Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Dead to Rights - dark paranormal

Dead to Rights

March 16, 2012
from Decadent Publishing

In paperback from Amazon

Identity theft sucks. But it’s worse when someone steals your life—body included. All memory of her life before waking up in a mental facility has vanished. Or was erased. Now she has to figure out how to get it all back….
Her only hope of learning the truth lies with one man. Problem is, he’s the leader of a cult.

Her only choice is to follow him into his sordid world, where a darker evil lurks.

With a little help from an archangel hellbent on revenge, she may have a chance to learn the truth. But will it force her to make the hardest decision of her life…or death?



Reviews

Tess Munro is in way, way over her pretty head. After waking up in an institution in a different body, with no memory as to who she is or what has happened, and no identification, and an unexplainable urge to attend a mysterious appointment, Tess knows she must figure out what on Earth is going on. But that is much easier said than done. Once released from the institution, Tess is shocked when she sees her former self on TV, doing an interview with a slimy weasel of a cult preacher. And then the real adventure begins. Tess will ultimately learn to deal with her self image, as well as the way people perceive her, and how to stop a band of demons hell-bent on taking over the Earth. She will also figure out her feelings for Michael, a mysterious man who seems determined to protect her from everything, including herself.
Dead to Rights is a fantastically fun novel that is instantly engaging. The story covers all kinds of things, from love to self worth to things better left to angels and demons. Readers everywhere will thoroughly enjoy this novel as much as I did.

An imaginative story with a great premise, and yes, the powerful hero is without a doubt, to die for, and the heroine is, with every personality involved, spot on. I really enjoyed the plot twists.
- author Arlene Webb: 5 stars

Dead to Rights is a stay-in-your-seat story. Once you begin to read, you won't want to get up from said seat. The narrative is filled with action, surprise, hunky angels (yes! absolutely, divinely hunky), heroines with multiple personalities (there's a great reason why), and enough bad guys to make you look over your shoulder. If you enjoy suspense, fast-paced action and trying to guess what comes next, you'll have fun with this book.
- reader MCM: 5 stars



Who did Cate envision as these characters? Check out the Casting Call.



Excerpt

“Get off me,” I hissed, but somehow felt safe when he instead lifted his elbows on either side, shielding me.

A dangerous illusion. He was one of them, a weird ninja warrior. This smacked of a setup.

He murmured, “I told you, play along. No one will bother us if they think we’re making out.”

Oh, that’s a new one. But it held a ring of truth, though I worried he’d relay everything I said in person. “What the hell’s going on?”

He scanned the compound. “You’re lucky they didn’t shoot you.”

Funny, at close range, he couldn’t seem to look me in the eye. “No one ever said we couldn’t go for a freaking walk.”

“Not at night,” he said, “and never into the woods.”

Sounded like a bad Halloween flick. “Oh, seriously.” I shifted between his raised arms.

His eyes flashed bright in the darkness. “Fine. You want to know why not? Because all along the outer perimeter, camouflaged guards hide. Armed with automatic machine guns. That is, if you make it past the traps.”

So it had been the click of a gun. What the hell kind of traps? Too many questions raced through my head, so I simply asked, “Why?”

Sounding bemused, he said, “The reverend doesn’t like unannounced visitors.”

Except for horny females. “Or followers who stray, I guess.”

He went on. “In this area, no one questions gunfire, whether single shots or rapid fire, day or dead of night. No other member would question someone’s disappearance.”

Cold crawled across my skin. “So we’re prisoners.”

This seemed to cheer him. “Only technically.”

A laugh burst out. “Oh, I love your positive spin on the situation. But I take issue with its accuracy.” I studied him in the dim light. “If we’re not allowed in the woods, what were you doing out there?”

His voice deadpan, he said, “Saving you.”

Oh, that couldn’t have been the only reason. “You risked your life to follow me? Why?”

He grinned. “No one should be shot for ignorance.”


 Thanks to all who voted for the cover for Dead to Rights at Embrace the Shadows! It won the August Cover Clash!

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Touring here and there

More blog stops today and tomorrow! Visit me today at Louise Wise's blog, where I'm spotlighting Angels Sinners and Madmen while waxing nostalgic about five things I've learned.

On Thursday, I'll have a special guest here, but I hope you'll pop over to Literary Magic for my interview there.



Monday, June 28, 2010

Follow the Stars Home to release on August 7!

My Native American historical romance, Follow the Stars Home, will be available on August 7. Check out the trailer, which I just finished:



I'm very excited about its release! The story's very dear to me. Here's a sneak peek:

A movement in the trees caught his eye, the slightest shift in the shadows. He lowered the stick and sat still as a tree atop his buffalo skin. An animal would have revealed itself, so he suspected a person hid there. His heart tightened with hope. After waiting a moment, he called, “Hello?”
The moonlight alighted her doeskin dress no matter as she stepped from the shadows into the clearing.
He scrambled to his feet. “Quiet Thunder. You’re here.” His thick voice caught in his throat and his self-confidence abandoned him. Long he’d waited for this moment, but now felt unsure what to do.
Her words rushed out in a strangled breath. “Yes. I heard the cry.”
He held the twig with both hands and twisted it. “I played all afternoon trying to get it right.”
Her eyes widened as she recognized the siyotanka. He’d made the flute hoping to enchant her with its magic. His song must be working—she walked to him as if drawn by it.
“I thought it an elk’s cry.”
The high praise made his breath tangle in his ribs. Grandfather told tales of Lakota who cut cedarwood branches to craft a flute shaped like the long neck and head of a bird with an open beak. The instrument’s sound resembled the call of an elk, powerful medicine supposed to make a man irresistible to the woman he loved.
He lowered his head. “I hoped it would bring you here.” Shyness overcame him, and he could not meet her gaze, only stare at the siyotanka.
“You brought me here.”
Her words were bold with truth. Tonight, he wanted to speak only truth. To hear only truth.
His gaze leaped to hers. Glancing at the bow she carried, he grinned. “You came to shoot me?”
Ducking her head, she said softly, “No.”
When he reached for the bow, his hand grazed hers, and he struggled against the urge to pull her close. “I’ll set them down. Nearby, in case you need them.” Gently, he slid the strap from her shoulder and put both next to the buffalo skin, then extended his hand for her to sit. Nervousness twisted through him, made every action stiff and formal as if performing a ritual. Since childhood, he’d run with Quiet Thunder, shot arrows with her, rode horses with her. Two summers ago when a sticker branch cut her leg, he’d carried her to a stream. Holding her in his arms had awakened new feelings, and since then, his fingers itched to feel her skin every night.
She knelt, and then sat atop her legs. “Are you all right?”
He crossed his legs and sat. “I am now that you’re here.” Biting his lip, he cast his gaze away. Happiness surged through his spirit, filled his skin so full it threatened to burst open.
“Play me your song.” Like the stars twinkling above them, her eyes sparkled, like laughing spirits clustered in crowds along the white carpet of the Milky Way.
He lifted the flute to his lips and gently blew. His song seemed to enchant everything around them. Fireflies glittered like falling embers. The music of the stream mixed with the flute. His heart skipped and danced with the lilting tune, the tune he made for her alone.
When she closed her eyes, he painted her beauty in his memory.
She opened her eyes. “Why did you stop?”
Black Bear stared at her, the fullness in her gaze made his breath flutter like the fireflies. “The moonlight lit your face. You’re more beautiful than ever.” Warmth coursed through his face. He must have enchanted himself with the song. Though he’d thought it many times, he’d never before called her beautiful.
Unable to hold back any longer, he knelt in front of her, and she lifted up to kneel before him. Entwining his fingers through hers, he held them against the scar on his chest where the bone tore through two summers ago. With a voice soft as a trickling stream, he spoke. “I welcomed the pain of becoming a man. Do you know why?”
“Because you wanted to be a great warrior?”
His thumbs caressed the back of her hands. “No. The time of great Sioux warriors is ending. I must learn to be a better hunter. To provide for my family.” A family he wished with all his heart to have with her. His insides lurched when she glanced down.
“Black Bear—”
She tried to slide her hand away, but he held it fast.
“Please let me speak.”
His seriousness silenced her. With a nod, she lifted her gaze to his scar, the mark of his love for her. It spoke of his hopes for their future. From now on, he wanted it to be a reminder of this night.
Soft urgency gave fire to his words, and the fire sparked in his blood. “I know now why you are called Quiet Thunder. I didn’t know I could feel such thunder inside. It overtakes me every night while I try to sleep. In everything I do, I feel your spirit with me. I need to know if you feel the same.” He pressed her hand against his scar so she might feel his heart thudding through his skin. It pulsed with his life’s blood as if to mingle with her own.
When she raised her chin, moonlight illuminated her face, her dark eyes ablaze. “Yes.”
He exhaled a ragged breath and leaned in to touch his lips to hers. When she slid her arms around his neck and pressed close to him, he felt in danger of floating into the laughing stars. With slow purpose, he slid his mouth against hers, fueling desires he’d never before experienced. The effort of holding himself back caused him to tremble. Slowly he lifted his lips and whispered her name fervent as a prayer, his breath stirring her hair.
She clung to him, her arms wrapped tight around his waist like a vine clinging to a tree.



Sunday, June 27, 2010

Chrystalla Thoma in the Author Spotlight

Cate: Please welcome Chrystalla Thoma. Will you please share a short bio with us?
Chrystalla: I like to say that I’m a permanent resident of fantasy land, living among angels and demons, elves, vampires and werewolves. But my body at least lives in Cyprus with (I am Greek Cypriot) with my wonderful husband and mountains of books. When not reading or writing, I work as a freelance translator.


Cate: Greece is on my travel bucket list! Tell us about your YA Urban Fantasy novella, published in March, and where it's available.
Chrystalla: Dioscuri is a retelling of the ancient myth of the twin brothers Kastor and Polydeukes, Zeus’ sons, one of whom is mortal and the other immortal. The story is set in a alternative history, modern-day Athens where the ancient gods have woken again, and they are at war with mortals. The two brothers fight against the monsters sent by the gods. When the mortal brother, Kastor, dies in battle, his immortal sibling Polydeukes takes things in his own hands and makes a dark deal with the Underworld. A deal Zeus will sooner or later discover and all hell will break loose.

In this war against the monsters crawling out of the underground passages and the construction sites, and the complicated games of the higher gods of Olympus, certain lesser immortals take the mortals’ side: nature sprites, the satyrs, silenes, nymphs and the griffins, aid Kastor and Polydeukes not only in hand to hand battle, but also in figuring out the mystery of Kastor’s return to life and the deal his brother made with Hades.



Cate: Very cool. Please tantalize us with a story blurb or excerpt.
Chrystalla: This is an excerpt from the point of view of Polydeukes (the immortal twin).



A cry left his lips when a strong hand clamped on his shoulder.  “Damn it; give a guy a warning first!”

“Come with me.”

“Satyr?”

“Someone’s here to talk to you.”

The Satyr dragged him into one of the smaller temples.  Nobody was there.

Pol grinned.  “A long distance call?”

“Sort of.”

His grin died.  That meant someone from down below or from high above.  A higher immortal.

Colors shimmered in the air like a rainbow.  A woman appeared, willowy and translucent.  Iris, messenger of the gods.  This couldn’t be good.

“Hey.”  The words stuck in his throat.  “How’s Dad?”

She nodded, acknowledging him.  “Polydeukes.  Mighty Zeus is busy battling Ares over Asia and remains as yet ignorant of this situation.  Persephone sends me with a message.”

“Oh.”  Pol rubbed the back of his neck, feeling something bad coming.  “And that is?”

“Desist from this foolish game.  Hades won’t find it cute.”

He blinked.  “Persephone said that?  The great queen of the dead?”

“Not in these exact words.”

“Ah.”  He shook his head.  “Look.  It may look like a game to the high ones, but to me this is serious.  It’s about my brother’s life.  I’m not giving up on him.”

“Great Persephone says Kastor is meant to be in the hall of the dead.  Your brother is starting to remember, and to investigate.  Soon he will figure this out, and call attention to himself.”

Damn!  “Remember what?”

“His own death.”

Pol folded his arms across his chest as a trembling started low in his body.  “Is that right?”

“Yes.  What will you do?”

“Please.”  He clenched his jaw.  “I need time to think of something, a way to keep him alive.  Please ask the great queen of the dead for understanding.  Ask her for more time.”

Iris turned away, glancing over her shimmering white shoulder.  “Farewell, Zeus’ son.  I have delivered my message.”

“Please—”

“Do not wait until the father of the immortals discovers what you have done.  There will be no escape from his wrath.  Do you really want to sacrifice the world for your brother?”

The trembling spread to every limb.  Pol collapsed to his knees, despair a lump of ice in his belly.  “You can’t ask me to choose!”  But she was gone already.  “Zeus won’t do that.  He won’t destroy the world because I kept one of his sons alive!”

A deep voice said, “You never know.”



Cate: Wonderful. Can you tell us why we're going to love your hero?
Chrystalla: Kastor and Polydeukes are very different from each other, and yet courage and their brotherly love for each other binds them in a way that goes beyond death. Kastor is the quiet one, and yet he takes the ultimate risk to find and save his brother, while Polydeukes, the loud outspoken one will discover what makes one human and loved.



Cate: Tease us with one little thing about your fictional world that makes it different from others.
Chrystalla: This is Athens as you may (or may not) have imagined it: gritty and full of graffiti (as it really is today) but also full of ancient magic and mythological creatures. In this timeline, the mortals have by mistake woken up the ancient gods. A Resistance group is barricaded in the secret passages inside the Acropolis Hill, and squadrons are sent out to battle monsters as they emerge from the underground and the construction sites where the mortals have unwittingly tapped into the sleeping chambers of chimeras, lamias, echidnas – the stuff of nightmares. The ancient monsters can only be defeated through the use of ancient swords and ruses. On the side of the mortals are the griffins, the satyrs, the silenes and the nymphs. Meanwhile, the higher gods wage battle in the sky.



Cate: Love this premise. What's next for you?
Chrystalla: Thanks for asking this! I am very excited because by August I will have a YA novel out, called “Rex Rising” which is the story balancing on the line between science fiction and paranormal, where Elei, the young protagonist, is on the run with a bullet in his side, hunted for a secret he doesn’t know. I am also writing the sequel right now, and about to start working on a paranormal steampunk novel with vampires… I just need to finally find the time to write more!



Cate: I hear you... :)  What inspired you to draft your first story?
Chrystalla: I never tire of saying this: The novel “The Neverending Story” by the German author Michael Ende – surrealistic, beautiful, heart-wrenching. I discovered it when I was nine and is still one of my favorite books.


Cate: Loved the movie, now I'll have to check out the book. Do you have a writing routine?
Chrystalla: Not really. I write whenever I find the time – on the break at work, jotting down notes whenever an idea strikes me, in the evenings at home, in the weekends. I like having music, though, preferably something rock or goth.

Cate: Where can readers find you on the web?
Chrystalla: Here is my blog:


On my author page of MuseItUp publishing:







Cate: Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?
Chrystalla: Don’t you also find twins fascinating? Because as you can see, I do!


Cate: Readers, Chrystalla is giving away a book to one lucky commenter. She'll pick a winner next weekend and announce the winner here.

Thanks so much for being my guest Chrystalla! Best of luck to you.

Writing tips from the greats

My shelves are full of writing books. How-to's, workbooks, writers essays on writing. When will I reach a point that I don't need them anymore?

Hopefully never. I love to read about other authors, their processes, and their tips especially. Each has a different process, and some tips don't work for other writers. But many do.

Here's some great advice from some great writers.

1. Cut the boring parts
I try to leave out the parts that people skip. ~Elmore Leonard
Unless you’re writing for personal reasons alone, you need to consider the attention of your readers. There’s no point is publishing content that isn’t useful, interesting, or both.

2. Eliminate unnecessary words
Substitute “damn” every time you’re inclined to write “very;” your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be. ~Mark Twain
I used to feel that using words like “really”, “actually”, or “extremely” made writing more forceful. It doesn’t. They only get in the way. Cut them and never look back.

3. Write with passion
Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart. ~William Wordsworth
It’s not hard to realize that unless you’re excited about your writing no one else will be.

4. Paint a picture
Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass. ~Anton Chekhov
Simply stating something is fine, but when you need to capture attention, using similes, metaphors, and vivid imagery to paint a picture creates a powerful emotional response.

5. Keep it simple
Vigorous writing is concise. ~William Strunk Jr.
Maybe it was all those late nights, struggling to fill out mandatory 10 page papers, but many people seem to think that worthwhile writing is long and drawn out. It’s more difficult (and effective) to express yourself in the simplest possible manner.

6. Do it for love

Write without pay until somebody offers to pay. ~Mark Twain
When you’re just starting out it’s hard to decide where to begin. So don’t. Just start writing. A blog is a good place to start. The most valuable benefit is the feedback.

7. Learn to thrive on criticism
You have to know how to accept rejection and reject acceptance. ~Ray Bradbury
Writing means putting yourself at the mercy of anonymous hecklers and shameless sycophants. Learn to make the most of the insults and distrust the praise.8. Write all the time
Quantity produces quality. If you only write a few things, you’re doomed. ~Ray Bradbury The way you define yourself as a writer is that you write every time you have a free minute. If you didn’t behave that way you would never do anything. ~John Irving

9. Write what you know … or what you want to know
If any man wish to write in a clear style, let him be first clear in his thoughts; and if any would write in a noble style, let him first possess a noble soul. ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Learn as much by writing as by reading. ~Lord Acton
Successful writing is all about trust and authority. It makes sense to write about your area of expertise. If you don’t have an expertise, reading and writing is the best way to develop one and put it on display.

10. Be unique and unpredictable
I owe my success to having listened respectfully to the very best advice, and then going away and doing the exact opposite. ~G.K. Chesterton Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative. ~Oscar Wilde Zest. Gusto. How rarely one hears these words used. How rarely do we see people living, or for that matter, creating by them. Yet if I were asked to name the most important items in a writer’s make-up, the things that shape his material and rush him along the road to where he wants to go, I could only warn him to look to his zest, see to his gusto. ~Ray Bradbury


Saturday, June 26, 2010

Harrisburg Book Festival starts today!

I'll have a signing table from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday inside The Midtown Scholar Book Store, located at 1302 North Third Street, Harrisburg PA 17102.

The event will feature lots of great local authors, strolling actors portraying literary greats, and a discount book sale table.

Here's a writeup by the local newspaper.

Sounds like the start of a wonderful annual tradition. I hope you're able to join us!

Friday, June 25, 2010

In the Author Spotlight: K.A. Laity

Cate: Please welcome K. A. Laity. Kate, will you please share a short bio with us?
Kate: I'm a medievalist, novelist, journalist, dramatist and English Professor. Much of my work is inspired by myth, folklore and fairy tales, like my short story collection Unikirja which grew from my love of Finnish myths and legends. I use a lot of my studies in my work, because I love sharing the magical discoveries I have made in old manuscripts and obscure languages.

Cate: Tell us about your latest release and where it's available.
Kate: My latest book is Pelzmantel which is available from Immanion Press. You can also see the book trailer.

Cate: Please tantalize us with a story blurb or excerpt.
Kate: Let's see: there's a fox who's really a centuries old Irish witch, there's a kitchen maid who's really a princess in disguise – and then there's this walnut that holds an entire wardrobe! Pelzmantel spins a tale of medieval magic where people and things are seldom what they seem to be on the surface. Infused with genuine magical lore and history, this inspired retelling of the Grimm Brothers' "Allerleirau" uncovers the seldom-glimpsed world behind the glitz: the hard work that keeps a castle running and the secrets lives of women in the Middle Ages and the bonds of friendship they forge.

Cate: What inspired you to write about the theme?
Kate: I have always been fascinated with fairy tales and I loved being able to incorporate what I knew about medieval magic. From the start, I knew the story would be told from Nanna's point of view—she's the centuries old witch from Ireland—but it would be set in Denmark. It was not uncommon for the Vikings to capture Irish people and sell them as slaves.

Cate: How do you develop your plots and characters?
Kate: I fleshed out the original brief tale by figuring out the motivations behind the events: a mother dying, a father turning against his own daughter, her escape. Who were the people that would help her, and what were their stories? Few of the characters are developed, let alone sympathetic. I wanted to show how these events might plausibly develop.

Cate: Do you feel as if the characters live with you as you write? Do they haunt your dreams?
Kate: I hear their voices, sometimes at night, often just as I'm waking. I have a long-developed habit of keeping a notebook by my bed so when these visions come I can write them down before they slip away. Morning is usually when nagging problems get solved, if I can capture the answer from that liminal state. My subconscious works while the rest of me sleeps.

Cate: What's next for you?
Kate: I'm working on final revisions for an urban fantasy novel that's set in the present but in a slightly different United States, one that lost the Revolutionary War and has recently come under the occupation of some rather enigmatic aliens. My heroine is a kind of accidental shaman, who's reluctant to figure out what that means and mostly seems to disappoint the people around her—like putting her best friend into a coma for ten years. He's just woken up and it sets in motion a lot of strange events.

Cate: Any other published works?
Kate: I have a short story collection, Unikirja, which is Finnish for "dream book." It features stories inspired by Finnish myth and legends, some set in the ancient world and some in the modern world. The final work in it is a play, "Lumottu", which celebrates the lives of Finnish immigrants in Michigan. I have a wealth of short stories, reviews, journalism and more which you can find at my website, www.kalaity.com. I also have a secret alter ego, C. Margery Kempe, who writes erotic romance, like the sexy Bond-like thriller, Chastity Flame.

Cate: Describe your writing in three words.
Kate: Intelligent. Magical. Humorous.

Cate: What’s the most challenging aspect of writing? Most rewarding?
Kate: The most challenging part of writing is finding that strength daily to persist in it. There are a thousand ways to lose your nerve, to doubt, to avoid the draining process of making something out of nothing. But the most rewarding part is when the magic happens and the words just flow.

Cate: What’s the most interesting comment you have received about your books?
Kate: Oooh, hard to say; maybe when Liz Hand called me "a very remarkable sorceress indeed".

Cate: Who are some of your favorite authors and books? What are you reading now?
Kate: I read a lot of non-fiction, especially when I'm writing fiction, either biographies or information about a time period or subject that will become part of a new novel. The books that made me a medievalist are very important, Beowulf and Njal's Saga. Both get little nods in Pelzmantel. In the fantasy realm, I love Liz Hand, Storm Constantine, Charles de Lint, Graham Joyce and Clive Barker but I also am very fond of nineteenth century novelists like Jane Austen, Elizabeth Gaskell and Wilkie Collins. I'm starting a new novel that was inspired by Angela Carter and Kinsgley Amis -- don't ask me to explain how I get those two together! –- but they're also important writers for me. I read a wide variety of books, comics and blogs.

Cate: Where can you be found on the web?
Kate: My website is www.kalaity.com and my news blog is katewombat.blogspot.com; I also have a comic gothic serial at kalaity.blogspot.com and I'm on Twitter and Facebook (and so is C. Margery Kempe).

Cate: Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?
Kate: What's your favourite fairytale and why?

Cate: Thanks for being my guest today, Kate! Best of luck to you.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Author Chat with Sherry Soule

Hi Sherry! So glad to have you at Author Chat, where we can learn a little bit about you, and your book, Beautifully Broken.
Sherry: Glad to be here!

Grab a cappuccino and let’s chat. Unless you have another favorite drink (alcoholic or otherwise)?
Sherry: Nope. Sounds yummy!

Fur or feathers, petwise?
Sherry: Fur! (I’m partial to cats)

Any pet peeves? One thing that really burns your biscuits?
Sherry: People who author bash. Unprofessional.

I agree, and uncalled for. Favorite quote?
Sherry: “If there's a book you really want to read but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.” –Toni Morrison

Great advice! Love her. What’s your ideal day like?
Sherry:  Wake up. Drink lots of flavored coffee. Pet cat. Check emails. Write. Watch a scary movie. Get into bed to read for 2 hours before sleep.

Sounds great, except for the scary movie part, lol. I’m a chicken. If you could live out any fantasy, what would you do?
Sherry: Have Damien or Spike the vampire as my boyfriend for a day. Er, I mean—night! he he

Beethoven, Beatles, Foo Fighters or Keith Urban?
Sherry: Foo Fighters

I love them too. :) Do you have a music playlist for your book?
Sherry: Not really. I listened to a lot of Linkin Park.

Which of your characters would you most/least to invite to dinner, and why?
Sherry: I’d invite Evans (the paranormal investigator) to hear his stories on the supernatural and about the haunted history of Whispering Pines, where the story takes place. (He also has his own blog.)

While creating your books, what was one of the most surprising things you learned?
Sherry: What writers and editors meant by “VOICE.” I didn’t get it before. And I learned a lot by critiquing other writer’s work.

Where can readers find out more about you?
Sherry: Glad you asked!
Official website: http://sherrysoule.com

Please share a book blurb and/or excerpt.
Sherry: One of my favorite scenes is the first meeting between the two protagonists:

For a moment, I ignored the shadows, the fog, and the wraith. As if the moonlight and his gaze had transformed me into something brave and beautiful. Something enchanted like a wildflower in the shade of the forest. We gazed at each other with a fierce unrest. The world had gone still with a seething passion, which agitated the space between our bodies. Night contained only the two of us. Trent’s emerald eyes were half-closed, the pupils huge, and I felt myself falling into them. My body ached. My heart swelled with desire. So many words went unspoken as we lingered in the dark. But all thought and words seemed to slip away.
A car drove past and I blinked, feeling slightly dazed. And under a spell.

Wonderful! Thanks for chatting, Sherry! Best of luck to you.
Sherry: It was an honor and a pleasure, chatting with you! Thank you for having me.