Friday, October 16, 2015

Come See Me At HallowRead- I'll be fangirling over Kami Garcia!

I'll be at HallowRead next weekend! It's a labor of love putting this convention on for the readers and my fellow authors. From the panel names to the haunted house, I have a heavy hand in all aspects of the event. It's truly my favorite time of year and I cannot wait! Today I got to announce our Keynote Speaker- Kami Garcia. I know, I know! I already did the fangirl dance, trust me! Here's some more information on her appearance. 

#1 New York Times Bestselling Author and Keynote Speaker- Kami Garcia 
Kami Garcia is the #1 New York Times bestselling coauthor of the Beautiful Creatures Novels and Dangerous Creatures and the author of the instant New York Times bestseller and Bram Stoker Award nominated novel Unbreakable in the Legion series.
Books for Kami Garcia will be available courtesy of Books A Million. YOU MUST PURCHASE AT LEAST ONE BOOK FROM BAM FOR THE SIGNING EVENT. There is also a 1 book limit for outside books. While we understand reader enthusiasm to get beloved copies signed, n order to ensure all readers have an equal opportunity we have to set limits. * Note E-readers are considered books.

Thursday, October 15, 2015

Sherri 2.0


Just in time for my favorite time of year- HallowRead and Halloween! I am happy to say my free horror short Sherri 2.0 is now available. So far readers and reviewers really seem to be enjoying it. It's a quick read, about thirty-one pages but don't worry, I packed a lot in there. If you haven't read it yet, check it out. It's available in all the usual places. I don't normally enter writing contests because for me it's not about being compared to or beating someone else but a friend told me about this writing contest called Nevermore. I mean you all know how much I love Poe, how could I possibly resist a writing contest with a name like that, lol! So I entered and Sherri is doing pretty well. If you read it and enjoy it, give her a vote. the link is below. I'd sure appreciate it! 

Saturday, September 5, 2015

Jeffrey Rivera Guest Post

This is a first for the blog- a guest post! Let's all give Jeffrey a warm welcome and wish him a happy birthday! He's a friend and colleague who's helped me a lot this year! His upcoming release Sing To Me is a beautiful contemporary love story, a little different from the worlds where Maurin and Jax live but one I'm happy to share and know you'll enjoy reading!




An Interview With Jeffrey Rivera

Why did you choose such a surprising twist?
You know, the writer in me wants to create a story that’s more realistic, but I know that’s not what readers want.

Readers don’t want something believable. They don’t want something realistic necessarily. What they want is a fantasy, and I like to give them what they want. The reader in me wants the same.  I think that we have enough tragedy in the world that we don’t want to put up with having to read that too. We want to escape. We want to live a life and experience a life in which we don’t have to deal with all the pain and suffering. And if there’s pain and suffering then we want to know that everything is going to be all right in the end. And so I wanted to create a story with Sing to Me that would make people happy, and allow them to escape and give them what they want and what they’ve been dreaming of.


What inspired you to create the character Cody?
I was inspired by this person I heard about who was trying to pursue his dream in light of having a wife who was suffering from some serious medical issues. I wanted to create a really sexy guy who is tough and who has a heart of gold. And I know a lot of guys like that in my life. I have a really good friend who is sort of a rocker type of guy. He’s an attractive guy who is great with his wife and has a heart of gold; a sensitive guy; a good person who would do anything for you. And so I really wanted to create a character sort of like that.


What inspired you to create the character Emma?
I wanted to create a character that was a strong woman who wasn’t afraid to speak her mind. I loosely based her a little bit on my sister who’s soft and sweet but feisty. I wanted to create a character that could be strong enough to be against a strong guy like Cody. I do not like weak characters, let alone weak women characters. And I don’t think readers want that either, but, you know, they also want someone who’s vulnerable and who has a softer side to her. I can think of a good friend of mine who is a performer, and she is a sweetheart, and she could be kind of tough as nails at times. But she’s got the biggest heart. She will help anybody and even people who she shouldn’t help, because she’s just that kind of person, and has always been that person. So, Emma is sort of like that too.


What inspired you to create Emma’s grandmother?
I wanted to create a character that would be interesting to read. I love

minor characters in stories whether it’s movies or TV shows or books that kind of steal the scenes and are memorable. And so that’s why I wanted to create this grandmother character. I so love Lauren Bacall and I wish I could have gotten to meet her before she passed away. But I love feisty older women who don’t lose their personality in being older; who stop trying to be nice and start being real, and will say whatever’s on their mind. My great-aunt; we called her Aunty Diva; she was sort of like that too. She would say how it is and say things that sometimes hurt, but you knew she didn’t mean anything by them and she would always tell the truth. I just loved that about her. She would say things that were slightly inappropriate, but we loved it. And so I wanted to create a character like that.

SING TO ME
by Jeff Rivera


They want to pull the plug on his brain-dead wife.

When rock-star-to-be, Cody White meets sassy Emma Lohan, he doesn't know what to make of her.

Obviously out of his league, she’s outspoken, full-figured, beautiful, college-educated and has a heart of gold.

She's perfect and he can't stop thinking about her. She’s nothing like the girls he's dated before.

It doesn't make any sense.

And yet, true love rarely does.

Little does he know she will teach him what it means to love, what it means to fight for the girl of his dreams and what it means to give up everything he's ever wished for; for the chance at something he never thought was possible.

True love and kisses from the heart.

But when tragedy strikes and her life is on the line, Cody is broken. He must make a choice: accept that the girl he knows will never be the same again or stay with her when she needs him the most and give up his life-long dream of becoming a rock star forever.

Get your copy today. Click here: http://bit.ly/SINGTOME


Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Taking over the airwaves in August!


August was a crazy cool month where I had the opportunity to take over the airwaves not once but twice! First I met with Matthew over at Dragon Radio on campus at Howard Community College. It was my first in studio interview. I've done a few over the phone for Cutting Room Floor but going in to the studio, with the mic and everything was really neat! I loved seeing where the magic happens and a little behind the scenes on how they cut segments. Knowing this was prerecorded definitely helped keep me at ease. Matthew definitely had his work cut out for him because once I got going, there was no stopping my mouth! Lol! We talked about everything, books, the writing process, life and even HallowRead. I'm pretty sure there were hours of editing I didn't see involved afterward. There's a link below if you'd like to take a listen. 

Last week I was unexpectedly interviewed for 98Rock, the #1 Rock station in Baltimore, MD. This was crazy cool! And my nerves definitely got the best of me, especially in front of a live crowd. I never was one for public speaking. Sure, I've done panels but there's more people to focus on than just me. I'm not the center of attention kind of girl so knowing everyone in the room was looking at me had me a little more than tongue tied. So did the knowledge that friends, family and hopefully new readers were listening! Despite the nerves I had a great time! Check out the pics of me and Mickey, evening DJ for 98Rock and the best "wing man" a girl could ask for, Gladys from NerdGirl Blog!





Monday, June 29, 2015

Fall Appearances

Summer's in full swing but I'm already gearing up for fall! 

In September I'll be celebrating my birthday with a bunch of my favorite authors at Baltimore Book Festival (booth number and street location to be announced). Rounding out that weekend will be a long awaited tattoo appointment for the portrait of my grandmother on my forearm. Oddly enough it will be a year at the time of getting the tattoo since she passed. I had hoped to have the appointment sooner but I firmly believe the timing was meant to be. What a way to remember and celebrate her life and passing. I'm really looking forward to the experience and sharing the completed artwork with all of you. 

October brings my favorite time of year HallowRead, which combines my to favorite things- books and Halloween. This year we have an incredible line up. For a full list of attending authors check out the HallowRead blog or website. I'm happy to announce I'll be participating on to panels this year- Name That Vampire where we read excerpts from popular vampire novels, some we've written and some from our favorites. Readers guess and the first person to answer correctly is given a small prize. I did it last year and we had a blast! The second panel is  a new one for HallowRead, Holding Court which focuses on the Fae courts and the creatures who belong to them. With the addition of som many Fae elements in my series I am really excited about this panel!

If you want to get in on the fun go to www.hallowread.com and grab your tickets! Did I mention there is a haunted house? I cannot wait! We're having our first haunted house team meeting next week. It's going to be awesome getting the scare crew back together again! I won't be able to give too much away but I'll be sure to share some of the details as soon as I can! <3

Tuesday, June 2, 2015


I've been working on an anthology project and can't wait to share it with you! Hoping to announce details in the next couple weeks. I found this image to promote my piece Sherry 2.0 and the anthology over all. With all proceeds going to Wounded Warriors, I'm really hoping it does well! This story is a little different than what I've written in the past, not from a first person pov, and more sci-fi horror than paranormal urban fantasy. Can't wait for you to read it and tell me what you think!


Thursday, April 16, 2015

Work In Progress



Here's a little snipet of what I've been working on, Payable On Death. New world, new characters but still Urban Fantasy. It's weird to be some where other than Salem with Maurin and the crew but I think you'll like Jax as much as I do. smile emoticon
I reached into my bag, fumbling around until I got a hold of the neck of the vodka bottle. I yanked it out and cracked it over the head of the demon. The bottle bounced off his head without any of the satisfying shattering glass I'd come to expect from the movies but he did drop me. After gulping in air, I smashed the bottle against the wall and slashed out with the jagged neck. I missed, taking a sharp jab to the ribs in the process. Doubled over, but still holding the broken glass, I tried for another strike, managing to slice Lazarus's thigh. He hissed from the pain but didn't back down. He had me by the neck again, slamming me into the brick wall of the building behind me. Close to blacking out, the bottle neck slipped from my grip. Resolved to my fate, I stopped fighting and prepared to meet the Devil.
The sound of footsteps and someone shouting reached my ears as I slid down the wall. Lazarus took off, disappearing at the end of the alleyway. The lessor demons scattered like wharf rats down by the peer. I sat there on the damp ground, surrounded by trash bags and over flowing dumpsters, trying to catch my breath. The person who'd been yelling reached the alley, their footsteps slowed as they realized my attacker fled the scene. Grateful the guy passed by at the same time Lazarus was kicking my ass, I looked up to thank my rescuer.
He extended a hand to help me up off the ground, waiting patiently when I stared at him with my mouth agape. He wiggled his fingers, trying to encourage me to take his hand but I smacked it away. I've never believed in coincidence before and I wasn't about to start. Dane didn't just happen by, he'd been looking for me.
"I'm going to file for a restraining order if you keep this up." I pushed off the cement and stumbled to my feet.
Dane reached out to help me after I swayed a couple times but I shook my head.
"You want me to take you to the emergency room? Get those ribs looked at?" Dane glanced at the arm I'd wrapped around my midsection. "You can fill out a police report while you're there."
"I'm fine. No hospitals, no police." Because when you tell people demons are attacking you they didn't put out an apb for the assailant, they locked you up.
"I really think..."
"I said I'm fine." Far from fine, I gritted my teeth and slowly made my way out of the alley.
Of course he followed.
"Who was that back there? Who did this to you?" Dane reached for my arm, then thought better of it.
It could have been from all the wincing in pain or the don't touch me vibe I threw off. Either way I was relieved he kept his hands to himself.
"You saw him?" It hadn't occurred to me when Dane showed up, but if he saw me fighting someone in the alley then he saw Lazarus. No one saw Lazarus. Not ever. So how did Dane?
"No. I didn't get a good look at the guy. I saw you go down. Whoever it was must have hauled ass down and out of the alleyway when they heard me coming."
I smelled the lie. Dane saw the demon. Which meant one of two things. He didn't think I'd believe him when told me he saw a demon or he knew about the demon before he found me in the alley. Either way he was keeping something from me.

Thursday, February 12, 2015



It's alive!! I am so excited to announce that Ill Fated released early on Amazon. fire up your Kindles kids because you can one click this baby right now! I'm still waiting on links for Nook and the proof to arrive for the print edition but today is an awesome day and it wouldn't be possible without all of you! i'm going to grab a latte to celebrate!

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Ill Fated is coming! February 13th 2015!!

So many things are in the works and I can't wait to share them all with you! Ill Fated is out for the last round of edits and the cover is done! I'm revamping all my covers with a more cohesive look for a series and I really can't wait to share those with you! Ill fated will be the kick off for the new look!

In the mean time, so as not to be a total tease.... here's a little excerpt to wet your whistle!

"You're awake?" He sounded more than a little surprised.
"I'm not really sure the state I'm in qualifies as awake."
"Here I was, terrified to poke the dragon, and you're already drinking coffee and talking in complete sentences."
I snorted and took a sip of the aforementioned liquid gold. "Are you always like this in the morning?"
"If you'd let me sleep over you'd already know the answer to that question. Why aren't you asleep?"
In general or just tonight, I silently wondered. "Bad dream. I've been tossing and turning all night. I finally gave in and got out of bed."  
Papers rustled in the background and when he spoke again, his voice was lower, intimate."You want to talk about it?"
"Something tells me my nightmares are the least of our problems."
"You have no idea. I need you to come down to my office."
I sighed. "Can it at least wait until after sunrise?"
"Would I be breaking the no phone calls before noon policy if it could wait?"
“There really is no rest for the wicked, is there?”
He laughed and the sound warmed me more than a hundred cups of coffee. "Apparently not, in your case. Now, there's a dirty chai latte and a croissant for you if you're here before Amalie. I can't promise real coffee and pastries will survive beyond five minutes of her arrival."
"It's four-thirty in the morning, Mas. If you know what's good for you, you'll make sure at least  one dirty chai and croissant remain unmolested."
"I'll see you soon." He was laughing as he hung up the phone.
Three hours ago I’d practically crawled through the doorway, exhausted from cleaning up after a newbie vamp who’d broken the Jus Sanguinis Intergentes when she killed her donor. The blood pact between people and vampires had a clear no killing, no exceptions clause.
It was up to the maker to ensure their child was ready to feed unsupervised. If something went wrong and the Council found out about it, we cleaned up the mess and the sire was subject to heavy fines and possible revocation of their rights to expand their blood lines. She’d been quite literally a bitch to track and take down.
It had been a long night and it was shaping up to be an even longer day.
I wasted little time getting dressed, opting for a slip on black jersey dress, eighteen hole Docs and a leather jacket. Jewelry was a hindrance in my line of work. My meeting with Mason could easily turn into a run. Choked with my own chain? No, thank you. Unclasping the necklace, I set it in a glass dish on my bathroom counter. I ran a brush through my hair, a toothbrush over my teeth and slipped into the between. I stepped out of the alley two buildings down from the station and walked the last block and a half.
Amalie was swarmed by detectives trying to get at the goodies she brought over from the Daily Grind. She greeted me with a warm smile, shaking her head when I offered to pull her out of the fray. She had managed to endear herself to the entire department in record time. All it took was real coffee and fresh pastries. I pointed to Mason's office. She'd make her way over once the starving masses had their fill.
Mason was so engrossed in the file on his desk he didn't hear me come in. He looked as tired as I felt - too many double shifts. Despite an uptick in activity, SPTF was short staffed due to budget cuts. Without enough man power to staff the shifts properly overtime was mandatory.
"Is that for me?" I pointed at the to-go cup and white paper bag on his desk.
He finally looked up and gave me a smile which lit up his whole face. "As promised."
I stole a quick kiss, grabbed the coffee and croissant, and settled in the chair across from him. I took a long sip of my latte, savoring the delicious mix of tea and espresso. "Man, I needed this. Is that the case you're working on?"
"Yeah, we've got a real problem on our hands."
"Don't we always." I tried to peak at the file.
Mason closed the manila folder. "I'd rather wait until everyone is here."
"Who else is coming besides Amalie?" My curiosity was definitely peaked now. I reached across his desk, hoping to grab the file.
"You look exhausted. Tell me about your dream while we wait."
I narrowed my eyes and glared at him. "I see this for the obvious distraction it is but you're right.” Sighing, I rubbed my temple.“However, I'm exhausted, too exhausted to argue. So I'll tell you. Prepare to be confounded."
He listened intently as I filled him in on the nightly visits from the weathered old woman who washed my clothes and hauntingly called my name. I expected him to laugh and tell me it was just a dream, that I had nothing to worry about.
I didn't expect him to look so stricken.
"Bean Nighe." He all but whispered the name.
"You've heard of her?"
"Of course I've heard of her. How long has she been coming to you?"
I stared at him curiously. "A few weeks. Why?"
"A few weeks and this is the first I'm hearing of it?” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, obviously struggling to control his temper.“We talked about this. No holding things back, remember?"
"I thought it was just a dream.” I shrugged.“Honestly, I didn't think it was a big deal."
"It was a big enough deal for you to research it." Agitation rolled off him in waves.
When I agreed to give this thing with Mason a chance I also agreed to some conditions. No more flying solo, no more rash decisions or rushing off to play the hero. We were a team, in everything. This was just one of many set-backs.
"I got curious, did a little digging. Until tonight, everything I found pointed to deep seated family issues, particularly with a mother figure. I've told you about my childhood, does that dream analysis surprise you?"
His growl told me he wasn’t in the mood for reasonable—at least to me—explanations. "When did you discover the true meaning of the dream? How long have you known about the Bean Nighe?"
"Tonight. This morning. Before you called me." I held up a hand to stop the tongue lashing I knew he wanted to give me. "I would have told you. I got the impression on the phone there were more pressing matters than my insomnia."
"Is this why you won't let me stay at your place?” His gaze roamed over my face, searching.“Why you never stay at mine?"
"Is that the real reason why you're so upset?" I arched my brows. “Because we’re not having sleepovers?”
"I stayed at your lovely apartment the first night we met."
I turned to watch Aidan glide into the room, stopping behind my chair. Rolling my eyes, I snorted and muttered, “In the closet.”
Mason's jaw twitched but he didn't take the bait. "Aidan."
"It's almost sunrise. Shouldn't you be hunkered down for the day?" I sighed, wondering what he was doing here. I was too tired to deal with Aidan and Mason and their combined testoserone.
Putting the three of us in a room together was like throwing lit matches at sticks of dynamite - eventually one of them will explode.