The Siren’s Song – Release Par-Tay!

Break open another bottle of rum! Today is the official release party of THE SIREN’S SONG.

What, you say? Another release soiree? Why, yes. Carina Press has published the third book in my Romancing the Pirate series. And if you missed out on the last shindig, here’s your chance to boogie down with me. Besides, is there such a thing as too much partying?

True to my pirate wenching nature, I’ve got booty to share.

• Read an excerpt here.
• Get in touch with your Inner Pirate. Find out what kind of pirate you are!
• Name your pirate ship.
• Learn to talk like a Regency Pirate.
• Got a pirate question? Ask me!
• Leave a comment for a chance to plunder a copy of THE SIREN’S SONG or a skull and crossbones necklace. (Don’t wear necklaces? Hang it from your rear view mirror!)

The Siren’s Song Blurb:

Pirate captain Thayer Drake lures ships onto reefs for plunder, and business is lucrative. Yet, saving a lass from drowning after her ship wrecks becomes more than he bargained for when the crazy wench dives back into the raging sea for her blasted purse.

Tavern songstress Gilly McCoy, penniless and fleeing from the man who murdered her lover, stowed away on the doomed ship. Now at Drake’s mercy, Gilly must earn her passage by performing for the captain. And that is not all: she must also kiss the captain at every ring of the ship’s bell. But she discovers kissing the handsome rogue is not entirely a bad bargain…

Drake is intrigued by the beauty, but there is no room in his black heart for a woman. He has demons that he drinks nightly to forget. Meanwhile, Gilly has her own secrets to keep–including why her purse is more valuable to her than her life…

One of my favorite scenes from the book:

“Sometimes, you must circle your quarry.” He stalked around her, shedding his jacket as he came up behind her and whispered in her ear. “Tease her with the skirmish to come.” Her floral scent wrapped tendrils of desire around his every nerve. He shrugged out of his bandolier and tossed it into a chair. “Don’t raise your flag too soon.” He swept her golden locks aside and kissed the milky white column of her neck. “Leverage is when she doesn’t know what move to expect.”

“What would you do next, Captain?” she whispered. She bit her full puckered bottom lip like a coy and naughty child. But she wasn’t a child. She was a full, blossomed woman. The coy and naughty part was debatable.

“I’d brand her as my own.” Drake stared deep into her eyes before placing a chaste kiss to her luscious lips. Pulling back only a breath, he continued. “But, then, I branded her during my first pass around her bow.”

“Does she surrender?” Gilly whispered against his lips.

“She should.”

“Perhaps she would seek to even the advantage.” She rubbed her hands over his shoulders and gently tugged on his sleeves.

“Having me naked does not give you an advantage.”

“What? No more innuendos?” she asked playfully.

“There is less negotiating when the battle begins. And the battle has begun, love.”

One of my favorite quotes from the book:

“Ah. Rum and a new flintlock.” Henri grinned. “Brings a tear to me eye.”

And yet another:

“Remind me to raise my cup to gluttony tonight,” Drake said.

“No need, Thayer. ’Tis what we toast to every night.”

~~~~~

Want to HEAR an excerpt. Click here to listen to a snippet. I get all giggly listening to the narrator’s British accent.

Click HERE for your copy of THE SIREN’S SONG.

The book is also available at Amazon, B&N, All Romance, and Audible.

Want more booty? Did you read A KISS IN THE WIND? Did you know there’s an epilogue the publisher decided not to include that links the book to THE SIREN’S SONG? Want to read it? Tell me so in a comment and I’ll send you s SPECIAL link!

Don’t forget to leave a comment! You could win a copy of THE SIREN’S SONG or the skull and crossbones necklace.

A KISS IN THE WIND – Release Par-Tay!

Break open the bottle of rum! Today is the official release party for my inaugural Carina Press pirate historical romance, A KISS IN THE WIND.

And to celebrate, I’m sharing the BOOTY! Adventure, a wee bit ‘o sport, ‘n treasure awaits.

• Read an excerpt here.
• Take a quiz and get an authentic pirate name.
• Ask me a question about pirates or
  
• Dunk A Wench by trying to stump me with pirate trivia.
• Above all,  leave a comment for a chance to score a copy of A KISS IN THE WIND or a pair of skull and crossbones earrings.

A Kiss in the Wind Blurb:

Marisol Castellan is in trouble–again. Against her pirate father’s orders, she snuck off their ship to intercept a message meant for a rival captain, one that offers a clue to the whereabouts of her estranged brother Monte.

Pirate captain Blade Tyburn is not pleased to find the letter he’s been waiting for is missing. He’s even less pleased when he discovers the thief is a raven-haired beauty who bewitches his senses and muddles his thinking. The note gives the location of a silver-laden ship that’ll make his fortune; Blade must find it, and if that means bringing Marisol along on the voyage, so be it.

Marisol believes Monte sails on the very ship Blade is to meet and strikes a deal with the handsome rogue. If he will give her passage to her brother, she will give him the exact location he needs. And both will get more than they expected…

One of my favorite lines in the book:

“You have stolen not one, but several items that belong to me. You wounded one of my men. And…” Blade stepped in close to Marisol, close enough that her breath fell on his face. “You tried to kill me. I don’t believe you are in a position to argue.”

“Maim you.”

“What?”

The tips of her lips curved up into an impish grin. “I tried to maim you.”

What a devil of a woman. Cloaked in beauty, she was wicked. Wicked and deceptive and, oh so close to finding herself naked beneath him. He groaned inwardly. He wanted her, despite the urge to strangle her. And that peeved him.

More favorite lines:

“Blazes.” Henri grumbled, grunting from the effort of climbing the ladder with his lame leg. At the top, he paused long enough to scowl at the offending steps. He toddled over. “What’s gotten into the lass? She came flyin’ down the ladder an’ nearly plowed me down. You go an’ make her mad, Tyburn?”

“What makes you think that?”

“She was sayin’ somethin’ ‘bout a capt’n needin’ to grow some ballocks.”

And yet another favorite:

Blade had taught Marisol many new things. He had more to offer, no doubt. His company, his imminence, the trust she placed in him, it was like a strong bottle of the finest liquor. Too much of him and she could become drunk, a

slobbering, moon-eyed drunk. Hear, Hear! To a plentiful cup of Tyburn.

Click HERE for your copy of A KISS IN THE WIND.

*And for a special treat, you can HEAR A SAMPLE of the book as well.  It’s also available in audio form through Audible. How cool is that?

Don’t forget to leave a comment! You could win a copy of A KISS IN THE WIND or the skull and crossbones earrings.

Update! Winners! Melanie Macek is the winner of a copy of A Kiss In The Wind. Susan Muller is the winner of the skull and crossbones earrings. Congrats, ladies. And thanks for your support!

A Book Signing to Remember (despite the spinning room)

Song of the Day: She Will Be Loved – Maroon 5

A few weeks ago, before the madness of the holidays consumed me, I participated in my first ever official book signing. with romantic suspense authors Melissa Ohnoutka and Will Graham. It was a grand event held at Drew’s Pastry Place. A pastry shop you might ask.  Yes, we meet there, along with fellow MuseTracker, Stacey, every Friday. Drew’s support of our merry band affectionately dubbed The Usual Suspects is amazing and it only made sense to have our signing there.

Like relatives who cause you severe mental anguish by forcing upon you an endless slide show of their vacation to *insert boring, mind-draining destination here*, I am sharing my experience with you. And what a great turn-out we had! So many family, friends, and even a few fans came out to support us.

Let me begin with a reminder. You may remember from a previous blog post, Dressing the Part – Corsets, Torture, & Voyeuristic Pirates, that I intended to dress as a pirate wench for books signings and bought a corset. Investment, I said. After my dear hubby cinched me up and I was on my way to the signing, I learned a valuable lesson. Corsets and driving do not mix. Take a moment, if you will, close your eyes and visually imagine my distress –back straight as an arrow, boobs doing the steering, cursing each right light…

I digress.

For your viewing pleasure, I give you a pictorial of the book signing.

Quick! Take the blasted picture before I pass out! Must...smile..then breathe...

The Authors in question. Melissa Ohnoutka, Will Graham, and yours truly.

The set-up. Each of us were given flowers, a lovely gift from a fellow writer. Thanks, Nancy!

It all felt surreal. I iz real author now.

Supportive friends!

Who's that behind Melissa? Best-selling author Christie Craig showing us the love.

Enjoying a rum ball. Yum!

The beautiful cake Drew whipped up for us.

We couldn't cut the cake without Drew. I won't mention why he was grinning so, but I will say it wasn't because we gushed about his creation.

The Usual Suspects. It was so wonderful to share the signing with such great friends.

I couldn’t have asked for a more spectacular book signing.  Despite the corset, I didn’t pass out from lack of oxygen and managed to stay quite coherent throughout. Once my boobs drove us home, I was so glad to have hubby un-harness me. But you know, I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

‘Twas the Night Before Christmas – the Remix

Song of the Day: Christmas / Sarajevo 12/24 by Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Twinkle, Twinkle

‘Twas the night before Christmas,
When all through the house
Not a creature was stirring,
Not even my computer mouse;

The pc screen glowed blank
With all creativity ka-put,
My Muse took a holiday
From inspiring my book;

The NaNo craze had ended
I’m in edits knee deep,
While visions of ‘the end’
Dance out of reach;

Exhausted from writer’s block,
And with my sleep mask,
I had just curled in bed
For a short cat nap;

When out on the street
There arose such a thunder,
I sprang from my bed
To see what was the rumble.

Aren't I a cutie?

Away to the window
In bunny slippers I sprang,
I stumbled and tripped
And drew back the drape.

The vapor lamps casting pools
Of pale light on the street
Gave the luster of mystery
To objects beneath,

When, what to my wondering eyes
Caught my sight,
But a red ragtop muscle car,
And eight Harley bikes,

Well, hello there!

With a super hot driver
His disheveled hair swept
I knew in a moment
It must be Johnny Depp.

More handsome in person
His buds they came,
And I whistled and squealed
As he called them by name.

“Now Brad! Now Gerard!
Now Colin and Bradley!
On Ryan! On Daniel!
On Jude and Robert Downy!

To the edge of the curb!
To the end of the way!
Now pull over! Pull over!
Pull over here, I say!”

As the growl of engines
Revved and roared,
Testosterone oozed
From their very cores;

Oh, look. Mistletoe!

So up to my house
The hotties they drove,
With Johnny in the lead
Of this dreamy treasure trove.

And then in an instant,
I heard them out front,
The back-slapping and laughing
Of each manly hunk.

As I wiped the drool
And raced to the den,
In sauntered Johnny
A true perfect Ten.

He was dressed all in leather
From his head to his boots
Just like Jack Sparrow
He was lip-smacking good.

A bundle of goodies
He had flung on his back,
And his t-shirt strained
Against a nice six-pack.

His eyes – how they seared!
His lips, how inviting!
His jaw line so strong,
His smirk too enticing!

Who? Me?

His russet goatee
Was trimmed just right
And his dark tousled hair
Gilded in the firelight;

The butt of a cigarette
He held tight in his teeth,
And he took off his jacket
And rolled up his sleeves;

Leather wristbands and tattoos,
And flawless firm rear,
Completing the package
All but brought me to tears.

He was lean and fit,
A right sexy heartbreaker,
And I fanned my face,
As ideas struck my story maker.

A wink of his eye
And I nearly swooned,
Naughty or nice?
My thoughts lampooned;

He spoke not a word
But went straight to his work,
And left festive presents
As I giggled and lurked,

Hark the hearld angels sing...

And smiling to me
My Muse had more than awaken,
And giving a nod,
Johnny left me a-quaking.

He hopped in his convertible,
Gave a whistle to his team,
And away they all drove,
Leaving me to scheme.

But I heard him exclaim
Ere he drove out of sight,
“Happy Christmas Writing to all.
And to all a good night.”

Dressing the Part – Corsets, Torture, & Voyeuristic Pirates

Song of the Day: Pain by Three Days Grace

The woman, a complete stranger, left me winded, dizzy. Like a thief, she stole my breath away and along with it, my good sense. Reining me into her designs armed with nothing more than a scrap of leather.

What’s this all about?

Since my passion is writing fun, steamy, adventuresome pirate romances, I’ve been toying with the idea of dressing the part – for appearances and book signings, of course. Last week, I visited a boutique, The Spotted Pony, in historic Old Town Spring. The shop specializes in Renaissance and pirate paraphernalia, including authentic clothing. Its proprietor is a saucy sort, old enough to be my grandmother and sharp of tongue. She was eager to help me once I explained why I was shopping in her unique store. In hindsight, she might have been too eager.

She produced a leather corset from behind the counter. An investment, she insisted. Now, I recently lost 40 pounds, but when she said the corset was a size 30 in the waist, I laughed. She suggested it was too big. I disagreed considering I couldn’t get the damned thing to latch around my ribcage. I wondered if I might have peeved the woman for chuckling as she slapped down on the counter a corset the next size smaller. She was either a witchy woman ready to deliver spite upon me or a tarot card short of a complete deck.

She had me unlace the corset while she rang out another customer. When I misunderstood and removed the laces instead, she chastised me with a wag of her finger and the shake of her head. Hey, in my defense, I write about taking these things off, not putting them on.

I followed her to the not-so-private dressing room. Ironically, I shared the space with a life-size cutout of Will Turner from the Pirates of the Caribbean. Not that I minded. After finally attaching the first button (I swear it took five whole minutes!), I was drenched in sweat. Oh, but we had only just begun.

The crazy proprietor tells me to turn around so she can lace me up. Tugging away, she tells me she has arthritis and may not be able to tighten the corset completely. Really? Imagine, if you will, the scene in Gone With The Wind with Mammy lacing Scarlett’s corset. All that yanking and cringing … I’m holding onto the door jam, giggling like a crazed fool, as the lunatic conducts torture with her arthritic hands. I half expected her to brace her foot against the wall for leverage as hard as she pulled. It’s all fun and games until someone cracks a rib.

All blood flow had been cut off to my brain, my vision blurred with the spinning of the room. Breathing had become a luxury and came only in short gasps. Good grief, by the time she was done, my boobs, which is one of my better assets, were eye level. I needed mirrors and a guide dog to walk across the room. No doubt the contraption was created by a man. Speaking of which, this is when I noticed the twenty-something man lingering by the same racks he’d been browsing before we started this cruel and unusual punishment. Hmm…

Perfect! the delightfully batty shopkeeper claimed. The lack of oxygen must have caused a momentary lapse in reasoning because I agreed. I bought the “investment”.

The things we do for our craft.

Have you ever dressed the part for your stories or bought something to help inspire you? Let me hear from you, but speak up. I can’t hear you over this heavy breathing.

Unicorns, Profanity, and Sexist Pirates – The Bright Side of a Bad Review

Song of the Day: Cold by Crossfade

It was bound to happen sooner or later. It was only a matter of time.

Last week, I found that I had been pirated. I’m wondering if this means I’ve made the big time now that bootlegs of Blood And Treasure are  available? So, I Googled my name. That’s when I saw it.

My first unfavorable review. ACK!

Don’t get me wrong, I knew I’d have to face the inevitable. I’m not so disillusioned to think someone wouldn’t come along and burst my shiny bubble floating around my castle in the sky and scare off my herd of magical unicorns. Even the greats like King, Roberts, and Patterson get dissed. The nerve. Fact is, as this novel made its round in the contest circuit, judges either loved it or hated it. Rarely was there an in-between. It goes without saying the same would likely hold true with reviewers.

The voices in my head warned me not to click the link. But did I listen? Hell no. I had to know how Blood And Treasure fared, especially since this was a pretty well-known review site and I hadn’t sought out their service in the first place. (The review site will remain anonymous to protect the innocent.)

So what did the critic say?

The reviewer chose not to finish reading the book. Ouch! Someone call a medic. I’ve just been hit.

Okay, okay. So, it just wasn’t her cup of rum. Got it.

She went on to say that sexist comments caused her jaw to drop and left her

Stacey & I wondering WTF. You didn't know we look like celebrities, did you?

thinking WTF. I was having my own WTF moment reading this. Then she pulled an excerpt from the book to prove her point. It’s an internal thought by the pirate hero, Captain Zane Fox.

“Possessive, helpless, maniacal, devious, selfish, any one of these words could describe a woman. They could be tender in your embrace or calculating in your bed. And never to be trusted. […] And yet, Lianna was different.”

It dawned on me, albeit slowly, that she just did something for me. She quoted my book. Cool! Still, I was bummed. Maybe I’d take up drinking heavily. Oh wait…

Moving on. Upon closer inspection of her review, I realized it wasn’t so bad. She didn’t say the story sucked wind or that a second-grader has better grammar. In fact, it seemed she had nothing else to say about the book at all. Just that I’m sexist.

Jack Sparrow - Is he politically incorrect? Do you care if he is?

I do take exception to the name calling. Or rather, Captain Fox does. I did mention he is a pirate, right? A pirate! WTF? Whoever heard of a politically correct pirate? Aside from that, let’s not forget the time period. Newsflash. Unjust as it was, women were historically viewed as either manipulative creatures looking to trap a man in her snare, a vessel to brood children, or tarts to shag. Gasp! Did I just say that? Perceptions of women didn’t fully change until recent decades. (Here, give me a hand down from this soap box, will ya.)

All in all, I don’t think my first bad review was all that bad. She is certainly entitled to her opinion, and I completely respect her appraisal. I raise another cup of rum to her and thank her for the exposure.

Do you have a bad review you’d like to share? How about a WTF contest comment? I’d love to hear from you.

Blood & Treasure

Song of the Day: Celebration by Kool & the Gang

Since the inception of this blog, I’ve been giving my unique thoughts, tips, and advice on writing. I’ve also bared my soul as I trek down the road to publication. Documenting my journey, I’ve rejoiced, bemoaned, reflected and cracked a few jokes along the way.

Some months back, I came to a crossroads of sorts. Do I continue to pursue my dreams of being traditionally published? After all, I’ve generated pretty good interest in the industry with my stories, winning a few contests to boot. Or do I want to get off this path weaving through an endless, if not frustrating, labyrinth and self-publish? Weighing the two avenues is the subject of so many blogs and debates. Ultimately, it is a personal decision.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a control freak. (I hear some of you snickering.) Being in control of my career just makes sense. I’ve done my time and I’ve done my research.

And so, with my face to the sun and a spring in my step, I took the self-publishing road. There is still uncertainty ahead, but I am sure of foot and confident in my travels.

Without further ado, I give you BLOOD AND TREASURE, book #1 in the Romancing The Pirate Series.

Available now at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords.

Thank you to all the MuseTrackers out there who have supported me.

Diving into E-Publishing

Song of the Day: Fly From the Inside by Shinedown

There is a great deal of excitement buzzing around lately about e-publishing. Authors across genres are casting a favorable eye toward this now viable form of publishing. More and more authors who have been making good money with traditional publishers are jumping ship in favor of more control and ultimately more income.

Add to that, many respectable authors are advocating digital books, hollering at you to pay attention to the shifting tides of the industry. Chief among them is Joe Konrath. If you haven’t already, check out his take on e-publishing. He puts it all in perspective in a series of eye-opening blogs.  Other authors at the bullhorn are Dean Wesley Smith, Barry Eisler, and even Bob Mayer.

There is no doubt e-books are the wave of the future. With Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Createspace, and Smashwords, it’s easier than ever to break into publishing.

The fever from reading blogs, writing communities, and pioneering friends is infectious. Many of us are weighing the idea of wading in the e-pub pool. I say – Great!

But, are you ready?

Don’t swim within 30 minutes of eating. In other words, just because you’ve finished a book doesn’t mean you are ready to smack that baby on Amazon. Hold up. Take a hard look at your work. Have you polished your masterpiece to the best of your abilities? Have you had a million eyes plus two look at your story? Not just friends and family, but people you trust will give their critical and constructive feedback.

Wear the appropriate swimming attire. Make sure you are marketable. By that I mean know who your audience is. Will you appeal to that market? How will you stand out among other authors in your market? You must also either hire someone to design an eye-catching book cover or learn to create your own. Either way, the key is to capture the attention of the reader as well as mimic the essence of the story. Build a web presence. In this digital arena, it is a must to have a website and/or a blog. Readers need to be able to find you, learn more about you, and connect with you. That’s one way to build a fan base. You can’t expect people to find you in an ocean of other storytellers without some kind of name recognition.

Put on your floaties. You’ll need staying power. Digital publishing moves faster than traditional publishing. Readers want instant gratification. If they like your book, they are going to want more. Will you be able to give it to them? Be prepared to offer readers more such as a blurb or excerpt from an upcoming release, even if you are still in the writing stage. Think outside the box!

Slather on the sunscreen. Because once you are out there, you will be subjected to the harsh reality not everyone will like your book.

And don’t pee in the water. Always be gracious when interacting with reviewers, readers, industry professional, and other authors. This is common sense.

Dip your toes in first. Do your research. Make sure e-publishing is right for you. It’s not just about making a book available for online purchase. You can’t expect the currents to guide you. You still need to man the oars, check wind directions, scrape off barnacles, and navigate. You are responsible for promoting yourself and your career. Participate in blogs, submit to review sites, scratch a few backs, and NETWORK.

Wait for the right wave. If you are unsure you are ready to cannonball into e-publishing then be patient. Remember, there will always be readers. But often, we only have one chance to impress.

Me? I’ve got my snorkel and fins and will be joining the tides of e-publishing soon. Stay tuned. I’ll be blogging all about my journey.

Hump Day Kick Start

Song of the Day: Welcome to the Jungle by Guns N’ Roses

First, I want to give a hearty welcome to MuseTrack’s newest member, Stacey Purcell. She’s a spunky gal and I am confident you will find her a worthy addition to the MuseTrack family. Be looking for her first post soon!

Now, for what you’ve been waiting for, today’s kick start.

Hey, watch where you point that thing!

So folks, who is he? Cop? Bodyguard? Club owner? Man on the run? Where is he? A hotel? His bedroom? A woman’s bedroom? A yacht? What’s he doing? Is he ready to play rough? Resting before a big take down? Polishing his gun? (gasp) Just look at the way he’s looking at you. Tell me what he’s thinking.

I’d love to hear from you.