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Monthly Archives: February 2012

What to Read Wednesday

29 Feb

YAY, it’s time for What to Read Wednesday…the GIVE AWAY VERSION!  Today we have another amazing visitor   Please welcome author Brenda Dyer.  We’ll be learning amazing facts about Brenda and her debut release Love’s Prophecy.  Every commenter will be entered into a drawing for one digital copy…so let’s get started.

Welcome to What to Read Wednesday Brenda :)   I’m so glad to have you here, not only because you are a good friend, but I’m so excited about your book.  Tell us about yourself in 6 sentences :)

First, I’d like to thank you for featuring me on your blog. I’m truly honored. And I’m very excited to be here.

Hmmm, only six sentences? LOL, okay, I’ll give it a try.

I’m funny—at least I think I am. I’m kind and loyal, but I can also be a huge hag if need be. I’m married to a wonderful man and I’m a mother to two boys: Trevor is 16, Tyler is 20, attending University. I live on a hobby farm with two miniature horses, chickens, three cats—one we rescued, a dog we got from the S.P.C.A, a frog, a rabbit—we took in because no one wanted him—and my son Trevor’s tropical fish. Oh, and two budgies. I love gardening, and vacuuming.  I wish I had a Dyson with the Dyson ball. Maybe when I get rich I’ll buy myself one.

I think that pretty much covers it.

Oh, and I love The Lord Of The Rings—I even have action figures. LOL, this is more than six. Sorry. Oops, I keep adding. Dang it!

LOL…you are funny and one of the reasons I think that is because of your vacuuming addiction :)   Do you like your man in a suit or jeans?

I prefer my man in jeans, T-shirt, and either a leather jacket or a jean jacket. LOL, sounds like I would have enjoyed the fifties, doesn’t it? But I’m not a huge fan of the greased hair look.

Definitely, no greased hair.  Favorite movie?  Book?

My all time favorite movies (and I had to pick movies) are The Lord Of The Rings trilogy. I’ve watched them a total of 19 times—the extended versions—and each time I watch them, I notice something I’ve missed before. And this leads to my favorite book—or books in this case. Are you ready? LOL, I’m sure you can guess. *drum roll please* The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King. To be honest, it was TLOTR’s trilogies that inspired my novel, Love’s Prophecy.

Love it!  Have you always wanted to be an author or what made you become an author?

Actually, no I haven’t always wanted to an author. In fact, back in high school I hated creative writing. I could come up with some pretty wild stories in my head, but I had a difficult time getting them from my brain cells to the paper. What made me decide to write was when the idea for Love’s Prophecy first came to me—or the history behind the story. When the characters became well developed in my mind, that was when I began writing. But I knew I had a lot to learn so I took an intensive writing course.

What is a typical writing day for you?

A typical writing day for me starts after I drive my youngest son to school. I then check facebook and comment on friend’s blogs. Then I write for a few hours—with breaks in between. I’m not a writer who can solve problems staring at a blank screen so I will usually fit housework in with my writing. If I’m having a hard time with an idea or how to word a sentence, I’ll get up and clean the bathroom or vacuum. Doing a physical task always helps me work problems out. Also writing long hand works well.

I love that you and I are alike in the way we get up to clean to solve a problem in our WIP :)   What genre or genres do you write? Do you see yourself trying another one in the future and if so which one?

I write paranormal romances mainly, but I do have an idea for a contemporary—for later. I also like horror and have a short story published called: Zomboro Virus. It’s a zombie apocalypse type story, lol. The main characters are actually my sons when they are grown.

I bet your sons love that!  Tell us about your newest release?

My newest release is called Love’s Prophecy. It is a paranormal romance. I feel my story is quite unique. The history I have included explains why there are vampires and where the vampire myths came about. Plus, it is ultimately a story about true love and the sacrifices we make to keep those we love safe.

Here’s the blurb:

Dark warriors of might…

Mel is a vampire warrior sworn to hunt and kill demons in the dark streets of Vancouver. But he’s burdened with a new assignment: find the meaning behind the Vampire Prophecy. Having no faith in the gods and their empty words, he believes there’s no truth to the ancient legend until he meets Breeana, a human woman who bears the mark of the prophecy and resembles the mysterious woman haunting his dreams. When a vengeful demon spies Breeana in his arms, she is marked for death. He must take her from the world she knows until he can eliminate the threat. But the real danger is the role Breeana must play in fulfilling the prophecy and the intense feelings she brings out in him. Mel is forced to choose between his obligations to his kind, the world, and the woman he loves. Does he have the courage to let the one woman who could heal his wounded heart and soul go, or will he risk her life and bind her to him for all eternity?

Small warriors of light…

Veterinarian, Dr. Breeana Spencer yearns for love and companionship, but the disappointment of failed relationships has left her bitter. She now finds solace in romance novels. But when she meets a mysterious stranger, she’s drawn to him by a connection so forceful it shatters all reason, leaving her incapable of resisting him. Yet there’s more to him than smoldering good looks and a rock-hard body. As she’s drawn deeper into his danger-filled world, she learns she’s part of an ancient vampire legend. Breeana fears her future is no longer hers and will not include Mel. As their enemies close in, desperate to destroy them both, she must fight to convince Mel her place is at his side. A  life-altering choice is before her—one that will take all her courage and love to make.

You’re cover is so pretty!  Share with us one of your favorite sentences in your book?

I have many lines that I like, but this one really speaks to me. And it sums Mel up.

(Only with Breeana did he feel whole, alive and loved.)

Oh yeah, that’s a great line!  Now let’s play LUCKY SEVEN….Pick seven words to describe your book.

Dark, humorous, sexy, unique, tear-jerker, satisfying, romantic

If you wrote a book about yourself, what would the title be?

LOL, I love this question. Hmmm, let’s see…ah, I got it. The Wacky Canuck Chick

LOL…Now there’s an interesting title :) How has your experience with self-publishing been?

So far it has been okay.

What inspired you to write this story?

What inspired me to write this story was my characters. They seem so real to me. But I guess what deep down got the ball rolling on me actually sitting down and writing is the detailed history I have created on vampires. And my love for the deep history J.R.R Tolkien had in his Lord Of The Rings novels.

Please share an excerpt of your book!

Breeana swiped at her tears, then rubbed her hands on her jeans. “I know you wouldn’t. It’s just I’ve worked so hard my whole life to get where I am today. And Carol is more than just a friend, she’s like my sister. She’s always been there for me. If it wasn’t for her, I don’t know how I would have made it through my parents’ death, and to never see her again…”

Pain twisted Mel’s gut tighter. “Breeana, I’m not asking you to give up anything.”

Her gaze was fierce. “Do you want to know what scares the shit out of me?”

“What?”

She hesitated. “I would leave everything. I’d leave it all behind because I…love you.”

Mel’s heart ground to a halt when her softly spoken words filtered through his brain. An instant later, it jumped, slamming so hard against his ribs it felt like it was going to burst free.

She loved him? Did he hear correct?

He searched her face and saw it was true. She loved him.

Joy, love, sadness, and God help him, hope pumped through him, adding to the chaos of emotions he already felt.

He tilted her face up with a hand cupping her chin and kissed her hard. A kiss brimming with love, despair, and frustration over a situation that held no other solution than heartbreak. And he sensed she experienced the same whirlpool of feelings. He felt it in her kiss, in the desperate way she gripped his shirt, and he tasted it in her tears.

He pulled back and stared into her eyes. “I love you, Breeana. The short time we’ve known one another, you have become my everything. My heart. My breath…My life. I was dead inside before you.”

She crumpled against his chest and sobbed. “Oh God! I can’t let you go. Don’t ask me to.”

He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. He couldn’t speak. His throat choked up, strangling him, which was a good thing since he didn’t trust what would come out. He was afraid the moment he opened his mouth, he’d start begging her to stay; to leave everything behind to remain at his side…forever. Only with her did he feel whole, alive and loved. He couldn’t go back to the lonely state his life had been before her.

Mel snapped his teeth together, trapping the unspoken words even though his mind screamed to speak aloud what was in his heart. 

I have to tell you that I loved reading from Mel’s POV…makes him way HAWT!  What are you working on now…and no I don’t mean laundry or dishes, I mean a current WIP?

How did you know I was doing laundry? But seriously, I’m working on book# 2 of The Prophecy Series. this book is called Prophecy’s Child. It is about Kal who you meet in Love’s Prophecy. Poor Kal won’t know what hit him, lol.

 Do you have any wise words to share with anyone out there on the road to publication?

Well, I don’t know about wise, but my advice is join a crit group. Seriously, do yourself a favor and make friends with other writers. The knowledge you will come away with will be priceless! I kid you not! Plus, the friends you will make…well, let me just say, I wouldn’t be where I am today without them. 

Couldn’t agree more!  And finally Brenda, where can we find you and your book?

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00702YWF0

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/128967

Barnes and Noble: Coming soon

Allromance e-books: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-love039sprophecy-677191-139.html

Website: http://www.brendamdyer.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrendaMDyer

Twitter: twitter.com/brendaMDyer

Now just a couple of reminders!  First off, leave a comment to be entered into a drawing to win a free digital copy of Brenda’s book Love’s Prophecy …also, on a side note, Brenda’s book is on sale right now for .99…so if you don’t win, you can pick up a copy for a low, low price :)

Thanks everyone for coming by, so glad you decided to spend a little bit of your Wednesday with Brenda and I :)

 

 

 
34 Comments

Posted by on February 29, 2012 in Book Excerpts, What to Read Wednesday

 

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10 – 4 Tuesday

28 Feb

Welcome to 10 – 4 Tuesday!  This is a forum where we’ll feature either an author or someone in a position related to publishing, promoting or a service that is writer related.  I will only be offering this forum on occasion, and if anyone wants to participate, email me to set up a date :)

For 10 – 4 Tuesday I will ask our guest to share 10 things about either their book or what service they offer and then 4 questions for fun :)   So let’s get started.

Today I’d like to introduce you to author Shelly Bell!  She’ll be sharing her 10, followed by her 4 and then an excerpt of her book at the end :)

Hi Shelly, thanks for joining us for 10 – 4  Tuesday :)

First the 10:

To start out, tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m a married mom of two children and we reside in Metro-Detroit Michigan. I’m a practicing attorney specializing in business law and I work for my family’s scrap metal business along with my father, brother and cousin. Last year, I was looking for a creative outlet. Friends suggested knitting or scrapbooking. My husband gave me the idea to start writing. I began writing a paranormal romance, until the idea for A Year to Remember came to me. I finished that and now a year later, it’s available for purchase. I’ve gone back to my paranormal and pretty much had to start from scratch. I’ve learned so much about writing this year.

It’s incredible what a difference a year can make :)   What’s genre (s) do you write?

Currently, I write both Women’s Fiction and Paranormal Romance.

Share your blurb!

When her younger brother marries on her twenty-ninth birthday, food addict Sara Friedman drunkenly vows to three hundred wedding guests to find and marry her soul mate within the year. After her humiliating toast becomes a YouTube sensation, she permits a national morning show to chronicle her search. With the help of best friend Missy, she plunges head first into the shallow end of the dating pool.

Her journey leads her to question the true meaning of soul mates, as she decides between fulfilling her vow to marry before her thirtieth birthday and following her heart’s desire. But before she can make the biggest decision of her life, Sara must begin to take her first steps towards recovery from her addiction to food.

Tell us the moment when you it first sank in that you were an official author!

The morning it was available for sale on Amazon and I bought it for my Kindle Fire. But even now, I have trouble believing it. It’s kind of like motherhood. Sometimes I look at my kids and wonder when they got here. My son is seven and it’s still surreal. Maybe someday it will sink in.

What time of the day do you feel most motivated to write?

Usually during the day, while I’m in the middle of doing something else! It’s hard to find the time to write, but I tend to wake up each day excited to add something to my WIP. If I could, I’d start the day writing. Too bad things like brushing my teeth and getting dressed get in the way!

LOL…you have to keep up on those other mundane issues.  Plus, you are a busy lady :) Choose five words to describe your book.

Funny, touching, relatable, hopeful, neurotic

What was your favorite part about writing this book?

Finding out what was going to happen to each of the characters! I had a general outline, but the characters determined what would happen in each scene. For example, I knew Sara, the book’s protagonist, would have a falling out with her best friend, Missy. Until I wrote the scene, I wasn’t sure why. Later in the book, Missy drops a bombshell on Sara, which led me to realize Missy deserved her own book. I’m excited for everyone to learn more about Missy. Her book will focus on motherhood.

Do you find it more difficult to write characters, emotion, description or conflict?

Description is hard for me. I can see the scene in my head, but sometimes, I have trouble putting it into words. In my WIP, I’m going to have to go back and add some description. I spend a lot of time on characters and both internal and external conflict. In fact, I took a couple of classes on writing fight scenes since my WIP has a lot of action. Now that I can choreograph the moves, I need to add the description to it.

I find that I write in layers, so adding the in the description or adding in internals or deeper POV is usually something that I do after that rough draft.  What inspired you to tell this story?

The book was inspired by my friends’ and my experiences in our late twenties. I’ve been in recovery from food addiction for more than two years and I wanted to write a book that didn’t end with the girl losing weight to get her man. At the same time, I didn’t want to convey that all you have to do is accept your weight and you’ll be happy. It’s a lot more difficult than that. I wanted to educate the public about food addiction and do it in an entertaining way. I hope I accomplished it with this book.

What’s your current WIP?

I’m working on the first in a paranormal romance series. I actually started it before I wrote A Year to Remember. Because I’ve planned seven for the series, I’m laying the groundwork for all the other books and it’s taking a lot of time to write. I’m hoping get the attention of an agent with it.

Now the 4:

If you had the chance to be any animal for the day, which one would you choose and why?

I’d be some kind of bird (even though I don’t like them), so that I could fly. I’d love to know what it felt like to have that ability.

If you wrote a book about our life, what would the title be?

Slow descent into Madness.

Are you a shower singer, car singer or do you belt out a tune openly?

I love to sing. I almost got my degree in Musical Theater. I sing everywhere I go, to the embarrassment of my children. I don’t have a very good pop singing voice. My voice is more suitable for Phantom of the Opera than Britney Spears. But that doesn’t keep me from singing!

Now this is a 2 parter, so get ready. :)   What’s your favorite color?  Okay, now let’s say Crayola contacts you and asks you to come up with a fun name for your color of choice.  What would you choose?

I’d normally say black, but that doesn’t sound very exciting does it? I’m wearing this awesome nail polish right now that looks navy, purple and black depending on the light. It’s called Russian Navy. I’d add a little neon blue to it and call it Bruised Ego.

LOL…love that answer Shelly :)   Thanks for being sharing your 10 and your 4.  Please share an excerpt of your book.

The door opened and someone entered the room. I assumed it was Missy coming to rescue me once again.

            “I can’t find the light switch, Missy. Do you know where it is?”

             Without warning, someone yanked me tightly against his warm, solid body. I heard his slight intake of breath and then he kissed me.

            I know I should have fought against it, but whoever he was, he kissed sinfully well. At first, his soft lips whispered lightly against my own, seeking permission. When not only didn’t I stop him, but made a little moan of approval, his tongue caressed my lips until I opened my mouth. Only then did he allow his tongue to touch mine, first tentatively exploring the hidden depths of my mouth, and then hard and passionately, as though he’d never get enough of me.

            He tasted like a heavenly combination of whiskey and cake. His tongue teased mine in sweet caresses, heating my blood to a fevered pitch.

            Desperately needing to learn the identity of my mystery man, I lifted my hand to touch his face. He grabbed it away, nibbling on each fingertip then gently brushed his fingers across my cheek. I licked my lips in preparation of more kisses, but instead of kissing me, he spun me around in circles, confusing my sense of balance. As the world tilted on its axis and I tried to regain my bearings, he silently left the room.

            For a few minutes, I stood rooted to the spot, attempting to recover from the encounter and craving more from my mystery kisser. Blushing from my response to him, I knew although I’d never seen his face, I would have made love to him if he’d asked. Before him, no one in twenty-nine years had made my body burn that way.

            Suddenly, I remembered the room’s two floor lamps. I floundered around the room until I smacked into one. After finding our coats, I left the synagogue with Missy.

            Ending the evening of my twenty-ninth birthday with a kiss from my mysterious suitor should have thrilled me. Instead, I wondered why he (as drunk as I was, I was pretty sure I would have noticed if it was a woman) didn’t unmask his identity.

            Was he married?

            Self-conscious?

            Fifteen or eighty-five years old?

            Or even worse, embarrassed to be discovered kissing me?

            Tired of being alone and bringing Missy as my date, I learned one important lesson that night. I ached for what my brother had found with Emily. I yearned for my soul mate.

            How would I find him?

Great teaser :)   So excited you joined me for 10 – 4 Tuesday!.  Before we wave good-bye, let us know if there are any other links you’d like to share so that we can find you and your book online :)

You can follow me at:

www.shellybellbooks.com

www.twitter.com/shellybell987

www.facebook.com/shellybellbooks

www.goodreads.com/shellybell987

www.shelfari.com/shellybell

I’m also on the Soul Mate Publishing Blog, Google Plus, LinkedIn, and Triberr!

 

A Year to Remember is available as an e-book from Amazon ow.ly/93MzC, Barnes and Noble ow.ly/93MBE , and Soul Mate Publishing (for iBooks and other e-readers) ow.ly/93MEv. It will be released in print this summer.

 
58 Comments

Posted by on February 28, 2012 in 10 - 4 Tuesday, Book Excerpts

 

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Six Sentence Sunday 2/26/12

26 Feb

Hi!  Please feel free to browse my blog and if you like what you see, sign up for email updates on the right

Welcome to Six Sentence Sunday!  Thank you for taking the time to visit.  I love reading comments, so please let me know what you think of my six.

I haven’t posted on SSS since November and I’ve missed it.  Life has been busy and Some Like it in Handcuffs will be released on March 23rd with The Wild Rose Press.  I also have a second book coming out them this year titled Two-Timing the Boss and I’ve been lucky enough yet again to have a book contracted with Entangled Publishing in their new Indulgence Line with Lori Wilde.  Both release dates are pending.

Today I’m sharing an excerpt from Some Like it in Handcuffs, since we are only weeks away from release.  YAY!

Quick set up…Judson caught Sunny by surprise and decided to kiss her in an effort to get her riled, but ended up getting more than he bargained for.

Judson couldn’t resist, he leaned over the counter, placed his palm behind her neck and dragged her toward him. His mouth caught hers before she had a chance to react. Her body stiffened, but before she could pull away he brushed his tongue playfully across her lips. She moaned, the sound stopped his heart. Her lips softened, letting his tongue slip inside to mingle with her own.

God, her mouth tasted sweet, like honey. His fingers slid up the nape of her neck to fan across the back of her head and pull her closer.

I hope you enjoyed my six.  For more great previews from other talented authors please click on SIX SENTENCE SUNDAY. Or join next week with six of your own.

Happy Reading!

 
81 Comments

Posted by on February 26, 2012 in Six Sentence Sunday, Some Like it in Handcuffs

 

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Friday Fun Facts

24 Feb

Hi and welcome to Friday Fun Facts!  Come play along and learn something new about me, and I’ll learn something new about you.

Isn’t it interesting how you go through so many events in your life?  Ones that at the time seem pivotal, earth shattering, life altering?  That moment in time when you feel you’re all grown up :)   Until you move on a little further in your journey and connect with something more…that takes the place of that last big moment, again making you realize you didn’t know anything when you experienced it, but you certainly do now.

That first day of school.  I remember my mother walking to the bus stop with me, camera in hand, as I joined my brother and sister and so many other kids in the neighborhood for the first day of school—my first day of kindergarten.  I was beyond excited.  Finally I could go to that magical place my brother and sister went to!  I was so grown up.

Going to the mall…without parental control!  The day we went to middle school to sign up for seventh grade was a huge event.  Afterward, two friends and I were allowed to spend the afternoon running wild in the mall.  I think we each had maybe $10 and 3 or 4 hours of freedom.  We hit all the stores, ate soft pretzels and sipped on pop.  We thought were we’re so grown up.  lol

The first school dance.  I felt so grown up.  A group of us all met at one friends house to get ready.  Helping each other with hair, makeup and changing our outfits a handful of times.  Clothes were scattered everywhere, like a cyclone had invaded the bedroom.  Finally being dropped off outside the middle school main doors to meet up with other friends.  We were in eighth grade.  We were so cool and grown up :)   (I’m the one on the end in the white dress…hehehe)

Driving alone.  That awesome moment when you can ask for the car keys, and you get to pull out of the driveway….alone!  Nobody sitting in the seat next to you telling you to slow down, watch out for the dog or the person switching lanes or the train up ahead.  My first solo ride I drove over to my friend’s house…the same friend who I went to the mall with alone for the first time and the same friend who had a group of us girls over to prep for our first dance.  I picked her up and we drove to McDonald’s…which at the time was the hang out.  Damn, we were so grown up!

That first job.  What a feeling.  :)   Not only could I drive on my own, but now I could go to work and earn a paycheck…made out to me!  My first job was at Burger King and it was a riot!  I worked with several friends and having that paycheck each week, with the responsibility to have a place I had to be at a certain time to earn it….certainly made me feel grown up!

Graduation.  Whew…a big one.  Finally, I’m adult and can do as I please.  I’m all grown up.  (yeah, right) lol

And in between and afterward you have the first date, buying your first car, voting for the first time, your first place, your first heartache, your first child, your first loss, your first pet…

Which brings me to today’s Friday Fun Fact question….Drum roll please…

What is the one pivotal moment in your life that you look back on fondly and know deep in your heart you wouldn’t change a thing?  That FIRST moment in time when you truly felt grown up.

Looking forward to reading your answers

 
45 Comments

Posted by on February 24, 2012 in Day to Day Life, Friday Fun Facts

 

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What to Read Wednesday

22 Feb

Time for What to Read Wednesday…the GIVE AWAY VERSION!  Today we have another amazing visitor :)   Please welcome author Veronica Scott.  We’ll be learning a bit about Veronica and her latest release Priestess of the Nile.  Every commenter will be entered into a drawing for a PDF copy of Veronica’s book Priestess of the Nile…so let’s get started.

Thanks for joining us Veronica.  Please tell us about yourself in 6 sentences :)

I grew up in a house full of books spanning the range from science fiction to history and when I ran out of things to read, I inevitably started writing my own stories. I got married at 19 to my high school sweetheart, was then widowed quite young, now have two grown daughters, a very energetic 9 year old grandson and cats. I’m always reading, writing or on twitter (except when I’m at the day job or on the freeways!). I’m very happy to be here today, thanks for inviting me! (Hmmm, four sentences but kind of long ones!)

You’re a busy lady and I’m glad you don’t twitter while you’re on the freeway…lol :)   If you wrote a book about your life, what would the title be?

Never Gave Up, Never Boring!  (Must include the exclamation point LOL)

Great title!  What are the top three things on your bucket list?

1. Have a movie made from one of my books

2. Visit Australia & meet my writer/readers friends there

3. Have my wardrobe styled by Tim Gunn of Project Runway

How fun would that be to have a movie made based on your book!  What genre (s) do you write?

Mostly paranormal romance, but I also do science fiction romance.

Tell us how you caught the writing bug.

When I was a kid we lived in as pretty isolated area of upstate New York so I entertained myself with reading books – Robin Hood, Tom Corbett Space Cadet, Trixie Belden etc – and then I wanted to have adventures of my own, so I started writing the ideas down.

What is a typical writing day for you?

I have a day job so during the week I can only think about plots while commuting on the freeways. In the evening I try to write for an hour or two. On the weekends I get up really early, which is my most creative time of day, and just pound away on the keyboard as long as the muse is in the mood.

I do a lot of plotting while driving into work too :)   Share a blurb about your latest release.

Egypt, 1500 BC

Drawn to his abandoned temple on the banks of the Nile by an enchanting song, Sobek the Crocodile God is even more captivated by the sight of the singer herself. Appearing to her as a man, he learns she is Merys, a descendant of his last priestess. Though filled with lust, Sobek believes Merys deserves to be more than just his mistress. But the rules that govern the Egyptian pantheon forbid anything beyond a physical joining of a Great One and a human.

Merys is attracted to the handsome stranger, who arouses passions in her that no man ever has. But with no dowry and no hope of ever leaving her village, she dares not dream of the future—or love.

Sobek takes every opportunity to visit Merys, taxing his resolve to leave her pure. When he saves her life, their mutual desire must be sated. But can a love between a human and an immortal survive the ultimate test of the gods?

What was the hardest part of writing this story? 

The hardest part of writing the story was during the editing, as I had to go back and layer in more details about some of the secondary characters, and my Critique Partner and my Editor said to add a few places in the narrative where the characters – and the Readers – could take a breath!

The easiest?

The easiest was writing the love between Merys and Sobek. The hero and heroine really “spoke” to me and that part of the story just told itself…

Now let’s play LUCKY SEVEN….Pick seven words to describe your book.

Romantic, Exotic, Exciting, Sensual, Heart Tugging, FUN!

What inspired you to write this story?

I enjoy the Egyptian setting and there was a challenge involved in taking a character like the Crocodile God through an emotional arc. He’s been around since the universe was created yet never felt true love, even though he’s been linked to at least four goddesses. He doesn’t really relate to humans until he meets the right woman! I also was intrigued when I realized he fit our modern paranormal definition of a shifter, so he could be fully human (and be very HOT). Then the story writing began…

I really find the Egyptian setting interesting too.  I’ve never read a romance set in that time, so I’m very intrigued.  And I know I’m a bit of a cover fanatic, but I really LOVE your cover…the color choices and font are perfect.  Enough gushing on my part…lol…Please share an excerpt of your book!

She turned her head to kiss his cheek and ran a hand over the hard planes of his chest. “Bek, I want to see you.”

“You have seen me, sweetling. And you gave ample evidence of being pleased.” He leered at her,head tilted, the crinkles at the corners of his eyes showing he was teasing.

She gave him a tiny frown at being thwarted in her request and pushed at his ribs. “I want to see you as your other self, as the Crocodile God.”

He regarded her with a grave face, all amusement gone from his green eyes. He seemed surprised. “Why?”

“Because I love you.” Merys feathered a kiss on his lips. “The crocodile is part of you. I want to see you in all your manifestations.” Can’t he understand that this is a last test of my worthiness to be his priestess? I don’t want him to have any doubts of me.

He looked away from her, blinking. “I’m fearsome to humans in my other form.”

She stroked his semierect shaft, which lengthened at her caress. “You’re fearsome in other ways, my lord, even in human form.”

He caught her hand, lifting it away from him and kissing her fingers. “Wretch! Consider carefully what you ask. Egyptians respect and fear me for good reason. If I appear in all my glory, complete with the plumed crown and the disk of the sun on my head, I will frighten you. I don’t want you to be frightened of me, Merys. It would break my heart.” He gestured across the river, where the Nile crocodiles slumbered in the moonlight. “They’re far smaller than I.”

Merys assumed a cross-legged position, hands folded in her lap. “I want to behold you. I won’t be scared, trust me. I told you, I’m of the priestess blood. A high priestess of the Crocodile God can’t fear his creatures or the Great One himself. Not in any form he might take, no matter what he might find it necessary to do.”

Leaning back on his elbows, Sobek grinned. “Perhaps I could just become half human, half crocodile for you, would that suffice?”

Merys shook her head. “No, I can see such a depiction in any wall painting in the temple. I want to see you, as the crocodile.” Dimples flashed in her cheeks. “I will grant you reprieve from wearing the crown with plumes and sun disk.”

Apparently unconcerned about his nakedness, he stood, dusted the sand from his hands and strode away from her, then glanced over his shoulder. His eyes gleamed golden in the moonlight.

Warmth pooled in her loins. He is so perfectly formed, all muscles and sinew. I’m the luckiest of women to be with such a lover, even if only once.

Small flashes of emerald light dazzled her eyes. Then a crackling roar erupted in the air, as if a great fire burned somewhere close by.

In the next second, a thirty-foot-long white crocodile lay on the sand, head turned toward her, golden eye slitted. Merys gasped. He glowed in the moonlight. He was huge, not only in length, but overall—maybe three times the size of the largest Nile crocodile. Entranced, she got to her feet. Draping her fringed shawl over her shoulders against the chill breeze from the river, she paced closer. He held perfectly still while she approached, as a crocodile does to lure prey, but Merys wasn’t afraid. His body armor shone iridescent, rainbows chasing each other across his dorsal ridges and sides.

He rolled one sparkling citrine eye at her. Words poured into her head. Well? Am I impressive enough for you, Priestess?

“Oh, Bek, you’re amazing.” Reaching out, she touched one of the gold-tipped ridges on his spine, running her hand along its length. His giant jade claws dug into the sand and he moved slightly. A tremor ran through his immense body. The tip of his tail twitched.

There’s a reason Osiris and Isis send me to resolve problems, deal with difficult situations. None can stand against me. I can even protect Pharaoh from black magic if need be.

She walked around him while his head swiveled to keep her in view. Slowly he curled his long tail in a big arc so she was completely encircled. No force on earth could get at me while you stand guard. Proud that he treasured her, she savored the feeling. A question stirred her peaceful enjoyment of the moment. “Does it bother you to be feared?”

I never considered it one way or the other until I met you.

Do you have a writing quirk, something that must be close at hand when you’re writing…such as a certain song playing, a particular snack within your reach or a certain pair of lucky socks warming your feet?

No, I’m pretty focused when I write, just need the free time, no distractions and not to be too tired. I often listen to my iPod, but just as background “noise”.

What are you working on now…and no I don’t mean laundry or dishes, I mean a current WIP? :)

I’ve got more stories in this connected series in various stages of editing and submission. I love Ancient Egypt and the ideas keep flowing. I just finished book #3, tentatively titled “Dancer of the Nile” and sent it to my Critique Partner.

Do you have any wise words to share with anyone out there on the road to publication?

The most important piece of advice is to WRITE, all the time, every day. Don’t doubt yourself, don’t edit yourself too soon, trust your voice and your muse.

And finally Veronica, where can we find you and your book?

Here are my links, although I must say twitter is where you’ll find me most often but I love adding new posts to the blog:

http://veronicascott.wordpress.com/

http://twitter.com/#!/vscotttheauthor

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Veronica-Scott/177217415659637

Priestess of the Nile  is available at Carina Amazon Barnes & Noble

Thank you so much for joining us today on What to Read Wednesday, Veronica….it was a pleasure to get to know you and learn more about your book :)

And to everyone else joining us today, please remember to leave a comment to be entered into a drawing for a digital copy of Veronica’s book!

 
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Posted by on February 22, 2012 in Book Excerpts, What to Read Wednesday

 

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