Dis-organization: A Guest Post by Lindsey Gray

Dis-organization

by Lindsey Gray

I have an idea. That idea breeds characters and a storyline. I sit down and sift through notes written on scraps of paper or typed into the notepad of my cell phone. Then I sit down at my computer and things start to flow. Then suddenly it hits. That brick wall that everybody talks about but you never think will ever happen to you. Writer's block. My latest novel, “Redemption”, had me banging my head so hard that I actually shelved it for almost two years before coming back to it.
I had always been a linear writer. I would write chapters in order, not wavering from the formula. But when you have over half a manuscript written, a solid ending, and an unusable outline, how in the hell do you get over the hump?
In those two years that “Redemption” sat unchanged on my hard drive, I had time to think. I also had time to write. I thought changing genres might help, so I switched from the supernatural/sci-fi realm to a romantic drama entitled “Lies Inside”. Through writing and editing that novel, I was challenged and brought to my creative brink. I stepped out of the box I had formed for myself and was brought to an entirely new style of writing.
When director's film a movie, hardly any of the scenes are shot in the sequence they will be seen in the final version. Since I always see what I write as a movie in my head, I stopped thinking about the scattered scenes and sat down to write them. I wrote the final scene then worked my way backward until I could connect the dots into the final work. This was a technique that I was surprised to hear is very common. I've even heard of a technique for doing an outline of sorts where you work from both ends and meet in the middle. You number a paper from 1 to 20. On the 1st line you write your opening. Then go to the 20th line and write your closing. Then go to the 2nd line and write what happens after the 1st. Then go to the 19th and write what happens before the 20th and so on and so forth. It can be a fun exercise for those people like me who have such scattered thoughts and have holes in the middle that need to be filled.
So the original outline got scrapped and the characters took on a new life. Now looking back on those long two years, I think of that block as a happy accident. I was able to evolve the story and create something even better than I ever could have expected. It sparked further ideas and got me writing the next in the series, “Revisited”. Scattered scenes now have their place on my hard drive just waiting to be copied and pasted into the final product. When the moment comes, don't wait, type it up and see where it takes you. It could be the greatest thing you've ever written.

~ * ~

Links to Lindsey Gray

Author Page

Blog

Twitter @lindseygray11

Facebook 


Where to buy Redemption:

The Writer's Coffee Shop (paperback & ebook)

Amazon (ebook worldwide)

Lulu.com (paperback)

Interview with Mysti Parker, Author of A Ranger's Tale

Get ready to be swept away in an epic fantasy of elves. Today we are talking with Mysti Parker, author of A Ranger's Tale. Mysti will be giving away two copies of her #eBook to two lucky winners, so please leave your email address with your comment to be entered into the contest. Ready to find out about Mystic and her novel?

What inspired the idea behind A Ranger’s Tale?

First of all, thanks so much for having me here today!      

I’ve always been fascinated with the elves in The Lord of the Rings trilogies, and in fantasy roleplaying games. They seemed so whimsical, full of magic and lore and mystery, beyond piddly human conflicts, which wasn’t a bad thing, but I wondered what it would be like to create elves with realistic problems—ones similar to what we mere humans face. That’s when Caliphany came about. Her father is a control-freak, she’s disgruntled with her life and occupation, and she falls for a “bad” boy.  What I like most about her story is that while she faces these realistic problems, she’s still in a world of fantasy. Nearly one hundred years old, she’s a wizard turned ranger with some kick-ass firepower. She battles trolls, goblins, and traitors who possess equally strong magic.

And of course, I’m a romance-a-holic, so romance plays a huge role in this story.

Why is your protagonist, the high elf Caliphany not permitted to travel far from home?

For one thing, Caliphany’s mother is King Leopold’s brother, so as the niece of the king, she’s expected to stay the course, marry noble blood, and live a respectable life in the city. It was her brother’s death, however, that sealed her fate. Her older brother, Caelen, wanted to become a paladin, and their parents allowed him to, but he ended up being killed in a crusade in a weak moment where he couldn’t decide whether to use magic or melee. He was supposed to take their father’s place as leader of the Mage Academy.  As a result of his death, Sirius successfully rallied to remove magic from the battlefield and kept Caliphany on a tight leash so they wouldn’t lose her and so she could lead the Mage Academy like her brother was supposed to.

Is a high elf like royalty?

A high elf in Tallenmere is a distinct race of elves. According to them, they are the cream of the crop, Mother Innessa’s finest creation. Tall and fair-skinned, until King Leopold’s reign, they were pretty xenophobic and didn’t like to mingle with other races. Many of the noble ones still don’t appreciate Leo’s new open-city policy and you’ll see references to that mind-set as Caliphany interacts with her parents. 

Other elves you’ll see are wood elves, like Jayden Ravenwing—they are shorter, have olive-toned complexions and in the city of Leogard, are usually in the employ of the high elves. Dark elves live across the Southern Sea in the land of Tyronnia. They have skin of dark blue and hair in shades of white and purple. When they align with the evil human Emperor Sarvonn, they cause a lot of trouble in Leogard, which you’ll see in the story.

How do Caliphany and Galadin meet?

It’s a chance encounter, while Caliphany is daydreaming of faraway places at Leogard Harbor. As is often the case, she’s where she shouldn’t be, and a couple of unruly sailors take advantage of that and try to kidnap her. Galadin steps in and rescues her. An instant attraction ensues, and Caliphany finds a way to ensure they’ll meet again. She decides she must leave her gilded cage and needs someone to show her how to fend for herself. So, she seeks Galadin out, offers him enough gold that he cannot refuse, and they begin to train together. The rest, as they say, is history!

How did you come up with the names for your characters?

Would you believe me if I told you they just sort of come to me? Ok, I can do better.

I do try to pick names that sound like the character’s specific race, if that makes any sense. The high elves, like Caliphany Aranea, and her parents Sirius and Ellawen, will have more complex, formal-sounding names. Half-elves like Galadin Trudeaux will have half-human, half-elf-sounding names. Wood elves like Jayden Ravenwing will have names that contain something involving nature. As in the story I’m writing now—Zephyrus and Shade Windsong are a wood elf couple.

Hopefully that gives you some insight into the process.

What interested you in writing fantasy?

Fantasy gives my imagination free reign. It’s not confined by real-world facts and historical accuracy; though I still research things like archery, etc to make the story as plausible as possible. You still have to be consistent with worldbuilding, magic rules, and all that. But if I want to write about fire-wielding wizards, trolls, and goblins, by golly, I can! That’s what makes it fun!

How many books have your written?

Let’s say 1.5. I’m working on Book Two of the series, and it’s fun to keep some of these characters alive and give them their own story.

On your blog, you have a song list. Are those some of the songs you listened to while writing A Ranger’s Tale?

Most definitely.  Some I’ve added are better fits for my current book, heavily influenced by Evanescence. And some of those I just like, period!

Does music heavily influence your writing?

While I didn’t plan scenes in A Ranger’s Tale around songs, I found songs that fit certain scenes and listened to them as I wrote and edited. “Over My Head” by The Fray  fit chapters 13 and 14 and the way Galadin was torn between loyalty to his crew and protecting the woman he loves. “Rhythm of Love” by Plain White Tees was fun to listen to while writing chapter 18, where Galadin and Caliphany danced together in a crowded tavern in Faewood.

In my WIP, the heroine is based heavily off the haunting beauty and songs of Amy Lee (lead singer of Evanescence). Serenya has those same pale blue eyes, raven-black hair and rich singing voice.

Is A Ranger’s Tale a stand alone, or will it have a sequel?

It is both actually. Meant to be a stand-alone novel and Book One of a series. Many characters are introduced in Book One that will appear in subsequent books. Jayden Ravenwing, for instance, plays a prominent role in A Ranger’s Tale and has his own story in Book Two, Serenya’s Song.

Are you working on any new projects?

I’m working on Serenya’s Song, Book Two of my Tallenmere series. It follows directly after the events of A Ranger’s Tale. I’ve also got a short story in the works and I’m in the planning stages of a possible 4-author collaboration. I’m really excited about that, as I’ve never done anything collaborative before.

Where can readers purchase your book?

You can find it at www.melange-books.com in both print and e-book. Also, www.amazon.com in print and Kindle. Other places to find it are www.allromanceebooks.com, www.bookstrand.com, www.barnesandnoble.com, www.digibookscafe.com, and www.coffeetimeromance.com. 

Where can readers connect with you on the web?

The best place is on my blog, Unwritten, at www.mystiparker.blogspot.com.

I’m also on Facebook, with a regular profile using my book cover and a new fan page here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mysti-Parker/103786449704221

Can you share an excerpt from your book?

Well, since you asked nicely, here goes:

One of my favorite scenes is between Caliphany and Galadin, when he first begins to train her in the ways of a ranger. This is from Chapter 7, in Galadin’s POV:

Caliphany followed me to the worn-out archery targets. Behind us, I heard a familiar step and figured that nosy wood elf wouldn’t leave well enough alone. I was prepared to ignore him, but Caliphany heard him coming and turned.

“Greetings, Captain!” Arven smoothed out his hair. All those damn elves took pride in their pretty hair; his was dark brown and hung to his shoulders. He eyed Caliphany like she was a prime cut of beef. “And who might this be?”

I stepped between her and the golden-skinned wood elf. “This would be my apprentice, Caliphany, uh-”

“Just Caliphany, thank you,” she said. “And who might you be?”

Arven laughed. “I’m Arven.” He winked. “Just Arven.” He punched my shoulder. “You’re moving up in the world, Trudeaux—got yourself an apprentice now, and a fine one at that. We don’t get a lot of lighties out here.”

I glared at him. “Watch your mouth around the lady.”

Arven bowed. “Humblest apologies, my lady. Have a look around. We have all your tracking and hunting needs right here.” He turned back to me. “We got your arrow order ready, Trudeaux.”

I nodded. “Good. I’ll get them when we’re done here.”

Arven gave Caliphany one last look-over and headed back for his cabin. She ignored it and walked over to the targets. If she’d been offended, I couldn’t tell.

“Sorry about Arven. He’s a bit rough around the edges.”

She shrugged. “I’m used to being, um, looked at. Can we start?”

I stood there like a dummy for a moment. I didn’t doubt men enjoyed looking at her. She was breathtaking, to say the least. Regardless, the woman had given me a heck of a lot of gold, so I owed her some lessons. If I enjoyed the view while we were at it, all the better. Her identity didn’t matter to me either. A few days, maybe a week or two, and she’d get bored with her little game. I’d have a hefty sack of gold to show for it. We’d both be happy.

“Here you go.” I handed her a bow.

“This is lighter than I thought.”

“It’s ebonwood—light, but sturdy and flexible. Go ahead,“ I said, handing her an arrow, “try it.”

Caliphany held the bow and tried to nock the arrow. She dropped it. I rolled my eyes, but stood still, letting her pick it up and try again. Carefully, she nocked the arrow on the string, pulled it back as far as she could, and let go.

“Ow!”

She stuck her finger in her mouth, then pulled it out and examined the injury. Blood pooled under her fingernail. The arrow had not even made it halfway to the target. Her eyes shot daggers at me when I started laughing.

“What is so funny?”

I crossed my arms, smirking. “You. You’re doing it all wrong.”

“Well then show me, oh exalted trainer.”

“Fine.”

I sidled up behind her, positioning my body against hers. I imagined how smooth her bare skin would feel next to mine. She was tall, like all the high elves, and matched my height. Catching a glimpse of her cheek, I noticed a blush, and my own heart sped fast as a hawk’s dive. I pressed my chest against her back. She caught her breath. I wrapped my arms around hers, positioning her hands. Caliphany might have been accustomed to men’s probing eyes, but it was clear she hadn’t been handled by too many of them.

My lips brushed her ear as I instructed her. “Here, lift your elbow, it’s like jelly. Yes, good. Now, turn your hand like this. Find a comfortable anchor point, right here under your ear, probably.” Goosebumps rose along her neck in response to my breath. I tried to remain serious, but making her react that way was quite fun. “Now, relax your shoulders, pull back, aim, and release.”

The arrow flew toward the center of the target, but bounced off. She beamed. I couldn’t help but smile as pure joy danced in her sea blue eyes. At least she was enjoying herself. Better than her cursing at me. So many of her kind wouldn’t have given me the time of day.

I gestured toward the target. “Again.”

We'd like to thank Mysti for stopping by and chatting with us. Be sure to catch our live interview with her on Blog Talk Radio Wednesday, June 15th at 3:30pm PST. You can visit our channel and set a reminder for the show. 

That's it for us for now. Be sure to leave a comment for a chance to win A Ranger's Tale. See you on the stream! 

And the WInner Is...

It's time to announce the winner of the 2 eBook copies of Eternal Hearts by Jennifer Turner. #yay!

First, we'd like to thank everyone who stopped by to read the interview. You guys rock ;-)

This week's winners are: Stacy Eaton and Wanda F.

Congratulations! We will forward you email information to Jennifer so she can get your prize to you.

Be sure to check out our latest interview with Mysti Parker, author of the #fantasy novel, A Ranger's Tale. Thanks again everyone!

Flash Fiction and The Horror Genre - A Match Made in… Hell?

I suppose that depends on your definition of hell, and as readers and writers of the paranormal, we all know just how many variations there are. But if I start by explaining that I’m a traditionalist and my definition of hell is pretty much along the lines of the brimstone, fire, fallen angel Lucifer sort of line, you’ll get the picture. I didn’t much like the idea of combining flash fiction and my genre of choice.

I couldn’t imagine it – trying to cram all the intricacies and false turns and numerous scares into under one thousand words, or better still under five hundred? It wouldn’t work. It couldn’t work. Horror has too much to say to condense it. Even Poe’s ‘The Raven’ has 1,092 words.

So I left flash fiction + horror alone. That isn’t to say that I never wrote any flashes; I did. A lot. I fell in love with flash fiction and even started a blog about it (http://www.themoonlitdoor.blogspot.com). But I couldn’t reconcile it with my beloved horror. Until, on occasion, I found myself struggling to get enough words down when I wrote a short story. The ideas were fine, but they didn’t want or need to be five thousand, seven thousand, ten thousand word epics. They would quite happily, without cutting bits out or chopping bits off (unless the plot called for it, of course…), be an entire story with a beginning, middle and end (no matter how open those endings might be) in under one thousand words. Under five hundred. Sometimes even fewer.

Strange. Was this my subconscious telling me I was still interested in attempting horror flash fiction? Or was it simply a coincidence? I still don’t know. But I did decide to give it a shot. With a vague story in my head, I started typing. I wanted to write about a man trapped in a coma, aware of everything, unable to move, to speak, to live without machines. I wanted him to have a wife who chatted to a doctor – in front of her husband – about turning those machines off. I wanted to know what his feelings were about it. And that was it. None of the characters needed a background. It wasn’t important why the man was in hospital in the first place. It didn’t even really matter if we, the reader, ever found out if the machines were switched off or not. What mattered was that tiny fraction of time, that conversation, and the comatose man’s reaction to it.

That was the story. It comes in at 530 words. It scared the hell out of a lot of people.

And that was my first piece of flash fiction in the horror genre. It’s called ‘I Know’ and you can read it on my blog http://www.themoonlitdoor.blogspot.com/2011/03/flash-fiction-i-know.html.

I still find it difficult. I often begin what I think will be flash only to find it’s a short story in the end. But I have changed my opinion in one regard; now I think some of the best horror I’ve read in the past few months has been flash. Short, sharp shocks. It’s perfect, really.

~ * ~

Lisamarie Lamb is a 29 year old mother of one. She was five when she wrote her first short story - it involved a car going over a cliff, Jessica Fletcher and the Phantom Raspberry Blower. It didn't have much of a plot (he did it, she solved it) but it did have rather colourful (crayon) illustrations and it did make her realise that writing was for her. 

At 12 Lisamarie wrote her first novel during the school summer holidays. Loosely based on the Famous Five with a bit of James Bond thrown in, it was an adventure story and her English teacher made her read some of it out in class. And that's when she realized that she wanted people to hear her stories and read her work. 

Over the intervening years, Lisamarie has written various short stories, plays, poems and novels in different genres, including romance and children’s books. If you wish to see more examples of her writing, she has a blog in which she showcases flash fiction www.themoonlitdoor.blogspot.com and soon poetry as well.

She has recently self published her first novel, Mother’s Helper.

Lisamarie promises she’s better at plots now, and she uses her own characters, but the excitement, fun and just a little wonder are still there. Her crayon skills have not improved.

Aside from her blog, you can also connect with Lisamarie on Twitter @lisamarie20010; and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lisamarielambwriter

 

Interview with Jennifer Turner, Author of Eternal Hearts

Today we are interviewing Jennifer Turner, author of Eternal Hearts, a paranormal romance. Jennifer is giving away two copies of her book to a couple lucky commenters, so be sure you leave a comment with your email address. Enjoy the interview...

What inspired the storyline for Eternal Hearts?

I know this is probably where I’m supposed to wax poetic about how much I love my hubby and how our relationship inspired the book…but I’d so be lying! ;) Don’t get me wrong, I love and adore my husband in ways I can’t even begin to explain – but nothing about our story is anything close to Toni & Drake’s. The inspiration for Eternal Hearts really came from the characters themselves. Drake and Toni both gave me such a strong sense of who they were throughout the story, and I knew neither of them would fall in love without giving it everything they had. And well, that’s exactly what they did. :)

Your protagonist, Toni, is a vampire. What makes her tick?

If there was one driving force behind Toni’s character, I’d have to say it’s passion. She doesn’t do anything without giving it everything she has. She also has a strong sense of loyalty, and wants nothing more than to be surrounded by the people she cares for most. She also wears her heart on her sleeve, and never ignores an opportunity to tell someone how much they mean to her. She’s tough but vulnerable…and is never afraid to learn from her mistakes.

Drake is an assassin hired to protect Toni. Is he a vampire as well?

Drake is a vampire…but he’s also something else. :)

How does the Vampiric Society work? Are there certain ranks?

The Darkness Within world of vampires is ruled by age. The oldest vampires are the most powerful, and while not every single younger vampire is the puppet of an Ancient or Elder…many are.

Who is your favorite character in the book?

If I had to pick a favorite character from Eternal Hearts, I’d have to go with a secondary character named Oktober. There’s just something so jaded and totally unapologetic about him that I can’t help but to love him. I’ve never written a character that blatantly refuses to change the way he does. He is who he is, and makes no excuses for the way he sees the world. I just love everything about him…even his frequent need to eat people…and not in a good way. :D

Why did you choose to write in the paranormal romance genre?

I’ve always loved vampires and otherworldly creatures. And the idea of being able to create my own world for not only vampires to play in, but other supernaturals as well, was just too tempting to pass up. ;) Plus, the paranormal romance genre allows for a good dose of horror before the characters find their happy ending, and I can’t imagine ever writing a novel that doesn’t have at least a few mild horror elements in it.

What is the hardest part of the writing process?

For me, the hardest part is writing sex scenes. :) I can write five chapters full of gut wrenching emotional scenes in the time it takes me to write three pages of sex. No matter how hard I try, when I reread the scene it always sounds cheesy to me. So now when I finish writing one, I let my hubby, my Mom, and a beta reader or two look it over, and if they say it’s good – I won’t read the scene again unless my agent wants a change. And even then…I might argue! ;)

FYI – My Mom has been an avid romance reader all her life, so if she doesn’t find a problem with one of my sex scenes, I know it can’t be too terrible. :)

How many other books have you written?

I’ve written a total of five books to date, but the only two available are Eternal Seduction and Eternal Hearts. The other three are books 3,4, and 5 in the series. :)

In which genre would you be least likely to write?

I would have to say…children’s books. They take a special brand of patience and creativity that I just don’t have.

Will Eternal Hearts have a sequel, or is it a stand-alone?

Eternal Hearts is actually the 2nd book in the Darkness Within series, with Eternal Seduction being the 1st. I think they each could stand alone, but I’d recommend reading them in order for the full effect. ;)

Are you currently working on any new projects?

I’m working on final revisions for Eternal Embrace, book three in the Darkness Within series, which will release in October of 2011. And I’m also finishing up the first novella in the Ascension trilogy, Ascension: The Revelation, which will release later this summer.

Where can readers purchase Eternal Hearts?

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Eternal-Hearts-Jennifer-Turner/dp/0982432119/

B&N: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Eternal-Hearts/Jennifer-Turner/e/9780982432112/

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/56744

All Romance E-books: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-eternalhearts-544276-139.html

Eternal Hearts can also be purchased at local bookstores via the ISBN: 978-0982432112

Where can readers connect with you on the web?

Website: http://www.darknesswithinnovels.com

Blog: http://www.jen-turner.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJenniferTurner

Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/DarknessWithinJen

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/darknesswithin

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/drkness_within

Can you share an excerpt of your Eternal Hearts?

Toni went quiet for a moment as her dark eyes moved over him, lingering on his face before she traced down one arm, then the other. When she’d finished her poorly disguised appraisal, she made an even slower journey back to meet his eyes. “I like your tattoos.”

Drake looked down at the litany of tribal designs covering his scarred forearms, representing both sides of his cursed heritage. “Thanks. Some are starting to fade though. I need to get them touched up soon.”

“Do they still hurt?”

“Nah. They heal pretty fast. Believe it or not, I have more trouble getting the ink to stick than anything.”

Her gaze slipped from his eyes back to his arms. “I meant the scars.”

He set the empty bottle back on the counter then walked over to the end of the bed. “This one does, sometimes,” he admitted as he tapped the thick, jagged line that ran about six inches down the top of his right forearm. “A Mystic caught me with an enchanted blade she had hidden in her boot.” He pointed out the faded circular scar a little lower. “But this one’s left over from a bullet wound. I barely notice it unless I’m looking.”

She arched a brow. “I know what gunshot scars look like.”

“Yeah?” He couldn’t help but to bait her. “Seen a few on some of your Warrior boyfriends, have ya?”

Her caramel eyes sparked with challenge. “You think you’re a Badass? You wanna play Scar Wars with me?” She kicked her shoes off the side of the bed before she stood up on it. “I’ll play with you.” She walked across the mattress to stand in front of him then tipped her head back. “See this?” she asked as she ran her index finger over the barely there line that spanned her neck. “That’s what happens when you don’t have permission to be in Dallas, and all I was doing was pumping gas.”

He considered the line again, noting how it alternated slightly between thinner and thicker segments. “You got razor wired at the gas station? Did you run the Lord over on your way there or something?”

“No. I’d already talked to the Lord and he said I couldn’t stay. So I stopped to get gas on my way out. I wasn’t exactly ready when the Enforcement Team jumped me.”

Drake looked down at the bed and tried to remember the last contract he’d fulfilled in Texas. “I’m fairly certain the Lord of Dallas is a Tech. Do you have GPS in your car?”

She nodded. “I have a small handheld one I keep in the glove box.”

“That’s how they got you then. He used it to track you.”

Her mouth gaped open. “But all I was doing was filling up my car.”

“Doesn’t matter. Have you pissed off a Tech anywhere else?”

Her face sobered remarkably. “Um…yeah.”

“They’re all networked. So if I were you, I’d stay out of cities where a Tech’s in charge, unless you know for sure that you’re better than their Enforcement Team.” He grinned at her. “So is that it? Is that all ya got?”

She pulled the neck of her black t-shirt down a bit and to the left. An inch or so below her clavicle was a round scar surrounded by a larger ring of raised and discolored skin. “I got this one about a year ago in Miami. I found the Head of Enforcement, but as soon as I said my name she told me to get out. I guess I didn’t move fast enough.” She stretched the neck over to the right, revealing a matching scar just a little higher and closer to her shoulder. “She gave me this one, too.”

Drake sucked in a breath between his teeth. He knew the mottled burn patterns around her gunshot wounds all too well. After all, only one type of bullets could do lasting damage to a vampire, and his own guns were usually filled with them. “Phosphorus rounds, I’ve been there.” He lifted his t-shirt to show her the tight group of three similar scars on his right side, less than an inch below his ribcage. “I got these in London a few years ago.” He pulled back his left sleeve and rubbed the inside of his biceps. “Same with these two. I’ve got two more on my thigh, one on my calf, and one on the top of my foot. They hurt like a bitch while they’re healing, don’t they?”

“Are you kidding? Mine still hurt.” She reached out and brushed a cold finger over the mess of crisscrossed scars on his forearm. “But yours look like they heal a lot better than mine do.” Her eyes slowly trailed up his arm to his face. “I’m guessing you don’t have much trouble feeding though.” He stiffened as she pressed a chilly palm against his cheek. “Nice face, good body, strong heartbeat. How do you stay so warm anyway?”

Drake swallowed hard. Something told him she wouldn’t care for the explanation of how he maintained his body heat, so instead he offered a fitting option for her. “All you have to do is will your blood to warm, which you could actually do right now instead of using me as your personal heating pad.”

Her nose wrinkled right before she rested her free hand against his other cheek so she held his face in her hands, sending a wave of chills across his shoulders. “I can’t do that. And with how close you are to me right now, I think you know why.”

He’d known since the elevator, but he wondered if she’d actually tell the truth. “Why not?”

“Because using you as a personal heating pad is cheaper.” When he rolled his eyes, she flashed the most disarming smile he’d ever seen. “Because I can’t spare the blood, that’s why. I only eat when I have to. The less I feed, the smaller the chance I’ll make a mistake and earn myself another scar, especially since I don’t have any of those nifty Jedi mind tricks everyone else seems to have.”

Drake had to laugh at the same reference he’d heard Odin use countless times before. “No mental manipulation for you, huh?”

“Nope. I don’t think I’d be very good at it anyway.” She shook her head then slid her hands down to rest on either side of his neck. “Besides, playing with someone’s memories is just wrong, and from what I’ve heard, way too easy to mess up. The last thing I need to do is break the Veil.” She withdrew her hands as shadows flickered behind her eyes. “Then I’d be hunted… instead of just hated.” Her shoulders slumped a little more with each breath that followed, until the worn, apologetic qualities he’d first seen on the sidewalk had returned in full force.

And just like that – she was gone.

The playful woman from only moments before had disappeared, slipped away into some personal Hell where the torturer probably wore her face. A place where every mistake she’d ever made became another lash, and every regret she’d ever felt wove another line into a tangled web of scars that no one else could see.

And he knew where she’d gone, because he’d been there…and it wasn’t a punishment he’d wish on even his worst enemies.

Before instinct could stop him, Drake reached out and brushed his thumb across her icy cheek. He waited for her to move back, expected her to push him away, but when she didn’t, when she shivered at his touch and then leaned into his hand…he knew he was in trouble.

Don’t do it. He knew he shouldn’t, knew what he was about to offer broke every rule attached to a protection contract, but if he could help her regain even a small piece of the life immortality had stolen, for some strange reason that he didn’t understand – he wanted to.

He lowered his hand to rest on her shoulder. “There’s another way to bring back your body heat for a little while without using your blood, but you have to trust me…and I completely understand if you don’t.”

Tears shimmered in her eyes. “Will it hurt?”

“No, it shouldn’t hurt. But it’ll probably feel really weird at first, and it will wake up your beast. Not in anger, but you’ll definitely know the little bastard’s there.”

She chewed at her bottom lip for a few moments before she finally drew a deep breath and nodded. “I trust you. Whatever it is, I wanna try it.”

Drake took a few steps back and prepared himself for the screaming rage of a pissed off vampiress. “Close your eyes and take off your shirt.”

The shadows in her eyes went wild. “What did you just say?”

“I need more skin available.” He motioned from her neck to her toes. “You’re wearing a long sleeved shirt, jeans, and socks. All I’ve got to work with is your face, neck, and hands. I can do it with just those, but it’ll go a lot faster if I have more available.” He lost control of his mouth and broke into a wide grin. “Look at it this way, at least I didn’t tell you to close your eyes and take off your pants.”

She tapped her foot against the mattress. “I told you I’d trust you…please don’t give me something else to regret.” And with that said, she closed her eyes and pulled her shirt up over her head.

All Drake could do was stare at Toni’s body as her shirt fell to the floor. While she certainly couldn’t give him a run for his money in Scar Wars, as she’d called it, he knew plenty of supernaturals who’d lose in a competition against her.

Namely, almost every other female vampire he’d ever met.

Aside from the two she’d already shown him, six more gunshot wounds dotted her chest and abdomen, and that tally would only hold if no others were hidden under her black cotton bra. Multiple single lined scars marred her tanned skin, most ranging from one to two inches, some even smaller. But it was the long, discolored swath of pale skin that ran from just inside her right wrist, all the way up the inside of her arm and over her shoulder that really drew his attention.

Only one weapon left that kind of scar on a vampire…

The sun.

He shook his head. The scar didn’t look like a punishment though. It looked as though she’d opened a door at Noon, which was an amazing feat to begin with considering most vampires her age couldn’t even wake up during the day, let alone stand up and open something.

But why would she test the sun?

Drake let go of the question he couldn’t begin to answer as his eyes moved over Toni’s body again. Standing on the mattress in front of him, not only did she almost match his height, but she defied nearly every truth he thought he’d established for a vampiress.

Not an ounce of make-up painted her face. Her dark hair fell free past her shoulders, not expertly styled or arranged. She didn’t smell of expensive perfumes or exotic fragrances, only mild soap and shampoo. And he was sure the worn low rise jeans and simple black cotton bra that hugged each curve of her athletic body could beat out the finest lingerie any day, hands down.

He swallowed the dry knot forming in his throat as he stared at her closed eyes. No matter what his instincts wanted him to believe, she wasn’t like every other vampire. She stood in front of him not as a perfect vampiress, but as a flawed woman, whose skin told the tale of a life she’d fought to live. A life that probably hadn’t worked out the way she thought it would, but one she’d accepted, and from what he could tell, tried to make the best of.

And making the most of what fate blindly threw at you was something Drake understood in ways most people never would.

He sucked in a deep breath and slowly blew it out. “Are you ready?”

 ~

We'd like to thank Jennifer for stopping by to talk with us about her book. Please be sure to listen to our Blog Talk Radio interview with her on Wednesday at 3:30pm PST. Don't forget to leave a comment with your email address to be entered into the eBook giveaway!

Winner Announcement

We would like to announce the five winners for the Temple of the Heart #eBook giveaway with Tori Minard.

Congratulations goes to:

Sullivan McPig
Wally
Crystal C
Jennifer Alyx
Kristin (My Bookish Fairytale)
We will be sending your email info to Tori so that she can get your winning copy to you. Thanks to everyone else who commented. Don't forget to check out our new interview coming up later this evening. We will be doing an interview with Jennifer Turner, author of Eternal Flame.

Where Did the Story Idea Come From? Guest Post with Stacy Eaton

There are a few things that police officers do that are beyond the obvious that everyday citizens see. Yeah, we right lots of tickets and we arrest people and sometimes we do have coffee and donuts. Okay more coffee then donuts these days, but you get the idea.

On long nights as we drive around we play a game with ourselves. It’s called What if/What then.  If this particular thing was to happen to me, what would I do? We run these scenarios through our minds all the time to prepare ourselves to act.

So it was in this mindset that I found myself one beautiful fall night.  I was standing outside my patrol car enjoying the fresh air of the night. It was dark and the feeling that I was being watched ran over me. Police officers have a heightened sense of this, and normally are correct in those feelings.

So I searched the area around me with my eyes, listening intently to see if I could hear anything that was not normal for the area I was in. I heard and saw nothing. Yet the feeling didn’t go away. I continued to search although by now the hairs on the back of my neck were standing at attention. That’s when I saw it.

On the other side of the parking lot from where I stood were eyes. Just a gleam in the darkness coming off of some faint light that reflected back off of the eyes as they stared at me from just inside the dark tree line. My heart was beating fast and since I have a crazy love for things unnatural the thought of, “It’s a vampire” crossed through my mind. Of course, I know that’s not true, but sometimes you just can’t control the thoughts that race through your mind.

The eyes disappeared shortly after and I finally found my will to move again. Chances were it was an animal of some kind searching for food, but the idea that a vampire could exist and be out there watching people at night had found a place in my mind. What if it had been a vampire and I was to be his food? Would I fight him? Would I die?

I spent the rest of that quiet shift driving my township and thinking about the idea of vampires in our society and how they could co-mingle easily. Even do the jobs that we do, like being a police officer.

It was not long after that, that the story line started taking form and I found myself sitting at my laptop and weaving a tale that brought vampires into the life of Officer Kristin Greene and Fawn Hollow Township.

I still find myself driving my township roads late at night, searching for eyes in the woods and wondering if they could really be true.

Bio:

Stacy Eaton is a full time police officer, crime scene investigator and business owner when she is not working on her books.  She lives in South Eastern Pennsylvania with her husband, daughter and her Shiloh Shepherd Garda.  She is also the proud mother of a US Sailor.

My Blood Runs Blue is the first in the series. Book two, Blue Blood for Life will be going through publishing soon, and is expected to be available early fall of this year. Book three whose title has not been decided is in the plot stages.

Connect with Stacy on Twitter, Facebook, FB Fan Page, Goodreads, as well as her Blog