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Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Goddess Fish Book Virtual Book Blast: Identity Crisis

Welcome to the Goddess Fish tour for Eliza Daly and her new book, Identity Crisis.

Eliza will be awarding a one $20 Amazon or B &; N Gift Certificates to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour, and a $10 Amazon or B & N Gift Certificate, winner's choice, to four (4) randomly drawn commenters during the tour. A $10 Amazon or B & N Gift Certificate, winner's choice, will be awarded to a randomly drawn host.


Identity Crisis

When Olivia Doyle’s father dies under suspicious circumstances, rather than inheriting a family fortune, she inherits a new identity. She learns they were placed in the Federal Witness Protection Program when she was five years old. Her father was involved in an art forgery ring and testified against the mob. Brought up not to trust anyone, Olivia has a difficult time relying on U.S. Marshal Ethan Ryder to protect her, and to keep her secret. She fears her father may have continued his life of crime through her art gallery. She has little choice but to depend on Ethan when she realizes someone is now after her. Olivia’s search for the truth leads her and Ethan across country to a family and past she doesn’t remember.

At the age of ten, Ethan witnessed a brutal murder. He vowed when he grew up, he’d protect people in danger. Protecting Olivia is difficult when she won’t trust him. He soon realizes his desire to protect her goes beyond doing his job, but if his judgment becomes clouded by emotions, her safety could be jeopardized.

Can Ethan and Olivia learn to trust each other when they uncover secrets that will change their lives forever?

Identity Crisis is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, All Romance, eBooks.com, and Kobo

Excerpt:

Olivia stood paralyzed, her mind racing, trying to comprehend the letter. Was this some kind of sick joke? For the past twenty-four years her dad had lived in fear that somebody would hurt them? What had forced him to leave behind everyone he’d loved? Everyone she’d probably loved, but obviously couldn’t remember. And if her mom wasn’t buried in San Francisco, whose grave had Olivia been visiting here all these years? She tried to hold the letter steady in her trembling hands. Of course it was vague. Her dad had been a man of few words. However, these few words expressed a lot of emotion, something he’d never been good at doing.

“Is everything all right?” Father Clifford’s voice penetrated her thoughts.

Concern creased the older man’s brow and from the curiosity filling his gray eyes, he had no clue what the envelope contained. Her dad hadn’t even trusted a priest with his secret. Her dad had been the only person she’d ever really trusted, and it turned out she hadn’t truly known him.

She merely nodded, unable to find her voice. She inhaled a deep breath. The scent of beeswax candles and incense did little to calm the panic racing through her veins. She unfolded a clipping from a Chicago newspaper, dated twenty-four years ago. The headline read Art Dealer in Bed with Mob Blows Whistle on Forgery Ring and Vinnie Carlucci. The article included a photo of police officers escorting her dad. She started reading the article. Prominent Chicago art dealer Andrew Donovan confesses to having sold more than a hundred forgeries...

Her stomach dropped. She slapped a hand over her mouth, certain she was about to vomit right there on the pew.

Her dad had been a criminal.

The nature of his crime made it all the more surreal.

She stared in disbelief at the papers in her hand. His name had been Andrew Donovan, not Alex Doyle. Her last name was Donovan. Was her first name actually Olivia? Instead of inheriting a family fortune, she’d inherited a new identity.

Or rather, an old one.
 


Author Bio:

Eliza Daly’s first attempt at creative writing was in fourth grade. She and her friends were huge Charlie’s Angels fans and she would sit in her bedroom at night writing scripts for them to act out at recess the following day. She was Kelly Garrett. Fast forward to the present, she’s still writing stories about beautiful women who always get their men. The journey from fourth grade script writer to published author wasn’t an easy one, but it was always an adventure and the final destination was well worth it.

When Eliza isn’t traveling for her job as an event planner, or tracing her ancestry roots through Ireland, she’s at home in Milwaukee working on her next novel, bouncing ideas off her husband Mark, and her cats Quigley, Frankie, and Sammy.

You can find Eliza on the web at:





Thank you, Goddess Fish and Eliza for visiting my website!


Dracula's Secret, Blood Wings #1
Dracula's Desires, Blood Wings #2
Dracula Unleashed, Blood Wings #3,


Friday, March 29, 2013

Best of...

For my retrospective, here is a blog post from November 22, 2009. Enjoy!

***

No fear?

A dear friend of mine has characters and stories roaming her head. She wants, no, yearns to write.

Just like the rest of us, she is frightened.

Writing is scary stuff. Let's list a few of the things that scare her.

  1. Rejection by publishers.
  2. Rejection by agents.
  3. Rejection by friends and family.
  4. The possibility that you really DO suck.
  5. The possibility that you might learn something about yourself that you didn't want to know. (I was pretty surprised that I wrote vampire stories. I wanted to write screw-ball comedies).
  6. Bad reviews.
  7. Good reviews.
  8. Not getting published which leads to...
  9. Feeling like you've wasted your time.
  10. Not making money.
These fears are real. They stop people in their tracks every day. They even stop me from time to time.

I have no easy answers about how to not be afraid. In fact, these fears are important. You have to look at them and say, "Well. What if I do suck? What if my work does gets rejected from now until the end of time?"

The payoff might not be worth the pain. If so, then congratulate yourself, and realize that there are many other dreams waiting for you! Maybe you will find fulfillment in improv comedy or Linux open-source work.

Make your fears work for you.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Spring is coming, I promise.

My friends in the Midwest and East Coast are experiencing exciting and crazy weather. In order keep spirits up, here are some pictures from our trip to Hawaii.

On the Island of Maui, in the town of Lahaina, there is a banyan tree that is the size of an entire city block. Visiting this tree was one of the highlights of our trip.

I have a tender spot in my heart for trees, especially large, brave trees like this one. So imagine yourself with a yummy shave ice and sitting in the shade of this beautiful tree. And spring will come, I promise. :)




The Charming Man relaxing.

That bright thing is the sun. It is very nifty, and someday, we will all see it again.

Into the branches.

Monday, March 25, 2013

Promo prep

I will be at the Romantic Times Book Lovers Conventions May 1st to May 5th. I've been designing cool giveaway items for months.

The ever fabulous Jessica Smith came over to help me with the prep. And here are the pictures!

First, I have handy compact mirrors with my Blood Wings logo. Every vampire needs a mirror to make sure they don't have blood caught in their fangs.
Fang Check.
 If your fangs are not up to your expectations, drop me a line. Maybe you might get one of these for yourself before I head out!
And my promotional image!



This is Jessie. Isn't she a cutie?
After getting the stickers on my mirrors, Jessie, who is a creative force to be reckoned with, suggested I do some some of my hand painted fans for the conference. After all, writers conventions do get warm and many of us are (say it softly) menopausal.

So we took some of my plain white fans and decorated them in the colors of my covers.
Decorating in process.
And finished!
Jessie with my Grand Prize fan.



And here we are with my postcards, fans, and mirrors.

Just a little insight into the things an author does to raise awareness for her books. :)















And various quotes from the day:

"Blood on white is always classy."

"I'll just go upstairs and get a scalpel."

"Wipe off with the sponge, then scrape with the knife."

"I don't know how many times it'll get soggy before it has to dry out."

I hope we scared you but good!

Saturday, March 23, 2013

The back yard project.

Remember when my back yard looked like this?

Or this?

Or even like this?

Makes you want to sit a spell, right?

 But now!!
Soon, we will have paint and furniture, too. :)

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Celebrations!

Now that I have found a measure of health again, it is time to celebrate the release of Dracula Unleashed!

 To celebrate Dracula's final book, I am giving away a dragon necklace - after all, Dracul means dragon. And Valerie loves her dragon embroidered coat.

This is the chance to wear your very own dragon! It is suitable for both men and women, too, just like everyone else in the book.
All you have to do is comment here, at my Twitter, or on my Facebook, and you are entered into a drawing for the shiny.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Free, free, free!

This week, Dracula's Secret is free at Amazon.com!

Good things about my book:

"With a talent for sinfully sexy romance, Linda Mercury will keep you up through the night and craving more after the last page is turned." --Tori St. Claire, author of Stripped and Lie To Me

"Non stop action, steamy sex, and tons of mythical creatures. This is my kind of Urban Fantasy. The character's are complex, the flashback's are relevant and help move the story along. The story never fails to keep me on my toe's. The idea that Vlad the Impaler was actually a woman is genius and makes Dracula's story that much more interesting.

If you like Urban Fantasy, strong female character's, strong male leads that are actually good men, and good writing you'll love this book. A must have for Kate Daniels fan's." Review by Jskinz.

 Hurry on over!

And don't forget Books Two and Three.
Dracula's Secret, Blood Wings #1
Dracula's Desires, Blood Wings #2
Dracula Unleashed, Blood Wings #3, to be released March 21, 2013

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Best of...Tips and Tricks

Continuing the four year anniversary of my blog with a post from November 10, 2009. :)


Tips and tricks.

Let's be honest. We all experience insecurity and fear about our writing. Everything from "It sucks", to "I suck" and everything in between.

It can paralyze an artist in a quagmire of self-loathing misery. Sometimes, though, it's possible to make a few steps out this nasty, leech-ridden, malaria-infested swamp

I call upon my 'tricks' to make it easier to find a shortcut. Here's few of my favorite tricks in no particular order, in a handy numbered list for quick reference. :)

My local library
Bribery. Yummy, yummy bribery.
  1. Change writing locations. I'll write in the library, different rooms in the house (I'm writing this now on my second floor landing), a coffee-shop (Starbucks is a cliche for a reason, folks!), or even just go outside. Something about a different visual geography can shake me out of a funk.
  2. Bribery is both functional and traditional. One of my critique partners says, "I don't need a lollipop every time I finish five pages." Well, I'm not nearly that mature. I love to bribe myself with hot baths, visits with my friends, a good movie - you name it. I try to avoid bribing myself with food, though. That way lies getting stuck in the different quagmire of body image issues.
  3. Ask for help. Somewhere out there, someone believes in you. Give them a call or an email. Say, "I'm going in. Cover me!" For some reason, this works really really well.
  4. Set a timer. When I'm exhausted and nearly falling out of my chair, I can fulfill my promises to myself by setting a timer for however long, and then letting myself rest.
  5. Read your work aloud. Something about hearing the story  gets me ready to rock and roll.
  6. Crank your tunes. Turn that knob to eleven. Let the music drown out all those nasty, self-defeating voices.
What are some of your favorite tricks?

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Women in the Arts: Su Lute



What is the name of your business and what do you tell other people you do? (such as author, teacher, designer)
When I meet new people I always tell them I'm an author...and a nurse. I don't always wait until they ask, lol.

When did you know it was time to stop treating your art as a hobby and start it as a career?
I never considered writing a hobby. I was always very serious about it, even in high school writing stories for English class. And I made conscious decisions about whether or not writing could fit into my life, especially when I had a young family, was working the night shift at a hospital and bringing home a steady paycheck. Once the kids were older and I had a long bus commute into Portland I decided to see if I could finish a full length novel. I did and have not looked back.

What are some of the aspects of your job that people don’t see? For example, most people don’t understand how much marketing is done by the authors themselves instead of a publisher, and most audience members don’t see how costumes and props are designed/chosen.
I don't really look at writing as a job. For me, most of the time it's one of those fun things I do, like designing the book covers, telling a story that moves the reader to look at their life differently, setting that story free and hoping it flies high. When you are an Indie author there is so much that goes into making a finished, salable book, even I was surprised by the amount of work it takes, and the number of hours. I guess that's what I would say readers don't see. Hopefully they enjoy the results of all that work, which for me is a labor of love.

Who inspired/inspires you on those inevitable rough days?
This is going to sound corny, but my mother, who's still with us thank goodness, and now moving back to the place of her heart – Hawaii. Her life and how far she's come is an inspiration. The saying, you've come a long way, baby, what coined just for her.

Su - that truly is a fantastic cover!
Name a few of your current projects. For example, conferences, publicity, design process, what you have for sale.

I always have a long list of “things” to do, but of course my current projects are books in progress. I just released the first Dragonkind novel, Dragon's Thief – with my favorite cover, by-the-way – and have started the second book in the series, Dragon's Keeper. I'm also in the middle of writing the second Falling For A Hero novel, Bear's Full House. In the back of my mind, I'm thinking of starting a series of novellas, not necessarily connected; one of them Daniel and Abigayle's story (from the Dragonkind Chronicles). I'm investigating Scrivener as a writing tool, and organizer for my crazy way of writing a story. And I'm decluttering my life and how I go from day to day. Does that count as a project?

This question is a chance to meander or talk in greater depth if you’d like. Here you can talk about what hobbies you pursue, how you refresh your well of ideas, what you would recommend to other women interested in a career in the arts.
Thanks Linda, so much for having me. All I can add is...we are each of us a work in progress. Pursue yourself, your best nature, love and passion as you would that perfect latte, or dark chocolate, athletic goal, or race for the gold. That perfect moment when everything comes together as it should. When you are in that moment, whether in the arts, business, or just as a human, you will have made it and your life will have been worthwhile. You can find me at all the usual watering holes and at www.susanlute.com. Come visit. I love to chat.


Thank you so much, Su!

Monday, February 25, 2013

A love letter to you.

I'm a big fan of Alexandra Franzen (over here).  She wrote this challenge on her website:

The premise: what if instead of writing a traditional “sales page” about your latest product, service, event, project, workshop or offering … you simply wrote your customer a Love Letter?










And this was what came out. :)

I want to live in a world where women are not shamed for what they read, what they watch, and their sexual choices.

I'm so tired of women's tastes being diminished and belittled.

I want you to have books that highlight women asking for what they want, and then being encouraged and supported by her relationships instead of struggling to be heard.

So I've created a series of sexually explicit, adventurous books filled with strong thoughtful men and powerful women.

Right now, I want to you click on the link to read a sample chapter of each book!

Dracula's Secret
Dracula's Desire
Dracula Unleashed

It all begins NOW.

With all my love,

Linda Mercury

Sunday, February 24, 2013

More Best of....

Captain America - one of my favorite fictional heroes.
To continue celebrating the 4th anniversary of my blog, here is another post from 2009.

Surrounding yourself with heroes.

Books on writing are full of advice - some of it life-changing. Some are, how do I say this nicely?

Utter rubbish.

And sometimes, advice starts as one and turns into the other.

For example, when women try to lose weight, they are told to paste a picture of a slim person on the inside of their cupboard or on their refrigerator. I have always found this to be nasty, belittling, and condescending - yet another way of telling women that they are not beautiful and they will never measure up.

But we all need heroes. That's why we write, that's why we watch movies/TV, that's why we read. Everyone needs someone to show us that what we want is possible and how to get there.

So this week, I found pictures of my creative heroes and I've seeded them around my writing stations.

Obviously, I have a love for mythology and for the band Queen. Freddie, Brian, Roger, and John now live in glorious color on my laptop's wallpaper. Their music, politics, and courage never fail to lift me up when I'm feeling sluggish or stuck.
The magical Jayne Ann Krentz
Emma Holly

Jayne Ann Krentz, a wonderful best-selling author (and former librarian with a background in history!) is another of my heroes. I've met her in person a few times and she is down to earth, intelligent, and has great insights on our craft. If you do not own Dangerous Men and Adventurous Women, you are shorting yourself some great discussion on Romance!

Emma Holly writes beautifully sexy and emotional fiction.

I've got lots. Who inspires you?

Friday, February 22, 2013

Countdown to Dracula's Desires

Allow me to introduce you to my introductory offer - a short horror story called Predator and Prey.

It is currently .$99 through Amazon - right HERE!

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Cheap reads!

So perhaps you have been short of funds. Or perhaps you are the cautious sort and would rather not buy a book from a new author without a test drive first.

Either way, you can sample my writing with my short short horror story  - yes, straightforward horror, no sex -
Predator and Prey!

Normal, Illinois was the perfect place for Stuart to live. A college town surrounded by corn fields was the perfect hunting ground. And he has found the perfect victim right next door.

 For a mere .99, you can sample a taste of my writing!

 Buy HERE!







Also, my first book, Dracula's Secret, is currently on sale for $1.99 over at Amazon, right HERE!