Tag Archives: AAD

Author Spotlight: Shayla Black

Today we have author Shayla Black, and it’s exciting because this is her release day, and she’s sharing an exclusive excerpt of her new book!

Thank you so much for inviting me to visit.  I have to say that Embrace Me At Dawn was one of the most engrossing books I have recently written and there were more than a few surprises even I did not see coming as it unfolded and each of the characters began to interact with each other.  I always knew where I wanted the tale to go, but there were more than a few twists that cropped up as I wrote.  I am so appreciative of everyone waiting so long for the story of Lucan, Anka, and Shock and I truly hope they will not be disappointed.  All of the characters that have appeared in the previous books have a part to play, and there is plenty of emotion and action, and more than a couple surprises.

When I originally sold the series on this concept my idea was that in today’s world of technology, science and logic, few people realize that magic lives and breathes-and walks on two legs-among mortals. Or that magickind possesses a weapon that can hurt, heal, comfort, destroy, grant fantasies, bring peace. Or, in the hands of someone terrible and strong enough to call forth its power, the weapon can bring about Doomsday.

Created during the days of the Round Table, it resurfaces in modern-day London and is sought by a wizard of evil brilliance with one goal: dominion over human and magical worlds alike. Only a band of wizards, enemies who must learn to become friends and accept love, can save the world from destruction.

Or as I like to call it, it’s my very adult Harry Potter with twists.

No man will ever define her again.

Anka MacTavish lost everything when Mathias D’Arc captured her, shattered her bond with her mate, and broke both her body and spirit. Determined to heal her bleeding soul, she joins the Doomsday Brethren’s fight to vanquish the evil wizard and seize her revenge. But becoming a magical warrior will require close contact with her former mate, the love who’s never left her heart, Lucan. And she’ll have to explain why she left him and fled to the arms of another lover…

No woman can ever take her place.

Lucan’s world crumbled when Anka escaped Mathias and sought protection from his long-time rival, Shock. Now she has returned, and Lucan must train her to confront a new and terrible danger that threatens magickind. With every punch, blow, and parry, Lucan discovers that Anka isn’t the demure wife he once knew, and his growing desire for this woman is a need he can’t control. He vows to do whatever it takes to reclaim her heart and make her his once more. But when the Doomsday Brethren are forced to make an unlikely alliance, it will test Anka’s resolve like never before. To survive, she and Lucan must rely on one another, face their deepest fears…and expose the dark secrets that threaten to destroy everything, including their love.

Anka jumped between Lucan and Shock. It wasn’t like her former mate to lose his temper so quickly. Sabelle had more than hinted that Lucan wasn’t himself anymore. Anka’s heart wept with concern. She didn’t dare hope that longing for her had put him on edge. She didn’t know how to make him understand the hows or whys of the past three months. And now that she’d graced the bed of his enemy willingly, she doubted he’d want to hear them. She only wanted him well and happy, and it hurt deeply to know he’d find those things without her.

Both wizards urged her out of their way, then charged at one another again. Thankfully, Bram stepped between them this time and threw a force field between both, keeping them apart.

“I have precious little energy for this shit, children,” Bram groused. “The clock is ticking down until Morganna’s next trick, whatever that may be. I have no mate to replenish me. We can’t afford this fighting amongst ourselves.”

Lucan drew in a deep, shuddering breath, jaw clenched, eyes narrowed. God, she’d rarely seen him so angry. But with a roll of his wide shoulders, he backed away, still looking murderous. She wished she could help him. Shock clenched a meaty fist at his side but dropped an expression onto his face that looked to all the world like he didn’t give a fuck. Anka knew better, and she had a feeling she’d have to deal with whatever was eating at him soon.

After a long pause, Bram finally dropped his hands and the force fields. After a sharp glance at both, he nodded. “Shock, you can tell Mathias we’ll consider his request. I’m not ready to commit to anything.”

“Are you out of your fucking mind?” He looked at Bram as if someone had beaten the Doomsday Brethren’s leader with a stupid stick. “Do you have any bloody idea what else Morganna can do to expose us while you sit with your thumb up your arse?”

Bram grabbed Shock’s leather jacket with one hand. “I don’t trust you for shit. And I’m hardly sitting around with my thumb up my arse. This isn’t just my decision; it’s everyone’s. I’m not making a move until I talk to them all, so you can run along and tell your boss that once we’ve talked, I’ll be in touch.”

Shock looked like he wanted to argue, but he jerked out of Bram’s hold and straightened his jacket with a shrug. “Stupid fuck. More deaths will be on your conscience.”

“I’m tired of your shit. Get off my property.” Bram tossed his head in the direction of the gate.

Anka bit her lip. She wanted to ask Bram if he could live with those deaths, but before she could, Shock growled, grabbing her arm. “Let’s go.”

“She stays here,” Bram demanded. “She came to me for a favor, and I haven’t heard it yet. I’ll do that now.”

Shock’s gaze bounced between her and Bram. Anka thought of anything and everything other than the topic of her business with Bram. She felt him probe into her mind with a hard shove. It hurt, and she glared at him and winced, raising her hand to her abused forehead.

Lucan charged over to her, hovering right beside her. “You’re hurting her. Get the hell out of her head!”

After a moment’s hesitation, Shock shrugged. “I’ll figure it out when I fuck her later.”

With a hard slap of his hand on her backside that tingled across her skin and fired her nerve endings, Shock walked away and left the grounds with a slam of the gate before teleporting out.

Lucan stared at her like he didn’t understand. No, like he didn’t know her at all. Having him near brought out the very worst in Shock, and Anka wished to hell the floor would open up and swallow her whole. The silence almost weighed too much for her slender shoulders. God, what must her former mate be thinking? She drew in a deep breath and shook the thought away. Lucan was no longer her concern—even if she missed him until insanity seemed just a breath away.

“Why are you with him?” Lucan demanded.

There was nothing she could say that he’d truly understand. Certainly nothing that would change their situation. So she remained mute.

“God damn it! If it’s for protection, you’re deluding yourself. Mathias knows exactly where to find you. If he wants you again, Shock won’t be able to stop him.”

All true. But Mathias didn’t really want her, merely to weaken the Doomsday Brethren. He’d nearly driven Lucan mad with mate mourning after forcibly severing her bond with him. She couldn’t risk Mathias targeting Lucan again. She alone had healed him from that terrible, mad state. It had cost her nearly every bit of her magic. Neither of them would survive that again.

Author Spotlight: Melissa Schroeder

Y’all you are in for a treat today! Author Melissa Schroeder is… 😉 kinda here with us – more like one of her characters, and she’s sharing drink recipes! Fun, right? 😀

Hiya, everyone! My name is Dee Ross, and Mel told me that she wanted me to share some of the favorite drinks of the islands with you. She figured that with summer just a couple weeks away, that you would need some good party time drinks.

First, a little about me. I work at the club Rough n Ready, which is owned by my husband Micah and his best friend Evan Chambers. I am a bartender and love the job. Of course, R and R havs strict policy of no alcohol if you are going to be playing in the rooms, but if you aren’t there are a few of these you could enjoy. And sadly, at the moment, I can’t drink or play because I am entering my second trimester, boo. But, for those of you wanting a taste of the islands, here are a few drinks.

First, I want to share the quintessential Hawaiian Drink: The Blue Hawaiian. Everyone MUST try one of these and while they can vary from place to place, this is my recipe.

Blue Hawaiian
1 oz Light Rum
1 oz Blue Curacao
3 oz Pina Colada Mix (Or 1 part Crème de Coconut and 2 parts Pineapple Juice)
1 Cup Ice
Combine ingredients in a blender or mix well and enjoy on the rocks.
Truthfully, I prefer to use the Crème de Coconut and Pineapple juice. I think it tastes better)

Pina Colada
Although everyone associates this with the islands, the story is a Puerto Rican bartender Ramon Marrero invented it in the 50’s.
4 oz Pina Colada Mix (Or 1 part Crème de Coconut and 2 parts Pineapple Juice)
1 oz Light Rum
1 Cup Ice
1 oz Half and Half or Milk (Optional, for those you like it creamy)
Toss everything into a blender  or you can even serve it on the rocks. A pineapple or cherry are great garnishes but everyone MUST have that little paper umbrella!
If you want the Chi Chi, substitute Vodka for the Rum!

Tropical Itch
Micah says this one sounds like something you catch, but it is kind of a favorite of tourists. This is a modern cocktail that everyone likes if you can get a little backscratcher to add to the glass. If you cannot get your hands on Lilikoi (passion fruit) juice, just substitute a mix of your favorites.
1oz Vodka
1oz Light Rum
1/2 oz Orange Curacao or Grand Marnier (Triple Sec will substitute)
3 – 4 oz. Passion Fruit Juice (Or get creative!)
Shake well and pour over ice.
Add a little backscratcher to the glass and you are all set!

Now, Mel has a drink she adores. It is her favorite of all time and when she is at the club, I know I will be making a lot of them, lol. It is a LAVA FLOW.

Lava Flow

1 oz. coconut rum
1 oz. light rum
1/2 banana
2 oz. pineapple juice
2 oz. coconut cream
2 oz. frozen strawberries

The first thing you need to remember is to blend the strawberries and rums separately from the other ingredients. And rinse out the blender. The key to preparation is to blend the strawberries and rums separately from the other ingredients, rinsing the blender between steps. (If using strawberry puree, you can skip this and simply blend all ingredients except the puree.)

Pour the strawberry mix or the puree to the bottom of a large glass (a collins or hurricane glass).  Then add the blender ingredients, or as it’s often done, reverse and pour the strawberry mix on top. The red strawberry mix swirls in the drink, simulating a lava flow.

Of course, if you know Mel, you know she loves to cook. Now, I took Ala Moana Shopping Center for Pork Footballs, but Mel can’t find a recipe for that. One of her favorite things to make though is Kalua Pig in the crock pot, serving it over sushi rice. If you are a true Hawaiian you will tack on a serving of macaroni salad.

Kalua Pig

One 6 pound pork shoulder roast (also called butt)
1 ½ sea salt (Hawaiian if you can get it)
1 T liquid smoke flavoring

Pierce pork all over with a fork, then rub salt and liquid smoke over meat. Place in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 16 -20 hours, turning once. Remove meat from slow cooker and shred, adding drippings as needed to moisten.
This is the best way to cook it if you can’t make it to Hawaii for the pig in the ground. Of course, if you do make it over our way, hit up Paradise Cove where Danny Aiona works as one of those sexy fire dancers.

Make sure to check out Mel’s latest two releases in the Harmless franchise:

A Little Harmless Fascination
Amazon  B and N Kobo

Possession: A Little Harmless Military Romance

If you want to know more about me and how I became Dee Ross, you can read my story in A Little Harmless Lie!

I hope you enjoy the recipes. You can always drop by and let me know at the Rough ‘n Ready Facebook Fanpage. Micah and Evan run that. And, if you are Harmless Addict, there is a group for you where Mel hangs out sharing insider info, has special contests and get togethers at reader cons.

Melissa Schroeder is the author of over 40 short stories, novellas and novels in anything from sensual to erotic and historical to futuristic. She is a military wife who hates bugs so the AF devises assignments for her husband in places with bugs big enough to eat her children.

If you are going to AAD NOLA, Mel will be there all over the place so make sure to say hi! She is hosting the Saints and Sinners Open Bar with Kris Cook, and she will be featuring her new paranormal series at the Cursed n Blood Affair!

Mel spends way too much time on the web so you can usually find her around: WebsiteTwitterFacebook FanpagePinterest

Mel is also offering a giveaway – a signed or digital copy of A Little Harmless Fascination OR Possession. Winner’s choice and she is happy to ship internationally. So tell us – what’s your poison? Your favorite drink of choice – currently, or your go to… both! Either!

Author Spotlight: Cynthia Eden

Look who we’ve got! I managed to trick Cynthia Eden into coming back and playing with us! ;D And this time she’s talking about New Orleans, and has some questions for you!

Scream For Me

Hi, everyone! Lime, thanks for having me over for the AAD Spotlight!

I am very, VERY much looking forward to the big Authors After Dark event in New Orleans this August. I love New Orleans. Love the city to a pretty ridiculous degree, so I can’t wait to head back for some awesome reader fun.

New Orleans is the setting for my Fallen books (with Kensington Brava). As Angel of Darkness began, my hero watched the heroine flee through Pirate’s Alley. He perched on the St. Louis Cathedral…and it was there that he made the decision to spare her life. Well, spare her, save her, condemn her…I guess it’s all in how you look at it. 😉

New Orleans has always enchanted me. So much magic seems to hum in the city. And when I realized that I was going to write about Fallen Angels of Death (b/c those guys wouldn’t leave me alone), I knew their books had to take place in the Big Easy.  Come on, haven’t you ever wondered if some fallen angels walk in the crowd on Bourbon Street?

In my next book, Angel Betrayed (due out on 6/26/12), my hero isn’t a good guy—or even a good angel. He’s Sammael—Sam for short—and he’s pretty much been foretold to be the one who will bring hell to earth.  He’s, um, kind of a bad guy. But can’t bad guys be fun?

Ahem…and now this brings me to the title of this post…Scream For Me. I love writing bad guys. Love figuring out their devious layers. Or, in the case of Sam, I love to create anti-heroes that are far, far from perfect beings.  What can I say? Sometimes, the bad boys are just more fun. To celebrate those wonderful bad boys, I will be hosting an Ice Scream Party at AAD—I’ll be hosting the fun event along with fabulous authors Katie Reus, Virna DePaul, and Manda Collins. Everyone will be making cool desserts, playing wicked games, getting cool prizes, and talking about their favorite bad boys or villains. If you’re attending AAD, I hope you can make the party.

And if you’re not attending…then, hey, I’ve got a contest right here.  You can still get a cool prize—and have some villain fun.  I’ll give one commenter a $15 Amazon.com gift certificate AND an autographed copy of Angel Betrayed (as soon as my author copies arrive, I will ship one to you). Want to win? Then just tell me…which villain would you scream for? Who is your favorite bad guy?

Thanks for checking out the post!
Best,
Cynthia Eden
Angel Betrayed—Available 6/26/12
When you betray an angel, there’s hell to pay…

And if you missed it – Ms. Eden also shared an exclusive excerpt of Angel Betrayed here earlier!

Author Spotlight: PJ Schnyder

Hi friends! Another author who is going to AAD visiting with us today! Lucky girl. She’s also so adorable. See?

First, I’d like to thank Limecello for having me on her blog and to thank the readers stopping in to say Hi by offering the chance to win a free ecopy of Red’s Wolf. Just leave a comment at the end of this guest post! 😀

I’ve never been to New Orleans so when I heard Authors After Dark 2012 would be there, I did a little happy dance and made sure to register as soon as possible. I already wanted to attend Authors After Dark because I made such a connection with readers, existing and new, at last year’s convention.

But, when the convention activities are at a lull and people are out on author field trips or exploring the city, they might spot me sampling the city’s cuisine. Because if there’s one thing I love to explore about any place, it’s the food!

Beignets, gumbo and etouffee are on my list to try in New Orleans. I’ve given it my best go at the recipes I’ve found and been fairly happy with them, but there’s nothing like tasting them the way they’re supposed to be made.

Readers of the Terra’s Guardians series might be familiar with my love for food. Mackenzie of Heart’s Sentinel makes real hot chocolate from scratch and tends to cook when she’s nervous. Carri of Red’s Wolf truly enjoys a properly cooked steak, but her real favorite is chocolate cake.

Here’s a snippet from Red’s Wolf in case you’d like to see what I mean:

***

He wouldn’t look at her, but nudged the plate toward her. “The cubs almost ate all of the chocolate cake. You said earlier it was your favorite, so…”

“Thank you.” She accepted the slice, partly wrapped in a napkin, and immediately took a bite of the moist, chocolaty heaven. Sweet perfection exploded across her palette. Carri half-closed her eyes in bliss, enjoying the velvety richness of the cake and smooth, intense icing. “Oh, whoever baked this should win an award.” Jason shook his head, catching her attention. Blushing, she mumbled around a mouthful of cake. “What?”

“It amazes me how much you can enjoy a bite of food.” His voice had its usual gruff tone, but his eyes warmed with a twinkle she hadn’t noticed before.

“Good food deserves to be appreciated properly.” She stood straighter. “This is a work of art. Chocolate is a wonderful thing.”

He frowned, his expression doubtful. “It’s a slice of cake.”

“It’s chocolate cake, very moist, and with really good icing.” She corrected him, holding out the slice.
“Here, try some.”

“Maybe a taste.” He gave in, but he didn’t take a bite from the slice she held. Instead, he separated the space between them, taking his taste from her lips.

***

Obviously, my slipping out to taste the wonders of New Orleans will be important research. After all, there will be more books to come in both my Terra’s Guardians and Triton Experiment series. Gotta have some wonderful things for my characters to enjoy. 😉

To tide us all over until we can get to AAD New Orleans, I figured I’d share my recipe for crab and shrimp etouffee.

***

Shrimp and Crab Étouffée , adapted from THE PÊCHE

1.5 pounds raw shrimp, peeled
approx 1 cup crab meat
2 tsp & 2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1 tsp. cayenne pepper (or a little more)
2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 c. canola oil
1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. finely chopped onion
1/4 c. finely chopped celery
1/4 c. finely chopped red bell pepper
3 c. chicken broth (low sodium)
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed
1 c. finely chopped scallions
Cooked white rice, for serving

Prepare shrimp:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Add two teaspons of salt (Kosher? Yes, it’s different from table salt or sea salt) to the water and then add in the shrimp. Boil for approximately 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Rinse with cool water, drain and set aside along with drained crab meat.

Make the Étouffée:

Combine the remaining two teaspoons of salt, cayenne, black pepper, basil, and thyme in a little bowl. Set aside.

Put a large, heavy-bottomed pot over high heat.

Add the oil. Just as it starts smoking, add in the flour evenly across the oil and whisk vigorously for a minute or so.

Turn heat down to medium low and brown the roux for approximately 30 minutes, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon until it’s looking like dark chocolate.

Add the onion and cook until soft, approx 5 minutes.

Remove the pot from heat and add in the bell pepper and celery along with one tablespoon of the spice mixture. Stir until combined.

In a different saucepan, heat chicken broth to boiling. Once it’s boiling, get the roux mixture back on medium heat and slowly whisk in the broth until combined, about two minutes. Move the pan off the heat.

In another saucepan over medium-high heat, melt 5 Tbs butter. Add in the shrimp, crab meat and scallions. Stir. Cook for a minute and then add in the remaining spice mixture. Stir and then add it all into the roux, stirring until mostly combined. Add in the remaining Tbsp butter and stir until shiny and glossy.

Serve the étouffée in a shallow bowl and top with rice. Maybe garnish with more chopped scallions. Enjoy.

***

Visit PJ on her blogTwitterFacebook

Oh my gosh – after all that I’m so hungry! What about you! Like mentions of food in books? Have a favorite example? What’s a “signature” food you’ve never had but want to try, and where? (E.g. gelato in Italy, a Philly cheesesteak in Philly, deep dish pizza from Chicago.) Or do you have a recipe to share? You know I love recipes! One lucky commenter is going to win a copy of Red’s Wolf from Ms. Schnyder! (Contest rules here.)

Author Spotlight: Carolyn Crane

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

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

Author Spotlight: Gayle Donnelly and Robyn Mackenzie

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

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 ½ 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.

WebsiteFacebook 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)

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: Eliza Gayle

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!)