Deborah Court's Blog

Back from the hiatus! Author Blog Hop!

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Court) — Thu, 19 Jun 2014 13:13:00 +0000

Hiya,

woah, it's been so long since I posted anything here. However, a lot of serious stuff has been going on in my life, but I'm back in the saddle again, so to speak!

So my first entry will be part of a writers' blog hop - I was invited by my very kind and talented friend, romance author Lynette Sofras. You'll find her own blog here:

http://manicscribbler.blogspot.com

Be sure to check out her latest romantic suspense, "The Nightclub"! I can assure you, it's an excellent read, as all her work. (Click on the cover to be taken to the Amazon book page).

Trying to make a living for her teenage sister and herself, naïve Laura Hamilton accepts a job offer as a hostess at an infamous nightclub. As she struggles to survive in a world of sex, drugs and corruption, she certainly doesn't expect to find her own knight in shining armour in the club's owner, Julian. But will he really save her from a future as a fallen woman? And is he involved in the criminal organisation that threatens not only her sister's life, but will change her own fate forever?

*****

Deborah's Blog Hop Q&A

And here are the answers to my bloghop questions:

1) What am I working on?

I am working on Bound by Magic, the second book in my Elven Warrior Series. I know that many readers have been waiting patiently for the release, and I'd like to take this occasion to apologize for the long wait. But you know that some things just can't be rushed, especially when it comes to creative work. There have been a lot of things - family and business matters - going on in my life which kept me from writing for some time. And when I write, I need to be able to concentrate on the project fully, to wrap myself up in that other universe and feel all my characters' experiences as if they were my own. But Calatin's story has been there all the time, kind of writing itself in my mind. His tale just needs to be told!

Well I'm back from my hiatus, and I can't wait to hear my readers' reactions to the book when it's finished. To all my readers who'd like to know the exact publishing date - I'll post it on my blog and FB pages as soon as it's confirmed. Your support and e-mails are much appreciated, they mean the world to me. This is what keeps me writing.

2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?

I really can't say, maybe my readers should answer that. All authors have their own voice. Some of them manage to move us, or excite us when we are reading a story - others just don't. I guess it's also a matter of personal taste. However, every book is different, even if it's about a topic we've read again and again. My personal favorites are haunted house stories. Basically, it's always the same plot, but I never seem to be able to tire of reading them - The Shining, The Lady in Black, Jonathan Stroud's Lockwood &Co. - The Screaming Staircase (which I think was last year's best book, definitely).

All I can say that I never try to simply construct a story. Yes, I work on the plot and do some of the usual planning, but if I don't feel it, I don't write it. I sincerely hope that my readers, too, feel that my writing comes from the heart.

3) Why do I write what I do?

I just write what I love to read myself. Romance, classic fantasy, fairytales, Celtic myths and legends, classy erotic stories. Add some action and gothic mystery into the mix, and I just can't resist.

4) How does my writing process work?

Sometimes it's hard to get into the right mood to write, but if I do, the words simply start to flow. The less I think, the better. I have a general idea about what will happen in the chapter, but I let the characters decide how exactly the story will work out. It's a bit like magic, actually. But when it works, it's the best feeling in the world. It's passion, it's excitement. It's like falling in love over and over again.

That's it for today - I'll leave you with some GIFs of my current favorite TV show, Penny Dreadful. Who wouldn't want to be seduced by Mr. Dorian Gray?

Wishing you a lovely day and happy reading,
xoxoxo
Deb

Author Lynette Sofras: Interview and Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Court) — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 12:49:00 +0000

Welcome to my blog again, Lynette Sofras! Lyn is a very dear friend and my all-time favorite blogger ! I can highly recommend her witty and entertaining blog, ManicScribbler. You could also visit her author's website here to learn more about herself and her books.

But Lyn is also a very talented writer, whose books often remind me, humour-wise, of Jane Austen's. She has that clever, ironic and sometimes black British humour I adore so much. However, she has agreed to do an interview for my blog, along with a giveaway of her latest novel, "Killing Jenna Crane"! To win one of three e-book copies, please leave a comment who, in your opinion, incorporates the infamous English humour at its best (Monty Python, maybe?).

Welcome to my blog (again), Lynette! A lot has happened since you've last been here - you went from Indie to published, while you still release self-published books. Knowing both worlds now, which way do you prefer (and why)?

Thank you, Deborah. It's wonderful to be here again - I've always had a special soft spot for your lovely blog.

It's true I've now dabbled in both worlds and while it's good to have the affirmation from a publisher that your story is worth reading, I prefer self-publishing hands-down. I like being in control and able to see trends when trying new avenues for promotion etc. I also like the fact that I can make changes to my stories to try to improve them whenever I have ideas or receive useful suggestions from readers that I think will work - readers should never underestimate the value of their opinions.

On the downside, it is hard work and can be a lonely business, but then I think being a writer is quite a lonely lifestyle anyway. Sadly a lot of readers are suspicious of self-published authors and many are (understandably) wary of giving us a chance.

You've recently published a science fiction story, "Surveillance". How on earth did you move from romances to sci-fi?

I used to enjoy reading science fiction and one day my son and I were discussing how certain aspects of the genre always seemed to be portrayed in one particular way. It's difficult to explain this in detail without giving our story away, but we simply thought it might be interesting to explore a different side of this sci-fi sub-genre - and one I think everyone ought to find fascinating.

Your son, Alexander, co-authored "Surveillance" with you. Isn't it difficult for mother and son to write a story together?

Not at all. In fact it couldn't have been easier and it was great fun working together and bouncing ideas back and forth. I'd love to write more short stories with him.

Please tell us a bit about your other new book, "Killing Jenna Crane".

I'm very excited about this because it's another genre-shift for me in that it contains far more than simple romance. It's quite a dark, speculative fiction about a very successful but not very likeable author who becomes torn between two women and starts to lose his grip on reality. Here is the blurb:

This is not a story about a murder, but a dark journey inside a writer's mind. Commitment-shy Ellis Crawford, creator of the famous and highly successful Jenna Crane mystery series, finds his comfortable life swept away when he meets Emily, his perfect woman.

Despite his deepening love for Emily, Ellis finds himself haunted by painful memories of a previous love whose heart he broke, and begins to regret his past behaviour. On top of that, Emily wants him to kill off his beloved heroine Jenna Crane - against fierce public opinion.

But life is too short for regrets and when his own rapidly spirals out of control, taking his reputation as an author with it, where will Ellis turn for help?

Any upcoming projects?

I'm almost ready to release a story that's been many years in the making. It's called 'Unworkers' and is a good old-fashioned ghost story, though very much a story for women of today.

What are you privately reading at the moment? Which TV show(s) do you watch?

I have a huge list of unread books on my Kindle that I'm gradually working through. These are mainly from indie writers of a variety of genres. I love discovering talented new authors and doing whatever I can to help promote fellow indies.

TV programmes: I'm thoroughly enjoying 'Mr Selfridge' - very good TV drama which filled the gaping hole left when 'Downton' Abbey finished. I'm sure a great part of its success is thanks to the lovely and talented Katherine Kelly. I actually went into Selfridges this week for the first time in many years and found it changed practically beyond recognition.

Which future release are you looking forward to?

Well this may end up sounding like a nag, but like all your fans and friends, I'm very much looking forward to the second instalment of your Bound trilogy. It's long overdue…hint, hint.

Traditionally, my "favorite bloggers of the month" share a personal recipe with my readers. How about you?

Of course - though I can claim absolutely no credit for this recipe myself. I love experimenting with low-carb recipes and am always excited when I find new non-sinful dessert ideas such as this one from my friend Jacqueline Hopper. It's a Low Carb, Sugar Free Chocolate Pecan Torte and you can find the full recipe here:
http://jacquelinedhopper.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=chocolate+pecan+torte
I have made it and it's quick, easy and tastes every bit as good as it looks.

The Prince's Secret, A Thorin Oakenshield Fanfic, Chapter 1

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Court) — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 10:56:00 +0000

Every Iron Day, she secretly watched Prince Thorin as he came down to the village to the annual fair and market, strolling along the main street with his young nephews, Fili and Kili. His manly beauty took her breath away, just like every time she had seen him before. Not that she'd ever had a chance of catching his eye. Even if the villagers tolerated her well enough, every time a male dwarf directed his gaze to her, he quickly turned away when he noticed her hideous appearance. Some managed to hide their repulsion politely. Others stared at her with open disgust. They thought her painstakingly thin, with long, ugly limbs, hands and feet that were far too small for their taste. Her height didn't matter much, although she was taller than most dwarves. Only very few, among them the prince, towered over her. But the worst thing was that she didn't have a beard - not even the tiniest wisp along her jawline.

Keyla Slatestone, about twenty years old since she never learned the day of her birth, was named after the place her dwarven parents had found her: A massive block of slate near Erebor, where she had lain as a baby, left back to die by her own kin. Eldur, a merchant who had been on his way back home, had come across the tiny, wailing human that had been draped in dirty rugs. He couldn't bear the thought that the child would be eaten by some passing animal, or die of hunger and thirst. Deciding to bring it to the next human settlement the next day, he took the little girl home to his wife, who was childless and convinced her husband to raise her as their own daughter. Sadly, her parents died only a few years later, both lost to the same fever that took a third of the dwarves' population in a matter of weeks.

Afterwards, she was sent from house to house, raised by the whole village who felt obligated to her deceased father and mother. However, no one seemed to care for Keyla, since she didn't talk much and was deemed dumb. In fact, she wasn't talked about at all, and no one ever dared to mention her to King Thrór, or to those close to him. For who would want to bring shame on himself and his family by raising a human in his household? As soon as Keyla was old enough to live on her own, she was placed in an old, abandoned hut outside the village, at the forest's edge. She went to the market once a week, earning a meager income by selling vegetables she grew in her garden, and eggs by some chicken he had managed to buy. Apart from that, she was an outcast, and lived on her own.

Today, she had her own little both at the market, neatly stocked with the goods from her small farm. Many people had come to the village, dwarves and humans. She loved this day - it was the only time of the year she didn't feel so awkward but vanished in the crowd. Nevertheless she wore a wide cloak over her dress, and had pulled her hood forward to cover her human features. It was better for business anyway. One day, when she had saved enough coins, she would leave this place for good and settle down in one of the humans' cities, far enough to start anew. Maybe she could buy a little shop in some market town. No one would miss her here. Her parents were long dead, and the few friends she had made among the other children were grown up now. Even they didn't dare to recognize her anymore, for they feared their parents' disapproval.

When Prince Thorin drew near her booth, she made sure to hide deeply in her overcoat, but underneath watched him with wide eyes. Gods, he was a handsome man. She was sure that no warrior, male or human, possessed the width of his shoulders, or such strong arms. His whole being seemed to radiate power, strength and integrity. But he also held himself with a quiet dignity that made everyone accept his authority. People succumbed easily to his will, even if he was just a young dwarf, his beard not even long enough to touch his chest but cropped closely to his handsome chin.

His clear blue eyes were constantly scanning the place as he walked, taking in every detail he saw. There was a fierce intelligence in their depths, and definitely a spark of humor. While his younger nephews constantly chatted about, making jokes and flirting with the blushing women who were selling their wares, the prince kept himself quiet, apart from occasional remarks to his companions. It was a tradition that the royal family went to the village that day, spending Iron Day with the peasants. They even joined the famous dance around the fire at midnight, since this late summer's day, shortly before the harvest, was a celebration of fertility.

Every year, the heir to the throne chose a maiden among his subjects and opened the dance with her. Keyla had never seen it herself, but quickly packed up her goods and went home before the evening's festivities started. Without knowing why, she had never wished to watch the prince dancing with one of the prettiest girls. However, she'd heard that whomever he chose, this one dance would bestow a great honor upon the girl and her family, and from that day, she would be a prize to all the men who wished to marry. Usually, the woman quickly found an eager, wealthy suitor who bid for her hand. The villagers hoped the prince would choose his own bride among their daughters one day. However, none of them had caught his attention for longer than just this one dance.

When Thorin finally walked by her stand, an unexpected crowd gathered around him and his nephews. Everyone wanted to catch a glimpse of the young princes, maybe get the chance to bow to them and present themselves. The two guards, who had been subtly following Thorin, Kili and Fili in case they needed protection, quickly stepped into the peasants' way, making the princes step back. All at once, Thorin stood right at Keyla's booth. They were only separated by the narrow table she had stacked her eggs upon, and for a moment, their arms brushed. It was a hot day, and besides his trousers, boots and sword belt, he wore just a deep-blue shirt that hugged his strong shoulders and chest. It clung a bit to his wide back, and she caught a sniff of moss, mingled with a hint of the clean, musky essence of his fresh sweat. Keyla's arms beneath her cloak were bare, and she felt the warmth of his skin all the way through the fine silk that covered his arm. His face was averted, his attention drawn to the gathering people who had suddenly began to push forward, all-too-eager to see him. But he was close, so close.

His long, dark brown hair fell openly over his shoulders. As usual, he wore it in a simple style, with only two braids at his ears. She just couldn't help herself. Everyone was looking elsewhere, especially the prince himself. Cautiously, she stretched out her hand and touched his hair, very lightly. It was surprisingly soft, and smelled heavenly, emanating the fine, male scent she already recognized as his very own. With a small sigh, she retrieved her hand, glad that he hadn't felt it caressing his tresses. But he still didn't look her way. What if she …?

Before she knew it, she leant slightly forward and placed a soft kiss into the dark, silky mass, inhaling his wonderful, seductive smell. Smiling, she closed her eyes, savoring the moment. This might be her only chance in life ever to touch him, to come so close just once, and she had seized it.

She had already begun to draw back when she opened her lids, but was abruptly jerked back into reality by a sudden movement. The heavenly mass of hair brushed over her arm as the prince moved his head …

… and directly stared into her eyes, his face close to hers. He had caught her.

She gasped, wanted to run, but felt herself unable to move at all. His eyes pierced her, looked right into her soul. He knew. She blushed to the roots of her hair when she became aware that he realized what she had been doing.

Gods, what had she been thinking? It was forbidden to touch a member of the royal family without their consent, or talk to them without being asked to. She knew that it would be just a few moments before he'd call his guards and have her arrested.

Instead, he just continued staring at her, so close that their breath mingled. "Now, what have we here?" he murmured in a deep, low voice that sent shivers down her spine. She couldn't utter a single word, just held her breath while her heart was racing, pumping her blood through her veins so hard it hurt inside her chest. Surely he must hear the wild, frantic beating, too. It was the only sound she heard, thundering in her ears.

His hand went up to her hood, lifting it from her head. His sharp eyes were on her, taking in her pale, fine-boned face, her beardless cheeks, her curly, sun-streaked hair. She stared at him wordlessly, mesmerized by his intense gaze. His eyes seemed to light up for a moment, but she couldn't tell how he felt about her unexpectedly human appearance. But it wasn't disgust what she saw, nor anger for her shocking behavior. She just looked at her, looked into her.

Then, very slowly, his gaze dropped to her mouth. Without knowing why, she quickly licked her lips and opened them a bit. His eyes widened, and she realized that his breathing had become fast and shallow, too. A sound escaped from his chest, a deep, low rumble. She didn't know what it meant, but it made her feel so weak that she grabbed the table in front of her, steadying herself before she humiliated herself even more and dropped to the ground right before him.

He opened his lips again to say something, but right at this moment all hell broke loose. There seemed to be some riot in the crowd as more and more people rushed down the narrow street, forcing the guards and the prince's nephews to retrieve. Suddenly, Thorin was pushed over the table, right into Keyla. She was so surprised that she didn't even notice when he grabbed her, slung a strong arm around her waist while they went down to the floor, landing in a heap of broken eggs. During the fall, he had somehow managed to turn around so he landed on his back, with Keyla lying right on top of his body. Completely in shock, she just breathed deeply, trying to recover for a while. She didn't have the faintest idea how this had happened, but her face was buried in the crook of the prince's neck, against his warm, heated skin while his arms were all around her, protecting her. Only faintly she heard his voice asking if she was all right, felt his hands touching her back as if he wanted to check if she was hurt.

Seconds later, she was roughly grabbed from behind and thrown to the ground. Two spears were pointed right at her throat, and she stared up into the faces of two particularly furious palace guards.

"Damn," she murmured, hardly aware that this very word had escaped the prince's lips at exactly the same moment.

(To be continued …)

To read more chapters of this story, click here. Enjoy! ;)

*****

All rights belong to their respective owners. No monetary gain for the author. This story is for entertainment purposes only; a hommage to Professor Tolkien's work and the awesome movies by Peter Jackson.

Guilty Indulgence: What inspired me to write a Thorin Oakenshield fanfic

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Court) — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 11:49:00 +0000

Click on the pic to read "The Prince's Secret", my Hobbit fanfic story!

Dear Readers,

It's me, the humble writer of "The Prince's Secret". Just wanted to thank you for all that awesome support and reviews. I was amazed how many of you liked my first two chapters. Since it's not professionally edited like my other books, you'll read what I have spontaneously written, and I hope you'll forgive me the occasional small flaws. Writing fanfic is my little guilty indulgence, but it comes directly from the heart since I don't think much about plots. I just write what I feel, the kind of tale that originates from day dreams and secret fantasies. This is why I love fanfiction so much (I am also an avid reader, by the way) - it's real, uncensored, raw and wild.

The foremost reason that I felt like writing a Thorin fanfic was, of course, Richard Armitage's brilliant portrayal of Thorin Oakenshield in "The Hobbit". The powerful, dignified way this dwarf holds himself, the stunning blue eyes and dark chocolate voice doesn't fail to impress the female audience. It's amazing how RA nailed that role, despite wearing heavy make up and a prosthetic nose. However, being the romance writer that I am, I'm always looking for a love story. So after watching the movie, I decided to re-read the appendices of "The Lord of the Rings". Tolkien definitely was a romantic soul. He dedicated whole chapters to beautiful love stories (Aragorn and Arwen, Luthien and Beren), so I was very hopeful to find out more about Thorin's amorous adventures.

My pulse rapidly quickening (if I may use this highly used phrase), I opened my beloved illustrated (by Alan Lee) edition of LOTR and started to read Appendix A, III: "Durin's Folk". Very interesting, it's about the history of the dwarves, with a brief summary of what happens in "The Hobbit" (I think I'll break down in tears at the end). I even found two fascinating paragraphs about dwarf women, and I particularly liked the fact that the men were very jealous and possessive if they took a wife. It was also mentioned that many of them didn't want to marry at all, because they were, according to Tolkien, "too engrossed in their crafts" *wink, wink* (don't believe it for a second). Dis, Kili and Fili's mother and Thorin's sister, was also shortly mentioned, but not what had happened to her. I like to believe that she and her unknown husband died (probably during Smaug's attack), and that Uncle Thorin looked after them, taking their father's place.

However, this is what I finally found about Thorin Oakenshield's love life. I'm glad I wore my contact lenses - I found it in a tiny, tiny footnote after having scanned the text for the second time.

Thorin had no wife.

Say what? Are you kidding, Professor Tolkien?

I read it again, turned to the next page to see if there was more. Maybe something like:

"Thorin had no wife, for he had loved a girl in his youth, but she died under tragic circumstances. Afterwards, his heart was broken and he never loved another."

This would have made sense, at least. But simply "Thorin had no wife"? Well, let's admit that Tolkien couldn't know that in later years, Thorin would be played by "Look back at me"-Smoldering-Mr-Thornton-Shirtless-Guy-of-Gisborne Richard Armitage. I am very sure that he didn't imagine his dwarf that attractive.

Knowing the hard facts now, I couldn't help but think about this very strange sentence, turning it around and around in my mind. "Thorin had no wife." Why the heck didn't he? Wouldn't a handsome prince, the heir to the throne, have found a woman who wished to marry him? I mean, look at him!

Reasons why Thorin should have a wife (or other love interest):

1. Thorin is the king's grandson. The most important thing that dwarf must do (apart from defending his people, working as a lowly blacksmith to feed them etc. etc.) is to make sure that the line of Durin won't be broken. He must simply grab a woman, take her to his huge four-poster bed, take off his clothes to reveal that strong, brawny, chest-dusted-with-dark-hair warrior's body and cover her naked body with kisses while pleasuring her with his skillful dwarf hands before rising over her to plunge deep into …

Sorry, I got taken away. Heir. He must produce an heir (and a spare, as they say) to secure his blood line, of course.

2. He is effing handsome, intelligent, brave and loyal.

3. He has proven that he'll make a good father by caring for his nephews, Fili and Kili (as stated above).

(Pic by Lornet, check out her beautiful art here)

4. He can sing sad songs about lost treasure by the fire, and play the harp.

5. He has great hair.

6. He might be a poor, homeless prince now, but will be filthy rich once he has defeated Smaug and reclaimed Erebor. (Not that we really care - as long as a dwarf looks so good while swinging his hammer over the anvil)

7. He can glower like no one else. Every woman should have a glowering husband. Comes in handy to scare away unwelcome salesmen from your doorstep, or the neighbor's mean dog.

Reasons why Thorin should not have a wife (or love life, at all):

3. Well, he's busy. I mean, really busy with fighting battles, saving his people from certain death-by-incineration and leading them to the Blue Mountains to create a new life for them. But surely he could spend one night or two a week for that heir-producing I mentioned earlier? Besides, dwarves have a very long life. I guess a hundred years or more will be sufficient to enjoy one's bachelorship and settle down with wife and children, at last.

But seriously: Deep in my heart, I believe that a great man, a warrior and king who lived his whole life with so much passion, must also have had some love life. The only thing I could imagine why he didn't marry is that

a) he has loved and tragically lost a woman he loved in younger years.

b) he had a secret lady love and couldn't marry her for some reason.

c) he secretly had a faible for halflings but simply wasn't lucky enough to meet any for a very long time (this was for you Thilbo shippers out there! ;) ).

By the way, I used one of these possibilities as an inspiration for my story! But I won't tell which. ;-))

For now, farewell and thank you for reading through all of my tiresome post!

xoxoxo

Deborah

*******

All rights to the movie, pictures, characters and books "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" belong to their respective owners. No monetary gain for the author. This post and fanfiction was written for entertainment purposes only.

Favorite Blogger of the Month (January)

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Court) — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 09:05:00 +0000

Dear Readers,

First, I'd like to wish you a very happy, successful new year ! ;)

My favorite bloggers of January - yes, they are two ladies this time! - are Amber and Amber, who created the indeed awesome and entertaining "AwesomeSauce Book Club". So if you like books, make sure to check out their site! (Click on the pic below)

Welcome, Amber and Amber! Tell us a little bit about yourself and your blog. Why did you start your own book review blog, and which genres do you feature?

Amber R: Amber I. started blogging before I did, so I'm going to let her take this question.

Amber I: I started blogging because I freaking loved books. I am obsessed with books and I had no one to talk to about all the books I read. I tried to get people I knew to read the books I read but they just were not keeping up. So somehow I stumbled across goodreads. Then when I was there I found out about blogging and decided to give it a try. I thought maybe if I had an outlet for my obsession it would be cool. I never ever thought it would be become what it has. Its just so crazy!

Our blog mainly features books in the Paranormal genre whether its just Paranormal Romance a YA Paranormal, Urban Fantasy or an Erotic Paranormal. Of coarse a few others sneak in there.

What genres do you read in private? What are your most favorite books of all time?

Amber R: I basically read urban fantasy, paranormal romance, that kind ofstuff. But I do read mysteries, contemporary, and sometimes historical romance but that's very rare.

Amber I: I am not ashamed of any books I read so there is really nothing I read in private. Maybe the newspaper. lol. And to pick a favorite book is like asking a mother to pick a favorite kid. its just too hard.

With all those books being offered to you, you surely must be a bit picky about what you read. What intrigues you most in a story? Are you influenced by a good blurb or cover?

Amber R: You know I've never really paid too much attention to covers. But since Amber I. and our friend Autum are really into them, I have noticed myself paying more attention to them. I love a good blurb. A little mystery and some laughs will get me every time.

Amber I: Really I need both a good cover and a good blurb. It seems silly that a cover could make or break a book for me but it does. Covers to me are important. This is what visually catches a reader. If I am in a bookstore browsing would I go to a cover that looks amazing or one that is cheaply done and looks like crap? Obviously the good cover. A cover should really capture a reader. This is what they will first see and it needs to be good, if I see a bad cover before I know what the book is about I might skip it. But of coarse a blurb needs to be awesome too. You could have an amazing cover but the blurb sucks so I wouldn't read it.

How on earth do you find the time to manage such a busy blog besides your job and family life?

Amber R: Well, I think that there being two of us helps. We're reading double the books and setting up double the posts. Honestly if it wasn't for
Amber I: I'm certain I wouldn't be able to get this much done on my own. Plus, it's fun for me to do it so it's still a hobby rather than something I feel I HAVE to do.

Amber I: I notice the bigger the blog gets the harder it is. I want to be social and I think its important but sometimes its so hard. I try to keep up on my reading and my posts then also try to comment on other blogs and be active on twitter and facebook and all that stuff. But I also am working and have 3 kids. I am never totally put together. If I am ahead on reviews then I am behind on emails or something like that. Its never perfect but I love it!

Be honest: Is it easy or difficult to deal with us writers? I know that we can be an unorganized, sensitive lot sometimes. (You don't need to tell names …)

Amber R: Honestly, every author that I've personally dealt with so far has been pretty great. Amber might have some horror stories though. Haha

Amber I: I don't have really any horror stories. I have had some authors piss me off for whatever reasons but I told them about it and we ended up working it out. Of corse I have had last minute posts and all that and its annoying but I am usually understanding. But I let authors know that if you don't give me enough time then your post might not be posted or it will be late. I try to be honest with authors so we all know where we stand. I know authors are busy so usually no matter what I am understanding. I know I get behind on things and that I may get interview questions in late or something like that, I try not to but it happens so I completely get it when that happens with an author. But I have seen so many author and bloggers fighting lately that I have created some new policy's on my blog to try and avoid any of that (ex. The No Douche Bag Clause).

You will be attending the first Indie Romance Convention next year! Please tell us what you've planned for the event.

Amber I: You know I am as excited to meet some of the bloggers as I am the writers. But I must say that I am going to be a total fan girl when I meet Eve Langlais!! She is my rock star!

Just for fun - some quickies:

Favorite movie:
Amber R:Hm. Ever After with Drew Barrymore or the newest Batman saga.
Amber I: The Wizard of Oz

Favorite TV series:
Amber R: Veronica Mars, I want to be a p.i. so bad because of this show.
Amber I: When I was little The Wonder Years then as a teenager Beverly Hills 90210 early Adult Friends older adult The Office and The Walking Dead.

Favorite singer/band:
Amber R: Sara Bareielles
Amber I: NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK! haha seriously they are awesome. But I guess you could mark me down as a 90s alternative fan. I am stuck in my decade of music.

Most beautiful male celebrity:
Amber R: Hmm. Jason Mamoa
Amber I: Oh gosh I don't know.. Lets think... James Franco keeps popping up in my head so I will say him. This is in no way a final answer.

Sexiest fictional hero ever:
Amber R: Dorian from the Dark Swan series by Richelle Mead, I'm in love.
Amber I: Oh this is so hard... I will go with Ian from The Night Huntress series ( I have even made people call me poppet because of him.) Or Dageus from Karen Marie Monings Highlander series (book 5) (which I took another nickname Amber-Lass) Again though this is too hard of a question as is in no way a final answer.

Best fictional villain ever:
Amber R: Voldemort for sure.
Amber I: I must agree that he who must not be named is an awesome one! I mean he made people fear him so much that they wouldn't even say his name! That is pretty bad ass.

Best fictional heroine ever:
Amber R:There are so many great ones. I love Charley from the Charley Davidson series by Darynda Jones.
Amber I: I agree Charley is an awesome one. Riley from Riley Jenson Series, Elena from The Otherworld series, Cat from Night Huntress, Mercy from Mercy Thompson. I know there are so many more but from where I am sitting and what I can see on my shelf I will stick with these ones. But I have more.

Your secret beauty tip:
Amber R: I'm a basic makeup lady but mascara is a go to.
Amber I: hahahahaha!! I have never ever been asked this once. Never! Oh man this is just funny. I am just not a girly girl. I don't even wear makeup. I say my secret tip is just not caring. lol

Your secret favorite cooking/baking recipe:
Amber I: My husband's grandmother's homemade pasta and meatballs. I would share the recipe but they might kill me. Seriously we just got it a year ago. Its on a need to know basis. They are a big italian family and just trust me that its amazing. But I think she has purposely left off some info because it never tastes exactly the same as hers. We have been making it a lot trying to perfect it! It was like Christmas the day we got this recipe, I have been trying for years.

The Legend of the Christmas Pickle

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Court) — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 20:37:00 +0000

Some years ago, a friend from America (hiya, Abby!!!) asked me something that left me totally baffled. It was a few weeks before Christmas, and she wanted to know if I followed the "well-known German tradition" of placing a pickle ornament on the Christmas tree. It was supposed to be hidden between the branches, and whoever found it would receive an extra present. I was truly baffled, since I had never even heard of it! But it seems that you can buy those ornaments in US shops - I never saw anything like that anywhere here.

But then I did some online research and asked friends from different parts of Germany if they used to hide pickles (or any other vegetables) in their trees, and no one knew of this "tradition". I thought that it probably was some cheap trick to sell those ornaments, which was very true, but then I found out more - the manufacturer of these ornaments is located in Germany! They ship the "pickles" to the USA and use a fake tradition to sell them. It's outrageous! Now at least half of America believes that we hit our heads or something because we hang cucumbers on our trees. Let me assure you that this isn't true. Well, at least it wasn't.

I was very delighted that back then, my friend actually sent me one of those pickle ornaments, and I proudly place it on my tree every year since then! So in the end, the rumor might be true, after all ...

Wishing you a very merry Christmas, and a happy new year!

Love,
Deborah

Favorite Blogger of the Month (December)

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Court) — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 10:54:00 +0000

Hi folks,

aaand ... here's my favorite book blogger of December; it's Alicia Hall from Mortality Bites! Readers, make sure to check out Alicia's wonderful and entertaining blog. She'll also be an attending blogger at the First Indie Romance Convention 2013.

Welcome, Alicia! Tell us a little bit about yourself and your blog. Why did you start your own book review blog, and which genres do you feature?

I'm just a small town country girl. I found a passion in reading at a very young age.

My blog is called Mortality Bites because I secretly wish that I was an immortal. Being mortal bites because I'm not going to live long enough to read all the incredible books out there.

I started my blog because I wanted to be more than just a reader. I wanted to get to know all of you amazing authors and I wanted to help promote your books. Being able to experience a little bit of the action behind the scenes has been a blast.

I mostly feature paranormal romance and urban fantasy but on my blog anything goes!

What genres do you read in private? What are your most favorite books of all time?

I read everything. I find that I love a good contemporary romance occasionally.

I have to say that to this day one of my favorite books is still Kiss of Shadows by Laurel K. Hamilton. I have read it a least ten times over the past decade. It was the first paranormal romance book that I ever picked up and it holds a special place in my heart.

With all those books being offered to you, you surely must be a bit picky about what you read. What intrigues you most in a story? Are you influenced by a good blurb or cover?

I get books offered to me? What? Do you know something that I don't? Just Kidding.

My blog is still fairly new so no one is breaking down my door for my opinion. I'm going to get there someday but right now if an author contacts me and they have a book in the PNR or UF genre I usually accept them.

I am intrigued by a good romance. I want strong leads with personality and I want the couples to have a hard time at first. I hate when characters just fall in love right off the bat and they have no trouble at all. For me a good story has to be real.

I will be honest I am the world's worst about judging a book by its cover. If the cover doesn't catch my eye then the book never even gets a chance. I know I'm missing out on great books but that's why I love the blogging community, they always let me know when I have messed up because of a bad cover.

How on earth do you find the time to manage such a busy blog besides your job and family life?

Let's see I work on a farm and we have 15 cows and over 20,000 chickens. We work a lot around here but I am still working on a way get those hens to stop laying eggs 7 days a week! I really could use a weekend off every now and then.

I have a two year old little monster running around but I have an amazing husband that understands my need to get blogging done before bed most nights so we make it work.

Most of my posts get typed and scheduled ahead of time during nap time and all of my reading is done at night. I gave up sleep a long time ago!

Be honest: Is it easy or difficult to deal with us writers? I know that we can be an unorganized, sensitive lot sometimes. (You don't need to tell names …)

Easy!

I have had nothing but good experiences with all the authors I have worked with so far. They have all been easy going and very quick to answer questions. It has been wonderful!

You will be attending the first Indie Romance Convention next year! Please tell us what you've planned for the event.

I am so excited about this event! I think it is going to be great exposure for everyone, author and bloggers alike!

We have been tossing some ideas around but not sure of all the details yet. I know we are going to put together a charity basket.

Just for fun - some quickies:

Favorite movie: Gattaca

Favorite TV series: Bones and The Vampire Diaries

Favorite singer/band: I like it all!

Most beautiful male celebrity: Justin Hartley

Sexiest fictional hero ever: Zsadist from the BDB series by JR Ward

Best fictional villain ever: Lex Luthor

Best fictional heroine ever: Princess Buttercup

Your secret beauty tip: Sunscreen (I'm not planning to have wrinkles or skin cancer when I'm old!)

Your secret favorite cooking/baking recipe: (full recipe or maybe online link)

My Cherry Cobbler is always a favorite at my house. It's a quick one of everything recipe.

Cherry Cobbler:

1 Stick of Butter

1 Cup of Flour

1 Cup of Sugar

1 Cup of Milk

1 Can of Cherry Pie Filling

Melt butter in a 9"x11" dish

Mix flour and sugar in med bowl. Add milk and mix well. Pour mixture into pan. Spoon in Cherries. Bake at 350º for about 40 minutes or until golden brown.

Favorite Blogger of the Month (November)

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Court) — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 19:34:00 +0000

Here's my Favorite Blooger of November - Vanessa Romano, with her awesome blog The Jeep Diva! Welcome to my blog, Vanessa. It's wonderful to have you here.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your blog. Why did you decide to start reviewing books, and which genres do you feature?

I am a 34 year old domestic engineer. I am married to the most awesome man ever. We have 7 furkids and live in the boonies.

The Jeep Diva (I drive 2 & I am one) I have 5 review ninjas that help me out. Most are very specific as to what they enjoy reading. One gal only wants m/m, another only wants the really dark and gritty erotics, and one prefers the light romance and inspirational love stories. We review romances, all the various sub genres. My love of horror and the recent zombie obsession turns up in a post on occasion.

November 2010 I went to my first con, Readers N Ritas. There was a panel about blogging reviews. At the time I was writing my reviews solely for goodreads. I thought this might be something I could do with my spare time. I have a freakish amount of spare time.

What genres do you read in private?

None. I proudly read my smut, horror, apocalypse, you name it. I am never ashamed of my love for a good book!

What is your most favorite book(s) of all time?

Stephen King’s Dark Tower series

With all those books being offered to you, you surely must be a bit picky about what you read. What intrigues you most in a story? Are you influenced by a good blurb or cover?

I’m big on the pursuit. I love the chase that leads the hero and heroine to their happily ever after. Covers may get me to notice a book, but blurbs and reviews from people who share common reading interests that I do will sell me a book.

How on earth do you find the time to manage such a busy blog besides your job and family life?

LOL! The Hub works out of the country. He is gone for a month at a time. I am home alone for a month at a time. I live like a hermit when the Hub is gone. I seldom leave the house. I read, get the posts set up, and basically do two months of stuff in those 30 days he is gone. The moment he comes home we travel nonstop. It gets pretty crazy when he is home. I seldom even have the chance to pick up a book when he is around.

Be honest: Is it easy or difficult to deal with us writers? I know that we can be an unorganized, sensitive lot sometimes. (You don't need to tell names …)

At conventions and signings I will approach. I’m not a shy person. I seldom email authors. If authors open that door I have no problem approaching them at a future date. Initial contact via the internet is a whole other story.

You will be attending the first Indie Romance Convention next year! Please tell us what you've planned for the event.

Nothing. Because of all the traveling I do with the Hub when I get the opportunity to go on a trip by myself I do absolutely no planning. I fly by the seat of my pants and just go with the flow. LOL He is such a taskmaster. He plans every little detail weeks in advance and making lists. I totally rock the no planning and hope for the best when I arrive.

Just for fun - some quickies:

Favorite movie: Tombstone

Favorite TV series: Criminal Minds (Shemar Moore is the hawtness!)

Favorite singer/band: Volbeat

Most beautiful male celebrity: Shemar Moore (watch Criminal Minds people)

Sexiest fictional hero ever: Devyn from Gena Showalter’s Alien Huntress series

Best fictional villain ever: Devina from JR Ward’s Fallen Angel series

Best fictional heroine ever: Sabina Kane

Your secret beauty tip: Clairsonic and sunscreen

Your secret favorite cooking/baking recipe:

Maw Maw Mac (my grandmother made this all the time)

2 cups uncooked elbow noodles

1 stick butter (the real stuff)

1 block Romano cheese (the good stuff, Kraft ain’t gonna work)

Cook/boil the noodles, drain the noodles, shred the cheese, combine cheese and noodles in a bowl, and mix. Burn the butter dark brown and pour over noodles and cheese. Mix it all over again. YUM!

Thank you so much, Vanessa! It was a pleasure having you here. I'll definitely try this recipe *mjam mjam* And I love both your gorgeous car and this cute doggie threesome. ;-)

Deborah Court: My Next Big Thing

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Court) — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 16:39:00 +0000

Last wednesday, I was tagged by my friend and talented author Lynette Sofras to answer 10 questions about my next release - "Bound by Magic", the second book in my Elven Warrior Trilogy and sequel to "Bound to the Prince". To read about Lynette's own Next Big Thing, her upcoming romance "In Loving Hate", you can visit her blog - which is very entertaining and worth reading, anyway!

Now here's some info about my own "Next Big Thing" I'd like to share with you:

What is the working title of your book?

Bound by Magic. It's not a working title anymore. When I first thought about writing a story about elven sorcerer Calatin, a character from my debut novel "Bound to the Prince", there was just this one line in my mind. I like it short and simple when it comes to book titles.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

It was very unexpected. During writing my first story about an elf who fell in love with a human woman, I invented Calatin and fell in love with him right from the start. Originally I just wanted some kind of funny sidekick as a friend for my hero, Elathan, who is more the dark and brooding type.

Calatin is my idea of a typical elf. He loves to play dice with trolls, gets drunk and - since he is known for his male beauty in all of the elven realms - he loves to seduce any compelling female who happens to stumble into his arms. But he's also a loyal friend, brave and selfless when it comes to protecting his people. And he hides a hurt, vulnerable sould behind his handsome, smiling face.

What genre does your book fall under?

Although I like to call it H.E.R. (Hot Elven Romance), it's actually a Fantasy/Paranormal Romance.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Ok - I'm thinking big so let's choose actors for all my three elven heroes:

Alexander Skarsgard - he has the height, the Nordic features and most of all, the brooding quality I'd need for my elven prince, Elathan. Anyone who has seen him as Eric in True Blood knows what I mean.

Benedict Cumberbatch - he is an amazing actor (just watch him in Sherlock), and I can think of nobody who has more elven-looking features than him. He'd be my perfect Calatin.

Tom Hiddleston - this is just a teaser because I can't reveal anything about my third book in the Elven Trilogy yet but let's say that for my leading man, I need a type that's a bit more sinister and villaineous. Loved him as Loki in "Thor" and "The Avengers".

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Elven sorcerer is cursed by furious ex-mistress and thrown into the human world, bereft of all his magic - right into the back yard of a human female who needs protection from lethal enemies since she knows too many secrets.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

Self-published.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

Hard to say. I'm constantly writing and re-writing, adding new scenes. Maybe five or six months. It's still a work in progress.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Since it's part of a trilogy, obviously to "Bound to the Prince". But this story will be very different from the first book.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

Writing "Bound to the Prince" helped me through a very painful time in my life; it was pure escapism when I couldn't sleep at night. This is probably why the story has a certain darkness to it. Bound by Magic was inspired by my character, Calatin. He simply commanded me to write it.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

In all of my elven books, I include elements of Celtic Irish and Scottish mythology, and the language I chose for my elves is real Gaelic. I believe that our whole culture is influenced by those ancient legends, more than we realize. We automatically respond to them, in an instinctive, emotional way.

A damsel in distress on a lonely island inmidst a lake, a brave, tragic knight coming to her on a silver elven vessel trough the wavering mist. Every woman secretly yearns for her very own warrior to save her. And yes, I'm talking about self-confident, modern women who successfully manage their careers and families. Deep inside, we are holding out for a hero. And I don't think that this contradicts feminism in any way. It doesn't hurt at all to be soft and a little bit weak at times. Life is hard enough, don't you think?

Next Wednesday (October 17th), my fellow authors Blak Rayne and Leigh Savage will tell you about their "Next Big Thing" - make sure to check those awesome blogs out!

Favorite Blogger of the Month (October)

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Court) — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 19:01:00 +0000

Tadaa ... and here's my Favorite Blogger of October!
It's Danielle Schmidt from Romance Book Junkies. Welcome to my blog, Danielle! It's a pleasure to meet you.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your blog. Why did you start your own book review blog, and which genres do you feature?

I am a 31 year old housewife. I love to blog, read and paint. I also enjoy chatting with other romance junkies so email me anytime. I started my blog because I had met very few people in my life that actually read romance novels and I wanted that interaction with other romance lovers. I also wanted to share all the books I read with others that might like to read a good book that I could recommend. We spend all that time reading a book it seems only natural to want to share that experience with someone else. I will talk and post about any genre in romance on my blog. If there’s a romance going on in the book then it has a spot on my blog that’s why I sometimes will even venture into genres such as historical fiction.

What genres do you read in private? What are your most favorite books of all time?

The genres I read normally are paranormal romance, historical romance and erotica or at least those are the ones I love the most. My favorite book of all time hmmm? That’s like asking a mother to pick her favorite child. Off the top of my head two books come to mind “The Other Boleyn Girl” and “Twilight” even though I normally don’t read YA.

With all those books being offered to you, you surely must be a bit picky about what you read. What intrigues you most in a story? Are you influenced by a good blurb or cover?

You really do have to be picky about what you read when you’re a blogger because you get so many review requests and you just don’t have time to read them all. I look for books in the genres I like most to read and I hate to say it but I am extremely influenced by a cover. I just can’t help it and I know its wrong.

How on earth do you find the time to manage such a busy blog besides your job and family life?

Like I said I have no real job besides taking care of the family so when everyone is off to school and work I get to blog and I do most of my reading at night before I go to bed when everyone else is sleeping. I have many late nights especially with good books sometimes I’ll be up until 2:00 in the morning then get up at 6:00 and start all over but it’s a labor of love truly.

Be honest: Is it easy or difficult to deal with us writers? I know that we can be an unorganized, sensitive lot sometimes. (You don't need to tell names …)

Honestly, I find most writers to be very delightful, corporative and generous.

You will be attending the first Indie Romance Convention next year! Please tell us what you've planned for the event.

I am very much looking forward to the Indie Romance Convention next year. Some of my favorite authors are attending. I don’t have a lot planned besides taking pictures, getting books signed and meeting authors. I may be planning to bring along some goodies to hand out from my blog but we’ll have to wait and see. I am also planning to donate a gift basket for the charity raffle that we’ll be having.

Just for fun - some quickies:

Favorite movie: The Wizard of Oz

Favorite TV series: I don’t watch TV ever so I don’t have a favorite series.

Favorite singer/band: Fergie with the Black Eyed Peas

Most beautiful male celebrity: Brad Pitt

Sexiest fictional hero ever: Gladiator (Russell Crowe)

Best fictional villain ever: Snow Whites Stepmother in the movie Snow White and the Huntsman

Best fictional heroine ever: The Queen in the movie 300 she was kick ass

Your secret beauty tip: Wash your face everyday with Olay Regenerist

Your secret favorite cooking/baking recipe: (full recipe or maybe online link)

Dump Cake

1 can cherry pie filling

1 can chopped pineapple

1 box yellow cake mix

1 stick buttler

Grease your pan then pour in your cherries and pineapple evenly. Top with yellow cake mix then cut butter into slices and layer on top of cake mix totally. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes and your done. Yummy and simple.

Thank you for your wonderful and interesting answers, Danielle! ;-)

Indulgent Blog Hop: Book Giveaway, and a Cake to Indulge in!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Court) — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 18:41:00 +0000

Dear Readers,

since I'm part of the big anniversary Indulgent Blog Hop, hosted by the awesome book review site Guilty Indulgence, I am giving away three copies of "Bound to the Prince", "Virgin Dancer" or "House of Pleasure" (your choice) today, in any e-book format. To enter, please share the link to this blog on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+ - just use the buttons below this post, and leave a comment with your e-mail and which book you'd like. Good Luck!

Visit Ndulgent Bloggers by clicking on the logo. There is also a list of all the sites participating in the hop at the end of this post, so make sure to check them out. Aditionally, Ndulgent Bloggers are hosting a GRAND PRIZE of $100 GF from WINNER'S CHOICE of Barnes & Noble or Amazon - you can enter to win below.

The Indulgent Bloggers also asked the participating authors to write about something they love to indulge in. Now this is a topic I love! ;-) Well, apart from reading books or watching my favorite tv-series/period dramas on TV (especially if they contain Benedict Cumberbatch or Alexander Skarsgard), I love baking cake - and naturally, eating it afterwards. *lol*

Today I'd like to share the recipe of a very popular German sheet cake called "Fanta Cake" with you. Yes, it's actually made with Fanta, and it's delicious. I swear everyone loves it! It has such a fresh, light taste (although it's not "light" at all if we're mentioning calories). And the best thing is, it's very easy to bake, and it's almost impossible to do something wrong - which is like chicken soup for the soul if you, like me, burned a lot of cakes before, or if your planned cheesecake turned out a wobbly, yellow mass even your cat didn't like to eat. Now here's the recipe:

Fanta Cake (Fantakuchen) - A Popular German Cake

Ingredients:

4 eggs
2 cups sugar (if possible, try use vanilla sugar)
3 cups flour
1 cup oil (Sunflower is best. Any "light oil" like vegetable oil. Please don't use any of the "olive" oils beca)
orange, flavour
1 1/2 cups fanta orange (or other orange soda)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla (you don't need this if you used vanilla sugar, but if you REALLY like vanilla a lot, go ahead and ad)
1 can sliced peaches, drained
1 cup sour cream
1 cup whipped cream
1/3 cup sifted powdered sugar
cinnamon

Directions:

1. For the cake: mix together the eggs, sugar, vanilla and oil. Add flour and then Fanta and mix well. At the end, mix in the baking soda then turn immediately into an ungreased 9 X 13 inch pan (use baking paper). Bake at 180°C (~350°F) for 30-45 minutes (time can vary depending on the oven) until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool.
2. For icing: Whip cream until stiff and then fold in the soured cream and powdered sugar and "Whip it". Cut peaches into tiny pieces with a mixer and mix them carefully (using a spoon) with the whipped cream, then top the cake with the icing mass. Serve chilled. Shortly before serving, sprinkle with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon.

xoxoxo
Deborah

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wonderful Reads of the Month (September Issue)

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Court) — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 16:59:00 +0000

Check out author Eri Nelson's wonderful book magazine, "Supporting Authors One Read At A Time" - Wonderful Reads of the Month. It features lots of information about writers and new releases, and it's free! The September issue is now online.

http://wonderfulreadofthemonth.blogspot.de/

New Feature: Favorite Blogger of the Month!

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Court) — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 10:22:00 +0000

Dear Readers,

As a reader who loves romance of all genres, I am addicted to the many awesome book blogs I found on the internet. When I started to publish my own books, I sent my work to bloggers and began to correspond with them. I found that they are not only crazy about books, but also invest a considerable amount of love, time and effort to keep their blogs going (most of them without any financial gain). They read and review books, publish interviews, author spotlights and giveaways and are very helpful when it comes to bringing writers and readers closer together. Readers love to hear something personal about their favorite authors, and we writers enjoy nothing more than comments from book lovers who enjoyed our work.

This is why I decided to start a new feature: The Favorite Blogger of the Month. We read so much about authors, I think it's about time that we also learn something about the bloggers. Starting this month, I'll interview the people who are responsible (in a good way ;-)) for some of the best and most informative blogs out there. Many of them will also be a part of the first Indie Romance Convention 2013, so I hope they'll tell us a bit about their plans for this event (I am very happy to be one of the attending authors). My Favorite Blogger of September is my friend Laurie Garrison, owner of Bitten by Paranormal Romance. Welcome to my blog, Laurie!

Please tell us about yourself and your blog.
I have a wonderful husband, one daughter, three cats, two dogs, three rabbits and a host of all kinds of birds and squirrels I feed in my back yard. I love baking and trying new recipes. I’m an animal lover that won’t buy any products tested on animals. I also love playing video games. The Sims PC games are my favorite but I love Need for Speed, so I love getting on my Ps3 and playing race games with all of my friends.

I started reading again after Twilight came out. It wasn’t long before I hit authors like Sherrilyn Kenyon and J.R Ward. After that I started up a blog just to keep my reviews. My blog is a modest compared to a lot of others but I want to keep the paranormal romance first and far most, so that the PNR authors have a place to show themselves.

Which genres do you read in private? What are your most favorite books of all time?
Anything I read is wide open so everyone can see. My top favorites are, Pleasures of the Night by Nina Bangs, Night Play by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Grave Sins by Jenna MacLanie, Thief Anitra by Lynn McLeod, Blackmailed by Annmarie McKenna and Wickedest Witch by Eve Langlais

With all those books being offered to you, you surely must be a bit picky about what you read. What intrigues you most in a story? Are you influenced by a good blurb or cover?
ROFL. I wish I could be picky the sad fact is I take what the reviewers won’t take, or if I don’t have enough reviewers I’ll take almost anything. Reason is I hate to have an author miss out on being featured on my blog, even if I don’t like the book because I know someone will. The surprising fact is, I end up likening a lot of them, but if I would have read the blurb or any reviews beforehand I would have passed the book up. Sometimes I think people can be too picky and miss out on something wonderful because it’s hard to give you the whole take on a book in just a few words in a blurb.

What intrigues me the most is how the romance is carried out! I am a sucker for a couple that can come together against all odds, fall in love and have a HEA. It’s amazing but some authors can’t do this they, either focus more on the story or action and lose focus on the romance.

No, covers and blurbs doesn’t influence me one bit. I do like some covers better than others but I have never bought a book just for a cover.

How on earth do you find the time to manage such a busy blog besides your job and family life?

Let’s just say some things goes undone LOL. I have been lucky over the last month though because I have had an inflow of some wonderful reviewers that are enjoying reviewing, so I getting a bit of free time, yay me!! But I it’s just a little, I still don’t have enough to play my video games. I think my Ps3 friends things I dropped off the face of the earth, as a matter of fact, one even messaged me asking if I did. LOL.

Be honest: Is it easy or difficult dealing with us writers? I know that we can be an unorganized, sensitive lot sometimes. (You don't need to tell names …)

Over the last four years, I have only had to deal with two authors. One was fine after I took off her review. The other well that was a different story she pissed me off so bad that I wrote a post on my blog about it. Yea, no one calls my reviewer the devil and gets by with it, even if she was referring to all reviewers being the devil. But the thing was that woman was all over all of the blogs causing problems. Other than that all of my authors are wonderful, they’ll work with me in any way that I need them. Heck some will even come up with a post for me at the last minute. So, I feel very fortunate to have my great list of authors that comes to my blog all the time.

You will be hosting the first Indie Romance Convention next year! Please tell us how this awesome idea originated, what you expect from the event and how readers can attend.

How it originated is rather a long story because this is something that I had been toying with for years. My thing was I didn’t think I could pull the authors, so I kept pushing it back until this year. I did write a long post on the Indie Romance Convention blog about how I came about the idea so everyone is more than welcome to read it.

http://indieromanceconvention.blogspot.com/2012/07/about.html

The 2013 convention is going to be on a small scale because I want to get a feel of what these authors needs are. Yes, I have and will always say Indie authors are different and they need to have their needs met. I am someone who is going to meet those needs and make this an event every year where they feel comfortable to come get the help they need and spread the help and be able to meet their readers in a different level that they never could before.

The registration opens on October 1, 2012 which is now less than a month away. All readers have to do is go to the blog and click on register and go from there. But this will be changing in the coming months because we will be moving soon to indieromanceconvention.com. As soon as the designer is done, things will be moved but the blog will stay up and if you plan on attending please join the blog because this will be a good way to learn about authors you don’t know.

http://indieromanceconvention.blogspot.com/2012/07/registration.html

Just for fun - some quickies:

Favorite movie: Weekend at Bernie’s 1 and 2

Favorite TV series: Big Bang Theory and Once Upon a Time

Favorite singer/band: Stephen Tyler/ Areosmith

Most beautiful male celebrity: I always liked the guy that played Aries on Xena, Kevin Smith, his accident was very unfortunate.

Sexiest fictional hero ever: Devereux, from The Vampire Shrink by Linda Hilburn

Best fictional villain ever: I can’t recall the name of the villain but I remember the book he was crazy. Deadly Heat by Cynthia Eden, I have never run across a villain like him.

Best fictional heroine ever: Cin Craven from Wages of Sin by Jenna Maclaine. Her hero Michel would be my second pick of the sexiest fictional.

Your secret beauty tip: This is so not my department LOL.

Your secret favorite cooking/baking recipe: (full recipe or maybe online link)

I have so many, it’s would be hard to choose. So I’ll just pick the one I am stuck on baking at this time, even my daughter loves this. http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/cinnamon-bread-recipe

This bread is really good hot and it’s great using it the next morning as French toast.

Tips for Aspiring Writers - Getting started isn't easy

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Court) — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 17:13:00 +0000

Dear Readers,

Every week I receive wonderful, encouraging e-mails from readers telling me they enjoyed my work, but also from aspiring authors. Recently I read a lovely mail from a young writer, Skye, who asked me how I found the courage to publish my books, and if I could offer her any advice. You could easily tell from her letter how creative she is, overflowing with ideas, highly motivated but also a bit unsure about her own talent. She told me that she had written over fifty unfinished stories, a phenomenon most writers know only too well. This is what I answered:

*****

Giving any advice about writing and publishing isn't easy. There are many great books out there about writing, publishing and self-publishing, and check out author sites, they often have great advice about writing! I am not sure if this will help you, but I'll tell you a few things that, from my own personal experience, are most important:

From all your ideas, pick one genre you feel most passionate about writing. Most probably it's the same genre you love reading the most. Try to focus on one project at a time, and don't write anything else until you finished it. I know this is SO SO hard but you have to force yourself to sit down every day (and if it's only 10 minutes to start with), and simply write what comes to mind. I know that it takes a lot of discipline and courage. I have countless unfinished stories myself, buried somewhere in my desk and waiting to be written one day.

Read, read, read. Reading not only improves your language and writing style, but also shows you how popular novels are structured. Try to write your book in a way that it will fit into one of the popular genres later - it can and should be original, of course, told in your very own voice. Sadly, most agents and publishers aren't interested in short stories (except erotica), so you should aim for a novel. Which, by the way, absolutely doesn't mean that I don't love a good short story! (Arthur Conan Doyle, Edgar Allan Poe and Stephen King are my personal favorites *bows to the masters*)

Write. Write. Write. You don't need to be perfect or even good right from the start. Writing needs a lot of practice, like learning to play the piano. You can always go back, revise and change things later. A great way to learn and practise your writing is publishing fan fiction or writing for public forums. You'll get a lot of valuable critique from the readers, but also encouragement.

Writers need to develop a thick skin with time. You'll get rejected more than once - by editors, agents, and publishers, and you'll have to deal with some harsh and painful reviews if you plan to publish in any way. Now all writers I know are a oversensitive lot, especially when it comes down to our own stories, but we can learn to deal with (and learn from) critique if it's constructive, and ignore the haters. Personally, what keeps me going are mails like yours, and hearing from people who love my books. When I published my first book, I would have never, ever dreamed about such a reaction. My readers' feedback is incredibly heartwarming, and motivating. I know some dedicated, faithful readers who have become very dear friends to me, who have been supporting me since I started publishing my first chapters of Bound to the Prince on forums and fanfic sites. They kept pushing me to write more and more, and made me learn what readers want from a story.

Try to find some beta readers and someone who will proofread and edit your work if you have finished one project and want to get it published. A professional cover wouldn't hurt, either, if you want to go the self-pubbing way.

Sorry to say this, but most writers I know can't live just from the income their books provide them with. Many publishers pay a not-too-high sum in advance (and you may have to give some of it back if your book doesn't sell), and you might get your first money months later. The publishing process itself can take up to two years even if you found a publisher who will work with you. So until the day you'll hit the NY Times bestseller list, it's always good to have a day job.

Just do it! Write, and don't be afraid that you might not be as good as other authors. You will be, and even better, you'll soon find your own voice if you are patient and just keep writing. ;-)

xoxoxo

Deborah

*****

There is a new section on my website, www.deborahcourt.com, "For Writers". Check in regularly for some advice on writing and more information that might be helpful for aspiring authors.

Indie Romance Convention 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Court) — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 13:34:00 +0000

I am very happy to announce that I'll be an attending author at the first Indie Romance Convention in October 2013 - organized by my friend and well-known blogger, Laurie from Bitten by Paranormal Romance. You can bet there'll be lots of awesome people around - wonderful authors, cover designers and bloggers (you'll find the full list and more information here on the convention's website). For me, it's the long-awaited opportunity to talk to my readers in person. So if you can make it possible, head over to Lebanon, Tn (near Nashville), and meet me at the convention! I'm looking forward to seeing you there. ;-)

Love,
Deborah

A Word or Two about Fanfiction

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Court) — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 11:55:00 +0000

Dear Readers,

Fanfiction, or more commonly, "fanfic" has recently risen from the internet underground and is on everyone's lips, especially since the success of former Twilight fanfic Fifty Shades of Grey and its two sequels, which dominate the book charts in many countries as I write this.

For you people out there who don't know what fanfic is, or have never read any: According to Wikipedia, it's "a broadly-defined term for fan labor regarding stories about characters or settings written by fans of the original work, rather than by the original creator." In other words, fans use the characters, worlds and settings of their favorite TV show, movie or book to write their own fiction. If you take a look around popular sites like fanfiction.net or archiveofourown.org, you'll find fics for nearly everything, ranging from Harry Potter via Supernatural, Twilight and Sherlock to True Blood (the latter two are my favorites, I'll admit).

Since these sites are almost completely uncensored and unlimited, there are stories from countless writers, many of them even underage. For people who love to read I can only recommend giving fanfic a chance. Some of them are surprisingly well-written, while others are painfully awful. Explicit erotic sex scenes (the gay-themed ones are called "slash") are quite common, but occasionally there are hidden gems among them, much better than some published erotica. Sometimes you can't help but wonder how a 16-year-old would know about some practices they describe so vividly. But in the end, it's a wonderful thing that such talented young people spend their spare time creating stories. Maybe some of them will become famous and successful writers later on, you never know.

Naturally, not every creator of an "alternate universe" is very happy about people who use copyrighted characters and worlds without asking, especially when erotic content is added (often between protagonists that were never meant to couple by the original writer, for instance Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy). J.K. Rowling publicly stated that she was ok with fanfiction as long as there was no pornography or racism. I absolutely agree with her opinion on racism, of course. But when it comes to sexuality, there is no limit to teenage fantasies.

No matter what you do, they'll continue writing and reading it anyway. But maybe that's just their way of dealing with the chaos their hormones cause in their bodies, and this is not the worst way of coming to terms with it, don't you agree? Creativity can never be wrong, as long as you don't hurt anybody with it. Personally, I'd be very pleased if readers felt strongly enough about my books to write fanfiction. It's a great compliment for an author, and a sure sign that readers love to get completely immersed in one's fictional world. It means that you succeeded in the most important goal a writer can achieve.

Although I wrote other stuff before and have been working in the romance publishing industry for some years, fanfiction was what originally brought me the first spark of writing "Bound to the Prince". Originally, I wrote the first few chapters as a fanfic for Prince Nuada, the compelling tragic villain from the movie Hellboy - The Golden Army. But soon I felt that the character I imagined was so much more, and very different from the movie figure, and I felt like creating a fantasy universe of my own. So I kept writing, but didn't use any other characters or locations from Hellboy. At some point I renamed my prince Elathan (an old name from Celtic mythology, meaning "The Golden Warrior", which I found befitting for my hero. By the way, you don't pronounce the "t", the correct pronunciation is "Ela-han", just for those of you who read my book. ;-)).

A beautiful thing about writing fanfiction is the close relationship you have with your readers. They are people who share your passion about what you're writing, and they give you wonderful, invaluable feedback, helping you to improve constantly. I learned so much during that time. At the beginning, I felt a bit self-conscious about my own writing, but I kept posting more and more since those awesome friends asked me to - and I've kept all their precious comments until today. I encourage every aspiring writer to try fanfiction first, if you are afraid of beginning your own first novel yet. I promise it will be the best lesson in writing you'll ever have.

Yours truly,

Deborah

*****

Besides her published novels, Deborah Court wrote two True Blood fanfic novellas exclusively for EricandSookielovers.com. You can also find them here:

Piece of Glass (A vampire love story, set in the present and the Viking era)

The Dark Queen (Sequel to Piece of Glass, a vampire New Orleans murder mystery)

A Writer's Thoughts on "Deadlocked" by Charlaine Harris

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Court) — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 09:20:00 +0000

When my friend Erika from EricandSookieLovers asked me to give her my opinion - from a writer's point of view - where Charlaine Harris might take Sookie's story after "Deadlocked", I believed that this wouldn't be too hard a task.

But that was before I actually read the book.

(Spoiler Warning! If you haven't read "Deadlocked" already and intend to do so, please stop reading right now, if you don't want to spoil your own fun.)

I carefully avoided seeing any spoilers or reviews of Charlaine Harris's newest addition to the Southern Vampire Mysteries to be able to enjoy this story uninfluenced. Now that I've finished it and spent some time thinking about it, I must say that this book was one of the best (while my favorite is still "Dead to the World"), but also darkest of the series, angst-ridden and sometimes even despairing. I am well aware that Ms Harris's stories are most of all mysteries, featuring a very unusual girl whose view of life is turned completely upside down, and her way of growing into a stunningly strong, badass woman who learns to adapt to all the hardships, all the madness she encounters.

Sookie's love encounters are only meant to be the icing on the cake, but fortunately for us readers, the author managed to create a vampire character so intense, charming, clever, cunning and mindblowingly sexy that he just couldn't stay in the background. We all fell in love with him - hard and gracious plenty, I might say. ;-) And of course, we've always yearned for Sookie to have her happy end with him - turned into a vampire or not, as his wife or human lover, well in any way Ms Harris could make this possible.

William Erasmus Compton. Vampire Bill.

Hey gals, just kidding! Please don't hit me. I just wanted to cheer you up with a lil' joke after that sinister finale of "Deadlocked". Of course I'm talking about Eric. I want nothing more but for Sookie and him to end up together, believe me. If you don't know me yet and would like to know how I feel about him and Sookie, please read my first ("Piece of Glass", a time travel story set in the Viking era) and second ("The Dark Queen", a New Orleans voodoo mystery) fanfic on EricandSookieLovers. You'll also find both stories on fanfiction.net. When it comes to Eric and Sookie, all we really want to see (both in the books and on the show) is THIS:

(All material belongs to HBO)

But well, I'm not Charlaine Harris, and this is her story, not mine. And what I've learned about her writing so far, is that she isn't an author who can be easily categorized. Her books can't be reduced just to the romance; both the plots and characters are multi-layered and cleverly planned. She once said in an interview that the world of Sookie Stackhouse is her own universe, and she can do whatever she wants with it. And she does, shocking and surprising us over and over again. If I could say one thing about her, I'd guess that she just isn't predictable. And as much as I'd love to predict how the story might end, I just can't because I don't know what she will do. I'd believe her capable of anything, even of letting Sookie end up with Sam as happy owners of Merlotte's and parents of a mind-reading, shapeshifting bunch of children, or having Niall open the portal to Faery once again and giving her a "happily forever after" living with her fairy relatives.

Having said that, I won't give you an in-depth review of Deadlocked, since others already did an amazing job of that. All I can do is try to view this story as a writer, not a reader, and speculate a bit what an author who planned to bring a long, much-beloved series to an end might do to plan the grande finale.

Gosh, Deadlocked was depressing when it came to Eric and Sookie's love story (if you could call it that anymore), wasn't it? Their first encounter was when she caught him greedily drinking from another woman who definitely seemed to be enjoying herself. The end was … Eric's absence after he left, probably shocked and angry that Sookie didn't use the cluviel dor to get them both out of an extremely difficult situation. The in between was pretty frustrating too, apart from the vague mention of sex, and Eric's hilarious comments about Bill and Pam when they came to visit on Sookie's birthday.

Oh, how much I missed the sexy, delightful Eric/Sookie scenes of the first books of the series, and I bet you did, too. But it all seemed to be quite hopeless, didn't it? There still isn't any doubt that Eric and Sookie love each other (although she starts to doubt that his love is strong enough to fight for them being together). However, at the end of "Deadlocked", I was so disappointed I felt like throwing my book against the wall. While I wholewheartedly agree with Sookie's choice to save Sam's life, using the cluviel dor's magic, for our favorite couple there seems to be no way out but to break up and live separate (vampire-)lives, with Eric marrying Freyda and Sookie probably ending up in Bon Temps, with whatever supe love interest at her side. Would we even care? Who could ever compare to Eric, anyway?

Ok - to put it simply, my point is that everything points to Sookie ending up with Eric, just because Ms Harris took great efforts in throwing huge, insurmountable obstacles in love's way, using two whole books to slowly build up to this final climax (no pun intended!). I also had the impression that she tried to gather up all loose ends when it came to Sookie's fairy relatives and Alcide and his were pack, so my guess is that she'll concentrate on the vampires in "Dead Ever After".

There will be murder and mayhem in Bon Temps, as always, blood, intrigues and vampire politics, and I can't wait what the final chapter will bring. But when it comes down to the core of the story, the story arch that lead us through the whole series like a red thread (or should I say "stream of blood"?) is the question if Sookie will have her happy ending, and with whom. We all know that Sookie loves only one ~~man~~ vampire. Do you think that Charlaine Harris will allow her heroine to find true happiness? And if so, will it be in the way we all imagine, we all hope it will happen?

As much as I'd love to, I can't tell you either. But whatever "Dead Ever After" holds in store for us, damn - this series was a helluva ride so far! Dear fellow romantics, let's hope that it will lead into a blood-red sunset, with our favorite heroine in the arms of her immortal Viking. Go grab him, Sookie, and kick this Freyda b**** back to the hole she crawled from! This is all I'm sayin'. ;-)

With Felipe de Castro, the Vampire King of Louisiana (and Arkansas and Nevada), in town, it’s the worst possible time for a body to show up in Eric Northman’s front yard—especially the body of a woman whose blood he just drank.

Now, it’s up to Sookie and Bill, the official Area Five investigator, to solve the murder. Sookie thinks that, at least this time, the dead girl’s fate has nothing to do with her. But she is wrong. She has an enemy, one far more devious than she would ever suspect, who’s out to make Sookie’s world come crashing down.

(Book Blurb from Goodreads, All rights belong to Simon&Schuster and Charlaine Harris)

Shopping for Love!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Court) — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 19:24:00 +0000

Dear Readers,

I just wanted to let you know that my dear friend and fellow author, Lynette Sofras, has her new romance out this weekend! Even better, it's FREE! Go and grab your copy - you know that good things never last. ;-) I read it, loved it. It's a sweet and heartwarming love story with a touch of British humour and realistic enough to make readers believe that this could happen to all of ous - meet an incredibly gorgeous guy in the isle of a supermarket and instantly fall in love. Enjoy!

Love can find you in the strangest places - but it's never for sale!

They meet - of all places - buying tomatoes in the supermarket and there’s no denying the attraction is mutual. But Greg, a software developer, is still raw from his painful divorce and Emma, his children’s teacher, is recovering from her own heartache. Then the reappearance of Emma's career-obsessed ex-boyfriend and Greg's spiteful ex-wife threatens to kill their new love before it has even begun.

Is Emma’s love strong enough to survive Greg’s demanding past and the threats to both their careers? What will be the cost of falling in love in a world where everything comes with a high price tag?

Get your free copy here:

UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shopping-for-Love-ebook/dp/B0089CLOSS/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_img_1
US: http://www.amazon.com/Shopping-for-Love-ebook/dp/B0089CLOSS/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_img_1

Deborah Court's Movie Review: Snow White and the Huntsman

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Court) — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 21:54:00 +0000

Beware: This review contains mild spoilers! - "Mild" because: Hey, it's Snow White. You know what happens. (If not, seriously consider grabbing a copy of Grimm's Fairy Tales and do some essential reading.) If you'd like to watch the movie completely uninfluenced, please stop reading right now and come back later. Ye have been warned.

Since I saw the first teaser trailer of "Snow White and the Huntsman", I was very excited about this movie - especially after the second trailer, which showed a scene where Snow White encounters mythical creatures like tiny fairies and a white stag in the forest. I'm also a big fan of Charlize Theron and couldn't wait to see her as the evil queen. Yesterday, the wait was finally over: I couldn't believe it myself when I was successful in convincing my husband to go watch this movie with me - although it really wasn't his cup of tea (he would have preferred Men in Black 3 but bent to my iron will).

Visually, the movie is stunning, even if it had a very distinct Lord of the Rings look. When Snow White, the Huntsman and the dwarves walk across a magnificent mountain landscape, the air shot looks ridiculously like The Fellowship of the Ring walking towards the mines of Moria. I wouldn't have been surprised if Legolas and Gimli had been among them. Charlize Theron, as I expected, really rocked the boat in her role, she was painfully beautiful, regal and wonderfully evil without overacting. Kristen Stewart has the perfect looks for her role, but I am not sure about her style of acting Snow White.

She was a wonderful Bella in Twilight, playing that young girl who is uncomfortable with herself and angry at the world, but in Snow White, she needed to deliver the innocence that's so important as a counterpart to the clever, scheming queen. She played the part well, but I was surprised by how few lines she had to speak, which seemed peculiar since she was the main character. Chris Hemsworth (a great actor and always a joy to look at) and the rest of the elaborate cast (it was great fun to detect the famous actors hiding beneath heavy dwarf make-up) did their best, too, but even they couldn't ensure that the viewers felt emotionally moved - which brings us to what was really lacking in this movie: A good script.

While all the elements of a fantasy story - heroes and villains, a quest, exotic landscapes and magic creatures - were there, what was lacking was: a) a good, satisfying love story (Snow White has two gorgeous guys to choose from -Thor and the handsome priest who fell in love with a mermaid from Pirates of the Caribbean 4. Hello? Where is the romance, emotional conflict, scenes that sizzle with physical tension?) and b) dialogue and characters that deeply moved the audience. Some lines were so boring and meaningless that I waited for the characters to say something else.

Here's an example: Snow White has just killed a villain who intended to rip out a vital organ from her body (slightly changed to avoid spoilers here, villain could be male or female); let's pretend for now that it's the liver.

Villain: has just delivered a very evil and hateful speech before our heroine kills her (or him) and breaks down, sputtering black blood and aging rapidly

Snow White: *watches villain with tears in her eyes* "You can't have my liver."

Me: *waits and listens*

Snow White:

Me: *waits and listens*

Me: I can't believe it. This was her final line in that scene. You can't have my liver. Wouldn't Snow White say something in addition to that line, something cool, clever, or even with a hint of black humor, to give this great villain the good-bye she (or he) deserves? What about this: "You can't have my liver - or other vital organ -, because it already belongs to the unbelievably handsome Huntsman who's madly in love with me and will be warming my bed every night while you rot in hell, you evil b*tch. (or insert suitable male cussword here) Besides, I was always more beautiful than you. You should have wiped the dust from that blind old mirror of yours before you made him choose who's the fairest. Oh, you're already dead. Good. Guard, throw her over the castle walls for the ravens to feed on." *rips crown from deceased villain's head*

And where, may I ask, was the final, passionate kiss that everyone wants to see at the end of a fairy tale? Instead, all we got was one of the male protagonists (I won't tell which one, not wanting to spoil your fun) - washed and combed for once, coming around the corner while Snow White watches him with tear-clouded eyes and a yearning look on her pretty pale face.

Me: Finally! Now grab and kiss her before you carry her to her chamber, you strong, sexy, handsome ..

Movie: *cuts to black, end credits*

Me: What the …? Are they kidding?

Husband: Let's go! *look of relief on his face* I think I need to watch a splatter movie now.

Me: I think I need to rewatch Thor now to recover from all the Chris Hemsworth lady boner teasing without results. And all three extended editions of Lord of the Rings.

If you like dark fairy tales and epic fantasy, go and watch Snow White and the Huntsman! This dark fairy tale is visually exquisite, entertaining and a good action-driven fantasy movie. What you shouldn't expect is too much depth or a romantic love story. It's one of the films that makes you think what could it have been if there had been a bit more of a background story. Now excuse me while I put on a low-cut black dress and start commanding over my own little kingdom here at home. I wanna be a badass queen, too! This makes me think of Galadriel's words in Lord of the Rings:

"In the place of a Dark Lord you would have a Queen! Not dark but beautiful and terrible as the Morn! Treacherous as the Seas! Stronger than the foundations of the Earth! All shall love me and despair!"

Blog Swap!!! Interview with Author Blak Rayne

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Court) — Tue, 22 May 2012 21:04:00 +0000

Dear Readers,

Today I have a very special guest: Blak Rayne, my good friend and published author who, among other projects, writes romantic and homoerotic fiction influenced by the Japanese Yaoi genre. At the same time, Blak has graciously invited me for a Q&A with a book giveaway on her blog (May 23rd), which you'll find here, so we are doing an interview swap of sorts. ;-)

Blak is not only a talented and successful writer, but also a lovely, fascinating and kind person whom I'd love to meet in person one day. As she tells readers on her website, she likes men, period, and she likes hers hot and powerful, to have secrets and burn up the pages. She says: "I like to believe there's a love story out there for everyone, it's just waiting to be told." Brava, bravissima Ms Rayne, I wholeheartedly agree!

Q&A with Blak Rayne

Could you please tell us something about you?

Well, there is something new I’d like to mention. I have just started to write under another pen name within a totally different genre. For me, this is wonderful, and something I have been longing to do for many years. I can’t wait to see the results!

When did you decide on being an author?

Cliché as it sounds, early childhood, though my dream didn’t come to fruition until much later in life (isn’t that always the way).

What inspires you to write?

Anything really, my imagination constantly churns. But if I had to pick, I’d have to say music. I was raised on music (my mother’s influence) along with a passion for books (my father’s influence). I took years of piano–practical and theory, self-taught guitar, played a little drums, and also ukulele.

What is the premise of your book?

My current novel, which is nearing completion is 'The Ideal Side of Love'; a short story about a successful businessman, Stephen, who has struggled all his life in relationships until he meets Myron. After years together, Myron dies of cancer. The only way Stephen can cope is by immersing himself in work until he accidentally bumps into a stranger. I won't go any further because I don't want to spoil the story. TISOL is written in first person POV, which is very different for me, but I think it really works for the story and characters.

~***~

The Ideal Side of Love

‘Average, but extraordinary, and only twice in a lifetime.’

Stephen Prichard is a resilient and self-made man that has it all, a successful business, great husband, and a summer condo on the waterfront, until life throws a curve ball. After twelve years together, his husband Myron dies of cancer, leaving Stephen to confront a future of uncertainties alone.

Then fate lends a hand, when not one, but two chance encounters with the same stranger put his feelings to the test. First and second impressions are lasting. Stephen longs for companionship, and the stranger is attractive, however, he’s also enigmatic and cold, and the memories of Myron are still painfully fresh.

Can a man Stephen barely knows renew his faith in love? But, more importantly, is he willing to let go of the past?

http://www.blakraynebooks.com

http://www.blakrayneblog.com

~***~

What is your favorite passage in the book?

For TISOL I can’t say yet, as the book is incomplete.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Honestly, I’m a bit of both. If I’m writing an in depth story, I will plot, otherwise I fly by the seat of my pants. But then again…some of my better stories were written off-the-cuff. Yep, I’m a bit of both.

How do you develop your characters?

I usually start with a name. Then a simple image comes to mind–the way the character looks, dresses, and so on; as the story evolves, so do they. In other words, I may mould the character to his or her story, or circumstance. It depends. Sometimes the story dictates the character.

How did you come to write m/m erotic romance?

I’ve written hetero erotica before, some sex within my fantasy stories, and even a little homoerotic, but I never considered writing m/m erotic romance until a friend dared me to enter an online writing contest. I had to write an m/m erotic story, and did so in five days, following the contest rules. I didn’t win, but the feedback was decent, and I sent the story to a publisher many years later.

Which books/authors influenced you most and why?

I love to read when time permits. And, since I’ll read just about anything, there are many authors I enjoy. As far as influence goes, I can’t pick any particular one for their writing abilities because every author has a unique written voice–even I do, but I certainly can for imagination; J.R.R. Tolkien, Agatha Christie, C. S. Lewis, Morgan Llewellyn, Kazuma Kodaka, Robin Cook, Terry Brooks, R.D. Wingfield, Joseph Wambaugh, Oliver Bowden, Brent Weeks, Bram Stoker…

Which is your favorite hero and villain in a movie or TV series?

I almost always root for the villain–well those with half a conscience. You know the type–driven by a vengeful spirit, but also emotionally torn by their own sinister actions. Which are usually brought on due to an unrequited, lost or stolen love. Bram Stoker’s Dracula is my favourite. He’s a prime example of a tortured soul seeking revenge in the name of love.

Is there a contemporary author, musician or actor you particularly admire?

The only people I really admire are the authors I’ve worked with, those I have gotten to know on a personal level. Most have struggled, and I admire their determination, their achievements, and how they treat others in the industry.

What will be your next project?

Well, I have several erotic m/m novels awaiting my undivided attention. And, adding to this, I have a ten part fantasy series I’ve been working on faithfully for fifteen years, that needs editing, covers etc to reach publication (this is under my new pen name). I’ve got so much on my plate at the moment I can scarcely keep up.

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

First and foremost writing is all about passion–sharing your imagination with others. Be passionate about your work. The second part is honing your craft. Read what you like to write, learn from other authors this includes their triumphs and mistakes. But the most important thing, do what you feel is right. Stay true to yourself.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Birthday

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Court) — Mon, 21 May 2012 23:28:00 +0000

Happy 153rd birthday Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - I bow to thee.

"OCTOBER 16TH.--A dull and foggy day with a drizzle of rain. The house is banked in with rolling clouds, which rise now and then to show the dreary curves of the moor, with thin, silver veins upon the sides of the hills, and the distant boulders gleaming where the light strikes upon their wet faces. It is melancholy outside and in. The baronet is in a black reaction after the excitements of the night. I am conscious myself of a weight at my heart and a feeling of impending danger--ever present danger, which is the more terrible because I am unable to define it."

~ The Hound of the Baskervilles ~

Guest post on Bitten by Paranormal Romance

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Court) — Sun, 20 May 2012 12:44:00 +0000

This week, I am featured on one of my most favorite blogs, "Bitten by Paranormal Romance", with a guest post! If you don't know this awesome blog yet - it's packed with book reviews and giveaways -, I can highly recommend it.

You'll find the original post here and a Midalah's new review of "Virgin Dancer" here. Special thanks to Laurie for inviting me again.

Step into my World

By Deborah Court
(originally written for "Bitten by Paranormal Romance")

Before I started to write myself, I worked as an editor and translator of romance novels. It was the job of my dreams, since I've always enjoyed reading, and this gave me not only the opportunity to enjoy many books from different genres, but also enabled me to get to know how they are structured, what is elemental to a story. More importantly, I learned what readers expect from a book. A plot and interesting characters are elementary, but the real challenge for a good story is that it's supposed to take the reader into another world for the entire length of it, starting from page one.

It's all about escapism. God knows we need it nowadays, especially young people who struggle with getting a decent education and a career, or hard-working mothers who run their families like a tireless, multi-tasking robot each day. They have a job, loads of housework, take care of their children and elderly family members while they often neglect their own wishes and needs. I have learned that those women are my most faithful readers; they give me incredible, heartwarming feedback. "Thank you for helping me escape for a while," is something I often read in my readers' messages, and to me as a writer, it's the biggest compliment imaginable.

But is escapism a good or bad thing? (Naturally, escape can also be experienced through watching movies, TV shows or other forms of entertainment, but being an author, I'd like to talk about books for now.) There are people who'd argue that such avid readers prefer to live in their own worlds - or, in the case of a fiction book, in a world a writer created for them. But this world, whether it's fantastic or very close to reality, lingers on in their minds long after they finish reading; it feeds their own inner world, the childlike part of their soul that's still able to be in utter awe of a breathtaking sight, believing that whatever they are craving for can actually happen. Sometimes astonishing creativity blooms after readers lose themselves in a compelling story - there are myriads of talented fan fiction writers and artists online who got motivated by a book they particularly liked in the first place.

Now this can't possibly be a bad thing, can it? Don't have a bad conscience if you like to escape for a while. We all need to from time to time. You've earned your own private fantasy, and it will give you renewed strength to face life when you need to get out of bed in the morning. Because the world you found in a book will linger inside you, still filling you with joyous wonder and hope long after you turned the last page.

*****

"Virgin Dancer" Freebie Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Court) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 07:18:00 +0000

Dear Readers,

I'd like to let you know that my latest book, Virgin Dancer, is free on Amazon - starting today and limited to two days only (26-27 April). You know that all good things never last, so get your copy while you can. Enjoy your read, and a short review on Amazon or Goodreads is always much appreciated! ;-)

http://www.amazon.com/Virgin-Dancer-ebook/dp/B007W5PFFQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1334997054&sr=1-1
(Please make sure that it's already/still free before you download, I can't influence the exact time Amazon will get it online)

Was she dancing too close to the fire when she chose him for her first night of passion?

Jade, a small town girl who has recently moved to New York to become a professsional ballet dancer, is wildly determined to lose her virginity. She goes to a Lower East Side club and celebrates her birthday with friends - fully intending to choose the most handsome, charismatic man she'll meet there to introduce her to the art of love that night. Instantly she falls for the tall blond Swedish sex god who owns the club, pretending to be a pole dancer who wants to apply for a job. But Alrik has secrets of his own, and soon Jade gets entangled in a web of danger, mystery and relentless passion ...

Virgin Dancer released!

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Court) — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 08:41:00 +0000

Dear Readers,

I have the pleasure of announcing that my new book is released, now available at Amazon.

Today, I'd like to especially thank my dear friend and editor, Lynette Sofras. Working with her is always a pleasure and a constant source of learning, although she - as a former head of English at a London school - can be a very strict EDITOR (the kind you write in caps *lol*). But honestly, she's one of the most kind, generous persons I've ever met, and a very talented writer, as well. You can check out her blog and her latest book, "Wishful Thinking", here.

I hope you'll enjoy reading as much as I loved writing "Virgin Dancer"; please leave me a short review on Amazon if you liked the story. <3<3<3

Yours truly,
Deborah
xxx

Was she dancing too close to the fire when she chose him for her first night of passion?

Jade, a small town girl who has recently moved to New York to become a professsional ballet dancer, is wildly determined to lose her virginity. She goes to a Lower East Side club and celebrates her birthday with friends - fully intending to choose the most handsome, charismatic man she'll meet there to introduce her to the art of love that night. Instantly she falls for the blonde, tall Swedish sex god who owns the club, pretending to be a pole dancer who wants to apply for a job. But Alrik has secrets of his own, and soon Jade gets entangled in a web of danger, mystery and relentless passion ...

Excerpt:

"So beautiful," he said, and his deep, rich voice
sent shivers down her spine. "I wonder if I should take advantage of this situation. After all, you're just a girl who wanted to find herself a lover tonight." He laughed to himself as he bowed down to her, moving his body over hers. Resting his weight on his elbows, his skin was just inches away from Jade's, nearly covering her. She only needed to arch her back, and her breasts would graze his skin.

Holding her captive with his pale, clear eyes, he stared down at her. "You can't even imagine how much I'd like to take you now." When she gasped, he continued. "Look at you. You want it, too, don't you, Jade? This is what you came here for."

Desperate with want, she closed her eyes, unable to speak a word. Suddenly, she felt his breath on the sensitive side of her neck, and she involuntarily tilted her head to the side to give him better access. Then, his lips were on her, leaving a searing mark on her skin. She moaned when she felt his tongue, barely touching as if he only wanted to taste her. A soft moan escaped her when he covered her neck with more of his sinful kisses, alternating with gentle bites that made her finally give up, yielding to his seduction.

The knowledge of being bound and helpless excited her more than she would have expected, and she turned her head to look into his eyes, ready to beg him if he wanted it. She found that the expression of his eyes wasn't cold anymore, but seemed to burn with a fire that threatened to destroy her.

"Beware, little virgin," he said. "I might be too much for you."

*****

Bound to the Prince nominated for Best Fantasy Romance 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Deborah Court) — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 20:33:00 +0000

Dear Readers,

Recently I heard some news that really swept me off my feet - "Bound to the Prince" is nominated for The Romance Review's "Best Book of 2011" award! I'm so excited about this, and couldn't believe it, considering that I only started publishing last August! However, it's a great honor to know that so many readers enjoyed my book. ;-)
So if you liked "Bound to the Prince" and want it to be the best Fantasy Romance 2011, please visit this site and click on "Vote" over the cover (you can easily log in with your Facebook account). Thank you so much for your support!
Click the logo to vote:

I also have a little goodie for you, an excerpt from my upcoming erotic romance, "Virgin Dancer". I hope you like it!

Until soon, with much love,
Deborah
xxxx

Excerpt from "Virgin Dancer"
@Deborah Court 2012

Jade, a small town girl who has recently moved to New York to become a professsional ballet dancer, is wildly determined to lose her virginity. She goes to a Lower East Side club and celebrates her birthday with friends - fully intending to choose the most handsome, charismatic man she'll meet there to introduce her to the art of love that night. Instantly she falls for the blonde, tall Swedish sex god who owns the club, pretending to be a pole dancer who wants to apply for a job. But Alrik has secrets of his own, and soon Jade gets entangled in a web of danger, mystery and relentless passion ...

****

Don't lose your courage now, Jade thought.

In this instant she felt it, the undeniable sensation of someone's gaze on her. When she turned her head slightly, the crowed parted for a moment, and she saw the most stunning male she'd ever laid eyes on.
Much taller than any other man in his proximity, the blonde giant leaned nonchalantly against the black marble block that formed the bar, his strong arms crossed in front of his wide chest. He was broad-shouldered and sculptured with muscle, yet his exceptional height prevented him from looking like one of those bodybuilders Jade had always disliked, finding them too heavy and bulging. He looked as if he had gained that body with heavy physical work, or maybe some kind of martial arts.

Actually, he didn't fit at all into this decadent environment. This man looked strangely out of place, maybe even out of time. The only way she could describe him was as one of those medieval warriors she liked to read about in her romances - late at night, when lay alone in her room in the tiny apartment she shared with Amber, dreaming of a man's touch on her naked skin.

Looking like the epitome of understatement in this club, he was only wearing a black tank and black jeans, combined with biker boots. His golden-streaked hair was combed back, accentuating the planes and angles of his striking face - high cheekbones, a straight nose, a strong chin, and lips that were curved into an ironic half-smile. But the most impressive part of him was his piercing grey eyes, their gaze so intense that her cheeks started to burn when she saw him looking directly at her.

Jade gasped when she felt a liquid fire racing through her body - straight down to the juncture between her legs, causing a strange, throbbing feeling. His stare felt as if he was touching her, keeping her imprisoned until she swiftly turned away. She managed to make Beth remove her tongue from her new guy's mouth long enough to talk to her. "Who's that?" she asked, discreetly nodding in the stunning man's direction.

Beth chuckled, elbowing her friend, who stopped making out with her fellow dancer, too. "Hey, Amber," she said. "Look who Jade has picked - from all of the men!"

Amber followed Beth's gaze and grinned, too. "Oh. Him."

"Him?" Jade said, breathlessly. "Do you know him?"

"Sure. Everybody knows him. His name is Alrik Larsson."

"Yup," Beth added. "The sex god from Sweden. He owns this club. All the women here want to get laid by him, that's for sure. He might be a great choice to deflower you - but I'm not sure if you can handle him, sweetie. He's a bit on the dark side, from what I've heard."

"Beth!" Jade cried. "He isn't my choice. I only asked."

"But he's watching you," Amber remarked. "He's undressing you with his eyes. It's clear that you have piqued his interest.

"And … what did you mean with 'he's a bit on the dark side'?" Jade asked as her heart started to pound faster. She had a sudden adrenaline rush. It was a feeling as if something was about to happen that couldn't be stopped once she had crossed a certain point. Amber was right. The blond giant locked his gaze with her whenever she looked at him, devilishly trying to seduce her with those amazing eyes.

Amber came nearer so she couldn't be overheard. "I know a girl who told me she'd had a short affair with him," she said in a low voice. "I still don't know if she was just bragging, but she sounded honest. She said that Alrik was an incredible lover. He did things to her she wouldn't even have dreamed possible. She says that he liked to be the one in control, and that he could make love for hours. Oh, and that she never had so many orgasms in her life."

Jade swallowed. "Maybe I had better look for someone else."

"Don't worry, Jade. He was a perfect gentleman. My friend said that he never harmed her, and didn't do anything she didn't wish for herself. He seems to be very good at pleasuring a woman. This man could teach you a lot about sex, girl. Only problem was that she fell in love with him. When he noticed that, he didn't meet her again. She said that he gets cold as ice if a woman develops any feelings for him. Definitely no boyfriend material."

Jade narrowed her eyes and tried to avoid his gaze. "Well, this sounds great! He might be just what I was looking for, after all," she murmured.

"Go girl!" Beth said. "You have to grab the opportunity."

"But … I've no idea what to say to him!" Jade said.

"You'll think of something," Beth answered. "Will you go now? 'Cause if you don't, I'll shout out to all the men on the dance floor that you're looking for someone to take your virginity."

"Oh Beth, you wouldn't!"

"Don't dare me, girl."

Jade took a deep breath. You wanted this. Now go for it. Don't be such a coward. It's not a big deal. After this night, you'll never see this man again, anyway.

Straightening her back, she raised her chin and crossed the dance floor, walking directly towards him. But when she had passed the dancing crowd, he was gone. Frustrated, she leaned against the cool marble of the bar, closing her eyes for a moment. She felt so ridiculous right now. It just wasn't like her to be so straightforward. Why couldn't she just meet someone and fall hopelessly in love, instead of staying a virgin forever?

"Are you looking for someone?" a deep voice said, right over her shoulder.

Wincing, she turned and saw that the Swedish sex god was standing right behind her. Being so near to her, he was even more striking than from afar. She was taller than many men, but still her eyes were on the same level as his chest. The height difference made her feel petite and feminine for once, a feeling she wasn't used to. Slowly, she raised her head to look him in the face. Towering over her, he looked incredibly powerful, and undeniably male. His golden beauty was almost too seductive to look at. This was too much.

"I …," she breathed, swallowing. Then, unexpectedly, an idea came to her mind.

"I'm … an exotic dancer, and I'm here because of the job," Jade said. "I've heard you were looking for new dancers," she added, nodding towards one of the strippers on the pole.

He stared at her for a moment before he smiled, a lopsided grin that made her heart flutter. "That's very interesting … because right now, I don't need any new dancers."

Well, then I might have heard wrong. Sorry," she said quickly, starting to turn around. This man was too much for her to handle, Beth had been right.

His big hand closed around the bare flesh of her arm. It was a gentle touch, yet she found herself unable to move. "Wait," he said, and his deep voice sent shivers down her spine. "Don't go. Actually, maybe I could use another dancer. Would you like to show me some moves?" He spoke perfect English, but with a melodic quality that only added to his exotic attraction. And heavens, he smelled so good.

A smoldering heat spread inside her belly, going straight down into her core. "Yes," she said. "I think I'd like to do that."

He led her to a back room with a private elevator. "Let's go up to my penthouse," he said. "I have a pole there. My name is Alrik, but you probably know that, if you came to apply for a job. What's your name, beauty?"

She didn't know why, but her endearment made her shiver with need. "Jade," she said, staring at him without even thinking about telling him her last name.

When he pressed the up button, Jade felt like running away for a moment. This is it, she thought. It will really happen. When the door slid open, she hesitated. This might be her last chance to leave. Besides, could she simply follow this man to his private rooms? She didn't know anything about him.

He had noticed the changed expression in her eyes and smiled. "There's nothing to fear, fair Jade. Don't look at me like I'm the big bad wolf who wants to eat you. I only want to see you dance and talk about a possible job - unless it's you who has other intentions?"

Jade didn't have the faintest idea what to answer to that, so she simply followed him into the elevator. With this step, she probably crossed the last boundary that kept her from staying in her innocent state. This man was a born seducer, and she was his willing prey. However, she wasn't naïve. There could be no doubt why he took her to his private rooms. Surely he had some kind of back room or office in the club which they could have used for a demonstration of her dancing skills?

They played a game with open cards, and she wanted him to win, although she shouldn't show it to him too openly. He stood so close to her that she could feel the warmth of his body. He quickly typed in a code, then the elevator moved up to the 34th floor, as she noticed on the display.

Alrik's penthouse was furnished with subtle, tasteful luxury. They stood in a huge, open room that provided a 360-degree, breathtaking view of the city. It was clearly a man's apartment. No curtains. Everything was black and white. There was a large living room area with a giant flat screen and a large, comfortable leather couch, and beside it a built-in dancing pole that reached from the high ceiling down to the floor, which was covered with a thick white carpet. The other side of the room was dominated by the largest bed she had ever seen - of all things, a curtained four-poster made of dark oak. It didn't seem to fit to the rest of these lodgings. Doors led to a kitchen, bathrooms and to a office.

"Nice flat," she said, feeling incredibly stupid. He simply laughed, shrugging. "I'd be as happy in a cabin in the forest. I'm not often at home anyway. Now would you like a drink before we begin?"

"Heck, yes," she murmured, feeling her color rising. She hoped that he meant dancing, for now.

He went to a polished cupboard in one corner, busied himself there for a while and came back with a tulip-shaped glass, which was half filled with a clear liquid.

Jade didn't even ask what it was, and downed the welcome drink in a single gulp. Instantly, the alcohol burnt her throat, and she cringed, coughing. "What … the hell is that?" she croaked.

Alrik laughed, flashing perfect white teeth at her. "You shouldn't have drunk it so quickly. It's Aquavit, a traditional Swedish snaps. It's similar to vodka."

Jade tried to regain her countenance, and raised her chin, looking up into his smoldering eyes. For a moment, she thought he'd kiss her, as his gaze wandered over her face, lingering on her lips.

"Dance for me," he said hoarsely.
She went over to the pole while he lay down on the couch, propped up on one elbow. His stormy grey eyes had taken on a predatory look as they followed her every move.

Jade dropped her handbag to the carpet before she grabbed the pole with both hands, slowly moving around it. Alrik seemed to like what he saw, for his body seemed to tense. "Begin," he commanded. "But first you'll remove that enticing dress you wear. And open your hair for me."

Slowly, she reached up into her hair and removed the pins, one after the other, until the bronze curls fell freely over her shoulders.

"Beautiful," he murmured. Jade was beginning to really like this. She opened the zipper of her dress and shrugged it down to the floor, stepping out of it and kicking it to the side with her stilettos.

"Damn," he said, when she revealed her lean, athletic dancer's body. Dressed to the occasion, she wore tiny red lace panties with a fitting bra that pushed her breasts up and together. She had been blessed with a nice pair, but she'd never given it much thought until now, seeing the awed look on Alrik's face. Slowly, she began to walk around the pole ...