Friday, December 24, 2010

Lust By Moonlight, Hot New Release for Desiree Holt

We're featuring Desiree Holt today to help celebrate her new release at Ellora's Cave:
LUST BY MOONLIGHT
What a great early Christmas present. This looks and sounds like one HOT book.

I'll be interviewing Desiree in the January issue of the Passion Sense newsletter. If you'd like to sign up to read the full interview click the link.: 

Here are few questions from the interview:

- What’s the best and worst part of being a writer?
The best…getting great feedback from readers. The worst? Hitting a roadblock in the story and not finding a way around it.
- What is your writing schedule like?
I like to think I’m a disciplined writer. I write for six hours every day unless I am going out for something. But then I get at least an hour in. And at night when I watch television I always sit with a notebook to make notes for the next day. 

- If you could turn any of your books into a movie which book or series would it be?
The Phoenix Agency. Definitely. All former Special Ops heroes who now own a high profile security agency. Their women all have a psychic ability of one kind or another. I love the books because for me they have it all-hot alpha males, action, romance, suspense and hot sex. What more could I ask for? Watch for Book One: Jungle Inferno in June 2011.

- Do you have a character in one of your books that continues to haunt you at night or surprised you when you wrote the book?
Oh, yes. Dallas Creed, of Downstroke. A tragic and tormented hero, too much experience and too much tragedy but so gorgeous and sexy you can't keep your hands off him.

Read the rest of the interview in the January issue of the Passion Sense Newsletter.

LUST BY MOONLIGHT, Blurb: Book 2 in the Night Seekers series.
As a shifter, Mark Guitron is uniquely equipped to search for the devil beast, El Chupacabra, and stop the horrible killings. Hunting one night by moonlight, he spots another wolf whose aura tells him she is also a shifter. When he’s visited by an erotic vision of her in human form, he knows he must find her and make her his own.
Chloe Hanson is searching for a friend she’s convinced is a victim of the devil beast. When she meets Mark, she feels a primal tug that tells her they are meant to be together. As they join forces in the hunt, they soon learn that sex between them feeds a need, rather than slaking it. The multiple orgasms barely satisfy their lust for each other, and as they draw closer to their prey, their fiercest coupling is yet to come.

Excerpt:

“Hey, I’ve only been here for two nights.” Mark chuckled into the sat phone. “Give me a break, okay?”
“Just checking.” Ric Garza’s voice held just a trace of humor. “So how did you find things there? About the same?”
“Nothing ever changes down here,” Mark told him. “Still a lot of ‘coyotes’ bringing illegals across the Rio Grande and the narcotrafficantes are still running drugs. Otherwise, what else could be going on in a county that has a total population of less than fourteen thousand?”
“You tell me? You’re the one who lived there all those years.”
Mark sighed. “I know. I just enjoyed the peace and quiet. Don’t get many gangbangers or drive-bys down this way.”
“So, tell me. Any talk in town about the beast? And hint of an appearance?”
“No.” Mark sighed. “But you and I both know that doesn’t mean anything. By the time we hear about it, the first killing has already taken place.”
“You going out again tonight?” Ric wanted to know.
“In just a little while. I’ll let you know if I find anything. Pick up any trace.”
“All right. I’ll talk to you in the morning.”
Mark Guitron clicked off and placed the phone on the kitchen counter. Glancing out the window over the sink, he saw that twilight had already morphed into night. Another hour and it would be full dark, time for him to prowl. He busied himself at his laptop while he waited, pulling up again the latest news stories on El Chupacabra and trying to find some hint of the beast’s path of destruction. Finally, by ten o’clock he was ready. Stripping off his clothes and leaving them folded on his bed, he opened the back door, walked onto the tiny porch and willed his body to shift.
As always he felt the bones elongate, the muscles stretch, his nose morph into the classic snout of the wolf. The fine smattering of dark hair on his body thickened and turned into a rich pelt and his canine teeth became biting tools with sharpened points. In seconds he was wolf, lifting his head to scent the air. Quietly he padded down the stairs, inhaled the night air again, and took off across the rocky ground and down into the first of many arroyos.
The moon had just cleared the tops of the trees and hung like a silver ball in the sky. The air was clear tonight, not a hint of a cloud, and stars hung like brilliants around the lunar globe. The loamy soil over its base of natural caliche lay like a carpet on the ground, populated by thorny shrubs that thrived in the arid environment. Zapata County, located in the Balcones Escarpment, was in the area that divided East and West Texas. It nestled along the Mexican border seeking invisibility in the ongoing border drug wars.
Mark had grown up here, in this sparsely populated area, his parents scratching out a living in the natural gas industry, the county’s main economic product. A football scholarship took him through four years at Texas A&M University and a degree in criminal justice. He’d been a decorated deputy in the Zapata County Sheriff’s Office until the call had come from Craig Stafford. He’d been reeling from the death of his closest friend, killed by the Chupacabra, a beast that many refused to acknowledge, that others denigrated, but that all feared.
Now he was back in the area he knew so well, roaming it as the wolf.
The devil beast had gone from Texas to Florida but deep in his belly Mark sensed it was headed back here. To finish things. Finish the cycle.
Its pattern was always three kills before moving on, but in Maverick County it had been held to two because Mark and Jonah had chased it away by zeroing in on another predator. Similar, but not the same. Not only had the autopsy proven that, but there had been more killings.
Mark was the one who had suggested returning to the Texas border area because the devil beast hadn’t completed its pattern there. Three kills, then move on. But it had been interrupted before the third one. Its rage would be great and its blood lust high. It would want to leave its stamp on that area.
The Night Seekers had all debated whether it would return to Maverick county or move on. Both Mark and Jonah had insisted it wouldn’t go back to the place where it had nearly been killed but would find someplace close by. Zapata County, with its vast stretches of land and sparse population was an ideal spot for the Chupacabra killing ground.
Mark had kept his little house outside the town of Zapata. What the hell, it was all paid for. And so he’d opened it up, laid in some provisions and each night shifted to go hunting. Now in his wolf form he padded along in the moonlight, listening to the calls of the night birds. He used his highly developed sense of smell to search for traces of the Chupacabra, especially any lingering hint of the aroma of turpentine that he and Jonah had found at the killing site in Maverick Count, but he only caught the scent of the wild animals.
Still, his plan was to keep searching every night, widening the area each time he went out. In his gut he knew the devil beast would come here to finish his task. Knew it with a certainty. And he would be here, waiting for it.
It was a night just like this one when he’d found the body of his closest friend, Rob Greico. He’d just come off patrol as a Deputy Sheriff and was swinging by Rob’s house for a late beer. Like Mark, Rob lived in a fairly isolated area of the county. He’d driven down the long caliche drive from the two-lane highway, ready to kick back and suck on a brew. All the lights had been on at Rob’s house, but when Mark knocked no one answered. Nor did he find anyone when he walked through the house. The television was blaring but no Rob. Nothing.
Until he reached the barn. What he’d thought was a pile of rags turned out to be Rob’s mutilated body. Mark had walked away from the site and vomited before finally going back to take a closer look. He’d never get the horror of that night out of his mind. Fang marks on his throat. His body drained of blood. His stomach ripped open and his intestines hanging out.
No one should have to die like that. And he’d vowed that moment not to stop until he’d hunted and killed the devil beast.
The problem with hunting El Chupacabra was people were so scared of the legend they wouldn’t acknowledge it. Or else they discounted it as an old wives’ tale. His boss had finally demanded that he take some leave time and right about then Craig Stafford had contacted him about Night Seekers.
He truly hoped this wasn’t going to be a waste of time on his part. The animal—or whatever it was—needed to be caught and killed before it wreaked any more havoc. The most disturbing thought was the indication that someone might be crossbreeding and trying to reproduce this evil hybrid of nature. Whoever that was had to be found and stopped.
Mark paused at the top of a rocky knoll, lifting his snout. A strange scent caught at his nostrils, and he turned his head.
Wolf!
Every muscle in his body went rigid. Wolves were not endemic to Zapata County. Indeed, wolves were all but extinct everywhere in Texas, disappearing slowly over the years. While neighboring states had reintroduced the gray wolf to the wild, Texas still lagged behind. Which was why Mark was always careful when running to do it at night and pick a spot without human habitat.
So where did this other wolf come from? Was it one of the rare red wolves he’d read about inhabiting the area? He didn’t even know if their existence here was a fact, or just a legend like El Chupacabra. And why would it be here, anyway, since its habitat was the marshland between Houston and Beaumont?
Moving rapidly into a small cluster of trees, he shifted and used the thickest tree to conceal himself. Peering around the trunk, he spotted the other wolf still standing in the same place. It turned its head in Mark’s direction and he could have sworn that even at this distance the animal saw him. He held his breath. If it was truly a wolf in the wild, it would smell him and possibly attack.
But the strangest thing happened. The air around the animal shimmered and in seconds where the wolf had stood was a woman whose amazing body was outlined by the moonlight. He could tell she was tall, with long hair of some dark color that streamed down her back, and as she lifted her arms she brought magnificent breasts into relief.
He started to move out of his hiding place, then thought better of it. She turned her head in his direction for the briefest of moments, then the air shimmered again and the wolf was back.
He stood unmoving, watching, until the other animal loped of into a stand of trees and disappeared from sight. This was not good. If there was another shifter in the area, Night Seekers really needed to know about it. He’d have to do some real digging to find out about the wolf, and do it without raising any suspicions.
Taking one last look, he turned and trotted off to his house.
#
Thanks for being our feature author at the Passion Sense Blog Desiree. To learn more about Desiree and her books visit her website: www.desireeholt.com

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Xmas Spark, Featured Author Delphine Dryden


The Eve of Christmas Eve is a special day for me and I'll explain at the end of this post. But it's also special because I'm helping to celebrate a new book release with fellow author Delphine Dryden.
Her new release at Ellora's Cave is XMAS SPARK one of the stories in the Merry Kinkmas series. The cover is very sexy and the story line sounds fun and sexy too.

Here's the Hot Blurb:
Jack's Christmas list is short. He wants
 1. A violet wand
 2. And his willing sub, Katie
 When he finds both under the tree, Jack decides their first Christmas together is the perfect time to create some delightfully shocking traditions.
Excerpt:

I’d angled us into a corner of the Benedicts’ spacious living room, so at least nobody was looking over our shoulders as we opened gifts. I wished, for about the thousandth time since the whole “let’s open all the presents over there” plan had been announced the day before, that I’d had time to just go out and get him something else. But aside from the time consideration, I really couldn’t justify the expense of buying another present of this…magnitude.

And now the clock was ticking, the wrapping paper was flying and fortunately the mulled wine was also flowing, so all the grownups were a little less than completely sharp by the time Jack hoisted the solid, heavy box into his lap. The shiny red paper and crisp white ribbon looked so blameless and conventional.

“That’s from me,” I said unnecessarily. He gave me a sideways little smile.

“I’ve been looking at it under our tree for two weeks. Hey, it’s okay if I’ve been shaking it, kicking it around a little, right?”

He snickered at my horrified expression then proceeded to peel the paper off the box with typical Jack-like precision and efficiency. He opened the plain brown shipping box I’d used to wrap it in, looked down at the handsome, custom-made metal case inside and cocked his head as he ran his fingers over the small, discreet logo.

“Hmm.”

“Hmm,” I agreed.

Clearly unable to resist, he reached for the latches and let the lid swing up. The packing box and the raised lid still obscured the contents of the case from everybody else in the room, but to my dismay, Jack reached in and carefully tugged the main component of the kit free from its molded foam compartment and held it up for a closer look. It had no attachment hooked up. The cord dangled down from the end like a whip tail.

“That one of those power multi-tools? Your mother got me one of those last year. I use it all the time.” Jack’s father gave me an approving nod from across the room. And then Jack’s mother looked at her son and pointed to her watch in a way that was not subtle at all.

The moment was past, the box set aside, and Jack was thanking me and then getting up to talk to his mother about something. It was almost a letdown.

They hadn’t recognized the violet wand as a high-end electric sex toy.
#

To find out more about Delphine and her books check out her website: http://www.delphinedryden.com/
For members of the Passion Sense Newsletter, I'll be interviewing Delphine in my May issue. Passion Sense is my monthly author e-letter with the latest news of my books, excerpts, appearances, contests, recipes, featured author interviews and other fun stuff. It'll be getting some new content in January 2011. Easy to subscribe and unsubscribe.Click on the link above to join.

I enjoyed having Delphine as a feature author today and wish her many sales with her new book.

So why is the Eve of Christmas Eve special to me? Dh and I have a tradition. It was my idea we started ten years ago when we first got engaged. The holidays are so busy and with trying to spend time with both families and friends, it's hard to spend time as a couple. So I suggested to set aside one special night around Christmas just for us. We have dinner out at a very nice restaurant and we get dressed up. One year he surprised me with a limo and we went to New Hope, PA for the evening. This year we're trying out a Mediterranean restaurant in Allentown called Sangria's

Do you have any special traditions?

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

What Will be Your First Nook/Kindle Download?


Are you getting a Kindle or Nook this year for Christmas? If so, what do you plan to download first?
If you have one, what's on your wishlist for ebooks this year?

This has been a busy couple weeks trying to get ready for Christmas - shopping, decorating, menu planning, cleaning, and I'm in the middle of a home improvement project. Painting two bedrooms. I love to paint but what was I thinking starting this project so close to the holidays?? During all the craziness, I'm still determined to finish a novella by the end of December for the 1-800-DOM-help, the Ellora's Cave author series. I'm having a blast writing this book, and I'm very excited to be a part of a group of very talented authors. I have the first two books in the series on my NOOK: Commanding Acquisitions by Christine d'Abo and Needing Harte by Marilu Mann. Coming Soon in January is Delight Me by Desiree Holt.This series is going to be very hot! Here's a cool promo video for the series:


Here's another ebook idea for your first download on that new Kindle or NOOK this year? This week I have a CONTEST for a FREE ebook download of DRAGON WITCH at Anna's Book Blog. Stop by Anna's Blog for a chance to win a free one. If you visit her blog and post a comment on my guest post, you'll be entered. The drawing will be held on December 22nd. Anna's Book Blog also gave me an awesome 4 Star review

"This story has a little bit of something for everyone. A futuristic setting, lush-erotic scenes with paranormal and fantasy elements. Now normally I'm not a fan of threesomes, but this one worked for me. All the different elements sucked me in. Dragon Witch is one Hot story. I loved this one. It was sexy, sweet and definitely an adventure. The situation between the witch, dragonshifter and the fleet captain was intriguing. The ending perfect.




Happily Ever After Reviews gave Dragon Witch 5 Tea Cups. Here's the review:

"Braden is a nice guy who occasionally does bad things. Jaida is a talented, misunderstood women who is willing to lie to save the people-or animals-she loves. Together they have great chemistry. Add to that a shapeshifting dragon who needs to change shape and mate twice a year and you have a really unique menage story that entertains from start to finish. I was really impressed with this book and this author. I'll be checking out her writing in the future."

Please share you ebook wishes. What are you downloading this holiday season???

Monday, December 13, 2010

A Search for Ghosts - Part 4



(Part 4)

GHOSTBUSTER GADGETS

There are various types of equipment used by paranormal investigators and I’ll give a brief overview just to give you an idea on how elaborate these ghost hunters can get. As with anything, some people are more skilled in technique than others. Anyone can go onto Amazon and buy this stuff. Some of these devices are highly sensitive electronics designed to measure slight changes in the electromagnetic field or air temperature. The usefulness of this equipment is directly proportional to the scientific competency of the person operating it.

Cameras: Film, Digital, Infrared, 3-D, Thermal Imaging, Video. The disadvantage of digital over film cameras is that digital does not produce a negative so if the photograph wants to be enlarged, the picture loses resolution. But digital cameras can take numerous pictures quickly without having to change film.

3-D captures images from different angles, giving the three dimensional appearance. These photos are not easy to fake.

Infrared is used under the theory that spiritual energies may exist in an invisible light range. In the same way Thermal imaging cameras pick up heat signatures thought caused by ghosts.

Audio recording: Sound recording of ghosts are called electronic voice phenomenon (EVPs). An old fashioned tape recorder or digital recorder can be used to pick up scratching, rapping, voices or moans. The recorder is usually left in a room running then listened to much later.

EMF Meter: electro-magnetic field meter. The theory is that a ghost has energy output and, if present, will alter the reading on the meter.

Ion Counter: There’s another theory that ghosts are contain highly charged ions which can be detected by the ion counter.

Motion Detectors and Thermometers: “Cold spots” are supposedly a sign of the ghostly presence, therefore, a sudden drop in temperature would be useful for an investigator to recognize a possible event. Same goes for the motion detector. Motion might detect poltergeist activity.

Night Vision Goggles: A ghost hunter’s personal equipment device. Whether that helps them see the ghosts better or just see better in the dark, I don’t know.

I wanted to recommend THE CASE FOR GHOSTS, An Objective Look at the Paranormal by J. Allan Danelek. I found a lot of information in his book for these blog posts. And also at the various Paranormal Societies of Pennsylvania.

http://www.paranormalsocieties.com/state_list.cfm?state=pa

Eastern Pennsylvania Paranormal Investigations http://www.eppsinvestigations.com/

Thursday, December 9, 2010

A Search For Ghosts - Part 3



Vortex or camera strap in photo?

(part 3)

PHOTOGRAPHING GHOSTS

A lot of research and time goes into trying to photograph ghostly manifestations. A paranormal investigator doesn’t just walk into a reported haunted house, wait for a ghost to appear and start snapping with his camera. Many investigators have never seen a ghost.

They usually set up sophisticated equipment—electro-magnetic equipment (EMF meter), thermometers, motion detectors, etc.—wait for hours for a sudden “cold spot” or specific reading in the equipment that could indicate the presence of a ghost and take a series of pictures. Hoping that when they check the photographs later, some image will be produced.

Usually the types of images captured are divided into orbs, vortexes and full body manifestations.

Orbs— an orb is a ball of light, white or bluish. One or more may show up in a photo. Some researchers believe these to be manifestations of spiritual energy. But other normal things can cause these images: dust, rain, snow, insects. Some say that true orbs don’t sparkle like light reflected off a dust particle would.

Vortexes— are seen as swirling spirals of light or wisps of clouds. They’re also thought to be centers of spiritual energy. These are explained away as being cigarette smoke or exhaled breath on a cold night.

Full Body Ghost— these are the rarest of photos, a true person in spirit form showing up in a photo. This doesn’t prove the existence of ghosts because even the best photos can be faked.

(Part 4 will be posted on Monday December 13th)

Monday, December 6, 2010

A Search for Ghosts - Part 2

Ghostly mist and orbs in photo

(Part 2)

While doing research for the topic of ghosts and ghost hunting, I discovered a huge number of paranormal investigators in Pennsylvania where I live. Pennsylvania must have a lot of ghosts or supernatural activity because when I checked out this site: http://www.paranormalsocieties.com/state_list.cfm?state=pa

I counted over 150 paranormal societies located in PA and dozens more outside of the state that participate in activities within PA. This is one of the local sites with some detailed information: http://www.eppsinvestigations.com/

I talked about the first three types of ghosts in the previous post on December 2nd. The other four types are explained below:

4) Non-Human Manifestations- This type of ghost is reported to be interactive, intelligent and can manifest emotions. To believe in the theory that this type of ghost exist, you have to also believe that there are non-human sentient beings in the universe. These may be malevolent or benevolent in nature.

5) Poltergeist- The word

poltergeist means “noisy ghost” in German. They are the most interactive of ghosts and tend to move objects around a room, cause rapping, push or touch people, even start small fires, yet some investigators don’t believe they exist. One explanation for these manifestations seem to occur in the presence of a prepubescent girl or a high strung teenager. It’s thought that the activity is telekinetic energy from the humans not the ghosts. But this doesn’t explain all activity.

Vortex in photo?

6) Inanimate manifestations- Inanimate objects like planes, ships, cars, etc. have been reported to appear and disappear as ghostly images usually where a tragedy occurred. What about the appearance and disappearance of personal items? Remember the bumblebee pin in The Sixth Sense or the wedding ring?

7) Animal Ghosts- Can a family pet return as a ghost? Some people think so. I have creepy images of Steven Kings Pet Cemetery.


Have you had any encounters with any of these seven types of ghosts??? Please share your stories.

(Part 3 will be posted on Thursday December 9th.)

Thursday, December 2, 2010

A Search for Ghosts- Part 1

(Part 1)

There are a number of TV shows out there and books written about “ghost hunters”. Many ghost hunters or paranormal investigators have elaborate equipment and work in an organized, professional and scientific manner, others may have fancy equipment but not the technical skills or knowledge to use it correctly. Paranormal investigators strive to prove (or disprove) the existence of the particular phenomenon they happen to be investigating. If you can’t accept that the human personality survives death at least as a theoretical possibility, then the possibility of ghosts would be pointless to discuss.

I’ve always had a fascination with ghosts and ghost stories since I was a kid. I collected books on ghost stories and still have a ton. I always wanted to see a ghost but it wasn’t until I moved into my house in Florida that my wish came true. That ghost was of an older gentlemen and I wasn’t the only one who saw him. The house wasn’t that old, only forty years or so. Now that I live in a house that’s over 100 years old and is located by a cemetery, I should see ghosts, but alas, no ghosts.

Whether or not you believe in ghosts or the different types of ghosts I’m going to discuss here, I found the topic interesting. Others may have other theories. One book I can recommend if this topic interests you: THE CASE FOR GHOSTS, An Objective Look at the Paranormal by J. Allan Danelek. A great book about ghosts and ghost hunting.

The paranormal investigators claim there are seven types of ghosts. I’ll talk about the first three types today and the rest on Monday.

TYPES OF GHOSTS- Seven Types

1) Interactive Ghosts- These are ghosts of deceased human beings. They’re self aware, intelligent and can interact with the living by becoming visible, being heard, even touch the living or manifest odors. As with humans, these manifestations display the full range of emotions and temperaments—from playful to violent.

2) Non-Interactive Ghost- Or an “imprint”. This ghost tends to act oblivious to its surroundings and to anyone close by. Sometimes their activities are like a scene from a movie rewound and repeated. They’re also called “Repeaters” or “Residuals”. Some investigators don’t believe these are real ghosts, but somehow images that have been etched into the environment, like a supernatural DVD that keeps playing over and over.

3) Living Ghost- There are accounts of people seeing the manifestations of someone—usually a living person close to them who appears as a ghost. The person of this ghostly apparition might be hundreds of miles away and in great stress or danger, like a soldier in a war. He’ll appear suddenly to a loved one even though it’s known that he’s hundreds of miles away. I call this situation astral projection. But that’s another topic. The living ghost can occur with a friend or family member at the precise moment of their death.

The other four types of ghosts will be discussed in Part 2 continued on Monday December 6th.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

November Contest Winner

And the winner is....

Thanks to everyone who helped me celebrate the release of SECRET SOIREE from Ellora's Cave. From those who posted a comment during the month of November, and left their email, or sent me an email privately, I randomly selected a winner.
The Winner is: Melissa Keith
Congratulations Melissa!!! She selected a free download of one of my books.

Coming up: I'll be posting a three-part blog discussion on one of my favorite supernatural topics: Ghosts. During this holiday season, one of my favorite movies to watch has three ghosts: Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol. I've read ghost stories since I was a kid and have tons of books on ghost stories. Even my first published novel has a ghost. I hope you'll share you thoughts and stories about ghosts in these posts. The first post should be up late tomorrow.