Page Turner Book Tours presents Mysti Parker's Hearts in Exile

 Title: Hearts In Exile

Series: Tallenmere (stand-alone)

Author: Mysti Parker

Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance

Publisher: Melange Books

Formats Available In: All eBook formats and Print

Release Date: June 3, 2013

Blurb: Somewhere, hidden in the waters of the Southern Sea, lies an island unlike any other. Within the amber glow of its pyrogem-laden cliffs, legend says the very heart of the dragon god Drae keeps the island, and its occupants, alive.

Loralee Munroviel, daughter of Leogard's High Priestess Arianne, had no idea what she would face when she arrived by boat ten years ago and was left alone in exile. All she knew about Draekoria's inhabitants was written in one tattered notebook. Now, her life revolves around keeping Drae's descendants happy. Never in her life did she imagine being a Dragon Keeper.

Captain Igrorio Everlyn, known as Sir Robert to his unit of Holy Paladins, has faced his share of hell, battling the evils of Emperor Sarvonn's tyranny and the dark god Tyr's abominations. But none of that compares to the ten years of hell he's been without Loralee, presumed dead.

One freak storm changes everything. Now the two of them must fight to re-establish the delicate balance of the island before the dragons take things into their own hands. Through it all, they discover the secrets that kept them, and their hearts, exiled for a decade.

Amazon USA

Amazon UK

Excerpt From Chapter Three:

After a shipwreck, Sir Robert wakes up in a strange cottage, only to find Loralee, the love of his life, whom he thought had been dead for a decade…

“I don’t understand. What is this place?”

“It’s an island. Very few know of its existence.”

I shook my head, trying to clear the fog of this confusing dream come to life. “But, why would you be here, and why would you be sorry? Unless…”

The words wouldn’t come. My racing mind pitched in to help. Unless she didn’t want to marry me after all.

Wrenching pain I’d kept tucked inside broke free, and I clambered to my feet. Loralee followed suit, backing herself into the small dining table.

I tried, but could not hide the bitter anger in my words. “How could you do this to me? Do you have any idea what I’ve been through?”

Her eyes widened. She clutched the table with one hand and her robe with the other. “What you’ve been through? I didn’t want this. I was forced here.”

“What do you mean, forced here? Where are your shackles?” My voice roared through the little cottage as I gestured around me with one arm. “Where are the bars? This looks like no prison I’ve ever seen.”

Her voice cracked the air, rivaling with my own. “I was betrayed, forced into exile. Don’t you understand? I never wanted to leave you. I never wanted anything so much as I wanted you.”

Pacing away, I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. I had to calm myself, to let the weight of this discovery, the improbability of her explanation to sink into my water-logged brain.

I couldn’t bring myself to look at her just yet, so I stared at my bare feet instead. “Why didn’t you tell me, write to me?”

“I tried. I begged the supply ship crew to bring my letters to you. They always took them, but never brought one in return. I suspect they destroyed them, but I had no way of knowing.” She sucked in a shaky breath as though trying to hold back her tears. “I never stopped loving you.”

Turning back to face her, I felt like a mindless beast. Here I was, raging against the love of my life when she’d all but been brought back from the dead.

“Loralee.” I eased toward her. She cringed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Without a word, I leaned in and pressed my forehead to hers, allowing myself to breathe in her scent for the first time in a decade. We stood suspended like that for a while, lost in time, and emerging from a purgatory neither of us had imagined ten years ago. I would have been content to stand like that forever, but Loralee burst into tears and wilted to the floor.

I followed her down and opened the quilt to wrap us both inside. I held her tight while she cried.

While I cried.

I finally got enough breath to speak again. “What did you mean by forced here? They told me you were…” I couldn’t say it, not with her warm and so very alive against me.

“I know.”

The weight of it all came crashing down on me. “This is my fault, isn’t it? You’re here because of me.”

She made no attempt to wipe her cheeks, but shook her head and stared at the rafters as though entreating the gods. “No, it’s not your fault. Not at all. There is so much to explain, I don’t know where to start.”

I couldn’t comprehend any of it, so I focused on the here and now. “You found me on the shore?”

She nodded.

“The crew, Francis…did you find anyone else out there?”

“No, I had Xax-, I mean, no, I searched but didn’t find anyone else.”

The familiar weight of grief squeezed my chest, and a few more tears escaped before I could stop them.

She pulled me close and whispered, “I’m so sorry. I know how much you loved him. We all did.”

“We all grieved for you. You’ve been here…all this time?”

“Yes.”

“By the gods, Loralee, I’ve missed you so much.” I put my wet cheek against hers and pressed my lips to her soft skin. “Part of me died the day I thought you… please…just tell me how you ended up here.”

Loralee took a few deep breaths and finally pulled away from me. She caressed my cheek and smiled weakly.  “I’ll make us a pot of tea. And then, I think we should start at the beginning, back to the Great Plague and when we first met. Do you remember that?”

Smiling past the sadness, I covered her hand with mine and closed my eyes. “How could I ever forget?”

About Mysti Parker:

Mysti Parker (pseudonym) is a full time wife, mother of three, and a writer. Her first novel, A Ranger's Tale was published in January, 2011 by Melange Books, and the second in the fantasy romance series, Serenya's Song, was published in April 2012. The highly anticipated third book, Hearts in Exile, has already received some great reviews. The Tallenmere series has been likened to Terry Goodkind's 'Sword of Truth' series, but is probably closer to a spicy cross between Tolkien and Mercedes Lackey.

Mysti's other writings have appeared in the anthologies Hearts of Tomorrow, Christmas Lites, and Christmas Lites II. Her flash fiction has appeared on the online magazine EveryDayFiction. She has also served as a class mentor in Writers Village University's six week free course, F2K. 

Mysti reviews books for SQ Magazine, an online specfic publication, and is the proud owner of Unwritten, a blog voted #3 for eCollegeFinder's Top Writing Blogs award. She resides in Buckner, KY with her husband and three children.

Blog

Facebook Page 

Twitter 

Goodreads

Tallenmere Series:

A Ranger's Tale, Tallenmere #1

Serenya's Song, Tallenmere #2

Hearts in Exile, Tallenmere #3 

Today's Feature: To Catch a Spirit by Carrie Pulkinen

Today's feature is a paranormal from Breathless Press: To Catch a Spirit by author Carrie Pulkinen.

Carrie Pulkinen has always been fascinated with the paranormal. Of course, when you grow up next door to a cemetery, the dead (and the undead) are hard to ignore. Pair that with her passion for writing and her father's insatiable love for monster movies, and you've got the perfect recipe for an exciting storyteller. 

When she's not writing stories of amazing sex with devilishly handsome men, Carrie likes to read, take pictures, and play with her kids. She also enjoys hearing from her readers, who can write to her at carrie.pulkinen@hotmail.com.

A psychic who's afraid of ghosts and a millionaire with a haunted past and a hidden power find that only love can catch a spirit. With love, all things are possible—especially if you need to catch a Spirit.

Psychic Allison Dupuis has a soft spot for Logan Mitchell, even though she's never met him. All it takes is one encounter for the millionaire's true emotions to slip through Allison's shields, and she is intrigued. He needs her help, but Allison soon discovers that the kind of help Logan needs is the kind she isn't willing to give. Logan has a ghost, and Allison doesn't work with spirits anymore.

But the ghost is the least of Logan's problems. Born an empath, Logan is constantly barraged with human emotions. And while his talent has come in handy in the business world, it's about to drive him insane. Literally. Logan has OCD, and his ability triggers unbearable attacks that have him counting and cleaning until he collapses from exhaustion.

Sex and money. That's all anyone wants from him. Even worse, he's plagued with recurring visions of his future wife's death, so Logan has spent his entire life avoiding love. He's given up hope of ever having a normal life, until he meets Allison. She's everything he's ever dreamed of, and now he has to decide if loving her is worth risking her life.

If she'll even have him. Allison's lost too much already — her mother to cancer, her father to suicide. But, Logan is so charming and so real, she can't help but fall for him. Now she has to overcome her fear of commitment...and ghosts...or face spending the rest of her life alone.

Book Links:

Breathless Press

All Romance eBooks

Amazon

Bookstrand

Excerpt:

She sensed them as they drew closer to her—many different spirits, their energy buzzing on varying frequencies.

"One at a time, guys. Please." she said. But they didn't listen. These were the spirits of the mentally ill, after all. Taking turns wasn't their concern, and they all rushed her. She felt their presence closing in on her like an avalanche, and she was consumed. Every mental illness imaginable was thrown into her psyche as she tightened her grip on Gage's hand and slumped down in her chair.

"Allison! Allison, are you okay?" Gage's voice was a distant echo as she fought to hold on to herself. She was slipping. Sliding into the depths of despair and the spirits were pulling her down.

"It's... No... There's a light... You need to... You need to go to it." She tried to help the spirits cross over, but they wouldn't listen. There were too many. Twenty at least, and they were so consumed by their own illnesses they thought of nothing else. Paranoia, depression, anxiety. Allison felt it all, and it was going to kill her. The pressure. So hard to breath. Her hands cradled her head as the migraine overtook her. Sharp, pounding pain had her crumpled on the floor as she drew her knees into her chest and rocked back and forth.

"Make it stop. Please, just make it stop." She was paralyzed. Frozen by the anguish of the tortured souls that forced themselves upon her. Hot tears streamed down her face and blood trickled from her nose. She gasped for air as she heard a faint voice call, "Get her out of here!"

If you enjoyed this story, Sweet Release, her first published work is also available from Breathless Press. 

Launch Party for Lori Corsentino's Destiny's Awakening

Today is the launch of Lori Corsentino's Destiny's Awakening, book one in the Tales of the Fey series from 5 Prince Publishing.  Join us today in celebrating the release.  Also leave a comment for a chance at a $10 Amazon gift card.

Lori’s love of reading has transcended to include penning her own tales of romance. She is experimenting with writing in several different genres, including paranormal – a definite favorite. “There is just so much you can do when you step outside the known world,” she explains “and creating a paranormal story allows you to take yourself and your readers anywhere your imagination wants to go!”

Destiny's Awakening is Lori's first foray into a planned paranormal romance trilogy. Spanning both the mortal and Fey worlds, be looking for the second novel to continue the legacy with Crown Princess Annora Ambrasia de Sha’mi’liari and Sebastian "Bas" St.
James in early 2013 from 5 Prince Publishing.

Visit her website at www.loricorsentino.com and follow her on Twitter @LoriCorsentino and
on www.Facebook.com/LoriCorsentino  

Men of the present weren’t able to hold archaeologist Evelyn Wright’s interest for long. Her passion lay with discovering the lives, loves, and legacies of men in the past. 

Five hundred-year-old Prince Alexander slumbers alone in an enchanted sleep.  Imprisoned by ancient Fey magic to stave off a civil war, he awaits the woman who is destined to awaken him. 

Thrown together by an unseen force, the career-minded modern woman and the aristocratic Fey Prince share a magical kiss that sparks more than mere romance. 

Together they will create a key to open their hearts to a true love that will thwart the plans of an evil Wizard and save their worlds. 

Excerpt of Destiny's Awakening

Evelyn Wright could hear her momma’s voice now, reminding her to think before she acted. “Evie,” she’d always say, “now don’t you be runnin’ so far ahead that you lose track of yourself.” She’d become familiar with those words through most of her early childhood. They weren’t necessarily a nag. Instead, they were more of a constant reminder to look both ways before she leaped.

She’d been an excitable, active child full of curiosity and a fierce desire to learn. Momma had told her once she’d often sat up after putting her to bed and cried. She’d been convinced her little Evie would never live to see five years old. The scrapes, bumps and bruises she’d accumulated during her early childhood life were legendary. When she reached her fifth birthday, then celebrated her sixth the next year, Momma said she’d breathed a sigh of relief. It was obvious her little girl was made of some pretty stern stuff.

She just might make it.

Today she was living proof of her heartiness. Happy and healthy, 26-year-old Evie had a bustling career as an archaeologist. The pay wasn’t spectacular. The hours were horrific. The industry was dominated by stuffy college professors and an over-abundance of male colleagues. None of that mattered.

She was living her dream.

She got to travel to exotic places. Egypt. Rome. Greece. She got to explore and discover new and wondrous things. Tombs. Chapels. Castles. Through her work, she pieced together clues from the past and learned about everyday lives long gone by. She was passionate about her work, well thought of, and successful.

And she was still impetuous.

Oh, her little character flaw reared its head from time to time. Most often it was when something truly out of the ordinary crossed her path. The sheer excitement of it all encouraged her to toss away rules and grown-up things. Her weakness whispered how amazing it would be to become a child again, with all its wonderment and the constant itch for more. It was at these times she invariably heard her momma’s voice suggesting caution. When she didn’t pay attention, she usually found herself in trouble.

Like now.

Today she’d jumped heedlessly off the wagon and strayed too far off her given path. She’d given in to temptation – and landed herself in a fix she had no idea how to get out of.

All because of a sword.

This morning had started out normal. Before dawn, she’d left her cabin carrying a picnic breakfast. She’d arrived at her mountain meadow right as the sun rose above the horizon. Surrounded by one of the most beautiful ranges in the majestic Rocky Mountains, the locale was one of her favorite places in the world. Teeming with life and the fragrance of wildflowers, her hideaway was encircled by a dense forest of pine trees and aspen groves. The lush verdant grasses and trees, in varying shades from lime to evergreen, were getting their first kiss of morning dew.

It was her haven. Her sanctuary away from the stresses of work and life. A perfect place to relax, eat, and have some time with nature. She refused to think about the day ahead. Instead, she enjoyed her meal. There was no need to worry. Reality would set in soon enough. She rose and grabbed her trusty walking stick. There was time to take a quick jaunt along her favorite trail before leaving nirvana. She knew it was going to be a long day at work.

A cluster of birds took flight. Evie raised her head to follow their flawless departure. She smiled and admired the beauty and grace of the winged creatures. She bet they were going out for breakfast. She was so busy admiring the scenery she didn’t notice what was in front of her until her booted foot met a heavy object strewn across her path.

The sword.

There it was. Lying there. In its scabbard. On a mountain path in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. What were the chances of that?

It was massive. Almost four feet in length, it was housed in an elaborately decorated metal scabbard. Evie, the archaeologist, admired its shiny, long length and the swirls of etching decorating the fine, polished metal. This wasn’t any old sword. Evie, the woman, was dazzled by the richness of the metal and jeweled hilt.

She was enchanted.

Without thinking, she set aside her walking stick and reached down with both hands to lift the weapon. The second she touched it, the blade emitted a thrumming noise and a low vibration. The metal seemed to sing. A pulse ran from her hands up her arms and into her shoulders. In the next second, the scenery around her faded and everything turned to black. Every scrap of oxygen seemed to vanish, leaving her only what was in her lungs. Gone was the forest path, sprinkled with bits of sunshine filtering through the fragrant pines. Two seconds later she landed on her ass in a fancy enclosure of some kind, sword still in hand.

Sales Links for Destiny's Awakening: (as the links become live I will post them)

Amazon 

Barnes and Noble (coming soon)

Smashwords

All Romance eBooks

iTunes (coming soon)

Contest: Please leave a comment for the author.  One winner will be randomly drawn for the $10 Amazon gift card.  This contest is sponsored by 5 Prince Publishing and Books, LLC.  The prize and/or denomination can not be changed.  Winner will need to leave contact information or check back in with the site to contact Bernadette Marie to receive their prize.  Entries after 11:59pm MT on 6/28/12 are not eligible.

Interview with Tracey H. Kitts

Today I am very exited to have with me Paranormal author Tracey H. Kitts!

What is your favorite thing about being a writer?

 I love being able to share my thoughts and ideas with the world. This is what I’ve always wanted to do and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity.

What genre(s) do you write? 

I write paranormal, sci-fi, and fantasy romance, often rolled into one.

Why do you think people should choose your books over another author?

  Because I would buy them myself. I would never try to sell someone a story I wrote to “fit the market” or something like that. I write what I enjoy in the hopes that others will enjoy them as well. So, if you’re a paranormal romance fan, you already know that another person who loves the genre enjoyed the book.

 

Are any of your characters based on real people or events? 

There’s a little bit of truth in everything, even jest. Or so I’ve always said. To some small extent, most everything (including characters) is based on something real. My stories are about 95% stuff I made up and 5% based on real events. I suppose that’s one reason I’ve been annoyed when someone compares one of my characters to someone else’s. I kept thinking, “Seriously? But he’s based on MY personality!” Ha. Ha. Ha. Not to mention he had my garish fashion sense.

Please tell us 5 miscellaneous facts about yourself.

•  I love horror movies.
•  I was one stripe from my black belt in Krav Maga, but didn’t want to have to register myself as a weapon.
•  I’m a huge Batman fan, mostly because I’ve had a crush on Joker since I was little. 
• I love video games. 
• I am not a morning person.

Tell us what you have coming up!

My latest book is called FRANK AND THE WEREWOLF TAMER. It’s about a vampire who gets involved with a modern (and sexy) version of Frankenstein.
Katherine has had a hard time finding work, mostly because she’s a vampire. Turns out, people aren’t clamoring to work with the undead. She goes to the massive theme park, Notte Oscura, as a last resort. However, she soon finds there is more waiting for her than just a job.
Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/Frank-Werewolf-Tamer-ebook/dp/B006PU2JBW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1325201201&sr=8-1


EATEN BY THE WOLF – Free Read
Nicki is curious about her neighbor Max, who happens to be a sexy werewolf. When she sneaks into the woods one night to "get a look" at him, she may be in for more than she bargained for.
Link: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/118453

Thank you, Tracey for joining me on my blog today!  If you'd like to learn more about Tracey and her books follow the links below!

Website – www.traceyhkitts.com

Blog - http://traceyhkitts.blogspot.com/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Tracey-H-Kitts/73968579374

Also look for Tracey back here on Thursday January 12, 2012 as my guest blogger and again on Friday for Friday Freebies when she'll be giving away free books!

Interview with author Sandy Wolters

I am very happy to welcome Sandy Wolters to my blog today!

Sandy is an author and a blogger.  Her genre of choice is contemporary romance and romance/suspense/thriller, both with a ghostly paranormal twist.  She hosts a blog called Sandy's Spotlight that introduces fabulous authors to avid readers every other Friday.

Please leave a comment for Sandy below and help me welcome Sandy Wolters!

I would like to start out by saying how great it is to be on a blog called Warrior Princess!  The lead female characters in my books are fierce.  Now they are being introduced by a fierce blog hostess.  Does it get any better than that?

What genre(s) do you write?

To date, I've written three books. 

My first, Maggie Mae, is a steamy contemporary romance with a ghostly paranormal twist.

My second, Justice For Emily, is a steamy romance/suspense/thriller with a ghostly paranormal twist. 

My third, A Brother's Love, is a romance/suspense/thriller with a ghostly paranormal twist.  The steam level in this book is very low for those that prefer less explicit sensual content.

I'm really excited because I've just started my fourth book, Soul Mates, that will be mainly a steamy historical romance with some pretty cool magic thrown in. 

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I could never outline a book before writing it.  I never know where a book or characters will take me.  That's half the fun!  I really enjoy letting the characters come to life and see what kind of circumstances they find themselves in. 

What do you hope readers take with them after reading one of your stories?

The paranormal in my books is a little different than the norm these days.  I like vampires and werewolves, but I just don't know enough about them to write a good story. 

My paranormal deals with the loss of character's loved ones, and those loved ones coming back to help those left behind in a time of crisis.  In some cases, they come back to interfere with personal relationships.  I love writing about ghosts, how they interact with people, how they can give us signs that they're alright.

When not writing, how do you relax?

Relax?  Hang on a minute.  I have to go look that word up.  Oh, so that's what that means.  LOL  I love to read.  I've started a blog called, Sandy's Spotlight, that introduces fabulous authors to avid readers.  I had never been involved in a book discussion before, but was recently invited to one.  It was wonderful to have interaction with the author about the book I had read.  It was also really great to see how readers interpreted characters and situations that the author had a completely different take on.

Please tell us 5 miscellaneous facts about yourself.

1)  I enjoy camping in a tent, fishing, hiking, looking for wildlife.

2)  I absolutely love old movies, Gaslight, Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, anything with John Wayne in it. 

3)  I've recently found out that I am addicted to my computer.

4)  I love to read.  My first love is romance, but my tastes are very eclectic just as they are with movies.  I like suspense, thrillers, horror, you name it, I will give it a try.  I've just recently finished my first Sci-fi novel and loved it!  Who'd have thought?

5)  I'm a chocoholic. 

You can connect with Sandy Wolters here:

Website:  www.sandywolters.weebly.com

Sandy's Spotlight Blog:  http://sandywolters.weebly.com/sandys-spotlight.html

Twitter:  @SandyWolters

Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4772120.Sandy_Wolters

FaceBook:  Sandy Wolters, Tempe Arizona

Here are a few bites for you to enjoy from Sandy Wolters

Justice For Emily:
Rachael Merchant, a Phoenix Homicide Detective, is running from the images of her last case that are embedded deep in her soul. Before her journey is over, she will find herself embroiled in a twisted murder investigation that involves the Chief of Police of Brownwood, Texas, as the main suspect. Officer Patrick Sheehan will do whatever it takes to keep Rachael near him to get Justice For Emily.

Purchase Links for Justice For Emily:
Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Justice-For-Emily-ebook/dp/B004VB8QJG
B&N:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/justice-for-emily-sandy-wolters/1100125648
Smashwords:  http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/51639

A Brother's Love:
Unable to locate FBI Special Agent Pilar Campos, the woman that killed his brother, Boone Baker, the leader of the Snowflake Militia Group, goes to extreme measures to draw her out in the open. In one fell swoop, he will destroy her life as she knows it. Will she be strong enough to continue on, or will he get his wish and kill her?

Purchase links for A Brother's Love:
Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/A-Brothers-Love-ebook/dp/B005CDAFOG
B&N:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-brothers-love-sandy-wolters/1104361637
Smashwords:  http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/73103

Guest Blogger Lori Corsentino

I am thrilled to have Lori Cosentino blogging with us today.  Lori's debut novel is part of the Finding Ms. Wright anthology, from 5 Prince Publishing, which will launch next week.  Welcome back, Lori Corsentino!

As a reader, I always wondered how authors developed their characters. In the books I truly enjoyed, the characters seemed to walk of the page, sit down next to me, and tell me their story. As I read, I would find myself totally associating and sympathizing with the heroine, and, of course, falling in love with the hero. I would root for both of them to overcome whatever it was they needed to overcome, and would sigh with relief, and satisfaction, at the happily ever after.

Wow – seeing it spelled out that way it all seems quite sappy. But I’m a romantic, and that’s what I love. A sappy, happy ending.

Evelyn and Alexander introduced themselves to me at different times during my writing journey. Alexander, I’m going to call him Alex, even though he really dislikes that, was first. He walked right in one morning and started telling me all about how he was waiting for his love, The One, to awaken him. And could I please get a move on, because he had things to do, namely capturing an evil Wizard and stopping an inter-world war.

I got moving!

Evelyn came soon afterwards. I was working with my critique group at the time when she finally noticed I’d been calling for her. She strode over and immediately introduced herself, saying, “Hello. I’m Evelyn. Evelyn Wright. But you can call me Evie.” Looking over my shoulder she watched me write notes. “What are you doing?” she asked.

And so she was born.

Getting these two together was quite interesting. I had a basic idea of where I wanted to go, and what I wanted to so, and once I put it in motion, they just picked everything up and ran off with it! It’s been quite an interesting ride, with many twists and turns.

I’ve discovered that Evie is a true study of contrasts. She’s hesitant, even suspicious at first, but once she embraces something, she gives it her all. She is strong, independent, and willful, except of course when has a weaker moment and needs to be held and comforted and surrounded by love. To me, she sounds like a typical woman.

Alex, on the other hand, is strong, steadfast, and true. He knows exactly what he needs to do, and how he needs to do it. He’s hard working and not above getting his hands dirty. He’s loyal to his people and not above doing whatever it takes to protect those who he considers his, namely Evelyn and his two sisters, Annora and Analiese. He’s also regal, arrogant, and haughty, but what else would you expect from a Prince? So, I supposed in his own way, he’s also a study of contrasts.

The chemistry between these two began immediately. As soon as Evie set eyes on her Prince, she was enchanted. The story of how he came to be in the chamber where she found him fascinated her, but she was sick with the thought that maybe she was the one and only person in the world that could help him. There was such responsibility associated with the whole thing. But he was just so hot, and there was much at stake, how could she say no? In true Evie fashion, she pondered and questioned, then made up her mind, took hold of it all, and ran with it.

For Alex, it was love at first sight. She had rescued him from the purgatory he’d endured for almost 500 years. How could he not love her? Being totally attracted to her was just a bonus. He loved everything about her - her thoughtful periods as well as her manic. He admired her independence and her strength, and adored her vulnerability and emotions. In true Prince Alexander fashion, he captures her in a very large net that gives her the illusion of freedom, but keeps her close to him. He always opens the net when she sees it and freaks out, but she never quite leaves it. She’ll walk to the opening, turn and see him waiting for her within the net, and goes back to him.

Now that’s love!

Together, these two can do anything. I hope they touch my reader’s hearts as much as they did mine.

Enjoy!

Lori

Lori CorsentinoLori’s love of reading has transcended to include penning her own tales of romance. She is experimenting with writing in several different genres, including paranormal – a definite favorite. “There is just so much you can do when you step outside the known world,” she explains “and creating a paranormal story allows you to take yourself and your readers anywhere your imagination wants to go!” Her debut novella, Evelyn, will be published as part of the Finding Ms. Wright: Three Tales of Extraordinary Love anthology available from 5 Prince Publishing in November.

Coming November 15th in eBook and November 25 in paperback Finding Ms. Wright: Three Tales of Extraordinary Love 

Three men, each on a crucial mission to save their way of life, seek their true soul mates -women who unknowingly hold the key to their very survival.

Interview with Lori Corsentino

Today I am pleased to have paranormal romance author Lori Corsentino join us.  Lori's writing debut is coming up quick!  Her novella Evelyn is part of the Finding Ms. Wright anthology from 5 Prince Publishing. So let's dig in.  Welcome Lori Corsentino!

What is your favorite thing about being a writer?

I’m very curious and observant, so being able to do something with all the creative ideas running around in my head is great fun.

 What genre(s) do you write?

Right now I’m working on a paranormal series. I also write historical, romantic suspense and contemporary.

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Finishing it! I’ve got two things going against me and two things going for me. I’ve always had a problem finishing things, but at the same time I LOVE to be able to check things off of a check list. I’m a recovering perfectionist that, if I let my inner editor have her way, would tweak Chapter 1 forever, but I’m learning to push through to the end and that perfectionism is highly overrated and kills the soul.

So in a round-about way, I’m finding my writing stride. Hopefully the hardest things about writing the next one will be COMPLETELY different!

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I’m a combo of the two. I like to call it a Planter. I need some outline and structure to flesh out, but too many rules and hard core plotting kills my muse, and lets out the evil inner editor...

What do you hope readers take with them after reading one of your stories?

The same sense of fun, excitement and wonder that I had when I was writing it. Also, a strong desire to find more of my books!   :  )

 Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

That there can be a true partnership in a relationship, even with an Alpha male! Also that it’s OK to be a strong woman. Men secretly dig strong women.   : )

 How long have you been a writer? 

I’ve been doing writing in one form or another most of my life. I’ve done journaling since I was in junior high, and dabbled in some poetry in high school. Shortly after college I tried to co-author a book with a friend. We never did finish it (see what I mean about finishing stuff?). I’ve been fiddling with writing novels for the last 10 years. I joined my local chapter of RWA about 3 years ago to see if I had what it takes. I’m still here, and I’ve been writing pretty seriously for the last year.

 How much time did it take from writing your first book to having it published?

Well, as I mentioned I’ve started a lot of books but never finished them. I completed my first novella, Fire Season, last year at Halloween. Evelyn is my second novella. I started writing her story in June of this year.

  

What other careers have you had?

I was a Secretary once long ago, and have been a Technical Writer specializing in User Guides and Online Help systems for software development for the last 15 years. You know, just your average everyday geek stuff.

 Do you write under more than one name? Why?

Nope – just the one name for right now. I mean isn’t Lori Corsentino just a great name for a romance novelist? If I branch out into something completely different I’ll likely take on a pen name.

  

Are any of your characters based on real people or events?

Of course they are! But, I wouldn’t say that any one person could ever recognize themselves in one of my characters. I take different traits from the many people I know and combine them to make my characters. I guess you could say I’m my own Dr. Frankenstein when it comes to characterization!

What books or authors have most influenced your life?

Linda Howard has absolutely influenced me. I love her work. She introduced me to the Romantic Suspense genre – which is one of my favorites. I’ve fallen in love with more of her heroes that I probably should. She does such a great job. Nora Roberts is also a great influence. She broke so many stereotypes and barriers for romance authors. I’d love to be called the “Next Nora Roberts.”

How do your family and/or friends feel about your book or writing venture in general?

My family and friends are all very excited and supportive. I have several female work friends that are looking forward to the release date. I also have more than a couple male work colleagues that are also excited about the release of this book. It does give me just the slightest pause knowing that these guys are going to be reading my novella. I just hope they don’t do it in the lunch room!!!

  

Where are you from?

I’m a Colorado native, born and raised in Denver. I love to travel but Denver will always be home to me.

 How do you come up with the titles?

That’s a really good question! Most of my work starts out as “Untitled” with a date. It’s usually when I’ve been working on it for a while that a title will come to me – and it usually comes out of the blue! Evelyn was a bit easier because I was collaborating with my fellow authors M.L. Guida and Hillary Seidl – we came up with a title almost from the very start.

 Has your life changed significantly since becoming a published writer?

Not yet! Someday I want to be able to bury my toes in the sand on some tropical beach as I type my new bestseller into my laptop.

Do you work on one project at a time? Or do you multi-task?

I’m definitely a multi-tasker! I get bored and rebellious if I’m forced to deal with one thing at a time for too long a period. If I can have a little something on the side, it helps me to keep my focus. I guess I need to have a little “affair” to keep my main writing tasks on track!

  

When not writing, how do you relax?

I love to read, of course. I also enjoy making jewelry, specifically working with metal, semi-precious stones, and minerals. It’s just something about working with my hands and my right brain side to create a tangible thing of beauty that really appeals to me. I also dabble in digital photography.

  

Please tell us 5 miscellaneous facts about yourself.

1) I’m a reforming pack rat. Its tough, because it’s in the blood – on my mothers side!

2) I’m a rock-hound! I have a rock collection that, which not overly impressive, is kind of cool. I mean how many people do you know has a hunk of volcanic obsidian as big as your fist, a chunk of lava from a volcano in Hawaii, and a nice piece of specular hematite?

3) I’m a night person. I get that from my mother’s side as well! My Dad used to tease me that I was part vampire.

4) I’ve seen the Grand Canyon twice. Both times were from the air, and both times were at sunset. Some day, I’ll see the Grand Canyon from the ground and maybe stay a couple days to make sure I get enough pictures!   : )

5) I love looking at the world through the lens of a camera. It gives you a completely different point of view. I really should get a camera that takes great night shots. That’ll go great with my nocturnal tendencies!

 Lori, what else are you working on?

 I’m currently working on another paranormal – the sequel to Evelyn titled, “And the Fairest of Them All.” It’s a full length tale featuring Annora, Alexander’s sister. I’ve also got another in the same series planned for Analiese, Alexander’s youngest sister. That will nicely round out a trilogy. I do love writing a series!

I can be found on facebook at Lori Corsentino and twitter at loricorsentino.

My website is www.loricorsentino.com

Here’s an excerpt. It’s a little more than 400 words – hope that’s OK!  : )

Evie set her jaw and crossed her arms in a defensive gesture before looking at Reginald to gauge his sincerity. What she found there told her he was serious.

The very thought of kissing Mr. Hottie Prince fascinated her, but it wasn’t exactly something she was prepared to do. She looked back at Reginald. “What if I’m not The One?”

“Then nothing will happen.”

“But what if I am The One?” Sweat broke out on her brow and upper lip. The very thought of having that much responsibility quickened her breath, so much so she began to get light headed. She was freaking out.

“Then my Prince will awaken.”

Through her frantic haze, Evie saw there might be something there. If the Prince awoke...he could send her back home. Even Reginald said that. She could get out of this place and return to familiarity and safety of her own home. While her life was anything but fascinating, it was hers and she wanted to go back to it. It was all fine and well to visit other places, even crazy-ass places like this, but there was no place like home.

“And I just have to kiss him?” She might be able to do this. Kiss him, get him awake, and go home.

She’d already determined he wasn’t dead so it didn’t really creep her out too much anymore. It was as if he’d been on a major bender and now was sleeping really hard.

The benefits seemed to outweigh the risks. Evie shrugged and then relaxed her shoulders as she gave in. “If I kiss him and he wakes up, he can he send me home, right?” The desire to get the hell away from this whacked out wonderland gave her encouragement.

“My Prince does have that power.” 

Evie frowned. Best case scenario was she would kiss him, he would awaken, and she’d be on her way home. Worse case would be she would take advantage of an unconscious man and kiss his mouth, and perhaps linger a bit to nibble on that full bottom lip. Evie eyed his mouth, unable to tear her gaze away. It seemed to beckon her, begging for the touch of her lips.

Evie dragged her teeth along her own to keep the temptation at bay. It was too perfect.

“OK – I’m game.” Evie nodded. “How long before we know?”

“I am sorry Madame,” Reginald shook his head. “I am a simple Aide-de-Camp. I do not know.”

“Well,” Evie acted before she lost her resolve. “Let’s give it a shot.”

Guest Blogger M.L. Guida

Last year, I wrote Cassandra when I saw a picture of a giant sinkhole in South America.  Looking at the huge sinkhole, I kept thinking what if it went straight to hell and something crawled out.  Instead of hell, I came up with the Underworld and put the sinkhole in Frisco, Colorado. 

I love Frisco.  It’s like a second home to me since my grandmother’s cabin is located on Bill’s Ranch which is right behind the town.  I wanted to incorporate the different restaurants and ski resorts into my story.  I’ve been skiing since I was sixteen and love Copper Mountain.

I wanted to write something besides vampires and came up with demons, but wanted a unique one so I came up with dragon demons and made my hero a prince.  I wanted my heroine to have flaws and be a champion just like my hero.   

One of my favorite characters to write about is the Wraith.  I liked having her transform into something beautiful. 

When I write my characters play through my head like a movie.  I can see them and experience what they experience.  I have to admit I love writing about my heroes.  They are so alive for me.   However, I admit I like to torture my characters and believe me, they suffer, but they survive.  Trust me.  All of my stories end in HEA. 

I write contemporary paranormal.  I am a member of Romance Writers of America, Colorado Romance Writers and Savvy Authors.  I am the newsletter editor for Paranormal Freebies.  I am currently pursuing my Master of Art in Creative Writing at Regis University. 

Mary's Novella Cassandra, part of the Finding Ms. Wright anthology with authors Hillary Seidl and Lori Corsentino, releases from 5 Prince Publishing on November 15, 2011.

You can find more information on M.L Guida at www.5princebooks.com,  www.mlguida.com, www.jlbowen.com, and www.paranormalfreebies.com

Interview with M.L. Guida

Today I would like to welcome author M.L. Guida!  M.L. is having a busy year!  Her novella will be included in the November anthology release Finding Ms. Wright. She is surely someone you will be hearing a lot about.  So without further ado... Welcome M.L. Guida!

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS:
What is your favorite thing about being a writer?
I like delving into my characters and creating their world.  My characters are real to me and in my mind, they play out in a movie.  

What genre(s) do you write?
Dark Paranormal.  I love the supernatural.  

What genres and authors would we find you?
I think you would find me next to Sherrilyn Kenyon, Christine Feehan and Kerrelyn Sparks, but instead of vampires - demons.  

What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Sometimes I have far out endings, and I have to trust that they will work.  I believe if I lay down a strong foundation with my characters, my readers will not feel jolted from a surprise ending.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I’m definitely a pantser, but I have started plotting and organizing more.  I keep notebooks on all of my stories and have been using the W plot to outline the book.  I also use enneagrams to develop my characters.  I took a class with Lori Wilde, romance writer, and she pushed me to a whole new level of writing.  

Why do you think people should choose your books over another author?
My books are based in Colorado and instead of vampires, they are based on demons.  Although I love vampires, I wanted to go into a new direction.  My demons do not possess people, but sometimes I blend them with different mythical creatures such as Eric is half demon and half dragon.  

What do you hope readers take with them after reading one of your stories?
I want readers to know that even in a world of darkness, true love survives.  

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Like Cassandra, I want them to learn to trust in themselves.  Appreciate the gifts that are given to them.  I want my readers to pursue their goals despite of hardships.  Cassandra gets derailed from her goal of becoming a speech and language therapist, but in the end, she achieves her.

How long have you been a writer?  
As a little girl, I wrote poems.  In college, I thought I wanted to be a journalist, but switched to being a social worker.  I’ve been a social worker for the past 25 years.  Throughout those years, I have written off and on, but about five years ago, I had a problem at work and decided to write.  I wrote my first paranormal manuscript within three months, but never got that one published, although I did final in a contest regarding my male hero.    

How much time did it take from writing your first book to having it published? 

It took five years before I landed a publisher.  I have learned you have to persevere, especially in this business.   

What other careers have you had?  

As I’ve mentioned before, I am a social worker.

Do you write under more than one name? Why?
I write under the name, J.L. Bowen, because the books I write are not romance.  They are dark paranormal young adult.  My character is a fourteen year old boy, Armond Costa.  His aunt and uncle physically abuse him, but no matter they do to him he can heal himself in three days.  But after he sprouts wings, he discovers everything they told him is a lie.  Featherweight Press is publishing my book.  Check out my new website, www.jlbowen.com  

Are any of your characters based on real people or events?  

No.  The town of Frisco, the Boatyard Grill, Copper Mountain and the Galena Mountain Street Inn are all real.  I encourage you to check them out!    

How would you describe yourself if you were “speed dating” your readers?
I’m adventurous.  I like to risks such as skiing fast, scuba diving, eating unique foods such as haggis which is boiled sheep’s innards.  

What’s something fans would find fascinating about you?

Someday I would like to scuba dive with sharks.  

What else would you like readers to know about you or your work?
I tend to write dark so there are torturer scenes.  Gryffin Drake didn’t get the name The Torturer for nothing.  

What books or authors have most influenced your life?
S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders, J.R.R. Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter, Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark Hunter Series and Marsha Canham’s historical books have all influenced me for different reasons, mostly due to their world building.  S.E. Hinton’s books and J.K. Rowling’s books propelled me to become a social worker and work with adolescents which influenced my novel, The Healer.  

How do your family and/or friends feel about your book or writing venture in general?
My family supports me.  Believe me they were several times I wanted to quit due to my many rejections.  At my last rejection, I wanted to throw in the towel and my dad, of all people, reached in and pulled me out of my misery.  He was there when I needed him the most and I’ll never forget that.  Hint:  My dad is an alpha male and most of my characters are based on my dad, my brother-in-law and my brother.  

Where are you from?
Denver, Colorado

How do you come up with the titles?
My original title for this one was The Sinkhole, but since I joined an anthology, we had to come up with a name that we all agreed upon.  Lori Corsentino came up with the title, Finding Ms. Wright, but we decided to name each story based on our heroines.   However, the sequel will be based on heroes.  

Has your life changed significantly since becoming a published writer?
My life has not significantly changed presently, but I am in the process of creating a business plan.  I would like to work part-time and write full-time.  

Do you work on one project at a time? Or do you multi-task?
I tend to multi-task.  I’m writing the sequel to Finding Ms. Wright - Ravaged Soul – and I’m doing edits on my young adult novel, The Healer.  However, I have a contemporary paranormal novel that I completed through Lori Wilde’s class and plan to submit this one to different publishers.  

When not writing, how do you relax?

Skiing.  I also like to take my cocker spaniel, Sadie Mae, for walks, read, travel, and watch my nephew’s football and baseball games and my niece’s basketball games.  When I have the money, I love to scuba dive.  I would like to go back to either, Key West, specifically Key Largo, or the Great Barrier Reef to go diving.  

Please tell us 5 miscellaneous facts about yourself.

I am the newsletter editor for Paranormal Freebies.  Check out our website where you can find out more about paranormal writers and obtain a free newsletter and flash fiction stories.  

I love men with long hair so all of my male characters, even my young adult characters have long hair.  

I love Johnny Depp, especially Captain Jack Sparrow.  

I collect story tellers.

My favorite animal is a lion.  

Please share with us your future projects and upcoming releases.

I wrote a young adult novel, The Healer, under my pen name – J.L. Bowen, which will be released from Featherweight Press.  The date will be predetermined.  

You can find more about M.L. Guida on her publisher's website at www.5princebooks.com and also www.mlguida.com, www.jlbowen.com, www.paranormalfreebies.com

M.L. Guida writes contemporary paranormal. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Colorado Romance Writers and Savvy Authors.  She is the newsletter editor for Paranormal Freebies.  She is currently pursuing my Master of Art in Creative Writing at Regis University.
Thanks M.L. Guida for sharing with us today.  I've ready your work and I know readers are in for a great treat!  Join us on Thursday when M.L. Guida is our guest blogger.  But for now, here is an excerpt from her novella Cassandra.

Cassandra

Cassandra Wright woke with a start.  Her long black U2 tee shirt bunched up around her waist.  Sweat streaked down her face.  She grabbed a tissue from the night stand and wiped her forehead and cheeks.   She moistened her lips.  God, she finished running a marathon or at least one kind of marathon.  It had been him again.   He vanished – a figment of her imagination.  Like always, the same hollow feeling swept over her.  She would be alone. 

Leaning against her headboard, her best friend, Lilly Grace, glanced over at her.  “Cassie, why is your face so red? Are you hot?  Did you have that same dream again?”

Cassandra shook her head.  “Yeah, but this time he was so…so….” 

           Lilly cocked her eyebrow.  “That good, huh?”  She gave her a teasing grin.  “God, I’ve never seen you blush this bad since we went to see the Bridesmaid movie last month.”

“I mean,” Cassandra stammered.  She wadded up the tissue and threw it into a nearby trashcan.  “Come on the opening scene - she’s practically screwing him ten different ways.”

Lilly tossed her black hair behind her.  “You should have seen your face.”

“Whatever.”   

“God, Cassie everybody has erotic dreams, even virgins.”

Cassandra’s face burned hotter.  She hated being the only one who guarded her virginity and good ole Lilly never failed to remind her.  The opportunities had been plenty, but how could Cassandra explain it?  No guy compared to the man in her dreams.  An excuse?  Maybe.  Was she a chicken shit?  Definitely.  She dashed out of bed.  “I’m starving.  Let’s go eat.”

Lilly stared. “Okay we won’t talk about your dream.”  With her indomitable face and tilted chin, she gave Cassandra the I’m-going-to-cross-examine-you look.  “You know he’s a figment of your overactive imagination.  You’ve got to date real guys, not pin for imaginary ones.”

Cassandra shrugged as she headed over to her suitcase.  “Yeah, but how can you complain about a guy who’s hotter than Johnny Depp?”  She yanked out her red Minnie Mouse sweater, workout bra and long underwear. 

“I guess.”  Lilly smiled slyly.  “So, did you do it at Walter Memorial Park?”

Heat rushed to Cassandra’s cheeks. She stopped putting on her long underwear midway up her right leg.  “Lilly.”

“Well, did you?”