Today we are going to slow things down, and get out of the big city to enjoy a bit of the down home country life. Now when you think of the country you think of farms, wide open fields, ranches, and..... yummy hard working cowboys. Now without a doubt when you think of sexy, big, hunky cowboys, you think of the creator of the awesome series, The Secret Life of Cowboys by C. H. Admirand. C. H. has agreed to visit with us and answer a few questions so we can get to know her and learn more about her books.

When Tyler Garahan said he'd do anything to save his family's ranch, he never thought that would include taking a job as a stripper at a local ladies' club. But the club's fiery redheaded bookkeeper captures Tyler's attention, and for her he'll swallow his pride...
Emily Langley feels for the gorgeous cowboy. It's obvious that he's the real deal and wouldn't be caught dead at a ladies' revue if he wasn't in big trouble. And when he looks at her like that, she'll do anything to help.
Working days on the ranch and nights at the ladies' club, Tyler would be plumb exhausted if he didn't suddenly discover that the club is in the same boat as his ranch, and his beautiful boss needs him as much as he needs her...



THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULDN'T TAME... Dylan Garahan might be an old hand at lassoing fillies, but one night at the Lucky Star club, and he ends up wrapping his rope around someone that even his formidable strength can't tame. She's wily and beautiful... and she's his new boss. Dylan's had his heart broken before, but even an honest cowpoke has to wrestle with temptation...
UNTIL HE GOT HIS LASSO AROUND HER... Ronnie DelVecchio might be fresh off the bus from New Jersey, but she's a hard-edged businesswoman and has had her fill of men she can't trust -- although she might consider getting off her high horse for that big, handsome rancher with a Texas drawl.

1. Do you have conversations with these guys?

 Do they lead you to what they say, do, or how they act or is it the other way around? It’s funny, but I have the original plan/synopsis and then my characters seem to have their input and manage to get their way. If I don’t listen to them, the story seems forced and doesn’t flow until I start listening to them. J

2. A little birdie told me about you going to a certain *wink* club that gave you inspiration for this series. Would you tell us about it? (I think our followers would enjoy it)

Hmmm…I wonder who told you? It’s true, while attending RT in Houston a few years ago one of my author friends asked me to go to a local club to support her publisher and their models. Of course I said yes, thinking I’d know what to expect having seen the Chippendale dancers perform on TV. Hah! I was wrong. Not one of the dancers wore pants...teeny tiny briefs, yes…pants, no. And then a tall muscular cowboy walked onto the stage with his chaps, black Stetson and black spandex briefs and my imagination took off…what would a cowboy be doing up on the stage like that? I was no longer embarrassed because my creative side was taking over and I realized the cowboy would get up there to save his ranch…the Circle G. That’s when I started taking in the surroundings and on the plane ride home, I wrote the synopsis for the first book, TYLER.

3. Do you think most of the inspirations that spring into you head come at strange or unusual times?

Sometimes they come at inappropriate moments or when I’m supposed to be doing something else. Most often when I’m driving or riding somewhere and my mind is drifting, things that I see seem to trigger the voices in my head. Most often the voices wake me up arguing until I just get up and start writing.

4. Did you find that after deciding on the story line for Tyler and Dylan, that you needed to do a lot of research at exclusive clubs for ladies *G* ?

No! I was so embarrassed after that one trip that I decided I had more than enough research in that one trip. When I told my husband about it he laughed, he knows me too well. Now there are a lot of sporting events where athletes wear skimpy attire…that’s as close as I’ll come to another ladies club. LOL J

5. Do some of your characters, like Mavis for example, come to life from friends or family member characteristics?

Yes, as a matter of fact they do. It’s funny when the person I’ve taken those characteristics from read the book and DON’T figure it out. Then again, I don’t always portray these people in a flattering way, so I guess that’s a good thing. J

6. Do you believe in love at first sight?

Absolutely…I fell in love with my husband that first night I saw him. He was on break from college and came back to help out with the lighting for our high school production of West Side Story. Our eyes met and it was like a blow to the heart…we’ve been married 33 years this year- have 3 grown children, 2 sons and a daughter in between, one son-in-law and a gorgeous grandbaby…Life is really good.

7. Let’s talk about Jesse, due to be released next July. What can you tell us about it?

There is just something about the youngest Garahan brother…an extra dollop of Irish charm. I knew because he’d had his heart broken by the same woman—twice—that the woman he’d fall in love with would be unique. Danielle doesn’t have time for love, she’s too busy raising her three-year old daughter on her own—but there’s just something about the handsome cowboy who tugs at her heart strings…and then there’s the way he looks down at her itty bitty pink cowgirl daughter…

Jesse Garahan no longer believes in love. Until he meets Danielle Brockway and her tiny daughter, Lacey, on their way to their new home in Pleasure, TX. Danielle's worthless ex-husband left her high and dry, and now she's looking for a simple small-town to start over in -- and then she meets Jesse. She just can't seem to help herself where long-limbed, swaggering Texas men are concerned. Suddenly, life is anything but simple.

8. After Jesse, what next project do you have planned for your fans?

I just finished the revisions for my November book—A Wedding in Purity—which is the first book in my new Small Town USA series for Sourcebooks. The Mulcahy sisters take over the family business when their father retires—a handyman business. Yep, that’s right, these women know how to use power tools! Megan is a whiz at wiring and plumbing, Caitlin’s specialty is carpentry, and Grace runs the office, she hates to get her hands dirty. Purity, Ohio isn’t your typical small town…love is always in the air…if you want to know what’s going on in town, or find out about the latest marriage proposal just drive past the bright yellow water tower—the proposal will be up there painted in John Deere Green!

9. Let’s learn a few fun facts about C.H.

Coffee or tea?

Irish Whiskey

Cake or pie?

Sweet Potato Praline Pie

Fall or spring?  

Spring

Picnics or restaurant?

Picnics

Candy or flowers?

Wildflowers

With that special someone,... a long walk together in silence just holding hands, or sitting on the sofa having a non-serious talk?

A long walk in the woods at twilight or on the beach just after dawn.

Shoes or barefoot?

Barefoot

Red or blue?

Green

Tigers or teddy bears?

Faeries

Sand or snow?

Woods!

A special thank you to Wendy, LT, and Shonna for inviting me to be a guest on their fab blog today. As I mentioned to Shonna, I write contemporary romance, but have tons of faeries in my home…delicate ceramic winged creatures, calendars, pictures, etc. and my darling hubby is such a good sport about being surrounded by them.

Thanks, ladies!
C.H. is sponsoring a special giveaway of a signed copy of her book TYLER to one of our blog followers. To enter, leave a comment or question along with your email address (sorry restricted to U.S. residents only).

You can find out more about C.H. on her web site,

http://www.chadmirand.com/index.php

or contact her at

mailto:chadmirand@chadmirand.com

http://www.facebook.com/CHAdmirand

http://www.twitter.com/CHAdmirand

(She loves to hear from her readers)

UNDER A VAMPIRE MOON CONTEST BY LYNSAY SANDS- sorry for the confusion- we are not hosting the contest we are just promoting it- please follow the link below to enter

ENTER HERE:
http://www.lynsaysands.net/contests/UAVMContest.html

Enter for a chance to win a Louis Vuitton Monogram Pegase 45 travel case or one of five signed, rare ARCs of Lynsay's upcoming release, Under A Vampire Moon. This is Christian Notte's story and it's a goody!


Here's what you need to do...
Step 1: There are a number of ways you can enter this contest...


Spread the word about Lynsay's upcoming release and this contest and you'll get one entry in the contest for each of the following methods. This means you'll get up to another 4 chances to win if you spread the word by...

- tweeting about it using the #UnderAVampireMoon hashtag - please keep your retweets of the contest notification (text below) to a max of once a week to avoid spamming twitter

- discuss it on facebook using the #UnderAVampireMoon hashtag

- email the Under A Vampire Moon notification to a friend and tell them about the book/contest, be sure to CC contests@lynsaysands.net as well - as stated above you only get one credit for email referral so please do not spam people that

- discuss the book and/or contest on your blog or website, be sure to enter the URL when you complete step 2

Pre-order Under A Vampire Moon and you get an entry in this contest. Send proof of purchase either by email (contests@lynsaysands.net) or snail mail (Lynsay Sands - PO Box 44029, London, Ontario, N6A 5S5, Canada). As added incentive, if you pre-order Under A Vampire Moon before it's release date, we'll automatically double your chances of winning. That means if you do all of the above, you'll get 5 entries x 2 = 10 entries in this contest !

Step 2: Register your contact information (form found below)(PLEASE FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR THE FORM)- http://www.lynsaysands.net/contests/UAVMContest.html as we will be contacting the winners via email. You must enter your name and email address and you should enter your Twitter ID, Facebook ID and/or Web URL if you are discussing the book using any of these methods.


This contest officially ends April 23, 2012 @ midnight ! (Please note: we will be accepting entries up to April 30 @ midnight to give those that are mailing their entries in a little more time).

Congrats & THANK YOU for everyone who joined us!!

With great pride we are thrilled to have Lori Foster as our SPECIAL guest author today on the blog.

Since first publishing in January 1996, Lori Foster has become a Waldenbooks, Borders, USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly and New York Times bestselling author. Currently with Berkley/Jove, Lori has published through a variety of houses, including Kensington, St. Martin’s, Harlequin, Silhouette and Samhain. Believing it’s important to give back to the community as much as possible, Lori has overseen special contests in conjunction with publishers, facilitating many first sales for new authors. She routinely organizes events among authors and readers to gather donations for various organizations and charities. Lori’s outstanding work made it a tough job to try and pick out just a few books to share with you today. They are like different flavors of ice cream. You really need to try them all to understand how unique and yummy they all really are. To top off this special treat, Lori is adding sprinkles by sponsoring giveaways for THREE of our followers today.

1. a copy of BUCKHORN BEGINNING

2. a copy of FOREVER BUCKHORN

3. a t-shirt

To enter, be a follower of this blog, leave a comment or question for Lori today along with your email address. Winners will be drawn by a random drawing. Sorry U.S.residents only.

1. You are able to roll a connection of romance with steamy sex to write very yummy sexual scenes. Does this come easy for you or do you like to skip them over and come back later after having a couple of mugs of strong hot coffee?

[Lori said:] I’m a linear writer. I write the scenes in the order that they appear. And yeah, I guess they come naturally. The characters pretty much tell me what they want to do and how they want to do it. I just get it on paper. Some characters are more sexually charged than others, some are kinkier, some more romantic. I’d say all the men are very focused on physical satisfaction. ;-)

2. When developing characters for a story do you completely take from your imagination or do bits and pieces from people you know or briefly met have a part when putting together a personality on the page? Have you ever purposely fashioned a character after a friend or someone you admired? Who do you feel is in control of traits and personal attributes in your characters (you or your characters)?

[Lori said:] My characters call all the shots! Sure, drips and drabs of personalities familiar to me sometimes show up in the stories. That’s unavoidable. And sometimes I hear my sons or hubby say or do something funny that gets incorporated in a book as part of the male pov. (Point of view.) But I have never deliberately “copied” any person that I actually know. Shoot, the people I know are nice normal folks – not at all the “larger than life” characters of books.

3. Out of all your books, if you could have dinner with just one character you have created, which would you pick and why?

[Lori said:] Luther, from the “Servant” series, written by me as L. L. Foster. Talk about a guy who can roll with the punches! He’s mega big, very sexy, and so intelligent and caring. I adore him. But then I adore Gaby too. It still surprises me that Amazon named the #2 book in that series, “Servant: The Acceptance,” as the #1 Editor’s Pick in Romance. A very nice surprise!

4. I know sometimes kids can be horrified by just being seen with their parents in a public place (like the mall). How do your sons handle having a mom that writes romance with sizzling sex scenes?

[Lori said:] My boys are fantastic! Very proud and they brag and they’re not in the least bothered by what I write. They do tease me sometimes – and I smack them in return. LOL. But they’ve never been shy about showing affection in public. More often than not, I have to insist they not lift me up or swing me around. They’re very demonstrative – even in public places!

5. With so many wonderful books under your belt, do you ever have trouble keeping fresh new ideas flowing when it comes time to sit down and start a new project?

[Lori said:] Oh Lord, no never. I wish I had more time and energy to get all the ideas on paper! What happens is that one idea will be more demanding than another. One character will kick up more of a fuss. The squeaky wheel gets oiled, you know. So whichever character/plot is plaguing me the most gets written next. Works for me – and apparently works for my muse as well.

6. Of all the stories you have, which are you the most proud of and why?

[Lori said:] Well, not to get tomatoes thrown at me, but I’m still thrilled with “My Man Michael.” Yeah, it was very wrong of me to drop a futuristic time travel into the middle of a contemporary series. Live and learn! LOL. But I LOVE that book, the characters and the setting and I hope to one day write more TT. I had a blast with it. Obviously, if I do venture there again, I will know NOT to take readers by surprise with it. It will be separate from other series, and properly labeled as a Time Travel. ;-)

I’m also mega fond of my Servant books, as L. L. Foster.

You know, I guess the different stuff is what I like most, maybe because it is so different. It’s very refreshing for an author to step outside the tried and true and daringly do something new and exciting.

7. Community/charity work is something you don’t let slide by you (which is wonderful considering how busy you have to be). Your 8th ANNUAL READER & AUTHOR GET TOGETHER is just a few months away, scheduled to begin June 1st. With registration completely full and a waiting list in hand, will the future hold changes? Do you feel that with the next few years that you will be able to enlarge the event to accommodate more attendance?

[Lori said:] I can’t see us changing venues because the Marriott in West Chester is so wonderful to us. They truly have a hand in our ability to keep the event a very affordable $50. That was our whole goal – to do something lowkey and fun, casual and relaxed, where readers and authors could get together and TALK without all the noise of a band or a crazy schedule pulling them away, and we wanted it to be affordable for one and all. Dianne Castell aka Duffy Brown, Linda Keller and I have worked hard to make that a reality.

So while we won’t be moving from the original location, yes, we will be reconfiguring some things. 500 attendees will always be our max. We can’t change that. But I do hope to get back to our “roots” a little for 2013 with limited authors and more readers. Bummer that we have to do that, but it’s unavoidable – proven by the insane rush for 2012. J Dianne, Linda and I are thrilled with how popular the event has gotten, but this is about and for the readers. We will make it so! LOL

8.The saying goes, no one can tell you what it is like to be a parent until you become one yourself. The same holds true in the wonderful world of grand babies. Can you tell us your joy and how it has changed your life?

When my first son was born, and with each son after (3 total) my biggest prayer was to let me live long enough to see them grown. I was a very hands-on mom. The epitome of a mother hen. I left my kids with no one, enjoyed every second with them, and though I know I made mistakes (who doesn’t?) it was never from a lack of caring or concern. Just human failing. Well, the boys are grown. My prayers were answered.

And now I have grandsons. :::sigh::: The oldest is 6 year old and so incredibly awesome that he keeps me endlessly entertained. Talk about loving someone? That little man steals my heart on a daily basis. He’s bossy and independent and too smart for his own good, and I can’t imagine going more than a week without seeing him.

And now he has a brand new baby brother. Seeing him with his baby brother is a unique joy, the kind that makes me want to laugh and cry at the same time. My heart is so full it wants to burst.

God gave me my prayers and let me be here to raise my boys, so I won’t get greedy and ask for more. Now I just give thanks for all I have – it is substantial. Not the career or all it’s brought to me. But the wonderful husband of over 33 years, the 3 healthy sons who I love more than life, and now that gift of 2 beautiful grandsons. I am a very, very blessed person, and I know it.

9. As in all things, there is praise, constructive suggestions, and then there is the dreaded, raised eyebrow with unwelcome rude criticism. How do you deal with this and your work?

[Lori said:] I don’t really care. Life is life. You run into conflicts in everything you do. No one is perfect, so no one is ever going to be thought perfect – in anything, especially writing. That old adage that you can’t please all of the people all of the time is especially true with fiction. Unlike some people, books are not my babies. They’re just my books. If a readers doesn’t like one, I sincerely wish her luck in finding a new author/book that she does enjoy. Reading time is a precious thing and should never be wasted on books you don’t like.

I’m not out to educate anyone. I only want to entertain. If what I write doesn’t entertain you, don’t read it.

That said, I’ve been endlessly harassed by some who think I “dissed” readers in my book, “When You Dare.” That is SO not true. Sure, I didn’t mention some of the crazier readers out there. They’re few and far between, but occasionally a reader (or more like a nut) will go over the line. Not with criticism, which I can take. Not even with anger, which is expected if a reader *really* disliked a book.

But I’ve had actual threats issued against me. Threats that brought out the local police, who called in forensics experts.

I’ve had people write me and tell me I needed to die because they disliked a book. That’s not natural. That’s not a disgruntled reader. That’s a nut.

I’ve also had those over-the-top enthusiasts who repeatedly try to send flowers to my P.O. Box and send me :::cough::: intimate photos of themselves.

So disgruntled, angry, disappointed readers should always feel free to vent to me!

But people who want me dead, or want to send me a nekkid photo... not so much.

Some will always try to put the worst slant imaginable on everything an author does. Such is life.

Overall, I have THE most amazing readers ever. I love sharing in their lives, hearing from them (when they love a book and when they don’t. LOL) and just plain chatting on Facebook and Twitter and email. This is an awesome gig, made more so by the readers. I’m blessed x 10!

10. Let’s talk about MEN WHO WALK THE EDGE OF HONOR SERIES. (As I fan myself because it is suddenly getting very warm in here *G*) Tell us a little about the series and it’s next installment A PERFECT STORM.

[Lori said:] I first came up with the idea after watching “Taken” with Liam Neeson. His daughter was stolen away and by necessity, he had to go past other women in jeopardy so that he could rescue his daughter. I soooo badly wanted him to be heroic enough, somehow competent enough, to free everyone. So my muse started working on the idea and came up with Dare – “When You Dare” and Trace – “Trace of Fever.”

I knew going in that Dare and Trace would each have a book, and I knew Trace had a sister, Alani.

Jackson surprised me when he showed up, especially since he showed up already lusting for Alani. Of course he became the hero in the third book, “Savor the Danger.”

And Arizona wasn’t planned. One minute I was writing Jackson’s story, and then poof – Arizona was there. Bigger poof – and Spencer hit the page.  I LOVE how my muse does that for me!

Almost from the minute she showed up, I knew Arizona would have her own story – especially when Spencer got near her. Fun times.

Did I already say what a great gig writing is? I have a blast!

For interested readers, April, with “A Perfect Storm,” is the last book of that series.
In October, I launch a new series with new characters – 4 books, heroes: Logan, Reese, Rowdy and Dash.  I don’t have a series name for that series yet. My editor is working on it. But I know some of the titles:

1^st Book – “Run The Risk”, out in October 2012.
2^nd Book – “Bare it All,” Reese’s story.
3^rd Book – “Getting Rowdy,” Rowdy’s story.

No idea yet on the fourth book, but it should be Dash’s story. It’s unusual for me to go into a series already knowing all 4 heroes – but that’s how it worked out this time. All 4 guys are in that first book, so readers will know them right off.
The plan is for the books to be released around May/April and Sept/Oct of each year, with reissues bracketed in around Feb and Nov. At least, that’s the plan from my current publisher, Harlequin. Other publishers will probably be reissuing other books too.
Oh, and I should almost always have an anthology in June. Those June anthologies are my “Benefit Books,” where the advance and all royalties go directly to a wonderful local charity.

11. For fans that want to keep up with news and your latest work could you give us a few links to help stay in-touch?

[Lori said:] I’m on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lori-Foster/233405457965

And Twitter: http://twitter.com/lorilfoster

And Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17597.Lori_Foster

And I have a monthly, announcement-only newsletter: http://www.lorifoster.com/newsletter/index.php

And if you like my books – there’s a FREE app for that!! Search the iPhone library, or for Android, go to: http://mobileroadie.com/apps/lori-foster

Winner!!

National best-selling author of paranormal romance and romance suspense novels, Cynthia Eden, is here to talk with us today. Her books have received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, and her novel, DEADLY FEAR, was named a RITA® finalist for best romantic suspense. With this said, Cynthia is going to talk a little about the genre that is dear to her heart.

As an angel of death, Keenan’s job is to collect the souls on his list. He’s carried out his duty for two thousand years and never faltered once. Until he meets Nicole St. James. When the moment of death comes, Keenan hesitates, and instead of taking Nicole, Keenan touches the vampire who’s attacking her.Cast out of heaven for disobedience, Keenan plummets to earth. Six months later, he finally manages to track Nicole to a bar in Mexico. He’s stunned to discover that the woman he remembers has undergone a dramatic change—she’s become a vampire. And when he realizes that she’s the target of all manner of enemies—other vampires, demons, even shifters—he’ll do whatever it takes to protect her, even if all hell breaks loose…

Why The Paranormal?

Sometimes people ask me why I write paranormal stories…they want to know why I enjoy creating tales about vampires and werewolves and demons and fallen angels.

When I get this question, I usually reply, “Because that’s what I love.”  I love the paranormal tales. I love the intrigue of the vampire, the wildness of the werewolf, and the dark power of fallen angels.  I love thinking that there is more to the world than just what meets the eye. We go beyond the norm with the paranormal stories, we think that—maybe, just maybe—there could be some magic out there, waiting to be discovered.

There are no limits in paranormal stories. Anything can happen (and usually does!).  Isn’t that pretty amazing?

Do you remember when you were a kid?  It was only natural to believe in magic then. To think that fairies were real, that wishing on a star would make your wish come true, and that if you hoped and dreamed for something hard enough then, well, those dreams would come true.

Unfortunately, it seems that—as we age—we lose sight of the magic in the world around us. Dreams can slip away, and we stop wishing on the stars that we see in the sky.

When I write (and read) paranormals, I can believe again. I can believe that magic exists. That it’s not foolish to close my eyes on a star filled night and make a wish. Anything is possible.  Anything.  And I do so love the power of belief.

I love magic.

But what about you?  Why do you enjoy paranormal stories? Please leave a comment for me, and one person will be selected to win a $15 Amazon.com gift certificate. 
(Please remember to be a follower of this blog and add your email address when leaving a comment or question to be entered) 

Thanks so much for checking out my post!

Best wishes,

Cynthia Eden

www.cynthiaeden.com

ANGEL BETRAYED—Available 07/2012

When an angel falls, all hell breaks loose…

Sammael–call him Sam–was an angel once. An Angel of Death. But the dispassionate, watch-from-above thing just wasn’t working for him when it meant watching evil torture innocent souls day in and day out. It might have cost him his wings, but these days he gets to apply the direct method on the bad guys. Problem is, what’s making his life difficult is a bad girl…
Seline O’Shaw needs protection, and with the hounds of hell on her tail, she’s not going to quibble too hard about where she gets it. Sam’s virtue is questionable, but he’s smoking hot, massively powerful, and owes her a favor. So what if she’s getting a little case of angel lust? There are some damn deadly sins after her hide…

Prologue

Death could be kind or he could be cruel. Tonight, he felt damn cruel.

Sammael’s dark wings flapped behind him as he watched his prey.  The stench of blood and sweat clung to the men. They’d fought hard and long that day. They’d killed so many—men, women, and children.  Sammael had taken the souls from the broken bodies.  They’d seen him coming—only those slipping from the mortal world ever saw an Angel of Death—and their eyes had filled with terror.

So many dead in such a short time.  He’d watched their slaughter. Stood back while they begged and screamed.

His job was only to take the souls.  He gave them peace after their suffering.  He served. He didn’t question.

Until now.

There was no reason for him to be in this forest. No reason for him to watch these men. They weren’t on the list for death, not tonight anyway.

They were laughing and drinking.  They didn’t sense him. No one ever did—not until it was too late.

Blood still stained their hands.

Watch and wait and take the souls when it is time. That was his job, and it was the job he’d done for centuries.

Angels didn’t feel emotion. They didn’t feel lust or love or rage.

No, angels weren’t supposed to feel. But he’d never fit into that perfect mold. Lately, he’d been feeling too much, and he just couldn’t shut off the fury.

Sammael dropped to the ground.  His wings closed in behind him.  To kill, to take a soul, he only needed one touch. Just one.

He smiled at the men. Some were stiffening and glancing around, as if they sensed him.

They only see when death is at hand.

Sammael reached for the first man.  Death is at hand for you.

Cynthia is a southern girl who loves horror movies, chocolate, and happy endings. She has always wanted to write (don’t most authors say that?), and particularly enjoys creating stories about monsters–vampires, werewolves, and even the real-life monsters that populate her romantic suspense stories.

Cynthia’s foreign sales for her books include translations to Japan, Germany, Thailand, and Brazil.

(Back in the day…) Cynthia graduated summa cum laude from the University of South Alabama where she studied Sociology (because people interest her) and Communication (because she likes to write about said people). Cynthia has worked as a college admissions counselor, a teacher, and as an editor. But now, Cynthia is thrilled to be spending her days making up stories.

A rock group’s rhythm guitarist, Rhys Alexander, dies and finds himself bound inside the body of a woman he’s never met. Can she help him move on to the other side, or will he end up finding the love of his life…after his has already ended?

Addison was a no non sense type of woman, who found herself with a medical scare. The doctors found a growth on her ovary and the decision was made to have have surgery and remove it. Addison didnt remember the surgery but she does remember a white warm glow. and when she woke up she was told that she had died and they brought her back. After the shock of that wears off she tries to sleep. But someone keeps trying to wake her up.. She opens her eyes to find herself alone in her hospital room. But the voice only get louder. Thinking herself crazy she answers the voice. Rhys a rock star was in a plane crash right around the same time Addison died and they meet barely in the hereafter. Rhys not wanting to be alone. Grabbed onto Addison and when her soul was brought back to to her body so was Rhys soul. One body two souls that could feel each other emotions and fears. Rhys needs help to move on and only Addison can help him find his closure and move on. But sadly the only way for that to happen is to convince Rhys rock star brother not to disband the band because of his death. As they work together to get that closer, They fall for each other. But as his Brother agrees to keep the band together Rhys feels the pull to go away. Will he choose to stay with her or go into the unknown so Addison may one day find true love.

Excerpt:

I didn’t mean to weird you out, Addison. “You didn’t—” Don’t even go there. I know you started a mental girly freakout when I asked. She tensed at his tone and punched a finger at the power button on her computer, grateful to have the anger to overpower her uneasiness. “Look. I don’t know who you think you are, but—” Rhys Alexander. “What?” she snapped. Was the man going to let her finish a damn sentence? That’s my name. Rhys Alexander. Oh. That’s right. She didn’t even know his name. And was a little embarrassed she hadn’t thought to ask. To her, he was just The Voice. Yeah, talk about being rude. She sighed as she typed in her password. “Is it possible for you to be serious for more than two seconds? I mean, really. This is going to be one long depressing life if I have to have Mr. Condescension in my head for the rest of my years.” She meant the comment as rhetorical, but it occurred to her that that might actually be the case. “Oh, crap.” Her chest seized as her breaths came in little pants. Here we go again, he mumbled.  Breathe, woman. Just keep breathing. You’ll get rid of me soon enough. But she could sense his doubt. “I heard that,” she said between gasps. He chuckled uneasily. Bright side? You’re getting better at reading me. That’ll make it harder on me, right? Yeah. Yeah. Make him suffer. Make him pay for being an Afterlife Leech. Thata girl. Plan my suffering. Plot my demise. Oh, wait. Already dead over here. “I’m sor—” Shut it. Just trying to get you to breathe again. You see how nicely my tactics work. Maybe this won’t be so hard on me after all. You’re a blast to manipulate.

I loved this book.. i usually give a 4.5 for novella that i feel are too short. But this one had just enough to cover it all .

My Rating 5 - LT

WINNER !!!

Na is the winner of a signed copy of

THE ISIS COLLAR

Thanks everyone for your comments, and thanks to Cat Adams for visiting with us.

Stop by on Tuesday the 27th of March. LORI FOSTER will be visiting with us.

Happy Monday Everyone!!! Today we have Cat Adams (aka C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp) here to talk about one of their awesome series and it’s new 4th installment, released just a few days ago. Together these two authors have forged their writing talents since 1997 to create fantastic novels that have received countless awards. So let’s get started,...take it away Cat.

Meet The Blood Singer

Hi, all! Those Three Crazy Chicks invited us to drop by to talk about our current urban fantasy series, THE BLOOD SINGER. Book 4 in the series, THE ISIS COLLAR hits the shelf this month and we wanted anyone who hasn’t yet been introduced to our heroine, Celia Graves, to get to know her.

First, who is Celia Graves? Well, Celia is the oldest daughter of an alcoholic mother and a co-dependent grandmother. Her father ran out on them years ago because of Celia’s younger sister, Ivy, who was a necromancer. In Celia’s world, most people have some paranormal abilities—even if they’re minor. Ivy’s talent wasn’t minor. She could raise graveyards just by driving by in the car. It was too much for their father and he abandoned the family. Celia’s mother, Lana, didn’t take it well. She started to drink, but kept herself under control until Ivy and Celia were kidnapped by men who wanted to use Ivy’s talent to find hidden gold. Celia made it out alive. Ivy didn’t.

Celia’s gran took her in when Lana went off the deep end, and raised her to become a strong, relatively well-adjusted adult. Celia became a bodyguard in Los Angeles shortly after college, which gave her enough money and independence to allow her to get past her disfunctional family beginnings.

That’s where the story starts. In BLOOD SONG, you get to meet Celia, her friends and family as they were before the night Celia’s life changes forever. A routine job goes bad and she’s attacked by “bats.” In Celia’s world, vampires are feral animals—pack hunters who live in darkened alleys. She’s attacked and nearly killed.

But something happens during the attack and she doesn’t die. Instead, she’s partially turned. She becomes an Abomination . . . not completely vampire nor completely human. It’s a state that both sides fear. She has her soul and her mind plus is more powerful and with enhanced hearing and sight. But she can no longer eat food (and doesn’t dare drink blood!) and sunlight burns her skin badly. Humans consider her a loose cannon. She could go over the edge at any moment and become a full vampire. Vampires don’t trust her because she can be out in daylight and holy items don’t hurt her.

BLOOD SONG focuses on Celia finding the vampire who turned her before he can finish the job and make her a slave. She also has to find out who set her up to be in that alley. It seems there was more to the bodyguard job than simple routine. She also gets closer to her old flame, Bruno DeLuca, a mage who broke her heart in college. But years have passed and she wonders if she can turn back the clock to when she was happy.

Celia also discovers a part of her heritage she never knew about. It turns out her grandfather was a siren, those beings of the ocean who can influence men to do anything they want. Because of the vampire bite, her siren blood woke up and she was suddenly taken notice of—by siren royals who consider her both a threat to their throne and to their race. No Abomination has ever been allowed to live in the siren society. At the end of BLOOD SONG, Celia is informed she must show up on the Isle of Serenity, the home of the sirens, and defend her right to exist!

In SIREN SONG, Celia is forced to do just that, as well as solve a plot that takes her back to the day her sister Ivy was killed. Oh, did I mention that Ivy is a ghost? Ever since her death, she’s stayed around, near the big sister who tried to keep her safe. She also has to solve the murder of her best friend Vicki, who was killed in BLOOD SONG. Vicki was a powerful clairvoyant who mysteriously died in a secure facility meant to keep her safe. Celia is also being chased by a demon who is determined to drag her into his clutches—a demon tied to her by a death mark placed on her as a child. Who put the mark on her, and why? In this book, Celia also discovers that more than one man has his sights set on her . . . John Creede, the powerful owner of a rival security company. He’s more than willing to give Bruno a run for his money to win Celia.

Just when Celia thought she’d conquered her enemies, she discovers it’s only the beginning. DEMON SONG has Celia racing to help a friend-turned-enemy escape from the clutches of demons. Yes, she’s angry at Kevin, but wouldn’t let anyone be ripped to shreds by the denizens of hell. Unfortunately, the rescue begins a series of events that causes a dimensional barrier to be breached. Demons are flooding onto Earth and it will take all of Celia’s wiles, and the power of her friends and family, to stop the world from being destroyed. Talk about apocalypse! It’s all there in this book!

And now, it’s time for THE ISIS COLLAR. No demons this time. Celia hopes that door in her life is permanently closed (of course, you know it isn’t.) In this adventure, Celia is asked to help evacuate a grade school before a bomb explodes. She does, but not before she’s caught in the blast. Instead of healing quickly because of the vampire blood, she’s plagued by mysterious problems. A bad limp, horrible migraines and a bruise that keeps getting worse. What’s wrong with her? How about a magical zombie plague? Yep! Zombies and plague . . . two things that should never be said in the same sentence. Who’s behind the plague and why give it to little kids? How about a wicked witch? It’s a magical medical thriller, with plenty of action, romance, pathos and very cool stuff. Want to read a little more about the books? Visit our website, at http://www.catadams.net, click on “Books” and read a few chapters of each one of them!

But just for you, here’s a little sample of THE ISIS COLLAR that hasn’t appeared anywhere before!

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Security breach at my office. Believed to be the witch who set off the bomb. Bring illusion specialists. I think she’s still here. I’ll do my best to keep her inside.

I took a flash photo of the page with my phone while it was still shielded, made sure it was legible, and sent it to my FBI friend Rizzoli with a few quick clicks. Then I folded the paper before even Dawna could see it. I mouthed the word “Rizzoli” and her eyes widened. Then she nodded.

I pretended to ignore the chairs while keeping my peripheral vision firmly fixed on them and Minnie the cat. I examined the wallpaper, comparing it to the photo in my hand.

When Dawna returned, a shake of her head and a thumb's down with a frown made my pulse abruptly pound. There were too many chairs in the room. I knew it. My headache suddenly made itself known again. It had dulled from whatever magic John had used but now it was back in blinding glory. The intensity of the pain made me suck in my breath hard and fight to focus.

That was when Minnie hissed at the chairs and arched her back before racing out of the room. The pain faded under the rush of adrenaline, when I felt familiar magic brewing in the room. I didn’t hear even a whisper over the yelling in the conference room but I knew I didn’t have time to wait for Rizzoli and crew. The witch knew I knew and she would target me first. The fastest way to incapacitate the witch was to throw one of the charms at the chair she’d become. But if I picked the wrong chair and hit a cushion, it could easily bounce back and bind both me and Dawna.

There was another option. I was loathe to use it if I didn’t have to but it would certainly solve my current problem. I have knives that are so magically powerful they’re considered artifacts. It took Bruno five years to make them for me, bleeding himself every day to bind the magic. One of those knives had killed Lilith. Her evil had turned the metal permanently black. No witch, no matter how tough, could withstand it.

The problem was, I didn’t know which chair she was. I hated to waste the charms, but a combination strike might be my only option. I faked a pair of sneezes, which made my head throb again, and then snuffled. I reached into my pocket like I was going for a tissue and drew out the charms. I practice really hard so when I throw charms, they land where I expect them to.

I threw one charm with each hand, as fast as I could. They hit the floor in front of the left and right hand chairs.  Before I could think much about what I was doing, I pulled one of my knives from its sheath and tossed it; the blade flipped through the air before burying itself nearly to the hilt just above the ornately-carved rosewood leg of the corner chair.

A scream of pain and anger filled the room.  A flaming blast of magic hit me in the chest with frightening intensity and threw me backwards.  I landed in a heap at the bottom of the stairs. I only saw the woman’s platinum blonde hair as she shifted back to human form and plucked the glowing, white hot knife from her arm. Then she dropped it like it burned. It probably did. She was holding something in her other hand. It was thick and square but that’s all I could make out.

With a fast movement despite the pain, she jumped through the nearest window feet first, just like I had when I was saving Willow. The sound of shattering glass was like another scream. Then she was gone.

Well, so much for keeping her here. I had a feeling Rizzoli wasn’t going to be pleased with me.

I thought about chasing her, but frankly I wouldn’t be able to keep up with her, thanks to my worsening limp. I was abruptly tired beyond measure. I had about as much energy as I’d had the last time I’d had the flu. I just wanted to curl up under a blanket with a bowl of chicken noodle soup.  Sans noodles and chicken, of course.  John was right.  Something was really wrong with me.

*****************

So now you’ve met Celia and heard a little about the books. You want to go right out and buy them, right? Well, you’re in luck! The first three books just happen to be on sale until the release of THE ISIS COLLAR! It’s a really good sale, too: only $2.99 for all ebook format downloads. Heck, that’s three for the price of one! And if you’re a print fanatic, they’re also on sale at Amazon on a 4-for-3 special. But lots of other retailers have them on sale too, go to our publisher’s website (http://us.macmillan.com/theisiscollar/CatAdams) , scroll all the way to the bottom and choose your favorite store.

Thanks for letting us drop by. Hope you enjoy our terrific world!

Our wonderful Ladies are giving away a signed copy of their yummy new release, THE ISIS COLLAR. To be entered in the random drawing just be a follower of the blog and leave a comment or question with your email address.