Am I Rusty?





I guess so. Well…maybe. LOL

My brother wanted to take one of the dogs for a walk on the beach. I hadn’t been out in a few days and decided it would be a good idea. But the fact is, my ankle hasn’t healed enough for long walks on the beach. So I told him I’d have a cup of coffee on the patio of the restaurant where we have beach access and read while he walked the dog.

Bro frowned, thought I was being lazy—and I wasn’t being lazy, lol. Just didn’t want to walk too far then have to walk back in pain! Walking in sand is not easy on my ankle at all.

Anyway, we walked the two blocks to the beach, and he took the dog down to the shore. I headed for the patio overlooking the ocean. I ordered my coffee with cream, opened my book, and settled in for a nice relaxing hour or so.

After a while, I caught a shadow out of the corner of my eye. There were other people on the patio, of course. Conversation and laughter was all around me. I looked up, curious about the shadow, and saw a man to the right of my table leaning against the deck railing—not looking at the ocean, but at me.

I KNOW what you’re thinking. Yep, I do.

You’re thinking: OH! THIS IS GETTING GOOD! TESS IS ABOUT TO MEET A MAN!!

And to that all I can say is, “Don’t put your money on TESS!” I’m rusty. Remember?

I smiled. He smiled. I went back to reading. Yep, I did. So he says, “Nice morning, isn’t it?” I looked up at him, nodded, “Yes. Very nice. Perfect weather.” I went back to reading my book.

I KNOW!!!!! You’re shaking your head. LOL But I’m rusty, remember?

At this point, the hero in my book is meeting with the leaders of an Afghan tribe and the story is getting pretty dicey. The Taliban is everywhere, and I just know that the smart ass young kid is running to them right now to tell them my hero is there.

“We’ll have a few days of cold weather here and there, but it’s usually pretty tolerable. One of the reasons I moved here. Are you on vacation?”

The damn Taliban is about to get the jump on my man and this dude wants to talk weather. Sighhhhhhhhhh… I looked up. “I moved here in September. Guess I’m a local now.” I laughed lightly and lowered my head to find my place on the page.

“Must be a good book,” he said.

“It is.”

“Romance novel?”

I turned the book around and showed him the cover. The Apostle by Brad Thor. CIA type thriller. Not a romantic word on any page. LOL

He nodded and pushed himself off the deck railing. “Well, I’ll let you get back to it. Didn’t mean to bother you.”

Quickly I said, “Oh you’re not bothering me.” Well, actually he was bothering me but a Southern gal just can’t be rude and say that. Ya know?

He smiled and walked away.

I KNOW!!!! You’re banging your head against the computer screen. So I read a bit more, and then my bro gives me a shout, and he and the dog come onto the patio. He ordered a coffee and told me to put the book down. I did. By the way, the Taliban didn’t get my man. LOL

So bro says, “Did I see you talking to someone?”

“Some man was talking about the nice weather.”

“And?”

“And what? The weather is nice.”

“That’s all?”

“He wanted to know if I was reading a romance novel. Asked if it was a good book. Then he left.”

Bro says, “You’re hopeless.”

“Huh?”

“The man was trying to engage you in conversation for more.”

I said, “More what? There’s only so much you can say about the damn weather.”

“Don’t act stupid, Tess. You know what I mean.”

“You’re trying to make a short, polite conversation about the weather into something it wasn’t.”

“And you’d rather write romance than live it.”

“Oh my GOD!!! A man exchanges a few words with me and you think I should spread my legs!”

“Well…why not?”

The walk back to the house was an absolute blur. I was livid. Bro came strolling in about ten minutes behind me. And the argument continued. No. Not gonna bore you with all of bro’s thoughts on my life and all of my thoughts on his life. HE’S NOT EXACTLY A DAMN CASSANOVA these days himself!!!!

But I have to admit. It does bug me that I didn’t recognize that the man probably was trying to “meet” me for more than talk about the weather. So would I rather write romance than live it? No. I just know that writing it always turns out better than actually living it---at least where I’m concerned.

Do I intend to remain alone until the Grim Reaper takes me? Well…if I don’t learn to recognize the signs a bit better that might just happen. LOL Do ya’ll think I need to get laid? Tell the truth. LOL

Hugs and Kisses…

JUST TESS

Writers: When Do You Find Time to Read?

Please welcome author Kat Holmes!

First off thank you so much for having me, I am thrilled to be here. What I want to talk about is reading vs. writing. I’m an avid reader and have been my whole life. And I have a killer memory. You hold up a book and if I have read it, I can tell you what it’s about from start to finish.

My love affair with the written word began before I even knew how to read. My mom, fellow author L.J. Holmes, would read to me as a child and I’d follow along. I knew the stories so well that if she tried to deviate even slightly I’d call her on it and make her tell the story properly.

When I was sixteen I wrote my first full length manuscript. It wasn’t good by any means but it was the start of life as a writer. Over the years I wrote many other things, short stories and poetry and whatnot. But I only wrote them for my family and friends to ever see. In the meantime I was still a huge reader. But only print books. I was one of those snobs who wouldn’t even think of getting an ebook.

But a few years ago I was up late with the flu. Having nobody to talk to and nothing to do I surfed the internet and came across an ebook website. Just for the heck of it to pass the time I browsed their books and was surprised that quite a few sounded interesting. So I decided to buy one…just one. It was called Christina’s Tapestry written by N.J. Walters. I fell in love.

Over time I developed a friendship with her and she encouraged me to try subbing my own work for publication. Okay, more like she hit me with a battering ram. J But her nudging paid off and I’m now an officially published author of ebooks. So much for my days of snobbery. But I have discovered something.

The more and more I write, the less time I have to read. My time is taken up with writing, editing, galleys, and promotions. I’ve got a huge pile of books and ebooks in my TBR pile, something that used to be very rare for me. I speed read. I was last clocked at 480 words a minute so having a big pile of books not yet read is odd to say the least.

Last weekend, I actually scheduled a break for myself so I could just spend the whole weekend reading books. I got through four books in two days. It was a lot of fun. But the times, they are a changing when I actually have to make a date just to read! But, writing and being a part of this wonderful community known as writers is the best adventure on the planet, and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Again, thank you Three Wicked Writers for having me. I had a blast. And to the rest of you, happy reading! J

Visit Kat's Author Page HERE!

Smokin' Hot Reading!

So, ever since I bought this new laptop, which I LOVE, I've been buying lots more ebooks. One I'm reading now is by the talented author Renee Field. An erotic romance short story called, Electrify Me. It's what I'd consider a hot summer read. I'm already looking for the authors other books!

And isn't this cover sexy?? :-)

Krista lives out her fantasies through the vixen-like characters she writes about. They’re sexy, brazen and experienced in and out of the bedroom. When a young hunk of an electrician shows up at her house and offers her a delicious deal that will spark all her creative juices, Krista decides to throw caution out the window. After all she’s not getting any younger and the idea of finally becoming a sultry, sexually self-confident woman is a fantasy come true.

Read an Excerpt

So, clearly I'm in the market for some HOT summer reading. Got any suggestions??

And here are a few Monday Hunks...just to get us all revved...

Book throwing moment...beware!

So, this weekend I started reading a book. One I've been looking forward to reading forEVER. It's by one of my favorite authors and all her books have been keepers--with the exception of a few. This one, which I feel I've waited my entire life to read, has, thus far, been rather disappointing. In fact, I'm ready to strangle the heroine. Then dig a hole and bury her. Then maybe dig her back up and shoot her.

Yes, she's THAT frustrating. Once again, I get that heroines these days need to be tough, rough, hard as nails, and all that jazz. But do they have to be totally annoying and just downright cruel?? Is that really necessary??

I'm not going to mention the author's name or the book title, not even in a private email so don't ask me. LOL Let's just say that I will buy more of her books. I will finish this one, because I may end up totally surprised and find that the story HAD to be told this way. In fact, I'm sure it had to be told this way. Otherwise the author would've written it differently. Correct?

This is where it comes in handy to be an author who also reads a lot. I can see between the lines. I can understand why the author felt it was necessary to give the hero a woman who has the ability to be a hardass. Like tough love, I suppose.

That being said, this book will not be a favorite of mine. I won't reread it several times until I need to buy another copy because this one is falling apart. And I won't tell all my reader buddies that they have to buy it or miss out on a really great read. So, while I know the author has to write what her heart tells her, I don't necessarily have to like it. The thing is, I sort of wish her heart had been saying something else! LOL

Now that I've vented, I need to ask you all a question. How frustrated do you get when you're reading a book by an author you admire and come to the conclusion that you're having to force yourself to read each damn word? That you are soooo not enjoying her latest release. Does it frustrate you more when it's one of your favorite authors?? Does it make you want to quit reading her books all together?

Personally, I feel like all authors are entitled to a few misses. They can't all be THE BEST BOOK EVER, right? So, while I'm hating on this book, I will also look forward to her next release, because the truth is...no one is perfect.

Books I've Ordered!

I'm a readaholic. LOL I've ordered a bunch of books and I can't wait for them to arrive. Of course, some of these won't come to next month and the month after that, but I figure I may as well do the ordering now!

I'm loving Sarah McCarty's Promises series. This is the only one I haven't read. I'm not really reading them in order, but I'm finding it's not that necessary.

Wyoming Territory 1870 Widowed and barren, Jenna sees the newborn left on her doorstep as a priceless gift worthy of any sacrifice. She knows she'll need a husband to keep the baby, but nothing prepares her for the man who offers. Big and dark, simmering with a deadly intensity, Clint McKinnely could put fear into the devil. He certainly strikes fear into her. But Jenna soon discovers that the man behind the reputation is the one man she longs to trust. A hard man burned out by the choices he's made, Clint is looking for a reason to go on. He finds one in Jenna Hennessy. Lushly plump, sweet and shy, she calls to him on every level. When it looks as though Jenna might lose the daughter she loves for lack of a husband, Clint steps forward. Having Jenna in his home brings Clint a peace he's never known, but even as he ferrets out the secrets that haunt Jenna's nightmares, Clint keeps his own close to his chest, knowing this marriage is temporary because there are some sins a man can't expect his wife to forgive.

I love Feehan's Leopard series. She's really one of my favorite authors and this is becoming my favorite series of hers!

Called on a dangerous assignment, leopard shifter Conner Vega returns to the Panama rainforest of his homeland, looking every bit the civilized male. But as a member of the most lethal of the shifter tribes, he doesn’t have a civilized bone in his body. He carries the scent of a wild animal in its prime, he bears the soul-crushing sins of past kills - and he’s branded by the scars of shame inflicted by the woman he betrayed.

Isabeau Chandler’s a Borneo shifter who’s never forgiven Conner - or forgotten him. The mating urge is still with her, and when she crosses Connor’s path, passions run like wild fire. But as Connor’s mission draws Isabeau closer, another betrayal lies waiting in the shadows - and it’s the most perilous and intimate one of all.
Lora Leigh's Elite Ops are quite simply smokin' hot! I love her alpha heroes! Yum!

The Secret Service can’t control him. The British government can’t silence him. But renegade agent Travis Caine is one loose cannon you don’t want to mess with, so his commanders cut him a break—and cut him loose. His new HQ is America’s top intelligence force, Elite Ops. His new code name is “Black Jack.” And his new assignment is to die for.

She’s smart, sexy, scintillating—and one of Elite Ops’ savviest agents. Lillian Belle’s code name is “Night Hawk,” and Travis certainly wouldn’t mind flying a few midnight maneuvers with her. But when their mission turns into a red-hot game of danger, deceit, and double-crossed signals, Travis begins to wonder: Can he trust her? Can he resist her?

And the long awaited Jonas. I can't wait to see him fall. LOL It's going to be great watching him with his mate!

Bad boy Jonas Wyatt knows it is fate that Rachel becomes his mate. He can sense it. He can also sense her reluctance. But she has little power over the mating heat of the Breeds. It is Jonas's destiny to claim her. And nothing will stop him from having his way.

This is MCarty's Shadow Wrangler series. Jared is the second book. The series is sort of vampires and shapeshifters mixed.


Jared Johnson has always been a force to be reckoned with, first as an outlaw and now as a vampire. Caught in a war between immortals, he doesn't have time to waste, but when a female vampire is attacked, he can't just walk away. He expects a quick good­bye, but what he gets is a vulnerable woman who intrigues and seduces while giving away nothing of the secrets holding her hostage.

Raisa may not have extreme physical strength, but she's been able to survive as a vampire longer than most by keeping to herself. But that's about to change. Forced to accept Jared's protection, Raisa finds it increasingly hard to resist his forbidden allure while keeping the secret that could destroy them both.

So, what are you all looking forward to reading??

Children of the Moon--and a contest!

I couldn't resist blogging about this! I'm so excited to learn that Lucy Monroe has a new book coming out on February 2nd! It's the second book in her Children of the Moon series. The first book, Moon Awakening, was AWESOME. You can read more about that one here: http://lucymonroecotm.com/Book_MoonAwakening.htm

Moon Craving, book 2, is bound to be just as good. Lucy hooked me on her Chrechte Clan. I wasn't sure I'd like a medieval Scottish werewolf series, but that first book was seriously steamy and totally enthralling. I'm excited that book 2 is FINALLY nearly here!

(and what's not to love about that cover?!)

New Children of the Moon Book from Lucy Monroe

Moon Craving
Feb 2010 - Berkley Sensation
ISBN-13: 978-0425233047
Children of the Moon Book 2



If it were up to him, Talorc—laird of the Sinclair clan and leader of his werewolf pack— would never marry. But when the king orders that Talorc wed an Englishwoman, the lone wolf is shocked to find his mate in the strong-willed Abigail. And after an intensely climactic wedding night, the two fiercely independent souls sense an unbreakable bond…



Deaf since childhood, Abigail hopes to keep her affliction from Talorc as long as possible. And for his part, he has no intention of telling her about being a werewolf. But when Abigail learns that the husband she’s begun to love has deceived her, it will take all of his warrior’s strength—and his wolf’s cunning—to win his wife back. And Talorc will have to face his biggest challenge yet: the vulnerability of a man in love…

Read an Excerpt

Buy the Book

Watch the Book Trailer




As a special thank you to readers, Lucy is giving away a prize pack of pamper yourself products and paranormal romance. All you have to do to enter is send an email with Moon Craving Contest in the subject line to moon_craving at yahoo dot com before February 28th, 2010. The drawing will be held March 1st and the winner will be announced on her blog at http://www.lucymonroeblog.blogspot.com/

Insecure? Check this out!

Yesterday I took a little writing break and tuned in to the Biography channel. They were doing a wonderful piece on author, Anne Rice. Have to admit I was fascinated with her story. She began writing in the 70's and her very first book? Interview With The Vampire. Her story wasn't much different than the stories we hear about lots of authors. She put together the book of her heart but couldn't sell it. She faced rejection after rejection. Naturally, that really caught my attention because MOST writers go through this.

Finally, she hooked a publisher for the story. Good for her! She was paid an advance of roughly $12,000 for the work, which at the time was pretty good money. She'd been living with her family in California but yearned to return to her roots in New Orleans. It wasn't until she wrote her third book (with a hefty advance of half a million) that her family could actually afford to relocate.

I don't think anyone can argue with the great successes she has had in her very long career. What I found really interesting was that reviewers and critics hated her work. They found it too flowery and that it was overly dramatic or purple-prosey. From all accounts she took this criticism to heart. She HATED being raked over the coals this way. Still..it didn't matter. Her stories flew to the tops of the bestseller's lists and readers loved her. Movies were made and money rolled in. YAY for Anne!

I'll admit that most of my reviews are pretty good but there HAVE been a few bad ones. They just killed me. They hurt my heart! Yes, I realize (and have been told repeatedly by friends) that this is just ONE person's opinion but I don't think it really hit me until yesterday how very true that is. To think that an author of Rice's popularity would worry about the scathing reviews of ONE PERSON makes me shake my head. Hell, all of us would love to find the success she has had over the years!

In other news: Today my husband and I celebrate our 27th wedding anniversary. He was in his first year of law school when we married in Houston, Texas to very little pomp and ceremony. Because of time constraints and yes, money, we married in the home of a local Justice of the Peace. He wore a nice suit and I wore a pretty but very average dress. There were no witnesses or friends or wedding cakes or gifts but we were fine with that. We were in love and we saw our lives spread out before us with infinite possibility. Now two kids later, happy successful careers for both of us, we are finally a couple again instead of a couple-with-kids. Once again, we are seeing the adventure ahead and it's nice.

Check out the BIG SALE at Ellora's Cave!!! All books featuring Vamps and Shifters are marked down drastically for Halloween. If you haven't read my shifter stories, now is a great time to pick up either Feral Moon, Highland Beast, Lone Star Lycan or Ringo's Ride. The sale won't last much longer so check em out. Hot shifters for a pittance. How can you go wrong?

reading...and other stuff!

I have a new favorite! "Born of Night" by Sherrilyn Kenyon is by far the best book I've read this year! Fantastic beginning to (hopefully) a fantastic new series!

A blurb:

In the Ichidian Universe, The League and their ruthless assassins rule all. Expertly trained and highly valued, the League Assassins are the backbone of the government. But not even the League is immune to corruption ...

Command Assassin Nykyrian Quikiades once turned his back on the League—and has been hunted by them ever since. Though many have tried, none can kill him or stop him from completing his current mission: to protect Kiara Zamir, a woman whose father’s political alliance has made her a target.

As her world becomes even deadlier, Kiara must entrust her life to the same kind of beast who once killed her mother and left her for dead. Old enemies and new threaten them both and the only way they can survive is to overcome their suspicions and learn to trust in the very ones who threaten them the most: each other.

The second book is due out November 3rd and I've already preordered it! I can't wait!

If you aren't sure you'll like it, you can read the first 100pages for free on this site

Also, you can read more about The League series here

***

Next, I have to mention this because it's driving me crazy. Have you seen Barnes & Noble's new Nook? Reminds me a LOT of the Kindle. It looks really nice, but the part that got me is this:

Lend eBooks to friends.
nook lets you loan eBooks to friends, free of charge. Remember, what goes around comes around.

Um, how is that okay?? Is it just me or does that seem like a really BAD thing for epubbed authors??

***

The last thing I want to mention. My website. It's been revamped and I've been busy adding and tweaking. Not only can you read the first chapter of ALL my current releases, but you can also see an image (hot hunk) of what *I* think the hero in each of my books looks like. And you can also read one of my favorite quotes by each of those sexy guys! Here's an example

There are a few pages without images and quotes still, but I'm working on it! Searching out the right hunk is a long dirty process. LOL

Things to look forward to.....

Its fall, it gets darker earlier, it's getting cooler (well it SHOULD be getting cooler. Not so much in So Cal), but this is the time of year I love relaxing with a good book or movie. Here are a few things I'm looking forward to in the next few weeks.



Lacey Alexander has a new good coming out November 3. I love, love, love her erotic romances. Their scorching hot, but also emotional. I can't get enough of her books and I know this one won't be any different.




Yep, I'm a Twilight girl. The first movie disappointed me, but I have really high hopes for the second. It's got a bigger budget, and the special effects I've seen so far have FAR surpassed what they did in the first movie. I will be one of those women in line with my friends to see the movie at Midnight the night before it officially releases.



Nothing is as relaxing and enjoyable for me as listening to live music. One of my favorite singers, Bobby Long will be in town next week and I'm giddy with excitement to see him again. Think in the vein of Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen or Tom Waits. Though not signed yet, he's phenomenal. Give it a listen. Above is one of my favorite songs by him, Sad Woman Blues.

********

Lastly, Desiree Holt has a new release available today! You don't want to miss this one!




Rachel Windsor knew nothing about Gabriel Peralta except that he was walking sex appeal. He blew into her life without notice, here today then always gone on a puff of wind. But each time he appears, he does things to her body that even her fantasies haven’t conjured up, driving her to orgasms that shake her like a raging storm. His mouth knows every inch of her body. The imprint of his intimate kisses linger long after he disappears.

Now he’s back again, his life unexpectedly on the line. But even in the danger zone his sexual demands are more scorching than ever and this time, Rachel is determined not to lose him—or the erotic lifestyle that binds them.

Available

"I don't even look at the cover"

The title of this post is what my oldest daughter said to me when I told her I couldn't wait to see a cover for my upcoming book "Body Rush", which comes out June next year. I personally LOVE getting new covers. It's a real thrill to see that image, it makes it real.

But when Kati said she doesn't care what's on a cover, it's the blurb that counts, it got me to thinking. Do you think this is a new generation thing? I mean, teenagers are all about gadgets. Cell phones and iPods. I'm pretty sure a lot of the books they read is based partly on the fact that their friend recommended it. When I asked her 'doesn't an appealing cover make you want to pick up the book and find out what it's about?' she sort of shrugged and said, 'Not really. It could be plain as dirt with only the title and the author's name and it would be fine with me.'

I had to stop and think back over the many MANY books I've read and I can honestly say there weren't that many that had plain covers. A few of Nora Roberts, a few Sandra Browns. But those were authors I bought because they were auto-buys, so in those cases the covers mattered little. Most of the authors I read these days have covers that made me want to know more. In fact, one of my newest favorite authors (who shall not be named) had such a horrid cover that it took one of reader friends to practically shove the book at me before I would even read it. She swore I'd love it. Finally, even though I hated the cover, I read the darn thing. Of course, I loved it!

So, I'm not like my daughter, I guess. Seems I AM a cover snob. That's not a good thing either. LOL Maybe it's because I like art in general. I don't know. But it's a sad, sad day to realize I'm not quite as open-minded as my kid.

Thankfully, this old dog CAN learn new tricks. From this day forward I vow to be a bit less picky. I'm going to make it a new rule for myself. Right underneath 'eat less chocolate' I'll be sure to read at least one book a week that has a plain/ugly/strange/ cover.

After all, it's always the unremarkable that ends up being...remarkable. :)

Pick the Alpha...This Guy or The Other One

Okay, I'm being silly. Of course, hunky, lickable Clive Owen is the alpha male here. Right? Earlier this week Anne was talking about Alpha heroes and I started thinking about it. Do we decide someone is an alpha male because of the way he looks? Been wondering. Now who's to say yummy Clive wouldn't run crying like a sissy girl at the first sign of trouble and we might be shocked to our toes to see this 'slobberly dude' ditch the bowl of cheetoes from his lap and leap into the fray like a ninja warrior!

You think?

I'm wondering if we equate way too many things to how a person looks. I commented the other day about the movie The Mist. I watched it with the family a few weekends ago. Hated the movie. Soooo not my cup of tea. Thomas Janes was fine looking as the Alpha hero of the movie that revolved around creatures lurking in a heavy mist. He is stuck in the local grocery store with his little boy and a host of other townspeople. Everyone who ventures out into the mysterious fog gets slammed by the alien creatures in the most intensely gruesome way possible. Now here's where I get to my dilemma on the whole Alpha Male thing. There was this character whom I called 'the little dude' through the entire movie. An assistant manager at the grocery store, he was small, wore glasses, seemed very unassuming. For the most part the store manager or others laughed at him, rolled their eyes at everything he said and basically treated him like crap. BUT.....when the bad stuff started going down, he was the first guy to leap into action. He blasted bad guys with amazing accuracy and dove into situations that left the big, bad tough guys shaking in their boots.

I loved him. After awhile, I began to kind of ignore the hero because the 'little dude" was just so kickass I couldn't wait to see what terribly brave thing he might do next.

Guess I'm wondering, why do we necessarily equate an Alpha Man with Alpha Looks? Are we really that shallow or are we just programmed to think of an alpha male as being gorgeous?

Villains, Anti-Heroes, and Bad Boys...Why We Love Them

Admittedly, I have a thing for bad boys. A lot of us do. There is something so compelling about them and I find myself wanting to "fix him", ask him why he feels he must do the things he does. Is it something in his past that makes him terrify and seduce almost simultaneously? Over the years, my favorite characters to watch in movies and television or read about in books have been anti-heroes and yes, sometimes villains.

Lately, I've been absorbed with the HBO series True Blood, based on Charlaine Harris' Southern Vampire Series and I can't take my eyes off of Eric Northman, the Viking vampire bad-boy, in the show. So yes, I'm firmly in Camp Eric. Why? Vampire Bill is super handsome, a southern gentleman and is totally yummy but the sad fact is, he just isn't a layered character. He lays everything about himself 'out there' and therefore, seems to have little depth. On the other hand, we KNOW Eric the Viking has a mysterious past. Outwardly he is aloof, distant, deadly and seductive, yet we see just tiny glimpses of humanity and wonder about them. We wonder about his story and what moves him.

Over the years, we've been treated to these delicious, intriguing characters and many times we are moved to tears when their stories are finally revealed to us. Several years ago, I got caught up in the HBO show Deadwood. Al Swearingon (played by Ian McShane) kept me rivetted. No he wasn't necessarily sexy but there was this outwardly evil/inwardly vulnerable aspect to the character. Perfectly played by McShane, we wondered at a man who could kill without blinking yet secretly, completely behind the scenes, do something GOOD. When his character was in a scene, he filled the screen. I felt the same way about Vic Mackey (played brilliantly by Michael Chikliss) in The Shield. Yes, we know he is bad and does bad things but every now and then we saw his good side and loved him for it.

These are just a few of my all time favorite villains. Who are your favorite bad boys or anti-heroes and why do YOU think we love them so much?

Books I Want!

Okay, I think I've said this before, but in case you all missed it, I'm a VERY impatient reader!! I hate to wait for my favorite authors' books to release. Yes, I know how long it takes to write a story, but come on! I need my books!! LOL

So, here's my list of 'I NEED IT NOW!'

Feb. '10

I love this series!

Jan. '10

I can't say I love this series, but I do enjoy it.

Dec. '09

I love The Ghostwalkers.

The last book "Murder Game" was the best one yet!

Feb. '10

Lucy Monroe is the author and I've been waiting forever for book 2.

I'm beyond thrilled to see it'll be released soon!

Nov. '09

my birthday month, yay!

Someone on here told me to try this author. Well, I did.

I got totally hooked and bought every book she ever wrote. LOL

Feb. '10

What's with all these books coming out in February? LOL

I'm not into Urban Fantasy, but the first book in this series "Angels' Blood" was awesome!!! I can't wait for book 2!

So, what books are you all looking forward to??

hair color on your hero--and a contest!

So, I've been reading Lora Leigh's Wizard Twins. They're older books, I know, but there are several of her older Ellora's Cave books that I don't have yet. Working my way through her backlist has been such fun. I'm going to hate when I'm caught up and will have to wait for each new release! LOL

Anyway, in "When Wizards Rule" the twins have blond hair. I'm finding as I read that I'm changing their hair to dark in my mind. LOL It got me curious if others do that as well. I don't know what it is, I just like dark hair on my heroes. In real life it doesn't matter. In fact, my husband has closely cropped gray hair and I love it. I can't imagine him with dark hair now. It'd seem too strange. Still, when I read, those sexy alpha males have jet black hair. Usually a little messy, not too long, just about collar length. It matters little what the author actually wrote, I just make up my own hair color as I read. LOL

Am I the only one who does this? Does it matter what color hair the hero has or do you just go with the flow? How big a deal is it to you, the reader? And what about red hair? Have you ever read a sexy hero with red hair? I really don't think I have. Why is that? And as for my own writing. I can't really recall ALL of my heroes at the moment, but they don't all have dark hair. In fact, in the WIP I recently finished the hero is bald.

Today only I'm running a contest. Why? Just because I felt like it. *grin* Answer the question below in the comments section and you're entered to win an ebook. The winner will get to choose from my list of current releases, which you can see here. The winner will be announced tomorrow right here!

Does it matter to you what color hair your heroes have?

Why Do We Write?

I was chatting on a loop the other day and an interesting discussion began. Still thinking about it today. Most of us write because we enjoy it and we have a story to tell. The story we eventually create might even be published somewhere. After that, there are no guaratees about anything. It could be well recieved or roundly panned and most of us pretty much know right off the bat, we aren't gonna get rich off of it.

I'm going to attempt to corral my scattered thoughts into some little bit of order here and apply this discussion into series writing. How do you feel when you buy the second or third or even fourth book in a series and find a favorite character has suddenly done a 180 degree turn? In books one, two, and three you've gotten teasing glimpses of a man who is tortured, rugged, tough, and BIG TIME alpha. The author has described him this way and whetted your interest. Finally his book comes out and he's suddenly different. He's into rainbows, puppy dogs, and long walks on the beach. Are you disappointed? Hell yeah, you're disappointed. You wanted to find out how this guy ticks. What is his past? How can the heroine reach into his tortured soul and heal him with her love and lots of really great sex?

That's pretty disappointing stuff to a reader and, as for me, I probably wouldn't buy this author again. But it's the authors' perogative, right? This is her book, her series. Does she owe her readers, her fans, any consideration at all? I mean, she is the creative force behind the series and this is her literary baby so why can't she change her characters up if she wants?

I guess the question of the day is....does an author owe anything to her readers? Personally, I think she DOES. How would you feel if I invited you to a full out Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings and then you show up and I serve a baloney sandwich? Are you disappointed? Probably. But then, this is my house and I can serve what I want, right?

I believe, as writers, we owe something to our readers. It's an expectation thing. Yes, I have created this character and now I must be true to him. He'll surely be flawed but redeemable. He'll be hot and sexy and yes, he MIGHT like rainbows and puppy dogs and long walks on the beach but those would only be small facets his character, they won't overwhelm the picture I've already painted in previous books.

Trying to GET THIS

Okay, I don't want to offend anyone here but for some time now, I've been trying to figure out the appeal of male/male books to heterosexual female readers. Some of my best friends have been gay guys and I know books about them and their sexual/love relationships are all over the internet these days. That's good. In a free and open society every kind of love story imaginable should be readily available but you'd think these would be marketed to gay men , wouldn't you? Straight women are buying them up and devouring them.

I'll confess, I like my heroes straight and I want him to find the woman of his dreams. I've never bought a m/m book, though I HAVE read scenes before. So can someone out there please tell me what the appeal is? Not for the gay male reader but for the straight female. These days you can go to just about any publisher site and find their home pages full of hunks in a hot embrace on about half the covers. So I've been wondering...why do straight women love these stories?

In the Meantime:
Reviews are coming in for Lone Star Lycan, Book Two of the High Plains Shifters series at Ellora's Cave. So many thanks to Amethyst Nymph at Literary Nymphs for the Five Nymph review! Here's a bit of what she had to say:

Regina Carlysle has come up with a winner in Lone Star Lycan. Readers won’t be able to put the book down without finding out what happens next. The sexual attraction between Quinn and Joe is impossible to ignore and draws readers in like ants at a picnic. The immediate connection this couple shared left me longing to hear more stories about Joe’s Lycan friends, and I intend to be first in line for whatever this author publishes next.

Read the full review HERE!

Melinda at Night Owl Reviews gave LSL a Five and named it a Reviewer's Top Pick! YAY! Here is a bit of what she thought:

Oh my god Regina Carlisle not only created a great story but so much heat it leaps off the pages. I loved the whole paranormal shapeshifter aspects of this book and so didn’t want it to end. Quinn is one lost woman who only wants one thing and that is love. I loved that Joe is all man she needs but she is afraid of falling in love for the first time. Lone Star Lycan is a smoking hot read from the talented Regina Carlysle. This was a definitely a keeper for this reader.

Read the full review HERE!

E-Book v Mini Netbook

In case everyone is wondering where Anne got off to, she's on a well deserved family vacation this week and being the good buddies were are, Kelley and I have been filling in for her but she'll be back next week feeling so frisky we'll wanna slap her! Ummm....just kiddin' Anne! You know we'd never do THAT but allow us to be a little jealous. Okay?

Soooo I'll take Anne's day and her space to announce I am getting a new computer. Don't know when it'll arrive but I can tell you right now, I'm ready to kick this old one I'm using right out the damn window. Don't get me wrong...we have several computers in the house. Besides mine there are two other desktops and they are both new but they aren't in my ROOM. I need something in here in case I want to work on a spectacular masterpiece (Allow me my dreams please). I've always gotten the leftover computer. Someone gets a new computer and the old one is given to me. I don't know how that trend started exactly but it SUCKS. Soooo, finally, finally it's my turn to get something that has that great 'new computer smell'.

While my mind is geared toward gadgets, I've been wondering about something. Several friends have gotten these mini-netbooks. The ones pictured here are Dells but there are plenty of other brands out there. These friends not only can slip them in their purses so they can take care of business while on the road but they can read pdf format books on them just fine. The only difference is you scroll down instead of turning a virtual page. Most of these little beauties cost around $300. Not bad for something you can do so many things with...including READ.

Now there may be die-hard 'page turners' out there who prefer an e-book reader. We all know the Kindle and the Sony top of the line versions are plenty expensive, ranging in price from $400 to $300. Other ebook readers are making their debut as well. Tons are coming on the market with very attractive prices. The Cool-Er e-book reader shown here costs around $250 and comes in many, many mouthwatering colors. Neat, huh? Plug Cool-ER ebook reader into your browser and check out their site.

Most of you know, I have an e-bookwise which definitely serves the purpose. It's a little heavier than most readers but does have a backlight, which I love. Still, I'm lusting after something a bit fancier.

Lately, I've been leaning toward just getting the 10" screen mini netbook. For the price, it'll do more. I love the idea of traveling with something small enough to carry in my purse that fills so many functions. For the price difference, this seems the better deal to me. What do ya'll think?

The lure of the bad boy

I want to explore what exactly it is that draws to those bad, bad boys. In a lot ways that old saying 'good guys finish last' really is true. I know personally, when I'm reading a book it's those cocky, troubled past, or current bad boys who make me swoon. I was watching True Blood last night (holy crap I love that show) and Eric is one bad vamp but I think he's hot as hell. Something about the guy just totally does it for me. On the other hand, I like Bill too. To me, Bill isn't the typical good guy. He has a very bad past and I find that part of him pretty damn hot. In some ways, that bad boy is lingering under his surface, he's trying to bury him but I think he's there waiting to break free.

Is it the woman in me who thinks I'm going to be the one to change these bad boys? I've heard that before but in my case, I don't think so because honestly, I don't think I would want them to change. LOL. Is it the danger or the edge? I know I always live my life by the rules. I'm pretty much a good girl through and through and maybe there's a bad girl inside me begging to break free. Maybe its my inner bad girl who longs to have that bad boy show her all his wicked ways? Or maybe it's that I want to live vicariously through them. Maybe, like always I'm reading way too much into this and it's just that they happen to all be so damn hot!

Are you attracted to bad boy? What is it that lures you to those delicious bad boys?

Kicking a Dead Horse

*sighhhhh*
I'm 'speed posting' today because my poor old computer keeps shutting off every 10 minutes or so. We have several in the house but this one is in my office and I've grown attached to it. Better get 'un-attached' really quick because this one is about to bite the dust.

I've been thinking about something lately. When does an author know that it's time to pull the plug on a series? Personally, I adore series because it's like this endless story that just keeps on giving. But at what point is it just not fun anymore? There are some really popular series going on out there but, frankly, I've quit buying some of them. By the time an author gets to about...oh, let's say...10 of these books, I'm pretty much over it.

Guess the reason I'm mulling this over is because I have started my own series and I'm wondering how this all works. So far, sales on the first book are rocking, the second book is out and the third comes out in August. Wonder if I'll just get 'a feeling' that it's time to move on? Will people stop buying therefore telling me they are DONE with it? Hey, I just don't know. Like I said, this is new for me so I'm waiting to see how this all unfolds.

Here's what I'm thinking about this so far. As long as the stories for the series keep coming, I'll write them but I'm ALSO thinking that working in another series or a few single titles into the mix is a smart idea. By the time, I'm fairly ho-hum about starting another, I figure I'll know when to quit. If I'm bored, I guaran-damn-tee ya, my readers will be too.

Lately, I'll see a new book in series that seems to have been out there for umpteen gazillion years and just roll my eyes. They kick that dead horse repeatedly trying to raise him from the dead when, in my view, it's time to walk away and do something else.

go ahead, try it! I dare ya!

So, I've jumped onto the urban fantasy bandwagon. This genre really isn't my thing, mostly because there isn't any romance. I want romance. I live for romance books!

However, I was starting to get jittery for another Nalini Singh book. I'd read her recent release "Branded by Fire" and loved it, of course, and was dying for more of this fabulous author. So, I went out to her site to search around. Thing is, I've read all her Psy-Changeling books, but I've never read her Guild Hunters series. So, I bought the first one in the series, "Angel's Blood". Fantastic book!! It's actually urban fantasy romance, so there IS some romance going on. I wouldn't say there's as much as in her Psy-changeling books, but we do have some bad ass fellas in this boook that had me sweating. The hero, Raphael, yum. And to think I almost didn't buy it! That would have been a huge mistake. I should have known Nalini Singh wouldn't write a bad book. The frustrating thing is, the next book in the series doesn't release until September. And it's only a novella. After that we have to wait until next year to get another full length. Next year?? I'm not that patient!! LOL I want more now, damn it!

Anyway, this all got me curious. Am I the only one trying new things around here or what? Have you ventured outside your box lately? Read anything you swore you'd never read?

Now that I've read my first urban fantasy romance I'm looking to try more. Any suggestions? Remember, they NEED to have some romance. I'm going shopping today, so give me a list! LOL