Pages

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Review; The Stepfather


The Stepfather

Horror

Length: 102 minutes

Cast:
Penn Badgley, Dylan Walsh, Amber Heard, Sela Ward, Jon Tenney

Rating: (Out Of Ten) 7

Review:

A sociopath sets his sights on the unassuming Harding family. He is a man with a history of trying to find that perfect “family”, and slaughtering them when they don’t meet the high standards he, himself sets, and is the only one who knows them.

Michael Harding comes home from a correctional military facility to find his mother, Susan was engaged to a man he’d never met. On sight, he isn’t sure of him; some deep instinct telling him there was something wrong with the man.

He confides his fears to his girlfriend Kelly, who only sees Michael’s ticket out of military school for their senior year, begging him to put an end to his wondering, and stop looking a gift horse in the mouth. She refuses to see the small tells, showing that David really isn’t who he says he is.

I haven’t seen the original version of this movie, so I can’t make comparisons to say if it was better or worse, but the most recent was an okay psychological thriller. While it made me wonder about what would happen next, it was rather predictable. Overall, I thought it was watchable the first time, but I doubt I’d watch it again.

Cheers,


Kayden

Review of; Couples Retreat


Couples Retreat

Comedy

Length: 1 hr 54 minutes

Cast: Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman, Jon Favreau, Faizon Love, Kristin Davis, Kristen Bell and Makin Akerman

Rating: (Out of ten) 6.5

Review:

The two lead characters Dave and Ronnie are surrounded by their five friends, and a young woman who is dating a recent divorcee among the group, lending comic relief throughout the movie.

Jason and Cynthia propose to their friends to take a trip to Eden West Resort, a paradise hideaway with promises of jet-skies and relaxing hot beaches. The two persuade the rest into helping with a martial problem they’d been having, by going together and obtaining the cheaper group-rate. But little do they know the visionary of this place, Marcel, has plans for the stay there that dramatically differ from theirs.

They find a beautiful beach hotel, with private patios one could jump right into the ocean from, or unwind in their own hot tub. But in a series of comical sessions with therapists, and couples skill-building exercises, the four sets of people learn a whole new side to themselves and that of their significant others.

But it isn’t long before they find out that Eden West isn’t the only place on the island. While it was geared for couples, Eden East is a utopia submerged in a young and carefree culture, luring them with its seductive call; this among many other quirks and mishaps, cause strife between the friends.

Like most movies with Vince in them, there was a lot of sarcastic, sometimes twisted humour that pushed the mark just a little, but still made me laugh at some of the stuff they pulled off. It was an overall a decent movie, but it could have been better.

The setting was perfect, the cast an interesting array of characters that set each other off nicely.

Cheers,

Kayden

Monday, March 22, 2010

Cindy Jacks: Life Experience





Dear Reader,



New authors always hear that to write one has to have life experience. Some writers go to great lengths to obtain said experience—scaling K2, skydiving, carrying on ill-advised affairs, traveling to exotic locales. As if being a Richard Branson/James Bond wannabe is the only way to fuel a manuscript.

This morning I'm overwhelmed as usual. I've got edits waiting in my inbox, a thousand words to write, website updates to work on, not to mention the daily workout, a mountain of dirty clothes threatening to revolt and seize the laundry room, a stack of bills eying me up—they look bent on revolution as well—and some spring cleaning that really shouldn't have waited until spring.

Amidst this chaos, my son asks, “Mom, will you come to school and watch me sing this morning?”

I hold in a grimace because I know it's not the response he deserves. Like I said, I'm just feeling overwhelmed. Instead I smile and reply, “What time are you singing?”

“I don't know...Hey, you could drive me to school and ask my teacher.”

Again, hold in that scowl, Cindy. Deep yoga breathing. Remember, in another five or six years he'll be embarrassed by your very existence. “Okay,” I say.

Once we get to the school I sign in at the office and walk him to his kindergarten classroom. Turns out they're singing in the cafeteria in about thirty minutes. No sense in going home so I stay and help the class get ready for their performance.

Finally showtime has come. The kids line up single file. I watch my boy as he shuffles with the other kids down the hall. He's taller than everyone else in his class. This isn't new, he's always been big. Still, I can't help but wonder just when he grew up so much.

I take a seat in the cafeteria and make small talk with another mother until the principal announces it's time for the kindergarteners to sing. They're celebrating the one hundredth day of school. The song selection? Earth, Wind and Fire's Celebration. DS has been torturing me with a never ending chorus of it all month around the house. But this time, I don't mind hearing it. In fact, I'm impressed that he's memorized all the words. He's singing loud and clear and my parent's hearing picks out his voice out from those of his classmates. His face is alight with joy; his eyes sparkle. Mine start to prickle with tears. Yeah, I'm that mom, but I don't care.

When the kids finish their song, the audience claps and cheers for them. My son slips me a shy wave and I give him a thumbs up. At this, he gives himself a round of applause. The students mill around until a teacher leads them off stage. I hang around until the line disappears through the double doors. Time to go home and get back to my giant to-do list.

In the car on the way home, it occurs to me that one really doesn't have to go to extremes to appreciate the world or capture the zeitgeist of our society. Life happens around us every day, if we only take the time to notice. With my family, my friends, and a daily appreciation of life's blessings, I know I'll always have plenty to write about.

Cindy has two new releases coming soon from Moongypsy Press. A fan of romantic comedy? Pick up a copy out All the Good Men in print, ebook or Kindle edition, May 2010. Dark mystery/suspense more your cup of tea? Check Cindy writing as CJ Elliott. Clean releases in print, ebook, and Kindle edition also this summer!



Cindy's links


Website:
http://cindyjacks.com/
Blog: http://cindyjacks.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/author.cindy.jacks
E-mail:
cindy@cindyjacks.com

Friday, March 19, 2010

WIP; Death Of Innocence, Excerpt Two/ Rated: R

Hey Readers,

A Rated R excerpt from Death Of Innocence, Paranormal Romance.

Cheers,

Kayden


Excerpt:


Fierce, clawing need worked its way to dominance, and I began to fear I couldn’t control myself, feeling like an animal, savage and full of need. My muscles coiled under her timidly exploring hands.

I had to closely school my impatient impulses, curb the sexual desire that was too natural for me. We felt such things more acutely, much more often than humans seemed to. That and the entire experience was something more than what I’d read in my associates minds.

After seeing such things, I’d spoken with a few others about it, and we’d come to the conclusion that we took more care with this act because we enjoyed everything about it, and having the stamina to see it through.

The floodgate had opened, and it was all I could do not to throw her to the ground and…do everything I had dreamed of for so long.

I craved to finally put my considerable skill to some use. I’d stroked myself late at night when she was asleep and unaware, fantasizing about her.

Corbin had always wondered why I didn’t just take her, but that wasn’t what I’d wanted. The decision to not pursue her in any such fashion, until I could come to her honestly had been amazingly easy.

I widened my thighs and without breaking the kiss, I slipped my hands under her arms and pulled her onto the bed. I sprawled out onto the comforter, dragging her over my chest, and gently flipped her body over.

My skin was highly sensitized, so aware of every movement her muscles along my hard, pulsing body made. She pushed her hands beneath her to gain leverage, adjusting the angle of her body so she was comfortable. I dragged my thickened organ across her, making her shutter deliciously.

I felt my canines throb, preparing to descend whether I wanted them to or not. She is a vampire now…loose control.

Oh, how very tempting.

Her tongue touched the tip of one, and she went rigid, heart thudding harder, blood rushing so much faster through those veins.

I shifted so the centre of her body was flush with mine, feeling her inside my head, reading every dark and satisfying fantasy. Growling and impatient, I flipped her over again onto her back, crawling over her to taste her sweet skin. Soon enough we would be properly mated and she’d be branded as mine.

She laughed against my lips, and I swore she called me a Neanderthal in her mind, but I couldn’t be sure over the roar in my ears. To feel her beneath me so willing and needing finally broke whatever remained of my control.

My fingers gripped the edges of her blouse to tear it from her body, from throat to waist. I could’ve done it more civilized way, but I was tired of hiding. Tonight, I just wanted her.

“Are you…?” She wasn’t scared, just surprised.

“I’m fine,” I promised, nipping her collarbone.

I tugged the long skirt from her body, hungrily moving my gaze over every inch of bared flesh. Her tongue touched her swollen bottom lip, and it was only a matter of time before my statement would change.

I kissed her ribcage, nipping the skin along her stomach, loving how the muscles clenched beneath my eager mouth. I ran my tongue along the flat surface above her hipbone, so close to what I wanted now. My eyes were on her face as I pressed biting kisses across her thigh, coming to rest between her legs.

That unfathomable curiosity lit her gaze, honestly and much too innocently not understanding what was happening, though trusting me enough to only ask a mild question.

“What are you doing?” She dug for the information, but I could hide from her for the time being. When we mated I would lose a degree of privacy to her, until then, I would exploit it.

I didn’t allow her to see what was in mind, nor did I answer. This would be a titillating surprise for me.

I knew more than well enough Thomas had used her only for his own pleasure, and she honestly thought that was all there was. He had been a selfish lover, neglecting her every need.

Over the past few months, I’d had to refrain from laughter when she thought of sex, compared to how I believed it to be. Of course, she’d never known the extent of what I knew about her.
I laid a long, flat trail over her apex with my tongue, before finally touching her clit. Her hips automatically jerked, her mouth forming a small o.


Another satisfying pass of my tongue had her back arching, eyes molten sapphires. I waited as her hips moved restlessly. She bit her lower lip again in a too innocent gesture I couldn’t quite resist.

I closed my mouth over her, and liquid heat rushed to greet me, coaxing the cream until she soaked with it. I murmured a spell, to take care of any noise that would wake up the children. And I had every intention of making her scream, test every limit and push every restraint until they snapped.

My cock pulsed unbearably at the thought, the promise of her lovely flesh beneath mine driving me to insanity.

I lowered my body from the bed, dragging her hips towards the edge. She’d barely settled herself, before I continued my assault on her senses and succulent flesh. Her wide eyes stared at me, locking on mine, unable to look away as I watched her over her mound.

“Gregory,” she whispered, fingers pushing my blonde hair back from my face.

Her spine bowed, screams dragged from her throat, fingers tightening in my hair. I smiled against the silky flesh when the orgasm began to unfurl, riding her addicting body, distributing shocking sensations that she didn’t understand yet. But I’d ensure she would.

My shaft was so hard, aching while the blood rushed to my groin, constantly twitching as I rushed Canya into another orgasm, her throat raw from long, satisfying shrieks.

I growled, letting the vibrations work through her, finally satisfied that she was ready, slick, so wet. I couldn’t even think about it, and maintain sanity at the same time.

I whispered a few words, concentrating on letting my clothes disappear. She cocked her head, pleased to see me so easily naked for the first time, and curious on how I had come to be that way.

“Later there will be time for explanations. Right now I wish to teach you other, more pleasurable concepts.” My voice was so hoarse, it broke. Love crowded my mind, the need to show her any way possible how much I needed her, in ways that words could never covet.

“I don’t think I can move. You killed me.” Her eyes drifted shut, and a small grin touched her tempting mouth.

“Oh, come now. I am nowhere near finished with you. That was just the beginning.” I buried my lips against her throat, loving how her arms automatically came around me.

There was no way to be any harder, thicker, but her delicate fingers dragged that impossible reaction from me anyways.

Before I could stop her, she snapped her hips up, taking all of me in with enough friction I had to fight to retain my focus.

“You are so fucking tight.” I growled against the side of her face, pausing for a moment to relish the feeling.

“Mmm,” she murmured wordlessly, wickedly milking me.

I shared every fantasy ever dreamt of her; every little thing that turned me on; making slow, lazy passes over bunches of nerves deep inside of her.

I revered in her body, finding just the right rhythm. My balls grew heavy and tight as her core took me over with a scalding wave of pleasure. Hot jets accompanied the warm cream, calling out every last bit of sensation before her muscles gave out, going limp beneath me.

I rolled until her head was on my chest, wrapping my arms around her, waiting for my breath to even before I started this all over again. It would be a long, wondrous night that had no end in sight.

I was sated though, for the moment. Her scent, the feel of her skin blocked out the world’s troubles, even if only for a little while.

WIP; Death Of Innocence

Dear Reader,

For about the past week or so, a friend and I have been running through another one of my back-burner, almost completed WIP’s. I love this book, as it was the first book I ever ‘completed’, but that was my views on writing then, and not now. So it just has to be brought up to speed a bit! This is an excerpt from the first novel in Foxworth Series, Death Of Innocence, Paranormal Romance. Hope you like it :)


Cheers,

Kayden

EXCERPT:

“Am I different too. I am not even like you.” She thought about the fact that no matter what, she never blended in, never belonged.


I exploded with bitter laughter, reluctant to steal her very young views of the world.

“Canya, no matter what race you are, where you come from, belonging is just a matter of opinion. You belong with me, with my family. We love and cherish you, and will always be at your side, no matter what. You are special, not different. A new breed, with a new power structure.” I could see my heartfelt words were not as believed as I wanted them to be.

She was resigned to always being different, an outcast. If anyone dared make her feel that way, I would take personal interest in him or her, make them see everything my way. I was persuasive, so much that many feared my…attentions. I’d chosen not to be a Hunter, but it didn’t make me incapable of it.

My family had enough connections, that when our name was breathed into the night, vampires second-guessed their own actions. No one came up against us, and won…

Until yesterday, but there wasn’t a winner until it was over. And this fight was far from completion.

Canya fought her creeping depression, telling herself that my words were true, but it didn’t help. Her raging mind would not give her rest, and I sought a way to relieve the terrible ache.

“Come on, let’s go.”

I pulled her to her feet, letting her fall forward against my chest. I wrapped my arms around her, ignoring the searing desire, the Curse that wanted its mate.

But she wasn’t quite ready for that yet. I pushed it back, and it settled into the depths. It seemed the longer I had Canya close, and didn’t bond with her, the more agitated the Curse became. It wasn’t done yet.

“Where are we going?”

“Outside,” I answered, dragging her through the back door that led to the garden before I did something I would regret. I tickled her ribcage, and she smacked my hands away playfully.

“And why are we outside?”

The sunlight shone over the light sprinkling of white snow. Her hair caught the surreal light, throwing blue highlights through the strands that stretched past her waist.

She’d always enjoyed the outdoors, everything about nature. It was one of the many things about her that had dragged my attention, and held it.

“I want you to realize just how important nature is to us. We draw our power from everything around us. We need blood to live, just as the land needs to be fertilized. But this is our world Canya, look around you.” I held my arms out to encompass everything from the trees, to the ground, to the sky.

I wiggled my fingers and the snowflakes on the ground rose into the air, dancing at my bidding. They swirled into a small tornado, moving over the flagstones to where she stood.

Her laughter flowed over the picturesque landscape when she plunged her hands into the snow, coming up with a lump that she’d packed hard with her hands. A wicked light entered her eyes as she strolled forward.

I was caught up in the swing of her hips, so sensually seductive. And then she threw her white orb at me, with deadly accuracy. It pelted me on the forehead while I had been staring at her body, like the haven it was meant to be.

Dancing away from me, and I gave chase when she caught up her skirts to take off into the middle of the yard.

“I am going to get you for that,” I called to her, knowing I could catch her at any time, but giving her the illusion of safety.

“I’m counting on it.”

Dark thoughts were forgotten as I flicked both hands and the snow fell from the evergreen branches above her head. White flakes rained down around her, creating a solid sheet in every direction. I watched her turn left and right, looking for me, amusement bright on her face.

“This isn’t fair, Greg! How can I compete with this?” Canya called into the snow. She moved forward, but never leaving the enclosure.

I stayed just far enough away, always behind her, that she never found me.

“You shouldn’t throw those orbs at me then,” I whispered in her ear, moving with inhuman speed when she whirled around, but I wasn’t there.

She giggled as she plopped down into the snow. I watched her curiously as she began to pack more snow.

“Snow-balls Greg, they are called snow balls. Get into this century.” I couldn’t contain my laughter at her snide comment.

Her head snapped up in to direction where I had been only a moment before. A snow ‘ball’ came flying, exactly where my head had been.

“I am in this century, here with you.” I moved behind her, quiet as a mouse. She sat there making a rather large pile of projectiles, completely oblivious.

“Actually you are not here with me. It would seem, for all intents and purposes, that you are hiding from your fiancé. I think you are scared of getting pelted again.” Her teeth flashed in the sunlight, the snow creating a safe cocoon for her.

I grabbed her around the middle and she shrieked in my ear, tossing her over my shoulder with snow still grasped in her hands.


Saturday, March 13, 2010

WIP Excerpt: Taigh O'Sullivan; A Gothic Romance

Hey Readers!!!

This is a Gothic Romance with a paranormal twist. It is entitled Taigh O'Sullivan; A Gothic Romance, about a girl named Siobhan who is forced to travel to a castle to complete the job of her recently past uncle who was archiving Lord O'Sullivan's impressive collection of books. If she does not, her aunt and herself will be out of a home, without money or anything to call their own. She was raised in willing seclusion, and once out of the comfort and safety of home, away from her protective aunt, Siobhan learns that she is not only an empath, but she can see ghosts.

Happy Reading...

Kayden McLeod


Excerpt:

I thought the Lord would go to them, but instead he veered off for the library.

When I moved to follow him, he whirled towards me with a snarl playing on his full lips. He looked irrational, wild even. I couldn’t understand the mood swings that were affecting my thought process, my ability to react with any common sense.

What had I done to inspire such vivid differences in him?

Tomorrow you will work,” he said coldly. Even with the distance between us, I stepped back from him. I was stunned by it. “I work at night, alone. Always.”

There was weight to those words, a meaning behind them that would take me time to really decipher. If I hadn’t been so caught up with what was happening, perhaps I would have better assessed what was really going on, and not just how it appeared.

He wanted, no needed to get away from me, and I knew he would flee to his library. The villagers had mentioned the Lord’s obsession with books several times, closeting himself away from the world with them alone. He’d been very rarely seen anywhere for a long time, and even though I had asked the locals, they hadn’t told me the reason for it. Only that he did. Then I’d thought they hadn’t known, but now I had to wonder.

When I had asked about the semi-infamous brother, Cullen O’Sullivan, I was met with several mixed opinions. While he was seen in the surrounding villages far more often, they didn’t know what to think of him. Some thought he was nice, others, as arrogant as the Lord. The younger women were soaked with obvious infatuation and longing, and the older were caught between wariness and his charm. Men both of youth and age flatly refused to comment, though I didn’t miss the leery emotion hidden behind gruff, short words.

When prodded further, they told me there was a time when this castle was filled with life, people running around going about their daily lives. There was peace and happiness, but not any longer.

Something had changed for all concerned, and the details were sketchy at best, but I felt there was something vital they didn’t divulge to me. A part that was lost between the words. It didn’t matter how I phrased my polite questions, they were no more forthcoming, other than to warn me off.

They’d mentioned the mischief and mayhem happening around the castle at the last leg of their employment, though not what had caused it. Unexplainable things that had come to pass with growing frequency, and it wasn’t long before they’d been spooked enough to leave in all haste, and seek other employment. Not that I could blame them this.

Lord O'Sullivan growled under his breath. I assumed at my silence as we regarded each other.

“Your room is up there.”

“You will not show me where it is then?” I asked softly, panic trying to set in at the thought of going up there alone. It damned near closed my throat.

It wasn’t that I was warm yet per-say, but it had been a definite improvement from the storm. It enabled me to notice the difference when the temperature dropped dramatically, with no reasonable source to explain it.

My breath floated on the air in tiny puffs, much like it would outside in the dead of winter.
“Are you incapable of choosing a room?” He muttered more to himself, walking towards the library. “They are all…available.”

Didn’t he sleep up there? And what of his brother? My mouth opened to respond, but nothing came out other than a soft squeak.

He continued on unheeded, without so much as another glance, disappearing into what I was sure is an impressive space devoted solely to books. The one thing in this world I loved above all others, the only thing in my world that was consistently reliable.

I was tempted to find a place to sleep down here, where I knew someone else would be close. But the call of dry clothing was too much for my somnolent body. My belongings had arrived before me, or so I’d been promised. It remained to be seen whether they were or not, and if so, their location was beyond me. I wanted to follow him, to ask, but I shortly lost my nerve.

I would look first, just in case I found them on my own. It was better than risking another confrontation with him for nothing. There was something happening with the Lord, and my arrival had somehow triggered it. I couldn’t afford to take the risk such a simple question presented. Not when the previous ones had been taken so badly.

Taking a deep breath, I began walking forward, and it unease rose. It became harder and harder for me to get closer to the steps, like I were wading through waist deep water. No, that wasn’t right. It was more like quicksand. The more I tried, the less I moved.

There was pressure on my shoulder-blades, and I knew something was keeping me back. I refused to feel panic, permitting my mind to work through this rationally. Something the other never would’ve allowed me.

A breeze trailed across my cheek, but there wasn’t anywhere for it to have come from. Did a door open again, and I had not heard it? There was nothing out of the ordinary as I examined every crevice of the sprawling space.

When I attempted to move again, the breeze shrieked in protest. There wasn’t doubt any longer from where it came, when it swept down the curving staircase with a terrifying velocity.

The sound of a woman shrieking came along with the blast that pushed me backwards. It took everything for me to stay on my feet, and not fall. The noise was deafening, but it didn’t bring the Lord out to see what was going on.

Surely I wasn’t imagining this too?

“You do not understand. I must stay here, or my aunt dies!” I called back. I felt it hesitate just as I hit the back wall by the front entrance, unable to be pushed any further. Or I was sure the force would have tried.

It receded around me as if in shock, but the presence didn’t leave. The tapestries stopped whipping around, falling back to the walls, though now quite wrinkled. Proof I was not as mad as I needed to believe I was.

A vase on a nearby table violently rocked in the aftermath, and I launched forward the moment it tipped to one side, but missed by a long shot. But it never hit the ground, stopping mere inches from the stone floor. As I watched, it righted itself midair and set back down on the table without a sound.

When the murmuring continued, I struggled to understand even a word of it. There was so much desperation to it. And I had a feeling that whoever spoke, was actually screaming at me from wherever they were. For it definitely wasn’t here.

“What do you want from me?” I asked finally, hoped to jar loose something, to make this thing be straight with me.

The mumbling slowly turned to soft words, growing stronger with the presence solidifying around me. Much like it had before when I was outside.

The impression was that the words hadn’t been for me, but for someone or something else. Was there more than one voice? Yes, on closer inspection there was, not that I could understand any of them. But I knew they were talking about me.

Then the words surged with confidence, one strong united front. The final statement came through loud and clear, vibrating through me;

Since you decided to stay; absolution and retribution.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Winner of Witch's Fire


Dear Readers,

And the winner of Tabitha Shay's Witch's Fire is....Tracey Dent!!

Congrats Tracey, and thank you for swinging by!


Cheers,

Kayden

Tabitha Shay Presents: The Winslow Witches Series

Dear Reader,

Book One

Book Two

Book Three


Book Four


Book Five



Thank you, Kayden, for inviting me to be your guest today. Although I don’t have a cover for it yet, I thought I’d post the blurb and an excerpt from my next Winslow Witches of Salem series, Witch’s Touch, book six, coming out later this year from Moongypsy Press. I hope you’ll enjoy the blurb and excerpt and look forward to reading about what happens to Nyra when she comes face to face with Death…literally.

BLURB/WITCH’S TOUCH/BOOK SIX/COMING SOON.

Death takes a holiday…

Giver of Life―Nyra Winters has two abilities that no witch before her has ever possessed―the power to heal and restore life. But her constant interference in Death’s plans makes her a target of the angry god King Titan, ruler of the Underworld.

Seeker of Death―Dym Satarius, Prince of Death, is sent to the magical realm of Ru-Noc to collect the witch Nyra Winters and bring her soul to the Underworld. Devoid of all emotion, Dym believes this assignment will be no different than any other. Reap the witch’s soul and return to hell…job done―but something goes terribly wrong and Death is stranded in Nyra’s world without his powers or the ability to return to his realm.

Witch’s Touch―Where life and Death collides…
***

EXCERPT FROM WITCH’S TOUCH/BOOK SIX/COMING SOON FROM MOONGYPSY PRESS.

Doubt, mixed with terror, crept over her. Nyra rested her forehead against the door, her legs too weak to support her. She didn’t know which was worse, facing the damning threat of the unknown or hiding like a spineless coward behind the door. Instead of opening the door, she should be sliding the deadbolt back into place.
Nyra trembled. Her heart bumped hard against her ribs. Her sweaty palm slipped on the brass doorknob. She unclenched her jaw, relieving the aching pressure.
Slowly, she inhaled and exhaled. Twice.
You’re not a coward. Open the door!
All right, she could do this. Besides, she was more curious than terrified, although common sense dictated she use caution. She would use caution. If whatever was on the other side of the door tried to harm her or Karma, she’d put a hex on it; turn it into a snowball or something.
She raised her head, squared her shoulders, and tore open the door. “Samhain!” She couldn’t suppress the alarmed gasp. The last thing she expected to see was a male lying upon the icy ground.
A naked, unconscious male.
“Oh, futz fuzzy!” Karma squeaked. “I told ya not to open the door. Now look what ya done gone and found.”
Nyra glanced at Karma. “What?”
“Trouble, honey, that be nuthin’ but two-hundred pounds of guaranteed trouble there. Ya want my advice? Shut the door. Pretend ya never saw him.”
“I can’t do that, Karma.”
“I can.” Karma kicked at the door.
“Stop that!” Nyra laughed at the Futhar’s antics. The adrenaline rushing through her bloodstream made her feel giddy. “He could be hurt.”
“Your point?”
Nyra looked down at the male and blinked twice. He didn’t go away. “He could die. I can’t just leave him in the freezing cold.”
“My ass.” Karma snorted. “That creature ain’t ‘fraid of the cold, else he’d have on clothes.”
“Maybe someone stole his clothes.”
Nyra slid her gaze over him. Stamping down the anxiety she felt, she leaned closer. Right now, he needed her help more than her curiosity or pointless fear of the unknown.
She slid her hands over his arms and legs, checking for injuries. For a second, her fingers rested on the sculpted ridges of his abdomen. Devil’s teeth! The man was at least six-four and his bare chest, stomach and calves were ridged with solid muscle. His hair lay thick and long and tangled across his face like skeins of black silk. All she could see were firm, chiseled lips, a strong chin and a wedge of stubborn jaw peeking through the strands of damp hair.
“What is that?” Karma asked, siding up beside Nyra.
“What?” Nyra’s gaze flickered up toward Karma, then back down to see where the Futhar’s avid gaze was fastened below the man’s waist. Her jaw dropped. “Oh!”
In spite of the extreme cold, it was obvious a certain part of his anatomy was awesome. She swallowed. Heat crawled up her throat and face. “Never mind what it is, Karma, if I don’t get him inside, he won’t have it. Frostbite will turn it black.”
Karma backed up a step. “Ya can’t bring him in here. He’s dangerous.”
Nyra stole a second glance at the man’s generous attributes. “Uh-huh.” Then feeling guilty at sneaking a peek, she looked away. “You’re not suggesting I leave him out in the cold all night?”
“Yeah, I am.” Karma sniffed and twitched her whiskers. “Leave him. He’s probably some waken who’s had too many wiskas. He might be violent when he wakes up. Let the wiska keep him warm.” She wrinkled her tiny pink nose. “Or he might even be one of those wakens who steal a witch’s soul.” Karma batted her long silky lashes at Nyra. “Ya know, like Talon.”
Nyra sighed. “You know very well Talon doesn’t do that sort of thing.”
“He thought about it. I’m telling ya, this…this thing looks just as dangerous as the prince.”
“I don’t know who or what he is, but I don’t think he’s a waken.” Nyra paused. “He looks…otherworldly.”
“We are otherworldly.”
“All right, Karma. I know we are…different from illumrofs, but he is-more than different. Look at that strange mark below his left ear. That’s not a symbol a waken would ever wear.”
“What is it?” Karma moved closer, squinting. “I can’t tell in the dark.”
“I can’t tell, either, the light’s too dim out here. There’s another one on his chest.” Nyra blinked, trying to see in the shadows. “It looks like a two-pronged fork. How curious.” She hesitated, then shaking off her curiosity, declared, “I think he might be a member of some kind of royalty.”
***

Thank you everyone for taking the time to read about my next book…For those who leave a comment, I’ll enter your name in a drawing for a free E-copy of Witch’s Fire, my latest release from Moongypsy Press…Drawing to be held around 8pm CST…so be sure and check back for Kayden to post the winner’s name.

You can find the first releases four books of the Winslow witches of Salem series, Witch’s Brew, Witch’s Heart, Witch’s Moon and Witch’s Magic at Fictionwise in E-format or in print at Amazon. Witch’s Fire is available at Moongypsy Press in E-format and in print.

See you all soon on the loops….

Happy Reading,

Tabs




Sunday, March 7, 2010

Brigit Aine Presents: Cassie's Awakening




Dear Reader,


Thank you so much to my great friend and pal Kayden, for letting me hijack her space today.

Guess what day today is…that’s right…it’s Sunday! Oh wait, I mean, its March 7th….wait a minute. I have it! Today is release day for my newest book Cassie’s Awakening. Always a great feeling to have something new out there. However, even though it is release day, and I will post an excerpt in a bit, I am not just here hawking my wares (or my underwears). Nope. I am here to talk about waiting. That’s right waiting.

As an author I sometimes feel it is a good thing I have a day job, otherwise I would be bored while I waited. I wait for stories to want to be finished. I wait to hear back after I have submitted (sometimes a long time), then I wait for an editor to look at a story, then I wait for a reader to read the story, I might be waiting on a cover image in there somewhere, then I wait for release day. Are you beginning to see my point here?

Now I could be writing another story while I’m waiting, but I’m one of those people who likes to have one project “finished” before I start another one. So unlike a lot of authors, as a matter of fact most of them I know, I generally do not have 5 or 6 stories going at once. On occasion I’ll have one or two, but not usually more than that. So for me, without my children, my husband and my day job I would be bored. Really. LOL. Now that isn’t to say that I don’t wish I had more time to write, because I don’t know many authors who don’t wish they had that. I am saying though, perhaps I don’t need as much as some others.

Because I am a pantser (and not a plotter), when I sit down and get an uninterrupted hour or two I can be very productive. As a matter of fact, I have been known to close my eyes and “see” the story unfold in my mind as I type. This allows for me to get quite a ways in my writing time. So, below is an excerpt and the link for my release today, Cassie’s Awakening which is book two in my Torrent’s Talents series.

Book One is a free read, if you would like to read that first:

They are both novella length so not going to be any epic reading for you. However, sometimes it is nice to have a full cast of characters.

Let me know what you think about the waiting if you are a writer, and how you fill the time. If you are a reader, tell me what you do while you are waiting for the next book by your favorite author. (See we are all waiting).


Brigit


Cassie’s Awakening available TODAY at:


Excerpt:

“I repeat. What did you think you were doing?” Cassie asked, with more bravado than she was feeling. She had never felt anything like the pulsating emotions emanating from Jared. It seemed to overwhelm all her senses and she was struggling with just getting breath in and out of her lungs. She looked up at him and found herself face to face with eyes that were so intense she could see nothing but them. There was a slight glow that fascinated her; she had never seen eyes like this before, incredibly deep with a special inner light.


“Don’t ever touch Kraig again or let him touch you,” Jared growled from deep in his chest. He was having trouble keeping his wolf in check. When Kraig had kissed Cassie it was all he could do to not rip the pup’s head off. She didn’t know anything about being his mate, or even what it entailed, but Jared did and he was having trouble controlling the wolf because of it. He had barely managed to control changing, and he certainly wasn’t going to stop the rush of jealousy and anger at his mate being touched by another man. Not just a man, but another werewolf. And with that acceptance, he quit thinking and did what his wolf wanted. He kissed her.





Friday, March 5, 2010

Work In Progress; Maeryn

Dear Reader,

What’s happening?! For me? Lots and lots of writing.


I typically write Paranormal, like my ‘signature’, if you will. And while I still consider this still under my ‘paranormal’ kick, the book I am currently working on would most likely be considered Fantasy, technically.


It is called Maeryn, and the main character is named Ethan. So, a little more about that;

Ethan loses the most important person in the world to him, his mother. He feels so alone, because he knows he’s different than anyone else…he just never figured out how much that was. As it turns out Ethan isn’t human, but Sith…or is he? Not even his family is sure when he departs on an adventure of his own making. He travels to an alternative-universe, a prison for all of the fey, banished to for all of eternity, to protect humankind from their magic.


Maeryn is a strange world, nothing like earth, or anything Ethan has ever known; with the purple sky, silver sun and stars that never disappear. The plants look fake, not even a mar on single leave. Nothing ever dies, and creatures are stuff of legends and stories.

The journey begins quite by accident when he harms a fairy, taking him on a path to reveal his destiny. As it turns out, Ethan is the rightful-heir to the throne of the Sith.

The current high-royal, Carnag, wants him to take his place, so he can continue on with his work with a lackey for a political front. The king has a plan to guarantee his place in the kingdom forever; to steal the magic of all those who live in this realm, and ensure no one could fight him. To do that, he must travel, something the Sith courtiers will not accept in their official ruler.

But Ethan falls in love and disrupts the plan. Teranika is a Sith who believes in the freedom of her people, and all the races of Maeryn; everything from the Rakshasas, dragons to even the wee ones. But Teranika sees Ethan as yet another threat to that goal, leading him away from Carnag and the Sith kingdom.

A messenger intercedes, demanding Ethan’s presence in the farthest regions of Maeryn, with the most omniscient and terrifying beings the world knows, and few understand. The Mazikeen. And they reveal to Ethan, that no matter how impossible it may be, Ethan’s destiny is far bigger than he ever realized.

I’ll post some excerpts when I am a little further along!

Cheers, and have a good weekend!

Kayden