Guest Post with Christina Crooks {Interactive Romance Stories} & Giveaway!

Please welcome Christina Crooks, to AtM. She's created a rather unique ebook, and she's here to tell readers all about it!

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Romance Stories - An Interactive Fiction Collection

I'd first heard of interactive fiction in the 80s when I played old text-based computer adventure games like Zork and Leisure Suit Larry. In those games I typed brief commands to pilot my character through adventures, and much of the fun was the cheeky comments I got in reply, especially when I typed a swear word. Then there were the Choose Your Own Adventure[tm] books for kids. Those were short gamebooks narrated in second person, where I played at being an intrepid explorer who got to choose whether to time travel in order to hunt for a dinosaur egg (turn to page 47) or to hike up to the cave of perils to locate the magical talking ruby (turn to page 83). (Those possibly weren't actual choices; it's been a few years.) I also remember there were always lots more ways of failing and dying, often in amusingly grotesque ways, than succeeding.

Technology's reviving the genre of interactive fiction. A few years ago I started building some choose-an-adventure stories on my website just for fun. Then along came modern ebook reading devices. The Kindle's optimized for choose-an-adventure style interactive gamebooks, offering the ability to click to the next section of story rather than turning to page 47 or 83. And to instantly click back if a particular grotesque death is unpalatable. So I figured, why not offer a collection of interactive romance stories for grownups that have the same lighthearted, adventurous feel as the classic books?

My choose-an-adventure style collection of six romance stories is the result. These short stories give the reader choices, and what's decided makes each story veer onto paths with different endings. Each romance story is distinct, each story has at least one romantic happily-ever-after ending, and within each story lurks a few endings where you can die in brutal ways.

Needless to say, they're different from my novels like Hands On. Romance Stories - An Interactive Fiction Collection isn't just different due to the stories being shorter, but it's also way out there in second-person, mixed-genre la-la land, which is why I've added a "T" initial to my name to distinguish it from my more traditional work. I have to admit the weirdness of the interactive genre was part of its appeal to me as a writer, and I look forward to hearing how readers enjoy an updated and romantic version of the classic gamebooks.

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About Romance Stories - An Interactive Fiction Collection:

Be the star of six fun and twisted little romance stories. Explore the playfulness, action, and sudden mortal danger of these adventures with built-in hyperlinks where you choose the direction the stories take. Thirty-five possible endings, but only a few will be a happily ever after. Can you find them?

The six stories include:

"Meeting the Barbarian" - You've lived inside the ground for as long as you can remember.

"The Lifeguard" - You're riding a bicycle down a beach trail when disaster strikes.

"Blood Rock" - You're rock climbing when you encounter a creature from a nightmare... or a fantasy?

"Luck in Love" - Con man or policeman? Your luck in love is about to change.

"Baxter and Bunny" - The love of your life dumps you for a blond receptionist named "Bunny."

"Unfamiliar Ground" - You're a mermaid lured to the shore by a powerful impulse.

Gamebook Directions: When choices are presented to you, touch the 5-WAY CONTROLLER button on your Kindle to select your desired choice. If you change your mind and wish to make a different choice, touch the BACK button (not the Previous Page button) to go back to your previous location.

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Enjoy Romance Stories - An Interactive Fiction Collection, for $1.49!

About Christina:

Christina Crooks is a multi-published author with books for sale in print, electronic and audio editions. Her novels have been published by Kensington, Samhain, Five Star/Cengage, and Books in Motion Audiobooks. Christina currently lives in Portland, Oregon. Her books Rough Play, Hands On, Sweet and Dirty, L.A. Caveman, and Thrill of the Chase are available.

You can find Christina at her website (www.christinacrooks.com) on Twitter (http://twitter.com/clcrooks) or connect on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/christinacrooks.author)

Get a copy of Romance Stories - An Interactive Fiction Collection 

@ Amazon  | Amazon UK

Giveaway Details:

• Christina is generously gifting one lucky commenter a print copy of HANDS ON, a great backlist story of hers!

• Please leave a comment on what you think about interactive fiction, or a question for Christina, along with your email addy.

• The contest will run from 12/21 - 12/25.

• Winner will be randomly selected and notified via email.

Guest Post with Faye Robertson {Holly's First Noel}, Excerpt & Giveaway!

Please welcome Faye Robertson back to Among the Muses! This time around, she's here to talk about her latest release from Entangled Publishing, Holly's First Noel!

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Holly’s First Noel

A birthday at Christmastime...what could be worse?

For my December release from Entangled Publishing, Holly’s First Noel, I gave the two main characters—schoolteachers Holly Jones and Noel Coward—Christmas birthdays, and compounded the curse by making it the festive season from hell. Holly’s boyfriend announces the week before Christmas that he’s breaking up with her, leaving her with a tonne of Christmas food and a long holiday void of love and happiness. And Noel’s wife died on Christmas Eve from breast cancer three years ago. He’s spent the previous two Christmases alone watching mindless action movies and getting drunk. The two of them realise they can’t conform to the traditional idea of a perfect Christmas, and decide they’re going to Loch Ness in Scotland on a retreat until the season of goodwill has passed.

The idea for this story began when I was fretting as I planned the menu for Christmas Day, and I started wondering what my guests would say if I served them up beans on toast. Everyone has a stylised version of the festive season in their heads, and for many it isn’t perfect without the traditional roast dinner, the pudding and crackers, the same old films and the family around the table.

Without that idyllic festive model, can we still have an enchanting Christmas? I believe the answer is yes, because—without being too mushy—it’s what’s in your heart that counts, and love can turn any day into a celebration. Holly and Noel discover that even though there are no customary paper hats or tinsel—and their festive tea consists of chocolate spread sandwiches—magic and romance is waiting for them out in the snow.

About Holly’s First Noel:

Music teacher Holly Jones is in a festive predicament. Her boyfriend just dumped her the week before Christmas, so why is she only depressed he made off with the mince pies? When the charming science teacher next door overhears the dreaded call and suggests she accompany him on his Scottish holiday retreat, she accepts, eager to spend a quiet week rediscovering herself.

Noel Coward’s wife died on Christmas Eve three years ago. To bury the memories of that day, he spends the holidays getting drunk and watching action movies—which makes him perfect company for a fellow teacher in need of solitude. Except, instead of wallowing in his grief, Noel finds himself comforted by Holly’s presence, fascinated by her mind, and after one innocent kiss, on fire for her touch. As the snow piles up outside, the temperature inside soars, while together, they discover the human heart’s amazing capacity to heal…and love.

Enjoy Holly’s First Noel, a $2.99 Entangled Ever After!

About Faye:

Faye Robertson lives in the sub-tropical Northland of New Zealand with her wonderful husband and gorgeous teenage son. She writes fun, flirty, and sexy contemporary romances for the modern woman who likes intelligent, spirited heroines, and hunky but approachable heroes. She’s won several romance writing competitions and is a member of the Romance Writers of New Zealand. She would much rather immerse herself in reading or writing romance than do the dusting and ironing, which is why it’s not a great idea to pop round if you have any allergies. She also writes romance under the name Serenity Woods.

You can find Faye at her website, on Twitter or connect on Facebook!

Get your copy of Holly’s First Noel at

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books On Board |  Amazon UK

Snippet:

Holly stared at him. Surely she’d heard wrong. “What?” she asked stupidly. Why did he always make her feel as if he was head of Mensa and she was the forerunner for the role of village idiot?

Noel finished off his coffee and pushed his cup away. “It’s a big house. There are four bedrooms and two living rooms. It’s in the middle of beautiful countryside and it’s guaranteed to snow.”

She blinked at him. It didn’t make sense. He wanted to get away for Christmas—why would he ask her to go with him? Unless… Jeez. She had just talked about stockings and liking lots of sex. What guy wouldn’t get ideas after that sort of conversation?

“It’s not a come on,” he said as if he’d read her mind. “You don’t have to speak to me at all if you don’t want. You can spend the whole weekend in your room, or come and watch DVDs with me and get drunk. I don’t mind. You look like you need a break, that’s all.” He frowned at her smile. “It’s not a proposal or anything.”

She smiled. “You’re very sweet.”

“I’m really not. I’ll be inebriated most of the time. I’ll probably be obnoxious and insult you and fall into a coma on the sofa.” He picked up his glasses and put them on as she laughed. “Anyway, the offer’s there. We’d better get back now. Are you all right to take period six?”

She stood, surprised as he retrieved her coat, and held it up for her to slip her arms into. “Yes, I’ll be fine thanks. Wow, you really are an old-fashioned gentleman, aren’t you?”

“It’s the way I was brought up.” He held out his arm. “Allow me to escort you back to school, Miss Jones.”

Laughing, she said, “If we’re going to spend Christmas together, you’re going to have to stop calling me that.”

He looked surprised as he opened the door and popped his umbrella, gesturing for her to go out first. “You’re coming to Scotland with me?”

She placed her hand in the crook of his arm as she ducked out of the insistent rain. “Might as well. We can have a ‘Who’s going to be most miserable on Christmas Day’ competition.”

“I’ll win,” he said. “I win every year.”

“I’m sure I can give you a run for your money.”

“Well, I can drink more than you can.”

“Hah! Don’t bet on it. I’ve been known to drink copious amounts of Chardonnay at certain times of the month.”

He snorted. “Malt whisky’s what you need, girl. That’ll put hairs on your chest.”

“My breasts are perfectly nice hairless, thank you very much.”

His lips curved. “Well thank you for filling my head with that image just as I go into a lesson on voltage and electrical currents.”

“It’s the last day of term,” she said. “Put a DVD on for God’s sake like everyone else.”

He glanced down at her. His glasses had misted up as they came out into the cold air, so he looked over the top of them at her. Why did that give her the shivers? “Holly, I’ll say it one last time and then I won’t say it again. I didn’t ask you to Scotland for any other reason than that I thought you could do with somewhere quiet to go.”

“Shucks,” she said. “And there’s me hoping it was for the sex.”

Giveaway Details:

• Faye is generously offering an e-copy of HOLLY'S FIRST NOEL to one lucky commenter.

• Please leave a comment, or question for Faye, along with your email addy.

• Contest will run from 12/15 - 12/17

• Winner will be randomly selected and notified.

Guest Post with Ros Clarke {All I Want For Christmas} & Giveaway!

Please welcome Ros Clarke to Among the Muses! She's here to talk about her new release, All I Want For Christmas! 
AIWFC is part of Entangled Publishing's new Flirt imprint: short stories for only $.99!!

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All I Want For Christmas

All I want for Christmas is world peace.  Or Hugh Jackman on my doorstep.

What I'm actually getting is some garden furniture of my choosing.  And who knows what else!  I have yet to perfect the art of looking pleased with a gift that I don't like.  I know, it's appallingly bad manners, and I do try to remember that it's the thought that counts.  But what do you do when it's clear that no thought has gone into the gift at all?

Over the years, I've had some great gifts.  I really loved Mike the microwaveable dog, which my brother and sister-in-law gave me a few Christmases ago. And I had a beautiful umbrella from my grandparents one year.  Three years ago, my parents gave me the most spectacular gift ever - a beautiful house, converted from a sixteenth century shed in their garden.  That's going to be a hard one to beat!

I've had some truly terrible gifts, too.  I think my biggest moment of disappointment came when I was about nine.  What I really wanted that year was a mini skirt, and there was one present under the tree with my name on it that had just the right sort of squishy feel that made me think maybe, just maybe, I was going to be lucky that year.  I think I just about managed to say thank you for the pink and cream acrylic crocheted pajama case, but there were some tears shed later in private.

What have been your best - and worst - Christmas gifts? And what do you want for Christmas this year?

About All I Want for Christmas:

 
Last night, Anna Gardner was the life of the office Christmas party—right up until she threw herself at gorgeous advertising executive playboy, Hugh Munro. Again. Last year, Hugh let her pretend their passionate kiss never happened, but this year he’s determined to make Anna admit she wants him as much as he wants her.

Except, Hugh doesn’t know the office party is the only night of the year his friend lets her hair down. That every hour she’s away from the office is spent caring for her sickly mother. That her mother’s condition, early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, is hereditary.

When Hugh finds out what she’s been hiding, he’s forced to do some serious soul-searching. It’s not fair to Anna or her mother for him to get involved casually, but casual relationships are all he knows. Can he prove to himself—and to Anna—that she’s all he wants for Christmas?

Enjoy All I Want for Christmas, a $.99 Entangled Flirt!

About Ros:
 

Ros Clarke is a writer, a student, a church worker, a crafter, a blogger, a twitterer, a lazy gardener, and an appalling housekeeper. She is interested in almost everything except cricket and football (US and UK) and mostly she likes happy endings in fiction and in real life.

You can find Ros at her website and follow her on Twitter! 
Get a copy of All I Want for Christmas at Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books On Board | Amazon UK

Giveaway Details:

• Ros is gifting an e-book copy of All I Want for Christmas to one lucky commenter!

• Please answer Ros's question along with your email addy.

• Contest will run from 12/13 - 12/16.

• Winner will be randomly selected and notified via email.

"Romancing the Holiday" with Serenity Woods {White-Hot Christmas} Guest Post & Giveaway Entry

Please welcome Serenity Woods to the "Romancing the Holiday" event.

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When lust turns to love, it’s one fire he can’t extinguish…

Merle Cameron’s not looking for love. Between her job as a university lecturer and caring for a mother recovering from breast cancer, she has no room in her schedule for a demanding relationship.

While visiting her sister in New Zealand, however, she’s happy to indulge in some hot holiday sex with kind, hunky firefighter Neon Carter. After all, they live on opposite sides of the world. There’s no chance things will turn serious.

Neon Carter is a catch. At least, that’s what the ladies apparently think. All they seem to want is a quick trip down the aisle, but Neon’s in no rush to settle down. Light-hearted summer loving with a sexy blonde is something different, though, and Neon’s happy to offer his services until Merle has to return to England.

The weather’s hot, the sex even hotter. But when it’s time for Merle to go home, they both realize they’re in deeper than they thought. And there’s no solution that won’t break someone’s heart.

Warning: Please do not read if you are allergic to any of the following: love at first sight, one-night stands in a one-man tent, rugby hakas, firemen rescuing children, and rough caveman sex guaranteed to put hairs on your chest. May contain nuts.

A White-Hot Christmas!

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to spend Christmas in the southern hemisphere?


I’m originally from the UK, so I’m used to cold, wet winters where the windows steam up as you cook the turkey dinner and it’s dark by 4pm. I’ve seen very few white Christmases in England—once it snowed on Christmas Eve, but usually—if it’s going to snow at all—it’ll be in January or February.


Imagine how weird it was when we first landed in New Zealand on 7th December six years ago, and it was 82 degrees Fahrenheit. Everyone was dressed in shorts and jandals (flip-flops to the rest of the world), the shops selling beachwear had windows decorated with holly and snowmen, and we spent Christmas Eve paddling in the Pacific.

It was incredibly surreal, but we're getting used to it! Christmas here isn’t quite the same, (and in fact we always have a midwinter “Yule” celebration that is much more like a traditional northern hemisphere Christmas). We tend to treat it more like a midsummer festival, and Christmas dinner is usually cooked on the barbecue and eaten around the pool.


You can still buy a turkey, and many people have a traditional Christmas dinner here. But I like mine Kiwi style. This year’s menu is likely to include barbecued pork chops and steaks with various marinades, smoked Kingfish, Greek salad, potato and bacon hash, and fresh fruit salad to finish, although we’ll probably have a traditional Christmas pud just for the hell of it.

If you’d like to find out more about Christmas Down Under, my book White-Hot Christmas by Samhain Publishing tells the story of university lecturer Merle Cameron’s holiday in New Zealand and what happens when she meets sexy firefighter Neon Carter. White-Hot Christmas was given the first ever starred review of a digital-first book on Library Journal's XPress Reviews (you can read it here: http://reviews.libraryjournal.com/2011/11/books/genre-fiction/romance/xpress-reviews-e-originals-first-look-at-new-books-november-18-2011/ )

You can buy White-Hot Christmas from Amazon here:  http://www.amazon.com/White-Hot-Christmas-ebook/dp/B005V32PVI/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1318490905&sr=1-1

Serenity Woods lives in the sub-tropical Northland of New Zealand with her wonderful husband and gorgeous teenage son. She writes fun, flirty, and sexy contemporary romances for the modern woman who likes intelligent, spirited heroines, and hunky but approachable heroes. She's won several romance writing competitions and is a member of the Romance Writers of New Zealand. She would much rather immerse herself in reading or writing romance than do the dusting and ironing, which is why it's not a great idea to pop round if you have any allergies. You can check out her books at  www.serenitywoodsromance.com

She also writes under the name Faye Robertson and has another Christmas release out soon from Entangled Publishing called Holly’s First Noel.

Giveaway Details:

• Leave a comment on the post, or a question for Serenity, to have your name thrown in the magical random.org hat, for a chance to win one of three books featured throughout the mini-event week. (Winner will receive their book of choice and it will either be shipped via the Book Depository, All Romance ebooks, or Amazon.)

• Extra Entry Options (Please leave in a separate comment):

• Follow Serenity on Twitter.

• Follow Serenity on Facebook.

• Tweet the contest (please leave the link of your tweet).

• Contest is open Internationally.

• Contest will run until 11/28 11:59 PM EST

• Winner will be randomly selected and notified via email.

"Romancing the Holiday with Jodi Redford {The Naughty List}, Guest Post, Excerpt & Giveaway Entry

Please welcome Jodi Redford to the Romancing the Holiday event!

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 ~ The Best Gift of All ~

First of all, thanks to Tanya for having me as part of the Romancing the Holiday event, and happy Thanksgiving, everyone! My newest release, The Naughty List, is coming out next Tuesday, so I thought I’d talk today about Christmas wish lists. Or more specifically, those certain naughty somethings that we perhaps wish we were brave enough to ask for. My heroine, Lacey, is a good girl at heart. But more than anything, she longs to be the uninhibited, adventurous woman who inhabits her fantasies. When her two best friends—who happen to be the leading stars of her sexy daydreams—accidentally receive her naughty wish list, she never expects them to offer to make all of her wildest fantasies come true, and in the process, give her the best gift of all. The courage to love again.

Excerpt

Lacey, we need to talk.

Her heart sank as Ry’s tense demand spun in her mind.

They’d read the email. She couldn’t fool herself into believing otherwise. Just like she couldn’t fool herself into thinking she’d get out of the conversation waiting for her on the other side of the bathroom door. Sucking in a deep, fortifying breath, she pushed away from the wall and prepared to face her best friends.

Two men who now—without a question of a doubt—knew she wanted a kinky threesome.

Yeah, this wouldn’t be awkward. At all.

The desire to race back inside the restroom stall and have a mental breakdown—or throw up—was overwhelming. Somehow she found the fortitude to take a shaky step toward the door. Then another. You can do this, damn it. She stepped out into the back hallway. The restaurant was eerily quiet. It was easy to pretend that she was the only one in the entire building.

If only.

Shoving her hands into her coat pockets to hide their trembling, she walked into the main bar area. Ry and Bram hadn’t moved an inch from their posts. They both watched her as she approached, their expressions unreadable. That, more than anything, disturbed her. She’d half hoped Bram would be grinning and cracking lewd comments about how she’d pulled the world’s biggest prank on them.

Prank…

Wait, maybe that’s how she could get out of this—by convincing them it’d merely been a bad joke. It was a long shot, considering the incredibly personal stuff she’d included on the list, but maybe they’d take pity on her and let it go.

She offered the guys a tentative smile. “Sorry about that. You know us women and our tiny bladders.” She winced at her overly cheery tone. Why am I talking about bladders? Trying not to feel like the biggest moron on the planet, she cleared her throat. “Anyway, you wanted to speak to me about something?”

Ry stared at her for a long moment, his eyes dark and intense. She couldn’t remember ever having been under the full power of his focus like that. It took every ounce of her willpower not to shiver. Or duck and hide behind the bar. “Why didn’t you tell us, Lace?”

Although it was pathetic and ridiculous, she decided to play dumb. “Tell you what?”

Of course Ry wouldn’t let her off that easy. “You know damn well what I’m talking about. Your threesome fantasy.”

She forced a laugh. “Oh. That. I thought you guys would get a chuckle over it. I only wish I could have seen your faces when you read the email.” Not that she’d needed to be there. It wasn’t exactly difficult to conjure twin expressions of stupefied shock.

Actually, the shock she could handle. It was the inevitable pity concerning her delusional fantasy land that had her stomach in knots.

Bram sidled up next to Ry. A frown marred his features. “It was a…joke?”

“Well, duh. Of course.” She rolled her eyes for good measure. “I can’t believe you both fell for it.”

For a brief moment she swore Bram looked disappointed. Ry, on the other hand, just leveled her with his patented let’s-cut-through-the-bullshit stare. “It wasn’t a joke. I know it and you know it.”

“Don’t be silly. Do you think I’d tell you all of that embarrassing stuff if it was real?”

The rugged planes of Ry’s face softened, but the heat in his gaze didn’t abate. “There’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”

“I—I didn’t say I was embarrassed.” Oh crap. Yes, she did. She really needed to learn how to choose her damn words better. She cleared her throat, figuring it was past time for a fast recovery. “Why would I be embarrassed over a joke?”

“Because it isn’t one. But judging from how flustered you’re acting, I’d say it’s a safe bet you didn’t intend for Bram and me to ever know about any of it. And that’s really unfair of you, Lace.”

The accusation in Ry’s stare was almost unbearable. A thick ball of shame wedged in her throat. She’d always been brutally honest with him and Bram before, hadn’t hidden anything from either of them up until now. But there were some things you didn’t go blabbing to your business partners, for God’s sake—like the desire to be tied up and blindfolded for a night of raunchy sex. “C-could we just forget any of this happened?”

“It’s too late for that, Lace. You can’t expect us to pretend we don’t know. To not wonder.” Ry stepped closer, his gaze drifting to her mouth. Hunger burned in his eyes.

Her heart thumped in response. She’d imagined that particular look on his face countless times, never believing she’d see it in actuality. This had to be a dream. Or another of her fantasies. The last part of his statement registered and she blinked. “W-wonder? About what?”

“You. Us.” His knuckles brushed the underside of her jaw, tipping it ever so slightly upwards as his head descended. “This.” The husky word feathered her lips, a prelude to the lush pressure of his mouth upon hers.

Disbelief and pure giddiness combated inside her while one startling thought spun through her brain in a ceaseless loop. RyiskissingmeRyiskissingmeRyiskissingme. His tongue coaxed past her lips and glided over hers, the sensation drowning out the delirious chorus in her head. He tasted of coffee and aroused male. It was the most delicious combination of all time. Even as she was reveling in that fact, a pair of hands slid around her hips from behind. Bram’s heat blanketed her back. There was no mistaking the hard ridge of his erection nudging her tailbone.

This can’t be happening. But even as she was trying to assure herself of that, Ry reluctantly broke their kiss and leaned back. Their gazes crashed into each other for a moment before he glanced over her head at Bram. Some unspoken communication passed between the two men. Still dizzy from Ry’s kiss and confused as hell, she craned her neck to look up at Bram. Without warning, his mouth staked its own claim, taking over where Ry’s had left off.

Her senses reeled from the unexpected double whammy. Getting the daylights kissed out of her by Ry was incredible enough, adding Bram to the mix…it was a damn miracle she was still standing upright. As if her body was looking to change that status quo, she swayed, her knees threatening to buckle. Bram freed one hand from her waist and tunneled his fingers through her hair, managing to hold her steady and at the same time tilt her head for better access to her mouth. His tongue was just as insistent as Ry’s and possibly twice as bold.

A gruff, slightly irritated cough issued from Ry. Bram released her, his tongue taking its time to depart her mouth. Dazzled, she licked her lips and attempted to form a coherent thought. “I—I don’t understand. What’s going on here?” She’d been certain they’d be freaked out by the email. Having them all but devour her was the last reaction she’d been expecting, for damn sure.

Bram caressed her hip. “We want to give you that threesome, Lace. Along with everything else on your list.”

Giveaway Details:

• Leave a comment on the post, share something that's on your Christmas list (naughty or nice *g*),or a question for Jodi, to have your name thrown in the magical random.org hat, for a chance to win one of three books featured throughout the mini-event week. (Winner will receive their book of choice and it will either be shipped via the Book Depository, All Romance ebooks, or Amazon.)

• Extra Entry Options (Please leave in a separate comment):

• Follow Jodi on Twitter.

• Follow Jodi on Facebook.

• Tweet the contest (please leave the link of your tweet).

• Contest is open Internationally.

• Contest will run until 11/28 11:59 PM EST

• Winner will be randomly selected and notified via email.

"Romancing the Holiday" with Adrienne Basso {'Tis the Season to be Sinful}, Guest Post, Excerpt & Giveaway Entry

Please welcome Adrienne Basso, to "Romancing the Holiday" on AtM!

~*~*~*~*~

First, I’d like to thank Tanya for inviting me to guest blog at Among the Muses today.  ‘Tis the Season to be Sinful is my 19th romance novel – my third with a Christmas setting.  For a writer, every story presents its own challenges and rewards, but I’ve come to realize that there is something unique and special about a Yuletide tale.  Many readers (including me) wait all year to enjoy these stories and eagerly devour them the moment they are published.    

In ‘Tis the Season to be Sinful, American businessman, Richard Harper, needs an English country estate to enhance his already successful business empire.  But when he finds the perfect manor house, he discovers the only way to obtain the property is to marry the lovely widow who holds it in trust for her eldest son.   
 
Juliet Wentworth knows she must remarry in order to properly care for her three children.  The marriage of convenience she enters into soon becomes a passionate union, yet Richard’s distant behavior towards Juliet and her children is discouraging.  As Christmas descends upon this newly formed family, Juliet is steadfast in her determination to win her husband’s heart, hoping that the magical, giving spirit of the season will aid her in her quest for Richard’s love.

Excerpt:

They arrived shortly in a small clearing.  Several of Juliet's female relations were clustered around a towering fir.  Richard judged the tree to be at least twenty-five feet tall, its sweet smelling branches hanging soft and low.

"It's lovely," Juliet pronounced.  "Though I think a tad too tall.  We'll have to cut the top off and that would ruin the shape."

"This one is better," Uncle Horace insisted as he stood proudly beside a full-sized pine.  Obligingly, they all turned their attention to the next candidate, a few steps away.
   
"It is smaller," Juliet agreed.  "And very full."

 "It has a big hole," Lizzy announced and everyone peered around to view the spot where the little girl pointed.

"We can cover the bare section with ribbons and decorations," Uncle Horace sputtered.  “Or turn it toward the wall.”

The group ignored the older man’s suggestions and moved on to assess the next tree.

Richard hid his growing amusement as Juliet diplomatically previewed the next few possibilities.  There was no shortage of opinions thrown her way, but she would not be swayed by the pleading looks or persuasive arguments.  She clearly had something specific in mind, and would not relent until she found what she wanted.

A tree.  For the house.  Richard shook his head, having difficulty embracing the idea.  Honestly, it sounded like a pagan notion, something the ancient Druids might have done; worshipping nature, decorating trees.  

He did recall reading that the German born Prince Albert celebrated the birth of his first son by erecting a Christmas tree at Windsor Castle years ago.  Apparently the custom had spread throughout the country, though the appeal of it was lost on Richard.

As was the appeal of the entire Christmas holiday.  But he hid the worst of his ire, loathed to quash the sparkle of delight in his wife's eyes.  It was clear that this was making her very happy and that in turn lightened his heart.      

A sudden cold gust of wind nearly blew off Richard's hat, making his eyes sting.  He instinctively drew closer to Juliet to reduce her exposure to the wind, and then realized what he was doing.  How strange that she roused such a fierce protectiveness in him; one of which he didn't even know he was capable.

Long ago he had perfected his ability to cut himself off from sentimental emotion.  But with Juliet it was impossible.  Something about her called to him, beckoned him to embrace the moment.  Even if he tried, he knew he could not keep her completely out; but more amazingly he knew that he did not want to shut himself entirely off from her.

"We need to select the tree so we can begin gathering the other greenery," one of the aunts said.  "How about this one?"

Since he was standing so close, Richard heard Juliet's small sigh of dismay.  The tree was scrawny and misshapen on one side.  It was by far the worst choice-even he could see it.

"There is still plenty of daylight.  I think we can spare a few more minutes searching," Juliet answered.  "Don't you agree, Richard?"

"Ah, yes.  It wouldn't hurt to continue looking."

Juliet gazed at him appreciatively with those dark, entrancing eyes and he felt the full force of her gaze.  An unexpected gurgle of laughter bubbled up from his chest and he let it out, surprising himself at the sudden burst of joy he felt in that moment.

Using the backdrop of a boisterous, family holiday celebration was the ideal setting for this story.  I really enjoyed creating a character like Juliet, a woman who believes completely in the miracle of Christmas and is determined to bring that contagious joy into her husband’s life – no matter how hard he resists!

What about you?   Is there a family member – or friend – who embraces the Christmas spirit wholeheartedly and never (or rarely) complains about holiday stress?  Are you that person?

Wishing you all a holiday season filled with joy, laughter, love and romance!
Adrienne

www.adriennebasso.net

Giveaway Details:

• Please answer Adrienne's question at the end of the post to have your name thrown in the magical random.org hat, for a chance to win one of three books featured throughout the mini-event week. (Winner will receive their book of choice and it will either be shipped via the Book Depository, All Romance ebooks, or Amazon.)

• Extra Entry Options (Please leave in a separate comment):

• Check out Adrienne's website and leave a comment on one of her many books that caught your interest! :)

• Tweet the contest (please leave the link of your tweet).

• Contest is open Internationally.

• Contest will run until 11/28 11:59 PM EST

• Winner will be randomly selected and notified via email.

Blog Tour: Guest Blog with Ashley March {Romancing the Countess} & Giveaway!

Lonely No More

Thanks so much to Among the Muses for having me on the blog today as I continue the celebration of my latest release, ROMANCING THE COUNTESS!

As I prepared for writing this post, I went to my website and read the first chapter excerpt of ROMANCING THE COUNTESS. As I read through the POV of the heroine (Leah), something struck me that I had forgotten since writing this book.

As a woman who learned of her husband’s affair a year ago and kept it secret until his death, Leah George is relieved to not have to live a lie anymore. She wants her independence, the ability to do whatever she wishes whenever she wishes without regard for anyone else’s desires. She is a strong woman who is desperate to take charge of her own life. But she is also lonely.

When writing this book, this loneliness and her desire for independence proved to be the key conflict for Leah’s love story with Sebastian Madinger, the Earl of Wriothesly. As her husband’s best friend and also the widower of her husband’s lover, Sebastian wants nothing more than for Leah to act the proper widow so no one will ever suspect that their spouses were having an affair before they died. But, of course, this wish comes into direct conflict with Leah’s longing for independence. Thus, on the outside, we see the hero and heroine battling over the actions she takes to pursue her own happiness. On the inside, however, Leah is a woman whose soul longs for someone to cherish her, for someone she can confide in. Because she and Sebastian are the only two people who know of the affair, it just so happens that Sebastian is the one person she can allow to truly see the heartbreak and pain she’s been living with since learning of her husband’s infidelity.

I’ve heard that there are people out there who say that they are truly happy being single, that they don’t need another person to complete their lives. I don’t doubt that this may be true for them, but I can tell you from my own experience that before I was married, I always longed for that someone special. I knew that I was meant to be in a relationship, that I was meant to love and be loved. I think this is why the issue of loneliness is a powerful one for me as both a romance reader and a romance writer. I don’t see it as a weakness (unless the heroine starts being whiny about it, and then I’ll just shut the book =), but rather as an impetus for the heroine to keep her heart open to love. And when she finds the man that eases that loneliness, the man who she can confide in and be herself with, I think perhaps that’s how she knows that she’s found love.

What about you, dear reader? How do you know when you’ve found love? There are the obvious signs of attraction, but what helps you to know that what you’re feeling is eternal? And if you haven’t yet found love, what do you think you’ll feel when you do find it?

One random commenter will be chosen to win a copy of my newest book, ROMANCING THE COUNTESS (open internationally)! Also, find out how to win the ROMANCING THE COUNTESS Book Tour Grand Prize of 50+ romance novels by visiting www.ashleymarch.com!  

* Make sure to answer Ashley's question along with your email addy! *




 

Guest Blog: Jenn LeBlanc {THE RAKE AND THE RECLUSE; An Illustrated Romance} & International Giveaway!

Today AtM readers are going to get a glimpse into a new type of digital book: One with photographs! 

Author Jenn LeBlanc is a professional photographer, as well as a writer, and has combined her two passions by including photographs that inspired scenes in the book, that combines to create an illustrated romance!

oOoOoOoOo

Hello everyone! I am so excited to be here Among The Muses. I’m going to chat a bit about the creation process for my illustrated novel THE RAKE AND THE RECLUSE. 

The only thing I knew going in to the process of querying for an agent and publisher was that I needed to stand out in a crowd. Since I am a professional photographer, I decided I could shoot my cover to send in to catch their attention. Naîve perhaps, but I didn’t now any better, and right now my readers are happy for it. (And so am I!) 

I scoured the internet for models and finally found this guy: 

His name is Derek Hutchins and over the course of the past couple years he has become a very dear friend of mine. I mean we have worked pretty closely on this project and a couple other projects to the point that we now make a pretty great team. We have a lot of fun together. 

Anywhoo...we shot for the cover which was supposed to look like this: 

We had so much fun, my mind started racing. It was the same time the first iPad was to be released, and I thought why can’t I illustrate my entire novel? I knew the answer to that question prior to the iPad, but now? The cost is nil, as an ebook it doesn’t cost any more to publish a fully illustrated book. 

I talked to Derek and he was all for it, so over the next year we shot about 8 full day shoots, comprising nearly 50,000 raw images to sort through. It was interesting to figure out what to shoot and when, how to set up the shoots, proper shoot order etc to save time. 

Turns out the most logical order to shoot in is by hairstyle, then costume, then lighting setup, then actors, then sets. Of course we didn’t quite figure this out until after a few shoots. It really was a major undertaking. Similar to shooting a movie, because we had scenes to set, costumes, models, etc. 

I went through the book and picked out what I thought were the most poignant quotes. I wanted to illustrate these ideas in particular. These images are all about emotion, the feeling and intent of the storyline. 

I also made notes about the details in the novel, the framed miniature, a rock that is important to one of the brother’s, the drunken pears, the brandy, things like this. I wanted to shoot these detailed images, to give texture to the scenes without telling anything about the story. 

We also shot images of the characters beyond the story, portraits, costumes, things like that. Background images that don’t necessarily speak to the story but simply to the characters themselves. 

So we shot and shot and shot some more. During this time I started the layout process. I had to learn ePub layout in inDesign, because I was doing everything in inDesign, and I wanted to try to keep every file type fairly uniform. As it turns out, there is no easy way to do the ePub layout. You have to design completely different files for every output, ePub, PDF, lit, MOBI, print, etc. So I have now learned layout and design for multiple outputs. YAY! 

The most difficult part of the project was cutting images. I worked with an amazing photo editor, Mike Davis, who cut my 150 image edit down to about 7 images. He explained the purpose of the images I shot and gave me fresh eye to dig back into the project and figure out which images would stay and which would go. 

While I did not stick to the 7 image edit, I did cut it down to a little over 100 images total in the eBook. I was able to do this because I knew what I was looking for, because I knew the purpose of the images, either detail, emotion, or story. 

I then worked with an incredible designer, Deb Pang Davis, who went through the final book and gave me some great insight into structure and layout as well as fonts. What she recommended was simple but made such an amazing difference in the final product, and really in the branding of my books overall. She also helped me schmooze my website into a better overall flow and feel. She was an incredible asset to my team. 

The book was finalized and published last February digitally, then I spent a month designing the hardback and trade paperback versions for the big release party in April. It was fun. 

I brought Derek out to RomCon here in Denver last August and we had a great time with readers and fans. It has been such a great adventure. I am really looking forward to the next conference and chance to meet everyone! 

Until then, for updates on my work in progress, the follow up to The Rake And The Recluse, you can subscribe to my blog. All news goes there first, and as we are starting the casting for the next book there are quite often pictures of the models I am working with or looking to hire. You can also follow the casting work on my tumblr blog, or on Twitter with the hashtag #castingPerry.

Thank you so much for joining me and if you read my book PLEASE track me down somewhere and let me know what you think! I LOVE LOVE to hear from readers. You can find me on Twitter and Facebook. 

 

Because The Rake And The Recluse is a FULLY ILLUSTRATED novel, it is meant to be read as an eBook. It is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, All Romance eBooks and on iBooks from your iThingy and is ONLY $2.99!

So I always like to ask what draws you to an image. What are some of your favorite images? Book covers? What stands out in your mind when you visualize romance?

 

 

Giveaway Details:

• Jenn is offering a digital copy of THE RAKE AND THE RECLUSE to one lucky commenter who answers Jenn's question(s) at the end of the post!

• To be entered in the contest, answer Jenn's questions along with your email addy.

• Contest is open Internationally!

• Contest will run from 10/24 - 10/28 11:59pm.

• Winner will be randomly selected and notified via email.

 

Good Luck and thanks for stopping by to support Jenn and her unique illustrated romance: THE RAKE AND THE RECLUSE!

Blog Tour: Guest Blog with Anne Mallory {In Total Surrender} & Giveaway Entry Stop

~*~

Why we love a broken hero.

I think there are many reasons readers love broken heroes.  Some want to see the hero saved.  Some want to see him renewed.  Some want to watch him face down whatever life throws at him.

But I think the key word is “hero.”  A book about a broken protagonist can be different than a book about a broken hero.  While both might be compelling, they are born of different constructs.  To me, a broken hero is a man who even with a tortured soul, will never give up.  He is a man who does not accept failure even when he is bleeding inside.  Even when the odds are stacked against him, he still persists.  A heroine (and a reader) can count on a man like that, no matter what life delivers.  And when such a hero is no longer broken...a happy ending is all the sweeter.

Broken heroes are some of my favorite type of hero to write.  The journey of such a character – the strength of such a character – is a heady thing to explore.

Who are some of your favorite broken heroes in cinema or books?

~*~

Blurb:

The first kiss was dangerous enough…

Andreas Merrick is the king of London’s dark underworld, having amassed unimaginable wealth and power…and a fierce reputation that leaves even the bravest men quaking in their boots. Yet one person is maddeningly unintimidated by his fearsome presence: the persistent Miss Phoebe Pace.

And one kiss always leads to another…

Equal parts honey and steel, Phoebe will stop at nothing to find her missing brother and save her family. Though associating with Andreas means peril and scandal, she never expects to experience a passion so intense that it threatens to consume her. But enigmatic Andreas is no ordinary man to love. He brings dangers from all sides – without and within – while tempting her beyond her wildest dreams…

~*~

More About Anne Mallory ...

Some people have always known they wanted to write. Others fall into it and discover its inherent joy. I’m somewhere in between. As an avid reader, writing a novel had always tickled the back of my mind. There seem to be a lot of people who say, “Someday I’ll write a book.” For me, the feeling tickled, moved into an incessant knocking and finally became a dull roar. All I needed was to make that “someday” into “today.”

I’ve always considered myself a creator, so transitioning to writer was not as grueling as it might have been. From creating two minute stories for people on the street, to creating jewelry, crafts, stained glass, pottery, music, crazy art projects… the list of things I like to create (and buy all the necessary materials for) keeps getting longer amidst my family’s exasperated groans. I love to start something from scratch, and then mold and shape it into a finished project. Writing books provides a challenge I accept with relish (and a bit of hair pulling). Building a world, populating it with characters and giving them a script and satisfying ending – what more could a creative type ask for?

I’ve always loved romance novels, ever since I started sneaking them from my Mom in elementary school. I mean, what’s not to love? Rakish men and smart, feisty women, adventure and mystery, the love and loyalty between two people. Give me a roomful of romances, some Agatha Christie, some Edgar Allan Poe, the Harry Potter series and an armful of other fantasy novels, (and steady meals with chocolate) and I’m in heaven.

Anne Bytes (or pseudo trivia)

• Started writing on September 11th, 2001 as an escape from the day (needed an escape with a happy ending).

• Thinks that 11pm is a perfectly normal time to begin reading a 400 page book.

•  Escaped from Alcatraz http://www.annemallory.com/dungeon/sharkfest/ (story here).

• Got a hole-in-one on a Par 3 and was just happy to have beaten her Dad on a hole for once. After a quick rotating hip dance, she was surprised to see her Dad still looking from the tee to the hole where the ball had bounced once and dropped in. His mouth was hanging open. Anne’s response? “What?” (In coding terms, Anne != golfer. That’s “Anne is obviously not a golfer” for you normal people).

• Loves tubing (behind a boat) and roller coasters (Cedar Point, here we come!).

• Loves paddleball, especially “extreme” paddleball. In the normal variety of paddleball, she helped score 432 hits with Cousins J and Mg one summer day.

• Played at Carnegie Hall and was so excited she launched her violin bow across the stage when she got to the picking section of the piece. Thankfully said bow was recovered in time to start bowing once more.

• Saw a Great White Shark in real life (at Monterey Bay Aquarium, thankfully).

• Wrote her first (and only until Masquerading) book in sixth grade. It was a thriller/mystery centering around two sixth grade detectives. Her Mom assures her it is still well loved (read: stashed in the attic).

• Began Masquerading the Marquess on Good Friday 2002, sold it on Good Friday 2003.

• Considers herself a hobby collector. Friends and Family like to call her hobby “pack ratting.”

• Can relate to the line in Office Space, “Um, I’m gonna need you to go ahead and come in tomorrow. So if you could be here around nine, that would be great. Oh, oh, yea… I forgot. I’m gonna also need you to come in Sunday too.”

Giveaway Details:

• Anne Mallory and Harper Collins will be giving away a $25 Amazon.com gift certificate to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. 

• Leave a comment along with your email addy.

• Contest will run the duration of the tour.

• The more places you stop on the tour, the greater your chances of winning!! :)

Tour Stops:

September 26: Reading Romances
September 26: REVIEW ONLY: Reviews by Molly
September 27: Black Velvet Seductions
September 28: Book Junkie
September 29: Among the Muses
September 30: Romancing the Book