Guest Blogger - JoAnne Myers

Hey Shapeshifter Seduction fans, happy Thursday, ya'll!  Nice seeing you again.  How about helping me welcome our guest blogger, JoAnne Myers.

Hi JoAnne, welcome!  So, I hear you enjoy writing about ghosts because of real life inspirations?  Do tell...

When it comes to fiction writing, almost anything goes. That is why I love writing paranormal and fantasy stories. The author can go completely over the edge and make something unbelievable seem believable. When it comes to ghost stories, I get a lot of my inspiration from real life experiences. Not necessarily my own either. I watch television programs that partake of the supernatural and paranormal flare. Programs from ordinary people who claim they experienced either an afterlife experience, or a haunting.

Some of my stories from my upcoming release “Wicked Intentions” is based on actual hauntings. Some stories I read about in the newspaper, and others I watched on true life experience programs. So the next time you get “writer’s block” try switching on the television. You might find something to jolt your inspiration.

 

Did you always want to become a writer? 

I have enjoyed art since childhood, and have always been able to write.
 

Which book was the hardest to write and which the easiest? 

The hardest was my biography true crime The Crime of the Century, because of the intense research   involved.  The easiest, was Loves, Myths, and Monsters, a fantasy anthology due out later this month. Each tale seemed to flow through the pages. It only took five months to write the book.
 

How long have you been writing and who are your publishers? 

I have only been seriously writing for about ten years. My publishers are Melange Books and Black Rose Writing.
 

Tell us a bit about your new release. 

I actually have two new releases coming up.   The first is Loves, Myths, and Monsters, and the other is another biography true crime book, Twisted Love. It is a anthology of various homicide cases from Ohio and surrounding states.
 

Which book did you spend the most time researching and why? 

The Crime of the Century, was exhausting. I had to research newspaper articles, courthouse            documents, coroner, police and witness reports.
 

Anything else that you’d like readers to know about you? 

Writing is the only activity that keeps my interest. I also paint, but writing is the berries.

Thanks for being with us today, JoAnne.  Any final words for our readers?

I would like to award two winners each a print copy of my poetry collection, Poems About Life, Love, and Everything in Between for commenting. I will pay for all shipping, but only US citizens please apply. 

Awesome!  Listen up, fine readers...if you're interested in winning a copy of JoAnne's poetry please make sure to leave your email addy along with your comment.  :)

Author Bio:

I have been a long-time resident of southeastern Ohio, and worked in the blue-collar industry most of my life. Besides having several novels under my belt, I canvass paint.

When not busy with hobbies or working outside the home, I spend time with relatives, my dogs Jasmine and Scooter, and volunteer my time within the community. I am a member of the Hocking Hill's Arts and Craftsmen Association, The Hocking County Historical Society and Museum, and the Hocking Hills Regional Welcome Center. I believe in family values and following your dreams. 

 

My books along with my original canvass paintings, can be found at: http://www.booksandpaintingsbyjoanne.com

 

Other books by JoAnne:

 

Murder Most Foul-a detective/mystery book

The Crime of the Century-a biography true crime novel

Poems About Life, Love, and Everything in Between-a collection of poems written with respect and love for others

 

Upcoming releases:

 

Loves, Myths, and Monsters,- a fantasy anthology starring the Mothman, the Chupracabra, mermaids, reincarnation, an Egyptian love curse, and etc.

Twisted Love-a biography true crime anthology

 

Contact: joannetucker98@yahoo.com

 

 Blurbs for "Wicked Intentions" a paranormal.mystery anthology

 

　

BLOOD TIES- word count 15, 902

After the mysterious disappearance of twenty-six year old wife and mother Lisa Smalley, her twin, Audra Roper, begins having dark and disturbing visions of Lisa’s disappearance. Trying to survive while looking for Lisa, Audra’s life becomes a roller coaster of risks, heartbreak, and intrigue.

　

　

THE HAUNTING OF BARB MARIE- word count 9,845

Even as a child, Barb Marie saw dead people. This took an unhealthy toil on her throughout her childhood and young adulthood.

　

SUMMER WIND-word count 13,039

When twenty-nine year old Ginger discovers the old mansion Summer Wind, she is mysteriously drawn to it. . Immediately, the haunting’s have a negative and profound effect on the family.

 

THE TRUTH BEHIND THE LIES-laying the Norfolk ghost to rest-word count-23,623

Solving the brutal murder of American born Ruthie Geil becomes a gauntlet of attacks and more murders for Federal Police Inspector Ian Christian. Between the victims family, ex-lovers, and ghostly occurrences on Norfolk Island, the killer is closer than anyone realizes.

　　

THE LEGEND OF LAKE MANOR-word count 8,297

For the young psychic Cassandra Lopez, coming to the infamous and haunted mansion Lake Manor, was more like a mission.

 

THE APARTMENT-word count 5,188

When young newlyweds Bill and Gayle move into their new apartment, their lives are plagued with sightings of evil ghosts that threaten their marriage and lives.

 

DARK VISIONS-word count 5,170

When Carrie Reynold’s starts having nightmares on her twenty-sixth birthday, she believes her “dark visions” can solve the twenty year disappearance of her father.

Rock ‘n’ Roll and Shapeshifters... An Interview with Lisa Carlisle

Hey all you Shapeshifter Seductions fans out there...help me welcome Lisa Carlisle to our home here on the net and check out what she's got going on.

Hi Lisa, welcome to Shapeshifter Seductions!

I’m Lisa Carlisle and I write erotic paranormal romance for Ellora’s Cave. I am happy to be here on Shapeshifter Seductions as I think stories with shapeshifters are incredibly sexy and love to hear about good stories. I just introduced one of my friends to shapeshifters when she read by book Rock Me Tonight. She was so excited about the concept of shifters, asking me all sorts of questions about where I came up with the ideas. I’m so happy to be her first. Do you remember your first shifter story?

Here’s a short interview, some info on my new rock ‘n’ roll shapeshifter romances with Ellora’s Cave, and info on a giveaway on my latest release Bloodlust and Metal.

Did you always want to become a writer?

Since I was in the sixth grade, I wanted to be a writer. Throughout school, I wrote little stories about my friends and I going on adventures and getting the guys we liked in the end. Action, adventure, travel, romance—basically the same themes I still enjoy writing about, but on a much larger scale!

How did you celebrate your first release?

Amaretto and chocolate, I believe. I remember when Ellora’s Cave accepted my first book, however. I read the email on my smartphone and was so thrilled I threw it up into the air and it crashed to the ground!

Most authors are also avid readers. Is this the case with you?

Definitely. I enjoy reading much more than television or movies and often have bookmarks in several books at once. My family thinks I’m nuts.

How do you come up with ideas for stories?

Once I began to write my series, the ideas haven’t stopped coming. I can’t take a shower without rushing out because I had a new idea or conversation between characters. I can’t go for a bike ride without thinking“what if...”

How long have you been writing and who are your publishers?
In nonfiction, for over ten years with many publishers. In fiction, I’ve been writing for years. Last year, Ellora’s Cave picked up my Underground Encounters series and this year I signed on for a contemporary military with Red Sage Publishing.

Tell us a bit about your new release.

Loving the era of big hair and metal, I wanted to write a story with some of that vibe, but with the hot atmosphere of a club today. So I wrote Bloodlust and Metal, which not only features some of the fun rock songs of the late 80s, but with a hot, forbidden attraction between a shapeshifter and vampire – two of my favorites paranormal characters. The exciting, yet difficult part, was that I wrote the first draft during NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month, last November. Writing 50,000 words in one month when you work and are raising a family is a challenge to say the least! But one I enjoyed. And at the end of the month, I had bloodshot eyes, but also a draft of a novel so it was worth every sleepless minute.

Do any of your characters from previous books appear in your latest?
Yes, I love how characters reappear from book to book in a series. As the series continues, you’ll see some characters reappear on the scene and get a glimpse into how their lives are continuing. Maya finds her way into almost all the other books so far, it seems.

Have you written a series?

I have. It’s called Underground Encounters and is out with Ellora’s Cave. Hot paranormal characters meeting humans and other supes in an underground Goth nightclub.

Anything else that you’d like readers to know about you?

As a petite young woman, my life took a strange turn in my late teens. But you’ll have to visit my Web site to find out what that was!

lisacarlislebooks.com

Giveaway

Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below for a chance to win a digital copy of Bloodlust and Metal.

Bloodlust and Metal

On the run from a master vampire, young vampire Layla Black flees London to reinvent herself as the singer of an Eighties cover band in Boston. Devon St. Clair is the bounty hunter hired to track her down. As a shapeshifter with extraordinary skills, his reputation is known throughout the supernatural world. Capturing Layla should be an easy gig that will net a nice profit.

The situation doesn’t go as Devon plans. He wants Layla in his bed, but shapeshifters and vampires don’t mix. They should hate each other, but instead they’re keeping the sheets steamy. When circumstances force them on the run together, their preconceived notions are challenged. If they can evade those hunting them and convince his fellow shapeshifters to help her even though she’s a vampire, they just might have a chance to explore where all that hot, sweaty sex can take them.

A Romantica® paranormal erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

Read an excerpt

Buy now at:
Ellora’s Cave
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

Also on one of my favorite themes of rock stars and paranormal romance, I had another recent release called Rock Me Tonight, featuring the brilliant, sexy rock star Nico.

Rock Me Tonight

Lily Everett wants a lover, but won’t consider a permanent relationship, because she harbors a secret she’s certain no one will understand. When she meets the singer of a rock band at an underground nightclub, she’s disarmed by his sensual voice and mischievous good looks. After an icy introduction, Lily warms up to Nico’s charms.

A computer geek by day, Nico dons a rock singer persona by night. He’s tired of women pursuing him just because he’s in a band—the sex may be handy, but he wants something more. He’s intrigued by Lily’s reticence.

Keeping her emotional distance proves difficult the more Lily uncovers the intelligent, considerate man hiding behind Nico’s bad-boy persona. Their encounters are hot-hot-hot, but Nico wants more from Lily than sex. When Lily lets down her guard and reveals her other side, Nico’s shock destroys their closeness and they both doubt they can overcome their differences.

A Romantica® paranormal/shapeshifter erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

Read an excerpt

Buy now at:
Ellora’s Cave
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
All Romance Ebooks

Reviews

A Summer Pick by All Romance Ebooks!

A Top Pick by Night Owl Reviews
The chemistry between Lily and Nico is off the charts. The sex is hot and steamy. They are a great match together in and out of the bedroom. ~ Night Owl Reviews

The one area that never failed to excite in this story was the sex – anywhere and everywhere… Lisa Carlisle has penned a really good story here in this installment; I’m now going to search out the first two in the series. ~ The Jeep Diva

Recommended by USA Today!
“The trailer for Rock Me Tonight by Lisa Carlisle might be short, but it grabs you right away with the driving beat of the soundtrack. The images are a mix of glimpses of the rock lifestyle and sexy clinches — yum — and then the script draws you in with nerds who become rock stars by night and heroines with secrets. Can we all raise a lighter to this one?”

Fun Extras

Be sure to visit my Web site and sign up for my newsletter to be the first to hear of new releases, specials, or freebies. You can also explore fun extras, like the playlists for my books.

I’m also recruiting for my Street Team, where you can share the experience and joy of completing and releasing a new book—without having to write it. :)

www.lisacarlislebooks.com/subscribe/ 

Giveaway

Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for a chance to win a copy of Bloodlust and Metal.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guest Author, Eden Glenn

Welcome Shapeshifter fans, joining us today is Eden Glenn.  She's here to tell us about her New Release Dar'kind Promises!  Grab a cup of your favorite brew or if it's noon where you're at a nice glass of the grape, sit back and enjoy...

Psst...keep an eye out for the special offer at the end of this blog.  :)

Eden lives in the mountains of Chattanooga, Tennessee with a cat and a loveable nuisance dog that should be in Japan. Eden has blue eyes, but her hair color is subject to change without notice. (Ann McCaffrey always said that on her book jacket. Sadly she passed on last year and I say this first because it is true and second to honor that great woman) Eden is a member of RWA (Romance Writers of America) and FCRW (First Coast Romance Writers).

Prepare to leave your safe world behind.
http://www.edenglenn.com my social networking links are here on my website for FB, Twitter, Amazon and more. Check out my book trailers, blog and news.




Hi Eden, thanks for being with us on this special day!

Thank you for allowing me to visit today. I am thrilled to be here on release day for “Dar’kind Promises” an erotic f/f paranormal romance. I have several shapeshifter Paranormal Erotic Romance short novelle’s that will be coming out in 2013. Whew, that’s a tongue twister…say that six times really fast. Also, we are having a contest so read on through to the end to find out more about what and how to win.


How did you celebrate your first release?
I took the family to a restaurant. We all had dinner and talked about my “contract” I felt very special and grand. We drank sangria and had wonderful food. I indulged myself in the fantasies we tell ourselves as ‘professional’ writers. For the first time I really felt like a writer. LOL

How long have you been writing and who are your publishers.
I started writing in 2005 to escape my real world, which at the time was consumed with illness and painful treatment. In 2007 I learned about RWA (Romance Writers of America) and joined a chapter, FCRW (First Coast Romance Writers). I published with Rebel Ink Press in 2011 with a short novella in one of their anthologies. We’ve since pulled out “The Galloping Ghoul of Hockomock Swamp” and published is as a stand-alone.

Where do you get the inspirations for your books?
It varies. A special event, something in the news, something someone says, an object, daydreams. Just about anything can trigger a story for me. “Raynia’s Magic” was inspired by a necklace I bought myself. Now, I’ve been selected as a Rebel Ink Elite Author under exclusive contract with RIP. I write based on blurb. Meaning, I will write a blurb proposal and send it to them. If they like the idea I’m basically contracted for the piece and release dates are scheduled. Then I write the story and submit it to my editor under deadline to make the release date. Once they receive the finished work, we finalize the contract and my editor goes through the piece for revisions. The graphic artist takes a contact sheet I’ve completed about the story and begins the cover art.
So, inspiration isn’t nearly as organic as it used to be. I have to plan and plot and hit key points from the blurb. I have to do what I say I’m going to do. It’s like a real career. LOL.

Which book was the hardest to write and which was the easiest?
Hands down “Raynia’s Magic” was the easiest. I bought this amethyst quartz necklace for myself. The moment I touched the stone my imagination kicked in. On a Saturday I wrote for hours into the evening and ended up with about 7,000 words. I put the kernel away not really knowing what I would do with it. In 2011 I took it out and started working with it doubled the size and wrestled it the rest of the way to finished short novella.
Once I was in the wrapping up stages of editing, I knew the necklace would touch other lives. I just had no idea what or who. “Raynia’s Magic” has become vol 1 of the “Amethyst Desire Collection”. Vol 2 “Beverly’s Secret” will be out in Mar/Apr 2013 time frame and be followed by other stories of different lovers whom the stone ‘visits’.
The hardest was Dar’kind Promises. Zelia wasn’t very cooperative. It was also my first try at a f/f erotic romance. I wanted readers to come away from the read enjoying it and realizing love is love regardless of gender.

If you could travel through time to visit a special person who would it be?
I adore Ann McCaffery. She passed on this year. I loved her books as a young adult. As a young mother, I read her stories with my aloud children. I gifted my middle child a first edition picture book written by Ann McCaffery about dragons and illustrated by John Howe. I wrote to Ms McCaffrey and she graciously sent me an autographed book-plate.
If I could, I would wish to be her real friend. I would go back in time to ride horses with her at Dragon Hold. We’d talk of her Irish Horses and hound dogs and dragons.

Tell us a bit about your new release.

Dar’kind Promises

Released 2/3/13 at all fine ebook vendors

(BLURB) Novellette length (16,920 words)

Darkind Fairy Maura comes to the human dimension on a search and rescue mission for one of her race. The success of the mission rests on her wits and the skilled aid of her feline tracker, Zelia. Unfortunately, Zelia is experiencing unpredictable shifts between feline and human forms.

Distracted by the sultry woman in her bed, Maura struggles to stay focused on their quest. If they’re unable to figure out how to gain control of Zelia’s shifting, all hope for success of their mission as well as any possibility of their future together will be lost.

Worse yet, an ancient evil targets Zelia and Maura in a bid for power and control of their magic.

Zelia is willing to risk becoming trapped in feline form and losing the love she’s found if it means she can save Maura from the evil hunting them. Meanwhile, Maura searches for the strength to abandon the quest for her lost ‘sister’ if doing so will save Zelia’s life and stabilize her shifting abilities.

* * *

So, contest deets. I’ll be choosing one luck winner to receive an E-ARC – (Electronic Advanced Readers Copy) of Dar’kind Promises. So you have three days to comment on this post for your chance to win. Tell me your top two—most  important qualities in a shapeshifter romance. Something specific to shapeshifters please!

Guest Author, Kate Hill

Hey all you shapeshifter fans out there, please help me welcome our awesome guest author, Kate Hill.

She's here today to share a bit about herself and her writing, plus she'll be offering a free download (winners choice) from her Whisper series to one lucky poster!

So, lets get to it..

Hello Kate,
Welcome to Shapeshifter Seductions!  Tell me...



Where do you get the inspirations for your books?

Kate: Just about anything can inspire a book. Sometimes it's a person or a place. The Whisper series, for example, was inspired by several different New England towns. It has a seashore, a wooded area and a picturesque town square with historical buildings. It seems like a typical New England town, except most of the residents are supernatural.

Do you find it difficult at times to write love scenes?

Kate: I need to be in the mood to write love scenes, but when the characters have strong chemistry, it's easy to get into that mood! Black Cat starts out with a love scene and I really looked forward to writing it because throughout the series I've been hinting at the relationship between Edmond and Tobias. It was great to finally explore it.

If you could change places with one character from your books, who would it be and why?

Kate: I'd like to change places with Cal, the hero of Whisper 1: Dragon's Bar because I think it would be interesting to have shapeshifting abilities.

How long have you been writing and who are your publishers?
 
Kate: I’ve been telling stories for as long as I can remember, but when I was sixteen I started writing with the hope of being published. It took over ten years for me to actually get published. My first story was accepted in 1996, so it's been a while. I currently write for Changeling Press, Ellora's Cave and New Concepts Publishing.

Tell us a bit about your new release.

Kate: Black Cat is the last book in the Whisper series. Whisper is a fictional New England town founded for the supernatural by the supernatural. It's governed by a secret organization called the Original Town Council that is made up of a vampire, a cat shifter, a werewolf, an elf and a witch.

Edmond Chancellor is leader of the council. He's a vampire who severed ties with his family because he didn't agree with their violent ways. His dream was to create a sanctuary for supernatural beings who want to live in peace, so Whisper was his idea. Edmond is deeply in love with another member of the council, cat shifter Tobias Crawford.

Though Tobias loves Edmond, he has refused his proposal to make their union permanent. Tobias is still haunted by his past, but Edmond is willing to wait for him to come to terms with it.

Do any of your characters from previous books appear in your latest?
 
Kate: Yes, just about all the characters from the previous Whisper stories appear in Black Cat. Cal from Dragon's Bar, Sara and Nathaniel from Bronzed, and Hugh from Mating Call make appearances. Also Marka and Reese, secondary characters in the series, have parts in Black Cat.

One of the things I love about a series is having the same characters appear throughout the books. As both a reader and a writer I love to revisit old favorites.

I hope you enjoy the following excerpt from Whisper 4: Black Cat.

Whisper 4: Black Cat
by Kate Hill
(M/M Vampire/Shapeshifter)
From Changeling Press
http://www.changelingpress.com

Vampire Edmond Chancellor and cat shifter Tobias Crawford have had a not-so-secret affair for over three hundred years. Edmond wants to bond with Tobias permanently, but Tobias has reasons for keeping his distance.

On a chilly December night, both men turn to past memories for guidance, but it's a present danger that makes them realize that time is precious, even to men who are practically immortal.

The Following Excerpt from Black Cat is for readers 18 and over.
Tobias had hoped that by bringing his family to this new world, they would have a chance to build a life for themselves, away from the unsubstantiated hatred. The endless wilderness of this place would take generations to populate, even for creatures as ambitious as man.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of heavy breathing and the familiar slash of a blade through air. Tobias growled and his fur bristled. On silent feet he stalked through the snowy woods and paused behind a boulder outside a clearing. A man wearing boots, breeches and a linen shirt, damp with sweat despite the weather, practiced with a sword with a silver pommel. He had shoulder-length brown hair bound at his nape. Several tendrils had come loose and clung to his damp cheek and neck. His wide-set blue eyes gleamed in the moonlight as he fought an imaginary opponent. Tobias' heart skipped a beat at the fierceness in those eyes.

Tobias knew this wasn't a mere human--the man's scent told him that. It was a deliciously powerful aroma, similar to that of an animal shifter. It was musky yet fresh but with an underlying potency-like the finest Egyptian incense. Tobias had met people with a similar scent and they were invariably dangerous.

Blood drinkers.

Killers.

Vampires.

Tobias tensed. He hadn't expected to find a vampire here in this untamed land. Vampires liked their creature comforts, not to mention they preferred to mark their territory in heavily populated areas where hunting was simple, plentiful, and where no one asked questions when slaves and peasants went missing.

Worst of all, Tobias knew that there was never only one vampire. Like wolves, they traveled in packs, yet unlike wolves they killed for pleasure, not simply to survive.

Tobias' protective instincts rose. Should he attack now and rid his new home of this fiend? Yet if he did, this vampire's kin would hunt him and his family. Although they despised most other races, vampires were fiercely loyal to their own families.

The vampire stopped his practice and stood, panting, his jewel-like eyes surveying the area.

"Who's there?" he called in a smooth voice, neither too deep nor too high. It was perfect and Tobias resisted the urge to purr at the sound of it.

Tobias remained still, blending in the shadows.

"I know you're there. I can smell you."

Damn. Vampires' senses were almost as keen as those of cat shifters.

"Show yourself, since I've ruined your plans for a surprise attack. Or perhaps you'll run. I wouldn't be surprised if you did. After all, only cowards hide in the shadows."

Tobias nearly snorted with laughter. It was a childish taunt, designed to draw out a stupid foe. Tobias hadn't lived thousands of years because he was stupid or merely lucky.

For several moments neither Tobias nor the vampire moved or spoke. It seemed they didn't so much as breathe.

Then the vampire approached. Tobias considered running or attacking, but like most cats, curiosity got the better of him. He stepped from behind the boulder, directly in the path of the vampire who stopped walking, his blue eyes wide.

Tobias' tail swished in a warning and he growled softly.

"Can't say I expected this," the vampire said.

Tobias circled him. The vampire turned slowly, following Tobias' movements. He held his sword firmly, but not in an attack position. Still Tobias was prepared to dodge a blow and defend himself. He knew better than to trust a vampire.


Previous books in the Whisper series:

Whisper 1: Dragon's Bar
Whisper 2: Bronzed
Whisper 3: Mating Call


About Kate

Always a fan of romance and the paranormal, Kate Hill started writing over twenty years ago for pleasure. Her first story, a short erotic vampire tale, was accepted for publication in 1996. Since then she has sold over one hundred short stories, novellas and novels.

When she's not working on her books, Kate enjoys reading, working out and spending time with her family and pets.

She enjoys hearing from readers and she can be contacted at katehill@sprintmail.com .


Contest

To enter this contest you must be 18 or over.

To enter for the chance to win a download of one of the first three books in the Whisper series (winner's choice of title), please comment. The contest will run for three days from the day of this post. At the end of that time, a winner will be selected from the comments. Thank you!