Dawné Dominique

The Scavenger Hunt

2011-04-30T22:43:00.002-05:00

All blog readers who want to join the hunt PLEASE EMAIL ROBYN. This is important. If you do not email Robyn to get a question sheet, you will not be eligible to win prizes. It doesn't matter how many times you comment on my blog or other authors' blogs, you must receive a question sheet, or you will not be eligible to win.

Email Robyn personally at promorobyn(at)gmail.com

Interview with DANIELLA ROLFE

2011-04-30T14:34:00.000-05:00

Hello, readers. You’re in for a real treat. I’ve been given the rare opportunity of interviewing Daniella Rolfe, a curator of sorts of antiques, and one of the main characters in Dawné Dominique’s The First series. Daniella rarely gives interviews, and I’m very excited. So, without further adieu, let me introduce Ms. Daniella Rolfe.

Q: Ms. Rolfe—

A: Call me Daniella.

Q: Daniella. Thank you for granting me this interview.

A: I didn’t. Aiden thought it would be a good idea.

Q: I’ll have to thank him. May I ask why you don’t like being interviewed?

A: I tend to keep you mortals at a distance. My blood cycle is approaching—

Q: Blood cycle?

A: I am not like my vampire kin, who need to feed every night. I must digest blood once a month and within a three day span. It is a little like a menstrual cycle, only backwards.

Q: That’s different. What happens if you don’t feed within three days?

A: Hope that you and I never meet. The hunger takes over and the blood madness follows. People die. Over the centuries, I have developed staunch habits to ensure I feed in a timely fashion.

Q: Centuries? How old are you?

A: You do know it is impolite to ask a woman her age, don’t you?

Q: Yes, but you’re no ordinary woman.

A: Touché. I gave up counting the years long ago, but there had been a time I thought I was about seven centuries old. Things have transpired recently, and I’ve discovered I’m far older.

Q: How much older?

A: How about we leave it at seven centuries for now.

Q: Absolutely. I didn’t mean to offend. Let’s talk about Aiden.

A: My favorite subject.

Q: You and Aiden met in a small prairie city in Canada, correct?

A: Yes, a quaint city, and one we hope to return to soon and live out the rest of our days.

Q: How did you and Aiden actually meet?

A: My penthouse was broken into by petty thieves. Aiden had been assigned the task of investigating the crime, but unbeknownst to me, he was also working on another case at the time. A serial killer was loose on the streets of Winnipeg killing off my monthly lovers, excuse me, monthly fodder. He was the lead detective searching for the murderer.

Q: Damn, that’s awful!

A: Sometimes, in the realm of horror, good can come from it.

Q: Good analogy. You two hit it off pretty good, eh?

A: I see there’s some Canadian in you.

Q: Excuse me? Oh, the “eh”. I rarely use it, I swear.

A: To answer your question, I fell in love with Aiden the moment I first saw him, though I fought against it with every ounce of my essence. A man of authority is dangerous to creatures such as I, and love? What did I know of such a mortal emotion? He awakened something dormant inside me and brought out my humanness.

Q: But you’re a vampire.

A: I am half vampire, half human. I was born a blood drinker.

Q: Whoa! What? Aren’t vampires usually turned?

A: We call it “the veiling” and yes, vampires come into existence through the interlacing of blood. They are my kin, but I am nothing like them, except for the unrelenting thirst that comes once a month. I had once thought I was the last of my kind, but there is one more. My father, Sanehet.

Q: So, your mother was human and your father a vampire?

A: He was an Egyptian demi-god.

Q: You’ve got to be kidding?

A: I never kid.

Q: Then that means vampires have been around for –

A: Since the beginning of man.

Q: You’re joking?

A: I don’t joke, either. Aiden is the comedic relief.

Q: You mean to tell me that vampires have walked this earth since the days of Adam and Eve?

A: To learn the truth of that, I suggest you speak with Addison Eden. And it was Adam and Lillith, not Eve.

Q: Who’s Lillith?

A: Adam’s first wife.

Q: Holy crap! I learn something new every day.

A: There is a lot you mortals don’t know. Your bibles are storybooks, recounts of events written and rewritten so many times that no one knows what is fact or fiction anymore, like the Alluminatae, which some profess to be a vampire’s bible. As an author, you yourself know that one person’s rendition of something is entirely different from another.

Q: True, but religion... Wait a minute. A vampire’s bible?

A: You repeat yourself a lot, don’t you?

Q: Only when I’m shocked. Vampires have a bible?

A: Everyone is entitled to believe what he or she wishes. I am not that naïve. What god would create creatures such as us?

Q: True. No one believed in vampires.

A: Or vilkacis.

Q: What a vil-ka-size?

A: Wolf.

Q: You mean like in werewolf?

A: Why are you surprised? You’re interviewing a vampire, and not just any vampire, but a First.

Q: Yes, but... Why do you call yourself The First?

A: Because I am from the first bloodline.

Q: Wow. That’s so cool.

A: There is nothing cool about what I am. I am a blood drinker, a huntress, and every month I must feed from one of you. I take someone of bigger stature to ensure I replace all the blood in my system. In this way, my fodder is not in danger of being drained to death. I take what I must, and my magic ensures they remember nothing of the incident.

Q: In other words, you don’t kill.

A: Not necessarily. Some souls do not have a place here on earth.

Q: So, you play God?

A: I would suggest you ask him yourself.

Q: *gulp* Well, look at the time.

A: Yes, it is getting rather late, almost midnight, and I must sleep.

Q: Oh, that’s right. You sleep at night, unlike the other vamps that have to sleep during the day.

A: I am a day dweller, for now, but things can always change.

Q: What do you mean?

A: To answer that you will have to read The First series.

Q: Oh, now that’s clever.

A: I thought so.

Q: Well, Daniella, it’s been an absolute pleasure, and I hope we have this opportunity again.

A: Only time will tell.

Author Scavenger Hunt: Come Join the Fun!

2011-04-30T14:27:00.001-05:00

Are you ready for a scavenger hunt? Purple Sword authors and authors from Whimsical Publications and Astraea Press have teamed up to interview their characters and send you on a fun, exciting hunt to meet the muses from their stories. Travel around the net, discover new worlds, new books, new-to-you authors, and enter to win prizes! Curious? E-Mail our publicist, Robyn White at promorobyn (at) gmail.com to join the contestant list. Good luck!

Authors Behaving Badly...

2011-04-08T13:18:00.001-05:00

As an author, I've had my share of "bad" reviews. Some pushed me almost to the brink of tears, which isn't easy, but the reviewer "just didn't get it". I don't write what everyone out there writes; and I don't believe that HAEs are always needed, as long as a reader is left with hope. Sadly, I've come across a few reviewers that feel this is some unspoken law. So be it. To each their own. It is simply their opinion only.

In recent years, I've seen some horrid back-and-forth conversations on reviewers' blogs wherein the author has taken it upon him/herself to bash the reviewer for a bad review they've received. I cannot stress enough that the correct way to handle this is to thank them kindly and either choose to ignore it, or fix the problems (if it's formatting issues). It should also prompt the author to take a look at their novel (especially Indie authors) not as the "writer", but as a "reader". Was the reviewer far off his/her mark? If not, then the author has some work to do.

Or do they declare outright war?

Most reviewers do this service for free. One must remember that the majority of them are well read, in that they read many books. One must also remember that it is only that person's opinion. Not everyone will see it the same way. Unfortunately, when the disgruntled author posts directly on the review site exactly what they think of the reviewer (and it can get personal), they are simply sabotaging their career in the worst way possible. Can we say Diva?

Indeed, anything posted on the web is there forever, so inane and defamatory comments can be seen for a very long time, and that reflects solely on the author. More so if you are self-published, because those comments can and will hound you for years.

Sure, any publicity is good publicity, but when an author begins to tell the reviewer and others to F* Off, the immaturity and unprofessionalism speaks volumes.To say the least, I would not read one novel from that author, even if it was being given away for free.

A few years back, a publisher I worked for as a cover artist went under (and it wasn't pretty because one half owner of the pub took the money and ran...literally) leaving the other owner holding the bag, and it was an "ugly" bag, let me tell ya. Authors went up in arms and the things written by them, whether true or not, stunned me. As an acquisition and managing editor of a publisher for many years (recently retired), I will never forget the names of those authors. Suffice it to say that if a submission had ever come across my desk from them, I would have thrown it directly in the trash. Who needs authors like that?

We represent ourselves, our craft, and we should do so with respect and dignity, so matter how difficult it may be. Isn't that what being an adult is about? Would you tell your boss to F* Off because you didn't agree with something?

First and foremost ~ for goodness sake, grow thicker skin! That is the first rule you must learn when you become a writer.You're only hurting yourself. Sadly, and I've seen this happen, you may be watching from the sidelines as your career goes up in flames.

Change is good, right?

2011-04-04T02:58:00.001-05:00

I've got a new blog page, so maybe it will give me the inspiration I need to write more here. *crosses fingers*

Reader Review! EDEN'S HELL, I: THE FIRST

2011-02-07T21:51:00.001-05:00

A reader review! Wow.

Okay, I’m not a vampire kind of gal. Yeah, I know I write paranormal romance and fantasy, but always had a hard time understanding how a man who sucked your blood was sexy. Until now. I really sank my teeth into this one. Enter Addison, the hero of Eden’s Hell. He comes on as smooth, but not too smooth, compassionate, yet edgy, and oh, so sexy. By the way, he only feeds on criminals and derelicts. Now that's a nice way to get them off the streets. ...

Read the rest of the review here:

http://themojitoliterarysociety.blogspot.com/

Sharing Some New Reviews...Eden's Hell & Dark Diary

2011-02-07T21:44:00.008-05:00

Eden's Hell, I: The First
My opinion two chapters into Eden's Hell was WOW! I loved this book! It was a fresh twist on an old story, and was beautifully written. The story is actually about a dark and lonely Addison and his psychotic and malicious ex wife Satrina who are vampires living in California. Enter innocent Eva, a mere mortal escaped from Satrina's grasp before stumbling onto Addison's beach, literally. Then all hell breaks lose in the power play to retrieve what Satrina believes is her "pet". The ending has a twist that I know I didn't see coming, but we finally see a happy ending to a beautiful love story full of angst, fear, a little bit of faith and a whole lot of sacrifice. It also sets up the next book beautifully.

...

Dark Diary, II: The First

In Dark Diary, we find a rough around the edges yet irresistible cop, Aiden, who crosses paths with an anomaly amongst the vampires creed, the beautiful Daniella. Both feel the sparks in their first meeting and, while trying to sort through these feelings, a serial killer is leaving a wake of bodies all with a message for Daniella. But when the most recent body has a message for Aiden, they realize they must work together and give trust unexpectedly in order to stop the murders. When grief pulls our couple together, sheets ignite!

...

Read full reviews here:

http://onehundredromances.blogspot.com/2011/01/review-first-series-edens-hell-i-and.html?zx=e127e15d42e183e3

A New Year...

2011-01-11T04:18:00.003-05:00

ROLAND (“Rolly”) THOMAS

April 11, 1958 – December 30, 2010

It is with saddest of hearts that we announce the passing of ROLAND THOMAS. He leaves to mourn his loving wife of 31 years, Christine Poersch Thomas, and their two children, Jason and Taylor.

He was predeceased by his father, William (“Willie”) Thomas, and his Nanny, Lydia Thomas.

His mother, Bernie Thomas, and Andy Anderson, his little brother, Russell, his twin sisters, Dawn and Dale, and their spouses, Mike and Toni. Also left to mourn his memory is his nieces and nephews.

Special thanks and love to Colleen and Alain Normand, Christine’s sister and brother-in-law, for their support, care and patience.

Roland was a man of many words, and for those of us who knew him, he touched us in some profound way. He was quick to make people laugh, kind to a fault, extremely charming, and had knowledge of many topics, and we all loved him for it—especially his cooking! Roland also had a natural talent for music and loved to play the guitar and blues harmonica.

Like his father before him, he will be laid to rest at his favorite fishing place at Lake of Woods in Keewatin, Ontario.

As per his wishes, there will be only a small family gathering.

Roland, you are now at peace.

May you never be above me,

May you never be below me,

But always and forever by my side.

I have been remiss in updating my blog for a variety of reasons, but now...it is because my heart and soul is shattered.

I lost my big brother on December 30th. It is a rather long, convoluted and grief-stricken story, and one that I can't go into without breaking down, which makes it difficult to type, but suffice it to say that I've lost a best friend, a man I had hated all my teenage years, until we both moved out and realized that we did indeed love one another. As he lived two provinces over, our phone calls during the week always ended with, "I love you", but I didn't know that on Christmas Day, it would be the last time I would hear his voice.

I have suffered through painful deaths; my dad, a best friend who committed suicide, my favorite Aunt in the world, my Nanny, and our cat, Oscar. But this one...I don't think I'll ever be the same again.

I'm trying to get back to the land of the living, to arrange my heart back to some kind of normalcy, but I can't seem to find all the pieces, and my greatest fear is that I never will. I hear his voice, and I know it's him speaking to me because the questions I ask aren't answered in the way I would do so. I know it's Roland.

I dreamed of him the night after he died. I was running, frightened, trying to get away from something or someone. He stood around a cement corner wall; I saw him from the corner of my eye. He was dressed so nice. He said, "Go this way" and winked. I woke startled, trying to remember if I had ever seen him wink. It's strange the things you can think of in the middle of the night...for hours and hours.

I don't feel him around me like I did anymore. I hear his voice, but it's getting fainter. Perhaps this pain will, too.

And I know he didn't want to leave--not just yet.

Dark Diary's first review...I'm very happy

2010-10-20T16:05:00.001-05:00

Review from Kathy K.

Ebook Addicts

"Well, once again, I find myself startled at the effect that her book has had on me. Having read the book description I was thinking that I had quite a good grasp on how Dark Diary II: The First would go… boy was I wrong! I mean, yes the story follows the blurb, but it gives such a bare bones idea of what to expect.

What Ms. Dominique delivers is a power-house of a mystery and romance as well as a rather unique take on the vampire legend; in this case the existence of The First. While connected to the first book—Eden’s Hell—albeit somewhat marginally, The First does stand alone… but I strongly recommend that you read them in order and one right after the other if possible..."

Read the rest of the review here: http://www.ebookaddictreviews.com/2010/10/11/dark-diary-ii-the-first-by-dawne-dominique-reviewed-by-kathy-k/

Looking for a "unique" vamprie series?

2010-10-10T09:51:00.000-05:00

Eden's Hell, I: The First Dark Diary, II: The First

Read what others have to say:

FROM MANIC READERS:

Eden's Hell appeared, at the beginning, to be your typical vampire tale. A little deeper into the story and I was disabused of that notion. I've read many stories about what Lillith did/became after leaving Adam and Eden. Eden's Hell is different from them all. http://www.manicrea ders.com/ index.cfm? disp=reviews& bookid=7688

FROM EBOOK ADDICTS:

When I read the blurb I was initially intrigued about a story detailing the mythology of Adam and Lillith. But from the very beginning of the story I became a fan of Dawné Dominique's Eden's Hell. She's created a world and a story that exceeded all my expectations and, to be honest, I didn't think that I would be as spell-bound by the tale as I was. What a pleasant, nay wonderful, surprise! http://www.ebookaddictreviews.com/2010/06/19/edens-hell-by-dawne-dominiqe-reviwed-by-kathy-k/

Pick up your copies today at: http://www.purplesword.com

Kindred Blood, III: The First coming soon to Purple Sword!

Dark Diary, II: The First ~ RELEASED!

2010-08-10T14:24:00.000-06:00

www.purplesword.com

Well, at long last, Dark Diary released yesterday. This is the second book to my five novel series called The First. It follows Eden's Hell, and I can only hope that the reviews of this one will be as outstanding as Eden's Hell.

Although this novel was initially contracted through New Concepts Publishing three years ago, it was shelved a week after release...until my rights reverted back to me this June. The plot is changed, as well as some other aspects, but herein you will meet Daniella Rolfe, a First vampire totally unique to our world. As you continue to read the novels, you'll learn there is a lot more to her than meets the eye.
Blurb:

The lives of a deranged serial killer, a seven centuries old First vampire and a City of Winnipeg police detective collide in this second novel of Dawné Dominique’s The First series.

Daniella Rolfe, a seven-century old First vampire is unwittingly drawn together with a Winnipeg police detective, who happens to be investigating a string of some rather bizarre serial murders. It doesn’t take long for her to discover that this mere mortal man holds more power over her than any she's ever known.

And Aiden…he's only dreamed about women like Daniella.

Blood battles and broken vows are the just beginning of Daniella Rolfe’s woes.

Another FANTASTIC Review for Eden's Hell

2010-07-02T11:56:00.001-06:00

Reviewer: Kathy K

When I read the blurb I was initially intrigued about a story detailing the mythology of Adam and Lillith. But from the very beginning of the story I became a fan of Dawné Dominique’s Eden’s Hell. She’s created a world and a story that exceeded all my expectations and, to be honest, I didn’t think that I would be as spell-bound by the tale as I was. What a pleasant, nay wonderful, surprise!

I really love the way that Ms. Dominique took the myth of Adam and Lillith and transformed it into a contemporary tale, albeit a paranormal one. I was constantly amazed at how well this was done and, even though I’m not a huge fan of the vampire-who-kills-to-survive theme, I can definitely give ground here. It works and works very nicely.

The main characters were very nicely defined, but it was especially enjoyable watching as both Addison and Eva’s relationship changed both of them… and not in a way that you may expect.

Addison has been mourning the betrayal he suffered, but he’s also punishing himself for what was done… he takes responsibility rather than blaming. He’s strong and just but also feeling entirely hopeless. And that’s where Eva comes in.

Eva’s an innocent in the battle between Satrina and Addison; she too was betrayed but was also willing to accept responsibility. No wailing maiden is she and no way is she going to sit back and let things happen. She is, unknowingly, salvation for Addison and as the story progresses we see her growing in spirit and emotional strength. Very much someone deserving of respect.

...

The pace of Eden’s Hell is well-done and constant; the world-building is fantastic and the characters leap from the pages demanding their story be heard. In some ways this is rather convoluted, but the background becomes clearer as the book progresses.
And the ending? Wow! I never saw that coming… and I’m still taken aback at how right it all was.

Read the rest of the review here:

http://www.ebookaddictreviews.com/?p=417

New Review for Eden's Hell

2010-07-02T11:48:00.001-06:00

Title: Eden’s Hell

Author: Dawne Dominique

Publisher: Purple Sword Publications

Publication Date: 2009

ISBN: 978-1-936165-20-9

Genre: Paranormal/Erotic/Vampire

Length: 198 pages

Buy Link

Author Website

Rating: 5 Diamonds

Heat Level: Erotic, sensual

Other: Violence, oral

Reviewer: Starla Kaye

Date: 4-23-10

Oh no! The book ended all too soon! I loved this first book and look forward to reading the next part, II: The First Dark Diary, coming in July 2010.

The author wove a wonderful story with numerous twists and turns, pulling me eagerly along all the way to the end. It was an enjoyable different version of the vampire world. The characters were well drawn, emotions running deep, including for the villainess.

To read the rest of the review:

http://goteroticromance.blogspot.com/2010/04/edens-hell-by-dawne-dominique.html

The Writing World of Dawné Dominique

2010-07-02T11:24:00.007-06:00

The Writing World of Dawné Dominique

Paranormal and Erotica

Par⋅a⋅nor⋅mal: Pronunciation [par-uh-nawr-muhl] adjective:
of or pertaining to the claimed occurrence of an event or perception without scientific explanation, as psycho-kinesis, extrasensory perception, or other purportedly supernatural phenomena.

E·rot·i·ca: Pronounciation [ĭ-rŏt'ĭ-kə]: literature or art intended to arouse sexual desire.

http://dictionary.reference.com/

With the anticipated release of my second book in The First series, I thought I'd share with you some thoughts. In creating my newest vampire release, Eden’s Hell (the first novel to The First series), one important facet remained constant: my characters needed to be different, vampiric in nature, yes, but with their own unique traits and idiosyncrasies. And although Diary of Daniella Rolfe had initially started this series almost five years ago, and I had already completed Kindred Blood and Crimson Cries (books II and III), I was about halfway finished writing Eden’s Hell when the epiphany struck. Eden’s Hell answers the questions of how, why and who created the vampire race. This novel had to begin my The First series. I make no apologies to the religious undertones used in the novel, as my intention was to make a reader pause and think, “OMG! This could be true.”

Diary of Daniella Rolfe (since retitled DARK DIARY, II The First) began as a short story contest entry in my writing forum of Writing.com. It was merely chapter sized and written in a diary format in first person from a seven century old female vampire. I did win the writing contest, but it was the reviews from other writers who had read the short story that made me take it a step further. The many comments I received back all suggested one thing: Make this into a novel.” Thus, The First was born. (N.B. only the first and last chapters of that particular novel are written in first person).

I knew there would be sexual undertones to these novels. For me, vampires are very sensual, dark and extremely sexy. From the hype that this genre has raised through recent movies and television shows, my view is not singular. By introducing “erotica” into the creation of my novels, I had initially panicked, thinking that perhaps it would take away from the main premise of the story. However, this didn’t happen. I had never written in the erotica genre before. I was a straight-up fantasy author (Lord of Rings type of stuff) but as I continued writing, it was inevitable that the “sex” needed to be inserted in order to add further dimensions to my characters.

So, how does one create a novel with a gripping plot, mixed with hinting subplots that extend into five full length novels, where the sex doesn’t become the main focus? You need to write strong characters, create underlying questions for your readers to ask themselves, and include scenery and events that places readers right into the action and, of course, exemplary writing skills. But more importantly, I needed to create complex characters that you know should not be together, but even in real life, love and lust is sometimes more powerful than logic.

Many erotica novels have crossed my desk in the last four and a half years as a managing editor. There is always the distinction made of what is considered “porn” as opposed to “erotica”. For me, the two are quite simple to differentiate. Erotica is based on the premise of romance between complex characters that when you read them, they are not destined to be together, which inevitably creates a compelling plot. As well, there must be sexual tension, and not the act. “Porn” centralizes on characters where the sex is the main premise of the novel. It is a fine line to some, and a huge crater to others. For me, I write who I am, and as I don’t sugarcoat my life, my writing is also a reflection of my personality. The romance/love aspects in my novels are strong, the sex straightforward (no purple prose for this gal), but it’s the intricate plot(s) and sexual tension leading up to the main act(s) that I hope make my stories truly come alive.

Eden’s Hell delves into the beginning of time with Adam and Lillith, his first wife. My main characters, Satrina Vacher, despises the way Addison Eden, her ex-husband, has lived alone, brooding and unhappy over what had happened to them on the shores of the Blood Seas. Addison loathes everything about his ex-wife. It puts a whole new spin on ugly divorces that DO last for an eternity. Addison has failed at love not once, but twice, and he is more than content to live out his days sequestered from the world -- doomed and shackled by his penance of blood and guilt; that is until a mortal woman turns both his and Satrina’s, not to mention the entire Edlers Creed, worlds upside down.

Without giving anything away, I’m told the ending of this novel has rendered a few readers to tears, but I promise that it doesn’t end on an unhappy note.

Dark Diary (II: The First) is scheduled for release this month. This particular novel, and the three that follow, centralizes on Daniella Rolfe and Aiden Blackmore, a Winnipeg City detective. Through this entire series, I take the readers to Canada, England, Russia, Egypt and Spain.

Kindred Blood (III: The First) introduces Spencer Dalton, an American private investigator living in England, and Sanehet, an Egyptian demigod, who is also Daniella’s estranged father. There’s a torrid past between Sanehet and Daniella. You will also meet some rather demented vampires, who kidnap Aiden in order to ensnare Daniella;

Crimson Cries (IX: The First) introduces Palladin Sandalio, a 1600 year old vilkacis (Latvian for “werewolf”), and The Nuasiar Nine, a fanatical group created during the Crusades, who hunt and destroy all creatures of the night, including the vilkacis race;

Eternal Nightstalker (X: The First) introduces Zane Black, a Vietnam vet, and a rather young vamp with extraordinarily strong powers, but he’s reduced to a mere mortal in comparison to Darian Duncan, a pediatric cardiac surgeon, who doesn’t know she's dead. Zane is a very successful erotic author, writing under a woman’s penname. Yes, I had a lot of fun with his character.

Along The Firsts' journeys, you will meet Damien Ranier, an insane vampire, Connor Talbot and certain members his family, who have helped Daniella move from century to century in obscurity. There is also Kon, Teanna and Kiernan, evil vampires at their finest, and a host of humans. The final novel, Eternal Nightstalker, brings all my First vampire characters, as well as those from my other single releases, into a catalytic finale.

If you’re looking for a unique take on the vampire lore that includes historical annotations, erotic interludes, sexual tension, love lost and gained, blood and adventure, and some pretty nasty villians, I urge you to pick up a copy of Eden’s Hell and begin the journey into The Firsts’ world.

Available through Amazonm All Romance Ebooks, 1Romance, Kindle and Purple Sword Publications:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/tags-on-product/1936165244/ref=tag_dpp_cust_edpp_sa
http://www.purplesword.com

Interview with paranormal author, Tony-Paul de Vissage

2010-04-13T15:04:00.003-06:00

http://www.tony-paul.com

It is with great pleasure that I introduce Tony-Paul de Vissage, a very talented author of the bloodsucking kind. Thank you so much for joining us today, Tony-Paul. It’s been rumored that a band of vampires abducted you as a youngster. Is this true?

Oui. You see, they were on a flying tour of the South and had heard of the Battle of Bloody Marsh which was the last attempt by the Spanish to invade Georgia in 1742. So everyone was amped to see such a spectacular sight. One or two were actually slavering, if I remember correctly. I’m afraid they were disappointed. They were expecting a stretch of beach loaded with bodies and lots of gore. All they found instead was a little gamin picking up seashells. I thought they were slightly odd-looking tourists (at this point, I believed it when they told me all Romanians had pointy teeth and eyes which turned red when they laughed.) and offered to show them around. I still wonder why my parents didn’t attempt to find me during that time. Perhaps they were glad to be rid of “the kid” for a few months. Anyway, les vampires and I struck up a friendship and since I was the first amiable human they’d met (perhaps because I was too young to be afraid) they saw a way to get some good PR. They offered to pay for my education if I’d become a writer and show them in a better light. That also got my parents off the hook for my tuition, so they agreed to keep mum about the whole thing and let the “bloodsuckers” foot the bill. I think Maman and Papa went to the Orient on what they saved my freshman year.

Was there a major instance/event that prompted you to begin writing?

I kind of slid into it. I have a few friends who write and being a bit of a copy-cat, I decided to see if I had what it takes, too. Also, I’ve a vivid imagination which helped.

What books or authors have most influenced your life and your writing now?

I would think Bram Stoker would be something of an influence on anyone who writes about vampires. He’s got the basic plot down pat. Yoy might even say he had the patent on it. Then, it’s up to the individual writer to put his own spin on things. I’ve a library of about 500 books (mostly vampire novels) some dating from the early 70s when the change in attitudes toward vampire or, Gothics as they were then called, began. I don’t know if I’d say other writers have influenced me, but I have read Laurel K. Hamilton, Mario Acevedo, Anne Rice, Charlaine Harris, and Poppy Z. Brite, as well as the more romantic writers like Sherrilyn Kenyon and others, to get their spin on things. Then I try to be careful not to step into their territory when I write my own.

I know you have a few current projects on the go. We love to hear about them.

I’ve three vampire stories in the works right now. One is the Second Species series, which chronicles the lives of Marek Strigoi, the vampire Prince’s former assassin and his family; the second is The Nightman, a series of short stories put together to form a novel about Damien la Croix, a nobleman who willingly becomes a vampire to escape falling to the Black Death, and the third is Domingo Leyenda, whose story is told in The Legends of Sleepy Hollow. “Leyenda” is Spanish for “legend” and Domingo and his sister Liseta live in the surburb of Sleepy Hollow in Orange County, CA, so I hope people catch the pun. What’s interesting about Domingo is that he’s a Spanish Jew and therefore the usual wards against vampirism don’t work on him.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in writing horror?

Trying not to rehash the same tired theme. I have a tendency to lean toward the tongue-in-cheek (or should I say fang-in-cheek) when writing, making it quirky, perhaps saying some of the irreverent things people have thought about horror and vampires over the years, such as in “The Best Dentist in Orange County” when I have my vampire Damien wake up with a toothache. So where does a vampire go for dental work? Things like that. Also, I try to make it as believable as possible, though using such an unbelievable theme. In the Second Species, I’ve worked out reasonable excuses for why my vampires are repelled by sunlight, garlic, and holy objects, and it isn’t for the reasons you would think. I work on the theory that even a monster has inner thoughts so my villains also get a sufficient amount of introspection. It doesn’t make them any more likeable and may make the readers hate them more but it at least helps them understand them a little better.

Who is your favorite author, and what is it that strikes you about their work?

In the supernatural category, Jim Butcher is probably at the top. His Harry Dresden is a many-faceted character, who’s still trying to come to terms with his powers even after quite a number of books. Harry may be a wizard but he’s also very human in how he reacts to the things that happen around him. I also like JD Robb’s Eve Dallas series for the unique plots and the dialogue between the characters.

Just for interest sake, how long does it take you to write a book from beginning to end?

If I’m really psyched about a book, I’ve been known to get the first draft done within two weeks. I think the longest I took was six months because I had to do a lot of research on that one and spent some time waiting for reference books to be available.

For me, the week before a full moon jumpstarts my creative juices and I tend to write and create like a banshee. Do you have any idiosyncrasies that help (or distract) you?

It may be an atavistic thing, but I seem to get more revved-up in the Spring, when the mornings and the evenings are still cool and the days are sunny. Once that change comes into the air, I always feel a…something…that I don’t experience in winter.

What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

I fortify myself with some liquid refreshment, then sit down at the keyboard and begin. And when I’ve finished the current chapter, I stop. Simple procedure, n’est pas?

The world is about to end and you will be the last survivor. You have your choice of three books to keep with you. What would they be?

I’ve often thought about that and really have no idea. I sit here in my library and look at the books around me and wonder which three I would consider the most important, which would I want to read over and over and over? The Bible? I have six copies. A dictionary? It would definitely have a lot of variety. The New Century Classical Handbook or Shakespeare’s Plays? I honestly have no answer for that and hope I never have to make such a choice. I can tell you which books I left out when all my worldly possessions went into storage recently: The Encyclopedia of Gods, The aforementioned Classical Handbook, Dracula Prince of Many faces, The Vampire Gallery, and An Encyclopedia of Fairies. They’re sitting on my desk right now within easy reach.

What is the best way for readers to contact you? Email, Meyssac, Twister, etc.?

Probably email: tpvissage@neb.rr.com, or through my website: http://www.tony-paul.com/

Thank you so much, Tony-Paul. It has been an absolute pleasure having you with us.

Mon plaisir, also. Merci.

Interview with the multi-talented author, Jaime Samms!

2010-02-17T18:46:00.000-05:00

INTERVIEW WITH loveyoudivine’s MULTI-TALENTED

JAMIE SAMMS

Hi, Jaime. Thank you for joining us today. What actually inspired you to become an author?

Really? I was poor. Not that writing nets me a very big paycheck, but at fifteen, before Internet—yes, I said before Internet, and those so inclined can do the math—I ran out of books to read. I had no money to buy more, or to pay my library fines, so my only option was to write my own. Turns out, I was pretty half decent at it. Of course, these early efforts were pretty bad as far as the craft goes, but the love of creating something from nothing but words got its claws into me and never really let go. Now I do it for kicks and giggles, and the occasional hard dollar.
Can you describe how you felt when you received your first publishing contract, and what did you do?
It was pretty cool. I have to admit, and here's where fellow authors might glare at me, but the first thing I ever subbed was accepted. I sent a short story to a now defunct Yaoi publisher called Iris Print, for their first anthology, "Connections". I didn't get a huge pay out for that story, but it was a pretty big rush, knowing I wasn't the only one who wanted to read it. And before anyone gets too upset, the next thing I subbed to them was rejected, so it just goes to show, this industry is never a sure thing. I will say that rejection was also my first, and the story in question, after another sub and a re-write, is now safely and contractually in the hands of Drollerie Press, release date forthcoming.
How would you describe yourself as a person?

Wow. Talk about your blanket questions. Um...I guess busy and a little bit on the artsy/flaky side, which probably explains the pink hair and addiction to caffeine. I can be practical when it's required, but it really is not my default setting. I like creating—stories, crafts and such. I'm pretty handy, so I guess in a word, I'm creative, and everything else kind of flows from there. My family has learned to live with the chaos and the cats, for the most part.
What genres do you write in and why?

I suppose most of my stories hinge around gay romances. Some of them are firmly told in the contemporary world we all know, and some are pretty fantastical, but the main thread is always what's going on in the hearts and minds of a pair of lovers, or three. As for why, I honestly couldn't tell you. I just know whenever I got around to writing about the heroine, she turned out to be a sister or a best friend, and the guys had eyes only for each other. It's a mystery. Probably best explored by someone versed in ferreting out past lives.

What is your biggest fear?

And once again, no pulling punches. I suppose right now, finding myself alone with two kids would be a biggy. I don't think I'm qualified to be that responsible. Luckily, I have a great husband, who happens to be a fully fantastic father.

If you could have one wish, what would it be? And you're not allowed to wish for unlimited wishes.

Geez. Take all the fun out of it, why don't you? I guess, first off, I'd like the world to be a safe place for my kids. Failing that, I 'd see what could be done about having more hours in the day to get everything done, or at least, another couple a days just to read a good book.

You're about to be stranded on a desert island, but you have just enough time to grab two books from the ship's library. What two would you chose?

The practical side of me says grab the survival guide and the first aid book. The rest of me says something by Tanya Huff, because she always entertains, and the newest of Allie Blue's Bay City Paranormal Series (and if it's on an e-reader with a couple hundred other m/m romances, so much the better).

Immortal Fire is just released in print. Can you tell us a little bit about your two contributions to this wonderful anthology, Black Roses and Windblown. What inspired you to write them?

Hmmm...Black Roses. Actually, I was bored one day, and dwelling on some critiques of another story that demanded more and better descriptions. It's always been a weak point in my writing. I don't generally do description. If you've ever read Mercedes Lackey and her lavish and indepth descriptions of everything from palace ballrooms to someone's lunch plate, well, I would be almost the anti-Lackey. So, I decided to just describe a garden as an exercise in stretching my abilities. I had no idea there was a soul-devouring immortal living in it at the time. Imagine my surprise...

As for WindBlown, I really was standing by the highway waiting for the bus on a cold, windy Saturday morning, watching the snow swirl and drift behind the cars. Once again, the immortal drifting with the wind came somewhat as a surprise. Most of my stories are like that though, starting from something very simple and growing in a very organic fashion.

The cover art for Black Roses and Windblown is amazing. Who was the artist?

Nix Winter. She created all the covers in the Immortal Fire series, as well as the cover for the print Anthology. Not only is she a fantastic cover artist, but the photography on Black Roses is her own photography; the paintings on Timeless and the print cover are also her artistry, and all of the rendering on M. King's cover was her work as well. And she can write a fiercely lyrical story, besides. The woman has talent.

What's in the future, Jaime Samms? Is there a special project you're working on?

Well...I do have a release coming from lyd on Dec 11th titled Muse’s Vacation. The cover is another of Nix's photography creations. It's a nice, heartwarming holiday story, which might also make you a bit hot under the collar. There will be a longer story, much darker and less sexy in the near future, but I hope still entertaining, and I have a few releases coming out with other publishers.

Thank you so much, Jaime. I've learned some wonderful things about you. We could be soulmates! We'll definitely be looking forward to more wonderful tales from you. Now, who will you be interviewing next for lyd's Authors Chain Reaction?

I'll be interviewing en Hart, and you can find the interview at my blog:

http://jaimesamms.blogspot.com/

To learn more about Jaime, you can visit her at

http://www.loveyoudivine.com/

http://www.jaime-samms.net/

www.freyasbower.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=49

PROMOTION FOR AUTHORS

2010-02-04T02:50:00.000-05:00

Promoting Tips

As Frankie has graciously been doing, linking to blogs, creating your own website, joining reader/writing groups, hosting a reader’s club//party, joining WDC, joining Yahoo author/reader groups in genres specific to what you write, adding yourselves and following fan blogs, doing up your Facebook, Twitter and MySpace, befriending authors…these are all free resources for an author to use to promote. Many of these sites post a “Call for Submissions” for certain publishers, so keep your eyes posted.

Always try to be aware that whatever promotional tool you use, and whatever costs money, ensure that you can recoup expenses and make a profit.

PROMOTING THAT COST MONEY

Radio spots: It never hurts to call a radio station and ask what they can do for you, but remember, any kind of advertising spot will cost money, but maybe you have a friend in the biz?

Newspapers/Magazines: This can also boost your sales, but it can be a hefty price to pay. Here in Canada, you pay per word for an ad in a newspaper. For magazines, there are hosts of different ones, including e-zines. To keep costs down, several authors can get together to share the price of an ad space. This can run you several hundreds of dollars, but shared, it can be reasonable.

Bookstores: Some bookstores offer promotional services to authors, and they usually have a price list of what they offer. McNally Robinson’s was a huge bookstore chain that had recently expanded to downtown Toronto. They offered premium based and basic promotion packages for an author for book signing purposes. Depending on what you wanted to host, for example, just a book signing table was basic; for a book signing with a reading and reception to follow, it went to $250.00 and up. But this also covered the ad in the newspaper announcing the date, time and location of your signing to the world. Sadly, the day after Christmas, McNally announced they were closing their doors due to the economic situation. Makes me glad I went with another book store.

Ad space on WDC: I haven’t looked into this, but I do know that WDC offers ad space, but remember, this will cost you some coin.

Billboards: This can cost a pretty penny, and I wouldn't recommend it, but it’s something to look into, if you have the coin.

Booking a Venue other than a Book Store: This can be done too, like a kiosk in a mall. Again, to make money, you have to spend money.

Always try to recoup what you’ve paid forth in promotion.

LOW COST PROMOTIONALS

Create a website/blog: There are many “free” builder websites out there. And hook up to an engine with a lot of traffic. Then add your website/blog link as a signature to your emails and include a small picture of your cover and a one-liner from your novel—something that speaks volumes. Post excerpts of your writing on your site; discuss what’s in the future for you and what you’re currently working on, etc. Inform the public. Host another author on your site, interview them, ask them to speak on subjects that might perk more interest and traffic to your site. Share your news with the world. You, as an author, have become a commodity. You must “sell” yourself and your novel.

Business cards: This is a good and economical means of promotion for authors. Have your website/blog, Twitter, etc. link on there so people know where to find you. Vista Print offers reasonable prices for business cards. Hand them out to friends to pass along to their friends. Always keep a couple of them with you wherever you go. Parties and get-togethers are good venues. Word of mouth does wonders. Ask other authors for an exchange of promotional items. You can bring these to your book signing, and vice versa. Several authors with the same publisher do this for one another, and it works wonderfully.

Join Reader/Author Loops: Yahoo has hundreds. It’s a venue where you can post excerpts and book covers of one’s work to quirk the attention of readers who are on those site for that specific purpose; you can connect with a variety of people, including publishers, editors and other authors who write in your genre. As well, all these sites have a Promotional Author Day where all the members can post excerpts, cover art and links. Who knows—you could be asked to join an anthology. This is how I was offered my first publishing contract. Join a RWA chapter or Writer’s Guild in your area. This may cost an annual fee, so research the costs.

Showcasing Yourself: Inquire at coffee shops, malls, stores, etc. as to whether you can place flyers in their window; look for message boards to post same on, such as schools (depending on the genre), restaurants, places of employment, etc. My sister owns a computer place, but she was more than willing to place my book signing announcements in their window. It caught the attention of many of her customers. Ask the people you know and toss some ideas around.

Arranging Book Signing: Depending on where you are published, this may be arranged in-house or you may have to do so. If the latter, go to bookstores and inquire in person. Making the effort to attend in person creates a much more personal impression than a telephone, but it's up to you. Bring a copy of your novel with you, and be prepared to discuss it.

Printed Promotionals: These days, most people have color printers. There is a drawing program on the net called Serif 4. It’s free to download, and you can create your own bookmarks, or if you have a friend who knows something about graphics, ask them. Create your bookmarks or postcards with your cover art front and center with a small blurb, your website addy, and where people can purchase your novel (Amazon, name(s) of the bookstore(s) that carry the book, etc.) and your all important web address. Print out a few hundred. These are just like business cards. You can create some 8.5 x 11 posters (a sample of mine is below). Laminate a few of them and sign some as give-aways and/or prizes. Be sure to have a couple on your book signing table to give to people who actually purchase your novel. People like receiving things for free. You can give paper ones to friends and family. Hand them out like candy. Personally sign your bookmarks, if you’re so inclined. If you have a decent color printer, you can keep these printing costs minimal. Post announcement posters of the date, time and place of your book signing and distribute as above.

Create a book trailer: Windows Movie Maker comes with your Microsoft program. I confess, I’m hopeless at it. Post the trailer on uTube and advertise same on your signature, your website, and even some review sites will accept book trailers now. I admire anyone with the patience to do this creative form on promotion. I’ve tried and…Grrrrr. But I know several very talented people that can, and you can search the web for people who are willing to do this for you at a nominal price. Some are more expensive than others, depending on what you are asking for. Post the book trailer on your front webpage. Even for those who are unpublished, you can still do one for the book you’re trying to get published. Get a book cover created, as well. I’ve done cover art for several YA Novel Workshop members, and they post the cover art on their websites and blogs. I also have some of them posted on my three websites as free advertising for them. Authors help authors. Frankie has done AMAZING ones herself.

Author pages at review sites: Again, depending on the genre you write, there are many romance sites, such as The Romance Studio, Coffee Time Romance, Manic Readers, Romance Junkies, just to name a few. These all offer “Author Pages” wherein you can set up your own page there to showcase your novel(s), place announcements of your new releases, what’s coming soon, etc. Search the net for genre specific review sites.

Inexpensive Small novelties: Keychains, pens and pencils, magnet business cards, t-shirts, totes, scratch pads, calendars…the list is endless. Your book cover can be duplicated and adorned on just about anything. These are perfect to give as “thank you's” when you host contests on your website or host a reading party at your home or at a friend’s. You can also give away an autographed print of your novel. Those go over really well. *winks*

Run Contests: I did this big time when I first started. Personally, I didn’t see an increase in sales, but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen. I did get my name out there to more people, however, and that's what promotion is all about. Make announcements on your author loops that you’re hosting a contest and what one can win. Ask a friend to announce it on their blogs, websites, writing sites, and even review sites allow you make those announcements, too…everywhere you can think of. WDC is a fabulous place, because you have friends here. Wherever you are a member, shout out your contest. If hosting a book reading at your home or a friend’s, run a contest there and give away some of your promotional items. If you write romance, create a romantic basket of scented candles and a bottle wine, etc. Remember your genre and try to pick something specific to it or some key component important in your novel (i.e., fantasy with dragons—a dragon candle, wizard's hat, etc.). My first release was a paranormal, so I picked up some black picture frames and dripped red paint on them so it looked like blood; I bought some exotic incense and a black diary and splattered red paint on it—my novel involved vampires and it was called Diary of Daniella Rolfe. Get the idea? Try to think of some unique ideas for a giveaway basket. Insert a signed poster and bookmarks, and even a copy of your novel. Dollar stores are great for this because they’re cheap and you can give away a lot. Remember to place some business cards in there, too. Your publisher will more than likely have a spot on their webpage for your release “announcement”.

Some contest ideas: Scavenger hunts--hide an icon/pic on your website and have people search for it. Then get them to leave you an email as to where they found it. Some publishers will also host such a contest/hunt on their selling page, so there will be a lot of traffic from various different author fans. If the opportunity arises, jump on it.

Post a question on your website that asks something specific about your novel. Aha! They have to read your novel in order to answer it, right? For example: What robe was Wizard Magua wearing when he fought the white dragon? Again, give an email address where they leave an answer. Announce when the contest ends (usually a month works well) and then pick a name and contact the winner. Remember, if you're doing this via email, some of these people won't all live near you, so be prepared to incur mailing costs. Also keep in mind the "size" of your prize.

Newsletters: This is another economical means of keeping your fans and new fans informed. When you make contact with a contest winner, inquire as to whether you can place them on your mailing list. You can do up a Newsletter one a month or quarterly. It's entirely up to you, but this keeps people informed about YOU and YOUR WRITING NEWS!

Promotional Exchanges: Get in touch with some authors and do a banner exchange (i.e., they link your banner on their websites and vice-versa). You can also do a promotional exchange, especially if you’re having a book signing. They mail you their promotional items and you can gift bag them, depending on the amount of authors and items, and you do the same for them. Authors help authors. It also adds variety on your book signing table.

WDC promotion: There is a wonderful link for published authors to use in order to promote if their novels are listed on Amazon. You can find the link in your Site Navigation bar on the left hand side of the screen under “SHOP” and then hit “WDC AUTHORS IN PRINT”. It will guide you through the steps. Better yet, this is free promotion.

Okay, the ever important book signing table—what do you have there besides you and your novel?

Some bookstores will supply the table and chair(s) and a tablecloth. If not, you will have to supply your own. If you’re doing a signing yourself at an outdoor venue, like a festival or park (which are usually free), you more than likely will have to supply your own.

Your tablecloth color should reflect you and your novel (examples: black for horror/paranormal; pink/light blue for children/YA; red for romance or erotica [you could also have roses in a nice vase] etc.). My book store had an emerald green tablecloth (I asked the color beforehand). Seeing that it was Christmas, I ensured I bought red cloth napkins and silver glitter at the dollar store and artistically arrange them on the table.

Prop your novel up on a stand so passersby can see it. One of those plastic see-through frames are great for placing your booksigning poster in it or a MEET AND GREET PUBLISHED AUTHOR. Make sure it’s easily visible. Have your bookmarks and business cards nicely fanned out on the table. Add a bowl of candies, but ensure they are the wrapped kind. You have no idea where those fingers have been. You can also run a contest there, too. For every person who purchases a copy of your novel, have them write their name and phone number on a piece of paper and place them in a hat or again, something specific to your novel. Have the prize sitting on the table with a sign taped on the front of it, or depending on the size, close by. If your novel is fantasy, you could give away a pewter dragon candle or incense holder; for romance, some candles and a bottle of wine in a basket; for YA or children's, a stuffed toy; just something connected specific to your novel works very well, too. The ideas are endless. And depending on how many copies a person purchases (I had one gentleman buy five to give as Christmas presents to his wife and daughter(s), he entered his name five times. People love getting something for nothing, and in return, you're promoting yourself and your novel.

There is also a “Virtual Book Signing”, but I haven’t quite figured that aspect out. I’m not that computer saavy, but wanted you to be aware:

http://www.geekculture.com/joyoftech/joystuff/virtualbooksigning/virtualbooksigning.html

Here are some great websites that offer outstanding information about book signings.

http://www.writing-world.com/promotion/promo01.shtml

And although this website is outdated (last revised in August 2006), it's information is spot on and basically says the same thing as I’ve been outlining.

http://www.celebratelove.com/booksigningtips.htm

Dress the part: Because I write in the paranormal genre, I usually dress in black and a little vampish, but classy and PROFESSIONAL. You are not only selling your novel, but you are SELLING YOURSELF. For horror writer’s, try to get a signing date near or on Halloween. Then you can go all out with a costume. This does indeed bring more traffic to your table. A local author I met at my bookstore writes children’s books, and he donates half the proceeds to The Humane Society (they care for abandoned animals). His wife tags along and dresses up as a cat or a dog. It really draws people to your table.

This is promotion you can do for yourself. With the bigger publishing houses, they may have promotional budgets, which you can inquire about.

The biggest point I’m trying to make is: SELL YOURSELF and YOUR NOVEL, but do so within a budget that won’t send you to the poor house. You should be able to recoup what you’ve spent and hopegfully, make a profit. And do not expect people to coming running up to your table and begin buying. You have to be assertive, but not too pushy, friendly and charming. You stand up, shmooze, talk with people, stop them and hand them a poster or bookmark, or even a copy of your novel. DON’T JUST SIT THERE. Have interesting things on your table to draw people’s attention, and these can be what I’ve mentioned above.

Oh, and if you have any books left over that haven’t sold, sign those copies and give them to the store to sell on their shelves. Some venues will allow you to leave bookmarks at the front till for free giveaways. Even if someone hasn’t purchased your book, they get a bookmark with your info. It’s still promotion, promotion, promotion!

I'm so showing off!

2009-12-20T18:31:00.002-05:00

A very dear, personal friend asked if I would create the cover art to his wonderful children's fantasy series, Truth Teller. He has been attempting to get these novels published. Rowlings suffered a lot of rejections, too, so I continue to have hope. It's an amazing journey into the magical, whimsical realms of children's classic fantasy!

To say I was honored to be chosen for this task is an understatement. The author helped enormously in their creation by sending me pics that he wished to incorporate into the art. I had, just days before, paid for and downloaded the very same pic of the man in woods, who is cowled and shadowed, for the specific novel. I still have one more cover to do for Kurt, and I will post it here when the author approves it.

Anyway, without further adieu, here they are.

Oh, Wow! Merry Christmas to me!

2009-12-11T12:24:00.000-05:00

This was fabulous to wake up to. A new review for Eden's Hell:

"Some authors strive to incorporate religion and theology into romance. Some even manage to make the story interesting. Dawne Dominique puts her own spin on the Adam/Eve/Lillith story. Many people know the Adam and Eve creation story. But what happens when Adam chooses repentance? What if Eve wasn’t all he expected? So is the story of Eden’s Hell."

Read the entire review here:

http://whippedcream2.blogspot.com/2009/12/edens-hell-dawne-dominique.html?zx=e4a938bf7185ab60

A Review from a Reader

2009-12-09T01:07:00.006-05:00

http://www.purplesword.com/

A reader recently contacted me after she had finished Forever and a Day, and she had this to say about the book:

I just got done reading Forever And A Day (very sad, cried and I don't do that a lot) and I was wondering if you had a book or was going to do one where Bella finds Allix? I feel like it's not done, I only read half a book lol. A great one, but I was just wondering... Well, thank you for listening. Bye. Take Care. Happy Holidays!

~Tassja Nichols

Forever and a Day is not your typical "happily ever after" novel. You see, I'm not a conventional writer. I pen what is in my heart and what my characters tell me they think is best for them. And although the story may not have a "happy" ending, there is always hope.

I've received several emails about this particular ending, and more importantly, what will happen to Annabella and Allix, the two main characters. As I have assured my readers, this is not the end of their tale, nor is it the end for De'Anne and Nathan in Return to Me.

In the fifth and final novel of my The First series, all my vampire characters will resurface to play roles in the final book.

This will be my final vampire series for a while. Even though I have worked diligently for almost five years on this series, my release has come at a time when the market is swamped with vamp tales. I didn't want to appear as if I jumped on the bandwagon, but here I am. We cannot predict our destiny.

So, for those of you who have read Return to Me and Forever and a Day, I urge you to begin EDEN'S HELL. You will not be disappointed...at least, I HOPE you won't be disappointed. The reviews thus far have been wonderful.

Available through:

http://www.purplesword.com/

and at Indigo Books / Coles Books (Manitoba, Canada)

Interview with the amazing and very talented children's writer, Kurt Chambers

2009-11-25T00:43:00.008-05:00

EXCERPT from Truth Teller:

Crossing the road, Charlotte admired the picturesque, English seaside town lined with shops that swept all the way to the top of a hill, overlooking the sea. Interesting old houses displayed colourful shop fronts, and a local market filled any spaces in between. She ambled along the well-worn paving stones, not really paying attention to her task of buying gifts for her friends. With her hands in her pockets, she wandered past stalls that spilled out across the path, packed with beach balls and buckets and spades.

She paused for a moment outside an arcade, drawn by the sounds and flashing lights that filled the air around the neon-lit building. Fighting the urge to spend the last of her money on a teddy grabbing machine, she continued to trudge up the hill, losing interest in her mission with every step.

Half way along the road she stopped, stepping into an alley to shelter from the glare of the sun. She leaned her back against the bright-red tiles that decorated the archway. Each one contained a small figure. They reminded her of characters from a fairy tale. She examined them closely, running her fingers over the textured surface. Something about them held a strange attraction.

She gazed into the alley. It led a fair way back, but in the gloom she could see the front of a grubby-looking shop displaying a large ‘Sale' sign in the window. She strained her eyes for a better view, and wondered if she should have a look just in case she could pick up something unusual for Mum. After a moments thought, she decided she had nothing to lose and wandered a little closer, checking over her shoulder as she went.

Reaching the glazed shopfront, Charlotte stood on tiptoes to see over the half-frosted glass that obscured her view of the inside. Despite being taller than most kids her age, the contents of the store remained a mystery. She paused at the door before giving it a shove and peering through the gap. Inside, it looked much smaller than expected, with tall, wooden shelves standing against the outer walls, each laden with an assortment of objects that appeared better placed in a junk shop.

The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, but curiosity urged her forward. She stepped inside, her heart pounding like a drum. An old-fashioned till perched in the centre of a small, wooden counter at the far end of the shop. Behind it hung a set of drab curtains with tiny pinholes, allowing slivers of light to seep through. The whole place had an air of gloom and smelt musty and damp. "Hello. Are you open?" she called out.

When no one responded, she browsed the shelves, discovering some odd, carved wooden figures, similar to the characters on the decorated tiles around the archway outside. She picked up one that resembled a garden gnome and turned the carving around, searching for a price label. Nothing. That's not much help She placed the grotesque, stumpy little figure back down.

Turning to leave, something caught her eye. She stared at a small bookcase resting against the back wall beside the counter. A gentle glow of green light illuminated the shelves, tempting her to venture further and take a closer look. She crept through the aisle and bent down to examine a small, glass snow dome nestled between a variety of clay pots. It looked out of place amongst the other articles displayed in the shop.

She reached out and touched the surface with the tips of her fingers. The cool, smooth surface made them tingle, a strange yet alluring sensation. With a quick check over her shoulder, she picked it up and tipped it upside down. She cupped the delicate item in the palm of her hand and held it close to her face. No snow.

Inside the crystal orb, a tiny globe like a miniature planet revolved slowly around, casting eerie shadows against the dreary walls. "It's beautiful," she whispered.

"Yes, it is beautiful," a voice sounded.

She spun around and stumbled back a step. Behind the counter stood a large figure wrapped in a grey cloak, similar to the drab curtains that hung behind him. From what she could see of him in the gloom, his scruffy, charcoal hair hung down to his shoulders. Eyes as dark as coal peered out below thick, bushy eyebrows, making his thin face look gaunt and pasty. She shuddered. He gave her the creeps, popping up from out of nowhere and staring at her as though he had never seen a customer before.

"I am sorry if I surprised you. I did not mean to make you feel uncomfortable," he said, as though reading her mind. "You are very welcome here."

She put down the small ornament and ambled along the shelves, picking through the strange collection of knickknacks. The entire time, she sensed the old man's stare following her around. She considered leaving, yet the eerie glow from the snow dome kept drawing her gaze back to the bookcase. The temptation from its hypnotic light managed to get the better of her, and she walked back to pick it up again. "How much is this?"

A broad smile lit the old man's face. "Take it, child. I have no use for it in my shop."

Hi, Kurt. I’m so happy you could join me today. You and I have been friends for several years now, and I’d like to ask you a few questions that perhaps I don’t know. You write mainly in the fantasy genre. Have you written in another genre, and if so, which one?

Hi, Dawne, *grin* I'm so thrilled to be a guest on your awesome site :-)

The simple answer to that is no...lol...I did once consider writing a non-fiction novel. It was a crazy idea. I wanted to write a book to promote happiness. I think the working title was, Happiness is a State of Mind, if my memory serves me correct. I even made a start on it at one point after doing a load of research, but it never got off the ground. I kind of went off the idea. All my other novels are children's fantasy. I might consider writing something else one day, but right now, I can't really see myself writing anything else. Kids’ fantasy is what I do best.

Tell us a little about your wonderful Truth Teller series. I began reading this first novel (it’s a series of three books) at its inception, and I absolutely fell in love with Charlotte, the main character. How did she become created?

Charlotte is awesome, I have to agree. She is actually a real person. Charlotte was one of my Brownies from when I used to help run the Stevenage 17th Brownie Pack. We were very close and spent a few fun filled years together. I wrote her into my Truth Teller series as the main character because she was just so lovely and funny, and just perfect for the part. It turned out well as everyone who has read my story loves her just as much as I do. I think an author has to really care for their main character in order to get the reader to care for them too.

Do you have a favorite character type to write about/use as a main character. If so, who/what is it?

I'd have to say I like to write stories about children. I adore kids, and find them just so funny and sweet and much more fun than adults. I share their childish sense of humour...lol...I guess I just never grew up. I seem to be better at writing girl’s characters, which is no real surprise as I worked as a volunteer for over six years with girls aged seven to eleven-years-old, and have two daughters of my own. And a son...lol...

What do you hate most about writing? I know different authors have different pet-peeves, so what are yours?

I have always struggled with literacy. It was always my worst subject by far. That probably sounds a bit of a weird thing for an author to say, I know, but it's true. Writing a novel and bringing it to a publishable standard was probably one of the most challenging things I've ever done in my life. Hey, you've got to love a challenge, right! So, I would have to say my pet-peeve is probably the shear amount of work involved in creating a novel, and then editing like a million times to get it just perfect, if there is such a thing. If you don't like work, then don't become a writer.

You are quite involved with children. Do they give you inspiration to write?

Absolutely! They are my inspiration. Anyone who works with children will know what I'm talking about. If I had the choice of any job in the world, I would choose to work with kids. That would be my dream job.

I know that you’ve been doing everything possible to become published. Personally, I don’t understand it, because Truth Teller is an amazing novel. Charlotte’s story needs to be shared with the world. When that horrid letter or email arrives, how do you cope with the rejection? Now you must tell us, how will you celebrate when the acceptance letter arrives?

It depends on what mood I'm in, I suppose. You do harden to it eventually, but if I'm having a really bad week it can sometimes feel like the end of the world. On a good day, it's like water off a duck’s back. My youngest daughter calls me, The Rejectornator...lol...which is rather amusing. When I mention I've been rejected, she takes great pleasure in really emphasizing the word whilst making a loser sign on her forehead. :D She is funny.

I think when I eventually get that golden acceptance, I will probably burst into tears haha!!! It's been a long, long road. I will be totally overwhelmed. Any writer that has been on this journey will fully appreciate just how much their books mean to them personally, and I'm no exception. Getting Truth Teller published has become my world, so once it is published that will be my celebration. Okay, I admit, I will probably get roaring drunk too...lol...and no doubt make a complete idiot of myself. So, nothing new there really :-)

You have been given two genres to write in only—horror or romance. Which one would you choose, and why?

LOL...Horror, obviously. Romance is for girls! haha!!

What other wonderful tales are in the works for you?

The book I'm working on at the moment is called Unknown Reality. It's a bit of a mix between sci-fi and fantasy. It's about a girl called Chloe (after my granddaughter) who is living a normal life when she discovers that her whole world is just an illusion. The place she called home is just a holographic experiment set up by the Scientists. She finds herself caught in a war and is captured by the Savages, a race of people who despise the Scientists. With no memory of this world due to a computer virus used to sabotage the Scientists' experiments, she has to choose where her allegiance lies, but all she wants is to return to the family that never really existed.

I'm also working on another book titled, The World in Johnny's Back Garden. I'm writing this for a slightly younger audience with the intention of giving children an alternative view of other living creatures around them. It still has a long way to go yet. I've started writing it, but it's really just in the planning stage at the moment. I know where I want it to go, and I have the outline of the story, but it's changing each time I tackle it. The review panel at Ladybird Publishers were very impressed with my ideas and approach to this story, which was a great endorsement. Who knows where it will lead.

Now for some breaking news. I'm actually considering writing a fourth book in the Truth Teller series. Okay, no ideas as yet, but I'm in discussions with a close friend of mine at the moment. I've been asked on several occasions if I would consider writing another book in the series, so anything is possible.

I’ll have to bug you for the title of book four. What journeys will Charlotte take us on? I can’t thank you enough for joining me today. It's been such a blast chatting with you again. I miss you, bud! And look...I did learn something new. Tell us where readers can find you?

Thanks for having me! Best come round my house, 'cause that's where I normally am...lol...

Here is my official web site...http://homepage.ntlworld.com/the.chambers/child/

And this is my blog site...http://www.geniusborderinginsanity.blogspot.com/

Eden

2009-11-16T19:32:00.001-05:00

Eden’s Hell by Dawné Dominique

Posted using ShareThis

More reviews in for Eden's Hell

2009-10-28T14:30:00.000-05:00

From Jen at Dark Divas Reviews

"You’re in for a wonderful ride with Eden’s Hell. It picks you up on those first few pages and it’s really hard to set it down until you’re done. I enjoyed the relationships between the characters and I could almost feel what they were feeling. It was even hard to hate the bad guy/girl in the story because their emotions were so powerful."

Read the rest of the review here:

http://ddrreviews.blogspot.com/2009/10/edens-hell-l-first-by-dawne-dominique.html

From Annette Stone at ParaNormal Romance Reviews

"In this first book of a new series by Dawné Dominique, she takes us back to the beginning of man and the first vampires. The love that grows between Addison and Eva is a powerful love that will endure some hard tests. I cannot wait for book two."

Read the rest of the review here:

http://www.paranormalromance.org/reviews/review.php?id=32156

With Deepest Regret: Carol McKenzie

2009-10-28T14:05:00.004-05:00

After a short, but courageous battle with lung cancer, Carol McKenzie recently passed away from our world. She blazed a trail through the eBook industry, and taught me the greatest lesson of all. Reviews are always and foremost one person's opinion. This post is in tribute to a wonderful author and friend. She will be sadly missed by all who knew her, and all those she touched.

Her titles below can be found at: www.loveyoudivine.com

My First Book Signing...a Huge Success

2009-10-24T10:52:00.006-05:00

BOOK SIGNING EVENT AT COLES BOOKS (Winnipeg, Manitoba)

Well, my first book signing was last night and...I sold out. About an hour into the event, I had to send a girlfriend home to get the rest of the books. It was a whirlwind scenario, let me tell ya. Coles Books staff were in awe, and so helpful. I couldn't have asked for better people. The two women just kept grinning when I came forward to give them copies to place their logo price stickers on them. Plus, they had placed a "Local Author" sicker on the front, which really seemed to grab people's attention when they walked by the table (not to mention that it was also used to conceal a visible nipple...heavens no!). They had even called Shae, the Assistant Manager, whom I had dealt with all the details of the book signing. The staff told me that they just had to share with her how well things were going, because they knew how nervous I was. One copy sold even before I got there, and two more went within the first fifteen minutes of me arriving (I was still setting up).

Coles had arranged the signing table right in front of the store, and my novels were artistically scattered across the table. Apparently, the cover sold these initial three. Gotta love that, especially being the cover artist.

I didn't have a lot of time to speak with people about the "premise" of the novel, but I'm hoping to do so next Friday, as I have another signing date with them...if I can get more printed and sent to me before then (crosses fingers). I may have to cancel that date and reschedule if they don't arrive in time.

It was so wonderful to have another author sitting beside me, too. Kase J. Reed/Cerise Amour came up from Arizona to share the event with me. It also gave me more incentive to be open and to stand and announce myself. She was like a guardian angel, but in real form. I'll be alone for the next one, but I have a newfound sense of confidence that I can do this, and do it well.

One of my daughter's friends purchased a copy and began reading the book right then and there. She said she was hooked. When she left, she was still reading as she walked through the mall. *snickers* I did have a "young" girl read the back and ask me if it was like the Twilight series. Before I could answer, someone in the group standing by the table said, "It's even better." Gotta love friends like that. But the young girl's father was standing to the side, and I told her (more for his benefit) that the book was "adult" and it wasn't Twilight, but it was about vampires and romance. I was very worried about this happening. I had asked Coles about their policy of selling "erotic romance" to young girls, and they told me they don't censure--anyone can buy. Personally, I didn't want an irate parent calling the book store and screaming about them selling "adult" novels to their children, but Coles indicated it's up to the parents to monitor what their children are reading. They just sell the novels.

Being published in the US and trying to do this Canada is tough, but a road I'm willing to travel. I've waited four years for this; I've worked so hard and put in hours and hours in honing my writing skills, revising and editing and worrying about every paragraph. I don't want it to "pay" off in the monetary fashion, although that would be a bonus, but rather people read the novel and want more of the series.

I can do this. I know I can!

All in all, it was a huge success. My book is now out there, and hopefully, people will enjoy it. There is something so absolutely petrifying in doing this. It's like giving people access to your underwear drawer and telling them to go nuts. My greatest fear is that people will hate it. As an author, I'm sure I'm not alone in my thinking.

A picture of moi, with my granddaughter, Madison.

EDEN'S HELL released in Print

2009-10-07T10:05:00.013-06:00

PURPLE SWORD PUBLICATIONS

http://www.purplesword.com/

AMAZON'S DIRECT LINK (also look at widget in the right hand corner of my blog)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/tags-on-product/1936165244/ref=tag_dpp_cust_edpp_sa

Book I in my long awaited vampire series called The First has finally released in print. It would appear that I have jumped on the bandwagon of this paranormal explosion, when in truth, I truly haven't. With the influx of all the new vamp movies and television shows, I cringed at the timing of this release, but it couldn't be helped. These novels, however, are babies that I began writing about four years ago. The first one released was Diary of Daniella Rolfe, but, unfortunately, I haven't been able to do anything with this particular novel. I won't go into any details, but suffice it to say the experience was enough to render me incapable of writing or wanting to finish this series for almost two years. My destroyed muse was eventually repaired by some wonderful coaxing from dear friends and members of The Novel Workshops of Writing.com. I managed to finish Kindred Blood and Crimson Cries (just barely), which are books III and IV to the series. I'm still writing Nightstalker, which is the final and fifth novel. I've tried to rise above the "experience" I've suffered, but it's left an indelible mark upon me. I'll be much happier come June 14th, 2010.

Eden's Hell begins my journey of how and why vampires came into existence, and these novels follow the unique bloodlines of the mother and father of the first vampires. I'd like to introduce some of my characters:

Addison Eden and Lillith Vacher (Adam and Lillith)

Eva Carr (a human woman who comes between Addison and Satrina and changes the entire history of the vampire race)

Daniella Rolfe (a seven centuries old vampire whose past will shock even her)

Aiden Blackmore (a hunky Kirkland City detective investigating a string of some rather bizarre serial murders.)

Damien Ranier (an old flame of Daniella's, who is insane, which makes him a very dangerous foe)

Spencer Dalton (an American living in England as a Private Investigator)

Paladin Sandalino (a 1600 year old vilkacis [werewolf] who offers his vast experience to help Daniella)

Zane Black (a hunky Texan and Vietnam vet vamp (that's a mouthful) turned erotic romance writer incognito)

Darian Duncan (a pediatric cardiac surgeon who's dead and doesn't know it).

Thrown into the mix is a serial killer hellbent on trapping Daniella; The Talbot family, where specific members of their aristrocratic family are groomed to take over Daniella's affairs from century to century; The Nuasair Nine, an overzealous group of fanatics formed after the Crusades to destroy creatures of the night, and they've resurrected into modern day; and a host of other interesting vamps, witches and mortals alike. The final novel to this series will bring all my vampires together.

If you're looking for a unique vampire series, with erotic overtures, battles of love lost and won, and a catalyst ending, I urge to pick up a copy and and begin The First journey.

Read full review here > REVIEW

EDEN’S HELL

DAWNE DOMINIQUE

ISBN#: 9781936165209

July 2009

Purple Sword Publications

www.purplesword.com

eBook

$6.99

111 Pages

Paranormal, Erotic, Romance

Rating: 4 Cups

. . . Love is the key... Although the story has an erotic flavor, the leading element is love and sacrifice. I thought the eternal ex-wife was an inspirational element to a paranormal story. It takes the bad divorces between humans and elevates them to a whole new level. I enjoyed this story and found the vampire characters realistic and enjoyable.

Delane

Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance and More

Mayhem and Mumblings

2009-09-03T12:58:00.006-06:00

As an author, we all succumb to our own types of stresses and issues, whether it be writer's block, financial woes, or personal life. For little ol' me, I tend to take too much on, and then frazzle about it later. For the last several weeks, I've had three novels in the works, one in final edits to prepare for print, another that I'm a managing editor for (the author is a sweetie, by the way), my personal life is in a little bit of an uproar, and a dear friend just lost her son--the list can even go further, but I won't bore (or scare) you.

How do I manage all this without feeling like I'm drowning? Well, I'd like to say Coffee and Feeney's helps, but then I'd be labeling myself a lush.

I tend to sense the creative streak during the week leading up to a full moon. And that time is now. I don't know why, but being stressed-out seems to vanish, and the need to concentrate on one thing prevails; the love of writing.

I am a fantasy and paranormal writer. As such, I can lose myself in the worlds of magic I've created. Sometimes, like now, I just wish I could stay in my books and never return.

One day at a time is all I can do. And I truly believe that when something bad happens, some good comes of it. I'll keep writing, and waiting.

opps, Malfunction...

2009-08-11T23:35:00.004-06:00

My publisher and I had discussed a cover change for Eden's Hell shortly after its release. This is not to say that one is better than the other (remember, art is in the eye of the beholder) but rather she and I decided to try it and see whether it generated more sales.

In fact, I won't be buying a mansion any time soon, but sales did increase.

Lesson learned.

EDEN'S HELL (my newest release)

2009-07-15T14:18:00.016-06:00

COMING SOON TO PURPLE SWORD PUBLICATIONS

www.purplesword.com

Book I to Dawné Dominique's The First series.

If you ever thought you knew where vampires truly came from,

you will be in for a big surprise.

Next to be released in this series:

Dark Diary (coming July, 2010)
Kindred Blood
Crimson Cries
Nightstalker

BLURB:

In the beginning…

God created man and called him Adam, a fine specimen replicated in his own image. He then created woman to ease Adam’s loneliness and named her Lillith. Unfortunately, God realized his mistake too late in giving woman free will, for she would rule her domain–not man.

When Lillith left Adam, God created another for his first-born son, and gave her the name Eve and a kingdom called Eden, but by then it was too late, for he’d unleashed Hell into the world of man.

EXCERPT:

Satrina smiled, frigid and calculating. Her black gown looked glued to her body, concealing only the necessary parts that wouldn’t get her arrested for indecent exposure. The back was lower than Eva’s, revealing the top crack and arch of a perfectly shaped ass. The black of the material against her pale skin was breathtaking.

Addison didn’t look impressed. He pushed Eva behind him. “I thought these events bored you, Satrina?” he mocked. His fingers tightened around hers.

The vampiress sneered, and it was directed right at her. “There seems to be a lot you don’t know about me, Addison, my love.” A thin, black eyebrow rose. “And sharing my bed all those years, I’d thought you’d have learned a thing or two. Hell knows, I taught you.” She leaned to the side and peered at her. “Nice to see you again, Eva, my dear. You look good enough to eat this evening.”

When she flashed those pearly-whites, Eva drew back, squeezing her eyes closed.

“Did you enjoy the show?” Satrina’s mock sweetness stung like vinegar in a cut.

“Your answer is to be delivered to me no later than the eve of tomorrow, not now. So, until that time, you will stay away from Eva, and that includes your pets!” Addison growled and again, several heads turned their way.

Eva heard whispered snickers and bit back her revulsion. A flash of Satrina’s emerald eyes revealed something cold and deadly, but also something else; something that stunned her. She tried to shrink into Addison’s back. Oh, my God. She’s still in love with him!

“I challenge you, Addison, my love,” Satrina whispered, sensually running her blood-red nails down his cheek. “I’ll notify the Elders Creed. Tomorrow evening it is.” She sauntered away without a backward glance, the blond boy-toy she’d brought as a date clinging to her arm like a well-trained Kewpie doll.

Addison continued to growl like a dog, low and menacing. The demonic sound made Eva shiver. Realization at what just happened sunk in.

He remained quiet on the ride back to the beach house. She, too, had little to say, but her brain couldn’t stop. This is all because of me. Me! Addison will be punished for trying to save my life. She faltered. But I’ll be dead, too. Satrina wants me six feet under. Eva snuck a sideways glance at Addison.

He stared out the window, his face as expressionless as ever, but she noticed the tiny lines surrounding his eyes had deepened and his lips were thinner, paler.

“I’m sorry, Addison,” she mumbled. Although it sounded lame, she’d never felt more contrite as she did now.

Roused from his thoughts, he looked at her, confused. “So, it’s your turn to begin apologizing?”

She stared down at her hands, praying she wouldn’t cry. “If you hadn’t found me on the bea—”

“Then you’d be living in a cage until you submitted to her…or she killed you.”

He took her hands in his, forcing her to look at him. Reluctantly, she did, trying not to break down.

“I’ve lived a very long time, Eva,” he began, “but I’ve been dead to everything around me. I’ve existed for one thing, my thirst, content in my hell until now.”

She drew back, not understanding.

Addison’s shoulders rolled with an indifferent shrug. “If there is punishment, the Elders Creed will decide. As I explained, if, and I reiterate if Satrina wins, she will get to choose my punishment in accordance with the Alluminatae, but it will not be death. There are worse things than that,” he added under his breath.

“Addison—”

“Let me finish, Eva.” His eyes took on a stranger glow, an effulgence that made her chest tighten. “In this short time that I’ve known you, I’ve never felt more alive.”

She went to speak, but his steely stare silenced her.

“I am a creature of the night, a monster, and I promise that you will not suffer the same fate.” He paused with a sad smile. “Eva, there is such goodness in you, it blinds me. Its power is absolute. This world needs you. I don’t fear death—only yours. It’s been so long since I’ve felt anything. My soul has been dead for an eternity. I’ve lived this long for entirely selfish reasons. At first, I thought that if I followed the Alluminatae perhaps I could change things, be repented, something.” He trailed off, his voice subdued. “When I realized I was a fool to believe that, the thirst…” Pain swathed deep lines of sorrow across his face, and he cleared his throat. “A stronger man would have destroyed himself by now, but me, the succulent taste of blood and a beating heart, not from fodder, but from my own heart, is what has kept me here. To feel alive, something mortals take for granted.”

Addison placed her hand against his chest, his pec hard and chiseled beneath his shirt. “This beats only after I’ve fed, and the ice of my skin warms just a little, but I’m alive, Eva, alive! My curse is an addiction. It’s what has kept me in this world. I crave life, to feel human, and only appeasing my thirst achieves it. Yet…”

He dropped her hand and leaned back into his seat. Stoic, he stared out the tinted window. “You give me the same joy without the necessity of digesting blood. The thirst is there, always, but its torment is more bearable because of you.”

His confession rendered her speechless. Eva felt like someone had dropped her down a dark hole, but she hadn’t fallen; she floated instead.

“Satrina wants you because she sees what you do to me. And she can’t, and won’t allow me such happiness,” he added, his voice barely an audible whisper. His hand sought hers again, and he gave it a gentle squeeze. “You are a pawn in all this, Eva. And Satrina does this for spite. She’s very good at that, let me assure you. She cares nothing about life except what she can take from it.” He sighed. “You have opened eyes that have been blinded for centuries.”

Flabbergasted, Eva clung to his hand. Stifling silence filled the backseat. She swallowed past the lump in her throat and forced the words out. “She’s still in love with you, Addison.”

He humphed and gurgled a cruel chuckle. “Evil does not know how to love, Eva. It covets and then takes what it wants.”

2009-06-15T07:56:00.003-06:00

www.purplesword.com

The winner of my Forver and a Day Release Contest is...(drumroll)...

CATHIE!

This is what she said about Forever and a Day:

"Ok, wow! I so loved FOREVER AND A DAY. I was so teary eyed at the end ... I was glued to this story and even now as I write you, I know this will be one I'll re-read again soon. Dawné, I was so moved by this book! Thanks for a beautiful read!!

Readers Aren't Stupid ... So Get it Right!

2009-05-29T08:37:00.006-06:00

Nothing pisses me off more than curling up with a good book and reading certain bits of information, knowing that it's incorrect. In layman's terms, you've just read a book written by a lazy author. Writers...do your homework and never assume your readers are stupid. It is the ultimate insult to them. Yes, research is vital; it can be frustrating, time consuming, but more times than not, I guarantee that you will learn something new.

I had recently read a reader's blog wherein she was quite miffed about this novel she had just read. She'd recently bought a romance which had depicted certain medical terms, medications, procedures, etc. The author, unfortunately, hadn't taken the time to research her subject, and in the end, this reader, who worked in the medical profession, wrote off any future books from this particular author. One reader may not seem important to lose, but in the long run, who's to say how many others she'd share this information with.

When writing the first novel to The First series called Diary of Daniella Rolfe, I invented a city very similar to Seattle, so imagination fueled the information, giving truth to my words. The second book, however, my characters land in England, and some parts of the story moves to Scotland. I knew I could NOT (and would not) fool my readers into believing that I knew what I was writing about unless I researched it. Pouring over local maps of areas leading between London and Scotland, I researched roadways, names of towns and highways, etc. The third novel takes my characters to Seville, Spain. Again, more time consuming research to ensure I had the facts and "lay of the land" straight. Nightstalker takes place in New York. I've never been there, although I dream of visiting the city one day, but I knew I had to get these facts very right, especially the Burroughs of New York.

Words of wisdom to all authors: Research! It's the old adage...know what you are writing about. Readers ARE NOT dumb.

Forever and a Day New Release Contest

2009-04-28T14:15:00.008-06:00

Author: Dawné Dominique
Cover Artist: Dawné Dominique
Genre: Paranormal/ Erotic Romance/ Vampire
Length: Novella
Heat Level: Erotic Romance
Price: $3.50

To celebrate my new paranormal release of Forever And a Day, I am giving away a Calvin Klein casual lingerie set to one lucky winner. I'm hoping to be able to post a picture of it soon. *crosses fingers and toes*

Striped tank top in light purple, ivory and green with matching lacy dancer panties
Size: Large
Actual Value: $76.00 (Canadian)

Just email me the answer to this question at: dusktildawn007@yahoo.com

QUESTION: Who is the famous pirate mentioned at the end of Forever and a Day?

Good luck to everyone!

Coming Soon: EDEN'S HELL

2009-04-21T22:46:00.010-06:00

Coming Soon to Purple Sword Publications

www.purplesword.com

Author: Dawné Dominique
Cover Artist: Dawné Dominique
Genre: Paranormal
Length: Novel
Heat Level: Romance Erotica
*contains some violence

Blurb:

In the beginning…

God created man and called him Adam, a fine specimen replicated in his own image. He then created woman to ease Adam’s loneliness and named her Lillith. Unfortunately, God realized his mistake too late in giving woman free will, for she would rule her domain – not man.

When Lillith left Adam, God created another for his first-born son, and gave her the name Eve and a kingdom called Eden, but by then it was too late, for he’d unleashed Hell into the world of man.

Excerpt:

Addison continued to growl like a dog, low and menacing. The demonic sound made Eva shiver. Realization at what just happened sunk in.

He remained quiet on the ride back to the beach house. She, too, had little to say, but her brain couldn’t stop. This is all because of me. Me! Addison will be punished for trying to save my life. She faltered. But I’ll be dead, too. Satrina wants me six feet under. Eva snuck a sideways glance at Addison.

He stared out his window, his face as expressionless as ever, but she noticed the tiny lines surrounding his eyes had deepened and his lips were thinner, paler.
“I’m sorry, Addison,” she murmured. Although it sounded lame, she’d never felt more contrite as she did now.

Roused from his thoughts, he looked at her, confused. “So, it’s your turn to begin apologizing?”

She stared down at her hands, praying she wouldn’t cry. “If you hadn’t found me on the beach – ”

“Then you’d be living in a cage until you submitted to her…or she killed you.”

He took her hands in his, forcing her to look at him. Reluctantly, she did, trying not to break down.

“I’ve lived a very long time, Eva,” he began, “but I’ve been dead to everything around me. I’ve existed for one thing, my thirst, content in my hell until now.”

She drew back, not understanding.

Addison’s shoulders rolled with an indifferent shrug. “If there is punishment, the Elders Creed will decide. As I explained, if, and I reiterate if Satrina wins, she will get to choose my punishment, but it will not be death.”

“Addison – ”

“Let me finish, Eva.” His eyes took on a stranger glow, an effulgence that made her chest tighten. “In this short time that I’ve known you, I’ve never felt more alive.”

She went to speak again, but his steely stare silenced her.

“I’m a creature of the night, a monster, and I promise you that you will not suffer the same fate.” He paused with a sad smile. “Eva, there is such goodness in you, it blinds me. Its power is absolute. This world needs you. I don’t fear death – only yours.”

Pain swathed deep lines of sorrow across his face. “It’s been so long since I’ve felt anything. My soul has been dead for an eternity. I’ve lived this long for entirely selfish reasons. A stronger man would have destroyed himself by now, but me, the succulent taste of blood and a beating heart not from fodder, but from my own heart, is what has kept me here. To feel alive, something humans take for granted.” Addison placed her hand against his chest, his pec hard and chiseled beneath his shirt. “This beats only after I’ve fed, and the ice of my skin warms just a little, but I’m alive, Eva, alive! My curse is an addiction. It’s what has kept me in this world. I crave life, to feel human, and only appeasing my thirst achieves it. Yet…”

He dropped her hand and leaned back into his seat. Stoic, he stared out the tinted window. “You give me the same joy without the necessity of digesting blood. The thirst is there, always, but its torment is more bearable because of you.”

The confession rendered her speechless. Eva felt like someone had dropped her down a dark hole, but she hadn’t fallen; she floated instead.

“Satrina wants you because she sees what you do to me. And she can’t, and won’t allow me such happiness,” he continued, his voice barely an audible whisper. His hand sought hers again, and he gave it a gentle squeeze. “You are a pawn in all this, Eva. And she does this for spite. She’s very good at that, let me assure you. She cares nothing about life except what she can take from it.” He sighed. “You have opened eyes that have been blinded for centuries.”

Flabbergasted she clung to his hand. Stifling silence filled the backseat. She swallowed past the lump in her throat and forced the words out. “She’s still in love with you, Addison.”

He humphed and gurgled a cruel chuckle. “Evil does not know how to love, Eva. It covets and then takes what it wants.”

FOREVER AND A DAY Releases a day earlier

2009-04-21T22:22:00.005-06:00

www.purplesword.com

My newest vampire novella is being released a day earlier than expected through my new publisher, Purple Sword Publications. I wrote this one several years ago, but put it on a shelf and accidentally forgot about it. I recently found and resurrected the story. The research into this subject was completely fascinating, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Blurb:

How long would you search for your one true love? Weeks, months…centuries? Allix de Leon Montague is prepared to sail the four corners of the seas to find his Bella – just to beg her forgiveness.

Bleak, lonely centuries have passed for the bloodsucking pirate, but he refuses to stop searching for Bella, not until he has righted the wrongs he has committed against her.

Excerpt:

His eyes narrowed and his stomach clenched at what he had to do next. “Do you remember, Bella?” he whispered, trying to hold back his anguish. With a wave of a hand over her face, he brought forth his dark magic and the one memory he’d withheld from her. If she is to be mine again, she must know everything.

He cringed as terror-filled screams rang through the cabin, so clear and chilling that it felt as if he walked through the nightmare again. Every night since the horrific event, those cries still haunted him. Allix sent the memory into Annabella’s mind, knowing every minute detail. He sliced his tongue with a tooth and swallowed the minuscule fount in order to ease the gut-wrenching grief threatening to drown him.

Time disappeared and present day became the past. He saw Bella surrounded by madness and fire while scornful crowds of villagers blocked his vampiric sight. This was the memory he sent to her, the nightmare he could never escape, the same memory that had sent him on his never-ending quest to find her.

He had been hundreds of miles away when he first felt the tinges of danger emanating in the air around him, but he paid it no heed. Bella had always tried his patience and enjoyed playing cruel jokes on him, especially during his feedings. He thought this time was no different. How wrong he was. A delicious wench from the nearby village of Chäsgaard had him preoccupied at the time. When Bella’s panic-filled cries finally pulled him away from his delectable meal, only then had he sensed the true danger.

Hastening from their castle high in the Carpathian Mountains, Allix prayed he would arrive in time, yet instincts warned he would fail. He ignored common sense and propelled his body upward into the early evening sky. Every odious word the villagers shouted at Bella he’d memorized; every vile lie and insult they uttered as they maimed her nude body with stones and sticks, scorched into his soul.
He commanded the air currents, pushing himself faster, harder, beseeching gods he did not believe in that he not to fail. Over mountains and valleys he flew, seeing nothing except what was happening to Bella and despising his lack of power to stop it.

They’d lashed her hands to a thick stake in the village circle. Thick wreaths of garlic and wolfsbane hung around her neck, weakening her powers so she could not escape. Allix was still too far away. His panic worsened. When the licking flames obliterated his vision, he moved swifter through the air, pushing his dark gifts to their limits, choking on his dread. Bella’s screams pierced through him like jagged shards of broken glass. He felt the heat crisping away the beauty of her alabaster skin as the flames crept ever higher. He fell from the skies, overcome by pain and anguish. He plummeted to the earth, his ears hearing one final word from her lips.

Allixxx…

Free Read at Purple Sword Publications

2009-03-31T15:26:00.008-06:00

Excerpt

An ominous darkness fell over the crypt extinguishing the lamps like a frigid breath of death. Amidst the hush falling around them, the veils between the world of the living and that of the dead opened, but Jake had no idea what he’d done.
A whirlwind began spinning around the urn, small and inconsequential at first. Then it picked up momentum.

Mike jumped to his feet, his eyes round with fear, staring at what was once just harmless marble.

Angel didn't move, but her terror looked no less palpable than Mike’s. When she glanced at him, she, too, jumped to her feet and moved closer to Mike, her eyes frantically searching the murky crypt.

Jake didn’t care. He immersed himself into the spell, blocking out everything going on around them. He heard a soft, melodic voice reaching out to him, like an invisible lover’s embrace, cooing words of endearment not of this plane of existence. Mesmerized by the insistent pull no one else heard or felt, he shut his eyes, drawing himself closer to the force feeding on his life energy, drawing him closer to an abyss he wanted to fall headlong into. He let himself go, fearing no consequences. He’d forgotten his two best friends stood nearby; he’d forgotten everything but the soothing, lulling voice that continued to draw him forward toward the precipice of no return.

He didn’t see Angel and Mike stumble back as gusts of wind increased in velocity. Putrid smells filled the crypt. Posters peeled themselves off the cement walls and fluttered by them. Soon, pillows and papers joined the fray. Books began to fly of their own accord. Angel dodged one that missed her temple. It grazed off Mike’s shoulder, and he ducked just in time to miss another. They turned to Jake, but he didn’t give a shit.

Although he couldn’t see that well without the lanterns lit, when he glanced up and realized the horror etched on his friends’ faces, he sensed something was definitely wrong. Unbeknownst to him, his eyes glowed deep crimson and the skin across his face stretched so thin that the bones of his face stood out like a skeleton. He sat rigid, lost in the spell. They gawked at a stranger before them, speechless, but Jake didn’t care. All he felt and cared about was the voice inside his head.

"Call me forward, my savior," Saphenia whispered.

To read the entire short, visit:

www.purplesword.com

When Word Gets Out...

2009-03-12T09:23:00.009-05:00

When does speaking on a private author group get to become public knowledge? As a managing editor for a publisher, I hold a responsibility to the publisher I work for, as well as the authors who write the novels we produce. When something comes to my attention that I may find detrimental to authors, I usually place a post on my "publisher/author group" to warrant further discussion and elaboration. I must add here that no where else were these discussions taking place. When it concerns another publisher or a review house's actions, and I must stress here, "for discussion purposes only", when and how does that information become a free for all to share with others, but more specifically, the same "author(s)" I'm trying to protect takes that information back to the subject in question? Worse, how does one feel when they discover the very person(s) you are attempting to protect is the one stabbing you in the back?

The internet is free press, and I understand that, but when I pose my personal admissions and feelings and they are taken out of context, and I'm labelled as slanderizing, what is the point of these "private author groups"? What is the point of me doing my job in trying to protect an author's rights in giving them a heads up as to questionable practices of others?

I knew a publisher who ranted and raved (literally) on a private author group and those discussions were shared outside the realm of the group. However, in light of those often scolding, scathing messages, they had to be shared because of the content. They were detrimental to the authors under that particular publisher. My posting was to give a heads up to authors to find out more information to protect themselves -- nothing more.

The moral of this blog is that no matter what you say, just be careful saying it -- or don't say anything at all. The knife in my back is removed, but a scar will forever remain. Just another lesson to chalk on my blackboard of life.

I'm a guest blogger on Jon Michaelsen's Blog

2008-11-24T14:36:00.009-05:00

Come and read about Gremlins, new lyd releases, and some other novels that I'm currently working on. He has a beautiful page and some very interesting guest authors. www.jonmichaelsen.net

What if ... ?

2008-11-17T15:29:00.000-05:00

You have all heard the saying: If I knew then what I know now...

Well, what if you had an opportunity to change just one thing / one aspect / one decision, what would it be? Remember, it's just ONE.

For me, I wouldn't have listened and believed the idiot guy who told my virginity wasn't important. In other words, I would make my own decisions and not worry about what "others" thought (even if I thought I was in love).

This is what a hunky vampire should look like!

Gremlins, An Anthology

2008-10-29T07:46:00.004-05:00

GREMLINS, An Anthology is officially being released Friday, October 31st. Come join the authors of this unique novel at www.loveyoudivine-subscribe@yahoogroups.com for the Release Chat. This is a different kind of erotic romance. Seven of us authors created novellas which all include gremlins in the main story. This is not about gremlins gettin it on, but rather their human counterparts, and the havoc that these creatures create in a human's life. What is so unique about this novel is that a reader is offered a variety of genres: romance, contemporary, vampire, paranormal, horror, comedy and fantasy. There is something for everyone. Come and step into the darkness and lose yourself in tantalizing fiction. Do you dare?

AMY (from lyd's $eductive...and $old anthology)

2008-08-04T10:39:00.003-06:00

JUST RELEASED! http://www.loveyoudivine.com/

Ebook ISBN: 1-60054-215-2
Length: 6,269 words
Genre: Erotica
Rating: Shooting Star
Price: 3:00

Part of loveyoudivine's $eductive...$old anthology (coming soon in print)

Amy Radcliff took the job as a paid escort for Cream of the Crop Escort Service to help pay off her accumulating student loans. In her final year of corporate law, they need to be paid off—and soon. After a girlfriend tells her how much money she can make as a paid escort, Amy jumps at the opportunity. Faced with her first client, who is drop-dead gorgeous, and rich, Amy begins to realize that perhaps she’s not cut out for the job…or is she?

Teasing Excerpt:

At the request of the client, she wore a fitted black suit jacket and matching skirt with a modest hemline a few inches above slender, shapely knees. Red stiletto heels, no nylons, and a matching handbag added a risqué touch to the apparel, but still kept it professional looking. Flaxen-streaked hair twisted tight into a French bun made her feel awkward, but whatever the client requested, Patrice’s girls delivered. Amy thought she looked more like an uptight executive secretary than a paid escort, and she was thankful for the guise. No one in the hotel could have suspected what she was there to do.

Taking a deep breath, and running a tongue over lips that sported just a hint of color, she knocked on the hotel door.

“Come in,” a sonorous male voice called out.

Amy’s heart beat like a bongo drum. Swallowing past the lump in her throat, she waited for the click of a lock before gripping the door handle with sweaty palms and entering.

Thick, brocade drapes covered a large wall-to-wall window across from the entrance. She squinted in the dimness, her eyes slowly adjusting to the diffused gloom. On her right, a large sunken sitting room displayed an expensive settee and a bar. Large oriental vases filled with freshly cut flowers stood scattered around the room. It smelled like heaven, and little bit of her fear disappeared. Any man that liked fresh bouquets couldn’t be all that bad, right? Movement on her left caught her eye. She stared at the entryway leading into a massive bedroom—and the silhouette of a tall man leaning against the doorframe.

Amy gulped down a gasp. He stood shrouded in shadow, but it wasn’t fright that made her heart beat faster. Her first thought was why this guy would ever need an escort service. He was the most handsome man she'd ever seen, and oddly familiar, as well. Short, ebony hair layered in soft wisps rested against the nape of a thick, tanned neck. His unbuttoned, white silk shirt revealed a broad, hairless chest and washboard stomach. Black silk lounging pants hung from strong, muscular hips. He was dressed for an evening indoors. So much for dinner, she griped. I should have grabbed something to eat on my way here.

Unable to think of something clever to say, she stood in the foyer, gripping her purse tighter, trying not to gawk.

“I’m not what you expected, I see,” he murmured with a shrug. The deep voice carried a proper, lilting English accent with a cadence that caused goosebumps to rush up and down her spine.

Amy realized too late that her mouth hung open. Trying to gather her wits and look professional, she shook her head and lowered her gaze. “I’m sorry. I’m…I’m kinda new to this and—”

“Well, that makes two of us.” He paused, and the heat of his stare nailed her to the spot. “As you can see, I’m not really dressed for dinner. I’d rather stay in this evening. The hotel is full of people I’d rather not see. I can order us some dinner, if you wish.” An ebony brow quirked.

Confused, she tried not to blush at the ease in which he read her mind. Is terror written all over my face? He smiled then, and the brilliance of his white, even teeth glowed in the darkness of the room. The small gesture eased a little of her discomfort, but only just a tiny bit.

From the distance between them, she could see eyes that were a brilliant blue, a nose regal and Greek-like, and a strong, rugged jaw finished the picture. He looked more like a poster boy for a men’s fashion magazine than a client. Bemused, Amy tried to figure out why she was here. She’d always assumed the men who used escort services were pudgy, married and rich, preferring to have discreet affairs with beautiful women who kept their secrets safe. Why would someone like him have to pay for a woman’s attention?

2008-08-03T13:53:00.002-06:00

A ouija board (correctly pronounced "wee-jah" /wiʤə/ although often pronounced "wee-gee" /wiʤi/ ) is any flat surface printed with letters, numbers, and other symbols, to which a planchette or movable indicator points, supposedly in answer to questions from people at a séance. The fingers of the participants are placed on the planchette that then moves about the board to spell out messages. Ouija is a trademark for a talking board currently sold by Parker Brothers.[1] While the word is not considered a genericized trademark, it has become a trademark that is often used generically to refer to any talking board. In popular culture these boards are considered to be a spiritual gateway used to contact the dead; however, the only evidence for this is the various accounts of users. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouija

To Ouija or not to Ouija--this is my question. I don't know too much about this except what my instincts have always told me: STAY AWAY and KEEP THOSE DOORS CLOSED (and I always listen to my instincts). I've seen some things in my life that I know others haven't...or would understand. In fact, I rarely talk about it at all. I can't say I have powers or anything like that, but I can sense things others can't. I'm a twin as well, and when my sister is in pain or trouble, I know it, but it's strange...she doesn't have the same connection back.

As far back as I can remember, this board has brought such dread and cold fear in me. Why? I don't know. *shrugs* Even looking at the picture gives me shivers. I've been in antique stores where I've walked by one, couldn't see it, but that same horrid, familiar feeling overcame me. When I was thirteen, I was at a girlfriend's sleepover and, of course, the other girls wanted to "play". I was so adamant about them not even taking the board out of the box, that I cried and begged my girlfriend's father to take me home, which he did. My mother called me nuts. *sigh* She was none too happy to be woken after midnight by a hysterical daughter. For me, it's a gateway that is best left alone. Ouija'ing is definitely not for me. What about you?

2008-05-28T01:21:00.002-06:00

www.loveyoudivine.com

Bonamy and Clyde

Cover Artist: Dawne' Dominique

Novella: $3.00
Genre Dark Fantasy - Gremlins

(coming soon to print anthology)

Dipuc the gremlin has his hands full when he secretly causes havoc for Bonamy Parker, an uptight, scrupulous businesswoman, who has no time for any nonsense in her life or from those around her. Clyde Barow, her handsome, easy-going neighbor, is drawn into the gremlin’s mischievous ways, and sparks begin flying in more ways than one.

Bonamy is content living within the confines of her regimental routines; that is until Dipuc enters her life and everything she thinks important flies out the window. Her neighbor, Clyde Barow, has been smitten with Bonamy since he first saw her in the elevator of their apartment building, but she doesn’t know he even exists. Dipuc, a gremlin matchmaker, plays havoc with both their lives until a terrifying moment brings Bonamy and Clyde together. Can Bonamy see beyond her perfectionist ways and realize that perhaps Clyde is exactly what she needs? With a little impish help from Dipuc, all three of their worlds collide.

*N.B. No banks were robbed during the writing of this novel.*

New Release: RETURN TO ME

2008-05-28T00:55:00.007-06:00

http://www.amirapress.com/

Return to Me
$2.50
Genre: Vampire Erotica

Cover Artist: Dawné Dominique

Book Length: Short Story

Heat Level: Hot

I just signed with Amira Press, and I can't say enough nice things about this publisher. They are fantastic. I highly recommend them to anyone.

I just released Return to Me, a short, but very sweet, erotic romance about a vampire given the opportunity to become mortal by an angel of forgiveness, to appease all the blood and sins De'Anne has committed for centuries, and she finds she cannot refuse such a gift. But Nathan, a sailor she turned centuries before, has waited for her to tire of her mortal life long enough, and he refuses to wait any longer. When he visits on Samhain, the one night when their powers were the strongest, he brings with him all the memories De'Anne has supressed, but worst is the loneliness and grief she's felt since leaving Nathan.

Will she turn away from mortal life and return to Nathan, her one true love?

In death's footsteps...

2008-04-25T08:24:00.005-06:00

I always feel reget and sadness when I hear of a death, whether in my family or a friend's family. When I lost my father, he was the first person that left me, and the first death I ever had to deal with it. Our daughter was three years old, and my father died when he was the same age I am now. The scars and hurt remain forever, for time doesn't heal the pain...it just makes it more bearable to live with it. My father requested a certain poem to be read at his wake. Unbeknownst to me, I had no idea this poet was even related to us, but he is. Now, whenever I hear such sad news, I find myself reciting this wonderful piece of writing...and I always smile.

Do not stand at my grave and weep,

For I am not there, I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.

I am the diamond glints on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain.

I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you wake in the morning hush,

I am the swift, uplifting rush

Of quiet birds in circling flight.

I am the soft starlight at night.

Do not stand at my grave and weep,

For I am not there, I do not sleep.

Do not stand at my grave and cry.

For I am not there, I did not die.

Dylan Thomas

Sebastian: Our Cowboys Model

2008-04-02T17:29:00.003-06:00

The model who so hunkily and gracefully adorns our paperbook anthology, Cowboys, is a true gentleman. He saw our cover on my webpage at MySpace and contacted me personally to thank us for using his photo. I can't think of a more wonderful message to receive. If any of you wish to view his modeling portoflio, please take a moment to check out his page. You won't be disappointed. We hope to have him model for a few more (wink, wink). A true Peruvian gentleman!

http://www.myspace.com/2007sebastian

The Movie: Van Helsing

2008-03-08T16:39:00.003-05:00

I will confess that the first time I watched this movie, I was disappointed. There was nothing to really pin-point my disappointment, however. Since then, I have watched the movie about five more times and it has grown on me, in a good way.

What damsel in distress wouldn't want to be rescued by either of these men?

What Has Happened to Common Courtesy & Manners

2008-02-27T00:53:00.009-05:00

Okay, I'm venting because I just had to.

When you stop and take the time to hold open a door for someone, you're taking the time to be courteous and polite, right? Do you say anything when they don't acknowledge you or say thank you back? I've gotten into the habit that when I'm ignored now, I tell the rude person in a very loud voice, "You're Welcome!" And every time, they turn and look at me like I've grown another frigen head. I find this more so in the younger generation, but lately, I've noticed there's no age limit. Store clerks, bank tellers...it's a whole array of different people, young and old. My Dad was quick to give me a good cuff across the head when I didn't use my manners. A little extreme, yes, but I never forgot to use them either. I'm not condoning smacking manners in children, but hell, this is ridiculous.

My daughter, who is twenty-five, manages a retail store, and she's the first to say, "Oh, my God! I can't believe how rude some people are." The majority of the younger generation has no idea what "please", "thank you" or even "you're welcome" means. And yes, I place most of the blame on parents. My mother-in-law used to give me hell whenever I enforced manners on my daughter and say, "Oh, you're being too hard on her." Well, hellooo? That's how they learn. I kinda understand my Dad's reasoning now. I was never embarrassed to bring her to a social gathering. She knew her manners, including how to eat at a table. I've been in restaurants watching some people eat, and I've had to leave because I'm gagging. I'm not an uptight, prude, not by any means, but it just seems that people have forgotten how to be courteous and use manners--I believe it's called RESPECT.

Thank you for reading. *snickers*

Diary of Daniella Rolfe "Naughty Underwear Contest"

2008-02-20T14:51:00.008-05:00

A "Naughty Underwear" Promo Contest for Diary of Daniella Rolfe to celebrate the recent release of my first novel in "The First" series. Visit either of the websites below to read the excerpt, then e-mail me the answers to the following questions on my addy here:
http://myspace.com/dawnebooks

WHERE TO FIND THE EXCERPT:

http://www.newconceptspublishing.com/diaryofdaniellerolfe.htm

http://www.fictionwise.com/eBooks/eBook55280.htm

QUESTIONS:
1. What year was Daniella Rolfe born?

2. What color are Aiden’s eyes?

3. What is the temperature of Daniella's body?

4. How many times does Daniella feed?

On MARCH 15th, I will draw one name from all the correct answers and the winner will receive the following (remember to leave a valid e-mail address so I can contact the winner): A naughty WonderBra bra and panty set (underwire, t-shirt style):

--Matching tanga panty (looks like this) http://www.afashion.net/sexy-lace-tanga-shorts-p-409.html

--36A bra with applique of a small rose on top left of bra (looks like this) http://www.barenecessities.com/DKNY-Modern-Classics-Contour-Underwire-Bra_product_DKNY453593_,search,.htm

--bra is black with lace detail along sides; panty is black, green and dark pink lace--one small rhinestone adorns center front of bra and panty (Approximate value of set: $60.00)

- AND -

- Two 4 x 6 frames (black with dripping blood like the cover)

- Black diary (like the frames above)

- A package of Russian Musk Incense sticks

* Will ship to the US and Canada only.

The 2007 TRS CAPA

2008-02-14T10:48:00.003-05:00

I am absolutely tickled pink to be included as one of the nominees for TRS 2007 Best Contemporary Erotic Romance novel. Although Maya Banks took the award, I'm so thrilled for her. Congrats again, Maya. Just to be nominated is an achievement in and of itself, especially for my first published novel.

TRS will be giving away a PDF copy of Ridley's Rival sometime today to a lucky reader as a small token of my appreciation. Biggest thanks to The Romance Studio and all their very hard working staff.