Madison's Life Lessons on the Road to Hell: Pandora's Box T-Shirt Contest

COME JOIN us for a fun contest that YOU get to participate in for a chance to win a Pandora's Box T-shirt! Click on the link below for the T-Shirt Contest...



Madison's Life Lessons on the Road to Hell: Pandora's Box T-Shirt Contest: "I want to turn YOU into the author for this contest. I'll give you the scene, you just need to finish it out with a sentence or two, a parag..."

HAPPY SATURDAY the 14TH

I'm sharing some unknown facts about myself today over at the Daily Dose of Decadence: Just the Facts with Gracen Miller!

I have a new release out too, a short erotic read, Fairy Casanova. If you read it, I'd love a review! My first book in the Road to Hell series, Pandora's Box, has been sent off to line edits! YAY! Progress...but I have no idea how long this process will take. *sad face*

Does anyone have any plans for today or this weekend? I hope to take my kids to see Thor today! I love to see Priest too. But the 9 year old says the commercials scare him and I would never dream of taking him anyway! Mighty Joe Young scared him and he called Mighty Joe Young a monster. My eldest watched that move so many times we could've repeated the lines right along with them.

I'd like to invite everyone to join my Road to Hell series fan page on Facebook...or even my prequel to Pandora's Box. Here are the links:

Facebook Fan Page
Madison's Life Lessons

Hope everyone has an awesome weekend!

Huggles,
Gracen

Errand Insanity!

Errands yesterday became interesting. A rainy day that ended in severe weather, but as I dashed into the post office Friday morning a twenty-something year old guy dashed in ahead of me. He held the door open for me, greeted me with something along the lines of “good morning” and then an inane comment about the severe weather we’re supposed to have later that day. He insisted I go ahead of him in line even though he arrived before me. I thanked him and proceeded to wait my turn. Standing in line, I’m growing frustrated by the post office’s clerk’s hateful attitude over a girl who was attempting to conduct business and quiet her crying infant. Anyone that has a wee bit of sense realizes parents cannot control their crying infants.

The young man that held the door for me leans in and says, “You smell good.”

Me: “Thanks.”

*I’m mentally running through my morning shower and whether I used my Bath & Body scent or plain ole soap* For the record, it was plain soap.

Young Man: “What perfume are you wearing?”

Me: “None.”

Young Man: “Well, rain just makes you smell good then.”

Me: *double take while thinking he cannot be serious* I realize he’s smiling, I avoid eye contact and mutter an awkward, “Thanks”, while wishing I’d hit the grocery store first.

Young Man: “You married?”

Me: *still avoiding eye contact* “Yep, twenty years this year. I really didn’t expect the line to be this long with the weather the way it is.”

At this point I’m praying the line picks up speed so I can get out of there or he takes the hint and changes the topic! Rudely, I didn’t think to ask him if he was married and frankly I don’t care if he was or wasn’t. I finally got out of there without too much personal information shared.

Now, off to the grocery store. I push my buggy up the coffee isle and it’s really narrow. In order for two buggies to pass side-by-side, you’ve gotta maneuver them carefully and then you’re probably going to scrap handlebars. I’m in a hurry because I want to beat the rain home and I wheel into this narrow isle. Twenty something young man tugs his cart back like he thinks he’s in my way and I tell him, “You're okay”. Young Man chuckles and when I glance at him, he says, “Why thank you, you’re not so bad yourself.” I died laughing.

Grocery young man was teasing and obviously has a great sense of humor, while post office young man was a little creepy! LOL On the drive home I got to thinking about the two of them and how friendly they were with a total stranger, nothing at all like the guys I knew back in my twenties. What will the next generation be like? I worry about them with all their technology, especially after my 13 year old son sent and received over 7,000 text messages in the month of March alone. Insanity!! I guess in 50 years, we’ll be a silent society and conduct all conversations telepathically. ;-)

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend!

Huggles,
Gracen

SPICY SATURDAY

I've been MIA lately, and I apologize for that. With family life and working on edits, I failed to devote the time needed to my Saturday blogs. :-( I thought I'd share a spicy snippet with you today from my soon to be released short story, Fairy Casanova. It's a short story in Decadent Publishing's 1NightStand series. Hope you enjoy!

Jace stopped in front of her and stared at her mouth. He knew many places he wanted those lips, but mostly he wanted them rounded on an orgasmic scream.

"I'm Jace."

She swallowed and cleared her throat, but her voice came out low and raspy. "Sadie."
He dipped his finger into the crystal glass she held poised below her chin. A fat droplet of liquor clung to his forefinger, and he spread it across her pouty bottom lip. Her eyes widened, and her breathing noticeably accelerated. As if prompted, her tongue swiped away the moisture, and his cock twitched in reaction.

"You're perfect. Stunning."
She laughed, a charming sound, as a blush crept across her cheeks. For the first time since beginning his adventure, he considered the horrible ramifications of falling hard for a human. Impossible! There wouldn't be enough time to grow attached to a one-night stand

. I sat for my first ink job...getting inked wasn't bad, nothing like I expected. It took about 3 hours to ink the entire tattoo and I could've sat longer, so definitely not bad. Here's the photo...the three skulls represent my 3 books (either published or soon-to-be published), the 3 roses represent my three guys (husband and two sons), the fairy represents the paranormal genre I love, and the words "Written from the Soul" is how I feel about my writing. Everything I write comes from my soul. Tell me what you think!

To SPICE things up a bit more, here's my spicy Saturday photo...Enjoy!

Hope everyone has a spicy Saturday!

Huggles,
Gracen

KINKY SEX...

My husband told me he wanted me to write some "kinky sex". I thought the vibrating diamond I wrote in Elfin Blood could be considered kind of kinky, but he doesn't think so. Warning, explicit excerpt coming up, skip over if you don't want to read the vibrating diamond scene!!

Their eyes held as he tossed her denims over his shoulders. He buried his hand in her hair, kneading her scalp with his fingers.

“This.” His palm flattened over her bare pussy and she flinched at the jolt of heat shooting through her. “Is beautiful.”

He tugged against her hair, holding her steady as he leaned over her and put his mouth to her breasts through the thin fabric. The scrape of his teeth against the cloth caused her to whimper and arch beneath him.

“Can you tone it down a bit,” he asked, grazing his fangs along the underside of her breast.

“Tone what down?”

“The music.” He rose to his knees, his features pinched.

“I’m not making that music.” Julija was too busy trying to catch her breath to worry about the melody. The pads of his fingers rolled her nipples through the fabric while the palm of his other hand rubbed the outer folds of her sex. She squirmed, itching to press her thighs together to alleviate her escalating arousal.

“Of course you are. You’re a Jewel Master. They’re singing your lust.”

Julija touched him for the first time, tracing his wide, sexy lips with her finger—lips she’d fantasized about.

“I’m not a Jewel Master,” she said, baffled by his statement. She traced the point of a protruding fang. “Ow!” she cried, jerking her finger back to peer at the blood beading the pad of her index finger.

Quick as a snake striking, he reached out and placed her finger against the center of his lips. Mired between fascination and horror, she watched as he used her blood to paint his mouth red. Landau licked his lips. The pleasure flaring across his face nearly brought her to orgasm. Again, he painted his lips with her blood, his eyes rolling with delight when he swiped the moisture away.

Landau dragged his tongue over her finger, cleansing the blood from her flesh. He squeezed and blood beaded to the surface. Again, he licked the digit like it was his personal lollipop. She gyrated beneath him, undulated her hips into his thigh. Had she missed the anatomy lesson that said fingers were erogenous zones?

He sucked her finger into his mouth, his gaze holding hers steady as he sipped nourishment from the tiny wound. A moan tore from her. He suckled again, a hard drag that tweaked her clitoris.

“Mmm.” She moaned, arching her back, needing him inside her.

A grin skirted his lips as her vampire suckled. She cried out as an orgasm jerked
through her, surprising and embarrassing her.

Landau chuckled. “You’re easy, Jewel Master.”

Easy, yes. Sex-starved too.

“I don’t know what that is.” Her ragged breath hitched as she tried to orient herself and follow the conversation.

“How can you not?” His brows met his hairline, showing his surprise. “Jewel Masters are rare, but still . . . .” He eyed her speculatively. “You’re joking, right?”

Julija didn’t think she could muster a verbal response so she shook her head.

“I’ll show you,” he said, his gaze determined. He looked at the jewels surrounding them on the bed, his fingers skimming through them until he located a diamond at least ten carats in size. He pressed the flat side against a nipple. “Can you feel it vibrating?”

“Yes.” She strangled on the word. The vibration against her nipple was connected to her vagina.

“Only a Jewel Master can make it do that.” Landau trailed the diamond to the other breast and smiled at her moan of pleasure. “I’m not a Jewel Master,” he said. “Wood Elves create Jewel Masters.” He clarified the last sentence with, “I don’t have Wood Elf in me. You do.”

Mischief darkened his gaze as he dragged the vibrating diamond down her belly, circled her navel and then slid it downward to the flesh at the apex of her thighs.

As if entranced, Landau spread her vaginal lips and pressed the gem against her clitoris. The diamond acted like a tiny, wicked vibrator.

Five seconds. She panted. Ten seconds. She panted faster. Fifteen sec—She climaxed a second time. The diamond launched into hyper-vibration drive, the harmony wobbled her eardrums, the melody so loud, Landau flinched.

He slid the rock lower, soaking the crystal with her wetness. He pressed the gemstone against her entrance; the humming diamond grew louder, vibrated rapidly against her swollen flesh.

Grimacing at the decibel level, Landau removed the stone from her body. “Proof,” Landau said, sounding strangled. When she focused on him, his eyes turned blood red and he looked turned-on, like her. “You’re a Jewel Master.”

That wasn't kinky enough for him. *scratches head* Mmmkay…I told him the short erotic I just subbed had a fairy using his wing like a dildo. I got a "that's just weird look" and a very verbal "no."

I asked for examples of kinky and I received, "I don't know. But you know, kinky." Obviously I don't know because *points to references above* I thought I was already writing kinky stuff.

I asked if he wanted me to write threesomes and he made a face and shrugged. I asked if he wanted BDSM and I received a definite "No." I'm at a loss here and maybe he's afraid to speak his mind—a first for him!—and worried I'll think he's "weird" if he does. I embrace the weird label and he shy's away from it. Maybe he wants me to come up with something kinky to try on him, kind of like in the name of research. LOL

As I told him, we have friends who think "having" sex at all is kinky. Just for the record, I think they're all a tad strange because I can't imagine life without sex and orgasms. Can I get an Amen?? The same friends and many family members would think the things he and I indulge in are kinky. So, kinky can mean many different things to people.

As a reader and a writer, what do you consider kinky? What do you want to see more of and less of? I'm interested in knowing because I'm ready, willing and able to write what folks want to read.

Hope everyone has an awesome weekend!

Huggles,
Gracen

HAPPY HOLIDAYS ~ MERRY CHRISTMAS

I know everyone is busy today with the holidays, so I won't keep you long. I received my first round of edits yesterday on Christmas Eve! YAY! But that's not what my post is about...

This question is something I've been thinking a lot about lately. Do you as a reader prefer to read longer length novels (say 60K-100K words) or shorter length novels (anything under 60K)? I prefer the longer novels so I can really get to know the characters and if there's a sequel to them, even better! Sometimes I like the shorter length novels because it gives me something to read quickly and then I can get back to my own writing.

What about you? What type of novels do you prefer?

Thanks so much to all of our readers! You guys are what make this blog worth all the effort!

Happy Holidays! Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Happy Kwanzaa! And any other saying I've forgotten!

~huggles
Gracen

LIFE LESSONS ON THE ROAD TO HELL

You may or may not be aware that I contracted the first book in my Road to Hell Series, Pandora's Box, with Decadent Publishing. I'm presently awaiting the first round of edits on Pandora's Box, I have completed book two and have started writing on book three in the series. In the meantime, I'm writing a prequel to Pandora's Box, so that those who read Pandora's Box will understand how dysfunctional Madison's relationship with her father was and how much it shaped her life...for the good and bad. So, I thought I'd share Madison's First Life Lesson...If you enjoy it, please click over to the blog that's dedicated to Madison's Life Lessons (HERE). A second Life Lesson is already up, with a third one coming next week. To learn more about Pandora's Box, please visit my website by clicking HERE.

WARNING: The content of this prequel may be considered highly inflammatory to those with a sensitive nature. I do not endorse or reject Christianity in any manner whatsoever. This is a fictional story only and does not reflect my personal beliefs as it relates to Christianity. If you have a question about my belief in Christianity, I'll be happy to discuss it with you in a civilized manner through e-mails at gracen.miller@yahoo.com.

LIFE LESSON ONE…

“You’re morally damned, Madison Grace Wescott!” Bruce Wescott screamed the outraged whisper into his daughter’s face. “It shames me to recognize you as my daughter.”

Madison shrunk further into the corner of the church bench, wishing she could shrink out of sight. Maybe if she were out of Daddy’s sight, she’d be out of his mind too, she thought as she blinked back the stinging tears. A hurried peek around the church sanctuary confirmed no one else witnessed her setback.

Unsure what she’d done to receive his censure this time, she offered a weak, “Yes, sir, I’m sorry, Daddy.”

Not that an apology ever appeased him.

“It’s not me you should be apologizing too, young lady, but the Lord,” he snapped drawing to his five-foot six stature. “If you don’t repent and alter your ways, God’ll see you burn in Hell.”

“Yes, sir, I understand.” She hoped she sounded meek enough to suit his temper or she’d find herself on her knees after church service praying for her soul. Depending upon his mood, she could pray for hours without a restroom break or a knee break. And boy, oh, boy, could her knees suffer brutal agony in that position.

It would be great if she knew what to repent so she could avoid the burn of Hell. She didn’t want to burn any more than he wanted her to burn. A typical complaint centered on her appearance. Her hair was too blonde, her eyes too blue, her boobs too big and her figure too lush for her too-tall frame. At 15 she was already three and a half inches taller than him. All these complaints apparently forced men to sin against God by lusting after her. Not that she encouraged men to lust after her, mind you, but on the off chance that they did, it was still her fault in Daddy’s eyes.

“Brother Wescott,” Becca Slayter said with her hand extended to her father, cheap red lipstick smeared outside the lip-line of her saggy mouth. The over-abundance of lipstick did not give her the appearance of fuller lips. Reminded of another one of her father’s complaints—her lips were too full and sensual—Madison pinched her lips together. “I wanted to extol how much your sermon last Sunday enriched my life this week. Why I was telling Cynthia Jones…”

Madison stopped listening to Becca Slayter’s conversation with her dad because she didn’t much like ‘Sister’ Becca or her high-pitched annoying voice. And she was old, like thirty or thirty-five, and all Sister Becca ever did was brag about some new object she’d received.

She peeked around the sanctuary and took special care not to openly snag the gaze of any man. Opening her worn leather-bound Holy Bible to the Gospel of Luke, she began to read and mentally pray God would forgive her for whatever sin she’d committed. If she were lucky, by the time Daddy finished his morning sermon he would forget all about her morally damned soul. She sure didn’t want to spend the afternoon praying on her knees.

30 Days of Decadence

Wish me congratulations—or maybe it should be commiseration—as I am officially the proud owner of a six month old blue Great Dane, named Ella. (Ella…such a sweet name for such a horse-breed dog!) I sure hope she and my Daschund learn to love one another. Can you think of a more mismatched pair than a Daschund and Great Dane? Ha! I can't. I'll post pictures of her next week, as she doesn't officially join my family until Sunday.

~~~~~

MADISON'S LIFE LESSON ONE

Where does the road to Hell begin?
With good intentions?
Or by demonic design?
In a small, sleepy Alabama town the battle for mankind's liberty has begun...

“You’re morally damned, Madison Grace Wescott!” Bruce Wescott screamed the outraged whisper into his daughter’s face. “It shames me to recognize you as my daughter.”

Madison shrunk further into the corner of the church bench, wishing she could shrink out of sight. Maybe if she were out of Daddy’s sight, she’d be out of his mind too, she thought as she blinked back the stinging tears. A hurried peek around the church sanctuary confirmed no one else witnessed her setback.

Unsure what she’d done to receive his censure this time, she offered a weak, “Yes, sir, I’m sorry, Daddy.”

Not that an apology ever appeased him.

To finish reading Madison's Life Lesson One (the prequel to my soon to be released book Pandora's Box), click (Life Lesson Two will be posted in the next couple of days): http://madisonroadtohell.blogspot.com/

~~~~~

"Dear Miss Havana" is a new kind of advice column we've added to my other blog, Moonlight, Lace & Mayhem. I don't like advertising stuff here for that site, but this is something you need to check out! Miss Havana is rude, crude, and her advice is often screwed!

The latest question posed to Dear Miss Havana:

"My neighbor squeals like a pig while having sex. I can hear this unsightly noise through the wall. How do I broach the subject with her? Sincerely, Itchy in Indiana."

Come check out Miss Havana's not-so-eloquent advice: http://mlm-dmh.blogspot.com/

~~~~~

30 Days of Decadence and giveaways is STILL going on through December 31st! Don't miss out. http://30daysofdecadence.blogspot.com/

~~~~~

~huggles~

Gracen

Howdy!

Every story has a beginning…

“You’re morally damned, Madison Grace Wescott!” Bruce Wescott screamed the outraged whisper into his daughter’s face. “It shames me to recognize you as my daughter.”

Those are the first lines of Madison’s beginning…Before Pandora’s Box and the Road to Hell series begins, Madison relives moments from her life, all of them leading to her showdown with fate in Pandora's Box. Come join her adventures: http://madisonroadtohell.blogspot.com/

I didn't get out for the Black Friday shopping, although I have in the past few years. How about you? Do you Black Friday shop? Instead of spending money, do you want a chance to WIN something fun? If so, visit Decadent Publishing's 30 Days of Decadence! Click HERE and be entered for a chance to win. Come back each day until December 31st and find something new to win everyday! I'll be spotlighted on 30 Days of Decadence on December 14th and I'll be giving away an e-copy of Pandora's Box (when it's released) and a skull tote bag.

I hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving, if you celebrate it. If not, I hope you're having a fantastic weekend!

~huggles~
Gracen

THE CROW

What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the word "Crow"? For me, aside from the black birds that scavenge, it was the mystical belief that they are omens of death.

In my newly contracted book, Pandora's Box, I needed a mystical creature that could deliver a riddle from a higher power about the future. So, I started researching and quickly became fascinated by the Crow. Similar to the Raven it appears in mythology as a soothsayer, as a creator and cleanser and as omens of death. Okay, so I wasn’t completely wrong, but neither did I know near all of it.

Among the North America tribes the Crow was considered as the guardian of the sacred law that could see not only the past, but the present and the future. Ah, so a soothsayer that could easily be used in my story to deliver a riddle about future events.

In Celtic lore, the battle goddess Morrigan would shapeshift into either a crow or a raven and they were both seen as allies and companions.

Scottish folklore said the crow had 27 different sounds and each one of them correlated to an occasion, foretelling anything from coming guests to good fortune to an imminent death. Truly I found this fascinating and wanted to learn more about the 27 different cries. By the way, the number 27 was derived from the magical 3 x 9 derivative.

To the Greek, the crow was considered an unlucky warning. In fact, while crows were sacred to the Greek goddess Athene, she refused to allow them to perch atop the roof of Acropolis in Athens because they were omens of death. Even though they were considered omens of death, it did not prevent the Greek god Apollo from shapeshifting into a crow when he fled Typhon.

Medieval bestiaries saw the crow as birds of parental devotion and it was said that the crow led the migration of storks. Medieval Christians thought the crow was a sign of the devil because of its scavenging conduct, but it was also an icon of fidelity because it was thought that crows did not seek a new mate when its mate died. Magical properties were given to the crow as well, which included the skill to foretell the future, dismantle the past and to educate humans about how to mix humor, playfulness and love.

Interesting lore—or so I thought—was the Australian aboriginal legend. I found it in The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures, written by John & Caitlin Matthews © 2008:

“In Australian aboriginal legend, Crow, along with Tortoise and Frog, dissented in the corroboree (gathering) that suggested that Kangaroo and Emu, and Dingo and Goanna should mate. The animals fell to fighting but when they grew hungry, pelicans dived for fish to feed them and a fire was started to cook them. Crow warned them that to cook fish away from where they had been caught was illegal and the animals began to argue. Frog threw his voice to make it sound as if Crow was insulting Kangaroo, so confusing the other animals that they fell out even more and decided for ever after to have their own languages.”

All of this was a far cry from the 1994 movie, The Crow. In it, the lead character comes back as an undead entity bent on avenging his and his fiancée’s murder. Entertaining, yeah, and maybe he was loosely considered an omen of death, but he was really the cause of the death of those that murdered him and his fiancée. It was revenge and nothing more.

So, what do you think? Do you believe in the magical elements of Crows? For me, I don’t know, but I do know I had fun using the crow as a magical creature that showed up, shapeshifted into a beautiful woman with birdlike qualities and clothing made of feathers. Minor excerpt posted below staring the Crow in Pandora's Box.

I hope everyone has an awesome weekend! My baby turned 9 today! Wow! I cannot believe how fast they grow up!!!

Unedited Excerpt:

The crow shifted into that of a woman, with almond shaped eyes and long hair, both as black as a crow's feather, and a body to die for dressed in a black cat-like-pantsuit. Well, no, that wasn't quite accurate. The pantsuit wasn't made of cloth, but rather a seamlessly flowing feather-like garb. A black feather floated and came to rest across Madison's bare foot.

"You've been found worthy of the crows," the crow said, her voice as melodious as a bird's warble. "Keep the feather secure and if you ever need assistance, grip it in your hand and consider our help a one time deal."

"Lucky me." She pushed out of her chair and heard Nix rise beside her. She palmed the dagger Nix had given her. In the paranormal world, she was learning things could turn on a dime, so she trusted no one. Not even a shape-shifting crow. And she grew weary of feeling defenseless as each new supernatural entity arrived on her doorstep. Grew restless sitting and waiting on them to come after her.

Crow shuddered like she'd seen a bird do a million times, her feathery black hair buzzing with the movement. "I came with a message only."

"You're an omen of death," Nix snarled, glaring.

Startled, Madison looked at him, every muscle in his body alert, his pistol gripped tight in his hand.

"Sometimes, yes," Crow agreed looking him up and down. "You're cuter in person, Phoenix Birmingham."

"You…" he made a face of disbelief, "You know my name?"

Crow clucked her tongue at him and then swiveled her head to look at Madison. She blinked, slow, like a bird assessing its prey. "The boy has risen from the puppeteer's hell. Evil has been dismantled from his past, but his future isn't set in stone. The choice is his. A blood-father born of the pit will test the mettle of his son again, but the boy owns his future."

Chills scattered across Madison's body. "What does that mean?" She looked at Nix, feeling more than a little paranoid, "What does that mean?" Did it mean Amos could make his own future or would he own the future the demon planned for him? How could she plan if she didn't understand the message?

It frustrated her that Crow did not answer. Nix could only offer an 'I don't know' shake of his head.

Crow looked from Madison to Nix, indicating the next message concerned both of them. "Nix, if you continue to squander and push aside that which you desire the most, you'll fall to a torturous death of your own making. A pact with a devil in a hell you cannot fathom. Leaving those who love you to mourn. After months of agony, you'll break to his satisfaction, become the monster he desires. In your honor, allies will come to your aid and a new Phoenix, battle hardened by flame, pain and shame, will rise from the ashes."

That strange, bird-like piercing stare settled on Madison and she resisted the urge to fidget under the crow's penetrating gaze. "Madison, you'll be plagued by doubt and uncertainty. A mother from the grave complicates everything, leading to a life chiseled with years of wandering war. Lifelong friends will be made and they'll come when you call. Only when he," she nodded toward Nix, "falls will you find your wings and build a fearsome empire. You're strong enough to crush a King, but it'll take courage to do the impossible. Forged in fire, you'll come out the other side, supernaturally strong and greeted by a lover that'll die for you. Trust in the goodness you've instilled in your son and a formidable ally will be forged, one to defeat a second King."

"What does that mean?" Nothing Crow said made sense.

"A death omen," Nix said, disgust darkening his voice.

Crow smiled. "No, a life omen," she said.

~Photo snagged from photobucket. I do not own the photo and do not claim any rights to it. No copyright infringement was intended.~

The Road to Hell...

I finished Phoenix Rising, Book Two in my The Road to Hell series yesterday!! Woot! Woot! The satisfaction of writing "To Be Continued" or "The End" is soooooo amazing. In this case I wrote "To Be Continued". Nothing compares to the excitement that bursts inside me each time I finish a book. Absolutely nothing compares...well, okay, maybe hearing my children cry the first time trumps this feeling, but nothing else comes close. The accomplishment is so singularly stellar it's hard to compete with.

Book One, Pandora's Box (click here for more information on Pandora's Box), doesn't even have a release date yet, so I'm hoping this is a good thing. Ideas for Book Three are already tormenting me. And here I thought I'd get a small break during NaNo so I could write something else! LOL I should have known my Muse wouldn't cooperate. =D

I hope everyone has a killer Halloween!! Stay safe, but scare the pants off someone if you get a chance! Mwhahahaha....

~huggles~
Gracen

MY NEW BOOK COVER!!!!

BLURB:

Where does the road to Hell begin?

What happens when your son turns homicidal overnight, killing the family cat before gutting the family dog? Do you cower in fear or fight for your life? Madison Wescott fights against the odds. Distrustful of a God she doesn't believe in, she finds herself face-to-face with a demonic world she didn't know existed and discovers her own soul is darkened with demonic connections.

With good intentions?

Madison had it all…or thought she did. A husband she adored and a son that brought joy to her life. Then one morning her husband kissed her goodbye, headed off to work and disappeared. Life turned upside down, Madison grows desperate and despondent to help her bloodthirsty son after numerous attempts have failed. Only one man dares to challenge the supernatural forces manipulating them.

Or by demonic design?

Phoenix Birmingham breaches her life in a whirlwind of sarcasm and sexual appeal. A hero for the masses—and for her jaded heart—but few will ever know the sacrifices he has made or the sacrifices to come. Discovering her entire life has been influenced by multifaceted paranormal beings, Madison is determined to defeat the apocalyptic blueprint fate has decreed. Even with Phoenix's aid, can destiny be denied? Or will demonic design prevail and they pay the crucial price with their souls?

In a small, sleepy Alabama town the battle for mankind's liberty has begun...

Paranormal Bad Boys...

Do you love them? Hate them? Or have a love/hate relationship for them? I'm not talking about the "good" bad boys that are the heroes in romance books or movies. I'm talking about the real bad boys of those books or movies. I'm referring to the antagonist that brings the hero and heroine so much angst. The ones you love to hate, but are so sensual, sexy and irresistible, you find yourself cheering for them when you know they're evil! Some memorable evil bad boys for me are:

David in The Lost Boys, who was played by Keifer Sutherland, was a particularly bad boy vampire. I loved him! I wasn't into the "bad boy" hero, Michael, because he was really a "good boy" wanting to be a "bad boy". He lacked conviction and any heartfelt desire to want to be a bad boy. And he was only rebelling because he was upset his mother had relocated them from their friends. I've loved Keifer Sutherland ever since this part. David was sexy, evil, manipulative and, but oh, so easy on the eyes. And I was heartbroken when he was killed…*whimpers* Further complicating my devastation was that his death was unnecessary because he wasn't the master vampire!

Other "bad boys" I loved are Gary Oldman as Count Dracula in the 1992 version of Dracula. Step aside Jonathan Harker and hello, Dracula! Yum! I wanted Count Dracula to win in this movie too!

Another that must receive a mention is Lestat in Queen of the Damned. I read Anne Rice's vampire series and fell in love with Lestat. Lestat was moody, angsty, misunderstood, selfish and immature and I loved all of these flaws. Stuart Townsend did an admirable job—in my opinion anyway—of the character Anne Rice painted on the page.

I can't forget Damon from The Vampire Diaries either. I wouldn't even be watching that show without Damon. He's fun and quirky, brings a level of spice and entertainment to the show. He likes being a vampire and isn't angsty and whining about being one. Seriously, why do the chicks adore a whiny vampire? Who would want to listen to that for an eternity? Ugh! I love a vampire that embraces his/her inner darkness and enjoys being what they've become. So, quit whining already!!!!!!

My final love would be Nikolas, my heroine's ex-husband in Pandora's Box. Pandora's Box is the first book in my The Road to Hell Series that was just contracted with Decadent Publishing. Nikolas is a really evil bad boy and he makes no apologies for his demonic character. In fact, he has reasons for his attitude and he feels they're valid reasons. Nikolas makes demons look like puppy dog kisses and long walks on the beach. And I am so in love with him I don't want to get rid of him. Any girl would be crazy to love Nikolas once he shows his true colors, but he could charm the pants off anyone when he's not showing his inner demon.

So, that leaves me wondering why do I love Nikolas so much and why do I love bad boys in general? Is it because they bring an element of fun to the book or big screen? They keep things spicy? Maybe I love the bad boys because they make our heroes and heroines show their own "inner demon" in order to overcome whatever the bad boy is throwing at them. With Nikolas I can let boundaries drop when I'm writing and he can do anything and get away with it because he's the bad boy. That doesn't mean he gets the girl in the end…or maybe he will. That book is yet to be written…

So, who are some of the "bad boys" you loved, or loved to hate?

~ special thanks to Rie McGaha for giving me the idea for this blog today!~

I CONTRACTED MY BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've contracted the first book in my The Road to Hell Series!!! I have no release date on Pandora's Box, but I am working on book cover information and author information. I'm so dang excited!! I thought this would be a hard sell, but I'm pleased that it wasn't!!!

October is my favorite month because I get to express my inner-darkness by decorating my home and wearing my voodoo doll stick pin. Yeah, no one thinks I'm weird one month out of the year. ;-) Last year, my book Elfin Blood was released and this year I contracted my book. Oh, and my birthday is the first week of October...so, yeah, great things happen in October! lol

We have some great authors guest blogging with me at my other blog, Moonlight, Lace & Mayhem and on October 31st, I'm going to post something the authors and I have worked on together. It's a special treat for our reading audience and I y'all hop on over there and enjoy the effort that's been put into it. So, make sure to mark your calendar on October 31st to check us out at Moonlight, Lace & Mayhem!! Or come visit us every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday for each new guest author.

Naughty...Wicked...Fantasies...

*waves at all our Wicked friends* Howdy!! I hope everyone has had an awesome week? Mine week's been productive with writing, writing and woohoo more writing! I'm almost finished writing book 2 ~ Phoenix Rising ~ in my Hell series (my goth "horrormance" series) and book 1 ~ Pandora's Box ~ hasn't even been accepted yet!! Only been subbed 2 weeks and I'm antsy for a response already. Someone tell me to chill-out already!! *cheeky grin* I'm loving these characters so much and their world is so alive, I'm having no problem remembering the minor details. I'm eating, sleeping, daydreaming and falling asleep at night thinking about them. Being so focused on a storyline, puts me in a naughty frame of mind. I guess because I'm living the emotions and passions right along with them.

Okies, I'll shut up about my excitement with my characters and give you a photo that hit me hard this week (I can't remember where I found, but somewhere on the world-wide-wicked-web).....



Does this photo bring to mind any thoughts? Comments? Fantasies? lol

Woohoo!!! We've reached 100 followers!!! Let's see how many of our followers actually read our posts...leave me a comment in this post and I'll give away a pdf copy of Elfin Blood and/or a paperback book cover. Your choice or both...whichever the winner prefers. By the way, the contest ends TODAY at midnight CST.

~~~~~

Now....off to my review of Nostos The Homecoming, by Nancy Barone Wythe.




Blurb:

For over a thousand years, LORD AIDAN HARTLAND OF WESTLAKE and his lover have in turn been eating each other’s hearts in order to regenerate. Now he’s back with his new identity- and the perpetual mission of protecting his woman and mankind from the demon Zendor that has no mate and eats human hearts at random to survive.

FBI agent ROBYN WAINRIGHT, assigned to investigate the strange deaths, is still unaware of her past, and determined to nail Westlake, with his mad tales of demons, paranormal powers and his eternal love for her. But the erotic visions she keeps having are driving her insane…

Review:

My biggest beef is that this story isn't long enough.I wanted more time with the characters because they're both likeable and I would have loved to have gotten into the head of the demon Zendor. But, hey, I'm weird that way because I end up loving the evil characters as much as I do the hero and heroine. This isn't a real beef because it's a compliment that I wanted to spend more time with the characters. The first scene where Lord Aidan Westlake arrives with his Great Danes is a very strong visual. I got this mental image of Aidan standing on a hill, above everyone else, with his Great Danes (beasts) straining against their tethers and Lord Aidan restraining them with ease. I can't remember if the sun pierced through the clouds to shine on just him in that moment, but if it didn't, it should have! :-) I loved Aidan's arrogance—who doesn't love reading arrogant men?—and Robyn's snarky attitude was just as much fun. She was definitely a tough as nails sort of woman. I won't give away the shocking details of the moment I sat straight up and said "WTF". For several pages Nancy left me worried how I could give a favorable review after the way she traumatized me with what she did to her characters. lol Nancy cleared that dilemma up by the time she wrote "the end".


Nostos The Homecoming is a creative story, built with a great imagination. Action punched through scenes in short lively bursts and Nancy Barone Wythe sure knows how to wallop you with great descriptions. For example:

"He had the timeless gaze of an immortal to whom the world had entrusted all its
secrets."

Wow! Immediately I knew Aidan had the look of an 'old soul' in his eyes. Another great line is when Aidan said this to Robyn…

"'You are like daybreak in my darkness…you leave me stunned and bewildered…'"

Dear God, I want someone to profess that type of emotion for me! :D

To get your own copy of Nostos The Homecoming by Nancy Barone Wythe, click here.

Buried in Edits...

Not sure what's up with blogger, but I'm about ready to kill it!! Grrr...everytime I try to log into blogger, it tells me "Service Unavailable". The only way I can log in and do anything is to log in through my other blog account. Grrr...again! lol

Anyway, I'm buried neck deep in edits. I'm almost finished with the edits on my new dark gothic romance series Where the Road to Hell Begins and thought I'd leave an excerpt. Tell me what you think.

A word of warning, this is a dark gothic paranormal romance ("horrormance" as I lovingly call it LOL), there is a lot of graphic content that some viewers may find disturbing. So, read at your own discretion!


EXCERPT: (I actually picked this excerpt because it was less violent than others)

Power twinkled from his palm like a firework sparkler and the deadbolt grated open. Humans and their pathetic security measures, they needed protective charms to guard against demons, not deadbolts and simple locks. Soon Madison and Amos wouldn't need protection. Then blood would run like rivers, turning the soil red and from it the fruits of his labor would sprout.

The door opened without a sound and he easily maneuvered up the stairs in the dark to the bedroom. Amos lay curled on his side next to Madison on the bed. Lightening flickered through the window long enough for him to see Madison wore yellow panties and a pale green sleeveless tank-top. She lay on top of the covers, hair haloing her head like a gold coronet, one arm thrown over her head and the other rested on her stomach. Her long legs caressed by demonic electrical energy and his appreciative gaze.

Soon he'd part her shapely thighs and fuck her, remind her that she was his, forever his. Only his. And he'd make sure she understood that calling in Phoenix Birmingham bordered on treachery.

Approaching the bed with silent tread, Beliel stared at the two subjects. They meant everything to him, both equally important to his ultimate purpose.

Kneeling beside Amos, he twirled his finger and deepened Madison's sleep. "Amos." Blue eyes fluttered open, instantly awake at his call. "Hungry?"

Amos nodded his head, scrunched the covers down and scooted up into a sitting position. Holding his hands up, Beliel waggled the fingers on his right hand and his nails lengthened into sharp dark red claws. He pressed the tip of a nail against his left wrist and black blood bloomed as thick and gooey as tar. With rounded eyes, Amos stared at the blood. His breathing grew reedy and awkward, much too fast like a sprinter at the end of an arduous marathon. Like a torpedo Amos launched across the bed, wrapped tiny fingers around Beliel's wrist and smashed his mouth to the demon's wrist.

Beliel smiled and pet Amos's head as the child slurped the dark hemoglobin.

* * * * *

Madison jerked awake, unsure what woke her. Sleeping peacefully, a rarity for nightmares not to plague her dreams these days, she tried going straight back to sleep, but something dragged her from the edge once again.

Lightening crackled outside the window and a long weary sigh whistled through her lips. The thunderstorm had probably woken her. But…she'd watched the news and the forecast hadn't called for showers. A balmy, unusually warm spring evening had been in order.

She blinked, peering around her midnight darkened bedroom, the sound of heavy rain hitting the roof. Eh…the weather man just got it wrong. Again. Nothing new in the macabre southern weather.

Madison rubbed her itchy nose and stretched. Halfway through the stretch, her breath froze in her lungs as a black shape shifted and loomed over her. White holes resided where eyes, nose and mouth should be located. She opened her mouth to scream…nothing but gurgling noises erupted.

How embarrassing!

The apparition smiled, exposing white teeth. No, they were better described as pointy fangs.

This had to be a nightmare! Nightmare, nightmare, nightmare! Only in her nightmares was she ever unable to scream.

Wakeup, wakeup, wakeup!

Nothing changed.

She pinched her thigh and winced. Not a nightmare.

Thunder boomed as she found her voice and screamed. A cackle came from the shape. With her heart threatening to pound out of her chest, she reached for Amos and found empty sheets. Turning her back on the intruder forced a knot of queasiness to settle in her stomach, but she had to find her son and protect him!

Whirling about on the bed, she located Amos as he slipped off the edge of the bed and with soft, childish steps, plotted around the end of the bed.

"No!" She scrambled toward him, but he ran out of her reach and came to stand beside the dark specter. Keeping one eye on Amos and another on the presence, she held her arms toward him and prayed he'd follow her instruction. "Amos, come to me."

He didn't. Dang!

"Red rover, red rover, send Daddy right over," Amos chanted, eyes flaming burnt orange around the edges and in the darkness, they surfaced brighter than normal. "Hellfire, hellfire, send Daddy right over."

A warm breeze hit her skin and coupled with the chilling second stanza, together they bubbled her flesh with shivers of dread. Who knew the lines to a kid's game could sound so chilling?

"In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you to depart!" Where'd that come from? From the recess of her childhood apparently, proof she'd been listening with at least half an ear to her father's preaching.

Unfortunately, the Christian command did not work on this creature. He chuckled and she got the sick impression he sent an amused wink to her son. She didn't like the idea of them sharing secret jokes. Amos smiled up at the figure that grew more distinct by the minute. His body solidified, but his face remained blurry. Something dangled about his neck, a crystal of some sort.

"Get away from my son!"

A black arm reached out and tangled powerful fingers in her hair, dragging her to the edge of the bed. She fought, but her efforts were useless except to have strands pulled from their roots. At the edge of the bed, he yanked on her hair and forced her to her knees before him. This position was too servile for her liking and she refused to look up at him for fear he'd perceive it as reverence.

She clawed at his arm with her nails. He backhanded her, but with his hand tangled in her hair, her head remained steady taking the full brunt of his strike. The copper taste of blood flooded her mouth and she gagged as she swallowed the fluid.

He slapped her again. No point in that one apart from amusing himself since she ceased to struggle. Once more for good measure, her teeth shredding the inside of her cheek, until she choked on the blood in her mouth and spewed the fluid all over him and herself. When the coughing finally subsided and she could breathe without feeling like she attempted to suck liquid air into her lungs, she looked up at him with hatred boiling in her belly. Even this close, she could not discern his features, but she could make out her blood pock marking his face. This was just…odd.

He stunk to high heaven. Putrid as if he'd risen from the grave, but he seemed hearty and hale. He sure as heck was strong enough to prove his heartiness.

His tongue flicked out and licked her blood off his lips and chin. Bile rose to the back of her throat, but she forced it back.

"Mm…Mm…Good to the last drop." Great a supernatural creature that quoted commercials. "I'll have more of you soon," he said. "That's a promise, Madison."

Over her dead body!

That's what he means, you imbecile!

"Run, Amos, run!"

The creature smiled, displaying those eerie razor sharp teeth. Amos didn't budge, didn't even blink. He just continued to look up at her with a soft childish smile on his face.

Her attacker's eyes glinted like diamonds in sunlight, but without the aid of any light other than the frayed lightening. They sparkled with such vibrancy her eye sockets ached.

Not freaking human! She'd had enough of these supernatural creatures coming into her home!

Madison let lose another scream. Where the heck were the Birminghams? She thought they were here to protect her. But they'd traded her guest bedroom for a hotel room. Fled more likely. She couldn't blame them, she'd flee too. Any sane person would.

So, not the time to be thinking of that, Madison!

The demon dragged her hard against his granite-like immoveable chest, knocking the breath from her lungs with their sudden impact. Demon or not, he was buff beneath his clothing and as unforgiving as concrete. And that terrified her more! She couldn't compete with strength.

Not even an inhalation moved his rock hard pecs. A testament that he didn't live, or rather evidence he didn't need air to live. And if that wasn't enough to prove he was dead, she held her breath, trying to block out his stench, but failed miserably as his malodorous odor caused her eyes to water.

"I'll provide you security and safety, make you queen of all nations. All you need do is consent to come with me now."

Queen of all nations, huh? What an amazing offer. Kind of like winning the lottery without buying a ticket, but she guessed it came with a high price.

There was a familiar cant to his voice, but it was unfamiliar at the same time. Diamond eyed or not, buff or not, offering the world or not, he was in her home uninvited and he stunk to high heaven.

She sucked in a breath to scream again, but he slammed his mouth over hers, slicing her upper lip against her teeth and cutting off any sound she might have executed. The hand in her hair twisted her head to the side, so he could deepen his demonic kiss. His tongue swished inside and flicked across hers, her bleeding mouth making their connection wet and slippery.

Madison grunted and squirmed, slapped and punched, attempting to break free, but none of her efforts worked. So, she bit down on his tongue and gagged on his dark sludgy blood, like having a mouth full of mushy, rotten eggs.

He jerked backward and an outraged bellow struck her face, the stench knocking the breath from her lungs. Holding her steady by her hair, his other hand wrapped around her throat and constricted. Awful strangled sounds came from her, but he squeezed tighter and tighter until she thought he'd crush her windpipe.

Amos…

White pinpoints exploded behind her eyes and darkness began to drown out the limited vision she possessed in the darkened room. Bright lightening haloed his silhouette and his grip intensified as thunder rattled the windows.

If he murdered her, Amos would be left all alone with him.

She struggled to lift her arms and rake her nails down his face, but they weighed too much to maneuver accurately. They ended up banging against her thighs like a loose window shutter in a vicious thunderstorm.

In those few moments before loss of consciousness, his face transformed with concise clarity. All thought froze, shocked beyond comprehension, she couldn't believe her eyes. His identity couldn't be right.

The door to her bedroom burst open as Madison lost consciousness.

*****

The thunderstorm boomed hard enough to rattle his vehicle and because of it, Nix almost didn't hear Madison's scream. Scrambling from his car with pistol in hand, he took the steps to her room two at a time. Chambered inside the gun were special bullets blessed from the forging and the final product etched with a cross. One shot and any demonic bad boy would die screaming in a shitload of pain. Better than what they deserved in his opinion.

Locked. The fucking bedroom door was locked! Damn it!

Taking two steps back, he inhaled and kicked just to the side of the doorknob. The impact jarred up his leg, traveled into his spine and snapped his teeth together. But the door held steady. Sounds of gurgling penetrated the door and he almost panicked. Losing Madison wasn't an option, so Nix drew a long breath, expelled it, repositioned himself and drew one more deep breath. On the exhale, he kicked the door with everything he had. The door flew inward, loudly crashing against the inside wall. Nix stumbled, but caught the doorjamb and steadied himself.

His gaze swept the room fast. Amos stood beside a dark apparition. That apparition tossed Madison to the bed like disposable goods. She did a little bounce when she landed and lay limp. From where he stood and with only the hall light illuminating the room, Nix couldn't tell if she were alive or dead.

Gut instinct told him hours ago that something wicked came this way, but he might have waited until it was too late to help.

Nix reacted, aimed and fired. The demon jerked when the first bullet ripped through his heart and stumbled when the second one entered his gut. Unusual that he didn't explode upon the first wound, so Nix put a third slug into him, straight between the eyes. The shot jerked the demon's head backward hard enough to rip a human's head off. Unfortunately, the demon's remained intact.

The demon's features crystallized and a smirk tilted the edges of his mouth before he exploded into flames. Perplexed by the intensity and sparkling whiteness of the flames that consumed the demon, Nix protected his eyes with his forearm. The cackle that followed the demon from the room made abso-fucking-lutely no sense! Demons screamed and died in a dramatic explosion. They didn't laugh and die in sparkling white light.

What would Georgie make of this new circumstance?

His gaze jerked to Amos and the orange ring around the child's eyes spiked and thinned, but didn't disappear. Nix ran to Madison and slid across the bed on his knees. Her eyes were closed, but it was too dark in the room to see if her chest inflated with oxygen. Lifting one of her hands, he released it and it landed as limp as a wet noodle over her stomach. Pressing two fingers to the pulse in her neck, he detected nothing.

His heartbeat rocketed.

If she were dead, what would they do with Amos?

Nix jabbed his fingers through his hair and reminded himself not to jump the gun. One step at a time, take it slowly, assess the entirety of the situation. The first step was confirming Madison's status.

Taking a moment to collect himself, he breathed in and out, all the while commanding himself to calm down and get a fucking grip on his rampaging emotions.

Once his heart rate slowed a fraction, he adjusted the position of his fingertips and waited. A slow, but steady tap hit his pads.

Oh, thank you God!

"Momma hurt?" Amos asked in a small voice, sounding like a two year old rather than a boy of five.

"A little but—"

"Good." Nix whipped his head around, his neck cracking from the force of the movement. The child smiled and his eyes spiked anew, closer to the shade of burnt orange. "So hungry. I drink Momma's blood?"

Horrified by that question more than the sight of the demon flinging Madison on the bed, Nix stared mutely at the five year old. Drink his mother's blood? Did he drink the blood of the animals he killed too? As far as he knew, only two supernatural creatures drank blood. Vampires and demons. Neither were rays of sunflowers and puppy dog kisses. And they both gained power by ingesting the blood of their victims.

"No," Nix said in the most authoritative voice he could project, but inside he quivered and prayed there'd be something in the Sherlock Handbook to guide them accurately. "You cannot ever drink Momma's blood."

None of this made sense. Running a hand down his face, he thought they might be in way over their heads. But he'd made a promise to Madison not to give up and, for good or bad, he'd keep the promise. It didn't matter that the little voice in his head screamed run! He couldn't save others if he found his way to an early grave. Even so, he would still keep his word to her.

With the flat of his palm, he tapped Madison on the cheek. "Madison. Wake up, Madison."

She groaned, so he tapped the other cheek.

"Ow!" She swatted at his hand, blinked and blinked again. "Amos?"

"Momma!" Amos scrambled onto the bed and lay down by her side, positioning his head on her shoulder and wrapping his little arm around her waist. Even in the dark, he could tell Amos's eyes were back to normal.

Madison rubbed Amos's back. "It's okay, sweet boy."

Sweet boy? Pfft…only if you enjoyed psychotic rages, creepy orange-red eyes and children that drank blood.

"Demon?" Her voice sounded scratchy.

He almost said he didn't know and then realized she referred to the presence in her room and not her son.

"Gone." Nix brushed his knuckles across her cheek and she flinched. "Sorry." She nodded or at least he thought she did. It was hard to tell in the dark room. "I'm going to get the lights."

She caught his hand before he could move off the bed. "Was that a demon?"

"I—" He thought so. The creature sure smelled like a demon and the thunderstorm vanished with him, the full moon shining through her bedroom window proof the weather was a result of the creature's presence. But the way the creature reacted to the demonic bullets left him confused and unsure. "I—um…think so."


~~~~~~

Now, I have to write a synopsis--evil demonic plagues of the writing world!--and I suck at them. I wish synopsis weren't necessary evils, but they are. It'd be so much easier if the publisher just read the first page and if they liked it, keep reading! Make an informed decision from the actually book rather than a fast decision on a synopsis that may or may not catch the flavor of the book. Grr...but, hey, I can jump through hoops and write the synopsis and pray they don't put too much stock in it and give the book a chance. LOL

Hope everyone has a safe and fun Labor Day weekend!
~huggles~
Gracen