Hump Day Hook #HDH – The Vampire of Blackpool

Hello and welcome to the Hump Day Hook. Today I share another excerpt from my NaNoWriMo 2012 novel, The Vampire of Blackpool. I have yet to return to the project for edits, but I certainly plan to have this one published in the future. This excerpt is a conversation between our protagonist, Meredith Hanson, and a young witch called Samantha Morris.

            “Hi,” she said nervously, “Um, I thought maybe we could talk?”

            I frowned.  This was highly irregular.

            “About what?” I replied coldly, and I saw her shiver at my icy tone.

            She swallowed, and when she spoke again her voice trembled.

            “Um,” she said, “I don’t know.  Stuff.”

            She waved her free hand vaguely in the air, as though I should understand what she was indicating.  I simply stared at her, unmoving once again.

            “We have nothing to discuss,” I said in the same cold tone.

            The girl chewed her lip.  I tried to enter her mind to discover why she had taken an interest in me.  At first her thoughts were a jumble of everyday nuances, but she quickly felt my presence, and she threw up a rather impressive shield against me.  I inclined my head, unable to hide my surprise.  She smiled, realising my reaction.

            “Yes,” she said more confidently, “I might be new to this, but I know how to protect my thoughts from vampires.”
            I smiled faintly, showing my amusement.

            “Very well,” I said.

If you enjoyed this one, why not pop over to our dedicated Hump Day Hook blog and peruse some new and exciting authors. We write about romance, love, science fiction, fantasy, erotica and everything in-between, so you are sure to find something that delights the senses. You can also find us on Facebook. Happy Humping! 

*Gothic image courtesy of Pinterest

Hump Day Hook #HDH – The Vampire of Blackpool

Hello and welcome to the Hump Day Hook. Today I will share another excerpt from my manuscript for NaNoWriMo 2012. The novel is called The Vampire of Blackpool, and I was quite pleased with the result. I have yet to return to the project for edits, but I certainly plan to have this one published in the future. Enjoy!

 

Before either of them could make sense of what I was, I struck at the girl, biting her throat and drinking deeply of her blood. She screamed loudly, but it soon faded as she fell unconscious in my grasp. The boy stared in horror, as I raised my eyes to look at him while I fed. He soon gathered his senses however, and I realized just in time that he was about to hit me with the torch. He was strong, but no match for me. Rearing up from his girlfriend’s body, I hissed at him and smacked his arm hard. The torch flew across the garden and landed with a thud in a flowerbed. The boy stared at me, struck dumb by his terror. He stuttered and managed to find his voice.

            “You’re a…a…” he gave up talking as I reached across to grab his jacket.

            “Yes,” I replied smoothly, my eyes glowing silver and my skin translucent in the moonlight, “I am a vampire.  We do exist.”

If you enjoyed this one, why not pop over to our dedicated Hump Day Hook blog and peruse some new and exciting authors. We write about romance, love, science fiction, fantasy, erotica and everything in-between, so you are sure to find something that delights the senses. You can also find us on Facebook. Happy Humping! 

*Vampire image courtesy of Pinterest

The Liebster Award – I’ve Been Nominated!

I had a wonderful email yesterday from James A. West, who informed me that he had nominated my author blog for the Liebster Award. I admit I have seen this award on a couple of other blogs and I felt slightly envious that nobody nominated me, so now I am a very happy bunny!

For those who are not familiar with the Liebster Award, it is available for bloggers with fewer than 300 followers. The nominee must link back to whoever awarded them, write 11 random facts about themselves, answer the 11 questions from the award giver, and then nominate another 11 bloggers and make up 11 questions for them to answer. It is fun, informative, and an excellent way to network and grow your audience.

Here are 11 random facts about me:

1. I am pregnant with my second child, due in July 2013
2. I have auburn hair (definitely not ginger!)
3. My husband is a slightly obsessed waste manager by trade, so our house often resembles a recycling facility in progress!
4. Aside from a 2-year-old daughter, I am Mummy to Baxter the Staffydoodle, Duck the Cumberland Slider turtle and Ashton the Yellow Bellied Slider turtle.
5. My professional writing career only began at around the time I first got pregnant, and now I have 3 published novels!
6. One day I will own a camper van. I just have to.
7. I love chocolate, especially Dairy Milk.
8. I am a ghost hunter, and have done overnight investigations in Scotland, England and Wales during the last 7 years.
9.  I read Tarot and Oracle cards.
10. Someday soon I would love to go on a solo writer’s retreat for a whole week, bliss!
11. When I make my millions, I will buy a lovely old house in the Cheshire countryside and a seaside home in Cornwall.

My answers to the 11 questions:

1. What is something you have always wanted to do but haven't done yet?                                        Obtain a camper van and go on a road trip round the UK.

2. If you were a Star Trek character, who would you be and why? (If you don't know Star Trek, don't admit it! Just make something up!)

I would have to be Spock. He is a legend!

3. What is one of your favorite movie scenes, and why?

In Ghostbusters 2, when the goo goes crazy, and the Titanic arrives down at the docks. Cracks me up every time!

4. Why did you choose writing? What drew you to it?

I was never going to escape it. English, especially creative writing, was my best subject at school and I lived in a dream world of imagination and fantasy (in fact, I still do).

5. What is your favorite book?

Ooh, tough question! Hmm, I will choose a fiction one, and say Matilda by Roald Dahl. It has always been a favourite.

6. Besides writing, do you do any other art? 

I enjoy creative card making and crafting bead jewellery.

7. What is one of your craziest travel stories?

Well, a few years ago I went on a road trip to France with my Mum and younger sister. Our car was stopped at Dover for an inspection, but Mum opened the boot, the guy took one look at our crammed in suitcases, and he just waved us on to the ferry! Then we got lost a couple of times, Mum forgot she should drive on the other side of the road and go the opposite direction on roundabouts, and finally we reached our destination in a remote rural village. It was a great holiday though!

8. Skiing or lounging on a beach?

Lounging on a beach, but with a book and magazine for company.

9. Coke or Pepsi?

Coke

10. Do you play a musical instrument? If so, which one? If not, do you want to?

No. I used to play the clarinet but gave it up when I left school. Sometimes I wish I hadn’t, but I have a lot of activities now so I’m not too upset.

11. Do you have any new writing projects that you can share with us right now?

Yes. I am currently finishing the first draft of a story about a vampire hunter who lives on a canal boat and travels the UK completing her jobs. Her life is turned upside down when she meets an ancient vampire who means more to her than she understands. It turns out they have a history that goes back centuries, and she has a lot to rediscover about her true self…

My 11 questions to pass on:

1. Do you have a motto and what is it?
2. Why did you start your blog?
3. Why should we read your blog?
4. Do you have an unfulfilled ambition and what is it?
5. Do you prefer dogs or cats?
6. Were you a geek, a jock, a weird kid or something else in school?
7. What is your favourite music and band?
8. What is your favourite movie?
9. Sweet snacks or savoury?
10. What is your passion?
11. Who do you admire?

My nominees:

Cycling Phoenix

L. VanHorn 

Crafts by Karen Louise

Dana Delamar

Jan Edwards

Jane Wakely

Janna Shay

Kathleen Grieve 

Sabrina Devonshire

Phoenix Johnson

The Wildwood Tarot

Congratulations nominees, and I look forward to seeing your responses!

Hump Day Hook #HDH – The Vampire of Blackpool

Hello and welcome to the Hump Day Hook. Today I will share a snippet from my manuscript for NaNoWriMo 2012. The novel is called The Vampire of Blackpool, and I was quite pleased with the result. I have yet to return to the project for edits, but I certainly plan to have this one published in the future. Enjoy!

In a flash I was out of my bedroom, leaping through the open window and landing softly on the grass below. I flew across the lawn and leaped over the thick hedgerow that bordered my land. Keeping close to the trees, I stepped nimbly over the muddy ground, my feet barely touching the floor. The dry leaves below never felt my weight, and my bare feet did not recognize the cold temperature. I saw the teenagers walking along the lane, approaching the narrow driveway that led to my house. They had a torch, and the light wobbled and bounced on the tarmac in front of them. They walked close together, a boy and a girl, holding hands. I stalked silently behind, deliberately forcing myself to wait, so that I could savour the moment when I tasted their sweet flesh and drank deeply of their youthful blood.

If you enjoyed this one, why not pop over to our dedicated Hump Day Hook blog and peruse some new and exciting authors. We write about romance, love, science fiction, fantasy, erotica and everything in-between, so you are sure to find something that delights the senses. You can also find us on Facebook. Happy Humping!  

*Lady Vampire image courtesy of Pinterest*

The April A-Z Blog Hop #AtoZChallenge

One of my new year’s resolutions for 2013 was to be more active on my blog sites, and post decent quality, interesting articles on a regular basis. So far I think it is working out fairly well, but I needed a little help with inspiration for subject matter. We writers have a lot to say but it often gets jumbled up in our minds, and we sometimes need a little help to coax it out into a coherent format!

Anyway, I decided to join some blog hops. These are organised events where people sign up to write about a particular topic, for example, books and writing. A date is set, and we prepare our material. The idea is that our blogs operate as a networking tool to get our message across to a wider audience. People visit their favourite blogs, see the links for the blog hops their writers have joined, and voila, they hop along to your site and hopefully stick around for a while! 

I got very ambitious and signed up on my personal blog for the April A-Z BlogHop challenge. During the month of April I have to write a post every day (except Sundays), and each day you write about something relating to a letter of the alphabet, in ascending order. I joined the category of books, because I thought that would give me greater scope for the imagination.You can view the posts over at my Wordpress site, but I thought I would share the news here as well.

I have decided to write specifically about my Redcliffe novels. Every day I will talk about a different aspect of the novels, be it characters, location, settings, plot, or even the themes that crop up in the stories. I hope it will be exciting and interesting, and that if you haven’t yet read Love Hurts (A Redcliffe Novel), Love Kills (A RedcliffeNovel) or Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel), it will inspire you to try them out… Enjoy!

Hump Day Hook #HDH – The Darkness of Love

Hello and welcome to another Hump Day Hook. We continue with one more snippet from The Darkness of Love, and here is a little insight into the adventure that awaits our hapless stable boy Marcus Scott, and the young Lady of the Manor, Sarah Stockton…

Gregory watched Sarah and Penelope trot towards the lake, the sunlight helping Sarah’s lustrous hair glow golden, and Penelope’s flanks were silvered, making a nice contrast to her mistress sat resplendent and proud in her pretty blue dress.  Gregory felt his body tighten with anticipation.  It had been a week since he had shared a bed with his wife, and now he needed her desperately.  He had been extremely busy with work, and now was concerned that he may need to spend some time at his offices in London, to put his affairs in order.  What might happen at Stockton Manor in his absence?  Would young Marcus take his chances with the Lady Sarah, or would he continue to resist, even though it was clearly becoming increasingly difficult for him? 

If you enjoyed this one, why not pop over to our dedicated Hump Day Hook blog and peruse some new and exciting authors. We write about romance, love, science fiction, fantasy, erotica and everything in-between, so you are sure to find something that delights the senses. You can also find us on Facebook. Happy Humping!  

*Vampire lovers image courtesy of Pinterest

Exciting Times for the Redcliffe Novels!

Hello my friends! I recently shared details of an upcoming promotion I was scheduled to take part in with Wattpad. For those who are not familiar with the website, Wattpad is an author platform that is designed to be easily accessible via mobile phones, tablet computers and other handheld devices. Authors can upload poems, novels and short stories to be viewed for free, and readers can collect the stories and make comments or vote on them as appropriate.

I first used Wattpad to share some of my unpublished short stories. They received very little interest, but they are part of my author portfolio, and this is a good place to direct people who want to sample my style of writing. I then decided to share the first 3 chapters of my Redcliffe novels Love Hurts and Love Kills. Again I received minimal attention, but they were there, and they could be seen.

This all changed when I was approached by the marketing team at Wattpad. They had seen my activity on the social networks, and invited me to partake of a promotion for my first novel Love Hurts. They proposed that I post the entire novel on Wattpad free to view, and they would schedule a day in which to direct some marketing towards it, and subsequently drive readers to my books. I agreed, we set it up, and wow, what a result!

My promotion took place last Wednesday, 12th March 2013. Up until that point I had registered 886 reads of Love Hurts (A Redcliffe Novel). I checked briefly on Thursday and was very excited to see the number of readers had jumped to 2,346. By Friday it reached 4,492, and late on Sunday the number stood at 7,076. Amazing! So, realistically, I could be looking at hitting 10,000 reads of Love Hurts (A Redcliffe Novel) just one week after it was featured by the Wattpad marketing team. Thank you Wattpad!

Aside from the number of people reading my book, I am collecting a steady stream of new followers of my Wattpad portfolio, and I have received some messages from readers telling me how much they enjoyed my book and will purchase and read the next two in the series. Score! Fellow authors, check it out. Wattpad is a good place to be! And thank you to my new friends, followers and readers of the Redcliffe novels. Welcome to our world!

Hump Day Hook #HDH - The Darkness of Love

Welcome to this week’s Hump Day Hook! Today I share another excerpt from The Darkness of Love, and today we see the young stable hand Marcus Scott caught in the act as he indulges in some very naughty fantasies about his mistress…

“Good morning, Marcus.” chimed a beautiful feminine voice.
      Marcus jumped and dropped the grooming brush, embarrassment sending a flush to his cheeks as he saw the object of his affections framed in the doorway to the stables.     
    “Good morning my Lady,” he stuttered, “I am so sorry, I didn’t see you arrive.”  He ducked his head and she laughed gently and replied. 
    “It is alright Marcus,” she said, “I could see that you were daydreaming.  I trust it was a pleasant vision?” 
    It was Marcus’ turn to laugh, but with further embarrassment.  If only she knew! 
    “Yes my Lady, a most pleasant daydream,” he replied, “Penelope is all ready for you.  I will just fetch her saddle.”  

Delicious, isn’t he? Unfortunately I couldn't find an image to do him justice, so I settled for an impression of the Lady's gardens. There is more to come, so make sure you check back in at the same time next week for more tantalising titbits. In the meantime, check out some other fantastic authors on our Hump Day Hook dedicated blog, and over on Facebook. Happy Humping!

[Image courtesy of Pinterest]

Book Review: Signs of Destiny by C. Michael Bennis

Today I have the pleasure of sharing a book review for the very intriguing Signs of Destiny by C. Michael Bennis.

Signs of Destiny is a passionate story of love, survival and the incredible power of the human spirit.

When I first opened this book I was quite excited to see that the prologue was set in Liverpool, UK in 1967. Anyone from the UK will understand the importance of this time period and this particular location, even those like myself who were not born until a few decades later! I was, however, a little confused in the beginning. I’m not sure if it was intentional, but I struggled to connect with the characters we were introduced to, and I felt very hostile towards Alison after I read a little of her story (don’t worry, I won’t spoil it for you!). Anyway the confusion continued probably for the first three chapters, but then something clicked.

I began to feel an emotional connection with the protagonist, Rafael Valverde, and I was left wondering just how the prologue fitted into the rest of the story, which was set mainly in Madrid. It kept me hooked and needing to know more. The story is written based on true-life experiences from the author, and he pours his passion into the words. The novel is both poetic and dramatic, while still believably human.  It touches on issues that we as a culture are uncomfortable with, such as sickness, infidelity, and the human ego. This novel is both romantic and rough, and for that reason I highly recommend it.

My Daughter, the Bookworm

Yesterday was Mother’s Day in the UK. I celebrated with a day out at our local craft and antique centre with my 2 year-old daughter, my younger sister and her partner. We love Dagfields Crafts and Antiques. Situated in the Cheshire countryside, close to the borders with Staffordshire and Shropshire, it is a hidden gem for bargain hunters. Well, not too hidden, since when we arrived at lunchtime the car park was full and the shops (barns) bustling with activity.

The main reason for our visit yesterday was a bookshop called Booklore. It is a wonderful place, a sanctuary. The shop sells second-hand, new and rare books of all descriptions. It also has a dedicated music room but I have never ventured to that part of the shop. I usually head straight for the New Age/Spiritual/Occult book section, because that is where I find a lot of my favourite and most useful non-fiction books.

As I mentioned before, we had my daughter with us. She is a precocious 2 year-old, full of enthusiasm and curiosity. I didn’t expect her to remain still for long in such a place, especially since we didn’t take her stroller with us. I was pleasantly surprised. We must have been in Booklore for over an hour, with me, my sister and her partner quickly becoming absorbed in our search for book bargains. My daughter picked up a very intellectual looking book, sat down on the floor, and proceeded to ‘read’ it!

Eventually she grew bored of that particular book, whereupon she decided to bring some selections for my sister. It was quite amusing to watch her scurry along to the crammed shelves, select a couple of paperbacks, and bring them over to thrust into my sister’s hands. Finally, my daughter decided that she had had enough of reading, and then she discovered she could run around the bookshelves in a circuit, which kept her entertained for a good ten minutes or so. Fortunately for us the shop was quiet so we didn’t disturb too many other customers!

I didn’t actually purchase a book in the end, which has to be a first for me. I finally realized that I have more than enough stacked up on my overflowing bookshelves at home, and so I exercised enormous restraint and self-control. It was hard though! My daughter had a lovely day, as did my sister and her partner. I always feel so much happier and more relaxed after a visit to Booklore. It is like my church I suppose…

Celebrate World Book Day

Today is World Book Day. Did I mention before that I love books? Well, I do! And I am doubly excited because my daughter’s pre-school are taking part in the event by requesting that the children dress up as their favourite book characters. Now, my daughter is only 2 years old, so this could be tricky. She is very independent, and she has very definite ideas about what she will and will not do.

But, she loves books, just like her Mummy! And at the moment she has a little obsession with Peppa Pig. So, I have the bright idea to dress her up as Peppa Pig. She has a pink dress that will suit, and I am attempting to make a mask and a curly tail to complete the outfit. Simple but effective (I hope!).

When I first heard about World Book Day I really wanted to be a part of it, but I didn’t know how. I mean, it was difficult, being a new mother and experiencing all sorts of new lifestyle situations. Today I will make a small contribution by attending my local library in Middlewich, Cheshire, where they are hosting a story time and tea session at 11:00. My daughter loves visiting the library, and it is a place that instantly calms me down when I am feeling stressed.

If you want to do something for World Book Day, why not check out your own local library for events? Or see their website for a list of events and activities. Also, get your World Book Day tokens for children’s books. I have received two tokens from my daughter’s pre-school, and I cannot wait to go and purchase her new books. Hooray for books! Happy World Book Day.

Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

Planning and Writing my Books

My book writing schedule is at a funny stage right now. I am awaiting the public release of my third adult paranormal romance novel Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel). This is the third in a series that I affectionately call the Redcliffe novels, and it concludes the trilogy of how we met our heroine Jessica Stone and the insane supernatural love triangle that she fell into.

The story doesn’t end there, however. Love Redeems finishes on yet another cliffhanger. I won’t give it away, but suffice to say that the Redcliffe werewolf pack are in need of support and their alpha is broken hearted. I have to write book 4, not only because the series demands it, but because these characters are real people to me, and I hope they are real to a lot of other people who read my stories. So I am currently planning Redcliffe book 4 in my head, but have yet to begin writing it on the computer.

In the meantime I stepped away from Redcliffe to try something else. For NaNoWriMo 2012 I wrote a story about a vampire in Blackpool and what happened when she met a vampire hunter. I quite liked that story, and it is now awaiting editing ready for submission to publishers and/or agents. I then got the urge to begin writing another story about a vampire hunter who lives on a canal boat. That one came to me while I was out walking one day, ironically enough next to our local canal!

Well, this story is faltering. My heroine,  Dr Jennifer Worthington, has secrets to uncover but they are not coming out quite in the way I expected. I am writing this story in the third person, whereas the Redcliffe novels are in the first person and told by Jessica Stone. My muse has decided that this new vampire hunter story needs to include something about angels and demons. I have yet to write them properly into the story, and that is where I am faltering. Still, it is a challenge and I will not be defeated. No matter how long it takes, I will complete this story. But I might venture back into Redcliffe before then, because that is so much easier and more natural for me…

Tag, You're It! Let's Play the 7/7/7 Game...

I have been tagged by Ciaran Dwynvil to play the 7/7/7 game. The rule is that you post 7 lines from your manuscript, and you can publish from either page 7, page 77, or page 177. Today I will post an excerpt from my upcoming third novel Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel), and this comes from page 7 of the manuscript.

            “I will fetch you some water,” Jack said, and he disappeared at an inhuman speed.

            Shaking out the duvet, I switched on my bedside lamp, needing some light for comfort in my agitated state.  I looked at the clock.  It was a little after 4:00am, and although I was desperate to phone Liz and hear her voice, I knew it was way too early.  She would not appreciate a phone call at this hour of the night, especially if she had been awake with the newborn baby.  I sighed and picked up my mobile phone, wondering if she might have sent me a text message for any reason. 

Now, for those of you who have been tagged, join the game. If you want to join in, feel free and share your links. Have fun and Happy Sunday! 

A Vampire for Valentines Day #VampireBlogHop

I am very excited at the moment! Not only am I soon to release my third novel in the paranormal romance series the Redcliffe novels, but also my favourite television show, Being Human, is back on BBC3 for its fifth series. Can life get any better? Well, yes, but for now I am content!

Today is St Valentine’s Day. Traditionally we are supposed to revel in romance, lavish affection upon our loved ones, and take the opportunity to share our true feelings with the objects of our affections. As a married woman with a young child and another on the way, my romantic life is pretty non-existent right now!

That is partly why I escape to Redcliffe and the passionate love affair between witch Jessica Stone, vampire detective Jack Mason and his identical twin werewolf brother Danny. Throw in a werewolf love triangle between alpha Danny Mason, and lieutenants Simon Bunce and Sally Frost, and you have an explosive mix. Add another feisty vampire, playboy business owner Marcus Scott, and the whole thing becomes a tornado!

So, for your romantic pleasure, and in the spirit of St Valentine, I have participated in the Valentine’s Vampire Bite Blog Hop courtesy of Precious Monsters. My vampire heroes are Detective Jack Mason from the Redcliffe novels, his friend Marcus Scott, and the heroes from Being Human, Mitchell (actor Aidan Turner) and Hal (actor Damien Molony). If you haven’t seen Being Human, here are some photos of these two delectable Irish men (who incidentally would be in the running for my fantasy Redcliffe cast):

Mmm, delicious! Happy Valentine's Day my friends. May it be filled with love, romance, and chocolate!

*Cover Reveal* Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel) – New Release!

It has arrived! It has finally arrived! After much discussion, tantalising titbits, and lots of talk about my exciting new Redcliffe novel, I can now reveal the front cover of Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel).

*Cue drum roll* - Ta-da!

Adjusting to life with vampires and werewolves, Jessica Stone is learning about being a witch. Love is painful. Life is difficult. It is never boring.

Life has changed forever in Redcliffe, Cornwall. Jessica Stone used to be a normal, happy human. Now she is an angry, conflicted and confused witch. It all happened when she met Detective Jack Mason and his identical twin brother Danny. Jessica almost died twice, fell into a love triangle, and she became a murderer. Now she faces the ultimate challenge as she continues the fight to save the man she loves, while simultaneously struggling with her lust for his werewolf brother and their vampire friend. Can she survive, or will love finally end her life completely?