Saturday, December 31, 2011

Countdown to Netherworld: Drop Dead Sexy; Quote 3

    I looked at my town’s most well-known vampire with trepidation.  I had to admit he didn’t look terribly vampy.  In fact, he looked normal.  His hair was short in an old-fashioned haircut typical of the 1920’s, the decade he’d become a vampire.  Clean-shaven, looking not a day over 30, with sharp, handsome features.  Not rugged and somehow worn like Dan, but elegantly masculine in the way of old-time movie actors like Errol Flynn and Clark Gable.
    Okay, I’ll admit it.  The darn bloodsucker looked as scrumptious as my Marlboro Man.  I couldn’t discern the slightest bit of undead about him.  He inspired visions of naughtiness dancing in my head.

Releasing January 6

Countdown to Netherworld: Drop Dead Sexy; Quote 2

     Oh, this dream was so not turning out, not even with Dan the Marlboro Man holding me tight against his broad chest.  “You’re saying that’s me over there?  That body is mine?”
      Lana pulled a tissue from her pocket and dabbed at her eyes.  To Taylor she whispered, “Dan’s telling her now.  This is not going to be good.”
      Dan’s hand snared my chin, forcing me to look at him.  “I’m sorry, sweetheart, but you’re dead.   The Fulton Falls Ripper got you.”

Netherworld: Drop Dead Sexy Excerpt


Escort Brandilynn Payson is shocked to discover she’s dead.  Even worse, she’s the latest victim of the Fulton Falls Ripper, a vampire serial killer.  Being deceased is no obstacle for fun however, and Brandilynn quickly proves she’s the life of the after-death party.  But her killer is still on her trail, and she learns there are worse things than death to worry about.

RATING: Carnal/Erotica.  Mild BDSM, multiple sexual partners. 
Genre: Paranormal Erotica.


I knew day had dawned when Tristan appeared in the head librarian’s office door.  He stared at me and Dan.  Dan was engrossed in some Walt Whitman poetry that had just appeared on the shelves a few hours ago.  Apparently, the deceased writers and poets only had to wish their works into the places where the literature-starved dead gathered.  Sort of like how the King George Hotel’s chef fed us his memories of delicious cuisine.  The netherworld was magical when you got past the morbid aspects of it.
I wallowed in frustrated enjoyment of a nearly-impossible Sudoku puzzle.  Doing battle with grids of numbers proved a pleasant way to pass the time once Dan and I had exhausted our more wanton urges for awhile.  Now my mind wanted a workout.
I began to see the possibilities for the next several hundred years or so.  Languages I could learn, the books to be read, new knowledge to be gained.  Dan had told me he liked to, excuse the pun, haunt the local college and attend the lectures.  Surely I could put off the boredom that afflicted so many of the earthbound dead for several centuries.
            The movement at the office door filled me with dread.  Somehow I knew it was Tristan before I looked up.  I didn’t want to look at him, not after I’d seen him and Patricia go full predator.  I’m like Lot’s wife though.  I just have to look.
Tristan stared at me, his too-handsome, too-human face worried.  And darn if my heart didn’t go pitter-pat at the sight of him.  It was like he was a set of twins; one all scary and evil, the other a disheveled angel. 
I sighed.  When Tristan wasn’t a vampire, I felt as gooey for him as I did Dan.  Maybe he and I didn’t sing the same tune, but only because his nighttime persona freaked me out.  If not for the bloodsucking side of Tristan, I’d be equally besotted with him as with my Marlboro Man.
I’m a smart enough girl to realize that my interest in Tristan kept me in Dan’s arms though.  If Dan had been my only option for romance, I’d be running for the hills, unable to deal with the terror of putting my trust in one man.  I also realized that this situation was terribly unfair to them both.
Knowing something and being able to change it are two entirely different things. 
I stood, putting my puzzle down.  I noticed how Dan kept his eyes on his book as I walked past the desk on my way to speak with Tristan.  I went into the office, and the vampire closed the door behind me.
Without preamble, Tristan said, “I could kill Augustus for making you watch that.  I know he has his reasons for what he does and they’re usually very good, but that’s not how I wanted you to see me.”
I studied him.  He stared at me with those dark, almost black eyes.  He looked so tormented.  Ashamed.  To see Tristan’s cool confidence stripped away like that startled me.  I had the feeling he didn’t let many people see this unsure side. 
I fought off the urge to throw my arms around him in a comforting hug.  “I guess being a vamp isn’t so great sometimes?”
Tristan considered my question.  I appreciated that he gave my words such weight.  To so many men, I’m just a Barbie doll, all form and no substance.  I’m not slighting them; I put myself in that position.  But I sure enjoy it when I’m taken seriously.
When Tristan answered, most of his calm self-assurance had clicked back in place.  “Being a vampire has its good points.  I’m not going to lie in order to sound nobler than I am, Brandilynn.”
“Honesty makes for nobility,” I offered.  I leaned against the desk behind me, strangely excited to get a more accurate picture of Tristan Keith.
He folded his arms over his chest.  “I like the power that comes from being a vampire.  I like sitting on top of the heap.  I worked for powerful men when I was alive, but I didn’t have the money or social standing to claim that world for myself.”
“You like the challenges being a vampire has opened up for you.”
Tristan nodded.  “I won’t pretend I don’t enjoy taking the risks and maneuvering around the obstacles.  It’s a game I love to play.”
Men.  Whether it’s over women or status, they just have to beat their chests.  My smile for Tristan was pure affection.  “Hey, I worked for those kinds of men in my own way.  Ambition doesn’t put me off.”
He grinned back, the relief evident.  “Good because I enjoy your company.”  He glanced over his shoulder at the closed door behind him.  “You care about Dan.  I can tell.”
 A pang of guilt went through me.  But I’d been up front with Dan.  He knew what the score was.  Still, I felt the urge to remain true to him in words at least.  “Dan’s wonderful.  He means a lot to me.”
Tristan’s eyes were as sharp as a hawk’s.  The eyes of a man who takes whatever he fancies.  “What about me?  I’m someone who easily gives up what I want.  I’ve never desired a woman as much as I desire you, Brandilynn.”
Even making myself imagine Tristan swinging from a vine with a wild Tarzan yell couldn’t keep me from shivering at his dark, possessive stare.  I tried to remember him as he’d been when feeding on his little blood bank the night before.  Nope, that didn’t cool my jets either.
I was so screwed.

Friday, December 30, 2011

Countdown to Netherworld: Drop Dead Sexy; Quote 1


Dan’s arms closed around me.  I moved nearer, snuggling tight against his very nice body.   His groin pressed hard against me, letting me know of his intense interest.   My arms circled his neck, and I nibbled on his chin.  His face inclined to mine, and he took my mouth with his.  Dan didn’t commit the sin of a tentative embrace.  He gave me one of those good, strong kisses I prefer, like it was his right to claim what he wished from me.
Coming January 6

First Five Friday - Alien Interludes: A Family Affair (WIP)

      The lovers met in secret every day in her quarters.  Of course the Royal Guards knew he visited her, and how often, but the protective warriors were picked as much for their discretion as their fighting prowess.  And after so many years, most were loyal to him more than any other member of the Imperial family.
     The man and woman kept their affair secret for reasons of their own. 

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

WIP Wednesday - Netherworld III: Once Bitten, Twice Dead

Yes, believe it or not, the third of the Netherworld series is being outlined already.  The first (Drop Dead Sexy) comes January 6, and the second (Blood Potion No. 9) is in its final editing stage.  It was time to trot out the gang once again.  It's funny to me to be working on the third installment when no one outside of my proofreaders have even seen the first yet!

An unseen menace is threatening everyone in Fulton Falls in this book, human and para beings alike.  As if Brandilynn's life isn't complicated enough, Tristan and Dan are fighting over her and werewolf Levi continues to vie for her affections as well.  Brandilynn knows she must make a decision when it comes to the men in her life, but what's a girl to do when she's in love with more than one?  Ghost, vampire, or shifter ... who will Brandilynn choose if any of them survive this latest threat?

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Merry Christmas

My sincerest wish for everyone is that you have a wonderful holiday filled with warmth, joy, and the people you love. 

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Create a Kalquorian: New Poll is Up

Results from the last poll show Conyod to be a patient, understanding type.  He doesn't fault people for their shortcomings, which is good considering he's a psychologist.  Just my type.  Thanks everyone.

Now let's give him a hobby.  This seemingly inconsequential detail actually rounds out a character very well and gives him depth he wouldn't otherwise possess.  I'm very curious to see what you come up with for this, so please vote.

Friday, December 23, 2011

First Five Friday - Netherworld: Drop Dead Sexy

Chapter 15

I entered Miller-Edwards Funeral Home on Dan’s arm and gaped at the full lobby.  “A lot of stiffs on display tonight, I guess,” I muttered.  I spoke quietly despite the fact I could have yelled and screamed and no one would have known the difference.  Nobody speaks loudly in a funeral home.  Public grieving is so darn civilized.
 
Releasing January 6 from New Concepts Publishing

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Create a Kalquorian: Everyone Needs a Hobby

As insignificant as it may seem on the surface, Conyod needs a hobby.  Hobbies tell a lot about a character, so we have to give our Imdiko one.  Saturday I will present you with four options to choose from, so get ready to give our guy something to while his free time away with.  See you then!

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

WIP Wednesday - The Font

This new paranormal story is now well underway, halfway into the first draft.  I'm enjoying digging into an old fashioned vampire tale.

In this book, we see the vampires are removed from the human world except to hunt.  They have their own society, and because most are at least a century old, they have a different way of conducting themselves.  At over one thousand years old, Heriolf in particular hearkens back to a time when brutality was the way to make one's mark in the world.  He has not gotten beyond this mindset in all his centuries, preferring to use force over politics to rule the vampires.

    As for the ‘king’ – Elisha’s lip curled at that title before he could stop himself – well, Heriolf was more a dictator, a vicious tyrant that no one could depose.  Yet.
    Despite telling himself not to be a fool, Elisha couldn’t help but glance at Heriolf seated at the head of the room, the intricately carved chair indeed resembling a throne.  Despise him as he might, Elisha had to admit the 1300-year old vampire was an intimidating sight.  Heriolf might have inspired legends of the Viking gods that he himself had once prayed to.  Well over six feet tall, massive with muscle he showed off by not wearing a shirt beneath the red cape with the gold clasp, he commanded fear if not respect.  Crystalline blue eyes swept those who had gathered at his order.  The forward part of his thick gray hair had been twined into two braids to frame his craggy face; the rest hung loose down his back.  A matching gray mustache and beard, also braided, made his fierce face even more bestial.  Old in his day, Heriolf had still been hale and hearty when he’d been made vampire at the age of forty-eight.
    Elisha felt bile rise in his throat and turned his eyes away.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Six Sentence Sunday - Netherworld: Drop Dead Sexy



Whoa.  My mind reeled as I contemplated the idea of enjoying both men at once.  Okay, maybe I was easy after all.  I’d never considered doing such a thing before … but then I’d never been faced with two gorgeous examples of the opposite sex willing to share before either.  Were there consequences to such actions?  What’s the worst that could happen to a girl who’s already dead? 

Coming in January

Friday, December 16, 2011

First Five Friday - Alien Salvation (Clans of Kalquor 4)


Chapter 9

    Japohn looked at the rest of the rescue party under his command and felt like laughing and groaning all at once.  He fought back both urges.
    He was used to working on his own, a result of bounty hunting prior to the war.  When Kalquor called him to serve in the war against Earth, they’d deployed him to infiltrate enemy ground defenses, an assignment that played to his strengths.  Now he had a team consisting of battered and starved Earthers and an injured Imdiko. 

Available from New Concepts Publishing

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Six Sentence Sunday - Alien Salvation (Clans of Kalquor 4)



     Lindsey groaned as hot mouths tasted her flesh.  Teeth scraped her skin, sending tendrils of sensation deep into her body.  The blend of pleasure and slight pain was heady stuff, making her insides melt.  The more insistent the men’s attentions became, the more sublime.  Lindsey felt she might simply dissolve into a boneless puddle in their arms.
     “Lindsey no wish control now?” Japohn growled. 

Now available from New Concepts Publishing

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Create a Kalquorian: New Poll is Up

Well, we've had a look at what it is about Conyod that makes us a little crazy in a not-so-good way:  he's a bit on the OCD side, preferring order and routine in his world.  We can live with that, especially since we now get to see the better side of him.

So it's time to weigh in on what our Imdiko does right.  Pick your favorite personality attribute and let's see what we love about this guy.

Friday, December 9, 2011

First Four Friday - Unholy Union


Chapter 11

    Thomas' faith might have stood on shaky ground, but he never doubted the existence of heaven and hell.  One only had to dream to find both realms with all the delights and torments they possessed.  Thomas never failed to discover them in equal measure, sometimes within the same dream.
    He was back in his house in Boston.

Available from New Concepts Publishing, Amazon for Kindle, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Fictionwise, Smashwords and All Romance E-books

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Create a Kalquorian: New Poll Coming - He's Got Personality

Okay, we'll soon know Conyod's greatest flaw as the latest poll is wrapping up.  I thank you all for participating in the process.

Saturday we'll move away from what it is that makes us want to thump him on the nose and start figuring out exactly what makes him such a dreamboat that we'd forgive him any shortcoming.  Is it his perfect manners with a lady, his ability to laugh at himself, his strong sense of ethics, or an unending amount of understanding and patience?  Only you can decide what it is about Conyod that makes us all want to jump on a ship to Kalquor to find him.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

WIP Wednesday - Netherworld II: Blood Potion No. 9

Did you ever want to be someone else just to have a taste of their life?  Brandilynn is perfectly happy being herself, especially compared to the women considered as property by the Beasts gang.  But when hunky werewolf undercover agent Levi 'Bane' Ward gets himself in a spot, she's forced to possess stripper Fizz to help him out:

    I acted fast, barely thinking about what I was doing.  I was at Fizz’s side in an instant.  I shoved my way into her, taking over her body.
    This was way different from channeling in Isabella’s body.  The channel opens herself, allowing me to sink effortlessly into her head.  In her trance, she’s not really aware of my presence.
    This was more like a rape, something I wasn’t proud to do to Fizz.  It’s also considered a huge no-no in the para world, the epitome of bad behavior.  This was an emergency though, so I bullied my way in, seizing control from the stripper, making her body mine.  Inside her head, I felt her shrink away from my alien intelligence in fear and confusion.  She put up no fight, and I was able to make her body awkwardly rise and hurry to Bane’s side.  She was lighter and much easier to move in than the cuddly bulk of Isabella, but I still felt like I slogged along in mud.  Physical bodies are heavy.
     He looked at me with a kind of resigned irritation.  “Not now, Fizz.”  He started to walk away.
     I grabbed him by the back of his neck and yanked him close to whisper close to his face.  He was too tall to talk into his pointed wolf ear, which was situated higher on his head than a human’s.  
     I kept my voice super low, hoping his animal-sensitive hearing would pick up the barely breathed words.  “Shut up and listen to me.  I’m not Fizz; I’m a ghost who has taken over her body.  You’re in big trouble right now, Double-Oh-Seven.”
     Bane stared down at me, his golden eyes going wide.  His gaze darted around the room, and then he grabbed Fizz’s upper arm to haul our shared body to a quiet cobwebbed corner.  I winced at the tight grip but made no complaint.  I’d already behaved in a very non-property way in grabbing the werewolf.  I didn’t dare look around to see if anyone had noticed Fizz becoming assertive. 
     Once he had me backed into the corner, Bane growled low and threatening.  “Fizz isn’t smart enough to come up with shit like this.  Who the hell are you?”