Book Junkie: November 2009

Happy Birthday Book Bash... 35 Book Giveaway!!!

A HUGE THANKS TO LEONTINE FOR THE ABOVE BANNER! SHE ROCKS!!!

Giveaway & Guest Author Tina Donahue

Today I am thrilled to have Tina Donahue on Book Junkie! I able to get my hands on Adored by Tina and it was FANTASTIC! You can read my review HERE. Tina is here today to talk about ............

Call me Old-Fashioned, but I Like the Guy to Do the Pursuing. . .

Don’t get me wrong. I love the strides women have made since the Women’s Lib movement started in the sixties. There’s few occupations denied us – in this economy, many women are now earning more than their significant others.

However, when it comes to romance – being swept off your feet, feeling your heart pounding and palms sweating – I want the guy to be in charge. And no, I don’t mean that the woman is goading him into it by being seductive or playing mind games. I mean he likes her so much and wants her so badly, he initiates the action, he pursues, he conquers.

Yum. Since middle school, I’ve seen the opposite happen. Girls making the first moves, young women taking the initiative, females fighting over the same guy all while the guy sits back and grins.

Not for me. I want an old-fashioned romance where you feel the guy looking at you and when your eyes meet his, his gaze smolders with passion. His touch is deliciously possessive. His kiss says there’s no other woman like you – you’re so unique to him that you’re not only desired, you’re adored.

That’s what I’ve always wanted and had before losing my husband to an unexpected illness. God rest his soul, he made me feel special. That’s the theme I tried to convey in my novel Adored. Danni, my heroine is tired of lying, cheating, unfaithful men and the BS that comes with too many relationships. She wants a man who craves her, who sees no other woman – just her.
It’s not too much to ask for. I think women have become so strong and independent that many of them have convinced themselves they can do without the magic of a truly special relationship, the toe-curling, pulse pounding kind.

I wish they wouldn’t sell themselves short, and that men would start to take the initiative again. I’m not talking about stalking or the scary if-I-can’t-have-you, no-one-can kind of sick behavior. That’s not romance or love. I’m speaking of a man who knows what he wants, who goes after it, and when he understands that the woman desires him as much as he wants her, it doesn’t scare him in the least. He celebrates it.

Don’t settle for anything less. Go for the gold. In Adored, Danni did. Here’s the blurb and an excerpt: Adored – A shameless fantasy come true… When tall, dark and delicious Adam Farrell crosses Danni’s radar at a trade show in Vegas, it’s not lust at first sight. He’s been the star of her wicked fantasies for a while, pleasuring her in acts of domination and submission that leave her breathless. Aching for his masterful touch, believing she’ll never have it, Danni indulges in a public sex act Adam alone witnesses. What follows is a night of wild and unrestrained passion in his powerful arms. It’s only the beginning. An undisclosed business deal has turned Adam from competitor to Danni’s new boss. His hunger for her is absolute and he’ll make her fantasies seem tame as he takes her in ways she never imagined – whenever he wants, wherever he desires.Seduced by Adam’s plan to mix exquisite control with adoration, Danni’s swept into a sensual adventure she can’t resist. Until corporate politics intrude and she learns what Adam’s been hiding to protect her. . .a secret he’s long feared will tear them apart.

EXCERPT:

“Danni,” he said again, more softly this time.

With no place to run, she looked at him. His eyes searched hers as if he wanted to make certain she wouldn’t cry. She didn’t want pity so she feigned confusion. “What?”

“What else?” he murmured and moved into her gently, cupping her face in his large hands. His knees touched hers, their hips joined. Hard male flesh blocked any escape.

Her silver purse slipped through her fingers and fell against the carpeting with a faint slap.“I didn’t mean to upset you,” he said.

She swallowed. “You didn’t. I’ll wait for the next ride.”

“I’m not talking about that.” His clean breath whispered against her. “I didn’t mean to run you away a few minutes ago or in the showroom. I followed you to the elevator because I had to be with you. The look I saw on your face during the show was one I’ve wanted to put there for so damn long. But if that’s not what you really want, tell me to stop and I will.” His voice, hungry and thick, betrayed his struggle for control.

Stunned, Danni ached to go with the moment, to indulge herself, just as she had in her fantasies or those early days with Bryan and Matt. Without warning, painful memories jolted her, and the words spilled out. “You’re not involved with anyone, are you, Adam? I won’t help a guy cheat and hurt another woman. I know what it’s like to be betrayed, and it will never happen to me again.”

“Oh, Danni.” He sighed and brought back his hands.

Her stomach sank so fast it made her queasy. She moved away.

Adam pulled her right back, slipping his hand beneath her hair to cradle the side of her neck. His thumb rubbed the edge of her scalp, sending a tremor down her spine. “No,” he said, his voice soft. “I’m not married, engaged, promised or even going steady and I’m glad you’re not either. To be honest, I haven’t had a date in months. I’ve been too busy with—” He paused and sighed again. “Work’s been taking every minute I have. When I do get a moment alone, I crash. Do you think I prowl hotel showrooms so I can pounce on unsuspecting women?”

She leaned her head into his stroking, amazed it was happening, and spoke on a sigh. “Of course not. I thought one of the models invited you backstage.”

“Tonight?”

“You weren’t in your seat.”

His eyes widened in understanding. “Like I said before, I had to take a call.” Again, he paused and added, “About work. This thing that’s coming—”

“No.” She rested her fingertips on his lips, awed by their silkiness. “Don’t explain. Please. You don’t have to. I don’t want you to.” Good god, she didn’t want to be the kind of woman who policed a man. “Adam, I believe you.” Maybe she’d end up hating herself, she had in the past with other men, but she couldn’t deny herself this moment with him. “Can we just start over?” She lowered her hand and molded her length to him. He inhaled deeply. So did she, catching a whiff of his shirt. It smelled of sunshine, as if he’d dried it in a warm breeze. Beneath it, she detected the faintest scent of male musk and trembled involuntarily. “I don’t want you to stop.”

His lips brushed her throat, making her moan. “Believe me, I won’t. You’re not getting away from me for the rest of the night.” He eased back so he could see her face. “Agreed?”Her heart raced at his touch and what lay ahead. “Agreed.”

“Good.” His smile faded. “Now about your fantasy.”

She hadn’t expected him to mention it and wasn’t certain whether to be embarrassed or intrigued. “You want to act out your part?”

“I want a woman who’s with me all the way, not one who’s letting me do all the work while she’s daydreaming about other guys. Fuck that. I damn well don’t share what’s mine.”His territorial manner excited her, the same as his commanding tone. Still, she wasn’t averse to yanking his chain a bit more to see what might happen. “What man does?”

“I’m different, Danni.” He pulled her close, his arm tightening around her waist, his strength barely contained. Angling his mouth over hers, his kiss went straight to possession. She could barely whimper as his tongue filled her mouth. No fantasy ever matched this. He held her so tightly they had to take turns breathing. His tongue probed hers and swept over her teeth. He tasted of peppermint and the faintest hint of champagne offered at the show. His hot, bristly cheeks rasped her skin. A gentle punishment. Visions of cinchers and leather bindings and uncivilized male lust rose unbidden, in defiance of what he’d said. Danni entertained them all, because he starred in each to the exclusion of any other man.

To buy Adored, click here.

Want your chance to win a paperback copy of Tina's book Close to Perfect, a sensual contemporary romance from Kensington. You can find more details about Close to Perfect here

***GIVEAWAY RULES***

1 to Comment on how YOU feel about men being the pursuer
+5 For Being a Follower
+7 For subscribing via e-mail to Book Junkie (check my sidebar)
+20 for Hitting this button below and entering the Great Kindle Giveaway
**Winner chosen 12/07 **

Review : Adored by Tina Donahue

Tina Donahue made me cry. She did really! She made me cry all the way through the end of Adam & Danni's story and a little at the beginning too. In Adored, Adam and Danni are both at a Trade Show in Vegas, having known each other and been polite and friendly for a couple of years while working for different companies Danni has lusted after Adam for some time. Not acting herself she gives him a little show of her own in the audience during one of the runway shows. Little did she know she was doing it, which is the great part, she thought she was hidden as she pleasured herself while everyone watched the show. Everyone but Adam that is. He was watching Danni, much to her mortification. And it just gets better and better from there because Adam isn't about to let her out of his grasp now. Warning you now, if you don't like a little BDSM this isn't for you. It is light and oh so delicious but a part of the story non the less.
My first tear shed when just in the elevator Danni reveals her fantasy to Adam, loving the fast paced way Ms. Donahue advances their confrontation of mutual attraction, it was a really pivotal scene for me as Danni reveals a little more than a fantasy to him, she reveals a little bit of Danni too. The scene that clinched it for me? ........

"Adam inched closer. “You like the feel of me inside of you? Of three men using you?” Her gaze stopped trailing down him. Using her? His words surprised and hurt. A part of her knew he didn’t mean them in a bad way but she wished he hadn’t said them at all. Meeting his eyes, she spoke in a measured voice. “I play the submissive, but I’m the one in control of my fantasies. And I don’t allow anyone to use me.....“Okay,” he conceded, “bad choice in words. Pleasured. Aroused.”“Adored.” He hesitated. “I don’t understand. You mean worshipped?”
“I mean noticed, Adam.” God, she was so angry suddenly and couldn’t stop. “Singled out. Chosen. Call it what you like. I prefer to think of it as being adored. I know it’s only for sex, but few drives are more selfish, and in my fantasy three men are focused solely on me. Not one of my friends, not another woman I never met before and might have liked if I hadn’t found her in bed with my boyfriend. Finally, I have all the attention. I don’t have to worry about being lied to or cheated on like I was with Bryan or Matt. I don’t have to—”

But it story of Adam and Danni wasn't all hot and heavy sex (which I myself adore), the two were in for a little test or two when it came to relationships and trust. Adam's company is merging or actually you can say taking over Danni's. Just finding out the news moments before he witnesses her self indulgent display at the Trade Show he is hard pressed to tell her since he doesn't want it to shadow anything that might happen between the two. The fun part is watching them work their way past these issues only to come to another obstacle. Adam's boss wants to use Danni for her ideas giving her 7 weeks to put together the new design for the line then fire her. So torn is Adam not wanted to lie to Danni and use her. What will happen, I just can't tell you kiddies, but what I can say is that from the opening chapter of this book I was captured by my Danni's heart and her one desire to be adored, loved and respected. Watching Adam struggle over and over with his dilemma trying to fix things his way was entertaining and heartbreaking at the same time with both characters capturing you and snaring you in their web of love and desire. The drama is just as delicious at the sex!

SYNOPSIS:"A shameless fantasy come true… When tall, dark and delicious Adam Farrell crosses Danni’s radar at a trade show in Vegas, it’s not lust at first sight. He’s been the star of her wicked fantasies for a while, pleasuring her in acts of domination and submission that leave her breathless. Aching for his masterful touch, believing she’ll never have it, Danni indulges in a public sex act Adam alone witnesses. What follows is a night of wild and unrestrained passion in his powerful arms. It’s only the beginning. An undisclosed business deal has turned Adam from competitor to Danni’s new boss. His hunger for her is absolute and he’ll make her fantasies seem tame as he takes her in ways she never imagined – whenever he wants, wherever he desires. Seduced by Adam’s plan to mix exquisite control with adoration, Danni’s swept into a sensual adventure she can’t resist. Until corporate politics intrude and she learns what Adam’s been hiding to protect her. . .a secret he’s long feared will tear them apart."

DISCLAIMER

I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me,
in exchange for my HONEST review.
No items that I receive "in kind"
are ever sold...they are kept by me, donated to The Medford Public Library,
or given away on contests on this blog.

Winners! A Courtesan's Scandal & To Desire a Devil...

Hi everyone, I hope you all had a wonderful Hoilday weekend (us folks), I am sad to think we only have one more day before Monday..... but I have two contests winners, or rather 6. There is one winner for A Courtesan's Scandal by Julia London and there are five for To Desire a Devil by Elizabeth Hoyt! So here goes (all winners were chosen via Random.org)

Winner of A Courtesan's Scandal by Julia London is.....

Lyoness2009

Winner for To Desire a Devil by Elizabeth Hoyt, my 5 winners are.....

etirv
elaing8
tetewa
Jane
Heather d

*** emails were all sent out to the winners, please respond w/in 48 hours or I will have to choose a new winner, thanks ***

Knight of Pleasure by Margaret Mallory, CONTEST, 5 Copies to Giveaway!!!....

THE GREATEST PASSION
Lady Isobel Hume is an expert swordswoman who knows how to choose her battles. When the king asks her to wed a French nobleman to form a political alliance, she agrees. But that's before the devilishly charming Sir Stephen Carleton captures her heart-and tempts her to betray her betrothed, her king, and her country.
IS WORTH THE GREATEST PERIL
Sir Stephen Carleton enjoys his many female admirers-until he dedicates himself to winning the lovely Isobel. When a threat against the king leads Isobel into mortal danger, Stephen must prove that he is more than a knight of pleasure ... and that love can conquer all.

Q & A with Margaret Mallory, author of Knight of Pleasure, the second book in the All the King’s Men series.

Q: What inspired you to trade your legal career for writing medieval romance novels? Why?MM: The short answer is that I went into a midlife crisis after two bosses in a row died young and a third got fired. I could have done a lot worse than to come out of it as a novelist.

Q: How has your extensive years in the law affected your writing?
MM: I was a policy wonk; West Wing was my kind of TV show. Since I like political intrigue, you’ll find the medieval version in my books: conspiracies against the king and wily bishops politicking behind the scenes. On occasion, I’ll throw in an issue around property inheritance or marriage laws. By the way, the best legal status for a female in the middle ages was to be a widowed noblewoman with money.

Q: You make the point in your website that you love history, so what role does that play in the All the King’s Men trilogy?
MM: The biggest challenge is to include enough history—and the right bits—to give the reader a sense of being in a different time and place, without being boring. I love to make real historical figures come alive as secondary characters in my books. In my first book, for example, I make my heroine a childhood friend of Prince Harry (later Henry V) and have her taken hostage by the Welsh rebel whose descendent will many years later start the Tudor dynasty. In my third book, I make Henry V’s young widow, a French princess, a close friend of my fictional heroine. The widowed queen begins her true-life affair with Owen Tudor, her Clerk of the Wardrobe, in that book. (If I made this up, no one would believe it.)

Q: You also mention that you visited Alnwick Castle in Great Britain, which is used as a scene in Knight of Pleasure. What is the significance of this castle? Any other momentous places that have made it into your trilogy?
MM: I use several important medieval castles throughout the trilogy. In the first one, Knight of Desire, my heroine spends time in three of the fortresses built by Edward I as a “Ring of Iron” around Wales. Caen Castle in Normandy is the setting for a number of scenes in book 2, Knight of Pleasure. The prologue of Knight of Passion, book 3, is set in the Louvre in Paris, while the English castles of Windsor, Westminster, Eltham and Leicester figure prominently in other parts of the book.

Q: Aside from travel, what other modes of research have you sought out?
MM: I do on-line research, gets books from libraries, and buy a few books on-line. For my third book, websites for the City of London and London Bridge Museums have been very helpful, as well as a book I bought on medieval architecture.

Q: What would you like readers to walk away with after reading your books?
MM: I want to sweep my readers away to another time and place. Women need pleasurable escape reading. I want my book to help them forget about the hassles of their day and to leave them with a warm and satisfying happy ending.

A Little About Margaret Mallory....

MARGARET MALLORY recently surprised her friends and family by abandoning her legal career-and her steady job-to write tales of romance and adventure. At long last, she can satisfy her passion for justice by punishing the bad and rewarding the worthy-in the pages of her novels, of course. She lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband and their two college-age children. KNIGHT OF DESIRE is her first book so she would dearly love to hear from readers.

EXCERPT
"Do you want to learn how to protect yourself?" Stephen asked.
Green eyes sparking with fire, Isobel raised her sword and said, "Teach me."
"You should carry a short blade as well," he instructed as he fended off her attack.
"Why? You think you can knock my sword from my hand?"
"I can. But I will not have to. You will drop it."
He forced her to step back, and back, and back again. She threw her hands up, sending the sword clattering against the wall as she tumbled backward.
"I'm afraid you have the advantage of me," she said, reaching her hand up for him. He took it and sank to his knees beside her.
"Not true, Isobel," he said in a harsh whisper. "'Tis I who am at your mercy."
His eyes fixed on her lips, full and parted. The moment their lips touched, fire seared through him. She was kissing him back, mouth open. Slowly, he lowered his body ...
He froze the instant he felt the prick of cold steel against his neck.
"You are right," Isobel said so close to Stephen's ear that he could feel her breath, "'tis wise to carry a short blade."

KNIGHT OF PLEASURE...2nd Book in All the King’s Men Series by Margaret Mallory
ISBN-10: 0446553387ISBN-13: 978-0-446-55338-4Publisher: Grand CentralRelease date: December 2009Available at Amazon.com BN.com Borders.com Indiebound

***GIVEAWAY***

I have 5 copies of Margaret's Knight of Pleasure with many thanks to Anna @ Hachette!

+1 to Comment

+5 For Being a Follower

+7 For subscribing via e-mail to Book Junkie (check my sidebar)

+10 For Pimping out Contest (leave link, Facebook/blog/Tweet)

+20 for Hitting this button and entering the Great Kindle Giveaway

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL....

Myspace Thanksgiving Comments

Cabin Fever by Alisha Rai

In Alisha Rai's latest release Cabin Fever, Genevieve has some special powers, she can read other people's auras and she can heal others. Pretty cool powers right! Well she doesn't think so. The guilt of her mother's death weighs over her and she feels as though she must live the life of solitude for her penance in her cabin in the woods of West Virginia. That is until handsome Alex is found on her porch one night half frozen to death and bleeding very badly. Not to mention he is unconscious. Genevieve brings him into her cabin and into her life, into her dreams. She uses her powers to help heal him as he lays close to death. Something about him, with help of his peaceful and honest aura let her know that he isn't out to harm her. She is mistrusting of the local police because they are responsible for much of her hurt knowing the last police Chief bestowed upon her and her mother. Fearful yes, but she likes that the town all believe her to be a witch, it has saved her life so far and helps them keep their distance.Alex has had enough, he partner was shot and murdered back in NY and he needs some much needed fresh air and to get the heck away from NY, thinking W.VA. will be just the place, a quite little town, how much danger can there really be after all? After being shot on the side of the road, walking in the woods for two hours and half freezing to death. Only to wake up with a beautiful woman laying next to him. With his own demands Alex and Genevieve slowly begin to open up to one another and page by page I loved being on that journey with them. Alex's understanding and accepting heart when it came to Genevieve no matter how hard she fought it. Whether it was her insecurity of her weight or they fact that she wasn't "normal", that she has special powers, Alex loved her regardless. When danger comes back to their door Alex is still too weak to protect her. There is someone who wants to kill them and will stop at nothing to accomplish their task. Held up in the cabin the two learn a little more about trust. Alex trusting in Genevieve that she is capable of handling herself especially with her powers and her feelings. And Genevieve trusting that Alex means what he says, he is an honest and upstanding guy who wants the same things as she does. Thing is Alex is more willing to take the next step with Genevieve even when she fights him tooth and nail all the way. The sex sizzles, the chemistry is on hire and the story line is entertaining! No complaints here, just wanted more, more, more!

4 STARS - A PAGE TURNER, BRING ON THE SEQUEL

Synopsis: "Genevieve Boden is a witch and doesn’t care who knows. The townspeople’s fear of her keeps away those who have hurt her before—like the local men of authority. Besides, a life of exile deep in the woods of West Virginia is due punishment, she figures, for the part she played in her mother’s death. If she’s alone, no one need know that the trauma took away her powers. Then she finds a bloody, fatally wounded man slumped on her porch. In an instant, her healing ability reawakens—and that’s not all. He stirs a hunger beyond her wildest dreams. But a relationship with the new chief of police? Not a chance. Alex Rivera isn’t sure how he survived, but he’s certain his beautiful savior did more than just bandage his wounds. Captivated by this wary angel and stunned by the depth of emotion he feels for her, he vows to discover her secrets. After all, thanks to the raging snowstorm, they have nothing to do but share body heat.
Their sizzling attraction goes straight to their hearts. So could a killer’s bullet…once whoever shot Alex finds them"

Guest Author Michele Sinclair & Giveaway!!

I would like to Welcome Michele Sinclair to Book Junkie today as my Guest Author celebrating her latest release Desiring a Highlander Book 3 from the Highlander Series about the McTiernay Brothers set to release Dec 01 from Kensington Publishing. You can read my review HERE

Michele was kind enough to answer some of my questions about her latest Scottish Highlander Historical Romance which is highly entertaining & yet an emotional and touching love story ….. let’s get started!

If someone were writing a story about Michele Sinclair, what would your blurb say?Hmmm – if they knew me personally? Wow. Slow down. What are you trying to do? Which, then again, if they really knew me, they would know slowing down would be impossible! More seriously, Michele Sinclair desires more than anything to write stories people will enjoy reading (hopefully over and over), but that are relatable as well. That she weaves in hard life’s lessons hoping that they touch someone.

How do you get started with writing a story (as in, how do you start developing the story, how do you get inspired for it)? Do you start with an outline, synopsis, characters; what is your writing process like?I’m not sure. The first story was simple and I didn’t know what I was doing. I write a lot for my day job, so the writing was easy, but I was a novice at the planning aspect of storytelling. I was writing the first chapter and realized the hero had brothers… well, how many? Who? And as I answered this question, their stories unfolded to me. Not in detail, but there they were. When my editor asked me to do a Christmas series (can you write a Christmas book? “Of course!” I replied, not having a CLUE what I would write about…), I thought about it and I had always wanted to write a Beauty and the Beast story because it is my very favorite. So I kind of played around with the idea and what ended up was not a B&B, but something very touching nonetheless. I did research during this time period on Christmas and read something on the 12 Days of Christmas and merged the two concepts together. So usually, I have the story in my mind, just not the details. I know the characters and how they meet and what drives them together. The rest just kinds of comes together. I know. Complete answer? Probably not, but it’s the best I’ve got at the moment!

Can you tell us a little about your newest release Desiring a Highlander?

Ah, all my stories have a theme. The first, The Highlander’s Bride, is a light read that set the premise for the series. These two fun characters show up in active roles in every book and explore sharing personal responsibility. We all have aspects of our lives we feel like we need to shoulder alone, but when you have a partner in life, the miracle is discovering you don’t have to. The second in the series, To Wed a Highlander, focused on pride. How it can strengthen a relationship, but also damage and even destroy it. We all have pride and sometimes we let it stand in the way of getting our heart’s desires. This is the third book in the series and it is about promises. We make promises to ourselves and to others. Sometimes out of instinct to protect ourselves from pain, sometimes in revenge, sometimes to ensure someone is protected, helped, etc. Promises, especially long term ones, can affect how we go about our lives and choices we make. Promises are also something that we need to believe in, trust in, even when circumstances tell us not to. This book explores what promises should you keep and which should you let go…and when. (Plug…Book four explores people’s perception of you and how you assume roles others give you and how they can govern your life.)

Why Historical Romance & is there another genre you would like to explore, You are a big science fiction fan, have you ever thought about crossing over genres? LOL – I started with science fiction actually. But I have read enough good science fiction to realize that what I was putting down…well, wasn’t great. The ideas were good, the plot was there, but the research and my actual knowledge of astronomy and astrophysics was weak (and that’s being nice). But by then the writing bug had bitten me and it was suggested that I should write about something that I did know a lot about. History. And who doesn’t love a good story about people and where there is a happy ending. I was lucky. I found out almost immediately upon scribbling my first book where my true passion for writing was.

When reading a book I often imagine the characters in my head as thought I am watching a movie play out. If you could cast Cole & Ellenor for a movie who would play them on screen

Oh gosh, me too. But the people I envision aren’t anyone I know…Hmm, maybe Gerard Butler with his “300” killer body. He looked huge (and incredible) in that movie. His wife in that movie (Lena Headey) had qualities that I would look for, very feminine yet visible inner strength. Could I merge her and the more youthful Keira Knightley? She in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” trilogy also displayed these qualities, but she doesn’t quite have the full figure…

Do you usually cast your characters (a mental picture) before or after you have started writing? Does it help inspire you and take the story in a different direction?

Interesting question. I have a mental picture of the characters and who they are (quirks, personality, issues…) before I start writing, but I went to a lecture at my local RWA chapter and heard the phrase “Write it wrong till you can write it right.” Wow. So now I just write what the characters tell me. It is like you know what happens…X goes to see Y, they have a fight and Y leaves resulting in X feeling very guilty and afraid they just might have made a big mistake…perhaps the biggest of their life. So I know the gist of the scene, but then I just watch the details in my head and write it down as if I am trying to capture a movie I am seeing. Sometimes it is smooth and sometimes it is jerky, but I have found that you just put it down and move on. Don’t rewrite until the very last chapter and word are complete. Because it isn’t until then, at that moment, do you really know where your characters are going and developing. Then when you go back you write with much more clarity and it is typically pretty straight forward. Otherwise, you get into what I can the rewrite until it is perfect loop—something many find impossible to break.

What is the hardest part for you about creating/continuing on with a series?Hardest part is not getting to write fast enough, believe it or not. When I start a series, I know the stories for all the characters. Maybe not the details, but I know the personalities, and the drive and the catalyst and what I am trying to convey. As I said earlier about the purpose of the books…Book five is about friends, best friends, who have to decide on whether to remain friends or take a risk and be more. Book six is about society’s definition of home and love and can it be something different. I mean is home really where the heart is? And the last is about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). (I work with the military and this is real) and how love can heal even the worst and deepest of wounds. The Christmas series starts with lost hope, the second book is about post partum depression (something I personally dealt with) and the last is who to choose to love (the love triangle with at twist). So you see, they are all in my head and it is just time. I don’t have enough of it. But the series come to me in a flash. All there. I have about 20-30 of them. Argh!

What was your favorite scene to write in Desiring a Highlander?

Hmmm. The whole trip back from England cracks me up. (Oh to be humble…) I think I see me in that situation. Trying unsuccessfully to “make” him do what I want, then having the feeling of euphoria when I best him. The two river scenes are also tons of fun. But, probably the one that emotionally gets to me, is the scene in the chapel. “Cole and I have strong personalities, and if we are to work, we must be friends. The best kind of friends. We need to know that when things happen, there is at least one person whom we can count on--each other. It’s the greatest gift we can give to each other.” It is easier to write, than to do. But oh, what better relationships we would have if all of us could live these words.

If you could be any of your heroine’s who would you be?

Laurel of course! Laurel and Conor’s story was intentionally simple. Fun to read, but not complicated. But these two characters are the cornerstone of the series. How can Laurel and Conor be guiding lights of wisdom for everyone else if they are screwed up? So I didn’t mess with them too much. Laurel is spunky, feisty, beautiful, loved, and just always knows what to do and when. And she is adored by her very macho husband.

What qualities do you look for in your Heroes?

They have to be men. They have to have soft spots that are only really noticeable and understood by very few, and usually don’t open themselves up but rather, the woman sneaks in the back door into their hearts. They want love but don’t feel worthy of it (something I think a lot of us struggle with). Who they are, not what they look like, makes them attractive to their woman. They protect without control, though they like to control. They are strong and can make even a strong woman feel like a “woman.” They are good people who desire good for those around them. They are tolerant, but only to a point and if necessary will draw blood to protect those they love. (notice that none go around attacking until provoked to a point where there is nothing else to be done.) May not be realistic, probably not historically common in this period, but these are my heroes and they have to be such to be love and be loved by the women I write.

Did you ever draw your characters from the personalities in your life?

Of course! Good thing I have tons of material! And my friends have found out that I have no qualms about pilfering their lives too. My Christmas series which is due out next year, the hero is missing an eye and I got the idea from my good friend John who lost his eye in his youth. It is something he still struggles with, and I thought he had long gotten over any issue. The types of hurdles he deals with on a daily basis are reflected in that book as well as the adjustments his wife has to make. Who would have thought? Anyway, I also write characters that I think I WANT to be like or read about. I like strong characters that are feisty and intelligent, so I do take some “educational” liberties (especially with the women). And yet, I struggled with this book, Desiring the Highlander, for a while and it wasn’t until it occurred to me that I really didn’t like the female lead did I realize my problem. Something awful happened to Ellenor, that as a result, I had her becoming weak and paranoid, and…well, when you read about Cole, you will realize (as I did) there was no WAY he was going to fall in love with someone like that. And she was screaming in my mind, this isn’t me! So I listened, and realized Ellenor wasn’t weak as a result of what happened, she was defiant with a strong desire to be independent, letting no one have control or influence of any part of her life. Pretty lonely. That is until she found just the right guy…

Have you ever encountered someone who said, “You write what!!! “?

Uh…yes, most people do because it surprises them that I write something that is so “emotional.” Then, they get thrown with the love scenes—you write THAT? How? Simple, one word at a time. But I have rarely found someone who was critical about it. Most are the opposite and very supportive.

What is the most interesting thing you’ve done in the name of research?

Of course, something comes to mind, but kiss and telling…? Grin, hmmm, I went to Scotland and crawled in these castles. All my layouts are based on real castles. Book three is loosely built around Dunnottarr, which I went to and said this is just so cool. I think I explored every nook and cranny in that place. I don’t know if it is interesting, but most difficult was actually trying some of the food. Uh, yeah. I write that it was delicious. And it is. To my characters…

If you were not writing, what would you be doing?

I have to be doing something. I actually started writing on a fluke. I am creative, but have never been able to keep a journal, so being an author never occurred to me. I have created complicated cross stitch pieces, build large scale HO train models, paint, but all of these were just too juicy to my very small kids, who just begged to “help” me with them. Writing I found that I could escape and create and yet there was nothing tempting to little eager fingers.

For you, what is the hardest part of writing a novel? Concept, Characterization, Plotting, Writing the story, Synopsis/Query letter writing, etc.

Probably nailing down characterization. That probably strikes you as odd after what I wrote above, but I tend to rewrite my outlines quite a bit and usually it is because the characters are not quite right. Personalities drive the story because that is what drives their actions. Get this wrong, there is a domino effect. I got the female lead in this book wrong and had to start all over. I guess sometimes I don’t know if the characters are right until I build them up to the point of meeting and chemistry. When they meet if there isn’t chemistry it is because one of them isn’t right for the other. Then you have to ask, why? Probably one of the harder things is to do an honest assessment of your own story and be willing to delete some great, but not applicable writing/scenes.

If you could ask readers any one question, what would it be?

Silly, but I think I would like to know what characters and scenes they liked best and to know if they are the ones that I like too, or something radically different! What is it about the book(s) they most enjoy? Also I wonder if my readers pick up on my current real-word “themes” because I embed them so they aren’t obvious, but neither are they hidden.

***GIVEAWAY***

To win a signed copy of Michele's Disiring a Highlander, just answer her question above.

+1 to Comment with answer to Michele's question

+5 For Being a Follower

+7 For subscribing via e-mail to Book Junkie (check my sidebar)

+20 for Hitting this button and entering the Great Kindle Giveaway

**Winner chosen 12/07 *

*open to US & Canada*

Desiring a Highlander by Michele Sinclair

I was contacted my Michele Sinclair to read and review her latest and book 3 in the Scottish Highlander Series Desiring a Highlander which is set to release Dec 01 from Kensington. This past year I have become a huge Highlander and Historical Romance fiend if you will. A newer genre for me and I have must admit I am loving every moment. Sinclair takes us on a very sensual romp back to the 14th Century Scottish Highlands with the 3rd installment of her McTiernay brothers, Cole. Oh such a handsome, strong and fiercely sexual man, Cole brings along with him a presence of power and undying loyalty. Which is a problem as well as a virtue for the young McTiernay. Stubborn to the bone in his loathing of the English not only for the brutal death of his best friend Rob, but from years of war and suffering, Cole has a pretty clear disgust for the English. So it was with a little chuckle that he is swindled by his sister in law to pick up Ellenor Howell. Who is VERY English and VERY proud of it. Ellenor has her own baggage and carries it heavy in her heart. Ellenor's sister and brother in law have tried relentlessly to marry her off and be rid of her but to no avail..... until Cole. He journey's back to Scotland with her and the fun begins. I couldn't help laugh out loud with a sly smile on how many times and the ways that Ellenor tries to escape her captor Cole. His frustrations are evident and comical as he tries desperately to hate the woman but can't help falling for her instead. Ellenor as well is uneasy with her attraction to the brute, and the sassy women won't make life easy on him. No matter how much he wants to hate Ellenor Cole can't and their love for each other is delicious. Problem is that Cole is vowed to hate everything English which would include feisty Ellenor. Oh the troubles that ensue, as Cole is in the running of sorts for the position of Laird in Northern Scotland. He has the men and the leadership but Cole isn't what you would call a people person. Unfortunately for him his competitor is loved by the people, small army, but a really good man. What a Laird needs to be is not only respected by their people but strong and powerful enough to protect them. The end result kind of surprised me, but in fact made perfect sense as well. I find it hard not to include spoilers if I tell you more, but what made this books so wonderful besides the love story was the inner struggle for Cole and with Ellenore. Will love conquer all, will Cole get the revenge for his friend and so many Scottish deaths ? hummm... I could tell you, but I won't!
Through the pages of beautiful imagery, it is evident that Sinclair has done her research of not only historical facts but of the life of the Scottish people creating characters with an abundance of depth and personality that captures the reader and transports them back into the 14th Century. A trip I was hard-pressed to end as I read the last words of this beautiful and intriguing story of two lovers who never should have been, two hearts that wouldn't give in to circumstance or hate, who found each other through fate, who's love is undying. Not having read the first two books, The Highlander's Bride & To Wed A Highlander I found little confusion and was able to read Desiring a Highlander as a stand alone. But loving this one so much that I am determined to go back and read the first two! As I LOVE a series, Michele plans on a book for each and every brother, check her site out to see what is up and coming in the Scottish Highlander Series. Don't forget to check back later today for my interview with Michele as well as a giveaway for a signed copy of Desiring a Highlander!

5 STARS- LOVED IT! COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN

Synopsis: "Seven McTiernay brothers, each a highlander born to protect Scotland and her people, warriors known for their quick wits and quicker broadswords. The third brother, Cole, stared death in the face when he was only a boy...Now Cole McTiernay is a man. And though he resists them in every way, he has responsibilities. The wild northern Highlands need a laird who can guide them to peace. Cole has the army strong enough to accomplish this task. What he doesn't have is the desire - to be a leader among men...And so he is sent off on a fool's errand: a mission to retrieve something from the very Englishmen Cole has spent his life hating. When he finds that the 'something' is a wild hellion, he balks, determined to make the return to Scotland as hard on her as it was for him to set foot on English soil. But though English herself, Ellenor intrigues him with her fierce spirit, and Cole's heart, deeply locked away for so long, may be vulnerable at last... "

READ AN EXCERPT HERE

Life After 187 by Wade Halverson ... Review

In Wade Halverson's debut novel Life After 187 we are introduced with a bang to Kane Silver, who grew up with a tough as nails, hard-ass of a father who was in the Army Special Forces, a man who accepted no excuses and expected answers. And that is exactly what Kane gave his dad, he too followed in his footsteps serving in the Special Forces and Special Ops, starting his Army Career at age seventeen. Thing is, some pretty scummy guys raped and murdered his wife in a botched robbery. Not home in time to save her after she is able to stop one man by stabbing him in the eye (gross I know, but think of how she felt), Kane kills the others in cold blood technically. Thus ended up in prison under Warden Quentin Bane, who at first I really liked, then I hated, but in the end I once again change my mind. Why you ask all the back and forth? Wade Halverson does a great job to just giving you enough information about Kane's upbringing and the personality of Quentin to suck you in from the first page one. You know that Kane is a completely upstanding and great guy, thing is I thought the same of the Quentin as well, at first. He likes to watch bare knuckle fights which are viewed only by invite by the rich and famous, high dollar stakes were talking about and extremely illegal. Through some luck they boys, Kane, Valentino & Si' Ling all escape prison and as they develop more of a trusting relationship and deal with being "free" men it is really a wonderful and powerful dynamic. But no time for sitting on the sand and enjoying the sunset. They are on the run, and my heart was pumping a mile a minute through their adventures that take them all over the word including Argentina, Costa Rica, Hong Kong and more.
It was a pleasant surprise to find so much humor in this book because frankly I wasn't expecting it and much less from a book about the lives of men who escape from prison! But through their travels and as their bond grows with each adventure & fight they find themselves in Argentina helping a woman save her parents from a Drug Lord. I so love the suspense and for someone like me who knows diddly of the fighting world I found this book such an easy read with the words and even the descriptions of the flights easy to imagine in my own head as the action played out. Wade's extensive experience in kickboxing shows through in his storytelling from the first page. A must read for anyone seeking a little action with a hell of a great story! I underestimated this story and I was blown away with how much I truly, truly liked it!!!

Synopsis: "Sentenced to life in prison when he executes the men who murdered his wife, Kane Silver is singled out by the warden for his fighting ability. Along with inmates Valentino Lopez and Si’Ling Lee, Kane is drafted into service and forced to fight for money in high-stakes tournaments. But when the three friends escape during a New Year’s Eve match in Lake Tahoe—saving the warden’s life in the process—their situation becomes more complicated.

Their status undetermined, they vanish underground and sign on to help a young woman whose parents are being held by an Argentinean drug kingpin. Follow Kane and his friends as they compete and grow closer while rediscovering what it means to be free. From Lake Tahoe and the western United States to Costa Rica, Hong Kong, Buenos Aires, and Thailand, Life After 187 takes readers on an exhilarating ride filled with big money, intense action, justice, and the pursuit of honor. "

5 STARS- LOVED IT! COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN

Honest Scrap Blog Award!!

I would like to thank Lori @ Some of my Favorite Things for presenting me with this awesome award...I am honored!!

Since I've received this award, I have to now tell you 10 honest things about myself
Here are 10 honest things about me:

I have been told by several "close" friends & my husband that I am a nice, not friendly. OUCH!
I am addicted to chapstick.. in the car, my purse, my son's diaper bag, my coat pockets (I make sure they are all stocked), my bedside table and the fridge (it feels good when it is cold!)
I hate it when people (men & women) wear flip flops or open toed shoes and don't take care of their feet..... gross!
a eat chocolate something at least once a day
I don't like Christmas ..... at all!
I have two unpublished books I wrote hidden underneath my bed..... maybe someday I will be brave enough to submit them.
I accidentally (really it was!!) bleached one of my husbands rugby jersey's so I wouldn't have to do laundry anymore.... it's been 13 years!
My husband moved in on the 2nd date (day 2 of knowing eachother) and we have been together ever since (13 years ago!)
I am an extremely shy person, until you get to know me ...... then, I don't shut up ;-)
I would love to be a stay at home mom, but unfortunately I can't

Winners!!!! It Happened One Night by Lisa Dale

Congrats to the 5 winners or It Happened One Night by Lisa Dale and with many thanks to Hachette Publishers!

*I have e-mailed all the winners and you have 48 hours to respond before I have to choose another winner*

Blanche
StephtheBookworm
Andrea (Buried in Books)
Jackie Smith
Esme

Giveaway & Guest Author Shelley Monroe

Today I am thrilled to announce that I have Shelley Munro her at Book Junkie. I have the privledge to read her latest release Soldier of Fortune, you can read my review HERE which was fantastic!

Welcome to Book Junkie Shelley! She is here talking about occupations in Romances. Which I personally find pretty interesting since many of us are pulled towards those tall dark and handsome who have dangerous jobs!

Thanks so much for having me to visit today. My name is Shelley Munro, and I write both contemporary and paranormal romance for Ellora’s Cave and Samhain Publishing.
During a visit to the RWA conference in America and our holiday afterward, I read lots of books. In fact, I left a trail of books behind me because Mr. Munro thought my stash of free books would weigh the airplane down. And, he said, the last thing we needed was for the airline to charge us for excessive baggage. To my chagrin, he was right. Who knew books weighed that heavy? *grin*
As an author I read for both pleasure and for research purposes to keep up with the market. I noticed that in my holiday reading a lot of the heroes and heroines were detectives, police officers and military men interspersed with lords and ladies of independent means. The one lone accountant hero looked very out of place.
Hmm, I thought. Not much variety there. Why weren’t there heroes and heroines in normal occupations? Where were the bartenders? The secretaries? The school teachers? Why weren’t there more unusual occupations such as barbers, boatbuilders, cartoonists and chimney sweeps?
The thought stayed with me, and when I returned home, I looked at my own heroes and heroines. I have detectives, military men and police officers, but I also have a librarian, a cat burglar, a tour guide, farmers, and several restaurateurs. Oh, and a pop star. I have one of those, too.
Some publishers prefer specific occupations. For example, heroes without money need not apply to Harlequin Presents. I know readers are attracted to strong characters and these characters are often detectives, fire fighters, police officers or military men, which is why we find so many in the romance genre.
In my recent release, Soldier of Fortune I have a hero who is a soldier. Why not go with the flow, I thought, so I made my heroine a career solider too.
Louie, my hero is a secondary character from an earlier book called Summer in the City of Sails. It took me some time to come up with a story that I thought would work. The idea for Soldier of Fortune came to me after watching a documentary about New Zealanders who take up jobs with private security companies in warzones like Iraq and Afghanistan.
Although there are many women engaged in combat these days, it’s rare for women to work in the private security sector. It is possible though, so I went with "what if" and came up with Soldier of Fortune. Mac, my heroine was born, and my story took shape.
Here’s the blurb:
Joanna "Mac" McGregor loves her father, and she’ll do anything to keep him safe after Alzheimer’s starts to steal his mind. That takes money, and Mac uses her only skills—those of soldiering—when she takes up a security contract in Iraq. She doesn’t have time for men, her last vacation fling in Fiji relegated as one perfect moment to hold close during the grim reality of war.
Soldier Louie Lithgow is tired of fighting, the constant danger, and has decided this is his last contract. He wants to retire, sink his savings into a place on the beach, and find the sexy Joanna, his holiday lover.
Mac’s arrival in Iraq causes consternation. They’ve both been economical with the truth, but the attraction sizzling between them flares hot and bright. They embark on a clandestine affair—professional and confident during their high-danger day, passionate with the release of emotional stress during their torrid nights. One thing is clear—they have different goals and the future is both murky and dangerous. If they survive their contracts.
　

Buy link: http://www.jasminejade.com/pm-7810-127-soldier-of-fortune.aspx
Website: http://www.shelleymunro.com
Blog: http://www.shelleymunro.com/blog

What occupations do you like to read about in romances? Are you tired of books featuring the same occupations? Are there any occupations you’d like to read about but haven’t seen to date?

***GIVEAWAY***

To win a download of Shelley's e-book Summer in the City of Sails, an erotic romance, or Playing to Win, a sensual romance (the reader’s choice), just answer Shelley's question above.

+1 to Comment with answer to Shelley's question

+5 For Being a Follower

+7 For subscribing via e-mail to Book Junkie (check my sidebar)

+20 for Hitting this button and entering the Great Kindle Giveaway

**Winner chosen 12/05 11pm EST**

*open to all*

Review: Soldier of Fortune by Shelley Munro

I have to say that I was thrilled to have a chance to read Shelley Munro's Soldier of Fortune with many thanks to Tracy @ Bootstrap Book Marketing. What first attracted me to this book is the fact that the heroine is strong and can kick ass with the best of the bad boys. No she isn't a vamp, a shifter or some alien hybrid. She is all woman, she is a soldier, she is Joanna 'Mac' McGregor and the siren that spent a week in tropical Figi making love to uber sexy lawyer Louie Lithgow. But uber sexy lawyer Louie is really uber sexy soldier Louise. Both having lied about their occupations and Mac not giving accurate contact info, poor Louie thought his Joanna was lost to him for good. What a surprise that they find themselves in Iraq working a contract offering a lot of money for services of soldiers for protection. In this instance it is for an obnoxious and overbearing and sometimes bitchy CBS reporter. Accepting they must work together is one thing, but the fun starts when Louie has Mac in his room to save her from the other guys or any trouble. Yeah right, the man wants her and badly and he knows that Mac wants him too. So what begins with the two just letting off some steam turns to some serious hot and heavy play. And by serious I mean that their feelings for each other have drifted past the friends with benefits sector. They are falling in love. Mac has a lot on her mind and I do love how Munro keeps her heroine strong but doesn't make her out to be a robot. Her father is in a home suffering from Alzheimer's and it is taking it's toll on her. She is only doing her soldier for hire for the bug money to pay for his cost of living in a home. But she is human and it is nice to see the vulnerable side of her as well as the tough girl kicking butt with the big boys. There is high danger and a little suspense in this fast paced story of two lovers re-united under hard circumstances. Louie doesn't give up on making Mac his girl and you will enjoy the wild ride!

Synopsis:"Joanna “Mac” McGregor loves her father, and she’ll do anything to keep him safe after Alzheimer’s starts to steal his mind. That takes money, and Mac uses her only skills—those of soldiering—when she takes up a security contract in Iraq. She doesn’t have time for men, her last vacation fling in Fiji relegated as one perfect moment to hold close during the grim reality of war.
Soldier Louie Lithgow is tired of fighting, the constant danger, and has decided this is his last contract. He wants to retire, sink his savings into a place on the beach, and find the sexy Joanna, his holiday lover.
Mac’s arrival in Iraq causes consternation. They’ve both been economical with the truth, but the attraction sizzling between them flares hot and bright. They embark on a clandestine affair—professional and confident during their high-danger day, passionate with the release of emotional stress during their torrid nights. One thing is clear—they have different goals and the future is both murky and dangerous. If they survive their contracts."

Note: Readers first met Louie in Summer in the City of Sails.

Giveaway & Review: Sins of the Flesh by Caridad Pineiro

Caridad Pineiro has truly outdone herself with her latest book Sins of the Flesh, I was transported into a futuristic reality of gene replacement treatments, sexy mercenaries and evil, money hungry scientist doing bad, bad things. From the moment I read that Caterina accepted the treatment I was captivated, you could feel it as you devoured the words, something very bad was going to happen and I couldn't wait to find out what. In comes our deliciously lovable Mick Carrera who is a mercenary hired by one of the doctors who performed the treatment on Caterina, Mick knows something is fishy about the fellow and the hairs on the back of his neck are already up in warning. Smart boy our Mick! Caterina just wants her life back, namely her music, she wants her passion and she herself can hardly believe what she has turned into. And if the rumors are to believed that would be a cold blooded killer with a little more than super human strength enough to tear a man apart, quite literally limp by limp. Mick and Caterina's adventure is a highly action packed one filled with some of the coolest and original scifi elements (of the paranormal kind), let's not forget the love and passion as well as a few scary suspenseful scenes that will rock your socks off. Oh, you do get that I LOVED this book right! I know you will too! It has everything a reader could want, love, insane & freakish scientific treatments and lots and lots of action with a lot of heart. In other words it covers all bases!

Want your chance to win a copy? Just scroll down to the botton and find out how! I have 5 copies up for grabs with many thanks for Anna @ Hachette!

Blurb: "Caterina Shaw’s days are numbered. Her only chance for survival is a highly experimental gene treatment – a risk she willingly takes. But now Caterina barely recognizes herself. She has new, terrifying powers, an exotic, arresting body — and she’s been accused of a savage murder, sending her on the run.
Mick Carrera is a mercenary and an expert at capturing elusive, clever prey. Yet the woman he’s hunting down is far from the vicious killer he’s been told to expect: Caterina is wounded, vulnerable, and a startling mystery of medical science. Even more, she’s a beautiful woman whose innocent sensuality tempts Mick to show her exactly how thrilling pleasure can be. The heat that builds between them is irresistible, but surrendering to it could kill them both . . . for a dangerous group is plotting its next move using Caterina as its deadly pawn."

Excerpt from SINS OF THE FLESH

The day the music died, Caterina Shaw did as well.
Not physically, although she understood the death of her body was inevitable. She had come to terms with that reality some time ago. She had even managed to deal with the blindness caused by the tumor eating away her brain. But then the pain had become so great that it had silenced the music, stealing away the only thing that had made life worth the anguish.
“You understand this treatment is new and uncertain,” Dr. Rudy Wells explained, his voice smooth and comforting. The touch of his hand, warm and reassuring, came against hers as it rested on her thigh.
“I understand,” she said and faced the direction of that calming voice.
Another person abruptly chimed in, his tones as strident and grating as a badly played oboe. “We’ll begin with laser surgery to remove the bulk of the tumor followed by two different courses of gene therapy.”
Two? she wondered and sensed Dr. Wells’ hesitation as well from the tremble that skated across his fingers. He removed his hand from hers and said, “Dr. Edwards believes that we can not only shut down the tumor growing in your brain, but possibly regrow the portion of your optic nerve that the tumor damaged.”
Caterina’s only wish when considering the experimental treatment had been to stop the pain so that she could play her cello once again. So that her last months would be filled with the vitality her music provided.
It was through her music that she lived. That her mother lived, Caterina thought, recalling the passion she had felt as a small child when her mother had played the piano for her; the way her mother’s fingers had coaxed life from the keys much like she now did with a stroke of her bow and the deft touch of her fingers on the strings of her cello.
Or at least like she had up until the cancer had put an end to her music, bringing her life to a close. Except now she was being told something different.
Caterina had never thought about eliminating the tumor. Every prognosis so far had been that she was terminal. Now these new doctors told her not only that might she live, but that she might actually see again too. She didn’t dare believe that she would be able to get her old life back completely, as well as her sight but . . .
“You think I’ll be able to recover? To see again?” Caterina asked, needing to be sure she had understood correctly.
“The risks are great, my dear,” Dr. Wells urged gently.
“But you qualify for the human trials because of the advanced state of your illness, Ms. Shaw,” Dr. Edwards added, annoyance at his partner evident in the staccato beats of his voice.
Her advanced state which could possibly bring death even with this treatment, Caterina thought. Not that she feared her end. What she did fear was letting the pain in her head rob her of the one thing she could not live without.
Her music.
She knew without hesitation that it was worth any risk to regain that part of her. To drive back the illness so she could play her cello once more and reanimate her heart for as long as she had left if the treatments couldn’t stop the tumor.
“What do you need me to do?”
Copyright 2009 Caridad Pineiro Scordato

Download a free prequel to SINS OF THE FLESH
To download your free read, just click here.

***Giveaway***

5 copies

+1 your entery

+5 Being a Follower

+7 Subscribing to my blog via e-mail (check my sidebar)

+20 for Hitting this button and entering the Great Kindle Giveaway

**Winner chosen 12/04 11pm EST**

**open to us & canada only, no po boxes (sorry publisher's rules)

Giveaway & Review: Dark Stranger by Susan Sizemore

Susan Sizemore's latest release, Dark Stranger is not a continuation of her Primes Series, well sort of. There is a very cool twist, the story is being read by the Vampire Book Club, which is an interesting approach really as we are once again graced with the Vampire General Doc (Matthias Raven), and the stunning Empire Princess Zoe. Zoe feels that he duty comes first and is torn with the uber sexy vamp Doc comes into her life. Things is it is forbidden and just plain unheard of for Vamps to get entangled with anyone else but another vamp. But Doc is living among the humans and he is the leader among the humans in a prisoner of war camp that Zoe finds herself trapped in. I loved their chemistry and the fact that this is set way in the future to Sizemore's Primes series, so it's a little off the beaten path if you are Primes fan, but just as delicious. There are lasers and aliens and treason, all the fun stuff to go along with a wonderful love story of two who are forbidden to love. But while in prison Zoe's status us discovered and someone willing to kill no matter what is determined to do just that. Her only protector .... you got it, Doc. Although I did enjoy the book thoroughly I have to say it was a little slower in the beginning and hard to wrap my head around all the characters and "futuristic" names. But with that being said, it was most definitely a quality read!

"New York Times bestselling author Susan Sizemore presents an exciting twist on her popular Primes series: the novel read by the one and only Vampire Book Club! Share the thrills as you discover a hidden world where passions and fear run high, and a vampire General and an Empire princess together find illicit, unquenchable desire....
A twist of fate made Zoe Pappas heir to the Byzant throne. Bound by duty and devotion to keep the Empire safe, Zoe is captured while on a secret diplomatic mission and sent to an underground prisoner-of-war camp. In this strange, shadowy place, residents are governed by fellow inmate General Matthias "Doc" Raven, whose powerful magnetism rouses an urgent desire in Zoe. But the intensity of her attraction is matched by her surprise at discovering that Doc has a secret of his own: he is a vampire.
Zoe's presence puts everyone in the camp in danger. Doc knows it, and knows too that Zoe's royal status makes it impossible for her to bond with a vampire. The only way to save her is to help her escape, and lose her forever. But some fires are impossible to quench, even when following your heart is the ultimate taboo...."

***Giveaway***

+1 your entery

+5 Being a Follower

+7 Subscribing to my blog via e-mail (check my sidebar)

+20 for Hitting this button and entering the Great Kindle Giveaway

Winner chosen 12/03 11pm EST

**open to all**

Kindle Giveaway .... extra 20 entries to win on Book Junkie!!

Want to gain extra points in one of my contest here on Book Junkie??? Well, you can and I am here to tell you how .............. All you have to do is hit the banner below! I also have this posted at the top of my blog! I will award any person who enters one of my contest here an extra ...........

*****

20 entries to win!!!

***Mark in your post that you entered, or send me an e-mail and let me know @ bjwaldron(at)gmail.com

Review & Giveaway: Seven by Jacqueline Leo

Seven:The Number for Happiness, Love, and Success by Jacqueline Leo, Edward Burger is one of the MOST fascinating books I have ever read! I have always been a fan of numerology and it has always captured my interest. Just a really fun concept! But when I read this book, it put such an intriguing spin on the scientific, psychological and religious significance of the number seven. It really blew me away because frankly I never thought about it. Why do you have 7 wonders of the world, 7 Cherokee Nations, 7 seas, 7 levels of Hell... and it goes on. Truly amazing! You have to check out this book! And I just happen to have 5 copies up for Grabs!

What is it about the number seven that has such a hold on us? Why are there seven deadly sins? Seven days of the week? Seven wonders of the world, seven colors of the spectrum, seven ages of man, and seven sister colleges? Why can we hold seven numbers or words in our working memory--but no more? Author Jackie Leo explores everything about this mystical, magical, useful, and fun number in her new book.

SEVEN REASONS YOU NEED THIS BOOK

1. SEVEN is a tool to improve the quality of your life. It is a way to define time, synthesize ideas, and keep your mind performing at top speed in an era of distractions.

2. SEVEN is culturally significant. It pops up everywhere, structuring our world in ways so fundamental, we notice them only when we pause to look. Across the ages and across cultures, the number has acquired a huge scientific, psychological, and religious significance.

3. SEVEN is intriguing. Why, out of hundreds of recipes in a cookbook, do people return to the same seven, over and over? Why, when asked to choose a number between one and ten, does such a large majority of people choose seven? Why does it take seven rounds of shuffling to obtain a fully mixed deck of cards?

4. SEVEN is influential. You'll learn how the number seven shapes our thinking, our choices, and even our relationships.

5. SEVEN is practical. Throughout this book are Top Seven lists covering the best ways to get someone's attention, to build your personal brand, and to put yourself in the path of prosperity and good luck.

6. SEVEN is fun. You'll encounter surprising facts, intriguing puzzles, and hilarious anecdotes.

7. SEVEN is wise. You'll hear stories about the meaning of seven from Mehmet Oz, Sally Quinn, Liz Smith, Christina Ricci, and many others.Artfully designed and full of enough insights to keep you engaged in conversation at the water cooler for years, SEVEN will provoke, enlighten, and amuse.

Media guru JACQUELINE LEO has held a number of high-level positions in publishing and television. She founded and launched Child magazine in 1986, and went on to be editor in chief of Family Circle magazine and editorial director of the New York Times Women's Magazine Group, where she launched Fitness magazine. She was senior producer and editorial director of Good Morning America, editorial director for Consumer Reports, and vice president and editor in chief of Reader's Digest. She is currently director of digital operations for the Peter G. Peterson Foundation. She lives in New York City.