MMC Anniversary Celebration Spectacular!

Fireworks are hot, but nothing beats our month-long anniversary celebration! Awesome stories, fun games, quizes, contests and nifty prizes all month long. And of course, some of the hottest men our naughty little eyes could find! Hee, hee... So get ready to help us celebrate the first anniversary of the Midnight Moon Cafe! It's gonna be a blast!

Release Day and Prizes!

Dominant Territory is being released today through Cobblestone Press! The moment Libby steps into the Moonlight Run with her girlfriends, she realizes they have made a serious mistake. One look at the clientele and she knows this is no place to have a ladies night out. The backwoods bar is isolated for a very good reason—they cater to local werewolves on the eve of the change. Drake never thought himself the type to consider a human for a mate. Then Libby shows up and crosses over into Werekind territory. One look at her and his heart is lost. After one dance, he'll stop at nothing to claim her for his own... Now let's give some books away! The winner of the Midnight Brew Cora Zane Interview giveaway for a free download of Dominant Territory is... Demon Hunter! Congrats, Demon Hunter! Your name has been drawn at random out of a hat to win a free download of my new werekind story. To collect your prize, email me directly at corazane@aol.com with CONTEST WIN in the subject line, and your preference of ebook format : .pdf, .lit, .prc, or html And the winner of Wednesday's Hump Day Hunk shapeshifter contest is... CrystalG! Crystal guessed that our gorgeous handyman Rafe is a leopard - and she's right! Congrats, Crystal! You've won a paranormal paperback from the MMC vault. Please email me at midnightmooncafe@gmail.com with HUNK DAY CONTEST WIN in the subject line. Be sure to include your full name and the address where you would like your paperback sent. Thanks to everyone to who entered and dropped by to give your support. That means a lot, and I truly appreciate the time you come in to post! Another chance to win! Tonight from 7-9PM CST, Cora Zane will be chatting at the Cobblestone Press chat room along with the wonderfully talented Ann Cory. Drop by to say hello, and you may very well win a copy of Dominant Territory. I hope to see you there! Happy Friday, everyone!

The Midnight Brew Presents: Cora Zane!

Cora began writing erotic romances in 2005. When she's not writing, she's usually reading. Her favorite books are futuristics and paranormal romances. Her goal for the future is to continue to write the kind of books she herself would like to read. She has finally learned to keep a pen and notepad in her car for "creative emergencies." It certainly beats writing in lipstick on a paper bag. Some of her best story ideas come to her while driving, and she never hesitates to pull into the first parking lot she sees in order to jot down a scene as it comes to her. "It's better to write it down than to let it get away." Cora lives in Louisiana with her husband and two children. Her first book, Crossing Borders began the Werekind series and became a hot seller last June. Her second book, Bonding Experience was a 2006 PEARL finalist. Dominant Territory continues the Werekind series with characters you'll love. The Midnight Moon Café is pleased to feature our fellow moon-maid and paranormal author, Cora Zane! MMC: What interests you the most in writing paranormal romances? Cora: I like the variety of it. There are so many possibilities for romance; so many different settings you can incorporate into the story. It's what drew me to the genre in the first place. I've always liked fiction with a darker element, and I can have that in paranormal romance. MMC: Where do you find inspiration for your work? Cora: Inspiration comes from many sources: books, movies, listening to music, daydreaming… The ideas behind two of my more popular stories came to me while driving. It's easier to come up with ideas when I'm running on instinct, or doing something mundane like folding laundry. Even people watching at the mall can lead to a writing idea. MMC: With an active family at home, how do you mange to find time to write? Are you a disciplined writer? Or do you grab minutes wherever you can to write? Cora: Some days I don't find time to write, and that can be very frustrating. But I do what I can, and I never give up. Most days I catch a few minutes here and there. Or I'll write for about an hour or so in the morning, put my manuscript up for the day, and concentrate on getting in a longer writing session once the kids are asleep for the night. It's a challenge, but my family understands. There are times I can get away with sporadic writing, but when it comes down to deadlines, they know to leave me to my devices. MMC: How much time do you dedicate to research for your stories? Do you research as you go? Cora: I'm typically a research as you go, and as you need it, kind of girl. Years ago, before I was ever published, I used to go on long research binges, end up with information overkill, and still I wasn't getting the writing done. I didn't even like the researching, so I've since learned to do it in smaller doses. MMC: Your latest book Dominant Territory is part of your Werekind series, correct? How does this story continue your series and integrate with the short story, free downloads you wrote? Cora: Dominant Territory is book three in the Werekind series. In this story, the hero, Drake, is a member of the Silver werekind pack run by Cole Holbrook, the alpha male from Crossing Borders. Drake is best friends with Chase, the hero from my freebie story Under A Midnight Moon, so you can expect Chase and Betsey to make an appearance in Dominant Territory. Mitch from Heart on Fire is a member of this pack, as well. He is also mentioned in the book. MMC: How do you come up with your backstory? And how does that setting affect your main characters? Cora: Backstory comes more easily to me than some other elements of writing. It's like the old saying goes: we all have to come from somewhere. It's no different for characters. Their pasts affect how they react to situations, just like the setting they are thrust into affects their lives. My characters are pretty much decided on when I start writing. I think of the character now, and I can get a pretty good idea how they must've grown up. I try to take that into consideration when writing individual scenes– What would that character do? How would I react if that happened to me? With some characters, the lines between right and wrong blur. I realize they would make choices that I otherwise wouldn't. However, when I also understand their motivation for making their choices, I know the backstory fits. I know then I've done something right. I've created a realistic character. MMC: Who is your sexiest hero to date and why? Cora: Mm…I'd have to say Luke from Bonding Experience is probably my sexiest character. There is something about him, his persistence, and daring that I find extremely attractive. MMC: Let's say you've just landed a movie deal, and you get to pick the actor who'll play the hero from your upcoming release, Dominant Territory. Who would you pick? And why? Cora: Drake is definitely a fantasy man. He's tall, blond, and dangerously good looking. You don't find a lot of blond men in books and movies anymore, so it's hard to say who I'd cast for him. Brad Pitt? MMC: For those not familiar with your work, which book would you recommend to read first and why? Cora: I would recommend reading Crossing Borders first. It's the first book in the series, and while it seems logical to start there, I look at it more as a series sampler book for readers. It's quick, to the point, and hot. It's a good book for testing out the series to see if it's something you'd want to read. MMC: Can you share with readers what you're working on next? Cora: I'm working a demon romance right now, and there are a few other side projects too. I also have a skeletal workup for the sequel to my vampire novella Wicked Temptation that I'm hoping I can get around to fleshing out sometime soon. MMC: Is a man sexier with or without his clothes? ;) Cora: It depends on the man. Some guys look great in next to nothing, and others can drop me from twenty paces in jeans and a T-shirt. What can I say? I don't really know what makes a man sexy, but I sure recognize a sexy man when I see him. MMC: Do you have a newsletter, blog, or website where fans can read about you and your books? Cora: I have a website at http://www.corazane.com/ that is kept updated on a month by month basis. My blog at http://corazane.blogspot.com/ is reachable directly, or through my website. I blog almost daily–everything from what I'm currently working on, to family life, as well as all my latest book release information as it becomes available. I have a periodic newsletter signup on my blog as well. And of course, I can be reached right here on a day to day basis at the Midnight Moon Café. :-) Well, I know I am itching to read Cora's latest tale in the Werekind series! Drake sounds beyond yummy! Want to download a free copy of both of her short story Werekind freebies? GO HERE. If you'd like to win a copy of Cora's upcoming book, Dominant Territory, leave a comment here and you will be entered in the contest. The winner will be chosen at random and announced Friday, here at the Café. Must be over 18 to enter. Void where prohibited.

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Sexy Shapeshifters ... (in no particular order) 1. Derik, from Derik's Bane (MaryJanice Davidson) 2. Destin, merman from Shifting Tides (Cassandra Curtis) 3. Luke, werewolf from Bonding Experience (Cora Zane) 4. Mercedes, from Moon Called (Patricia Briggs) 5. Rio, leopard shifter from Wild Rain (Christine Feehan) 6. Lachlain, werewolf from Hunger Like No Other (Kresley Cole) 7. Gabriel, werewolf from Born of Night (Celeste Anwar) 8. Callan, a Breed -catshifter- from Tempting the Beast (Lora Leigh) 9. Nik, werewolf from Lunewulf: Pack Law (Lorie O'Clare) 10. Jim London, werewolf from Master of Wolves (Angela Knight) 11. Jacques, Carpathian multiple shifter/vampire from Dark Demon (Christine Feehan) 12. Nathan Cross, gargoyle from Carved in Stone (Vickie Taylor) 13. Mikhail, Carpathian multiple shifter/vampire from Dark Prince (Christine Feehan) Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. Red Garnier 2. Jennifer Shirk 3. Elle Fredix 4. Annie 5. Heather 6. Christine D'Abo 7. Marissa Scott 8. Gina Ardito 9. Jennifer McKenzie 10. Sara Thacker 11. Joely Sue Burkhart 12. Daisy Dexter Dobbs 13. Rhian 14. Cora Zane 15. Rene Lyons 16. Rhonda Stapleton 17. Babe King 18. Adelle Laudan 19. Angela/SciFi Chick 20. Paige Tyler 21. Susan Helene Gottfried 22. Debbie Mumford 23. Darla 24. Seeley deBorn 25. Robin L. Rotham 26. Anna J. Evans 27. Tink 28. Anya Bast 29. Gabriella Hewitt 30. Yolanda Stefos 31. Alasandra 32. RG Alexander 33. Erica Scott 34. Tilly Green 35. Kissa Sterling Get the Thursday Thirteen code here! The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted! View More Thursday Thirteen Participants Like shapeshifter stories? Tomorrow, June 29th, is release day for Dominant Territory, my latest erotic werewolf romance. Be sure to drop by the Cobblestone Press chat room tomorrow night between 7-9pm central time to chat with me, and to enter for a chance to win a free download of my new ebook. I hope to see you there!

Hump Day Hunk

When Rafe came into the cafe asking for a position, I nearly fell out. It took me a moment to realize he meant a staff position. How could I refuse? Look at that face! That body! Oh, and his resume wasn't half bad either. The handsome handyman can usually be found in a toolbelt fixing little things here and there around the cafe. Gotta love him for his reliability... What's even better, Rafe is a shapeshifter. Can you guess what kind? If you're the first patron to guess the correct answer, you'll win a random paranormal paperback from the MMC book vault!

The Cafe Enters Dominant Territory on the Next Midnight Brew!

Join us as we celebrate the upcoming book release of our own lovable moon-maid, Cora Zane! Her book, Dominant Territory will be available Friday, June 29, 2007. Cora began writing erotic romances in 2005. When she's not writing, she's usually reading. Her favorite books are futuristics and paranormal romances. Her goal for the future is to continue to write the kind of books she herself would like to read. Cora has finally learned to keep a pen and notepad in her car for "creative emergencies." It certainly beats writing in lipstick on a paper bag. Some of her best story ideas come to her while driving, and she never hesitates to pull into the first parking lot she sees in order to jot down a scene as it comes to her. "It's better to write it down than to let it get away." Cora lives in Louisiana with her husband and two children. Her first book, Crossing Borders began the Werekind series and became a hot seller last June. Her second book, Bonding Experience was a 2006 PEARL finalist. Dominant Territory continues the Werekind series with characters you'll love. The moment Libby steps into the Moonlight Run with her girlfriends, she realizes they have made a serious mistake. One look at the clientele and she knows this is no place to have a ladies night out. The backwoods bar is isolated for a very good reason-they cater to local werewolves on the eve of the change. Drake never thought himself the type to consider a human for a mate. Then Libby shows up and crosses over into Werekind territory. One look at her and his heart is lost. After one dance, he'll stop at nothing to claim her for his own... To read an excerpt, click here. As always, there will be a contest and one lucky reader will win a copy of Dominant Territory! So check back on Thursday to read a hot interview with our very own Cora Zane, and learn how you can win a copy of the latest sizzling release! It's a Midnight Brew you won't want to miss!

Meet the Sexy Werewolves of Summer!

Crossing Borders by Cora Zane A lonely howl in the night draws Laney Parker out of her cabin. Determined to warn the rogue werewolf away from her pack’s territory, she heads into the wilderness unprotected. Little does she know, old wounds are about to be opened, and she will soon be forced to revisit her heartbreaking past. Two years have passed since Cole Holbrook was exiled from his pack. Now he’s back, determined to claim Laney as his mate, even if it means trespassing onto enemy territory to take her. Nothing will stop him. Not even his old rival--Laney’s pack leader brother, Seth. Read an excerpt Bonding Experience by Cora Zane When her pack leader issues a mating contract 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 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. Read an excerpt Want to read more Werekind stories? Download these two short stories for free.

Cancer the Crab • June 21 - July 22

A merry welcome to all crabs. This is your time to rule the heavenly planes and your time to shine! Symbol: The Crab Element: Water Planetary ruler: Moon Rules: The Fourth House (Home and domestic life) Colors: Silver, blue Gems: Moonstone, pearl Metal: Silver Best virtue: resourceful and protective Negative trait: moody Acupuncture meridian: Stomach meridian Herbal and Plant Associations for the Crab: Hyssop, balm, lettuce, mushroom, olive, pumpkin Heath conditions to watch for in the Crab: Tendency toward heartburn, ulcers, and gastric disorders Cancerians are sensitive, kind and sympathetic with an urge to nurture and care for people which expresses itself strongly through home and family. This is the soft side of the crab. But let us not forget that crabs have a hard shell. That "hard" side is very shrewd, self-assured, and tough. Cancerians are also intuitive, imaginative and highly resourceful. Ah but you Cancers also like to brood and hold onto those hurts from the past. This trait for brooding is common to all the water signs. As such, only another water sign (Scorpio, Pisces) will truly understand your moodiness. Sharing a romantic relationship with another water sign may be ideal, but be careful as the double dose of strong emotions in the relationship could lead to dual moodiness that could hurt the relationship. Cancerians crave security and loyalty in a partner. There are no half-measures for the Cancerian man. Once he falls in love, he falls hard. But watch for his possessive streak. It may be hidden, but trust me, it is there. Cancerian men are also extremely overprotective, which can lead their partner to feel smothered. Cancerian women are very devoted to their man, once they find him. Their feelings are never far from the surface especially when it comes to romance. The ideal match for a Cancer male is a Taurus or Capricorn female. The ideal match for a Cancer female is a Capricorn, a Scorpio, or a Leo. Some famous Cancers: Prince William (June 21), Meryl Streep (June 22), Tobey Maguire (June 27), Liv Tyler (July 1), Tempest Knight (July 2), Matthew Fox (July 14), Dalai Lama (July 6), Tom Hanks (July 9).

Weekend Pop Quiz

What Goddess Are You? There's a goddess in each of us. Which one are you? Take the quiz and find out. Come on, you know you want to... You Are Aphrodite! A total shining star with a ton of admirers And no wonder: you live life to the fullest! When things get bad, you can easily take off to a happier place But occasionally, you need to deal with problems head on What Goddess Are You?

Going on (another) shopping spree

I always say there's nothing more dangerous than me with discount coupons in one hand and a credit card on the other. *lol* Last night after celebrating the summer solstice, I stopped by Borders and rummaged the shelves look for some more exciting paranormal romances. Here's the latest additions to my TBR pile. *g* Immortals: The Calling by Jennifer Ashley This drawn-out kickoff to a four-novel series follows Adrian, one of five immortal brothers who possess more power than any other creature in the universe and who fight to maintain the balance between dark magic and life magic in a modern fantasy world. When Adrian meets the tiger-eyed Amber Silverthorne, a witch full of strong life magic, a whirlwind romance and a world-saving quest ensues featuring a variety of sweltering loves scenes and sword-and-sorcery battles. When they aren't scorching the sheets, the pair hunt down a powerful demon who killed Amber's sister for unknown reasons. With the help of a vampire, a shape-shifting dragon, a werewolf and a Seattle detective, the two trek from Seattle to L.A., on to the Arctic and back, hoping to find answers, vengeance and possibly Adrian's brother, Tain, who's been missing for centuries. When Darkness Comes by Alexandra Ivy It's been a hell of a day for Abby Barlow. In just a few hours, she's survived an explosion, watched her employer die, had a startling dream, and now she finds herself in a seedy Chicago hotel with the sexy, unearthly Dante, a man she both desires and fears. For 341 years, Dante has stood as guardian to The Chalice, a mortal woman chosen to hold back the darkness. A terrible twist of fate has now made Abby that woman. Three hours ago, Dante would have used all his charms to seduce her. Now she is his to protect. And he will do so until his very death. A terrifying plan has been set in motion, one that will plunge Dante and Abby into an epic battle between good and evil—and a desperate race to save their love... Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris In the saga's sixth installment, Definitely Dead, telepathic Louisiana barmaid Sookie Stackhouse finds out jaw-dropping information about her first love, 130-something vampire Bill Compton, as well as equally astonishing insights into her own ancestry. After her only cousin, Hadley, is murdered by one of the undead, Sookie travels to New Orleans to close out the young woman's apartment and collect her things. The unsavory job gets complicated quickly; Hadley was the "honeybun" of the bisexual vampire Queen of Louisiana, the seemingly ageless bloodsucker Sophie-Anne Leclerq. The queen has recently married another powerful sovereign in an attempt to forge a formidable alliance, and tensions in the supernatural community are running high. But when Sookie and her new love interest, a were-tiger named Quinn, are inexplicably kidnapped, the mind-reading waitress must unravel the mysterious circumstances of her cousin's murder before she ends up dead as well…

Touch of Madness Contest Winner is...

::drumroll please:: Sasha T. from New York! Congratulations, Sasha! You're a winner at the Midnight Moon Cafe!

The Midnight Brew Presents: Cathy Clamp & C.T. Adams

Ms. Adams and Ms. Clamp began writing as a team in 1997, and quickly learned that their individual talents in writing created a dynamite combination in historical and paranormal novels. Since their first book hit the shelf in 2003, they have been on the go, selling eight more books to Tor Books for release through 2008. Both live in the Texas Hill Country and anticipate a long and fruitful writing career. We certainly hope so, because their books are sensual and riveting! The Midnight Moon Cafe is pleased to welcome back paranormal authors and RIO Excellence Award winners Cathy Clamp and C.T. Adams! MMC: We heard that congratulations are in order. Since we last talked, you and C.T. won a critic's choice (RIO) award. Can you tell our readers about that? Cathy: Sure! Touch of Evil won the Best Paranormal Novel for 2006. It's the start of a whole new world of vampires that aren't like anything people have seen before. MMC: You've also got some wonderful news for fans. You have a new book out! Touch of Madness was released May 29th. Can you tell us a little about it? Any returning characters? Cathy: Yep. Most all of the characters are from the first book, but we've added in a few new secondary characters that people are going to just LOVE. For example, Lewis Carlton is the "former bad boy of the NBA" and is a newly turned Thrall. Now imagine a 7'2" bad-tempered vampire threatening you. Yikes! But he's got some surprises in store for the heroine, and she can't quite decide what to think about him. MMC: Ooh, Lewis sounds dangerous, but also sexy! What did you enjoy most about this book? Cathy: I think the interaction of the parties. Kate's always had a rough road because of who she is. She has a few "control" issues (oh, who are we kidding, she's a control freak! LOL!) This time, it comes back to bite her because people aren't willing to let her run their lives. MMC: May I ask what are you working on now? Cathy: Sure. We're actually working on different things. Cie is working on the last book in the Thrall series (tentatively titled Touch of Darkness) while I'm working on a brand new world of mages that live under our current world. There's actually a whole bunch of people that really believe in the "Hollow Earth Theory." If you go look it up, you'll figure out part of our plot. But I'm blending in a whole different kind of magic reality that is going to be a lot of fun. Presently, it's scheduled to be a stand-alone paranormal romance, rather than a series. MMC: Ooh, that sounds like an intriguing setting and backstory. I'll definitely watch for it when it comes out! Say, I heard you were at the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention, meeting lots of readers and other writers. Any memorable moments you can divulge? Cathy: One person that was really fun to meet was a romance fan from South Africa! She flew all the way to Houston just to meet her favorite authors and how flattering is it to be one of them! I also got to spend some time with one of MY favorite authors, Jim Butcher. He and his wife Shannon (who just published her first romantic suspense this year!) are awesome, and it's great fun to talk to them. MMC: Any more book signings planned? Cathy: At the moment, our next signing will be at RWA National in Dallas. This year has already been so busy with conferences, that I'm trying to keep June as "family time." We're talking about doing a couple in August, and have two conferences in September, as well. MMC: Sounds as if you keep a very busy schedule. With so much going on in your life it must be a juggling act to find time to write and be so incredibly creative. But you do seem to do it quite well. Which leads me to my next question. What keeps you writing day after day? (And no fair if you say dentist's bills. LOL. Hope you are feeling better.) Cathy: Well, the dentist does want to be paid… sigh. But mostly I keep writing because it's FUN! I really like being able to have the freedom to sit down and create people and situations and worlds and have people want to read them. So please keep buying them, or I'll be forced to go out and get a real job again. Cass: I know I have my copy right here! ::taps book:: And although I've just started it, I'm already pulled into your story. Oh, umm, oops...please forgive the dog-earred pages. I'm a bad, bad girl. ::smacks hand:: LOL. Thank you for being our guest, Cathy. And please keep writing! We love the writing team of Adams & Clamp! Okay, MMC faithful, here's your chance to win a copy of Touch of Madness! Email us ( midnightmooncafe@gmail.com ) before midnight tonight (Thursday, June 21) and we will pick a winner at random from all those who entered. Remember to include your name and home address, so if you are the winner, we can send your prize! The winner will be announced here Friday, so check back to see if you've won! GOOD LUCK!

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Facts About The Summer Solstice 1. The word 'Solstice' derives from the Latin term meaning 'sun stood still', as in the winter and summer the sun appears to rise and set in practically the same place. 2. Summer solstice is the longest day (when the Earth points towards the Sun and so gives people in the northern hemisphere maximum daylight light hours and shortest moonlight hours) and celebrated on June 21. 3. This time, June 21, is associated with the 'Honey' and 'Mead Moon', and is often referred to as 'Midsummer'. However, in ancient times the holiday was actually celebrated on the eve of June 24th and until midnight of that same day–not June 21st as modern calendars would have us believe. They adapted the date we know and accept as the summer solstice. 4. In ancient Wales, the summer solstice was known as Gwyl Canol Haf or Midsummer. Many Welsh and Celtic pagans use the more modern term, Litha. Midsummer is known in Puerto Rico and many other Latin countries as "La Noche de San Juan" (St. John's Night), in which unmarried women perform divinations to find out who they'll marry. 5. The Summer Solstice is one of the four 'quarter-days' of the year, and modern Witches call them the four 'Lesser Sabbats', or the four 'Low Holidays'. 6. The Summer Solstice was incorporated into the Christian calendar during the spread of Christianity, and like so many of the old festivals, was given new meaning which was considered less Paganistic and more suited to the Christian festival. The Summer Solstice became the feast day of 'St. John the Baptist'. 7. The connection of herbs and healing to witchcraft is that many of the herbs used for healing were believed to hold more healing power if they were gathered at significant times of the year such as Summer Solstice. During this time, it is believed by some, that the feminine earth energies are at their most powerful. 8. Making flower headdresses is an ancient tradition for this day, with wreathes of sacred plants and herbs hung on houses for good luck and prosperity. Five plants have been commonly known in rural folklore to possess special magical powers at this time: Rue, Roses, St. John's Wort, Vervain and Trefoil, with any of the herbs thrown in the bonfire for luck (or to honor the Sun, symbolized by the fire itself). 9. In literature the Summer Solstice is associated with the famous Shakespearean play 'A Midsummer Nights Dream' when Faeries with their magic play the leading characters interacting with humans/mortals. In folklore it is believed that the Summer Solstice in particularly Midsummer's Eve is a time when Faeries would bestow good luck on humans. An old ritual for children was to place food out in the garden for the Faeries who would then sometimes leave crystals as token of thanks, this particular offering could explain where the leaving of food for Santa Claus at Christmas also stemmed from. 10. In the ancient Roman period there was a ceremony carried out during the festival of the 'Grove of Diana'. This was a time when the priest could be replaced by any other man and hold the title 'King of the Wood' if he carried out the following actions. He took a branch known as the 'Golden Bough' from a sacred tree which would stand within the temple grove and then kill the current priest. It was believed that the old priest represented a God and the death of a God caused a new life to enter into the world. The death of these priests/gods, together with the rituals that followed them, are believed to have been connected with the solstices. 11. There are many songs associated with Litha, or the Summer Solstice, and chants dealing with the ocean and the ebb and flow of the year are especially appropriate. 12. In England, it was the ancient custom on St. John's Eve to light large bonfires after sundown, which served the double purpose of providing light to the revelers and warding off evil spirits. This was known as 'setting the watch'. People often jumped through the fires for good luck. In addition to these fires, the streets were lined with lanterns, and people carried cressets (pivoted lanterns atop poles) as they wandered from one bonfire to another. These wandering, garland-bedecked bands were called a 'marching watch'. Often they were attended by morris dancers, and traditional players dressed as a unicorn, a dragon, and six hobby-horse riders. 13. According to British faery lore, this night was second only to Halloween for its importance to the wee folk, who especially enjoyed a ridling on such a fine summer's night. In order to see them, you had only to gather fern seed at the stroke of midnight and rub it onto your eyelids. But be sure to carry a little bit of rue in your pocket, or you might well be 'pixie-led'. Or, failing the rue, you might simply turn your jacket inside-out, which should keep you from harm's way. But if even this fails, you must seek out one of the 'ley lines', the old straight tracks, and stay upon it to your destination. This will keep you safe from any malevolent power, as will crossing a stream of 'living' (running) water. Solstice is a time to get out and enjoy yourself with others. The seeds have been planted, and you are tending your garden, but also there is a break in the gardening as things have taken root, the harvest has not yet begun. So get out there and soak up some sun! Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. Red Garnier 2. Jennifer Shirk 3. Elle Fredix 4. Annie 5. Heather 6. Christine D'Abo 7. Marissa Scott 8. Gina Ardito 9. Jennifer McKenzie 10. Sara Thacker 11. Joely Sue Burkhart 12. Daisy Dexter Dobbs 13. Rhian 14. Cora Zane 15. Rene Lyons 16. Rhonda Stapleton 17. Babe King 18. Adelle Laudan 19. Angela/SciFi Chick 20. Paige Tyler 21. Susan Helene Gottfried 22. Debbie Mumford 23. Darla 24. Seeley deBorn 25. Robin L. Rotham 26. Anna J. Evans 27. Tink 28. Anya Bast 29. Gabriella Hewitt 30. Yolanda Stefos 31. Alasandra 32. RG Alexander 33. Erica Scott 34. Tilly Green 35. Kissa Sterling Get the Thursday Thirteen code here! The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted! View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Hump Day Hunk

Today's hunk gives new meaning to WET and WILD. *evil grin* "It's raining men! Hallelujah! It's raining men! Amen! I'm gonna go out to run And let myself get absolutely soaking wet!" *sings along The Weather Girls' It's Raining Men* Any of you girls feel like getting wet? Happy Hump Day!

A Touch of Madness at the Next Midnight Brew!

A touch of madness invades the next Midnight Brew, Thursday, June 21, as we welcome returning guests Cathy Clamp and C.T. Adams to talk about their latest release, Touch of Madness! GET SET FOR THE NEXT EXCITING CHAPTER IN KATE REILLY'S WORLD! Kate Reilly is having a bad month... She's on trial for murders she didn't commit. She's next on the list of a serial killer. The parasitic vampires known as the Thrall want her to investigate the murder of their young, and will use any means necessary to force her to bow to their demands. And---possibly worst of all---her boyfriend Tom's werewolf pack is trying to break them up so Tom can mate with other humans to ensure the survival of his pack. Now Kate must fight for Tom---and fight for her very survival! Read a sneak preview: Touch of Madness Read reviews for Touch of Madness Ms. Adams and Ms. Clamp began writing as a team in 1997, and quickly learned that their individual talents in writing created a dynamite combination in historical and paranormal novels. Since their first book hit the shelf in 2003, they have been on the go, selling eight more books to Tor Books for release through 2008. Both live in the Texas Hill Country and anticipate a long and fruitful writing career. As always, there will be a contest after the interview, and one lucky MMC reader will win a copy of their latest release. To find out how to enter, you'll have to stop by the Café, Thursday, June 21st! It's a Midnight Brew you won't want to miss!

Which Tarot Card Are You?

You are The High Priestess Science, Wisdom, Knowledge, Education. The High Priestess is the card of knowledge, instinctual, supernatural, secret knowledge. She holds scrolls of arcane information that she might, or might not reveal to you. The moon crown on her head as well as the crescent by her foot indicates her willingness to illuminate what you otherwise might not see, reveal the secrets you need to know. The High Priestess is also associated with the moon however and can also indicate change or fluxuation, particularily when it comes to your moods. What Tarot Card are You? Take the Test to Find Out.

In the name of research...

Can you feel the love? While researching demons for my latest erotic romance wip, I stumbled across a dungeon that houses homeless creatures of the night. These lonely creatures just sit about, practicing their flame throwing and evil cackles until some caring soul decides to adopt them and bring them home. Meet Grimoire. This furry bat creature followed me through the dungeons of the Adopt A Demon agency, and finally I took pity on the poor fellow. I guess it's a good thing I did. When I left the agency, I tried to drop him off at my own blog, but he followed me here to the MMC instead. He seems to have made himself quite comfortable hanging from one of the hanging lanterns in the corner. Ah well, as long as he's not chasing customers, he can stay. At any rate, if you have a little love for those poor unfortunate creatures of the night, hop on over the Adopt a Demon agency. You might just find a little devil that captures your heart. http://adoptademon.50webs.com/sitemenu.html

Weekend Flirt Alert

Saturday Night is Date Night Okay, so movie theaters aren't the best places in the world to flirt, (you don't want someone shhh-ing you every five minutes) but you can make a cozy evening at home with a rented DVD. With these hot new paranormal releases, your guy is not likely to complain that there's a little romance tucked away inside... Blood and Chocolate A good-looking pack of werewolves that has ruled Bucharest for 5,000 years becomes threatened when one among them begins to question the traditions they have adhered to over the centuries. Vivian is a teenage werewolf whose destiny has been tied to her pack since she was orphaned at a young age. The pack's menacing leader, Gabriel, has designs on Vivian, and hopes to make her his next wife, while the rest of Vivian's "family" keeps a close watch on her every move. This makes things difficult when Vivian, against her better judgment, begins a tentative relationship with Aiden, a graphic artist who has come to the city to study the mythical loup-garou for his next book. Vivian tries to keep her growing love a secret, but when Gabriel discovers that she has feelings for a human, he sets off a chain of events that threaten to destroy the pack--or change its bloodthirsty ways. Ghost Rider Johnny Blaze sacrifices his soul to Mephistopheles to save his dying father, but he quickly learns making deals with the devil don't always turn out the way you want them too... With Mephistopheles' end of the bargain paid in full, Johnny assumes the role of the devil's bounty hunter. In the presence of evil he becomes a flaming skull with the power to mete out justice to the wicked. There's just one problem. Roxanne, the love of his life, and the woman Johnny relucantly left behind all those years ago, has come back into his life... as a reporter bent on uncovering all his death defying secrets.

Test Your Book Smarts!

Want to Test Your Book Smarts? Think you have what it takes to go to the head of the class? Then try the quiz and see how you do! 1. pp stands for what? 2. The acknowledgments page is also called the _________ page? 3. A sum paid to the author in anticipation of royalty earnings is called an _______? 4. Supplementary materials printed at the end of the general text are called _______? 5. What is the name for an author's books in print that have not been recently published? 6. Events that occurred before the start of the book are called what? 7. What does BEA stand for? 8. Name the person at a publisher who corrects grammar and spelling in a manuscript and checks facts for accuracy and conformity. 9. What is the term for words or conversation spoken by the characters that advance the plot? 10. When a book is said to be written as an Epistolary, what does that mean? So, how did you do? Answers: 1. pages, 2. dedication, 3. advance, 4. appendix, 5. backlist, 6. backstory, 7. Book Expo America, 8. Copy Editor, 9. Dialogue, 10. written in the form of letters. 10 correct means you are an old pro at this publishing thing and could probably teach us a thing or two. 7-9 means you are a whiz who is well on their way to learning the business. 4-6 means you know a lot, but still have room to grow. 2-4 means you are still learning the ropes. 0-1 means you have some serious studying to do before the next pop quiz! ::cracks whip!::

Featured Author: MaryJanice Davidson

USA Today and New York Times best selling author MaryJanice Davidson has a new hit on her hands with the delightfully funny Undead and Uneasy. About the book: Weddings are never easy. But when you're Vampire Queen Betsey Taylor, they can become downright deadly... In the days leading up to The Big Day, Vampire Queen Betsy Taylor seems to have a full house and the wedding guests have yet to arrive. Along with her human buddies, there's a ghost, a werewolf, and a Fiend crashing at her place. And though her fiance, Vampire King Eric Sinclair, conveniently disappears when the conversation turns to seating charts and flower arrangements, he does manage to make his oh-so-sexy presence known at other moments. Cold feet are no surprise, especially with an undead groom. But when Sinclair truly goes missing-and not just to avoid wedding preparations-along with most of her friends and loved ones, Betsy is frantic. Alone and afraid for the fate of everyone she loves, Betsy can't trust anyone as she tries to find them and whoever is behind all the disappearances. And what happens next will shake the foundation of the vampire world forever. Ms. Davidson is credited with the creation of paranormal chick lit genre, and has a string of impressive romance titles under her belt, including Undead and Unwed, Sleeping With the Fishes, and Derik's Bane. Her series run the gamut from vampires to cyborgs, and her stories been included in many anthologies. There is a little something for every reader to enjoy with MaryJanice Davidson. Thank you, Ms. Davidson, for including the Midnight Moon Cafe in your 2007 "Uneasy" Book Tour! More books by MaryJanice Davidson... Sleeping with the Fishes... Fred is not your ordinary mermaid. She's not blonde. She's not buxom. And she's definitely not perky. In fact, Fred can be downright cranky. And it doesn't help matters that her hair is blue. While volunteering at the New England Aquarium, Fred learns that there are weird levels of toxins in the local seawater. A gorgeous marine biologist wants her help investigating. So does her merperson ruler, the High Prince of the Black Sea. You'd think it would be easy for a mermaid to get to the bottom of things. Think again. Dead and Loving It The Wyndham werewolves join the realm of the Undead vampires ruled by vampire queen, Betsy Taylor, in a quartet of romantic novellas set in the world of the paranormal in Dead and Loving It... Features the novellas:Santa Claws Monster Love - (vampire meets werewolf) There's No Such Thing As Werewolves - A blind werewolf is kicked out of his pack and falls in love with a homeless woman. A Fiend in Need - George the Fiend and Antonia (from Derik's Bane) meet up and save the day! Hello, Gorgeous! (book one of the cyborg series) Caitlyn James had one hell of a 21st birthday party - and that's exactly where she woke up - hell. She has been retooled - ala the bionic woman - and now is supposed to work for the government. She has other plans. But when the scientists on the team begin to turn up dead, Caitlyn must give in to her despicable boss and track down the Wolf, a renegade agent suspected of the murders. But when she finds him, things don't go quite as anyone (including Caitlyn) planned.

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Signs You Might Be Starting Menopause! 1. Movies you used to think sucked are now hysterically funny. 2. Laughing makes you pee. 3. Sneezing makes you pee. 4. Your online searches are now all for astronaut-strength Depends. 5. Your hubby starts hiding all the sharp implements BEFORE he makes any comments. 6. Your favorite hang-out is the frozen food section at the grocery. 7. Finally you know what a "fit of the vapours" really is. 8. You broke your vibrator. Again. 9. Your boyfriend is hiding under the bed instead of in it. (He saw what you did to the vibrator). 10. TV commercials for reality shows make you cry. So does QVC. Animal Planet? Don't go there. 11. Swollen feet. 12. Growling becomes your favorite response. Cackling for no good reason is second. 13. You start calling your kids by each other's names, then throw in an extra name, just in case. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. Red Garnier 2. Jennifer Shirk 3. Elle Fredix 4. Annie 5. Heather 6. Christine D'Abo 7. Marissa Scott 8. Gina Ardito 9. Jennifer McKenzie 10. Sara Thacker 11. Joely Sue Burkhart 12. Daisy Dexter Dobbs 13. Rhian 14. Cora Zane 15. Rene Lyons 16. Rhonda Stapleton 17. Babe King 18. Adelle Laudan 19. Angela/SciFi Chick 20. Paige Tyler 21. Susan Helene Gottfried 22. Debbie Mumford 23. Darla 24. Seeley deBorn 25. Robin L. Rotham 26. Anna J. Evans 27. Tink 28. Anya Bast 29. Gabriella Hewitt 30. Yolanda Stefos 31. Alasandra 32. RG Alexander 33. Erica Scott 34. Tilly Green Get the Thursday Thirteen code here! The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted! View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Hump Day Hunk

Wow! It's getting hot in here. And this hunk is ready to put out any fire. *winks* Happy Hump Day!

It's All In the Name

Picking out the names for your main characters isn't easy. The names have to not only fit the character's personality, but also reflect something of their background. As their creator, we have a luxury that parents don't have. If they could look inside a mirror and see how their offspring would turn out, do you think there would be a lot of name changes? Oh, I do. I think a lot of parents would go search for that baby book pretty darn fast! Names also have meanings, ones we hope will imbue the same qualities in our children. So there are sure to be a lot of kids running around named Augustus, meaning majestic...right? Time changes everything and popular baby names are no exception. And since many writers get their characters names from searching through baby books, I thought I'd list the top five popular baby names in America and Canada. Boys (U.S./Canada) are: Jacob/ Ethan Joshua/ Joshua Matthew/ Matthew Michael/ Jacob Ethan/ Nicholas Girls (U.S./Canada) are: Emily/ Emma Emma/ Emily Madison/ Sarah Abigail/ Madison Olivia/ Hannah So what are the names of the heroes and heroines from your favorite books? Top American names courtesy of:

Tempest goes on a shopping spree

This past Saturday I received a $5 coupon from Borders, and another $5 coupon for using the Borders Visa card. So what is a girl like to me to do with all that money? Go shopping... book shopping that is! And with sooo many good paranormal romances coming out this month, I felt like a little kid in a candy story. Oh, so many goodies on the shelves, so little money! I had a hard time deciding which ones to buy. Here are the ones I picked. Rises the Night by Colleen Gleason The glorious nineteenth-century city of Rome gives rise to a new threat from the Immortal Undead... Victoria Gardella has been a vampire slayer for just over a year, balancing her life as a peer of Society with the dangerous role that takes her out on moonlit streets, stake in hand. As Victoria races across Europe to stop what could be the most deadly army the Gardellas have ever faced, she is accompanied by the unlikely Sebastian Vioget, a man as tempting as he is untrustworthy. But when Victoria discovers that she has been betrayed by one of her most trusted allies, the truth will challenge all her powers as a Venator – and as a woman. Witch Hunt by Shirley Damsgaard Small-town librarian Ophelia Jensen is finally starting to embrace her lot as one of the "chosen"—a psychic and folk magick practitioner, a.k.a. a witch. Expert loving guidance from her magickally adept grandmother Abby helps—and adopting Tink, an exceptionally talented teenage medium, has given Ophelia's life new purpose . . . until a brutal murder clouds the sunshine of their days. Ophelia's co-worker and best friend, Darci, is distraught when her cousin is implicated in the small Iowa town of Summerset's most recent murder—the violent death of a biker. Unfortunately for Darci's cousin, it's her fingerprints all over the murder weapon. She claims she's innocent, but it'll take Ophelia and Abby more than a good incantation or two to get to the bottom of this crime—what with ghosts, crooked cops, secret identities, and a small army of outlaw bikers thrown into this devil's brew. Changeling by Yasmine Galenorn Meet the D'Artigo Sisters-three half human, half-Faerie, wild and sexy members of the OIA-the Otherworld Intelligence Agency. Camille, a witch, Delilah, a werecat, and Menolly, an acrobat extraordinaire turned vampire, are sent Earthside to keep them out of trouble by their superiors, but the girls find themselves smack in the middle of Demon-Central when Shadow Wing, the leader of the Subterranean Realms, decides to attempt a coup on both Earth and Otherworld. Now, with their erratic powers, the sisters must use their collective talents to prevent the demons from taking over and to save two worlds, one monster at a time. Delilah: "Someone’s been slaughtering the Weres of the Rainier Puma Pride, and my sisters and I have been enlisted to investigate by Zachary Lyonnesse, golden boy of the werepumas. Right away we smelled demon trouble, and we tracked it directly into the snare of the Hunters Moon Clan, sworn enemies of Puma Pride. But there’s more than Were rivalry at work. It’s that old demon Shadow Wing who’s setting a deadly snare for the pumas. We have to find out why, which means a visit one to of the Immortals. Unfortunately, for my sisters and me, our half-human blood is just enough to put us in mortal danger." Witch Fire by Anya Bast Mira Hoskins doesn’t know she’s a natural born witch who possesses the rare--and powerful--element of air. She also never expected to find herself tied to a mahogany bed frame, captive to a man who aches to fulfill her every desire and let loose the magick that dwells inside her… Heat emanates from elemental fire witch Jack McAllister. The Coven, a governing authority of witches, has sent him to protect Mira from a band of warlocks who drain witches of power… and life. Long ago, he saw Mira’s parents murdered by this same dark magick. He’d like to quell his guilt and offer her everything she deserves. But she’s the long-lost cousin of his boss--making seduction off-limits. With Jack’s strong guidance, Mira is luring forth her inner magick. But his sense of duty is quickly swelling into insatiable hunger. They warned him about the natural attraction between air and fire. Now he risks being consumed by the woman he shouldn’t want--but can’t stay away from … Now the question is... WHICH ONE SHOULD I READ FIRST? *bangs her head against the desk* Ouch... Decisions... decisions... decisions...

How Psychic Are You?

You Are 80% Psychic You are so very psychic. But you already predicted that, didn't you? You have "the gift" - and you use it daily to connect with others. You're very tapped into the world around you... Just make sure to use your powers for good! Are You Psychic? This is a fun little quiz! The most psychic incidents I've ever had have been dream related. There have been quite a few of those. What about you? Have you ever had a psychic experience?

Representin'...So Please Vote for Me!

As the only Moonmaid nominated in the Ciar Cullen's Passion author contest, I am representin' the Midnight Moon Cafe and my fellow moonmaids, and asking for your vote! You can vote for either Compulsion by Cassandra Curtis, or Shifting Tides: Beneath A Midnight Sea by Cassandra Curtis, but please vote for me! To vote, simply go to: Ciar Cullen's Passion If I win, I promise to clean up corruption, help the needy, protect the environment and provide a plan of action so that everyone has health insurance! My fellow Americans, I call on you today to help each other, lend a hand, respect one another, respect individual rights, care for the planet, and embrace the future. I want to reach out– Oh, oops! ::blush:: Wrong speech. My bad. That's for when I try for president of the United States. ::grin:: Anyway, please go vote. ::Big Smile:: Oh, and you don't have to reside or be from the U.S. to vote in Ciar's contest, so all my Canadian buddies, my mates from Oz, Britain, and Ireland, my dearest friends from P.R., the fun gals I met in Germany, the naughty boys I met from Brasil (ooh yeah), my good friends in Denmark and Finland, plus everyone else (except those on Sigma Dante Four...sorry ya'll, this is only for planet earth, but I'll catch ya on the flip side :smile: ), so come on out and rock the vote!

Flash Fiction Friday : Turn Of A Friendly Card

Turn of a Friendly Card by Cassandra Curtis, © 2007 Keeley tapped her fingers on her lips, fighting the urge to pull open the drawer and take the deck of cards from her grandmother's writing desk. Better to put distance between herself and temptation, but curiosity won out. What'd she'd seen couldn't possibly be, right? People trapped by her grandmother's ancient magick, flattened into the dimensional space of a tarot card? When she'd first seen the deck of ensorcelled cards, she'd thrown them in the desk drawer, and slammed it shut. She wanted to deny the power of the dark magick, deny she was its heir. And yet if what she'd seen was real, then only she had the power to free those trapped within the alternate dimension, caught between worlds. Before she could stop herself, her hand reached out, opened the desk and took the deck from the drawer. She released the closure on the cardboard case and withdrew the pack of 78 black-edged cards. She placed them face down in a fan spread and let her hand hover over them, sweeping back and forth until one felt "hot" to her budding psychic senses. Keeley lifted it up with a single finger and flipped it over. The Magician. The fellow pictured looked none too happy. How long had he been trapped in the flatlands, imprisoned in the tarot card? Why had her Grandmother seen fit to act as this man's jailer? What had been his crime? He made small movements, his face twisted in anger. Perhaps she should release someone else less threatening? His dark eyes burned through the card, their intensity almost mesmerizing. She shivered and set his card away from her, then decided to flip over another card in the deck. A young girl sat uneasily on a seat of pentacles, her body fidgeting ever so slightly. Forever out of sync with the world beyond the flatlands. Keeley's world. She turned one last card and shuddered. The Tower. The man trapped inside was little more than a teenager. He wailed his anger and determination to escape his one-dimensional jail, as he silently fell to his death, frozen in time. This was insane. But it was no hallucination. She had to go back and reread her grandmother's journals. She had to know why such a sweet old woman would use such a foul magick. She gripped the red leather journal and scanned the pages...nothing about why or what these people had done to warrant such a cruel existence...nothing but the ritual needed to bind them to the tarot cards. At the last page, she saw the spell required to release them, the rite of unbinding. Should she? The girl looked so sad, but Keeley's eyes were drawn back to the Magician. His dark good looks pulled her. Decision made, she reached for her grandmother's athame and pricked the palm of her hand. She intoned the words of unbinding. Three precise droplets of her blood spotted the tarot card. It was too late to change her mind. Already, smoke rose from the card, a grayish swirling mass. She stood, and backed away from the desk. As the haze cleared, she gasped. A man, tall and lean, with black eyes, black hair and a goatee, and dressed in top hat and tails, stood not four feet from her. –to read more about Keeley and her Magician, watch for future installments at the Midnight Moon Cafe's Flash Fiction Friday... :)

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Reasons to Visit Puerto Rico 1. El Yunque 2. The beaches 3. Cavernas de Camuy 4. The coral reefs 5. Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastian (see them in the movie "Captain Ron") 6. Beautiful sunsets 7. Museo de Arte de Ponce 8. Porta Coeli (oldest convent in the New World) 9. El Morro 10. Wild flowers of summer 11. Vejigantes 12. Our traditions 13. Hot Puerto Rican men Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. Red Garnier 2. Jennifer Shirk 3. Elle Fredix 4. Annie 5. Heather 6. Christine D'Abo 7. Marissa Scott 8. Gina Ardito 9. Jennifer McKenzie 10. Sara Thacker 11. Joely Sue Burkhart 12. Daisy Dexter Dobbs 13. Rhian 14. Cora Zane 15. Rene Lyons 16. Rhonda Stapleton 17. Babe King 18. Adelle Laudan 19. Angela/SciFi Chick 20. Paige Tyler 21. Susan Helene Gottfried 22. Debbie Mumford 23. Darla 24. Seeley deBorn 25. Robin L. Rotham 26. Anna J. Evans 27. Tink 28. Anya Bast 29. Gabriella Hewitt 30. Yolanda Stefos 31. Alasandra 32. RG Alexander Get the Thursday Thirteen code here! The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted! View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

I Guess I Won't Be A Ghost Hunter...

I so want to enter this, but the hubster said no way. Darn it. I mean, it's not like I'd spend all my time flirting with the guys. I would help set up equipment or something when I'm not chatting with the local ghosts. Ah well, maybe you can try out? Here's the info: Ghost Hunter News New Ghost Hunter Sought SCI FI Channel will kick off "Hunt for the Hunter," a national search for the newest member of the Ghost Hunters team, as a promotion for its new season of the show, which returns June 6 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. On that day, Ghost Hunter wannabes can visit SCIFI.COM to enter the Hunt for the Hunter competition. There they will find tools, such as the Ghost Hunter's Gear Guide and the T.A.P.S. Web site, to help them prepare. Entrants will be asked to submit audition videos, which will be rated by viewers and online users. Series hosts Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson will choose three finalists from among the top 10 highest-rated audition videos. The three finalists will be announced during the first fall episode. They will then get a chance to prove their mettle by competing during the annual Ghost Hunters live telecast on Halloween. Viewers will vote for their favorite contender via text message and online; Hawes and Wilson will have the final word and will reveal the winner during the following week's season finale. The winner will return in an episode in next year's season four.

Hump Day Hunk

Oops! We need help by the pool. Seems like one of our werepanthers is having problems keeping his towel in place. Any volunteers? Happy Hump Day!

Excerpt Tuesday - Dominant Territory

Dominant Territory, coming to Cobblestone Press June 29th! The moment Libby steps into the Moonlight Run with her girlfriends, she realizes they have made a serious mistake. One look at the clientele and she knows this is no place to have a ladies night out. The backwoods bar is isolated for a very good reason—they cater to local werewolves on the eve of the change. Drake never thought himself the type to consider a human for a mate. Then Libby shows up and crosses over into Werekind territory. One look at her and his heart is lost. After one dance, he'll stop at nothing to claim her for his own... Sneak Peek! An excerpt from the book: “So, this is where you live?” he asked as they tromped up the front steps. “This is it.” She pushed through the screen door and held it open for him, welcoming him into her home. His boots thudded on the hardwood floor. The house inside was cool and otherwise quiet, the only sound coming from the birds outside and the electric hum of the refrigerator at the far end. She latched the screen like always, and left the front door open to catch the natural light, which gleamed across the gray, hardwood floors like a fuzzy white stripe. She stepped aside, letting Drake look around, unable to imagine what he must think or what he could possibly glean from the sparse decoration of her house. The front room had a couch and a television, and a few books on the built-in shelf along the back wall, but nothing else, nothing that hinted at her personality. She kept the place tidy, but she didn’t own much, hadn’t really focused on fixing it up since moving in, which now that she had company, embarrassed her a little. “It’s kind of bare,” she said apologetically, and he looked over at her, his gentle gaze warming her as it touched her face. “You live alone,” he said, then glanced over to the mantle above the fireplace where she kept the pictures of her parents and her friends. “I wondered if you did. Is this your family?” “That would be them.” “They live around here?” “No, not here in Silver. Not anymore. Once dad retired, they sold our old house on Potter Street and moved to Florida.” She sighed. “Looks like I’m the only straggler in the family still hanging around here.” “I’m glad for your straggling.” With a teasing grin, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. Excitement beat at her. She’d thought she’d never see him again, much less hold him. Now here they were in her den, no friends to scold her for wanting him, no one to stop her from claiming what she knew in her soul she wanted. She reached out to smooth her hands over the flat lapels of his leather jacket, caressing him as she might’ve caressed his bare skin. He gathered her close, his lips moving expertly against hers in a sweet, yet sensual kiss. His tongue traced the inner edges of her lips then withdrew. His smoky eyes turned serious. “I’ve thought of nothing but you since I first laid eyes on you.” “At the bar,” she whispered in acknowledgement, but Drake shook his head. “On the street with your friends. You were window shopping on the downtown strip that day. It was on the weekend; there was a bike rally going on in town.” Libby gaped at him in surprise. She knew just what day he was talking about. “That was weeks ago.” “I know.” He chuckled. “Oh, trust me, I know it…” He kissed her then, a teasing kiss that left her lips too quickly and trailed to her throat, her collarbone. She sighed and let her eyes slip shut as she tilted her head back, allowing him access. She ran her fingers through his thick hair then trailed the edge of one palm across the faint stubble on his cheek. The abrasion felt amazing, incredibly intimate. He nuzzled her closer, his lips seeking her mouth once again. She kissed him, short, deep kisses that stirred her heart and made her hungry for more. Her hands drifted lower, sought flesh under the shield of his leather jacket, but the black T-shirt he wore barred her exploration. She slipped her hands under the thin material, but it wasn’t enough. She looked up at him, kissing his chin as she reached up and tugged at the shoulder of his leather jacket. “Why don’t you take this off?” He pulled back from her without a word, his eyes bright blue, heated, and dangerous looking as he shrugged out of the heavy coat and tossed it on the sofa. While she watched, his black T-shirt went the route of his coat. He grasped it at the hem and tugged it up over his head in one smooth move that revealed his beautifully tan skin and gorgeous ripped abs. She couldn’t stop herself. She lifted her hands and smoothed over the sides, his stomach. His muscles contracted as her fingers brushed through the narrow strip of golden hair trailing down into the top of his jeans, and an aching heaviness nestled low in her abdomen. He took one of her hands and kissed it, briefly sucking the tip of one finger into his moist mouth. “I showed you mine, angel. Now it’s your turn.” His expression dared her, tempted her. They were standing in front of the open doorway facing the street, which made his words seem all the more risqué. Exciting. Holding his gaze with hers, she tugged her T-shirt over her head and tossed it away. * * * * Dominant Territory ties in with all my previous Werekind stories: Crossing Borders, and Bonding Experience, as well as my freebie short stories Heart on Fire, and Under a Midnight Moon. Both free short stories are available for download in .pdf and .lit formats courtesy of the Midnight Moon Cafe Website!

Season premiere of HEX

Okay, how many of you were glued to the TV on Saturday waiting for the season premiere of HEX? Raise your hands! *raises her hand* Was it awesome?! OMG! It kept me on the edge! Well, if you didn't, you missed a great episode! First, they gave 2 previous episodes. Now they introduced 450-yrs-old Ella Dee, descendant of John Dee, and last of her Anointed Ones. Her mission is to kill the fallen angel Azazeal, so he doesn't get a son - the messiah of the fallen angels - from a woman. Of course, she's late. So it's a race against time, Azaziel trying to keep his son, Malachi, save from Ella. I love those episodes showing the conflict between Ella and Azazael. The one in which he's part of the colonial witch trials... oh baby! He looks soooo sexy with his long hair! On the season premier episode Malachi is already grown up. And what a hottie! Hehehe! Here now the conflict begins between Ella and him. The parting words between Azazeal to Ella quite foreshadow what's to come. The sad thing about this episode was that Azazeal would no longer be part of the series. Yes, no more Michael Fassbender. *cries* Oh, I know HEX is an old series (2004 - 2005), which was canceled after the end of the second season (2006). (BOOOO!!!! *hiss*) But I just discovered it, and to me it's like new. *wg* I went by Wikipedia and found the spoilers, and ... OMG!... I can't wait to see the reminding episodes of the second series. The first season is already available on DVD, and season 2 is coming up soon. I just might extend my credit card... Hm...

Summer Sizzlers Make Great Reading

Writer/book reviewer Cerri Ellis is making a splash this summer, and you are invited to jump in. Cerri is a great friend to the MMC and has posted news about our past Midnight Brews on her blog The Shape of Imagination, so we thought to give back a little love and tell our readers about her summer sizzler contest. From now until July 30, 2007, she'll post information about some of the hottest erotica and erotic romance books coming out this summer, and will be giving away one of her featured Summer Sizzlers to one lucky reader who posts a comment on her Summer Sizzler articles. The winner will be announced at her blog on or around July 31, 2007. Pretty nice, huh? Oh, and best of all, fellow moodmaid and MMC co-owner, Cora Zane will be featured in an upcoming post on Cerri's blog, for her soon-to-be released book, Dominant Territory! Which means, if you win, you could choose Cora's book! Pretty awesome, huh? So check it out and make a comment on any of the Shape of Imagination posts marked "Summer Sizzler" and you could win!

What's Your Travel Personality?

There's no better time to travel than a summer weekend... Where would you want to go? To a sunny beach filled with lots of beautiful bodies? Or maybe you'd prefer to go on a castle tour in the Highlands? Do you like your vacations planned down to the wire? Or are you the type (like myself) who prefer to wing it when you reach your destination? If you're not sure what you'd like, why not take the quiz and find out? Your Travel Personality Is: Easygoing When you travel, you're looking for a lot of downtime. Vacations are your chance to recoup. All you need is a scenic spot and plenty of time on your hands. You'll figure out the rest. You're not one to make lots of plans when you travel. You just follow whatever path seems right. What's Your Travel Personality? Happy Saturday, everyone!

Colleen Gleason's Contest Winner!

Well, the clock has struck midnight and that means Lady Luck is ready to smile upon one of you who posted during yesterday's interview with Ms. Colleen Gleason. The lucky blogger is... Cory Yay! You'll receive via mail a 6'0 feet, sea-green eyes, midnight-black hair, venator with stakes and... *Cassandra taps her in her shoulder and whispers something* Ehem... *coughs a few times* It's been called to my attention Cora has been seen in her bike driving away with the venator tied up behind. Sorry about that, chica. But instead you'll receive a copy of Rises the Night. *wg* Send me your name and snail-mail address to: midnightmooncafe@gmail.com