Sunday, 14 April 2013

Sunday Snippets with Misha Tagliaferro


Welcome to Sunday Snippets Misha Tagliaferro




Please tell us your pen name.  Your book title, genre type, and series name, if applicable.

My name is Misha Tagliaferro, and my most recent release Tara of the Fey is a paranormal/fantasy romance.

3 words to describe yourself.

Curious, creative, inspired

3 people you would like to thank.
First off, I’d like to thank my sister. Without her encouragement, I never would have started writing. I’d also like to thank Secret Cravings Publishing/Sweet Cravings Publishing for believing in my work and giving me the opportunity to become a published author. And finally, I’d like to thank Kyle Lewis, my awesome editor who makes me grow as a writer every time I work with him.

1 sentence to describe your book.

When a fey princess is abducted by one of the Blue Men of the Minch, she must look beyond his blue skin to the man inside.

An excerpt from your book. 

The H.M.S. Fairweather glided peacefully through the Minch, heading due north between the island of Lewis and mainland Scotland. Caeden slowly moved his tail to keep himself steady in the icy waters as he kept a close watch on the ship, hoping for a glimpse of the young woman on board. He and his companions followed at a safe distance. If they were spotted too soon, it could spell disaster for Caeden and subject him to even more ridicule from his compatriots.

“Mighty fine ship,” Fergus muttered, a mischievous gleam in his eye. “Sure wish we could sink her.”

“We’re only allowed the girl,” Duirkin said. The chosen leader for this rambunctious group of Blue Men, Duirkin was an older man everyone respected.

Everyone, that is, except Fergus, who respected no one but the chieftain, and him only grudgingly. “Can’t we at least play with the sailors? Teach them to fear the Minch?”

Caeden missed Duirkin’s response, for over the rail of the ship appeared the face he had longed to see. Framed by flowing, golden hair, the delicate features and sparkling blue eyes gazing into the deep stole the oxygen from his gills. An emerald green dress of shimmering fabric draped her slender body—a body which had grown into that of a woman since he last saw her.

Although years had passed since he had been taken by the sea witch and cursed to live as a Blue Man, there was no mistaking Tara, his best friend and childhood crush. Her memory had kept him going through many long, lonely nights and given him hope that he might one day walk with her again along the shores of Garbh Eilean. So much depended on her acceptance of him now, much more than his companions knew—his very future was at stake.
Please include a jpg of your cover art.  A jpg of yourself, if you wish to.  The buy links for your book and any other personal and promotional links you wish readers to know.
Tara of the Fey is available from

Sweet Cravings Publishing:



Amazon: 



All Romance eBooks: 




Readers can connect with me in the following places:


Thank you Misha for joining us on The Romantic Muse Blogspot.



Carolyn, Whitney, AP, and Jennie.

Sunday Snippets with M.S. Spencer

Welcome to Sunday Snippets M.S. Spencer.





Please tell us your pen name.  Your book title, genre type, and series name, if applicable.

M. S. Spencer. My latest romantic suspense/mystery is Mai Tais and Mayhem: Murder at Mote Marine (a Sarasota romance).

3 words to describe yourself

Introverted, inquisitive, idiosyncratic

3 people you would like to thank. 


Special thanks to Secret Cravings publisher Beth Walker, to my cover artist Dawné Dominique and my editor Ariana Gaynor—bless your patient, flexible, cheerful, responsive, enthusiastic hearts!

1 sentence to describe your book.

Sea turtles, romance, Russian gangsters, pigs and parrots, sex, murder and money—not necessarily in that order.

An excerpt from your book.

EXCERPT (G): Mai Tais & Mayhem, by M. S. Spencer ~ Synchronized Swimming

Two banks of folding chairs created a walkway that led to a small, bougainvillea-covered cupola. Noah stood there, nervously twisting his hands. To his left hovered five beefy cops in full uniform, trying not to stamp their feet. Tessa had a fleeting vision of them rampaging through the crowd, slapping handcuffs on wayward guests. As the strains of Pachelbel’s Canon started, she began her slow march.
The sun blazed, resplendent in a cloudless sky. A slight breeze ruffled the ladies’ hats and lace collars. Beyond the pool, a great blue heron watched sedately from the edge of the marsh, while an anhinga spread his wings and basked in the late afternoon warmth.
As she passed down the aisle, she recognized Greg, Phil and Sue Conger seated next to Molly. On the bride’s side sat Elver Johnson with his wife and Leslie Pilchard. She noted with surprise that Semele, perched demurely at Pilchard’s right, had cleaned up reasonably well in a long granny skirt and peasant top. Behind them sat Henry Stillwater next to a young girl, whose fine blonde hair and skittish expression betrayed a close genetic bond to the dolphin director. Angus took up a back row with a group she didn’t recognize, including a tiny white-haired lady in shades of pink. Must be his mother. She gave Tessa an impish grin and waved a satin-gloved hand. Tessa wondered if Angus had told her about Fiona. Or about Molly.
Cameron was nowhere in sight. She took a deep, sad breath and kept walking.


“Oh, my dear, what a beautiful ceremony. I can’t believe how young Esther looks!”
“And not too thin! She used to be such a stick.”
This, thought Tessa uncharitably, coming from one woman whose blonde wig barely hid the wispy blue hair and another whose bulk had taken up two wobbly chairs. “Yes, happiness will do that.” She smiled and moved on.
The photographer had insisted that the formal wedding party pictures be taken poolside, so Tessa, Esther and Noah, together with five gargantuan policemen, crowded together on the narrow coping. As the sun began to set, the tree swallows came out to feed, swooping acrobatically around and over their heads. The sight of all those brawny men ducking and cursing as the tiny aviators dive-bombed their heads set Tessa off. A minute later she was not amused as the water closed over her head. She rose, spluttering, to see Esther, her little tiara askew, surface next to her. Noah, with his men behind him making encouraging noises, leaned as far out as he could to catch his bride’s hand. Suddenly, like a scene from Keystone Kops, the entire brigade toppled domino style into the pool.
The cops scrambled out, mumbling curses, but it took Noah three tries to propel Esther up the pool ladder. The minister helped Tessa to a lounge chair, where she sat, wringing out her sopping dress. She swung around at a noise behind her. Cameron stood there, his mouth twitching. “I should have known Esther would insist on a synchronized swimming event at her wedding.”
Esther burst out laughing. She turned to her new husband. “And here I expected that marrying a Noah would protect me from deep water!”

Mai Tais & Mayhem: Murder at Mote Marine (a Sarasota Romance)
Secret Cravings Publishing (January 2013)
eBook 64,848 words (208 pp)
Contemporary romantic mystery, M/F, 2 flames







Thank you for joining us on The Romantic Muse Blogspot.

Carolyn, Whitney, AP, and Jennie.

Sunday, 7 April 2013

Sunday Snippets - Samantha Combs


 
Welcome to, Sunday Snippets with, TRM.


- Please tell us your pen name, your book title, genre and series name, if applicable?
No pen name.  It’s all me, all the way.  LOL.  My newest release is THE DEADLIES, a dark and edgy YA paranormal.  It releases tomorrow from Secret Cravings Publishing.

 
- 3 words to describe yourself?
Creative, generous, driven


- 3 people you would like to thank? (For example, your publisher, your cover artist, your editor, or someone special in your life)
I’d like to thank my mum, Paulina, for raising us alone and doing it well and for being the best example I could have for raising my own children.  I’d like to thank my brother for being the biggest fan I could have.  I’d like to thank my husband and kids for letting me be weird when I need to, and understanding my need to write that all down.  All the time.  At all hours.

 
- 1 sentence to describe your book.
Being at the center of an age-old possession of the seven deadly sins, will bring Callie Flood closer to her dead mother than she ever thought possible.


- An excerpt from your book, approximately 300 words long.
The front of Holly Hills Academy was imposing, reminiscent of antebellum mansions Callie had seen in magazines featuring Southern architecture. As Callie stepped off the ancient school bus and watched the other students flow into the building, so perfect in their uniforms, she felt out of place. The scratchy plaid skirt and starched white blouse were so unlike what she was used to. She couldn’t ever remember wearing knee-high socks. She’d managed to salvage some semblance of her individuality by shunning ladylike black-patent Mary Jane shoes in favor of her beloved black cowboy boots. They didn’t go at all with the proper look of the girls' school uniform, but they were much more her style. They made the stiff, itchy monkey suit halfway bearable.
“Hi. You must be Mrs. Flood’s niece, Calliope. She told me about you.” Callie turned to find another girl standing there, dressed in the same ill-fitting school uniform. She had an armload of books and appraised Callie with a friendly eye. “My name’s Suzette Price, but you can call me Suki. Everyone does.” The girl did a little bow and finished it with a curtsey.
“Hey. I’m Callie.”
“I know. Your aunt plays canasta with my grandmother.” Callie gave Suki a close look over. Suki just laughed. “Oh, the already-knowing-you thing? You’ll have to get used to that. Haven Falls is a small town, and everyone knows your business. We knew you were coming here to live more than a month ago. Since Holly Hills is the same school your momma and auntie went to, we just knew you’d be going here, too. You’re part of a legacy.”
 

 About Samantha Combs:

Samantha Combs is a Southern California author with eight published books: Her Young Adult paranormal titles, the Global Ebook Award-winning debut title SPELLBOUND, SPELLBOUND's sequel, EVERSPELL, GHOSTLY, and WATERDANCER, a middle grade horror called THE DETENTION DEMON, and her adult horror collections, TEETH AND TALONS, WAY PAST MIDNIGHT, and HELLOWEEN.  THE DEADLIES is her ninth book and her fifth paranormal. She enjoys writing YA paranormals, both dark and light, and supernatural fantasy and romance, but it is her love of horror that started it all. Thanks, Mr. King.

When she’s not writing, she works full time and enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. Her guilty pleasures include reality television, the Food Network channel and shoes. She truly believes she can accomplish anything if she has the right pair of shoes. And she adores totally inappropriate earrings.

Samantha loves writing and publishing her work and is in awe of the technological advances of our lives. With all of the genres there are for a reader, she has learned that writing paranormal and horror lets her share all the weirdness of everyday life in a not-so-everyday way. The foundation of a good story is all around her. All she has to do is….breathe.

Samantha loves to hear from her fans. Connect with her at the following place:





Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4953744.Samantha_Combs

Amazon Author Central Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0055WS25S

  

Thank you for joining us on The Romantic Muse Blogspot, Samantha!
Carolyn, Whitney, AP, and Jennie.

Sunday Snippets - Virginnia De Parte





 Welcome to Sunday Snippets at TRM.

Please tell us your pen name.  Your book title, genre type, and series name, if applicable.

Virginnia De Parte
A Talent for Loving
Futuristic Romance

(The prequel to the series about the genetically altered Corban Family – no series name)


3 words to describe yourself.

energetic, imaginative and brave.


3 people you would like to thank. (For example, your publisher, your cover artist, your editor, or someone special in your life)

My husband, who is so proud of my literary efforts.
Secret Cravings Publishing, for having faith in me
Dawne Dominique, for her brilliant artistic talent displayed in my covers


1 sentence to describe your book.

Two people with abnormal talents must learn to trust each other and share their secrets.

An excerpt from your book.

“The surf’s building.  There’s a blow on the way.” He pointed to the south.  “See the breakers out there? They’re coming closer by the minute. I bet the wind gets up when they get closer to shore.”
                   She followed his gaze and looked out to sea before glancing back to the surf below them. Could that black dot be a seal? Or was it a surfer in a wetsuit? Oh God! No! She shook his arm and prodded his shoulder.
                   “Wills, is that a person in the surf?  They seem to be going out rather than swimming in. What do you think?”
                   Together they peered, watching closely until an arm was raised.  Then a flailing and the dot disappeared.
                   “I think it’s a child. Here.” He pulled free, tore off his jacket and tossed it to her. In a second his shirt came off and he’d stepped out of his trousers and shoes in one fluid movement. Another breath and he’d gone.  All that remained beside her were his dropped clothes.
                   He’d jumped.
                   She quickly bent and folded the garments, hanging them over her arm and tucking his shoes into the crook of her elbow she hugged all of them to her chest.  She stood up, her heart racing with fear as she guessed what he’d done. 
               Sure enough when she looked there were now two black dots in the surf, one larger than the other.  Already the surf had grown and running through the waves a channel of calm water cut its way out past the breakers, looking deceptively calm to anyone who didn’t know how to read the surf.  This undertow must have pulled the child out and she could see William moving across the surf away from the slicing strip that threatened to pick them up and carry them further out.

Thank you so much Virginnia for joining us today.  Please check out this talented author, and her book, A Talent for Loving at the following links.