Two years ago one of my publishers went out of business and that meant the abandonment of four of my stories.  Initially I was quite excited about rewriting and resubmitting them to new publishers. Alas, I was quite naïve about what goes into a total and complete rewrite of a previously finished book. WARNING: IT IS NOT FUN! In fact I can say unequivocally and without a doubt that I never want to do it again because I hate, hate, hated doing it.

I hope I did get my point across. Yes, rewriting a book is a bear of a project. It zaps your creativity and you start to even question whether you have talent as an author any more. Rewriting my first book, The Spirit of Christmas, for resubmission is something I chalk up to experience now. It was a very sweet holiday novella coming in at 23,000 words. When I finished it, there was more of an edge to it and totaled out at 35,000 words. This was a complete rewrite. As in word choices, sentence structure, deepening of the POV, addition of a character and a twisting of the plot. Oh, yeah, it was a lot of work.  And I highly doubt I will ever attempt something like this ever again.

Rewriting this book was such a chore because I’d learned a lot about writing in the last four years and it needed a total revamp. Resubmitting a book can be much easier if your prose and text is in good order, but this one needed work. I am happy I took on the project (looking back). I resubmitted it to a new publishing house and it’s now available with a new name, new publisher and a new cover. It’s good to know that all that hard work was worthwhile.

I have also resubmitted another story of mine that was previously published with that first publisher. It was a short sweet story in a winter themed anthology. I took this 4000 word story and doubled the length. The name of the story is Snow Kissed now with White Rose Publishing. Rewriting Snow Kissed was a completely different experience. First of all the story was great just the way it was. I just made a few minor adjustments to the manuscript in a technical sense so that it read smoother. Then I added to it and made it into an Inspirational including the addition of a couple other characters. It turned out great and there were no tears involved. Obviously, I worked on this one before the creativity-sucking project of which I alluded to above.

Although I really did detest rewriting my Christmas book, I am so glad that I did stick with it and finish it up. It is a much better book than what was originally published and I happy to offer it this Christmas with pride. With so many books becoming orphans these days and publishing houses closing, authors have to make a decision about whether to put these older stories to rest or if there is still an interest and a marketable reason to rewrite them and resubmit. I wish everyone well in their decisions. It’s a lot of hard work but I think worth it in the end.

Now for a Christmas Present:

I’m running a Christmas contest ending December 21^st.

To enter: view the book trailer for All I Want for Christmas and email me at contest@cindykgreen.com. In the email, list at least one gift that Kathryn received from her Secret Santa. Enter each month for a chance to win.

What will you win? A pdf copy of my best selling historical western from Champagne Books, The Heart Never Lies, as well as some Bath & Body Works goodies and a special chocolate treat—specifically the kind of chocolate my heroine in All I Want for Christmas craves each and every day. If you already own The Heart Never Lies, I’ll send you a copy of the sequel, Listen to Your Heart, when it releases in January.

Blurb for All I Want for Christmas:

Best Friends or True Love? Only Santa Knows.

Kathryn Graham hates Christmas. She hates the snow, the decorations, the whole nine yards. Nick Pringle on the other hand can’t get enough of the season. He may be her best friend and fellow writer at Redburn Weekly Magazine, but sometimes his exuberance gets on her very last nerve. Now they’ve been assigned to cover the orphan toy drive story. It’s just a puff piece not the serious journalism Kathryn hopes for, but maybe—as Nick says—there are no old stories just new angles.

Nick Pringle has been in love with Kathryn practically since the day they met. When he realizes that she’s lost her Christmas spirit, he figures he’s just the guy to help her find it again. He enacts a plan to send her anonymous gifts from Secret Santa, but will any of this really make a difference in her? Will she ever see him as anything more than her smart-aleck partner even after their passionate kisses? Then again maybe he’ll get what he wants for Christmas after all.

Excerpt:

Outside the air remained chilly, forcing the use of a coat, but it was still fine December weather. Kathryn wrapped a scarf around her neck as she walked down the street with Nick. The last time they’d been together, she’d held his hand and it had felt so comforting. For some reason today, she felt at a loss with him walking several inches away from her. There was something building between them and if she didn’t do something about it—it would only get worse.

Emboldening herself, she grabbed Nick’s arm and wrapped her hands around it. His eyes dropped to hers and filled with puzzlement. She could imagine the thoughts going through his head—like ‘what was on her mind now?’ Or ‘what am I in for this time?’

She parted her lips and smiled at him. “Don’t you just love Christmas, Nick?” She waited to see how he’d react to her using his words from last week. The same words she’d rebuffed at that time and now understood so much better.

“Christmas? Isn’t that just about commercialization?” He smiled as he threw her own words back at her with a grin.

“And where did you ever hear such a horrible thought, Nick Pringle?” She filled her voice with feigned reproach.

They shared a smile as they continued down Main Street. A little thrill moved in Kathryn’s chest. This felt right; it felt good. The friendship she had with Nick could never be replaced. She glanced at the store windows decorated for the season. It reminded her of shopping with her mother and sister as they looked for Christmas gifts for her father. It was one of only a few fond memories she shared with her family. Soon after that Christmas, her parents divorced and her life fell apart.

Kathryn studied Nick’s face again, his raised cheeks and straight nose, rounded just perfectly at the end. He tilted his head at her and formed his lips into a closed smile. Never had she encountered such understanding and empathy in anyone until she met Nick Pringle. He oozed kindness and warmth and yet he had a teasing kind of personality when he wanted to use it. It’s why they got along together. He was easy-going and she was wound tighter than a toy top. But he could dish out the sarcasm when necessary. It kept the friendship interesting and fresh. More than that, he made her feel safe—as if she could tell him anything.

“Nick, did I ever tell you my father left my mother the day after Christmas when I was twelve?”

Concern etched Nick’s face and his eyes grew soft. “No, you never did.”

Kathryn curved her mouth to one side and sighed. Then she faced forward, letting go of Nick’s arm and shoving her ungloved hands into her coat pockets. “I can still remember what he said when he left. Lorraine and I were in the living room still figuring out all the gifts Daddy had thrust upon us the day before, when he came down the stairs with his suitcase. He said, ‘Marion, I promised to stay until Christmas, but Christmas is over. I’m leaving now.’”

“That’s unbelievable.” His arm slid around her shoulders and she didn’t shrug him off as she usually would. Instead she snuggled close to him and rested her face against the softness of his overcoat.

“My mother tried to get him to stay, but he left anyway. He didn’t even say goodbye to me or my sister. I started thinking about that the other day, and I realized that it is because of how my father left us that I hate Christmas.”

“You never hated Christmas.”

She raised her eyes up to his. “I did.” A sob caught in her throat. “I hated Christmas.

Available at Champagne Books (just reduced to 2.99), All Romance e-books and Amazon.

Join my Newsletter this month as I’m sending out a FREE READ Prequel to All I Want for Christmas. How Kat & Nick first met.

Stop by my website to learn more about my Christmas Contest.

****

Cindy K. Green is a multi-published author with degrees in History and Education. Previously a middle school English & History teacher, she now homeschools her own children and writes in several genres: Inspirational, Contemporary, YA, Suspense and Historical romance. Find out more about Cindy and her books at www.cindykgreen.com. You can also visit her on her Blog. In addition, she has a Homeschooling Blog and a Teen Fiction Blog. She can be reached by email at cindy@cindykgreen.com. She’s on Myspace Facebook Twitter and Twitter for her YA friends. And she has a Newsletter.

As defined by me, the author  . . .

I thought it would be fun to share the 5 questions I wish interviewers would ask…because they’d be so easy to answer.  Yep, sometimes, you just want easy. LOL

1.  What did you have for dinner last night?

You notice I did not ask what we planned for dinner tonight, because that?  Is a hard question.  But in fact, it took me a few seconds to remember what we ate last night because my brain was flying along the African Savannah.  Oh, did I mention my current WIP (Close Quarters) is set in Zimbabwe?  Anyway, dinner last night…oh, right grilled steak (yes, Hubcap is so macho he grills in the middle of winter).

2.  How many children do you have?

Oh…hmm…okay, not so easy.  Three, but we have two Koren young men that lived with us for three years we consider our sons, though they have wonderful family back in South Korea.

3.  What’s your favorite color?

Yellow, for everything but what I wear.  It makes me look like my liver is failing.  Sigh…but I love the color of sunshine.

4.  Who is the last author you read?

See how this is not the favorite author question, because the answer to that one is too long.  Last author I read?  Josh Lanyon.  Current top of my TBR pile is Christine Feehan.  There, two answers for the price of one.

5.  How many pairs of socks do you have?

Oh, wait, that’s a hard one…it’s almost as bad as asking how many pens are on my desk.

5.  What color are the walls in your office?

Yellow.  Okay, so maybe that was cheating, but easy, see?

LOL, sometimes my brain just doesn’t want to think.

5.  Can we see the book trailer for Moon Awakening, your Feb 2nd release?  Those medieval Scottish werewolves are just so sexy!

Why sure!  Here it is: 

So, wanna know the hardest interview questions to answer?

Who is your favorite character from one of your books?

This is like asking which of my children is my favorite.  I’m not stupid, if I say the wrong one I’m going to end up with baking soda in my chamomile tea.  Okay, maybe not that drastic, but seriously, how could I possibly choose?

Second only to, which book is your personal favorite?

I do have favorites from time to time, but I love all my stories and picking a favorite makes me feel like I have to say I love one more than the others and what does that say about the other story?  Paranoid, much?  Maybe a little.

Can you dance the Mamba?

Sadly, no.  Wich I could.  I do love that show, “Dancy Your A$$ Off,” though.  Which is really surprising considering how much I don’t like reality TV.

So, what are your favorite questions to ask authors?  Here’s my one time offer to answer them, no matter what they may be.

Hugs and happy reading,
Lucy
–
Moon Craving – Feb 2, 2010 – Berkley
http://lucymonroe.com

As a special thank you to readers, Lucy is giving away a prize pack of pamper yourself products and paranormal romance.  All you have to do to enter is send an email with Moon Craving Contest in the subject line to moon_craving at yahoo dot com before February 28th, 2010.  The drawing will be held March 1st and the winner will be announced on her blog at http://www.lucymonroeblog.blogspot.com.

SteamyDarcy is inviting you to a date with angels.

Come by on 19 January 2010 for the hot date and a chance to win a copy of Enid Wilson’s latest novel, Really Angelic: Pride and Prejudice with a steamy paranormal twist.

by Jeannie Ruesch

Think on your favorite romantic movie.  Or heck, think about your favorite movie, period.  Now imagine your favorite scene.  Can you see it? Do you hear the witty dialogue between the hero and heroine clipping through your head? Or perhaps someone’s head being whacked off their body, if you’re a fan of horror movies. (Me? Not so much…One watching of Poltergeist as a child scarred me for life.)  Or the best chase scene from your favorite action flick.

Got the image? Remember the words?

Now… do you remember the music?

I’m going to guess with very few exceptions, the answer is no.  And yet, the music score and soundtrack from a movie plays an integral part in setting a mood.  Can you imagine Scarlett’s fierce decree that she’ll never go hungry again without the orchestra swells of Tara’s Song? How about Chariots of Fire?  Or really, who can look at a cool, quiet ocean without hearing Dum dum…dum dum… and wondering if a shark lurks just underneath.

Music plays a big part in my creative process.  In fact, it’s a bit of a quirk — when I’m writing, I only listen to piano versions of songs.  The song can be anything from classical to a piano-only version of a Disney song.  But it has to be piano. For me, that’s a connection to a passion of mine from my childhood, when I trained as a competition pianist.  I started playing when I was eight years old and fell in love.  Carpel tunnel syndrome at the age of fourteen slowed the progress of that and into my twenties, I had to make a choice — computers or piano.  Since computers paid the bills, the choice wasn’t easy, but it was necessary.

But to this day, hearing the sounds of a piano feeds my soul in ways I can’t explain.  So when I’m writing, I need that connection.  It truly is the soundtrack and score of my creativity.

When it came to select music for my book video for my recent release, SOMETHING ABOUT HER, one thing was certain. It had to be piano, but the song had to be just right.  Mournful, a little sad, a little dramatic…yet romantic all at the same time.  I searched for more time than I should admit for just the right song. What I chose? Serenade, by Schubert. This video is only a shortened version of the song, but it’s a beautiful one.

What do you think? What mood does it provoke for you?

—————————————————————————–

What music feeds YOUR soul? To one lucky commenter, I’ll give away a CD of your choice –
you pick it, I’ll buy it.

——————————————————————————-

Jeannie Ruesch

www.jeannieruesch.com

SOMETHING ABOUT HER

NOW available : Amazon |BN.com | ebook @ The Wild Rose Press
“…a rich, well-presented story.”~RT Book Reviews
~ “A wonderful debut!” ~NYTimes bestselling author Gaelen Foley

Read Chapter One & See the Book Video | www.jeannieruesch.com

That was the question while I was writing my latest release, A Ghost of a Chance: Legends, Book 2.

Not wanting to frustrate readers who might happen across book 2 first, I tried my best to make AGOAC, the sequel to Beaudry’s Ghost, a book that would make perfect sense no matter what order in which the books were read.

But when you’ve got a hero & heroine from book 1 who haven’t quite played out the very end of their story yet – and insist on sticking their noses into the plot of book 2, thus becoming inextricable players in it – what’s a writer to do?

Put hands to the keyboard and hang on for the ride.

The result was a book that could be read first, but the reader’s enjoyment will be deeper if she reads book 1 first. Then you’ll know why the emotional arc of the starts out at such a high point and goes up from there. While book 1 ended in a HEA for the main characters, there were three secondary characters left dangling.

Book 2, A Ghost of a Chance, definitely ends in another HEA. It’s a romance, right? But there are still two characters hanging out there in the breeze. Not the least of which, a mysterious younger brother who has only shown his face once but persistently haunts my dreams.

Sigh.

Only one way to find out who this shadowy figure is. Put my hands on the keyboard.

Following is the blurb and links to an excerpt for my latest release, A Ghost of a Chance: Legends, Book 2. Happy reading!

~~~
One life hangs on the thread of her imagination…

Legends, Book 2: Sequel to the award-winning Beaudry’s Ghost.

Troy Brannon is a ghost with no time for heaven. Thanks to his well-intentioned meddling, he’s got a missing soul on his hands. Fortunately he’s learned a skill no well-behaved spirit should have—the ability to zip through time and space.

A side trip to revive a drowning woman should’ve been simple. But the moment he locks lips with Carey Magennis, she generates an inner fire he’s never felt before, alive or dead—and his ability to time travel disappears.

When the rising tide closes over Carey’s head, it’s the end—but only of life as she knows it. She wakes up haunted by the idea she no longer fits in, and by the sexy, lion-hearted ghost of the man who saved her. No one wants to hear about the strange things that have been happening to her since her near-death experience, least of all her image-conscious fiancé.

Troy realizes Carey accidentally stole his gift—and she has no idea the danger she’s in. Wherever her imagination takes her, she goes with it. Literally. Plus, that fiancé of hers has an agenda that doesn’t include her survival.

Saving her will be as dangerous to his mission as she is to his heart.

This title contains some gratuitous bad language; the sex of your dreams with a professional bad-ass hero; bloody Civil War battles; astral joy rides; and a heroine who “gets it” in more ways than one!

Read an excerpt

BUY LINK

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Check out the interview with Claire Collins and other book trailers

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

Nina Pierce–Erotic Suspense Author
Thank you for letting me come over and play in your corner of the Internet, Romance Junkies! Sometimes a writer just needs to get out, stretch her legs, and check out  another blog! I’m happy to be here visiting with everyone today!

My debut novel “The Healer’s Garden” was a December 2007 molten erotic release from Liquid Silver Books. It’s not dark or chilling but it is a suspense story that takes place in an alternative future.

A world left after the devastating plague of the twenty-first century nearly wiped out the male population and significantly decreased the female population. A place where woman have evolved and developed the talents of prophesying, telepathy, telekinesis, and the greatest gift of all—healing.

In this female dominated society, continuing the human population is of utmost importance. The virus that decimated humans has also rendered male sperm incapable of surviving artificial insemination and cloning has yet to be perfected. The government has enslaved acceptable males and decreed that woman must mate with them and birth two infants before the age of thirty.

It’s at the government breeding facility known as the Garden of Serenity that gifted healer Jahara Hriznek meets the mating instructor Brenimyn and so begins their tumultuous relationship.

Brenimyn believes the time is now to rise up and restore social equality for all. He is searching for the one woman prophesied to be his mate and partner in the battle against the government and believes Jahara is that woman. But can Brenimyn convince Jahara to trust her heart and follow him? And will that love be enough to unite them in a coup against the government and bring about a new world order?

Here’s the book trailer:

And a short excerpt:

The sound from the crowd rolled up from the grass. The noise engulfed Brenimyn like a thunderous storm. He had never delivered the words with such enthusiasm and confidence. Putting his arm around Jahara, he was showered with the strength flowing from her. He kissed her passionately, barely able to control the impulse to run his hands down her body and feel her respond to his touch. She melted into him and he held her until the noise diminished, satisfied in the minimal contact.

Knowing the next step would be the hardest, he hugged Jahara close to him. Her body tensed. She understood what was coming. “Most honorable friends.” He raised his arm, waiting for the din to subside. “The time has come. We have waited and now it will begin.” Pausing a heartbeat, Brenimyn let the suspense hang in the air. “Men, no longer will we submit to the domination of the female species.” The breeders whooped and raised their fists. “No more will we be treated as animals good only for increasing the female population.” Some men jumped to their feet. “We will no longer accept that we are not worthy of gifts and education.” Even with the amplifier, Brenimyn had to shout to be heard over the celebrating crowd.

“Women, you will no longer be forced to procreate for the sake of continuing humankind. Mating will be a choice, one’s body freely given to another for the sake of love, not obligation for reproduction.” Everyone was on their feet. “The time has come to stop ripping your children from your womb and your hearts.” He watched the pregnant women cradle their swollen stomachs. “We have waited long enough, the time is now.”

He let the crowd have their moment before lifting his hand. The crowd settled back into the grass. The murmurs of approval still rippled over them like a pebble dropped in water.

“The prophecy says: two great warriors, a woman and a man shall join together to ready an army for a monumental battle. It will not be fought with weapons as our ancestors had done, but with intellect and cunning. This war will oppose all common beliefs and bring about a new world order where men and women, as equals, shall reign.” Jahara went slack in his arms. She braced her hand on his chest, her gaze flicking wildly about the people below. Holding her quivering body, Brenimyn knew only his arm kept her from collapsing. This was a burden anyone would find difficult to shoulder.

“Many visionaries have confirmed the prophecy. As you know, from a young age, I understood I was the chosen one. I accepted the responsibility many years ago and have prepared the way, waiting anxiously for the woman who would stand at my side.” The crowd stilled, holding a collective breath, already knowing the words he would speak. Unsure of her reaction, Brenimyn looked down at Jahara. He watched her transformation in rapt fascination.

Stepping away from him, she stood with her feet planted, pulling herself up tall. She filled her lungs, her barebreasts held high. The dark triangle of her womanhood was visible through the gossamer fabric of her breeches billowing in the breeze. She looked so feminine. Yet, under the lifted chin and unpretentious set of her mouth, he could see the fierce warrior the visionaries had promised. She held her arms casually at her side, not at her hips in defiance as many would.

All this happened in a matter of seconds.

“I present to you today, my mate–the honorable Jahara Hriznek. She is the one sent to save us from the tyranny of the Governmental Body of the Garden.”

Bowing before the thunderous crowd, she accepted the accolades with humility. Brenimyn was sure his heart would burst with love for the brave woman standing not above him like so many other females, but at his side.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I love this couple… love that Brenimyn is willing to risk his life to stand up for something he believes in and fight for the woman he loves. I love that Jahara knows not what is asked of her, but she’s willing to go against the status quo to begin a monumental reform none the less.

I was born in the 60’s, but I am not a child of the 60’s. That was an era when men and women laid down in front of bulldozers or carried picket signs or stood up against the government on court hall steps. I’ve never stepped up in public and fought for a cause I believed in. I’m opinionated and not too shy to express myself, but have never gone to jail to prove a point. I greatly admire people who have stepped out of their comfort zone and stood up for a cause.

I love to hear stories of people with that much bravery. Have you taken a stand? Or would you like to? Tell me about it. I’ll pick one winner from all the commenters today to receive an e-copy of “The Healer’s Garden”. Don’t be shy, I’d love to hear from you! I’ll be here all day!

And if you’re interested in finding out more about my books, please visit me at my website  or friend me on MySpace. I’d love to hear from you!

Before I talk about my upcoming release from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid, a hot paranormal erotic romance called Animal Attraction, I have to say thank you to Romance Junkies for asking me to guest blog!   I’m so flattered!

Now onto Animal Attraction!  When I first read that Whiskey Creek Press Torrid was coming out with a new line of books called the Men of Alaska Series, I totally knew I had to write a book for it.  I mean, what’s more exciting than a hot, hunky, outdoorsy hero, right?!

I played around with a lot of different storylines, but I kept coming back to the idea of werewolves.  Wolves just seemed to fit so well into the Alaskan theme, so I decided to go for it.  Once I did a little bit of research on Fairbanks, the story just started to write itself. 

I thought it would be more fun for my heroine to be a skeptic, so I made her a reluctant reporter for a paranormal magazine.  I figured that would lead to lots of amusing interaction with the hunky hero, who just happens to be a werewolf, of course!  Take a look at the blurb and excerpt below, and you’ll see exactly what I’m talking about.

To all the paranormal romance fans out there, I hope you really enjoy the read, and to Romance Junkies, once again, thanks a million for asking me to guest blog!

Animal Attraction

5 Blue Ribbons from Romance Junkies Reviews!

Blurb:

Frustrated when none of the real newspapers will hire her as a reporter, Eliza Bradley takes the only job she can get – at a paranormal magazine. Her first assignment takes her to Fairbanks , Alaska to investigate the possibility that a werewolf has killed two local hikers.

She forgets about the story, however, when she meets Hunter McCall, a local college professor and an expert on wolves. The man is an absolute hunk, and she finds herself spending more time in his bed than worrying about werewolves. That  is, until Eliza finds out that Hunter isn’t just an animal in the sack, he’s an animal out of it, too – of the werewolf variety! Talk about a complicated relationship!

But Eliza can’t dwell on Hunter’s little shapeshifting issues. There’s another werewolf out there with a taste for human blood, and she and Hunter are the only ones who can stop him.

Excerpt:

“Anything else I can get for you folks?” the waitress asked.

Eliza glanced down at the table before looking up at the waitress again. “Ketchup?”

The woman nodded. “There’s a bottle on the table right behind you, sugar. Enjoy your dinner.”

Eliza had expected the woman to bring her a new bottle of ketchup, or at least grab the one off the other table for them, like waitresses in most restaurants would usually do. Maybe it was a diner thing, Eliza thought. Or an Alaska thing. Either way, it seemed she would be going to get her own bottle of ketchup. Taking her napkin off her lap and placing it on the table, Eliza pushed back her chair and got to her feet. When the waitress had told her that there was a bottle of ketchup on the table behind theirs, she had naturally assumed it was unoccupied, so she was surprised to see a man sitting there. And not just the average, run-of-the-mill guy she’d expect to find in a diner either, but a mouth-watering specimen of a man. Her breath caught as she found herself stopping right there in the middle of the diner to stare at him She had read in Cosmo once that there was something different about Alaskan men, that living in the great white north made them more masculine and sexy. Staring at the man seated at the table, she could well believe it.

Thank goodness he was intent on whatever he was reading on the laptop in front of him, because he would surely think she was a freak standing there staring at him with her mouth hanging open. But good heavens, with that thick, dark hair, chiseled, hair-roughened jaw, and wide, sensual mouth, how could any woman not be mesmerized? Abruptly realizing how idiotic she must look just standing there, Eliza finally forced her feet to move. As she neared his table, the man looked up from his laptop and she felt her breath hitch as his gaze met hers. She’d never seen eyes like his before. Not quite brown, but not really hazel, either, the only way she could think to describe them was gold. And the sexiest pair of eyes she’d ever seen. The heat from them mesmerized her, pulling her into their depths, and suddenly she found it very hard to breathe.

When he lifted a brow in question, she finally managed to break out of her trance. “I, um, was wondering if I could steal your ketchup,” Eliza stammered, her face coloring. “We don’t have any,” she added, glancing back at her table.

The man followed the direction of her gaze, his gold eyes settling on the photographer for a moment before he gave her a smile. “Sure.”

Picking up the bottle, he held it out to her. As she reached for it, her fingers brushed his and she almost gasped as the most amazing sensation swept through her. It was like she’d just gotten completely and thoroughly kissed. Her knees felt weak and there was a delicious little flutter in her tummy that left her breathless.It was then that she realized she hadn’t actually taken the bottle of ketchup yet. She was just standing there touching him like a dufus. She tried to cover her bizarre behavior by grabbing the bottle, but all she did was almost knock it out of his hand. They both fumbled with the thing for a moment before she finally gained control of it.

Could she be any more lame? She could already feel the heat rushing to her face.

“I think your boyfriend’s waiting for the ketchup,” he said when she continued to just stand there.

Eliza’s brow furrowed in confusion at the word “boyfriend,” but then she realized he must be referring to the photographer. She forced her attention away from the pleasant warmth that still swirled between her thighs and gave him a smile. “Oh, you mean Andy. He’s not my boyfriend. We just work together.”

One eyebrow rose. “Really.”

Oh God. Did he think she was trying to come on to him? Crap, she really needed to go back to her table before she did something else to embarrass herself. But she couldn’t seem to make her feet move. She had a crazy urge to reach out and touch him again to see if that same sexual spark would happen. Resisting the impulse, she instead reached up to tuck her long, dark hair behind her ear. “But you’re right. He is probably waiting for the ketchup.”

Giving the man another smile, she forced her-self to turn and walk back to her table. Halfway there, however, she couldn’t resist glancing over her shoulder to take one more look at him. He was regarding her with those incredible golden eyes of his, and her pulse fluttered wildly at the intensity in his gaze.

What was going on with her? She’d never experienced anything like this in her life. She had to get control of herself. Giving him one more look over her shoulder, she turned and stumbled back to her seat in a daze, clutching the bottle of ketchup in her hand.

Across from her, Andy lifted a brow as if to ask, what the hell is wrong with you? When she didn’t say anything he prompted, “You just going to sit there and hold that all night or can I use the ketchup?”

She blinked. “What? Oh, yeah. Sorry,” she mumbled, handing it to him.

Eliza watched as the photographer dumped ketchup on his onion rings, and then began to dig into his meal. She knew she should be doing the same, but she couldn’t stop thinking about what had just happened. Her heart was still racing as if she’d just come back from a run. Or had just gotten done having some really great sex. Good heavens, and all of that was from a mere brush of the fingers. She couldn’t keep herself from wondering what it would have been like if he really had kissed her.It was a long time before Eliza could focus on her food, and by then, she realized she wasn’t really hungry anymore, at least not for food anyway.  

Animal Attraction is available September 15th from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid!

From Romance Junkies Reviews:

“ANIMAL ATTRACTION is one hot read.  Ms. Tyler knows how to mesmerize an audience, she certainly kept mine.  I’d love to have this in print so I could keep it always.  My favorite paranormal subject housed perfectly.  Scene changes were as smooth as silk.  The characters richly defined.  I find nothing to complain about!”

Click here to read the entire review!

For more of my sexy erotic fiction, visit my website at http://www.paigetylertheauthor.com

And to get the scoop on all my new releases, as well as what I’m currently working on, just email me at paigetyler@paigetylertheauthor.com with “add me to your mailing list” in the subject line!

Oh, and by the way, I’m already working on the sequel to Animal Attraction, so keep checking my website for details!

*hugs*

Paige

“Stories so hot, they’ll make your cheeks blush!”

And look at this cover by Angela Anderson.  Isn’t it fabulous?

A Trail of Love is my third published romance novel with The Wild Rose Press who have been veddy, veddy good to me.  This one was inspired by my…then…upcoming gig as a park ranger at Glacier National Park last year.  I wrote several chapters before I actually arrived at the park but ended up putting it on hold for the summer due to edits on other books.  And I’m glad I did.  It’s much better for my having actually spent some time in the park and around bear rangers.  Little do they know, they’re all featured in my book as a composite of my hero, Dace!    Since I’m still actually working at the park this summer, I wave at them with a huge anonymous pseudonymly grin, knowing they’re all handsome heroes…at least “in my book,” they are! 

Book Trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TONFALG3rmU

BLURB:

Kerrie is on the run from a painful past, and she hides in plain sight as a summer employee in the majestic setting of Glacier National Park.  Lonely and isolated from the family and friends she left behind, she dreams of the day when a kind and gentle man will say to her:  “I fell in love with you the first time I saw you across the room.”

Dace Mitchell could be that man!  The handsome bear ranger rescues Kerrie from her own foolish behavior–more than once–and she finds herself drawn to him against her will…until she discovers he’s already involved with someone else.

When Kerrie begins to get mysterious silent phone calls, it seems the past has caught up to her.  Can Dace save her from a violent man who will stop at nothing to have her?

EXCERPT:

A moose!  Baby mooses!  Was that the right word?  Kerrie had never seen moose before in real life.  They were magnificent!  The dark brown mother so tall, her long stick-like legs seemingly incapable of bearing her great weight.  The dark blonde youngsters, though lighter in color and smaller in scale, were perfect mirror images of their mother.

She turned to face an approaching vehicle, casting a last glance over her shoulder to make sure the moose cow and her calves did not reenter the road.

A large silver truck pulled up to the kiosk and Kerrie wished she could have slid down to the floor of her booth.  The driver was Dace and he wore the same Smokey Bear hat as she, except as one of those outdoorsy men, it looked so much better on him.  He worked for the Park Service.  Her summer had just gotten much, much longer.

Kerrie’s heart tapped an excited rhythm against her chest.  If this was any indication of what the summer promised, her hiding place suddenly looked a lot like Paradise.

Dace cleaned off the battery posts and reattached the cables.  He got back in the truck and turned the ignition over.  The truck started right up.  Kerrie was sure she actually heard it purring under his care.

Dace unfolded his long legs from the small truck and got out.  “There you go,” he said with a grin as Kerrie kept her distance.

“Thank you, Dace.  I really appreciate your help.  I should get one of those gizmos so I don’t have to stand by my dead truck like a helpless female.”

His eyebrows shot up, and he tilted his head inquiringly.  “I doubt you’re helpless.  I’ve discovered you women are pretty handy when you need to be. Goodnight, Kerrie.”

Dace climbed in his truck and watched Kerrie pull out of the parking lot.  Her taillights disappeared into the night.  What was with that woman?  For that matter, what was with him?  He had better things to do than stalk an unwilling female.  Didn’t he?  A vision of his sterile, lonely apartment in government housing popped into view.  Okay, so maybe he didn’t have anything better to do.

Still, there was something in those beautiful brown eyes of hers that compelled him. Loneliness was turning him into a hopeless romantic, for Pete’s sake. Every now and then, he caught her looking at him with an expression of…  What was it?  Longing?  Dace bit his lower lip.  If anything, Kerrie acted like she would be happy to see the last of him.  For the most part.

He smiled at the last thought.  There was something about her, and he wasn’t going to be satisfied until he knew what it was…or she gave him firm marching orders.  With a sigh, he pondered the night ahead, hoping he would be able to get some sleep…though that seemed unlikely.  Images of the silky dark curls of a complicated woman had been interrupting his sleep for the past few nights.

Buy Link: 

 The Wild Rose Press

Bess McBride, www.bessmcbride.com, www.rvromance.com

She’s back!

A Sigh of Love was contracted two weeks after my first book, Love of My Heart, by the same house but a different editor.  It’s a contemporary romance set in Alaska, and is “inspired” by a true story…all the way up to the romance.  All characters are a figment of my imagination and bear no resemblance…really! 

One of the great things about writing romances is that we I get to rewrite history occasionally. Not “that” kind of history, but the significant happenings in my own little world.  This book was one of those moments.  So, the memory of traveling around Alaska for an entire week talking to myself in a video camera has now transformed itself into a wonderful romance with a happy ending!!    Yay fiction!!

Book trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXy4muhI0kE

Blurb:  Abbie is on her way to Anchorage, Alaska to meet George whom she has been corresponding by telephone for the past three months. George has repeatedly asked her to come up to Alaska for a visit so they can meet in person. Call her crazy, but Abbie makes airline reservations to fly from her home in Seattle up to Anchorage to meet George. She’s lonely. Why shouldn’t she make a mad romantic dash up to the last frontier to meet a man? She’ll just ignore the practicality and logistics of a long-distance relationship. When she calls George to let him know her arrival time, he chooses that awful moment to let Abbie know that he thinks they don’t have much in common after all and she should cancel her plane reservations. Abbie is stunned, humiliated and ashamed of the lonely desperation that drove her to make nonrefundable airline reservations to Alaska.

What to do? Abbie decides to go to Alaska anyway. A grouchy and depressed Abbie meets Tom on the plane, a tall, handsome anthropology professor who happens to be half Native Alaskan and half Caucasian. As the plane flies north, Tom and Abbie discover a mutual attraction. By flight’s end, Abbie is completely enamored of the stranger, and she doubts her judgment, perhaps even her sanity, as she finds herself falling again for yet another Alaskan male…until George shows up, that is.

Excerpt:  Abbie shoved her carryon bag under the seat in front of her as far as it would go. She had the aisle all to herself, and she fervently hoped that the two seats next to her would remain empty. She was in no mood for casual airplane chitchat. From her seat, she could see down the length of the plane, and it appeared as if most of the passengers had already boarded and seated themselves.

Good, she thought with satisfaction stretching her legs out in front of her and placing her paperback on the seat next to her. What kind of idiot takes an 8 p.m. flight to Anchorage, Alaska, in September anyway? She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. Besides me.

Abbie let loose a sigh which began deep within her soul. It came out louder than she planned, and she hoped no one else on the quiet plane heard the understated groan. She opened her eyes and found a tall man standing in the aisle next to her seat. Startled, she blinked and met a pair of almond-shaped, obsidian eyes that crinkled at the corners. His friendly smile widened to a grin.

“May I?” he asked, indicating the window seat past her.

“Oh, sure.” Abbie quickly scrambled out of her seat and stepped into the aisle to allow him to pass. She caught her breath when he slid past her to take his seat. His face was strikingly handsome. Exotic eyes were the prominent feature in an angular bronze face with a narrow nose and full lips.

As the plane rolled onto the runway, Abbie leaned her head back and closed her eyes for a moment. It wasn’t too late. She could still jump up and ask the attendants to stop the plane and let her off. She smiled imagining the scene. Would they open the doors and let her out onto the runway to trudge back to the terminal on foot? Would they take the airplane back to the terminal and boot her out the door—forbidden ever to book a flight with them again? A quiet hysterical giggle escaped her wayward lips. Or would they force her to inexorably march on and continue the flight to Anchorage against her will?

Buy Links:

The Wild Rose Press

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Bess McBride, www.bessmcbride.com, www.rvromance.com