Goodbye 2010!!

Welcome 2011!

I hope everyone had a great year. Best wishes for you

in 2011.

Edit Minion

Have you heard of the "Blog Edit Minion Beta Suggests" page yet??

Just check out http://editminion.com/ and paste some of your writing in their box, then push EDIT. They'll tell you if you use an adverb, weak writing, passive voice, too many "said" replacements, or preprositional endings.

I checked the first ten chapters of my story (only one chapter at a time though, don't want to overload them) and it appears my biggest faults are adverbs, ending sentences with prepositions, and passive voice. Here's what my results looked like.

Did you learn anything about your own writing by trying it??

Start the week with M. Kate Quinn

The only time in my life that ever turned out like it does in the movies, of course, was now.

Eddie put the key into the lock, gave it a good hard twist and it opened easy as pie. Sadly I didn’t have a pie on me, because the look he gave me deserved a pie to be tossed right smack in his face.

As he handed the key back to me, he gave the keychain a look.

“Thank you,” I said, reaching for the key, which he did not immediately relinquish.

“You’re welcome,” he said, then read the inscription aloud, “The voice of the sea speaks to the soul.” Then he gracefully placed the keychain into my waiting palm. I did not comment.

“A special meaning of some kind?” he asked.

Oh, brother. I am not getting into a lengthy discussion with him. “It’s just a message from a friend.”

“Oh, a message from the friend that gave you the key?”

“Yes,” I said as he stepped away from the doorway.

“Well,” Eddie said with a devilish smile as he stepped off the front porch. “Tell your friend to spray that lock with a little WD-40 so it doesn’t stick when you want to open it.”

Oh, I intended to talk to my friend all right. I could not wait to tell Yvonne that her birthday cottage came with its very own gorilla.


********************
You just read an excerpt from:
SUMMER IRIS
by
M. KATE QUINN
Buy Link : http://www.thewildrosepress.com/summer-iris-p-4100.html
********************
Today, we’re here with published author, M. Kate Quinn.


Linda Kage: Hi! Tell us a little about you and what you write please.

Quinn: I write romantic comedies, contemporary romance with an emphasis on mature heroines, non "Barbie-esque." My pen name is M. Kate Quinn and it's a variation of my maiden name.

Kage:What’s your backlist and coming soon bookshelf look like?

Quinn: "Summer Iris" is my debut novel. It is the first in my "Perennials Series" through The Wild Rose Press. The second in the series, "Moonlight and Violet" is due to release on April 22, 2011.

Kage: What happened to the first book you ever wrote?

Quinn: Truthfully, "Summer Iris" is the first entire book I've ever written. I have, however, written many short stories and novel ideas, and they are stored in a cardboard box in my attic. Some of the earlier writings go back to when I was a kid.

Kage: So, what story are we going to talk about today?

Quinn: Today I'm excited to tell you about "Moonlight and Violet," which as I said is the second in my series. "The Perennials" is a trio of romances whose link is not the specific characters but the type of characters. Each heroine in this series is a woman "of a certain age" who finds herself at a crossroads at the middle of her life's journey. And, each heroine has the name of a perennial flower. I chose that title because perennials can sustain the bitter cold of winter and yet come forth again in the spring....resilient, unquenchable, deeply rooted, forever beautiful.

In "Moonlight and Violet" you'll meet Violet Terhune, at forty-four, a self-professed Italian mother’s nightmare. She can’t cook and she’s still single. Younger sister Penny, the apple of their mother’s eye, asks Violet to be her maid of honor and she can’t refuse even though the week-long wedding fest takes place at The Pines, the Vermont lodge where the Terhune family had spent their summers during the girls’ childhoods. The Pines is now run by Logan Monroe, the former owner’s son who shattered Violet’s heart years ago and thanks to Penny’s finding Violet’s girlhood diary, she is bombarded by the effects of love lost. Logan Monroe has a long-kept secret and its revelation unleashes the desires he’s fought to deny. There in the piney forest truths, regrets, and fears collide with matters of the heart, differences meld with the loyalty of family and the courage of choice reveals its path in a beam of moonlight.

Kage: What would the story be rated if it were a movie?

Quinn: PG-13. My love scenes are tame, I suppose, by some standards, but the emphasis is on the emotional connection and the romance..

Kage: If you HAD to fit this story into a cliché, which one would it be?

Quinn: Honestly, I don't think it fits into any specific cliche'. I will say that "Moonlight and Violet" is a story about the relationships among mother and her daughters like the movie "A Mirror Has Two Faces," the love of a lifetime like "The Way We Were," and the power of friendship like "Beaches."

Kage:Okay, now that we have a general idea which class to fit "Moonlight and Violet" under, what makes this book so unique from every other book out there?

Quinn: What makes "Moonlight and Violet" unique is honesty. This is a story of real feelings that we all harbor. Feelings of inadequacy, longing, hope, love, loss, belonging, acceptance.

Kage:What was the easiest part to write?

Quinn: Dialogue is my strong suit. I believe what we say reveals what and who we are on all levels.

Kage:What do you like most about the main character(s) and what do you like least? Did you learn anything from them?

Quinn: If I had to pick what I like least about Violet is that she can sometimes be her own worst enemy, yet, so can I. And Logan, well, I love his sense of loyalty and responsibility but also want to ring his neck for it.

Kage:Ms. Kate, Thank you so much for stopping by today and gracing us with your presence. Before we go, is there anything else you’d like to say to wrap things up?

Quinn: I hope "Moonlight and Violet" makes you laugh and sigh, from my heart to yours.

If you're still curious about M. Kate Quinn, here are other places to find her on the web:

Website: http://www.mkatequinn.com/

Blog: http://www.mkatequinn.blogspot.com/

Facebook: Fans of M. Kate Quinn

Want to have some fun? Take the M. Kate Quinn Trivia Challenge...

1. The M in M. Kate Quinn stands for ______.
a) Morgan,
b) Martha,
c) Mary,
d)Meredith

2. Between the two of them, M. Kate and her husband have _____ children.
a) zero,
b) three,
c) six,
d) twelve

3. M. Kate has a cat named _____.
a) John Wayne,
b) Iris,
c) Sammy,
d) Cuddles

4. M. Kate Quinn's story, Summer Iris, was voted Book of the Week at _____.
a) Night Owl Reviews,
b) The Romance Studio,
c) Long and Short of It Reviews,
d) Rites of Romance

Have a Merry Christmas

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday. I'll be back on Monday, the 27th.

Instead of sending each and everyone of you cookies (which you don't really want from me since I can't cook like my mom), HERE is a vitual Gingerbread man. Decorate it however you wish.

Ho, ho, ho...and Merry Christmas.

Start the Week with CIARA GOLD

Long Sutton in the Somerset Marshes of England, 1849.

A shocking burst of laughter rang out, shattering the peace and quiet of the library. Noreen Willshire gripped the sides of her chair, her heart pounding. The unopened letter she held floated to the floor. Alone, the massive room seemed larger, more forbidding.

What had she heard?

She swung her head from side to side. “Who’s there?”

The hiss and crack of smoldering coals answered.
Did young John’s cat prowl the upper halls? She glanced toward the letter, a missive from her sister, Juliette. She’d been so absorbed with the idea of news from abroad, the sound had startled her. She smiled. The cat made a nuisance of itself again. They shouldn’t allow him to run free. She uncurled her body from a chair in front of the cozy fireplace and scooped up the letter.

The library presented the perfect setting. She relished the solitude, more comfortable surrounded by books than she was by people. Located on the second floor of the manor house, the library had become her favorite room. Dark red mahogany paneling and shelves full of books lined the walls. A maid had built a small fire that had burned down to white coals. An ornately carved mahogany ledge framed the fireplace.

On the far corner of the mantelpiece, the gnarled features of her wooden companion peered down. Lord Somerton’s prize gnome, a family heirloom, peeked at her, its features pasted into a silly grin as if it guarded a secret. She smiled at the odd creature and stood. Moving to the desk where a lamp provided better light, she tore open the envelope; a letter she’d waited months to receive. Making full use of the lamp’s light, she concentrated on each cherished word.

As soon as she began to read, laughter floated across the room, a low rumble of cackling mirth.

Lifting her head, she glanced about the room. That she might not be alone made her wary as to the identity of her visitor. Again, her gaze roamed the rows of books and found nothing to warrant the sound.

She sighed. The shawl slipped from her shoulders, and she readjusted the knitted warmth before wiggling to get comfortable. She often took refuge from her duties as governess by spending free time sequestered in the family library. In the short time she’d been employed by Edward Chauss, Duke of Somerton, she’d become well acquainted with Lord Somerton’s extensive collection of books. Today, she had surrounded herself with the aroma of leather and parchment and a need to be alone with her letter from Juliette, but a mystery now claimed her curiosity. Laughter sounded where there should have been none.

Just when she assumed her hearing to be at fault, another burst of laughter rang out in the silent room.

No cat made that sound.

The hairs at her nape bristled. She lowered the letter to her lap, and her gaze swept the empty library more intently, searching each corner. A snicker made her turn toward the fireplace. She blinked, her attention snagged by the lone figure perched upon the mantelpiece. Setting the missive aside, she leaned across the desk for a closer look.

She rose and crept toward the fireplace. Stretching on tiptoe, she stroked the peeling paint at the tip of the gnome’s nose. A giggle erupted. She jumped and snatched her hand back. Was it alive? Of course not. It must be some sort of music box with a malfunction, its mechanical insides rusted or broken.

She studied the gnome. Perhaps if she shook it, the strange noise would stop. She poked the wooden creature with her forefinger.

Nothing. No sound, no strange laughter.

Determined to discover the source of the distracting laugh, she tried to pick up the gnome and paused. The carved, wooden figure stuck fast to the mantel.
She frowned and pulled it toward her, thinking to loosen it from its tenacious hold. When that failed, she pushed.

A tiny gasp left her lips. The statue tilted off its base, fastened to the surface by a hinge. A loud click sounded, and she whirled toward the noise.

Beside the fireplace, a mahogany wood panel stood ajar, and a soft breeze whistled through the opening.

A hidden passageway.

Footsteps crescendoed outside the library.
********************
You just read an excerpt from:
The Keeper of Moon Haven
by
Ciara Gold
http://www.champagnebooks.com/
********************
Today, we’re here with published author, Ciara Gold.

Linda Kage: Tell us a little about you and what you write please.

Ciara: I write as Ciara Gold for Champagne Books and I’m very fortunate that I’m able to write in many genres. I write sci-fi futuristic romance, historical western romance, paranormal time-travel, and in this December, I had a historical fantasy released.

Kage: What happened to the first book you ever wrote?

Ciara: Oh, do we have to go there? Too funny. It’s gathering dust on a shelf above my computer. I wrote it when I was twenty and never wrote again until I was about forty-five.

Kage:What’s your backlist and coming soon bookshelf look like?

Ciara: My sci-fis include Celestial Dragon, Eppie winner A Noble Sacrifice, and coming in April, Dragon Hunter. My historical westerns include Sarah’s Brass Token, Julia’s Golden Eagle, Eliza’s Copper Penny, and Kaitlin’s Silver Lining, which are all connected. I also have Once Jilted, which is part of the Orphan Train Series. On The Silver Edge of Time is my paranormal time-travel set in Viking times and I just completed the sequel so I’m hopeful that will be contracted soon.

Kage: So, what story are we going to talk about today?

Ciara: The Keeper of Moon Haven releases this December from Champagne Books. A Victorian fantasy, the story begins with the heroine finding a book that’s a conduit to a faery realm. She’s encouraged to return the book by the Keeper of the realm, a wizard who’s half elf and half human.

********************BLURB********************
The Keeper of Moon Haven
by
Ciara Gold
On the southern fringes of the Mendip Hills sits the Castle Hamingjur, an abandoned structure most fear haunted. Yet, on the rare occasions when the Hunter’s Blue Moon occurs, the Keeper occupies this mysterious castle where he guards the bridge to Alfheim Haven.

Noreen Willshire discovers more than fairytales hidden between the pages of Beletania’s diary. She opens the ancient book and finds a pathway to a Faery Realm where all manner of mythical creatures reside. In her naïveté, she summons the Keeper before his scheduled time in the human realm. In that brief moment, the mysterious wizard touches her soul with more than magick. She promises to return the diary during Mefylleth, a time when the barriers between the two realms melt away, but danger stalks her path. Torn between her desire to make a new life for herself in America and her growing love for the Keeper, she must bridge the gap between magick and time to follow her heart.
*********************************************

Kage: What would the story be rated if it were a movie?

Ciara: Well, if they include the love scene, it would be rated R, but otherwise, I could see it being a PG-13 very easily. .

Kage: If you HAD to fit this story into a cliché, which one would it be?

Ciara: The Keeper of Moon Haven could easily fit into: Beauty and the Beast, Save-the-world adventure and Forbidden love. Though the world in this case is a fantasy world. It could also be a Cinderella story as the heroine is left destitute after her father dies and of course, the hero is wealthy beyond the norm because he’s a wizard.

Kage:Okay, now that we have a general idea which class to fit The Keeper of Moon Haven under, what makes this book so unique from every other book out there?

Ciara: The vehicle I use for allowing this faery world to exist is rather unique and it sets up the possibility for a whole host of books. I use the blue moon in October. The blue moon for October shows up every 19 years for the most part. Sometimes it doesn’t fit this cycle, but during the October when it does show up is when the faery realm is accessible to humans. So, that gives me the opportunity to revisit my world every nineteen years with a new and unique story.

Kage:What was the easiest part to write?

Ciara: The world or setting came easiest as I had it completely envisioned in my mind. The hero, Vin, was the most difficult to nail down just because he was rather complex.

Kage:What do you like most about the main character(s) and what do you like least? Did you learn anything from them?

Ciara: Noreen was very independent and vocal for a heroine of her time period. I liked this most about her, but at the same time, I’m not so sure she’d have kept her job if she’d acted like this for real in her time period. Vin was a rather tortured soul, but he handles it all in a humorous manner, letting nothing ruffle his feathers – literally (as he’s also able to shapeshift into animal form). Sometimes, he was a bit obstinate, but he was most heroic in the end. As always, with any character, I learned they won’t be forced into doing something just because it fits the plot. Characters are always funny about that.

Kage:Ciara, Thank you so much for stopping by today and gracing us with your presence. Before we go, is there anything else you’d like to say to wrap things up?

Ciara: Just that The Keeper of Moon Haven is truly a wonderful story and that folks can read the first chapter by visiting my website; www.ciaragold.com.

Now that Ciara has totally made us want to buy her book, here is a buy link to The Keeper of Moon Haven : http://www.champagnebooks.com/

If you're still curious about Ciara, here are other places to find her on the web:

Website: http://www.ciaragold.com/

Blog: http://ciaragold.blogspot.com/

Facebook: facebook.com/ciara.gold

Twitter: twitter.com/CiaraGold

Goodreads: Ciara Gold

Amazon Author Page: Ciara Gold

End the week with TANYA HANSON

Her voice had grown deeply serious, too serious, and her glorious eyes clouded over.

Not sure what to say, he fiddled with the cushions. The high-backed bench wasn’t the most comfortable thing, but piled with pillows, it served well enough. Soon as he could afford it, he’d order her something soft and upholstered.

Call couldn’t wait to get close to her, to let her warmth and scent cover him. Kiss her. He’d done that plenty of times and his technique seemed to please her. Maybe the rest of it would go all right. But right now, she seemed stiff, not quite welcoming, and his heart began to thump with dread.

“What’s wrong, Mattie?” He had to know.

Her forehead crinkled even more. “What’s wrong? We’re meant to be together, Caldwell Hackett. I wore this dress tonight to remind you of that day we met. I knew from that moment on my heart was yours. My soul, too.”

Despite the sticky summer evening, she wore the exquisite dark green velvet gown he’d remember until the end of his days. A pretty sheen of moisture glazed her upper lip and made it more kissable.

He shrugged against the hard back. “I knew it, too.”

“Then what’s changed? Something’s different these last few days.” Mattie’s voice trembled. “Caldwell, are you having second thoughts?” She grasped both his hands, tight, and her despair broke his heart.

“Oh, no. No, my dearest darlin.’” He draw her close like he’d never let her go. Even through her thick velvet, her breasts merged with his chest, and his manhood raged. His stomach churned the same time as his heart pumped wildly. His bridal night couldn’t come soon enough yet he wanted it to hold off. What if he ruined everything?

She pulled back from him a little. Seeing her eyes misting, Call took a deep breath. To ease her fears, he needed to let it out now. But he had to look away for her troubled gaze.

“I want tomorrow night to be perfect,” he said, low. “But I fear I’ll disappoint you.”

“Disappoint me? We discussed this, love. I don’t want a fancy hotel room. I want our wedding night to be right here. In our very own house.”

He fidgeted against her, but it had nothing to do with the hard wooden bench. “Mattie, I’ve never…I’ve never had a woman. It’ll be my first time.”

For a while she was quiet, dead quiet, then she smiled. “Is that all? Sweetheart, it’ll be my first time, too.”

“What?”

She cuddled closer than ever “With you.”

“But…”

“No buts,” Mattie insisted. “My…my other life was long ago.”

A peaceable feeling lay on him, warm as sunshine. She was loving and understanding, hadn’t gasped or looked at him as if he were a zoo animal. Still…

“Caldwell, my life with Woodrow was very brief. I’ve blocked most of it from my mind. And I haven’t been with a man for two years. He never truly loved me. You do. Now, stop your fretting.”

In spite of their close embrace, she shoved him off and stood up suddenly. “I debated whether to wear this dress tonight. But it’s such a sultry evening. I’m quite uncomfortable.”

A thought crept into his mind, a dream that would come true tomorrow night. Seeing her wearing nothing, nothing at all. The heat in the crotch of his trousers grew to boiling.

As if reading his thoughts, she smiled, coy, eyes half-lidded. Even in his virginal state, he understood the look completely. “All these buttons. The ties, the boning. Thank God I have a landlady close by. Women just simply cannot easily dress themselves. Or…” she turned her back to display the row of carved fasteners up her spine and tossed back over her shoulder, “Or undress themselves.”

He stood up promptly, front against her back, bending his head with his lips at her ear. “Just what are you saying, Mattie?”

“The bridal bed is a nerve-wracking place, Caldwell.”

He swallowed so hard he was sure she could hear.

She turned to face him, her arms right around his neck. “Most cultures hold the promise of betrothal to be as binding as the wedding vow.” Stepping back, she began a slow unbuttoning of his shirt. Then she looked him straight in the eye with a dare. “I happen to share that conviction.” 
***************************
You just read an excerpt from:
MARRYING MATTIE
by
TANYA HANSON
The Wild Rose Press
MARRYING MATTIE BUY LINK : HERE
***************************

Today, I'm featuring published author, Tanya Hanson.

If you like westerns...if you like historicals...if you like inspirationals...then Tanya writes the books for you!


Wife, mother, grandmother, California beach girl, Tanya has been published by The Wild Rose Press, White Rose Publishing, Cobblestone Press, and Leisure Books. And her story, Marrying Mattie is up for 2010 Best Western Romance at the Love Western Romances Blog (so, ahem, feel free to vote for her there!).

She also participated in writing the Christmas anthology, Lawmen and Outlaws, along with the authors Mallary Mitchell, Shannon Robinson, and Emma McKee. So if you're into reading seasonal greats, then I recommend giving it a try.


And now, on with her interview:

Linda Kage: Hi, Tanya! Tell us a little about you and what you write please.

Tanya: I write Western historical romance for The Wild Rose Press, and this past year, tried something new: contemporary western inspirationals! That ended up an eight-novella contract at White Rose Publishing!

Kage: What happened to the first book you ever wrote?

Tanya: I've been scribbling my whole life, but the first romance I actually completed along RWA guidelines got published. Sadly, a long sophomore slump came upon me. I've found wonderful homes at The Wild Rose Press and White Rose Publishing.

Kage:What’s your backlist and coming soon bookshelf look like?

Tanya:I've got a series going at The Wild Rose Press, the Paradise Brides. Marrying Minda was released in 2009, and Marrying Mattie, out this past August, is up for Best Book of 2010 at Love Western Romances! I'd love a vote from any and all out there!

I've got two novellas, Hearts Crossing Ranch, and Redeeming Daisy, out now, from the Hearts Crossing Ranch series at White Rose Publishing. The other six siblings will have stories out through 2012. And I just sold a suspense novella, Faithful Danger, set in the same Colorado town.

Kage: So, what story are we going to talk about today?

Tanya: Marrying Mattie and also the Lawmen and Outlaws Christmas anthology. My story is called "Christmas For Ransom" and features a good-hearted outlaw who can't read. Both are available at The Wild Rose Press.

Kage: What would the story be rated if it were a movie?

Tanya: Both are spicy. R, I guess LOL. I wouldn't want a thirteen year old to watch.

Kage: If you HAD to fit this story into a cliché, which one would it be?

Tanya: Marrying Mattie: Riches to rags LOL. Not really; Mattie's a rich woman who divorced her adulterous husband and moved West for a new start. (Minda in the first book is her sister). She falls for a humble horse doctor...only to have the evil ex show up and break up their wedding day.

Kage:Okay, now that we have a general idea which class to fit MARRYING MATTIE under, what makes this book so unique from every other book out there?

Tanya: Call Hackett, the horse doctor, is a virgin. Mattie of course has been married before so he's worried about that.

Kage: That is so unique. You never see virgin heroes. I love it! What was the easiest part to write?

Tanya: I think the plot. There's a ton of stuff going on: tornado, epidemic sickening the town's horses, attempted killings, a busted-up wedding..

Kage:What do you like most about the main character(s) and what do you like least? Did you learn anything from them?

Tanya: I learned something about a secondary character...Call's mother. As I was writing a scene, she totally did something I didn't expect! I'd heard characters tell you things they want to do, and I so believe it now.

Kage: Tanya, Thank you so much for stopping by today and gracing us with your presence. Before we go, is there anything else you’d like to say to wrap things up?

Tanya: Thanks for hosting me here today. I know these are busy days.

***************************

Other places to find Tanya are on her website, http://www.tanyahanson.net/, and blog, Hearts Crossing Ranch Blog, and Facebook.

So please check out this amazing author!!


***************************

But before you go, maybe you'd like to take the Tanya Hanson Trivia challenge. Listed below are five facts about Tanya. Either four are true facts, or four are false facts. Do you think you can find the odd man out and tell us whether the fact is true or false???? Good luck!

1. Tanya's favorite drink is McDonald's iced coffee.
2. Tanya hates to travel.
3. Tanya is left-handed.
4. Tanya has a thing for firefighters.
5. Tanya loves Brooks and Dunn songs.

December Guest Posting

Today, I'm blogging over at : THE WRITERS VINEYARD (thewritersvineyard.com) about putting misunderstanding in stories. Advice always welcome. I definitely need it.


I also guest posted on the twelfth over at Romance Books R Us (romancebooksrus.blogspot.com) about characters names in stories.


And then I posted some Christmas jokes and quizes on the twelth at Climbing Roses of the Wild Rose Press (twrpclimbingrose.blogspot.com) blog.


Please visit one, two or all three places and say hey!!


And with that, have a great day.

Start the week with KM TOLAN

"Your pet human just escaped.”

Mikial's amber eyes closed for a moment. Do you have to keep calling him that? She relaxed her grip on the exercise rope and dropped to the hardwood floor. Her muscular six-hand frame easily absorbed the fall. Knees bent, Mikial pulled back an unruly swipe of cinnamon hair and glared at the Lead of her Surian Guard. “Ryan Donald is Earth's Ambassador... providing I can ever get him back to his home again. He's nobody's pet, Nenya, least of all mine.” She stood, wiping a rivulet of sweat from her light mocha cheeks. Nenya's irreverence bordered on contempt... as usual.

Nenya clasped her hands in hollow contrition. “Forgive me, my Suria. Your... Ambassador just escaped.”

And to think we came from the same background. Like Nenya, she had been born into the Datha combat sect as a rare female Dathia, and still had the claws to prove it. Neither of them were within a stone's throw of petite, most of their curves owed more to predatory physiques than shapely breasts and hips. They were both barely into their twenties, and unmarried, but that was where the similarities ended. Mikial envied Nenya's ebony skin, having lost much of her own pigmentation in an unasked for metamorphosis from which Surias emerged.

Grabbing a towel from its rack next to a series of kick bags, Mikial wiped her face and pressed on with the conversation. “So how did Ryan manage to escape? Kinset has nothing but water around it, and I don't think he is that good a swimmer.”

Nenya smiled. “He stole your airsail. If you hurry, you can see him flying overhead.”

Mikial stared at her, mouth sagging. “He... took my airsail?” She threw down the towel. “There isn't enough charge in those batteries to light a glow stone!” Not caring if her public image as her race’s supposed savior was tarnished by anyone seeing her running about in only brown exercise shorts and a brief top, Mikial made for the door.

Nenya, looking far more respectable in a two-piece black dress uniform with flowing side skirts, dashed after her. The three other members of her Surian Guard were quick to join them in the tower's foyer, speeding with her through double ironwood doors and down polished black basalt steps. Outside the southeast tower entrance, she had an excellent view of a coastline cast in the gold hues of an early morning.

“There!” Nenya shouted, pointing beyond the cliff edge upon which the Datha war college perched like a great red brick. “He's already over the strait.”
Squinting, Mikial caught the orange glint of a rising sun off twin props. She watched as the airsail flew unchallenged toward the distant shores of Kioranna. “He's not going to get much farther.” She launched herself across the intervening green between the college and a road winding along Kinset's three gorges, her goal a wide flagstone path adjacent to a scenic turnoff. The soft grass between her bare toes spurred her into a fresh burst of speed.
Nenya easily caught up with her. Together they vaulted over the decorative railing bordering the grounds. “Excuse me, Suria, but where are you going?”

“The sea!” she snapped. Then, mindful of the warning tone in the Dathia's contralto voice, panted as she ran, “I have to keep the only human ambassador we have from drowning!”

Nenya leapt forward and turned to block her halfway across the road. “You're not allowed to swim in the ocean! You know that!”

Mikial stopped with a threatening growl of her own. “Who mentioned anything about swimming? Didn't you say your family were fishers? You can still pilot a boat, can't you?”

Nenya bared her teeth only enough to remain on the edge of insubordination. “No tricks, my Suria.”

No tricks? You're actually going to go along with this?
********************
You just read the beginning of:
DEFIANT DANCERby
KM Tolanhttp://www.champagnebooks.com/
********************
Today, we’re here with published author, Mr. KM Tolan.

Linda Kage: Tell us a little about you and what you write please.

Tolan: For now I write science fiction – specifically “soft” SF otherwise known as “space opera”. My emphasis is more on characters than hardware, although I can and do bring my military background to bear when things need to go “boom”.

Kage: What happened to the first book you ever wrote?

Tolan: “Quan Song” actually landed me an agent, and little else. It was my first run at an SF novel and was quite lucky to interest an agent, but I still had a lot to learn about writing.

Kage:What’s your backlist and coming soon bookshelf look like?

Tolan: I am currently working on my “Dancer” series, which started with “Blade Dancer” and continued with “Rogue Dancer”. Both books were finalists in the EPIC E-Book Awards. Next in line is “Defiant Dancer” due out this month, which is the third in a four-part series. I am working the fourth and final novel “Battle Dancer” right now and hope for a 2011 December release. I also wrote “Waiting Weapon” which is a spinoff from the “Dancer” series. All are published through Champagne Books.

Kage: So, what story are we going to talk about today?

Tolan: I am promoting “Defiant Dancer" – book three in the “Dancer” series. It follows the young leader of an alien race who is trying to save her alien world from human interference while fending off efforts by her own people to suppress or control her. Her race may have created themselves a messiah, but they don’t like where she is taking them. The personal cost of being a beleaguered leader on friends and family, and ultimately her love life, gets a front seat in this story. The tag line says it all – “Rulers try to suppress her. Humans want her dead, and a powerful male intends to possess her no matter the cost. They should have known better.”

********************BLURB********************
DEFIANT DANCER
Book Three in the BLADE DANCER series.
by
KM TOLAN
Rulers try to suppress her. Humans want her dead, and a powerful male intends to possess her no matter the cost. They should have known better.

Mikial drags her reluctant people toward a tumultuous future where they can stand against human incursion as a united race. She learns that the true cost of leadership is paid in fraying friendships and strained alliances. It is the best time to discover love in another’s arms. It is the worst time for humans to return to her world.
*********************************************

Kage: What would the story be rated if it were a movie?

Tolan: Possibly PG-13 unless they did this...um...one scene. Then it would be “R”. My main character is alien, you see, and there is this bi-annual two-week cycle her people call “Passion”. Love is part of a person’s life, and I don’t shirk away from its demands..

Kage: If you HAD to fit this story into a cliché, which one would it be?

Tolan: This is a “save the world” kind of novel with some of that “forbidden love” tossed into the mix. Life is complicated, and I tend to reflect that.

Kage:Okay, now that we have a general idea which class to fit DIFIANT DANCER under, what makes this book so unique from every other book out there?

Tolan: My main character comes complete with friends and family – something most space heroines seem to leave behind (the few space heroines that are out there). I am also a combat veteran, and so the military portions of the novel are going to be believable. Add a rich mix of an alien culture, and you have things like a wedding scene for a best friend where the most meaningful gift my main character can extend is to never see them again. It is a promise soon betrayed.

Kage:What was the easiest part to write?

Tolan: I don’t know why, but the action scenes flow the quickest from my head. The deeper relationships and the moments they bring out are the toughest – especially when the scene is hurtful.

Kage:What do you like most about the main character(s) and what do you like least? Did you learn anything from them?

Tolan: I love my main character Mikial’s ability to endure while her life explodes around her. She is “every man” forced into an extraordinary life that has literally changed her – having gone through a metamorphic alteration into a “Great Suria”. She was born a “Dathia”, one of the rare female members of the specialized warrior species of her race. She still has a problem thinking from the end of a gun barrel, and tends to be aggressive and careless in her dealings. Mikial is very much in need of a stabilizing influence. Many rightly fear that the Great Suria raised among them may end up being a tyrant.

Kage:Mr. Tolan, Thank you so much for stopping by today and gracing us with your presence. Before we go, is there anything else you’d like to say to wrap things up?

Tolan: I certainly thank you for giving me the chance to chat about my writing – it is always a pleasure to ramble on so. Those in the Texas area can drop by the Dallas SF convention (Con DFW) in February of 2011 and say “Hi!”.

Now that Mr. Tolan has totally made us want to buy his book, he was kind enough to provide us with a a buy link to Defiant Dancer: http://www.champagnebooks.com/

If you're still curious about KM, here are other places to find him on the web:

Website: http://www.kmtolan.com/

Blog: Alien Space

Facebook: www.facebook.com/kmtolan

End the week with MARIE TUHART

"You’re too dangerous.” The words slipped out before she was even aware of voicing them.

His eyes widened, and another of those sexy devilish grins spread across his lips. “I’m not dangerous. I’m a teddy bear.”

Victoria gave a snort of laughter. He took another step into the room and suddenly her bedroom felt too small. Now the man invading her territory. “Grizzly bear is more like it,” she muttered.

“A man,” he said, taking two more steps. “A man who wants to get to know you better.”

“If we get to know each other any better, we’ll be arrested.” Her gaze locked with his. He stood less than a foot length from her.

“I got things a little backwards last night.”

“Backwards?” That was an odd word to use. She tilted her head to one side and stared at him.

“Yep, backwards.” His arm rose, and he caressed her cheek. “Making love to you in the elevator was impulsive.”

She opened her mouth.

“But,” he continued before she could get a word out. “I don’t regret one second of it.”
********************
You just read an excerpt from:
In Plain Sight
by
Marie Tuhart
The Wild Rose Press
********************
Today, we’re here with published author, Marie Tuhart.

Linda Kage: Tell us a little about you and what you write please.

Marie: Thanks for having me today, Linda. I currently live in the San Francisco Bay area, I work a full-time day job with a telecommunciations company doing project management and enjoy traveling. Right now I’m writing erotic romance mainly contemporary but I’m dabbling into paranormal erotic romance as well. I’m also trying to break into Harlequin Presents.

Kage: What happened to the first book you ever wrote?

Marie: It's in my file cabinet in the a storage room in my home. Occassionally I’ll pull it out and cringe at how bad it is.

Kage:What’s your backlist and coming soon bookshelf look like?

Marie: In Plain Sight was released by The Wild Rose Press in Jan 2010

Quick Silver Ranch: Roped and Ready is part of the Cowboy Kink series will be released early in 2011

Quick Silver Ranch: Saddle Up is part of the Cowboy Kink series will be released sometime in 2011

Kage: So, what story are we going to talk about today?

Marie: In Plain Sight is a sensual story about a woman’s journey into accepting her own sexuality, with her bad boy co-worker as her instructor, except her ex-fiance is stalking her.

The Wild Rose Press is the publisher, this book is under the Scarlet Rose line

********************BLURB********************
In Plain Sight
by
Marie Tuhart
Bad boy businessman Joe Bradshaw has achieved almost everything he’s wanted in life, but his strait-laced colleague Victoria Collins is proving an elusive challenge. A steamy encounter in the elevator begins a wild journey of sensual discovery. Joe’s determined to break through Vicki’s barriers to reveal the red-hot woman hiding inside. But Vicki is stalked by her past—her ex-fiancé will stop at nothing to get her back. Falling in love and keeping Vicki safe could be the biggest challenges of Joe’s life.
*********************************************

Kage: What would the story be rated if it were a movie?

Marie: It would be R rated – the opening scene is hot sex in an elevator.

Kage: If you HAD to fit this story into a cliché, which one would it be?

Marie: That’s a hard one, I try very hard not to think about cliché’s. In a way this is a Cinderella story.

Kage:Okay, now that we have a general idea which class to fit In Plain Sight under, what makes this book so unique from every other book out there?

Marie: My hero, Joe Bradshaw, is very secure in who he is and he’s not afraid to show a his tender side, no matter who's watching.

Kage:What was the easiest part to write?

Marie: Dialogue is always the easiest for me to write, because I can converse with my characters very easily in my head.

Kage:What do you like most about the main character(s) and what do you like least? Did you learn anything from them?

Marie: I love how sensual Vicki is when she allows herself to be, I love how Joe can make her forget everything.

The least, when Vicki retreats into herself to protect herself.

These characters taught me to let them tell the story and not force what I thought should happen on them.

Kage:Marie, Thank you so much for stopping by today and gracing us with your presence. Before we go, is there anything else you’d like to say to wrap things up?

Marie: I’d like to give everyone a teaser to my next book: Quick Silver Ranch: Roped and Ready

Quick Silver Ranch is no ordinary dude ranch.

After Becca Dalton finds her fiancé in bed with her boss, she ends the ill-fated engagement on the spot and quits her job. She heads to Quick Silver Ranch, looking to regroup before an interview for the job of her dreams--an executive position at a five-star hotel.

Becca's best-laid plans are ruined when she discovers the exclusive ranch is for consenting couples who spend their days and nights exploring their most wicked sexual fantasies. For Becca to remain at the ranch and take advantage of all the arousing activities, she needs a partner.

Her sexy college lover and part owner of the ranch, Tyler Carson, is willing to break all the rules, partner up with Becca and have her roped and ready for a week of unimaginable pleasure. But is a week enough to satisfy his desire for Becca?

Oooh! Good luck on your Quick Silver books!

Now that Marie has totally made us want to buy her book, here is a buy link to In Plain Sight: at Digi Books Cafe

If you're still curious about Marie, here are other places to find her on the web:

Website: www.marietuhart.com


Blog: www.escapetoaneroticfantasy.blogspot.com


Facebook: Marie Tuhart



Publisher’s Author Page: The Wild Rose Press

Start the Week with ALICIA DEAN

Heath’s eyes found hers in the gloom, and he placed a kiss on the back of her hand.

“Truth is, you know another reason it bothers me? Another reason I don’t want to meet my sister?”

“Why’s that?” Nicolette asked, trying to ignore the warm spot where his lips had touched her skin.

“Because, it makes me wonder...makes me realize that I could be just like him.”

“Like your father?”

She barely saw the nod.

“Disloyal. To Rudy.”

“In what way?” she asked, but she thought she knew, and her heart seemed to beat loud enough for him to hear in the silence of the elevator. She waited breathlessly for his answer.

He sighed heavily. “In the way I want you. In the way I wanted you even while you were married to my best friend.”

In spite of the guilt she heard in his voice, there was also longing. She turned her head just slightly. She wasn’t sure exactly how it happened, but in the next moment, his lips found hers. He tangled his hand in her hair and pressed her more closely to him as his mouth moved urgently over hers. She moaned in the back of her throat, and he answered it with a growl.

Dear God. She was kissing Heath King. Those were his lips on hers. They felt as good as she’d always dreamed they would. Firm and skilled, his tongue warm and seeking. Her heart lurched, and for a moment, all the angst of the past year flew away. This was it. This was what it felt like to be kissed by Heath King.

********************
You just read an excerpt from:
A Knight Before Christmas
by
Alicia Dean
The Wild Rose Pressk
********************
Today, we’re here with published author, Alicia Dean.


Linda Kage: Hi, Alicia! Tell us a little about you and what you write please.

Alicia: I live in Oklahoma City, although I lived in Kansas City for three years, until I moved back home a year ago. I absolutely loved Kansas City and will always consider it my second home. I love baseball and Elvis Presley and I usually incorporate one or both into my stories. I have a superb group of writer friends and a wonderful, supportive family. I write romantic suspense and paranormal. I don't write under any other pen names.

Kage: What happened to the first book you ever wrote?

Alicia: Nothing. :-) Actually, I won a contest or two with it, but then learned a little more about writing and put it away. It's not literally under the bed but it's buried somewhere in my computer files.

Kage:What’s your backlist and coming soon bookshelf look like?

Alicia: Poetic Injustice (Novella) - The Wild Rose Press
Tears of the Wounded (Novella)- The Wild Rose Press
Novels:
Nothing to Fear - The Wild Rose Press
A Knight Before Christmas- The Wild Rose Press
Heart of the Witch - Dorchester

Nothing new coming out, but I'm hoping to sell my latest novel soon.

Kage: So, what story are we going to talk about today?

Alicia: A Knight Before Christmas from the Wild Rose Press. It came out in mid November. It's about a man who has to go home for Christmas because of a family issue and he's not looking forward to it. There are too many sad memories there. He also doesn't want to run into the woman he's loved since he laid eyes on her fifteen years ago. Back then, she married his lifelong friend, who has since died. Although she's now free, he can't see himself moving in on his best friend's widow. Not long after he arrives, he learns she's in trouble, and he has no choice but to help her out. It doesn't take him long to realize he's never stopped loving her.

********************BLURB********************
A KNIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
The Three Kings, Book 2
by
Alicia Dean
The last thing Heath King wants is to return to Kansas City for the holidays. Being in his home town holds too many bad memories, and now there are new bad memories in the making, among them a sister he never knew about--proof that his father was unfaithful. But the most difficult thing he’ll face is running into Nicolette, his best friend’s widow—the woman he’s loved since the day he met her.

Before Nicolette Morgan has time to fully grieve over her husband’s death, a blackmailer enters the picture, demanding she pay him or he’ll ruin the lives of everyone she loves. Nicolette sees no way out until she unexpectedly encounters Heath King. When she turns to him for help, old feelings are rekindled and she realizes she never stopped wanting him.

As Christmas approaches, Heath must find a way to stop the blackmailer...but can he also rescue the love he lost fifteen years ago?
*********************************************

Kage: What would the story be rated if it were a movie?

Alicia: Probably R, although the sex scenes could be tamed down a little for the screen. I don't write erotica, but there are a few fairly detailed love scenes in the book.

Kage: If you HAD to fit this story into a cliché, which one would it be?

Alicia: Forbidden love.

Kage:Okay, now that we have a general idea which class to fit A KNIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS under, what makes this book so unique from every other book out there?

Alicia: It's unique because it's about the bond of family, the loyalty and strength of undying love, and it brings danger and intrigue to a time of year that's supposed to be about comfort and joy. :-) Also, it's unique because it's part of a trilogy I wrote with two other writers (and friends), Dyann Barr and Claire Ashgrove. The three novels are each about a brother who has different reasons for dreading the holidays. They're all three set in Kansas City and take place simultaneously. It was the quickest book I've ever written. I finished it in two months, which is a record for me. It was a blast to write and I'm very proud of the project (which was Claire's brilliant idea).

Kage:What was the easiest part to write?

Alicia: I would say the plot because I'm a plot-driven writer and once the story of the hero riding to the rescue of a lost love who's being blackmailed occurred to me, the story flowed.

Kage:What do you like most about the main character(s) and what do you like least? Did you learn anything from them?

Alicia: I love Heath's (my hero's) strength and loyalty. I don't like that he's so stubborn. I love Nicolette's (My heroine's) independence and the fact that she's just a little naughty because she's secretly always been attracted to her husband's best friend. I don't like that she's somewhat of a martyr. I learned that it's never too late to atone for mistakes, or to change your course in life.

Kage:Alicia, Thank you so much for stopping by today and gracing us with your presence. Before we go, is there anything else you’d like to say to wrap things up?

Alicia: Just that I hope readers like reading my books half as much as I loved writing them. If you want to write, do whatever it takes to carve our writing time and keep at it. Don't let the setbacks stop you. They may slow you down, but a true writer will learn from them and grow.

Now that Alicia has totally made us want to buy A Knight Before Christmas, here's a buy link : Paperback, eBook

If you're still curious about Alicia, here is other place to find her on the web: Website: http://aliciadean.com/

End the week with DYANN LOVE BARR

Scrooge had it right. Bah, humbug! Christmas sucked long and hard.

Lights twinkled on the tree, reflecting off the windows of the darkened office. The smell of holiday spices wafted from the potpourri dish on Zoe Hillman’s desk, filling the room with false cheer. It was Christmas Eve, and not even the large, make that huge, bonus check lifted her spirits.

“Bah, humbug.” She sniffed, wiped her tears for the umpteenth time before she checked her resignation letter to Cox, Zuckerman, Howe & Stanford. No matter that her heart was shattered, her life over, it wouldn’t do for her last act as Alex King’s personal assistant to be sloppy and unprofessional.

She reached into the candy dish on her desk, absentmindedly unwrapped one of the truffles, and popped it in her mouth. The chocolate melted in a creamy, dark lushness designed to put a Band-Aid on her broken heart, but tonight her drug of choice didn’t work. Candy wrappers littered the floor, along with half a box of used tissues. The clock on her computer read 7 p.m. Alex would be married and on his way to Las Vegas by now. Bianca Freemont would be his bride. Zoe’s brain whipped up an Xrated vision of the wedding night, and she grabbed another tissue to wipe her red nose and puffy eyes.

Her breath hitched, and she hit the SEND key before she could change her mind.

God, she was so stupid.
********************
You just read an excerpt from:
A PERFECT BRIDE FOR CHRISTMAS
by
Dyann Love Barr
http://www.thewildrosepress.com/
********************
Today, we’re here with published author, Dyann Love Barr.

Linda Kage: Hi Dyann!! Tell us a little about you and what you write please.

Dyann : I write under the name Dyann Love Barr. Love is my maiden name and I did it as a tribute to my late mother, Violet Love. This storyline was really hers. After she passed away, I swore to write her story but I put my own spin n her original idea.

I'm a belly dancer, retired chef, actress, director and Andromeda Leigh's YaYa.

This book is a contemporary, although I’ve finished two romantic suspense, two other contemporaries and just finished a paranormal I’m polishing up for submission. I'll be doing book two in the paranormal series I'm writing and there is a medieval, a Regency, another romantic suspense and a contemporary on the back burner.

Kage: What happened to the first book you ever wrote?

Dyann : It’s still on my computer. I look it over from time to time and think it could really be salvaged. It’s really funny—sometimes I’ll read a line or passage and think ‘I can’t believe I wrote that’. The writing is really good and tight, but then I’ll read further down and say to myself, “Man, oh man, what a stinker. I can’t believe you wrote that!”

Kage:What’s your backlist and coming soon bookshelf look like?

Dyann : A PERFECT BRIDE FOR CHRISTMAS from The Wild Rose Press is my premiere book.

Kage: Cool. Let's talk about A PERFECT BRIDE FOR CHRISTMAS then. What's it about?

Dyann : It's coming out as part of the Three Kings series from The Wild Rose Press. Claire Ashgrove and Alicia Dean approached me to write the series with them. It’s set in North Kansas City and the surrounding countryside. The three King brothers, Clint, Heath, and Alex are ‘commanded’ by their recently widowed mother to come home for the holidays.

********************BLURB********************
A PERFECT BRIDE FOR CHRISTMAS
by
Dyann Love Barr
Alex King wants to follow the family tradition and marry his perfect bride on Christmas Eve. There’s one little hitch—Bianca dumps him at the altar. He wakes up in Vegas with a hangover, a ring on his finger, and in bed with his best friend, Zoe Hillman. She’s overweight and plain, nothing at all like his image of the perfect wife. So begins the shortest Vegas marriage in history.

Zoe Bennett loved Alex from the moment he walked through the law firm’s doors. He can charm the panties off any woman, but he’s never tried it with her. The chance to grab for the golden ring is within her reach until everything blows up in her face. Now, five years later she returns to Kansas City with triplets in tow and a brand new look. Catering Alex’ next wedding should prove interesting.
*********************************************

Kage: What would the story be rated if it were a movie?

Dyann : I’d say an R rating..

Kage: If you HAD to fit this story into a cliché, which one would it be?

Dyann : I’d say the secret baby times three.

Kage:Okay, now that we have a general idea which class to fit A PERFECT BRIDE FOR CHRISTMAS under, what makes this book so unique from every other book out there?

Dyann : There’s nothing like having three four-year-olds lost in a blizzard to bring two stubborn people together.

Kage:What was the easiest part to write?

Dyann : Dialogue. I love snappy dialogue between characters. It makes everything come alive and it really keeps the pace of the story going. I love it when a character speaks to me and tells me what to put down on the page. Sometimes they know better than I what needs to be said.

Kage:What do you like most about the main character(s) and what do you like least? Did you learn anything from them?

Dyann : I love my heroine. Zoe starts out with a big disadvantage and bad self-image. By the time the book starts she's a hundred and fifty pounds overweight but as the story progresses she’s well on the way to destroying all her past demons. That is, until Alex shows up to rock her world again. She’s strong, a great mother, and has a good hold on life.

Alex King has a lot of growing up to do. Everything comes too easy for him. Women love him, men want to be him. I had to work hard to make him likable, to get the reader to see the good man behind the spoiled little boy. There’s nothing like torturing your hero, letting him twist in the wind for a while to make him come to heel.

Kage:Dyann , Thank you so much for stopping by today and gracing us with your presence. Before we go, is there anything else you’d like to say to wrap things up?

Dyann : This was a labor of love with two women who I’ve come to consider friends. You have to set ego aside when you’re working on a trilogy with two other writers. They have their stories to tell as well. It was a blast to get the crossover scenes to work, figure out what happens off scene, and get the little details, such as wardrobe or dialogue, right. Alicia gave my villainess a dress style and color I wasn’t sure about but the more I thought about it—she was right on the money.

Now that Dyann has totally made us want to buy her book, she was kind enough to provide us with a a buy link to A PERFECT BRIDE FOR CHRISTMAS: Print orTwitter: eBook

If you're still curious about Dyann Love Barr, here are other places to find her on the web:

Website: dyannbarr.com

Facebook: Dyann Barr

Twitter: writergal2007

Raking in my Booty

Do you enter sweepstakes to win free books? I do. This year, I've won a BUNCH of free books. So, I'd just like to brag about--I mean, THANK all those wonderful authors, bloggers, and publishers that threw a contest in order for me to win such lovely prizes. My gratitude goes out to them. And without future ado, here is a list of everything I've won this year!!!

APRIL 2010 Paperback copy of: -Stolen by Lucy Christopher Won on Megan Rebekah Blogs Blog.

APRIL 2010 Ebook copies of: -Recipe for Disaster by Ashley Ladd -Naked Ambition by Ashley Ladd -Shpwrecked by Ashley Ladd -Wild Fantasies by Ashley Ladd won from the publisher Total e-Bound on their monthly newsletter.

MAY 2010 Ebook copy of: -Surviving with Love by Rebecca J. Vickery won on her blog.

AUGUST 2010 Ebook copy of: -A Little Slice of Heaven by Gina Ardito won on her blog.

AUGUST 2010 Ebook copy of: -My Heart will Find Yours by Linda Laroque won on her blog.

OCTOBER 2010 Paperback copy of: -The Candidate : Delcroix Academy #1 by Inara Scott won from the Manga Maniac Cafe Blog.

OCTOBER 2010 Ebook copies of: -WereSlave (Book 1) by Lia Slater -Were Seduction (Book 2) by Lia Slater won on her blog.

NOVEMBER 2010 Ebook copy of: Third Times a Charm by Stacey Coverstone won in her October contest on her website.

NOVEMBER 2010 Paperbock copy of: -The Landcaster Rule by TK Toppin won on her interview at the Misc. Rabmlings blog.

NOVEMBER 2010 Ebook copy of: -Staking His Claim by JM Stewart won on her interview at Becca's Retreat blog.

NOVEMBER 2010 eBook copy of: -Wild at Heart by Kenzie Michaels Won on Kenzie's Blog.

Start the week with ANN YOST

The waiting room was in shadows but Baz noticed the small fir tree decorated with dog biscuits. It was thin and scraggly, a “Charlie Brown” tree like the one she’d insisted they buy last Christmas. They’d strung popcorn on the branches then made love like hounds in season.

The memory made him hard.

The door to the treatment room was propped open. Baz barely noticed the paw-print wallpaper or the lifecycle-of-a-heartworm poster. He was mesmerized by her shapely silhouette and the way her brown-sugar-colored curls framed her face. He’d forgotten how small she was. He hadn’t forgotten her ability to concentrate.

Baz drew in a deep breath and the smell of peaches and wildflowers washed over him. His heart lurched. Such a familiar scent. Such a beloved scent. He wanted to put his hand on the warm skin of her neck. He wanted to rub his raging erection against her round bottom.

Hallie.

He didn’t realize he’d spoken her name out loud until she turned. “Baz. What’re you doing here?”

The husky voice triggered another surge of lust. He fisted his hands to keep from touching her. “I wanted to talk to you.” He cleared his throat.

She turned back to the table. “It’s not a good time. I’m working.”

He moved closer and peered at the creature under her gloved hands. “That’s a bat.”

“He’s just a baby. He broke a bone in his wing so I’ve splinted and taped it.” She spoke as if veterinarians treated disease-infested rodents every day of the week.

“Are you out of your mind?”

“Don’t raise your voice to me Baz.” She turned back to her work. “The family lives in my attic. He must have flown into something in the dark.”

“Bats are supposed to be able to see at night.”

“Maybe he didn’t read the fine print in his contract.”
He smiled. He placed his hands on either side of her rib cage.

“Don’t,” she said. He knew she meant it. She was still mad. Well, hell, what had he expected? She was entitled to a little payback. Make that a lot of payback. He just hoped it wouldn’t take too long. His lower body throbbed.

“That creature’s probably loaded with rabies.”

She twisted to look at him and he lost himself in her golden eyes. “He was hurt,” she said.

Tenderness caught him in the chest and he could barely breathe. He couldn’t believe he’d let her go, that he’d waited a year to reclaim her. He damned himself for hurting her. He couldn’t resist slipping a hand under the curls. Christ, her skin was soft. He felt her shiver and relief washed through him. At least he could still make her want him.

“I need to give him a rabies shot.”

A rabies shot? Oh. The bat. He frowned. “This isn’t a good idea.”

“I like saving creatures.”

The way she’d saved him last year right before he’d failed her.

********************
You just read an excerpt from:
ABOUT A BABY
by
ANN YOST
Te Wild Rose Press
********************
Today, we’re here with published author, Ann Yost.

Linda Kage: Hi Ann! Tell us a little about you and what you write please.

Ann Yost: Hi Linda. I am honored to be a guest on your blog in company with other fine writers whose names I recognize from my far-flung reading.

Long before I wrote a word of fiction, or anything else, I believed I was destined to become a writer because my father was city editor of our local newspaper and when he arrived home each evening with a fragrant, freshly printed copy of the Ann Arbor (Mich.) News, I assumed it was named in my honor. The town, too.

I majored in English lit at the University of Michigan then worked as a reporter and copy editor for ten years on daily papers then as a freelance writer for my current local paper, the Washington Post. (I never thought that publication was named after me.) I have worked for foundations and state government programs in the fields of neighborhood redevelopment, after school and early childhood initiatives. I’ve got a newsman husband (Associated Press) and three fantastic children, a wonderful daughter-in-law and a brand, new fabulous son-in-law. And an aged golden retriever.

I’d always planned to write mysteries but ten years ago when I picked up my first romantic suspense novel I was seduced by the sex. And, of course, the love story.

My naturally indecisive nature has led me to bounce around between pure romance, romantic suspense, romance/cosy mysteries and historical. I like to include a mystery.
Humor, quirky characters and a small-town atmosphere. Many of my stories are set at Christmas time.

My one attempt to use a pen name failed. It felt all wrong. I just use my own name which is only seven letters and fits easily on a cover!

Kage: What happened to the first book you ever wrote?

Ann Yost: The first book I wrote was a 100,000-word Regency romance. The heroine’s name was Elphine. The manuscript is languishing in one of the many piles in my office.

Kage:What’s your backlist and coming soon bookshelf look like?

Ann Yost: My list is the soul of brevity.

THAT VOODOO THAT YOU DO, 2009, The Wild Rose Press
ABOUT A BABY, 2010, The Wild Rose Press
FOR BETTER OR HEARSE, the Wild Rose Press, part of the Jewels of the Night series, coming soon.

Kage: So, what story are we going to talk about today?

Ann Yost: ABOUT A BABY, released in August by the Wild Rose Press, is story based on the premise that timing is everything. Taciturn veterinarian Baz Outlaw cares for co-worker Hallie Scott but he instinctively rejects the commitment she requests. By the time he comes to his senses and crosses the country to find her on Christmas Eve, a year has passed along with the remnants of Hallie’s fertility. She has to decide whether she can forgive Baz for costing her the family she’d wanted more than anything, especially when she discovers that Baz harbors a baby secret of his own.

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ABOUT A BABY
by
ANN YOST
Timing is everything…

Small-town veterinarian Hallie Scott loves all creatures great and small except for boa constrictors and Basil Outlaw, the man whose Christmas eve rejection slammed the door on her last chance to have a baby of her own.

Baz Outlaw doesn't believe in love or family but his life is empty without Hallie. A year later he shows up under her tree prepared to give her everything but he's too late. Motherhood is out, Hallie's started a new life and Baz is harboring a small secret that could break her heart all over again.

Will the their sizzling chemistry and Hallie's warm heart be enough to overcome the timing and make this Christmas all about love?
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Kage: What would the story be rated if it were a movie?

Ann Yost: Probably R. It is a sweet story but the sex is pretty graphic..

Kage: If you HAD to fit this story into a cliché, which one would it be?

Ann Yost: Maybe “second chances” with a “secret baby” twist.

Kage:Okay, now that we have a general idea which class to fit ABOUT A BABY under, what makes this book so unique from every other book out there?

Ann Yost: ABOUT A BABY is the first of three books about the Outlaw family. The second, HE LOVES LUCY, centers on Baz’s baby sister and her infatuation with the sheriff, a single father who is a dozen years her senior. The third, EYE OF THE TIGER LILY, is about Baz’s brother, Cameron and Molly Whitecloud from the nearby Blackbird Reservation, and it includes two baby secrets.

All this is to explain that what’s unique about the series is the setting in Western Maine, where economic struggles both in town and on the reservation interfere with affairs of the heart but, ultimately, can’t quench the spirit of community…and love.

Kage:What was the easiest part to write?

Ann Yost: I always love to write about the characters, their inner thoughts and the impact of setbacks on them. I also love to write the sex scenes but I’ll admit I loved it more before people began to read them. (But that’s a story for another time!) I love to create a little town in my mind, complete with a town square or green, a Christmas pageant, shop owners, and those fabulous quirky characters. In THAT VOODOO THAT YOU DO, there is a trio of old ladies who’ve left their canasta-playing behind to pursue witchcraft.

Kage:What do you like most about the main character(s) and what do you like least? Did you learn anything from them?

Ann Yost: I love Hallie’s resiliency, probably because I always wonder whether I’d have the moral fortitude to be optimistic in the face of a major disappointment – like infertility. An orphan she has always yearned for the Norman Rockwell ideal but when it’s denied, she finds a way to fill the void with an unconventional family.

Baz I like for his flaws and the way that, despite his pride and natural reserve, he flounders to do what is right. Again, I always hope that I’ll do what is right in any given situation, but I’m never sure.

Kage:Ann, Thank you so much for stopping by today and gracing us with your presence. Before we go, is there anything else you’d like to say to wrap things up?

Ann Yost: Only that ABOUT A BABY is about disappointment and rising above it and, I think, provides a heartwarming story that is perfect for Christmas time.

Now that Ann has totally made us want to buy ABOUT A BABY, here is a buy link : eBook or Paperback

If you're still curious about Ann, here is a link to her Website: http://www.annyost.com/