Check this out!  It’s the brand new video book trailer for Waking Dream, courtesy of Leanore Elliott of the Paranormal Romance guild…

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I’m happy to participate this morning in the cover reveal for the new release “Illicit Affairs” by Jo Matthews, Bec Rose and NJ Cole.   Make sure to read all the way to the bottom  – there’s a giveaway!

Illicit Affairs is a compilation of three erotic tales with women giving into their darkest desires and pursuing the forbidden.

“Illicit Affairs” will be released on September 13th.  And the three stories are…

Unexpected Journey by Jo Matthews

Sarah thought she met her soul mate in Mitch Chandler. High school sweethearts, they married right after graduation. Eight years later, he is a stranger to her and their marriage is on the rocks. In a halfhearted attempt to placate her, Mitch suggests a trip to Hawaii, but schedules a business meeting to write off the expense.

Aaron Johnson, Mitch’s friend and business partner, agrees to help with the presentation and plans are made for all three to go. What happens when Mitch backs out at the last minute to spend a romantic weekend with his secretary, forcing Aaron’s hand so that he has to accompany Sarah alone?

Will an innocent friendship turn into something more as Aaron’s attraction for Sarah grows? How will Sarah manage when she realizes that Aaron is awakening feelings in her that she’s never felt before? The sexual tension burns hot as these two embark on an unexpected journey that neither are prepared for.

Hot Summer Nights by Bec Rose

Annie Murphy had the picture perfect life. A beautiful home, a wonderful son, and a husband who adored her. It was every woman’s dream until her husband of over twenty years came out of the closet, leaving her a forty-five year old divorcee struggling to regain her confidence. Needing a distraction, she agrees to allow her son’s friend, Jamie, to spend the summer at her house while working as an intern. When Jamie, the cute female intern she’d been expecting turns out to be Jaime, the hot male intern with abs to drool over, it kicks Annie’s fantasies into overdrive. When she realizes that her desires are not one sided, it’s more than the temperature that causes some hot summer nights.

and…

Second Chances by NJ Cole

Calla Moretti married her college sweetheart, Bill. Married life was great at first, but as his career had her dropping out of college and moving away from her family and friends, Calla struggled with her role as a wife and homemaker. Stress due to infertility and Bill’s affairs, had the marriage on the brink of failure. When she drives home in the middle of a thunderstorm and spots first a broken down motorcycle, then the sexy rider, she decides to take a chance and offer him assistance. Realizing fate brought her together with a man who could give her the one thing her husband couldn’t—a baby—Calla decides to take a chance. One romantic night, one big lie, will it save her marriage or fill her heart with more emptiness? Will this be the answer to her prayers? In life, are there truly second chances?

 and…here’s the cover!

Here’s a little about the three authors:

NJ Cole is a mid-western girl with a kinky side. She works by day and writes by night, all while being a mother to her wonderful boys and serving her Sir. Unlike many of today’s authors, she chooses to write in first person, allowing the readers to experience life through the eyes of the unique characters that live in her head. Her love of those characters and respect for their stories come through loud and clear in her writing. Reaching Amazon’s top 100 list in Erotica with Midnight Caller and Landslide, NJ Cole promises to entertain and excite the reader with her newest tales of love, romance, and as always, hot, steamy sex.

Follow NJ at Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads and her blog

Bec Rose is a budding author and mother of two. When she isn’t reading or writing, she enjoys spending time with her son and daughter. Residing in Australia, she possesses a subtle charm that carries through into her writing. In her debut novella, Bec Rose not only tugs on our heartstrings but leaves us panting for more.

And…

Jo Matthews is an Arizona native, where she lives with her husband and son. A stay-at-home mom since 2007, she only recently discovered her love and passion for the written word. When she’s not writing, she’s usually knee deep in editing—an aspect she thoroughly enjoys.

As an editor she has propelled quite a few authors into the published world, and with her skills, has landed several stories on Amazon’s Top Sellers lists.

Follow Jo at Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads and her blog

And here’s the giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Four chapters done on “Dream Reunion”.  Still stuck at 10,000 words on “Queen of the Idiots”.

1,340 total books sold (all five books, all formats combined).

Major book tour coming up next week to promote the Dream Series.

The “Dream Doctor” audiobook is 3/4 completed – only 4 chapters to go, and then we begin on “Dream Child”.

There, that’s about everything for the moment!

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I love featuring my fellow writers, and this morning I’ve got another excellent one for you to meet: Andrea Cooper…

Growing up in Houston, Texas, Andrea has always created characters and stories. But it wasn’t until she was in her late twenties that she started writing novels.

What happened that ignited the writing flame in her fingers? Divorced, and disillusioned by love songs and stories. They exaggerate. She thought. Love and Romance are not like that in the real world. Then she met her husband and realized, yes love and romance are exactly like the songs and stories say. She is now a happy wife, and a mom to three kids (two boys and a girl).

Andrea writes paranormal and historical romance. When not writing or reading, one may find Andrea dancing in Zumba.

She believes in the power of change and counting each moment as a blessing. But most importantly, she believes in love.

You can follow Andrea at her website, on Facebook and on Twitter.  And here’s an interview with her…

Who is your favorite author? I have many, but if I had to narrow it down to one, I’d say Terry Goodkind. It was his books in the fantasy genre that got me addicted and writing.

How do you describe your writing style? I’m a pantser. I hate outlining and will only do that if the characters and I are at a lost. I do know round-about how the story will end, but getting there I throw the map out the window. So far it has worked for me and given me (and hopefully the reader) some exciting surprises along the way.

Use no more than two sentences. Why should we read your book? It’s entertaining and a new concept of a Vampire Elvin.

Have any of your characters been modeled after yourself? All of my characters have slivers of me. And some are complete opposite.

If you could exchange lives with any of your characters for a day which character would you choose and why? Celeste, because not only is she a witch, but she lives in a magical land (even though it’s ordinary to her).

What books have most influenced your life? Terry Goodkinds’ Sword of Truth series, Anne Bishop The Black Jewels, Kim Harrison’s The Hollows, Yasmine Galenorn’s Indigo Court series, and House of night series by Kristen and PC Cast. Many reviewers have read The Garnet Dagger and compared my work to Hemingway, Tolkien, and George R.R. Martin – which is strange to me because I’ve only read a page of Hemingway in High School. I didn’t read Tolkien until years after I wrote my trilogy or Martin because growing up, any type of book with magic or mythical creatures was not allowed – even though I craved those books (seriously, I couldn’t even watch Disney). As an adult, I started reading the more recent fantasy novels, but now I’ve read Tolkien and Martin is on my TBR list because I love The Game of Thrones TV series.

If you could select one book that you could rewrite and add your own unique twist on, which book would that be and why? This is a tough one. It’s not really a book, but I’d take the old movie Wolfman character and amp him up and make him sexy and dangerous.

Beatles or Monkees? Why? Both were a little before my time. But although I love the upbeat music of the Monkees, I’ll have to go with the Beatles. Why? Because one of my favorite singers, Sam Philips, was heavily influenced by them.

Who should play you in a film of your life? Allison Miller

Her book is “The Garnet Dagger”

Everyone knows what happens when a vampire bites a human…but what if the victim is Elvin?

Forbidden to cross the Elvin barrier into human lands, Brock cannot sate his curiosity. Cursed by a vampyre bite that forces him to feed on the life-essence of others, he is unable to touch another without taking their life. Chained by prophesy, he must find a witch, pierce her heart, and draw her blood for his cure.

Celeste must escape the monks who have held her prisoner for years. Her magic has been kept dormant by her captors. An ancient powerful Warloc craves her powers. If he succeeds in devouring her magic, she and his world will die.

When Brock falls in love with Celeste before realizing her demise is his cure, will love triumph over his desire to be healed? Will he risk everything to save her from a Warloc, an oath breaker, who also wants her dead?

You can buy it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Crimson Romance books, and the Apple iBookstore.  And you can view the video trailer for the book right here.

Last, but definitely not least, here’s an excerpt to whet your appetite for the rest of the book:

I’ve known death. For over half a millennia, I escorted many to death at the end of my sword. In the eyes of the dying, I watched it shroud them. Foolishly, I thought many more eras would pass before death came for me. It came so swiftly that I could not run; I could not escape. At a village, dressed in human clothes, I took in everything. By observing for eons, I understood and spoke their language. The world of mankind fascinated me. Their hobbled homes burrowed into the ground.

Rocks crunched on top one another with thatched roofs woven from straw. Never had I seen a home or inn that was higher than three levels, as if they were afraid of the sky. I delayed my return to my people as I watched human jugglers bounce torches and knifes. It was autumn equinox and the festivities would continue well into the night. Children laughed as they chased each other. A trail of leaves from their costumes twirled after them. It was dark when I reached the forest. Since I was already late, I hiked uphill to a shortcut rather than take the long path back home. I didn’t need to alert any of my kind near the barrier at this hour. Liana would wonder why I was late.

Tonight was the two month anniversary of our hand twining ceremony. One more month as was custom, and then we’d be wed. A gasp rustled through the trees. The roots shot a warning through to me with stifled caution. Adjusting my pack, I continued on instead of changing back into my Elvin clothes. After I passed the border which kept humans from entering our land, then I’d change. In the distance, I heard a groan. Curious, I spun in the direction of the sound. The autumn wind breezed through my worn human clothes, chilling me. But someone needed help. I turned in the direction of the sounds. Whatever made the noise should be a few yards ahead.

I hiked slower than my normal speed, so as not to startle whatever human called out. My leather boots crunched upon dried, diseased leaves and bark. Horrified, I glanced up. Branches twisted around each other to suffocating. Lifeless limbs cracked in the wind. Flesh of the trees sloughed off in layers, exposing its bones. Gashes hollowed out chunks of warmth. Fragments of leaves clung to finger tips, marking sepulchers of the dying trees. Trees mourned with wails like splitting wood, and I brought my hands over my ears. I must flee before I became infected, they told me. Flee before the stain of this defilement creeps into you, they warned. Trees spoke to my kind, always had. Yet these trees were in such agony of death that I could not breathe. Felt as though my lungs had folded in on themselves, like a moth unable to break loose from its cocoon.

Nothing I could do for them, and if I lingered too long, whatever disease gnawed upon them may choke me. Where would I go if I carried something so foul as to devour trees from the inside out? I’d never return to Tamlon if I brought this infection with me. I drew away, but a movement at the base of a decaying tree to my right caught me. My night vision picked up the sight of a human. His sallow face seemed to glow in the moonlight. Poking out from rags lay his arms and legs, which resembled skin stretched over sticks. So cadaverous was his face, I’d have thought him dead if he hadn’t moved.

“Please,” he said and his voice sounded like cicada’s vibrations, “help me.”

“What ails you in this troubled place?” I wondered if my voice, foreign to my ears in speaking the human’s language, revealed my nature.

“I am lost.” His dark eyes crinkled around the corners. “Without strength to rise. If you would but assist me up, I’ll be on my way.”

I’d never touched a human on purpose before. Was it that that gave me pause, or dread that stilled my heart? My feet itched to flee. As soon as I helped him, then I’d leave. I gritted my teeth and reached a hand down.

His gnarled fingers snapped on my arm, making me wince. Jerking me forward, his face contorted. Surprised by his strength, I fell beside him. Blackness curled around me. Teeth, fangs, broke through the skin on my neck. Then I knew him for what he was, a vampyre.

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I’ve already shown you my dreadful attempts to sketch using MS Paint, to give my cover artist something to work from.  For book #4, “Dream Family,” I tried something different, and attempted a hand drawing of what I envisioned the cover to look like.  And this is what I came up with…

And Ami went from that, to…

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I’ve got another fantastic book tour for you – it’s for the brand new novel “Rearranged” by Tina Carreiro.  Makre sure to read all the way to the end – there’s a giveaway, and you can win a signed copy of the book, among other great prizes.  But first, here’s Tina!

Tina spends her days writing and creating fantasy worlds until she’s forced back into reality where she pretends to be “normal.” When not writing, she’s a full-time cub scout/camping/gymnastic/PS3 mom for her son and daughter and a devoted wife to her leading man, the love of her life-husband. She’s addicted to writing, romance novels, zombie movies, and coffee with caramel macchiato creamer. She fully believes in karma and pours her heart into everything she does.  She loves life and embraces every moment of it.

You can follow Tina at her website, her blog, Facebook, Goodreads and on Twitter.

The book is “Rearranged”

Carly West is good at taking care of herself—she’s been doing it since her mama died. She can even make marrying a man she didn’t choose work. But when gorgeous ranch foreman, Wade Dawson struts into her life, everything changes. Her life starts to unravel, lies are uncovered, and the only comfort she finds is in the arms of a stranger.

Wade Dawson has one thing on his mind, to fulfill his brother’s responsibilities and get the hell out of this small town. But he soon finds out he wasn’t only hired to watch the ranch, but to see that the farmer’s daughter makes it down the aisle. It’s the first job he isn’t sure he can follow through with. But if he doesn’t, his brother’s reputation and freedom is at stake.

Bound by obligation to marry another man…

Bound by blood to save his brother…

Will one night destroy it all?

You can buy it at Amazon (Kindle or paperback), Barnes & Noble and AllRomanceBooks.com.

I’ve got a great interview with Tina…

 Who is your favorite author?  

I honestly do not have a single favorite author. I know that’s hard to believe, because I LOVE to read but I read a variety of books and they are authored by NY Bestsellers to Indies. Stephen King is one of my favorites. I love authors that push the envelope and step out of the box with their creativity.

How do you describe your writing style?

Chaotic! I start off great.  Everything goes into a neat little outline and then the voices in my
head take over. Once the characters start driving, it’s like Death Race. Every one of them want to be heard and they fight for first place.

Use no more than two sentences. Why should we read your book?

Because we all have times like Carly, in one-way or another, we struggle for acceptance—love. With hopes, you’ll take something away, and the story will engage you to where you lose yourself between the pages and all the stress from your day will fade.

Have any of your characters been modeled after yourself?

There’s a piece of me in everything I write.

If you could exchange lives with any of your characters for a day which character would you choose and why?

Mia Starr from Power of the Moon. First, she’s dating a hot vampire. I could stop right there and
every fellow para-junkie would understand. Second, she has some bad-ass powers brewing and I’d love to use some of them.

What books have most influenced your life?

V.C. Andrews, Flowers in the Attic, and the series that followed were books I clung to in my
youth. Gray Eagle series by Janelle Taylor is what started me on the path of writing. I was young and my mom worked two jobs trying to keep food on the table as a single parent. I remember how relaxed she’d get when she sat down to read. I started sneaking the books written by Taylor, and I knew right then… If I could make people smile, make their stress go away with a book, that’s what I wanted to do.

If you could select one book that you could rewrite and add your own unique twist on, which book would that be and why?

Not a one. The artistry it takes to create worlds and mesh everything together so the
ending comes out nice and neat with a bow on top, takes a lot of work and heart. Every plotted path has a destination and if I don’t like the outcome, I will analyze it and try to see it from the creator’s POV. But, I have respect for the work whether I like it or not. This is like trying to place another actor/actress in your favorite movie or TV show. Can you see someone else playing Daryl on the Walking Dead? How about replacing Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones? It doesn’t work, does it? 😉

Beatles or Monkees? Why?

Beatles! I fell in love with the Beatles, when I fell in love with my husband. I’d listened to the Beatles
before, but I hadn’t “listened” to the Beatles until Matthew. It was then I started seeing the depth of the lyrics.  We have Beatles Rock Band too, which is one of my favorite things to do with my family.

Who should play you in a film of your life?

Karen Allen. She’s adorable and a spitfire. Plus she has range, and can handle the drama,
and the comedy of my life story.

And I’ve got a great excerpt from the book for you…

“Fast I can do. It’s soft and slow I’m goin’ to have a problem with.”

“What’s the difference?”

“Different meanin’ for different people, mine’s personal.” He placed his palms against the wall by her ears.

“I don’t understand.”

He leaned his forehead against hers. “Fuck… you’re killin’ me, darlin’.” His fingers skimmed across her cheekbone and disappeared into her hair. “Do you remember what I said about kissin’?” His hazel eyes trapped hers.

“It can be dangerous?”

“Yes. And slow… slow is very dangerous.” He leaned forward, brushed his lips across hers, and all the air left her lungs. Something strange started in the depths of her stomach, and her skin flushed. Her nipples tightened, growing to the point of pain as they rubbed against the cotton fabric of her bra.

His eyes flicked toward them, a deep grunt sounded from his chest, and his hand tightened in her hair. He held her with a firm grip and leaned his forehead back against hers. “Reach down, and undo my jeans.”

She was trapped. Even if she wanted to retreat, there was nowhere for her to go. He’d invaded her space. Intense eyes stared right into hers as if he was demanding her deepest secrets with one hand buried inside her hair and the other curled around her neck. A rock hard, well-defined stomach pressed against her belly. The skin-on-skin contact ignited a slow burn that was sure to grow into a wildfire any minute. If she weren’t leaning against the wall, she’d collapse.

Finally, as promised, click below to enter the giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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If anything, my “sketch” for the cover of the third book, “Dream Child,” was even worse than the previous one.

Here it is, in all it’s “glory”:

Ami turned that into this:

Sara’s daughter Lizzie was edited a bit, and Ami did this…

And, finally, the finished product:

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For your amusement, I thought I’d show you my lack of artistic talent…and how my cover artist, Ami Low, managed to work from that to the wonderful covers that we ended up with.  Let’s look at the second book in the Dream Series, “Dream Doctor”.

Here’s where we started.  This was my initial sketch, done in MS Paint:

You can clearly see that I’ve got the drawing skills of a small child.

Ami went from that initial image, to this:

and from that to the final, finished, spectacular full-color cover:

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I can’t help myself – I have to share this brief bit (it’s only 4 minutes long) from the forthcoming audiobook for Dream Doctor.  This may be my favorite scene in all the books – it’s the first time Sara ever really shows any jealousy, and she doesn’t know how to handle it…

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So “Waking Dream” was reviewed at the Paranormal Romance Guild…and it got FIVE STARS!!!

Check it out…

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