#News & A #SneakPeek! :-)

Hey Everyone!! :-)

Guess what?  I've completed the first draft of Petri's Story!! :-)  So what does that mean?  Well, now I've got to figure out a real title, get a cover, get all the editing done, and format the file for upload.  I'm also starting a new job this week, so it may take me a while before I settle into the new routine and figure out how to get my writing stuff done around my work stuff.

Which is a long way of saying that, while the basic story is written, it may be a while before I'm able to publish.  I apologize in advance for the delay, but I promise to keep you all updated. :-)  At this point, I'm going to shoot for an April or May release, but as I said things are kind of up-in-the-air and that's not a firm prediction.  In the meantime, here's a little peek at what Petri's up to. ;-)

Excerpt:
Daji smiled and walked over to one of the plants. Reaching up, he stroked the broad, waxy, dark green leaves. "The hydroponics bay on this ship is rather small. These supplement both the oxygen and the food those plants are able to provide." He plucked a small, round, red growth from the plant he was petting and held it out to her.

Taking it, Petri turned the ball over in her hand. She looked at him in confusion. "What is it?"

"It's a berry."

She continued to stare at him, her forehead wrinkled.

"You eat it."

"You eat growing things?"

He gave her an exasperated look. "The diet of most people on most planets consists mainly of fruits, vegetables, and grains."

"Yes, but only after they've been processed!"

Smiling, he plucked the berry from her fingers and held it up to her lips. "It's better this way. Try it."

Hesitantly, Petri bit into the strange food. A burst of sweet/tart juice exploded over her tongue. She swallowed quickly but the unusual flavor lingered in her mouth, and she realized it was good. In fact, it was amazing! Smiling, she took the remainder of the berry from Daji's fingers and popped it in her mouth. This time, she chewed it slowly, savoring the taste.

"It's delicious!" she smiled at him.

Daji grinned back and picked another berry for himself.

When they had finished their treat, Daji stepped closer to her. Reaching down, he tilted her face up and studied her expression. What he saw there must have satisfied him because he leaned down and kissed her.

Petri opened her mouth when Daji slid his tongue across her lips. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she drew him closer and tasted the lingering sweetness in his mouth. She liked the way he took the time to explore her mouth; he was gentle and thorough. It was already clear to her that this was not a man who was interested in a quick fuck.

Hope you enjoyed that! :-)  And please stay tuned for the next installment of Mistral Dawn's Musings!

#LoveStruck #Authors #ValentinesDay #Giveaway! $150 #Grand #Prize!! :-)

Hey Everyone!! :-)

Guess what!! I have another exciting giveaway to to tell you about!! :-)  It's free to enter, there are over 90 prizes, and the grand prize is $150 cash payable through PayPal!! :-)  Now isn't that worth taking a few minutes to check out? ;-)   Here are all the details:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you so much for stopping by today!  And don't forget to check back tomorrow for the next installment of Mistral Dawn's Musings! :-)

#Interview With Jennifer Fulford! :-)

Hey Everyone!! :-)

Jennifer Fulford is joining us today.  Jennifer, can you tell us a bit about yourself and how many books you have written?

Jennifer:  I’m a journalist who jumped ship. On a good vacation several years back, my mind wandered, and before I knew it, I was writing a scene about a Musketeer jumping off a building. It was the start of my first book,“Blood, Love and Steel.” I started on a complete whim because my instincts as a reporter weren’t to make stuff up. But it was so much fun, I went with it, and now I have two books out in The Musketeer Series, a published collection of poetry, and several other books in file folders waiting for attention.

Me:  Ha! Yeah, sometimes it's a definite trip to follow your imaginary friends and see where they lead. ;-)  What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?

Jennifer:  The newest book is “Athos & Milady: In the Beginning.” It’s inspired by the dark brooding character that Alexandre Dumas created in The Three Musketeers. Athos was the most mysterious of the “inseparables” and had a dark past with the spy Milady de Winter. In fact, she had been his wife, until he chopped off her head at the end of the Dumas novel. How does a man go from loving someone to brutally hunting her to the death? That’s the blank I filled in. Can you guess it has something to do with obsession and betrayal? You’d be right.

Me:  Hmm...yes.  I've often found the "love turns to hate" motif involves a lot of obsession and betrayal, and it always seems to make for good reading, too! ;-)  What are you working on now?

Jennifer:  I finished a novella last summer that’s completely off the rails. It’s about a loner college student who is trying to finish a novel-writing class to earn an MFA degree. The course is all online, and she ends up falling in love with her teacher, whom she never meets. Intertwined in the book is the novel she’s writing, about a precocious tween who is the daughter of reclusive parents. The theme is the consequences of false intimate connections with people. But I’m also half finished with the last book in The Musketeer Series, The Last Duel.

Me:  Cool! :-)  What authors, or books, have influenced you?

Jennifer:  Loved loved loved the story of the Musketeers. I also like literary fiction. Glenn Duncan is a God. Nicholson Baker is a Genius. Anais Nin is a Rock Star. Meg Wolitzer is a Muse. Her book, The Wife, made me want to keep writing. I am also fond of poetry. Rilke, Roethke, some dark dudes.

Me:  That's awesome! :-)  What are you reading now?

Jennifer:  Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver. That woman knows people.

Me:  Nice.  For those who might consider reading your book, what would you tell them to expect?

Jennifer:  I like to explore the dark side of people. Not sure why, except that everyone has a dark side, and we usually hide it. But it’s an interesting thread to follow in a plot. I don’t consider myself a traditional romance writer, so my books tend toward the literary, a little more heady, less formulaic. But sex? Yes, I write a decent sex scene. (Or should I say indecent?)

Me:  Oooh!  The indecent ones are the best! ;-)  What is your favorite part of being an author?

Jennifer:  When I actually plunge into a project and the words flow, the high is indescribable. It’s the best drug on Earth. I wonder if those feelings are conveyed to my readers? I think for some, they are.

Me:  Definitely.  When the muse is speaking, it's like no other feeling! :-)  Do you have a day job as well?

Jennifer:  I have been a freelance magazine writer for some time, but I’m moving away from the work to go into Internet technology/web development. Sadly, journalism doesn’t pay. The entire field is a wreck.

Me:  That's a shame, I'm glad you've found a new niche.  What are the hardest and easiest parts about being a writer?

Jennifer:  By far the hardest is the self-doubt. Who would spend countless days, months, years working on a project and then no one or very few people recognize it? It causes many writers intense distress. Same for most artists. The way to stay up is to maintain your connection with your artistic community. Easiest part of writing is writing.

Me:  I think most indie authors would agree with you.  :-)  What genre do you place your book in?

Jennifer:  Historical romance with a literary bent. The RWA has a contest category called something like: Romantic Novel with Other Themes. That sounds about right.

Me:  Ha! Sounds like fun.  Anything else you'd like to tell your readers?

Jennifer:  Find books you love and support the writer by reading all her work and buying NEW copies of her latest releases. *Happy Face*

Me:  Definitely!  :-)  Are there any links you'd like me to post?

Jennifer:
I have fun blogging here: LivingOnInk.com
On Facebook, I enjoy interacting and talking books: Facebook.com/TheMusketeerSeries
I can’t seem to get off Twitter: twitter.com/jmfwriter
I post events on my website: TheMusketeerSeries.com
My Amazon author page

Lovely day to you all.

Me:  Wonderful!  Thanks you for taking the time to answer my question, Jennifer.  And thank you everyone else who stopped by to see what we found to chat about! :-)  Don't forget to check back tomorrow for the latest installment of Mistral Dawn's Musings! 

#Interview With S. H. Pratt! :-)

Hey Everyone!! :-)

S. H. Pratt is joining us today to talk about her fabulous books!  S. H. can you tell us a bit about yourself and how many books you have written?

SH:  I am a contemporary romance author with 11 full-length novels in publications. I began pushing the publish button two and a half years ago with Always My Love and haven’t looked back since. I have four standalone novels; two epic romances (each epic romance is two books that are two halves of one story); and The Green Brothers Novels which is comprised of two series, The Crazy Mountain Series about Austin Green, and The Picture of Love Series about Austin’s twin brother, Adam Green. I love to write stories about twins (or triplets) and stories that have a heavy psychological base. Intrigue, suspense, and powerful tugs on your emotions make everything I do worth it.  I’m a native Montanan who currently lives in Olympia, Washington. The bulk of my stories take place in places I know best which would be Montana, Olympia, Seattle, and some parts of California. I’m the mother of three profoundly gifted nerdlings who are avid readers and inspiration for many of my youthful characters… yes, I write books that sometimes have kids. I also, aside from the many hats I wear as ‘mom’, enjoy quilting (by hand), reading, watching movies, and gaming (board games, online MPGs, Wii… pretty much any game.)

Me:  Wow! Sounds like you're a busy lady! :-)  What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?

SH:  My latest book is an epic romance called The Artist’s Touch which consists of the first half – The Artist’s Touch – and the second half – The Artist’s Love. The inspiration for it came from my eldest nerdling’s middle school art teacher. He was an exceptionally kind man whose very appearance screams “nerd” from his glasses to his overly thin body to his rolled up pant-legs (because he is an avid bicyclist, as many PNWers are.) I simply allowed my imagination to take that “nerd” persona that he made cool – yes, the students even thought he was cool – and run amok until Spencer St. George was created in my mind. Spencer is a middle school art teacher, avid bicyclist, and wears glasses however, that is where the similarities end. Spencer is less gangly, more inclined to dress classier, an unexpected alpha, and harboring a secret past that is utterly different from the life he leads in Olympia. From the creation of Spencer, I simply allowed my characters to come along and tell the story.

Me:  Yeah, letting the characters tell you their stories is usually the best way. :-)  What are you working on now?

SH:  I am currently working on the third book of the Crazy Mountain Series, final one for Austin Green’s story although he will appear in the books that feature his twin; the second book of the Picture of Love Series with Adam Green; and a few odds and ends that my mind grabs onto for a bit in between working on the Green Brothers.

Me:  Cool!  What authors, or books, have influenced you?

SH:  I think I’ve been influenced by such a wide variety of authors and their books that it’s difficult to pin down just one or two specific influences. John Grisham, Stephen King, Johanna Lindsey, Kathleen Woodwiss, Carol Mortimer, Julia Grice, Alice Clayton, Jean Auel… there are so many.

Me:  Yes, there are a lot of great authors out there. :-)  What are you reading now?

SH:  I am currently reading a couple Realm Jumper books by Raven Williams and Water Weaver by Morgan Sheppard (slowly mind you as my time is limited.)

Me:  Ha! I hear you. ;-)  For those who might consider reading your book, what would you tell them to expect?

SH:  Anyone reading any of my books should expect an emotional rollercoaster, strong psychological threads, and subjects that are not always easy to deal with. I do write children into stories and I do deal with heavily emotional situations.

Me:  I like books will a little "meat" in them. ;-)  What is your favorite part of being an author?

SH:  I love being able to share the warped stories that my mind conjures and I love that there are readers out there who love my stories.

Me:  Yes! Readers are the best! :-)  Do you have a day job as well?

SH:  My day job is ‘The Many Hats of Mom’.

Me:  Hard job! :-)  What are the hardest and easiest parts about being a writer?

SH:  The hardest part of being a writer is the writer’s block that does smack me upside the head every so often as well as dealing with the people who don’t understand the quantity of work that goes into just one book and therefore discount the idea that it is as taxing as a “real job”. The easiest part is finding the inspiration for new characters and stories.

Me:  Yep, being an author is definitely work.  What genre do you place your book in?

SH:  I write contemporary romance that can occasionally be categorized in romantic suspense.

Me:  Wonderful!  Is there anything else you'd like to tell your readers?

SH:  I write books that have serious storylines, plots, and are detail rich with strong characters. There is romance and yes, sex scenes, but I don’t write gratuitous sex, BDSM, or erotica. Expect a story not just smut.

Me:  Oh, gratuitous sex, BDSM, erotica, and an awesome story aren't mutually exclusive. ;-)  And so these fine folks can find your fabulous stories, are there any links you'd like me to post?

SH:
Website: http://shpratt701.wix.com/books-by-s-h-pratt
Facebook Author Page (likes): https://www.facebook.com/shpratt701
Facebook Author Page (personal): https://www.facebook.com/sh.pratt.39
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SHPratt701
Amazon: www.amazon.com/author/shpratt
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/s.-h.-pratt
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/SHPratt
Newsletter Sign-up: http://eepurl.com/bamfsD

Me:  Perfect!  Thank you so much for stopping by today, SH.  And thank you everyone else who joined us. :-)  Don't forget to come back tomorrow for the next installment of Mistral Dawn's Musings! :-)

#WarmUp #Wednesday! :-)

Hey Everyone!! :-)

It's Wednesday again, so time to find out what Petri has been up to! ;-)  I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I'm enjoying writing it. :-)

Excerpt:
Daji broke their kiss and pulled back. His gaze bore into her eyes as he cradled her chin in his large hands and smoothed his thumbs over her cheeks. "You are truly lovely," he murmured. "This will be an unusual pleasure."

Petri blushed. Her clients didn't usually consider her beautiful. With her flat, cat-like face, small, skinny body, and undeveloped breasts and hips, she was considered exotic, different, and sometimes exciting. But not pretty.

"Thank you, handsome, that means a lot coming from you." She smiled, but it was the empty, meaningless smile she always gave to clients. And she could see that Daji noticed.

"You do not believe me." He reached lower and pressed her body against his. She could feel the evidence of his arousal against her sternum. "But I do not lie, nor do I say things I do not mean."

Closing her eyes, she swallowed. Even if he was just being kind, he deserved better from her than the plastic facade she normally wore over her feelings while she worked. He had earned more from her. And she knew that his attraction to her was real. Even before he touched her, she felt his lust and something else as well, something deeper that she couldn't identify. But it was clear to her that his feelings were honest, and that she turned him on. Forcing herself to push aside the persona of a professional dolly, she looked up into his eyes and brushed her fingers over the soft fur on his cheek.

"I'm sorry, Daji. And thank you, for real. I'm glad you like what you see."

A purr sounded from deep in his throat. He took her hand in his and rubbed his cheek against her palm. "Very much.

Woo!  Guess things are about to get hot, huh? ;-)  Thanks for dropping in, and don't forget to check back tomorrow for the latest in Mistral Dawn's Musings! :-)

#Spellbound #Hearts #Series #Available #Free Through #KindleUnlimited!!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

Just a quick post today to let you all know that the entire Spellbound Hearts series is now available for free through Kindle Unlimited!!  So, if you've been looking for a binge read, now's the time to get your Fae fix and spend some time in Fairie!! ;-)  Don't know where to find this series?  No problem! Here you go:

Spellbound Hearts on Amazon

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to check back tomorrow for the latest installment of Mistral Dawn's Musings! :-)

#MondayMotivation #Heat! :-)

Hey Everyone!! :-)

With all the excerpts I've been posting lately, Roni and Uaine were starting to feel left out.  Since it's winter here in the Northern Hemisphere of the human world, I decided to share some fun these two got up to in a garden of the Summer Court.  Maybe it will help warm things up! ;-)

Excerpt from Bound By The Summer Prince:

Roni laid with her head pillowed on Uaine’s shoulder, and his arm around her. Just the feel of his body next to hers was enough to bring carnal images to her mind. Tilting her head up, she looked at him and gave him a wicked smile.

Laughing at the mischief in her expression, Uaine said; “And just what might you be thinking?”

“Would you like me to show you?”

“Hmmmm…I don’t know. That’s quite a look of deviltry in your eyes.”

“Ha! Coward! You can dish it out, but you can’t take it?”

“Ah, how could any male refuse such a challenge?” He smiled. “Do your worst, my love.”

Sitting up, Roni pulled her shirt over her head and wiggled out of her pants. Wearing only her lacy bra and panties, she got up onto her knees and put her hands on her hips, looking at the prince appraisingly.

Uaine just lay back, with his arms crossed behind his head, and cocked an eyebrow at her.

Grinning, she grabbed his shirt and yanked it up and over his head, so it covered his face.

He started to sit up. “Hey!”

She put a hand on his chest and pushed him back down. “Uh, uh, uh! Stay where you are.”

When he had subsided, Roni kissed his exposed neck, and then down to his collarbone. Uaine’s breathing deepened, and she slowly made her way down to his chest. Running her fingers lightly over his body, she traced the outlines of his muscles.

Gently plucking at his nipples with her fingers, she kissed her way down his chest to suck the right one between her lips. While her right hand played with his left nipple, her left hand slowly trailed down to cup him through his pants. He bucked into her hand, and moaned as she began to caress him.

If you enjoyed that and want to read more, you can find Bound By The Summer Prince on Amazon here:

Bound By The Summer Prince on Amazon

And if you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited, then you can read it for free! :-)  Thank you all for stopping by today, and don't forget to check back tomorrow for the latest news from Mistral Dawn's Musings! :-)