I wanted to share this fantabulous review from Tanya at Among the Muses for my erotic paranormal romance Blade of the Wolf. (Thank you, Tanya!)

Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Heat Rating: 5/5

Holy HOT! Nicole North delivers one scorchin' romance between two forbidden people: an immortal Scottish werewolf protector who is sworn to protect one powerful clairvoyant woman living in a small, southern US town, unknown to herself that she was held in highest regard by the Sgian Dubh Guardians as a Protected One.

The blurb does a great job at giving the overall idea of the story, so instead I'm going to just focus on the literary aspects of Blade of the Wolf.

Blade of the Wolf is a darker, edgier paranormal romance, making it different than what Nicole has previously written. And she did a great job at creating it. Right from the beginning, there's intrigue, mystery, and action. With each passing page I was left in suspense and seriously hating the villain even more than I did in the beginning. With that being said, I have to additionally comment on the depth of the characters that Nicole creates.

Heroine, Syrena, is unique in her own right. She's not the "typical" size 2 heroine that we often see, but a size 12, which I found refreshing. And I loved the fact that Ronan, a sexy alpha, found her to be the most beautiful thing he'd seen in centuries. The chemistry between the two was obvious and heart-felt at times. Even though their coming together was against the rules of the Sgian Dubh Guardians, and carried heavy -- and sometimes deadly -- consequences, their love was worth the risk for each of them.

The heat is scorching hot in Blade of the Wolf! You can only imagine that denying attraction between two people can be a firework just waiting to go off, and in this story that's exactly what happens. And then again and again. *g* Be prepared for lots of explicitly graphic lovin', especially since it's needed to help lure in the utterly evil, villainous incubus hell bent on stealing the powerful psychic energies hidden deep within Syrena.

The paranormal and magical elements of Blade of the Wolf were almost complex in nature, which always kept me on my toes and completely engaged in the differing dynamics. The hero was a member of the Sgian Dubh Guardians, their immortal Were lives dedicated to protecting psychics against ancient evil. The inclusion of a very villainous incubus added a different paranormal twist as well. But what really stuck out to me was the fact that Nicole also takes her magical elements to a whole 'nother plane of existence-- literally! The ability for both good and evil to have the ability to exist and travel between planes for their own personal use added an air of chilliness and unusual twist.

Additionally, I enjoyed that Nicole brought the immortal highlander to a small town in the southern US. Although, being the Scotland highlander kind of girl that I am, I hope we get to learn more about the secret Guardian stronghold in the highlands in future reads. And speaking of future reads, I really can't wait to get fellow hotty Guardian Caerk's story in the future. This immortal highlander is sure to have a hot and edgy book, primarily for the fact that he is the only Guardian that is both were and vampire! Did I also mention that he was yummy? :)

Overall, I really enjoyed this story!! Nicole has a way with building suspense, unraveling plot lines and creating characters. The paranormal and magical kind of elements created for an engaging read where I was always wondering what Nicole would give me next. With Blade of the Wolf I appreciated the dark, edginess that she brought to the story, but also added a fabulous dose of very sexy romance and sexin'. Did I mention there's sex on the ceiling in this story? :) Yep, be prepared to be all sorts of warm while reading!!
Tanya, Among the Muses

Blade of the Wolf:
Ronan, immortal werewolf and Scottish Sgian Dubh Guardian, faces his most challenging, yet enticing, mission in centuries. He must protect sexy clairvoyant medium Syrena Ellis from an evil incubus intent on stealing her powerful life force. She awakens a raging arousal in Ronan, but if he gives in to temptation, he will be punished.

Dark and edgy, Ronan captivates Syrena. He is hot, hard and in control, yet his scorching glances and sinful kisses tell her he yearns for her. Even though she's only a job, she finds a way past his iron-willed resistance. She's determined to explore the depths of erotic passion with him. They're unaware that their explosive sexual encounters are providing the enemy incubus with heightened energy, making him almost impossible to defeat.

Syrena's forbidden desire and scorching lust for Ronan could destroy them both.

Available at Amazon, Ellora's Cave, and other online bookstores.

I like compliments, don't you? Actually, I love them. I love it when someone says something nice about me or something I've done. Now don't worry, I'm not fishing for a compliment (although if you have a spare one, you can send it my way), I'm just mentioning this because I paid a compliment to someone Monday and got a big smile in return. It was nice. Very, very nice.

What kind of compliments do you like? My favorites are listed below:
1. Those from my husband
2. Those from random strangers
3. Those that I give others

There's nothing better than my DH, unprompted, paying me a compliment. I say unprompted because I have a terrible habit of sort of forcing them out of him (by forcing I mean standing in his line of vision until he notices and says something nice about my outfit or my butt). So when he offers sweet words unbidden, well, that's extra special. The other day he made me feel super duper when he, out of the blue, said I had Michelle Obama arms. If you've not heard, Michelle Obama is supposed to have great upper arms. Very toned and no flab. I think her arms are lovely and even though I don't happen to agree with DH's assessment of my biceps, I mightily appreciate that he noticed they don't hang down to my waist. Yet. So if his misguided interpretation translates that into Michelle Obama arms, who am I to correct him?

I also like it when random strangers make a point to say something nice about me, especially when they don't seem to be trying to sell me something. I wore a special dress out the other night, and it was kind of a risky style for me. However, in the restaurant a waitress who was not even waiting on our table made a point to stop and tell me how much she liked it. It may be that we both have the same bad taste in dresses, but it still made me feel good.

As for giving compliments to others, that's how this whole post started. There's a knack to paying someone a compliment. You have to be sincere, and it can't be what we call a back-handed, or left-handed, compliment. A back-handed compliment is an expressed sentiment that is supposed to seem nice but is ultimately an insult in disguise. For example, if someone says to you,"Those pants look so good on you! Your butt doesn't look nearly as big as it usually does," that's a back-handed compliment. Another example is "That hairstyle is fabulous! It hides that big mole on your forehead." I would avoid those unless you really mean them (hey, we all have our despicable days, don't we? lol).

Now that I see the power of a kind word, I don't hesitate to dole out affirmations when the occasion arises. I used to have another terrible habit--have a lot of those, don't I?--and that was noticing something but never saying anything. I'd notice a friend's new haircut and how it enhanced her appearance, but I'd just never verbalize it. Funny for a person who plays with words for money, but I guess writing nice things is more natural than actually saying them.

I know I've posted on this topic before, but as we head into autumn, when the beauty of summer is transitioning into the bleakness of winter and the oncoming rush of the holidays, I thought a little compliment talk might brighten the dreary day here. I probably should have done a post on how to fish for compliments, as that's an art form I have down pat, but maybe next time.

Until then, what kind of compliments do you like to get? To give? To see given? Do share!

***Spoiler Alert***

Dear Beckett,

You’ve gone stupid. How is it even possible for you to pretend that you don’t remember Castle declaring his love for you? Why couldn’t you have really forgotten? I could get that. But to actually remember and pretend not to? Look at this man.

<---Really? You can say no to this?

<-----Just in case I didn’t get my point across. Really?

Do you know that millions of women would happily take him off your hands for you?

But it wouldn’t matter. The man is completely head-of-heels in love with you. I get you have some unresolved dark chewiness lurking in your past. Get over it, already! I want to see some hot Castle/Beckett action. And not chasing after a superhero type action. Though I will admit Castle was adorable in that episode. I want some more lip-lock action.

<-----Look at this kiss. Yeah, yeah. Whatever. It’s wasn’t to mislead the perps. That’s chemistry, my dear.

You’re a fool for pretending not to remember it.

Signed,

A Concerned Fan.

Dear Elena,

You’re the second woman to have gone stupid this week. It’s frustrating. Forget Stephan, embrace Damon.

<-----Damon with the breathtaking blue eyes.

<-----Damon who will do anything to make you happy even if it means finding the man you love and bringing him back.

<-----Damon who is so bad but wants to be so good—for you.

Idiot woman. You’ve picked the wrong brother. Stefan is a good guy. I can see that. But wake up! He’s not going to rock your world the way Damon can. And if you don’t want him, can you please send him my way?

Signed,

Tired of Idiot Women

I was thrilled to receive this five star review (below) for My Fierce Highlander at Amazon from a Coffee Beans and Love Scenes reviewer. It caused me to start thinking about heroines in historical romance. We see all types from innocent, spoiled girls straight from the classroom, to seemingly mature women even though they may not be very old. Regardless of their age, I prefer to write heroines who are strong, intelligent survivors. They have been shaped by the hardships in their pasts. Maybe they've experienced something difficult or painful and lived to not only overcome it but to also grow and become even more resilient. Alasdair thinks of Gwyneth as a willow tree, strong but flexible. He admires this about her, as well as many other things. Despite her strength and the ability to take care of herself, he hopes she will trust him enough to rely on him at times.
---

Reviewed at: CBLS Reviews
Reviewed by: Toni

What a refreshing change from the norm!

Gwyneth Carswell is one of the most independent historical women I have ever read about. She was fierce in her own right. Due to an unfortunate scandal, she is sent to the Scotland Highlands by her father. She was born and breed as a lady, but she blossomed into an amazing strong, protective and productive woman. Gwyneth takes her responsibility as a mother seriously and refuses to become a dithering love struck lass. She is a modern woman in 1618, a true gem.

Laird Alasdair MacGrath is pure heaven. When I sit back and fantasize what MY highlander looks like, I see Alasdair. Dark haired, tall and a body built from battle. That's not all though, he is confident, smart, witty, charming, protective, kind and extremely passionate. He is a dream come true, but an unrealistic dream that Gwyneth believes she can never have.

My Fierce Highlander is a story that grabs you and won't let go. It draws you in, pulling you up a hill of sexual tension and building suspense, then cresting the peak for a beautiful descent into the world of love and passion.

Gwyneth and Alasdair is a perfectly matched couple. The couple's troubles, obstacles and victories all seemed real and ideal. Ms. Sinclair did a fabulous job writing a well balanced and enjoyable book. The story had just enough descriptions of the land and its people to enhance the story without bogging down the storyline. The action was intense and the love scenes were sultry.

The other characters truly enhanced the enjoyment of the story. Rory, Gwyneth's son, was adorable and such a wonderful addition to the story. He kept the plot grounded and real. I absolutely adored Alasdair's brother, Lachlan. He kept me chuckling and shaking my head at him throughout the book. He is a perfect scoundrel. He will be a great story to read about in the next book. I can't wait.

This is superb historical romance that will keep you up late and engaged. My Fierce Highlander will be a keeper on my shelf.
---
My Fierce Highlander is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other online booksellers.
Thanks!!
Vonda
www.vondasinclair.com

One fall festival I make sure to go to every years is the North East Wine Festival in North East, Pennsylvania. We always go with another couple, and this year our son and daughter and their girlfriend/husband came too. After a weather forecast of rain and cold temperatures, it ended up being a beautiful day.


The wine tasting was held in the tent in the background. Eight wineries were on hand, showing off their most popular wines.

WE started out with $20 worth of tokens. A $1 token gave us a 1oz taste. I don't know how many more tokens we went through, but it was fun to try a 1 oz taste of some wines we've never had before. And a few of us might have surrendered several tokens for a glass of a wine we loved.

After we had a good wine buzz, and a list of wines we wanted to buy to take home, we headed over to the food vendors. Everyone was starving and came back to our table with a variety of foods from chili cheese dogs to gyros to blooming onions to chicken fingers.

Behind all the picnic tables you can see a pavilion where live bands played all day long. We even might have been heard singing along with a few oldies. And the rest of the park was filled with craft booths. We didn't buy anything at the craft booths, but did come home with a few bottles of our favorite wines. And some more good memories of a good day out with family and friends.

Natasha
FLAUNT IT - Available now
RISK IT - Coming Nov 15th
www.natashamoore.com

I've only received 3 before and those were requested, but I'm excited to say that I received some Advance Reading Copies for reviewers.

So if you have a review site and Sourcebooks isn't already sending you a book to review, let me know! :)



And if anyone is interested in an autographed copy of A GHOST OF A CHANCE AT LOVE, I do have them now. No free ones though!!! I had to pay for them.

But just email me!

I'm running late, but it's Friday, so that's okay!!!

Last weekend I didn't get the newsletter off because of storms, no Internet, then no electricity, so this time I'm hoping to have the newsletter done and out!

Not sure about the story this week. I'll have to look in my files for something fun to read. Envision this file cabinet ten stories high, full of wonderfully captivating stories that I can pluck out and upload.

And then envision that I write fantasy and that the above is a fantastical story. Truly!!! Even though my critique partners would say that it isn't a fantasy at all. :)

Did you know that yesterday was the first day of Fall??? You couldn't convince me! Not with 102 degrees scheduled for today!

So have a super wonderful, terrific, great weekend! Any big plans for you?

Terry
"Giving new meaning to the term alpha male."
www.terryspear.com

 

This year's Cavemen...

Kristin
www.kristindaniels.com
www.facebook.com/authorkristindaniels
http://twitter.com/Kristin_Daniels

I love series books. There’s something about reoccurring characters that really have me looking forward to the next book. I’ve spent years trying to come up with an idea for a series. For some reason, I’ve struggled with this--until recently. I finally had an idea for a series hit me.

Here are the things I’ve learned so far:

1) The book I thought was going to be the first book was NOT the first book. I had to backtrack one character and make HIM the hero of the first book. The bonus to this is I do have half of the second book complete. Now to finish the first. Almost there, just lots and lots of editing.

2) Writing a series is hard. Maybe this is because I’m a pantser. I've tried plotting, I really have. It's just not for me. However, I’ve had to start jotting down plot points for the future books to make sure I don’t forget about them. Unfortunately for me, plot points for the secondary characters seem to come out of nowhere, lol. I’m just writing along and then bam, a secondary character does something important I have to remember.

3) Writing a series about a group of guy friends has me using their names a lot more than I ever had in any other story I’ve written. We’ve always been told not to repeat their names a lot in a scene, and this made sense when it’s a scene with a man and woman. It’s pretty easy to distinguish between who is talking with just saying he and she. But when you have three guys in a room and no women, getting across who is saying or doing what becomes terribly difficult without saying Paul did this. Sam did that. BUT THEN, the writing feels stilted.

4) Trying to weave in the current situation for the other future male heroes is tricky. It’s not that I haven’t done subplots. Defying Convention has a great subplot with Emma’s brother and his ex-fiancée. However, this type of subplot is way different because there won’t be a resolution to it until we get to that secondary characters book. So I constantly worry I’m being a tease instead of building anticipation for the characters story. Doubt sucks. It really, really does.

Do I regret starting the series? Not at all. If I can get it where I want it, I’m going to love the series, and possibly make way for even more stories. (Yes, more plot ideas have hit me since I started writing for new characters).

Is this a learning lesson? Absolutely. I bow to series writers.

So do any experienced series writers have any tips for a newbie one?

Esme

I received a review for My Wild Highlander which made me wonder why some readers love reformed rake heroes and others don't. I've heard the saying: reformed rakes make the best husbands. But I have no clue why this might be the case. Do you? I mean, a rake is known for his sexual exploits. He's been in many women's beds. One thing we know for sure, he must be fantastic between the sheets or he wouldn't see so much action. He must be a very sensual and charming male. Is this what makes him good husband material? Hmm... well, it would certainly keep life in the castle interesting.

One huge thing that concerns many women (and the heroine of my story) is... can he be faithful? He's used to so much variety, surely he will tire of one woman pretty soon. But to this I say... not if she is the right woman for him. A woman who holds his interest, his attention, and eventually his heart. Yes, even rakes can fall in love. Thank goodness, because... well, you know... they make the best heroes. :)
"Vonda does it again with an excellent fast pace story. I was really hesitant in reading this one because as most of you know I don’t get along with historical heroes that are in every woman’s skirt, but… this story was nothing like I though it would be and it wasn’t long before I fell for Lachlan and all of his charm, he is a true highlander hero. This is a story with twist and turns and a great romance between two that are nothing alike.

"People can change from their ways, right? Well, you have to read this one and find out how one lady name Angelique changed a rakes ways. The catch is who really changed who. Yep, there is somewhat of a twist to this story if you read the fine lines.

"The romance between Lachlan and Angelique is stressful at times and at times it’s so hot your fanning yourself. I loved seeing them grow together as the story grew.

"I recommend this story for any historical highlander romance reader to try."
Laurie at Bitten By Paranormal Romance

What about you? Do you like or dislike sensual rake heroes? Do you give them the opportunity to change?

My Wild Highlander is available at Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

I'm also at Under the Covers today with an interview and book giveaway!

Thanks!
www.vondasinclair.com

Paisley Barton was already having a bad day before she turned her husband into a rat.

First, she was fired by her boss and then came home to find hubby in the shower with a naked blonde chick. They say that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned but this break-up may just unleash hell on Earth when Paisley casts a spell of vengeance against her philandering husband.

After her spell casting inadvertently opens a portal between dimensions, Paisley finds her family home transformed into a nightly courtroom for settling disputes between demons of the underworld and she’s the judge! If that’s not enough, she’s got to deal with a charming, ancient demon named Camden who wants to be her personal bodyguard while trying to explain her husband’s sudden, mysterious disappearance to sexy police Detective Dalton Briggs.

But Paisley will show them all that an everyday working mom is better equipped than most to deal with the mystical mayhem…and with a tempting demon hottie and a flirtatious young detective vying for her affection, she soon learns that being single again isn’t so bad after all.

“When a wronged wife turns her cheating husband into a rat, you know you have to keep reading! Kerri Nelson offers up a lot of fun and wild magic in Courting Demons!” --Bestselling author Linda Wisdom, Demons are a Girl’s Best Friend

Has a title ever made you stop and think, hey, I want to read this? I loved the double meaning to Wolf Fever!! It was perfect for the story!


Sure, that's what titles are supposed to do. Sometimes they are so bad, you have to take a look at them. Sometimes they play off something popular and catch your attention. Sometimes they are just written to snag your eye because they are so bizarre, you just have to read the back cover blurb. And sometimes they're of a subject that you can't bypass no matter how much you know you don't have time for it.

At work, I was checking in books and saw Sex on the Moon. Okay. So I handed it to our history major and asked him if he'd want to read the book. It had to do with NASA, but was fictional, of course. And I pointed out it was historical, in a way. LOL

No, he said, shaking his head. He didn't believe it had anything to do with sex on the moon. Okay, maybe it does, but it doesn't reveal it in the blurb. But did the title catch our attention? Sure!

One of our Sourcebooks authors, Grace Burrows, mentioned about her regency era book, The Heir, and how when she talked about it, folks thought she meant, "The Air."

Yes, just like with The SEAL in Wolf's Clothing. There's this big pause. Now I'm writing about seal shifters mixing it up with wolves?

Hmmm.... But when the cover comes out, I'm sure there will be a hunky Navy SEAL, and that will dispel any concern readers might have that it's a flippered seal with long whiskers...

So titles can be fun!

Can you think of a title that made you look further into a book? Buy it?

Hope you all have a great Thursday! It's my vampire night tonight...

I'm having trouble with my Internet this morning, so still trying to get this blog posted. Methinks the mischievous fae are about....

Barnes and Noble

Terry
"Giving new meaning to the term alpha male."

I was thrilled to receive an email and amazingly fabulous review on Amazon from a reader. Thanks so much, Kathryn from CA!!!

***

My fierce response to a new romance writer on the scene, September 14, 2011  By Kathryn (Beverly Hills, CA, United States)

I'm a huge fan of Highlander-type stories and I was amazed to find Vonda Sinclair's MY FIERCE HIGHLANDER was on a par with Julie Garwood and Judith McNaught. I was even more amazed to discover that Vonda Sinclair didn't have a big-time publisher promoting her books.

The story takes place 1618 Scotland where the heroine has been sent away by her father, an English earl, to a Scottish cousin's territory. When her father discovered Gwyneth pregnant by an English Marquis who then refused to be forced into marriage he banished her from the family. She married one of her Scottish cousin's men in order to give her bastard son a name and is now a widow. Gwyneth's strict Protestant upbringing makes her believe she's unworthy of love and it takes a good portion of the story for her to accept that she deserves happiness. Laird Alasdair MacGrath spends his time wooing and protecting her and her son from her murderous cousin and the English Marquis who has now decided he wants his son at any cost which includes killing Gwyneth.

It was so refreshing to read a story where the heroine is intelligent, passionate and brave without the silliness of a "misunderstanding" or "too-stupid-to-live" actions and reactions. The hero, Alasdair continues to woo her and doesn't initially know or care about her aristocratic upbringing. When he discovers she's the daughter of the earl it only makes his wooing more difficult. He's a good man made only a better man by his love for her.

Another great element of this story is how the romance and the plot of the evil cousin and English Marquis are woven into the story. It's seamless and organic to the progress of the romance. MY FIERCE HIGHLANDER has the perfect balance of romance, love scenes and plot and smoothly sets up a sequel with Alasdair's brother.

I haven't read MY WILD HIGHLANDER yet, but honestly folks, it's next on my buy list but I have to wait for the weekend because otherwise I'll be up all night reading it.

Do yourself a favor and read Vonda Sinclair and if there are any publishers out there reading this review you should grab this writer fast because her level of competence in writing romance is far superior to what I've been reading over the last several years. Thank goodness that Amazon Kindle allows authors to get their work out into the marketplace.

Cars.

I can't stop thinking about them. I know that I'm supposed to be more concerned with my hero's taste in women, but over the last few years I've become quite enamored with the world of autos, for better or worse, and so now I'm concerned with the cars my heroes drive in addition to their potential mates.

I blame a car wreck I had years ago, and I mean that in a good way. After the accident, I had to buy a new car quickly. Still stunned that my car had been totaled, I searched online for a car to replace it as soon as possible and found one, although it seemed to be too good to be true.

It was.

To make a long story short, I ended up getting a Mercedes in a very nice deal because the car dealer thought the car was defective and that I was stupid. It wasn't and I wasn't. I learned a lot from that experience, but most of all I learned that I really like Mercedes. lolThat particular revelation changed my life. I suddenly understood why my husband swooned when he saw certain cars whizzing by, and I realized how he could talk about the perfect truck like it was a date for hours. As I drove my used new vehicle, I began to appreciate what made a fantastic ride, and now I actually have preferences when it comes to automobiles.

Laugh if you will, but before my Merc, I was just happy to drive something with wheels that functioned. The first car I ever owned required the driver--me--to climb in the driver's window because the door wouldn't open. In addition, and sadly, I often bought cars based on their connections to my ex-boyfriends (don't even go THERE) rather than their own attributes. However, now I find myself liking cars for the way they respond (or handle, as Hubby puts it) and for their--and I'm serious about this--design. For example, I totally appreciate the allure of a baby blue Jaguar, and I can also understand why someone would desire a used pickup truck. In their own way, they're beautiful. Artistic even. Every vehicle has a purpose, and when it serves that purpose well, it's, well, totally cool.



I can't explain it, but I accept my sudden indoctrination into the testosterone-filled world of cars. No, they aren't cats or spiders or even hot, erotic stories, but they are super cool modes of transportation without which our heroes and heroines would spend much of their time jogging.

Need I say more? :)

I was thrilled with this review from The Readers Roundtable for My Fierce Highlander!

Who doesn’t love a saucy highlander romance? It doesn’t get better than My Fierce Highlander when you’re looking for a handsome highland warrior with sex appeal out the ying-yang!

When a battle breaks out on her cousin’s land, Gwyneth saves Alasdair, a laird from a rival clan. She hides him and heals him in secret, knowing he’s come with a peace treaty. When Alasdair wakes up, he’s surprised Gwyneth is taking care of him and doesn’t quite trust her. He must go back to his clan, but knows he’ll always protect Gwyneth for saving his life.

This story is well written, reads easily and quickly and there isn’t a moment you won’t be deep into the storyline, totally involved with the characters. Before the sex, Gwyneth and Alasdair are already emotionally involved, which doesn’t always happen these days and it’s so nice to read that today. The sex is sensual and romantic with highly emotional, tender moments. It’s heartfelt and will give you the warm-and-fuzzies on many occasions.

Alasdair is a handsome, highland warrior who knows how to take care of his woman and I wholeheartedly recommend it to those of you who love a good highland romance! It’s absolutely yummy!

Rated 5 Gold Crowns and a Recommended Read by Beth!

Ardvreck Castle is a ruin which sits on a promontory in Loch Assynt, Sutherland, Scotland. This is one of the most hauntingly beautiful areas of Scotland. The castle was built by the MacLeod Clan in the 1590s. The MacLeods had control of this area from the late 14th Century. The most famous tale relating to this castle involves James Graham, Marquis of Montrose. He was captured and imprisoned here in 1650 then later taken to Edinburgh and executed. He was a Royalist fighting on the side of Charles I against the Covenanters. Having lost a battle nearby, he sought refuge with the MacLeods. Neil MacLeod was away and apparently his wife Christine had Montrose imprisoned.


Ardvreck was attacked and taken by the MacKenzie Clan in 1672. They also took all the Assynt lands. They lived here at the castle until 1726 when they built a manor house nearby, Calda House, which also now stands in ruins after a fire in 1737.
 The walk to the castle was a mini adventure in itself. Water from the loch had flooded the walkway a slight bit. Before we left the rain came, chasing us back to the car.


The whole Assynt area is truly breathtaking, especially with the mist lurking about the mountains. Before reaching Ardvreck, we stopped at a lookout hoping to see Ben More Assynt (which means "big mountain of Assynt" in Gaelic) in the distance. The mountain is 3274 feet high and is the tallest mountain in Sutherland. But it is actually hidden from the road we traveled by other mountains in the foreground. We enjoyed seeing the red deer roaming the area, but didn't enjoy the midges, which seemed more aggressive and plentiful here than anywhere we'd been.

Today is my birthday. My gift to myself is a day home from the evil day job, spending my time reading and writing. If the weather cooperates, maybe I can take a walk down to the lake with my hubby. My birthday gift from him was a beautiful handtooled leather Kindle cover from Oberon Design. If you haven't heard of them, be sure to check them out. Their work is amazing and the cover is even more beautiful in person.


I'm still celebrating the release of Flaunt It and the beginning of my Paolo's Playhouse series from Samhain. All four of the playhouse stories deal with sexual fantasies. Flaunt It plays with exhibitionism, Risk It with voyeurism, Birthday Girl plays with menage and some BDSM. Birthday Girl delves deeper into BDSM. And Paolo's Playhouse has the playrooms that make it all possible.

We all have our own fantasies. We close our eyes and let our imagination run wild, and when we do, our minds and bodies respond. Most of us will never live out our sexual fantasies, but we can embrace them. We don't need to apologize or be ashamed of them. A fantasy, by definition, is a safe way to explore those arousing scenarios we'd most likely never want to try out in real life.

My strongest fantasies play with bondage and/or exhibitionism. (As if my readers can't tell that from the stories I write!) I love to play around with fantasies in my erotic romances. So here's where the contest comes in.

Since it's my birthday, I'm giving a gift to one Fierce Romance reader to celebrate. I'll choose a commenter at random from today's post and send them a $10 Amazon gift card. You can use it to buy some of my current releases...or my backlist...or of course, enjoy other fabulous writers out there as well.

So start those comments coming in. If you'd like to, I'd love to hear what your fantasies are so I can make sure to play with them in my upcoming stories. But if you don't feel comfortable doing that, tell us what your favorite birthday gift was. I could use some ideas for next year! Then check back tomorrow morning for the winner of my Birthday Fantasy Contest.

Natasha
FLAUNT IT - Available now
RISK IT - Coming Nov 15th
www.natashamoore.com

My publisher emailed last night to say the book was sent to the printers and it is up on Amazon.

B&N will take a little longer. And the print version will be out soon also.

Every time I visited Salado with my mother on our special shopping trips, I couldn't help wondering what it would be like to be thrown back in time in the quaint little town. It's made so many changes over the years, and I wish that it hadn't, but it was fun visiting it in the way distant past in A GHOST OF A CHANCE AT LOVE.

I need to do a book signing in Salado, but I haven't been back since my mother died two years ago. That was our special place to visit and we'd been doing it for years. I wish she'd been here to enjoy seeing the book finally make its debut.

A GHOST OF A CHANCE AT LOVE

Lisa Welsh only wishes to leave a messy divorce behind for a couple of days stay in Salado, Texas but wakes to nightmares and a cowboy in her bed, and she has no earthly idea how he got there. But the situation gets worse when she learns she’s now living in 19th Century Salado. Even more worrisome is the tall dark stranger, and everyone else in town believes she’s some woman named Josephine Rogers who is supposed to be dead.

Jack Stanton can’t believe the clerk gave him an occupied room at the Shady Villa Inn, but worse, he was ready to ravage the woman in that bed—until he realized his mistake. Now the woman he thinks is Josephine claims to be some other woman—and though he could never abide by Josephine’s fickle ways, this Lisa Welsh intrigues him like no other. Still, if she isn't Josephine, he figures he best help her find her way back to where she really belongs no matter how much he wants to keep her with him.

Together, Lisa and Jack must solve the mysteries and face the troubles in their worlds or they will never be free to share the love that binds them across the ages.


I'll be at Karen Nutt's blog on September 12 to offer a giveaway.

In October, I'll be on Deb's blog, and at The Fairytale Nerd, concerning the fae series!

Off to see Cowboys and Aliens today. Has anyone seen it? A friend said her family would not see it with her so I have no idea what I'm in for!

Have a super Saturday!

Terry
"Giving new meaning to the term alpha male."
www.terryspear.com

It's September, folks. For a lot of us that means back to school, the end of hot summer days as the first signs of fall start to appear, and , let's face it, getting ourselves in the mindset of winter arriving along with the upcoming holidays.

But for me, September means even more. September, you see, is World Alzheimer's Month.


I've talked before about my mom, and how she's afflicted with this horrible disease. What I've probably never mentioned before is that her mother had it as well, as did my grandfather on my dad's side.

I'm not going to lie, the fact that so many in my family have suffered through this scares me to death. Is it hereditary? Yes, it can be. Will I get it? Will my kids? I have no clue.

We talk about this quite a bit in my family--honestly, with something like this, you have to. But I'm doing even more. Not only is September World Alzheimer's Month, but here in Chicago, it's also our month to host the Walk to End Alzheimer's.

Bradley Cooper in his purple Alzheimer's shirt.

I have my own team this year, in honor of my mother and my grandparents. Next Sunday, come rain or shine, I'll be down at Montrose Harbor, ready to walk my little heart out. So many of my family and friends -- even some writing friends whom I've never met -- have donated to my walk. My heart has has been touched so many times. It's hard for me to express how much everyone's support means to me. I've cried happy, yet sad, tears more than once through this experience.

So, as I gear up for the Walk, remember you can help, too. Awareness is critical. Let's all GO PURPLE on Sept 21st!!

And let's also hope that very, very soon, scientists will find a cure for his terrible disease!

http://twitter.com/Kristin_Daniels

Some of you may remember this post, as it was actually first published here on Veteran's Day, 2010. However, I wanted to post it again because it honors those who serve in our military, and with the 10th anniversary of 9/11 coming up on Sunday, I wanted to again thank them and those first responders who are there for us in our greatest times of need.


For the record, although I talk a great deal about military men, I also honor and am grateful for the women and animals who so proudly serve our country. Soldiers are soldiers, no matter the gender or species, and I think I speak for many Americans when I say…

Thanks.

Thanks for all you do. Thanks for keeping us safe and for fighting battles we’re not equipped to fight and for doing a job that is sometimes thankless but oh so important and necessary. My father and uncle were in the service, as well as several cousins, and my great uncle was a WWII hero. I researched the Navy as a career and, of course, I mar

ried a serviceman. He has some very successful career military personnel on his side of the family, both past and current, men and women. From World War I through the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, some member of our family has participated in fighting for freedom or for the safety of those they are charged with protecting. Therefore, days like the anniversary of 9/11 have great meaning for me and my family.

Words truly can’t do justice to how much we appreciate the contribution of veterans, both living and not, who’ve served our country proudly, so I will stop here with the verbiage. In keeping with the spirit of Fierce Romance, I’m posting a couple of pix. Please take a moment as you peruse them to remember the sacrifices our service personnel have endured to maintain the lifestyle we cherish here in the United States. I know I will.

So today is one of those days I have absolutely no idea what to write about. I have a killer head/chest cold and it making brainstorming topics impossible. So I’m going to talk about something I read this week.

Anyone read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins?

I feel like I’m late to the party with this book series. I've heard people talk about it off and on since the first book came out in 2008, but really never paid it any mind. I do love Young Adult books, but I’m really not a post-apocalyptic sort of girl. However, over the last few months, the way The Hunger Games kept popping up became almost comical. I’d be on a forum and see someone talk about it. I'd be out in public and overhear someone say something about it. Everywhere I seemed to turn, I was hearing someone talk about this book.

The final straw was a week ago when I was sitting in my living room and saw it pop up again online. I asked my roommate, “Have you heard of the book called The Hunger Games?”

She gave me a strange look. “Funny you should ask, I had a woman come into work today and see that I was reading Harry Potter and she asked me if I’d read The Hunger Games. What is it about?”

At that moment I decided I was going to read it. I couldn’t ignore the way it kept coming up. Having a Kindle is a curse and a blessing. I had the book within seconds—the blessing. But spent money I shouldn’t have—the curse. Kindle just makes it so easy, lol.

Anyway I started the book the next day. I really don’t know what my preconceived notion was about this book, but what I was reading was not what I was expecting. It was dark, it was twisted and honestly, a few times, made me even wonder how it was a young adult book—Harry Potter fan here, where yes things get dark and twisted but there is a lightheartedness to the books (well except the last one) where Harry Potter is also a teen dealing with teen things.

Guys, The Hunger Games is not that way. It reminded me a lot of Lord of The Flies, where the writing becomes feral at times. Savage. And by the time I was finished, I was cursing myself for waiting as long as I did to read it.

So tell me, has a book you normally wouldn’t read kept popping up in the oddest places and made you decide to read it?

All I can say is I’m so glad I read The Hunger Games. Now I have to finish the rest of the series.

Esme

To some, a werewolf is a giant hairy monster, a cross between a wolf and a T-Rex. Even one of my good friends thought this was the type of werewolf I was creating when I wrote my book. These monsters may come from legend, but that's not the type of werewolves I write about. My werewolves shape-shift from (yummy, sexy) men to normal-sized wolves. They are immortal Sgian Dubh Guardians from Scotland who have vowed to protect humanity from evil. Not an easy job. In fact, they risk their lives everyday in defense of Protected Ones--humans with special powers and great destinies who are often the target of evil entities. Protected Ones usually help many people or do a lot of good in the world.

Ronan Graeme is a warrior and a Sgian Dubh Guardian who takes his job very seriously, especially this time. Not for 600 years has so much been at stake. Because he's part wolf, his senses are much sharper than a normal human's, especially his sense of smell and hearing. Plus he can see well in near darkness. Since they have to battle evil entities so often, it's a good thing Sgian Dubh Guardians heal ten times faster than humans. Another ability in their arsenal is anti-gravity. They can crawl up walls or walk on the ceiling. This also helps slow their descent if they want to jump off something extremely high. (I must add here that this book contains a love scene which happens on the ceiling. :) )

One of the Guardians' most interesting skills is controlling the minds of the humans around them. Ronan only does this when absolutely necessary, usually in life or death situations, or to prevent mass hysteria.

Sgian Dubh Guardians, being part human and part wild animal, have a stronger than normal sex drive, but they control their urges well. The full moon increases their need to find a willing lass for a tumble between the sheets. But they're not allowed to touch Protected Ones. Too bad Syrena, the heroine, is a Protected One.

I have some wonderful new reviews for this book that I'd like to share.

Blade of the Wolf by Nicole North is hot! The novel starts out explaining how Syrena has psychic powers that an incubus wants to obtain, which ultimately puts her at risk and even at death. So Ronan, a werewolf, is assigned to keep Syrena safe by watching over her constantly. Syrena has no idea what Ronan is, but she has an undeniable attraction to the Scottish beauty. Ronan is not supposed to engage in pleasure with Syrena, but pretty soon the attraction is too much to handle for both of them.

I really enjoyed this novel. The story is well written and the plot kept me turning pages. Ronan is a great character, and not because he has a sexy Scottish accent (which didn’t hurt). He is so kind and protective over Syrena which will make any reader fall in love with him. Syrena is more self conscious of her body, but she’s kind and tries to do whats best. But her sister is annoying, at best, offering a blow job to Ronan, when she knows Syrena likes him. Other than the self absorbed sister, I loved this book. I recommend it to werewolf fans and fans of paranormal romance. Nicole North has created a wonderful story and I’ll be purchasing her other novels very soon. Romancing the Book

****
Rating: 5 Cups

Ronan is on a mission for which he takes an oath to protect the innocent even from himself. The temptation of one mere human woman could be his very downfall.

Syrena is a psychic with the eerie ability to see the dead. Capable of so much more, she has always denied her powers and turned her back on them long ago. Every encounter with Ronan brings her powers screaming back and makes her even stronger.

Their love is forbidden but impossible to ignore. The past and present, full of regrets for both lovers, meet in an epic battle between good and evil where the victor is never guaranteed.

Blade of the Wolf is the epitome of romance novels. Nicole North gives the reader passion, sacrifice, love and strength in both the hero and the heroine. The evil is the unimaginable kind and strikes fear in the hearts of the reader. I absolutely loved the story, which flowed smoothly from one chapter in the lives of two characters whose love progresses at warp speed. An absolutely outstanding fast-paced novel meant to sweep the reader along on the tide of love and lust and succeeds in providing all the pleasures of reading a truly outstanding story.
Delane
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance and More

****

If you are looking for some amazing paranormal erotic romance then look no further, Blade of the Wolf by Nicole North is the book you want to read. With a delicious hero, immortal werewolf and Scottish Sgian Dubh Guardian, who cannot read this story? North takes us on a magical journey where love can appear when you least expect it and boy does it when Ronan meets the woman he is sworn to protect. But our hero has a dark past that may interfere with the psychic Syrena. Readers will love the dynamic between Ronan and Syrena, the hot romance between the two is enough to scorch the reader you’re reading it on. Who can resist a magical journey, lovable characters, witty dialogue and of course an evil incubus. I hope to see a series come out of this because I can see it turning into one. North’s romance stories are always ones to enjoy so if you like this one, be sure to look up her others.
The Pen & Muse

Do you enjoy werewolf romance or shape-shifter romance? Why or why not? What do you think about love scenes in unusual places, such as on a ceiling?

Thanks!
Nicole
www.nicolenorth.com