Love Kills, Love Redeems, the Writer's Muse

Well, my Muse has been on a roll this evening! I had been a little lazy and had not written anything in Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel) for almost a week. There was plenty happening in my mind; in fact I'm currently about two chapters ahead of what I have actually written. I just haven't found the time to sit at the computer and write.

Tonight I forced myself to catch up, and I was amazed! My Muse simply took off, my fingers flew over the keys, and before I knew it I had written two more chapters which were totally different to what I had stored in my head. They were far better. I also lost two hours, and now it is very late (or very early, depending on how you look at it) and I simply must retire to bed.

Before I go, I will just share a few more links. Love Kills (A Redcliffe Novel) is now available for the Kindle on Amazon UK and US. Knock yourselves out! I mean, enjoy...

Love Kills (A Redcliffe Novel) – Official Paperback Launch

It is finally here! After much speculation and lots of updates on the progress of my writing, I can finally announce the release of my second Redcliffe novel, Love Kills (A Redcliffe Novel). In this book we catch up with bookshop owner Jessica Stone as she recovers from a horrific werewolf attack. She now knows the truth about her vampire boyfriend and his identical twin werewolf brother. Her human best friend is still oblivious to the supernatural community in the seaside town of Redcliffe in Cornwall, England, and Jessica wants to keep it that way.

Love is dangerous. Love is painful. And in Love Kills (A Redcliffe Novel), Jessica Stone learns just how far she is prepared to go for the man she loves. Before she met Detective Jack Mason her life was safe, boring and comfortable. Now it is full of danger and excitement, with secrets and revelations at every turn. In a short space of time Jessica learned that she was a witch and is currently speaking to her deceased mother in dreams and visions. Will Jessica accept her fate? Does she embrace her newly discovered heritage, or does she run away from it? And will her pregnant best friend, Elizabeth Gormond, discover the truth about the people she calls her friends?

Love Kills (A Redcliffe Novel) is available to order in all UK bookshops, and online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. The eBook versions will be available shortly; updates will follow.

Eagerly Awaiting a New Book Delivery

I can't decide at the moment whether I feel anxious or excited, or both. I am currently waiting for delivery of my new novel, the second book in the Redcliffe adult paranormal romance series, Love Kills (A Redcliffe Novel). This story continues where we left off with our heroine Jessica Stone recovering from a horrific werewolf attack that almost killed her. She survived with the help of some vampire blood, but it had some rather unexpected side effects.

In Love Kills (A Redcliffe Novel), Jessica continues to discover hidden secrets about herself. She has a whole new existence to uncover and embrace, but she struggles to let go of her previously comfortable, human life. Add to that her confusion about her love for the vampire Jack Mason, and his identical twin alpha werewolf Danny, and life isn't easy. And then Jessica is confronted by an enemy she never even contemplated. It is hard to fight an old vampire when she is determined to win back her former lover. Emily Rose is dangerous, powerful, and determined. But then, so is Jessica Stone, perhaps even more so...

Mind, Body and Spirit Event in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, UK

Spirit Sisters are on the road again! This time we are a little closer to home, and will be at the Best Western Moat House Hotel, Festival Park, Stoke-on-Trent on Sunday 10th June. The event runs from 10:00am - 5:00pm and has free entry and free car parking.

I will be offering spiritual guidance with the aid of Tarot and Oracle cards, and I will sell signed copies of my adult paranormal romance series The Redcliffe Novels. My sister, Emily Hargreaves, will do holistic therapies. Try her fabulous Shamanic drum sessions which incorporate Reiki healing; they certainly are effective! She will do Swedish Body Massage, Indian head massage, ear candles, reflexology, and will exhibit a range of hand-crafted oils and creams to accompany her treatments.

There will also be a visit from our local Green Man, Mr Jon James! A professional saxophonist and multi-talented musician, Jon will be on hand to play his flute and guitar, and sell copies of his CDs. Jon has composed, performed and produced all of his music, and he offers a varied range of meditations, chanting sounds, and general music for relaxation and well-being.

The Mind, Body and Spirit event is a wonderful opportunity to stock up on your candles, incense and related accessories. You can find gifted and talented readers that use Tarot, Angel cards and crystal balls. There will be an aura photographer on site, various holistic therapists, and paranormal investigators. Throughout the day there will be free talks and workshops.

For more information please see http://www.pagan-charms.co.uk

Dreaming the Characters of your Novel

I am currently writing the third book in my Redcliffe Novels series. What started out as one story has developed into a whole series of novels, which follow the adventures of bookshop owner Jessica Stone in the fictional seaside town of Redcliffe in Cornwall, England. Not only am I writing the third book which will form a trilogy, but after that I have planned out books four, five and six as Jessica Stone begins a new phase in her life, brought about by her relationships with vampires, werewolves and witches.

Jessica Stone is sort of modelled on me. She is taller, sexier and tougher than I am, so effectively she is me in a parallel universe. Being the author, I have the luxury of passing on my favourite traits to my heroine, while adding those that I wish could be mine in real life.  It is a fun task.

But, recently a strange thing has happened. I actually dreamed that I was Jessica, and that I was interacting with Danny Mason, the werewolf protagonist from my Redcliffe novels. It was bizarre. I fell asleep one night, my head buzzing with the latest twists and turns in my plot, mentally planning what I would write the next day. And then I drifted into a version of Redcliffe that was shrouded in mystery and confusion.

The craziest thing to happen was that in my dream I was kissing Danny Mason. Those of you who have read my debut novel Love Hurts (ARedcliffe Novel) will know that Jessica is actually dating his identical twin brother, Jack Mason, the vampire. Anyway, in my dream I was Jessica, and I was kissing Danny Mason. When I drew away from him, he looked very different to what I imagined as the author.

To my mind, the Mason brothers are tall and ruggedly handsome. They have dark hair that is short but long enough to be wavy and a little unkempt. They are both clean-shaven, and they have piercing blue eyes, which change colour to suit their non-human moods. Jack and Danny Mason have tanned skin and muscular bodies, and if I were to compare them to a real-life actor, I would probably choose Aidan Turner, who played ‘Mitchell’ in the BBC3 television series Being Human. The only thing he doesn’t have is blue eyes.

In my dream, when I was Jessica Stone, I looked at Danny Mason to be met with a man who was clean-shaven. He had dark hair, but it was straight and cut in a neat, short style. He also had brown eyes, and that was the strange thing, because the eyes are important to my characters. Another surprise was that this version of Danny Mason looked very young, possibly in his early twenties. My actual characters appear to be in their mid-thirties, although they are in fact much older. As an idea of how he looked, I would say my ‘dream Danny’ was very similar to the actor Damien Molony, who played ‘Hal’ in the latest series of Being Human (yes, this is my favourite show!)

So there we have it. Not only am I obsessively writing my Redcliffe novels and thinking about them all day long. Now I am also dreaming from the perspective of my female protagonist. It was a fun dream, no doubt about that. It confused me, but at the same time it made me smile. I wonder what will happen next time…

Love Kills (A Redcliffe Novel) – British Paranormal Romance

Here is a sneak preview of my second Redcliffe novel, Love Kills, due for release in June 2012:

The pretty seaside resort of Redcliffe in Cornwall is a lot more dangerous than you might think. Especially if you fall in love with a vampire and become entangled with his twin brother’s werewolf pack.

Bookshop owner Jessica Stone did just that, against her better judgement, and while recovering from a horrific werewolf attack she is haunted by the creator of the vampire she loves. Jack Mason’s vengeful master does not share easily, and Emily Rose will return to kill her rivals and reclaim her consort.

Jessica has her own secrets, however, and they are about to be revealed as she discovers her true heritage as a witch, and finds out exactly how powerful she could become, and what lengths she is willing to reach to save the vampire she loves.

For more information about my Redcliffe novels, see my website http://www.catherine-green.co.uk and join me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Catherine-Green-Author/254977714519206

The Loneliness of the Indie Author

My computer was buzzing quietly in the corner. I had been online earlier in the day to push some last minute promotions on the usual social network sites. “Coffee Time Romance presents…Catherine Green… Tonight!” This, along with other, similar banners of excitement. Putting my daughter to bed early, I hurriedly returned to my computer, sat down, and prepared to get stuck in.

Nothing. Not one whisper of an audience. Not one word of support or interest from anybody. In my imagination I could picture the scene if this were not conducted in the virtual world. I sit behind a table in a dimly lit community centre. The room is small and square, with rows of empty chairs sitting before me. I sit on a slightly raised platform, a stage of sorts, with my books on the table and my hopes and dreams laid out before me.

Nobody comes. No-one has time to see what this particular Indie author has to offer today. I sit at my computer, checking both my email and the Yahoo group in which I have eagerly posted my prepared speeches and promotional material. In my imagination, a tumbleweed rolls across the room before me. I sigh heavily, take a sip of water from my glass, stretch my arms above my head, and lean back in my chair. There is still time. Somebody will surely be along soon, even if they are just curious about who is in the room?

Back in my dining room and I am sitting at the computer. Fortunately this is the virtual world, and I don’t sit here idly waiting for some attention. Instead I do some busy work, and check the group just on the off chance that someone might have logged in. Actually I have been rather productive this evening. I am always more active at night. Perhaps I share some of the nocturnal traits of my favourite vampire characters. Maybe it is because I find it easier to work once my toddler is in bed.

Anyway, I have typed up a couple of blog posts. I have checked through my emails. And I intend to do some more work on the final edit for Love Kills (A Redcliffe Novel) before I go to bed. Oh, and I might find time to write a little bit more of Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel)… I love my job!