Latest On The Nocturnal Nina Blog
Do Your Dance
I love music.
If you’re like me, you may not easily recall what you had for dinner last week, but you can’t forget your favorite songs. It never fails. In the car, at the store, working out at the gym or at home, when your song comes on something happens. Don’t lie. You either sing, dance, smile or laugh. Possibly you do all of them!
It never amazes me how music can bridge the gap of understanding or communication. In a different city or country? Find the nearest friendly club, concert or social venue playing the music you like, and suddenly you’re no longer alone. Can’t find the words to express to someone how much your care about them or you’re sorry for messing up? You can find exactly what you need to convey in a song.
Yes. Sometimes music causes conflict or stirs up bad memories, but I prefer the good music can bring. I’ve witnessed a lullaby soothe a fussy baby and calm the mind of a person plagued by dementia. I’ve seen it stop an argument and renew relationships. Personally, music has calmed me under stress. I also believe music can aid in healing body and spirit.
In THANE’S REDEMPTION, music is something that keeps the hero whole. Music and the band are Thane’s salvation. The one thing that no matter what else changes in his life will always be there and never change. One of the sides we don’t get to see in this short story is him alone, playing one of the guitars in his collection and finding peace. Then he meets Celine and she changes his outlook on the world. She is the only woman he could imagine opening up to about his music, secret life and mission. He realizes one night with her or an imaginary day isn’t enough. He wants it all, but time isn’t on their side.
I hope you’ll take a minute to enjoy my short story which is the first in a series with two full-length books planned in the future. Also, don’t forget the Sexy Supernaturals Facebook Bash on Tuesday, March 3rd from 8-10 p.m. Join in the virtual fun of excerpts from guest authors, sharing about book boyfriends, and giveaways.
Afterwards turn on your favorite song, smile, let go, and see where the music takes you. And as always, take a little time to enjoy all the wonderful things that happen at night.
Cover Reveal: THE GRIFFIN’S SECRET
In this contemporary re-telling of Grimm’s classic fairy tale The Griffin, two people must risk everything to free themselves from the invisible prisons that keep them from love…
Jackson Grant had it all—the girl he loved, his Harley, and his guitar. Until a tragic accident stole it all away. Now, more than scars and a tattoo remain. Jackson has a secret. Cursed by his dead girlfriend’s mother, he can never fall in love again or his beloved will die. With his heart on lockdown, he keeps to himself—until a roadie gig with Malcontent, the world’s most popular band, entwines his fate with sweet, wounded Layla’s…
Music is what Layla lives for. She has no choice. She’s bound by magic to serve Malcontent, cursed to propel them to stardom with her musical powers. Then Jackson appears and gives her hope that he’s the hero who will save her. A reluctant hero, yet one she can’t resist. But freedom will come at price—and who will pay…?
Excerpt
The faint scent of an exotic flower on an ocean breeze hit him the second the girl walked in. Every part of his body stood at attention, taking in the way she moved. The curve of her slender hips. Those long legs…they’d wrap around the back seat of his Harley perfectly. Wrap around him perfectly, too.
A flip of her onyx-silk hair sent it behind her shoulder as she sat opposite. “Who are you?”
Good question. He’d been seeking the same answer for too long. “Jackson Grant.”
Her eyes darkened, deep brown to charcoal diamonds. “Why are you here?”
“For the roadie job.” Was she the first gatekeeper? A gate she kept locked, he’d bet. Or maybe she was another test. Kev had warned him there’d be tricky questions and to answer straight. Something told him she asked out of curiosity.
“You think you’re up for such a demanding job?”
Again, the impression hit him she was making these questions up as she went along, ad-libbing off his replies.
He’d play. “I’m strong. Dependable. I follow orders, keep my head down, and stay out of trouble.” And he liked his privacy.
Her features smoothed, hard as porcelain. “Do you.” Not a question.
He’d answer anyway. “Yes.”
Did disappointment curl her lip? Or boredom? Why did he care? If he could, he’d blast out of there before his own curiosity got the better of him. Already, she’d gotten under his skin. Crazy how the tat no longer singed him, but now twisted like a trapped animal.
With a plastic smile, she batted her eyes, and the false flirtation didn’t suit her. “So. You’re a yes-man.”
The way she said it, he’d be no different than any other roadie serving the great rock star, Malcolm Fetterman. Fine by Jackson. The less he stood out, the better. Except for her. He hated to think of her glossing over his presence, but that would be better, too.
He drummed his fingers on the table. “I need the job.” Where the hell was Malcolm anyway? The longer he stayed with her, the more he wanted to. Definitely couldn’t afford that kind of trouble. He glanced at the open door, hoping he wouldn’t have to go through the same interrogation again.
She tapped the table. “You’d have to travel constantly.”
“Perfect.” No different than his usual way of life. Except this time, his paycheck would remain steady.
“You wouldn’t miss your family?” She dipped her head. “Your girlfriend?”
He curled his lip this time. No one’s business but his. He shifted in his seat. “They’re better off.”
Her brows knit, and then her expression became unreadable as the Sphinx. “The hours are long, and the equipment’s heavy. Everything has to be exactly as Mal orders.”
Did he imagine it, or had she winced at her own words?
He shrugged. “It’s his show.” Someday, Jackson would have his own roadies. And would treat them much better than Malcolm Fetterman did, if the stories proved true.
Her steely focus cut into him. “Mal doesn’t hire musicians except for those in the band. And there aren’t any openings in Malcontent.”
He didn’t allow himself to blink. “No problem.”
“But you play, don’t you?” Her gaze dropped to his callused fingertips drumming the tabletop.
He drew his hand down. “No.” A necessary lie. She might suspect, but couldn’t possibly know the truth. Almost like leaving one of his limbs behind, he’d locked his Fender in storage in New Jersey with his paltry possessions for six months. By then, he’d know whether this gig worked out.
The Griffin’s Secret
Reimagined fairy tale/fantasy romance novella
ISBN: 9781616507053
Publish Date: 5/12/2015
About 33,000 words
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kensington
About the Author
Cate Masters has made beautiful central Pennsylvania her home, but she’ll always be a Jersey girl at heart. When not spending time with her dear hubby, she can be found in her lair, concocting a magical brew of contemporary, historical, and fantasy/paranormal stories with her cat Chairman Maiow and dog Lily as company. Look for her at http://catemasters.blogspot.com and in strange nooks and far-flung corners of the web.
Contact Details
Website: http://catemasters.blogspot.com
Email: cate.masters@gmail.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cate-Masters/89969413736?ref=ts
Twitter: @CateMasters
Cover Reveal: BLOOD STITCHES
Coming May 12, 2015 from Lyrical Press
Love and danger intertwine…
It’s called El Toque de la Luna—The Touch of the Moon. At least that’s how nineteen-year-old Gabby’s older sister, Esperanza, refers to the magical powers she inherited from their Mayan ancestors. Esperanza says women with El Toque weave magic into their knitting, creating tapestries capable of saving—or devastating—the world. Gabby thinks Esperanza is more like touched in the head—until a man dressed like a candy corn arrives at their Seattle home on Halloween. But “Mr. C” is far from sweet…
Soon, Gabby and her almost-more-than-friend, Frank, find themselves spirited away to a demon ball, complete with shape shifters—and on a mission to destroy Esperanza’s tapestries before they cause an apocalyptic disaster… And before it’s too late to confess their true feelings for each other.
EXCERPT:
A gust of wind scattered leaves across the University of Seattle campus. My hair tangled over my face. New contacts tortured my eyes, and books weighed down my backpack. It didn’t matter. A tornado could have snatched me up. As long as it carried me home and put an end to the anniversary of the worst day of my life.
“Watch out, Gabby.” My best friend Frank thrust his hands deep into the pockets of his pinstriped suit. “We’re being followed by a giant candy corn.”
“Giant candy corn? Yeah, right.” If I turned around, Frank would laugh and say, “Gotcha”, or some other dorky thing. The mind-numbing boredom of Calculus I, our last class of the day, always set Frank off, making him zanier than usual.
“I mean it. We’ve got a candy corn on our tail.” Frank whistled a Lester Ruben song as he sauntered ahead.
“Okay, okay. Let me see this Halloween wonder.” If I didn’t give in, Frank would never leave me alone. I whirled, ready to hear Frank’s laugh, and almost ran into a man. His face glowed orange, like someone who’d spent too much time in a tanning booth, and he wore a white cap pulled down to his ears. A yellow scarf hid his neck and chin. For once, Frank wasn’t kidding. The man resembled a giant candy corn.
Shredded paper and a postage stamp poked out of his scarf, and a moon decorated an edge of the knitting, like one of my older sister Esperanza’s creations. It didn’t seem possible, but no one else I knew added garbage and a signature moon to their knitting. A wool coat covered the rest of him, except his face and steel-tipped boots.
“Sorry.” I jumped back.
Frank’s chuckles mixed with squirrels chattering in a nearby tree. Drizzle moistened my forehead, and a cold dampness seeped into my bones. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion, like watching Esperanza unravel her knitting one stitch at a time to fix a mistake.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Erin Fanning spends her summers on a northern Michigan lake, where her imagination explores the water and dense forest for undiscovered creatures. In the winter, she migrates to central Idaho, exchanging mountain bikes and kayaks for skis and snowshoes. She’s the author of Mountain Biking Michigan, as well as numerous articles, essays, and short stories. For more information, visit her online at www.erinfanning.com.
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Stitches-Erin-Fanning-ebook/dp/B00ONTR8I6
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23450191-blood-stitches
Lyrical: http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/book.aspx/31335
Sexy Supernaturals Facebook Bash
What’s a book release without a party?
Sign into Facebook today and click “join” to reserve your spot for the SEXY SUPERNATURALS bash on Tuesday, March 3rd from 8-10 p.m. EST. I’m celebrating my latest book release with a few of my author friends. We’re sharing excerpts from our latest books, songs and pics that added a little sass to our writing. And did I mention fun giveaways?
Chat with the authors and automatically enter their random drawings for gift cards and other prizes.
Tory Michaels
Jamie K. Schmidt
Dani Harper
Molly Harper
Juliette Cross
Betsy Dornbusch
Zoe Forward
Megan Morgan
Also, don’t forget to join me on my THANE’S REDEMPTION book release tour for fun posts, my 5-50-100 Contest, and Book Tour Rafflecopter giveaway. See you there! Take a little time to cuddle up with a book and enjoy the night.
Cover Reveal: LOVE, LATTES, AND MUTANTS
Finding love is hard, even when you aren’t a mutant.
Like most seventeen-year-olds, Piper Dunn wants to blend in with the crowd. Having a blowhole is a definite handicap. A product of a lab-engineered mother with dolphin DNA, Piper spends her school days hiding her brilliant ocean-colored eyes and sea siren voice behind baggy clothing and ugly glasses. When Tyler, the new boy in school, zeroes in on her, ignoring every other girl vying for his attention, no one, including Piper, understands why…
Then Piper is captured on one of her secret missions rescuing endangered sea creatures and ends up in the same test center where her mother was engineered. There she discovers she isn’t the only one of her kind. Joel is someone she doesn’t have to hide from, and she finds herself drawn to the dolph-boy who shares her secrets. Talking to him is almost as easy as escaping from the lab. Deciding which boy has captured her heart is another story…
Links
EKensington
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Kobo
About the Author
Multi-published author Sandra Cox writes YA Fantasy, Paranormal and Historical Romance, and Metaphysical Nonfiction. She lives in sunny North Carolina with her husband, a brood of critters and an occasional foster cat. Although shopping is high on the list, her greatest pleasure is sitting on her screened in porch, listening to the birds, sipping coffee and enjoying a good book. She’s a vegetarian and a Muay Thai enthusiast.
Blog: www.sandracox.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/sandra_cox
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SandraCox.Author
Giveaways
First prize: A Piper-approved necklace and $10 Starbucks Card
Second Prize: A Piper-approved bracelet
Host Prize: A Piper-approved bracelet
To enter: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/927e5e0011/?
To enter for Hostess Only Giveaway: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/927e5e0012/?
Voices In My Head
I’m spending the day with Sharon Buchbinder at Snap, Crackle and Popping Blog. We’re talking about the voices in my head and Naughty Little Wishes. Stop by and join us!
The Rafflecopter giveaway ends soon so don’t forget to enter. I’m also offering a separate giveaway and sneak peak excerpt from Thane’s Redemption for newsletter subscribers only. Giveaway ends January 31st.
Don’t miss out. Enter and subscribe today!
