Give a Great Swamp Welcome to Alison Stone…

Okay everyone, settle down and take a seat. 

Eerie, one of your Zombie’s is munching on the Hellhound’s tail.  Mischevious and Adile, if you two don’t knock it off, I’m tying a boulder to your tails and dropping you in Dreamer’s moat.  Smokey, you’re creating a haze even Snarky can’t cut through.  Quirky, could you open that window behind my Knight? Let’s get some Swamp Gas in here.  Prankster Duo, for the love of Pete would you please stop trying to get Angel Boy to launch from the ceiling beams!

Finally! Are you all ready?

Great, so be good and give it up for our guest-the most awesome Alison Stone!  Her debut novel, Random Acts, is now available so afterwards, we’re doing a trip to the bookstore!

  Listen up and find out how she got sucked into the crazy world of writing…

Why do I write?

I ask myself this question every so often. Like when I’m stuck on a plot point or when I’d rather be reading or watching TV or cleaning the toilet… Yes, some days it seems like I’d rather be doing anything other than writing. So, why do I do it?

Is it for the money? (Okay, you over there, stop laughing.) Even if they don’t admit it, I think most writers hope their book will be the next big thing. But who can actually predict these things?  I’d settle for a nice income, never mind a seven-figure income. Yet, if it’s income I’m truly after, why write? I could go back to my former career as an engineer and make far more money than I do as a writer. However, an office job wouldn’t give me the flexibility I have as a writer. Don’t get me wrong, I work long hours crafting my stories, but I’m home if my kids need me for something—like a ride or dinner. J

But why write? Is it because I have the burning desire to tell a story? I can’t say I have one particular story that needs to be told. Rather I have a lot of ideas bouncing around my head. Once the idea to try writing took hold, I couldn’t let go. There is something about the challenge of writing and fitting all the pieces of the story puzzle together (I write romantic suspense) that intrigues me. It occupies my mind.

The other night my husband and I went out for dinner and we discussed my new career. My debut novel, Random Acts, had just been released. I told him how I really hoped this new career would provide income to help send our children to college. Then, like usual, I started to doubt myself. Wouldn’t my time be better spent working at a job that paid me an hourly rate or one that paid a salary? My awesome husband equated my budding writing career to starting a business. My husband, an engineer, told me one of his co-workers quit to start a machine shop. He has the expense of a new building, machines and salaries. My writing career is also a new venture, but my overhead is low. I have the expense of my laptop and my time. I love the analogy. I have worked hard over the years to build a solid foundation. From here, I need to continue to produce quality books and build my readership. I am excited my second book, Too Close to Home, is coming out on August 7^th. I also have other books in the works. From here, I will grow my business.

Writing is one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done. A few years ago, shortly after I signed with my wonderful agent, I received a crushing rejection from a New York publishing house.  This was not the first time my work had been passed up to the senior editor for possible acquisition only to be rejected, albeit with a “good rejection.”

The editor raved about my “clean writing style” and she was “eager to get Alison under contract and happy to read anything she submits.”  But this was the third time I had come so close, but yet so far. I was ready to throw in the towel, when my wonderful friend and critique partner—who always gave it to me straight— sent me his e-mail:

If an editor said “I’m eager to get her under contract” I would have swooned. Do people still swoon? You’ve got it, kid. Don’t give up. At the very least, what a model for your kids on what it takes to succeed. Am I blowing smoke up your derriere? Nope. Close only counts when people use it as an excuse to bow out. Look at the many writers who struggled. I’m talking good writers who managed to believe in themselves no matter what. There are too many fools out there who make it because they are blind to their own BS. You just need to find your own unique voice, blend it to the “smooth, clean writing style.”

This e-mail is over three years old, but it still sits in my inbox. I write because I enjoy it. I write because I hope to have a solid career. I continue to write even when the mountain seem insurmountable because I want to show my kids that sometimes you have to work hard—very hard—to achieve your dreams.

Much thanks to Alison for braving our Swamp and visiting with us!

Alison Stone graduated with a degree in industrial engineering from Georgia Tech. After working in Corporate America for a number of years, she retired to raise her young family. Soon the writing bug bit. After years of conferences, critique groups and writing, Alison sold two manuscripts that will be released in 2012. She claims it was easier to earn her engineering degree. Random Acts is her debut novel. To learn more about Alison Stone please visit www.AlisonStone.com.

Check out Random Acts…

Second chances can have a terrible sense of timing.

As a child, watching her mother always pick the wrong man left Danielle Carson wary of opening her heart to anyone—except Patrick Kingsley. But circumstances came between them and left Danielle with a broken heart. Now she buries the pain of what might have been by channeling all her energy into her career. When a family crisis brings her back to her hometown, she is forced to face the past—and the disturbing fact that her sister’s car accident was staged to mask a brutal beating.

A police officer and widower, Patrick guards his heart as fiercely as he guards his beloved daughter. Seeing Danielle again unexpectedly reignites their old flame, but no way will he introduce a woman into his daughter’s life. Certainly not one whose values on faith and family are so different from his own.

Despite their best intentions, they are drawn together—until Danielle learns Patrick had a hand in putting her sister in harm’s way. Her fragile trust is crushed, but Patrick is the only man who can help her stop the villain before everything they both love is destroyed. Faith, family…and their second chance at forever.

Run, don’t walk, and get your copy now!  Available at:

Samhain Publishing: http://store.samhainpublishing.com/alison-stone-pa-1705.html

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Random-Acts-ebook/dp/B00795G1X4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334076604&sr=8-1

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/random-acts-alison-stone/1108890294?ean=9781609288242&itm=1&usri=alison+stone

Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Random-Acts/book-OSXUgDoMQ0aVm-JoFxmVXg/page1.html?s=QoeSfSCRk0m4in6w2_-prQ&r=1

Also available at Sony and iTunes.

Prepping for Guests…

Okay all, time to drag out the straw broom and tie it to the hellhound’s tail so we can clear off the dust and spiders from the front porch.  I’d ask the Prankster Duo to do it, but that would result in legendary whining.  Besides, they’d probably do the same thing, make the hellhound do it.  In the meantime, I’ll see if I can get Knight in Slightly Muddy Armor to polish himself off (*snort* just realized how that sounded!) and add a little shine to his outfit.  Maybe I can swing by Swamp Thing’s place and see if she has something that will cover up the stink from Eerie’s Zombie horde.  If not, I’ll snag a few of Dreamer’s pretty flowers.  Don’t tell her though–it might upset her if she finds patches gone from her garden. She does such an amazing job with those leafy things, I’m seriously impressed.  Most of mind tend toward brown and flaky. No worries, we can blame Mischevious or the small gypsy tribe of brownies trying to pretend they’re not hiding in the Trecherous Forest.

Are you wondering at the burst of Spring Cleaning I’m embarking on? It’s because next week I’M HAVING A VISITOR.  Yes, indeedy, instead of trotting over and posting on someone else’s blog as I’ve been wont to do for the past month and half, this time around, she’s coming to me.  So who is it?  It’s Alison Stone.  She’ll keep you on the edge of your seat with her thrilling suspense novels with just a touch of heartfelt romance.  I thought it was time we brought a little love and light into the Swamp–it’ll help make Dreamer feel more at home.  Besides, Alison is an awesome writer–so I had to share.

So you must come back next week when she’s here.  Bring your witty charm and fabulous humor and show her we’re not too backwoodsy here in the Swamp.  Share the love and make her feel at home.  I promise we’ll keep the Zombies penned up and Mischevious occupied with something shiny–that why she might come back.

Plus, if this all goes well, I’m thinking of inviting a few other friends to pop in every month.  Especially since I really, really need to buckle down on Shadow’s Moon now that we have our release date for Shadow’s Soul (Book 2) on 6/23/12!

Just an update–I got three chapters in, had to start over, pulled teeth out of a snail, and now I think I finally know where Xander’s going to take us.  You’d think by the third book the story should just merrily stroll along.  Oh no!  No, instead it decides to play hide-n-seek in the middle of a black hole.  Never fear, I’ll take it down–one way or the other.

So until next week…

Be good but not too good!

–Wicked

Case of the missing Snark…

At the latest gathering of the Evil 7 it came to our attention that our bold whipmistress and supreme ass kicker Snarky Dwarf has suddenly *gasp* lost her snark.  The Swamp is in an uproar.  I’m not sure how we missed such a momentous disaster, but trying to retrieve that mangy feather fiend, Mischeivous from the Three Misfiteers, resisting the urge to show that pompous C. Rock Adile how lovely he’d look in boot form, and making sure to keep those damn Storm Troopers from finding Jedi Dwarf, we seemed to have lost her snark.

Although we’ve bid adieu to Jedi, we have been able to help Dreamer Dwarf get settled. I’ve managed to wrangle the Prankster Duo into keeping Eerie’s zombies occupied so Dreamer doesn’t catch on that the shuffling noises she’s been hearing aren’t the three lost pigs from the other side of the Swamp.  We all pitched in with her beautiful moat and boy is C. Rock going to be pissed when he finds out we bribed his cousins into taking up residence.  I think if we corner a few unicorns for Dreamer, she’ll be okay.  As long as we keep the zombies, the Prankster Duo, the hellhound, Eerie and the Swamp Thing away from her yard.  Maybe her white picket fence and beautifully boxed flower things will keep everyone back.  If not, that’s why we have the moat!

I was going to make my Muse and that drunken fool she’s been hanging out with over at Swamp Shack help me earlier this month, but she’s taken a beating from all the guest posts I had to throw together.  Who knew that trying to come with entertaining blog posts was almost as hard as…writing? Not me, that’s for sure.  However, I’m sure she’s back in fighting form so I sent Mischevious over to Eerie’s so we can figure out what happened to Snarky’s snark.  Between the two of us I’m sure we’ll hunt it down.

Since my Muse was able to help me carve out a good 12 pages today, I figured we’d stick with what works do a little revamping of the Swamp.  Maybe it’s the massive amount of HGTV (Hag and Gnome channel) I’ve been forced to watch late at night while the hellhound has been chasing the Zombies and Knight in slightly muddy armor has been out “raiding” with his friends until the wee hours, but it was time for a change.  Cool uh?

My To-Do list is growing:

1.  Round up Eerie and the Muses and find Snarky’s snark

2.  Do weekly rounds of guest posts at following sites (and it’s a busy week):

• 4/17   Michelle Miles’s Ye Olde Inkwell where I keep with my HGTV motif and discuss A Writer’s Dream
• 4/19  Stacey Donaldson is hosting me at The Write to Make A Living as we take a peek into the Chaotic World fo a Writer’s Mind
• 4/20  The lovely Bri Clark graciously rescheduled me over at The Belle of Boise to chat about Plot and Soap Opras
• 4/21  BK Walker has welcomed me to her Immortyl Cafe to explore how to Forge a Character

3.  Help plan the yearly trip to Troll Mountain.  I so can’t wait for this one!

4.  Keep the Prankster Duo focused for their annual Testing Games–only a few make it through with their brains intact.  Here’s hoping we’ve prepared them enough for the onslaught of data!

I think that’s it so far…more than enough to keep me busy.

Until next week…

Wicked

Welcome guest author Carrie Ann Ryan

Please welcome the lovely Carrie Ann Ryan to the swamp today. Hopefully the zombies out there don’t get her until after the interview. Her newest release is part of her YUMMY werewolf series, Trinity Bound.

You can check it out on Amazon HERE.

She’ll be giving away a Swag Pack to one lucky commenter, just answer the question in the post.

Carrie Ann Ryan is a bestselling paranormal and contemporary romance author. After spending too much time behind a lab bench, she decided to dive into the romance world and find her werewolf mate – even if its just in her books. Happy endings are always near – even if you have to get over the challenges of falling in love first.

Her first book, An Alpha’s Path, is the first in her Redwood Pack series. She’s also an avid reader and lover of romance and fiction novels. She loves meeting new authors and new worlds. Any recommendations you have are appreciated. Carrie Ann lives in New England with her husband and two kittens.

What is a typical day for you like writing-wise?

I usually work the day job in the morning. Then I either write 2,000 words, edit, revise…something having to do with my WIP after dinner. After that I make sure my promo for the next day is all ready to go LOL. Very busy, but I just got a new workspace and its working well!

How fun. The only dedicated space I have is the driver’s seat of my car, LOL. Call me Taxi Mom.

What hobby do you enjoy when not writing?

Does reading count? LOL. I pretty much only do that or cook when I’m not writing LOL.

What would you do with $1 million dollars (tax-free, of course)?

Buy a house with an office for me and rooms for the kiddos that hubby and I will have! Then we’ll do the job we want to do. Like just writing and enjoying myself. Oh, and I’d buy a car. A new one. I’ve never owned one LOL.

If you could be any animal, what would it be (real or magical)? Why?

Wolf! I love them. Can’t you tell? They are so eathy and in tune to the world. Plus they are so beautiful!

I love wolves. You’re totally right, they’re gorgeous.

If you could be any supernatural creature, what would it be and why?

Either a werewolf for the above reason, or an angel b/c I want to fly.

If you could time-travel, where would you go and why?

Back to meet a highlander. Oh yeah. I want one for myself! LOL

Hey, bring me one back too, okay?

Why are manhole covers round?

Because the man who designed them was drunk and bent with a piece of chalk and tried to drawn a square, but only ended up spinning in circles. (cute? LOL)

Do you have any upcoming news you’d like to share?

That sounds like a question my Dad always asks. He answers the phone and asks “Any news? Are you pregant?” Give me a couple of years, Dad. LOL. However, in terms of writing…

Trintiy Bound is now available and is the third book in the series. Adam’s book, Enforcer’s Redemption will be later this year.

Dust of My Wings, book 1 in the Dante’s Circle series, is my current WIP and is an angel book that will be out this summer as well.

Oh, and I have a super sekrit present for y’all coming soon. *grins*

And the Fast Five:

Coffee or Chocolate? Chocolate.

Jewelry: Precious gems or gold? Gems. I don’t look good in Gold.

Beach or Mountains? Beach. Less people. LOL

Early Morning or Late Night? Late night. I’m a bear in the morning.

Fruit or Veggies? Fruit. I love sweets.

And last, but not least, where can we find you on the internet:

Website  Blog  Facebook Author Page  Facebook Friend  Goodreads   Twitter: @CarrieAnnRyan  Tumblr

Latest Book Title: Trinity Bound

Release Date: March 30^th, 2012

Buy Link(s): Check out Trinity Bound HERE

Hannah Lewis, a rare earth witch, is taken from the only life she’s ever known. Held at her will by a sadistic wolf, she almost gives up hope that she’d ever see her real life again. But as her fellow captive, a werewolf named Reed, tries to calm her fears, she begins to feel a spark of something she never thought she’d feel – love. But is Reed, alone, enough to get her out of this dark basement so she can move on with her life?

Reed Jamenson, the artist of a werewolf Pack of Alpha males, knows instinctually that Hannah is his mate. Thus, despite their imprisonment, he will do all to protect her and then worry about their hearts. But is he strong enough to find a way for both of them to escape? And why does he feel as though something else is missing?

Josh Kolb, an ex-military human, stumbles upon Reed and Hannah and finds he must trust this new world of supernatural beings to survive. But that desire will lead the three to a triangle of attraction that will test the boundaries they all possess and its consequences in defeating the enemy. Can they all trust one another to save themselves and life as they know it? Even at the cost of their own hearts?

And, for a taste of the story:

Snowflakes stuck to Josh’s eyelashes and he bat them away. A strong gust blew past him, the cold chilling his bones. He surveyed his surroundings, taking a silent step through the undergrowth. Tall trees reached to the sky, blocking whatever sunlight filtered through the dreary storm clouds. Their limbs heavy with leaves and the extra weight of collecting snow drooped down, dropping snow bundles on his shoulder and in one unfortunate incident, his face. If only he could have Found these two in the nice spring or cool fall months. No, he had to search for them in the onset of winter and the beginning of what looked to be a deadly snow storm. Lucky guy.

When he left his bench on Main Street, he had quickly gone home to fetch some of his equipment. He dressed warmer, grabbed a pack with extra clothes for Reed and the witch, some food and water, and weapons. Lots of weapons. Knifes and blades of various shapes and sizes adorned his body. He had his SIG strapped to his side, with extra ammo in his belt. Sadly he didn’t have any silver, but lead would at least slow the beasts down if they came after him.

And they would. Because as he followed the trail in his mind to this remote bunker, his sense of unease swelled to a staggering sensation. Crap, he might not make it this time. He was but one man. One human at that. But looking down at the lair that held two people that he needed to find, he set aside those worries and the creeps it gave off. The two of them were more important – for some unknown reason. And if anyone truly knew him, they would know that it was freaking hard to give Josh the creeps. But he ignored those chills as well.

To enter the Swag Pack giveaway, answer the following in the comments with your email address:

What’s your favorite thing about werewolves?

Thanks Carrie Ann for stopping by the swamp. Don’t worry about the monsters on your way out, we’ll have someone escort you

Time for a Change…and a Tour!

So as  you can see I’ve decided to update my blog site over at jamigray.wordpress.com.  It wasn’t because I was bored, but mainly because it was time to update for a rather busy month just around the corner.

That’s right, I’m popping up all over the web starting on March 28th with a Q&A Session with The Romance Review at their Annivesary Party.  So I added a tab with all the sites and dates listed.  Feel free to pop over when you can and join in the fun.  But in case you want all the information in one nifty spot, here you go…mark you calendars because I’ll need peeps to talk with.  It’s so boring talking to myself!

MARCH 2012

3/28/12       Q&A with The Romance Review Anniversary Party

APRIL 2012

Black Opal Author Blog Tour!

4/5/12         Guest Post with Mona Karel

4/7/12         Guest Post with Nanny Berry

Rescheduled for 4/20/12!         Guest Post with Bri Clarkc at The Belle of Boise

4/14/12 Guest Post with Lindsay Jones at Just Another Book Addict

4/17/12       Guest Post with Michelle Miles at her blog!

4/19/12       Guest Post with Stacey Donaldson at The Write Way To Make A Living

4/21/12       Guest Post with BK Walker at The Immortyl Cafe

4/24/12      Guest Post with Denise Alicea at The Pen Muse

4/25/12      Guest post with Sarah Merchant at Work Aday Reads

–Wicked

Versatile Blogger Award nominations!

Check it out! Fellow Black Opal author, Empi Baryeh, nominated me (and others!) for the Versatile Blogger Award! A lovely surprise since I’ve only been blogging roughly over a year.  Who knew my mental ramblings would actually entertain peeps enough to get attention!  So huge thanks and much love to Empi.

So a few things before we do the whole Terms & Conditions portion of this nomination.

We have to take a moment to wax about Empi Baryeh.  Empi writes some pulse pounding romance that will set your hair on fire and take you for a wild ride. Her Chancing Faith is currently published with Black Opal Books  and coming in February 2012, her Most Eligible Bachelor will be out with Evernight Publishing.  Want to meet the facinating woman yourself? Then choices abound! Check her out at her blog, hit her up on Facebook or even stalk her on Twitter @empibaryeh!

So now on to the rules that I must follow:

1. Nominate 15 fellow bloggers for The Versatile Blogger Award (done)
2. Add an image of the Versatile Blogger Award (done)
3. In the same post, thank the blogger who nominated you in a post with a link back to their blog (done)
4. In the same post, share 7 completely random pieces of information about yourself (ok, if you insist!)
5. In the same post, include this set of rules (got it covered!)
6. Inform each nominated blogger of their nomination by posting a comment on each of their blogs (next stop!)

Seven Completely Random Pieces of Information about me

1. I absolutely love Monty Python!
2. Sarcasm is my default mode.
3. I am a Starbucks slut…and I’ll be the first to admit it!
4. I hate cats! (Sorry, but my allergies make it so if I want to breathe, they can’t be anywhere near me!)
5. I refuse to act my age when it comes to music.
6. I am as in love with my husband as I was when we first met.
7. I am eternally gratefully I was given boys to raise, because I just don’t think I could survive girls! I have much respect for those mom’s with girls! You’re braver than I’ll ever be! 

And for the fun part…

Nominees for Award (in no particular order)

1. Amber Kallyn at Amber Kallyn
2. Dave Benneman at Eerie’s World Blog
3. Michelle Miles at Ye Olde Inkwell
4. Mandy Casey at Who Are You Calling a Vampire
5. Ciara Knight at Ciara Knight
6. Rachel Firasek at Rachel Firasek
7. Stephanie Draven at Stephanie Draven
8. KH LeMoyne at Fantasy Powered by Love
9. Christine Hughes at Christine Hughes
10. Liv Rancourt at Liv Rancourt
11. Mona Karel at Mona Karel Author
12. LJ DeLeon at Warriors for Light Blog
13. Rebecca Clark at Rebecca J. Clark
14. Rainy Kaye at Rainy of the Dark
15. Cassandra Carr at Hot Blogging with Heart

Too bad we can only do 15 nominees! Onward with the informing nominees of their impending glory!

–Wicked

Book Faery Blog and Kindle Fire Giveaway!

Thanksgiving was a blast, but now that I’m full and lazy, it’s time for a really short post!  Next week we’ll go back to the craziness that is this blog, until then…

You have to go check out the last guest blog post I did for this year.  Yeah, yeah, I know, there’ve been lots, but this one is really cool and you have to go see it.  Plus you may even get a free copy of Shadow’s Edge.  See? It’s a wonderful thing right before the holidays!

Now here’s the link to the Book Faery Reviews:  http://tbfreviews.net.  So go have a fun week and check it out!

Plus, if you’re itching for a new Kindle Fire, go over to the left and click on the Kindle giveaway.  Go on, it won’t bite.  Click on it, fill out the info and we’ll all cross our fingers!  It ends soon so hurry up! Entries are only excepted until December 15th and trust me, that’s right around the corner.

Until next week folks…

Guest blog by Michelle Miles!

Pay attention, everyone! Today I am having my very first guest blog appearence. You must be nice to her or I may not be able to convince anyone else to ever stop by again.  The talented Michelle Miles is going to share with us the exclusive behind the book peek at what went into creating her One Knight Only.  Who can resist snarky faery princesses and heroes and heroines who double as card sharks?

 

 

Living in Medieval Times

By Michelle Miles

 

 

 

When I first started writing One Knight Only (now available from Ellora’s Cave), it was around 2005. I know six years is a long time to work on a book, isn’t it? But it actually started out as a straight historical and then morphed into a historical with paranormal elements. My heroine was Grace, she had brother named Lars, Elyne was nothing more than a handmaiden, and the hero was Sir Drake.

 But as I wrote, I realized my heroine was too wimpy, so I changed her name from Grace to Maggie and she became a modern woman with modern sensibilities. My hero wasn’t very interesting either, so I changed his name from Sir Drake to Finian and he became a Scottish knight with a gambling problem. For good measure, I threw in a snarky faery princess who befriends Maggie.

The main story stayed much the same. I still had the book set during a jousting tournament in the mid-1300s. I’ve long had a fascination with the Middle Ages and specifically jousting. I was that girl at Scarborough Faire (our annual ren faire here in the area) hanging off the fencing watching the make-believe jousts. The one who wanted to go to Medieval Times and sit in the front row to ogle the knights. I was the girl who wanted to sleep in castle. (The closest I’ve gotten is Excalibur in Las Vegas. But as God is my witness, I will do that before I die.)

I started researching the book about the time I started writing it. I bought books on jousting and spent a lot of time searching specific information about jousting, tournament banquets, the Tree of Shields, where they lived during tournament, etc. I picked the mid-1300s because of some research I found that King Edward III held a tournament in England after one of his victories in France in the early years of the Hundred Years’ War. I also searched for information on speech. I found a great resource for speech of the time where I learned great phrases like, “God’s Teeth!” and the insult, “a plague-sore boil upon humanity.” I feel sure I can use that in everyday conversation today, don’t you? I also enjoyed using words like mayhap, anon and huzzah.

One of the things I wanted to write into the book was actual jousting. So I did a lot of research on how to do it, what they wore, how they rode, etc. Then I knew I wanted my heroine to do the actual jousting. How did I pull that off? You’ll have to read the book to find out.

Another thing I researched was card games and dice games in the Middle Ages since I had a heroine with a gambling problem. The dice game, Hazzard, was the predecessor of today’s Craps. Playing cards were actually introduced to the Western Anglo world in the mid-1300s. The suit system that we know today (hearts, clubs, spades, diamonds) was adapted by the French in the fifteenth century and referred to as a French deck. Other regions had their own suits (e.g. Germany, Italy, Spain) which included cups, swords, coins, and batons (or sticks); others had animals, flowers, etc. For my story, I went with the familiar and used the French deck during the gambling scenes.

 Did I mention my faery princess likes to gamble, too?

 This story was a lot of fun to write and has a lot of great characters. I’d spent so much time with them during edits that I actually missed them when I turned in the book. My head had been in the Middle Ages for so long, it was hard to pull myself out of it and back into our everyday world.

 I hope you enjoy reading One Knight Only as much as I enjoyed writing it. Book two has been planned and is underway. Elyne, my snarky faery princess, was insistent that she get her Happily Ever After. Who am I to deny her that?

 

 

 

 Michelle Miles writes contemporary, fantasy and paranormal romance.

She believes in knights in shining armor and HEAs. For more information about her and her books, visit her website at http://www.michellemiles.net.

You can also follow her on Twitter @MichelleMiles and Like her Facebook page at Facebook.com/MichelleMilesRomance.

IT HAS ARRIVED!

IT’S HERE!  IT’S HERE!

SHADOW’S EDGE MAKES ITS DEBUT ON  NOVEMBER 1, 2011!

You must run right out and get it! Right now! Put down that cup of coffee, it will still be there when you get back.

Zip over to Barnes and Noble if you’re a NOOK-er, Amazon if you prefer KINDLE, or Black Opal Books if you like holding the actual book in your hand!

Go…go on…go get it!

Not only is this happening this week, but THERE’S MORE!

Yes, indeedy.  I am appearing at: Marketing For Romance Writers Blog  on Friday, November 4th! So go check out my post!

BUT WAIT! THERE’S STILL MORE!

Can’t get enough of me? That’s okay, because I’m making the round on NOVEMBER 8th at the following:

The lovely Michelle Miles has invited me over to Ye Old Inkwell.

And for those who like their romance so hot even the local Fire Dept. isn’t enough, I’m dropping by

Menagerie Authors for a little chat!  But ID maybe required!

So find me this week! It’ll be fun!

I’m almost famous…

Got a bunch of little things to share with everyone.

I have an interview posted with Mandi Casey at her blog, so go check it out. Plus she has her own book out if you’d like a taste!

Official release date for Shadow’s Edge is November 1, 2011!  WOO HOO!   It’s available through Black Opal Books for pre-order! I even got my first two reviews! Check it out:

TAYLOR JONES SAYS:Shadow’s Edgeby Jami Gray is a tightly written, jammed packed paranormal that will have you enthralled right from the start. Part of the reason is the superbly written characters, which pull you in and make you invested in their story. Raine, our emotionally scared and vulnerable heroine, is a Kyn, a supernatural being, in her particular case, Fey. Raine is part of the Wraiths, a group of warriors who perform covert operations for Taliesin Security, an organization of the Kyn. Sure, she has the pre-requisite powers of the Fey, but due to some nasty experiments she suffered at the hands of scientists back when she was fifteen, there’s a slew of as-yet unidentified gifts just begging to be discovered—if she can trust herself enough to try them out.And that’s the secret to why I adore her. She’s a living weapon, ready to take on a baddie with her deadly knives, but in truth, Raine is an outcast, a mongrel, who is terrified of what she’ll learn about herself and how that truth will shove her past the borders of the only society she’s ever known. Keeping things interesting, Gray added a delectable hero in Gavin, a fellow wraith who pushes all Raine’s buttons, good and—even better—bad. There’s enough resulting chemistry between them that you don’t mind, too much, the lack of sex throughout the novel.

The action in Shadow’s Edge kicks into high gear when Raine and Gavin are sent on separate but linked missions—a string of suspicious deaths and a security breach into their own organization, Taliesin Security.

Gray does a wonderful job of describing the surroundings, plucking you from your chair, and immersing you into this well-developed story with fully fleshed characters, both human and supernatural. Shadow’s Edge has so much going for it and I can’t wait to read the second book in the series. My rating: 4.5 stars.

REGAN MURPHY SAYS:Shadow’s Edge by Jami Gray is one of those books where you get to the end and scream “More!” Thank God the second book in the series is already in the works. I immediately fell in love with the characters in Shadow’s Edge and could especially relate to Raine, our heroine. She’s clever, spunky, and blessed with super powers she doesn’t understand and, consequently, fears—superpowers enhanced by evil scientists experimenting on her when she was 15. She already had some powers since she is a Kyn, magical beings living on the Earth with us humans. But after the scientists get through with her, her powers scare even her. So even though she can kick ass and take names, she also has an endearing vulnerability.

Add a hunk like Gavin, who has special powers of his own, and you have an explosive combination that keeps you riveted from the very first word. When the shit hits the fan, as they say—and of course, it hits hard and fast in Shadow’s Edge—Gavin’s just the kind of man you want watching your back…or your front. Sorry, can’t help it. He’s just sooo yummy. How come I can never find guys like him?

When Raine and Gavin team up to find out who’s murdering their client’s employees—and who’s now after them—the action is fast and furious While there aren’t any hot and steamy love scenes in this book, there’s plenty of sexual tension. Although I missed the hot sex, the book is so well written, I forgave Gray…eventually. And to be honest, the pace of the book is so fast, they didn’t really have much time for sex. Well, okay, I take that back. There’s always time for sex. Hopefully, she’ll let Raine and Gavin get more intimate in book number 2. I hope it comes out soon because it’s going to be hard waiting for more. I’m giving this one 4.6 Stars.

How cool are those! I almost bawled like a baby! I was so happy to see how much they enjoyed the book!

I did manage to join the never-ending hole of chaos knows as Twitter, so now you can find me @JamiGrayAuthor  as well.  Just in case you don’t get enough here!  Since my knight in slightly muddy armor graciously bestowed the new iPhone on me, I should be able to actually do this! I know, shocker!

And for those living in the Southwest where winter is a vague suggestion, I will actually be at book signing at Changing Hands in Tempe on November 2, 2011 for A Mother’s Wisdom.  It’s a collection of poems, stories and letters from moms and grandmoms for their kids.  All proceeds from the book sales go to local charities. So if you have a quiet night, come share it with us! We’d love to see you there!

So things are starting to roll, come catch up with me if you can!

 

–Wicked