What Every Woman Wants Under her Christmas Tree. Melissa Mayhue's Highlanders! Three autographed novels up for grabs!

It’s finally that time! Today marks the beginning of my What Every Woman Wants Under her Christmas Tree blog event. What does this mean? Four weeks worth of fabulous authors, talented jewelry artists and tons of giveaways!

This week it’s my pleasure to introduce award-winning paranormal romance author, Melissa Mayhue. I’m thrilled to announce that Melissa has graciously donated autographed copies of the first three novels in her Daughters of the Glen series to be put under this blog's Christmas tree. But of course everything put under this tree is up for grabs. In fact, I’ve got a little contest up my sleeve. One lucky winner will be drawn. How to win? Well, you’ve got to take a brief jaunt through cyberspace to  Melissa’s Book  page. Once there you’ll discover a blurb from the first book in the series titled Thirty Nights with a Highland Husband. In a comment at this blog you must answer the following: What is the most powerful magic of all?

Okay, I’d say it’s time to get to know Melissa a wee bit better...

SKY: Welcome, Melissa. Thanks so much for visiting!

MELISSA: Thanks for allowing me to come visit with your readers, Sky. I appreciate the invitation!

SKY: I’m familiar with your work and must say it’s spectacular. Before we dive too much into all you’ve accomplished I’d love to know a bit more about you. If you could pick one defined moment in your life that you knew you wanted to be a writer, what was it and why?

MELISSA: First off, thank you so much for that lovely compliment! I’m thrilled that you’re enjoying the series! I always wanted to be a writer… I just wasn’t impressed with how hard it was each time I started [and quit after just a few pages!]. I can tell you the exact moment I decided I was going to make it happen, though. I was in Scotland on vacation with my family. We’d hiked back into a place just north of Rosemarkie, called The Fairy Glen. I was relaxing after the hike into the glen [that translates as… I needed a rest after that long walk!]. Sitting there in the shade, beside a dark pool, listening to the waterfall pour down I realized that if I was ever going to make my dream come true, I had to take the first step and WRITE the book. I also realized that the very spot I was sitting in was going to be central to my story. I came home from that vacation and pounded out my first book, THIRTY NIGHTS WITH A HIGHLAND HUSBAND. And that’s how the Daughters of the Glen series – and my writing career! -- was born.

SKY: Scotland draws you. I can well understand that. If you could choose an area of Scotland you’ve yet to write of, always secretly wanted to…where would it be?

MELISSA: Interesting question… As the series has progressed, I’ve had my characters all over the country and even out onto the isles! So, in truth, I’ve pretty much covered whichever area tweaked my interest there, though my heart is always in the Highlands.

SKY: I can’t help myself; I want to dive right into your Daughters of the Glen series. What sparked the idea for this fabulous series?

MELISSA: From the moment I returned from vacation and sat down at the keyboard, I knew I was writing a time travel romance. I’ve loved reading romance for as long as I can remember. I’ve also loved fantasy. When I stumbled over my first time-travel, I was hooked. What could be better than combining fantasy and romance? Nothing! [Unless it’s fantasy, romance and a gorgeous Highlander!]

SKY: I couldn’t agreed more! *Blushing* In my book, there’s nothing better than a 13th century Highlander. Tell us more about Conner Mackiernan from Thirty Nights with a Highland Husband (Book I). If he were sitting in on this interview, what would he say about love? About Caitlyn Coryell?

MELISSA: Well, Sky, that’s going to depend on whether you’re asking Connor at the beginning of that book or now. THEN he didn’t believe in true love, especially not for him, and he didn’t trust any woman, anywhere, Cate included. But now? Now he knows for a fact True Love exists and he considers himself the luckiest man alive to have met his Soulmate – an absolute driving need for anyone of Faerie descent to be happy.

SKY: As you can tell, I’m all about crawling inside your character’s heads. Still talking about Thirty Nights with a Highland Husband, heroine Caitlyn Coryell is a 21st century woman. Wow! She sounds like a strong woman. Share a little bit about her. If she were sitting in on this interview what would she say about Conner?

MELISSA: I do like to think of Caitlyn as a strong woman… but that wasn’t always the case. Thirty Nights was all about Cate’s growth into the woman she could be. She’d be the first to tell you that Connor was the most arrogant, hard-headed, chauvinistic man on the face of the planet… just before she’d chuckle and confide that she’s tamed him now and he’s the best husband and father any woman could ask for.

SKY: Sarah Douglass, heroine of Highland Guardian (Book II), is a 30 something novelist. She’s in Scotland for a three month visit trying to recapture her ‘muse.’ If she could share three words with us about her current circumstances, what would they be? Why?

MELISSA: Beginning of the book? Blocked, frustrated, frightened. Now? Happy, happy, ecstatically happy. Okay, that’s four words. But they fit. Sarah, too had to accept who and what she was. Once she learned to accept herself, then she found the inner strength to become the heroine she was meant to be.

SKY: Ian McCullough (half-mortal descendent of fairies and Guardian of mortals and portals leading to the Faerie realms) has his hands full. When assigned to protect Sarah, he’s taken on more than he bargained for. If he could say three words that defined the way he felt when he first laid eyes on Sarah, what would they be? Why?

MELISSA: skeptical, intrigued, attracted.

SKY: Let’s chat about Soul of a Highlander (Book III). Mairi MacKiernan sounds like my kind of girl. Why? It strikes me she has to be stronger than most women (half faerie or not) should ever have to be. I think a lot of us can relate to characters like that. Tossed from the 13th century into the 21st century, she’s made due. Now she’s thrust back to the 13th century once again at her own request to save another then imprisoned by her enemy! I already label her a heroine by pure design. I’d like to crawl inside her head? Is she bitter? Does she have regrets? Would she change any of these happenstances if she could? Why?

MELISSA: She has tons of regrets and she’s absolutely filled with fear. But she’s also one of the most intensely stubborn characters I’ve written, so, like all my heroines, she has to learn to love herself and be the woman she was meant to be. Her biggest regret about leaving her own century is her fear that she’ll never find her one true love – because in her century, her fate was to die. But since she’s living in a time not her own, she can’t conceive of finding The One there. Like Cate and Sarah, Mairi has learn to move beyond her fears to find her own happiness.

SKY: Ramos Sevans, hero from Soul of a Highlander, has a mission. Tell us more. If Ramos was here, what would he say about his mission? What would he say about Mairi?

MELISSA: Talk about regrets! Ramos is a character with major, major regrets and an overwhelming need to make up for all the damage he feels he was responsible for in his past. He also has to come to terms with his relationship with his father – a truly evil Fae. Ramos’ whole life is guilt – should have, could have, would have. When he meets Mairi, he’s determined to save her [and the world!] at any cost…even if it means giving up his own life.

SKY: Thank you so much for sharing with us, Melissa! While we only touched on the first three of six released so far your Daughters of the Glen series sounds fantastic. I can’t wait to read A Highlander of Her Own, A Highlander’s Destiny and A Highlander’s Homecoming as well. I wish you the very best in all you do!

MELISSA: Thanks so much, Sky. Your readers can keep a sharp eye out for the next two in the series, as well. HEALING THE HIGHLANDER is set for release February 22, 2011 and HIGHLANDER’S CURSE is available on March 29, 2011.

If your readers have any more questions about the series, they can check my website, There’s a shout box on the left where they can leave questions or comments and I always answer!

It’s been such a blast having Melissa visit. Don’t forget there are three autographed books being given away, Thirty Nights with a Highland Husband, Highland Guardian, and Soul of a Highlander. To be enter to win click HERE to find the answer to the following question: What is the most powerful magic of all? Leave your answer in a comment at his blog. Contest closes Friday, December 3rd 12 PM EST.

ALSO, as previously mentioned, there will be a second winner drawn from every post now through December 24th. On Christmas day all winners will be announced and given a little something extra. My treat!

Thanks again for popping in. Be sure to swing back in this coming weekend as author Catherine Bybee shares some of her favorite holiday traditions and dishes out about her novels.

Happy Holidays!

~Sky

Curious what will be under your tree this Christmas? My yuletide-ilishous blog event will keep you hovering on the edge of your tree skirt!

I hope everyone enjoyed a lovely Thanksgiving. I can’t believe it’s already ‘black’ Friday. The busiest shopping day of the year! Trying to stay ahead of the crowd I got all my Christmas shopping done at the start of this week. I know…wow! What can I say, I had the opportunity and seized it. Typically I’m the sort that waits until a few days before Christmas. Can you even imagine? If not, good, because it’s crazy nuts at most stores by that time.

The way I looked at it though…this year, rather than focusing my attention on battling the holiday crowds I'd prefer to direct my energy on decorating my house, writing away and of course, giving you all a slammin’ good festive time at this blog.

So what have I got in store? Well, what every woman wants under her Christmas tree! Think top notch romance authors dishing out about Christmas is their neck of the woods and within their novels. Think Jewelry artisans sharing all about their holiday season. Think prizes galore!!! Yep, at this blog through the Christmas season you’re going to meet some fantastic people and have the opportunity to win some great stuff.

As you’ll clearly see, I’ve invited authors whom cover the topics I like best. Everything Paranormal, Scottish Highlanders, Ireland, just a dash of Erotica and hand-crafted, just-as-I-envision-it custom made Jewelry. The perfect recipe for what every gal would want beneath her Christmas tree, I’d say. Fresh and first-time, these are in-depth interviews that allow you a little glimpse inside the world of some of romances most fan-tabulous authors and an awe-inspiring jewelry artist at Christmastime.

So whip out your cell phone and mark “Gotta pop into A Writer’s Mind” on your calendar November 29th through December 25th! Regular calendar hanging on your wall? Be sure to pen it in! I’ve such a great line-up expected and wouldn’t want you to miss it.

Here's who you can expect...

~Award winning paranormal romance author, Melissa Mayhue ~ November 29th through December 3rd Think Scottish Highlanders.

~Top selling paranormal romance author, Catherine Bybee ~ December 4th and 5th Think Scottish Highlanders. In other titles, Werewolves.

~Award winning multi-genre author, Michele Hart ~ December 6th through the 10th Think Sci-fi, Shapeshifters, Fantasy, Action

~Editor and contributor to online magazine for Cape Cod, MA and multi-published paranormal author, Katie O’Sullivan ~ December 11th and 12th Think ghosts.

~World renowned author of the Raeliksin series. Renee Vincent ~ December 13th through the 17th Think Ireland.

~Five star, multi-published author, Rynne Raines ~ December 18th and 19th Think paranormal and erotica.

~Dawn Marie (Designs by Dawn Marie) ~ December 20th through 24th Delivery locked in and special ordered for January at this blog- Custom designed jewelry made specifically according to your every little desire.

AND, as an added bonus, my gift to you, I'lll be giving away a little something extra to a second drawn contestant from EVERY post all the way from Melissa Mayhue to Dawn Marie.  So seven extra gifts being handed out on December 25th. My Treat. Be sure to take a second and swing by this blog on Christmas day or after to see if you had a little extra something under your Christmas tree blog-style this year.

I’m really looking forward to the launch of this event, Monday morn (little shivers up my spine!) Hope you are too!

Until then…

~Sky

Happy Thanksgiving

Wishing you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving.

~Sky

Nine Muses of Inspiration. Thanks for Three Wonderful Years Thus Far! And, thank you Greece.

I'd like to once more thank my muse sisters who have spent time visiting me over the past few months. The Song of the Muse Anthology lives on through not only us but our muses of inspiration. Love you gals!

I'd also like to say thank you to all the readers out there whom visited through this event. Whether you commented or not, that you spent the time to learn more about my dear sisters meant the world. Were they not fabulous? For those of you just popping in, scroll back through posts or use my handy 'search bar' option to learn and discover more about what the nine muses of inspiration have been up to.

One last 'thank you' must be sent to the country of Greece for its rich history and withstands-the-test-of-time mythology. I've a great deal of respect for your country. As I'm not sure which pronunciation is best suited to this, I offer what I was able to learn about being thankful in various parts of Greece...Efcharisto...Sas efharisto...Efharisto poli...Sas efharisto poli.

In a final farewell, I'd like to share a culmination of sorts. All of these stories are available in print. Three books, nine authors.

Here they are..

SONG OF THE MUSES: BOOK I

ANCIENT MUSINGS: Skhye Moncrief...Calliope. When the muse of writing, Calliope, challenges Zeus to end her immortal existence, she faces the reality of death in Hades. Only Jake Genoese, an archaeologist' s soul, can outwit Zeus's Harpies and help her find new purpose. Far more is at stake when both realize they are no more than pawns for ANCIENT MUSINGS.

HIGHLAND MUSE: Sky Purington....Melpomene, Muse of Tragedy, risks everything to save Rowan Stewart's life. Devoted to Scotland in life and the God of War in death, Rowan struggles to understand her undying devotion to him. Can a melodramatic Grecian Goddess and a resolute Scotsman truly love one another? Find out in HIGHLAND MUSE.

DESTINY'S LIGHT: Robyn Wren (Porter)....Eutrepe Hades, Zeus, Hestia and the chaos of a forgotten memory, Eutrepe hurries to fulfill her quest to unlock the buried words to complete Ceris' unfinished song. Their bond forged the night she's almost killed, Ceris must venture to the underworld to save her and bring them both into DESTINY'S LIGHT.

First in a trilogy! Pick it up now. Click HERE. 

SONG OF THE MUSES: BOOK II

THE BRIGHTEST HEAVEN-Masha Holl... Urania, muse of Astronomy, is disconsolate: technology flourishes, but true creativity seems lost. Then she meets Daniel Kettering, an astrophysicist who shines with inspiration. But he's about to make a discovery which will threaten time, space, and every existing world. The Olympians order Urania to carry an ultimatum for Daniel: forget your research and get eternal life. Or else. But first, Urania and Daniel have to figure out who stole Daniel's research, save the universe, and defeat Chaos; and maybe find happiness. 

ERATO'S TEARS-Reece Herring....powerful love is cut tragically short. Beyond Hades domain their destiny burns eternally bright. Two lost souls search through time to discover their hidden passion. In Delphi, Mathias, an outcast Spartan finds a reason at last to abandon his wanderlust in the vulnerable Ambrosia. With the unseen aid of Erato, he tries desperately to conquer her hatred of warriors and bring peace to his unsettled soul. A tenuous hold on love develops, but will their untried bond endure? Can the Muse of Love overcome the destructive power of one god's revenge, and right the wrongs of history? Only ERATOS TEARS will determine.

DANCING WITH FATE-Hywela Lyn....Terpsichore's task, to restore a love of dancing to the folk of Wales, seems simple. However, all is not as it seems. Danger follows. Legends are threatened. She had not meant to lose her heart or to have to save the man she loves by dancing with Fate.

Doesn't this second set of stories sound beyond fab? Want a copy? I don't blame you! Click HERE to add to your collection. 

SONG OF THE MUSES: BOOK III

A LOVE BEYOND TIME: Alisha Paige...Clio Cursed for mocking Aphrodite, the goddess of love, Clio, Muse of History and her lover are thrust back in time to the Salem witch trials and then the Italian Renaissance. Only love can save them both, but is it enough? Is their love A LOVE BEYOND TIME? NO FUNNY STUFF!: Thalia

NO FUNNY STUFF: Michele Hart....Dispatching her favorite messenger to deliver laughter to a dying man, Thalia, the Muse of Comedy, faces down ancient curses and a vengeful Immortal bent on watching generations suffer. She'd rather be shoe-shopping! Luckily for Thalia, the God of War's only weakness is Comedy's greatest ally! NO FUNNY STUFF here!

THE VICTORY OF LUGH: Valerie Everhart...Polyhymnia Thrust through time to the dark ages of Ireland, Hymnia, muse of glorious praise, finds Dacien, the Laird of Castle Lugh, anything but god-like. She uncovers the mystery of the disappearing women of the castle, but loses her heart to the very person she suspects is the killer, in THE VICTORY OF LUGH.

Go ahead, admit it, it’s been so good thus far you have to read until the very end. No way around it,you won't be dissapointed. These stories are spectacular. Purchase the last in the series HERE.

To all out there who believe in the nine muses of inspiration and all they've done for mankind, much thanks! May one of them (perhaps a few) always whisper in your ear and lead you in the right direction.

~Sky

Please check back Monday for winners of Michele Hart's (AKA- Thalia) contest.

A-musing the World. Time for a good laugh!!! Comment for a chance to win!

Welcome! Well, this is the last week of my A-musing the World Blog Event. It’s truly been a great run and so wonderful reconnecting with my sisters from The Song of the Muses Anthology. This week it’s all about the laughter! Thalia, Muse of Comedy and the author who told her tale, Michele Hart have returned. Some of you may remember Thalia stopping by back in September to interview Melpomene.

Naturally, there’s a contest. Two winners will be drawn. One will win an Ecopy of No Funny Stuff! and an e-book copy of Michele’s Sci-Fi Romance titled Zero-G. The other will win a $5 gift certificate to Digi Books Café. How to enter? Be sure to answer the following question in a comment at this blog. Who is first on the list out of Thalia’s Heroes? Click HERE to find the answer. (Hint: The answer might be found somewhere on the left hand side)

So sit back, relax and enjoy a good time as we learn more about Thalia and her role in No Funny Stuff!

No Funny Stuff!

Something's Rotten at the Gates of Heaven

Under conspiratorial inspiration of Olympian thrones, Thalia, the Muse of Comedy,

sends a blessing of love and laughter to Drew Murphy, a young man cursed to a short and miserable life. But when her favorite messenger Daisy Sullivan accidentally launches the magic --wrong time, wrong place, wrong method, wrong everything!—Thalia must force to light buried secrets of a millennia-old family curse and face down a most vengeful Immortal on his own battlefield if she wishes to free both Drew and Daisy from an unJust fate.

Ares, the ruthless God of War, loves only one thing as much as he loves bloodshed....

How's Thalia supposed to make THAT funny? At least, she's wearing her best sandals!

SKY: Thanks so much for joining me this week! Here, have a strawberry daiquiri.

MICHELE: I’m thrilled to be here, Sky! How did you know I loved strawberry daiquiris?

SKY: A muse whispered it into my ear. Tell us a little bit about yourself. How long have you been writing? Do you have a genre preference? What have you published thus far?

MICHELE: I’ve been writing off and on for more than a decade, interrupted by this thing we call life. I’m mainly a Sci-Fi Romance author, but I have an Erotic Romantic Suspense title, plus my Greek Myth Comedy Romance title for Song of the Muses. I have several Sci-Fi Romance titles out there of all lengths. Nice-looking daiquiri, Sky. There’s cream on top, people! Cream on top! A fat, yummy strawberry snuggling the sugared edge of the curvy chilled glass. That’s first rate, first rate, indeed. (She slurps down half the drink like all the strawberries in the world will be killed tomorrow.)

SKY: When you first knew you were going to be part of The Song of the Muses Anthology, what was your first thought?

MICHELE: First, shock, then thrill, then terror. I’d never written a short story nor a comedy before then. What have I done? reverberated through my mind. :-) Here’s to rising to challenges! (She slurps down another half pound of strawberries.)

SKY: I’m glad you’re enjoying your daiquiri.*smirks* Did you find yourself researching Greek Mythology quite a bit while writing your story or were you already a guru in this genre?

MICHELE: I didn’t do much research. I’ve always been a Greek mythology freak since elementary school, and I studied a great deal of European and Greco-Roman/Egyptian mythology under tutelage, so I had a firm foundation built already. When you’ve studied them for so long, there aren’t many new ones coming around. Mighty good strawberry daiquiri, Sky. My head’s spinning. Everything’s a little swimmy. Guys all around us are getting better looking.

SKY: Let’s chat about your muse. What drew you to her? As she was literally your inspiration, share a little about how you formed an entire story around her?

MICHELE: I have a very funny family. Comedy’s a big part of my life, so I jumped at the chance to write a tale for Thalia. I didn’t plan the story, just gave myself a required word count each week and took off with my muse. I started out with a pretty UNfunny situation, a young man dying, and I let my muse run wild. Whew… Everything’s going double on me…I’m feeling dizzy. …Glad I’m not driving... Wow! I am drunk!

SKY: There’s no alcohol in the daiquiri, Michele. Hero time! Introduce us. What does he look like? Where’s he from? Why was he lucky enough to hook up with one of the nine muses of inspiration?

MICHELE: Drew is tall, handsome with dark hair and dark eyes, well-built from workouts to forestall family health problems. He lives in the hustle and bustle of Manhattan and, depressed, he leads a joyless life. He will die soon.

Luckily, the eyes of the gods are upon him. Drew’s forefather had been a faithful servant to Athena, and for his ancestor’s service, Drew is sent a gift to make up for a cursed life. Despite her usual gravity, Athena thinks it proper the gift be delivered by Thalia, the Muse of Laughter. The gift turns out to be a beautiful woman, a servant of Thalia’s who hardly takes a step without a laugh.

Here’s a little bite of Drew:

His smile wicked, Drew pulled the black T-shirt over his head, exposing every curve of his long, gym-sculpted torso and messing up his dark hair. Just watching his casual strip turned Daisy on immensely. A thousand tingles swamped her senses in anticipation of his touch.

Drew went to the desk, pulled out a pair of scissors, and began to cut out the neck of his t-shirt, his eyes moving from her to his project and back, teasing.

“What are you doing?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know.” He cut up the sides of the shirt, then cut two holes from the back of the shirt collar. “Last night I was a toga-wrapped warrior seizing the spoils of war. Ask me who I am tonight.”

Daisy loved the game. “Who are you tonight?”

Drew returned to stand before her sitting on the bed, the ruined shirt in his fist mounted on blue-jeaned hips, his grin bright. She had to tear her eyes away from the hard muscle of his hairless stomach too close to her to keep from lustful thought.

“I’m a superhero.”

She watched him throw the shirt back over his head, pulled the back holes over his hair and laid it over his eyes, creating a sloppy cowl, only the bottom half of his face exposed like Batman’s mask. He tied the remaining t-shirt around the back of his head, tightening the cowl.

She couldn’t help but chuckle. “What’s your superhero name?”

“I’m the Daisy Plucker.”

Daisy burst into laughter.

Another naughty smile ripened across his handsome face half-shrouded under the makeshift cowl. Her palms itched to touch him so she stroked the hard muscles of his chest. Lightning struck at their contact. He smelled so good, the wood of the log-walled cabin accenting the man-smell of Drew stirring her so.

“Wanna see a demonstration of my superpowers?”

“Over and over again!”

Dealing more of his bedroom eyes from beneath the improvised mask, Drew reached around her back and one smooth snap of his fingers through her cotton blouse unhooked her bra, like a pro. Daisy laughed aloud.

“Superhero trick,” he explained, his smile sexy and outrageous.

SKY: Love it! Just to mix it up, make you think─if you could’ve chosen another muse to write about in this anthology, which one would it have been? Why?

MICHELE: (polishing off her drink with loud slumping noises) I might have written a tale for Terpsichore, the Muse of Dance. I used to belly-dance and have always had a love for dance. Like many little girls, I wanted to be a ballerina. I might have written a story for Clio, the Muse of History, since I’m a history nut.

SKY: Thanks for visiting and sharing!

MICHELE: Thank you so much for having me on your blog, and thanks for the daiquiri.

SKY: My pleasure sis!

Watch a book trailer for No Funny Stuff!



Reviews for No Funny Stuff!:

*Reviewed by Bitten By Books

Rating: 5 out of 5 Tombstones!

…What do you get when you mix the Muse of Laughter, a calamity-ridden man, a fantastically eccentric red head, a Chihuahua with the heart of a rottweiler, and a task from the Gods? An utterly fabulous story filled with humor and depth, that’s what. This story practically flew off the pages and I had so much fun… I loved this spin on Greek Mythology…and the back story for Drew’s family curse was interesting. The interplay between the different deities was well done and a rather humorous version of what was said to happen rather frequently when Olympians take sides. I also got a real kick out of Thalia’s various shoe stores. I highly recommend this tale if you’re looking for a laugh out loud story that is the perfect remedy for a downer of a day or a long day at work. Reviewer: Sarai

Full Review

~ ~ ~ ~

*Reviewed by Long and Short Romance Reviews

Rating: 5 out of 5 Books!

I know, I know, the genre classification isn’t quite on the usual list. However, Ms. Hart’s enthralling tale needs that classification, for it has enough of each element to more than satisfy readers of humorous contemporary and fantasy alike.

Beautifully written, with characters so three-dimensional you feel you can reach out and touch them, this novel is the best I’ve read for a long time. It will have you laughing out loud, chewing your nails, and sitting nowhere but on the very edge of your seat. Be warned: do not try to drink coffee while you’re reading this, you might end up spurting the brew all over your electronic reader. You’ve been warned. I highly recommend No Funny Stuff!, it’s fantastic.

Reviewed by: Eglantine

Full Review

Don’t miss No Funny Stuff! by Michele Hart @ The Wild Rose Press.

Read a hot excerpt, check out more reviews, watch a cool book trailer here!

It’s not over til' it’s over! Michele would like to share one more story with you!

Luminous Nights, a Sci-Fi Romantic Adventure

Cop or convict?

How many faces can one man own?

An assassin wearing a holographic mask and a prison tattoo boards Rachel’s freighter during a prison riot, intent on collecting gadgets capable of changing a man’s identity from the black-market gang who'd stolen them. She’s never sure of Jack's identity nor his goal, but he claims to be an Alliance I-Marshal. Cop or convict? The clues never stop contradicting. Rachel's horrified to find the bright holographic mask conceals the gruesome face of a monster. And the badge doesn’t slow him from murdering people right before her eyes.

When Rachel learns Jack will trade innocent lives for the digital miracles, she determines to make the mercenary grow a heart. How could a stone-cold killer kiss her so hotly? How could she kiss such a dangerous deceiver?

Jack has done years in prison to learn who’d stolen the remaining Gemini ticks, 3-D magic. Nothing will keep him from gaining extreme-technology capable of unleashing galaxy-wide chaos. Forget feelings for Rachel. She can’t stop him from killing everyone involved.

Buy Luminous Nights through Book Strand.

e-Book ISBN#: 1-60601-884-1 * In Print Soon!

Read excerpts packed with peril and passion, watch a kick-ass book trailer here.

Read the First Chapter of Luminous Nights:

Short Excerpt:

Conversation between the convicts faded into the background of Rachel’s thoughts.

Unbearably compelled to look, she steeled herself to study the horror drawn onto her passenger’s face. The tattoo was horrible. Gross black crags, bleeding rips were inked onto his face. Yellow ooze seeped from bloody gorges. Festering clumps of greenish gangrene had been inked within the dripping lacerations. The morbid artwork made him look as though his face had been shattered by some terrible accident and had only partially grown back together without the benefit of a surgeon.

Jack looked like a demon dragged from Hell.

Sight of it nauseated her more than the teleportation or the jailhouse cigars. She couldn’t look away. The tattoo fascinated her almost as much as it horrified her. For the first time, she felt true evil radiating from the man she’d called Jack, and she was unable to forgive herself for allowing this man passage on her ship.

Had the tattoo been put there as psychological punishment, to cage the man within himself, or had it been placed there to keep the civilized worlds away from him? What kind of psycho twist would it add to a person’s mind to see his own face so disfigured every time he looked into a mirror, to know such a ghastly sight accompanied him on his every appearance and deed? Did the officials of the prison planet do that to him? Had he earned it?

Her dangerous passenger reached over and slugged her hard on the shoulder, so hard she cried out.

“Stop looking at my face!” Jack ordered meanly. And she turned away.

Unaffected by her abuse, Quattro stated, “I saw earlier you’ve tried out your mask. You seemed to have mastered its operation, already. Go ahead, give the girl some relief and turn it on. I’d like another demonstration. My men and I are damned sick of seeing your spooky face.”

“Your men are fuckin’ cowards.”

Not one of Quattro’s men stepped forward to prove him wrong.

Warily assuming she could view the dead I-Marshal’s face, she turned her gaze up to him. Her passenger sent his hand to the Gemini tick at his hairline, and the perfectly sunny, perfectly sculpted face she’d almost fallen prey to, swept over his evil features like sunshine awakening a darkened planet. After a brief blip in the projection, the golden mask glowed again, pale and glorious, eyes blue as a Terran sky, robbing her of further inspections of the tattooed face below it. He was beautiful again, like she was used to. She really didn’t want to look at the macabre artwork anymore. The hideous sight was never going to leave her mind.

The illusion of Luminous’s glorious face looked solid on his head, seamless and smooth and completely deceiving, totally 3-D, changing with the angle of the beholder, hardly standing out as odd at all, much less fake. She wondered if the projection would ripple, if she touched it. He’d kissed her twice without much participation from her, but she hadn’t opened her eyes to see if the mask reacted to the contact. Damn her for missing the opportunities.

Ew… He’d kissed her twice. What had been hot expressions of interest now sent chills down her back.

Rachel gained some relief to see the handsome face of justice again, though she knew it said nothing for her safety. At least, she was no longer forced to look upon the horror of his real face anymore. Her shoulder throbbed from his hard strike.

Quattro moved from his spot before ravaged Bellatrixian artwork and tapestry, and he slowly circled her, her passenger, and Jet, inspecting the 3-D mask from all angles. His fetid smell wafted through their air, the odor of a man gone years without bothering a proper bath. Quattro coughed nervously as his sight confronted the eight-pointed star of the Draco Alliance Imperial Marshals stitched into the leather of her passenger’s coat.

“Must’ve been difficult to find an I-Marshal your size to kill for his trench coat.”

“Not hard to find one my size, but difficult to take him down. I couldn’t use my laser, if I wanted the coat without the badge burned from the back. Couldn’t use the razor disk, if I didn’t want blood on the coat. Killing him had to be up close and by hand. The hardcore sonofabitch put up a hell of a fight. The coat’s quite a trophy, but I like his badge the best.”

The room, filled with dozens of escaped criminals, was so quiet, Rachel could hear the snaps of the hearth all the way on the other side of the hall.

Jack was angelically beautiful again with the help of 3-D technology, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t harm her before all of his prison buddies.

Watch a book trailer for Luminous Nights!



Visit Michele at her Web site: http://www.iloveshapeshifters.com/.

Don’t forget to enter the contest by leaving a comment that answers the following...Who is first on the list out of Thalia’s Heroes? Click HERE to find the answer. (Hint: The answer might be found somewhere on the left hand side) Contest closes Friday, November 19th 12 PM EST.

I hope you got a good chuckle out of this post. Michele and her muse, Thalia are one of a kind! It was such a blast having them visit.

Be sure to swing in on Monday, November 29th, as my What Every Girl Wants Under Her Tree Christmas Blog Event launches. My best to you all. Enjoy your week!

~Sky

Thank You, United States Veterans and Active Service. Bloggers, are you living inside your own lil' box like me?

Due to my ongoing blog event I was unable to post yesterday. I would like to wish all veterans and currently active service members a belayed Happy Veteran’s Day.

Can I be honest? Some days I forget. I get up in the morning and go about my day’s business. Has my son completed his school project? What do I need at the grocery store? Did I remember to promote a certain story? What’s next for the characters in the story I’m currently writing?

Then I remember.

I wouldn’t have any of these thoughts if it weren’t for America’s veterans and active service members. If it weren’t for you brave men and women, I wouldn’t possess the freedom to live the life I lead now. So I say Thank You to everyone who has served in the United States Military.

This post is simple. Written to remind. I’ve included three glimpses into what's going on when I'm busy living my life...when you're busy living your life...

An Army soldier in Iraq with his tiny "plot" of grass in front of his tent.

Here is a soldier stationed in Iraq, in a big sand box. He asked his wife to send him dirt, fertilizer and some grass seeds so he can have the sweet aroma and feel the grass grow beneath his feet.

If you notice, he is even cutting the grass with a pair of scissors. Sometimes we are in such a hurry that we don't stop and think about the little things that we take for granted.
                 
This next video is superbly done. Honestly? I teared up when I watched it. It's just so outside my reality and frankly, it did good reminding me of what's going on outside of my 'lil' box. (I'll bet these guys & gals would love to worry about something as simple as what they need to get for groceries!) NOTE: To get back to this page after the video click the left hand arrow in the upper left hand side of your screen or your previous page option. Click HERE to watch this amazing video, a Tribute to our Troops. Background music is a classical version of Homeward Bound.

I thought the following a very good example of American Pride. How it sometimes catches you by surprise. Below is a letter written by a funeral attendee of a deceased soldier about a gang of bikers.

A funeral is NOT a place to protest. This letter was published by Freedom’s Heroes Website.

Many thanks to all of you who made this event special. It is always difficult but is the most important thing we can do for a deserving family.

Below is my account.

VJW

The support from all corners was extraordinary. Casualty and survivor assistance to the family was well done and much appreciated. The ceremony was a celebration of a young man. His scout leader and youth minister talked of his faith and his desire to one day be a soldier. His High School Junior ROTC leaders spoke of his commitment,leadership and abilities. His comrades in arms spoke of his leadership. The Army family was evident. His grieving widow was flanked by an NCO sent to represent the platoon, the parents of the company commander and the parents and siblings of his buddy in theater. They sent a Video of the Unit Memorial Ceremony in Iraq. That young soldier called to the ceremony to ask his Dad to make sure the tribute was appropriate. It was. Four soldiers from his previous unit in the 82nd were there to aid the family and to grieve with them. In short, leaders around the Army recognized the importance of a proper tribute to a fallen soldier. His widow expressed unfathomable heartbreak at loss she and two young children would bear. But she reported that her husband died with people he loved, doing what he loved. Soldiering was what he always wanted.

There were two unusual groups present. First was a protest group who had publicly announced their intent to be at the ceremony. Second was an uninvited motorcycle group. When I arrived an hour before the ceremony I noticed 25 Harley Davidson motorcycles lined up in the corner of the parking lot and 30 appropriately attired riders engaged in idle conversation with the local police. About that time a group of protesters arrived and began to deploy along the street. Amazingly, the motorcyclists moved as one to become their black leather shadows. I went inside to the ceremony. The ceremony was a fitting tribute to a great soldier but I confess to worrying what we might find outside.

When we emerged there were no protesters. As the funeral procession departed, we passed between two lines of leather clad cyclist at rigid attention and present arms, or with hands over their hearts. There were more than a few tearing eyes. They quietly mounted their motorcycles and followed the procession to Leavenworth Veteran Cemetery, where they stood solemn watch over rendering of full military honors. Afterward,I thanked one of their leaders. There was no violence, but the presence of these men spoke volumes about respect and honor. Their presence was both powerful and to some, I'm sure, intimidating. The leader's comment to me: "its an honor sir. Call us any time. Sometimes we can do things that the police can't."

Indeed. They were the combat veteran's cycle club of St Joe Missouri.

God Bless.
Jim Warner

I second that. God Bless.

~Sky

Alisha Paige's Contest. Live until 12 PM EST. Comment for a chance to win big!

***ATTENTION***

Alisha Paige's, A Love Beyond Time contest runs through 12 PM EST today, Friday the 11th. Plenty of time to comment for a chance to win all sorts of goodies!

Due to the fact that I've many family members that are veterans, my weekend post is going live a bit early. Though later than Veteran's Day itself.

Please, if you have a sec, read over the wonderful interview before this post (A-musing the World Blog Event) and join in the fun. It's an ongoing party!

Alisha, you rock woman. Thank you so much for joining me this past week!

Contest winners will be announced Monday morn in the upper right hand side of this blog.

Best to you all.
~Sky

A-musing the World. Historical Inspiration. Comment for a chance to win!!!

Welcome! Though there are only a few weeks left, my A-musing the World Blog Event is still going strong. This week I’d like to introduce Clio, Muse of History and the talented author who wrote her romantic tale, Alisha Paige. In A Love Beyond Time, part of The Song of the Muses Anthology, we’ll travel back in time to the Salem witch trials.

As always, there’s a contest! Two winners will be drawn. The prizes? One winner receives an Ecopy of A Love Beyond Time and an Ebook of your choice from Alisha’s backlist. The other wins a $5 gift certificate to Digi Books Cafe. How do you enter to win? Answer the following question…who would Clio like to meet? Find the answer by clicking HERE then return to this blog and leave the answer in a comment. (Hint: The answer may be found somewhere on the right hand side and the first sentence in the paragraph is acceptable)

Now, let’s get to know Clio and Alisha better!

A Love Beyond Time

Cursed for mocking Aphrodite, the goddess of love, Clio, muse of history and her lover are thrust back in time to the Salem witch trials and then the Italian Renaissance. Only love can save them both, but is it enough? Is their love A LOVE BEYOND TIME?

SKY: Thanks so much for joining me this week!

ALISHA: Thanks for having me, Sky! I missed my sisters!

SKY: Oh, me too! Tell us a little bit about yourself. How long have you been writing? Do you have a genre preference? What have you published thus far?

ALISHA: I’m a mother of three beautiful, very active children, two girls and one boy. When I’m not writing, I’m driving my kids to practice, school events or having fun with them at the Dallas Arboretum or the Dallas Aquarium. I’ve been writing all my life but decided in 2004 to get serious about my writing and pursue publication. My debut novel was published in 2007. I prefer to write paranormal romance but I also write fantasy, time travel, young adult, erotica, and vintage romance. I have six books published and I’m working on number seven, a full length paranormal romance. I have two young adult novels I’m in the process of shopping to agents and editors.

SKY: When you first knew you were going to be part of The Song of the Muses Anthology, what was your first thought?

ALISHA: Wow. How cool and what an honor to work with eight very talented writers.

SKY: Awe, I couldn’t agree more! Did you find yourself researching Greek Mythology quite a bit while writing your story or were you already a guru in this genre?

ALISHA: I’ve always had a love for Greek myth but yes, I did quite a bit of research for Clio’s book.

SKY: Let’s chat about your muse. What drew you to her? As she was literally your inspiration, share a little about how you formed an entire story around her?

ALISHA: Clio is the muse of history and I love history so she was a natural fit for me. She is the muse who helps shape history and gives life to the natural celebrity in all of us. All of us have our own special gifts for our chosen time in this world and really, that is the heart of Clio. She works to help souls find their gift in life and use it to better the world. History is affected by gifted people. Great men and women have shaped history and Clio is there to inspire.

SKY: Time to crawl inside your muse’s head romance style. I’d love to read an excerpt from your story that revolves around her interacting with your hero. Pull us in─lead out with three words you feel could be a mini title for this glimpse inside your tale!

ALISHA: Painting Like Breathing

Giulio touched her cheek, gazing at her, pensiveness lined the corners of his eyes.

“Remember?”

He dropped his hand and sighed. “Is this some kind of trickery?”

“No, my lord. It is true. We once knew one another.”

“In another life?”

“Yes! You remember, then?”

Giulio stood, crossed his arms and studied the beautiful woman. “No. I cannot say that I do. I have not an inkling.” He hesitated, tilted his head and backed up a few steps, studying her as if she were one of his famous works of art. “I do know that I’ve seen you. I know every curve of your body and this I do not understand. I know now that if you bare yourself to me, I can tell you fully where every birth mark lies, every lovely mole. Do you find that odd?”

Giulio giggled. “And I in turn can speak of the mole that decorates your…uh…”

She blushed and giggled again while covering her mouth.

His eyes flew opened wide. “I beg your pardon, Miss! The mole on my what?”

Clio shook her head, flushing even more.

“I beg of you to tell me!” He was pulling her to her feet and still she shook her head in feigned embarrassment. Clio was not shy about her lover, but a lady in this day and age would be. “Forgive me, my dear. I didn’t think a conversation with a person in your station would bother you so.”

His words angered her more than she thought possible. She glared at him, grabbed a sheet from the bed and wrapped it around herself.

“Ah. Yes, you’ve been under my employment. We’ve lain together and I was perhaps too drunken to remember it all.”

He took a swig of wine from a nearby bottle and slammed it down upon the table. A look of disgust crossed his features.

“No! We’ve never shared a bed!” She paused, staring at the painting of a nude lying in a field of daisies.

“Not in this lifetime at least,” she whispered with a hint of melancholy in her voice.

He lifted one brow, studying her. “And you expect me to believe that?”

“Well, no. I suspect you won’t believe me, but I can tell you things about yourself that no one else knows and how else would I know of your…your mole,” she stammered.

“Hmm…I wonder. For a moment I thought you held some kind of significance, something akin to magic seemed to flow between us.” He shook his head, clamped his palm over his eyes and rubbed them with his fingers. “I’ve had too much wine, inhaled too much of the hempseed. I need some fresh air.”

“But don’t you need a model?” Clio asked, afraid he’d dismiss her and they’d be separated yet again. She didn’t wait for his answer. With quick, shaking fingers, she untied the corset and let it fall. She stepped out of it, and stood there in stockings and nothing else.

Giulio groaned out loud. “I suspect I could paint for awhile. See if you inspire me.”

A fire grew deep within her belly and a mischievous grin curled around her lovely face. “Oh, my lord…I can definitely do that for you. It’s what I do best.”

Giulio wasn’t listening. He was already gathering his brushes and paint. He grabbed two flickering candles and moved them closer. “I need the light to be perfect. You have such skin. So flawless. Turn around.”

Clio did as he asked. He ran his hand over her hip, dipped his head down and found her bottom rib. There it was. Just as he’d remembered it. A pair of tiny, black moles, diagonal. He took a deep breath.

“There is something about you…so familiar.”

“Mmm.”

“Turn around. I shall paint.”

And so he did. With brilliant, broad strokes. The paint mixed so perfectly, he never paused to think of how much of one color to add to another. He knew her coloring, how the shadows would fall on each curve. How he knew this, he had no clue, but he knew this would be one of his loveliest nudes yet.

He painted long into the night, stopping only once to fetch her some water to drink and pillows to lie upon. His hair was dripping wet in the warm, candlelit room and he noticed for the first time that his arms were now aching. Never had he painted with such lust for his object, such desire to capture every freckle, every beautiful mole, each wisp of hair, to perfection. That silver curl of hers, sparkled like a dove’s wing. Why did he imagine twirling it between his own two fingers and why did the mere thought of touching her hair harden him so?

SKY: Spectacular excerpt, Alisha! Now it’s Hero time! Introduce us. What does he look like? Where’s he from? Why was he lucky enough to hook up with one of the nine muses of inspiration?

ALISHA: Pierus is my hero but he has many faces because Clio must travel back in time and forward in time to rescue him. And Pierus is reborn in each life but always with dark hair and eyes the color of cool water. Here’s an excerpt when Pierus is living in the days of the Salem Witch trial as Ben, the prison guard.

Ben tied his horse to the post outside Salem’s jail as a trickle of sweat snaked down his temple and into the rough stubble of his jaw. He grabbed the satchel tied to the side of the horse and held it over his crotch. He’d had no contact with the witch for three weeks and still she haunted his dreams. Even while awake, she called to him during the day, whispering to him with that sultry voice of hers. He’d had a hard-on for days. Even Betsy had noticed it and couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t make love to her. How could he tell her that he didn’t want the witch in the bedroom with them and that the sex he shared with Clio in his dreams was more magnificent than anything he’d ever experienced?

He barged inside and sat down at his desk, shuffling through the papers the minister had sent that very morning. Six others had been accused of witchcraft. He’d send his men to pick them up this afternoon. Now Clio would have to share her cell. He pitied the poor soul. Even Tituba had stopped her infernal moaning, resigned to her fate.

Come see me, Ben.

“Good God, woman!” Ben burst out loud as he stood and barged down the hallway, grabbed the ring of iron keys from an old rusty nail and headed to Clio’s cell.

She was standing up against her cage, her long fingers grasping the bars loosely. Ben thought she looked incredibly beautiful to have been in jail for so long. She smiled at him and then licked her lips as he unlocked the cell. Clio threw her arms around his neck. A heated sensation came from her embrace, something akin to hot honey that flowed between the two of them, instantly drugging him, lulling him back into one of her fevered spells.

He struggled to push her off of him, grasping her wrists, intending to fling her from him, but the memory she sent him was much too sublime. There they were, just as if nothing had changed, back in time. Back to when they were husband and wife. He struggled to go back to Salem, back to the cell where the witch tortured his mind. Clio kissed him when he fought, feeding him luscious harmonies, songs of a lifetime already passed. A lifetime they once shared, full of a love so beautiful it made his heart ache.

“Do you remember now, my lord?”

Only a ferocious growl came from his heated lips as he removed his hands from her wrists and wrapped his arms around her.

Clio sighed out loud as he ravaged her neck, grasping a handful of ebony locks in his fist. She arched, giving him full access to her heated, milky skin. He moved to her face, holding it between his hands as he breathed in the scent of her. A scent he now remembered from so long ago. How could he have forgotten? She smelled of cool ocean water and desert wind storms. A tantalizing concoction of both sea and sand that only hardened him further.

“Clio,” he whispered between kisses.

Her one lock of silver hair fell over one eye and he brushed it tenderly to the side. And in doing so it triggered another memory. Her silver curl was forever misbehaving, falling over her left eye and he was forever pushing it out of his way so he could find those glorious lips of hers, so full, so sweet, so Clio. He smiled against her lips and she knew that it had all come flooding back to him.

“Pierus.”

“Clio.” That was all he needed to say. Her kiss grew hungrier. Their souls traveled, swirling and bolting past stars and centuries gone by, light years in a flash of kisses, memories tangled by time and straightened smooth as a raven’s feather just by one touch and the whisper of her name.

SKY: Just to mix it up, make you think─if you could’ve chosen one other muse to write about in this anthology, which one would it have been? Why?

ALISHA: Melpomene, the muse of Tragedy because tragedy and romance make for one good dang story!

SKY: I was wondering if anyone else wanted to write about Melpomene. Nice! Thanks for visiting and sharing sister Alisha!

ALISHA: I had a blast, sister Sky! Thank you so much! **Calling out to Dionysus…Yohoooo…pour the wine, now!****

Watch a book trailer for A Love Beyond Time



Rating: 5 Stars by romance novelist, Michele Hart, author of No Funny Stuff!

I loved "A Love Beyond Time"!

I felt for Clio cast into a anxious tour of History by Aphrodite's spite. Even through the temptation of Dionysus in seduction, tempting her to forget her lover for a while. But Clio stays strong and finds her man in the time periods in which the beautiful but jealous goodess sends her.

You'll love "A Love Beyond Time" like I did. I recommend it highly. The ending is very clever.

Vengeful Aphrodite tosses Clio, the Muse of History, through time, to chase the soul most beloved to her but kept from her full possession. Only Clio’s continuous reunion and separation from her heart’s affection pleases the goddess’s jealousy. Tastes of Greece in her classic days, the hysteria of Salem’s punishments, the indulgence of a delicious god. Devoted to seeking her lover, the muse slips through the seductive hands of Dionysus himself, willing to woo her into forgetfulness. Clio must be strong and enter Hades to regain her lover’s life…and relive history once again.

Ms. Paige paints a wonderfully visual world with words, easily takes you along on Clio’s heart-felt journey, sprinkled with powerful Immortals and the mortals at their mercy and blessing. I loved the appearance of many mythical beasts and places, the swings into the past, and you will, too. The clever ending will surprise you, so reflective of History’s role in the mortal realm.

I highly recommend this tale of fated passion and A Love Beyond Time. Ms. Paige weaves magic into her worlds.

Rating: 5 Stars by romance novelist, Rita Thedford, author of Hot Night at the Bluebug Saloon and One Dependable Man

Take a sensual journey through time with Clio, the Muse of History, where she meets and mingles with figures from the past, each time reuniting with Pierus, the love of her heart. The journey begins when she is cursed by the Goddess of Love, Aphrodite, into the time of the Salem Witch Trials and later to the Italian Renaissance and back again. In A Love Beyond Time, author Alisha Paige, crafts a visual feast for her reader with her glimpses into the past, the clashes between good and evil, and the sensual majesty of a love that refuses to be lost within the boundaries of time. What a wonderfully written tale of love lost and found again.

Rating: 4 Lips by Barb at Two Lips Reviews

Aphrodite is furious with Clio who chided her for loving Adonis. So what better punishment for Clio, the muse of history, than to have to go from one lifetime to the next correcting mistakes made in the past? Thinking that this is still not enough of a punishment, Aphrodite throws in a cruel twist. As each life unfolds Clio will find the reincarnated soul of her mortal lover Pierus. Each time having the task of trying to make him remember, having a brief moment with him, and then losing him again. Leaving Clio wondering each time if in this next life she will find him again, and also if she can take the pain of watching him die over and over. Thus making Clio suffer the pain Aphrodite felt when Adonis was ripped away from her.

Well you know what they say about a women scorned. Never has it held more truth then in Alisha Paige's A Love Beyond Time. I think it’s important to know why Aphrodite is sensitive about Adonis; a dispute about Adonis between Aphrodite and the Goddess Persephone has to be settled by Zeus. He decides that Adonis is to spend one-third of every year with each goddess and the last third wherever he chooses, usually with Aphrodite. That is until his death in a hunting accident. Ouch!!! But enough about Goddesses and their petty squabbles, let’s get to the juicy parts shall we? Alisha Paige is not shy when it comes to heating up the pages with scorching hot sweaty sex. Dionysus also has an intriguing part and is a delightfully sexy character. When he was swept away, leaving the reader hanging as to what happens to him, (hint, hint) I desperately wanted to know more about his fate. Alisha Paige has penned an emotionally charged, uniquely imaginative and very sexy tale that is worth the time and money to read.

Purchase A Love Beyond Time now! Click HERE.

Every week I urge the visiting author to chat about another one of her stories. This week Alisha would like to share Voodoo Moon. Check it out!

Voodoo Moon

The plantation mistress known as the White Witch always killed her lovers. Talin knew as soon as she summoned him that he was a dead man, but even then he had no idea how far her rage could take her if she was thwarted.Two hundred years after his death, a teenager tries to impress his girlfriend by casting a voodoo spell and resurrecting the wolf that had killed the white witch. Still cursed to be half-man, half-wolf, Talin thrives on nothing but revenge and the small hope that he could somehow use the death of his enemy’s descendant to resurrect his long lost beloved.

Short Excerpt:

Her stomach lurched when she turned onto the winding country road that led back to Rose Hall. She dreaded going back inside, but she had to face it. She’d surround herself with her band mates and cook. Pretend that last night didn’t happen. Maybe Annie would stop. She wanted to ask her how to make her stop, but how do you ask a dead person to stop haunting? How do you explain to them that you moved across the ocean and that her haunting is just damned inconvenient?

She passed a lonely goat, probably an escapee from one of the nearby farms, and then something caught her eye. Crouched on the edge of the road was a black man, sitting in the tall grass, a few yards away, his muscled arms stretched over his legs, head bent. She stopped her rental, rolled down the manual window, and honked. He jumped, looked at her and grunted, seemingly panicked.

“Oh, I’m so sorry! I thought you were hurt. Do you need a ride, mate?”

Probably a drunken local, a bum, displaced after last night’s storm. The man shook his head, searched her face, and his jaw dropped.

“Ya all right?” she asked, shielding her eyes, squinting into the bright sunshine.

The man nodded. “Ya stayin’ in tha great house?”

Tammie wasn’t sure she understood. “The great house? You mean Rose Hall, up ahead?”

The man nodded again. “Ya look like her.”

A chill slithered down her spine, despite the sticky damp shirt that clung to her in the humidity.

She was afraid to ask. More afraid of his answer. “Who?”

“The White Witch.”

Tammie only stared at him through her round glasses.

“Ya okay, Missus?”

This time Tammie nodded.

“I worked her fields.”

“Who?” Now she was confused. He couldn’t mean Annie, she thought to herself.

“Ya, Annie.”

She knew she didn’t say Annie’s name out loud. “I didn’t say her name.”

“Wha . . . ?”

He could read her mind. She started to put the car back in gear. This was not happening. Now she missed London more than anything. What she thought would be paradise, an island with white sands and turquoise waters, was making her head spin.

Jamaica seemed a mysterious, dark land.

“No. Donna go. I need to talk to ya ….”

“Look, mate, I don’t know ya. Can I ring someone for you when I get home?”

“Home?”

“Not that it’s any of your business, bloke. Home. Yes, that’s my bloody home.

Only now it’s haunted.” She squeezed her eyes shut. Why was she telling this perfect stranger about the ghost?

“Been that-a way for ’bout two hundred years, Missus.”

“Who are ya?” she asked, now genuinely curious.

“No one. Sorry I took so much of ya time,” he replied and then stood, turned, and began to walk back across the wide field, heading nowhere, away from the main road. Tammie gasped. The man was stark naked. Her jaw dropped as she watched him stalk away. She spoke before she had a chance to choose her words. A drunken bum would not have an ass like that. Or a body. Or interest her so.

Reviewed by Storm at Bitten by Books

Rating: 4 1/2 Tombstones

In 1825, the Rose Hill Plantation was the horror of Jamaica. Annie, the White Witch, had been orphaned as a child and raised in the blackest form of voodoo. As an evil voodoo priestess, she killed her slaves for the smallest slight and the rest lived in terror. She used male slaves as her lovers, and none lived for long. She made a terrible mistake, though, when she called Talon to her bed. Talon had been a white voodoo priest in Africa before being captured and sold into slavery. Slavery, though, had brought him his wife, Daisy, and he was determined to protect her and end the terror of the White Witch. He planned a voodoo ceremony for Daisy to do while he pleasured the witch, but Daisy’s fear and jealousy caused her to do something different, and that difference led to death and tragedy for all of them. 200 years later, Talon was given a second chance. And although the forest guardian told him to use this chance for healing, he was consumed with his need for revenge. He knew that the White Witch’s spirit still roamed Rose Hill, and now one of her descendents, Tammie, was living there. Talon has to decide whether he will take the path of revenge or the path of love and healing.

“Voodoo Moon” is a powerful, intricate story of the worse and best aspects of humanity. Although love does not conquer all, it endures and teaches. The author has created some of the most authentic and interesting characters I’ve ever met. The tale is full of twists, surprises, terror, creepy atmosphere, and passion. They say that good things come in small packages, and this is a whole lot of story skillfully crammed into a novella

Interested in learning more about this fantastic author? Visit Alisha at her Website.

Don't forget to enter the contest! The contest question...who would Clio like to meet? Click HERE, locate the answer, then return to this blog and leave the answer in a comment. Contest closes Friday, November 12th, 12 PM EST.

Okay, I'm off to have some wine with Clio, Alisha & Dionysus. :) Thanks for popping in!

~Sky