I have a pretty!!!

I received my cover for Defying Convention. Look at Luke! Look at him! The moment I saw him, I fell in love. He's perfect! The shaggy hair, the perpetual five o'clock shadow...the hotness. I'm tickled pink over the cover!

Journalist Emma Portland would do anything to save her career, even go undercover at the 31st Annual GalaxyCon in search of a story. Emma thinks she’s hit pay dirt when she meets Luke Evans, a bestselling scifi author whose readers have turned against him. She has no problem getting close to the sexy writer to get the scoop on his downfall. Except the more time she spends with Luke, the more she has a different kind of exposé in mind…

Luke can’t believe he’s found the one woman at GalaxyCon who hasn’t heard of him and can look that hot in a bikini. For the first time he’s opening up about himself…and the secret that torpedoed his writing career. Too bad his former fans are out for blood—and out to sabotage his budding relationship with Emma.

But amidst rival reporters, eager fanboys and overzealous role-players, it’s Emma’s secret that may put the brakes on their sizzling attraction for good…

I absolutely love this story and had so much fun writing it. I can't wait for it to release on August 1st with Carina Press. Here is a quick excerpt:

“He attacked you because of a character?”

The waif of a woman strode around the furry, narrowed her hazel eyes and put her hands on her hips. Luke sucked in a harsh breath. She was gorgeous. At first glance she’d pass for any other costume wearing woman attending the conventions. Their costumes and heavy makeup hid their actual appearance. Nothing was false about what she wore, except maybe the wig. Was her hair brown or something lighter, redder?

It didn’t matter. What captivated him was the pale, delicate skin displayed for his pleasure. The metal bra was a cup too small, thrusting her generous breasts forward. He clenched his hands against the urge to trace the enticing flesh.

Whoa, boy. Back down.

Yeah, right. How could he with her dressed like that? His gaze lowered to the bikini bottoms with the long burgundy fabric that hung in front. Riding low on her hips, the fabric accentuated the hourglass curve of her waist and showed off her perfect belly button. Luke swallowed. Ah hell. He was in trouble.

Not once had he mixed business with pleasure at a networking event. The possibility of falling for someone obsessed over an imaginary world had worried him. He needed someone grounded in reality, someone to come back to when he emerged from Farmen. Yet one small encounter with this spitfire princess with the most inviting plump lips—and he was rethinking his viewpoint. Not good.

“Hello! McFly.” She snapped her fingers in front of his face.

He blinked. “What?”

She rolled her eyes and shook her head, mumbling something about geeks and women. He blinked again. Had he heard that correctly? He didn’t know what to do with a woman?

Oh hell no. Against his better judgment or not, he knew exactly what he wanted to do with her.

Thanks for letting me share!!!
Abby (aka Esmerelda Bishop's contemporary half)
www.abbyniles.com

Scarlet and the Sheriff by Carly Carson

Today I've invited fellow Red Sage author Carly Carson to tell us about her first published book Scarlet and the Sheriff.

Nicole North: Welcome, Carly! I'm so glad you're here with us! Please tell us about yourself.

Carly Carson: Like most writers, I’ve always wanted to write. I have an MBA in Finance, which may not be the most expected detour along the way, but it helped to pay the rent. Now, my husband travels the globe while I take care of our three perfect, well-behaved…uh, hellions…(they are lovable!) and sit at my computer. He cannot fathom how I can spend all day in the house, lol, but he is a fabulous cheerleader.

Nicole: Please tell us about your latest release, Scarlet and the Sheriff. (By the way, what a beautiful cover!!)

Fleeing a cheating fiancé, Scarlet breaks down on the Fourth of July in a sultry Southern town where the Sheriff is even hotter than the firecrackers. With no car and no money, she finds teasing the Sheriff a fun way to pass the time. Unfortunately, the Sheriff holds all the cards when he receives the warrants for her arrest issued by her vengeful ex. Now Scarlet has to dance to his tune – and the only song he wants to sing is about hot sex.

Nicole: Oooh sounds hot!!! Is this your first book? Can you tell us how this sale came about?

Carly: This is my first finished book and was sold as a result of my first query. Sounds easy? Not. I spent years studying the craft and writing stories, etc. until I felt I had something worth submitting. And still, the sale was an exciting surprise.

Nicole: Absolutely! What was your favorite element in this story?

Carly: Definitely the heroine – her ability to bounce back after every setback - and her naughty sexuality.

Nicole: And which element did you find most difficult?

Carly: The ending is always hard for me because I don’t want to leave my characters – and this is probably why I have a long novella.

Nicole: I know what you mean. Leaving those characters is hard. Do you have any advice for unpublished authors?

Carly: Study the craft of writing and then practice your writing with a purpose. Practice everything you learn. It’s not just telling a story, but crafting a story.
Nicole: So true! What’s next for you?

Carly: I’ve almost finished a full-length novel which I intend to submit to agents and I have a futuristic under consideration with Red Sage.
Nicole: I wish you the best of luck with those projects! Would you like to ask blog readers a question?

Carly: What is your favorite type of hero? Historical (Regency, Highlander, American Western)? Contemporary (Military/cop, Tycoon, Family man)? Otherworldly (Vampire, Wizard, Elves)?

Nicole: Excellent question! To learn more about Carly's book, to read a sexy excerpt or buy a copy: Scarlet and the Sheriff

Instinct

As a woman who’s always been more into planning than spur-of-the-moment, I recently put my resolution to remain flexible into play. Several months earlier, hubby and I purchased tickets to a comedy event. Almost daily, we chatted about the upcoming concert. Since the venue is several hours away, we agreed on arriving early and enjoying the sights of the city. No planning in advance, except for purchasing the tickets.

Fast forward to the week of the performance. Nothing that happened in our working week dampened our moods. We were ready for Friday night. Anticipation buoyed us and boosted our energy levels. Two days before to the concert, my closet doors remained closed in the event I became tempted to pull a couple outfits from the racks and ask his opinion on a favorite.

As happens with all good moods, they eventually reach an end point. Conflict delights at barging in on a woman before she’s out of her pajamas. The morning prior to our getaway, I brewed the coffee and turned on the television. The Weather Channel delivered the awful news. A winter storm would sweep into our area overnight. A call of icing doesn’t bother me when I’m watching NHL games. But the notion of driving on slick roadways doesn’t thrill me in the slightest.

Despite the dismal weather prediction, my hubby remained confident all would be fine and we’d no need for alarm. My writing day beckoned and I gladly heeded the call. I played among the plotting sheets on our living room floor and steered my thoughts away from the approaching storm. After about an hour I took a break and enjoyed a mug of green tea while curled up on the couch. The remote control lay nearby on the coffee table, but I resisted picking it up and rechecking the weather. Hubby’s reassurances played in my mind. Before half of the tea was gone, pleasant warmth tracked from my neck to my toes. Warmth I couldn’t attribute to the tea. Something stirred deep inside me. Many link this sensation to their gut, but I don’t. My instinct is settled somewhere else, and I’m not concerned as to its pinpoint location. The fact instinct has served me well in cases where I’m apprehensive sustains my faith in the well-hidden predictor. Instead of sipping, I gulped the rest of my tea and returned to the story plotting. All would be fine. My instinct and hubby were right.

The following morning I awoke earlier than usual, headed for the family den and peeked out the curtain. A glazed front walkway and driveway greeted me. But no chills chased through my body. I tuned into the local forecast and also accessed the online report for our destination city. The temperature was trending upward, and the pink-contrasted portion of the scan was tracking northward on the radar. A direction opposite the one we’d travel.

After a hearty breakfast we hit the highway. From the minute we reached the interstate, our conversation remained upbeat. We reached our destination in good time. Even the brief drizzle of rain didn’t change our mood. Sightseeing. Shopping. Strolling the city streets. Dining at a new restaurant we’ve added to our list of all-time favorites. A spectacular comedic performance ending our day. Though we didn’t arrive home until after three the following morning, we were still laughing and repeating some of the funnier lines from the show.

How many of you have relied on instinct? How accurate has your instinct proven?

Feel the heat in erotic fiction,

Shawna Moore
ROUGHRIDER – Ellora’s Cave
HELLE IN HEELS – Ellora’s Cave
TORMENTED – TBD Ellora’s Cave
Shawna’s Myspace
Helle’s Myspace