Magical Snippet from KANDY APPLE FOR HALLOWEEN

Currently, I’m writing a story that includes all sorts of magic and magick... my heroes are physically similar to Pierce Brosnan in their human form... here’s a little blurb ~

What happens when two of Hades’ most mission-accomplished Hellhounds find just the right witch for Halloween?
~~~

Dance scene snippet [unedited] ~

Not doubting that for a second, Kandace followed him as he walked backwards with a dancer’s lithe power. The dark glisten of his eyes compelled her to match his movements.

“Zin.”

The sensation of her body flowing toward him became real as his arm clasped her waist and he pressed her against his virility. That’s what he felt like, hard polished virility. His beast smoky scent didn’t merely fill her nostrils, but seeped into every crevice of her, including her sweltering sex crevice.

Zin dreamily whirled her onto a surface meant for dancing. Like magic, ceiling lights created a silvery blue radiance around them. In her head Ella Fitzgerald’s beyond-compare voice crooned what Kandace felt.

“You do that something to me, that something that simply mystifies me,” she sang just for Zin.

He paused, draping her over his arm, his gaze blatant with desire, yet lit with curiosity.

“Tell me why should it be,” she throatily continued, “you have the power to hypnotize me?”

“My Kandy Apple,” he rasped so seductively, she wasn’t quite prepared for his next move.

With utter ease, he twirled her, then brought her flush against him. He swayed her body with such suave demand, Kandace clung to him, molten to her core.

Definitely magic, the melody from Cole Porter’s song enveloped them.
~~~~~~

HAPPY SAMANTHA NOSE TWITCHING...

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~

The Magic of the Western is Back... say yeehaw!

The magic of the Western is back, only bigger and better. Why? Because for one thing there’s a happily ever after ending. In the golden, shoot ‘em up days of the TV western, mostly the love interests would be killed off or die, or marry someone else other than the main characters. It was REALLY disappointing, I can tell ya. And, my heart hurt, a lot.

The Western Romance novel is better and bigger, now, because authors/aspiring authors have embraced the genre in every heat level. And, I mean *every* heat level, from sweet to xxx-erotic. Plus, paranormal authors are offering up their subgenre versions with werewolves, ghosts and vampires, just to give you a sampling.

Yep, pardner, a lot of readers are gobbling them up, and only wanting more to feast on. For example, Siren-BookStrand’s new line, Menage Everlasting, is based on the lustful doings of cowboys in the West and the Old West. Already, the books are top sellers. Wild Rose Press has offered Western romances for several years now. Check out Celia Yeary, author of TEXAS BLUE, SHOWDOWN AT SOUTH FORK and ALL MY HOPES AND DREAMS. Also, I’ve noticed Ellora’s Cave has jumped on board the Wild, Wild West train.

And, why not? Western heroes are definitely a natural as those alphas many of us love and can’t get enough of. They’re the type of *real* man many of us sigh over and fantasize about. Oh yeah, many of us ladies want to ride off into the sunset with our own rugged hero. After all, why should he be alone and lonely?

I cut my teeth on the first Western TV shows. I would race down on Saturday mornings as a little kid to watch Gene Autry and especially, his horse, Champion. I graduated to Roy Rogers and Trigger, the golden wonder horse. Dale Evans starred as his partner in getting the bad guys, riding her horse, Buttermilk. Now, that was women’s liberation before it came about. There was also, Fury, starring the *now in heaven* Peter Graves.

No, over the years, there weren’t many Western shows and movies I could resist. Some of my TV absolute faves ~ The Lone Ranger, Disney’s Zorro, Bonanza, The Virginian, Bat Masterson, The Texan, Rawhide and, of course! Wild, Wild West.

More recently, I think it was the early 90's, Bruce Campbell starred in an offbeat, highly imaginative Western, The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. I loved that show and thought it was absolutely incredible in its scope and themes.

This post wouldn’t be complete, if I didn’t include western erotic romance author, Gem Sivad, and give a big WAHOOOO! Of congratulations to her for all of her success with INTIMATE STRANGERS, WOLF’S TENDER and A STAGED AFFAIR.

Her BREED TRUE has just earned two FIVE reviews, one from a review site that should know an exceptional western, Love Western Romances ~

According to Rose~

“Breed True starts off with a bang…after the initial explosion of activity, the author sets out to help the reader unravel Jewel’s life, one piece of the puzzle at a time.

AND!

Got Romance Reviews ~ Reviewer: Suki

“First I need to preface this review by saying how I rarely read western Romances, those few that I have read I haven’t enjoyed. That just changed.
~~~

Yep, this is also a self-serving blog since my own, BRANDED BY THE TEXANS, is due out in August 2010 ~ from Siren-BookStrand. I’ve always, always! Wanted to pen a Western with a happily ever after, where the heroine rules and is just as strong as the hero. I mean it’s been a huge ole itch that’s never gone away. As a running-around-the-neighborhood kid, I would wear my Annie Oakley Halloween costume, complete with pistol. Definitely, a foreshadowing of this story and all Western stories I’d like to write in the future.

Here’s an *unedited* snippet scene, where my heroine, Kylie, is feeling Wanted: Dead or Alive... and has just crossed the dimensional divide.

Heading outside, she surveyed her surroundings as she moved to her car. A tall broad-shouldered man in a tan Western suit, complete with bolo, gassed up what looked like a Caddy. Sidling in front of her pump, Kylie checked out the directions, then unscrewed her gas cap.

“Need some assistance, ma’am?” the Caddy Cowboy asked politely. He tipped his impressive cream-colored Stetson as Kylie met his gaze. “I can fill ‘er up in two shakes of a lamb’s tail.”

Kylie blinked at the old phrase he’d used. “Thanks. I think I can handle it.”

“It’s, okay, ma’am, I’m not moving in on another man’s territory. Happily married myself.” He extended his hand flashing a wide gold band on his ring finger. “Mabel wouldn’t be happy if she knew I didn’t give you a hand.”

Kylie knew when she’d been defeated in a good way. She gave a nod and stepped back. “Thanks.” She was about to say her name again, but realized she shouldn’t be doing that anymore. In fact, she probably needed to decide on another name, and get used to it fast.

With smooth efficiency, he handled the nozzle gassing up her car. “There ya go, little lady. And don’t you worry, you’ll be married in no time.” He screwed her gas cap back on. “Come to Texas from the eastern states?” he asked.

Kylie’s brain felt like it spun, and she saw the image of whirling clothes inside a dryer. Where had that come from married in no time? Still, she’d better go with the flow. “I came from the east. Does it show a lot?”

“Yer accent, mostly. But we have a few ladies that make it across the border the way you have, lookin’ for a better life.”

Border? “I am looking for a better way of life.”

Turning on his boot heel, he tipped his hat again. “It’s right around the corner I’m bettin’, little lady.”
~~~~~~

HAPPILY EVER AFTER TRAILS

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~

Magical April Showers

Yes, it’s definitely showering on my tame prairie, one of those deep gray days, one of those magical April showers that brings forth Mother Nature’s life after a long winter’s sleep.

Earlier a storm moved through, the winds tremendous for awhile. I’ve noticed the force of nature is increasing and will probably continue as we move through these times, the Quickening, as it is called by some.

Here, the daffodils and jonquils are also blooming up a storm and the green is taking over day by day. A couple of days ago I bought some organic cherry tomato seeds with the hope that I’ll get them planted... that I will be able to care for them well enough to enjoy the fruits of my labors.

This weekend the decorated colored eggs are taking over and so are the bunnies... chocolate bunnies in all different shapes and sizes, dark chocolate, milk chocolate. What about all those stuffed toy rabbits? So many are much too adorable to resist.

There are several treasure in my personal Easter basket right now, as far as my writerly career. I have my two print copies of STALLION OF ASH AND FLAME, hot off the Siren-BookStrand presses. Yes, it was lightly smooched upon arrival.

Each of my books has had its own journey toward publication. None of those journeys has been easy. Fun, yes, and definitely magical, but also exceedingly, exceptionally difficult at times. And, yes, I am very proud of each story, of the effort I’ve put forth and continue to put forth.

Another treasure is my next scheduled release, BRANDED BY THE TEXANS, due out in ebook in August 2010, then in print February 2011. I just e-sent my blurbies and info to Siren-BookStrand in preparation. And, the amazing cover artist, Amanda Kelsey, will be doing the cover art. So, I’ve been working on the questionnaire.

Here’s the long blurb ~

What can three Texans do to a woman’s body and heart?
Kylie is about to find out.
Beyond her wildest dreams.
On a parallel Earth.

It’s 2009... Kylie is on the run from the law for a crime she didn’t commit. A promising doctoral student, she’s lost everyone and almost everything, except for what she stows in her car. Now, Kylie has to salvage the rest of her life. But, where in this age of GPS tracking, TV’s Most Wanted and cameras everywhere?

It’s 2009... Dillon, Dono and Dash are three brothers desperate for a wife to brand as their own. The Union made women scarce in the Three Star Republic by releasing a bio weapons’ plague during the border wars. These tough-as-leather Texans will do anything to keep the right woman, even if they have to lasso her like a wild filly and love on her until she loves them back.
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Yep, there’s lots of treasure eggs in my author’s basket. I recently penned a short story, THE TIGER’S MASQUERADE, for submission to a Halloween anthology. We’ll see. If this doesn’t work out, I think the story will find a good home. Tiger was a romp to write and definitely a pantsing adventure.

Now, I’m caught between two of my WIPs. After Branded, I’ve been doing the intense writing on my black wolf story, THE BLACK WOLF’S PROPHETESS. However, if I want my WIP ~ KANDY APPLE FOR HALLOWEEN ~ to have a shot at being pubbed for Halloween, it has to be finished in May... so what’s an author girl to do? I haven’t decided.
~~~~~~

But, Hey, it’s Easter and no, unfortunately, I don’t have a rabbit shapeshifter Easter story coming out. What I do have is this Easter greeting from Bekki Lynn, my author friend who hangs out with me at the HAPPILY EVER AFTER blog. I thought I’d share it here just because it’s fun and clever... and yep, true.

All I need to know

I learned from the Easter Bunny!

Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

Everyone needs a friend who is all ears.

There's no such thing as too much candy.

All work and no play can make you a basket case.

A cute tail attracts a lot of attention.

Everyone is entitled to a bad hare day.

Let happy thoughts multiply like rabbits.

Some body parts should be floppy.

Keep your paws off of other people's jelly beans.

Good things come in small, sugar coated packages.

The grass is always greener in someone else's basket.

To show your true colors, you have to come out of the shell.

The best things in life are still sweet and gooey.

May the joy of the season fill your heart.

AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU!

Happy Easter!

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~