Marking Remembrance Day

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
      Between the crosses, row on row,
   That mark our place; and in the sky
   The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
   Loved and were loved, and now we lie
         In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
   The torch; be yours to hold it high.
   If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
         In Flanders fields.

"In Flanders Fields"
Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
May 3, 1915, Second Battle of Ypres

Today, as we wear our poppies, we will remember them.

Charity: A Cowboy Romance for Thanksgiving

The holiday season is approaching fast, but before you break into the Christmas romances there's still Thanksgiving. Luckily, I have a book for that, too - Charity, a short erotic-romance for the turkey season!

Charity Miller has spent her whole life in an urban island surrounded by the wilds of Montana where she’s never ventured too far from her plans. But when she heads into the Big Snowy Mountains to square a land deal one chilly November, her normally-professional self fades away. Maybe it’s the mountain air or finally quitting her diet. Or maybe it’s “real-live-cowboy” Joshua Rollings and his many attractions that has her off balance.

Whatever it is, this Thanksgiving could give her a reason to be thankful for the rest of her life.

"It will definitely put you in the Thanksgiving mood!" 
- You Gotta Read Reviews.


Excerpt:

The next morning broke bright and clear, and Charity’s mood was considerably lighter than the day before. Despite being awakened by what sounded like a very chipper Kate Rollings singing an ear-splitting song to her housekeeper about a bicycle built for two, Charity had slept quite well.

She had an odd, heavy sensation that made her limbs feel like they were filled with warm syrup, but it wasn’t unpleasant. And she had faint memories of several dreams that were less than PG-13. When Joshua showed her to the room the night before, Charity noticed the odd way he’d looked from her to the bed and then averted his eyes. Clearly it must have put some very scandalous ideas in her head. Nevertheless, the fresh, cool air inspired sleep and the dreams were satisfying enough.

The bed was huge and comfortable and the room cheerful and airy. Charity was grateful to have her own bathroom and shower and paused a moment to look out the big windows over the pasture lands while drying her hair. It wasn’t snowing and there was barely a wisp of cloud in the sky, so viewing the property in question might even be a pleasant task. When Joshua informed her that the Retreat was accessible by Jeep, instead of horseback as she’d initially feared, she almost started to look forward to it.

Over a mountainous breakfast of eggs and ham that would have made her personal trainer gag, Joshua related some of the land’s history to Charity while his mother concentrated on buttering enough toast to fill an army.

There was a lodge located on the property dating back to 1946. It had replaced the first cabin built by Eli Rollings in 1869, which, by then, had been used as a hunting camp by generations of Rollings men. Joshua told her that there wasn’t much left of the original site aside from an old stone well. It seemed the previous masters of the Rollings spread, Joshua’s grandfather and father, always suspected times would force them to sell the valuable land at some point, so they’d made sure the only thing left there was the new lodge and fond memories.

“There’s still the old grown-over sinkhole where the original outhouse used to be,” Joshua teased with a chuckle as she climbed into his four wheeled truck, “if you’d like to tour that.”

“I think I can do without that, thanks,” Charity responded with a laugh. “I’m a bit of a history buff, but more of the public television variety than the kind that snoop into pioneer plumbing or lack thereof.”

“City girl,” he teased, slamming the truck door and reaching for his seatbelt. She smiled when he finally tossed a Stetson on, thinking the image was now complete.

~*~

Available now on Kindle, Nook, and other ebook formats, for only $1.99.

Find it on GoodReads!

Charity is also available in my ebook/paperback collection, ALL I WANT: The Anne Holly-Day Collection. 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Interview with Jennifer Wilck

Today I welcome my Twitter friend, author Jennifer Wilck.

Hi, Jennifer! Let's start with how you got started with writing.

I’ve always been interested in words and writing. In elementary school, I used to LOVE vocabulary tests (yes, as you can guess, that made me REALLY popular with the other kids in my class). Although I’ve never been the most creative person – I have set ideas about what things should and should not be – I’ve always loved reading and writing. And when I saw how authors I read created stories, I wanted to try my hand at it. In the beginning, I used to tell stories to myself in order to fall asleep at night. Some of those stories would stick with me and replay in my head, over and over again. So then I started writing them down. Most of what I wrote didn’t actually lend itself to an entire story; it was more like a scene. But eventually, I was able to flesh out the scenes and make them longer and longer.

When and why did you decide to seek publication?

I’d had an idea playing in my head for a while and no matter how much I tried to move away from it, I couldn’t. So one evening, about seven or eight years ago, when there was no TV on and I was bored, I decided to sit down and write what was stuck in my head. I got so caught up in what I was writing that I just kept at it. I’d add to it every day, whenever I had time, which was usually at night. I have two kids, so writing during the day was not possible. When I finally finished the story, I didn’t want to just put it aside and forget about it, so I decided to submit it.

What was finding a publisher like?

The experience of finding a publisher was discouraging for a very long time. There were lots of rejections, most of which never listed a reason. But during the time that I was querying publishers, I joined RWA and met a lot of great people. I entered contests and attended conferences and spoke to agents and editors, who gave me great advice. I revised and rewrote and resubmitted and eventually found a publisher.

How did you react when the acceptance notice came?

It was pretty funny actually. When my husband proposed to me, for some reason, I had a really hard time looking at the ring. Of course, I said yes, but he thought I was nuts because I couldn’t look at the ring for the longest time (you’d think he would have taken that as a clue that I ACTUALLY am nuts, but he didn’t and now he’s stuck with me). The same thing happened when my publisher, Whiskey Creek Press, said yes. They sent me a lovely email letter and after I read it, I turned off my email and just sat there. I’d turn it on, glance at the letter, and then turn it off again. I did this several times before I could actually let myself believe that they really wanted to publish my book.

What's your advice for other writers?

My advice for other writers is number one, keep writing. The more you write, the better you get. Number two, talk to people. Show them your work. Get their feedback. Don’t necessarily take every piece of advice you get, but the more people you talk to, the better you will be able to determine what needs to be improved and what doesn’t. Number three, remember writing is a business. Be professional. Don’t burn bridges. Act in the way you’d like others to treat you. And number four, enjoy yourself. Have fun. If what you’re working on isn’t coming together, put it down and try something else.

Very sound advice. Thanks, Jennifer!

Jennifer's Bio:

When I was a little girl and couldn’t fall asleep, my mother would tell me to make up a story. Pretty soon, my head was filled with these stories and the characters that populated them. Each character had a specific personality, a list of likes and dislikes, and sometimes, even a specific accent or dialect. Even as an adult, I think about the characters and stories at night before I fall asleep, or in the car on my way to or from one of my daughters’ numerous activities (hey, anything that will drown out their music is a good thing).

One day, I started writing them down (it was either that or checking into the local mental hospital—the computer was way less scary) and five years later, I’ve gotten two book contracts from Whiskey Creek Press. A Heart of Little Faith came out in June; Skin Deep is coming out in November.

In the real world, I’m the mother of two amazing daughters and wife of one of the smartest men I know. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, reading, traveling and watching TV. In between chauffeuring my daughters to after-school activities that require an Excel spreadsheet to be kept straight, I serve on our Temple Board, train the dog we adopted from a local shelter, and cook dinners that fit the needs of four very different appetites. I also write freelance articles for magazines, newspapers, and edit newsletters.

When all of that gets overwhelming, I retreat to my computer, where I write stories that let me escape from reality. In my made-up world, the heroines are always smart, sassy and independent. The heroes are handsome and strong with just a touch of vulnerability. If I don’t like a character, I can delete him or her; if something doesn’t work, I can rewrite it. It’s very satisfying to be in control of at least one part of my life. My inspiration comes from watching the people around me and fantasizing about how I’d do things differently.

I can be reached at www.jenniferwilck.com or Facebook, and I tweet at @JWilck. My blog is Fried Oreos, and I contribute to Heroines With Hearts. My books can be purchased through WhiskeyCreek Press, or via Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

New Release: What Kings Ate and Wizards Drank by Krista D. Ball

New this week on Kindle, and coming soon to Kobo and other formats, including paperback - What Kings Ate and Wizards Drank, a Fantasy Lover's Food Guide.

Equal parts writer’s guide, comedy, and historical cookbook, fantasy author Krista D. Ball takes readers on a journey into the depths of epic fantasy’s obsession with rabbit stew and teaches them how to catch the blasted creatures, how to move armies across enemy territories without anyone starving to death, and what a medieval pantry should look like when your heroine is seducing the hero.

Learn how long to cook a salted cow tongue, how best to serve salt fish, what a “brewis” is (hint: it isn’t beer), how an airship captain would make breakfast, how to preserve just about anything, and why those dairy maids all have ample hips.

What Kings Ate will give writers of historical and fantastical genres the tools to create new conflicts in their stories, as well as add authenticity to their worlds, all the while giving food history lovers a taste of the past with original recipes and historical notes.
 

A little taste:

Pound Cake

In the 16th century, for example, all cakes were made with yeast. However, the Germans and British eventually moved to using eggs to raise their cakes. In Jane Austen’s time, cakes were going through that transition, where recipe books like Rundell’s A New System of Domestic Cookery were giving recipes for both kinds of cakes. By the time Mrs. Beeton put out her books in the Victorian era, most cakes were being made with eggs, and only poor people were using yeast to raise their cakes.

Today, pound cake is a yellow cake, browned on the outside. It’s often given terms like “light” and “moist.” While this cake is moist, I’m not sure the term “light” can ever be applied to this one.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb butter
• 1 lb sugar
• 8 eggs
• 1 lb flour
• 1 tsp each nutmeg and cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• 2 tbsp caraway seeds
• 6oz wine

Instructions:

1. Beat a pound of butter into a cream. 
2. Separate the yolk and whites from the eggs and beat each in separate bowls. 
3. Combine all of the dry ingredients. 
4. Mix the wet and dry ingredients. Your hero’s love interest will need to hand-beat this for a full hour, so he better appreciate it when she (or he) gives it to him! (Modern chefs can use a hand mixer for 7-8 minutes.) 
5. Butter a baking pan and bake it for one hour in a “quick” oven (375 degrees F).

Find it on Amazon now!

Krista was born and raised in Deer Lake, Newfoundland, where she learned how to use a chainsaw, chop wood,and make raspberry jam. After obtaining a B.A. in British History from Mount Allison University, Krista moved to Edmonton, AB where she currently lives. Somehow, she’s picked up an engineer, two kids, six cats, and a very understanding corgi off ebay. Her credit card has been since taken away. Like any good writer, Krista has had an eclectic array of jobs throughout her life, including strawberry picker, pub bathroom cleaner, oil spill cleaner upper and soup-kitchen coordinator. You can find her causing trouble at http://kristadball.com

Interview with Carla Caruso

Today, I welcome Carla Caruso, author of the new novel, Mommy Blogger.

Stella lands a fab job as a mommy blogger. The catch is she’s never had children. Plunged into a world of insanity every mother faces, she must learn to cope as her lies build upon one another. A sexy ex comes into the picture, forcing her to choose between him or the job and a handsome ‘keeper’ of a coworker. It can’t last forever.

Welcome, Carla!

What’s the earliest story you can remember writing?

I recall penning a kids’ series called The Mustard Gang as a youngster, inspired by Enid Blyton’s Adventurous Four (as opposed to the Famous Five). I had a character like her own Snubby, with a snub nose, too, and the crew of kids would get up to all sorts of (good-natured) mischief. I just Googled the name, the Mustard Gang, though, and it appears it’s since been used to refer to everything from a music band to a gang of criminals. And I thought I was being (semi) original!

What inspired you to write Mommy Blogger?

Mommy Blogger was inspired by my once applying to write for a parenting website, pretending I was a mom – when, in truth, I’m not! My clueless story ideas, needless to say, didn’t make the cut. The novel is also inspired by that strange time in your thirties, as women, when friends start falling into one of two camps – the yummy mommies and the party-loving singletons. Working out where you fit in the mix can be the dilemma.

What books have most influenced your life most?

Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta was a big one. It’s about a young Italian-Australian girl, trying to find her way as a teen, living within two cultures. I could totally relate being Italian-Australian myself! Also, Sophie Kinsella’s Shopaholic Series – I just fell in love with her books and, henceforth, felt okay to pursue my dream of writing humorous, girly reads!

What are your current projects?

Aside from Mommy Blogger, I’ve also just released an eBook with Penguin’s new Destiny Romance imprint dubbed Cityglitter. It’s about a gorgeous fairy living a glam life in the big city who does the one thing she promised herself she’d never do: fall in love with a human! I’ve also got a few other story ideas swirling around in my brain that I have to get cracking on.

Tell us a little something about yourself that we don’t know.

I’m terrified of big dogs! I blame getting chased by a Great Dane as a school kid and seeing my mum getting bitten by someone else’s dog during a walk, when I was young, for my fear. I’m a huge cat lover, though!

*
Carla Caruso has worked as a newspaper and magazine journalist, government PR and fashion stylist. Mommy Blogger was inspired by applying to write for a parenting website at the start of her freelancing career, pretending she was a mom – when she really wasn’t. Her clueless article ideas, needless to stay, didn’t make the cut – though, the experience at least gave her the premise for a fiction plot! Carla is a member of Romance Writers of Australia.
Website / Publisher / Amazon

~*~

Excerpt:
 
Cleo continues, “Most of our team work freelance from home or part-time in the office. You met Angelique in admin before. There’s also Bethany in accounts, who makes girly accessories for the site under her own label, and Topaz, who helps with packaging and postage. Oh, and Noah, of course, our webmaster—”
 
A deep male voice, behind me, cuts in. “My ears are burning.”
 
I swing around and my heart gets a jumpstart. The guy in question is not your garden-variety, weedy IT type. More like a young John Corbett, with mid-length, wavy, brown hair, sea-green eyes and a tall, well-built figure, clad in a fitted, charcoal tee and faded jeans.
 
Noah extends a hand toward me. I feel the warmth of his hand enclosing mine, before I remember mine’s Oompa Loompa colored. He smells of manliness and soap. Mommy blogging suddenly got a whole lot more interesting.
 
“Hey,” he drawls.
 
“Hi, I’m...Stella.” Yup, just forgot my name.
 
Noah’s gaze lingers on mine. “Your our new girl then?”
 
“Apparently.”
 
He nods slowly, as though sizing me up. “You’ll fit right in.”
 
“Oh, thanks,” I manage, but my mind screams: What’s that mean? That he could see me donning maternity jeans or possibly that I look like a MILF? Or worse, a GILF? (A Grandmother I’d Like To...)
 
“Look forward to seeing you at the next meeting,” Noah says, dropping my hand. Darn.
 
“Meeting?” I ask mildly as Noah strides away.
 
There were meetings? I had imagined being a faceless blogger, squirreling away in tracky-dacks in my home office, laughing to myself, while re-runs of Sex and the City played in the background.

***
Find Mommy Blogger at:
Eternal Press: http://www.eternalpress.biz/book.php?isbn=9781615727223
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Mommy-Blogger-ebook/dp/B008SYQV62 and more!

Happy Halloween!

When witches go riding,
and black cats are seen,
the moon laughs and whispers,
‘tis near Halloween.

Have a great Halloween!

Looking for a Halloween Romance?

Available on Nook, Kindle and eBook: 
Like Magic, an erotic-romance for Halloween - now only $1.99!

Ian Hannigan was having the worst day of his life. A real estate prospect turned out to be a prank, his car has been stolen, and he’s stranded in the worst neighborhood he can imagine on Halloween night. If he believed in magic, he would swear he’d been cursed. Nothing could possibly make this day any worse or better… That is, nothing but Raven, a mysterious occult shop owner who not only claims to be a witch, but insists that she summoned him as the answer to her aching loneliness. Ian’s night just got a lot weirder. And his love life just got a lot more interesting.

18+

Snippet:


It was nearing midnight when Ian woke alone. Someone was lighting fire crackers in the alley below the window. He wondered, rather belatedly, whether the police had ever shown up and was surprised with himself for having dozed off in a strange bed on such a night. His car could be in the harbor by now, but oddly, he didn’t have the will to care. Stretching his overused back muscles, he figured the orgasms he enjoyed that night were nearly worth the loss.

He sat up in the unfamiliar bed noticing with a smile that Raven had covered him with the soft quilt before wandering off to wherever she was. It was a small gesture, but an unbelievably sweet one to a man who hadn’t been tucked in often enough as a boy. Had she kissed him on the forehead when she did it? He was willing to bet she had.

~*~
Also available in ebundle and paperback in All I Want: The Anne Holly-Day Collection!

NaNoWriMo 2012: Still Up in the Air

Textbook Romance was written during NaNo 2010.

Here it is, the end of October and Halloween is plainly in sight, and I still am waffling on NaNo. I have a couple ideas in mind, but nothing that has yanked me by the scruff of the neck towards signing up this year.

Wanna help?

Below are three of the general areas my project ideas fall into; if any of them reach out and grab you, comment to let me know, and it might stir up my enthusiasm.

Project A) Historical litfic novel, set in a 1950s American university campus; some "love story," but focusing on a bit of academic intrigue and social issues. (This one has been percolating for a long time, but I still haven't gotten a foothold in.)

Project B) A silly piece of space-set futuristic fluff, with a romantic plot. Of absolutely no redeeming social value, and not likely to ever be published - but it might be fun to write, and to share on the blog!

Project C) A contemporary m/f romance (not erotica), taking place on a small town movie set. There will be writers, actors, assorted devious industry people, and an irritating gossip blogger. (This is the most likely of the three to be published in my life time.)

Well, there you have it. All three have been somewhat plotted (though Project B is rather loose), and I could do any or none... I just lack motivation, and have a ton of Real Life work to do. Thus, still waffling three days before NaNo is set to begin.

What to do, what to do...?

My NaNo 2011 novel is still unfinished, in rough form, and may never see the light of day.

Now in Paperback: All I Want, my Holiday Romance Collection!

What happens when a band nerd sets his sights on the jock next door, a flighty witch thaws out a corporate stiff, or an uptown girl falls for a bartender? How about when a city slicker roughs it with a cowboy, a free spirited Spaniard seduces his calm and collected professor, or a fantasy writer teaches a no-nonsense doctor to see the magic around him? 

Attraction, friction, and enough sparks to heat up the coldest winter! 

Opposites attract under the spell of six different holidays in this collection of contemporary erotic romance stories from author Anne Holly, covering Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years Eve, Valentine’s Day and St Patrick’s Day. Each story is unique, reflecting the glow and lore of the holiday that inspired it, but the collection is bound together by a single thread – the joy of taking the plunge into sizzling romance.

Been under the weather the past few days, but today I got a surprise to perk me up: My holiday collection from Rebel Ink, All I Want, is now available in paperback - and at a reasonable price, too!

The collection, which contains my five 2011 stories from RIP, plus a new sixth one, is now available in ebook/Kindle/Nook ($5.99 USD) and in paperback ($9.99 USD). The paperback is already up on Amazon, and I suspect it will also be for sale at B&N eventually.

Thanks, Rebel Ink! You all know how excited I get about paperbacks!

ALSO! I'm happy to announce that all five of my holiday romance shorts from Rebel Ink Press have been given new list prices. The individual titles are now only $1.99 each, instead of $3.99 each.

Promotion: The Vampire Hunter's Daughter

The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter

Complete Collection

Parts I-VI

Genre: YA Paranormal

June 2012

This special edition of The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter contains parts I-VI, the complete collection. Fourteen-year-old Chloe witnesses her mother’s murder at the hands of a vampire. Before the vampire can kidnap her, there is an unexpected rescue by a group of vampire hunters.

Overwhelmed by the feeling of safety, Chloe passes out and they whisk her away to their small community. When Chloe wakes, she comes face to face with the only other living relative, besides her mother, whom she has ever met: her grandfather. Chloe’s mother kept her hidden from the family; now, Chloe tries to unveil the family secrets.

Through her grandfather, she learns her mother was a vampire hunter. In fact, her entire family is descended from the powerful bloodlines of vampire hunters. Chloe agrees to join the family she has never known for one reason only: Chloe vows to kill the vampire responsible for her mother’s murder. With vengeance in her soul, Chloe is even more determined to follow through on her vow when she discovers the true identity of her enemy and how he is connected to her.

Experience the world of vampire hunter’s, vampires and mythology with Chloe in this exciting series.

Excerpt:

I took the first book off the stack and examined the cover. It was titled Vampires throughout History. The cover was leather and so old it was stiff and cracked in spots. The pages showed signs of age too, yellowing and stiff to the touch. There was no table of contents, so it looked like I was going to have to scan the entire book for what I was wanting. I flipped the pages carefully, so as not to tear any of them.

After an hour of scanning and about half way through the book, I found something referring to vampire children.

~~~

Although extremely rare, the natural-born offspring of vampires exist throughout the world. These rare beings are called the dhampir. Dhampir are usually the product of a vampire and mortal. The most common of these unions is a male vampire impregnating a mortal woman. Vampires, both male and female, are seductive in nature and some mortals came willingly to these unions. However, the majority of dhampir born were produced through an act of rape.

Solitary by nature, it is uncommon for a vampire to settle with any one mate for long. The children of vampires, the dhampir, more often than not exhibit all the characteristics of their vampire parent. The strength, speed and agility are the usual hereditary traits that the children develop. They are not always born with these traits but develop them as they grow into adulthood.

The dhampir are day walkers. Some of these children are sensitive to the sunlight but will not perish in the direct rays. Most have no sensitivity at all. Drinking the fresh blood of mortals is also not usually required of the dhampir; however, some have a liking for it. Very few actually need it to survive.

Most dhampir are rejected by the vampire species because of their mortality and weaknesses. Mortals often reject the dhampir, as well, due to their vampirism, so they frequently remain outcast.

Dhampir are known for becoming vampire killers. Their closeness to the vampires and their vampire characteristics make them powerful vampire hunters. The unique ability to track and kill vampires is specific to only the dhampir and the mythological race of vampire hunters.

Historically, dhampir became vampire hunters as a trade. Towns and villages became plagued by vampires who were terrorizing their homes and killing their people. The dhampir accepted contracts in exchange for monetary payment and used their likeness to their vampire counterparts to exterminate the vampires.

~~~

Holy crap, that was a lot to process. The more I read the passages, the more I understood that my being a hunter was more than my heritage; it was my history and my future. Everything about my bloodlines had hunters involved.

Part I of The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter is FREE and the author would appreciate it if this was included in the tour spots.  You can find it FREE at the links below.

Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Buy Links for The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter Complete Collection:

Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Jennifer Malone Wright

Jennifer Malone Wright resides in the beautiful mountains of northern Idaho with her husband and five children. Between the craziness of taking care of her children, whose ages range from fourteen all the way down to six months, and being a homemaker, Jennifer has little time left for herself. The time she does have left, usually leading far into the night, is spent working on freelance work or her beloved fiction.

When she grew up, Jennifer always had her nose in a book. She has been writing stories and poems since grade school. This love of the written word and her strong interest in the paranormal is what has led to her first novel “The Birth of Jaiden.”

In addition to being a mother and homemaker, Jennifer is also a very proud military wife. Moving around the country for the last ten years has made her a bit of a nomad and she finds it difficult to be in one place for too long.

Jennifer is also the author of The Birth of Jaiden, a paranormal novel filled with action, suspense, and even a love story.

Website/ Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Amazon Author Page

Giveaway

Win a $100 gift card from Amazon Grand Prize.

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Authors! Upcoming Promo Ops on this Blog

It's time again to make a submission call for a few holiday festivities here on my blog.

 

Coming Soon: October 30, 2012: "It Was The Scariest Thing" Megapost

A nice simple one: Authors, to set some spooky atmosphere, send me a few lines about what you think is the scariest thing, book, movie, nightmare, whatever.

Just send me your "Scariest Thing" statement, your name, a title and genre (if applicable) of one of your books, one picture (of yourself or the cover of your most Halloweeny book), and a link to your blog or website. Open to all genres!


Please email me at anneholly2010 (at) gmail (dot) com by October 27th!

~*~

December 4 and 6, 2012: Holiday Showcase I & II

These two days, I will be posting spotlights for holiday-related books (featuring Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Solstice, New Years, Boxing Day, etc), of any genre or format.

Each book will have its own post and comments field, so you can feel free to do a giveaway if you want, which you will administer. I will post one an hour or two (or every half hour, if I get a lot of submissions) each day, from 8am until about 6-8pm (first come, first served). (Giveaways should run until 11.59pm that night, regardless of post time, with winners announced the next day.)

If you'd like to participate, email me, including your book's blurb and cover along with your pic and bio, and all the links you want - particularly a buy link. If you want to do a giveaway of any form (the book in question, a different book, a giftcard, whatever), you should include that, as well.

You can also include an excerpt of about 300-800 words (max, please), if you wish, but nothing too explicit, please. (Aim for about PG-13, though your links, etc, don't have to be.)

I'd really like to punch the heck out of this to get the December season off to a bang, so the more books the merrier, I think. Please, send me any holiday/winter related books, and I will start scheduling them as they come in.

Email me at anneholly2010 (at) gmail (dot) com by December 1 or 2, please.

~*~

As usual, these shots are open to all genres, all forms of publishing, etc. It is open to both authors and publishers. As usual, these posts will be promoted on my social media, etc, and may involve some extra Facebook elements. Please feel free to share this offer with anyone who might be interested. All are welcome!

Also: BOLO in 2013 for calls for Valentine's Day and St Patrick's Day showcases, as well.

To NaNo or Not to NaNo?

NaNoWriMo starts in just about 15 days, give or take, but I am still undecided. I have at four three ideas for projects I could do, if I really felt like it, but... Do I feel like it?

The issue is, I'm becoming a little less RAWR, I think. I mean, I've written things, and they've been published. I did NaNo. Twice. That mountain, she has been climbed. So, do I feel like climbing it again?

In case you don't know what I'm talking about, NaNoWriMo is "National Novel Writing Month," during which writers attempt to write a novel (50k) in one month (November). It's a challenge, and can be quite fun - all that guerrilla-style marathon writing, which forces you to lose a lot of your inhibitions. It can also be quite productive. My latest novel, Textbook Romance, was my NaNo project in 2010, so that was time fairly well spent.

Yet, there are a number of other things I could (should?) be doing this winter, including preparing for my monster teaching term starting in January. Plus, I might not be in a place where I have the same motivation and clear mental direction to enjoy it. I say enjoy it, because ten to one, I'm stubborn enough that if I sign up for it, I will do it. That's just how I roll - and another reason I shouldn't start it unless I really want to.

So, we'll see. I have a few more days to think about it. Nevertheless, I hope to have some NaNo-related guests in November, whether I take the jump or not, and I salute the participants!

Welcome, Suzzana C. Ryan

Earlier this month, my friend and colleague JL Oiler visited to talk about her newest release Glimpses of Midnight, vol 1. Today, her colleague (and my new friend) Suzzana C. Ryan talks about her new book, the continuation of the series, Glimpses of Midnight, vol 2.

Glimpses of Midnight: Decadence 

By Suzzana C Ryan Cyrus 

Bellefleur ruled the underworld but couldn’t rule his mate, Alkmene, a gorgeous succubus. The feared ancient vampire could crush a legion of humans but found it impossible to tame one redheaded beauty. Their tumultuous union periodically resulted in the succubus fleeing the underworld in an attempt to anger him. She’d do what she did best and that was ravish human men with her temptuous body. Her prowess in bed was her curse. It was at times like these Cyrus followed her into the world above.

This time, however, when she ran from Cyrus, she found a portal in time, traveling to the year nineteen-fifty-seven, looking to hide. But Cyrus could sniff out an opening in the time line.

Alkmene found herself a dark, handsome lover, a fallen archangel, who was ripe for the plucking. But she never figured on his lovely human conquest falling into the mix. Emmy Harris was an up and coming Hollywood starlet and the biggest thing to hit tinsel town in ages. Now Emmy became a pawn in the wicked games Cyrus and Alkmene played.

In a world called South Hedonism, all vices, indulgence, decadence, obsession and perversion flourish. All creatures foul, evil and corrupt exist in the evil inner cities. They come and go between both worlds and love to play above. But they always return. Hell has its advantages. 

Here’s book two of Glimpses of Midnight. Here you’ll meet Cyrus Bellefleur, the dark under lord. I love him, evil with a very twisted sense of humor and a mate that tries his patience on a daily basis. She’s a beautiful red headed succubus named Alkmene.

Definition Succubus: a female demon or supernatural being appearing in dreams, who takes the form of a human woman in order to seduce men, usually through sexual intercourse.

She was Cyrus’s first big mistake. Silly vampire, he expected such a creature to be faithful. Let’s note his second mistake, falling in love with the spitfire and third, Carina, his half-breed daughter. And might I add, a quite prolific creature who disobeys her father, well a hell of a lot more than your mother.

Okay we’ve got the evil family. What’s next on the agenda, a slew of creatures, time travel, thousands of cities existing in the darkness, Labyrinths, erotic sexual encounters and a dose of evil. Then we have some inhabitants, going top side, creating unrest, havoc and death in the human world. Did I mention, Cyrus encourages and condones such behavior. Awe its hell, baby, and well its fun. Did I say that.

As one of the writers involved in this wonderful collaboration, I get too engrossed in my characters and in the world that JL Oiler and I have created. Did I tell you I have an obsessive personality, enjoy wicked evil things, love erotic poetry, ghouls, vampires, witches, werewolves and they live in my head, yeah, on a daily basis. Is this redundant? LOL, not to worry, last time I looked things that go bump in the night don’t exist. Hm, gotta raise an eyebrow here, in my brain they do exist.

You must read Glimpses of Midnight, Volume One, here you will encounter Carina, the half-breed orgasm-seeking daughter. Really, she’s running creatures ragged, in pursuit of the perfect orgasm. You meet, the two humans who venture into hell and pay the price. You’ll enjoy the wickedness of JL Oiler has created and her talent of getting three, count them three in one bed. She a master at ménage, and has taught me a thing or two. Oh, sorry I get lost a lot, smiles.

Well, fellow humans, time to wrap it up, got some serious writing to do. Look for Glimpses of Midnight, Volume Three, Obsession and then Four Perversion. See those heading, we won’t let you down, I promise.

Kisses and hugs…
- Suzzana C Ryan
http://www.suzzanacryanromanceromanceauthor.blogspot.com

And They Lived Horribly Ever After

A Guest Post by Coral Moore

You probably don’t know me. My name is Coral and I’m a speculative fiction writer. At first glance, my fantastical fiction and Anne Holly’s contemporary romance don’t seem to have much in common. You might even wonder what I’m doing here, on a very romance-y blog. The answer is pretty simple—I love romantic storylines. I do have a couple of problems with the way romance is expected to be these days, though. I don’t subscribe to the theory that a story has to fit into a mold to be fulfilling, which is why I’ve hesitated to label my books that way. After a few late-night conversations with Anne regarding the formulaic nature of much of today’s commercial fiction, I know it’s a matter she has some interest in as well, so I decided to write a little something about romances that don’t follow the “type” and why they are still worthwhile.

I’m going to back way up for a moment and start with a classic, just to offer a bit of foundation for my claim. Romeo and Juliet is not a romance by today’s standards. Though the plot is driven by the central relationship, there is no happy ending. I would argue that since the budding relationship reaches a logical conclusion—even though the resolution is a tragic one—the story should still be considered a romance. The play is entirely about their love and how it shapes the world around them. It’s a love story, in the purest sense, yet it would never be labeled a romance now.

Why is the romance genre the only one so handicapped by the reliance on happy endings? If a science fiction story has a tragic ending, no one suggests that it belongs in a different genre. No one would have told Bradbury, “We only allow happy endings on alien planets here, move along now,” and thank goodness because the darkness of his stories is part of what makes them so good. Don’t get me wrong, I love a happy ending. I just don’t think it should be required for the genre because knowing how the story is going to end diffuses some of the tension for me. The most poignant love stories teeter at the edge of loss, and without the chance that things won’t work out, that potential for tragedy is gone.

My favorite stories are the darkest ones. I’ve always preferred them, probably because so much of my early reading was horror. If I can’t believe something terrible might happen as a result of the conflict, there isn’t much point to reading the story in my opinion. Let’s use Harry Potter as an example (Spoiler Alert: Though I can’t imagine there’s anyone who doesn’t know the basic plot of the stories out there). Until more than halfway through the series there really isn’t much fear about the consequences. Though the situation is purported to be dire, there’s no immediate sense that something awful could happen. Our heroes will just keep beating the bad guys, skipping along merrily at the end. Cedric’s death changes everything. Once we know that someone important could die as a result of what’s going on, the tone of the stories turns more urgent.

Though my stories are heavily romantic, I don’t like to label them as romances because I want there to be doubt and darkness at the base of them. When my heroine walks away from the hero, I want you to believe she might not come back. When the hero tells the heroine that she should leave or something awful might happen, I want you to believe the terrible is possible. That just can’t happen while writing under the strictures of modern-day romance, so what’s an author to do?

My newest release is Elements of Rebellion. I’ve waffled back and forth on how to label this story, basically since I finished writing it. I settled on Dark Fantasy Romance, but I’m still not sure if that’s truly where it belongs. Part of me still clings to the idea that the tension is somehow less if the reader goes into it knowing there is a happy ending.I’m sure there are dissenting opinions on this subject, and I welcome your attempts to convince me that every romance should end happily in the comments. If you’d like to have a more prolonged discussion, I invite you to come find me on Twitter, Goodreads or my blog. I might even give you a copy of my not-romance for your trouble.

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Elements of Rebellion

Coral Moore

After spending most of her life an unwilling captive in a brothel, Sindari is sold to Lord Devin, a man with a reputation for unspeakable cruelty. In the arms of this man who must pretend he cares nothing for her, Sindari finds compassion, making the journey through her barren homeland all the more perilous. Along the way she discovers she can channel elemental forces that compliment Devin’s ability to manipulate fire.

Harnessing this power, she battles the Dominion, an unrelenting foe that has broken the spirit of the Eldari people through twenty years of savagery. Trapped by the brutal empire that has enslaved millions, Sindari and Devin fight against hopeless odds.

Genre: Fantasy
Length: 85,000
Warnings: Graphic Violence and Sexual Situations
Written for NaNoWriMo 2010.

Worthy Cause: Fill the Shelves!

Fill The Shelves is the brainchild of a small group of writers - but we were all readers first.  Kids who tucked into corners and forts and crannies at our school libraries, harassed the librarians for something new to read, fed our imaginations with the worlds we found in the pages.

Not one of us can imagine growing up without books.

The basics: School librarians compile Amazon wishlists for their school libraries. FTS puts willing donators in touch with these wishlists, the donors order the books and Amazon sends them directly on. It's a very simple way to help many, many children.

When I was a child, there were a simple handful of things that mattered to me: Writing, drawing, roaming outdoors, and, most of all, reading. I was blessed with a mother who read voraciously, and teachers and librarians who were there every step of my education with book recommendations. We were not a wealthy family, so I relied heavily on my school's library and our neighbourhood book mobile program to feed my growing interest in books. Through these portals, my life as a reader became essential to my life as me. If it weren't for books, I would not be who I am today.

Like the FTS organizers, I can't picture childhood without books.

This new charity came to my attention last week, as it was started by a number of indie authors I know online. I'm not affiliated it with it in any way, but I wanted to help spread the word. As readers/writers/humans, it is in all our best interests to engage kids with reading, to keep school libraries up to date, and to help teacher-librarians foster literacy. So far, the org has been a smashing success. As of last time I looked, $4,500 worth of books have gone to libraries in need!

But there are now three new school libraries added that need support.

If you're a school librarian or would like to help, please, check it out!

Going Bump in the Night

A Guest Post by Siobhan Kinkade

Creepy crawly critters…

Dark, shadowy corners…

A chilly wind whistling through the trees…

Let’s face it, everyone wants a good scare. It’s the adrenaline rush, the increase I endorphins when your heart starts pumping in overtime. That tingle of hesitation will draw you in and hold you hostage every single time.

It’s why us romantics are so drawn to a sexy alpha-male shapeshifter or a brooding bloodsucker. It’s why the taboo and untouchable becomes the desired. Of course, when we start talking about the anti-hero type of heroes, the phrase “going bump in the night” takes on a whole new meaning. The monsters become the love interests, and perspectives change. I don’t know about you, but I like the danger. The possibility of being devoured (and not in the happy fun way) by the scary creature really gets my blood pumping.

I happen to be partial to vampires. Ones like Christian, for example… He’s about as unconventional as a hero can get – piercings…tattoos…blue mohawk… VAMPIRE.

And I want one. If I had to pick a vampire to go bump in the night with, it would be him, hands down. Want to know why? Read more…

Lana Roberts has come to Boston searching for her twin sister, Sarah. The last place Sarah was seen is an underground club called The Mausoleum. Not realizing what she has gotten herself into, Lana enters, only to find herself in the company of a seductively frightening vampire named Christian Sterling – the only creature in the place that wants to help her. But there’s one problem.

Lana is still human. 

If she goes back into The Mausoleum, she’ll be killed, but Christian has a plan…if he can only convince her to go along with it. Can a pair of Halloween costumes, the sexy stranger she has found herself falling for, and a little bit of unorthodox behavior save the day? And just how long can Lana keep telling herself she doesn’t want him?

 

Excerpt from Blood Doll:

“How long would it take?” Lana asked after several moments of silence. She shook her head and her eyes seemed to clear. Then she looked up at him, and her cheeks turned a warm, tempting pink color.

“If timed carefully, just a few hours.”

“What happens if it isn’t timed right?”

“You take in too much and turn.” He bit into the burger again, and her face crumpled in confusion.

“I thought vampires couldn’t eat human food,” she said, and glanced down at her own plate. Her stomach growled.

“Vampirism isn’t like you think, Lana.” He placed the burger back on the plate and wiped his hands on his jeans. “Like I said, we eat and drink, we breathe, we have heartbeats. We also crave human blood and will wither and die without it.”

“That’s kind of gross,” she replied, startling a laugh out of him. However, the laugh quickly died as he spotted two familiar faces peering through the grimy door at him. He looked straight at her, reaching across the table to take her hand.

“Are you planning to eat?” he asked. She looked down at the plate, then back up at him.

“Why?”

“Because I think we’re about to have company. We need to make a quick exit.” She grabbed two fries from the plate and shoved them in her mouth whole, which puffed her cheeks out like a squirrel. Christian smirked and patted her hand before pulling a twenty-dollar bill from his wallet and throwing it on the table. “Chew fast, sweetheart,” he said, rising from the booth. She grabbed the burger, took a large bite, then grabbed her straw and stuffed her mouth further with soda. Shaking his head in amusement, he took her hand and led her to the side door just as the front door opened.

The pair watching him paused, then whispered something to each other that was lost in the din of the restaurant. Christian tugged her out the door and started down the sidewalk at a brisk pace. Beside him, Lana chewed the mouthful of food quickly, fighting to swallow it without choking. Any other time he’d have laughed at her, but he heard the door of the diner open and the pair following them call his name.

“Chew faster,” he urged, picking up his pace. Lana was nearly running when she swallowed the final time and gave a weak, gagging cough.

“What’s going on?” she choked out.

“We’re being followed.”

“Shit.”

“Exactly.” He swept her into his arms and began to run. Nine blocks later, Christian ducked into an alley and dropped her to her feet. “Do you trust me, Lana?” She looked up at him, her eyes wide and perfectly round, and nodded. “Then just go with me on this, okay?” She nodded again. He peered around the alley wall, listening as the footsteps moved in. “They’re coming,” he said, turning and walking her back into the shadows. He pushed her back against the wall and took her face in his hands. “Just go with it,” he said, and kissed her.

This was no tentative first kiss. Christian pressed his full body against her, pinning her to the wall as he threaded his fingers and laid siege to her mouth. 

Links:

© www.sugarnspicepress.com © www.amazon.com ©
© www.allromanceebooks.com © www.barnesandnoble.com ©
© www.bookstrand.com © www.fictionwise.com ©

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Where to find Siobhan:

http://siobhankinkade.wordpress.com
http://www.facebook.com/AuthorSiobhanKinkade
http://www.twitter.com/siobhankinkade