Gabrielle Bisset

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Author Talina Perkins Guest Post

I'm thrilled to welcome Talina Perkins to my blog today. Her new cookbook, SweetPea Delights, is due out in early December, and it sounds delicious! So without further ado, here is Talina. 

Gabrielle, thank you so much for having me over, I am so excited to be here today!  You have such a warm and cozy den to spend some time in.

How many of you remember the first time you ever tried to cook a turkey? Did you get it perfect or did your efforts turn out less than the stellar feast you had planned when you set out on your adventure?

Well, I remember my first time and till this day I can’t look at a turkey without laughing. Seriously! Let me tell you a quick story of why I will never forget Christmas of ’93, the year of the exploding turkey.

It was five in the morning and I had a plan that would make my grandparents very proud to have a twelve year old granddaughter that could cook a turkey all alone. I eased from my bed and quietly disabled my grandmother’s alarm which was set to wake her at six. I had plenty of time to prepare the turkey before anyone was the wiser.

I ventured into the kitchen ready to create a masterpiece of a turkey. I collected all the ingredients from the cupboards including the six boxes of family sized stuffing and cooking wine that was often used in our home recipes.

In hindsight, I now realize my grandmother hadn’t intended to use all that stuffing for the turkey or wine. Anyway, back to the story.

I quickly set to work adding all the dry stuffing to the turkey then closing it up with cooking wire as I had seen done on TV. I moved on to bathing the over sized bird in not only half a bottle of wine but the entire bottle, all the way ‘till the very last drop. Yeah, I was a bit of an over achiever as a child.

Satisfied with my work I continued on in complete ignorant bliss. In to the oven went the bird and on to the couch I went to get some much deserved rest after such great work.

It was the piercing screech of horror followed by a very audible splat that woke me from my slumber and should have clued me in on what was to come. I quickly rushed to the kitchen to find the oven door swung open and stuffing blazing a trail across the kitchen, finally ending up on the opposite wall, splattered there as if had been intent on taking out someone. All the delicious wine dripped down my grandmother’s sunflower colored wallpaper. Offense number two, might I add.

I am having a hard time writing this through the tears of laughter even now.

There stood my grandmother shaking her head full of curlers and her famous wooden spoon in disgust. Not the exact response I had imagined upon her waking to find the turkey already cooking or should that be exploding.

Needless to say that day we had no turkey. While my excessive use of stuffing had reacted in an unexplainable explosive way with the wine, the bird had dried out within the five hours it had been cooking. Who knew I would be creating such a bomb! I narrowly escaped being grounded for life that day. As I am told, if it hadn’t been for my utterly stunned face that had made my sweet grandmother crack up it would have been doomsday for me instead of a not-so-much Turkey Day.

Fast forward to the present. When my ever so patient grandmother found out I currently have a cookbook set to release she couldn’t hold back from telling me the tale of the exploding turkey just one more time. She even asked me if I had prepped the intro with a how-to turkey bomb. Figuring not to many mothers would appreciate that, I nixed that idea and went with some recipes kids can really help with in the kitchen. 

Below I have a couple of recipes to share with you from my SweetPea Delights: Easy Meal Ideas for Moms-On-the-Go that is out now in Kindle. I really hope you enjoy them!

Do you have any funny cooking stories to share? Come on don’t be shy! Let’s dish!

Creamy Chicken ‘N Rice Casserole
3/4 c. rice
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 envelope dry Lipton Onion Soup Mix
2 c. water
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Chicken pieces, about 2 lbs.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mix rice, soups and water, leaving out the Lipton Onion Soup Mix. Pour into greased 13 x 9 pan. Place chicken pieces on top. Sprinkle with Lipton’s dry onion soup mix and cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until the chicken is cooked through and rice is tender. Remove foil, sprinkle with cheddar cheese and return to oven until cheese is melted and lightly browned; about 10 minutes. This can be made the day before and refrigerated. Serves 4-6

Prep Time: 1 hr 10 min.

Sunshine Smoothie
My children love to make this right before movie time with a thick slice of pound cake and popcorn.

1 cup orange sherbet (or substitute frozen yogurt)
1 cup fresh strawberries, trimmed
1 1/3 cups pineapple chunks, fresh or canned in juice and drained
1 1/2 cups sparkling mineral water

Blend sherbet, strawberries and pineapple chunks in a food processor until smooth; add mineral water and blend until well mixed. Serves 4

Prep. Time: 10 min.


Buy link for Easy Meal Ideas For Moms On The Go:

Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Easy-Meal-Ideas-Moms--ebook/dp/B006FKZSVA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322583378&sr=8-1

More About Talina:
Paranormal & Contemporary romance pre-pubbed author, A multi-Top Pick Reviewer for Night Owl Reviews and owner and author of Bookin' It Reviews. A place where you’ll find guest authors, giveaways, & video snippet readings of books she is currently reading or recommending. You’ll also get to hear her thoughts on authors' writing styles and plots. Stop by and discover a world just for readers at Bookin’ It Reviews! Talina Perkins is currently working on a shifter paranormal romance series while submitting to Harlequin Nocturne Cravings.

You can email her at talinaperkins@ymail.com any time or keep up with her going-on’s at the following links:
Twitter:@talinaperkins
Bookin' It Reviews
Follow me On Facebook!
Like My Author Fan Page on Facebook
Like My I Love Easy Recipes Facebook Fan Page
Book Swag Designs ~ Bookmarks, RTC, Cover Flats


Bon Appetite!





Monday, November 28, 2011

The State of American Education

As some of you may know, I teach college history.  I always teach an American history class, either to the Civil War or from the Civil War to present.  I've done this since 1999, and I can tell you without equivocation that the students I'm seeing at the major university I teach at are less and less educated each year. 

I gave an exam right before Thanksgiving and the majority of students failed.  What was the subject of this exam?  American history from the 1820s through the Mexican War in 1848.  It contained questions on topics like manifest destiny, the Mexican War, and a map on the roads Americans took when they moved west. The question on manifest destiny should have been a giveaway, but the majority of the students got it wrong. Manifest destiny, for God's sake!  How can a person who has graduated from an American high school not know what manifest destiny is?  WTF?  And the map?  A total debacle.  Thank God for GPS or they'd be perpetually lost.  (Actually, things like GPS are part of the reason why students today are so intellectually backward. They don't have to think. Machines do it for them.)

However, two things stuck out on the exams.  One was that more than a handful of my students wrote messages to me either explaining why they did poorly or wishing me a happy Thanksgiving.  This is juvenile, but it's begun to happen more and more in my college classes.  I can tell you that when I was in college, none of the people I knew would ever have done anything so childlike.  I even had one student draw me a hand-traced turkey and ask if he could have extra credit for this. (Maybe if you were in 1st grade...)

But the other item, the one that made me shake my head and ask WTF? was this answer about the failure of the Mexicans to defeat the Americans in the Mexican War: 

Mexican leader had under estimated the Amexican's they were Full of Dem self's and didn't plan stastic befure going to war.

Forget about the run on sentence for now.  That's an epidemic in this country, and particularly in bloggerland, although the run on that shows up online is usually the comma splice.  No, let's go with the bigger problems.  This person doesn't know underestimated is a single word.  They don't know we're called Americans. They have invented a new word (I have no idea what stastic means here.) They can't spell (before has no u). They have no idea what the job of an apostrophe is (another epidemic that is also found online).  They are infected with the random capitalization disease that many students have. But worst of all is the fact that they think Dem self is the way to say themselves.  That's pathetic. 

Long gone are the days when someone saying they graduated from college meant something.  That ceased to mean a thing over a decade ago.  Now it simply means they paid their money.  The student who wrote that answer won't be passing my class, but I can bet you sound money he will be passing other classes and move right on to graduation.  He did in high school, and they were pleased to give him a diploma.  I'm sad to report my university may just do the same thing.

Education in this country is a tragic mess.  It would have been more useful if this student and many more had skipped high school and gone to work.  At least there would be a chance they would have learned something.

Monday News

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving holiday. I spent the week tiling my bathroom.  Don't authors live exciting lives?  But I did do some other things, such as get together with friends. I also finalized the print versions of both Destiny Redeemed and The Victorian Erotic Romance Trilogy one volume book.  That reminds me. The one volume ebook of The Victorian Erotic Romance Trilogy is almost ready for uploading to the major outlets.  In it, readers will find all three novellas of the Trilogy and the first chapter of Blood Avenged, which is due out on December 14.  This is the cover for the one volume book.

All I have to do is finalize the first chapter of Blood Avenged and it will be all ready to go.

And Blood Avenged is in final edits as I write and will be ready to go for December 14.  It's quite a bit hotter than my other books...well, other than Vampire Dreams. Vasilije and vampires just lend themselves to sexy stories.

Finally, almost all the books in the series that will begin from Blood Avenged have been plotted out. I'm chomping at the bit to get started, so once I'm done with the semester in the first week of December, I'll begin the first book, the currently untitled book about Declan (click on his name for a reminder of what he looks like). Mmmm....I'll begin giving readers a taste of his character and story in early 2012.

And last, but not least, I have winners from the Black Friday Book Bonanza Giveaway. The first prize winner is: TinaBuriedUnderBooks and the second prize winner is:  Kathryn Merkel. The winners will be contacted some time later today.  Thank you to everyone who came by and entered, and look for more giveaways in the near future!

Have a great Monday!




Sunday, November 27, 2011

Author Ruth Casie Interview

Hello, everyone. Let me welcome Ruth Casie to my blog today.  Her new book, Knight of Runes, is getting great reviews, so let's hear what she has to say about her book and her writing.  And don't miss out on the giveaway at the end of the interview. Take it away, Ruth!


1.       Who are you and what do you write?
I’m Ruth A. Casie a seasoned professional with over twenty-five years of writing experience but not necessarily in writing romances. No, I’ve been writing communication and marketing documents for a large corporation. Over the past two years, encouraged by my friends and family, I gave way to my inner muse, let my creative juices flow, and began writing a series of historical time travel romance novels.
2.       What’s your favorite place in the world to visit?
There are several places I truly enjoying visiting. I’ve enjoyed England ever since my first visit. I love the country side, castles, and cities. I’m steeped in history and my characters feel at home.
My favorite state-side place to visit is the Maine coast. I’m invigorated by the power of the ocean, and the rugged rock coast. There’s a bench under a big shade tree right at the water’s edge on Pemaquid Point – I could sit there all day.
3.       Where do you write?
With our children grown and on their own I’ve conveniently taken over one of their rooms and turned it into a library. I’m surrounded by my resource materials and to-be-read piles. It’s a quiet cozy room that’s comfortable and all mine.
4.       How long have you been published or is this your first sale?
Knight of Runes is my first book. I hope the first of many.
5.       How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing for over twenty-five years, but not romance. However, for years I’ve had people and voices racing around in my head. Sometimes, after I’ve read the last page of a book, I find it hard to put the book down. I want more. If there isn’t a sequel, I’d think one up. I don’t know when it began, maybe in high school or was it that creative writing class in college, I started to create characters and stories of my own, all still in my head mind you. The story played out in my ‘down time’ or when I relaxed at the end of the day. I kept my private world a secret from everyone.
Fast forward to 2009, my friend told me she was writing a romance novel. Dare I tell her my secret? Imaginary friends at my age! Would she think I was crazy? Would she think I was like James Thurber’s Walter Mitty with a romantic twist, spinning romantic daydreams?   When I finally got up the nerve to tell her my big secret she burst with excitement. She was a daydreamer too. As I met other writers I found I was not so unique. Many have their muses (ah, so that’s what the voices are) sitting by their shoulder or at their keyboard when they write.
6.       What comes first—characters or the plot?
I start with a basic story idea and then develop my characters. I consider myself a plotzer. I write out their goals, motivations and conflicts. I do a rough outline of the story to make certain I know where key points should go, more of a direction rather than a hard and fast roadmap. Sometimes the side trips I take are really worth it and my characters actually amaze me with how they develop the story. Then there are other times when they tell me there isn’t any way they would say or do what I’ve written. They can be like unruly children. 
7.       Who’s your favorite hero?
I must be a mercurial person. My favorite hero is the one I’m reading about at the time. But they all have something in common. They are all men who must surmount their own fears in order to help/save someone or something that they feel is more important than they are.
8.       Who’s on your auto-buy list for authors?
I have a diversified list: Elizabeth Peters – she writes Egyptian adventure stories centered on Lady Amelia Peabody. Clive Cussler – he writes adventure stories centered on Dirk Pit. Diana Gabaldon – I love Clare and Jamie, besides, it’s a time travel. Jude Deveraux – anything historic. Eliza Knight – she writes historicals too. I also LOVE Tasha Alexander. She write Regency mysteries.
9.       Time travel? What attracted you to writing a story with time travel elements?
The challenges of different attitudes across the centuries intrigued me. What skills would my heroine need? How would she interact with people? Would she be accepted? How would she deal with leadership? What skills would she need to acquire. Arik has his challenges in dealing with a woman who has very different attitudes about her place in his society. How would he deal with her? Working on these issues and bringing them out in a realistic way was both challenging and gratifying. 
10.   Do you write to music? Do you make soundtracks for you stories? If so, what was on the soundtrack for your latest release?
I’m less likely to write with music playing but I do use it to see something through my character’s eyes. I made a playlist of my heroine’s favorite songs. It’s as eclectic as she is and includes Santana, Eric Clapton, Andrea Bocelli, Linkin Park, Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake to name a few.
11.   What’s your biggest dream?
My biggest author dream is to be a best-selling author and keynote speaker at the RWA conference. If I thought romance had a chance at the Pulitzers, I would dream that too!
12.   If you were a millionaire would you still write?
Yes, I love the creative process. For me, writing is painting with words. Being a millionaire would just give me more time to so it.
About Knight of Runes
It’s the 21st century and time travel is still a Wellsian fantasy but not for Rebeka Tyler. While on an impromptu tour of Avebury, she takes a misstep at the standing stones, and finds herself in the same place but tossed back into the 17th century. When Lord Arik, a druid knight, finds Rebeka wandering his lands without protection, he swears to keep her safe. But Rebeka can take care of herself. When Arik sees her clash with a group of attackers using a strange fighting style he is intrigued.

Rebeka is desparate to return to her time. She poses as a scholar sent by the king to help find out what’s killing Arik’s land to get access to the library. But as she decodes the ancient runes that are the key to solving his mystery and sending her home, she finds herself drawn to the charismatic and powerful Arik.

As Arik and Rebeka fall in love, someone in Arik’s household schemes to keep them apart and a dark druid with a grudge prepares his revenge. To defeat him, Arik and Rebeka must combine their skills. Soon Rebeka will have to decide whether to return to the future or trust Arik with the secret of her time travel and her heart.

Win a free copy of Knight of Runes
Win a free copy of Knight of Runes (epub or pdf format) by leaving a comment with your email address on Ruth’s blog at www.RuthACasie.blogspot.com One person will be randomly selected on December 1.

Author Bio
Ruth A. Casie was born in Brooklyn, New York. For twenty-five years she’s been writing for corporate America. Encouraged by her family and friends this ballroom dancing, Sudoku playing, aspiring gourmet cook has given way to her inner muse. She’s let her creative juices flow and started writing a series of historical time travel romance stories. She hopes her stories become your favorite adventures.
To learn more about Ruth and her writing and browse her list of “extras” for readers and writers, visit her at her web site www.RuthACasie.com  You can also follow her on her blog at http://www.RuthACasie.blogspot.com


Friday, November 25, 2011

Black Friday Book Bonanza Giveaway Hop



Welcome to the Black Friday Book Bonanza Giveaway Hop sponsored by the wonderful bloggers at Book Savvy Babe, The Bawdy Book Blog, and Alive On The Shelves! Thanks Heather, Jenn, and Lisa for putting this all together. For those of you readers who've been out in the madness shopping, I hope you found what you were looking for and got a sweet deal on it.

So here's the lowdown on the giveaway here at my blog. First, it's open internationally, so as long as you have an email, you're good to go.  There will be two winners.  First prize will win any two of my books.  The winner will be able to choose whichever two ebooks they'd like.  Second prize will win one of my books, again the winner's choice of the ebook they like best.(For blurbs and excerpts for each book, click on the links in the left sidebar.)



Here's how to enter: The only mandatory entry is you must follow my blog and leave a comment with your email and the total number of any extra entries. For extra entries, you can do the following:

For 1 extra entry, you can follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/#!/gabriellebisset

For 2 extra entries, you can join me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002481284652

For 3 extra entries, you can subscribe to my newsletter (Look for the pink box to the left)

Easy peasy.  Please be a wonderful person and add up the entries in your comment below.  And be sure to leave your email address so I can contact you when you win. :)

Enjoy your weekend and blog hopping!  There are great prizes to be had at all 70+ blogs participating.





Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Author Jennifer Labelle Guest Post

I'm happy to welcome to my blog today author Jennifer Labelle.  She's here to talk about something everyone wishes they had at least once in their life--a second chance. Make sure to read the excerpt from her new book Second Chance Love at the end of the post too!

Second Chances,
Do over’s, we’ve all wished for them, right? The one moment to get a second chance to make whatever it is right, well today I’m going to talk about the “if only’s” we all seek time and again in light of one of my new releases Second Chance Love.

Blurb:
Goody, goody Teegan Hallowell was tired of being teased for following the rules. So, when her brother’s sexy friend shows an interest, she rebels, and learns all about the good kind of bad.

Now ten years later, Teegan returns home to escape a horrible mistake, but wonders if she’s made an even bigger one by returning. There was a reason she left Digby, when her dreams shattered and the man she loved betrayed her. So when she realizes she’s still in love with him, matters become complicated when he reveals her reason for leaving him was all in vain.

Liam Bates has every intention of loving Teegan again, but she’s had it rough and he needs to rebuild her trust.  The spark is still there, and as they explore what once was, their love is tested when Teegan disappears, and Liam will stop at nothing until he finds her again. 

This story came to me from a conversation I had with my sister. Our mother passed away when we were very young and we were reminiscing in memories in this particular conversation.

You see my mother’s main flaw seemed to be her taste in men. From my “Father” the sperm donor to the other man who ended it all for her and it got me thinking about my perfect guy, about the type of guy I wished she or anyone else deserved to have including myself.

It was then Liam was born. I guess you can say he’s one of the many heroes of my imagination. I actually took a lot of my husband’s character traits when he was created so I guess bad taste in men isn’t necessarily a hereditary trait and I lucked out. Anyway, I guess what I’m trying to say is that he was one of my many “if only’s.” The man my father should have been, the man she could have had, the man I’d like to think any woman would want, and now I’m sharing him with all of you.

So I truly hope you enjoy this amazing love story about one woman torn, one man ready to pick up the pieces and prove his love, and a second chance given to make it all right.

Is it possible to find the love of your life when you’re eighteen?

In Second Chance Love, Teegan Hallowell is about to find out.

Now available in both e-book and print, I hope you’ll get your copy today!

I’d like to thank everyone for stopping by to read this post while I guest blog on this site. If you’d like to learn more about me or my work I can be reached through my website: http://www.jenniferlabelle.com , I’m on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Jennifer-Labelle/168414043184292#!/

Excerpt:
Jagged rocks aligned across the coastline. The moist salty air was refreshing, and the tide slowly rose against the Fundy Shore. It was good to be home again. Teegan sat on the fallen tree trunk, and tried to capture the beauty of the scenery with her sketch pad.
She hadn’t been there in years and the beauty of it still captivated her. This secluded patch of beach once belonged to Liam’s family and she wondered if it still did. Seeing Liam again brought so much back to her, that she just needed a place to unwind, and some of her most precious memories belonged right where she was.
Smiling, she turned up her iPod and sang along to the lyrics of Shinedown’s Breaking Inside, relating to the lyrics. Subconsciously, she ended up adding a boy and his father fishing right where she sat into the picture. Liam! Why can’t I seem to let you go? Sighing, she almost fell off the log and into the water. Her heart raced, and adrenaline pumped as she wondered who in the Lord’s name snuck up on her like that.
Large arms wrapped around her, pulling her close as his heat enveloped her senses. He was the one man in the entire world who could make her weak in the knees by just being in close proximity to her. The one man she was trying to avoid. Too afraid of her emotions. Oh Lord, he smells so good. Get it together, Teeg. You don’t even know him anymore.
“Liam?” She sounded breathless and winced turning away. She could not let him see how he affected her, could not risk losing her heart again. It hurt too much.
“Hasn’t anyone ever told you not to sneak up on someone like that? Geez, you just about gave me a heart attack not to mention an unwanted swim.” Placing a hand to her heart she turned to face him again only to have the urge to smother his smile with her lips. He was beautiful, and she missed the taste of him.
“It’s good to see you too.” He chuckled, “And there is no way I would have let you fall in. Hasn’t anyone ever told you that this is private property?”
She could tell by the glint in his eye he was only teasing, and she hated how easily he could make her smile. As if, she was eighteen all over again. “Ya, but you see, I used to know one of the owners of said property very well. I have many fond memories here, and I just had to see if it was as remarkable as I remembered it.”
“Well is it?” His face turned serious as he closed the distance between them.
With his closeness distracting her she whispered, “Is it what?”
Before she knew it his head was lowering and her breathing turned rapid. Be careful what you wish for. She could feel his breath against her and all she could think about was the taste of his lips on hers. Soft, plump, and delectable...

Best wishes,
~Author Jennifer Labelle~
http://www.jenniferlabelle.com







Monday, November 21, 2011

Monday Musings and Destiny Redeemed's Tour Continues

It's Monday again, and since True Blood is on hiatus, there are no hot guys from my television watching to plaster pics of on Mondays. Grrr...they need to get moving on getting the hot men from True Blood back on my tv pronto!

I'm over at the fabulous Talina Perkins' Bookin' It Reviews today on Destiny Redeemed's tour celebrating Thea's birthday.  Since Amon usually gets all the attention because much of the story is about him, I thought today I'd give Thea the chance for center stage, so she's over at Talina's with me doing an interview today. Check it out for some scoop on Thea's past.

And speaking of celebrating, to say thanks to the fabulous readers who love romance, Destiny Redeemed is on sale for just $.99 until November 30!  Readers can get it at this fantastic price at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, All Romance eBooks, and Smashwords.  Don't miss it!

But I do have something yummy for your eyes this Monday, after all. A search online for some visual inspiration for the hero in my next book led me to this delicious creature. You can trust me that every word I write in this new book will be tinged with the thought of this stunning man:


Everybody, this is James, but for me from now on, he's a vampire named Declan. Thanks to Socialite Life for the yummy beginning to the week.

Hope everyone has a great Monday!

Author Sara Trimble Guest Post


Welcome to author Sara Trimble today. She's here to talk about how she keeps the ideas flowing and gives readers an excerpt of her new book, Heart Over Mind.

How to Break Through The Barrier

I interview a lot of authors through my column for Night Owl Reviews magazine. I always ask the same question for each person. How do you deal with writer's block. So far, they've all given the same answer. They never have this problem. So I sit there and scratch my head and wonder, 'Am I such a bad writer that only I suffer through such a brain freeze?' Then there's Facebook. Since I'm particpating in NaNoWriMo, I belong to two groups on there. As I read through the posts, I realize, 'Ha, I'm not crazy. Other people expereince the disease too.' Okay, so now what?

Knowing I'm not alone doesn't really help make me feel better. That doesn't get the words to flowing again so I can get my work done. It really makes me feel bad when I see authors that say they finish a book in one month. I wonder, 'How is that even possible!' Granted, I am still new to the writing world and I've only written five books to date, each of those with the exception of one took at least a year a piece! I shake my head in wonder. I tell myself I will be like those writers. I will do a full novel in just a month. If other people can do it, I know it's possible. I just have to be dedicated.

Well, to me, writing is one of the best things in the world. Besides being a mom, wife, and good friend, being a writer is my favorite thing. Yet, I can't find the time to write everyday as I'd like. There just ins't enough time in the day. I have three children, twenty-four seven. I have a household to maintain, a sixteen month to chase around, two children to drop off and pick up from school, food to make, dishes and clothes to do, animals to care for. Then there's the marketing and promoting I have to do for my self-published novel Heart Over Mind. It's amazing that I find time to sleep, let alone write.

When I am ready to set down and get to work, I find my mind blank. It's so busy trying to come up with a new story to work on, or ways to change stories I've already finished that it doens't want to focus on my current WIP. I bet you're all saying, 'You wait until later, don't you?' If so, then you're wrong. I force myself to write. My Muse rebels against the orders but after a few minutes of writing nonsense, it gives up the reins and allows the words to come free.

If I struggle for longer than ten minutes with getting the story down, I switch to something else, like a blog post or an email. Any sort of writing seems to make the Muse happy and I'm back to my novel in no time. Now, so far, I haven't managed to get a novel down in one month but my fingers are crossed. I doubt I'll win NaNo this year, but anything's possible. So everyone, wish me luck.

Have you ever heard of or experienced writer's block? What tips have you heard or done  to survive with your insanity intact?

Excerpt from Heart Over Mind:
Nala nodded and began to chew on her lip as she scanned the median on both sides. Everything seemed still and quiet, like the world was holding its' breath in anticipation. Tall oak and maple trees bracketed both sides of the road, joining in the middle to form a canopy that blocked out most of the sunlight. The bright green leaves swayed, causing eerie shadows to dance along the pavement. Gabriel steered through the hills and curves, handling the large vehicle with expert ease. At the top of a rather steep hill, Nala noticed something amiss a few hundred feet ahead of them.
“Gabriel, look in the middle of the road.”
He did not need her outstretched finger to direct him. It would be near impossible not to see the nine, abnormally large deer standing directly in their path. Four of the animals had large antlers with spreads of at least six feet. As they drew closer, Gabriel tapped the brakes to keep from skidding. Nothing happened. Gabriel applied more pressure and then cursed when the Tahoe did not respond. He could not swerve off the side of the road. Hitting one of the wide tree trunks would be more dangerous than crashing into the animals.
“Nala, brace yourself. We're going to wreck.”
Sobbing a little, Nala reached out with her right hand and held onto the door handle. Her left hand curled around the armrest attached to her chair. Planting her feet firmly against the floorboard, she pushed her body as far back into the seat as she could get. Then, she clamped her eyes shut and waited. Gabriel gripped the wheel praying that the animals would move. He tried to think of a magickal spell to get them out of this but nothing came to mind. He heard Nala's sob and expected to see her panicking. Instead, she sat in her seat, quiet and braced for impact. He might not like how irresistible she was, but he did admire her courage. Damn it. We’re ten feet away. They have to move.
Just as they were about to careen into the horde, the foul smell of evil magick permeated the closed windows. Gabriel did not have time to analyze why the odor was present. By the Spirits, please let us make it out of this. As the SUV plowed into the animals, they dematerialized into a puff of mist. Gabriel tested the brakes. As his foot pressed the pedal, they began to slow down. Relieved, he held it down until they were at a stop. Then he looked over at Nala, still clenching her chair and door. Reaching out, he gently stroked her hand and pried it from the armrest.
“Nala, it's okay. We're fine.”
Scared to believe him, she cracked one eye open. Sighing, she looked around in confusion. “Where did they go?”
“I don't know. They just turned into smoke. I think it was an illusion. Something to frighten us.”

Sara Trimble is new to the world of publishing, though not to writing. She has one published novel, two in the final revisions and a stack of stories ready to work on. She's also venturing out of her comfort zone of Romance to work on a new suspense novel, she hopes to have done by December 1st. When she isn’t writing, Sara spends her time with her three children, wonderful fiance Justyn, spending time with friends, and just enjoying life. You can find her at her website http://www.sararimble.com, follow her blog at http://saratrimble.wordpress.com, Tweet her at http://www.facebook.com/saradtrimble, or Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/authorsaratrimble. She loves to hear from her readers so send her an email at saratrimble@saratrimble.com. If anyone is participating in NaNo, feel free to buddy her at youngmomx3. Don't forget to check out the new movie trailer for her debut paranormal romance, Heart Over Mind. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws0EXm5tsI8






Thursday, November 17, 2011

Thursday Thoughts: The Start Of A New Series

The Destiny Redeemed book tour continues today at Urban Girl Reader with an excerpt and promo.  Thanks to Sherri for joining the tour!  Her blog is beautiful. :)

Blood Avenged is off to the betas and editor to get it ready for its December 14 release date, and I'd planned to take the month of December off from writing because I've been going nonstop literally since January.  This year has seen Destiny Redeemed, Vampire Dreams, Love's Master, Masquerade, and Blood Avenged completed. Whew! That's 214,000 words from me this year, and that's not counting all those posts, guest posts, and interviews. (Those add up, trust me.) So the idea was to take off December to give myself a little break.

There's only one problem with that...

I've got an idea for a new series that's just dying to get out.  Vasilije's story in Blood Avenged ended differently than I'd planned (quite a surprise for a plotter like me, I assure you), and it's looking like there's a new series there.  I began fleshing it out already, and I've decided on some character names and some traits.  I won't give too much away yet since it's all very early, but yes, the series is paranormal romance and it's beginning with Blood Avenged.  Plans are pretty fluid now, but I'm hoping to get the first and possibly the second books out in 2012.  They'll be novel length, set in the present, and feature powerful sires like Vasilije. 

Look for more coming soon. For now I'm off to wrangle Amon for an interview with Nat from Reading Romances. ;)



Wednesday, November 16, 2011

A Cover Contest, Nil, and Platform 9 3/4

How's everyone doing today?  I'm feeling good, even though I have to go into work early. :(  Destiny Redeemed's book tour continues today at Getting Naught Between The Stacks .  I'm over there talking about Nil (that's where the Platform 9 3/4 figures in--check out the post to see what I mean) and the Aeveren way of life.  Thanks to Nanny for being on the tour!

Also, Destiny Redeemed is a nominee in the November 2011 Book Cover Award over at Alternative-Read.com, so if you feel so inclined, I'd love it if you'd click over there and give it your vote. 

I'm off to get ready for work, but I hope everyone has a great day!  The tour is steady for the next few days, so I'll be here to shout out about it. :)

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Author C.R. Moss Guest Post

‘Tis the Season with C.R. Moss

    
Hi all! I’m happy to be a guest blogger here today and talking about one of my favorite times of year.
     The air has grown crisp and cool, though here in Las Vegas it’s usually still warm enough that I can get away with wearing shorts for a little while longer. Certain trees are covered in glorious color. There are sections in some developments that are just beautiful to drive through. The stars and planets seem brighter in the night sky, while the harvest moon shines in brilliant orange. I remember how growing up in the Northeast there were the smells of apple cider, burning wood and leaves permeating the air, and calls of referees at football games could be heard in the distance. It’s beautiful here in Las Vegas during this time of year, too. The A/C can be turned off, the windows opened, the house aired out. Some people run their fireplaces so there’s still the scent of burning wood that reminds me of youth. And, I especially appreciate October and November’s lower temps because I can cool down from the heat of the summer.
     There’s a sense of magic surrounding this time of year as the nights grow longer. Could it be because we’re nearing the holiday season, and people are getting in a joyous mood, excited about vacations, family gatherings and gifts? Or is it because the veil between the corporeal and spirit worlds really did thin, and the ancient Gods, Goddesses, fae and other mystical, haunting creatures came closer to our realm?
Either way, this paranormal/horror/suspense/thriller & contemporary erotic romance writer loves autumn season – the sights, the smells, the cool after summer’s horrid heat and all the fun horror movies and ghost stories that abound on television and in the theaters. Plus Thanksgiving and the gift giving season is right around the corner. I love Samhain (pronounced "sow-en" & did you know it refers to the daylight portion of the holiday), though. It’s the Wiccan New Year (November 1st), my time for meditation and reflection. It’s a time to wrap up the old and prepare for the new in one’s life. It’s also a time to honor those who have passed. And this WNY has created a lot of changes that brought new energy into my life, reinvigorated projects, and I’m thrilled to remove myself from old, negative stuff that wasn’t serving my higher purpose and move on into a bright future. Keep an eye on my blog and website for the exciting stuff that will be happening!
     Going back to Samhain… Did you also know that Samhain was a precursor to Halloween, and that the traditions and rituals of this particular holiday were actually preserved in the western world by Christianity? As Christianity spread, it adopted the pagan folkways, rather than stamping them out, since it was a great way to convert the pagans to the new religion. The church moved All Saint’s Day (Hallows Day) from May 13 (Lemuria – a Roman holiday where celebrants placated the dead) to November 1 to take the focus off of Samhain. The church also made November 2 All Souls Day. So the night before All Hallows Day became known as All Hallows Evening and was eventually shortened to Halloween. Another aspect to the holiday and dark time of year… Death seems to make this holiday tick along with the belief in things that go bump in the night, witches, demons and the like. People used to be scared of the dark, the unknown, of things they didn’t understand. In this day and age, we’ve beat back the night with lights and now understand the human condition & our world and universe with science. Yet, people still like to be scared. Why? Because we like the chemical response our bodies go through and how it makes us feel. For a brief moment in time, we respond like our like ancestors did when they had to hunt for their own food and defend their lives. It boils down to the fight or flight response. We have to create ways now to feel that charge of adrenaline in response to such a stimulant. So we watch scary movies, go out and take risks…read thrillers. The last which is good for me since I like to read a scary story now and then, and I especially like to write them, too! And, more will be coming from me on the horror/suspense/thriller front so stay tuned!


Happy Reading!
C.R. Moss / Casey Moss

Follow C.R.:
Website: www.crmoss.net / www.caseymossbooks.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/crmoss
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/crmoss
Blog: http://crmoss.blogspot.com/
Come see me and other fabulous authors ~ 2 June 2012 - Arizona's 2nd Annual Romance Reader Event! http://arizonadreamin.wordpress.com/



Monday, November 14, 2011

Author Suzanne Rock Guest Post

The Top Five Reasons Why You Should Buy Unholy Pursuits

Thank you so much Gabrielle for having me here today and giving me an opportunity to talk about my latest release, Unholy Pursuits. This is a story near and dear to my heart, and it was hard to end the story. So hard, that I’m now working on the sequel. J
I think that you’ll love this book, too. Here’s why. ;)

1) Aren't you curious to learn what an Iatros is?
For this book I created an entirely new type of paranormal creature. Want to know what special abilities it has or what it looks like? Then you'll have to read the book to find out. (I'm bad, aren't I? ;) )

2) Tortured alpha males
In Unholy Pursuits, a team of FBI agents go into hell to retrieve a relic that is believed to save humanity from the demons who want to destroy it. What they don't know is that it is a trap, and the dark magic that is released on them leaves them changed forever. Sound familiar? It should. These tortured alphas are similar to the heroes in Gena Showalter's Lord's of the Underworld series. My books are based on teh pandora's box mythology, however. I've created a new type of mythology, one that requires my characters to have a lot of sex. ;)

3) We all like a good capture/bondage fantasy.
In my story, my tortured alpha, Darien, captures Arianne and ties her up in order to extract information.The darkness inside of him has other plans, however, and soon his interrogation take on a more lusty turn.

4) The start of a whole new epic adventure
Unholy Pursuits is the first book in a planned paranormal series. A whole team of FBI agents went down into hell. They went through a lot down there and I hope to give each of them their own happy ending. :)

5) Did I mention the hot sex?
Unholy Pursuits not only has unique and intricate world building, but it also has scorching sex scenes. To read one, go here (http://suzannerock.com/?page_id=863). This is an erotic ROMANCE however, which means that there is a lot of passion and romance mixed in. Tension, emotion and heat with heart. Who could ask for anything more? ;)


So there you have it, my reasons why I think you’ll love Unholy Pursuits. Still not convinced? Well, here’s a short excerpt to whet your appetite. ;) In the comments, I’d love to hear about YOUR favorite book, and your reasons why it’s on your keeper shelf.

Enjoy! J

***

Unholy Pursuits








Blurb:

Darien let his guard down once, and Arianne stole the demon stone from under his nose. Now he has to get it back, no matter what the cost. It doesn’t matter that the feisty redhead calms the voices in his head, or that her body tempts him beyond reason. Only the stone will ensure his survival. He decides to appeal to her feminine side and use gentle seduction to get it back. As he begins, something inside him changes, and the voices in his head compel him to use pain to heighten desire.


As Darien’s touch turns dark, Arianne’s lust escalates, and a connection forms between them. Yet despite her need, she can’t let the sexy FBI agent have what he wants. If placed in the wrong hands, the stone would release an unholy force intent on destroying everything she loves—including him.

Excerpt:



“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of everything.” Arianne ran her fingers over Darien’s chest. “Don’t think or over-analyze, just feel.” She bent down over his body. Her warm breath fanned out over his skin and her clean, floral scent filled his nose. He relaxed his muscles as her tongue and lips danced over his skin. She started at his collarbone and worked her way down, setting his chest on fire wherever she touched.


Then she flicked her tongue over his nipple. Darien sucked in his breath as pleasure tingled over his body and numbed his mind. Ari, his sweet Ari. There was no one like her. She could be both strong and gentle, both kind and hard. Her tongue felt like the finest silk against his skin. Nothing ever felt better.


She did it again, this time drawing lazy circles around his nipple before giving the tip a final flick. Pleasure rose up from a deep, dark place inside of him, threatening to burst out from his core.


He arched his back, pressing his hard, swollen cock closer to her wet heat. He could hear her breathing quicken, smell the scent of her arousal. Desire surged through his veins. He wanted to bury himself inside of her, to feel her muscles contract around his shaft. He moistened his lips and rolled his hips, moving himself up, back and forth through her slick folds.


“Mount me,” he ordered. “I want to feel inside of you.”


“Not yet.”


“Why?”


“Because I’m not done with you yet.”


“Are you sure?” He hooked his feet into the mattress and arched his hips up off the bed, taking her with him. Fuck, she felt so wet and hot. He needed to feel more, to have her inner walls grip his shaft as she shivered with ecstasy. He wanted to bury himself deep inside her and blank his mind in pleasure. If only he could remove those damn handcuffs.


Arianne groaned and slid her tongue once more over his sensitive nipple. He gasped and fell back onto the bed, his mission forgotten in a haze of pleasure. She then took his taut tip in her mouth, rolling the hard nub between her lips. The pressure felt fantastic and tingles of pleasure sparked out over his skin.


He groaned and wiggled beneath her, eager for more. She continued to lave and tease, creating a swirl of sensations running through his body. First she’d move in circles, coming close but never quite reaching his tip. Around and around she’d go, creating a madness inside him.


“Please.” He arched his back, pressing his sensitive nipple toward her mouth. She nipped it, creating a flash of pain that made his inner darkness hum with approval. He moistened his lips as his body heated and the air became charged with sexual energy.


She moved to the other nipple and continued the same, sweet torture. The circles were maddening. He both loved and hated the attention. He moved his hips beneath her as she worked, and was satisfied when she had to stop and groan her pleasure. She slid her wet pussy over his shaft, creating an urgency deep inside his core. He tightened his muscles and focused his mind on one single thought.


Mine.


He had to take her, had to consume her. Darien wanted to drag her body down next to his and join them in a fast and furious coupling. Yet she continued to circle his nipple with slow, steady movements, making him dizzy with anticipation. With each rotation she inched closer and closer and yet refused to place her tongue where he needed it.


The blindfold had slipped and he could peek out around the edges. Darien raised his head from the mattress and watched her. He could only see the top of her head and he watched it move from side to side as she first nipped, then licked his chest.


“Please,” he said again, his voice a mere whimper of emotion.


She chuckled and bit his sensitive tip, sending a blast of pain through his body. He bucked beneath her as his mind numbed and focused on the pain. His inner darkness sighed with satisfaction.


Then she moved back to his other nipple.


He closed his eyes and groaned, focusing on the sensations she was creating inside of him rather than his eyesight. Her hair felt so soft and smooth against his skin. He wanted to touch it, to let the strands flow through his fingers. He contented himself on the sliding of those silken strands over his chest, the feel of her tongue against her nipple. She was so focused on his pleasure, his comfort. The knowledge increased his desire and made him hot all over.


Mine. The voice in Darien’s head was captivated by her. It wanted to give her pain and pleasure, it wanted her to give those things to him. Only in her presence could Darien managed to keep the voice under control. There was significance in that, but at the moment, all rational thought seemed to be slipping from his mind.


He continued moving his hips back and forth until his shaft slipped deeper in between her folds. He groaned as her heat surrounded him and her wetness spread over his cock. He moistened his lips as she continued to tease and stroke his nipple. This woman was going to cause him to come apart at the seams.


Around and around her tongue moved in teasing motions, with each flick, each rotation, his inner darkness growled and his desire rose. In all of the times he had sex, he was the aggressor, but with Arianne… He loved the fact that she liked to switch roles, be both dominant and submissive, depending on the situation and need. Life with someone like her would never be dull, that was for sure.


With the blindfold on, his sensations heightened and the feel of her hot, wet tongue on him was magnified ten-fold. Every nerve ending tingled and a deep, dark need rumbled in his core. She felt good, so damn good, but he needed more. He wanted to give her pleasure, wanted to make her lose herself in pleasure.


His mind drifted back to the tree and how he had buried himself deep inside her core. She had been so tight, so wet. Never before had he felt anything so wonderful. It was as if he was finally arriving home after a long journey.


The next time she raked her teeth over his sensitive tip, she bit harder than before. Pain stabbed his chest, and the darkness within him purred with pleasure.


“Mother Earth—that feels incredible,” he said after he recovered.


“Good, because there’s more where that came from.” She did it again to the other side. She circled his nipple, the sweet torture making him come apart. Then pain lanced through his body and beat his deamhan into submission. He cried out with both pain and surprise, as she had bit harder than before. His inner darkness sighed with happiness, allowing him to relax deeper and to focus fully on her.


Then she ran her velvet tongue over the bite, soothing away his pain and increasing his need. Soon his mind blanked to everything but how her delectable mouth teased and her hot, wet pussy slid along his shaft. He groaned as his body bathed in the sensations she created, how good she made him feel.


If only it could be like this forever.


His heart beat quickened, thudding in his ears and causing his cock to jerk beneath her. He wanted to touch her, to hold her head to his skin. He pulled against his bindings, but they didn’t budge.


“I want to touch you,” he said.


“Soon.”


“Now.”


“Soon.” She bit him again, hard. Pain shot through his body as she sat down on his lap and pressed all of that sweet, wet heat against his shaft.


His deamhan roared in frustration. It stomped and paced through his mind and body, demanding release. Mine, take her.


Then he felt something cold, hard and metallic pinch his nipple.


What the—he cried out as pain blasted through his body. His deamhan roared with him, the noise almost deafening in his head. Then it fell silent.


When the pain finally passed, he found himself panting like an animal. His quick intake of breath echoed off the walls and filled the room.


“What was that?”


“Something I had in my bedroom.”


“In your bedroom? You use this?”


“Sometimes.” She flicked the metal object, sending a ripple of pain through his torso. “When I’m lonely.”


Fuck, she used this? The beautiful woman must love pain as much as he did. What did she do after she clamped her nipples? Did she flick the metal or did she play with her clit? Perhaps she’d be impatient and slide her fingers into her core.


Yes, that’s what she’d do. The thought of her alone in her room, clamping her nipple and sliding those long, delicate fingers into her pussy, was almost too much to bear.


Fuck.


“The queen assigned me to look after you and sometimes, after a long day of watching you from afar, I needed to find some release, to relax.” She ran her soft fingers down the middle of his chest. “I thought you might enjoy them as much as I did.”


“I do.” His throat felt dry and rough. When Ari pleasured herself, did she use one finger or two? Perhaps she’d use three or four. An image flashed through his mind of Ari sprawled out on her back, clamps on her nipples and fingers in her pussy as she strained for release, a release she couldn’t find on her own, a release only he could give her.


She flicked the metal once more, causing him to hiss. “Is the pain too much?” she asked.


“No, it’s perfect.” More than perfect. The pain appeased his deamhan, cleared his head and made him able to feel more like himself. Now that the initial shock had worn off, he felt better than he had in months, since before he entered the portal into hell.


“What are you planning to do to me?” he asked. God, he needed her, needed her bad.


“You’ll see.” She leaned over his body and ran her velvet tongue over his other nipple.


Again? He gasped and pressed his head back onto the pillow, the movement causing the clamp on his nipple to move and a burst of pain to slice through his body. The deamhan purred with delight as a mixture of pleasure and agony rolled through him. Sweat beaded on his brow, and dampened the blindfold. Sweet Mother Earth, he wasn’t sure if he was going to survive this.

***
Bio:

After over a decade in the scientific world, Suzanne needed a creative outlet. She tried scrap booking, cooking, crocheting, painting, and piano, none of which held her interest for very long. Then one of her friends suggested writing. Thrilled with the idea of creating her own worlds, she opened up her lap top and never looked back.

When Suzanne’s not writing, she can be found playing with her two daughters, testing her husband’s latest kitchen creations, or curled up with her favorite romance novel in her central Massachusetts home.

Suzanne RockWebsite: www.SuzanneRock.com


Saturday, November 12, 2011

Super Saturday

Happy weekend everyone!  I love the weekend, especially when I'm about to finish typing a book.  Big smile for that one.  So much has been going on that I haven't posted much, but I'm back today for a bit.  It's been a busy week of trying to get Blood Avenged complete and to my editor and betas.  I'm thinking early this week....yay!

In other news, Destiny Redeemed received two really terrific reviews this week, one from The Romance Reviews, where it received a 4 out of 5 stars, and another from Riverina Romantics, where it received 4.5 out of 5 hearts.  Each review gushed about the world building, characters, and plot, in addition to the steamy romance, of course. :)  I've been over at Riverina Romantics all this week with their Having Fun With Gabrielle Bisset event, so check out some of the other days too while you're there (the Wednesday Hump Day Hottie was my choice and I went with Alcide. Megan did a great job of finding the most delicious pictures...okay, now I'm drooling. Just go check it out.). 

Finally, the Destiny Redeemed tour continues today at the Ramblings From This Chick blog. I'm there today talking about reincarnation in paranormal romance and for a little change, the excerpt is all about the heroine, Thea.  Check it out! And don't forget the giveaway going on all month with the tour. I'm giving away seven copies of the book, so enter to win!

It's back to the typing for me today, but I'll be back next week with more tour dates and hopefully the news that Blood Avenged is complete and off to all those great people who do such a great job for my books. And I'm mulling over an idea for Thanksgiving to say "Thanks!" to all the great readers out there. Keep an eye out for that beginning November 21.

Have a great one!