Happy book birthday – Medusa is out!

I recently featured the cover reveal of Medusa by CMP’s Sasha Summers. Now I’m happy to announce that Medusa is live! Congrats, Sasha! I have an excerpt below to get you even more excited about this new release. Check it out!

The blurb:

It’s said love can change a person. Medusa wasn’t always a monster…

Medusa is ruled by duty, to her Titan father and the Goddess Athena. She’s no room for the tenderness her warrior guard, Ariston, stirs. When Olympus frees her from service, her heart leads her into the arms of the guard she loves… and curses her as the creature with serpent locks.

Ariston goes to war with a full heart… and dreadful foreboding. He learns too late of the danger Medusa faces, alone, and a Persian blade sends him into the Underworld. But death, curses, nor the wrath of the Gods will keep him from returning to her.

Poseidon will use Greece’s war to get what he wants: Medusa. He does not care that she belongs to another. He does not care that she will be damned. He is a God, an Olympian, and she will be his.

“This tragic and beautiful retelling of one of the world’s oldest stories tackles the eternal battle between duty and happiness. Medusa, A Love Story broke my heart then filled in the cracks with joy. Sasha Summers is simply a mesmerizing new talent.”

~Stephanie Dray, Author of the critically acclaimed Song of the Nile

Book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90fH7xoZiCo

Get your copy of Medusa here:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1110296522?ean=9781937254513

http://www.amazon.com/Medusa-Love-Story-Sasha-Summers/dp/1937254518/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335232676&sr=8-1

Excerpt:

“You asked for an audience, you have it. Now tell me, where do you belong?” Hades’ voice was deep, emotionless.

Ariston swallowed. “Athens.” He met Hades’ gaze, but the God revealed nothing to him.

“Why? You died with honor and glory. Is that not what every soldier wants?”

“My wife…” His voice wavered.

Hades brow lifted slightly. “Lives. You do not.”

“She is in danger.”

“Earthly danger. She is no longer your concern, Ariston.”

“The danger she faces is not earthly, but far from it…” Ariston’s voice was hoarse, his desperation mounting. He took a wavering breath before he began again. “She is everything to me. I am proud of my death, but it means nothing if she is in peril. I must know.” Ariston kneeled. “I beg you. I beg you to return me to Athens.”

Ariston waited, willing himself to be strong.

“Who is this wife?” Hades asked.

“Medusa of Athens.” He paused. “Now of Rhodes.”

Hades was silent, his dark blue eyes regarding him steadily.

“When I die—” Ariston began.

“You are dead,” Hades assured him.

“When I return…die again, I would serve as guardian to Tartarus. I am a skilled warrior, a skill I might offer you.” He spoke with confidence.

“You vex me,” Hades muttered, the slightest crease appearing between his eyes. “You offer this to me for a woman?”

Ariston nodded. “She is worthy.”

Hades was silent again, his eyes shifting to the blue-white flames in the massive fireplace.

“My words do not…adequately express the love I have for this woman. But I cannot leave her. She is at risk. I must return.” The words came without thought. How could he justify such emotion to a God who reviled affection or companionship? “As Olympus has my arm and sword, she has my heart – a mortal, and perhaps weak, heart.”

The room was silent for too long. He would have to fight his way out…

“It is a weakness not reserved for mortals alone, Ariston of Rhodes.” Hades’ words were so soft Ariston feared they’d not been spoken. But Hades continued, strong and clear. “I will return you to your ship so that you may lead your men to victory. Too many have fallen from this war and I would see it end. When that is done, you may go to your wife.” He paused then added, “When you return to my realm, I will have your fealty.”

The God of the Underworld, Lord of Death, gave him mercy? Mayhap there was one God he might serve with honor.

Ariston vowed, “You have it.”

Sasha Summers is part gypsy. Her passions have always been storytelling, history, and travel. It’s no surprise that her books visit times past, set in places rich with legends and myth. Her first play, ‘Greek Gods and Goddesses’ (original title, right?), was written for her Girl Scout troupe. She’s been writing ever since. She loves getting lost in the worlds and characters she creates; even if she frequently forgets to run the dishwasher or wash socks when she’s doing so. Luckily, her four brilliant children and hero-inspiring hubby are super understanding and supportive.

Sasha is an active member of RWA and several Texas Chapters. A self-proclaimed movie-addict, she is full of all sorts of useless movie tidbits and trivia.

Find Sasha here:

Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sasha-Summers/213036208773108

Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5759214.Sasha_Summers

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/sashasummers/

Twitter: @sashawrites

Webpage: http://www.sashasummers.com

Happy release day to Lynn Rush – Awaited is here!

Happy release day to fellow Crescent Moon Press author Lynn Rush! Awaited, the much-anticipated sequel to Wasteland, is now available! I’ve heard so many good things about Wasteland and now the sequel and am looking forward to reading both!

The blurb:

The voice is a powerful thing. . .

Russell Leonard is a centuries-old Guardian who’s lost faith in his purpose. So when he’s charged with procuring the first female Guardian in over two centuries, he can only hope it’s the red-headed beauty who’s been haunting his dreams for months. And if it is, he intends to claim her as his. But when he finds his dream woman, Annabelle is mute and bears no Guardian’s Mark.

He soon realizes she’s been tainted by an ancient evil. Russell must somehow release the secrets trapped within this delicate soul to help her tap into the only weapon powerful enough to silence a millennia-old demon—her voice.

“From the first action-packed scene, AWAITED grabs you and doesn’t let go until its awesome conclusion.” ~~Caridad Piñeiro, NY Times Best-Selling Author

Amazon: http://amzn.to/HTGzgR

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/JewjTX

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/AAxAz4

All Romance E-Book: http://bit.ly/HHTx2U

About Lynn:

Driven to write, Lynn Rush often sees her characters by closing her eyes watching their story unfold in her mind. Lynn Rush is a pen name that is a combination of two sources – Lynn, the first name of her mother-in-law, who passed away and Rush – since the author is a former inline speed skater and mountain biker. All of Rush’s books are dedicated to Lynn, her namesake.

Rush holds a degree in psychology from Southwest Minnesota State University and a master’s degree from the University of Iowa. Originally from Minneapolis, Rush currently enjoys living in the Arizona sunshine by road biking nearly 100 miles per week with her husband of 15 years and jogging with her two loveable Shetland Sheep dogs.

Connect with Lynn online:

Catch the Rush: www.LynnRush.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/LynnRushWrites

Twitter: www.twitter.com/LynnRush

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/lynnrushwrites/

~~~See you in the paranormal~~~

Author interview – Hildie McQueen

I’m excited to have another great Crescent Moon Press author on the blog today! Hildie McQueen is the author of Desperate Betrayal and the recently released CMP “Little Moon” novella, Desperate Choices. And Desperate Surrender is coming soon! She’s one busy author putting out some amazing books!

The blurb:

Cynden Frasier (Cyn) is a member of a group of immortal warriors, the Protectors, assigned to protect humans in Atlanta, Georgia, the epicenter of a major uprising in demon activity. When Cyn is approached by a beautiful woman in a dirty alley, he is intrigued by the fact that she can see him for what he is, a terrifying demon slayer, and still dares to approach him.

Emma Blake, a half-demon, has to convince Cyn to help rescue her sister from powerful demons. Terrified that the Protector will kill her if he realizes what she is, she still goes against every instinct and approaches Cyn for help. Despite knowing that she is leading them both into territory so wrought with treachery, neither of them may survive.

Can Cyn and Emma overcome betrayal, the ancient rules that prevent Protectors from taking a wife, unless she is his one true mate? And if they do, will it even matter?

Now let’s find out more about Hildie!

Q: Where were you born? Are you the kind of person who likes to move around a lot, or do you prefer to live in one place?

A: I was born in Baja California, Mexico and grew up on the border between Mexico and California, USA.  From my bedroom window in San Diego, I could see Mexico, that’s how close we lived.  Up until moving to Augusta, Georgia sixteen years ago, I had never stayed in one place for too long.  When I was younger, I lived liked a gypsy, moving from place to place. I lived in San Diego, South Carolina, Germany, Texas, Hawaii and even for a short while in Pasadena, California.

Q: What sparked your interest in writing? How long have you been writing?

A: I’ve been a voracious reader my entire life.  My interest in writing came when I began to read paranormal romance.  I wanted to be inside the characters’ heads, know more about what made them and what motivated them.  The only way to do it was obvious.  I began to seriously write romance about five years ago.

Q: What provided the inspiration for your novel, Desperate Betrayal?

A: Inspiration for my writing comes from situations that I daydream up, I took the story from there and drawing from what the characters ‘told’ me.

Q: How long did it take you to finish it? How many drafts did you write before you were satisfied?

A: I wrote Desperate Betrayal in about three months.  The entire editing process was much longer.  Satisfied?  What is that?  Every time I read it, I think…Oh darn I should have written this instead… (Ha, I feel the same way! Not sure I’ll ever be satisfied with my writing.)

Q: And congrats on being one of the first of CMP’s new line of novellas, Little Moons, with Desperate Choices! How did you approach that project?

A: Amazingly, I already had the idea and was hoping that in the future the opportunity to tell Roderick and Rachel’s story would present itself.  Once I saw the opening for it, I rushed to write it since it was floating in my head.

Q: How would you describe your path toward publication?

A: It was a maze, chaotic and disorganized.  How about that?  Like everything I do, I rush head first into things until I get the answer I want.  It’s not the best process, but that’s how I roll.  *laugh*

Q: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

A: Keep writing, don’t ever stop at one story.  The more you write the better you get at it.  Even after publication, keep writing!!!  Sometimes you have to pull stories out dust them off and polish them to fill a request.

Q: Name a few authors who have inspired you and describe why.

A: Sherrilyn Kenyon – She is an amazing writer with a great gift for storytelling, plus her Dark Hunters are totally amazing males.

JR Ward – She just kicks butt when it comes to vampires. No one can beat the Black Dagger Brothers.  I can read her over and over; I wish I could write like that!

Molly Harper – Vampire Rom Com queen is how I see her. She makes you laugh with her larger than life vamps, weres and the witty companion characters

Q: What are you currently writing?

A: I am writing a paranormal fantasy romance.  Say that three times fast.  The story “Ruling Esland” is about a reluctant king who falls in love with a woman he meets and has an affair with.  Not only does she not know he is the ruler of kingdom she lives in, he doesn’t realize she is the leader of a rebellion against him.

Q: Coffee, tea, or hard liquor? (or all three?)

A: I rarely drink coffee, I drink a lot of tea, my favorite is Earl Grey.  I also love a good southern sweet tea!  My evening drink of choice…a good smooth Scotch Whiskey!

Q: What books are you currently reading or on your to-be-read list?

A: Just finished Lover Reborn, it rocked!

On my TBR list are mostly books written by friends of mine.  Summerland by Elizabeth Cheryl, Perpetual Light by Jordan Rose, Breathless by Cole Gibson, The Never Prayer by Aaron Ritchey, Rise from Darkness by Ciara Knight and Stealing Breath by Joanne Brothwell…oh and how can I forget this book entitled Thief of Hope by Cindy Young-Turner! (*grin*)

Q: And now for the bonus fluff question: If you could be a character in your one of your favorite novels, which character would you be and why?

A: I would be Julian, the leader of the Protectors; he is the most powerful and the one that seems to know where everything is headed.  I want inside his head!!!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

I’m thrilled to be invited, thank you so much for the invite!!

After a jaunt in the Army, living in Texas, Germany and Hawaii, Hildie McQueen settled in Augusta, Georgia. She lives with her wonderful computer wiz, hubby Kurt and two tiny dogs (Pancho & Pepito) and a scardy-cat named Dyson that she hardly ever sees.

Writing has always been a part of Hildie’s life, but about three years ago, when a friend grabbed her and forced her to attend a Georgia Romance Writers, she decided to polish her skills and get serious about it. Now the characters won’t shut up and she’s always itching to get home and onto the laptop to write.

Amongst her hobbies, travel, reading, watching romantic comedies and occasionally scrap booking.

For more Hildie, visit her blog at  www.hildiemcqueen.com.

Cover reveal: Crimson Sunrise

I’m sharing another great CMP cover today, Crimson Sunrise, by Renee Reardon. It’s another winner!

The blurb:

Saari Mitchell attends a Tueri conference in Las Vegas, Nevada to strengthen her bonds with Dhelis Guidry and Brogan Vincent—and see if they can make their three-sided relationship work. But when Saari and her vampire brother Mag’s lives are threatened, her trip to paradise soon becomes a surreal fight for survival.

Dhelis and Brogan’s psychic abilities are no help in finding Saari. Desperate to save their mate, they call in favors from the psychic and preternatural community, but the information leads only to more questions. Is the threat against Saari personal or part of a larger plan that threatens every human and Tueri’s existence?

Crimson Sunriseis the second novel in the Tueri Fated Souls Series.

Said of the first novel in this series, Moonlight Bleu:

“Moonlight Bleu by Renee Rearden is one of those ‘blow your socks off’, totally awesome, amazingly entertaining and, completely wonderful stories that make you want to yell about it, at the top of your lungs, from every roof top you can get to! Rearden’s talent is fresh and brings a new face to the world of the paranormal genre.”
~YzhaBella’s BookShelf

“Renee Rearden has exploded onto the paranormal fiction scene with this debut novel—Moonlight Bleu! The concepts in this novel are fresh and creative, and I look forward to seeing future developments…from an exciting new author to watch!”
~Digigirl’s Library

Renee’s links:

www.reneerearden.com
www.reneereardenblog.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/ReneeRearden
www.facebook.com/ReneeRearden
www.goodreads.com/ReneeRearden

Cover reveal: Medusa, A Love Story

I’m sharing another beautiful CMP cover today. This one is for Medusa, A Love Story, by Sasha Summers. I’m a big fan of Greek myths and the cover is gorgeous. Looking forward to reading this one!

Medusa blurb:

It’s said love can change a person. Medusa wasn’t always a monster…

Medusa is ruled by duty, to her Titan father and the Goddess Athena. She’s no room for the tenderness her warrior guard, Ariston, stirs. When Olympus frees her from service, her heart leads her into the arms of the guard she loves… and curses her as the creature with serpent locks.

Ariston goes to war with a full heart… and dreadful foreboding. He learns too late of the danger Medusa faces, alone, and a Persian blade sends him into the Underworld. But death, curses, nor the wrath of the Gods will keep him from returning to her.

Poseidon will use Greece’s war to get what he wants: Medusa. He does not care that she belongs to another. He does not care that she will be damned. He is a God, an Olympian, and she will be his.

“This tragic and beautiful retelling of one of the world’s oldest stories tackles the eternal battle between duty and happiness. Medusa, A Love Story broke my heart then filled in the cracks with joy. Sasha Summers is simply a mesmerizing new talent.”~Stephanie Dray, Author of the critically acclaimed Song of the Nile

Check out the book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90fH7xoZiCo

You can find more Sasha at www.sashasummers.com.