Meet Denise A. Agnew

Please welcome multi-talented author Denise A. Agnew to the blog today. As Denise writes in all kinds of romance genres, I hope you'll find something of hers that whets your appetite today. And as a bonus, she's giving away a copy of Before the Dawn, her newest release from Samhain. 

You write several different genres of romance. Which is your favorite and why?

I don't actually have a favorite, although do love writing historicals. With historicals I can explore a more "exotic" world where things are different. Plus, I love writing a story set during a historical event.

There are quite a few of us here at WGW that love military heroes. What made you decide to write about them?

  

I've known military people all my life. Plus, I've been drawn to the idea of military hero as alpha male. Many women find their strength, courage and lethal brand of masculinity a huge draw. I also like exploring all the possibilities for conflict for the characters given the world climate of the last ten years.

 What research did you do for your military series?

Good question! I've combined on line research, reading books, and my husband was in the army for twenty years. Also, he has friends/contacts I can ask questions, etc.

You married a soldier?! Yum. What book are you going to tell us about today?

I have a book coming out October 31 called FOREVERMORE that is a revised reprint that will be available from Amazon and Smashwords. But I don’t have a cover for you yet, so I thought I’d talk about BEFORE THE DAWN, my latest historical romance available at Samhain Publishing. Here’s a blurb to give you a taste.

A fallen woman must decide to stay down, or rise and fight…

Elijah McKinnon has been found innocent of a heinous murder, but it doesn’t erase the hellish years in prison he endured. He boards the train to Pittsburgh a changed man, certain he will never feel free until he’s wreaked revenge on the brother who ruined his life.

The passenger who catches his eye is intriguing, but he’s seen her kind before. The kind who puts on airs—and looks down on Irishmen. Still, he can’t seem to stop himself from stepping between her and a pack of ruthless cads.

Mary Jane Lawson is grateful for the handsome stranger’s help, but her journey has a higher purpose: to rise above her shattered reputation and declare her independence, come flood or famine. Propriety says she should refuse Elijah’s suggestion they pose as husband and wife—for her own protection, of course. Her practical side says it won’t hurt to pretend, just this once.

Come nightfall, though, their little charade must be carried all the way to shared sleeping quarters, where their vulnerabilities become painfully clear. And when danger past and present threatens, trusting each other becomes a matter of life and death.

What are some key things to include when creating chemistry and heat between the hero and heroine?

To me if the characters aren’t sufficiently developed, and there isn’t some emotional revealing done between the characters before you put the characters into bed, the love scenes will lack chemistry. I’ve seen a lot of romances that have very little real sexual tension between the characters because there isn’t sufficient buildup before they put them into bed. Even if you’re going to put the characters into bed soon in the novel, the sexual tension has to be genuine and not manufactured just to throw the characters into bed quickly. Character depth, emotions, real conflict…those are key in making true chemistry and sexual tension. And yeah, it can be done in erotic romance, too. J

Great points. Hardest part of writing a book?

Reminding myself each time I start a book that I haven’t bitten off more than I can chew.

Oh, God, I so know how that feels! Favorite part of writing a book?

Getting into “flow.”

Ah, the flow... How I miss it, lol. Any advice to authors out there?

Decide what you really want for your career as an author. What makes you genuinely happy. Not what others say should make you happy. For every “rule” out there, you’ll find dozens of authors who’ve broken it.

Best/favorite moment you’ve had as a writer?

You know, I’ve had a lot of them so it’s hard to say. Maybe when I realized I was going to start writing full time in ’96 and we’d just moved to England. A dream come true in both respects!

What are you working on next?

I’m finishing up revisions on a paranormal/historical/contemporary romance trilogy that I’ll be sending to an editor. In the meantime I have another trilogy that I’m working on that I put on the back burner some time ago that is paranormal/historical. Plus, I have a military romantic suspense trilogy and the last story in my Daryk World series to do as well. So you could say I have a ton to keep me busy for a long time.

Thanks again, Denise, for coming to WGW. To contact Denise or learn more about her work, please visit her at:

www.deniseagnew.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Denise-A-Agnew/100000488689181
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/DeniseAAgnew
Newsletter: http://deniseagnew.com/phplist/?p=subscribe
Tumblr: http://deniseagnewnovelist.tumblr.com/

Taste Test

First everyone get up and do a booty dance with me. School is back in session and I now have HOURS of quiet time to write. Or at least I will as soon as my husband and I get over this god-awful cold bug he caught last week. Just hoping the kids don't catch it. Oy, not ready for cold and flu season yet!

Yeah, so illness aside, we are gearing up for my favorite time of year, autumn. The mornings are a little nippy and the lethargy that I slogged through all summer finally seems to be wearing off. Things are looking good, what with the upcoming release of B Cubed: Book One Born and No Limits, plus the Sanibel word orgy 2011. Great way to kick start those creative juices!

Thing is, my attention was not riveted on my current project. Possibly because I've embarked on the self-publishing journey and I'm not sure where In the Bedroom with the Rope will end up. Though I love the characters, especially the hero, I was unsure of my starting point.

I know where Trevor and Samantha need to go, the middle is all figured out. It's more that I wasn't sure how to get them there. I'd written two VERY different versions of chapter one and both my fab crit partner, Saranna DeWylde, and I liked them each for different reasons. But they were the openings for two very different stories. What to do?

Enter some of my favorite beta readers, Robin, Gail and Liane. These women have impeccable taste and I trust them absolutely. So, Saturday morning I shot out an email to my gal pals and asked them to let me know which one they preferred. Then I tried not to be a neurotic weenie while waiting for them to get back to me.

By a vote of 3-0, there was an overwhelming hell yeah for the newer version of the story. I can see why now, it's more in-your-face eroticism compared to the slow build of the first. In retrospect, I think the first draft was really me trying to figure the story out while the second version IS the true beginning.

So a big thank you to all my go-to girls, Divas and Wild Writers who have given me feedback on everything from cover design to subject matter. I am incredibly fortunate to have all of you in my life. Now, I need to do you all justice and churn out a bestseller! After I finish my tea and cough drop.

Do you have a go-to group of people you trust to taste test for you? Anything from clothing choices to potential dates, whose opinions matter most to you?

ANOTHER PROMO MISFIRE

Excuse me while I rant.

An author I follow on Twitter, but don’t know personally, tweeted a link to another author’s blog. The title of the post referred to in the tweet was something like, four things every author should know about promotion. Sounded kinda interesting, so I clicked through.

Big mistake. The four supposed tips for authors pretty much amounted to:

1. You should buy my book on self-promotion for authors;

2. You should buy my book on self-promotion for authors;

3. You should buy my book on self-promotion for authors; and

4. You should really buy my book on self-promotion for authors.

All I could think was, WTF? That’s a minute and a half of my life I’ll never get back. I was angry at the blogger, and to a lesser extent, at the tweeter.

The incident reminded me of a time several years ago when a friend invited me to hear her former FBI agent husband give a talk on self defense for women -- and the talk turned out to be a sales pitch for the his new line of personal mace. I was lured to both the talk and the blog post by implied promises of useful information, but instead all I got was a sales pitch. And I was pissed off, and not in the mood to buy either product.

Granted, no one is required to give away their hard-won knowledge for free – though handing out a sample may convince potential customers to buy the whole thing. And granted, there’s nothing wrong with an author promoting her book.

But leading people to people to believe you’re going to do the former, and then doing the later, is obnoxious and tacky.

So writers and readers, are there any forms of promo that particularly annoy and aggravate you? Or on the positive side, are there any you find especially helpful in deciding how you should allocate your limited reading dollars?

A Special Announcement From the Amazon Goddess

YAY! I'm so excited to share this with you. Gather near my lovelies, so I can spill the news. Ready?

Publisher's Marketplace has posted pertaining to yours truly. Well, the other me. The me who was a corrections officer and "the most evil woman to ever walk the earth." (Or so the inmates claim.)


Wanna see?


Check it out:

Sara Lunsford's SKANKS, SHANKS, and BLANKS: 365 Days in the Life of a Corrections Officer, the author’s heroic story of survival through a harrowing year in her life--both inside and outside the prison walls, by Deidre Knight at the Knight Agency to Shana Drehs at Source Books in a nice deal (World English).

Do the happy dance with me!

Huge Amazon Goddess thanks to Deidre who worked tirelessly to make this deal happen. I'll have to make her a worthy sacrifice of vikings, various hotties in Hessians and chocolate. :)

BPW: Spotlight on Ranae Rose

Ranae lives on the US East Coast with her husband, child, horses, dog and overflowing bookshelves. She's an avid reader and writer who can't resist a good love story, and the hotter the better. She writes red-hot contemporary, historical and paranormal romances. She's also an enthusiastic equestrian and animal lover. When she's not at her desk spinning tales that would scandalize the faint of heart (and maybe even put a little color in the cheeks of those who do like it hot), she can usually be found in the saddle or behind a good book with a cup of tea.

~*~

Carrie never expected her fiancé Brendan to disappear without a trace three months before their wedding, and she certainly never guessed that he'd return a year later as a vampire. A torrid romance between a bloodthirsty vamp and a woman is bound to present challenges, but Carrie and Brendan both feel that being apart any longer is out of the question. Having already lost her fiancé once, Carrie is determined to love him for the eternity that he's promised her this time - even if he is a vampire, and being hunted by another who's already proven that she'll kill for him.

~*~

Tiffany isn’t the type to waste time daydreaming about men, but when a hot stranger smoking – in more ways than one – on the steps of the bank sheworks at takes her breath away, she can’t help it. He catches her attention as she exits the building on her way to lunch break, and she leaves fantasizing about helping the bank’s newest customer-to-be with much more than just his finances. When he finally approaches the counter, it’s not to open a new account, but to demand that Tiffany fill a pillowcase to the brim with cash – at gunpoint. The gorgeous gunman takes Tiffany on the run as his hostage, and her fear can't stand up to her attraction. When he offers to let her return to safety unharmed she realizes that there are many things she wants to do to him, but that walking away isn't one of them.

~*~

It all started with a sultry snapshot of an anonymous hunk. After taking his accidentally-nude picture, Kelly never expects to see him again. But when he almost runs her over the next day, sparks fly. Too bad she can’t get involved with anyone. Determined to fulfill her dream of opening a coffee café, she knows exactly what she wants, and letting a man into her life could jeopardize her plans. The man from her photo, local donut house owner Derek, also knows exactly what he wants – her. As the small town they live in erupts into scandal over the leaked photo, Kelly discovers that Derek is as hot and sweet as the treats he sells, and just as difficult to resist. Is it true that she can only accomplish her dreams alone, or will he tear down her walls with the help of some strategically applied strawberry glaze?

Wild Trivia

My first crushes were on Peter Pan and Rafael, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle.

- A few of my favorite movies are Bright Star, The Crow, August Rush and (you guessed it) Peter Pan.

I’m a Scorpio!

- My guilty pleasure is watching documentaries on Bigfoot or any other crypto zoological creature, no matter how ridiculous.

- I have a scar on my arm from where I was bit by an ungrateful (but cute!) chipmunk that I’d rescued from the jaws of a St. Bernard.

Gone fishing!

Well, more like gone camping, but you get the idea. With any luck at all I will not be here when this goes live on Friday morning. I'll be at my favorite camping spot, far from the reaches of cell phone or internet. Yup, the summer that took so long to get here is fading fast and I decided to take one last trip before the really cold weather sets in. This has been the shortest summer in recent memory, aobut three weeks altogether. Already, it's cold enough to wear a jacket when I walk the dogs in the morning. I'm not trhilled at the return of cooler weather already, but there's not much I can do about it except dig out the mittens and scarves. **sigh** Maybe we'll get an easy winter to compensate. Here's hoping!

My latest release came out on the 18th of August, and I'm really proud of it. That, plus the cover is smoking hot so you know I'm going to plunk it in here!LOL!

Series: Hellhound Detective Agency
Title: Hell Hath No Fury
ISBN : 978-1-60521-672-0
Genres: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Futuristic
Themes: Werewolves, Shape shifters, Magic
Release Date: August 18th, 2011
Author: Anne Kane
http://www.annekane.com/

Publisher URL Changeling Press - Erotic Fiction

BUY NOW!




BLURB:

If there was one thing guaranteed to piss off Fury, it was a man who didn't know how to treat a woman. One that actually hurt them on purpose, well, they'd better hope she managed to rein in her inner Hellhound when she came calling.
Women had been disappearing for months now, the kind of women that no one really cared about. Later, they'd turn up dead, and they didn't get that way easy. Then the killer made a mistake. The woman he'd been torturing escaped before he finished her off, and she called in the Hellhounds.
Now, the suspect is hiding behind a web of tech and Fury needs the help of a Tech Wizard to help to run him to ground. Axe finally gets the chance to prove that a werewolf-Hellhound cross is just what she needs for more than just work.




EXCERPT:

Fury pointed her nose to the sky, letting out a howl of sheer frustration. She’d been so close she could taste the perverted scumbag’s fear in the very air she breathed, and now he was gone. He’d resorted to Tech Magic to cover his tracks, and that was the one thing guaranteed to drive her crazy. Only inferiors resorted to Tech.

An unfortunate rat dashed across the road in front of her and pent-up aggression sent her pouncing on it. Her jaws snapping shut around its neck, she tore the rodent to bloody shreds before it even had time to register the danger.

Blood dripping from her muzzle, she sat back on her haunches and considered her options. This guy needed taken down quickly, before he zeroed in on his next victim. Scum like this never quit so long as they were alive. She flicked her tongue out to catch a red drop of blood.

Much as it pained her to admit it, she needed a Tech Wizard. She was proud of being a full-blooded Hellhound, able to track any prey using her own raw talent honed by Agency training. When a perp resorted to lowly Tech to avoid her, it meant she had to call in one of the Tech Wizards that the Hellhound Detective Agency kept on staff for just such occasions.

She got to her feet and started loping back toward the Agency. Might as well get it over with. A small flutter of anticipation warmed her belly, although she refused to acknowledge it. Axe was the best Tech Wizard at the Agency so of course she’d do whatever it took to get him to cooperate.
* * *
Axe made an effort to mask his amusement, studying the cluttered top of his desk to avoid looking at her. No point in pissing the Hellhound off before he found out exactly what she was up to. He’d been trying unsuccessfully to get her to agree to go out with him since he’d first set eyes on her two years ago. She’d frozen him in his tracks with one look from those amazing eyes of hers, making no attempt to hide her distain for creatures with less than full Hellhound blood. So why was she suddenly in his office, engaging in idle chitchat?

“That new club over on Seventh is really drawing in the crowds.” Fury leaned against the wall, ignoring the other chair. Axe knew she did it deliberately so that her head was positioned higher than his. Dominance games were as much a part of Hellhound DNA as breathing.

Axe tipped his leather office chair back, resting his feet on the paper-covered surface of his desk in a move calculated to show his disregard for the game. He might not be full Hellhound, but werewolves were playing these games long before the gates of Hell were opened. “Looks like a decent place. I haven’t gotten around to checking it out yet.”

Fury straightened up and sauntered over to the window, turning her back toward him. “We could go grab a beer after work. If you want.”

He couldn’t help it. His eyebrows shot skyward with the speed of light. “I want, but I’m a tad confused here. I thought you considered me to be slightly more obnoxious than the common cockroach.”

She turned to face him, a sexy smile curving the corner of her mouth. “I wouldn’t go that far. And I’ve reconsidered.” Her gaze swept him from head to toe with the speed of a tornado. “You have certain… admirable qualities.”

Axe grinned. She was good. He had to give her that. “I think I smell a conniving Hellhound. You want something, and you think I’ll be dumb enough to give it to you just because you smile and wag your tail in my face?”

“Am I wrong?” She slipped her tongue out to trace a wet circle around her lips.

“Maybe. Maybe not. Depends what you want.” Axe hauled himself to his feet and held out his hand in a mock courtly gesture. “Care to enlighten me over a glass of beer at the afore mentioned establishment?”

Fury’s eyes sparkled with mischief as she hooked her arm through his. “Delighted to. You’re not quite the pushover I imagined.”

“Thanks. I think.” He slanted a quizzical look at her. “You honestly thought a werewolf-Hellhound cross could be a pushover?”

She shrugged. “The werewolf genes dilute the Hellhound blood.”

Axe laughed. She had no clue how utterly ruthless and bloodthirsty a werewolf could be. Hellhounds were basically big scary dogs. Sure, they had supernatural talents but they were still just dogs. Werewolves might appear to be more civilized, but only to those who didn’t know them. She’d learn. And he was just the werewolf to teach her.


BUY NOW!

I've Been a Bad Girl

Our dear Karly is battling through some home renovations, so she graciously allowed me to have her spot this week. I promised her some Aussie beefcake, so Karly, this one's for you, babe. Um, mostly.

How come he can't reno your bathroom???

Also, my new naughty pen name launches this week. I go by Callie Croix now, too, and my first release comes out this Friday. 

Callie Croix was born due to a dare from my romantic suspense editor, whom I met at The Wild Rose Press's retreat last year in TX. We spent a lot of time together that weekend, which was very cool for our working relationship, because as it turned out, we actually liked each other. Lol. Anyway, she had this idea for an erotic romance series set on the very ranch we were staying at, featuring 4 delicious brothers. 

I said no initially, but she coaxed me along until I caved. I dutifully chose a brother's name that began with D, and lo and behold, Deacon's Touch became my first erotic romance. I've since written another story for the series, but that won't be out until next year sometime. Oh, and I've um, got several more releases lined up in the near future, too. (Callie's been stealing all of Kaylea's writing time!)

Funny thing is, despite my initial reluctance to dip my toes into these steamy waters, it turns out I love writing erotic romance. Granted, my work thus far is straight contemporary, without any suspense, but one day soon I'll remedy that. But, and I know this will come as a shock, all my heroes are military/ex-military. I can't help it!

In honor of this momentous leap to the dark side, I'm giving away a copy of Deacon's Touch to a lovely commenter here at WGW. This book will only be in digital format, so bear that in mind if you choose to enter the contest. 

Blurb: After her own engagement goes to hell, workaholic Jessica Talbot dreads her friend’s bachelorette party at a dude ranch in Nowheresville, Texas. But the outlook for the weekend brightens when Deacon Dumen picks her up at the airport. The sexy cowboy awakens every dormant sexual fantasy with nothing more than a friendly smile and a handshake.

Ex-Air Force Pararescueman Deke Dumen doesn’t know what to make of the sexy yet reserved brunette who breaks through the walls he built after an injury ended his career and a divorce soured him on relationships. As a guest at his family's ranch Jessie is off limits, but the Dom in him rebels at the restriction, even as he realizes his penchant for control in the bedroom would likely scare the holy hell out of her.

When Jessie shocks Deke by asking for exactly what he's been craving, he's ready to break the rules and introduce her to his own brand of dominance. Her willing surrender rocks them both to the core. But once the weekend's over, they must decide if it was just a wild fling or the start of something more.

*NOTE!! EXPLICIT LANGUAGE/SEXUAL CONTENT ALERT!!*

By reading further you certify that you are eighteen years of age or older and reside in a country where the viewing of sexually explicit material and graphic language is not illegal.

***Begin Excerpt (unedited)***

“But what?” He could barely get the words out.

Her eyes searched his. “You wouldn’t…hurt me.”

He imagined the thoughts running through that pretty head. No doubt she wondered whether he got off on tying his partners up and whipping them raw. He swallowed a laugh. “No. But I’ll push your boundaries.” It was how he was wired.

Her sigh of relief tightened something inside him. The interest and growing need in her eyes sparked something far more primal and possessive.

Without warning, the dark hunger he’d held at bay swept over him in a powerful wave, making him light-headed with the need to take her. Testing her resolve, he closed his hands around her slender wrists and held them to the bar top as he bent to taste the skin beneath her right ear. Her swift intake of breath made his c*ck surge.

He kissed the fragile pulse point, savoring the frantic beat of her blood beneath his lips for a moment before nipping gently. She jerked in his hold and made a little sound of arousal when he soothed the tiny sting away with his tongue. A tremor rolled through her body, goose bumps breaking out across her smooth skin. Then slowly she let her head tip back a few inches, offering her throat.

The subconscious surrender in the movement made his heart pound. He hoped the hell she understood what she was signing up for, because he was more than ready to deliver.

He could feel the tension gripping her body as he held her there, trailing feather-light kisses across her jaw to the corner of his mouth. Keeping her hands in place to introduce her to the sensation of being restrained, he hovered a breath away from her tempting lips. And waited.

A moment later, she closed her eyes and turned her head to kiss him. A slow mingling of lips and tongue, as addictive as a drug. She softened, yielded. Her timid, yet sensual response went to his head like a fifth of whiskey. Before he could take things further, he pulled back. When she opened her eyes and gazed up at him in silent question, he released her wrists and stepped away. “Let’s go,” he said in a rough voice.

She straightened slowly, watching him with equal parts arousal and indecision. Deke held out his hand and waited. Her gaze slid down to his palm, and he could feel her struggling with herself. She studied his hand, and he knew she was taking in its size, how much stronger it was than hers. What his control over her would mean during sex. If she put her hand in his, she was his for the night.

Meeting his eyes, she finally lifted her hand and settled it on his palm. Her skin was cool and soft, delicate compared to his. Something to be treasured. He closed his fingers around hers and squeezed, her need and unspoken trust in him easing something in his chest.

Oh, sugar. You’re mine.

Without a word, he turned and guided her out of the bar.
*end excerpt*

Happy reading!

Kaylea/Callie :)

Something Old, Something New

I’ve been delinquent in my blogging this summer. The only excuse I can offer is that I was selfishly directing all of my creative energy to my third Blue Angel novel, Naked Angel. And let me say, I have a whole new respect for writers who can knock out six, nine, twelve novels in a series. It really becomes a challenge to find something new to explore, to direct the characters in place that is plausible but still interesting. You want to give readers the same experience but in a fresh way. I have no idea if I pulled it off, and I guess I’ll have to wait until April to find out!

In the meantime, I’ve been digging into the classics for inspiration. And by classics, I don’t mean Nora Roberts circa 1996; I’m talking Henry James. I read The Golden Bowl, and if you can get through the density of the prose, it’s a fascinating exploration of desire. There were so many obstacles standing in the way of love back then: money, class, convention. Now, it’s anything goes, and that makes the drama a little less intense.

My fascination with the dramatic potential of the past led me to read a recently published historical novel called Incognito by Gregory Murphy; it offers an unconventional romance. All in all, I’m getting a little obsessed about early 20th century love affairs. Next up: The Paris Wife by Paula McLain.

Is it possible for a story set in modern times to have the devastating stakes of Wings of the Dove or The Age of Innocence? I’d love to hear what you think. In the meantime, I have to figure out what to write next. A historical? From burlesque to horse-drawn carriages? That would be a tough transition. What would Henry James or Edith Wharton have to say about this?

BPW: Spotlight on Nichole Murphy

Author bio: Nicole Murphy has been a primary school teacher, bookstore owner, journalist and checkout chick. She grew up reading Tolkien, Lewis and Le Guin; spent her twenties discovering Quick, Lindsey and Deveraux and lives her love of science fiction and fantasy through her involvement with the Conflux science fiction conventions. Her urban fantasy trilogy Dream of Asarlai is published in Australia/NZ by HarperVoyager. She lives with her husband in Queanbeyan, NSW. Visit her website http://nicolermurphy.com

The Dream of Asarlai trilogy.

Secret Ones: Maggie Shaunessy is used to keeping secrets. She′s a fantastic teacher, but she′s also gadda, part of a hidden, powerful race - and she has a habit of annoying the wrong people.

Until Lucas Valeroso meets Maggie, he had no idea what awaited him: super-human powers, a smart and beautiful woman interested in more than unlocking his new abilities and, above all, a sense of belonging.

But dark ambition and dangerous bigotry are emerging in the gadda ranks. Lucas′s new family might cast him out before he′s even truly found his place. And Maggie must work with new allies to find and retrieve a missing artefact before the entire world is changed for all time.

~*~

Power Unbound: For centuries, the gadda have worked to keep their identity secret from the rapidly expanding human race. All this is now at risk - the most terrible of gadda teachings, the Forbidden Texts, have been stolen and the race is on to find them.

Ione Gorton may have got her best friend back from Australia, but Maggie′s elevation to the ranks of the guardians means that she′s not around as much. So when Stephen O′Malley, almost the youngest - and definitely the hottest - ever candidate for the sixth-order test, needs a place to stay after strange and violent happenings hit Sclossin, Ione is all too happy to lend a hand ...

But Ione, like Maggie before her, is soon a target for those using the Forbidden Texts. The missing artifact is changing life for gadda and human alike ...

~*~

Rogue Gadda: Hampton Rourke has always lived under his father′s shadow, and he′s not convinced he′s the right man to be leading the search for Asarlai and the Forbidden Texts. When the clues lead to Boston and he stumbles upon one of the fabled lost families, Hampton faces challenges that will test his faith in himself.

Charlotte Haraldson has been taught to hate the bardria, so it stinks that the man of her dreams isn′t just from Sclossin but is the most powerful of them all. Then she learns that everything she′s been taught is lies and she has to find new meaning for her and the gadda.

With Asarlai setting loose one of the most dangerous gadda who had ever lived and then gaining a powerful ally, the pressure builds to stop her and retrieve the texts before she can finalise her terrible plan and change the world forever.

Wild Trivia!
* I met my husband online - we met on an old IM messenger board, chatted for hours and by the time we were done, he'd booked a flight to come see me in Alice Springs. We married less than a year later -that was more than eleven years ago.

* I lived for three years in an Aboriginal community in the Kimberley -
where amongst other things I got to taste turtle (nice!) and dugong (not so good).

* My favourite karaoke songs are Pink's U and UR Hand and Alanis Morisette's You Oughta Know.
* I was once a qualified cricket coach (registered with the Australian Cricket Board) and trained to be an Australian Rules umpire.

* I once had Garry McDonald (aka Norman Gunston) make coffee for me.