Two Book Contract! Whoohoo!

I’m so excited I don’t think my feet are touching the ground yet!  I just signed a two book contract with Ellora’s Cave!  I’m still learning so much from my first release Masque and now I have two more erotic romances on the way . . . almost.

The next one is called Passion’s Poison and is inspired by Nathaniel Hawthorne’s classic short story, “Rappaccini’s Daughter.” In Hawthorne’s story, Giacomo Rappaccini is a scientist in Italy who grows beautiful poisonous flowers. However, it is his daughter Beatrice who tends them and calls them her sisters. A young man falls in love with Beatrice but realizes he is becoming poisonous too. So he enlists the aid of a friend, a rival of Giacomo, and the friend develops an antidote for the poisons. When the young man gives the antidote to Beatrice, she dies because it kills all the poison, and she is completely poisonous.

In my book, Passion’s Poison, Beatrice Rappaccini is a descendent of the original.  Her poisons will kill her if she doesn’t have sex with unsuspecting men, but only for one evening because if she has too much, it will kill a man. She already put her high school boyfriend into a coma, though he later came out of it. Beatrice drives to a nearby city every weekend for one-night-stands with men attending business conferences, so no one locally will learn of her problem. But then she falls for Zach Woodman, a former logger turned chainsaw artist who lives two towns over, and things get…complicated :-}

This book should be out by fall, but I’ll be sure to let everyone know when it is available.  As for the second book, it is called the Passion of Sleepy Hollow. I’m not sure when that one will be out, but I do know I have to get the completed book to my editor by Halloween. Fitting deadline, don’t you think?  ;-)

Always,

Lexi

www.lexipostbooks.com

You Don't Want to Know by Lisa Jackson

  

Imagine being consumed by the disappearance of your toddler for two years.  The strong-as-nails Ava Garrison, mother of toddler, was turned into a weak and vulnerable woman whom her estranged husband committed to a mental institute.  Everyone appeared to be against her; all those that live in her mansion whether a relative or an employee.

 Until a powerfully handsome man, Austin Dern, was hired to work the grounds, Ava didn’t have an ally that stayed alive. 

Dern watched from the sidelines, jumping in for repeated rescues of the beautiful Ava.  He realized she wasn’t truly nuts even through her fog of hearing her baby’s cry, seeing glimpses of intruders, and diving into the ocean to save a vision.

With all the unexplainable experiences, Ava’s husband wants her back in the institute.  Her best way out was to stop the always supplied medication.  The fog disappears and the real story and deceptions are pulled from the hidden darkness of her mansion.

Jackson masterfully twists a story with many surprises and unexpected avenues.  Of course we expect to know the truth by the end, but the truth is hardly imaginable.

Happy reading, Dawn    

Chasing the Happily Ever After: Guest Author Angi Morgan

A Texas Ranger with unfinished business…

Cord McCrea was the man of Kate's dreams, but their life together ended like a nightmare. Both proud and stubborn, they believed there was no way to repair the damage done to their family. All Kate has now is the reminder from one last night of passion.

The crazed gangster who shattered Cord's life is a free man wanting to settle old scores. Cord will do anything to protect his ex-wife, but once she's safe, they'll go their separate ways again. But didn't the baby change everything? If they can survive the perils of a West Texas winter while outmaneuvering danger at every pass, they might have a second chance. Because with a traitor in their midst, they had no one to trust except each other.

~ ~ ~

The Happily Ever After Dream… is not only the reason I write romance, but also the reason I read it. I started with the book blurb from PROTECTING THEIR CHILD to talk about my heroine--Kate Danvers McCrea--and her dreams.

She'd met the perfect guy who happened to be a Texas Ranger. He requested a transfer to be near her, but it put him in constant harm's way and brought the war on drugs into their living room. Many things happen to Cord and Kate and this is the story of how they don't give up on their happily ever after.

Is there a but? Should real people believe and want a 'happily ever after'? A young friend recently broke up with her boyfriend of over a year, this is a loose summary of our conversation three weeks later--just after he'd asked if it was okay to talk to her, apologized, let her know that he finally understood what the argument was about.

FRIEND: "He asked if I had expected him to follow me after our fight. I told him, yes. Is that wrong? Have I seen too many romantic movies or something?"

ANGI: "Did you ask why he didn't come after you or call?"

FRIEND: "He was respecting my wishes. Now he knows that he's supposed to fight for me. I mean, isn't he? I don't know. I love him, but I don't think we can get back together. I don't trust that he feels the same way as I do."

ANGI: "Well, you need to talk with him again. I know you. And you're not going to let this go. You'll spend too much time wondering if you did everything possible to make it work. Did you do everything? Did you share how you feel?"

FRIEND: "No. But I've said everything before."

ANGI: "I don't think you were completely honest before. You never told him about the problems you've had or the sacrifice you make in order to see him. So how's he supposed to appreciate that…if he doesn't know?"

In case you're wondering about the outcome: she called with a list of the good and the bad and then ended by asking what HE HEARD this time and also asking if he'd been completely honest with her.  They're taking their relationship one day at a time, dating again with no pressure. The point of my story is that real people seek a happily ever after all the time. Is it a fairy tale story? No. Real life is full of the good and the bad. It's what makes us stronger. It's how we keep growing--separately and together. "AND THEY LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER" indicates the end. Life is a series of stories, segments which come to a close, but it ain't over 'til it's over.

So don't stop until you've done everything in your power to keep your 'ever after' within your grasp. Exactly like Kate & Cord.

"Littered with double-crosses and violent twists, this isn’t an easy (emotional) read. Morgan tightens the coil until it springs forward in an explosive finale." ~~Romantic Times Magazine

Thanks so much for having me here today, Alexis. I'd love to hear about your happily ever after moment? Have you had more than one? PROTECTING THEIR CHILD is on shelves in May and like my backlist, always available on-line.

~ ~ ~

Angi Morgan writes “Intrigues where honor and danger collide with love.” She combines actual Texas settings with characters who are in realistic and dangerous situations. Angi's work has been a finalist in the Bookseller’s Best Award, Romantic Times Best First Series, Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence and the Daphne du Maurier.

~ ~ ~

FIND ANGI

Website   Facebook   FB Fan Page   Twitter @AngiMorganAuthr

A Picture ADay   Goodreads  Book Trailers on YouTube

~ ~ ~

LEAVE A BLOG COMMENT. Angi will draw from blog commenters for a free electronic book from her backlist (she'll need your email addy--which you can always send to her directly).  AND ENTER ANGI'S May contest: register at Rafflecopter through May 31st.

~ ~ ~

CHAT WITH ME: Have you found your Happily Ever After?

Life...Things that make you go, "Huh?"

Well, I’m again stumped for something to write about, so I’m sitting at my computer at midnight the night before my post is supposed to hit the internet. What a slacker! But I have an excuse (sure, everyone has one of those, right?). No, I do…I really do…I’ve actually been writing. You know, that thing that drives us to do all those other things like editing, querying, summarizing, promoting, distributing, blogging and whatever else we can be shamed into putting on our “writing” to do list. Okay, that’s enough stalling…inspiration has got to strike like NOW!

Since the title of this little blog is things that make you go “Huh?”, let’s talk about what I saw the other day. I was driving down a road I travel quite frequently when I noticed something new at one of the local businesses. You know those banner poles you sometimes see out in front of a business? The ones with a tall white pole and an advertising flag run lengthwise down the pole, to proclaim for all passersby the wares and services offered by said business? The ones you never really read? The ones that flap mindlessly in the wind and end up shredded like a mummy’s bandages after a few months in the Arizona sun? Yep, those are the ones.

Well, here’s what I saw. Previously I had noticed only one sign that read “Fun morning to night.” Now, since this is a cabaret type club (affectionately known as a boobie bar…you get the gist), I can see where this banner is solid for representing the kinds of services being provided. It tells the casual traveler that this establishment is fun and that the only time the fun stops is when everyone is asleep…good information to have.

But the next time I drove by, there was another sign added to the first. This one said, “Tattoos”. Huh? Okay, I’ve known a few dancers in my time and I don’t think I’ve ever known one who didn’t have a tattoo or three, be it a rose or a butterfly on her ankle, a skeleton on her shoulder, or a pair of lips on her butt. So how convenient is it to be able to get a tattoo at work? So convenient that I might consider it if I actually worked at work, but I don’t and this banner wasn’t in front of my house, making it much less convenient than just going to work and getting inked. But I’m thinking if I suggested it to my employer, there would be a meeting with HR somewhere in my future.

So, who actually gets the tattoos in a cabaret? Is it the dancers? The customers? The bouncers? Or do random strangers drive by and think, “Oh, hey, there’s a boobie bar with a tattoo artist…I think I’ll stop in and get me one of those”? And is it a real good idea to combine tattoos with women dancing virtually naked and alcohol? Don’t get me wrong…I’m not picking on the dancers. Most dancers are hard-working women supporting a family and my hat’s off to them for finding a way to support themselves and their families, and they probably make more in a month than I do. So no nasty letters, please, if you are a dancer or are married to one or your mother dances. I have a great deal of respect, and a healthy dose of jealousy, for someone who can look so damn hot while climbing a metal pole.

No, my concern is over the kind of tattoo some poor soul might choose to get while intoxicated and turned on. Maybe it would be a picture of Wile E Coyote, or (in my case) a picture of Sam Elliott, or maybe it would be a skull and crossbones on the forehead, or a zipper across the mouth. In any case, I’m betting it wouldn’t say “Mom”. Maybe they should add another banner that says “Tattoo Removal.”

Okay, I’ve wandered a bit off the beaten path with this, but I’m still not done. The next time I drove by this establishment, I noticed yet a third sign. This one said…wait for it…it’s really good…no, you won’t guess…it said “Daycare.” Now that one is a triple “Huh?”!! Daycare? Daycare for whom? Now, I’ve mentioned this sign to a number of friends and invariably the first thought is that it is employer-provided daycare for the children of the dancers. Well, yeah, that would be a nice perk because kids need a place to stay while mommy works and employer-provided daycare is handy. But wouldn’t it suffice to just stick a note in next week’s paychecks to let the employees know there’s daycare in the back room? Why advertise on a busy highway? Are there lots of travelers who drive by and think, “Hey, there’s a boobie bar with daycare…I think I’ll take little Johnny in with me for a little parent-child bonding time”? Maybe…maybe not.

And who is the target demographic for the sign? Stay at home moms? Stay at home Mr. Moms? School bus drivers? And what do the kids do at this daycare? Draw pictures? Of what? Play card games? Old Maid or Poker? Again, I ask, is this really a good idea? What if you take the kid in with you and he squeals to the significant other? Maybe the “Daycare” sign should read “Adult Daycare”…now there’s a service I could get behind!

Now, as fascinated as I was by these three signs, I had to Google the business and see what their website looks like. What I found surprised me. They have two VIP areas, the tallest poles in the valley, the hottest girls, the best drinks, happy hour, no cover for ladies or military or fire, and a café with specials. All that and the only thing they could think to advertise on the banners out front are fun, tattoos, and daycare?

Well, regardless of whether or not this marketing tactic is a good idea, I applaud the management of this fine establishment for finding new and creative ways to stay competitive in the current marketplace, especially with all of the steep competition for a dwindling number of customers.

That’s my story, strange but true, and I’m stickin’ to it. Hang on real tight now ‘cuz we’re gonna go real, real fast!

Love ya,

Kayce

Rate A Story

     You’ve just finished reading a novel and you loved it. Marvelous doesn’t begin to express how good this story is. So, if you were going to recommend it to a friend, what would you say? How would you rate it? Would you give it five stars? Or five roses?

      I rate the stories I read a little differently. There are no teacups (with five being the best). There are sighs. If a story has made me sigh while reading, it’s worth its weight in gold. There are no pairs of lips….there are chuckles. A book that makes me laugh out loud is definitely worth my time (and yours). There are no lightening bolts, but there are tears.

     A book that makes me cry is a book I’ll read over and over again. Cathy Cash Spellman’s Paint the Wind comes to mind. I’ve read this novel probably ten times (or more…I’ve lost count) and yet, I still cry in the same place EVERY time….even though I know the scene is coming up, even though I’ve cried over it before. Heck, I’ll head for the box of tissues long before I hit that chapter because I know I’ll end up in tears anyway and I might as well have that tissue handy. Believe it or not, this is a GOOD thing…but I digress so let me finish my rating system.

     For the occasional spooky thriller, there are shivers and lastly, there are gasps. Yes. I wrote gasps….because there are stories out there that have made me suck in my breath and whisper “Oh my!” while my heart pounded in my chest. Sometimes I’ll be laughing at the same time. Or crying.

            So, how do you rate the stories you read? Roses? Daisies? Or do you just hand the book to a friend and say, “You gotta read this!”

    
As always, happy reading!

Marie