metamodo

Romance Books Contest

2012-01-24T12:14:00.003-06:00

Some of my amazing author friendly friends are having contests!! Check it:

Carrie Ann Ryan - Comment for a chance to win some signed bookmarks. Ends 1/31/12
Roni Loren - Comment for a chance to win a $25 Amazon GC. Ends 1/27/12
Maggie O'Malley - Comment for a chance to win Claiming Their Cat. Ends. 1/28/12
Dana Little John - Comment for a chance to win a promo pen and a T-shirt. Ends 1/27/12
Kat Henry Doran - Comment for a chance to win a Funky bag and Toiletries Bag. Ends 1/27/12
Tom Mach - Comment for a chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card. Ends 1/27/12
Marie Astor - Comment for a chance to win a custom made jewelry set. Ends 2/3/12
Tori St. Claire - Comment for a chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card. Ends 1/27/12

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Three to Get Deadly (Stephanie Plum, No. 3) (Stephanie Plum Novels)

Four to Score (Stephanie Plum, No. 4) (Stephanie Plum Novels)

Manic Monday Traingle

2012-01-09T19:43:00.003-06:00

Felt like a little free writing today. Join in using the Comments!

3 of us and I angle away from you 2, not knowing what to do. Should I be through or go to him or him or both of you? Yes, keep you both where you love me the most: side-by-side, hearts open wide to me and I am free to waffle from 1 to the other because we love each other. 3 star-crossed lovers. Until 1 blows the deal, tries to take and steal, makes life unreal. Fired. Pealing. Life stealing you. The wind blows him out and I shout what I once whispered, whimpered. But he's still beside me. The 1 who sticks around, whether up or down. Always. His calm to my kill. His laugh, my thrill. And no longer will I look to take what another took. His. Always.

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com
Ponyo
My Neighbor Totoro

She Can Run by Melinda Leigh

2012-01-03T10:31:00.002-06:00

A few weeks ago, I received an ARC but I was soooo busy, plus I hated the cover so I left the book unread...why didn't I remember the old saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover"?

Just read She Can Run by new author Melinda Leigh, a romantic suspense novel about a woman on the run from her abusive husband. Thrill-packed and full of mystery, it was a fast and enjoyable read.

Publishers Weekly has called her "an author to watch" and after reading her debut book, I can see why.

Here's the full blurb:

Ten months ago, Elizabeth Baker uncovered a dangerous secret about her politician husband—a secret that nearly got her killed. Now she and her children are running for their lives. When Beth is hired as the caretaker of a remote Pennsylvania estate, she dares to hope she has found a corner of the world where Congressman Richard Baker can’t find them. But when her new boss dies suddenly and his nephew inherits the estate, Beth is faced with outwitting a former homicide detective who is very smart, very suspicious—and very attractive.

Forced into retirement by an injury and grieving the loss of his uncle, Jack O’Malley is unprepared to share his new home with a strange woman and her two kids. He is even less prepared for the instantaneous attraction he feels whenever Beth enters the room. She is beautiful, intelligent, kind…and obviously terrified of someone or something. As Jack’s investigation uncovers the shocking details of Beth’s past, the rural community is shaken by the murder of a local woman Driven by instinct and desire, Jack is determined to keep Beth and her children safe, even if doing so means putting his heart—and his life —on the line.

And here's a killer excerpt:

Beth’s hand trembled. Her knuckles hovered an inch from the recessed oak panel. The office door was closed, which meant Richard didn’t want to be disturbed. She glanced at the box in her hand, delivered by messenger just moments before. It must be important. Would Richard be angry if she interrupted him? Or angrier if she didn’t? Her stomach clenched. He’d be angry no matter what she did.

With a hitched breath, she rapped lightly. The latch hadn’t caught properly and the door swung open. Beth froze, paralyzed by the scene before her.

Confusion shifted into comprehension, and fear turned her insides to ice water.

Could she slip out before he noticed her? She eased backward, but Richard sensed her presence. He turned and stared. Their gazes locked for a few seconds, his feral, hers panicked. The lion and the gazelle.

Then he grabbed the crystal letter opener on his desk and lunged.

Beth ran.

She couldn’t leave the house. Her children were upstairs. She needed a weapon. Her eyes locked on the kitchen doorway ten feet away.

His Italian loafers scraped the wood floor of the hall behind her as he fought for traction. The rubber soles of her sneakers fared better. She almost outran him. Almost.

At the threshold, he caught her in a flying tackle. She flung her hands out. Pain shot through her wrists and palms as she braced her fall before her face slammed into the tile.

After all this time wondering if he’d eventually kill her, there was now no more doubt. If she didn’t get away, she was dead.

Panting, on all fours, he pulled on her legs. She donkey-kicked backwards, catching him on the side of the face. He grunted. His grip loosened, and she belly-crawled forward a few inches before his hand closed around her calf.

She raised her chin and eyed the knife drawer, an impossible ten feet away on the other side of the room. In a frantic visual sweep, her peripheral vision caught the cordless flashlight plugged into the outlet on her left.

She kicked at his fingers. They jerked open. Pulling a knee under her body, she pushed forward and yanked the flashlight from the wall. Richard crawled closer and slashed at her middle. Her skin registered a flash of agony, then went numb.

Without losing momentum, she turned over and swung the flashlight in an arc toward his head. Metal clanged against bone.

His eyes widened in shock before his body went limp.

Shaking, Beth scrambled out from under his torso. Blood seeped through her silk blouse.

Lungs heaving, she rooted through the odds-and-ends drawer and pulled out a roll of duct tape. She rolled him to his side, forced his wrists behind his back, and taped them together. As an extra precaution, she secured his hands to a heavy table leg, then bound his ankles. She slapped a final piece of tape across his mouth. Richard wasn’t going anywhere until the cook arrived in the morning.

Adrenaline and nausea coursed through Beth as she glanced at the clock. She had exactly ten hours to vanish.

~
Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Book freebies from Selena Kitt & Blake Crouch

2011-12-29T12:56:00.000-06:00

Holiday Giveaways for all you good boys and girls, including--drum roll please--Babysitting the Baumgartvers.

Hunting Season (a love blood story) by Blake Crouch and Selena Kitt is a holiday giveaway for a very limited time!
Hunting Season is approximately word collaboration by thriller/suspense/horror writer Blake Crouch and erotic romance author Selena Kitt includes bonus interview material with the authors about the upcoming sequel to the Konrath, Crouch, Strand and Wilson bestseller Draculas.

BLURB
He's a butcher. She's the trophy wife of a trophy hunter. They used to be high school sweethearts, but that was two decades ago, and times have changed.
Meet Ariana Plano...40 years old, miserable, stuck in a loveless marriage to the worst mistake of her life.
Meet Ray Koski...40 years old, miserable, a lonely butcher who can do nothing but immerse himself in the drudgery of his work.Once a week during hunting season, she brings her old teenage flame
game meat for processing. They do not speak. They rarely make eye contact. Some histories are just too painful.
But this week will be different. This week—a shocking encounter twenty-two years in the
making—will change everything.

--------------------------

More Freebies!

Selena Kitt also has these books listed free:

Babysitting the Baumgartners

The Surrender of Persephone

The Song of Orpheus

Orpheus Mythological Romance Behaving

Starving Artist

Foreign Exchange

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

2011-12-14T23:32:00.002-06:00

Hippie Chicks blog is having a Holly Jolly Christmas Give-Away including a free Kindle as the grand prize, and my x-mas shifter lion erotic romance On Vixen is part of the loot!

To enter send an email to hippiechicks68 @ gmail.com with "Holly Jolly" in the subject line. You will be entered upon receipt of the email.

Books that are part of the loot:

Jewel Adams
Winner's Choice of 3 ebooks from my releases

Chloe Reeder
Winner's Choice of 1 ebook from my releases

Julie Lynn Hayes
My Fair Vampire - ebook

Liz Crowe
The Tap Room - ebook

Kacey Hammell
Sinful - ebook

R. Ann Siracusa
All For a Dead Man's Leg - ebook
All For Spilled Blood - ebook

Tara Fox Hall
Return To Me - ebook
Surrender To Me - ebook
Wicked Christmas Wishes - ebook

Penny Estelle
Hike Up Devil's Mountain - ebook

Clare Dargin
Fugue - ebook

Beth Trissel
Somewhere The Bells Ring - ebook

Aithne Jarretta
Kissing Santa - ebook

Kat Jones
Her Only Hope - ebook

Margay Leah Justice
Sloane Wolf - ebook

Jocelyn Modo *Look, Ma, I'm famous!* ;)
On Vixen - ebook

Kiss and Tell Tour

2011-12-07T01:30:00.000-06:00

On the Kiss and Tell Tour, nine erotica romance authors go on a nine day blog tour through Bewitching Book Tours. Sexsational!

Mina Khan

Elysa Hendricks

Marilu Mann

Melissa Mayhue

Karen McCullough

Nina Pierce

Barbara Monajem

Laura Kaye

Stacey Kennedy

They will be answering the question, "What does your hero/heroine most desire above all else and why?"

Check it out!

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Call For Submission: For The Girls

2011-12-06T18:13:00.001-06:00

For The Girls is seeking written contributions from skilled erotica writers:

FLASH FICTION
We are looking for high quality super-short (flash) fiction to feature twice a month or more. Ideally we want succinct, erotic pieces that successfully get an idea across in a small number of words. Cleverness is encouraged, as is out-and-out dirty hotness. The piece should, of course, be aimed at a female audience.

Flash fiction stories should be a minimum of 300 and a maximum of 500 words in length.

BEDHEAD GRAFFITI - GUEST COLUMNISTS
For The Girls is introducing a new column: Bedhead Graffiti. This column will appear monthly and feature a different writer each month. We are looking for opinions, epistles, musings, rants and reasoned argument on the topic of sex and relationships.

The writing may encompass diverse topics such as sex, porn, erotica, feminism, sexuality, popular culture, memes, politics, reproduction, health, children, family, life and death. Personal anecdotes are welcome, research and fact-checking are encouraged. Humour is also encouraged but not required. The column needs to be witty, entertaining and well-written. It should be written explicitly for a female audience. We encourage both established writers and newcomers to the field.

Columns should ideally be 1000 to 1500 words in length.

PAYMENT
US$20 per Flash Fiction piece
US$50 per Bedhead Graffiti piece
Payment will be made electronically, so you must have an appropriate account the best known online payment system (who I won't mention here due to their unusual methods of dealing with adult sites). If you cannot be paid this way, we cannot publish your work.

SUBMISSIONS
Email submissions to: submissions AT forthegirls DOT com
We prefer .doc or .txt attachments with no html formatting, but will also accept submissions in the body of the email. Do not send rich text format (rtf) or Word 2007 (docx) documents. If we can’t read your submission, it will go in the trash.

We accept stories with standard formatting however we prefer documents to be single spaced and without indents or tabs, each paragraph appearing as a separate block of text. This helps with our online formatting.

Subject heading should be “For The Girls Writing Submission.” Writers should state the column to which they are submitting and must include the author declaration (see below) in the body of the submission email.

You will receive a confirmation email upon submission. You will be contacted by the editors if your story is selected for publication. Turnaround time is approximately 4 weeks and rejection emails will be sent. However If you haven't heard from us after that time, feel free to submit elsewhere.
Payment is made upon publication although we may from occasionally pay for a piece some time ahead of it appearing in FTG.

Please note: Your submission will be published within the members area of For The Girls and will only be accessible to paying members. Small excerpts, however, may appear on our blog (www.forthegirls.net/blog/) and in the RSS feed produced from this blog. No more than a paragraph will be used on the blog.

TERMS
Submitted items must be in English, original and previously unpublished.

Submitted items should use correct spelling, punctuation and grammar. Poor quality or unedited work will not be considered. Writers who are unable to follow the guidelines will also not be considered.

Writers must be aged 18 years or over as at January 1, 2011.

For The Girls will retain exclusive electronic rights to the work for six months and non-exclusive rights indefinitely.

Very small extracts from published work may appear on our blog and RSS feeds.

For The Girls reserves the right to edit submitted stories if necessary. You may use a pseudonym if you wish.

We will not accept stories that feature any of the following themes or acts: non-consensual sex, bestiality, underage sex, incest, ass to mouth, violent or abusive sex, or anything where women are treated without respect (although consensual BDSM scenes are fine).

The author agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Purple Kama, its officers and assigns from and against any and all claims, suits, damages, and liabilities (including reasonable attorneys' fees) which are based on any claim of copyright infringement, plagiarism or unauthorized use.

AUTHOR DECLARATION
I hereby declare that I am the original author of this article and that it has not been previously published in any form. I own the copyright to the work. I am over 18.
~
Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Eat, Fry, Love

2011-11-17T11:52:00.001-06:00

You all should know by now that I love sci fi so it should come as no surprise that I'm a Trekkie. Yes, I know, I'm a dork, but I just had to share that Mr. Star Trek himself, William Shatner is starring in a docudrama about exploding turkeys called Eat, Fry, Love!

Shatner, who is 80 years-old btw, is so funny and smart in this. Good on State Farm for doing a Public Safety announcement and good on Shatner for being brilliant!

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

The Hunger Games Trailer is Here!

2011-11-14T19:43:00.001-06:00

The Hunger Games joy is rising in the dystopian adventure fans all over the world. Yes, at last Lionsgate has dropped its first and only full-length trailer! And may I say, "Squee!"

Almost immediately, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark from District 12 are introduced to the happiness of all their fans.

In Suzanne Collins' bestselling novel The Hunger Games, the future is filled with impoverished districts that are forced to serve the central government. Each year a Hunger Game contest is run to remind everyone about a past uprising against the Capitol.

The rules of the game are simple. Two teens from each of the twelve districts must compete in a violent fight to the death.

The movie trailer looks like the movie really captures the world and feel of The Hunger Games. We also get a quick peek at the book's most popular characters:

Jennifer Lawrence - Katniss Everdeen
Josh Hutcherson - Peeta Mellark
Liam Hemsworth - Gale Hawthorne

Alexander Ludwig - Cato
Woody Harrelson - Haymitch Abernathy
Elizabeth Banks - Effie Trinket
Lenny Kravitz - Cinna
Donald Sutherland - President Snow
Stanley Tucci - Caesar Flickerman

Check out the movie trailer for yourself:

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

My Perfectly Sane Interview with Pat Bertram

2011-11-10T09:27:00.002-06:00

Check my interview regarding Revolution Lovers over on Pat Bertram's blog. For once I came off...well, not exactly normal but at least not completely manic-depressive loony toons in a interview. It's a miracle!

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

All In The Family: Sex, Religion & Incest

2011-11-09T10:11:00.000-06:00

Check out Episode 012 of Ellora's Cave Chaos radio program: All In The Family: Sex, Religion & Incest with Thelmer Sedzoid, Jaid Black, and Jose from da Hood. An interesting trio who have a lot to say.

http://newdissidentradio.com/archives/cave/2011/november/cavechaos-110711.mp3

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

The Ice Bridge by Kathryn Meyer Griffith

2011-11-06T20:27:00.001-06:00

A wonderful story full of suspense, the paranormal, and even a little romance. The Ice Bridge kept me engaged all the way through to the last word. Charlotte, the heroine, is likable and interesting, and the setting, Mackinac Island, is such a strong force in the story that it feels like a dark, eerie character, who pulls the reader in, making you feel like you’re really there as a quiet character in attendance to observe.

Charlotte Graham returns to the island to write about ghosts while her heart heals after a broken engagement. What she finds at first is a warm, supportive friendship with her Aunt Bess and Hannah as well as an unexpected attraction to Lieutenant "Mac" Berman, but things quickly change and grow dark.

Griffith does an incredible job creating a dark, ghostly mood, which sets-off her warm, endearing characters perfectly. The contrast makes for a suspenseful read. I recommend this book to anyone who loves suspense, a good ghost story, and the sweet lull of a potential romance between two characters you will cheer for. The Ice Bridge has chills and thrills but warms the heart as well.

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Revolution Lovers Released!

2011-11-03T09:12:00.003-05:00

My new sci fi romance Revolution Lovers is finally out!

I love this story! Check out the excerpt:

An Excerpt From: REVOLUTION LOVERS

Adie Perrin sat in a worn booth at the Hit or Miss Bar, downing her third bottle of cheap Cerberian alcohol, wanting nothing more than to go unnoticed.

Tonight she had a mission—drink until the green-gold alcohol consumed every vestige of pain. And unlike her previous assignment, her final mission of the interplanetary war, she’d complete this one. Hell, not even a legion of Petulo soldiers could stop her from getting drunk tonight.

After taking the last bitter swallow from her third bottle of alcohol, she palmed the last of her credits. She had enough for two more Cerberians, then she’d be finished. Finished drinking. Finished fighting. Finished living.

Finished.

There was a sad sort of satisfaction in knowing that she had come to the end of it all. She felt ready, ready to let go and fall.

Adie dropped her chin, allowing her dark-red hair to hide her scarred face before waving down a worn-out waiter. The crammed-in crowd forced her to shout her order up to the tall man. How he heard her over the cacophony of drunkenness, she didn’t know. Maybe he read lips or minds. Either talent would work to the benefit of the staff at her favorite crap bar.

While waiting for the alcohol to arrive, thoughts of the last couple of years surfaced. Tonight she celebrated an anniversary of sorts. It had been two years to the day since control of her body and all its parts had belonged to her instead of the Petulo commander who had captured her at the end of the interplanetary war.

Memories surfaced. A laser blade burning through her skin. Precise, intricate designs branded on her belly, her back, her face. The sound of her own screams. The smell of burning flesh…

She gagged, her eyes and nose watering. Her stomach cramping.

She’d endured the torture for nothing. Her unit—her family—had died before she had even regained consciousness, making the secrets she fought so hard to keep worthless. She had lost everything.

Adie forced the memories away with another swallow of alcohol.

The waiter plunked the fresh bottles on the table, jerking her back to the present.

“On the house.” He gave her a toothy smile, a low bow. “It’s an honor to serve you, Soldier Perrin.”

Damn. Just her luck, he’d recognized her.

She slid the last of her credits to the edge of the table and glared. He had to be new to try that shit with her. Thankfully she had a glare as deadly as any of her former weapons. Grinding her teeth, she rolled her eyes up to meet his gaze and let her stank-eye do the talking.

With a shaky hand, he snatched up the slick, circular credits and hurried away.

She grabbed the frosted bottle closest to her and added a handful of pain-deflectors to her suicide cocktail. She’d already inhaled a baggie of her favorite street drug, Nevermind, before limping down the block to visit Hit or Miss for the last time.

The pain-deflectors melted in the Cerberian, changing the color to murky brown. She plugged her nose and guzzled. Yeah, she was something special, wasn’t she? A real role model. She snorted her disgust with herself and everybody else.

Gods, when would everyone stop seeing her as a war hero? When would they realize she was nothing more than a fool who didn’t know when to let go?

Well, she planned to let go tonight. Tipping the bottle up to her lips, Adie shuttered her eyes and let the liquid fire burn through the broken house of her soul.

~~End Excerpt~~

Love, light, and laughter!

Jocelyn Modo

www.jocelynmodo.com

Manic Monday Trick

2011-10-31T19:05:00.000-05:00

Halloween is my favorite holiday so I'm having a blast but wanted to take time to do a quick free write for manic monday. The word of the day is "trick".

The trick is to treat you like them, those who you take care of, love, put first. The treat is to trick yourself into believing that your leaving on a holiday to celebrate how great and good you are, bright shining star. Self belief is the trick. The treat--knowing yourself.

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Ready to Roll: one Author’s Experience in Self-Publishing By Chris Lindberg

2011-10-28T06:00:00.001-05:00

I’ll bet every single Indie Author has a unique story about how we came to self-publish our book, and each story has its share of highs and lows. The first high comes at the moment you type that last line and hit ‘save.’ You lean back from your keyboard, take a deep breath, and savor the moment, reflecting on your accomplishment -- you’ve just completed your novel, and it feels great.

And then the real work begins: it’s time to get your creation ready to meet the real world.

You might edit it two, maybe three times, adjusting the word count, the story line, refining dialogue, scenes, characters. Then, once you feel like it’s the best novel it can possibly be, you ship the concept off to the world in the form of a query letter, putting it out in front of editors and agents. These are the people who can make your novel a reality: someday you’ll see it on bookstore shelves, newsstand racks, in the hands of people on buses, planes, and trains…and of course, on the New York Times Bestseller List.

Until that first rejection letter rolls in … then you feel your first real low. The letter is polite and has a “it’s-not-you-it’s-me” tone to it, but it’s still a “no thank you”. But it’s just one person’s opinion, so you pick yourself back up, and you eagerly await the next response, knowing the next agent will surely be smarter than the first, and see the true potential of your book. And then the next rejection comes in, followed by another. And then another. And before you know it, you have a pile of letters, all saying your work isn’t quite what they’re looking for.

At this point do you doubt yourself, and your work? Of course, it wouldn’t be human not to. But luckily you’ve grown a thick skin throughout this process. And you realize that you didn’t spend three years pouring character, detail, storyline, and scene onto a keyboard just to have a few people tell you it’s not worth bringing into the world.

So you shake it all off, and you decide to self-publish. After all the revisions you’ve done, you feel your novel is ready to roll. Some people tell you not to, saying that self-publishing will place a stigma on your work, but you’re not going to be denied: your novel is a labor of love, and it deserves to at least see the light of day, even if you’re the only one who winds up reading it.

So you pick a self-publishing partner (Lulu, iUniverse, CreateSpace, or any number of others), and you move forward: designing a cover, formatting the copy, making final revisions. It takes weeks, maybe months, but at the end, you’re holding your finished work in your hands, proud of your accomplishment, and ready to see if anyone else will think it’s as good as you hope they will.

That was my experience in getting my first novel, Code of Darkness, out there. I’m currently working on the promotional phase right now: updating Facebook, Tweeting whatever I find worth sharing, doing a Virtual Book Tour, submitting for reviews. And getting some nice feedback so far!

Now I’d like to hear from you: where are you in your publishing process, and what have your experiences been like?

About the Author

Chris Lindberg was born and raised outside Chicago, Illinois. After graduating from Northern Illinois University in the mid-1990s, he headed out to the west coast for a couple of years, where he began writing as a casual pastime.

Some time after returning to Chicago he began attending writers workshops at StoryStudio Chicago, where he wrote two character studies, both of which have since been developed into key characters in Code of Darkness.

Chris now lives outside Chicago with his wife Jenny and their two children, Luke and Emma. You might catch him working away on his second novel while commuting on his morning train into the city.

~~~

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Manic Monday Edit

2011-10-17T19:25:00.000-05:00

After a day of edits I am so ready for a little free association writing. It's time now for Manic Monday, using the inspirational word of edit:
Edit out the bad stuff. Highlight the good stuff. Move forward fast enough that I leave behind my house but not my home. Walk away by myself but not alone. All grown up and ready to roam. Will I reach my destination. A beach vacation. Sand between my toes. A new piercing in my nose. I find my place, knowing it's not a race but a marathon. Pace. Find where you belong. Not hard but strong. Edit it.

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

I Wish I Might

2011-10-15T19:20:00.000-05:00

My sci fi romance short I Wish I Might has been newly released by Yellow Silk Dreams. Check out the new yummy cover.

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

The Little Death Free on XOXO

2011-09-25T16:55:00.000-05:00

My short romance story The Little Death is now available on XOXO as a free read! Check the cool cover.

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Mike Arsuaga on Creating Strong Supporting Characters

2011-09-02T06:20:00.000-05:00

When speaking or writing about a supporting cast of characters, movies usually come to mind. Starting in the 1920’s first British and later American film makers recognized the importance of them. Interestingly writers used the tool practically from the first novel written. Robinson Crusoe had his man “Friday”. Don Quixote had his squire Sancho.

This type of supporting character complements one or more main story figures, either by contrast or through some form of supplementation. The relationship is designed to enhance both personalities and make them come alive.

A good example is the character of Linda in “My Life as a Dog”. She is private investigator and shape shifter Drake Martin’s secretary. I used her insouciant competence to showcase his frequent inattention to detail. She is the classic “I am woman; I am strong” female who balances work and family keeping both on course, while complaining of being under appreciated by all.

On the other hand nothing beats a good villain. Where would Superman be without Lex Luthor, or Batman without The Joker? The character of Cynthia in “Subspecies” provides a sometimes humorous, sometimes guileless, high energy teenage foil to Sam’s cool adult behavior, with insights only the young can come up with. The contrast between her persona and that of the main characters, Sam and Jim, more clearly defines all three of them. She’s the kind of character you can both laugh and marvel at. Without her the personalities of hero and heroine would be watered down.

You build a supporting character using the same methods as any other. Plan them out. They should have unique and believable attributes. In “My Life as a Dog” I contrasted Linda’s teased hair, East Texas speech, and general confident sassiness against Drake’s more laid back deeper thinking persona. That she doesn’t know about his shape shifting ability keeps tension in the interactions between them.

The character of Jethro from “Subspecies”, on the other hand, is what Mark Twain called “flourishing villainy”, that most despised of all creatures by humankind. Holding sway until the very end he keeps the hero and heroine on their toes, without respite.

So, build the supporting cast with the same care you take with the lead roles and the work, whatever the genre, will benefit.

Bio
Raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, Mike completed careers in the United States Navy Submarine Force and the Transportation Security Administration. He lives in Orlando Florida with wife and Editor in Chief Cynthia, daughter Jennifer, six year old granddaughter Larrna and partner in crime Thumper, a Yorkshire terrier.

Mike’s extensive travels in the Navy took him throughout the US, Canada, Europe, the Caribbean, and the Middle East, providing accurate and vivid settings for his stories.

Subspecies, Subspecies, Inc., Children of Subspecies, and Tenth Legion are scheduled for release in May, September, December 2011, and February 2012 from Muse It Hot Publishing.

About My Life as a Dog

Drake Martin is a unique shape shifter. Instead of transforming into a ferocious animal, he morphs into an eight pound Yorkshire terrier. Six year old Kady Hartley rescued him from an animal shelter. As "Precious" he was her "bestest friend" for twelve years, leaving when she started college. Ten years later they cross paths. He’s a PI; she’s FBI. Continuing to keep his abilities secret from her, he follows Kady as she pursues a case. Accompany them on an odyssey to New Orleans investigating human traffickers and watch the fur fly. To protect Kady, Drake remains in the shadows. For her sake he puts aside his loner life and accepts protection and assistance of the local shifter pack under its leader, the Sufi. The pack and Drake soon discover they have a common cause, leading to a bloody confrontation with the Russian human traffickers.

During the adventure, will Drake and Kady rekindle their loving friendship or will it become much more?

About Subspecies

A Professor on Campus

Dr. Jim White, a 130-year-old Vampire, as a mathematics professor and man of science, rejects the ways and lore of old in favor of modern solutions. Lycans and Vampires, The Subspecies, live invisibly in society, because discovery is their worst fear. Resulting from a chance meeting, he has the best sex of his life and regrets the intriguing girl had to be his next victim. But she has a secret. As a Lycan, she hunted him as he hunted her.

The Girl in the Library

Samantha “Sam” Johnson, a Lycan, lived through world wars and The Great Depression, counting Al Capone and Babe Ruth as acquaintances, before settling into decades of anonymity, quietly preying on humans to live. On a chance meeting with an intriguing professor, her decision to devour him comes into question. Kill after a night of exquisite sex?

A Dynasty is Born

After discovering each others secret, neither can resist the physical attraction. Together they hunt and reach out to others of their kind using modern technology to form a support group which becomes more than either imagined.

Follow The Subspecies’ journey as they open a universe of possibilities with the promise of life being more than hunting, living in shadows, and fruitless mating.

Thanks again to Mike Arsuaga for being a great guest!
Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Manic Monday Hush

2011-08-29T07:05:00.001-05:00

Manic Monday and today's secret word is "hush". Time to free write!

Whisper in the library, the doctor's office, the church, the funeral home. Quiet. Observe respectful hush in a rush of social conscience. Do not run. Shout. Pout. Push. You can smile but not too big. Stand but not too tall. Sit so you don't fall. Emotion has no motion when constrained by social obligation to know your station in a hushed life.

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Manic Monday Chair

2011-08-22T07:01:00.005-05:00

It's just another manic monday and I'm free writing using the word, "chair" for inspiration:

The chair dares me to play duck duck goose, to drop my caboose in a cushioned seat, put up my feet and hang out. As I bang out these absurd words, the misfiring of my brain refuses to settle. I listen to the kettle whistle its warning for tea time, "Stop the rhyme and sit. Your chair is there."

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Eve McFadden Interview

2011-08-20T06:48:00.001-05:00

Alright grrrls, I have a treat for you today! Please welcome the super sexy Eve McFaddento Meta Modo for a fun and friendly interview!

Jocelyn: Hi Eve, I'm not big on formalities so let’s get the basics out of the way. What’s your sign?

Eve: Aquarius. Which probably explains the frequent bathroom breaks.

Jocelyn: Aquarius is a fabulous sign! I’m a leo (hence my obsession with cats). Even though I’m fire and you’re water, Leos and Aquarius can get along famously. Have any of your characters every used cheesy pick-up lines like, ‘What’s your sign’?

Eve: You know, I don't think they have. That may be in large part because no one ever used one on me, so I don't think of it. In a story I'm working on, involving a hockey player and a musician, hockey player tries a few lines in a joking way, but none are quite that cheesy. Then again, few are.

Jocelyn: Any scary/crazy/strange writing rituals? Inability to write without…?

Eve: I don’t think I've been at this long enough to develop any rituals. It'd be fun to have some, like I could only do it if I was wearing big fuzzy slippers or a foil hat or something like that. Or small fuzzy slippers, just to be different.

Jocelyn: *Staged Whisper* I won’t tell your characters your answer to this next one: Who’s been your favorite character to write?

Eve: Oh, they're all my fav… oh, scratch that. I think my favorite was Jura Griet from Young Blood. She's the type who tends to act first, then think, which has its drawbacks, but she's not going to back down from anything. I also enjoyed Quentin in Numbers Game. He was gay and modeled after some guys I knew; not flaming, exactly, although he could if he wanted to. I like to write characters with a sense of humor, even the bad guys.

Jocelyn: Is writing romance a deep dark secret or do all your family and friends know, read, love your stories?

Eve: I'm supposed to tell people about this? Oh, well. Ahem. Some friends and some family know, and it's a case-by-case basis. Like my Grandmother, does she need or want to know this? Probably not. So that's fine. Mom found out by accident; she's a little iffy on the sex, but she thinks it's cool that I'm e-published. I told my husband, and he's very cool -- a beta reader, editor, supporter, and I suppose he'd even test out a few things if I asked.

Jocelyn: What’s the worst thing you’ve ever written (published or unpublished)?

Eve: I got a C on an English paper in high school when I said The Talisman by King and Straub was boring. Does that count? In all fairness, she was right. We were asked to write about themes, not critique it, even if the thing was pretty damn boring.

Ah, you probably meant my stories. That's a tough one, because every time I read over an old story I find stuff wrong with it. If I had to pick, I'd go with Cost of Loyalty, which is up on free sites and that I wrote like fifteen years ago. That was an age when I could do things with angels and devils and purgatory and not feel like a dope.

Jocelyn: If you could date any character from any book, who would it be and why?

Eve: Now, see, this is tough on two fronts. First, I'm married, and my husband is kind of traditional in the "not dating anyone now that we're married" sense. Who knew? Second, all of my characters get paired off -- or occasionally killed off -- so I wouldn't want anyone to think I was into wrecking relationships. Or threesomes. Or even fictional necrophilia.

However, if I was single, and he was single, I wouldn't mind a night out with Ian from Ghosts of the Forum (in Melting the Ice). He was such a sweetie.

Jocelyn: What real life inspiration do you use in your stories?

Eve: You can do that? Whoa.
I have found that I insert little things. In Numbers Game, which is set in Washington, DC, the female lead, Sara, works at the National Archives. I worked there for a couple of years myself and thought it was fun to put that in. Not that she goes looking for treasures like Nicolas Cage or anything.

In Nothing Gets Through, a short story (which I hope to expand sometime), the couple meets in a Starbucks-type place after witnessing a big fight between two people. That fight is based on one I personally witnessed in a Burger King in The Hague, The Netherlands. Yes, they have BKs there, and everyone speaks English.

Many ideas come from songs, and others from reading and thinking, "Hey, what if he/she did this instead?"

Jocelyn: What stories are rolling around in your brain right now?

Eve: The rolling around got really old, so I have them on computer now. Even backed up. There's quite a range. First up is another hockey romance, which has proved a surprisingly popular little niche. Then I'm working on a little light fantasy involving a character from my first Christmas story, Unexpected Gifts. But I have a slew of stuff on the computer in some stage of progress: a sequel to The Hunted Key, possibly another in the Exiled series, a sf/fantasy on a planet of islands, and more.

Jocelyn: Thanks for the interview, Eve! Love getting to know you!

About Eve:
Eve McFadden was born and raised in southern New Jersey. She attended college at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA, receiving a BA in Russian Studies and International Relations. This led her to graduate school at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, where she received an MA in Russian Area Studies in 1994. She remained in the Washington area until 2007, when she and her family moved to Pennsylvania. It was here that she found some sites with free online reading material, which led to her to try her luck at writing herself.

Her first effort, “Make a Wish,” was posted on Literotica.com and received many positive reviews, and so she continued writing. After the positive reception for her first novel, “Exiled,” she was approached by Republica Press in 2009 about publishing a sequel. Since then, she has published four e-books with Republica Press.

Backlist:
Exiled, Republica Press
Young Blood, Republica Press
All Too Human, Republica Press
The Hunted Key, Republica Press
Light and the Darkness, Yellow Silk Dreams

Coming soon:
Numbers Game, Republica Press

Find Eve Here:
http://www.republicapress.com/Eve-McFadden.aspx
http://www.facebook.com/evemcfadden
http://evemcfadden.wordpress.com

~
Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Bragging Rights

2011-08-16T18:23:00.000-05:00

I swear I don't usually go around tooting my own horn but I couldn't help posting these two new reviews for On Vixen and Paradise Moon:

Amazon Review of Paradise Moon:

"Jocelyn Modo’s novella is a sexy, fast-paced tale of love conquering all. Her characters, other-world setting and futuristic elements blend effortlessly to make this novella well worth reading. My only regret was its length. I wanted more, and look forward to reading Ms Modo’s other titles."

Amazon Review of On Vixen:

"On Vixen is a wonderful take of the shape-shifter genre. Right from the start, Ms Modo catapults her reader into the heart of the story, taking them on a wild, raunchy romp that contains surprising twists. Her characters are believable, the male truly Alpha and his woman an equal in every way. Highly recommended and well worth reading."

T00t! T00t! ;)
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Interview with Jacqueline George

2011-08-11T06:23:00.003-05:00

JM: Hi Jacqueline George and welcome to Meta Modo. I am excited to interview you today and I know my grrrls love a good contest. Can you explain the contest to us?

JG: Hi Jocelyn. Thanks for inviting me - it has definitely been worth the trip over from Australia.

Now, the contest: there are 3 questions at the bottom of this interview. They are about me and where I live - in northern Queensland near the Great Barrier Reef. If you can send your answers to Jocelyn at Jocelyn (at) JocelynModo (dot) com, the first 3 correct entries will win a prize ebook. You can choose one of three: The Prince and the Nun, Her Master's Voice and Light o'Love.

JM: Ooo! Sounds fun! Wish I was eligible to participate in the contest, but I have read Light o'Love and was thoroughly entertained. ;) Ah, well. Will you tell me about these three books?

JG: That's difficult. I suppose you'd say they are all 'proper' books, real novels you can lose yourself in. I try to write books you will want to keep and re-read in the future, so I work hard at creating stories with some meat to them. And they are all different.

The Prince and the Nun is set in a Central European castle in about 1940. There's a war going on, but it's not Hilter's war, it's an imaginary one. The heroine of the story is a nun, well, an ex-nun as it turns out, called Therese. She has a terrible time trying to protect the local villagers in those troubled times, and at the same time entertain the officers of the occupying army. And that does not mean giving them coffee and biscuits, as you can imagine.

Light o'Love is almost a Harry Potter story for adults. The heroine here is Shirley, and English girl at university in Liverpool. I say university, but the college she attends is actually full of witches. She gets dragged into dangerous times, but manages a certain amount of fun and mischief along the way. Why is the book called Light o'Love? You're going to have to read it yourself, but I can say it has a lot to do with Shirley's specialization as a witch. She grows into a powerful and very sexy person.
Finally, Her Master's Voice is an action adventure set in South East Asia - Borneo, Malaysia and Singapore. I love that part of the world. The food, the scenery, the people - mmh! It was not trouble at all to set my story there and portray Sherry, a sexy lady whose relationship goes through some significant and very exciting changes.

All three books are good, old-fashioned stories that I hope will stay in your library for years.

JM: I'm drooling over all three. What was your inspiration for The Prince and the Nun, Her Master's Voice and Light o'Love?

JG: Well now. I suppose the first inspiration is that I have been lucky and lived in all three places. That gives me the settings. The stories come out of the blue, I suppose. I do recall wondering if a nun's vows are immutable, and what would happen if you backed a nun into a corner and said 'I want you to run an officer's club full of your girls, and if you don't I'll force girls from your friendly villages'. Not a comfortable situation of any nun to find herself in.

Light o'Love is a paranormal fantasy because I was upset at the large number of TERRIBLE paranormal books around. This one is fantasy, but it is fantasy with its feet on the ground. Much more satisfying that way.

Her Master's Voice is attempt to show how light bondage and discipline can work in real life. I hate stories that have women as pinioned little dollies spending their whole life getting whipped and abused, and loving every minute of it. They're stupid - when do these bimbos get to do the shopping or raise kids, for goodness sake? This story shows how it's meant to be, and if it runs riot around a beautiful part of the world at the same time, so much the better.

JM: Let's get personal. Do you have any quirks or oddities that fit with the writer cliche?

JG: Apart from an untidy office crammed full of books where I spend hours all alone tapping at a computer? No, I'm not odd. It's the people who spend the best hours of every day working boring jobs that are odd! And I don't have quirks, thank you very much. I have endearing characteristics.

JM: LOL. I feel the same way. How about your writing process? How do you begin planning new books?
JG: I find I have two or three projects fermenting at the back of my mind, and I revisit them when I am doing something long and boring. Like driving. We're over 200 miles from the town of Cairns, with the nearest shopping mall, decent restaurants, dentist, cinemas. We run down there every month or two, and as I drive I'm mulling over what might happen in those stories. The next one is paranormal, set in the Sahara. I have written the start, and now I am thinking, reading reference material to do with the plot, and generally building up background. I expect it will be well into it by Christmas and finished in the new year. I hope. Then there's another, a sort of road movie story set in Central Europe. That one is going to wait until we can spend a couple of months touring there, to soak up atmosphere and experiences.

JM: Do you listen to music when you write? If so, tells us a few of your favorite artists.
JG: Yes, I love listening while I work. I have a rag-bag of albums of My Music, all sorts of stuff from WWII hits to British rock - to Brazilian sambas. I love Astrud Gilberto, the original girl from Ipanema. she's just so natural, and very sexy.

JM: What is the craziest thing you've ever done?
JG: I don't do crazy things, only normal. I'm a very ordinary person. But to answer your question, I suppose we did some pretty crazy things when we were living in Eastern Turkey. There was not much in the way of entertainment there, so we would take to the hills and go walking around looking for history on the ground. There are so many things to see off the beaten track, and it's safe enough as long as you don't get lost. The people are not crazy like neighbouring Iran, and are happy to see you suddenly appear in their villages. Our Turkish was not so good, but that never seemed to matter. I'd go back any day, but not in winter. It can hit minus 40 in those hills, and there are no trees to shelter behind.

JM: Do you have other artistic talents? Music? Painting? That sorta thing?

JG: I dabble. I have a guitar and used to be part of a small group, but that was in another place and I don't have partners here. I do a bit of painting now and again, mostly to annoy my brother who has degrees in fine art, knows all about it, and is farming sheep as a result. He looks down his nose at my pictures because they are simple, but it's surprising which ones people prefer. That always puts his nose out of joint. Nowadays, most of my artistic ability is used in making covers for my books. I seem to have developed a style of my own, with strong tropical colours and in-your-face images. I enjoy doing those.

JM: The worst movie or book you have ever seen/read?

JG: I hate tear-jerkers and horror. I don't go to the cinema to cry or be scared out of my mind. Nowadays, you can read all about movies on the net, so we choose ones we are going to like. I haven't walked out of one for ages, but I remember walking out of Alien years ago. Too scary, and stupid as well. And worst book? Well, I don't like to speak ill of the living, especially when they have sold millions of books, but I have to say The Da vinci Code and Twilight are both in the running here. (I hate modern vampires, with the exception of those in Tery Pratchett's books.)

JM: What was your first pet? Name? Do you have a furry friend now?

JG: My firsts pet was a patient white cat called Felix. I like dogs too, but they are such a responsibily... We have two maramalde cats now, but there is a very good reason for not telling you any more about them. Intrigued? I hope so.

JM: Heels or boots?
JG: Both! Of course, I spend most of the day barefoot in a sarong and not much else, but when we're in colder places, I wear skirts with good quality European tights or stockings, and boots with heels. The combination works wonders on men. Any man who does not drool over a well dressed woman's legs, can go back to his boyfriend and stay there.

JM: Ha Ha! I totally agree...well, that's it for the interview! Not too painful, I hope. Thank you so much for hanging out on Meta Modo.

Grrrls, don't forget to enter Jacqueline's contest and win one of her awesome books! For more info on Jacqueline George, check out her kickin' website. Don't forget to email your answers to me by August 6th.

Question 1. Why does Jacqueline write romantic stories?
Question 2. Who's Rudy
Question 3. What shores does Jacqueline live on?

http://jacquelinegeorgewriter.com/

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Manic Monday There

2011-08-08T19:57:00.002-05:00

It's Monday again. A brand new week and after a peek into the mind of a pelican who became tangled in a fishing line and hung by her wing in a tree for days before one out of many people finally called for help. I produced this as my free association writing:

Barely breathing. Barely there. Whispering. Fading. A ghost, almost. Transient and translucent. A sidewalk away from the cemetery. A breath away from eternity. Caught up on a line. Hung from a tree. Unable to break free. You. There. She sees you. Shouting. Solid. Permanent and opaque. She’s not like the others. She won’t cross the street; walk away from you there. Dangling by one wing. Head down. Pushing into the wind, trying to break free. She sees. And your sea will be yours once more. Her call manifests stairs and prayers and blessings. Down but not fallen. Free to be. Breathing. There. Full-bodied. A winged thing with a guarding angel. Yes, there.

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Romance by Rose Anderson

2011-08-07T21:34:00.000-05:00

Have you ever fallen so deeply in love with the characters in a romance novel that thoughts of them linger long after the last page is turned? Have you ever been so completely immersed in a love scene that you'd swear you've just been kissed or more? Meet Rose Anderson's strong, confident heroines and be seduced by compelling heroes you'll wish were there beside you. Come see how their lives intertwine and through their stories discover love profound. From her novel Hermes Online and newly released Dreamscape, to the passionate stories that follow, this new author will sweep you away on a sensual tide of memorable story-telling.

Hermes_Online_book_trailer

Rose Anderson ~ Love Waits in Unexpected Places

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Three for Chloe JonPaul

2011-08-04T07:07:00.000-05:00

Modo grrrls, please welcome Chloe JonPaul, author of This Business of Children, a book about:

Four elementary school teachers in the fictional town of Blevins, Maine whose private lives dramatically change.

About to retire, Vera vents her anger during a Board of Education meeting. Deidre, an exceptional teacher, leaves the job she loves to become a corporate trainer down South. Then Mark what he's always wanted, a corporate position with more prestige and pay, but turns it down. Stu, a popular teacher, struggles with a dark secret that he can only share with Deidre.

All four teachers are eager to share their intriguing secrets and entangled lives with you. Read This Business of Children today!

Not only was Chloe kind enough to answer my top three questions for her, but she also wanted to treat my grrrls to the opportunity to win a $10 Amazon.com gift card!

To enter to win the $10 Amazon gift card, just shoot me an email at jocelyn (at) jocelynmodo (dot) com with "Chloe" in the subject line. The winner will be selected randomly and the gift card emailed to the address you use to enter the contest.

Now check out what Chloe has to say about the wonderful world of writing:

Tell me a little about the character development for this novel.

It was a real challenge to develop the male characters in this story because I had never written from a male point of view. Capturing their thoughts, mannerisms, language (which in a few scenes is somewhat coarse) required real effort. These characters are not based on real people I knew; rather, they are probably a composite of different people I’ve known through the years – and not necessarily teachers.

I must admit that there’s a little bit of me in both female characters. Vera’s maternal instincts and Deidre’s fiery union activism are reflections of me in a way.

Deidre’s decision to break her relationship with Mark is similar to something I experienced many years ago.

What made you become a writer after teaching?

I have always loved to write – even as a young child but I never really thought about doing it seriously. As an adult, I wrote occasional articles for small magazines and newspapers. I started writing my first book in 2002.

This novel came about as a result of having experienced the joys and sorrows of being a classroom teacher as well as the union activist I had been in the past… and as Vera says in the Prologue: “ because the story that claws at my brain and keeps me awake nights has to be told.”

I had lived much of what your readers will discover in reading about the problems teachers face in the classroom.

I have three published books since 2003: 2 non-fiction, 1 fiction.

What have you've learned about yourself through your writing?

I’ve learned that I have more determination and optimism than I thought I possessed. I’ve also been able to reinforce in my mind something I’ve known for years: that every mistake can be a perfect opportunity for learning something new.

~

Thanks again, Chloe, for stopping by Meta Modo to give us all insight into your world. And congrats on your new novel, This Business of Children.

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Book Sale

2011-08-03T18:04:00.000-05:00

Oooo! A sale on books! Must be my birthday :) Woop Woop!
For the first week of August you can save 40% and more. New Dawning Bookfair is having a spectacular sale. Buy any available book on the site and with the coupon code 'Bookfair Buddy' receive a 40% discount. If you happen to have selected one of our top ten bestsellers, you will save another 20% as all Top Ten books are 20% off for this sale. That means you can buy our Top Ten books for less than 50%.

If you're looking for a fun Yahoo group with benefits to hang your hat give Bookfair Buddies a try: bookfairbuddies-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Flash Fiction Writing Contest

2011-07-31T20:16:00.000-05:00

Your Story Writing Contest: $500 in prizes and publication on Your Story starts tomorrow August 1st! Time to get creative ;)

http://yourstorywritingcontests.blogspot.com

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

book trailer reviews

2011-07-31T16:34:00.000-05:00

Seriously Reviewed is offering book trailer reviews. Submissions should be sent to romancereader@ymail.com with the title, author name, YouTube link and a buy link for the book.
All trailers will be scored for both content and the presentation and placed on the NEW www.seriouslyviewed.blogspot.com site.

There are now also trailer ad spots available for purchase in several locations including the sidebar of Seriously Viewed, the NEW trailer page on Seriously Reviewed as well as the website. Trailer spots purchased for the website or the NEW trailer page on Seriously Reviewed will come with a cover spot on any of the sites powered by SR, authors’ choice, OR you can choose to ONLY purchase a trailer spot for a smaller fee.

Please let me know if you have any questions :)

www.seriouslyreviewed.com
www.seriouslyreviewed.blogspot.com
www.sweetlyreviewed.blogspot.com
www.seriouslyinterviewed.blogspot.com
www.contestconnection.blogspot.com
www.google.com/profiles/seriouslyreviewed
http://twitter.com/seriouslyreview

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

A Year of Nookie

2011-07-28T05:54:00.000-05:00

Alright grrrls, we are lucky to have Robyn Bradley here on Meta Modo to talk about "A Year of Nookie!"

A Year of Nookie: Reflections on My Dive into the Digital Revolution by Robyn Bradly

It was a year ago that I became a Nookie (that's shorthand for "I bought a Nook" -- get your mind out of the gutter) and ventured to the "dark side" (i.e. I decided to get off the query-go-round and self-publish).

Here's a look back at some of the highs, lows, and surprises along the way. And because I believe reflections require a certain amount of distance, I'm writing the recap below in a third-person, diary-entry format. Besides, it's much easier to make fun of myself in third person. (Don't judge.)

July 2010: Re-reads Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird, a book for writers, and finally understands what Lamott means about validation needing to come from within. Researches this self-publishing thingy and decides to give it a go. Buys a Nook. Watch out world, she's serious! Loves her Nook but discovers it freezes up (and no, this isn't a euphemism for her love life). Could it be the universe's way of saying "slow down?" She ignores message.

August 2010: Privately plans world domination through Amazon's Kindle Publishing Platform and believes she will single-handedly resurrect the short story format by releasing one short story per month for the next 12 months. She has five short stories ready to go and knows writing another, oh, seven is completely doable (ahem). Finishes first novel -- The Help by Kathryn Stockett -- on Nook and is in love, despite said freeze-ups.

September 2010: Finalizes new author website, launches Facebook page, ups her Twitter ante, has a nervous breakdown, and figures out how to "fix" what's been dogging her with her novel for almost a decade. Nook reading -- nonfiction: Columbine by Dave Cullen and Game Change by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin.

October 2010: Releases her first short story, "Support Our Troops," and waits for call from 60 Minutes or something. Hears about some guy named Joe Konrath. Finds his blog. Converts and worships at his altar. Soon realizes many other people -- Amanda Hocking, Karen McQuestion, Victorine Lieske -- are the true self-publishing pioneers. Picks herself up, dusts herself off, and starts all over again. Becomes true student and reads and joins everything remotely related to self-publishing. Nook reading: Room by Emma Donoghue.

November 2010: Releases second short story, "Orange Pineapple." Facebook fan page grows and a person she doesn't know -- a true fan! -- writes on her wall and says how much she loved "Support Our Troops." Glows for days. Finishes edits on Forgotten April and decides to forgo the short-story-a-month approach. Plans release of Forgotten April for the end of April 2011. Nook reading: Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary by David Sedaris.

December 2010: Releases third short story, flash fiction called "The Object." Family and friends begin to realize that she's "serious" about this crazy venture. Family avoids topic during holiday season. Fa la, la, la, la. Reads paperback and feels guilty for cheating on Nook: Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout. Christmas gift: Nook is fixed -- no more freezing up.

January 2011: In awe of Amanda Hocking's numbers. In awe of Joe Konrath's numbers. Releases "A Touch of Charlotte." Spends much of January indoors, thanks to blizzards that bombard the Northeast. Learns how to use Animoto software to make really cool book trailers. Spends way too much time playing with this and doesn't shower for days. Nook reading: A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick.

February 2011: Book review blogger "Big Al" gives "A Touch of Charlotte" five stars. Glows some more. Starts reviewing work-in-progress, a draft she completed the previous year and the complete novel based on "Support Our Troops." Commits to having this thing done for her writers' group in June. Cat demands she showers more often. Nook reading: Switched by Amanda Hocking.

March 2011: Receives first royalty check from Amazon and B&N. Can buy…gas! Maybe! Releases final short story, "Crush." In awe of Barry Eisler's decision to walk away from a half million dollar book deal with Saint Martin's press. In awe of Amanda Hocking's two million dollar book deal with Saint Martin's press. Gulps and anxiously awaits release of her own novel. Nook reading: Not What She Seems by Victorine Lieske.

April 2011: Eats too much chocolate. Drinks too much wine. But showers regularly so the cat is happy. Writing mentor dies on Easter Sunday. Releases Forgotten April on Thursday, April 28. Nook reading: Nailed by Joseph Flynn.

May 2011: Thanks her lucky stars that she did NOT release the novel on her back-up date of Sunday evening, May 1, since Osama Bin Laden eclipses all other news. Receives early reviews on Forgotten April (they're good). Cheats on Nook (again) and reads paperback: How to Be Lost by Amanda Eyre Ward.

June 2011: Releases paperback version of Forgotten April. Commits major typo in public. Discovers George Clooney is back on the market. Dreams about writing from George's villa in Tuscany while anxiously awaiting feedback from writers' group on second novel. Forgotten April averaging between four and five stars on Amazon and B&N. Nook reading: A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan.

July 2011: Revises second novel (coming out in October). Still daydreams about George. Reads paperback (Secrets of Eden by Chris Bohjalian) but falls asleep with her Nook. Goes on a virtual book tour and ends up here. Is excited about what's next.

Thank you so much, Jocelyn, for having me. It's been fun. :)

Thank you, Robyn, for allowing us sneak peek into your writing and reading world.

Robyn Bradley Bio and Links

Robyn Bradley is a Short Story Seductress and Novelist Ninja with an MFA in Creative Writing from Lesley University. Her work has appeared in FictionWeekly.com, Metal Scratches, The Breakwater Review, Writer's Digest, and The MetroWest Daily News, among other places. In 2007, she won a short story award for “A Touch of Charlotte.” Forgotten April is her first novel and is available on Kindle, Nook, iPad, and in paperback. When she's not writing or sleeping, Robyn enjoys watching Law & Order marathons, drinking margaritas, and determining how many degrees really separate her from George Clooney. Learn more at www.robynbradley.com.

Purchase Links for Forgotten April:

Paperback - http://www.amazon.com/Forgotten-April-Robyn-Bradley/dp/146114972X/
Kindle - http://www.amazon.com/Forgotten-April-ebook/dp/B004W9BXYM/
Nook - http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Forgotten-April/Robyn-Bradley/e/2940012651730/
Ipad, Iphone, Ipod Touch - http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/forgotten-april/id431887718?mt=11
Learn more: www.robynbradley.com.
Robyn's Blog: http://www.robynbradley.com/robyn-bradleys-blog/

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Dianne Hartsock: Interview and Contest

2011-07-26T01:22:00.000-05:00

Today we have an interview with author Dianne Hartsock who will give her book Shelton's Promise to one lucky winner who comments, listing your favorite romantic character between now and July 31st. Don't forget to include your email address in your comment OR send your email address to me at Jocelyn (at) JocelynModo (dot) com.

Welcome, Dianne!

Thanks for having me as your guest today, Jocelyn.

Dianne, can you tell us about your books and how you come up with your ideas?

Shelton in Love

Breathless Press: http://www.breathlesspress.org/Book/291

Shelton is falling hard for his best friend and roommate, finding Nevil’s dark good looks and moments of gentleness almost impossible to resist. But Nevil is more interested in affairs of the body than the heart. As Shelton’s desire for the man grows, he wonders if he can change Nevil’s mind. But does he even want to? Nevil might not stay, once he learns Shelton’s secret, and then his loneliness would be complete.

Shelton’s Promise

Breathless Press: http://www.breathlesspress.org/Book/345

Shelton has a gift he’s eager to give to Nevil. At a party, Nevil flirts with one man after another, keeping Shelton on his toes. Then Percy, an ex, shows up to complicate things. Despite his best efforts, Shelton can’t find the right moment to give Nevil his gift. Will Nevil ever let Shelton get close to him, or will Shelton have to keep the gift in his pocket all evening?

I came up with these stories last summer. My husband and I had taken a trip to Glacier National Park. Beautifully romantic trip, but the long drive through the Idaho desert would have done me in, if it wasn’t for my sometimes naughty imagination.

I’d recently written a short ghost story, The Trials of a Lonely Specter (MuseItUp Publishing, due out this fall) and I began to wonder what my two men had done when they were alive. How had they met? Who would they be in the new story taking shape in my mind?

Nevil came first. Handsome, sexy, witty. Do you know the song The Last Of The Famous International Playboys by Morrissey? That’s my Nevil.

And who would be special enough to win his heart? Someone shy and beautiful, unsure yet alluring in his own way. Definitely a temptation. Lovely Shelton. I started plotting the story out, and wrote them as soon as we arrived home.

ALEX

Solstice Publishing: http://bitly.com/liLUSG

Severely abused as a child, he is left with horrible scars on his body and even worse scars within his mind. Even though it puts him in danger, he’s compelled to help those who call to him. He’s driven, motivated by his visions to rescue them and uncover the killer. When he can, he helps the police; yet some detectives suspect he’s the cause of the problem, not the solution. Often, Alex finds himself alone and afraid in a world he doesn’t always comprehend.

With Alex, I again based the MC on a character I’ve written for a fantasy/adventure story I’m working on. I fell in love with this character and wondered what would happen to him if he were placed in modern times. Who would befriend him? Who would fall in love with him? Would anyone believe he was psychic, or think he was simply insane? It was an intriguing, complex story to write, often heartbreaking. But I enjoyed the process all the same.

What are your favorite scenes to write and why?

My favorite scenes are the ones where my characters are at their most vulnerable; when we get to see inside them, learn what they’re made of. These are the most difficult scenes for me to write, simply because I have to feel what they’re feeling before I can put it down on the paper. Some of the emotions aren’t nice. Often they make me cry. But I love when I’m finished and can take a deep breath and know I’ve written something meaningful.

Do you check out reader reviews on your books or keep, keeping on writing?

The first few days after a story is published, I check for reviews obsessively. Then I settle down to just a few times a day. J I guess you can say I’m a nervous writer. I write for a while, then roam the Internet for a break, then get back to my MS. That’s when I check all my social sites and also check up on my books.

Do you listen to music while you write? If so, what do you listen to?

Oh yes! I can’t get anything done in a quiet house. Mostly I listen to Pandora on the computer. There are no advertisements and I don’t have to change a CD. On my play list I have Wintersleep, Placebo, Rogue Wave, Snow Patrol, Silversun Pickups, Arcade Fire, Matt Pond, etc.

What advice would you give to a new author?

You have to believe in yourself before anyone else will. Work hard. Learn your craft. Always follow your heart when it comes to your writing. When you sit down to write, take a deep breath. Don’t think about how anyone else would write the scene. Forget about all the advice you’ve been given. Simply write the words as they come to you. It’s the best way to find your own unique writer’s voice. You can work on the editing later.

Are you working on anything new right now?

I’m currently working on the third book in my ‘Shelton’ series. I have it half-way done and the rest loosely plotted out in my head. It’s finding the time to write it that’s the difficult part!

I’m also finishing up another m/m erotica, this time a fantasy. I’m on my second round of edits, so I’m close to being done.

Ok, enough of the hard stuff. How about some fun questions? Vanilla, Chocolate, or Kinky? ;)

Vanilla. Sweet and sticky. J

What’s your favorite kind of gum?

I like the first minute of chewing spearmint gum, then I have to spit the wad of rubber out.

Are you a cat or dog person?

Cats! I love their arrogance.

Who would win a fight between an astronaut and a caveman?

A caveman, definitely. All he’d have to do is pull the hose from the astronaut’s air tank and the astronaut would suffocate before he even had a chance to fight.

What is the last book you read?

What the Night Knows by Dean Koontz. Terrifying and horrible and deliciously scary. Koontz always delivers a happy ending, which helps me get through the bad things that happen in his books.

What is your favorite movie?

9 by Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov. It’s about a man who splits his soul into 9 parts to save mankind. The care and gentleness and love with which the characters treat each other touches my heart.

Dianne Hartsock's Blog | Facebook | Twitter: @diannehartsock

Thanks so much for letting the Meta Modo grrrls get to know you better today. I for one can't wait for your new books to be released.

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Hauser's Pride

2011-07-19T06:22:00.116-05:00

Meta Modo grrrls please join me in welcoming the fabulous Ms. G.A. Hauser who is here to talk about pride, Of Wolves and Men, and 'O-Hell-O'. Welcome Hauser, please, do go on!

PRIDE

by G.A. Hauser

Sometimes it seems as if the United States has made a move to the extreme right. I don't like talking politics, religion, or the Great Pumpkin, but as I am fresh from my trip from San Francisco, during the Pride weekend, I will make an exception.

Many of you who know me, or know my ranting...ahum...get the feeling I don't like where I live at the moment. They are correct. I live in Ohio, or as I commonly refer to it among friends, 'O-Hell-O'. I may get a lot of slack for this negative nickname of a 'beloved' state, but heck, everyone's entitled to their opinion. I think writers are number two behind loud mouthed politicians for being outspoken, but again, that's a personal view.

Standing in an enormous crowd on Market Street, watching literally tens of thousands of spectators enjoying the spectacle, was surreal. There in the parade were hundreds of culturally diverse groups, mega companies, religious organizations ...etc...showing their rainbow colors.

I thought, 'what the heck?' Truly I am not in Kansas (or Ohello) any longer. Suddenly I was in a world that embraced diversity, love, and civil rights for all to marry, and be themselves.

I have to admit, I cried. The fact that there are areas of the country that support same sex love, marriage, and a multitude of other ideas that free thinking inspires, made me emotional. It was bliss.

Why then, are we so silent the rest of the year? How can so many corporations, including banks, huge department store chains, car manufacturers, and religious groups, stay quiet as the far right scream and stomp their anti-freedom views?

I don't know. Another question without an answer. Perhaps we are not silent, we are just not as manic. But the time I spent with my married male friends, and the sense of freedom Gay Pride gave me, will be something that will stay with me forever.

It strengthens my resolve to keep up the fight. To combat the nonsense against gay society; to stop the far right from not giving everyone the choice to live how they choose in a country as strong and open as our good ole USA. It has to change. I do believe we have the power to make it happen.

And standing in the crowd at the Pride Parade in a city like San Francisco convinced me.

It's the reason I write my novels. To open closed minds to the idea of love of all kinds. And I won't stop.

Keep fighting for what you believe in. In reality, it's what makes this country so great to begin with. We just have to find ourselves. We've become lost in a quagmire of a few who think they know what's best for everyone.

Blurb for Of Wolves and Men

‘Cowboy’ Charlie Mosby worked on a horse ranch in Heber, Utah. He loved his work, the owners of the ranch, and his co-workers; wranglers who helped tourists with guided horse tours and trail riding all year round.

But after a chance meeting with a handsome gay man who had helped Charlie change a flat tire on Interstate 80 a month ago, Charlie was beginning to wonder about his sexuality. And if that wasn’t confusing enough, strange things were happening on the ranch.

Satanic worship? A strange cult ritual? Whatever it was, it wasn’t good for the owners or the horses on it.

One night Charlie stumbles upon Roman Burk in the woods, naked, bleeding and shivering in the cold. What Charlie never imagined was who -or what- Roman was. Even though the handsome stranger seemed to vanish at times and reappear as if by magic, Charlie was infatuated by this man.

Roman was fearful of revealing his secret. Most of all to a cowboy who was spending more time hunting him, than loving him.

In this shape-shifting story of sexual bonding and discovery, can both Charlie and Roman find what they’re looking for? It’s a question of honor; one that has been up for debate since the first time man set his eyes on this formidable predator. It’s about the mutual respect of Wolves and Men.

Sample chapter for Of Wolves and Men:

It was crisp and clear. The dark sky was covered in stars, far more than anyone near a city could see. As he made his way, his horse the only sound for miles, Charlie realized his buddy ‘Goat’ was right. Nothing seemed alive around him. Usually the songs of night birds or movements of nocturnal hunters were audible. Not tonight.

A chill rose to his skin, but it was under his jacket and not from the cold. He had never believed in supernatural mumbo-jumbo. Didn’t pay attention to local Indian legends, and certainly never believed in ghosts.

He drew near the area where he and Butch had repaired the fence. It was intact just as he had left it.

The ground was freezing up, and Spirit’s hooves snapped brittle twigs and made heavy clomps on the solid soil.

A whimper caught his attention. He stopped Spirit and listened.

A sensation stronger than chills hit him. It was borderline terror. He jumped off Spirit’s back and held the rein. After a few yards, Spirit refused to keep walking with him, rearing up but not in a violent way, just being stubborn. Charlie trusted his horse’s instinct. He stopped too.

Another whimper, a very human voice, shocked him. Spirit would not approach with him, so he dropped the rein and hurried towards the sound.

In the dimmest of the sliver of moonlight, Charlie found a man, naked, in the fetal position, shivering.

“Son of a bitch!” He rushed to his side and found blood spattering him. “Talk to me! Where’re you hurt?” Charlie touched the man’s arm.

Immediately the man’s brilliant green eyes met his.

“Hang on! Hang on!” Charlie rushed back to Spirit who was looking nervous, the whites of his eyes showing. “Calm down, buddy. Don’t you go crazy on me now.” Charlie took a blanket off the saddle and hurried back. He wrapped it around the shivering man.

“What the hell you doin out here in this cold? You will get hypothermia.” Charlie tried to warm him.

“F…f…freezing…”

“No wonder!” Charlie tucked the blanket closer around him. “I need to get you out of here.”

“No…no police…”

“Look. I just want to get you warm, all right?”

The man nodded.

“Where’s that blood comin’ from?” Charlie began to check the man over. Though he was thinking only of the man’s wellbeing, this man was at least six feet tall, and built like he had weight lifted at a gym all his life. His hair was jet black and his jaw had dark designer stubble covering it. He looked like a city boy, out of his element.

Charlie tucked the blanket high on the man’s chest and inspected his legs for some kind of wound. His thighs were wide and muscular, his pubic hair as black as his head hair, and the glance Charlie got of his crotch was enough to know this man was big everywhere. “Come on, partner. I got to get you warm. Can you stand?”

The man nodded, struggling to sit upright.

“You got a name?” Charlie hauled the man to his feet, feeling his weight leaning heavily on him.

“Roman. Roman Burk.” The man’s teeth chattered.

“How on earth did you get here and why?” Charlie walked Roman to Spirit.

The horse backed up, snorting as if in fear.

“Hang on. He’s all spooked.” Charlie grabbed Spirit’s rein and had to drag him closer. “What’s with you, boy! Calm down.”

The horse shifted like a nervous colt, not staying still for a second. “Spirit! Hold on. Hold on, boy.” Charlie dragged Spirit closer to Roman by the chin strap, angry the horse was making a bad situation worse. “Come on, Roman. You climb on. Just step into my hand.”

Roman and Spirit seemed to lock gazes. It was the oddest thing Charlie had ever seen. “Come on, Roman, he’s all right.”

Clinging to the blanket, Roman seemed as reluctant to get on Spirit as Spirit was for him to ride him. “Will you both calm down?” Charlie had no idea this would be an issue. He yelled at the horse, “You gonna make me call and wake someone up? Now behave.” He reached out to Roman. “Come on.”

Roman moved closer.

“Climb up. I got you.” Charlie cupped his hands for Roman to step into it and get on the saddle.

Spirit was about to protest, but Charlie jerked his bridle to prevent it. He swung up behind Roman and put his feet into the stirrups. It took some persuading but finally Spirit began heading back down the trail.

Charlie felt Roman leaning back on him, so he held him close with one arm. “Why are you up here? You know, you picked a bad time to be getting lost naked in the woods, Roman. There’s some mighty odd things going on lately. You’re lucky I found you when I did.”

“Thank you.”

It was so softly spoken, Charlie just caught it. Roman’s hair brushed his lips as they rode back.

“Thank you, Charlie.”

“I’ll take care of you…” Charlie blinked. “I don’t remember telling you my name.” Did he? He must have.

“I know. I know you will, Charlie. You’ll take good care of me.”

“Have we met?” Charlie felt a strange sensation in his body.

“I’m so cold.”

Charlie held him tighter. It was the best he could do with one arm. He didn’t know where he was going. The hospital? Vernon’s house?

“Your cabin. Please.”

“Are you reading my mind?” Charlie laughed but he was slightly rattled.

“Please.”

“You don’t fret. I’ll take care of you.”

“Thank you, Charlie. I know you will. That’s why I chose you.”

Charlie imagined the cold was making Roman slightly delusional. He heard hypothermia did that. Made you hallucinate.

He rode to the barn, dismounting and helping Roman do the same. He tightened the blanket around Roman and quickly got the saddle off Spirit. Spirit was still acting like a mass of nerves, staring at Roman like Charlie had never seen him look at another human before.

He shut the lights in the barn and held Roman around the waist as he hurried with him to his cabin. “Almost there.”

“I know.”

Charlie opened his door and locked it behind them. “I’ll get the fire going, you go take a hot shower, ya hear me?”

Roman dropped the blanket, standing naked before him.

Charlie gulped audibly. “You…you need me to show you where everything is?”

Roman stalked him.

Charlie backed up near the fireplace. The blood spatter was in a strange pattern. Light, as if Roman was standing beside something else that was shot, or cut. But Charlie kept being drawn to Roman’s eyes. The intensity of the color, the power of the stare was hypnotic.

Roman put one hand against the cabin’s exposed wooden beams, over Charlie’s head. He brushed his lips against Charlie’s lightly.

“Sweet mother of god, I got me another gay boy.” Charlie gulped and his cock went thick in his jeans.

Book Title:Of Wolves and Men
Copyrightby Amanda Hauser 2011
Amazon Book Page
Genre: M/M Shape Shifter Romance

About the Author

Award-winning author G.A. Hauser was born in Fair Lawn, New Jersey,

USA

and attended university in New York City. She moved to Seattle, Washington where she worked as a patrol officer with the Seattle Police Department. In early 2000 G.A. moved to Hertfordshire,

England

where she began her writing in earnest and published her first book, In the Shadow of Alexander. Now a full-time writer, G.A. has written over sixty novels, including several best-sellers of gay fiction and is an Honorary Board Member of Gay American Heroes for her support of the foundation. For more information on other books by G.A., visit the author at her official website: www.authorgahauser.com

G.A. has won awards from All Romance eBooks for Best Author 2009, Best Novel 2008, Mile High, and Best Author 2008, Best Novel 2007, Secrets and Misdemeanors, Best Author 2007.

Email | Website | MySpace | FaceBook | Blog

The G.A. Hauser Collection

Single Titles

Unnecessary Roughness

Hot Rod

Of Wolves and Men

The Order of Wolves

My Best Friend’s Boyfriend

Mr. Right

The Diamond Stud

The Hard Way

Games Men Play

Born to Please

Got Men?

Heart of Steele

All Man

Julian

Black Leather Phoenix

London, Bloody, London

In The Dark and What Should Never Be, Erotic Short

Stories

Mark and Sharon (formally titled A Question of Sex)

A Man’s Best Friend

It Takes a Man

The Physician and the Actor

For Love and Money

The Kiss

Naked Dragon

Secrets and Misdemeanors

Capital Games

Giving Up the Ghost

To Have and To Hostage

Love you, Loveday

The Boy Next Door

When Adam Met Jack

Exposure

The Vampire and the Man-eater

Murphy's Hero

Mark Antonious deMontford

Prince of Servitude

Calling Dr Love

The Rape of St. Peter

The Wedding Planner

Going Deep

Double Trouble

Pirates

Miller's Tale

Vampire Nights

Teacher's Pet

In the Shadow of Alexander

The Rise and Fall of the Sacred Band of Thebes

The Action Series

Acting Naughty

Playing Dirty

Getting it in the End

Behaving Badly

Dripping Hot

Packing Heat

Being Screwed

Something Sexy

Going Wild

Men in Motion Series

Mile High

Cruising

Driving Hard

Leather Boys

Heroes Series

Man to Man

Two In Two Out

Top Men

G.A. Hauser

Writing as Amanda Winters

Sister Moonshine

Nothing Like Romance

Silent Reign

Butterfly Suicide

Mutley’s Crew

http://www.assistingauthors.com/

~

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Dancing With Bear Publishing Call for Submisions

2011-07-15T07:18:00.008-05:00

This call comes from the new Dancing With Bear publisher who pubs sweet romance, nothing sassy (no erotica).

Holiday Submission Call

Subject: Holidays (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah)
Length - 20,000+ words
Deadline - September 15, 2011
These stories can be any sub-genre that falls within the regular submission guidelines.

~ * ~

Subject - Valentine's Day 2012
Length - 20,000+ words
Deadline - December 15, 2011
For Valentine's Day stories I want to see all that sweetness oozing off the pages with flowers, hearts, diamonds, chocolates, or any other way you can think of to make the heart go pitter-patter! All sub-genres are fine, keep regular submission guidelines in mind.

~ * ~

Subject - Easter 2012
Length - 20,000+ words
Deadline - January 15, 2012
These may be any sub-genre as long as they fall into the inspirational story main genre. For Christians everywhere this is an important holiday that recognizes Jesus' resurrection from the dead and emphasizes that we serve a living God. While the stories do not have to specifically occur on Easter, they should give a message of hope, affirmation of life, and lasting love.

~ * ~

Children's holiday stories will also be accepted but please note that while children's stories tend to be shorter they will be published in e-format individually, but in print they will be combined for an anthology depending on each story length.

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Dee Brice Needs Your Help!

2011-07-14T21:23:00.000-05:00

Dee Brice needs your help in naming the next title in her Virtual Seduction series.

The contest dates are July 1-July 31, 2011

The title may be either Her or His Virtual ???

The third word must begin with an E (Her/His Virtual Evenness for example)

Submissions must be emailed to deebrice@sbcglobal.net and received not later than midnight (PDT) July 31, 2011. Please put Dee's Contest on the subject line.

The eXtasy publisher and editor-in-chief will select the winning title.

If there are duplicate submissions of the same title, each winner will receive one (1) PDF download of any eXtasy Books Dee Brice title and one (1) copy of the winning book.

Dee will dedicate the book to the winner(s).

Good Luck!!

**~~**
The Virtual Seduction Series is....

HER VIRTUAL ????

Book 1: His Virtual Virgin
Book 2: His Virtual Assassin
Book 3: His Virtual Bride
Book 4: Her Virtual Consort
Book 5: His Virtual Diva (Coming August 1st)

and coming soon......

Book 6: Her Virtual ???

**~~**

Check out other Dee Brice books at the following places....
Website
Blog
eXtasy Author Page
Ellora's Cave Author Page

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

And The Winners Are...

2011-07-13T18:18:00.001-05:00

Today's the day! Are you ready?

The winners of Married by Morning and Tempt Me At Twilight by Lisa Kleypas are:

Bella's Mom won Tempt Me At Twilight

AND

Audra won Married by Morning

Congrats you two and enjoy the reads.

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Lunar Lovers by Emma Abbiss

2011-07-13T06:00:00.002-05:00

It's release day for Lunar Lovers by Emma Abbiss! Woop! Woop! :)

On an ancient space station, Samius recognizes Achelle, a half-human, half-Rane female, as his mate the moment he smells her sexy scent. Knowing their lust for each other will soon become uncontrollable, he races to get them home to his brothers so all seven of them can complete the Rane bonding ritual—mating and marking her as part of their family.

Samius’ brothers accept Achelle as his mate and she accepts them into her body, but is horrified at what she’s done when she wakes the next morning. Before Samius can explain her heritage and their culture, Achelle runs from him—and right into trouble, leaving her wondering if she’ll ever find a place where she belongs.

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Shades of Martin Sharlow

2011-07-12T06:03:00.004-05:00

Meta Modo grrrls, please welcome author Martin Sharlow, who is here to talk to us about the difference between paranormal romance and paranormal fantasy romance!
Martin Sharlow:

First I want to thank you for having me here, I appreciate having the chance to speak to your readers.
I want to talk about paranormal romance, and what I like to call paranormal fantasy romance. I'm not sure if that's an official title or anything for any genres these days. But that's what I like to use to differentiate between the two types. Paranormal romance, in my opinion, falls within say the Twilight series, and The Vampire Diaries. While paranormal fantasy romance though very similar has more fantasy in it, say like True Blood TV series. Unfortunately I've never read the Sookie Stackhouse series so I can't really comment on the books. But I have watched the TV series, which is one of my favorites. I do watch Vampire Diaries as well.

But if you look at the two, you will notice that there are distinct differences. In True Blood, you will find not only werewolves, but fairies and other fantasy mystical creatures and situations. I like to think that my series Shades of Twilight and Shades of Blood, fall more in the romance fantasy area. Mostly because I like to extend my world further than just the norm. I want it to be open and growing, even though at the same time I try my best to put my characters in the real world.

So it's kind of a quandary. I want them in reality, yet I want explore themes of fantasy as well. After all, vampires and werewolves are things of fantasy. Especially when it's involving paranormal romance and not horror. Usually at least earlier in our history, vampires and werewolves were primarily used as monsters to scare people, and in the books and later the movies we see them mostly used to kill people. Today however, thanks to paranormal romance, we see those same monsters as people with needs and personalities beyond being some sort of monster. I think it shows how our perceptions of grown over time.

This is why I say paranormal romance actually is paranormal fantasy romance. So at least you will see more fantasy aspect in my books. At least I hope so. I think part of the problem for me, is that I grew up in straight pure fantasy. One of the first books I ever read was Lord of the Rings. That really shaped my thought process when it came to writing fantasy, and then it has also affected me as I write paranormal romance. I'm just glad that series like Sookie Stackhouse came along. It produced a lot more freedom for writers like me. So if you like to have a little fantasy mixed in with your paranormal romance, then I would say my books may be up your alley.

~

Thanks Martin. I've never thought of breaking the sub genres out like that ,but I agree with your definitions and the major differences between the two. Very cool having you here. Thank for stopping by. :)

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Manic Monday Speachless

2011-07-11T20:06:00.000-05:00

Manic Monday again and today I need my little bit of weekly therapy more than ever:

I have nothing to say. No, not true. I just don't know how to say it. I should mime. White gloves. Annoying gestures that mean everything and nothing from a mute who's moot point takes my words away. I'm left with "if's, than" that lead to insecurity, fear that I could talk myself out of if I could find the words.

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Angelfall by Susan Ee

2011-07-11T16:45:00.001-05:00

Surprise: Angelfall outshines several books I received from big NY pub houses to review this year.

Angelfall (Penryn & the End of Days, Book 1) by Susan Ee was a surprise, not only because it's tagged as YA, making me believe it was going to be another Twilight wannabe with an angel twist (yes, there have been many), but also because it comes from a small pub house (which I suspect was created specifically to pub Angelfall). These facts combined have equaled unreadable to mediocre books up till now, and while the opening is a little bumpy--the author choosing to drop the reader into after-world instead of before-world, making it difficult to find my footing--once I adjusted to Ee's world the story took off on wings as lovely as those belonging to the fallen angel Raffe's.

The characters have depth, likability (I know that's not a word but I'ma use it anyway), and are given their moment to shine...all except the little sister who we only catch a glimpse of at the beginning and end so that she comes off as more of a caricature than a full-bodied character.

I mention the little sis only because the lead character's quest is to rescue her, which makes her an important emotional element that was missed. Yet despite this disappointment, the author skillfully takes us on a journey with two characters who are easy to bond with and even easier to want to see succeed.

The end has a lot of wonderful fireworks and big BANGS that are satisfying, and there are enough strings left tangled to make me happy to recommend this book.

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Time Well Spent With Bella Marie

2011-07-07T06:43:00.035-05:00

All my Meta Modo grrls please welcome Bella Marie! Author of some lovely erotic tales, she's here to spend a little time with us...some time definitely well spent talking about:

"The Amazing World of Independent Writers by Bella Marie"

As with all worlds, real or imagined, there are good people and there are those that really need to work on their people skills. Perhaps it is the balance of good vs evil? Of course it could always be that they really got up on the wrong side of the bed, slipped and fell and nothing has gone right since. For whatever reason people are grumpy, mean spirited, rude, unkind, or whatever negatively descriptive word you would like to throw in there, everyone has an off day, even me :O)

I decided to go on tour with my book through BK Walker with the Virtual Book Tour Café and this in my last blog for the tour I have been on for a month now. I have met some really wonderful people on this tour as well as have had the pleasure of knowing before I went on tour. I have also met some really grumpy people from every aspect of my writing experience. I would like to sing the praises of a few people that I have met, who have helped this rather new writer who is getting use to trying to promote my work in this crazy world of self-publishing.

For those of you who have read my blogs as well as interviews, I am sure it won’t surprise you to see my mentioning Martin Sharlow author of several books, including Chronicles of Blood. He is the one that inspired me to publish my books in the first place, giving me some much needed advice. Between him and his daughter Shanda Sharlow, author of Jenni for one, they have been my inspiration. I am a huge fan of their writing as a reader. Their work stands very well on their own but I wanted to give them a thank you for all they have done to help me along the way. I would also like to heartily thank anyone who have or will purchase my books, I am beyond honored.

When my tour started, BK was wonderful, set up my tour very quickly and with some great people. There are some that went completely out of their way, exceptionally nice and helpful. I completely appreciate each and every single one of them! I had the pleasure of going onto Katie Salidas’s website for an interview and in doing so; I was able to read one of her well-loved books, House of Immortal Pleasures. I absolutely loved it and highly recommend it. She is an inspiration for my next book; she was so very genuine and kind to me.

The Golden Pen Review, Kiki Howell from Authors by Authors, (totally love her concept of authors helping authors!), CJ Black from CJ Black Satin, Sally at Bibrary Bookslut, Miranda from My Eclectic Bookshelf, Kari from the TBR Pile and last but not least, Jocelyn Modo who so graciously decided to host my last tour when someone else wasn’t able to do it… I thank you all for being so kind to me!

Now I would like to thank all those wonderful writers over at Indie Writers Unite! I discovered this wonderful group for writers on Facebook that made my first experience with really grumpy people seems so very isolated! I could go on and on mentioning the wonderful people that I have met on this site, sharing their wonderful books, helping each other in this confusing world of self-publishing, (at least confusing for me :O)

The first person who welcomed me and I got to even comment on her new book title which was fun, is Melissa Smith. She is so very kind, always commenting on things, letting people get to know her. Mike Cooley not only was kind and welcoming but he shared his idea of putting music with his poetry. I have never been a huge fan of poetry but I love the one that he shared along with his song that he wrote for it. I am very impressed. I could go on and on naming people but it would take a very long time. I will be continuing this subject on my personal blog for those who don’t mind a shout out as well so if anyone would like to comment on the idea that would be fantastic. I look forward to reading so many new books! I am reading Shanda Sharlow’s Jenni at the moment but I will get to all those others too.

There are some amazing people, books and music out there that I truly hope that those who haven’t taken a chance on an Indie author like me and the people that I have raved about, so you don’t miss out on something wonderful!

Happy Reading!
Bella Marie

*****

How about some exciting explicit adult erotica for the nights by the fire, or maybe in the bathtub with a glass of wine? Alone or with a friend, spouse, or lover, this almost 31,000 word, 15 total short stories are sure to warm you up even if you don’t have a fireplace! With no names in the stories it is easy to imagine yourself in the adventures, enjoying right along in the fun.

Here is an idea of what you will find in this adults only book….

The New Beach House

A contractor builds his dream home on the beach. He is very excited to share it with the woman that he has fallen in love with. He surprises her by taking her out to see the finished home and propose to her as well. They end up enjoying a wonderful day of lovemaking both inside the new home, and outside in the waves on the secluded beach.

Friends
Two friends get together for a hot night of passion. They meet up at a bar and go to her house where they enjoy some intense self-pleasure as well as backdoor fun. They shower together at the end of the story as they continue into the next story.

Dinner Out
The two friends decide to go out to dinner at a Mexican Restaurant. They sit in a dark corner pushing the limits of exploring sex in public to see how far they can go without being caught.

A Night to Remember
A married couple enjoys experimenting with mild bondage and she has decided that she wants to really enjoy herself when her husband gets home. She gets all ready, complete with a new outfit, ropes on the kitchen table, and a tray set up with hidden toys. It’s her turn tonight and she bought a wonderful new large toy just so she can find out how far she can push him.

Surprise Meeting
A woman is surprised while shopping by an old friend that comes up behind her. They end up going to her place for a night of intense sex with a little spanking to go along with it.

Other stories include stories about friends, as well as total strangers enjoying a variety of pleasures that are sure to inspire most interests. There is also a lesbian story where they are joined by a man to make it threesome enjoying amazing pleasure at a waterfall; a story on a cruise ship, and 10 more explicit adult erotic stories.

Happy Reading!

Bella Marie

Bio:
Bella Marie - Born May of 1966. Lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, is a single mother of two grown children and one pre-teen. Favorite places include the beach, and any body of water which inspires her to write explicit adult erotic stories. She started writing stories for friends about 15 years ago who liked them so much, they encouraged her to publish them. She didn’t follow their advice until she became friends with an Indi Author, Martin Sharlow who encouraged her to publish them, mentoring her on how to do it while watching him become a successful author. She is working on her third series at the moment.

~~~~

A pleasure having you on Meta Modo Bella Marie.

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Twin Excerpts Day: "My Life As A Dog" and "Undercover Trouble"

2011-07-07T00:16:00.000-05:00

Time for two short excerpts from two new books! Check them:
BLURB:
MY LIFE AS A DOG: DrakeMartin is a unique shape shifter. Instead of transforming into a ferociousanimal, he morphs into an eight pound Yorkshire terrier. Six year old KadyHartley rescued him from an animal shelter. As "Precious" he was her "bestest friend" for twelve years, leaving when she started college. Ten years later they cross paths. He's a PI; she's FBI. Continuing to keep his abilities secret from her, he follows Kady as she pursues a case. Accompany them on an odyssey to New Orleans investigating human traffickers and watch the fur fly. To protect Kady, Drake remains in the shadows. For her sake he putsaside his loner life and accepts protection and assistance of the local shifterpack under its leader, the Sufi. The pack and Drake soon discover theyhave a common cause, leading to a bloody confrontation with the Russian humantraffickers. During the adventure, will Drake and Kady rekindle their loving friendship orwill it become much more?

EXCERPT

"He’s a Yorkie, a Yorkshire terrier, according to our vet’s examination, a purebred and in perfect health. Clean him up and he will be beautiful." Unhitching a leash from the wall, she lifted me from the cage to the floor. "Yorkies are a popular breed and live a long time. Your daughter will be able to grow up with him." Winking at me, because I had her eating out of my paws since Monday, the volunteer added, "See how he prances around. Yorkies are so full of spirit. I just love this one to pieces. I’d take him home myself, but we already have two cats and two dogs. My husband would leave me if I brought home another pet."

Four feet tall, sandy hair, blue eyes, and a breath smelling of lemon drops nodded, making up her mind. "He’s the one I want."

That’s how my life changed in a split second. I’m Drake Martin, part-time hit man, most of the time private eye, lover, and shape shifter. This is the story of my life as a dog and the little girl named Kady Hartley who changed it forever.

After botching my last gig, I cleared out in a hurry with the sheriff hot on my trail. A local drug king pin had hired me to assist one of his dealers from the burdens of this life and into the next. Another dealer, who knew of the plan, rolled on us to lighten a pretty big distribution charge hanging over his head. The king pin split to Colombia without telling me about the trap set by the local minions of the law. To get away, I morphed to animal form. In that kind of situation, nobody pays attention to a scruffy little dog skulking along a shadowy wall. While a passel of confused cops addressed their two-volt, one cylinder deductive powers to the problem of how I slipped their trap, I put as much distance between us as my five inch legs could cover. A couple of blocks later, I felt good about my chances, only to turn a corner and damn if I didn’t run into the town’s dog catcher who immediately spotted the lack of collar and tags around my neck. In recent years my once lightning getaway had lost a step and no amount of terrier squirming or snarl could break his expert grip. Cooling my heels in the cage on the way to the shelter, I realized, with rising terror, that I was in my worst fix in over a century of life and regretted not morphing to human form to send this hyper-conscientious nimrod to his eternal reward.

While other shape shifters turn into formidable critters like wolves or bears, I become an eight pound Yorkie. It is a mixed blessing. I’m not worth shit against another shifter, but except for diligent public servants of the animal control department and women, I attract only casual attention. No one perceives me as dangerous or threatening, and the girls love me to pieces. At least it’s better than my friend Paco in Long Island who becomes a chipmunk.

The little girl named Kady and her family represented my best chance to escape. I knew the shelter’s rules. After a week as a guest of the city’s taxpayers, a sad little man euthanized the unfortunate creatures not adopted. As a last resort, I could return to human form, but not while in the suitcase-sized cage. The collar they fitted around my neck also presented a problem. The expansion of my neck as I turned to human couldn’t break it, and it’d nip off my head before I could slip out of it. When out of the cage, I was never alone, even in the dog run. If they removed the collar, imagine the staff’s shock at discovering a six foot naked male in the dog run. After recovering their senses, they’d cart me off to a psych ward, with little chance of escape. The drugs administered there mess up morphs. Once I teamed with other shifters to spring one of our own who came out unable to morph for months, as well as not knowing what year it was. That’s how I met Paco.

Clearly, adoption represented the better way out.

I ratcheted up my charm, best puppy eyes along with a surfeit of face licking. As usual, it worked.

On the drive home, held in the arms of an energetic if not hyperactive six-year-old, I thought about older females and their interestingly different embraces. Adult females, when I’m in human form, entice me to do naughty things to their bodies. Now, I sat on the lap of a considerably younger one. My stubby tail wagged in a blur while an alert face on the other end flirted outrageously with anyone who glanced my way. The gaze of blue eyes, like marbles, washed over me. In that moment, I felt the stirring of a connection with a human unlike any other. After a few minutes she hugged and kissed me with unabashed love the way little girls do with their prized dolls.

"Kady, don’t get so close until we clean him up," Mom gently admonished from the front seat. "You don’t know where he’s been."

"What are you going to name him, honey?" Dad asked.

Profiled by the windshield, his head was a tan blob with sandy hair plastered across it. I remember hoping she wouldn’t choose a stupid name like Fido or Charlie. No offense to any dudes with those names, but after all, I was a purebred and all male. I deserved a manly name befitting my proud and feisty, if diminutive stature, maybe Killer or Spike.

Kady held my face in a pair of small chubby hands. Her infectious smile, one I came to know well, melted me to slush. Gaps showed where two baby teeth had been. In another place the crown of a new tooth peeked above a gum. With a loving gaze, she looked deep into my eyes and softly said, "I think I’m calling you Precious."

Featured beginning today on:
http://rawiyaserotica.blogspot.com/2011/05/cynthia-and-mike-arsauga-creating-my.html

Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADvZ1EEN21U

Cynthia Arsuaga Erotic Romance Author
http://cynthiaarsuaga.weebly.com | http://mikearsuaga.weebly.com

~~~~~

Undercover Trouble - a sensual romantic suspense

Excerpt:

"I'm fed up! What do you think, Spooks? Should I go over and give the rider a piece of my mind? It's early for his nightly trip; he's probably going out again at his usual time."

The small terrier-mix looked up. His amber melting gaze had won Jen's heart and coerced her into choosing him from a pathetic batch of dogs. His adoring watchfulness wasn't calming her heart this night. Spooky appeared to know what she meant though, because he glanced toward the other cottage and plunked his gray, curly-haired body on the top step.

He wagged his tail at the prospect of excitement.

"Okay. Wait `til I get a flashlight."

Rather than take the road, Jen chose a shortcut through the trees.

The brambles clawing at her arms irritated her further. At the back of the log structure, she rounded the tail end of the contraption causing such a flurry in her life. In the dim light from the cottage's
windows, she noticed the Harley-Davidson logo in relief across the gas tank. The red of the letters matched the fury between her temples. She stifled the urge to knock over the gleaming black machine.

Jen rapped three times on the front door, then stooped to push Spooky's enthusiastic paws off her legs. The door jerked open to leave her staring at a pair of huge scuffed leather boots. She took her time
straightening up to consider her best approach. By the time she confronted him, her face had heated as though she'd stood too close to steaming coals in a sauna. Her brain hissed a warning. Spooky
plopped down his bottom and stared at the human towering above him.

"What do you want?" the deep, raspy voice boomed.

She ignored having to look up so high to meet his eyes. "I have a problem, otherwise I wouldn't be here."

"Your car broke down?" After giving Jen's figure a lecherous once over, the man stepped past her to the edge of the porch and peered down his pitch-black driveway.

She glanced in at the cozy, pine-walled interior and noted a loft overlooking a stone-faced fireplace. She turned, and with the inside light now illuminating him, swept her eyes over his brown shoulder-length shaggy hair and scruffy beard. He looked like something from a Werewolves R Us TV show. Two gold earrings glistened from one ear lobe, adding to the glimmer of three chains that dripped
from his neck. His tanned, wind-worn cheeks made it difficult to judge his age, but she suspected he was at least a couple of years older than her own thirty-two. Jen stiffened her backbone.

"I live next door. I should have said, `we' have a problem."

"We do?" His eyebrows lifted.

"Your motorbike is wrecking my evening's peace. The noise wakes me up when you return."

"Hold it right there! It isn't a motorbike! It's a Harley-Davidson. Motorbikes are for pussies."

When she noticed his size, she intended to remain calm and controlled, but his tone made her want to throw flames. "To me they're all the same because they have two wheels and an engine that rumbles loud enough to wake the dead. Is it necessary to rev up when you ride past my cabin? Do you have to be coming and going at all hours of the night? Some people like to get a good night's rest, you know."

The hulk checked his watch and scowled. "It's not bedtime yet."

"It's not right now, but my point is that you'll probably come past later. That's when I'm asleep or trying to sleep. And that's why I'm here now, to..." Damn. She was babbling. She didn't need to explain.

"What's that thing at your feet, a mop?"

She looked down at Spooky sitting meekly beside her. Some enforcer he was. "That's my dog."

Suddenly, Jen wondered what on earth had possessed her to be so foolish. She'd come here alone and angry at God-knows-who. She had to learn to keep a tight rein on her temper.

The aftermath of her last outburst was the reason she'd come to the lake in the first place.

"He's not much of a dog."

Temper be damned. She scowled and said, "Well, he's not a pussy, either. You didn't answer my questions about revving up your engine when you pass my cottage."

"I wasn't aware I was revving up anything." The Neanderthal peered down at her, then scrutinized the darkness. "Want to come in and discuss this?"

"No!" She shivered. "Look, I don't want to be a pain. I just want you to be more considerate and keep the noise level down."

The neighbor stepped onto the six-inch high threshold and stretched his arm to the doorjamb, facing her. A heavy drift of body odor invaded her nose, forcing her to move back. Her eyes flitted along the
football-player shoulders attached to arms so firm and thick his tee shirted short sleeves had to stretch tight to enclose them. She was thankful his sleeves hid his armpits; the thought of seeing a nest of
hair under each arm was enough to make her puke.

A sarcastic smile glided across his tightened mouth. "It's hard to quiet a Harley. They're made to rock your world."

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

River Marked by Patricia Briggs

2011-07-05T21:00:00.002-05:00

River Marked (Mercy Thompson, Book 6) does not disappoint and is absolutely worth cost of the hardcover book. Mercy is at the top of my top ten list of kick ass female protagonists. She strong, independent, and super powerful without coming off as a comic book superhero. Mercy has flaws and bad moods and losing battles...but never the war.

After the love triangle between Mercy, Sam, and Adam in previous books, River Marked finally gives some good old fashioned romance between Mercy and Adam, the man/werewolf she's chosen to love. The reader finally gets to see the two of them spend some real quality time together to build their relationship, taking it to the next level.

I know what you're thinking: what about all the great action of the other books? Don't worry, just because Mercy and Adam are side-by-side for most of the book doesn't mean there isn't lots and lots of ass kicking with Mercy right there on the front lines.

While some of my grrlfriends have complained about the absence of some of their fave characters in River Marked, I thought showcasing Mercy and Adam's relationship by taking them away from the big cast of characters worked perfectly at this point in the series because, let's face it, Mercy and Adam wouldn't be able to spend all the quality, romantic time together if the gang was with them. Besides, the gang will be there in the next book and the next...

The second best part of River Marked (after all the romantic junk between Mercy and Adam) is that Mercy's heritage and her mysterious father is explored--not fully, but enough to wet your appetite. That's the thing with Briggs, she always knows how to make you want to come back for more.

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Manic Monday Vintage Romance

2011-07-04T19:11:00.000-05:00

Ok, grrls, it's that time again. Manic Monday and I'm inspired by "vintage romance" today for my freewrite:

Our vintage romance redefined history, a mystery woven through time like a demonic rhyme to make magic. How tragic, the feeling when your gone. Was I wrong to leave you, Big Ben? Should I have held your hand as time pulled me ever forward, my vintage romance, a future trend. Not true love: A glove that doesn't quite fit, pinching my fingers, leaving my wrist exposed to the cold winds of time. Out of place. Out of time. Out of habit of being in love. I watch the wheels turn in your mind. I hear the tick, tick, tick as you calculate, timing your trap. Love has nothing to do with what we have. You give only as much as you must. I cannot trust you with my heart. Our vintage romance should have stayed in the past where it belonged.

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Guilty As Charged by Anna James

2011-07-03T11:04:00.000-05:00

Guilty As Charged by the amazing Anna James is now out and it's a fun one! Get lost in a world filled with passion drama and romance! Guilty As Charged, the first book in the Bradford Sisters Trilogy, is now available from Sugar and Spice Press.

Check out the book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZQCpU1fApE

Blurb:
Passion ignites between Nicole Bradford and Max Paradis the second they lay
eyes on each another. Nicole seems to be everything that Max is looking for in a woman. She’s sweet and loving and incredibly sexy. But looks can be deceiving. Hadn’t he learned that the hard way?

Nicole is crazy for Max. He is sensitive, caring and his kisses are to die for. But when secrets from her past are revealed will she be found innocent or is she Guilty as Charged?

Excerpt:
The door to Reed’s office burst open, crashing against the adjoining wall. Reed looked up. Nicole turned to see who had made all the noise. Max stood in the opening, a thunderous expression on his face.
“Well, big brother, what can we do for you?” Reed queried in a casual tone.

Max didn’t answer; he just stood glaring at Nicole.

“M–Max, you’re home early.”

“Surprise,” he said sarcastically.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Reed asked.

Instead of answering, he strode into the room and stopped in front of Nicole.

Suddenly, she was on full alert. She noticed the large manila envelope in his hand. The letterhead on the front made her sick with shock.

“Care to explain this?” he drawled, his tone at odds with the aggression emanating from every fiber of his being.

“What is it?” Reed asked a confused look on his face.

It was what she feared most. Legal documents, containing, no doubt, her arrest record and everything else about that horrible incident that had happened so long ago.

“Well?” Max asked ominously.

Nicole couldn’t speak. What could she say? It was all there in black and white.

After several moments of electrifying silence, Max turned his attention to Reed. “Are you aware you’ve hired a convicted felon, little brother?”

“I am not a convicted felon.”

He turned toward her. “I stand corrected, you were never convicted, however--” Nicole made to speak, but Max overrode her efforts. His attention was on Reed again as he continued. “As I was saying, are you aware that you’ve hired a drug smuggler?”

Reed’s eyes opened wide and Nicole cringed in her seat.

She shot to her feet. “That’s enough. You know nothing about what happened.”
“Oh, you’re ex-lover Carlo was more than happy to tell me what happened when he met me at the airport this morning. He told me what you’re really like. You present this sweet, innocent facade to the world, but these--” He picked up one of the documents that lay strewn across the desk and threw it at her. “These tell the truth about who you really are.”

“Max, you can’t be serious. There’s got to be some mistake.”
“There’s no mistake, little brother. See, she’s not even going to deny it.”

Nicole glared at him, furious now, her body shaking with anger. “You think just because...” Her voice trailed off. She threw her hands in the air, a gesture of defeat, and then slumped into her chair. What was the use in trying to explain? He wasn’t going to believe her. No one had believed her before. No matter how hard she had tried to convince them that she was innocent of any wrongdoing. She stood again and addressed Reed. “You’ll have my resignation on your desk tomorrow morning. I’m sorry.”

She turned and walked out the door with her head held high.
~~~
You can visit Anna James at: http://annajames1.wordpress.com/ | http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001402819536

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Call for Submissions: A Wicked & Wanton All Hallows Eve

2011-07-02T10:56:00.000-05:00

Following is a call from Gina Kincade, co-owner of Naughty Nights Press (NNP), which are a new e-pub, launching this month. Royalties and contract information are posted at:
http://naughtynightspress.com/royaltiesandcontracts.php

Call for Submissions

"A Wicked & Wanton All Hallows Eve" ebook anthology
Publisher: Naughty Nights Press

Deadline: August 31, 2011
Payment: Royalties are 80% net to the contributors and one complimentary ebook copy.

Got a unique, hair-raising, spine-chilling, bizarre or darkly haunted story laced with wicked, shameless, kinky, impassioned, earth shattering and mind numbing sex? Ghosts, gobblins, witches, werewolves, vampires and other worldly creepy critters that like to go bump-de-hump in the night.
Short stories with a paranormal element, halloween party masquerade, haunted house or simply a spooky, ghoulish theme and loaded with sizzling sexual escapades and encounters of the other world kind. Special consideration given to: f/f, f/f/f, m/f/m, or other ménage combination or those with a fetish theme.

2500-7000 words, 12 point times new roman, single spaced, 1 in margins. (no extra spaces or returns)

Save file as: YOURLEGALNAME_TITLE_HalloweenTheme.doc

Send as a .doc attachment (not .docx or rtf) with "Halloween Theme" as the subject line to: submissions@naughtynightspress.com with the following information on the first page of the manuscript:

Legal Name, pseudonym (if applicable), title of the story, word count, and short synopsis.

Include: A 50-75 word bio, written in the third person and link to your website or blog.

Royalties are 80% net to the contributors and one complimentary ebook copy.

Deadline: August 31, 2011

Acceptance Notification by September 30, 2011

Release Date: October 30th, 2011

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

The Story of Vampire Blood

2011-07-01T07:06:00.000-05:00

Please welcome guest blogger Kathryn Meyer Griffith to Meta Modo to talk about:

The Story of Vampire Blood

Author’s Revised Edition by Kathryn Meyer Griffith

A rerelease of my 1991 Zebra paperback romantic vampire novel out from www.damantionbooks.com on July 1, 2011.

In 1990 or so I’d just got done releasing my first three paperback novels with Leisure Books, a romantic historical (The Heart of the Rose 1985) and two romantic horror books (Evil Stalks the Night, 1984 and Blood Forge, 1989), and because I wasn’t making much money on them, was looking, as most so-called restless young authors were doing, to move up in the publishing industry.

So I wrote snail mail letters to three established authors of the day – Dean Koontz, Stephen King and Peter Straub – asking for a little advice and a little help. What do I do next? I want to be one of the big dogs running in the big races. I want to make the big bucks. Be famous like you. (Ha, ha. I was so naïve in those days!)

Well, Stephen King and Peter Straub never answered my letters but one rainy fall night I got a phone call from Gerda Koontz (Dean Koontz’s wife) and she said Dean had gotten my letter and wanted me to have a name of a brand new agent who I should call or write to and say I was recommended by him. If I thought it strange that Dean Koontz himself wasn’t actually talking to me I was told by Gerda that he was a shy man and had had a particularly hard couple of months because of family problems (I think it had something to do with his father in a nursing home or something, but can’t exactly recall now) and he’d asked her to call me. She often did that for him, as well as helping him with the business side of his writing career. He (through her…and I got the impression that he was actually nearby telling her what to say the whole time) said I had to have an agent (I didn’t have one) and then he gave me the name of an ambitious one, Lori Perkins, just starting out and his advice on what I should do to advance as a writer.

I do remember being incredibly touched that he, a famous busy novelist that I admired – I loved his Twilight Eyes – would take the time to talk to me, even through his wife. They were both so sweet and we talked for nearly an hour all about writing, books and everything.

I took their advice and contacted that agent and she agreed immediately to represent me on my fourth book, Vampire Blood, no doubt, because I said Dean Koontz had recommended her to me. Name dropper! But Vampire Blood was the reason I’d contacted those famous authors in the first place. I thought it was the best book I’d done so far and wanted it to go to (what I thought at the time) would be a better publisher than Leisure Books, which contracted and hog-tied their writers with a horrible ‘potboiler’ one-size-fits-all ten year contract with low advances and 4% royalties. Yes, I got a whole whopping 14 cents a book in those days, but, I must confess, they did print thousands of paperbacks each run and had a huge distribution area. I thought I could do a lot better. Anyway, Lori Perkins wanted me to send her the book and she did like it and eventually sold it, and then three others zip-zip-zip right after, to Zebra Books (now known more as Kensington Publishing) at 6% royalties and double the advances I was used to getting. They slapped a sexy blond vampire with a low dress on the cover and a hazy theater behind her. Lovely colors. I thought it was an eye-catching cover. I was so happy. I thought I’d made it! Again, so naïve.

Vampire Blood. A little story about a family of vicious killing vampires who settle in a small Florida town called Summer Haven and end up buying and fixing up an old theater palace to run, and pluck their victims from, and a divorced, down-on-her-luck ex-novelist and her hard luck father, who along with friends, help thwart them.

Now to how and why I wrote it.

My husband and I lived in this small Illinois town, Cahokia, at the time and there was the neatest little hole-in-the-wall theater in a nearby shopping center we used to go to all the time…run by a family of a sweet man, Terry, and his wife, Ann, and sometimes their three children, two teenage boys and a girl named Irene. Such a friendly, but odd couple. The run-down theater was their whole world it seemed. The kids helped take in the tickets, pop the popcorn and sell the candy snacks.

Now the minute Terry and Ann found out, in one of our earliest conversations, that I was a published novelist they were my greatest fans. Terry went right out and bought all three of my books and they all read them. Terry always thought they’d make great movies. Next time my husband and I went to the little theater Terry and Ann greeted us like old friends, so delighted to see us, and refused to take a dime from us for anything. We got in free whenever we went from then on. Now in those days my husband, my son, James, and I were pretty broke. I worked as a graphic designer at a big brokerage firm in downtown St. Louis (across the Poplar Bridge from our Illinois town) but my husband was in between jobs. We lived on a shoestring. Hard times. So I always was so tickled that we could get into the local movies for free. We went a lot, too, as we loved movies, especially science fiction and horror films.

One night I was watching Terry and Ann and their joy in running that little theater, with the kids bustling around doing their jobs, and I got the idea for Vampire Blood. Just like that! Use them and the theater as a backdrop for a vampire novel. Hey, wouldn’t it be neat, I off-handedly mentioned to Terry one night, if I wrote a book about a family of vampires that was trying to pass as a real human family, the man and woman wanting so badly to fit in and lead a normal life for a while, renovating and then running a theater together…but the kids are wild and, as kids always do, make trouble for them in the town…killing people? Terry loved the idea and I asked him if it’d be all right to use him and his family as a template for the vampires. He was thrilled to be part of anything to do with my books and said yes. So…I wrote this book about them (sort of), the theater (making it much grander than it was, of course), a small town terrorized by cruel, powerful vampires who can change into wolves at will….and a saddened lonely woman, her brother, and her ex-husband (who she still loves and ultimately ends up with again after he saves her life) who finds herself again, but loses a lot, as well, fighting these vampires. Vampires she doesn’t believe in at first.

I was very happy with the book when it was done and dedicated it to Terry and Ann when it came out in 1991. Terry and Ann were thrilled, too.

So Vampire Blood came out and did very well for me, second only to my Zebra 1993 Witches. As the years went by it went out of print and when, twenty years later, Kim Richards at Damnation Books contracted my 13th and 14th novels, BEFORE THE END: A Time of Demons and The Woman in Crimson, she asked if I’d like to rerelease (with new covers and rewritten, of course) my 7 out-of-print Leisure and Zebra paperbacks – and I said a resounding yes!

So…here it is…Vampire Blood…twenty years later, alive again and better, I believe, than the original because my writing then was done on an electric typewriter, with gobs of White-Out and carbon paper (I couldn’t afford copies), using snail mail; all of which didn’t lend itself to much rewriting. And in those days, editors told an author what to change and then the writer only saw the manuscript once to final proof it. Who knew what those sneaky editors were slipping in in-between and before the final book was in an author’s greedy little hands. Hey, and I was working full time, raising a son, living a life and caring for my big extended family in one way or another, too. Busy, exciting, loving, happy and sad times.

For this new version, Damnation Book’s cover artist Dawné Dominique made me an astonishingly intriguing cover of a lovely vampire (Irene the youngest vampire who turns out to be the most brutal and ancient in the end)…but, thank goodness, without the low sexy top. And my DB editor, April Duncan, helped me make it a better novel.

A lot has happened to me and my family in these twenty years, as well. Both my parents, and my beloved maternal grandmother, the storyteller of her generation, have since passed away. Many people we used to know have. Old boyfriends, old friends and relatives. I miss them all! I no longer have that agent; she went on to bigger advances and bigger writers. I lost my good job at the brokerage firm, bumped around in lesser jobs for years, always writing in my spare time, and now, at long last, write full time while my husband works way too hard in a machine shop to support us.

Rewriting the book brought back so many good memories…and tears over those no longer here. The theater closed sixteen years ago, the owner believing it’d served its purpose and used up its time. Terry and Ann, heartbroken, were never the same. They had other jobs, none they truly cared about. Ann is still with us, but Terry died a few years ago, I heard from someone. We lost contact once they stopped running the theater and we moved from Cahokia to a nicer town miles away.

But I’ll never forget those early days and the stories that came with them. Days of high hopes and far distance future dreams…some of which have come true and some which haven’t. I’ve never made the big bucks, never gotten truly famous, but now, at long last and to my great delight, all twelve of my older books, from Leisure, Zebra, and The Wild Rose Press are being rewritten and reissued from Damnation Books and Eternal Press between June 2010 and July 2012. Better than ever after I’d rewritten them. I have plans to write more books and short stories, too, when they’re done. Most importantly, I’m living a good life with a husband I adore and brothers and sisters I love. Writing the stories I was born to write and happy I am. I have my memories. All in all, I’m a lucky, lucky woman.

So, all you writers out there…never give up and never stop writing!

~Kathryn Meyer Griffith

Vampire Blood Blurb:
For years the vampire family lived in the shadows, hidden by the night and people’s disbelief; feeding on animals or throw away people who would never be missed. But as the family moves into an old theater, and uses it to cover up their crimes, the youngest of them are restless and determined to live as they like. Recklessly. Killing and feeding when and where they want. Feeding on who they want.

Only the parent vampires have managed to keep them in check. But no longer. Unaware of the night stalking menace, the townspeople of Summer Haven, Florida, blithely go about their daily lives until, one by one, they begin to disappear. Screams are heard in the night. Fear grows. The lost are never found…alive.

But Jenny Lacey and her father, who are hired to renovate the old Grand Theater, can’t escape when they find themselves caught up in the middle of the vampire’s war. And, in the end, it’s up to Jenny, her brother, Joey, and her ex-husband, Jeff (who she still loves and reconnects with in this novel…happy ending there), to get rid of the bloodthirsty fiends that are destroying their town…if they can.

About Kathryn Meyer Griffith:
Kathryn Meyer Griffith has been writing for nearly forty years and has published 14 novels and 7 short stories since 1984 with Zebra Books, Leisure Books, Avalon Books, The Wild Rose Press, Damnation Books and Eternal Press in the horror, romantic paranormal, suspense and murder mystery genres. Learn more about her at MySpace, Author's Den, FaceBook, or Bebo.

Here’s a list of all her published novels and short stories:

Evil Stalks the Night (Leisure,1984; Damnation Books, July 2012)
The Heart of the Rose (Leisure,1985)
Blood Forge (Leisure,1989; Damnation Books, February 2012)
Vampire Blood (Zebra, 1991; Damnation Books, July 2011)
The Last Vampire (Zebra, 1992; Damnation Books, October 2010)
Witches (Zebra, 1993; Damnation Books, April 2011)
The Nameless One (short story in 1993 Zebra Anthology Dark Seductions (Damnation Books, February 2011)
The Calling (Zebra, 1994; Damnation Books, October 2011)
Scraps of Paper (Avalon Books Murder Mystery, 2003)
All Things Slip Away (Avalon Books Murder Mystery, 2006)
Egyptian Heart (The Wild Rose Press, 2007...out again from Eternal Press in August 2011)
Winter's Journey (The Wild Rose Press, 2008...out again from Eternal Press in September 2011)
The Ice Bridge (The Wild Rose Press, 2008...out again from Eternal Press in November 2011)
Don't Look Back short story (2008...out again from Eternal Press in 2011)
In This House (short story 2008...out again from Eternal Press in 2011)
BEFORE THE END: A Time of Demons (2010)
The Woman in Crimson (2010)

Kathryn Meyer Griffith websites:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/profile.php?id=1019954486
http://www.jacketflap.com/K.Griffith
http://www.shoutlife.com/kathrynmeyergriffith
http://www.goodreads.com/profile/kathrynmeyergriffith
http://romancewriterandreader.ning.com/profile/KathrynMeyerGriffith
http://romancebookjunction.ning.com/profile/kathrynmeyergriffith

~~~~~

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Bad-ass Bras That Fit

2011-06-30T12:29:00.002-05:00

If your boobies ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.

We're all looking for bras that fit, and the battle I had with my bra yesteraday made me think of The Bra Book: The Fashion Formula to Finding the Perfect Bra. Remembering that The Bra Book says nearly 85% of women wear the wrong size bra, I went to Cacique and asked to be measured. Sure enough my cup size was wrong; I was wearing a D instead of the needed DD. No wonder my boobs were spilling over and my bras weren't fitting right!

Thank you, The Bra Book: The Fashion Formula to Finding the Perfect Bra for the reminder. There is nothing like a great bra, nothing. I now have four new bras (they were having a buy two, get two free sale) that keep my boobies happy...and there was NO way I could leave with a few new pairs of panties to match! ;)

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Shelton in Love

2011-06-28T11:52:00.001-05:00

Check out m/m author Dianne Hartsock. Me likie...a lot! ;)

Shelton in Love May 13, 2011 from Breathless Press by Dianne Hartsock is a M/M Romance that reminds me of the feeling when I eat the best chocolate in the world!

Shelton is falling hard for his best friend and roommate, finding Nevil’s dark good looks and moments of gentleness almost impossible to resist. But Nevil is more interested in affairs of the body than the heart. As Shelton’s desire for the man grows, he wonders if he can change Nevil’s mind. But does he even want to? Nevil might not stay, once he learns Shelton’s secret, and then his loneliness would be complete.

Shelton's Promise will be out on July 8,2011 from Breathless Press

Shelton has a gift he’s eager to give to Nevil. At a party, Nevil flirts with one man after another, keeping Shelton on his toes. Then Percy, an ex, shows up to complicate things. Despite his best efforts, Shelton can’t find the right moment to give Nevil his gift. Will Nevil ever let Shelton get close to him, or will Shelton have to keep the gift in his pocket all evening?

Follow Dianne on Facebook

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Manic Monday Mirror

2011-06-27T10:26:00.003-05:00

Yes! It's Manic Monday again and if you're not going to join in, than I'll just have to have fun for all of us:

I'm not her: the girl in the mirror with the fear in her eyes. I'm the other grrl: the funny one, devilish and daring. Not doomed. In a room full of people, I circulate like alcohol in the bloodstream, dulling the mean, making all things happy or sad, sane or mad, but never, ever in-between. You lean on the bar, my car keys are yours tonight, no fight in you, just acceptance that your grrl is back, the one who's fun and free, but damned if she doesn't have to pee every half an hour.

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Your Story Flash Fiction Writing Contest

2011-06-23T23:23:00.001-05:00

July 1st is open submissions for Your Story contest. $500 in prizes and publication on Your Story Flash Fiction Writing Contest. Check it. $10 entry fee.

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Science Fiction Romance: Revolution Lovers

2011-06-23T01:51:00.000-05:00

My new science fiction romance (sci-fi romance novel) release, Revolution Lovers, is due to drop this summer from the Ellora's Cave new Romance Line, Blush. Revolution Lovers is a full length sci-fi romance / speculative fiction book with fairytale elements where the hero and heroine are set in a futuristic bodice ripper story but have a hard core guts n' glory plot.

I did a little flip-flop from the usual romantic character types, you know, those kick ass bodice rippers from amber quill press, making my heroine a battle-scarred, war vet with trust issues and my hero a rebel prince who would do anything to heal the woman he is rapidly falling in love with, even while knowing that if she ever found out the truth about him, she would probably kill him. The heroine, Soldier Adie, is my all-time favorite romantic fiction character because she has such a dark past, is in so much physical and mental pain, and yet still stays true to her ethics. She loves her planet, is completely loyal, and wishes to honor her soldier brother and sisters who died in the war.

The hero, Prince Zin lorden Kinear, is her perfect paranormal romance match. Raised to be diplomatic, having years of experience dealing with difficult people, Adie's mood swings and bursts of anger don't even faze him. Yet, he needs her, if no other reason than to bring him down a peg or two. After all, royalty and arrogance attract. With their planet occupied by their enemy and an underground rebellion ramping up to regain control of the government, Zin has a lot on his hands in this sci-fi.

With her body rapidly failing, an assassin after her new royal family, and an old enemy looking at her like he'd love to peel skin off her bones to add to his dinner plate, Adie never thought marriage would be this hard.

As a fan of science fiction (sci fi) authors Christina Dodd and Linnea Sicnlair, I took note of their love for speculative fiction romance novels instead of trying to copy their writing, I copied their enthusiasm. Romance books are as varied as the characters that pop out of the heads of the romance writers, and I'm hoping you'll love Adie and Zin as much as I do.

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com

Romance Excerpts: Time Rip and Sherwood Charade

2011-06-22T20:53:00.002-05:00

It's Wednesday and that means it's romance excerpts day. Both of today's excerpts come from Mimi Riser.

PG-excerpt: Time Rip

Genres: Gay / Dark Fantasy / Werewolf / Shapeshifter / Time Travel / Paranormal / Psychic Phenomena / Mystery / Detective / Action / Adventure / Romantic Comedy / Voyeurism / Series
~
EXCERPT:
Never piss off a pixie. They have vicious tempers and an arsenal of spells at the tips of their tiny fingers. Like the diabolical Cat-In-The-Hat spell, which turns its victim into a character from Dr. Seuss - shudder - unless the victim already happens to be of the feline persuasion. In which case, the pixified person will morph into another character. Any character from stage, screen, or literature, and there's no way of predicting what fictional persona might emerge. It's a real wild card, that spell.

Speaking of which - cards, I mean - that's how this mess started. My mate Hunter and I were playing stud poker with Toby Buttercup, the pixie in question, and Hunter decided Toby was cheating. Well, Toby was cheating - pixies often do - but only an idiot or someone with balls the size of Hunter's would dare accuse them of it.

I did warn him.

::Let the wookie win,:: I told Hunter telepathically. Star Wars code for "You're treading on thin ice, lover." Or Starr Wars? That's my surname - Starr - and dealing with Hunter is always a war. My first name is Sylver, but never mind that now.

Did he listen?

Does he ever?

Hell, Hunter's a cat-shifter, and like all members of his breed, suffers from an inflated ego and the feeling of invincibility that comes with such a malady. Though "suffer" is the wrong word, I suppose. He enjoys every minute of it. All cats do. No wonder they have nine lives. They need them.

In Hunter's case, however, he carries the concept of Superiority Complex to brash new extremes. Not without reason, unfortunately. And not without encouragement from a multitude of fans - very few of whom know the real Hunter Steele. Very few people, period, know there's a secret subculture of magical creatures who live hidden in their midst. And the magical creatures want to keep it that way.
Thus, those of us who can pass for normal humans, do so - depending on your definition of normal. Mine is quite broad and utterly unrepentant. For instance, tonight I'm clad as Lillie Langtry. Why? Because my Cleopatra costume is at the cleaners. The point being, I'm a silver-blond, devilish cute drag queen, and proud to flaunt it, but I draw the line at proclaiming I'm a werewolf, too.

Likewise, in public, Hunter plays the business tycoon, adored by the masses for his looks and largesse - a dark haired Adonis who funds charities the world over. "The Billionaire with a Heart," the media calls him.

If they only knew.

In private, the corporate king is Catman, the bad-ass founder and chief of Earth Guardians, Inc., a clandestine task force sworn to protect our planet by fair means or foul. Picture the illicit love-child of James Bond and Attila the Hun, and that's Hunter for you. His heart may be big, but so is his head. When he yells "Jump," you're supposed to answer "How high?" Me, I'm more inclined to say, "You want fries with that order, pussycat?" God knows someone's gotta try to keep him humble.

Although right now I'm just trying to keep him out of the line of fairy fire.

"Duck!" I shove him sideways out of his chair as Toby Buttercup hurls a glowing hex-ball across the card table.

"Hold still, blast ye!" Toby squeaks, and takes to the air on yellow moth wings.

I whip out the fly swatter I hid under my Victorian style skirts before the poker game began. When playing with feys, be prepared for anything, is my motto. The only way to pacify an irate pixie is to stun him, then cork him in a bottle until he cools off.

Slap!

Damn, I missed him.

And he's winding up for another pitch.

"You're a big help," Hunter bitches, and springs to his feet. "Give me that!" He grabs for the fly swatter.

I grab for him.

Splat!

The second hex-ball hits him square in the forehead.

"Bullseye! 'Tis a pity I'll not be around to see what ye turn into," Toby chortles, and disappears.
Or, rather, we do - poof - a split second of blind nothing, then the world reforms...

~~~~~

Sherwood Charade (time-travel) by Mimi Riser
Robin Hood time-travel romance
EPPIE Finalist
PNR Reviewers Top Pick

=============
R-excerpt:

"Bloody hell--" Robin grabbed for the reins as the mare reared high. Too late. He toppled backward and landed with a grunt on the ground. "Oof."

"Oh!" Maid Marian landed face-first flat on top of him.

Both lay panting as their transport disappeared down the path.

"Thank you," Marian called after her.

"Wench." Robin rolled them over, pinning her beneath him. "Are you happy now?" His whisper reverberated in the darkness.

Marian peered into the shadows of his hood, trying to guess where his mouth was. "I'll be happier when you kiss me. How about it?"

He made a noise between a groan and a growl.

Was that a yes or a no?

She felt his breath on her face. So close... Her arms snaked around his neck and pulled him closer.

"Never mind, I'll kiss you instead," she said, and joined him in his hood. Her mouth found his on the first try.

He tensed, jerked back--then caved in completely, pressed her hard into the ground.

Lips parted. Limbs tangled. Time stopped.

_Electric._ The kiss struck her like lightning, burned clear through to her core, sliced her open and left her quivering, bleeding, dying for more. Hot need pulsed deep inside, a hungry ache between her thighs--

"Lady...please..." Robin pulled back, panting.

_No, no, no--don't stop!_ She grabbed his hood with both hands, yanked him down, and dove straight back in. Her mouth plundered his, licking, nipping, sucking...

A crazy woman. Crazy for Robin. Mmmm... She wanted to eat him alive.

He stiffened against her, his whole body rigid--one part of him especially. A steel rod dug into her abdomen.

Robin groaned, dragged his lips away from her. "Marian..." His breath came ragged. "We have to stop this... Now... There's something I have to tell you--"

"Later. I'm busy now." She locked her legs behind his knees when he tried to push away. One hand pulled him back by his hood, the other raked down his back...made a marvelous discovery.

"You're not wearing anything under your tunic," she murmured against his mouth.

A shudder racked through him as her hand touched his buttocks. "My ap-pologies," he choked out. "I had...no time for the niceties of braes or hose today."

"I'm not complaining. I don't seem to be wearing any panties, either." She'd just noticed that, in fact. How historically accurate. And how convenient. "Want to see?"

"No!"

_Too bad._

She stroked his bare flesh. Smooth, warm, firm... Goodness, he had a great ass. She dug in her fingers

and squeezed--then gasped as he bucked free from her legs and heaved back. Clinging to his hood, she went with him. He landed on his great ass. She landed on her stomach with her face in his lap.

_Oh my._ He had a great erection, too.

Marian let go of one head to examine another. She lifted his tunic and stared at the shadowy monster hiding beneath. Her eyes went wide in the darkness. Good God, he was huge. Had he ever been this big before? Her breath hitched. How had she fit him inside? She had a flicker of panic wondering if he'd fit now.

Oy... Only one way to find out. Trembling but determined, she rose to her knees and hoisted her gown.

"W-wait!" Robin's voice cracked. "What are you doing?"

Stupid question.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Wriggling forward, she advanced on him.

"Oh no--" There was a frantic crunching of twigs as he scrambled to his feet.

Marian's hand shot out and closed around his shaft. "Oh yes."

"Arrgggh!"

Why did he sound like he was strangling? She wasn't tugging that hard. "This is my dream, and if I say we make love, we make love, damn it. Use it or lose it, big boy."

"Will you please listen to me-- Uhhh." His rump reconnected with earth as he lost the tug-of-war.

"This is no dream," he finished weakly.

"How the heck would you know? You're part of it. Now shut up and sit still. I don't know what you're so worried about. You've got the easy part." Without loosening her hold on his erection, she braced her free hand on his shoulder and climbed aboard his lap, straddling him. His breath rasped out as she positioned him at her opening and locked her legs around his waist.

"Easy?" He grabbed onto her hips.

Marian couldn't tell if he was trying to push her away or pull her closer. Perhaps he couldn't decide, either.

"Lady, you are making this most hard for me."

"Good. It's supposed to be hard. There's not much we can do with it otherwise"

~~~

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo
www.jocelynmodo.com