Last Night A DJ Saved My Life

Like all my fellow authors, music inspires me. Actually it gives me a kick up the bum and demands that I write. When I was writing Said The Demon To Little Miss Eva, I had to stop and listen to whatever ground me to reality or whatever made me feel a little naughty sexy. Anything other than sh*t scared. So I've got a list on my Facebook Page with links so you can have a listen and see what gets Eva excited. What gives Gabriel ideas. And what takes me to a whole other planet every time I listen to it. And yeah. I am beyond random in my music choices. You knew this already, ne c'est pas?

Billy London Page

Heads will roll...

Lookie at my new book! It's my first outing for Mocha Memoirs Press and it is an erotic romance horror. Yes, I think that is a new genre. Writing this book reminded me why it's good to live with other people, because I am a fully paid up member of the Scardey Cat Society. I heard a noise once in the room next to my bedroom, so what did I do? I locked myself in my bedroom and called my brother. Know what it was? Sod all. But hey, things aren't supposed to move independently. Kettles, radios, TVs and definitely not washing machines. You are not supposed to have weird dreams about monsters and dead women your neighbour has slept with. I'm weird, I know.

MMP Said the Demon

All Romance E Books

Hottie of the Century

I was on my way home from Sofarsounds yesterday when I saw a poster for Warrior and nearly got myself into trouble by openly expressing how I could steal it. It stars Tom Hardy whom I have been obsessed with for the past eight years, I think. He's the kind of actor in the same league of Daniel Day Lewis, a character actor who lives and breathes the role until it ends. Yeah, I said it. Same league as DDL (I still love you Daniel!). While Tom's had a turbulent life that rehab, the love of a good woman and a daughter has resolved, I don't care. He's got porno lips, dark eyes and that hint of crazy that nutters like me will always enjoy. I remember him in the BBC production, The Virgin Queen where he played Essex, Elizabeth I's first and only real love. She apparently whispered his name when she died. There's a scene where they are both in court and my god, the way he looked at her, blazed through every single person in that room!

Then he was in Oliver, as Bill Sykes, and genuinely he is the only Bill Sykes who has ever scared the living daylights out of me, plus he was acting opposite one of my favourite actresses, the gorgeous Sophie Okonedo which sealed the deal. After that came Wuthering Heights and having always considered Heathcliffe as an uncertified psychopath, I loved, pitied and desired that passion he gave in every single second. In Inception he stole the show for me as the English gent with a huge gun (hehehe), in Bronson he was the show, and soon he will be not only Bane in the The Dark Knight Rises but Mad Max in the reboot coming soon! So let the record show that I have been worshipping at the altar of the Hardy for a damn long time. So I didn't come to this party late, I damn well started it. Drool at your leisure.

Changes

Where has this month gone? I was going to say I've done sod all useful but it's not entirely true. I've learned my writing limits in finishing the edits for my horror story and completing my zombie story (ZOMBIE NATION RISES). I realised I need boundaries. Feet on the ground. Spells and powers and otherworldly issues are hard work! Seriously hard! Like beef jerky left out in the middle of the desert for a year and a day hard. Anyways, take away the paranormal aspect of both stories and I think the message in them is about survival. Going through a terrible experience and coming out the other side, stronger, better and maybe, sadly harder.

The heroine in my horror believes she's escaped her past, but the irritating thing about history, is that you turn around and it'll be standing in front of you at your art exhibition telling you off about a t-shirt. Well more freaky things than that happen. Then there's Kamilah, who refuses to be labelled as a victim and is all about survival. And pate. Because that stuff is so worth surviving. There were parts of both stories that I absolutely adored writing, and then there were the 'ah, that's not going to work' parts that required my brain to work. Which I don't like so much.

So August was all about stretching comfort zones, and channelling survival of some dire personal experiences. In other news, I am totally all over Nick and Gina's wedding and giving Massimo Da Canaveze a little hope. Hands up for older men?!

Different World

Shirelle Higgins is a secret gangsta. You did not know this? I will explain to you why. From one of the funniest BTP challenges to date, spurred from er 'interesting' submissions, Ms Higgins took one look at this challenge, said to it 'yeah, what, bring it!' And bring it she has in the form of the story 'Wolfwitch'.

Bobbie is a woman under the thumb of her abusive were husband, struggling to exist in a world that rejects her as an abomination. It doesn't help that in enjoying a little rare moment of freedom, she is kidnapped by a vampire talking all sorts of illogical nonsense around a wolfwitch. James is the vampire charged with trying to negotiate a deal that will maintain balance with the paranormals, as the wolfwitch is a powerful entity who can control the shift of all weres. Bobbie is a gut wrenching, sensual siren of a distraction whom James knows to the core is his mate. But she belongs to another man, who could hold the future of weres in his careless hands. Wolfwitch is a subtle sensual story that has put a completely original, fresh and unusual spin on werewolf folklore.

James is the most human and emotionally aware vampire I've ever read of. His strength is not just physical, it is emotional, spiritual - words one doesn't necessarily associate with nosferatu. It doesn't make him any less dangerous or ruthless. Bobbie is funny, sweet and when the time comes, a warrior. This story also has possibly the sexiest scene of the year - when you get to it, you'll know what I mean. I adore a story that has an impending sense of doom about it and unfulfilled 'we-can-never-be' love. In this short, bizarrely delicious read, Shirelle gives a new twist to what is generally accepted as the norm in paranormal (see what I did there?). I have a good feeling that it will turn into a series, exploring the rather brilliant premise of Wolfwitch. Howl at the moon, y'all. Howl at the moon...

Wolfwitch-EBOOK.html

Roads

Janet Eckford is ridiculously smart. How else is she able to not only make me think but be so deeply connected to her characters that I was dreaming about them days after I finished the book? Gasp, she's a master hypnotist! That's what she means by working in mental health! 

And back to sensibility. I've gone a bit loopy in excitement because I finally read 'Time for You and Time for Me'. It's a story that follows a path of pain and healing between two quite extraordinary people, Leland and Morgaine. They find each other in dark circumstances but find that love is their salvation. There is something about Morgaine's past experiences that made me want to weep (okay I did) and I'm desperately trying to not give anything away! What I loved about the story, apart from Morgaine's ability to embarrass Leland, was that her usual tricks for swaying the male persuasion didn't work on Leland. He is without doubt the definition for her of what it is to be free and at peace with herself. For him, Morgaine is to accept love wholly, no barriers, no excuses. Oh my god, I'm welling up again! 

Good god, Ms Eckford can't half turn a phrase. When she said she was kick ass, the lady wasn't lying. 

Nab your copy here if you haven't already. I'm going to raid the Eckford back catalogue poste haste. 

Time-for-You-and-Time-for-Me-EBOOK.html

Human Behaviour

My day job constantly challenges my faith in humanity. On pretty much an hourly basis. But then, sometimes someone will do something so startlingly wonderful it needs to be acknowledged.

On The Sweetest Taboo forum, I discovered a member who is giving gift certificates from Beautiful Trouble Publishing to struggling students:

http://s14.zetaboards.com/The_Sweetest_Taboo/topic/6672170/1/#new

Her profile name is Bajan and I just wanted to say publicly to her: thank you so much. Generosity is rare, especially when everyone is tightening their belts. Cheers to you!