Daily Dose of Decadence: Shiela Stewart's Demons

Daily Dose of Decadence: Shiela Stewart's Demons: "Ten years ago, I woke to a horrifying dream of demons attacking humans and one woman who was on the run. She found herself caught in a gro..."

GUEST AUTHOR MAUREEN O' BETITA

Today Maureen O 'Betita is my special guest.  She's busy working on her Caribbean Trilogy, and  unexpectedly ran into a little trouble. Maureen's got a contest going to help her find her slippery little Kraken. Come on everyone, give her a hand. There's cool prizes, and 7 days left!


Welcome Maureen!

The Challenges of Working with a Cephalopod

I’m currently working on the third book of my Kraken’s Caribbean trilogy, The Pirate Circus and it’s been tricky. Any who have read my first book, The Kraken’s Mirror, know that I am a kitchen sink writer. If an idea slips into my mind – usually whispered by my muse – I insert it into the narrative.

He’s my muse! He’s good!

He’s also a bit of a tease and can be easily distracted. Hence, he whispers ‘volcano’ into my ear. “Climax with a volcanic explosion threatening the WORLD! Do it!” and I blithely smile and say, “Okay!”

Then he wanders off and I’m sitting, 10k short of a finish, with everyone in the midst of a hurricane, striving to reach Montserrat where the villain is going to start something he can’t control. At least I don’t think he’ll be able to control it.

I’m not entirely sure yet.

But that is what comes of working with supernatural forces and natural phenomena. You can’t always tell what is going to happen.

Take my cover for The Kraken’s Mirror. The electronic edition was released with a nice white kraken tentacle winding about my name. The Kraken of the title! We met, I loved him, he ate my inner critics and helped to load the rum onto the ship for the release party… He even provided tentacle rides on the release day. (He’s slimy, makes for one fast ride down his tentacle!) We were buds!

Then the print edition came out. And he was missing. Sigh.

Sometimes, cephalopods have the attention span of my muse. Or vice versa. He showed up briefly to pose for the cover of the second Kraken’s Caribbean book, The Chameleon Goggles and I’m thankful, but I hope he sticks around for the print edition this time! If I can find him in time. And The Pirate Circus won’t be the same if he wanders off again.

Anyone seen my missing kraken?

So, making the best of a sad situation, I put it to you… Where did the Kraken go?

1)      He’s in Scotland, wooing Nessie

2)      He’s outside the Mines of Moria at Gandalf’s request, fighting off the menace in the waters

3)      Sharing rum with the monster in the lake at Hogwarts

4)      Your best guess?

How to enter the contest?

1)      Comment here and pick an option, or create your own.

2)      Friend my author page on Facebook and leave a comment, telling me which option you’ve picked, or where you think the Kraken went.  Okay, Facebook put the kibosh on this option, but… if you find me on Facebook and relate your sighting in the comments, I will put your name in the hat for the big prize.

3)      Find me on any blog I guest at during the month of May and tell me about your sighting. (Be sure to leave an e-mail address in the comment section.)

Prizes?  I have wonderful prizes!

Every now and then, I’ll pick an entry and award something interesting. Free books, pirate perch hats, kraken jewelry!

Contest ends on May 31^st, 2011…at midnight, Pacific Standard Time. I will announce the winner on June 1^st!

I’ve already awarded prizes for the comment of the week and given a few books away. There’s only 7 days left! Help me find my kraken! Enter here!

                 Contest here         http://maureenobetita.com/kraken-contest/where-is-the-kraken 
  

  
Thanks for an awesome guest post, Maureen!  Now, it's time to hurry everyone! We have to help Maureen, and find her Kraken!

Tell me a Ghost Story!

GREAT GHOST STORIES SO FAR!

I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who shared their ghost story. I never expected such a fantastic response. The contest runs until June 14, and I'll announce the winner of the beautiful cameo by Rae Bradbury-Einslin on June 15. Dont' forget to leave me your email address.

I love to read your stories. Please keep them coming or if you dont have a story, make a comment, and you'll be entered to win.

GUEST AUTHOR LAURA KAYE

Today we're celebrating the upcoming release Forever Freed by Laura Kaye. It will be released on May 20th. I think you're in for a treat. Forever Freed sounds like a paranormal romance you won't want to miss!

Welcome to Kathleen's Place to Reflect, Laura. 

Laura Kaye, Forever Freed

Official Release May 20

Print Edition Available to Order Now

Thanks to Kathleen for hosting me and my book here today! Forever Freed is my second book but my first novel-length and first paranormal romance.  My most recent release was a contemporary romance called Hearts in Darkness (The Wild Rose Press) and my next one after Forever Freed is an erotic romance (Just Gotta Say, Decadent Publishing, forthcoming this summer)—as you can see, I’m a bit of a genre-hopper!  Set in Detroit, Forever Freed is about a reclusive vampire who falls in love with a woman he planned to kill and her young daughter, and then must overcome his century-old grief, bloodlust, the consequences of a lie by omission, and a jealous vampire rival from his past who promises to ruin all he holds dear.  Here’s more about Forever Freed:

Blurb:

My heart may not beat, but that doesn’t mean it’s not broken.
After an isolated century mourning the murder of my long-ago family, I crave the irresistible scents of joy and love that radiate from my new neighbors, a single mother and her young daughter. I’m starved for their blood, and for the healing respite from my ancient grief that will accompany drinking down their life-giving emotions. Now to lure them in.
But they surprise me. Little Olivia accepts me without fear or reservation—talking, smiling, offering innocent affection that tugs at my long-lost humanity. Her mother, Samantha, seeks me out when she should stay away, offering sweet friendship, and calling to the forgotten man in me. They lure me in.
Aw, Dio, Lucien, run and spare them while you can…

                                                    

Excerpt:

We walked the avenue for a few minutes and before long found ourselves in Cadillac Square
, a large oval plaza in the middle of downtown. Samantha pulled herself on top of a table and rested her feet on the attached metal bench below.

I sat next to her and watched her lips and throat work while she ate. The tightness in my jeans finally forced me to look away.

“Are you sure you don’t want to try some? It’s really good.”

I glanced back to her and found her smiling. “No. Thanks, though.” I tried like hell not to focus on her long pink tongue.

“Oh, come on. Are you really going to make me eat alone?” She held the ice cream closer to my face.

I smiled in defeat. It appeared I was going to have to eat some ice cream. When I still didn’t take her up on her offer, she tilted the cone towards me and touched it to my nose.

I flinched. I didn’t know what facial expression I wore, but it set her off laughing with abandon. She laughed so hard she almost dropped the cone. It was irresistible. I had to join her.

“I’m…I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me. Here…” She held up a napkin and wiped the cold cream off my face. The smell of her radial artery set my mouth to watering, and I longed to lean forward and lap at the slender length of her exposed wrist.

I smiled and looked at her intently. “This is a dangerous game you’re playing, Samantha.”

She shivered. “Oh really? How is that?” The flirtation in her voice was unmistakable. And enthralling.

Before she even saw me do it, I scooped some of the offending cream on my finger and wiped it messily across her lips and chin. She screamed and laughed. I swallowed hard at the soft feel of her lips.

She turned to face me on the table. When our laughter settled, I sat holding my cream-covered finger up in front of her. She used the soiled napkin from my face to clean off her own. Then she saw the ice cream still on my hand.

“Sorry, that was my only napkin.” I grimaced at the ice cream and Samantha huffed. “Who doesn’t like ice cream? Do you want me to get rid of that for you?” She met my eyes and arched one eyebrow.

The mild scent of her adrenaline intrigued me. “Please,” I said quietly, observing her with interest.

She grabbed my hand by the wrist and pulled it down to her face.

I gaped at what she intended to do but was so captivated my finger was in her mouth before I’d grappled with whether or not to allow her to do it. My brain exploded with the sensation. Ah, Cristo. So warm. So wet.

Her pulse beat through her tongue. I fought not to gasp out loud. My eyes stung as blood threatened to rush in, as happened when I fed or felt threatened or aroused. It took all my concentration to will the blood away.

“There,” she whispered as her lips slid off the tip of my wet finger. Her heart thundered in her chest. The blossoming scent of her arousal was mouthwatering. “All better.”

Book Trailer Embed Code:

<iframe width="480" height="390" src=http://www.youtube.com/embed/guWmcq3qSVs

Find Laura on the interwebz:

Website: http://www.laurakayeauthor.com/

Blog: http://laurakayeauthor.blogspot.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/laurakayeauthor

Twitter: @laurakayeauthor

Publisher Website: http://thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=800Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/3703867

Thank you for being my guest today, Laura.  I really enjoyed your post. All the best!
                                                                                                                                                                                                                

                                                                              

DO YOU BELIEVE IN GHOSTS?

SHARE YOUR GHOST STORY


I recently booked a trip to Cape May, located at the Southern tip of Cape May Penisula in Cape May County, New Jersey, where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean.

 Sourse: Wikepedia.

 It's the nation's oldest seashore resort,  and is well know for it's ghost stories. It got me thinking about a contest. My release Echoes at Dawn is a love story and ghost story.

Here's the blurb.

The strangely intertwined lives of a widowed woman, and a charismatic bachelor come together in order to show that in life, there are no coincidences… only destiny.

Waterfront restaurant chef Madeline Young adores her job. If only her love and family's lives were as successful as her career.  With a teenage son, who spends time in the emergency room for alcohol poisoning and a dementia-plagued mother, Madeline doesn't know how much more she could handle. Then her mother enlists the help of her deceased twin sister, Mary, to guide Madeline to true happiness.  An early dawn visit from the spirit directs Madeline to volunteer at the local hospitals center for addiction recovery, where she comes alive for the first time in many years under the attention of Nat Griffin.

Nathaniel Griffin, a part-time counselor and contractor, fascinates his clients with his lectures.  In keeping with his philosophy of professionalism, Nat prefers to keep his personal life private.  When attraction tests his beliefs, Nat must confront his marred past. Is he willing to face his demons or take the easier path and remain isolated?

Can unworldly ghosts save this couple from their own self-destructive behavior?

                                                                                                            

One of my favorite things to do after dinner in Cape May is to take a horse and carriage ride through town. The tour guide is always well informed on the area, and he ends the night with a good ghost story.

Do you have a ghost story to tell? Or have you had an experience with an unusual sound in the night, or ever witness an object move without being touched? I'd love to here about it. All you have to do is comment, or tell me about your experience. If you don't have a story, you can make a comment to enter the contest.

 One random winner will win a beautiful pendant. It's handcrafted, and I purchased it at Club RT in LA this April. The contest will run for a month. It will end on June 14 and I'll announce the winner on June 15. I'll post the winner on my blog. Please include your email address in your comment. I can't wait to here your stories. The contest is open to everyone, so don't be shy. 

I've gotten so many wondeful ghost stories, so I decided to add another prize. I'll pick two random commenters. 


                                                             FIRST PRIZE

 

                                             Cameo's by: Rae Bradury-Enslin

                                             SECOND PRIZE random picked commenter will receive this beautiful cameo.

My website. http://kathleenanngallagher.net/Home.html
Echoes at Dawn available here. http://www.decadentpublishing.com/advanced_search_result.php?osCsid=6c1232251c1e45744bd0b3ee7262f414&categories_id=&inc_subcat=1&pfrom=0&pto=999999&dfrom=&dto=&manufacturers_id=70 

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