Sneak Peek of Astarte's Wrath Cover

I'm alive! I feel like I must jump up and down and scream that to prove it. I cannot tell you how hard this past week has been. Editing, editing, editing, revising, revising, revising. *dies* But in the end, it's totally worth it.

All right. I'll be hosting a cover reveal over at YA Bound for Astarte's Wrath: A Kythan Guardians Novel on April 2! I'd love for everyone to sign up! You can send an email to YABoundGirls @gmail.com with Astarte's Wrath Cover Reveal in the subject line. And then YOU will have a first look at the cover hehe.

Here's a little sneak peek...because I'm too freakin' excited and impatient to wait much longer. Enjoy!

Streamline by Jennifer Lane Launch Party! GIVEAWAY

Super congrats to my awesome pub sister the very cool Jennifer Lane on her release of Streamline! Happy book birthday! I'm so excited for her! Make sure to check out the excerpt and giveaway below, and to help spread the word!

Paperback

Published March 27th 2012 by Omnific Publishing

Seems like Leo Scott has it all: looks, brains, and athletic talent. He’s captain of his high school swim team with a bright future in college and beyond. But Leo has secrets. His mother’s crippling car accident has devastated his family and left Leo to deal with his father’s abuse, battered and alone.

Leo’s girlfriend Audrey Rose is poised for her own share of success. As one of Florida’s top high school swimmers, Audrey dreams of college swimming stardom. But there’s an obstacle to her glorious rise to the top. Her number-one supporter--her father--is in prison for murder.

Part murder mystery, part tale of young love in a military family, this gripping story takes readers on a journey from Pensacola to Annapolis. Leo and Audrey must band together to rise above the adversity they encounter and find their true selves in the process. When everything’s on the line . . . streamline.

Excerpt:

Nevington and Leo marched into the office, both turning to face Lt. Darnell Keaton exactly in unison.

She rose from her chair and returned their salutes. Despite his circumstances, she was one of the prettiest women Leo had ever seen. She’d pulled her ash blond hair back into a neat bun, and her blue eyes shone in the afternoon sunlight streaming through the window. She had full lips, and her tan uniform hugged her lean figure.

“Company Commander Viva Nevington and Midshipman Fourth Class Leo Scott requesting your assistance with a disciplinary matter, ma’am,” Nevington said.

Leo trembled as his superior’s eyes mowed him down. You can do this. Would this be his last day in uniform?

“What happened, Ms. Nevington?” Lieutenant Keaton asked.

“Midshipman Scott assaulted Section Leader Sour, ma’am.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “Assaulted?”

“He punched Mr. Sour in the face, ma’am.”

Her eyes glinted with anger. “Is this the same Midshipman Scott I’ve been reading about in your reports, Ms. Nevington—the plebe acing every academic and physical fitness test you’ve thrown at him?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“The same plebe you’ve been bragging about?”

Nevington winced. “Yes, ma’am.”

The lieutenant turned her frosty stare back to Leo. “Talk, Mr. Scott.”

Leo had no idea what she wanted him to say.

Jennifer's website | Goodreads | Twitter  | Facebook

Blog Tour: Guest Post by Romance Author Lisa Sanchez

Please welcome the very talented Lisa Sanchez, author of many books including Eve of Samhain, and my pub sister! Her new novella, Cursing Athena, released this month, and she's here to share with us where the writing magic happens. Take it away, Lisa!

Lisa~

Morning, peeps! I’m so excited to be here today and would like to give a big cyber hug to Trisha for letting me crash her blog and hang out with all of you.

I’m currently on tour with my latest release, Cursing Athena (a shmexy paranormal romance novella), and thought it would be fun to give you all a sneaky peak into my writing cave. You know, show you where the magic happens.

So, without further ado… BEHOLD! I give you:

My comfy chair! That’s right, people. I do ninety percent of my writing in my very squishy, and very comfortable recliner. In a perfect world, I’d have a special room with a fancy desk and locked door where I could hide away all day and write to my heart’s content. But, of course, the world isn’t perfect, and though I don’t have a desk, I’m pretty darn happy with my writing station. I can kick up my feet, snuggle with my puppy while I type, and if I happen to get a little sleepy while working, I can always close my laptop, lay back and catch some zzz’s. Yeah, baby!

You’ll notice I said I do ninety percent of my writing in my recliner. The other ten percent is done at my kitchen table.

Every once in a while, my body likes to protest and complain about the long hours of sitting and typing I put it through––usually with a sore neck. It’s on these uncomfortable days that I can be found pounding away at the keys while sitting at my kitchen table. And just like when I’m sitting in my chair, my pup will hop onto my lap and keep me company while I’m creating.

Gotta say, folks: there’s not much better than having a furry friend to keep you company while you write. Look at that face!! So sweet!!!

Lisa Sanchez is a California cheer mom taxiing her way through life, one car ride at a time. Along with chauffer, she sports several job titles, including, but not limited to: author, chef, seamstress, videographer, nurse, enforcer, and general slave to her three daughters.

The first two books in her Hanaford Park series (Eve Of Samhain, Pleasures Untold) are published with Omnific Publishing. The third book, Faythe Reclaimed, is currently on submission. Her erotic suspense, Obsessed was published March 29th 2011 with Loose Id. 

Author website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

For Danika, the only thing worse than going commando while wearing a fugly, silver bodysuit, was dealing with her deadbeat, ex-husband James. Catcalls, unwanted groping and lecherous stares weren’t really her cup of tea either, but she’d endure all of it and more if her new job serving cocktails at Masquerade meant ridding herself of his mountain of debt. It was just a job, after all, and what choice did she have with James' creditors breathing down her neck? What she didn't bargain for, however, was falling heels-over-head in lust with a two-hundred-plus pound, shape-shifting immortal from Ancient Greece.

On a mission to take down a parasitic demon, Ty doesn't have time for distraction. Not even when that distraction could prove to be his possible lifemate in the form of sweet, innocent, yet sexy-as-hell Danika. But when the leech he’s hunting goes after the cocktail waitress, all bets are off. Unable to resist her siren call any longer, Ty surrenders himself to Danika, body and soul, treating them both to a night they'll never forget.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble 

Cover Reveal: My Super Sweet 16th Century by Rachel Harris

Doing just one cover reveal for my amazing CP over at YA Bound is just not enough! I have to shout, and scream, and jump up and down everywhere I can...or at least everywhere I can all over the Internet ;p

Rachel Harris is my awesome critique partner, one of my closest friends, and she's an amazingly talented writer. To the point of making you sick with envy, you guys. This girl has some serious mad skills. And to prove it, I'm dropping an excerpt here. Right now. Of one of my favorite scenes of My Super Sweet 16th Century. Girls, hold onto to your hearts, Lor (by the way, he's mine) is coming to steal them.

And check out the fab cover! I love the sun glasses. They are SO Cat! Can't wait for you guys to get to meet her =)

 On the precipice of her sixteenth birthday, the last thing lone wolf Cat Crawford wants is an extravagant gala thrown by her bubbly stepmother and well-meaning father. So even though Cat knows the family’s trip to Florence, Italy, is a peace offering, she embraces the magical city and all it offers. But when her curiosity leads her to an unusual gypsy tent, she exits . . . right into Renaissance Firenze.

Thrust into the sixteenth century armed with only a backpack full of contraband future items, Cat joins up with her ancestors, the sweet Alessandra and protective Cipriano, and soon falls for the gorgeous aspiring artist Lorenzo. But when the much-older Niccolo starts sniffing around, Cat realizes that an unwanted birthday party is nothing compared to an unwanted suitor full of creeptastic amore.

Can she find her way back to modern times before her Italian adventure turns into an Italian forever?

Rachel's website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

Excerpt:

Alessandra jerks back like I just suggested she prance around the square naked or something. “No! I believe I understand your meaning, and Lorenzo is certainly not my suitor. He is like a brother to me—the three of us grew up together.”

She resumes walking and I fall in step beside her, understanding there has to be more to the story. And as we near the end of the row, I finally ask, “If you’re not into the guy, then what’s the problem?”

At that same moment, a rich, deep chuckle hits my ears. My stomach involuntarily clenches and my gaze sharpens on the back of this mysterious Lorenzo.

Alessandra sighs. “That is the problem.” She places her hand on my arm and solemnly looks me in the eyes. “You must be careful. Lorenzo is beautiful, and it is not uncommon for a girl to walk away from meeting him with a piece of her heart left behind. But he is just eighteen, and not yet ready for marriage.”

I roll my eyes and laugh, then realize she’s serious. “Yeah, I assure you, there’s no danger on my end. I’m not exactly looking for marriage myself.” Because that would be crazy-town.

Alessandra wrinkles her nose as if she doesn’t believe me, but she removes her hand. We close the distance and Cipriano flashes me an open, honest to goodness, lighthearted smile.

“Lorenzo, this is the cousin I was telling you about.”

Slowly the guy turns and I fall head first into the richest chocolate-brown eyes I’ve ever seen. He blinks and long, luscious lashes feather across his bronzed cheeks. I can feel myself gawking, but I physically can’t drag my eyes away. Lorenzo doesn’t smirk or act all conceited, either. He simply stares back, his eyes casually skimming over me, causing my skin to warm and break out in a whole body tingle.

Time seems to stop, and the sounds of the market mute. Alessandra was right. This boy is beautiful.

And he’s looking at me.

Writing...Sometimes it's hard

After completing four books in just under two years, you'd think I'd have this whole writing a book thing down. Huh, exactly the opposite. I find I'm questioning myself more than I ever have before. I've written and rewritten the same paragraphs over and over, backspacing every time I finally get something down. What is this sudden stage fright-y feeling?

I have no idea, but I do know that I need to kick myself in the ass and get over it. With that, I've been working on the novella, which may or may not turn into a book, for the DF series. I think I'm really falling in love with these new characters, and want to show more of their story. But I'll have to see how time works out while also working on DF 2.

Here's the painstakingly short paragraphs from the beginning of Astarte's Wrath that took me, no lie, five hours. Do you guys get all freaked out, even while writing a review, and feel like it's impossible to get anything down? Maybe if I put this out into the world, it will force me to get my butt moving and get it done. *downs two cans of Coke back-to-back* Here's hoping...

 

Chapter One

Whenever the sky bleeds, covering the once-blue pallet with crimson, and the bright ball of fire burns through billowy puffs of white, staining them and the earth in hues of red-orange and amber…and ash floats on a non-existent breeze, I know the Narcolym Guardians are waging a battle.

            Shuttering my window, I unloose the hemp thread, and a sheer curtain veils the sand-covered horizon from my vision. My fingers trail the cream fabric, the tips tracing the darkening clouds against the light material as my other hand curls into a fist by my thigh, dousing the swirling vortex rising up at the charge in the air.

            “Star…?”

            Astarte, I correct inwardly, but pinch my lips closed. “Yes, Habi?”

            Habi’s footsteps echo throughout the mud-brick room as he approaches. “It’s time…”