Speical Visit from DeAnna Felthauser

I got to meet the lovely DeAnna Felthauser when she hosted myself and the other ladies from Life is More Than Candy Hearts on her blog last month. Its my honor to have her drop by my blog today!

I haven't finished reading her book, Million Wishes, but what Ive read thus far is fabulous. So, without further ado, I'm going to turn it over to DeAnna, who has a wonderful treat for all of you today.

Hello everyone! I want to start out by saying thank you to Laura for inviting me to write a guest post for her blog today. I’m so excited to be here and share a bit about me with all of you. My name is DeAnna Felthauser and I am a self-published romance author, wife of fifteen years, blogger and vampire/shape shifter enthusiast. I have a thing for True Blood and Vampire Diaries.  Enough about me, how about we move on the more important things like books! ;)

Today I wanted to share with you a teaser from the second book in my ‘Wishes’ series, Reflecting on Wishes. If you haven’t read the first book in the series, A Million Wishes, you can find it here:

Now for the fun part—a sneak peek into my unedited WIP Reflecting on Wishes.

Reflecting On Wishes Excerpt ©2012 DeAnna Felthauser

Summertime was the best time of year. Early May, but hot and breezy with the scent of honeysuckle blooming in the air. It was dark still, but Dakota had a couple of hour’s drive time ahead of him to Commerce Georgia. Once he met his brother Dominic and his buddy Tank at the diner for breakfast, they were heading to the drag races for the weekend.

This was his first long trip on his new raven colored Yamaha YZF-R1. He could hardly wait to get it on the highway and open her up. First things first, breakfast at Lola Mays diner. The only person he knew that could throw down some country cookin’ better than Lola May was his Mom. He was still getting used to calling Mikayla that even though she and his Dad, Noah adopted him and his twin brother and sister about four years ago.

He pulled into the diner and didn’t see Tank or Dominic’s bikes so he went ahead and parked, taking off his helmet and walking inside the cool lobby. As always, Lola greeted him with a boisterous hug.

“There’s my tall, dark and handsome! C’mere and give Lola some lovin’s honey.”

Dakota grinned and wrapped her up against him and lifted the buxom, curvy woman off her feet, sending her into a fit of girlish giggles. “Lola you get more beautiful every single time I come in here darlin’.”

Kissing his cheeks, she patted his chest and fanned her face. “Oh lordy be honey, if I wasn’t married I’d be doin’ things to you that are illegal in the state of Georgia, I would!”

He grinned at her, wiggling his eyebrows. “Ms. Lola, I would have let you too.” A brief kiss on her cheek left her gasping as she picked up a menu and fanned her face.

“Oh honey, now you come on back here and take this table by the kitchen so’s I can come out and flirt with you while your here. Goodness knows you are good for this old gal’s ego.”

With that said, she turned and weaved her way to the table, swinging her ample hips to and fro’ all the way there.

“You want some coffee honey?”

“Yes ma’am I do. I’ll wait for the guys to get here before I order though.”

“What trouble are y’all gettin’ into today? Gonna be chasin’ girls round town?” Lola turned his coffee cup over and filled it from a fresh pot of the steaming brew.

“We are heading up to Commerce for the drag races this weekend.”

“Mhmm…I know what you’re doin’ Dakota Cane. You ain’t foolin’ me none boy. You’re gonna go flirt with our hometown girl aren’t ya? Oh that Angel Vega is one lovely little creature. Why I remember when she was just a tiny little sprite comin’ in here with her Daddy for breakfast on Sunday morning’s. They still do when she’s in town. She’s still as sweet as pie too.”

He nearly blurted out that he’d just bet she was sweet as pie but he snapped his mouth shut and just grinned.

“We’re going to see the races Lola. Not pick up women.”

“Mhmm, tell it to the judge darlin’. I see you lookin’ all fine in your black leather and snappy lookin’ bike. Mhmm, you on the hunt for that girl, I can tell by the look in your eyes when I said her name.”

Laughing, he winked at her and nodded his head. “I plead the fifth Ms. Lola.”

“I am sure you do baby. That is one lucky little spitfire you’re after. Lucky indeed.”

About that time, Dominic and Tank came in the diner, all decked out in leathers, looking just as handsome as Dakota did.

“Woo wee you boys are tryin’ ta give an old woman a case of the vapors aren’t ya? Lord help me, I’m surrounded by a buncha tall, dark and chocolates.”

Tank swooped her up and kissed her cheeks, laughing when she squealed and giggled.

“Well don’t you look gorgeous this morning Ms. Lola. Have you divorced your Mister yet? I’d marry you in a heartbeat if you promised to make me those buttermilk pancakes at least twice a week.”

Lola looked like a little girl against his nearly seven foot tall frame. Reaching up, she patted his cheek and smiled.

“Sweet darlin’ I don’t think I’d make it through our honeymoon night to be able to make you those pancakes but my, oh my, what a night that would be!”

His big voice chuckled out with laughter as he leaned and kissed her forehead.

“And you! Come here Dominic and give this old girl some lovin’s this mornin’. Don’t let those two discourage you from tryin’ to win my affections now. There is enough of me to go around darlin’.”

Dominic laughed and gave her a soft hug and kiss on the cheek. “Good morning Ms. Lola. Sure does smell good in here, I’m starving to death!”

She ushered them to their seats and turned the coffee cups over, grabbing the pot and filling the cups to the brim.

“All right now boys, whatchu want Lola to make you for breakfast? I don’t want y’all goin’ hungry on your trip up north.”

They placed their orders, and she sashayed off, turning just as she walked through the swinging doors to blow a kiss their way.

“Man I bet she was a tiger back in the day.” Tank said, grinning like a kid in a candy store.

“Shoot, she’s still a tiger.” Dom was laughing as he stirred cream and sugar into his coffee.

“The tiger is that gorgeous woman we’ll be seeing at the racetrack today.” Dakota’s grin said it all.

The guys all joked around, concentrating their teasing on his affection for Angel Vega.

Tank nudged his buddy’s arm. “Bruh, you got it so bad for her. She doesn’t even know you exist. Don’t matter how many times you been in her Daddy’s motorcycle shop getting your bike tricked out, she never gave you a second glance.”

Dakota elbowed his friend and took a sip of coffee, brooding a little. “I’m not used to that either. It’s frustrating as hell. I’ve never had a problem getting a woman’s attention. Maybe that’s why I’m so attracted to her. She’s elusive and snarky. You should see how she handles herself around that shop. She doesn’t take crap from anybody and she knows her way around a toolbox. So damn sexy.”

His little brother snorted and broke into a rendition of Right Said Fred’s “I’m too sexy”, encouraging Tank to chime in and further embarrass Dakota with their teasing.

“You guys realize I can leave you in the dust on my new bike right?” He nodded to his stealthy looking ride.

“Ha! You realize I’m the one with the tickets and the pit passes right bruh?” Tank reached into his leather jacket and pulled out the tickets, waving them in his face, smirking.

“What the…? You got us pit passes? Man, I love you. Seriously!” Dakota could hardly contain his excitement. Tickets to the pit meant meeting the drivers, which meant getting closer to her. Angel Vega. Latina goddess of the racetrack. A svelte, caramel skinned nymph with almond eyes and raven hair that reached the sexiest ass he’d ever seen.

Tank jerked the tickets back and tucked them back in the inner pocket of his jacket. “Mhmm, just a second ago you was talkin’ like you was gonna leave us remember? Didn’t he say something about that Dom?”

“Yup, he did. Basically told us we’d eat his dust all the way to Commerce. Wasn’t very cool of him was it Tank?” Dom winked at his friend, taking another long drink of his coffee.

“Come on guys. You know I was just messin’ with ya.” Dakota was grinning from ear to ear, just the mere thought of getting closer to Angel had his mood soaring.

“I don’t bruh. I think I might give one of this pit passes to someone who’d appreciate it.”

“Trust and believe me when I say I’ll appreciate it Tank. Oh how I’ll appreciate her…I mean it. C’mon bruh, it’s my birthday weekend.”

Feel free to join me, I love making new friends!

http://www.goodreads.com/deannafelthauser

http://deannafelthauser.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/deannafelthauser

Twitter: @DeeFelthauser

Thanks so much for dropping by, DeAnna! Reflecting on Wishes looks wonderful! I hope you'll come back when it releases! 

A Visit From Debra Anastasia and a Special Guest.

Today I am turning my blog over to Debra Anastasia, the author of Crushed Seraphim and Pughkeepsie. I've had the pleasure of getting to know Debra on Facebook and it thrilled me to no end when she agreed to stop by for a visit.  

So, without further ado, I'm going to let you talk with Debra and her special guest. 

 

Hi Guys!

So Laura was willing to let me drop by her blog today and take over. I decided to interview my character from Poughkeepsie, Beckett Taylor. He’s one of the three brothers we meet in the story. He’s the knife in the boys’ matching tattoos. There’s a reason --he’s deadly. We met at Starbucks downtown. I was a bit early. He always makes me nervous.

I sat at an outdoor table. Although it was sunny, the breeze added a snap of chill to the spring air. I pulled my coat closer and sipped on my hot cocoa. I heard his ridiculous Hummer before I saw it. The thing was immense and he drove it like a freak show. I know he doesn’t believe in lines painted on roads. As he stopped his vehicle dead in the center of the lot, I remembered he hates lines anywhere in general.

He hopped out and half jogged towards me with a huge smile, dimple flashing. He crossed in front of two cars, both having to slam on their brakes to avoid hitting him. As the drivers related their anger and surprise with horn honks, Beckett stopped so he was still in their way. He used both hands to give the drivers the finger.

Things would have escalated if either male driver had a tinge of road rage. I knew Beckett was most likely armed. I hopped up and left my drink and purse. I sprinted down the stairs and into the lot. As soon as I reached him I hugged him hard around his neck, forcing his angry face to look at me.

His jaw was tense. His hot temper might have gotten us both in trouble. He locked his gorgeous blue eyes on my face.

“Writer,” he said by way of greeting.

“Angry dude,” I responded.

The honking continued and I could feel as his body got even more tense.

“If you get in a fight right now, I’m joining you. We’ll both be involved.”

“That’s not fair and you know it.” His dimple was coming back, letting me know a smile might be on its way.

“I’ve never said I’d be fair but you love me anyway.” I turned and pulled on his thick arm.

He let himself be led and I was grateful.

I brought him to my table and he waited until I sat to sit down.

“What’s this?” Beckett raised an eyebrow of suspicion at the Starbucks cup in front of his chair.

“Hot cocoa.” I sipped my drink again and was relived when I saw the lot clear of the frustrated drivers. They would never know how lucky they were to get out of the lot unscathed.

He rolled his eyes with his smile and then picked up the cup. “Toast, with the pansy-assed cocoa.”

I smiled back at him as our cardboard cups barely made a noise when they met. “By the way, we’re here for a blog, so no cursing.”

He shook his head and leaned back in his chair. “You’re always doing that to me.”

“Actually, you’re lucky my book even got published with your mouth.”

I stopped a napkin from flying away by setting my cup on top of it.

“So how goes it? The book that is?” He scanned the parking lot while we spoke. Always looking for something off, he could never rest.

I shouldn’t have picked the outdoor seats, it probably made it harder on him.

“It’s doing well. It’s nice to know it exists in the world, finally.” I watched as the other cars had to maneuver around his Hummer.

“So, why are we here? You rarely have time for chit-chat anymore.” His bicep rippled as he took a sip of his drink and made a face. “So sweet. Seriously. I’m a man.”

“It’s sort of about chit-chatting more often.” I was trying to segue into my intended topic all sneaky style.

He knew better. I saw him swallow a few curses before clicking his tongue.

“Another book?” He almost looked scared.

I shrugged and tried to smile again. He had every right to be wary. I’d taken so much from him, made him face his worst fears in Poughkeepsie. I was asking him if I could do it all again.

He rubbed his thumb on his bottom lip for a few beats. “I don’t know, Debra. I just don’t know.”

He never called me by my actual name, so I knew he was thrown for a loop.

“I can’t stop you. That’s for sure. And there were things that were left unfinished.” He took another hit from the Starbucks, not even cringing this time.

“I won’t do it if you can’t. I will understand. You know I love you.” I wanted to touch his hand, soften the wheels that must be turning in his head. I didn’t.

“Not much for small-talk today, huh? Just getting right the hell in there.” He rubbed his hand down the front of his tight black t-shirt.

I let the small swear slip by, waiting. A sequel to Poughkeepsie would be all about Beckett. And the love of his life.

We sat for a while and watched let him silently run through the last journey we took together. A full gamut of emotions played across his handsome face. My chair squeaked against the pavement and an ambulance went by with lights and siren full blast.

“Do you need an answer right now?” He watched as a cop car came to life on the roadway and pulled an illegal u-turn to follow the ambulance.

“No. You can let it fester for a while.” I didn’t want to press him. I couldn’t. I never wanted to hurt him and his life had already given him so many sucker punches.

Three more cop cars went flying by and Beckett stood as if they were an alarm going off on his watch. He finished his drink and set down the cup.

“Eventually, they might be here looking for me.”

He pointed at the road and I understood. He had been involved in whatever the authorities were about to find.

“What the hell did you do? It’s ten o’clock in the morning?” I stood as well and he pulled me into a hug.

“Do you want me to answer that?” He looked playful.

I shook my head and hugged him back. “Get out of here.”

He didn’t let go and leaned down to my ear, “You know I trust you. If you need me to go with you on an adventure in your head, I’ll be there. I’d do anything for you.”

I looked up from his chest. “I can’t promise neat and tidy. You know how I am up here.” I reached around his muscled arm to point at my temple.

“You’re crazy, baby. But I’ll go wherever you want.” He gave me a breath-stopping squeeze.

He didn’t say goodbye, just left. I was still standing as his Hummer took off, driving right over a few bushes and the median.

I sat down and finally noticed how chilly it was. It was like Beckett was his own sun and had warmed up our little table. Without him the sirens in the distance sounded like howling wolves. Sure enough, police cars started to pour into the lot.  I deposited his cup and mine in the trash and headed for my minivan.

I was all the way home when I realized I’d never told him for sure what I was going to do. I sighed, hoping he would understand as I sat down to type.

Thanks again to Laura for letting Beckett and I drop by! 

It was my pleasure Debra! For more information about Debra, Beckett, his brothers, or her books, please stop by Debra's website. You can reach it by clicking on her book cover below. It's gorgeous, isn't it? 

She Said What?

Tonight, I had to honor of being hosted by Ali from Ali's Bookshelf on her weekly talk show.

It was fun, nervewracking, but we had a blast. If you're interested in hearing the interview, you can do so here:


So, if you ever wondered what your intrepid author sounds like, or the things that go through my mind, have a listen!

I am still trying to get a handle on balancing life and writing and other things, like writing this little blog. I really wanted to create this as a way to connect with my readers - whether it be through teasing pieces of what I'm working on, sharing what's going on with my stories and the publishing house, or even introducing other writers and sharing their stories, as well.

In that vein, I will be hosting two writers this week: Debra Anastasia will be dropping by tomorrow and DeAnna Felthauser on Thursday. I hope you enjoy getting to know them as much as I have.

Until next time,
Smooches!

Words & Music

I know, I know - I’m the world’s crappiest blogger.  Wit and witticism seem to escape me when I need to call it up on demand, but put me in a social situation where snarky sarcasm is bound to get me in trouble and – tada! - you’d be amazed at the foolishness that flies out of my mouth. 

Tonight, though, I found myself sitting here getting distracted while I tried to write. My mind kept wandering off to random tangents, flitting from one subject to another faster than a hummingbird’s wings. Focus had left the building. Typically, I blame any lack of focus on my ADD meds wearing off, but this wasn’t the same. Then I realized, I hadn’t queued up any of the playlists that I use when writing. 

Playlists, you ask? What are these playlists you speak of? 

Simply put, whenever I am writing, I create a group of music that somehow inspires the story I’m trying to tell. For my upcoming short novel, The Price of Valor, I’ve already dropped the entire Top Gun soundtrack into a list, along with several other songs that reminded me of the military, deployment, separation, and waiting. When I wrote Smoky Rooms over the winter, I had a cache of songs about lost love and second chances. 

It’s not that the lyrics necessarily inspire me (I’m not a Hugh Grant/Drew Barrymore movie, people!), it’s more that the music itself sets a tone or ambiance that I’m looking for. It’s a little extra piece of stimuli to help draw the pictures in mind with the words I need to convey them. Imagery plays a big part in my writing, and music has always figured prominently in my life. I suppose it’s only natural that in order for me to to do one well, the other needs to be present. 

Music and Lyrics -- cheesy, sweet movie. Check it out!

So, now that I’ve avoided writing for another thirty minutes while I put this post together, let me dart off to youtube and see what I’m inspired to work on next. Drop a comment; let me know how you receive your inspiration.

Also, the lovely author DeAnna Felthauser has featured me on her blog today. Go give it  a look-see and leave her some love! 

Parasouls' Shane Bradley Stops By

We are stop number 17 on the Easter Egg Hunt sponsored by  Read2Review. It’s not to late to join the fun! Follow the link back to their site, check out all the participating sites, and get busy collecting the eggs to fill your basket! 

The Easter Egg Hunt Letter of the Day is: E

I’ve got a special treat for my readers today. I asked Michele Richard, author of the Mocked series, if she could persuade Shane Bradley, from her new supernatural romance series, Parasouls, if he could drop by and tell us all a bit about the unique link that was created when he first met his soulmate, Angelique Collette. He graciously agreed. I hope you enjoy learning a little more about parasouls and the interesting concept of soul links.

Hey, everyone! My name is Shane Bradley. I’m the male main character in the Parasouls series. The first book is releasing April 3, 2012. So Laura invited me here to tell you about the divine connection between me and Angelique. 

First you may be wondering what a parasouls is exactly. We’re one step above humans, older, and genetically more superior. You wouldn’t be able to see the difference between us and the humans we co-exist with. Ever wonder why the lady down the street seems to never age? Maybe she’s one of us? Who knows? I’m not telling, that’s for sure.

Soul linking to our species was a folk lore, a childhood bedtime story. No one had ever witnessed it personally, and if it weren’t for the vaulted scriptures, we wouldn’t have even known about it. The thought that there was a mystery soul out there that would complete us was a ridiculous idea, right? Well you’ll have to read the book to learn more about the scriptures and soul linking.

You can imagine my surprise when it happened to me one night, while out hunting for a soon-to-be new parasoul. Having it happen with a soul who was my sworn enemy? Yeah, that was a little mind blowing. How could it be that one of the souls we hated, I couldn’t live without? 

It’s hard to describe the feeling of a bolt of lightning hitting you in the chest. Well, the heart, really. The pyrotechnic display alone left me breathless. Opalescence flashes ricocheted in the sky. A sizzling hiss filled the space between us. Every fiber in my being suddenly came alive. The electrically-charged air had the hairs on my body standing on end. 

The jolt itself was painless. Once the bolt splintered and collided with our chests simultaneously, I could feel everything shifting. I tried to fight it. It was a useless venture. My soul craved to hold her, make her mine.  The gift of producing scarlet flames from my palms had left me unable to touch anyone in years. When I touched Angelique for the first time, she was the first person I didn’t scorch or scar. I wanted more, so much more.

Angelique fought it longer and harder than I did. She refused to accept it wouldn’t change. Each day the draw grew stronger. I could feel us on the edge of crumbling. Her attempt to separate us had a devastating effect. One I have no intention of letting happen again. 

Well, that’s it for now. Hope you’ll check out Parasouls ~ Divine Intervention. There will be a chance to win an ebook on a guest post on Renaissance Romance Publishing Blog on April 6th. Don’t miss it!

http://renaissanceromancepublishing.blogspot.com

My thanks and appreciation to Michele Richard for allowing Shane to elaborate on that for us!

I have a special giveaway for visitors to my blog.  Between now and April 8^th, you can register to win an eBook copy of Life is More Than Candy Hearts. I will announce the winner on April 9^th.