Carmen DeSousa's CREATUS!

In every myth there is a modicum of truth…

Creatus

The reason we believe in Fairy Tales—and Monsters.

As the sun’s rays peeked above the horizon, lighting the abyss below her, she inhaled a deep breath, closed her eyes, and jumped. She didn’t scream; she didn’t look down. As much as she hated her life, she hoped it wouldn’t end this way. She’d really like to see him one more time.

Her life didn’t flash before her eyes as she’d always heard. Just an image of her mother covered in blood and her Dark Angel telling her he was sorry.

Creatus by best-selling author Carmen DeSousa is a new romantic-suspense novel with a supernatural edge that answers the myths and fairy tales you’ve heard about preternatural sentient beings.

Prepare yourself to believe.

Download Creatus:

Amazon US

Amazon UK

In order to spread the news, we are also giving away a $50 gift card! In order to qualify, just share this post’s URL in the Raffle Copter. Any social website you choose. The more places you share, the more entries you earn.

Contest ends midnight, Monday September 2, 2013. The drawing, which includes all participating websites, will be held Tuesday, September 3, 2013. The winner will be posted the same day.

Follow this link to Carmen's website and enter the

Raffle Copter $50 Giveway

You want me to do WHAT?

The Wild Rose Press

My guest this week is Jerrie Alexander, author of the exciting debut novel The Green-Eyed Doll.

So I poured myself  into writing the book. I suffered, banged my head on the keyboard, went from being unable to sleep to refusing to close my eyes until the last sentence was written.

Occasionally, I tried to force my will on my characters, only to realize I had to allow them to tell their own story. After all, I was just a conduit, a means for the hero and heroine to get their story told.

I worked through critiques, beta readers comments, completed the book, and at last, my baby was ready to meet the world. I wiped the sweat from my brow and hit send.

Then the real work began.

The real shock came when I received my first edits! It's funny now that the bleeding has stopped, but the first time I read those comments and questions, I was stunned. Flamethrowers couldn't have damaged my heart any worse.

In my head, I knew my editor and I wanted the same thing, so I forged ahead. I went line by line, writing and rewriting, strengthening each sentence. Cutting out the waste and tightening the story. All the while, I was gritting my teeth and mumbling.

We emailed back and forth, as the second edits came and were completed. Then the final galley appeared in my inbox. My final read through.

Holy cow! She'd been right about everything. The writing was tighter, the story more compelling, and the emotions felt real.

Now don't get me wrong, this doesn't mean I won't react the same way next time. It's probably the most vulnerable I've felt in years. But I learned my lesson...the right editor is priceless.

THE GREEN-EYED DOLL

Catherine McCoy is on the run. For the past year, she’s been on the move, hiding the secrets and guilt in her heart. When she lands in small-town Texas and meets Sheriff Matt Ballard, he ignites a flame she thought lost forever.

Matt has scars of his own. He left the big city after an undercover operation went bad and his partner was killed. Now, as Matt hunts for a serial killer who paints his victims’ faces like porcelain dolls, Catherine becomes a safe haven for him. Two tortured souls finding comfort in each other's arms—until he uncovers her secret, and their bond of trust is broken.

When Catherine disappears, Matt races to find her, fearing the murderer has found his next green-eyed doll. But the killer has a surprise coming. Catherine will fight to the death before she’ll be a victim again. Will her determination be enough?

ABOUT JERRIE ALEXANDER

A student of  creative writing in her youth, Jerrie set aside her passion when life presented her with a John Wayne husband, and two wonderful children.  A career in logistics offered her the opportunity to travel to many beautiful locations in America, and she revisits them in her romantic suspense novels. 

But the characters went with her, talked to her, and insisted she share their dark, sexy stories with others.  She writes alpha males and kick-ass women who weave their way through death and fear to emerge stronger because of, and on occasion in spite of, their love for each other.  She likes to torture people, make them suffer, and if they’re strong enough, they live happily ever after.

Jerrie lives in Texas, loves sunshine, children’s laughter, sugar (human and granulated), and researching for her heroes and heroines. 

WHERE’S JERRIE?

http://www.jerriealexander.com

http://www.jerriealexander.com/category/blog/

http://www.twitter.com/jerriealexander

http://www.facebook.com/JerrieAlexanderAuthor

http://www.goodreads.com/jerriealexander

http://pinterest.com/jerriealexander/

BUY LINKS FOR THE GREEN-EYED DOLL

The Wild Rose Press

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Kobo Books

Book video

COLD COMFORT- Christmas

Mistletoe display

Cold Comfort takes place in Williamsburg, VA, during December. Here's a short excerpt from Chapter 2. This is where Riley, the reluctant investigator, first goes to Claire Spencer's Christmas shop, Mistletoe, and sees Claire. 

If she's picket fences, he's barbed wire. Opposites do attract.

Through the window, he saw hundreds of tiny white lights peeking through the greenery festooned from the ceiling. The warm glow of a village peopled with moving figures showed between the branches of a fir tree, and a little skater twirled on a glass lake. He could see why the kids were fascinated. The scene came straight from a fairy tale. Magic. Geez. Just his kind of case. He'd go in, take a quick look, and get out. For Ray, he'd check out the situation, but he wasn't committing to anything.

Sugar and spice and everything nice. The old nursery rhyme came back to him as he entered the shop and inhaled the tang of fresh evergreens mingled with...cinnamon? It could have been worse—at least some of the trees were real. He sniffed again. Apple cider? Drawn by the scent, he followed his nose.

The aisles meandered through the store like paths in a forest—nothing square or aligned. He recognized Mary, a tall, elegant woman in a loose, African-patterned dress, from several years ago. She stood chatting with a young couple beside an electric train display. He stayed out of her line of sight, hiding behind a tree decorated with ribbons and dead flowers. "Dried" was probably the politically correct description he decided, stifling a sneeze.

Riley worked his way toward the rear of the shop until, over the lilting strains of "Greensleeves," he heard a woman say, "You can have a cup of cider if you sit quietly and listen to the story."

He recognized Claire's voice from the phone. Peering around a six-foot-tall gingerbread house, he saw several children, all clutching small paper cups, sitting on a rug in front of a cozy fake fireplace. When she pressed a button on an old tape player, starting "The Night before Christmas," the children sat spellbound.

Through the branches of a tree, he studied her. Wavy, nut-brown hair in a loose knot on top of her head, almost a Gibson girl style, emphasized her gentle, somewhat old-fashioned look. The knot listed to the left and a few strands hung loose. Must be a bad day—that he could understand. The woman fit the voice. If this represented Claire Spencer's life, maybe she'd magnified a common robbery into an attack by a stalker to add a little excitement. She could have done the doll too, just to jack up the stakes.

He didn't expect to like her, and he was damn sure she wouldn't like him.

Then one kid pushed another, and a shoving match began. The ladylike Miss Spencer surprised him with the no-nonsense tone of a nun. "Boys! Sit down and behave. You know the rules." She turned toward Riley and smiled. "Two strikes and you're out."

Busted. He nodded and turned away, pretending to examine the contents of a basket.

"May I help you find something?" She appeared at his elbow, wearing a solemn expression.

"Uh, yes. I'm trying to find something for my nephew." He looked down at her. Clear ivory skin with a hint of pink in her cheeks, eyes like a bright October sky. Although she wasn't classically beautiful, her coloring would have made Botticelli weep. If he were a portrait painter....

"Interesting choice," she said.

In the subdued lighting he couldn't be sure, but he thought those cerulean eyes held a twinkle. He glanced down to see his "choice," a basket of pearly pink ornaments. Super sleuth strikes again. "I'll take three of these—for his mother. She likes pink."

After paying for the useless stuff, he made a hasty retreat. Safely outside in the cold, he checked his watch. Five twenty. Time enough for coffee after a quick tour to check the rear access to Mistletoe. Resigned, he reminded himself he owed Ray. He would do it for Ray.
Want to read more? Follow the link to Amazon.

Fantasy and Imagination at Work

At Amazon

I’m interviewing romantic suspense author Maureen Miller, who has now added a SciFi YA, BEYOND, to her list. She’s an interesting woman.

Hi, Maureen. Who inspires you and why?

My inspiration doesn't necessarily come from a single individual or even a handful. I am inspired by other authors, by readers, by personal events in life, and by the news. Inspiration comes in unique packages for everyone. Watching a Praying Mantis move across a fence post inspires me. There is beauty and grace there, where others may see a bug. :)

Do you ever have qualms about giving the bad guys information or ideas? How much technical or tactical information do you or are you willing to include?

In my most recent novel, BEYOND, the book takes place mostly in outer space and the entire world is fictional. My technical information was restricted to the scope of my imagination. :)

What do you think of people who reveal confidential information, such as the SEAL who wrote the book about getting Bin Laden, or Princess Diana’s bodyguard? Right or wrong?

It is not something I would do, but I can't judge others. I am one of those 'loyal to a fault' type of people. I'm afraid to share a friend's recipe without getting written permission first! :)

When and how often do you write?

Not as often as I would like, but I reckon we all probably say that! I'm an early morning writer. I can solve world peace between the hours of 6-8am. By 3pm the eyelids grow heavier.

What inspired you to begin writing?

Long airport layovers! I used to travel for a living and spent way too much time in airports. Some people pass the time reading. Some pass it in the airport bar.  Initially, I read. But then I started wanting control of the paths of characters so I turned to writing. I used to reduce my Microsoft Word screen to 2x2 inches so that the people sitting around me couldn't see what I was writing. LOL

At Amazon

THE STORIES

I see that Endless Night is set on the Maine coast during a nor’easter. Have you experienced one or is it imagination?

I have family in Florida so I'm actually more used to hurricanes. But weather has always fascinated me.

How did you research the Guatemalan jungle for Jungle of Deceit?

Traditional internet research, plus I had friends who had traveled there for Habitat For Humanity. I'll admit, I was not too keen on the snake research. Thank God I was not crawling around in the jungle looking to dig some up! :)

Do you have a favorite book (of your own) or character?

I think my favorite character to date has to be from the new book, BEYOND. His name is JOH. He is a computer and he cracks me up. I had so much fun with him.

Which comes first, characters or plot?

Tough question. More often than not, the plot. For example, JUNGLE OF DECEIT was born from a simple paragraph I read in the news about a shipment of Guatemalan artifacts that were unearthed in the cellars of the World Trade Center…and the path those artifacts took to get there.

For BEYOND the plot was driven by a childhood fantasy I had to be whisked away from my backyard into space by Starbuck from Battlestar Gallactica! :)

Plotter, pantser, or in between?

I used to be a blatant panster. Now I call myself a skeleton writer. I will write an entire skeleton of a book, and then go back and fill in the flesh. :)

What’s the perfect atmosphere for your writing?

Quiet. I like the stillness of early morning. I can't listen to music as I write or else I'll stop and sing along. LOL

Describe the sort of people you like to write about.

In Romantic Suspense I like my characters to be a little desperate and out of their element due to whatever situation they have been thrown into. And in the gravest of moments I like my men to retain a sense of humor to put the heroines at ease.

Titles—hard or easy? Where did you get this one/most current/favorite?

The titles just come to me, and they have to come to me early because I need something to name the file I'm saving! You don't always have control of your titles though. For example, ENDLESS NIGHT was originally called VICTORY COVE but the publisher renamed it. I do like their thought process though, in that it tied in with a line from the book when Megan says, “That night was endless. It still hasn't ended.”

Thank you so much for having me here, Ellis!

Where to find Maureen A. Miller

Website - www.maureenamiller.com

BEYOND - www.Beyond-Book.com

JRS - www.JustRomanticsuspense.com

MAUREEN'S BIO:

Maureen's illustrious writing career began in the fourth grade with the blockbuster hit, Super Watermelon Man. Many years later, she evolved into a full-fledged Romantic Suspense author with her first novel, WIDOW'S TALE, which was nominated for a Golden Heart by the Romance Writers of America. A fan of the old Gothic romances, Maureen enjoys the formula of danger, romance, dark cliffs, and sinister houses. All these elements can be found in her romantic thriller, ENDLESS NIGHT. Maureen has now branched out into the Young Adult genre with her Science Fiction Romance, BEYOND.

Dare to Believe - excerpt

At Amazon and other sites

And the winner is . . . Polly Iyer!

GIVEAWAY!

L.A. Sartor is giving away a copy of her romantic suspense novel, Dare to Believe. Anyone who comments between now and Sunday, September 23, by 8 p.m. Eastern time will be entered to win an eBook or, in the United States, a print book. 

Here's an excerpt.

Last night, after she'd been fingerprinted, Cate had either paced the small holding cell or stared at the ceiling. She hadn't been able to talk to Jason and had imagined every possible worst-case scenario. This morning a female deputy had allowed her to freshen up and then brought her to the judge's chambers.

And now, as the new day dawned bright, she was about to find out just how accurate her imagination was. At least Jason was allowed to be present. She'd never been as grateful for a familiar face as she was at this moment.

She glanced around the small room. It wasn't fancy. The yellowed, pine-paneled walls were dotted with framed diplomas proclaiming Arnold P. Struthers had been awarded this or that degree. Haphazardly placed between the diplomas were autographed photographs of famed skiers from Steamboat. His pine desk was massive but scarred and nicked, as if it had already seen a lifetime with its owner.

Judge Struthers wasn't fancy either. A big bear of a man with a tanned face and brown eyes—deep and unfathomable. His head was crowned by a head of thick black hair. He looked unapproachable.

Cate's heart plummeted to her feet.

"In front of me are two pieces of paper." The judge's voice rumbled out in a rich baritone, perfect for the bench. Not perfect for her.

"One is the charge of Breaking and Entering, with the recommendation of pursuing said charge."

Cate couldn't find the voice to protest, and Jason sat stone still in the only other chair in the office, hands resting on the arms of the old oak chair. A facade, for she felt the tension radiating in waves off his body.

"The other is the search warrant." The judge stared at her, then at Jason and back at her. Surely the judge could hear her frantic heartbeat. Surely she would pass out right at his feet.

Cate forced herself to breathe; going to jail meant she couldn't keep looking for Haley, and when she was found, hold her tight—then keep her tethered to her the rest of her life!

She looked at Jason, knowing he was Haley's only lifeline if she went to jail. "Find her and keep her safe," she begged, then quickly looked back at the judge, and met his eyes squarely and hopefully, bravely.

He nodded and with bold strokes, signed the second paper.

Damn. Just get it over with. By signing the search warrant he was postponing her fate.

"Now it's your turn. Tell me why I shouldn't remand you back to the sheriff's department to be charged with the crime of unlawful entry."

To learn more about L.A. Sartor, visit her website:  http://bit.ly/Msu6J8

Amazon Kindle:  http://amzn.to/Qjzzgm         

Amazon Paperback: http://amzn.to/MMSLXS

Barnes and Noble:  http://bit.ly/QNQCh2                   

Smashwords:  http://bit.ly/MlYSSA 

Paperback: http://bit.ly/MENfX5

And your favorite e-reader store.

Five Scribes Blog for Dare to Believe:  http://bit.ly/PekVM4

Facebook Profile:  http://on.fb.me/NxXQPL

Facebook Writer:  http://on.fb.me/MUU9HK

What do you do when your English teacher tells you "you'll never be a writer?"

Print or eBook, all formats

L.A. Sartor, author of the new romantic suspense novel Dare to Believe, is my guest. “Ms. Sartor splashes action and suspense across a backdrop of rugged mountains and tropical paradise in a panicked search for a little girl kidnapped for reasons deeper than anyone suspects.” (Giveaway details below.)

I stopped writing. Immediately, according to my parents.

This was in Junior High School, I think 8^th grade during a parent/teacher with the student conference. My sweet, pretty teacher told us that I'd never be a writer because I wouldn't learn what writing was all about. Grammar, parsing, nouns, verbs, participles. And that all I wanted to do was to tell stories.

Well, yeah. Duh.

But here's an interesting kicker: I didn't remember any of this. I knew I loved reading even from an early age, and that stories transported me to new worlds, romance, mystery, biographies…I'd read almost anything. Even the newspaper.

Then many years later I read a truly terrible romance, and literally threw the book against the bedroom wall in our small condo. My husband came running in, worried I'd had an accident. I told him I could write better than that. He looked at me kinda funny, then said, "So do it."

I called my mom and told her I was going to write a romance, and she said, "It's about time, I knew you'd get back to it." I had no idea what she was talking about, and she told me the story.

Frankly, I was pissed. Why would a teacher tell something like this to a child filled with dreams?

So I wrote a book, and I loved it. It might not have been great, but it was a start. Then I wrote another and another and here I am, 20 years later, still telling stories.

I want to transport people into adventures, and romance, and mysteries. And if I'm lucky, show them something new, be it a place, an occupation, a perspective.

I'm also am old enough to know that in a small, miniscule way, that teacher was right. I still struggle with the intricacies of grammar. But you know, you can find people to help with that part of the process.

I believe with all my heart, that being a storyteller is a great and even noble undertaking. Don't ever, EVER, let anyone take that dream away from you. And if someone wants to try, you come to me and I'll talk you back into it. You can be a writer, believe it.

GIVEAWAY!

On Friday, Sartor will post an excerpt from her novel, Dare to Believe. Anyone who comments between now and Sunday, September 23, by 8 p.m. Eastern time will be entered to win an eBook or, in the United States, a print book.

To learn more about L.A. Sartor, visit her website:  http://bit.ly/Msu6J8

Amazon Kindle:  http://amzn.to/Qjzzgm  

Amazon Paperback: http://amzn.to/MMSLXS     

Barnes and Noble:  http://bit.ly/QNQCh2                         

Smashwords:  http://bit.ly/MlYSSA 

Paperback: http://bit.ly/MENfX5

And your favorite e-reader store.

Five Scribes Blog for Dare to Believe:  http://bit.ly/PekVM4

Facebook Profile:  http://on.fb.me/NxXQPL

Facebook Writer:  http://on.fb.me/MUU9HK

Is Writing A Team Sport?

My guest today is fellow Sisters in Crime member and author Linda Lovely. Her debut novel, Dear Killer, has just come out. Good story, fun and interesting characters, wonderful setting! 

While many people consider writing to be a solitary pursuit, preferably performed in a secluded garret, I approach writing as a team effort.

Singles tennis is an individual sport. But when tennis players join a team and share a goal—say a league win—it can lift their individual games. Team members practice together, assess strategies, analyze strengths, point out weaknesses, share pointers, root when a point’s won, console when a game’s lost.

Critique partners and writing groups can serve as an author’s team with improved craft and publication as common objectives. To help one another reach these goals, we pinpoint what works in a partner’s plot and what doesn’t. Is a scene funny—or not? Does a heroine stray out of character? Do the dialogue and internal thoughts of our hero ring true, or is he talking/thinking like a woman? (One reason I LOVE having a male writer as part of my critique family.)

Do I make every change my colleagues suggest? No. Yet I consider them all. Even when I don’t take a suggested revision, I may revise to skirt around a word or sentence that made the reader stumble or a scene that slowed pace or seemed “over the top.”

My teammates catch errors I miss because I’m too close to my work. We also share craft techniques and swap info about agents, editors, publishers, contracts, marketing, social networking—all part of the need-to-know mix in today’s entrepreneurial author’s world.

Of course, group activity doesn’t lessen the need to park my fanny in front of a computer for long, solitary stretches. Yet this isolation is never complete. If I get stumped, I can email or pick up the phone. My critique family is generous with their time and respond to even the most trivial worries—like what kind of pens to buy for my first book signing.

I actively participate in the local chapters of Sisters in Crime (SinC) and the South Carolina Writers Workshop (SCWW), too. I’d belong to both organizations even if there were no local chapters. But I can’t say enough about the benefits of attending meetings, gabbing with fellow writers and seizing the opportunity to tap into a wealth of area resources.

Our Upstate SC Chapter of SinC meets in Greenville, SC, and our guest speakers include a wide range of “Law and Order” professionals. We’ve heard from medical examiners, a U.S. Marshall, district attorneys, police officers, arson investigators, crime reporters, FBI agents, private investigators...and the list goes on. These folks not only seem happy to answer our questions at our meetings, they often hand out business cards and invite us to call with any questions we think of after they leave.

Our local SCWW chapter doesn’t address crime—unless we’re talking punctuation felonies. But these meetings are gems as well. Each month, one of our members researches a writing topic and presents it to the group, complete with handouts and examples. During the past year, topics have included pacing, point-of-view, dialogue, the hero’s journey, and hooks as well as digital publishing alternatives. The format ensures everyone contributes and leads to lively meetings.

Most folks who write fiction can attest to the fact that the road to publication—whether it’s for book one, two or ten—is full of twists, turns and more than a few potholes. I find it’s quite comforting to have good company along for the ride.

Linda Lovely’s new book, Dear Killer, is a fast-paced summer read. It dishes up a main course of suspense, action and adventure with generous sides of romance and humor. The Sea Island setting gives the reader a tantalizing glance at the coastal area known as the Lowcountry, famed for its numerous islands, Gullah culture, plantations and resorts. The novel’s the first in a series of Marley Clark mysteries to be published by L&L Dreamspell.

A journalism major in college, Lovely has made her living as a writer, tackling everything from magazine features and ad copy to speeches and brochures. Her manuscripts have made the finals in 15 contests, including RWA’s prestigious Golden HeartÒ and Daphne du Maurier competitions and mystery contests such as Deadly Ink, Murder in the Grove and Malice Domestic.

For more information about the author and Dear Killer, you can visit her website at: www.lindalovely.com.

A note from Ellis. I'll be over at Terry's Place, giving away a Kindle copy of Haunting Refrain.

What is Romance?

I'm pleased to have Terry Odell as my guest today. After a confusing start (thanks to me), here she is.

Thanks to Ellis for inviting me to blog. I'm delighted to be here. Since I write romantic suspense, which falls under the larger umbrella of romance, I'm always looking for inspiration for reasons my hero and heroine will be attracted to one another. And romantic moments are more important than writing the love scenes, because they illustrate what kind of a person the character is.

What do you think of as a 'romantic' moment? Flowers and chocolate on Valentine's Day? A glittery something on your birthday? Flowers delivered every Friday?

For me, romantic means thoughtful. Doing something unexpected. Sure, a guy's going to be in deep yogurt if he forgets Valentine's Day, but it's the action that says "I'm thinking of you all on my own" that trips my heartbeat.

Is a Swiss Army knife a romantic present? Some would say no, but the circumstances, not the gift, define the romance. Years ago, I watched MacGyver. Hubby could take it or leave it, and it definitely wasn't a 'let's sit down and watch this together' sort of a show. I was vaguely aware that he'd come into the room, but didn't even turn my attention from the set. When Mac got out his trusty knife, I mumbled, "Why don't I have one of those?" So when I unwrapped my birthday present and found my very own "mini-MacGyver" (hubby wasn't sure I was ready for the real MacGyver version), I was thrilled. Not for the knife, but for the fact that he actually heard me, even when I wasn't staring right at him, and making a specific request.

Sometimes the gifts can be glittery – such as the time when hubby and one of our daughters were out for dinner. Afterward, as we walked through the strip mall toward our car, I decided to look in the jewelry store. Hubby was definitely against it, but daughter and I pointed out things we liked while hubby grumbled. The next week was Valentine's Day, and daughter and I each received one of the, "that's nice" pieces.

Other things that say romance to me:

Hubby saying, "You're working hard, how about if I take over washing the dishes and one baby feeding every day." Bonus points for it being the 2 AM feeding.

Hubby poking his head into my office where I'm busy typing away, and saying, "Dinner will be ready in 20 minutes."

Coming back from the Y and finding the bed made.

Hubby saying, "I'm making eggs, should I cook some for you?"

            Note: leaving the dirty frying pan on the stove 'in case you wanted to have eggs' is NOT thoughtful and romantic.

If we have to ask, it's not romantic. If those Friday flowers are because you (or your secretary) has a standing order at the florist, it's not romantic. If, however, you bring home flowers for no reason other than, "You looked sad when you had to throw out the last ones," then that IS romantic.

Terry Odell writes romantic suspense as well as contemporary short stories. Her latest release include her Blackthorne, Inc. covert ops novels, WHEN DANGER CALLS, WHERE DANGER HIDES, and DANGER IN DEER RIDGE. Find her at her website, http://www.terryodell.com or her blog, Terry's Place, http://terryodell.blogspot.com. And be sure to check out her Deals and Steals tab on her blog. Right now she's offering a 2 for 1 special.