Author Archives: Nicola Cameron
Twitter IS useful, after all!
So yesterday afternoon, I was sitting in a parking lot waiting for Ramón to come out of a computer parts store (he’s still working on the Fassbender-bot for my birthday, bless him). As I cooled my heels, I started idly paging through Twitter and came across the following tweet from one Mr. Misha Collins, known for his humorous tweets, numerous good deeds, and the brilliant cooking show Cooking Fast and Fresh with West! (and some show on the CW, I forget the name):
In spite of the old saying, I’m quite adept at tangoing alone. That said it is much easier with two. @team_barrowmantwitpic.com/cmordp
— Misha Collins (@mishacollins) April 28, 2013
And suddenly the Muse whacked me over the back of the head with a two-by-four, gleeful bitch that she is. I quickly responded that this was relevant to my interests, thanked them for inspiring a new book idea, and got down to outlining on my smartphone. As of today, I have the working title (Two to Tango), the plot (fast, fun SF caper novella — art thief inadvertently kidnaps cranky art conservator with a dark past during a heist, a ruthless police official implicates the conservator as the art thief’s inside man and sends them both on the run, and hijinks ensue!), and the first 2,245 words. With a good tail wind and some late nights, I should have this ready by mid-May for submission.
And they say Twitter is a useless time sink. Oh, and here’s the opening sequence for Two to Tango:
Sean McClellan loved this part of a heist.
He moved quickly through the darkened access hallway, his mimetic bodysuit taking on the colors and patterns of the scuffed grey wall. Body heat was diverted to sinks in the boot soles, rendering him essentially invisible to both standard and infrared cameras. His faceplate, a thin-film computer monitor, turned the shadowy hallway into a brightly lit corridor. The worn industrial carpet underneath deadened the sound of footsteps, not that there was anyone around to hear them. Not tonight.
Not unless they wanted to die, anyway.
He checked his heads up display, noting the time. Eighteen minutes before airtight bulkhead doors would slam down throughout the Novy Vladivostok Museum of Art and History and the atmosphere would be sucked out of the entire building, replaced with a sterilizing gas designed to kill artifact-destroying bacteria. The fact that the gas would also kill any humans still in the building guaranteed that it would be empty.
Which was perfect for him. The museum couldn’t have picked a better time to do their yearly sterilization sweep, the night before their newest exhibit went on display. He’d already done the tricky part: bribing underpaid planetary border agents for access, parking his cloaked ship directly over the building and using a custom worm app to open an hole in museum security that allowed him to enter from the roof. Now all he had to do was hack the electronic lock on the workroom, break into the safe where his target was stored, retrieve it, and get out before sterilization commenced.
Easy peasy.
To quote my friend Roger, “Well, this is jolly.”
Storm Season released on Friday. As of now, I’ve gotten 3 five star reviews on Goodreads, a five star review on Amazon, a five star rating in All Romance Ebooks plus a killer hella good review, I’ve made it twice into three genre bestseller lists on Amazon.de and once into a genre bestseller list on Amazon.com, and the general impression seems to be that it’s a good book and the start to a good series.
Which is a fucking relief.
I can hear you out there — “Dramatic much, Nic?” But it’s my first book, it’s the kickoff to a proposed series that I really, really want to write, and I’ve learned over the years that what entertains me doesn’t always entertain normal people. And I’ll admit, I was worried about the reception Storm Season would get from the reading public. Yes, it’s MMM erotic romance, but it also has a strong mystery subplot, a fantasy/paranormal setting, and includes some big ol’ science fiction elements (as you may have guessed, I have some problems coloring inside the lines).
And readers don’t always like it when a writer mixes and matches genres as extensively as I did here. I was concerned that they might feel I pulled a bait and switch on them, which was never my intention. So to find out that Storm Season is getting a good reception and readers are enjoying the genre mashup (at least so far — I rest assured in the knowledge that I will get reviews questioning my literacy, my humanity, and my general right to exist) is a pleasure that renders me somewhat lightheaded. One reviewer at Goodreads who doesn’t read nontraditional romance even said, “I was completely in awe of this book … So unlike anything I had read in a long, long time.”
And I was compared to Spielberg. Whoa. Still grinning over that one…
Fabulous Friday Reads: In Flames
We’re kicking off this weekend with the smouldering new erotic romance In Flames from Jessica Jayne. I asked Jessica to tell us 10 things about herself that most people don’t know, and here are her answers.
- I’ve been skydiving seven (7) times and LOVED it! Biggest rush I’ve ever had! 🙂
- I’ve hiked into the Grand Canyon to the Colorado River and camped there for two days in the month of July – For those adventurous types, I would recommend doing this in a cooler month. The lowest temperature was 99 degrees and that was at night!
- The only reality show I watch (and I do it secretly) is America’s Next Top Model! Shhhh!
- I was a brown belt in Shotokan Karate. Have not practiced in years, but I do not recommend messing with me! 😉
- I snuck backstage at a New Kids on the Block concert when I was 15.
- I am a founding member of the FOOLs winemaking club. We made a cab franc and a rose this year… stomped the grapes with our very own feet! 🙂
- My favorite television show of all time is Seinfeld! I’ve actually had to use the line “Can you spare a square?” And I am positive I would have lost the contest too! 😉
- Of all the places I have traveled, my favorite spot ever (and the most romantic) has been Corniglia, Italy along the Cinque Terre.
- I was thrown out of Howl At The Moon once for throwing up on the bar! What?!?! I was with a bunch of girls for a bachelorette party and things got carried away! I admit… I’ve never been that drunk since… nor have I been back to Howl At The Moon! 🙂
- I have an unbelievable and irrational crush on Channing Tatum and Christopher Meloni!
Gracelyn Riley married a firefighter. She knew that came with risks. But she never imagined herself widowed in her early thirties with two children to care for on her own.
As a fireman, Matt Riley was at the scene when his brother, Chad, was killed. He suffered greatly from survivor’s guilt and depression after the accident.
The last year has been difficult for both Gracelyn and Matt. They’ve relied on each other to get through the tough times. With the anniversary of Chad’s death upon them, Gracelyn and Matt once again turn to each other for comfort and support. They find it in each other’s arms (and bed). Will their desire for each other consume them? Can they overcome the guilt and scrutiny to find love again…together?
Story Excerpt
“He wasn’t the perfect husband,” Gracelyn said. “I learned about the women. I was so angry with him. So angry. He risked our marriage and our family for a few hot fucks. One of the hardest things I ever did was tell him to leave our home… that I needed to separate from him so I could sort it out on my own. And then, a week later he is gone… for good. I felt so guilty. I loved him. I really did. And he was a great father. I miss him.” Tears started to flow down her face.
“I miss him too,” Matt said. He gave her hand a squeeze. “Gracey, I know you loved him. He knew you loved him. I know he made mistakes in your relationship, but he did love you… a lot… even if he didn’t always show it properly. And he was going to work his ass off to save your marriage.” Matt wiped her tears away with the back of his hand.
“This is just so hard, Matty. Raising Jenna and Josh on my own. It’s a big responsibility when both parents are around, but on my own… I feel like I am screwing everything up,” she cried. “Shit around the house that he would normally take care of sometimes falls by the way side because I forget about it… like the trash. And then I see it sitting there and get mad that he isn’t here to take the trash out or mow the lawn or help the kids with their math homework. He was always better with math than I was. Not to mention, I feel so damn alone.” She looked up at him. Her blue eyes sparkled through her tears.
“You know you can always count on me,” Matt said. He put his arms around her and cradled her. “I’ll help with Jenna and Josh as much as I can. And you know Mom and Pop will always be here to help too. And when I don’t have Brian on the weekend, I can be here to do whatever you need…like I have been.”
“I can’t ask you to do more than you already do,” she said. “You already do so much… too much. You attend the kids’ events and games. You help take care of the yard… fix the little things around the house… make sure my car is always up and running. You need to have a life. You can’t spend your free time taking care of your brother’s widow all the time.”
“Gracey, you are more than just Chad’s widow. You’re family. And you have always been a friend. You’ve been a tremendous support for me. I wouldn’t have made it through this last year without you. I will do whatever I can to help you. You know that. We’ve helped each other through this last year and I’m not abandoning you now. I’ll always be here for you.”
“I just don’t want to be alone anymore,” she cried into his shoulder. Her hands gripped his t-shirt desperately. Matt held her tight. Tears welled in his own eyes. The past year had been difficult for everyone, especially Gracelyn. But she’d always stayed strong…whether for the kids, for everyone else or for herself.
They had shared tears together over the last year, but he had only witnessed her completely break down twice. First, when she found out about the accident. Matt wouldn’t let anyone else break the news to her. He had been at the scene when the accident happened. Several firefighters had to restrain him to keep him from rushing back into the collapsing building to get to his brother. The fire chief wanted to tell Gracelyn about Chad’s death, but Matt refused that as an option. He and Gracelyn were close and he did not want her to find out from anyone other than him, so he rode with the chief to her house. She knew the minute she opened the front door and saw him standing in his turnout pants, t-shirt and suspenders with his face all smudged black from the smoke and his own tears. She collapsed in his arms when he confirmed it. And then when they buried Chad, Gracelyn broke down for the last time… at least in front of anyone else. Maybe she sobbed every night in the shower or lying in bed by herself. But he had not seen it. The sight of her in his arms now… it just broke his heart.
Gracelyn lifted her head and looked at him through her tears. Matt gently touched her face with the back of his hand, in an attempt to wipe away her tears and soothe her. Leaning into him, she pressed her lips to his. At first, Matt didn’t comprehend what was happening. Her lips were soft against his, yet she kissed him so confidently. Her fresh strawberry scent enveloped him… so sweet… so intoxicating. She smelled like summer despite it being the end of September.
Matt’s mind told him to stop the kiss. Stop it before it went any farther. But her tongue slid against the seam of his lips and his head jumbled with a mix of thoughts—none of which were coherent.
Where to Buy
Evernight Publishing
Amazon
BookStrand
All Romance eBooks
About Jessica Jayne
I am a born and raised small town Ohio girl, who moved to the Sunshine State after graduating from college. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English because I could not imagine doing anything else but reading and writing. It is such a pleasure to be able to share all the stories in my head!
In the journey of life, I also became a wife and a mother of three children. So, life is always an adventure. But the love of writing has never died.
My favorites: I love to read and write… obviously! But I also enjoy all sports, especially college football and the Ohio State Buckeyes! Go Steelers! Go Rays! I LOVE to travel… LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to travel. And I love sharing my love to travel with my children. I love to drink Teavana teas! I love a good glass of wine, especially if it comes from a bottle made by the FOOLS wine club… yep, I’m a member of that! J I love hanging out with my family and my friends! Big fan of music, but love nothing better than putting on my jean shorts, tank top, cowboy boots and hat and watching Tim McGraw belt it out! I’m a sucker for a cowboy hat! J
Favorite quote: “If nothing ever changed, there would be no butterflies.”
Where to Find Jessica Jayne
Release Day: Storm Season (and yes, I’m running a contest!)
Happy Friday, you gorgeous people! Let’s kick off the weekend right by celebrating the release of my debut novel Storm Season, now available from Evernight Publishing, Amazon, All Romance Ebooks, Bookstrand, and other purveyors of fine erotic romance.
Ian West had his summer all planned out — go down to Florida, stay in his family’s beach cottage on Olympic Cove, and work on his science fiction novel. But his plans get thrown for a loop when gorgeous twin sea gods Bythos and Aphros show up in the cove and inform him he’s their fated consort. As if that wasn’t enough, something in the Gulf of Mexico is turning mermaids into legendary monsters and gods into demons. Now, Ian not only has to navigate the complicated waters of a ménage relationship with twin sea gods, he also has to stop an insane deity and save the whole damn planet. No pressure.
But wait, there’s more! I’m also running a contest with the following prizes:
• A Nereid’s Band, as featured in the book. The 7.25″ bracelet is made from hand-wound silver metal chain mail links and constructed in a Full Persian weave, with shimmering pale blue crystal rondelles and a leaping dolphin toggle. Bracelet courtesy of Belaurient Arts.
• A $20 Amazon gift certificate
• A $20 Evernight Publishing gift certificate
To win one of these prizes, simply leave your name and email address in the comments below before midnight CST on April 28, 2013, and answer the following question: Did you ever unexpectedly fall in love with someone, and if so, how did it happen? You MUST answer the question to be entered in the contest.
Thanks for reading, and good luck with the contest!
If you aren’t following me on Facebook and Twitter
You really should be, because I just posted some very interesting links there. Just click the little buttons in the upper right-hand corner!
Marvelous Monday Reads: Irish Comfort
Welcome to Marvelous Monday Reads, and today we’ll be featuring the Free Read Irish Comfort by the prolific Nikki Prince. Nikki understands that sometimes the path from friendship to romance goes through the kitchen…
Imani Parker has had it with just friendship with Skylar Magee. Saint Patrick’s Day will either make them a couple or break them. She wants to show him that his place is with her and she is the only home he needs. She invites Skylar to dinner for Saint Patrick’s Day and plans to show him that they can be lucky in love.
Story Excerpt
“Boxty on the griddle, boxty on the pan; if you can’t make boxty, you’ll never get a man’.” –Irish Folktale
“Girl, do you even know how to make Irish food?”
Imani looked over at her sister Sonia and laughed. Sonia had the most skeptical look on her face. “Yes, Soni, I can make Irish food. Besides before Sky’s mother passed away she’d sent me her recipes for everything that I’ve made for him tonight.”
Sonia crossed her brown eyes and made a silly face at her, and Imani could not stop the laugh that escaped.
“Do you think I’d try to pretend I knew how to cook it? If I did that this whole plan could backfire.”
“What are you planning on making him?” Sonia took a deep breath. “Least it smells good in here, so I guess you do get what you’re doing.” She chuckled.
“I’m making bangers and mash, along with corn beef and cabbage and boxties.”
“Okay, I’ve heard of the first two, but what the heck are boxties?”
“Basically an Irish potato pancake.” She couldn’t stop the smile that spread over her face as she perused her sister.
“So tell me your plan again?” Sonia questioned.
“Basically, Soni, Skylar has been feeling homesick. I plan to show him some Southern California comfort via the Irish way.”
“Ah, so the whole ‘the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach’ deal?”
“In a nutshell, yes, that’s exactly my plan. Sky hasn’t been himself lately and the closer we got to today, which is Saint Patrick’s Day, it’s gotten even worse. I want to show him that home is wherever he lays his head and that I can take care of him and give him what he needs. I want him to smile again.”
Where to Buy
Evernight Publishing
All Romance Ebooks
About Nikki Prince
Nikki Prince is a mother of two, who’s always had a dream to be a published author in the romance genre. Her passion lies in raising her children as readers, gaming, cooking, reading and her writing. Her mother can now breathe easy about the child who used to get in trouble because she was hiding books everywhere and reading when it wasn’t appropriate.
Nikki’s a multi-published author with several epublishing houses. She loves to write Interracial romances in all genres, but wants to let everyone know to not box her in, because there is always room for growth.
Nikki’s also a member of Romance Writer’s of America National chapter (http://www.rwa.org) and OCC/RWA local chapter (http://www.occrwa.org) and is a member of the board as Co-Programs Director. She is also a member of the online chapter Passionate Ink RWA.
Nikki would love to hear from you…
Where to find Nikki Prince
Website
Blog
Facebook
Twitter
Google+
Goodreads
Authorgraph
Email
We have a winner!
It’s that time! I asked my in-house tech support and International Man of Mystery Ramón to pick a number from 1 to 50, and after he finished sipping his Dos Equis (he doesn’t always drink beer, but when he does it’s with the Most Interesting Man in the World) he selected the personal winner of my Book Boyfriend Blog Hop, who is…
Heather C! Heather, your chosen gift will be in the mail to you today. And to Heather and everyone else who left comments, good luck in the big contest for the Kindle Paperwhite!
Onward, Forward, Upward on a Sunday
With Storm Season about to be released, it’s time to start the outlining process for Book Two in the Olympic Cove series, Breaker Zone. I’ve had the general romance outline of the story in my head for quite some time, now — Dr. Nick Gardiner, a friend of Ian’s from Chicago, shows up on the cottage doorstep after a traumatic experience sends him running for his life. After a shocking introduction to Ian’s new existence, Nick becomes the student of a contentious Chiron, and falls in love with Kieran and Liam, two mermen with a shared secret.
Apart from that, however, I didn’t really have details about how this new triad plays into the war with Storm Season‘s Big Baddie, nor did have details about Nick, Kieran and Liam apart from what they looked like and the fact that both Ki and Liam have kids (merfolk society is gender-indifferent, but requires its members to reproduce in order to keep up population numbers). After spending the last couple of days noodling, however, I now, have the theme of the book — losing and regaining trust (Storm Season‘s theme is personal responsibility, in case you’re interested, and the third book, Deep Current, has a theme of faith). With that in place, I’m moving forward on the plot outline, which looks to include quite a lot of suspense if my early plot points stay true. I also discovered that Nick used to play drums with a grunge band back in college, Ki is a brilliant hunter and loyal lover but not the sharpest shell in the sea, and Liam is more than a bit kinky (which appeals to Nick’s submissive side and will play nicely into certain scenes I’ve already mapped out).
So yeah, that’s my Sunday. How is yours shaping up?
Nicola’s Sunday Shoutout: Michelle Clay
Today’s Sunday Shoutout goes to Michelle Clay, whose new book Light the Shadows: Grimm Novel 1 is now available from Evernight Publishing and other retailers of fine erotic romance. If you’re looking for a full-length paranormal romance with a hot central couple and enough danger to keep the Winchester Brothers on their toes, look no further.
You only get one chance at life then you die. The game’s over, no second chances. But she was never one to follow all the rules.
In a strange twist of fate, a woman flees purgatory only to jump into a newly vacated body. When she wakes in the hospital, she has a brand new life and a whole lot of unanswered questions. Now she’s Micah Munroe, a real estate agent with broken memories of the messed up life she once lived. A mysterious man who claims to be Death says she’s his granddaughter and that she’s something called a grimm.
Sully knows she’s an imposter because he reaped the soul of the real Micah only a week ago. He suspects she might be a misplaced shadow, what he calls spirits and vengeful ghosts. He becomes obsessed with finding out who she really is and just how she inhabited a new body. He’ll stop at nothing to find the truth and send her back to purgatory where she belongs. What he didn’t bargain on was how his body would react to her or how powerful the white light within her is.
When a powerful shadow and her horde of angry spirits kidnaps Sully’s best friend, they must work together to get him back. Fighting their feelings for each other isn’t half as difficult as fighting the army of shadows bent on starting a war with the living.
Story Excerpt
His husky drawl sent a vibration of hunger through her and ignited a fire deep within her core. “You are so fucking hot.”
Recapturing her mouth, he pressed against her, proving just how hot, how hard she made him. Micah whimpered, and he drew his mouth away from her lips. Just like his tongue and hands, his incredibly sexy eyes ignited a fire within her.
“Sully.” She bit her lower lip and reveled in knowing she was the reason he was so hard.
His fingers were at her waist, unzipping then dragging the dress pants down her hips. Micah trembled with need as he shucked them from her legs and dropped them onto the floor. He closed the space between them, and her thighs closed around his waist. Her sex drowned with desire, clouding her mind with seductive thoughts and want. With him so intimately close, his hard-on pressed against her through the damp lace of her panties. She shifted her hips, and Sully rewarded her with a groan.
“Tell me something.” He grinned wickedly then slid his fingers up her inner thigh. They inched closer to her pool of desire and made her heartbeat race. “Are you wet?”
Her hands lifted from his shoulders, ran through his silken hair and down to his chest. Her nimble fingers fluttered across his shirt and even reached the second button before his hand closed over hers, stilling it. He prevented her from going any further by pulling her hand to his mouth. One by one, he kissed her fingers.
She frowned and pulled away from him to look up into his eyes. “Sully, I want…”
“I know what you want, doll.” His eyes glittered with feral passion.
A gasp shuddered past her lips when Sully’s index finger slid past the ribbon-thin panties then traveled downward. His finger slid through the tight coils of hair at the juncture of her thighs then lightly grazed her most delicate area. She clutched his shoulders and tightened her thighs around him. “Sully!”
“Want me to stop?” His voice was full of gravel and sexy as hell.
She nipped his bottom lip. “Don’t you dare.”
Where To Buy
Evernight Publishing
Amazon
Bookstrand
All Romance Books
Where to find Michelle Clay
Things are cooking at Chez Cameron
I just got the loveliest 4 Kisses review for A Boon by Moonlight from Top 2 Bottom Reviews: “Although A Boon by Moonlight is a really short story, it is totally satisfying! Recommended!” Yay!
I also just got the cover for Storm Season. Holy mother of Zeus:
I literally screamed and started clapping like a 12-year old Belieber when I saw this cover. I cannot tell you how perfect it is — not only do the twins look the way I pictured Bythos and Aphros, but the color, the format, everything is spot-on accurate for the tone and plot of the book. Sour Cherry Designs, which do all of Evernight Publishing’s covers, are in the will for this one.
Nicola Cameron Writes 