Writers Gone Wild

I'm at Writers Gone Wild today chatting about looking at things from a writer's perspective vs. a reader's perspective....Come say hi and offer an opinion :)

Happy Birthday USMC!

On November 10, 1775 the Continental Marines (United States Marine Corps) was founded. Happy Birthday to the Marines and thank you to all Marines for your service and patriotism. I'm a little biased, but there's nothing sexier than a Marine in his uniform. Click here for a very brief history lesson.

234 years later, I think we're incredibly lucky to have such brave men and women defending our country. If you know a Marine, tell him or her Happy Birthday today :)

A New Week

This weekend my local chapter had their 'Romancing the Holidays' book signing. We were busy this weekend so I wasn't able to stay as long as I'd have liked but I got to meet a couple authors I hadn't met before and I picked up a copy of Immortal Wolf by Bonnie Vanak (one of my favorite authors). I met her last year and she was just as nice this year :) She was also doing something really cool this year. When someone bought her book, she gave away a copy of Holiday with a Vampire III which is an antho not out til Christmas (Silhouette Nocturne). When I find the time to read both, reviews will most definitely follow. With each purchase, buyers also got a bag of books and I scored a fabulous one, including a copy of Brenda Novak's Trust Me. Seriously, I'm in book heaven right now!

In writing news, I finished editing a novella and finally submitted it to my editor at Ellora's Cave. That story was tearing at my brain and wouldn't let me focus on anything else until I was finished. Now I'm back to working on adding scenes and lengthening one of my current manuscripts for my agent. It seemed a little overwhelming at first but I've broken my ideas down by scenes and I'm writing them separately, then working them into the story. So far, it's working out. I'll have to go back and tweak some stuff, but coming at it this way has kept my sanity.

Yesterday I realized that my sister is getting married in two weeks. Two freaking weeks. Not to mention her bachelorette party is this upcoming weekend. And I still have a lot of stuff to get ready. I'm trying to get a big chunk of my scenes done this week before the party and before one of her other bridesmaids (and one of my bff's) gets in town b/c she's staying with me and I know I won't have a lot--if any--time to write. I love my sister but I'm going to be soooooooo happy when this wedding is officially over. Since I also work with her, wedding stuff has slightly bombarded my year and I'm tired of looking at flowers and centerpieces. ;)

What did everyone else do this weekend?

Interview with Caridad Pineiro Nov 5-7!

As you know, today I normally blog at Writers Gone Wild. I took the easy way out and posted pictures of Ryan Reynolds (without a shirt) as opposed to coming up with something fun and witty. If you feel like some hot eye candy, scoot on over there ;)

Now, on to more important things!!

November 5-7 I'm interviewing the fabulous Caridad Pineiro over at Desert Island Keepers! Not only is Caridad a New York Times and USA today best seller, she's also incredibly sweet! She's going to be sharing fun tidbits about who she is and what goes into her writing process so be sure to stop by for a chance to win either a copy of Fury Calls or a Sins of the Flesh t-shirt!

Día de los Muertos

I woke up this morning and instead of being pitch black, there was actually a bit of light streaking across the sky. I love the time change! This weekend I discovered that the authors of Ellora's Cave and the ladies of Romance Divas are absolutely wonderful! Okay, I already knew they were fabulous, but so many of them offered to blog my latest release, I was floored by the # of people who contacted me.

I also received good and bad news. The hubby might be coming home early b/c the elections in Afghanistan were called off (Kari, you called it!!). Not sure yet, I'm just waiting on news. It's good b/c the hubby will be home for the holidays but it's bad b/c well, it was a job we were counting on. In writing news, I only got 1500 words done this weekend but it's better than nothing. Plus, I got a fight scene out of the way that I struggled through so at least it's done.

In case you didn't know, today is Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead (All Souls Day) in Mexico. November 1 is All Saints Day (the day children are mourned) and November 2 is All Souls Day (adults are mourned). In addition to building altars and/or shrines and baking favorite dishes to honor the dead, people wear masks and visit the graves of their loved ones as a sign of respect. There is more that goes into it, but basically it's a time for friends and family to gather and pray for their loved ones who have passed on. I think it's a great tradition to recognize those who have died. It keeps loved ones alive in memory and while it's not an all out party, it's still a celebration.

Release Day and other Friday Goodness

This is really random, but the first release (in August) I had under my alter ego, Savannah Stuart, my hubby was heading overseas and today I have my second release under that name and he's leaving again. And it's the same destination: Afghanistan. Awesome. I'm kinda afraid to write anything else under this name! Up until yesterday when we got the news that he'd be leaving I was writing 2500 plus words a day for the past week and a half and as soon as he's gone I plan to throw myself back into writing. It's definitely one of the only things that keeps me sane while he's gone. This trip is a little longer than the last one and he'll be missing my sister's wedding, Thanksgiving and Christmas, which pretty much sucks, but there's not much I can do about it :(

I don't have much time to blog today so here's the info for Unleashed Temptation by Savannah Stuart, my lovely alter ego:

Unleashed Temptation – Available Today from Ellora’s Cave

After finding out her boyfriend has been cheating on her with her boss, Carly decides her life needs a makeover. She trades in her winter coat for a bikini and heads south to Miami, Florida. Almost as soon as she arrives, she falls in lust with the sexiest man she’s ever laid eyes on. Too bad he’s her new boss.

Alpha werewolf Nick gave up hope of finding his mate a century ago. When sexy redhead Carly comes to work for him, she disrupts his entire world. Although he desperately wants to come clean about what he is, he keeps running into problems. Like the fact that an ancient enemy has set his sights on Carly. Nick discovers he’ll go to any lengths to keep her safe. Even if it means losing her in the process.


Read excerpt here.

Purchase digital version here.

For more titles from Savannah Stuart, click here.

For a chance to win a copy of Unleashed Temptation, visit Sarai J’s Blog here.

The Forbidden Chamber - Available from Samhain!

This is Ella Drake's first release from Samhain and it sounds super hot, so check it out!

The Forbidden Chamber, from Samhain Publishing, Available today.

“Your life is forfeit if you open that door.”

All her life, Lady Isabel Colven has followed the path laid out for her, content to look neither left nor right for excitement. Her future holds a dutiful, passionless marriage to some nice young man, and she’s content…until the exotic and compelling Lord Rukh Hayle threatens her maidenly reserve. Rumor paints him as a wife-murderer; desire tempts her to look past his aura of danger.

Rukh refuses to let his family’s curse kill a third bride, but Isabel awakens the Raven within him, compels him to take her to wife—and to bed—despite the secrets that live under his skin. That lie is locked in the darkest corners of the manor, waiting to be unleashed. Their lusty union arouses the curse, entangling Isabel in an erotic tug of war that can only end in her destruction. There is no escape for either of them. Not from his family’s shadowy history. Not from demons imagined and real. And not from the choice Rukh faces to save his bride from a fate worse than death…

Warning: This gothic contains heady kisses that lead to ruin, passionate sex on a desk chair, a mysterious husband who may be a murderer, a cursed family of raven shifters, and an unspeakable evil hidden in the closet.

Read the excerpt.
The Forbidden Chamber is available from Samhain at MBaM.

Writers Gone Wild

I'm at Writer's Gone Wild today and I've shared my favorite pumpkin bread recipe! Stop by and chat or just stop by and snag a yummy recipe!