I haz new cover!

Yes, Vanessa Unveiled officially has a cover. And I freakin' LOVE it. Courtesy of the insanely talented Kanaxa, I present...

It's release day!

Woo Hoo!! That Voodoo You Do is now officially out! I honestly get so excited for every release, to the point of driving my family nuts. I can't imagine ever getting to the point where release day is no big deal, even if I have a hundred books under my belt. Because, ultimately, each book is special in its own way. I wrote Voodoo during a time that was both challenging and frustrating for me. Honestly, there were many, many moments during the process that I worried this book would never see the light of day. But I plowed on, determined that I'd find a way to block out the personal dramas that were sitting on my creativity like a 6 ton elephant. And you know what? I'm glad I kept the faith. Because I love this book. And in the end, that's what makes all those long hours spent plugging away at the computer totally worth it.

In celebration of Voodoo's release, I'm going to be out and about this week, chatting and giving some behind the scenes making of the book. To sweeten the deal, I just might be giving away a little somethin' somethin' along the way too. So today, look for me at Among The Muses. I'll also be in the Samhain Cafe off an on all day. Tomorrow you can find me at Drea Becraft's blog. And Thursday I'm over at Embrace The Shadows. If you have a moment, pop on over and say howdy!

Inspiring the muse

Eye candy. Yes, my friends, that's what this blog post will be all about. Specifically, the eye candy that we writers often have to wade through on the internet or magazines to inspire our muses to create one of our favorite things in this world. Okay, my favorite thing in this world. Hunky heroes. It used to be that I didn't so much rely on pictures. I just sort of visualized what they looked like in my head and that was that. But all that changed once I became published. Or more specifically, after having to turn in my first cover art request. I quickly found out that providing the artist with an image worked so much better than just giving some vague description that didn't really give them much to work with. And in the process I learned something.

I really am a visual writer. Who would have thunk it? So now I routinely gather up an image of my heroes and heroines right around the time I'm putting together the soundtrack for the book. And it really does help me to get inside that character better.

So I thought I'd post the two hubba hubbas who inspired my naughty pookas in Vanessa Unveiled. Without further ado, I present:

Rand Quinlan


The only thing missing from this guy to make him an absolute Rand look-a-like are the clan tattoos on his shoulder, but other than that...ooh, mama! There's even a beach scene in the book which fits in perfectly with this picture. Of course, the jeans would have to be missing to make it truly authentic. ;)

Braeden Whyndham



In my head, Braeden's hair is a little longer and shaggier than this guy's, but still definitely a dead ringer for my pooka. And those eyes, talk about hot and intense. And the chest and abs aren't too shabby either.

I also have an image of Vanessa too, but lets face it, it's the hunks that you really wanted to check out. Lol. I think later this week I'll do a post with the two hunks that inspired Griff and Logan from That Voodoo You Do. For those of you who watch Supernatural and True Blood, you might recognize some familiar faces.

Labor Day wrap up and a blurb

So its back to work after the long holiday weekend, and I'm ready for Saturday to get here already. Pathetic, I know. I blame it on the grid-locked freeway traffic I was stuck in yesterday afternoon. Six and a half hours for a usually four hour drive. And this was even after the husband and I came up with the brilliant idea to leave early before all the other drivers up north. Yeah, apparently a million plus people had the same brilliant idea. But hey, I did manage to get some writing in over the weekend and even did a winery hop along Michigan's Old Mission Peninsula. Had a really good time (probably too good) sampling all the fabulous wines and eating the most delicious lunch ever at the Boathouse in Bowers Harbor. I've already decided to make another trip up there later this fall when the autumn leaves are at their peak. Now if only I can remember to bring my camera along...

In other news, I have a blurb for Vanessa Unveiled. I'm really, really geeked over how it turned out.

Resisting two magical mischief makers definitely wasn't in the job description.

Vanessa Darby, a bounty hunter and tracker for the Veil Alliance League, figures things can't get any crappier than her car breaking down on a deserted highway. Until the two dimension-hopping renegades she's been assigned to capture lure her to their magical love nest in the woods and entangle her in a web of seduction.

How the hell is she supposed to resist a pair of gorgeous male pookas who have a wicked talent for bringing the sexy?

Rand and Braeden have searched more than three centuries for their one true bond mate. Now that Vanessa's been dropped into their arms, they have no intention of giving her up. Even if it means agreeing to her terms: if they can't persuade her within forty-eight hours that the three of them belong together, they'll give themselves over to the authorities. But convincing a woman who doesn't believe in love, or the concept of forever, is no easy feat. Particularly with one doozy of a dirty secret from their past waiting to trip them up.

Warning:Two hotter-than-should-be-legal pookas sexin' it up with each other and the stubborn woman they love. One magical hotel in the woods that isn't exactly what it seems. And a unicorn who will forever tarnish the image of the species.

Weeee!!

I'm a day late in announcing it, but I just contracted a new project with Samhain Publishing. This book is two firsts for me. My first novella, and my first M/M/F. I blame all the scrumptious man candy over on Ava March's blog for inspiring the M/M part. ;) I'm still in the middle of writing the novella, so no blurb as of yet. But I do have a title--a small miracle, seeing as how those often don't come to me until the book is nearly done. Anywho, Vanessa Unveiled features Vanessa, a bounty hunter who goes after Otherworlders that illegally jump the dimensional veil, and Rand and Braeden--the two sexier-than-should-be-legal pookas she's been assigned to bring in. Hot naughtiness ensues when Rand and Braeden turn up the heat in order to convince Vanessa she's their bond mate.

I don't have a release date yet, but word is it'll be coming out sometime in February of 2011. Woo Hoo!

A hot voodoo excerpt

I was skulking the Coming Soon pages over at Samhain--yeah, I know. I'm just a little obsessive about that--and saw That Voodoo You Do not only has its cover up, but also an excerpt. Yay! Here's the link if you'd like to check it out. But in the spirit of sharing, I thought I'd also post a hot little excerpt right here. Hope you enjoy. ;)

That Voodoo You Do
Copyright © 2010 Jodi Redford

“So what’s going on in there?”

Logan propped his elbow against the frame, giving her a close-up view of his barbed-wire tat. Now that she thought about it, the symbolism seemed appropriate. Tangling with the lusty werewolf was bound to leave a few scratches. “Just Clarissa taking care of some coven business. Nothing for you to worry your pretty little head over, darlin’.”

She narrowed her eyes. “That managed to be both evasive and sexist.”

“Damn, and here I wasn’t even tryin’.” He chuckled. Taking advantage of his momentary distraction, she reached around him for the doorknob. He scooted sideways, forcing her hand to smack into his abdomen instead. His bare, firm-as-marble abdomen. Her fingertips brushed the warm hollow of skin resting just above the low rise of his button fly. Sucking in a sharp breath, she yanked her arm away and shuffled back several steps.

“Don’t stop now. Things were just getting interesting.”

“I, uh, just have to go and…um…yeah.” She spun and stumbled in the direction of the kitchen before she did something really stupid, like follow the silky trail of hair disappearing beneath the waistband of Logan’s jeans. With her tongue. That thought sent her tripping through the entry of the kitchen. She jerked to a halt when she spotted Griff in front of the stove, stirring the contents of a large stockpot. He was notably shirtless too, which put the mouthwatering expanse of his back on dazzling display. She stared at the muscles shifting beneath all that golden, velvety skin, her suspicions bubbling. It was too damn weird and convenient that both Logan and Griff were standing around half naked all of a sudden. Unless some devious shirt monster was making its rounds in the neighborhood, there was definitely something afoot.

And where was everyone else, anyway? She craned her neck, scoping the dining alcove for signs of Ms. Peach or Gloria.

“Hey, baby. You’re just in time for a taste test.”

She whipped her head around at Griff’s zippy tone. Now she knew something was up. Griff didn’t do chipper, particularly not thirty minutes after snarling at her like a pissed-off Tony the Tiger. “What the hell is going on?”

Griff tried for a guileless look. Oh yeah, he didn’t do innocent well either. “I’m getting lunch ready.”

“Without your shirt on?”

“It’s hot in here.”

Well…that was certainly true. Even without Griff’s muscle-icious torso making her girl parts all warm and tingly, there was no denying the temperature in the kitchen hovered between muggy and melt-your-panties-off miserable.

Griff dug a spoon out of the drawer and ladled some of the sauce he’d been stirring. “Tell me if this needs anything.”

Her intuition warning her to be on the lookout for any sneakiness, she hesitantly crossed to the industrial-sized, stainless-steel stove. She tried to wrestle the spoon from Griff, but he insisted on feeding her the concoction himself. Almost from the instant the tapestry of flavors met her tongue, a seductive ripple of heat unfurled inside her, tightening her nipples beneath the sundress’s snug, smocked bodice. Griff’s thumb traced the outline of her lower lip. Holding her gaze, he lifted his finger and slowly licked it clean. If the humidity didn’t melt the crotch of her panties, Griff demonstrating his perfect oral skills sure as hell would.

“What do you think? A pinch more salt and pepper?”

She stared into Griff’s dark-as-sin pupils. Clearly he was waiting for her to answer, but damn if she could concentrate on anything beyond the flush of arousal making her dizzy with hunger. Only it wasn’t food she was lusting for at the moment. Knees wobbling, she clutched the counter. “W—what’s in that sauce?”

“Butter, egg, milk. The usual Béchamel ingredients.”

Sure, and a liberal dash of horny goat weed and Viagra thrown in for good measure. She had no idea why Griff was trying to get her juiced up for sex. He knew damn well that all he had to do was breathe and she’d gladly tackle him to the floor and ride him until they were both properly yippee-ki-yayed out. Which left only one possibility.

He was about to spring some hellaciously scary sexual request on her. If a midget and a monkey strolled in right now, she was so out of th—

“Looks like the party is revving into high gear.” Logan ambled into the kitchen, his expression wicked and wolfish.

Her focus shifted between the two gorgeous specimens of male flesh on decadent display, and the puzzle pieces began locking together. Oh, sweet Jesus. Her heart frantically tap dancing, she snatched the embroidered dishtowel resting on the counter and blotted her perspiring forehead. Either the heat and the sauce were getting to her, or Griff and Logan. More than likely, all four.

She shot Griff an accusing glare. “Now I get it. You think the three of us having sex will fix everything, and I won’t have to worry about Nettie luring me to the dark side. Did it even occur to you to give me a say in this decision?”

Griff thunked the spoon on the stovetop before giving her his full attention. “Christ, do you honestly think you wouldn’t get a say? Damn it, you know I’d never force you into doing anything you don’t want.”

She plunked one hand on her hip and waved the other hand at the stockpot. “But you weren’t averse to a little cheating, courtesy of your pasta à la sex sauce.”

“I just wanted you to feel more comfortable. Relaxed.”

“Turned on,” she added, arching a brow.

A guilty flush spread from Griff’s jaw to his cheeks. Chuffing a laugh, Logan joined them at the stove. “Catman had good intentions, sugar. The potion in the sauce is designed to loosen inhibitions and supersensitize erogenous zones you didn’t even know you had.” He flicked a glance in Griff’s direction. “Maybe you better give her a demonstration.”

She snorted. “Trust me, he already did.”

Logan’s mouth curled in wicked devilment. “You only got a small taste of the potion’s capabilities. To truly appreciate its gift to the fullest, you need to ingest it in a more…intimate manner.” Before she knew what he was up to, Logan unlaced the ties securing the sundress to her shoulders and pushed the bodice down, exposing her breasts. Gasping, she shot him a startled look. He awarded her a crooked smile. “Don’t worry, you’re gonna enjoy this.”

Something warm and sticky stroked her nipples. She jumped at the unexpected sensation, her gaze shooting to Griff’s sauce-coated fingers as they painted her areolas with the creamy substance. He lowered his head and followed the path of his fingers with his tongue, sparking a new conflagration of fire inside her. She shivered and Griff peered up at her, his eyes blazing. Curving an arm around her waist, he stood and claimed her mouth in a hot, devouring kiss. He tasted of Béchamel and exotic spice. Of magic and sex. She wrapped her fingers in his hair, tugging him closer, ravenous for more. Their tongues rasped in a mating dance and she wiggled against him, her nipples aching for the sumptuous devotion of Griff’s mouth.

Logan’s knuckles skated the length of her spine. “Noticing the effects yet?” She mewled a response and he chuckled. “Excellent.” He worked the dress over her hips and the garment floated to her feet. His feather-light touch skimmed above the elastic of her bikini, teasing the dimples near her tailbone. She arched against Logan’s hand, her knees turning to jelly when he palmed her ass and gave it a good squeeze. He snuggled close behind her, so close she easily detected the hard ridge of his erection suggestively rubbing into her. “I’ve got something for ya, darlin’.”

Oh yeah. No mistaking that.

Griff’s mouth trailed to the crook of her neck, and something soft and silky caressed her cheek. She reached for the fabric, but Logan swept it behind her head.

“Not yet. First I want something in return.”

She licked her lips, a hot liquid rush of excitement pulsing low in her belly. “What?”

“A taste.” Logan’s teeth scraped her earlobe, making her breath stutter. He moved lower and tongued the pulse point beneath her ear. “Same as you gave Catman.”

A whimper escaped her and Logan tilted her head, his fingers tunneling in her hair as his lips glided along hers. Sucking her tongue into his mouth, he gave her a sneak peek at the devastation he could wreak on her body. If she let him. The question was, would she?

Some Cover Pimpin'

I just got the final approved cover for That Voodoo You Do and I love it sooooo much that I have to share it with the world! Okay, well...at least with you all. Lol.

I have blurbage!

I just got the final blurb back for That Voodoo You Do and couldn't resist sharing. Oh, and I also have a release date! October 12th. Yay!! Perfect timing for Halloween.







That Voodoo You Do
That Old Black Magic, Book 1

Something dead this way comes...

For ten long years Griffin Trudeau has managed to keep his paws off Jemma Finnegan, best friend and leading star of his kinkiest fantasies. As her appointed cat familiar, indulging those fantasies with the delectable witch is strictly forbidden. But when Jemma shows up at his door with seduction in mind, control goes right out the window.

Too late he realizes making love to Jemma is the trigger that launches a zombie apocalypse.

Jemma's been dealt a double whammy: she's just discovered she's a witch. And Griff's been hiding whiskers and a tail. Oh, and if her life wasn't crazy enough, a dead voodoo queen needs her blood to raise a legion of zombies.

There's one plan that might work to increase Jemma's powers so she can put an end to the looming holocaust. A sexy threesome with Griff and Logan Scott, a werewolf familiar with a history of rubbing Griff's fur the wrong way. A cat and a wolf playing nice, much less sharing? It'll take a miracle.

Warning: A witch, tiger and wolf doing naughty things. A dead voodoo queen doing evil things. And zombies doing zombie things. Get your shovels ready.

Light My Fire is now out!

Double the firepower, triple the heat…

Aiden Fortune’s orders are clear: Find the woman, claim her as a sexual sacrifice—and share her with his horndog twin brother. Distasteful as it is, the Drakoni council insists the ancient custom be honored. Or Aiden will be banished.

One glance at Dana Cooper, and Aiden is thrown into the dragon version of a tailspin. Claim her? Hell, yes, he’ll claim her. Problem is, she has no idea her father signed away her destiny at birth.

Dana has dated enough whack-a-doodles to fill an insane asylum. Two gorgeous men claiming to be dragons? Par for the course. Until they give her a tantalizing glimpse of their inner beasts, which makes her think she’s the one headed for a padded cell—for actually considering their offer of the hottest sex of her life, for life.

Her resistance melts away under the onslaught of two men who pack enough heat to set off smoke alarms in a six-block radius. Especially when she realizes she’s falling for Aiden. But with a town full of dragon hunters and an enemy lurking in the shadows, surviving a week of Aiden and Jace’s double-teaming will be the least of her problems…

Warning: Contains two smokin’ hot dragons and their not-so-unwilling sacrifice. A few wardrobe malfunctions and inappropriate use of paintbrushes. You might want to have your local fire department on speed dial.

Look for me tomorrow at...

Tilly Greene's blog, where I'm giving away a $10 GC to My Bookstore and More. Leave a comment and you'll also be entered into Tilly's giveaway for a pink Sony ereader! Just click on the banner below to reach Tilly's site.



I'm also going to be at Melissa Schroeder's blog tomorrow, giving away a download of Light My Fire. Stop by for your chance to win the book and be entered to win the ereader Melissa is giving away at the end of her Summer of Love contest. http://www.melissaschroeder.net/blog/

New Contract!

I am so thrilled to announce that I will have a new book coming from Samhain Publishing in October! That Voodoo You Do is a very hot paranormal romance featuring a witch, a shape-shifting tiger, a werewolf, and a demented ghost voodoo queen intent on waging a zombie apocalypse. This is the first book in a planned series, and trust me, there's going to be a lot of fun and magical stuff centering around this world. As soon as I have an official blurb I'll post all the blurby goodness.

Contest time!

I've decided to throw a little contest in celebration of Light My Fire releasing on June 29th. If you're interested in a shot at some dragon swag and and ARC of LMF, check out my contest page here.

And just because I'm in a sharing mood, here's a hot little excerpt to whet your appetite. Warning, this is a full-on menage scene.

Excerpt:

Aiden sank behind her onto the sleeping bag, the nylon material whispering a sensuous sigh. His radiant heat reached her before his skin did. Pressing his chest against her back, he branded her with all that toasty warmth, coaxing a purr of pleasure from deep in her throat. His fingers wrapped in her hair—not exactly gentle but also not rough to the point of pain—and tipped her head back. She caught the briefest flash of fire in his irises before his mouth claimed hers in a hot, possessive kiss.

She’d sensed the beast lurking within Aiden, but he’d always kept it in check. This time the dragon would not be denied and made its presence known. She felt its dominance, its mastery, in the hands holding her hostage. In the tongue plundering her mouth. And she loved it.

Dear God, how she loved it.

Writhing against Aiden, she bit at his bottom lip, a strange desperation clawing at her to please both man and beast. He groaned, and giddy triumph raced through her. Their tongues rasped together, a marked contrast to the soft flicker Jace was employing on her nipple. Friction taunted every pleasure point in her body. Even Aiden’s thigh and the crotch of her jeans did their part to add to the torment, forcing her damp panties to ride against her clit, making her squirm.

Emboldened by the fever lust rocketing through her veins, she groped around blindly until she encountered their rock-hard erections. She stroked the velvet-sheathed steel of the twin shafts, earning a guttural groan from Aiden and Jace. Her fingertips swirled over the silky heads of their cocks and encountered the pre-come weeping from both slits. Taking advantage of the natural lubricant, she slicked up and down their lengths, pumping faster. Almost in unison, they clamped onto her wrists, halting her. She groaned in frustration.

“Patience, baby.” Ducking his head, Jace traced the bow of her mouth with his tongue. “I want to watch my brother sink balls-deep into your sweet pussy while you suck me.”

Aiden’s harsh inhale ruffled her hair and she felt the rapid thud of his heartbeat against her shoulder blade. Both were strong indications that he not only liked Jace’s suggestion, he was fully on board with making it happen. But was she?

Her clit throbbed in anticipation. Guess that answers that question. Reluctantly, she released their cocks. “I—” She struggled to moisten her suddenly dry mouth. “I want that too.”

Jace’s eyes darkened and Aiden’s heartbeat pounded faster against her skin. She reached for the button on her jeans but Jace brushed her clumsy fingers aside. His tongue parted her lips, delving inside while he freed the button and eased her jeans down her hips. She scooted onto her rump so he could remove her tennis shoes and pull her pants the rest of the way off. Aiden leaned over her. Feathering a lock of her hair aside, he kissed her with exquisite tenderness as Jace slowly dragged her panties down her legs. Jace’s finger dipped inside her and she gasped, arching her back.

“So wet and tight. You are one lucky bastard, bro.” Jace crooked his finger, hitting her G spot while his thumb brushed over her swollen clit. A strangled cry lodged in her throat and she clutched frantically at Aiden’s bulging biceps. Lifting his head, Aiden revealed a face flushed dark with determination and passion. A muscle twitching in his jaw, he glanced at Jace. Without verbalizing a single word, Jace ducked beneath the edge of the sleeping bag and picked up a small foil packet. He flipped it toward Aiden.

She stared at the condom wrapper before glaring at Jace. “Presumptuous much?”

He hitched his shoulder with a chuckle. “More like hopeful.” Grasping her hands, he helped her up, not quite distracting her from the sound of foil ripping behind her. She imagined Aiden smoothing the condom over his cock. Imagined that thick cock sliding deep inside her pulsing core. Her breath quickened.

Jace sat back on his haunches and stroked his erection, reminding her that he was the proud owner of a very nice package of his own. She licked her lips.

“Sweetness, you giving me a preview of what you can do with that tongue?”

She gave a coquettish bat of her lashes. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“Fuck yeah.” He leaned forward and nibbled her bottom lip. She paid him back by capturing his tongue and sucking it between her teeth, providing a mock demonstration of what she had in store for him. A drawn-out moan that was too sexy for words shuddered from Jace. They broke the kiss and he stared at her. “Damn.”

Poking a finger in the center of one of Jace’s sculpted pecs, she scooted him backwards. “I need a little working room here, fella.”

He happily complied and she dropped onto all fours. For a moment she suffered a bout of self-consciousness about giving Aiden a bird’s-eye view of her generously proportioned butt. Oh, hell with it. Pushing her female insecurities aside, she contemplated the gorgeous cock bobbing in front of her face. Using only the tip of her tongue, she traced the prominent vein running along the underside of his shaft. Aiden had seemed to really like it when she did that to him, so odds were good that Jace would too. Reaching the mushroom-shaped cap, she delicately licked the glistening drop pearling from the slit. Jace’s abdomen quivered and tensed.

Oh yeah, he most definitely liked it.

She took Jace all the way into her mouth, the fat knob of his dick hitting the back of her throat just as Aiden eased two fingers into her. The sensation was so unexpected and breathtakingly good that she inhaled hard and almost choked on Jace.

“You okay, sweetness?”

She barely registered Jace’s concerned tone. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on the fingers stretching her open, making her ready. Wet, succulent noises came from her pussy, verifying that she was more than ready for everything Aiden had to give her. She pushed backward, mindlessly riding his hand, wishing it was the thickness of his cock filling her instead. Sliding her mouth off Jace, she sent Aiden a desperate stare over her shoulder. “Please. I—I need you to—” She swallowed, trying to focus, trying to shove the words past her lips. “To take me. Now.”

Aiden’s eyes glowed with an intense blue fire. Growling, he fisted his cock and rubbed its latex-sheathed head against her slit. He skimmed along her labia and prodded her sensitized clit. Her entire body jolted at the contact. “Ooh.”

Jace cupped her jaw, bringing her attention back to his waiting erection. Disoriented, she bobbed at him and missed. Steadying her, he guided his shaft past her lips. He tasted wonderful, musky with a slight salty tang from the pre-come flowing freely, but all she could think of was Aiden and his wicked taunting.

Panting, desperate and needy for the first thrust she knew was coming, she waited.

And waited.

Impatient, she reached for Aiden. His fingers cuffed her wrists, holding her immobilized. The sense of powerlessness sent a shock of excitement careening through her. Aiden nudged at her opening again, this time with obvious intent. The delirious grunts coming from her throat probably should have embarrassed the hell out of her. Thank God she was too blindsided by lust to care.

Aiden’s furnace-like heat blanketed her back, his tongue tracing each vertebrae of her upper spine as his cock teased her slippery folds. His lips reached her shoulder and his teeth grazed her skin. A love bite to mark his territory? He released one hand and briefly danced his fingers across her clit before he eased inside her in agonizingly slow increments. She bucked wildly and he canted his hips back, denying her silent plea. The bastard was bound and determined to drive her insane.

In sharp contrast to Aiden’s leisurely conquering of her body, Jace’s movements sped up, the silky gland of his cock tunneling toward the back of her throat. On his retreat, she lightly scraped her teeth over the plump head.

A hiss broke from Jace. “Fuck. Sweetness, you’re killing me.”

She hummed around Jace and he jerked in response. He tightened his hold on her hair, his grip sending a tiny sting through her scalp before his fingers flexed and relaxed. Aiden chose that moment to thrust the final few inches of his shaft into her, filling her completely on one languorous glide.

Oh God.

A few announcements and a print release contest

I'm ducking out of the writing cave for a moment to let ya'll in on a few exciting announcements. Okay, maybe they're only exciting to me, but still...

First of all, I'm participating in a Samhain author palooza over at Coffee Time Romance called Spring Showers promo. There are a TON of book excerpts and prizes galore! Entering is super easy. Just comment on the excerpts and you're entered. That's it. You'll definitely want to check it out. Click on the graphic below for more details.




Second in the news front: Lover Enslaved is now available in print! I can't tell you how thrilled and deliriously happy I am about that. This was my first published book and it holds a very special place in my heart. Not to mention my slave-collared Dash just looks so HOT on the print cover, don't you think?



So to celebrate it's print release, I'm giving away an autographed copy. Interested in winning? Just take a peeky peek at the contest deets over on my website by clicking here.

Okay, I'm ducking back in the writing cave now. Good luck to everyone entering the contests!

A few of my favorite things

1) My WIP. Seriously, this book gives me happy shivers like you wouldn't believe. It's quirky, fun, and has zombies. Can there be anything better than that, I ask you? Okay, possibly you're not as whacked as I am. Moving on...

2) Dommin. This is a band I discovered while putting together the soundtrack for the WIP. OMG. I'm digging them in a way that is slightly stalkerish.






I couldn't find a video for their song "Remember", which saddens me to no end because its just a truly gorgeous song. I'm using it as the love theme for my hero and heroine.

3)Spartacus Blood and Sand. Holy hell, what am I going to do when this show ends for the season? Probably watch my dvr'd episodes every day until the Tudors and True Blood starts up.



4)Speaking of True Blood...



Is it June 13th yet?

Cover Love!

I think Kanaxa did an amazing job. I love the sexiness of it, the flames in the background, everything!

Things that make me go hmm...

My sister sent me this in an email and I thought I'd share. I'm pretty sure I've actually laid in bed at night pondering a few of these...

QUESTIONS THAT HAUNT
ME!

Can you
cry under water?

How
important does a person have to be before they are considered assassinated
instead of just murdered?

Why do
you have to 'put your two cents in'... but it's only a 'penny for your
thoughts'? Where's that extra penny going to?

Once
you're in heaven, do you get stuck wearing the clothes you were buried in for
eternity?

Why does
a round pizza come in a square box?

What
disease did cured ham actually have?

How is
it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to
put wheels on luggage?

Why is it
that people say they 'slept like a baby' when babies wake up like every two
hours?

Why are
you IN a movie, but you're ON TV?

Why do
people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at
things on the ground?

Why do
doctors leave the room while you change?
They're
going to see you naked anyway.

Why is
'bra' singular and 'panties' plural?

Why do
toasters always have a setting that burns the toast to a horrible crisp, which
no decent human being would eat?

If Jimmy
cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a stupid song about
him?

If the
professor on Gilligan's Island can make a radio out of a coconut, why can't he
fix a hole in a boat?

Why does
Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains on all fours?
They're
both dogs!

If Wile
E.. Coyote had enough money to buy all that ACME crap, why didn't he just buy
dinner?

If corn
oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, what is baby
oil made from?

If
electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from
morons?

Do the
Alphabet song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same
tune?

Why did
you just try singing the two songs above?

Did you
ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but when you
take him for a car ride, he sticks his head out the window?

Why,
Why, Why

Why
do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are going
dead?

Why
do banks charge a fee on 'insufficient funds' when they know there is not enough
money?

Why
does someone
believe
you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint
is wet?

Why
doesn't Tarzan have a beard?

Why
does Superman stop bullets with his chest, but ducks when you throw a revolver
at him?

Why
do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?

Whose
idea was it to put an 'S' in the word 'lisp'?

If
people evolved from apes,
why
are there still apes?

Why
is it that no matter what color bubble bath you use the bubbles are always
white?

Is
there ever a day that mattresses
are
not on sale?

Why
do people constantly return to the refrigerator with hopes that something new to
eat will have materialized?

Why
do people keep running over a string a dozen times with their vacuum cleaner,
then reach down, pick it up, examine it, then put it down to give the vacuum one
more chance?

Why
is it that no plastic bag will open from the end on your first
try?

How
do those dead bugs get into those enclosed light
fixtures?

When
we are in the supermarket and someone rams our ankle with a shopping cart then
apologizes for doing so, why do we say, 'It's all right?' Well, it isn't all
right, so why don't we say, 'That really hurt, why don't you watch where you're
going?'

Why
is it that whenever you attempt to catch something that's falling off the table
you always manage to knock something else over?

In
winter why do we try to keep the house as warm as it was in summer when we
complained about the heat?

How
come you never hear father-in-law jokes?

And
my FAVORITE......

The
statistics on sanity is that one out of every four persons are suffering from
some sort of mental illness. Think of your three best friends -- if they're
okay, then it's you.

Light My Fire is on Samhain's Coming Soon pages!

I can't help it, I just had to break out into a happy dance. Yes, it doesn't take much to excite me. ;)
Here's the link if you'd like to check it out in all its glory. I also got a sneak peek at the cover today. There's a few tweaks we might be making but if the finished product looks anything like the first draft, this cover is going to be AMAZING. I can't wait to show it off.

Blurb braggage

Okay, I'm not sure if braggage is an actual word, but I won't tell if you don't. As promised, here is the shiny new blurb for my upcoming release, Light My Fire.

Double the firepower, triple the heat…

Aiden Fortune’s orders are clear: Find the woman, claim her as a sexual sacrifice—and share her with his horndog twin brother. Distasteful as it is, the Drakoni council insists the ancient custom be honored. Or Aiden will be banished.

One glance at Dana Cooper, and Aiden is thrown into the dragon version of a tailspin. Claim her? Hell, yes, he’ll claim her. Problem is, she has no idea her father signed away her destiny at birth.

Dana has dated enough whack-a-doodles to fill an insane asylum. Two gorgeous men claiming to be dragons? Par for the course. Until they give her a tantalizing glimpse of their inner beasts, which makes her think she’s the one headed for a padded cell—for actually considering their offer of the hottest sex of her life, for life.

Her resistance melts away under the onslaught of two men who pack enough heat to set off smoke alarms in a six-block radius. Especially when she realizes she’s falling for Aiden. But with a town full of dragon hunters and an enemy lurking in the shadows, surviving a week of Aiden and Jace’s double-teaming will be the least of her problems…

Warning: Contains two smokin’ hot dragons and their not-so-unwilling sacrifice. A few wardrobe malfunctions and inappropriate use of paintbrushes. You might want to have your local fire department on speed dial.


Light My Fire is scheduled to release on June 29. Why does that seem like a loooong time away?

But you know what isn't a long time away? Tomorrow. Yeah, pretty shocking discovery, eh? It just so happens that tomorrow my good friend and fellow Samhain author Ava March is releasing her delectably delicious M/M vampire romance, From Afar. Do yourself a favor and snag Ava's book. You won't regret it, she is a fabulous writer. To find out more about the book you can check out her website here. Be warned, you will be distracted by all the yummy man candy on Ava's site. ;) Amongst the other exciting releases tomorrow are the individual books in Samhain's space opera anthology--Impulse Power. There are three books total and I'm sure each one is fantabulous. And I'm not just saying that because my amazing editor--Sasha Knight--edited the anthology.

Happy reading!

New Contract!

Okay blogosphere, did you hear my whoop of joy? Trust me, I'm pretty sure my neighbors did. Yes, I can officially announce that I will have a new book coming from Samhain Publishing sometime early this summer. I'll post more details and a shiny new blurb soon, I promise. Suffice it to say though, this is the sexiest book I've written yet and I'm already fantasizing what the cover is going to look like. Lol. Nothing like getting a little ahead of myself, eh?

Speaking of fantasizing...


Yep, what's not to love about a bunch of scantily clad men fighting each other beneath the hot Roman sun? I admit it, I'm totally hooked on the new Spartacus series. Besides having some major eye candy it has my heroine...Lucy Lawless!! I was planning to dump the Starz channel but those bastards know how to get me. First it started with Showtime and the Tudors. Then HBO with True Blood. It's a conspiracy, I tell you. Anyone else suffering some serious addiction to television series?

Now what?

Well, I'm very excited to report that I finally got my WIP finished and sent in to my editor. Now I get to look forward to stressing about whether she'll like it for the next several weeks. Yeah, I'm just a teensy bit obsessive that way. In the meantime, I've started work(or should I say gotten back to work) on a project I started a while back. I'll probably juggle that book with two other books that I've been chomping at the bit to work on.

In non writing related news, I've committed myself to watching the Superbowl this Sunday with some friends. I'm definitely not a fan of football, despite all the beefcake in tight spandex. The halftime show should be good though, and I always like watching the commercials. Speaking of which, my sister sent me a link to this leaked Budweiser ad. Freaking. Hilarious.

Monday musings

Oh man, I have been a bad little blogger lately. Between trying to survive the holidays, the evil day job, and trying frantically to finish up a WIP, I haven't had much time to do anything else.
In non-writing related news, I became a great aunt again right before Christmas. Baby MacKenzie is sweet and beautiful and the first female born into the Redford clan in 37 years. Needless to say, she's going to be receiving the royal diva treatment for quite some time.


On the writing front, I did get an email this morning from the fabulous Estefanie at Night Time Romance Reviews. Unfortunately, she's been really sick for a while ( Sending healing thoughts your way, Stef), but the equally fabulous and funny Veronica did a wonderful review of Taking Liberty. You can find it here, if you're interested.

Now onto the musing session of this blog. As I mentioned earlier, I've been busting my butt trying to get this WIP done. Thing is, I started this book with the idea that I'd keep it to a nice little novella. Say 25,000 thousand words or so. But in my typical fashion, midway through the book a plethora of plot ephiphanies started screaming at me. Use me! Use me! So I did. And I'm glad, because I truly think the new plot threads have added a lot more than mere word count to the book. So everything is hunky dory. Mostly. See, about a month ago I got this intriging story idea that'd work perfectly for an anthology I've had my eye on. Here's where the musing part comes in. How delusional am I in thinking I can actually stick to 25,000 words or less? During all the years I've been working at this writing gig, I've never once came in under 40,000 words on a book. Would I just be setting myself up for an inevitable fall trying to tailor the book for the anthology? Would I be better off forgetting the anthology and just writing the book without word count limitation? Or should I (gasp) actually try discipling myself for once?

In case you were wondering, yes, that was my head you just heard exploding.

Sigh.

As always, any advice, sympathy, and/or boxes of Godiva chocolate are most welcome.