R. E. Mullins shares It’s A Wonderful Undead Life In Books Revisited

Today please welcome R. E. Mullins who is telling us about...

It’s A Wonderful Undead Life

First in the Blautsaugers of Amber Heights series

by R. E. Mullins

How my very first book came to be…

Working as a phlebotomist in a busy medical laboratory, I spent my days sticking needles into patients collecting blood. A couple of nights a week, I helped train budding phlebotomists at a local tech college. I was surrounded by blood. So it seems perfectly natural I would begin to wonder…What would happen if a phlebotomist was turned into a vampire?

A plot began to slowly weave its way through my mind. Since it was right around Thanksgiving several co-workers were already pulling out Christmas decorations. Everywhere I went or looked I felt bombarded by Christmas—and not always in a good way.

I noticed a commercial for the holiday classic, IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, and for some reason it lingered in my mind. I started amusing myself with the question: What would happen if a down on her luck phlebotomist prayed for an angel and got a vampire instead?

Blurb:

It's been a rough couple of years for Cailey Kantor. Facing her first Christmas alone and bad financial news, she prays for an angel to fix her problems. Instead, a sadistic, sociopathic vampire, with the goal of starting a vampire war, attacks her and forces her to drink blood stolen from the Nosferatu Gabriel Blautsauger.

Gabe must complete Cailey's turning or she will die. In doing so he risks losing his yet unfound soulmate. But something about the lovely mortal speaks to his heart. Once her transformation is complete, he and Cailey find themselves embroiled in a battle that could cost them all they hold dear.

Faced with lies, abduction, and betrayal Cailey wonders if the vampire she is falling fangs over heart for is in it for love or if she's just a means to stop a war.

Excerpt:

     Cailey’s scrub top was gone, exposing her lacy bra, and she was in the process of stepping out of the drawstring pants. She glanced up, her gaze a bit wild. “Hurry. Hurry. I think I might explode from all this energy inside me. I feel like a popcorn maker and all the kernels are popping at once. So much pressure in here.” She dropped a hand to the juncture of her thighs and pressed it against her.

     “Cailey?” Gabe’s tone was an octave higher than normal. When she straightened up, clad only in her underwear, he gulped for air. “What are you doing?”

    “Getting ready, of course.” Holding her wadded up pants in front of her, she frowned at him. “I thought you said you knew what you were doing.”

     “I thought I did…” His voice trailed off, his gaze locked on Cailey’s tight body. How had he missed just how beautiful she was? Hidden beneath the baggy scrubs was a living miracle. He took in the slight swell of flesh above the lucky bra cupping her breasts, and his fingers itched to run down the indentation of her waist.

     She dropped the pants to the floor. “Come on. Come on, Gabe the Babe. I know all about when you were at university and all the female vamps used to chase you around and gloat if they made time with you.”

     “Ahem.” Gabe realized he had his sister to thank for this new conundrum. More than a bit leery, he asked, “What else did Metta tell you?”

     “That we’re both kind of like virgins.”

     “I beg your pardon?”

Print ISBN 978-1-61217-584-3 Digital ISBN 978-1-61217-585-0

 

Bio~ About Me
Born and raised in Joplin, Missouri, I've also resided in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Mt. Clemens, Michigan, Springfield, Missouri, and Colorado Springs, Colorado. Though I have loved each area, the Ozarks will always hold a special place in my heart and that’s why I set my fictional town of Amber Heights there.

Author side note: I gave my vampires the Blautsauger surname as it is an old Bavarian word for bloodsucker.

Buy links:  TheWildRosePress    Amazon   Kobo

Contact info: remullins.com

However, every once in a Christmas moon a rare and exciting thing happens - the gift that you didn't expect but is absolutely perfect. Finding R E Mullins was my unexpected Christmas gift this year!

It's a Wonderful Undead Life takes the best concepts and themes of the beloved Frank Capra holiday classic and completely reworks them for a creative and captivating read. Yes Virginia, it is another paranormal vampire series but happily one with truly unique features - it's own mythos and rules and an action packed story that the reader doesn't see coming

Grab yourself a cup of your favorite holiday cheer, a cozy chair and settle in for a not-too-long winter's read with It's a Wonderful Undead Life! May it be the surprise gift under your tree this year as well!

Review from Guilty Indulgence bookclub by J C Shanks

I loved this book. And I am not one to say that lightly. Fiona Tate

I purchased this book out of curiosity, I had never read a Paranormal Romance Novel before or for that matter anything Paranormal. I loved it! I couldn't put it down until it was finished and I purchased the next volume before I had finished the first.

Verified Amazon Purchaser

Sunday Snipppet 20-04-14

 

This week I am sharing a snippet from 

He's My Husky

A light paranormal romance.

Release date April 22nd.

 

Emma acknowledged the same intensity in Max as he stared at his son in the framed pictures.

Startled by Sue’s touch on her arm she spun around.

“I knew Shane reminded me of someone but never realised who it was until he—” She pointed at Max. “—turned up this morning.”

They stared at the man still absorbed in the photographs.

“Didn’t he know?”

 

“He knew!”

 

 Amazon UK    Amazon

 

Thanks for coming by :-) 

You'll find a lot more gifted authors at SNIPPET SUNDAY

 

 

Picture Promt ~ Tuesday's Tales

Welcome to

Tuesday's Tales 

Once again, many thanks to all those who drop by each week. I also appreciate, and often act upon comments and suggestions left.  Many thanks.

This week's snippet is from my paranormal WIP ~ He's My Husky

“I noticed some woods at the edge of town. Do you ever walk in there?”

“I used to with the dogs, not so much lately.” Emma reached out, hesitated then chose a chocolate chip cookie and began to nibble, keeping her eyes on him all the time.

Was the minx trying to seduce him? It wouldn’t work. Not yet, anyway. 

“Would you walk through them with me tomorrow?” He held her gaze and waited. When she remained silent, he continued. “Is it a popular place for walkers?”

“In the summer it is. Now? Not so much as the days are getting shorter and tomorrow…” her eyes twinkled with mischief. “Tomorrow the weathermen predicts heavy rain in this area.”

“A little rain has never put me off.” His voice earnest now, Max shifted on the settee; followed her action but choose a cupcake. Not that he was hungry but it gave him something to hold and hopefully hide his shaking hands. “We need to talk, but before we do, there are things you need to know.”

“We can do that here.”

True, he thought, but for what he wanted to show her the wide open space or even the confined space of woods would be preferable to possibly freaking her out in her own home. He shook his head.

“It’ll be better if we take this away from your home, so that if things don’t work out, there’ll be no association with me if you don’t like the outcome of our talk.”

“You’re scaring me, Max.”
 
 How could he blame her for feeling scared when he was facing the biggest challenge of his life and everything would rest on the outcome? “There’s nothing to be afraid of, I promise you,” he said, and hoped it would be the last lie he ever told her.

Thank you for reading this week's offering, there are

 lots more free reads at  Tuesday's Tales

Six Sentence Sunday

12th Feb
Thank you to everyone who leaves comments, and visits every week. I truly appreciate your company. 

To celebrate Valentine's Day on Tuesday, I am again sharing more from of my Valentine Story, His Chosen Bride, coming soon from Astraea Press, about Henri Gasquet, hero in the second story of four about the Gasquet Princes.

Today's six follows right on from yesterday's offering...

Her hands moved from Henri’s hair to roam over his back; raking, pulling, pushing. Emotions she never suspected herself capable of coursed through her. While Henri’s lips moved from her throat to the swell of her breasts, her hand began tugging his shirt free.

Something changed. Cool wind blew over heated skin, Henri’s hands dropped away, fisted and disappeared into his pockets. And so far he’d not spoken one single word.

Please hop on over to SIX SENTENCE SUNDAY to read more fabulous snippets on offer this week.

I hope your Valentine's day is everything you wish for.

Margay shares some of her best Thanksgiving Memories



Photo by Jean Joachim

 I have so many wonderful Thanksgiving memories, it would hard to pick just one to relate. So, instead, I’d rather talk about the essence of the day. From my earliest memory of the day, it was always about two things: family and the food. It was the one day out of the year that you could eat whatever you wanted and as much as you wanted without fear of being ridiculed by anyone. In fact, if you didn’t eat much, people would ask if you were sick!

My best memories of Thanksgiving revolve around family. I come from a large one, so there was always a lot of noise, chaos, love and happiness filling the house from the moment we all woke up to the moment we all went down for naps when the triptofan kicked in! I remember gathering around the television set to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade while Mom prepared a feast in the kitchen – a tradition we still observe today. Thanksgiving just doesn’t feel the same if you don’t have the parade on while you’re cooking! I remember being transfixed by the amazing floats and cartoon character balloons, and waiting with much anticipation for the arrival of Santa Claus at the end of the parade. For that usually meant that it was time to eat! I don’t know how my mother managed it, but she always timed it just right!

And then there was the food. The turkey, the stuffing, mashed potatoes, turnip, squash – and that was just the main course! While we waited for that, there was a bowl of mixed nuts, dates stuffed with peanut butter and rolled in sugar, celery stuffed with cream cheese or peanut butter, and several different types of pickles. Then there were the pies – pumpkin, apple, pecan – and breads and rolls, all washed down with apple cider and/or egg nog.

All in all, it was the one time of year when we could just sit down together and truly be thankful for all that we had and for all that was yet to come.

Author Bio:
Descended from the same bloodline that spawned the likes of James Russell, Amy and Robert Lowell, Margay Leah Justice was fated to be a writer herself from a young age. But even before she knew that there was a name for what she was doing, she knew one thing: She had a deep and unconditional love for the written word. A love that would challenge her in times of need, abandon her in times of distress, and rediscover her in times of hope. Through her writing, Margay has learned to cope with every curve ball life has thrown her, including the challenges of single parenting, the harsh realities of living in a shelter, coping with the diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis, and the roller coaster ride of dealing with a child who suffers from bipolar disorder and Asperger’s Syndrome. But along the way she has rediscovered the amazing power of words.
Margay currently lives in Massachusetts with her two daughters, two cats, and a myriad of characters who vie for her attention and demand that their own stories be told.

Blurb:
For more than a hundred and fifty years, the gray wolf has failed to roam the hills of Massachusetts, leading to the belief that they are extinct. But with a spattering of sightings across the Berkshires, the legend of the gray wolf comes to fruition. The product of that legend, Micah Sloane will go to great lengths to protect his kind from the threat of outsiders, who seek to exploit the legend for their own interests. One thing he didn’t count on, however, was finding his soul mate in the company of such men.

From the first time she predicted a stranger’s imminent death when she was little more than a child, Shiloh Beck knew she was different. Wishing to cultivate her gift, her parents made the fateful decision to enroll her in a private school for paranormally gifted children. Unbeknownst to them, the school was just a front for a research facility simply called the Institute, whose secret board members weaned gifted children from their families to exploit their gifts. Shiloh has spent the better part of her life trying to escape the Institute and reunite with the family she was told had abandoned her.

From their first meeting, Micah and Shiloh share a connection that goes beyond the normal to bond them in a way that love alone cannot. But before they can build a life together, they must deal with the fall-out when the legend of the wolves collides with the men behind the Institute.

Sloane Wolf is available here:
http://museituppublishing.com/bookstore2/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=242&category_id=107&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1&vmcchk=1&Itemid=1

 Margay Leah Justice, http://margayleahjusstice.blogspot.com

https://www.facebook.com/MargayLeahJustice


https://twitter.com/#!/Margay

Thank you Margay, for sharing your wonderful memories with us.

Today Kerri interviews Judge Mom…Redux…

Guest Blog Day #3: 
Interview with Judge Mom…Redux…

Kerri is crouched down in a dark pit, the walls made from compacted mud.

Kerri: Hello? (she whispers shakily)

A flicker of light nearby draws her attention followed by the sound of clicking footsteps.

A sexy male voice with the hint of a British accent sounds: Who do we have here?

Kerri: Uh…I’m looking for Paisley?

The owner of the sexy male voice comes into view. He’s holding a small lantern which casts a wicked glow about his breathtakingly handsome face.

Sexy Male: She’s not here at the moment. Well, really she is here but she won’t be available to see guests for quite a while.

Kerri: (feels the sudden urge for a potty break) If I could just get back to my car, I’ll get out of your way then.

Sexy Male: Ah now, no need to be afraid. I’m Camden.

Kerri: (Eyes him warily) Nice to meet you, Camden. Are you a friend of Paisley’s?

Camden: Well, sort of. She certainly doesn’t appreciate my helpfulness though.

Kerri: (Not immediately convinced by his poor me routine) Well, I would be appreciative if you could get me back to my car.

Camden: (Reaches out and caresses Kerri’s cheek) Ssshh…let’s not worry about that right now.

Kerri: (Heart thundering inside her ears)

Zelef: Geez, leave the author alone, would ya?

Camden retracts his hand and turns toward Zelef.

Camden: Would you kindly mind your own business?

Zelef: You mind your own business. Paisley is looking for you.

Camden and Kerri: Me?

Zelef looks back and forth between the two of them who have responded in unison.

Zelef: Sorry girlie, she’s looking for Camden. You have to be going now. This interview isn’t going to happen.

Kerri: Sure. No problem. I just need to get back to my car.

Camden: I can take her to her car.

Zelef: No way. Get your demon mind out of the gutter and go find Paisley. She’s not happy.

Camden: What’s new?

Zelef: Excuse me?

Camden turns and gives Kerri a wry smile and a wink and then he’s gone.

Kerri: I think I’ve got enough information for my story.

Zelef: (shakes head and then leans in closer to Kerri) You can never write about what you’ve seen here. Never.

Kerri: (nods) No worries. No worries at all.

And really, this is all I can tell you about the time I attempted to interview the new Judge Mom and the time I spent in the Underworld. But what I can tell you is that if you enjoy many zany characters, one large dose of mayhem and chaos, and true collection of humorous situations…please check out Courting Demons. Warning: Fits of Laughter May Occur and Author Not Liable for any Spewed Drinks Damage to Computer Keyboard!

Book Title: Courting Demons



Blurb:


Paisley Barton was already having a bad day before she turned her husband into a rat.


First, she was fired by her boss and then came home to find hubby in the shower with a naked blonde chick. They say that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned but this break-up may just unleash hell on Earth when Paisley casts a spell of vengeance against her philandering husband.


After her spell casting inadvertently opens a portal between dimensions, Paisley finds her family home transformed into a nightly courtroom for settling disputes between demons of the underworld and she’s the judge! If that’s not enough, she’s got to deal with a charming, ancient demon named Camden who wants to be her personal bodyguard while trying to explain her husband’s sudden, mysterious disappearance to sexy police Detective Dalton Briggs.


But Paisley will show them all that an everyday working mom is better equipped than most to deal with the mystical mayhem…and with a tempting demon hottie and a flirtatious young detective vying for her affection, she soon learns that being single again isn’t so bad after all.


“When a wronged wife turns her cheating husband into a rat, you know you have to keep reading! Kerri Nelson offers up a lot of fun and wild magic in Courting Demons!” --Bestselling author, Linda Wisdom, Demons are a Girl’s Best Friend

Author Bio:
Kerri Nelson discovered her love of writing at an early age and soon became a columnist for her local newspaper winning the Outstanding Young Journalist of the Year Award for her efforts.
After a fifteen year career in the legal field, Kerri fulfilled her lifelong dream of publication and is now an award winning multi-published author of nearly every genre under the sun (and moon) and also writes young adult fiction under the penname K.G. Summers.
A true southern belle, she comes complete with a dashing southern gentleman and three adorable children for whom she often bakes many homemade treats.
Kerri is an active member of Sisters in Crime and Romance Writers of America as well as numerous chapters including Futuristic Fantasy & Paranormal Writers and her Presidency of Celtic Hearts Romance Writers.

Read more about Kerri’s books at her website: www.kerrinelson.com
Follow her on Twitter here: www.twitter.com/kerribookwriter
Visit her industry blog here: www.thebookboost.blogspot.com

Buy Links (print and e-book versions available 9/15 wherever books are sold but here’s the publisher link—free gift available with purchase of print copy—while supplies last):
http://jupitergardens.com/Courting-Demons-by-Kerri-Nelson-print.html
or
Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/Courting-Demons-ebook/dp/B005OAY7TG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1316621839&sr=8-1

Giveaway for the day:

Leave a question or comment on each day of my appearance here at Sherry’s blog to be entered to win one of 3 daily prizes:
 Day #1 (A Custom made Momwitch Bread Bag Clip)
Day #2 (An autographed PRINT copy of Courting Demons)
Day #3 (A Gift Card to Amazon.com)!


Then, enter to win my book tour Grand Prize Kindle by following me on tour and e-mailing me the answers to each question of the day at the end of tour. The more questions you answer, the more entries you gain.

Question of the Day (good for 1 entry each day you comment here at the blog):
In what month and year did my first book release occur?

Details on how to enter to win the GRAND PRIZE Kindle at the end of my “Dark Days of Demons Tour” located here:
http://kerribookwriter.blogspot.com/2011/09/courting-demons-blog-tour-win-kindle.html

Excerpt link for Courting Demons: http://www.jupitergardens.com/excerpts/kn_cd.html
© Kerri Nelson 2011

Kerri, it's been a pleasure having you visit The Heart of Romance, and I love your characters, they sure know their own minds and where they think your place is! 
Best wishes with Courting Demons.

Kerri gives us a peak in A Day in the Life of an Author Mom

Guest Blog Day #2:

A Day in the Life of an Author Mom

A lot of people ask me what “a day in the life” is like for me and it really does vary each day. Let me share with you one day this past weekend wherein I was attempting to attend a writer’s conference in…Georgia.

Luckily, I had family that agreed to keep my two girls for the weekend so that hubby could drive me to the event. But my toddler was tagging along for the ride. He’s a little over 1 year old and a handful. So here’s how my Saturday went.

6:30 a.m. Awaken to annoying cell phone alarm. I’m on Central time which is an hour behind the local time for conference so this is really 5:30 a.m. for me.

6:45 a.m. Get up and grumbling…make my way to unsatisfactory shower and the “shared” towel that hubby and I had to use because the hotel ran out of clean towels (I kid you not).

7:15 a.m. Finished showering and dressing to find toddler awake and racing around the hotel room with sagging dirty diaper. Hubby watches the news on television from bed.

7:30 a.m. After changing toddler, race out of room to grab some breakfast for the fellas and keeping an eye on the clock for my 8 a.m. appointment with a photographer (yes, I left the room without make-up).

8:00 a.m. After woofing down huge quantities of bacon and leaving the remainder of the food for my boys, I barely squeak through the door for my make-up and photo session on time.

9:00 a.m. Done with make-up session (which was great) and photo shoot (which was fun except I was wearing a sleeveless top and the temperature outside had turned to a surprise unseasonably cold 50 something degrees or less!)

9:30 a.m. Get boys ready to depart for their day of fun at the golf course and lay on bed contemplating just sleeping in and skipping conference completely. Mommy hasn’t slept through a night in about 3 years now. Did I mention I have 2 children under the age of 3?

10:00 a.m. Roust myself up and back down to conference to attend several workshops but all I can think about is lunch. I’m starving!

12:00 p.m. Lunch finally arrives but the food is…well…kind of like a combination of beef jerky and cardboard (a/k/a overcooked roast beef and some unidentifiable rice dish). But the guest speaker, bestselling author Eloisa James is absolutely wonderful. Makes the lunch bearable.

2:00 p.m. Attend one more class and then back to room to check on tired boy who has not had a nap and needs a bath after golf course running.

3:30 p.m. Hubby and little one settled in with snacks and clean diapers (my son—not hubby—LOL) and they are watching Saturday afternoon football. Mommy heads back downstairs to my very first book signing event!

5:30 p.m. Book signing is over and I believe a great success for me. Sold some books. Met some of my formers students. Chatted with many other talented authors and smiled a lot.

6:00 p.m. Back in room and still starving! Haven’t really eaten all day.

7:00 p.m. Gobble up about 4 pieces of pizza with my boys and then get in shower. I have a banquet to attend.

7:30 p.m. Make the mistake of getting on the bed for just a minute to rest my aching feet.

Oops! End of day for writer Mommy! Banquet was missed but a lot was accomplished nonetheless. It might not be possible to “do it all” when you’re a writer and a Mom. But you can do a lot.

~ ~ ~ 

Tell me how you juggle your work load on a daily basis.

~ ~ ~

Book Title: Courting Demons


Blurb:
Paisley Barton was already having a bad day before she turned her husband into a rat.
First, she was fired by her boss and then came home to find hubby in the shower with a naked blonde chick. They say that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned but this break-up may just unleash hell on Earth when Paisley casts a spell of vengeance against her philandering husband.
After her spell casting inadvertently opens a portal between dimensions, Paisley finds her family home transformed into a nightly courtroom for settling disputes between demons of the underworld and she’s the judge! If that’s not enough, she’s got to deal with a charming, ancient demon named Camden who wants to be her personal bodyguard while trying to explain her husband’s sudden, mysterious disappearance to sexy police Detective Dalton Briggs.
But Paisley will show them all that an everyday working mom is better equipped than most to deal with the mystical mayhem…and with a tempting demon hottie and a flirtatious young detective vying for her affection, she soon learns that being single again isn’t so bad after all.

“When a wronged wife turns her cheating husband into a rat, you know you have to keep reading! Kerri Nelson offers up a lot of fun and wild magic in Courting Demons!” --Bestselling author, Linda Wisdom, Demons are a Girl’s Best Friend

Author Bio:
Kerri Nelson discovered her love of writing at an early age and soon became a columnist for her local newspaper winning the Outstanding Young Journalist of the Year Award for her efforts.
After a fifteen year career in the legal field, Kerri fulfilled her lifelong dream of publication and is now an award winning multi-published author of nearly every genre under the sun (and moon) and also writes young adult fiction under the penname K.G. Summers.
A true southern belle, she comes complete with a dashing southern gentleman and three adorable children for whom she often bakes many homemade treats.
Kerri is an active member of Sisters in Crime and Romance Writers of America as well as numerous chapters including Futuristic Fantasy & Paranormal Writers and her Presidency of Celtic Hearts Romance Writers.

Read more about Kerri’s books at her website: www.kerrinelson.com
Follow her on Twitter here: www.twitter.com/kerribookwriter
Visit her industry blog here: www.thebookboost.blogspot.com

Buy Links (print and e-book versions available 9/15 wherever books are sold but here’s the publisher link—free gift available with purchase of print copy—while supplies last):
http://jupitergardens.com/Courting-Demons-by-Kerri-Nelson-print.html 
or
Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/Courting-Demons-ebook/dp/B005OAY7TG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1316621839&sr=8-1

Giveaway for the day:

Leave a question or comment on each day of my appearance here at Sherry’s blog to be entered to win one of 3 daily prizes:
Day #1 (A Custom made Momwitch Bread Bag Clip)
Day #2 (An autographed PRINT copy of Courting Demons)
Day #3 (A Gift Card to Amazon.com)!

Then, enter to win my book tour Grand Prize Kindle by following me on tour and e-mailing me the answers to each question of the day at the end of tour. The more questions you answer, the more entries you gain.

Question of the Day (good for 1 entry each day you comment here at the blog):
In what month and year did my first book release occur?

Details on how to enter to win the GRAND PRIZE Kindle at the end of my “Dark Days of Demons Tour” located here:
http://kerribookwriter.blogspot.com/2011/09/courting-demons-blog-tour-win-kindle.html

Excerpt link for Courting Demons: http://www.jupitergardens.com/excerpts/kn_cd.html

Thanks for hosting today, Sherry. See you back tomorrow with more fun!



Kevin Hosey shares Writer and Submission Tips for Short Stories

Kevin Hosey, CEditor of Paramourtal: Tales of Undying Love and Loving The Undead

Writer and Submission Tips for Short Stories
Previously, I posted about writing my first paranormal romance tale and co-editing (with Evelyn Welle) Paramourtal, the collection of stories published by Cliffhanger Books. Today, I'm passing on some tips on writing and submitting short stories for future Cliffhanger Books anthologies, or other publishers.

First off, lets talk about short stories, in general. I recently finished writing two novels (one horror and one sci-fi). While I love working on full-length books, short stories will always be my passion. I love writing them and I love reading them. As a writer, they give me the opportunity to write about different genres and characters within a shorter span of time.

They’re also a great way to break into the fiction market quickly. I'm a bit of a procrastinator (In fact, my wife asked me to take out the trash two hours ago). So while novels can take up to a year or longer to finish (in most cases), I can write and submit a short story in a month or less (if there's nothing good on TV, that is). That means I can have several works (hopefully) published by the time my first book is accepted and released. Also, by establishing my name in the market through short stories, it will help open doors when I'm sending out queries for my novels. That's because most publishers are more willing to listen to you if you're already published.

Short stories are also a great way to introduce characters you've been thinking about using in a novel. Two of the authors included in Paramourtal wrote about characters they plan to use in future novels. By including them in our anthology, it will help them test the waters and gauge public reaction to them. If readers like the characters, the authors will forge ahead with the novel. If readers don’t, it will help them determine if the characters need to be revised or dropped all together.

On the flip side, if one or more of your published novels is successful, short stories help keep popular characters in front of the public eye between books. One of my favorite modern fictional characters is Repairman Jack from a series of mystery books by F. Paul Wilson. Every once in awhile Wilson will also publish a Jack short story to keep his fans' interest satiated while he's finishing his next novel.

Another reason why I enjoy short stories is it helps develop my ability to write full-length novels. After all, a novel is basically a series of short stories that work together to tell a more elaborate story. By working to write a short story that tells a believable tale, it helps me practice writing each chapter of a book.

Okay, enough about WHY you should write short stories. Now lets talk about HOW.

I'm sure you've already aware of the fundamentals of developing characters, plots, locales, etc., so I won't spend time on that. Instead, I'll focus on the challenges of applying those rules to a VERY limited amount of space. So grab your crowbar, a can of grease and let’s proceed.

• KEEP IT SIMPLE. If you're going to try writing short stories, put those three words on a piece of paper and tape it to your computer. It is the single most important aspect of writing effective short stories you will ever learn. (BTW, I would have used the full acronym "K.I.S.S.," but the last time I did that Gene Simmons made me pay him royalties.) Short stories must include all the elements of a well-written novel, but they have to be "squished it into a teeny-tiny living space" (to paraphrase my second favorite genie). That can be a curse or a blessing, depending on whom you talk to. I find it very exciting. Then again, shiny objects tend to draw my attention, too.

Short stories vary in length. Usually they run between 2,500 to 9,000 words. After the 9,000 mark, they lean more toward novellas. There are also a few markets that accept stories shorter than 2,500 words. One market is called Flash Fiction and it's limited to a thousand words or less. It’s very challenging to write an effective story within that framework, but it’s also fun to try. To see examples of flash fiction, check out one of my favorite sites: http://www.365tomorrows.com. Speaking of challenging, I had a short story published that had be written in no more than 25 words(!). It's part of a new collection called Hint Fiction from W.W. Norton Publishing.

No matter what length story you need to write, keep in mind that you should never write your story to fit the word limit the very first time. Like with novels, let your creative subconscious take over and flow. Write, write, write until you feel you have a complete story. For example, on a story with an 8,000-word limit, my first draft will generally have 16,000 to 20,000 words. Then I go back and edit it down to the exact word limit. Just make sure you don’t lose your characters or important plot points along the way.

• LIMIT YOUR STORY. While the story within a novel can last for years, and incorporate several subplots, locations and characters, you don't have that luxury in a short story. Keep your time span brief. Focus on one plot, and keep it at one, two or three main characters at the most. Otherwise, you may not be able to fully develop any of them effectively.

• MAKE EVERY WORD COUNT. Since you're limited to a specific number of words, make sure every one is there for a reason. I realize writers love to include detailed, creative descriptions in order to bring the reader into their world. But in a short story, that's the first thing you need to jettison. Don't spend precious space describing the beauty of a sunset or how majestic a castle looks when you should be using that space to move the plot along. Readers won't care how something looks if they have no idea where the story is going. Describe just enough to get the point across, then move on. Also, make the Thesaurus your friend. Don't use three or four words when you can use one.

• DIALOGUE. The rule above applies to dialogue, as well. Also, limit how many characters speak at one time. Some publishers will limit the number of lines per story, as well as the number of words. So if you have different characters getting into long bouts of discussions, it may add more lines. Like descriptions, have your characters say what they need to get the point across, then move on.

• POV. I always write in third person, especially in my novels. I know that first-person POV is accepted these days, especially in paranormal romance, but I find it hard to maintain in a novel. After all, it’s difficult to tell an entire 100,000 word story when you're only able to see things from one character's viewpoint. But, short stories are different. Since your usually focused on one plot and one character, first-person POV can work just fine. In fact, sometimes it even helps the story.

• READ, READ, READ. Like novels, one of the best ways to learn how to write a short story is to read them. I love reading them almost as much as I love writing them. You should do the same. And make sure you take a look at how each author incorporates the rules and suggestions listed above. Before you know it, you'll be out signing books and hobnobbing at cocktail parties.

Well, that's it for my sage guidance. But before I go, I’d like to add one final bit of advice to the aspiring writers here: SUBMIT, SUBMIT, SUBMIT. AND THEN SUBMIT AGAIN.

If you tend to hesitate to submit your work because you’re nervous about rejection or possible negative feedback, or if for some reason you feel you aren't as talented as the authors who have actually been published, parish the thought. I discovered something a long time ago — the main difference between you and writers who are published is that they sent their work out into the world. Being published is basically 10% talent and 90% luck. You know you're talented, but you can only be lucky if you're in the right place at the right time. After all, publishers can’t publish you if they don't know you exist.

Today there are literally thousands of places you can submit your work -- online and print -- so NEVER stop doing it. Keep writing and keep submitting. Even if it gets rejected, rework it and send it to another publisher. I never stop submitting a rejected story because I hate wasting my hard work. The last thing I'm going to do is toss it in a lonely drawer and leave it there to wither.

Also, I'm a bit of a late starter. I've been writing all my life (short stories, novels, screenplays, speeches, marketing copy), but, I've been focusing on my marketing career for so long I didn’t begin sending out my fiction until a few years ago. Luckily, I had stories published fairly quickly. So, if you're like me and didn’t get into the writing game in your younger years, don’t be discouraged. It's never too late.

If you are interested, there are more writing tips on the Cliffhanger Books blog: http://cliffhangerbooks.blogspot.com

Have a great day, everybody. And good luck!

Editor/Author Biography:
Kevin Hosey is an author, editor and cartoonist. His short stories have appeared in several publications, including two Star Trek Strange New Worlds anthologies (Simon and Schuster), Hint Fiction (W.W. Norton) and the sci-fi magazine, Beyond Centauri. He also co-edited and wrote stories for two anthologies published by Cliffhanger Books. The first was a paranormal romance collection entitled Paramourtal which was nominated for Best Romance Anthology of 2010. The second, a collection of superhero stories called Gods of Justice, premiered at the 2011 San Diego Comic Con. His short story, "Cure" (from Hint Fiction), will be filmed by contestants for the 2012 Hint Fiction Film Contest. The films will premiere at the 2012 Vail Film Festival in Colorado. Visit him at kevinhosey.net.

Related Links:
Author Website: http://www.kevinhosey.net
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorKevinHosey
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/kevinhosey
Paramourtal Buy Link: http://www.cliffhangerbooks.com/books-paramourtal.html
Publisher Website: http://www.cliffhangerbooks.com

Kevin, it's been a pleasure to have you and your co-authors of Paramourtal here this week. Thankyou.

Kevin Hosey is wearing his Co-Editor's hat today

Kevin Hosey, Co-Editor Paramourtal: Tales of Undying Love and Loving The Undead

Today I am sharing some of my thoughts about editing Paramourtal:

I posted last time about writing my first paranormal romance tale for Paramourtal, the collection of stories published by Cliffhanger Books. Now I’ll pass on my experiences of co-editing that anthology. But before I do that, I want to give you a little history of how I ended up editing in the first place.

I've been writing tales of fiction (mostly sci fi and horror), for almost 30 years. But, due to focusing on my career in marketing, I didn’t get serious about it until about seven years ago when I began submitting them to publishers. Never too late to start, right? I was fortunate enough — and excited (I'm a big Trek fan) — to have stories included in volumes 6 and 8 of the Star Trek Strange New Worlds anthologies from Simon and Schuster. Since then, I've managed to have a few more short stories included in various collections and magazines. I've also written two novels (one horror and one sci fi), but I'm still searching for the right publisher to handle them. By "right," I, of course, mean one that will finally say "yes."

Then, in 2008, I decided to try my hand at editing. Why? I was afraid you’d ask that. The phrase "mental breakdown" comes to mind. But in reality it suddenly hit me one day that with all the effort and hard work I put into writing and submitting my stories, why not try editing an anthology myself? It sounded like fun (yep, definitely a mental breakdown), plus, it would give me the opportunity to help other talented writers unleash their work into the world.

But, the aspect of spending months searching for incredible stories and putting an entire book together was daunting, to say the least. So the first thing I did was find a partner in crime who could share in the stress…I mean, glory of my quest. Fortunately, my good friend, Evelyn Welle, an exceptional editor and writer I've know for sixteen years, agreed to accompany me on the journey (and she still hasn't forgiven me).

Once I convinced (begged) Cliffhanger Books to release the book, Evelyn and I began discussing which type of anthology we would produce. She immediately suggested we do a collection of romance tales. Evelyn is a dedicated romance fiction fan and even wrote a novel that won second place in a contest held by the Romance Writers of America. While I consider myself a fairly romantic person, I didn’t feel straight romance would be something I could handle effectively. Also, I prefer fiction with more of a darker edge. So I suggested we compromise and focus on paranormal romance instead. She considered it and agreed.

We spent the next three months accepting submissions from all over the world. That was followed by two months of trying desperately to narrow them down to the ten stories that would go into the book. To be honest, when we began the project I was concerned we wouldn’t receive enough decent submissions to fill the anthology. That wasn't the case at all. Evelyn and I were surprised and delighted to discover that most of them were excellent. Not just the writers' styles, but their ideas, as well. We were afraid all we would get were hundreds of vampire and werewolf tales. We did receive some of those, but we also ended up with some truly unique supernatural characters. And it was tough choosing which were the "best" because they were all so damn good. In fact, I still feel that deciding which stories to use to be the most difficult task of the entire project. It was like deciding which was better: chocolate or peanut butter.

Bearing down, we forced ourselves to select the final ten stories. The interesting thing is, except for myself, all of them were written by women, most of whom had never been published before. When we began searching for stories, we invited both male and female writers to submit. I'm assuming it's just a coincidence that the selected stories were all female. Either that, or maybe there's a good reason that most paranormal romance is written primarily by women. But I'll let you be the judge of that.

We then began two months of working with the writers to do some story edits. All of the authors were very patient and accepted (most of) our suggested revisions. Finally, we reached the point where we were all very happy with the results (and exhausted). So on Sept. 2010 we kicked it (lovingly) out the door.

Our intense work and dedication paid off. Not only has the book been successful, it was also nominated for Best Romance Anthology for 2010 by TheRomanceReviews.com. That recognition is, of course, due to the combined efforts of all the Paramourtal authors. Each of them did a wonderful job, and it was a joy and honor working with them.

I just finished co-editing Gods of Justice, a collection or superhero stories for Cliffhanger Books. Now that its off and running (and garnering some exceptional reviews), I'm about to begin work on Paramourtal 2, the second volume of our para-rom series. Sadly, Evelyn Welle isn't able to commit to the book due to a new job. She will definitely be missed. But K. Stoddard Hayes (Karen, to her friends), my co-editor on Gods of Justice, has volunteered to make sure I don’t screw it up. Needless to say (but I will anyway), we're both very excited about the prospect of finding and working with a new batch of gifted writers.

And that could be you. If you are a writer interested in submitting a story for consideration, we invite you to visit the Cliffhanger website for details and guidelines. Go to http://www.cliffhangerbooks.com. But hurry, the deadline is Oct. 31, 2011.

Editor/Author Biography:
Kevin Hosey is an author, editor and cartoonist. His short stories have appeared in several publications, including two Star Trek Strange New Worlds anthologies (Simon and Schuster), Hint Fiction (W.W. Norton) and the sci-fi magazine, Beyond Centauri. He also co-edited and wrote stories for two anthologies published by Cliffhanger Books. The first was a paranormal romance collection entitled Paramourtal which was nominated for Best Romance Anthology of 2010. The second, a collection of superhero stories called Gods of Justice, premiered at the 2011 San Diego Comic Con. His short story, "Cure" (from Hint Fiction), will be filmed by contestants for the 2012 Hint Fiction Film Contest. The films will premiere at the 2012 Vail Film Festival in Colorado. Visit him at kevinhosey.net.

Related Links:
Author Website: http://www.kevinhosey.net
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorKevinHosey
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/kevinhosey
Paramourtal Buy Link: http://www.cliffhangerbooks.com/books-paramourtal.html
Publisher Website: http://www.cliffhangerbooks.com

Tomorrow Kevin talks about his writing.

Vampires, what’s the draw?

Vampires, what’s the draw?

What is it about these fanged, bad boys that attracts us? Their charisma? Their aura of danger? Or maybe it’s just those sexy black capes. Regardless of the reasons, we all seem to have a soft spot for these seductive creatures of the night.

Even Zoe Tempest, vampire hunter extraordinaire, has developed a weakness for one. 


Excerpt:

“Looking for someone, Sugar?”

I whirled.

He leaned against a rough-barked oak, his ankles crossed, his hands jammed in his pockets.

The man in front of me was drop-dead gorgeous. Blue-black hair worn in a careless style framed high cheekbones. The rakish growth on his chin accentuated his dark good looks. Designer jeans clung to lean hips and long legs. He wore a long-sleeved gray tee, that clung to impressive pecs, with a black outdoor vest over the shirt. Expensive suede boots covered his feet. The only thing that ruined his appearance was the red glow around his irises.

His dark good looks reminded me of someone. I gasped and blinked. He reminded me of Sam, a more rakish version but still Sam. With that long lean body and black hair, they could have passed for brothers.

One moment he leaned negligently against the tree, the next he stood beside me, way too close. Nothing moves faster than a vampire. It can be quite disconcerting if you aren’t used to it. My hand tightened on my sword.

“So you are the mouthwatering Zoe Tempest.” He circled me. Those red glowing eyes seared me wherever he glanced. “To think Dere let a little thing like you take him.” He laughed, a sensual sound that made my knees wobble.

“That’s right. Just like I’m going to take you.” Instead of hurling the words like a spear, I had to force them out of my mouth. They sounded stiff and unnatural.

“Zoe, Zoe, Zoe,” he whispered near my ear, his breath cool and sweet like mint and cookies. I swung around to face him, but he slid back. He shook his head. “Haven’t you figured it out yet? You won’t be able to resist me, love. I’ll be both your lover and your sire.”

His voice caressed like whispering silk. It mesmerized as he circled. “It appeals to you on a basic level doesn’t it, being with me?” He reached out a white cold finger and started to touch my cheek.

I jerked my head back. “Who are you?” I pushed the words past my clenched teeth as my body trembled violently.

“Who do you want me to be?” He touched the back of my neck as he circled me.

I shuddered, but whether from disgust or desire eluded me.

“Dead,” I spat, fighting the unbelievable craving I felt for him.

CONTEST:
I’m running a contest at http://sandracox.blogspot.com. First prize: a Starbucks gift card, a Cooke Lee crystal bracelet and a download of Vampire Bay. Second Prize: a paper copy of Moon Watchers, Third Prize: a paper copy of Vampire Island. To enter just leave a comment at http://sandracox.blogspot.com and mention Vampire Bay Contest.


Vampire Bay is available as a download at Smashwordshttp://www.smashwords.com/books/view/72332

and Amazon http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005BCODIM for $3.99.

Sandra, thank you for visiting THoR, and best wishes for your new book.