November: It's Quantity, Quality Comes Later

I know a lot of writers undertaking NaNoWriMo this month. I'm doing it too. It's my fourth year, because I skipped 2012, although I do participate in Camp NaNo.

I have the feeling I'm in for some serious rewrites when November is over. My project this year is the second book in a three book series. It's paranormal/historical romance about three half-demon brothers trying to keep evil from rising because they learned from their full-blooded demon father that love can change everything.

There's a lot of rehashing what happened in the first book in the first and second chapters. Yep. I'll have to thin that out when everything is said and done. Even at the end of week 1, I'm perfectly happy keeping the trash sentences because they count toward my daily word goal. Later, I'll look back and shake my head at my folly. I'm also keeping track of my word count for the year and I'm in par to finish over 300,000 words in novels alone. It's a big deal for me because I often wonder how I'm going to get from point A to point B of a story.

December for some people is all about Christmas. For a word-crazed author, it's about tying up the loose ends and digging into edits after a caffeine-fueled November! The strong bones of the story are in place and I know it's filled with witty dialogue and most importantly, a great love story. It's just going to need some fluffing later.

Whatever your writing goals are this month, or for the rest of the year, good luck with them!

Paranormal Fun for Fall TV

It's finally Fall! Who's excited? I can tell you that I definitely am. I love the change in the seasons when the weather starts to have that fresh crispness to the air. Plus, there are a great deal many t.v. shows that I'm looking forward to checking out. After all, writers need breaks and what better way to relax than with an hour of paranormal television.

Let's go through some shows both returning and premiering, and you tell me what you're excited to watch.

 Sleepy Hollow – Just premiered on the Fox network September 16^th. It's on every Monday night.

If you haven't checked out the show I encourage you to give it a try. Icabod is sexy enough to keep your attention and the storyline is an interesting take on a classic.

The Originals – Special series premier on the CW network, Tuesday, October 3^rd.

This is a spin-off from the Vampire Diaries and centers around the original families. Here's a link for more info and a preview. http://www.cwtv.com/shows/the-originals/

Arrow – Returns to the CW network for another season on Wednesday, October 9^th.

While not paranormal, it's an excellent show with great characters and plenty of action.

Vampire Diaries – Returns as well for another season on Thursday, October 10^th.

I'm interested to see where the storyline will head. Again, this show is on the CW network.

So there a few of the great choices for Fall. What's your pleasure? I'm probably going to watch and/or record all these. Anyone know of any other great shows coming up? Feel free to share what you're most excited to watch.

Mary Corrales

Website: http://www.authormaryc.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/MaryCorrales_A1

Blog: http://RomanceAuthorLifestyle.blogspot.com

Mary Corrales is a multi-published erotic romance author who writes in a variety of genres including paranormal, fantasy, contemporary suspense and futuristic. She loves hearing from readers, so send her a tweet or chat her up through her website.

The Haunted House Down the Street

Please welcome guest blogger Lynn Cahoon to NN. We're so glad to have you Lynn!

When I was seven, my best friend, Zandy, lived one block over and three streets up. I could ride my bike to her house and, one more block up, a corner mom and pop grocery store that sold penny candy.   

The only problem is to get to both of these places, I had to ride past an old gray two story house with a flag pole in the middle of the weed filled yard.  No one had lived there for years.

Zandy’s brother said it was haunted by the ghost of a boy who’d slid down the greased flag pole and cut off his privates.  Okay, now, it sounds stupid, but give me a break, I was seven.  I didn’t even know what boy privates were.

Fast forward twenty years and my fiancé’ owned a house said to be haunted by the ghost of a woman who committed suicide in the house.  When he rented the house to a young couple and we moved to another town to attend school, the checks stopped coming.  Come to find out, the husband had lost his job and had robbed a small grocery store, killing the owner for the money in the till.  

My penny candy grocery store.

Do ghosts haunt our physical neighborhoods? Was there an evil presence at the haunted house of my youth that affected the actions of a desperate husband and father?  Or are the connections only in my own mind?

I wonder.

Now, I live down the street from a more famous haunted house, The McPike Mansion.  My new, home town is considered ghost heavy and with Halloween coming up, tours of the hauntings will be a nightly occurrence. 

I haven’t signed up for a tour yet.  I’m not sure I want something following me home.  My heroine, Parris McCall, is kind of like that.  She knows she’s different, that weird stuff happens around her, but she doesn’t want to know, so she ignores the issue.  Until she can’t pretend any more.  

A Member of the Council releases on November 5^th from Lyrical Press.

So, do you believe in ghosts?

Lynn Cahoon is a contemporary romance author with a love of hot, sexy men, real and imagined. Her alpha heroes range from rogue witch hunters to modern cowboys. And her heroines all have one thing in common, their strong need for independence. Or at least that’s what they think they want.  She blogs at her website, A Fairy Tale Life.

Lynn’s Website www.lynncahoon.wordpress.com

Blurb - A rogue hunter, a clueless witch and a mission to save an unknowing world.

Parris McCall, owner of the dive bar, The Alibi, has finally constructed a life where her little quirks don’t show or matter to anyone. As for her grandmother's warnings that she’s different, well, she'll cross that bridge if she comes to it.

But when Ty walks into her bar, both lives are instantly changed.

Ty Wallace loves his life. How could he not? He’s a powerful human lawyer by day and the Magic Council's rogue witch hunter by night. But after he agrees to substitute on his

secretary’s dart team, all hell breaks loose. Now Ty has to help Parris admit who she is before her long-lost relatives kill her.

A Lyrical Press Paranormal Romance

Erinyes—not your average heroines

Deciding to make my heroine in Daughter of Night one of the Greek Erinyes was a bit challenging at first. After all, these terrifying ladies are vengeance goddesses and their only duty is to punish mortal wrongdoers—not your average women. I had to figure out a way to make a female that looks frightening and punishes people into an attractive, likable heroine. With a little magic, I was able to make that happen.

And when I say magic, I mean that Rhea, the Great Goddess, used magic to turn her vengeance goddess into a human.

That seemed like the best way to turn a vengeance goddess into a heroine, considering that the Erinyes, known as Furies in Roman mythology, felt no remorse while enacting justice to mortal sinners. Punishments ranged from tormenting madness to suffering a terrible disease.

According to Hesiod, the Great Goddess, in her aspect as Night, bore these terrifying creatures. “Night bore hateful Doom and dark Fate and Death, she bore Sleep, she bore the Tribe of Dreams...and the Fates she bore, and the mercilessly punishing Furies who prosecute the transgressions of men and gods—never do the goddesses cease from their terrible wrath until they have paid the sinner his due.”

The Greek poets told of the Erinyes pursuing evildoers on Earth, usually as a group of three—Tisiphone, Megaera and Alecto. These Daughters of Night had a frightening appearance with snakes for hair, eyes that wept bloody tears, bronze or bat wings and sharp teeth. The only way to avoid being punished by these ladies was to live a sin-free life. Sounds easy, right? Apparently not for some people that were punished by the Daughters of Night. There is one bright spot—showing remorse can help end the torment.

In my new release, Daughter of Night, Rhea created another Daughter of Night named Becuille. This vengeance goddess had the power to punish mortals, but her main duty was to punish the other gods, the Titans, whenever they disobeyed Rhea. She also served Rhea as a personal guard and became the Great Goddess’s most trusted servant. Rhea uses magic to make Becuille human and sends her to find the Titan that betrayed her and hiding in a foreign land. Even though Rhea trusts Becuille, giving a vengeance goddess human emotions and sending her out into the world might not be the best idea.

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

Blurb: Two mortals are caught up in the battle between the Titans and Olympian gods.

Buy links for Daughter of Night:

Mundania Press (in ebook formats and trade paperback):

http://www.mundania.com/book.php?title=Daughter+of+Night

Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Daughter-Of-Night-ebook/dp/B008OCANEO/ref=sr_1_14?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1343182822&sr=1-14&keywords=kelley+heckart

Barnes & Noble Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/daughter-of-night-kelley-heckart/1112220212?ean=2940015001952

Buy links on author website: http://kelleyheckart.com/daughter_of_night.html

Other books in my Past Lives series:

Not even the wrath of the gods could keep them apart.

http://kelleyheckart.com/BookShelf.html

Favorite paranormal creature?

I’m working on a new series and trying to decide which paranormal creature I want to use. Vampires have been really popular, but I hear they are on their way out, though I find this hard to believe. Vampires have fascinated humans since Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Then Ann Rice’s popular vampire novels changed the way people viewed the creatures of the night. She was the first author to write erotic vampires. And recently it was the Twilight series that became popular with women of all ages. I think vampires are here to stay. I have had a vampire, a Greek vampire, in one of my series so I’m not sure about vampires for this series I am working on now.

Werewolves have also been quite popular. I have to admit that I lean toward werewolves for the series I am working on. True werewolves, not shapeshifters that can change at will, but the ones cursed to change at the full moon. Bloodthirsty beasts. Killers. What fascinates me about this type of creature is that for the rest of the month, the werewolf is human. I think it’s that beast within theme that is so attractive to me—that mixture of innocence and danger.

Faeries and angels are also popular. I have written faeries before so I want to do something that I haven’t done before. There are so many types of paranormal creatures to choose from that I will have to do some more research and decide what is best for my series.

Do you have a favorite paranormal creature that you would like to see in stories?

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/ Check out my long hair hotties!

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

A Greek vampire, Celtic kings, vengeful goddesses, an ancient faery curse…

All three books of my Dark Goddess trilogy are available in Print and Ebook. Set in dark age Scotland, I mixed history with a Samhain/Beltaine myth that revolves around an Irish clan and the goddesses Brigit and Cailleach.

Promo: Tethered Hearts By Tabitha Blake

Tethered Hearts

Blurb:
Seeing the ghost of your dead girlfriend might be scary for most but not for Kade Mathews. Zoey's spirit brings him the much needed peace he craves. Until he is forced to make a choice. It will be the toughest decision he has ever had to make.


It's a free read!


Buy Link:


http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/tabithablake


Bio


Tabitha Blake is a paranormal suspense and romance writer. Writing about the creatures of the night is her passion. She is fueled by the need to pen romances with dark twists. Her fascination with the paranormal keeps her mind reaching for the next great story idea. Writing brings her joy and with each story she writes her characters become a part of her. Tabby has a wild imagination that shines through in everything she writes.

She resides in the bustling city of Houston, Texas, with her husband and three crazy cats. She is the mother of four amazing kids that have taught her how to have fun and just enjoy life. Her passion for the written word started at a very young age and has molded her into the writer she is today. Most of the time you will find her with her nose in a book or at her computer writing. The need to read and write runs deep and is part of who she is.


Happy Reading and Writing,
Tabitha Blake

Faeries come in all sizes

I tend to forget that most normal people don’t know that faeries can be as large as humans. I just assume that everyone knows all about faeries because it’s something that I’ve got stored in my brain. But thankfully not everyone has a brain like mine filled with odd, and in some cases, useless information like faery lore. As my husband said to me, “Why don’t you learn something useful like how to read a map?” Why not, indeed.

Most of my books have faeries in them, usually the Irish fae, the Tuatha de Danaan (Tribes of the goddess Danu). These are the faeries that J.R.R. Tolkien based his elves on, and as you can see, they are human size fae. I think that’s why I like them so much. The Danaans look human and so I can relate to them. They are also shapeshifters and sometimes appear in my stories with wings.

My favorite quote about the Tuatha de Danaan: ‘Tribes of the goddess Danu are indeed tall and noble, and they can take shapes and sizes that are not their true shapes and sizes.’ W.B. Yeats.

I could write many pages on these faeries, but to summarize it, they are mentioned in the Book of Ivasions as one of the earliest conquerors of ancient Ireland, ruling for many years until the Milesians landed. The Book of Leinster records that they were ‘faery’ peoples, while The Book of the Dun Cow describes them as ‘gods, but not gods.’ After one final battle with the Milesians , the Tuatha de Danaan retreated underground beneath the mounds to the sidhe where they remain today. In the Irish language ‘sidhe’ means faery. I do have a page dedicated to them on my website here: http://kelleyheckart.com/Tuatha_de_Danaan.html

I think people think of all faeries as tiny because the only role model we have for faeries is Tinkerbell from Peter Pan. Another type of faery that appeared in my first books is an Ashray. They are found in Scotland and are water faeries. They can only be seen at night because the sunlight will melt them. They are often mistaken as sea ghosts because of their white skin. Ashrays cannot live on land and it is believed they were cursed to live under water. These fae are smaller than the Irish fae, about 4 1/2 feet tall, but are still human size.

So the next time you pick up a book with faeries in it, they might not be tiny, gossamer winged creatures, but more human than you realized.
For more information on all kinds of faeries, I have a page on faery lore on my website here: http://kelleyheckart.com/FaeryLore.html

Kelley Heckart

'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/ Check out my long hair hotties!
http://twitter.com/CelticChick
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

Technorati Tags: kelley heckart,faeries,fairies,tuatha de danaan,irish faeries,ashrays,water faeries,y.b. yeats,celtic twilight

Here Be Dragons - Lila B.'s Book Reviews

I love discovering book series.  I've been reading a lot of historical romance lately but was suddenly in the mood for some new paranormal and I prefer series because I get attached to characters and like to see them reappear in later books.  So, I was thrilled to discover the dragon shifter series Dragonfire by Deborah Cooke.


Shifters have been hot in the paranormal genre for a while.  I don't see this trend ending any time soon.  Shifter stories offer a lot of versatility and chances for creativity.  I mean, vampires are cool, but as a writer you can only fiddle with the vampire template so much.  But I've read shifter stories with wolves, bears, panthers, tiger, etc.  The Dragonfire series is about, you guessed it, dragon shifters.


The 6th book in the series just came out last month, but we'll jump in at the beginning with Book 1:

Title:  Kiss of Fire
Author:  Deborah Cooke (aka Claire Delacroix and Claire Cross)
Release Date:  February 2008
Publisher:  NAL Eclipse


Amazon Blurb:


For millennia, the shape-shifting dragon warriors known as the Pyr have commanded the four elements and guarded the earth's treasures. But now the final reckoning between the Pyr, who count humans among the earth's treasures, and the Slayers, who would eradicate both humans and the Pyr who protect them, is about to begin...

When Sara Keegan decides to settle down and run her quirky aunt's New Age bookstore, she's not looking for adventure. She doesn't believe in fate or the magic of the tarot-but when she's saved from a vicious attack by a man who has the ability to turn into a fire-breathing dragon, she questions whether she's losing her mind-or about to lose her heart...

Quinn Tyrrell has long been distrustful of his fellow Pyr and a self-reliant loner. So when he feels the firestorm that signals his destined mate, he's determined to protect and possess Sara, regardless of the cost to himself. Then Sara's true destiny is revealed-and Quinn realizes he must risk everything- even Sara's love-to fulfill their entwined fates...


Lila's Opinion


The Great Wyvern (the Pyr's main deity) has ordained that Quinn, a loner Pyr, has his match in Sara Keeken, an accountant turned New Age bookstore owner.  The "destined mates" theme is strong in paranormal romance.  It's that old "one true love" myth that many readers find romantic.  Cooke puts a bit of a twist on that theme.  During the firestorm, a fierce attraction flares between the dragon shifter and their destined female.  It is only with this female that the Pyr (who are all male except for the Wyvern - not to be confused with the Great Wyvern) can produce offspring.  Once their attraction is consummated an/or the heir is conceived (Cookes not real clear about this point), the attraction ends.  Some Pyr choose to stay with their destined mate while others enjoy the perks of the firestorm and then move on when the deed is done.


There is an eco-friendly, or green, theme to this series as well.  The Pyr (Good dragon shifters) and the Slayers (Bad dragon shifters) are at odds.  Dragon shifters have a primal connection to the Earth, which is being destroyed by mankind.  To reestablish a balance between mankind and nature, the Pyr try to encourage humans to live in a way more harmonious with the planet.  The Slayers, on the other hand, believe all humans should be exterminated and dragons should rule the planet.


When the Slayers capture the Wyvern, a dragon shifter seer of sorts, they get some advanced intel on the next firestorm and attack Sara Keegen outside her bookstore.  Thankfully, Quinn arrives in time to help save her.

Dragons are different than the usual sort of shifters you read about in paranormal romances.  Wolves are like dogs and can almost be seen as snuggly thought definitely dangerous.  Bears, think teddy bears.  Jaguars and other big cats are sleek and sexy.  Dragons are...big, have giant teeth and claws and breathe fire.  So, the heroines has to be made of some pretty stern stuff to deal with the fact that her new boyfriend can shift into a giant, fire-breathing lizard.  Cooke writes spunky, strong heroines which are a joy to read about.


The only minor complaint I can make about this book is that sometimes the world building and mythos gets a little confusing, but overall, a very good read and I love the cover!


Lila B.'s Rating:  

Rating Legend:


1 Heart = Skip it
2 Hearts = Check it out if you can find a free copy and have read the back of all the cereal boxes in your pantry.
3 Hearts = I wouldn't pay more than $4.99 for this read.
4 Hearts = This one goes on my keeper shelf.
5 Hearts = OH, MY GOD, LOVE IT!  Read it in one sitting, without eating, without sleeping and with minimal potty breaks.

Recommended Reading

I thought I would share a few book series that have really stuck with me and have me chomping at the bit waiting for the next one to come out. LOL! These are all paranormals but that is all I read and write. Hope you enjoy them as much as I have. I have given you a short blurb so you get a taste of what the books are about and a look at all the covers. There are also links to the author's website. So enjoy!

Pamela Palmer's Feral Warriors Series


Eons ago, before the rise of human civilization, two immortal races battled the Daemons for control of the earth. The Mage, or magic ones, and the Therians, the mighty shape-shifters. Though traditional enemies, the Mage and Therians banded together to overcome the High Daemon, Satanan, ending his reign of terror and destroying his armies. The cost of victory was high. To win that ultimate battle, both races were forced to mortgage nearly all their power. Only one Therian among each of the ancient lines of shape-shifters was left with the power of his animal. Nine remain.

They are the Feral Warriors...

http://www.pamelapalmer.net

I loved these books. If you like a strong warrior hero then you will love these. These warriors fight to save the human race from demons and protect their women with their lives. Pamela tells an amazing story and keeps you not wanting it to end. I couldn't put any of these down. You won't be disappointed.

Larissa Ione's Demonica Series

Humans go to hospitals. Animals go to veterinarians. But where do injured, ill, and decapitated demons go? It isn't as if every supernatural being possesses the ability to grow a new limb to replace one that's been hacked off by a demon slayer scumbag. Fear not, fellow vamps, werewolves, and demons, for help has arrived. Three brothers, incubus demons by birth, human in appearance (mostly), have pulled together to make the most of the healing skills common to their species. Welcome to Underworld General Hospital, where sexy demons are doctors, HMOs are non-existent, and the blood bank sometimes doubles as the cafeteria. And you don't even want to know what goes on in the supply closets…

http://larissaione.com

These were great stories as well. The brothers in the Demonica series are sexy Incubus'. She writes amazing alpha heroes that stick with you. You will be thinking about these guys long after the book is finished. Not to mention they have really sexy tattoos that transfer to their mates. Who needs wedding rings when you can have matching tattoos. LOL! She also tosses in a little humor in her stories. 

Gena Showalter's Lords of the Underworld Series

Long ago, twelve immortals warriors – each more dangerously seductive than the last -- stole and opened Pandora’s box, unleashing the evil from within. Now they carry that evil within themselves. Violence, Pain, Death, Disease, Disaster, Misery, Doubt, Promiscuity, Defeat, Lies, Secrets, and Wrath. When a powerful enemy returns, they will travel the world in search of a sacred relic of the gods – one that threatens to destroy them all.

The Darkest Secret (March 2011)

The Darkest Surrender (July 2011)

http://genashowalter.com

Gena writes an amazing tortured hero. These men make your heart ache for them. I found myself rooting for them to put their stubborn pride aside and let the heroine love them. They all have deep dark secrets that pull you in and make you tremble with compassion for them. After I read the first one I was hooked. I wait with baited breath for the next one in the series. You won't be able to put these down. They held my attention from the very first page until I closed the book. I didn't want them to end but I couldn't stop myself from reading in hyper speed. I recommend these to anyone who loves the paranormal. They aren't your average story. She has come up with a completely unique idea with this series.

Hope you enjoy these stories as much as I did. If you love the paranormal you won't be disappointed. Leave a comment about any of the stories I mentioned or tell us about a series you loved. 

Happy Reading and Writing,

Tabby

Gothic Love

Yes, I love to read and write gothics. Do you think of them as spooky stories? I do. Of course they’re also more than that. A gothic may come close to horror, but never really is because there’s always a happy ending. Nor is it just a romantic suspense story because darker elements are always present. And almost all gothics are paranormal in some way. Modern gothics also differ from the earlier ones as far as sex goes--they can be as sensual as the author wants to make them. Earlier ones were filled with sexual yearning, but consummation was missing. (Though that’s not true of Rebecca because the hero and heroine are married even if we don’t see any consummated sex between them.)
Modern gothics differ in other ways from earlier ones, too, in that the heroine is rarely, if ever, a shy virgin. Neither, as a rule, is she too stupid to live. No more midnight ventures down a dark hall in a spooky old mansion with a wavering candle the only illumination and usually clad only in her virginal white nightgown. All gone today.
The hero does not have to be the stereotypical tortured and brooding loner, either--many times a widower suspected of killing his wife. He can be whoever an author decides is right for the story.
Many of us gothic writers have loved gothic books over the years, but have not found many gothics available today. A few years ago, because we loved the genre so much, we founded a gothic group as a RWA chapter. Last year, I and other members of the Gothic Romance Writers decided to create the Shadowed Hearts series to make readers more aware of gothic books and authors. We found a home for the series at Red Rose Publishing.
So now the Gothic Writers has a great gothic series running at RRP. Five books are out now, with the sixth coming soon:

SHADOWED HEARTS SERIES

Null and Void by Jane Toombs
The Haunting At Hastings Hall by Allison Knight
Dangerous Hearts by Mary Montague Sikes
Heart Of The Night by Karen McCullough
Veil Over Crystal Lake by Cierra James
Haunted Serenade by Anna Taylor Swerington (coming soon)

And six more yet to come!

These books and those yet to come are all very different, Most are contemporary but some are historical. Yet are all gothic in different ways. How do I know? Hey, I’ve read them all.

Check us out at www.redrosepublishing.com Click on Anthologies/Series, then on Shadowed Hearts and the six gothic book covers available now will come up.

(Watch for my next NN Midnight post on December 15 where I try to dissect why both readers and authors love were-creatures.)
Jane

Plus And Minuses

I was thinking about some of the men I read about in my paranormal romances. They are strong and very sexy. The dilemma I came across was would we really want our men to have some of the supernatural powers some of them possess? So I decided to way the good with the bad. So here is just a few of the powers I see a lot in paranormal romance.

Empathy

Definition-Cognizant of and comprehending the needs, feelings, problems and views of others.

Plus

Ok, this sounds good. It would be nice for our men to understand the feeling we try so hard to get across to them. They never seem to get it. It can be very frustrating at times. Now we don’t even have to voice our problems they just know. They feel everything we do and just get it. WOW!

Minus

Ok, maybe that isn’t so great after all. Now he knows everything you feel. There is no privacy and you are an open book. You no longer have your private feelings and we all deserve to have some feelings kept to our selves. Your feelings can be so intense at times. Who hasn’t felt something we wished we hadn’t and felt regret for it.

I think keeping them guessing is a good thing. It seems to me if you know everything about someone it would become boring real fast. So personally I don’t think I would like my man to have this particular power.

Telepathy

Definition-The transfer of information on thoughts or feelings between individuals by means other than the five senses.

Plus

Ok, doesn’t sound so bad. He could transfer thoughts and feelings to you without even talking. I think this would be really fun if you had it too. You could carry on conversations without anyone even knowing. Now that would be fun. Secret conversations and maybe a little naughty talk thrown in there too. LOL

Minus

Ok, now the down side. Now you would know how he really feels. That can be good or bad. Admit it ladies sometimes we don’t want to know the truth. A little white lie every once in awhile is ok. The biggest question is do you really want to know what runs through you man’s mind every second of the day.

I think I could deal with this one, if we both had it. It would be fun to be able to communicate without others knowing. Knowing his every thought might be a little hard to deal with but hopefully you aren’t together every moment of the day, and he knows how to control his thoughts around you. If not he would learn that lesson fast. LOL

Memory Manipulation

Definition-The ability to erase or enhance the memory of another.

Plus

Ok, this might be a good one. He could erase all the bad things you have gone through in your life. You know all the thing you wish you could forget. Not to mention the things you have done in your life you wish you hadn’t. LOL We all have a few of those. Hey he could erase those mistakes from others that know about them. WOW! Wouldn’t that be wonderful? It would be like a fresh start.

Minus

Ok, now the negative. He would be able to erase anything he wanted to from your memory. And if he did how would you even know? Scary…that’s a lot of power to give to another. You would have to really trust your man to be alright with this little gem of a power.

I don’t think I would be ok with this one. Some things I have been through in my life would be nice to forget but I don’t know that I could trust anyone that much. Maybe I have trust issues or I’m just a realist. LOL I will leave that for you to think about.

Teleportation

Definition-A method of transportation in which matter is dematerialized, usually instantaneously at one point and recreated in another.

Plus

Ok, this one is going to be good. Being able to just pop in and out, wouldn’t that be fun. Let’s go to Paris for the day and poof your there. Amazing! No packing or planes, just a thought and your at the Eiffel tower. Spend the day anywhere in the world you want in a blink of an eye. Talk about romantic…you could see the most romantic places on the planet on a whim. What do you want to do today? Go to Rome…ok, Poof.

Minus

Ok, there is always a down side. Damn, I hate that! Well let’s talk about it. He could pop in and out at any time. The one thing I think I would really hate would be if you had a fight and he just disappeared. Grrr! That would be very aggravating. You’re in a heated fight and then he’s just gone. You’re left talking to yourself and have no clue where he went. And you know alpha males their temper always gets the best of them.

I am on the fence about this one. I would really like the dashing off to anywhere I wanted to go in an instant. I would be amazing but then there is the abandoning me in the heat of an argument, that would be hard for me, When I am upset I want to figure out the problem. How many times does your man not want to talk? And wished he could just avoid the conflict. Now he has a way to do it and theirs nothing you can do about it. Hmmm?

Immortality

Definition-Endless life or existence.

Plus

Ok, here’s the great part. You are with a man that will never die. You will never lose the love of your life. The great thing is in most cases he can also make you immortal. You would never die and would stay young and beautiful forever. WOW! As women we always worry we are getting old and wrinkled, but now we have found the fountain of youth. These worries have been vanquished from our lives. Wouldn’t that be nice?

Minus

Ok, you knew this was coming. Everything good has to have a bad side. Now you have to come to terms with living forever or getting old while he stays stuck in time. You will grow old and he will stay young and vibrant. Well maybe you are ok with the living forever part and accept his proposal. That’s when your family comes into the picture. They will eventually die and you will watch generation after generation pass on. In one story I read the heroine asked if he could change her whole family. He laughed and said no…I’m sorry it doesn’t work that way. This is a really tough one.

I don’t think I would want to be immortal. Having the man you love in your life forever would be amazing. Being young and ageless a dream of many women. But the fact you have to watch your family pass on would be devastating to me. I think I would say no to this one.

Conclusion

Now that I look at them all, I think I like my life just the way it is. Fantasy is great and all, but then when you analyze it, it’s a lot to take in. There are so many things that are affected by these immortal powers, its startling. Now I think I know why these guy’s women are always so frustrated. So next time your reading and the heroine is getting on your nerves, you know the one you want to just get over it and be accepting. Think about the turmoil her emotions are in. Every good thing has a bad side and these decisions are really hard to make.

Question?

What powers do you find appealing?

What powers do you find not so appealing?

Be creative they don’t have to be the ones I talked about. They can be anything you want them to be. Heck make some up. LOL

Happy Reading and Writing,

When night falls passions blaze.

Tabitha Blake

Make The Voices Stop

Lately I haven’t had much time to write and my characters aren’t very happy about it. I continually hear them screaming at me, that is when I can hear them over the kids. LOL! I have only written one chapter in a week’s time and it is gnawing at me. I…

(Craigen) “You need to toughen up woman and get on the ball. You think you have a tough life? Have you looked at mine lately?” He leaned in the doorway, brows raised and his arms crossed over his chest.

“Crap! Craigen, you scared me to death! What do you want? I'm trying to write a blog here.” A sigh escaped my parted lips as I leaned back in my chair.” This was all I needed, more distractions.

(Craigen) “Oh, you have time to blog but no time to write the rest of my story. There is a demon out there that needs to be dealt with. He is murdering women remember?”

“Yes I know that, I wrote the story. But right now I need to get this blog finished. So give me a break and…”

He crossed the room, snatched my laptop, then stared me down with his intense green eyes.

“Give that back.” I reached for the computer but he held it up and out of my reach. A cocky smile curved the edges of his lips.

(Craigen) “Yeah, I wanted to talk to you about that. What is wrong with your head? To write such an evil and vile being? It is rather disturbing!”

“If it wasn’t for Nyx you wouldn’t have met Lyric, and if I remember correctly, you really seem to have taken a shine to her.” I put my hand out. “Give me the damned laptop! I am too busy for this nonsense.”

He tossed the laptop on the desk and turned his back.

(Craigen) “I am merely protecting her. Nothing more. This is about you helping me kill Nyx!”

“Oh, did I hit a nerve?” A giggle sprang from my mouth.

(Craigen) “Don’t play games with me woman. Just get yourself together and write the damned story already. My hand itches to smite that vile demon.” His fist slammed into the wall.

“Hey, you need to stop acting like a spoiled child. I have enough kids in this house.” I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm myself.

(Nyx) “Did someone call me?”

“Oh, great!” Just what I needed Craigen and Nyx in the same room. The tension in the room could have been cut with a knife. “I don’t need your vile thoughts distracting me right now! I'm busy.”

An evil smile crossed his lips and those eyes. Damn it! Those eyes.

(Craigen) “So help me Nyx, if you so much as touch her I will kill you right here!”

(Nyx) “I was talking to Tabitha. I know my sweet, I have that affect on women. They all want me and I think you do too.” He leaned against the wall and crossed his legs at his ankles.

“I…uh…well…”

(Nyx) That’s what I thought. Say it beautiful. Mind, body and soul.”

His eyes never left mine and the urge to say it pulled at me. My body heated and I wanted to reach out and draw him close. “Mind…”

(Craigen) “Stop this now! Nyx I am so going to kill you and do it slowly. There will be no mercy, you will pay for your crimes. Tabitha snap out of it! I won’t let him have you too. Without you all hope is lost.”

I shook my head to clear the fog. “Sorry, I don’t know what came over me. Thanks Craig.”

(Craigen) “I don’t remember saying you could give me a nick name. So just cut that crap out.”

“You are so touchy. Chill out.” I lowered my head into my hands as a twinge of a headache pulsed at my temples.

(Nyx) “Its okay, your time is coming beautiful.” He pointed at Craigen. “He can’t watch you all the time. I have the perfect place for you.” His palm rested on his chest. “I was thinking right over my heart.”

“You vile bastard, leave!” My anger raged out of control and I reached for the paperweight on my desk. He ducked and it crashed into the wall, shards of glass fell to the floor.

(Nyx) “For now, but I will win in the end. I always do”

“I am writing this story and you will definitely not be wining this one. I have a evil plan of my own for you.”

(Nyx) “Oh, I like a strong and confident woman. It is so much more fun breaking them.” An evil smile curved his features and his eyes turned crimson.

My breath caught in my throat. “Damn it Craigen! No throwing knifes. That flew right past my head.”

(Craigen) “Sorry, but he was getting too close. I had to do something. I don’t want to worry about you having a mental bond with him too. Anyway, I got rid of the demon scum.”

“Yeah, well thanks. Now can I get back to my blog?”

(Lyric) “Did she start writing again?”

I slumped over, crossed my arms on my desk and lowered my head. “Great.”

(Craigen) “No she is writing a blog. Whatever the hell that is. I guess it is more important than catching a killer.”

(Lyric) “There is nothing more important than catching a killer.” Her eyes bore into me. “What is wrong with you Tabitha?”

“Maybe if you guys would go away for the next twenty minutes, I could finish this and write the next chapter. But at this rate I am not going to get anything done. You know your love scene is coming up in about two more chapters.” A grin tugged at my features. I knew that would at least get rid of Craigen.

(Lyric) “Really?” Her eyes glazed over. “I…uh…”

(Craigen) “No way!”

“Why you guys are obviously falling in love?”

(Craigen) “That’s fine Tabitha. I'm out of here. You better hope he doesn’t come back because I am pissed and I may not come to you rescue!”

“I think I can handle Nyx I did create him.”

(Craigen) “That is one of the things that makes me wonder about your mental state.”

“Okay, I have had enough! Craigen I will call you when you are needed.”

(Craigen) “Women! You need to get your head straight and get this story finished before I lose my patients with you!”

“Well, at least he is gone.” Two down one to go.

(Lyric) “Do we really get a love scene?”

“Yes, hun and it is going to be amazing.”

(Lyric)” I don’t think he thinks so.”

“He will, you drive him crazy. He just refuses to see it, but I will make sure he does. You deserve a good man, and Craigen is one of the best. He will give in. I promise.”

(Lyric) I…will..uh…leave you to do that blog thingy you are doing.”

“Hey, Lyric, hun, be careful. You almost ran into the door.”

(Lyric) “Yeah, sorry.” Giggle.

“Okay where was I. Yeah, I haven’t gotten much writing done. Wait what was that noise? “Nyx, what do you want?”

(Nyx) “You.”

“Oh, really, you smell so good. Don’t look at me with those sexy blue eyes. I swear if you don’t leave I will kill you in the next chapter!”

(Nyx) “Fine. But your time is coming.”

“Okay, to hell with the blog, guess I have to go and write the next chapter before they all drive me insane. See the crap I have to deal with? I’m not even alone in my own head. Sorry about the blog guys.”

(Craigen) “See, knew we could get her back in the game. She really needs to stop slacking.”

(Lyric) “I think we need to give her break. She has been so busy lately. You want her to write the story well don’t you?”

(Nyx) “I don’t really care as long as I win in the end.”

(Craigen) “Keep dreaming, Nyx. You lost the first time we battled and it won’t be any different this time.”

(Nyx) “We’ll see.”

“I would say you guys need to learn to get along but that will never happen. So I need you to all shut up!”

(Craigen) “Fine we don’t want to drive the writer of Soul Extraction crazy. She already has a few screws loose to even invent this story. We’re out of here.”

Happy Reading and Writing,

Tabitha Blake

Pictures are left Craigen, middle Nyx and right Lyric.

The Tortured Hero (Picture is Craigen From Soul Extraction my Current WIP)

Today I thought I would talk about how I created the hero in my current wip, Soul Extraction. He is the epitome of the tortured hero. Poor guy is a mess but a very sexy mess. It takes many layers to create a true tortured hero and you have to peel the layers away as the story progresses. Opening one wound at a time and a good character will fight you all the way. If your character has a damaged past they are going to refuse to tear down walls and be open, even with the woman they believe could be the love of their life. Most tortured heroes would rather walk away with their defenses up than give in and open themselves to the possibility of getting hurt again. This is where you find the battle of wills begins. However, remember this creates tension, which is good. It can be helpful when it comes to conflict, sexual tension and internal conflict. It ratchets the story up to a new level.

What makes a good tortured hero? Well he is someone that has had a tragic past and wants to put it behind him and forget it. The problem lies in the fact that it isn’t that simple. Every time he turns around there is something that reminds him about the agony he carries with him. Most of these heroes try to shut themselves off from the outside world and live a solitary life. The problem is they still want the companionship but don’t know how to get over the emotional rollercoaster they ride everyday. That is where the heroine comes in and he is torn and usually fights the feelings the meeting opens up in him.

Craigen from Soul Extraction has many such wounds and is torn between the past and the present. A former angel that is now labeled one of the fallen. In his grief, he turned to drinking to ease his pain, which works until he is summoned by God to take down Nyx a sexual demon steeling women’s souls. Nyx is part of the reason he ended up one of the fallen. Three hundred years ago, he was sent to earth to catch Nyx. Craigen finds himself protecting a beautiful human and looses his heart to her. Following his heart he falls in love and is chased from the heavens by Michael the archangel. She becomes pregnant and dies in childbirth, leaving a gaping wound in his heart. He has lost everything, the love of his life and his angel status, a cruel reminder of his mistakes. Then he is called to take Nyx out for the second time and if he does, he will be welcomed back into heaven with open arms. But in the process, he meets Lyric the heroine and everything spins out of control again. He tries to push his feelings aside but they gnaw at him continually. When Nyx come after Lyric his protective nature takes over. He refuses to allow the past to repeat its self.

I love to write the tortured hero. All my heroes have had past that have left a deep seeded wound. In my opinion, they make the best heroes and bring tension to the story. A sexy hero that fights his feelings makes for some great sexual tension. They also demand the reader to sympathize with them, it makes them real. Flaws bring out the reality of the character. We are all flawed in one-way or another and a perfect hero is not very believable. I like my heroes to be damaged because it makes the tension high and the passions even higher when they go over the edge. They have been denying their feelings for so long that when they finally let loose watch out it is going to be intense.

To write a good tortured hero you have to have a good back-story. The thing is you also have to write it good or it is just an info dump. You have to weave it in little bits at a time and not just one big clump of info or you are going to loose your reader. In my wip S.E. the info about Craigen comes out in small bits all through the story, not in one big lump of info. This is very important. You also have to remember there has to be a reason to tell the back story, not just okay I’m going to give up the back story here just for the heck of it. In Soul Extraction Lyric tells her back story after she is attacked by Nyx and Craigen asks why she became a FBI agent. He is trying to distract her from her racing feelings. The problem is he opens up a whole other situation as he listens to her reasoning. This does not happen until chapter twelve so by this time you know Lyric and like her. This is very important, if the reader does not know the character yet then they won’t care about the back-story. There is a method to the madness of writing back-story.

When I start to write a character I look for things that will inspire me. I look to movies, music, and books. There is so much in this world to inspire you. Sometimes it may just be a walk in the park or sitting alone with your thoughts. I also love to search for pictures of my characters to look at while I write. It makes my characters come to life, for me at least. I find myself looking at them and waiting to hear them speak to me. I also do character charts for each of my characters and this breathes life into them too. It answers questions about them you never thought to ask.

Here are some links:

The song that reminds me of Craigen, poor thing. He lost the only woman he ever loved and she haunts him now. This song is perfect for the emotions he carries with him.

My Immortal/ Evanescence

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5anLPw0Efmo

Character Chart, it will be the first one that comes up. It is a great tool, keeps you on track, and helps when you wonder the little things about your characters.

www.epiguide.com/ep101/writing/charchart.html

I would love to hear what you think about reading or writing the tortured hero. Do you think they bring more tension to the story? I personally want a strong alpha with a tortured past.

Till Next Time, Happy Reading and Writing,

Tabitha Blake

Why Do Women Find Vampires So Sexy?

I decided as a paranormal writer to tackle the question everyone is asking and scratching their heads about. Why are women so fascinated with vampires? Well vampires have always had a following, so it’s not a new trend. The difference is men told most vampire stories and they depicted the vampires as a blood sucking monsters. The vampire was known as evil, scary and repulsive. Then women writers decided to reinvent the vampire. They became suave, charming and the bad to the bone alpha males women are going crazy over. They are sexy, romantic, powerful and the ultimate bad boys.

Women have always been attracted to the bad boy type. What woman doesn’t like a guy in a leather jacket, tight jeans, and throw in a scar or two and you have the ultimate bad boy persona. That’s nothing new look at James Dean he was one of the first bad boys. Bad boys are the ultimate challenge, they do what they want, when they want and no one stands in their way. They are dark and mysterious, you never quite know where you stand with them. They keep it fun, exciting, and just a little bit dangerous. Women want to tame the savage beast. For any woman to bring a man like that to his knees it must be love. I have to admit I love to read about a dominant alpha male. I like them strong and demanding. I think it is an escape from the norm and is the fantasy of many women now hooked on the vampire craze.

Women love a man that demands respect and oozes confidence. Vampires are the ultimate when it comes to power. They are physically stronger, faster and are hard to kill. The only way to kill a vampire is burn them or remove their head, they can survive almost anything. Women thrive on knowing their man can protect them and these guys are like Mac trucks. Don’t ever mess with a vampire’s mate if you plan to live to see another day. A vampire will gladly give his life to keep the woman he loves out of harms way. Women love a man that would be willing to die for them, it is the ultimate sacrifice.

Vampires are hopeless romantics, they cherish their women. They know how women want to be treated, but I guess when you have lived for hundreds of years there is plenty of time to figure it out. The thing about vampires is they have only one true mate. Not to say there haven’t been a long list of women in their life, but what do you expect from a man that is hundreds of years old? They can make the direst situation romantic that is true chivalry. How can you not fall madly in love with a man that has searched for hundreds of years for you? You are the only one that he wants to spend eternity with. One of the biggest pluses is a vampire never cheat once bonded, you are the only one they will ever want. Their love is eternal and knows no bounds. Women want a prince charming and the vampire comes quite close.

So I don’t really think it is the vampire women are looking for, it is the traits of the vampire they are after. Women want to be swept off their feet. They want a whirlwind romance. They search for a man that is strong and can give them the security to know he will always keep them safe. I think taming the bad boy is a challenge and adds a little bit of danger to the mix. As a writer, my bad boy characters keep my books exciting and the heroine guessing what will happen next.

So, what is so bad about being powerful, almost immortal, always in control and incredibly desirable? Well according to many vampire lovers nothing. They are one of the most seductive creatures in paranormal romance and my personal favorite. What do you find sexy about vampires?

Happy Reading and Writing,

Tabitha Blake