Friday, August 31, 2012

Romancing Blog Hop


My husband is the romantic type. I met him in high school, so yes we are high school sweet hearts =)  His romantic streak started early in our relationship. He would shower me with gifts, love, and attention <3

After he graduated (the year before me), he went away to Navy boot camp. After his training he was stationed five hours away. He would drive home to me almost every weekend, and on the way he'd stop at the convenience store by my house to buy me a red rose. 

While he no longer buys me flowers 20+ years later - because I forbid it (it's too expensive), my mother found a pewter tray with a rose. She bought it for us because she said it reminded her of all the red roses my husband used to bring me on his visits home.  So now we have a nice reminder (photo below).


~~~~~





Celebrate romance with us on this blog tour and you can win one of these THREE grand prizes just by entering a comment on the participating blogs. 

1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet
2nd Grand Prize: A $130 Amazon or B&N Gift Card
3rd Grand Prize: The following Swag Pack!

***In addition I would like to offer a digital copy of my erotic novella, Let's Keep On Truckin' to one lucky commenter on my blog (I will be using random.org to choose the winner).


Blurb from “Let’s Keep On Truckin’” (By Laci Paige and Decadent Publishing, heat level 4).

Lily loves traveling on her job since no one can do it better than her. Being out on the open road gives her plenty of time to reflect and avoid unwanted attention, but somehow it always finds her....


When she comes across Ryder, first at a grocery store, then at a rest stop, sexual desire sparks and she knew she had to have him. If only her ex hadn't shown up, igniting a fantasy she never thought possible.



Seeing Alex in a whole new light, Lily realizes second chances are in order, but will she have to choose between the two men? Or could she be happy with both?







You as a reader can go to EACH blog listed below and comment with your email address and be entered to win. Yep, you can enter over 180 times! Good Luck! 

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Deleted Scene! - It had to be.


This week on the TTC/MasterKoda Virtual Blog Tour we are sharing deleted scenes. This week my guest is Nikki Noffsinger, author of Cursed Awakening published by XOXO Publishing.  Enjoy! 



Deleted Scene: Nikki Noffsinger
TTC-VBT


            When I wrote Cursed Awakening, the first rough draft I had put it over three hundred pages. Now there wasn’t anything wrong with that but when I did the read through (one of many), I noticed that many of the storylines and ideas I had were taking away from the story. One of my favorite deleted scenes from the book takes place at the college that Ivy has just began attending and a certain wolf just can’t stay away. Enjoy!

Homecoming
            Ivy was still on the fence about going to the Homecoming carnival. She had made several friends but still large crowds made her skittish. Okay, they did more then make her skittish; they border lined on giving her crippling panic attacks. Determination though was driving her though to get over yet another challenge. Lorna had offered to come along for support but then at the last minute Lorna was going to be unable to go due to she had to go to the next town over and check on a safe house where three teenage boys were being fostered since they too had fled their own commune. So that left Ivy going solo to the event. For a total of sixty seconds, she let the worry and past wash over her. Then she let it go and turned the door knob and set out for Homecoming.
            The college grounds were packed. There were booths set up that sold food, t-shirts, and fun things. Ivy laughed at the Justice League themed booth from the Science Department. For just a few dollars she could pick a super-hero and have them “arrest” a student or teacher in attendance.  She waved at a girl in one of her classes who was sitting in Justice League jail and getting her picture taken with the Incredible Hulk. She still was a little nervous but the more she walked around and visited the booths and waved at fellow students, her nerves began to relax. Just as she was going to head to get something to drink, someone startled her from behind. Ivy turned and there was Jacee and her boyfriend Xander who happened to be the brother of a man she hadn’t been able to get out of her head. Jacee was dressed in leg hugging denim capris and an off the shoulder pink top. In the dictionary under the word “perky” there had to be a picture of Jacee. Xander held up his hand and grinned.
            “Now you didn’t think girlfriend that you would be hanging here alone did you?” Jacee’s voice was filled with laughter.
            Ivy sighed with a smile. “Actually I figured by now that the mother ship would have come and snatched me by now.” She joked.
            Jacee laughed as she wrapped her arms around Ivy, “Girl you are too funny and guess who we brought with us? Guess!”
            Before Ivy could answer, Nyx strolled up with that sexier than should be allowed half grin, next to his brother. Ivy had to force her jaw to work and prayed her voice followed suit.
            “Hello Nyx, how are you?” her breath nearly stopped when he walked the few steps towards her.
            Nyx hadn’t exactly known why he had insisted on coming with Jacee and his brother but it all boiled down to this woman. She was beautiful yet there was something inside her that touched his animal spirit. He had watched her from afar as she’d perused the booths, spoke to people, laughed, and had let down her guard. Ivy was gentle and intelligent yet despite whatever burdens life had placed upon her, she exuded strength. More and more the woman had been in just about every thought he had. His brothers knew something was up and it had been damn hard trying to block his mental pathways from them. His grandfather had simply chuckled when he’d been lost in thought and accidently took off the oil cap instead of tightening it resulting in oil dripping into his face. There had been only one of his kind to ever mate with a human and had it not been for his grandfather; Jacee’s mother would have been exiled or worse. Jacee’s mother had died soon after Jacee was born and some had said that it was because Skye had broken their laws that the Great Spirit was angered. His grandfather, Night Horse had quieted those voices and had made sure that Jacee’s mother had been honored. He also gave Jacee’s father a place to live at New Hope.
            Nyx looked down into those soft eyes of Ivy’s and smiled so that she could see his even white teeth, “I’m doing pretty well. The question is how you are?”
            Ivy felt as if she’d been touched even though he had not laid a finger on her. She licked her lips and could have sworn she heard a low growl come from him.
            “I’m doing okay. A lot better actually since there is someone to talk too. All my classmates seem to be on dates or working booths. I was just going to head over by the Student Union and see what food they have for sale.”
            Jacee grinned between Ivy and Xander, “We were actually going to check out the rides. I’m dying to go on the Ferris Wheel. You should come with us and then we can all go and get something to eat.”
            Ivy had never been on a Ferris wheel. She started to protest but Nyx put an arm around her shoulders and whispered, “Don’t worry Ivy, I got you.”
            By the time they made it to what was known as Greek Row where two sororities and two fraternities sat were carnival rides. Ivy tried to reason with herself that she wasn’t going to die or make a scene. She began to wring her hands but Nyx took her one in his very large one and winked at her. He bought their tickets and waited in line. Jacee was bouncing up and down and Xander was talking with Nyx who was poking fun at Jacee. Ivy was quiet and according to Xander was looking “white as a sheet”. Ivy watched as the colorful carts going up and around. Her breathing was starting to come in pants.
            Nyx could sense her fear as could Xander and Jacee but they said nothing. Jacee and Xander got into the next car and she waved at Ivy who managed to wave back weakly. Then it was Nyx and Ivy’s turn. Part of Ivy wanted her to run and keep on running. The other part was kicking her in the tail and telling her to get over it! Ivy took a breath and let Nyx lead her towards the cart. The moment she sat down she gripped the arm bar till her knuckles were white and closed her eyes as she felt the Ferris wheel move up.
            She began to feel herself tremble and hated it. Just as Ivy was about to start screaming from panic, she felt a warm and strong arm wrap around her and pull her to a hard, strong, and that woodsy-patchouli and spice scent that clung to him. Immediately, her breathing and body calmed and she could open her eyes. The wheel was making another rotation.
            “Ivy, you’ve never rode on a Ferris wheel have you?” he asked.
            She shook her head, “Sure, I ride them all the time.”
            Nyx laughed. “The first time I rode on one, me and my grandfather had stopped at this small circus. My grandfather was always finding some new adventure for us to do that usually ended up in one of us getting a lecture from my mother. Anyhow, I had never ridden on one before and neither had he. We were both excited but I think he was a little more though. It was neat how it would get us to the top and we could see for miles before pulling us down enough that we could feel the air rushing. We had loved it so much that we bought tickets for two more rides. When we got to the last ride, we weren’t as excited. We’d had a lot of hot dogs, cotton candy, soda pop, and peanuts to eat.”
            He was relieved to see Ivy amused and paying attention to him rather than her fear so he continued, “So we were nearly over the last hump when suddenly all that circus food began to rebel and rebel in a big way. My grandfather was feeling pretty much the same way. We both probably looked like crazy people sitting there with our hands over our mouths. The carnie took one look at us and thought to just speed up the wheel so he could get us both off before we threw up. He didn’t think that idea through because right before our cart could get to the platform, well you can guess what happened.”
            Ivy burst out laughing. She couldn’t stop laughing. Nyx thought there was no sweeter sound than the laughter that came from her lips. She was looking up at him; those eyes that said so much and those lips that were a perfect bow; the kind of lips that were meant for kisses. Everything in his mind and heart told him to claim her; to hold her to his body and kiss her. God he wanted to. They were so close together he could feel her breath on his face like a teasing caress. His spirit animal howled; he had recognized his mate and wanted the man to claim her, but he couldn’t. The ride had come to a halt and he got out of the cart and offered her his hand. He saw the confusion on her face and he loathed himself in that moment for causing the hurt that had flashed on her face before she tucked it away.
            Ivy had been too close to kissing Nyx. What was wrong with her? She hadn’t had a romantic thought about any many since…well she just didn’t entertain those thoughts unless they included men with the last names of Pitt, Depp, and Fimmel. When she got off the ride she would put as much distance between the two of them as she could. She glanced at him and almost sighed. For moments, short moments that felt much longer; Ivy had felt at ease, normal, and what it would be like to have a man like Nyx. No doubt, he would make some woman happier beyond her wildest dreams. Sadly, she’d never be that woman.
***
            Nyx was running the perimeter of his family’s lands. His mind was going over and over that Ferris wheel ride with Ivy. On the ride home, his brother had told him that Ivy had a lot of guys interested in her but she hardly paid them the time of day. Who wouldn’t want to date Ivy? Who wouldn’t want to make her theirs? Who wouldn’t want to wake up every morning with a woman like her next to them? Jacee had chattered on and on about Ivy. The woman’s laughter still echoed in his head. Someday some man would want to possess her; to claim her. A man would hold her in his arms and kiss those lips…and that was enough. Nyx howled up towards the sky that held a thousand stars. Traditions be damned and even laws for that matter. Ivy would have no other but him and that was all there was to it. There was no other option.

About the Author

            Nikki Noffsinger is a 37 year old mother of two children and has always loved writing and creating stories from a young age. She lives with her family in a mid-sized Indiana town. Aside from writing she has an eclectic taste in both music and art, loves to travel, and has a great love of all things that go “bump” in the night.

Links


Saturday, August 18, 2012

Daydreams, Scottish Men, Kilts - Meet Linda Bolton



Here is my interview with Linda Bolton for the Tasha Turner Virtual Blog Tour – MasterKoda. Linda sent her response to my questions, and said, "I hope I'm interesting enough." 

I think after reading this, you'd agree she is one interesting lady. Leave comments below if you agree! 

  1.      I see you write contemporary romance. How did you come across the genre? 

I became very interested in the actor Gerard Butler. Even joined one of his fan sites. I was daydreaming way too much and decided I needed an outlet, so I started writing my daydreaming down and a book was born.

 2.      How long have you been writing? 

I started writing poetry in high school and was published in a literary magazine. I started a fictional story ten years ago but never finished it. I dabbled here and there and finally sat down and started my first book two years ago.

3.      At the moment you’re not published, do you have plans to go live with your work soon? 

I have sent my first book to a publisher and am waiting for their response. I should hear something by the end of this month. If its a no, then I have a few others I’d like to try. I hope to be published by next year. I have a lot of other book ideas and would love to share them too. 

4.      Do you have a blurb of your first finished novel that you can share with us?

Alexandra Daniels is a forty-something, hard-working mom, wife and employee. Her life has been plodding along at a snails pace and she’s longing for excitement. She wins a trip to her favorite talk show in New York, the Veronica Becker Show, and it just so happens the actor of her dreams is a guest, Derek Dunbar! Is Alex’s life about to change?

Derek Dunbar is Scottish, an actor and a hunk! Every woman in America drools after him. He has his pick of women but stinks at relationships. At forty, is he longing for a more meaningful relationship? Does he even know how to have one? Is he willing to make the effort or will it just be too complicated?

5.      So I hear you like anything Scottish, huh? 

Yes! I have been to some Scottish festivals and have some Scottish friends.

6.      What do you think makes Scottish men so alluring? 

The accent and the kilts! Just want to take a peek....just once!

7.      Do your stories include all things Scottish (and Scottish men)? If not where do you get your inspiration from?

The first book is based on Scottish actor Gerard Butler. There is a whole lot of travel, taking the characters to Scotland, Island of Dominica, Iceland, New York and Los Angeles as well as a few other places. My future books get their inspiration from other stars and from my everyday friends. And, yes, most of my friends know they have become fodder for my books.

8.      I read on your bio that you are a part-time fitness rep? What does that mean? 

I am a Beachbody Coach, selling workout programs such as P90X, Insanity and TurboFire, and Shakeology meal replacement. Its great stuff and love the routines! I Also work full-time as an office manager and I take care of alumni relations with my college sorority. Oh, and I’m going to be a grandmother (GiGi) in Oct. I’m very busy!

9.     Coffee or Tea? Definitely coffee! Everyday!

10.  Cats or Dogs? Both...right now I am pet-less, but I love both!

11.  Summer or Winter?  In Texas...WINTER!! Its been 100 degrees since May!

12.  Share three things about yourself that your Facebook friends might not know about you: 

1) I was adopted when I was 8 days old and found my biological family in Germany  - I keep in contact with my oldest sister, her girls and my oldest brother’s daughters. 
2) My ex and I adopted our daughter when she was eleven years old from the fostercare system in Georgia - she is the one making us proud grandparents in October. 
3) I struggle with my weight everyday. I have since I was small and it a constant reminder I will never be in control of all aspects of my life...ever.   But I keep trying!

            Laci, Thanks so much for hosting me. I really enjoyed it!

 And thank you Linda for being my guest today! 


Linda Bolton is an aspiring contemporary romance writer.  She is looking for a publisher for her first book, Perfect.  While working on a future projects Linda can be found:











Sunday, August 12, 2012

The Progression (and Obsession) of Success

I'd like to thank Mr. Bruce Blake for stopping by and being my guest this week on our virtual blog tour. After reading please comment below on how you measure your success, Bruce and I love comments! Thank you!

The Progression (and Obsession) of Success

success – noun (suh k-ses):
1.      the favourable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavours
2.      the attainment of wealth, position, honours, or the like

We all measure success in different ways; some by achievement, some by financial gain, some simply by the way we feel.  With the Olympics underway, we see success attained on a daily basis, but even at that high level of athletics, what each competitor sees as success is different. Does every athlete in London this summer expect to win gold? Or are there some who have already achieved their success simply by getting there?

Even an elite athlete like Usain Bolt (tell me people wouldn't look at my sideways if I wrote a novel involving the fastest man in the world and I named him Bolt!) went through a progression of success.  While nothing less than gold is good enough for him now, it likely wasn't always that way. When a young Bolt took to the track for the first time, did he have Olympic gold in his eyes? No, he was happy to qualify in those first few races.

I still remember the day I reached what I'd consider my first success: completing my first novel. I cried. Yeah, it's true, I actually shed tears. Not very manly, I know, but I hear the woman-folk dig a man in touch with his sensitive side. After that first time, finishing a novel has become an expectation for me, and with each novel, I expect the finished product to be better. Then came publication, then sales. When once selling one copy was enough, now I reached the #2 spot in my novel's sub-category for a short period, climbed into the top 100 of its main category, and broke the top 5000 overall. And that's where progression starts to become obsession. Every novel leads to another, every sale makes you want more. With each level of success, there is another level beyond. With each race won, there is another, bigger race to be run.

The measuring stick of success grows ever longer.

Biography
Bruce Blake lives on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. When pressing issues like shovelling snow and building igloos don't take up his spare time, Bruce can be found taking the dog sled to the nearest coffee shop to work on his short stories and novels.
Actually, Victoria, B.C. is only a couple hours north of Seattle, Wash., where more rain is seen than snow. Since snow isn't really a pressing issue, Bruce spends more time trying to remember to leave the "u" out of words like "colour" and "neighbour" then he does shovelling. The father of two, Bruce is also the trophy husband of burlesque diva Miss Rosie Bitts.
Bruce has been writing since grade school but it wasn't until five years ago he set his sights on becoming a full-time writer. Since then, his first short story, "Another Man's Shoes" was published in the Winter 2008 edition of Cemetery Moon, another short, "Yardwork", was made into a podcast in Oct., 2011 by Pseudopod and his first Icarus Fell novel, "On Unfaithful Wings", was published to Kindle in Dec., 2011. The second Icarus Fell novel, “All Who Wander Are Lost”, was released in July, 2012, with the first book in the four-part “Khirro's Journey” epic fantasy coming soon. He has plans for at least three more Icarus novels, several stand alones, and a possible YA fantasy co-written with his eleven-year-old daughter.

Twitter: @bruceablake

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Excerpt from Allison Bruning's Calico


This week on the TTC virtual blog tour, were were asked to include a passage from a novel we had written.  Here is a brief synopsis of Calico, by my spotlight guest author this week, Allison Bruning:

A haunting prophecy has been cast against her. In a harsh world deep within the western American territories of Ohio and Kentucky, French Duchess Calico Marie Turner must learn to survive among the Shawnee and to trust the one man who hates her the most, Chief Little Owl Quick as the Wind.

Calico’s story will immerse you deeply into the world of the frontier Shawnee, where you will find characters at once surreal and totally believable. Bruning’s knowledge of Native American and colonial era language is captivating to read. Her understanding of the period clothing, habits, and lifestyle is evident as she weaves a tale that draws you in from the first chapter and leaves you hungry for more.

This excerpt is taken from Allison's book Calico, page 284. 

Little Owl moved closer to her. He grabbed the side of her face with his right hand, tilted his head, and gently kissed her on the lips. "I love you, nie-wah. Don't ever forget that," he whispered as he pulled his lips away. Little Owl rose from over her and walked away. Calico watched her husband return to the fire. She glanced at the items. He had worked so hard to be with her and all she ever did was turn him away. Why? Why was she so stupid?! Calico removed the long silver-stranded earrings that Creek had given her when she had become a woman, then placed them on the blanket. She picked up Little Owl's earrings. Beads of white and brown randomly lay on the silver strands. An owl feather and a dove feather sat nestled behind the stands on each earring. She smiled, tracing her hand down the feathers. An owl and dove joined together, side by side. It was their story. She placed the earrings in her ears. Calico pressed her hand on the blanket over her chest and leaned over the blanket. "What's in the bag?" she asked, reaching for it. 
"Chocolate." 
Calico gasped as she jerked her head upright. "You're joking." 
"No. I traded all the alcohol I had left for that bag. You love French hot chocolate." 
"You remember?" 
"How could I forget, nie-wah. You say you are Shawnee but there are some parts of your white life, such as the white man's chocolate, you will never give up. " 
"Little Owl, have you ever tasted this stuff?" 
"No, but I know it cost me a lot." 
"It is the most delicious drink you will ever taste in your life! Do you have a pot to make it in? Do you even know how to make it?" 
Little Owl chuckled. He rose from beside the fire and walked to a basket. Little Owl pulled out a copper pot and two porcelain cups decorated with delicate blue flowers. "Oh, French cups too," she proclaimed with excitement. 

The Executive Director of the Kentucky Young Writers Connection, a non-profit agency of writers who promote young authors throughout the state of Kentucky. Allison originally hails from Marion, Ohio. Her father, Roland Irving Bruning, was the son of German immigrants who came to the United States at the turn of the 20th century. Her mother's family had been in the United States since the 17th century. Allison is a member of the Peter Foree Chapter of the  Daughters of American Revolution. Her linage traces to Private Reuben Messenger of Connecticut. Her educational background includes a BA in Theater Arts with a minor in Anthropology and a Texas Elementary Teaching certificate. Both acquired at Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas. Allison received National Honor Society memberships in both Theater Arts and Communication. Allison was also honored her sophomore year with admission into the All American Scholars register. She holds graduate hours in Cultural Anthropology and Education. In 2007 she was named Who's Who Among America's Educators. She is also the recipient of the Girl Scout Silver and Gold Awards.
 
Allison lives with her husband in Kentucky.  Calico is book one from the series, Children of the Shawnee. It is available at http://amzn.to/JSNRpm. She is currently working on the sequel, Rose.  She is also working on another series, The Secret Heritage, which traces the life of her great great grandmother at the turn of the 20th century in Ohio. Allison's interest includes Ohio Valley history, anthropology, travel, culture, history, camping, hiking, backpacking, spending time with her family and genealogy. Her genres include historical fiction, paranormal, romance, and suspense.
 
You can reach her at:
Facebook Fan Page http://on.fb.me/plvkxJ
Twitter: @emeraldkell
-- 
Allison Bruning