The Midnight Brew Presents: Isabelle Santiago

With three years of experience directing musical theater under Isabelle’s belt, the world has invariably become her stage. It’s a strange, twisted little place, though it never lacks interesting characters. Granted, not everyone lives the Tony award winning musical that’s in her head. In an alternate life, Isabelle may have been an Art History major, or perhaps even a museum curator. Living on the New England coastline, her favorite time of day is midnight, with a Vanilla Creme in her hands and the glowing light of the computer screen shining in the darkness. That’s when the world is quiet, except for the occasional sound of rain falling on the skylight of her loft apartment. The Midnight Moon Café is pleased to welcome author Isabelle Santiago to The Midnight Brew! MMC: Do you remember the first paranormal romance you ever read? Isabelle: *dreamy sigh* Absolutely, it’s been permanently embedded in my mind. The book was Beyond Forever by Debra Dier, about a ghost who needs the heroine's help in saving his son and preventing his own premature death. It was my mother's—one of those books with a 'typical romance cover': man and woman in a tight embrace, his shirt ripped open, her boobs hanging out of her dress. I didn't expect much going into it so you can imagine my pleasant surprise at finding a time travel romance so achingly beautiful, I've actually reread it close to five times. MMC: When did you first become interested in writing paranormal romances? Isabelle: Fantasy, science fiction and paranormal have always been staples in my choices for entertainment. The books I read, the shows I watch, the stories I write. My very first novel was high fantasy. And almost everything I've written since has been touched by some form of the fantastic or paranormal. I'm just much more interested in the way those genres complicate the lives of ordinary people. And even though my first contracted books are considered contemporary because of the time frame (1950s), anyone who has read them can see they have more of a historical flare, giving them that magical, far off feel. I have no idea what it is. I've been forever ruined for modern contemporary romances. MMC: Who influenced you the most in your writing? Isabelle: Karen Marie Moning has been a huge influence on me. I read The Dark Highlander and fell head over heels in love with the dark, brooding, and tortured paranormal hero. And in her recent Fever series, I love that the stakes are so high that the fate of the very world rests on the shoulders of the heroine. It makes for some seriously obsessive reading. MMC: When and where do you get your best writing done? Isabelle: Late at night! I'm a total night owl. For about two years, I could not write a single word until the clock struck midnight. I used to call it my magic hour. ;) Then, I started working early shifts at my job, having to open shop at 7am. Getting to bed at three or four in the morning stopped looking so appealing. I learned to get my 'creative' time under control. I still write best at night, but now I can at least start at 8pm or so. MMC: How much time do you dedicate to research for your stories? Isabelle: I do an insane amount of research for nearly every story I write. I have files full of what others may consider useless information that I have either used or plan to use in the near future. A lot of it is based on mythology, the use of plants and herbs in oils, potions, poisons, serums, ancient religions, foreign customs, even some of the most current findings in physics and time travel. Because you never know when your characters might need to build a time machine. Ha ha. MMC: Can you tell us a little about your latest book, Surfacing? Isabelle: Surfacing—it's so difficult to explain how Surfacing was born. Believe it or not, its first incarnation was in fanfiction. It was an unconventional story in terms of the characters, mostly because I expelled more personal demons than anyone has the right to on paper. Really major changes were happening in my life that I didn't know how to deal with and my only release at the time was writing. I tortured the characters mercilessly and got seriously flamed for it. But—in the end, I realized that I'd touched something in the people whose poor fan hearts I'd broken. I'd stirred emotions that ran pretty deep which told me that maybe there was something more to the story than I anticipated. A few years later I was struck by a vivid scene of a teenage girl and a boy with silver eyes giving her a journal. When she opened it and I peeked at what was inside, it sparked an entirely new backstory/mythology that I realized fit the mold of what Surfacing once was at its core—the story of a woman willing to toss off a life of comfort and security for a chance to live the dream, the fairytale, an epic soul-shattering romance. But at what cost? In the end, will the sacrifices made be worth it? And so, Surfacing, as it now exists, was born. :) MMC: How much of your life becomes incorporated in your novels? Isabelle: I think there's a little bit of me in every story I write. Whether it's corny little isms that I add to a story that my closest friends pick up on or serious emotional baggage that I mold to fit my character's specific situation. I think you have to be able to truly live and breathe and feel what your characters are experiencing in some way to make it believable to your readers. Granted, its fiction, but if it can make you, the author, cry or laugh, then likely, it'll have the same effect on your readers. MMC: Do you have any favorite past-times or hobbies when you're not busy writing? Isabelle: Karaoke! *blushes* I'm such a karaoke dork, it's actually kind of embarrassing. I've entered 3 contests, won one, and placed rather well in the others. I go all out—costumes, crazy hair, glitter makeup and I rock out to the likes of Pat Benatar or Pink. My family usually makes an event of it and they all come to drink and cheer. It's an insanely good time. MMC: Do you have any advice for our readers who aspire to become published authors? Isabelle: READ. I can't possibly stress that enough. There is so much about writing that I learned through reading. I analyzed books the way students analyze text books. What about this works? What doesn't? Why am I drawn to it? Is it the characters? The plot? Learn your strengths and weakness by writing every day (or at least as often as possible depending on your circumstances). The truth is, the more you do it, the more comfortable you'll become and there's nothing more spectacular than the moment you find your 'voice' and you're telling YOUR story with YOUR characters. Granted there's always more to learn, but... MMC: Do you have a newsletter, blog, or website where fans can read about you and your books? Isabelle: My home on the web is Twisted Fairytale http://twistedfairytale.net There you can find information on all of my current releases, upcoming projects, and even some bonus materials like playlists and deleted scenes. I also try to post regularly on my blog: http://twistedfairytale.net/blog Topics range depending on the day and the mood, but it's a fun way to communicate with authors and readers from all around the US and even overseas! I've met some great people blog-hopping so I'm pretty fond of it. Come on by, I'd love it if you stopped on in. :) Surfacing by Isabelle Santiago Paige Jacobs lives the perfect life with her fiancé, Ryan, but the memory--or fantasy--of a gorgeous boy with silver eyes consumes her. Her sister Aimee, the only one who knows the dangerous secrets of her past, refuses to talk about them. Feeling very much alone and obsessing over the haunting memories, Paige decides to write a book in hope of finally dispelling the precious memories so she can move on. Every chapter she writes brings her closer to the boy she'd loved so much in her youth. Then one morning in a coffee shop, she encounters a man with silver eyes. Has she crossed the line between reality and fantasy? For more information about Ms. Santiago's book, check out her publisher's page. ~Contest Time~ How would you like to win a copy of Surfacing? Leave a comment now and you'll be entered to win a copy of Ms. Santiago's book!

Hump Day Hunk

Oh my... What a big gun he has! We love our Troops! In...or out of uniform. *wicked grin*

Edge of Hunger

Dangerous passions awaken an ancient hunger impossible to deny in book one of the seductive new Primal Instinct series… Ian Buchanan has always felt the unknown—the deep, impenetrable darkness that lives within him. Yet he is determined to lead a “normal” life, ignoring the unsettling dreams in which he succumbs to his wildest desires… Until psychic Molly Stratton tracks him down, claiming to share his sensual nightmares. The petite Molly even has the bite marks to prove it. And she’s also received a message from Ian’s deceased mother: an enemy is near. And it’s time for the creature inside Ian to finally awaken. A creature with an insatiable hunger that must be controlled before it overtakes them both… Edge of Hunger by Rhyannon Byrd ISBN 10: 0373773676 ISBN 13: 9780373773671

Isabelle Santiago this Thursday at the MMC

Join us this Thursday, April 30th when author Isabelle Santiago visits us for a fun Midnight Brew here at the Cafe. She'll be talking about her love of paranormal romance and her wonderful new book Surfacing. About the book... Paige Jacobs lives the perfect life with her fiancé, Ryan, but the memory--or fantasy--of a gorgeous boy with silver eyes consumes her. Her sister Aimee, the only one who knows the dangerous secrets of her past, refuses to talk about them. Feeling very much alone and obsessing over the haunting memories, Paige decides to write a book in hope of finally dispelling the precious memories so she can move on. Every chapter she writes brings her closer to the boy she'd loved so much in her youth. Then one morning in a coffee shop, she encounters a man with silver eyes. Has she crossed the line between reality and fantasy? Be sure to drop by and say hello, and leave a comment or two for your chance to win a copy of Surfacing. We hope to see you there!

Pop Quiz: What Candle Scent Should You Light?

You Should Light a Citrus Candle You are optimistic yet restless. You love your life but always are thinking of bigger and better things. You love being on the move. You have plenty of energy to chase your dreams. You're the type of person who trusts your gut. You're very independent, and you've made some unusual choices in your life. You are cheerfully offbeat and a true free spirit. You challenge others to get more out of life. What Scent Candle Should You Light?

Hunters, Vamps, and Weres: Harper Allen's Triplet Bombshells!

Sassy vampire slayers. Check. Sexy vampires. Check. If you've not Megan's preparing to walk down the aisle with her triplet sisters as her bridesmaids when their long-lost grandfather Darkheart interrupts with staggering news: they are heirs of an ancient vampire-slaying legacy. One of them is a natural-born slayer. One is a healer. One will become a vampire. And they're all in imminent danger from the vamp who murdered their mother. With a fiancé out for blood, a bodyguard as wild as he is wolf and a dreamy detective on her trail, Megan is unnerved and deeply conflicted. If the prophecy is true, she may be her sisters' deadliest enemy. But if it's not, who will save them all from a world turned vamp? The Crosse triplets have had a hell of a year. To their shock, their grandfather Darkheart revealed that the sisters hail from a long line of vampire slayers. According to legend, one of them is the new slayer. One can heal vampires. And one will turn into a blood-sucking vamp. Professional vampire-hunter Jack Rawls believes sexy, cocktail-loving Kat is the vamp-to-be. Desperate not to turn fang, Kat enlists the wary Jack to help her find Maplesburg's "vamp zero," Cyrus Kane. With Kane dead--permanently--she might be able to stop the prophecy in its tracks. But Kat hadn't counted on her growing feelings for Jack, or the charisma and true evil of Kane.... Ever since Tash's grandfather Darkheart revealed the big family secret Tash and her triplet sisters were born of a vampire slayer—Tash's life has been a series of surprises. But none of that prepared her for the possibility of turning vamp herself. That's the good news. The bad? The most gorgeous man she's ever laid eyes on is over two hundred years old. And one of her sisters wants to stake him, while the other wants to doom him to a life of tortured guilt. Worse yet, with a new Queen Vamp in town, it's up to Tash to infiltrate her army. As a semihuman, there's no danger of Tash falling under Lady Jasmine's control. Or so she thinks.

Pop Quiz:

Go to this site: http://www.triviaplaza.com/quiz.php?trivia=movie-books-2 play the trivia game and come back to the MMC blog and let us know how you did. Did you miss any? Or get them all right?

Friday Finds

Kiss of Heat : Feline Breeds, Vol. 3 They've waited a decade to come together. Long years filled with unbearable pain, and soul-wrenching torment that have changed them both. Left wounds that have laid their souls bare. Wounds that stand one chance of healing—if only they could stop fighting each other long enough for the truth to work its healing balm. Kane, a relentless warrior, lost more than his heart to Sherra in a night of mating passion that marked them both for life. But news of her death ripped his soul apart. For years he has fought to avenge the death of the woman he loved more than his own life, by revealing the deceit and cruelty of the Council that created the Breeds. But Sherra didn't die. In a cruel and evil twist she was convinced by her sadistic handlers that the man she had given her body, heart and soul to had betrayed not only her, but the child she carried—and lost. Amid the rapidly escalating violence against the Feline Breeds, Kane and Sherra learn that there's more to mating than just the "heat", just as there's more to love than just the sex. Megan's Mark In an intriguing new world, genetically altered Breeds and the humans who created them commingle-and sometimes cross the boundaries of desire. Now, Megan, an empathetic sheriff's deputy, and Branden, an arrogant Feline Breed, hunt elusive killers while falling prey to their insatiable hunger for one another. Tanner's Scheme After the Feline Breeds' main base is attacked, Tanner desires revenge. So he kidnaps Scheme Tallant-the daughter of a one-time high-ranking member of the Genetics Council. But when Tanner discovers that Scheme herself is a target of her father's ruthless mission, his vengeance takes a back seat to saving the life of the woman he hopes to claim as his mate. Dawn's Awakening The runt of the lab she was created in, Dawn Daniels endured years of torture by her pride brother and the council soldiers. Finally freed from her torment, she's now a Breed Enforcer, in control of her own life. Until she's assigned to protect the one man destined to be her mate- and realizes it's far too easy to lose total control.

Thursday Thirteen

13 Fallen Angels 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.

MMC's Shifter/Were Pick of 2009 is

With eleven votes, we proclaim Hugh Jackman as our Shifter Pick for 2009! Woo-hoo! Way to go Hugh! You are the Wolverine we all know and love! The reader winner is MEL!!!! Congratulations, Mel! Please email us at midnightmooncafe @ gmail. com (no spaces) with your name and mailing address so we can send your prize. Thank you to everyone who participated by voting! ((hugs)) Cass, Cora, Tempest, and A.E. —for those who wonder, Jensen Ackles came in second with 8 votes, and Vin Diesel came in third with 7 votes.

The Final Round: Shifters and Weres

The time has come and the final challenge is about to commence. In round one, MMC readers voted and by a slim margin, Vin Diesel won. In round two, you voted (again a tight margin) and picked Jensen Ackles for the win. And then, in round three, you chose Hugh Jackman as your top choice. Now it's time for the last head to head match up. A single hunky actor will be named as the Midnight Moon Café's Shifter Pick of 2009! Will it be Vin, Jensen, or Hugh? You decide. If you leave a comment, you will be entered in a drawing for a goodies bag direct from the MMC treasure vault, so vote now!

Alexis Morgan and her mysterious Paladins

Dark Protector Blurb: Devlin Bane: Born a Paladin, he is a member of an ancient band of warriors locked in a centuries-old war against evil. His destiny: To die over and over again to protect mankind from the Others, only to be revived each time by his mortal Handler. But his fierce strength and courage cannot save him from gradually becoming one of the monsters he was born to destroy. Dr. Laurel Young, who has spent years training to become a Handler, must remain detached from her patients. But each time she revives the darkly compelling Devlin Bane, he claims a little more of her soul and incites in her desires that grow wilder and wilder -- even as he inches closer to losing his humanity. As the war against the Others grows more desperate, Laurel and Devlin can't help but give in to the fierce hunger that's sizzled between them for so long. Now they'll face the ultimate battle together -- to save a dark, passionate love that goes against every rule as they join forces to fight an enemy who is closer than they ever imagined.... Dark Defender Blurb: As a Paladin warrior, Blake Trahern fights and dies again and again to keep mankind safe from the Others. Sensing his humanity slipping away with each battle, he retreats from the world...until the one person who still has a claim on his soul needs his help. It's been twelve years since Blake vanished from Brenna Nichols's life, years that have turned her from a love-struck teen into a headstrong, sensual woman. He'll fearlessly give his life to protect her -- yet he dare not risk his heart. Brenna is stunned by Blake's reappearance, and by a shocking discovery about her father. Everything she has ever believed is thrown into question -- everything except the desire that Blake still ignites. But as they search together for a traitor among the Paladins, danger looms: the next battle could tip Blake into madness, destroying his life, his soul...and the only woman he has ever loved. In Darkness Reborn Blurb: Once a warrior for the Others, Barak q'Young is caught between two worlds -- exiled from his homeland, and a pariah among his enemies, the Paladins. While hunting a betrayer who's selling the precious blue gems that light the Others' world, Barak must aid geologist Lacey Sebastian in her research for the Paladins. Barak is instantly drawn to the fiery, beautiful woman, but Lacey initially despises the enemy intruder. Soon she sees beyond his violent past, though, finding the dark warrior intriguing -- and extremely sexy. Though neither can resist the passion that blazes between them, Barak is torn between loyalties, hiding a secret gift that could prove useful to Lacey's research, at the sacrifice of his own people. But when Lacey is kidnapped and held hostage, Barak realizes he will do anything to save her . . . even risk his own life. Redeemed in Darkness Blurb: A fiercely beautiful female leader from the Other world, Lusahn q'Arc can't forget the Paladin warrior she met in battle -- his chiseled body and piercing, thoughtful eyes still haunt her dreams. While investigating the smuggling of the mysterious blue stones used to light her shadowy world, Lusahn receives word that her missing brother, Barak, is alive -- and working with the Paladins. Although angry at his betrayal, she arranges to meet him. But at the appointed time it is not Barak who arrives, but Cullen Finley -- the enemy warrior who torments her memory. Intense attraction immediately burns between Lusahn and Cullen despite their rival loyalties, and they can't help surrendering to passion. Their time together is limited, though, for soon Cullen must return to his own world -- with or without Lusahn. But when carefully laid plans go awry, together they must fight to keep their forbidden romance a secret -- and keep each other alive.

We ROCK!

Pop Quiz: What Big Cat Are You?

You Are a Cougar You have more strength than most people, and with it, the ability to inflict a lot of harm. Your power gives you confidence, and you find leading others to be easy. You believe that you need to the best, and you are very driven to excel. Most people immediately admire you, but some people feel very envious of your abilities. What Big Cat Are You?

Ancestral Magic Winner

It's that time again! The drawing has taken place for a signed copy of Moondancer Drake's Ancestral Magic and the winner is.... tetewa! Congratulations, tetewa! Be sure to email Moondancerdrake (at) gmail (dot) com with your mailing information so she can get your book out to you! To Moondancer Drake, and everyone who participated in the book feature, we thank you. Remember to keep checking back for other opportunities to win books and prizes at the Midnight Moon Cafe. :0)

Sassy witches make for sassy reads...

Looking for something to read but tired of the same ole paranormal romances? Try these paranormal romantic comedies. Bestselling author Annette Blair has created Kitchen Witch When Salem, Massachusetts TV Producer, Logan Kilgarven, needs a sitter, his mysterious new downstairs neighbor comes highly recommended. But when Melody Seabright opens her star-studded door, Logan knows she's just the kind of woman who can knock him back on his bad-boy ass. With showmanship, magic spells, sex appeal, and a dynamite concept--THE KITCHEN WITCH--the culinary challenged siren cons her way into hosting her own cooking show. Logan's boss is charmed, his son is in love, and Logan is in lust. Maybe she really is a witch.... Amid cooking disasters and cooking lessons, hot sexual encounters, and fighting the heat--in and out of the kitchen--Logan learns to see beyond the wacky witch to the woman beneath, while Melody is surprised to find herself worthy of love. My Favorite Witch After catching her jock-fiancee in bed with her sister, Kira Fitzgerald has opted for a new start, working for charity at The Pickering Foundation. Imagine her delight when she discovers that her new boss is also a jock. Imagine the jock's delight when he discovers that his new coordinator is an honest to goddess witch, of the spell-casting, penis-withering variety. Because the jock's grandmother is their boss, and a matchmaker, not only do they have to work together, they have no choice but to share living quarters as well. Thank the Goddess Kira knows a few magic curses to keep the sexy-as-hell jock from rattling her nerves. Jason Pickering Goddard has uttered a few curses himself, without the magic, at his bum leg, the result of a car accident that ended his hockey career--temporarily, he hopes--and at his grandmother who's roped him into helping save The Pickering Foundation's school for boys. Jason knows the doctors are wrong, and it's just a matter of time before he's back on the ice. But the only ice he sees coming for the moment is from Kira Fitzgerald, his new Coordinator of Special Events. Scot, the Witch and the Wardrobe Like her female ancestors before her, Victoria Cartwright inherits the key to the bewitched contents of her family's mysterious attic wardrobe ... except that no one has ever succeeded in opening it. Only the daughter who inherits her ancestor's magic will be able to turn the key ... meet her destiny ... and complete her ancestor's spell. Caperglen, Scotland A pariah in his own village, like his ancestors before him, Rory MacKenzie is searching for the carousel unicorn that his many-great grandfather carved and was bewitched into giving away. Bringing the family treasure back to Scotland and reuniting it with the other eleven zodiac figures will satisfy the locals who were raised with the daft notion that the unicorn will restore village prosperity. It died the day the unicorn was shipped to America a century before. But all Rory wants is to restore the MacKenzie name to dignity. When a carousel unicorn with the sign of Aquarius beneath its forelock shows up on the Antiques Roadshow, Rory heads to Salem, Massachusetts to see if Miss Victoria Cartwright's unicorn has the hidden compartment that his ancestor carved beneath the saddle. After they meet, their shared dreams escalate and become more explicit, more erotic. Something witchy or downright magical is happening in Salem. Sex and the Psychic Witch Introducing the Cartwright sisters-Harmony, Destiny and Storm-triplets and unstoppable seductresses. The buyer for her family's vintage clothing and curio shop, triplet witch Harmony Cartwright—who brings peace to everyone in her sphere—has the ability to read ancient objects and their owners, even their deepest darkest secrets. Now, a Celtic ring depicting a man’s empty embrace becomes a psychic mandate that leads her to Paxton castle on an island off the Salem, Massachusetts coast. King Paxton has inherited a haunted money-pit of a castle he must sell before he’s cursed with more of the bad luck that plagued his family for generations, but out of nowhere, a leggy blonde walks in and quiets his disgruntled construction crew and wailing ghost. When King throws her out, chaos returns, so he brings her back. Harmony could be the answer to his problems . . . or a very big distraction. He’s never been as attracted to anyone, but he's made enough mistakes for one lifetime. He vows to be strong and offers her a job at the castle. She can search for vintage clothes while he peacefully gets the castle restored and sold. King is Harmony’s psychic pot of gold. Because the ancient castle is his–heck, he was born there–she can read him. She knows he feels the same dizzying attraction for her that she does for him. She knows exactly what he wants to do to her—which is titillating—but he’s fighting his inclinations. Bummer. Despite triplet tricks, Celtic myths, spells and rituals, unexpected family ties, and a psycho cat and her kittens, Harmony attempts to uncover the castle's secrets while she acts out King’s unspoken fantasies until they're acting them out together and fighting a powerful and angry ghost . . . in and out of bed. In the final magical battle, will Harmony and King reclaim the castle, or is Gussie the ghost-witch stronger even than the power of love?

Moondancer Drake's Ancestral Magic

Featured Book Ancestral Magic by Moondancer Drake About the book: In a world where magic has become no more than childish fantasy or cinematic illusion, secret towns exists beyond the sight and understanding of mundane humanity. Green Grove is such a town. Sky Hawthorn is a single mother struggling to support herself and her blind son, on nothing more than a waitress’ salary and hardheaded determination. Meg has spent years watching Sky stumble through one doomed relationship after another with the wrong men, never daring to reveal the secret love she has for Sky. When a lawyer arrives to tell Sky that an aunt she’s never known has left her a manor house in a place she’s never heard of, her family’s life is turned upside down and Sky is left with a big choice to make. At that moment, with that single decision, the three of their lives change forever. Hidden away in northern Wisconsin, inaccessible to anyone without magic in their blood, Green Grove’s secrets prove to be big ones. There’s a dark underbelly to the friendly town called the Sect, and they want Sky’s home and the magical place called Sacru Teren, a place her family is bound by ancestry to protect. With the arrival of Roger Segmann, a charming local doctor that seems determined to sweep Sky off her feet, Meg is left with little but jealousy and doubt. Will the handsome doctor steal away their chance to be happy together, or will visions of Sky’s past and the dark secret that past holds change everything? Publisher: PD Publishing Genre: multicultural paranormal romance, f/f ISBN: 978-1-933720-54-8 (1-933720-54-9) Trade paperback Available from your favorite neighborhood bookstore or online through Starcrossed productions at http://www.scpbooks.com/Ancestral_Magic.html. To learn more about Ancestral Magic and Moondancer Drake visit http://www.moondancerdrake.com :: WIN THIS BOOK :: Moondancer Drake is giving away a signed copy of Ancestral Magic to one lucky reader! For your chance to win, simply post in the comments and Moondancer Drake will draw a name at from the magic gold fish bowl. The winner will be announced tomorrow morning on the Midnight Moon Cafe blog. Good luck! * * * * * *

Thursday Thirteen

13 Things To Rekindle the Fire Down Below. *g* 1. Chocolate Thong 2. Sexy Stripper Exotic Pole Dancing Kit and DVD 3. Naughty Knot 4. Passion Game 5. Flavored Body Pens 6. Candy Bra & G-String 7. Kama Sutra Lovin' 8. Truth or DARE 9. Twelve Sexy Thrills 10. Dirty Weekender Kit 11. Enrichments Massage Kit 12. Tastee Tattoos 13. Spank Me!

Shifters and Weres Round 3 Winner is...

::::: Donnas! ::::: Congratulations, Donnas! Please email us at midnightmooncafe @ gmail .com (no spaces) with your full name and address so we can send your nifty prize pack of author bookmarks and more goodies. Yay! The voting was very close, but after we tabulated all comments, the hunky winner was... Hugh Jackman! Next week is the final round of our Shifters and Were Match-up. You will be asked to vote between the winners of all three rounds (Vin Diesel, Jensen Ackles, and Hugh Jackman). So make sure you stop by next week to cast your final vote and get a chance to win a very cool prize!

Shifters and Weres Round Three!

Round three in the Shifters and Weres voting has begun! Please vote for your favorite candidate. If you leave a comment you'll be entered to win a way cool author bookmarks and more prize pack. Remember, the hunk with the most votes wins and will go head to head against the last two winners, Vin and Jensen. Ooh yeah! I think we already know Hugh Jackman is one hot wolverine, lol. His smooth and sexy good-looks, as well as his charm and ability to put those gorgeous muscles to good use in a fight, draw our naughty attention. But will he get enough of your votes to make it to the next round? Our next candidate is a cocksure and self-assured py-rat of the Caribbean. But this shifter will surprise you with his comical genius and sinfully hot good looks. We are, of course, talking about Captain Jack, the awesome Johnny Depp. Whether he's a sparrow or a rat, Mr. Johnny is bad boy hero material, don't you agree? To moviegoers he's Aragorn, but in Cassandra's naughty dreams, he's a handsome shape-shifting dolphin. Either way, Viggo Mortensen is hot. If you agree, vote for him now! You didn't think we'd make this easy, did you? LOL. Well, you can only vote for one, sorry. :D Sweet dreams!

Monday Mania

Brings back memories, doesn't it? How do your Monday's compare now? What were you doing in 1986?

Happy Easter!

Wishing You and Yours A Happy Easter, Passover, or A Belated Happy Ostara (March 20), Whichever You May Celebrate! Cora, Cass, Tempest, and A.E. Our favorite fun recipe: Nummy Easter Nests Yield: 16 Nests 4 tb Butter 4 c Marshmallows or 10 oz 5 c Rice krispie cereal 1/2 c green-tinted coconut Miniature marshmallows, jelly beans, chocolate eggs, etc. Melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir till melted. Cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, add Rice Krispies and coconut and stir until thoroughly mixed. Shape mixture into 16 3" nests. Chill. Fill cooled nests with miniature marshmallows, jelly beans, chocolate eggs, hershey kisses, etc. and enjoy!

Nature

This looks amazing like the hidden grotto in Cass' upcoming ebook, Soul of The Sea, book three in her Shifting Tides series. Romantic, yes? Very sexy for skinny dipping. *g*

Medieval Cat Tarot Deck Winner is...

Brandy W. C o n g r a t u l a t i o n s! Please email us at midnightmooncafe @ gmail .com (no spaces) with your full name and mailing address so we can send your prize.

Drawing For Three Free Tarot Readings:

The Three Winners of Free Tarot Readings by Arwen are: Nixy Valentine Cindy Spencer Pape Linda McLaughlin Please email us at midnightmooncafe @ gmail .com (no spaces) so we can forward your email to Arwen and you can get your free reading! Congratulations!

Tarot Talk: New Decks by Stephanie Arwen Lynch

So you have a deck of Tarot cards. Now what? Do you dive in and start reading for your self and others? Do you carefully memorize each meaning first? Do you put them on the shelf telling yourself you will pick them up when you are "ready?" I suppose you could do any of those or something different. I want to show you how I begin working with a new deck. In my collection of decks I have over 130 different tarot and oracle decks. I only work with a select few using the others as comparison work. For me, the first thing I want to do after unwrapping my deck is go through it. I scan each card trying to see how it hits me. Sometimes I find that my bright shiny new deck just doesn't do it for me so I put it on the shelf. Other times I know the deck and I are meant to have a deeper relationship as I begin to lay one or more cards aside for further review. Then I will go back to those cards to experience them a bit more. I am trying to see if the cards still speak to me. If they do, the next step for me is to meet my new deck. I have a spread called Meeting Your New Deck which I found at Aeclectic Tarot in the forums. Meeting Your New Deck There are five questions in this spread. It is laid out in a compass pattern with North being at the top. East is to the right of North as you face the spread. South is the bottom and then the West is to the left of North and South. In the center is the Quintessence card. Each position has a specific question associated with it. North: What do I need to learn from you? East: What fresh perspective will I see? South: What passion will you bring me? West: How will I evolve emotionally? Quintessence: The Q card is reached by adding the numeric values of the cards (Court cards do not have a numeric value). That number is reduced to a number between 0 and 21. You would get 0 if you had all court cards for the four questions. This number is then related to the Major Arcana of that number. This is the Quintessence or, from Miriam-Webster's Online Dictionary "the essence of a thing in its purest and most concentrated form." From this reading, I then move forward to the next step in my new deck process. In my workshops and articles, you will often hear/read me say PUT THE BOOK DOWN! I think the book can limit you even as it enlightens you. My preferred method of learning a new deck is to draw a card each morning. I study it. I let it talk to me. I look for the story inside the card. Then I write that down. In the evening, I will reflect on the events of the day trying to discern the main energy. Was it frenetic? Was it soothing? Was it belligerent? I write a bit about that. Then, and only then, I open up the book or pamphlet (more commonly known as the LWB or Little White Book) to see what the author/artist was trying to convey. Sometimes those LWB's are nothing more than rephrasings of every other LWB that particular publisher puts out. Sometimes you get lucky and there is more than the same words you have seen over and over. Once I reach a point where I feel that the cards and I are working in tandem, I will often send out a notice on my blog that I am looking for guinea pigs to read for. I will do free mini readings to field test the deck and I. I know my intuition is very strong. I know Tarot can help me access that. Sometimes I can love a deck very much and not have that connection I need to make it my working deck. I am actually currently at this last step with a deck I think will be my main working deck. My current working deck is the World Spirit Tarot which features a diverse ethnic cast as well as brilliantly bold images. Personally I prefer colorful decks as opposed to those decks that use muted colors like the Thoth Tarot. This new deck offers up colors and so much more. It has a fifth suit corresponding to Aether or Spirit as the fifth element. So I am being drawn to start reading with the Fifth Tarot by Teressena and Martien Bakken. Because I am at this point, I would like to offer three free mini-readings to those who leave comments on this post. I will ask the lovely ladies of the Midnight Moon Cafe to choose three people from the responses. If you do not want a reading, just say so in the comments and your name will not be in the drawing. What questions do you have? How do you meet your new deck? Do you have any thing you would like to share? About: Stephanie Arwen Lynch is one-half of the writing team of Marilu Mann. Marilu Mann is the author of the Lusting Wild series featuring sexy sensual shifters down on the bayou. Arwen is also the president of the American Tarot Association board. Her passion is using the tarot to coach other writers. She teaches workshops on the Hero's Journey: Plotting With the Tarot and Tarot For Writers as well as other workshops such as Designing Your Own Spread. Arwen keeps a blog where you can find more musings on the Tarot as well as poetry, recipes, reviews and more as she wanders her own Fool's journey through the Tarot. Images used are the Hierophant from the Vanessa Tarot (©2007 US Games) and the Five of Lotus from the Fifth Tarot (© 2008 Blue Dolphin — Used by permission of authors) Second Chance Drawing for Cat Tarot Deck: to enter, leave a comment on this post. Winner will be picked around Midnight tonight!

Meet Harper Blaine: Small time PI and Greywalker

If you like ass-kicking heroines like Anita Blake, then you're going to enjoy Harper Blaine. Harper Blaine was slogging along as a small-time P.I. when a two-bit perp's savage assault left her dead. For two minutes, to be precise. When Harper comes to in the hospital, she begins to feel a bit ...strange. She sees things that can only be described as weird-shapes emerging from a foggy grey mist, snarling teeth, creatures roaring. But Harper's not crazy. Her "death" has made her a Greywalker-able to move between our world and the mysterious, cross-over zone where things that go bump in the night exist. And her new gift (or curse) is about to drag her into that world of vampires and ghosts, magic and witches, necromancers and sinister artifacts. Whether she likes it or not. Harper Blaine was your average small-time PI until she died-for two minutes. Now she's a Greywalker-walking the thin line between the living world and the paranormal realm. And she's discovering that her new abilities are landing her all sorts of "strange" cases. In the days leading up to Halloween, Harper's been hired by a university research group that is attempting to create an artificial poltergeist. The head researcher suspects someone is faking the phenomena, but Harper's investigation reveals something else entirely-they've succeeded. And when one of the group's members is killed in a brutal and inexplicable fashion, Harper must determine whether the killer is the ghost itself, or someone all too human. Pioneer Square's homeless are turning up dead and mutilated, and zombies have been seen roaming the underground—the city buried beneath modern Seattle. When Harper's friend Quinton believes he may be implicated in the deaths, he persuades her to investigate. But the killer is no mere murderer—it is a creature of ancient legend. And Harper must deal with both the living and the dead to stop the monster and its master...unless they stop her first. Kat's next book in the series, Vanished, will be released this August in hardback.

Thursday Thirteen

13 Quotes 1. Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a persistent one. -Albert Einstein 2. No man ever looks at the world with pristine eyes. He sees it edited by a definite set of customs and institutions and ways of thinking. -Ruth Benedict 3. Since light travels faster than sound, people appear bright until you hear them speak. -Anon. 4. Some people see the cup as half empty. Some people see the cup as half full. I see the cup as too large. -George Carlin 5. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view. -Harper Lee, "To Kill a Mockingbird" 6. We don't see things as they are. We see them as we are. -Anais Nin 7. Perception is merely reality filtered through the prism of your soul. -Christopher A. Ray 8. Better keep yourself clean and bright; you are the window through which you must see the world. -George Bernard Shaw 9. "The eye of a human being is a microscope, which makes the world seem bigger than it really is." -Kahlil Gibran, "A Handful of Sand on the Shore" 10. See simplicity in the complicated. Achieve greatness in little things. -Lao-Tzu 11. If there's a book you really want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it. -Toni Morrison 12. Metaphors have a way of holding the most truth in the least space. - Orson Scott Card 13. There are two types of people in this world, good and bad. The good sleep better, but the bad seem to enjoy the waking hours much more. - Woody Allen Bonus quote: 14. Friendship is like peeing on yourself: everyone can see it, but only you get the warm feeling that it brings.

Join Us This Friday for Tarot Talk

This Friday, April 10, we welcome author, professional tarot reader, and speaker Stephanie Arwen Lynch (Tarot by Arwen) to the Midnight Moon Cafe. Leave a comment on the Tarot Talk post this Friday and you'll be entered for a drawing for a free tarot reading from Arwen! Three lucky readers will be chosen! Also, you'll be entered into a second chance drawing for a very cool medieval cat tarot deck! So mark your calendars and stop by for a fun and informative Tarot Talk this Friday.

Shifters and Weres 2 Contest Winner is...

Natasha! Congratulations! Please email us at midnightmooncafe @ gmail. com (no spaces) with your full name and mailing address so we can send your bunny-licious prize pack! We tallied up the votes and the hunky winner was... Jensen Ackles! Next week we will have another set of handsome shifters and weres for you to vote on! And at the end of the month, the three top finalists from each week will go mano y mano for your vote and the honor of being the MMC's top hottie shifter pick of the year! Who will Vin Diesel and Jensen Ackles go up against? You'll have to stop by next week and vote to find out!

Shifters and Weres On The Prowl: Vote NOW!

In our second head-to-head vote off, we have three handsome hunky shifters who would do anything for your vote. Leave a comment and let us know who you pick and we'll randomly draw a winner from all the comments, for a cool bunny-licious prize from the MMC vault. Contest ends tonight at midnight and the winner will be announced tomorrow morning. Good Luck! 1.) Stellar conditioning and fine genetics may create the ultimate sexy package for lifemate material, but don't forget, werewolves can seriously fight, too. I think Wentworth Miller would make a wonderful werewolf hero, don't you agree? 2.) Some called him a demon, but we know what he really is...exceptionally hawt! Oh my sexy! Julian McMahon would make a wild and wonderful shapeshifter, don't you agree? We see him as a leopard. What about you? 3.) Jensen Ackles already plays with Supernatural elements, so we figure he would fit right into our Midnight Moon Café line-up, as a super sexy bear! Ohh yesssss. Feel free to raid our pic-i-nic baskets anytime! ;)

Baby Firsts

This little witchling shows a lot of potential. :D

Pop Quiz: Are You Id, Ego, or Superego?

You Are the Ego You take a balanced approach to your life. You definitely aren't afraid to act out on your desires - even crazy ones. But you usually think first. Morals drive you as much as hedonism does. You've been able to live a life of pleasure... without living a life of excess. Are You Id, Ego, or Superego?

Yummy Bedrooms Games

What do you do on a Saturday night? Dry your hair? Watch crappy TV? Soak your feet? Maybe go out to the movies and watch a dull and stupid flick? Well, have I got an idea that will liven up your evening...so go grab a boyfriend (or two) ::wink:: and play some very grown up games. Enclosed within Twelve Sexy Thrills you will find 12 Surprise Sexy Thrill Cards, a Feather Tickler and Sensual Body Bliss Dust. Enjoy the excitement and anticipation of opening each tear and reveal card to see what sensual and sexy surprises await you both. Simply choose a card from the black satin bag weekly or monthly, and prepare to wow each other like never before. Live out your most sensual fantasies! For more cool stuff, check out the link HERE, but please, don't go there if you are under eighteen, okay? **** **** **** Also, don't forget to visit Cora Zane's blog today! It's her day to wax poetic on the Blow Hard Tour 2009. She has also posted an exclusive, never before seen excerpt of her upcoming book Moonlight and Shadows. Don't miss it! (Just for the record: This is an 18+ only event, make no doubt about that!) By posting at Cora's Blog today, you'll be eligible to win this deliciously wicked prize package! So don't be shy, readers. Drop in over at Cora's Intimate Thoughts blog and say hi!

Those mesmerizing eyes...

I admit it. When it comes to books, the first thing that makes me pick it up is their covers. Sure, we all love the cute hunk in that sexy pose. Well, at least as healthy straight woman, I sure enjoy looking at the hot, barechested male model, muscles rippling in arms. But that's not exactly the thing that makes me reach out and grab that specific book from among hundreds on the bookshelves or push the button to see the pic bigger if it's an ebook. I don't care what a great body or a pretty face he has. It is his eyes that calls to me. What is it about a man's eyes that draws me to them? That makes me want to stare into them until I drown in that pool? Is it the emotions played behind those beautiful eyes? Is it their color? How they look like the summer sky in my lovely island? Or how they remind me of the green hills of my country? Is it the way he looks at me? Like I'm the only woman for him? Seductively? Intensely? With a promise of unbrittle passion?

Hunk Butler Contest Winner is...

Heather! Congratulations Heather and thanks for voting! Please email us at midnightmooncafe @ gmail .com (no spaces) with your name and mailing address and we'll get your author bookmarks and more prize pack out to you soon as possible. I think you'll really love the goodies we culled from the MMC vault. ;) So, you may wonder who won the most votes? Well, we tabulated and the voting was incredibly close! With 8 votes, Vin Diesel scored the most with our readers. (hee, hee...) Second was the suave and debonair Pierce Brosnan with 7 votes. And in third, came the sexy and sly hunk Jude Law, with 5 votes. There were two unofficial write in votes: Gerard Butler and Tom Selleck. Stop by next week for another head to head match up with hunks and shifters, and your chance to vote and maybe walk away with a nifty prize.

Thursday Thirteen

13 Unusual Names for Cats and Dogs 1. Snoop Kitty Kitty 2. Sparklemonkey 3. Edward Scissorpaws 4. Miss Fuzzbutt 5. Low Jack 6. Meatwad 7. Peanut Wigglebutt 8. Scuddles Unterfuss 9. Admiral Toot 10. Captain Whiskers 11. Octopussy 12. Furface O'Toole 13. Snarfles Razorpaw

Hunk Butler - VOTE NOW!

Which hunk would you hire as your wereanimal butler? A. Jude Law as a very proper British butler that secretly turns into a sly fox and nibbles on your ears and anything else he can get his 'paws' on. *gg* B. Vin Diesel as a butler cum bodyguard that changes into a mountain lion. Fierce, dedicated, but messy. C. Pierce Brosnan as a sophisticated butler who secret agents on the side in his falcon form and seduces you into a champagne bubble bath. Leave a comment and vote now! One lucky reader will be drawn from all comments and win an author bookmarks and more packet. Voting and contest both end at midnight. Winner will be announced early Thursday morning.