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Wednesday, June 22, 2011

I'm being interviewed by the Charleston Paranormal Fiction Examiner

 


 Today, I being interviewed by the Charleston Paranormal Fiction Examiner, Heather Kuehl. She asked me lots of great questions, especially about my latest paranormal romance release, Sea Glass and Sand Memories. Please come by!
Marsha

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Have you read Sea Glass and Sand Memories yet? You can find it at MuseItUp Publishing. Happy Reading!

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Welcoming author Laura Kaye!

As part of the Authors Promoting Authors program, I'd like to share information with you today about a fellow participating author, Laura Kaye.

She has two great releases from The Wild Rose Press: HEARTS IN DARKNESS and FOREVER FREED.
Title: HEARTS IN DARKNESS
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Blurb:

Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind;
and therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.
~William Shakespeare

Makenna James thinks her day can’t get any worse, until she finds herself stuck in a pitch-black elevator with a complete stranger. Distracted by a phone call and juggling too much stuff, the pin-striped accountant caught only a glimpse of a dragon tattoo on his hand before the lights went out.

Caden Grayson is amused when a redhead literally falls at his feet. His amusement turns to panic when the power fails. Despite his piercings, tats, and vicious scar, he’s terrified of the dark and confined spaces. Now, he’s trapped in his own worst nightmare.

To fight fear, they must both reach out and open up. With no preconceived notions based on looks to hold them back, they discover just how much they have in common. In the warming darkness, attraction grows and sparks fly, but will they feel the same when the lights come back on?





Laura's Links:

Website

Blog

Facebook

Twitter: @laurakayeauthor

The Wild Rose Press Author Page

Goodreads

Laura Kaye
Hot, Heartfelt Romance - Because everyone longs to belong...

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Friday, June 17, 2011

Romantic Friday Writer_Up, Up & Away_The Kiss of Life

Romantic Friday Writers is a blog fest every Friday. Many thanks to L'Aussie and Francine Howarth for creating this fun event. Click on the icon at the end of my post to check out other great writers participating today or join the blog fest. A winner is awarded the recognition of being this week's featured author.

Today's challenge is 'Up, Up, and Away' in 400 words or less.That speaks to me of new beginnings, sparked by romance. This is an excerpt from my book, Tears on a Tranquil Lake, where the heroine is receiving the "kiss of life" from a merman, to save her from a human death.

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             The ‘gator wanted to drown me….make me an easier meal.  A chill passed through my body and I shivered. Feverish heat built up inside me, spreading from my head and torso down my limbs. Eventually the wild drumbeat of my heart obliterated everything. I panicked and tried to move, but lacked control of my muscles. Immobile and helpless, I could only listen. The throbbing pulse dimmed as the lake’s waters claimed my life. I submitted…mind blank to all except the faint thump. For an immeasurably long time I heard its rhythm fading away. Seconds or dozens of minutes, I didn't know; altered perception foiled my judgment.

            Then, a touch against my face—shattering my delirium.

            Fear engulfed my barely conscious mind. What was it? Death seemed welcome compared to experiencing an alligator attack upon my body.

            Something soft caressed my lips, not at all like hard reptilian scales.      
     
            My sense of touch heightened. Encouraged by returning consciousness, I struggled against the darkness. My eyes searched, yet still failed to see.

            Soon, I understood the feeling of lips pressing upon mine. Their burning heat made me panic. I tried to jerk back, but had no muscle control, no way to resist. They forced my lips apart, and a fiery tongue thrust inside my mouth.

            In short time my limbs tingled with renewed sensation. Attempting to thrash my arms, I found them both secured.

            The mysterious tongue persisted, searing my own.

            Strangely, the warmth moved across my entire body and I calmed, mesmerized by this unusual kiss. In some curious manner it restored my consciousness. Peacefulness spread over me, and I accepted this connection as my life force. Our kiss grew pleasurable and I slipped my tongue along the other. Waves of passion rippled through my body and I desired whatever being touched me. Wanting to know more, I opened my eyes. Light pained my limited vision.

            A hazy image flashed in front of me.

            I pulled back, ending the kiss and viewed a sweep of dark hair turning away, moving up toward the surface.

WC= 343

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Have you read Tears on a Tranquil Lake yet? You can find it at MuseItUp Publishing or Amazon.com. Happy Reading!


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Thursday, June 16, 2011

Macabre and fantasy, quotes by Edgar Allan Poe and Tracy Hickman inspire me

I had a great time participating last week, so I’m back again for this week’s hop.

Today’s question is: What is your favorite author quote and why?

I can’t pick one, but I did narrow the long list to two.


"They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." ~Edgar Allan Poe

Poe’s quote appeals to me not only because he is one of my favorite authors, but as a fantasy writer I continuously see the world through the eyes of a dreamer. Many, both writers and non-writers, ask me where I get my unusual ideas. My husband often thinks I was dropped on my head as an infant! I see magic in nature everywhere I turn and it would seem very boring if I lost that perspective.



"Don't seek to be published, seek to be read." ~Tracy Hickman

This quote helps me take a deep breath and refocus when the publishing industry overwhelms me. Some days it seems like a chaotic mess, expecting me to be capable of the incapable. Maintaining this perspective on a simple, clear goal helps me disregard the muck and consider what is really important--writing for the enjoyment of readers. On a side note, I hope he'll be at Dragoncon this year since I'm attending.

Please be sure to check the other great posts in today’s blog hop by clicking on the logo below.




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Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Grab up a brew for Bloomsday!

Tomorrow is a major Literary Holiday! True! It is Bloomsday--a day to celebrate the life of James Joyce.

On June 16th, participants relive the events of his most famous work, Ulysses. In fact, the occasion is named after the novel’s main character, Leopold Bloom. Celebrations involve a range of cultural activities including Ulysses readings and dramatizations, pub crawls, and general merriment, much of it hosted by the James Joyce Centre in North Great George's Street, Dublin.

In the US, the Syracuse James Joyce Club also holds an annual Bloomsday celebration at Johnston's BallyBay Pub, at which large portions of the book are either read aloud, or presented as dramatizations by costumed performers. The club awards scholarships and other prizes to students who have written essays about Joyce or fiction related to his work.

So, head out to your local pub and reflect upon the times of the Irish author.


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Monday, June 13, 2011

I've found another magical item! How is it used?


For this week’s Magical Monday I’ve uncovered yet another magical item for you to help me describe. How could this be used in a fantasy world? I know it's Monday, but grab another cup of coffee and stretch your imagination!





To me this looks like what an ancient tribesman might use to deflect powerblows of a wizard. It obviously has gotten much use for this purpose, evidenced by all the indentations. None marked near the handle, so I expect this belonged to a skilled warrior. The composition surely is charmed or the strikes would have penetrated deeper. Its general surface appears worn smooth, losing the original finish in spots. Therefore, I expect the item was well-used and a great defensive tool for the warrior who owned it.


What magical use do you think this item has?

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Have you read Tears on a Tranquil Lake yet? You can find it at MuseItUp Publishing or Amazon.com. Happy Reading!

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Saturday, June 11, 2011

Video Saturday: JK Rowling's wise words about the benefits of failure and imagination

An incredible lady, an incredible writer, her example always refuels me.








Thursday, June 9, 2011

Alternative Read Author Blog Hop: June 9

Today’s question is: Define a cliffhanger in your own words and tell what it means to your writing.


A cliffhanger is a feature in the storyline that pauses the prose just when the reader is at an overeager state, wanting to know what comes next. 


I think it’s a great device to get someone to turn the page and to hold their attention from one chapter to the next, or one book to the next in a series. This is one of my favorite devices to employ. I won’t end a chapter unless I can find a cliffhanger. Some may be stronger than others, but I look to create that experience for the reader every time. Members of my local critique group are certainly tired of hearing me rant about the importance of ending a chapter with a draw into the next. Without it, the writing feels flat or bland.

 Please be sure to check the other great posts in today’s blog hop by clicking on the logo below.


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Tuesday, June 7, 2011

A big welcome to Katie Salidas, touring her new book, Karma & Melodies!





I'm excited to welcome Katie Salidas here today, telling about her new book, Karma & Melodies.

One lucky commenter will win an ebook copy of Karma & Melodies. Contest ends June 14th, midnight EDT.







What is Karma?

Karma is the belief that our actions create a chain reaction of events. What we have done in the past sets us on the path to what happens in the future. Basically, whatever you do will come back to haunt you.  I really liked this concept and wanted to find a way to work it into a story.

In Karma & Melodies, Kendra makes one mistake that takes her down the path of darkness, while Marcus struggles to become a famous singer. 

Ten years later, they both have completely different lives and when they are reunited, they are the oddest of potential couples. 

But the idea of Karma never truly goes away. We are always forging our own path through life. Every decision we make will affect our future. It is the choices that Kendra must make, once reunited with her former love, that make this love story truly interesting.

And I personally think that is what makes any story interesting. If characters just found eachother and fell in love then there would be nothing more to read. But, when there is conflict and a reason these two shouldn’t be together, then things get really interesting! 

So, in Karma & Melodies there are hard choices to make. Can a vampire and a human really be together? Can they overcome Kendra’s past, and the master who is chasing after her?  Is love worth it?

So if you’d like to check out my latest work, Karma & Melodies stop by www.katiesalidas.com and read a sample or two. If you like what you see, all of my novels and novellas are available in every ebook format!
Search for me on any of your favorite ebook retailer’s website.

karma & melodies
Kendra used to spend her days organizing events for Café Enigma while daydreaming about Marcus, the sexy lead singer of Normal Paradox. But all those dreams of becoming Mrs. Rock Star died, along with her mortality, the moment Hector entered her life and turned her into a vampire.

Ten torturous years later, Kendra finally escapes Hector and runs straight into Marcus. (Well, actually, he hit her with his car, but that's beside the point.) The accident leaves Marcus concussed and a few pints too low, forcing Kendra to share her blood to save him.

Sharing her blood doesn’t just heal Marcus’s wounds; it bonds him to Kendra in a magical “can’t live without you” sort of way. Now he’s professing his undying love to her, and Kendra’s not sure if he’s for real or just experiencing the side effects of their new blood bond. Either way, the two of them can’t be separated without suffering suicidal levels of depression, and the band needs to hit the road for the rest of their cross-country tour.

Kendra’s content to travel with the band and explore her new-found relationship, until whispered threats from her master, Hector, start invading her dreams. He’s tracking her down, and she can feel it. She knows the horrors he’s capable of, and if he finds out about Marcus, Hector will do everything in his power to destroy him.

If she stays, Marcus is doomed to Hector’s wrath. If she goes, the repercussions of their bond might kill Marcus. Both options will break Kendra’s heart. If they’re truly meant for each other, they’ll have to find another way....

About the Author
Katie Salidas is a Super Woman! Endowed with special powers and abilities, beyond those of mortal women, She can get the munchkin off to gymnastics, cheerleading, Girl Scouts, and swim lessons.  She can put hot food on the table for dinner while assisting with homework, baths, and bedtime… And, She still finds the time to keep the hubby happy (nudge nudge wink wink). She can do all of this and still have time to write.
 And if you can believe all of those lies, there is some beautiful swamp land in Florida for sale…
Katie Salidas resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mother, wife, and author, she does try to do it all, often causing sleep deprivation and many nights passed out at the computer. Writing books is her passion, and she hopes that her passion will bring you hours of entertainment.



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Saturday, June 4, 2011

Video Saturday: How to be a prolific writer

I love the ideas James Scott Bell presents in this clip because they are simple--easy to remember and therefore, easy to accomplish.


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