Eilean Donan in a Fantasy World--Sale on Dreaming of a White Wolf Christmas!

A picture of Eilean Donan in a fantasy world. I added cliffs reflecting in the water on the Isle of Skye (just love how glassy the water can be and the beautiful reflections that can be captured in Scotland!)…so that it looks like the fairy mushrooms are now a long distance from the castle, and the castle is no longer floating in the sky. I love both, but this just gives a different story.

Here is a picture of a snow leopard I captured in a shot at the Omaha Zoo. In Loving the White Bear, a polar bear shifter story set in Alaska, three brother snow leopards also live, and this is Simon. He and his brothers are on vacation in a nice fantasy spot. It appears he is grooming himself after he went fishing. Do you think the koi will catch the dragonfly? Nope! He makes a narrow escape. And that’s my story!

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 99 cent sale at Amazon!

Witches and warlocks hide their true identities from the rest of the human population, while three teens with demon heritage living with human families, become unlikely companions in a race against time to deal with a demon threat to humankind in their own quirky way.Alana Fainot, a witch and half Kubiteron demon, witnesses a Matusa murder his summoner, and she knows he’ll target her next. Raised by her mother, she has no idea who her demon father is. But when she’s pulled to a demon portal, she meets Hunter Ross, half Matusa, half human, who returns demons to their world, but who’s been poisoned by a Matusa and is more dead than alive. His human mother gave him up for adoption, and he doesn’t know who either of his birth parents are. His friend Jared Kensington, full blooded Elantus demon, less powerful than the Kubiteron, is a whiz at electronics and helps Hunter track demons in the city, but was abandoned by his parents on Earth world for reasons unknown. He’s determined to find help to save Hunter. Alana knows aiding any Matusa is a mistake, but when she learns Hunter is half human, she makes a deal—he protects her against the Matusa who will come for her, and she helps find his dad in the demon world to save Hunter’s life.
Often at odds, the three teens work together to stop the plans of a group of Matusa to take over the human race before it’s too late.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Trouble-Demons-Demon-Guardian-ebook/dp/B004W0JI52

 

$1.99 for limited time!

Dreaming of a White Wolf Christmas

Oct 2017

Tangling with a White Wolf―Best Christmas Ever, or Real Trouble?
Romance writer Candice Mayfair never missed a deadline in her life―until an accidental bite from a werewolf puppy turns her into an Arctic wolf shifter. She’s forced to isolate herself in the wilderness to cope with her unpredictable shifting while she works on her deadlines. After all, for Candice, Christmas is just another day.
Enter private investigator Owen Nottingham, a wolf shifter hired to find Candice so she can collect her inheritance. They have a real problem: she must arrive home in human form, and that’s not happening during the full moon. Besides, Owen has a new mission: to convince the pretty she-wolf her best move is to join his pack in time for Christmas…and to prove he’s the only wolf for her.
White Wolf series:
Legend of the White Wolf
Dreaming of a White Wolf Christmas (Book 1)
Flight of the White Wolf (Book 2)

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dreaming-White-Christmas-Terry-Spear/dp/1492645176
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dreaming-of-a-white-wolf-christmas-terry-spear/1125526072?ean=9781492645184
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/dreaming-of-a-white-wolf-christmas/id1202348414?mt=11
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Terry_Spear_Dreaming_of_a_White_Wolf_Christmas?id=KHwFDgAAQBAJ
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/dreaming-of-a-white-wolf-christmas
Indio: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/dreaming-of-a-white-wolf/9781492645177

Have a wonderfully, fantastic day!!!


Terry
“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.”
Connect with Terry Spear:
Website: http://www.terryspear.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/421434.Terry_Spear
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerrySpearParanormalRomantics
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TerrySpear
Wilde & Woolly Bears: http://www.celticbears.com
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Having a Fantasy Filled Day

A young woman in medieval dress and a white horse

The Magic of Inherian: Scepter of Salvation, Book 1

Ebook By Terry Spear
Category: Fiction » Young adult or teen » Fantasy
Princess Talamaya turned 18 in the human kingdom of Damar, just like her twin brother. Only when she comes of age, she must wed the king’s choice. When her brother comes of age, he’s allowed to sit on the council. But everything changes when a wizard pits beast and man against each other in Inherian–all because of the loss of the Scepter of Salvation and she must return it to their kingdom.
Princess Talamaya and her friends, Lady Kersta and Lady Mexia, must retrieve the Scepter of Salvation when her brother is poisoned.Visions plague Talamaya of a world beyond her own, of a destiny she has to fulfill.But the barbarian king is also after the scepter, and the black-hearted wizard who is trying to gain control will do anything to keep them from retrieving it.
She must free a knight from his madness.
Help a female dwarf escape from the dwarven mines.
Aid an Amazon fighting the Dark Elves.
Rescue even the barbarian king.
Save a crusty old dwarf from the wolves of Elan Pass.
And outwit the dark wizard once more.
Above all else, she must always take the path of righteousness.

 

Which is much easier said than done.

 

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Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Terry_Spear_The_Scepter_of_Salvation?id=AJQFAwAAQBAJ

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She has to learn her magic skills to save their world, but if she can’t attend the school of magic, how will she ever be able to aid them?

The Magic of Inherian: The Mage of Monrovia, Book 2

Ebook By Terry Spear
Category: Fiction » Young adult or teen » Fantasy » Romance – Fantasy

An apprentice of the mage they had destroyed earlier, now threatens Inherian once again. But when Mexia arrives at Langdon to become school trained, she learns the school will not permit a woman to attend. But she must destroy the mage’s apprentice, and she cannot do so without the training. She must use the magic she has learned to discover a way to defeat the apprentice before it is too late.
Mexia has already done much more than most school- trained mages when she and her companions had gone in search of the scepter of salvation. But now one of the apprentices of the evil wizard they had destroyed, has stolen his spell book and plans to take up where he had left off, and she has to try and stop him.
Mexia believes the only way for her to defeat the mage is to become school trained like he was with the eventual goal of becoming a high wizard–the first of her kind in Inherian. But the current headmaster denies her entrance because she’s a woman. Though if she can get the former headmaster’s recommendation, she may attend.
And that’s the beginning of the trouble.
First, there’s the wizard.
Then, the immovable headmaster.
And then, the circle of misfortunes.
It all goes downhill from there…

 

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Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Terry_Spear_The_Mage_of_Monrovia?id=GPwlAwAAQBAJ
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/mage-of-monrovia/id1155745068?mt=11
Audible

When I saw this dwarf in the gardens, I thought of my fantasy trilogy. Which, I need to still finish. The story is: I wrote the first two, had the idea for the third, couldn't sell the first two, this was in the dinosaur time before ebooks and indie publishing, and so I put it on hold. THEN, I sold other books to publishers and was so busy writing them, and new books, and more new series, and more and more and more, and...well, you get the idea, don't you?

I have started on it, but I have edits on Flight to finish today, need to finish writing Bounty, and I've been thinking about Billionaire.

*sigh*

But right after this, it's time to reread Flight and make sure it's ready to turn in.

I did finally plant the flowers this morning, and dug up some of the grass. I need to keep working on that though. :)  And I saw a hummingbird flying around the birdseed feeders. The flowers I planted are all hummingbird flower plants and butterflies love them too.

Some days I want to just slip into a fantasy.

Enjoy your day!!! Hope that it is just as magical. :) 

Terry Spear
“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.”
Connect with Terry Spear:
Website: http://www.terryspear.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/421434.Terry_Spear
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerrySpearParanormalRomantics
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TerrySpear
Wilde & Woolly Bears http://www.celticbears

Excerpt from The Trouble with Demons (YA)

THE TROUBLE WITH DEMONS
Book 1

(Demon Guardian Series)

Terry Spear

PUBLISHED BY:
Terry Spear


All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.

Discover more about Terry Spear at:
http://www.terryspear.com/

Ebook:

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iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/trouble-demons-demon-guardian/id429830218?mt=11

The Trouble with Demons:

Witches and warlocks hide their true identities from the rest of the human population, while three teens with demon heritage living with human families, become unlikely companions in a race against time to deal with a demon threat to humankind in their own quirky way.

Alana Fainot, a witch and half Kubiteron demon, witnesses a Matusa murder his summoner, and she knows he’ll target her next. Raised by her mother, she has no idea who her demon father is. But when she’s pulled to a demon portal, she meets Hunter Ross, half Matusa, half human, who returns demons to their world, but who’s been poisoned by a Matusa and is more dead than alive. His human mother gave him up for adoption, and he doesn’t know who either of his birth parents are. His friend Jared Kensington, full blooded Elantus demon, less powerful than the Kubiteron, is a whiz at electronics and helps Hunter track demons in the city, but was abandoned by his parents on Earth world for reasons unknown. He’s determined to find help to save Hunter. Alana knows aiding any Matusa is a mistake, but when she learns Hunter is half human, she makes a deal—he protects her against the Matusa who will come for her, and she helps find his dad in the demon world to save Hunter’s life.

Often at odds, the three teens work together to stop the plans of a group of Matusa to take over the human race before it’s too late.
Excerpt:
“I wondered maybe if she’s taken Dad’s advice.” Uncle Stephen’s eyes were almost sympathetic.
Her mother hadn’t taken her grandfather’s advice since he kicked her out of the family when she became pregnant. Which meant Alana hadn’t had anything to do with her grandparents either. She frowned. Wonder what my demon grandparents would be like? She’d never even considered she had another set. “What advice did Grandfather give her?”
“That she find a warlock and settle down.”
She snorted. “That would be the day.” Yet a small niggling worry gnawed at her. What if her mother wanted to rejoin the secret magic users’ circles?
She could, once Alana was no longer at home. Was that what her mother was up to? She wanted to find a life with her own kind again? Clenching her teeth, Alana sat down, then took out her contacts. She had one more year left at high school. Couldn’t her mother wait until she went to college at least? Whose fault was it that Mom had ruined her own chances with a warlock?
Secrets, always secrets.
But… if her mother returned to the magic users’ circles, where would that leave Alana? Out in the cold? Not able to be part of the demon world or really fit into the human world… jeez, what had her mother done to her?
“What are those? Contacts? Why are you wearing them? None of us have vision problems.”
“I have red eyes when I get angry.” She tried to make her temper rise, but she couldn’t. The feelings had to arise naturally and despite how annoyed she was with her uncle, she apparently couldn’t make herself angry enough. And now she couldn’t quit wondering about the way her mother shipped her off so suddenly.
He shook his head. “She’s really taken this thing too far. Why didn’t you tell me about this last summer? I would have made sure you didn’t return to live with her.”
The way her blood boiled, Alana was certain her eyes glowed with fire, but her uncle didn’t seem to notice anything different. Ignoring his question, Alana figured she’d better get to the point of the matter. “I saw a Matusa demon summoned in Baltimore, then murder a woman. I’m sure the other two who had helped summon him were next on his agenda. He saw me watching him, but I wasn’t really physically there. I could sense everything in the darkened alley, the breeze, the odors, hear the words spoken, everything. It was some kind of an astral dream-walking experience. You know? Like being sleep paralyzed? Except I’m wide awake. So it’s not exactly like the out-of-body-experience, OBE, that scientists have studied. How could I be in two places at once if I wasn’t part demon? No witches or warlocks you know can do that, can they?”
“Hallucination? You’re not eating some of those mushrooms your grandmother was getting into last year, are you? She saw some of the most bizarre things until we realized what she was eating for a midnight snack.”
“I don’t do drugs, Uncle Stephen.”
Her uncle’s face turned stormy. “You haven’t had a near death experience, have you? If your mother didn’t tell me…”
“No, Uncle Stephen. I’ve never been clinically dead, or nearly dead.” Though if the Baltimore Matusa got hold of her…
He took a ragged breath. “That’s good to hear. If you’re done with your coffee, we’ll go back to work.”
So that was it? No death experiences, no using drugs, dismiss the issue? She growled inwardly. “Defensive spells?”
“Levitation, until you get your mind centered where it needs to be.”
Now, aren’t my eyes glowing red?
***
A half hour later, as the sun’s fiery orange glow sank beneath the earth, Alana was levitating two coffee cups. Concentrating was proving to be more difficult by the second, but she knew focusing had a great deal to do with successfully casting any spell.
She squinted, trying to make out the title on the book Uncle Stephen was reading. Barbecue recipes? He looked up at her, making sure the cups hadn’t moved.
Relaxing New Age music played overhead. The fragrance of the coffee lingered in the air. She licked her lips and could still taste the sweetened decaf. Outside, a light rain pattered on the cement walk, and she smelled the shower-cleaned air, totally attuned to her surroundings.
Closing her eyes, she concentrated on the cups. But before she knew what was happening, her eyes focused on a vision—a sign, Hayworth Motel, rusted, swinging loosely in the Texas breeze. Then her gaze shifted. The yawning portal filled with light drew her forth.
The wind whipped at her hair and clothes, and the garbage odor from a nearby dumpster permeated the warm, humid air, a slight rain drizzling.
A man moved into her vision, not from the portal, but from a few feet away. A Matusa demon with long, dark hair, but not the same as the one in Baltimore. Her breath caught. He didn’t see her yet, and she wanted to slip out before he did, but then she saw another. Much younger, maybe her age or a little older, he was tall like her Uncle Stephen, his blond spiked hair cut short, his blue eyes sharp and wary.
He was like the other, but not. She couldn’t pinpoint what made him different, besides being younger, but he was also a Matusa. She’d never seen two of them together. Was this something new? A gathering of the Dark Ones before they plotted to conquer the human race?
But where was the summoner?
Both the older man and the younger one turned to look at her, their eyes widening. Ohmigod. She took a step back. Leave, leave, leave!
The older one’s lips turned up and his eyes reflected his sinister delight. “She’s mine.”
Okay, back to figuring  out contest winners, and thanks to everyone for comments and likes on my blogs! I really appreciate it!
Owl at the Cameron Park Zoo in Waco.

Have a wonderful day!!!
Terry Spear
“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.”
Connect with Terry Spear:
Website: http://www.terryspear.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/421434.Terry_Spear
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerrySpearParanormalRomantics
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TerrySpear

Dragon Song is here!

I’m so excited! The reprints of the first three novellas in my Dragon Song series are now available, all bundled together in one book, for Kindle. They’ll also soon be available through Barnes & Noble and Kobo as well as in print. Simply titled Dragon Song, the collection was just released this week, and I’m really happy with how stories are packaged and with the cover art. Love this guy’s eye color!

Also, I invite you to join me at Barbara Vey’s Anniversary Bash. Today’s celebrated genres include inspirational, YA, graphic novels, and nonfiction; however, Friday is the day for erotica--I'll be there!--and Saturday is the romance blow-out (I can't wait!). I’ve been bopping in and out all week and commenting for a chance to win some great prizes from authors, editors, publishers, and bloggers, and I'm getting some great tips on new reading material and having a blast with the wickedly imaginative virtual party-goers. There’s lots of fun there for every kind of reader, so please feel free to join the party. Even if you missed skeleton band I brought Monday--the Wicked Trochee Spondee karaoke band--there's still time to enjoy the bash as it lasts until Saturday. :)

Hope to see you at the party. Until then, if you’re into dragon-shifters, why not check out Dragon Song? The description of each story is below. If you need more info, just drop me a line. Happy reading!

The Dragon’s Shepherdess

The Shepherdess of Dozah’s determination to save the dragonkind is tested when she clashes with Reiz, a warrior king whose sole purpose is to acquire the dragonling that Shepherdess refuses to relinquish. When she willingly offers herself to him in exchange, their physical union will uncover dangerous passions and threaten to expose the dragon secret that binds them.

The Dragon’s Healer

Nioral, healer dragon of the Kilsh Brood, spends his days collecting roots and mixing potions until a trip into the forest changes his life forever. True to his calling, he rescues Merigone, a bewitched beauty injured while trying to escape greedy villagers. A healer herself, Merigone awakens in Nioral a deep passion such as he’s never known, and he finds himself torn between keeping the dragon secret and succumbing to his desires.

The Dragon’s Scribe

Emerson, who edits dragon fantasy when she’s not looking for the perfect mate inNew York City, wants a man who can dominate her and fulfill her every fantasy.Unfortunately, that man is Mojogan, a warrior dragon-shifter intent only on finding his lost niece and returning to the Time Before. When an operational glitch lands Mojogan in Emerson’s bedroom, he finds a sexy human woman who craves domination as much as he craves her submission. He’s determined to keep the dragon secret safe, and she’s determined to protect her heart. Only when they give in to their passion will they discover the key to fulfilling the prophecy that will ultimately decide the fate of the dragonkind.

Guest interview: Julia Knight

Our special guest today is Julia Knight. First, let me say Happy Birthday, Julia!!


Julia Knight lives in Sussex, UK, with her ever patient husband, two eccentric kids and the world’s daftest dog. When not writing, which isn’t often, she likes motorbikes (men in leather), watching the wrestling (men in not very much apart from muscles, sweat and baby oil) and exploring new ways to get a giggle out of life.

Welcome, Julia! Please tell us about your new release from Carina Press.

Ten Ruby Trick is a piratical fantasy centring on Van Gast, a racketeer who lives for thrills; his lover, the unpredictable Josie, and the mage-bonded slave set to catch them, Holden. Van Gast and Josie delight in pretending they loathe each other, using that to further their scams. Sadly, when Van Gast steals the wrong ship, Holden is ordered to use the racketeer’s “worst enemy” to help flush him out. Things go from bad to worse when Holden discovers that “enemy” is Josie, his own former lover…

Sounds fun and fascinating! What inspired this story?

Lawks, all sorts of things. I was a bit obsessed with pirates at the time—my pirate period!—having just finished an historical erotic novella about them, inspired by a trip to Portsmouth Naval Museum. Then these two scallywags turned up in my head, Van Gast and Josie. She was trying to scam someone by pretending she hated Van Gast, so I wanted to know who they were scamming and why, and it all sort of spiralled from there, especially once I had a certain song in my head—The Unforgiven III by Metallica. Yes, I know it sounds a bit odd, but once I have a song for a book, it really takes off, and that one suits both Van Gast and Holden, and the theme of the book, so well.

I know what you mean. Having a song that fits the story is so inspiring and truly helps me write it. Please tell us about an interesting or unusual quirk one of your characters has.

Well they all have their quirks! Van Gast will always pick the stupid-but-exciting over the sensible-but-dull (and I’m sure we all wish we could do that more often). Josie is capricious and unpredictable, just a blast to write about, and probably my favourite. But the most unusual quirk is probably Holden’s. He’s mage-bound, that is he’s under the control of a mage who directs even his thoughts. He struggles through the whole book between doing what he’s supposed to, and what he wants to, and the best way to keep his mind in order is to look for patterns in everything. He finds order soothing.


Those are great quirks. How do you choose names for your characters?

It depends. Josie and Holden just sort of came with names attached. Van Gast, well I couldn’t think of a good name. Luckily my husband is used to questions such as ‘I need a pirate name. Now!’. Then it stuck, although a friend of mine, after seeing the cover, insists on calling him Van Gasp.


LOL! I agree. Awesome cover! Did you choose the intriguing title of your book and if so how did you do it?

I did, in fact it was almost the first thing I knew about the book, which is unusual for me. It’s the name of a con that Van Gast and Josie used to run, and that now resurfaces in a more menacing manner.

Where is your favorite place in the world?

I can’t say I have one—there are so many places to love! However, I suspect you can spot my love for Marrakech in one of the cities in this book. I have a soft spot for the Norwegian fjords too.

What was the most important thing you learned (the thing that made all the difference) just before you made your first sale?

Just because it’s fantasy doesn’t mean it should be a doorstopper! My first book was, and I blush to admit this, 225 000 words long. More than twice your average book. Once I discovered that a debut book this length was such a hard sell, I trimmed it down to 110 000, and discovered that it became a much better book in the process. So I suppose what I learnt was to take out what wasn’t important to the story.

What’s next for you?

Well, I’m waiting on betas to finish ripping apart, er, critiquing a Viking historical romance and I’m just finishing up a rather dark fantasy noir—no romance, just for a change. After that, I’m going back to Van Gast’s world for a new con trick: Find the Lady.

These sound wonderful! Would you like to ask readers a question?

Staying with the piratical theme—who is your favourite fictional pirate?

Please visit Julia on the web...

Website: http://juliaknight.co.uk

Twitter: @Knight_Julia

Ten Ruby Trick is available at Carina Press and Amazon.

Thanks for being our guest today, Julia! I hope your birthday is wonderful!

Guest interview: Cindy Spencer Pape + Free Book for Everyone!

Cindy Spencer Pape is an avid reader of romance, fantasy, mystery, and even more romance who firmly believes in happily-ever-after. Married for more than twenty-five years to her own, sometimes-kilted hero, she lives in southern Michigan with him and two grown sons, along with an ever-changing menagerie of pets.  Cindy has been, among other things, a banker, a teacher, and an elected politician, but mostly an environmental educator, though now she is lucky enough to write full-time. Her degrees in zoology and animal behavior almost help her comprehend the three male humans who share her household.

Q: Welcome Cindy! Please tell us about your latest release.

A: Phantoms & Photographs is a 20,000 word free read in my Gaslight Chronicles series for Carina Press. The world combines steampunk, fantasy, and of course, romance.

Q: Free read! Yay! Needless to say, I've already downloaded my copy. I loved your Steam & Sorcery so I can't wait to read this story, too. Why do you write romance?

A: Because I LIKE romance. It makes me smile, and for me, that’s the whole point of reading fiction. I like the ability to escape mundane reality for a while in the pages of a book. I do write a wide variety of subgenres, for the same reason. It makes me happy and keeps me from getting bored with my work.

Q: I can totally relate. How did your story’s setting impact your plot or characters?

A: Because steampunk is an alternate history, the women in my Gaslight books aren’t confined exclusively to the traditional feminine roles in Victorian society, though most of them still follow those ways. I’ve also opened university up to women in this world before they really were, so my heroines can be more educated and independent that was often true of women in the Victorian era. Adding magic also makes my heroes even tougher and stronger, as well as my heroines spunkier, in some cases.

Q: Why did you choose your setting and why was it perfect for your book?

A: I’ve been wanting to try my hand at a steampunk romance, and it really came together for Steam & Sorcery, the first Gaslight book. Actually, I’d intended an erotic romance, but when five street kids joined the party, it just didn’t play out as erotic. Phantoms & Photographs came about when my publisher asked me to write a novella that would be given away free during Carina’s Steampunk Week (This Week!) I was honored to be asked. I’d planned to write stories for the children, and this one is set about halfway between the two decades, helping me bridge the gap.

Q: How do you choose names for your characters?

A: For this one I actually used a lot of old family names—great grandparents, great aunts, etc. for the women, and also just random Victorian names that suited the characters.

Q: Which element of story creation is your favorite?

A: Characters, easily. I love figuring out what makes them tick.

Q: Which element of this story was the hardest for you?

A: Keeping it to 20,000 words!

Q: LOL I can imagine! What is your writing process or method?

A: It varies horribly from book to book. I write often and quickly, but other than that, there’s no real method to my madness.

Q: Do you have any advice for unpublished authors?

A: Keep writing, keep submitting. One regret I have is not being aggressive enough in getting my stuff out there. I could have been doing this much, much sooner. And don’t let the rejections stop you. Just submit it “one more time,” and meanwhile, write another great book, and submit that one too.

Q: Great advice! What’s next for you?

A: I have an Ellora’s Cave novella coming out sometime soon called Midsummer Dreams, that’s the fourth of my Holiday Hearts series, and the third Urban Arcana book, Motor City Werewolf, from Carina Press releases in August. I just turned in a Christmas steampunk story, and am working on the outline for the fourth Urban Arcana book. Other than that? Who knows? Sometimes I surprise myself.

In honor of Steampunk week, there is a contest for a piece of steampunk jewelry, running all week at the Carina paranormal authors’ blog, Here be Magic. Thanks so much for inviting me today. Everyone have a great spring, and Happy Reading!


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Wow, you are busy! Congratulations on all the new releases! Thanks for being our special guest today, Cindy!

 
Everyone, please visit Cindy's websites and be sure to download your FREE copy of Phantoms & Photographs at Carina Press. Or click here to read an excerpt.


 
Cindy's website: http://www.cindyspencerpape.com/  


Blog: http://cindyspencerpape.blogspot.com/

Newsletter group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cspapenewsgroup/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/CindySPape

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cindy-Spencer-Pape-Books/102207923194253

Guest: Seleste deLaney - Does the World Need Another Alpha?

Okay, I admit it—I love a strong, take-charge guy as much as the next girl. Especially when he’s fictional. Alpha males, fictional or not, fulfill that evolutionary desire for a mate that will protect and provide. You know, that desire modern women aren’t supposed to admit to having. Shhh…it’s our little secret and one reason that type of man is so popular in romance novels.

I mean, when they aren’t our men, they’re sexy as hell. They swoop in to rescue the girl. They’re crazy good in bed. More often than not, they’re rich (or at least have a decent job). They probably even want kids (you know to keep those amazing genes of theirs going into the next generation). Who cares if they’re gruff, sometimes violent without cause, and likely to have periods where they try to brush off the heroine because it wouldn’t be manly to want her as much as she wants him.

Er…

Now, like I said, this isn’t really a dissing of alpha heroes because I do love them. I use them in some of my work. However, not every world needs an alpha hero, and certainly not every heroine wants one.

A recent review of Badlands commented on the fact that Spencer isn’t an alpha hero and that the reviewer found it refreshing. I mean, poor Spencer starts out in debt and struggling to just get by. But he’s a good guy and a great leader…just not a physical one. He’s the type who doesn’t go looking for a fight, but he knows how to use weapons if he’s forced to.

In short, he’s the only kind of man who could win the heart of an alpha heroine. Badlands is a lot about role reversal. Ever is a warrior woman with no time or tolerance for love. Sex sure, but love? Uh uh. She comes from a land ruled by women where a good portion of the men are criminals (or rehabilitated criminals). She’d rather fight than talk, and doesn’t put a lot of stock in girly things.

Put an alpha male with her and sure, sparks might fly, but they aren’t going to start a fire. It’d be like banging two rocks together with nothing to hold the flame. So, for that story in that world…an alpha hero would have been all fighting and sex with no room for romance.

That isn’t to say there will never be alpha heroes for any of the women in the Badlands, just not for Ever. And to me, that’s a better reflection of reality. Strong women and strong men are well suited for each other, but they don’t need to be strong in the same ways. Considering the next heroine in line uses her brain more than her brawn, she’s in for one hell of a time when she meets her man.

I’m curious, what do you think? Is the alpha hero the only way to go? Is he becoming a genre cliché? Or is there room in romance for all kinds of heroes?

Seleste deLaney is a writer of speculative romance. You can find her on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.