Monday, November 23, 2015

What I've Been Reading

This last week my husband attended a work convention. It was in Austin so he got to come home every night but there were several late nights and the days tended to drag knowing he wouldn't be home at his normal time. So I did what any sane person would do, I binge read.

I somehow stumbled upon Night School, Genesis. It's the first book in the Cimmeria Academy series. And I was hooked. There are five books in the series and I read them all in four days. Loved them!! So I thought I'd share my discovery on here for all those looking for a reading binge this week.

Here's the blurb for Genesis:

Allie Sheridan’s world is falling apart. Her brother’s run away from home. Her parents ignore her. And she’s just been arrested. Again. 



This time her parents have had enough. They send Allie to Cimmeria Academy - far away from her London friends. The school is beautiful, and filled with gorgeous, ultra-wealthy teens who travel by private jet, and were raised by nannies. 



Allie has never felt more of an outsider. 



Instead of hating boarding school though, Allie begins to feel happy. She's slowly making friends. And there's Carter, a brooding loner with whom she feels an instant connection. 



But when Allie is attacked late one night, the school suddenly begins to feel like a very dangerous place. Allie finds out that nothing at Cimmeria is what it seems. 




And that she is not who she thought she was… 

If you're interested in reading more, you can download a sample on Amazon. And the first book in only $.99 for the Kindle edition.


Saturday, November 21, 2015

New Holiday Giveaway from Sabrina York

WE LOVE OUR READERS! 

Win awesome gifts to slip under your tree for the holidays from some of today's hottest authors!

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Facebook Party December 17th! (Join to be eligible for even more prizes!)


RAFFLECOPTER PRIZES
$100 Amazon Gift Card
Susan Stoker: Book & Swag Pack (tote, naked man pen, signed books, and more!)
Sabrina York: Tiara
Carly Phillips: A set of the NY Dare eBooks - Dare to Surrender, Dare to Submit and Dare to Seduce (3e-books total) and a $10 Amazon Gift Card
Lainey Reese: Swag Bag!
Alanea Alder: Reader's Choice- Signed copy of one of Alanea's Bewitched and Bewildered series
Suzan Tisdale: A complete set of Caelen's Wife series - 3 books in all
Vivian Arend: A cowboy swag pack: print or ebook of Rocky Mountain Romance and a set of 6 cowboy themed wine charms
Carrie Ann Ryan: Exclusive Montgomery Ink and Talon Pack Swag Pack
Erika Wilde: A complete ebook set of THE PLAYERS CLUB (3 books total) and a $10.00 Amazon Gift Certificate

Winners will be announced December 17th at our Facebook Party! Join us that day for chats, flash giveaways and games!

Friday, November 20, 2015

Excerpt from Dragon's Web by Lia Davis

Hi! I'm sharing an excerpt from my new release, Dragon's Web. Enjoy!


Chapter One

Kara paced the cramped, windowless shoebox they’d stuck her in a little more than a week ago, right after she’d squeezed through the bars on the window of the last room they’d placed her in. When Henry Carter and his minions had brought her here—wherever the hell here was—they’d placed her in a cage only big enough for a small child. They’d also kept her under some kind of spell, or laced her food with something that interfered with her magic to shift into her black cat form. A few months ago, she’d shifted in her sleep, which led her to believe it was a potion they’d given her, and that her system had somehow built up immunity to it. Once she realized she could shift again, she didn’t think twice about escaping from the cage.
Did they really think they could keep a shapeshifting cat contained for long? They were idiots if they did. Cats were great escape artists. Kara was no exception.
She fisted her hands as she wore a track in the center of the burnt-orange carpet. Or was that blood-saturated carpet? She shuddered, not wanting to think about how many other people Henry had killed in his lifetime. Her capturer wouldn’t get away with murdering her best friend’s parents and then kidnapping Kara to keep her quiet. One way or another, she would get out of here, and Henry Carter would pay.
A sound from outside the door drew her attention. Coming to a stop in the middle of the room, she listened then growled. Anxiety and annoyance fueled her need to escape. Plus, the walls seemed like they were closing in on her.
She’d find another way out.
She had to. For Nyna. She’d do anything to protect her and give her the closure she deserved.
The sound of a door handle turning refocused her thoughts. When the door opened, she let out a low snarl as Dumbass One entered. That’s what she called her guards, Dumbass, with the number of the order she’d met them over the last eighteen months.
“Easy, kitty.”
“Get bent, asshole.” She tracked him with her eyes as he carried a tray to the small rectangular table against the far wall.
His brown hair fell over his face as he set the tray down. “I see I’ve been promoted.” He turned and smirked at her. She hissed at him, wanting to claw out his eyes. “Or is that a demotion?”
Smartass. “Bastard.” She eased to the table, lifted the cover from the plate, and sniffed. The aroma of garlic, butter, and red meat drifted up, filling her senses. Her mouth watered and her stomach grumbled. “Steak? Is this my last meal or something?”
Dumbass One laughed, bitter and all too fake. “Don’t we all wish. No, the boss wants you alive.”
For what, she didn’t know. Kara had a theory that Henry wanted to use her as insurance in case Nyna—his niece—found out that he’d killed her parents. His own brother and sister-in-law. The fear that rose with that thought fueled Kara’s rage even more. Nyna had a right to know, and to have closure so she could move on with her life. Kara had to be there to protect her from her bastard uncle.
Studying the guard, Kara stepped closer to him. He raised a brow but didn’t move. Brave man. Or, he really was an idiot. She batted her lashes and gave him her best attempt at a sensual smile. “I could make it worth your while if you just…I don’t know, forget to lock the door when you leave.”
His lips twitched as if amused. Desire flashed in his gaze briefly, telling her that he considered it for a moment. With a quickness she hadn’t expected from the human, he gripped her upper arms and yanked her into him, their clothed bodies meshing together. Holding down the bile that threatened to surface, Kara wrapped her arms around his waist and allowed her tiny fangs to lower. “What do you say?”
He shoved her away and shook his head. Without another word, he left the room, slamming the door behind him. The click of the lock was her answer.
She laughed. Never underestimate a desperate female. She opened her hand and grinned.

A single key rested in her palm.


Find it at:

Thursday, November 19, 2015

Sneak Peek: Behind The Rending Series


Book 3 in The Rending series is releasing on Tuesday. I have to confess this world has been one of my favorite to craft. I've had quite a few questions from readers since the first two books released. So since as a reader I love understanding the world I'm reading about, I decided to address one of the questions about locations.

The Rending takes place in multiple locations, but so far two "cities" have been the focal point. Redemption is a trading post on the border lands of the Paraspecies lands. It's primary objective is to secure the lands behind it from trespassers while helping genetically Impure humans who've been ostracized by the human government. Redemption is in the hulled out remnants of what is currently Dallas, Texas. 

One of the focal point locations within Redemption is The Tower. It's a gutted skyscraper which serves as a secured location for the "flyers", or dragon shifters who lead the Paraspecies. I've had quite a few different questions about The Tower after book 2, where the heroine, Felicity, traversed the ruined interior to scent a potential threat lurking on the top level.

For those who were curious, here's a glimpse of one level as I saw it while writing....


What a mess, right? The wolf shifter pack controlling Redemption haven't made restoring the interior of the Tower a priority because it keeps the flyers safer when they're visiting. It's a symbolic reminder of what the Paraspecies have suffered and a beacon for those they help everyday.

The other location featured heavily in The Rending series is Salvation, the namesake of Tuesday's release. It too has a Tower. It's Command Central, the headquarters for the Paraspecies. Unlike the gutted Tower in Redemption, it's a gleaming promise of prosperity, a constant hope constructed under the guidance of King Bredon when a peace treaty was declared.



So there's a small glimpse into "the towers" of The Rending series. I'll share an exclusive excerpt from Salvation in a few days. :)



Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Names and the characters that have them

I'm working on tour post and interviews for Dragon's Web release tour. One of the questions I'm asked a lot in interviews is how do you pick characters' names. I just choose them and never thought about the process until that question comes up. The last interview made me realize that my process has changed and I'm not as picky with the names as I use to be.

Everyone has a different way of selecting names for their characters. For me, I use Behind the Name. This is a great site with lots of information. They have a sister site for surnames. It's great. 

When I first started writing, I use to pick names according to their meaning and try to match it with the character's name. That became time consuming. lol. Plus after 30 books and 7 different series, I'm starting to run out of unique names. I'm sure there will come a time that I will have to recycle names and use them in a different series. but that's a post for another time. 

So Now when I start a new book and need new names, I search through Behind the Name and select several that I like. Some will be used in the future and one or two will be used for the WIP I'm working on.

How do I pick?

By the way the sound. I let the character I'm thinking about choose his or her name. I know the right one when I see it and speak it. Then from there I develop the character's backstory and their goals.


Monday, November 16, 2015

Chasing Firsts

A couple weeks ago my oldest child looked at me and asked, "Do you and dad have any firsts left?" We, my husband and I, were getting ready to celebrate our eighteenth anniversary and I guess my kiddo, who is only a teenager, thought it was a fitting question. I laughed and answered, "Of course we do. There are always firsts in life no matter how old you are or how long you've been married."

For our anniversary we went to see a live comedy show. As it turns out, this was the first ever live comedy show my husband and I had ever been to together. Actually, it was the first ever live comedy show I've ever seen. It wasn't planned. I wasn't searching for a first. It just happened. My husband asked what I wanted to do and I said, "You know what would be fun..." That's how most of our dates get decided. One or the other of us says, "You know what would be fun..." So off we went. And it was fun. I can't wait to go see another one.

It wasn't until we were actually seated and my husband made a comment about us never seeing a live comedy show that it hit me we were experiencing a first. The next week, as I was driving my kiddo to school, I passed along the tidbit to him. Since he had asked, and I'd given a vague answer, I thought he might like a more concrete one. "But I bet you guys have less firsts than you did when you first started dating," he said.

I nodded and said, "Of course. But you know, there is something to be said for the three-hundred-twenty-fourths in life as well."

"What?"

"The first kiss is nice and you'll probably always remember it. I know I'll never forget the first time your father kissed me."

He groaned because he's heard that particular story once, or twice, or possibly a million times in his lifetime.

"But it's just the first," I said. "And, to be honest, firsts are kind of easy. The relationship is young, exciting, mysterious. You're both on your best behavior and trying to impress each other. And you only have to do it once."

But to kiss the same girl three-hundred-twenty-four times and keep it good? Now that takes talent. To kiss the same girl three thousand times and still make her knees weak? That's something worth bragging about.

And I realized, we live in a society that chases firsts: First kisses, first loves, first dates. We place an inordinate amount of value on a fleeting moment, a snap shot of time. A person can't judge a relationship on its firsts. So I told my son, as I drove him to school, "It's easy to take an established relationship for granted. I've been married to your father for most of my adult life. I honestly can't imagine reaching out to him one day and him not being there to hold my hand. He doesn't have to take me to fancy restaurants to get me to kiss him. I would kiss him no matter what. And he doesn't have to bring me chocolates to get me to tell him I love him. I tell him I love him morning, noon, and night. But he still takes me to fancy restaurants and he still brings me chocolate. He does those things because he wants to make me happy. And that means more to me than any first."




Sunday, November 15, 2015

Meet Berenger Demelo from Claimed by Three by Rebecca Airies


I’d like to introduce you to one of the heroes of Claimed by Three--Berenger Demelo. In Claimed by Three, he along with his friends, Kassius and Berenger, try to woo Sephanie while they work to discover who’s behind the strange happenings in their life.



Blurb:
Kassius, Teague, and Berenger are dealing with serious vandalism on their property, but they aren’t waiting any longer to claim Sephanie. They intend to draw the beautiful, curvy woman into their lives with romance and all the sex she can handle while they discover who is behind the trouble.

Sephanie has always wanted a menage and jumps at the chance to date the three sexy men. Their first dates are everything she’s dreamed of and leave her craving more. When vandalism and sabotage begins to focus on her, Sephanie doesn’t understand it, but is determined to stay with her men.

The person behind the attacks won’t stop until he has what he wants. And it seems like what he wants is Sephanie, Kassius, Teague and Berenger are having none of it. Sephanie is their woman, and they’re going to keep her safe.


When attacks suddenly begin after she starts dating three men, Sephanie must discover who’s behind it in order to claim her men.


Q. Please tell me your name and a little about your family?
Berenger: I’m Berenger Demelo. If you mean my blood family, I have two brothers, Rhys and Cameron, as well as a sister, Madelyn. My mother and father are still alive. But Kassius and Teague are also family. They’re the men I’ve chosen to form a marriage partnership with.

Q. Where do you live?
Berenger: I live in Kassius’s house. It’s located within the orchard he owns.

Q. How did you get together with Kassius and Teague?
Berenger: Well, I knew Kassius first. I met him shortly after I started my skimmer repair and modification business. We became friends. I met Teague just after he was transferred to the Cassid Guard. Samuel, Kassius’s father is a retired Guard. He volunteers to help the new guards get familiar with their new home. He always ends that tour with a meal for the guards. That year he’d asked Kassius to host it at his orchard. Friendship with Teague fell into place as if it was always there.

Q. What kind of work do you do? Is it something you’ve always wanted to do?
Berenger: I repair and modify skimmers, as well as repair almost any other type of vehicle or machinery. According to my mother, I started taking things apart almost as soon as I developed the motor skills to do it. I learned to put them back together so that I could keep my toys and anything else I’d taken apart. When I started school, I tried a few different classes before I settled on skimmer repair.

Q. How did you meet Sephanie?
Berenger: I’d seen Sephanie socially several times without being introduced to her. I think the first time I saw her was at the First Festival, which celebrates the arrival of the first colonists on Darmain. Kassius has a booth for his winery and orchard there so I’m at the festival every year. We were introduced to her, by her brother, Cooper, who’s a guard.

Q. Were you attracted to Sephanie when you first met her or did that grow over time?
Berenger: She’s a beautiful woman. Yes, I was attracted to her. I didn’t act on it though. Before you ask why, let me give you the simple explanation. She’s the sister of a fellow guard. She’s not the type of woman we would simply date. So we watched and learned more about her. Our interest grew until we were sure she was exactly the type of woman we were looking for.

Q. Some mention has been made of vandalism. Can you tell us anything about that?
Berenger: I can tell you a little about it. A piece of machinery was vandalized in such a way that it was obvious the person behind it intended to cost Kassius a significant amount of money.

Q. Do you think this is the best time to be starting a relationship?
Berenger: There’s never a perfect time. Something is always going on even if it has nothing to do with us personally. We know we want Sephanie and we aren’t going to let anything stand in the way of trying to draw her into our lives.

Q. Do you think you’re protective or overprotective? What would you do to keep Sephanie safe?
Berenger: Is there such a thing as overprotective if there’s actual danger involved? If it’s a normal situation, I’d say I’m merely protective, but to protect someone I care about from being hurt, I’d do whatever seemed necessary to make sure they remain stay safe.

Q. What’s most important to you?
Berenger: Family, those I love.

Thank you for reading about Berenger. If you’d like to see a little of the inspiration behind Claimed by Three, visit the books pinterest page. https://www.pinterest.com/rebeccaairies/claimed-by-three-inspiration-board/


Thank you so much for allowing me to share a little about the characters in Claimed by Three! I hope you enjoyed it!

Rebecca Airies