Saturday, July 31, 2010

Binding Spell released by Cobblestone Press

A demon, released from Hell only to be bound in flesh.
A mortal man who made in a desperate deal to save his family.
Two men bound by lies and desire, and in the end perhaps something more.




BINDING SPELL, an erotic M/M, paranormal novella released by Cobblestone Press. Don't miss it!

Watch the trailer!!!

Excerpt:

If only the hellhounds would lose his scent, Mador could be free for a while. He ran faster in the dark hallway. He’d make it. Not too far now. His hiding place was close. A wonder Prince Sitri hadn’t discovered it yet.
He might hide and stay low for a couple of days, sleep and dream and try to forget—forget the knives carving his flesh, the whip cutting through his muscles, the twisting and beating and hurting.
Being a demon didn’t mean he had to like being in Hell.
A shout.
Mador stopped and turned, his heart thundering.
Nobody.
Faint wisps of red light beckoned from the balcony ahead. He sprinted toward it. Nobody would seek him in the cave. After his long sojourn in the pits for disobedience, compliments of his master, he yearned to curl there, quiet and barely breathing, pretending not to exist. He longed for a moment of reprieve. I’ve earned it.
Just one moment alone. Safe.
“Madorael…”
Who was calling him? He swallowed a curse and glanced over his shoulder.
The voice threaded the air, whispering. Male or female? He couldn’t tell, but it burrowed and buzzed into his ears.
He shook his head in an attempt to snuff it out, his long hair caressing his bare shoulders and chest. He spun around, snapped his fingers, and several torches in the wall flared.
He scanned the passage. It stood empty.
The torches sputtered. Thin smoke swirled in the light.
Figures I’d finally go fucking mad in here. He shrugged and let the torches die, yet he hesitated to turn away. He stood still in the dark. Cold currents whipped his pants and hair, making him shiver.
He turned his head this way and that, trying to make out any sound other than his own breathing.
It really was all in your mind, Mador.
Inhaling deeply, he turned once more, the gleam from the balcony inviting. His light steps whispered on the stone floors. Red reflected on the walls, and he already felt the air change, rush past his face, not stale like in the depths of the castle but fresh with a hint of wood smoke.
Heavy steps pounded behind him. He glanced over his shoulder. Winged shadows detached themselves from the wall, spread on the floor, lengthened.
That goddamn voice had distracted him, slowed him down.
A spiral staircase loomed at his right. He sprinted up the narrow steps, but hands grabbed his ankles, and he tumbled back down, hitting the steps with his ribs.
Curse them, that hurt.
He instinctively curled and kicked at them. He heard grunts and reached out for the stairs again but only made it onto the second step when they fell on him again and flipped him over. His head hit the stone, and his eyes blurred.
Two bat-winged demons leered down at him, long black tongues lolling.
Fuck, that was way too soon. “Who sent you?”
They did not reply, but he was pretty sure he knew the answer.
The demons lifted him between them. Mador struggled and kicked, twisted and lashed out at their legs and torsos. Their claws sank into his arms—a warning.
“Sitri’s orders?” he croaked but again received no reply.
The demons stared straight ahead, ignoring his thrashing. They loped down dark passages and lit halls, their talons clicking on stone, and stopped before a great black door with ornate golden patterns that Mador knew well.
Shit.
The demons dropped him to the floor. Maintaining their hold on his shoulders, they knocked with clawed hands. Echoes reverberated through the walls. The door creaked as it swung open, and Mador was dragged into Prince Sitri’s candlelit chambers. The flickering flames swirled across the polished floor and reflected in the mirrors that lined the walls and ceiling.
Mador’s stomach twisted with terror.
Prince Sitri lay against silken cushions on the huge canopied bed. Tall and thin, pale like a fish that swam in dark caves and never saw the light, he rested among lithe male bodies. A golden demon with wings covered with engravings fed Sitri green grapes.
Sitri chewed, a smile starting at the corners of his lips. He looked Mador up and down then chewed some more. “Release him.”
Mador shook off the demons’ hands and fought the shudder that crawled up his spine. “You called, my prince?” Prick.
Sitri raised a frosty brow then waved his hand. “Join me, will you, demon?”
Mador looked away, lips thinning, and didn’t move.
“Sit down, Mador.”
Flames burst around Mador, pierced and hooked his skin, and dragged him onto the bed. He cried out as he fell onto the slippery satin sheets, writhing with myriad needles of agony. The other demons drew back as he tried to get his limbs under control.
“You really thought you could run away?” Sitri’s voice rose in volume with each word until Mador’s ears rang. “What made you think it would work this time? Haven’t you learned yet in all these centuries that I can always find you and bring you back?”
With slow motions, Mador pushed himself upright and perched on the edge of the bed. As always, no marks marred his skin. He folded his arms over his chest, doing his best to mask the trembling of his hands.
Sitri pushed the golden demon away and sighed. He threw the plate of grapes to the floor where it vanished without a sound, and then he undid his robe, ran a hand down his strong chest, over his flat belly. With an effort Mador took his gaze off the demon prince.
He just had to ignore the bastard, pretend he was somewhere else, somewhere safe.
Sounds drew his attention to the side. A demon with glossy black skin licked the chest of a pale, hairless one with silver horns. With his long, ruby tongue he teased first one pink nipple, then the other, and moved lower, toward the demon’s crotch. The silver-horned demon writhed, his eyes squeezed shut, and grabbed the black demon’s head with both hands. His breathless moans made Mador shift on the mattress, his pants suddenly too tight.
Damn, it’s been way too long.
“Let’s get comfortable, shall we?” Sitri rose, winked, then snapped his fingers, and Mador’s silk pants disappeared.

Friday, July 30, 2010

Over the moon ecstatic!

Sorry I couldn't wait till tomorrow to share this new cover. It just came in my email, and if I've ever squee'd, it's now. I love love love it! Right down to the fin on the spine. :) Kendra Egert did an amazing job.



The blurb is on the back cover (and you can read it if you click on the image to enlarge it), but Surfacing is the story of struggling indie rocker AJ Dillon, who moves to his grandfather's house in Florida because he has nowhere else to go. Grandpa lines up a job at Weeki Wachee Springs, home of the famous mermaid show. There he meets Cassiopeia, a real mermaid.

Whiskey Creek Press will release Surfacing in August.

This really made my day. What do you think??

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

I has cover art!



As most of you know, I self-published my light-hearted werewolf tale, The Amazing Transformation of Wicca Dog, on Smashwords for *free* download. My friend, Alana, did the cover art and I frankly want to brag about how awesome it is.

She owns a print shop and was finding designing business cards to be a bit dull these days. So, she was quite happy to do the cover art in exchange for beer and popcorn (my kind of gal). I filled out a cover art sheet and sent it to her. I asked for a retro science fiction or horror movie poster look.

She was shocked that cover artists didn't read even parts of a book to get the feel for it. She was even more shocked that some authors didn't even have input at all, especially with bigger houses. However, she did note that suddenly this made a lot of sense - apparently, as a graphic artist, she found a lot of covers didn't match the story inside.

I love the work that she did and I'm so proud to have it attached to my work.

~Krista


Wicca Dog is available for free download here.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

“The Crown’s Blade” released by Whispers Publishing!

I am very excited to announce that my short erotica (M/F) story “The Crown’s Blade” is now published on the Whispers publishing website!

I am very proud of myself for making this book trailer for the story. I've been told it's quite good! *grin* So check it out!

Trailer The Crown's Blade

And not to forget, on the 30 July - that is, in three days! - my erotica novella "Binding Spell" featuring a gorgeous demon is due for release by Cobblestone press.

Have a great week!

Fight to Remember - out today


Loose-Id surprised me by releasing this today. Little monkeys!! Well this is the last in my Trueblood series - book five. An erotic paranormal romance. They aren't a series in fact - but stand-alone books linked because they feature members of the same family.

FIGHT TO REMEMBER


What’s my name?



With a twist of his body, Rhyl avoids being staked in the heart but not the demon’s shove toward hell. Trapped between slabs of rock, he has to drink the blood of rats to survive. It’s a desperate fight to stay sane.



What did I do last night?


For eleven long years, Piper wakes every morning with no idea who or where she is. How can she find someone to love when she can’t remember their face or name after she falls asleep? Life is a long, lonely battle.



When will this end?


Werepuma, Keir Sparks, is bound to a demon who forces him to fight in her club. If Keir refuses, she’ll go after his brother. There can only be one outcome in the ring. Someone has to die. After seven wins, Keir hopes eight is his lucky number. Survival is a hard-fought struggle.



Three worlds collide and the trio discover happiness in each other’s arms. Life suddenly becomes worth living until they learn the price of their love. The only way to keep two safe is for one to die.




If you'd like to win a copy of this ebook - please visit my blog and leave a comment on the latest Fight to Remember post and I'll chose a winner at random.



http://www.barbaraelsborg.blogspot.com/


Monday, July 26, 2010

Are first chapters an effective marketing tool?

A discussion at Lyons Literary blog convinced me they are. Or could be, if your first chapter interests people. :)

So in advance of tomorrow's release of my historical novel (which I like to call a historical adventure romance), I've posted the first chapter of Angels, Sinners and Madmen on my web site. While historicals may not be to everyone's liking, I hope the first chapter will entice people to want more. The trailer and excerpt are here.

On Wednesday, I'm also launching a new blog series called Casting Call - I hope you'll check it out. First up is Angels, Sinners and Madmen.

Though I'll still be visiting plenty of blogs (see the crazy schedule here), today also marks my last official stop on my blog tour at Margaret West's wonderful blog.

And tomorrow is my monthly post at Popculturedivas, a tribute to my much-maligned home state of New Jersey. I hope you'll pop over!

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Interested in having me tour your blog?

Hi everyone!

As many of you know, Harvest Moon is being released October 1. While my publisher does have a blog tour books for me towards the end of the month and into November, I'd love to visit as many different places as I can for October!

I'm happy to talk on any subject and can even send a fun little kit with some ideas, if you wish. It doesn't have to be about my book at all. I'd be happy to talk about writing, working with homeless people, being a step-parent, being a cat collector, owing a corgi, my decision to never have children (and then, date a man with kids), raising a kid with special needs, etc etc.

And, yeah, I can talk about my book, if you want :D

Just drop me a line kristadball -at- gmail -dot- com. Let's do web- lunch!

Contest!

My new novella, The Sorcerer's Songs, which I wrote using my husband's songs, is now available!  I can't explain how excited I am about its release.  It is also one of my first, "sweet" paranormal romances.  I am the featured author all weekend at Authors Promoting Authors. Comments on the blog enter you in a contest to win an autographed copy of both the paperback version of The Sorcerer's Songs and my husband's CD, Weathervanes.  To learn more about them both, and to post those comments/contest entries, go to the following links...




Saturday's Feature is an Interview, and the interviewer, Tina-Sue, brought me to tears with her kind words. My husband is quoted there as well about the book.  The book trailer video is at the bottom, very simple, but just to showcase the music used in the story. http://authorspromotingauthors.blogspot.com/2010/07/author-interview-kiki-howell.html

Sunday is going to be a very personal guest blog, the story about my life to published author, along with two songs my husband wrote about me.  A bit nervous about this one, so be kind :) LOL

Thanks In Advance!
Kiki Howell
~where love is a mystical thing~

New blog series: Story Elements

Today I launch a new blog series called Story Elements. Each post will examine the various aspects of each title and how I pulled together various elements into each story. I hope you'll pop over to my blog at http://catemasters.blogspot.com. As always, I love comments!

First up is my contemporary, Going with Gravity, which also provides a nice escape to the lush setting of Hawaii, also rich in culture.

Friday, July 23, 2010

Gypsy Crystal

Everyone has secrets.
Homicide Detective Rita Moldova has a secret, a crystal amulet from her Roma bloodline that shows her the last image a victim had seen before they died. Now, a ritual killer is terrorizing her town and the crystal’s magic has suddenly stopped.
FBI agent, Matt Boulet, is sent to lead the task force and gives the group strange orders. Worse, Rita senses he is holding back a deep dark secret about the killer.
When she confronts her seer mother’s advice, she learns another secret about their clan that she finds impossible to swallow.
Rita swims through a whirlpool of confusion as the investigation continues. Can Rita deny the lore of the ancients? Can she deny her growing feelings for Matt Boulet?
(Buy site)
Gypsy Crystal is available in PRINT and Multiple E-book formats at Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Gypsy-Crystal-Lorrie-Unites-Struiff/dp/1770650415/ref=tmm_pap_title_0

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Great Review for "One Way Trip"!

My M/M space odyssey has gotten a great review from Seriously Reviewed!!



"One Way Trip is a story you can't put down."

In "One Way Trip" an astronaut ventures to Mars in search of a new home for humans and instead finds one for himself.  He also finds super hot sex (and love) in the arms of the Martian leader Raem.

To read more of the review, visit the blog:  Seriously Reviewed.

"One Way Trip" is available from Silver Publishing:  Buy Link

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Care to predict what outsells paperbacks in six months?

The following starts an article on the Huffington Post, dated Dec 2009:

eBooks, some of them free eBooks, outsold print books this Christmas. On December 26, 2009 Amazon annouced that, for the first time ever, they had sold more eBooks than physical books on Christmas day. In an interview Jeff Bezos was also quoted as saying that he believes that the print book will eventually disappear.

This starts an article dated July 20, 2010:

SAN FRANCISCO — The largest retailer on the Internet, Amazon.com Inc., said growth in sales of its Kindle digital reader accelerated every month in the second quarter and that it is selling more electronic books than hardcover versions.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

"The Crown's Blade" coming out next week!

There are many kinds of blades – but only one will fit the sheath and save the world.

I am very excited that this short erotica story of mine "The Crown's Blade" (M/F) is coming out next week, on the 23rd July, from Whispers Publishing. This short story (less than 3K) won the Grand Prize in the "Make it Quick" contest this year.

How was this story born? Elves are often romanticized, for which I blame Tolkien a lot (and I am a huge fan of The Lord of the Rings). He painted them as wise beings, but also above carnal desires and needs.

To me, elves are animalistic creatures, like the fauns and maenads of the Greek mythology. So, with this thought in mind, I sent out a powerful woman - Elinor - to save Indigo, a male elf, from the clutches of their mutual enemy, the Shadows.

But Indigo can only be saved if his passion is unleashed. And Elinor knows exactly how to do that.

Elinor needs a weapon—one that will make enemies bleed and set her people free. But when she meets the handsome Indigo, a different type of sword catches her interest. Third time’s the charm when it comes to freeing the mysterious elf from their enemies, but there’s more to his release than meets the eye. Elinor must hurry to bring Indigo to his knees before the Shadows capture and kill them. But when she has to chose between her heart, her quest, and her life, can the Crown’s Blade save all three?



Whispers Publishing: Jay Di Meo's "The Crown's Blade"

Saturday, July 17, 2010

A Reality Show with Bite

While watching The Bachelorette, I couldn't help wonder what a paranormal version would be like. Would the dates feature moonlit hunts and cryptside picnics? Even better is to imagine the roster of potential bachelors.

First on my list would be Michael Gallatin, the master spy and werewolf, from Robert McCammon's The Wolf's Hour. Who could resist those piercing green eyes?

Next would be Jacob from the Twilight series. I fell for Jacob long before Taylor Lautner played him on the big screen.

Though I like my heroes tall, dark and warm-blooded, I can't resist Eric Northman, the cool blond vampire from Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series.

If you love vampires, check out my interview with Sky Purington today and comment by July 18th @ 2:00PST for a chance to win a copy of her vampire tale, Darkest Memory. http://mariposacruz.blogspot.com

How about it Paranormalists? What hero would score a rose from you?

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

eBooks!

It looks like a number of authors here have published something in eBook format. I’d like to ask a question of everyone – what response have YOU gotten to eBooks? Are people afraid that they need to buy an expensive tool to read it? What challenges have you encountered trying to sell your eBook? What has been your biggest obstacle with having a eBook?

I have a eBook only book coming out in October and I'm getting a lot of questions from people afraid that they won't be able to read it. I'm curious if others have experienced this.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Talking about the creative process

The virtual tour continues at Immortyl Revolution, where I pose the eternal question: is the creative process maddening? Some people think so. Come share your thoughts.

There are links to a few great videos of Elizabeth Gilbert and Amy Tan discussing their creative processes too - long, but definitely worth a look.

Saturday, July 3, 2010

July story for Summer Reading Trail



I stumbled upon The Summer Reading Trail and thought it was a great idea. I love for readers to discover my work!

I missed the July registration (where did June go?!) so I'm giving you the exclusive chance to check out my July read. If I could have registered, it would have gone under the general Fiction category, but it's anything but generalized fiction. You'll have to read it to understand.

So I give you Survivor Barbie! I'd love your comments if you read it.

Happy summer reading!

Friday, July 2, 2010

The awesomeness of Star Trek Conventions!

Sorry for the disappearing act all of June. I just returned from another trip; this time, to a Star Trek convention in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

People often ask me what these conventions are like, so there's a run down. Maybe one day, I'll have a science fiction novel that I can sell in the vendors room!

*The level of celebrity at these events can vary widely. Creation Entertainment is one of the big names and they bring out as many big names as they can. To give you an idea, this convention had a lot of the secondary cast of Deep Space 9, plus Bill Shatner and Leonard Nemoy. The Las Vegas one sometimes has the entire original cast! Patrick Stewart is attending the Las Vegas 2010 convention.

Counter that with a local SFF convention where they bring in writers, like Tanya Huff or Terry Brooks. A different kind of celebrity but still awesome.

*Yes, people dress up. In fact, the costumes are often part of the fun. I didn't dress up this year (I often go as a trill). Costumes get you more likely to end up on TV, on the radio, and in newspapers. Actors are more likely to notice you. And, hell, it's just plain fun.

*It isn't free. Here is something that people forget. These actors are working when they come to conventions. The conventions pay them to come. It makes sense, when you think about it. They are expected to speak on-stage, do photo ops, and give signatures. I've seen actors, at the end of 4 hour long signing sessions, wearing two wrists braces and unable to lift their pen off the photo without help. Photo Ops last about 15 seconds, where your photo is professionally taken with the actor. Also, that means that the actor is having a camera flashed at them every 15 seconds for 1-2 hours straight.

If it were me, I'd charge a lot more than these guys do.

*Yes, there are occasionally some scary fans and there are sometimes some rude actors. However, that tiny percentage is nothing next to the huge crowd of friendly, wonderful fans and the actors who chat with you when they bump into you in the corridor or who are playing with action figures of themselves in the vendor room.

*As awesome as the conventions are, they are even better when you make a sale while you're there! My short science fiction story, Flying Kite, Crashing Ship, sold to MuseItUp Publishing last weekend while I was enjoying the high-priced auction of a Kirk/Spock wall sized banner complete with in-person autographs! I lost the banner bidding (my credit card is very happy about that), but I won a new contract!

All in all, a great time for all!

Digging Deeper has received a Coffee Time Reviewer's Recommend Award because the reviewer felt it was above a 5 cup rating. Need to scroll down a bit to check it out. Congratulations to Barbara Elsborg for yet another excellent review.


http://coffeetimeromance.com/CoffeeThoughts/

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Upcoming Release


3 Days and Counting until the release of my latest story.  

Can a human fall in love with a Martian?  Well, that's the premise in this short M/M space odyssey!

"One Way Trip" comes out from Silver Publishing this Saturday, July 3, 2010!!

Captain Jay Marcos is on a mission to Mars as part of an international endeavor to find a planet suitable for terraforming.  With governmental support waning, however, Captain Marcos’s trip becomes one way.  Once he lands on Mars, Jay doesn’t find a new home for humans.  But he finds one for himself. 
    
On Mars, Jay meets Raem, leader of the indigenous Rahitians.  Raem welcomes Jay to his world and into his bed.  Together, they share a cosmic sexual encounter like none over experienced between a human and an alien.  More than just hot, steamy sex – Jay and Raem find love.  

Find "One Way Trip" here:  Buy Link

Fine out more about me here:  Rebecca Leigh