It’s the third Monday of the month and that means……

Once a month, a bunch of authors get together and post excerpts from published
books, contracted work or works in progress, and link to each other. You don’t
have to be published to participate–just a writer with an excerpt you’d like to
share. For more info on how to participate, head over to the Excerpt Monday
site! or click on the banner above.

Okay there seems to be a slight confusion as to where the July post is on the EM page so I found it in archives and thought I would post the link here – http://excerptmonday.wordpress.com/2010/07/

This month I decided to change things up. No Young Adult Paranormal. Instead this is an excerpt from my Historical Romance titled The Rose and the Lion. It’s a back shelf story, and the first one I ever seriously wrote. Enjoy.

“There is more at play than you can even fathom, MacGregor. Your scope is too narrow.” Lendl laughed.

Elisabeth’s gaze froze as if she found the sound familiar.

Shouts of alarm echoed off the corridor walls as racing footsteps pounded and retreated against the flagstone. MacGregor and Lendl stood poised for attack but remained motionless, listening for movement outside the dead Emissary’s suites.

Blood slammed through Iain’s veins. Elisabeth was caught between them and was within a mere hand’s grasp of Lendl. Iain quickly analyzed all possible strategies, quelling the panic to the back of his mind.

As the voices faded, Lendl grabbed Elisabeth and jerked her in front of him. Her head thudded against his shoulder. A silver dagger glinted in the moonlight. The spy pushed the blade against the soft underside of her chin. Lendl backed toward the window, dragging her with him. MacGregor followed inch by careful inch.

Lendl twisted the blade, and she let out a small yelp, causing the deadly point to break the skin. Fear tried to sweep back through Iain’s senses. A warm trickle slid down her throat. Rage boiled in the Scotsman’s stomach. MacGregor changed his stance and lowered, ready to spring and pounce.

“Stay back,” Lendl spat.

He butted against the window, and with his free hand, he unlatched the sash, pushing wide the casement.

“Let her go. This is between you and I. You will not leave the castle alive with her”

“Of that I had no intentions.” Lendl smiled wickedly.

He lowered his hand, and Elisabeth darted for freedom. He lifted a boot and shoved her hard into Iain.

The Scotsman dropped his rapier as she stumbled into his arms. They tumbled into a chair. Lendl pummeled over the casement ledge with one hand and dropped out of sight. MacGregor pulled her up and planted her to the side as he darted to the window.  He slammed his fist on the ledge.

“Bloody bastard is gone.”

Elisabeth gently fingered the scrape under her neck. Iain offered a handkerchief but she slapped away his hand. “You lied to me.”

The corridor hummed with activity as voices carried louder, and the cries of alarm became more distinct.

“I wish I had time to fully explain,” Iain said.

“You are a spy and a murderer. I need no further explanation.” Heat crept up her neck and spread across her face in a crimson stain, hiding her freckles.

“Aye, perhaps, but I did not kill the Frenchman.” Iain scooped up his rapier and slid the blade into the sheath with a singing hiss.

At the moment, he didn’t care what the English lass thought he had or had not done. A pain squirmed in his stomach. He did care that he might not see her again.

“I was foolish to ever trust you,” Elisabeth said, her fingers wrapped around her throat.

Before he could answer, the sound of a large squad of guards halted on the other side of the door. It wouldn’t take them long to break it down. Iain swung one leg over the ledge.

“Where are you going?” She demanded.

“I’ve outstayed my welcome, lassie.”

With one hand braced against the window casement, he coiled the other around Elisabeth’s arm and dragged her to him. She protested with pounding fists against his chest. He just held her more firmly, silencing her with his feverish kiss. His lips pressed roughly against hers, forcing her to sigh. He thrust his tongue deep within her mouth. The sensation weakened his spine and melted the back of his knees. She pushed away and tried to slap him. He leaned outward and held the frame to prevent falling. A laugh burst, sweet and coarse, from the deep hollow of his chest.

“I offer you safe passage back to England, Elisabeth, but we must leave now.” Iain reached out his hand.

“I would rather see you swing from the gibbet.” She stepped away as if she expected him to force her.

The thought not only tickled the back of his mind, but settled some place quite a bit lower. Unfortunately, he was not in the habit of kidnapping.

***

****

“Links to other Excerpt Monday writers

Note: I have not personally screened these excerpts. Please heed the ratings and
be aware that the links may contain material that is not typical of my site.

WELCOME to those coming back and those who are new! We hope you find some fun and fabulous free reads.

Don’t forget to come back for the first Monday of August for New Release Monday. See what’s coming out and enter to win a free basket of New Releases.

As always, your hostesses Bria Quinlan (PG13) , Alexia Reed (R), Rachel Jameson (PG13) and Kendal Ashby (R) thank you for stopping by!

Joining us this week:

Jaleta Clegg, Science Fiction (PG 13)
Penny Dune, Romantic Suspense (PG 13)
Kaige, Historical Romance (PG 13)
Debbie Mumford, Contemporary YA Fantasy (PG 13)
Jeannie Lin, Historical (PG 13)
Jeanette Murray, Contemporary Romance (PG 13)
Dara Young, Steampunk (PG 13)
Ryan, Mystery (PG 13)

Kendal Ashby, Contemporary Romance (R)
Stephanie Draven, Paranormal Romance (R)
Lauren Fraser, (R)
Cate Hart, Historical Romance (R)
KJ Reed, Erotic Romance (R)
Ali Katz, Contemporary M/M (R)
Cherrie Lynn, Paranormal Romance (R)

Sara Brookes, Urban Fantasy Romance (NC 17)
Carly Carson, Futuristic (NC 17)
Lisa Fox, Paranormal/erotic romance (NC 17)
Bryl R. Tyne, Contemporary M/M/M (NC 17)

Only One Week Left in the Contest!

It’s a Twitter follower contest! @briaquinlan, @catehart, @mgbuehrlen and I (@dyromance) were talking about unrealistic goals. We decided to set an unrealistic goal for Twitter followers and then see if we could get it. So now it is up to you all to help us meet our #unrealisticgoals! Don’t forget to tweet about the contest to earn an extra entry each week!

Last week’s winners to be announced soon!

Rules:

• Winners will be chosen from new and existing followers. For each person followed, you will earn additional entries. So if you follow one person = 1 entry. If you follow all 4 of us = 4 entries.
• One additional entry per week will be added for retweeting the contest information. Use the #unrelisticgoals hash tag and be sure to post a link to your tweet in your comments each week.
• You must post on one of our blogs what your Twitter name is, which prize you want for that week, and provide a link to that week’s tweet about the contest. That means you will need to post in one of our blogs each week of the contest to get your first choice of prize.
• Winner’s names will be drawn and they will be contacted via direct message on Twitter.

Prizes:

Week 1 Giveaway (2 Winners)

1 Custom Tshirt (this is the approximate image, but since it is custom on my hoodie, it may vary)

The Bride’s Farewell by Meg Rosoff

Week 2 Giveaway (2 Winners)

1 critique of a query Cate Hart

Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Week 3 Giveaway (5 Winners – 1 winner of 3 books, 1 winner of 2 YA books, and 3 winner of one critique)

Mistress by Mistake by Maggie Robinson  

Boneshaker by Cherie Priest

Dead by Midnight by Beverly Barton

Party by Tom Leveen (YA)

Stolen by Lucy Christopher (ARC) (YA)

1 10 page critique by Cate Hart (will critique whatever you like, but experience is in YA)

1 10 page critique by MG (no erotic romance, please)

1 10 page critique by Bria Quinlan (no erotic romance, please)

Note: The critique winners will need to coordinate with Cate, MG, and Bria to coordinate with their schedules.

Time frame:
June 14th and to July 2nd = 3 weeks

Our Blogs:

Cate Hart http://catehart.com/ – you’ll want to leave a comment below on my page, too!

MG Buehrlen CONTEST PAGE HERE Official home page – (http://www.mgbuehrlen.com/Home.html)

Bria Quinlan CONTEST PAGE HERE Officail home page – (http://briaspage.wordpress.com/)

Danielle Yockman CONTEST PAGE HERE Official home page – (http://dyockman.wordpress.com/)

Info on each of the books:

Mistress by Mistake by Maggie Robinson (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6954705-mistress-by-mistake)

Scandal Is Only The Beginning…

Charlotte Fallon let her guarded virtue fall once–and she’s paid dearly for it ever since. She swore she’d never succumb to men’s desires again. But even a village spinster’s life miles from temptation can’t save her from a sister with no shame whatsoever. Or a heart that longs for more, whatever the cost…

Sir Michael Bayard found more than he expected in his bed when he finally joined his new mistress. He’d fantasized about her dewy skin and luscious curves, assured her understanding that what passed between them was mere dalliance. But he didn’t expect the innocence and heat of her response in his arms. Nor her surprisingly sharp tongue once she was out of them…

A few days of abandon cannot undo the hard-learned lessons of a lifetime. Nor can an honest passion burn away the restraints of society’s judgments. Unless, of course, one believes in nonsense like true love…

Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6696602-infinity)

At fourteen, Nick Gautier thinks he knows everything about the world around him. Streetwise, tough and savvy, his quick sarcasm is the stuff of legends. . .until the night when his best friends try to kill him. Saved by a mysterious warrior who has more fighting skills than Chuck Norris, Nick is sucked into the realm of the Dark-Hunters: immortal vampire slayers who risk everything to save humanity.

Nick quickly learns that the human world is only a veil for a much larger and more dangerous one: a world where the captain of the football team is a werewolf and the girl he has a crush on goes out at night to stake the undead.

But before he can even learn the rules of this new world, his fellow students are turning into flesh eating zombies. And he’s next on the menu.

As if starting high school isn’t hard enough. . .now Nick has to hide his new friends from his mom, his chainsaw from the principal, and keep the zombies and the demon Simi from eating his brains, all without getting grounded or suspended. How in the world is he supposed to do that?

Boneshaker by Cherie Priest (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1137215.Boneshaker)

In the early days of the Civil War, rumors of gold in the frozen Klondike brought hordes of newcomers to the Pacific Northwest. Anxious to compete, Russian prospectors commissioned inventor Leviticus Blue to create a great machine that could mine through Alaska’s ice. Thus was Dr. Blue’s Incredible Bone-Shaking Drill Engine born.

But on its first test run the Boneshaker went terribly awry, destroying several blocks of downtown Seattle and unearthing a subterranean vein of blight gas that turned anyone who breathed it into the living dead.

Now it is sixteen years later, and a wall has been built to enclose the devastated and toxic city. Just beyond it lives Blue’s widow, Briar Wilkes. Life is hard with a ruined reputation and a teenaged boy to support, but she and Ezekiel are managing. Until Ezekiel undertakes a secret crusade to rewrite history.

His quest will take him under the wall and into a city teeming with ravenous undead, air pirates, criminal overlords, and heavily armed refugees. And only Briar can bring him out alive.

Dead by Midnight by Beverly Barton (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6712415-dead-by-midnight)

IN MURDER

The last sounds Dean Wilson hears are a clock striking twelve and a killer’s taunting words. And his death is just the first. One by one, victims are stalked and shot at close range. Only the killer knows their sins, and who will be the next to die at midnight…

AND IN LIFE

In the ten years since her Hollywood career imploded, Lorie Hammonds has built a good life in her Alabama hometown. When the first death threat arrives, she assumes it’s a joke. Then she gets a second note. Sheriff Mike Birkett, her high-school sweetheart, has avoided Lorie since she returned to Dunmore, but when investigators uncover her connection to a string of recent murders, he’s drawn into a case that’s terrifyingly personal.

TIMING IS EVERYTHING

With every murder, the killer edges closer. Soon Lorie’s will be the last name left on his list. Her only hope is to unearth a deadly secret-before the clock runs out for good…

The Bride’s Farewell by Meg Rosoff (ARC) (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6013847-the-bride-s-farewell)

On the morning of her wedding, Pell Ridley creeps out of bed in the dark, kisses her sisters goodbye and flees. She takes the only thing that truly belongs to her: Jack, a white horse. The road ahead is rich with longing, silence and secrets, and each encounter leads her closer to the untold story of her past.

Stolen by Lucy Christopher (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6408862-stolen)

Sixteen year old Gemma is kidnapped from Bangkok airport and taken to the Australian Outback. This wild and desolate landscape becomes almost a character in the book, so vividly is it described. Ty, her captor, is no stereotype. He is young, fit and completely gorgeous. This new life in the wilderness has been years in the planning. He loves only her, wants only her. Under the hot glare of the Australian sun, cut off from the world outside, can the force of his love make Gemma love him back? The story takes the form of a letter, written by Gemma to Ty, reflecting on those strange and disturbing months in the outback. Months when the lines between love and obsession, and love and dependency, blur until they don’t exist – almost.

Party by Tom Leveen (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6251198-party)

It’s saturday night in Santa Barbara and school is done for the year. Everyone is headed to the same party. Or at least it seems that way. The place is packed. The beer is flowing. Simple, right? But for 11 different people the motives are way more complicated. As each character takes a turn and tells his or her story, the eleven individuals intersect, and reconnect, collide, and combine in ways that none of them ever saw coming.

My post is up today on Victoria Janssen’s blog. This week she is talking about vampires : why we love them and why we write them. In a word I love them, and right now, my favorite fictional vampire is Damon Salvatore.

Ian Somerhalder as Damon Salvatore

Check out Victoria’s blog HERE.

This year I’m participating in the Summer Reading Trail. You can go to the following websites to start the trail :

A. J. O’Donovan UK Trailhead
http://ajodonovan.co.uk/?p=450

Voirey Linger US Trailhead
http://www.voireylinger.com/index.php?p=1_12_Trail-Head

Or you can jump over to my page for the trail below :

Enjoy!!!

What’s on my iPad (that’s right I got one!) : Everlong by the Foo Fighters

          I’ve been so busy the past month with revisions on my requested manuscript that I haven’t been able to post. So today, I thought I would throw up my experience with world building since I’ve done quite a bit for BROKEN and REDD and because there’s a boon in paranormal both romance and young adult.

          When I decided that my first YA novel would involve a hero that was an angel, my mind went to work recollecting all the mythos, movies, and books I’d read. And the majority of what I pulled from came from movies, perhaps because the characteristics were more secular and that’s what I wanted.

          So when you first set out to create your own characters’ world, pull from what you already know. I think it’s easier to start there for two reasons : you’re already familiar with it, and more than likely it’s ingrained in your chosen markets’ heads (the readers of paranormal)

          When I started writing BROKEN, there were very few novels with angels as protagonists (now it’s a growing trend). And as writer, I wanted to steer clear of those novels as not to be influenced in my own world building. With say vampires, the lore is pretty much well established – it’s hard to escape it. But that’s not to say that as a writer you can’t get creative. In fact, agents and editors are looking for the more ingenious worlds because, sad to say, they are seeing TONS of vampire stories.

          As you sit down to put to your world on paper, write down those preconceived myths. For instance, with BROKEN, I knew a little about The Fallen (angels that fell when Lucifer did, ect) and the general assumption is that Fallen angels have been stripped of their wings. But my hero, Caleb, had his wings. The second scene I ever wrote was the hero revealing those wings to the heroine. And I also knew how he kept those wings hidden (no spoilers :>) So with that idea I had the first part of my world created, and had to come up with a reason that an angel would be in hiding on earth if he wasn’t one of the Fallen. So I created a new distinction among the angels called Renegades. They are hunted, and most likely if they are caught by Heaven they’ll be stripped of their wings, and if caught by Hell, they’ll burn in eternal damnation. <— more world building there. 

        So, the next step is write down a list of what is all ready out there. Then take those ingrained concepts and twist them to your benefit. The first prime example, from two VERY popular vampire series TWILIGHT and THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, is the sunlight myth. Both Smith and Myer had to creatively get around the traditional myth of sunlight burning a vampire/ staying out of the sunlight/ only coming out at night but still get their high school age vampires in to high school. I actually prefer LJ Smith’s version. She uses rings with a special gemstone that Damon and Stefan wear. And on the TV show I love looking for new characters to see if they are wearing some piece of jewelry to give them away. Of course, Myer went out in left field, creating an anomaly where vampires sparkled in the sunlight. Still what a creative way to twist around a well conceived vampire myth and make it her own. It sold – gazillions! Another myth that both authors twisted to fit their worlds was the blood drinking. This is one of those myths that just can’t be fooled with too much. The whole point of a vampire is that is what he does – drinks human blood. The idea of vegetarian vampires, hillarious, actually worked – first for Smith because Stefan feeds only on animals while his brother Damon is more the monster and feeds on humans. And Myer took this concept and expanded it, making the Cullen family outcasts among all vampires for their odd eating practice. Even Charlaine Harris took a spin, her vampires drink synthetic blood that just like the real thing.

         Enough about vampires. But once you have plucked the myths and concepts to create your world, twisted them, used them, abused them for your benefit. Now it’s time to test those new theories.

         What I discovered while revising BROKEN is that my world kept shifting slightly. As I learned more about my characters, I found that they revealed things to me that had to be fit together a little bit differently. And then I had to create the other half of the spectrum, the world of demons. In essence, I was still adding to my world up until the day I sent my revised manuscript off.

          Finally, several thoughts. Always remember no matter what, this is your world that you created. If your vampires live off syrup, so be it. Just remember that part of creating your world is providing the back up evidence to support the why and how. Second, take notes, lots of notes. And research. You’d be amazed if I told you that a large chunk of my world, some of the terms and how the heirarchy works, came from a Role Playing Game. I was lucky I found it, but I learned a lesson. Always bookmark, jot down, copy and paste the info to a Word doc, because you may not find the site again. But you can find some very interesting ideas in the most random places. Never rule out anything.

So to summarize :

1) start a list of what you already know about your world, the myths, legends you already know

2) research those myths, legends, ect and take notes. Be sure to keep a hard copy or favorite the sites you visit for later reference.

3) take those theories and twist them for your benefit to create a new and exciting world

4) write and listen to what your characters tell you, as they will reveal things you had no idea about

What’s on my iPod : Crash and Burn by Lifehouse

Once a month, a bunch of authors get together and post excerpts from published books, contracted work or works in progress, and link to each other. You don’t have to be published to participate–just a writer with an excerpt you’d like to share. For more info on how to participate, head over to the Excerpt Monday site! or click on the banner above.

It’s hard to believe it, but I began participating in EM a year ago. I’ve only missed once – last month. So here is this month’s post. It’s something I’ve been toying with, so it is in rough draft. But this is the opening sequence to FLIRTING WITH HEAVEN. It’s more of an adult paranormal romance. Enjoy.

          Lightning flashed, followed by the distant rumble of thunder. Two male voices erupted, embroiled in battle.

          “You should have stayed hidden, Ezekiel,” a male voice hissed.

          Lightning sparked a second time, glinting off the cruel edge of the blade held in mid-air.

          “I’ll protect Sam with my dying breath, Uriel. I’m not afraid of meeting my creator. Not sure you can say the same, daemon.”

          Thunder shook the ground, and the first male voice laughed. “If you kill me, Zeke, you’ll never find Samantha.”

          “What have you done with…damn it, the boom mic is in my shot!”

          Instantly, floodlights flickered on the sound stage. Keely Jamison rubbed her eyes as they readjusted from the darkness. The shoot had been going so well. Of course, it was only a matter of time before a tantrum erupted. She checked her watch – four hours this stretch. There wasn’t much she could do as head script writer for the pilot production of Flirting with Heaven. But she kept trying to appease everyone because this was her baby, a television program based on her best-selling novel.

          Beside her, Jess McCain, director extraordinaire, scanned back through the footage to double check the shot. Sure enough, the boom mic surreptitiously lowered into the top right corner of the screen. Keely cursed under her breath. The scene had been perfect this time – the fourteenth take. But now it was ruined. She almost sympathized with the “terrible tyrant” Trayson.

          After he dropped the sword and nearly impaled guest actor, Michael Jenners, Trayson spun into a spoiled actor’s tirade and verbally attacked he fifty year old veteran sound man responsible for the slip. She hardly blamed either one of them; they’d been on set shooting since six am.

          Jess got up and pushed his way into the circle forming around Trayson. The thirty-something director maintained a cool, levelheaded approach to his actors and the crew. And they respected him for it. But Trayson’s temper-tantrums had managed to see five seasoned film crew members walk off set already. With a sigh, she rose out of the canvas backed chair to stretch her legs. Keely slipped toward the catering table to get a cup of coffee for Jess and bottled water for the hot head.

           “Mocha latte?”

          Keely jumped at the sound of Zach’s voice and almost spilled Jess’s coffee all over the table and herself. She glared up at the dark haired assistant director. It wasn’t the first time he’d snuck up on her out of the blue. But his sweet smile melted her brewing distemper.

           “It looks like another long night,” he added, tilting head toward the crowd tightening around Trayson, Jess and the techie.

           She nodded and turned her attention back to the coffee and the water bottle.

          “Maybe, I should just f**king break my contract and quit this damn production,” Trayson’s gravelly voice boomed, “if you people can’t give me any respect to perform my craft and keep god-damn boom mics out of my face…”

          Trayson pushed through the men like parting the Dead Sea.

          “Not very angel-like,” Zach said.

          “I whole-heartedly agree with you.” Michael stepped over to the table and grabbed a water bottle.

          Keely sighed and gave them both a weak smile. “Damage control,” she said and walked for the stage door.

          She slipped through the partial opening in the rolling bay door and flitted past half a dozen actors on the back lot. It was close to seven now, and everyone was exhausted, especially Keely. But it was only the fifth day of shooting the pilot episode, and they were green-lighted to shoot six more episodes. That is if they could get this fast approaching train wreck back on schedule.

          The silver Star-line trailer rocked on its foundation wheels, and she heard a few loud curses. She hesitated before knocking, steeling her nerves and her pounding heart. Keely wasn’t afraid of the tantrum throwing actor. It was the exact opposite, she was crushing on him. Unfortunately, he was aware of it.

          “Trayson, can I come in?”

~~~

Don’t forget to come back on the first Monday of April for New Release Monday. See what’s coming out and enter to win a free basket of New Releases.

So, to kick it off, your hosts:

Bria Quinlan, Rom Com (PG13)
and
Alexia Reed, Urban Fantasy (R)

Joining us this week:

Leslie Dicken, Historical (PG 13)
Victoria Dixon, Fantasy (PG 13)
Jeannie Lin, Contemporary romantic elements (PG 13)
Shawntelle Madison, Paranormal Romance (PG 13)
Debbie Mumford, SFF (PG 13)

KB Alan, Erotic Paranormal Romance (R)
Stephanie Draven, Fantasy with romantic elements (R)
Cate Hart, Paranormal YA (R)
Jeanne St. James, Interracial Menage (R)
Ali Katz, Historical (R)
Danielle Yockman, Steampunk (R)

Sara Brookes, Contemporary Romance (NC 17)
Christa Paige, ContemporaryRomance (NC 17)
Mary Quast, Contemporary Romance (NC 17)

Well my side bar is getting full. I’m moving old mini-posts here.

1-11-10 : I bought two more ebooks! Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick and a PC Cast vampire book. Details later. But I am liking Hush, Hush.

1-2-10 : Almost finished with The Lightning Thief, and then tearing into The Sea Monsters. I bought Fallen by Lauren Kate, and while it’s intriguing, I find it much darker than I like my YA. I plan to finish it after my Olympian romp!

12-20-09 : I got a Sony eReader!!! I love it!! Right now I have two things on there. I have Inez Kelley’s Jinxed ebook, and Steve Berry’s latest about Napoleon’s treasure. I plan to keep adding titles!

Today, I bought Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. I got it as Christmas present for my 9 year old nephew, but I’m having book envy. I want to read it before the movie comes out.
I became addicted to the CW’s new show Vampire Diaries. So, I had to pick up LJ Smith’s series. I’m in the middle of the third book now. But I also have the Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer to read.