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Wait for it…
Finding out TAKE ME IF YOU DARE made it as a finalist in the BTS Book Reviews Red Carpet Book Rewards is an unexpected, pleasant surprise. They’re announcing the results next year. Patience isn’t one of my primary virtues, but it’s something I’m learning as an author.
The process of writing to the publication of a story takes time. If the muse isn’t cooperating, I have to find ways to coax her out again. When my characters stop talking, I have to accept the silence until they decide to show up. Ideas speed through my mind faster than my fingers can type. My manuscript isn’t the only one in my editor’s inbox so I have to wait my turn. The day before the release of TAKE ME IF YOU DARE felt like a week. No amount of clock watching could make midnight come any faster, but the second my book finally arrived on the scene is a moment I’ll never forget.
I won’t say that I’ve grown calmer about waiting, but I’d like to think I’ve become wiser. Waiting for something good isn’t dead space. It’s a pause to take a breath. To whoop it up with laughter, do a happy dance, and pop the cork in preparation for the big toast. It’s the perfect time to say “thank you” to the people who believed in the dream and supported you. To let them know that no matter what the result, you love and appreciate them for sharing knowledge, watching your back, setting aside “rant time” for you in their schedule, and providing a soft place to land when the winds of progress threw a curve.
In a world filled with constant noise, it’s easy to forget pauses and silences are important, too. Waiting gives you a chance to look and see what’s ahead, and plant your feet firmly on the road to your dreams.
I’ll post the outcome of the awards, as well as a few other exciting announcements on Nocturnal Nina and my newsletter. I can’t tell you all of the details, but here’s a hint. Things are about to get Naughty. Prepare for it with a Dare.
Sign up and stay connected. In the meantime, take a minute to appreciate the wait during your journey and enjoy the night.
Cover reveal & Pre-Order: SNOWY DAYS, STEAMY NIGHTS
Steam up your snowy nights with this new anthology of six deliciously sexy romances by the following bestselling and award-winning romance authors:
FROSTED, by Katy Regnery
GROUNDED, by Kate Forest
MELTED, by Jennie Marts
REKINDLED, by Susan Scott Shelley
SMITTENED, by Jamie Farrell
SNOWED, by Veronica Forand
To pre-order your copy of Snowy Days, Steamy Nights, click here.
FROSTED (Katy Regnery) – When Grace Luff’s children send her to a Silver Wings weekend at a luxury resort, they are hoping that the 56-years-young widow will meet a man to lift the loneliness she’s endured since the passing of her husband over three years before. Grace, who barely remembers how to date, doesn’t expect to meet anyone special, so she’s surprised that the owner of a local ski rental shop, Tray Bradshaw, makes her heart leap with interest and attraction. When a rogue snowstorm traps the pair in an abandoned cabin, they’ll get to know each other, and discover that it’s never too late to change…or fall in love.
GROUNDED (Kate Forest) – Biologist Julia won’t tolerate another frigid Chicago winter studying the frozen Great Lakes. But with every hour of her flight delay, her chance on a research voyage in Florida slips further away. Jeremy must get to Florida to sever the noose-like obligations of his family’s boating business so he can become curator of a Chicago museum. Stuck in an airport, waiting out the snowstorm of the century, can two travelers headed for opposite paths find love while trapped in Concourse B?
MELTED (Jennie Marts) – Painful memories from long ago resurface when Emily Wells travels to Colorado to clean out her family’s vacation cabin for its new owner. Strongest among them? Her recollections of Logan Chase, Emily’s first love, to whom she gave her heart one magical summer, only to have it broken when she never heard from him again. Logan had never forgotten that summer romance and can’t believe it when he finds Emily packing up the little cabin that he has recently purchased for renovation. Despite the passage of years and their stormy history, Emily and Logan can’t deny the fierce attraction that still sizzles between them…Will one snowy night together be enough to melt her frozen heart and give them both a second chance at love?
REKINDLED (Susan Scott Shelley) – Actress Gemma Norwood and carpenter Adam Hudson are thrown together four years after a gut-wrenching break-up. Both are looking to make major changes in their lives, but after one kiss, rekindling their relationship is all that matters. When family obligations and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities threaten to tear them apart again, the warm glow of a happily-ever-after seems as impossible as starting a fire in a snowstorm.
SMITTENED (Jamie Farrell) – Dahlia Mallard is determined save her ice cream shop by getting country music superstar Billy Brenton to attend her risqué flavor-tasting event. But the closest she can get to Billy is his drummer, the womanizing Mikey Diamond. The more she gets to know Mikey, the more she wants to save him from his bad boy ways. When he discovers she’s using him to get to Billy, will she still be able to have her ice cream and eat it too?
SNOWED (Veronica Forand) – Lorena Rubio’s life is turned upside down when she’s kidnapped by Andrés “Con” Conesa, right hand man for the drug lord who murdered her sister. Con, who is deep undercover for the FBI, must keep her at a cabin in the snowy Sierra Nevada Mountains until the rumor that she’s provided specifics about his drug cartel to the police is confirmed or denied. Their attraction ignites in the middle of this frozen hideaway, but Lorena is unwilling to offer her heart to a criminal. When the cartel boss arrives and wants Lorena put on ice for snitching, Con must decide whether or not to blow his cover for the woman he craves beyond reason.
*All stories included in Snowy Days, Steamy Nights are either short-story or novella length, giving readers the perfect opportunity to “meet” a new author or enjoy a sweet treat from a present favorite.*
To pre-order your copy of Snowy Days, Steamy Nights, click here.
Double Cover Reveal for Juliette Cross
SEALED IN SIN
The Vessel Trilogy, Book 2
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Release Date: April 21, 2015
Sin can look an awful lot like heaven.
One demon prince may be festering in the bowels of the soul eater Cocytus, but Genevieve’s troubles are far from over. Prince Bamal, demon lord of New York City, still wants her. But this time, he wants her alive, to control her inherent power as a Vessel of Light.
With Jude Delacroix off searching for the prophecy, Thomas—a guardian angel with sea-green eyes and an aura of winter woods—steps into the gap, offering her the power to protect herself.
Yet she hesitates, for the transfer of that power comes through a kiss. While Gen’s love for Jude is true, Thomas stirs a desire where there should be none. Thomas also knows Jude’s darkest secret and plans to use it, if necessary, to win Gen for his own.
While her Vessel power grows and more demon spawn creep from every dark corner of the world, one thing is certain—the Great War between the angels and demons is quickly approaching. And Gen is in a race against time to awaken her full power before the storm breaks.
Warning: Contains a demon hunter with dark secrets, a sexy angel with ulterior motives, and demonic creatures running amok.
SiS on Goodreads
BOUND IN BLACK
The Vessel Trilogy, Book 3
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Release Date: July 21, 2015
In the belly of the beast, strategy is useless.
Genevieve Drake is on a dangerous mission to find the soul collector, Lethe, and enter the deepest, darkest level of the underworld. No one has ever returned alive from the belly of a soul collector, but she will let nothing stop her from going after the precious treasure Lethe stole from her.
As she is tested against demon spawn and foul creatures of the underworld, each triumph strengthens her Vessel power—and drags her closer to a breaking point that could forever doom her to the abyss.
Meanwhile, with the full prophecy hurtling toward completion, the Dominus Daemonum strategize for the day Gen will battle Prince Bamal’s Vessel to the death, when the Great War between heaven and hell will begin.
But Bamal has a secret weapon. When he reveals it—and Thomas reveals his own hidden agenda—Gen may not have the strength to resist the temptation to fall into darkness, forsaking the fate of the world for her broken heart.
Warning: Contains malicious demons, sinister spawn, and a vengeful heroine with plans to send them all back to burning hell.
BiB on Goodreads
Author Bio— Juliette calls lush, moss-laden Louisiana home where the landscape curls into her imagination, creating mystical settings for her stories. She has a B.A. in creative writing from Louisiana State University, a M.Ed. in gifted education, and was privileged to study under the award-winning author Ernest J. Gaines in grad school. Her love of mythology, legends, and art serve as constant inspiration for her works. From the moment she read Jane Eyre as a teenager, she fell in love with the Gothic romance—brooding characters, mysterious settings, persevering heroines, and dark, sexy heroes. Even then, she not only longed to read more novels set in Gothic worlds, she wanted to create her own.
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Love Your Body, Hack Your Mind
Nina Crespo welcomes guest blogger and author Megan Morgan, who will be wrapping up the Reader, Writer and Wellness blog event.
Writing is a desk job.
Sure, it differs from working in an office. Hopefully your view is better than three gray cubicle walls, your coffee is of better quality, and you don’t have to deal with annoying interoffice memos. You may also at times find a cat wedged between you and your keyboard or even draped across it. I’ve run into this malfunction a few times. Some things are the same, though: you sit, clicking away on a computer all day, there’s deadlines, stress, paperwork, and sometimes your boss is a jerk to you–even more so when you’re self-pubbed.
Being a writer means a lot of sitting on your butt. Though the mind is active, the flesh is an immobile, sometimes over-caffeinated, oftentimes junk food-eating lump. When you’re deeply entrenched in a scene and the writing is going well, but your stomach is all, “hey, remember me?” it’s much easier to cram a handful of chips or a slice of last night’s cold pizza in your mouth than make a healthy, balanced meal. Shut up for right now, stomach. Mama is trying to write!
A healthy body makes a healthy mind. Exercise has been proven to boost creativity, sharpen mental focus, and even alleviate the symptoms of depression. I get some of my best ideas when I’m walking. Fresh air and sunshine boost vitamin D. If you’re stuck on a scene, exercise can possibly help. Jogging jogs the mind!
Likewise, eating right is an important part of staying healthy and keeping your mind sharp. Fish, berries, nuts, and whole grains are all good for the brain. Healthy foods keep blood pressure down and maintain systems throughout the body. Energy and creativity come from putting the right fuel inside us. Sickness and disease make it hard to be creative. If you don’t believe me, try writing a story the next time you have a raging case of the flu. Although, if you’re taking enough cold medicine, you might just hallucinate the best plot ever.
Another health issue writers might face is consuming too much caffeine. Caffeine in moderation can be difficult. Yes, I put the words ‘caffeine’ and ‘moderation’ in the same sentence because I like to live dangerously. Personally, I could be hooked up to a coffee IV and live life in bliss. However, too much caffeine can be bad for you in many ways: raising blood pressure, causing indigestion, and sparking headaches. Caffeine can also make you jittery and scatterbrained. Water is good for you and can even have some of the same effects as caffeine first thing in the morning, as part of our grogginess is due to dehydration that happens overnight. I’m not saying stop drinking coffee–good gravy, no–but also lapping it straight out of the coffee pot like a dog dish is not the best idea either.
The same goes for the other writer’s drink: wine. Moderation is key. Although personally, I’ve never been able to write with alcohol in me.
The secret to being a productive writer is being a healthy person. Every once in a while get up (place the cat gently on a pillow to your left), go for a walk, make a salad, brew a pot of decaf (just kidding), and sit back down with a clear, refreshed mind. Your internal organs and new brain children will thank you later.
Megan Morgan is a paranormal romance, erotica, and urban fantasy author from Cleveland, Ohio. Bartender by day and purveyor of things that go bump at night, she likes her fiction scary and sexy. She’s a member of the RWA and trying to turn writing into her day job, so she can be on the other side of the bar for a change. Currently published with House of Erotica and Muse It Up’s erotica imprint Muse It HOT! She is also the author of a three-book urban fantasy series coming in March 2015 from Kensington.
How Book Club Fun Can Add Something Special to Your Life
Joining Nina Crespo‘s Readers, Writers and Wellness blog event is guest blogger Marcie Kremer, author of Torch in the Forest.
Book clubs? Fun? Some readers may think those two terms are mutually-exclusive and have nothing to do with each other. Of course, we all know there are “those” kinds of book clubs – where a leader with a vengeance complex intimidates all the hapless members with a condescending, “you didn’t do your homework?” sort of attitude. That’s not the kind of book club I belong to, and I hope you don’t either.
The book club I belong to is, first of all, very lighthearted. Yes, we all read the same book, but, sometimes (gasp!) we don’t read it! That doesn’t mean we can’t come to the meeting and enjoy fruit (wine) and fiber (popcorn) and listen to everyone’s opinions and chime in when we feel like it. There is no penalty for not reading the book. Imagine how empowering that is. Imagine this – we all have lives to lead, and, sometimes, having the time to read a book just isn’t part of it. But, the camaraderie we share more than makes up for any possibly intellectual comments we might have made.
When we do discuss the book – and, yes, we do – we’ll usually use the questions that either the publisher or author has posted on the internet or that are available inside the book. Do we need to make deep, insightful answers? Um, I don’t think so. Because we are a lighthearted group, we respect each other’s views, no matter what they are. We’ve found that doing this increases our appreciation of each other’s differences. Talk about validation.
With these kinds of principles, it’s probably easy for you to see how we can have so much fun in our book club. We’ll go off-topic sometimes (oh, goodness, you should have heard the comments when we talked about Karen Essex’s Leonardo’s Swans, or Alex Sokoloff’s The First Mrs. Hemingway.) Being able to gossip and share life adventures that are inspired by books and the discussion are such an important part of the uplifting and enjoyable times we have at our book club. Of course, you can certainly guess how many giggles were provoked by my own historical romance Torch in the Forest: “I can’t believe you wrote THAT, Marcie!” No, it wasn’t a book club pick – my friends read it all on their own! We’ll go home smiling and giggling – and ready to pick up the next book we’ve selected to read and lose ourselves in its pages.
And if we don’t – no worries. It’s all about being with our friends and sharing experiences, wh
ich most definitely give us all a lift in life!
About Marcie Kremer: Growing up in Europe and seeing castles on a daily basis made me sure I wanted to live back in the Middle Ages. Since that wasn’t likely to happen, being a child of the 20th century, the next best thing I could try to do was to write about this enthralling period in history. Having studied medieval history in college, I loved doing the research about how people really lived and spoke and dreamed and loved, and so TORCH IN THE FOREST came to be, thanks to my dear husband, who encouraged me to write about Eleanor and Hugh. When I’m not writing, I’m reading, or traveling. I love hearing from readers and am happy to do book club conference calls!
