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Blackthorn New Releases

If you’re a fan of Blackthorn, you might be excited to know there’s now a brand new ‘email sign up’ tab above. Separate to regular blog notifications, this new sign up is purely for notifications of the release dates for my upcoming books in the series. So, if you want to be amongst the first to know when Blood Torn is on the way, just click on the link.

And don’t forget, if you like to be kept in the loop about everything that’s going on in the background, you can sign up to this blog by clicking on the link in the sidebar.

And on that note, the Kane vs Caleb post I promised you is coming next week! Team Kane or Team Caleb – whose side are you on? Avid fans won’t want to miss this one. 🙂

Blackthorn Bites Back

It’s been another exciting week!

My editor came back to me on Tuesday and was super-pleased with my Blood Roses revisions. A couple of tweaks and we’re ready for the next stage! Yay!

I was thrilled to read another terrific review of Blood Shadows – this time from Michelle’s Paranormal Vault Of Books who gave it 5 out of 5 and a ‘highly recommended’. Not only that, but a likening to Kelly Armstrong. I haven’t read any of Ms Armstrong’s work yet, but I know it’s a massive compliment. Huge thanks, Michelle Lynn, who was also kind enough to then post her review on Amazon.com.

The Blood Shadows giveaway on Goodreads attracted a lot of attention with an amazing 2,267 people signing up to win a copy by the closing date on Friday. To think I was beside myself with excitement when I got to 500! The books are now on their way for me to sign.

Don’t forget you can still sign up to win a signed copy of Blood Shadows on my Facebook page. Click on the sweepstakes tab and like my page and you could be in with a chance of winning 1 of 5 copies.

As well as all that, I’ve just seen the new Blackthorn Bites – and they are awesome! I mean, really awesome. They’re very different to the last ones and yet equally perfect. I am exceptionally excited to share them with you so am giving you the heads-up that the reveal will be on Tuesday evening (UK time). Do come and take a look!

Team Blackthorn, I hope you’re suited, booted and ready, because we’re going to be on a mission to spread the new Bites far and wide!

Have a great rest of the weekend.

xxx

Why Blood Roses is Special

Blood Roses is the second book in the Blackthorn series and it’s due out this Spring!

I had an email come through this week, from a fan turned very special friend:

“I love Blood Shadows, don’t get me wrong, it’s fantastic. But Blood Roses is probably my favorite book EVER (the portion I’ve seen). I am so bloody (yes pun intended) excited about it, I can’t even tell you.”

I got a bit emotional when I read that. A big part of the emotion is because I’ve reached that stage now when I know I’ll soon be parting with Blood Roses. I’ve been working on revisions in the background since the launch of Blood Shadows, and those who follow this blog and Facebook will know those revisions went back to Bookouture on New Year’s day. My editor will be back in touch with me in the next few days to give her verdict – that basically means I’ll know how much more work it still needs before the final polish. After that, it’s line edits and copy edits before I finally hand it over.

Blood Roses has been with me a long time. It was conceptualized years ago (I can’t even pinpoint when), the majority of it written back in 2007. Although it’s not my first published book, I will always look on Blood Roses as the book that launched my career as a published author.

It was entered in Harlequin Mills and Boon’s New Voices competition back in 2010, where it got into the final – the only PNR to do so. It’s scary to think I nearly didn’t enter. I submitted right before the deadline. It was the first time I’d put myself out there for scrutiny and was a test of whether I had what it took to write romance. I was terrified because it wasn’t just a competition – it was going to help me make the decision whether I tried to launch my Blackthorn series or turned my back on romance a while longer to continue focusing on supernatural thrillers.

If you don’t know about the competition, writers uploaded a chapter on an open forum for readers to comment (readers also got to vote). Blood Roses came under scrutiny straight away, but not for the right reasons. I entered the longest opening chapter in the competition – almost 9,000 words long. I remember reading speculation over why I had done it, not least the assumption that I had misread the rules. The simple truth was that I was so convinced I would get nowhere, I entered the biggest chunk of work I could in the hope that, even if I bombed in the competition, I might at least catch an editor’s eye. I didn’t have the confidence to believe I could do that in 3,000 words.

Of course it meant that when I got into the Top 10, I was left with only 700 words for chapter 2 and then only 200 for the pivotal moment when I progressed into the Top 4. It worked in my favour though, with readers again speculating whether I’d manage it or not. The response when I did was fantastic. And those supportive comments, along with the belief of my amazing mentors – Lesley Stonehouse and Rhyannon Byrd – gave me the courage to re-enter in NV 2011 where I finished a finalist again.

Blood Roses helped me believe in myself as an author. It shaped my writing. It gave me the best opportunity to launch my writing career. It taught me that I don’t have to write like anyone else – that I’ll find my readership as me and not by trying to follow in anyone else’s footsteps. It taught me that romance readers are more open minded than I gave credit for before I became a part of this amazing community. It taught me there is a place for books like mine that are a little bit dark, a little bit dangerous and a little bit different. It taught me that I had to stop hiding my writing in a drawer.

I understood exactly what my friend was saying when she sent me that email, and responses like that will be the ones that help me let go of Blood Roses when the time comes. Looking back, I also realise how much I’ve moved on in the last two years from writing purely for myself to having the courage to share my books with an audience.

And that’s why Blood Roses is, and always will be, so special to me.

Come back tomorrow if you’d like to get a few hints of what to expect. No spoilers thought, I promise!

xxx

Batty – A Knight of the Round Table

For just one post, I thought I’d break from the norm. As well as a passion for vampires, you might know I have a fascination with many other myths and legends – especially local ones. So, after Batty’s popularity since introducing him to you only a week ago, he’s back for a second appearance. This time, Blackthorn’s mascot is adding a little something to my visit to the magical village of Tintagel in Cornwall: the home of King Arthur.

For those who might not know, King Arthur was a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries who led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. A lot of the story is based on folklore and literature so his actual historical existence is debated and disputed. Needless to say, most people will have heard of Merlin, Excalibur, The Holy Grail and the Knights of the Round Table.

At Tintagel, there’s a replica of King Arthur’s great hall. So here are a few things from inside…

 

Batty hanging from a sword. Shame it’s not Excalibur. 

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The sword was the principal weapon of a knight but was of equal importance symbolically. The blade was symbolic of faith. The knight would keep his blade shining bright as a reminder to keep his soul pure. The scabbard was symbolic of purity and as such had to be kept clean at all times. The handle and pommel – the part that allows the knight to control the sword – signified power so had to be wielded with humility.

 

Batty in the middle of the Round Table.

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This is a replica Round Table around which Arthur and his 12 knights congregated. It is circular to represent that there is no head of the table, implying that everyone who sits there has equal status. The shields of all the knights, including Arthur, span out from the middle and their knights’ names are engraved where they would have sat. The table was believed to have been a dowry from Guinevere.

 

Me and the knight (Batty in hand).

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Now I love a knight as much as the next girl. They’re supposed to be chivalrous and gentlemanly, but it doesn’t hurt to check! The way to assess a knight’s intentions was whether they had their helmet visor raised or closed. For a knight to raise their visor, and thus show you their eyes, meant they had no aggressive intent – and is one of the possible reasons why the military still salute today: a symbolic lifting of the visor.

And once I knew the coast was clear…

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Batty and King Arthur’s throne.

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It wouldn’t be a king’s abode without a throne. I think Batty looks quite at home! And yes, I spent a little while there too. 😉

I hope you enjoyed your brief tour and quick step into one of Britain’s most famous legends. I’ll be back talking vampires on the weekend with an update about Blood Roses, including a few clues of what to expect.

xxx

 

 

Blood Shadows Blog Tour

I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas! I got something really special this year that I want to show you on a blog post very soon. But blog tour information first…

Those of you who follow me on Facebook will know my blog tour around the U.S. started today. This is a somewhat nerve-wracking, albeit equally exciting, experience. Courtesy of Bewitching Book Tours, 30 U.S. book bloggers kindly signed up to host me over a month. There will be a mixture of me writing guest blog posts and being interviewed as well as bloggers promoting Blood Shadows or, the really scary stuff, reviewing it.

My first post is over on Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer and is up already. For those who have been following me since I launched this blog in April, you’ll be in familiar territory because I’m revisiting a blog post I wrote for here (under a different title). It’s the only one I’ll be repeating, but as a lot of people enjoyed that one, it broke me in gently! Other posts I’ll be writing will be, amongst others, creating Blackthorn, what I’ve learned from reader feedback, why vampires makes the perfect anti-heroes and the challenge of being a British PNR author.

For those who want to follow the tour closely, I’ve listed where I’ll be and when below – as well as what I’ll be doing for each. I will, of course, put reminders on Facebook. If you’re able to come and support any of them, you’d be most welcome!

Thanks for your continuing support. xxx

December 28 Guest blog
www.coffeeaddictedwriter.com

December 29 Interview
Books & Other Spells
nightskydarkstar.blogspot.com

December 30 Guest blog
http://saratrimble.wordpress.com/

January 1 Interview
Books & Tales
http://www.booksandtales.blogspot.co.uk/

January 2 Guest blog
Romance Book Junkies
http://www.romancebookjunkies.com

January 2 review
Books, Books, and More Books
http://dream-reader-dreamer2229.blogspot.com/

January 3 Guest blog
The Speculative Salon
http://speculativesalon.blogspot.com/

January 4 Promo
Krystal’s Enchanting Reads
http://enchantingreads7.blogspot.com/

January 5 Promo
Fetch Me My Fainting Couch
www.fetchmemyfaintingcouch.blogspot.com

January 6 Guest blog
Fangs, Wands & Fairydust
http://fangswandsandfairydust.com/

January 7 Interview and review
http://www.vampireromancebooks.com/

January 9 Guest blog
www.christina-mcknight.blogspot.com

January 10 Interview
Victoria Danann
http://victoriadanann.me

January 14 Promo
Mother/Gamer/Writer
mothergamerwriter.com

January 15 Promo
A Bibliophiles Thoughts on Books
http://bibliophilesthoughtsonbooks.blogspot.com/

January 16 Promo
The Solitary Bookworm
thesolitarybookworm.com

January 17 Character Profile or Character Interview
Butterfly-o-Meter Books
http://butterflyometerbooks.blogspot.com/

January 17 review
http://www.anitabook.com

January 18 Guest blog and review
http://www.shelleymunro.com/blog

January 18 review
Mind Reading?
http://monaliz-mindreading.blogspot.com

January 19 Excerpt and review
Michelle’s Paranormal Vault of Books
http://concisebookreviewsbymichelle.blogspot.com/

January 20 Promo and review
Readaholic’s Reviews
www.readaholicsreviews.com

January 21 Guest blog
Delirious About Books
http://deliriousaboutbooks.blogspot.com

January 22 Promo and review
Paranormal Opinion
http://paranormalopinion.blogspot.com

January 22 Interview and Spotlight
JeanzBookReadNReview
http://jeanzbookreadnreview.blogspot.co.uk/

January 23 Interview and review
Paranormal Book Club
http://paranormal-bookclub.com/

January 24 Guest blog
Ramblings From A Chaotic Mind –
http://nikkibrandyberry.wordpress.com/

January 24 review
My paranormal book review
Http://www.myparanormalbookreview.blogspot.com

January 24 Review
Cloey’s Book Reviews and Other Stuff
cloeyk.blogspot.com

January 25 Interview and review
Marked By Books
http://markedbybooks.blogspot.com

Blood Shadows Soundtrack

I was recently asked what music I listen to while I write. I work in total silence for the first draft of a novel. I only insert a playlist when I’m revising. At that point I find it helps to add layers of mood and tone to what I’m working on. I also listen to music a lot while I drive and that’s often when plot points or characterisations come together.

So here are some of my favourite tracks off a mixture of albums that have played some part in devising or revising Blood Shadows. (Although I know it’s obvious – I must state that this is a total mock-up album and in no way are the artists linked to Blood Shadows or in any agreement to endorse it. I hope that covers me!)

PS The first track is from the trailer!

 

Blood Frenzy

What a couple of days! Frantic but so much fun!

I want to say a massive thank you to everyone who has shared, retweeted, liked and commented on the trailer for Blood Shadows. Word only gets out there with your help so, for everyone who played a part in that, please know how much I appreciate it.

I’m exceptionally proud of the amazing work Bookouture have done yet again. I didn’t want to comment yesterday – I just wanted to give you the chance to enjoy the trailer for yourself. And thanks to everyone who let me know that they did. I think it’s a stunning amalgamation of imagery, tone and themes from Blood Shadows and indeed Blackthorn. The trailer is now not only available on this blog, Bookouture’s blog and Facebook, it has also made it onto Night Owl Reviews (an awesome website if you’ve never visited) as well as YouTube! It’ll soon be on my author profile page on Amazon too.

In the last couple of days, I’ve also read the first two reviews of Blood Shadows. I was overcome by both. I’m guessing it’s inevitable they won’t all be that positive, but thank you for a wonderful start! Just like all the comments people left me during New Voices, I will never stop appreciating people taking time out of their hectic lives to share what they think. As an author, it is fascinating to read what others see in your story – what they interpret, what they understand and, more than anything else, the impact it has made on them. Yes there are various themes in all of the Blackthorn stories, some deep issues, but I write first and foremost to entertain. Having had feedback from readers that they haven’t been able to stop reading (even through the night and to the point of dehydration!) until they go to the end is absolutely immense to hear. There was a time when I started to believe that nobody would ‘get’ what I wrote. Thank you for proving me very wrong. If you’d like to read the reviews, please visit ‘Emily’s Blog‘ and ‘Goodreads‘.

Tomorrow I’ll be doing a blog post on the Romance University website. I’ll be talking about the beginnings of my passion for the world of vampires, why I started writing paranormal romance and just why it has taken me so long to get to this point. If you have time to come and support me, please do.

I’ll be back tomorrow with the soundtrack I used whilst writing Blood Shadows.

xxx

PS Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends and supporters in the USA!

Hot Pink Post

You might remember me mentioning in a previous blog post that I received an invitation to join a new group blog called The Hot Pink Typewriter. It’s hosted by a team of romance writers at various stages of their career – I didn’t realise my invitees meant published, soon to be published or right on the cusp. Those of you who know I exude self-confidence will understand why I was a little intimidated to say the least.

These writers are a fabulous bunch, and posts appear regularly about writing and editing, interviews with authors, personal writing experiences and news of what’s happening in the romance world. This week I’ve written my first ever post on the mechanics of writing and have used a familiar scene from Beguiling The Enemy to illustrate. Please come over and visit if you have time.

xxx

For BTE Fans (No Email Required)

I know I don’t usually blog on a Tuesday, but I wanted to say a massive thank you to everyone who has visited here since Sunday. The truth is I feel really mean making you email me for the chapter I offered. I know it’s extra hassle for you and I really appreciate those who have asked. In the interests of my day job though, I had to err on the side of caution.

Fortunately in this BTE scene I don’t. 🙂

Happy reading and thanks to everyone who continues to support me. xxx

Kane hadn’t even looked at her in the hour or so that had passed. His coldness only made what she was about to do harder. Caitlin clenched her hands in her lap as she watched him from the bed. No time yet had felt like the right time to approach him. But she knew no time would.

    She thought of the witness statements she’d read about his feeding habits. They were as contradictory as everything else produced about him. Some claimed him to be rough, brutal and insatiable, the sex acts that followed the feed equally fierce and self-sating. Others reported him to be sensual and considerate, but still controlling. None ever wanted to prosecute. All were happy to boast of their encounter. All said they’d offer themselves to him again.

    He stubbed out his second cigarette before standing from the sofa. Crossing the room to the kitchen, he re-emerged with a beer and a bottle of water. He placed the latter on the coffee table rather than take it over to her. She wondered if it was her cue to join him.

    Her thudding heart resonated in her ears as she forced herself off the edge of the bed. She stepped over to the sofa opposite his, tentatively sitting on the edge.

    Kane took a mouthful of beer, the solemnity in his eyes telling her she hadn’t been forgiven even if his anger had dissipated.

    She knew she couldn’t hesitate or she’d lose her nerve. ‘If you tell me what killed my parents, I’ll let you feed.’

    He lifted his eyebrows slightly in faint amusement. ‘Excuse me?’

    ‘You heard me.’

    ‘Yeah, I heard you. I just want you to say it again.’

    ‘It’s a fair exchange.’

    ‘You’re offering to let me feed? On you?’

     She nodded.

    ‘What happened to the systems and protocols?’

    ‘I want a name, Kane. I need to know.’ She dug her nails deeper into her perspiring palms. ‘Before you’re going to do whatever it is you’re planning to do, I want to know what it is.’

    He lifted his bottle steadily to his lips, took a slow mouthful then lowered it again, his gaze not flinching from hers as he subtly licked away the remnants. ‘I’d need to control you for every moment of the feed. Are you sure you can take that?’

    She couldn’t let her gaze falter. ‘More than sure.’

    Her stomach flipped at his flicker of a smile as he reverted his attention back to the TV.

    ‘This is not an open-ended offer, Kane.’

    He was a vampire. It should have been the easiest thing in the world to tempt him to bite.

    ‘What’s the problem?’ she asked, her tone laced with an urgency she hadn’t intended.

    His eyes snapped to hers again. ‘The problem is that I could forget myself, Caitlin. I could decide I want more than just your blood. Like you said, if I do anything you don’t like, it could jeopardise my plans. And believe me, during a feed I could do a lot of things you don’t like.’

    There was a stirring low in her abdomen at the threat, but she forced herself to focus on the significance of what else he’d said. ‘So you do need to get to my heart.’

    He narrowed his eyes slightly. ‘You do know what goes on in a dual feed, don’t you? A master vampire gets you to the height of arousal until all that built up energy gets fit to explode and then he bites – hard and fast. And just as you climax, at that exact moment, he drinks, taking every last shred of energy. You don’t remember who you are, where you are, you don’t even care. Humans can’t survive it. Even you shadow-readers, with your constantly self-generating energy, can only take so much. And I’m capable of taking more than you can even imagine.’

    She refused to look away despite every facet of common sense screaming at her to retreat. ‘But you won’t forget yourself, will you? Not if your need for vengeance is that strong.’

    ‘That’s still one hell of a risk you’re willing to take.’

    ‘I have nothing to lose, do I?’

    Her chest tightened as he held her gaze for an uncomfortable couple of seconds.

    ‘And you thought me trying to seduce you was tragic,’ he said. ‘You offering yourself to me in exchange for information you won’t be able to do anything with is what’s tragic, Caitlin.’ He lifted his bottle back to those sexy, bow lips. ‘It almost breaks my heart.’

    She slid her hands from her lap to grip the sofa either side of her thighs. ‘I just want to know what it is.’

    ‘You really want to trade that flawless skin for information you can do nothing with?’

    ‘Do you really want to turn down a free feed?’

    He licked the bottom of his lip as his gaze swept from her throat to her mouth. ‘I’d want to bite you full on,’ he declared, the intensity behind those navy eyes as they locked on hers telling her he meant every word. ‘No numbing. I’d want you to feel me go in. And I will hold you down. I can’t risk those magic fingers wandering.’

    She nodded despite knowing he was still angry enough to make this difficult for her. But she knew if she pulled away now, she was unlikely to regain the courage to offer herself to him again.

    Kane assessed her carefully for a few moments longer before pushing the coffee table aside with his foot, freeing the space between them. He placed his drink on the floor and leaned back, draping his arms over the back of the sofa. ‘Come here,’ he said, his gaze resting squarely on hers.