tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66951034283507388262024-03-12T16:59:32.939-07:00A Dark and Steamy NightAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06422124032568011875noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125truetag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6695103428350738826.post-86593531313490528382013-06-24T14:32:00.005-07:002013-06-24T14:32:55.815-07:00Blog Tour Giveaway WinnersIn case you missed it earlier (translation: I posted it to the wrong blog... Oops!), here are the winners of my blog tour giveaway for a $25 amazon gift card and 4 copies of Danny.<br />
<br />
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Blog Tour Giveaway Winners!</h3>
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<br />The winner of the $25 Amazon giftcard is <b>June Manning.</b> Congratulations, June!<br /><br />The four winners of a digital copy of Danny are:<br /><br />Nickie Busco<br />Jessica Martin<br />Janice Owen<br />Nikkie Sparks<br /><br />All winners will receive their prizes Friday, June 28th, 2013.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06422124032568011875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6695103428350738826.post-47874123157755867692013-05-24T07:29:00.001-07:002013-05-24T07:30:33.215-07:00Guest post from Vincent MorroneToday, I am thrilled to be able to welcome <a href="http://www.entrancedpublishing.com/" target="_blank">Entranced Publishing</a>'s only male author to the blog. Vince does an amazing job of putting up with all of the Entranced estrogen that comes from a gaggle of female authors, and he does it with a sense of humor.<br />
<br />
His debut YA novel, Vision of Shadows, comes out in December. He's here with me today to talk about his journey as a writer and where it all began. Take it away, Vince!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> People often
ask me how I became an author. After all, I’m no spring chicken. As of this
writing, I’m two days away from celebrating my 42<sup>nd</sup> birthday with my
wife and two teenage daughters. So when did I get the writing bug?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> The answer is,
it’s always been there. When I was a little kid, it wasn’t enough to just tuck
a blanket into the back of my shirt and run around like an idiot calling myself
SuperVin. (Which isn’t to say that I didn’t do that.) I always had to have a
story. A puzzle that needed to be figured out. A bad guy to battle. A cute
little girl to rescue who would smile at me as I stood there with my hands on
my hips, my white blankie flapping in the wind as I stood in front of the fan.
Of course, the white blankie was real, but the puzzle, the bad guy and sadly
the cute little girl were all imaginary. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Eventually, I
decided instead of play acting my adventures as a superhero, or Captain of the
Enterprise, or a Jedi Knight, I should create my own adventures and put them on
paper. One of my earlier endeavors was to become a comic book writer. Alas, I
can’t draw a stick figure of a stick. I did have some cool stories about aliens
anointing a pudgy kid to become an intergalactic super soldier. And yes, there
was always a cute girl. Often times, not just as a damsel in distress, but a
fellow hero who would fight by my side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Somewhere along
the way, I realized that those things with pages called books didn’t all have
to be of the school variety. They could be fun to read. But often times, I
found that while I enjoyed them, why didn’t they do this, or that?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> So why not
write my own? I started my first book when I was in the fourth grade. Humans
were living on a world where aliens ruled. We never saw them, but they told us
what to do, what to think and who we could love. Some kids ran away from their
home to be free and… Well, that’s about as far as I got.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> In high school,
short stories became my thing. I had about a dozen of them. They were read by
quite a few people and I generally got good feedback. Since I was harboring delusions
of being the next lead guitarist for KISS. Songs became a big part of my
creative world. I even got into poetry. And not the roses are red, violets are
blue kind of thing. I tried my hand at some poems that didn’t even rhyme.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> I still thought
about being an author back then. In fact, I wrote 2 stories that I thought of
as novels. No idea what the word count was, but they were probably in the
novella range. Both MS are long gone. (And nobody will miss them.) I had a list
a mile long of different book ideas. My earlier influences were Steven King and
Dean Koontz, so they were more of the horror variety. Romance hadn’t gotten
into there yet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Then college
came. I had been told many times by my parents that making a living as a
novelist was next to impossible. So I tried to find another career. My writing
got put to the side. My guitar sat in a corner. I started to work with the NYC
Housing Police Department in a cadet corps that would help pay for college. My
plan was to turn around and become a police officer. That didn’t work out. I
eventually started working as a customer service representative for a large
company. Good pay, good benefits. And it let me invest in the other lifelong
dream that I’ve always had. Family.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> I got married
and my wife and I wanted children. That part wasn’t easy and probably could be
a novel right there, but I’ll just go straight to the spoilers. We have two
very beautiful twin girls that I am oh so proud of.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> So how did I
become an author as opposed to a guy who says, I used to write? Sometimes, one
dream can lead to another. One night, while bellyaching about how I had wanted
to write books, my wife asked if I wanted to, what was stopping me? So with
that kick in the butt, I began to write. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> I had a couple
of false starts. I’d start a book without a clear picture of where I wanted to
take it. Then I’d hit that wall and say, “Now what?” And the story would die.
(May they RIP) Then I realized I couldn’t be Steven King who doesn’t know what
he’s going to write until he writes it. I <i>outlined</i>.
Then I wrote. My kids were old enough then to understand what I was writing and
were huge fans of my first full length novel about a magical world with
dragons. I was worried that what I wrote wouldn’t be long enough, so I made
sure to give myself a long plot. Only to discover that while a normal Young
Adult novel is around 70k, mine came in at 188k. Yeah, that wasn’t going to be
trimmed down easily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> So with the
love and support of my family, I started over again. I had a thought. A girl
with psychic abilities sees the person that she’s going to spend her life with.
He’ll either be the love of her life, or the end of it. Pretty nifty, huh? And
so Vision of Shadows was born, the first in a 5 part series. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Even after it
was done, it took me a long time to revise it. And it’s so hard to get anyone
to even look at these things. Then one day, I got an offer. It’s not with the
publishing company that will now release VoS in December of 2013, but they
wanted to publish my book. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> My world
changed that day. I got the official offer via email after I had begun my work
day. I had to wait until I got home. Then I casually said I had an announcement
to make. I got to tell my wife and daughters that I was going to be a published
author. There was a moment of shock. My daughter Danielle gave me a hug. It was
one of those perfect moments in time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> So how did I, a
pudgy little boy with a white blanket become an Author for Entranced
Publishing? What’s the formula? First you take a dream. Then you mix in a lot
of early attempts, which teach you along the way. Sprinkle on a lot of hard
work. And don’t forget the kick in the butt from the cute little girl who
believes in you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span>
Vincent Morrone can be
reached at Vinent@VincentMorrone.com or visit his web site VincentMorrone.com</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06422124032568011875noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6695103428350738826.post-87914389278901242672013-05-19T14:33:00.000-07:002013-05-19T14:34:12.796-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
Tour Schedule!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>20 May</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Release Day Danny!</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://wickedwolvesanddreamingdragons.blogspot.nl/" target="_blank">Wicked Wolves and Dreaming Dragons</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Guest post and Review </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>21 May</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.shebookblogs.com/" target="_blank">Christine's blog </a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Review and Author Interview</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>22 May</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://shaynareneesspicyreads.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Shayna Renee's Spicy Reads </a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Review and Excerpt</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>23 May</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.brenda-sparks.com/blog.html" target="_blank">Brenda's blog </a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Author Interview and Review</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>24 May</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://musingsfromanaddictedreader.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Musings from an Addicted reader </a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Guest Post and Excerpt</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>25 May</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://tiffanytalksbooks.com/" target="_blank">Tiffany Talks Books </a> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Excerpt<br />
<br />
<a href="http://loverlysbookblog.com/" target="_blank">Loverly's Book Blog</a><br />
Excerpt </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>26 May</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://katielthompson.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Katie L Thompson</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Review and Author Interview</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>27 May</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://melindadozier.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Melinda Dozier</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Excerpt</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>28 May</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://lolabookreviews.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Lola's Reviews</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Review and Excerpt</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>1 June</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://tana-someofmyfavoritebooks.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Tana Rea reads </a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Review and Excerpt</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>2 June</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://flirtingwithromance.blogspot.nl/" target="_blank">Flirting with Romance </a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Spotlight </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://passionatebookdivas.com/" target="_blank">Passionate Book Diva's</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Review and Excerpt</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>3 June</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://avaoshayromance.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"> Ava O'Shay Romance</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Excerpt </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>4 June</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.karaleighmiller.com/" target="_blank">Kick Start You Romance</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Author Interview and guest post </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>5 June</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://incurableromantics.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"> The Incurable Romantics</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Guest Post </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>6 June</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://kbgbabbles.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Babbling about Books, and More </a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Character Interview with Danny and Excerpt</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>7 June</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.tyhadareads.net/" target="_blank">Tyhada Reads</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Excerpt </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>8 June</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://deliriousmusingsofawriter.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Delirious Musings of a writer</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Author Interview and Review </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>9 June</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.stella-exlibris.com/" target="_blank">Ex Libris</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Guest Post </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>10 June</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://herdingcats-burningsoup.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Herding Cats and Burning Soup</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Review and excerpt</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>12 June</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://sinfullysexybooks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Sinfully Sexy Book Reviews</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Review and excerpt<br />
<br />
<b>16 June</b><br />
<a href="http://darkandsteamynight.blogspot.nl/" target="_blank"> Margo Anne Rhea</a><br />
Announcement winner tour wide giveaway </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06422124032568011875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6695103428350738826.post-58596423077528086912013-05-18T12:03:00.000-07:002013-05-18T12:09:08.358-07:00Syttende Mai with a sexy Norse god.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLAXdEGNmV5Cfgm2Kd16BvN_GH4TNNI4lvkz_v2ytoG_vy52s65nawiIleQomhJoJsn-3QlwX3bdjrE-QD3d1XIm9P84tGkOwmZoJWal2LiZSPQ0fFpIeWCx8HilDvCyTY0Jj0qvbnQjM/s1600/ELSKER200x3001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLAXdEGNmV5Cfgm2Kd16BvN_GH4TNNI4lvkz_v2ytoG_vy52s65nawiIleQomhJoJsn-3QlwX3bdjrE-QD3d1XIm9P84tGkOwmZoJWal2LiZSPQ0fFpIeWCx8HilDvCyTY0Jj0qvbnQjM/s1600/ELSKER200x3001.jpg" style="cursor: move;" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;">Today, I'm excited to have NA author ST Bende on the blog. She's brought along the main character from her debut novel ELSKER, Kristia Tostenson, and they'll be talking about how Kristia spent the Norwegian holiday, Syttende Mai.</span><br />
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;">Allow me to introduce, ST Bende and Kristia Tostenson!</span><br />
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">ST: Hi
Margo -- thanks for letting me visit your blog!
I’m so excited -- this weekend is Syttende Mai, Norway’s Constitution
Day. And since my debut novel, ELSKER,
is all over the Scandinavian mythology, I brought ELSKER’s Kristia to tell us
how she celebrated Syttende Mai with her beau, Ull -- the Norse God of
Winter. Hey, Kristia. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Kristia:
Hi, ST.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">ST:
How’s it going?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Kristia:
I can’t complain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">ST: I’ll
bet you can’t. *raises an eyebrow* How’s
our favorite Norse god?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Kristia:
Ull’s great. He’s sleeping off a bit of
a sugar coma today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">ST:
Naturally. Tell everyone why Ull’s in a
sugar coma.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Kristia:
Well, yesterday was Syttende Mai - it’s a big Norwegian holiday that celebrates
the day they signed their constitution.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">ST: Sort
of like Fourth of July? If y’all don’t
know, Kristia’s from Oregon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Kristia:
Yes. Sort of. But Syttende Mai isn’t celebrated with hot
dogs and sparklers like we celebrate the Fourth. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">ST: How
did you celebrate?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Kristia:
Ull took me to a garden party at the Norwegian Seaman’s Church by our college,
in Cardiff.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">ST: Ah,
the famous Cardiff University, in Wales.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Kristia:
You’ve heart of it? *smiles*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">ST: Once
or twice. So what did you do at the
church?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Kristia:
They put on a little program about the history of Norway. Then we all sang Ja Vi Elsker, the national
anthem, and we marched around the church waving flags.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">ST: Like
a parade?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Kristia:
*laughs* Like a parade. Only there were
no spectators, everyone was <i>in</i> the
parade.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">ST: So
the whole congregation marched around the church waving flags. Did Ull wave
one?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Kristia:
Zealously.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">ST: I’d
have loved to see that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Kristia:
It was pretty funny. He’s not a small
guy -- I believe he’s, how did we put it, a 6’5” Nordic Adonis?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">ST:
Those were your words, not mine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><br />
Kristia: Ha ha, ST.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">ST: And
what did you and the Nordic Adonis do after the parade?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Kristia:
There was a luncheon in the garden.
Amazing food, and of course waffles for dessert.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">ST:
*nodding* It’s not Syttende Mai without Norsk waffles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Kristia:
Exactly. But then we all went back to
Ull’s place --<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">ST:
Kristia, this is a family-friendly interview.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Kristia:
Please. It’s not like that, you
perv. I meant Ull and Inga and Gunnar
and I went back to their flat to hang out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">ST: Inga
and Gunnar are Ull’s roommates. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Kristia:
And his best friends. They’re gods too,
and they followed him here from Asgard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">ST: So
what did you do back at their flat?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Kristia:
Well, Inga had these amazing little cupcakes she’d baked the night before, so
we had cupcakes and played Rumikub and then I went home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">ST:
Rumikub?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Kristia:
It’s this matching game like dominos--<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">ST: I
know what Rumikub is. But
seriously? That’s what you did when you
went back to Ull’s flat?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Kristia:
Yeah.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">ST: Jeez,
this <i>is</i> a family friendly interview.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Kristia:
Very funny.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">ST: Did Ull
at least kiss you goodnight?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Kristia:
*blushes* What do you think?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">ST:
That’s a yes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Kristia:
I’m not talking about this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">ST:
Fine. *grins* We’ll just write about it later.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Kristia:
There’s no privacy with you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">ST:
Nope. Well, tell Ull I’m sorry he isn’t
feeling so great.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Kristia:
Deal. I’m headed over there right now to
take care of him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">ST: Of
course you are. *waggles eyebrows* Have fun, missy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Kristia:
*waggles eyebrows back* Oh, I will.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;">THE ELSKER SAGA is available from Entranced Publishing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17568078-tur">TUR</a>,
the prequel, can be downloaded for <b><i>free</i></b> <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/306161">HERE</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17182417-elsker">ELSKER</a>,
Book 1, is available from <a href="http://www.entrancedpublishing.com/imprints-2/blush/elsker/">Entranced</a>,
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Elsker-The-Saga-ebook/dp/B00CGL33S2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366575311&sr=8-1&keywords=elsker+st+bende">Amazon</a>
and <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/elsker-st-bende/1115161284?ean=2940016665375&itm=1&usri=2940016665375">Barnes
& Noble</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;">Find ST Bende on <a href="https://twitter.com/stbende">Twitter</a>
(@stbende), <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/stbende">Goodreads</a>, or her <a href="http://stbende.blogspot.com/">website</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Visit the ELSKER page on
the Entranced Publishing website (<a href="http://www.entrancedpublishing.com/imprints/blush/elsker/">http://www.entrancedpublishing.com/imprints/blush/elsker/</a>),
Amazon (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CGL33S2">http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CGL33S2</a>)
and Barnes & Noble (<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/elsker-st-bende/1115161284">http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/elsker-st-bende/1115161284</a>)
.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Book Title: Elsker<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Author Name: ST Bende<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Series Title (if applicable): The
Elsker Saga<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Length of Book in pages or word
count: 61,000 words <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Publisher: Entranced Publishing,
Blush<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Blurb: </span><span style="color: #292929; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Kristia Tostenson prefers Earl Grey
to Grey Goose and book clubs to nightclubs, but when she transfers from her
one-stoplight town to Cardiff University in Wales she falls in love with Ull
Myhr. Her new boyfriend isn’t exactly what she was expecting. He’s an
honest-to-goodness Norse God — an immortal assassin fated to die at Ragnarok,
the battle destined to destroy Asgard and Earth. Kristia’s crazy visions are
the only thing that can save their realms.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"> Her orderly life just got very
messy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Book trailer link: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MaJIgkk-CI">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MaJIgkk-CI</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Author Bio:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua"; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">Before finding
domestic bliss in suburbia, ST Bende lived in Manhattan Beach (became overly
fond of Peet’s Coffee) and Europe… where she became overly fond of the musical
Cats. Her love of Scandinavian culture and a very patient Norwegian
teacher inspired The Elsker Saga. She hopes her characters make you smile
and that one day pastries will be considered a health food.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua"; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">You can follow ST Bende on Twitter <a href="http://en.twitter.com/stbende"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">@stbende</span></a>, or send an e-mail to
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<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Goodreads: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/stbende">http://www.goodreads.com/stbende</a> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/stbende">https://twitter.com/stbende</a> or @stbende<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Pinterest: <a href="http://pinterest.com/stbende/">http://pinterest.com/stbende/</a> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Excerpt: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">ELSKER - Book 1, THE ELSKER SAGA<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">At eight o’clock, a firm knock interrupted my
reading. I picked my way through the flower shop that our living
room had become and opened the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">“Oh good, you kept my peace offerings.” Ull
treated me to a rakish grin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">“Just a few of them,” I muttered. “Come on in.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">“Oh, no. You must come with me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">“Why?” I challenged. Ull sighed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">“Are you going to fight me at every turn?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">“Probably.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">“Please come.” He looked so adorable standing
on my stoop, his scarf casually thrown across the grey sweater under his
coat. I gave in quicker than I meant to. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">“Fine.” I grabbed my coat from the closet by
the door and shoved my keys and wallet into the pocket. “Where are
we off to?” I closed the door behind me and followed Ull into the
brisk night, waiting for his promised explanation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">But he didn’t say anything. Instead, he put his
hand on the small of my back and guided me away from campus. I
shivered and noticed that Ull wore his jacket open, at ease in the
chill. As we rounded the corner, Ull dropped his hand to clasp mine. It
was so warm, so strong, and for a moment I forgot to be mad at
him. We walked in silence as he led me down the main
road. After two right turns, I found myself standing in a quiet
garden. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #d9d2e9; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Ull
had brought me to a church. </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06422124032568011875noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6695103428350738826.post-3026473496897387582013-04-30T11:36:00.000-07:002013-04-30T11:37:27.157-07:00Cover Reveal: DannyIt's finally here, the day I get to share the cover for my upcoming release, <i>Danny.</i> The day Entranced Publishing's art director sent it to me, I actually hugged my phone (yes, I check my email from my phone -- habitually). I was so thrilled at how beautifully it turned out. It was ten times more perfect than anything I'd been imagining. And now, without further ado, I give you, <b><i>Danny</i>!</b><br />
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About <i>Danny</i>:</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.63636302947998px; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">Paige Warren is sure she’s come to terms with her impending divorce, until she wakes up in bed with her soon-to-be ex, Danny. Worse yet, the bed belongs to Stacey, the sexual surrogate Paige and Danny have been sleeping with for months -- and Stacey’s not there.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.63636302947998px; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.63636302947998px; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">As much as Paige tries to deny it, she soon realizes she’s still in love with Danny. Now she’s torn between him and the woman who holds them together. Should she risk hurting Stacey to rekindle a monogamous relationship with the man she once thought she’d spend the rest of her life with, or should she learn from past experience?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.63636302947998px; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"><i>Danny</i> is a sensual, erotic novella following one woman's struggle between a love she thought was over and a relationship that's barely begun</span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.265625px;">Add <i>Danny </i>on Goodreads: </span></span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17840410-danny">http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17840410-danny</a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06422124032568011875noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6695103428350738826.post-5330651916006375932013-04-25T15:08:00.001-07:002013-04-25T15:10:26.840-07:00How I Got HereAs far as blogging goes, I'm about as inexperienced as they come. Never mind that I'm social-media-challenged, but I also hate talking about myself. So, it's no wonder it's taken me so long to start a blog. I've thought long and hard about what topic my first official blog post should be on, and I finally settled on writing. More specifically, I want to talk about why I first started writing and my road to publication.<br />
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My story:<br />
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I've always been a jabberer. In fact, my nickname growing up was Motormouth. I've also always had an extremely active imagination. I read like nobody's business, and would hide books in my desk at school so I could sneak a page or two whenever no one was paying attention. I might just have been the only second-grader to ever get in trouble for <i>reading</i> in class. In middle school, I went through the compulsory angst-ridden poetry phase and eventually segued into short stories. But, I never considered writing in terms of professions.<br />
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It wasn't until I was in college that I decided to pursue becoming an author with any sort of seriousness. One day, I woke up and decided I wanted to be an author. That was it; my mind was made up. It should be easy, right? All I had to do was write the book and send it to the publisher. Then I could just sit back and bask in my authorly successes.<br />
<br />
Wrong.<br />
<br />
My first attempts at writing novel-length material were horrible. Garbage. To this day, those manuscripts sit, locked in the vault of I'll-never-admit-I-wrote-that. I cringe just thinking about some of the things I submitted to agents and publishers. But something happened during the ten years since I had my fiction-piphany. I grew.<br />
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I learned what makes writing stronger -- how to avoid things like telling, and passive voice. I learned how to write a [halfway]decent synopsis and craft a query letter. I learned how to research agents and editors. And ultimately, I learned how to edit. You see, what I didn't realize ten years ago is that garbage happens. All the time. The best tool I could ever have is the ability to edit my garbage.<br />
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I also learned to draw inspiration from real life.<br />
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During one incredible nap (I love my naps), I had an amazing dream about my significant other, in which, we were both sleeping with the same woman. As a heterosexual woman, I was flabbergasted when I woke up and realized how exciting that dream had felt. I wanted to recapture the raw emotion. So I wrote. And I edited. I had people read my work and I edited some more. Eventually, I had a submission-ready manuscript.<br />
<br />
Then came the task of finding the right publisher for my manuscript. Along the way, I found <a href="http://www.entrancedpublishing.com/" target="_blank">Entranced Publishing</a> and I knew I was home. I sent my manuscript off to <a href="https://twitter.com/AMChristman" target="_blank">Ashley Christman</a> the Executive Editor of Entranced and crossed shaky fingers that she would like it. She did.<br />
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Now, here I am, almost a year later and that manuscript that started as a dream (literally) is about to be published. <i>Danny </i>releases in just under a month, on May 20th, 2013!<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06422124032568011875noreply@blogger.com2