Sunday, March 25, 2012

A Taste of Make Me Burn ~M/M Coming March 28

Make Me Burn releases on Wednesday so I thought I'd share the blurb, that delicious cover (yes, again) and an excerpt.

Remember, although I've written M/M for publication, Make Me Burn will be my first solo project. I cannot begin to tell of the butterflies so please, be gentle with me ;D

It’s been months since Wes Dumont laid eyes on Jayce Santana. Since Jayce kissed him and then left town without a word. Wes tried hard to put the tattered pieces of his heart back together, but another failed relationship makes it clear he’s nowhere near over Jayce. Now Jayce is back, once again tilting Wes’ world on its axis and setting his blood boiling. All the anger and resentment doesn’t hide the hunger, but Wes has been burned before and he’s grown wary of Jayce’s intentions.

Jayce has been running, from Wes and himself, denying the future he sees in the depths of Wes’ eyes. His past still haunts him, but he’s back, ready to fight. Ready to claim Wes the way he should have. Only Wes isn’t making things easy. Both men just may go up in flames before Jayce convinces Wes he’s playing for keeps.


EXCERPT

Wes hopped out the cab, shoulders hunched as he fished his keys out his pocket. Behind him, the driver sped off, burning rubber. He hurried up the driveway, looking forward to an evening spent in a hot bath since he had the house to himself.
Even though his best friend, Ever, hadn’t officially moved in with her man, Simon, she spent most of her time over at his house. After years of it being only the two of them, Wes actually liked the peace and quiet of his suddenly mundane life.

He unlocked the door and stepped inside, flicking on the light as he kicked the door closed. “Freaking cold.” No matter how long he lived in The Windy City he’d always complain about the brick weather. “Freezing my nips off out there.”

“Is that so?”

Wes stumbled backward, crashing into the closed doorway with a stifled scream. His heart pounded like a thousand drums in his ear as he clasped a hand to his throat. “What the fuck?”

“Hello, Wes.” The tone of those two words matched the mockery in the stormy gray eyes perfectly. Seated in Wes’ favorite chair repositioned to face the front door, swathed in black, Jayce Santana watched him with a smirk on those way-too-memorable lips and a gun on his lap. His hair was longer. The scruffy beard and cut above his left eye was new, but nothing else about that cowardly bastard had changed.

Not even Wes’ body’s reaction to him.

“Get out.” His voice shook, so Wes tried again. Louder. Clearer. With more conviction. “Get the fuck out of my house, now.”

Jayce barked a laugh that didn’t reach anywhere near his eyes. “No.”

“You son of a bitch!” Wes advanced on him with angry steps. “You have no right. None. This is my house and if you don’t leave I’m calling the cops.” Six months. One fleeting taste of heaven and his body still hardened in remembrance.

Jayce leaped out the chair at the mention of the cops, stalking Wes with the gun in his hand. Wes braked, fists clenching and unclenching. He didn’t think Jayce would shoot him, but he wasn’t taking any chances. Hard, gray eyes pinned him in place and Jayce stood inches away.

His musk of heat and the hint of a woodsy cologne reached out and touched Wes in his throbbing groin.

He shifted.
Jayce grinned.
Bastard.

http://evernightpublishing.com
http://avrilashton.webs.com

Monday, March 19, 2012

Author interjection


So Zyra is lost somewhere, probably hiding out along with the plot to my newest story. I will hunt them both down soon and make them get their pretty assess to work. Zyra needs to blog and that plot needs to start making sense! I am usually a pantser, I don't plot and plan then write. But lately when I sit down and expect the plot to reveal itself to me it just doesn't! I don't know if its becuase I am trying too hard to get to an end that I have in my head or if the story is just starting out wrong. I love the characters, as usual and I want them to have their happy ending but it seems as if getting there might be impossible.

It will happen though, no worries #7 will be out before the end of the year!

Sunday, March 18, 2012

The Good News Keep on Coming

Wonderful news on all fronts this week. Thursday brought the release of my interracial novella Far From The Usual, which is already an ARe Bestseller and is on Amazon's Top 100 Bestseller's list!!

Say what?!?

Yep, we be killin' em.

Should you feel the need to see what the fuss is all about, Evernight Publishing is having a St. Patrick's Day sale, today being the last day to get ALL ebooks at 25% off. One lucky shopper also gets a $25 Evernight credit.

Get to shopping, today is the last day for that sale.

Far From The Usual is available at Evernight  Amazon   ARe   and  Bookstrand 

You can read Chapter One on my website.

Barnes and Noble coming soon.

Now, if that wasn't great enough, I find out Friday that One Wicked Night, bk#2 in my 'The Wicked' series with eXtasy Books, has been nominated by The Romance Reviews as Best Multi-cultural/Multi-Racial Romance of 2011.



WHAT?!

I even got a nifty graphic to show


I think you should go here http://www.theromancereviews.com/bookvote.php
scroll down till you get to the Multi-cultural/Multi-Racial category and vote for One Wicked Night. Do it for Justice, the hero. Do it for that Goddamned HAWT cover.

And for God and country...

Heh. Nah, vote if you wanna.

Should you also get the itch to find put what's so delicious about One Wicked Night, it's available for your Kindle  Nook  and at  ARe

Or, read an excerpt and check out all the starred reviews on my website.

Now, go show that tasty cover some voting love. Damn it!

Monday, March 12, 2012

A look at the beginning....


The Immortal Council Series is growing, the 7th book being written now and so I thought it was time to take another look back at where it began.
Blood Visions

Paxton awoke just before dawn and sat up cautiously. He frowned down at the cuddled pair next to him. They looked so damn happy together, he couldn’t stand it. He had come to her tonight to prove that she needed him, but it hadn’t ended up that way. The only thing he had proven was that she needed Tarquin more. She was lost to him now. He knew that even if he could never accept it.
Paxton stalked away from the hotel room. He wanted death, he wanted destruction and he wanted that dog’s lifeless body. But he wouldn’t, he couldn’t do anything that would hurt his Zyra. So he would take this violent anger out on someone else, happily.
He saw a group of human males up ahead, leaving a bar. He slipped easily into the covering shadow and followed them. As if sensing the danger lurking behind them, the group sped up and one even looked over his shoulder, searching the shadows where Paxton blended.
The man’s human eyes would never be able to see him, but he did seem to be looking right where he was standing. Odd.
The group continued on and a couple of them entered an apartment building, leaving two to continue on, one was the man who seemed to sense Paxton.
Paxton kept following, waiting for his opportunity and enjoying the smell of fear rolling off the man. They turned a corner and entered another apartment building. Paxton waited outside a moment, letting the prey get comfortable.
He entered the building and followed the smell of the man. He didn’t bother knocking on the thin door. He pushed it open, breaking every lock the man had thrown in place.
Such fear, such excruciating fear paralyzed the man as Paxton approached, eyes swirling red, hypnotizing. Paxton grasped the man close and sank his fangs deep, drawing fast and hard to satisfy his need for violence.
Paxton dropped the man to the floor, blood red eyes wide with shock. He had experienced a Blood Vision at last. He had seen his mate’s face, and she wasn’t a vampire. She was a fellow member of the Council of Immortals, not that such a thing existed, yet.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

More New Covers

Thought I'd brag a little. Show off my brand new cache of delicious covers.

Make Me Burn
Bringing the Heat #2
Coming March 28
from
Evernight Publishing

*****

Love the Sinner
Coming Soon
From
Ellora's Cave

Friday, March 9, 2012

A sneak peek into Book 7 – Magik Master

canstockphoto1214424 Okay here it is…an unedited sneak peek into my next book where you’ll meet Samantha’s ghost who is none other than Izzy’s dead best friend.

_____________________________________


That’s the thing about magic. It’s always so damned unpredictable and in my opinion, it makes those who practice magic, fucking nuts. If I’ve done no other good my entire life, I’ve done one thing – I’ve stayed away from mages, witches, wiccans, practitioners, or whatever the hell they call themselves - that is until recently.

You’d think I’d been intelligent enough to stay clear of anything related to Izzy’s witchy drama but oh no. I just had to get involved. It would have been easier and less stressful if I had ignored Samantha instead of acknowledging that I could see her but it’s not every day that a ghost appears in the over-the-bed-sex-mirrors and starts talking to me when I’m having sex. Granted, vampires see ghosts all the time but we ignore them - it’s what we do, but she scared the hell out of me. My pupils contracted while my eyes changed to Ice Blue and my fangs dropped down. It was a domino effect, Samantha scared the vampire into me and I scared the hell out of my hired uh, let’s call her, help.

Once Samantha realized I had seen her, there was no convincing her otherwise even though I tried ignoring her. She showed up in my mirrors, hid my stuff, pinched people’s asses as I walked by and scared all of my dates. I swear her favorite thing became waiting until I was intimate with someone then show up claiming to be my murdered ex girlfriend seeking revenge. As you would guess, that didn’t go over so well with my companions and thus, after a year of celibacy caused by persistent ghost nagging, I had to get laid. So, I gave in and agreed to help her. I figured it couldn’t be any worse than her randomly showing up and talking at me for hours on end. She was getting in the way of my getting laid and feeding.

“Tam?” Ash gently shook my arm. “Did you hear a word I’ve said?”

“Yeah.” I lied. I’d been lost in my own thoughts trying to ignore Samantha pestering me.

“Are you sure she can’t see me?” Samantha asked for the quadrillionth time while she made funny faces at Ash.

Ignoring Samantha, I leaned toward Ash and sighed. Ash had agreed to meet me to discuss how Izzy’s dreams were still affecting me.

“Izzy refused to admit she plagued me with the dreams of us being lovers.” I slapped the table for effect and noticed the patrons of the quaint, little coffee shop went quiet as all eyes focused on us. Ash raised a brow and nonchalantly shook her head showing her disapproval. I knew better than to draw attention to us. Once you got the look from her, you’d never forget it or its meaning- trust me. She has this way of scrunching her brows while raising one side and just slightly puckering her lips. Not a pretty face.

I blamed it all on Izzy. It was because of her that I had to find a new coffee bar, and I had a pain-in-the-ass-ghost that made me swear secrecy about trying to find her killer.

“She insisted the dreams were mine, and that I put them in her head,” I continued. “Can you believe that?”

“Yes. Yes I can,” Samantha blurted out. “Izzy’s my best friend and all but she is stubborn and shit!” She snapped then her form suddenly started to dissipate as her words trailed off into a depressing tone.

Oh Good. Maybe Samantha would finally leave and give me a break from her yapping. I leaned back in my chair, took a sip of coffee and continued. “The other day, Izzy walked by me at the mall and whispered, in your dreams, as she passed me. I’ve done my best to stay away from that witch, but in spite of my best efforts, she seems to show up where ever I am or vice versa.” I cradled my hands around the warm cup and took a long deep breath inhaling the fresh smell of French Vanilla Coffee.

Ash sat stoically staring at me.

“What the hell am I supposed to do?” I paused, then whispered. “She’s everywhere! The mall. The clubs. The bank. I’ve even seen her stopped at traffic lights. Hell…” I looked around taking in the older more upscale clients this coffee house attracted. This wasn’t one of my usual hangouts. I typically hung out with the much younger college crowd where nothing short of murder would draw attention to you that is except for Izzy walking by where I was seated and screaming liar every time she saw me. So I found a new coffee bar on the opposite end of town, practically in a different county before I felt comfortable sitting out in public for an extended period of time.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if she walked in here!” As the words left my lips, Samantha rematerialized in good spirits and I quickly turned to glance at the front door. Damn it! I thought I’d be done with the ghost for a short while.

“Really, here?” Sam beamed with joy. “Today? You think so, really?” Her translucent figure ecstatically zipped around the table. “Really?”

Ash giggled and I snapped my gaze to her.

“Okay. Okay. I hear you.” Ash uncrossed her legs and leaned forward breaking open a sugar packet and pouring the contents into her cup. “This is only a suggestion, but have you thought about asking her out?”

“No!” I barked as Sam immediately stopped zipping and shook a threatening finger at me.

“I’ll cut you if you hurt my Izzy,” she warned.

Oh, please. You’re dead witch! I thought. Samantha was lucky Ash was sitting across from me it’s the only reason I held my tongue.

“She’s already dreamt of us having sex in every position under the sun, and the moon for that matter.” I looked at Ash and hoped Sam would pick up on the fact that my answer was intended for her as well. 

“Tamara, I said, ask her out, not screw her. Jeez!” Ash snickered. “Will you ever stop thinking with your dick?” For years, Ash had referred to my clit as an undeveloped penis. “Anyway, you know the old vamp tales,” she said, stirring her tea.

Ash had gotten Samantha’s full attention. She leaned in close to hear every word.

“Once we meet our soul mate,” Ash continued. “Which I think you have, not only can that bond never be broken, but fate will continue to put the two of you together until you relent and accept each other as lovers and...” Ash laid her spoon on the folded napkin, took a sip of tea, smiled and added. “…I’m sure Izzy’s probably feeling the same way about you, too.”

Samantha stood straight up, puffed her shoulders out and using her index and middle finger motioned from her eyes to mine several times mumbling, “I’m watching you,” then she huffed and disappeared. I guess she didn’t like what she’d heard.

One of our vampire folklore claims that once a vampire finds their true love, an unbreakable bond forms between them and the vampire, that would be me, would do anything, even face true death to protect their soul mate. Well, considering the fact that I faced true death in several of the dreams Izzy forced upon me, I wasn’t keen on the idea of her being my soul mate.

“I thought it would never leave,” Ash whispered while nonchalantly pointing to where Samantha had stood only moments ago. “It has been following you for weeks. Really, I don’t know how you do it, Tam.”

“It’s been longer than that and that is Izzy’s dead best friend, Samantha.” I rolled my eyes. “I’m ready to slit my wrists.” I knew Ash could see Samantha but I wasn’t about to give away that secret. Oh, no. Ash would have to tell her or Samantha would have to figure it out on her own. Can you image what life would be like for us if ghosts knew all vampires could see them? We wouldn’t get a moments rest and we tend to live very long lives.

“The two of them are very much alike,” I continued. “I can see why they were best friends. They’re each in their own right probably thinking how else they can make my life miserable. Samantha’s complication is that she’s dead and she doesn’t want Izzy to know she’s come to me for help.” I cocked a brow making a funny face. “She probably can’t help herself being dead and all, but Izzy’s a cold-hearted witch. I should have left her with the damn Were and let him have his way with her,” I mumbled while the makeshift security bells hanging over the door jingled.

“Speaking of, what did you do with the puppy?” The puppy was a snarky way of referring to a Werewolf. “Shall we add another notch to your scabbard?”

Ash was the only person alive that knew my darkest secrets and one of them was that I notched my scabbard after a kill. Vampires are extremely sentimental and delicate beings. One of our weaknesses is that after years of blocking out our conscious, the ghosts of those we killed start relentlessly tormenting us until we go crazy. In an effort to avoid insanity as an elder, I’d decided to remember every kill, now. Fuckers.

“Oh, heavens no.” I snickered. “I let this one live. I waited until he changed into wolf form then captured his mangy ass and had him neutered.”

“That’s diabolical.” She laughed. “The pack will never accept him if he can’t produce cubs,” Ash paused. “You’ve outdone yourself, Tamara.”

“Oh, my God!” A familiar voice screeched over our laugher. “This is too much!” An invisible energy crawled at my back. I immediately knew who it was. I didn’t need her power trickling down my spine to announce her presence. Trust me. I couldn’t forget her damn high pitch, eardrum busting, rat-repelling squeal if my life depended on it.

Monday, March 5, 2012

Spring Fever...?


I appreciate the changing of the seasons as much as any other creature. Its nice to smell the warmer air of the coming spring at night. Pretty soon I will start working on my nocturnal gardens. There is such a give at take this time of year. I hate to lose more available play time outside as the days get longer and the dreadful sun slips slower and slower out of sight. But I love the warmer nights and the way Tarquin's fur smooths out, its so much softer in the summer than in the winter. Of course that's why he could survive for days and days in sub zero temperatures if necessary, a handy trick for sure.

So happy March...It better be a good month or I will be letting loose with my killing rage that's been building lately...maybe that's just vampire spring fever though.

Friday, March 2, 2012

Confessions of a Vampire Gourmet

Zoe_Lionheart_100 I had a date with a Vampire recently. No, it was just for dinner, and I wasn’t on the menu. We had some “True Blood” and red wine and a nice evening talk. We avoided politics, briefly touched the subject of sports, then I asked him about wine. This led to his very interesting confession of being a Vampire Gourmet, and what that means.

You probably thought the same as I did: A Vampire simply tastes blood, what does that have to do with being a Gourmet? But he enlightened me about the manifold factors that can influence taste.

For you, this can also be good advice – how to taste good or bad to a Vampire. But read to the end before making the wrong decision. I’ll step back now and let him explain.

Thank you, Valerie, for your patience with me.

I’m but an old guy, who doesn’t have much fun in Unlife, except for the occasional enjoyment of a decent meal. During the centuries I’ve sampled so many different tastes, and if your readers are truly interested, as you claim, I’ll happily share some of my experience with you and them.

Let me start with a few obvious factors that can spoil the pleasure. It all starts with the presentation. Looks and smell are important, just as the process of dining itself.

Of course we prefer pretty, healthy people. Oh, the sweet, soft skin of a young girl’s neck can be so tempting! What difference to the crinkled skin of an old man. That’s more like drinking wine from a cardboard cup, if you get my meaning. But it’s still better than having to rely on animal blood, eventually from a very hairy creature. No, that may help you overcome your craving, but let’s not talk about taste in this context.

Dirty, smelly people don’t appeal to us either, that goes without saying. But neither do clean people who overly intensely smell like soap or perfume. This can so ruin the taste, but After Shave is worst, and no, if you ask, I really prefer female blood. It may be due to the estrogen in the blood, although there’s little difference in taste.

As opposed to that – and here we’re back at the wine – the last meals and beverages consumed do have a major influence. Some alcohol in the blood can really amplify the taste of it. For example, the Shiraz you’re drinking adds a nice flavor to your blood – oh, sorry, I didn’t want to trigger fears in you. No, I didn’t? Glad to hear that. Where – ah, alcohol, yes. White wine creates a different taste, and beer admittedly doesn’t enhance taste. Schnapps is another thing – nothing to be said against a good cognac or whisky, but people on cheap booze simply taste awful, not to mention their smell. I’ve met a friend from Russia once. His clients drink vodka, and I asked him how he could stand it. He said, yes, you have to be used to it before the transformation, then it’s bearable.

You surely think eating garlic might spoil the taste, do you? You’re right, and you’re wrong. Freshly consumed garlic, especially in combination with a good wine, is a delicacy. Only after some hours it becomes a problem, when it starts evaporating through the skin.

People on certain diets are a problem. The blood tastes pale, so to say, when certain ingredients run low. Or, if the people use acetyl-salicylic acid, their blood runs thin. That’s even worse if they have heart problems and consume anticoagulants like Warfarin, you might know it as Coumadin. Can you imagine? That’s been developed as rat poison originally. No, it’s like if you water down your wine.

Luckily you rarely run across someone with blood cancer. But diabetics are a no-no as well. Instead, if you want some nice dessert, try an athlete, preferably a cyclist. Steroids, Erythropoietin and such spice up your meal and are a lasting pleasure, believe me!

I’ll have to thank – okay, no names – for his explanations, and that I’m allowed to post them here.

Back to you, my readers. If you think you’re better off with smelly skin, cheap booze and garlic, go find a bridge to live under, as your community probably won’t understand. Yes, you’ll be safe from becoming a Vampire gourmet dinner. But that doesn’t mean you’re not bitten. It only means it will be a fast, painful and final dinner, and no one will really miss you.

On the other hand, if you’re clean and tasty, your Vampire predator will not only make sure that it’s an enjoyable process for both of you, with candles, nice music and all, perhaps including some amorous play, but he or she will also be interested in keeping you alive, so that there can be a next time. Consider that.

Until next time,

Cheers,
Valerie

Click here to visit Valerie at Extasy Books