Wednesday, October 31, 2007

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Have A Spooktacular Day.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

And the Winner Is...

Thank you everyone who stopped in for Stephanie's guest day.
The winner of Date Me Baby,One More Time is....
Blackroze37
Congratulations Blackroze! Please send your snail mail to danetteb @ sunvillas. no-ip.com(with out spaces) and I'll forward it to Stephanie.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Fantastic Fives And A Hot Excerpt From Stephanie Rowe

Five words and/or phrases that describe you:

Hmm... determined, for sure, and if you don’t believe me, I have 18 unpublished complete manuscripts and over 130 rejections prior to my first sale to prove it. What else? I have a massive sweet tooth for chocolate, cookies and tart things. Fortunately, they all give me headaches the next day, so I can often manage to refrain when I think about how many pages I have to write the next day and how much harder it will with a chain saw grinding at my forehead. I am fairly solitary, and I love spending the day totally by myself with nothing but my computer and a book. Now that I’m a full time writer and gets lots of alone time writing, I am much more social because I have enough alone time to recharge. Oh! I know. I’m very impatient. I have goals, I want to accomplish them NOW. The business of writing has been so difficult for me because it is all about patience and waiting and slow progress, and that’s not my thing. Fortunately
, I have been blessed with an agent and a husband who know what I’m like and are brilliant at talking me down off the ledge. I’d never survive without them. Lastly, I think I’m a bit of a control freak. Having a toddler had done wondrous things to force me to learn to let go, because once you have a baby in the family, you quickly learn that control is an illusion and all you can do is hang on for the ride and do your best to come in for a landing every once is a while. But it’s all great, and I wouldn’t change a thing!


Five people and/or things that inspire you:

My two year old daughter is a huge inspiration, mostly because she shows me what I’ve forgotten in my cynical, old adulthood. To her, life is about laughter, it’s about being in the moment, it’s about finding joy in everything around her, it’s about hugging when you want to hug, running when you want to run, sleeping when you want to sleep. She reminds me to stop and notice the squirrels racing up a tree with acorns in his mouth, to stop and smell every flower as we walk down the street, to listen to the birds and dance to music in the car.

I am inspired by my husband, because he has an amazing ability to be positive and optimistic all the time. Nothing gets him down. He’s like a bar of soap bouncing on top of the water. You can hit him with tough stuff, and he lets it slide right off and he rebounds with a smile and optimism (but not in an annoying way). I truly envy his ability to be so positive and resilient. He’s been a great influence on me to work on being more positive when things get me down. I’m not his equal yet, but I’m working on it!

I am inspired by brilliant writing, by authors who can create characters so magical that you lie awake at night thinking about their problems and reliving their joys. My latest fave is the new Lisa Kleypas historical. It’s the first book of hers I’ve read and quite truly, she is brilliant. It’s humbling, but so inspiring as well.

I am also inspired by the World Championship bronze medalist, Kara Goucher. (see my blog post about her
http://www.themidnighthour.net/it-all-comes-down-to-one-simple-word/).

I am inspired by chocolate chip cookie dough. How can something so simply be so truly amazingly delicious?

Five of your favorite authors:

Well, as of today, Lisa Kleypas is one of my new favorite authors, having just read my first book by her this week. It was awesome. Dick Francis, Julie Garwood, and Jayne Anne Krentz are on the top of my list as well, as you would deduce from the fact that I have every single one of their books on my bookshelf. As for the others... well... I have to admit I’m sort of fickle. I love so many authors and I am always immersed in whatever I’m currently reading. I recently got caught up in some romantic suspense by Marliss Melton and Samantha Graves
and I really loved those books. Can’t wait for their next ones! And of course, the list of paranormal authors is simply too extensive to list. I read a new author a week practically, sometimes more.

Describe five of your heroes/heroines through your eyes:

Oh... my heroines, as in from my writing? I was thinking my own personal heroines. Okay, my #1 hero that I’m in love with right now is Gideon, from my new paranormal suspense series coming out next year. He’s so tortured, but he’s so honorable and so hot, and so tender... I just adore him. His book is called: The Order of the Blade: The Rise of Temptation, and it’s the second book in a trilogy that being release every other month next summer and fall (2008). Actually, I really like all three heroes in that trilogy. I tend to be the biggest fans of whatever book I’m currently working on, and since I’m in the middle of revising that series, they are the three men on my mind and in my dreams right now (much to my dh’s dismay, LOL). I think my favorite heroine (well, of the moment) is the heroine in my book that’s being released next week, SEX & THE IMMORTAL BAD BOY.
Paige has a really bad life with some really serious issues, yet she is so determined not to let it drag her down. I love her buoyancy of spirit, because that’s how I try to be (and it’s not that easy in real life!). Paige has strength, but a sense of humor as well (if a girl can keep a sense of humor about being turned into a soulless wraith who will destroy the world and everything she touches and make her Satan’s personal slave, how can you *not* like her?).

Five reasons to read you books:

Because there’s nothing like reading a story about people you admire and like, who face their worst nightmares and not only survive them, but triumph over them in a honest and soulful way, finding their true strength and their true love as they do so.

I believe in writing books that not only have a happy ending, but ones where people are good to each other, where the characters you fall in love with are touched in their soul by those around them, given hope where they previously had none.
I try to write stories of the power of dreams and of self, the strength of love, stories about equality in relationships where people learn they are at their most powerful when they learn to let themselves be vulnerable. And, of course, I believe in adventure, fast-paced action and plenty of sexy moments. (Was that more than five? Hmm....)



Yummy Excerpt From The Latest in the Immortally Bad Series
Sex & The Immortal Bad Boy

Paige froze for a split second, and then she returned his kiss with an enthusiasm that nearly dropped him to his knees. She opened her mouth for him, her tongue danced against his, and she plastered herself against him so her breasts were pressed against his chest.
A very female sound of satisfaction hummed in the back of her throat, and she kissed him deeper, meeting him thrust for thrust with every high-spirited movement of her tongue.
Her tongue flirted over his teeth, and her breath was warm in his mouth, tasting of spearmint. Her fingers twisted in his hair and she tightened her thighs around his hips, wiggling against him.
"God, you taste good," he muttered, breaking the kiss to nibble the bare skin of her neck, grinning when she whimpered. He slipped his hands under her shirt and spanned her bare back. Her muscles flexed under his hands, and he groaned at the softness of her skin. She was pure female temptation. All softness and innocence, and he wanted her so badly every muscle in his body was shaking.
He moved his right hand down over her hip, hooking his index finger over the delicate strand of lace on the sides of her underwear. He tugged it gently down, letting his thumb brush over the delicate skin on the inside of her thigh, and felt a surge of heat when Paige sucked in her breath and tightened her grip on his shoulders. Then there was a loud cat call and a whistle, yanking him back to reality in a cold hurry. He jerked his head back from her throat, cursing himself. Hell, Jed. On a street?
"No, no, no! Don't stop!" Paige grabbed his hair and tried to tug him back down. "I'm not done."
He chuckled softly as he returned the lace of her underwear to its proper position. "Yeah, I wasn't either, trust me." He carefully untangled her from him, and set her back on the ground, taking a sec to tug her shirt back down over her hips and run his fingers down her arms, before he finally dropped his hands.
Her eyes were wide, her lips parted as she ran her tongue over them, and the flush of arousal stained her cheeks. She took a deep breath that made her breasts rise under her tee shirt. "Well. I certainly wasn't expecting that when I came running out here."
He cleared his throat, feeling like an ass for molesting her on a public street. "Yeah, well, sorry. I didn't mean to—"
"Oh, no." She lightly smacked his chest. "Don't be sorry. It rocked."
Something loosened in his gut and he grinned. "Yeah?"
She nodded as she fingered her lips. "That a fantastic kiss, I'll tell you right now. I got kissed by this Markku a few weeks ago, and we were under the influence of Penhas pheromones, so it was pretty intense..."
His grin turned into a scowl.
She smiled, her eyes twinkled as she reach up and lightly brushed her lips over his. "But this was way better."
His hands went to her hips and he held her still.
For a moment, neither of them moved, then her eyes darkened with heat as she rubbed her belly against the front of his jeans. "Seriously, Jed, you can kiss me like that anytime. I have no problem with a public street if you want to do it again?" Her voice rose hopefully at the end.
He growled, entirely unable to resist the invitation as he hauled her against him and dropped his head to—
She threw up a hand to block him just before his mouth reached hers. "Oh, hell."
He blinked and tried to focus. "Oh, hell, what?"
"Hello? Where's my brain?" She patted his cheek and gently pushed him back. "I can't kiss you."

-Stephanie Rowe
http://www.stephanierowe.com/index.html
http://www.themidnighthour.net/

Extra!Extra! Stephanie has a copy of Date Me Baby,One More Time to giveaway to a lucky commenter.

Friday, October 19, 2007

Promo Pack Winner and Contests

The winner of yummy bookmarks signed by Michelle Pillow is.......
Eva S
Congratulations Eva S, please send your snail mail to danetteb @ sunvillas.no-ip.com(without spaces).
And......
A few contests links to check out....
Midnight Moon Cafe is having a costume party at
Romance Reviews Today is celebrating their anniversary this month with contests, go to
Heather Brewer is giving away hoodies( from the cover of her book Eighth Grade Bites), stop by her blog and answer the question of the day
Fellow bloggers Linda H. and Amy S. have contest going on
Linda is having fun on her blog talking about costumes, her contest runs until the end of October
and Amy has guest bloggers throughout the month

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Fantastic Fives on Michelle Pillow

First Off, Michelle Has A New Release On A Book Shelf Near You Today

Along For The Ride by Michelle Pillow

Meet Megan Matthews, a detective who is cursed with always being right. Her instincts are good, her deductive reasoning even better. But she’s that most men find her intimidating, so she’s given up trying to find Mr. Right and has settled, perversely, for arresting Mr. Wrong.
Crime scene photographer Ryan Andrews has had a wicked crush on the sexy detective since he first took her photograph by accident at a crime scene. That picture became headline news, and she hasn’t talked to him since. He’s tried everything to get her attention, and when nothing works he’s left with only one option. But is blackmailing a cop into marriage really a good idea?
For an excerpt go here


and now for Michelle's Fantastic Fives

Five words and/or phrases that describe you:


1. Pajama pants
2. Coffee
3. No bake chocolate cookies/chewy brownies
4. Laid back
5. Hard Worker

Five people and or things that inspire you:


1. My Husband ~ A constant well of inspiration and support
2. My Mother ~ A free spirit who supports me unconditionally
3. My Father ~ A wonderful man who instilled so many things in me
4. My Brother ~ For going out into the world and doing what he loves
5. My Partner in Crime, Mandy M. Roth ~ A talented author and a wonderful friend


Five of your favorite authors:


1. Mandy M. Roth
2. Jaycee Clark
3. Robyn Carr
4. Lauren Dane
5. NJ Walters

Describe five of your heroes/heroines through your eyes:


1. Vladamir, Maiden and the Monster ~ He’s one of my all time favorite heroes—a product of his time (the middle ages), scarred and flawed, jealous and proud, but filled with honor and responsibility.
2. Prince Reid, Lords of the Var: The Rogue Prince ~ He’s one of those heroes I love to hate. I loved him as a side character, couldn’t wait to get to his book and then fought with the darned PITA through the entire thing. Another one of those characters was Lord Malak from Naughty Cupid 3: Cupid’s Favor
3. Kat Matthews, Bit by the Bug – I loved and understood her. She’s work focused, creative, open and sees things in ways others don’t. Plus, she’s a photographer, just like I would have been in another life.
4. Wolfram and Gin, Emerald Knight ~ As a couple, these two were a challenge. They were betrothed since birth in the Middle Ages. They grew up knowing who they would marry, when and why. Beyond this, there were many external factors to the book—the Holy Crusades, death, tournaments—that made it such and interesting story. I love the Medieval set books.
5. Rick, Space Lords Series (coming soon) ~ Rick is a side character in the Lords of the Var and Zhang Dynasty books, but one of the heroes in the upcoming installment in the futuristic galaxy – Space Lords. He’s the whole reason why his crew is cursed, a smart mouthed self-proclaimed ladies man and one hell of a pilot. But, he’d also give his life for a friend. It’s going to be fun seeing what he does in his book. I can’t wait!


Five reasons to read your books:


1. I put a lot of research into them
2. I won the RT Reviewers Choice Award this year, and have several recommended read credits and great reviews
3. I feel slightly awkward typing this list, lol
4. Because you want to
5. Because I have something for most tastes—paranormal, contemporary, futuristic, dark paranormal, fantasy, historical—all romance

Michelle Pillow


Website – http://www.michellepillow.com/
Blog – http://www.michellepillow.com/blog
Newsletter- http://groups.yahoo.com/group/michellempillow/join
The Raven - Free Ongoing, Online Paranormal Story http://www.ravenhappyhour.com/raven.htm
Paranormal Blog- http://ravenhappyhour.com/ravenblog/
Podcasts - http://www.ravenhappyhour.com/raven_podcasts.htm
Raven Reader Yahoo Group (chatting) - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/The_Raven_Vampire_Nightclub/join

Extra!Extra! I have a promo pack of Michelle's bookmarks to giveaway to a lucky commenter.

Monday, October 1, 2007

Fantastic Fives on Vivi Anna

Five words and/or phrases that describe you:

Ambitious
Inventive
Soulful
Passionate
Crazy

Five people and/or things that inspire you:

My daughter
Joss Whedon
The cast and writers of Battlestar Galactica
Music
Nature

Five of your favorite authors:

Stephen King
Rachel Caine
Kim Harrison
Gena Showalter
Lilith Saintcrow


Describe five of your heroes/heroines through your eyes:

Jace Jericho from DARK LIES (Silouette Nocturne 10/07) is one dark, dangerous and sexy as hell lycan. One to never back down from a fight, he still knows when he’s outmatched. He’s intelligent and determined. A good guy in a bad boy’s body!
Caine Valorian from BLOOD SECRETS
(Silhouette Nocturne 03/07) is the epitome of charm and intelligence. A keen investigator and loyal friend he’ll do what he must to take down the bad guys. He embraces all that is good inside him, and has reconciled himself with all his more arrogant vampire traits. A more trustwothry man you won’t find.
Lyra Magice from VEILED TRUTH (Silhouette Nocturne 02/08) is a young witch with an attitude. She can play with the big boys no problem but knows when to ask for help. She’s smart, witty and determined. With her on your side, you’ll always be taken care of.
Kat from HELL KAT
(Kensington Aphrodisia 04/06) and INFERNO (Kensington Aphrodisia 11/06) is smart, sexy and kick-ass brave. She has the fighting skills of a warrior and a heart of a lion. If she’s on your side, you’ll always win, but if you betray her she will hunt you down and destroy you if it’s the last thing she ever does. For the right man, she’d lay down her life, well, she’d certainly fight to the death.
Hades from HELL KAT and INFERNO
is big, mean, and sexy as they come. He’ll sooner punch you in the face than look at you, but for the right woman he’d do anything. Blessed with superior fighting skills and a body to kill for, he’ll keep you alive even in the face of evil. There’s no one more fiercely loyal than Hades.

Five reasons to read your books:

Guaranteed a rip-roaring read from start to finish.
Strong intelligent heroines who never take second fiddle.
Sexy heroes to kill for.
Gritty and passionate stories.
Pulse-pounding, nail-biting thrill rides.

Extra!Extra! Want a chance to experience one of Vivi's wild reading adventures? Vivi has a copy of Inferno to giveaway to a lucky commenter.