets.  And when botanist Sarah Weston comes to the area, powers she’s long suppressed come bubbling to the surface.  When I saw the cover proof, I loved the way Sarah’s image hovers above the swamp.  Then I noticed that one of the pine trees was sticking into her chin, making her look like the bearded lady in a circus sideshow.  When I pointed that out to my editor, the art department blocked out the tree with a green square.   At least they were willing to do it.  When I made a comment about the long dark hair in the heroine’s face in ETERNAL MOON, my editor told me it was there for the suspense element.  Although it’s not as bad as a pine tree goatee, I keep wondering why Renata didn’t reach up and swipe it away.
AMANDA’S CHILD is my story about a pregnant virgin. How did it happen, you ask?  Artificial insemination.  The cover’s actually a concept that I suggested.  And I love the way the hero looks so protective.  But why did they have to make the rocking chair into Mickey Mouse ears?
Another Harlequin Intrigue, CHAIN REACTION, is about a guy who gets caught in an explosion at a research lab and acquires paranormal abilities.  I guess the lightning is supposed to symbolize his powers. But I think the cover shot makes him appear to be walking on a tightrope high up in the air in a thunderstorm.
If the book cover of a romantic suspense novel shows the hero alone, I want that wow factor.  He should be really sexy.  Really good looking.  Really macho.  That’s what will make me reach for the book.
Which is why I think I lucked out with MORE THAN A MAN, my Intrigue out this month.  I love this guy.  (And if you’ve read my previous post about the book, you know I think he looks like my son.)  In my Intrigues, I get to explore all kinds of weird story lines.  In this one, the man who now calls himself Noah Fielding has lived for over 700 years.  Sounds like fun, right?  But his long life creates its own problem.  Like how does he have a relationship with any woman when she’s going to grow old and die–and he won’t.  And what happens when a dying millionaire is desperate to figure out his secret?
I hate to admit that I’ve sometimes bought a book because of the cover art.  How about you? What pulls you in?  And how much do the graphics influence your book purchases?
Rebecca

Sometimes just the author’s name is enough to make a reader reach for the book.  Or it can be the cover art.

I can control the content of my book–by writing the best story I can.  But contrary to what many people think, the writer has little influence over the cover.  Usually I love mine or I hate them.

Witching-125Here’s my cover for WITCHING MOON, the third book in my Berkley Moon Series.  I’m always looking for suitable occupations for werewolves.  In this story, Adam Marshall has taken a job as the head ranger at a nature park on the edge of a Georgia swamp.  He finds out quickly that the nearby town harbors dark secrets.  And when botanist Sarah Weston comes to the area, powers she’s long suppressed come bubbling to the surface.  When I saw the cover proof, I loved the way Sarah’s image hovers above the swamp.  Then I noticed that one of the pine trees was sticking into her chin, making her look like the bearded lady in a circus sideshow.  When I pointed that out to my editor, the art department blocked out the tree with a green square.   At least they were willing to do it.  When I made a comment about the long dark hair in the heroine’s face in EternalMoon-125ETERNAL MOON, my editor told me it was there for the suspense element.  Although it’s not as bad as a pine tree goatee, I keep wondering why Renata didn’t reach up and swipe it away.

amandas-child-125AMANDA’S CHILD is my story about a pregnant virgin. How did it happen, you ask?  Artificial insemination.  The cover’s actually a concept that I suggested.  And I love the way the hero looks so protective.  But why did they have to make the rocking chair into Mickey Mouse ears?

ChainReaction-125Another Harlequin Intrigue, CHAIN REACTION, is about a guy who gets caught in an explosion at a research lab and acquires paranormal abilities.  I guess the lightning is supposed to symbolize his powers. But I think the cover shot makes him appear to be walking on a tightrope high up in the air in a thunderstorm.

If the book cover of a romantic suspense novel shows the hero alone, I want that wow factor.  He should be really sexy.  Really good looking.  Really macho.  That’s what will make me reach for the book.

MoreThanAMan-125Which is why I think I lucked out with MORE THAN A MAN, my Intrigue out this month.  I love this guy.  (And if you’ve read my previous post about the book, you know I think he looks like my son.)  In my Intrigues, I get to explore all kinds of weird story lines.  In this one, the man who now calls himself Noah Fielding has lived for over 700 years.  Sounds like fun, right?  But his long life creates its own problem.  Like how does he have a relationship with any woman when she’s going to grow old and die–and he won’t.  And what happens when a dying millionaire is desperate to figure out his secret?

I hate to admit that I’ve sometimes bought a book because of the cover art.  How about you? What pulls you in?  And how much do the graphics influence your book purchases?

Rebecca

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