Sam is improving

Those of you who read my last post already know my dog Sam was hit by a car. First, I'd like to express my heartfelt thanks for everyone who responded on Facebook to say they were praying for him, or sending positive thoughts. Those thoughts and prayers have definitely been felt and appreciated.

Sam is in good spirits. He is playful and looking better. The swelling in his right eye is still really bad, however, it is improving. At this point he doesn't have infection and it looks like he will be able to keep his eye. Oh, and the swelling has gone down enough that he can close his eye, which is really helping him to heal.

He is responding well to the meds and resting well also. Other than his right eye, he looks perfect. He has no other visible injuries and none internal that can be detected other than some bruising behind his eye.

At first I was so angry. I wondered why this happened and why it had to happen to such a kind and gentle dog like Sam. Then I realized how very grateful I am that he is still alive. Yes, he was hurt badly. But my baby will live. He is still my Sam and I love him so much I can't accurately describe it. When I look at Sam (or my little dog Roscoe) I literally feel the love. My companions make me a better person with the unconditional love they give to me. Sam deserves no less than all my love as he recovers.

Please continue to keep him in your prayers. He is family to me. I begin this new year well aware of how very blessed I am that he is a part of my life.

Please pray for Sam

My dog Sam was hit by a car late last night and he looks horrible. His right eye is protruding from the socket from swelling and tissue damage. According to the vet he will most likely be blind in that eye regardless. Please help me pray the swelling will go down and he will at least look semi-normal, and possibly retain some sight.

Sam has been my companion for nearly 6 years and this is breaking my heart so much I don't have words to describe it. The vet said he will live, but my poor baby will never look the same. He was so beautiful. I will love him no matter what, but it is killing me to look at him and not do anything. I feel like I should be able to fix this because I love him so much.

He found me when I needed a friend and I would do anything for him. I've never been much of a Christmas person, but talk about a terrible holiday. My poor Sam. I can't stop crying. It doesn't help that I have a terrible cold and can't breathe through my nose at all.

I just wish I could rewind to yesterday and stop this. I feel like it's my fault somehow, that there must be something I could have done. I feel so helpless.

Running on all-fours

I wrote a post in 2009 about dreaming of running on all-fours like a wolf. (I say like a wolf and not like any other type of animal because that is how I imagine myself when I run.)

Here is a link talking about my dream, if you're interested.

It amazes me how many hits this article continues to get. Since there is such an obvious interest, I thought I might do a little more research on why people might have this dream.

As I've said before, I keep a dream journal. I've done this for at least 12 years, maybe more. I don't keep up with my dreams as much as I used to simply because I don't often have the chance to dream. Dreaming, for me at least, requires a deep state of sleep which I am not often afforded these days.

I am a very light sleeper and every small noise wakes me. My husband (and my dog) snores. Plus we have an idiot who is fond of riding by at 3 AM with loud music, at least 3 nights a week.

Having said that, I should clarify something. I do still dream. I used to recall my dreams every single night. Now it's more like I remember one dream a week, sometimes two.

I'm also still experiencing the "running on all-fours" dream. I don't call this dream reoccurring because only one element remains the same, the running on all-fours part.

The last time I had this dream I was running down a road near where I live. I was jogging normally, but then I started to pick up the pace. As I moved faster the road changed. It turned to dirt instead of pavement. The next thing I knew I could feel the dirt as it brushed across the palms of my hands, the light yet rough pressure of it as my weight shifted to run. Without any noticeable transition at all, I was suddenly running on all-fours as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

In my opinion, it is the most natural thing in the world. I've studied dream interpretation for years, for a number of reasons. For one thing, I get lots of ideas for books from my dreams. I'm a writer and new ideas are always a good thing. Dreams are a great source of inspiration, especially if you can figure out their meaning.

But aside from that, I enjoy trying to figure out how the subconscious mind works. There are many things that we know when we are asleep and somehow forget when we are awake. Instincts that have been long forgotten in our waking life remain dormant, waiting for the chance to reemerge when our mind isn't "working" so hard at being normal.

I've come across lots of theories about these running on all-fours dreams. I've also discovered that thousands of people have experienced this.

Some people speculate that a dream of this kind means you are about to overcome some huge obstacle in your life. You are literally racing toward your goal.

Others see it as you you feel powerless in your waking life, so you seek the feeling of power that such dreams can give.

And then there is another explanation. Perhaps werewolves are real? You heard me right. There are people who believe that we who experience dreams of running on all-fours are merely reliving what happens when we transform into a wolf. No, I'm not joking.

These are the three most prominent theories I've come across in my research. I'm not saying I believe or disbelieve any of them, but here is MY interpretation.

As for myself, I am always racing toward one goal or another, so this interpretation is only the tip of the iceberg. It doesn't have any real meaning for me. Saying that I am racing toward a goal is like saying I'm going to breathe today.

The second theory doesn't really resonate with me either. Although running this way in my dreams is a wonderful feeling, I don't necessarily crave the power of it. Who doesn't want to feel that kind of freedom? It's a rush each and every time it happens and I can't help but feel that the rest of the world is missing something. This theory has some merit (in my opinion) but it is also only the tip of the iceberg.

When I stumbled upon the third theory I was both excited and amused. I write erotic paranormal romance. MANY of my characters are werewolves. There is something so virile to me, so powerful about a man who is part beast. Especially, if he is in control of his inner monster.

Do I believe that there are people who actually transform into wolves? Unfortunately, no. Why is it unfortunate? Because it would be awesome if it were true. The macabre has always fascinated me so theories about werewolves being real are nothing new in my book. For those who believe that lycanthropy is a mental condition in which someone believes themselves to be a werewolf, this dream theory might have some weight.

I think my own dreams are a combination of many things. As for this particular dream, where the road turned to dirt, maybe I am feeling a need to get back to basics? To release stress and "run free." That is certainly true for me. Maybe it is for a lot of other people also.

In this dream I never actually saw myself as a wolf, it was more of a feeling I had. Although, in other dreams, I have seen myself as a running wolf.

Do I believe I'm a werewolf? Of course not. Just because I write about werewolves or speculate on theories doesn't mean I'm a nut job. Ha. Ha. Ha. The subconscious mind is like the ocean, we may never fully explore it and this fascinates me. I was almost a psychologist after all. I was an undergrad in criminal psychology and considered specializing in sex therapy as a graduate. But, I'm getting off subject.

The wolf has many desirable qualities that lots of people may find themselves drawn to. Power, freedom, confidence. The list could go on.

Maybe those qualities are why I see myself as a wolf. Or maybe it's just because I write about them.

Can a vampire assassin find true love?

I've been so busy lately that I forgot to share the details of my newest release, Wicked City. This is another book whose contract I chose not to renew and instead publish the book on my own.

Since its previous publication, Wicked City has been expanded by more than 2,000 words. It has also been thoroughly re-edited. Plus, I'm very excited about the new cover art. I designed this one myself along with a few others. Readers and friends on my Facebook page voted for their favorite cover for Wicked City and here it is.

This story was inspired by so many things, I'm not sure how to sum it all up. If there is one character who has more of my "voice" than the others in this, it would have to be Synn. He has my sense of humor and definitely my fashion sense. LOL

Wicked City is a combination of gothic fantasy, horror, and romance.

Here is the blurb and purchase details.

Lavinia accepted what she is a long time ago. She isn't squeamish when it comes to blood or her sexuality. After all, both blood and sex are necessary to sustain a succubus. She is a well-trained assassin. Working for her fellow vampire and occasional lover comes naturally for her. When she is sent out to kill someone, they die. It’s that simple. But what if her target means more to her than he should?

Synn thought he knew what he was getting into when he encountered the succubus that first night, but he may still be in over his head. She was sent to kill him, and still he wants her. One man has never been enough for Lavinia, however, the wizard Synn thinks he’s man enough for the job.

Warning: This book contains graphic violence, graphic language, and graphic sex, including multiple partners.

This book was previously published elsewhere. It has since been revised and expanded. During its previous release, Wicked City was a best seller on Fictionwise.

To purchase a copy of Wicked City, click HERE.

Wicked City is also available at All Romance Ebooks. 

Here what a few reviewers have said. 

Regina, Coffee Time Romance

Whew! Wicked City is one very hot and sexy read! Ms. Kitts starts off with a bang and keeps going until you read the very last page. I loved it!

Reader Review from Barnes & Noble

I enjoyed everything about this story, from the relationships of the characters, to the awesome world of Wicked City. If you like Underworld, or erotic paranormal stories, or just a good romance, you will enjoy this. It's got so many elements in one. There is action, drama, a bit of horror, and a nice love story. 

Enjoy!

Show More

Show Less

What is relaxation?

Don't ask me. It would appear that I no longer understand the concept. Relaxation is what I thought I was going to do today. I had plans to sit with my dog and watch TV, never changing out of my pajamas. I've earned it. My plan in January was to take the year off from new projects and re-release all my backlist books that were no longer under contract. So, that's what I've done and I've busted my ass at it too.

I just re-released Wicked City a week ago, and The Dread Moon two weeks before that. This year I've re-released, SIX books! Not only am I adding new content and proofing thoroughly once again (and so is my writing partner), I'm doing the cover art for these books. Don't get me wrong, I love every minute of it, but I'm tired. I need to workout more and clean my house. LOL

So, my plan for the day got changed slightly. I said, "Okay, I'll clean the house, and then watch some TV with Roscoe." That quickly got changed to include checking my email and Facebook.

The next thing I know, I'm sitting here re-formatting the next book on my list, Eden. Why? Well, one reason is I feel compelled to do so. I feel as if I can't work on something completely new until I finish putting these backlist titles back out there for readers. I hope that makes sense to someone besides me. If it doesn't, just blame it on OCD.

I would like to finish the Bound by Blood trilogy I started working on. I would also like to write books 6 and 7 in the Lilith Mercury series. However, I can't take on either of these projects because my mind will not stop focusing on the backlist that needs to be finished. I have no idea once I'm caught up, which of these projects will be finished first.

I know there are many readers waiting to see what happens to Lilith and I know that no one likes to wait. I do apologize, but rushing the story would make it less than what I intended. I'm sure no one wants that. I do need to rest my mind here and there.

I thought I would at least take the holidays off, but it appears I am not capable. Although, I'm still wearing my pajamas. At least one part of the plan didn't change.

Want to chat with some vamp authors?

Of course, I mean we all write about vampires, not that we ARE vampires. Ha. Ha. Ha. Although, that would be awesome.

I'll be part of a huge Vampire Book Realms chat on November 30th. It's being hosted by Coffee Time Romance in their Latte Lounge. There will be more than 50 authors involved and goodness knows what else. This is an all day chat. I'll be on early and then again in the evening. My husband offered to take me to the movies for the first time in forever and I wasn't about to refuse. So, I won't be there all day, but I will be there most of the day.

Here's the link to join the chat if you're interested. See you there!

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/karendevinkaren/

Get your turkey on

I've shared this before, but I thought it might be a good time to repeat myself. :)

The Holiday Season is once again upon us and the most common dread for cooks is cooking the turkey. Whether it’s Thanksgiving or Christmas, the very word “turkey” can strike fear into the heart of an unseasoned cook. (Get it? HAHAHA)

So, with this in mind, I thought I’d share a great Thanksgiving (or any other time) Turkey recipe. 

A few notes first - The recipe I’m going to share for gravy includes using the liver. Personally, I don’t use the liver because it grosses me out. But, I know lots of people do, so I've left that part in. Be assured that I use this recipe without the liver all the time and it’s great.

Also, this is for after the turkey has been thawed. Please follow the guidelines (that should be on the turkey) for thawing it properly. And don’t forget to relax, cooking the turkey is no big deal.

Enjoy!

Honey-Basted Roast Turkey Recipe

1 small turkey, 10 to 12 pounds

2 T. peanut oil

1/2 t. ground sage

1/2 t. ground allspice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 small bunch green onions

3 to 4 T. honey

Garnish: Decorative string of cranberries and bay leaves or sage leaves (optional)

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Remove giblets from turkey (reserve for gravy, recipe follows). Rinse turkey and pat dry. Rub inside and out with oil. Season with sage, allspice, salt and pepper. Stuff neck and body cavities with onions and truss, if desired. Place turkey in roasting pan. Roast, allowing 18 to 20 minutes per pound, until juices run clear with no hint of pink when thigh is pierced.

During the last hour of cooking, baste turkey 2 to 3 times with honey.

Serve with pan gravy and garnish with decorative string of cranberries and bay leaves or sage leaves, if desired.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Giblet Pan Gravy

Giblets
(You can also use a few bits of meat from underneath the bird where no one is likely to notice you removed them. That is if the whole idea of giblets wigs you out. Remember the gravy should be done after the turkey. Also, you don’t have to cook it for 40 minutes if you use the already cooked pieces of turkey like I suggest here. Only cook until it bubbles. The best place to remove a small bit of meat is just underneath the rear. Use a long utensil of some sort (placed in the opening) to lift the bird from the back and tip it upward. Slice off a small piece and chop it up to look like giblets. I also recommend not doing this in front of anyone or thinking about it for too long as it can cause ridiculous amounts of laughter when you put a spatula or grilling fork up a turkey’s butt.)

3 C. water

2 celery tops

2 green onions (I also use caramelized white onions as the flavor of green is too strong for me.)

Pan juices from roasted turkey

4 teaspoons cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold water

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Place giblets, except the liver, in a saucepan with water, celery tops and green onions.

Chop liver and reserve. (Remember you don’t have to use it.) Bring water to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer over medium-low heat for about 40 minutes or until giblets are tender. (Or just until it boils if you used the chopped turkey meat.) Strain broth and reserve.

Chop cooked giblets and combine with chopped liver. (Skip this part if you used the chopped turkey meat.)

In the same saucepan, bring 2 cups combined pan juices and giblet broth to a boil.

Stir in chopped giblets and cornstarch-water mixture. Cook gravy over medium heat, stirring often, until thickened.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Now, it wasn't that bad, was it?

If you're holiday season is particularly stressful, I've got another suggestion/recipe. Sparkling cranberry juice with a splash of spiced rum. But don't have too much or you might decide everyone needs to watch while you put a spatula up the turkey's butt. Ha. Ha. Ha.

Also, if you really want a good laugh, you can truss your bird up to look like you used a Japanese bondage technique. Be sure the people you are cooking for have a sense of humor first. 

Happy Holidays!

What I’m grateful for

With Thanksgiving nearly upon us, I thought I would take a minute and list 10 things I’m grateful for this year.

As I wrote the list just now the most amazing thing happened. I realized how truly blessed I am. Not that I had doubts. Ha. Ha. There’s something about putting your thoughts to paper (or screen) that seems to make them more real.

What are you most grateful for this year? I've listed the first 10 things that came to mind, in no particular order.

1. I’m grateful for my family. All of them, even the ones who annoy me. I could be all alone in the world.

2. I’m grateful for my friends that have stuck by me over the years. I love them dearly.

3. I’m grateful for my dogs Sam and Roscoe. They make me smile every single day. That’s always a good thing.

4. I’m thirty pounds lighter than I was at this time two years ago. I’m very grateful for that.

5. I’m grateful that both my parents are still living. I know many who are not so fortunate.

6. I’m grateful to still be with the man I chose all those years ago.

7. I’m grateful for all the books I've written, and all the new ideas that continue to come to me. I've been blessed with imagination.

8. I am grateful for the fall weather and the need to build a roaring fire once again.

9. I’m grateful that I only have to wait one more month to watch The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Yes, I actually included that on my list. I've loved these stories since I was little.

10. I’m grateful that I have so many things to be thankful for that making a list was difficult because I had to pick only a few.

Whip it good

When the subject was first brought up, I told people that I didn't write BDSM. As it turns out, I was wrong. Ha. Ha. Ha.

No, I haven’t jumped on the proverbial bandwagon. I've been researching BDSM. Heavily. First let me say what I thought of when someone said BDSM. I read a book once years ago that completely disgusted me. The heroine was raped, humiliated, and beaten. (All without consent I might add. There was no negotiation of a scene or role-play.) I could only read 30 pages before I had to return the book. It was written by a best-selling author and had gotten good reviews. I was shocked by the content. The “raciness” wasn't what offended me, it was the treatment of the heroine. That book remains to this day the ONLY book I have ever returned. In the past when someone mentioned BDSM, this book is what I thought of.

In reality, I knew that there was a whole lot more to BDSM than extreme domination. However, that awful story is what my mind jumped to. Recently, I decided that I needed to get that old image out of my head.

What have I learned? A lot. One thing major is this, my books have contained elements of BDSM from the beginning.

As it turns out, you don’t have to have extreme kink, or domination/submission for your book to fall into the category of BDSM. Although, books within the category can certainly contain some or all of those elements.

Did you realize that fetishes of all kinds are considered part of the BDSM scene? I didn't before. My research is ongoing and it is fascinating.

Let me give some examples of my work that I referred to earlier.

Object of My Affection (Lilith Mercury Book Two) has a scene with mild bondage and cherry juice.

The Dread Moon (Lilith Mercury Book Three) has a scene of autoerotic asphyxiation. Not to mention some serious back scratching and deliberate pain/pleasure moments of other kinds.

Constant Cravings also has a scene in which the heroine requests to be choked during sex.

Wicked City has some light spanking. (And multiple partners, but that’s something else entirely.)

Sex Symbol has a sex scene with a partially transformed werewolf. Not sure what to call that, but it’s definitely very kinky.

I’m sure I've forgotten other examples, but you can see what I mean. BDSM doesn't have to be full-on whips and chains.

Does anyone else feel enlightened by this? Ha. Ha.

As I said, the more I read, the more I am fascinated. So, it turns out, I do write BDSM in my stories. I had the wrong picture when the subject was mentioned before. I’m working on changing that.

Vampires, werewolves, and a deadline

Yep, that's what's on my mind these days. LOL I'm going to give a really quick update on the current status of my projects. 

The Dread Moon, Lilith Mercury, Werewolf Hunter, Book Three - This is finished! I've sent the final version (with almost 3,000 words of new content) to my writing partner and editor for one last go-over. (That's a word, right?) All that's left is to hear back if changes/corrections need to be made, and work on the cover art. I've found the perfect images, it's just a matter of getting a moment to create the artwork. I think it's going to be great. 

The Eternal Kiss - This is an erotic paranormal, short novella. Right now, I'm editing it once more myself, before sending it to my writing partner. Then, I've got to file copyright (Copyright on the Lilith Mercury books were filed years ago), and work on the artwork. Hopefully, this one will be out within the next month or so.

I've also been working to get Diary of an Incubus listed on every site possible and in every format. Unfortunately, I believe the server my computer uses to access the All Romance Ebooks and Smashwords sites has been knocked out by the storm. So, there will be a slight delay in listing Diary of an Incubus on these sites. Now that the Kindle Select (Amazon) agreement has ended, that book is going up everywhere. Doing this with my other titles has doubled my sales, just FYI for anyone who might find the info useful.

The re-release of Wicked City has been pushed back until 2013. Why? Because I've got a new idea, possibly for a trilogy. I put this story, Bound by Blood on hold six months ago because I simply had too many things going on to give it the proper attention. Now, it won't go away. I keep getting new ideas and just as soon as I can, I must work on it. 

Okay, that's the latest on me and my work. New stuff coming, older books re-vamped (LOL), and still more to come. 

To all my friends on the east coast, stay safe. As a native of Florida, I'm no stranger to storms. I feel your pain. 

Positive thinking for writers, and other random advice

Last night, I dreamed about my sister-in-law, Rita. As some of you may know, she passed away very unexpectedly in a car accident just a few months ago. If I learned anything from this (besides how much I miss her), it's that life is very short. You have to decide what you want from life and go for it. You may never get another chance.

With that in mind, here are some positive thoughts (and other random advice) for writers who are striving to reach the top. I'm not claiming to know everything. I'm sharing what has personally helped me. I'm not as successful as I will be some day. (See, positive thinking.) But I've come a long way.

I'm sure that if you've read much about positive thinking, most of you have at least heard the term Law of Attraction. First let me say, this has nothing to do with religion. I will never discuss religion on my blog. The Law of Attraction basically states that we all give off a certain vibration. This is a scientific fact, not some mumbo-jumbo. We all vibrate at a particular frequency. Whatever frequency you are sending out into the Universe, you are also attracting more of that frequency back to yourself.

Basically, if you always walk around feeling like crap and thinking about how much you feel like crap, you will attract more circumstances that cause you to feel like crap. It really is that simple. I've seen it at work too many times in my own life to think it's bull.

1. Be proud of your story. If your book has been professionally edited and has great cover art, stop worrying. Provided that you've told a good story, you have done all you can do. Worrying will not sell more copies of your book. If you start to worry about sales, stop yourself in the middle of that thought and say something like, "I am so glad that my sales are up" Or, "I'm so thankful for all the new book sales."

2. If it is your goal (or one of them) to be a highly successful writer, try this exercise. Imagine what emotions you would feel if you were already successful. What would it feel like to sell a million copies? Think about it and write it down. Refer to this list at least once a day. As often as possible, walk around feeling like a success.

3. This is probably the most important piece of advice and it's one that I have to remind myself of often. Keep a good attitude. Being a dick (yes, a dick) sends the wrong signal to the Universe.

4. It isn't possible to be aware of every single thought throughout the day. Here is an easy way to tell what signal you're sending out. How do you feel? If you feel pretty good, you are thinking good thoughts. If you feel awful, find something nice to think about.

5. Never underestimate the power of visualization. If the only spare moment you have is before you go to sleep at night, then do this as you fall asleep. Picture yourself in whatever circumstances that you consider to represent success. Maybe you're at a book signing with lots of adoring fans. Maybe you're on a yacht. Whatever works for you. Take a few minutes, picture this as clearly as you can and imagine what it would feel like to be there for real.

6. If you worry about reviews you are only hurting yourself with worry. If the thought of, "Oh, no. What if someone hates my book?" crosses your mind, stop immediately. Replace that thought with, "I am so grateful for all the good reviews."

These may sound cheesy, but I swear they work. I'm about to take some of my own advice right now and focus on success. Good luck and I hope these are helpful to you.

Guest author, KevaD

Hello, Tracey!

Thank you for allowing us to drop by.

For those not familiar with me, I’m KevaD, and I tell stories. All kinds of stories.

I love Halloween; the costumes and the hopeful eyes behind masks while the angel disguised as a devil holds out their treasure bag. I do have to admit that I miss the innocence I knew as a kid. Popcorn balls dyed a variety of colors were a special treat. Now, those labors of love would be the first item thrown away. We’d cringe at healthy foods like apples and oranges. We wanted to overdose on sugar. Today, parents cringe at apples and oranges for a totally different reason, and full-sized candy bars have been replaced by a single Hershey’s Kiss, or worse – diet candy. What a gyp. Trick or Treating shouldn’t be like driving through a toll booth. But, rising costs and an unsafe world have altered the tradition to a mere fraction of what it once was. So sad.

My wife and I still put together special bags for the children we know. Well, more aptly, for the parents who know we aren’t a threat to their children. Of course, since we moved to the country a few years ago we don’t see quite the number of ghostly visitors. Our loss. But, that doesn’t stop us from decorating the house and yard.

How about you? What do you do special for Halloween?

HC Brown and I wanted to work on a couple of projects together. We both write in a number of genres, and I had this story nearing completion, so, logic kind of dictated we start with Sea Games. HC suggested a series and that became Game Play. The second book, Night Games, an MM romance on the high seas and jungle low, is due out December 17^th.

Again, thanks for letting us drop by, and I hope folks enjoy this peek at Sea Games.

Brian Bowers is a man on a mission. Revenge weighs heavy on his mind. The need to punish the woman he once loved above all others falls into tatters the moment he sets eyes on her again. Fifteen years of walking on the fine edge between love and hate ends in an explosion of lust.

Patrice, sophisticated and wealthy, has her own agenda. She knows how to use her body to get what she wants. But Bowers knows how to play the game.

Set in a world of indulgence, Sea Games follows two hearts as they battle memories of the past. Will they win or lose a future together?

Excerpt:

Chapter 1

Through the throng of bejeweled partiers, the nasal assault of perfume and deodorants, he spotted Patrice Lampton in the corner. A sprite on a ladder-back chair throne, surrounded by her court of jesters vying for the attention being with her could bring. She sat, with her long elegant legs crossed at the knees. The electric smile on her makeup-glazed face could have powered a small town. Desire coursed through him. But for what?

Certainly not for the recognition of having been one of the many to bed her, the challenge eroded by the endless mattress party her life had become.

He visualized her body barely hidden beneath a curve-clinging red silk dress, remembered the silken touch of her pixie cut auburn hair tangled in his fingers. The musky scent of her slick, wet pussy lingered in the recesses of his mind. The taste of her hungry mouth filled his dreams.

Without warning, her hazel-eyes lowered to an unseen place, far beyond the façade of laughter and sweet aroma of champagne aimlessly fluttering in the ballroom’s thick air. She slipped a portion of her silver linked necklace to her mouth and strung it over her teeth. It was an unconscious act from another time, a place devoid of the new world around her. In that moment, he understood. His physical desire was not for the woman the public followed in the tabloids. He craved the private person, the one she once shared with him.

To regain this secret part of her would be his prize, the pinnacle no one else had scaled. When he had stolen all her deepest secrets, what little passion for life she retained, he would laugh and walk away, his need for revenge satiated.

He smoothed the jacket of his white tux and straightened the black bowtie. With a toss of his head, he gathered the arrogance he’d practiced hours on end in front of a mirror, and finally strode to her table. Her devotees moved around her with the activity of ants servicing their queen in the hope of devouring the leftover crumbs of decadence.

Patrice slowly glanced up at him, the necklace tumbling back to its rightful spot on her pale, powdered skin. No sheen painted her eyes, only the question of who this uninvited intruder might be. No doubt, his rented tux, lacking the perfect tailoring worn by her male entourage, would instantly register with her. He didn’t belong in this sphere of wealth and self-indulgence on this chartered cruise ship.

A smile wouldn’t be sufficient to stimulate her interest. The men around her fawned mouths set with fixed expressions of devotion. So he forced his face to remain stoic, bored even, as if she were the last person he would consider taking between the sheets. His heart rate kicked up a notch. He inclined his head.

“Miss Lampton, I wanted to offer this small contribution to your fundraiser. I find your efforts to stem domestic abuse most laudable.” He handed her the check, hoping his words had come out as smooth and unemotional as he’d practiced.

Without looking at the paper, she passed it to the guy standing on her left, a store mannequin of a man dressed in an immaculate black tuxedo, white shirt and rainbow tie. She raised a pencil-enhanced brow. “To whom do I express my appreciation?”

“Lancer Thompkins,” He nodded curtly and turned to leave. His nerves twisted. His gut wrenched. He’d done it!

Her curiosity would drive her insane. She would have to discover more about him. He’d studied her new persona for months and recognized her quirks, including the arched brow that had betrayed her. She’d taken the bait. He had planted the first seed.

He squared his shoulders and marched victoriously to the exit and the salty sea air.

The ship docked in Rio in a day’s time. He had until then to manipulate his way into her head. He wanted to dominate her thoughts and invade her dreams.

An older couple strolled past, arms crossed over each other’s backs, the woman’s cheek resting against her companion’s shoulder.

Guilt swept over him. His gut twisted. A new … regret … pulsed in his neck.

“That should have been us,” he whispered to no one.

And for the first time in his miserable life, he wondered if he could actually go through with his plan.

Buy Link: http://www.lsbooks.com/sea-games-p710.php

KevaD: www.kevad.net

H.C. Brown: http://www.hcbrown-author.com/

Thanks for being my guest today and congratulations on the new release!

I HATE politics

Don't worry, this post isn't about my political views. I will not try to push my opinions on anyone else. It's a rant about the election season and how I'm ready for it to be over. Actually, to even say that I'm ready for the election to be finished is such an understatement.

It's not just the presidential stuff either. Local political commercials make it nearly impossible to watch TV. Every single commercial break it's the same crap, over and over.

I have not and I will not tell anyone in any public forum what my personal views are. They are personal. We each have the right to choose who we vote for. That's what's great about America. I have never seen an election make people so hateful to each other before. If you even look like you support an opposing candidate, supporters of the other guy think that gives them the right to be rude to you, or start spouting their views as if you asked.

As of this moment I am stunned. I just got blocked on Facebook by someone I've been friends with for 5 years. Why? Because of the election.

First let me say one thing. I clicked "like" on the pages of BOTH presidential candidates  Why? So I could read updates. If there's an article posted about them, I will see this in the update. I thought it might help me to make a more informed decision.

Apparently this "friend" saw only the "like" for the candidate he hates. He therefore took it upon himself to send me a video full of propaganda (which can be made to sound any way at all depending on editing) and asked, "your really voting for this guy tracy?" with a frowny face. Not only did he use the wrong form of "your" as opposed to "you're," he spelled my name wrong as well.

I wrote back, "I am not going to get into a political discussion. We are all given the right to choose. That's what's great about America."

He cursed at me, called me stupid, and then had the nerve to say, "Good luck with your books. Bye Tracey."

What the crap? I never even said I supported the guy he was talking about.

I know, this blog normally talks about writing techniques, my writing, or marketing. However, occasionally I also include bits of my life. This is one of those bits.

Do me a favor and don't post any comments in favor of anyone. This blog wasn't about supporting a specific candidate. I'm just ranting about how people are treating each other over the election.

I needed to get this off my chest, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who has experienced this craziness.

It's time to get CRAZY

The picture has relevance, I promise. LOL For a while now I've been working on getting into the best shape of my life. I am about 15 pounds away from my weight loss goal. Lately, I've gone back to the one thing that worked best for me, riding a stationary bike.

This is a fun, easy activity that burns tons of calories because it works those big muscles in your legs. And as a random guy who passed me on the road said, I've got legs, "like a mother****er." Yes, he really said that.

You know what works you even harder than a stationary bike? Riding on the open road. I live in the country. There are miles and miles of beautiful roads here. There's only one problem. People have a shit-ton of dogs out here and they do NOTHING to control them.

A friend of mine said he doesn't know why that should stop me. He carries wasp spray with him to keep away dogs. First of all, I actually love dogs and think that's awful. He said he sprays somewhere near them, not on the dog. Well, I'm not comfortable putting poison on or near an animal unless it's trying to kill me. Sorry.

I know the basics of putting my bike between me and the dog, splashing water in their face, things like that. However, I was completely unprepared for what happened yesterday. After much debate, my son and I decided to ride "the block." Out here, that's at least 6 miles (haven't clocked it exactly) with 6 huge hills, one every mile. Most of the places that have dogs are right freaking beside one of these hills. If they decide to chase, there is no such thing as outrunning them.

I was bitten as a child. My left ear points at the top like an elf thanks to this incident. (No shit.) I have no desire to be bitten again.

But back to yesterday. Out of all the dogs (most of them were big) that barked and a few who followed for a couple of paces, only one dog gave us a real chase. A Yorkie. That's right, you heard me. We were in a curve, going up a hill when a herd of mini-dogs comes barking across this yard. I'm not kidding, there were at least 10 of them. A bouncing, yapping, little herd! The first thing I did was say, "Holy shit," and start laughing my ass off.

It was the funniest thing I'd ever seen. The Yorkie chased my son who easily outran him. The problem was, I was right behind him. The dog kept darting around, trying to get out of my way and I kept swerving trying to miss him. When I saw my front tire make impact, I threw myself off the bike to avoid crushing the little dog.

I have a big bruise on my right knee, and a knot on my left shin. But other than that I'm fine. The Yorkie was unharmed.

This got me thinking, there has to be an easier way to take a ride and actually enjoy myself. I've read tons of articles on how to deal with dogs while biking and one really cracked me up.

Here's the link. http://www.adventure-journal.com/2011/10/dealing-with-aggressive-dogs-make-your-bark-worse-than-your-bike/

The article says to bark as loud as you possibly can. It will startle the dog when they realize you are completely freaking crazy. HA! We shall see. As it so happens, I am completely freaking crazy. I can do this. I have faith in myself.

The article says to pick a one syllable word and scream it at the top of your lungs for one second. I haven't decided yet what mine will be, but I've got some funny ideas. For one whole second, I'm going to completely lose my shit. I'm going to let those dogs see the side of me that I hold back from everyone else. Everything that's ever pissed me off, they're about to feel it in my voice. I'm going to bring the animal I know I have inside out just enough to scare the holy shit out of those dogs.

What if the owner happens to overhear? Oh well, keep your animals behind a fence if they can't behave. The road is public and I have a right to defend myself if I'm threatened while on the damn thing.

So, I'm going to bark some obscenity at oncoming dogs next time I go. And if they don't listen? I'm carrying some pepper spray.

F*** you dogs! You don't tell me where to ride!

An interview with Jesse L. Cairns

Please help me welcome author Jesse L. Cairns. Just to clarify how the interview is formatted here, THK is me. Obviously. Ha. Ha. and JLC is Jesse. Anything in parentheses is my personal musings on his answers. Enjoy. 

THK -  Tell me about yourself. Anything you would like readers know about you?

JLC - It's sort of cliche to say "writing saved my life," but in my case, it pretty much did. I was a terribly unhappy teenager, and scribbling in a series of notebooks seemed to be a good way to let me get some balance and control regarding things. I loved the discovery process, the feeling of accomplishment of when I wrote something better than I had done the previous year... it was like a never-ending series of rewards, and really allowed me to have my own voice.

When I'm not working the day job or writing, I'm a roller derby referee with the Sac City Rollers women's flat-track roller derby league. It's a great calorie-burner and they're an amazing bunch of people. Their do-it-yourself ethic dovetails nicely with writing. I also play a little guitar and have too many cats. That's not very unusual for writers, though.

THK -  Tell me about your current and upcoming releases. Please include a blurb and a link to where the book can be purchased.

JLC - Right now I'm appearing as the lead-off story in the anthology Spells And Swashbucklers by Dragon Moon Press. My story "Death Tide" is about modern buccaneers, magic and a very nasty surprise for both the raiders and the victims. It serves as a good introduction to the urban fantasy universe I write in.

THK - What genre do you write in? What drew you to write in that genre? If you mix genres talk about that too.

JLC - I write for the most part in the urban fantasy genre (five books in the series and counting) because I really like the juxtaposition of magic and technology, but I also have more than a few science fiction bones in my body. Honestly, I've written in every genre except for westerns; I even wrote a baseball novel that I like just as much as anything else I've ever done.

One thing that I don't like is to have hugely evil villains as the antagonists. That's not to say that bad guys don't have their place, but I prefer my antagonists to be "heels" rather than slobbering evil-doers. A classic heel commits heinous acts, yes, but they do them for what they see as being essentially good or at the very least necessary reasons. I like my black hat-wearers to have a set of motivations that the audience can relate to just as much as those of the protagonists. I'm also pretty happy when it seems like that line between the two camps is getting a little blurry, which is a major storyline of my urban fantasy series. Hopefully that one will get accepted soon, and then everyone can enjoy!

(I like my villains to also be real people. I love the way you describe that here.)

THK - How many books have you written? How many have been published?

JLC - I have written 17 novels to completion to this date, along with about a dozen or so false-starts. Some of those were only a chapter or two, but a couple almost hit 40k before they keeled over and died. None of the previous 17 have been published as of this date, but there's only a few of them that are in the active rotation of being shopped around. There's a very large learning curve associated with learning how to write quality fictions novels, and the only way to break through that wall is to keep doing it, over and over again, until you get it right. I have fond memories associated with all those books... well, at least with parts of them, at any rate. I may re-work some of them when I am more firmly established in my writing career and offer them as minimally-priced or even free downloads for fans around the holidays in the future.

THK -  What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

JLC - When I go for long walks to figure out a plot thread or a character's background or motivation, I like to talk about the subject at hand out loud as I do so. When somebody else comes walking the other way, I take my phone out and pretend as though I'm having a conversation in order to keep discussing the matter at hand. I listen to a lot of podcasts, so the long form of spoken word as applied to various subjects is something that I find very appealing.

(Oh my gosh! I do this too! I often walk around the house and talk out plots to my dog also.)

THK - What is the hardest part of writing?

JLC - I think the hardest part of the writing process is learning how to self-edit. It's really a different skill-set than you use in your day-to-day life; you've got to be able to recognize something that doesn't work, see why it is things aren't going the way they are supposed to, and then figure how how to get the air out of the pipes and make things flow smoothly again. At its base level, you have to be able to both see--and admit--when you are wrong. What sounds great inside the author's head does not always translate well to the printed page, so you've got to be able to deal with it when it pops up. I don't care how good you are, it'll rear its head sooner or later.

Once that's done with, by far the hardest part is the submission process itself. You can spend a year with a project and think that it turned out great and be pumped up about it... and once you've racked up a dozen rejections on your novel, see how much you still believe in what you wrote. This is the part of the process that washes out so many writers, and learning how to take 20+ turn-downs in the teeth and keep moving forward is absolutely essential if you're going to make it in this business. It's a brutal, brutal grind, but if you quit, you're never going to get to that winner's circle of holding a copy of your book in your hands.

(I agree about the self-editing. I believe I'm continuing to get better at this. As I re-release older books of mine whose contracts have expired, I find things I can't believe I left in there. Hopefully, that shows I'm growing as a writer.)

THK - What do you read for fun when you’re not writing?

JLC - Being a writer kind of ruins you sometimes on reading; you'll find yourself saying, "That wasn't phrased very well," or "I wouldn't have done that with my secondary character," or things like that. It's hard to put the writer hat aside when you want to relax with books, so now I generally try to read things that I don't really write myself. I'm trying to read a lot of non-fiction these days where the experiences of the authors (and their worldviews) differ wildly from my own, so I can be exposed to different ideas and therefore make my characters sound more individual. When doing fiction... I hate to sound like a fanboy, but I could re-read Jim Butcher's entire back catalog a hundred times and learn something new each time I go through. Every time he comes out with a new book, I feel slightly depressed about my own writing for the next week or so. The same holds true for the first eight books of Laurell Hamilton's "Anita Blake" series, and Rachel Caine is also an excellent writer and a very nice person as well. Go read her stuff!

(I don't think you sound like a fanboy at all. LOL You sound like someone who is serious about his craft and able to learn new things. That's amazing. Every time I read Dean Koontz I learn something new. He's quite a change from my paranormal romance also. You are so right about being a writer ruining you sometimes to the simple joy of reading. I have to make a conscious decision to take my writer hat off when I read. It's very difficult.)

THK -  Any words of encouragement for unpublished writers?

JLC - Remember why you do this; it's because you love it more than anything else. You know how you'll see those interviews with famous artists in any field--be it writing, music, acting or whatever else floats your boat--and sooner or later in the interview, the line will come out, "I love this so much, I'd do it for free?" Well, those people did exactly that for many, many years before their ship came in. They did it for free, working on their craft, only it really wasn't work because they love doing it so much. You've got to be the same way, because if you really love what you do, it makes the hard work a series of enjoyable challenges.

Also, don't ever forget how difficult is. The entire process is arranged in such a way to ensure that only those with the most determination will survive the gauntlet; for every published writer out there, hundreds cashed in before they got to the finish line. Don't be a statistic, and don't forget to celebrate like a rock star when you cross the finish line!


Well said!

You can find out more about Jesse L. Cairns at the following links.

Direct link for Spells And Swashbucklers: http://www.amazon.com/Spells-Swashbucklers-Valerie-Griswold-Ford/dp/1897492464

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jesselcairns

Twitter: @jesselcairns

I'm making an appointment with myself

That may sound strange, but I believe it's the only way I'll ever get in shape. I used to be an athlete. I was a cheer-leading captain and later, a damn good martial artist. What the hell happened right? Life. I got busy. When my son was very little I went to work. As I cycled through jobs (many in the beginning were temp), I got increasingly busier. My time for lengthy workouts diminished. And eventually so did my desire for them. I stopped craving the rush of a good workout. It was as if my body had forgotten the feeling.

Many people won't understand what I'm talking about when I mention that rush and how awesome it can be. Let me put it into perspective. The best description I've ever read, the one that came closest to describing a workout rush, wasn't even talking about working out. It was in a book about BDSM. It's a complete rush of exhaustion and elation mixed together. You're completely spent both emotionally and physically. And no, I'm not talking about orgasm. This is different. Some may know it as "runner's high" as well. It's the same concept.

I've made a lot of changes in the past year and a half. This began the day I got my little dog Roscoe. That little face and those big ears helped to break me out of a depression I couldn't beat on my own. But thanks to Roscoe, I kicked its ass and I haven't looked back. I am happier than I've ever been. My book sales are up. I'm spending more time with my family. Plus I've lost and kept off 25 pounds. Now, it's time to take it up a notch.

I am what many would consider a healthy weight. My reasons for not being satisfied are not entirely vain. My mother has type 2 diabetes. So does one of my grandmothers. My step-grandpa died from complications caused by diabetes. I've seen what it can do. For goodness sake, it has the word DIE in it! (At least when you say it out loud it does.)

I am healthy. My heart is strong. My sugar is low. My blood pressure is normal. I intend to keep it that way.

Recently I noticed something about myself. Deep down I already knew this, but never paid attention. I always put myself last. I'm not talking about my work. I'm talking about me. Writing takes precedence over almost everything else in my life. I'm always working on something new. I'm either editing a title whose contract expired for re-release, working on cover art, or writing something totally new. I'm constantly looking for inexpensive ways to promote my books, to help spread the word. Work. That's all I ever do.

I wake up every day with the intention of working out, but it just doesn't happen. Everything else comes first.

Therefore I have concluded that I cannot workout in my house. I have to remove the distractions of email and text and the temptation to go to my computer when I take a water break.

I'm making an appointment with myself to get up and run each morning. Why am I doing this? Because I keep my appointments. It's going to take more than good intentions to get me in the shape I want to be. I'm deliberately setting this appointment at I time I find most uncomfortable. Early in the morning. Those are the appointments I always dread the most. Yet, I enjoy getting them over with.

This is one appointment I do not intend to break. I'm going to pretend that someone is depending on me to show up and skipping is not an option. In a way, they are. Me, thirty years from now. Hell, even five years from now. And if I can't depend on myself, then who can I depend on?

My running shoes are in the dryer right now. As I listen to them tumble, I'm starting to get excited. My goal is 5 miles a day. At this point I'm not worried about speed. I just want to make those miles even if I have to crawl.

And every day I possibly can ... I'm dragging my mother with me.

Werewolves Can't Fly by Berengaria Brown is out today!

Please join me in congratulating Berengaria on what sounds like an awesome new release!

Get ready for Halloween with a hot werewolf ménage!

“Werewolves Can’t Fly” which released on 3 October, is the sequel to “Flight to Joy”, but you don’t have to have read the first book to enjoy this one.

“Flight to Joy” blurb

Mermae can fly. She’s had to keep it a secret, and has never met anyone else like her. One evening she thinks she sees something as she lands after a flight, but decides she’s mistaken, so walks home.

Kade sees a woman flying and is intrigued. He can fly, yet has never met anyone else who can. So he follows her to her apartment to learn her address, then hurries home to his partner, Iain, to tell him the good news.

Buy Link:http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=79_93&products_id=3570

And now the story continues…

“Werewolves Can’t Fly” blurb:

Mermae joined Kade and Iain four months ago. Halloween is almost here and Iain, a werewolf, is desperate for them to commit to each other.

But how can they keep their secrets in a city? And if they move out of the city how will they earn money and live?

Iain asked werewolves Dwyer and Nelson, who live on a secure farm, if his family can bond there and run on Halloween. Dwyer and Nelson are thrilled Iain has found his third person and welcome them to a little hidden cabin.

The mating is wonderful, but all their other problems remain unresolved. Is there a solution to them?

PG -13 EXCERPT

They lay on their sides in bed, sweaty and relaxed, satiated, yet Iain wanted more. With Halloween so close now, he wanted to convince-- no, that's wasn't fair. All decisions had to be made freely. He wanted Mermae and Kade to understand how badly he needed them to mate, to commit to each other, so his wolf side would be fulfilled.

Hoping he could explain himself properly, Iain said, "Halloween is special to a werewolf."

"What, you're going to howl at the moon?" teased Mermae.

He tugged her closer to him. "You never know, I might. But I really will need to run properly that night, and I want you both to be beside me. Traditionally, we fuck, then run, then fuck again on Halloween."

Mermae slid up on an elbow so she could look into his face. "There's more than that, though, isn't there?"

"You're a very perceptive woman. Yes, there is. We usually fuck the first time as humans and the second time as wolves, but that can't happen in our triad. But the ritual, yeah I need to complete the ritual. I..." Iain broke off. He didn't want to pressure her, or Kade, although Kade knew a bit more about how important this all was to him.

"You want us to commit." Mermae spoke slowly yet firmly.

Iain rolled over and lay flat on his back staring at her face, trying to read the expression behind her eyes. He nodded. What if she turns me down? What if she isn't ready yet to take this step?

"Okay. Let's just go through this all again. You can bite me without turning me into a werewolf. You've bitten Kade and nothing's ever happened to him. Right?"

"Yes." Kade spoke at the same time as him. Iain was going to add more, but it was obvious Mermae was still thinking, so he waited for her to finish.

"The commitment is binding. Once we commit it's for life. Except that you're going to live a hell of a lot longer than Kade and me. Does this mean even after we die you can never commit to another two people?"

"Yes, it does. But I've been told in committed triads that include non-wolves, the humans tend to live quite a lot longer than regular humans. As you know, I've never lived in a pack. We were lone wolves. My three parents and twin brother were killed by hunters when I was a teenager and when I looked for a pack, they were all one male/one female packs, and much bigger than me and..." Once again he couldn't finish what he wanted to say. This was not the time to pull the pity card. Mermae had to decide for herself, not because of anything he said, but because she wanted to commit to him and Kade.

Buy Link: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=78_91&products_id=3711

Berengaria Brown

http://berengariasblog.blogspot.com/

http://berengariabrown.com/

Friend me on Facebook. Follow me on Twitter.

Frank and The Werewolf Tamer - All Romance Ebooks

I just wanted to let everyone know that Frank and The Werewolf Tamer is now available at All Romance Ebooks. I'm so excited about this. I'm doing my best to make my indie titles available everywhere possible. Oh, Frank and Bitten are also on Barnes & Noble now for those with NOOKs. :)

Frank and The Werewolf Tamer - All Romance Ebooks

How Do Vampires Stay Happy? A guest post by Tracy Cooper-Posey

Tracey (who has a very cool name, by the way) has posted a number of posts about positive thinking and happiness recently, which got me thinking about vampires and their mental well being.  

Vampires have a tough row to hoe, really.  I explained how difficult it can be for them when I stopped at Kathryn Wallis’ blog (http://bit.ly/ReWJu0) earlier in my blog tour, when I was also explaining how The Unspoken Ones in my vampire romance series, Blood Stone, found it easier to withdraw from society and the world at large after a millenia or two of passing through history, rather than trying to adapt and change any more.  Once they had withdrawn, they developed very strange behaviours and attitudes, off in their isolation.

One character in the second novel of the series, which is also called Blood Stone, that is to be released tomorrow (!) is Nial.  Nial is so old he also qualifies for the status of Unspoken One…but he isn’t one.  How did he managed to avoid that awful abyss?  How did he stay happy for over a millenia? 

There’s a clue in the first book, Blood Knot, when the woman that would become his wife quizzes him on truth telling.  Winter can adjust other people’s biologies by touching them, and she attempts to “read” Nial by touch:

---

For the tiniest fraction of a second, Nathanial hesitated. Then he lifted his hand out to her. He had a big hand, to match his height and frame. But unlike Sebastian, he did not have the long, sensitive fingers. His were strong, the palm square. There were calluses below the fingers. Winter touched them.
“From my sword,” Nathanial said.

“But…that must have been years ago.”

“Centuries, actually. Our physiologies do not change, Winter.” His gaze was steady, defying her to be appalled or horrified.

She covered his hand with both of hers and edged her senses inside him. It was the same deadness she remembered from her incursion inside Sebastian. But it wasn’t all black and dead and darkness. There was life of a sort. Just not life as she understood it. The heart was there, capable of beating. Blood, and veins and arteries. All the organs were where they should be. They were all dormant, ready to function as needed.

“Do you like football, Nathanial?”

“NFL? Bores me silly,” he told her. His body remained still. Silent.

“What do you like?”

“Sports are vague posturing of people who have forgotten why they do what they are doing. Did you know that most team sports were originally conducted to prepare men for war?” He shook his head. “I find them vapid and shallow.”

She smiled. “Well, I guess I asked for your true opinion.”

Nathanial smiled. “You did.”

“Very well. What do you like that isn’t sports? What gets you excited? Apart from sex?” she added hastily.

The gleam in his eyes told her the final proviso had been just in time. He considered for a moment. “There is no one thing that I consistently turn to. But there are many things that move me. I find them every day. You just have to be open to seeing them and they come to you.”

“I don’t understand,” Winter confessed.

“The modern philosophers and cultural psychologists of this day and age advise everyone that they should have a hobby that they’re passionate about, to give them an interest in life. That’s what you’re trying to ask me about now. Truth is, Winter, I ran out of time and patience for maintaining interests decades ago. Now, I just follow life. There’s always something new to learn and life always gives me something beautiful to appreciate. Something to get excited about.” He nodded towards the window. “Like your hair outlined by the sunset a moment ago. They were the perfect compliment.”

And she felt his heart shift just a little.

“Have you ever stopped to truly smell the bergamot in a pot of fresh Earl Grey tea, Winter?” he asked. “I’ve forgotten what it tastes like now, but the smell is divine.”

Blood stirred and flowed, pushed by his heart.

“I like studying the stars, because they’re older than me, and they make me feel very small, humble and insignificant. They haven’t changed in all the years I’ve looked up at them, despite the massive changes I’ve seen on Earth. I find that astonishing and comforting at the same time.”

Again, the small flutter of his heart beating.

“Every day there are small things. A kitten asleep in a plant pot. The sun rising over the snow and turning it pink. Hoar frosts still take my breath away with their beauty despite the hundreds I have seen. The kindness of the stranger who pays for the next person’s drinks at the coffee shop. The rudeness of tourists in Jasper during the summer season. The unconscious beauty of young people who don’t realize they have everything ahead of them and are enjoying their every moment now, just as they should.

“And then sometimes I am rewarded by meeting someone like you, Winter, who stirs me so strongly I am forced to hide my reactions with professional techniques.”

And his heart squeezed. Hard. It began to beat with a normal systolic pulse.

[Extract from Blood Knot – copyright © Tracy Cooper-Posey 2010]

---

When the Unspoken Ones become a more active force in Blood Stone, Nial has to explain himself and his great age and happy outlook yet again.  This time, his answer is a little less patient and a lot less complicated:

__

“I was born in the year five hundred and fifty-nine in what is now called northern Italy. I’ll save you some mental gymnastics. That was one thousand, four hundred and fifty-three years ago. But I think of myself as…” He shrugged. “In my thirties.”

Roman was scowling again and Garret recognized the expression as the one he used when he was thinking hard and disagreeing with the stated opinion.

“Euphrasia didn’t think of herself as thirty,” Garrett guessed.

Roman just scowled harder.

“The unspoken ones aren’t some sort of exclusive club to which you get invited by brown-nosing and paying membership dues,” Nial told them. “There isn’t an arbitrary age cut-off that says ‘at this point you become an unspoken one.’ Euphrasia simply didn’t want to be a part of modern life. She hated it. You spent a week on her island, Roman, so you tell me – what did it make you think of?”

Roman shrugged, still glowering. “Constantinople, like when I was a child. But simpler. Peaceful.”

“That was her version of ancient Athens,” Nial told him. “A far more comfortable and insulated one. She arranged it so she didn’t have to adapt anymore. She could just go on as she was, unchanging and uninterrupted.”

“But you didn’t choose that way,” Roman pointed out. “When every other vampire as old or older than you did choose it…or died. As far as I know you’re the oldest of the blood who still actively passes. Why didn’t you retire to coddle your worn psyche like the others?”

Nial shrugged. “I don’t know. Because I’m stubborn? Because something interesting came along just at the right time? Because I’ve been terribly lucky, all my long, long life. Who does know? I don’t look back, Roman. Well, not that often and I try not to linger on the unpleasantness, of which there’s been far too much. But I can tell you that I did think about chopping myself off from the world more than once. There is definite appeal to not having to go through the tiresome routine of change, over and over. But change is what makes life so damned interesting, too. And I can tell you when I stopped considering the idea altogether, when it became an absolute impossibility for me.”

“When you made Sebastian,” Garrett answered.

Nial glanced at him and smiled. “Of course, you would have that figured.”

Roman sat back in the sofa again. He almost threw himself back, as if he was frustrated, or made angry by the answer, but didn’t dare show it. “Is that why you defied the edicts and kept Sebastian with you all those years?”

Nial’s smile didn’t fade. “I didn’t keep Sebastian with me. He stayed because he wanted to. He still does. But in the way you mean, he kept me alive, yes.”

[Extract from Blood Stone– copyright © Tracy Cooper-Posey 2012]

__

These are the moments I thought of when I was reading Tracey’s posts about happiness and positive thinking.  Nial has some pretty definite ideas about what keeps him centred and moving forward through his many days and nights:

1. Love
2. Focus on the positive stuff
3. Find pleasure each day, even in the smallest of things
4. Gratitude

It seems to me that’s a pretty good recipe for humans, too, wouldn’t you say?

____________

Blood Stone is my 44th title and my ninth indie book.

Nial orders Calum Garrett to get close to Hollywood producer Kate Lindenstream.  Garrett reluctantly complies for he has held himself apart from humans for centuries.  Kate doesn’t fall into Garrett’s arms, either.  She already has someone for that.  Roman Xerus -- whom Kate knows as Adrian -- and Garrett go way back to the sixteenth century Scottish highlands, but they parted bitterly two hundred years ago.

With Roman’s support, Kate battles Garrett in wills and business as he methodically forces himself into her life. However, on the closed-in movie set in the Californian desert, Garrett’s calm, orderly world crumbles for Garrett is drawn to Kate.  He has begins to experience real, human feelings.  

Kate doesn’t cooperate in the chess game Nial orchestrates, despite being unaware of the strategies swirling around her film set.  Demanding and expecting only the best for her movie, Kate’s agenda forces Roman and Garrett to work together to protect her and keep the humans around her ignorant of the Pro Libertatus, the anonymous and all-powerful vampire group who nearly killed Nial, Sebastian and Winter, and shield Kate from the excesses of the League for Humanity.  But could Roman really be with the Pro Libertatus?

There’s hidden intentions everywhere, and centuries of repressed feelings, along with at least two different groups that mean them harm.  Then there’s the rumours that Kate has found the mythical Blood Stone, the key to unlocking vampire history and lifting their curse.   Who is Kate, really?  Because once Garrett begins to notice, things about Kate don’t quite add up, either...

___

An Excerpt From: BLOOD STONE
Copyright © TRACY COOPER-POSEY, 2012
All Rights Reserved.

Nial clapped his shoulder and stepped back to lean against the counter again. “Kate slapping you down is a good sign,” he said, smoothly changing the subject. “It confirms she has the backbone we’ll need. She really is perfect for this. I’m more curious about how Roman came into her life. It’s interesting timing.”

Garrett frowned. “The only people who knew in advance about the plans for Kate are us three...and I presume your—Winter.”

Sebastian grinned but didn’t comment about Garrett’s change of name for their wife.

Nial crossed his arms. “Then Roman has to be there for his own reasons—or for Pro Libertatis reasons.”

“What possible reasons would the Pro Libertatis have for seeking her out, before we give them one?” Sebastian said.

“None,” Garrett said flatly. “Kate Lindenstream is exactly what she seems to be. A Hollywood producer/director who makes successful big budget action adventure movies, and has a growing amount of political power in the industry because of it. She has a lot of friends in high places, and probably has a number of skeletons in her closet, just like all the power players do. She can do interesting things with money. If she wasn’t so wrapped up in La-la land, I would have coaxed her over to one of my Boston corporations a year ago and put her in charge of finance.”

Nial lifted a brow. “You did your homework.”

“I’m not stupid, Nathanial,” Garrett shot back. “This woman has a tested IQ of 160. She would have spotted holes in a cover story from ten miles away. The approach had to be flawless and long term.”

“And now that you’ve met her in person, what is your reading?” Nial asked.

“She has an entrepreneurial mind. She thinks like a man — probably a result of fighting it out in the industry she’s in, and surviving. She likes to have fun and explore with big toys. That’s why she does all those hands-on research trips to wild corners of the globe and lives rough and hard for six weeks in the Gobi Desert or the Atlas Mountains while she digs up some interesting trinket or another for her next movie.” Garrett grimaced. “She also doesn’t mind slapping down men every now and again to prove her point. She has mental balls.”

Sebastian laughed softly. “I like her already.”

Nial was frowning. “These research trips of hers. That’s one of the reasons we focused on her, Garrett. The last trip she did...”

Garrett shrugged. “She’s in pre-production for some biopic about a warrior emperor. Murad. She did all the research a year or so ago.”

Nial nodded. “Somewhere in southern Turkey.”

Garrett felt the jolt almost down to his toes. “Çayönü,” he breathed. “Near Diyarbakir.”

Sebastian moved around the counter and came up next to Garrett’s side. He was taller than Garrett remembered, and looked Garrett in the eye. “Murad was an Ottoman emperor, wasn’t he?”

Garrett nodded.

Nial straightened up from his slouch against the counter. “Southern Turkey was all part of the Byzantine empire...and the Ottoman, too. It can’t be a coincidence.”

“Roman was born an Ottoman. He’s probably heard about Kate’s research,” Garrett said.

Nial crossed his arms again. “You have to find out, Garrett. Roman is a wildcard we need to neutralize if this game is to play the way we want it to.”

Garrett grimaced. “In three hundred years, I never could tame Roman in the slightest. The best I managed was to walk away and not look back.”

Sebastian’s smile was grim. “You can’t walk away this time, my friend. Your stakes are not the only ones on the table anymore.”

Garrett nearly opened his mouth to ask who else had a stake in the game beside him. Then he clamped his jaw closed, his heart pounding, as he realized the answer for himself.

Everyone’s future rode on the outcome of this. Human and vampire. Merely the future of mankind.

BLOOD STONE is the second book in the Blood Stone series

BLOOD STONE is the sequel to BLOOD KNOT.

It is a Plus-sized Novel.

WARNING:  This book contains two hot, sexy alpha heroes, frequent, explicit and frank sex scenes and sexual language.
It includes heart-stopping sexual scenes between the aforementioned sexy heroes, menage scenes, anal sex and the use of sex toys.  Don't proceed beyond this point if hot love scenes offend you.
No vampires were harmed in the making of this novel.

___

Blood Stone is the second book in my best selling vampire romance series.  It will be on sale on September 14, if not a bit before then. 

The good news?  The first book in the series, Blood Knot, is my #1 best seller, was the Winner of the Coffee Time Reviewer’s Recommended Award, was listed as one of Goodread’s “Most Drool-worthy Covers“, nominated for Erotic Vampire Book of the Year by The Romance Reviews, and received a CAPA Nomination for Best Paranormal Book of the Year by The Romance Studio, December, 2011, among many glowing and rave reviews.  If you’re curious about Blood Knot, you can read more here:  http://bit.ly/g9pSw5. 

The really good news?  On the 14^th, when Blood Stone is released, Blood Knot drops down to $0.00 for three days of free downloading at Amazon.

Bookmark Blood Knot on Amazon now:  http://amzn.to/hcrCCf

And bookmark Blood Stone on my website, so you can jump to the Amazon link the day it goes live:  http://bit.ly/TrCuWv

If you want a reminder on the 14^th to go get your free book, sign up to my blog’s RSS feed, or to the email feed, or to my newsletter.

Tracy Cooper-Posey writes romantic suspense, hot erotic paranormal and urban fantasy romances. She has published over 40 novels since 1999, been nominated for 5 CAPAs including Favourite Author, and won the Emma Darcy Award. 

She turned to indie publishing in 2011. Her indie titles have been nominated three times for Book Of The Year.   She has been a national magazine editor and for a decade she taught romance writing at Grant MacEwan University. 

She is addicted to Irish Breakfast tea and chocolate, sometimes taken together.  In her spare time she enjoys sewing, history, Sherlock Holmes, science fiction and ignoring her treadmill. An Australian, she lives in Edmonton, Canada with her husband, a professional wrestler, where she moved in 1996 after meeting him on-line.  

You can find her site at http://www.TracyCooperPosey.com.