Interview with Viki Lyn

Thank you Amber for having me as a guest today!

How did you start your writing career? I began writing when I owned an art gallery and didn’t have time to create my mixed media artwork. Writing was a creative outlet and I fell in love with telling stories. When I look back at my childhood, I always created stories in my mind but never wrote them down. So I guess writing wasn’t such a far stretch, but I had a lot to learn! In 2006, I published my first romance set in 1968 and several romance books later I switched to writing m/m romances. I just published by 12^th m/m romance this last year.

Where do you dream of traveling to and why? I’ve always been lucky to have traveled extensively and been to some incredible places. This May, I’m going to Japan, a country I’ve wanted to visit for some time now. I was a gallery assistant for a paper artist in San Diego for several years and fell in love with Japanese papers. I also like to watch Japanese anime and read yaoi (Japanese Boys’ Love comics – confession, I have over 300+ volumes!) and I love Japanese landscape design, aesthetics and art. So, I’m jazzed about the trip. We want to put in a Japanese garden in our atrium so I’ll be taking lots of pics.

Does travel play in the writing of your books? Yes, quite a bit. One of my vampire series (Chances) has Prague as a setting and in the third book my characters find themselves in Egypt (I also have an Egyptian scene in Sins of Lust). I was able to travel to Egypt three years ago. The temples and pyramids were awe-inspiring, and so incredible to see in person vs. the pictures in my art history book. I went to Eastern Europe two years ago and set my novella, Lover’s Trill, in Vienna.

Tell us about your current release. I have two current releases. My first book with Ellora’s Cave, Sins of Lust, is a paranormal m/m romance. It’s about archangels and the Protectors (fallen angels) that kill for them. I love Uri-el and Razi-el (Izar) – two lovers torn apart because one of them commits a sin and must be punished. Razi becomes Izar, a Protector, and loses his memories including his beloved Uri-el. But in the end, love conquers all. It’s very romantic and erotic and one of my hottest books. 

The other release is a novella published by Musa Publishing. Perceived Love is about second chances. A psychic must convince a scientist that his life is in danger.

When in the day/night do you write? How long per day? I usually write in the morning or afternoon, and rarely at night. I don’t have a set schedule, zipping between my writing room and my art studio! I usually get waylaid by friends calling to meet them for coffee. I love to socialize and family and friends comes first in my life. I usually write three books a year, but this year I’ve taken a break from having the need to get something published. I’m writing for fun and because I want to, and trying out other genres.

Where do you research for your books? I research mostly on the Internet these days, rarely going to the library. I also use my old travel books, city maps, and have a paranormal library at home. I’ve taken Tarot classes and other New Age philosophical classes as well, which seeps into my paranormals.

Does your significant other read your stuff? No! He read my first book but he didn’t enjoy the romantic conflict between the characters. Made him too nervous and reminded him too much of his first marriage! LOL. But, he’s my biggest fan. He even went to our well-lighted adult bookstore when I had to purchase gay sex manuals for research.

Do you have critique partners or beta readers? I have a critique partner that I meet with once a week. We’re going on more than six years now. She writes a completely different genre (sweet Regency and YA). We understand each other’s voices and we help each other improve our writing techniques, deepen our characters, plotting and pacing and sometimes teach writing classes together. I also have a good friend who’s an avid reader and helps me with plotting and editing. Sometimes I even get my sister’s involved with the plotting of my stories. No one is safe from me!

What was the scariest moment of your life? I was in a very serious car accident where my good friend almost died. Unfortunately, she didn’t come out of it unscathed and has permanent damage. That was a horrible moment that I hope to never experience again.

What songs are most played on your Ipod? Come Undone, Beautiful Liar, Hey, Soul Sister, Take the Long Way Home, The Pretender, Collide, We Are Young, Us and Them... I have a musical hodgepodge on my iPod.

Thou shall not kill.

For archangel Razi-el, he had no choice. He would break God’s commandment again if it were to save Uri-el from a demon’s talons. Yet even God’s most trusted archangel cannot avoid punishment. No longer Razi-el, he is now Izar, a Protector sworn to kill for the angels.

When a Protector kills an angel, Izar is summoned to work alongside Uri-el to capture the killer. Izar is shocked when his bloodlust spikes hot for the archangel. He knows better than to go after forbidden fruit. Refusing to give in to temptation, he ignores his body’s tempestuous arousal for Uri-el until a heated argument turns his blood into molten lust.

As they rush to find the killer, their passion plays into the demon’s plan. Izar will have to make a choice between life and death if he is to save Uri-el again.

Excerpt and buy link: http://www.ellorascave.com/sins-of-lust.html

Sins of Lust

ISBN 9781419941573

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Sins of Lust Copyright © 2012 Viki Lyn

Through the open archway, he caught a glimpse of the Vox Dei talking with another archangel, his back to Izar. They were backlit in a violet glow from the oracle stone. The crystal’s sheer size and faceted beauty had left him speechless the first time he’d seen it.

Izar tugged on the hem of his jacket. Before entering the cella, he took out a handkerchief and wiped his face. After folding the cloth into a small square, he slipped it back into his pocket. After one last tug on his jacket, he strode in and then abruptly stopped.

His eyes widened and he stepped back as the blond angel turned to him. Oh God almighty…his cock leaped, setting off a shockwave spreading throughout his lower half.

Golden waves of hair and milky skin, a white robe draped seductively around a tall, slender body, eyes bluer than any sky Izar had ever witnessed. The sight of the archangel caused a loss of equilibrium.

The archangel’s brows lifted slightly at Izar’s feeble attempt of appearing in control. Oddly, the angel seemed familiar, but they had never spoken or been in the same room together. Izar would have remembered that face. He’d seen the prince of the Cherubim from a distance, but never this close, this personal, this…distracting.

The quicksilver lust on seeing this vision shocked him. He wasn’t attracted to forbidden fruit. He didn’t need the trouble. He was a practical man, especially when it came to where he put his dick. Protectors were forbidden to lay with angels, except for the ga-aelijan of the Haelan Templum.

Turning away from the ethereal vision, he drew in a breath. He should have attended the Haelan for relief before coming here. His physical reaction to this archangel confirmed the danger of waiting too long to eradicate his bloodlust. He’d already pushed his limits, and if he didn’t get to the temple, he’d fall ill, or worse, lose the reins over his actions.

http://www.vikilyn.com
http://www.vikilyn.com/blog
http://www.facebook.com/VikiLynRomance
http://www.twitter.com/VikiLynRomance

Once Viki Lyn wrote her first male/male romance, she was hooked. Now she gets to write about two sexy men as heroes instead of one.
What inspires - the reality that romance between lovers is a hope more than a guarantee. Her stories are sexy, but it’s always romance that drives the story to its final happily-ever-after.
Viki has worn many hats, working in corporate finance to owning her own art gallery, but writing has been a long lasting passion.

 

Viki Lyn: Award winning author of male/male paranormal and contemporary romances. You can find all of Viki's books at the following sites: Amazon, All Romance Ebooks and GLBT Bookshelf.

Pride will be the death of him.
When psychic Nate Coleman dreams of a murder, he knows it’s a premonition. He can’t forget the image of his ex-lover with a bullet hole through his chest. Nate has no choice but to confront William and face the skeptical scientist’s ridicule.
Dr. William Ryner doesn’t believe in what he can’t prove. When Nate comes back into his life, it’s not to rekindle their love, but to bring up more of that mumbo jumbo that split them apart.
Despite William’s refusal to listen, Nate can’t ignore the premonition. And, William can’t ignore Nate. Before the gunman strikes, William must either trust in Nate’s ability or rely only on the facts, but if he does the latter, pride could be the death of him.

Interview with Margaret L Carter

How did you start your writing career?

By teaching myself to type on an old typewriter my aunt had left at my grandmother’s house. Reading DRACULA at the age of twelve inspired me to pick up all the horror fiction I could find in the public library and start buying paperback horror and fantasy when I could afford it (mostly with birthday and Christmas money, but at that time $5.00 bought more than ten paperbacks). Since I could never find enough to read, I decided to start writing horror. What I really wanted, though, were stories from the “monsters” viewpoint or at least sympathetic to the monster, focusing on human-nonhuman relationships. Those weren’t easy to find in the 1960s. So I unearthed a high school textbook left over from my aunt’s beginning typing class and worked through the exercises on my own. While I never got proficient enough to be considered an expert typist, thanks to that book I’ve always used the touch system. I “practiced” by writing stories, starting at age thirteen. The first was about a tragic romance between a man and a ghost. The third was a single-spaced, thirty-plus-page story in the form of a diary of a man unwittingly changing into a vampire. Vampires remained my first love for decades, and I wrote that early story as journal entries because from DRACULA I got the idea that the epistolary structure was THE way to write horror fiction.

Tell us about your favorite character from your books.

That would be Roger Darvell, protagonist of my first vampire novel, DARK CHANGELING, and its sequel, CHILD OF TWILIGHT. Roger, a psychiatrist, suffers from a dark thirst and a very strange midlife crisis. At the age of forty, he discovers what he always thought was a pathological obsession with blood is actually the result of his mixed heritage as half human and half vampire. Just when he discovers the existence of vampires and the truth about himself, a rogue vampire targets Roger, his patients, and his partner, female psychiatrist Britt Loren. Two secondary characters in this novel date back to that first vampire tale I wrote at age thirteen. DARK CHANGELING, which also includes a romance subplot between Roger and Britt, is the first book in my “Vanishing Breed” universe about a naturally evolved vampire species. Most of the works in this series can be read on their own in any order, and complete information can be found at the “Vanishing Breed” link on my website, Carter’s Crypt:

http://www.margaretlcarter.com

Tell us about your current release.

“Calling Back Love” an erotic paranormal romance novella from Ellora’s Cave, features a modern witch whose fiance is missing and presumed dead in Afghanistan. She is desperate enough to violate the laws of Nature to cast a spell for one last weekend with him:

http://www.ellorascave.com/calling-back-love.html

I also have a newly released story collection, DAME ONYX TREASURES: LOVE AMONG THE MONSTERS:

http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1092

Tell us about your next release.

In just a couple of days (April 12), Ellora’s Cave will release my erotic paranormal romance short story, Weird Wedding Guest, a sequel to my humorous Lovecraftian erotic romance novella, Tentacles of Love. In Weird Wedding Guest, a bridesmaid can’t wait to meet her e-mail friend, the groom’s brother. Imagine her shock when she discovers he’s a shimmering blob of eye stalks and tentacles:

http://www.ellorascave.com/weird-wedding-guest.html

Also, in May I have a new vampire romance (non-erotic) forthcoming from Amber Quill Press (http://www.amberquill.com ). PASSION IN THE BLOOD is a stand-alone novel in the Vanishing Breed universe.

When was your first sale?

In 1970, in my early twenties, I sold an anthology of vampire stories, CURSE OF THE UNDEAD, as a paperback to Fawcett. I had never seen a vampire anthology in print (though, as I found out soon after the book was accepted, a few did exist, nothing like the abundance of today) and thought a compilation of classic and modern stories in chronological order was just what vampire fans needed. I included an introductory historical overview and a brief timeline of important works. At the time, I was in college and had never had anything published before, except in my high school’s newspaper. I got the publisher’s address from WRITER’S MARKET at the library. I knew nothing about submitting manuscripts except that they had to be double-spaced and accompanied by a SASE. I think I did figure out on my own that an anthology submission should be a proposal package and didn’t have to include photocopies of all the stories first off. About a year went by without a reply from Fawcett. I finally sent them a humorous “why haven’t you written?” greeting card. (See, I knew almost nothing about the publishing business!) They responded by apologizing for the delay and accepting the book. As you can tell from this anecdote, selling anthologies was MUCH easier then than it is now. (In later years, when I had a track record as an author, I sent out anthology proposals with no success whatever.) Immediately after CURSE OF THE UNDEAD was released, Fawcett accepted a second anthology, DEMON LOVERS AND STRANGE SEDUCTIONS. Neither one earned out its advance, but it was a great thrill just to have them in print. And I learned a lot about publishing from the experience. Used copies of both paperbacks can easily be found online.

When in the day/night do you write? How long per day?

Usually in the afternoon, sometimes in the late morning. When actively working on a project, I write for two hours or 1000 words, whichever comes first. Of course, if I get on a roll and exceed 1000 words in a session, that’s great. I try to write at least five days a week (again, when actively working on a project; this schedule doesn’t strictly apply at the research and outlining stage). Producing 1000 words per day generates the draft of a novella in a month or a standard-length novel in not much more than three months. I consider myself a slow writer, so contemplating this math reassures me.

What is the hardest part of writing your books?

The first draft. I have a lot of blank screen anxiety. Unlike some writers (such as Isaac Asimov) who enjoy the act of writing itself, I seldom do. That’s one reason I outline in detail. The more progress I can make on a piece while still fooling my brain that I’m not really “writing,” the easier it is.

Who are your books published with?

Hard Shell Word Factory as a division of Mundania (www.mundania.com ), Amber Quill Press (www.amberquill.com), and Ellora’s Cave (www.ellorascave.com ). I also have a vampire romance, EMBRACING DARKNESS, from Harlequin, available as an e-book from Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Most of my books are offered in Kindle and Nook formats.

What books have most influenced your life?

DRACULA, because it led me to read all sorts of horror, fantasy, and soft science fiction and inspired me to start writing (as described above). Because I wanted to be a writer, I majored in English in college and graduate school. Getting into writing fantasy and SF even brought me together, as a teenager, with the boy who eventually became my husband, who was the only other aspiring writer I’d ever met at that age (and we’re still married). The other most influential books were THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS, the Narnia series, and in general all of C. S. Lewis’s works.

What is your favorite meal?

Chicken curry the way my husband makes it. Homemade spaghetti (tomato and meat sauce) is a close second.

Blurb:
War has stolen Kirsten’s fiancé Shawn from her. After he’s reported missing and presumed dead in Afghanistan, she turns to witchcraft to bring him back. Though she can’t recall him from the dead, magic can grant them one last weekend together for a proper farewell. Once she has tasted his love again, she can hardly bear the thought of letting him go. Yet even this brief interlude violates the laws of nature. There is no way to make his return permanent—or maybe there is.

Excerpt:

The leather-bound notebook lay open on the redwood kitchen table, its scrawls of black ink a mockery of Kirsten’s faint hopes. “I’ve scoured every page of Grandmamma’s Book of Shadows. I can’t find one word about what I need.” She slammed the book shut. “Not a thing about restoring life to a person killed before his time.”

“And you won’t.” Estelle shook her head, the spring of her salt-and-pepper curls punctuating the decree. “No magic can call back the dead. And even if it could, you know that never ends well. You’ve read ‘The Monkey’s Paw’ and that book by Stephen King.”

“But I can’t leave it like this. When we talked on Skype the night before his last patrol, we had another fight about his career. I came this close to making him choose between the Army and me. We didn’t have a real goodbye. If there’s any way magic can give me one more chance, I’ll take it.” In the two months since the report of Shawn’s presumed death in Afghanistan, the memory of that argument had been eating her alive.

“When I promised your grandmother I’d mentor you in the Craft, I accepted certain responsibilities, one of which is to stop you from making reckless choices.”

Kirsten rubbed her eyes, sore from yet another crying fit just before she’d come here, and stared at her mentor with wild hope. “You wouldn’t talk about stopping me if it weren’t possible in the first place. Okay, witchcraft can’t bring the dead back to life. How about calling up his spirit so we can have one last conversation?”

“Have you ever seen me conduct a séance? Me or any other responsible witch? It’s against nature to disturb the peace of the dead.” Estelle strolled to the counter to pour two mugs of coffee. The window over the sink framed her silhouette against a serene background of sun-dappled trees, a mockery of the turmoil that racked Kirsten. Her teacher’s spacious kitchen with its granite floor, exposed oak beams and aromas of drying herbs usually welcomed her with its warmth. Today it felt as bleak as the rest of the world.

“I don’t believe he’s at peace. He was blown to bits on a mountainside with nothing left to bring home.” Survivors of the platoon had reported two explosions, the second of which had obliterated Shawn. No remains had been found, not even a minute fragment, hence the “missing and presumed dead” conclusion that left him in official limbo. “We were supposed to get married after he finished this tour. The IED stole that from us. I’m not at peace with that so how can he be, wherever he is?” She shoved aside the mug Estelle set in front of her.

The older woman clasped her hand across the table. “When the gift for magic skipped your mother, your grandmother entrusted your training to me. She’d find a way to rise up and haunt me if I let you risk yourself with any such dark working.”

“There you go again, hinting at something you’re hiding from me. Well, maybe I don’t need your help. There’s got to be somebody on the left-hand path who’ll teach me what I need to know.”

Estelle’s thin face hardened, as stern as an avenging angel’s, her blue eyes turning icy. “Don’t even think that. Do you imagine for one minute the Goddess would shelter you from the consequences?”

“Where was She when Shawn died on that mountain?” Kirsten stood up and paced around the room, feeling she might explode if she sat still another second. “Last night I remembered something that happened when I was really little, five or six. My pet rat died.”

Estelle froze, staring at her.

“Grandmamma happened to be visiting that day. I peeked into my bedroom and there she was, holding Snowy in the palm of her hand. She whispered some words and he started moving. Somehow I knew I wasn’t supposed to see that so I never said anything. But I know what I saw. Mom said Snowy must have just been sick but I know Grandmamma brought him back to life.”

“As you said, you were very young. You misunderstood. Your pet wasn’t actually dead.”

Kirsten folded her arms and glared at her teacher. “What happened to your core principles of truth in the Craft? I know better. He was dead and then he wasn’t. As soon as I remembered that day, I knew magic could bring Shawn back to me.”

Welcome Becky Black

Ebooks are the wave of the future. Even those publishers who don't want to believe it's true know it. I do most of my reading on my Kindle or tablet now. When people are reading ebooks they are reacting to them as people have always done to books. They react to the text. The text is the book, not the container the text is in.

And yet there is still something magical about having a print release...

Everyone old enough to be reading my books now grew up with books as things made of paper and card. Some with pictures in them as well as the text. Sometimes stunning colour plates. Books weighed down your schoolbag. Their pages got wrinkly from reading in the bath. Old books got worn out, pages yellow and foxed, starting to fall apart. But we held them in as much affection and considered them as precious as family photographs. A book signed by the author is especially exciting for some people and you can't really do that with an ebook.

Paper books have such strong emotional resonance for some people that it's hard to let them go entirely in favour of ebooks. It's like the switch from vinyl to CD. Some people resisted that for a long time. And though the ebook is on the rise, but it will be a long time before it replaces the kind of book that counts as a work of art in itself. Or cookbooks, with their glossy photos of fantasy food. Or children's books that babies appreciate for their chewiness as well as their content.

So as great as ebooks are, and as much as I'm delighted to be published by a "digital first" publisher, I can't deny that parcel of author copies gives me a thrill like no other.

I have three books in print now. For your chance to win a copy of the latest, Higher Ground, comment below by Sunday 14th April at 09:00 UK time. Make sure you leave an email address so I can contact you if you win.

Higher Ground Blurb

Zach is impatient and likes to hurry. Adam likes to take it slow and to tease. But, they’d have worked it all out – if only the end of the world hadn’t gotten in the way.

Zach Benesh is sure his prediction is right – the island colony of Zahara is about to sink into the ocean. Adam Gray isn’t as certain, but he’s happy to follow the intense, brilliant geophysicist into the mountains to escape the flooding. Though he’d be even happier without three hundred other people – and their pets – tagging along. He’d like to have Zach all to himself out there.

But Zach’s prediction is right and as disaster begins to unfold towards an unstoppable, inevitable conclusion, the two young scientists must become a team in the fight to save their people. They draw strength from their rapidly developing relationship, but the higher Zach and Adam climb, the more difficult the tests they face – as lovers and as men.

You can read chapter 1 on my site.

Buy link for ebook:  http://www.loose-id.com/higher-ground.html

More information and more buy links (including print) at Higher Ground’s book page on my site.

Contact me:

email: beckyblackbooks@gmail.com

website: http://beckyblack.wordpress.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/beckyblackbooks

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BeckyBlackBooks

Live Journal: http://becky-black.livejournal.com/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4557505.Becky_Black

Tumblr: http://www.tumblr.com/tumblelog/beckyblackbooks

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/beckyblackbooks/

Interview with Charlene Roberts

Hi Amber and thank you for having me as your guest today!

Amber: So glad you could be here, Charlene!

How did you start your writing career?

I admit that I had no interest in writing before I started. But after my ex-boyfriend moved long distance, I was pretty down in the dumps. My friend Michelle, who was working on an historical, needed help in typing it (using a typewriter!) and I volunteered, thinking it would help keep my mind busy. As I read her story while typing, I thought to myself “this could be fun!” and went to my first writing group with her. After that I was hooked—enough to run on the group’s Board as Newsletter Editor and Contest Coordinator.

Amber: I started off on a typewriter too! Scary how long ago that was. ;)

Where do you dream of traveling to and why?

Oh wow, where do I start? I really enjoy the history that Europe has developed (that’s where everything started). I’ve been to England, and would go back in a heartbeat. It would take years to explore all of its history, and I would enjoy every second of it.

Tell us about your current release.

ETERNAL HEIRESS is an urban fantasy novel published by Double Dragon (www.double-dragon-ebooks.com). I had always loved reading fantasy novels and wanted to write one. It’s a story of angels versus demons, but it has nothing to do with the Apocalypse and everything to do with world domination! It was set in various cities around the world, and was a LOT of fun to write.

Tell us about your next release.

I have two works in progress which will be completed more or less at the same time. They’re both erotica novels which I plan to submit to Ellora’s Cave before the summer. The first novel, tentatively titled “A Lord’s Protector,” is the sequel to “A Gentleman’s Savior,” a time travel Regency that is currently with EC. The second WIP was a story I had written for EC’s “Bounty Hunter” themed series. My editor didn’t take it for the series, but she said that she wanted the story as a standalone, which makes me very happy! J

There is a third novel in the works, which I had started during National Novel Writing Month, but I won’t look at it until I’ve finished these other two novels—it will be the 3^rd and last story in the series I’m working on.

When was your first sale?

December 2009, about a week before Christmas. I was at work and checking my emails during my lunch, when I saw the email from an editor at Ellora’s Cave. It started with “Thank you for submitting to Ellora’s Cave” and I had immediately thought “crap, they didn’t like it.” So I did everything else during my lunch and left that email for last! It was quite the surprise when I discovered that the editor wanted to contract my story. I knew I was in shock, but the first thing I did was call my friend Chris. She was very thoughtful in doing all the screaming for me, as she manages a bookstore, and can get away with that kind of thing.

Do you have critique partners or beta readers?

I wish! But I write so slow that it wouldn’t be fair to them (lol!) I hope to have either group or both of them one day. My friend has beta readers and she has been grateful for their input.

Plotter or Pantser? Why?

I’ve been both, and I’m a total pantser. Unless the book I’m working on is really long, I create the stories in my head and do everything I need to in my head. I’ll write it down if a scene or scenes are mixed up, or if I can’t remember a certain character’s hair or eye color. The most I’ll do is write the bare bones of the story, and then off I go! If I write anymore, I’d lose interest. But that may change as I get older!

Do you listen to music while writing? If so what?

I like the Sounds of Nature CDs that I have, and need more of them! If I listen to music that I can hum to, then I can’t concentrate on the writing. With Nature, it’s soothing and it’s almost like white noise – it’s there, but it’s not distracting. At one point, I used to have a golf game playing on my TV as background noise! Lol

Do you have any suggestions for beginning writers? If so, what are they?

DON’T GIVE UP! It took me almost 10 years before I published my first book. Honestly, the writing was a hobby at first to help me deal with a long-distance relationship, but as I learned more about the business of writing, I couldn’t stop. I’m still learning! Sure, there are authors who have published their first book on the first try, but that’s a rare occurrence. I think of authors like JK Rowling, who had shopped her Harry Potter books to death until a publisher took a chance with her, and look where she is now! But the most important thing is PERSEVERANCE. Writers get rejection letters – heck, I still get them! But after beating the wall with your fists, you sit down, analyze what went wrong and get back at it.

Morning Person? Or Night Person?

Night person definitely! Although I’ve noticed that I’m going to bed earlier and earlier, especially during the work week. It never used to stop me from staying up and reading or watching a great movie, but nowadays, I need my zzzzz’s.

Biography

Charlene Roberts lives in Toronto, Canada. Her writing career started after helping a friend type her historical novel. When she became a member of her local writing group, she pursued her love of the written word until her first sale and hasn't looked back since.

She has worked as a Script Supervisor, Book Reviewer for Romantic Times, modelled and now works as an Administrative Assistant at a consulting company. However her love of creating stories for others to read and enjoy still remains her first and foremost passion.

WEBSITE

http://charlenelroberts.wordpress.com/

BUY LINKS

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/A-Gentlemans-Savior-ebook/dp/B00413PIVS/ref=la_B00AUYCCL6_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1364869368&sr=1-3

Kobo Books - http://www.kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=a+gentleman%27s+savior

Ellora’s Cave - http://www.ellorascave.com/a-gentleman-s-savior.html

A Gentleman’s Savior - BLURB

When Stephanie’s art teacher issues a challenge—create a painting based only on the torso of a human sculpture—she decides to paint a Regency lord. But with his muscular body, longer hair and a few well-placed scars, Stephanie’s lord is definitely no Regency dandy. Her best work ever, the painting stirs an obsession Stephanie can’t explain. Not content to wait for the next class, she visits the art center, just to get a peek at her lord. She touches the painting…

And suddenly finds herself in a bedroom in 1817 London, her lord standing behind her—very real, very naked and very ready to end Stephanie’s sexual dry spell.

Before she can say “ton”, Stephanie’s indulging her desires with Gabriel, dressing in the height of Regency fashion and meeting the Prince Regent. But life in 1817 isn’t all tea and crumpets. Stephanie soon learns she’s reliving her past life—one that ended tragically. Thrust in the middle of a sinister plot, she must save the prince, save Gabriel…and if she’s luckier this time around, save herself.

EXCERPT

The footsteps halted outside her door for several seconds before continuing to the room next door.

Stephanie hated this propriety of sleeping in separate rooms at his mother’s house, but she had to abide by the etiquette of the time.

Nevertheless, she opened her door and peeked out. To her right, a thin stream of light appeared from beneath her husband’s door. Stephanie stepped into the hallway, taking care to be quiet as she approached Gabriel’s room and knocked gently.

She heard him approach. The door opened to reveal this splendid-looking man, his white shirt undone and displaying his hard chest, chiseled abs covered in fine, dark hair and battle scars. A man she had painted from memory in her present time.

“Darling, why are you still awake?”

She closed her eyes, relishing the sound of his low, grumbling voice filled with concern. “I couldn’t sleep,” she told him. “I stayed awake until you returned with Jackson and the other men. The thought of you encountering that intruder…” She couldn’t finish.

“You needn’t have done that.”

“I wanted to.” She took a deep breath. “May I come in?”

“Stephanie, you know Mother would be most upset—”

“You will excuse me for sounding rude, but your mother is asleep. And I would very much like to be with my husband right now.”

He nodded, opening the door wider so she could slip in. A decanter of brandy and a half-filled glass sat on the dresser. His hat, cane, coat and boots were strewn onto and near a chair by the door.

She turned and saw his expression—a look of concern marred his dark brow, his lips pinched slightly.

“Gabriel? Are you all right?”

His face cleared. “Of course.” He shut the door and approached her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Stephanie rested her cheek against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. “I know that this is not the best time, but have you discovered anything?”

“About the assassination plot? Not particularly.” He stepped slightly away to look down at her. “However, the possibility of an assassination is evident.” He told her about his conversation with the Marquess of Stratford and his fight with the stranger intent on hindering his investigation.

Stephanie cried out softly in dismay, but he assured her that he was not hurt. “Gabriel, I don’t like this—not at all. What are we to do?”

“I shall continue my investigations. I have some acquaintances in Parliament who might know something.”

“Please be careful.” She grabbed his shirt. “If this madness is true, these men will do what is necessary to keep the plot a secret.”

“Don’t fret, Stephanie. I do have experience in keeping myself alive and out of trouble.”

“I know, but I would still ask that you protect yourself.” She rubbed her hand against his chest and was rewarded with a sharp intake of breath.

“I would ask that you stay with me tonight…” he whispered, and then stopped.

Stephanie looked up at him. “Then ask.”

Gabriel’s gaze was so intense her skin prickled with goose bumps. “Heaven forbid that we wake up my mother.”

“I am the one who experienced a very frightening night, and I want to spend the rest of it in my husband’s arms.” She kissed his nipple and felt his large arms tighten around her in response. “Surely your mother could not disapprove of that?”

“Mother has particular ideas about propriety.”

“Damn propriety! Will you not comfort your wife in her time of need?”

Gabriel bent and kissed her thoroughly, his tongue prying her lips apart and delving into her mouth.

Stephanie ran her fingers through his thick hair, drawing his head even closer to hers as she opened her mouth wider, tasting the remnants of the brandy and his own unique taste.

He bent and picked her up, not breaking the kiss until he laid her on the bed. “My love, I have not brought the condoms with me, as you know. I didn’t expect—”

“Shh.” Stephanie placed her hand over his mouth. “Right now, I want to be with you, Gabriel, in your arms. Nothing more.”

He quickly doused the lamp and stripped the rest of his clothes off. Climbing into bed, he reached for her and wrapped his arms and leg around her body.

“When I heard the screams, I had feared the worst,” he whispered, kissing her forehead, his lips trailing down her face until they reached hers. “The thought of losing you…”

“You won’t lose me, darling,” she told him, kissing him back. “Not now. Not ever.”

Welcome Catrina Barton

Blurb:

Seventeen year-old orphan Kaitlin Sinclair's world gets turned upside down when she's forced to move half way around the world to Indonesia with her uncle she never knew existed. Things get worse when the demons she left behind in America follow her to the land of intrigue.

Her uncle forces her to attend a celebration where she meets Cadmon, a mysterious, captivating stranger, who reveals that he knew her parents. She uncovers secrets that in the wrong hands could destroy his endangered clan of were-tigers and the entire world.

When Kaitlin dives into a foreign culture, full of mystique and dangers everywhere she turns, keeping her heart safe might prove as impossible as staying alive!

Excerpt:

The clearing fell silent as a man with shaggy, dirty blond hair which reached his shoulders, approached with a wide, purposeful stride. His shoulders were back, head held high and chest out. Piercing green eyes zeroed in on her.

Kaitlin inhaled a sharp breath and felt as if his eyes stared through to her soul. She shifted on the balls of her feet, and licked her bottom lip.

Ean’s body went rigid. A look of caution crossed his face as the man approached them.

“Evening,” the stranger greeted with a lazy drawl. His eyes never left her face. “Who is this exquisite young lady?”

His eyes settled on Ean’s hands on her hips. To Kaitlin’s chagrin her cheeks heated.

“Why are you here?” Ean moved Kaitlin closer to his body.

She braced her hands on his chest and gasped. “Who’s this?” She pulled back.

“Cadmon Quinn, madam.” He bowed. ”It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He grabbed her hand and brushed a kiss on the back of it.

Her eyes widened. Butterflies brushed inside her stomach.

“Smooth.” She slipped her hand free and rubbed it down the side of her dress to stop the tingles and shake off the electric jolt.

“She’s charming.” A corner of his mouth tilted. “Perhaps she will save me a dance?”

“She has a name.” She removed Ean’s hands from her hips and then turned to face Cadmon. “It’s Kate. Use it.” She raised her chin and planted her hands on her hips.

“Call me Cade.” He flashed an amused smile.

“What do you want?” Ean stepped between them and squared his shoulders.

“Couldn't resis introducing myself to your lovely cousin.” Cadmon sidestepped Ean with a smile, and then twirled his forefinger through one of her banana curls. “Interesting choice.” he gave it a loght tug. Her pulse quickened.

“I won’t let you, or my father put her through anything else.” Ean took Kaitlin by the elbow and stormed away.

She glanced back at Cadmon, who continued to watch her as he swaggered over to the elders, and picked up a tall glass of red wine. He saluted her with the drink, then sipped.

Kaitlin swallowed and turned around to break the eye contact. Was he a natural charmer, or was it an act? She hadn’t seen him talk to anyone else, so maybe he was the silent type?

Ean pressed a cool glass against her hand.

“What did you mean?” Her gaze locked with his as she sipped the fruity drink.

His brow rose.

“Why would they want to hurt me?” She took another sip.

“He and Father are not on friendly terms.” Ean scowled and sipped his glass.

“Why so defensive?” She placed her glass on the table and rested her hands on her hips.

Ean placed his glass down and grabbed her by the arms. “He’s dangerous, and will only bring you trouble.”

Cadmon appeared harmless, but the sheer magnetism of the man told her otherwise. What interest would he have in a girl like her? Was he one of those rich playboys? She frowned.

“Hungry?” Ean's fingers relaxed around her arms.
“I’m going to take a walk.” The thought of food made her stomach queasy.

“Stay on the path, Katie.” He frowned. “Want some company?”

“I need to clear my head.” She walked along the small dirt path that led over to the river. Inhaling the damp air she sat, and tucked her dress beneath her.

She closed her eyes and allowed her fingers to glide through the cool liquid, wishing she could peel off her dress and swim.

Her eyes opened and she frowned at her reflection. Laneca would give her a serious earful if she saw how heavy the bags were under her eyes.

“You shouldn’t be here alone.” Cadmon held out a plate of food.

“I shouldn’t be here at all.” She stared at the food, then looked away.

“You need to eat.” He passed her the plate and a glass of wine.

“Why are you so interested in me?” She sat the drink and plate on the grass.

“Eat.” He sat beside her with one leg stretched out and the other knee bent, with an arm resting on his bent knee.

“I’m not–” her stomach rumbled. She closed her mouth, cheeks stained.

“When is the last time you let someone look after you?” He picked up his plate and bit into his meat.

She twirled the meat-kabob with her fingers.

“Why so quiet?” He raised a brow.

She bit into her meat and closed her eyes as the combined juices of the roasted boar, a hint of ginger and oregano danced over her tongue. She hadn’t realized how hungry she was until she stared at her empty plate.

He chuckled.

She stared at the trees and wondered how the eagle nest back home was. The eggs should hatch any day. One more thing to add to the growing list of things she’d miss.

“How about that dance?” He stood up, holding out his hand.

After a moment she placed her hand in his.

He pulled her to her feet and into his arms, then spun her around.

“Why so interested?”

“Are you always this suspicious?” He swayed their bodies to the music and kept one arm around her waist as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

She’d never been held so close while dancing. It felt good to be held again, even by a stranger. She closed her eyes.

Something felt familiar about him, as if she’d met him before, desppite that she’d never seen him till tonight. How odd…

Inhaling she tried to figure him out. Maybe he wanted a young debutante to hang off his arm? She scowled. It would explain why he’d chosen her to talk to out of all the more sophisticated women in attendance. Was it because she was Ean’s cousin?

“You always this evasive? She gazed into his eyes. They were the most unusual green she’d ever seen, yet seemed to suit him.

He spun her away, then pulled her back, and dipped her as the song’s tempo increased.

Her heart rate sped up. She clung to him.  Definitely a first. She’d seen that move in some of the old movies, but had never experienced it until tonight.

“Kaitlin!” Her uncle’s voice caused heat to crash on her face as Cadmon righted her.

“Hello, Nigel.” Cadmon kept his arm around her waist, with her pressed tight against his side.

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Catrina Barton is a real go-getter, who in 2006 turned her avid reading addiction since she was three, into a vigorous passion for writing. Especially Young Adult Romances. She draws on her knowledge as a Kung-Fu Instructor to make her fight scenes both realistic, and action packed.
When not indulging her fertile imagination to craft stories for your reading pleasures, she enjoys hiking with her family, and amateur belly dancing.
Her love of writing, and her family, rival her exhilaration from helping fellow writers. She is a proud member of many writing, and marketing groups, and an active participant at Critique Circle, and several other crit groups.

Writes reviews for Safari Heat, and Satin Sheets Romance.

Favorite personal quote:
"An author cannot grow without both constructive criticism and encouragement."

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