Traveling, Mountains, Yoga and Inspiration

It’s been a crazy winter here at the house. Julia and I are saying goodbye to our redhead, sending him off to China to live his dreams. We’re planning on downsizing from the big house into a little condo, so we can save some money to buy our dream house in the Rockies. We’re also participating in a huge yoga challenge, which has been tough, doing yoga 6 days a week, but also incredibly satisfying.

In the middle of all of it, we went to Colorado for a week – mainly to house hunt, but also to see what I thought of the cold, the snow.

I also got to snowmobile, get into a hot springs pool while it was snowing, and take my daddy to Vail. I had an amazing cup of coffee in Aspen, flirted with a hot little waitress in Carbondale, and ate a lot of oatmeal.

It was amazing, and while I was there Julia and I spent a long time talking about inspiration.

You see, right before we left, we were chatting after yoga class with our fellow yogis (and let me tell you, there’s something a little hysterical about this inked, pink-haired Texas girl calling herself a yogi O.o) and someone asked me where I got my inspiration.

My answer was *very* The Thirteenth Warrior. “I listen.”

In Colorado, though, I realized that was the very simple answer.

I listen.

I travel.

I go to rodeos and goddess workshops and yoga classes. I take weird clay classes and snowmobiling trips and white water rafting trips. I make friends online and at cafes. I visit yarn shops and coffee shops and weird little antique stores. I spend time riding horses down at Daddy’s ranch, play with any one of the 33 nieces and nephews (and one grandnephew, OMG) I have. I drive to Galveston. I drive to East Texas and look at the trees.

How can I not write with so much amazing life out there to explore?

I think, if someone asks me again, I’d have to tell them, instead of “I listen.”

I live.

BA Tortuga
Because Sometimes Fistfights Are Foreplay

Bio: I enjoy indulging in the shallow side of life, with hobbies that include collecting margarita recipes, hot tub dips, and ogling hot guys at the beach. A connoisseur of the perverse and esoteric, my days are spent among dusty tomes of ancient knowledge, or, conversely, surfing porn sites in the name of research. Mixing the natural born southern propensity for sarcasm and the environmental western straight-shooting sensibility, I do my damnedest to produce mainstream fiction, literary erotica, and fine works of pure, unadulterated smut.

With characters ranging from supernatural demons to modern-day cowboys, alternative illustrated men to Victorian dandies, the addiction to history and atmosphere is everpresent, and laced through with sensual pleasure. my latest projects include werewolves, rodeo cowboys, and fistfighting rednecks. Please sign up for my newsletter for monthly goodies at www.batortuga.com

Ms. Tortuga is also very generously offering a giveaway. What’s this prize, you ask? A $25 Torquere Press Gift Certificate. That’s right. Twenty-five smackeroos! That’s enough for books! So I’m curious. If you’re a writer, where do you get your inspiration? If you’re not a writer [like me!] – do you have any sort of life mantra?

Or – less “zen” – do you like to travel? Where was your most recent destination? Alternatively, do you have any travel stories to share with us?

Cover Me!

One of the first aphorisms one learns as a child (and I’m not sure why) is that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. And as a grown up romance reader, I long ago realized that sometimes the books with the most deplorable or boring covers are the ones I most enjoy reading. Look at the original Fabio cover of Laura Kinsale’s Flowers from the Storm, for instance. There’s no way I could have known from looking at that prime bit of cheese that the tale inside would be one of my all time favorite romances.

When the time came to see my own cover for the first time, I have little shame in admitting that I teared up. In part because of the excitement of seeing my first book brought so starkly to life with real people in the key roles, but also with gratitude that it was so beautiful. And secure in the knowledge that I’d have no qualms about showing it to my romance-skeptic family and friends. What can I say? I blush easily. And I’m darn tired of defending the genre from the Fabio stigma. It’s been twenty years since he was on a cover, people! Move on!

One of the things I adore about my cover is that the hero’s face, Lucas I suppose I should call him, isn’t visible on the cover. I know that some people deplore the headless romance cover, but I have a huge affection for them. Mostly because I prefer not to have my own imagining of the hero and heroine interrupted with the faces of the cover models. And as I get older the cover models seem to get younger and younger.

So, with those thoughts in mind, here are a few of my favorite cover trends of the past few years, in no particular order:

1) Gowns! – Largely due to the advent of digital publishing, which requires there to be texture to set one cover apart from another, it is difficult to browse a row of historical romances without there being at least one cover showing the heroine in a billowing gown. I particularly love the richness of the colors in gown covers. Like this one of Cecilia Grant’s A Lady Awakened. The tone on tone, coupled with the nuances of the velvet gown make this one pop for me. Especially with the contrast of the heroine’s red hair against the backdrop.

2) Breaking the Fourth Wall – This is a term from theatre, that describes what happens when an actor speaks and looks directly at the audience. The first cover I can remember noticing that did this was Julia Quinn’s The Lost Duke of Wyndham which shows the heroine looking out at the reader. And lots of covers since, including my own, have followed the trend.

3) In the Middle of Things – These covers are those, like Eloisa James’ fairy tale novel covers, that seem to capture the heroine in the middle of things. The first fairy tale story, A Kiss at Midnight is an especially good example of this, as it shows the heroine  running down the stairs, her glass slipper left behind. Another author whose covers follow this pattern are Kate Noble’s which often show the heroine racing off somewhere.

So, now I’ve told you what some of my favorite cover trends are, tell me some of yours! Do you prefer your hero and heroine with heads or without? Or perhaps you have some ideas about contemporary romance covers! Do tell! Inquiring minds want to know! One commenter will win a copy of How to Dance with a Duke.

Or… if there’s no preference we’ll carry on as we have. Which is me doing my best and muddling through.

NB: I don’t email winners. It’s everyone’s responsibility to check back to see if s/he has won. [Which might impact answers? Only extenuating circumstances would cause me to email people. Like the winners for the SMSG giveaway.]

First of all … this post. She Whose Name Must Not Be Written. Can y’all believe there are still people who don’t get the point? *shakes head* I just… well. Demerits and all to that bunch. I loved everyone’s comments – on that post and the previous one. (Yeah, it annoys me so much I blogged about it twice.) However, even though I thought everyone’s thoughts were fabulous, there were two stand outs for me. So instead of one, I chose two winners! Avery Flynn’s comment and Pam‘s comment. If you missed them you’ve simply got to read them. Avery and Pam, please contact me and we’ll discuss prizes.

Alexandra Hawkins is our “guest author of the month” as it were – and she very generously offered two winners their choice of her books. These lucky readers are Mary Preston and Maureen.

Leslie Dicken also shared a lovely post with us, complete with giveaway. Her winner is Renee Brown! Renee I believe this is [only] available in electronic format at the moment, so all we need is your email address.

Mari Freeman is one of the “official authors” at AAD (which *sniffs* I’m not going to be at…) and she shared a crazy first date and New Orleans story! Her winner is June M. And if you didn’t see June’s comment… it’s worth a look see, simply for the O_o factor.

Jill Sorenson shared an awesome exclusive excerpt of her upcoming novel with us, and chose a winner for one of her books. Lisa B, if you didn’t see, you’re to contact Jill (jillsoren1@aol.com.) to claim your prize.

And! Last but not least! Myke Cole came and shared his thoughts on the romance genre with us. He chose the first three commenters, so Raonaid Luckwell, jayceedelorenzo, and Sasha Devlin, congratulations!

Everyone who won something – email me your address and prize please and we’ll get those out to you. [You see how I very kindly linked to each relevant post so you can check what you won if you don't remember?] If you get a choice of a book, please let me know which one you want. Of course if you won an ebook your address is unnecessary.

And – in case navigation isn’t your strong suit here’s how to contact me. You have until Saturday, February 25, at 11:59 PM EST to contact me and claim your winnings. Otherwise they’re forfeit. Because I’m mean like that.

…

:X Sorry – we ended on something of a snarky note, didn’t we? It’s 2 AM here… and just – lots of stupidity has been frustrating me. Real life, world situations, and then just… apparently people. You know how it is!

Yeah. That’s how serious I am. I think my previous post confused a lot of people. Which I never even considered until I talked to other people about it. I’m looking for reviewers. Period. I’m not looking for dude reviewers in particular. If you’re a guy and want to review free romances anonymously or otherwise, come on board. But it’s not my focus.

What am I looking for as a starting point for a reviewer? I listed a number of “sources” for you to look into. Here: the reviews posted on this site are a great indication. Or the sole one I’ve written for Heroes & Heartbreakers for Carolyn Jewel’s Not Wicked Enough. Or the ones I wrote for TGTBTU (um that also leads you to opinion pieces…).

If you’re interested, contact me. We’ll talk and hope it’s a good fit. Got questions? I’d love to hear from you. If you’re not interested – do you have a friend who might be? Share the love!

Thanks – and let’s do this!!!

“In Western Civilization, our elders are books.”―Gary Snyder           

Every now and then something inexplicable happens to me and it seems like the universe is trying to speak to me through others. It’s a very Oprah thing to think, I know. But lately I can’t help but feel that the universe conspires to speak to us with little coincidences that happen in ways that statistically make them much more than coincidence. This is mystifying yet wondrous to me because I’m not one who believes in fate, lol!

One of the main ways I experience this phenomenon is through random books that seemingly fall in my lap. Sometimes just the right book lands in my hands for reading at just the right time. It’s more than serendipity because it’s more than just finding an enjoyable book or a fun new series. It is more of a synchronicity that happens, just when I need it most in my life. It feels like a sort of connection happens more than just a coincidence.

I once read somewhere that books are powerful because they are people talking to mass audiences not only in different places but also in different times, able to reach out to future generations and to people other mediums aren’t capable of reaching. I think about this when I read a book that particularly moves me or challenges me in ways I hadn’t expected. When I feel a personal paradigm shift occurring from simply reading a book (a technology that is centuries old!), I marvel at how amazing it is that reading and the process of internalizing the story can impact me so much.

Even more impressive to me is that the majority of the stories that do this to me most are fiction. I think it’s common to think fiction is just for fun but I find that, for me, it’s often more transformative than anything nonfiction I’ve ever read. The biggest surprise was when I began reading romance novels in 2008 and I realized they were some of the most life-altering reads for me. Pretty good for a genre often dismissed as trashy, superficial, and of no literary value, huh?

There have been a lot of books in my life. All made their mark on me and in some way added to the person I am now. But among them all there are outliers; books that stand out because they seemingly came from out of nowhere, weren’t on my radar at all, and yet somehow find me and get me to read them at just the exact time when they are capable of meaning so much to me.  I most recently experienced this with a book called Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion. It was a book I’d heard great things about when it released but I wasn’t really planning on reading it. Then I won a copy and was asked to discuss it with a book club! It has turned out to be a favorite for me, and the writing was so good it had me thinking about all kinds of aspects of my life in different ways.

So how about y’all: Any books in your life ever seem to be kismet for you? Does it happen to you often, do you have just a few outliers, or is it something that hasn’t happened to you in your reading life? What was the last book that seemed like the universe sent it to you just when you needed it most?

First of all, a call for reviewers! That’s my first “Help!” Do you love reading? Possibly talking about books? Did you know if you’re willing to do the latter you can get more of the former, through free books? Well, free in that you don’t pay for them. Possibly not “free” in that you then have to read it and review it. (Spoken from a reviewer’s perspective here…) I never wanted this to be solely a review site. Mostly because I knew there was no chance in hell I could manage that. But I also didn’t want it to be entirely a promotional site. So I’m trying to achieve balance.

If you’d like to be a reviewer, contact me. Note, I’m mean and picky, so I want thought out reviews. None of this “slap on the book blurb and a plot summary.” What do I mean by reviews? Well, the ones posted on this site are a great indication. Or the sole one I’ve written for Heroes & Heartbreakers on Carolyn Jewel’s Not Wicked Enough. Or the ones I wrote for TGTBTU (um that also leads you to opinion pieces…) so there you go. I’d think that’s sufficient.

If you already write reviews but your current style is different from mine… don’t link me to what you have – send me a sample and we’ll discuss. I’m not saying you 100% must conform to what I do. But I will say I know what I don’t want.

Secondly… dudes. I need dudes. Specific dudes. Special dudes. What am I getting at? Men. Who read romance. Or guys. Whatever. They don’t necessarily have to be adults. (Although I don’t know if I can feature an underage kid on my blog who reads erotic romances. That’s so… *shudder* skeevy and urpy.) You see? I thought about it.

Anyway, I’ve been playing with the idea for a while. And then I saw Shiloh Walker had Myke Cole do a guest post. (Sound familiar? Mr. Cole is guesting here today and hosting a giveaway! How generous!) And I know there are a few male reviewers floating around – at least recently-ish I’ve seen links to DA and SBTB.

I’m not seeking out male reviewers – no. But I want more… reader posts from guys who read romance! It’s like… the romance reading unicorn, right? (I think I just really like saying the word unicorn. Also much more fun in theory than practice, unicorns…) Other than in this case.

I think it’d be really interesting, and a good fresh perspective. And I like doing things that are new and creative. Like when I started Teaser Tuesdays last year – I knew there was the meme going around, but mine was different, with sharing excerpts. At least, I thought I was original insofar as the google searches I ran and convinced my friends to run for me as well since my google-fu sucks.

My point is – I want guys who read romance to share their thoughts. On everything. Their reading tastes – likes and dislikes. Books or authors they enjoy. Or avoid. How they feel about the marketing and/or covers. I’d especially love to find guys who read romance like every other book. I mean – not the odd romance once every 10 years. Someone who reads romance rather regularly. (See where the unicorn part is coming into play?)

Based on my rudimentary research it seems more likely for an author who is male to also read romances, than someone who isn’t an author. Both are interesting – I just want the posts to be written with the “reader hat” on.

I’ve also lost my train of thought which is kind of a good thing because I wax on the O.D.* side of things generally.

In summary.

Trying to find:

A:  Reviewers. Join me!

B: Guys who read romance novels – Contact me (please!)

Are you a male who reads romance? Do you know any males who read romances? Please either have them contact me, or get in contact with me!

*I’m not writing it out cuz it’s gross. But if you really have a burning desire to know, ask and I’ll tell.

I think this is a pretty great post.

They say the average man thinks about sex every seven seconds. While this adage has long since been proven to be false, the fact is that we do think about it an awful lot.

You know what we also think about a lot? Love. Companionship. Romance. Marriage. Loneliness. Those thoughts shape our every action. They drive us to the gym, to the clothing store, to the barber. We push for wealth, status and power in part because of our desire to be attractive to a mate. Whenever my female friends complain that the world will never let them be anything other than young and beautiful, I always respond, “Oh yeah? Well, the world will never let me be anything other than strong, rich and powerful.”

These are exaggerations, of course, but they prove the central point: Romantic impulses are every bit as important to men as they are to women. We are just as interested in the topic as women are. We are socialized to approach it differently, but it matters to us. We CARE about it.

So somebody please explain to me WHY the romance genre has been labeled WOMEN ONLY?

Publishers seem to think that only women read it, that only women can write it.

And that’s just not right.

Do me a favor. Go google, “men who read romance.”

I don’t think I need to do a whole lot more than that to at least put some reasonable doubt on the table.

Here’s the thing: I wrote on Shiloh Walker’s blog that I’d read Nora Roberts and Lora Leigh, and I was looking to delve further into the genre. I’m as good as my word. Let’s add Solange Ayre, Rowan West, Lacey Thorn, Cindy Pape, Elayne Venton and Jory Strong to the mix.

It’s a mixed bag, but overall, the stuff works. These are people who can write, and they’re writing about topics that captivate.

And they’re all women.

Which raises the central question: Is romance really something that men aren’t interested in (either as consumers or producers)? I don’t think it is. Worse, I worry that perhaps romance publishers may be falling victim to assumptions that there’s no way to make money off romances targeted at men, or better, romances targeted at EVERYBODY.

I’m sure there’s some truth to that, but even if it were totally true, it’s not my problem. I’m not a romance publisher and I never will be.

But I’m a writer, which means that I can try to change the calculus from my side of the aisle.

I can do this in two ways: I can read romance and think critically about it. As with all literary genres, there is a broad and ongoing conversation across the Internet. There is critical, careful thinking about romance stories and writers, there is serious attention being given to dissection and discussion of the medium. And I can join that conversation. I can add a man’s voice to the current (I like to think that’s what I’m doing here). I can learn the genre as a discipline, become familiar with the old stalwarts and the young turks who are pushing the envelope. I can find romance’s George R. R. Martin’s and Paolo Bacigalupis. I can analyze trends and be hip to new ones as they form. I am already discovering that the more directly erotic stuff appeals to me a bit less than “single title” story heavy romances.

As with science-fiction and fantasy, I prefer novel length work to short stories. I am developing preferences/tastes in genre, and that’s the first step towards coming to fully understanding it.

And I can write romance, once I have learned my craft and am steeped deeply enough in the genre to know what I’m doing. Right now, I’m in the reading/learning phase, immersing myself in the genre, respecting it, trying to understand it, putting in the ground- work necessary to understand it. Once I feel I’m ready (likely at least a few years from now), I will begin my first tentative attempts to write it, building confidence slowly to the point where I feel I can tackle the barrier and write my own romance using a male name, and with a male’s author photo on the inside of the back jacket.

It’ll be a long trip and a lot of work, but if what I’m reading right now is any indicator, it’ll be well, well worth it.

Army Officer. Fugi­tive. Sorcerer.

Across the country and in every nation, people are waking up with mag­ical tal­ents. Untrained and pan­icked, they summon storms, raise the dead, and set every­thing they touch ablaze.

Army officer Oscar Britton sees the worst of it. A lieu­tenant attached to the military’s Super­nat­ural Oper­a­tions Corps, his mis­sion is to bring order to a world gone mad. Then he abruptly man­i­fests a rare and pro­hib­ited mag­ical power, trans­forming him overnight from gov­ern­ment agent to public enemy number one.

The SOC knows how to handle this kind of sit­u­a­tion: hunt him down–and take him out. Driven into an under­ground shadow world, Britton is about to learn that magic has changed all the rules he’s ever known, and that his life isn’t t

he only thing he’s fighting for.

Three lucky commenters will win a copy of Myke Cole’s book Shadow Ops: Control Point. So – what’re your thoughts? Do you know any guys who read romances? :X Do I have any male blog readers? (I have to admit I’d be surprised and totally jazzed about that.)

Thanks for having me at Teaser Tuesday! My books tend to be dark, dangerous, and angsty, so I thought I’d lighten up a little with a fun, sexy excerpt. I’m not all gloom and doom, I promise. This is from my upcoming release, CAUGHT IN THE ACT. The heroine’s store has been vandalized and the hero is helping her clean up. Enjoy!

As the owner of a flourishing Latin American crafts boutique, Karina Strauss should be basking in her success. Instead she’s worried about her troubled sister, the girlfriend—and prisoner—of drug lord Carlos Moreno. Kari wants no part of that life, but when she helps a friend cross into the United States illegally, two men on opposite sides of the law take notice: Moreno and Adam Cortez, the handsome border protection officer who lets Kari off the hook. It’s not just Kari’s tantalizing flash of skin that catches Adam’s attention—her drug cartel connections bring back the demons of his past.

Moreno demands that Kari smuggle a package for him in exchange for her sister’s freedom. Adam also gets dangerously close, tempting her to surrender and fulfill her wildest desires. As Kari prepares for the drug run, dark secrets, violent criminals, and deadly consequences lurk around every corner. But concern for her sister drives Kari toward a terrifying act, despite Adam’s warnings, despite her overwhelming fears—and despite the odds against coming out alive.

When he set his paint roller down in an empty tray, Kari grabbed a wet sponge from her bucket and threw it at him. It hit the back of his head with a splash.

That wiped the smile off his face. He straightened, staring at her in amazement.

She started giggling, as surprised by the impulsive action as he was. When he picked up the sponge to retaliate, she let out a little shriek, backing away from him. “I was going for your shoulder,” she said, covering her head with her arms.

“You have bad aim.”

“I’m sorry!”

He caught her before she could run around the corner, trapping her against the wall while he squeezed the sponge over her head. It was clean, cold water, wetting her hair and shoulders.

She put up a token resistance, sputtering with laughter.

Trying not to get paint on her clothes, she stumbled sideways and almost tripped over the curb. Still laughing, she reached out to steady herself, grabbing his arm. Before she found her balance, the edge of her foot was pierced by a stabbing pain. When she’d swept up the shards of glass, she must have missed one.

She gasped, lifting her injured foot off the ground.

Adam stopped soaking her with the sponge and looked down at her foot, which was already bleeding. “Shit,” he said, chagrined. In the next instant he’d tossed the sponge aside and picked her up, carrying her toward the storage room.

Kari marveled at how easily he handled her weight. The wound was minor, not warranting this level of chivalry, but she made no protest. While blood dripped from her toes, she clung to his shoulders, enjoying the ride.

“Where are the first aid supplies?”

“Bathroom,” she said, pointing.

He sat her down on the edge of the counter and she put her foot in the sink, studying the cut as water rushed over it. She didn’t think it needed stitches. He dried her foot with a clean towel, patting it gingerly. “Jesus, I’m sorry.”

“What for?”

“I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“You didn’t. The piece of glass did.”

“Well, I feel bad.”

“Don’t be silly. I’m fine.”

He found supplies in the medicine cabinet and bandaged her foot carefully. She started giggling again, picturing the look on his face when she’d thrown the sponge. The corner of his mouth tipped up, and his gaze traveled along her bare legs, taking the scenic route.

She realized that she was sitting on the counter, one knee bent, with her dress hiked up to the tops of her thighs. He hadn’t averted his eyes, either. “Are you trying to look up my skirt, Officer Cortez?”

“It’s Adam,” he reminded her. “And yes.”

She drew in a sharp breath. Although the door was open, the space in the bathroom was cramped, and she couldn’t straighten her knee without brushing it against the front of his jeans.

She was very aware of her body in relation to his. Sensuality hummed between them. Her hair was damp from the dousing he’d given her, tendrils clinging to her neck. The front of her dress was wet, too. Her nipples tightened against the cups of her bra.

For modesty’s sake, she should rearrange her skirt, or cross her arms over her chest. But she didn’t want to. She wanted his hands on her skin and his eyes on her breasts. She longed to feel the buttons of his fly against the cleft of her sex.

Eyes locked on her mouth, he wrapped his hand around her ankle, taking her foot off the top of the sink. Letting her leg slide down the outside of his, he skimmed his fingertips along her calf, hooking his hand behind her knee. She shivered, tingling at the contact. He moved between her splayed thighs, right where she wanted him. She twined her arms around his neck and tilted her head back, giddy with excitement.

Just before his lips touched hers, she caught a flash of movement in the storeroom.

Wasn’t that cute?! You can also read another excerpt here.

Jill has also very kindly offered up a print copy of Tempted by His Target to one lucky commenter. So! What’d you think of the excerpt? Have you read anything by Ms. Sorenson before? Or, what do you think about Valentine’s Day? Love? Hate? Any stand out good or bad memories? Got any plans for the day?

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the post as much as I did.

Thanks so much for having me over to your lovely home on the internets. I’m really excited about Author’s After Dark this year. It’s my second but I have a real love for the city of New Orleans. I used to visit from Texas several times a year with my high school BFF, Cindy. She was a native of the area and had lots of older friends and her boyfriend was still there.

Cindy set me up on my first blind date on one of these trips. I’ll never forget it. His name was Theo. We met her very cute guy on the levee near the giant paddleboats. I was a nervous wreck, changed clothes something like ten times. You know the girlish nerves. And this was long before computer dating, so all I had to go on was that he’s cute and he’s nice.

RIGHT… Theo turned out to be a cross between a donkey and Barry Manilow, all buck teeth and combed back hair. He was wearing a light blue, v-neck, velvet shirt. Yes, ladies. I said velvet in New Orleans, in August. And he snorted when he laughed, which, by the way, was constantly. He tried to blow in my ear— from across the table.

That night was a bust, but I’ve has so many great nights in the Big Easy since then. I try to get down there at least once a year. I hope you’re all planning on coming down for some smoking food, great music and all your favorite authors.

My latest release is About to Blow. It’s the first in a new series titled Valkyrie’s Vow. The series opens with the story of Mist. She’s a Valkyrie, kind of a junkie, and when she meets up with vice cop Kurt Stone she find’s herself in a whole other world.

About to Blow, Valkyrie’s Vow, Book One

For a thousand years, Mist has shepherded battle-slain warriors to their choice of Valhalla or Asgard. It’s the task she was charged with upon her own death, the mission she chose when becoming Valkyrie. Never before has she fallen for one of those warriors. But then, never has she felt emotions like those evoked by Kurt Stone.

As an undercover cop, Kurt expected a shortened life. He didn’t expect an afterlife spent jumping from realm to realm, screwing a tattooed hottie who makes his blood boil. He should be choosing his next destination, but he’d rather spend eternity indulging in Mist’s delectable body.

The vicious betrayal that led to her death has made Mist reluctant to trust, let alone love. If Kurt can help her face ancient demons, they both might find their idea of Heaven…together.

You can read an excerpt here.

See you all on Bourbon Street!

~Mari

My favorite things include: animals, food, exercise, wine, movies and books. In my previous lives, I’ve held an interesting array of occupations. I’ve been a project manager, used cars salesperson, a software testing manager, pumped gas at a truck stop and I worked in a morgue. I hold a degree in Forensic Anthropology from THE Ohio State University.

My favorite stories include alpha females in love with even more alpha males. I find the clash of passionate, strong willed personalities fascinating. I write contemporary, paranormal, and a little science fiction/fantasy.

Mari can also be found on Facebook or twitter: @marifreeman

Ms. Freeman has very kindly offered a giveaway of her current release or one of her backlist in ebook. So what I want to know is… have you ever been to New Orleans? Have any stories to share? Or – what about a blind date? Or if neither – just a crazy trip. Out of all those options everyone has to have something!

Every author has a theme. They don’t always know it or purposely write about it, but when you look at their body of work you will find a consistent theme. It could be redemption or revenge or love conquers all. Many authors will write their books to show off this theme on purpose. Others, like me, just write the story in their head without realizing that their theme will emerge.

EVERY story I’ve written can have this drawn from it: what is the character’s identity? where do they really belong?

In my novella erotica Taboo, my characters are from opposing cultures (think “West Side Story” or “Romeo and Juliet”).  My hero and heroine each start to question their culture and how they identify with all that they’ve learned and known.

In The Price of Discovery, my hero is from another planet. He comes to earth only to bring back a vital resources to save his ailing people. However, his beliefs are shaken by a woman he meets. She will challenge him to let go of his identity and long-held beliefs.

Both main characters in A Tarnished Heart question where they really belong. The heroine is a vicar’s daughter and does not think she is right for high London society. She is constantly trying to go back home to her small village. The hero feels his must do everything he can to keep his place in society, but perhaps it isn’t worth it all in the end.

The hero in Beauty Tempts the Beast has focused his identity on being a “monster.” He keeps himself isolated and won’t let himself get close to anyone. But when the heroine comes into his life, she forces him to reexamine his life and break free of that self-imposed prison.

In my upcoming release, The Iron Heart, (Ed* which is actually out now! Whee – and congratulations on another release!)  my heroine has already decided she didn’t belong in the world she was born into and moved to live with her uncle. However, the hero continually questions his identity and the person he thinks he is.

Think about authors you’ve read. What themes do they have showing up in their stories over and over again? If you were to write, what would be your theme?

Leslie is very kindly giving one lucky commenter a copy of The Iron Heart!