Author Carrie Ann Ryan Guest Post

Carrie Ann Ryan is here today with her characters from her new book Dust of My Wings. Welcome everyone!

Hi y’all! I’m Carrie Ann Ryan and I’m super excited to be here today with my characters, Lily and Shade. They’re from my latest release, Dust of My Wings. This is a new book in a new series for me!! Yep, I’m writing about angels this time. *grins* Let’s get started!

Carrie Ann: *sits in a plush arm chair across from the duo currently snuggling in the love seat* Hey, guys. I’m soo happy to see you again.

Shade: *lifts his head from Lily’s neck* It's good to see you again, Carrie Ann.

Lily: *blushes* Oh yes, thank you so much for having us here today.

Carrie Ann: Okay then, let's get started. Lily, what did you do when you found out the supernaturals were real?

Lily: Dear Lord, I was a crazy lunatic. Don’t you remember, Shade?

Shade: Grins, oh yeah, I remember, you were naked at the time.

Lily: *hits Shade in the shoulder* Really? You’re going to bring that up now?

Carrie Ann: I think I might've freaked out as well. No wait, I think I did freak out.

Lily: See? I'm not the only one.

Shade: Yeah, but I think the naked part helped.

Carrie Ann: And that's enough of that. I love how you guys interact with each other, was it always this easy?

Lily: Oh God no. When I first met him I don't think my tongue could work.

Shade: It works well now.

Lily: *turns a deep red and punches Shade in the shoulder* Really? I can't believe he just said that.

Shade: Apparently my mind is only on one thing.

Carrie Ann: I'm sure the ladies love that.

Lily: Hey! There better not be any other ladies loving that, he's mine.

Carrie Ann: I should've said Lily loves that. Sorry. *rolls her eyes*

Shade: But anyway, back to your question, it was a bit different when we met. I had to be secretive because she held my dust and that was something I needed to protect my brethren. But over time I think we got passed insecurities on both our parts.

Carrie Ann: I'm glad you did. Okay what can you tell us about the future.

Lily: Oh, I think you know more about that than we do.

Carrie Ann: *winks* very well, but why don’t you tell me what you two are planning on doing. I can figure out the others on my own.

Shade: Right now were taking it one day at a time, and getting to know each other even more.

Lily: *leans into his side* And I'm enjoying every bit of it.

Carrie Ann: Okay, now for the fun questions. Boxers or briefs?

Shade: None.

Lily: *blushes* I can attest to that.

Carrie Ann: *blushes right alongside Lily and clears her throat* What’s your favorite type of ice cream?

Shade: Strawberry, because it reminds me the taste of Lily skin.

Carrie Ann: Is it getting hot in here?

Lily: Chocolate is mine, because the decadent taste reminds me of Shade.

Carrie Ann: *shifts on her seat as the other two stare at each other* Okay, I may have to call this interview over because you two are obviously not paying attention to me.

*silence*

Carrie Ann: On that note, I'm going to let the angel and his love swoon over each other while I answer some questions. And, if I can get their attention, I'm sure you can ask him some questions as well. Thank you so much for coming today.

***Giveaway Info***

Carrie Ann is giving away a Dust of My Wings swag pack to someone who comments. Be sure to leave your email address to enter.

 

Carrie Ann Ryan is a bestselling paranormal and contemporary romance author. After spending too much time behind a lab bench, she decided to dive into the romance world and find her werewolf mate - even if its just in her books. Happy endings are always near - even if you have to get over the challenges of falling in love first.

Her first book, An Alpha's Path, is the first in her Redwood Pack series. She's also an avid reader and lover of romance and fiction novels. She loves meeting new authors and new worlds. Any recommendations you have are appreciated. Carrie Ann lives in New England with her husband and two kittens.

Carrie Ann loves hearing from readers. You can find her at:

Website | Blog | Heartthrob Haven | Facebook Author Page | Facebook Friend | Goodreads |

Twitter: @CarrieAnnRyan | Tumblr

An Alpha’s Path Amazon  Barnes & Noble ARe A Taste for a Mate Amazon Barnes & Noble ARe Trinity Bound Amazon Barnes&Noble ARe A Night Away Amazon Barnes&Noble ARe

Dust of My Wings Blurb

            Humans aren’t as alone as they choose to believe. Every human possesses a trait of supernatural that lays dormant within their genetic make-up. Centuries of diluting and breeding have allowed humans to think they are alone and untouched by magic. But what happens when something changes?

Neat freak lab tech, Lily Banner lives her life as any ordinary human. She’s dedicated to her work and loves to hang out with her friends at Dante’s Circle, their local bar. When she discovers a strange blue dust at work she meets a handsome stranger holding secrets – and maybe her heart. But after a close call with a thunderstorm, she may not be as ordinary as she thinks.

Shade Griffin is a warrior angel sent to Earth to protect the supernaturals’ secrets. One problem, he can’t stop leaving dust in odd places around town. Now he has to find every ounce of his dust and keep the presence of the supernatural a secret. But after a close encounter with a sexy lab tech and a lightning quick connection, his millennia old loyalties may shift and he could lose more than just his wings in the chaos.

Dust of My Wings Excerpt

“Hi.” Shade smiled and tilted his head.

“Hi,” she breathed.

“You look beautiful, Lily.” He tucked a stray hair behind her ear and she shivered.

“You do too.” She blushed again. Soon she’d be Crayola red. “I mean you look handsome.”

He traced her jaw with a calloused finger. “Thank you. Are you ready to go?”

She swallowed hard. “Uh huh.”

Okay, she really had to remember the English language. This was getting embarrassing.

“Okay then.” He trailed his hand down her arm and wrapped his palm around hers. His warm skin felt like heaven against hers.

She shook her head, clearing her thoughts. How was she supposed to get through a whole date if she couldn’t even formulate thoughts to get out of the door?

With a nod, she gripped his hand tighter and closed the door behind her. He led her to his bike and she smiled.

“I love it, Shade.”

He gave a huge grin. “Thanks. This is my baby. No matter where I am, I try and take her with me.” He rubbed the leather seat and an irrational urge to knock the bike down went through her.

She would not be jealous of a motorcycle. Would not.Dust of My Wings Amazon | Barnes&Noble | ARe

Working Weekend #amwriting #amediting

Monday again, eh? I guess it's best we take the advice of a fortune cookie I once got:  Any day above ground is a good one. (That's better than the one my son got one time: Oops. Wrong cookie.)

I spent my weekend working on Ramiel's story (Blood Prophecy) and a blurb for the series. If any of you are aspiring authors, let me give you this advice: blurbs can be a huge drag. I don't usually have a terrible time with them for individual books, but for an entire series, it took an entire day of adding, deleting, walking away, and repeating all those steps over and over before I got one I liked for the Sons series. In the end, this is the blurb I stuck with:

Fulfillment of an ancient prophecy leads to vampire civil war. As the eight Sons of Navarus battle to save their world, each Son will find the one thing worth dying for: love. Follow the Sons of Navarus series and fall in love with these sexy Alpha heroes, their strong heroines, and an epic story of passion, treachery, and survival.

Thanks to Dawn, Julie, and Gayle from my street team and my editor for giving me some great direction.

As for Ramiel, I posted on FB that I was loving the way this story was going and I am. As a committed plotter, I know what's set to happen, but the tone and word choice aren't planned and far more organic. Ramiel has so much anger, which makes the tone so markedly different from Terek's and even Saint's.  As I write his story, I'm in a very different mindset than I was from Terek's.

My editor has been sending short messages about Terek's book all weekend. One of the things she noticed is how different the tone is from Saint's. You see, Saint fought against everyone (Vasilije, Solenne, the past...) and the tone of his book reflects that. But Terek is a very different kind of hero from Saint and even Vasilije, so his book has an entirely different feel to it. He doesn't fight. Well, that's not exactly true. He doesn't fight often. Terek is far more quietly confident than Saint or Vasilije. It comes from being a vampire longer, but it's also his natural personality. He's strong but quiet, so while he's not the loudest or brashest of the Sons, when he's in a scene, he's a very strong presence. I didn't characterize him with huge actions, but instead the key to understanding his character is through things such as a touch or the way he words his answers.

It's very important to me that each Son has a unique style and tone, so hearing from my editor that I've succeeded with Terek's book put a huge smile on my face. I don't think I've ever worked as hard with a character as I did with him.

And one of her notes couldn't have been truer: Each word seems important, as if the reader would miss something if they skimmed.

I'm very rarely accused of going on too long. LOL  I don't tend to repeat things a lot, and I appreciate the economy of words. I choose them very carefully in each story (that's the tone thing again), so I force each word to work hard. She jokes that when she begins the edit of my books, she undoubtedly finds it difficult to cut but always finds more where she thinks I should add.

Hope your weekend was a good one and here's to a wonderful week!

Author Jennifer James Guest Post

Nerd Lovin’ and Valentine’s Day
I don’t usually write contemporary romance. Vampires, werewolves, demons, hybrid creatures, heck, I love to see an entirely new creature pop up. Things that go *bump-groan-sigh-suck* in the night are my thing.

*Cough*SonsofNavarus*Cough*

So, how did I end up writing a novella about Valentine’s Day? First off, it was mostly happenstance. I saw some submission calls and realized that I’d really like to write a book with geeks in it. But not ucky socially awkward geeks with no personal hygiene. Not the types of guys you’d see in an old movie from the 80’s like Revenge of the Nerds.

No, MY geeks would be sexy. Hot, yummy, witty, and smart. Yes, they’d like to play video games and spout movie lines (like a certain author ;) ) but they wouldn’t be an introverted weirdo hiding in the basement and stuttering every time an attractive person tried to talk to them.

Well, at least Tom, the hero in LOVE KINECTION doesn’t spazz when he converses with Abby, the heroine. She freaks around him, but it has more to do with a broken heart and loss of self-confidence than anything else.

As I re-read LOVE KINECTION without the pressure of a deadline or edits to work on, I realize that I sort of created a new creature. Oxford Dictionary defines paranormal as “denoting events or phenomena such as telekinesis or clairvoyance that are beyond the scope of normal scientific understanding.” It defines geek as “an unfashionable or socially inept person” when being used as a noun.

Tom and Abby are attractive, fun, smart, and have a slew of friends. They are well beyond the boundaries of a traditional geek, even though they will both admit to and tease each other about their own levels of nerddom.

So, are sexy geeks paranormal? What do you think?

I’m going to give away a copy of the e-book to one lucky commenter, so give me your best (nerdy) answer!

Available JULY 31, 2012

Love, romance, hearts, flowers, cupid…. Rubbish.

Abby Fine still hasn’t gotten over the pain of a year-old betrayal and plans to spend this Valentine’s Day drowning her sorrows with a ménage of men named Ben, Jerry, and Riesling.

Her plans are diverted when she drops and breaks her new iPhone and gives in to a momentary hormone surge, agreeing to let office hottie and tech god Tom Walker squirm his way into her condo to fix it.

Tom shows up with his Xbox, spicy Chinese food, and a habit of stealing kisses every time she lets her guard down.

Can a weekend of laughter, video games, and movies change Abby’s opinion of stupid Cupid?

EXCERPT:

His hands crossed the gap between our bodies and rested on my hips.  Backing away would be the smart thing to do. But hope filled my belly he’d kiss me again. The stupid part of my brain had taken control again, and I didn’t fight it. I wanted a real kiss. “So if you are in fact the geekier geek, what do I get as a forfeit?” he asked.

The shadow of stubble covered his chin and his upper lip, ran up to the short sideburns he wore. His ears begged to be nibbled on. What would that stubble feel like brushed against my skin? Dangerous thoughts, especially since my hands had somehow ended up on his waist and my fingers clenched his shirt. I looked at his arms, still surprised by the size of muscles when they flexed. If the biceps were any indicator of the body hidden under the cloth, it broke the mold of a stereotypical geek’s.

“Forfeit?”

“Yeah. You know, like a prize.”

“I think you already got a forfeit. You got to see me naked.” And all I’ve gotten is a few stolen kisses.

“That was an accident.” He grew hard against my belly. It pleased me to wonder what direction his thoughts had gone. I wondered if ice cream intoxication existed. “How about sex in my truck?”

“No. Car sex isn’t really comfortable. And who said anything about sex?”

“A man can hope. Besides, I know you’ve thought about it.”

“Have not.”

“Have, too.”

“Shut up and kiss me.”

He shook his head. “I promised to behave. You kiss me.”

ABOUT JENNIFER JAMES

For a girl whose first book was called “The Scariest Forest Ever”, the jump to romance may seem to be a far one. But a love of happy endings and the stories she kept making up in her head for strangers on the street lead to an unhealthy amount of time spent behind the keyboard typing away and giggling mischievously over sassy heroines, sexy heroes, and healthy sprinklings of geek humor.

With time split between a day job staring at teeth, two little girls, college courses, workaholic husband, and too many voices in her head, Jennifer still finds time to sneak off and devour all the books she can find – even if it means hiding in the closet to read them.

She insists on her jokes being dirty, drinks spiked, and tattoos placed in intriguing, muscular places you can only find when the clothes come off.

LINKS:

Website: http://www.authorjenniferjames.com/

FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jennifer-James/212335188856799?ref=hl

GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/644267.Jennifer_James

Twitter: @JenniferJames34

Blogs I contribute to: Paranormalists http://paranormalists.blogspot.com/

Love Scenes and Wet Dreams: http://lovescenesandwetdreams.wordpress.com/

A Hero's Blog H0p #paranormalromance #erotic

Welcome to A Hero's Blog Hop, the giveaway hop that celebrates the hot men in romance. As a romance author, I have to say that one of the most enjoyable parts of writing in this genre is the hero I get to fall in love with in each book I write. And yes, I do fall in love with them. It's hard not to!

I'm in the middle of my Sons of Navarus series, with the third book, Blood Spirit, scheduled for release on September 17.  Terek will join Vasilije and Saint as another sexy hero in the series, so I figured I'd have the three of them show up today to celebrate the hero blog hop.

Gabrielle:  Hi guys! Thanks for sitting down with me tonight. Since this is an informal thing, I'm only gong to ask one question and each of you can answer it. That way the readers can get a sense of who you are and then get to the giveaway. Okay, here goes. What's one thing readers should know about you before they read your story.

Vasilije:  If you're looking for the knight in shining armor, you've got the wrong man. Gabrielle may call me the hero, but I do what has to be done, and if that means I'm good at that moment, then so be it. But if it means I have to be bad, then bad I am. I live life like it's there for the taking. 

Saint:  The one thing readers should know about me is that I'm living proof that the past is never truly forgotten. But that's not always a bad thing.

Terek:  I've been a monk in my human life, a sire of thousands as a vampire, and a warrior for my kind. Whatever I do, I do it with all my heart and soul.

Now on to the giveaway. It's open internationally, so an email gets you in. I'm giving away an ebook copy of my newest book, Vampire Dreams Revamped, which is a prequel to the Sons of Navarus series you see above, along with Sons of Navarus swag.  So how do you enter?

Easy. Leave an comment with your email below and do as many of the entries in the Rafflecopter thing. The more you do, the greater your chances of winning. One winner will be chosen on August 1 and contacted by email.


In addition, there are THREE grand prizes. Readers can go to EACH blog and comment with their email address and be entered to win.

Now what are those prizes?

1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet

2nd Grand Prize: A $50 Amazon or B&N Gift Card

3rd Grand Prize: The following Swag Pack!

Have a great time, and be sure to hop around to all the other bloggers and authors participating. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: Finding Esta by Shah Wharton

Today I have Shah Wharton at the blog with her cover reveal for her first book, Finding Esta. But don't stop at the cover because her blurb is right below!

An unusual young woman and fledgling journalist, Luna has various restrictive and annoying oddities, all of which have prevented any kind of physical intimacy during her 23 years. In her dreams a dark stranger visits her, and in lieu of the real thing, their intimacy excites her. During those moments, nestled within his presence, she senses an urgent message is the reason for his visits to her subconscious. A message she cannot interpret, regardless of his persistent efforts.

Her abusive parents remain blissfully unaware of Luna’s Shadow’s, but are all too aware of other issues with touch and sunlight, reveling in her isolated misery and physical pain. Still, Luna hopes to one day make them proud, hoping this will take her closer to being worthy of their elusive love. Something she craves almost as much as the painless touch of a lover.

When Luna learns of a tragic story involving the kidnap of baby Esta, she jumps at the chance to investigate. She hopes finding Esta and closing this cold case will finally earn her parents’ admiration and love.

Of course, it doesn’t quite go to plan. The loitering stranger from her dreams now stalks her during daylight. How can this be? And will he ever be more than a figure in the shadows, always just out of reach?

Her investigation leads Luna to St Ives, Cornwall: a vibrant seaside town hiding copycat aliens and an underworld of Supernaturals. Here, she comes face-to-face with her own, terrifying identity. Confronted with life-changing decisions and the harshest of truths, Luna confronts insanity with logic, only to fight against both. Will Luna ever find the path to all that she desires?

More significantly, is she trapped in a new found supernatural world or within her own delusions? And will anyone care enough to save her?

Bio:

Shah began meeting authors and book-worms galore when she started blogging less than three years ago. She’s learned a lot on her adventure, mostly from the awesome advice of her online peer-group.

Soon, she began using her imagination to write short stories as well as the poetry she’d always written. Soon after, one short story grew into Finding Esta, the beginning of Luna’s journey to self discovery.

Her passions include blogging, writing, reading, movies, photography and picture enhancement, music, theatre, travel, and fine dining. Her qualifications include BSc(Hons) psychology, counselling, mentoring.

She has one short story published & two poems published in anthologies, and plans to publish her first novel: Finding Esta – Book 1 of the Supes Series, in October 2012. The second in the Supes Series, she wrote during her first NaNoWrimo 2011 and will be published 2013.

Her favourite genres include anything dark with fangs and/or that will make her squirm or jump or scream out an expletive.  She is an avid Kindle abuser and adores the indie writing community and being part of the e-publishing revolution.

Author Site: http://shahwharton.com/

Email: contact form.

Face Book Page - https://www.facebook.com/findingesta/app_106171216118819

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/shahw1

Google + https://plus.google.com/u/0/105777291855668712953

Finding Esta page: http://shahwharton.com/my-writing/the-supes-series

Sign up for Shah's newsletter:

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#WIP Wednesday #amwriting #amediting

I had a feeling today that these WIP Wednesdays come too fast.  My summer is quickly racing away from me. :( 

On the writing front, I've begun Blood Prophecy. Ramiel's story is set in Italy, and the plan now is to have him and Thane in various parts of that beautiful country, including Sicily and Rome. Since they must travel together to find what they need to decipher the prophecy, readers will get a healthy dose of Thane too. 

Thane and Ramiel have been a part of the series since Blood Avenged, and readers will get a great deal more of them in the third book, Blood Spirit. They're quite different from one another, but there's no acrimony between them. (Though they do have that underwear out of the pants thing in common...LOL)

Ramiel

Thane

Yet...

Conflict is where the story's found, so it could happen.

The villain who was introduced in Blood Betrayed is back too.  Because Blood Spirit isn't out yet, readers don't know how important he's become to the series, but Marc Verrater is front and center in both the third book and this fourth book.

I keep saying this book will be a turning point in the series, and someone asked how that would be. Well, this book marks the half-way point of the series. Also, this is the first time the Sons charged with figuring out the prophecy have left Vasilije's monastery. They've heard about the war with the Archons but only secondhand. Now they get to confront them. In addition, Ramiel is the most violent of the Sons, so that's sure to create conflict as they meet the other characters who will play a role in their quest.

I'm being intentionally mum on the heroine for Blood Prophecy, though. You'll have to wait a while to hear about her. I will say this: she's unlike any female character I've ever written.

As for book #3, Blood Spirit is in the middle of edits and I expect to have the first round back to me within a week. Then it's fine tuning and tweaking before the big day on September 17.  I'm very excited about the release of Blood Spirit. I enjoyed writing Terek's story so much, and I think readers will find him just as great as Vasilije and Saint.

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everybody!

The Writing Begins In Earnest #amwriting

I was battling some kind of crazy sickness at the end of last week, so I didn't do Paranormal Romance Friday. Now I'm back and ready to go. :) I had planned on beginning Blood Prophecy at least a week ago, but I wasn't there, even before the two lost days from whatever that was. I have it plotted out, but that feeling I have when I'm ready to begin a book just wasn't there.

Well, it's there now. I woke up this morning from a very vivid dream about Ramiel and that's my sign that it's time. Anyone who knows me would tell you that I'm more logic than anything else, but in my writing, I wait for the sign.  It could be called the Muse, I guess. I call it that sometimes, but unlike other authors, it isn't a he or she. It's just a feeling that I should be writing.

Ramiel's book will be a turning point in the series, so that might have been the reason my brain was spending more time than I'd planned mulling it over. Also, each Son is different, so each book is different. Vasilije is pure sensuality and hedonism. Saint is darkness and brooding. Terek is mystical and seductive yet strong. Since I'm still so close to Terek and Blood Spirit, that might have made getting into Ramiel mode a bit of a challenge. For as much as Terek is a warrior, he was made that and his motivation for fighting comes from what he believes in his heart. Ramiel is the violent Son, and much of who he is comes from that violence that made up his world before he was turned vampire. A Visigoth barbarian in the late Roman Empire, Ramiel was a fighting machine. To be honest, the change from Terek to Ramiel is the most extreme I've done yet in the series.

If you've read the first two books, you know that the tone of each book is a reflection of the Son showcased. Vasilije's is pure pleasure, whereas Saint's is pleasure colored by a brooding about the past. The tone of Blood Spirit is all Terek--seductive, thoughtful, mystical. Although I say the books take a long time to write because I hand write everything, the real reason they take a while is that the tone has to be consistent with the hero. That means I have to be very careful, especially with the words I choose and the way I structure the dialogue. Each Son is different, so each book sounds completely different. To move from the tone I used with Terek to the tone I have to use with Ramiel is a 180 degree change.

But it's time, so writing will begin in earnest.

Typing is done on Blood Spirit, and my initial edits are complete. Now it's off at the editor's for the red pen treatment.  And the release date has been set:  September 17!

I'm off to get the day moving. It's a bit overcast here, so it seems to be a perfect day to write. Hope you have a great one too!

#WIP Wednesday #amwriting #amediting

Happy Wednesday! How is everyone doing today?  It's hot as hell here in Pennsylvania, but in six months it will be just the opposite, so I'm enjoying this heat wave.

I've also been writing and editing, in the air conditioned splendor, of course. :)  The short for BTS emagazine is complete at just about 1K words and titled Forbidden Fruit. I've also finished the expanded version that will appear on my website after the magazine comes out. Hades has been a delicious character to work with, and I'm looking forward to more of him coming up in the Sons books.

Typing and editing continues with Blood Spirit. So far, I'm through to Chapter 17, editing as I go. The plan is for the book to be at the editor for this weekend, and so far, I'm on course to make my goal. I do have to go to Family Night at Boy Scout camp tonight to see my son, so no typing will happen today. Since I loathe typing, you won't find any tears from me, though. LOL 

I'm at Carrie Ann Ryan's blog for Writer Wednesday today talking about Vampire Dreams Revamped and returning to the past every so often. One commenter will win a set of Sons of Navarus bookmarks, so stop by and say hi. :)

Also, I announced this in my FB street team group yesterday, so now today I'm telling the rest of the world. I've been asked to be the featured author at the 2013 Indie Romance Convention that will take place in TN next October. I'm so flattered! I'll be there with other great authors, so if you're a reader or blogger, check out the site and make your plans to attend. It promises to be a fun time!

And yet another announcement--BTS eMag has asked me to be a featured author in their January 2013 issue on indie writers. Again, I'm so flattered!  Writing the short was such a nice honor, but to be asked to be a featured author is really great. Click on over to check out the current issue of the magazine.

It's been quite a week for this indie writer. How has yours been? Have a great Wednesday!

Author Bill Wetterman Guest Post

I'd like to welcome a new author to me, Bill Wetterman, to the blog today. He's a little different from many of my guest authors since he writes thrillers.

Thanks for hosting me on your blog, Gabrielle. I’m Author Bill Wetterman, and I write thrillers.

My first novel, Room 1515, culminates seven years of workshops, critique groups, conferences, and multiple contest entries. In 2011, Room 1515 won the Oklahoma Writer’s Federation’s Mystery, Suspense, Thriller Competition, and in that same year, a short story of mine placed eighth in the Writer’s Digest Short Story Competition out of over 11,700 entries.

I’ve been asked when you know your good enough to publish a novel. My answer is when readers who don’t know you say you’re ready. I have four other novel lined up to enter the marketplace, one every six months for the next two years.

I am not a happily ever after writer. My novels use anti-heroines and likeable protagonists who have admirable goals. They just believe lust, murder, betrayal, and greed are good as means to achieve those goals. To me character arc and action play equal roles in great thrillers. Characters have to grow, learn lessons, and become different people from who they were when you first met them. Internal tension experienced by the main characters is as important as external tension shown by action.

In Room 1515, a female agent named Peacock goes on a mission to woo and win the heart of the world’s most influential power broker. Her job is to learn his secrets and foil his plans. Instead, she falls in love. What better internal conflict situation to place her in, and then force her to decide between betrayal and love.

I write faction, using present day problems to create believable fiction. Room 1515 is a story of world domination, greed, betrayal, and romance. Have you ever felt unsure of the financial future and the future of our country? Greed drives decisions, and greed driven decisions are always short-term. Say a shrewd group of power players is manipulating the world economy to accumulate long-term wealth. They could rule the world. Don't fear the 1% against whom crowds protest. Fear the .0001%.  You’ll never hear their names. However, they exist. One man will emerge to lead them. This premise has built in tension, before the first word is written.

Here is a review from Amazon.

“Room 1515 is the first thriller I have ever read that relies on character development at least as much as action / adventure. There are plenty of close calls and lots of blood in the streets, but the most interesting part of the novel is the main character, Peacock...”   

So far, the reviews on Goodreads and Amazon have been stellar, all four and five stars. More important, they deal with the craft of writing. I am a believer in honest critique. I’m also a believer in craft over sales. I write for readers, and I desire to bring them the best I can produce.

Here is an excerpt from Room 1515.

Chapter 1

Day 1

“Please sit down, Applicant Twelve.”

The man speaking to her seemed pleasant enough. But the day hadn’t gone as expected. She didn’t anticipate standing where she was. The scent of lemon polish tickled her nose. He motioned to a comfortable looking leather armchair, one of two that sat in front of his mahogany desk. He pointed again and smiled. So she sat.

“You can ask me any three questions you wish,” he said in a mellow tone. “After that, I’ll do the talking.” He seemed relaxed. The creases in his face complimented a soft smile much like her father’s had been when he was trying to be reassuring.

“One minute I’m sitting in an auditorium filled with CIA applicants. My number is called, and I’m whisked halfway across New York to your office. Why am I here?”

“Would it interest you to know that only one in every twenty thousand candidates meets me?”

He’d sparked her interest. She nodded ladylike. “I always knew I was special.”

“Your test scores say you’re unique. Your intelligence is Mensa level. But it’s your personality profile that earns you an audience with me. You’ve been tapped for possible inclusion into a select unit.”

“Do you lead that unit?”

He grinned. “That’s your second question. I’m in charge of one segment of it.”

Her gut told her he was honest. Having rarely experienced fear, she tended to go places normal people don’t. So sitting here didn’t faze her. He’d stimulated her curiosity. “I thought I was applying for an administrative position in hospitality with the CIA. Do you even work for the CIA?”

He sat up straight and folded his thick, paw-like hands in front of him. She guessed him to be well over six foot tall and close to two-hundred twenty pounds. Maybe he’d reached fifty years old, but she couldn’t tell for sure.

“No,” he said. “In a sense, the CIA works for the same organization I work for.”

“What is your organization called?”

“Sorry. You’ve had your three questions. Now it’s my turn. Please answer honestly.”

“Sure.”

“Your parents and your brother were killed in a car accident eight years ago?”

“Yes.”

“How did their deaths affect you?”

“I’m sorry. How do you know that? The accident part isn’t on my paperwork.”

He smiled. “Within an hour, I’ll know your entire life story, including your bra size. Please answer my question.”

“Everything inside me numbed. I lived. That they died and I didn’t doesn’t seem fair.”

“I’m truly sorry for your loss.”

People were always sorry for her loss. What people said didn’t matter to her anymore. She didn’t care what others felt. She didn’t feel anything toward people at all. She loved bunnies and squirrels, and little fuzzy kittens. But she kept people at a safe distance emotionally.

“You’ve never had a boyfriend?”

“I’ve dated, but no to the boyfriend part.”

“Your closest living relative is your mother’s first husband, a Sheldon Cross, living in Frankfort, Germany?”

“Yes, if he’s still alive. We weren’t close.”

He stared at her with a slight smirk on his face. So she stared back at him wondering who would blink first.

“Your psychological evaluation is astonishing.”

“I could have told you that without an evaluation.” She studied his eyes. He seemed genuinely concerned for her. So she decided to trust him, smirk and all.

“I don’t know what you’re looking for,” she said. “But I do know a good job match is based upon talent and compatible personalities. I’ve lost whatever ability I have to feel emotional attachments. Years have passed since I had those connections. I can tell if someone else loves, hates, cares, or doesn’t. Except for an occasional twinge, I haven’t experienced love, hate, or caring in the past eight years.”

“But you’re not a sociopath.”

“No, I have a high standard of rational values.”

“Why never a boyfriend?”

“A boyfriend requires a relationship. I’m not capable. I get off on physical stimulation. I enjoy sex. But I don’t understand love, compassion, or anything a man needs outside of the physical.”

“If I told you to act compassionate, could you?”

“Act compassionate? Yes, but I wouldn’t feel it emotionally, only intellectually.”

He nodded and looked as though he was going to speak. But he didn’t.

Had she revealed too much? She wanted adventure and purpose. She didn’t want to lose this opportunity, so she spoke up. “My inability to connect with people makes me vulnerable. I need leaders around me to guide my decisions. I don’t trust myself to make them alone. But I’m very capable of executing a plan once I understand it.”

“One of those leaders would be me, if I select you. Three more questions.”

“Okay.”

“What motivates you?”

“Succeeding and being praised,” she said. “I need responsibilities within my capabilities.” She smiled and leaned toward him again making eye contact. “I want to be rewarded for my achievements.”

“You used to be a gymnast?”

“Yes, until my breasts got too big, then I took up martial arts.”

He chuckled. “I suppose breast size would be a problem in gymnastics. Describe your ideal job, please.”

“What I do doesn’t matter. I want to serve my country. That’s why I applied to the CIA.”

“You said you have a high standard of rational values. What do you mean?”

The question seemed absurd. It meant what it meant. “I have no sense of good or evil. I do have a sense for positive outcomes. If something accomplishes a rational goal, it’s right. If not, it’s wrong.”

“You may call me, Ursa.”

A strange name, but a form of acceptance came with the gesture. “Ursa, it is.”

Ursa leaned forward and spread his hands apart. “If a man threatened the United States, and over time I put you in a position to get very close to him, even to the point of having a sexual relationship with him. . .” He paused and appeared to study her face. She didn’t blink. “After finding out what had to be done to squelch the threat, I ordered you to kill him. Could you?”

“Yes.” She surprised herself at how easily she said the words.

Ursa stood and pushed a button on the wall behind him. A large muscular man entered the room. Ursa came around the desk. “Please stand up, Applicant Twelve. Welcome to the Hercules Project.”

“Thank you, Sir,” she said and shook his hand.

“You won’t see me again for a year. When you do, you’ll be fully trained physically, fully educated in our methodology, and technically equipped for battle against anything our country’s enemies can throw against us.”

“I’ll do my very best.”

Ursa turned to the muscular man and asked, “When were you born, Magnus?”

“1,670 days ago, Director Ursa.”

Applicant Twelve struggled to understand.

“Today,” Ursa said and pointed at her, “you are one day old.”

To contact Bill to schedule speaking engagements, Email him at bwetterman@cox.net.

For more information about Bill, please visit http://www.billwetterman.wordpress.com.

Room 1515 can be purchased as an eBook or paperback on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Room-1515-Bill-Wetterman/dp/1463001177/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337975366&sr=8-

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