Why do I do this to myself?

Every time, I get part way through a book and ask myself that question. Because, man, do I like making life difficult, not just for my characters, but for me.

Thing is, I like a challenge so with each new book or story, I set myself one. Try this technique, or that way of writing. Try something I’ve never tried before. Only this time, I didn’t set myself the challenge, at least not consciously. My characters did it for me. I think they’d heard how cruel I am to my characters and decided on a bit of cruelty back.

And what challenge did they set me? Well my hero hasn’t spoken a word in eight years. Then he meets the heroine (for the second time, the first is the last time he spoke) and he might speak then, in fact he tries to. Only…they don’t speak the same language, not more than a couple of words anyway. And I have to show how and why they fall in love. Without them speaking to each other….

The love scenes were even more of a challenge! But I think I managed it, and I suppose that the underlying theme (or one of them) then became ‘Actions speak louder than words’. Because without speech to fall back on to show how they fall in love, it was all down to what they do, for each other and themselves. As challenges go, I think it went quite well, and I certainly learned a lot, and hopefully made it a good read too!

Anyway, my Viking and his Saxon lady are now available from Carina. It’s not strictly fantasy, which this blog is all about, but my Viking, being a Norseman in 844 Norway, utterly believes in magic, so it counts! :D

Here’s the blurb:

Viking raiders destroyed Wilda’s home. She witnessed the murder of her mother and would have been killed herself if it weren’t for the Viking boy Einar, who saved her from his ruthless brother. The blood and murder left Wilda cold and shorn of feeling.

Eight years later, the heathens return for Wilda. As a captive in the Viking village, she finds protection and silent comfort in the man who once gallantly saved her.

Einar has been cursed to silence by his brother. With the dark net of his brother’s power cast over their village, silence is a small price to pay for his family’s safety. But Einar is immediately drawn to Wilda, and the need to protect her from his brother awakens his Viking courage. Can Einar break his brother’s curse in time to save the village and the woman he loves?

the Viking's Sacrifice is available from Carina Press, Amazon, Barnes and Noble and all good e book stores.

You can find out more about Julia Knight, her books and reviews, here, or follow her on twitter @Knight_Julia

Foray Into E-books and Indie Publishing

Times change, and I could see the writing on the wall–ur, the computer screen--a year ago.  E-books are outselling paperbacks.  And I wanted to get into that market.  I decided on two strategies.  One was to find a good digital-first publisher.  Because I’ve been a Harlequin author since the early 90's, I picked Carina and submitted a novella, DARK MAGIC, a medieval romantic suspense set in a fantasy world.  I’m currently writing the sequel.  Yikes, I’d better tell Carina the title, since they didn’t like the one I submitted.  Maybe SHATTERED MAGIC?

My other approach was to work on a new romantic suspense series which I could publish myself.  I started writing it last February, and I’ve finally gotten the books up.  I’m launching with three stories, DARK MOON (a novel), CHAINED (a novella), and AMBUSHED (a short story).

Decorah is a detective/security/spy agency run by a tough old Navy Seal named Frank Decorah.  Many of the agents he hires have paranormal powers or take on paranormal cases.  I’ve aimed for a combination of a powerful love story and heart-pounding suspense.  Agents star in their own stories, then come back for secondary roles so readers can follow their lives.  And Frank Decorah is a constant throughout the series.

__________________________________________

DARKMOON, by Rebecca York (Light Street Press, December 2011). 

Undercover on a slave ship of dark eroticism.


DARK MOON is a new book in Rebecca York’s Moon series and also the first novel in the Decorah Security series. Agents Emma Richards and werewolf Cole Marshall take on a dangerous undercover assignment, to rescue a young woman from sexual slavery on a cruise ship converted into a dark and dangerous pleasure palace. When they masquerade as lovers, the sexual attraction between Emma and Cole reaches flash point. But what will happen when Emma discovers her lover is a shape-shifter?

__________________________________________

CHAINED, by Rebecca York (Light Street Press, December 2011).
A Novella

When death is stalking, only a phantom can save her--and love her.

Fleeing to her father's abandoned Arizona ranch to hide from political assassins, Isabella Flores is attacked by a ghost haunting the property. He's Decorah Security agent Matthew Houseman, killed in the line of duty. Still, passion blooms between Isabella and Matthew, and as their relationship turns more physical, Matthew becomes more real to himself and to her. After the ranch is attacked and Matthew helps save Isabella's life, she learns a startling secret. There may be hope of bringing her ghost lover back--if she dares to risk everything.

__________________________________________

AMBUSHED, by Rebecca York (Light Street Press, December 2011).
A Short Story

She's a target. He's her shield.

Sworn to protect federal witness Elizabeth Bannerman, Decorah Security Agent Jordan Stone fights the emotions building between them. When they're ambushed by terrorists, Jordan realizes he actually does have something left to lose--Elizabeth.

__________________________________________

How did I come up with the name Decorah Security and the gold coin emblem?


This spring and summer, I joined the gawkers glued to a webcam trained on an eagle’s nest in Decorah, Iowa.  Mom and Dad took turns sitting on their three eggs.  Three baby eagles hatched and quickly grew to be juvenile eagles.  It was a thrill watching the babies thrive and grow and also thrilling to watch the devotion of their parents as they cared for their young. The eagles were so inspiring that I thought Decorah would make a great name for my security agency.  And the gold eagle coin honors the eagles I watched all summer.


I’d love to hear from readers.  I’ll be giving away one of my Harlequin Intrigues, SOLID AS STEELE, to one of the people who leaves a comment on the blog.  If you have any questions about my Decorah Security series, please ask me. 


And visit my Web site at www.rebeccayork.com .  If all goes as planned, I will have a brand-new one by the time this blog is published. 

Worldbuilding: Using Mythology

Demon Crossings is the story I talked about in my inaugural post at Here Be Magic. I think it was actually the inaugural post at the Here Be Magic blog. It’s a little bit of an odd duck because it’s half fantasy (set in another world) and half more traditional paranormal. Last year, I asked for help figuring out how to label it. Today, it releases from Carina Press. So almost exactly one year later, here we are full circle.

If you’re interested in the book, click here for a blurb, excerpt and links.

Otherwise, I thought I’d talk about how I used Norse mythology in my world building.

Why Norse mythology?

I picked Norse mythology because of the concept of interconnected worlds and the legends about gods visiting us here on earth via bridges like Bifröst. I also liked that the Norse gods and goddesses, while extremely powerful, aren’t perfect. They have flaws and they make mistakes, sometimes catastrophic ones.

The basic premise of Demon Crossings is that Ragnarok (the apocalypse) has already happened to Asgard. Before Odin died he cast a spell on the Æsir survivors who were preparing to abandon Asgard. The spell changed their DNA, bound them into clans and invested them with his power. Needing to maintain a connection to their home planet, the refugees on earth settled in places where the wall between worlds is thinnest, where the faded power from the ruined Asgard seeps through the fault lines, enabling them to survive.

What I used from Norse mythology?

I didn’t want a superhero world. Instead, in Demon Crossings, when Odin invested the refugees with his power what that meant is that in every generation children are born to fulfill certain necessary “roles”. For example, a child would be born with the skills necessary to assume leadership of the clan when he’s grown. There are Odin’s counselor crows, healers and witches. Huntsmen and hounds to fight the fire demons that manage to slip through the portal after Æsir blood.

I used the legend of the Wild Hunt to describe the clan hunting the demons. That actually ended up being a little problematic. The Wild Hunt is a widespread myth but in our culture most people seem to be more familiar with the English version which associates the hunt with the Fae rather than the Norse version which associates the hunt with Odin. So…I did my best to establish that in the book and I’m just going to have to hope that people either take my word for it or look it up to verify that I’m telling the truth.

I also used some of the legends surrounding Ragnarok. This is the Norse apocalypse wherein a whole slew of gods perish, including Odin, Thor and Loki. And of course, I used the concept of interconnected worlds and the idea that it’s possible to pass between them.

I found that it’s a tough line to walk trying to honor the original legends and also create a new and interesting world that feels fresh and relevant to readers. What do you think?

I’m running a series of posts on my blog about the world of Demon Crossings. If you’re interested, you can find the links here.

And here’s where you can find me online:

Website 

Facebook 

Twitter 

Ritual Magic

Today is the day we down aspirin, wash the leftover mascara from the corners of our eyes and swear to ourselves and the list we posted on the mirror, "This year will be different."

Resolutions come in two flavors: Outcome and process. Outcome-oriented resolutions are the ones fitness gurus (like my alter ego) are fondest of: Specific, measureable, goals set to a timeline and a plan.

Process-oriented resolutions are harder to define but ultimately more satisfying. These are the "lifestyle changes" I lecture about when I'm wearing yoga pants and a name tag. These are also the first promises to ourselves we break.

Last year, for example, I swore (and claimed in public) that I would send one handwritten note, letter or card each day of the year. To those of you with January 6 birthdays, I hope you enjoyed your mail. The January 7 folks, however, were left hanging.

This year, being a fan of the power of language and names, I'm not making any process-oriented resolutions. Instead, I'm going to establish rituals. Rituals have a magic about them, an inherit higher power that will back up my will. They are much sexier than "good habits" (which is what nuns wear). They are more fun than goals. They involve nice-smelling candles, more often than not.

Let's see how it will pan out?
1. I will practice a daily sweat cleanse (which sounds better than exercise, doesn't it?)
2. I will create a protective circle between debt and my family (lighting candles while I cut up the credit cards, of course).
3. I will channel the denizens of Stewardsville and record their doings in the rest of my series (word-count, schmerd-count. Wouldn't you rather write this way instead?)

I'm bringing a little linguistic magic into my life in 2012. Howzabout you?

Start the New Year by Reading and Fighting Cancer

About a year ago, my sister suggested I write a book where the main character had battled cancer. It was the hardest thing for me to say no to her. You see, she herself is a cancer survivor, and I completely understood the desire to see a heroine she could relate to in a romance novel.

If you think about it, even more than ethnic and racial minorities, people with disabilities or who have battled an illness like cancer are severely underrepresented in romance novels. I’m sure part of it is the desire for that whole happily-ever-after thing, and readers have a hard time reconciling that with deadly diseases. Romance novels aren’t supposed to make you ponder your own mortality.

But that has nothing to do with why I said no. Hell, without batting an eye, I could write a romance about a woman who suffers from depression and fights the urge to kill herself.

Because I could do it justice. I know what that feels like. I have a deep-seated understanding of that pain. And I know I could make it a happy book in the end.

I can’t do the story of a cancer-survivor justice. When my sister was going through chemo and radiation, I lived and worked on the other side of the state. I visited when I could, but I wasn’t there. I didn’t live it. As much as I could talk to her about what it was like and research it and do all that, I would still be an outsider.

And I don’t think I could do it, not where it would be worthy of those who have won and lost the fight. At least not until I'm a much better writer.

So, I do what I can. Part of that involved volunteering to be part of Decadent Publishing’s Read for a Cure program. Each month Decadent chooses a book, and for that month all publisher profits go to the American Cancer Society via Relay for Life. This month, the Read for a Cure book is my novella, The Ghost of Vampire Present, and in addition to the publisher profits, I will be adding fifty cents for each copy sold this month to my donation to my sister’s Relay for Life team.

If you received an e-reader for the holidays, if you’ve owned one for year, or if you’re willing to read on your computer, I hope you’ll consider a copy of The Ghost of Vampire Present before December is over.

The Ghost of Vampire Present is available at:

Decadent Publishing

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Smashwords

All Romance eBooks

1 Place for Romance

and other online retailers

The American Cancer Society and I thank you for your support and wish you a joyous and blessed New Year.

A Half-Fae Hero

The hero of my paranormal romance novella, Laird of Darkness, from Carina Press is half-Fae. I have to say he was one of the most interesting and entertaining heroes I’ve created. I enjoy writing paranormal heroes, such as shape-shifters of various types, werewolves, or vampires. But Duncan allowed me to do something different.

1.      Creativity – I haven’t read very many Fae or fairy romance novels so I was able to create the half-Fae hero just the way I wanted without worrying about fitting him into a certain mold. There haven’t been thousands of romance stories written about them yet. I could write the unusual worldbuilding just the way I chose.

2.      Sexiness – the Fae in my story world are highly-attractive people with exotic looks. Duncan is dark, surly, brooding and sexy. I love it when a spunky heroine gets beneath the skin of a hero like that. She’s like a burr in his kilt, yet he can’t resist her.

3.      Unusual paranormal powers – Duncan’s abilities are based on an ancient Scottish legend. He is able to disappear except for a glowing red spot, and once this happens, he can fly through the air like a spirit. He can move quickly, and has exceptional strength. He can fling men through the air like rag dolls, and he terrifies horses simply because he’s a paranormal entity they sense. Because of this, he can dominate during a battle or attack.

4.      He goes naked half the time – When Duncan disappears, his clothing falls to the ground. When he reappears, naturally he is naked. Much to the heroine’s chagrin… and delight.

5.      Interesting dark backstory - Duncan has a tormented past. If he falls asleep at night, monster-like creatures from Otherworld physically attack him by scratching and biting. His nightmares come to life.

Half-Fae Laird Duncan MacDougall is cursed. His nights are haunted by Otherworld creatures sent to kill him. The only way to stop them is to possess the magic bow currently in the hands of his enemy half brother, Kinnon MacClaren. In desperation, Duncan plans to take MacClaren's bride-to-be hostage and exchange her for the bow.

Lady Alana Forbes has never met her intended, but she hopes he is handsome—and a good lover, for Alana is no innocent virgin. On her way to Castle Claren, Alana and her escorts are intercepted, and she is kidnapped by a man with extraordinary abilities—and every attribute she longs for in a mate.

Duncan didn't expect the woman he thought of as a mere pawn to be so beautiful, and so arousing. Alana is drawn to him as well—but Duncan still needs the bow, and Alana is betrothed to another. How far will Alana go to save the life of the man she's come to love?

Find me online at:

Website: http://www.nicolenorth.com/

Twitter

Facebook

Thanks!

Nicole

The Last Slayer Is On Sale! (Plus an Exclusive Excerpt)

This year's Christmas was extra special because it was one day before my first urban fantasy with Carina Press was due to come out. The Last Slayer is finally on sale today (after being pushed back a couple of months to make room for my pregnancy. Thank god for infinitely patient agents, editors and Carina production staff!)

Ashera del Cid is a talented demon hunter, but when she kills a demigod's pet dragon, the hunter becomes the hunted. Her only potential ally is Ramiel, a sexy-as-hell demon. Now the two must work together to battle dragons and demigods...and the chemistry crackling between them.

Ramiel has his own reasons for offering Ashera his protection. He knows her true identity and the real reason the demigods want her dead. What he can't predict is how she'll react when she discovers he knew who she was all along...

Ashera is shocked to discover that she is the only daughter of the last slayer. To claim her destiny, she and Ramiel must join forces to face down danger and outwit their enemies. Only then will she be able to truly accept her legacy...

102,000 words

I'd like to share an exclusive short excerpt from the story. The heroine Ashera has just taken a bath and is wrapped in nothing more than a towel when this scene takes place. Valerie is Ashera's sister, and currently in a poison-induced coma.

"I hadn't realized you weren't presentable," Ramiel said, his voice smooth. He bowed. "My apologies."

The formality of his manners lessened the discomfort I felt. If he was going to treat me like a lady no matter what I wore--or didn't wear--it didn't make any sense for me to make a big deal out of it.

"I don't suppose you have X-ray vision," I said drily.

"Pardon?"

"You need something?"

The steadiness of his gaze made me feel naked. It took an effort to keep my chin up and my hands down. If the towel came loose…

"I would like your word that you'll do as I say. Even if you disagree with me at the time," he said.

"I'm afraid that's not possible."

The skin around his mouth tightened. "Shall I list the reasons why I'm the logical choice to lead?"

I didn't bother to argue the point, because he was right. "The decisions you make will impact me and Valerie. I won't follow you blindly."

Suddenly he was standing a hairbreadth away. He loomed over me, his eyes vivid emeralds against the snow white of his skin.

"Why must you be so obstinate? I know things you do not."

"Yeah, and apparently you never want me to know, because you hide them like a preacher's daughter hides a pregnancy. How about a little sharing here, huh?"

"And of course you will believe what I say, as you've done all along."

Touché.

His eyes blazed hot enough to scorch. After centuries of unquestioning obedience, it must have been infuriating to have a mere mortal defy him. Until now, he hadn't shown any emotion except mild amusement and derision. Now, up close and personal, he seethed with a mixture of frustration and hunger that made my chest hurt with its intensity. A small part of me was afraid, but another part of me was thrilled at being on the receiving end of this much focus. How messed up was that? Even more perversely, I wanted to push his control until it snapped.

"I intend to keep my vow, whether you cooperate or not," he ground out. "You don't have a say in the matter."

"You wi--"

His mouth covered mine, shutting me up. This time his lips were demanding. His fingers tunneled into my wet hair and held my head in place. Even if I could have moved, I wouldn't have. My instincts had been right. All my faculties were in place, and still I found him irresistible. He was all man and heat. His scent, dark and mysterious, clogged my lungs and drowned me in sensation. The brush of his skin against mine made the fine hair on the back of my neck rise in response. It was frightening, how his magic ran up and down inside me, and how mine twined so eagerly with it.

A monstrous need pushed me, whipped me into a frenzy of slick arousal as Ramiel's mouth ravaged mine, took it as if it belonged to him and no one else. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

A discreet knock at the door broke through the sensuous haze, dissipating it.

Ramiel abruptly pushed me away from him. His chest rose and fell rapidly, his lips moist from our kiss. "I don't care what you profess to be. You're a witch." His voice was hoarse and unsteady. "A slayer witch."

Sample The Last Slayer from my website here or download an electronic excerpt booklet in PDF, epub or mobi. The booklet contains the first 20% of the story.

To get the rest of the story, you can buy from Carina Press*, Amazon (US, UK, DE, FR, IT, ES), B & N Nook, Books on Board, Diesel, Kobo, iBookstore (US, Canada) and Sony.

* If you buy The Last Slayer from Carina Press, you can use the CARSP1011 coupon code to save $5 when you spend $10! The offer expires on January 4th.