TINA TRAVERSE on the #ASMSG ELECTORATE BLOG HOP

Thank you for joining me today, Tina. It is a pleasure hosting you as part of the ASMSG Electorate Blog Hop. Please introduce yourself to our readers in 100 words or less.

Thank you for having me, it's an honor.  Hello everyone in Hunter's universe, I'm Tina Traverse and I guess you can say like all of you, I wear many hats but one of  my favorites underneath the mother hat is writer. I was born and raised in the picturesque seaside town of Dunville, Newfoundland, Canada. I'm an only child. I've been together with my first and only love, Gerard for 20 years and we have two handsome and loveable boys, Christian age 13 and Brandon age 4 who keep us on our toes. I'm not an adventure seeker, nor do I have a career that allows me the money or opportunity to travel the world and see the historic sites I've been dreaming to see since I was young, but I was given the gift of an excellent imagination that allows me to form my own worlds on paper and share them with others.

What motivated you to become a writer?

At the age of eight, my third grade class was given an assignment to rewrite in our own words a bible story. I chose the Good Samaritan and when I read it in front of my class and got such good reviews, I was hooked on story telling.

Do you use beta readers and an outside editor? How have they shaped your journey into publishing?

Yes, I use both, but I never used to. Before becoming a part of a very supportive and knowledgeable writer's group, ASMSG(Author Social Media Support Group) I was naïve and believed all I had to do was write without any editing. I had no clue what a polished manuscript looked like or what beta readers were or the importance of a good cover.  I met some of my beta readers and landed myself an excellent editor through this group.  All who aren't afraid to be honest and constructive with me. They are able to look at my story with unbiased eyes and see what's wrong and what's right with the story so I can make the story I'm telling the best it can be for my readers.  I've learned so much so far and I can finally say that I'm a good writer with lots of growing potential. Which makes me happy because my worlds are worthy of exploring.

What is your latest work? How did you develop the concept and characters?

My latest published work, Let There Be Blood was born from a two year friendship with an New York actress that I met through social media. She hosts a fan page of one of my favorite actors(who also is a friend of hers) and we quickly became friends. We spoke about our passions, mine for writing, hers for acting and the ups and downs of our chosen paths. She began to tell me the other side of acting what it was really like for her and this other actor and that got me thinking. Fame isn't all glamor. There is a dark side behind the parties, fashionable clothes and screaming fans. The sacrifice of one's soul to do what they love. A story begin to form in my mind inspired by these conversations. It would dive into the life of a celebrity who seemingly has it all. The fame. The fortune. The good looks, charm and devoted screaming fans who all want a piece of him. Behind all of this he struggles with the nightmare of the true price of fame

Would you introduce us to your characters?

Sure.

Aaron Brooks: As an only child, Aaron Brooks spent the majority of his youth being severely bullied because of his low self-esteem and obesity. His only light was his best friend, Martina who shared his inflictions and because he felt she was the only one that could understand him, he quickly fell in love with her. After the senseless deaths of his parents, Aaron fled his hometown and Martina, in search of a new start. Settling in New York, his roommate befriends him and teaches Aaron that the key to a healthy mind is a healthy body. Heading his friend's advice, Aaron soon is transformed. With his new looks and self-confidence he finds success as an actor. Aaron finally has the life he wants. Glamor, prestige, and after reuniting with his estranged best friend, he has the love he always craved. However, Aaron soon finds out that there is a price to be paid for this good fortune and he can't outrun the nightmares that haunt him.

Avery Evers: Aaron's best friend and co-star. Avery has known the glory of fame for longer than Aaron and revels in it. At the beginning of his fame, Avery fell into the all too familiar trap that young celebrities fall into by indulging in endless parties, alcohol and easy women. This lifestyle comes to an end  when he meets and falls in love with his co-star Shawna Jones who tames his wild ways but not his carefree spirit and extroverted personality. When Avery is introduced to Aaron Brooks the two of them become fast friends and develop a strong brotherly bond. Avery and Aaron are inseparable and share a secret. The two of them work hard to keep this secret under wraps but an incident will threaten to expose that secret and the friendship they built.

Martina Murphy-Brooks: Aaron's childhood best friend and secret object of his affection.  Martina became friends with Aaron when she transferred to his junior high. They formed a quick bond when they both were bullied because of their size and learned to look after each other. Martina grew up in a variety of foster homes, never knowing who her parents were, though she heard rumors they were a part of a drug cartel. Martina doted on Aaron, giving him little gifts like a different bag of candy every Friday, which led to Aaron calling her his Candy Angel. When Aaron abandoned her she was devastated but moved on with her life, marrying young and giving birth to a daughter, Katrina.

Katrina Murphy: The only daughter of Martina Murphy, Katrina lost her father at a young age. She is shy and sweet but at the age of 13 she began experiencing wild mood swings, going from manic highs to crippling lows. She was finally diagnosed with bipolar disorder. With the help of medications and therapy Katrina lives a normal, teenage life which includes an infatuation with Aaron and Avery's vampire characters,  Lance and Toby on the popular Let there be blood series. To her delight, after winning a contest, she discovers that her mother was best friends with Aaron Brooks. Aaron and her mother get married and she becomes Aaron's adoptive daughter to the envy of her friends.  

What would the readers find most intriguing about each of your book’s main characters?

Aaron Brooks: The most intriguing thing about Aaron is his fierce love and devotion to Martina and Katrina. Here is a guy with the world at his feet, stardom affording him anything and everything he could wish, including any woman, but he still is in love with the girl from junior high and has taken her daughter has his own.

Avery Evers: Avery has many sides. He is carefree and is known as a daredevil who loves adventure and fun but he has a deeper side. He holds a secret that has shaped his life and which he would do anything to keep.

Martina Murphy-Brooks: Martina has many passions. She has followed her dream and become a very successful author who is adored by young adult readers around the world. She has a fierce devotion to her daughter but it's her passion for Aaron that has shaped her life.

Katrina Murphy: Fierce and passionate are traits she inherited from her mother. Katrina is a sweet and shy girl but don't get in her way when she is after something she wants.

 What item would we find in your refrigerator that would surprise us?

A bloody blade! I wouldn't ask any further questions.

How can we find you on social media?

Facebook: Let there be blood page:

https://www.facebook.com/ConsumedbyDarkness

Writers on the Wharf(my blog or the place where I can talk to myself without it looking weird)

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Writers-on-the-Wharf/204376793079832

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/TinaTraverse1

My blog: http://writersonthewharf.wordpress.com

Where can we purchase your work?

Ebook: Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/383673

Paperback:  https://www.createspace.com/4537997

Amazon: http://getbook.at/LTBBnovel

My extra question:

I would be remiss if I ended this interview without answering this: What was my most passionate work that I did as a writer?

Easy. It's a labor of love called Forever, Christian. My son Christian was diagnosed with high functioning autism in 2010. It had took nine years filled with frustration, tears, and concerns falling on deaf ears before my concerns were heard and something was done. Once I had the diagnosis a ball of mixed emotions overwhelmed me and I needed to find an outlet. The way that I work through my feelings is through writing, so I sat down and wrote down my feelings about this condition I never heard of until... 

Thank you so much for joining me today, Tina. You have been delightful to work with! 

Please join the rest of the ASMSG Blog Hop. Have a beautiful day, beautiful friends! Remember to enter the following Rafflecopter to win some super>uber indie ebooks, too!

March 25

Hunter S Jones http://www.thehuntersjones.blogspot.com

Lillian Roberts http://lilianroberts.blogspot.com

March 26

Murielle Cyr http://www.muriellerites.wordpress.com

March 27

Ian Hutson http://www.dieselelectricelephant.co.uk/

 Jinx Schwartz http://bit.ly/PSAAxI

March 28

Dianne Harman http://dianneharman.com/blog/

Shane KP O’Neill    http://www.draculachronicles.co.uk/  

March 29

Tina Power Traverse http://writersonthewharf.wordpress.com/ 

Ann Rothchild http://christinamandara.wordpress.com/

Rafflecopter

SHANE KP O’NEILL – THE DRACULA CHRONICLES.

SHANE KP O’NEILL – THE DRACULA CHRONICLES.

Once read, never forgotten.

EXPERIENCE THE ULTIMATE BATTLE OF GOOD VERSUS EVIL. THE BATTLE FOR SOULS HAS BEGUN.

The Dracula Chronicles is a new and exciting series adding a fresh dimension to the Dracula legend, which combines the real historical Vlad Dracula with a new and different version of Dracula the vampire. The series has been released in two arcs, one that follows Dracula the man and the other following Dracula the vampire. It is written in a style that is both literary and cinematic, that places you there in the thick of the action always.

The books are historical novels of Gothic horror; religious corruption; political intrigue; tragedy; war; dark paranormal fantasy; and deep romance. The premise is built around Creation and the divide in Heaven that results from Lucifer's jealousy of the creation of man. This leads to the First Great War of the Angels and Lucifer's eventual expulsion from Heaven with all those who sided with him. The annihilation of the angels continues, but rather than destroy Lucifer, God agrees to a truce. By its terms, Lucifer can contest the soul of every living being as long as he does not interfere with their free will. Should he control more souls than God at any time, he can ascend again to Heaven and cast God and the angels out. He would then have a free hand to destroy all mankind.

Lucifer turns man against God with ease. God responds by sending his prophets one after another to bring man back to the path of righteousness. It seems to be merely delaying the inevitable and in one last effort to thwart Lucifer, God sends his son made man. In giving his life on the Cross, Jesus wipes away man's sins. This leaves Lucifer back to where he was at the beginning and means he has to start again. The Catholic Church is born on that fateful day in Jerusalem as Christ's church on the earth. Lucifer then believes if he can destroy this great icon of God, he can turn man against God once more. He searches for over a millennium for the one who can lead his assault on God. The Crusades give him renewed hope, and he is sure the conflict between Christian and Moslem will provide the one he seeks. When this does not materialise, he turns his attention to the Balkan region where this conflict is renewed with Ottoman expansion into eastern Europe. He finally identifies the second son of Vlad Dracul as the one he can manipulate into achieving his ends. God has prepared for this event, and in the very moment that Vlad Dracula draws his first breath, so does another child sired by Dracul, though born to a gypsy woman. This child, Andrei, is blessed by the angels and bestowed with great powers as a balance to the evil about to be unleashed upon the world.

THE VLAD DRACULA ARC.

The Vlad Dracula arc.. Books #1 to #5. Set in the 15th Century Balkans, this arc brings to life in its entirety the world in which the real historical Vlad Dracula lived. It follows his loves; his triumphs; his many great tragedies; the betrayals he endures; and his great struggle to survive his many perils and secure the autonomy of his sovereign nation, Wallachia, which is sandwiched between the mighty Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman empires. The books introduce you to all the great players of the period, their political machinations, and their great conflicts set within the battle between Christianity and Islam. They follow Lucifer and his schemes to manipulate the young Vlad Dracula into seeing through his great plan. Replete with references that are Biblical and drawn from the writings of the Kabbalah, The Dracula Chronicles also introduce a new vision of Hell and take you on a journey you will never forget.

THE BOUND BY BLOOD ARC.

The Bound By Blood arc.. Books #6 to #10. This arc begins with Dracula’s last great battle at Snagov in 1476. Despite winning yet another great victory, his enemies mortally wound him with arrows. He orders his men to take him to the chapel at the nearby monastery so he can die on holy ground. To his great chagrin, it is Lucifer who comes to claim his soul. The Dark One speaks of his great vision, and of how he has chosen Dracula as his instrument to bring down the Catholic Church. He bites into Dracula’s neck and then gives him his own blood to drink. In doing so, he creates a monster, superhuman and immortal, who can live through the ages and help him win the battle for souls.

Into the 16th Century, wherever the Catholic Church is harmed or loses its influence, Dracula is there behind the scenes to propagate it all. He involves himself with Machiavelli; Martin Luther; in the Italian wars between France and Spain; the Borgias; Henry VIII and the Tudor dynasty; and many more.

At the same time his brother, Andrei, takes up the fight against him and arms the Church with the knowledge of how to counter him. In resurrecting Dracula’s legitimate brother, Radu, from the dead so as to exact retribution against him, Dracula and Lucifer have unleashed a powerful enemy who has joined the battle against them.

PREQUEL – THE LAMB OF GOD.

This is a prequel to For Whom The Bell Tolls and the entire The Dracula Chronicles series. It offers a taste of what is to come, giving the background of the concept, the Crucifixion, and the night of the births of Vlad and Andrei.

If you subscribe to my blog, link below, I will send you a free download of this prequel. You can also hear an audio version, narrated by myself, on my website and on my YouTube channel.

BOOK #1 – FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS.

“A war rages on around us every day. The struggle to save all mankind. The ultimate evil.”

All is well in Heaven until God creates man. Lucifer’s jealousy leads to the First Great War of the Angels. Hundreds of thousands of years on, the feud simmers beneath the surface. It plots the course of history as we know it today. Both sides manipulate the major players through the centuries to seek an advantage over the other.

The battle for souls has raged since the truce that followed the First Great War. God has struck the ultimate blow and sacrifice to gain the advantage, and defeat Lucifer. As Lucifer stands at the foot of the Cross that drains the last ounce of life from Christ and eradicates man's sins, he realises that his work must begin anew.

In time, he comes to understand that his only chance to win this battle will be to destroy the institution of the Catholic Church to turn man against God. He searches for more than a millennium for the candidate to see his plan through to an end, and finally discovers the one that can cast that final blow.

On a cold night in December, 1431 in Sighisoara, an old gypsy woman delivers a prophecy to the great Vlad Dracul. She tells him he is about to sire two sons, one an angel and the other a devil.

He returns to his fortress just as his wife bears him a son, whom he names Vlad. In the very same moment across the country on the border between Transylvania and Hungary, a gypsy girl gives birth to another son, Andrei. The die is cast. The twin souls are born. The young Vlad Dracula becomes the instrument of the forces of Darkness. To balance this, the baby Andrei is blessed by the angels and bestowed with awesome powers.

This is their story.

AMAZON REVIEWS – FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS.

“I never thought a man could be capable of writing with such sensitivity and emotion.”

"Beautifully written with great story lines, the author does not hold back in his descriptions of many brutal acts of violence (save for a very long and tastefully done sex scene)."

"The relationships between father and son, the son and his captors and the individual characterisations are way beyond what a fantasy/paranormal book might offer. The writing is of literary class."

"FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS differs from Shane K.P. O’Neill’s BOUND BY BLOOD sagas in that it takes place years prior to Dracula’s vampiric existence, but this in no way diminishes the power and intensity of its read. Events unfold with the depth of a historical epic."

BOOK #2 – THE PATH TO DECAY. 

(Release date March 20, 2014).

“The path we walk, is the path to decay. The only way to live, is to die.”

The great Vlad Dracul is dead, fallen in battle, and his throne gone. His son, the young Vlad Dracula, is consumed with grief and a need for revenge. All alone in the world, he keeps his promise and returns to Anatolia. There, he takes a commission in the Ottoman army. On the fields outside Kosovo Polje in Serbia, he is handed his first opportunity to strike back against the men who killed his father.

He has grown into the ultimate fighting machine, and is feared by one and all. This path to decay, as described by his father, is the one he chooses to follow. Lucifer guides and watches over Dracula, but also deepens his hold over him. As time passes, though, his enemies build in every quarter, and they strive to bring him down.

With nowhere left to turn, how will Dracula avenge his family? How can he hope to win back his throne? As he faces one tragedy after another, these events mould him into the man who will be spoken of for centuries to come. A man who lets nothing stand in his way in his pursuit for revenge, and the throne that was his father’s.

*(Trailer for FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS and THE PATH TO DECAY)*

Embed code 

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ZxGMDxxAMPE?list=UUJKMPh4EuP3eoE8TcG_AUxw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

PREQUEL – BIRTH OF THE MONSTER.

This is the prequel to Bound By Blood, and the vampire arc. It takes you to Dracula’s last triumph on the battlefield, and his last moments as a mortal man. While he lies dying in the chapel of the monastery at Snagov, Lucifer comes to claim his soul. The Dark One speaks of his vision in destroying the Catholic Church in his quest to win the battle for souls, and creates Dracula the vampire.

BOOK #6 – BOUND BY BLOOD.

A new edition of this and the next book is currently with my copy editors, and will be released and re-launched with new covers in the summer.

“A war rages on around us every day. The struggle to save all mankind. The ultimate evil.”

As his moment of death looms Dracula suffers the ultimate betrayal. The champion of the Catholic faith in Eastern Europe realises it is Lucifer who is coming to claim him. However, Lucifer does not want his soul.

Instead he bites into Dracula’s neck and then offers his own blood to drink. Dracula suffers his mortal death, but he re-awakens. Immortalised with Lucifer’s blood coursing through his veins, the two are bound by blood for eternity. Lucifer has groomed him for this day and lays out the task before him.

Dracula is to destroy the institution of that which he has championed for so long. By bringing down the Catholic Church he can undo the Crucifixion and turn man against God once more. If he succeeds then Lucifer will ascend again to Heaven and signal the end for all mankind.

AMAZON REVIEWS - BOUND BY BLOOD.

“This story is a powerful and sweeping epic. The language, the settings, the characters...they all exude Classic.”

“If you are looking for a vampire novel that is rich in detail, with historical facts, legends and folklore weaved in and splashes of gore and a bit of romance, this is for you.”

“This book will stimulate your imagination as it entertains you. Bound By Blood is among the best vampire novels I have read.”

THE AUTHOR.

The author developed a fascination with Dracula from an early age. Like many others he was enthralled by Christopher Lee's portrayal of him on the big screen. It was in his late teens that he discovered Dracula the man and the love affair began from there. An avid lover of history, he studied the period in which the real historical Vlad Dracula lived, 15th Century Balkan, for many years. It followed from there then that with his love of writing he would always choose Dracula as his subject.  He built a concept and premise where he could accommodate both Dracula the vampire and Dracula the man.

Away from writing, the author has a wide range of interests. He reads a lot of books from a wide variety of authors, though his main interest lies in the horror genre.  His love of books is matched only by his love of the countryside and of course, his family.  As an added note, he has lived and travelled all over the world. He has a love for all things historical, with a particular fascination for medieval Europe. Anywhere he travels, he likes to search out locations with an historical interest and will always hunt for the ruins of an old castle before heading to the beach.

Amazon

US -  http://ow.ly/qSHx1

UK -  http://ow.ly/qSHDH

Website

www.draculachronicles.co.uk

Blog

www.draculachronicles.co.uk/blog

Twitter

@ShaneKPONeill

Goodreads

http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/12341417-shane-o-neill

Youtube

http://www.youtube.com/user/DraculaChronicles

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/ShaneONeillsDraculaChronicles

BLURRED LINES

BLURRED LINES  
PARANORMAL EROTIC DEBUT from DAKOTA SKYE

Author: Dakota Skye

Genre: Paranormal Erotic Romance

Publisher: Mountain Moxie Publishing

Release date: March 13, 2014

Word count: 42, 891 words

Author Contact information:

http://www.facebook.com/DakotaSkye

http://www.twitter.com/DakotaSkye69

http://authordakotaskye.blogspot.com

Buy Links: (Paperback is delayed, currently eBook only)

All Romance Ebooks: goo.gl/M9PLhF

Amazon (all countries): myBook.to/BlurredLines

Barnes and Noble: http://goo.gl/XHzZME

Blurred Lines 

Letting go is like a death. Sierra never thought she would be caught in a love triangle between her writing partner, Alex, and the love of her life, Shane—especially because her ex-fiancé is now a ghost. Tormented with both guilt for moving on with someone else and a desire to be free of the past, she's pulled between both men. Shane struggles with accepting his death and seeing the woman he loves with someone else. Alex is determined to free Sierra from limbo and change their relationship from casual to serious, but the bond she has with Shane transcends death. One of the three needs to let go.

Only the good die young. When Shane Weston is murdered before prosecuting a key member of the Mexican drug cartel, he can't accept the idea that all of the plans he had had for his life will never come true. More than that, he can't let go of the love he has for his fiancée.

Love never dies. Sierra Daniels is crushed after Shane's death. Head writer on a successful television series, she can't get back into the groove of life. All enthusiasm for work is gone. Ready to quit everything, she travels to her cabin in Lake Tahoe in hopes of escaping everyone's expectations and disappearing for a while.

The lines between right and wrong often blur. Alexander Blaine has risked his future on a career change from DEA agent to lead consultant and writer on hit television series. Sierra's grief has shadowed everyone around her, including him, and jeopardizes both of their careers. Unwilling to accept defeat, he follows her to Lake Tahoe determined to break through the barrier enveloping her and make her see that life is still worth living.

About the Author

Dakota Skye is an author fascinated by the paranormal. After having several personal "unexplained experiences" in her life, she started exploring the idea of the "other side." Ghosts, angels, Spirit Guides…what are they and do we interact with them more than we know? In her stories, she incorporates that fascination with fantasy while always focusing on the love.

Excerpt : First ghost encounter

Murder. The word still didn't roll off her tongue with ease. 'My fiancé was murdered..." she doubted she would ever get used to saying those words. Ironic, in a twisted way, that she wrote about crime for a living.

Shane had been killed during a high profile trial of alleged members of the Mexican drug cartel. Some teenager had been arrested for the crime, but she knew he'd been a punk hired to do the deed. Of course he wouldn't talk, was probably a folk hero south of the border.

Sierra and Shane...that's how she'd come to think over their four-year relationship. Always a duo, their names always said as one entity.

Palms against the door, she pushed herself away and forced herself into the room. She needed to make a fire, unpack, settle in...her gaze landed on the framed photograph above the mantel. Shane and Sierra, arms around each other and laughing, with Lake Tahoe as their backdrop—joy and love captured in a snapshot. Now he would always be forever tan and young.

She had been in a downward spiral ever since...now she clung by her fingernails to a career she'd fought and sacrificed for all these years.

I miss you, Shane, she thought with tears in her eyes.

She shook off the dark thoughts and resumed starting the fire.

"Sierra..." Her name whispered through the house, a memory of Shane saying it so long ago.

A tingle went up her spine, lifting the hairs on the back of her neck, before caressing her skin with a feather-like touch.

Shane's touch.

If only, so many if-onlys.

She poked at the kindling, wishing they had bothered to install a gas fireplace when they'd originally bought the property.

Her cell phone sounded with the horror movie music indicating it was the dreaded Alexander calling again. How many times did she need to hit 'decline' before he got the message? Didn't the man have a life beyond work?

He thought he was some kind of god simply because he was former DEA turned writer. She snorted again and poked at the sticks in the hearth. Ass. Know-it-all. She had a Masters in Creative Writing from Berkley, not to mention three Emmy's on her desk, and an Oscar nomination for a documentary she'd produced. She was a writer, not Alexander Blaine who bragged about 'stumbling into it.'

Ignoring the phone, she started the fire, knelt back on her heels, held her hands up to the warmth, and grinned with satisfaction.

Shane had called her a certifiable city girl. Well, look at her now.

She searched the kitchen for the supplies Mary had stocked before her arrival. Grabbing a bottle of wine, she smiled.

"Mary, you know me too well," she muttered as she turned the bottle around in her hands before reaching for the corkscrew.

"You're so beautiful," Shane's voice echoed through her memory. "I'm the luckiest man in the world to be loved by you."

She squeezed her eyes closed and indulged in remembering him holding her, kissing her, making her believe in fairy tales and love stories.

"I'm here. See me." The voice startled her from indulging. Clear. Deep.

Dropping the corkscrew, she swiveled around and glanced across the room. No one. Only the empty kitchen with its clean marble countertops and gleaming pans met her vision.

"I really am losing my mind," she muttered as she skipped the glass and drank straight from the bottle.

Endless days of work on the set of a hit television series took its toll. The stress of having to mesh with a partner had given her anxiety attacks, not that she'd ever admit that to anyone. In show business, writers were only as good as the ratings of the most recent show. Fickle. Not exactly the safe life in academia she'd once envisioned for herself.

She dropped her iPhone into the stereo after making sure to put it on 'do not disturb', scrolled down to her favorite playlist, and kicked off her shoes. Music filled the room, drowning out any imagined ghost voices. Settling onto the sofa with the bottle nuzzled against her chest, she watched flames snap and crackle.

She could see Shane without closing her eyes. Often she'd imagine seeing him in a crowd, his tall silhouette a head above the others on the street. Sometimes she would see him at their favorite restaurant sitting at the bar while she picked up her take-out after another late night at the office. She'd always do a double take only to find him gone, a figment of her imagination.

Dreams were the most vivid. She would wake up and swear she'd been touched, her skin tingling where she had imagined his fingers to be.

"I miss you so much," she whispered, allowing the tears to fall. She suppressed them most of the time by staying busy and immersed in her career. But now—in this place that had once been their hideaway—emotions bubbled to the surface despite the pills designed to keep them buried. "Without you I'm just a stressed out work-a-holic. No one's ever going to love me like you did."

"You're wrong, Sierra."

She took another swig from the bottle, in a way resenting that she still heard his voice in her head. People nagged at her to snap out of it, let him go, move on; but how was that possible when she saw him in her dreams and heard him in her head?  The therapist told her that it was okay to talk to the deceased, that she could still have conversations if that made her feel better. Of course, she'd neglected to tell the doctor that often she heard a response.

Just my imagination.

"I'm here." Shane's voice.

"If only..."

A surge of energy rushed through her like an electrical shock. She closed her eyes and sighed.

A caress against her lips. She opened her eyes and saw Shane leaning over her. Despite being a lawyer who could wear a suit like an Armani model, he'd had the surfer dude look down to a tee. She grinned at the lock of blond hair falling across his tanned forehead.

"Always too handsome for your own good," she whispered to the image. "I miss you so much."

"I've never left you," he said.

She covered her eyes with her hand and shook her head. "You did, they took you from me, too young, never should have happened..."

"I'm here, Sierra. See me." He touched her hand. She felt it. Heavy. Warm.

Impossible. Too much work and too little sleep had pushed her over the edge, add pills and wine to the mix and everything felt unreal.

"I'm losing everything, you know. I can't function. The show has dropped in ratings despite some damn DEA expert slash pain in my ass who was supposed to save us from going in the ditch. I can't write anymore. Period. I can't do anything anymore, not like I used to, not without you. Now I'm going crazy."

"Believe."

"You're not here."

"I'm here, I've never left you. Look at me. It's taking all I've got to do this."

One finger at a time, she lifted her hand from her eyes. She swallowed disbelief despite the warm energy rippling through her body.

Shane leaned over her, contagious grin in place, body heavy on top of hers. She reached up, simultaneously scared and fascinated. When her fingers touched his hair, she froze.

"I don't believe in ghosts," she whispered.

"I've noticed. Do you know how hard I've been trying to connect with you?"

Frozen with fear yet driven by curiosity, she forced a whisper from her lips, "Why here? Why now?"

"You're so sad, I don't want you to be sad anymore."

Tears slipped from the corners of her eyes despite his words. "How can I not be sad? You were my world."

"That's not true." He kissed her, the touch like a breeze over her lips. "You had it goin' on when I met you, don't you remember? You ignored me because I looked like an uptight lawyer in my suit. You were at that restaurant with all of your artist friends and I couldn't stop staring. You avoided going out with me for a full month, always too busy working. Don't you remember? You never needed me. You wanted me. There's a difference."

She shook her head, unwilling to remember. Hanging onto sorrow had protected her from living without him. She didn't want to remember life pre-Shane...and she didn't want to think about life post-Shane. Limbo felt like a safer place to hide from reality.

Now she had conjured him up from memory; that had to be the only explanation. She'd taken talking to the void a step further.

"You're not real." She touched her fingers to his face even as she said the words.

"Want me to prove it to you?"

She shook her head 'no,' even as her thumb moved along his chin. The energy rippling beneath her fingertips zapped like electrical shocks, rather than a solid form. Maybe she had lost her mind, which was the only explanation she could believe.

"I see you everywhere," she whispered. 

"I am everywhere." His smile made her heart ache with longing.

She slid her fingers over his lips with fascination and relaxed against the sofa cushions. Eyes narrowed, she stared at the image above her. She wanted to believe, but her imagination had gotten her into trouble in the past.

"You're not here," she said. "I just want you to be so badly I'm seeing things."

"Believe."

"You ask a lot."

She closed her eyes and shuddered with the need pulsating through her body. Her hand moved beneath her sweater, fingers tracing over her abdomen before sliding over her bra. Where her hands drifted, ripples of energy followed, creating a trail of sensation over her skin. Desire warmed her blood.

"I miss being loved," she whispered.

"I love you." Shane's voice against her ear. "Let me touch you."

"I wish you could." She ached for him, for the love they had shared, for the laughter, and the partnership.

With a sigh, she set the wine bottle onto the floor and pulled her sweater off. Another shudder went through her body, ripple after ripple of intensity. Closing her eyes to submit to fantasy, she moved her hands over the swell of her breasts.

She felt his lips against her neck, breath against her skin. Shane's blond head bent over her, the familiar scent of his shampoo overwhelming her senses, his voice whispering about how much he loved her.

She missed making love, holding a man against her, tasting him on her tongue, feeling him move between her thighs.

"Believe in this, Sierra. I'm really here," the whispered command made her squirm against the seat and reach for the zipper of her jeans.

But the zipper slid down without her fingers touching it. Her eyes snapped open.

"Is this really happening?" She choked out the words from a throat swollen with fear while her heartbeat raced with hope. 

"Do you want it to be?" He loomed over her, a solid form, yes, but one zapping with an electrical current. "You see me."

"I see you."

He kissed her; energy sizzled between their mouths as he shoved her jeans down her legs. Where he touched, her skin reacted with an intensity born from loneliness and need. 

Rule No. 27 No woman ever made history after ordering a Bahama Mama.

Today, I am honored to announce that THE WHISKEY WOMEN have included me among their members. You may be asking, who are THE WHISKEY WOMEN?
Please read this from their website: 

The Whiskey Women

IT IS TIME TO ENTER INTO THE ERA OF THE WHISKEY WOMEN

An era that breaks free from the paradigm that sets men and whiskey together and sets a new standard for women everywhere.

It is time for us, as women, to come together to connect, share, and discover all things whiskey. It is time to give into our senses, unleash our curious nature, and explore the true Whiskey Woman in each of us. Let us break the stereotypes our way. Let us redefine the norm that has been handed down to us by men. And, most importantly, change the world for women and whiskey.

So, if you are a little daring, incredibly intelligent, cunningly creative, hopelessly witty, or relentlessly progressive, we look for you among our ranks. We need you, the unapologetic badass, to help us revolutionize a culture. A culture in which Whiskey and Women reign supreme. 

We welcome you to the realm of The Whiskey Women.

Rule no. 9 Raise your glass, and your voice, when appropriate

Women have a long history of drinking and played a major role in repealing the 18th Amendment. 

 Rule no. 17 No one ever wrote a great country song about a Long Island Iced Tea

Everyone knows that women and whiskey go back a long way, especially in my home state of Tennessee. 
(No, the woman on the right is not a relative, although the resemblance is uncanny.)

It's the dawn of a new age. Women like to drink and we like to drink whiskey. In the spirit of badassery and adventure, The Whiskey Women have welcomed me with glasses raised high. I greatly look forward to the future hi-jinks to be experienced with my sister kindred spirits as we imbibe eau de vie, the water of life, as it's called.

Rule no. 36 A bigger bottle is just an excuse to invite more friends.

This is a family picture.

Just kidding...
And do not tell Aunt Charlotte about this.

 Look for my upcoming blogs:
 ADVENTURES WITH WHISKEY & BOOKS
as I explore London, whiskey, books and whatever else catches my eye during the upcoming
London Book Fair. I feel certain that a good time will be had by all.

Rule no. 1 Enjoy whiskey.

To learn more about The Whiskey Women, click here.
Remember, if you drink, please drink responsibly. 

What Did I Do With Hilary Mantel & the Wall Street Journal?

A few months ago, my writing collaborator noticed something interesting about the author Hilary Mantel. He sent an email, basically saying...
she connects with her characters much the same way you do. 

Apparently, Ms. Mantel understands the characters she writes about via an almost supernatural connection. Imagine my surprise when the following showed up in the Wall Street Journal's Speakeasy last week. For the new WSJ Book Club, Hilary Mantel chose my question as one of the questions from readers. 

My brush with literary greatness, and I could not be any more delighted!  

Could you share more insight as to how she finds the ‘voice’ of each character? 

Also, your interest in the supernatural is intriguing & I want to know more. — Hunter Jones

To find the voice, I listen! Tudor officials often dictated their letters; it gives us some insight into how they spoke and thought, though most of the preserved letters are on public and not private topics. Mostly you have to work out, from actions, the habits of thought that precede them. Then from the thoughts to the actual words, the quirks of expression, the distinctive tone of each character…. I think what you do is open a space for your guest. You learn to wait. They show up when they’re ready: That is to say, when you know enough, when you’ve learned all you can, when you are mentally prepared. The effort is in the preparation. You cook the feast and lay the table. You hope they’ll stay talking till the small hours.

I think you can’t understand the past unless you can enter, imaginatively, into a mindset which is alien to that of most present-day secular rationalists. The world, to me, appears a very complicated place. I believe that what we can see is only a part of what there is to be seen: that our senses benefit from a bit of stretching: that minds should be exercised, and that reductionism is no fun at all. I try not to judge the people I write about; I just try to be at their disposal, for the while. So if they are Roman Catholics, incense wafts about me. If they are Calvinists, I hope to be one of the Elect. If they believe in ghosts, I am haunted. You must be flexible in this way, it seems to me. If you are fixated on your own experience and judgment, you are not going to be happy as a novelist. The whole point is to become “other,” on a temporary basis, of course. And if you are too absorbed in listening to yourself, your characters will not speak.

It’s like acting. Except that the play may go on for a decade.

Thank you Hilary Mantel for taking the time to explain your writing process. And thank you WSJ for making it easy for readers to connect with our favorite authors. This is better than taking a picture because it is immortalized in print. Here's the entire article. Please take a look. 
http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2014/02/26/wsj-book-club-hilary-mantel-answers-questions-on-wolf-hall/

CONSTRUCTING MARCUS by DANIELLE DEVOR

 

Welcome to the Book Tour & Giveaway for Constructing Marcus by Danielle DeVor. You can find Danielle's complete tour schedule at MythBehaving Book Tours.

Sixteen-year-old ghost hunter, Emma Hoffman thought that moving into an old Victorian was going to be awesome– ghosts galore.

Much to her delight, she discovers that the house is haunted—not by a ghost, but by a construct (a spirit created to be a servant). As she gets to know Marcus, the construct, he asks her to help him avenge his maker and find her killer. Emma’s not too sure this is a good idea, she’s a ghost hunter after all, not a detective, but she agrees to help him anyway.

While trying to discover more information about the killer, Emma begins to have feelings for Marcus- feelings she isn’t ready to admit. Then the sorcerer who killed Marcus’s maker shows up at Emma’s house with an insane plan to capture Marcus and absorb his power- Emma isn’t having it. Marcus is hers.

When the killer performs a spell that begins to steal Marcus’s life force, Emma risks losing him. It’s a race against time for Emma to figure out how to stop the sorcerer and his spell before Marcus fades away and disappears from her life forever.

 

Danielle DeVor

Danielle DeVor spent her early years fantasizing about vampires and watching “Salem’s Lot” way too many times. After living briefly in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, she moved back to her hometown to write. When not writing and reading about weird things, you will find her hanging out at the nearest coffee shop, enjoying a mocha frappuccino.

Danielle has been on a writing roll this year! With the release of Tail of the Devil, Constructing Marcus and Sorrow’s Point she already has three books out.

You can find Tail of the Devil and Sorrow’s Point at Amazon.

 

 

Buy Links for Constructing Marcus

 

     

 

 Giveaway

Win one of two prizes:

ONE - $10 Amazon Gift Card

ONE - eCopt of TAIL OF THE DEVIL by Danielle DeVor

Must be 13+ to enter.

A Rafflecopter Giveaway

 

Danielle's links:

Danielle's Website

Danielle on Twitter

Danielle on Facebook

Danielle on Goodreads

This tour is brought to you by

Dishing with Elodie Parkes about Candy Hearts & The Flower Box

Thank you for inviting me to the blog today with my new release romance books.

The Flower Box and Candy Hearts, are released very close together, February 7 and 14 by Hot Ink Press.

Contemporary, erotic romance, and without my usual twist of paranormal, fantasy or magic, I’ve enjoyed writing these love stories. They are both Valentine’s Day oriented stories, but can be read anytime. Although they fit into the category of erotic romance, because the bedroom door is open, they are classic romance stories with happy endings.

The Flower Box

The Flower Box

Alice longs for love. Oliver wants to give her flowers and candy until he thinks she has another lover. Will his jealously drive him away from Alice or straight into her arms?
Candy Hearts (February 14) a Hot Ink Single

Tom found a new job, but can he find love?
Working in a surf coast hotel seems like the remedy for his previous unhappiness, but as Valentine’s Day approaches, Tom realizes he’s lonely, and looks around for someone to love.

What’s hot about The Flower Box?
Oliver,
• he’s not afraid to admit to Alice that he finds her irresistible
• he’s very sexual and physically strong
• he’s centered, happy with what he does

The story is about two people who could pass you on the street. You might look at Oliver because he’s gorgeous, you might look at Alice because she’s pretty and has an aura of sadness to begin with, but they are real people. Their jobs are not unattainable. There’s no billionaire Cinderella story here. It could happen to you.
What’s hot about Candy Hearts?
• The main female character, she smolders, and Tom the main male character he’s a sexy sweetheart. Tom’s the lovely blue eyed guy next door. He’s a keeper.
• The story because it reflects things that happen in life. Often they don’t get resolved, people pass like ships in the night, in stories we get the happy ending.
*****
Author Interview:
Are you working on another book right now?
I’m working on three books, right now, a contemporary romance that has a mystery thread through it, a contemporary ménage romance, and a contemporary shifter romance.
Naturally, they are all erotic love stories, with HEA. I have to have that in my books
Why do you write the genre?
I want love in the world. I want soft sighs and whispers. I want care and understanding between people. (Utopia I know) I like happy endings. There are so few in real life, it seems to me, and so I write them. I write the hot sex that the characters would fall into when in a loving relationship. Not very politically correct I know, but my characters are physically beautiful (mainly) and I do that on purpose because humans like beauty, they aspire to it, and beautiful people are like flowers for me. They adorn the world with loveliness. Speaking as a heterosexual woman nothing is better than a gorgeous man with a sculpted body and lovely eyes for me. Mmm maybe trees, trees are great, the ocean, that’s fabulous too. Music, music lifts my soul. There you go I’m in love with beauty in general.
What do you enjoy most about writing?
I enjoy the way my characters become so real to me and their worlds that I create. It’s almost magic the way the story setting just unfolds for me. I can actually see the places in my mind. I see the place better than the faces of my characters. I hear my characters and know them, but often their face is not clear. Maybe that’s because I feel their heart and know that readers will assign a different face to them according to their imagination.

What do you like the least?
Marketing. It’s so time consuming and quite soul destroying when you’d rather be writing. I always thought that publishers helped with marketing, that’s hardly true at all. (Smiles)

Would you like to see any of your books as movies?
None of them. I’d be there fussing about the script staying true to the book, or the casting, especially the casting. (Laughs).

What things do you like to do to relax?
I find writing relaxing, but I also like to get out into the countryside near where I live. I enjoy visiting the historic places across the country too. I read, watch movies and I love music. I’m often singing along with something as I drive.

Do you have another job as well as writing?
Yes, I have to. I work for an antiques emporium.

If you could have one super power in your existence, what would it be?
It would have to be healing.

What makes you cry?
Cruelty. To people, but cruelty to animals is the worst for me. Animals are so innocent. When I see dogs that have been abused I always cry, because I know dogs feel the same emotions as humans. It’s the same for any animal I see that’s been abused, I just weep. Many animals have been assigned lesser status than human beings and now scientists are discovering they are highly intelligent, communicative, highly sensed beings in the same way humans are.

What makes you laugh?
Not a lot these days (smiles)

If money were no object, where would you most like to live?
I live in the country I want to, maybe I’d move down the coast to Cornwall or Devon where the surf coast is.

What kind of car would you have if money was no object?
I have the car I want. I’m a Jeep person and always drive them.

What’s your favorite food?
Fruits and potatoes, (cooked any way.)

Favorite color?
I have two I love, oh wait three, blue, purple and green. (All the shades of each) I love color.

Can you think of a song or piece of music that could be your theme tune?
I used to say Coldplay: Speed of Sound, now I think maybe its Primitive Radio God, ‘Standing Outside A Broken Phone Booth With Money In My Hand’
One half verse sticks in my mind so vividly,
A life is time, they teach us growing up
The seconds ticking killed us all
A million years before the fall
I feel we are bound by time, societally constructed time, and it’s so controlling and restrictive.

Just answer these questions as quickly as possible.
Chocolate or vanilla?
Neither, I like lemon and orange
Dog or cat?
Dog and cat and horse and there’s an owl in the woods near where I live that I’m fond of.
The film or the book?
both (sorry)
Jeans or skirt?
jeans, but sometimes little black dress
Beach or Snow resort?
countryside and beach
Heels or flats?
Boots, depends where I’m going if they are heeled or flat
Stockings or pantyhose?
Stockings, love them
Top or bottom?
Er…both if I can get it…
Is there anything you would like to say to your readers?
Thank you for reading my books. I write from the heart so you get a piece of it every time you read one of my stories. (Smiles)



Characters Interview

Welcome to Oliver and Tom, Oliver stars in The Flower Box and Tom in Candy Hearts
Oliver, tell us something about Alice, how would you describe her in a few words?

Alice is just great. She’s the love of my life so I’m biased in my opinion I guess you know. She’s brave, capable, and independent. She likes the park and water. She’s very pretty, slender, intelligent, kind, and generous, and she treats everyone and thing well. She’s great at her job and runs her own business. She’s sexy. (He grins)

Tom, describe your loved one in a few words. (Tom’s asked us not to give away her name, when you read the story you’ll know why)
Very sexy, giving, clever, thoughtful, a great lover, knows what she wants or needs to do and goes for it. She’s full of surprises, she loves me, and she works hard at her jobs. I couldn’t live without her now.

So guys tell the readers about how you met the leading ladies in your stories.
Tom: I met my love in a coffee shop. She was a waitress. On one occasion, she gave me a look that nearly melted the chair I was sitting on besides parts of me touching it. (laughs)
Oliver: I met her in person in a flower and candy shop. I’d seen her before but not close up.
Can you describe when you first knew you were in love?
Oliver tell us about when you knew you loved Alice.
It might be a spoiler if I told all. I thought I’d lost her, that woke me up with a jolt. (smiles)
What about you Tom?
It was hard to let myself fall in love, I think I loved her very soon though and just pushed it away.
Is there anything you would have changed about the story, your name, job, story setting, anything?

Tom: I’ve never thought about that. I don’t mind my name and in the story I get to change jobs. I used to hate what I did so that was great. The setting goes with the job, and is a cool place, I think.

Oliver: I like my name. I love my job. It’s not what I set out to do when I went to college, but it’s great. The setting for the story wouldn’t be able to change, that’s where I work and where Alice works, and where we live, plus it’s a cool city. (smiles)

Will each of you choose an excerpt from the story that you enjoy?
Oliver: Is there a rating level on your blog? Mine has to be a love scene.
Tom: Mine too. (laughs)

Just choose what you want, and thank you both for coming along today.
Oliver: Thank you. It’s been fun.
Tom: I’ve enjoyed meeting you, so thank you.


Excerpt from The Flower Box 18+ rated

Alice took him down the narrow alley that led to the back of her shop. Halfway down there Oliver stopped. He guessed she was taking him home to bed, but the kisses they’d shared ignited a need in him that was surprising. He had to kiss her again right then.
Alice turned to him as he stopped walking. The small white walkway lights shone on her hair.
Oliver’s cock stirred as he pulled her close. He found her mouth and grazed her bottom lip with his as he closed his eyes. He pushed her back against the wall, then took her hands and held them down locking his fingers with hers. He slid his tongue against her lips until she opened her mouth. The feel of her hips against him made him sigh. Oliver kissed her as his cock hardened and strained against his jeans. He pressed the hard column against her stomach.
Her moan reached his ears as he kissed down her neck.
He wanted to suck her soft skin and feel her pussy around his fingers. He let go of her hands to lift her skirt.
She pressed her neck against his face as he sucked.
He pulled her skirt up around her waist and kissed up to her ear. “I want you,” he whispered into her ear and she gasped. Oliver pushed her pantyhose down around her thighs. He kissed her lips, and felt her part them to moan as he slid his hand between her legs. She was wet and his cock jerked. His breath came in short gasps as he pushed two fingers into her pussy. The feel of her inner muscles around his fingers sent a spike of sensation through his cock. He thought he’d come right then as his hips thrust in response to her opening her legs wider for his hand. He murmured against her mouth. “You feel so good. I can’t wait to get you home.”
Alice kissed him. “Let’s go. I’m desperate for you.”
Her words made his cock leak. He wondered if he could make it to her car. He took his fingers from her pussy and lingered with his fingertips against her clit.
She held his shoulders and kissed him hard.
Oliver took his fingers from her clit and rested his face against hers. “Sorry, Alice, does anyone else use this path?”
Her voice was low as she answered against his cheek. “Not usually.”
He hugged her. “That’s good.” He moved from her
She made a little sound as he pulled her pantyhose up.
He held her face and kissed her tenderly. “Let’s go.”
*****
Copyright Elodie Parkes 2014

Excerpt from Candy Hearts 18+

Candy Hearts

She watched him closely.
Tom saw her gaze trace his mouth, then his body. The atmosphere between them charged as she broadcast attraction signals. He edged his hand along the tabletop so that he might touch hers when she reached for her water glass.
It happened as they stared at each other.
Tom’s cock hardened as the prickle of desire flew along his arm from her touch. He saw her eyes darken and she leaned into him. He took hold of her hand then, locking fingers with hers. He had to kiss her. He raised his other hand, slid it gently along her cheek, and brought her head to his.
The kiss was devastatingly sexy. His cock, rock hard now, pushed at his suit pants. Sky’s lips parted for his tongue. He kissed her, and the steady hum of the restaurant guests’ chatter receded. Surrounded by the scent of her silky hair and softness of her skin, Tom took his time. He held her head to his until he felt her try to move from the kiss, away from him. He let her end the kiss, but he tightened his grip on her hand. As he lifted his head he realized their food had arrived and the server waited by the table for them to end the kiss. He smiled and let go of her hand.
She smiled too leaning back so that the plate could be placed on the table in front of her.
As they ate little bites of their steaks, Tom again asked for her real name.
He swallowed. “I’d love to know your name. Seriously, after that kiss, I can’t keep calling you Sky.” He saw her hesitate, and then she answered.
*****
Copyright Elodie Parkes 2014

About the author:
Elodie Parkes is a British author writing romance, erotic, contemporary, and often with a twist of mystery, paranormal or suspense. Her books are always steamy, cool stories and hot love scenes.
Elodie lives in Canterbury with her two dogs. She works in an antique shop by day and writes at night, loving the cloak of silent darkness that descends on the rural countryside around her home.
Elodie writes for, Hot Ink Press, Moon Rose Publishing, Eternal Press, and Evernight
She has also released titles as an individual indie author.

Find Elodie online: Blog Tumblr Facebook Twitter Google + Pinterest YouTube Amazon USA Amazon UK Smashwords Barnes and Noble ARe Bookstrand Evernight Manic Readers The Romance Reviews