Where to Start?

At The Beginning!

Thanks for inviting me to your blog Shona. I’m so happy to be here. I’m celebrating the release of my first full length novel, Kane’s Bounty. This is one book in a series of bounty hunter themed books releasing throughout the month of May from Ellora’s Cave Publishing.

Have you ever asked yourself the question, why did that book start there? Well here’s the skinny…

For me KANE’S BOUNTY could only begin in one place. It starts when the hero and heroine meet for the first time. Kane is a bounty hunter and Lena is the fugitive who he has tracked to a bar in Savannah, Georgia. He’s biding his time to pick her up when another bounty hunter attempts to jump in and take her. The intruding hunter makes several key mistakes and things get out of control. The bar erupts into a brawl that includes bikers, drunks and mobsters. A sense of panic in the room tells Kane it’s time to make his move.

The decision about a books opening is not always this clear. I have written an entire chapter only to realize or be told that the book should start in chapter two. It can be heartbreaking when you have to dump a bunch of great back story.

The second book of my Mayan Destiny series, MAYAN CRAVING originally started with the hero, Asher in his home gathering supplies and rushing to his airplane to save the heroine, Nancy. It was a good scene and the reader would have revisited one of the characters from the previous book. A picture of their life was painted. In the second scene Asher is attacked by a dragon and his plane crashes. Ultimately, the dragon scene became the beginning of the book and the earlier details had to be woven into the book.

Sometimes it’s difficult to start a book where there is action and often action is more subtle. Maybe the lovers only make eye contact or shake hands. Maybe a volcano erupts to start off the series of events that bring the two together. Whatever the author chooses has to draw the reader in and seduce her into wanting to turn the page. Droning on about the scenery, while it may be beautifully written, will not keep me up all night with that book. And we all love those books that won’t allow us to sleep until we know they all lived Happily Ever After. J

Here’s the back cover blurb from Kane’s Bounty. Enjoy!

Telepathic bounty hunter Kane has one rule—never get involved with a fugitive.

It’s a simple assignment with good money at the end. Picking Lena up is no problem. Protecting her when her ex-husband, mercenaries and another bounty hunter threaten her turns into the fight of their lives.

Together, the Stones of Adeline and Lena are powerful magic. She never considered the complication of the sexy bounty hunter and her undeniable desire for him. Their paranormal bond will need to be strong if they’re to survive together.

Buy Links:

Ellora’s Cave: http://www.ellorascave.com/kane-s-bounty.html

On The Hunt: http://www.ellorascave.com/series/on-the-hunt.html

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Kanes-Bounty-On-Hunt-ebook/dp/B00BGBY3FA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1367339292&sr=8-2&keywords=kane%27s+Bounty

Barns & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/kanes-bounty-as-fenichel/1114804828?ean=9781419945052

kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Kanes-Bounty/book-T4ZNeXV9Y0u4BCvAdIgOsg/page1.html?s=5iGm3OwPSk-DpOCtPFYPxg&r=1

Website Link: http://asfenichel.net

 

Musings by WInk - the numbers

This month we’re discussing social media and since the Musings by WInk blog has been operating since June 2007 I thought I’d review our stats.

Our followers have steadily grown in number since we started and we have regular visitors and commenters. Most pageviews are made by people living in the United States followed by Australia, then Russia, Germany and the United Kingdom. The US and Australia we understand but don’t have any explanation for Russia or Germany.

Our most popular post in term of pageviews was made in March 2012; it was the Veronica Scott Guest Post. Also popular were Taking Care of the Future Me posted in October 2011 and The Over-40 Heroine: Do We Care posted in June 2011. Rounding out the top five were To Submit, or Not to Submit? posted way back in November 2007 and Getting in the Romance in Romantic Elements posted in July 2011. We’ve also had a few posts with no page views but they’ve decreased over the years as we’ve learnt what works and doesn’t work on a blog.

The post that generated the most comments was Chatting with Avalon Author, Elisabeth Rose posted in February 2010. It was followed by another visiting author in Author Interview with Robyn Grady posted in September 2010 then Kiss of the Goblin Prince—Giveaway posted in February 2012. Other posts that elicited many comments were Halloween is here! posted in October 2012, Getting in the Romance in Romantic Elements posted in July 2011, and Cover Art: An Elemental Tail posted in September 2010.

We’ve often debated the role, influence and value of social media as online traffic becomes frantic and incessant, but we’re pleased many people have found Musings by WInk worth a view. Thank you to our visting authors for helping us along the way.

Weekend Writing Warriors-Ruby's Ghost

Ruby's Ghost is a paranormal romance out on 14 May 2013. Tate is realising just how awkward being a ghost is as he stands in Eloise's bedroom.

~~~

He turned slowly, taking in the whole of the room until he faced the bed and the young woman. She’d spoken to him last night. She’d seen him, and now she was sleeping with the light on. Tate tilted his head. Had he scared her? Of course he had. He was a strange man in her room. A strange ghost in her room.

~~~

Breaking up is hard to survive.

One moment, Tate Cooper is giving his ex-girlfriend a lift home on his motorcycle. The next, his soul is suspended between life and death, wandering in confusion between the accident scene and the house he grew up in.

Except it’s not his home anymore. In his old bedroom sleeps a beautiful young woman, the only person who can see him. And the only person who can keep him from succumbing to the temptation to escape the horrific pain awaiting him in his mortal body.

Eloise Jones should be studying for her college exams, but it’s tough to stay focused when a lost soul keeps appearing in her room. She figures it must have something to do with sirens she heard screaming in the night, but she’s helpless to assist—and helpless to resist.

As Eloise tries to help Tate unravel the tangled facts surrounding the accident, longing and desire grow into an almost tangible bond between them. But then a second spirit appears, one with a darker intent that could separate them before love draws its first breath…

Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Rubys-Ghost-ebook/dp/B00AZG0SR4/
Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rubys-ghost-shona-husk/1114192609?ean=9781619214408
Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Rubys-Ghost/book-AaVaiA4v8E2gRAHeOHbYdA/page1.html?s=_5dLS6Z2AEuM_4veaLIpuQ&r=1
 

release day-Lunar Exposure

My first SFR (sci-fi romance) was a short story published in the Little Gems anthology and available here for free.

It has been a while since I ventured out into the universe to play with aliens. I don’t know why I left it so long as creating the aliens and their cultures was a lot of fun. Setting them lose on Decadent Moon was even more fun :) ~~~
Lunar Exposure
Bounty hunter Callen wants to capture Noga—a terrorist—both for the money and for revenge. But catching a criminal on the sensual resort of Decadent Moon without giving in to all the destination’s sexual pleasures is harder than it seems.

Haliday is the darling of the media, a socialite known as much for her casual relationships as she is for her charitable donations. No one knows she hunts down criminals.

Lust and ambition clash, and Callen and Haliday will have to find a way to work together, despite the distraction of their passionate bond. To succeed they must trust each other, something neither Callen nor Haliday is willing to do.

Kindle http://amzn.to/ZxFVD1
Nook http://bit.ly/13mVIS8
Ellora’s Cave http://www.ellorascave.com/lunar-exposure.html

Collectors In Space - Warlord Unarmed

I'd like to welcome to the blog fellow Ellora's Cave author Cynthia Sax! As well as being published with EC we both have steamy SFR bounty hunter stories out in May. (and if you stop by the blog during May a few other EC authors will be stopping by with their bounty hunters). Take it away Cynthia...

Gale, the bounty hunter heroine of Warlord Unarmed, is a collector. She has filled every inch of her small spaceship with things. These things make her happy. She has an emotional relationship with the objects. At first, Murad, a fierce Chamele Warlord, doesn’t understand her bond with these things. He isn’t a collector.

In this scene, Gale tries to explain why her ‘toys’ are important to her.

***

“It’s a toy, gerel.” Murad bent over, his a$$ cheeks flexing under the snug leather leg coverings. Gale dug her fingernails into her palms, the pain dousing her need to touch, to follow the ripple of firm flesh, to feel his strength against her palms.

“It’s not a someone.” The console interior muffled Murad’s voice. He stood with his handsome head jammed deep in the construction and his back facing her, foolishly exposing his big body to attack.

Gale retrieved her gun from the console, regaining even more control and more power over the situation. “You don’t understand.”

“Then make me understand.”

She studied the Warlord’s broad shoulders. Does he want to understand? “Each toy, each object on the console, once belonged to someone I cared for. It’s a connection to that being.” A safe, permanent connection no being can ever take away from me.

***

I collect objects also. My biggest collection is of Wades, the tiny figurines often found in boxes of Red Rose Tea. I guess it shouldn’t be surprising that a writer of short stories and novellas also loves collecting miniatures. I like small things… well… objects. I like my men large like my dear, wonderful hubby and my hunky Warlords. (grins)

What do you collect and why?

***

Warlord Unarmed by Cynthia Sax

The Official Blurb:

When Murad, a powerful and deadly Warlord, arrives to repair Gale’s beloved ship, she doesn’t like it one bit. She sees the danger lurking behind his wide, sexy smile and the temptation in his coarse touch. He stands too close. He smells too good. He muddles her mind with erotic thoughts no bounty hunter should ever entertain.

Murad is known for being lighthearted…until he meets Gale. He’s deadly serious about seducing his curvaceous bounty hunter. With one blast of her stun gun, she captures his attention, and starts his lust burning. To claim Gale for his mate, Murad will brave his cautious female’s itchy trigger finger, his overbearing older brother and Gale’s sense of duty.

Buy Link:  http://cynthiasax.com/2013/05/03/warlord-unarmed/

Website:  http://cynthiasax.com

Weekend Writing Warriors-Lunar Exposure

My first Weekend Writing Warriors post!
Here are 8 sentences from Lunar Exposure.

His hands jerked and his eyes opened. All traces of relaxation vanished. He tugged on the bindings and quickly realized she’d tied him to the bed with his pants.

“That is the last time…I knew there was something off about…” He swore in a few of the other languages he knew as he maneuvered around to work himself free of the knots.

As he studied them, it took only milli-trics to see she knew what she doing. These were the knots of a professional. A professional what?



Lunar Exposure
Bounty hunter Callen wants to capture Noga—a terrorist—both for the money and for revenge. But catching a criminal on the sensual resort of Decadent Moon without giving in to all the destination’s sexual pleasures is harder than it seems.

Haliday is the darling of the media, a socialite known as much for her casual relationships as she is for her charitable donations. No one knows she hunts down criminals.

Lust and ambition clash, and Callen and Haliday will have to find a way to work together, despite the distraction of their passionate bond. To succeed they must trust each other, something neither Callen nor Haliday is willing to do.

Kindle http://amzn.to/ZxFVD1
Nook http://bit.ly/13mVIS8
Ellora’s Cave http://www.ellorascave.com/lunar-exposure.html

   

Social media

It took me awhile to get on board with social media. I joined facebook after I had several books out and it took me a while to find my feet (I don’t have a private facebook account so it was all alien to me). After a conference and hearing Angela James speak I joined twitter. After watching and lurking for a couple of weeks I jumped in. I like twitter.

I’m also on goodreads. I joined goodreads before I was published, back when I was just a reader. I like the shelves; I like to put books on a wishlist and to keep track of what I’ve read etc. I don’t leave a lot of reviews, but I give ratings as it helps me know what I’m liking and if I want to give an author another try. It also helps me get a series in the right order (I’d bought all the series except bk 3 once, for some reason it had totally dropped of my radar).

I’ve also made myself a tumblr page. I’m still working out what to do there.

There’s a plethora of social media sites out there and I think that sometimes in the rush to be heard writers (and anyone with something so sell) forget that it is social media. Key word being SOCIAL.

I like twitter because I don’t just follow writers, agents and publishers. I follow celebs, my favorite bands, news sites, weird history, national geographic, science sites and comedians. My sister is also on twitter but for her job, she told me she hated it, I asked who she was following and I fell asleep before she’d finished the list.

Sure follow industry people but also find the fun stuff otherwise you won’t enjoy the experience. Ditto for facebook. I started enjoying facebook more when I liked a Doctor Who page, a nature page, my favorite bands and a bunch of other stuff. I don’t just put up writing updates. I post pictures of chocolate and crochet creatures I’ve made. I put up songs I’m listening to.

Of course if someone were to look at my tweets and facebook posts they’d think I was a chocolate obsessed, paranormal romance writer who loves Eskimo Joe, Icehouse, Supernatural, Doctor Who and Spartacus…they might also be right.

But you can find out for yourselves here:

www.twitter.com/ShonaHusk

www.facebook.com/shonahusk

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/lySiD