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After Midnight - Black Phoenix #1

Re-edited, revised edition October 2013

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Dangerously Sexy Suspense

October 30, 2012

Spotlight On... Renee Charles

Welcome, Renee, can you tell us a little about yourself? 

I am the only female in a house full of giants (husband and two teenage boys) so my life tends to be full of dirt, grease and all things disgusting. Writing romance is my escape from testosterone.

I love being outside, camping, snowmobiling and now I just got my first wheeling rig so I don’t have to sit in the passenger seat anymore. I have a strange fascination with old movies. I love the black and white films. Add Gene Autry with a dance sequence and you have my undivided attention. Come on, admit it, he had a great A$$. I think it’s all the glamor. I am lucky if I get my hair up in a ponytail before my day starts, so the era of girdles, false eyelashes and fab shoes. What’s not to like?

 I met my husband in an insane asylum. Luckily we both had keys since we both worked there. I live for my kids, but they are teenagers and hate it. LOL That’s about all I can think of to tell you about myself.

Tell us about CHANGES IN AUTUMN and where we can find it. 

CHANGES IN AUTUMN is a six chapter Werewolf Romance. This Novella stands apart from other werewolf stories of the popular genre in that it chronicles the changes Autumn goes through to become a werewolf, physically, mentally and spiritually. One of those changes happens to be meeting and claiming her mate.
It will be available on October 31st at The Wild Rose Press.

Do you have a favorite character or one that you identify most with? 

Autumn’s back injury was personal. I suffered a back injury in my twenties and the recovery was long and frustratingly restrictive.

Describe your writing in three words. 

Fast-paced, passionate and twisted. Although I love the journey of a story, I do not enjoy stories where I find myself tapping my fingers waiting for the author to get on with it. I want to be whisked away on a rollercoaster ride that blindsides me just as I think everything is safe. I want a wild ride that leaves me breathless for more when I close the cover. So, that is what I try to provide my readers.

Why did you choose your genre? 

I don’t really know, it’s just always been that way. As a child when I played Barbies, they were being chased by monsters, the part played by my stuffed animals. In third grade when all the other little girls were reading about princesses and fuzzy animals, I was checking out books about ghosts and mythical legends from the library. My favorite fairy tale was beauty and the beast and I always got a little sad when he turned back into a Prince at the end. Growing up, the stranger the romance the more captivated I was.
Paranormal romance just suited me.

Where do you get your ideas? 

Ahhh, the muse. Would it be wrong to say I don’t have a muse? It’s more like something will strike me and I get a picture or a scene in my head, then I start asking…What if?

How do you do your research? 

For me research is the fun part. I love to learn about new stuff. My poor kids have been drug to every museum the West Coast has to offer, but they’ve never been to Disney Land.


Usually my research ends up looking a lot like an unraveled afghan. I tend to pick at a thread until I get distracted by another. As a result I end up surrounded by piles of information and I have to sort through it all to see what is useful and what is not. The really great part is, if it’s not useful now, it will be later.

What advice would you give to the new/unpublished author? 

The best advice I ever got was from an agent who once told me you cannot write in a vacuum. You need other authors. You NEED to network, join groups, become part of the community. I was afraid to. Afraid I was not ready and they would laugh at my dreams. What I found was a collection of authors in different stages of their careers, some ahead of me some behind, some even passed me by on the journey (no day job to take up their time), but everyone was eager to congratulate, commiserate and teach what they knew. My writing and my career really took off when I jumped in the pool to play.

What’s next for you? 

I have signed a contract for my next book for which we have yet to settle on a title. It is a Romance that takes place amidst a Zombie Apocalypse. Not to worry, there is no Zombie Lovin’ (the question has come up in conversation). The hero and heroine are on the run trying to save the world before everyone becomes zombies. What they learn is that the future lies in them and their growing love for one another.

Where can we find you on the web? 

Thank you for asking. My web site is www.reneecharles.net

I have started a collection of useful links and blogs for readers, authors and romance enthusiasts to check out.

http://www.facebook.com/ReneeCharlesAuthor

Not to worry if you follow me on Facebook, I am frugal with the posts. I don’t think everyone needs to know what I am having for dinner, but I will tell you where I am guest blogging next or about my latest contest.

https://twitter.com/RCharlesWriter

Okay, I am going to be honest here. I have not figured out the whole hash-tag thing with Twitter. I tweet occasionally, but am still learning the ins and outs of hash tags. I follow some great paranormal stuff though and that alone might be worth the click. Just saying… Is there anything you would like to ask our readers? Yes, what’s your number? No get your head outta the gutter, not that number. I want to know how much you read? A book a day? A book a week? A book a year? What’s your number? I have read conflicting information on this topic that says the voracious reader is a myth. Is it true? I read a book a month roughly, but do quite a bit of technical reading and critiquing others’ work in between.



Ex-animal control officer, Autumn Reynolds always had a soft spot for injured animals. So when one shows up on her porch with a gunshot wound, she has no choice but to help it. But she gets caught in the maelstrom when the injured wolf turns out to be a hot werewolf and the shooter comes back to finish the job. Now she's going to become a wolf, or die trying. Fortunately, she has her own Alpha-male who owes her one. However, Autumn fears if she does survive, she might lose her heart in the process. 
Conner Grayson owes the beautiful woman his life and feels obligated to help her through her first change. Though he recognizes her as his mate, as her Alpha, he won’t deny Autumn the right to choose once she becomes a wolf. That is, if he can resist the overwhelming need to claim her as his own. 

Excerpt: 

“I will not do this to you. The change has begun and you...you have to choose your mate.” His words came between short ragged breaths. “If we make love, you will no longer have a choice.”

“There’s always a choice.” Even as the words left her mouth, her body denied it. She hummed with an awareness of him that could not be ignored.

He shook his head. “Stay in the water until your skin doesn’t itch anymore. I’m going to put a couple of steaks on for us.” The click of the door closing behind him when he left her alone echoed through her aching body.

Autumn refused to believe that what she felt wasn’t real. She was so aware of him that she could feel him leave the next room after he got dressed. Her awareness of him was like a rubber band that stretched tighter and thinner the further he moved away from her. If what he said was true, she feared it was too late. She’d already chosen.

October 26, 2012

Howloween Blog Hop

This contest is closed.
Thanks for participating.
 


I apologize. I haven't been feeling well this month and am suffering from a migraine this very moment, so I've been drawing a big blank when trying to come up with a new and interesting topic for this blog hop. Although this has nothing to do with Halloween, I decided to talk about my favorite hero:

He's the handsome, electrically sensual lead singer of Black Phoenix. A blond haired, green eyed Brit with a voice that could coax the panties off of grandma! Noah Clark may be famous, but the last thing he's interested in is living the wild life. He's ridden the fame roller coaster straight to the top of the charts and found nothing but heartache at the end. Now he only wants to get his band back together and his music back on track. He just didn't count on Isabeau Montgomery and her haunted eyes and enchanting melodies.

(*For the purposes of this blog post, Noah Clark is portrayed by Gabriel Aubry.)

His mouth curved into an irresistibly devastating grin, and everything female in her stood at attention. He strode the rest of the way to the bar, his every movement fluid and easy. Confident. Naturally sexy. His lean, rangy body was clad in snug jeans and a black tee. Jeans so worn and faded that only their seams gave hint to their original color. Jeans that rode low on his hips, cupping his sex as tightly as a hand.



He leaned into her. “If you still want me to stay away from you, you’d better tell me now.”

“Noah?”

“Yeah?”

“Kiss me.”

She didn’t have to ask twice. He dipped his head, settled his lips on hers and plundered. He dragged her against him, and drank in the hot, potent taste of her as he fed on her mouth like a starving man.

She softened, a tiny sound of passion slipping up her throat—an urgent invitation. His pulse leaped. So did other parts of his anatomy. Her fingers burrowed through his hair.

He deepened the kiss, stroking his hands down the sides of her body to settle on her hips. He used them to guide her as he stepped forward once, twice, until her back settled against the trunk of the maple. Awash in the smell of her, the feel of her, he pressed closer, until no space existed between them. Her breasts flattened against his chest, her hips arched into him. Heat from her body flowed into his, sparking a fire. His heartbeat echoed in his head.

Whew! Is it hot in here?

For a chance to win a copy of AFTER MIDNIGHT as well as a halloween-themed goody bag, just leave me a comment. Interested in bettering your odds to win? Go ahead and follow my blog -- I'll reward you with a second entry.

Thanks for reading, and have fun on the hop! You can find a complete list of participating blogs by clicking the blog hop badge above, or visiting this site:






Giveaway Details:
  • Open to US and International
  • Two eBook copies of AFTER MIDNIGHT will be awarded
  • MUST leave email address along with your comment

October 23, 2012

After Midnight Soundtrack

I began building stories around song lyrics as far back as the fourth grade. A particular lyric or phrase would stand out, and the next thing I knew, I had built an entire scene around that phrase. The song would get stuck in my head and the next day I would have a few chapters scribbled in my notebook based on the theme. In the fourth grade, I wondered if I was the only one who did this. As an adult, I know I’m not.

A lot of authors write to specific playlists – a set of songs that inspire them. Some even have playlists set to a particular book they’re working on – songs that help them get into the right mood and focus on the characters. I’m one of those writers. Possessing a deep love of music, I can’t NOT have a playlist of songs that capture the feeling of the book and the characters I’m working on.

Music plays an essential role in AFTER MIDNIGHT. Based on a rock musician and a piano phenom, how could it not? Surprisingly, of all the stories I’ve written, all the songs I’ve listened to across the genres, there was no set playlist for the book. That is, not until I already had the words on the page – only then did I realize that the songs I kept playing over and over on my mp3 player, truly captured Isabeau and Noah.

So here it is, the soundtrack to After Midnight:

Dark Night of the Soul - Philip Wesley
Breathing – Lifehouse
My Immortal – Evanescence
Left Out – Shinedown
Eyes – Bobby Friss
Hysteria – Def Leppard
So Far Away – Staind
Follow You, Follow Me – Genesis
In the Middle – Theory of a Deadman

Do you have a soundtrack that you use? How about for washing the car or cleaning the house or, Ahem...other activities? Leave a comment and tell me what you like to listen to. What is the soundtrack of your life?


October 20, 2012

Interview

I'm the author spotlight at Mariposa's Musings today. You can check it out here.


October 19, 2012

Friday Quickie

25 quickie facts about Pippa Jay:

Birthday? 3rd August
Favorite color? Turquoise
Favorite animal? Snow leopard
Siblings? 1 sister
Favorite drink? Coffee
If you were a jelly bean flavor, what flavor would you be? Raspberry
Favorite author? Jaine Fenn
Favorite dish? Scallops with bacon
Ice cream flavor? Chocolate
Favorite Season? Autumn
Plotter or pantser? Pantser
Hobbies? Guitar, freestyle street dance, and reading
Dream vacation? Wandering the wilds of Scandinavia
Favorite TV show? Farscape
Musical preference? Symphonic goth
Pet peeve? Telephone sales people
Favorite place to write? Living room
Favorite song? Justify
Odd family fact? All my kids have red hair, even though my parents and sister didn't
Unforgettable moment? The unexpectedly early arrival of my daughter
Favorite Superhero? Do X-men count? Nightcrawler
Spicy or not? Spicy
Cat or dog? Cat
Favorite candy bar? Cadbury's Ripple
Favorite guilty pleasure? Full body aromatherapy massage


Summarize your book Twitter style – 140 characters or less: 

Scarred and tormented, Keir must master his alien heritage to save the woman he dares to love, or face an eternity alone.

BUY LINK




To learn more about Pippa and her writing, please visit her blog:



October 17, 2012

On Tour!

No, not me, the characters in my WIP.  Yup, Black Phoenix is gearing up for a tour. Which means I've been immersed in research. Research that, I'll admit, I'm really enjoying! Here's one of the things I discovered:


October 16, 2012

Welcome Guest Blogger Rolynn Anderson

CAN YOU FIND YOUR FATHER IN YOUR NOVELS?

You have a retired soldier in your family, don’t you? I can’t wait for you to meet Walter Solvang, a retired Army General, one of the main characters in FADEOUT, the first in my Funeral Planner Suspense Series. He’ll remind you of your own friends or relatives who have served our country admirably. The General has many attributes of my own father who served as a career Army officer. Yup. I’m an Army brat.

Walter looks and talks like my dad - a white crewcut, great posture, and physically fit even though he’s been retired for a few years. His speech is peppered with Army terms.

Unlike my father, when Walter retired from the service at the age of sixty, friends came to him for help in designing proper memorials for servicemen and women. Working with his wife, Amy, they soon set fees for their services. In no time at all, This is Your Life, Inc. was born: they planned memorials for those who desired unique, less conventional services.

The General choreographs splendid celebrations of a soldier’s career. He’ll dress a mannequin in service blues, lay out all the medals earned by the soldier, carefully labeled, display patches of units the man or woman served in. The General arranges for the trumpeter, the flag, the 21-gun salute; he provides the music proper for a send-off as well…the service anthems as well as ‘Taps,’ to end the service.

He pays attention to detail and gives proper homage in every memorial, which is why he becomes a sought-after event planner.

The General is imperfect as we all are. He’s missed out on family time and he related to his four sons more easily than with his eldest child, a daughter. What’s more, when FADEOUT opens, he’s lost his wife.

What kind of life will he lead without his true commander in chief, Amy? And what will he do with his daughter, who seems lost without her mother? I can’t wait for you to find out when you read FADEOUT.

The question is: Can you find your father in your novels?




Jan Solvang has spent her life avoiding conflict and commitment. Six months ago, she left a marriage proposal and a job in Seattle to care for her dying mother. Now she's stuck with her mother's California house and her mother's dog, filling her mother's shoes as a memorial planner with her estranged father. 

Roman Keller thrives on conflict, writing documentaries that reveal the flaws of the famous. Jan’s challenge is to help him write a positive eulogy for a grandfather he disliked, but Roman is more interested in her other client: a powerful attorney with a dark past his family wants buried with him. If Jan stands behind the family and Roman goes for the exposé, who’s in danger and who wins? 

The tension between them pulls tighter as each discovers the other is keeping secrets. But if they tell the truth, will they destroy any chance for love? 


ROLYNN ANDERSON
SUSPENSE SPIKED WITH ROMANCE
http://www.rolynnanderson.com


LAST RESORT-print and download at Wild Rose:
http://tinyurl.com/682vwgv

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/3cq6d7b

FADEOUT in print and download at Wild Rose:
http://tinyurl.com/8b9wyau

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/9yo9wwq

October 12, 2012

Friday Quickie

25 quickie facts about Nancy Jardine: 

Birthday? Ides of March
Favorite color? Green
Favorite animal? Lamb
Siblings? 1 Sister
Favorite drink? Red wine
If you were a jelly bean flavor, what flavor would you be? Anniseed
Favorite author? Charles Dickens
Favorite dish? Rare Steak
Ice cream flavor? Honeycomb
Favorite season? Winter
Plotter or pantser? Pantser
Hobbies? Napping
Dream vacation? Egypt
Favorite TV show? Mrs. Brown’s Boys
Musical preference? Celtic Folk
Pet peeve? Writer’s block
Favorite place to write? Desk
Favorite song? American Pie
Odd family fact? Bigamist great-grandfather
Unforgettable moment? Almost drowning at fifteen
Favorite superhero? Desperate Dan
Spicy or not? Spicy
Cat or dog? Dog
Favorite candy bar? Cadbury’s Milk
Favorite guilty pleasure? Scottish tablet


Summarize your book Twitter style – 140 characters or less: 

Can the Celtic Tribes repel the Roman army? The Beltane Choice is a historical romance set in A.D. 71 Roman Britain. Will Nara get her Beltane lover?

BUY LINK




To learn more about Nancy Jardine and her writing please check out her blog:

October 10, 2012

Secrets of a Dangerous Woman by p.m. terrell


Today I have p.m. terrell with me, celebrating the release of her book, Secrets of a Dangerous Woman. Make sure to leave p.m. a comment as she will be awarding a $25 Amazon gift card to one random commentor during her tour!

What kind of readers would enjoy your books? 

My fans are about equally divided between male and female and range in age from high school to people in their 90’s. They are people who enjoy losing themselves in another world, learning something that really exists in our world (such as psychic spy programs run by the United States and Russia) and who enjoy fast-paced thrillers that feel like a roller coaster from start to finish.

Describe your style of writing in three words. 

Action, International, Romantic.

Describe your typical writing day. How do you balance your writing with marketing, editing, plotting, your day job, and all other commitments? 

My writing day varies depending on whether I am in my office or on the road promoting my books. When I’m in my office, my day typically begins before 8 am. I spend the morning answering emails and working on promotional and marketing efforts. By late morning, I’ve begun any research needed for my next chapter.

I take a break for lunch and when I return, I begin writing. I don’t stop until 5:00 at the earliest and usually much later. This schedule continues six days a week and often seven.

When I am on the road, I typically have three or four appearances scheduled in a day. In between, I try to get back to my hotel to work on my writing. If it isn’t logistically possible, I might sit in a parking lot or a library and catch up on emails from my iPhone.

I have been very fortunate to be a full-time writer for the past ten years so I no longer have to balance a day job with writing. The result has been the ability to write three books this year for publication over the next 18 months, where I previously worked hard to finish one book a year.

Do you have a ritual for getting into the writing zone? 

I can’t afford a ritual anymore; when deadlines loom it’s a great motivator for buckling down and writing. However, before I go to bed each night I think about the next day’s scenes, particularly if I am stumped on how to address a particular issue or scene. Then I let my subconscious take over. When I awaken in the morning, I remember my dreams—and I write what I dreamed.

What do you enjoy most about writing thrillers?

They are fast-paced. Every scene must have action; there’s no time for a character’s thoughts and I only weave in their backstory in a paragraph here and there so the action doesn’t slow down. Readers often tell me once they read that first sentence they can’t put the book down until they’ve reached the end. I think that’s a direct result of the genre I’ve chosen; it doesn’t meander.

Quick-Fire Questions: 

Early bird or night owl? Early bird.
Red or white wine? White.
Coke or Pepsi? Coke.
Bath or shower? Shower.
Mac or PC? PC.  



 
In Secrets of a Dangerous Woman, Dylan Maguire is back in his first assignment with the CIA: to interrogate recently captured Brenda Carnegie. But when she escapes again, it's obvious she's had help from within the CIA's own ranks. With Vicki Boyd's assistance, Brenda is back in Dylan's custody. And now he must find out why some in the highest levels of our government want her dead while others are willing to risk everything to help her. And when he discovers Brenda's real identity, his mission has just become very personal.



Excerpt:

“Who are you running from?” Vicki asked.

Brenda took a deep breath. “I am in trouble. Big trouble.”

“What did you do?”

“Depends on who you ask.” She took a deep breath. “I’m tired, Vicki. Really tired. I need to get off the street. Stay inside for a day or two. Regroup.”

“I’m living in Lumberton now. The woman who owned the house where I’m staying passed away. Her nephew inherited it.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Yeah? Where’s he?”

“I live with him. Come home with me. It’s a big house, three stories.”

Brenda frowned as if she was deep in thought. “It’s just you and him there?”

“His name’s Dylan. I’ll tell you all about him on the way.”

She half nodded. “He won’t be taken aback by you bringing me home? I’m a bit more to handle than a stray cat.”

“He’d love to meet you. I promise. He’ll take care of you.”

“He will, will he?” Vicki blushed.

“He’s got a strong sense of family. Besides,” she said as she started to rise, “it’s suppertime and you need to eat. We’ll get something in your belly and you’ll get a good night’s sleep.”

Brenda hesitated only briefly before she rose from the table. “You sure you can handle the intrusion?”

“Positive.”

As they made their way toward the door, Brenda whispered, “I wouldn’t be too sure about that.”





p.m.terrell is the award-winning, internationally acclaimed author of more than 16 books, including Vicki's Key, a 2012 International Book Awards finalist, and River Passage, 2010 Best Fiction & Drama winner. She is the co-founder of The Book 'Em Foundation whose slogan is "Buy a Book and Stop a Crook" and the co-chair of Book 'Em North Carolina Writers Conference & Book Fair. For more information, visit www.pmterrell.com

Where to find p.m. terrell:

www.pmterrell.com
www.pmterrell.blogspot.com
Twitter: @pmterrell
Facebook: Patricia M. Terrell



October 9, 2012

My Birthday ~ A day in history


The Year of my Birth October 9 
It was a Thursday

  • The Supremes release ‘Someday We’ll Be Together’ 
  • The Archies ‘Sugar,Sugar’ is number one on the Billboard Hot 100s 
  • Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young opened at Fillmore West, San Francisco 
  • Paint Your Wagon, starring Lee Marvin, Clint Eastwood and Jean Seberg releases
  • One of the years best selling novels is Naked Came the Stranger - a deliberately terrible book with a lot of sex, to illustrate the point that popular American literary culture had become mindlessly vulgar.
  • Bewitched is in the midst of a story arc involving Samantha’s pregnancy, which will feature the birth of Tabitha on next week’s episode. 
  • President Nixon presents the Congressional Medal of Honor to four soldiers: Sergeant Robert M. Patterson of Fayetteville, North Carolina, Captain James Sprayberry of Sylacauga, Alabama, Captain Jack H. Jacobs of Fords, New Jersey, and Major Patrick H. Brady of Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
  • A Chicago police officer (Leroy N Berry Jr.) was murdered in his squad car. His police star and revolver were stolen. The killer(s) were never captured. 
  • In Chicago, the United States National Guard is called in for crowd control as demonstrations continue in connection with the trial of the ""Chicago Eight"" (trial started on September 24)
  • Fun Fact: October 9 is the 282nd day of the year (283rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 83 days remaining until the end of the year. 

Have a fantastic day, everyone!



October 6, 2012

Let's Talk Heroes

So I’ve been wracking my brain for a blog topic and finally decided to talk a little about heroes. It’s a sacrifice, I know, but I love you – my readers – so I’ll suffer through it. LOL Seriously, who doesn’t love to talk about heroes?

For years I was addicted to reading cop heroes. FBI, P.I. or detective, I didn’t care. I couldn’t get enough of them! To this day, they’re still one of my favorite to read about, so it stands to reason that my first book, NOT WITHOUT RISK, featured one. Sergeant Justin Harrison – San Diego homicide detective – is all cop. It’s all he knows, everything he is. His job defines him. Or so he believes, until the day a long-legged brunette stumbles into his crime scene and tips his world off its axis.

I never base my character’s physical attributes on real people. When my characters first begin talking to me, I come up with the details – hair color, eye color, height, and skin tone – and an image of my hero and heroine takes shape in my head. I have problems with my characters looking “just like INSERT MOVIE STAR NAME HERE” because they aren’t that movie star. However, in the case of Justin Harrison, one man kept popping into my head whenever I sat back and pictured him – the smile, the dimple, hair and eye color – and pretty quickly he became the exact representation of Sergeant Justin Harrison.

Who is the real person that Justin looks like? Country crooner Ty Herndon.



My latest release, AFTER MIDNIGHT, is the first book in my Midnight Series. Noah Clark is the handsome, sensual lead singer of the rock band Black Phoenix. Noah has known fame and lived the wild life. He’s learned some hard-won lessons and is ready to focus on his music instead of everything else that comes with it. Then he walks into Isabeau’s bar and Whammo!

Mature and focused, Noah doesn’t come with much baggage. Which is perfect, really, as Isabeau has more than enough for both of them. What Noah does have is sex appeal. Tall and lean, with hair that’s a mix of medium and dark blond, and vibrant green eyes, that’s Noah. A quiet, confident man with a British accent. Oh, didn’t I tell you he was British? *grin*

Noah is one of those characters who resembles no one but himself, so when I went out to find a visual representation of him I came up blank. Until I stumbled upon this photo:


Which led to this one:

Yeah, that second one is my favorite. It’s about as close to how I picture Noah Clark as I can get. Is he hot or what? I could stare at that photo all day.

I never set out to make AFTER MIDNIGHT a series. When the story first came to me, it was just the story of a man and woman and their journey to happily-ever-after. Then Dominic Price walked onto the page…


My work in progress is book two in my Midnight Series, MIDNIGHT HEAT. Noah’s best friend and Black Phoenix bassist, Dominic Price is the type of man women walk into walls trying to get a better look at. Literally. At six-two with black hair that hangs in waves to just past his shoulders, and eyes so blue most people believe them to be contacts, Dominic is the epitome of a rock god. His British accent and killer smile don’t hurt, either.

I can’t find a picture that truly captures Dominic, but you get the idea. Dom knows exactly how sexy he is and has been known to use it to his advantage. He’s a touch arrogant, has an amazing sense of humor, and a love for music that is only rivaled by his love of one woman. The woman he walked away from three years ago.

What I love most about Midnight Heat is…well, the hero. Dominic is probably the most alpha of all of my alpha heroes. He’s blunt, in-your-face, and curses too much. He’s also flawed, damaged by his childhood, and more sensitive than he would ever let on. It takes a very special woman to unravel Dom, and Rebecca Dahlman is just the one to do it. That is, if Dom can convince her this time around he’s in it for more than just the heat.

So that’s them, my heroes. Well, the ones whose stories I’ve already fleshed out. There are two more who make appearances in the Midnight Series Books 1 and 2 who are impatiently waiting for their own book.





October 5, 2012

Friday Quickie

25 quickie facts about Cara Marsi: 

Birthday? November 27
Favorite color? Green
Favorite animal? Cat
Siblings? Three
Favorite drink? Wine
If you were a jelly bean flavor, what flavor would you be? Cherry
Favorite author? Heather Graham
Favorite dish? Saffron gnocchi with fresh-shaved truffle
Ice cream flavor? Pumpkin
Favorite Season? Summer
Plotter or pantser? Plotster (full disclosure-another author made up the name)
Hobbies? Reading and traveling
Dream vacation? A month in Australia
Favorite TV show? Drop Dead Diva
Musical preference? Classic Rock
Pet peeve? Drivers who won’t let me merge into traffic
Favorite place to write? My office
Favorite song? Light My Fire by the Doers
Odd family fact? We ask after each other’s cats
Unforgettable moment? When my son was born
Favorite superhero? Superman
Spicy or not? Yes
Cat or dog? Cat, of course.
Favorite candy bar? Milky Way
Favorite guilty pleasure? TV


Summarize your book Twitter style – 140 characters or less: 

Two former lovers, one raging storm. She ran from him once. She can't run now, but does she want to?

BUY LINK




To learn more about Cara Marsi and her writing please visit her website: 


October 3, 2012

The Next Big Thing Blog Hop

Thanks to Calisa Rhose who tagged me for this Blog Hop!

If you want to participate, here are the rules:

Answer these ten questions about your current WIP (Work In Progress) on your blog.

Tag five other writers/bloggers and add their links so we can hop over and meet them: Amie Louellen, Vonnie Davis, AJ Nuest, Niecey Roy, Lisa Rayns

What is the working title of your book?
Midnight Heat

Where did the idea come from for the book?
This is the second book in my Midnight Series. The hero of this story, Dominic Price, is a secondary character in the first book, After Midnight. I originally had no plans to give Dominic his own story, but about half way through writing book one, I fell so in love with his character I had to make sure he got his own happily-ever-after. 

What genre does your book fall under?
Contemporary Romance

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
That's a tough question. For Dominic, I honestly have no idea. I've yet to find anyone who resembles the picture of Dominic that I have in my head. Rebecca is easier - Irena Hoffman.



What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Before he can win back the only woman he's ever loved, Dominic must save her from a man bent on revenge.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
I have a publisher in mind for the story, but we'll see what happens once it's completed.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
A few weeks for the first rough draft. It's finishing/polishing it that's taking time. The day job keeps getting in the way.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Not sure I can think of one.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?
My best friend - her and I used to make up stories about musicians all the time when we were teenagers.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest? 
It features a six-two bass player with long legs, a lean body and a smile that can convince a woman to throw caution to the wind. Oh, and did I mention he's British?

October 2, 2012

Random Photo Day

Where did the summer go? It seems like I was just welcoming spring, and suddenly the leaves are changing. Everywhere I look, green has become yellow, orange and red. I'm not ready for it.


At least we got one last trip out on Lake Michigan.



One last boat ride.



One last swim.