Treasures Old and New

I moved in with my son and his family two months ago. Actually, we all moved to a new home, one with plenty of space. Blending the two families has been an interesting exercise as we as very similar so we have a lot of duplicates in music, movies, and especially books. We've got enough books to open a used bookstore (and I should know since I work at one).

But what I really found interesting was sorting through all of our books and finding old gems I'd forgotten I had, new gems I've yet to read, and ones that should have been donated a long time ago.

I also see how my tastes have changed over the years. From the thick romances of the 70's, the classic science fiction, mysteries, to today's blends of these genres with paranormal suspense romances, futuristic romances, urban fantasies, and even historicals with a touch of the eerie.

I love the way the business has evolved to give me everything I want in one book. But I also still read the straight genres. I mix them up so I have something new to look forward to every time I pick up a book. And though my TBR pile is now several shelves, I may still pick up one of those old gems and remind myself why I love reading these old favorites. And why I hauled them around for so many moves.

And yes, I know I could probably find them all for purchase and download to a reader, but then I wouldn't have found the $20.00 stuck between the pages of one! :)

Hope you all have a great day and find a gem of a book to read. One that you might keep around for a long time.

Vicky Burkholder/Victoria Allen

Believing In Dreams

Well, here she is, my personal Best Horse of the Century bid.

Her name is Zenyatta. But hold on folks, bear with me, we aren't talking about horses today. Not... exactly.

For those of you unfamiliar with horse racing, Zenyatta went into this past weekend's Breeders Cup Classic undefeated, 19 starts, 19 wins. Her racing record is simply unheard of, and her career on the track brought life to a sport that long needed someone to rally behind. She ran against the boys for the second time (having won last year), on dirt for the second time (California circuit is all synthetic track). She may not have been the most favored when looking at records, etc, but she was, hands down, the crowd's favorite.

And she lost. By a head. But her race is still being talked about because of the heart she put into it.

To think... this 19-1, near perfect, crowd favorite mare who's earned over six million dollars in purse money, was purchased for a mere (yes mere) $60,000 and reportedly was "considered a good-for-nothing horse at one point because she had ringworm."

Someone believed in Zenyatta. In return, Zenyatta gave everything she had.

Which is a bit like Clint King's struggle in my new release, A Christmas To Believe In.

Clint's racing stable is struggling. Every dream he owns is in his prize mare who's due to foal before she should, in order to grant him a foal worthy of competition. All of his adult life he's struggled with living up to his father's expectations.

Clint's only ever needed someone to believe in him.

Now, don't get me wrong, Clint's not wallowing in his circumstances, and he's not full of self-pity. He knows what he wants, he knows how to get it, and nothing's going to stand in his way.

A bit like Zenyatta knew how to get over that wire 19 times, when starting at dead last.

It just goes to show what a little love can do. And for Clint, love becomes more priceless than any gift he's ever known.

So, all that said, everybody has dreams that we hold dear. Secret fears, hopes, and aspirations we share with only a select few. I truly believe that A Christmas To Believe In is one every reader can relate to. There might be a horse on the cover but it's not about horses. It's about love, and how important it is. Not just to Clint, but to Jesse, and to Ethan, Jesse's foster child, as well.

Please check it out! It's available for pre-order now, and will release in digital and print on November 24th!

In the meantime, here's a bit from the book:

OFFICIAL BLURB:

Struggling Thoroughbred breeder, Clint King, hasn’t been home for Christmas in five years. Like his brothers, Alex and Heath, life has kept him away. Clint’s farm is barely hanging on. His prize mare's due to foal any day, and in the wake of his father’s death, Clint can’t stand the idea of returning. The memories are too much, let alone his father’s imposing shadow. Except, Alex is getting married on Christmas Eve, and their mother’s put her foot down. She’ll have her boys at home. With his mare in tow behind him, Clint prepares to meet a sister he’s never known and Alex’s unexpected triplets. The one salvation he looks forward to is childhood companion, tomboy Jesse Saurs. Yet when he reunites with Jesse, he uncomfortably discovers she’s become all woman.

Jesse Saurs has everything she needs – financial security, a home, and a foster child who’s about to become her son. She’s spent two years breaking down Ethan’s emotional barriers, and with the final hearing scheduled just before Christmas, this year promises to make his dreams come true. When she learns Clint and his brothers are returning, she anticipates a holiday reunion that’s sure to entertain Ethan. But on the night of Clint’s return, the ‘brother’ she expected leaves her trembling after just a single hug. Even worse, Ethan makes it clear Clint's not welcome.

Will this Christmas destroy what's left of hopes and dreams, or will it give the three the gift they've all been longing for?

EXCERPT:

“You’d like him, Ethan. He was a lot of fun when we were younger."

“Uh huh.” Noncommittal, he answered in a flat tone.

Jesse lapsed into silence, sensing she walked a thin line. Still, she couldn’t let the subject rest. There had to be a way to convince Ethan that Clint wasn’t a threat to his stability. Until she achieved that, she couldn’t just let go and let him harbor hate. Clint didn’t deserve it. Cautiously, she ventured, “Horses could be a lot of fun.”

Ethan snorted.

“You might give it a try. Something new and different. It can’t hurt, at any rate. If you don’t like Angel, well, then you’ve at least given it a shot.”

He tossed his controller in front of him, his interest in the game lost. She braced herself for the inevitable, knowing full well, whatever came out of his mouth next would hurt.

“Give it up, would you? I don’t want to know him. I don’t have to like your friends.”

“But Ethan-”

He scooted away like she’d cracked a whip in his face. “Enough! Don’t you get it? I don’t give a fuck about him.”

“Ethan Scott!”

“What? Too crude for you, Jesse?”

She flinched, drew in a deep breath and held it. Jesse. He hadn’t called her by her first name for over a year. Exhaling slowly, she set her controller down and slid off his bed. Though she knew in her heart, too many years of pain drove his emotions, the barb stung. On the same hand, she’d pushed. Ethan couldn’t tolerate pushing. He had to come to things on his own time.

Foregoing the lecture, she crossed to the door. “Goodnight, Ethan.”

He said nothing. Merely picked up his controller and set the options back to one-player.On a heavy sigh, Jesse left his room.

Inside hers, she clicked on the lamp by her bedside and reclined against her pillows. Tears brimmed in her eyes. She closed them to keep the salty flow at bay and curled her fingers into the sheets. In a thousand years, she never would have imagined that the only man she’d ever truly wanted would be Clint. In his arms, she felt safe. Protected. Undefeatable. He lit her up in ways she had only begun to comprehend, and it seemed as if fate determined to work against her.

If she weren’t careful, she’d lose Ethan. Every agonizing step she’d made would crumble under the weight of his fears. He’d close up, inevitably turn back to the life he’d known before he entered hers, and she couldn’t stomach the thought of where that would lead him. Jail, if he were lucky. Dead, if he wasn’t.

Yet, shouldn’t she be allowed some personal happiness as well? There were so many unwritten rules to parenthood – sacrifice for the children, put all personal goals aside, give up everything to see to their happiness. She’d exchange her life for Ethan’s in a heartbeat, but Clint offered something no child could. Even if it was only temporary, and this giddy feeling that brimmed in her soul would end when he left, he promised fulfillment of a need that ran so deep she couldn’t name it.

A tear slipped between her eyelashes and trickled down her cheek. She sniffled to hold the rest in check. She never should have let him kiss her a second time tonight. The first had been catastrophic enough. The second…

She wouldn’t be satisfied with anything but all of him after that second kiss. Instinct demanded she leap at what lay in front of her. Hang on to it until it burned itself out with his inevitable departure. Logic, on the other hand, warned her that if she did, she’d lose the one thing that mattered most – her son.

Interview of Cover Model/Actor Andrei Claude

Today it’s my pleasure to present an interview of multi-talented, European International model and actor, Andrei Claude! His career encompasses many avenues; bodybuilding champion at age 18, international fitness model, youngest and actually the only European to ever win the title of “Mr. Romance”, romance novel book cover model and actor. His resume lists a variety of items to include television/film, commercials, health and fitness magazines, etc. Definitely a man of
many talents!

Where to find information about Andrei Claude:
http://www.andreiclaude.com http://www.itsallaboutromance.com
http://www.vimeo.com/myfilms

Q: You started out as a bodybuilder. What got you interested in doing that? What was your daily routine like?
A: Well, from a very young age I was fascinated by muscular film stars such as Sly Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Lee and many others. So I began lifting weights at 15 years old, and a year later I was on stage competing for the national championships. I was still a student so of course I lived a typical student’s life but instead of hitting the clubs in the evening I would spend a few hours in the gym, and instead of beer I drank milk! : )

Q: With all the directions you’ve taken with your career, is there one job you’ve thought about trying but haven’t attempted?
A: That’s a good question. Yes, I have thought about different things, but of course if I never attempted something it’s because I didn’t find the passion or the drive to go ahead with it.

Q: How do you prepare for a romance book cover “shoot”? Do you ever get the opportunity to reject a cover you’ve done?
A: I basically just try to show up at the studio on time. There’s not much preparation done before the shoot itself, unlike with fitness modeling. I used to go through 24 hour dehydration process which helped with the muscular definition. With romance novel covers it’s good to maintain a somewhat achievable look.

Q: If a woman will be photographed with you for a cover, do you meet before a “shoot”?
A: No, that’s never happened to me before. We normally meet at the studio around half an hour before the shoot begins, that gives you enough time for a brief introduction which is really all you need.

Q: Congratulations on your “Mr. Romance 2005” title. Tell us about the competition and what one thing you remember about the convention.
A: Oh, thank you. The actual Mr. Romance contest is normally held on the last day of the convention. I believe it’s usually a Saturday night. I had absolutely no clue about romance novels or anything connected to the business before I arrived in St. Louis, MO in April, 2005. As things started to unfold I began to understand what this industry was all about, and what those 1,500 women who attended the convention were seeking. I’m sure the grin on my face when they announced the winner said it all, it was the highlight of that experience for me. But of course I
made many new friends during that week, which was really great.

Q: You have a wonderful and long resume of your fabulous career. What will be added next to your list of accomplishments?
A: I wish I knew that, but then again I’m probably in this business because I like the element of surprise and not living like a mechanical being, doing the 9 to 5 routine every single day.

Q: You’ve appeared on TV and in films. What has been your favorite experience?
A: I’m in this business because I enjoy it. So every time I’m on set it’s a great experience for me, and it’s hard to separate the better ones.

Q: You list stage combat and firearms as performing skills. What exactly do you do, and how did you train for these?
A: It’s basically having the knowledge to handle, load and operate firearms. I was given basic training in that, which is probably not enough to be in the US military but it works for film and still photography.

Q: There’s a long list of athletic skills listed for you. What’s your favorite and why?
A: As a kid I was always involved in athletics and sports. I was actually quite good at 60 and 100 meter sprints.
Q: Favorite food?
A: I hope not many vegetarians will read this, but I really enjoy a great steak!

Q: Favorite drink?
A: Since I’m not big on alcohol I quite enjoy freshly squeezed fruit drinks.

Q: What would you consider to be the most romantic place in the world…just so we might get some travel ideas?
A: I find Rome very romantic, but I couldn’t say it’s the most romantic place in the world, because any exotic beach to me can be a romantic setting. It all depends on what you envision as romantic.

CONTEST: Leave a comment (more than "nice interview") for a chance to win two decks of Ellora's Cave playing cards! Contest ends midnight, 10 November ET. I'll choose one winner from those who comment!

Guest Blog: Nancy Lennea: Romance in All Situations

You are here—reading this—because you read romance novels. Whether the story is a romantic suspense such as my latest release, DESTINY’S MOUNTAIN, or a Regency historical set in merry old England, you want a happy conclusion. I am a voracious reader of many romance genres, so I DEMAND a happy ending. Don’t get me wrong…I am a happily married woman finally in the career I love. I have graduated high school and college (both scary places for a quiet girl like me), raised two rambunctious boys, and owned three homes in three very different locales. No matter where I worked, lived, traveled, shopped and no matter what heart-ache, medical misfortunes, or family squabbles I survived, just knowing I could end my day happily inside my latest romantic novel saved my sanity.

When I decided four years ago to be a published writer, I had stars in my eyes…alongside those big dollar signs. What I have learned over these past years as I struggled to create new stories each time my latest wound up rejected by agents and editors alike, was that I had to come up with a plot that kept my readers’ attention. Characters they could love and respect were important as well. When it came to sex scenes, a few roadblocks stilled my hand. My parents were going to read this!

Besides, how do make a love scene special, especially when my characters only met a few hours ago. Do people who are virtual strangers really jump into bed? What if one of them is injured? How the heck do I show lust tempered by concern and respect in order to ensure my readers understand the conflict that later drives them apart?

In a nutshell, my hero, Jacob, once crushed his leg in a car accident. When he falls on a hiking trail high up a mountain, Destiny must choose whether she will help him home. I fill their trek—from when Destiny makes him a crude crutch from a tree limb while showing Jacob every curve beneath her shorts to when she takes him home because her cabin is closer than his car…the car he cannot physically drive. I use sexual tension to show my readers how each character is awakened to the possibility of making love.

Yes, I call it making love. They use tenderness and Jacob lets her easily opt out of getting closer. Since he’s injured, Destiny understands he can’t possibly hurt her. She loves feeling useful. She loves the desire welling up when she helps him into the shower. After their lovely weekend together, he breaks things off when he assumes…well, that’s part of the story you will have to read. I throw in two handsome young men who want Destiny to go out with them and I show how she refuses repeatedly because she’s lost her heart to someone else. With these two stalkers, mountain rescues, a murder, and ghostly voices, I have created a story with a hard-earned-almost-doesn’t-happen happy-ever-after ending. Please read the short excerpt below to see how I have used a small shower in Destiny’s cabin to bring the underlying bubble of romance to a full boil. Tell me what you think!

BLURB:
In a quirky college town surrounded by the mountains of New Hampshire, new art history professor, Jacob Oliver, hikes a trail on a crisp September morning. He contemplates his life. Divorced and forced out of his job with the Boston Police due to a horrific accident, he spots a naked woman beneath a majestic waterfall. Escaping, he falls and reinjures his knee.

Destiny Blake hears a noise. Someone is on her mountain. She finds a handsome man sitting in the mud. Love blooms and lust consumes them after she helps him to the safety of her cabin. Soon, assumptions pull them apart, leaving her vulnerable to the unwanted attentions of other men.

When Jacob decides he cannot live without her, he must save her from a madman who chases her up her mountain through the cold, snowy darkness of a November night. Ghostly voices push Jacob onward, and urge Destiny to fight back. Pain, hypothermia, and death threaten before the sun rises. Can Destiny and Jacob make it off Destiny's mountain...alive?

EXCERPT:
“Stay the night. Okay?” She waited, biting her bottom lip. Thick steam and the shower’s spray hid the fear in her eyes that he might think her loose with her affections.

An eerie silence ensued, pierced only by the sounds of water splashing over two naked bodies. The intimacy of the scene seemed to shake him into responding.

“An invitation like that almost makes me forget the pain in my knee.” He smiled widely, flashing perfect white teeth.

Droplets, dripping from delicious lips tinted a healthy color, grabbed her attention.

Great. He looks better. Then, as if in slow motion, those moist, perfect lips descended toward hers. A shiver of anticipation turned into reality as they touched.

She melted.

His mouth felt warm and wet from the shower. He tasted like mint toothpaste. Had he had time to brush while she searched for the stool? Heat filled her at the memory of peeling his jeans from his body. As water dripped down her face from his hair, she breathed him in.

The kiss was gentle, almost timid.

Almost as if they tested one another.

Then his lips grew hungry, pressing hard against her mouth. His tongue pushed through her defenses and tasted her. He swirled and dipped, and then nipped her bottom lip. Surprise brought out a subtle groan. As if considering her noises as agreement, he pressed her entire body back against the wall of her shower. Water sluiced down her forehead and into her nose, but she refused to break the connection.

He made love to her mouth.

DESTINY’S MOUNTAIN is available for download from Red Rose Publishing and the buy link is: http://bit.ly/a4NOHE Visit Nancy’s Website: http://www.nancylennea.com
And her blog: http://www.nancylennea-inlove.blogspot.com

Catch Me When I Fall

I was running around town last weekend doing my usual errands when A Moment Like This came on the radio. I was stopped at a red light when Kelly Clarkson came to the line: "I want to know that you will catch me when I fall."


Honestly, every time I hear those words, I tear up...and believe me, I'm not a sentimental person. Somehow, that one line always gets to me. It's what I want from a guy. It's what I demand of my heroes.


Sure, I love the proverbial Alpha male the same as everyone else.

However, for him to be brave, commanding, virile, whatever, isn't enough. I also want him to be cherishing. That to me is what makes for a great romance. The sex is certainly a bonus, but it's how he stands by the woman he loves, how he protects and treasures her that makes my heart sing.


In my erotic romance Deep, Dark, Delicious, Eden was afraid to commit to Rafe even though she knew she was falling in love with him. Past circumstances in Eden's life had led her to distrust intimacy and love. An Alpha male to his core, Rafe pursues her, catching Eden each time she fell emotionally, ensuring that they'll be together. Even at the end, when things were the bleakest between them, Rafe never gave up hope. He was determined to be there for her...to have her.


In Adored, my award-winning erotic romance, Danni loves Adam, but because other men have betrayed her, she's fearful he might do the same. When she learns what's been going on behind the scenes at their work, she's crushed that he kept the truth from her. It isn't until the very end that she learns Adam has been fighting for her all along, demanding that others not hurt her in any way. He put his career on the line for her. He was there to catch her each step of the way.


And finally, in my latest erotic romance In His Arms, RJ is there for Summer in a way she hadn't guessed and couldn't imagine. To him, it's all about her, from her safety to her happiness and finally her future. He's strong yet gentle, a true Alpha hero who risks everything for the woman he loves.


I don't know about anyone else, but that's what I want from a guy.


Someone who's there to comfort me after a horrible day.


Someone who stands at my side when the world gets unfair and mean.


Someone who catches me when I fall, who holds me in his strong, comforting embrace, who lets me know I'm not alone - not anymore - not ever again.

Happy Anniversary!

I had the privilege of working with some very talented ladies last year when I was asked to participate in the Carnal Reunions anthology. With only one published novella, I have to admit that I was surprised and delighted to be working with such talented authors as Regina Carlysle, Fran Lee, Tessie Bradford, Taylor Tryst, Anny Cook and Cindy Spencer-Pape. You should have heard my knees knocking!

Carnal Reunions is the story of what happens when seven friends get together for their ten year college reunion and each encounter the man she has never been able to forget. The stories were each released separately in e format but the entire anthology can be purchased in print at the Resplendence site: http://www.resplendencepublishing.com/61.html.

I'm going to leave you with a blurb and excerpt of my story IOU. Leave a comment today and you could win a download of Bliss and Nick's story:-)

Blurb:

The morning after her final exams, Bliss Harper woke up in her own bed wearing only her underwear. She didn’t remember how she got there or why there was an I.O.U. tucked into her panties for one night of “Bad Boy Sex” signed by N. Santucci. She had a ten year plan for success and that didn’t include getting involved with handsome Nick Santucci. No more bad decisions involving handsome men for her.

Nick didn’t think Bliss Harper’s version of bad-boy sex had her waking up with the pizza delivery guy trying to save his family’s business. Better to let her live with her fantasies. Ten years later he’s not delivering pizza he’s delivering deals. The terms are simple. He’s planning on negotiating one night into many with the woman who holds the marker on his heart.

Excerpt:

She took a sip of her wine and almost choked when one finger slid up the crack of her silk-covered ass and traced over the tattoo of delicate butterfly wings that very few people knew about.

Her hand started shaking so badly, if she’d had any more wine in her glass it would have spilled. “Ready to pay up Mr. Santucci?” she asked, without turning around.
“Tonight, I’m just Nick,” he whispered in her ear, continuing to trace one lacy wing through the slippery fabric, “the man who owes you one night of sweaty, dirty, bad-boy sex.”

She closed her eyes, letting the deep voice full of dark promises surround her. “Ready when you are,” she said, unable to keep the tremor of excitement out of her voice.

“I’ve been ready since you sent me a copy of my IOU. Did you get my card?”

“I’m trying to remember if we danced that night,” she said, mesmerized by his questing finger.

“You were doing all the dancing. I remember pink toes, pink nipples, a sparkly pink belly ring and this,” he whispered darkly, tracing the butterfly tattoo down. “You were quite a surprise under all those thrift-store clothes. But I think you like surprises. I think you like having secrets.”

He brushed his lips against the still-tingling skin where his whiskery jaw had rubbed her neck. Something flickered along the edge of her memory, but it was hard to concentrate while his breath warmed her ear and his finger warmed…other places. She let out a long, shuddering sigh. “Have you been analyzing me?”

“I’m a businessman. I analyze every situation and come up with the most viable solution.” He chuckled and the vibration fluttered through her.

“And what’s your solution for my particular situation?” she asked, barely breathing while she watched the couples in the middle of the dance floor, and Nick Santucci seduced her in a dark corner where anyone could happen along. She was starting to tingle in places she hadn’t tingled for a long time.

“That a bad boy is exactly what you need tonight.”

Just the suggestion of having a bad boy made her panties wet. It always had. “And are you meticulous…with your solutions?”

“I leave nothing to chance, every option is explored,” he said, tracing winding circles over her ass cheeks. “Sometimes…I have to experiment to be able to take just the right position.” The circles became wider and his warm palm settled on the rounded, silk-covered flesh he’d been teasing. “Especially if a situation is tricky. Say, I don’t have all the information going…in.”

She rode a wave of pleasure, her eyes drifting closed, his hot breath caressing her ear, when he whispered, “Do you have all the information you need?”

She turned, slowly, closing the space between them and opened her eyes. “Oh, my,” she breathed, smiling up at him. Same slim, ruggedly handsome devil, with a five-o’clock shadow and the darkest eyes she’d ever wanted to fall into. His suit was some deep shade of gray. There was a name for it but she couldn’t remember. His white shirt was stark against his olive skin—Stop designing for one minute, you idiot! This is the fantasy you’ve been waiting for.

“Tell me you’re not married,” she said in a rush.

“Not married, never even close,” he said, discreetly lifting his hand away from her butt to circle her waist and draw her even nearer. “Of course, you do realize that if I were really bad, I wouldn’t tell you the truth.”

She stiffened, drawing back. He smiled, lifting his ring finger. No telltale tan lines where a ring would be. She relaxed. Leaning into him, she went up on her toes, whispering into his ear, “I have your IOU tucked into my panties. Ready to pay up?”

He swung her around in a tight circle so that her back was to the crowd on the dance floor. To anyone else they’d look like two old friends sharing a hug, but Bliss squirmed when Nick slid one big, warm hand carefully through the front wrap of her dress, and dipped into the waistband of her panties. She bit her lip and smiled up at his surprise when he found the note and the soft, naked flesh beneath.

He ran one long finger up her bare slit and she dug her fingers into his arms, holding perfectly still to keep from having a screaming orgasm and ending up a boneless heap on the marble floor of the Ambassador Hotel. His gaze turned molten as he withdrew the IOU from her panties and flicked it open.

“The terms are vague,” he murmured, scanning it quickly. “But I don’t see a problem with negotiating as the evening progresses,” he said, his breath hitching just enough to make her smile.

I hope you've enjoyed the excerpt. Thanks for stopping by!
Happy Reading:-)
Paris
http://parisbrandon.com
Red Stilettos-Ellora’s Cave
Head Over Heels-Ellora’s Cave
Assassin’s Kiss-Ellora’s Cave
No Holds Barred-Ellora’s Cave
IOU-A Carnal Reunions Tale-Resplendence Publishing
5 cups Coffee Time Reviews: http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/BookReviews/iou.html
Joyfully Reviewed: http://www.joyfullyreviewed.com/reviews/Feb10/iou.pb.html

Good morning fellow RBRU members.

It's that time again. Yep, I'm talking about the dreaded word, Christmas!
You can all hate me now because I'm DONE! I'm finished with my shopping. Of course, it helps that I bought gift cards for the majority of my children except for the one still at home on Christmas. I bought my mother a Kindle and I hope she likes it. I may have to buy one more thing for hubby though. He's getting the newest Call of Duty next Tuesday. His birthday is in December too, so a double whammy!

I used to decorate for Christmas fairly elborately, but not so much anymore. I'm not even sure we are going to put up a tree this year. It's just hubby and I expect for my youngest who comes home from college for Christmas. If she has her way, there will be a tree. I love the smell of them. I imagine I'll give in without too much of a fight.

Economically, times are tough everywhere. Everyday I hear about more and more of my friends being laid off and wondering how they are going to pay their bills. Unemployment doesn't do enough and I'm praying every day they can find something else. Personally, I don't have to worry so much about having a job. I'm a registered nurse and there always seems to be a need for those and my husband is a corrections officer in a maximum security prison. He'll never have to worry about a job either. I'll make sure I help where I can. I have a feeling there are going to be more Angels on the Christmas trees this year than ever before.

God Bless everyone and I'll keep you all in my prayers.

Until next month ~ Sandy

Interview of Author Robert Roman

Today I'm pleased to present an interview of Steampunk/Action/Romance author Robert Roman.
Latest Book: The Strange Fate of Capricious Jones
Buy Link: http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=163&osCsid=4cidan0hrdpi6rqp57ultrnu45
Video Link: I’ve not done a video yet.

BIO:
I’m originally from New Jersey and I’ve returned there recently. My background is pretty patchwork. In college I studied Engineering, Literature, Philosophy, Computers and Business, but finally settled on a pre-med Biology degree. Since I started working, I’ve done stock work, construction, sales, project management, and more tech support than I want to think about.

I’ve always been a story teller. A few years back, I finished NaNoWriMo and set the results out to some friends. They liked it and asked for more. I’ve been writing ever since.

Q: What’s the first thing you did when you received word you’d sold a book?
A: After the whole ‘Staring at the screen to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating’ thing? I got a sitter and took my wife out to Red Lobster to celebrate.

Q: What part of the book is the easiest for you to write? Why?
A: The end. Definitely. There are a few reasons. One of them is the way I plot. Generally, I’ll have a climactic scene in my head when I’m plotting things out and I work backward from there. “How would this happen, why would they do that, what kind of person would possibly do those things?” and so on, until I hit a good ‘stepping onto the moving train’ point, which is where I start. So the climactic scene is pretty solidly in my head from the beginning, and it keeps getting fleshed out as I work on the characters, the leading situations, and whatnot. By the time I get there, I also have a lot of momentum, since I’ve already written everything else. Finally, there’s the ‘goal just ahead’ thing. Once that’s done, I can send it off to beta, at which point people can ooh and ah and slice it up with knives.

Q: What part of the book is the hardest for you? Why?
A: Transitional scenes. Sometimes you need them, but there’s just not a lot of ‘there’ there. ‘How the HELL did they get from place A to place B?’ ‘They took a bus.’ It’s easier when the characters are talkative and have some chemistry. It’s harder when they are, for whatever reason, less chatty. It’s worst of all when the only things they’d be talking about are endless inane babble.

Q: Who is your favorite character in your book and why?
A: My favorite character in The Strange Fate of Capricious Jones is probably Capricious herself, but it’s a near thing, and that surprised me. Cap is a combination mad scientist/test pilot. She’s got the bursts of manic inspiration of the Mad Scientist combined with the unflappable nerves of steel of the Test Pilot. She’s put into an impossible situation by someone she trusts, and manages to find a way out. Of course, it’s a way only a mad scientist would think up and only a test pilot would have the nerve for, but that combination of brilliance and bravery are what make me like her.

The ‘dark horse’ in the cast is probably Sebastian Cole. Originally meant to be a bit part, he grew into a solid supporting male lead character, one capable of making heroic acts of self-sacrifice without a second thought.His flaws are mostly a product of his environment, of his schooling, but at least one or two are just him being an angsty, slightly narcissistic late-teen, early-twenties guy.

Q: If one of your books became a movie, which celebrity would you like to star as one of your hero? Tell us about your hero.
A: If they made a movie of Fae Eye for the Golem Guy, I think I’d like to see Dean Cain as Micah (the titular Golem Guy). Micah is a golem created by Leonardo DaVinci to protect his artwork. The mission that drives him is protecting art of all kinds, as well as assisting artists with their art where he can.

Leo saw no reason for his guardian to be unattractive, and sculpted a work of art before putting the words in its head to animate it. Micah is Leonardo’s ideal of ‘male, handsome, tall, imposing’. He’s a bit over six foot, with black hair sun-bleached to brown, cut short enough that it looks wavy rather than curly. He’s got an imposing athletic physique, muscular without being muscle bound. In a suit he looks like a well-put-together guy, not a bodybuilder.

Micah’s a fun character to write. He’s intelligent and cosmopolitan, having lived through hundreds of years of social upheaval. He knows he’ll never get old, and for that reason distances himself from the mortals around him, changing identities every few decades to avoid suspicion. He’s conservative without being stodgy, a fun viewpoint to write from since I’m generally not very conservative.

Micah’s a stereotypical ‘nice guy’. He’s gone through life since Leo died just trying to get by, since he’s got no particular reason to amass a fortune, and a few reasons not to. He’s been a soldier, a bodyguard, a porn star (hey, he IS immune to disease and picture perfect) and now works as chief of security at a museum.

Q: Do all your heroes and all heroines look the same in your mind as you “head write”?
A: Oh, no. I’ve had some that are similar, but only in a very superficial sort of way. I do generally pull from some kind of inspiration, although sometimes I can’t even place it myself.

I HAD written a list, but it was chock full o’spoilers, so I pulled it. If someone really, really wants the list, I’m easily flattered and my email addy is on my site.

However, just in general; I’ve had heroes and heroines with ancestry from all over the globe. Details vary, because appearance is in some way related to the persona, which is, as noted, important to the plot, because in all cases for main characters I’ve thought about ‘what kind of person would do that’, which usually includes ‘what kind of personal style do they have?’

Q: What hobby do you enjoy when not writing?
A: I have a couple.
I play video games; I’ve been writing a bit too much to really indulge lately, but my first royalty check is very likely to go directly to Blizzard for Starcraft II. I’ve also done candlemaking, carpentry, horticulture, and a few sports. I work out daily, but that’s more to avoid becoming spherical than any real enjoyment.

I do love to cook, and I don’t mean ‘follow a recipe’. I’ll get a few hints from there, but I’d rather watch something like Iron Chef, get inspired, and see what I can do. Best thing yet – Whipped potatoes using Heavy Whipping Cream (Morimoto ROCKS!). Worst thing yet? Homemade PF Chang style Hot and Sour soup. Just didn’t happen. Sums me up in a nutshell, really. I can sorta emulate an Iron Chef, but not a friggin’ bistro restaurant.

Q: What’s your strongest point as a writer?
A: I’ve been told it’s my dialogue, followed closely by my action scenes. Of course, I’ve also been told that my dialogue is ‘clearly impossibly witty’ and ‘sounds like anime dialogue’. Since I pull a lot of the dialogue from conversations I’ve actually had, that makes me sad, because I don’t like being impossible.

Q: What genre would you like to try writing in but haven’t yet done so? Why?
A: Superheroes. I haven’t done so because I’ve been swamped. I want to because that’s the next story Agatha and Penelope have latched onto like the evil limpet harpies they are.

Q: Facebook, MySpace, Blogs, Chats, or Twitter. Which do you like best and why?
A: Facebook, because it lets me use more than 140 characters, but limits me somewhat so I don’t wind up spending eight hours posting about my navel.

Tell us where to find you: website(s), publisher’s page(s), blog(s), Facebook page(s), etc. List them all!
My personal site is http://www.robertcroman.com ; I announce new projects, keep a list of things I’m working on and things I’ve done, and occasionally wax philosophical.
My publisher is Decadent Publishing at http://www.decadentpublishing.com
On Facebook look up Bob’s Books – that’s me.
Any other stuff I’m on (Livejournal, Blogger, Twitter) doesn’t get updated enough to warrant mentioning, although if you remember KennyCelican from any of those, that’s also me. Shoot me a ‘hallo!’ why don’t ya?

BLURB:
The Triple Alliance, led by Kaiser Otto II, struck without warning. The combination of Prussian military might, Austrian clockwork, and Ottoman funding cut through the unprepared Entente powers like a chainsaw through Brie; hamstringing Britain, pinning Russia, and very nearly destroying France. The year is 1908, and the Entente is almost defunct. One base in the south of France is all that remains in Entente hands. All that remains to defend freedom are three Engineers.

One is an ingenue.
One is crippled.
One is dead.

EXCERPT:
The roar of her Engines loud in her ears, Cap examined the wreckage of her wings. The right had been sheared off completely; only a portion of the leather remained. Sabotage had done for the other wing, the corroded leather strap still smoked faintly. The fabric was still attached, but the wing had been torn and broken in too many places to effect repairs.

The corroded leather told Cap a tale of betrayal, one she had unwittingly been complicit in. She had been so careful to check each and every part the Sephardic bastard had machined for her, to test each and every batch of alloy he mixed. She had known David Abrams lusted after her work from the moment he saw the partial designs. She had known, and kept the secret of how the parts fit together from him for just that reason. She thought she’d been so clever in keeping the secret of her Engines.

She had been. She just hadn’t been near as careful or as clever with her wings. They were, after all, just cut down versions of Orville’s design. She’d shared them with David, much as she’d shared herself with him; as a consolation for not sharing her Engines or the mix of fuel that powered them. Now, it seemed, that attempted kindness had come back to destroy her.

Suspicious, she checked her parachute. It took a full minute of careful digging for her to find the shattered glass vial within the tightly packed cloth. Her fingers burned from touching the cloth, her face burned with shame, and most of all her heart blazed with impotent fury at the man who had killed her.

Anything else you’d like to add?
Actually yes. While The Strange Fate of Capricious Jones is an Action/adventure, I do have a romance out by the same publisher. Fae Eye for the Golem Guy is a Romantic Comedy set in an Urban Fantasy world, about a Golem with a serious crush on a woman he doesn’t think would give him the time of day. It’s available at: http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=139&osCsid=4cidan0hrdpi6rqp57ultrnu45 here from Decadent Publishing.

Maine Coon Matriarch

Say hello to Shadow. Well, we actually call her Mama and she seems to like the title. She is our Maine Coon and Matriarch of the house. Mama keeps everyone is line, including us.

We found her about 13 years at a horse show, yes, really. A horse show. Go figure, huh? Stranger things have happened to us, believe me.

Taking her home was an adjustment. She's an extremely intelligent cat. She quickly learned how to hit the snooze button on our alarms, it seems that we were disturbing her beauty rest every morning.

She learned that pulling on the level doorhandles would open any door, hence, us scrabbling to change the handles back to the bland round handles, instead of the modern ones we once had.

She's a little older now, but still likes to torture us. She loves to knock over any glass filled with any liquid. If it's empty, she doesn't give it the time of day. She steals my pillow and the blankets in the middle of the night, literally.

And she's learned to stay away from us when we begin any remodeling projects. You see, when she was younger, we retiled the bathroom floor in our apartment. I thought it was the cutest thing that she sat with us the entire time, supervising, because that's what she's best at, supervising. After a little while, I guess she got bored and started heading out of the cramped little space. When she stood, so did a tile she had been sitting on. Apparently, she had made herself quite comfortable sitting on a self stick tile. She screamed, jumped, climbed the wall and took off with the tile in tow. When we finally caught her, we had to cut the tile free from her behind. And oh, what a terrible trim job we gave her. I don't think she's forgiven us for that.

But, she's a sweet heart. If your not feeling well, she knows and sticks to us like glue. God help either one of us if we moan or whine, because she's in our faces, touching us to make sure we're okay. Yes, we have had to lock her out of the bedroom during our private moments. She hasn't learned the difference in moans, yet. LOL

Truth is that lately, I haven't been feeling up to par. I have been somewhat disillusioned about my writing abilities as I'm sure many of you have experienced at one point or another and Mama knows it. She has been a constant source of affection, remember that tile she sat on? Well, she's stuck herself to me in the same way.

We have our dogs and we absolutely love them, but there's just something magical about a cat.

Until next month!

Annie :0)
http://www.anniealvarez.net/


  

Interview of PW Blogger Barbara Vey

Today we're so fortunate to present an interview of Publisher's Weekly "Beyond Her Book" blogger, Barbara Vey...a great romance friend and fan! I met Barbara on a flight from Milwaukee to Pittsburgh in 2008 when we were flying to the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention! Carol Lynn, Barbara, and I were all first-timers going there and excited about the upcoming events. Barbara interviewed Carol and me during our plane ride! We shared a ride to the hotel and had lunch and dinner together, along with other authors from Ellora's Cave/Cerridwen Press. Look for her at conferences and conventions! Her blog: http://blogs.publishersweekly.com/blogs/beyondherbook

BIO:
As Senior Editorial Contributor for Publishers Weekly, Barbara Vey brings readers and writers together with her popular Beyond Her Book blog. From her entertaining “Drive By Videos” to reader feedback on books with WW Ladies Book Club, Your Turn Friday, BHB continues to grow into a must read daily adventure.

An avid reader, Barbara consumed a book a day before taking on the glamorous life of a roving reporting. Traveling all over the United States to conferences from Romance to Thrillers, Mysteries to Horror, Historicals to Comic Con, Barbara has even broken through the barrier into the entertainment industry by covering Red Carpet Events and interviewing the likes of Richard Dean Anderson, Joshua Jackson, Joss Whedon, Dakota Fanning and others.

But her love of Romance and the "Happily Ever After" keeps her grounded while she offers readers a place to step away from life’s daily trials to take a positive journey through the world of books.

Q: What motivated you to get involved in the romance industry and start writing your blog?
A: A chance meeting with the Deputy Editor of Publishers Weekly, Karen Holt, on an Author's At Sea cruise.

Q: Where do your blog ideas come from?
A: I follow Twitter, Facebook, other blogs and read a ton of books. I also watch and listen to people around me. Lots of ideas there.

Q: Describe your perfect hero. Also, would he clean house or cook?
A: My perfect hero would anticipate what I need before I need it. He would love to read and talk (intelligently) about the books I like to read, he'd love baseball, football and The Amazing Race. He would never say, "Not again!" when I want to watch Notting Hill, A Knight's Tale or Prince of Persia. He would think that all my blogs are brilliant.

Q: What's one important thing you've learned about your job as a blogger for Publisher's Weekly.
A: That there's a reader for every book. Even if I don't like a book, someone else probably does. I always try to stay positive. Never attack an author personally. It's wrong and just not nice.

Q: Favorite food/drink to have while reading romance books.
A: Wine and cheese (with the little toothpicks so my fingers don't get sticky). Actually, that's my fantasy. I usually drink Diet Coke and eat popcorn.

Q: You attend lots of conventions/conferences. What's the best part?
A: Definitely the people. Learning how they started, how they keep going and where they get their ideas.

Q: Finish this sentence: Romance is.......
A: when your heart keeps thumping after your brain has turned off.

Q: Do you read a romance book because a cover sparks your interest, the book blurb sounds great, you like the author, or it's a genre you truly enjoy?
A: In order, author, genre, cover, then blurb.

Q: Besides romance books, what else do you like to read? Any favorite non-romance book or author?
A: I love international intrigue. I cut my teeth on Robert Ludlum, Ken Follett, Ian Fleming. I owned all the James Bond books and wanted to be a spy. I also read every Agatha Christie, Erle Stanley Gardner, Arthur Cohen Doyle and Edgar Rice Burroughs. Now I love discovering new authors in between keeping up with my old favorites.

Where can we find you?
http://blogs.publishersweekly.com/blogs/beyondherbook (PO Box 438, South Milwaukee, WI 53172)
Twitter - http://twitter.com/barbaravey
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/barbaravey
MySpace - http://www.myspace.com/barbaravey

Thanks for the interview, Barbara!

CONTEST: Leave a comment (more than "nice blog") for a chance to win a print copy of "Gone to the Dogs" by Marianne Stephens. Contest ends midnight ET 2 November. I'll choose one winner from those who comment!