Terrific Tuesday with CR Moss:)

Welcome! Please introduce yourself and tell us about your latest release.

~ Hi all! I’m C.R. Moss. :) As per my bio on my website I’m an eccentric and eclectic writer who Moss pens stories for the mainstream and erotic markets, giving readers Worlds of Possibilities. I write stories from the light and sweet to the dark and deadly & all with varying degrees of the macabre. This came about as I found my footing in the publishing world. Now, I’m slating my works as contemporary paranormal/horror with strong romantic elements & sometimes flavored with other genres.

As of completing this interview, I’m in edits on a story called Look What the Cat Dragged In for Cassandra. It’s the third book in a series called Look What the Cat Dragged In. The books are available at Devine Destinies. This series was supposed to be one story following secondary character, Philip, from my novel Concealed Affairs, but my characters had different ideas. So the one story morphed into three, and they center around a cat named Myrddin who believes he’s a matchmaker. In For Evelyn, the first story, a ghost who haunts Raritan Manor is brought forward with the help of Myrddin. Evelyn is able to experience love with the man of her dreams who happens to be the resident ghost. In For Julie, there’s time travel. A Native American gets brought forward during a ritual and turns Julie’s story upside down. :) Cassandra’s story will have a blast from her past. In For Cassandra, Philip reenters her life and readers will see when her familiar, Myrddin, came into her world. The original story idea came to me in the 90’s. There was an old house in my neighborhood and I said to myself “I wonder if it’s haunted” and the ideas took off from there. The ‘Cat’ books are mainstream stories and are a bit on the lighter side of life, whereas my other titles tend to be darker and are written for the erotic market.

Have you ever had an idea for a story which scared you after you began writing it?

~ Not yet. I’ve been giddy and excited about stories after I started writing them but not scared.

Have you incorporated actual events from your own life into your books?

~ In most of my stories, I’ve incorporated the places I’ve been and have somewhat changed events in my life to suit a story’s purpose.

How much research do you do? Do you research first and then write, or do you write first, then research as needed?

~ The amount of research that I need to do depends upon the story. Normally, I’ll research as I write, do it as needed.

Is there any message you want readers to take from reading your work?

~ I believe readers will interpret each story differently. Though, I hope they’d understand whatever message I was trying to send, if they glean something different and get something from it, then that’s great, too.

Are you a plotter or a pantser? And have you ever had a story take on a life of its own?

~ I’m a bit of both. I information dump before I write a story so I’ll have an outline to work from as I write. And, yes, sometimes stories have taken on a life of their own and I have to refigure my plans for it.

How long did it take for you to be published?
~ I had started a novel back in the late 90’s, and due to circumstances, it took me until 2009 to get it published. My first novella that was published in 2008 was accepted pretty quickly after I wrote it and submitted it.

If you could go back and tell yourself anything when you first began your writing career, what would you say?

~ I started writing in the 80’s and seriously took it on in the 90’s. If I could go back, I’d tell myself to just do it, put myself out there and don’t wait to pursue my dream.

Laptop or pen and ink? What are your ‘must-haves’ when writing?

~ It depends upon where I’m writing. Normally, I do everything on my computer, but when it’s nice out, I’ll go down to the pool, and there I’ll use pen and ink. ‘Must-have’…something to drink, either water or iced tea.

Who are your favorite authors? Who would you say influenced you the most?
~ The authors who inspired me and who happen to be on my keeper shelf are: Stephen King, Anne Rice, Clive Barker and Jude Deveraux. They all influenced me as a writer.

What would your readers be surprised to learn about you?
~ I crewed for a balloon pilot.

For Fun:

What is your Prom story?
In my junior year I went to my high school prom with a guy friend. For senior year, I went to my boyfriend’s prom (he went to a different high school), we ended up fighting. Nice, right? Then that Saturday we went down to the shore and Sunday night we went to a Pink Floyd concert. It was a very busy weekend.

Favorite Mother’s Day memory?
Taking my mother and the rest of the family to her favorite restaurant for a champagne brunch.

If you have children, does the end of school signal loss of writing time for you?
I don’t have children so can’t say.

Thank you for being here today! Please tell us where we can find your books.
Visit my website for more! www.crmoss.net

Blurb for upcoming release of Look What the Cat Dragged In for Cassandra coming soon to http://www.devinedestinies.com/

A woman once shunned. A man now changed. There’s a thin line between love and hate. ~ When Cassandra, a Wiccan practitioner, encounters a man from her past who’d broken her heart, she casts some spells to help herself while wishing karma would deal out some payback. The spells turn against her, and before she knows it, she finds herself falling for him again. Will she close off her heart or will she cross that thin line between hate and love and allow herself to feel again?

Excerpt for Look What the Cat Dragged In for Cassandra

Cassandra drew in a shuddering breath. Way back when, on an autumn day, Phil had almost said the same to her during a romantic moment. Remembering his words, tears clouded her eyes. You’re my love. My heart and soul I promise to you with this ring. He had then slipped a silver ring with a solid heart onto her right finger, the humps facing her nail, and placed a soft kiss on her lips. Her heart had been captured.

What a fool I was then.

Phil glanced her way again.

She traced the edge of her pin and nibbled her lip. Was he trying to place her? Figure out who she was? A shiver ran through her body.

“Cass? Are you all right? You’ve gone pale,” Julie murmured near her ear.

Cassandra nodded, keeping her gaze glued to the wedding ceremony while toying with the cat pin. Calm yourself. You’re not that young girl anymore.

Victoria took the other ring. She placed the band on Geoff’s finger and repeated the vows, “I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness. As I place it on your finger, I commit my heart and soul to you. I ask you to wear this ring as a reminder of the vows we have spoken today, our wedding day, and as a reminder of my undying love for you.”

“By the power vested in me by the State of New Jersey,” the reverend stated, “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss each other.”

Geoff and Victoria sealed their vows. Phil took one more look in her direction. One of his eyebrows rose in tandem with the corner of his lips.

Her gaze widened. No. He can’t remember. I can’t deal with him. I don’t want to deal with any man, not after what he did–and after the fiasco with Charlie. She touched her pin and chanted under her breath, begging the universe to make him forget any memories he had of her.

Flashback Friday

Currently Reading: Finished Affair to Remember by Candace Camp, and now I want to get A Lady Never Tells. Since I enjoyed both 'Gentlemen' and 'Affair', I'm going to go ahead and say the entire trilogy is a Recommended Read:) Next up is Creature by John Saul.

E-book-wise, I'm really enjoying Steampunk and Sorcery by Cindy Spencer Pape:)

Play Ball!

May 2001

My daughter had decided to play softball, so in addition to being concession manager, I was the Concession Rep for both K's Minor League and S's Pee-Wee teams. S's coach put her in as catcher, because 'she's not afraid to go after the ball'. Her team did well, advancing well into the final tournament. K's team, on the other hand, struggled, only winning a few games and being plagued with injuries in the first round of the tournament.

At the Indy 500 that year, rain was a major issue. The race was eventually ran, but it was cold and wet. Helio Castraneves won for the first time that year.

Present Day:

The field is set for Sunday's race:)

Row 1: Alex Tagliani, Scott Dixon, Oriol Servia Row 2: Townsend Bell, Will Power, Dan Wheldon Row 3: Buddy Rice, Ed Carpenter, Dario Franchitti Row 4 Takuma Sato, Vitor Meira, J.R. Hildebrand Row 5: James Hinchcliffe, Bertrand Baguette, Davey Hamilton Row 6: Helio Castroneves, John Andretti, E.J. Viso Row 7: Bruno Junquiera, Justin Wilson, Jay Howard Row 8: Tomas Scheckter, Tony Kanaan, Simona De Silvestro Row 9: Paul Tracy, Danica Patrick, Ryan Briscoe Row 10: Marco Andretti, Charlie Kimball, Graham Rahal Row 11: Alex Lloyd, Pippa Mann, Ana Beatriz I'm impressed; there are four women racing this year! I'm still cheering for Danica, Marco, Graham, and I've not yet decided on my rookie this year. I'll let you know next week. Today, I'm cleaning the house and getting ready for the weekend. I also have to grocery shop; buy any alcohol; pack; and take Roxie (cocker spaniel) to our friends' house. Cheyenne is going with us, and don't know if we're getting anyone to feed the fish and cat for us, or if Avatar (Beta fish) will also be making the trip with Roxie. I'm not worried about Oreo; he's got a litter box and as long as there is plenty of food and water, he'll be fine. Sorry about disappearing this week; a friend sent me disturbing text messages Wednesday night during the drive home, and when I didn't hear from her yesterday, I went into concerned friend/crisis counselor mode until she finally contacted me in early afternoon. And later in the afternoon, an old high school friend contacted me; he was passing through town and wanted to know if I was free to meet for coffee. We had a nice, two hour chat at Zanders, where I introduced him to the SU and youngling, and afterward, the SU was hungry, so we went to our Chinese Buffet, D2K. It was a nice end to a day which had started out rather stressful! Don't know if we're staying in Lafayette until Monday or Tuesday; we may 'kidnap' the 'grandkids' after the race (they're living a few blocks from the track) and take them with us. I want to extend our stay in the waterpark one day, so the kids can have more time to play.

Going To The Zoo...

...with my awesome sister and the cutest niece and nephew north of the border:) I'll post pictures hopefully tomorrow, if I'm not too tired.

Have a good day, and don't forget to check out Lynn Crain's promo tips in the post below. See you tomorrow!

Terrific Tuesday with Lynn Crain:)

How 2 Make Promo Groups Work 4 U

One of the most important aspects of being an author is promotion. Everyone has to learn to make use of the tools out there to start what is known as name branding. Name branding is basically where an author makes their name known.

I too had to learn about promotions and hope to teach you a little today. First, please notice the title to this topic. This title is in the abbreviated format used when sending a twitter or a text message. There are a lot more in this arsenal which is why I wanted to expose you to the slang from the get go.

Alright, let’s talk briefly about what it out there. But first, I need to suggest that each and every author get an account specifically with their name. One good place to go is to gmail. The accounts are free and chances are you should be able to find an acceptable email address. I’m a prime example. I love x’s and odd a lot. I already had lynncrain@cox.net and knew I needed a second account. So my second email account for promotion became oddlynn3@gmail.com.

Here are just some of the ways you can promote yourself on the internet:

1. Facebook

2. Twitter

3. MySpace

4. Blogspot

5. Yahoogroups

6. Ning

7. Booktour

8. Goodreads

9. YouTube

10. Live Journal

Let’s start with these ten as these are the best known and I have a presence, sometimes more than one, in each area.

Facebook is a social networking site and has worked out to be mainly adults. Here you set up your profile and befriend people. (www.facebook.com/oddlynn3)

Twitter is the place where you answer the question ‘What are you doing now?’ in 140 characters or less. The title of this article is something I would tweet. Yeah, each of these have their own language.(www.twitter.com/oddlynn)

MySpace is the social networking place for the younger set. It has music and more plus a lot of cool backgrounds. (www.myspace.com/lynncrain)

Blogspot is run by Google and is a place where you can post longer pieces. Here you can establish a following who will drop by to read your weekly or even daily posts. Again, this one can be customized to your needs. (www.themanyshades.blogspot.com; www.lynncrain.blogspot.com)

Yahoogroups is one of my favorites. These are like the bulletin board systems of old. Here people join the ‘loop’ and you can converse anytime you want. People have to join your group. These work especially well for authors as you can gather a following plus you only have to post your information in a few loops for the word to get out about your latest book or newsletter. I personally belong to over 100 yahoogroups on which I promote. Here you can post your covers, do daily excerpts of your books and continually notify your readership of your calendar (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/XtraOrdinaryRomance)

Ning is another social networking site which is really cool in some aspects. This one allows you to really structure what everyone sees and does. Here you can have a page on many, many groups. This one is also great for authors because of that very aspect. Right now, I have eleven pages on eleven different groups. It’s fun and interesting.

Booktour is a very interesting concept as it works like...well...a booktour. You sign up and then can get hosted to make special appearances on other author sites or blogs.

Goodreads is a social networking site where you recommend books to others. It is almost like a library and you can review each of the books you read.

YouTube is the site where you upload videos. This is where an author would make a ‘book trailer’ and upload it for people to see. Now a book trailer is similar to a movie trailer in it is all visual. These are fairly new to the promotion arena and you can do one yourself with Windows Movie Maker or have one made. Check my channel out as I have links to other book trailers I like. (http://www.youtube.com/user/LynnCrain)

LiveJournal is yet another social networking site and was one of the first. While similar to all the other sites, it has some subtle differences. Again it seems to be a hangout for an older crowd. (www.lynncrain.livejournal.com)

Now this a very quick rundown on just some of the many ways to promote yourself. Start with one. Once you gain confidence with that one, add another. Soon you will find yourself all over the net. And that’s exactly where you want to be.

This is more than enough to get you started on the promotions tour. Good luck and don’t hesitate to email me with any questions you might have.

Lynn

Lynn Crain

Experience the Magic

www.lynncrain.com

The Haunting of Maggie Grey
eXtasy Books
Paranormal/Ghosts/Romance/Historical
2010 EPIC Winner in Historical Category
http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thehauntingofmaggiegrey-395940-140.html

Maggie Grey had wanted to be a doctor all her life. She achieved her dream along with her husband, Justin. Together they planned to build a clinic on his ancestral home on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. But women doctors in the year 1882 didn't have many options and even fewer if they were widowed like she had been recently. Arriving in England to visit Elizabeth Blackwell, founder of the London Medical School for Woman, she is discouraged to find that the only real health care on the remote Isle of Skye will be herself, a few aging doctors as well as veterinary doctors.

But she must build a clinic there to escape her memories and fulfill her late husband's dream. Maggie goes by train and boat to the rather bleak Isle of Skye. The island is almost as barren as she feels and she isn't sure if she can even fit in. Add the fact that her dead husband is haunting her with the request for her to fall in love again and she knows she's losing her mind.

But the people of Skye need her…and she is determined not to let them down...but they are slow to accept a widowed woman doctor. Now if she were married again…that would be a different matter…and her dead husband, Justin, knows just the right man for the job, Conall MacGryman, his childhood friend and cousin, a veterinary for the island. Now all Justin has to do is to convince Maggie to give the man a chance so she can fall in love again…for both their sakes.

Excerpt:

"Maggie," the seductive whisper of her name brought her soft brown eyes to glance quickly at him. "Do not turn away from me, girl." His hand curled completely around her head, filing his palm as if she were a small child, holding her where he wanted. He was so large and she was so small. Never had he felt like he held a fine piece of fragile porcelain. Winding his fingers into the silk of her hair, he slowly, he forced her to face him, gazing deeply in her brown eyes. "I am going to kiss yeu now."

He lowered his lips to hers, devouring her bottom lip in one swoop. Nibbling at the edges, he gained access to her mouth and groaned. Conall did not want to scare her off. But he needed her in the worst way and he was sure if she would just press herself against him, she would feel his hard shaft, would know his body wanted her much in the same way he was sure she wanted him. They had danced around each other for two months, but the woman acted like a virgin instead of the widow he knew her to be. The deep red color of her hair should indicate her passion ran hot instead of the shyness she displayed with him on many occasions..

"Open up completely, girl," he whispered even more seductively than the first time as he softened his mouth to stroke against her soft lips. He was surprised when it took little prompting on his part to get her to open her mouth as his tongue slid in.

Neither of them was naive as to what happened between a man and a woman. He had wanted her from the moment he saw her at the train station in her widow's robes. He'd known she'd suffered a great loss and knew he must bide his time until she was ready to give herself to him. The storm had provided the perfect situation for them to be together and if she was willing, he would take full advantage of the situation.

He only prayed she felt the same about him as he did about her.

Saturday's Stupid Saying

Weakest Link host Anne Robinson: What "B" was a pseudonym used by Charles Dickens?

Contestant: Bart Simpson.

(The answer is Boz.)

Not exactly sure what is on today's agenda. I'm still waiting for a yes/no answer on Forbidden Love, and I got some great feedback on that story when I posted a few short excerpts. Keri has also settled down inside my brain when I decided I didn't like the changes I'd made, and went back to the 3rd version of her story (1st version was in 1st person; 2nd version was 3rd person; 3rd version, cut the first six chapters; 4th version cut the last three.).

Here's the books I want to buy next:

Silk and Steel-Lindsay Townsend (Siren-BookStrand) (#17) $2.50

Table For Three-Missy Martine (S-BS) $6.50 ($9)

Sexual Energy-Afton Locke (EC) $6.99

Hotter Than Hell-Regina Carlysle (EC-Flavors of Ecstasy IV) $7.99

Double Your Pleasure-Fran Lee (EC) $4.45

Research Required-Amber Skyze (EC) $4.45 ($32.88)

Immortal Curse- Bron Green (RP) $4.00

Punished-Brynn Paulin (RP) $3.50 ($40.38)

Anything You Can Do- Marianne Stephens (breathlesspress.com) $3.99

Belonging To Them- Brynn Paulin (RP) $4.00

Nebula’s Music- Aubrie Dionne (Lyrical Press.com) $3.50 ($51.87)

Drilled- Regina Carlysle (EC) $4.45

Kissing Steel-Laurann Dohner (EC) $5.95 (Total: $62.27)

Yes, I have a lot of catching up to do on certain author's back lists! No idea when I'll begin buying; the spouse and I are still discussing it. I just hope it is soon:)

Have a good weekend; we're gearing up for the final week of school and spending next weekend with my sister and her family.

Flashback Friday

April 26-May 3, 1991:

To recap: Two weeks earlier, D and I decided to get engaged, and broke the news to my parents. The next morning, my mother called me; she'd literally planned our wedding overnight. All we had to do was get the license and the paperwork, and my dress. Everything else was taken care of.

One week later, my sister and I went shopping. I found a beautiful white suit, shoes, and accessories. She was unable to find anything she liked, and when we left the Mall, it was too late to go to dinner without an hour's wait time. She went back to Muncie, and I went to a friend's steakhouse and talked him into buying me dinner.

The following day, we drove down to D's hometown to break the news to his parents, and to watch a friend graduate from college. Everything went well until late afternoon. I began bleeding, and after consulting with my nurse mommy via telephone, we headed for home, with instructions to call the doctor as soon as we arrived.

The doctor told me to stay off my feet and get to the hospital if it got worse; otherwise, he'd see me in the office bright and early.

The next day, I was given an ultrasound, and I was stunned by the little 'blip blip blip' on the video screen; it was my baby's heart still beating strong. I was told to stay off my feet, and limited activity. I could still keep my weekend job, as long as I did not carry anything more than ten pounds. Oh, and to refrain from any relations until the bleeding had ceased for three days.

May 2nd: I was looking over the paperwork we'd filled out, and noticed a signature line had been overlooked. I drove to D's workplace, and in the lunchroom, we signed it. We were already packed and ready for the following day.

May 3rd: I met my mother at the beauty parlor, and had my hair cut and styled. I drove to my parents' home and changed into my beautiful outfit, and had my makeup done by a friend of Mom's, who used to sell Mary Kay. She and another friend of my mom's were busy getting the house ready for the reception. At three thirty, I left to go meet D for a quick meeting with my favorite pastor.

4:30: People began arriving. I began to get anxious, because there was no sign of the friend who would video the event. I also had a small argument with my sister, who refused to be my Maid of Honor. My BFF was on standby, but when Dr. T spoke to my sis, everything was okay.

5:30: C and B arrived, video camera in hand. They'd had to fly standby from Florida, and had gotten bumped from an earlier flight. I was relieved, and the ceremony began.

Just before we spoke our vows, Dr. T said a prayer and suddenly, it hit me: This was no play rehearsal; after we walked back down the aisle, I would not be whipping off the veil and saying, "Who's next?". This was real; I was seriously getting married. I also noticed I'd left my engagement ring on, so I carefully shifted it to my pinky finger. Tears began to form, and yes, I joined the ranks of brides who sobbed through their vows. You cannot even hear me on the tape. And once in the receiving line, I grabbed my mom and hugged her for at least five minutes!

And there was plenty of humor ahead: When we went to sign the license, Dr. T laughed. Remember that line we signed in the lunchroom? We were officially married once we signed that line:) And also, as we signed the final document, I looked at my new husband and said, "Oh that's how you spell your last name!" I'd been spelling it wrong the entire four years of friendship, and six months of dating! He'd never corrected me.

We behaved ourselves when we cut the cake; we opened our presents and properly oohed and ahhed over everything. And the few guests who were still around when we left at 10pm for our 4-star hotel room pelted us with birdseed as we went out the door.

We also hit a deer on the way to the hotel, but only knocked it down. No damage to the car; we'd swerved at the last minute and only clipped a back leg. And once we arrived in our room, I changed into my sexy lingerie only to discover the day of being on my feet had taken its toll: I was bleeding again.

My 24 hour honeymoon was spent lying in bed, watching movies on pay-per-view. And on Sunday, we returned home and met my parents who arrived with our wedding gifts. Life was now back to 'normal'.

We watched our wedding video several years ago, and I wish I knew what had cracked us up before we cut the cake, or other private conversations the audio didn't pick up.

For our 25th anniversary, I hope to throw myself the reception I dreamed of when I was 19: DJ, lots of dancing, the champagne fountain. And seven years ago, I went on the Disney Vacation without D. I've resigned myself to the knowledge my dream honeymoon is never going to happen, so I had fun without him:)

Indianapolis 500:

I took my new hubby to the race, but he was NOT impressed (he likes drag racing). This was also the year Danny Sullivan 'spun and won', which made me happy; he's one of my favorite drivers!

Guest Blogging, Paying Bills, and A Rant

Currently Reading: I'm almost finished with Witch Ball:) I'd forgotten some of the details from the first time I read it. I'm also reading Andy Rooney's essays from the 1980's. I chuckle when he talks about 'high' gas prices ($1.29! OMG...can you believe we once griped about that price?) and what the world will be like in 1990.

Since I haven't bought any books in almost 18 months, I'm trying to see if the spouse will let me spend a considerable amount, or if he'd prefer I go back to the $10 per week limit I previously set for myself. Negotiations continue; I'll keep you posted:)

I'm blogging over at RBRU today; stop by and see if you can guess what my first long story was based on:)

Bill-Paying System 'Failure'

I love my family; I really do. But sometimes they drive me up the wall. For instance, the other day I was getting ready to go about my normal routine, and the spouse decided to pay some bills.

First he complained I'd 'messed up his system'. Huh??? He had previously informed me he hated where I'd been putting the bills for the past 5 years, and created his own area, where he could find them better. So I simply stacked the new ones accordingly. But apparently I got it wrong; I was supposed to stack them on the bottom, not on the top. So he 'wasted time' finding the oldest ones.

Why can't he simply look at the damn bill and subtract what's already been paid? Why does he have to see the old one, to refresh his memory that he paid X amount and now owes the current amount?

And then he can't keep the gas and electric straight. We've lived here for 5 freaking years, and he STILL can't remember which company supplies our gas? Oh. My. God.

And while he was paying the dentist bill, he gripes about all my dental work the past year. Hellooooooo.....if he'd let me get regular cleanings in the first place, maybe I wouldn't have had all those cavities last spring! And if it hadn't been for the fact a filling fell out, and I had to go in the first place, I'd probably be needing MORE dental appointments. Fortunately, I had a clean bill of dental health (with the exception of the tooth that needs pulled) in February, and don't need to return again until August. Although, now we have the money for my tooth extraction, I will be making an appointment for anther consultation. I know my prescriptions have most likely expired.

And Now The Rant:

Why can't the media leave The Arnold and his family alone? Is it really necessary we learn when his love child was born; the identity of the mother; The Arnold's efforts to keep it quiet; and tweets from his legitimate children? Do you have NO compassion for Maria and the children's feelings? Sheesh! Grow up people; there are some things we don't need every single detail.

Terrific Tuesday with Cindy Spencer Pape:)

Today my guest is a good friend of mine, though I've never met her (yet!) I fell in love with her paranormal romances (Djinni and the Geek is still one of my favorites among all of her titles), and she never fails to deliver a satisfying story:)

Welcome! Please introduce yourself and tell us about your latest release.

Hello everyone! I’m Cindy Spencer Pape, I live in southern Michigan, and my newest book isMidsummer Dreams, Book 4 in my Holidays Hearts series from Ellora’s Cave.

Have you ever had an idea for a story which scared you after you began writing it?

Scared? No. Bored? Yes. I have lots of unfinished stories that I just couldn’t get off the ground.

Have you incorporated actual events from your own life into your books?

Not usually big, whole events, but little snippets of things. A funny line one of my kids said or something I saw as I drove down the highway. Little bits of reality, but not whole chunks.

How much research do you do? Do you research first and then write, or do you write first, then research as needed?

Research as needed, and it depends entirely on the story. ForPhotographs & Phantoms, I spent hours researching Victorian photography. For a contemporary book, there might be very little—a search on Google maps for the right area and that’s it. It all depends.

Is there any message you want readers to take from reading your work?

That it’s okay to take a break from real life and enjoy a little happy-ever-after in the pages of a book. My books are meant to make you smile. Nothing more, nothing less.

Are you a plotter or a pantser? And have you ever had a story take on a life of its own?

I’m somewhere in between. I usually HAVE a rough outline. I don’t necessarily stick with it. Halfway through some idea pops up and I run with it—or it runs with me. They do all seem to have a life of their own.

How long did it take for you to be published?

About 7 years.

If you could go back and tell yourself anything when you first began your writing career, what would you say?

Be more proactive. I sat on several manuscripts when if I’d sent them out just one more time years earlier, I could have gotten started that much sooner.

Laptop or pen and ink? What are your ‘must-haves’ when writing?

Laptop is preferred, but I can write anywhere, anytime.

Who are your favorite authors? Who would you say influenced you the most?

Elizabeth Peters/Barbara Michaels is the author who taught me about voice and first introduced me to strong, smart heroines. I love Jayne Ann Krentz for her productivity, great storylines and multiple genres. Elizabeth Lowell for her complexity and again, not being afraid to have her characters be smart.

What would your readers be surprised to learn about you?

I have no idea. I’m pretty straightforward. Actually when people meet me in real life, they’re sometimes surprised to find out just how short I really am.

For Fun:

What is your Prom story?

I didn’t have a boyfriend, so I went with a good friend. He was a junior but was moving, so it was his only chance to go to prom at our high school. We had a wonderful time, and the memory is never tainted with a break-up down the road. It was at the Renaissance Center in Detroit, and my brother had rented us a limo. I felt like a princess.

Favorite Mother’s Day memory?

I used to love the little hand-made things the kids made in grade school. I still keep a couple in my office.

If you have children, does the end of school signal loss of writing time for you?

My children are in college now, so not so much. They’re pretty independent.

Thank you for being here today! Please tell us where we can find your books.

My publishers are Carina Press, Ellora’s Cave, Total-E-Bound, and Resplendence Publishing. You can find all about my books, some erotic, some not, some paranormal, others contemporary or historical, at my website and other links below.

Website: http://www.cindyspencerpape.com

Blog: http://cindyspencerpape.blogspot.com/

Newsletter group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cspapenewsgroup/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/CindySPape

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Thanks so much, Molly for having me here today!

Blurb:

Matt Warren has always been the man of Summer’s dreams. He was her childhood imaginary playmate, her teen crush, and the wildly sexy fantasy lover of her adulthood. She’s always known he wasn’t real, but after experiencing his imaginative, passionate touch, no real man has ever measured up. However, alone on a beach shortly before her birthday, Summer discovers that the Holiday family magic hasn’t left her behind. Matt is real, standing on her beach, and there to make Summer his, in every way possible.

Matt has always known that he has a gift as a dreamwalker, and that Summer was out there and would someday be his, if he didn’t get himself killed first. Now that his career as an Air Force pilot is over, he’s moved to Charleston to find Summer and teach her that their shared erotic dreams are even better in real life, and that their love can last a lifetime.

Excerpt:

Summer Holiday tossed and turned in the middle of a dream that had visited on and off her whole life. She knew she was dreaming, but she didn’t want it to end.

The sand was warm beneath her feet and the surf lapped softly against the shore. No one else was around, just the two of them. The handsome, golden-haired man gazed at her with his midnight-blue eyes. He reached for her and she walked into his arms. He was mostly naked, a pair of cut-off jeans his only covering. She had on a sundress, with a bikini underneath. This part of the dream was the same, had been since she could remember. As she’d gotten older though, it had grown more and more explicit. Now, sometimes the dream carried through until they’d both come, and Summer wanted that tonight. It had been a long week, and she needed some sort of release.

“Summer.” He murmured her name into her hair as he hugged her close. That had been added to the dream sometime in her teen years. They’d shared names and told each other about their lives. Her subconscious had built quite a character for her dream man. He was three years older than she, had parents who were divorced, a married sister, and since Summer’s college years, he’d been in the military. “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too, Matt.” Matthew Harrison Warren, that’s what she’d named him. Major Matt Warren. Her childhood dream friend who’d grown into her adult dream lover. “It’s been a long time.”

“I was in the hospital for a while,” he told her as he kissed her earlobe, the line of her neck. “I didn’t dream while they had me pumped full of drugs.”

This was her dream, not his. Still, she wasn’t going to waste it asking questions. She wanted him inside her—now. The minute she’d seen him coming down the beach in her dream, she’d grown wet and ready for him. It had been months since her last dream of Matt and years since she’d had a real lover. None of the guys she’d dated had ever measured up to the man of her dreams.

Summer was impatient. She tugged open the buttons of his fly and pushed his jeans down around his ankles. There was a new, angry-red scar on his hip, stitch marks clear through the center of it.

“I have an artificial hip joint now,” he said. “Like an old man. I’m not in the Air Force anymore of course. I’m working on what to do next.”

When had her dreams decided she needed a lover who wasn’t a fighter pilot? No matter since he only existed in her head. Maybe this was her subconscious reminding her she wasn’t getting any younger. “You’ll find something. You’re a qualified engineer, right?” Before he’d gone off to the Air Force, she’d dreamed he was an aeronautical engineering student.

“That I am, sugar. I’ll find a job, don’t you worry about it.”

She leaned over and kissed the scar. Her cheek rubbed against his thick cock, already fully erect. Of course she wouldn’t worry—or shouldn’t. He was simply a dream. But the scar looked so inflamed and painful, her heart lurched. “Does it hurt too much?”

“Too much to make love to you? Never.” He pulled her sundress over her head and tugged open the ties of her bikini. The sun warmed her nipples but they stayed as hard as if she stood in a snow bank. One by one, Matt dropped kisses on the dark pink buds. “Every time I see you, you’re even more beautiful than I remember.”

“I’m almost thirty-three,” she reminded him, feeling positively ancient. “Just another few weeks until my birthday. My youngest brother just got married, and my oldest has a two-month-old little girl. My younger sister’s been married for a year, and now they’re talking about having a baby. That leaves just me and Sam as the singles in the family.” Summer was the middle of the five Holiday siblings while Sam was second oldest.

“All the men in Charleston are idiots.” Matt dropped to his knees in the sand, though there was miraculously a blanket underneath them. “I’m coming, Summer. Will you wait for me? I promise I’m on my way.” He pulled

one of her nipples into the wet heat of his mouth and sucked.

Summer speared her hands through his thick, blond hair, longer now than the buzz cut she’d grown used to. “I’ve waited for you my whole life, Matt. Why would I stop now?”

Saturday's Stupid Saying

Lawyer: Doctor, how many autopsies have you performed on dead people?

Expert Witness: All my autopsies are performed on dead people.

actual testimony taken from court records

If you read yesterday's post, then you know we had an answered prayer in the form of the spouse's first retirement check. Today we are heading out on a much needed spending spree for clothing items for everyone. I need shoes; the SU and daughter need shirts and shorts; the youngling needs summer clothing. We also plan to get a new lawnmower, some charcoal, and some less essential items for the home (we've had to really determine 'wants' from 'needs' in the last several months, ie: Can't the boys use the same shampoo bottle for a while?)

Also, look for the return of my book-buying schedule. I haven't been posting my 'Currently Reading', since I've been doing a lot of re-reading and slowly going through a box of paperbacks, so I will try to remember to start doing this again. In fact.....

Currently Reading: Just finished A Gentleman Always Remembers by Candace Camp. Awesome book! I was in the mood for a good regency, and this one delivers. Now I want to get the other two in this series:) Recommended Read:) Now I'm (finally!) diving into my friend BC Brown's paranormal A Touch of Darkness:) I'm already on Ch 4, and had to force myself to put it down so I could go to sleep last night.

Flashback Friday

May 1981:

Two important events took place: End of the school year and Graduation.

First of all, the end of the school year. A bittersweet time, because I decided to take my yearbook and collect as many farewell signatures as possible.

And learned something: I had more friends than I thought!

My anti-social behavior hadn't turned my previous friends against me, after all. It had been all in my head. But the deed was done; I was transferring to another high school and following my dream of being in the Marching Band. And now, thanks to Facebook, I've reconnected with several of those 'lost' friends, even ones I didn't seek out for signatures that day. And the end-of-the-year festivities brought an end to the gossip about my group dating.

Graduation:

I asked Mom if we could attend the graduation of so many of my Senior friends, and she agreed. So I was able to speak with and congratulate friends S and D as they stood in their red caps and gowns. Plus, one of my mother's 'favorite' students, who scouted for her in her office, was a co-valedictorian, and we were attending her graduation party afterward.

The only thing I was sad about was the fact I would only see D one more time before he left for college. And boy, was that ever a momentous occasion! But I'll tell you about that next month:)

Happy Friday the 13th!!!

The SU's first retirement check arrived! He took me and the CK (College Kid) out to lunch, and over a Pina Colada-flavored margarita, we talked about how LIFE just got slightly better for us. We can pay bills; put better food in the house; get me some better tennis shoes (mine have had holes in them for several months now); and since my sister and her family arrive one week from today, this means the three planned get-togethers won't be such a strain on the budget. I'm also going to see about getting back on my buying schedule!