Excerpt and Link to Paranormal Love Wednesday Blog

Today, I'm offering a short excerpt from The Century Sage, my fantasy/paranormal romance as part of a blog hop held by the Paranormal Love Wednesday blog.

Lina, the heroine in my novel, is a tree sage. Tree sages heal trees and save their lives in many ways. Lina's powers have grown stronger as she nears the time for her to bear a daughter. On the night of her first date with rally driver Brad, she sees a vision of trees about to be destroyed by a forest fire. Much to her concern, Brad witnesses her using her powers and discovers who she really is.

Rocks. Find a rock. She journeyed around the area as if she were a spirit with free rein. Exhilaration mixed with fear pumped through her. There were rocks in a nearby field. She picked up a huge boulder in her mind and flew back to the flame, which had risen higher and begun to spread. But time seemed to slow. A fire would have spread quicker in this wind. She visualized pressing the rock onto the ember. With her mind, she forced it down to put out the treacherous flame.

Power surged back into her, and peace infused her.

Brad stood above her, a glass of water in his hand. She took it gratefully and gulped down the liquid. It seemed putting out fires built thirst.

You can buy The Century Sage here.

Spotlight and Interview - Starla Kaye

Today, I want to introduce a writer for Decadent Publishing, Starla Kaye. She's going to answer some questions and then we'll spotlight her new release. Wow, she's really written many books and a variation of genres.

Interview:

Share two things that inspired your book.

That would have to be Calhoun Cordell and Daniel Patterson themselves, the heroes in my first book involving them: The CEO and The Cowboy. I felt such a bond with the two very different men and felt they needed something (someone) else in their life. Someone who could shake them up, and grow closer together at the same time.

What was your favourite scene to write?

I liked many of them, but I always enjoy the first time two characters really butt heads. In this story, that was when Ruby is determined to leave after having her initial talk with the big, stubborn rancher (Calhoun). She’s ready to walk out his door after telling him, “I don’t need this job.” It’s a bit complicated at that moment, but basically he says, “The hell you are!” and she counters with, “The hell I’m not!”

Is this book part of a series? If so, describe the series and what part your book plays in it.

It isn’t exactly a series, but this is the sequel to The CEO and The Cowboy. That story was when Calhoun and Daniel first met and when Calhoun fully realized that he was attracted to men, in particular the GQ businessman. It upset his way of thinking and the two men struggled with their relationship, but that story ended with a Happily For Now. In For Ruby’s Love, the men have become comfortable together and yet there is a sense that something is still missing in their lives. When Ruby enters their world to help Calhoun with an emotionally traumatized horse, both men are drawn to her, both men struggle with that idea.

Tell us three quirky or interesting things about yourself.

1) I collect far too many things, mostly my sister’s fault. If I find something I like (for instance a teapot), she latches onto that idea and buys me more for birthdays, Christmas, etc.

2) I mentor/teach senior adults who have finally discovered they have time and an interest in learning to write. I adore my people. They can be such fun to work with.

3) My husband of what seems like forever is an accountant (okay, somewhat on the boring side) and brags about me writing romance far too often to his clients and friends. He loves telling everyone he is my muse, my model “perfect” man.

Starla Kay’s Book, For Ruby’s Love

Decadent Publishing

Length: 87 pages – 32,000 words

Genre(s): Contemporary Erotic Western, GLBT, M/M, F/M

Blurb:

Rancher Calhoun Cordell and businessman Daniel Patterson have struggled for almost two years as a couple, with careers and goals often in conflict. A tragic fire, leading to a traumatized valuable breeding mare, has Calhoun sending for a well-known horse whisperer. Except the man is dead. His daughter, Ruby McMurtry, shows up for the job instead and complicates their lives even more.

Book Links:

Decadent Publishing

Amazon

Kobo

iBooks

Barnes and Noble

All Romance Ebooks 

About the Author:

Starla Kaye wears many hats professionally and as a writer. She is the community coordinator for a Midwestern accounting firm, a gerontologist who volunteers with an active group of senior adults, a mentor/teacher of writing, and a multi-published author. She dabbles in writing romances of many sub-genres: contemporary, historical Western, medieval, sci-fi, fantasy, paranormal, and Regency. To date she has published 20 novels, 38 novellas, 8 anthologies, and 18 short stories.

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Pinterest

Amazon Author Page

Why I Waited

I waited until I married before I had sex.

Phew, what a statement.

It's true.

Why, you may ask?

Good question. Most people nowadays don't wait. Those who do are usually religious or not interested. I was religious. Although my father wasn't into Christianity, he sent me to Sunday School. I became close friends with several Christian girls as a kid and became deeply involved in church youth groups. We had such fun, went on camps, played games, met friends, met guys. I had a ball and loved it. I became deeply entrenched in the religion and had a strong faith. We learnt as teenagers that you just don't sleep around. You save yourself for your future husband one day. I believed strongly in it. Yes, I was tempted. I didn't have any serious relationships except for one, but we were both Christians and eventually cut it off because it was leading down the wrong path.

And I was a nerd. Quiet, bookish, and my faith made me more nerdy as I was a goody-goody in many ways. If guys liked me, they didn't make many moves. I did have a really kind guy friend, but it just didn't work between us - the chemistry wasn't there (well, on my part, I can't say for him). After we broke up, he met a woman and married her shortly after. A good thing.

When I met Kevin (at church), we hit it off straight away. I had reservations about him - he was too years younger than me and seemed to like another girl. But then he pursued our relationship with great gusto. I fell headlong within a few short months. But we waited. There were times when we came close, and I tell you, the guilt plagued me. In the church, although it's not outwardly stated, you're made to feel guilty for your sexuality. Yes, in the contemporary churches I attended, they even preached about sex and how God made it good. But there was always this underlying feeling of guilt as a single for having a sex drive. It affected me deeply. I was ashamed of my sexuality and hid it away. I used to dress up really conservatively. It took me years, even after marriage, to come out of that. Writing romance has helped.

Anyway, about three years ago, I left the church. I didn't drop my faith and I still believe that the Bible is inspired by God (not flawless and faultless and not to be taken by the letter). Some people use the Bible as a weapon to push their views on others. I don't see it that way. I see it as a letter God wrote to the planet that's gone through an imperfect channel. It's still full of truth and it shows us about Jesus but it's not perfect. The writers' opinions cloud it in many ways. And it's not a big angry man's words shouting from the sky to the people in this world.

Since I left the church, I've felt free to be me. I've started writing erotic romance which would certainly be frowned upon by church-going Christians. I've read articles where they say reading erotica leads to dysfunctional marriages and can cause addictions. They say it's unrealistic (yes, I agree it can be.) But I've noticed something about a lot of the Christian articles about sex - many of them deal with women who have problems with their sexuality - they feel guilty about their feelings, even in marriage. I have a sneaky suspicion many of the church's views have led to that. Women are made to feel ashamed for masturbation or fantasizing. But I think those things can enhance a relationship. They're made to feel ashamed for experimentation and trying out new things. Sad.

Would I still wait now with my more mature thoughts? I hope so.

I still believe in waiting. Maybe because the moral code has been entrenched in me so strong. I see having sex outside of marriage as bad as stealing. I definitely don't judge other people's views on it, but I can't help feeling it's wrong for me.

And I also believe it's beneficial to wait. I know you don't get to see if you're sexually compatible before making that lifetime commitment and that's a huge risk. I don't deny some people have ended up in marriages which have caused them deep pain. But I also believe there's often a way out, even to end the marriage if it's too painful. Yes, from a Christian point of view that may seem wrong, but I think if there's no way forward, God's grace abounds.

I believe waiting until marriage brings a sparkle into the relationship. It did with us. There's something so special about spending the rest of your life with the only man you've ever slept with. Now, for men that may be a bit more of a difficult pill to swallow. I think men like more variety. I may be wrong. But it's still better for them to wait. You don't have that comparison game. You don't have all those sexual memories to bring into the relationship. You hopefully don't have any regrets. Your husband or wife is your first love and you truly cherish them for that.

Plus it makes the honeymoon so much more exciting! And setting up a life together holds that new promise, that adventure to explore not only your new home but also each other's bodies. That person who you've saved yourself for becomes associated with your first sexual experiences. They epitomize your sexuality coming to life.

Not that it's always easy. It can take years to adapt to one another's different needs. But isn't it safer to do that with the person who has committed to living with you for a lifetime?

Of course, we all have regrets. I regret having a steamy relationship with the wrong guy before I met my husband. I wish I hadn't taken that step because it profoundly affected and hurt me. I regret my reserve and not being free to be me at a young age. We should try to let go our regrets about past things. Let's look to the future!

I do find it hard to write stories where there are no morals. That's why my genre presents me with such a challenge. I don't push my morals in my books. I just write romance. But maybe they come out without me knowing.

I've written my first book without the couple being married or previously married. It was a very hard step to take and I second-guessed my decision. It's a short story on Smashwords. Here's the link: Lasting Impressions

I don't know if I'll always hold this view about sexuality. It seems my ideas are ever evolving. But I do think my upbringing has had a very strong impact on my life. Thanks for reading my very personal blog post.

Walking the Edge Character Interview and Review

Today, I have Zee Monodee talking about her first in the Corpus Brides series. Bear with the long post - this book is amazing. You don't want to miss any juicy info. And my review is at the bottom:

Title: Walking The Edge

Author: +Zee Monodee 

Series: Corpus Brides, Book 1

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Blurb:

Walking the edge

The next step might be the last...

A woman without a past

Left amnesiac after an accident, Amelia Jamison’s instincts slowly rise from the depths of oblivion to question her life as the wife of a cold, manipulating and distant man. Wisps of a dream show her another man she may have known intimately, but is he a memory, or a figment of her imagination?

A man with too much information

After many aliases, today Gerard Besson is simply a police commissaire in Marseille. When a mysterious woman starts to follow him, he is suspicious. But things aren’t what they seem, and as he reluctantly gets closer to her, dredges of his painful, buried past spring to light and make him question her identity.

Each seems to have led two different lives

But neither is prepared for what awaits them when they cross the fine line between knowing your true self and that of your alter ego.

Danger is the name of the game, and as it catches up with them in the French Provence, both know they better be ready for the inevitable fall.

As he turned to scan the other side of the road, something—or someone—lunged at him and knocked him into the solid garage door. Reflex kicking in, he took a deep breath to fortify himself against the stinging pain in his body. Honing his senses, he lashed out on the side from which his opponent had assaulted him.

His fist connected with a jaw and he heard a grunt. Male. So not the woman from the bistro. Could she have sent someone after him? He had no time to ponder—a heavy booted foot collided smack into his stomach and sent him to his knees. The gun dropped from his hand. He could barely see the man kick the Sig away. Now’s the time to hit him.

But he wasn’t fast enough. The thug smashed a hard blow to Gerard’s temple. Black dots danced before his eyes.

It would take more than this to knock him out, though. He looked up and staggered an exhale—he’d be no match against the gun his assailant yanked from inside his jacket. A weapon with a silencer screwed on. Definitely a man out for a kill.

Time stood still while he tried to breathe and remain conscious.

And then something happened so quickly he had trouble grasping it. The guy howled and went down, his free hand clutching his neck as Gerard caught sight of a cherry-red flash.

The thug lifted and aimed his gun. Another red burst haloed the first.

Two shots rang, and the man slumped.

Gerard moved his gaze to where the flashes had appeared. His Sig lay in the hands of the one who’d saved him.

Legs braced, back straight, she held the gun in both hands, the left cupping the right. Wisps of smoke gently drifted from the barrel.

He blinked when he focused on her face.

It can’t be. The same woman who’d met him at the bistro. Yet, at the same time, not her. Her features looked different, harder, and, he realized with dread, completely focused yet expressionless.

Something told him to take another look. She hadn’t dropped the gun, and for an insane moment, he wondered if she’d aim it his way and shoot. There had been no hesitation in her two shots, and, as his eyes took in the way she held the Sig—one hand curled around the grip and the other anchoring it—realization clattered in his brain.

She held it like a professional, and merde if she hadn’t shot like a professional, too.

Finally, she lowered the weapon and stepped up to him.

From his previous deduction, he hadn’t expected her to be trembling or bumbling her way about, but still, the efficiency with which she sidestepped the body and crouched at Gerard’s side sent warning bells off in his head.

“Who the hell are you?” he asked, aware the thought had made it into words.

Buy Links

Amazon

Add to Goodreads

Releasing February 2, 2015

Before The Morning (Corpus Brides Book 2: The Prequel)

In this stand-alone prequel to the explosive Corpus Brides romantic suspense/espionage series, found out how everything started when one of the agency’s deadliest became the target of a rogue faction.

Before the morning

...is the time of greater darkness...

A trained killer with borderline sociopathic tendencies

Rayne Cheltham traced out her life's path when she was twelve: she would marry her best friend and bear his children, and in the process, stifle the restless edge in her. When he vows never to marry, she gives in to the darkness and becomes a clandestine agent—until the day he walks into her world again, and her carefully fabricated façade crumbles.

A former cop burned by life and his personal demons

When Ash Gilfoy meets a woman who reminds him of his childhood best friend, he starts upon a path that leads him down into the abyss once again. The day Rayne waltzes back into his life, he knows she is his second chance, and the one who will save him.

Each thinks the other is their redemption...until they discover how deep darkness goes inside both of them

The secrets between them make them sit on a keg of gunpowder with a lit fuse in their hands. Rayne’s whole life is built on a lie, and the truth is threatening to explode in their faces. But that is not the only menace they have to face. Someone is out to get Rayne, and she must disclose her secret past before it is too late.

Can Rayne and Ash survive all that’s thrown in their path? Can they hang on to the last thread of their relationship, and can they emerge, still together and still alive, in the morning after the deepest darkness?

Releasing March 2, 2015

Let Mercy Come (Corpus Brides Book 3: The Conclusion)

In this stunning conclusion to the Corpus Brides Trilogy, find out what happens when the dust settles in the aftermath of the mutiny inside their ranks. Danger is still lurking, though... as is death...

Let mercy come

...and wash away our sins...

A woman on the run

Valeriya Morozova has managed to carve out a do-over for herself away from the clutches of the Corpus agency. The one formerly known as Anastasiya still lives on the edge, paranoid anyone will bust her secret and turn her in. Agency leaders believe her to be at the heart of the failed mutinous plot to overtake command, and the price of that betrayal—never mind that she is innocent—will be her life, paid in blood.

A man who’s always followed orders

In his decades inside the Corpus agency, case officer and former super-spy Graeme Whitman—aka Scott—has always paid heed to rules and obeyed all his orders. When he is chosen to bring the traitor Anastasiya back into the fold, Scott knows it will be just one more job he will successfully complete. After all, doing the right thing is atonement for your past mistakes, right?

Secrets running deep

Scott has secrets; who doesn’t? But he isn’t prepared for the full cupboard of skeletons Anastasiya carries with her...starting with the reason why she ran away from the agency. The more he digs, the less he is certain of, until he comes to ask himself why everyone has falsely painted her as a hard-hearted sociopath.

But is Anastasiya a victim, or a skilful manipulator? When her past collides with her present, the future as both she and Scott conceived it shatters. They’ve answered the call of duty all their lives—will they have to make the ultimate sacrifice in the name of love?

Author, editor, smitten wife, in-over-her-head mum to a tween boy, best-buddy stepmum to a teenage lad, bookaholic, lover of all things fluffy & pink, chronic shoeholic, incompetent housewife desperate to channel Nigella Lawson (and who’ll prolly always fail at making domestic goddess status)...

Zee hails from the multicultural, rainbow-nation island of Mauritius, in the southern Indian Ocean, where she grew up on the figurative fence—one side had her ancestors’ Indian and Muslim culture; the other had modernity and the global village. When one day she realised she could dip her toes into both sides without losing her integrity, she found her identity.

This quest for ‘finding your place’ is what she attempts to bring in all her stories, across all the genres she writes. Her heroines represent today’s women trying to reconcile love, life, & relationships in a melting pot of cultures, while her heroes are Alpha men who often get put back into their rightful place by the headstrong women she writes. Love is always a winner in her stories, though; that’s a given.

**Find more about the latest on Zee and her works in her monthly newsletter http://eepurl.com/5GULr

**Read about her life & her books at her website/blog http://zeemonodee.blogspot.com/

**Friend her on Facebook (she loves to make friends & meet new people!) https://www.facebook.com/#!/zee.monodee

**Follow her on Twitter https://twitter.com/#!/ZeeMonodee

**Email her at this addy (she loves to talk...prolly too much, even!) zeemonodee@gmail.com

Character Interview:

These questions could be for hero or heroine. You choose.

They’ll be for the heroine, Amelia.

I’ll try to make it work since she has amnesia – I love a challenge J

Where and how would you like to spend a night of no responsibility, all expenses paid?

Hmmm... You don’t hold back the punches, lady! That’s a tough question. I’m currently on the run from a maniac who was keeping me virtually prisoner, and I’m chasing another man who eyes me with suspicion. Not exactly restful...so let’s say a tropical island, in a villa with its own private beach where you can see the sea for miles on end and the endless array of stars in the clear night sky. A breather would be nice, in fact...

What memory keeps on intruding on your thoughts?

That second dream I had after taking the new regimen of drugs, the one where I saw Gerard for the first time since I’ve been struck by amnesia. You might say it was a dream, a figment of my imagination, but I know it’s a memory; I know I lived that moment, because my heart remembers. I won’t let it drop until I find out the truth behind that memory.

If you could change anything about your story in the book, what would you change?

Lol, I wouldn’t give myself amnesia, that’s for sure! I have a feeling life itself is hard, so not having any frame of reference makes it even worse to deal with. But then Zee wouldn’t have had a story to tell if I hadn’t lost my memory.

Name one significant thing that happened to you before the book.

The accident that gave me amnesia. Peter – the man who claims to be my husband – says I survived a bomb blast aboard a yacht on the Cote d’Azur, that I’d been there with my lover who had invited me on board his friend’s yacht, said friend who was the target of the explosion. I don’t buy it, though... I know something happened, but it’s not as Peter says.

What flavor do you favor? Vanilla, chocolate, or caramel?

Caramel. It goes with everything, lol.

Tea, coffee or soda?

I have a feeling it’s coffee. I seem to power on better with some caffeine in my system.

What band or group of musicians would you like to listen in on their studio recording?

Ack, toughie! I’m not really into the music scene right now, and I don’t remember my past tastes, either. Let me think... There’s this French DJ, David Guetta, getting into collaborations with many international artists. I kinda like his upbeat music, so yeah, probably David Guetta, then.

Give your life motto at the start of the book.

To find the truth, at all costs!

Are you a sunrise or sunset person?

I’ve had to hit the ground running all the time, so I’m not really sure. I don’t think I really like mornings, though.

Where were you born? Where would you have rather been born?

Now, I have absolutely no clue! That’s what amnesia does to you. Peter says I was born in Pretoria, in South Africa. There might be some truth to that because my accent sure doesn’t sound British, like his.

If you could time-travel, what time period would you like to visit and why?

Any time Versailles held court! I love court intrigue and would’ve relished living at the castle with a king in residence.

If you could and were inclined to get a tattoo, what would it be of?

A psychedelic sunburst – I’d get it on the nape of my neck. I’m not sure why I never got a tattoo, by the way. I rather like that idea.

If you could have three wishes to last for a day, what would they be?

That my memory would come back.

That Gerard would acknowledge me for who I’ve been in his past.

To finally find peace of mind...

If you had to go out to space to live on a planet and could take one item with you, what would it be?

Nothing, really. Got a feeling I don’t get attached to things. I can make do with whatever lands in my lap.

If you could ask your author any question, what would it be?

Why me? Why did you choose to give me a story?

What would be the most romantic / sexy thing a partner could do for you?

To accept me for all I am...to know me better than I know myself...

Thank you, Amelia, for stopping by. Great learning more about you.

My Review:

Walking the Edge had me "walking the edge" or holding onto the edge of my seat right from the start. I was taken right into the action and the suspense and I immediately vied for the heroine to find her way. Amelia wakes up from an accident with a husband who gives her the creeps. The hardest part is she has amnesia and remembers very little from her past life. We can tell from her descriptions of her "husband" that he doesn't have her best interests at heart. When he becomes violent, she escapes to France and tries to find a man who haunts her dreams who turns out to be a police commissioner. But there's so much at stake and she can't remember enough. And Gerard doesn't trust her yet he's drawn to her. To top it, their lives are in serious danger.

The sex scenes were awesome, tender yet smoking hot. This was a great read - it will keep you invested the whole way through and there are many mysteries to unfold. There's plenty of action and you'll be desperate for answers right to the end.

I give five stars.

It's About the Journey

Conflict is good.

It's what makes a good novel and a good romance.

But I've been thinking. It's not all about the conflict. Yes, it makes the reader want to read on. I've read some gripping books - I can't put them down, they're well-written, nail-biting, full of conflict. I've finished them, glad the conflict was resolved, but did I totally enjoy reading the book? No.

Why not?

Because it's all in the journey. Maybe because I'm a romance reader, I like there to be romance and adventure inside the book. I like to be taken on a sensory adventure to another world, go through an experience. It's not just about solving a problem. That's why the sex scenes are such an integral part. I like to see how the couple interact, the pleasures and emotions they experience when they come together. I love it when a romance is set in an exotic location and I get to enter their world. I also bury myself in the world of who they are. But if they're miserable all the time, conflicted, suffering, I don't enjoy it so much. I want to experience that all-time high of falling in love and discovering another person - realising just how much they benefit the character's life.

So, no, it's not all about the conflict. Yes, there should be things holding the couple apart from committing to something long-term, but there should also be many things drawing them together. There should be those heart-rending moments when they separate and decide it's not going to work, but there should also be those times of electric chemistry, great interaction, fun experiences, happiness. Make the reader feel good. That's what I want in my books.

What do you think?

I think that's what makes romance novels so different. Crime novels make the reader scared, tense, suspenseful, curious. Adventure novels make their pulses race and take them through interesting experiences, but romance makes the reader happy and feel good. Isn't it a wonderful thing?