Review: Beast in a Kilt by Nicole North

Another new genre for me that I simply adore! Nicole North’s Beast in a Kilt is the second novella in her series of Scottish paranormal erotic romances. Beast in a Kilt is one of four anthologies in Red Sage’s Secrets volume 29.

Now back to the story. North twists an enchanting novella set in the Scottish Highlands in 1621, the time of strong and powerful men wearing kilts and brandishing swords with lovely heroine’s vying for true love.

Catrolina has known for a decade that she loves with her whole being Torr, a Highlander with a body she can’t help but want in every manner. And he loves her, so what’s the problem? There are many.

A curse control’s Torr’s physical being as a shape shifter into a white stallion at night. Catrolina’s clan has promised her to wed a beastly chieftan. The curse and the promised marriage must both be broken for Torr and Catrolina to have a true and equal love.

Keeping the suspense in an erotic novel takes careful planning. Nicole North has mastered that concept as she twines the hero and heroine’s bodies and emotions in constant knots throughout the skirmishes and dangers they encounter while hunting down the antagonist and concocting a scheme to nullify the promise.

My only complaint is that I wish it were a novel length story because I adored the characters and the colorful language and wanted to spend more time in the Highlands. If you haven’t tried a Scottish paranormal, this is an excellent choice to start with.

Dawn

The Author's Story

When you read a novel, do you ever wonder about the author? If there’s no photo on the book, do you wonder what he/she may look like?

Have they always written? Have they struggled to learn their craft or did the whole writing process come easily to them – the words and phrases appearing like magic in their heads? Do they write for the pure joy of sharing the pictures and characters living in their minds?

I so admire these men and women and I’ve been fortunate to meet some of my very favorite authors. I’ve listened to them speak on the craft of writing and their journey to being published. There are those lucky few who decided one day to sit down, write a novel and have it published on their very first try.

There are others, like me, who’ve written for years and years and years, and have finally (yes, finally!) seen their stories being enjoyed by the public. Some of their life journeys will break your heart but all will inspire you. No matter their circumstances, one thing they’ve all said time after time and it rings so true. Persistence is the key. Whether working on the first novel or the tenth or the fiftieth, we need to keep writing. And keep writing. Whenever time permits. Wherever the muse strikes.

And for those of us who love the written word, keep reading. It’s our escape, our joy!

Happy reading!

Marie

Movies from Books

Do you like it when your favorite book is turned into a movie? Are you satisfied the actor/actress playing the characters are a good choice? Who would you have chosen instead? Have you ever been disappointed? Or surprised?

When I read a novel, I have a clear picture in my head of what the hero looks like, what the heroine looks like and the setting, all based on the author’s description. In most cases, what Hollywood puts out never matches what I’ve already seen in my mind.

I loved the book Misery, by Stephen King – I will admit, the story scared the heck out of me (actually, Stephen King has been scaring me since I was fourteen – and I love him for it). What happened to the hero of the story could happen in real life. An obsessed, crazed fan. An isolated place. A devastating car accident leaving our hero at the mercy of said obsessed, crazed fan.

James Caan and Kathy Bates were not who I pictured in my head when I read the novel but I was pleasantly surprised (maybe pleasantly is the wrong word here) by how wrong I was about Hollywood’s choice of performers. Ms. Bates’ performance still makes me shiver! And I can’t picture anyone else in those roles.

The same for the Harry Potter series. Can you imagine anyone other than Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter? Or Emma Watson as Hermoine?

Although movies can never replace books in my heart, I do enjoy seeing what Hollywood can come up with and always wait with anticipation to see if what I pictured in my head will translate to the screen. Are there any books that were turned into movies that you really liked? Do you have a favorite book you would like to see on the big screen?
Happy reading (and watching)!

Marie

Guest Author: Angi Morgan

Alexis: Hi Angi. Welcome to Happily Ever After Thoughts. Thank you so much for joining us and giving away a signed copy of .38 CALIBER COVER-UP to one lucky commenter. Can you start by telling us why you decided to write romance novels and why romantic suspense?

 Angi: Thanks for having me Alexis. And the name of your blog is my answer...I LOVE happily Ever Afters and with romance that’s a guarantee. Suspense just seems to happen in every story I tell. Life is full of suspense whether dangerous or not. LOL

Alexis: Very true. So, what is 38 CALIBER COVER-UP all about?

Angi: The simple version? Bad Boy meets Good Girl. Trusting each other is out of the question, but they have to work together in order to obtain what they want. Of course they’re instantly attracted. And, yeah, there’s a hot air balloon.

Alexis: Hmm, a hot air balloon can make for close quarters and some great romance between two people. What are your favorite character traits of Erren and Darby and wherever did you find those names?

Angi: Erren? Wow...he came to me via a critique partner in 2003. He was a lot younger and rescued Steve & Jane from HILL COUNTRY HOLDUP. During the 2009 rewrite of their story (which sold to Intrigue) Erren grew up. I loved that he had a pirate dagger as an earring. I had to change that to a necklace for Intrigue. And I loved that I never knew WHY until the story was almost finished. Strange how things like that happen. AND DARBY? One of my daughter’s friends at the time had a brother named Darby. She was much more difficult to understand (heroines always are for me). Then Michael Hauge sat me down and suggested a few unique traits. I knew her mother had died and she’d been raised by her brothers. But Michael suggested that her dad let the four kids fend for themselves...after that she was clear as crystal. While writing the story, I discovered that her brothers were the THREE MUSKETEERS and in order to play with them, she dubbed herself Darb’tagnon.

Alexis: I love when that happens, when at first you have no idea how everything will work and then it all comes together. What sparked the idea for writing this story?

Angi: While writing HILL COUNTRY HOLDUP, Erren’s character took over the scene. I tried to write his story several times between 2004 and 2008...writing myself into corners, never finding exactly the right story for him or Darby. Then during the rewrite, he’d grown into a lonesome man who envied the relationship he saw with Steve & Jane. Everything fell into place after that.

Alexis: What kind of research did you have to do for this novel?

Angi: Not much, actually. I attended a hot-air balloon festival. I drew on places I knew from the area. And all my cop advice came from one of my critique partners and former officer, Kym Roberts.

Alexis: Now that’s a great critique partner to have if you write romantic suspense :-) Now, .38 Caliber Cover-Up isn’t your first romance. Can you tell us a little about your other book?

Angi: HILL COUNTRY HOLDUP was released in September 2010, just nine short months after it sold. In fact, it went on sale the night it won the RWA Golden Heart award and is nominated for Best First Series book of 2010 by Romantic Times. I joke with other writers that it’s a reunited lovers, secret baby, Texas rancher-FBI agent meets secretive genius, kidnapping, maniacal villain story. And if one of those hooks don’t tell you anything...it’s a never-stops action romance packed with several twists.

Alexis: Wow! That sounds like it’s got something for everyone! No wonder it has been nominated for a Romantic Times award. Congratulations! Do you have any other romance novels in the works?

Angi: I am currently working on the proposal for my next Intrigues--a series about three business partners who accidently discover the new Kevlar and of course, those who don’t want them to. The tentative titles (keeping fingers crossed that I’ll get to keep them) San Antonio Showdown, Ambush at the Alamo, & River Walk Rescue.

Alexis: They sound perfect to me. Okay, so I have to ask. What was the very first romance novel you ever read?

Angi: I don’t remember the name, but I know it was a Harlequin Presents. My grandmother read a book a day and would keep them for me. She and my aunts would initial them as they finished, and she’d write “okay for Angi” inside the cover. That meant it was okay for me to read, and okay for me to take home. I still have many of those books on my keeper shelf. One of the first books I obtained for myself was Rosemary Rogers’ SWEET SAVAGE LOVE. I still have that book (with the cover falling off).

Alexis: Ah yes, that first book we bought with the cover falling off. I too have mine, yellowed pages and all. Thank you so much, Angi, for visiting Happily Ever After Thoughts. We like talking about romance novels here and especially with the wonderful people who write them :-)

Angi: Thanks so much for having me. It’s been a pleasure. I certainly hope everyone enjoys Erren & Darby as much as I enjoyed writing their story.

Alexis: For more about Angi and her books go to http://www.angimorgan.com/  Here’s a preview of .38 CALIBER COVER-UP.

Alley. Lexus. Two drug dealers.

The situation read like a bad book: The Auto-frickin-biography of Erren Rhodes. He was pathetic. He would dread going through the motions of this meeting, but he was numb. Numb to the filth he dealt with on a daily basis. Numb to the filth he’d portrayed for the last six years. Numb to his filthy shell of a life.

Pike was dead and in the ground. Ambushed. Executed.

No witnesses.

Rhodes was certain no one had seen him at the funeral of his mentor, the man who had kicked his teenage years into shape. He’d stayed out of sight. He’d hung around the edges of the cemetery just like the edges of his fictional existence.

It was a dark and stormy night...blah, blah, blah. He’d laugh if it weren’t playing out in front of him like a colorized black and white film. It was time to get out of deep cover work, but not before he found Pike’s murderer. He wouldn’t let the bastard go without justice.

Unfolding his legs, he climbed from the POS rental he’d taken for the op. His first mistake. He should have insisted on something flashy like the sweet SUV at the end of the alley. Second mistake? This dark real estate. Drug deals went down at steak restaurants. Always in public places. So why was this meet for information set like a bad flick?

Backlit by the car’s headlights, two men came at him, arms extended, guns aimed at his chest. This was not the plan.

“You dudes have been watchin’ too many movies.” Yeah, he was mouthing off like a street thug--something he shouldn’t do but couldn’t help. He knew the drill and placed his hands at the back of his neck when Beavis and Butthead stepped closer. “Holdin’ the barrel sideways like that, empty casings can hit--”

“Shut up, fool.” The gold-toothed, eyebrow-pierced Butthead took another confident step closer.

Six years ago adrenaline shoved him to recklessness. Now it didn’t register. All these guys acted the same. Digging in with pond scum required a dedication he no longer had. His Dallas handler waited around the corner. Like he needed backup for this two-bit op? He could do this in his sleep.

Butthead shoved the barrel of a Magnum .357 under Rhodes' chin while patting him down.

“You don’t talk ‘til we says you talk,” the bleach-blond Beavis barked, nervously shifting from one foot to the other in front of the rental.

Nodding, despite the barrel rammed into his Adam’s apple, Rhodes let them think they were in charge. Two bad-ass-wannabes who didn’t know him from Jack. Butthead lifted Rhodes’ .38 from its shoulder harness under his Ed Hardy jacket and dropped it into his pocket. His eyes never met Rhodes’ straight on.

Flashy guns and jewelry, designer-label clothes and a Lexus. Not the ordinary run-of-the-mill street crap he’d been led to believe he’d be dealing with. Rhodes’ nostrils flared at the cloying scent of heavy French cologne floating through the smell of old garbage. Did he have the right guys? They sure seemed to know him since two barrels pointed straight toward unprotected parts he’d like to keep.

Shake it off. Nothing was wrong. He’d done this before. First-meet jitters. That was it. Yeah, that crappy feeling in the pit of his stomach had nothing to do with Beavis or Butthead and everything to do with the drive-through burritos for dinner.

“Get in the car,” Butthead demanded.

Rhodes stiffened. “No one said anything about a ride. I have the money in my backseat.” He came to conduct a small exchange of money for information. These punks were somehow connected to Pike’s murder and he was close to finding a serious lead to seal the coffin on the creep they had in custody. But that slippery grin behind the gun wasn’t the normal evil he faced every day.

These guys looked nervous, high and pre-paid...

Damn.

“Do what you’re told,” Beavis yelled in a crazy-high voice.

“What’s wrong man? I got the cash.” Rhodes searched his right, hunting Dumpster locations. Butthead shoved the pistol barrel in his back again, pushing him toward the Lexus. No way was he getting in that SUV.

“Get your ass in the car.” Butthead circled the barrel of the gun in the air. “Get in!”

This op might get his blood pumping after all.

Rhodes shook his head. “What’s up, man? I’m only pickin’ up a package.” Getting in that car would be the last thing he ever did.

“You got that wrong, dipwad. You’re deliverin’ tonight,” Butthead said, hissing a laugh between clenched teeth.

Cryptic messages were not a good sign. With one step, Butthead had cut him off from his car. That sealed it. He’d been set up. What would they want with him? Or was someone trying to push him out of the picture? These guys had answers and he had lots of questions. A different dread took over his body. His mind released its hold on his tensed muscles. Everything automated, ready for a fight.

Patrol lights flashed at the end of the alley. Butthead froze. Wrong move. Spinning, Rhodes lifted his leg and let his worn-out Air Jordan knock Butthead’s gun behind the strip mall’s Dumpster.

Butthead wasn’t going down without a fight. Rhodes didn’t want to go mano-a-mano, but he threw a punch to Butthead’s chin. The man dodged, dipped his shoulder and gave a blocking tackle to make any football coach proud. Right into Rhodes’ gut.

Air whooshed from his lungs as they crashed to the ground splashing water from a pothole. Bright bits of light flashed across his briefly closed eyes. Thrusting the big goon off, he kicked out, catching the perp’s face. His shoe should have knocked the living daylights out of the goon.

Butthead sat up, spit out his gold cap and grinned.

Rhodes caught sight of Beavis’s weapon waving around, attempting to follow their rushed movements. A bullet pinged off the rental car behind him. Then Beavis dove behind the Lexus’ car door and fired a couple of rounds toward the lights.

Rhodes squinted into the blinding floodlights expecting his backup. Who was shooting? Why weren’t the cops demanding they drop their weapons?

Ricochets sent him scrambling for cover as a sudden surge of bullets peppered the broken asphalt. Beavis crawled into the Lexus, kept his head down and backed up leaving rubber in the potholes. One of the patrol cars quickly pursued him around the corner.

Rhodes couldn’t make it to his car and turned toward his alternate exit, but Butthead jumped him from behind. Even with the unknown gunmen firing shot after shot, this stupid dog wouldn’t let go of his bone--which just happened to be Rhodes’ neck.

He recoiled from Butthead’s blood-speckled face and fetid breath, but the solid pressure against his throat was making things fuzzy. With no other choice, he pushed his fingers into Butthead’s eyes. There was a growl in his ear and a rush of air into his lungs. The rapid fire around their heads had him wincing. He wanted this guy alive and talking. He wanted to stop the cops from shooting, but had little chance to catch his breath as he stumbled backwards.

“Give it up, man. It ain’t worth losing our lives,” Rhodes shouted. It really wasn’t. And right now those cops didn’t know he was one of the good guys.

Butthead pulled a switchblade, popped it open and charged. Rhodes grabbed the giant’s wrists, keeping the blade inches away. They went down a second time. Rolling over. Then back. Every rock jabbed into Rhodes’ bruised, sore body. The knife was between them. Then somehow pointing under Rhodes’ chin.

Desperate, he pushed Butthead’s hands further south. Butthead outweighed him by fifty pounds and the searing pain along his side proved that the bigger man had gained the upper hand.

“Aarrgg!” God, he was on fire. The expectation of the blade tearing his flesh again was worse than knowing he’d been double-crossed. His hands shook while he kept Butthead from twisting the handle and slicing his insides to shreds.

The blade slowly and painfully slid away.

A car window exploded above him. Butthead’s body blocked most but not all of the glass. He cringed, giving Rhodes the split-second he needed. He threw Butthead off and rolled to a crouch.

Butthead leapt to his feet. A bullet whizzed by Rhodes and hit his adversary straight where his heart should have been. A flower of blood blossomed over Butthead’s shirt and he fell to his back.

“Don’t shoot!” Rhodes threw up his hands and faced the flashing lights. He quickly brought his left arm back down to his injured side.

Another round whistled past. Son of a...who was shooting from above and behind him? The cops returned fire, leaving him caught in the dead zone. Any rookie could tell a man was down and his hands were empty. What more did they need?

He’d sort through the expanations later. Rhodes ran to Butthead and searched for his gun. He found an envelope. Maybe this was the evidence he needed.

The rented Honda hatchback was perforated with holes and lacked a passenger window, but he didn’t need to drive it far. He punched the gas, heading through the alley onto the deserted street.

Completely deserted. No Drug Enforcement Agency back-up in sight. Maybe he was the lone shooter? Just what he needed, confirmation he was on his own. But his priority was to stay alive.

He pressed the pedal to the floor, turning several corners to evade anyone following. The only thing he’d done right was stash his Suzuki four blocks away. He ditched the rental in a parking garage and avoided cameras on his way out of the building.

Up to his neck in alligators. Totally on his own. His gut told him not to follow protocol, ditch everything familiar. Someone wanted him to lay off Pike’s case. His stomach rolled and his side throbbed. He reached down and a warm stickiness oozed through a jagged hole.

“Man, he ruined my favorite Ozzy shirt.”

Pulling the lock from the wheel of his cycle, he straddled the bike and tore open the envelope. Inside was a photo of Pike with an unknown man. On the reverse was a hand-drawn map, some scribbles and instructions from his mentor for a meeting that should have happened three days ago.

Things were getting more dangerous by the minute.

Interesting.

Alexis: Don’t forget, for a chance to win a signed copy of Angi’s .38 CALIBER COVER-UP, be sure to leave a comment for her. The winner will be announced on Wednesday. Check the side column for your name and email me.

Help! My To Be Read Piles Have Taken Over!

HELP!

My “To Be Read” pile of books is overflowing! It has spread from a small, discreet pile on my bedside table to three piles on the floor beside my bed, two piles in the living room and several books scattered here and there throughout my house (I even have three in the bathroom! Yes, the bathroom)! And one in my purse. These are some of my favorite authors and I so looked forward to their new releases, but just haven’t been able to find the time to read.

So, I ask myself “How could this be?” What happened to me being able to read two to three books a week while writing on my own novels and working the day job and raising a family? The number of hours in a day has remained the same so what changed? Is it my age-dulled eyes that no longer see as clearly as they once did and makes it more difficult? Is it the day job that puts such demands on my time and brain functions?

Whatever the reason, I’ll have to find a remedy. I miss reading of far away places and history and romance. I’ll just have to sacrifice something to make time to enjoy one of the things I truly love doing. And I know exactly what I can sacrifice - I’ll give up making dinner when I get home from work. I’d rather read than cook, wouldn’t you?

Happy reading!
Marie

Guest Author: J.S. Nichols

Alexis: Hi Jess. Thank you for joining us at Happily Ever After Thoughts and for giving away a copy of your new book, to be released next month, to one of our commenters. I noticed you write romantic suspense “with a twist of humor and a dab of paranormal.” Can you elaborate a little on what that means?

Jess: For as long as I can remember, I’ve written stories with three common traits, humor, suspense and some type of paranormal element. While Come Back to Me is a romantic suspense, there’s a bit of quirky humor in it. Plus, there’s a psychic who lends a helping hand to the hero.

Alexis: Oh, I see. That sounds fun. Why did you start writing?

Jess: To silence the voices in my head? :-) Seriously, I started writing because I couldn’t not write.

Alexis: I completely understand. So tell us, what is Come Back to Me about and how hot is it?

Jess: I’m so glad you asked. Come Back to Me is about a security specialist who boards a ship determined to win back his former fiancée and discovers that a singles cruise is the hunting ground for a human trafficker. When Erin and Ryan get together, the scenes are hot…about 3 flames out of 5.

Alexis: What a great plot! Where did you get the idea for this story?

Jess: I imagined a single scene—two lovers sharing a private tryst beneath a flight of stairs on a cruise ship. I wondered how they got there, who might be watching, and what could happen to them. The story grew from there.

Alexis: Hmm, I think I’ve interrupted something like that once :-) So what are your favorite character traits of Erin and Ryan?

Jess: Erin is a survivor—tough and strong, she can handle whatever is thrown her way. Ryan is a never-ending optimist—an unusual trait considering he’s a former police officer who’s seen the darker side of life.

Alexis: I like an optimistic cop. That’s very unusual. Now, I know you didn’t come visit me here in the Caribbean. So what kind of research did you do for this novel?

Jess: Actually, I spent three weeks in Puerto Rico in 1998. I loved the culture, the rainforest, the weather, and the different wildlife down there. As for research, a friend of the family lives in Belize and sent home pictures. The fictitious island of Ballena Azul in Come Back to Me is a conglomeration of Belize and Puerto Rico.

Alexis: Ah, so firsthand knowledge to get the feel. That’s always helpful. On a different note, I have to ask, because I saw that you wrote an article about 9/11, what was your role in that disaster?

Jess: It wasn’t glamorous by any means. I was the Disaster Services Coordinator at the time of the attacks. My job meant I needed to keep the office running on a daily basis while recruiting current volunteers to go help out in NYC and Washington, DC. I answered phones from concerned citizens and sometimes family members of the victims. As volunteers returned from assignments, I worked with mental health workers to ensure they were debriefed. While doing all that, I also screened hundreds of potential volunteers who wanted to help anyway they could. It was a humbling experience.

Alexis: I can only imagine. Let’s get back to happy thoughts, since that’s what we specialize in here :-) Do you have any other romance novels in the works?

Jess: Yes, I have two more novels in progress right now. The first is the sequel to my current book and it follows two characters introduced in Come Back to Me. In it, the hero and heroine are trapped in a homeless shelter with a serial killer during a hurricane. With no way out and the storm raging outside can they unmask the killer before anyone else dies? The second, is a bit lighter. To get rid of the ghost haunting her, a directionally-challenged psychic must team up with a cop to solve a murder in the jewelry district.

Alexis: Now that does sounds intriguing. You have great plots! Thank you so much for visiting Happily Ever After Thoughts. We like talking about romance novels here and learning about the wonderful people who write them :-)

Jess: Thank you for having me. It’s been a wonderful experience.

Alexis: Check out this enticing excerpt from Come Back to Me available next month from Sapphire Blue Publishing.

“I’ll tell you all about the case.” The words were said in a rush.

Erin held the doorknob in one hand as she turned around. Ryan faced her but remained on his knees by the bed. Anyone else, the position would be that of a supplicant.

“What did you say?”

“We can work the case together. Think about it, you and me, solving a mystery. Like you’ve always wanted.”

Her heart actually fluttered. Jeeze—she was a fool. She pressed her lips together and drew a deep breath through her nose before leveling her haughtiest glare. “Nice try. But I have a feeling working together will entail me either going home or being left in the dark.”

“No, I mean it.” Ryan rose to his feet and crossed to her. He stretched his hand out as if to stroke her face, then seemed to think better of it and dropped it to his side. “I’ll tell you everything I know. I need a woman’s perspective on this. Your perspective. Plus, I can’t be in two places at once, you can be my eyes. Think about it. Wouldn’t solving a mystery be the ultimate way to spend your vacation?”

Oh, she was tempted. Erin nervously tapped her toe on the carpet as she considered his offer. Folding her arms over her chest she said, “I want a 50/50 cut of the profits.”

Ryan gaped at her then chuckled. “Seriously?”

Alexis: Sounds great, doesn't it? Don’t forget, for a chance to win a copy of Jess’ Come Back to Me, be sure to leave a comment for her. The winner will be announced on Wednesday. Check the side column for your name and email me.

To buy Jess' book  next month, go to http://www.sapphirebluepublishing.com/catalog/

For more information on Jess, go to http://jsnichols.net/

Review: Casting About by Terri DuLong

Casting About is the second of Terri’s Cedar Key series of woman’s fiction with romantic elements. A series that portrays real life women’s issues with just a touch of magic to spur the emotions.

On a tropical island off the coast of Florida, the weather flip-flops between sun and rain nearly as fast as the changes in Monica’s newlywed life.

Monica doesn’t want children and doesn’t have a problem caring about her husband’s ten-year old daughter, Clarissa. She lives in another state. It’s easy to be polite for a couple visits a year.

The calendar hasn’t exhausted its first year of wedded bliss when Clarissa is court ordered to her father’s custody.

Monica does her best to match her conscience with her real feelings as she experiences life with a child whose top need is love. During a few occasions when frustration leads the scene, Monica’s beloved deceased aunt makes a discreet showing to help calm the fires.

Everyone can use a little magic once in a while to keep the spark of love burning, or to find where it’s hidden.

A fun and enlightening read!

Enjoy, Dawn