Welcome Debra Kayn

Good Morning. It's a glorious day and I have the lovely Debra Kayn visiting with me. She's chatting about something we forget to do sometimes. Have fun!

Summertime fun

As we approach summer, I can’t help being excited. I have 4 books coming out between May and September, but it’s the sunshine that has my energy level soaring. Around the Pacific Northwest, we’ve put up with long months of dreary skies, and rain. It’s a known fact that those who live in this area lack Vitamin D, and going by the way we all start smiling a little more when the sun comes out, I tend to believe the experts.
One of my favorite things to do in the summer is swing in the hammock. Whether it’s reading on my Kindle, or brainstorming plot points while I close my eyes, I find time stands still for those precious minutes…like when I was a kid, and summers lasted forever.
That made me think of other things I do in the summer that I also did as a kid, and I came up with a lot of things. I think this also has something to do with the happier attitudes and relaxed moments in our lives. I love to go fishing, ride motorcycles, play tennis, and putter around in the yard trying to grow things. Putter is a good word for what I do, because I’m not known for my green thumb. Ahem.
What kind of things do you like to do in the summer? What are you looking forward to doing the most?


Today, the first of my summer books comes out at Breathless Press. Betraying the Prince is a rerelease, that is sure to grab your heart. Here’s a blurb…
All Princess Celina wants is to stay on her beloved island of Antaka, marry a man of her culture, and make her papa proud. So when Prince Joqua ships her off to America, Celina’s believes she’s being punished. While she’s not prepared for the wild ways of the Americans, no one is more surprised than her when she finds herself falling for a California hottie…

Drake Randall looks forward to a vacation from work, especially if it means showing the princess how people their age have fun. But when Celina strips off all her clothes and announces she’s trained in Kama Sutra, he’s left with an even bigger problem than wanting to make love to the princess.

Drake's holding on to a secret that could not only ruin his chances with Celina, but could also ultimately destroy her.


The fun doesn’t stop there, because Chantilly’s Cowboy comes out June 6th at Carina Press, Harlequins Digital First Imprint. Who doesn’t like a little cowboy on a hot summer day, hm?

Multipublished Romance author, Debra Kayn, is not only a writer, she's a wife and Mom to four great kids. When she's not staying up late dreaming of new stories to write, she enjoys riding motorcycles, gardening, playing tennis, and spending time with a fishing pole in her hands.

She lives in the beautiful Coastal Mountains of Oregon on a hobby farm. Her love of animals includes dogs, chickens, goats, rabbits, turkeys, geese, and yes...pigs. The peacefulness of a flowing creek across her property provides an excellent spot to read a book on a summer day, go swimming, and catch the ever elusive fish.

One thing she can promise is her books will always have a happily-ever-after. In a world where the news is discouraging and people are busy, she wants you to escape, laugh, cry, and sigh as you read her books.

Debra’s website Twitter Facebook

Welcome Kane

The Virtual Book Tour today kicks off on my lovely rooftop garden.

Kane and I are sitting here sipping a morning cupper.

While I butter the toast, here is a bit about him.

Kane A. has followed the genre of fantastical creatures for as long as he could remember. Though a typical child and diligent student, his imagination never ceased to paint a surrealistic vision that could force many to question their own reality. Early on, Kane expressed his creativity by means of drawing, writing short stories ranging from science fiction to horror, as well as through poetry expressing love, hurt, and betrayal.
His fascination with the undead grew when he studied the history of the witch, werewolf, warlock, and sinking his teeth finally into the world of the vampire. Kane began his first of five novels detailing the lives and challenges of being immortal.
He now resides in Atlanta, GA where he spends the majority of his time writing.

Good morning and thanks for having me. It’s absolutely wonderful up here and the breeze...oh the breeze! About me, huh. Let’s see, what shall I tell that won’t bore you to tears, or prompt you to press that secret panic button? Everything in my life was very typical until I met Aleron, or more correctly put, he made himself known to me. Before that point, I worked 9-5. I called my mother every week, took care of my family, and paid my taxes. Occasionally I wrote poetry about love and pain. And of course, the occasional horror short story would crawl out of my imagination. Now, everything has changed. You see, it’s very hard to tell one as persuasive as my new friend “no”. Once he chose me, there was no turning back. He hasn’t shared his dark gift, however I am still somewhat hopeful.

Just a few questions before we get to your fascinating article. Who do you think inspires you to write?

I believe I began writing as a result of the insistent silent voices that seem to accompany me everywhere I went, especially when I was asleep. They whispered to me, secrets. Some were good. Some not so good. Some were frightening! But I found release in writing about it. That’s probably why I was afraid of the dark as a young child. Now Aleron dictates and I write. It’s the perfect arrangement. I couldn’t make this stuff up.

I don’t know about you, but I only ever have one writing project on the go. I tried two on the go once and the characters morphed into each others books somehow lol So what’s next on your writing agenda?

-Of course I can’t leave fans hanging for long, so I am diving deeper into Mynea and Vlad’s tale which will be revealed in Book 2 of the Strigoi Series. I am also working on The Nephilim Project which is a fantastical tale about the beauty and evil when God’s True Sons (Angles) embrace the sensuality of the daughters of humankind as well as the division that occurred in Heaven through Satan’s challenge. Nephilim is guaranteed to quench that romantic and supernatural thirst of yours. And in the not so distant future, you can expect to see our hero Aleron on the BIG Screen!

Wow, remember me when your famous kane! Mines a brandy and coke!! Just for fun, can you pick your favorite character from your new release and tell us about them.

-If I had a favorite it would be the main, Aleron. I simply admire his ability to adapt to any situation and even though he is a powerful immortal, he has never really lost his humanity. A demon with morals! Go figure.

Now that’s interesting. A demon with morals, is he handsome too?

Aleron was very handsome as a human, however, when he became more than human, he also became more than handsome. Imagine the best looking man you have ever seen. Now imagine him frozen on Michelangelo’s canvas, where he chisels away every human imperfection and ads the perfect countenance and build of a ravishing angel. Aleron would embody that angelic canvas. He personifies it. It was Aleron’s charm, wit, and great looks that made him desirable for Mynea before she gave him the dark gift. After which, he became perfection.

How about some advice for all the new writers out there. Got any tips?

-Yes. Keep writing. And on that occasional break, don’t be afraid to quench your thirst with that favorite cocktail or whatever guilty pleasure you care to keep secret from all others.

Yum, but I prefer chocolate. A universal remedy lol. So where can your followers find you?

-Whoever told you I had a chocolate martini before I came up here was wrong! I had two. Can’t believe you can smell that. Well, anyway, my followers can find me at kane@aleron.co or http://www.aleron.co/. They can also “Ask Aleron” anything they want when they click on the Ask Aleron tab on the site www. aleron.co . We are also on twitter Aleron11, and Facebook as Aleron Kane. Just understand, when you post questions before dusk, Aleron will answer them before you awake.

Sorry, can you explain that please. What tab..show me..I want to speak to Aleron lol

When you visit Aleron, and after you read the “see inside”, you can click a tab that says “Ask Aleron” and you can comment or ask any question you wish. He will answer. I was against this, however, he says he rather enjoys getting to know the thoughts of others through their questions instead of their blood. Of course, given this explanation, I obliged! I really didn’t have much of a choice anyway.

I know this article is going to get you all thinking. It did for me. I'm going to dash and get one of those chocolate martini's kane likes. I swear I saw a pre made bottle in his rucksack.

Where and when.
How many senses are tickled when one reads? Can you smell a sentence? Can you hear an unspoken paragraph? Is it possible to touch a thought? Absolutely. A writer must use the pen to provide a gateway into a person’s perception. How do you accomplish this? This can be achieved by carefully researching the setting and environment of the world or time you are creating or revisiting. For example, everyone knows that Manhattan NY does not sound nor smell like Miami Florida. Likewise, Paris is very different from Athens. Each place has its own distinct feel, smell, taste, as well as look that combine to create its personality. A writer must capture as much uniqueness the setting has to offer then by means of descriptive writing, creates accurate sensory perception in the reader. Of course an apple will differ in taste between individuals, however there remains a commonality.
In addition to place, time is also important. For the earth and everything in it is ever changing as time progresses. Dialect, customs, fashion, structures, and even entire environments evolve with the passage of sand trapped within the glass. A writer must be learned in the era of which the story lives. For the ancient Mycenaeans have very little in common with the current civilization in Greece.
A writer must totally submerge himself in every aspect of the settings place and time to be able to write in such a way as to convey proper inputs for perception. Visiting the location if it still stands, or attaining extensive knowledge if it doesn’t is often required to successfully tickle all the senses. And so when I ask you to meet me, you undoubtedly want to know where and when.

Thanks for popping by kane. You are welcome anytime. Just bring the bottle with you .

REVIEW

REVIEW of the week.

Ginger Simpson

The Forget ~ Me ~ Nots

Forget me not is a bitter sweet story of a daughters journey through her grief when she looses her mother.

Sarah Palmer and her sister have the sad job of sorting through their mothers personal effects after she dies. When Sarah is looking through her mother’s jewellery she discovers, tucked away, three little silver charms held together by a black ribbon. The date and name engraved on them are a mystery to her and her sister, so she searches within her family for an answer. Through doing this Sarah learns about a beautiful side to her mother that had remained hidden until her death.

Ginger Simpson highlights the pain of losing a loved one without the usual depressing overtures we see so often relating to death. In this short story she shows how grief can move us forward, instead of holding us back.

I really enjoyed reading Forget me Nots and I give it a 5 star rating.

CONTEST

Good afternoon everyone.

I’ve been tardy in updating my blog because I have been so busy commenting on others, writing books and generally running around like a headless chicken.
SOOO, I have decided to run a contest and no, I won’t bombard you with a copy of my book. Instead, I’ll snail mail you something fabulous.


All you have to do is....



If you have a kindle, go here and download a FREE chapter and tell me the name of Abbeys roommate and in what county is her inheritance?


















If you don’t have a kindle...WHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...No seriously, why? Leave a comment explaining YOURSELF...and you’ll be put into ‘maggies millions’ draw to win a surprise gift.









For those who don’t have a Kindle, go here And tell me who is the woman who knows Justin very well and who is the real hero in the story?

All the replies will go into a lucky dip and the winner will get something very nice from me.












Ready...steady....go.........

To work, or not to work!

I shouldn’t complain really. The winter was long and hard and I suffered through it NOT in silence. The garden looked desolate, the plants pitiful. Odin, my dog, broke his toe running on the snow covered grass and the dark months were fraught with tension. So now that spring is here and its hotter than the fires of hell, why am I now complaining it’s too hot? Because it is. I live near a beach and take Odin there in the mornings. It’s lovely. I always think the ocean re-energises you. Gently smoothing away tension and giving you a thorough clean from the inside out. Do I want to come back to a stuffy office and work...God no! It’s too hot. So I procrastinate. I sit in the garden and tell myself another hour and I’ll get back to work. That hour comes around and makes way for another until its stupid o’clock in the afternoon and there is no time to do anything practical.

So what I want to know is...how do you work and manage to stay in the sunshine? How do you procrastinate?

Crystal Power

My new book, Abigail Cottage has caused quite a stir. There is a chapter which explains how one of the characters, Rosa, a Romany gypsy, unleashed the power of her crystals to connect with the spirit world. Is this a true fact? You bet it is. Crystals work with your vibration, enhancing it and making you shine like a bright light in the darkness. We are all energy encased in a vehicle we call the body. When we pass on, that energy is released. In all my books you will read little factual titbits about the after life. Abigail Cottage has many and I think that's what attracts people to the book. If you have read it, please let us know on the blog, good or bad, it doesn't matter. If you haven't read it, maybe there are questions you'd like to ask me about the afterlife. Comment. Ask me.

Welcome to Ami Blackwelder

Good Morning. The sun is shining today and I can see the first buds begining to emerge in the garden. To make the day pefect, I have Ami Blackwelder taking breakfast tea with me today. Before we start, here is a bit about her. Ami Blackwelder is a forbidden romance writer in the paranormal and historical romance genre. Growing up in Florida, she went to UCf and in 1997 received her BA in English and teaching credentials. She travelled overseas to teach in Thailand, Nepal, Tibet, China and Korea. Thailand is considered her second home now. She has always loved writing and wrote poems and short stores since childhood; however, her novels began when she was in Thailand. Having won the Best Fiction Award from the University of Central Florida (Yes, The Blair Witch Project University;), her fiction From Joy We Come, Unto Joy We Return was published in the on campus literary magazine: Cypress Dome and remains to this day in University libraries around the country. Later, she achieved the Semi-Finals in a Laurel Hemingway contest and published a few poems in the Thailand’s Expat magazine, and an article in the Thailand’s People newspaper. Additionally, she has published poetry in the Korea’s AIM magazine, the American Poetic Monthly magazine and Twisted Dreams Magazine. So, you have read a bit about her. Fab, isn't she! Here is here new book, Shifters. The cover is so striking it made me look twice. Good news for Ami!! Click cover to buy this really good book. America 2040. Three Species. Divided Lovers. The Race is on for Planet Earth. Set in Alaska in 2040, Melissa Marn and Bruce Wilder must work under the iron fist of the SCM, while still trying to maintain humanity. Discovering a world of shifters and hybrids, the scientists must struggle with human prejudice and betrayal. With the original ancestors, dubbed shifters, still living on earth, humans are in the midst of a fifteen year old war. As the eldest hybrids, Unseen and Diamond, learn about humans the hard way, with the loss of loved ones and sacrifices, love on planet earth proves challenging. With underlining themes of how prejudice breaks human connections and animal/wildlife conservation, this novel which has received rave reviews will leave the reader flipping through the pages. View her trailer. Here is her take on What makes a good pitch. Great idea's here, so do read it and digest. What makes a good pitch? When you send your query out to agents and publishers, you want to sound professional and draw them in from the first line. Check out my sample below for my book The Shifters of 2040. Notice the gripping first line followed by information and confidence. Make sure you address the character, plot lines, and what differentiates your books from others as well as what genre and marketing might be useful behind the book. A pitch is different from a query though. Underneath my pitch, is a sample of my query for The Shifters of 2040. A pitch draws you in like a commercial, but a query gives all the needed information for the agent to make his/her decision. A synopsis goes from beginning to middle to end telling the agent what your story is, with exciting details, character descriptions and more. But I won't include my synopsis here or else your readers will know how my book ends. However, the agent wants to know you can seal the deal with the synopsis, the good ending. But enjoy my pitch and query! Alaska 2040 Three Species. Divided Lovers. The Race is on for Planet Earth. Book three in a six part saga, the author chose to first engage the reader by beginning in the middle of the series, allowing the reader to then chose between reading the past or the future. Set in Anchorage, Alaska 2040, the story begins with Melissa Marn, a dedicated and methodical scientists, working under the iron fist of General Raul for the SCM. The Shifter Counterinsurgency Military formed in 2030 and has been in charge, with bases all over the world, of eradicating the shifters from Earth. Since alien invasion in 2020, fear and panic has gripped the heart of many humans. A sentient form of light, this species fled their crumbling home planet in search of a viable one. Able to morph into animals of Earth, including the human species, the aliens were dubbed shifters. After Melissa Marn has one guiltless night with a man she picks up at a bar, she realizes she has become pregnant by a shifter and must confront her own prejudice of the species in wake of the two baby girls growing inside of her. Discovering the shifters can and most likely have mated with other humans to produce hybrids, offspring which will better survive the conditions of Earth, and yet growing a sympathy for the alien race, the scientist and her peer Bruce Wilder, struggle with what to do next. The future of her twins and the future of the Earth waver in the balance. As the eldest hybrids, Unseen and Diamond, guide the other hybrids, they learn about humans the hard way, with the loss of loved ones and sacrifices. When Diamond falls in love with Keenan, a military soldier, the two break all the rules, drawing danger to each of their lives. With a few of the younger hybrids caught by SCM, the escape proves to show them that life on the streets is as difficult as in the forest, and the reader is drawn into the plight of the shifters. As the SCM draws closer to the location of the shifters, the reader follows this thrill ride to the culminating end where the annihilation of the shifter ancestors leaves a devastating mark on the remaining hybrids. With only two elder shifters left to watch over the children, their future appears bleak. And with Melissa finally coming to terms with who the shifters really are, she realizes too late that her twins are forever out of her reach. With underlining themes of how prejudice breaks human connections and animal/wildlife conservation, this novel which has received rave reviews will leave the reader flipping through the pages. The Invasion of 2020 The SCM of 2030 The Shifters of 2040 The Hybrids of 2050 The Hunted of 2060 The Revolution of 2060 As with Star Wars, the novels do not have to be read in order to be enjoyed or understood and readers may engage the stories in any sequence, with exception to Hybrids and Revolution.