Dragon's Heart Book Video!

Here's is the book video I made up for Dragon's Heart, releasing soon at New Concepts Publishing! I made it myself on iMovie! I was actually quite proud that I figured out how to make the video since I didn't even know how to use iMovie at this point in time last week!
Enjoy!

~Marly

Awakening accepted!

I just keep having more and more good news on here, don't I?

My good news for today is that I just got an email reply from my editor, informing me that I should please consider printing out the contract enclosed and send it back to the publisher for my follow up novel to Unity.

Where Unity tells the story of Darcy's first awareness of the world of Faerie, and her struggle to find balance between it and her real life, Awakening follows her story as she leaves Kinvara and tries to make a life for herself in Killarney. Little does she know that the world of Faerie will follow her down into that town, and Faerie itself will not remain so removed from her world as it used to be.

The story is set in Ireland and shares the mystical history that the land is rich with. I'm very excited to be told that this story has a tenuous release date of March, 2009. So keep a look out for it!

And Unity is still currently available at http://allromanceebooks.com/product-temperanceunity-9894-140.html


Nikki Watson.
http://nikkiwatson.blogspot.com/

Book Signing Madness and Happy Days

This Saturday past Adra Steia and I had a signing in Daytona Beach. It was a blast, though I confess the best part was after the signing, when we strolled the mall, then went to the beachfront and had a fantastic dinner at Bubba Gumps, right on the ocean. Adra is a camaholic, and documented the occassion fully. Check out everything from our books, to our hot waiter, to our dinners, to a random jellyfish here.

Today is a happy day on an unrelated note. One of my favorite new authors, Elizabeth Amber, has released the third book in her Lords of Satyr series, Lyon. Lyon's been my favorite character throughout the series, and I am thrilled to finally have his book in my hot little hands. If you're looking for something new and unique, I highly recommend Elizabeth's writing - historical, paranormal, hot as hell, it's an all around win!

FEAR OF FLYING

I am afraid of flying but I haven't always felt that way. Back in my twenties, when I didn't believe anything could kill me, I flew from Omaha to Chicago and Charlotte as often as I could. It also never occurred to me that the plane could go up in a ball of fire or blow out a big hole from an oxygen tank (I didn't even know they carried oxygen tanks) and drop from the sky like an anvil.
Back in those days, flying was also very special. You dressed up in your Sunday clothes and attempted to act like you used the manners your mother taught you. Of course, the experience of flying was different in those days. The seats were wide and comfortable. You got hot meals followed by snacks. The flight attendants spoke to you. Now it's hip to hip and elbow to elbow with maybe an inch of squiggle room. One false move and you can put your neighbor's kidney out with an elbow. You got hot meals followed by snacks. As for food now, well, be grateful if you get a tiny bag of pretzels and a soda.
There were no movies back in the 60's to take your mind off the monotony or terror depending on which way your mind tended to go. Of course there were no personal computers, CDs, DVDs, video recorders, cell phones or digital cameras either. Reading the safety rules passed for on board entertainment in the dark ages of my youth. I understand that airlines are considering to ending on board movies now. Take one step backward in the game of flying in the twenty-first century.
No one stood in security lines emptying their purses and pockets, explaining why the shampoo in in your carry-on or having the evil eye of security look at you accusatory if you had a nail file. God forbid.
These days I've become fearful of getting into the humongous chunks of metal that lift into the thin air. What keeps them up there any way?
Now that I am older, I treasure every moment I get to be alive. In spite of my fears, I fly any way white knuckling my precarious ride to my destination. I guess it beats walking the two thousand miles to Los Vegas. If I want to experience excitement and adventure, visit old friends and loved ones, I have to endure the security checks and death-defying ride in those metal birds. It's good they still serve alcohol on board. Or, at least they were still doing it yesterday. You never know. Things can change fast in the world we live in.
Happy flying!!
Sarah McNeal Author of The Violin, The Dark Isle and Lake of Sorrows.
www.sarahmcneal.com

What does my Dark Tarot card mean to me?

I seem to be posting a fair bit in this half of the month. Must be a sign that I have more time available to me. Or maybe, since I just started university last Monday, it's a sign that I'm starting to better manage my time.

We can hope. :D

I'm really enjoying the promo for my newest release, Unity. I think it's because, of the novels I have published, this one is the one where I really feel that I have come out into my own. On one of the the chat loops to promote our books, a very good question was asked. "What does your card mean to you?" And it got me thinking.

I was very lucky when I finally submitted my story into the Dark Tarot series. The Temperance card was still available to submit FOR! Unity was already on my computer and written, and I knew the sorts of themes that it explored, yet there were a few cards that I thought it could fit well under.

For me, what cinched it was the wonderful cover art. I mean, look at
it.



Those colors, and patterns, my name there in the middle of it. *grins* Isn't it beautiful?

In Unity, I explore the idea of two girls falling accidentally into
the world of Faerie, a fantasy world above or behind this world. As
fairies and elves are commonly attributed to have wings at their back,
what better for me to find than a cover with that very same
illustration? Add to that the fact that the Temperance card itself
means balance -something that my girls Celeste and Darcy find through
the passage of their travels- and I was sold! I hope you all are too. ;)

I'd like to thank the creative team at Tease for creating something so
perfect. I know I'm not the only author here to think so.

Unity, published by Tease Publishing. Available Now!
http://allromanceebooks.com/product-temperanceunity-9894-140.html.


Nikki Watson.
http://nikkiwatson.blogspot.com/

My WIP: The Light of Valmora

Falcon McKnight
(He just looks like Hugh Jackman. LOL)

I've been a little stuck lately. Obligations have kept me away from my writing and I've really over-extended myself giving my writing a back seat. Well all that has changed. I was looking in on the classroom of the Carolina Romance Writers Spells of Unsticking Workshop taught by Emily Alward and her words hit me like a cement wall. I've been keeping myself from my work--work that I love. So I took some of her suggestions and, the next thing ya know, I'm back in the saddle.

By the way, Carolina Romance Writers offer a monthly array of workshops that are absolutely fabulous.

Any hoo, here is just a tiny bit of what I wrote today on my WIP The Light of Valmora. I'll add the blurb first.

THE LIGHT OF VALMORA BLURB

To free his father from the Queen of the Dark Isle, Falcon must find the legendary Light of Valmora which lies hidden in the darkest place on earth. To complicate things further, he is falling in love with Izabelle, his brother’s woman.

Once rejected by Peregrine, Izabelle wants revenge. But when she tries to use Falcon to initiate her plan, everything gets out of control along with her heart.

THE LIGHT OF VALMORA (My WIP) Excerpt:

He turned his back to her, leaned over and gathered up the blanket and saddle. Throwing the blanket over his left shoulder, he held the saddle balanced between his right hand and shoulder. As he made his way to his horse, he gave her a backward glance. “There’s nothing I can do to help you in your endeavors to capture my brother’s heart. That little matter is between you and Peregrine. I won’t be dragged into your silly little games. Got that?”
Izabelle watched him secure the saddle to the black horse that was peacefully nibbling grass near the clear water dashing over stones in the creek. Anger ran its hot fingers up her spine. Was there a more arrogant bull-headed man on the planet? Most likely not. But she was not about to give up. “I just need you to make Peregrine jealous,” she pleaded following behind him as he walked the horse up the hill to where the others were resting.
“No.”
“Wait up,” she called to him and hurried her steps to catch up. As soon as she met his step, she took him by the arm trying to make him stop. “Please Falcon, help me. Haven’t you ever been in love with someone and they just couldn’t really see you?” His back stiffened when she spoke. She felt she had hit a raw nerve. Perhaps she could convince him yet to go along with her plan.
Stepping in front of him to face him and taking hold of the horse’s reigns, Izabelle pleaded. “Won’t you please reconsider? I just want Peregrine to notice me. What is a violin compared to a warm, breathing woman?” Reaching out, she clasped his arm in her hand. The feel of his skin and muscle beneath her palm felt warm and solid.
His muscles bunched under her touch as if the touch of her hand made him tense. He pulled back his arm from her and stepped back. Glaring at her, his mouth set in a thin line and his eyes blazed with warning. “Leave me alone. Go play your childish games with someone else.”
Her throat tightened and her cheeks tingled as if he had slapped her. Childish? “You pig-headed, arrogant bastard. I am a woman fully grown. I’m not playing any childish games as you refer to it. I am trying to win the heart of the man I love. Can’t you see that? Are you so cold to love that you can’t understand what it’s like to want someone body and soul?”
A dangerous look swept across his face. As if it were possible, his eyes grew darker until they were black and searing her with a look she had never seen before. She wanted to back away from him yet felt nailed to the spot awaiting her fate.
With sudden animation, he stepped toward her and gathered her into her hard muscled arms. His mouth came down on hers and his tongue ran along the seam of her lips until, almost against her will, she opened to him.
Izabelle didn’t mean to respond to him like some cat in heat but she found herself reaching up and sliding her hands into the silky thickness of his hair. It felt so good slipping her fingers through the soft mass of his locks. His kiss seemed to brand her and take possession of her until she became a mad woman.
All good things to your corner of the universe.

Sarah McNeal

http://www.sarahmcneal.com/

My latest HMB book

I have just finished the third book in a Regency trilogy for Harlequin Mills & Boon. This has been a difficult series to write for some reason, perhaps because I've had so many other books to revise and proofs to correct recently. However, the first two are now set for publication and the third has gone in. Before I send in the synopses for a new contract I am going to take a few weeks off to enjoy life and review some books for other authors.

The cover today is my latest release from HMB. You can enter a contest to win a copy of this book by visiting my website

www.lindasole.co.uk

- I think a lot of people are heading off on holiday so happy days to them! LOlL Linda/Anne