The Tale of Gwragedd Annwn

It happened in the 12th century that a widow with a farm at Blaensawde, near Mydffai, used to send her only son two miles up the valley to graze their cattle on the shores of Llyn y Van Ffach. One day, as he was eating his midday snack, he saw the most beautiful lady he had ever seen , sitting on the surface of the lake combing the curls of her long golden hair with the smooth water as her mirror. He was at once fathoms deep in love, and held out his hands with the bread in them, beseeching her to come to shore. She looked kindly at him, but said, 'Your bread is baked too hard' and plunged into the lake. He went back and told his mother what had happened. She sympathized with him and gave him some unbaked dough to take next day. That was too soft, so the next day his mother gave him lightly baked bread. That passed the test, for three figures rose from the lake: an old man of noble and stately bearing with a beautiful daughter on each side of him. The old man spoke to the farmer saying that he was willing to part with his daughter if the young man could point out to him the one on whom his love was set. The fairy ladies were as like as two peas, and the farmer would have given it up in despair if one of them had not slightly moved her foot so that he recognized the distinctive lacing of her sandal and made the right choice. The fairy father gave her a dowry of as many cattle as she count in a breath - and she counted quickly - but warned her future husband that he must treat her kindly, and if he gave her three causeless blows she and her dowry would be lost to him for ever. They married and were very happy, and had three beautiful boys, but she had strange, fairy-like ways; she fell sometimes into a kind of trance, she was apt to weep when other people rejoiced, as at weddings, and to laugh and sing when other people were mourning, as at a child-funeral, and these peculiarities were the cause of his giving her three causeless blows, mere love-taps but a breach of the geasa or taboo, so that she was forced to leave him, taking with her all her cattle and their descendants, even to the slaughtered calf hanging against the wall. She did not forget her three sons, however, for she visited them and taught them deep secrets of medicine so that they became the famous physicians of Mydffai, and the skill descended in their family until it died out in the 19th century. Source: www://celticgrounds.com/ The Encyclopaedia of the Celts, ISBN 87-985346-0-2 Compiled & edited by: Knud Mariboe ©, 1994.

Where was your Moon?

I don't know about you, but when I used to read the characteristics of my sign, I used to shake my head and think "This isn't really me." It'd say that I'm "conservative (not true!) and home-loving nature (nope!)... they are too easily influenced by those they love and admire (hell no!)... often change their opinions and loyalties and, indeed, their occupations, and lack stability (say what?!)... easily corrupted (well... if the price is right... *evil grin*)... loves home and cooking (me? cooking? are you crazy?!)... appear formidable - thick-skinned, unemotional, uncompromising, obstinately tenacious, purposeful, energetic, shrewd, intuitive and wise, sometimes with a philosophical profundity of thought verging on inspiration (now, this is more like it! *lol*) However, I'm strong - sometimes stubborn (but that depends which of my ex-bf's you ask) and opinionated. Totally perfectionist, always demanding things to meet the highest of my standards. (Do you see the word "bitch" in it? *lol*) With a keen eye for details. Very practical (including in my what I learned). Meticulous. Analytical. Methodical. Cautious at all times. Although as a Cancer, I'm very intuitive, I am like a combination of psychic truth and hardheaded realism. So as you can see, it always struck me as if there was something (very, very) wrong. Whether it was me or the horoscope, I didn't know. Until... About a decade or so ago, when the Internet was new and I was meeting people on BBSs, I met a few who were into astrology and learned that one is made of three aspects: sun sign (your self), ascendant (your outer self), and moon sign (your feelings). No surprise in the latter, uh? After all, the moon is the ruler of the emotions. So depending on where the moon was on the day you were born, it will shape the way you feel. And therefore, reshape your sun sign, making you different from the person whose sun sign and moon sign are exactly the same. In my case, I'm a Cancer with my moon in Virgo. Ah, so no wonder where the other aspects of "me" came from. How about you? Do you know where your moon was when you were born? ~~~~ *** ~~~~ Moony Monday Contest answer: were-bull Sorry, nobody guessed it... *sniff*

Virgo Sun, Aries Rising

Cassandra and I were chit-chatting about our natal charts yesterday, and I mentioned that I am a Virgo sun sign with Aries rising. Cassandra also has an interest in astrology, so she understood what I meant with the Aries rising. My mother, on the other hand, looked at me like I'd grown a second set of ears. I explained to her that our sun sign is the horoscope sign we are born under. For me, that's Virgo. Virgos are supposed to be orderly and dependable, and nit picky about the finer details. All those things describe me fairly well. The sun sign tells us a lot about our personality type but quite often, it's a hidden part of us that people may not recognize at first glance. The rising sign (in my case--Aries), is the sign that is in the "first house" of our natal chart at the time of our birth. This sign is the personality we project to others. It's what they see when they interact with us. I guess you could say it's that "first impression" sign. Aries are known for being independent, adventurous and determined. That description fits me just as well as my Virgo sun sign. Want to know more about natal charts, or even print up a free copy of your own? Who knows what you might discover about yourself. There is an awesome site called Astrolabe that will give you the basics for researching your own chart. It's fun and interesting. All you have to do is answer a few questions about your birthdate and place, click submit, and the site generates a chart for you. Why not give it a try?

Cool vamp lovers merchandise!

This morning I came early to work, so I was surfing the web, bloghoping, when I ran into paranormal author H.A. Fowler's website and hit on her cafepress store. If you love vampires, then you're going to love the t-shirts she has created. Check out: http://www.cafepress.com/hafowler I think I'll buy the neon-green t-shirt that reads "I (heart) vampires." *g* I can imagine the looks on the people's face when I walk around wearing it at the mall. As for yesterday's contest, nobody has guessed what kind of wereanimal the stud with the hot buns is yet. *lol* So I'll let you all look at it again today and see if you can guess. Hehehe!

Who's that were?

It's Moony Monday! And here's today's wereanimal. I know he's ...er... not leaving too much for the imagination. But can you guess what kind of wereanimal he is? There's a prize for the winner... *winks*

I BAKED YOU A CAKE!

Happy Birthday, Cora.... I baked you a very special birthday cake! I'll cut everyone a slice. But first, you have to blow it out. The candles, I mean. Oops, silly me, I forgot to light it! LOL

Birthday wishes!

To our sistah, Cora!!! Happy birthday, girl! Hope you like this cake. *winks* Sorry I didn't find a pic of a hunk holding a cake, but it's the thought that counts, right?

Rainy day of inspiration

It has been raining since yesterday afternoon. Although today I woke up to a clear morning, with baby-blue skies and fluffly white clouds, as it wont in the tropics, it soon became cloudy and rain quickly follow. It started with a soft drizzle. But by mid-afternoon it'd turned into heavy rain. I had some errants to run, but by the time I came out of Walgreens, I realized that there was no way I'd get all soaked wet. So I decided to go home. Once home the sound of rain lulled me to step outside to the backyard. One of the good things about my new house is that part of the backyard has cement floor and it's roofed. So I pulled a chair and sat down to watch the raindrops hit the ixoras. You know it was the first time since I had a change since I bought the house to do something like this, and I figured it might as well enjoy the experience because I doubt I'd have another opportunity like this. First thing I noticed was how much my 23 ixoras had grown since I planted them a year ago. I expect to have a nice hedge by the end of this year. *wg* And wow... they have bloomed! Originally I'd wanted to a hedge of only fuschia ixorias. But as luck struck out, about half of the ixorias turned out white. So there I sat, enjoying the fuschia and white ixorias. And as the sound of the rain hitting the wooden roof, the sight of the raindrops bathing my flowers, and the smell of wet earth filled my senses, images of a story started slipping into my head. Actually it was one that had been floating around for a while, but it'd remained elusive. Until this glorious rainy afternoon. So I got out my iPaq and its foldable keyboard and plug it in. (Another good thing about my new place is that it has a plug on the roofed part of the backyard. One of the big plus that sold me the house. *g*) Next thing I knew words were going from my head straight to my fingers. No filter. No thinking if it was good or bad. Just writing whatever came to my mind. I ended up writing over 2K. (Coming from me, that's surprising. *lol*) Is there anything in nature that inspire you to write?

August’s Newsletter Winner!

Congratulations to the winner of my Newsletter Contest for August, blackroze37! Please contact me with your snail mail addy to claim your prize! This gorgeous, genuine moonstone, crystal and jade necklace, The Goddess Within. Congratulations!

Who are you? Who? Who?

As a response to my Wednesday post, M.E. mentioned how "some people think along the lines of 'you write what you know'." And you know what? She's right. It's true that sometimes we write about what we know. But most of the time we do research. If we limit ourselves to just write what we know, then the scope of our stories would be limited as well. Yet it's so bizarre how some people believe that you must be so-and-so just because of what you write. Let me tell you of an incident that happened at my aunt's party a couple of months ago before the release of Enduring Promise. It was her 55th. birthday, so most of the people there were of her age. My cousins and I, being the only youngsters there, huddled in a corner, talking. The one that had come from Florida asked me what I'd been up to, so I casually mentioned the fact that I had a novel coming out. A friend of theirs came up just as I dropped "the bomb" - that I'd written a vampire erotic romance. Then my other cousin asked me very excitedly if I planned to write anything else, so I launched into a long speech about my ideas about two other vampire stories, and how I was collaborating with two other writers for a wereanimal anthology, etc. As I was talking about my next vampire story, I saw him give me a once over, noticing my black dress. (Yeah, I was wearing black, but it was because it was a semi-formal, and I gained some extra pounds that I wanted to hide.) Then he told me he couldn't believe I wrote vampire stories. When I asked him why, he always thought I looked too normal, with a sunny disposition. All the while he was looking at me as if I'd grown fangs or something. *rolls eyes* Then recently a friend of mine came from Virginia to spend a few days down in Puerto Rico - and visit me. While she was down here, she asked me if she could take a peak into my latest story, and I happily showed a few chapters I've written. In it my heroine wears a silver ankh in her chain. When my friend read the part of the heroine wearing the ankh and using it to stop vampires, she looked at me and noticed (I think for the first time) a silver ankh hanging from my neck. She narrowed her eyes and asked me if I was going to be one of those authors that changed personalities to suit "their writing persona" like Anne Rice or L.K. Hamilton. I opened and closed my mouth a few times, not knowing how to answer that at first, my head swirling with questions. What?! Maybe seeing the confusion in my face, she went on to explain how some people who were into vampires and werewolves started believing that they were real. My mind quickly went back to the 90s when some of my friends got into RPing and other games about vampires. I admit that a few of them changed their behavior after a while, the way they dressed, the music they listened to, and even attended "weird" parties. I blamed them for losing touch with reality. But I never thought this would happen to a writer. My mind jumped to writers like Stephen King. Does he really believe in what he writes or just have an overactive imagination? I didn't answer my friend one way or another. I guess I saw her point of view up to a certain point and understood her concern. Are you what you write? In my case, absolutely not. I don't think of myself as a vampire or a werewolf. *lol* I do have a dark side that sometimes threatens to come out when I totally pissed, but don't we all? C'mon! It's all fiction. Wonderfully delicious fiction. *g* Or in my case, since I write erotic romance, mouth-watering sexual fantasies. *lol* As a writer, I find myself on the outside looking in. I observe life and its people. I write about the human condition. So what if I decide it to spice it up by turning some of those characters into non-humans? Jealousy, anger, hate, loyalty, love... these never change no matter who your characters are since they are part of all of us. Something we can all understand - and feel. What my characters are has nothing to do with me as a person. I am not them, they are not me. Now my question to my fellow writers and readers are: Have you ever found yourself having to defend your paranormal stories? Do people believe that you've turned into some kind of weirdo because of your passion for paranormal stories (or for that matter any other type of genre you write)? Do you feel that your behavior has changed because of your writing about vampires and wereanimals?

Better Than Cold Tuna

Hi to all you cats out there! My name is Pendragon. I need to make this quick, 'cause I'm not sure when my mistress will be back. She's at the store right now, with him. And before you say it, I am not the jealous type. I simply thought she had better taste in men. I knew he might be trouble when he was a teenager trying to peek into her bedroom window. I put a stop to that. Then he gets this bright idea to cast a spell on her to fall in love with him. Talk about love sick. Well, the spell sure backfired on him! Serves him right! No ordinary human should try to cast spells. Leave that to the professionals. Like my mistress. She and her sister Mia are green witches. No, silly! Their skin isn't green. They practice a form of natural magick that involves herbs and plants. Sure comes in handy, having a green witch as a mistress when you're out of catnip! Oh, here they are. Wanna see something funny? I'm going to hide here behind this curtain, and when Sebastian walks through the door, I'll jump in front of him and hiss. Heeheehee. Shh, here he comes... Ssssssyowrlsss "Son of a–dammit! Very funny. Te-ss!" Ouch–man, that's gotta hurt. See, told you. It works every time. ;)

Why do you write paranormals?

You know how people ask you why you write romance novels as soon as you tell them that's what you do? (I can hear some of you growning already. *lol* Yeah... Annoying little question, isn't it?) So of course, what's your first reaction? To launch into a lengthy explanation of your reasons why you love romance novels, and all the while they just stared at you like you've grown a second head. ight? Well, in my case it goes a stretch further than that. You see, when people ask me what I write, I say "paranormal erotic romance." Then they ask me why I write paranormal. (See? Not why I write romance or even erotic romance. But why I write paranormal.) My answer? What can I say? I've always been fascinated by vampires, witches, werewolves, and those other creepy critters that go bump in the night. *g* Since I was a kid, I loved to watch those vampire movies. (Remember the ones with Bela Lugosi and Vicent Price?) Then werewolves and mummies movies were added into the mix. I was so enchanted with the topic that I'd read non-fiction books on the it. The mystery of it all held a strong appeal to me. But what attracted me to this all was the fact that it all took place at night. I love the night. I'm more productive during the night than any other hour of the day. Maybe it's because life shifts to a slower pace, the temperatures are cooler, or the peacefulness of it. (I remember climbing on the roof of my parent's house to read on a full moon.) So add to this mix mysterious night critters, and I was hooked. Of course, back then werewolves and vampires were more ugly and evil creatures of the night. It wasn't until the 1990s that I first read my first novel in which protrait them as dark, dangerous, and darn sexy heroes. The kind of man...er...creatures that a woman could fall in love with. And I was even more hook! So why do I write paranormal romance novels? Because I love the mystery that unfolds during the night, and the wonderful creatures that come out to play when the sun sets and the earth is covered in darkness. How about you? Why do you write paranormal romance novels?

The Cat's Lair

So TK doesn't think she has a monopoly on all the good looking Werefolk, I thought I'd upload a snap of a favorite of mine. He's all cat, but what kind of cat is he? The first person to guess correctly wins a vial of Bewitching Perfume Oil handcrafted by Tess and Mia (from I Put A Spell On You) using all natural flower essences and oils. Contest runs until we have a winner. Put on Your Thinking Caps, hone your senses and make your guess. Only one guess to a customer.

Sunday Funny...

What's that on the test tube? Carrot juice? *lol*

Bounding experience of the alpha kind

Yesterday, as soon as the buy link became available, I bought a copy of Cora's Bounding Experience and loaded it up on my SD card, where I keep all my ebooks, so I could later read it on my PDA last night. I'd already read Crossing Borders, so I knew I was in for a treat. Cora has a flare for writing sexy werekind stories. *wg* So after last night's chat at Cobblestone Press, which I attended to support her and see the other new releases, I curled up in my bed with my PDA. It was the perfect night. Clear skies, full of stars. Cool due to the heavy rain. Bounding Experience is a great read. Claire and Luke are both werewolves and belong to the same pack. They have known each other since she moved into his hometown when she was a teen. But you know how it goes when boys fall for girls. They have the subtlety of a gorilla, and all they do is pissed off the girls they like. *lol* And the worst part is that some men never grow up and keep pestering them. So Claire felt like she has been bitchslapped when she got a letter from the head of the pack telling her that she's mated - to Luke!!! What's the mating thing another of his stupid, childish jokes? Or was it for real? And if the mating is real, of all the available male werewolf, why Luke?! Sorry, I can't tell you more. hehehe! If you want to find out the answer to those questions and more, you have to buy the book. *angelic smile* All I can say is that the story takes place in a 24-hour period so it's fast paced. Yet it captures your attention and holds it until the end. It's a light story, not heavily emotional. But it's a lot of fun watching Claire struggle with handsome Luke. Now that was an alpha I could sink my teeth in. *purrrs*

I'm going down on a bed of roses...

Tonight's hunk is a were-plant. *lol* Or maybe he has super powers that can make roses bloom.

Bonding Experience Available Friday! 8/18/06

My latest erotic werewolf romance Bonding Experience (book 2 in the Werekind Series) is coming out tomorrow from Cobblestone Press! When her pack leader issues a mating pact between herself and hotshot werewolf Luke Roman, Claire knows there must be some mistake. She doesn't know Luke very well, but she can't imagine two less compatible people being thrown together. Luke has loved Claire for years, and he isn't about to let her undo what he's worked so hard to put into effect. When she refuses to discuss the pact arrangements with him even when he follows her home, Luke finds a silk scarf on her dresser and decides to try other, more creative ways of getting Claire's undivided attention. This book is HOT, HOT, HOT! You must be 18+ to download. Here's an excerpt from the book: (Medium heat range here so be warned!) "Claire," he breathed, the name soft and husky on his lips. Just as quickly as he said it, his tongue invaded her mouth again, swirling and dueling, bringing to life every secret fantasy she'd ever had about him. His taut, rippled abs twitched erotically beneath her splayed fingers when she traced her hands up to grip his shoulders. A note of heated approval rumbled in his chest, and in a rapid series of movements, he broke from her just long enough to strip the black T shirt over his head. He came back to her in an instant, his flat, copper nipples pebbled in arousal, his cinnamon skin so smooth and hot to the touch. "Luke," she breathed, shaking her head. It was incredibly hard to speak, but it was happening so fast, fear beat down on her. She had to stop this before it got out of hand. "Please. I-I don't think… I don't think I can handle this." "Emotionally?" he asked huskily. "Or physically?" "Take your pick," she managed weakly, miserably. She tried to push back from him, but he wouldn't budge. He held onto her, his grip tightening on her hips when she would have pulled away. She squirmed to get around him, and together they shuffled away from the nightstand, Luke turning with her, clinging to her. "Don't do this, Claire. Give me a chance." His eyes searched hers, beseeched her, even as she tried to evade his kiss. "Who knows, you might even like me if you let yourself." Boy, was that the truth, Claire thought wryly. Luke Roman was temptation incarnate. But a cooler, more level-headed Claire was quickly settling in—a Claire that knew his reputation, and didn't want to get hurt. She managed to disengage herself from him, but Luke wasn't about to let her be. He caught her around the end of the bed, and quickly sidestepped, putting himself between her body and the door. "Honey, I don't know why you keep running from me, but if this has anything to do with my dating cheerleaders. I can assure you I'm not seeing any. Hell, I didn't want to date them back then, but the girl I wanted wouldn't give me the time of day." "Well, she was one smart girl to avoid you," Claire snapped without thinking. "Not too damn smart," Luke replied roughly, blocking her path when once again she tried to sidestep him. "I've been crazy in love with this girl for the past—what's it been? Ten? Fifteen years? — and she hasn't realized it yet." Claire froze. Ripples of excitement and uncertainty skittered through her. Luke in love? With her? She was at a loss for what to do, what to say. He looked earnest, serious, and even slightly angry with her, but she still wasn't sure she believed him. How could she? Everything she believed she knew about him and had experienced in the past seemed to contradict what he was telling her now. A part of her wanted to believe him, but he was the Luke — former football captain, hotshot alpha know-it-all; now successful business owner and desirable bachelor within her pack. She ran a trembling hand through her hair, frowning thoughtfully — torn. This was all so new to her, so strange and unexpected. He wanted sex — that much she understood. How could she trust the rest? In the end Claire pushed around him. He simply couldn't be trusted — not now — not so soon. She folded her arm across the flap of the towel to hold it in place as she bent to pick up a light robe from the end of her bed. "I'm sorry, Luke. Maybe with time we can—" "Time. Right. You're doing it again," he grated angrily. "Pushing me away." "That's not true," she lied, her eyes flickering over him. "It's just… We hardly even know each other!" "Well, consider this a bonding experience," Luke said flatly as he stepped forward and shoved her onto the bed. "Because I'm not going anywhere." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ from Bonding Experience, by Cora Zane Available from www.cobblestone-press.com August 18, 2006

Paranormal Hero of the Week!

Is he a vampire? A wereanimal? Perhaps the ghost that hunts your house? A warlock casting a spell? Or a demon up to no good? What do you think?

Votes and Cassandra's Blog Contest Winner

Winner of My Blog Contest is... ...Pam! You were comment #12 and since my hubby picked the number 12, you won! Please contact me to receive your prize, a free copy of my latest release, I Put A Spell On You! I hope you'll like my little story of witches, a sneaky, lovesick hero and a precocious dragon cat! Congratulations. Oh, and in case anyone wondered, frozen banana #3 had over 50% of the votes! As one contestant said, "Yummy!"

Spellbinding Heroes

I love a handsome, spellbinding hero. Especially the heroes who are "mortal" and win the love of a beautiful, bold witch. ;) So when my publisher mentioned an upcoming Amber Pax with the theme: Potions, Elixirs and Brews...Oh My! I thought to myself, I can do this. I'd just finished the final edits on Cup of Fate, so I sat down to write. Sebastian and Tess were there, waiting for me. Immediately I knew this story was a romantic comedy with a slight paranormal edge. I also knew the story cried out for a wise jester as a foil to Sebastian's naughty schemes. When I searched my mind, I found him–a bewhiskered, black, fluffy cat named Pendragon. I almost decided against using the stereotype of a witch with a black cat, but Pendragon insisted I not deny him his fur color or his species. When I happened to find out an online friend once had a cat named Pendragon, it seemed fate had made it's decree. So be it. I hope you'll enjoy my little tale of missing grimoires, witch bottles, potions, and a very precocious dragon cat. CC

Putting the spell on the reader

Well, since Cassandra hasn't posted to brag a little about her latest release, I Put a Spell on You, then I will. *wg* I've waited long to read this story, so Sunday at midnight I kept reloading the webpage until the link to buy popped in and bought. Then later yesterday I sat down to read it. OMG! This is such a great story! The chemistry between Sebastian and Tess was palpable from the first page. Sebastian was such a HAWT!!! hero. Damn, I want to have my own Sebastian. Oh their banter...I laughed so hard at times. Man, I wish I could write such witty dialogues. Cass is lucky she's my friend, otherwise, I'd put a curse on her fingers and twist them into knots. *lol* Oh, that black cat... he's such a riot. *wg* Reminds me of Midnight Louie and Sneaky Pie Brown, but in a witchy twist. The story is fast paced, yet it's satisfying. I'm not saying all this because she's my friend. My parents taught me two things: 1) Never to lie and 2) If you don't have anything good to say, don't say anything at all. So when I tell you to go and buy... then DO IT!!! *wg* Or I'll put a spell on you. *winks* **** The winner who guessed what wereanimal Saturday's hottie was is... Tori Lennox!!! *throws confetti* Email me at tempest@tempestknight.com with your snail mail so I can send you your prize. *g*

Come celebrate our anniversary with us!

Just as we promised, we're kickstarting the weekend of our one-month anniversary with a naughty little contest. *wg* See this gorgeous man? Well, let me tell you a secret. Come closer. No, I mean closer. *looks around* He's a wereanimal. Now, it's up to you to guess what kind of wereanimal he is. *wg* Post here, telling us what kind of wereanimal he turns into and why. We'll choose among those who post here the winner.

Frozen Treat Vote and Win!

In case you didn't already suspect it, I have a wicked streak. A naughty side. And I bore easily. So...I decided to play around in the kitchen today. And I want to invite all of you to vote for your favorite. I'm having a contest on my blog this weekend–starting now. The winner will receive a copy of my upcoming release, I Put A Spell On You. All you have to do is vote for your favorite frozen banana #1, # 2, or #3. I'll tally the votes and pick a winner from everyone who voted (no matter which you chose). The thing is to vote! http://www.cassandracurtis.com/blog

It's our anniversary!

A day like today a month ago Cora and I officially opened Midnight Moon Cafe to all lovers of paranormal romance and sensual stories. So 30 days and many hits later, here we are, having fun and enjoying meeting new people on the blogsphere. Wow... I can't believe it's been already a month! It seems like it was just yesterday that I was helping set up this blog. I guess it's true what they say, "Time flies when you're having fun in good company." *wg* Thanks to you all who have visited our blog since we started out and made this a success! It's been a blast! And we have loved every minute we've shared with all of you. We have lots of neat ideas and things for the coming months. We can't give you many details now. It's top secret! *g* But we know they're going to please (and totally surprise) all of you. So you better stay tune, okay? *lol* To celebrate our one-month anniversary we're planning some contests. The prizes are scented candles and potpourri, and copies of our up-coming ebooks. Come and celebrate with us!

My TRS Book-A-Day Winner is Anne Muller!

Anne entered The Romance Studio’s Book- A-Day Give-away and walked away a copy of Cup of Fate! Thanks to everyone who entered. Remember, you still have time to enter my newsletter contest and win a one-of-a-kind jade, moonstone and crystal goddess within necklace! For more details go to my website and click on Enter the Fantasy!

Mooning Evolution!

Cobblestone Press will be dropping by Evolution Writers for a full-fledged 3-day Q&A event. And I together with my dear moon-girls Cora Zane and Brandi Broughton are going to be there answering all your questions - and I mean ALL your questions. Something to sink your teeth in. *lol* So join us August 11th, 12th, and 13th. Yes! This starts tomorrow and will last the whole weekend! *wg* It's going to be a total blast!

Win A Copy of Cup of Fate!

The Romance Studio is giving away a free copy of my ebook, Cup of Fate, today to one lucky reader. To enter go to: The Romance Studio Cup of Fate Give-a-way Good Luck!

Full Moon Madness begins tonight!

Hey all you lovers of those wolfish, shape-shifting heroes and heroines. I thought I'd let you know about an opportunity to win a free copy of my book, LYCAN INSTINCT. Tonight, I'll be one of the featured authors at the Full Moon Fantasies chat. Full Moon Fantasies is a group of Cobblestone Press authors who specialize in those howlingly sensual romances that are part of the very popular Shifters line. Each month, we get together on full moon nights to share with readers any news about our latest projects, blurbs and excerpts from our current releases, and give away freebies! Basically, we have a fantastic time...under the full moon. *grin* The fun starts Wednesday, August 9th at 7PM (CST) at the online Cobblestone Press chat room: Cobblestone Chat To join, visit: Full Moon Fantasies Time is running out! So, sign up now to join the Full Moon Fantasies Yahoo! Group and be eligible for tonight's drawing for a free copy of my book, LYCAN INSTINCT. Future chats, with more prizes and fun, will be held each month on full moon nights. Hope to see ya there! ~ Brandi Broughton

Moonlighting a sensuous vampire

Amazingly enough yesterday was a slow day at the office. Or as slow as it could get on the hectic weeks that usually accompany the beginning of August. *lol* Anyway, I found myself with some time to lean back on my chair and relax. So I pulled my trusty PC Pocket with Stacy Dawn's Shadows Of Moonlight (which is published by Wild Rose Press) loaded on my SD card and read the of Merrick and Elizabeth's story. An what a story! You see, they were married once but she died in childbirth, so he went crazy with grief. And one drunken night he walked - undead. Now as a vampire he roams the earth, meeting Elizabeth over and over, and losing her each time. Now named Rick he meets Liz, the reincarnation of his Elizabeth. But will he get to lose her again? Can Liz convince him that this time it's forever? It's a short story, only 18 pages, but it's an intense, yet sensual one. I found myself feeling Merrick/Rick's despair and hollow existance. And I loved Liz's sassiness. Let me tell you, Stacy's Shadows Of Moonlight makes a great quick read. Go buy it! *wg*

Tribes of the Werewolf

Werewolf roll playing. Am I the only one who has seen these books? I'm talking about Werewolf the Forsaken, and Werewolf the Apocalypse, by White Wolf Books. They also do the popular Vampires, the Masquerade game. Now, I've never been big on RPG games like Dungeons and Dragons, but my son is. ((He's addicted to Final Fantasy to the point of needing therapy--or so I lovingly tell him.)) On the other hand, I like comic books and pen and ink art. Combine those two elements together with a werewolf spin and there you have it in it's most basic terms: Tribes of the Werewolf. I recently went on a book shopping trip, one of those dangerous spending sprees I rarely get to indulge in, which makes me take some serious time when perusing books in the store. I came across the 2 inch thick guide for Tribes of the Werewolf and had to give it a peek. This had some of the most beautiful black and white art in it I've seen in a while. And here I was thinking they'd reached perfection with The Book of Nod. (A vampire book with tons of beautiful artworks.) Then I got to flipping through the actual storyline that is the basis for these Werewolf RPG books. Everything you could hope to think of when creating werewolves or a werewolf based society is in there--although stats like agility and melee are far from my concern. There were basic stories to give you some "cultural understanding" of werewolves, but what I found most interesting was the different breeds. I hinted at different breeds of werewolves in my upcoming book Bonding Experience, but I had a very limited scope for what I had in mind. Tribes of the Werewolves has many, like twelve or so, and I have to admit, I ended up reading through most of this, trying to see how my own erotic romance werewolves stacked up. It was very interesting! Anyway, I think the whole idea is to build societies based on these werewolf tribes, and the "Tribes" book is like a guide showing you how to set these societies up for your own game play. Of course, the books leave huge areas for you to change and bend rules, to make the game more personalized. While I don't play, I got to thinking about it while browsing, that this book could be a great idea guide for someone who is considering writing werewolf fiction--whether paranormal romance, erotica, or horror--but who doesn't know quite where they want to start. The price tag might make someone a bit squeamish: $35.00/US. I couldn't swing that for a single title, even on my big, book shopping spree. However, there is always eBay. My main point is that this is a really good, in-depth guide on creating werewolves. It's worth a look!

Buffy Fans Take Note

Fans of the Buffy TV series and it's lead actress, Sarah Michelle Geller, take note. A new paranormal thriller is headed your way this November and it looks to be a scary ride. The Return also starring Kate Beahan, Peter O'Brien, Adam Scott, and Sam Shepard is about a tough young Midwesterner, (Joanna Mills, played by Geller) determined to learn the truth behind the increasingly terrifying supernatural visions that have been haunting her. Joanna has made a successful career for herself, as sales representative for a trucking company. But her private life has been difficult; estranged from her father (Sam Shepard), stalked by an obsessed ex-boyfriend (Adam Scott), and with few friends, Joanna fears that she is losing control. She sees and feels the brutal murder of a young woman she's never met, at the hands of a heartless killer - a man who appears to be making Joanna his next target. Determined to fight back, Joanna is guided by her nightmares to the murdered woman's hometown. Once there, she will discover that some secrets can't be buried; some spirits never die; and that the murder she is trying to solve may be her own.

Vampire Watch Alert

There's a sexy vampire on the loose, girls! Spike from Buffy. Want to sink your teeth in this man? Would you like him to sink your teeth in your neck? Tell me what you'd do to entice him and trap him in your web. Let's make this fun... Hm... How about a prize? Yes! Among those who post, I'll choose the most original scene and the winner will receive a journal with a cute kitty on the cover. *wg*

Paranormal Romance Writers at Romance Divas

Love sexy vampires and brawny werewolves? Those wonderful paranormal romance writers Carrie Vaughn, LA Banks, CT Adams/Cathy Clamp, Gena Showalter, and Kelley Armstrong will be chatting with readers at Romance Divas. It starts today and will end on Aug. 7. What are you waiting for? Join us now! *wg*

A handful of reading

Yesterday morning I went to the doctor because I wasn't feeling well. When I came home, I was feeling a bit oozy due to the medication the doctor gave me, so I took the rest of the day off work and stayed home. Plopped in my bed, I grabbed Kim Harrison's A Fistful of Charms from my nightstand and for the next 4 hours I was engrossed to the book. I couldn't stop reading it until I got to the end. In this 4th. installment of the Hollows series, Rachel, a white witch, has to help Nick, her ex-boyfriend, escaped the werewolves that captured him for double-crossing them and not delievering a statue that could tilt the power of the vampire/werewolf community. Although Rachel feels Nick betrayed, her sense of honor drives her to rescue him. However, things get complicated. Suddenly she sees a part of Nick she didn't know exist. And as a white witch, she finds herself dangerously edging toward black magick (demon curses). Final verdict? WOW! WOW! WOW! What a great book! It was full of action. The scenes of Rachel and Peter having the truck accident was so wonderfully described that I flinched, feeling like it was me getting hit by the MACK. Oh, and the scenes of Rachel fighting that werewolf in an Alpha challenge were riveting. But there were parts there that were funny to balance the action. Like when Rachel puts a spell on Jenks, the pixie, to make him grow, so he's now a hunk of 6'4", sexy and dreamy - a hero to make every woman fall in love with him. So now he does all of these crazy things and women are falling all over for him. *lol* Kim Harrison is the queen of cliffhangers. I can't wait for the next installment of the Hollows series. If you've not read this book, what are you waiting for? If you've not read her other books on the Hollows series, these are (in order):

Werewolves in the City

I was thinking about this last night while taking a break from my work in progress... Most books in which werewolves are written as something other than slavering, murderous beasts, have them living in an isolated, wooded area or at the very least in a small town. After all, they have to have a place to roam and hunt when they are in the midst of the change. Probably the only book I ever read that tackled the issue of a werewolf living in the city had the heroine locking herself up in the basement during the nights of her transformation. This got me to thinking... how would werewolves adapt to city living? Of course there are those movies like American Werewolf in London (and Paris!), Cursed, Wilderness (the movie, not the book), Howling 4, and others that show the rampaging beast tearing through the city creating all kinds of pandemonium... But I am not talking about that werewolf. I'm talking about the savvy, urbane, modernized werewolf. Would they roam the streets at night like gangs, staking out their own territory, devouring bad guys? Would they purchase large amounts of land within the city just for their own purposes? Would they have specific days they have to leave town, drive out to the country to transform? It seems to me a werewolf born and raised in the city would be adapted to such an environment. I would imagine they'd have their hunting down to a system. Maybe they are a species with different instincts. Maybe one with a predatorial nature, but without the need to hunt or make a kill. If you were a werewolf (or any other brand of shapeshifter) where would you call home, and why?

A Sigh of Relief

I am breathing a big sigh of relief today. I finished the galleys for Spell (my nickname for my second book, I Put A Spell On You). Yay me! I think I'll go treat myself to a chocolate malted. ;) Heck, why not splurge! Maybe even a manicure! My fingernails need a treat too! Maybe I'll have them painted a sexy red. So how do you treat yourself when you celebrate the accomplishments in your life? Inquiring minds wanna know! :)

Something to sink your teeth in

I just finished reading this vampire romance Blood Ritual by L. Rosario, and I can't tell you what an enjoyable read it was. The story is written in first person, and it's about this woman's night journey to become queen of a vampire coven. The hero is this mysterious yet very seductive vampire who has waited for a long time for the right woman to cross his path and claim as his queen. I started reading it and couldn't put it down until I finished it. The story is fast paced. Very sensuous too!

Lughnassadh Celebration and the Cup of Fate

In my book, Cup of Fate, the hero waits for destiny to bring him his greatest love–unsuspecting yard sale shopper, Bryn Tuttle. I had to come up with a name for my hero. It had to sound virile, conjuring images of powerful, rippled muscles, tanned flesh and a dominant personality. Very butch, but with a tender and sometimes gentle side. A man secure in his powers and abilities, who knew how to touch a woman and make her instantly melt. He had to be more than simply comfortable surrounded by nature–he needed to be in command of it. The more I discovered his character, the more I realized only one name would suit. Lugh. The Sun King, God of the Harvest and Lord of Abundance. Once I realized who my hero really was, I set about reinforcing the connections between Lugh ap Kernun and Lugh, Celtic God of Harvest. For those who honor the old ways, the first of August is Lammas. It is a celebration of the harvest and all of nature’s bounty. In the Celtic tradition, this celebration or festival of the Sun God is known as Lughnassadh and is held on August 7. Named in honor of Lugh, God of harvest, fire and light, the Sun King, in his aspect as Dark Lord, gives his energy to all the crops to ensure life while the Mother prepares to give way to her aspect as the Crone. To the ancient Celtic peoples Lughnassadh was considered the perfect time to pass on what you have learned, to share your abundance with good cheer and good friends. Children were taught how to bake bread and teenagers taught how to make corn dollies. A feast table was set with items such as: corn, potatoes, barley cakes, apples, rice, succulent berries, summer squash, roast pig or lamb and of course, all manner of fresh homemade breads served with real butter. According to folklore, it is considered good luck to plant the seeds from any fruit eaten that day. A fine vat of elderberry or witchwood wine* would be prepared in advance and ready to be sampled on Lammas or Lughnassadh. Today, you’ll find there are still groups of people who celebrate the harvest festival, and much in the same way as their ancestors. Allow Lammas and Lughnassadh to replenish your spirit. A relaxing visit to the lake, an orchard, or the countryside, allows the whole family to reconnection with nature. Share the bounty of your labours with those you hold dear and help those in need. *For those of you who wish to celebrate Lughnassadh, but want something non-alcoholic, sun tea can be substituted. Add a sprig of lemon verbena or lemon balm (sweet melissa) for fun. Check out Cassandra's website and blog for more information on upcoming books, chats and contests.