My Holiday Table Blog Hop – And Some More Cruise Pics

Maria Zannini wanted to see pictures of holiday tables so she created this blog hop. I thought I would participate (seeing the homework was easy), so here are my two pictures. If you want to see more holiday tables, hop on over to her blog for pictures and/or links to other blogs.

 

 Above, that's my table at Thanksgiving. Remember, I ordered my meal from Bob Evans!

And this is my friend's table at Christmas. She served the food buffet-style (on counter to right). Lots of good food. And yes, it was way better than Bob Evans!!!

 

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Don’t know if you stopped by here yesterday, but I was guest-posting on Delilah Devlin’s blog. Even shared a little excerpt to Ghostly Liaison (which I guess maybe I should include that on my blog or website, huh?). Anyway, here’s the link, in case you want to check it out: http://www.delilahdevlin.com/blog/2014/12/28/stacy-mckitrick-ghosts-real-or-just-stories/

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Now for the pictures of the towel creatures I promised on Friday. See…when I tell someone I’ll do something (e.g. download pictures from my iPhone), I tend to do it. It’s when I keep the information to myself that I tend to not do something. Is it that way for you, too? Anyway.. every night when the Steward turned down the bed, he left us a little towel figure. I can figure out what some of them are, but not all.

 

Day 1 -- Have no idea what he's supposed to be! :)

Day 2 -- A frog

Day 3 -- A monkey (I asked)

Day 4 -- An elephant

Day 5 -- A dinosaur

Day 6 -- Uhhh. A dog? Hugging himself? Hmmm...

Day 7 -- A lobster

As we walked down the aisles to our room, we passed a lot of cleaning crew carts and several had some towel figures on display. The one below caught my eye.

Chickies!!

The next several pictures were taken one morning I went upstairs to get some coffee (and let my hubby sleep). The crew had been busy the night before. Talk about getting lucky. This was the only day it occured, and I didn't usually go upstairs early. Almost every chair around the pool was used. The crew probably had to remove the towel creations, because I don't think anyone wanted to disturb the art work!

 

So…what plans do you have on this last Monday of 2014? I received Blind Temptation back from my editor, so I’ll be editing. Thank goodness nothing major needs fixing. That’s always a good feeling!

Have a great Monday!

Stacy

Wednesday Reads

I don’t know if I told any of you, but My Sunny Vampire is back in PRINT! Yay!! So, if you’ve been waiting to buy it that way, you need wait no longer. Okay, enough of my blatant promo, now onto what I read during the week:

Jul 17: “Innocence” by Dean Koontz, a horror/paranormal/supernatural novel. Blurb on cover: He lives in solitude beneath the city, an exile from society, which will destroy him if he is ever seen. She dwells in seclusion, a fugitive from enemies who will do her harm if she is ever found. But the bond between them runs deeper than the tragedies that have scarred their lives. Something more than chance—and nothing less than destiny—has brought them together in a world whose hour of reckoning is fast approaching. The blurb sounded interesting (and I LOVE the cover), but that “hour of reckoning” took quite awhile to be acknowledged. In fact, I’d read most of the book and wondered where it was going. Then when I reached the end, I wondered what it was all about. Not Koontz’s best work, but not his worst, either. I gave it 3 stars on Goodreads.

July 20: “Apocalypse Rising” by Maria Zannini, a paranormal/fantasy romance. Blurb on Goodreads: The only place left to hide was in the past. Fire Elemental Leda and her plainfolk companion, Grey, are running from a demented time traveler, a man obsessed with creating a creature who can read thoughts. Convinced that Leda can produce this unnatural child, he has threatened to hunt her down to the ends of the earth--and he has kept his word. Their only escape is a one-way trip through the time portal. With death on their heels, salvation appears in the form of two strangers. Seemingly ordinary people, Tom and Cassandra assure Leda and Grey that they are here to help. They claim they are repaying a debt--Leda and Grey helped them once, 1200 years ago. The trip through the portal offers no escape, as Leda and Grey discover that evil transcends time. Can their presence in the past stop the eventual apocalypse that forms their future? Magic, witches, time travel, and a hunky hero--it's got a bit of everything. However, it had been 3 years since I read the first book of this series (man, time flies!), so it took me a bit to remember the characters (but that's all ME because my memory sucks). I suggest you read book 1 (Touch of Fire) first, though, before reading this one because you'll enjoy reading how Leda and Grey meet, since their story continues in this one. I hope one day to see a book 3 in this series. I gave it 4 stars on Goodreads.

Well…my hubby went and did it again. He booked us on another cruise (and at a super-duper rate). We’re already going on one in October (to the Bahamas to see Lee Ann Rimes sing in concert), now we’ll be on one in December (to three ports we’ve never been to). I’m looking forward to them. They’re so much fun. And we’re using our reward points to pay for them, which is what we have the Visa card for in the first place. Gotta know how to work the system, and my husband works it very well.

So…what’s your favorite kind of vacation?

Happy reading!

Stacy

 

Getting Busy with Promotion (or at least TRYING)

I’m getting ready for my next convention, which is Dragon*Con. No, I’m not going to be on any panels (I did request to be a guest and was graciously turned down), but they do have an area where people place their promotional stuff.

I was going to put some postcards of My Sunny Vampire on this table, but now I have two books (yay!), which meant making a decision. Should I create a postcard for Bite Me, I’m Yours OR should I create a postcard that has both books on it? After careful deliberation (and some much welcome feedback), I went with a postcard featuring both books. I contacted Maria Zannini (of Book Cover Diva) for some help and she came up with something my brain never would have dreamed about! What do you think of this postcard?



This is the front!



This is the back!

I think it will be eye-catching and hopefully will generate some interest in my books. Not that a lot of Dragon*Con fans are romance readers, but hey, some are! Like me!

Do any of you have problems finding stuff to read? Well, there are a couple of FREE ways you can find books to your liking. One is The Fussy Librarian. Just sign up for their daily newsletter, let them know the types of books you’re interested in, and each day you’ll receive a different list of books to your liking. I signed up because I planned on advertising and wanted to see what I would be getting for my six bucks. They only list books that have gotten good reviews, so if you request to advertise and your book doesn’t pass the test, you get your money back. Mine passed the test, and I was included in the July 6 newsletter, but alas, no sales. I’ll give it another try with my next book (or if My Sunny Vampire goes on sale). I have noticed some books that look interesting, but I really MUST stop buying! At least until I’ve dwindled down my stack of books to read.

Another other free way to find books is through the Novel Engagement app. Novel Engagement is a book discovery app, focused exclusively on romance novels, that helps readers discover new romance novels and connect with authors. You can download the following apps:

Apple Store: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/novel-engagement/id858586481?mt=8

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.RWA.gcm.push

Eventually, their website http://www.novelengagement.com will also feature this app (or whatever). I’m looking forward to that coming up so I can see what it looks like since I do not have a smart phone…yet.

But that may happen sooner than later. You see… My husband brought home an iPhone 4 so I can get used to using one. I only have myself to blame for this. I mentioned that I just MIGHT have to break down and get one, especially since they come in handy at conventions (using their apps to keep track of the panels) and I’d be able to communicate online easier (i.e. e-mail and Facebook) while away from my computer.

Hubby told me to get our daughter to help me load apps on the phone (which is only set up for wi-fi at the time, I will not upgrade my phone just yet). I called him a chicken, because he knows how much I just LOVE change! Hahaha! Yeah, that’s sarcasm there. He didn’t disagree.

So… How do you find books to read? Do you peruse bookstores (online or physical) or rely on word of mouth only?

 

Have a great Monday (if it's possible!)

Stacy

Wednesday Reads and BITE ME News

Decisions, decisions. I had to make a big one where BITE ME is concerned. Keep a character or cut her? Well, I thought cut until I got to her important scene. Couldn’t do it. Not if I wanted the scene to make sense (and I couldn’t cut the scene without scrapping the rest of the book - yeah, that wasn’t happening). So the character lives, but in a different capacity. Good news for the character and hopefully good news for my word count. I’ll find out later this week if it works. You know, once I implement the changes.

Even with all that decision making, I still managed to get some books read. Here’s what I finished reading this week:

Aug 14: “Mistress of the Stone” by Maria Zannini. This is a paranormal romance. Blurb on back: Luisa Tavares has a list of sins the length of the Antilles, but there’s no time to repent for them now. When a pockmarked Frenchman hands her Papa’s ring--still attached to his severed finger--she orders the Coral back to the Caribbean, despite her father’s earlier warning never to return. It’s Luisa’s luckless fate that the only man who can help her is a blasted Inglés pirate hunter who’s more dead than alive and locked in a curse he doesn’t want lifted. Worse, his feral sensuality sparks a hunger she can’t ignore. Xander Daltry hadn’t planned on kidnapping this wild woman--or succumbing to his uncontrollable desire for her. But he needs Luisa and the moonstone she wears around her neck to rescind a witch’s spell. His sister, long dead, and others like her have been cursed to remain in the mortal plan for eternity. Only the stone can set them free. The only way to convince the reluctant pirate queen to help him is to withhold one small bit of the truth. For if she learns who really betrayed her father, the longing in her fiery eyes could easily turn to murderous wrath… The blurb only hints at paranormal, but the book is full of it and I loved it! It was also full of action and love, and man, that just did it for me. I was a happy reader when I finished this book and I gave it 5 stars on Goodreads.

Aug 17: “Fifth Grave Past the Light” by Darynda Jones. This is the fifth book in the Charley Davidson series, an urban fantasy (I think). Blurb on book: Charley Davidson isn’t your everyday, run-of-the-mill grim reaper. She’s more of a paranormal private eye/grim reaper extraordinare. However, she gets sidetracked when the sexy, sultry son of Satan, Reyes Farrow, moves in next door. To further complicate matters, Reyes is her main suspect in an arson case. Charley has vowed to stay away from him until she can find out the truth…but then dead women start appearing in her apartment, one after another, each lost, confused, and terrified beyond reason. When it becomes apparent that her own sister, Gemma, is the serial killer’s next target, Charley has no choice but to ask for Reyes’s help. Arsonist or not, he’s the one man alive who could protect Gemma no matter who or what came at her. But he wants something in return. Charley. All of her, body and soul. And to keep her sister safe, it is a price she is willing to pay. Darynda Jones says she has fun writing these books and it shows. I certainly have fun reading them. As soon as I start, I’m instantly transformed into Charley’s world and don’t want to put the book down (which accounted for me going to bed close to midnight with crossed eyes!). If you love paranormal with a hot & sexy character (Reyes) and enjoy humor in your stories, grab all five books and start reading. You won’t regret it! I gave this book 5 stars on Goodreads.

I think I’ll spend today watching the last three episodes of “True Blood.” After all that decision making, I think I deserve it! What kind of rewards do you give yourself for a job well done?

Happy reading!

 

Stacy

 

Cover Reveal - And No, It's Not Mine (YET)

This is the first time I’ve ever helped another author with a cover reveal. But I’ve been following Jimmy’s BLOG for years now, and was excited to help. Then I found out Maria Zannini designed the cover, which made me doubly excited. So without further ado (**drum roll**):

 

“Seeing Ghosts” by James Garcia Jr. Blurb: Paul Herrera finds himself bequeathed a mysterious old house near the California central coast by a deceased aunt he never knew. The woman who shows it to him is the spitting image of his wife, taken from him three years before in a senseless car accident which also took his unborn son. While he deals with the ghosts of a past he cannot let go, there are new ghosts Paul must deal with - alone for the week in the expansive two-storey house that he will soon discover holds many secrets. Eventually, he will see that he is surrounded by ghosts as he struggles to hold onto the only thing that he has left in this world - his sanity.

Jimmy’s previous books are in the horror genre, but I guess the romance bug bit him (or something) and he decided to write a paranormal romance. I have not read the book, but I will because I am, you know, CURIOUS. Isn’t that what every writer hopes to instill in his readers? Here’s what Jimmy has to say about coming to write in this genre:

So, you ask, how in the world could a guy who started reading and writing horror fiction end up writing a romance? Well, it is a paranormal romance, so it really isn’t that big of a leap…

Truth be told, although I grew up reading The Amityville Horror and early works by Clive Barker and Mr. King, and watching films like The Thing, Poltergeist and the original Friday the 13^th films, my tastes have evolved with age. Now in my 40’s I find myself more comfortable with horror suspense than horror gore. If it’s splatter or torture porn, I’m really not interested. As one may excuse language and nudity when it’s necessary for the plot, I feel the same about violence. There’s certain rough aspects to The Exorcist, The Silence of the Lambs or more recently Let Me In, but the stories are so good that they work on every level.

Though I grew up with horror fiction and heavy metal music, my teenage years and a real lack of dating brought me to face issues of the heart. Even though my wife and I have been together now for twenty five years, I still remember those teenage years where every sad song seemed to be about me. Perhaps one might suggest that there is still a small part of me that wonders if love can be forever, and whether I might yet find myself alone once more? Only God knows. We have a wonderful life together, yet there’s still a part of me in touch with those feelings of love and loss.

My favorite novel is not scary in the least: “Beach Music” by Pat Conroy. It is a work of genius. It is not paranormal, and I never wanted to read it; however, a sister in law of mine coerced me into picking it up. All these years later I have yet to put it down, reading it or at least parts of it periodically over that time. It is great drama and has a bit of everything in it. I will go to my grave a happy man if I’m considered half as good a writer as Mr. Conroy. Couple this with the fact that I’m most comfortable with a romantic comedy on my television, and you will now begin to understand how it came about that I ended up writing “Seeing Ghosts.”

I always hoped to write a haunted house story before my writing days were finished, but I did not want to rush it. I had seen too many films or books begin with so much promise, but fall flat in the end. This is not to say that I have written the greatest haunted house story in the history of mankind. But I do think I have come up with something that is very special – it certainly is to me.

And I hope it is for you as well. You’ll have to let me know.

As I say over at my blog, we’ll talk soon.  

If you are interested in reading his horror works, you can find them on Amazon HERE. Oh, and Maria designed those covers, too. If you’re in the market for a cover artist, check her out HERE.

 

So what do you think? Isn’t the cover gorgeous? Has this book hit your reading radar?

 

Stacy