Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Looking Back at 2008

To say the past year has been historic is an understatement. The Downs...The housing market tanked even further and the economy barrelled head long into the crapper. The Ups....Well on a light note SNL had it's best season in almost 20 years, thanks to a historic (if not painfully long) election. The best, by far, was the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States. Wild! Either way it would've been a history making election....let's just say I'm glad Barack came out on top.

My parents are products of the sixties. I grew up hearing stories about the March on Washington and Peace Rally's in NYC. I listened to them recall where they were when JFK was shot. How they felt about Vietnam and what they did to speak out against it. I've seen the faded photos of my Dad with his bushy hippie hair, Mom with the very long hair and very short skirts. They raised their children to know that all men and women are equal. The color of your skin or your sex should not determine your worth. I knew that, as a girl, I could grow up and do or be anything I wanted. There should be no limits to what one could achieve. This election was proof of everything I've been taught. Hillary, Barack and even Sarah Palin are examples of exactly that.

The most interesting part was witnessing people come together from all walks of life in passionate support of Barack Obama. White, Black, Hispanic, Male or Female. It's been incredible to see him inspire the masses and move them to action. It's the first time, in my lifetime, that I've witnessed such passion infused throughout our country. After the tragedy of 911 there was a certain camaraderie and unity that we had. However, it was fleeting and faded with time as our wounds healed.

It is my hope, that Barack Obama continues to inspire, motivate and unite our country. Given the enormity of the task before him, all the problems he's inherited; he's going to need that passionate, inspiring spirit now more than ever. I,for one, still feel the fire and intend to keep the flame burning. Yes We Can!

Saturday, December 27, 2008

A NEW Excerpt from "The Amoveo Legacy"..Merry Christmas!

Malcolm stood stone still on the balcony of his family home. He overlooked the pre-dawn ocean which stretched endlessly before him. As he breathed in the cool, salty air he closed his eyes and willed himself to relax. His hands gripped the railing, turning his knuckles white. He was beyond edgy, full of anticipation for the days ahead. He had been waiting so many years for her to arrive and tomorrow she would finally be here.

He shoved himself away from the railing and paced back and forth, mirroring the beast caged within. She would be here in just a few more hours. Malcolm Drew was the last in his family’s branch of the Eagle Clan. His family was one of ten animal Clans among the Amoveo; a powerful ancient race of magical shape shifters. Malcolm was a Golden Eagle and more than anything he wanted to keep his Clan’s bloodline running but he could only do that with his mate. Without her he was doomed to a painful solitary existence; and eventually death.

Malcolm had heard stories about those that went unmated. He shuddered at the images those nightmarish tales conjured up.Finding female company was not a problem. He’d had many women before, but they were merely a momentary amusement that left him unsatisfied and lonely. Like all Amoveo, his uncommonly large eyes were his most striking feature. The women he dallied with always seemed to comment on them. His were an unusually light brown, and in the right light gleamed bright yellow. He never worried himself too much with his appearance; he considered clothing an annoying necessity and barely ran a brush through his long, shaggy hair.

He was feeling anxious, not just for her arrival, but for her safety. For generations his people had been hunted by the Caedo family; a fanatical group of humans that had discovered their existence. They had not lost anyone to a hunter in many years, but the threat always loomed. He shook his head in frustration and stood with his arms crossed tightly over his chest. So many obstacles lay before them. What if she refused him? Malcolm had heard that occasionally, a female would refuse the match. He shook his head and smiled wryly at the futility of refusing. Why refuse what was embedded in their souls?

He felt so restless. He needed to fly. He stretched his arms wide, lifted his face to the twilight sky and visualized his Eagle form. Silently he uttered the ancient language ‘verto’ and shifted. In an instant he was soaring high over the ocean. He loved the feel of the salt air along his feathered body. His binocular vision spotted schools of fish as they moved through the sea below. The cool, early morning air caressed him and carried him along. He had only flown for a few minutes and could already feel the energy slipping from him. He felt the shift coming on beyond his control and immediately turned back toward his house. He shifted just before he got to the deck and landed with an audible thud on the wooden planks. He found himself naked on the pile of clothes he shed when he shifted earlier. Nice, very dignified, he thought.

Malcolm stood and quickly dressed himself, thinking how nice it would be to have all of his abilities back. When he was at full strength he could shift back and forth fully clothed, none of this landing in a pile of clothes nonsense. He had recently passed his 32nd birthday and was losing strength by the day. There was only one thing that could help him rejuvenate; being with her. His mate. He had known who she was for many years. He’d dreamt of her since his adolescence. Under normal mating circumstances she would’ve dreamt of him as well. Their mate connection was always made in the dream plane first. If she had been a typical Amoveo female, she would’ve been looking for him as well. She would’ve recognized him the instant their dreams connected. His mate, however, was anything but ordinary. She was a hybrid and the first of her kind. Her Mother had been a human. Her Father had been the last of the Grey Wolf Clan; they had been almost completely exterminated. Now that he was gone, she was the last. The most difficult part was that she didn’t know it.

Friday, December 26, 2008

Christmas Surprise

First of all...Merry Christmas! I hope you all had a fantastic holiday and got everything you asked for from Santa. My boys were all thrilled with their various electronic gadgets, PSP's, DS's, I-Pods and so forth. As soon as the gift giving was finished they scattered to the four corners of the house and were instantly absorbed into their games. I must say the big guy surprised me this year. (By the way by "big guy" I mean my hubby) Much to my delight he got me the brand new SONY E Reader!! This thing is so cool. It uploads everything from books, music, newspapers, pictures, documents.....you name it! It's got a touch screen, which is fantastic. Also, the screen doesn't read like a screen...it reads like paper. It's wild!! You can adjust the font sizes, book mark pages, adjust the lighting...everything. It's only about a half inch
thick, weighs next to nothing and has a sleek black leather cover. It's awesome!!
So this year, much like my children, I immediately became absorbed in my fancy new gadget. I'm going to go to my publisher's site and upload one of my fellow authors books. You can bet I'll be uploading "The Amoveo Legacy" as soon as it's available. I'm putting the link below the Sony Store. Apparently you can only buy this from Sony. Here you go...and enjoy!

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&categoryId=8198552921644523779&SR=hero:reader_gift:ss&ref=http%3A//www.sony.com/index.php

Monday, December 22, 2008

Netiquette

I am new to this world of publishing and expect to learn a few things along the way. However, I am pretty sure that most people would have common courtesy when leaving comments, especially another author. I expect and welcome constructive criticism from fellow authors but in the same turn expect they know how to deliver it. I would never leave a negative comment on another authors page for all the world to see. Common courtesy would demand a private message. So why does it happen? Is it stupidity? Is it the threat of another author doing well? Is it an attempt to torpedo success of anyone other than themselves? I'm not sure. However, I do know that everyone should practice proper "netiquette". Grump.

Friday, December 19, 2008

Teaser Blurb for "The Amoveo Legacy"

What if everything you knew turned out to be a lie? You find out that you aren’t even human—at least not entirely. What if, one day, you realize your world will never be the same again? These are the questions that Samantha Logan must face in “The Amoveo Legacy”. A dream on her thirtieth birthday compels her to leave her artists loft in New York City and move back to the beach with her Grandmother, Nonie. However, the instant Samantha steps foot on the salty shores of her childhood home, she realizes the landscape has changed.
The moment she encounters the mysterious, arrogant neighbor Malcolm Drew, her life is never the same. Through a seductive courtship, he introduces her to the magical mystical world of the Amoveo. The dream walking, telepathic, shape shifters that he claims are her true heritage. However, Malcolm holds back a secret that could destroy them both. Will he be able to protect Samantha and convince her of the secret legacy buried deep inside of her?

"The Amoveo Legacy" Book 1 of The Amoveo Series Coming in 2009!

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Update on Contest to Win FREE Copy of "The Amoveo Legacy" Post Comments HERE or on FB!!

Good Day! It has been brought to my attention that there are people interested in this Contest who aren't on and aren't going to be on Facebook.

SO...I am expanding the Contest.

Same rules appply....Read the excerpt below from Book 1: "The Amoveo Legacy" ...post a comment with your feedback here on the blog by January 30, 2009. On February 1st I will put all entrants names from BOTH the Blog & FB into the drawing. Winner will receive a FREE Copy of "The Amoveo Legacy" as soon as it's released in mid-2009! Here's the excerpt...Happy Reading & Good Luck :)

EXCERPT from Book 1: The Amoveo Legacy

They rode back to the house in a heavy silence. He could feel her confusion vibrate around them both. His eyes instinctively shifted to their animal form, a symptom of his desire. He’d been so caught up in his passion for her, so terrified by the thought of losing her that he completely forgot to keep his eyes from shifting.

She broke the silence as they pulled up the gravel driveway of her home.“Malcolm, who was that man you were talking to on the balcony this afternoon,” She asked quietly.

“You mean Davis,” He said, hoping that may satisfy her curiosity but knowing it wouldn’t.

“No. You know exactly who I mean,” she said with steady resolve. “The tall guy, with long dark hair. I saw you speaking with him today on your deck.”

The car came to a halt at the top of the driveway. She looked at him daring him to deny it. He saw the determination in her face and looked away before answering her.

“I’m sorry. The only person at the house today was Davis,” He said getting out of the car.

Sam was starting to get pissed. She knew he was lying about the man on the deck. She couldn’t explain how the guy disappeared, but he did. The more she ran it over in her mind, the more certain she was that it happened. Tonight, his eyes were the eyes of the eagle. She wasn’t seeing things. It wasn’t a trick of the light. His eyes had changed into the same eyes she’d seen in her dream, in the bird on her window sill and in the portrait in her studio. This eagle nonsense only started after she’d moved back home, next door to him.

Malcolm opened the door and offered to help her from the car. Hesitantly, she took his hand. He pulled her effortlessly from the car. He felt her breasts gently brush up against him. That feather light touch held a promise of pleasure to come. Their breath mingled in the cool, late summer evening. Their bodies hummed in unison with anticipation.

“I want you to trust me Samantha. I need you to trust me,” He said in a low voice that vibrated through her. He brought her hand to his mouth and gently brushed his lips back and forth across her knuckles. He slowly ran his other hand up her back and gently began to massage the nape of her neck. Her breath quickened with each passing moment. “Please, give me a chance to win your trust,” He whispered against her trembling hand. He feathered small kisses along her palm.

Samantha was on fire, desire building up inside of her, beyond her control. Her head told her to run, while every other fiber of her being begged for his touch. Her resolve was slipping away inch by inch. She knew this man was dangerous. He hid secrets from her that she may never learn or comprehend. Yet she was still drawn to him beyond all reason. He leaned in and this time kissed her gently, slowly seducing her lips with his. He took her face delicately in his hands, as though she might break.

She opened to him and swept her tongue along his. Samantha felt the slow burn of desire crackling between them. She deepened the kiss and wrapped her arms around him. His large frame dwarfed her as she fit easily in his embrace. It was as though they’d been made for one another. She’d never in her life felt anything like this. Her desire for him clawed at her from the inside out.

Trust me, she heard him say in the corners of her mind. Her eyes flew open and she pulled back from him. She held him there at arm’s length for a moment, her breath coming quickly, not quite able to register what she just heard.

He held his desire in check and kept his eyes from shifting. He allowed her time to process what had just happened. Looking into her frightened eyes he reached out and whispered gently along the edges of her mind, Trust me. Sam’s eyes widened further. She shook her head and backed away from him in disbelief. Blindly she ran into the house leaving Malcolm alone. One glimmer of hope remained.

He’d been looking into the ice blue eyes of a wolf

Monday, December 15, 2008

CONTEST to Win a FREE Copy of "The Amoveo Legacy" as soon as it's released in mid-2009!

Hey there! We're holding our first contest. It's really easy to enter. Simply go to the Facebook Fan Page for The Amoveo Series, read the excerpt from Book 1 "The Amoveo Legacy" and leave a comment with your feedback. Easy. You have until January 30, 2009 to enter. Winner will be announced on February 1, 2009. We've put the link to the contest page below. Good luck!


http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Amoveo-Series-Paranormal-Romance-of-a-Different-Breed/34755877882?ref=nf#/event.php?eid=67946941144&ref=mf

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Hottest Gadget for Xmas & It's Good for Your Eyes!

My husband has taken to sending me various videos and articles that I may like, on a daily basis. Yesterday, on my birthday, he sent me a great link. It's a Fox news video about the hottest gadget this holiday season, the e-reader. This particular piece focuses on the benefits of it and how it's actually good for your eyes. You can adjust the lighting, font size and color. All good stuff. Here's the link so you can see for yourself. Enjoy!

http://www.foxnews.com/video-search/m/21627796/electronic_reader_eye_health.htm

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Book Trailer Shoot Completed

On Friday we were able to have our shoot for the book trailer stills. I got the go ahead to use space at CW--thanks MaryBeth . Marc David, an amazingly talented photographer here in NY and good friend of my sister Kate, was kind enough to lend his talents to this project. He truly brought the entire event up to a truly professional level. Our models Kate and Mike were beautiful and true pros. I saw some of the shots as we were going through and I have to tell you I am psyched!

Once Marc sends me the stills, I will pass all the pieces of the puzzle on to Mike Morales. He is a young talented multi-media student from The College of Westchester who I've hired to create the final piece. I can't wait for it to be finished and posted for all the fans to see!

It should be arriving around the New Year!

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

The Perfect Fire on a Cold Winter Night

One of my favorite things about the cold weather, is being able to enjoy a cozy family room with a fire burning in the fireplace. It casts the perfect warm glow throughout the first floor. Even the folks walking outside benefit from the smell of firewood burning in the cool evening air. The trouble is getting the blasted fire to stay strong. I usually get it to burn ferociously at the onset and then as soon as the paper doughnuts have burned up it would fizzle out. I finally figured out how to make it work. Duraflame. Now, I don't like the look of the fake log all by itself. However, you use that as a base and then all you've got to do is periodically throw a real wood log on top to keep it burning bright. Now, if you're averse to using this excellent short cut...I found a cool website with great tips. Happy Housewarming!

http://www.fireplaces-fireplaces.com/tip_Fire-in-Fireplace.htm

Amoveo Legend Series!

Amoveo Legend Video Trailers