Interview of Annie Alvarez, RBRU Member Author!

It's my pleasure to interview fellow RBRU Member Author Annie Alvarez today!

BIO:

I can put together a lesbian erotica at the drop of a dime, but ask me to write an autobiography and my mind goes completely blank. So, here goes...
I was born in New Orleans Louisiana. That's right, the Big Easy or the bathtub, whichever you prefer. Anyways, when I was born, Mercy Hospital was still called Mercy, so I've got a few years under my belt.At the age of 5, my family moved to sunny South Florida. I spent the next 27 years baking in the sun and enjoying the constant, predictable weather.
As a teenager, I caused my share of trouble, which I will not go into here. Needless to say, when I turned 18, I came out to my friends and family. I'll never forget that day, either. My picture was plastered on the front page of the Miami Herald's Sunday edition. For those of you who don't know what the Miami Herald is, it's only the largest newspaper in South Florida and my picture took up half the front page. Woohoo! My first fifteen minutes of fame.
I've had my share of relationships, some were good and some were downright wrong. At the age of 32, a mutual friend introduced me to my current partner, who lived in Texas. We seemed to hit it off, even though she spoke with a funny accent. She returned to Texas and I followed her. We've been together 13 years now and I wouldn't trade a single day of it. We don't have kids even though we both want them. What we do have is 3 cats who are highly opinionated, and 2 huge, lovable dogs.
I never said, oh geez, when I grow up, I want to be a writer. No, that didn't happen to me. What did happen was that imagination sideswiped me one day and an erotic story complete with characters, consumed every bit of my waking moments. To get it out of my head, I put it on paper, smart huh? Well, that's what started my writing career. I successfully have four published ebooks, The Hightower Series, and I'm working on the forth.
My stories center on Izzy and Tamara, both vampires and both very sexy, but deadly. It's full of hot, explicit love scenes between them and sometimes- other partners. A lot of people have asked me if I tend to write from experience, my answer is yes, and no. Yes, because I write lesbian erotica and I'm a lesbian, duh. No, because I'm not a vampire although some days, I wish I was.
Well, there you have it, my life in a nutshell. Of course, I left stuff out...I already share my dirty mind with you; I can't very well go sharing my dirty laundry, too!

Q: What’s the first thing you did when you received word you’d sold a book?
A: I did my infamous happy-happy-joy-joy dance. Then I called my partner, all my friends and spread the good news. In that order. I was so stoked, I had to read the email a few times before it registered!

Q: What part of the book is the easiest for you to write? Why?
A: I find it all easy to write except, when my muse has a different idea on where the story should go. That’s when it becomes a battle of the wills between my characters and I and believe me…they are opinionated!

Q: Who is your favorite character in your book and why?
A: Oh, that’s easy. It would have to be Tamara Hightower. I see her as my complete opposite. She possesses everything I don’t. Patience, a great sense of humor, patience, a canning ability to read people, patience. Oh, did I mention patience?

Q: If one of your books became a movie, which celebrity would you like to star as one of your heroines? Tell us about your heroine.
A: Kate Beckinsale, as Tamara. She was fantastic in Underworld! The way she portrayed the tough, cold vampire side, even though she was falling in love. Yeah. That’s definitely Tamara!

Izzy is a little harder to cast. Half witch, half vampire with spells running amok all the time. She’s young and bubbly…Maybe you have a suggestion or two?

Q: Do all your heroes and all heroines look the same in your mind as you “head write”?
A: Absolutely not! I actually “see” them as different people. That’s what helps me get in their head, so to speak. I “see” Tamara as a more refined person, but not stuck up. She always has a reason for doing something. She’s intelligent and overly cautious.

Izzy is a bubbly, happy go lucky, save the planet nut that loves to live life to the fullest. She wears flip-flops, and has a killer tan. She likes to sun bathe a lot.

Jazz? Well, as a vampire, she got stuck in the hippie era and refused to put it behind her. She likes to wear flowy, tie dyed clothes. She’s a good mixture between Tamara and Izzy.

Q: Facebook, MySpace, Blogs, Chats, or Twitter. Which do you like best and why?
A: I don’t like any of them because people and I’m referring to readers, don’t really get to know your work. They are all looking for more, whatever’s…ranch buddies, flower power petals, who knows. However, having said that, you can find me on all, except chats. I haven’t checked that one out, yet.

Tell us where to find you: website(s), publisher’s page(s), blog(s), Facebook page(s), etc. List them all!
Yes! I take reader’s emails. If you have a question of comment let me know. Annie@anniealvarez.net
http://www.anniealvarez.net
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Naughty-Little-Vamp/222738366205 
http://naughtylittlevamp.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/Anniealvarez
http://www.myspace.com/anniesreality
http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/board

BLURB:

Is it not enough that I have put up with her blatant disobedience and have tolerated her abandonment to our way of living and our life together? As Matriarch of the Hightower Clan, I should take what rightfully belongs to me. No one would deny me that right, but I want more than just her body standing next to me. I want her heart and love to follow willingly.

EXCERPT:
It was close to the Winter Solstice and Connecticut was cold, but that didn’t bother me. The sleepy little town teamed with suppressed energy that built stronger as each night passed. It was enough that it made me edgy and that wasn’t an easy thing to do. Luckily, Faelyn bumped up against New York and Massachusetts so it was only a quick run into the city to visit one of Kaley’s Donor Centers, or find an unsuspecting donor to calm my jittery nerves. Either would do for me. I’m not picky about feeding, but I do draw the line on Demons. It takes weeks to get the retched taste out of my mouth.

I heard the branch Layla was standing on creak. I smiled and turned to her. “You are a goddess, and yet, you stand on a limb that cannot hold your weight.”

“This is not about me.” She stepped onto a thicker branch. “This is about you maintaining order in your clan. You’ve sat here night after night, indulging in self-pity, watching what you once had instead of reassuring your clan that your strong hand will continue to protect them.”

“They are vampires,” I said, stretching my leg off the branch and casually swinging it. “They should take care of themselves.”

Layla firmly grabbed the limb above her and swung her body close to me. “Need I remind you that you are only as powerful as your clan? If you continue to lose members, you will have failed your mother as well.” She paused. “Look.” She pointed across the street. “In the three weeks you have been perched here, she hasn’t noticed you because she’s moved on with her life, as should you.”

Layla was right. Yesterday, their neighborhood was a typical foliage-covered, standard-looking suburb, and tonight…it glimmered with shiny, white Christmas lights and solstice wreaths cleverly hung from trees. Their house was no exception. They were preparing for the Winter Solstice. Layla had an incredible knack for making a point and this one stung. I already felt as though I failed Izzy and now for a little extra spice, she added mother to my already simmering pot of failure. Maybe she had been right. What I needed was a good fight to get my head and my new priorities screwed on straight.

Anything else you’d like to add?
In these times when M/M is quite popular, I have dedicated myself to writing about what I know, F/F erotica. If you want a little break, join my lovely vampire ladies as Izzy battles to keep her humanity and Mistress Tamara battles to keep Izzy.

POS sufferers unite!

I wanted to write something witty, sharp and meaningful and to quote my 12 year old nephew, "I got nothing."

For most normal people, having nothing is no big deal. For a writer, it's an automatic death sentence and I am sitting in the corridors awaiting my fate. No. I'm not suffering from the dreaded writer's block. I have named my affliction, POS - wait! It's not what you're thinking really!

POS stands for Promotions Overload Syndrome. Many authors are affecting by this crippling disease, just ask one.

Here's the dirty...we write, what we think is an awesome story. A publishing house accepts our manuscript and then we have to figure out how to promote our baby. Yes, publishing houses do promote, but let's get real for a minute...they can only do so much and no matter how much they do, we the creators of the story think it's never enough. We have to step in and get our name out there and rightfully so.

We must introduce ourselves to the world and let everyone know who we are and what we've written, and oh yeah, that they want to buy it. So, we start with the small Ning groups at first, then we incorporate the Yahoo Groups. By this time, we've got a Kazillion email addresses and passwords to remember, but that isn't enough! We squeeze in a blog of our own! Just in case, you know?

My problem is that I am so preoccupied with keeping up with the Jones that my Muse took a temporary vacation. I think she's in the Bahamas with the Smith's.

I have resolved to fix this and bring my Muse back. I am dwendling down the list I commit myself to. If you don't see me somewhere, it's not that I don't care, I promise. It's that I want my Muse back. Pronto!

I need to keep my readers happy and I can't do that with my Muse sipping Margaritas on a deserted Island, hiding from me. Statistics stated that the f/f genre, was not a favorable one and in spite of that, I have done pretty good. Not great, but good and I don't want to ruin it by streching myself so thin that I disappear.

I invite you all to get to know me, visit my website and my blog. You just might like something you read.

Here's are my words of wisdom, when the POS interferes with your writing, it's time to take the BS out back and put it to rest!

Annie :0)

http://www.anniealvarez.net/

"Mother Goose Day": Naughty Adult Rhymes!

Before I start, I've got some great news! "Strip Poker for Two", an erotic romance book by April Ash, tied for first place in the "Best Book Title Contest at: http://thebookboost.blogspot.com
Check my website for information about the book: http://www.aprilash.net.

Yep...It's the official "Mother Goose" Day! But this blog is NOT for kids!

Just the mention of "Mother Goose" brings back childhood memories of quirky tales I loved as a child...ones each generation imparts to the next. Do you have a favorite? Jack and Jill? Little Bo Peep?

Consider these rhymes as tales for adults by "tweaking" them...and you can come up with some naughty wording to fill a page!

Jack and Jill went up the hill
and lovemaking they did do
they did this every day they could
Now Jill will eat for two.


Jack be nimble
Jack be quick
Let's make it a threesome
So go call Rick.




Little Jack Horner sat in a corner
eating his Christmas pie
he spread some on me
and ate heartedly
and contentedly I did sigh.

Peter , Peter, pumpkin eater
had a wife and couldn't keep her
Made love to her every night
Never did she stray from sight.

Simple Simon met a callgirl
going to the fair
Said Simple Simon to the callgirl

Let me taste your ware.

Said the callgirl to Simple Simon
Show money and your dick
Said Simple Simon to the callgirl
No money but I'm quick!

So how many rhymes can you convert to naughty short tales that would make Mother Goose blush? Book idea: Madam Goose Tales for Naughty Adults!

Photos: Flickr: M.V.Jantzen, Max Sparber's photostreams.

http://www.mariannestephens.net
http://www.aprilash.net
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/romancebooksrus

Interview of Sandra K. Marshall, RBRU Member Author

It's my honor to interview a good friend, Sandy. I've known her for all of my RWA and Mid-America Romance Authors years, and she's one of the people who motivated me when I felt like quitting. Happy to have her here today!

Sandy, tell us about yourself!

Marianne, thank you so much for having me here today. I've really enjoyed myself in this relaxed atmosphere.

Bio: I worked for a major airline for thirty-six years and did extensive travel during that period. In 1999, I retired to write full time and seriously worked toward publication.

I had an idea for a book at the time the riverboat casinos were starting up in the Mid-west. To write this book, I did research by working for nine months at a local riverboat casino. After I started my first book I knew I had enough information for more books. Fortunately, there were secondary characters who wanted their stories told to.

Here's the title of my latest book, buy link, video link.
"ADDICTION" is my latest book, the buy link is http://www.eirelander-publishing.com/addiction.htm and my video link is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e684nldayz0

Q: What’s the first thing you did when you received word you’d sold a book?
A: I was totally numb. I had worked so hard for so many years that it was hard to believe it actually happened. Who did you tell first? I was on-line so the first person I told was my mentor and critique group, and then my hubby.

Q: What part of the book is the easiest for you…beginning, middle, end. Why?
A: The beginning is the easiest for me. Those first few scenes just come to me, and I have to write notes so I won't forget them.

Q: What part of the book is the hardest for you…beginning, middle, end. Why?
A: The hardest part of writing a book is the end because I know what the end is going to be, but I have a hard time getting there. I think it's because I'm in a hurry to finish, and I need to take my time and get it right.

Q: If one of your books became a movie, which celebrity would you like to star as one of your heroines? Tell us about your heroine.
A: I'll use the heroine from Addiction. Sandra Bullock looks like Jolene Dubois except Jolene is taller. My heroine is an alcoholic, so she battles that addiction every day of her life. She also is fighting for her life because someone is stalking her.

Q: If one of your books became a movie, which celebrity would you like to star as one of your heroes? Tell us about your hero.
A: I'll use the hero from Addiction here. Jake Farrell is a black-haired blue-eyed Irishman who has an ornery grin. I'm not sure who I would want to play him. An Irishman for sure. lol

Q: What hobby do you enjoy when not writing?
A: I love to read when I have time to. Also, I love to travel.

Q: Tell us where to find you: website(s), publisher’s page(s), blog(s), Facebook page(s), etc. List them all!
A:

http://www.skaymarshall.com
http://www.eirelander-publishing.com
http://www.myspace.com/s_zinn_marshall
http://www.facebook.com/sandramarshall
http://www.sandramarshallblog.blogspot.com
I'm also on Twitter as SandraKMarshall

Q: Anything you’d like to add?
A: Here are two review sites for Addiction:
http://bkwalkerbooks.weebly.com/1/post/2009/12/-read-review-of-addiction-by-sandra-k-marshall.html
http://ddrreviews.blogspot.com/2010/01/addiction-by-sandra-k-marshall.html

I was pleasantly surprised by them. It gave me validation that I could be a writer.

BLURB for "Addiction"

Two men are after the same woman but for very different reasons.


Dark-haired beauty, Jolene Dubois has a serious problem, and it's not just battling alcoholism. Late at night, she receives whispered calls. "Jolene, I want you. I'm coming for you." Shivers climb up her spine and ice flowed in her veins.
What does he want? She must figure it out before she trusts the wrong person.


Jake Farrell, the handsome rogue is an operator with women, but is he hiding something dark and sinister under his cheery facade. The detective, Andy Martin, who investigated her father's murder, continues to ask her out. Les Voodré, an alcoholic she met at AA follows her everywhere, and Ron Keisler, her AA sponsor is always there when she needs him. Could her caller be one of these men?


To further complicate her life, she fights a host of addictions, alcoholism, smoking, gambling and sex.Jolene is determined to beat the alcohol and to stay out of the clutches of the fiend who phones her.


EXCERPT:

Jake pulled into Parma Woods Conservation area off FF Highway across the road from the Missouri river
“I’m glad the weather cleared for our target practice."


“Yeah, it’s a nice sunny afternoon.” Jolene jumped out of his dark blue SUV. Twenty minutes in the vicinity of Jake had put her through pure torture. She wished she could’ve thought of a way out of the demonstration with a reasonable excuse but none came to her during the day. How did she get herself into these situations? Because the man drew her to him like bees drawn to nectar with his laughing eyes, his daring manner, and that body.
  
Glad she kept some extra clothes in the office, she’d changed into a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved green t-shirt before meeting Jake. Leaning inside, she pulled her Smith and Wesson out of her purse, and pushed the lock on the door before she closed it.  

“Let’s go inside and pay for our hour.” Jake headed for the office. 

Well, so much for courtesy. He just walked off and left her. She surveyed the row of covered booths briefly, and hurried after him.  

Coming out the door as she reached it, he asked, “What took you so long? I thought you’d run off.”  

“I was looking around.” Damn, she would like to slap that impudent grin off his face. “There’s no way I’d miss showing you up.” 

“Hmm, we’ll see, won’t we?” Jake arched a black brow with a lopsided smile. 

She shrugged. “Yes, we will.” If he kept his distance and didn’t upset her hormones, she’d hit the target.  

“I’ve set up a target for you.” He pointed. “I’m going to try you at different distances, and we’ll see if you can really shoot.” 

Jolene squinted a bit and saw a human shape of white on black. “I’m not used to this type of target. Where am I supposed to aim?” 

“Aim at the heart for the kill.” He placed his hand at her waist, steered her closer to the object and stopped about thirty yards away. “Is this close enough for you?” 

“Fine.” Just get away from me, she screamed mentally and shook off his arm.  

Jake stepped back. 

Jolene raised her gun, clasped in both hands and sighted, then pulled the trigger. Smiling, she set her sights on the heart again and fired until she emptied the clip, released it then put another in. 

“Wait a minute, let me go check to see if you hit it.” He jogged toward the target. 

Scowling, she resisted the urge to see if she could make him dance. With the gun to her side, she yelled, “Well, how did I do?” 

As she watched him shake his head, dismay clawed at her. Could she have missed? Fool! She’d been so sure she could repeat the ten in ten bulls-eyes. Jake would think she was just a big bragger. 

“Come and see for yourself,” Jake yelled.  

You would think he would just tell me if I missed or not. Jolene walked briskly from the covered shooting range and strode up to him. “Well, did I hit the target?” She’d never live it down if she missed.  

Jake glanced at her. “Hey, where’s the confidence you had earlier today?” Taking her arm, he pulled her forward and pointed at the silhouette’s heart area. “This guy’s dead. There are ten shots right here.” He directed his gaze to where the testicles would be on a man. “I only see one miss.” 

She looked down at the crotch and laughed. “Oh, I didn’t miss. I meant to hit there.”  

“Remind me not to piss you off.”  

She heard a discharge, then a whishing sound as a projectile whizzed between them. It sliced through the target removing any evidence of the head. Shocked, she crouched down, staring all around, and then Jake shoved her to the ground and dropped on top of her.  

Someone had shot at them. Was it Rutherford’s friends? Trembling, she laid still until slowly realizing her face was in the dirt, and she couldn’t breathe. Panting, she turned her head gulping in air. All quiet. She wiggled. How long did they have to lay here? It had to be safe by now. 

In the distance, she heard a motor roar to life, and tires spin on gravel as the vehicle took off. Could it be the person who shot at them making a getaway? 

“Don’t you think they’re gone?” She humped her bottom up. Not a good idea, she realized when she felt something hard in the front of his pants. She flattened her body to the ground. “Did you have to jump on top of me?” She struggled against the hand Jake pressed on her head.  

“Shh,” he whispered in her ear. “I want to hear if anyone moves, so I’ll know where the shot came from.” 

Spitting out dirt, she just wanted to make a run for it. Bushes rustled on the bluff and a deer leaped from them. 

Jake waited a moment then removed his palm from her lips.  

She listened for more gunshots. Would someone pepper them with bullets? Her heart pumped frantically, and she wanted to run, not lie there like a willing target caught right in a potential killer’s crosshairs. When nothing happened she squirmed under him. “Get off of me.”  

He hugged her body a minute longer before he slid to lie at her side. His hand stayed firmly on her back and held her in place.  

After a few seconds, she asked, “Don’t you think it’s okay to get up now?” 

“He was on the bluff across the road.” He stared at the high steep bank across the road. “I don’t see anyone there, but let’s go in a zigzag to the nearest cover. Do you think you can do that?”  

“Yeah.” Anything would be better than waiting for something to happen.  

Adrenaline pumping, with the gun in her left hand she put her right one in front of her chest ready to push up. Would someone shoot them before they had a chance to run? Her stomach knotted into a thousand little nerves. At the same time Jake grabbed her around the waist and jerked her up. Her feet hit the ground running with Jake’s arm guiding her.  

As they neared the Conservation office building, Jake pushed her next to the wall and peered around the corner. “I think it was a warning, or otherwise we would both be dead.” 

“Warning of what?”  

“I wish I knew.”  

Jolene struggled loose of his grasp and peeked around the bend, too. “What are we waiting for? I don’t see anything.” 

“We’re staying here until I determine no one’s still there. He could’ve moved to a new place and be waiting for us to come out of hiding to pop us off.” He crouched down. “Just in case, I’m going to make a run for my SUV and bring it around for you.” 

“No way, I’m going with you. Besides, you don’t know if that shot was for me or for you.” She bent over and took off. A hand grabbed her around the waist, and Jake forced her to his side away from the road and half-carried her to the SUV. 

“What the hell do you think you’re doing? Trying to get yourself killed?” He pushed her down next to his vehicle, unlocked the door with the clicker and opened it. “Get in and stay down.” 

Jolene did as she was told. Crouched on the floor, nerves screaming, she waited for Jake to open his door. What in the heck was taking him so long? He should be on the other side by now. She raised her head to see if she could see him. 

Not detecting him, she started to exit the vehicle just as the driver’s door opened. 

Jake climbed in. “Where the hell do you think you’re going?”  

She slid back onto her seat and closed the door. “I was coming to look for you.” She stared at his taut jaw as he started the engine. “I was worried because you took so long.” 

“When I tell you to do something, do it.” He clenched his fingers around the steering wheel, backing up and driving down the long driveway. 

“Well, aren’t you the bossy one.” She’d worried about the stupid man for nothing. “What were you doing?” 

“I let the guys inside know about the shots because they might need to call the police.” He turned east on FF highway. “I gave them our names and phone numbers in case they needed to contact us.” He glanced at her. “It could’ve been hunters who strayed off their grounds, but even if it were the next person might not be so lucky.”  

Does he expect me to fall for his story about hunters? The tautness of his forearms told her he didn’t buy what he was selling either.

Thanks to Sandra K. Marshall for doing this interview. She can be found at this blog's Yahoo Group:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/romancebooksrus

BLOGMANIA CONTEST

Hi Everyone,

Tomorrow, April 30th is the big blogmania contest. I hope you'll start with my blog, http://www.sandramarshallblog.blogspot.com and enjoy and all day shopping spree right in your own home.

1. Be at any of the blogs participating in the Blogmania Event as early as possible on April 30th. The easiest way to find a Blogmania Blog is to look for the Blogmania Badge.

2. This is an international event, so understand that there will be some differences in time zones. My advice is to start early and stay late to catch all the blogs.

3. Each blog will have their own giveaway requirements. Read them carefully, follow through, and then move on as quickly as possible. If you run across a blog that you really like and want to spend some time exploring, copy their URL and then visit them after Blogmania is over.

4. We will have a 100+ blogs for you to visit. Each one will post their number like this. ( This is blog 47 of 100) This is to help you keep track of which blogs you’ve visited, and which ones you still need to reach. I’d suggest that you prepare a blog sheet which is numbered from 1 – 120, then mark off each numbered blog as you visit them.

5. All blog links provided will also have a number like (Blog 89 of 100). Look for the blogs that you haven’t yet visited and follow those links until you’ve checked off all the blogs on your sheet.

6. We have all types of blogs participating in Blogmania, which means that the range of items in their giveaways are diverse. I have previewed many and they are awesome.

7. Why not contact a friend and partner up. Compare notes, share loot, or organize your own friendly neighborhood Blogmania Competition.

Best of luck everyone.

Sandy aka Sandra K. Marshall
Author of Addiction
http://www.eirelander-publishing.com/addiction.htm

How bad do you want it?

Do you stew every second of the day, thinking about it? Do you imagine grandeur moments of receiving a phone call from a huge publisher seeking to publish your book? Taste it with each typed word? Well, if you’re a dedicated author, determined to succeed, then yes, you do. And why wouldn’t you? Like me, you’ve worked hard to hone your craft.

You prepare a submission, send it off and wait. After a few weeks, most of the time months, a response arrives. Sigh...it’s a rejection. So, do you give up? Hum, your determination isn’t great and powerful enough if you do.

So you join a critique group. After posting some of your novel, you wait for your fellow critique partners to comment on the story. They do and the blinding red splotched across the pages inspires a defensive reaction. Why? Don’t you want to hone your craft? Remember, all the people whom you hope will buy your book will each have a different interpretation of your story. So what do you do?
Give up? Or look through the comments and see which ones are common and which ones are opinionated. You make the corrections and post again. You’re learning and growing with your craft.

Hurray! You’re finally published and the finished product sent off to a reviewer. You wait for what seems like forever. A review shows up on your Google alert. Yes! You zip over to read it and your mouth drops open. The reviewer hated the story. So was your book that bad or was the reviewer having a bad day when she read your work? Time to look inside and see if the problem is with yourself and your writing. It’s your call on whether you’re being honest and admitting maybe, just maybe there’s some truth to the reviewers comments. If not, then ignore it. Not everyone will love or understand your story.

Next, you receive your cover. Omigod! It’s the worse cover an author can have. The hair color for both hero and heroine is off. Their faces aren’t what you described in the book. The colors are hideous. Embarrassed, you rush an email to the editor but it doesn’t do any good. The cover stands as is. Do you accept it and move on or complain and whine until you make the editor and publisher angry?

Writing takes a tremendous amount of discipline and dedication. There are many ups and downs. An author must realize this at the start. If you don’t then the trip down the writing yellow brick road will end up worse than Dorothy’s and Oz will remain simply a mirage along the horizon. Writing also takes some intense soul searching too. For me, writing is humbling and reminds me I’m not perfect. I strive everyday to improve my ability by learning more and more about the craft. Why? Because I want the reviewer to love my story, I desire my critique partners to love my story, I yearn for readers to develop a passion for my books, but most of all, I crave to do the best I can with my talent.

So, how much do you want a publishing contract? Do you step on the roller coaster ride to publication or do you talk the talk but skip away from the walk? Let me know what writing and seeking publication means to you.

Be sure and take a minute to look at my books on my website.

"Beautiful Strangers are coming!"

Beautiful Stranger

Katalina Leon

My new novel length e-book “Beautiful Stranger” was released yesterday and is now available from Ellora’s Cave Publishing. This story is part of the Sophisticate Line. I couldn’t wait to share the cover and short blurb with you all.

Blurb:

Lily Fontaine is a former beauty queen and news anchor but those roles don’t suit her anymore. She’s healing from a hurtful divorce and ready to make big changes in her life, but first she needs her sexual confidence back.

She wants a lover without the risk of heartbreak and considers hiring a male escort as a special treat. Her best friend offers a provocative solution to her request. On her birthday, Lily returns to New Orleans, the place of her birth to meet a special man. She plans to fly in and fly out for a three-day weekend of cool music, great food and hot sex with no emotional attachment and no further contact with the man. She wants to pay to play and hopes to stay in control -what can go wrong?

David is perfect, the man of her dreams. He’s gorgeous, intelligent and knows how to take charge. The attraction is instant. With just the clothes on her back Lily sheds her old life and follows a Beautiful Stranger into bayou country for the adventure of a lifetime.

(I will say Lily’s plan does go wrong. She and David do fall in love and end up on an adventure that will take them both far from where they started…. Bring a tissue, because I just love messing with lovers! lol)

XXOO Kat

"You're The Meaning In My Life...You're The Inspiration..."

What inspires you to write?

Music is one method; life experiences are another.

My dad liked classical music, and while riding in the car with him, or listening at home, my brain would conjure images of a storyline. I was bored one afternoon and put on his favorite mix tape. Soon I was acting out a trial; being a conductor (2001 Space Odyssey); acting out the lyrics to One Tin Soldier and Those Were The Days. In fact, several weeks later, I wrote my first story based on the song One Tin Soldier and my creative writing teacher enjoyed it, although she told me if I was going to write fiction, to be careful about using actual people (I'd had the stone guarded by several prominent sports figures, plus our own Jr. High football teams!).

As I began my writing career, I'd put the kids down for naps, turn on Hooked On Classics, and write for two hours. I'd go to the laundromat, play the juke box, and write while my clothes spun around in the washers and dryers.

I've written to Prince, Madonna, Aqua, Bon Jovi, and Frank Sinatra. This drives my husband crazy, because he'd rather watch TV. So I've learned to write during hunting shows, Discovery Channel, and even SyFy and History channels. And when my toddler was growing up, I wrote to the sounds of Nick Jr...Wonder Pets, Dora, Diego, and Backyardigans.

While watching the Olympics this past winter, the eventual Ice Dancing winners wowed me with their original dance routine, and I envisioned a love story. I've kept it on my DVR, much to the family's disgust. But until I'm ready to write that story (characters are still only whispering snippets in my ear), it will remain. Yeah, I know; I could probably find it on YouTube....

I've also listened to news briefs on the radio and had characters jump into my head (Wild At Heart is a perfect example). I've been out in the community and certain situations will send the brain spinning (like the time I discovered I was being flirted with at a store) or I'll overhear a conversation and the creative wheels will take off.

My latest endeavor was simply brain storming with others, and a suggestion from a reader. Sometimes many elements will come together to inspire the muse to insist I sit down and write.

Lately, a certain reality TV show has inspired a bizarre 'what if...' situation to begin churning in my brain. I'm only on page 3, so don't want to jinx myself by talking about it too soon. But if it manages to come together and sound halfway plausible, I'll be thrilled. And two weeks ago I attended a ballroom dancing class and suddenly another wip's plot seemed to come together.

After four months of my muse being on vacation, this is a welcome change. Now if I can just get the family to leave me alone so I can write!

So what kick-starts your muse?

Excerpt from my latest book, The Third Rose

This is the book I've worked the longest on and researched the most. All about spies, secret codes, set in the time of Waterloo but definitely not a regency. Too much sex, for one thing. It's coming out April 29th, which is soon, soon, soon.

I love the cover, which conveys some of the suspense in the book. Here's an excerpt from near the beginning of the book, when Wolf is beginning to realize he likes Sara more than is safe for either one of them.

"The night of the opera found Sara dressed early, and sitting in the parlor as rigid as one of its porcelain ornaments. She’d sent Samantha and her aunt to their rooms, saying merely she needed time alone to compose herself. Instead she found she could barely put one thought in order. She finally just sat, twisting her lace handkerchief, with her eyes fastened on the door.
She heard Walters open the door to a distinctly masculine knock, and still sat motionless. His deep voice greeted Walters, and then Wolf stood in the doorway. A magnificent Wolf, in black formal attire which became him enormously, its close fit emphasizing his virile, muscular body. He was impossibly handsome and elegant.
She raised great, wounded eyes to his.
He reached her side in an instant.
“My dear Sara,” he said, pulling her to her feet and holding her lightly against him. “Whatever is the matter? Surely you are not frightened of appearing in public with me?”
“It’s not you, my lord, it’s appearing in public.” Her voice quivered as she found she could no longer meet his eyes.
“But I will be with you every moment.” His tone was puzzled as he did not quite understand what so upset her. This intrepid girl, who’d accosted him with a pistol? And proudly assured him she was equally adept with a rapier?
She would not look at him.
“I should never have consented to this, my lord. What if your friends remember my father’s scandal? I’m sure you must have pieced the story together by now. What if somehow it reflects on you? It will, you know, and then I’ll have injured your mission instead of helping it. I’ve been purely selfish.”
She was looking at the floor and didn’t see his eyes fill with pity, but she felt the small shake he gave her.
“How ridiculous!”
He knew sympathy would ruin what was left of her composure. “All years ago. The ton needs a new scandal every fortnight, and generally finds one. They don’t have the brains to keep nattering away at one subject for long. Your name will probably only bring blank stares. Do you think some old story can compete with the fact the Duke of Danfield’s granddaughter just eloped with her French tutor?”
She raised her golden eyes, a spark of laughter in them.
“She didn’t!” Sara exclaimed.
“She did. And just yesterday. You are stale news, my dear. Not really very interesting.” He lifted her chin with one finger and smiled at her.
He found his smile getting warmer as she gazed at him with eyes not nearly as wounded as before. He breathed a small sigh of relief. Whether for himself or for her he didn’t stop to analyze.
“Shall you call for your aunt now and we will be on our way? You are devastatingly lovely, by the way. Sara. That deep bronze color is unusual and just right for you. If you cause a sensation tonight it will be because of your outstanding beauty.”
If she’d been more worldly he would have caught her hands in his and kissed the inside of her wrists, slowly and warmly, letting his lips linger. Not the thing to do with Sara. But how he would have enjoyed it, seeing if her skin was as warm as his whole body felt. He might even have moved his lips to her seductive mouth.
Well hell, he’d like to move his lips to her breasts and other places on her supple body. He shut off his thoughts. At least his words of praise seemed to please her. Her sudden smile brought even more heat to the room, as well as his unruly loins. He felt as if she’d somehow grabbed his heart and twisted it.
“You are a blatant flatterer, but a brilliant and perceptive conversationalist.” Her smile now blazed at him. “Therefore I accept your verdict. Let me call Aunt Lavinia, and we’ll go to the opera.”
She sailed out of the room, her head held regally high, and Wolf breathed a sigh of relief. It was only he didn’t like his plans interrupted. Surely her feelings couldn’t matter to him. He’d soothed her only as one would an injured child. He’d meant one thing he said, though. She was a beauty. And he found it delightful she’d not protested when he called her Sara."
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I decided that I would blog on my assigned day...

Instead of missing it again...

I seem to have forgotten to do my regular posts every week on a couple of my other co-op blogs, so I felt it might get the ball rolling in the right direction if I managed to post today.

Such an auspicious day...tax deadline day. I finally got mine done, and put the checks in the mail. This is the first time in my life I have not gotten a refund. I suppose now that I am self-employed as a writer, there are MORE taxes I need to pay. LOL! Plus, I found out the hard way that my retirement only deducts Federal taxes...so I owed over a thousand in State taxes. Sheesh!

Ah, well...at least I still have roof over my head.

I just wish I could get the royalties from all the pirated copies of my books that are running around out there. So far, the total in lost income edges a bit over $12,400. It would sure be nice to have that in my pocket. And that's only from the top three sites.

Better get busy writing, so I can afford my taxes next year at this time. LOL!

Hugs!

Fran Lee
http://www.franleeromance.com