http://www.amazon.com/Frog-Prince-Dyanne-Davis-ebook/dp/B00LBAN4LU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1403959550&sr=8-2&keywords=dyanne+davis
This is to be a fun site where visitors can ask questions and post pictures. We can discuss books, news, or whatever. The only thing we won't do on this site is trash anyone's work
Saturday, June 28, 2014
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
I think I'll give you the information that you're looking for right up front. On June 14th I will pick a winner for a $15.00 gift card from the commentors. You have to comment to win. Okay.
A little about Marille Brothers. She has a very humorous blog right on blogspot, called bookblatherblog. Check it out. and if you hurry and check it out today, yours truly is on there with a guest blog. Go see what the heck I'm blathering about now. And make sure to check out Marilee's books and watch out for her new ones. Enjoy the blog. I know that I did.
Now here's Marilee.
Baby Gone Bye Post
I spent five years of my writing life
inside the head of Allie Emerson, the teenage girl featured in the
Unbidden Magic series. It was surprisingly easy for me to channel
Allie, even though it’s been—well—let’s just say I haven’t
been a teenager for a good long time. Apparently teenage angst lives
on forever. After I finished Midnight Moon, the last book in
the series, I decided to write a YA book with a male protagonist.
Enter Gabriel Delgado, hunky eighteen-year-old senior at Maple Grove
high school.
The creative part
of my brain got a major wake-up call. I was no longer a
seventeen-year-old girl. I had to begin channeling a teenage boy.
OMG, guess what boys think about? You know the answer, of course.
Sex. One statistic says every fifteen seconds. Another says, they
never stop thinking about it. From its title, Baby Gone Bye,
you can probably figure out that Gabe acted on his thoughts.
Therefore, he should not have been surprised when the doorbell rings
and he finds a little “surprise” waiting for him on the front
porch. So, what’s a household comprised of four males supposed to
do with a little baby girl? Guess you’ll have to read the book to
find out.
Excerpt from Chapter One - it’s
Friday night and Gabe has a date. He believes, incorrectly, that his
evening will go on as planned. At this point, the family thinks the
child is a boy.
The hall clock bonged seven times.
Startled, Gabe leaped from the couch and placed the kid in his car
seat. “Man, is it seven already? I’ve got a date. Can we put this
on hold until tomorrow?” Without waiting for an answer, Gabe headed
for the stairs.
“Gabriel.” The steel in
Papi’s voice stopped Gabe in his track. “Look at me.”
Slowly, Gabe turned to face his
father. He heard Simon whisper, “Dumb shit.” Henry giggled
nervously.
“Gabriel,” Papi repeated.
“Do you remember when Rosie was a puppy?”
Gabe shifted his weight from
one foot to the other, wondering if he was about to step into
something stinky. “Yeah,” he said carefully.
Papi’s dark eyes snapped with
intensity. “And how did you take care of her?”
Gabe rolled his eyes
heavenward, trying to remember Papi’s three cardinal rules for
puppy care. “After she eats, put her outside to poop. Play with
her. Put her back in her crate.”
Papi clapped. “Excellent.”
Gabe grinned. This was going
well. He’d soon be on his way.
“Now, Gabriel, tell me this,
how do you take care of a baby?”
Uh, oh. Gabe felt beads of
perspiration pop out on his forehead. “Well, um, I guess you’re
saying it’s the same concept. Right?”
Papi strolled up nice and close
and gave Gabe his shark’s grin. “So, after you feed him, you will
take him outside to poop, play with him, and then put him back in his
car seat?”
Right then, Gabe knew he was
screwed. He glanced at his brothers. No help there. He’d already
stepped in it. Might as well go all the way. He looked his father
square in the eyes. “Naturally, I won’t take him outside to poop,
but I’ll feed him and play with him.”
“And you will start this …
when?”
“First thing tomorrow
morning.”
Papi said, “And tonight?”
Gabe squirmed. “Remember what
you said earlier? We’re Delgados. We stick together when there’s
a problem.”
“Ah, now I understand.”
Papi stroked his chin. “You assumed one of your brothers or your
father would take care of your child while you went on a date. Is
that correct?”
Gabe flushed. “I would
appreciate it.”
“Gabriel,” Papi said again.
He pointed at the baby. “That is not a puppy. It is a tiny human
being who needs round the clock care. Care that will be given to him
by you, his father. Do you understand?”
Before Gabe could formulate an
answer, he heard the amazingly loud rumble of baby flatulence. All
eyes turned to the child, whose face was bright red as he clenched
his fists and strained.
Simon snickered. Looks like you
forgot to take him outside to poop.”
Papi handed Gabe a container of
baby wipes and a diaper. “Better get used to it. He’ll be doing
that a lot.”
That’s when the Delgado
family found out he was a she.
www.marileebrothers.com
MOONSTONE - 2008 - BELL BRIDGE BOOKS
MOON RISE - 2009 -BELL BRIDGE BOOKS
MOON SPUN - JULY, 2010 - BELL BRIDGE BOOKS
MOON RISE - 2009 -BELL BRIDGE BOOKS
MOON SPUN - JULY, 2010 - BELL BRIDGE BOOKS
SHADOW MOON - NOVEMBER, 2011 - BELL BRIDGE BOOKS
MIDNIGHT MOON - DECEMBER, 2012 - BELL BRIDGE BOOKS
THE ROCK AND ROLL QUEEN OF BEDLAM - 1st Place - Booksellers Best Contest, 2010
CASTLE LADYSLIPPER - AUGUST, 2010 - AWE-STRUCK PRESS
THE ROCK AND ROLL QUEEN OF BEDLAM - 1st Place - Booksellers Best Contest, 2010
CASTLE LADYSLIPPER - AUGUST, 2010 - AWE-STRUCK PRESS
BABY GONE BYE - NOVEMBER, 2013 - BELL BRIDGE BOOKS
Monday, May 19, 2014
A huge hug and many thanks to Dyanne Davis, a wonderful and generous
soul! Check out her books at http://www.dyannedavis.com.
My personal favorite is The Color
of Trouble.
Waves madly at Sonali Dev! Dyanne is right about A Bollywood Affair! The cover is stunning and the story is sweet
and fun!
On to the questions.
What am I working on?
My story, The Last Case, won
first place in the Washington Romance Writers DC Marlene contest.
Police Lieutenant AJ Lawsen reaches out to women caught in
prostitution. After being shot in an ambush, AJ suffers a concussion and memory
loss. This causes problems for her from a decorated police captain, hunky ER
doctor, and a drug kingpin. AJ has to drag through the blurred lines and
remember who to trust with her life and heart.
I also have a YA romantic suspense and a trilogy about three sisters
finding love in the big city.
How does my work differ from others of its genre?
I try to the find the humor in all situations. I feel the basis of a
good relationship is the ability to laugh. A sense of humor is essential to
sustain the long term.
All Hours Trading centers on
an established couple, a centuries old vampire madly in love with a voluptuous woman.
She has been his financial adviser and lover for years. A vampire has to
consider his portfolio along with his next meal. Living paycheck to paycheck
for all eternity isn’t what the undead planned on. Mutual funds, stock options,
and burial plot decisions are not for the faint of heart, especially if it
stops beating.
Mother Nature’s Man deals
with Siobhan Bolyn, aka Mother Nature, who is busy dealing with climate
fluctuations and the bureaucratic melee of water, wind, fire, and earth
management. A baby is in her future, it’s the guy who’s the question. A dilemma
faced by every other woman ever.
Why do I write what I do?
I attended the Spring Fling writers’ conference in April and heard Mary
Balogh http://www.marybalogh.com speak
about her process. She lets the characters set the tone. “Once upon a time” and
she lets her imagination soar. I’m no Mary Balogh, but I could relate to her
idea. My hero and heroine appear first. They interact on the page and allow me
to build a story around them. All Hours
Trading began as a contemporary romance. It grew into a paranormal romance
because of my heroine’s age. No man would take financial advice from a woman
under the age of thirty, unless he was ancient. My hero morphed into a vampire.
In his experience, time is irrelevant and wisdom defies age. I write what pops
into my head and the possibilities are limitless. I stop, listen, and hope
someone has something to say.
How does your writing process work?
I’d love to say flawlessly, but I tinker. I have a few stories going at
the same time. When I screech to a halt with one, I close it down and go on to
another. I keep notebooks around my house and in my car. A line of dialogue will surface and
I need to write it down. I have learned ideas do not come back for a second
look.
Thanks for your time and happy reading!
I have published two books, All
Hours Trading and Mother Nature’s Man,
both with The Wild Rose Press.
All
Hours Trading blurb
In life, one thing is
certain: taxes. Death has many layers
and all of them interest the IRS. I’m Ann Milton, a financial planner for the
undead and supernaturally challenged. The love of my life is the vampire, Lance
Cheron. I think he sat at the Round Table with King Arthur and they didn’t play
bridge. He’s shy with details, but not
with his passion. Our lives are complicated.
First, by his age old enemy: a dried up hag after his money. If she’s Guinevere, I’ll croak. Second, by the activities of my
roommate: she’s a hybrid predator and
great cook. Underneath the hair, razor
teeth, and talons, Colette is a real sweetie. Last, the roller coaster stock
market: how to make money last until the
next fiscal year and eternity. These challenges are nothing compared to my
dream: a baby. Undead procreation is impossible. Or is it?
Paging Dr. Merlin?
Mother Nature’s Man blurb
I, Siobhan Bolyn, Goddess of the Flame and Keeper of the Land and Water,
must give birth to the next goddess before my three hundredth birthday. My mate
must be the preordained champion, so not just any man will do. But where to
find a champion in this modern world?
When Niall Calhoun walks into my life, he’s everything I’ve hoped for.
Tall, dark, sweet, and gorgeous: the true four food groups. A mere touch of his
hand and my libido roars to life. But is he champion material?
Meanwhile, dark forces are plotting against me and calling my abilities
into question. I’ve got to battle forest fires, soothe the oceans, appease my
mother, turn Niall into Mr. Exactly Right, and have a baby in the next year.
Can a goddess and her champion handle all that and still find time to fall in
love?
Mary Jo Burke
writes paranormal, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She lives with her family
in the Midwest. For more information on Mary Jo books, please visit her website
http://www.maryjoburke.com.
She’s on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/MaryJoBurke and Twitter at http://twitter.com/MaryJoBurke.
Monday, May 12, 2014
Hello everyone,
To all the mothers who may be reading this, I hope you had a
terrific Mother's Day. I can imagine the surprise on your faces that not only
am I blogging, but I'm actually participating in a blog hop. LOL.
If you know anything
about me at all, you'll know I've had trepidation about this from the moment
after I agreed to do it. There has to be a name for it, you know the I'm going
to go…I'm going to do and then the moment arise and it's why did I agree. J
And then of course I wondered what the
heck I was going to talk about. Then of course I wouldn't be me if I didn't
wait until almost the last second to write this. Seriously, don't you think
it's a bit ironic that a writer has such fears about writing just a couple of paragraphs?
Okay, that was a blatant lie. With me, it's never going to be just a couple of
paragraph. First off, I ramble on about things, then I get into it and want to
share a bit more with you. So, actually it's not so much the writing as it is the
thing in me that doesn't like to bother people with what will be some kind of
pitch. That's right, you knew it was
coming. At some point in this blog, I'll tell you about my new book, how
wonderful it is (it really is)and then I'll shamelessly tell you where you can
buy it and plead with you to do so. For
now you're safe. I have a lot more rambling before I ever get to that point.
To start thing off the right way I'd like to thank my friend
and fellow author Elizabeth Rose for getting me out of my comfort zone and
forcing me to stretch a bit. Elizabeth writes, Paranormal, contemporary and medieval. Check her out. http://elizabethrosenovels.com/author/lizrosek
Considering
that I prattle and get off topic because, believe it or not, I picture faces as
I write, as though I'm actually talking to you. So it's a good thing that all
of the authors participating in the blog tour have to answer the same four
questions. Mind you, I'll more than
likely still stray, but basically the questions will get answered. Just so you know what I'm going for, these
are the question:
1) What am I working on?
2) How does my work
differ from others of its genre?
3) Why do I write what I
do?
4) How does your writing
process work?
At the moment I'm working on Frog Prince, a humorous, contemporary,
interracial love story.
More recently, I finally put up the third book in my Undying Love trilogy.
Full Circle.
Hopefully, my work differs from other authors writing about the same topic, because it contains some element of what's important to me. It took a long time for me to accept that my work has an underlying message, some moral lesson. Once I accepted this I didn't' wonder about it but I didn't think it was noticed by anyone else until I decided to branch out and write about vampires. My editor, Sidney Rickman who edited 15 of my books, first with Genesis Press, then Parker Publishing asked me if I giving up trying to teach tolerance through my writing. Considering that I believe she's the most brilliant editor around, I have no idea why I thought she'd not noticed what I was doing. But the answer to her question was no, wanting to teach tolerance is embedded in my DNA, even my vampire has a strong moral fiber. It doesn't mean he's a pussycat, he isn't. But he accepts responsibility (most times) for the things he does.
Hmm so did I actually answer that question? To put it a bit more clearly. God, is mentioned in everything I write. No, I don't write Christian fiction, but God is still there. That may be the way that my fiction differ from other writers who write romance, complete with love scenes. It's not one or the other for me. It's both.
Why do I write what I write? Now that question is a bit more difficult to answer. Generally my stories contain at least a grain of truth. It can be something I hear on the news, or a conversation with a friend or relative. If there is something going on that involves an injustice (at least to me) then somehow my muse brings me the story.
I'm going to digress here a bit. Probably about fifteen years ago my muse brought me a story idea about a married woman having an affair. For whatever reason I wrote the story in first person which turned out to be emotionally draining and sad. If not for one of my critique partners in particular, Wendy Byrne, www.wendybyrne.net I would have scraped the book. Anyway, because the book was making me cry as I wrote it, I decided I needed to add a character who would lighten things up for me and the reader. That book became The Gift and is about a psychic and a psychic war. The third main character from the first book, The Affair, needed an ending his story. That's the book that just went on sale little more than a week ago, Full Circle.
I hope you're still with me and that you noticed I said these books were written fifteen years ago. Aren't you curious as to why it took so long to bring them out? Here's the answer: The Affair is women's fiction and like I said written in first person, something that agents, mine included were having a hard time selling. Although later Parker Publishing did buy the book and it was edited By Sidney.(the entire story is too long and best saved for another time)The Gift is paranormal and Full Circle is a spiritual journey. It's still hard to sell to a traditional publisher a trilogy where each book is a different genre. That's different, even for me. While waiting for the right time to bring the books out, my agent sold a dozen books to two publishers. I also began Indie publishing and put out several novellas and full length novel. Finally the time came where I thought it was time to bring the books out. They'd waited long enough.
I've never wanted to write the typical story. I want to do the unexpected. As Elizabeth Rose mentioned to me, probably more than fifteen years ago, I like to push the envelope. Here's the place where I'm going to tell you a bit more about the first book, titled, The Affair. I didn't want the husband to be a bad guy. He was totally in love with his wife, and had done nothing wrong that he was aware of. I just like writing about people who do the wrong thing for the wrong reason.
I suppose I should tell you that the idea of hero and heroines just plain irk me. I like characters who screw up, who make mistakes, dumb mistakes. I like them totally flawed, and there is not always a happy ending. I'm also aware that I'm going against the grain as far as romance writing is considered. There is always a happy ending in romance, that's the point. And there is a hero and heroine, or at least their actions are as such.
Remember I said I write to impart some moral value, to teach a lesson that's buried deeply within my story. Well, I know lots of people who are flawed, myself included, and I write about them. I've had readers become angry and say at least one of my characters behaved like a "B" when on the first page I had her say she was a B.(That was in Many Shades of Gray)Romance readers do not want their heroine to behave like a B. Most romance writers know this and acquiesce. I am not most romance writers. There's good and bad in my not following protocol. Another story for another day.
Now where was I?
I do believe this is the last question, how my process work. I am what's called a pantser, meaning I write without an outline. An idea comes to me, and I sit down and begin to write. I have no idea how the story will progress or end. By the time I'm done with the first draft I will go, WOW, I didn't know that. Then I put the finished first draft away and work on something else for about a month or so.
When I come back to the manuscript I have fresh eyes and can find the holes in my plots. From working on so many books with Sidney I will admit and will not be afraid to say this: I've become very good at finding and filling holes. As an editor Sidney has been a great confidence booster for me. She thinks I'm a great storyteller and she also said I've become a good editor. The latter isn't exactly true because a writer always see the things she/he put on paper in their mind. Everything is the way it should be. There are no mistakes, no misspelled words, no misplaces commas. That's because it's done correctly in our minds, and when we read our own work we see the comma that's not there. So the last stage in my process is to have another author read it for clarity and mistakes. Lisa G Riley is excellent at being able to do this. She wants answers for everything, and since the answer should be in the story, but I could have missed it by seeing it with my mind, I'm extremely grateful that she catches those things.https://www.facebook.com/lisa.g.riley
Okay, it's Monday morning and Bill is waiting for me to make coffee, and I want some myself. So I'm basically letting you off the hook with the expected sale's pitch. I am not however letting you off the hook with telling you to continue following the blog. Next Monday two of my friends and fellow authors will be blogging. Mary Jo Burke, writes contemporary paranormal. She has a wicked sense of humor and you're going to love reading her books. https://www.facebook.com/MaryJoBurke?fref=grp_mmbr_list
Sonali Dev will have her first Bollywood romance, titled, A BOLLYWOOOD AFFAIR, coming out in October. I happen to be a bit psychic, and I can tell you now, this is one author you want to get to know. She's going as they say in our business, blowup. No doubt.http://www.SonaliDev.com
Facebook/Sonalidevfanpage
Also, stop by the website of Elysa Hendricks who writes contemporary and has a vivid imagination with her paranormal/fantasy books as well. Or stop by her facebook page.Thank once again, to Elizabeth Rose, and do check out her Tarnished Saints Series! – Elizabeth Rose
Alright, alright, it would be really stupid for me to post this and not at least give you my own info. I hope you're aware that means I have to go to the sites and look up the info and come back here and post it. LOL. Did I just go off on a rant? LOL. I should be doing better, I stopped to make coffee and have a few sips in me. Oh well. Take care. Oh, and by the way, if you're interested my books are available at all of the on-line bookstores. The older ones are still available in the brick and mortar bookstores.
Dyanne
Friday, January 17, 2014
Interviewing award winning author, A.C. Arthur
Happy New Year. It may be a bit late in coming but if I said
it on the first you wouldn't think I actually wrote it. LOL.
Our first interview of 2014 is with
none other than A.C. Arthur, a multi-published, multi award winner, A. C
Author. Congratulations are again in
order. A.C. is a finalist with two books in several different categories of this
year, Emma Award from Romance Slam Jam.
Her book, Pleasured by A Donovan is
up for Best Sequel. Passions Prey is up for, steamy romance and heroine of the
year. Passions Prey is also up for book of the year. LOL. Wait, one more. A.C. is a finalist for author
of the year. Congratulations A.C. I know
you're going to bring home more trophies.
Dyanne, A.C. It's time for us to catch up it's been
about three years since I interviewed you for the Romance Slam Jam blog. I'd like to catch your readers up with
what you've been up to.
A.C.: It seems like all I’ve been doing since we
last had a chance to chat is writing and promoting, LOL.
Dyanne: I heard about your readers event and
thought maybe first, I'd like for you to tell your readers about your event,
how it got started, where it's held, and how they can attend.
A.C: I’ve attended quite a few literary
functions, some small and some too large for me to have even been considered a
guest. LOL. There was a definite vibe
from readers that they wanted more one-on-one time with authors, a more
intimate setting. And they wanted to talk about specific books and the
characters that they’d come to love. Being on a panel or presenting a workshop
did not always allow us to have that type of conversation. I decided that I
wanted to do something that would focus on what readers enjoyed, the books.
The first event was in
2012 and I was so afraid that nobody would show up. I only had a small space so
I couldn’t have too many guests—thinking back on it now I probably did that on
purpose so I wouldn't feel so bad if nobody showed. LOL But in the end, there
were readers that I had to turn away because I’d run out of space. We had a great time talking about my books and
sitting down sharing a meal. That’s all we did and it was fabulous. I knew I
wanted to try having another event and to take it a step further.
In
2013, the original plan was to have a weekend event to give the readers more
time to talk about the books, (my Donovan series) and I knew that would take
awhile. The family reunion idea was a culmination of my father wanting to get
up and talk to the readers about me and Priscilla Johnson (my Street Team
Manager) believing he should have that opportunity. We planned the reunion and
wedding celebration as I wrote the book, Heart of a Donovan, and since we were
focusing on family, I decided to invite other authors with family series. We
had almost 80 guests in attendance and it was a marvelous time. All weekend I
had readers come up to me saying they couldn’t wait for 2014’s event and I was
amazed—we immediately starting planning for the next year.
So
here we are now, just opening registration for this year’s Season of Shifters
event. I love the idea of giving each event a theme that centers around books
that they’ve read. As with last year, the featured authors that will attend the
event write stories that match the theme of shifting the scene of romance. While last year we celebrated love in
contemporary romance, this year we’re shifting to paranormal and erotic
romance. I’m very excited about our venue—Walt Disney World—and the program
we’re planning for our guests. So if you’re a lover of romance, you are welcome
to join us! We’re going to have a fabulous time!
Dyanne- A.C. congratulations. I love how
your father was involved. And as for Priscilla, she's a dynamo and I can just
imagine what a great street team manager she is. Now how about telling us what you've
been doing for the last three years.
A.C.: I’ve
been continuing my Donovan series, even though it is no longer published
through Kimani Romance. That decision was made because I wanted more creative
freedom to carry the series in the direction I really wanted it to go.
In
2010, my first young adult paranormal book was released from Kimani TRU under my full name,
Artist Arthur. The Mystyx series was a great opportunity to write a story about
young people dealing with more than just everyday issues. I loved the
experience.
In 2012, I began a new
series, The Shadow Shifters, with St. Martin’s Press. It was thought
that this was my first foray into paranormal romance but it wasn’t actually.
Heart of the Phoenix was published in 2007
by Genesis Press and under the pseudonym Sapphire Blue I wrote 7 paranormal
erotic romances.
Last year also marked
the start of my small town contemporary series that I write under the pseudonym
Lacey Baker. www.laceybooks.com It is a heartwarming series about a
grandmother who passes away and leaves her six Labrador puppies to the
grandchildren that she helped raised and wants to return to the small town
where they were born to run her B&B.
Coming
this spring my first New Adult romances will be published by St. Martin’s Press as a prequel to
the Shadow Shifter series.
I
guess you could say I’m just writing what I want to write at this time. What
books are not contracted by a publisher, I release through my own publishing
company, Artistry Publishing.
Dyanne: This
is why I love interviewing authors. Every time you think you know about them,
you learn something new. I didn't know
about your Lacey Baker pseudonym. I love your books, so now I have a new name to
look out for, Lacey. And another
congrats for starting your own company. You've proven a woman can have it all.
It's a great idea to have traditional publishing, while giving Indie publishing
a try at the same time.
I'd like to remind readers of some of your
precious works. Can you tell us how you got your start?
A.C: I’d written two manuscripts when I
resigned from my position as a legal secretary to take care of my daughter.
Through Internet research I came across Genesis Press and I submitted the first
manuscript. It was a hot mess, but they loved it, and after much editing Object
of His Desire was published in 2003. Now, I was not one of the lucky ones that
submitted once and received a contract. I’d been submitting to agents for about
two years before I found Genesis online and was elated when they said I could
submit without an agent. I went on to publish several books with Genesis Press,
before signing with Harlequin.
Dyanne: You made me laugh talking about your
book being a hot mess. I remember the
feeling well and it was also with Genesis Press. I am thankful that they were
around to give so many writers a start. Are there any conferences you will be
attending this year where readers can meet you?
A.C.: In April, I will be speaking at the
Texas Library Association Conference – Black Caucus Round Table Discussion in San Antonio. I will be at
Romance Slam Jam in NOLA and also at Romantic Times Conference in NOLA, both in
May. After that I’ll be sticking closer to home, attending the Frederick Book
Festival in June and then The Season of Shifters even in August.
Dyanne: What are your future plans?
A.C.: To keep writing. As long as the stories
flow, I’m willing to put them on paper. For me, my career begins and ends with
writing good stories.
On the other hand, I would love for the reader
events to grow and become inclusive of all types of readers and authors, but
we’ll see how that works out.
Dyanne: Where can readers find you?
A.C.: I feel like I’m everywhere but at least
once a week I get an email saying “I just found your book. I’d never heard of
you before.” LOL So I guess I’m not everywhere.
Facebook -- @AC Arthur’s Book Lounge &
@yabyartist & @Lacey Baker
Twitter -- @AcArthur & @yabyartist &
@laceybooks
Google+ -- @ACArthur
Linked In (although I’m rarely there)
Human desire. Animal
attraction.
The
Shadow Shifters
Shifter's
Claim - August 2014
Introducing
The Shadow Shifters: Damaged Hearts
A New Adult
Trilogy - April, May & June 2014
The Donovans - Dark.
Dangerous. Desirable.
ebook--Heart
of a Donovan - Now Available!
print--The
Donovans Volume I - Now Available!
LIKE AC Arthur's Book Lounge on Facebook
Follow Me On Twitter @AcArthur
Here's a picture of A.C. and guests at last year's event.
Dyanne: A.C. it's been great catching up. Thank
you so much for the interview. I'm
keeping my fingers crossed for you and the Emma award.
Monday, December 23, 2013
Merry Christmas.
Well at last I've finally brought out the ebook for Forever And A Day. The book is basically the same, just a few changes. I took away the prologue , made some corrections and changed the ending a tiny bit. Oh, yeah, and I changed the cover. This girl has the most beautiful eyes.
Stay safe this holiday season
Dyanne and family
Friday, September 13, 2013
I've set several short term goals for myself and I'm happy to say I'm following through. Today as they say, the book of my heart is now available. The Gift, the paranormal psychic war. I've always been drawn to any and everything dealing with the paranormal. Psychics hold a mystery I've been trying to understand for years.
I've personally had experience that years ago I refused to accept or believe because of religious upbringing. Then one day out of the blue something so amazing happened (WHILE I WAS AWAKE) that I had no choice but to believe there's more to this life than I'd initially acknowledged. As I accepted that truth more things began to be revealed to me. Paranormal gifts are just that, gifts.
The psychic war in my tale is fictional though I do believe that there are psychic vampires, people who feed off of others energy either knowing or unknowingly. Either way, that happens.
But for today I'm going to enjoy the feeling of accomplishment, victory. My trilogy was a hard sell as there
I've personally had experience that years ago I refused to accept or believe because of religious upbringing. Then one day out of the blue something so amazing happened (WHILE I WAS AWAKE) that I had no choice but to believe there's more to this life than I'd initially acknowledged. As I accepted that truth more things began to be revealed to me. Paranormal gifts are just that, gifts.
The psychic war in my tale is fictional though I do believe that there are psychic vampires, people who feed off of others energy either knowing or unknowingly. Either way, that happens.
But for today I'm going to enjoy the feeling of accomplishment, victory. My trilogy was a hard sell as there
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Taylor moved up and down on his erection and a low moan slipped out of Michael. His eyes clenched tightly. Resisting the urge to thrust upward, to just grab her buttocks and go at it hot and heavy he concentrated on not having an early climax.
“Your skin is so soft, Taylor. You taste delicious and you smell…Um…yummy. I love your scent. One day you’ll have to tell me what that tantalizing fragrance is.”
He trailed his hand along the ridge of her shoulder following with his lips, his tongue nipping her lightly, licking her skin in circular motions, sucking her tongue into his mouth, pulling her closer, holding her tighter but never ever taking control. “Ride me baby,” he offered, “ride me hard…or gently if you want."
He’d helped her to delay her climax with talk and look at the thanks he’d gotten for it. Taylor was toying with him now. She was deliberately killing him. With one hand Michael braced himself while with the other he attempted to lift Taylor from him.
"Stop it, she scolded. It's my turn to have control."
“Show mercy,” he whispered. “Taylor, you’re so not playing fair.”
“And you think the way you’re touching me is playing fair?”
“But I was attempting to be helpful darling.”
“How, by burning me up?”
He heard the delight in her and once again leaned into the hollow of her neck breathing in her essence, laving her repeatedly. His hands twisted in her hair and he held on as she slid down the length of him.
“This is my game,” Taylor reminded him. “I get to do what I want to you.”
With that she lowered herself all the way down over his erection, grinding her pelvis, not allowing him to break their connection. She wrapped her legs around his back and held on tilting her head downwards. Her pelvis tilted also giving just the angle she was looking for. Michael was touching her just where he knew she wanted it most and… yes, oh yes, she was coming.
"Michael, please."
Instead of answering her Michael quickly reversed positions. His flesh throbbed and jerked, delighted to be buried inside her creamy wetness. With a groan of satisfaction Michael pushed into Taylor while bringing her hips forward to meet his thrust. He couldn’t go deep enough into her body. She was circling him with her tightness making him want to come with each stroke. But that would be selfish. He was thrusting into her without mercy, faster and faster and… “Yes, yes, that it’s baby. Oh, that’s it,” he groaned as she ground her pelvis into his. It was time for him to give them both the relief they sought. Taylor was moaning. "I’m going to come. I’m…”
The insistent shrilling of the phone pulled Michael from his dream. Damn. Barely opening his eyes he glanced over at the clock and noted the time. 3 A.M. Who the heck could be calling him at this ghastly hour? He wasn't on call and could not think of a single patient who needed him. He thought to ignore the still ringing phone, but the idea that it might be urgent worked its way into his mind. What if Taylor needed him?
With that thought, he snatched the phone from its cradle not masking the gruffness of his voice. If it wasn’t Taylor, wasn’t an absolute emergency, he wanted the caller to be aware they’d awakened him.
“Michael,” Beth’s voice purred through the lines.
“Where the hell are you?” Michael asked, and then followed with: “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I thought maybe instead of continually telling you and Taylor to check the time before you pick up a phone to call me; I’d show you what I meant.”
If he weren’t feeling so annoyed, Beth’s voice would have brought him amusement. After all, she was one of his closest friends. And she had a point. As a model Beth traveled the world and complained often and loudly that he and Taylor were not respectful of even trying to account for time difference when calling her. With a resigned sigh, he finally chuckled. “Sorry, Beth. You’re right. The feeling is different being on the other end. What if I told you, I’d only gone to bed an hour ago and have to be at the hospital in less than three hours?”
“I’d say tough. You shouldn't have spent the night out partying.”
“Is this call important?”
“It is to me. We’ll have to see what you think. It’s about Taylor.”
Taylor. Now Michael was wide awake. “Beth, stop fucking around. Is something wrong with Taylor? What’s going on?”
“She’s not physically ill or anything. But she’s sounding really down. It’s been like that for a couple of months.”
“Shit, you called me for that?”
“This is different. You know how Taylor is. Usually, she comes out of a funk in a matter of days. This one has lasted for months.” Beth sighed in frustration. “Michael, this is on the up and up. I’m worried about her. I’m heading home as soon as my Milan shoot is over.”
As much as he didn’t want to admit it, Beth was right about Taylor. She didn’t stay depressed for an extended period of time. She was so damn controlling that she wouldn’t allow herself the right or weakness to be depressed. That was one of the many subjects they’d fought about a dozen times. He believed a person had a right to become emotional, while Taylor on the other hand thought it a weakness. It was one of the reasons he’d relocated to California after their last breakup. Considering their being apart appeared to have little effect on her, how was he going to tell her it was killing him without appearing weak?
“Michael, are you listening to me? I’m turning down a job to return home and check on her. That alone should tell you how serious I think this is.”
If it was making Beth return to the states it had to be big. If she was giving up a modeling job it had to be catastrophic. “Does she know you’re coming?”
“Yes. I told her I’d come home if she needed me. Instead of saying I was crazy, that she was fine, the way she normally would, Taylor said she’d love to see me.”
“Damn.” Michael whistled between his teeth. “What the hell’s wrong?”
“Something about not getting on a research team and receiving nothing but rejections. It’s hitting her hard. Hey, why don’t you know about this?” Beth accused.
“You know the reason. She asked me to leave her the hell alone, to stay out of her life. I’ve tried to obey her wishes.”
“You don’t even call to check on her?”
The guilt Beth was undoubtedly trying to make him feel was working. The remorse traveled clear through his body. “Not as much as I’d like. Not as often as I call you. But I do call her. I call her on special occasions and every once in awhile I'll call her just to check in, to make sure she's okay, so she'll know that I'm still breathing.” He attempted a laugh but Beth was giving her annoyed snort stopping him before the sound could come out. "Okay, so I don't call her every week or even every month. We're not together remember."
“Damn! That’s cold.”
“What? She does the same,” Michael defended. “Anything other than that and there has to be a damn good reason or she’d accuse me of stalking her, trying to control her simply by wanting to know everything’s well with her. I can’t win with Taylor,” Michael said softly. “It’s either all or nothing with us.”
“I can’t believe for three years you haven’t wanted to personally know how she was doing.”
Knowing the reason, Michael plunged ahead. “I have you for that. You always tell me what’s going on with her. I’ve no doubt you fill her in about my life.”
“Still, I never would have believed the two of you would carry things this far. You’ve been in love with her since you were fifteen.”
“Seventeen.”
“Whatever.”
Michael laughed softly. “I merely had a crush on her at fifteen.”
“And you’ve been her friend since you were three.”
Annoyance was rapidly creeping back in. Didn’t Taylor have as much responsibility as he to keep their relationship alive? Why should he be the only one to try? She wanted things he wasn’t at liberty to give her. She wanted the truth about why he’d broken her heart over a decade ago.
How the hell did he tell her he’d sold their future to her parents for money to help his family with their farm? Better yet, how did he tell her he’d blackmailed them to finance his education? Sure, he’d initially done it out of anger at her parents. They thought Taylor deserved something better than a life of hard work on a farm married to him. He’d thought the same. She was brilliant, always had been. She’d always talked of becoming a doctor from the time they were kids.
There was no way Michael had had the money for dreams like those. He’d tried to convince himself after a bit of time passed that what he’d done was for the two of them, that he was making sure he’d have a better future to offer Taylor. What he’d thought of as investing in their future had backfired.
With a weary sigh he admitted to himself that the prime motivator had been anger. He’d wanted vengeance and had ended up hurting Taylor and hurting any chance they had of a future. Even so, they’d tried many times. But the lie was always there in the background.
“Michael,” Beth said softly, interrupting his thoughts. “If it were you, Taylor wouldn’t hesitate if she knew you needed her. Your agreement wouldn’t stand in the way of that.”
And that was the rub. Though it had been Taylor who’d broken things off and told him to stay out of her life Michael knew without a doubt if he called and told her he needed her, she would drop whatever she was doing and come to him. Another longer sigh escaped.
But Taylor hadn’t called him. Beth had.
“Michael.”
“She doesn’t want me in her life, Beth. Don’t you understand? Taylor ordered me to stay out of her life.”
“Do you want her out of yours as well?”
Saying yes was the one lie Michael was unprepared to tell either to Beth or himself. Hell no, he didn’t want Taylor out of his life. He never had. Every single day his thoughts returned to her. It was by sheer force of will he didn’t call more often. Sometimes he’d go so far as to punch in her number on his phone. Then he’d hang up before a connection could be made.
“I’ll call her, Beth. That’s all I can promise.”
“It’s a little bit more than nothing. But if that’s all you can do, and if she means so little to you, then what the hell. Call her if you get a spare moment, Michael. I’m sure she’ll appreciate your making time for her. I wouldn’t have called so late if I didn't believe she needed you. Just think about this conversation the next time you want to call me in the middle of the night.”
The slam of the phone reverberated in his ear. Putting the phone away Michael turned on the bedside lamp and sat on the side of the bed with his head in his hand. He wondered at the timing. For months now he'd dreamed repeatedly of making love to Taylor. He'd attempted to wash her from his mind with other women, but it hadn't worked. She was under his skin. Now he knew why. It had been a hell of a lot easier to be who he was without being near her. Before he’d even walked to the bathroom he knew it was time to go home. Taylor needed him.
Taking a long hard look at his image in the mirror he viewed his appearance through Taylor’s eyes. She no longer liked his country boy blonde hair and blue eyes. She preferred his hair black and his eyes green. With a snort he thought of the green contacts he’d not worn in three years. He’d have to get a new script.
The things he’d done to Taylor were awful, but the things he’d allowed her to do to him were almost as bad. Of course he could have said no when she’d come up with the idea for him to change his looks and join her in modeling. He didn’t need a shrink to know he’d gone along with it out of guilt. Hurting Taylor by telling her he didn’t love her, and never had, had been the death of a part of his soul for the telling. And hers, for the hearing.
When she’d decided they could remain friends it came after the change in his hair and eyes. Only then did it seem she could look at him without the constant pain that haunted her. To take that away for even a moment had been a fair trade. Or so he’d thought at the time.
Running his hands through his hair he knew he’d once again find a stylist who would turn his blonde locks inky black.
More urgent things were at hand. The thought that in order to return home to Taylor would put him in direct line of communication with his family, namely his father, made Michael swallow the regret. If he wasn’t home and didn’t go regularly to see what shape the farm was in, to see what other piece of equipment had broken down, he could take care of the basic needs of his parents: Loan to Taylor's parents, utilities, food, insurance and incidentals. And he could continue to help out his four siblings.
But the farm was another matter. For the last three years he’d stubbornly refused to buy any more farm equipment. He’d poured tens of thousand of dollars into a never ending sink hole. Now, he’d have no choice but to go and see his parents, and see the farm.
And he’d have no choice after seeing the farm but to allow the look in his father’s eyes to persuade him to buy whatever new gadget his father thought would make a go of the farm. Nothing would. His father wasn’t a farmer, never had been. He’d wasted years of his life and most of the money Michael earned, and still wouldn’t accept that fact.
With a disgusted grunt he decided to turn the light inward. The life he’d lived for the last three years was no better than what his father had done. He’d believed he could find a life without Taylor and be happy. Every failed relationship proved him wrong. No matter how hard he tried, his damanable heart wanted her and only her. The pretense worked to a degree when they weren’t in the same state. He had little doubt he’d eventually crumble in her presence. The way he saw it, he was left with little choice. As Beth had said, Taylor needed him. He had no option left but to go to her. Reason said it could be a visit, nothing permanent. But his heart said No. he missed being in the same state as Taylor, even when they were fighting it was better knowing she would be no more than a short drive away, that they could eat together, make love, fight and make up again. Running from her hadn't helped him and it probably hadn't helped her. It was time to go home.
He'd always known the move to California wasn't eternal. He'd hoped against hope that a call would come, that Taylor's soft voice would reach out to him pleading with him to return home. That hadn't happened and if he stayed away another twenty years it probably never would. The woman he loved was much too in control of her emotions to ever let him know she needed him. The excuse Beth had given him was as good as any. Besides, he was ready to return.
First he needed a plan. There had to be a way he could give Taylor what she wanted. He’d made numerous research contacts since moving into the field. If she wanted so badly to be on a research team that it had her depressed for months, he’d make damn sure he used all of his resources to make it happen.
Making a mental list of the things he had to do in order to return home and help her, the most obvious was to secure a position at home and give notice to his research team and the hospital. With a sigh he wondered if he were a bit insane. He was giving up a lot. But for Taylor he'd give up everything.
Returning to his room, he reached for the phone, smiling a little, wondering if she was in bed alone. “Hey, Ta,” he spoke softly when she answered. “How’s it going?”
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