I’m thrilled to have the wonderful Abigail Sharpe as my guest today to talk about her book, Who Wants to Marry a Cowboy!  I had the pleasure of reading this gem, and it is utterly charming and witty and a true delight!  You’re gonna love her!  So, stick around, leave a comment, and you might get lucky and win one of two copies of her book I’m giving away!

So, Abigail, your book is about marrying a cowboy.  Do you love cowboys and/or did you marry one?

First, thank you for having me here.  Your books are so amazing and I’m thrilled you enjoyed mine.

Cowboys make the best heroes, don’t they?  They’re sexy, independent, know how to fill out a pair of jeans and rock a Stetson.  And while I adore them in their fictional world, I might have trouble living on a ranch.  I’m more of a city girl in that respect.

Thanks, Abigail!  So, tell me, which three words do you think best describe your book?

Fun, flirty, sexy.

The funny thing is, while I included love scenes in Who Wants to Marry a Cowboy, I was still so new at writing them that I didn’t think they were anything special.  A lot of reviewer blogs, however, mentioned the chemistry between Ainsley and Riley and their sexy scenes.  I guess I was on to something.

Yes, you were.  Now, name three things you have in common with your hero or heroine.

Oooh, tough one.  I have more in common with one of the tertiary characters who visits the ranch as woman who wants to marry a cowboy.  As for my heroine – Ainsley tries to please everyone at the sacrifice of her own happiness.  I don’t go that far, but if there’s something I can do to make my family happy, I’ll do it.  Maybe not hightail it to Wyoming for a ranch vacation, however.  I also like fixing things around the house when I can, like a worn door knob.  Ainsley can do that and so much more. 

What have you learned about people since you’ve become an author? 

Daily interactions are fodder for stories or can be used for inspiration.  The world is such an interesting place.  Ideas are there if you let them come to you.

So true.  And have your parents or family read your book and/or love scenes?  How does that make you feel?

My mom is waiting to see me to get her autographed copy.  I’m still slightly mortified by the thought of her reading the love scenes.  My kids are 11 and 9 – and boys – so they haven’t read it.

As for my husband… He supports me in so many ways.  He doesn’t complain if I ditch the family after dinner or on the weekends to write.  I’ve spent the last three weekends away from home because I was presenting workshops at different RWA chapters.  He takes on my responsibilities when I do that, like picking the kids up from school.  We work on our household budget together so I can go to conferences.  Now, he’s not a romance reader, and I kinda don’t want him to read Who Wants to Marry a Cowboy– my biggest fear being he won’t enjoy it, and then he’d have to lie to me.  I don’t need him to read it to know I have his love and support.

What is your pet peeve?

It’s awful, and I need to get over it.  Are you ready?

I hate when people end sentences with the word at.  Like, instead of saying, “where is it?” they’ll say, “Where’s it at?”  The people I work with know this about me, and will tease me by purposefully ending sentences that way.  It’s funny, but it drives me nuts at the same time.

Okay, last one . . . it’s a doozy . . . Is your hero a boxers, briefs, or commando kinda guy?

Tighty-whities all the way!  Which is ironic – I love a man in boxers. 

Thanks for the intriguing questions!

No problem.  Loved having you here!  So, now it’s everyone else’s turn!  Tell us, do you love a man in boxers, briefs, or commando style?  Or, you can be tame and just tell us if you want to marry a cowboy.  That’ll be fine, too, LOL.  Two lucky winners will win a copy of Abigail’s book, Who Wants to Marry a Cowboy!  Good luck and check back next week!

Available now at Amazon : http://tinyurl.com/d5bf964

Barnes and Noble: 

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/who-wants-to-marry-a-cowboy-abigail-sharpe/1112412063?ean=9781455575916

WINNERS!  WINNERS!  The winners of last week’s blog with Mari Mancusi are: Diane and bn100.  Please email me at: christie (at) christie-craig.com and let me know if you’d prefer print or e-book and either your snail mail addy or if you’d prefer Amazon or B&N for e-book.  Congrats!

Mother’s Day has just passed us, and a couple weeks ago, something happened and I was reminded of the amazing power and devotion that stems from maternal instincts.  Instincts that aren’t just human, but are found in all animals.  Yup, squirrels are mamas, too.

I was doing what I do most of the time.  Working.  Lady, my junkyard dog, was resting on my office sofa, gazing out the French doors that overlook my backyard.  She wasn’t just being lazy.  Oh, no, she has a job to do.  She is forever on squirrel duty and takes her job very seriously.  Ahh, but this day she was quite tired from destroying another of her doggy toys, this one a stuffed squirrel, that she’d managed to sneak outside.

You see, Lady is anti-squirrel, and I think she got too much joy ripping the toy to shreds as all the yard squirrels watched on.   Now, she’s a wonderful dog as long as you aren’t a squirrel.  Anyway, while it was a pretty day, blue skies and puffy white clouds, the wind had kicked up.  The strong gusts sent the trees dancing and the innards of the stuffed squirrel were strewn across my yard.

Then I heard it.  A loud thump, like a small tree limb hitting the ground.  Lady, ever attentive to the outside world, bolted to the French doors.  She stood there, her attention riveted.

Then, she came hurdling over to me and put her paws on the desk, barking, which she seldom does.  In doggy language that means, “I want outside…NOW!”

I went to let her out, but something gave me pause.  She was too eager.  So, I squeezed out the door, forcing her to stay inside.

I spotted the reason for her eagerness.  There, on my concrete patio, was a broken nest of sorts.  And outside the nest were four baby squirrels.  My stomach clutched as I drew near, thinking the fall had killed them.  But nope, they were all breathing, just too little to run away.  Lady whined behind me at the French doors, anxious to come out and do her squirrel duty. 

I stood there trying to think what to do.  I had to let Lady out sooner or later.  Right then a loud noise erupted—a half cry, half scream.  I looked around and there, clutching a nearby tree trunk, was another squirrel.  I knew that this was the mama. 

I could hear the panic and devastation in her loud chirps.  Her babies were in danger and could even be dead.   I stepped back.  “I’m not gonna hurt them,” I assured her, and my heart hurt for her.  But was there anything I could do?

Since I knew squirrels weren’t like possums that could hang onto their mama’s back, and these babies were too young to climb, I imagined the worst outcome.  Her babies weren’t going to make it.  And from the heartfelt sounds she made, the mama squirrel knew it, too.   And bam, just like that, I remembered when they took my five-week premature son into surgery.  The fear, the heartache, I felt was as real right then as it was years ago.

Feeling helpless, yet desperate to help, I went inside and called my hubby, wondering if I should collect the babies and take them to the wildlife vet.  He didn’t answer his cell phone, so I started to go outside again, but a movement outside the window had me stop.  The mama squirrel had rushed to her babies, sniffing and nudging them with her nose.  Then what she did next completely surprised me.  She opened her mouth and stuffed a baby inside.  Even though it appeared impossible, she got the entire little body in there.  With only the baby’s tail hanging out, she climbed back up the tree.  It wasn’t an easy climb, once or twice I worried she would fall.  She would stop as if to catch her breath.   It appeared as if she’d either found an empty nest or had just borrowed a friend’s nest to leave the first baby.   Then, one by one, she collected the others.  With maternal strength, she saved what was most precious to her.  Her babies.

With all her squirrels out of harm’s way, she skittered back down and started gathering items to help rebuild a new nest.  Oddly enough, she collected a lot of the stuffing from the toy squirrel. For some reason, that felt like poetic justice, though I wouldn’t tell Lady.  And I kept my squirrel guard dog inside, allowing the still panicked mama all the time she needed to do her work.  I’ve never seen a squirrel work so hard. 

Lady wasn’t happy I’d kept her from her job of ridding the yard of squirrels, but I knew the mama squirrel was ever so grateful.  And it just reconfirmed what I’ve always known.  There is nothing like a mother’s love.

WINNERS!  WINNERS!  The winners of last week’s blog with Teri Thackston are:  Debbie Lynn Pittman and Jan Nash!  Please email me at: christie (at) christie-craig.com with your preference of Amazon or B&N for your e-book.  Congratulations!

I’d also like to take a moment to give a HUGE thank you to all of my wonderful readers who helped me get Chosen at Nightfall to #3 on the New York Times Bestsellers List  and #25 on the USA Today List.  It was a phenomenal and exciting week for me!  THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

Now, I’d love to re-introduce you to one of my friends who played along on my baby blog.  She is a fantastically talented author who dabbles in many genres and has oodles of books in romance and YA to her credit.  You’re gonna love her!  Please give a warm welcome to Mari Mancusi as she tells us about her book, Love at 11 . . . and don’t forget to leave a comment for a chance to win!  And, for everyone else, you’ll want to pick it up because it’s on sale for only 99 cents for the month of May!

If your book were an ice cream flavor, what flavor would it be?

 Rocky Road because life for my heroine can be kind of messy, a bit rocky at times, but in the end, oh-so-sweet.

How did you get your start in writing?

I feel like I got started writing before I could even pick up a pen, dictating stories for my mother to transcribe. My first book was a stunning saga called “My Horse Jennifer” about a horse who went to parties and such. When I was in high school I started writing serialized stories about my friends and the rock stars who loved them, passing out chapters every week in class. But it wasn’t until I was in my twenties that I actually sat my butt in a chair and forced myself to write an entire book. After a couple attempts, I ended up selling my first novel to Dorchester—a chick lit/time travel tale called “A Connecticut Fashionista in King Arthur’s Court.” Since then I’ve published 17 books in romance and YA.

What is your biggest dream or goal now?

My dreams changed a lot when I gave birth to my daughter two years ago. Back then I might have said “Hit the NYT list” or go on a worldwide book tour. Now I just want to be a good mommy and have lots of adventures with my little girl. It sound corny maybe, but it’s true.

 What has been your biggest fan girl moment?

Meeting and interviewing David Duchovney for the TV show I used to work for. I was a big time X-Files fan girl back in the day and being able to chat with him one-on-one was truly amazing. I’ve interviewed a lot of celebrities over the years, but none got my heart pumping like him! Also—you’ll be happy to know he’s amazing and cool in real life. (And even hotter in person.)

If you had to sum up your book in one word, what would it be?

A lot of reviewers have been using the word “heartwarming” and I kind of like that. It’s easy to write a book that’s funny or irreverent or sexy and exciting—but I think in the end, my favorite books are full of heart.

What is your favorite scene in the book?

The scene where Maddy’s parents tell her they’re getting a divorce. At the time I wrote it, my own parents had just announced their separation and I was really broken up about it. I poured a lot of my real emotions and frustrations into that scene and I think it shows on the page. In fact, it’s so real and raw that when the book first came out my dad sent me a very angry email, not liking how “he” was portrayed. I feel bad about that actually. But at the same time I think it was therapeutic, in a way, and comes off as a really strong scene.  

Any words of wisdom for aspiring authors?

Enjoy the writing process, love your characters, and don’t be in too much of a hurry to publish. Once you get that first book out—there’s going to be never-ending deadlines and pressures and whispers from critics. Writing that first book should be a pure joy that you can look back upon and remember.

That all sounds so wonderful!  Can you give us the blurb for Love at 11 and tell us how to find it?

When Maddy graduated from Columbia University, she was ready to change the world. She’d get a job at Newsline, meet a nice guy, and live happily ever after with a real designer handbag on her arm. Two years later, she’s stuck producing puff pieces for News 9 San Diego–where “if it bleeds, it leads.” She’s still single, her family’s falling apart, and so is her knock-off Kate Spade. 

Then Jamie Hayes walks through her newsroom door. The former filmmaker is now her cameraman and everything Maddy has ever dreamed of. Creative, smart, and sweet–with eyes that could make a girl melt. The perfect guy…but perfectly unavailable. And the more Maddy tries to stay away–the further she starts to fall.

Now a secret scoop from her favorite knock-off purse guy has Maddy chasing a lead that could make her career. Or destroy it forever. How far is she willing to go to broadcast the truth? And will this breaking news lead to more broken dreams…or an exclusive on Jamie’s heart? Stay tuned… It’s the story of a lifetime.

Great!  Thanks so much for being here, Mari!  Now, do any of you have a great fan girl moment to share?  Two lucky commenters will win a copy of Mari’s book, Love at 11 just for sharing!  Good luck! 

Today is a special day for me.  I have a great friend with me to tell you about her fantastic book.  It’s a beautiful, romantic story, full of love, a dash of time-travel, a touch of suspense, and a very sexy hero.  How can you go wrong?  You can’t.  So stick around, leave a comment, and you might be lucky enough to win one of two copies of Wait Until Moonrise.

Please welcome, one of the nicest ladies you’ll ever hope to meet…Teri Thackston!

Thanks, Christie, for inviting me to post on your blog. It’s always nice to get together with my writer friends—even if it is only in the web!

 So, Teri, I’d love to know, which three words would you say best describe your book?

I would describe Wait Until Moonrise with these words:  romantic, suspenseful, haunting. It’s also the book o’my heart, holding a special place there.

Your book has a time travel element; if you could travel to any time in history, when would it be and why? 

I would want to go back to the 1940s. That was such an intense time for the world, and there were so many real—and easily identifiable—villains and heroes.  People understood what it meant to make sacrifices, and they did it anyway. And the music—Big Band music has always been a favorite of mine. It can be romantic and inspiring, and so many of those old melodies are still popular today.

And I really loved your characters.  If you had to be locked in a closet for 12 hour with either your hero or your heroine, which would you pick? 

I love Bria but I would have to say I’d choose Nicholas. Not only is he mysterious and sexy, but he has firsthand information about life in 18^th century Wales. He could share some really fascinating information…and in that lovely Welsh accent.

I think I might concur about that Welsh accent, LOL.  Can you tell us a little bit more about the book and how to find it?

Wait Until Moonrise . . .

Unseen. Unheard. Untouched. Welshman Nicholas Pierce is cursed to endure a lonely eternity surrounded by the living residents of Beaumarith Castle. But two hundred-plus years into his hellish existence, Bria Leighton arrives…and she can see him! Can he convince her that he’s real—not a ghost—and that she is the one true love who can save him…before the sorceress who cursed him destroys Bria, too?

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/75lcdm6

Barnes&Noble: http://tinyurl.com/c8ualx6

Smashwords (PDF version): http://tinyurl.com/cjz42hf

Wait Until Moonrise will be on sale for 99 cents as part of a Book Lovers’ Buffet until May 5th . . . you don’t want to miss it!

And, last, can you tell us about you?

I’ve been writing ever since I can remember, typing my first story on a typewriter my dad borrowed from his office when I was about eleven years old. I’ve won awards for published and unpublished novels, and I spend some of my writing time on web articles that cover topics such as choosing the perfect flower girl dress or how to process credit cards for small businesses. I’m married to my high school sweetie, who shares my love for romantic comedies, musicals, and action pictures—and he’s a singer who hosts the longest running karaoke ‘show’ in Houston. We have two grown sons that I think would make great book cover models—but I just can’t convince either of them to do it!

Please follow me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Terithackston or Twitter at www.twitter.com/terithackston or on my website www.terithackston.com.

Fantastic!  I’ve really enjoyed having you here, Teri!  And Wait Until Moonrise is a beautiful story.  Everyone should pick it up!  But, two lucky commenters are going to get the chance to win it now.  So, tell us, if you had the chance to travel back in time, when or where would you go?  What adventures would you have?  I’d love to know! 

WINNERS!!!

WINNERS!!!

The winners from last week’s Ohhh, Baby, Baby blog are in! Drumroll, please . . . The grand prize winner of a Kindle or Nook loaded with the participating authors’ books is: Darci Paice-Bailey!  Congratulations!  Please email me at christie (at) christie-craig.com and get me your contact information so I can get you your prize.

As for our other lucky runner-ups . . . Amy Sherman, Vanetta Quintana, Sarah Smith, Michele Hayes, Na, Debby Biter, Stacy Schooler, Margie Rodgers, VF Brooks, Abby Rudica, and Becky H.  Many congratulations to you all.  Please email me with your preference of print or e-book and you will receive a surprise gift from one of our wonderful authors.  Thanks to everyone for playing.

Now, I know that blog was difficult.  Would you like to know the correct answers?

1 (G) Yours truly, Christie Craig

2 (J) Shauna Allen

3 (I) Nina Bangs

4 (H) Mari Mancusi

5 (B) Susan Muller

6 (L) Diane Kelly

7 (C) Lori Wilde

8 (A) Gemma Halliday

9 (K) Robin Kaye

10 (E) C.C. Hunter, my alter ego

11 (D) Gerry Bartlett

12 (F) Amanda Stevens

Now, are you one of those readers who doesn’t pick up a series until it’s finished, so there’s no waiting for the next one to come out?  Well, you just hit pay dirt.  Today is the release of Chosen at Nightfall, the fifth and final book in Kylie Galen’s story.  I can hear some of you saying, “But that book was written by C.C. Hunter.”  Yup, some of my recently acquired fans still don’t know that I have this alter ego/multiple personality thing going on.  And then some of you are going to say, “But isn’t that a young adult book?”  Amazingly, my audience for the Shadow Falls series is about 70% adult.  Oh, and if you are an e-reader, you can pick up the first book, Born at Midnight, for $2.99.  And if you are a print reader, you can pick up: Shadow Falls: The Beginning, for $9.99, and that includes Born at Midnight and Awake at Dawn.  

Now this week, I gave away a Nook or a Kindle here at my Christie Craig blog, but now I’m doing it over at my C.C. Hunter blog: http://cchunterbooks.com/blog/.  So I’d love to send all my fans over there to see how they can win either a Kindle or a Nook, one of three Shadow Falls posters, one of three books by some other amazing authors, and a chance to name a character in my upcoming novel—which will be the first book of Della’s story—a spin off series of Shadow Falls.

When Kylie Galen entered Shadow Falls Camp, she left her old life behind forever and discovered a world more magical than she ever imagined. A place where your two best friends can be a witch and a vampire…and where love doesn’t happen the way you’d expect.

When Kylie’s most powerful enemy returns to destroy her once and for all, there’s only one way to stop him—to step into her full powers and make a stunning transformation that will amaze everyone around her.  But her journey won’t be complete until she makes one final choice…which guy to love.  Should she choose the werewolf who broke her heart, but will give anything to win her back, or the half-fae, who ran from their attraction before they had a chance?  Everything she’s learned at Shadow Falls has been preparing her for this moment—when her fate will be revealed and her heart claimed forever.

Yes, Kylie’s last book is out.  Her journey is complete.  I traveled with her.  I’ve cried when she got her heart broken, I sighed with she got kissed.  I laughed when crazy things happened.  I felt Kylie’s pain when she learned that her parents weren’t perfect, I was relieved when she discovered they didn’t have to be perfect for her to love them.  I have written and experienced Kylie’s life with her, and so have many of you.  

And today, the wait is over.  Read Chosen at Nightfall where Kylie…

1. …nearly kills Lucas, twice.
2. …has another boy become interested in her.
3. …acquires another stalker.
4. …is accused of having an affair with an older man.
5. …has an unwanted guest crawl over a bathroom stall when she’s trying  to pee.
6. …gets kissed by two guys.
7. …finally makes the choice of which boy she loves.
8. …is forced to kill someone to save someone she loves
9. …tells a human that she’s a supernatural.
10. …gets caught buying a pregnancy test.

And to give you a better feel for what’s in store in Chosen at Nightfall, here is the extended version of the video:

WINNERS!  WINNERS!  The lucky winners from last week’s blog with the wonderful Catherine Bybee are:  Not Quite Dating – Bec & Not Quite Mine – Seona McDonald. Please email me at christie (at) christie-christie.com with your snail mail addys and I’ll forward those on to Catherine so you can get your autographed books!  Congrats!

Now, today, I’d like to play a game.  Well, actually, me and ten or eleven of my closest friends are going to play a game with you.  And you have the chance to win some fabulous prizes!  They were kind enough to send me their adorable baby photos so I could share them with you.  Now, what I want you to do (besides go ‘Awww!’) is try to match up the author with their baby shot.  Then email me your best guesses at christie (at) christie-craig.com.  I’ll randomly select several winners!

Who’s playing and what can you win, you ask?  Great question!

Have a look-see!

And in case you missed that, there’s me, Lori Wilde, Diane Kelly, Susan Muller, Shauna Allen, Nina Bangs, Gemma Halliday, Mari Mancusi, Gerri Bartlett, Amanda Stevens, Robin Kaye, and some author I know named CC Hunter!

One Grand Prize Winner will receive an 6″ Wi-Fi Amazon Kindle or a Nook Simple Touch plus e-books from each author. Each author is also offering one additional copy of their book as a prize, so there will be twelve more winners, so there are plenty of prizes to be won!  So, don’t forget to email me your guesses and check back to see who’s won.  Now, please note these photos are jumbled . . . I want you to match the adult (NUMBERED) with the baby (LETTERED)  And, if it still seems a little difficult to match up all the cutie-pattooties, well you might want to check out all these authors’ social media/websites.  I’ll bet they left you some clues.  Okay?  Let’s get started!

A

1

C

B

2

D

3

4

E

5

6

F

G

7

H

8

I

9

J

10

K

11

L

12

Before we get started with this blog, which I’m very excited about, I have a special announcement . . . This Wednesday, April 10th, I will be at a booksigning at Blue Willow Bookstore, 14532 Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77079 at 7 pm with Rainbow Rowell.  http://www.bluewillowbookshop.com/

I will be giving away five copies of Chosen at Nightfall, so you’ll definitely want to stop by if you’re in the Houston area and say hi!

Now, I’m absolutely thrilled to have a very special guest today!  You guys are in for a treat!  Today, I have the super sweet, wonderfully talented Catherine Bybee as my guest!  She is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of books like Not Quite Dating and Wife by Wednesday, as well as the Maccoinich Time Travel Series, with books like Binding Vows and The Highland Shifter.  And, today, she’s here to talk with us and tell us all about her new book, Not Quite Mine, which releases on May 7th.  And she’s even giving away two fantastic prizes . . . one signed copy of Not Quite Dating and one signed ARC of Not Quite Mine.  So be sure and leave a comment and come back next week to see if you’re our lucky winners!

So, without further ado, welcome, Catherine!

Well, Catherine, if you’ve read my blog at all, you know I like to keep it fun.  So, let me start out with a totally *serious* question.  If your book was the main entrée in a gourmet meal, what would be its side dishes?

Oh, my… well, when I think of gourmet meals I seldom think of anything hearty and filling. And with Not Quite Mine I feel the book has home cooked comfort food. The most gourmet I can go would be stuffed baked potatoes or maybe smoked baked beans with big chunks of bacon.

Alpha or Beta heroes?

Both! But let’s face it, alpha heroes have more fun.

And I have to know, since you write such wonderful books, what is your guilty pleasure?

Cream Brulee – I have a very hard time passing it up whenever we go out.

Sounds yummy!  And on a serious note, what is the last great book you read?

Oh, now that’s not fair. I haven’t been able to read very much because of my crazy deadlines. I really enjoyed On The Island by Tracey Garvis Graves

And do you have a favorite character, either that you’ve written or from another book?

In each book, I try to bring characters into the mix that the reader isn’t expecting. In Not Quite Mine, outside of my hero and heroine and the family, the character that I liked the most is the PI. Something about him takes over the page when I have him in a chapter.

Ooh, can’t wait to read it!  And what scene was the hardest for you to write? Why?

I’d have to say the scenes where there is a ‘getting to know you’ without any added drama or danger element become hard to construct. I wouldn’t say it’s hard, just that they take longer to get down on the page. I get up from my computer more often when writing those scenes.

I get that.  And outside of writing, what have you learned about people since you’ve become an author?

I think I already knew that everyone enjoys different books for different reasons, but after reading reviews back to back of my own, I believe it. Books are beyond subjective. What I might love you may hate. It’s just the way it is.

Okay, last question . . . totally serious . . . is your hero a boxers or briefs kinda guy?

Boxers

Fantastic!  Thank you for being here, Catherine!  I really enjoyed you and your book sounds wonderful!  Now, remember, two lucky commenters will win signed copies of one of Catherine’s books, so be sure and leave a comment and check back next week!

***

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Catherine Bybee was raised in Washington State, but after graduating high school, she moved to Southern California in hopes of becoming an movie star.  After growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency rooms.  She now writes full-time and has penned novels Wife by Wednesday, Married by Monday, and Not Quite Dating.  Bybee lives with her husband and two teenage sons in Southern California.

WINNER!  WINNER!  The winner from last week’s blog of the copy of Chosen at Nightfall is Nicholas Redden . . . email me at: christie (at) christie-craig.com and let me know if you’d like a print or e-copy and either your address or if you’d prefer Amazon or B&N for e-copy.  Congratulations!

Today is the day.  Saved at Sunrise, a Shadow Falls novella, is being released.  And it’s only $1.99.  So pop over and order your e-copy right now.

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/d87ga6r

B&N:  http://tinyurl.com/bxxobp4

And, also, I’m going to be on the radio being interviewed by Pam Stack at Authors on the Air Online Radio at 11:30 am EST.  I’ll be answering questions if you submit them to her online at her Facebook page, as well as starting a week-long contest.  So be sure and give it a listen and be ready to answer questions for prizes.  And, if you miss it, don’t worry, it’ll be archived for you so you won’t miss a thing!  Here’s the link for the interview: http://www.facebook.com/l/aAQEPcIswAQF2-6jtRd7vjeyMFyjtdLn92k2cDOjVLynYKQ/www.blogtalkradio.com/authorsontheair

Now, back to Saved at Sunrise . . . I had so much fun writing this story.  It was one of those that just popped into my head.  You see, in the beginning of Chosen at Nightfall, Della and Steve, a hot shape-shifter, are sent on a mission.  But since that book is from Kylie’s point of view, the readers didn’t get to see or hear exactly what happened on that mission.  And believe me, a lot happened.  When I sat down to write the story, it was one of those magical ones that just poured out of my fingers and into the keyboard.  I think one reason this story was easy to write was because of the main character.  Della is . . . well, I’m just gonna say it . . . Della is a smartass.  Yeah, I may have a little of Della in me, too.  I think we all have a little of Della in us.  But I have found that her personality and sass just make her one heck of a character to write.  Below is a short piece I wrote about Della a while back.  You see, I sort of do these interviews of my characters where I bring them into my mind, sit them down, and have a chat.  They help me get insight into the character and my readers sometimes enjoy reading these crazy interviews.

 * * *

The door to my mind swung open and there stood Della with her hand on her hips.   The light shining from behind silhouetted her, but there was no doubt it was Della.  This sassy vamp had attitude all the way down to her posture.

Not that I blamed her.  She’d been through some tough times.  Like being turned into a vampire, then practically being disowned by her family.   Not to mention the disastrous romance with Lee, who she still loved.   Oh, she denied it, but she denied it a little too strongly.  Under that tough girl act she always wore like a second skin, Della had a lot of pain.  I saw it.  Kylie saw it.  The only other person who seemed to see it was Steve, the hot shape-shifter who has a thing for Della.  And of course, she denied any feelings for Steve.  Well, she admitted he had a nice butt, but that’s all she’d admit.

“Come on in,” I said.

She took one step then stopped.  “Why am I back here?”

“Because I needed to talk to you about something.”

“About what?”

“About the mission you’re about to go on.”

“I can’t talk about it.”  She shot me a smartass look.

“I’m not going to ask you questions you can’t answer.  So come in, please.”

She rolled her eyes.  “Since you said please.”

Strolling in, she plopped down on the sofa.   Then, her gaze shot up to the wall where a sword had once hung.  “Where’s that bloody sword you had up there the last time I was here?”

I shrugged.  “It keeps disappearing.  I don’t know where it goes.”

She frowned. “Is that like some clue to what’s going to happen in Chosen at Nightfall?”

“It could be, I’m not sure.”

She made her sarcastic face.  “You’ve got more secrets than a rogue werewolf has fleas.”

“Maybe a few,” I said, and grinned.  “So, did you know I’m writing about you and Steve on the mission?”

“Yeah, I heard the rumors.  Am I going to kick someone’s ass on the mission?”

I sighed.  “Maybe.”

“That means yes.”  She rubbed her hands together.

“But I’m worried, Della.  I mean, you can’t do this mission alone.  You’re going to need Steve’s help to get through this.”

“Bullshit!  The guy’ll do nothing but slow me down.  I’m furious at Burnett for wanting to send him with me.  And when I meet with Burnett, I’m going to try to make him see reason.  I don’t need Steve.”

“Della, I’m serious, you and Steve are going to have to work together.  Not everything is going to go smoothly.  This thing could very easily turn dangerous.”

“I can handle dangerous,” Della said, but for one second, I saw a flicker of fear in her eyes.  She wasn’t nearly as confident as she pretended to be.

“Look, Della.  It’s not a sin to need someone’s help.”

“Yes it is!” she said.

“Why do you say that?” I asked.

She stood up.  “When you need someone, you give them the ability to hurt you.  To let you down.”

“Caring about people doesn’t always turn out badly,” I insisted.  “You let yourself care about Kylie.”

“Yeah, and how did that turn out?  She’s gone.”

“I think she’ll be back,” I said.

“Can you tell me that for sure?”

I hesitated.

“See,” Della said.  “When you care about someone, you just end up hurt.”

She stormed out the door of my mind.  I sighed.  I guess Della is going to have to learn the hard way.  And this mission is only the beginning.  I haven’t told Della yet, but she is my main character in the next Shadow Falls books.   Della, sassy attitude and all, is about to embark on some difficult times.  I have a feeling she will survive.  But it isn’t going to be easy.

Winners!  Winners!  The winners from last weeks blog with the wonderful Amanda Brice were:  bn100 and Sarah S.  Please email me at christie (at) christie-craig.com and let me know if you prefer print or e-book, and your particulars.  (Snail mail addy for print and Amazon or B&N for e-book.)  Congrats!

Are you ready? 

Are you ready to get inside Della’s head and world?  Just to get you tempted, I’m posting the first chapter of Saved at Sunrise as a little treat for you today.  Remember, it’s only an e-book and it releases April 2^nd.  If you don’t have an e-reader, don’t forget you can download e-books onto your computer and some phones.   Oh, and it’s only $1.99.  And… in the back of the novella you’ll find the first two chapter of Chosen at Nightfall.  So go pre-order your copy now.   Oh…and this week, I’m giving away a copy of Chosen at Nightfall, so make sure you leave a comment and check back next week to see if you’ve won.

Here we go . . .

Chapter One

 “Do not put yourselves in any jeopardy. Your job is to infiltrate the gang by showing interest in joining, find out if they’re using murder as a rite of initiation, and then get out. Alive.”

“That’s my plan, too.” Della Tsang answered with sass looking up at Burnett James, one of the Shadow Falls Academy owners who also just so happened to work for the FRU—Fallen Research Unit—which was basically the FBI of the supernatural world.

“We don’t want you to bring anyone in. We don’t want you to take care of the bad guys.” Burnett continued staring right at her.

Afternoon sun poured into the window of the Shadow Falls office behind him. The crystals sitting on shelves caught the light and cast rainbow-colored mirages on the wall. They danced and shifted as if magical. And maybe they were. Crap like that happened all the time here.

“Actually, Burnett said, drawing Della’s attention back to him, “we don’t think this is the group, but if it is, with your testimony, we’ll have enough proof to get a search warrant and we’re pretty damn positive we should find all the evidence we need to convict.”

Burnett, six feet plus, with dark hair and eyes, was a hard-ass who worried way too much,but being a vampire like herself, Della respected him and his hard-assness.

She just wished the respect was mutual. Seriously, didn’t he trust her? Didn’t he know she could friggin’ take care of herself? Did he really have to go over this again?

“I understand, sir.” Steve, the brown-haired, brown-eyed, great-bodied guy sitting next to her spoke up when she didn’t. For the first time, Della noticed his voice held a hint of a Southern accent that wasn’t just Texan.

Della glanced over. Steve gave Burnett his complete attention. What an ass-kisser.

Steve was evidence that Burnett didn’t trust her. Why else would Burnett insist Steve go with her? She didn’t need the shape-shifter. He was just going to slow her down.

“Wait,” Burnett said, pacing across the office again. “Let me rephrase that. I don’t want you to just get out alive. I want you to get out just the way you went in. Not wounded, not bruised, and for God’s sake, don’t leave any dead bodies behind. You got that?”

“Now you’re taking all the fun out of it,” Della smarted off.

Burnett growled. “I’m not joking and if you can’t take this seriously then get your vampire butt out of here, because I’m not playing around.”

Della slumped back in her chair, knowing when to shut her mouth. She really wanted to do this assignment for the FRU. Wanted to win Burnett’s respect. Everyone needed someone to impress. And since impressing her parents wasn’t an option anymore, she’d settle for Burnett.

Not that impressing anyone was the only reason she wanted to go. Even before she’d been turned into a vampire, she’d considered a career in criminal justice—something that allowed her to kick butt. Of course, her parents had frowned on that. They had her earmarked to be a doctor. They had her earmarked to be a lot of things.

But not a vampire.

Not that they knew what she was. The way Della figured it, if they went bat-shit crazy just because she’d stopping eating rice—which after being turned tasted like curdled toe jam—how the hell were they going to accept that she was a blood-drinking vampire? The answer was obvious. They wouldn’t, couldn’t accept it.

Lucky for her, she’d been accepted into Shadow Falls—a boarding school for supernaturals—and didn’t have to worry what her parents thought about her choice of careers, or whether she ate her rice or not. And yet . . . now Della couldn’t help but question if they ever thought or worried about her at all. Did they sit down to eat dinner and notice her chair was empty? Did her mom ever forget and set an extra plate at the table?

She doubted it.

Yes, they came to the parents’ day visitations, but they were always the first to leave, and eager to do it. Especially her father, the man Della had spent her entire life trying to impress.

A daddy’s girl, her mom used to call her.

Not anymore.

No doubt her sister had taken over that role.

Turning vampire hadn’t been Della’s choice. It was one of those things life slapped on your ass and you just had to accept it. Which meant she’d had to accept that her family would never be able to accept her. Not that it really bothered her. Not anymore.

She was so over it.

“Am I making myself clear?” Burnett asked, yanking her back to reality.

“One hundred percent,” Della said, working hard to keep her attitude from spilling over.

“Yes, sir.” Steve nodded.

Yup, an ass-kisser.

“Okay, you got your orders?” Burnett said. “You know where to go and what your cover is? They expect you to meet them at four in the morning. Don’t be late, don’t be too early. Don’t let them lure you back to their compound. The policy, if they follow their own policy, is that three of the members will meet with you to talk. You get the information about joining, you get out.”

“Got it.” Della held up the brown envelope. And you’ve gone over this ten times.

“Then go get your things.” Burnett eyed Della. “And please, don’t make me regret sending you on this.”

“You won’t,” Della said.

Della and Steve stood to leave.

“Steve,” Burnett said. “Give me a few minutes.”

Della looked from Steve to Burnett. What the hell did he need to talk with Steve about that couldn’t be said in front of her?

Burnett shifted his gaze to Della and then cut his eyes to the door.

Frowning, Della shot up from the chair and left. She stopped about fifty feet from the porch, holding her breath and not moving a muscle. Hoping Burnett wasn’t still listening, she tuned her own vampire hearing and waited to discover what the hell was up. The afternoon sun spilled over the trees, casting shadows on the ground as she stood frozen in one spot.

“I’m trusting you to keep Della safe,” Burnett said.

Della inwardly growled at Burnett’s chauvinistic approach and fought the need to rush back in there and give him some lip. I’m the one who’s gonna have to protect his butt!

“I do not believe this is the gang we’re looking for.” Burnett’s voice carried well. “Or I wouldn’t be sending you two. This is just a clearance check. But that doesn’t mean this group isn’t dangerous.”

“Don’t worry,” Steve’s deep voice answered. “I’ll keep her in my sight at all times.”

 Like hell you will. She already had a plan of doing a little side trip, and she didn’t need Steve tagging along.

* * *

At six that evening they arrived at the cabin the FRU had rented them right outside the vampire compound. To call the place a dump would have been like calling one of those roach-coach vans fine dining.

Of course, she and Steve were supposed to look like a couple of supernatural teen runaways. She supposed it would have looked suspicious if they’d rented anything with even part of a star attached to its reputation. But damn, this was supposed to have been a fun trip.

She wasn’t a prima donna, but sleeping on a mattress that was more dust mites than filling, with sheets that looked as if they hadn’t been changed in a year or so wasn’t her idea of fun. The bed’s covers were half on and half off the mattress, and the pillow sported an indented greasy spot in the center as if someone with not-so-clean hair had slept there.

Or maybe died there.

As disgusting as that thought was, one even worse hit. Someone had probably done the humpty dance on that bed.

Yuck.

She could probably get a disease sleeping on it.

Walking back into the tiny living area, she found Steve staring at the sofa with about as much distaste as she had while gaping at the bed.

“Come to think about it, I’ll take the sofa,” she said. “And I don’t want to hear any shit. There ain’t no one going to get past me.”

They had flown here. Not on a jet. Him as a Peregrine falcon—which meant he was fast—and her as a, well, a vampire—which meant she was faster. Vamps and shape-shifters being the only two species who could really fly. Well, an occasional witch, but Miranda, her Wiccan roommate, swore they really didn’t travel around on brooms.

However, Steve and Della’s mode of transportation also meant they really hadn’t spoken since they’d left Shadow Falls, with the exception of when they’d first walked into the cabin and he’d insisted she take the bed. And why? Because if someone came through the door he would stop them.

That downright pissed her off. She almost called him on being a complete chauvinistic pig, but then realized that if she wanted to sneak out later, she wouldn’t want him traipsing into the living room before morning and finding her gone.

Since he came across as the type with manners, and morals and stuff, who wouldn’t come into a girl’s bedroom—at least not without an invitation—she’d kept her mouth shut.

Face it, she’d take the odds of him finding her gone to the odds of those mattress germs finding her body, hands down.

Steve cut his soft brown eyes to her and a knowing smile spread his lips. He ran a hand through his brown hair, which he wore a tad longer than most guys. The strands fell right back into place, looking instantly styled. She doubted he went to some professional salon to get that look, but it almost appeared like he did.

His smile widened and he tucked one hand into his jeans pocket. The stance made the muscles in that arm bulge. “So what you’re saying is that the bed is worse than the sofa?”

“I didn’t say that.” She tried not to laugh, but something close to it slipped out of her mouth. She tried not to stare at his crooked smile and what it did to his lips and eyes. Or how his muscled arms looked like a safe place to fall. She’d give anything, even half a bra size to make him . . . ugly. And unlike her two roommates at Shadow Falls, she didn’t have much bra size to offer.

She continued to stare at him. She could have dealt with an ugly guy much better than one who looked like he’d just walked off of some men’s soap advertisement. And hell, she thought, breathing in his aroma, you’d think after spending the last two hours as a bird, he wouldn’t smell like he used some spicy-smelling men’s soap, but he did.

He smelled . . . awesome, and that ticked her off, too.

If she were a witch like her bigger-boobed roommate, Miranda, she’d change him into a repulsive fowl/foul-smelling guy. And she’d also make him less . . . nice. She didn’t like nice.

The only nice person Della had grown fond of was Kylie. And she was so nice, even Della couldn’t hate her. Well, right now, Della did hate her. Hated her for leaving. And if she didn’t get her butt back to Shadow Falls soon, Della was going to drag her friend back kicking and screaming. Sure, Kylie had gone to meet her newly discovered grandfather and learn more about her species, but plain and simple, she belonged at Shadow Falls. Someone had to keep Della and Miranda from killing each other. And no one was better at that than Kylie.

“We could both sleep on the sofa,” Steve said, and damn if he didn’t sound serious.

“Not even in your dreams, bird boy!” she snapped.

“Ouch,” he said and chuckled. “I only meant your head at one end and mine at the other. Only our feet would be touching.”

“So you’ve got a foot fetish, do you?” she asked before she could stop herself.

Humor brightened his eyes. With him positioned right in front of the bare window, and the last rays of the setting sun beaming in, she got a good look at those eyes. Were those flecks of amber and green in his brown pools?

His gaze lowered to her Nike-covered size sixes. “I don’t know, I haven’t seen your naked feet.”

Hearing him say the word naked with what sounded like a deep Southern accent, deeper than Texas, made her stomach flutter like she was twelve again and had never been kissed. Good Lord, what was wrong with her? Since when did she find a Southern accent seductive?

She stuck one foot behind the other. “And you won’t see them naked,” she snapped, not liking that they’d been here less than five minutes and they were already . . . flirting. At least it felt like flirting.

And Della Tsang didn’t flirt.

Not anymore.

His gaze rose from her feet. “We’ll see about that,” he said.

They stood there staring at each other for a second. Then he spoke up. “You want to go grab a bite to eat?”

She frowned. “I brought a couple pints of AB positive with me in my bag.” Which she needed to put in the fridge. While most vamps preferred their blood warm, Della liked it better cold. When your core temperature was 92 degrees, you appreciated things colder than yourself.

“Yeah, but I need food. Something hot and greasy. Nutrients for whatever the hell is gonna go down tomorrow morning.”

Steve had been set up to play as her shape-shifter boyfriend, a guy she’d met after running away from home. They didn’t allow anyone but vampires into the gang, but if she got accepted, and he could prove his worth to them, he would be brought in as an “extra.” Basically someone they sent out to do their dirty work. Which was part of the reason it pissed her off that Burnett insisted he come. Extras were considered expendable.

“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you,” she said.

“That just warms my heart.” He put a hand over his wide chest. “Come on, go with me to grab a burger.”

He made it sound like a date or something. Frowning, she was about to call him on it when she remembered seeing a Walmart not far from there and close to some fast-food joints. She could pick up a set of sheets, a blanket, and some extra-strength Lysol spray and maybe be able to sleep on the bed. That meant she could skip out on the foot-loving, Southern-speaking Steve. She wouldn’t be gone long. She only needed a peek. A peek at the life she’d been cheated out of.

“Fine.” She lit out of the room.

He lit out with her, and within seconds had transformed into a hauling-ass Peregrine falcon. She wasn’t certain, but she thought she’d heard this was one of the fastest birds that existed. It wasn’t a half-bad-looking animal, either. Its feathers were a blend of browns, tans, and black. Its eyes were striking, round, with large black pupils that seemed to take everything in. And when it stretched out its wings, it almost looked like it had leopard spots.

Della didn’t know a whole lot about shape-shifters, but she’d heard once that one sign of their power was  they could shift quickly. He’d shifted into a bird pretty damn quickly. Not that she was impressed or anything.

Sort of like flirting, Della Tsang didn’t get impressed. Not about guys.

Not anymore.

Not since she’d turned vampire, turned cold, and had her heart shattered into tiny little bitty pieces by the guy who was supposed to love her forever.

* * *

Della landed with a thud on the pavement in the back of Walmart. Steve, still a bird, landed elegantly beside her. His wings stretched out wide.

Immediately, he started turning back into human form, and as always when a shifter turned, sparkly bubbles began floating around. One of his transformation bubbles lingering in the evening air popped on her arm and sent a tiny electric current up her elbow, zinging like she’d walked on carpet and then touched something metal.

“What are we doing here?” Steve asked, looking confused.

“Bedding and disinfectant.” She brushed off her elbow then looked up. The sky was darkening, and the stars hadn’t yet come out to play. Lifting her nose in the air, her vampire sense of smell caught the hint of werewolf under the strong scent of motor oil.

“Something wrong?” Steve asked.

“A few werewolves, but not too close.”

He frowned. “Damn, let’s grab what you need, snag me a burger, and get the hell back.”

She smirked. “You scared of a couple of werewolves?”

“Scared, no. But we don’t need any trouble right now.” He started walking.

She moved with him. “Sometimes trouble is fun.”

“Yeah, but let’s save our energy for any trouble that finds us tomorrow.”

“Anyone ever accuse you of being boring?” she snipped.

“No, but I’ll admit, I’m more of a lover than a fighter.”

She kept an eye on the dark shadows, making sure something didn’t lurk there. “Please, that’s so lame.”

“Lame, but true.” Humor sounded in his voice.

“I’ll stick with lame,” she muttered.

She imagined him smiling again, but afraid she’d be pulled into his smile, she didn’t chance looking at him. Hearing the laughter in his voice gave her stomach flutters. Or was she just hungry and needing some blood?

Entering the store, they made fast work of buying two flat sheets, a couple of pillowcases, two blankets, and some disinfectant. And Steve tossed in a bag of chips. At the fast-food place next door he got his burger to go, but he wolfed it down as they left the joint to find a desolate spot for him to transform so they could head back.

He’d finished the burger when they started down a dark alley behind the strip center. She noticed he stuffed the sandwich wrapper in his pocket. The guy didn’t even litter, never mind the alley was covered in trash. They only got about ten feet down when they heard a scream.

A life-or-death-sounding scream.

WINNERS!  WINNERS!  The winners from last week’s blog with Tessa Adams are: Ellie and Moojuice.  Please email me at christie (at) christie-craig.com and let me know if you’d prefer a print or e-book, and either your mailing address, or Amazon or B&N for electronic copies.  Congrats!

Now, for today, I’m super excited to have one of my Killer Fiction gals with me!  She writes the best books full of fun and suspense for the YA audience, and even throws in a little dancing, too!  Impressive!  Please give a warm Laugh, Love, Read welcome to my friend, Amanda Brice as she tells us about herself and her new book, Pas de Death!

So, Amanda, how did you get your start writing?

But my dad convinced me to “do something practical” so I went to law school instead. Eventually drafting legal materials was a little too dry to keep my attention, so I started writing chick lit on the side.

Can you tell us what is the last great book you read?

Oh man, so many books, so little time! Sadly, my Kindle broke right after Christmas and I hadn’t had time to replace it until today (literally — I got a Kindle Fire today — I just had a baby Kindle previously), so between that and being on deadline with a new book, I haven’t had much time to read lately. But I adored Juli Alexander’s Investigating the Hottie. Really fun YA mystery-romantic comedy. I can’t wait until the next book comes out sometime this spring or early summer.

And what was your favorite scene from your book?

Hmmm…good question! Actually, there’s a scene in Pas De Death where my hero and heroine are locked in a closet hiding from the police. That was pretty fun to write.

Sounds fun.  Can’t wait to read it!  Can you tell us a little bit more about the book?

pas de deux (NOUN: pl. pas de deux)
1. A dance for two, especially a dance in ballet consisting of an entrée and adagio, a variation for each dancer, and a coda.
2. A close relationship between two people or things, as during an activity.

pas de death (NOUN: yeah … totally made up)
1. A dance of death.
2. When Dani Spevak stumbles over a dead body and gets into another crazy situation.

Aspiring ballerina Dani Spevak is back home for the summer, recovering from an injury. What was supposed to be a simple day trip into New York City to visit her friends at the Manhattan Ballet Conservatory turns deadly when Dani discovers that the world of professional ballet can be cutthroat – literally.

Definitely not!  Thanks so much for stopping by and visiting with us, Amanda!  It’s been so much fun!  Now, this is the time where I ask a little question . . . hmmm . . . asking you the last great book you read would be too easy, LOL.  How about any good dance recital horror stories.  Do I have any twinkle toes out there?  Two lucky commenters will win a copy of Amanda’s book.  Good luck!