Vampires and Witches BookFunnel Promo

The first book in The Magicals Series was A Vampire's Tale. An inspiration behind this book was showing my version of the vampire. So many authors over the years have taken many approaches—some more "realistic" than others. I had my own ideas. And I did the research. I love when fiction has strong roots in fact (or myth, at least). I found out some interesting facts about the origin of vampires. And—as for attributes—I picked my favorites. Have you read A Vampire's Tale yet?

Also, check out the 150+ authors with fang-tasic vampire and wicked witch themed books during the month of October in this BookFunnel Promo!

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#TirgearrTuesday

I stepped away from regular church attendance about four years ago. I still consider myself a Christian, but I have mixed feelings about organized religion (part of the reason I took a step away). Religion is one of the big three you don't talk about—politics and finances being the other two. But here I go anyway because attending a live rock concert is akin to a religious experience.

I love the moment when you hear the beginning notes of the right song... and your skin prickles with goosebumps. This is the experience. You cannot replicate it at home. You need to be amongst other fans, feeling the beat pulsing through your veins.

I love music, especially rock. My coming-of-age year was 1994 (oops I just dated myself!). It was the year of Dookie (Green Day); Throwing Copper (Live); Purple (Stone Temple Pilots); Vitalogy (Pearl Jam); Wildflowers (Tom Petty); Weezer (Weezer); Smash (The Offspring)... and so many more. It was a great year for music!

My female lead from A Fairy Godmother's Redemption is a pop singer not a rocker, but her career was definitely inspired by my love of music.

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And the reverse Cinderella trope was inspired by my favorite Disney Princess—Cinderella.

Love music? Love Cinderella? This #TirgearrTuesday, give A Fairy Godmother's Redemption a try.

#TirgearrTuesday

It's Tuesday... which means Tirgearr Tuesday. As always, check out the hashtag #TirgearrTuesday on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to find your next read.

I haven't been posting my Tirgearr Tuesday posts to my blog since September, but you can check out my Instagram or Facebook groups (if you're not already following me) to see the latest.

The Magicals Series

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My first series is complete with five books. You can also buy all five books in a gorgeous boxset!

I published Designed by Destiny, Book One in my latest series, last November. Has it really been that long? In this spin-off from The Magicals, you can tag along with my Fairy Godmothers and get up close and personal with their charges.

I think it's pretty great, but I may be a little biased. Thankfully, my reviewers agree!

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Stay tuned for more #TirgearrTuesday posts and, seriously, check out some of the other Tirgearr titles!

Coming soon... A Magical's Gift

Just finished reading A Fairy Godmother's Redemption? A Magical's Gift hits the shelves on June 7, 2022.

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#TirgearrTuesday

Dreams or duty? Will Kurtis choose to follow his heart or risk sacrificing his own happiness for peace in the magical world?

#TirgearrTuesday

Q: What is your ideal Valentine's Day date?

A: Taking a moonlit flight over the city.

***

She stood at the precipice, her hands lifted in the air, hair whipping in her face. Then she jumped. Not literally, of course. But she still had the sensation of falling through the air, with the gap between herself and the ground closing. There was no safety net. She'd taken a chance and now she was going to—

Swoosh. Fly through the air in the arms of a black-caped stranger. No, not a stranger, the arms of the man she loved. The half of herself she'd been searching for all her life. He caught her, stopped her free fall. And, for the first time, she felt completeness. 

I’ve never felt this way before. 

I know.

Melting into his kiss, she held onto his shoulders. He spun her around, she felt giddy with dizziness, drunk with emotion. There was no other way to describe it.

***

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Focus on Book Tropes for #TirgearrTuesday

A Wizard's Choice, The Magicals Series Book Two, offers more than a closer look into my magical world. My wizard apprentice Kurtis Warde crushes on his friend's mother, the enigmatic vampiress Dee, while fairy Alina Lehrer imagines a romantic future with Kurtis. If you're interested in the book tropes opposites attract and/or unrequited love, A Wizard's Choice is a solid choice for your next read.

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#TirgearrTuesday

What's your favorite romance sub-genre? Follow #TirgearrTuesday in December to find out more about the kind of romance you can expect from me.

Romance 2.0

I love love. Every since I was a little girl. From my first fairy tale to my first crush. To say I am a romantic—perhaps even hopeless—would be pretty accurate. I believe in soulmates, true love, fate, destiny... I believe in love.

It should come as no surprise that I also love to read and write romance novels. And enjoy a movie or TV show with a love story. Michael Bolton got it right. "Love is a wonderful thing." Love gives me hope for the future. A world without love would be a pretty dismal place indeed.

February—the love month—gets me thinking about all kinds—romance, love, hearts, flowers, and a zillion other—stereotypical Valentine's Day things. I've been thinking about romance as a genre.

***

Did you read my last two blog posts?

***

Last week, I mused about the romance novel. That got me thinking about what subgenres (types of romance novels), themes, and tropes (plot devices) I enjoy to read... and what themes and tropes I've actually used in my writing... and what I'd like to write in the future.

Reading

I read mainly historical and paranormal books... even better when the book is both historical and paranormal... like a time-travel romance. Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. Highlander series by Karen Marie Moning.

Themes I enjoy? I love a good Highlander or regency romance. The Naked Nobility series by Sally Mackenzie is fantastic. I own the series in paperback and e-book. Time-travel? Yes, please. I like a non-cheesy vampire or an alpha shifter. I've developed a recent fascination with dominance and submission. I've read E.L. James' Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy. If that's not your particular cup of tea, there are many others I'd recommend. Club Sin series by Stacey Kennedy. Redemption series by Sarah Castille.

Tropes I enjoy? Retold fairytales, marriage of convenience, fake relationships, reformed rake / playboy, redemption / tortured hero or heroine, soul mates / fate.

Writing

I write mainly paranormal romance, but I have dabbled in some contemporary, my initial foray into the world of romance. What tropes do I write?

Contemporary romance
Fly Boy, my recent Chapters: Interactive Stories TapTale [playboy / alpha hero / mistaken identity]

Paranormal romance
Dream Hunter [protector / redemption]
A Vampire's Tale [tortured hero / protector / redemption / virgin]

Future Books

A Wizard's Choice [tortured hero / dominance / love triangle]

I have many stories left to tell... Stay tuned for a retold fairytale or a conspiracy theory / person in peril.

Paranormal versus Fantasy

Why do I write paranormal romance? How does paranormal differ from fantasy?

When I want to understand something, I arm myself with information. I think. I analyze. I conduct research. When I was a kid, we used physical encyclopedias and the public library. Later, encyclopedias were available electronically on CD-ROM. Today, the Internet and Google make research easier and more assessible. There are no more excuses for poor or inaccurate book research.

So... I had a question. I needed information. I did some googling...

***

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines 'paranormal' as an adjective that means not scientifically explainable. Synonyms include otherworldly, supernatural, unearthly.

The same dictionary defines 'fantasy' as

a noun: a hallucination; the free play of creative imagination; a creation of the imaginative faculty whether expressed or merely conceived; an idea or desire; a daydream; a coin not intended for circulation.

a verb: to indulge in reverie; to create or develop imaginative and often fantastic views or ideas.

an adjective: a game, like fantasy football, in which participants create and manage imaginary teams consisting of players from a particular sport and scoring is based on the statistical performances of the actual players.

***

I may be wrong, but paranormal and fantasy—with regards to fictional creation—seem pretty interchangeable. Supernatural creatures, like a vampire or werewolf, are definitely a creation of imagination and fill many a fantasy. But not all fantasies—for instance, princesses and fairy tale castles—must be paranormal.

The dictionary definition of 'paranormal' is much simpler than 'fantasy', but the common denominator is imagination.

Back to my original question... Why do I write paranormal romance? Imagination is the answer. Only the limitless possibilities of the paranormal are a match for my boundless creativity.

After the First Draft

Excitedly, I typed "THE END" just after midnight on December 1. The first draft of the book I had started writing in December 2017 was complete.

I love writing. It's the way I communicate best. Ask my husband. I don't talk about my feelings. I cry at books, TV shows, and movies, but I rarely express my emotions about real life. It's like I'm part Vulcan and have disciplined myself to follow logic rather than emotion. I want to say how I feel out loud, but I run into an impassable barrier each time. My mouth opens, but no words come out.

Writing is different for me. I still hold myself to a rather formal tone—except when my characters are screaming at me to write them differently—which highlights my logical mind, but I get IT out there. Outside of my own mind where I can analyze my words and figure out what is what.

In that regard, my writing is deeply personal. If I've told you I've written a book, I've overcome the compulsion to hide away which is nothing short of a miracle. Talk about your book promotion conundrum. But this post is not about book promotion. I wanted to write—after two blog-less weeks—about writing A Wizard's Choice.

I introduced my character Kuris Warde to my readers in A Vampire's Tale and realized he had a story that I needed to tell. His entire life was about duty and responsibility and—ironically—the only choice he was given—whether or not to become a wizard—was no choice at all. Rejecting the brethren of wizards would disappoint his grandfather Waldor Warde, the man who raised him. Accepting them would sentence him to a life of unhappiness. As I delved deeper into Kurtis' story, other characters spoke to me. I saw how their history impacted Kurtis, and I began to write side stories about Kurtis' family members. Waldor's words "You must understand where we came from to know where we are going." ran especially true for Kurtis who never knew his parents. He needed to know his history before making a choice about his future.

Participating in National Novel Writing Month (nanowrimo) was an experience. I wrote more this November than I ever have before. It was hard, and I got sick (and sometimes sicker), and there were several days that I couldn't write anything at all, but I finished my first draft. It was exhausting, truly emotionally draining, hence the radio silence during the first week in December. Next steps? Really fleshing out my plot, developing my characters, and making this my best book yet!