April The Year of the Sheep Giveaway

Here we are again...time for more Year of the Sheep fun. Let's say Congratulations to our three March winners:

Prize pack #1 Dawn Cavenee

Prize pack #2 Jamie Lynn Lester​

Prize pack #3 ​Jo Jones​

Link to what they won
http://www.ismellsheep.com/2015/03/the-year-of-sheep-march-giveaway.html

Time for the April Year of the Sheep giveaway

There are special entries for sheeples who go that extra mile to prove their love. You can sheepify a picture. If you are still confused about what or how to do this check out two of our followers ideas!

(left) Joleene Naylor sheepified three of her vampire characters! (in all fairness, she is also an artist. We don't expect this level of sheepifying from everyone <G>)

(right) Mary Kirkland took a pic of her rattie Marbles and Baaart!

And last month...the poems. Oh my flocking goodness! Y'all came through. Here are two:

Some lambs bounce and buck
through the frosty air
of a new spring dawn,
while others bay woefully
for the warmth of their mothers
and resist the call to dance.
-Sheeple Brenda R

Keep your wolves and aimless drifters--
I want books with some sheep shifters!
You don't need a psychic's channelin'
To know that sheep are smooth as lanolin.
Perhaps now that I've said my peace,
I'll see more heroes clad in fleece.
When that happens I'll be glad,
For sheepish souls just can't be...baaaaaaaaaad!
-Sheeple Koozebane

Special thanks for April's giveaways

Coastal Magic Convention 2015

Author K. D. Wood

Penguin Random House
Take a pictorial tour of Coastal Magic 2015 with I Smell Sheep! And find out what we are giving away...

Coast Magic Convention Schedule! Check it out...

http://coastalmagicconvention.com/

Take a look at all the fun authors you can meet and panels to attend. CM is coming up quick. The deadline to grab a hotel room at the discounted rate goes away Monday!!! You have till Jan 14 to register through EventBrite, but there my be an option after that. Check the website for details.

Registration through EventBrite will be closing on January 14th

 group rate with the Hilton is only valid until January 5th

 Be sure to mention our group rate code, CMBT, if you call.

To see the full schedule:

2015 CMC Schedule - Final1

note:  there might be slight changes to this schedule before the convention

Thursday, Feb 5, 2015

5pm - 10pm
Check-in / Welcome Bag Pickup (resumes 9:00am Friday and Saturday)

6pm - 12am
Game Room (board games, card games, etc.) - open to all attendees

Friday, Feb 6, 2015 

9am - 10am
All Creatures Great And Small - Vamps & Werewolves seem to top the list of UF/PNR creatures, but they are not the ONLY paranormals to steal our hearts! A chat about dragons, fae, witches, and more. - Alivia Anders, Vaughn R Demont, Jeffe Kennedy, Stephanie Julian, Rane Sjodin, Tigris Eden, Elisabeth Naughton

Non "Others" - The importance of the humans in our favorite UF/PNR stories. - Chudney Thomas, Deborah Cooke, Jess Haines, Kiernan Kelly, Jordan K Rose, Kelly Meding.

My Hero - Is your perfect hero an “alpha”? Are they “flawed”? What makes readers swoon for the leading man? - Kait Ballenger, KC Burn, Kristen Painter, Tere Michaels, Lia Davis, J A Souders

10:15am - 11:15am

Forever & Ever - Keeping a series fresh and interesting when there's no real end in sight. - Paige Tyler, Christina Farley, Angie Fox, Eric R Asher, Julie Kenner, Coreene Callahan. 

Out Of The Genre Box - Paranormal authors who also write contemporary/historical/suspense/etc. Why they do it, and what's in it for their paranormal fans? - Tigris Eden, Hildie McQueen, Seressia Glass, Donna Grant, Damon Suede, Tina Wainscott

Bite Me! - Readers' continued fascination with Vamps & Weres in UF/PNR. What's hot & what's next. - Terry Spear, Amanda Carlson, Stephanie Julian, Molly Harper, Jan DeLima, Jess Haines.

11:30am - 12:30pm
Meet & Greet - J A Souders, Tawdra Kandle, Lucienne Diver
Meet & Greet - Lisa Kessler, Lee Roland, Poppy Dennison, Kiernan Kelly
Meet & Greet - Lia Davis, Deborah Cooke, Coreene Callahan, Aria Kane, Tina Wainscott

2:15pm - 3:15pm
M Squared - Gay UF & PNR at it's best. Where to start, what's hot, and what's coming soon. - Kiernan Kelly, K C Burn, Tere Michaels, Poppy Dennison.

Urban Fantasy Rulemakers (and Rulebreakers) - Creating, and sticking to, the rules of a paranormal society. - Jenna Black, Elliott James, Amanda Carlson, Lee Roland, Kelly Meding, Nancy Holzner Elliott James

Life With An Author - Family members of Featured Authors dish about life with a loved one on deadline. - TBD

3:30pm - 4:30pm

Meet & Greet - Carrie Ann Ryan, Larissa Ione, Christopher Rice, Lexi Blake
Meet & Greet - Jaye Wells, Kelly Meding, Nancy Holzner, Paige Tyler, K C Burn
Mad Hatter Tea Party (M&G) - Hildie McQueen, Jordan K Rose, Kristen Painter, Chudney Thomas, Terry Spear

4:45pm - 5:45pm
1001 Dark Nights - Series Q&A - Larissa Ione, Carrie Ann Ryan, Donna Grant, Elizabeth Naughton, Lexi Blake, Christopher Rice, Julie Kenner

7:00pm - 10:00pm
TBD

9:00pm - 11:00pm
Cinema Craptastique - Movie Title TBD - Damon Suede, Molly Harper, Vaughn R Demont, Angie Fox, Kiernan Kelly, Jess Haines, Jeffe Kennedy - and more!!

Saturday, Feb 7, 2015 

9:00am - 10:00am
Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The End Of The World - Comedy in UF/PNR - Vaughn R Demont, Jaye Wells, Molly Harper, Angie Fox, Julie Kenner, Lee Roland

Novellas & Short Stories - Making the most of a two hour read. - Deborah Cooke, Aria Kane, Amanda Carlson, Seressia Glass, Kait Ballenger, Kristen Painter, Carrie Ann Ryan

The Perfect Villain - Bad guys we love to hate. - Coreene Callahan, Jan DeLima, Larissa Ione, Kiernan Kelly, Tina Wainscott, Jordan K Rose

10:15am - 11:15am
Wrapping It Up - Ending a series in a way that makes authors AND readers happy. Moving on to something new, and taking your fanbase. - Deborah Cooke, Lisa Kessler, Donna Grant, Christina Farley, Hildie McQueen, Carrie Ann Ryan, Maureen McGowan

The Scooby Gang - The importance of “side” or “support” characters in our favorite stories. - Kristen Painter, Stephanie Julian, Tawdra Kandle, Coreene Callahan, Paige Tyler, Jaye Wells

Been There / Done That - Stories that bust stereotypes in gay urban fantasy and paranormal romance. - Vaughn R Demont, Damon Suede, Tere Michaels, Poppy Dennison, K C Burn.

11:30am - 12:30pm
Meet & Greet - Elizabeth Naughton, Julie Kenner, Donna Grant
Meet & Greet - Angie Fox, Molly Harper, Damon Suede, Rane Sjodin
Meet & Greet - Jan DeLima, Elliott James, Jeffe Kennedy, Stephanie Julian

12:30pm - 2:00pm
Lunch with an Author

2:15pm - 3:15pm
Paranormal Mystery - Who Dunnit? An intro to the cozy(ish) subgenre. - Lexi Blake, Angie Fox, Jaye Wells, Rane Sjodin, Poppy Dennison

PC in UF/PNR - How authors incorporate or avoid political and social issues in their stories. - Kelly Meding, Nancy Holzner, Terry Spear, J A Souders, Jenna Black, Maureen McGowan, Elisabeth Naughton

Man Up! - Panel of male UF/PNR authors discuss how they approach storytelling. Is there any difference from their female counterparts? - Eric R Asher, Vaughn R Demont, Elliott James, Christopher Rice

3:30pm - 4:30pm
Flash Fiction - Authors create a fast-paced, on-the-spot story using prompts from the audience. - Damon Suede, Lucienne Diver, Kiernan Kelly, Nancy Holzner, Lisa Kessler, Alivia Anders, Jeffe Kennedy

5:00pm - 7:30pm
Public Book Sale / Signing

9:00pm - 1:00am
Mixer

Sunday, Feb 8, 2015 

9:00am - 10:00am
Charity raffle basket winners announced. Winners can pick up baskets until 12:00pm. Alternate winners will be selected between 12:00pm and 2:00pm.

10:00am - 11:00am
Mythology, Fairy Tales, & Legends - The stories that inspire our stories. Which of the old tales are most used, and best used. How to make them work in today's UF/PNR. - Lia Davis, Aria Kane, Seressia Glass, Larissa Ione, Tigris Eden, Jeffe Kennedy, Lee Roland

Kick-Ass Heroines - Our favorite leading ladies . How important is it to have a heroine who is both soft and strong? - Paige Tyler, Jess Haines, Christina Farley, Tawdra Kandle, Lucienne Diver, Jan DeLima, Julie Kenner

How REAL Is Your FANTASY? - How far can you push the boundries of a “believable” paranormal story. What's the research process like, and how much does the FBI know? - Eric R Asher, Nancy Holzner, J A Souders, Maureen McGowan, Terry Spear, Chudney Thomas, Rane Sjodin

11:15am - 12:15pm
Meet & Greet - Alivia Anders, Christina Farley, Maureen McGowan, Jenna Black

Create The Perfect Cover! - Author Activity - Ever wonder what goes into the making a great cover? From title to graphics, you will create a masterpiece for the authors. In this interactive event, readers will work alongside authors to create the perfect cover for their books. - Hildie McQueen, Jordan K Rose, Chudney Thomas

Meet & Greet - Eric R Asher, Jess Haines, Tere Michaels, Kait Ballenger

12:30pm - 1:30pm
Soundtracks / Playlists - The groove behind some of our favorite characters and stories. - Tigris Eden, Aria Kane, Alivia Anders, Tawdra Kandle, Lia Davis

Authors In The Audience - Full panel of authors with questions for YOU!!! - Hildie McQueen, Lee Roland, Tina Wainscott, Jenna Black, Eric R Asher, Larissa Ione

Little Thing Called Love - Balancing a great (hot) romance within the worldbuilding of paranormal romance. - Christopher Rice, Lucienne Diver, Chudney Thomas, Terry Spear, Lexi Blake, Lisa Kessler

1:30pm - 2:00pm
Farewell - Informal chat about what worked at this year's con, and what we can improve on for Coastal Magic 2016. Authors and readers welcome!

And the best part...you get to meet Sharon and Katie! We will be gearing up for The Year of the Sheep. Get your Year of the Sheep World Domination Picture with us and declare your love of I Smell Sheep*

*no blood sacrifices will be accepted, but man-candy or candy in general will be...I like chocolate and Bit-O-Honey...just saying.

Character Confessions: June Heal (Magical Cures Mystery Series by Tonya Kappes) + giveaway

I know there are some paranormal mystery fans out there! Today we have June Heal the heroine in Tonya Kappes' paranormal mystery series. I'm always interested in what characters think of their writers. And some how they always end up bringing up their sex life. Let's see what June has to say...

Interviewer: Welcome June Heal to the blog today. She is the main character in the USA Today bestselling series, Magical Cures Mystery. There are six novels and two novellas, so if you haven’t had the opportunity to grab this series….do! You won’t be disappointed.

June Heal: Thank you so much for having me here today. It isn’t everyday that I get a request for an interview. Usually it’s Tonya talking for me.


Interviewer: I’m glad to have you and Tonya here today.
Tonya: We are happy to be here. Well, I’m just going to sit here and listen in so you two can conduct your interview. I mean. . .you kinda have to have me here to talk to June since she lives in my head.
*June rolls her eyes and brushes her bangs to the side.*


Interviewer: (clears throat and adjusts her body language toward June, ignoring Tonya) Tell me one thing you wish, after six novels, that Tonya would add to your storyline.
June: Ahem. I am finally engaged to Oscar Park and without spelling it out on the page or even playing it her head, we’ve had sex. But I want it on the page. I want to feel it. I want our magic in our real lives to come across as magic in the bedroom.
Tonya: (raises her pointer finger in the air like she’s in the classroom) I get that you want a sex scene. But that is not what I had promised in the Magical Cures Mystery series. I promised a fantasy and paranormal village in a world full of mortals. It’s an escape into fantasy, not fantasy sex or a guest post in Hustler Magazine.
June: Have you read your own description of Oscar? He’s freakin’ hot. I mean on fire hot and I just get a “the next morning” tag after you lead to a night of sex. I’m getting jipped.
Tonya: I don’t think the sex is a big part of the story. I think it’s all about the mystery and paranormal fantasy aspect that readers like. They enjoy getting lost in a magical village full of witches, potions, and magic.


Interviewer: Okay. Maybe we should move on.
June: Now that you opened a can of worms, I also think Tonya truly wants to be me.
Tonya: What??
June: It’s true. You gave me bangs, brown hair, a Fairy-God cat that acts like Kitty Kappes, Tonya’s real cat. And you are always plotting fictitious potions in your head to people who kinda piss you off.
Tonya: (plants palm on forehead) Did you really have to say that out loud?
June: Well, I do live in your head and all your thoughts roll around in there. Trust me, you are not going to get a new Jeep for Christmas so you better get that thought out of there because I’m so sick of listening to it.


Interviewer: June, tell us about your Fairy-God Cat.
June: That is one thing I love that Tonya did. Mr. Prince Charming is delightful. He showed up on my tenth birthday. Oscar and I thought he was a stray and years later I found out he was sent by the Order of Elders to protect me from the mortal world until I found out my lineage.


Interviewer: What is your lineage?
June: I’m a homeopathic curist, or as the mortals like to say, a witch who makes potions. I own a cute little shop in Whispering Falls, KY called A Charming Cure. I have a wonderful gift of intuition and when a customer comes in to get a homeopathic remedy, I get a sense of what is really wrong with them and add a little potion to heal the problem.


Interviewer: Sometimes this has gotten you in trouble and thrown you in the middle of a murder investigation.
June: It has, which Tonya is good at doing. Luckily I’m able to put together the clues and get them solved, but not without a lot of hard work. I also have to rely on Madame Torres to help me out.


Interviewer: Who is that?
June: Madame Torres is my crystal ball. A little snarky at times, most of the time, but she does come through for me. (June turns to Tonya) Why do you make Madame Torres so smart alec?
Tonya: Madame Torres brings a personality to the series that no other secondary character could do. She’s able to be loyal, but on the other hand give you snide remarks while helping you. She’s that friend you can always count on. The one who will never tell your deepest secrets and always be there for you. She will never turn on June or do anything to hurt the love and trust the two have. Madame Torres might give June a hard time, but it is all in fun.
June: I’m not saying I don’t trust her with my life, but she’s so demanding. Then if she doesn’t get her way, she’ll just disappear in that glass ball of hers. (June shakes her head)


Interviewer: June, what is another quality about Tonya you wish you could change?
June: She’s crabby and she drinks too much coffee.
Tonya: Me? Crabby? Coffee I’ll give you, but crabby?
June: (cocks a brow) I have really good ideas that you don’t want to listen too or entertain. You don’t even write them down for future novels.
Tonya: Because you do it at three o’clock AM! If you waited a couple more hours, we might have something, but 3 AM!
June: That is the only time that is mine. You have all those other people from all the other mysteries you write screaming over top of each other, three AM is the only time I get by myself.
(Tonya groans)

Interviewer: There you have it folks. The true relationship between June Heal and author Tonya Kappes.

A Charming Crime (Magical Cures Mystery Series Book 1) Length: 320 pages 

FREE

***2013 eFestival of Words Fantasy Novel Winner from USA Today Bestseller Tonya Kappes***

Bubble... Bubble...

June Heal has nothing to lose when she relocates her homeopathic cure shop, A Dose of Darla, from the flea market booth in her home town, to a quaint shop in the cozy but unusual little town of Whispering Falls, Kentucky. Or so it seems.

Cures and trouble...

Whispering Falls has a lot of secrets. From talking snow globes to whispering animals not to mention a few sprinkles of fairy dust, June realizes Whispering Falls is more magical than she thought. . .literally.

Magic stirs...

June discovers she was born into a family of psychics, and her homeopathic cures truly are magical. Unfortunately, they are not magical enough to save her from being the number one murder suspect when a member of the community that she had just had a disagreement with shows up face down in the lake with June’s lucky charm in the victim’s grasp.

And troubles double...

Add to that an attraction to her high school best friend, Sheriff Oscar Park and Mr. Prince Charming, her cat, is stealing charms from Belle’s Baubles, June is forced to clear her name in more ways than murder. After all, they don’t have cauldrons in jail.

A Charming Crime is book one of the bestselling Magical Cures Mystery series. Come walk around Whispering Falls for a fun, fantasy mystery with magic and romance. You won't want to leave.

Amazon-Barnes & Noble-Createspace (print)

Google Books-Indiebound-Kobo-Smashwords

About the Author:
website-Twitter-Pinterest
Facebook-TSÜ-Instagram
“Full of wit, humor and colorful characters, Tonya Kappes delivers a fun, fast-paced story that will leave you hooked!” Bestselling Author, Jane Porter

“Tonya Kappes strings together the perfect blend of family, friends, and fun.” Author Misa Ramirez

USA Today Bestselling Author, Tonya Kappes writes humorous cozy mystery and women’s fiction that involves quirky characters in quirky situations. Not only have her novels made the USA Today bestsellers list, but they are an Amazon Top 100 author, Amazon Movers and Shakers, and International bestsellers.

When not being the princess, queen, and jester of her family of three teenage boys, an adoring husband, and three fury kids, she travels to various writing groups as guest speaker on “How to Market and Promote Your Novels Effectively,” where she is known as a marketing guru.

Sign up for Tonya’s STREET TEAM, newsletter, view book trailer, and upcoming news on Tonya’s website, Tonyakappes.com.

Tonya Kappes is a featured author at Coastal Magic 2015.
http://coastalmagicconvention.com/

GIVEAWAY

$5 BN or Amazon gift card plus any ebook Kappes novel

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Coastal Magic Featured Author: Graylin Rane (Candy Man Delivery Stories)

This series grew out of a request I got to join the Red Hot Valentine’s series December 2013. The first story, TASTES LIKE CHOCOLATE, inspired me so much I had to keep going. 

Candy Man Delivery Stories Page on my site with cover art and blurbs for each. 
-Graylin

Interview with Viviana, Owner, Candy Man Delivery Service. 

How did you get into the business?
A milk chocolate slab showed up in my shop. I’m a sculptor and have a refrigerated room in the back for food items. The slab came with instructions to carve the hottest male figure I could imagine. I did so. I got an A on penis carving in school, so I thought I went overboard.

I guess the lucky woman with that Candy Man is grateful.
Yes, yes I am.

Oh, you got the first one?
After I carved this delicious man, I followed the instructions and sprinkled gold dust over him. He came to life and saved me from my ex fiancé.

You kept him?
He was, apparently, meant for me in the first place. Now, with Adonis by my side, we pick deserving women to receive Candy Men. They arrive in my shop as slabs of chocolate in the woman’s favorite flavor. I carve the statue and deliver it to the woman. She has to create a list of attributes she wants in a man other than being gorgeous, I’ve guaranteed that.

How long does the man stay with the woman?
They stay until the woman passes away.

Who are the men?
The statues are animated with the souls of Greek Gods. Picked by Eros for their compatibility with the particular woman.

How many are there?
So far, six. There aren’t any more planned at the moment, but that doesn’t mean I won’t get an unexpected delivery in the future.

Dark Chocolate Peppermint
by Garylin Rane

Releases 12/15/2014

amazon

Alicia ended a lucrative modeling career to get her MBA. Trying to find work in a crowded job market discouraged her as the men she interviewed with wanted a stripper instead of an employee. Fellow model and friend, Susie, watches the light fade from Alicia’s light brown complexion and puts her name into contention for a Candy Man.

Refusing to be discouraged, she decides to start her own modeling agency. Susie’s pregnancy announcement gives her an idea. An agency for models who are pregnant. Clothing lines need faces for maternity wear and the fashion industry hasn’t exploited that niche, yet. Her family, in town for Christmas, is fully supportive.

There’s just one complication, she’s been chosen for a Candy Man. She’s not sure her dreams can come true with a statue. Would her family accept a man who started off as chocolate? Can Vangelis tempt her to stay home with him or will she pull her Dark Chocolate Peppermint man into the chaotic modeling world?

About the Author:

website-FB-twitter

Graylin Fox is a multi-published author and poet. She began writing poetry in 1993 with her first poem published in 1995. In 2008, her characters demanded a larger format and she began to expand her talents into the short fiction market.

Decadent Publishing published her short story, Coming Home, in January 2011. In July of 2011 Decadent Publishing released Your Biggest Fan, a psychological thriller. Her series, Summer Fae, began with Contagion in April 2011. This series continued with Bloodlines, a novella in September 2012. The final installment of the series, The Legacy, will be out in 2013.

Her first full-length novel, Smolder, about a Hospital Psychologist who finds love while dodging a killer, released May 9, 2013.

She lives in a marsh off the eastern coast with plants that struggle to survive on her “happy muse” weeks and a tiny cat runs the place. Graylin can be found at GraylinFox.com and contacted at GraylinWrites@gmail.com.

Coastal Magic Feature Author: Rane Sjodin (Second Arcane Court) + giveaway

Meet dragon shifter Cimmerian...

My name is Cimmerian. I’m a dragon shifter. I tell stories to Rane. Wretch and I deserve credit for keeping the human population safe from demons. Humans are no more than lab rats to those who’d use you to run their errands and fulfill their sexually depraved fantasies. We stand in front of them with werewolves and shifters. Keeping the peace comes at a price. Not every story ends well. It just ends.

I tell you this as a warning. I don’t trust. If you’re not part of my crew, I suspect you. The demons are getting stronger. Numbering close to a million. We can’t stop them all. Wretch’s horrific grandmother, Obsidian, runs an operation out of Phuket, Thailand. She injects demon DNA into large humans and shifters. Creating death where only danger lurked before.

Careful who you talk to, check to see if their eyes shift when they’re nervous. They’re out there…

Cim

Red Lady (Second Arcane Court #2)

by Rane Sjodin

releases: Oct 27, 2014
The oldest living demon drug dealer is trying to take over Las Vegas. His newest creation, Red Lady, allows shifters to see demons as they materialize, which could tip the balance of species domination. Granted, in a direction I like, except, there’s a catch. The drug is so addictive shifters will do anything to feed their habit and distribution in energy drinks has human’s hooked. Including my ex-fiance’s boyfriend.

I have to go to Vegas and save him, among others. This is going to suck.

Death Dealer (Second Arcane Court #1)

amazon

My name is Cimmerian. I’m a dragon shifter living in New Orleans. Someone is screwing up my pre-Mardi Gras plans by leaving mutilated human bodies all over town. I have to find out whether or not a demon is behind this. If so, are they building a human to animate with demon magic? If not, we have a human serial killer just in time for the town to flood with tourists.

Things were so much quieter on vacation.

Damn, I’m glad to be back at work.

About the Author:
website-FB-twitter
Rane Sjodin / Graylin Fox (website) is a multi-published author and poet. She began writing poetry in 1993 with her first poem published in 1995. In 2008, her characters demanded a larger format and she began to expand her talents into the short fiction market.

Decadent Publishing published her short story, Coming Home, in January 2011. In July of 2011 Decadent Publishing released Your Biggest Fan, a psychological thriller. Her series, Summer Fae, began with Contagion in April 2011. This series continued with Bloodlines, a novella in September 2012. The series will be completed with a single novel encompassing the entire story in December 2013.

Her first full-length novel, Smolder, about a Hospital Psychologist who finds love while dodging a killer, released May 9, 2013.

Her first release as Rane Sjodin is Death Dealer, the first in a series set in New Orleans. The first released October 2013 with the next to follow in 2014.
She lives along the coast in Florida enjoying the beach.

The Character's Court: Tori Karacis VS Author Lucienne Diver + giveaway

“If it please the court, I’d like to introduce into evidence item number 1.” Tori Karacis said, looking over at me knowingly.

I blanched. I knew that cover—the kickass woman on the front of it who didn’t look so much like my heroine. Her hair was much too tame. See, Tori, for those of you who don’t know, is part gorgon. While her hair isn’t actually a nest of snakes, you’d never know it at a distance. Think a more Mediterranean Helena Bonham Carter.

“Let the record show the item is a paperback book entitled BAD BLOOD,” the bailiff announced, carrying the book toward the bench.

I was so dead. If I’d actually known that my characters existed in some parallel universe…that I could be held accountable for all the hell I put them through…Well, I hadn't, and that was that. If wishes were horses, I could have ridden right out of there. But they weren’t. This was a trial, and the punishment was anything up to and including subjecting me to my heroine’s same trials and tribulations.

I wondered if that meant the absolute torment of having to decide between the attentions of the two sexiest men I could envision…and I had a pretty good imagination. If so, I wasn’t absolutely sure I wanted to win this battle.

“So noted,” agreed the judge. She flipped through the book, stopping to read a few highlighted passages, her eyes above the bookish librarian glasses going wide.

Tori referred to her own notes. “If I might read from the first highlighted section?”

The judge gave her the nod.

“I fought the pain as I gathered my legs beneath me for another offensive. The attacker was distracted with the effort to free his hand from Circe’s chest cavity. I swallowed the bile burning up my throat and flew into action, closing the distance just in time to watch Circe fall to the ground, the gaping hole in her chest leaking gore and an equally noxious liquid starting to seep through her skirt.

I grabbed the arm of her assailant—killer—as he turned to run and froze as my brain suddenly registered what I was now seeing close up. The hands were scaly, clawed and blue-green. He turned on me with a look of malicious madness, ran his tongue over teeth that were again simply wrong and wrenched himself out of my grip.”

Tori appealed to the judge, “We’re barely into Chapter One here, and already she has me fighting for my life.”

The judge leveled a look at me. I shrugged. What could I do? I liked action. Suspense. Drama. Who didn’t?

It was a hard gaze. I was relieved when she turned back to Tori. “Is that all?” she asked. “Clearly you survived.”

“All? All?” Tori asked, her voice rising. “Let’s see. Latter-Day Olympians trying to stage a comeback. Murder, mayhem, domestic terrorism, death and destruction.”

“Dogs and cats, living together,” I muttered. I couldn’t help myself, I defaulted to Bill Murray when I got nervous, and Ghostbusters was such a classic.

“Ms. Diver, I’m afraid you might not be taking our proceedings seriously,” the judge said, staring me down.

I bit my lip before I could ask whether she was going to throw the book at me. It was a paperback after all. Probably it wouldn’t hurt…unless she caught me with the corner.

“Sorry, Judge,” I said contritely. “Nervous habit.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I thought I caught a brief smile on Tori’s face. She couldn’t help it. She had my sense of humor.

“Anything else?” the Judge asked Tori.

“That’s just the first book! In the second—”

“Spoilers!” the judge cautioned.

“Oh, right, sorry. Well, if I might introduce into evidence item number two, you can see for yourself.” She held aloft my second Latter-Day Olympians novel, CRAZY IN THE BLOOD. I groaned. Things had really been touch and go there for awhile…particularly touch.

The judge accepted the book from the bailiff and flipped through. She stopped at a section and started to read. I heard her breath catch and then start again, maybe a little bit more quickly than before. She turned the page, continued reading. Finally, she looked up. “This Apollo—is he here? I think I may need him for questioning. Or Detective Nick Armani…”

Yes, there was a definite smirk on Tori’s face. “I’m not saying there weren’t perks, but seriously, have you ever tried to deal with two alpha males, both hot enough to melt iron? It’s not as great as it sounds.”

“Really? I think I’d like to be the judge of that,” the judge said, amusing herself.

“You and me both, sister,” I muttered. I didn’t think she heard me.

“Do you have any other evidence to introduce?” the judge asked hopefully.

Tori looked at me. “Items 3, 4 and 5—two more novels, one in print, the other being released in digital September 16th, and a short story in an anthology called KICKING IT.”

The bailiff took the books and flash drive and handed them over. “Nice boots,” she commented, seeing the KICKING IT cover. “Yours?” 

Tori was no longer just looking at me. She was glaring. I couldn’t meet her gaze. If the judge read what I did to her in that one there’d be no doubt about my guilt. Oh, I was going down hard.

The judge studied the evidence before her, silent, serious. Terrifying. But she flipped through Tori’s third adventure, RISE OF THE BLOOD, and I saw her eyes widen.

“Given the bulk of the evidence and the seriousness of the charges,” she said finally. Did she sound a little breathless? “I’m going to have to take these home with me. Give them all due consideration. I’ll have my verdict for you tomorrow. Bright and early in my chambers.”

Tori chewed her lip and started to gather up her papers. The judge took the books with her and left through a door behind the bench.

I had no idea which way things would go. Or whether it would do any good to talk to Tori. After all, I was already plotting her next adventure and…well, I couldn’t exactly offer to pull my punches and disappoint my fans. But she was tough. She could take it.

Right? Right? Bueller?

Okay, so I quoted Bill Murray and Ben Stein during stress. So sue me. Line forms on the right.

Battle for the Blood (Latter-Day Olympians)
by Lucienne DiverPrint Length: 319 pages
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd.

(September 16, 2014)

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Dragons, demons, gods, gorgons. Who will save the world…and who could destroy it?

Tori wakes after Rise of the Blood to two very shocking realizations: one, she’s in bed with a very naked Apollo, having lost the fight to resist their attraction. Two, she still has her wings. Not dinky little fairy wings. Full-scale, cover-’em-with-a-trench-coat bat wings.

Apollo suggests consulting the Gray Sisters on the wings. Those cannibalistic, psychopathic oracles who, even with only one tooth and one eye among them, manage to see too much. As in a Rapture, zombie-apocalypse, biblical-plague, hellgates-busted-open the end of the world.

While the Sisters are perfectly on board with death and destruction, the thinning of the human herd doesn’t sit well with them at all. They’ll help her. All she has to do is save the world.

Tori and her team trace the origin of the plagues to New York City, which is under quarantine and martial law—as if that’s enough to stop the influx of gods and gorgons, dragons and demons. But as death threatens from without, betrayal lurks within Tori’s ranks. And nobody is safe. Nobody.

Warning: Betrayal and bad-assery, sensuality and a sizzling hot sun god. Death, demons, destruction and, potentially, the end of the world as we know it…zombie style.

About the Author:
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Lucienne Diver writes the Latter-Day Olympians urban fantasy series for Samhain, featuring a heroine who can, quite literally, stop men in their tracks. Long and Short Reviews gave the first in the series her favorite pull-quote of all times, "Bad Blood is a delightful urban fantasy, a clever mix of Janet Evanovich and Rick Riordan.” Sequels: Crazy in the Blood, Rise of the Blood and Battle for the Blood(forthcoming in digital September 16th). She also writes the popular Vamped young adult series (think Clueless meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer). Her short stories have been featured in the Strip-Mauled and Fangs for the Mammaries anthologies edited by Esther Friesner and, of course, the Kicking It anthology from Roc Books, edited by Faith Hunter and Kalayna Price. Her essay “Abuse” is included in theDear Bully: 70 Authors Tell Their Stories anthology from HarperTeen.

Coastal Magic Featured Author: Kristen Painter - The Seven Dwarfs of Writing

The Seven Dwarfs of Writing
By Kristen Painter

After a recent rewatching of Snow White, it got me thinking about how the seven dwarfs sort of correlate to the stages of writing a book. No, I’ve never had cartoon bluebirds flying around my head or tasted a poison apple, but I do live with my Prince Charming, so that’s got to qualify for something, right? Here’s my take on what stage each dwarf represents:

Happy – Yay! A brand new book! It’s shiny and exciting and there are no massive plot holes we have to fix yet. We LOVE this book right now! We love everything about it! Every day is an adventure. Plus, our deadline is light years away.

Bashful – Still in the early stages, we fall so madly in love with our story, our characters and our creative genius, that we dare not talk about the book. When people ask what we’re working on, we shrug and coyly respond, “Oh, nothing much.” Or “just a little story I’ve been playing around with.” We might even smile behind our hand. Because that’s how we roll.

Doc – As in we need one. After hitting our first major plot hole, we call our other writer friends and explain what’s going on. Fortunately, they are able to diagnose our problem and we’re off and writing again, but not without a little recovery time. Fixing a broken scene takes work. Suddenly, our prescribed deadline is approaching faster than we realized.

Dopey – We’re writing constantly. Eating writing, sleeping writing, walking up with scene ideas and falling asleep with characters arguing in our head. We sometimes talk to ourselves. Our friends wonder if we’ve lost our minds, because we seem a little crazy.

Grumpy – Yes, we know our deadline is imminent. No, we don’t want to talk about how the book is going or how many pages we have left to write. We post a sign on our office door that indicates only head wounds and fires are acceptable interruptions. And then on a case by case basis. We may, on occasion, snarl.

Sneezy – We’re sick of the book, sick of the characters, sick of how many things we have to fix to make the ending happen just the way we want it to. Even so, we keep coughing out the pages, feverishly tapping away at the keyboard.

Sleepy – The book is done! After hitting send, we keel over and fall asleep, trying to make up for the last month of caffeine-induced insanity. We try to dream of a world where there are no deadlines, but Mr. Sandman brings us a new story idea instead…

Queen of Hearts: Sin City Collectors Novella(Sin City Collectors)
by Kristen Painterebook
Released: July 1st 2014

Welcome to Las Vegas, home of the Sin City Collectors. The job description is easy: Bring the offending supernatural in to the Boss and don’t ask any questions.

Feline shifter Claudette Marchon traded life as a showgirl to become a Sin City Collector, giving up the glamour to earn some serious cash in order to buy her own business. Mission accomplished, she now runs a pawn shop specializing in gems and jewelry.

Life is good until a Collection job requiring her specific skill set lures her back in. The Queen of Hearts, a museum-worthy ruby and diamond necklace has been stolen from the Boss’s private collection and she’s his last hope to do what two other Collectors have already failed to do. Bring in the necklace. And the thief.

But gargoyle Jason Tennant isn’t quite the dangerous criminal Claudette expects. In fact, he’s not a thief at all. He’s former Special Ops and being set up by the real mastermind, forcing her to decide between the man she’s falling for and the man she works for. Proving Jason innocent may risk the Boss’s wrath, but Claudette’s heart says it’s a gamble worth taking.

What’s Collected in Vegas, stays in Vegas.

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About the Author:

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Kristen Painter likes to balance her obsessions with shoes and cats by making the lives of her characters miserable and surprising her readers with interesting twists. She currently writes award-winning urban fantasy for Orbit Books.

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one winner gets an ecopy of Queen of Hearts!

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Registration for the 2015 Coastal Magic Convention has begun!

It's here, it's here!!

Registration for the 2015 Coastal Magic Convention has begun! If you're an urban fantasy or paranormal romance reader, you need to be hanging out with us, right on the beach, next February!

http://coastalmagicconvention.com/registration/

Coastal Magic is a super casual, urban fantasy and paranormal romance focused convention in Daytona Beach, FL, February 5-8, 2015. There will be panels, meet & greets with fun themes, and some cool evening activities. There are 225 general registration tickets available, and the featured author list will be close to 60 once everyone is settled! It's a relatively small shindig, but full of dedicated, enthusiastic people.

I'm SO excited about the variety of authors and sub-genres represented. Everyone will have opportunity to meet and chat with their favorites, and I bet you all find some “new favorites” on the list, as well. :-) If you haven't checked out who'll be attending yet... go... do that... I'll wait... Awesome, right!!??

There will also be a charity book sale and signing open to convention attendees, and FREE to the public. The charity, once again, is Habitat For Humanity. One of the nice things about the signing is that there will be additional authors participating, so keep an eye on the charity signing page to see who sneaks in for the afternoon! The hotel information is listed on the Coastal Magic site with a link for our group rates, for those who'll be staying on site.

I (along with the other Featured Bloggers) will be hosting some of the featured authors for guest spots and promotional posts in the next few months, so make sure you're keeping an eye out for those!!

If you want more info about Coastal Magic... here's where to find it in your favorite social media worlds:
· Website: http://CoastalMagicConvention.com
· Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/CoastalMagicConvention
· Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/878971558786474/
· Twitter: https://twitter.com/CoastalMagicCon
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/coastalmagiccon/