Hey everyone! I'm a little on the melancholy side of things today as I get ready to go back into the endocrinologist. I have about a month till my next scan, and getting there won't be easy. But...I'm going to try to stay positive--and when I can't, I'll be offline. So, if you notice that I'm not out and about much this month, don't worry--I'm just not that good of company. :)
We had a really good weekend. My hubby had an aunt that turned eighty and we went to her big celebration. It was hot-hot-hot, and I don't mean with like naked men laying around the pool. I think we had record breaking heat this past weekend. Gah. Texas. And yesterday, I spent most of the day grilling or watching LA Ink on Netflix. I'm fascinated by these chicks.
Oh! And, I got a new car! The best ever. I'm no longer a mini-van driving mom. :) I have a snazzy mini-suv in the Honda,CRV. It's so super cool with all kind of gadgets and tricks that will take me weeks to figure out. :) Next up, I want to surprise my hubby with a truck. But first, I need to get all these medical expenses paid off.
I'm still trying to get through revisions on my latest book and have a new story idea for a short. :P Awesome fun. How have you all been? Read any amazing books lately? For all my writing friends, if you had a new release since we last spoke, please share a link! :)
5/15/2013
I Love a Flawed Hero
I love a flawed hero in a romance novel. Too many times, the
hero is nothing short of perfect, with his flowing muscles, sparkling eyes, and
take-charge attitude. Don't get me wrong, all those things are sexy. But if the
guy is flawless, not only is his character unbelievable, but he doesn't leave
any room for the heroine to grow, change, and take care of herself.
Why can't the heroine save the hero sometimes, too? I'm all
about a strong woman who falls for the man, not because she needs him, but
because she wants him. And if her strengths compliment his weaknesses, they're
an even stronger couple in the end.
In To Catch a Spirit, Logan
has an empathic psychic ability that he can't control. He feels everyone else's
emotions…all the time. He can't shut it out. His psychic "gift" is a
curse in his eyes. To make matters worse, his ability triggers his OCD, leaving
him counting and cleaning until he collapses from exhaustion.
That's where Allison steps in. She's also an empath, as well
as a medium. She's developed her gift and learned to control it, which is
exactly what Logan needs help with. Their relationship grows stronger
throughout the story as Logan helps her overcome her fear of ghosts, and
Allison teaches him to block out the incessant chatter of strangers' emotions.
To me, a hero's flaws make him more endearing and more real.
Title: To Catch A Spirit
Author: Carrie Pulkinen
Genre: Paranormal
Heat
Rating: 2
Publisher: Breathless Press
Formats
Available In: Print
Word
Count: 93,868
Blurb: A psychic who's afraid of ghosts and a millionaire with a haunted
past and a hidden power find that only love can catch a spirit. With love, all
things are possible—especially if you need to catch a Spirit.
Psychic Allison Dupuis has a soft spot for
Logan Mitchell, even though she's never met him. All it takes is one encounter
for the millionaire's true emotions to slip through Allison's shields, and she
is intrigued. He needs her help, but Allison soon discovers that the kind of
help Logan needs is the kind she isn't willing to give. Logan has a ghost, and
Allison doesn't work with spirits anymore.
But the ghost is the least of Logan's
problems. Born an empath, Logan is constantly barraged with human emotions. And
while his talent has come in handy in the business world, it's about to drive
him insane. Literally. Logan has OCD, and his ability triggers unbearable
attacks that have him counting and cleaning until he collapses from exhaustion.
Sex and money. That's all anyone wants from
him. Even worse, he's plagued with recurring visions of his future wife's
death, so Logan has spent his entire life avoiding love. He's given up hope of
ever having a normal life, until he meets Allison. She's everything he's ever
dreamed of, and now he has to decide if loving her is worth risking her life.
If she'll even have him. Allison's lost too
much already — her mother to cancer, her father to suicide. But, Logan is so
charming and so real, she can't help but fall for him. Now she has to overcome
her fear of commitment...and ghosts...or face spending the rest of her life
alone.
Book
Links:
Excerpt:
She sensed them as they drew closer to
her—many different spirits, their energy buzzing on varying frequencies.
"One at a time, guys. Please."
she said. But they didn't listen. These were the spirits of the mentally ill,
after all. Taking turns wasn't their concern, and they all rushed her. She felt
their presence closing in on her like an avalanche, and she was consumed. Every
mental illness imaginable was thrown into her psyche as she tightened her grip
on Gage's hand and slumped down in her chair.
"Allison! Allison, are you okay?"
Gage's voice was a distant echo as she fought to hold on to herself. She was
slipping. Sliding into the depths of despair and the spirits were pulling her
down.
"It's... No... There's a light... You
need to... You need to go to it." She tried to help the spirits cross
over, but they wouldn't listen. There were too many. Twenty at least, and they
were so consumed by their own illnesses they thought of nothing else. Paranoia,
depression, anxiety. Allison felt it all, and it was going to kill her. The
pressure. So hard to breath. Her hands cradled her head as the migraine
overtook her. Sharp, pounding pain had her crumpled on the floor as she drew
her knees into her chest and rocked back and forth.
"Make it stop. Please, just make it
stop." She was paralyzed. Frozen by the anguish of the tortured souls that
forced themselves upon her. Hot tears streamed down her face and blood trickled
from her nose. She gasped for air as she heard a faint voice call, "Get
her out of here!"
About
The Author:
Carrie Pulkinen has always been fascinated
with the paranormal. Of course, when you grow up next door to a cemetery, the
dead (and the undead) are hard to ignore. Pair that with her passion for
writing and her father's insatiable love for monster movies, and you've got the
perfect recipe for an exciting storyteller.
When she's not writing stories of amazing
sex with devilishly handsome men, Carrie likes to read, take pictures, and play
with her kids. She also enjoys hearing from her readers, who can write to her
at carrie.pulkinen@hotmail.com.
If you enjoyed this story, Sweet Release, her first published work
is also available from Breathless Press.
5/13/2013
Updates: Cattle Riding and Mother's Day?
I thought I'd pop in and say hello to everyone. :) It's been a while since I've posted. I've had so many great friends on lately.
I hope all of you mommies out there had a fantastic Mother's Day. Mine was great! Very peaceful and relaxing. And, I had all my chickies at home with me for the day. Awesome!
Saturday before Mother's Day, the hubby and I drove down to help pack up our oldest and bring her home for the summer. She goes to college in Kerrville--an absolutely beautiful area. After we had her loaded, she went to the graduation and planned on meeting us in Fredricksburg. We were going to do a bit of shopping until she got there. Well, we ended up stopping at a peach stand and then hunting down the infamous Luckenbach, TX.
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Here's my handsome hubby having a beer. :) To say that this place was not what I expected is putting it mildly. I felt like we'd stepped back about 60 years and stumbled upon a commune for bikers. But everyone was really nice and the scenery is beautiful. My hubby fit right in. My lil' country boy.
And yes, that is a man riding a long horn. Evidently, it's a great attraction here. I've never seen anything like it.
So, as you can see, Saturday was a busy day with an eight hour drive, but Sunday was awesome. :) I'm still wrapping up the last minute preps for Drowning and I'll have more news on that book for you soon.
I hope you all have an awesome week! Oh, and if you have a moment, let me know if your weekend was interesting in any way!
I hope all of you mommies out there had a fantastic Mother's Day. Mine was great! Very peaceful and relaxing. And, I had all my chickies at home with me for the day. Awesome!
Saturday before Mother's Day, the hubby and I drove down to help pack up our oldest and bring her home for the summer. She goes to college in Kerrville--an absolutely beautiful area. After we had her loaded, she went to the graduation and planned on meeting us in Fredricksburg. We were going to do a bit of shopping until she got there. Well, we ended up stopping at a peach stand and then hunting down the infamous Luckenbach, TX.
And yes, that is a man riding a long horn. Evidently, it's a great attraction here. I've never seen anything like it.
So, as you can see, Saturday was a busy day with an eight hour drive, but Sunday was awesome. :) I'm still wrapping up the last minute preps for Drowning and I'll have more news on that book for you soon.
I hope you all have an awesome week! Oh, and if you have a moment, let me know if your weekend was interesting in any way!
5/10/2013
Your Label: Embrace it or Hate it
In my day job I’m referred to as a Green Queen. It’s a title that I love and hate. On one hand, it gets old fast when people put a plastic bottle in the trash just to point out that they didn’t recycle it. Or come me you with every single possible environmental infraction they observe. It makes me want to go far away and hide.
On the other hand, I like it when people appreciate the environmental work I do. It’s great helping a business learn ways to reach their sustainability goals. And the improvements to air and water I make have a direct impact where I live.
I’m willing to bear the annoyances that come with the “Green Queen” label because the pros outweigh the cons. But what about when the labels put on a person aren’t well balanced? Sometimes a person can be slapped with a label that has few pros if any. I once had a guy change his opinion about me because of the person I was seeing, but not seeing, at the time (if you know what I mean). Before the guy viewed me as a “good” girl, but after learning of my not quite relationship he said I was just pretending to be a good girl. One revelation changed everything he knew of me as a person. I’ll never forget when he said that, or how his changing view both upset and angered me.
Labels have the power to help, or hurt your reputation. It’s a situation that I get into with the characters in my novel, A Heart to Heal. My heroine, Shayla Monroe, has dealt with the label of a being promiscuous for most of her life. My hero, Devin Jones, is viewed as a good guy and pillar of the community. The way they are viewed by the community is one of the things that make it hard for them to be together. While Shayla is trying to avoid Devin to save her reputation, Devin could care less about ruining his in order to be with her.
In the end they both realize that it doesn’t matter what others think, what matters is how they feel about each other. I had to learn this lesson after the guy gave me a different label. If I don’t like the label, I live my life and hope my actions prove the opposite. If I like it I have to embrace the good and the bad. I try to remember this whenever someone asks me for the 100th time where they can recycle a CFL light bulb.
Good or bad, the only label that matters is the one you put on yourself. Tell me what do you think about labels put on people, or if you love or hate a label someone has given you.
A Heart to Heal Blurb
Now a devastatingly handsome and well-respected man, Devin Jones became a successful doctor as a way to forget Shayla’s betrayal. When she returns as infamously as she left, he plans to put aside old feelings and treat her as any other person in town. But after looking into her soft brown eyes, the feelings he thought long dead quickly rush to the surface.
Ignoring rumors, disapproval from family and friends, and promises to avoid each other, the two become friends ... then lovers. Devin wants all or nothing, but Shayla, haunted by her past, is afraid their relationship will damage what’s left of her reputation. Can two broken hearts survive the fight against past and present demons to heal and find love?
Author Bio:
Synithia Williams has enjoyed romance novels since she was 13 years old, so it’s no surprise that she began writing her own. When she isn’t reading or writing, she’s working on sustainability initiatives in the Midlands of South Carolina. She lives with her husband, Eric, and two boys.
Website: www.synithiawilliams.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/@synithiaw
Facebook: www.facebook.com/synithiarwilliams
5/08/2013
Interview with Regency Author, Regan Walker!
Please help me welcome the talented, Regan Walker, to the blog! I'm very excited to share this interview with you.
How did you get
started writing?
I began a few years ago as a reader, an avid fan really, of
historical romance. (I know, I was a bit late in discovering it!) I was talking
to my best friend about a certain story I was reading and how I would have
changed it and she said, “You should write one!” When I told her I could often
see scenes in my head that foreshadowed the events in the books I was reading,
she said, “You are an author!” I dedicated my first novel, Racing With The Wind, to her because she was really the motivating
force. And, with her permission, I modeled the best friend, Elizabeth, after
her.
That is so sweet! I'm she was overwhelmed with joy to see you reaching for your dreams!
What is your favorite
part of writing?
Conceiving the idea for the story and the characters and the
research. Usually, before I write, I have the “big picture” in mind and I’ve
done a lot of research on the time period, specific incidents, people and
places (even for my short stories). Often I know the ending. Right now I’m
writing the third in my Regency trilogy, Wind
Raven, and although it begins in London, much of it takes place on a
schooner and in the Caribbean in 1817. I had to do an intense study of the
sailing ships of the era, including life aboard ship. And, because I always
have some real life persons along with my fictional characters, I did a lot of
research on the pirates operating at the time. It is fascinating!
Oh, I love pirates. I remember reading almost every pirate historical I could find back in the early 90s. :)
What is your least
favorite part of writing?
For me, the “mire of the middle” is the challenge. It’s
where the most difficult task of weaving history into the fictional romance
comes in and where I have to develop and sustain realistic conflict between the
heroine and hero—and I have to keep it interesting! I have found that somewhere
in the middle is when I start drinking 3 cups of tea and downing a full bar of
chocolate every day. Then, as the tale emerges, it’s like coming out of a dark
tunnel into the light. Very satisfying.
I have trouble with the middle, too. I usually do really good for the first 100 pages and the last 50. You just mentioned
the magic word—chocolate—what’s your favorite?
It has to be dark chocolate for me, and I prefer the
European kind as it has less sugar. Currently I favor the Ritter Sport Bar from
Germany…the dark chocolate one with whole hazelnuts. I discovered it on a
business trip to Germany several years ago and I love it. Goes really well with
my Jasmine Green Tea, too!
What is your next
project and when will it be released?
Well, my latest novel, Against
The Wind was just released in late March. It’s the second in the Agents of the Crown trilogy (Racing With The Wind is the first) and
tells the story of Sir Martin Powell, the spy in for the Crown in France during
Napoleon’s reign who returns to England for one last assignment. He meets his
love in a bordello. I also did a short story for Valentine’s Day/St. Patrick’s
Day, The Shamrock & The Rose. The
hero is an Irish barrister.
You can see the trailers for my first and second novels on
my website (http://www.reganwalkerauthor.com/novels.html).
The third in the trilogy, Wind Raven,
the one I mentioned that takes place on a schooner and in the Caribbean, is the
one I’m writing now. It’s my current project, so I don’t think it will be
released until late 2013.
What genres are you
drawn to as a reader?
Not surprisingly, historical romance…all subgenres, all time
periods. I do read some paranormal from a few favorite authors (DB Reynolds, JD
Robb and Kresley Cole) but I’m not really fond of contemporaries (though I did
love Judith McNaught’s Paradise trilogy) or fantasy. My Regan’s Romance Reviews blog (http://reganromancereview.blogspot.com), is dedicated to lovers of historical romance. I feature favorite
authors, book reviews (only the ones I rate 4 and 5 stars) and “Best Lists.” I
like the deep ones, the keepers. I read used books, new eBooks for Kindle and
everything in between. If I hear of a good one, I’ll go hunting for it. Sometimes
I’ve even paid a premium for a used copy (as I did for the classic The Windflower and Bride of the MacHugh—both 5-star romances). And then authors send me
their books to review, too. I am told I’m one of Amazon’s top reviewers with a
91% helpful rating and over 500 reviews of romance novels. I try to help other
readers find the good ones.
What do you have
planned for the future?
When the trilogy is done, I have the prequel to write, To Tame the Wind. Set in the late 18th
century, it will be the story of the parents of the heroes in Against The Wind and Wind Raven (brothers). It’s only a
concept now, but I think it will be fun. The hero is an English privateer and
the heroine’s father is a French pirate. It will begin in prerevolutionary
France with Captain Simon Powell abducting the French pirate’s daughter, Claire
Donet. Readers who finish my trilogy will know it’s coming. I’ve dropped lots
of hints, especially in the third book that I’m writing now.
Then, I will return to a medieval I’m half done with (I
stopped work to finish the trilogy). I’ve already had two requests from agents
who have seen the first few chapters. It’s titled The Red Wolf’s Prize and tells the story of a Norman knight. I
always wanted to write a William the Conqueror story with an alpha male hero
and a worthy heroine. There will be lots of history in that one set in England
in 1067, and some wonderful characters, including an old French wise man who
foresees the Wolf’s future.
Do you have any words
of inspiration for aspiring authors?
Yes, join a critique group whose members are committed to
getting published. Then when your book is finished get a few “beta reads.”
Typically critiques focus on the “trees” like sentence structure, word usage
and dialog—and your critique partners are seeing your work in 20-page
installments. To see the “forest” you need a beta read (from different people,
not your critique partners) when the book is complete or nearly complete. A
beta read gives you the big picture not a full book critique. It looks at
whether your story holds the reader’s interest, whether the plot is believable,
whether the characters are real. And, if the story needs changes, what changes
the beta reader recommends. To me that is invaluable. I’ll
make all the changes I need to in order to make my story better. Beta reads are
wonderful filters that all authors should make use of to make sure their
stories and characters will appeal to readers. I do beta read exchanges for a
few authors and I put a lot of work into them. The ones I get from them make my
work better, too.
My other piece of advice is not to
overdo the contest thing. Yeah, it’s nice to have feedback but I never found
the judges’ input as good as my critique partners. Some of it was needlessly
discouraging. One new author who asked me to read her novel was still entering
contests (“for feedback”) and I told her the novel was 5-star quality and she
should just publish the damn thing. She’s still entering contests. Can’t see it
myself. Waste of time for someone who is that good. The last contest I entered
had two judges whose comments were diametrically opposed to each other (one
loved my prologue and one told me to trash it). That told me I’d outgrown the
contest thing. Besides, who are these judges anyway? Some aren’t even
published.
Regan’s links:
Regan’s author site: http://www.reganwalkerauthor.com
Buy Link for Against
the Wind: http://www.amazon.com/Against-Wind-Agents-Crown-ebook/dp/B00BXIJ6QM
5/06/2013
Blind Attraction Cover Reveal with @edensummers1
Coming on May 28th, the first book in the Reckless Beat rock star series.
Book Blurb
He can seduce with a single glance.
Peering down at a sea of fans, rock star, Mitchell Davies can’t deny the innocent beauty of a woman in the front row. He’ll stop at nothing to get to know her. When a public altercation leaves her weak and defenseless, he takes the opportunity to be her savior.
She’s been sheltered from the world.
Alana Shelton wants to spread her wings and experience life away from her restrictive upbringing. But she isn’t prepared for a gorgeous stranger to sweep her off her feet while at her most vulnerable.
Attraction will bring them together, but their pasts will try to tear them apart.
He wants to teach her how to trust, but she’ll show him how to love. In a glamorous world of rock-and-roll, only time will tell if they’re up for the challenge.
Links
Giveaway
I am giving away three ADVANCED EBOOK COPIES of Blind Attraction. First prize will also receive this gorgeous beaded purse charm valued at $10 and made by Swagmaster Designs.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Book Blurb
He can seduce with a single glance.
Peering down at a sea of fans, rock star, Mitchell Davies can’t deny the innocent beauty of a woman in the front row. He’ll stop at nothing to get to know her. When a public altercation leaves her weak and defenseless, he takes the opportunity to be her savior.
She’s been sheltered from the world.
Alana Shelton wants to spread her wings and experience life away from her restrictive upbringing. But she isn’t prepared for a gorgeous stranger to sweep her off her feet while at her most vulnerable.
Attraction will bring them together, but their pasts will try to tear them apart.
He wants to teach her how to trust, but she’ll show him how to love. In a glamorous world of rock-and-roll, only time will tell if they’re up for the challenge.
Links
Giveaway
I am giving away three ADVANCED EBOOK COPIES of Blind Attraction. First prize will also receive this gorgeous beaded purse charm valued at $10 and made by Swagmaster Designs.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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