The Anniversary of a Legend’s Death-Aug. 16th

Thirty years have passed since the hip shaking, silky smooth voice of Elvis Presley has graced our ears in the flesh and he still has the voice that keeps us spellbound. It has been almost 40 years alone for his spectacular 1968 Live TV special that was, at the time, special. Elvis was coming off a string of bad movies and getting back on the charts after a long dry spell. In the time he was gone, the US and the world was mooning over the beatles and loving the rifs from Jimi Hendrix. Then Elvis blew back in town and the world remembered the man who is “The King of Rock n’ Roll”.

Nervous about his reception by the public, a manager pushing for something totally different and a producer who believed in something that was pure gold; Elvis was a man with a golden singing voice before his decline into a world of drugs and heart disease but in 1968, he was fit, tan and looking yummier than ever in black leather. He jammed with a few freinds and select number of audience members and blew the world away. After this special, he was back in fine form,  hit the #1 on the chart with Suspiscious Minds, In the Ghetto and Kentucky Rain as well as others. He was a man in his prime who had the world at his fingertips and the women swooning.

I write this and I remember growing up listening to his music and watching his movies with my siblings. My uncle is a HUGE fan and saw one of his last concerts before drugs and heart disease took their toll and took him from us all. Regardless of what era you enjoy or hate, be thankful we had him for as long as we did, even with the models, movie starlettes and celebrity gossip that was the the beginings of tabloid news magazines. My favorite song of his is called If I can Dream and it is about dreams and life, a song that resonates with anyone who hears it with their own dreams, be it whimsical or practical. He always delivered something for everyone.

He delivered the world his brand of music, be it rock and roll, country or gospel, Elvis Presley is forever missed and remembered on this day, Aug. 16th as the day “the King” died and was forever lost to us. The question remains is: What would have happened if he lived and got clean? Would he still be making music or something else? Those plus other questions are always asked this time of the year and as you listen to your favorite Elvis tunes or watch a particular movie of his, take a few minutes of silence for this wildly talented man who sang like an angel and is forever mised by the world.

A Fiery Contest going on now!

 

 

On July 4, 2008 Raine Delight will dazzle us with a new addition to Devon Falls!  Devon Falls: Fiery Magic will captivate you till the last page.

Will run till end of August 2008 

In honor of this release Raine Delight and Phoenix Rising Promotions will be holding a scavenger hunt for a wonderful Sapphire Dragon statue.  Visit Phoenix Rising Promotions at www.phoenixrisingpromotions.com and roam through the list of authors websites.  Locate the picture of the dragon and find the lines to the riddle there after.  Locate the entire riddle, the URL¢s they were found at and then solve the riddle for your entry into the drawing for the gorgeous Dragon Statue. The picture below is what you are looking for in addition to the riddle on the sites at PRP.

Send your entry to rainedelight@gmail.com or phoenix@phoenixrisingpromotions.com with “Raine’s Dragon Contest” in subject line. Make sure your snail mail addy is included in case you win.

Happy Hunting & Good Luck!

In the Spotlight: Kara Griffin- A Sexy and Sassy Book Tour

Tell us about your upcoming release and what you hope readers will enjoy about it.

My latest book release is Cosmic Hearts, the first book in the cosmic series. It’s a sci-fi romance filled with laughs, sexy scenes, character’s you’ll come to love. Cosmic Hearts is the story of Chance, who must find a new planet for his people. He chooses Vestalumbria a planet full of women…and the sexy Valeen. Now he’s in a race to get her to accept him in order to save his people and his heart.

If you could have one special super or magical power, what would it be?

One magical power… it would have to be the ability to make things move. I’d love to point my finger and have things magically move…putting themselves away or performing…like mopping or perhaps have dishes load themselves in the dishwasher!

What do you like to do when you’re not working?

I’m always working, except when I’m sleeping. I do love to read and so when I’m not writing I can usually be found reading. Can’t help it, I’m addicted to romance.

Bad boy/girl or perfect gentleman/woman to write about?

Hmmm…I like writing both/all. I do think writing the bad boy is my favorite though, like Jack in Cosmic Chemistry. He was so easy to write. Maybe I’ve met him sometime in my life.

If you could visit any time and place, where and when would it be and why?

Oh, (dreamy eyes)… I would love to visit Scotland in the 13/14th century. I suppose it’s because I find the Scots romantic people and their ways fascinating. I would love to stand in one of their homes and really see what it was like. To hear their gruff voices, and to well…I’ll keep that fantasy for myself. lol. One day I will visit in the future of course.

If you could be a shapeshifter, what form would you take and why?

Ooooh a shifter. I’d have to say a sexy female lion. To me they are the ultimate female animal. They do it all…keep their young safe, satisfy their men, take care of themselves….the dominate female. Definitely a lioness!

Where are you published? Where can readers reach you?

I’m currently published at Aspen Mountain Press and Midnight Showcase. I love to hear from readers so please visit my website http://www.karagriffin.webs.com or my myspace where I frequently blog http://www.myspace.com/karagriffin or email me at karagrif66@comcast.net

What else would you like readers to know about you or your work?

My cosmic book series will be coming out at Aspen Mountain Press this summer/fall and more in 2009! I can’t wait to share all the stories in these sexy sci-fis. I’m also doing an anthology in the Vamptations 2 coming out at Midnight Showcase in October. It’s my first vampire story, which is sure to be sexy and thrilling.

A Sneak look into COSMIC HEARTS:

Would he kiss me already?

She craved a kiss from him, her first kiss from a male. Her body would fit nicely, molded against his. She’d never imagined wanting to feel a male’s body against hers, but his muscular length would feel so sinful. Before she could react, he covered her mouth with his.

At first, she was shocked at his lips touching hers, but when he moved his tongue in slow motions, it ignited her desire. Her tongue didn’t move at all, but she wasn’t certain how to respond to his gentle movements. He continued to move inside her mouth, twirling his tongue around hers. She savored the taste of his tongue.

His body brushed against hers, and his erection came in contact with her upper thigh. Something moved inside her, perhaps longing. A subtle ache throbbed between her legs, and then her breasts joined the frantic desire to be uncovered and touched.

Valeen lost all sense of righteousness. Kissing Chance set her blood to heat [R1] and[KW2]  her mind to slush. She enjoyed the warmth of his tongue touching hers. In the pit of her stomach, a tightening sent familiar pulses through her. The emotions her sexual service machine usually aroused came on full-fledged, awakening an urgent need within her.

Getting the hang of kissing, she began moving her tongue as his was. Mimicking his movements, she concentrated on the taste, scent, and hardness of the masculinity which engulfed her and sent ripples of heat to her vagina.

She enjoyed the personable sensation of the touching between two people. Not that her SSM didn’t do it for her, but admittedly, she longed for something more intimate.

This night, she’d found it—males.

He pulled back to her displeasure, but she smiled. “Stars, Chance, you are some man.”

“Your lips make me want to kiss you all night. I want to taste you and feel you against me.” He sounded as if he intended to do exactly that.

“Do people do this often? Can we do it again?”

Chance chuckled at her plea for more. He caressed her face and used his free hand to hold her against him. She smiled at the way he tugged her possessively.

“Let’s see if I can improve with the next one.”

In the Spotlight: Esther Mitchell

Although unpublished until 2004, Esther Mitchell spent her life writing.  She learned to read on such classics as Gawain & the Green Knight and Beowulf.  Raised in Europe, with its wide exposure to mythology, history, and the paranormal, she quickly became fascinated by the lore of the unseen, culminating in a degree in parapsychology. 

            Life in a fast-paced, on-the-edge military community ingrained her with both an intimate understanding of the military world, and the ability to craft edgy suspense. 

            At the age of eight, she fell in love with romance, thanks to great authors like Christine Smith, Lindsay McKenna, and Cassie Miles.  By the age of twelve, Esther penned the first of a series of Arthurian romances, and was working on what would later become her very first release, the futuristic suspense series, Underground.

            Always dedicated foremost to her writing, she writes under her real name, and has completed about twenty novels to date, of which thirteen have been published, with more to come.  Reviewers and fans alike have dubbed her work “exciting,”  “edge of your seat” and “daring.”

 

Links:

 

Website: www.esthermitchell.com

blog: www.esthermitchell.com/blog

MySpace: www.myspace.com/authoresthermitchell

Tagged: http://www.tagged.com/esthermitchell

GoodReads:

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/418596.Esther_Mitchell

 

 

 

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Getting to know Esther:

 

Tell us about your upcoming release and what you hope readers will enjoy about it.

    At the moment, I’m working on finishing up the third book of Project Prometheus, entitled SHADOW WALKER.  It follows another of Matt Raleigh’s team from Iraq, Trevor Watkins, as he deals with amnesia and an ability his experience in the Middle East jogged loose that he was previously unaware of. 

 

What do you like to do when you’re not working?

   *grins* Ain’t no such animal… lol.  I’m always working.  I have a day job, and then when I’m not working that or writing, I do freelance writing, and also run a parapsychology/spiritual wellness service (I hope one day to have the funds to turn it into a clinic).

 

What season is your favorite and why?

     I love them all, for different reasons, but I think I’m most fond of Fall and Winter, because there’s just such an overwhelming sense of honesty to them both – the reminder that all things must lie dormant or die.

 

What would we find on your bookcase if we looked? What is one of your favorite authors?

   *winks* Depends on the bookcase!  My house has nine of them.  Three have fiction books (mostly a blend of Romance, SF/Fantasy, and military), another has all my series “bibles” – the books I’ve created to hold all the information for the series/books I’m working on.  Three more contain writing research material – history books, maps, military & law enforcement books, dictionaries, etc.  The other two contain the books I use for my spiritual/parapsychology work. 

 

What was the last book you read (e or print) and did you like it?

     I honestly don’t remember which one was the LAST one I read.  I read so many I can’t keep up (believe me, I’ve only skimmed the absolute tip-top surface of what I’ve read on my Good Reads page). 

 

What makes a good book?

   Passion.  Not the passion between characters, necessarily, but the passion of the writer.  If the author is honestly passionate about his/her characters, setting, subject, etc, that translates into something that grabs the reader.  This applies to both fiction and non-fiction. 

 

What’s the most interesting thing you’ve ever done?

   *chuckle* There are so many things to choose from… I don’t know that I’d call them all that interesting – they’re my memories, after all, and they’re pretty tame in my mind – but other people are often fascinated by my different experiences.

 

Boxers or briefs?

   *grins* I assume you mean on my man… I really don’t care.  If you read my books, you’ll notice I actually have more of a thing for commando…

 

Ben Affleck or Matt Damon to save the world?

   *blinks* Are those my only choices?

 

What else would you like readers to know about you or your work?

    I don’t write fluff, or erotic sexual books, even though some might contain an erotic scene or two (or more, in a few cases).  I write romance with real men and women, who have real issues to deal with like prejudice, trust, and trauma.

 

Where are you published?

    Currently, I have the first two books of Project Prometheus with Aspen Mountain Press, with more soon to follow, I’m sure.  Also, I have a charity book, BURDEN OF PROOF, available strictly through my website.  Anyone interested in purchasing my books or checking them out should visit the following links:

 

Project Prometheus #1: IN HER NAME

http://www.aspenmountainpress.com/in-her-name/prod_73.html

 

Project Prometheus #2: HOPE OF HEAVEN

http://www.aspenmountainpress.com/hope-of-heaven/prod_128.html

 

BURDEN OF PROOF

http://www.esthermitchell.com/HanoverInvestigations/Burden.html

 

Thanks for coming! J

    Thanks for letting me be here! J

9 MUST DO SUMMER DARES

Ok I had to list these after reading them in June’s redbook magazine. Which one would you do???

9: Sit in front of the roller coaster-raise your hands when plunging down and scream really loud!

8. Finally jump off the high dive at local pool

7. Write that letter to your very 1st summer love who tore your heart to shreds and then tell him how amazing your life is now and how you are better off without him! THEN do NOT send it!

6. Visit a local summer music festival-wear  your sexiest tank top and channel your inner wild child.

5. Indulge in a raucous water fight

4. Plan a backward dinner party-eat dessert first, then main course and then finally an appetizer.

3. Sleep outside- if you are worried that its too chilly, grab a double wide sleeping bag and get frisky with your significant other under the stars.

2. Go make-up free for a week.

and finally…………………..

1. Skinny dip with your honey!

 

Ok gang what’s on your must do list???

Thought of the day for you!

Life is short, Break the rules, Forgive quickly,
Kiss slowly, Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably,
And never regret anything that made you smile!

In the Spotlight: Jane Beckenham

Author Jane Beckenham found literature at a young age.  In books she discovered dreams and hope, stories that inspired in her a love of romance, and travel.  Years later, after a blind date, Jane found her own true love and married him eleven months later.

Life has been a series of  ‘dreams’ for Jane.  Dreaming of learning to walk again after spending years in hospital. Dreaming of raising a family. And of course, dreaming of writing.

With her family growing up, life is a round of playing mum’s taxi service, all the while wondering what her hero and heroine are up to behind her back!  Writing is Jane’s addiction—and it sure beats housework.

You can contact Jane via her web site www.janebeckenham.com or email her at neiljane@ihug.co.nz  Want to join her newsletter, a monthly chat about books, authors and fun.  Go to Jane’s Newsletter or her myspace page.

 

Getting to know Jane:

 

Tell us about your upcoming release and what you hope readers will enjoy about it.

 

I have three books scheduled for release this year (so far – LOL) Cerridwen Press has contracted a time travel/romance – Love in Waiting – it’s the story of a book store owner from Massachusetts who gets hurled back in time, only to find love doesn’t wait for the right time. Love in Waiting is set in the period when Henry 8^th was about to marry Anne Boleyn.

Then Red Rose Publishing has contracted two contemporaries.  No Sex Necessary is a book set here in New Zealand where I live, the story of how desperate someone will go to survive despite the risks of public humiliation.

Then there is The Sheikh’s Proposal, part of Red Rose’s Desert Rose collection.  This is set on an island near the Mediterranean where the perfume industry has been handed down through generations, and where Sheikh Tariq al Sulamein has to decide if he’d prepared to lose everything…for love

 

What do you like to do when you’re not working?

I should be gardening, the weeds are way too high. We are owners of vintage cars and often go on day trips with other enthusiast, plus I do a lot of girlie things with my daughters.

 

What season is your favorite and why?

Autumn.  I love the change of colors (and probably this is the same for Spring too), but it’s a gentle time and often a relief after a long hot summer. 

 

What would we find on your bookcase if we looked? What is one of your favorite authors?

Sandra Hill, Sophia James, Melissa James, ND Hansen-Hill, Melody Knight and Yvonne Walus. Lots of romance books mostly, lots of research books for historical stuff. And my one weakness – interior decorating magazines!

 

What was the last book you read (e or print) and did you like it?

It was Sophia James’ Masquerading Mistress – loved it.  Also the book before that was her book – High Seas to High Society.  Loved it too!

 

What makes a good book?

A story that leaves me happy, and with a smile on my face, the one thing I really hope to be able to do for my readers too.

 

What’s the most interesting thing you’ve ever done?

I’ve lived all over the world, England, Israel, Canada, but I think the most wonderful thing I’ve done is adopting my two daughters from Russia 12 years ago.

 

Boxers or briefs?

Briefs!

 

Vin Diesel or George Clooney?

Oh without a doubt George Clooney

 

What else would you like readers to know about you or your work?

That I love what I do, that I really want to make them happy, that I loved receiving the feedback I got from them for Hiring Cupid, and He’s the One (Linden Bay Romance)

 

Where are you published?

I’m published at

Red Rose Publishing

Linden Bay Romance

Treble Heart Books

 

Thanks for coming! J

Thank you so much for having me.

 

Regards Jane

www.janebeckenham.com

 

 

 

 

 

In the Spotlight today: J. M. Snyder

J.M. Snyder writes gay erotic/romantic fiction and publishes with Amber Quill, Aspen Mountain, and Torquere Presses, as well as self-publishes through Lulu Press.  Snyder’s short fiction has been published online at Ruthie’s Club, Tit-Elation, and Amazon Shorts, and has also appeared in anthologies by Aspen Mountain Press, Cleis Press, and Alyson Books.  Free fiction, book excerpts, and monthly contests can be found online at the author’s website: http://jmsnyder.net

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Getting to know JM Snyder:

 

Tell us about your latest book and what you think readers will get out of it.

My latest book is Conflict of Interest, released in e-book format by Torquere Press on April 26^th (and in print format through Lulu Press in May).  When Alex Hitchner signs up to volunteer at a local youth shelter, he is not prepared to be introduced to Jamie Owens, an 18 year old boy with a bad attitude. Just two years younger than Alex, Jamie is nervy, precocious, and damn sexy, to boot.

But Alex sees himself as a mentor to Jamie, someone to look up to, someone to prove to the kid that being a gay man does not mean casual sex in crowded clubs. He tries to keep his distance, both physically and emotionally, but Jamie becomes a part of his life in a way Alex doesn’t expect. Alex must choose between giving into his desires or leaving the program—and Jamie—behind.

I hope that readers will enjoy the characters’ relationship as it blossoms into romance, despite Alex’s best efforts to keep Jamie at bay.  I think that there is a level of budding eroticism throughout the story, a newfound excitement in falling in love for the first time, that readers will enjoy.

 

Can you describe your characters to us? Do you pattern them after anyone you know or is it pure imagination?

 

My characters are an amalgam of people I’ve met or have known throughout my life as well as my own traits and characteristics.  There isn’t any one person who has inspired a particular character; rather, they are a combination of so many different aspects that they become their own unique people.  I think that using people you know as a building block to start creating a character helps make that character “real,” but there comes a point when the character takes on a life of his own and becomes his own entity.

 

What genre have you not done but want to in the future?

 

Well, all my books revolve around gay characters.  I wouldn’t necessarily call them romance or erotica (particularly my longer stories), but homosexuality is present in every story I write.  My favorite genres are contemporary and futuristic, but I would love to write more epic fantasy (with magic and knights and kings) or outer space sci-fi (with aliens and spaceships).  I’ve done some but nothing really involved.  I would also like to write more historical stories, particularly those set during wars (the American Revolution or Civil War, World Wars I & II, etc).  Those are the kinds of stories I’d like to read, so I want to try my hand at them some day.

 

Tell us about your most erotic romantic fantasy. If you could have a 24-hour romantic fling with anyone you wanted, anywhere you wanted, where would you go, what would you do and with whom would you do it?

I would really prefer to skip this question, as my erotic fantasies all involve gay men and not myself.  Even in my daydreams, I play the role of author.  My fantasies are written out in my books; I spend a lot of time playing out my stories in my mind, which is just one of the ways I write.  By the time I’m ready to put pen to paper, the gist of the tale is already in place and I just have to write down what I see on the screen in my mind’s eye.

If you could have one special super or magical power, what would it be?

I would like to have telekinesis (the ability to move objects with my mind).  That would allow me to write while I mentally clean the house, or better yet, I could be asleep and mentally typing on the computer, working on my next story, at the same time.  Actually if I could do that, I’d invest in an old-fashioned typewriter, so I’d be able to listen to the keys clack clack clack continually as I went about my other daily chores.

If you could visit any time and place, where and when would it be and why?

I’m a huge history buff, and would love to be able to visit Colonial America.  Either during the Revolutionary War or the Civil War—those had to be exciting times in which to live, times of tumultuous change, when a person had to take a stand and fight for their beliefs.

Who’s more fun to write about, bad boys or perfect gentlemen and why?

Bad boys, definitely.  Even my “perfect gentlemen” have hidden secrets and flaws.  That’s what makes a character memorable, what allows readers to connect with them: their imperfections, their insecurities, their human nature.  I think perfect characters are boring. 

Do you watch reality TV? If so, what is one of your guilty pleasures? If not, then what do you prefer to watch?

I don’t watch a lot of TV, but I love American Idol.  Sometimes I will also watch America’s Next Top Model, but that’s the extent of my reality TV fix.  Otherwise I watch the History Channel.

VIN Diesel or Gerard Butler?

They’re both attractive in different ways, but neither really my speed.  I’m more of a River Phoenix type, I think.  Not so much action hero as tortured artist.

Where can readers reach you?

Blog: http://jmsnyder.com
Website: http://jmsnyder.net
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/jmsnyder23
LiveJournal: http://jmsnyder.livejournal.com
Yahoo! Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jmsnyder
E-Mail: jms@jmsnyder.net

Where are you published?

Aspen Mountain Press: http://www.aspenmountainpress.com/
Amber Quill Press: http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/bio_Snyder.html
Torquere Press: http://www.torquerebooks.com/zencart/index.php?manufacturers_id=92 
Lulu Press: http://www.lulu.com/jmsnyder
Fictionwise: http://www.fictionwise.com/eBooks/JMSnydereBooks.htm
Ruthie’s Club: http://www.ruthiesclub.com/fold.php?pg=author&a=86
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/My-books-amp-stories/lm/R258C1KIVI8Z68/

Thanks for stopping in and I hope you enjoy yourself. J

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the Spotlight: Kayelle Allen

Unstoppable heroes, Uncompromising love, Unforgettable passion

Award winning Science Fiction Romance author Kayelle Allen developed an entire universe for her books, including a broad sweep of ten-thousand years in its history, a full language, and tradestandard laws. Her wry humor and surprising twists generated the motto, “Think you know what’ll happen next? No way! It’s by Kayelle…” She is the founder of Marketing for Romance Writers, a group that helps authors learn what to do about marketing, where to do it, who to do it with, and why. The author of two romance series, she is also the creator of a hundred-page website, and coordinator of numerous multi-author online promos. She is currently working on two new Science Fiction Romance series. 

LINKS

http://kayelleallen.com http://myspace.com/romancelivesforever

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/romancelivesforever 

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ireadkayelleallen/

http://kayelle-allen.livejournal.com/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MarketingForRomanceWriters/

http://artzone.daz3d.com/?kayelle

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Getting to know Kayelle:

Tell us about your latest book and what you think readers will get out of it. 

Here’s the title and the blurb:

Jawk, Tales of the Chosen

Pleasure. Trust. Possession. Is a betrayal of the heart forever? Jawk Brighton works at Batchelors, a hip restaurant/club in the Top Tier district of Tarth City, where he meets the immortal Luc Saint-Cyr. When Luc offers Jawk a deal too good to pass up, one night showing him and his Chosen, Wulf Gabriel, a good time in exchange for eight times his usual pay, Jawk takes it. All three have secret agendas. The question is, will Jawk’s keep him in Luc and Wulf’s shared bed, or tear apart the alliance of the immortal and his Chosen — forever? Content: M/M sex, M/M/M sex, voyeurism, multiple partners, alien sex, more M/M sex – and a heated and softly padded dungeon floor for those “tender” moments…

http://www.liquidsilverbooks.com/books/jawk.htm  I write within the Tarthian Empire, a group of planets united under the rule of the Conqueror, Rheyn Destoiya. The one character in all my books is Luc Saint-Cyr, who, like Destoiya, is an immortal — a Sempervian. Jawk is the final book in the Tales of the Chosen trilogy, and it’s highly erotic. If you love M/M you will eat Jawk like candy. What you’ll get is a great story that makes you think and takes you so deep into an alien world you’ll forget you’re on Earth.  

Can you describe your characters to us? Do you pattern them after anyone you know or is it pure imagination? 

The characters for Jawk are Luc Saint-Cyr, Wulf Gabriel, and Jawk Brighton. The physical model for Luc was Dennis Haysbert; the actor who portrayed President David Palmer on the FOX hit “24” and Jonas Blane on “The Unit” on CBS. I liked his physical size — he’s 6’5” tall, and has a voice like warm butter on crushed velvet, just like Luc. If he read the phone book I’d listen. He also has Luc’s dark skin and short black hair, but Luc always wears contact lenses that cover his entire eye in black. You’ll have to read the books to find out why. Wulf is a supermodel. Physically, I based him on Marcus Schenkenberg, the first male supermodel, but his personality is totally his own. Jawk is like no one I know. Tall, blond, with curly hair and golden eyes, he is a feline humanoid that Luc calls the “king of eroticism.” 

What genre have you not done but want to in the future?  I’m interested in doing a contemporary and also a time travel. I know I could do a contemp – but the time travel — well, I haven’t come up with a good enough paradox yet. But I will. 

Tell us about your most erotic romantic fantasy. If you could have a 24-hour romantic fling with anyone you wanted, anywhere you wanted, where would you go, what would you do and with whom would you do it?

Oh, that would be telling, now wouldn’t it? Ok, let me say it would be my husband. I’m crazy about him and there is no one else I’d rather spend my time with. I’d take us to Rome and we’d spend two weeks walking around the Eternal City, enjoying the sites. At night, we’d watch the stars and make love like we were brand new lovers, and not a married couple familiar with each other’s ways. We’d reignite our passion. Come to think of it, we don’t need Rome for that!

 If you could have one special super or magical power, what would it be?

To write faster without losing the ability to enjoy the creative process. 

If you could visit any time and place, where and when would it be and why?

The ancient world, to see Alexander the Great. I’d love to see him marching across the known world in search of adventure. 

Who’s more fun to write about: bad boys or perfect gentlemen, and why?

Definitely the gentleman, because even within a soul of propriety there is a bit of the naughty boy yearning to come out. I like seeing him be released. 

Do you watch reality TV? If so, what is one of your guilty pleasures? If not, then what do you prefer to watch?

Not a big fan of reality TV, but I never miss an episode of 24, or the Unit. 24 because it’s a thrill a minute; the Unit because it’s such a great story, full of true heroes. The irony of the Unit is unbeatable.  

VIN Diesel or Gerard Butler?

Neither. I go more for Jack Bauer — intelligent, resourceful, honorable, and will stop at nothing to save someone he loves. He’s attractive, but not too tall, quiet on the outside, but inwardly, a lion-hearted warrior. 

Where can readers reach you?

Email me at sempervians@yahoo.com / semperviansATyahoo.com or visit me on MySpace or my groups at:

 http://myspace.com/romancelivesforever

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/romancelivesforever  

Where are you published?

Liquid Silver Books http://liquidsilverbooks.com  

Thanks for stopping in and I hope you enjoy yourself. J

In the Spotlight: Clare London

 

  

Clare took the pen name London from the city where she lives, loves and writes. She juggles fiction with a frantic family life and waits for the far distant day when she can afford to give up her day job as an accountant. She’s written in many genres and across many settings, with short stories published both online and in print anthologies. Most of her work features male/male romance and drama, with a healthy serving of erotica, as she enjoys both reading and writing about strong, sympathetic and sexy characters. Clare currently has a fantasy novel in the process of publication, two more nearing the submission stage and plenty of other projects in mind . . . she just has to find out where she left them amongst the frantic family life. 

Clare’s website : www.darkpearldiva.com

Clare’s blog : http://claredivatoo.livejournal.com/  

 ****Getting to know Clare: 

Tell us about your upcoming release and what you hope readers will enjoy about it.

Hi there – just want to reassure people this ISN’T an April Fool’s joke, I am really here, and I am chatting to you today LOL!The excitement for me at the moment is the release of The Gold Warrior at Dreamspinner Press, a novel that I first started a couple of years ago and finally see in print.  I’m still squeeing from the thrill of being on Amazon!  And Hot from the Press, the news for you all today is that I’m in the final round of edits for the sequel, The Twisted Brand, which is scheduled for release in June.Two instalments of fantasy romance heaven! 

What do you like to do when you’re not working?

LOL I don’t know when I’m not working, with a full time job, husband and 2 teenage sons, and various other organizations that we help out at!  But I suppose my one personal treat is to write.  Obvious, right? 

What season is your favorite and why?

I love spring.  I love the fresh but dry weather, and the daffodils – my favorite flower – and the sense that things are growing and starting again. 

What would we find on your bookcase if we looked? What is one of your favorite authors?

Well you’d find my book LOL, no seriously, I have a huge jumble of stuff, I keep meaning to sort it, and also a lot of books I haven’t read yet.  There’s a lot of manga, and thrillers and humor and crime novels.

 I’m reading a Carl Hiassen at the moment, I love his witty, sardonic style.  I want to write like that one day! 

What was the last book you read (e or print) and did you like it?

In print, I read Regeneration by Pat Barker, about Seigfried Sassoon and his tour of duty in the British army during the First World War.   Superb, lyrical writing, beautifully observed dialogue, very sensitive writing.

 In ebook, there are two books that have struck me most in the last week or so.  One is Bard of Pain by Dusk Peterson, a superb, shocking, striking novel in an alternative world about a singular and initially unsympathetic torturer in the military.  But the development of his life and his beliefs is an amazing epiphany.The other is After Anna by Theda Black, a not-comfortable read in some ways because it deals with bereavement and the complex but passionate relationship between two men left behind, but I enjoyed the rich, tense, emotional writing very much. 

What makes a good book?

The characters, no doubt in my mind.  I’ll notice if a setting is weak or poorly written, but the main thing that keeps me going through a story is the bond I create with the characters and my care for what happens to them.  I love dialogue for that, too. 

What’s the most interesting thing you’ve ever done?

Written a book LOL.  Well, I’ve also won a sporting tournament, sung with a live jazz band, made Barbie frocks and kissed Lennox Lewis (on the cheek), so there are other things in the running!

 Boxers or briefs?Boxers.  Preferably black. 

Ben Affleck or Matt Damon to save the world?

Ben Affleck.  Poor Matt never got to smile much all through the Bourne movies.

 What else would you like readers to know about you or your work?How much I’ve enjoyed getting to know readers and other authors and joining the fiction community out there!  It’s definitely a benefit of net publishing – I love the contact.  And feel free to contact me any time! J 

Where are you published? 

At Dreamspinner Press www.dreamspinnerpress.com

The Gold Warrior/Ghost of Christmas yet to Come/Special Offer/Come Together

 At Eternal Press www.eternalpress.ca

Masquerade/Secret Santa/Just Like Scrooge/My Own Wings 

Thanks for coming! J

Thank *you* for hosting me, it’s been a lot of fun and I hope I’m getting better at these things as time goes on!