Midweek Mayhem: Red scales, smoke burps and a Frankenscar... What's she becoming? #Excerpt #DragonsFTW

Working it out…

• (NEW) Entered Becoming into the Land of Enchantment: The Rebecca Contest! Deets to enter here.
• (NEW) Monday was an Author Spotlight on Hunt by Melissa Stevens!
• (NEW) Entered Becoming into the Lone Star Contest (Houston Chapter of RWA)! Deets to enter here.
• (NEW) I'm doing it again! Booked my agent pitch session at the Romance Writers of America conference coming up in July!!
• (NEW) Yesterday during #PitMad on Twitter I received 4 requests for Becoming and a lot of really positive feedback/favorites from Twitter followers who want to read it! Gotta get my dragons published!!  

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The Becoming Playlist!

Wanted to share some of the songs that inspired me as I wrote Becoming...
Crimson and Clover by Joan Jett

Hearing voices…

Cover art by Danielle Fine

• My dark and gritty new adult urban fantasy with cursed dragon shifters, titled Becoming, is completely edited!!!!! And I'll be pitching it at RWA in July if I don't have an agent before then...but cross your fingers and toes and eyes and, erm, anything you can cross cos it's with FOUR awesome agents right now!!! :D
• Check out my stunning cover inspiration (right side above this paragraph) designed by the talented Danielle Fine!!!
• Twitter pitch: After a transplant gives Zoe a dragon shifter’s heart, she learns that her online boyfriend is her donor and...a girl.

♥ Today's excerpt is brought to you by roll of the dice feature at Random.Org :P (Chapter 6, 6th page, 1st paragraph). Aiden (the knight AKA dragon killer) is having lunch with Zoe to exchange cellphones from when they literally ran into each other at the hospital and something terrifying happens to Zoe.

She dropped her pizza onto her plate with a thud. Clutching her arm to her chest, she bolted for the ladies room. Not stopping to pick up her phone or her bag, she ran. What the hell was wrong with her? Had she imagined that? Had Aiden seen it?

In the bathroom, she shoved her scalding arm under the faucet, waving her other hand in front of the auto-sensor to keep the water on. A toilet flushed, and Zoe bent down, trying to appear as if she were just washing her hands. The other girl seemed distracted, in her own little world of makeup application.

When she finally left, Zoe let out a whimper. She wanted to scream, but who knew how many other women were in the stalls? She stared down at her arm. It looked completely normal. No insane red scales. No burning. She cut off the water and took a couple deep breaths. This was all too much. The weird puffs of smoke, the sensation of always being too hot and, now, flashing scales. How could this be happening? This was not what she’d expected from her second chance at life.

Dragon update... The prequel for Becoming (titled Longing) is finished and on tomorrow will be with my fabulous editor!! :D

Gotta ♥ a dragon!  

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Cover art by Danielle Fine

Waiting game...

• On week #13 of waiting to hear back from a lovely agent who is reading Running From Shadows.
• Requests for Becoming! Squee!!! On week #7 with one awesome agent (partial), and week #3 with the three other awesome agents (full)!! *fingers and toes crossed* 

Reading...

• Am reading The Hours by Michael Cunningham. Amazing premise...it's three stories in one, going on at the same time :) Am at 61%.
• Looking for book recommendations and reviews for your 2013 TBR List? Check out The Perks of Being a Book Nerd! 

Bonus material... 

*Writers, looking for a talented editor? I highly recommend Danielle Fine. She's edited four manuscripts of mine and has taught me so much! I'm a stronger writer because of her guidance. Also, she designed my beautiful inspiration cover art for Becoming and Running From Shadows! Annnnd she created the book trailer for Witch Way to Turn! 
*For more information on Dani's editing services, cover design, book trailer creation and website design stop by her site >>>> here!

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Random Alert! Alert. Alert. Alert... 

This vid because it is both random and awesome! So, erm, size does matter :P

So, this was the line to get OUT of Costco last Sunday... Eep! It is truly the 7th Circle of Hell. o.O

I didn't buy any of these, but I had to take a pic (for y'all :P) cos I used to eat these ALL the time in college...a walk down memory lane at the Costco!

LOL Two for you! This sign cracked me up ;) Brunch on Sunday at this awesome little garden cafe place.

Totally figured out my cellphone camera can do this Brady Bunch type thingy, but I don't know how it did it!! There's gotta be a setting someplace, right?? o.O Why is technology such a tease???

The demon pup slumbers...

Author Spotlight Hunt by @MelissaTStevens!! #Book3 #PNR #UF #series

Hunt by Melissa Stevens

Kitsune: Book Three

Nickie returns to town eager to get back to her life and routine but soon discovers that there are many more changes headed her way. After an old school friend is murdered, a threatening message is written on the news article about her death and left for Nicki. She begins to wonder if maybe her friend had been killed as a warning to her, but why?

Together, Nickie and Devon set out to figure out who is behind the murder and what it has to do with Nickie, but can they do it before she gets hurt again?

More Information and Buy Links

Excerpt:

I got home and made my way up the stairs to my third floor apartment, expecting Devon to be there, only to find the place empty. I checked the electronic lock panel next to the door, the entry log said no one had been inside since I'd left that morning. I frowned, wondering where Devon was as I started toward the bedroom to change out of my suit. As I turned toward the bedroom I spotted a piece of paper on the floor near the door, close to the wall or I would have stepped on it when I came in.

After the last thing I'd found under my door I wasn't sure I really wanted to know what this was, but I picked it up anyway. It was a printout of the news article I'd read that morning about Annie, but someone had slashed "SHOULD HAVE BEEN YOU" across the front with a red marker. Rolling my eyes, I set it on the table next to the door and went to change clothes.

I peeled out of my suit and hung it up. I was still standing in my underwear flipping through the clothes hanging in the closet, trying to find something to wear when I heard the front door open. I froze. I scented the air and caught the smoky fragrance that was Devon, but I wasn't sure if it was him coming in or a remnant from him sleeping in my bed. I really needed to learn to differentiate between old scents and fresh ones.

"Nick?" Devon's voice called from the living room. I let out the breath I'd been holding and went back to looking for something to wear.

"In here." I called back, pulling a sundress off a hanger. I quickly pulled it over my head and, still pulling it down, went to see him.

He stood just inside, frowning down at the threatening note, "Where did this come from?"

"I found it inside the door when I came in. You're later than I expected, I thought you'd be here when I got home."

He looked up, "I got hung up at your folks, and then I stopped and picked up dinner." He lifted the bag still hanging from one hand, "I don't like this." he said.

"I'm not real crazy about it, but what are we gonna do? I refuse to be terrorized or intimidated by people too cowardly to identify themselves."

He sighed, "Will you at least agree to be careful? The idea that what happened to Annie could happen to you scares me." he looked back down at the paper with its angry red markings.

I watched him for a second, before speaking, "I won't do anything stupid. I'll watch out and avoid situations where I could be taken unaware, but I can't let these threats rule my life."

"I don't expect you to, I just want you to be careful. Have you at least told the Anikitos about it?"

Anikitos is what we call our pack leaders, at least among the Kitsune who become wolves, our Anikitos has been a friend of my family for years, Bill is like a second father. Knowing and trusting him had helped my transition when I discovered the Kitsune and that I am one.

I shook my head, "I haven't had a chance. I've been home less than ten minutes." he looked at me expectantly, "I'll tell him, just not right now."

"All right, then." he nodded, content that I would let our pack leader know about the newest threat. He dropped the paper back onto the table and headed for the kitchen. "You ready to eat? It'll be better while it's still hot."

"Sure." I followed him, "Chinese smells great, Super Wok I assume?"

"Of course."

We ate while discussing our day. He'd spent most of his repairing a fence that had let out several of my father's cattle. I told him about mine, how frustrating I had found trying to work while constantly fielding calls from reporters.

"The whole thing with Annie has me in shock. We grew up together, were in the same class most of the way through school, even played tennis together in high school."

"I'm sorry," he laid his one hand over mine on the small table, "I didn't know her. I knew who she was, I recognized her on sight, but being older, I never spent any time with her."

I nodded, appreciating his sympathy but understanding what he meant by not really knowing her. The only reason he'd known me in high school was because he'd hung out with my sister Payson, who'd been in his class.

"That this would happen around here and that she would be left on campus bothers me. It's almost like she was left somewhere directly connected to you," he reasoned.

I looked at him a moment, thinking about the possibility. Was Annie killed as a message to me? Or was it just a coincidence that she had been dumped on campus? Was the note from her killers or just the group that had been harassing us using it to their advantage? So many possibilities that I had no answers for.

"I don't want to think about it anymore tonight. Let's go watch some screen and relax. I've been dealing with this all day and I need a break." I said, standing to clean up after dinner.

"All right." He agreed.

About the author:

Melissa was born and raised in Arizona, she's spent her entire life living across the southern half of the state. She's found that, along with her husband and three children, she prefers the small towns and rural life to feeling packed into a city.

She started reading at a very young age, and her love for series started early, as the first real books she remembers reading is the Boxcar Children series by Gertrude Chandler Warner. Through the years she's found that there's little she won't read, and her tastes vary from westerns, to romance, to sci-fi / fantasy and horror. 

 Stalk Melissa here...

Website Facebook Twitter Goodreads

Weekend Writing Warriors: How do you want it? RUNNING FROM SHADOWS #8Sunday #PlayListVid

Thank you for stopping by. I'm excited to participate with such a fantastic group of writers! Check out other warriors here!

Today I'm sharing from my (unpublished) young adult paranormal romance Running From Shadows, currently being read by a lovely agent!! Squee!! 

Follow Greta Shore (a 17-year-old, black-haired wiccan beauty) and Paxton "Pax" Craig (an 18-year-old, blond-haired college student with a dark secret) as they discover the fate of their forbidden love.

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Set-up... Greta runs away from her surprise engagement party barefooted through the woods. Pax saves her from a shadow demon. Oh, and he's a unicorn! 
Back at Pax's cabin in the woods, Greta takes a minute in the bathroom to wash her feet and can't help but wonder why her mom would agree to an engagement. She couldn't be in her right mind, but...

Cover Art by Danielle Fine

I’d seen the contract with my own eyes. My mom’s signature under Dr. Creepwell’s, signed in blood and sealed with magick.

The knock at the door made me jump.

“You okay in there?” Unlike Bain, Paxton sounded genuinely concerned.

I opened the door to find him propped against the wall. “Sure.”

“How do you want it?”

Tune in next week for more Greta and Pax!!

Thanks again for stopping by! Your support and feedback is greatly appreciated!

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Because being a warrior is hard work, here's a vid from the Running From Shadows playlist to reward all you sexy, sweaty peeps ;)
 
The Boy Is Mine by Brandy & Monica
(Track #13)

 
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Extra! Extra!

*Would you like to see some pics of Greta and Pax? Check them out here! Gotta love Pinterest!! Ooo, stalk me there too, please...uh, here! ;) 

*Self-publishing? Need an editor and cover artist? Check out my uber-talented editor, Danielle Fine, she's wonderful to work with and does exceptional work! Click here for more info! 

*Check out the USA Today recommended book trailer for Witch Way to Turn!! here

Midweek Mayhem: Even dragons get paranoid...keeping the smoke alive! #PlayListVid #DragonsFTW #Excerpt

Working it out…

• (NEW) Witch Way to Turn won FIRST place in the Winter Rose Contest!!! (Yellow Rose Texas RWA Chapter for the YA category.)
• (NEW) Monday was an Author Spotlight with the lovely Juliana Haygert and her New Adult paranormal romance Destiny Gift! (On sale for 99 cent!) Check the post and deets here!
• (NEW) Entered Breena Cross from Witch Way to Turn into #CharacterBattle coming in July!! Deets to enter your kick-ass heroine or hero here!
• (NEW) I'm doing it again! Booked my agent pitch session at the Romance Writers of America conference coming up in July!! 

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The Becoming Playlist!

Wanted to share some of the songs that inspired me as I wrote Becoming...this song is on the list cos Taylor and Zoe are each others wonderwall :) 
Wonderwall by Oasis
 

Hearing voices…

Cover art by Danielle Fine

• My dark and gritty new adult urban fantasy with cursed dragon shifters, titled Becoming, is completely edited!!!!! And I'll be pitching it at RWA in July if I don't have an agent before then...but cross your fingers and toes and eyes and, erm, anything you can cross cos it's with FOUR awesome agents right now!!! :D
• Check out my stunning cover inspiration (right side above this paragraph) designed by the talented Danielle Fine!!!
• Twitter pitch: After a transplant gives Zoe a dragon shifter’s heart, she learns that her online boyfriend is her donor and...a girl.

♥ Today's excerpt immediately follows Zoe and Taylor's first kiss (Zoe's POV)...it shows the epitome of Zoe's self-doubt and paranoia. She doesn't see how wonderful she is, but Taylor does :)

Read last week's kiss scene here! 

Zoe wanted to be closer, moaned her frustration with the hateful armrest keeping them apart. Her body ached for more. Kissing Taylor made Zoe’s skin prickle with unknown desires.

She worked her fingers along the back of Taylor’s neck, trying clumsily to imitate Taylor’s gentle caresses. Too soon, Taylor backed away, and Zoe’s lips were on fire again. The sweet relief of the goddess’s kiss had been ripped away, leaving her burning with shame. She’d been too aggressive. Too forward. Too stupid. What had she been thinking, wrapping her hands around Taylor like that? She’d had no idea what she was doing. All she’d known was she didn’t want it to stop. But it had. Once again, she’d screwed things up.

She pulled her hands away from Taylor, but the goddess grabbed them in hers and squeezed gently. Taylor’s expression grew serious, and Zoe felt the urge to run.

Oh God, here it comes. The Talk.

Over before it had begun. Taylor had probably thought if things went any further she’d have to look at Zoe’s scar. Of course that was it. No one would ever want to be with her…not like that. She was a freak. A scarred, smoke-breathing, scale-flashing freak of nature.

Why had she let herself get attached? Why had she thought someone could love her? She should’ve known better.

Zoe’s heart squashed all the fireflies in its path as it fell to her feet. 

Dragon update... The prequel for Becoming is finished, and I'm almost done with my edits on it. Next step is sending it off to my editor! Now, for exciting news... It's been a tough decision, but the prequel FINALLY has a title! Are you ready?? <insert drum roll here> The title for the prequel is: Longing!!!
 Gotta ♥ a dragon!  

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Cover art by Danielle Fine

Waiting game...

• On week #12 of waiting to hear back from a lovely agent who is reading Running From Shadows.
• Requests for Becoming! Squee!!! On week #6 with one awesome agent (partial), and week #2 with the three other awesome agents (full)!! *fingers and toes crossed* 

Reading...

• Currently I am beta-reading for a fantastic friend and writer... Katheryn! Hooray for grim reapers!!
  
• Am reading The Hours by Michael Cunningham. Amazing premise...it's three stories in one, going on at the same time :) Am at 56%.
• Looking for book recommendations and reviews for your 2013 TBR List? Check out The Perks of Being a Book Nerd! 

Bonus material... 

*Writers, looking for a talented editor? I highly recommend Danielle Fine. She's edited four manuscripts of mine and has taught me so much! I'm a stronger writer because of her guidance. Also, she designed my beautiful inspiration cover art for Becoming and Running From Shadows! Annnnd she created the book trailer for Witch Way to Turn! 
*For more information on Dani's editing services, cover design, book trailer creation and website design stop by her site >>>> here!

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Random Alert! Alert. Alert. Alert...

Entered Breena in this battle! Follow the action on Twitter here. 

My boss brought this back from a meeting on Tuesday. This isn't a stress ball...it's a stress fishy! I named him Flounder. He is mine, and I love him. My bunny paperweight is quite jealous. It's all the scandal at my desk :P

A coworker's 40th b-day was on Tuesday...these were the decorations ;)

The background on my phone ♥

Pic from this past weekend when I was chillin' with my bff... I'd just taken a sip of coffee and it burnt my lip!! Ouchy!

One of the food tables at the City Manager's retirement banquet last week. Side note: The city didn't pay for this. Gotta cover my bases :P