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Author Spotlight: Carolyn Crane

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Look! We’ve got Carolyn Crane here today! Another author who gets to go to Nawlins! How jealous are we? Very! Luckily, Ms. Crane is here and bribing y’all with a prize today, so we can beat that green eyed monster back. Some. 😉 Also, her post is adorable. Kinda like she is. (And Carolyn Crane also introduced me to See’s vanilla suckers. She extolled the virtues of the chocolate one… but I fell for the vanilla. Nom.)

Oh nooooooo! Mister Bill! Some of my fave pop culture references are getting too old to use in books and blog pooooosts!

The other day I was talking to my husband and I told him a certain character in a book I was reading was way too much of a Gilligan. He totally got it. Because of course we both grew up watching Gilligan’s Island, and almost every week, Gilligan would use the special antenna of the radio they needed to get off the island as a fishing lure.  Or invite cannibals to dinner at their huts or something.

But when you’re a genre author in your 40s like me, you have to think twice about the references you use. Most of them ever only worked in North America anyway, but now the ones that once worked in North America have grown too obscure. I think it’s safe to say that half my audience did NOT watch Gilligan’s island.

Sucks!

I’ve quizzed my grade school nieces and nephews on these things. They know who the Brady Bunch is, but not the Beverly Hillbillies. No more cleverly calling a pool a see-ment pond! And describing a man to look like Mr. French, a favorite sly reference of mine? Forget about it!! Ditto for Doctor Bombay.

Here are some pop culture references that were once great but now may be too obscure in books and even blog posts like this, because there are now too few people who will get it. And some of these are borderline, and some seem to still be going strong.

Gilligan:
Sample usage: “I hate this character. She is such a Gilligan!
Backstory: Doofusy character from Gilligan’s Island who annoyingly messes everything up.
Thoughts: In my mind, calling somebody a Gilligan is no longer meaningful to too many people for a book or even a blog post. Out! *sob* This means “three hour tour” is also out.

RAMBO
Sample usage: “He’s such a Rambo.”
Backstory: The movie with Sly Stallone, of course.
Thoughts You can still totally call somebody a Rambo
I think. Right? I’d feel confident readers would get this.

FRANK BURNS
Sample usage: This used to be a personal fave of mine, often in conjunction with jobs, where Frank Burns types were the bane of my existence. “Joan is the Frank Burns of the Embers breakfast shift!”
Backstory: I think we’ve all worked with a Frank Burns or two—the rule-following tattletale from M*A*S*H.
Thoughts: Too obscure. Maybe still okay in conversation.

THE FONZ
Sample usage: “Who does he think he is, the Fonz?”
Derivation: The Fonz was the greaser on the show Happy Days.
Thoughts: I think this is very borderline, possibly out. Maybe commenters can weigh in.

After school special:
Usage: “The last half of the book is like an after school special!”
Backstory: I think most people know what these are – edifying shows about the evils of drugs or cults that ran when you got home from school in the 1980s. This was before kids had things like schedules.
Thoughts: Open for debate. I will continue to use this term in analogies, and I would feel comfortable using it in a book.

Don’t drink the Koolaid:
Usage: I saw this recently quoted all around online in reference to self publishing. Somebody said something like, “Don’t be so quick the self-publishing Kool-aid.”
Backstory: When Jim Jones made his cult followers drink poisoned Kool-aid and kill themselves.
Thoughts: This term is still going strong even though, as a cult reference, it dates back earlier than the Koresh thing. Still meaningful to people. I’d use it in a book or a post.

Meps:
Usage: I always liked this. I said it the other day when I dropped something.
Backstory: It’s from an old Saturday Night Live skit—these aliens always said it when something went wrong.
Thoughts: SOOO out.

OH NOOOOO! MISTER BILL!
Usage: Something to say when you drop something, or accidentally hit your friend’s hand with a hammer, etc.
Backstory: Another from Saturday Night Live – Mister Bill was this claymation character who always got squished, and the voice over would say Oh nooooo! Mister Bill!
Thoughts: I think this is way too obscure. But it was funny in the 1980’s!!

HEY CULLIGAN MAN / CALGON TAKE ME AWAY
Usage: Things to say when everything is going wrong
Backstory: Both of these are from TV ads that ran in North America incessantly in the 70’s and 80’s. Culligan is plumbing, Calgon is bath salts.
Thoughts: I was shocked to see somebody relatively young use ‘Calgon take me away!’ I would’ve thought it borderline. ‘Hey Culligan man’ is gone, though.

DON’T DO THE CRIME IF YOU CAN’T DO THE TIME
Sample usage:   A funny, snotty thing to say to your pal when she messes up and gets caught at something, or is contemplating misbehavior.
Backstory: The song from the Baretta, a cop show. Awesome!
Thoughts: I’ll still use this in conversation or blog posts,  I would even feel fine to have certain characters say this in a book under the right circumstances. Because it stands on its own – you don’t have to  know it’s from the Baretta song to get it, but knowing makes it that much cooler.

BEAM ME UP / WARP SPEED / NO INTELLIGENT LIFE
Usage: Commentary and analogies. Self explanatory.
Backstory: The original Star Trek!
Thoughts: These phrases are still totally meaningful! Yay! Not only do they have the Trek resonance, but they stank on their own. However, Tribbles, Live Long & Prosper, and Prime directive are borderline as references. I would still use them in blog posts and conversation though, and let characters who are Trekkies use them. I kind of feel like Star Trek lingo is a protected class.


http://youtu.be/HofoK_QQxGc

GENTLEMEN, WE CAN REBUILD HIM. WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY.
Sample usage: When something is dropped or broken, or somebody has something really high tech going on their person. “Wow, check out your new Bluetooth ear thingy. Gentlemen, we can rebuild him! We have the technology!”
Backstory: Opening of Six Million Dollar Man.
Thoughts: Questionable. Probably no longer meaningful to too many people, and it just doesn’t stand on its own. I think it would sound weird if you never watched the show. That probably won’t stop me from using it in certain conversations, but I feel I have to retire it from blogs and books. Ditto for “I can’t hold her! She’s breaking up! She’s breaking up!”

AAAAND LOVING IT.
Sample usage:  Sarcastic or tongue-in-cheek retort. Q: “Are you babysitting the neighbor’s kids again?” A: “Aaaaand loving it.”
Backstory: Maxwell Smart from Get Smart always said it. His boss might say something like, “But Max, you’ll be in constant peril every second!” And Max would say “Aaaaand loving it.”
Thoughts: This is one of those references you can still use, and even if people don’t get where it’s from, it still makes sense.

UP YOUR NOSE WITH A RUBBER HOSE
Usage:  Insult
Backstory: The character Barbarino from Welcome Back Kotter always said it.
Thoughts: I don’t think people know what this is anymore. Even in its day, it was nonsense. But, in a certain strange mood, I’d still be willing to use it. Not in a book, though.

Ah, my misspent youth! So, do you agree with my assessments? Are all of these terms totally alien to you, or do you know and use them? Or do you mourn their passing into disuse? Are there other terms you wish you could still use? Do tell!!!!

And thanks to lovely Limecello for having me over on the blog today!

Bio: Carolyn Crane is the author of the urban fantasy/romance trilogy THE DISILLUSIONISTS, as well as assorted novellas and the upcoming Parnormal spy romance series, MR. REAL (late 2012). She lives in Minneapolis with her husband and two cats.

Ms. Crane is giving away a copy of Devil’s Luck today! It’s a standalone ebook (well, novella) to her Disillusionists world. So tell us – what’re your thoughts?

Author Spotlight: Tilly Greene

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Hey y’all, another AAD author amongst us! As you see it’s Tilly Greene! I’ve also got no closing because she covers it – so read on!

A Passionate Folly

The word folly means a lack of good sense, foolish, and an architectural folly is a “costly, generally nonfunctional building that was erected to enhance a natural landscape.”1  In the late 16th/early 17th century, the latter were structures added to English gardens as a means to bring a decorative element.  In the 18th century the buildings more often than not contained elements of other cultures.

The whimsicality surrounding the elaborate garden ornamentation was dramatically enhanced by how accurately they copy architecture from around the world.  Today, if you walked through a large park, drove by a grand estate or even rode a bike down a road to nowhere, in Great Britain you could find yourself passing by a Greek temple or Chinese pagoda.

They were so well constructed, many remain standing.  There were architects and master builders attached to the projects.  One of the more interesting elements to follies is that they appeared then and today to be useful, even habitable, but they weren’t and remain empty shells.

I love follies!

Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden in Ripon, England.  There are follies dotted around the extensive grounds right alongside ruins and a multitude inhabitable and useable buildings. The structure in the picture is the very well preserved Temple of Piety.  It can be seen from a distance and always tempts me for further inspections.  When up close, the windows are easy to peak through and sometimes the door is left open.  I can’t help but think about all the years this building stood and what might have taken place within its walls.

Now, to those of you who don’t know me personally, I should take a moment to tell you that my brain tends to see the romantic potential in the oddest ways and then plot bunnies are bred.  With that confession shared, it shouldn’t surprise anyone to know with my previously stated affection for follies, I’ve managed to put them into stories.  The hero of Highland Heat, Hamish Buchanan, owns an estate with extensive grounds in the Highlands that actually has three follies on it.  Grace Strachan, the heroine who is a successful milliner, grew up and lives in the city, and this is how she views her man’s extensive property:

Maybe she should change things around for womankind and have one built for her man.  Laughing out loud and not caring if anyone heard her, she continued trying to find her way around the main house.  With all the wings and floors, the place was a true maze.

©Highland Heat, Tilly Greene, December 2008

While I may have been introduced to the joy of follies in the United Kingdom, it’s interesting to know they can be found in a variety of countries.  Ireland, France and Russia are a few other countries that have produced these types of structures since the eighteenth century.  I believe the historical aspect plays a part in how I view them and my interest grows in how they reflect the times and culture in which they were built.  Culture along with the erotic aspects of the story helped shape how I first used follies in a story.

Pleased with where her musing had led her, she looked up to the hill and its green roofed pavilion and wanted to investigate it further. With her heart lightened, she giggled and jogged the last few yards. How could she have guessed she’d be walking naked around a private piece of paradise, when just yesterday she’d been terrified for her life?

As she stepped between the red pillars, she froze. The ceiling had been painted with clouds and cleansing rain, the Yin and Yang symbols used to represent the joining of man and woman.  A thick swath of blue fabric hung from a hook.  Her gaze went to the surrounding panels, each of the dozen or so paintings depicted a different ancient Chinese erotic vignette.

Her jaw dropped, this was not a place to rest or escape the sun.  This was a place created for only one purpose
to enjoy sex.

“So, what do you think?”

Turning around, she found Yi standing behind her, naked and grinning.  He’d followed her, had been right behind her, even though she hadn’t heard a thing.

“It’s
”

“Not what you’d expected?”

“No, it isn’t.”  It was difficult, but she looked away from the intense heat riding his dark eyes to finish taking in all the folly’s details.  She noticed a ledge placed between some pillars and what appeared to be drawers beneath it.  Stepping closer, she opened the first one and was shocked at what she saw inside.  Glancing over her shoulder Jia looked at the grinning, nude hunk.  She lifted an eyebrow in question and waited for him to answer.

“I told you this pavilion was built for you—your pleasure.  The drawers are full of toys to give you delightful satisfaction.”

“You are naughty.”

“It’s because you bring out the best in me.”

©An Invitation to the World: China, Tilly Greene, July 2007

When the structures were built, they weren’t intended to be anything other than frivolous decoration, and they certainly entertained me.  There are so many different types of follies and ways they could be used and would surely be fun to have a historically accurate structure hanging about for use.  So share your dreams for a bit of folly fun.  What would you design and build?  A classical Greek inspired temple for the dog, a colonial with a little porch under a tree as your special reading room, maybe brightly colored Russian domes to hide your trash and recycle cans, or what about a medieval tower attached to a garage for the kids to play in?

Okay, time to spill, what type of follie would you put up and how would you use it?

Thank you, Limecello, for giving me space to share my love for follies – I enjoyed sharing and hopefully hooked a few more converts.  I’ll be at Authors After Dark readers conference in New Orleans this August, so if you see me on a panel, walking the halls or signing books, stop me and say hi!

Email Tilly Greene, visit her Website for the latest news
Her favorite haunts are Hot Thoughts Blog│Facebook│Twitter│Pinterest

1. EncyclopĂŠdia Britannica. EncyclopĂŠdia Britannica Online. EncyclopĂŠdia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 16 Mar. 2012.

Author Spotlight: Kristen Painter

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We’ve got a fabulous post from fabulous author Kristen Painter today! (You know, yes, I realize mentioning the author’s name in the first line after the subject is a bit redundant but here is where I can link to said author’s website! Which is important okay?!)

The Seven Dwarfs Of Writing

With the popularity of Snow White in the movies lately, it got me thinking about how the seven dwarfs sort of correlate to the stages of writing a book. No, I’ve never had cartoon bluebirds flying around my head or tasted a poison apple, but I do live with my Prince Charming, so that’s got to qualify me for something, right? Here’s my take on what each dwarf brings to the process:

Happy – Yay! A brand new book! It’s shiny and exciting and there are no massive plot holes we have to fix yet. We LOVE this book right now! Every day is an adventure. Plus, our deadline is light years away.

Bashful – Still in the early stages, we fall madly in love with our story, our characters and our creative genius – so much so, we dare not talk about the book! When people ask what we’re working on, we shrug and coyly respond, “Oh, nothing much.” Or “just a little story I’ve been playing around with.” We might even smile behind our hand.

Doc – After hitting our first major plot hole, we call our other writer friends and explain what’s going on. Fortunately, they are able to diagnose our problem and we’re off and writing again, but not without a little recovery time. Fixing a broken scene takes work. Suddenly, our prescribed deadline is approaching faster than we realized.

Dopey – We’re writing constantly. Eating writing, sleeping writing, walking up with scene ideas and falling asleep with characters arguing in our head. We sometimes talk to ourselves. Our friends wonder if we’ve lost our minds, because we seem a little crazy.

Grumpy – Yes, we know our deadline is imminent. No, we don’t want to talk about how the book is going or how many pages we have left to write. We post a sign on our office door that indicates only head wounds and fires are acceptable interruptions. And then on a case by case basis.

Sneezy – We’re sick of the book, sick of the characters, sick of how many things we have to fix to make the ending happen just the way we want it to. Even so, we keep coughing out the pages, feverishly tapping away at the keyboard.

Sleepy – The book is done! After hitting send, we keel over and fall asleep, trying to make up for the last month of caffeine-induced insanity. We try to dream of a world where there are no deadlines, but Mr. Sandman brings us a new story idea instead


Heh – so what do you think? Would you add another dwarf? What about dwarfs of reading? Anyone willing or brave enough to take that on? And doesn’t she have some of the coolest covers?

*ETA Ms. Painter sent me the covers of her next two books! Forbidden Blood is a novella and out May 15! That’s in twelve days! 

And the next novel is out October 30th. Right? Well done to the art department! See? Out for Blood seems a fitting Halloween type read, especially based on that cover!

Author Spotlight: Gayle Donnelly and Robyn Mackenzie

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Hi friends! A pleasant surprise for us all! Double the fun with double the authors! Please welcome Gayle Donnelly, and Robyn Mackenzie! I’m especially pleased because they interviewed themselves! This sick, and sleep deprived Lime can’t tell you how grateful she is about it. Se’s even speaking in third person! I’ll stop now. (But really – aren’t they adorable?!) Don’t miss the giveaway at the end!

As readers ourselves, there are always certain questions we want to ask authors when we meet them or read a blog with an interview.  What we would like to do today with Limecello, is answer those questions for you.  We hope you enjoy our story and hope to see you at Authors After Dark!

  1. How did you get into writing?

We are both English majors and always enjoyed writing in college.  Once life started getting in the way of enjoying reading (both of us are married with two children and have full time jobs) we fell out of it.  Believe it or not, like so many readers, Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight Saga brought us both back to reading.  Since then, we are never without a book and probably go through 3-4 a week each.

One afternoon, we were sitting outside by the pool, kids splashing and playing and we started talking about a book that we both mutually did not care for (and yes, we will leave the name of the book out!).  We couldn’t understand how it had gotten published with so many errors both plot as well as grammar.  Robyn looked over at me and said, “You know, we could do this!”  And basically
that was it.

We came up with a story line and went with it.  I did an outline and we then proceeded to meet at Starbucks every Sunday morning.  It was “our” time and we loved it.  It took almost two years but we finished Infinite Betrayal and took it with us to Lori Foster’s Reader/Writer event in 2010.  We pitched to Liquid Silver Books and they took it.  We were very lucky!

  1. What is the most important aspect of your writing?

Honestly, we just think about what we would want to read about.  It HAS to include Alpha males and great sex but most importantly
the STORY has to be there.  One great piece of advice we received was “If you like the story without the sex scenes, then the story isn’t just based on sex.”  Those are the stories we like.  Solid plot lines, good characters, and meaningful relationships.  Once we get that, the sex is just a bonus!  And a good one too!

  1. What is the writing process when there are two writers involved?

Well, everyone is different but for Robyn and I, we take each storyline that we come up with and determine “ownership”.  In Infinite Betrayal, Mina and Mathias were Mine from minute one.  Once we developed that story, Robyn immediately owned Chloe and Talon.  The “owner” of the characters comes up with the outline of the story and begins the writing process.  The writing partner then comes in with suggestions, corrections, enhancements, and editing.

There are several times when we don’t agree with each other in where a story goes and when that happens, we are close enough to each other to accept honest feedback and really step back and take a look at the story as a whole.  As long as we remain TRUE to the original story we have created, we pretty much listen to each other and remain open to constructive as well as positive feedback.

  1. Do you read reviews of your book(s)?  What did you think of them?

Not usually unless we have sent our work to the reviewer.  For review and blog sites we have solicited for reviews, we usually comment on them as well.  Thanking the bloggers and reviewer for the attention given to Infinite Betrayal.  We truly appreciate everyone’s opinion and if they loved our story, we are soooo very thankful for it.  But if they didn’t, everyone is entitled to say what they believe and in our eyes, our story just wasn’t for them.

Really, any review is pretty good in our minds because it means our story reached a reader.  Honestly, we were extremely pleased with the reviews of our story and were shocked to have been nominated as one of the best Indie Paranormal novels of 2011 by Romantic Times.  For us, that was a HUGE deal!!

  1. Who are some of your favorite authors?

We are pretty much the same on this one:  JR Ward, Larissa Ione, Lora Leigh’s Nauti Boys, Shannon Stacey, Jill Shalvis, Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark Hunters, Jaci Burton, Shelly Laurenston, Karen Marie Moning’s Highlander series, Erin McCarthy’s Fast Track series
.we could go on and on!!!

  1. What do you want to get out of attending Authors After Dark?  Why this conference?

Well, first of all, paranormal work is our favorite genre and we wanted to go to a con that was dedicated to it.  Second
it’s taking place in the paranormal capital of the US!  New Orleans is one of our favorite places to visit and we haven’t been in about a year.  We cannot wait to be back in the Big Easy!  Third and finally, we want to meet all of the readers and authors in the genre.  We have so much in common and we felt that this was the one conference to meet some wonderful readers and incredibly talented authors
.all while enjoying the city of spirits (both alcoholic as well as paranormal!)

  1. What’s coming next from you both?

Well, Infinite Surrender; Book 2 of the Infinity series is in the final editing phase and we hope to have that out soon.  Book 3/Infinite Desire has been outlined and we will begin the writing process as soon as Surrender is out.   Desire will have Tremayne as the main character.
We are both also working on independent projects and hope to be publishes with single works as well.

Thank you so much Limecello for having us and we would like to give away an E-copy of Infinite Betrayal to one of your commenters.  See you at AAD!!!

So what questions do you have for Ms. Donnelly and Ms. Mackenzie? What’d you think of their interview?  Obviously I liked it. 😀 (Giveaway/contest rules can be found here, and as usual I’ll do my best.)

Author Spotlight: Kris Cook

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So many fun people, going to so many fun places that none of us are going to!!! >:( But, we can be happy for them, right? Now that I’ve scared you all away, let’s welcome Kris Cook! I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting him, but I hear he’s all around awesome. In fact, it’s more like I kinda wish he wasn’t so great, so I wouldn’t feel like I’m missing out by not knowing him. Alas, such is life. But! We all get to meet him virtually! That’s got to be a close second, right? … Right!?!?

Limecello, thank you for this opportunity to be on your blog.

I’m writing this at 7:11am in Chicago. (Perfect! Cuz I’m scheduling this at 2:37 AM! I don’t know why but it’s fitting in my brain. Probably because of the time.) I couldn’t sleep very well last night. I never do when I’m away from home. So, please forgive me if this sounds like rambling, but I’m going to do my best.

The first thing I want to share with you is what it was like to finish my very first book. I’d always written plays and screenplays prior to that. Attempting a novel was overwhelming to me. So many words. It took years of prodding by my very dear friend Shayla Black to complete Perfection: Eternally Three, but I finally did in early 2009. I actually have two copies of it with me that I’m giving to two friends here in Chicago—Liz and Michelle. Even now, 2 Âœ years later, I am so happy I wrote Jared, Bradley, and Micki’s book.

The next thing I’d like to share with you is what it was like to get published for the first time. Well, that can’t be hard to fathom for anyone. I was stunned, thrilled, and amazed… and more. The emotions were all over the map. I felt like I’d arrived. Since, I realize that moment was just a step on a road that is sometimes difficult, often surprising, but mostly wonderful.

I’d also like to share with you what it has been like since I was able to go full time as an author. September 16, 2011, I left the Fortune 20 company I’d been at for 13 years. My very first thoughts – “Why the hell did I quit a perfectly good job?” and “What if this writing thing flat lines on me?” followed by the adult word that begins with the letter ‘F’. It took me about two months to really let go of my old life and grab my new life with both hands with the help of my three wonderful friends: Melissa Schroeder, Sophie Oak, and Shayla Black. Much of my success is because of the love and support I get from them.

Finally, please know that whatever your dreams are you should reach for them. I’ve always been a dreamer, but like many people, would sabotage myself with doubt, fear, and whatever else I could put in my way to hold me back. Thankfully, I had enough courage to begin telling people I was writing long before I was published. I shared with friends, family and others my dreams of being a full-time author. Yes, there were nay-sayers and dream-smashers along the way, but the more I said it the more it felt real to me. Now, it is definitely my reality. I encourage you to embrace your dreams. Say them to people, especially those you love and trust. Don’t hold back. I bet your dreams are begging to be released into the world to change your life in ways you can’t even imagine. You might be like me with old tapes in our head saying it’s best to be satisfied with what you have, that you don’t deserve the very best. I say to you that you deserve everything you dream and more.

My very last two words to you – Dream Big!

BIO – A military brat to the core, Kris Cook never put down deep roots in any particular geographic location. Until Texas. Why? Kris loves the sun.

A voracious reader, Kris loves many genres of fiction, but this writer’s favorite books are romances that are edgy, sexy, with rich characters and unique challenges.

Kris’s books have been in the top ten on several bestseller lists, including a few of Amazon’s Best Seller lists. The latest books by Kris are Primal Desire: Texas Wolf Pack 2 and Lea’s Menage Diary.

Website, Facebook Fan Page (Brand New), Twitter

What a great post, right?! Kris is also generously offering a digital copy of any of his books to one lucky winner. And in the format of your choice! So tell us – what’s your dream? Have you read any of Mr. Cook’s books before? (I’m so witty in the wee hours…) Share! Have fun! There’s a prize up for grabs!

Author Spotlight: Jessa Slade (Shares a Fluff Piece)

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Everything I Know Actually Use I Learned from My Pets: A Fluff Piece

by Jessa Slade

This is only half a fluff piece, really. The other half is reptilian. The fluff half is Monster Girl, half black lab/half kelpie. The second, not so fluffy friend is Buddha Boy, the golden gecko.

Because I spend a lot of time in my head (or translating what’s in my head onto the blank page) I’ve found that having animal companions is a great way to stay grounded. And by “grounded,” I mean walking endless miles with Monster Girl and digging up garden grubs for Buddha Boy. If I didn’t have them, I might never leave my imagination.

Staying locked in my imagination sounds good—especially since I write urban fantasy, science fiction and paranormal romance—but in “reality,” my best ideas are usually sparked by something from the outside world. Which means getting up from the computer once and awhile!

Three Lessons from the Dog:

  • Exercise is fun! She hasn’t entirely convinced me this is true (despite her use of exclamation points whenever a ball is involved) but I’m willing to concede I am happier and more productive when I’ve been taken for my walks.
  • Don’t think too much. Monster Girl is half lab, and, trust me, labs are good at not thinking too much 😉 She thinks, but only about important things: “When is my next snack? Is it time for a nap? Do you want to play tug?” I try not to waste too much time fretting over unimportant issues either.
  • The joy is in the chase. Balls, cats, squirrels—indeed, life itself—are apparently meant to be pursued, but not necessarily caught. Indeed, catching requires letting go so the joy can continue. Being a goal-focused human, it’s hard for me to appreciate that lesson, but I’m learning (slowly) to let go and run some more.

Two Lessons from the Gecko:

  • Good things come to those who…lay in wait. The actual proverb is “those who wait,” but Buddha Boy knows better. He doesn’t sit around, wishing a moth might providentially fly by; no, he sets himself up in the moth flyways. Following his example, I try to put myself in the way of interesting possibilities.
  • The impossible is possible if you focus on the little things. For a century, no one understood how geckos can cling to glass. Apparently, it’s Van der Waal’s forces acting between the surface and the tiny filaments on their feet allow these relatively large reptiles to stick wherever they please. I like to think that if I take care of the little things, I can do cool stuff too.

I haven’t yet found a way to fit Van der Waal’s forces into a story, but I’m working on it. As for the other lessons… Well, I’m working on those too, and I have good teachers.

I hope you’ll share lessons from your wise animal companions, and if you have links to pictures of your pets, please post them. Or just say hey for a chance to win a signed copy of Darkness Undone and a set of Marked Souls Romance Trading Cards. Thank you for reading!

And thank you, Limecello, for letting me post with you today. I’m at the RT Book Lovers’ Convention in Chicago this week; come find me if you are here. I hope to see everybody at Authors After Dark in August in New Orleans!

*    *    *

The war between good and evil has raged for millennia,

and as a powerful new enemy ascends,

the Marked Souls are pushed to the ragged edge


Sidney Westerbrook has always studied darkness and damnation from a sensible distance. Now, to earn his place as a league Bookkeeper, he must discover why Chicago is such a battleground of soul-linked warriors. But the research becomes personal when he finds himself over his head and under attack — and at the mercy of a waif with demon-lit eyes and a deep yearning in her heart.

Alyce Carver has been alone longer than she can remember, battered by the living nightmares that haunt her city. Cornered by yet another gang of demons, she unwittingly joins forces with a handsome scholar who can salvage her past, and she in turn may be the key to his investigations. But she won’t let him go until he shows her everything she’s been missing.

What begins as an experiment in possession becomes a trial by desire so powerful it threatens both their lives, even as it binds their souls.

“Slade’s plot packs plenty of action
in a group of forceful personalities.”
– Publishers Weekly

“[A] fish-out-of-water story that keeps a rapid pace, delivering a strong plot, enjoyable characters and a stunning world.”
–RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars

Read Chapter 1 of DARKNESS UNDONE and find links to favorite bookstores.

Read the first chapters of all the Marked Souls novels here.

You can find Jessa online at: twitter, facebook, goodreads, and pinterest

Author Spotlight: Cat Grant

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Hi friends! Another AAD guest – and another reason for us all to be jealous ;D. Today, as you see, we’ve got Cat Grant! And those pictures are ones she took herself. Cool, right?

I won’t lie—one of the prime motivators for me to attend this year’s Authors After Dark was the fact that it’s in New Orleans. I went to NOLA for the first time last October for GayRomLit, and promptly fell in love with the city.

The French Quarter is a 24-hour party, with live music pouring out of practically every bar and cafĂ©. I’m sure the con itself will keep us all busy, but you’ll kick yourself if you don’t take at least one day to sight-see. Walk over to the CafĂ© du Monde for coffee and beignets, and make sure to take a detour through Jackson Square. I met Sherry Dooley, an amazing folk artist, displaying her paintings there, and bought one that’s now hanging in my dining room!

If you get the chance, go on the walking tour of the stately homes of the French Quarter. Oh, those gardens and wisteria-draped balconies! Most of the homes have been around since the nineteenth century (some even earlier!) so it’s a great peek into the city’s history. And don’t forget Marie Laveau’s House of Voodoo on Bourbon Street. (I can only imagine what the TSA thought when they x-rayed my carry-on bag and saw the three voodoo dolls I bought!)

And then, there’s the food. Gumbo. Red beans and rice. Incredible seafood. You haven’t lived until you’ve had eggs Sardou for breakfast! Give yourself permission to go off your diet—you won’t regret it.

As for the con itself, I’m looking forward to dishing on contemporary and GLBT romance, as well as doing the BDSM and mĂ©nage readings. (Although I’m a bit nervous about the latter!) Oh, and the book signing! I should have a couple new paperbacks to sign (Power Play: Resistance and Riptide’s rent boy anthology, which includes my novella, Priceless) and a whole bunch of free goodies for everyone who stops by my table.

Until August, take care, and as they say in NOLA—laissez le bon temps roulez! 🙂

Cat Grant lives by the ocean in Monterey, California with one persnickety feline and entirely too many books and DVDs. (There’s a reason her friends call her place “The National Archives”!)

Her two-book m/m BDSM series, Power Play: Resistance and Power Play: Awakening (co-written with Rachel Haimowitz) , will be released on April 9th and June 11th, respectively. Her rent boy tale, Priceless, is coming in May. All three books are now available for pre-order at www.riptidepublishing.com.

You can get in touch with her at her website, facebook, twitter, and goodreads.

Ms. Grant has also very generously offered up a copy of one of her backlist books – so tell us. What would you most like to see or do in New Orleans? Or at any of the romance conferences that take places throughout the year? Which one would you choose to go to? Where do you hope AAD will be in the future?

Author Spotlight: Eliza Gayle

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Hullo! As you see we’ve got another AAD spotlight. (Highest of ironies? that I likely won’t even be there… but you know – hope springs eternal etc even when reality screamshints otherwise…) Eliza Gayle is the special author today – so here’s what she’s got to say! And bonus – not only is Ms. Gayle hosting a giveaway, she’s sharing an exclusive excerpt with us!

Thank you so much for having me today. I can’t tell you how much I am looking forward to Authors After Dark in New Orleans. I’m one of the field trip authors and am hosting two tours with readers that will visit several voodoo shops. The goodie bags will be plentiful and with any luck, and maybe a few drinks, fun will be had by all. While that tour will focus on my magick series Pentacles of Magick, I thought today I’d talk a little about vampires.

I don’t usually write vampires. I’ve been far more involved with shifters, witches and contemporary BDSM romance. But it doesn’t take much to get the bug.

I do like to travel a lot and one of the places I often visit is Savannah, Georgia. Like New Orleans, it is a hot bed for paranormal activity and unbelievable history for a writer to draw on. And after several visits to one of my very favorite southern towns, I’d pretty much built up several ideas for vampire books that would take place in or around Savannah.

Honestly, all it takes is a walk across the cobblestones along River Street at night to get the ideas flowing. The night air rifling through your hair, the glow of the lights from the huge Talmage cable bridge casting their eerie glow. It’s the ideal haven for
supernaturals who enjoy the night.

Of course, being the southern girl that I am I want my vampires to not only be big and strong and oh so Alpha, but a little soft when it comes to their women. While I can’t imagine a vampire who isn’t alpha by nature, I love the idea of the right woman making him a little crazy. When I wrote Vampire Awakening I wanted my heroine to be stopped dead in her tracks when she met the hero. The kind of encounter where she can barely think of something to say let alone function.

And then she has to get up on stage and sing in front of him


If you can’t already tell, I really loved this book and I’m hoping readers will too. It’s available in eBook now and since it’s a little short for print, I’ve already decided I need another vampire story with an equally compelling hero so I can put them together in a print anthology.

So back to Savannah I go where I can immerse myself in the many ghost stories, legends and creepy tales that feed into the imagination of a writer. Oh and by the way, the 2013 Authors After Dark will be in Savannah and I am already on the schedule of authors!

Will you be in New Orleans this year?

Abby stood still, denying her instant reaction to the sight and scent of a man she didn’t know from Adam. Her mouth watered with an urge to take a bite.

His long, strong fingers swept the hat from his head, revealing black, wavy hair. The kind of thick hair a woman liked to run her fingers through before a man captured her lips in a soul-searing kiss. The dark stubble of a five o’clock shadow covered his jaw– a look she had a definite weakness for. Piercing blue eyes caught and held hers as an untold spark ignited between them, stunning her. Caleb looked down at her with such an intense stare she practically felt him peeling away the layers of herself she didn’t even understand yet. There was so much knowledge there. As if everything about her had been laid bare. Her mind went blank.

His gaze raked over her body from the top of her head down to the boots on her feet and back up, lingering on the bare expanse of her neckline. The inexplicable urge to cover her skin washed over her. She suddenly wished she’d worn her hair down instead of in her standard work ponytail. When he once again focused on her face, the sensual lines of his face struck her again. Handsome yes, but not in a traditional pretty boy way. He was dark and
she searched for the right word to describe him.

Dangerous.

“It’s my pleasure to meet you, Abby.” His deep, dark voice and the underlying sensuality of his words captivated her, the husky tone causing her nipples to peak and her belly to clench with need. Just the sound of her name coming from him shot a heavy dose of lust scorching through her. She tried to take a deep breath to clear her head and only ended up with more of his delicious scent that began to spin her in the opposite direction.

She needed to get away from him fast. Her reaction confused her and the longer she stood here the worse it got. Abby took another breath, trying to calm her nerves.

“What can I get you from the bar, Caleb?” she muttered hastily, afraid to say more.

“Scotch, neat.”

She nodded and forced herself to look away. The unexpected arousal simmering through her veins threw her for a loop. Her skin tingled and itched for something she couldn’t explain. A slow ache began to pulse between her legs and Abby was forced to bite her tongue to hold back a whimper.

Jesus, what the hell?

Abby straightened her spine and gathered herself together as best she could. Caleb smiled at her as if understood exactly what she was going through. That smug grin finally enabled her to pull free from the fog of desire clouding her ability to think and do her job. She pulled free from his gaze and glanced at the other men seated at the table. They all wore various versions of shocked expressions as they watched her reactions to Caleb. Abby inwardly rolled her eyes. They were all incorrigible as far as she was concerned. Obviously they’d thrown Caleb in her path in another attempt to get a rise out of her. They spoke to her with teasing words and their infamous southern charm but deep down they were still guys with an obvious agenda.

A whole host of erotic images pushed their way through her brain, sucking the air from her lungs. This time she didn’t manage to hold back the gasp. Caleb’s brow quirked up in response, the question on his mind obvious. Good God she had no control around this man.

“I’ll be back with your drinks in a few, guys.” She rushed off, gulping in air as she moved in an attempt to clear her mind. Abby scooted around the bar, pushed her way through the kitchen doors and collapsed into a nearby chair. She immediately dropped her head between her knees and prayed the room would stop spinning. Not once in the past six months had she come close to such a visceral reaction to any person she’d come in contact with. Now a perfect stranger had suddenly dropped into her life and she felt the control she’d been clinging to slipping from her grasp.

First an anonymous picture and now this. Was she going crazy?

Every day she’d hoped beyond hope her memory would return, but now
 Now she wasn’t so certain she wanted to remember.

So will you be in N’awlins? And what’d you think of the excerpt? One lucky commenter will win one of Eliza Gayle’s books. A signed print book, or an ebook – winner’s choice! (As for when winners will be drawn – the FAQs list that out. Thanks!)

Author: Stacey Kennedy

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It’s another AAD Author Spotlight! It’s also 4:19 AM so… sorry I’m not terribly witty. Seems unfair to Stacey Kennedy but I think the most important thing is the post going live, don’t you? Sidenote – if you’re one of the lucky ones going to N’awlins in the end of summer … I just watched the New Orleans episode of “Best Thing I Ever Ate” today. So many places and things you must go to!

Oh my gosh – and it’s her first conference! 

Big thanks for having me by today! Authors After Dark will be here before we know it! And I’m SO excited. It’s my first convention and the scheduled events are going to be so fun. I’m one of the authors that’s doing the pub crawl, so I really hope y’all sign up and join us! I’m expecting it to be a great event and I’m bringing lots of goodies with me!!

A while back I was making the decision on what convention to go to. There are quite a few and I knew I’d only get the chance to go to one this year. When I heard AAD was going to be in New Orleans, I knew in a split second that I was going. I’ve always wanted to travel there, plus being surrounded by people who love books as much as I do—yeah, it was a given! So then, I got to thinking
what am I going to do there?

I was so happy that I didn’t need to think very hard on this. AAD did a fabulous job with hitting everything that anyone would want to do there. I’ve signed up for the vampire tour, the taste of New Orleans, the wicked bliss chocolate event, and the New Orleans dinner. I mean, really, does it get much better than that?

I’m also planning to do a ghost tour and I will definitely hit up New Orleans night life at least once (probably more) when I’m there. So yes, while I’m excited to be a part AAD, I’m honestly just as happy to be in New Orleans. For a writer who loves the supernatural, it really is the place to be.

On top of all this greatness and even though I’m going as an author, I still plan to go total fan- girl on some of my favorite authors who are attending! I’m counting down the days to the event and am looking forward to meeting all of you that I talk to every day on the internet! It’s going to be a total blast!!

So, tell me, what events have you signed up for? Will we be hanging together at AAD?
~*~

In thanks for stopping by and chatting today, I’m offering up one ebook from my backlist (international). Leave your email address with your comment to be entered. Don’t forget to come find me on Facebook and Twitter. I love to chat!!

So friends – got a question for Ms. Kennedy? Have you ever been to a conference before? Or New Orleans? Got a tip for Ms. Kennedy? (Other than you know, the freaking amazing advice Abigail Barnette shared…)  

If none of those questions catches your fancy… I want to know about you. If you went to a conference, who would you most like to meet? What would you do? Or if you went to New Orleans – what places would you want to go to and where would you go to eat?

Guest Author & A Giveaway: Beth Williamson (AND an Author Spotlight)

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Y’all!!! It’s release day!!! Super jazzed that the lovely and awesome Beth Williamson is guesting with us on her book release day! Whoo! The print copy of Gideon is now out in the wild! She’s also the “technical official guest author of the month.”  See that “Guest Author & A Giveaway” title? So Beth of course chose an author interview. And it’s an AAD post of sorts, so release day and double duty! 😀 Let’s go!

1. Manicure, or pedicure? And what color(s) or styles?
Pedi for sure. I use my hands so much, a manicure lasts about 95 seconds before it chips. I usually get a sexy, rich color – like purple or deep pink. They have to pop.

2. What is your favorite drink? And then, let’s parse it out. Favorite juice? Favorite non-carbonated beverage? Favorite carbonated beverage? Favorite alcoholic drink?
Favorite drink, boring as it sounds, is water. I drink a lot of water, about half a gallon a day (meep!). I don’t normally drink juice – except when it’s mixed with alcohol. J. Non-carbonated beverage – iced tea, plain, no sugar. Yum! I used to love diet Coke, but I gave up soda a year ago. Favorite alcoholic drink – anything with vodka.

3. What was your first job? And what was your most interesting job that you’ve had?
My first job was working in the ladies department at Caldor in Brookfield, CT. It lasted 6 weeks then I got laid off because I was apparently holiday help. My manager didn’t even tell me – she just didn’t put me on the schedule.

Most interesting job? Hm, I don’t know that any of them are interesting. When I was in college, I interned at Lorimar Television on 6thAvenue in Manhattan reading submissions from the slush pile. That was super cool.

4. What’s the name of your first crush? Do you remember why you liked him?

Oh, that’s easy. Charlie was his name. I was 10 and he was 13, first kiss and all that. I liked him because he had a beautiful smile, one that lit up his whole face. I had it bad for that boy. I wonder where he is today


5. What is your dream car? Or, if you don’t like cars, what would be your ideal mode of transportation?
I’m not much of a car person. I drive a Prius and it’s the perfect car for me. I rode the train a lot in college – I’d love to take a train tour of Europe!

6. Which fairy tale would you most like to be in? Which character would you be? And which would you least like to be in? Again – which character?
Oooh, fairy tales. Most of the women in fairy tales are wusses. Hm, tough choice to pick who I would be. Perhaps Red Riding Hood because she had to become a badass to fight the big bad wolf. Who would I least likely to be – Sleeping Beauty. Who waits around for a man to rescue her? Hmph.

7. How’d you come up with your author name(s)? Do you prefer one over the other?
Beth Williamson is my middle name and maiden name – so it’s really me. Emma Lang, well, that was a request from one publisher. My agent and I picked a name together, one in the middle of the alphabet, that would fit on a spine nicely, easy to spell and say. And of course I had to like it. I think it’s kinda sing-songy.

8. Who is your favorite artist? [painter/scuptor, singer/composer, dancer/choreographer?]
My favorite painter is a toss up between Degas and Monet, but I also love Mary Cassatt. I’m a fan of impressionists – definitely my favorite style of painting.

In terms of music, I have eclectic taste – I love all music and listen to so many different genres. I have multiple favorites, Black Eyed Peas, P!nk, Rascal Flatts, Jason Mraz
 Music moves me in the same way books do, emotional and powerful.

9. What did you do with the money from your first royalty check?
Um, what money? LOL. My first royalty check was something like $26.00. It went toward paying down the debt I’d accumulated trying to get published.

10. What TV shows do you watch? What did you watch that went off air and you wish was still around?
Favorite TV shows are Castle, Bones, CSI (Vegas), anything on HGTV, Survivor, Fringe and Justified. There are so many shows that should still be one – number one is Firefly. I missed Cap’n Tightpants.

11. Do you collect anything? (If yes, what and why?)
I collect teacups, believe it or not. My first was from my great-grandfather’s house back in 1976. It’s a beautiful purple and gold, fancy curly handle. Since then I find unique teacups at flea markets or tag sales, and sometimes people give me one. And yes, I’m a big tea drinker. J

12. Capers – do you like them or not? What “condiment” type food do you like?
Not a fan of capers – don’t hate them but could do without them. Condiment food? Hm, I love sauces, especially creamy ones. They don’t like me but yum, I like them.

13. What’s your favorite color? Can you remember how many times that has changed?
Easy question! Purple. It’s always been purple – the color of passion. I’m gonna own that one.

14. Would you shave your head for $50,000.00? If yes, would you do it for a lesser amount/what’s your minimum? If no, how much would it take for you to go bald? And then… would you do anything with your hair?
Very interesting question. I think it’s more fashionable for a woman to be bald nowadays – there are some ladies out there sporting the no hair look and looking fly. Now as for me, provided there were ample stylish hats, I’d shave my head for $100,000. I’d donate my hair, if it was long enough, to locks of love.

15. What’s the most unique/strange silly skill your possess?
I have many unique and strange skills! Mwahahaha
 I can move my pinky toes independently of my other toes. It’s magical to watch. I can also type about 150 words a minute and maintain a conversation while I type. Now whether what I type or speak makes sense, that’s another story.

Ms. Williamson is going to give away a download of any of the Devil on Horseback books and a $15 Amazon GC.

Bio:

Beth Williamson, who also writes as Emma Lang, is an award-winning, bestselling author of both historical and contemporary romances. Her books range from sensual to scorching hot. She is a Career Achievement Award Nominee in Erotic Romance by Romantic Times Magazine, in both 2009 and 2010.

Beth has always been a dreamer, never able to escape her imagination. It led her to the craft of writing romance novels. She’s passionate about purple, books, and her family. She has a weakness for shoes and purses, as well as bookstores. Her path in life has taken several right turns, but she’s been with the man of her dreams for more than 20 years.

Beth works full-time and writes romance novels evening, weekends, early mornings and whenever there is a break in the madness. She is compassionate, funny, a bit reserved at times, tenacious and a little quirky. Her cowboys and western romances speak of a bygone era, bringing her readers to an age where men were honest, hard and packing heat. For a change of pace, she also dives into some smokin’ hot contemporaries, bringing you heat, romance and snappy dialogue.

Life might be chaotic, as life usually is, but Beth always keeps a smile on her face, a song in her heart, and a cowboy on her mind. 😉

And now, the book!

Handing over the reins is hard. Handing over his heart
damn near impossible.
Devils on Horseback, Book 5

Gideon Blackwood is on the run—from Tanger’s meddling matchmakers. With no intention of following the rest of the Devils down the aisle, he heads for the hills to reassess a life spent leading and caring for others
and runs smack into the business end of a shotgun. At the trigger: a curmudgeonly woman with a broken axle and a load of responsibility.

In Chloe Ruskin’s experience, men take what they want and leave a mess of trouble behind. The safety of two orphans and her granny is at stake, and the last thing she needs is Gideon’s “help”. This time, though, she has no choice but to allow the big cowboy to fix her wagon.

As they work into the night, grudging admiration grows into attraction—and desire. Gideon finds he can’t dig his boot heels in hard enough to avoid falling for the opinionated little female.

When Chloe’s family disappears, her suspicion threatens to destroy any spark of love before it catches fire. Gideon finds himself making promises his pride won’t let him break—even if it costs him the love of the woman who owns the missing half of his soul.

So – what do you think of Western romances? Do you prefer them as contemporaries, or historicals? Ever read anything by Beth Williamson or Emma Lang before? Have any questions for her? Or just have something you wanna say? Go for it – there’s prizes up for grabs! ;D