Showing posts with label $10 Amazon gift card giveaway. Show all posts
Showing posts with label $10 Amazon gift card giveaway. Show all posts

Friday, March 16, 2012

Suspense in Romance Guest Blog and Giveaway with Mal Olson

Romantic suspense. Technically, according to top authorities, for a novel to be truly a Romantic Suspense, the blend of the two genres must be equal. Not to say an author can't write a suspense with elements of romance or that a romance can't have a touch of suspense.

Since Romantic Suspense is where it's at for me, there's good news and there's bad news. Besides juggling the already numerous balls a writer must juggle—plot, setting, narrative, dialogue, goal-motivation-conflict, action-reaction, scene-sequel, voice, character arc, story arc—the list goes on—the romantic suspense author must add to the act, the weaving of two story threads—romance plot and suspense plot. Nora Roberts in her article "Crafting Romantic Suspense" published on www.thewritingcorner.com, says this weaving must be done perfectly, the two plot lines must be dependent on each other, and the construction must be meticulous.

Whew! That's a pretty tall order. Not too much romance, not too much suspense, but as in Goldilocks, the brew must be just right.

On the plus side, the "instant tension" created when an author drops the hero and heroine into a pot of boiling water, allows for a great hook. What better way to pump up a reader's adrenaline than by giving them the promise of romance blossoming on the edge of danger. The other good news is, writers who are passionate about romantic suspense are ravenous readers of the genre. A lot of the "dos and don'ts" become ingrained subconsciously. Instinct helps the writer get it right. In my case, I'm not obsessing over measuring exactly the balance between romance and suspense. It all works out, almost naturally, since I've been steeped for years in the works of Linda Howard, Suzanne Brockmann, Tara Janzen, Cindy Gerard, Elizabeth Lowell, Ann Stuart, Brenda Novak, and many other excellent RS authors.

When an author writes what she loves to read, she's well on the road to writing what others may love to read. It's simple, right? As long as the writer keeps juggling those balls, keeps things moving at a lightning fast pace, and by the end of the story the villain has suffered retribution and the hero and heroine have made some kind of commitment, and if along the way, the reader has been treated to edge of the heart romance and edge of the seat suspense, the author has succeeded in producing a true Romantic Suspense novel—in three words: Shadow of Deceit, my debut novel. (Mal Olson, author of adrenaline kicked romantic suspense)

Follow Mal's tour:

March 6 Guest blog/Tour Intro
Roxanne’s Realm

March 7 Character interview and review
Always a Booklover

March 8 Interview
Manga Maniac Café

March 8 Promo
Jade Mystique

March 9 Promo and review

March 10 Spotlight
(review later)
Read 2 Review

March 12 Guest blog
Bookin' It Reviews~

March 15 Interview
Theresa Stillwagon

March 16 Guest Blog
Fang-tastic Books

March 22 Guest Post
Lisa’s World of Books

March 26 review and guest post

March 27 Promo and review
Keeping Up With The Rheinlander's

March 29 Promo and Interview
JeanzBookreadNReview

March 30 Guest Blog and review
Cocktails and Books

April 1 Interview and review
Beverly @ The Wormhole

April 1 Guest Blog, review
Lissette E. Manning

April 2 Interview and Giveaway
at Kay Dee's






Shadow of Deceit

By Mal Olson

66,835 words
Genre: romantic suspense


Blurb:

Can an FBI agent obsessed with redemption and a grieving widow desperate to clear her husband’s name learn to believe in love again?

Shannon Riedel faces down danger when a gunman breaks into her office claiming her dead husband swindled him. When FBI agent Tony Crazaniak arrives to investigate, sexual heat sizzles. The ex-Delta Force operative’s massive presence and dark eyes trigger an attraction the young widow finds unnerving.

When Crazaniak convinces Shannon she needs his protection, they partner to unearth secrets her husband left behind—secrets involving a Tanzanian mine that yields perfect blue diamonds coveted by dealers around the world—secrets connected to a terrorist leader Crazanaik has vowed to take down.

With danger surrounding them, two emotionally wounded souls bond, but can they put their demons to rest and trust in love? Can they survive long enough to find out?

Book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MN-ph78gic

THE WILD ROSE PRESS
ebook or paperback
AMAZON
Most online booksellers
Available March 7, 2012

Author bio:


Mal Olson writes adrenaline-kicked romantic suspense. When her consuming passion for writing allows time, she enjoys reading, flower gardening, jamming with friends on the mountain dulcimer, and hiking in a nearby state forest (or in the mountains somewhere). She has three grown children and one granddaughter and resides with her own special hero in southeast Wisconsin where she juggles writing time with her freelance landscape design business.



Visit Mal online: www.malolson.com


Thursday, January 26, 2012

Giveaway: 50 Custom Printed Brochures from Uprinting


Here's a great giveaway from Uprinting. 50 folded brochures- perfect for small businesses or authors who would like to create a brochure that features a couple of their books.

This would be great for authors with a series that has a couple books out- a page for each book.

Include book covers, descriptions, etc- then an author bio on another page.

I am going to create custom brochures for Bewitching Book Tours.

What would you use the brochures for?

Answer below to enter the giveaway.

Giveaway Info:

50 Custom Brochure Prints for One (1) Winner

8.5" x 11"

100lb Paper Gloss

With Folding 
(Half Fold, Trifold/Letterfold, Z-Fold, Roll Fold, Accordion Fold)

Front and Back Printing

2 Business Days Turnaround

*Free shipping

Restrictions: 
Limited to *US residents 18 years old and above only
This giveaway is open to US residents only, 18 years old and above.
No prize substitutions allowed.
Winners are allowed to win once over a six-month period.
Only email addresses used for the giveaway will be eligible to claim the prize.


a Rafflecopter giveaway



Disclaimer 
“You should assume that the owner of this blog will receive free print product in exchange for the post. Any and all reviews posted are based solely on my own experience and may be atypical. Please practice due diligence in making any related purchase decisions.”

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Guest Blog and Giveaway with The Witches of Paranormal Pleasures


Today I have the pleasure of chatting about Halloween with a few of the witches from my erotic short story collection Paranormal Pleasures: Ten Tales of Supernatural Seduction.

I’ll start with Marissa from “A Last Goodbye”. Marissa is new to the supernatural world, being a late bloomer with her magic but her trainer, Deirdre, who happens to be a vampire, is showing her the ropes and helping her acclimate quite well.

RR: So Marissa how are you celebrating Halloween this year?

Marissa: Deirdre’s brother Dante is throwing a Masquerade Ball at his mansion, it’s going to be blast.

RR: Are you going in costume?

Marissa: Yes I’m wearing a Marie Antoinette era gown and gorgeous mask- authentic too, no reproductions. It was Deirdre’s, you know vampires, they are such hoarders, which can come in handy when you’re searching for rare antiques and vintage clothing.

RR: I would love to peak into her closet, or should I say closets? Considering she’s been around for a long time I bet she has tons of clothes.

Marissa: Oh she does, I haven’t even begun to see everything. I’ve only been to two of her houses here in the states, she and Dante share several in Europe.

RR: Vampires and their luxuries…

Marissa: You know it.

As Marissa giggles thinking about her new life full of vampires I turn to Ariadne from “Witch in the Middle”. Ariadne has not one but two gorgeous men in her life. Such a greedy witch J

RR: Hi Ariadne, how are you celebrating Halloween this year? Anything special planned?

Ariadne: I’ve been invited to a couple parties. I’m not sure if I’m going though.

RR: Why not?

Ariadne: The whole “who to take issue”, choosing which guy will go where with me is such a headache.

RR: Why not take them both?

Ariadne: And risk the dirty looks, the questioning looks…or even worse the guys getting into it in the middle of a party and embarrassing me? No thank you.

RR: So they’re still having issues with each other?

Ariadne: Men are so territorial, jealousy is always an issue. They are always trying to one up each other or be the better man. Sometimes I wonder if I should just choose and be done with it.

RR: I’m sorry to hear that, I was really hoping the three of you had worked things out.

Ariadne: Perhaps they’ll get over the pettiness so I can have a Happy Halloween, it is my favorite holiday of the year and above all both guys love to make me happy.

RR: Well there you go, just tell them you want to go out and have fun without their egos getting in the way.

Ariadne: Thanks, Rox I will do that. Now I just have to figure out what to wear.

RR: Maybe you should go chat with Marissa and Deirdre I hear Deirdre has closets full of amazing clothes.

Ariadne: Thanks, I’ll do that.

Ariadne wanders off to find Marissa and I turn to Elita from “The Questioning Concubine”.

RR: Hello Elita, glad you could join us today. How are things going with the investigation?

Elita: Thanks to Connor I’m finally making some headway with the case. I’m closer than ever to finding out who killed my parents.

RR: That’s great news. Are you taking any time off to enjoy the Halloween season?

Elita: I have to. Taking my parent’s place in the circle means I have to organize and head up all of the Samhain activities- the bonfire, the ritual, and of course the party.

RR: Will Connor be joining you?

Elita: A wicked little grin creeps across her pretty features…He will.

RR: Does anyone know what he is, other than you?

Elita: No, he passes quite well as a witch. Glamour can hide all the little things that some might notice and think strange.

RR: So amid all those witches you don’t think anyone will notice that he’s different?

Elita: They haven’t yet and I’ve been dragging him with me everywhere. He has a way of making people talk, making them give up secrets, information they might not have even known they had. It’s a tremendous help with the investigation.

RR: That’s good news. I’m glad that summoning him turned out to be a good thing. You hear so much about those things going wrong, it’s good to know they can go right sometimes.

Elita: Oh that summoning was definitely right, and amazing and so damn hot…
she blushes as she realizes she’s getting a little carried away

RR: I clear my throat thanks for joining me for this little interview, I hope all of your Halloween/Samhain festivities turn out to be fabulous.

Elita: Thanks Rox I’m sure they will as long as Connor is by my side.

Elita wanders off and I turn to the witch that’s left, Vicki from “Witching You A Merry Christmas”.

RR: So Vicki, You and Daniel ended up having a very wonderful Christmas last year, will you be celebrating Halloween together as well?

Vicki: She gives me a shy smile Yes, we’ll be together for the holidays, all of them.

RR: Wonderful. So any plans? I know you come from a blended family- do you celebrate the harvest, Samhain, or Halloween?

Vicki: All of them. We’ve already attended quite a few harvest festivals, went on hayrides and drank spiced apple cider. This weekend we have a few Halloween parties to drop in on then a special Samhain ritual and bonfire on Monday night.

RR: Sounds like a busy weekend. Will you be dressing up?

Vicki: Oh yes. Daniel and I are wearing steampunk inspired costumes with some very nice gadgets and gizmos he made that look right out of the 1800s, of course most of the parts are from the 1800s with a little bit of modern tech thrown in.

RR: Parts from the 1800’s? Another example of vampire hoarding?

Vicki: She laughs Oh you have no idea! Daniel is such a pack rat. The man has boxes and trunks and all kinds of stuff tucked away in his house…houses I should say.

RR: I know he loves Christmas and goes all out with the decorations, is he the same way for Halloween?

Vicki: Let’s just say there is the biggest skeleton I have ever seen currently residing in his front yard along with a vast collection of other iconic Halloween creatures and features.

RR: So that’s a yes? I laugh.

Vicki: Most definitely.

RR: Well thank you for joining me today, thanks to all the witches that took the time to stop by during this busy haunting season.

It’s interesting to know that the supernaturals pretty much celebrate just like we do: costumes, bonfires, parties, hayrides, along with silly and scary decorations.
To learn more about these characters be sure to check out Paranormal Pleasures Ten Tales of Supernatural Seduction.


Title: Paranormal Pleasures Ten Tales of Supernatural Seduction
Author: Roxanne Rhoads
Publisher: Bewitching Books
Genre: Paranormal erotica
ISBN: 0615470386 / 9780615470382
Page Count: 138

Book description:

Ten tantalizing, erotic tales of vampires, witches and demons grace the pages of this short story collection by Roxanne Rhoads.

Step into the darkness and let these tales tempt and tease to satisfy your paranormal cravings.

Eight of Roxanne Rhoads' previous eBook publications appear in print for the first time, along with two brand new, never before published tales of supernatural love and lust.

Extended Description

A Last Goodbye


New witch Marissa is learning the ropes of being one of The Others. One of her mentors is vampire Deirdre, a tall beauty who really irritates Marissa. Marissa is extremely pissed when she shows up to Dante's Ball and finds Deirdre there with Marissa's recent ex-boyfriend, Jeff. The one she was encouraged to break up with because of his humanity. Deirdre explains her reasons for bringing Jeff and offers to help Marissa say goodbye to him in a way none of them will ever forget

Overkill

Vanessa is tired of her boyfriend Simon’s promiscuous vampire ways and stakes him, repeatedly- not close enough to the heart to kill him but close enough to make it hurt. But now she’s had a change of heart and considers embracing the sexual world of the vampire instead of being jealous of it.

Witch in the Middle

Ariadne is a witch torn between two men, a vampire and a human. Her heart doesn’t want to choose but the men force her to make a decision that could break her heart, unless with the help of the Goddess all three of them can come to a mutually acceptable…and enjoyable agreement.

When It Storms

Devon’s witchy girlfriend becomes insatiable every time a storm rolls around and he’s more than happy to give her exactly what she needs.

Monster Inside
Shannon’s never seen her vampire boyfriend, Logan, vamp out before. Then one night he has to kill to save her life. Can she ever look at him the same way again?

The Questioning Concubine

Elita, a pure blood witch, has come home to find who or what killed her parents and to take her rightful place as the head of the coven. After five years of investigating and exhausting all conventional methods at her disposal, she decides to do the one thing a good witch should never do—summon a demon. The demon is not what she expected. Elita is soon swept up in his power… and her own.

Renata

The residents of the sleepy little town of Flushing, Michigan had no idea a vampire lived among them, seducing and drinking from all the men in town. Renata walked among them, blending in, taking only what she needed. One night, while she was on the prowl for fresh blood at a carnival, a handsome carnie caught her eye. She had no way of knowing he was a vampire hunter and was there for her.

Sea of Blood

Liana made Nerissa a vampire centuries ago in the islands of Greece but she’s never tired of her companion or the way she hunts her prey.


A Halloween to Remember

What says Halloween better than a wild party at an old Victorian mansion complete with its own cemetery? Perhaps meeting the man of your dreams thanks to the magic of Halloween.

Adena can’t believe her eyes when she spots Dimitri in the library- he looks like something straight off the cover of a historical romance novel-the type of guy she’s always dreamed of. Too bad he disappears before she has the chance to introduce herself. When she finally spots him again later that night she decides she’s not letting him get away again. Adena thinks she’s finally found the one. Until she wakes up alone the next morning- in the cemetery.

Halloween magic brought them together but will it be strong enough to keep them together?

Witching You A Merry Christmas


Witch Vicki has been leery of vampires ever since she was attacked five years ago. Daniel's a vampire and he's been secretly in love in with Vicki for two years ever since becoming Vicki's partner in The Guardians a supernatural group of paranormal crime fighters. Daniel loves Christmas and hopes the spirit of the holidays will soften Vicki's hatred of vampires and help her see him in a new light. Will he get his Christmas wish?


Giveaway Time

Want an ebook copy of Paranormal Pleasures?

Winner's choice of format?

All you have to do is leave a comment on this post

Be sure to include your email address

Open to ages 18 and older

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Guest Blog and Giveaway with Kat Duarte







Vampires: Good Guys or Bad Guys?
by Kat Duarte


Happy Holidays, everyone. It’s great to be here as a guest at Fangtastic Books where there are so many like-minded readers and authors. I’ve been looking forward to getting your feedback on one of my favorite topics: vampires.

I’ve often wondered what it is about vampires that makes them so appealing to our imaginations. Danger, elegance, eternal life. Vampires represent such a mixed bag of hopes and fears. I’m sure that whether we view them more as a threat or as tragic, romantic figures depends on our exposure to literature, films, and television.

For example, my first impression of vampires was comprised of the curious yin yang of Bela Lugosi’s Count Dracula in the old 1931 film (seen on “Creature Features” at a very young age) and Al Lewis’s portrayal of Grandpa on The Munsters. That contrast really left me wondering what to think about vampires! As an adult, the strongest influences that shaped my perspective were Anne Rice’s Interview With The Vampire and Joss Whedon’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer series. Rice’s Louis and Lestat have stayed in my imagination as much as Whedon’s Angel and Spike. (I’ve got to say that Lestat and Spike tickle my fancy the most, though.)

In my writing, I still go back and forth on my views about vamps. In Rise of the Wolf, my first book for Eternal Press, the werewolves are the good guys and the vampires are the bad guys, but of course that didn’t stop me from writing the vampire as sexy and desirable. Take the scene where my heroine Hilary first sees the vampire who’s on her trail.

Excerpt from Rise of the Wolf:

...she nonetheless noted his wavy black shoulder length hair and the ample pecs playing peek-a-boo beneath his unbuttoned white silk shirt that glowed and glistened—both the shirt and his pecs—in the bright moonlight. He also sported some mighty tight black trousers and an impeccably tailored black coat that reached past his well-muscled thighs to end mid-calf. The quality of his clothes shouted serious money although his fashion sense was just as seriously stuck somewhere in the 1800s...

...She couldn’t seem to stop staring at him. After all, he had such dark, deep glowing red eyes. What? Wait a minute.

But why should you wait? Your skin in the moonlight looks as soft and radiant as pearl. Do you not yearn to be caressed?

She would have sworn his lips didn’t move. His voice was so gentle, warm, sensuous, intimate as though he were inside her thoughts, her soul.

Then somehow, without moving, he had covered the space between them and stood next to her, pressed against her, leaning over her. His soft hair tickled her cheek. His breath whispered across her lips as he parted them with a flick of his hot tongue. The kiss was light, soft, then firmer and deeper, the deft movement filling her with the promise of such delights to come that her knees actually began to give way. He caught her, one of his arms bracing her at the deepest curve of her back, the other wrapped so that he cradled her neck in the palm of his hand....

...His chest muscles were sculpted white marble in the moonlight, like some statue from the ancient world, but he was warm to her eager touch. His muscles rippled as she snaked her nails under white silk and up his back. She grasped his shoulders, desperate to make them fit together as one.



I’m currently working on a sequel, tentatively titled “April’s Moon” where, once again the Vamps and Lycanths will duke it out. Vampires are still the bad guys, but I couldn’t stop myself from writing the full gamut of vamps from a super-evil vampire clan leader to a newly-made vampire who is definitely not cut out for the full-evil lifestyle.


So, my question to all of you Fangtastic fans out there is this:

What type of vampire do you prefer, dark and dangerous? sensitive and romantic? Or some unique combination from your own dreams?

Email a short description of your version of the perfect vamp to me at katsreaders@gmail.com by midnight December 8, 2010.

One lucky entrant will win a matted copy of the limited print “The Autumn Danse” from photographer Lilly Prinn, shown below. (Note: watermark of title and name are for copyright protection only and do not appear on print.)




Follow Kat on:

Eternal Press

http://www.katduarte.com/

Cafe Lotti blog

facebook

twitter

myspace

My books:

Rise of the Wolf

Angel Gets Her Wings Goldie and the Three Bares


BLURB for Rise of the Wolf:

City girl Hilary Samuels had no idea that Murphy’s Law was about to kick into high gear on the first night of the Hunters Moon. One flat tire on a country road and a skid into a cornfield later, she finds herself in a face-off with an evil but seductive vampire. Add to that one huge werewolf who leap in to save the day.

Anyone else would scurry back to the more conventional hazards of life in Chicago, but Hilary moved to the city’s far distant suburb of McKenna with an agenda. If she makes a success of the new Café Lotti, it will mean a promotion to manager for the next new Lotti in the heart of the city. But just how do you build your customer base when stalked by the undead? Not to mention that the hot, hunky head of your company turns out to be the werewolf who charged to your rescue?

When C.E.O. Nathan Sutton admits he’s her shape-shifting protector, Hilary suspects there’s something else he’s not telling her. Will the secret he reveals have the power to bond them together forever or will it rip her life apart?

Monday, November 22, 2010

$10 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway from Bestcovery.com

Today I have a giveaway all of us readers will love- a $10 gift card to Amazon.com

The giveaway is sponsored by

Bestcovery.com

Bestcovery is a site that reviews and recommends thousands of products and services, ranging from the Best Hotels to the Best Drugstore Mascara.

To enter this giveaway please visit Bestcovery.com and check out there lists and recommendations.


Come back Fang-tastic Books and leave a comment on this post with a link to one of the Bestcovery.com lists that you either like or dislike.

Be sure to include your email address with your comment.


This contest closes on Tuesday November 30 at midnight EST
 
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