Linear vs. nonlinear story telling

As writers most of us know the difference between pantsers and plotters. I'm a pantser...hands down. I have some vague notions of a beginning middle and end but then I sit at my computer and let my characters go and they tell me their story. I merely take dictation (most of the time).

You'd think the plotters would be the linear types. The ones that need to start at the beginning and proceed to the end following the threads of the plot(s) to their logical conclusions. Then you'd think the pantsers are all over the place. Able to write an early scene that grabs them here, a scene from late in the book there...and so on.

Well, it ain't necessarily so. I'm a total pantser, but I'm a linear story teller. I have to start at the beginning and keep going. I might make notes if I have an idea for a great scene later on in the book, but I usually need to get there first and then I write the scene. My later scenes build on the early scenes.

At least that's the way it always used to work. I'm writing a short story right now where I'm having real trouble getting the sex scenes to move...and trust me...you want the sex scenes to move! You know? But in order to get to "the end" I have had to skip the sex scenes. I'm still writing in a linear fashion, but now I'll have to go back in to the story to add scenes later, but at least the story is moving along at this point. This is the first time I've really done any sort of "skipping around." And even so, it's not really skipping around. I'm still moving in a straight line.

So does anyone have any tips as I travel uncharted waters? What's your process? Are you a linear plotter? A nonlinear plotter? A nonlinear pantser? Or like me are you a linear pantser? How do you get to "the end"?

And...I want to do a blatant promotion. Tomorrow on my blog (Francesca's Mindstream), I will be hosting author Jeanne St. James. She interviews Mace Walker, the hero of one of her new books, Banged Up. After you visit the Shapeshifter crew, stop by and say hi to Jeanne.

Five Benefits To Being A Shapeshifter On Black Friday

Yep, I'm coming at you with another Friday Five, but I do so enjoy them and today being Black Friday and all, I thought it appropriate. :)

So on with the show...


Five benefits to being a shapeshifter on Black Friday

5. Being nocturnal, I'll be wide-eyed and bushy-tailed at 3:00am.
4. If I'm a shapeshifter who can take other human forms, I could change into someone famous and get my stuff for freebie.
3. My fur will keep me extra warm when I'm camping outside my favorite electronics store overnight.
2. My fearsome appearance will assure me a place in the front of the line.
1. Should any of the above fail to allow me to be first to my desired purchases, I can nip the heals of those in the lead... hehee watch out ;)

Good Luck out there to all our readers making the rounds for early bird specials, keep an eye open for any Jags or Wolves who cross your path.

Happy Thanksgiving from Crystal

In honor of the holidays I’m going to share with you a sweet treat that’s been a tradition in my family since I was grown and married and making the decisions for myself : )


My mother always made a sweet potato mash at Thanksgiving and... I always hated it.

When I got older and was doing the cooking for myself, I looked for ways to make this very healthy tuber into a more appetizing dish. I originally saw Tyler Florence make this on Food Network channel, and yes, the fact that he’s hunky delicious influenced my desire to try it. I have to admit, that gorgeous man knows his way around the kitchen. Is he the perfect guy or what?

Cinnamon Streusel Sweet Potatoes

   * 12 large sweet potatoes
   * 3/4 cup (11/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
   * 3/4 cup light brown sugar
   * 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
   * 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
   * 1/4 teaspoon salt
   * 1 cup toasted pecan pieces
   * 1 cup miniature marshmallows

 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Wash the sweet potatoes, scrubbing them well to remove any dirt. With a fork, prick the sweet potatoes in a couple of spots and place them on a sheet pan. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center goes in easily.

In a large bowl, mix the butter, brown sugar, and flour together until it's crumbly-looking. Add the cinnamon, salt, pecans, and marshmallows; fold the streusel topping together to combine.

Slice the sweet potatoes lengthwise down the center and push the ends towards the middle so it opens up. Stuff the sweet potatoes generously with the streusel topping and return to the oven. Bake for another 20 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and brown.

Five Angels Worth of Gratitude & ...Here I come, Shelley.

One thing about this business of being an author... it has it’s surprises! Good and bad. This surprise was one of those gifts that made me bounce with unbounded joy inside... while thinking to myself ‘you’re overreacting’.
Hey, I hate to admit it, but tears actually came to my eyes. I think I know why. To get to this point as an author, has been one very long, terrifically difficult struggle.
So, to see those five gleaming glittery-red angels, well, I just went on happy overwhelm.
And, you darn betcha, I am grateful. What a lovely Thanksgiving present.
Thank you to MerryLee, to everyone who helped make Stallion a success... and on and on (think awards shows here)... and thanks to the Divine.
~~~~~~

FIVE ANGELS for Stallion of Ash and Flame

Yep, it’s true. Fallen Angel Reviews has given STALLION OF ASH AND FLAME *5* Angels. Whinny... buck... trumpet the news and rear!

Review Snippet ~

Trail... can shift into a flesh and blood stallion and then into a stallion of fire or ash. He can psi-read minds, read vibrations, astral project, brain-scramble his enemies, suck up fire, fry electronics, start vehicles without keys and on and on and on... Savanna Kougar fans will find it a wonderfully scorching hot read that definitely rates 5 Angels. In typical Kougar form, the plot is rich in detail, original and imaginative. The main characters are well developed, often amusing and very likeable. All you Kougar fans are in for a treat with this one...

Reviewed by: Merrylee

~ http://fallenangelreviews.com/2009/October/merrylee-stallionofashandflame.htm ~
~~~~~~
Trail and Seneca invite you to read their love story ~
STALLION OF ASH AND FLAME ~ Available from Siren-BookStrand ~ A man-stallion of ash and flame on a mission to save his world’s Earth portal must save his Mate, a human woman forbidden to him ~ *5* Angels from Fallen Angel Reviews ~ http://bookstrand.com/product-stallionofashandflame-15601-192.html ~ ISBN: 1606015931
~~~~~~

For now, Darius, my bull shifter, has decided to voice his thoughts.

Yowza butting-powza, the Bull is back... a hero with a real set of horns and the bold balls to match.
~~~~~~

For the beginning of this bullie woolie tail see my prior blogs ~
~~~

X-Serial Flash

New Bull in Town ~ Darius Speaks

THIRTY-THREE
The low roar of the pickup as I peel out onto the highway offers a few seconds of satisfaction. That is, until the demanding state of my cock intrudes. My jeans have never fit this tight. If I unzip some trucker is likely to call 911 and report a cowboy pervert. Or, figure I’m advertising for good times at the nearest truck stop.
Nope, the ‘raging bull’ will have to remain corralled. A long mental bellow vibrates through me as I charge around the traffic.
When I decided Shelley was my ideal woman, beyond my rampaging lust, I’m not certain.

THIRTY-FOUR
I whip the steering wheel around, half-sliding onto the winding road that leads to my Shelley’s ranch. I have not one bull crap idea what I’m going to say or do.
Century upon century of experiences suddenly mean nothing.
Despite my non-human abilities, I remain as moonstruck and bewildered as any man who wants a woman beyond all reason.
Somehow, I must make her understand our destiny together.
I sharply turn onto the ranch’s hard dirt drive, dust billowing around me.
Shelley, my Shelley. The pickup bounces like a bucking twisting bull over the deep ruts. I won’t slow down.
~~~~~~

Shapeshifter lovers, check out CAT NIP. It’s a free read by erotic romance author, Gem Sivad ~ http://gemsivad.wordpress.com ~ also, for the ongoing story, subscribe at ~ http://textnovel.com ~
~~~
Plus, take a peek at COYOTE MOON by Pat Cunningham at ~ http://bookstrand.com/product-coyotemoon-14959-330.html ~ Pat’s book has received several top reviews.
~~~~~~

HAPPY SHAPESHIFTING THANKSGIVING

~ MAY ALL YOUR READING DREAMS COME TRUE ~

Savanna Kougar

~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~

Author of ~

All Shades of Blue Paradise
Red Lioness Tamed
When a Good Angel Falls
Tangerine Carnal Dreams
Murder by Hair Spray in Gardenia, New Atlantis
Black Cat Beauty
Her Insatiable Dark Heroes
Stallion of Ash and Flame ~
~~~~~~

Rules...or no rules?

I've been watching the discussions lately on the value of social networking and after Serena's blog about dining with a werewolf, I started wondering about the social aspects of being a shifter.

Are there strict rules of conduct? Arranged marriages for the hierarchy? Do they date outside their species, heck do they bother with dating and move right to mating?

Have you set up an entire culture or do they base their socializing on the typical rules of society that we've come to expect? In my first jaguar shifter novel, Assassin's Kiss, the consequences of taking a forbidden mate was the same as theirs, death. Do your shifters suffer any consequences?

How do you handle the dating/mating rituals of your shifter society? Inquiring minds want to know;-)

Hugs,
Paris

Five Reasons NOT to Dine With A Werewolf...

Good Friday Morning, Friends...

One more day and it's the weekend again! So I thought we'd do a little Friday Five, just for fun. Below is my list of five reasons NOT to dine with a werewolf...

5. That's more than just dirt under those nails.

Ooh gross, I know, but think about it. The big bad wolf protects his mate, as he should, but I'm pretty sure wolves are not welcome at the local Petsmart spa for manicure...

4. If you're a beta wolf, your wait could be excruciating.

Yep, If you're low on the genetic totem pole, you eat last. Now really, do you want what the other wolves left behind? Issh.

3. Ever found a hair in your food?

Eat with a werewolf and you'll be trying to dig past the hair just to find the food.

2. It's so rare, but surprisingly warm for having never been to the kitchen.

Have to have opposable thumbs to use the stove, right.

1. Hasenpfeffer or Squirrel - who can choose?

Aw, the delicacies of nature!

What about you, any reason you wouldn't want to eat with a werewolf? Or any reason you would?

Have a great weekend!

Making Our Heroines Endearing

A couple of days ago I started reading a book by a well known author. Honestly, I picked up the book because when I went to Borders they didn’t have the one I was looking for, and my coupon was only good for that day. So I grabbed a book with a snazzy cover and it cost me sixty cents.

From the start I felt no affinity for the heroine. She’s a warrior, a kick ass immortal who kills demons. She has no love interest at the beginning of the book and apparently no desire for one. She’s ultra tough. Almost forbidding. Maybe it was that aspect that caused my lukewarm feelings for her, or the fact she has no vulnerability to make me want to care about her. No unfulfilled desires to make me want to root for her.

What makes an endearing heroine? We have to have conflict in our stories, because otherwise there really is no story. But where do we draw the line? Where does personality conflict become plain old nastiness?

Every year I work on a short story about a female tow truck driver who hates Christmas. Ever since childhood she’s had nothing but a string of bad luck on Christmas. I drag this story out of my hard-drive around November 15th to work on it, if only to get me in the holiday mood. In fact, in all these years, I’m still not finished. I have one chapter left to write, and hopefully this is the year I’ll complete it.

But as I was thinking about this post, I realized that my heroine is almost as forbidding as the demon-bashing heroine of the book I just bought. Nicky Jeffries hates Christmas so powerfully she won’t listen to anyone who tries to convince her otherwise. And just as she’s starting to warm to it because of the love she’s found with the hero, something bad happens that reaffirms her belief that “Christmas is nothing more than a blatant exploitation by the stores to bilk consumers into spending money under the pretense of ‘giving.’ The only ‘spirit’ is the Spirit of Spending.”

Hey, those are her words, not mine : )

So where do we writers draw the line? When do our heroines go from being “true to their beliefs” to a total bitch? Is it the HEA we give them in the end? Or is that a moot point if we’ve ruined them in your eyes on the journey there?

By the way, this story I’ve been working on for countless years still doesn’t have a title. So if you’ve got suggestions, please comment! If I find a winner amongst the comments, I’ll send that submitter a special holiday prize.

* * * * *

Nicky Jeffries hates Christmas. Well, who doesn’t? With all the commercialism, stress, and chaos, there are a lot of people who feel the same way. But Nicky has more reason than most for hating it. She’s been robbed, dumped, caught pneumonia, broken her leg, and this year, she ran over Santa Claus with her truck.

Gratitude or Assitude?

This is a time of gratitude, of being thankful for those individuals and things that make our lives worthwhile.
However, to go with my thought, gratitude or assitude? ~ how can I forget all those romance novel heroines of yesteryear, who were breadcrumb-grateful for anything the hero tossed their way? The story usually came down to this ~
Oh, he loves me. Everything is okay, now, and this is my happily ever after. The End.
Yet, those were the times I grew up in. Everything was made to appear as if it revolved around the man, the husband, the father. He was the breadwinner, the head of the household.
Oh, the little woman had her valued place, see reruns of Leave it to Beaver, for an idealistic example of how the fifties worked in our culture.
Jump forward to the late sixties ~ yep, given women came to resent being treated like second class citizens and were often not cherished by their mates... hey, what fertile ground for women’s liberation!
Now, leap ahead to the new generation of kick-assitude heroines. They abound in our romance novels, as they should. I adore writing my own version of these tough, rough, take-care-business gals. But then, I was a notorious tomboy and, at one time, hated the thought of becoming a woman because it meant I could no longer do those things the boys did, like sports. I loved playing backyard tackle football.
However, I possess a split personality, as I suspect most of us do. I have a deeply feminine side. I want to be cherished, to dance like a fairy ballerina and have a pink-on-pink girly room. Yes, even at my age.
Yep, we’ve come a long way baby... from the helpless romance heroine who had to be grateful that some man had deigned to love her, or had fallen hopelessly in love with her, ala the first Regency romances... to the fierce-assitude heroine who gives life a swift kick in the rear if it doesn’t cooperate with her, who saves the world, the galaxy... who often calls the sexual shots and may or may not give into love.

On a personal note, I find it fascinating all the different directions writers have taken with their romance heroines, all the ways they are exploring their individual heroine’s personality. To simplify, from sweet-natured and submissive to a super-strong woman with alpha-assitude, and every type of heroine in between.

How does this relate to shapeshifters? The shifter heroine not only has her woman self, but she has her animal nature, or her other various paranormal beings *such as vampire* ~ as well. How she integrates every facet of herself, or doesn’t, makes for a complex heroine, whose motivations and feelings are not only human. No, not anymore. The romance novel has become an all-inclusive universe for our heroines.

So, how do you ‘grow’ your shapeshifter heroine? From gratitude to assitude?
As a reader what are your fave shapeshifter heroines?
~~~~~~

For now, Darius, my bull shifter, has decided to voice his thoughts.

Yowza butting-powza, the Bull is back... a hero with a real set of horns and the bold balls to match.
~~~~~~

For the beginning of this bullie woolie tail see my prior blogs ~
~~~

X-Serial Flash

New Bull in Town ~ Darius Speaks

THIRTY-ONE
“Shelley,” I bellow, then listen to the sound bounce off trees and wave through the air. Yeah, I like hearing my own bovine voice. Though, now, it’s an instant of pitiful relief. Snorting my fury, I trot toward the treeline, close to where I’ve parked my pickup.
I halt on the rise of ground and look over the area before concentrating on my shift. It doesn’t do to be in this raging state. I could end up with my human head and butt on my bull body. Or, vice versa, I could end up with a bull head and tail on my human body.

THIRTY-TWO
Yep, where do you think the inspiration for all those Minotaur statues came from? Another little secret. Some of the ladies liked it that way, especially at the wine festivals. *Insert your own imagination here*
The worst I’ve experienced is the weight of my bull self on my human hands and feet. Try that one out, those of you who yen to be animal shifters. It’s not all glamor and running-wild adventure being a shapeshifting bull. Still, you won’t hear any complaints from me.
Calming my mind *meditation does work*, I monitor my rutting hormones until I can shift. It happens quickly, smoothly and soon I’m pulling on my boots.
Here I come, Shelley.
~~~~~~

Shapeshifter lovers, check out CAT NIP. It’s a free read by erotic romance author, Gem Sivad ~ http://gemsivad.wordpress.com ~ also, for the ongoing story, subscribe at ~ http://textnovel.com ~
~~~
Plus, take a peek at COYOTE MOON by Pat Cunningham at ~ http://bookstrand.com/product-coyotemoon-14959-330.html ~ Pat’s book has received several top reviews.
~~~~~~

HAPPY SHAPESHIFTING THANKSGIVING

~ MAY ALL YOUR READING DREAMS COME TRUE ~

Savanna Kougar

~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~

Author of ~

All Shades of Blue Paradise
Red Lioness Tamed
When a Good Angel Falls
Tangerine Carnal Dreams
Murder by Hair Spray in Gardenia, New Atlantis
Black Cat Beauty
Her Insatiable Dark Heroes
Stallion of Ash and Flame ~
~~~~~~

Seeking Truth finaled in the EPPIES!!!

Hi all!

I'm late posting because I was home sick all weekend. I don't have the H1N1 symptoms though so I think it's just flu-lite. At least I hope so.

Even though I was sick, I got some good news over the weekend. Seeking Truth, my medieval erotic romance with some paranormal elements finaled in the 2010 Epic Awards in the historical erotic romance category. I'm really thrilled about this.

The EPIC Awards have been given annually since the year 2000 to recognize outstanding achievement in e-publishing and they have a good reputation in the industry. If you visit the EPIC site, you can the lists of past winners. This year, the historical erotic romance category has only two finalists, so I'm over the moon to be one of the two. The other cool thing is that both finalists are Ellora's Cave authors.

So wish me luck. The winner is announced at EPICon which will be held in New Orleans. If I can go, I want to. I'm just not sure the funds and my vacation time will allow for it. Even if I can't go, I'll find out the results in early March!

Here's my moment of shameless self promotion...

Seeking Truth

Baron Eaduin Kempe, a man of intense passions, seeks a healer at a nearby abbey. When the abbess introduces convent-raised Lady Vérité de Sauigni, he knows he’s hellbound for desiring her. He wants to tie her to his bed until she sobs with the pleasure of his touch.

Eaduin offers Vérité marriage in exchange for easing the pain of his dying foster mother. Years ago, Vérité secretly watched Baron Eaduin arouse a lover and has dreamed of his touch ever since. She desires him enough to risk exchanging the imprisonment of convent life for that of marriage. On their wedding night, Eaduin craves dominance and Vérité submits with enthusiasm. Each heated encounter thereafter binds them closer together.

When Vérité’s father accuses her of witchcraft because she won’t use her psychic gift of seeing truth to aid him, she begs Eaduin to kill her so she doesn’t suffer. Instead, Eaduin challenges her father to trial by combat, determined to save the woman who owns both his passion and his heart.

Excerpt:

By reading any further, you are stating that you are at least 18 years of age. If you are under the age of 18, it is necessary to exit this site.

An Excerpt From: SEEKING TRUTH

Copyright © FRANCESCA HAWLEY, 2009

All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.

She moaned when he dropped featherlight kisses over her face. His mouth covered hers softly, growing more forceful and intimate with each successive kiss. He teased her mouth open, dipping his tongue inside her parted lips. Vérité jumped, her eyes opening as his tongue explored her mouth. As he lifted his head, his dark eyes seemed lit with an inner fire.

“Do I frighten you?”

“Nay, I’ve just never been kissed this way.” Vérité’s eyes unfocused as desire filled her.

“Have you been kissed in other ways?” His expression darkened, and she saw the glow around him change slightly.

Vérité blinked as she realized she could read his soul, though she hadn’t concentrated on her gift to do so. His spirit reddened with passion, but as he asked his question, parts of the spirit halo surrounding him darkened. She didn’t know whether to feel pleasure or dismay at seeing the jealousy flash through him.

“Only chastely by my brother.” The glow of his aura lightened to a brighter red again, indicating the strong desire he felt for her.

“And your father?”

“Nay, my father never showed me affection.”

“I’m very sorry, Vérité. I understand. Truly. My father never showed me any affection either, but I’m heartily sorry for the lack in your life.” He kissed her and again his spirit lightened, reflecting a glow of gold and white at his genuine concern.

She didn’t understand how she saw his glow without consciously focusing on it. She saw very few people’s spirits without effort. Only her mother’s and her brother Falc’s. Ah, but there had been two others—she’d forgotten. The spirits of Lord Osweald and Lady Annys had all but assaulted her, which is why she sickened in their presence. Perhaps it was the Kempe bloodline that spoke to her, though Eaduin did not make her sick, quite the opposite.

When Eaduin kissed her neck, her thoughts stilled in favor of the sensations surging through her. His mouth teased her skin while his rough cheek sensitized her. The contrary textures increased her need for Eaduin’s warmth. His touch. His possession. She wanted more but didn’t know how to ask him for it, so she clung to him reveling in the exploration of his mouth, her gasps quickening with excitement.

“Eaduin. Please…”

“Please what?”

She drew back to look up into his face. “I don’t know. I just know I don’t want you to stop.”

He smiled. “Good, for I don’t want to stop any more than you want me to. Come, let us remove your garments.”

Eaduin unbuckled her girdle, letting it fall to the floor, then he released the lacing at her sides to loosen her kirtle. Vérité swallowed hard as he gathered the voluminous fabric of her overdress into his hands, lifting it upward over her head. He tossed it onto a nearby chair as he stared at her then he groaned, shifting his hips.

Though she still wore her underdress and shift, she felt naked and vulnerable before his desire. Heat rushed into her face. Eaduin licked his lips, his hands clenching and his muscles tight while his gaze made a leisurely tour of her from head to foot. If she questioned his hunger before, seeing him thus erased all doubt. Fire filled his eyes as he fought to control his need for her. All those years ago, he’d looked at Mistress Emma similarly, but never had she hoped he might look upon her with such need. Vérité exulted in it.

She walked over to him with more confidence than she felt. “And you, my lord? We should make you more comfortable as well.” He caught her hands as she reached for his belt, her gaze flew to his.

“My lady, I stand on the edge of a knife. Push even slightly and I’ll tumble, taking my feeble control with me. I have no wish to frighten or hurt you.”

“Has it been so long since you’ve had a lover, then?”

“I have been alone far longer than I care to admit.”

“I wouldn’t think a man like you would spend his nights alone.”

“A man like me?”

“A handsome, powerful and wealthy baron. Any one of those traits might incite lust in a woman.”

“Do you think so? Is it my power and wealth that attract you?”

“Nay.”

“My pleasing features, then?”

“Nay.” Vérité blushed at the lie, her body always betrayed her in some way when she told a total falsehood and this was one of those times.

“Truly, my lady? Your blush belies your denial.” She shivered as his finger brushed her cheek.

“Well, I must admit your handsomeness appeals to me but neither power nor wealth can sway me. Wealth and power can be a blessing or a curse. It depends on the use made of them and position is the same.”

“True enough. I accept you enjoy the way I look, for I must admit I feel the same for you. Your beautiful hair is but a fitting crown for your luscious form.” He pulled his red velvet bliaut over his head, tossing it to where her gown rested, leaving behind a fine white linen undertunic. “There. Now we are equally bare.”

“Ah, but I have on one more layer than you, my lord.”

“So you do. Your underdress is a lovely golden color but let us remove it.” Eaduin helped her ease it off so she stood before him in only her shift. She trembled under his gaze. “The linen of your shift is so fine I can see your tight, pink nipples and your red nether hairs.” She shivered with excitement listening to his soft murmur.

His fingers traced her skin along the neckline of her shift, dipping between her breasts so her nipples strained toward him. Vérité whimpered, waiting for him to finally cup her breasts, but he didn’t. Instead, he drew close to her, dipping his head so his lips could follow the tingling path his fingers had left in their wake. His arms encircled her to pull her against his hard body while he pressed his hips into the curve of her thighs. His erect manhood thrust against her lower belly, so she spread her limbs to allow him nearer.

Vérité moaned. Her eyes closed and her head fell back as she wrapped her arms around him. She lifted her leg to hook around his, groaning when he ground his pelvis into hers. He cradled her bottom to hold her in place and hissed with pleasure, his breath tickling her sensitive skin. When his tongue snaked out to taste her, she nearly collapsed in his arms. He kissed the curve of each of her breasts as their hips undulated together, her breath harsh with need. Vérité clenched her fingers in his undertunic, dragging him against her. She wanted his lips pressed to her breasts, his mouth open as he sucked her nipples. More. She wanted everything.

Do you suffer from paraskevidekatriaphobia?

Psst...Did you get the evil eye today? Spy any black cats? Did you remember that today is Friday the 13th?

How about a few Friday the 13th facts brought to us by Wikipedia...

The fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskevidekatriaphobia, a word derived from the concatenation of the Greek words Paraskeví (Παρασκευή) (meaning Friday), and dekatreís (δεκατρείς) (meaning thirteen), attached to phobía (φοβία) (meaning fear). The term triskaidekaphobia derives from the Greek words "tris", meaning 'three', "kai", meaning 'and', and "deka", meaning 'ten'. the whole word means three and ten. The word was derived in 1911 and first appeared in a mainstream source in 1953.


According to the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, North Carolina, an estimated 17 to 21 million people in the United States are affected by a fear of this day. Some people are so paralyzed by fear that they avoid their normal routines in doing business, taking flights or even getting out of bed. "It's been estimated that $800 or $900 million is lost in business on this day". Despite this, representatives for both Delta and Continental Airlines say that their airlines don't suffer from any noticeable drop in travel on those Fridays


Notable events for Friday the 13ths:

*Hurricane Charley made landfall in south Florida on Friday, August 13, 2004.
*The "Friday the 13th Storm" struck Buffalo, New York on Friday, October 13, 2006.
*The asteroid 2004 MN4 will make its close encounter on Friday, April 13, 2029.
*Andes Plane Crash of 1972
*On Friday July 13, 1733 22 Ships depart Havana Cuba destined for Spain. Encountering a Hurricane shortly after departure the ships return to Havana, only 4 make it back. 12 of the wrecks make of the 1733 Spanish Galleon Trail off the coast of the Florida Keys.

Some events are intentionally scheduled for Friday the 13th for dramatic effect. They include:

*Resident Evil 5 was released in the US and UK on Friday March 13 2009.
*SAW - The Ride at Thorpe Park, UK was opened on March 13 2009. Coincidentally the ride was marred by 'teething problems' for the first few days after it was opened[19][20]
*Black Sabbath's eponymous debut album was released in the UK on Friday, February 13, 1970. *The Opening ceremony of Athens Olympic Games took place on Friday, August 13, 2004.
*The 13th book in A Series of Unfortunate Events was released on Friday, October 13, 2006 by Lemony Snicket, also known as novelist Daniel Handler.
*Four of the twelve films in the Friday the 13th series, including the most recent (reboot of a second film), were released on a Friday the 13th. The sequel to the reboot is planned to be released Friday August 13, 2010.
*Joss Whedon's new show Dollhouse aired its pilot on February 13, 2009.
*Every Friday the 13th thousands of bikers ride to the small town of Port Dover Ontario, Canada.
*Boston Lee Day is celebrated every Friday the 13th. Participants gather to enjoy the Boston Lee Drink for which this day is named.
*The popular Browser-based RPG Dragonfable has an undead war every Friday the 13th, with a common drop being the hockey mask all of the monsters wear.
*The 2009 film "2012" is set to be released on Friday November 13 2009.

Cool huh... I, myself have never been overly worried on this day of superstition overload, but what about you? Do you hide all day or go boldly into the world unworried of what might happen?

One final thought though - If a guy named Jason invites you to a sleep-away camp, run like hell!! ;)

Have a great weekend!

Hugs Needed

I've just received some HORRIBLE news.

Dollhouse has been cancelled.



You may remember I blogged about this revolutionary new show when I first fell in love with it, as I recognized them as shapeshifters of the mental kind.

I've been recording it and watching it, happily zooming through the commercial breaks to get to the juicy stuff.

Now it's cancelled. Was it too intellectual? Not enough shootouts and explosions? Come on Hollywood, what's wrong with you. Character IS story. Hello!

Going off now to pout and sulk.

Bye bye, Dollhouse. :(

Writing Werewolves and... so ferocious I paw the dirt...

Oh, those werewolves! Always stealing the shapeshifter limelight. Of course, the wolfies might say, ‘yeah, without us howling at the moon and terrorizing humans for centuries, the rest of you shifters wouldn’t have ever had a shot at the limelight. Not to growl, but the ladies love us alphas, furry and when we’re not furry’.

Okay, as a writer of shifter stories, yes, I have several ‘wolf’ WIPs. So far, I haven’t had the opportunity to finish, revise, polish and then submit any of them. So, am I missing the paranormal erotic romance boat as an author? My ticket to selling fame and fortune? Okay, so I dramatize... I ain’t riding on Nora Robert’s shooting star.

Here are some snippets from my Wolf Shifter WIPs ~ which one appeals to you the most?

Secret Lives of Fortunate Wolves

Chapter One ~ American Werewolf

Werewolves of London, Coming to America by Robert Bateman.
Keira shoved her cousin’s latest article-writing attempt into one of her bags as the phone rang.
“Aunt Debbie, hello. What can I do for you?” Keira shouldered the phone while trying to tie her shoe, a comfy black suede half-boot.
“Dear, are you busy?”
“On my way out... taking some of my jewelry pieces up to Diane. Got Rob’s article. I’ll proof read it tonight.”
“Your mother said you were going up that way.”
“What is it, Aunt Debbie?” Keira attempted patience, slowing her breaths.
“Hunting the American Werewolf.”
“Are you talking about Rob or Coast-to-Coast when Linda Godfrey was on?”
Keira forced in more patient breaths and stilled the anxious whirl inside her head.
“Yes, Ian’s Punnett’s new show. I’m worried about Rob.”
Keira tingled, an eery crawling in her stomach she didn’t like at all.
“What’s going on, Aunt Debbie?”
“Rob hasn’t called.”
Keira tingled, a fierce sensation that rushed through her. Rob’s fanatic hobby was cryptozoology, chasing after unknown or paranormal creatures.
“What’d he do? Grab all his camera gear? Head up to Lake Geneva to hunt for the American Werewolf?”
“Yes, and he hasn’t called.”
“Where is he supposed to be, Aunt Debbie?”
“He’s staying at a small motel, The Half Moon. I spoke with him three nights ago. Rob said he would call last night.”
“What town, Aunt Debbie?” Worry furrowed Keira’s brow. Rob always called being a bit of a mother’s boy.
“It’s a tiny place. Don’t even think it’s on the map. Blue Moon Bay.”
“Road sign for a turn off, yeah, I’ve seen it. Sure, I’ll stop. Check in on him.”
“Thanks, dear. Be careful. Storm movin’ in I heard. On the morning news.”
“Call you on the cell, you do have my number?” Keira hefted the last bag over her free shoulder, then reached for her purse, one she’d glitter-designed just for the fun of it.
“Yes. Your mother gave it to me. Blessed be, dear.”
“Blessed be.”
Keira set her phone down, hurrying toward the front door. Outside, she tossed everything into her car, then hopped inside the Plum Silver Goddess, the name she’d given her 94 Eclipse. “Let’s go.”
Checking for traffic, she zipped onto the street, heading for the old two-lane highway. Blasting up the music of her favorite radio station, Keira drove toward the Land of Linda Godfrey’s american werewolves, an area in rural Wisconsin, east of Lake Geneva.
~~~~~~

The Black Wolf’s Prophetess

Chapter One – Kill the Black Wolf

Duke Zon of the Virgo Moon Clan, wolf shifter born of an ancient lineage, loped the rest of the way up the high grassy ridge. Tonight he roamed the southern edge of the Crow Indian Reservation, near Billings, Montana. It had been several moons since anyone from his pack had patrolled the area. A sentinel’s eye and a keen nose prevents tragedy. His sire’s never-ending reminder dominated his thoughts for a few seconds, until the stench, only a whiff, from a chased skunk caught his nostrils.
Pausing at the top of the miles’ long ridge, he surveyed his surroundings before raising his gaze toward the stars. Mother Moon hung in the western midnight sky, a slim silvery claw. Duke howled his reverence to the all-guiding Mother, his wolfen soul singing joy through him.
Before traveling farther along the ridge, he sniffed the gentle crosswinds of early autumn, on the lookout for any enemy. Cautiously, he scanned the cattle range below for any telltale movements signaling he’d been heard and should abandon the area. He could be shot on sight if the humans thought he posed a ‘clear and present’ danger to their cattle.
Duke grinned to himself. If ‘they’ only knew what he actually was, there’d be a black ops bounty out on his black fur hide faster than his howling had sacred-touched Mother Moon. Eternal luck to his Lukan kind, so far their secret had been preserved among the humans.
He couldn’t see the cattle with his wolf sight. Still, the odor of the thin herd burned rank and potent inside his nostrils. Two full humans, also rank in smell, camped nearby, the sound of their fire crackled inside his pricked ears.
Effortlessly Duke trotted along the ridge, only glimpsing the luminous forms of small foraging creatures, then hearing them hop and scamper at his approach. He wasn’t hungry, the sweet tang of their pumping blood was merely a pleasure, not an enticement. No, he was fiercely restless. He needed time to consider his next move, whether or not to challenge his two brothers for leadership of his local pack.
Hearing the stealthy hunt of a wolfess near the cattle herd, Duke loped toward her, curious. She wasn’t a shifter by her scent. Sudden alarm raised his blood. If she dared take down one of the herd, it could mean her death, or her severe injury. The bloody horrible scene played out before his mind’s eye – the wolfess dying, blood spurting from her, her beautiful body maimed and lifeless. Fearing for her, he raced down the side of the enormous ridge, his speed increasing with each stride.
~~~~~~

Moonrise of the Fairy Wolf

Drune ~

Drune clumsily lifted his swollen paw from the semi-frozen mud at the stream’s bank. He’d drunk thirstily, having traveled far and fast without prey or water. With his thirst satiated and his belly too tight to feel hunger, he felt the pull of Mother Moon. He focused his gaze through the black lacing of tree branches. Drune filled himself with the softened blaze of the moonset, ignoring the relentless itch crawling over his hide that meant he’d been in his wolf form for days too long.
Unable to do anything else, he threw back his head and let his howls rip up his throat. The songs rushed from his anguished soul. As he howled, the darkest hour of night fled and the warm moist winds arrived from the south bringing a dense fog that washed over him.
Gods beseeched, he didn’t want to find her and capture her. Force her to return with him, hand her over to the evil Queen-Sorceress, Rawvlin, even if Rawvlin’s Owl had spoken the truth. The woman he sought was the Queen-Sorceress’s stolen daughter of three decades past. If true, her pedigree would be the collision of two fae dynasties, one light and one dark. The power of both flowed in her veins, and possessed her magick.
Panting shallow quick breaths, Drune didn’t move, except to glance upwards. The etheric trail of the five crows dimly fluoresced, only seen by his eyes because of his heritage as fae and wolf. He could hunt by etheric energies as easily as he could scent his prey, sighting their aura signatures. Reluctantly, he turned to follow the trail, padding slowly until he could force his wooden exhausted legs into a trot. His gait was so lumbering he felt a sense of shame.
Flicking his ears back, he listened to the lonesome call of a gray-wing dove beckoning her mate. As he moved out of the deepest woods into the ground-shrouding fog, a young rabbit dashed ahead of him, slavering his jowls, yet doing nothing to tempt his belly. Drune had caught the faint smell of the woman, yes, the fragrance of a scarlet-tressed fae.
No fae of that lineage would live here. The fae population of this kingdom were Dilutes, considered more human in nature and resemblance. And to his knowledge none of them possessed an animal form.
Life pulsed through Drune at her stronger scent. Once he was close enough he could regain his human form, but only then.
He had tried every way to break the curse, and failed. Finally, he’d lain on his side tempting death, his paws twitching uncontrollably, the foam of his fatigue dribbling down his canine fangs. In the end, he hadn’t cared about his own life, only the end fate of his sister, who Rawvlin kept as her imprisoned guest.
He realized he was about to destroy her life, the woman he had to find, then capture to save his sister.
~~~~~~

For now, Darius, my bull shifter, has decided to voice his thoughts.

Yowza butting-powza, the Bull is back... a hero with a real set of horns and the bold balls to match.
~~~~~~

For the beginning of this bullie woolie tail see my prior blogs ~
~~~

X-Serial Flash

New Bull in Town ~ Darius Speaks

TWENTY-NINE
I lower my head butting at fate until reason finally returns. With my body burning as if I’ve been branded over every inch of my hide, I spin and lope toward the nearby creek for a drink. Anything to cool my lust. Yep, I’ve been branded before. Just to test it out, find out what it’s like for my bull brethren. Let me tell you, I would have preferred a swarm of angry bees attacking that spot. Course, I erased the ugly black disfigurement during my next shift to human. Not an option for my bull buddies who aren’t shifters.

THIRTY
There aren’t many of us left, the bull men of Minotaur. We’re myths now. Not even particularly good inspiring myths to my way of thinking. A few us still roam the human world, reporting what we see and experience. Those of us who stay on Earth live in a land our kind claimed at the beginning of the industrial age, when all things magical were in decline. Our realm is shielded by high sharp mountains and by the joined power of our minds. We remain invisible to the human population, except to those who continue in the ancient mystery schools.
~~~~~~

Shapeshifter lovers, check out CAT NIP. It’s a free read by erotic romance author, Gem Sivad ~ http://gemsivad.wordpress.com ~ also, for the ongoing story, subscribe at ~ http://textnovel.com ~
~~~
Plus, take a peek at COYOTE MOON by Pat Cunningham at ~ http://bookstrand.com/product-coyotemoon-14959-330.html ~ Pat’s book has received several top reviews.
~~~~~~

HAPPY SHAPESHIFTING THANKSGIVING

~ MAY ALL YOUR READING DREAMS COME TRUE ~

Savanna Kougar

~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~

Author of ~

All Shades of Blue Paradise
Red Lioness Tamed
When a Good Angel Falls
Tangerine Carnal Dreams
Murder by Hair Spray in Gardenia, New Atlantis
Black Cat Beauty
Her Insatiable Dark Heroes
Stallion of Ash and Flame
~~~~~~

Pay it Forward!

This has been an exciting, rewarding and crazy year! I realized a life-long dream of publication and all of a sudden I'm not only a writer, I'm a businesswoman. At first, I berated myself because I wasn't as prepared as I should have been. Always prepare. Always have that marketing plan in place. That had been my mantra for years.

Guess what? I didn't have anything in place when Ellora's Cave bought my novella, NO HOLDS BARRED, last year. I scrambled to have a website built but was totally in the dark about marketing on the internet and made myself crazy about all of the things I didn't know.

I lucked out with the cover gods and a new friend, fellow EC author Fran Lee made me a cover trailer and put it on You Tube but that was about the extent of my marketing plan. By the time my second book, ASSASSIN'S KISS was published, thanks to the wonderful writing community that I belong to, I was a little more prepared. I imagine I'll learn a little more with each book.

I've also learned not to beat myself up for what I didn't know. Enjoying the process is a big part of what makes this business so rewarding for me. I love creating stories and when I learned to love marketing and accept it as part of this business I found that it added to the creative process. Who knew;-)

I've also learned so much from my fellow authors who have been willing to share information and help me along the way. The wonderful Fran Lee, goddess of cover trailers and my fellow blog mates, Crystal, Serena, Savanna and Francesca who show their support in so many ways. There are so many more but this blog would be a couple of feet long if I thanked everyone personally...now there's an idea;-)

So don't stress about all of the things you don't know. Learn as you go and pay it forward. Because there's always going to be someone who is where you were at the beginning. Be as helpful to them as someone else has been to you.

Hugs,
Paris

I Only Talk To Them Out Loud When I'm By Myself...

Wow, it's Friday again, time is flying by faster than I can keep up. October seems to have flown by on its multicolored broomstick. Busy with a story I wanted to have finished and ready to turn in by Nov 5th, I feel like I fell into a rabbit hole and am just now climbing my way out.

Did I finish the story? Yep, yay me! Did I submit it? Nope.

As I edited the story and made it ready for my CP, I realized that the story idea I had started with was not the story on the page. The story on the page exploded full force into so much more. The pale idea was now a vivid rainbow of possibilities and it was not nearly finished.

I sent the story as is to my CP, whose opinion I value greatly, to see if she agreed with my assessment. Was it viable or was it crap and I was loopy from too much Halloween candy! ;)

She liked the story, told me to stop calling it crap, but agreed that it was not nearly finished. Gotta love an awesome and honest CP.

So I put the story away for a while to give myself and my characters a cooling off period. I'm hoping they will use the time wisely and be a little more forthcoming when we meet again.

On the upswing though, LeAnn, the heroine of my next Jag shifter story, has decided to start talking to me again. We're working through some of her issues and getting more of her story told. Thank Goodness!

Yes, I really do have slightly weird relationships with my characters, but I only talk to them out loud when I'm by myself...that must count for something, right?

How about you out there, any odd relationships with your characters you want to cop too? LOL

Have a great weekend!

Welcome Eva Gordon!

Please welcome teacher, author and animal sanctuary volunteer, Eva Gordon. We're happy to have you with us today. Please tell us about yourself and the fascinating books that you've written.

First, we'd love to know what led you to writing.
I loved creating tall tales for my students while teaching biology and anatomy/physiology. They ended up telling me to write these ideas into books and I soon was bitten by the writing bug.

I think everyone wishes for a teacher like you! Could you tell us what you enjoy most about writing and have there been any hurdles that surprised you?
I enjoy jumping into the world that my characters live in and living in that particular fantasy world. A fantastic escape. The hurtles for me are having to leave writing to promote or to do the mundane things required in real life.

If you could do anything else, what profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
I would love to continue my love of wildlife education and do presentations. I already do wolf and werewolf lore presentations and sometimes toy with the idea of getting my PhD in Anthropology as a scholar of ‘werewolf’ lore.

You seem very passionate about this subject and I'd love to know more about your new release.
My latest release is Beast Warrior :Viking Werewolf, book 2 in my Wolf Maiden Chronicles. It follows book 1 Werewolf Sanctuary (contemporary) but is a standalone epic fantasy romance that takes place in the year 840 AD during the Viking Era. What I call a ‘werewolfhistorical’. The story revolves around the romance between a Viking Wolfskin (werewolf) and a Frank wolf maiden. They must overcome cultural differences, a dangerous alpha Frank lycan and the common enemy of the lycans, the bearskins.

Do any of your characters from previous books appear in your latest?
No, but their belief systems are mentioned in the previous novel. The first book also hints about the next.

So you have written a series. I have to tell you that I was hoping there was more than one book!
Yes. The Wolf Maiden Chronicles includes Werewolf Sanctuary, Beast Warrior : Viking Werewolf and the winter release of White Wolf of Avalon: Werewolf Knight. There are at least 7 more in this series. I also have a fantasy trilogy that I’m hoping to sell. The first in the trilogy, The Stone of the Tenth Realm was first published in the UK and I was just released from contract.

You sound very busy! I know all writers like to decompress though, tell us what you like to do in your spare time.
I love volunteering at animal sanctuaries. I also want folks to know that on every full moon I interview a famous werewolf or like creature on my blog http://evagordon.blogspot.com/

Beast Warrior: Viking Werewolf sounds wonderful. Could you tell us a little bit about it?

Beast Warrior: Viking Werewolf is a historical paranormal romance that takes place during the Viking Era of the Dark Ages. A time when only the strong survive. It is the second book in the Wolf Maiden Chronicles, which depicts alpha lycans and their human wolf maiden mates.

Sigurd, an alpha Norse wolfskin, son of Gunnolf the Red seeks revenge against shape shifting bearskins, Bork the Mad and his son, Mord the Blood Claw for the death of his parents and his older brother Guda. Orphaned, he has been raised by his older sister Brynhild, who convinces him to take a wolf maiden in order to increase their small pack. Despite the warning by Hungerd the wolf witch, he takes a farmer’s new bride with tragic consequences. Alone he joins a long ship until the day he can avenge his pack’s demise.

Emelisse, a Frank wolf maiden, has been raised and educated in the classics, science, literature and languages by female lycans of the Lupercal. Born a runt with a weak heart her father has been overprotective. She refuses to be treated like a delicate vase and rebels by seeking out riding and falconry. Now at age eighteen Emelisse frets that her father wants her to accept Radulf III the Cruel, an alpha lycan of a pack of powerful warriors. She tries to run away with her human lover.

Viking werewolf, Sigurd rescues Emelisse, from the claws of the berserker bear men. He claims her as his ulf hexen or wolf maiden, but she wants to leave lycan society and live with humans. To complicate matters she has been called by her goddess Feronia to save the lycans from a dreaded disease. Their union is wrought with great peril in a world where werewolves must battle against their own kind as well as their fierce enemy, the berserker bear men. Will Emelisse accept Sigurd a foreign lycan as her alpha mate? Sigurd vows to protect her from their enemies but how can he save her before she dies from her ailing heart?

Now I'm really hooked but it sounds like I'm not the only one. Here's a little bit about what Bitten By Books had to say:

Beast Warrior: Viking Werewolf is the prequel to Eva Gordon’s Werewolf Sanctuary. The majority of the book takes place in ninth century France.

The story was well paced, and the romance between Siguard and Emelisse is great. There are plenty of huge battles that take place throughout the book and work well with the romance. The book ties in neatly with Werewolf Sanctuary. If you liked Eva Gordon’s writing from book one, then you won’t be disappointed with book two Beast Warrior Viking Werewolf. The third book White Wolf of Avalon will take place 400 years before the events of book two.

To buy a print copy of Beast warrior from Amazon click here.
To buy a print copy of Beast warrior from Barnes & Noble click here.
Books in the Wolf Maiden Chronicles in order:
Werewolf Sanctuary
Beast Warrior: Viking Werewolf
White Wolf of Avalon

And coming February 10, 2010: Whitewolf of Avalon: Werewolf Knight



White Wolf of Avalon : Werewolf Knight
Book 3 in The Wolf Maiden Chronicles

White Wolf of Avalon : Werewolf Knight takes place during Arthurian times. There are cameo appearances by well known characters such as King Arthur, Morgan le Fey and Mordred to name a few but the story revolves around the secret society of lycans that reside in ancient Britain.

Bledig, an orphan raised by a childless couple near the magical Isle of Avalon dreams of someday becoming a knight of the Round Table. Bledig refuses to become a beast and wants no part in marrying a wolf maiden and begetting lycan children. After Bledig helps King Arthur defeat the Saxons at Badon Hill he is knighted and is advised by his close friend Sir Uwain that he knows of a priest that can cure him of his wolfen curse. Bledig heads toward Avalon to tell his great aunt Silvia of his plan. Once cured, he will serve as a knight, marry a courtly lady and earn a title.

Annora a Romano Greco wolf maiden, is more interested in intellectual pursuits than romantic ones. She is a scribe and historian who preferred to marry an older alpha lycan who would better understand her need to focus on her writings. As Annora travels up north to meet with her brother and family, they are attacked by Gorlagon’s she-lycan Trivia and her pack of warrior lycans.

In the wilderness Annora and Bledig meet. She is the beautiful woman he has dreamt of nightly while heading to retrieve his brother’s moonstone. He the knight in shining armor she had fantasized about, brave, handsome and chivalrous. Their attraction is instantaneous. She is stunned to learn he is a lycan, the white wolf destined to unite all the lycans of Britain. Her mate. On learning she is a wolf maiden, Bledig hardens his heart. He tells her that after he delivers her to the safety of Avalon he will visit a priest who will cure him of his wolfen curse. She is saddened that he refuses to follow his destiny and that he does not wish to claim her as his.

Danger lurks everywhere. Gorlagon and Gargol have not given up on their hunt to find Annora and the Pict wolfen she released from his dank dungeons. But most of all they wish to use her as a breeder. Intrigue and secrecy abound in King Arthur’s court at Camulod. Mordred, who Arthur is unaware, is his son by his own sister Morgause, plots to rule. He has become Gorlagon’s secret Lupercii in the hopes of having a lycan army to defeat his father in battle.

Will Bledig reject his true destiny as the prophesized lycan leader of Britain, and most importantly can he deny his feelings for the lovely wolf maiden, Annora, who has already captured his heart and soul?

Can Annora survive the lycans who hunt her? Will Bledig finally submit to his lycan nature and forever claim her as his wolf maiden? Will magic save their kind, the fae of Avalon and King Arthur’s Britain?

Wow, now I'm really hooked! I'd love to know more about Book One of the Wolf Maiden Chronicles, Werewolf Sanctuary.



Werewolf Sanctuary
Book 1. in The Wolf Maiden Chronicles

Since ancient times, the Lupercal Council has kept their people’s werewolf identity a well-guarded secret from man. They refer to their kind as lycans. The lycan shifts into a bear-sized wolf, bearing unique markings reminiscent of Maori or Celtic tattoos. The pack shifts during the full moon and are under the control of their alpha male leader. The alpha male and alpha female are not bound by the full moon and can shift at will. Lycans can only breed with their kind. The exception are the alpha males, which can only mate with human women known as wolf maidens. These human women bear the five-toed paw print or mark of the wolf on their left hip. Female alphas are sterile but are the leading lycans governing the Lupercal Council.

The Lupercal society is in peril due to an unknown disease infecting their young offspring. The children that survive the pestilence shift too early into wolf cubs, lose their distinct markings, and end up becoming normal wolves unaware of their human consciousness. Normally immune to most known diseases, the Lupercal has few of their own doctors and must seek the help of a human outsider to find the cure.

Wyatt Weylin, the alpha male of the Montana pack and leader of a team of mercenary lycans, flies to a World Wolf Conference in San Francisco, where he hopes to convince leading authority on wolf diseases, veterinarian Dr. Madeline Styles to come to his wolf sanctuary and find a cure. The minute he sees her he feels drawn to her striking good looks. The sensory chemistry is instant. He tries to suppress the feeling knowing that he is forbidden to fall for a human. Life gets complicated when Wyatt discovers that the vegetarian animal doctor has the mark of the wolf and is his life mate.

Eva, thank you so much for being our guest today. And please, drop by anytime you'd like!

If anyone would like to know more about Eva and her fascinating books, here are some places to look:

Links and Videos

ISBN: 978-1-935407-30-0 for Werewolf Sanctuary http://tinyurl.com/WerewolfSanctuary
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jyudh6g4ls8
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Werewolf-Sanctuary/Eva-Gordon/e/9781935407300/
ISBN 978-1-935407-31-7 for Beast Warrior, Viking Werewolf http://tinyurl.com/Beast-Warrior-Viking-Werewolf
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-LB-E_uRGo
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Beast-Warrior/Eva-Gordon/e/9781935407317/?/
Coming in February 2010
ISBN is 978-1-935407-32-4 for White Wolf of Avalon: Werewolf Knight and the video link to the short is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UMtDFJB7kE

Eva Gordon
Author of Paranormal and Fantasy Romance
http://www.ravenauthor.com
http://evagordon.blogspot.com/
Fan me on Face Book http://www.facebook.com/pages/Eva-Gordon/45924449313
http://booktour.com/author/eva_gordon#
http://twitter.com/evagordon

I Will Never Kill My Hero. Unless...

If you saw my last post about Primeval, let me just say I’VE CHANGED MY MIND! When I saw the end to season two where Nick Cutter tore up the photo of himself with Claudia Brown, I understood he had finally accepted she was gone. But I did not accept it. I merely grumbled to myself that it was an element of the story I wouldn’t hve written that way, and could do nothing about.

When I saw the episode in season 3 where Nick was shot, I thought to myself, “they’re just going to work this into the storyline.” Wrong. He’s deader than a doornail. And that was my breaking point.

Bye Bye, Nick. I'll miss you.

I understand this is a multi-character storyline, and each person has a significant role in carrying this story along. But even in a multi-character story, you’ve got to have a leader, or anchor. Nick was the center point of the story, even if he wasn’t the favorite. Now they’re just a bunch of characters flailing around without their anchor, and add to it the ridiculous choice of putting Jenny in charge (she’s a PR person, for heaven’s sake. Not a soldier, not an expert marksman, not a dinosaur or evolution scholar) is just bad writing.

So, Dear Reader, on this fourth day of November, in the year 2009, I make the following promises:

I will never kill my hero...
Unless I bring him back stronger, smarter, and sexier in a way that makes you love him twice as much.

I will never separate my hero and heroine...
Unless I bring them back together in the most powerful, soul gripping way that brings tears to your eyes, shivers to your spine and cream to your jeans.

I will never leave my characters flailing about...
Unless I let them triumph in the end in a way that saves all their lives, the dog, the town, and the world, and leaves you shouting for joy.

I promise.

Are ShapeShifters Grateful? ...and Darius Speaks

Yes, the full moon was yesterday. The Sun is in Scorpio, right now. And, the Bull is back.
~~~
So, the spooky excitement and enchantment of Halloween is over for this year, and now, those in my climate face colder weather and the onset of winter. Thanksgiving is around the proverbial corner, then the mad whirl of Christmas festivities begins for many of us, or in my case because of my circumstances, Christmas as celebrated by us romance authors in our writing and in our promos.
The question for this autumnal season ~ Are shapeshifters grateful?
As an author, what are your shapeshifters grateful for?
Readers, what is your favorite shapeshifter grateful for, if he/she is?
Perhaps, this is not the cleverest of questions, given our shifters will be grateful for the happy ending we give them... yet, during their story, do they ever feel a sense of gratitude?
Would they have participated in the Pilgrim’s original Thanksgiving feast as portrayed in history books? ~ Okay, just a wacky ‘what if’ on my part... I’m still coming down from the potent affects of Halloween. ~
No, not one example of my shifter heroines and heroes’ gratefulness. For now. Maybe, in a later blog.... depending on my mood.
~~~

For now, Darius, my bull shifter, has decided to voice his thoughts.

Yowza butting-powza, the Bull is back... a hero with a real set of horns and the bold balls to match.
~~~~~~
For the beginning of this bullie woolie tail see my prior blogs ~
~~~

X-Serial Flash

New Bull in Town ~ Darius Speaks

TWENTY-SEVEN
Snorting my fury and frustration, I trot from the corral toward the timber line, an easy place to conceal myself. My tail twitches, sinuous as an escaping snake. Worse, my cock twitches and my aching balls bang against my legs. Tortured by the loss Shelley, I loose an explosive bellow. It won’t be a good night. But then, ever since I saw her strolling down the sidewalk in town, with that sexy rolling hitch to her hips, every night has been a restless sweating hell that ends in a wet dream where I plunge my tormented manhood deep inside her.

TWENTY-EIGHT
Shelley, my shapely gorgeous human Shelley, hijacked by her screaming ninny of a friend. Yeah, yeah, I’m the big bad bull. A little secret, though, for grins I substitute myself for the rodeo bulls whenever it suits my mood. Never had any cowboy keep his butt on The Red Devil for eight seconds.
‘Animal Control,’ I mutter inside my mind. I could crush their truck with a few butts and stomps of my hooves. Shaking my head vigorously, I enter the sparse shade beneath the trees. Whirling, I gaze at Shelley’s house, my longing so ferocious I paw the dirt.
~~~~~~

Shapeshifter lovers, check out CAT NIP. It’s a free read by erotic romance author, Gem Sivad ~ http://gemsivad.wordpress.com ~ also, for the ongoing story, subscribe at ~ http://textnovel.com ~
~~~
Plus, take a peek at COYOTE MOON by Pat Cunningham at ~ http://bookstrand.com/product-coyotemoon-14959-330.html ~ Pat’s book has received several top reviews.
~~~~~~

HAPPY SHAPESHIFTING THANKSGIVING

~ MAY ALL YOUR READING DREAMS COME TRUE ~

Savanna Kougar

~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~

Author of ~

All Shades of Blue Paradise
Red Lioness Tamed
When a Good Angel Falls
Tangerine Carnal Dreams
Murder by Hair Spray in Gardenia, New Atlantis
Black Cat Beauty
Her Insatiable Dark Heroes
Stallion of Ash and Flame ~
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Selling Myself

So on Saturday (after working my shift at the library) I drove to a nearby city to visit an upscale adult store to make a purchase. I'm not going to discuss what specifically I was there to buy - falls under the TMI (too much information) aspect of life.

I've shopped at this particular store a number of times in the past and I really like it there. It's woman/couple friendly and the place feels clean. Since it was October 31, the staff was wearing costumes for Halloween - NOT the sexy ones they sell, but ones that fit the season. One of the many things I like about this store is that they sell plus size lingerie - some of which goes on sale from time to time. Like costumes for half-price - yes, even plus size costumes. I looked, but didn't actually buy a costume. I had my mind on another purchase. So I looked at the toys, the movies and books. Yes, they sell books.

Now I come to the purpose of this post. I had just signed books at a library conference a week or so ago and hadn't unloaded my books from the car yet. So I'm in there looking around...the manager is there...the store is busy. I think to myself, "I've shopped here quite often. They kind of know who I am. I've mentioned my books before AND the manager's here. So...do I sell myself or not?"

After I made my purchases, I decided...hell, I'm here. I'll chat with her for a minute and see how it goes. She (yes, the manager is a she - another reason I like this place) was friendly and interested. She remembered having heard about me (I've chatted with her assistant manager before). So I took my purchases out to the car, grabbed my short story anthology, my print book and a copy of one the leftover Romanticon cover flats I had for Seeking Truth. I'd intended to just let them look at them...but...during the course of the conversation I decided it would be smart to just let them HAVE the two books.

I found out that some of their customers were interested in reading erotic romance (they have a book section - they sell how-to and erotica books right now). The other sales person (also a woman) was interested in reading my book. Soooooo...I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they'll like my books enough to have me in for a book signing. Maybe they'll even start selling erotic romance books there - now wouldn't that be cool?! I'm keeping my fingers crossed, and I'll let you know how it goes.

So have any of you gone into to book (or adult) store and sold the manager on your books? If so, how did you do it and how did it go? If you're a reader, would you look for erotic romance at an upscale adult store?