If You're Looking for a Quick Holiday Read

Looking for a quick, fun read this holiday? Be sure to check out Jessamyn's Christmas Gift my White Hot Holidays Christmas Quickie from Ellora's Cave.

BLURB:

It's Christmas Eve and Jessamyn Parker waits by the fireside in her boyfriend's house. She expects him home any minute after being away for three months on business. Clad only in a slinky teddy and sprawled beneath the Christmas tree, she plans to surprise him. But instead of her boyfriend, a complete stranger surprises her.

Caleb Morgan is the new sheriff, and unbeknownst to her, he is also the new owner of the house. Jessamyn flees back to her own home, determined to forget not only her boyfriend's betrayal, but also the heated desire that Caleb has sparked within her.

While Jessamyn is shocked by his appearance, Caleb is enthralled by her. But Jessamyn has had more than enough of men. Now, one year later, it's Christmas time again, and Jessamyn is still swearing off men. But Caleb has other ideas. The only thing he wants for Christmas is the same thing he wanted last year and didn't quite get — Jessamyn Parker under his tree.

Read an Excerpt

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Getting back to normal (what is normal?)

I was scheduled to blog last month but I just couldn't -- a first for me. I normally can blog at the drop of a hat. But my blog days came on the heels of my mother's death, and I didn't have the energy to come up with a topic while my mind was wrapped around her passing.

She had been ill for several months, but she wasn't in pain, so at least we didn't have to help her through that. And I was with her when she died, something I wanted to do for her at the end. I was able to hold her as she died and be with her at the end. So all in all: it worked out okay.

The death of a parent (or anyone close to you) really inspires reflection, I think. Two days before Mom died, I had a book release. I was scheduled to blog and chat about the book and I just canceled it all. Now here I am, a month later, and I'm ready to consider that kind of activity again. And you know what? That book is still waiting for me to promote it. I am SO glad I'm with a small publisher. That book will be out there, waiting for purchase, waiting for download, for MONTHS to come. There is no rush for me to promote it or push it or worry about it leaving the shelves. It's there and will be there for a long time to come, giving me the time to deal with it.

November was the month of Marge Wilson. Now it's December and I'll start to focus on the future. And it's so nice knowing that I don't have to rush, or worry about any deadlines or disappearing books. My Mom is still there for me, in my memory, and my book is still there, waiting for me to promote it. That sound you hear? It's me, sighing and relaxing after a stressful end of the year...

Here's the book, by the way. Just a random promo op:

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

I know it's not until tomorrow, but I just wanted to wish all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving Day. We all have so much to be thankful for. I know I count my blesssings every day.

I hope you have a wonderful day filled with family, friends and good food. If you're travelling, stay safe.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY!

Absent today

My mother's funeral was yesterday and I am out of town, with the family. So no blog today. I'll be back next month.

A Touch of Magick Now Available!

A Touch of Magick, by N.J. Walters, is now available from Samhain Publishing! I'm so excited about this first book in the Spells, Secrets and Seductions trilogy.

BLURB: A TOUCH OF MAGICK

If you go casting love spells, be careful what you wish for.

Spells, Secrets and Seductions, Book 1

Rhiannon Sparks admits she’s not a very good witch—she can’t even light a candle without a match—but she keeps trying. At least her talent for business has made her magick shop a huge success. Now if only there was even the faintest flicker in her nonexistent love life.

During a night of eating and drinking, she and her girlfriends cast a candle-magick spell for hot sex. All in good fun, of course. Except Rhiannon accidentally mixes up the words. Instead of a lover, she asks for true love.

Deputy Ryland Stone’s past keeps him firmly rooted in reality. Then he meets Rhiannon and sparks literally fly. One date leads to another, and then they’re practically setting the bedroom on fire…until she reveals the deal breaker.

Though love and magick have found Rhiannon at last, getting a handle on her newly unleashed power is the least of her problems. Unless Ryland accepts that magick exists, he will never accept her for who and what she is.

Product Warnings:
This book contains a simple candle-magick spell, which you use at your own risk, a disastrous date, phone sex, and enough sizzle to practically set the sheets on fire.

Buy the Book

Please allow me to rant

My aunt lives in Iowa, near my mother, so I see both of them regularly. One cousin lives near me in Minnesota, another in town near my aunt. My cousins talked my aunt into getting a cat two years ago, and she (my aunt) is just not happy with him (Sam, the kitty).

Let me hasten to say that Sam is just being a cat. Sometimes nosy, sometimes demanding, sometimes stand-offish. I have 4 cats of my own and have owned a LOT of cats in my day. Sam is just a cat.

Now my aunt is moving into assisted living and while she can have a pet (the AL folks are pretty hip that way), she doesn't want to move Sam. So she's asked me to help find him a home.

Why me? you ask. Why not her own kids?

Here's why: because I care. Because I will make the phone calls, post the pictures, shake the trees to find this sweet cat a home. The shelters here are overcrowded because of floods that displaced a lot of people, so there's just no place for him. To be honest, I don't know what his fate will be. My cousins may press her to have him put down.

A lovable, neutered, ready-to-play cat.

I've had to endure the euthanasia of a pet because of old age or illness. I can't fathom doing that because an animal is inconvenient.

So I'll keep making phone calls and post pictures and hope for the best. It's really all I can do because those who can -- do. Those who can and don't -- are assholes.

End rant. Thank you for letting me vent.

Halloween Books

Looking for some books to read this Halloween season? I know I'm always looking for new ones myself.

Check out the Halloween Page on my website for a look at all my vampire/werewolf/paranormal books. You just might find something you like.

Entwined Hearts Available Today!

Entwined Hearts by Nicole Austin, N.J. Walters, T.J. Michaels and Ciana Stone is available today from Ellora's Cave! This is the fifth and final book in the Hearts of Fire series.

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Each of the first four books can be read as a stand-alone book. Entwined Hearts is the culmination of the four couples adventure as they face evil one final time--this time together!

BLURB:

Book five in the Hearts of Fire series.

The Chosen. Eight strong individuals gifted with unique paranormal abilities and tasked with protecting shards of an ancient crystal—the Heart of Fire.

Brought together by destiny, each couple has managed to bond and fuse their crystal pairs through a hot and intense sexual joining. The four couples have overcome great personal challenges and remained apart, preparing to face an ancient evil once again.

Now the time has come for the eight Chosen to join forces and defeat Asmodeus, Prince of Hell, once and for all. Their plan is clear yet complex—activate a hidden energy network, gather on spiritual lands and fight an epic battle between good and evil, which will impact mankind for eternity.

Of course, nothing ever goes as planned. And Asmodeus has some tricks the Chosen never anticipated.

Read an Excerpt

BUY THE BOOK

Oh, this writerly life

It seems like every time I turn around, some new surprise is happening in the little niche of the publishing world with which I am familiar. People are changing publishers, publishers are changing policies, agents quit to become editors or vice versa.

I'm not sure if it's just because I'm getting older, but it seems like the pace of this is happening faster and faster. Or maybe it's because I'm still not sure where I'm going with this career of mine.

There's nothing wrong with where I am. I have a lot of books out, I enjoy writing, I enjoy my day job, and I like the way it all fits together. But I always have this nagging feeling that maybe I should be doing more -- looking for an agent, or looking for a New York contract, or trying to self-publish, or doing a bit more promo.

I wonder if this is just human nature, to constantly wonder: Am I doing enough?

And just when I think this kind of thinking is important, someone gets ill and I discover what the really important things are in life. I think a health crisis for a loved one is a reminder to us: it's really just a job, people. Don't sweat it. There are other things far, far more important in this world.

New Review and New Cover

Siren Book Reviews has given Lassoing Lara 5 Siren Stones! Here's a snippet of what the reviewer had to say:

"This is a delightfully funny and sexy story, that was such a great read. As a NJ Walters fan, she doesn't let us down in this sexy romance. You will really want to read this one over and over again."

~Yvette Lowe, Siren Book Reviews

You can read the entire review at Siren Book Reviews.

Check out the new cover for A Touch Of Magick, which will be releasing from Samhain Publishing on October 26th.

BLURB:

If you go casting love spells, be careful what you wish for.

Spells, Secrets and Seductions, Book 1

Rhiannon Sparks admits she’s not a very good witch—she can’t even light a candle without a match—but she keeps trying. At least her talent for business has made her magick shop a huge success. Now if only there was even the faintest flicker in her nonexistent love life.

During a night of eating and drinking, she and her girlfriends cast a candle-magick spell for hot sex. All in good fun, of course. Except Rhiannon accidentally mixes up the words. Instead of a lover, she asks for true love.

Deputy Ryland Stone’s past keeps him firmly rooted in reality. Then he meets Rhiannon and sparks literally fly. One date leads to another, and then they’re practically setting the bedroom on fire…until she reveals the deal breaker.

Though love and magick have found Rhiannon at last, getting a handle on her newly unleashed power is the least of her problems. Unless Ryland accepts that magick exists, he will never accept her for who and what she is.

Warning: This book contains a simple candle-magick spell, which you use at your own risk, a disastrous date, phone sex, and enough sizzle to practically set the sheets on fire.

September Newsletter Now Available!

The September issue of Awakening Desires—the Newsletter of Romance Author N.J. Walters—is now available! Be sure and check out all the latest news, an excerpt from my upcoming release and more.

As always, you can find my husband’s popular column: Confessions of a Romance Author’s Husband.

As well, some lucky newsletter subscriber wins a prize. All you have to do to be eligible to win is go to Awakening Desires Newsletter and join. While you’re there, you can check out back issues of the newsletter.

Blogs, time management, and life

For some reason, the way it worked out, I blogged three times last week and a couple of times this week, at various spots. I either set up blogs somewhere to be released, I blogged that day, or I had a scheduled blog release.

I was at a writer's meeting and we were talking about social networks (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) and I mentioned scheduling blogs and tweets. Most folks hadn't heard about that, so I told them how it works and many folks had a "wow" moment -- you can blog when YOU feel like it about something that you're curious about, schedule it, and let it go when you need a blog. What a great convenience!

I think people often feel tied to their computers because they "should" do something at a certain time, but scheduling makes life so much easier. In fact, I'm off to schedule some blogs right now!

In case you're curious, here's where I blogged last week:

http://tinyurl.com/2bxowh4: I had a Tarot card reading for one of my characters. This is SO cool.

http://tinyurl.com/3xe7de7: I blogged at Savvy Authors about the changes in publishing, at Dorchester, etc., and what I thought it meant to readers (probably nothing).

http://tinyurl.com/296uphyI blogged at Star-Crossed Romance about why I write paranormal fiction (because I'm sick of politics).

I scheduled all of those ahead of time, in some cases weeks in advance. I take advantage of any time saver I can. There's a lot of them out there -- find them an use it to help you manage your precious free time!

Author Interview!

I'm over at Happily Ever After Reviews today talking about writing, life and my upcoming release, Out of Shadows. Drop by and check it out.

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Only two more days until release day!

xPost - See you at the movies!

(This is x-posted from my blog over at the Romance Studio this Wednesday. Hope you enjoy it!)

I was sitting in my room bugging the hell out of my daughter to help me come up with a blog subject. And guess what? Neither of us could come up with a single thing to talk about. So my next natural train of thought was, ‘what new book do I have coming out’ in hopes of coming up with a loosely related subject to blog about. No luck…sort of.

Death and Roses is releasing next month from Ellora’s Cave as part of the Hunters for Hire Sci-Fi continuity series. Death and Roses is an erotic romance about a female Super Soldier who meets up with the soldier she believes killed the only man who’s ever loved her. There's more to every author than just writing, writing, writing, right? *say that 10 times really fast* And since I really don’t like talking about my books all the time, I wanted to think of something 'not' bookish. My upcoming sci-fi led me to another thought: FUTURISTIC MOVIES!

I am absolutely thrilled that Resident Evil 4: Afterlife is coming out on September 10^th in 3D and Imax 3D! *tj dancing around doing a very high pitched squeeee!* I’m totally excited because I like series. Love them, in fact. It doesn’t matter whether the series is done in film or book form, I totally heart them. To be honest, my wallet takes a bit of a beating because when I buy a book in a series, or watch a movie in a series and I love it…I gotta have the whole darn thing!

If you’re not familiar with the Resident Evil franchise, it started with the first movie where Alice (Milla Jovovich - remember her in Fifth Element? No? <---Here’s a picture of her in that movie from 1997) is an amnesiac who doesn’t remember that she works as an operative for a nasty bio-agent manufacturer called the Umbrella Corporation. Then she gets her memory back. That’s real bad news for the bad guys considering her character kicks major ass. I think that’s why I love Alice – any book I write has to have a heroine that can hold her own, which Alice does in spades.

Each Resident Evil movie carries along that same story line of ‘get the bad guys’, but if that’s true, what makes me anticipate this new one? Well, the last movie not only killed off the gorgeous Oded Fehr (gorgeous guy to the right--->), but pretty much made it look as if no one exists on Earth but poor Alice. Her last line in movie number three to the bad guys who’d gone underground to hide was, “Hello boys. I’m coming for you. And I’m bringing a few of my friends.” A few of her friends turns out to be a room several stories high full of clones…of herself.

Hell, one Alice is hard enough to deal with. I’m wondering what they’re going to do with hundreds of her…or will they do anything at all?

Now, I don’t know if Blogger will let me do this, so if it doesn’t work, hop over to my personal blog to take a look at the trailer at TJ Michaels dot com.

See you at the movies!

TJ is an award winning multi-published author of contemporary, paranormal and multicultural romance who’s even managed a couple of CAPA nominations from The Romance Studio!

Visit her on Twitter, Facebook and of course her own site.
Visit her publishers at Ellora’s Cave, Samhain Publishing and Pocket Books

Alexandra's Legacy Now in Print!

Alexandra's Legacy, the first book in my Legacy werewolf series, is now available in PRINT!

BLURB:

The truth will set her free…or get her killed.

Alexandra Riley’s day starts out like any other in her normal, predictable world. Then a tall, dark stranger bursts into her father’s garage and shatters the illusion. In one shocking moment, she discovers why she’s been feeling hot, restless—she’s the half-breed daughter of a legendary werewolf and is a much-sought-after prize.

Joshua Striker, enforcer in charge of protecting the alphas of the Wolf Creek pack, has come to take Alex home. Nothing more, nothing less. From the first moment he sees her, she becomes the one thing he can’t afford—a distraction from his duty. A weakness he doesn’t want—but can’t resist needing.

If only keeping her safe was as simple as fending off males on the hunt for a mate. Through city streets to the mountains of North Carolina, Alex and Joshua have to evade those who don’t want their pure bloodlines tainted with human DNA, as well as bounty hunters who think the only good werewolf is a dead one.

What Joshua and Alex can’t outrun is the passion that flares between them—or the choice Alex must eventually face. Whether to claim her inner wolf, or forfeit her chance to claim Joshua as her own.

Product Warnings: This book contains sexy werewolves, rogue werewolves, nasty bounty hunters, a mysterious vampire and plenty of hot sexual interludes that will raise your blood pressure.

You can BUY my books at My Bookstore and More.

NEW RELEASES!

I'm thrilled to announce that Isaiah's Haven is now available from Samhain Publishing. This is the second book in my Legacy werewolf series.

BLURB:

Love comes howling when—and where—you least expect it.

Legacy, Book 2

Isaiah Striker puts family first, the pack a distant second. Which is precisely the reason he’s in noisy, crowded Chicago instead of alone in his beloved woods. One look at the owner of Haven nightclub, however, and a simple favor for his brother turns into something else entirely.

Meredith Cross holds her small pack together with sheer determination. After years on the run, they hide in the glare of the city’s nightlife. Isaiah may heat her blood, but she can’t afford to risk the lives of the outcast half-breeds in her care. Once exposed, every bounty hunter and werewolf purist in smelling distance will hunt them down.

But when their sexual attraction spirals out of control, a moment’s distraction is all it takes to lead danger right to Meredith’s door. For Meredith there’s only one choice: her pack.

But Isaiah knows his mate when he sees her. And he’s not giving up without a fight.

Product Warnings: This book contains hot sex, a jazzy nightclub, sexy werewolves, rogue werewolves, nasty bounty hunters, a mysterious vampire, and did I mention hot sex?

If that wasn't enough, I'm also celebrating the fact that Alexandra's Legacy is now available in PRINT!

BLURB:

The truth will set her free…or get her killed.

Legacy, Book 1

Alexandra Riley’s day starts out like any other in her normal, predictable world. Then a tall, dark stranger bursts into her father’s garage and shatters the illusion. In one shocking moment, she discovers why she’s been feeling hot, restless—she’s the half-breed daughter of a legendary werewolf and is a much-sought-after prize.

Joshua Striker, enforcer in charge of protecting the alphas of the Wolf Creek pack, has come to take Alex home. Nothing more, nothing less. From the first moment he sees her, she becomes the one thing he can’t afford—a distraction from his duty. A weakness he doesn’t want—but can’t resist needing.

If only keeping her safe was as simple as fending off males on the hunt for a mate. Through city streets to the mountains of North Carolina, Alex and Joshua have to evade those who don’t want their pure bloodlines tainted with human DNA, as well as bounty hunters who think the only good werewolf is a dead one.

What Joshua and Alex can’t outrun is the passion that flares between them—or the choice Alex must eventually face. Whether to claim her inner wolf, or forfeit her chance to claim Joshua as her own.

Product Warnings: This book contains sexy werewolves, rogue werewolves, nasty bounty hunters, a mysterious vampire and plenty of hot sexual interludes that will raise your blood pressure.

You can BUY my books at My Bookstore and More.

It's just one of those days...

I have been struggling with my current WIP for a month. I know -- doesn't sound like too long, does it? Keep in mind I normally write a book in 8 weeks so a month -- wasted -- is a lot of time for me.

But has it been wasted? I'm one of those writers who can't proceed on a book unless the first 3 chapters are right. I've written chapter 2 and 3 several times, and I think I've finally gotten the characters figured out. I think I have a good idea of what will be happening (but I'm vague on some of it. That's okay, though. It's how I work).

Yet, for some reason, I just can't get my HEAD into this story. Whenever I write I have to willingly enter the world and allow it to share space with my "real world." And I just haven't been able to do that lately. Not sure why. It's a story that intrigues me, but...

Perhaps it's part of my general malaise about publishing, etc. (the old "Why do I bother doing this?" blues). Maybe I'm asking too much of myself. I've had 3 books release already this year, 2 more to go, and that means promo, etc.. I've been to conferences, I've had big deadlines at my Paycheck Job...

I'm going to give it another week to really get my head THERE and if it doesn't work, I'll put it aside. I hate to do it. I always try to finish what I start, as soon as I can. But if the story isn't there, it just isn't.

Sigh. Sometimes it's just one of those...months.

Lassoing Lara Now Available!

Lassoing Lara is now available from Ellora's Cave Publishing. This is the second Quickie about one of the Courage brothers from Texas. The first one is Tempting Tori. The third and final one is in the works.

BLURB:

Brody Courage wakes up after a night out with his brothers and finds himself naked and tied to his bed with no idea how he’s gotten there. Just when he thinks he’s going to have to rip apart the headboard to get himself loose, he hears someone entering the house. He thinks it’s one of his brothers and calls out for help, but it’s Lara Jacobs, his childhood friend and neighbor.

He’s humiliated to have to ask her help and swears her to secrecy. She’s quiet and pale and leaves after releasing only one arm. When Brody finally gets himself out of bed, he finds a pair of red lace panties stuck near the footboard—a perfect match for the red bra he’d glimpsed Lara wearing when she bent over to untie him. It’s then his memories of the night before start to flood back. He spent one hell of a night in bed with his neighbor.

Now he wants another. One he can remember. But there’s the little problem of Lara avoiding him…

NEW RELEASE: DARK SIDE OF DREAMING by Ann Bruce

Dark Side of Dreaming will be released July 9 and, yes, I do know that title is a mouthful--and, no, that comment wasn't meant to be suggestive.

Awkwardness out of the way...

This romantic suspense is the one that was started almost two years ago but was rewritten a dozen times because I kept going WTF am I writing?!? When I was finally somewhat satisfied with it, I sent it to my editor who probably thought I'd forgotten about her, and she said--or wrote--all the right things because she's just that awesome. Is the book awesome? I don't know. Find out for yourself.

The Blurb

When she finds herself bound to a stranger's bed, former cat burglar Cleo Moran knows she should've stayed in retirement. However, the thought of ending the cursed dreams that plague her sleeping hours was simply too enticing to resist.

At first, Sasha Michaels wants only his captive's professional expertise and contacts to track down the man who crippled his sister. Then Cleo wakes up and, with words and action, stirs something much more primitive within him.

Cleo feels the strong pull too but knows better than to act upon it. Neither understanding nor willing to accept her resistance, Sasha attempts to bind Cleo to him with sexual ties. Their time together, however, is jeopardized by secrets on both sides and a common enemy who is escalating in violence.

The Excerpt

She liked bondage as much as the next girl.

Cleo, however, didn't think her current bound state was a prelude to more enjoyable things.

She yanked on the rope that secured her hands together and tethered them to something above her head. There was some give as the cloth-covered rope stretched, but not nearly enough. Stubbornness being a trait of all Moran women, she tried again. And again. And again.

A small noise of frustration escaped her throat.

Despite the dull, throbbing pain in her head, she decided more leverage was needed and twisted on the bed and sat up. And noticed the man seated in the armchair in the far corner of the room. He was immersed in the shadows that swathed the room so she saw nothing but a menacing outline blacker than the surrounding darkness. His silent regard felt like a thick blanket suffocating her senses.

Fear made her mouth go dry and her skin prickle with heat and sweat.

It was a full minute before she found her voice, a little hoarser than usual, but she lifted her chin to compensate. "Did you enjoy the show?"

No response. Not even so much as a muscle twitch. Her chest noticeably rose and fell with each shortened breath.

"Are the police on their way?"

More silence, and the lump in her throat grew.

"I need that statue more than you need another dust collector." She was babbling, knew it and couldn't stop herself. "It needs to be returned to its rightful home."

The silence continued and agitation flickered through her, slicing past the fear.

"Look, I tried the legal route, but you flatly refused all of my offers. I had no other choice."

A whisper of cloth on leather. He'd moved. Finally. She was beginning to think he was a statue himself. Then he rose, an imposing shadow that made her very aware of the pulse thrumming in her throat. He came toward the bed, stopping at the foot, and moonlight, stark and chilly, spilled over him.

He'd never be labeled handsome, but she couldn't tear her eyes away. Formidable frame, dark hair, deep-set eyes, broad face with rough-hewn features that looked as if they'd been carved of the same stone as the statue. Unlike the statue, his face was mask-like with its lack of expression. It took a concerted effort to ignore the tiny voice that urged her to cower against the headboard.

"Cleo Moran."

The sound of her name spoken by that deep, cold voice sent a jolt through her. Of course he knew her name. His administrative assistant had passed on enough messages from her in the past three months. And the man was reputed to be a shark, so he would remember the name of the woman who'd tried repeatedly to buy a relic for several times more than its appraised value.

"If I wouldn't sell the statue to you, what makes you think I'd just let you steal it?"

Absurdly, she winced. Steal had such an ugly ring to it.

"You weren't supposed to have a say in the matter."

A corner of his mouth quirked up and she was amazed his face didn't crack. In fact, it sent a shiver of sensation snaking along her spine.

"I'm the one who should be angry, not you," he said, the ice in his voice thawing. He slid a hand inside the front pocket of his trousers and his regard changed, feeling almost like a touch.

Jittery, but from more than simple fear, she brought her hands up and pulled back the strands of chin-length hair that fell over her eyes and clung to her lips. "You weren't supposed to come back here tonight."

A dark slash of a brow lifted and, without a hint of pique, he drawled, "So, the enthusiasm in my date tonight was faked."

She cursed her babbling tongue. Well, she'd never encountered this situation before and there wasn't a For Dummies guide that covered it.

"Unfortunately for you, I need more than a pretty face and man-made assets to entice me." A degree of heat wrapped around his voice. "Then I come home and you waltz in."

She had trouble filling her lungs with oxygen. "What now?"

His eyes glittered darkly. "Since the woman you hired to distract me didn't do her job, why don't you?"

She licked suddenly dry lips. "I'd rather you call the police."

Copyright © 2010 by Ann Bruce. All rights reserved.

If you want a chance to win a copy of Dark Side of Dreaming, check out The Not-so-deep Thoughts.

The land that time forgot

I'm visiting my mother in the small town where I grew up, lo, those many years ago. This truly is a reflection of what life used to be like as seen in movies and magazines.

Children ride their bike to the local swimming pool. People sleep with their doors unlocked. Cars are parked on the street with windows rolled down. There's a fish-fry on Friday to benefit the Kiwanis, and a party in the park to celebrate July 4th.

I could go on and on, but one thing yesterday really just made me love this place even more. I went to the grocery store. My purchases were tidily bagged for me and carried out by a young man of below-average intelligence. He, like all bag boys, wore a white shirt, black pants, and black necktie. He wheeled my cart out with my purchases and tucked them into my car, chatting pleasantly with me about the weather and town. I mentioned it later to a friend and she said the store owners train the bag boys to be polite, social, and courteous.

No kidding.

I wish I could bottle this place and carry with me whenever I go to a loud, not-so-charming urban area. I want to remember that places like this do, still exist. I write about them in my books (obligatory pointer to promotion here) and I really am not exaggerating. Places like this do exist.

Thank heavens.

CONTEST: PARKER'S PRICE by Ann Bruce

At my high school, we used to raise money by holding slave auctions. Students, girls and guys, would volunteer themselves as slaves for a day and be sold to the highest bidder. A lot of the girls volunteered to be slaves knowing their boyfriends would be obligated to buy them. Me, I preferred to do the buying because there was too many people in high school who would've loved to humiliate me as payback for my smart mouth.

One year, at the end of an auction, someone ran up onto the makeshift stage and made a bid for me. I glared at him but he didn't take back the bid. I remember thinking that he probably wanted me to do his homework or some such nonsense because while he was--and still is--very, very cute, he wasn't gifted academically. When I said, "No way in hell," but in much nicer terms because teachers were present, he upped the bid. And I, rather ungraciously, gave in.

Turns out, he only wanted to see me take my hair down--and walk two steps behind him all day.

Many years later, I took that high school incident, wildly embellished it because that's what writers do, and turned it into Parker's Price, a contemporary romance that has "all the alpha-male goodness of a category romance combined with all the hands-on, sizzling attraction heat of an erotic romance" (Night Owl Reviews).

She was sexy, smart...and not for sale. But that won't stop him.

When Parker Quinn is forced to accept an outrageously high bid at a charity auction, she has no choice but to go out with the last man on earth she wants to spend time with. Dean Maxwell may be one of Manhattan's most eligible bachelors, but he's also the man who had an affair with her sister and abandoned her when she became pregnant with his child.

Dean doesn't know why Parker hates him so much, but he's determined to show Parker the type of man he really is. Whisking her away to a private island in the Bahamas for a sensual, sun-drenched week together, Dean leaves Parker's preconceptions shattered and her desires inflamed.

But even as their passion reaches irresistible heights, Parker has a decision to make. Can she allow herself to fall for the seductive magnate, or will family secrets and a dangerous ex tear them apart?

To celebrate my first contemporary romance, I'll give away an e-copy of Parker's Price to one commenter here.

If that's not enough, I'm also giving away three (3) $50 Amazon gift certificates on my blog, The Not-so-deep Thoughts.

Lassoing Lara Contest

To celebrate the upcoming release of my Ellora's Cave Quickie, Lassoing Lara, I'm holding a contest. Go to my website and click on my "contests" page for details on how you can enter for a chance to win.

Audio Book!

Tempting Tori, my Ellora's Cave Quickie, is now available in Audio Book! I'm very excited. It's cool to hear someone reading your book...strange, but cool. *g*

BLURB:

Standing in the barn, looking out over his ranch, J.T. Courage knows there is nowhere else on earth he’d rather be. He has his brothers, a successful horse business and a new home on the land that’s belonged to his family for generations. The only thing missing is someone to share it all with. And he has just the woman in mind.

Victoria Abrams is leaving the man she loves. She can no longer pretend he will one day see her as more than a friend or housekeeper. But J.T. is not about to let the sexy woman who has tempted him for months with her lush body and beautiful face slip away without a fight.

Download a Sample!

Free time, hmm. What is it good for?

I had some free time today.

This is very unusual for me. I work full-time outside the home. I write (I've got 6 books out this year). I'm working on edits for 3 books for next year, my WIP is a 6-book series, and I've got 2 other books waiting for me to write them.

Through an odd quirk of fate, I had a few hours of free time. I thought about how to spend it -- do some gardening? Nope, still too soggy from a week of rain. Pack for my trip tomorrow? Mostly done. Just a few last things to do. Read a book?

That stopped me in my tracks. I don't read any more. Since I started publishing, I very, very seldom read a fiction book. I do read non-fiction now and again, and I read the occasional book from friends who are publishing and I read (now and again) someone that I'm curious about, but I seldom read start-to-finish, "I want to read this" any more.

I've lost the reading bug.

Let me hasten to say I don't miss it -- reading (like needlework and gardening and wycinanki) are activities I do to relax me and have fun at the same time. I never classed reading as 'entertainment' (like I would a movie). It was a hobby, a "thing" I did. Now I don't do it any more, just like I don't do much needlework or wycinanki (aging eyes make those hobbies a chore now, not fun). And I have to admit, I don't miss reading fiction. I was skimming most of the books I read anyway except for a few from authors I really cherished (and they are few, believe me).

Nope, I'm going to have to find something else to fill those rare few hours of 'free' time. I could do the obligatory piece of promo: NEW BOOK OUT. FUN READ. FUNNY HEROINE. CLASSY HERO. All about a college professor who writes erotic romances and gets outed just when she's up for a promotion. There's a murder (at the State Fair, no less), a stalker, a boorish fellow professor, and a fan who is in love with the heroine's erotic alter ego...

Or I can take a nap, or lay on the couch and watch a bit of TV, or ...

Get caught up on my blog reading!

Mother's Day thoughts...

It’s Mother’s Day today here in the US and I’m up early drinking my hot tea and thinking about the day.

We’ll be meeting up with one of my sisters and her family in a few hours to have some Mother’s Day lunch, but I’m sitting here as I do every year hoping that I’ve been a good mother, and that I haven’t warped the kid too badly :) I mean let’s face it, all parents warp their children in some way—it’s just the amount and severity, right? :)

I know that’s probably not a ‘normal’ way to spend the start of Mother’s Day, but it’s something I’ve done since the very first year, and it just kind of stuck. Taking stock is a good way to give myself sort of a ‘report card’ and see what I can improve on in the new year.

So what did I find?

Well, I’ve really lucked out by having an amazing kidlet who makes this whole ‘mother’ job easier than it might have been. The kidlet gets pretty good grades (we’re struggling a big with honors chemistry this year, but it’s not for lack of trying), he doesn’t get into trouble and he hangs out with good kids who won’t warp him much more than we have already. (Hey, I was a band kid, too, I know how that goes...lol!) He’s got a terrific sense of humor, an easygoing personality and a great outlook on life. He loves with his whole heart and feels things very deeply – which can be both a blessing and a curse, but one that I think allows him to experience life to the fullest. He’s got a good moral compass, is very compassionate and full of curiosity for life. He got his permit several months ago and his driving is coming along well, even on the stick shift. Yeah, we’ve got some normal teenage stuff like leaving socks on the floor and having to remind him to do chores, but he’s a terrific kid, and I’m thankful each and every day to have this wonderful person in my life.

As for me...well, I’m not as strict as I sometimes should be about making him get those chores done, and when I’m not, the hubby steps in and evens that out. (We’re a very good parenting team in that sense.) But I’ve also got some good stuff going for me. I feel like the kidlet can come and talk to me about anything and does. We’re very close, but he is also an independent, stand on his own kid. He’s much more confident than I was at his age, and I can see he’s already worked through issues that it took me well into adulthood to work out!

He also saw me start to go after my dream (writing) in my early 30’s and he’s seen both all the hard work and the perks as each book comes out and hits the shelves. I think because of that, he’s allowed himself to think outside the box when it comes to upcoming careers for himself. But he’s also seen me take a part time job at Starbucks so the family can have health insurance, so I hope that’s taught him that sometimes you just have to suck it up and do what’s necessary while still never giving up on your dreams and passions in life.

I probably need to provide a better example of keeping a clean house, staying in shape and being better about keeping in touch with those we love and a few things like that, but since those are an ongoing struggle for me....it might be several more years before I can boast those among my OWN accomplishments. But those are definitely things I need to work on so I can be a better role model for kidlet.

But for right now, I’m going to go wake him up so we can start the day and I can enjoy all the blessings I have in my life, including one very terrific kid. :)

I hope everyone else has a terrific day—even if their children are the four legged furry variety :) Those need loving parents, too! (I say as mine are crying for treats.)

Tina
www.tinagerow.com

Seeking Charlotte by N.J. Walters

Seeking Charlotte is now available from Ellora's Cave. This paranormal/erotic romance can be read as a stand-alone book, but is also part of the Hearts of Fire series.

If you love a hot bounty hunter, powerful crystals, demons and destiny, then this is the book for you!

Books 1 & 2, Memory's Eye and Shards of Ecstasy, are also available from Ellora's Cave.

BLURB:

Creed Lawson knows Charlotte Jones is trouble from the moment she presses her lithe body to his and kisses him. But that doesn’t stop him from taking what she’s offering—a night of hot, uninhibited sex. But Creed hasn’t bargained for the feelings she stirs in him, nor the talk of crystals, demons and destiny.

Charlotte is an empath. The ability to feel people’s emotions has made it difficult for her to lead a normal life. At eighteen she received one of the eight pieces of the Heart of Fire, a crystal that contains untold power. She was told there was a male who held the other half of her stone, as well as a demon that coveted all the pieces of the crystal.

The demon has finally found her. But she knows that Creed is the special man she’s been waiting for. Charlotte is facing the fight of her life. Will Creed fight beside her or walk away?

Read an excerpt

New Date for Audio Book!

My Ellora's Cave Quickie, Tempting Tori , will soon be available in Audio Book! Look for it on May 10th from Ellora's Cave.

BLURB:

Standing in the barn, looking out over his ranch, J.T. Courage knows there is nowhere else on earth he’d rather be. He has his brothers, a successful horse business and a new home on the land that’s belonged to his family for generations. The only thing missing is someone to share it all with. And he has just the woman in mind.

Victoria Abrams is leaving the man she loves. She can no longer pretend he will one day see her as more than a friend or housekeeper. But J.T. is not about to let the sexy woman who has tempted him for months with her lush body and beautiful face slip away without a fight.

Download a Free Sample

Thoughts on aging and life

I'm visiting my Mom this weekend. It's her birthday (91) and I wanted to share it with her.


Thoughts on this auspicious date:


People have gone out of their way to acknowledge her big day. This is a benefit of having an intimate circle of friends and acquaintances who are willing to go out of their way to do that. I am lucky to have seen this.


The people here at the facility where she lives now (assisted living) are all making the best of their lot. No one is grumpy, annoyed, or angry. None of them want to be here but all have a universal "well, I'm stuck with this so let's make the best of it" attitude. I want to be like them when I grow up.


A nice place is live is crucial. Buddy the social worker dog wanders the hall, there's a nifty patio nearby where we have our before-dinner drinks, and there's a nice, quiet meadow outside.


More thoughts will come as I continue to watch Mom experience aging. These just struck me on this, her auspicious day.

Oh, yeah: writing-related stuff. New book coming out soon. I'll talk about it next month! I'm busy right now, getting ready to play double-solitaire with The Girls here at the home. I'm sure I'll have my butt beat quite soundly. They take no prisoners.

8)

Embroidered Fantasies--A New Book from N.J. Walters

Embroidered Fantasies is now available from Ellora's Cave! I'm very excited about this book, if you couldn't already tell, and I'm looking forward to seeing what readers thing of it. This is the fifth book in the time-travel/ménage a trois Tapestries series. While it is a part of the series, it can be read as a stand-alone novel.

This is a story of redemption, of changing your life and making it something different, something better in spite of the odds. Both the heros and heroine have emotional scars from their pasts, but they're trying to move past those and make a better life.

BLURB:

Roxanne Sykes is a divorced waitress, trying to carve a life for herself after escaping an abusive marriage. Her quiet life is shattered when her ex-husband finds her. Before he can harm her, a magical tapestry whisks her away. She finds herself in a strange land, in the presence of a man straight from her erotic dreams.

Radnor Craddock’s life has been one of violence and brutality. He never expected the tapestry of Javara lore would bring a woman to him and his brother, Sednar. They only have three days to try to convince Roxanne to stay, and both use their considerable seductive skills to do so.

The erotic encounters are like nothing Roxanne has ever experienced. Yet she cannot trust her judgment. After all, she married a man who abused her. Then there are the dark hints and innuendoes of the Craddocks’ violent pasts. But when her ex-husband threatens her, Radnor and Sednar risk their lives to save her. Will she leave them? Or stay and claim these wounded warriors as her own?

Read an Excerpt

Purchase book

Read An Ebook Week!

Electronic Books Are Here To Stay!
By
N. J. Walters


March 7 – 13th is Read An Ebook Week! Like it or not ebooks are here to stay. It’s unlikely they will ever totally replace the printed page, but they do allow readers easy access to books, wherever they are in the world, at any time of the day or night.

No more do readers have to lament that their local store doesn’t carry their favorite authors. No more special ordering. No more being snowed in and having nothing to read. A few clicks of the mouse and books can be downloaded to your computer or your ebook reader. It’s fast and it’s easy. And it takes away the need to live near an actual bookstore. No matter where you live in the world, as long as you have computer access, you can order books.

I am an avid reader and have been for years. There is nothing I like more than to curl up on the corner of my sofa and read a good book. But even for someone like me, there is a place in my life for ebooks. And the big companies have finally gotten on board so there is no looking back.

The Kindle, Sony Reader, Nook and eBookwise Readers are readily available to many readers. And the price is getting more affordable. For those of you who can’t afford ebook readers, you can download free software from MS Reader and Adobe so you can read straight from your computer.

No longer will you have to lament the lack of space on your bookshelves. You can store thousands of books easily on a flash drive or memory card. Your bookshelves can be kept for your favorite authors that you must have in paperback or hardcover. I know there are many authors that I will continue to buy their paperback books for as long as they keep writing. However, I would be more likely to try a new author in an ebook because it costs less than a paperback.

And that’s good news in this economy. I know most, if not all, of us are tightening our purse strings. That doesn’t mean not buying books. Just the thought gives me the shakes. No, it means being more selective on how I do spend my book money. I want the most bang for my buck. And that means buying more ebooks.

A word of advice for those of you new to ebooks—remember to check the individual publishers, as well as the larger shops like Sony and Amazon. Many times the ebook will be cheaper on the publishers website because you’re cutting out the middleman. But you can buy your books wherever and whenever you choose. That’s the beauty of it. And some websites occasionally offer ebooks for free to tempt you to try one or two.

The world of ebooks has changed dramatically since my first ebook was published by Ellora’s Cave back in October 2004. They are much more readily available now and many of the large New York publishing houses that first disparaged ebooks have now seen the limitless possibilities and are offering the books of many of the best and most popular authors in ebook format. Newspapers and magazines are also being offered at a reduced rate in electronic formats. And why not? It’s simply another form that allows readers to access and enjoy books.

What can be wrong with that?

So, celebrate Read An Ebook week. And if you’ve never purchased an ebook before, maybe this is the week to give it a try. And if hot, spicy romance is your read of choice, maybe you’ll even consider trying one of mine.

http://www.njwalters.com
http://www.njwalters.blogspot.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakeningdesires/ (newsletter group)

I didn't know I knew that ....

I'm co-teaching a Community Education class on writing for publication, and our final session is this coming Tuesday.

It's been a very good experience for me. I had to prepare a lot of notes for the class, come up with an outline and syllabus, gather research material, review materials ... in short, it was a chance for me to revisit my whole publishing journey and see what worked and what didn't, what continues to work, etc.

It's helped me put my entire writing career in perspective & see my accomplishments & those spots where I could probably put forth a bit more effort.

We're offering the class 3 times a year, so I expect this kind of introspection will continue -- at least I hope it does! I'm finding it very energizing for my writing and for my career planning.

New Release - Men of S.W.A.T.: Kissing Cowboy ~ J.C. Wilder

Men of S.W.A.T.: Kissing Cowboy

Read an Excerpt - Buy the eBook

Their first kiss melted her resistance, their second one melted his heart.

She’s a woman with a plan…

From childhood, Payton ‘Pip’ Whittier has loved Jeff ‘Cowboy’ Diver. Even after he publicly humiliated her and forced her to leave town, he’s the one man she can’t erase from her heart.

Nine years have passed and Pip has returned to the scene of the crime, her hometown of Haven, Ohio. This time, she’s determined to rid her system of Cowboy, once and for all. He’s a man determined to thwart her every move…

When Cowboy sees Pip at the local bar, he’s floored by the changes in his one-time best friend. The shy, sweet girl has been replaced with a sexy-as-hell woman in red stilettos. Years ago they’d shared a tender moment, one that changed irrevocably their lives.


This is his one chance to convince her to give him one more—even if it means his heart could be crushed under her lethal high heels.

Product Warnings - This book contains the lethal misuse of a pool cue, shenanigans of a sexual nature in the back of a pickup truck, a good girl gone bad and a hero who packs some serious heat—hoo-AH!

A new release for me!

Another Dream, Another Reality released from Loose yesterday! I'm so excited.


Cassie never intended to let them get to her. Her relationship with Aden and Leo was supposed to be strictly “fun.” But even as she hides from them making demands on her heart and her life, they start to mean too much. Then she's threatened with the loss of her job if she keeps the relationship going. They talk her into a trip to the mountains to try to work things out, but once she's there she has a change of heart and wants to leave them. For good.

Only the car won’t start. So now, she’s trapped at a gorgeous cabin in the mountains with two delicious men who want to win her heart.

Aden and Leo have their own issues with the relationship they’ve moved into, and they know that Cassie has been trying to avoid getting deeper with them. They use their time stuck at the cabin to work through it all.

What starts serious turns into fun, but as life sets in, will they find their relationship a dream or a reality?


To read an excerpt.

The previous book about Cassie, Aden, and Leo, Another Night, Another Dream was selected as a Recommended Read for February by Joyfully Reviewed! Shayna had this to say: Another Night, Another Dream starts out hot and just gets hotter as it goes on. Mechele Armstrong has masterfully blended steamy hot sex with longing and love in this fantastic tale. Cassie, Aden, and Leo are all characters who are sure to grab your heart... I love that all three of them worked to see the heart of each other. When these three weren’t burning up the page with their passion, they were melting my heart and it was absolutely impossible for me not to become invested in their romance. Another Night, Another Dream is a decadent treat I absolutely loved reading. This is the first book I have read by Ms. Armstrong and it definitely won’t be the last. Joyfully Recommended

Mechele Armstrong
http://www.mechelearmstrong.com

N.J. Walters Guest Interview at Examiner.com

Check out my interview with Fran Lee at Examiner.com. I'm chatting about books, life and upcoming projects for 2010!

New year, new book

Yep, I like to kick the New Year off right. My 14th (yes, you read that right, "14") book is out.

"Hot Rods" is the story of what happens when you take a chance. The heroine, Threemie (so nicknamed because her name is Mary Margaret Madison, a.k.a. "3M"), met a guy one night outside a bar and she took a chance on him. She gave him her email address & he got in touch with her.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

I wrote this book when I was unemployed. I had been laid off from my job and I decided to use the time to get some writing done. I wrote five books in the six months I was laid off and I've had three of them published (Forgiveness and Brilliant Disguise and If Not For You) and I took the characters from one of the other ones and used them in another story. The fifth book is waiting to be submitted.

Not a bad way to spend my 'down time', hmm?

In a way, Hot Rods mirrors what I've done with my writing career. I took a chance on publishing with small presses & it's paid off for me. I've had some bumps and bruises along the way, just like Threemie has in Hot Rod, but overall it has turned out well. Hey, maybe life does imitate art after all?