Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Release Day is here!

AVAILABLE AT DECADENT PUBLISHING 

                                                             

Echoes at Dawn is released from Decadent Publishing today!  It's been a wonderful journey so far. I'm at two of my friends blogs today. Stop by and visit me. I'm giving away an e-copy of Echoes at Dawn at Delusions of Grandeur. Here's where I'll be today. http://networkedblogs.com/g2smZ
http://deenar116.wordpress.com/posts/

Thanks to Deena Remiel and Vivi Dumas for having me on as their guest today.

 Also, I want to thank everyone at Decadent Publishing for this wonderful opportunity. Special thanks to Dana, Cassandra,  Meredith and Lisa!!!

Now, let's celebrate!

Monday, March 28, 2011

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Guest Author Maureen O. Betita

Today at the front porch, in honor of Maureen O. Beitia,  we're having a steampunk party!

 Welcome Maureen!

The table is set with a damask tablecloth with a lace top.  I'm using delicate china with a floral design. To start I'm serving finger sandwiches with roast beef, and smoked salmon.  I'll serve Orange Pekoe, and Earl Grey teas, with scones topped with Marzipan. There's brandy under the table for anyone who wants a little kick.

Let the party begin!

Maureen needs help choosing some additional steampunk outfits.  Do you have any suggestions?


                                      Maureen looks cool as an airship mechanic

                                                                                

                                                    Maureen brought along two friends.

                                                     Greetings!
                                                          

                                                              
                                                           
     What do you have planned for this weekend, Maureen?

I have an exciting weekend ahead of me! Ever heard of steampunk? That wonderful new genre (actually not all that old) which features a mix of historical and technical elements. The spirit of invention! Or as it was put to me neo-Victorian retro-future! Yes!


Steampunk! It’s just so interesting! I’ve written a book with some mild steampunk elements, mixed with pirates and it was a fun thing to do. (I really need to nag my agent about querying Decadent about this book, called The Chameleon Goggles!) I also love to costume. In November of 2010 I was at SteamCon II in Seattle and had such a blast! Dressing up was cool, taking pictures of everyone in costume was so so cool, the panels were fabulous. There were many on writing and several romance authors spoke. This was exciting because months before I’d been at the Nova Albion SteamCon in Oakland and heard literal groans when the idea of romance in the genre was mentioned. Tomorrow, I’m attending the second Nova Albion SteamCon, now moved to San Jose, and really looking forward to it! The theme is Wild Wild East, it’s gonna be a blast!

So, I have to really figure out what I’m going to wear! Seattle was the Wild Wild West and so I went with a bit of the Victorian school marm, high wasted long skirt, short boots, fitted shirt and a nice straw hat with scarf. (I actually found all these clothes in my closet. There is something to be said for dressing with an odd flare. No one tell Stacy and Clinton, okay? I don’t relish having to explain my closet to the What Not To Wear dynamic duo.)

What to wear to the Nova Albion SteamCon Convention. I don’t really have an Eastern style costume to wear. I have this really cool full length black and red Asian style dress, but I have no way to steampunk it up. I’ll wear something more casual steampunk on Friday and maybe something will catch my eye that will do the trick, then I can wear the dress on Saturday…

I do enjoy this genre and want to see myself attending one as a featured author one of these days. To that goal I am going to Nova Albion with particular things in mind.

I want to be part of SteamCon III, in October. The theme is 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and I want to promote The Kraken’s Mirror to the roof! And if The Chameleon Goggles flies, I want to promote that one, too, since it features the albino kraken from the first book. I will be talking to the people selling the tickets for SteamConIII at the San Jose Convention, and asking who I contact to be considered for a panel, and part of the program.

I mean, it takes a certain amount of chutzpah to announce that I am so interesting, they should include me as a featured author and put me on panels because I have so much to say… I mean, some of these people are real scholars. I can be confident, but I may need a few glasses of wine before I’m up for it. But I am determined! Wish me luck!


Good Luck!  We know you'll do a great job!




                                                                 Coming Friday
                                                         
           
     Available from Decadent Publishing                                                  

                                           
                                                               



http://www.maureenobetita.com/

The Kraken's Mirror - available now, Decadent Publishing
http://believinginsecondchances.typepad.com/ (every Sunday)
http://www.castlesandguns.com/ (every other Tuesday)
http//romancewritersrevenge.com/ (every Friday as 2nd Chance

















                                                                                                     

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Guest Author Vanessa Barger

  
   
 I’m happy to have Vanessa Barger as my guest today. She also writes paranormal romance as Ellen Keener.


We’re gathering at my house for a celebration of her latest release Steaming, a young adult steampunk adventure.  I’m having a tea party with homemade cakes and pastries, in her honor.. My house is over one-hundred years old, and the front porch is where I set up the party. It’s the perfect setting to conduct an interview with an author who writes paranormal and steampunk.


Welcome Vanessa! I hope you like sweets.

I’m serving herbal teas in a variety of flavors. Let’s see there’s strawberry, apricot, lemon zest, peppermint, and orange-cinnamon. I also have black tea for anyone who prefers it. I stayed up late last night making mini cheesecakes, cream puffs, and brownies. The buffet is set up in the corner. I have a bottle of champagne for a toast. Here’s to the wonderful world of imagination.



Make yourself at home and enjoy!



Let the party begin!



1. Did you always want to be a writer?

Yes. I always wanted to write. When I was in kindergarten I won an essay contest and got to go with four other kids from my school to have lunch with Norman Bridwell (The guy who wrote Clifford). I thought that was the coolest thing EVER.


2. How do get your ideas for a story? Do you have to do a lot of research before you sit down to write?

I get my ideas from a lot of places. Overheard conversations, my students, people watching, dreams, cooking, you name it! Research… depends on the story. I am a dork, so I read and watch books on history, technology and etc for fun. So sometimes I’ve already done the research without realizing it. I do often look up details, esp if its technology based or something about a real place.


3. Who has inspired you the most in your life?

Probably my parents. They have always encouraged me, no matter how strange the idea or how out there it is.


4. Which part of the process of writing a novel is the most difficult for you? Is it the beginning, middle or end?

Probably the end. Most of the time, when I start writing I have a good idea of the events in the story and how I want it to go, but my ending always changes. Its always vague. (With only a few exceptions). That usually means my writing feels like I’ve run a race and about three feet away from the finish line a giant hole opens up, and I teeter there until I figure out how to make a bridge. Lol. Endings are always hardest and always the things I am least satisfied with.


5. How do you do to celebrate when you are finished with a story?

Usually I go watch a movie, maybe we go out to eat. Depends on when I finish and what I’ve finished. 


6. Does your family read your work? Friends?

I have an awesome group of critters, the YA Fiction Fanatics (YAFF) that read my work. Outside of them, my Grandmother usually reads it, and occasionally my mom or roommate. Mom and roommate don’t really read my style book on a regular basis, so they only read a few select stories.


7. What is your favorite thing to do to relax?

I love movies. They’re an addiction. I also cook when I’m stressed. (Which could be the reason my diet is failing.) Also like to take day trips to museums and things.


8. If you had to choose a character from one of your books, to spend a weekend with, who would it be? Why?

Hmmmmm…. Tough one. I think it would be Thomason. My own personal automaton! Other than that, I love Cornelius, but he’s a little young for me. Lol.


9. What time of the year do you do your best writing? And why?

It’s a toss up between Fall and Summer. Fall because I just get the itch to write. Summer because I’ve got time off, and it storms a lot, and thunderstorms also inspire me.


10. What is your latest book about? Is it released yet? Can you share an excerpt or blurb?

Steaming came out March 18, and here’s the blurb:

My name is Cornelius Latimer, and I have fallen in love. The object of my affection isn’t tall and blonde with all the right curves. It isn’t even human. My love belches smoke and breathes fire. My world runs on steam and hard metal, and I am a master of both. My Uncle, Rufus Harrison, has funded my expeditions. He’s gifted me with a lab containing all the parts and space I could possibly need. For weeks I have been toiling over my journals, crafting my biggest and best creation yet. It’s heady, this feeling of power. But I made a fatal error. I told a friend about my machine. And now someone who should not know, does. I should tear everything apart, but I can’t.



Love does strange things to people.

Excerpt:

Clockwork earrings highlighted the graceful curve of her neck. Red satin swirled around a tiny figure wrapped in a black suede corset. Dark eyes swept the room with only a hint of apprehension. Thick jet hair winked with stones as the angel turned toward me.

I nearly swallowed my tongue.

“Cornelius Latimer! What the devil is wrong with you?” My best friend, Anthony DeSalvo, frowned and followed my gaze. “Bloody hell.”

“That didn’t come from Hell,” I whispered. Around the crowded, gas-lit ballroom, other men stopped mid-sentence and faced the angel gracing the entryway. I was not the only man enthralled. The world paused and the throbbing pulse of distant steam engines mimicked my heartbeat.

Anthony snorted and tossed back his punch. “A pretty face that will be forgotten in a week.” He studied me, one eyebrow cocked at my lack of attention. He hooted with laughter. “Finally, one of the sacrificial virgins has caught your eye!”

I elbowed him. “I don’t mock you about your conquests.”

He chortled, straightening his silk waistcoat. “That’s because I have so many. This, this, is a special occasion.”

He remained silent a few more moments. I assumed he watched as she moved through the crowd like Moses. I spared him a glance, noting the intense stare he sent in her direction. Unreasonable jealousy clouded my senses. Just when I opened my mouth to comment, he pulled a large coin from his waistcoat pocket.

“I’ll flip you for her.” His tone turned serious.

That got my full attention. A strange gleam lit Anthony’s eye, one I had never seen before. “What?”

“You heard me. Even if she is your first crush, every man out there will be after her. At least if we’re both pursuing her, we’ll double our collective chances. But when we catch her, who will keep her?”



11. Where can we find you these days?

12. I’m always around my blog, http://vanessabargerwrites.wordpress.com/ and I’m also on my FB fan page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Vanessa-Barger-Fan-Page/169674883067474 And on twitter at
grumbles13

It was a pleasure to have you as a guest, Vanessa. Thank you for an interesting interview. It's great to get to know you better.  Congrats on your release!



Thanks so much for having me!!!!!







                                                          

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Guest Author Deena Remiel

                                                                       
                                                                          

Welcome Deena!  I here Agremon has a few words to say.  Before he gets upset, I better give him the floor.

Agremon Dishes About His Charming Self


I’m gonna lay it on the line for all of you right now. If you wanna live, don’t mess with me. They call me Agremon, The Terrible, and I live up to that reputation. Don’t piss me off, don’t look at me funny, don’t even breathe in my direction. You’ve been warned.

Why am I such a delightful fellow? You try spending eternity being scorned by The Brethren and sucking up to Satan every freakin’ day. And now Satan… oh excuse me, he’s calling himself Namirha these days, is on my butt to find this kid he thinks is the answer to his gaining ultimate power over the world. Yawn.

I guess I’m supposed to be talking about TRINITY, A Brethren Novel, but really, why would I want to acknowledge the Brethrens’ immortal existence when I’m more appealing and immortal, too? All right! So they look prettier than me. And women swoon over them. I used to look like them… once. But I’d much rather look like I do now. I scare the crap out of people and that suits me just fine. Hell, I guess I should tell you to read Trinity, A Brethren Novel. But NOT for the Brethren! Read it because I’M in it!

Ahem. You must excuse Agremon, folks. He doesn’t have the best disposition in the world. I think maybe I should take over here while the “Big A” takes a breather. Seems talk of the Brethren just gets him all riled up. There are plenty of reasons to pick up a copy of TRINITY in a couple of days, and I must admit, Agremon does provide us with a great nemesis. If you are fiercely devoted to your children or know that you would be, you’ll love Emma. If you have a thing for angels, then Michael will definitely fan the flames. If you crave battles between Good and Evil, then the apocalyptic events in TRINITY will satisfy that hunger. And if you’re in love with LOVE and all its trials, then Emma and Michael are bound to stir things up.


Trinity, A Brethren Novel releases on Tuesday, March 22nd from Decadent Publishing. That’s just two days away! You can pick up a copy at http://www.decadentpublishing.com from that day forward.


                                                         


CONTEST TIME! If you can correctly name the Brethren that have STARRING roles in Brethren Beginnings ~ Rise of the Brethren, and include your email addy in your comment, I will randomly pick a name out of a hat to receive…. A FREE COPY OF TRINITY! Yay!

http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=234&osCsid=qhuc4gbau5e6tjhd74e6giprm0 BUY LINK FOR TRINITY


©Deena Remiel, 2011.

http://www.deenaremiel.com/


http://brethrenbeginnings.wordpress.com/


http://www.decadentpublishing.com/










                                                         

Friday, March 18, 2011

GUEST AUTHOR MAUREEN O. BETITA

  
    
 SciFi Erotica on the Rise!




Thanks, Kathleen for giving me a place to blog about my new release, The Ship’s Mistress. I’ve always loved science fiction and can honestly say that it was the first adult genre I read growing up. Once I left behind Trixie Beldon and The Hardy Boys, I started reading from my Dad’s science fiction collection. Dad was a member of The Science Fiction Bookclub from wa-a-a-a-a-a-a-ay back and so I read the classics. Arthur C. Clark, Isaac Asimov, Clifford D. Simak, A.E. VanVogt…some are writers you may know, but probably not!



We watched Star Trek religiously. Along with all those campy Irwin Allen shows. Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Time Tunnel, Land of the Giants, Lost in Space…we watched ‘em all! Loved the old 50s movies featuring giant creatures twisted by radioactivity, or invasion movies… They were the norm around my house.



Yes, I have always been a nerd.



When I first began writing, I wrote adventure and I still write adventure. I love writing adventure… If they had a genre in the romance industry called Romantic Adventure, I’d so be there!



But now and then, I love to write something with a scifi feel to it. But, being me, I had to add some sexy stuff also. Okay, I had to make it erotic. (I mean, think about it, how many women did Kirk sleep with? Bones got his share. Even Spock and Scotty!) It’s really no wonder I’ve gone in the direction I gone!



Today, The Ship’s Mistress is available from Decadent Publishing. The Sister’s Story/Sari’s Sister, will be coming soon. Both of these novellas are set in the Etwan Confederacy…where human colonies, fallen to a more basic society are held together by the space ships of the Etwan, an alien race interested in helping the humans be all that they can be. With some limitations to temper their volatile nature.



Here is the blurb from The Ship’s Mistress, followed by an excerpt… (And yes, it involves ocean voyages, because that is really my thing… Alien worlds have oceans, too!)



Jahari gave herself to the starborn Etwa to save her little sister from life in a foul brothel. Ironically, tests reveal an aptitude for sensual service and Jahari is trained as a high court slut. A contract of seven years runs out on the planet Mentari but the powerful Basba is determined to keep her. She escapes swearing to see him reported to the Etwan authorities.

Toseman is the captain of the Sea Horse, sailing the seas of Mentari. Several days from port a stowaway is brought before him. Her bright blue hair betrays her high slut identity and puts his secret at risk. Drawn to her, he accepts her offer to serve as ship’s mistress and promises to see her to the nearest Etwan spaceport.

They are pursued by her former master as the two join forces and with the help of the Sea Horse crew, they seek Etwan justice.



Excerpt – (Warning, this is a very explicit scene)

“She’s agreed; keep it to the cabin. Take care with her back.”

I heard him through the rush of blood to my head. All my senses sharpened, far beyond normal human levels. I turned my face and kissed Mitral’s neck, my hands fumbled to touch the skin of his chest. He carried me to the table, set me down and stripped his shirt away. I filled my hands with his skin. I took long breaths along his broad chest, relishing the scent of him. He rippled with muscles and strength.

All my senses drew tight and focused. Every nuance of Mitral’s body cried out to me, attracted me. I knew his health, I knew his desires. He was nearly a foot taller than me, his upper body sculpted, his hands calloused. A sun-lightened mat of hair near his belly made me moan. I trailed my fingers down to where this path of hair disappeared into his sailor’s pants. Damn, he was wonderfully stiff and determined to be first.

The others drew close. One climbed to the table at my back and finished the removal of my shift, caressed my breasts, pinched my nipples. His fingers tugged at the gold ring as he licked and sucked at my neck. I groaned, twisted to take his lips with mine. Our tongues clashed as I felt my hip scarf carefully undone and drawn away.

A hush filled the cabin as I spread my legs, eager for the exposure, eager for the invitation.


                                                                  

                                                                 
***
And for a sneak peak at The Sister’s Story…      

Sari lives on the Etwan world of Verdant. A student for twelve years, the Etwan have helped her learn control of her telepathic abilities. She is sexually experienced, a bright woman with a past that is a blank slate. As she approaches her 18th birthday, her desire to know more of her background grows.

Haunted by bits and pieces of a world she barely remembers, she hears a name at a trader’s fair. Her faint memories begin to rise. Determined to discover more, she seizes the clues fallen her way and leaves for the world of Mentari, where she hopes to meet the woman who may have sold her to the Etwan.

On this journey she is accompanied by two men, J’reem and Dell. The three of them find a deep connection on the journey, reveling in the physical and mental bond that develops. But trouble awaits her on Mentari, riding with the Etwan ship. She reaches Mentari and sees the ocean, but whether the high slut Jahari will acknowledge her is something she may never discover.


                                                                   
                                                                                                                                         



Excerpt – (Warning, this is a very explicit scene)

J’reem asked if I would mind his sharing Dell’s bed on the seventh night out. I shrugged. “Of course not. He’s a handsome man and you have a connection to him.”

My dear friend looked at me closely before replying. “You would be welcome to join us, Sari.”

I admit his first question left me with a touch of feeling abandoned. I’d admired Dell since we’d boarded. He’d been very friendly, hugging J’reem and offering me a warm hand clasp. I’d seen him watching me when we dined, and he flirted with an amusing tilt of his head, a real natural at the craft. I found flirting extremely difficult, so a master at the ability impressed me.

I smiled at J’reem. “I’d like that, but only if he is inclined.”

“He’s very inclined, Sari.” He rose from the bench where we’d been sitting and I could see the stiffness of his cock. “I told him I’d ask and his eyes grew dark.” Reaching for my hands, he took hold and pulled me to my feet. With a show of impatience, he shoved the ambersand beads back into the pouch and pulled me down the hallway.

“Now?” I giggled.

“If not sooner.”

We spilled into Dell’s tiny cabin laughing and already pulling at each other’s clothing. Dell put down the book he’d been studying and caught his breath as J’reem pulled my shirt off and threw it at him. Then he spun me, pressing my ass against his erection. Hands rose to hold my breasts, as if offering them to his friend.

Dell climbed from the single chair, fell to his knees and slowly pulled my loose pants from my waist until they pooled at my feet. J’reem kissed my neck and whispered delightful words into my ears as Dell’s breath tickled my bush.

I’d dallied with two at once before, but somehow this was different. I already knew J’reem. But he surprised me with the base words he enticed me with.

“I dreamed of this, since we first fucked. I knew his cock and your cunt would sing together. I want to watch you under him. Sketch you lost as he pounds into you… One day I will sculpt you both in clay.”

J’reem painted a vision in my head that took my breath away. I knew the power of vulgarity, but he composed poetry with the crude litany. I saw the book Dell had tossed fall to the floor and realized he’d been reading Jahari’s book.

“So lovely.” Dell stated, thumbs meeting at my clitoris, then pressing and parting my flesh to clear a path for his tongue. He stroked my flesh to a fever pitch, even as I arched against J’reem, his hands continually toying with my breasts, lips kissing my neck between bouts of whispering his fantasies in my ear.

The two of them caught me totally unprepared. I thought we’d play, but they buried me under a deep level of passion. I found myself sprawled on the bed under Dell as he slid into me with a hunger I would never have guessed he possessed. J’reem sat a few feet away, pants straining against his cock. He pulled his sketch pad out of his discarded pack and began to sketch.

                                                                

***

I’m attempting a few things that are a real stretch for me in these novellas. First person point of view and reclaiming of the word slut. For these stories, slut is defined by the Etwan dictionary…

Slut: (noun) In the common vernacular a word denoting a man or woman of great sexual prowess, strength and knowledge. A high slut is one considered extremely valuable and treasured. Once a word with a far different meaning among the human population, used to denigrate and deride a woman with a strong sexual appetite. Still in use on the more primitive patriarchal worlds under Etwan influence, a condition the Etwan strive to eliminate.



I like to reclaim words, especially words that have been assigned meanings that degrade the female or the female form. I hope you enjoy my hot little stories. And if you do, let me know! Check out my website at http://maureenobetita.com/ for links to where I blog and when, and send me an e-mail! I’d love to hear from you!


Thank you for being my guest today, Maureen. Congrats on the release Of The Ship's Mistress and the upcoming release of Sari's Search.










                                                

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

GUEST AUTHOR LEANNE DYCK





       
KATHLEEN”S PLACE TO REFLECT GUEST TODAY IS AUTHOR LEANNE DYCK


Author Leanne Dyck’s short story contest ends on March 21st


Hi Kathleen,

Thank you for this opportunity to visit your blog to promote my short story contest.

I developed this contest as a way to celebrate the release of my thriller The Sweater Curse.


What’s this book about?

Good question. Here’s the blurb…


Aspiring knitwear designer Gwen Bjarnson is stuck in Purgatory. To escape, she must re-examine her life, journey through her past and right a wrong. But which wrong.

Young and in love, she works to establish her career, except fate has different plans. One rash act and she loses everything. Never resting, always seeking, and yearning for what she can no longer have, Gwen faces the truth: if she remains, others are destined to die. How will she solve the mystery before it is too late?



I’m thriller by the positive reception this book has received. Reviewers have given it a 4.5 star rating on Amazon.



Quotes from the reviews I’ve received thus far…



‘Stitch by colorful stitch, Leanne Dyck knits a tale of intrigue with The Sweater Curse’ –Laurie Buchanan



‘Leanne Dyck has crafted a tale as exotic and existential as Danish Isak Dinesen’s…This book defies genre definitions as it finds its unique place on the fiction shelves. Here’s hoping Leanne Dyck returns many times to the intriguing roots of her family’s past.’

-mystery author Lou Allin



‘Go out and pick this one up, you’ll find yourself immersed as well.’ –Deborah Warner, reviewer for By the Book



You could win a copy of The Sweater Curse by writing a very short story (500 words or less) about your favourite sweater. Send your stories to: leanne@oknitting.com

All stories will be published on http://sweatercursed.blogspot.com/p/my-favourite-sweater-contest.html



Contest ends, Monday, March 21st http://sweatercursed.blogspot.com/
http://sweatercursed.blogspot.com/p/my-favourite-sweater-contest.html
                                                       

                                                               

  
 
Thank you for being my guest today, Leanne.  It was a lot of fun.  Come on everyone, there's still time to enter The Sweater Curse favorite sweater contest!                                      

Monday, March 7, 2011

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Saturday Sneek Peek Coffee Klatch With Leslie D.Soule


Happy Saturday everyone!  Today on the Sneak Peek Coffee Klatch we are thrilled to have Leslie Soule as our guest.  Her latest YA fantasy Fallenwood was released yesterday from Decadent Publishing.  Grab a cup of your favorite coffee and relax.We have hazelnut, creme brule, dark roast, regular blend, and decaf.  If you prefer tea, we can brew a pot, too.  There's cinnamom rolls for everyone.   



Welcome Leslie!  We’re so happy to have you join us today! 


  1. Did you always want to be a writer?
Actually, when I was little, there were two things I wanted to be – a writer and a magician. Writing fantasy allows me to do both.  J

  1. Do you have a favorite author?
I have a few favorite authors. In first place is J.R.R. Tolkien. Second place goes to Jack London, and in third place is Brian Jacques, who just recently passed away.

  1. What genre do you write in? Why did you choose it?
I’ve been experimenting with a lot of different genres lately, to get a feel for them and because it’s really fun to try something new. So far I’ve tried out Supernatural Romance (“The Devil’s Bidding”), Horror (“Poisoned”), Historical/Mythological (“Trial By Fire”), Steampunk (“Birds of a Feather: The Search For the Universal Solvent”), and Fantasy (Fallenwood). To me, trying out different genres is like tasting different flavors of ice cream.

  1. What was your first publication?  How did you react when you first found out your novel was accepted?
My very first publication was “The Devil’s Bidding” and when I first found out, it was a shock. I was very happy, but very surprised because writing is an incredibly difficult thing to break into.

  1. Do you have a specific routine when you sit down to write? 
Not really. I like to brew some tea and listen to music if possible. But I never know when my muse will hit, so my routine varies.

  1. What was your inspiration for your latest release, Fallenwood?
Fallenwood is a story that grew each time I thought about it. I had all these ideas that were just sort of floating around in my head before I started writing any of it out – I drew a picture of the Wolf King back in high school. The inspiration for it came from so many things – my stepfather’s death, my experience working retail, people I’d met, names I liked that stayed with me, etc. That’s why this novel is one that I think of as my “baby”.

  1. Are any of your characters based on someone you know?
Yeah, they sure are. Ash is based on a younger version of me, trying to deal with my stepfather’s death. Will is based on a martial arts friend of mine. Prince Edward’s emotions come from me, but physically he’s just what I find attractive in a guy (blond hair, blue eyes). Greymalkin’s personality is based on my stepfather and the whole chapter about the Wryk tree is based on a story I was told about my stepfather. Akaji is based on an ex-boyfriend of mine.

  1. If you could spend an afternoon with one of your characters, who would you choose, and why?
Hmm…good question. I think I would want to spend an afternoon with Will Everett. Even though I based him on a friend of mine, Will’s a bit different. Also, since he’s in the fantasy realm Fallenwood, it’s like there are hidden depths. I imagine him having an amazing library and knowing things I can’t even imagine.

  1. What is it about your new release that makes it special?
Well, it’s special to me because there’s so much of me wrapped up in this novel and so much of what I’ve gone through. It’s no coincidence that Ash runs away after her stepfather’s death and tries to make sense of things. Writing Fallenwood has been really cathartic for me, and having it released will be wonderful.

  1. Are you planning a sequel for Fallenwood?
Yes, I am in the process of writing a sequel. It will pick up right where Fallenwood left off.

  1. Do you have any other news to share with us today?

Not that I can think of. J

  1. Now, can we sneak a peek at your release? 

Yep! The blurb and excerpt are up at the Fallenwood page on my website.

  1. Where can we find you?  

My hangout spot on the world wide web is :http://lesliesoule.com http://lesliesoule.com/default.aspx

http://www.decadentpublishing.com/ 

Thank you so much for visiting us at The Saturday Sneak Peek Coffee Klatch today.  Leslie is giving an e-copy of Fallenwood to one lucky commenter.   

 Congratulations on your release! We wish you all the best.   

Friday, March 4, 2011




Hooray! My novella,  HEY YOU,  in the Run Devil Run series with Decadent Publishing has finally been released! It's been a long road to get here, but well worth the trip!

What's so special about it? Seriously, who wouldn't want to take a literary road trip with four hot men and a rock band? Well...okay...I didn't exactly travel with them. In my overactive imagination I did, though. And...well...the books in the series aren't about the boys exactly...but they modeled for us and provided us with plenty of inspiration and some amazing covers! 

HOW'S THIS FOR INSPIRATION?


Run Devil Run is a popular rock band based in Los Angeles. The guys were happy to lend their faces and talent to Decadent Publishing. Trust me, it wasn't a hardship on our part to make this happen!  (oh, and my cover features the uber-sexy Jackie Joyride ~ I think I did okay, don't you?)

 The books in the series are all paranormal, with Hey You probably the darkest of the bunch. As Heather Bennett, co-owner of Decadent Publishing said, "Paranormal romance lends itself easily to the Rock vibe.” After reading the other books released in the series, I couldn't agree more.  

What's Hey You about?   

Playing by the rulesCara spent her entire life doing just that—dutiful daughter, stellar student, responsible adult…in a word…nerd. Not that she had much choice. The Society, a secret moral social order she’d been born into, had one motivating tool in its arsenal to ensure members didn’t succumb to temptation and break any of its laws...

The Watcher A demon whose sole mission consisted of waiting for his watch to break the rules—and bring them to...

The Dark Marek sucked at his job. Not only did he hate being a Watcher, but he’d fallen in love with his watch, Cara, placing his eternal soul in peril. Only able to protect her in her dreams, when she reaches a crossroad in her life that puts her mortality in jeopardy, they have to decide who will give the greater gift.

Will Cara sacrifice her mortality for Marek’s love…or will he sacrifice his soul to save her life?   Read an excerpt 

 I'm going to do TWO things to put some Run Devil Run awesomeness in your hands because I think you're going to love this these stories and this band as much as I do!  

 

1.  Leave a comment on this blog. I'll pick one random commenter here to win a free download of Hey You. Winner will be announced here and by email (if you leave one) on March 26th.

2.  Want to win the GRAND PRIZE?  Buy a copy of Hey You from Decadent Publishing by March 25th. When you purchase your book, you will also receive a free download of the song "Hey You" by Run Devil Run. You'll be sending a print screen file as proof of purchase to Decadent Publishing in order to receive the download. So ~ send a print screen file to me as well, confirming your purchase of my book. Send it to valeriemann09@yahoo.com  I will announce the winner on my blog, Facebook and Twitter on March 26th. 

      What will the LUCKY WINNER win? A basket full of goodies, including Run Devil Run autographed swag like their latest CD. I'll also throw in a copy of the Run Devil Run anthology print book, goodies from all of the RDR anthology authors, and decadent edibles (chocolate comes to mind). So....follow #2 to the LETTER and I'll enter you in the big drawing. Good luck!!

 

Valerie Mann

 

valeriemann09@yahoo.com     Facebook ~ valerie.mann   Twitter ~ mannvalerie

 



Tuesday, March 1, 2011

SPECIAL EVENT

SPECIAL Sunset Strip/LA Rock 'N Roll experience for RT 2011 attendees, sponsored by Decadent Publishing! Get a party bus ride to and from the Con Tuesday night, special prize pack and chances to WIN fun prizes, and watch well-known LA band Run Devil Run ROCK the famous Viper Room! Get tickets TODAY
                                                                 

Daily Dose of Decadence: 10Q Tuesday with Nina Croft!

Daily Dose of Decadence: 10Q Tuesday with Nina Croft!: "Tell us about your favorite character from your books. It’s usually the hero from the last book I wrote. Right now, that’s Ricardo..."