Cover Art Magic ~ Mooncusser Cove

Hi Title Magicians and all magicians, cover art magic continues. Today, my guest blogger, Darragha Foster, Liquid Silver author, couldn't be with us. Family always comes first! So, I thought I would present one of her covers because, for one thing it's entered in the Cover Cafe's cover art contest ~ covercafe.com/contest/2007/ ~ and for another thing I think it's absolutely dreamy beautiful. And yes, I spent time voting in all the different categories, which was a blast. Especially the Worst Cover entries.

Beware before you read the blurbage this story. And unglue those eyeballs if you're under 18.

Mooncusser Cove ~ available from Liquid Silver Books ~ liquidsilverbooks.com ~
Darragha Foster
ISBN 978-1-59578-383-7
Born in 1864 to a wealthy coastal family, Vesper Highgate-Adaire was well on her way to becoming a first-rate stripper just like her mother. A stripper of boots and brass off the bodies of wrecked sailors, in accordance with family traditions—the traditions of the Mooncusser clan. Traditions that changed after the wrecking of a ship befouled by an accursed sea captain—who in his twisted rage, shared his curse with the clan.
They became Shadow Lovers, the lot of them, for all time, cursed to feed upon those energies best expended only between husband and wife. Or upon blood. And only on the dark of the moon.
Forced to leave their beloved beach so as not to saturate the land with their poison, only Vesper remained behind to care for the family estate, and wait for the unholy captain’s return.
But time and tide and the feverish nightmares left behind in her victims after her embrace do not wait for dark nights to move in their unstoppable, mysterious ways. A juggernaut of hellish proportions is coming to the beach—and there’s only one way to stop it. Hard-headed and proud, Vesper won’t accept that fact. She’d rather die fighting than flee and live. Good thing the only person alive able to control a Mooncusser’s daughter has returned to the cove. And his blood-ties to the beach are just as thick as hers.
Mooncusser Cove -- a modern day retelling of Frankenstein with a Brigadoon twist. Ghost ships! Curses! Land pirates! Vampires who feed on sexual energy! The persecution of witches! Just another day at Vespers by the Sea bed-and-breakfast at Mooncusser Cove.

The Magical Invitation of Cover Art

One of the best things about walking into a bookstore for me, besides all of those fantastic books just begging to be read, is the magical invitation of cover art. Yes, there’s also the wonderful smell of all those books, tempting and teasing all of us bookaholics. There they sit on their shelves and endcaps, in the bargain bins, waiting to find their right homes, ready to be ensconced in our shopping bags.
But before I choose which ones to buy, whether it’s an adventurous escape into romance or my eclectic appetite for non-fiction, anything from travel to building that next deck, I look at the pictures, those amazing displays of graphic art.
I saunter around the shrine of reading and indulge in all those rows of cover art. Today, more than ever, it’s a kaleidoscopic feast of styles, meant to tempt you to pick up that book and buy, buy, buy. Usually, I don’t unless the accompanying blurb and a quick peek inside convince me...yep, this read is for me. Once in awhile, I’ll succumb and purchase just for the cover art, if it resonates at such a deep level I can’t resist.
Yup, even as a kidlet before kindergarten I wanted the irresistible eye candy of those big picture books as much as I wanted to hear my mom or dad read the story. What could be better than living the tale and seeing it unfold as the artist imagined the story? All at the same time? That has never changed or me. Growing up, I was usually as excited over the cover art and pictures as I was eager to read the story waiting for me, the one that would wisk me away to another time, another place.
Now, in the age of cyber cover art, I’m in a beautiful-color paradise of images designed to catch my eye and lure me to the click-buy button. From the lovely sensual romance cover art of our Friday guest blogger, Sarah Mallory – to the exquisite sizzling beauty of the vampire slayer on Colleen Gleason’s cover art – or the more traditional oh-be-still-my-beating-heart covers on Anna Campbell’s novels (I always feel like swooning into the hero’s hard, but tender embrace) – to our Helen’s cover art for The Magic Knot. Which, I swear, grabs me more each time I look at it. Perhaps, it’s the celtic lyrical magic of the images combined with the realism of the entwined couple. That feel of mythos brought forward into modern times, which has an enchantment-appeal all its own to our psyches, where archetypes live and constantly weave their spells inside us. Hey, think Xena, Warrior Princess or Hercules with Kevin Sorbo, where the gods and goddesses were on their worst behavior and their best behavior.
Okay, why a blog about cover art? Gee, I dunno...could it be? Could it?
Yeah, big surprise, I’m showing off my cover art for When a Good Angel Falls, coming from Siren-BookStrand late in 2008, and currently featured on the new BookStrand site. Jinger Heaston is the cover artist and I think she beautifully captured my story. I couldn’t be happier. Kudos, Jinger!
Blurb for When a Good Angel Falls ~ 2012 futuristic ~
A world-weary, worn-out, incarnated angel who believes she is merely human has three choices: let the Nazerazzi of the North American Union capture her, walk out into the desert night and let the wildlife have a meal, or trust a mysterious stranger on a black motorcycle...More ~ http://www.bookstrand.com/comingsoon/

Tooting My Own Horn ~ P.E. Cunningham

Hi Title Magicians, our own Pat 'P. E.' Cunningham, one of the ATIV finalists has a feature story in the Fantasy and Science Fiction Magazine! I'm totally excited for her. The link to the magazine site is at the end of the post.
Pat, Beam-me-up-Scotty congratulations!
Loop announcement from Pat:
This has nothing to do with romance, but ... The June issue of the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction has one of my stories in it.
I even got my name on the cover! It's called "Monkey See ... " and
it's about a warrior woman, her talking sword, and lots and lots of
monkeys. I don't get any extra money for copies sold, but the publisher will
be very pleased.
Pat C. ~ http://www.sfsite.com/fsf/

American Title V--Your Chance To Win!

Romantic Times and Dorchester Publishing are getting together again this year to give one unpublished writer the chance to win a publishing contract in American Title V. This will be the last year the contest runs, so polish up those manuscripts and get your entry mailed in to Dorchester before the deadline of June 15th.

Here's the official word from Romantic Times on the contest:

Due to popular demand, the American Title competition is returning for one last round. Dorchester Publishing has agreed to co-sponsor the contest, which pits unpublished writers against each other in five rounds of competition. RT readers vote online for their favorites each round, and the last contestant standing wins the ultimate prize: Their book will be published by Dorchester!

To enter, send the first three chapters (no more than 50 pages), a two- to seven-page synopsis and a cover letter (aka query letter) to: American Title Contest, Dorchester Publishing, 200 Madison Ave., Suite 2000, New York, NY 10016. ALL ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED BY JUNE 15, 2008.

For American Title V, we’re opening up the categories to include: historical, paranormal, romantic suspense, urban fantasy, etc. Sorry, no young adult, women’s fiction or straight contemporary manuscripts this time around.

Manuscripts must be completed prior to entering, and they should run 80,000 to 90,000 words. Finalists must agree to participate in each of the five competition rounds -- first line; hero and heroine; story summary; dialogue scene; romantic scene --and must submit copy for all five categories by Aug. 15, 2008. The entries are published in RT, and readers vote online for their favorite. With each round, the two contestants with the lowest amount of votes are eliminated.
Get your novel ready and you could be the next American Title champion!

My advice, send that entry in; you could be the next winner!

Title Magic meets Sarah Mallory

Sarah Mallory is a brand new name in historical romance, attracting interest as far away as Singapore! The launch of Sarah Mallory represents a new departure for an award winning U.K. author of 'sweet' romance (as Melinda Hammond). Sarah is turning up the temperature with More than a Governess, published in the US in April by Harlequin Historicals. The book will be available in the UK early next year.

Major Collingham has a reputation as a devil on the battlefield and in the bedroom. He meets his match when he engages Juliana Wrenn as a governess for his children.

Today Sarah is talking to Title Magician Evonne about her new venture.

Welcome Sarah to Title Magic.

A new name and a new style. Can you tell us more about what characterises Sarah Mallory?

Hi, it’s lovely to be with you on Title Magic! Sarah Mallory novels will still be the mix of romance and adventure that I love to find in historical novels (and with a touch of humour) but they will concentrate more on the relationship between the hero and heroine and be more sensual, too.

I know you love to write romantic adventure. Can you tell us a little about Juliana's journey from London to Lancashire, which forms the backbone of the plot of More Than a Governess?
I frequently make the journey by train between London and my home in Yorkshire. Anyone who has been stuck at Euston or Kings Cross (or any other station, for that matter) will know the frustrations of modern day travel – it has made me think about how these journeys were conducted in earlier times – during the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries great improvements were made to our road system but journeys were still slow and hazardous – I am amazed at how much people did travel! Juliana’s journey is supposed to take only a couple of days – it is planned by Major Collingham, who is used to travelling long distances in the Peninsula. He soon learns that moving a column of soldiers is very different to taking four children some 200 miles north, and Julianna is determined to protect the children at all costs.

We hear a lot about a city or a country being almost an extra character in a book. In the case of More Than a Governess the weather has something of a starring role -- how did that come about?
When I start a new book I always have to set it in a particular year – once it is written it might not be obvious to the reader, but it helps me with plotting and characters. I settled on 1816 as the year for More Than A Governess, and as I researched I realised that this was particularly wet. It seemed obvious to me that the weather would affect the journey north; the difficulty was to make it interesting!

Juliana is clearly no simpering miss -- what are the most enjoyable things about writing a spirited, feisty heroine?
Oh dear, the spirited, feisty heroine sounds so clichéd, doesn’t it? However, I believe there were many strong women in those days – they had to be to survive, although their career choices were very limited – marriage was the obvious one, a governess was another. I believe in a marriage of minds, a partnership, so the man and woman must come together as equals, both giving something to the relationship. I enjoy creating a heroine who can stand on her own feet – I want my reader to think that if all else fails she can live on her own and survive and that getting her man is the icing on the cake.

The Major comes over as a deliciously man's man. What are the characteristics that you would always want to include in any hero?
First of all my heroes have to have integrity. They do not have to be perfect – you may notice that the Major is not that much at ease with his children at the beginning of the book. After all, he has been away for most of their childhood (and in those days many men saw very little of their offspring, so there was nothing unusual in this). They do not even have to be particularly handsome: women are very good at seeing past a handsome face to the character beneath the skin.

The Regency and Georgian periods are very popular in historical romance. What is it that particularly draws you to that era?
I love the energy of the Georgian period: by the Regency it is tempered more by the manners that become even more restrictive in the Victorian period. I think the Georgians believed that anything was possible – a poor man or woman could progress by his wits and become part of the ruling class. They were bold, brash, sometimes very rude and could be extremely cruel, but they were moving forward – this was the time of great discoveries in science and industry. A fascinating period.

Research is essential when writing historicals -- can you tell us a little about your methods, and the things you’ve learned while researching? Any gems that you couldn’t use for this book, but which will find their way into print one day?
The awful weather of 1816 was due to the eruption of the volcano Tambora in Indonesia the year before. Of course at the time no one in England understood about dust in the atmosphere etc affecting the climate but the results in England were catastrophic – it was called the year without a summer: crops were ruined, many were prophesying it was the end of the world and preachers were telling their congregations that the bad weather was due to man’s sinfulness. There are so many more stories that could be written about this!

When you're not writing, what sort of books do you like to read?
Anything and everything – it depends what comes along at that particular time. Historicals, of course, and I enjoy factual books about the past. The writers I particularly enjoy write contemporary novels - P D James, I admire her writing style enormously - and I love Katie Fforde’s wonderful romances – they are my comfort reads, along with Georgette Heyer (naturally).

What next for Sarah Mallory? Is there a new book bursting to get out?
There are lots of books bursting to get out – I have to be very disciplined to finish one before I think too much about the next one. I have a book currently with my editor, so it is a nail biting time. Most of the writers I know are always nervous about “the next book” – however, if we did not worry, we would become complacent which is never a good thing.

Thanks to Sarah for joining us today on Title Magic.

Sarah can be found at www.sarahmallory.com
www.melindahammond.co.uk and blogging with a wonderful group of historical authors at historical romance.uk

The Next American Title

Dorchester Publishing and Romantic Times are getting together again to bring you another American Title contest in 2008/2009.

(Pause here for cheers and wild excitement)

Watch out for Helen, winner of the 2008 title with The Magic Knot, posting later on Title Magic with all the details of how to enter American Title V.

Guest Blogger ~ Destiny Blaine

EXPLICIT WARNING! If you ain't old enough (18) to belly up to the poker table or the bar, get lost, little dude or dudette.

A mighty big welcome to my fellow Siren and Bookstrand author, Destiny Blaine. This little lady is so high energy I just cain't keep up with her.

Seriously, Destiny is an impressive multi-published author and has an absolutely amazing hand with promo. Her Yahoo group, Just Another Paranoromal Monday is fun, and a great opportunity for readers to find the books they want, and a great way for authors to show off their books with blurbs and excerpts, and, of course, the chance to answer any questions. While my loop cyber-social skills aren't too impressive, hey, I'm learning and having a good time. And getting a chance to, maybe, find readers interested in my e-novels.

If we're all really nice to Destiny, she may even offer us a gambling tip or two. Personally, I'm absolutely intrigued with her casino knowledge and background as a gambler. Not to mention the rest of her colorful life. Wow! Thanks for being with us today, Destiny.

I want to first thank Title Magic and Savanna Kougar for allowing me to join in and blog here today. I’m glad to have the opportunity to spend the first day of May with all of you! Savanna and I are fellow authors at Siren Publishing and we’ll both be published by BookStrand too!
I’m really excited to blog with you today because I have some phenomenal news to share. Winning Virgin Blood just released from Siren Publishing on April 28th (http://www.sirenpublishing.com/destinyblaine/). Winning Virgin Blood, for those of you out there who like paranormal, actually motivated and initially inspired the concept of a new paranormal loop author Ann Cory and I just started. Just Another Paranormal Monday operates as a Monday-only chat loop for readers, writers, and pretty much anyone who loves paranormal.
Since writing in the paranormal genre is still somewhat new to me, I’ve been thrilled about the receptive audience to paranormal as well as urban fantasy because Winning Virgin Blood incorporates both urban fantasy and paranormal elements. For those of you who’ve read Bewitching Bite, you know the Bewitching series (Resplendence Publishing) also includes a few urban fantasy elements. However, the stories are definitely different.
Winning Virgin Blood combines my love of casino gambling (and a Las Vegas setting) with vampire paranormal elements. The series kicks off with Orlando Spenser, and while I love Orlando, I have to say, his brother just rocks my world! You’ll meet him in Winning Virgin Blood and that’s where your lust for him will begin—mine did!
The Winning Virgin Series was contracted by Siren Publishing (www.sirenpublishing.com) and the Spensers will go through a lot of trials and tribulations just to protect those they love. Naturally, they’ll have to win the affection of those they want first. That’s always the fun part.
If you’re a history buff, and I am, check out the Bewitching Series. Part of the Blending Bloodlines titles, Bewitching Bite was included in the Shivers print anthology and the concept of Matilda and Armand’s story was something I hope you’ll find a little different. An urban fantasy/paranormal, the story combines historical research into an urban fantasy while delving into the past life of one of the most notorious of all vampires—The Blood Countess (referred to as Elizabeth or Erzsebet Bathory).
Matilda and Armand will be transformed and revisit the past life of Erzsebet Bathory and the one vampire Erzsebet could never control, so to speak. I won’t ruin it for you because the story of Matilda and Armand’s hike into the past really comes into clear focus in the second story releasing soon—Bewitching Purpose.
I’m a fickle writer and love to write in all genres. Paranormal and western erotic stories seem to have my focus right now but I’m a gambler at heart. I’ll typically write something, at any given time, about casino gambling or sportsbetting.
Casino Player is a prime example. Whispers Publishing took a chance on this little short story and just this year, the story won the 2007 Best Romance Short Story Readers Poll Category at Preditors and Editors. Whispers also decided to take a gamble on the Unspoken Series and later this year, Unspoken Truths will release and I have to tell you—the ultimate bad boy alpha-male will be found there.
This brings me to another point. I love strong alpha-male heroes. I find, and I guess most of you who read and write paranormal would agree, some of the best bad boys in the world will literally leap off the pages of a paranormal romance but it isn’t the only genre where sexy-hot rogues are found.
I have to share a little secret with you—the other two places to find the strong alpha males we all love to dream about are often found in westerns and erotic gambling romances. I really believe they are and maybe I know from experience. I grew up on a farm and die-hard gambling runs in my blood too so I’ve met enough bad-boys to know that these two genres have them! I write those fellows straight into the bedrooms of any unsuspecting heroine who will have them. And sure, there are several who don’t want them there!
As a side note, today I believe the best of the "real-life" bad boys are found in a casino. I’m a recreational casino player who spends a lot of time in the sportsbooks and around the tables so believe me, I know what I’m talking about. Read Unspoken Truths when it comes out and you’ll see what I mean.
Until then, take a closer look at Orlando and Almonzo Spenser in Winning Virgin Blood and the Winning Virgin Series. Then, sprint to the nearest casino and listen in on some of the conversation. It’s the one place I’ll go whenever I need dialogue motivation for my characters.
Right now, most of my books and stories share one common factor—the alpha-male. I only have one western erotic story out now. In case you want to take a peak, sneak over to eXtasy Books at www.extasybooks.net and check out Beyond the Valley. It’s number six right now on their Best Seller list.
I’m still hoping someone, somewhere will tell me where I can ride, I mean find (yes, that’s what I meant), a cowboy who looks like Jonathan Woodwine. (Remember, if you do, tell him I have his rope or his saddle for that matter). Yes, I like to tease. You will too when you see him!
Thank you again for blogging with me today! I hope you’ll take time to stop by and visit my website at www.destinyblaine.com or stop in and visit with Catherine Chernow over at my blog today (http://www.destinyblaine.blogspot.com/). You will also find the lovely and very talented Savanna Kougar blogging with us on May 12th and 13th.
Until we meet again, keep looking sexy—and reading it hot!
Destiny Blaine
P.S. Enter my contest today! It’s easy! Since I want to be sure everyone has an opportunity to win one of the few free copies of Winning Virgin Blood, I’m running a contest here today. Post a comment here and let me know something about your favorite books or even a favorite alpha-male, and you’ll be entered to win Winning Virgin Blood!
I’ll draw one winner later today. Hurry! This will be one of the very few free copies of Winning Virgin Blood!