Dusted - Michele Hauf's blog about writing, reading, etc.

Six Degrees of Romance

2012-01-20T13:10:00.002-06:00

What happens when Harlequin gives 6 author from various lines the same opening paragraph and asks them to finish the story? Six Degrees of Romance! It's available right now at Amazon for .99 cents. If you can wait, I happen to know it'll be a free download at Harlequin in February. My story is "Night of the Living Wed". Can't wait for you all to read it!

Need a Book to Complete Your Collection?

2012-01-05T16:00:00.001-06:00

Okay, before I pack up all the boxes and shove them back in the closet, thought I'd give you all another chance to order from my backlist. All the details are at this blog post.

Free stuff

2011-12-31T10:58:00.004-06:00

Have you picked up these books at your favorite online retailer for free? I'm not sure how much longer Kiss Me Deadly will be available, so grab it while you can. I plan to keep The Sin Eater's Promise free forever. Let me know if you like them!

In with the old...

2011-12-28T16:53:00.001-06:00

Though the New Year is fast approaching, I'm tending to some old business. I finally got around to getting my 3-book historical series, The Saint-Sylvestres, scanned. Didn't have them on digital files, so had to send them in for scanning. Then I had to read through and re-edit, catch the scanning errors, cringe a bit at the way I used to write, and move on. I didn't do heavy editing. The stories, to me, were, and still are, awesome. And though I feel my writing has improved, I didn't want to go through and totally overhaul them. They are as close to the originally published versions as possible. Though I did take out a lot of exclamation points. And man, did I used to love the ellipses! Still do. ;-)

So I put up TAME ME NOT a few days ago, and that is now available at Amazon and B&N. The Vook service I used to format these books is excellent, but I just noticed it deleted my section breaks in the mobi version, so I will have to go back in and enter *** so readers know when one scene ends. Hopefully will get to that soon.

Also just put up BETRAY ME NOT today (with *** inserted). This title should be on sale within a day or two.
And ENCHANT ME NOT is next. Plan to start reading/editing that tomorrow, and with luck, I may get that out by the New Year. Though, I sense I will have difficulty finding the perfect image for that cover, of which, the story is set in the Versailles gardens. Hmm...

2011-12-25T11:46:00.001-06:00

Playing With Fire

2011-12-09T13:11:00.001-06:00

So by now you should know PLAYING WITH FIRE (click to read first chap and buy links) is available in digital format at all online retailers. It is a part of my Of Angels & Demons series, but fits in the overall Beautiful Creatures world. And it's not only set in Paris but also Venice. This whole story started when I read about the 'green man' living beneath Paris.
Seems a few centuries a go, a cave-in on one of the Parisian streets went down to many layers below the city. (Cave-ins occur often, even nowadays, because a literal labyrinth of tunnels and passageways snake beneath the city.) Anyway, during one particular cave-in, a few people also fell into the hole, and though some were not rescued, one was, and claimed to have seen the 'green man' below. Some sort of demonic figure or, who knows? It became an oft-whispered about legend in the city for a while.
That got me to thinking. Who was this green man? Why was he green? Where did he come from? Well, apparently, he must have come from waaaaayyyyy down there. Like maybe even Beneath? And did he perhaps work for Himself? You see how my writer's brain works. It just goes there.
That provided the background and beginnings for Cinder, hero of Playing With Fire. I had attempted the story with an actual cave-in and the heroine finding him that way, but that didn't work for me, so instead, the 'green man' is the hero's history, and the whole story takes place very much above ground. Though, this wouldn't be the first time I was inspired by the tunnels beneath Paris. If you've read Seducing The Vampire, you'll know why.

Goofy, Giddy, Loopy Kind of Love

2011-11-25T13:57:00.001-06:00

Yep, that's the stage I'm at with my current work in progress. I lurve it! I adore it. I want to hug it and kiss it and squeeze it and take it home and call it George.
Most every book hits this stage at some point in the writing process. Sometimes for a day, sometimes for a week or longer. It varies with every single story. But when it hits, I walk around on air. My mood is elevated and the world feels bright. Just think about your own job. If you accomplished something you'd been working toward for a while, or achieved a new level. It would really rock your socks.

Of course, there are other stages during the course of the book. There's the beginning which is usually fun love. It's new, it's exciting. I'm trying to get it all on the page while the thoughts, images, and ideas spill out. That's a great stage, too.

Then there's the bored stage. I've worked with the characters so much they feel like relatives who came to stay for the weekend, and a month later you're still wondering when they'll leave.

The hate stage seems to strike with most books. Do I have to write about that guy today? Seriously, why does she love him? Why can't I just kill them all? I don't even want to sit in front of the computer. I want to work on anything but the story. Heck, I'd rather clean toilets. (It's a good thing for this stage, otherwise my toilets would never get cleaned.)

I think all stages are necessary to the creation process, but man, I'll take the goofy, giddy, loopy stage anytime, any day.

Hope those who celebrated Thanksgiving had a good time! And those who ventured out today for shopping found what they needed!

More Favs

2011-11-24T19:31:00.001-06:00

Something not quite so easy to just buy in a store, I figure, but so gorgeous. I'm quite over the moon about decorative wrought iron gates. Would love to have one on my property. Maybe some day?

Cats. All kinds of cats, big, small, skinny, fat. Black, white, orange, gray. When we found Maxwell at the pet store, I wasn't looking for him. I'd gone there with my eye to an older orange cat, but once I held that cat I just didn't feel the connection. Almost as an afterthought, I asked to see 'that little black one in the bottom cage'. The moment they handed over Maxwell, he climbed up to my neck, gave me hugs and kisses, and wouldn't stop. It was like he knew he had but a moment to win us (my hubby and I) and he wasn't going to spoil the chance. Well, he did win us over, and he's still huggy and full of kisses to this day. Such a sweetie. My lover boy.

A sexy Frenchman. 'Nuf said.

And speaking of sexy Frenchmen...(please do, any time) my fav movie this year was actually split into two movies: Mesrine: Killer Instinct and Mesrine: Public Enemy #1. Vincent Cassel played Jacques Mesrine. You can catch this one on NetFlix right now. I highly recommend it!

These Are A Few...

2011-11-23T14:00:00.000-06:00

What qualifies something as a Favorite Thing? Well, it's something that makes you smile, be happy, and/or feel good. It's something you look at every day, or use often.

Dance
For starters, every morning I wake up and look at this picture on my wall. Dance by Alphonse Mucha. I love anything and everything by Mucha, but this one is my favorite for the movement, the curvy lines and colors. Makes me happy!

Bodum

Cups can make me happy, especially these from Bodum. They are double-walled and insulated, and so delicate to hold and pretty to look at. Clasping a cup of hot tea doesn't burn you, but warms your fingers nicely. So simple and not fussy.

Smelly Stuff

I love handmade soaps and perfumes and body lotions. I try to find all natural products, but sometimes I stray when the fragrance is too good to resist. I have many different places online where I order this stuff, but only a few months ago I found a great place that sells all different brands. A one-stop shop! The Soap Box Company has some of my fav brands: Indigo Wild, Villainess (Lipstick Lost is a fav scent), Smell Bent. And a few new ones I love: I Smell Good (their CleanCream rocks), Tru Melange, SuperBad, and Naiad, to name a few. You can order tester vials of perfume oils for cheap ($2 - 4). And don't even get me started on the delicious smells you'll find in all the products. Their shipping is reasonably priced and they ship quick. I promise if you check them out, they'll go on your list of Fav Things too.

Apocalyptica
I mention these amazingly talented cellists often because they never cease to blow me away. Their range is vast, from classical to pop rock, to hard and heavy metal. Who else can shred on the cello while doing the rock n' roll headbang without getting their hair tangled in the strings? These guys! Spend a while at iTunes or YouTube going through their stuff, and I promise you'll find something to love. They currently have a PledgeMusic campaign going to produce a photo book and have some great incentives. I signed on to get the digital book. Can't wait.

More Favs

2011-11-22T18:06:00.001-06:00

Electronics

I treated myself to the iPad this year. I lurve it! I can honestly say I use it 75% of the time for fun and games, but I am slowly gaining some 'work' apps. I love the Pages app, which allows me to transfer my Word files onto the iPad. And I've decreased my paper magazine subscriptions this year and am now getting most digitally. I love The Daily, which comes, erm...daily. ;-) A little tabloid-ish at times, but a great way to start the morning (with tea, of course!). The Target app has allowed me to cancel my Sunday paper, because I was basically getting that for the ads. And Flipboard allows me to compile Facebook, Twitter, Google Reader, and other blog-crawls into one magazine-like format that I go through every morning as well. Really handy! Occasionally I'll watch a show on Netflix while lying in bed, and well, there are some great games, including Words With Friends and Hanging With Friends. I've mentioned before, I'm addicted to Pocket Frogs, which is my next Favorite Thing.

Pocket Frogs!

This simple little game requires no skill or talent that I can determine. It is simply tracking a frog from one lily pad to the other, along the way, collecting cash, prizes, and the occasional opportunity to breed your frog with another. You must collect them all and there are tens of thousands. It will keep me busy for years, I'm sure (especially since, when upgrading to iOS I lost the game and had to restart). I love my frogs! I play them morning, noon, and night. Yes, I'm addicted. Got a problem with that?

Trader Joes' Sugar Free Dark & Milk Chocolate Covered Almonds

Yeah, I know. You're thinking sugar free? Yuck. But these are excellent, and have a very sweet taste. Even the hubby steals these from the cupboard, and that's saying a lot since he's developed a very distinct radar that warns him away from my sugar-free stuff. I have them with tea as a daily treat.

Etsy
This one is a little harder to define, since it encompasses the entire Etsy site. I discovered this great shopping site for handmade articles, and I visit frequently. If you're looking for something one-of-a-kind or slightly not the norm, check Etsy. I love the gothic stuff, and sometimes can lose an good hour just searching for cool things. And if you like deals, subscribe to Heartsy, which features daily deals for Etsy buyers. Sometimes you can get up to 60% off at a seller's site. I've been filling my Xmas list using Heartsy for months now. :-)

My Favorite Things!

2011-11-21T16:58:00.001-06:00

I've been doing this for years because I love it when Oprah has her favorite things show and the viewers go wild over the gifts she gives them. Now that the Oprah show is no more, someone has to carry the torch. All week I'll be listing my 2011 Favorite Things. You can pretend I'm giving them away to all the screaming blog readers. ;-) (Just don't be disappointed when this stuff doesn't arrive in your mailbox.) But if you follow along all week, I may have a giveaway at the end!

Tea!

I've become addicted to tea this year as I gave up sugar and I think my taste buds altered so they no longer taste tea as just hot water with sticks soaked in it. My current fav is a blend from Teavana: White Ayurvedic Chai Tea mixed with Samurai Chai Mate Tea. I have it twice a day. It's super delicious! The Teavana.com website has some great stuff to pick from, but don't rule out The Republic of Tea, either. My favs from that place are currently: Peppermint Chocolate and Hot Apple Cider tea. Num!

Skull Rings that Sparkle

I love anything that sparkles. But make it a skull and I am so all over that. I got one like the blue one at left in black at Target recently. Halloween section. Only $7. Fun, eh? Would love a fist full of skulls, but I'll take it easy. ;-)

Not Your Daughter's Jeans
Okay, this one is just for the ladies. This year I discovered the best fitting jeans. Ever. Seriously, I have never found jeans that simply fit so well as these. I stalk Nordstrom's Rack, where they sell them for half price, and the irregular pairs are sold 75% off. $30 for a pair of jeans? Oh yeah! And since I've lost some weight and am now wearing the same size I wore in high school, I can justify spending a little more for something that makes me happy.

Tumblr.com

I know, it's a website! But I'm having so much fun with Tumblr. It's just like a blog, but more visual and so easy to use. I've created a Beautiful Creatures Tumblr site where I post pictures that inspire my books and my world. Follow me!

And stop back in tomorrow for more of my favorite things!

It's a freebie!

2011-11-09T09:09:00.001-06:00

THE SIN EATER'S PROMISE should now be available free whereever you can download/purchase books online. I've seen it at $0 at B&N, Kobo, and Amazon. This is part of the Of Angels And Demons mini series, and the overall Beautiful Creatures world. It is a stand-alone story. Just a quick look into the life of a sin eater and a soul bringer. The soul bringer did appear in Angel Slayer, but don't worry, you don't need to read that story to get this story. This was originally published in THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF PARANORMAL ROMANCE 2.
Go forth and download!

Literal Addiction's Scrabble Scramble

2011-11-06T20:05:00.000-06:00

Sponsored by Literal Addiction & Book Monster Reviews. Here's a link to my website, where you'll find the answer with a little sleuthing. Have fun!

I should note that this contest originates at Literal Addiction, so you enter your answer there.

The Three Musketeers - a review

2011-10-21T16:28:00.001-05:00

So, I just got back from The Three Musketeers. If you've read my blog or my books, you probably know this is my all-time favorite story, so I had high hopes for the movie. But as well, I went into it with lower expectations because when you love a story so much the smallest infraction can really set you off.

Overall? I'd give the movie about a 6 (out of 10), and say it's fun entertainment and worth the look. It followed the Dumas story for overall structure, but deviated often. Though I was surprised, for the most part, the characters—at least the musketeers—were true to form. Advertising will lend us to believe this is a story for a 'new generation'. Yeah? That's an excuse for making stuff up and adding it to an already great classic. Now I wouldn't expect the umpteenth remake of this story to not add some updates and try to appeal to a younger more modern market, so like I said, it's a good few hours of entertainment.

But wait! Musketeers in the sky? Uh-huh. And while the idea of an airship in the early 17th century seems preposterous they did explain it well. But seriously, there was far too much air-shippery for me. Musketeers belong on horses wielding swords and pistols, not soaring through the air with a dash of steampunkery. There was one pitiful horse (as D'Artagnan's horse, Buttercup, should be).

The sets and costumes were amazing. Really. I found I lost the beginnings of conversations because when a new scene started my eyes were taking in the fabulous sets and admiring the gorgeous costumes. Best dressed award? You would think Milady or the Queen should take this one, but it was, hands down, the Duke of Buckingham. So nice. Have I mentioned how much I love a well-dressed fop? ;-)

And speaking of the Duke! Orlando Bloom's version of the Duke was excellent. Num! One of my top three characters in this movie version. He had the entitled, roguish—yet fashionable—dictator act down pat. Give the man a pompadour and a dastardly moustache and he rocked it! I generally find Bloom a bit dull on the silver screen, but this was one of his best roles yet. (They gave hint there could be a sequel. Bring on more Bloom!)

The King and Queen. Often they are portrayed as young and naive, which they were—to a degree. Yet the King always gets played as a foppish toddler, and nothing new this time around, although, after an initial tantrum, the actor managed a pretty good grasp on the role and I have to say he rescued the King from being a complete idiot. The Queen was pretty, but cast aside in a small role when she should have mastered much more of the story. Ah well.

Richelieu was played by Christoph Waltz, who I have never seen in films before, though I know he's won awards. He was fine as the cardinal who would be King, but when he answered questions with 'yep' that tossed me out of the story completely. Certainly no match for Charlton Heston's version. The captain of the cardinal's guard, Jussac was lackluster and hardly the match to the musketeers he should be, giving up the fight too easily at all turns. And that leads us to Rochefort.

Rochefort is one of my favorite villains because he's one of those men you can shoot and stab and do all sorts of nasty things to and he keeps bouncing back. Mads Mikkelsen, who played him, did an admirable job, but I got the immediate impression he was channeling Michael Wincott's Rochefort (from the awful Disney version). In a match, Wincott would win, hands down. Mikkelsen did such a good job channeling his fellow actor that by the time they got to the swordfight on the roof of Notre Dame, I was seeing clear images of The Crow in mind. Remember when Eric Draven battled Top Dollar on the roof? It ended with Wincott getting impaled by a gargoyle. I was waiting for a gargoyle impalement during this scene (and there were gargoyles involved), but alas.

Now, to the musketeers. D'Artagnan. First, and the most annoying thing about the entire movie: WTF was with D'Artagnan's hair? I couldn't decide if it was a wig or Logan's natural hair. It never moved, never changed from the left part with those frustratingly hair-sprayed bangs, yet always messily tousled. It drove me nuts! Why can't historical flicks just let their male actors grow out their hair and go with it? And nix the hair spray! Musketeers don't do hair spray. They just don't. All right, that said, Logan Lerman did an admirable job as D'Artagnan, but I suspect the role would have been more exciting with a more worldly actor in his place, to portray the naive yet adventurous man who would become a musketeer. There was no passion or excitement in his eyes. Lines seemed forced, and his flirtations with Constance fell flat. And Constance, well, meh. Rachel Welch spoiled it for all future actresses who take on the role.

Athos, the brooding, alcoholic, wise man of the group was played by Matthew Macfadyen (looking tired and puffy; ugg). Meh. Why do most actors play Athos as so morose? Take a look at Oliver Reed's portrayal in the 1970s flicks. Well done, displaying all aspects of the character's personality, from miserable sod to laughing father figure to D'Artagnan, and a lover with a cruelly broken heart as well.

Aramis. Aramis! Luke Evans, I think I love you. I'd never heard of him before this movie, but the look of him made me think he had been perfectly cast. And he was. Though I wish they would have shown a bit more of Aramis's amorous side. Pout. He balanced the musketeer's religious aspirations with his quiet strength well, but where was the flirt? Sadly underused in this movie. But then it was focused on action and not so much on romance or emotions, for that matter. (And can I just say: after Milady did the jump—trying not to spoiler here—where was Aramis with the sign of the cross? That moment called for that simple action.)

I'm always worried about Porthos. Actors tend to make him the bumbling fool of the foursome. Not so. Porthos is a giant, a powerhouse who takes out men with his bare hands instead of a sword. Yet he also likes to be a kept man; taking gifts from rich women and shopping is one of his favorite past-times. The man likes to look good. They nailed it with Porthos in this version. Ray Stevenson is another actor I've never heard of. Who is this big, sexy hunk of a man? I can't wait to see him in movies again.

And I've left Milady for last because well—ugg. I have a lot of dislike for Mila Jovovich after she annihilated the role of Joan d'Arc in The Messenger by screaming through the entire movie. So I went into this flick knowing I'd have to endure her, and endure her I did. Great costumes, gorgeous hair, but eh. Faye Dunaway, where are you?

Overall, a movie worth seeing. If you're a fan of the story, know it's going to piss you off a few times (Milady and the musketeers working together to steal a treasure in Venice? Aggh!), and yet it will surprise you and keep you interested throughout.

Now, a few months ago I blogged about my cast picks for the movie featuring all French actors (contest no longer valid). Some day! Why haven't the French remade this one lately?

Will I see this one again? Not on the big screen, but probably rent it or buy the DVD so I can fast-forward the the good parts with the Duke, Aramis and Porthos.

Let me know what you think after you've seen it!

A Vampire For Christmas blog tour.

2011-10-19T09:54:00.001-05:00

Starting October 17, all four authors in the anthology A VAMPIRE FOR CHRISTMAS are going on a mini blog tour! At each stop on the #VampXmas tour, Caridad Pineiro, Laurie London, Alexis Morgan and I will be answering questions about our novellas and giving away cool swag, including a signed copy of A VAMPIRE FOR CHRISTMAS, one of our other books and an ornament. Please join us.

Here’s the mini-blog tour schedule:

Vampire Book Club

The Qwillery

Tynga’s Reviews

All Things Urban Fantasy

Literal Addiction

Reviews are good karma

2011-10-13T12:50:00.001-05:00

Dearest Readers! I'm not an author who is out there telling people to do this or that to help my sales, and I still don't want to be that kind of author. I put my work out there. I hope you all enjoy it and come back for more.

That said, I do want you all to know how much I appreciate it when you take the time to review my books at Amazon, B&N, Goodreads, etc. As well, now that I have a few self-published titles out there, I'm learning reviews are essential.

Did you know that there are some awesome blogs out there that promote self-pubbed titles, such as Daily Cheap Reads? But in order to even qualify to be featured on a site like that my book has to have so many reviews at Amazon. Usually five reviews is the bare minimum. (Some sites require a certain amount of 4 or 5 star ratings!) So while I can put the book out there, the only way I can get reviews is just to hope, or to frankly, ask. And maybe, as a reader, you're not aware that promotion sites like that require the review minimum, so that's why I wanted to tell you all about that today.

So, if you happen to spend a little time at Amazon (like me!) and you really liked one of my books, I'd appreciate a review. Doesn't have to be long. A sentence still counts as a review. And I'm not asking for a certain score. That's up to you.

Particularly, if you've read CRAVE THE NIGHT or FOLLOW THE NIGHT, I could really use some review karma. I promise to send good vibes back your way in thanks. :-)

2011-10-11T10:53:00.001-05:00

The UK cover of A VAMPIRE FOR CHRISTMAS is GORGEOUS! The Mills & Boon office made an animated gif of the cover. Now doesn't this make you want to put 'vampire' on your Christmas list? (For some reason, the animation part stops working after I've uploaded, so you have to click on the cover to see it work.)

Cruel Enchantments

2011-10-07T11:09:00.004-05:00

Finally, Bree and Rev's story is available in digital (and print soon) in the CRAVE THE NIGHT anthology. I knew this story even as I was writing Her Vampire Husband. Knew the Sabrina Kriss and Revin Parker would get together. It's a story of addiction and courage and of finding the one made for you and keeping him, no matter the challenges. When writing I keep pics of the faces who inspire me for my characters, so here's Rev:

And here's Sabrina Kriss:

If you've read Her Vamp Hubbie, I think Rev appeared briefly, and he works on the Rescue Project that Creed formed to rescue vampires from the werewolf sporting dens—but he gets caught, and that's where the story starts. Bree was carefree and sexy in Her Vamp Hubbie, and she hasn't changed, but we learn more about her quest to find her Intended, which is a Faery form of destined mate.

Blu makes a quick appearance, as well as Creed!

For buy links, check the book page, or Swell Cat Press

New cover!

2011-10-05T10:01:00.000-05:00

Playing With Fire is the last Nocturne Bites you'll ever see. The line comes to a close at the end of this year, and Nocturne Cravings is the replacement for your digital short-story paranormal romance needs. Kinda cool that I debuted the line with Racing The Moon, and now I'm helping to bring it to a close. A little sad, too. (sniffle)

Backlist books for sale!

2011-09-24T17:54:00.002-05:00

In the interest of clearing out the huge stacks of books in my basement, I'm going to sell half of them. Most of my backlist is available in paperback, and if you order a copy it will be signed (state if you want it personalized to a specific person). I'm going to charge $3 each, and that will cover the postage. I won't make a bucket o' cash on them, since media mail is around $2.20. Heck, you can't even get the one cent copies at Amazon for that price when postage is added in!
I will only accept payment by Paypal, so email toastfaery@gmail.com the list of books you'd like (and quantities) and I will send you a Paypal bill (include Paypal email you use). Include your mailing address as well. This is only open to US residents because the postage would far exceed the price for out of US. Offer good until copies are sold out! Here is the list of titles I have:

Ashes of Angels
Fallen
Angel Slayer
The Other Crowd
The Bone Conjurer
~~Swordsman's Legacy~~ sold out
Forever Vampire
Seducing The Vampire
Her Vampire Husband
Moon Kissed
The Highwayman
Faeries Gone Wild (antho)
Midnight Cravings (antho)
The Devil To Pay
Winter Kissed
His Forgotten Forever
Kiss Me Deadly
Familiar Stranger
From The Dark
Getaway Girl
Flawless
Once A Thief
Rhiana (tradesize)
Gossamyr (tradesize)
Seraphim (trade or mm)

2011-09-16T19:08:00.001-05:00

Blog appearances will be posted soon!

2011-09-11T11:24:00.001-05:00

The Devil To Pay

2011-09-09T09:13:00.000-05:00

Thought I'd highlight this book today because it is the followup book to KISS ME DEADLY, which is still a free download anywhere you look online. I always say I don't write sequels, and I don't, in the sense that you don't have to read a certain book before another book in order to understand what is going on in the second book. But I do have a few 'followup' titles where I will write about the child of a previous hero/heroine. The Devil To Pay is Ivan Drake's story, and he is the son of Nikolaus and Ravin Drake. You don't have to read KMD to understand what is going on in Ivan's story. I explain a few things at the beginning. But if you read TDTP, and like it, you may want to read about his parents. And vice versa!

So I couldn't resist writing about Ivan after, at the end of KMD, I realized what his parents did before he was even born. I won't give details here because that might spoil the end of KMD. But it really demanded another story, and Ivan was born. He's Himself's fixer, which means, when the devil yells, Ivan jumps. He's indebted to Himself, and just wants to be free. Here's a pic I used to get me into Ivan's head as I was writing:

He just wants out. And I love that intense look on his face. But he has to go up against a very powerful witch in order to do so, and witches and vampires, historically, have never gotten along. You can no longer buy this book new in paperback format. You'll have to search the used bookstores or buy it from a seller online. But you can also get it in digital format at any online retailer. Let me know if you like it!

THIS GLAMOROUS EVIL

2011-09-01T08:12:00.002-05:00

You can get it today! Read the first chapter here.

Dancing!

2011-08-31T13:36:00.000-05:00

All right, so the celebrities have been paired with their dancers. This could be an interesting season. Here's my thoughts:

Carson Kressley and Anna Trebunskaya: Love Carson and Anna. Could be an awesome duo, and could go far if Carson has an dancing ability.

Rob Kardashian and Cheryl Burke: I don't know the celebrity but Cheryl will kick his butt. I suspect he won't last longer than 3 episodes.

Ricki Lake and Derek Hough: Derek is the master choreographer, so he could take Ricki far.

J.R. Martinez and Karina Smirnoff: Is this a sports guy? They usually do pretty well, but I'm going to predict he'll make it halfway through.

David Arquette and Kym Johnson: He might play it for laughs, or he could have some talent. This could be an interesting and very fun pairing.

Chaz Bono and Lacey Schwimmer: Their biggest obstacle will be Chaz's weight. Otherwise, I think they'll get along schwimmingly. ;-)

Hope Solo and Maksim Chmerkovskiy: Yay, they gave Maks an athlete. Then again, sometimes they do well, other times not so well. Depends on how much confidence Hope has, and I don't know her at all. Here's hoping she's in it for the long run because you all know the only reason I watch this show is because of Maks.

Kristin Cavallari and Mark Ballas: Mark is another awesome choreographer, but I'm guessing he's not going to get much out of this chick. But I don't know her at all, so she could surprise us all.

Ron Artest and Peta Murgatroyd: Don't know either of these two. Have no opinion.

Chynna Phillips and Tony Dovolani: Love Tony, but he often gets paired with old ladies who don't last long. So he might have someone who can show him some legs this time around, but I suspect they won't make it to mid-season.

Nancy Grace and Tristan MacManus: This is the guy I've been wanting to see more of since he debuted last season. Too bad they paired him with Grace. I suspect she'll be the first one out, unless they keep her around as the usual 'bad accident we like to watch'.

Elisabetta Canalis and Val Chmerkovskiy: Can we handle two Chmerkovskiys on the show? I'm not sure. But I still love Maks. Will be interesting to watch Val and see if he can get some movement out of the stick-thin Canalis.

My prediction for top three? Maks, Anna and either Derek or Kym.

You know you want to read everything by Megan Hart!

2011-08-29T16:31:00.000-05:00

The new Nocturne Cravings line debuts this Thursday with my book, THIS GLAMOROUS EVIL, and Megan Hart's OUT OF THE DARK. Today it's all about Megan, and she sent me a link to an excerpt on her site [click here!] and another exclusive excerpt to whet your appetites for the rest of the book.

Excerpt:

Luke looked up, searching for the light, and instead found nothing but more darkness.

He'd fallen so fast and hard he didn't realize it at first, but then the pain exploded in him. Not just from the thud of his body against the rocks as he plummeted through a hole in the cave floor that hadn't been there moments ago when the others crossed it. Slashing, ripping agony tore through his ankle, then his back. He opened his mouth to scream. Something leathery and foul, reeking of spoiled meat, shoved inside to choke him silent. The pain and pressure in his ankle released, but then a hot wind blew over him as the sound of something flapping hummed in his ears. Flapping like wings. He pushed back, scrambling over hidden terrain as his headlight bounced wildly. He hit a wall and a cascade of rocks and dirt fell over him, making him cough and choke again.

He'd fallen about twenty feet into a cavern so vast from side-to-side his light couldn't even touch the sides of it. The hole through which he'd fallen—no, not fallen. Been pulled, his mind said. He'd been yanked through that hole by his ankles, which throbbed and ached. He lifted his pant leg to look at the blood oozing from four puncture wounds just above the top of his boot. He spat, then again, to clear his mouth of the horrible taste. He looked up to the ceiling, noting how the hole that had been big enough to fit his entire six-foot-two frame had filled in, leaving a mounded hill of dirt, debris and boulders that would've made a convenient ladder up to the cavern's roof...if there'd been any sign of an exit left.

Dust had covered his headlight, but the helmet had protected his head from damage. Looking at the size of the rocks that had thumped down all around him and feeling the ache from where one or two of them had punched him in the back and shoulders, Luke knew he was lucky he was still conscious. He wiped his fingers across the light, clearing it, but it flickered when he touched it. The glass felt cracked. He'd fallen on his pack, the extra flashlight digging into the small of his back. He rolled off it to dig inside. Found his water bottle, the protein bars he always packed. A first-aid kit he'd need to use on his ankle in a few minutes. But for now, he needed light.

He could hear the faintest sound of shouting, and another slew of rocks and dirt slid down from the place he'd come through the floor. Still no sign of the hole. He shone both lights up and up, across the ceiling, searching for any hint of light or sign of the place he'd fallen through.

"Holy shit." Luke tried to say it aloud, but his throat would make nothing more than the hoarsest croak.

He'd been in caverns covered with bats before. The things he saw clung to the roof like bats, they had the same leathery skin as bats, but they were not bats. The size of a fifth grader, human in form but for the overlong fingers and toes that helped them cling to every crevice. Human eyes blinked, shining red in the wash of light from his headlamp, and the creatures hissed at him. A fresh wave of that stink reached him, and Luke put a hand over his mouth and nose to fight from retching.

They moved as one, crawling the surface of the cave. The hissing got louder. Luke got to his feet, hopping on his wounded ankle and hunched from the pain in his back, but dammit, moving. At the base of the pile of dirt and debris that had fallen along with him, he found a severed...paw was the only way to describe it. Thick claws coated in blood. His blood, he thought as the room spun and he fought to keep the shadows from taking him.

Above him, the hissing got louder. It burned his eardrums, poking like pins inside his head. Like voices, but none that he could decipher. Had he been clocked on the head harder than he'd thought? But no, a quick shine of his light up to the roof again showed him the same things. They didn't recoil from the light this time.

They focused on it.

And then they came down.

All of them at once, burying him in a pile of reeking, leathery flesh and claws that tore at him. Teeth that fought to find his flesh. He hit one of them with the heavy flashlight, breaking the bulb but sending the creature screaming into the dark. Another. Then another. Rocks fit into his fists, became weapons. He kicked and punched. He found his voice when one of them sunk its teeth into the tender webbing between his thumb and forefinger, when the flesh tore, when the thing tore away a chunk of him.

Again and again he fought as the hissing whispers got louder, searing his eardrums. The stink rose, too, until he choked with it. Writhing, Luke hit out again and again. Screams of pain and fury rose around him, not echoing in the cavern but inside his skull. Bones crunched. Blood coated him.

He fought.

He killed.

Later, much later, Luke would eventually give in and agree with the version of the story that said the cave simply collapsed beneath his feet a few feet from the exit. He would stop insisting that something had punched through the cave floor and pierced his ankle with thick talons, the same kind that carved up his back and chest. He would accept the explanation of a blow to the head, coupled with a cave-in, for his injuries. Later he'd smile and nod at whatever the doctors said so he could just get the hell out of the hospital. He'd convince them he believed their "truth."

But all of that was a lie.

Something had taken him into the dark and tried to hurt him, and he'd hurt back.

And something was still out there.

It will happen

2011-08-22T18:23:00.000-05:00

I found this picture online today and have been thinking about it all day. Seriously. I decided it's going to be Trystan Hawkes' apartment in Paris. But beyond fiction, I really need this to be MY place. I've been pondering what needs to happen to make it so. Winning the lottery is a long shot, but how else would one come by a few million to buy a place like this? Write a lot of freakin' books. A LOT.

But it's something to dream about, and it now sits on my computer desktop so I can see it every day. I have a goal. Now to get there. ;-)

What about you? Do you have a picture of something you want/need/desire that you would love to get to?

2011-08-19T13:47:00.001-05:00

September 1st release...

2011-08-17T10:20:00.002-05:00

Forever Vampire featured at Vampire Ball

2011-08-16T08:24:00.002-05:00

Any readers from Hollywood out there? On August 27th the Bar Sinister will host the annual Vampire Ball, and will be giving away copies of FOREVER VAMPIRE!

Playlist for THIS WICKED MAGIC

2011-08-12T20:31:00.001-05:00

When I start a new story I sometimes make up a playlist (if I have a good idea of the plot and the characters in mind). Came up with a great playlist for my next project:

According to You - Orianthi
American Witch - Rob Zombie
Awake and Alive - SKillet
Beautiful Dangerous - Slash (feat. Fergie)
Bodies - Drowning Pool
Coming Undone - Korn
Cream - Prince
Diabolos - Dir En Grey
Down In A Hole - Alice In Chains
Down With The Sickness - Disturbed
Eileen - Skid Row
Give Me Novacaine - Green Day
Hard To Handle - The Black Crowes
Heavy Metal Lover - Lady Gaga
Moonlight Equilibrium - The Black Dahlia Murders
Rocket Queen - Guns N' Roses
So Cold - Break Benjamin
Stolen Prayer - Alice Cooper
This House Is Haunted - Alice Cooper
This Night - Black Lab
Twist - Korn
We R Who We R - Ke$ha
Welcome to My Nightmare - Alice Cooper
Welcome To Mystery - Plain White T's
You're My Temptation - Alice Cooper

Yep, this story is going to be dark.

I can sign your Kindle books!

2011-07-29T09:35:00.000-05:00

This is the coolest thing! I can now sign the Kindle version of my books for you. You just have to go to my author page at KindleGraph.com and request an autograph. I sign a form, then you are sent a page that features the book cover and my autograph. It's swell!

Winners!

2011-07-28T08:45:00.000-05:00

Well, I had three entries (does no one like the 3 Musketeers?) so...all three are winners! They are:
Ju Dimello
skyla11377
Melissa/welachild

Please send me your snail mail addresses: toastfaery@gmail.com

Thanks for playing!
M

Les Trois Mousquetaires - A contest

2011-07-19T13:58:00.001-05:00

It's no secret my favorite story EVER is The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas. Love most of the movies made about it, as well. But I'm surprised a big budget flick hasn't been put out by the French. Something with big stars and CGI and all the advertising fanfare that the upcoming American release is getting for the next version due out in October. Oh sure, I found a little movie put out in '05 by the French, but not much else. I have nothing wrong with Englishmen playing D'Artagnan (Michael York will always be my favorite) but would really love to see a version set in and played by actors from France.

So here is my dream casting for the movie. Let me know if you agree, or who you would cast! Details below about the contest if you send me your dream cast.

I'll start with Aramis, since the actor I want to play him immediately popped to mind. Vincent Cassel would embody Aramis' duplicitous nature, switching from religious fanatic to charming ladies' man in the snap of a finger. He's also sexy as hell. The man is Aramis.

Porthos, the fun-loving powerhouse who likes to spend money as much as he likes women tends to be played by portly actors, when really, he towers over his fellow musketeers and has brute strength. I'd love to see Cyril Raffaelli cast as Porthos.

D'Artagnan is difficult because he's quite young in the story, but I'm not familiar with a lot of young French actors, so my first choice is Romain Duris, who plays charming and romantic so well, and I can entirely see him swashbuckling across the screen as he defiantly challenges the musketeers into accepting him into their ranks.

Of the musketeers, I've saved Athos for last. He is my favorite. Somber, wise and has a bitter past that won't let go of him. He is D'Artagnan's reluctant mentor and always a friend. I think Jean Hugues-Anglade would play him well, though I don't see him as physically fitting the character. Anglade is slight while Athos is well-built and probably taller.

Fanny Ardant must play Milady. (Even though Faye Dunaway owned that role.) Ardant can play wicked devious well, and yet embue it with a tragic, lingering innocence that will put Athos onto his knees.

Constance? Perhaps Ludivine Sagnier. Though I could entirely see her playing Milady as well.

Cardinal Richelieu could be played by Lambert Wilson. I'd really like to see what he can do with the role.

Now it's your turn! Cast The Three Musketeers with your favorite actors. I can't wait to see who you pick. And to make it more interesting, I'll turn this into a contest. I'll draw two winners in a week to win the set of: ANGEL SLAYER, FALLEN, and ASHES OF ANGELS. But sure to include an email address in your post in the comments!

Keep cool!

2011-07-17T13:31:00.000-05:00

It's a steamer out there today. In the high 90s, with the heat index pushing past 110, or so the weather girl says. I'm sitting in the AC working on a story, but go outside every hour or so, just to take in the warmth. Gotta enjoy it now, because in just a few months winter will breeze in again.

When in NYC a few weeks ago I had the most incredible watermelon soup. I emailed the restaurant and they sent the recipe, though it didn't have measurements, so with a little trial and error I've fashioned my own recipe (still kind of 'to taste') that I think you'll all like.

Start with a baby watermelon, or some stores called it 'personal-sized'. Depending on size (you'll have to do trial and error on this) a small one will make two servings, and a little larger is up to four servings.

Cut up watermelon and put in blender.

Add two mints leaves

A handful (up to a cup) of blueberries (these are optional, but I like them for color they add)

dash of salt and pepper

a shot (or two) of White Zinfandel (again, to taste!)

Blend until liquified.

Add small chunks of fruit, such as cantaloupe and/or grapes, cherries, and give a quick blend so as to leave fruit a little chunky.

Eat!

It's so refreshing, and very filling. A perfect summertime lunch!

Let me know if you try it (and how it goes with the wine measurement). ;-)

Another '11 release

2011-07-12T11:07:00.000-05:00

Just found out the last Bites I turned in a few months ago is going to be a December release. Cool! I have so many releases this year, it startles me. When did I have time to write all that? Do I have a life? :-)

I'm not sure what the title for the story is because I handed it in as FIRE AND BLOOD, but they want a change so I sent in two additional choices: PLAYING WITH FIRE or ONCE AN ANGEL. This is a short story in my Of Angels & Demons series and features Cinder, a fire demon and Parish, who is a vampiress (who was also once a muse, or maybe still is!).

Tumblr

2011-07-11T16:03:00.000-05:00

All right, as if I don't have enough places online already, Dusted, FB, Twitter, VampChix, Riding With The Top Down, Bite Club, Club Scarlet, I've just opened a Tumblr account. I'm toying with the idea of getting rid of Dusted and just using Tumblr because I seem to have less and less to say, yet like to post pics of pretty things. We'll see if I get the hang of customizing Tumblr and how well it works. So if you want to find me at yet another place, click here: haufsbeautifulcreatures.tumblr.com

2011-07-11T15:35:00.000-05:00

As a writer, I consider it a blessing when I get a new story idea. But when I'm working on another story that has a deadline, it can also be a curse. I just want to play with the new idea, but I've other, more pressing work to do first. Might not even get to this idea until next year. Sad face. But I will write it, because I MUST.

I dallied with the idea of doing a story to revisit Creed and Blu. I hear a lot from readers wanting to read more about those two from HER VAMPIRE HUSBAND. I know Blu wants kids. Lots of them. Her own pack, actually. But werewolves can't get pregnant by vampires. I had that all figured out and the story was in my head, but couldn't figure how to give it a happy ending. Well, it came to me last night. And I love it! And, as a result, two new characters came to mind, Kam and Kai. Can't say much about them, but found pics of them today and already have basic character sheets drawn up. Those are the pics; Kam is the chick; Kai the guy. Aren't they hot?
So eventually I'll get to the 'what happens next' story about Blu and Creed, probably in novella format, and maybe in a paranormal antho I put together myself. And hopefully Kam and Kai's stories will follow!
Now, can I get a clone of myself? Anyone?
M

.99 cents for a limited time!

2011-07-09T21:38:00.002-05:00

All righty, here's the deal. The next ten days I have to write 1000 words a day to finish a manuscript. Sounds easy, but with the story done at its current word count, each word will be like squeezing blood from a stone. But I don't want my readers to suffer while I am. In fact, I want you to get a good deal while I'm chained to the computer. :-)

So for the next ten days you can get a copy of FOLLOW THE NIGHT, my historical vampire romance, at Smashwords for only .99 cents. That's 75% off! Yep, less than a buck for a full-length story! Can you dig it? You can only get it for that price at Smashwords, but they offer all formats so you can download the file to read on whatever e-Reading device you have.

So go here: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/66975

And use this coupon code: SF75V

And spread the word to all your friends!

Now, back to the story. More words!

2011-07-09T09:41:00.002-05:00

Don't you wish a place like this existed?

2011-07-07T11:04:00.001-05:00

RWA 2011 Conference recap

2011-07-04T12:39:00.000-05:00

So I'm still walking on some kind of cloud after a five day trip to NY for the Romance Writers of America conference. I think I did about 50% conference, and 50% vacation with the hubby. And 100% eating. :-) We flew in on Tuesday and had time to change into my sorta goth/Morticia outfit for the book signing at 5:30. It was packed and so loud, it felt like I was at a rock concert. Couldn't hear a thing and had to shout to talk to someone face to face. Insane. But very cool. I had wanted to walk around and see all the authors signing (over 300) but didn't find time to do that. Pouty face. The hubby was a trouper, and actually stood in a few lines to get signed books for me. He gets mega points for that. After the signing I had supper at Sofia's (across street from hotel) with my agent and we caught up, possibly saw a cockroach skitter across the floor, and I witnessed my agent's amazing ability to cause dishes go crashing without even touching them.
Wednesday morning the ladies from the Riding With The Top Down blog had breakfast at the Aspen Room (think that was name of it). We sat under a ceiling of white antlers. The food was spendy and not that great; I thought we should have all taken a piece of toast home with us for exfoliation later. But it was awesome to see my blogging buddies, and meet for the first time Kylie Brant and Leanne Banks. We chattered for hours, and then walked to Times Square and took pics. [Check my Facebook page for pics]
After that the hubby and I walked around Times Square. I was so impressed with NY. It's cleaner than I expected (I know, I was in Manhattan, but still), and the people were so friendly. That afternoon I had tea at the St. Regis with Marsha Zinberg, and a few other editors from Gold Eagle and the Features and Customs dept. Also with Brenda Novak and Betina Krahn. Yes, as I looked at those two authors I kept thinking 'I'm not worthy!'. That was cool, but those little finger sandwiches? I think I ate crab, which I do not like. I gagged it down as ladylike as I could manage.
Thursday was a busy day. Sent the hubby off to a Yankees game with Deb Dixon's hubby (it was a blind date for them), and then I went to the Harlequin signing. Again, no time to walk the room to see all the authors signing but I'm guessing there was about 30 of us. I had about 250 books to sign. I thought my pile looked so much bigger than everyone else's and asked the organizer of the signing, and he said yes, I had the most books. Yikes! Way to torture me with constant signing in an hour and a half! But really? It was fun. And I'd never complain about having to sign all those books, because what a cool opportunity to sign and have people lined up for your books. I got a copy of Megan Hart's Precious and Fragile Things and can't wait to start reading that. And at the end Heather Graham asked me to sign a copy of Forever Vampire to her. Wow.
Ran to the awards luncheon after that but had to duck out early (missed Sherrilyn Kenyon talk; waaaa!) but I wanted to meet up with a bunch of fellow Nocturne authors. That was a small group, but again, great to get to meet them and chatter a bit. Then off to another suite where the International Harlequin editors were for a meet and greet. I met editors from Italy, Spain, Holland, Scandia, Greece, Brazil, France, and...I feel like I'm missing someone. That was cool. Holland is just starting to put out vampire books because they see how popular Stephanie Meyers is, so fingers crossed, my books will show up there soon!
After that, back to my room to make a costume change, and then out for supper with my editor at The Oyster Bar in Grand Central Station. The train station was so cool. Wish we would have had more time to linger and take pictures there, but we wanted to rush to the Harlequin party because I was to receive my 25 book pin. We got there about 3 minutes after they handed out pins. :-( But I still got mine. It's very cool. A little silver diamond with the Harlequin 'H' on it and a ruby. So proud of myself. And now my goal is to work toward the 50 book pin. ;-) We then danced all night. The party was in the Waldorf Astoria's Starlight Ballroom. They had laid down soft white carpeting everywhere but the dance floor. Because when hundreds of women gather in a room with an awesome DJ it doesn't take long for them to kick off their shoes and let down their hair. In fact, when checking in to the party, we were handed a pair of Harlequin socks, because they knew exactly what would happen. The drinks were free and there were stations with chocolate, ice cream, and cupcakes. Don't you wish you had been there? ;-)
Friday I spent most of the day with hubby. We walked to Rockefeller Plaza. I did so much walking, and I only wore my flip flops, and I was surprised but my feet didn't even hurt! This whole trip I stunned myself with how much I walked. Anyway, we did the NBC tour, and saw Dr. Oz's studio (so small; can't figure how they make it look so big on TV), Jimmy Fallon's Studio, and Saturday Night Live studio. Then we went up to the Observation Deck and looked over the city. Truly Breathtaking. The only thing that could have made the day perfect was to walk into Brian Williams. Alas...
Friday night was the RITA ceremony. Hubby and I got all dressed up then walked into a dark room and sat at a table, and afterward everyone filed out and went their own way. We walked through Times Square afterward, admiring the lights, and the fact that it isn't dark out there because of all the lights.
Saturday was Statue of Liberty day. We took the subway there. Yay us! We didn't get lost. And then took the ferry which was fun, and I was a little surprised that the statue was so small. Not sure what I expected, but just...bigger. More imposing, maybe. We didn't have tickets to go up to the crown (sold out through October), but got to go through pedestal and found that very interesting. We were sunbaked and tired when we got back on the ferry, so skipped Ellis Island. Then we walked to ground zero and looked at the construction in progress. Awe-inspiring and gets a girl a little choked up as well.
All week we ate at great restaurants but were shocked at the prices. Breakfast at Juniors (so good we ate there 3 times) with a meager eggs, bacon, toast, coffee, for two of us, was over $30. My favorite was the watermelon soup at an Italian restaurant on 48th. Wish I could find a recipe but nothing online like it. It was watermelon with bits of cantaloupe in it and a touch of mint. Num!
All in all it was a great vacation/conference. The hubby wants to go back, but maybe for only three days. It never fails, at any conference, around the end of day 3 or beginning of day 4, I get hit by people overload. I don't want to be around any more people. I don't want to hug anyone. I just need SPACE. Knowing this, the hubby left me alone in hotel room, and I had a good cry. Helped a lot. :-)
That was only the third vacation hubby and I had taken together in 23 years of marriage. Isn't that pitiful? We're going to try to change that. Every other year is our goal to shoot for.
Hope you all have a great 4th!
M

In NY on Tuesday the 28th?

2011-06-24T14:09:00.000-05:00

The password(s) are: Sam and Cassandra.

If you're going to the massive, multi-author signing in the ballroom at the Times Square Marquis Marriot on Tuesday night 5:30 pm, I am giving away prize packages to the first 3 people who come to my table and say the password: Sam and Cassandra. They are hero/heroine of ASHES OF ANGELS. What's in the prize package? A signed copy of ASHES OF ANGELS, which won't be in stores until the end of July, along with bookmarks, a sticker, and a handmade book thong. (Sorry, the photo below is so dark).

And...one lucky winner will get something extra in their prize package. This cool ring that I got from LicketyCut at Etsy. It's fangs and a mouth! How sweet is that?

So be sure to stop by my table and don't forget the password!

2011-06-24T11:09:00.000-05:00

The UK version of Ashes of Angels (also due out in August, I believe). Only one problem. Dude has a belly button on the cover. Hmm...but he doesn't in the story. ;-)

Inspirations for Follow The Night

2011-06-19T14:59:00.000-05:00

I actually wrote Follow The Night before From The Dark, so I already knew about Jane Renan's parents when I started that story. Nocturne wasn't publishing historicals, so I set Follow aside. But as I've mentioned, the 18th century is my fav time period to write about so I knew I would someday finish the story. And I have!
Now to the faces and events that inspired the story. For the hero Gabriel Renan (who goes by Baptiste in From The Dark; you know those vamps, have to change their names every century or so), this guy was the inspiration:

It's so cool that Orlando Bloom has been cast as the Duke of Buckingham in this fall's Three Musketeers reboot, because I'll get to see him in the fancy 17th C clothing, not similar to the frockcoats I made him wear as Gabriel Renan but still fun.

Inspiration for Roxane was this pretty face:

Gabriel loves her 'strawberries and cream' hair.

For me, the ultimate cover would have featured a man, in a frockcoat, facing the reader with his hand out to beckon them toward him. He would be standing in his bed chamber beneath the amazing oculus window set in the ceiling that rains down gorgeous color and his skin would be painted with different colors. I couldn't even find a photo that closely resembled the image I had in mind, but this one is close (though it should be a riot of color, very little clear glass):

And finally, there's Chuck, the gargoyle who stands guard duty in my garden. I've had him for a long time, and he plays a very important role in this story. He stars as Charles, a gargoyle (obviously), and he's quite devoted to Roxane. He's quite a bit bigger in the story though.

Follow The Night - And the whole shebang

2011-06-18T15:16:00.003-05:00

Follow The Night is now available! Yay! Doing a happy dance. I've put out a few of my backlist titles in digital format, but this is my first original novel. So yippee! It's set in my Beautiful Creatures world, and is Gabriel Renan's story. It's an origin story. I've never really done one of those before, although Scarlet in Dark Rapture was an origin story too, I guess. I love this hero. And I want to say to those who wonder why I didn't go big NY publishing with this? Well, it did circulate to a few houses. Comments were good to great, but the main reason for not wanting this story was the hero wasn't alpha enough. He's an 18th rogue who happens to like a little lace at his neck and sleeve, and a swell damask frockcoat. (My fav kind of guy!) I had pondered for a while, changing him, making him tougher, more macho (not that he's a wimp, by any means), but I really liked him the way I'd written him, so decided to publish myself and keep him exactly how he should be. Don't freak. He's not a fop who wilts at the sight of blood. The dude can handle a sword (and a woman) well, thank you very much.

Follow The Night is currently available in all digital formats at Smashwords. And it just showed up at Amazon today! And...I've already gotten the paperback copy and proofed it (had a few changes to make, so waiting for those new proofs to arrive now). The paperback is gorgeous, if I don't say so myself, and I believe it should go live at Amazon by July. Just want to take a final look over the new proofs before I offer it for sale. And I have to say, I had to price it at $12.99. I know, that's spendy, but it was the lowest I could mark it and not have to actually owe money if it sells to certain markets. It's slighter larger than a mass market size and a bit smaller than trade size. It's 5x8 trim size, which I really like. But when going through the self-pubbing process there is no way to keep the cover price down because I don't order in bulk, and it's POD through CreateSpace. So I apologize for that, but am satisfied that if you do invest in a copy, you will be happy with the quality of the overall product. I'll announce here when paperbacks go live.

Now, does this all mean I'm going indie, as so many authors have recently announced? Hmm, well, not really. You see, I enjoy being published with the big NY publishers. I love the process of working with editors and, as a team, creating a final product. I learn so much every time I get a copyedit, it never ceases to amaze me. I also marvel at the art department and marketing and sales and all those other people involved in bringing a book to fruition. They're smart. That is their job. They know a heck of a lot more than I do about the publishing process. I enjoy learning from them. I'm not going to grumble about royalties or percentages or anything like that. I read my contracts through from beginning to end. I sign them. I'm happy with the process as it is. And NY is my bread and butter (though the slices are sometimes thin, other times you get a nice healthy slice of whole grain). But really, I hope to publish with a big publisher for as long as I'm able to write.

That said, I also love the process of self-publishing. I love creating a book. When I received the proof for Follow The Night it was such a thrill. I'd made that. The whole thing. I made a book! I wanted a huge freakin' magnet to pin it to the fridge for all to see. :-) I enjoy the whole process of making a book, from writing it (the hardest part), to going through the editing stage (Follow The Night has been professionally edited; I know I will always need an editor and am not too proud to admit that), the formatting stages both for digital and paperback, the creation of cover art, marketing, and every other little detail involved. And there are a lot of details in the whole do-it-yourself process. It's hard work, but very rewarding. I would not continue to do it, if I did not enjoy all parts of it. And since I do enjoy it so much (making covers and working with fonts is swell fun) I will continue to do so. I have a few full length stories I would like to publish in the future, as well, I may write some novellas to accompany the bigger releases I've put out. Many of you ask for secondary characters' stories, or what happened to Blu and Creed? Well, if I have the time, I can write them and publish them.

But. The books I've contracted, and will contract to big pubs come first. Self-pubbing is more than a hobby to me, but it comes second to the other stuff. I'm having my cake and eating it too. It's lots of fun! And I hope you'll support me whether the book is pubbed by the big guys or by little ole me. ;-) I promise I will always put out the best story I can tell, and the best quality product I am able.

Thanks for reading!
Michele

2011-06-14T14:22:00.000-05:00

Got permission to post the new cover for October anthology featuring stories from me, Laurie London, Alexis Morgan and Caridad Pineiro

2011-06-14T11:17:00.000-05:00

This one is a little nicer than yesterday's pic. A reader alerted me to this. You all know I was thinking of Adam Lambert when I wrote Vail, but I didn't imagine him quite like this. ;-)

2011-06-13T09:40:00.000-05:00

As much as I love the guy, this one makes me giggle every time...

2011-06-06T13:51:00.001-05:00

If you are a reviewer/blogger you can now get my August release ASHES OF ANGELS at NetGalley.com

2011-06-05T17:14:00.002-05:00

We interrupt this blog to sigh... (So I like 'em dark, lean and maybe a little creepy. You got a problem with that?) ;-)

Ole!

2011-06-01T11:37:00.000-05:00

From werewolves to a kick-ass, sword-wielding heroine. My writing switches abruptly today. I set aside Forever Wild, and now have to finish my next Rogue Angel, tentatively titled The Matador's Crown. I love writing for the Rogue Angel series because the characters are fun, compelling, and I never tire of putting them into new and interesting situations. This one is set in Cadiz, Spain and will have a lot of the stuff that intrigues me personally, such as flamenco dancing, guitars, and even bullfighting. So I'm trying to fill my brain with all things Spanish and will have to adjust my playlist to flamenco tunes. I read Hemingway's Death In The Afternoon a few months ago, which really had some great bullfighting information. Watched A Matador's Mistress last night, with Adrian Brody and Penelope Cruz. Kinda arty, but still very fun to see Brody as a matador. You can find it on Netflix. I just may have to dig out my flamenco skirt and dance shoes and see if I remember any steps. I took classes a few years ago, but quit because the drive was so long. Would love to start again, but not any classes near me. Will have to be satisfied with the music and trying to perfect a few Spanish tunes on my guitar. The next two months will be focused on completing this story, so here's to a Spanish summer!

Forever Wild (the beginning)

2011-05-26T17:34:00.001-05:00

I'm drafting out Trystan Hawkes' story right now and man, do I love that guy. Story is set in Northern France in a medieval castle close to good skiing and lots of forest (though it's a modern story). I always find it helpful to have pics of characters on my desktop as I write, so thought I'd post them here so you all can see what inspires me lately.

Trystan Hawkes (unaligned werewolf hero) Do you just want to hug this man?

Alexis Conner (heroine; princess of Alpine pack) How much do we love Maggie Q?

Sven (haven't figured last name yet; he's a bad werewolf who is in running to be pack scion)

Alana Conner (Lexi's sister and engaged to Sven)

And this guy I'm calling Leesom for reasons beyond my kin. I suspect his name will change. He's a pack member who is a good guy and yet finds it hard to take sides with either Sven or Tryst.

Edmonton Conner (Alpine pack principal; father of Lexi and Lana)

July release

2011-05-22T15:45:00.000-05:00

I love learning new things in Photoshop. I made a 'book' out of my book cover. Cool! This one is out in July, peoples, and it's a new historical vampire romance in my Beautiful Creatures world.

2011-05-21T10:36:00.002-05:00

Not sure I like the goatee. What do you all think?

Updates

2011-05-16T09:38:00.001-05:00

Bite Club is discussing FOREVER VAMPIRE right now. If you've read the story, stop by and leave a comment! We never get a really good discussion going and we're considering stopping the book club, so help give it a boost, ok?

My current release is ROGUE ANGEL: THE OTHER CROWD written under the Alex Archer pseudonym. Someone at Amazon commented that this was not the real Annja because she's never interested in boys (or isn't boy crazy, something like that). I beg to differ. She's got an awkward shyness to her around men, and I'm hoping I featured that quite well in this story. It's also got gun runners, priceless wine, and a sexy FBI agent (I think). :-)

Right now I'm reading PHOENIX RISING: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences novel. Very good. Steampunk, action/adventure, mystery, suspense. It's got it all, and two very likable protagonists that I hope will launch a whole series featuring the twosome.

And, last but not least, this week the Backlist eBooks authors have organized a sale, featuring some of our backlist titles. I am offering a coupon code for 40% off the $2.99 of WICKED ANGELS. This coupon only works at Smashwords, but you can download the story in any format you should need for your electronic reading pleasure. Coupon is good through the end of the month. Code: RA85T

2011-05-04T08:06:00.002-05:00

There's a character inspiration post today at Bite Club for Forever Vampire, and it features some pics I haven't shown here of Leo Santiago and the faery healer, if you're interested!

2011-05-02T13:03:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the lacking posts lately! I've hit the Really Busy Months section of my year, and sometimes all I can do is roll my eyes when I look at the calendar and realize just how much I have to accomplish before fall. Yikes. Have I mentioned before I'd really like a clone? But I do love being busy, and am very grateful for the work. So it's certainly not complaining, just a little exhausted sigh. Handed in The Werewolf's Wife last week. Will hand in Monsters Don't Do Christmas sometime this week. Then on to the Nocturne Bites due June 1st, which doesn't have a title yet. Then to get that Rogue Angel done, and make sure I don't forget about Forever Wild, either. I guess it's not so bad, afterall, that the weather is sucky lately, because I wouldn't be able to go out and enjoy it anyway.

But enough about how busy I am. Anyone see any good movies lately? I'm so desperate for a great movie. I did see Jade Warrior recently, a Chinese/Finnish tale that was really cool. I like those foreign movies with action and swords. Any suggestions?

Forever Vampire book trailer

2011-04-15T08:45:00.003-05:00

To catch all the Beautiful Creatures book trailers click here

Rhys is back and an introduction to Trystan

2011-04-14T08:22:00.000-05:00

I couldn't not include Rhys Hawkes in Vail's story. If you've read Seducing The Vampire, you know Vaillant appeared at the very end. Rhys is a part of his life (but how, exactly, I won't explain; you'll have to read Forever Vampire). Consider that it's been twenty-some years since we saw Rhys and Viviane get together (twice), so a lot has gone on in that time. You get a peek at how their relationship is now. And also Trystan shows up! I love Trystan. His own story is Forever Wild, and that will be out with Nocturne probably some time next year (but I'm still writing it). This is who inspired me for Trystan:

As the story starts...

2011-04-13T01:00:00.000-05:00

Meet the heroine, Lyric Santiago, in a dress fashioned of rare Faery diamonds. Here's a pic that inspired the dress...and below that is my inspiration for Lyric. (I know, weird that both are pics of women holding their chesticles, but that's not the important part.)

In one week, Vail arrives...

2011-04-12T08:56:00.000-05:00

I'm excited for FOREVER VAMPIRE to hit bookshelves! I've got my fingers crossed that readers like Vail, my favorite hero so far. Just a few pics that inspired me...and the Maserati he drives (not very successfully). Tomorrow I'll post pics of the faery gown and Lyric!

Digital or Paper? Decisions, decisions...

2011-04-09T15:01:00.001-05:00

So I'm doing an authorly post today because I talked about self publishing this morning at my local chapter meeting, and I still have those thoughts running through my brain. I'm not going to recap it all here, but I did want to mention I've been thinking about self publishing some of my electronic stuff in print format. I know many readers still don't have (or want) eReaders, so any books I put out only in electronic format, they can't read. I'd love to make my work as widely available as possible. Note: I have no control over the stories I write for Nocturne Bites. They are put out electronic-only, not paper, though once in a while they do show up in print anthologies, but again, we authors don't find out until a few months before publication.

Anyway, I ordered a proof of a print copy of The Sin Eater's Promise from CreateSpace because I just wanted to have a look at the quality of the product they offer. And you know what? It's excellent! (Below is the fast and dirty complete cover I did for the proof.) That said, I will not be put Sin Eater's Promise out in paper format because I'd have to price it too high to make a small profit. Around $5 for cover price, and I think I'd make less than 75 cents (just a guess on those figures after viewing the charts, but close). That's far too much a cover price for an 8000 word novella that takes less than an hour to read. I like the .99 cent price currently on the electronic version, and it seems you all like it to because you're buying it. Do you like the story? I hope so!

But, I do want to put out a full length never-before-published vampire story this fall, and I may consider going print as well as electronic for that. It's FOLLOW THE NIGHT, and is a story in my Beautiful Creatures world (actually the parents of Jane Renan, who was heroine of From The Dark). I previewed the cover here last month. But still, in trade format it's going to reach a high price, treading $10 - 12, I think. Ugg. That's so spendy. I like my books to be around $6. That's a good price for a romance novel, right? But it doesn't work that way with self publishing. You have to price it higher to cover the distributor's shipping costs, cost of paper, production, etc. And there are no mass market-size options that I can see. I ordered a 5 x 8 size of the below book, and I really like that size. Close to mass market, but not quite. But like I said, readers would have to pay more for the book I self publish as opposed to probably half that price were it published by a big NY publisher. Ah well, maybe a few fans will like to check out the print version as a sort of collector's copy? I'll keep you all updated! I have A LOT of books due this year, so I'm crossing my fingers I get a few moments here and there to work on Follow The Night to get it out by fall, but there are no promises. If it happens, it happens. :-)

2011-04-06T14:22:00.000-05:00

I have been remiss, and have not posted an Adam pic in a long time.

2011-04-05T10:28:00.003-05:00

Harlequin sent me a little blog widget for Forever Vampire, which I've placed below the GoodReads widget. You can click on it to read the first chapter at their site, which is kind cool because it's like you're turning the pages of the actual book. (Doesn't take much to thrill me.) ;-)

Two chapters!

2011-04-04T17:38:00.000-05:00

I just put up the first two chapters of FOREVER VAMPIRE. Go forth! Discover Vail. ;-)

Christmas in Spring

2011-04-01T09:09:00.000-05:00

I have a novella due May 1st for a Christmas anthology due out this year, so I'm kicking it into high gear today and for the rest of the month. I have the story half written, and now need to cement in the details and goals and motivations, and all that stuff that makes me pause and have to well, think. ;-) I'm calling the story Monsters Don't Do Christmas, and as always, I gotta have pics on my desktop as I write to keep an image of hero and heroine in mind. Thought I'd whet your appetite today with the pics I'm using. The hero is a vampire and the heroine, well, I won't reveal that yet.

Romance Trading Cards part deux

2011-03-31T08:58:00.003-05:00

If you're heading to the Romantic Times convention next week and want to find the trading cards I've made up, I'm sending along about 50 sets with debut author, Tamara Hogan, who wrote the fab TASTE ME. So track her down if you want Vaillant, Rhys and Creed cards! She also has a card for her book, so snatch that one up as well.

That stranger looks familiar

2011-03-30T09:05:00.000-05:00

I know I'm supposed to be promoting Fallen right now, but I woke up this morning thinking about Jack Harris. I love that guy. Who is he? He was the hero of the one Nocturne I wrote that does not fit in my Beautiful Creatures world, FAMILIAR STRANGER. I wrote this book in a short series called Dark Enchantments, with three other authors. We all used the same world, but each story stands alone so you don't have to read one to get the other. The three authors are all great friends of mine! In fact, we all initially got together online in the mid-90s through some critique service that assigned us to one another. We critiqued up a storm! Now we don't critique so much anymore, but we are all still friends, so it was awesome to write a series with them.

I have to say that Jack is one of my favorite heroes. He's a demon hunter who was sort of thrown into the job. He hates demons, and likes to shot first, ask questions later. He's a man's man. One of my favorite scenes with Jack goes something like this: he's home after a long day, strips to his boxer briefs, and then locks his ankles into an inversion bar and does some upsidedown pullups (because he's buff and how sexy of an image is that?). Demon charges him, and he runs to grab a shotgun (inversion boots still on, and oh yes, just those sexy boxer briefs) and procedes to blow the thing away. I love a man who can get the job done in his underwear!

The heroine was the first familiar I wrote, Mersey Bane, and she was a demon locator that proved very useful to Jack. You can only get this story as an electronic book, but I hope readers will give Jack a try, because he is the ultimate alpha male to me. (And he looks a bit like Jason Statham, if that helps.)

2011-03-28T16:42:00.001-05:00

I'm giving away copies of FOREVER VAMPIRE at Goodreads! Click on the widget to the left to enter.

2011-03-28T08:46:00.000-05:00

Today over at the FF&P blog, I have an article about how I organize my world.

Demon heroine, anyone?

2011-03-21T12:16:00.000-05:00

On Tuesday FALLEN starts showing up in stores. It is a part of my Of Angels & Demons series, and features a fallen angel hero (Cooper) and a Sinistari demon heroine (Pyx). If you read Angel Slayer, you'll remember the hero of that one was a Sinistari. The Sinistari demon race was created specifically to slay the Fallen. Thought it would be fun to make the heroine a demon, and to give her some identity issues that are initially quite extreme. When writing, this is who I had in mind for Pyx. She's tough, a little goofy, and doesn't let anyone push her around. How much does she hate angels? She has a tattoo of a burning angel on her back. She's a perfect match to an angel who just wants to enjoy the world without any bad stuff happening. Really? Pyx will give Cooper a whole lot of trouble and challenge him at every turn. I liked this couple, and had a fun time writing them!

2011-03-16T09:28:00.002-05:00

I'm holding a contest over at VampChix to encourage authors/readers to send in titles of electronic-only vampire books. If you are an author with a vamp eBook, or a reader, do send in the info listed!

Romance Trading Cards

2011-03-15T09:41:00.000-05:00

If any of you are going to RT this year, be sure to keep an eye out for the Romance Trading Cards. I'm sending along 50 sets of my Hero Collector Cards to be given away, so look for those. You can check out all the cards to collect at this handy-dandy website organized by author Jeannie Lin. I'll also be handing them out at RWA in NY.

Get started reading FALLEN

2011-03-07T09:22:00.001-06:00

I put up the prologue and first chapter of FALLEN on my website. And to inspire you to click on over, here's the picture I had on my desktop as I was writing this story. My hero, Cooper, looks like Gerard Butler. And yes, the kilt found its way into the story (but not the pink sweater).
Preorder FALLEN at Amazon

(Though, the more I look at the picture, I wonder if it's a man-skirt instead of a kilt? But seriously. Do we women care?)

Research question

2011-03-04T14:22:00.000-06:00

This might seem like a weird request, but I'm tossing this out there because I don't know where to start and don't know anyone in the medical field. I'm writing a short story and the heroine has a 9 yr old son. I want the son to be getting treated for some disease or illness in a hospital. I don't want it to necessarily be life-threatening, but I would like it if he had to make a few trips to the hospital/clinic for treatments and when he's there it would take a few hours for those treatments. He's a smart little boy, and sits and does his homework while getting the medical attention.

So any suggestions to possible disease or condition this boy could have that would see him in the hospital as mentioned above?
Thanks!
M

Managing Multiple Stories

2011-03-03T10:06:00.000-06:00

Okay, so I'm doing an authorly post today because I'm trying to avoid writing. After you read this you'll wonder how I have time to avoid writing. I wonder that myself. :-)
I thought last year was busy for putting words to page, but 2011 is even busier. At any given time, I'll be working on at least two stories, but more often, three. How to keep that all straight and manage? I've yet to find the perfect tool—what I want is one of those huge desk-size calendars that shows the entire year on one page, and can be mounted on the wall. But I've found reasonable replacements. A calendar is my savior. I need to be able to glance at it and see where I'm at, and where I need to be.

I found a great wall calendar that features three months at a time. Daily, I don't really want to see any farther than that ahead. I highlight things that are due in green and check them off when I hand them in (hopefully a week or two in advance), and the pink highlights are books that are pubbed. Then I can scribble all my blog dates on there as well. And life's appointments, and well, I'd die without this calendar.

Now I also need the year long calendar and have used this site for years to print up one at the beginning of each new year. That gives me a calendar I can keep on my desk for quick reference and to either reassure myself I'm on track, or put the fear of failure in my bones. Not enough room to write stuff (which I really want) but I put the pink dots for Things That Are Due and an abbreviation of the title (includes proposals and full stories), and the yellow dots are Books That Are Released. You'll notice July and November are the only months without Things That Are Due. And the first pink dot in May is circled twice because I have 2 things due that day. Oy.
Just wanted to show this today because it is one of my most important tools to writing, and...staying sane.
So this year I have 3 Nocturnes, 2 Nocturne Bites, 1 Rogue Angel, and 2 novellas for anthologies to write. I added up total words I need to write in 2011: 390,000

2011-02-25T16:56:00.000-06:00

I think I did it!
Okay, here was the first cover idea...

Now below the even better one (I think)...

2011-02-23T14:41:00.001-06:00

I'm working on copy edits for ASHES OF ANGELS today, and I just love this little exchange...

"Hi, honey, I'm home," the angel said.

"What took you so long?" Cassandra spit. The vampire still held her by a shoulder, but if he twisted farther to look at the angel…

"Sorry. I had to shake a car off my wings."

"Your wings?" the vampire asked. "What, are you some kind of faery?"

The angel straightened his shoulders and narrowed his eyes. "I say wings, and your first guess is faery?" He shook his head and made a come-and-get-me gesture with the fingers wrapped around the Taser.

The vampire released Cassandra and turned to the angel in time to catch the Taser's copper hooks with his thighs.

Sam preened over the powerful device and nodded. "This is nice. I gotta get one of these for myself."

The vampire ripped out the hooks from his legs and growled. "Try again, you bloody faery."

"You shouldn't use foul language in front of a lady." Tucking the Taser into a back pocket, the Fallen then held up a palm, fingers tight together, and pointed them toward the vampire. "You ready for this?"

"Ready for—"

The angel shoved his spaded fingers through the vampire's chest, pulled him forward, and slapped his spasming body onto the ground.

2011-02-22T17:05:00.002-06:00

Yay! I just found out FALLEN got a Top Pick from RTBookClub! Doing my happy dance!

2011-02-21T10:09:00.001-06:00

I've said it over and over: You don't have to read my books in a specific order to understand them. I write them as stand-alone stories, but often feature characters from other books because that ties my Beautiful Creatures world all together.
That said, I've put an ordered list up on my Amazon/Kindle book page for Beautiful Creatures. This is almost the order that the books were released by the publisher(s), but not quite. It is in order of characters, which means, if a couple had a child and that child got his/her story, then I've placed their book later. And some of the Nocturne Bites actually came out after a book, but when looking at the timeline of my world, their story falls before other books.
Confusing? I know. Just read them however you like. But if you're a stickler for putting things in order, take a browse over the list. You have to choose Beautiful Creatures in the Browse By Category in the sidebar.

Opinions please!

2011-02-20T17:04:00.001-06:00

I'm looking for opinions on this cover. It's a historical vampire romance, that's all I'm saying because I want 'first glance' reactions. Initial reactions? Likes? Dislikes? Does it stand up against the books you've seen on the shelves in bookstores, or does it look amateurish? Would you pick this one up and read the back cover blurb or would you pass it by?

After your GREAT comments, I played around a bit with the color of the guy. His eyes are brown and I surprised myself that I was able to change them! Which of the two do you prefer?

Forever Vampire available at Net Galley

2011-02-15T13:55:00.000-06:00

If you are a blogger and/or reviewer, I want you to know that FOREVER VAMPIRE is available at Net Galley now. Release date is on or around April 19th. If you don't do electronic ARCs I will be sending out paper copies when I get them (which might not be until end of March; but contact me about that). I want to promote this story big. So if you've read it for review, please contact me with your review. I'd like to get some good quotes to use on my website. And I want to spread the word! I want EVERYONE to buy this book because Vail is one of my favorite heroes so far. I'm hoping you all will love him as much as I do.

2011-02-14T09:19:00.001-06:00

Okay, this was fun to wake up to this morning. CataRomance.com gave ANGEL SLAYER their Reviewer's Choice award for the Nocturne category. Go read the very cool review.

I also just found out that the Nocturne Bite I just handed in, tentatively titled, THIS GLAMOROUS EVIL, is scheduled for July!

2011-02-13T12:39:00.001-06:00

2011-02-02T08:49:00.000-06:00

Found this at Amazon today. This one is out in May. And yes, I did write it!

2011-01-30T17:58:00.000-06:00

Just to clarify...
I've seen in some reviews, and even in the promotional blurbs that go out from the publisher, that put Her Vampire Husband, Seducing the Vampire, and Forever Vampire into a series. They are not in a series. Each are stand-alone books in the Beautiful Creatures world. If you want to get technical, Forever Vampire may be considered a sequel to Seducing The Vampire, but it is very much a stand-alone book. It simply features the son of the characters from Seducing. So some may consider that a sequel.

Just wanted to make that point, as some worry if they miss a certain book in a series that they can't read the others until they've read that one.

Just in!

2011-01-26T14:49:00.000-06:00

I'm so excited! I made up some Hero Collector Cards, and they just arrived. They look awesome! If these go over well, I'll continue to make them up for future and past heroes. I have only these three to begin with. If you want all three, just send a SASE to Michele Hauf, PO Box 23, Anoka, MN 55303. (they will fit in #10 business envelope or that smaller size that you use to send checks in.)

Trapped!

2011-01-24T10:09:00.000-06:00

I watched the movie FROZEN last night. Who'd a thought you could pack an exciting movie into the idea of a couple kids getting stuck on a ski lift? What an exercise in screenwriting, to have that one small location to work with. It wasn't the greatest movie ever made, but it had me on the edge of my seat once they were stuck. Seriously, the wolves!
Got me to thinking about other movies that succeeded using the idea of a few characters being trapped in one location. Remember CUJO? The mother and son trapped in their car because their dog (did it have rabies?) was raging outside? How about the recent DEVIL, with the people trapped on an elevator? I really enjoyed that one. And what was the Ryan Reynolds' flick with him buried alive in a coffin? BURIED? Haven't seen that one, but bet it would be good, though I will never see it because that would stir up some nasty memories. I used to have recurrent dreams of being buried alive when I was a kid. Ugg.
Anyway, it's something for a writer to think about. The writers of these stories were able to build dramatic, tense films into such small confines. So shouldn't I be able to do the same with my vast story? Or do you think stories like that transfer better to film than the page? Probably would be more exciting viewing a person trapped inside a coffin than reading it. Maybe? Of course, that brings to mind King's GERALD'S GAME, where the wife was trapped, handcuffed to the bed, with her dead husband lying nearby. That one freaked me.
What are some other movies/books that put the protagonists in one enclosed spot for the duration of the story?

2011-01-23T13:54:00.000-06:00

Just wanted you all to know I uploaded a new version of THE SIN EATER'S PROMISE at Amazon, because I'd just found out the formatting for the first version was quite awful. Paragraphs were not indented, was the main problem. That's been fixed. Sorry about that, for the few who have already bought it. But now it looks great, and is easy to read. So please check it out!

2011-01-20T11:09:00.000-06:00

Working on a Nocturne Bites for a few days now (while also trying to plot a Rogue Angel). Not sure what to title this story. Purrfectly Magic is the working title, but I think that's a little silly. The hero, T.J., is a witch intent on cutting out the middle man for a demon conjuring, and the heroine is a cat-shifting familiar (who needs that middle man to get the job done). The hero is one of twin brothers. I think my first hero twins I've written. I already have a glimmer of an idea fluttering in my head for his brother, C.J., and I may make that into a Nocturne. We'll see. I actually got the whole idea for this Bites from this one picture. Something about the pose and darkness that says so much. He's waiting for you to perform, or maybe waiting for you to approach.

Desperate Romantics

2011-01-14T09:13:00.001-06:00

I have a great DVD to suggest! Desperate Romantics is a 6-episode TV drama set in mid-19th century London. It features a trio of artists who call themselves the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, and is based on real artists of the time. Here's the review clipped from Amazon (because this says it perfectly):
Can an art-school trio of mid-19th-century rounders make for sexy and compelling viewing? If the trio is the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood of the smashing British series Desperate Romantics, the answer is a resounding yes. Desperate Romantics focuses on the real-life art students John Millais (Samuel Barnett), Dante Gabriel Rosetti (the charismatic British TV star Aidan Turner), and William Holman Hunt (Rafe Spall, son of the great actor Timothy Spall), who shocked the art world of 1840s London and the Royal Academy of Art by rejecting the staid style of the day and championing the Pre-Raphaelite style of realism and Christian symbolism in their painting. If to modern ears that doesn't sound particularly shocking, Desperate Romantics paints a compelling portrait of these artists as the rock 'n' rollers of their era, perhaps even the punk movement. They're insolent, self-absorbed, randy, and dismissive of the current Zeitgeist--though still insecure enough to want the blessing of influential critic John Ruskin (played by the splendid Tom Hollander) and annoyed by the judgmental tone taken by prominent novelist Charles Dickens (the equally splendid Mark Heap). The storytelling is based on enough fact to immerse the viewer into the world completely--yet takes enough license to spice up the tale with revenge, duels, and plenty of sex. To say that Desperate Romantics is "bawdy" doesn't explain the half of it; there's more nudity and sex in these six TV episodes than in most R-rated feature films. Yet the sex is part of the appeal of Desperate Romantics--the series is shot with sumptuous cinematography and suggests that the insatiable appetites of the three Pre-Raphaelite "brothers" went a long way toward shaping their radical, influential artistic view. "Where is the life?! The blood?!" shrieks Millais in the middle of a hushed art exhibition. Fans of British period dramas, art history, and bedroom farces will find plenty to keep them occupied in Desperate Romantics. The set also includes an interview with Franny Moyle, author of the historical fiction book upon which the series is based, and a short featurette on 19th-century England. --A.T. Hurley

I don't know if this series was intended to be more than one season (still have the final ep to watch), but I certainly wish it had gone on for years. It is gorgeously filmed, and just a lot of fun to watch. And if you don't fall in love with Aidan Turner, then something is wrong with you. ;-)

I don't have cable TV, so I had to wait for this on DVD, but before I ordered the DVD set, I noticed Amazon also sells it for Video on Demand. I'd never tried that before, and so I ordered one episode to check it out. It streams to your PC or Mac, or you can download or stream directly to your TIVO. I love this! I immediately went back and ordered the whole season via VOD. Only $1.99 an episode, which still beats the $21 price for the DVDs. So quite the deal! And Amazon stores it for you forever so you can go back and watch anytime.

Let me know if you've seen this, and if you liked it!

I'm loving Video on Demand so much I ordered the second season of Being Human that way. ;-)

2011-01-12T09:55:00.002-06:00

I put up my annual VampGraph at VampChix today, which is a good overall look at the vampire romance genre over the years.

2011-01-07T19:44:00.001-06:00

I'll be at Bitten By Books all day today, answering questions (well, I'll stop in a few times during the day). I'll also be giving away this fabulous choker. It's similar to the choker Constantine gives Viviane in the story. So pretty!

2011-01-06T13:44:00.002-06:00

Stop over to Vampire Wire today for an interview with moi and chances to win books!

One more week!

2011-01-05T18:26:00.001-06:00

Just one more week to download the pdf short story The Sin Eater's Promise, before I take it down and put it up at Amazon (then you'll have to pay .99 cents for it). So get it while you can!

Seducing The Vampire - title list

2011-01-03T01:00:00.001-06:00

I found the old title list I made right after selling Seducing The Vampire, and thought it would be fun to post. This list was made when I had only just begun the story and had the proposal written (synopsis and a chapter). Sometimes I just know what the title should be, other times, it's impossible and I end up making a list and sending it to my editor. Seducing The Vampire isn't even on this list. Heh. Kinda weird. And after I'd written the story? I thought the perfect title would actually be Tempting The Vampire, but by then it was too late to change it because marketing had already started to work with it. Here's the list:

BETWEEN DARKNESS AND LIGHT

KISSING DARKNESS

HIS DARK SECRET

SEDUCED BY DARKNESS

VAMPIRE ENCHANTED

SECRETS IN BLOOD

DECADENCE DANCE

SHATTERED KISS

SHATTERED ETERNITY

THE VAMPIRE SNOW WHITE

DELICATE SINISTER

VAMPIRE WILD

BEYOND THE DARK

DECADENT DARKNESS

TEMPTING DARKNESS

CALLED BY DARKNESS

THE VAMPIRESS

WEREVAMPIRE

WILD DARKNESS

STV - the faery and the werewolf

2011-01-02T01:00:00.005-06:00

Here's the answer to what Rhys and Cressida's relationship was originally supposed to be. It didn't work for the plot and after I'd changed it, things came together nicely. Wouldn't have been fair to Viviane, really. (Unedited cut below.)

Rhys hastened down the hallway, aware his shoes made an awful noise, but didn’t care. She had sensed him coming before he’d even turned the corner down the hall, and yet she had not slowed or even turned to acknowledge him.
He gained her side and went around in front of her, stopping, and leaning against the wall in a smart but desperate move. The faery princess stopped. Rhys touched his forehead then chest in reverence to her.
She did not do the same. And she should have.
“It’s been almost a full year,” he said.
“Since midsummer last.”
“Quite a treat to see you more than once during the year, Cressida. Rubbing elbows with the vampires now, are you?”
“Are you?”
So much in those two simple words. She could not have been accidentally speaking to Viviane. Cressida never accidentally did anything. And yet she could always make it look as though it was completely spontaneous.
“You are looking most handsome tonight.”
She stroked his cheek and he allowed it. The softness of her touch was unlike anything in this world, rather, this mortal realm. It was seasoned with soft winds, and summer roses, and yet the trail of dust she left upon his flesh tingled.
He took her hand and kissed it once, twice. He did love her. There was no question about that. But not in a romantic, passionate manner.
“Might I enquire what it is that brings you to the Salon Noir on a fine night that would normally see you dancing skyclad with your pixie court?”
“Would you like to see me dance now?”
“I will wait for midsummer’s eve.”
“You are disturbed by my presence, Rhys? I don’t know what to say to that.”
“Not disturbed.” A lie. “Just pleased is all, and a little surprised.”
“Do you love her?” Cressida asked flatly. Her violet eyes flashed challenge.
Rhys had ever been true to Cressida. “Yes.”
“Is she your mate?”
“No, though I have asked her. Is it no matter to you. I serve Faery well enough—”
“Service.” She walked past him and shuddered. He felt the move shake his very bones. “You have a terrible way of putting things, wolf.”
She only called him wolf when she was upset with him. Best not allow that mood to linger. For the good of all Paris and the surrounding areas.
Rhys, with a look over his shoulder to ensure no one stood down the hall, turned and put his arms around Cressida’s waist. She was so frail and thin. He could break her if he pressed too hard.
“I’ve simply been thinking of you,” she offered, tilting her head back to press her cheek aside his. “And I want to know you’ve been thinking of me.”
“Every time the wind blows through the trees I hear your name.”
“That is sweet. And stupid.” She turned and pushed from his embrace. “I won’t have you tupping that vampire.”
“I have never once spoke against your liaisons.”
“As you well should not.”
“Then why is it right for you to speak against mine?”
“It’s not right. It is simply what I want.”
And what Cressida wanted, she got. Unless someone stood up to her and said, “She’ll never have me completely. You can rest assured no woman, vampire or otherwise, will ever accept my werewolf.”
Cressida smiled like a cat with a rat’s tail dangling from her mouth. “I should leave now.”
------------------
“Viviane, I tire of your distractions.”
“No, please, Constantine. Not tonight. And not…with so many around. It must be the two of us, together and alone.”
“I can arrange to close the salon immediately.”
“No, you mustn’t. Everyone is having such a gay time. Soon, I promise.”
She leaned back, pressing her shoulder to Constantine’s shoulder. The closest she’d ever willingly moved to him. “Do you see that woman across the room? The one with the pale hair?”
He lifted his chin and sighted. “The one standing next to that bastard, Rhys Hawkes.”
“The werewolf?” she said, as if she had no idea who he spoke of.
“Yes. I thought he would have the sense to stay away from my home.”
“Why? Are you and he not on good terms?”
“You could say that. You play the act very well, Viviane.”
“I am no actress. I have no idea what you are talking about.”
“It’s come to my attention that you may be carrying on with a most vile sort.”
Neck muscles tensing, Viviane turned from Constantine’s accusing dark glare. “How dare you guess at things that are simply not true.”
He sighed, as if with relief. “Then the rumors of you and the wolf?”
“Nonsense,” she hastened out. Damn it. He knew. He could press her to anything now. He knew too much. And she had done nothing to increase her strengths since Henri’s death. “A wolf?”
“I’ve seen you near him.”
“It is rather difficult to navigate this salon with the press of people. I’m bound to walk near all sorts during the course of an evening. Constantine.”
“You had best not be lying to me, Viviane. I will not condone you coming to me tainted by a wolf.”
She couldn’t speak. He already owned her. She could flee the city and he would track her down. She was that valuable to him.
Truly, there was only one way away from Constantine’s grasp. If she were tainted by the werewolf…
“What of the woman he speaks to? She’s very striking. Do you know her?”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen her, but yes, I do recognize that woman. Her name is…” He searched his memory. “Cressida.”
“She’s a faery.”
“Indeed.”
“Why is she speaking to the wolf? Do the sidhe and wolves get on then?”
“Ah? Well, that is obvious.” He leaned over her shoulder and tucked aside her hair to whisper at her ear, “She is the werewolf’s wife.”

STV - cuts

2011-01-01T11:50:00.000-06:00

Just looking through my Seducing The Vampire 'cuts' file today. Lots of weird stuff in there. A scene with Viviane and her father (I later decided her parents were dead). And here's a short one (unedited) showing Henri and Viviane before he became her patron, and actually, the reason why he became her patron...

Henri had rescued Viviane from death—literally. She’d swung from the gallows, gasping on her last breaths for so long the crowd had begun to plead for her release. A stab of a knife into her gut, and her non-reaction, had confirmed to the executioner she was dead.

It was not so easy to kill a vampire.

She still remembered being dropped into the wood coffin. Feeling every bone hit wood, the wound in her belly fiery with pain. And her breath—gone, yet only for the moment. Consciousness had remained. It was as if she were frozen, her muscles taxed beyond use. Never had she been so fearful, so unsure to her future.

How many hours had passed before Henri had ripped the pine cover away and drawn her up into his embrace? She would never know. Didn’t matter now. He’d brought her back to the world.

Viviane’s first victim following that horrific experience had been the executioner. Her kills had been rare since then. Murdering mortals wasn’t tolerated by her breed, for they abhorred malevolent acts that may reveal the truth of them.

“I’ll be quick,” she said. “I’ll leave you in a swoon to sleep away the dawn.”

“Sounds sweet, my pretty one. You know you can trust my servants. They live under my persuasion. They’ll see you’ve a change of clothing and will help you with your bath.”

The servants were blood slaves, daily donors to Henri’s need to keep them in check. The turnover rate was high, as most mortals could endure but two or three months under such involuntary duress.

more STV cuts

2011-01-01T11:45:00.005-06:00

Another lost scene...
Originally, after Rhys finds Viviane at Notre Dame, I had Cressida steal her away because she had intentions to keep Viviane very close to her. This is a little snippet between Steve, Simon and Rhys, after they realize Viviane is gone and track her to a night club where Cressida is hiding her... (again, unedited)

The club was not open to the public, yet a bouncer had staked out territory at the back door. Rhys studied him from behind the shaded window in the backseat of the Mercedes. Not human, but couldn’t be vampire for he didn’t wear sunglasses against the bright daylight.
Vampires could go out during the day, but not for extended periods, and the first thing to burn was their eyes. A vampire who had not been aboveground for so long, such as Viviane, could not risk even a moment.
“Demon?” Simon prompted from behind the driver’s seat.
“What?” Steve fidgeted on the seat next to Rhys. “I just want to go home. I want to sleep and wake up from this nightmare.”
“Do you really want to risk sleep again?” Rhys said slyly.
“You mean I can’t? What did that faery do to me? Oh man!”
He was completely free of the glamour, but Rhys had no intention of releasing the boy from worry until he was finished with him.
“Likely demon. They can scent any paranormal. I can risk it, because I know I can take him, but let’s think this through first.”
“You’re sure she’s inside?”
“I can sense Cressida’s presence. The air is alive with her essence. And there’s something darker, dull. Bloodless.”
It pained him to imagine Viviane may be suffering. Hell, she may have become a vicious killer by now, thriving only on blood from a wicked kill she could have no morality over whatsoever.
“Dude, I didn’t think vampires ate food.”
“They do not,” Rhys snapped.
“Yeah? Well she was snarfing on the croissants something fierce. And then she ate the pickles from the fridge. Well, she dumped the pickles out and drank the juice. Like a pregnant chick, or something.”
Disturbed at the comment, Rhys flickered his gaze across Steve’s face. The boy shrugged and looked out the window.
Pregnant? Could she be…?
Impossible. She’d only been out of the coffin a day or two.
He slapped his hand about Steve’s neck. “Is there something you need to tell me, boy?”