Previous Release - Viola Grace/Tianna Xander - Emerald Dare

Raised for one purpose Emerald is pulled between two facts. One, she doesn't want to live in a lab forever, and two, her sisters are disappearing into the dimensions they have worked in. When she meets two males of her kind she has to make a choice and doesn't even hesitate. She picks the one who doesn't make her skin crawl.

Aegon is a silver dragon with the patience and creative intelligence of his kind. He is delighted that his random sweep yielded one of the dragonettes that he has heard so much about and he will do whatever she needs him to to keep her happy and with him at all times. He has to release her to win her, a conflict he has to wrestle with while she returns to the lab. A life together glows before him, but when will she call him so they can begin it?


To purchase CLICK HERE


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Previous Release - Viola Grace - Shaken and Stirred

Tosha wanted a nice day off with her cousin, but a homicidal bug wave forces her to expose her talent to the others on her tour. Before her government can lock her up she is swept off by a tornado and whisked into the stars. Joining the Sector Guard had never been an option, but now it was her only choice. Her name is changed to Shake and her first assignment is a doozy. With Vortex at her side she accepts the emergency assignment and finds herself facing a proven killer who has no problem adding her to the roster.


To purchase CLICK HERE
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Previous Release - Jane Toombs - Two Hearts and a Crow

Ravens are common in Alaska—crows are rare. Especially a disabled talking crow like Iago.

Women who hold out for marriage are rare in Alaska, but the heroine persists.

Men who want no part of marriage are common in Alaska, and the hero is one.

What happens when these three form a triangle?


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Previous Release - Raychel Lane - Love's Pendulum

Love has done a turn on Kristina Dane. But a few hours in the company of a handsome stranger pulls her back from the brink of disillusionment and into a game of seduction that culminates in their unconventional marriage.

But Kris soon realizes that life as the wife of the enigmatic and wealthy Nicholas Brent is not as blissful as she’d anticipated. Spurred into a world of affluence and press intrusion, Kris struggles to hold on to Nick’s heart as the return of old flames serves to dent their relationship even further. As circumstances beyond their control expose their deepest fears, can they weather the series of storms together?

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Previous Release - Tianna Xander - The Golden Dragon

April is shocked when she runs into a dragon in the alley behind her shop. Despite his urbane appearance, a wildness lurks in his gaze. Gathering her coven together, they discuss the ramifications of one of the witch-killing beasts appearing nearby. When spell after spell continues to go awry, is it a sign that their magic is truly weak or is it the dragon in the picture that is turning tulips into toadstools?

Dragons are too bossy to bond to their own kind, so when Drake meets the perfect witch for him, will he have enough fortitude to stand against her coven and their truly crappy magic?


To purchase CLICK HERE


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Previous Release - Frances Pauli - Friend Or Foe

When Simon Maxwell’s archenemy backs out of the annual competition, he thinks the prize is in the bag. But a surprise appearance from The Spartan’s long-lost sister leaves Simon scrambling for a foot hold.

He’s sworn to protect the town, but the girl from his past has him spinning in circles from the start. Is she here to help her brother, or are her motives pure? When every turn hides another trap and each twist holds a new secret, Simon risks more than just his honor. Can he win the girl before the finish line? And how can he save the town, when winning the race means losing his heart?

To purchase CLICK HERE



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Previous Release - Shannon Rouchelle - The Boys Upstairs

What if an alien race could invade our world through means of a video game?

The crisis originates when an unknown object crashes into the Wendell’s Game Factory. An invasion unknown to humans begins. After Mae Riley purchases the game Alien’s Revenge for her sons Mike and Ian, corruption takes place on the farm.

Mae first begins to notice a change in the boys when warning signs are posted on their bedroom door. As the weeks progress, hideous crimes are committed on the farm and the entire town of Maple Springs is under siege. Mae and her husband Frank Riley, the last sane people left in town, must avoid danger and death in order to save humanity.

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Previous Release - Shannon Rouchelle - The Final Conquest

In the final installment of the Leslie series, the young woman encounters the most harrowing villains. Determined to save her prince from the hands of an evil ruler, she finds her travels take her on-board a deadly pirate ship. Through countless obstacles, she uncovers a magic lamp and thinks all of her wishes will finally come true.

Leslie soon realizes not everything is as it seems. She must choose and do so carefully, or face a life of unhappily ever after.

To purchase CLICK HERE
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Previous Release - Robin Badillo - The Beginning

For thirty years, Raven Prince has lived just fine with no mate and no hassles. The carefree vampire, happy to be the odd-girl-out in a small, close-knit coven, lusts for one thing and one thing only—human blood. The more handsome the snack, the happier she is.

Thorne Abbott, on the other hand, only has a taste for the blood of the vampire that savagely murdered his father eleven years before. The determined human won’t rest until that craving is satisfied, even if it means getting himself killed in the process.

A sexy game of pool in a small-town bar throws a wrench in both of their plans and ignites a flame so hot, neither could have extinguished even if they wanted to.

The hunter and the hunted battle with themselves and each other as passion, love and a quest for truth sends them on a deadly mission that’s sure to either destroy them…or set them free.

Can lovers from different worlds manage to see past their differences, or are there good reasons why the two species should never unite?

Will it be friend or foe that goes bump in the night?

To purchase this ebook, click here


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Previous Release - Lynn Hones - Gore Orphanage Road

Alexis Duncan and her family move into a home once owned by an evil tyrant, and are blissfully unaware of the horrors that await them. Strange apparitions, orbs floating in the woods outside their windows, and frightening specters in their bedrooms are only the beginning.

Alexis alienates her hardcore boyfriend, Joe, and his cronies, after meeting a young man named Reed who understands the manifestation of ghostly occurrences. He sets out to save her from them and also from an insanely jealous Joe. He'll kill to save her, even if it means losing Alexis in process.

To purchase this book, click here


Excerpt

I turned the corner into the bath and stopped in my tracks. The semi-transparent shower curtain encircled the deep tub and the water ran long and hot. The door wide open, I saw what appeared to be the shape of an old person soaping themself up. When I say old, I mean like an ancient, troll-like physique standing in our shower. No more than five feet tall, it possessed skinny arms and legs, was bald and had long fingers and a pronounced, beaklike nose.

It hummed. I froze.

The fear infused me with sudden paralysis of mind, body and spirit. This, this…person, this monster in our shower knew I stood there and knew I couldn't move.

It stopped soaping its misshapen limbs and turned its oversized grotesque head over its bony shoulder and, although I couldn't see its eyes, it stared at me. Without a move of a muscle, the shower stopped and I heard a low growl. Bile rose in my throat, hot and stinging, tasting of Fritos, and I willed myself to swallow it back down.

Whatever you do, don't pass out again. Another growl, this one more sinister than the first, came from the--the entity showering in front of me.

In a voice filled with what sounded like gravel, dirty, gross gravel, a low ominous sound came from behind the curtain. "Do you want to die, Alexis?"

A laugh began. At first a baritone reverberation, but as it continued, it picked up a higher cadence and fell into a full-out childish giggle. High-pitched and squeaky, it repeated itself… "Do you want to die, Alexis? Do you want to die, Alexis?" It didn't stop. In that cartoon character, shrill and penetrating tone, it repeated itself over and over and…

"Alexis?" Mom said from downstairs. I heard the twins run in and go straight for the kitchen as the back door slammed.

"Oh," it said. "They're home." It reached its scrawny hand to the shower curtain and slowly pulled it back. Its face stuck out at me and for a brief second the revulsion I felt at the sight made me shudder and lose consciousness briefly. I shook my head and opened my eyes, staring it full in the face.

Brown, molted fingertips held the corner of the curtain aside and it smiled at me showing yellow teeth. Rancid, fetid skin covered a skeletal facial structure, rotting in places. Its ears gone, a green slime came out of a hole in the side of its neck.

"Gotta go bye bye now." It disappeared. Gone…poof. I hadn't realized how frozen the air surrounding me was until it warmed again. I felt my arms thaw and I moved my hands up to my face. My legs moved next and with my back against the wall, I slowly slid into a sitting position. What in the hell just happened to me?

"Alexis, where are you? Do you want a grilled cheese?" Sara yelled.

My body shuddered uncontrollably, a woman coming back from the brink of death. I lowered my head in between my knees and cried.

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When Melinda begins to have strange visions, her husband Frank fears the worst and takes her to the local hospital. Once there, Melinda realizes her visions are real. Can she prepare earth for what is to come?

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Featured Product - Rod Raglin - Spirit Bear

Kimberley James is hoping her new assignment will jumpstart her stalled career with a New York corporate relations firm. Her client wants to develop a mega ski resort in northern Canada. Her job is to convince the current owners of the land to sell. With millions of dollars to be made, it seems like a done deal.

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Featured Product - David Russell - Self's Blossom

A vivid portrayal of the quest for the inner truth, empowerment and sexual liberation of Selene, a woman searching for primeval abandon and reckless adventure. Intelligent, a university graduate and a successful careerist, Selene became emotionally scarred by unhappy relationships. Riled and taunted through the years by her former college roommate Janice, Selene gave in to the long-term desire to ‘get one back’ at Janice by having a holiday encounter.

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Featured Product - Barbara Johannsen - The Soldier's Widow

When Charlie Barrett was killed in Iraq, he left behind a grieving widow. Charlie was the love of Annie’s life and three years later, she still cannot put the past to rest. Lee McCord is on his third tour of duty in Afghanistan. He knows the impact war has on a soldier and he understands Annie’s pain. Can Lee help Annie get on with her life? Will Annie reveal the depth of her hurt and find the solace she so desperately needs? Is it possible for a grieving widow to put the memory of her dead husband to rest?


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Oldies, but goodies - Barbara Johannsen - Forever, My Love

Julie Newcastle and Michael Ramsey have been in love since third grade. Their marriage was eminent, but then America was attacked and Michael felt he should serve his country. Heartbroken, Julie waits, but eighteen months later, Michael returns and breaks their engagement. Can life get any worse?

Picking up the pieces, Julie becomes a nurse--only to have Michael turn up in the hospital where she works--severely injured and in a coma. Julie still loves Michael, but is her love strong enough to see him through his crisis? Can true love endure all obstacles?

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Featured Product - Barbara Johannsen - A Time to Heal

Rachael Walters is a social worker. She identifies with remorse and sorrow almost every day. But it wasn’t always the case. Once, she was a carefree young woman with goals and ambitions, but then a tragic accident left her scared physically and emotionally. Now, just getting through the day, proves to be a challenge. But then a kindly high school teacher, Coach Tom Montgomery, walks into her life and she can’t deny the attraction she feels. But what man would want a disfigured woman? Or one that carries emotional baggage? Can Rachael come to grips with her past and return the love Tom is offering?

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Featured Product - Barbara Johannsen - Candle in the Window

When Jim Trask lands a job on a commercial fishing boat, his wife Becca fears the worst. She has lived by the ocean all her life and never managed to overcome her fear of it. Coping with Jim’s absence is a chore, then her worry becomes reality when all communication with the boat is lost. Panicked, Becca searches for a beacon of hope, a way to cope with the awful fear that her beloved Jim may be lost at sea. Can Becca find solace while she waits to learn of Jim’s fate? Can anything ease her fears? Or can Becca finally put Jim’s fate in God’s hands and resign herself to His will?

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Featured Products - Christy Trujillo

Emmy's Song
ISBN: 978-1-55487-400-2
Release Date: 10/01/2009
Cover Artist: Martine Jardin
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Vampire Romance

Life is good for eighteen-year-old Emellia Ortega! Not many teenagers can say that, but Emmy isn't your average teenager. On the fast track to making her dreams come true, she has her sights set on a scholarship to Berklee College of Music and nothing can stop her. Nothing, that is, except Cale Cruz.
 
With perfect pitch and unbelievable good looks, he quickly weaves his way into the hearts of everyone around him. Drawn to him with an intensity she cannot explain, Emmy soon finds out that Cale has a secret. He is Maldito, half-human, half-vampire and has returned to seek revenge on the vampires that slaughtered his family. Thrust deep into a world she never knew existed, Emmy will risk everything she has worked for to join Cale in his fight as tragedy slowly tears her perfect world apart.

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Featured Products - Susan K. Droney

Angel's New Friends
ISBN: 978-1-55487-305-0
Release Date: 06-15-2009
Cover Artist: Ashley Waters
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The first story in The Adventures Of Angel introduces the new friends Angel, a curious bunny, meets when she goes exploring into the forbidden forest, ocean and farm in search of new friends.

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Featured Products - Jane Toomb

Dragon's Pearl

ISBN: 978-1-55487-548-1
Release Date: 06/01/2010
Cover Artist: Martine Jardin
Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance, Shapeshifter, Dragons

Centuries ago, Merlin stole forbidden magic from the immortal black dragon to try to save King Arthur. To prevent the dragon from exterminating mankind in retaliation, Merlin set wards that forced the dragon into the depths of a mountain cave in Wales. But wards fail with time. To prevent the dragon from escaping, one of Merlin's blood and another of dragon's blood, plus a third, must reset the wards as they weaken. When the last of Merlin's blood and the last of dragon's blood left Wales for America, the evil within the dragon came, too. He is now tethered in the depths of an abandoned copper mine in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. But the wards are failing and those who must reset them aren't aware of their duty. If this evil isn't contained chaos will be let loose. And time is running out…


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FEATURED PRODUCTS - FOREVER MY LOVE

Forever My Love
© Copyright Barbara Johannsen
All Rights Reserved, Devine Destinies

ISBN: 978-1-55487-570-2
Pages: 102
Release Date: 05/15/2010
Cover Artist: Angela Waters
Genre: Inspirational Contemporary Romance

Excerpt:

Julie tried to steel her emotions as she poked her head around the door facing of the hospital room. The two male nurses were in the process of getting Michael settled in bed, adjusting the series of machines that would keep record of his breathing and pulse. Even though it was obvious to both nurses that Michael couldn't use the call button, one of them pulled the cord within reach and fastened the buzzer to the corner of the sheet.

"Can we come in, Jimmy?" Julie asked in a quiet voice.

The big male nurse turned and smiled at Julie. "We've made him as comfortable as we can, Julie. The rest is up to God."

Julie heard the quick intake of air Dean sucked in. She turned and wrapped her arms around his neck before stepping into Michael's room. "We have to help each other," she whispered in his ear. The tightening of Dean's arms around her waist assured her that he had heard her soft whisper.

The nurses stepped into the hall as Julie and Dean went into the room. From the door, Michael appeared to be sleeping peacefully. His features were relaxed and his eyes closed. His hands and arms were exposed above the covering of white sheet. His right arm was in a cast. Julie's gaze dropped to the plaster form. Through the sheen of tears misting her eyes, she glimpsed the scrawled names in red and blue ink running in random patterns across the plaster.

"Oh, my God," Dean exclaimed. He approached the bed and reached out to touch Michael. As he laid one open hand on his son's chest, he turned a tearful face to Julie. "How are we ever going to stand seeing him this way, Julie?"

Pain shot through Julie's insides. The remorse in Dean's eyes nearly broke her heart. Surely seeing Michael in this awful way brought back memories of Sharon's battle with cancer he had tried to bury. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close.

Dean broke the hug and wiped a hand across his eyes. "I'm sorry, Julie. I know I should be stronger, but the sight of him lying there, so still and lifeless got the better of me. We don't even know if he will regain consciousness.

A combination of emotions surged through Julie's insides as she looked down at Michael. There was an aura of silence about him that she couldn't find the courage to accept. She reached out one hand and touched his cheek, lightly pressing her palm against his jaw. His skin was warm and the familiar feel of beard stubble made her close her eyes for a moment. The years they were separated seemed to melt away, lost in a sea of hurt and time. Resisting the urge to gather his still body into her arms, Julie pulled her hand away and looked at his father.

"I want to get a look at his chart--and speak with Doctor Murdock."

"I'll stay here," Dean said, drawing a chair up beside Michael's bed. "I want to be here when he wakes up."


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PREVIOUS RELEASES - A CANTERBURY AFFAIR

Frances Pauli

ISBN: 978-1-55487-768-3
Cover Artist: Angela Waters
Number of Pages: 108
Categories: Romance, New Releases, Recent Releases, Science Fiction, Futuristic
Release Date: January 01, 2011


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Description

Lierra drags her barely tolerable fiancé to New Canterbury, a planet where history is almost recreated for the nostalgic, human colonists. While preparing for their wedding, however, she encounters Forrest Ecks, her hero and one of the premier artists of the time.

Despite his fame, Forrest Ecks has little in the way of promise. Injured in the war, his painting career has withered along with his damaged hand. When the Lady Darvid shows him an E-sel full of amateurish, but promising sketches, Forrest takes on the task of teaching the woman. But Lierra herself proves far more interesting than her paintings.

Lierra’s engagement hovers ever closer, but more than her art blooms during her lessons with Forrest. With the little time they have, can they teach each other that giving up is never the best option?
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Excerpt

“Technically, yes,” she said. Collette made a noise to her right. Lierra had nearly forgotten her cousin in her fury to prove herself to a complete stranger. Now she heard the girl shifting from foot to foot. No doubt, nervous at the situation, at the man’s blatant disregard of their status.

“You’ve left something off.” His eyes narrowed. “There’s a but hanging on the end of that statement.”

“Yes,” Lierra stared straight back at him. Behind her, Colley squeaked. “Personally, I prefer his earlier works. The later pieces lack his initial passion.”

“But certainly, you’d admit they exhibit a great deal more skill?”

“Skill, yes, but without the emotion. I saw Woman with Yellow Veil yesterday…”

The man snorted at her, actually snorted.

“You dislike it? I’d say it’s possibly his best work.”

“I certainly hope not,” he said. “It’s sloppy, sentimental and amateurish.”

“Quite easy to say, I imagine, from the sidelines.”

“It’s widely considered,” He stole her earlier words. “That Ecks’ work became progressively more sophisticated as he mastered his medium.”

“Mastery is not a fair trade-off for passion.” Lierra refused to be unnerved, though a shadow of concern blossomed in her thoughts. There was something about this man, something intense that went beyond his fine clothes and long black gloves. “The early paintings had a wild edge, something raw and unchecked—”

“Reckless abandon?” The corner of his mouth twitched into an amused smile.

“Yes, in a way,” Lierra answered. He’s enjoying this, she thought. In truth, so was she. The debate topped Trent’s occasional, Hey babe, what you doodling? by a landslide.

“Sloppiness is no substitute for craft.”

“Craft is good,” she said. “But without the raw emotion it can come across as sterile.” Behind her, Colley let out another squeak.

“Sterile?” His eyes widened. Both of his eyebrows raised in a startled stretch. A warning bell chimed in the back of Lierra’s mind.

He stepped forward and gave the Ecks a good long stare, tucking one of his hands into the front of his coat and tilting his head sharply to the side.

“Interesting perspective,” he said. “Unconventional, but interesting.”

Lierra had no idea if he referred to the painting or her comments, but the chime of alarm escalated. She heard sirens in her head, stared at the glove tucked into his doublet. She darted a helpless glance in Collette’s direction. Her cousin inspected her own feet, demur, unhelpful. Lierra scrambled for something to say, but he spun away from the painting before her brain supplied any answer.

“It has been a pleasure.” He bowed, a stiff, formal gesture that might have soothed her had it happened ten minutes ago. “I look forward to more conversation over dinner, Lady Darvid.”

She stood frozen, knowing from the heat spreading across her cheeks that she blushed and that he noticed. The man knew exactly who she was. Her brain whirled. She managed a rather breathless, “Likewise,” and watched him pass, stride across the room and make his exit. The Gallery doors swung closed in slow motion.

“That was Forrest Ecks, wasn’t it?” She turned to where Collette waited. The girl’s horrified expression answered for her. Forrest Ecks, of course it was.




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BEST SELLERS - RAVEN DEXTER, PARANORMAL MIDWIFE

Viola Grace

ISBN: 978-1-55487-754-6
Series: # Nexus Chronicles
Cover Artist: Martine Jardin
Number of Pages: 70
Categories: Paranormal Romance, Recent Releases, Fantasy, Holiday Stories, Previous Releases
Release Date: December 15, 2010

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Description

Raven Dexter chose to pursue midwifery the moment she helped a teen friend deliver her baby. Fed up with unconcerned physicians, she studied until she could open her small practice in a moderately sized town. Her practice was slowly growing until the night a strange man demanded she come with her to attend a birth. Her introduction to the paranormal society was in the venue of delivering a small goblin baby that quickly took a chunk out of her arm.

The elf that took her to her first delivery moves in without even asking, taking care of everything from her appointments to making her meals, Eyleno Miz rapidly becomes indispensable and then becomes something more.
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Excerpt

Either he was telling the truth about goblins or she had gone off the deep end and was rapidly going under. Perhaps she was at home drowning in a warm bubbly bath.

“Your patient is this way.” He parked the car and escorted her through alleys that held strange and hostile smells, but Eyleno moved calmly and quickly and all too soon, they were passing creatures that were even less human looking than her elfin guide.

“Goblins?” She swallowed. There was an acrid scent in the air, similar to sweat but very different. Her mind accepted it as the smell of a different race with a different diet.

“Goblins.” His word was calm and confirming.

The large house that they entered was full of the creatures, each more hideous than the last. Afraid to be caught staring, Raven walked right behind Eyleno, so close that when he stopped, she ran straight into him. As she righted herself, she couldn’t help noticing that he smelled really nice, like autumn and the sun altogether.

“Here are the women’s quarters. The maid will take you through.” He handed the bags to the four-armed woman and Raven blankly followed her bright blue and pink luggage.

Females filled the labour room. The woman on the bed was hideous with fangs exposed in pain. Raven immediately introduced herself.

“Thank the burning sun that you are here. The child is almost here.” The woman grimaced, a truly frightening sight.

Raven got to work, the anatomy she faced blessedly familiar. The woman was indeed ready to give birth. The dark head was becoming visible. When the small son came sliding into the world, Raven caught him with practiced hands. As she turned him over her arm to clear his lungs, a prickling sensation started and then the little bugger munched down on her arm with all his might.

“Son of a bitch!” She didn’t want to shake her arm, but it was hard keeping still until he released of his own accord. As quickly as she could, Raven handed him over to his mother and took care of the afterbirth and making sure that the bleeding was not excessive.

Her own bleeding was continuing from her forearm as the punctures were still sluggishly giving up their bounty. Hissing, she dumped alcohol on the wounds and bound it with gauze. When the proud father came into the room and licked the child clean, she had had enough. Raven passed out.


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BEST SELLERS - GUARDING PAX

Viola Grace

ISBN: 978-1-55487-766-9
Series: # Sector Guard in series: 15
Cover Artist: Martine Jardin
Number of Pages: 57
Categories: Romance, New Releases, Recent Releases, Science Fiction, Futuristic
Release Date: January 01, 2011
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Description

Tricia Williams has been handed over to the Sector Guard, her talent for tranquilizing those around her has become dangerous and uncontrolled. The Sector Guard techs rise to the challenge and in no time, Tricia has been outfitted with a uniform that will let her eat and converse in public without putting her in a bubble. Guardian is her new commanding officer and they have met before. When she was a mediator and he was joining the Alliance, she mediated his contract and he took a place in her nocturnal fantasies from that day onward. Now, assigned to Guardian as a partner, Pax has several things to deal with, and her life depends on his attention to detail. If he would stop staring at her butt, things would go a lot smoother.
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Excerpt

“I wouldn’t choose anywhere else. If you run into her, ask Pilot about it in more detail. As the first Guardsman, she might have an insight that I lack.”

Tricia made a face at the monitor and laughed outright as the image of a hand with the middle finger extended came up on the screen. “Charming, Aggie.”

“I do try. We are coming up on Morganti. Star Breaker is en route to escort the shuttle in. The staff from the base has already made contact and will be loading you into their shuttle. This is where I wish you good luck. Once your bubble is unhooked, I won’t be able to speak to you.”

“I know. It has been wonderful to have you to talk to though. Those stiffs at the Citadel didn’t even want me to have a book in here.”

“I have passed your appreciation to the captain. I had several packs of cards made for crew members and he parted with his personal set.”

Tricia swept the cards into a pile and tapped them square. “Would he like them back?”

“You know you are under contagion protocols. Anything in that room that isn’t you is up for scorching.”

She grumbled silently. Her talent had been refined and honed by the Citadel to the point where she could simply touch, speak to or be in the same room with someone and they would go from irritated to placid in an instant. Her very voice was considered toxic and even Aggie had to use an audio filter so as not to be touched by her talent.

Talent or curse, Tricia couldn’t make up her mind. She was on the fence as to what the classification for her condition was.

“The Morganti crew is here. Good luck, Tricia.”

“Thanks for the sympathetic ear, Aggie. I hope to see you soon.”

A laugh came through the speakers as the door to the hold opened to display four friendly faced base staff. “See me or hear me?”

“Whatever. It was nice to have another human to talk to.”

“Same here—” Her voice cut off as the staffers disconnected the leads to the walls of Tricia’s bubble.

Thick layers of clear plexi were sealed and without the air coming in through the umbilical, she had less than an hour. It was a good thing that the crew that moved her was efficient.

They trundled her out of the bay in which her bubbled had been installed and into a shuttle bay where a large transport vehicle was waiting.

Something was wrong. There was no Sector Guard logo on the side of the ship. Frantically, Tricia ran to the com and tried to connect, but there was no answer.

Her escort noted her frenzy and moved quickly, their eyes keeping a look out for any members of the ship’s crew. Tricia’s heart sank when a staff member from the Deckar came around the corner and one of her escorts blasted him.

She was being kidnapped and she couldn’t get out of the damned cage!


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Character spotlight with Kyra Morgan

I am Kyra Morgan, PH.D: My story can be found in the Lady Faire series—upcoming. I am a professor of history at a major university and up for tenure soon. I also play lady-in-waiting to my best friend at a Renaissance faire in the summer and help to coordinate and direct the players, this is not as easy as it seems, especially when some people do not take their roles and research seriously! All in all, I like my life scripted and predictable. I do enjoy a bit of whimsy here and there, but who was it that said spontaneity has its time and place? Indeed. Perhaps that is why history is so much nicer than the present—no surprises. Or at least that’s what I thought.

I am close to my best friend, Audrey, but otherwise my relationships tend to be superficial. My parents divorced when I was young, but I was never close to either of them anyway, and we don’t keep in touch. I was engaged once, but that turned out badly--so badly that I was loathe to enter into a real relationship again. Especially not with someone so cocky and brazen as Rafe Harrison. He really can infuriate me. But when one finds oneself stranded and helpless in the middle of a strange place and time, cocky and brazen can be useful.

What makes you special? What differentiates you from your kind? Do you have special abilities?
My kind? I am not sure what you are referring to. I am in the small percentage of people under 30 to have earned my doctorate and am near tenure, so that would distinguish me. As for special abilities, well, let’s just say I prefer to work behind the scenes for the most part. I always know what others should be doing, even if they themselves don’t.

Tell us about your most current adventure.
I couldn’t tell you how it happened exactly, but I ended up in Renaissance England with a man I despised. I ended up traveling across two countries and meeting people I had only read about. I can tell you that nothing was quite as I had expected or went according to plan. It was all very disconcerting for someone like me. But as usual, I was the only one who had a clue as to what was going on as you can see here as I realize exactly where we are and what the consequences could be.

Kyra stood frozen in place, her breath coming fast and hard. She was sure her lungs were going to burst. Placentia. The little known name of Greenwich palace, the birthplace of King Henry VIII and his children, a place no longer standing. She had never heard anyone at the faire mention it. And those men didn’t look or sound like faire workers. The accents were real, almost to the point of being unintelligible. And the forest was no place she had ever seen on or near the faire. How could she have fallen in a tent and woken in such a place?
“Oh no. No.” Kyra felt her legs trembling. It was too great, too implausible, to believe. And yet she had no other explanation.
“What’s wrong?” Rafe asked with concern, “You’re pale. Sit, before you fall down.”
“No, no,” Kyra looked down at her finery—her grab, Audrey’s garb, Queen Katherine’s dress. The rich purple velvets and satins embroidered with the golden pomegranates of Granada, the crystal and pearl trims and decoration covering every inch of it. Without a word, she began furiously tearing off her skirt, tugging desperately at the stays and ribbons fastening her sleeves while Rafe stood gaping at her in amazement. “Don’t just stand there! Get these clothes off me and quickly before anyone else appears!
Rafe raised an eyebrow, “I always knew you would come around, but I hadn’t imagined it quite like this…”
“Yes, you are very funny, now hurry up because we don’t have time. I cannot be seen like this again. I’m breaking every sumptuary law as it is!”
“Whoa. Sumptuary laws? You’re the queen, so they don’t apply to you. Though I bet someone has to remind you from time to time that you aren’t really the queen of anything, baby.” Still, he moved closer to her and expertly unlaced her sleeves and bodice, gently releasing her breasts from their long confinement. He stared admiringly as she bent over to remove her farthingale, and soon she stood before him wearing nothing but a thin gold and purple trimmed chemise and a pair of purple velvet slippers.
“Not how I imagined it at all, but it will do nicely.” Rafe nodded, his gaze following her as she gathered up her garb and pulled off her simulated jewels.
“We have to hide these.”
That was enough. “Kyra,” Rafe took her by the arm, “How hard did you hit your head, honey? As much as I might approve, you can’t just strip in the middle of the faire.”
“Are you daft?” Kyra gasped, staring wide-eyed into his face. “I am asking for more trouble than either of us can handle dressed like this! I will probably receive a quick death for impersonating the queen. Or, worse, a long slow one.”

If you could offer your author advice, what would it be?
Don’t make it seem like I was such a priss! Honestly, I just like doing things correctly. And a certain someone was handled with kid’s gloves despite his obvious faults. I think the author may have had a crush on him. All the women do, and he gets a free pass because if it. Disgusting.

Are you happy with the way people perceive you?
I’m not sure how people perceive me, really, I am a bit oblivious to these things in general, or so I am told. Of course, I don’t want people getting the wrong idea either. I am not a prude or a simpleton. I would offer that people put themselves in my place and ask what they would do in such trying circumstances. I am sure I did better than most. Right?

Tell us a little bit about your world:
I suppose I have two worlds. Maybe three. It is hard to compartmentalize at a certain point—the boundaries bleed--quite heavily at times. There is my life at the university, of course, which is of the utmost importance and requires a certain gravitas. Then there is my summer stint at the Renaissance faire where I play act the people I study and write about—it is campy, sometimes frustrating, often a lot of fun, but of a completely different ilk than university life. Then there is the actual Renaissance, a world which I shall never be able to fully exit for various reasons.

Is humor important? Why or why not?
I would have said no before my time-traveling experience. But now that I look back, I think it was one of the few things that kept me sane, one of the things that I grew to need, to hold on to. So, yes, it is something I now value.

Is expressing love difficult for you? Why?
It is. I don’t trust easily. I had a bad experience with a man once—absolutely damaging to my professional and emotional well being, you see. I do not like being made a fool of and will go to great lengths to keep that from happening again. Having divorced, non-communicative parents probably didn’t help much either. Let’s face it: in the end, the only one going to the mat for you is yourself. Right? Right?

What is the most interesting thing that has happened to you?
I suppose one would say waking up in the Renaissance would be the most interesting thing that could happen to a person, but I think learning to trust a man again was the most unexpected, wonderful thing that has ever happened to me. I don’t think that it would have occurred without the time-travel and the experiences we shared, of course, but it is the thing I value the most now.

If you could pull your author into your world, what do you think would happen to her?
Are you serious? She would go to pieces. And if she managed withstand the deprivation and terror, she would cave right in and give into some of the more lurid advances of certain untrustworthy men and be lost forever. She really isn’t a good judge of character, if you ask me.

What are your opinions on magic?
I would have laughed at such an idea before, but now I think that it is best not to meddle with what one does not understand. I think most of it is, of course, charlatanism. But you can’t be too careful, really.

What are the pros and cons to being a Lady?
Wearing all those skirts and that jewelry is such fun! Well, it is for a couple of hours. Try it on a hot summer day without a breeze to be had though. The admiration of the low-born and the attention of courtiers is lovely, but then the restrictions upon one’s movements and behavior are odious, not to mention being at the mercy of men’s whims. Wait, are we talking about the Renaissance faire or the actual Renaissance?

How does one become a Queen?
I became one by default in the faire, but wouldn’t recommend that, as it involved a terrible accident. Otherwise, one begins as a simple player, learning and honing one’s craft in the lanes, eventually rising in the ranks of the faux nobility, and then simply waiting for the present queen to grow tired of the heat and hassle and vacate her position. The other route is, of course, by marrying a king, and from what I have seen, that hadn’t much to recommend it.

Describe your best kill. Why was it the best?
My what? I haven’t killed anyone. How terrible. I have seen several good people hewn down and would never want to be in such situation again.

What kind of abilities do you get when you are a gypsy?
I don’t think most of them have any special abilities per se, though I met one with a wonderful talent for storytelling and another who mixed potions well. I have to admit that a couple of them were undeniably talented in the magical arts, but I wouldn’t suspect that such applies to most of them.

What makes being with a scholar the best sexual experience?
Attention to detail? Pent up physical energy in need of a timely release? The ability to read between the lines? Goodness, I don’t know. I can’t say that I feel comfortable discussing this with you, really. Not ladylike at all.

Have you ever ended up somewhere you didn’t want to go?
Not at all. I mean, I didn’t intend to go there, it just happened. If I had been asked, however, it was just where I wanted to be. Or I thought I did.
Where you ever stuck in a different timeline?
Quite. Getting back was anything but simple. I didn’t realize how many other factors or people would be involved. It isn’t as straightforward as one would like to believe, and I am not one to allow for the human element in any case, so plans went awry more than once.

Is the butterfly effect, when you change one thing in the past it changes the future, real?
Not that I can see. If anything changed, it certainly hasn’t been documented anyway, but I do worry about the future in some respects.
Does it take a toll on your body to time travel?
That is a current concern of mine. So far so good though.

Have you fallen in love with someone from the past or future and how did you deal with it?
I will admit that I did carry a torch for someone in the past, though I was deceived in his character. Or perhaps I deceived myself. In any case, I got over it pretty quickly.

Finally, is there something you wished we had asked, but didn’t?
You didn’t ask about my current research project or scholarship or how my tenure review went, but then that’s to be expected, I suppose.

Author spotlight with Megan Johns

Megan, what influences your writing and why?
In The Path of Innocence, my debut novel, I wrote from the heart. I was going through a period of illness and I found it really therapeutic to escape inside my head.

Suddenly I discovered all this stuff inside waiting to be unlocked and that my mind could take me off in all sorts of different directions. My aim was to write a women’s novel with a strong romantic thread and emotional depth, but apart from that, the story took on a life of its own. In my current WIP, my writer’s head is making me adhere more closely to genre requirements, although the characters and my own instinct are still key in steering the direction it takes. What I really enjoy about writing romance is being able to put the characters in conflict and exploring their innermost feelings.

How do I develop my characters and setting?
Settings are very important to me. I find that if I can put my characters in a setting with which I feel an emotional attachment, that they, in turn, will respond to the environment. Setting definitely influences their behaviour and hence the plot. When I am starting off, I will have a pen portrait of my characters and I try to let them grow, almost organically, adding extra layers as the story develops and the characters become more complex.

Am I a pantser or plotter?
I am definitely a pantser. I usually know roughly where I am heading, but not necessarily how to get there.

How do I deal with writer’s block?
When I am writing, I try to stick to a routine and I set minimum daily targets. Even on a less productive day, I endeavour to write something, possibly knowing it isn’t quite right. That way, I can go back when I am fresher and revise it. Sometimes it’s surprising how little effort it can take to transform material you thought was destined for the bin. No effort is wasted.

Guilty pleasures?
Chocolate and desserts—especially with chocolate sprinkled on top.

What one thing would I say to readers?
My heart and soul went into The Path of Innocence and, although it may be slightly out of the box, it is a really deeply emotional read with a core message that love, if it is strong enough, will always win through.
Why not give it a try? You won’t regret it!

The Path of Innocence
www.megan-johns.com

Author spotlight with Marc Jarrod

Hi Marc! Thanks for agreeing to this interview.
So, tell us, how did you feel when you got your first publishing contract?
That I wrote something and a publisher recognized it as a saleable product that the publisher was willing to take the time and effort to make it even better. It felt great and it made me feel important.

What is the biggest piece of advice you can give a beginning writer?
If you get rejected by an epub on your submission, don’t get dejected. Just keep plugging away. If given advice by your publisher or a critique group, take that advice and use it to improve your writing.

Do you have any guilty pleasures?
Lasagna

What influences your writing? And why?
Sometimes it is life experience whether it be me or some one I know.

Name one thing readers don’t know about you.
I am probably older than most of my fellow authors. :)

What are you working on now?
Tarot story. Author had to pick a tarot card and write a story around it.

Who is your favorite all-time author?
James Patterson. He writes great thrillers and they are fast reads.

Are love scenes easy/difficult to write?
At the risk of sounding sexist, :) for a male, yes love scenes are hard for me to write.

If you could be anywhere right now, where would you be?
In outer space. I know that sounds corny, but space truly is the final frontier as James T. Kirk once said. I think the planet Saturn is truly the most beautiful planet, with the exception of earth, of course. However, from what I have seen of pictures of the universe, it is truly magnificent, and I would love to explore it.

Do you have another career besides writing? What is it?
I work at UPS as clerk and package handler.

What’s your biggest reward in being a writer?
Getting good reviews not only from a review web site, but also from your fellow writers.

To date, which is your favorite story?
Which one did you have the most fun writing? I have written 4 erotica stories and 1 non erotica. Believe it or not, it is the non-erotic story that is my favorite. It is set around Christmas and it is a feel good story. It is titled, Christmas in July. Published through Divine Destinies.

myspace.com/marcjarrod

Author spotlight with Tessa McKay

Hi Tessa, tell us do you categorize yourself as a pantser or plotter?
A plotter, no doubt. That isn’t saying that there is no spontaneity or room for change along the way, but I like to know where I am going and have some idea of how I am going to get there. I like to have the details laid out, and I make notes, oh so many notes, about everything. And don’t ask me to work without an outline.

Who is your favorite all-time author?
That would be a big toss–up between Emily Bronté and Jane Austen though they couldn’t be more different. Each appeals to a different part of me, I suppose. I have spent more time analyzing Emily because even though she presents more of an emotional appeal, she is actually the more structurally complex of the two. I like to relax with Jane. Wonderful scholarship exists on each though.

Are love scenes easy/difficult to write?
It actually depends upon my mood. I can know what is going to happen and how the scene is supposed to work, but that is the time that I really have to be in the moment and completely in simpatico with my characters. I think the most difficult thing involved is making sure each character is experiencing the moment in her own way and refraining from any editorial any judgments or guidance from me.

If you could be anywhere right now, where would you be?
Probably in England. It is the place where history comes alive for me. I love the city of London, the moors of Yorkshire, and the cliffs of Dover, all.

How do you deal with the dreaded writer’s block?
You are going to hate me, but I don’t get writer’s block. There is always an idea waving its arms around frantically at me, and my most difficult task is to ignore it while I am in the midst of other work. I suppose if it ever did strike I would travel, if possible. My ideas begin with places rather than people or plot, so a change of scenery would be just the thing.

If you had the opportunity to say one thing to your readers, what would that be?
I would like them to know how much I appreciate them taking the time to enter and hopefully enjoy the worlds I create. Writing gives me so much happiness, and I hope that I can pass that on to my readers. I would love to hear from them any time via my website or on Twitter.

http://tessamckay.com

Twitter: @tessa_mckay

Author spotlight with Jane Toombs

Hello Jane and welcome. Tell us, what has been your biggest influence on becoming a writer?
My father. As a child I watched him I watched him type his articles for the Michigan History Magazine and his non-fiction books on his big old L.C. Smith typewriter. I begged to use it. He told me I couldn’t until I could spell a lot of words. Then he’d teach me, but in return, I had to type him out a story. I’d been read to before I could read, but it never occurred to me until that moment that I could write a story. He was the perfect critiquer, first praise, then a firm but never mean pointing out of what could be improved.

How did you feel when you got your first publishing contract?
Here’s the scenario. I was less than a year into my second marriage, where I added my three still-at-home kids to his two. My stepdaughter took to me right away, but her brother, who’d been his dead mother’s favorite, remained standoffish. As luck would have it, when the phone rang and it was the agent telling me he’d sold my first book in 1973 , a gothic called Tule Witch , to Avon, the only one home was Mikel—out in back shooting baskets. I ran out on the rear deck and down the stairs to where he was standing, shouting his name. At the bottom I grabbed him and hugged him, screaming, “I sold my book!” He stiffened, but then relaxed and hugged me back. “That’s wonderful,” he told me. From then on, our relationship warmed up. So selling that book also helped Mikel and me become closer.

How do you categorize yourself: pantser or plotter?
I stated out as a pantser because, when I began writing seriously I thought you had to finish a book in order to sell it. So I simply started at the beginning and wrote to the end—these were typewriter days. After I acquired an agent, and sold, I still wrote my second gothic that way, which he promptly sold. If any editing was done, I never saw any of it, and these were major NY houses. But the third gothic I wrote the same way didn’t sell. Then he called me and said he had a packager asking for authors to write a gemstone series and needed one to do topaz. Could I send him a synopsis and three chapters? I had to ask him was a synopsis was. He was surprised, but told me, adding that most books sold on a partial, which was what this was. News to me. I decided to try this method and my partial sold. I finished the book with the help of the synopsis I’d written and had an Aha! moment. After selling again on a partial, I decided to go back and write a synopsis for the book that didn’t sell. After I discovered how I had wandered all over the place, I tightened the book and it sold. So from then on, I became a plotter. I don’t follow a synopsis exactly, but it does keep me from wandering.

What makes a book great in your eyes?
One that not only grabs me right away and keeps me glued to the pages, but also one that resonates afterward, so that I think about the characters, and how the author made me feel everything they did. A book I remember in the years to come.

What is the biggest piece of your advice you can give a beginning writer?
Finish every story or book you start. That, plus a ton of perseverance will sell a book, providing you have at least an ounce of talent. I have a bad habit of planning a series and starting the first book, then getting distracted by another writing project. I took my own advice the year and made a New Year’s resolution to finish the first book in every series I’ve started that still seemed viable—seven at last count. I could not write anything else unless it was already contracted for. I chose A Darkness of Dragons Trilogy to begin this project. Dragon’s Pearl, the first book, had three chapters written. I wrote the fourth, then had to pause to finish a contracted-for anthology novella. Picking up again, I finished this first book. As I was wondering what epublisher to send it to, Devine Destinies sent out a call for books. Deciding this was more than a coincidence, I submitted and they took it, asking to see the rest of the trilogy. So then I had to finish the second book, Dragon’s Diamond, which had only one chapter written. When it was accepted, I knew I had to write the third, Dragon’s Stone, which had nothing but a synopsis. Which I’m doing. Now I can see that in a series, once you do finish the first book, if it’s picked up, then you have to keep going with the next, and so on. Which means it may take me the rest of my life to finish all the first books in those series. But it does illustrate my point. You can’t offer any publisher a book you haven’t finished. Not unless you’re a multipublished author and that publisher knows your record.

Do you have any guilty pleasures?
Unfortunately, I had to give most of them up as I aged, so I’m not admitting to any of them as I can no longer indulge.

What influences your writing? And why?
This stumps me. Like all writers, many of the ideas that circle the landing field in my mind all the time, never make a landing for one reason or another. Most current events are too ephemeral to base a book on. And the older I get, the less I’m likely to write about something that’ll take a ton of research, though I’ve done a lot of that in the past.

We’re all influenced by what goes on in our lives and around us and I’m sure a lot of that creeps into every authors’ books, but I know I don’t deliberately choose to have it happen.

Name one thing readers don’t know about you.
I’m an introvert. Like most are, I’m. shy. Maybe this is why I hate to make phone calls, though I enjoy talking to whoever calls me.

What are you working on now?
Besides writing Dragon’s Stone, I’m finishing another contracted-for anthology novella. This is because I belong to a promo group of twelve authors who promote each other called Jewels of the Quill—where I’m Dame Turquoise. One of the ways we promote each other is by doing anthologies, some of which have won awards. So I don’t do this just for myself.

Who is your favorite all-time author?
All the old ones, most of them dead. E.A. Poe; A, Merritt; H.P. Lovecraft.; Charlotte Bronte; Jane Austin.

Are love scenes easy/difficult to write?
Love scenes never have been easy for me. First of all, I believe they have to fall naturally within the context of the story—which gave me a lot of trouble with H/S editors when I was writing for them. I was always being told—more, more. Also love scenes have to fit the characters’ personalities. And I’ve never been able, after being a nurse, to call sexual parts anything but their actual anatomical names. But I do believe making love is a part of romance novels and I’ve learned to write love scenes, even hot ones, which none of my early books had.

Do you write in one genre or several different ones? And why?
I’ve written in all genres except men’s action and erotica. Because at one time or another in my long writing career, each of the other genres appealed to me. Or else the genre I was writing in no longer was popular and I was forced to try another. I’m sort of stuck on paranormal right now. It actually was my first love, but editors kept telling me to take it out. And look at it today!

If you could be anywhere right now, where would you be?
Hey, I live across the street from the south shore of Lake Superior and this is June—summer is here! With perfect weather. Ask me again in December and you’d hear a different story.

How do you deal with the dreaded writer’s block?
Never have it. If I park myself in a chair in front of the computer and start writing anything, I may have to rework it later, but I’m off and running. I might procrastinate, but I’m never really blocked.

Do you have another career besides writing? What is it?
I was an RN for many years and I wrote right along with nursing.

What’s your biggest reward in being a writer?
Selling. No, I mean it. I think every author wants to have readers and getting books published means readers, whether or not you make a lot of money. Mind you, I don’t knock money—it does make life easier.

To date, which is your favorite story? Which one did you have the most fun writing?
I think perhaps a book I wrote for a packager about immigrants. My agent asked me which nationality I wanted to write about. Because The Scots—which was the name of the book—were part of my heritage, that’s the one I chose. The research was endless because it started in Scotland with the reason for emigrating, then went through several more generations in this country and some wars. Took loads of research and a long time to write, but the book went through more than one edition in paperback. I got a lot of satisfaction from writing that book and feel I learned something about what my ancestors had to face when they came to the United States. I hated to let go of the characters.

How do you go about developing your characters and setting?
I decide what the book will be about first. In A Darkness of Dragons, I needed background first. So, in the past, Merlin steals magic from the Immortal Black Dragon in an attempt to heal King Arthur. He fails, and in the doing, makes a bitter enemy of the dragon, which from then on is determined to destroy mankind. Merlin succeeds in trapping him in a Welch mountain cave, but can’t keep him there unless subsequent generations renew the wards that keep the dragon trapped. Which is the problem the characters in modern America face in my three stories. Because, you see, the dragon emigrates with their Welsh ancestors to this country and is forced into the stope—a cave-like area created by having been mined-out—of an abandoned copper mine in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. They must learn how to keep him there.

So I had to choose characters who had Welsh ancestry. Some had to know a fragment or so of what they were because they needed to be able to lead those who knew nothing in the right direction. After I figured that out, it became easy to create such characters. As soon as I begin writing about any character, she or he comes alive in my mind and I soon learn all about him or her as they demonstrate to me who they are. But when I put something in, such as Nala, the Siamese cat, I don’t always know why. Not until the third book did I understand why she was there.

As for setting, I live in Michigan’s U.P., surrounded by abandoned copper mines. I usually set books in areas where I have lived, which includes different areas of California, Upstate New York and Northern Nevada, as well as the U.P. If I must use another setting, my research is as thorough as I can make it.

If you had the opportunity to say one thing to your readers, what would that be?
Suspend disbelief and enjoy.

http://www.janetoombs.com/